Hats Off! What’s Happening?

thelaureateinside

October 2010

volume XXVIII: issue two

news 2-3editorials 4-6

a&e 8-11

sports 16-17jff 14-15

centerspread 12-13

features 18-21in the wry 22-23

a student publication of Lassiter High School.

“Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite,” is a phrase everyone has heard at one point or another. Howev-er it is rare to have actually seen a bed bug in its robust, rust-colored glory if you didn’t live during the Renaissance period. Nevertheless, recent reports have scientists and sleepers alike ques-tioning the comeback of the bed bug. In the past few years, thebedbug.com in-forms, there has been a 500% in-crease in U.S. bed bug sight-ings. The Nike-town (a five story Nike sporting goods outlet) recently had to shut down after bed bugs appeared inside of the stylish sneakers and comfy run-ning shorts on the sales racks. Boston University, NYU, MIT, the University of Vermont, The College of New Jersey, The University of Texas at Dallas, Re-inhardt College, and the University of Bridgeport have all reported bed bug

invasions in dorms. If you happen to come across an itchy red bump in the morning, find black excrement stains on your mattress, or even smell a dirty, outdoorsy odor on furniture (which is extremely rare and should not be relied on) there may be a bed bug infestation. To confirm your suspicions there are easy ways to catch the vampire-like bugs.

The sim-plest

way is to catch the bed bug in the act of feeding either on a person or an ani-mal (popularly bats, birds, or rodents). There is also the option of double sid-ed tape for those who are extremely determined. Placing double sided tape along the top of your mattress, on the flat surfaces of your headboard, and on your carpet will capture the bugs which are much too small to not get stuck. To treat an actual bite, first con-firm the source with a doctor because bed bug bites and mosquito bites are often confused. Second, wash with hot water and soap and treat with anes-

thetic lotions. Before I make you too ner-

vous let it be known bed bugs are usually found

in the beds of trav-elers, those

who stay at u n c l e a n

hotels or hostels, and on r e f u r -

bished fur-niture that was not properly cleaned before being nicely recovered. Sleep tight, Trojans, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.

laura brinkstaff writer

The bed Bug invasion

The Multicultural Leadership Club was created by Mrs. Richter and Mrs. Crandall to bring awareness to Lassiter about worldliness. Mrs. Crandall emphasized that “A diverse culture is important to the community because it helps to stamp out ignorance. Since the demograph-ics are changing it is important for ev-eryone to feel welcome and embrace diversity.” Their mission statement is to aid the community through spread-

ing cultural awareness. In preparation for the film festival, the art department at Lassiter made an exhibit of butterflies, which was and will continue to be displayed through-out mid October and mid November in the Lassiter media center. In an effort to get students involved and intrigued, the English department made extra credit opportunities for students who attended the festival. Lassiter’s new Multicultural Club ASE held one of many film festivals to come for Lassiter. On October 21, un-der the leadership of senior, Morgan

Traylor, the leadership club held the Hispanic Heritage Film Festival. Octo-ber’s film was held in honor of Hispan-ic Heritage Month and illuminates the issue of violence against women. The film festival featured In the Time of the Butterflies, a story of Tryillo’s reign in the Dominican Republic and the revolt of three sisters, who are now honored as heroines. All proceeds went to the Make a Wish Foundation. The Multicultural Leadership Club hopes to raise $3,000 this semester so that they alone can grant one child’s wish.

colleen purdystaff writer

Multicultural awareness a success

Drama presented 3 fantastic nights of “An Evening of Comedy.”

editorials

a&e

centerspread

jff

Changing Stereotypes

Homecoming The

Spirit

Academic Letter Awards 10/28Football Senior Night 10/29Halloween 10/31Election 11/2Cheerleading Regions 11/6Thanksgiving Break 11/22-26

world travels 57%

skydiving 20%

swim w/13%

10%meet acelebrity

Bucket List?

to win $50!

Learn how

Restaurant

Review

lhsnews 2page

Experience

View on the water war

Republican

Was in army, former chair of the Health Care Subcommittee in the House of Representatives, President pro tempore in senate

Focus on water conservation, nego-tiations with the other governors to settle water disputes, create more reservoirs, and secure the water GA already has

Wants to pass a law similar to the one in Arizona, believes that people seeking in-state tuition at universi-ties and Medicaid should provide citizenship verification

Plans to create more high –paying jobs, will not raise taxes because he believes it will take away jobs, plans on creating a “rainy day fund”

Create better jobs, preserve teacher jobs and keep classes small, and improve transportation throughout the state

Democrat

Worked as a prosecutor and opened own law firm, State Senator, state representative, and then governor

Wants to focus on repairing faulty pipes and water infrastructure, create water reservoirs in northern Georgia, investigate underwater storage facilities

Feels that the federal government is not protecting states against illegal immigration as they should, im-migration laws must be obeyed for foreigners and employers of illegal immigrants

As governor, funded programs without raising taxes, will restore education cuts and advance water and transportation, will eliminate unnecessary revenue loss through tax exemptions

Focus on education, transportation, and creating jobs

Libertarian

Leadership skills from the finance and airline industries

Fairly negotiate with FL and AL, ad-mit mistake of allowing the federal government help GA build a dam, must maintain states rights

Welcomes foreigners who want a better quality of life, illegal Immi-grants who are productive in Ameri-can society should receive benefits but those who aren’t productive should not, the question of legal status should be handled by the federal government

Plans to get out of the way of the private sector, industries involving gambling and betting are willing to come to Georgia to create more jobs, he supports these companies because they could potentially bring in billions of dollars to the economy

Improve the economy and make jobs, reduce taxes and make the government smaller

Nathan Deal Roy Barnes John MondsGeorGia’s

race for Governor

View on the illegal immigration

View on taxes

Priorities

onlineathens.com

Debate The three candidates discuss major issues in the race to be-come governor.

skye rubel/editor-in-chief

Did

You Know?

3page 2

A recent study by the Council of Graduate Schools shows that wom-en earn more doctoral degrees than men. From the 1970’s, the number of women in graduate and professional schools has consistently risen as well. Expectations are changing for females; they are investing in their education because they are no longer required to stay home and raise a family. Traditionally, men are thought to be the breadwinners and women the housewives. With the rise in mas-ter’s and doctoral degrees earned by women, times are clearly changing. Though women now earn more than fifty percent of doctorates in the US, numbers are relatively even for male and females. Tim Chapuis, 12, stated, “Girls try harder for a safety net so they have more options in life. Guys don’t seem to need these options.” Though women are becoming progressively more educated than men, they earn only eighty-three cents to the dollar

that a man makes for the same job. High schools are also seeing the trend that women are becoming more educated. Of the 538 people who took the Advanced Placement exams in 2010 at Lassiter, approximately sixty percent were female. This corresponds with the national average as well. Jake Schaffer, 12, commented, “There are only five boys in my AP literature class. There are so many more girls!” Though women are earning more degrees, overall the trend is not consistent throughout all doctoral disciplines. They earn only twenty-five percent of degrees in engineering, math, and computer science. They earn sixty percent of the degrees in behavioral sciences and seventy per-cent in health sciences. Because of the economy, women are more likely to earn de-grees than in the past to help support their families. When asked about this, Scott Schaffer, 12, replied, “Boys slack off way more than girls. They just don’t seem to care as much.”

skye rubeleditor-in-chief

Boys go to jupiter...

. compiled by julia regeski

Warnings were issued along the Pacific coast to deter people from the beaches, and to prevent any further giant squid attacks. Two Mexican fishermen were removed from their boat after being “chewed” by a Humboldt squid. These cephalopods can travel up to 15 mph and have 10 tentacles including 2 attack tentacles that are studded with 40,000 or more sharp teeth-like nubs. The Humboldts are completing their northern migration and by the looks of it are not going without a fight.

news editor

Leadership skills from the finance and airline industries

Males are not earning as many doctoral degrees as women

onlineathens.com

Boys naturally learn better from male teachers and girls retain more information from female teachers.

2 hours

0 hours

1 hour

Studying time by genderGirls average 1.9 hours of studying daily, while boys only study for about 1.4.

While Richard Jeff was working in his backyard, another man, Giacomo confronted him and accused him of knocking the bananas off of his tree, which Jeff denied. Giacomo supposedly pointed a gun at Jeff’s head and threatened to shoot. The police entered and found the weapon in Giacomo’s nightstand. He was arrested and accused of aggravated assault.

Deprivation One major cause of the slacking of boys compared to girls may be their lack of sleep.

healthysd.gov

After finding 77 cats packed

into two cars, two women are

being cited for animal cruelty

by the Bennington Police.

Someone complained about

seeing the women sleeping

in their cars along with the

felines. The women owned

only a couple of the catsand

were looking for homes for

the rest. There was even a

dead cat found in the trunk.

lhseditorials 4page

“I work down at the Pizza Pit and I drive an old Hyundai. I still live with my mom and dad. I’m five foot three and overweight…But there’s a whole ’nother me that you need to see. Go checkout MySpace.” Many country music fans recog-nize these lyrics as three-time Grammy Award winner Brad paisley’s 2008 hit “Online,” but few understand their implications to a form of alternate re-ality known as the World Wide Web. After all, the internet is the only outlet that allows you to control every way in which you are perceived. Unfortunate-ly, these facades have become increas-ingly negative, as people hide behind their computers, spewing hatred to-wards others they don’t know. Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi committed suicide last month after the sexual relations he had with

another male were transmitted live via the internet. His roommate, Dharun Ravi, and a friend Molly Wei, the two responsible for collecting the encoun-ters without consent, face a maximum penalty of only five years in prison. Clement’s body was found days lat-er in the Hudson River, after he posted “Jumping of the gw bridge sorry” to his Facebook page. Online harassment that drives someone to suicide is obviously inex-cusable. While Tyler Clemeti’s death is certainly a tragedy, the cyber bullying phenomenon opens the floodgates for similar stories. With the vast number of people on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twit-ter, and with little regulation on what can and cannot be posted for millions to see, tragedies will inevitably be-come statistics. “Online” isn’t just another song – it’s a sad reality for today’s society, where bullying has reached its cataclysmic limits. When we are so unhappy with ourselves that we take others down

Cyber bullying- the dark side of the internetCory

Shaw

TAKE ONE!

Gloomy Only those who have experienced it firsthand un-derstand the severity of cyber bullying.

http://www.ua.edu

behind the security of a computer, we ironically say more about who we truly are than who we are presented to be. The moral of the story is to think before you post. The next time you make public a status about that “ugly kid” or the “loner” you call a friend on

Facebook, remember your secrets or flaws. Remember what being embar-rassed feels like in front of a few and then multiply it by a million. Remem-ber that time you felt lonely or ousted or controlled. Remember Tyler Clem-enti.

Candy ethics: take one or take advantage

You’ve all experienced it, tak-en advantage of it, or honored your morals in spite of it. You’ve been a victim of it or a criminal because of it. It has brought you lots of joy or that dreaded, empty feeling in the pit of your stomach. Yes, you know what I’m talking about, the unsupervised candy bowl. It’s the bowl that your neigh-bors leave on their front porch when they are either out on this night of mayhem or are merely cranky, old, and don’t like children. This bowl, filled to the brim with sub-standard candy, is always paired with the noto-rious note….“Please Take ONE.”

This house has suddenly be-come an easy target. If the candy is good then all you have to do is hit this one house and you are done for the night! Of course you remember moth-er dearest yelling from the end of the driveway, “ONLY TAKE ONE!” and you would solemnly obey. But when you hit that long-awaited age when mama bird let you fly from the nest….there was no stopping you at these houses. Who knows, maybe you’d take five pieces this year. There’s always that one kid who steals the whole bowl, note and all, causing delirium for other trick-or-treaters who spend precious energy and time making their way up to this now candy-less house. Truth be told, the bowl, note, and candy combina-tion is just asking for trouble and giving kids a chance to show their delinquent side. So a word from the wise: if you want to make trick-or-treaters happy, just answer the door bearing full size candy bars.

Katie

Hayes

Online harassment has reached its cataclysmic high

20104 5page

The Laureate Staff2010-2011

Editors-in-ChiefSkye RubelCory Shaw

News EditorJulia Regeski

Editorials EditorNatalie Kieta

A&E EditorKatie Hayes

JFF EditorAnnabel Edwards

Centerspread Editor Mary Ann Staak

Features EditorLindsay Hopkins

Comedy EditorTyler Molinaro

Sports EditorJack Herman

Staff Writers

AdvisorMr. Todd Henry

The Laureate is a student publication of Lassiter High School; a member of the Georgia Scholastic Press As-sociation. Editorials reflect the opin-ions of individual writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Lassiter High School, Cobb County Schools, or their administrators. Fi-nancial support for The Laureate is obtained through advertising and subscription sales, and generous pa-tron contributions.

Lassiter High School2601 Shallowford Road

Marietta, Georgia 30066(678) 494-7863

lhspress@gmail.comwww.issuu.com/lhspress

Jeff CiesielskiVince GonzalezAustin HayesWill Morris

Colleen PurdyRenee Puvvada

Samantha WeissertLaura Brink

Around homecom-ing, we can start to expect the hair salons to fill up and the limo rental to be com-pletely booked. Girls spend all that money to look nice while the men spend all theirs on dinner, transporta-tion, and their own appear-ance (to a lesser extent). I say there’s no reason for all that effort and hassle. Home-coming should be an informal way to celebrate a new school year and a new season. Yes, there is a dance. And yes, dances are usually formal affairs. But the line should be drawn when com-fort and mobility take a back seat to formality. Now I’ve never admittedly worn high heels before but, I can in-fer how they feel after a few hours of dancing. There’s no reason to put your-self through that torture twice a year. That’s what prom is for. The most im-portant high school social event, prom is a time to dress up in your most for-mal attire and spend whatever you can afford on it. Homecoming is not. Prom is plenty for all the work that goes into it. Trying to make homecoming into the same kind of affair will be more trouble than it’s worth. To be blunt, homecoming is less important. While both are fun, prom is one high school experience that will be remembered. Why not take this opportunity to have a school dance without having to wor-ry about staining your rented tux? Laura might argue that under-classmen shoud enjoy homecoming because it is all they get. To that I say that the underclassmen should take these two years to save their money. Prom is never as cheap as you hope. Two times to blister your feet in fancy shoes and choke yourself with ties is enough in four years of high school. Now I’m not saying that overalls or tank tops should be acceptable, but improvising your TOMS for your heels may be a smart choice that shouldn’t be as taboo as it is. The bottom line is that prom holds more weight than homecoming. Why dress up for a dance that will be forgotten by the time prom comes around? Homecom-ing should be fun, not frantic.

Issue:Homecoming

used to be a for-mal event held on the Saturday after the homecoming football game.

Girls wore dress-es and guys wore

suits. Groups rented buses.

Now, Homecom-ing at Lassiter is an informal occa-sion immediately after the game.

Which is prefered by students?

Form

al

Informa

l

laura

brink willmorris

Cyber bullying- the dark side of the internet

When I got the assignment to write this article, I was ecstatic. The pros for having a real homecoming dance are so obvious. Girls want to get dressed to the nines in the cutest dresses and the most superb shoes and get to enjoy the mounds of compli-ments that their friends will, without a doubt, rain down on them. Boys get an excuse to hold their lady close and ,every time they tell her how ravishing she looks, score oodles of points. Al-though it is possible that not everyone has the extreme love for overdressing that I do, everyone loves to spend time with friends. As a tribute to teenage hormones, don’t you dare pretend you aren’t dying to hold your crush close to you while the D.J. slows it down with some “Time After Time.” Will, surprisingly, came up with my next point. The Homecoming dance (when we had a formal one) was the only dance that underclassmen can attend! Just because sophomores are unsubstantial and freshman aren’t ac-tually people doesn’t mean they don’t love an awesome dance party as much as upperclassmen. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones to be free of Cupid’s com-plicated arrows, then grab a friend and hit the dance floor. All you need to do is bend your knees and clap your hands to be a better dancer than the majority of your peers. Music will, in fact, make you lose control and you’ll have the time of your life. My associate, Will “unro-mantic” Morris, is obliviously way too much of a stud to have to worry about putting effort into wooing girls (chuck-le, chuckle). But maybe he should con-sider how happy his mother would be to see him all dolled up. How happy the lady of his choice would be when he pulled out a guitar and romantically asked her to be his date. Don’t be self-

ish boys, girls love to dress up and girls love boys (sim-ple fact). So step up your game and get your girl a dance! If you like to have fun and spend time with your friends, then a homecoming dance can provide you with all of that, plus memories that will last a lifetime.

Trendy Converse blends comfort and style

H O M E C O M I N G

will morris

Did

You Know?

Kids’ least favorite trick-or-treat items, according to the National Confectioners Associa-tion, are fruit and salty snacks like pretzels and chips.

lhseditorials 6page

“You’re a lunch lady…REAL-LY??” This is frequently the first ques-tion I get when I tell people that I work in the Lassiter cafeteria. This question, indirectly, reveals dismay. I have come to understand that these people don’t mean to be rude or condescending. I think it is just hard for some people to wrap their heads around why anyone with the educational and work back-ground that I possess would choose to work at what they perceive as a menial job. So, let’s delve into this, shall we? I think we all can agree that lunch ladies have evolved. Yes, we still have the aprons, the hair nets and some still display the perpetual scowl. But no longer are we forced to wear the dresses, hose, and orthopedic shoes of generations past. Nowadays you can find us sporting golf shirts, flares and baseball caps. The new crop of dining divas are typically younger, hipper and more in tune with the teens of today. I think the average age of our crew is

around 50, which we all know is the new 30!! Because of this younger demo-graphic, most lunch ladies are moms

Lassiter lunch ladies: changing stereotypes

There have been many major technological advances in the history of mankind: fire, the wheel, electricity, and Halo Reach. Halo Reach is the lat-est installment in the iconic Halo vid-eogame series that has entertained the masses since Halo: Combat Evolved ar-rived on the original Xbox. After count-less hours of playtime and two blown fuses (sorry Mom!), I can safely say that Halo Reach is the most ridiculous video game I have ever inserted into my Xbox 360. Halo Reach is a first person shooter game with two main game modes: campaign and multiplayer. In campaign, the player is cast as the roll of Noble 6, a soldier who has replaced

a fallen man on the most skilled team of soldiers in the universe. There are a variety of missions that will challenge even the most advanced Halo gamer. The multiplayer mode is equally impressive. “Load outs” is a new feature which allows players to pick preset weapons packages instead of just taking what the game assigns the player like in the first three Halo games. The “veto-system” has been improved; people now can pick from three offered game modes chosen at random. New weapons and maps real-ly contribute to the overall experience of this modern marvel. Reactions to Halo Reach have been overwhelmingly positive. Critics and regular people agree that Halo Reach is the best game to have been released this year. Lassiter students are in agreement as well. Says sopho-more James Rowe, “Halo Reach is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I have pulled off all-nighters on two separate occasions playing this game.”

halo reach floods teenaGe minds

jeff

ciesielski

Terry

Edwards

Focused Hardcore Halo players all over the world spend hours battling each other to become a “Halo God.”

who have decided that they want a job that will afford them the same sched-ule as their kids. Many are also in need of good health insurance. Some are staying on to take advantage of retirement benefits. In my particular circumstance, I wanted my girls to at-

tend Lassiter and by golly, I was going to find a way to make that happen. By taking this job, I paved the way for my daughters to graduate from this highly

sought after high school. Currently, I am in my fourth year at Lassiter. I was extremely ner-vous during my initial days here. I joined a team of ladies responsible for feeding a student body and staff of over 2000 people. I had no food service ex-

perience at all -- I hadn’t even flipped a burger at McDonalds. But I do have a slight gift for gab, so lucky me, I was given a cashier position. That first day,

I decided to post something on my computer which I hoped would resonate with people as they came through my line. I stuck a Post It Note on each side of my computer that sim-ply said, “PATIENCE IS A VIR-TUE”. It seemed to work and I made it through that first year relatively unscathed. Each sub-sequent year I have displayed a different virtue for people to ponder…KINDNESS, RESPECT, and this year, HONESTY. My hope is that students and staff alike will take some time to think about these admirable qualities and apply them to how they interact with us and with each other. We enjoy our jobs and the ability to forge re-lationships with you, our cus-tomers, and look forward to

serving you during your tenure at Las-siter. And that right there, my friends, is why we lunch ladies do what we do every day! Yes, I’m a lunch lady…REALLY!!

Familynatalie kieta

jeff ciesielski

The lunch ladies of Lassiter work together every day and are practically a family.

Lassiter lunch ladies: changing stereotypes

halo reach floods teenaGe minds

jeff ciesielski

lhsa&e 8page

the top movies of the halloween seasonHalloween is definitely one of the best times of the year for movies. Scary movies—although not one of the more popular types of film—are the greatest things ever. It is a whole genre of movies that was inspired by a holiday! So, in spirit of the upcoming day of spooks, I have collected and documented the

greatest Halloween movies of all time.

mary ann staak/centerspread editor

Classic. Complete classic. Mi-

chael Myers is one of the most

We all know and love Jigsaw! Right?

When we were first given one of the

goriest movies probably ever cre-

ated, it became an instant classic. It

twists the usual tale of a psycho mur-

derer chasing innocent people into a

psycho torturer chasing people guilty

of different crimes. A sleazy business-

man and an avid drug-dealer are

chained inside a dirty bathroom

with the task to survive. Will they

succeed? With a dead body between

them, a kidnapped family, and Jig-

saw, the chances don’t look good.

Horror takes on reality in this faux

documentary filmed by college stu-

dents. Hearing tales of the Blair

Witch living in the woods, three stu-

dents disappear into the wilderness

to discover the truth of her with food,

clothing, camping supplies, and a

camera. One year later, their footage

was found. Keep in mind that this is

a FICTIONAL documentary. None of

it is true. But these young filmmak-

ers sure do a great job making their

audience believe that the Blair Witch

really is living alone deep in those

woods.

And who knows—maybe she is.

is.

feared names in society after he

preyed on Jamie Lee Curtis and

her friends for an hour and a half.

Sure, it was a tad cheesy, but it was

made in the seventies and it mo-

tivated a whole chain of sequels

inspired by the escaped insane

asylum patient who happens to

be “pure evil”. The scariest scene is

probably the very beginning when

five-year old Michael Myers murders

his older sister. His parents find him in

her room with the knife. Scared yet?

Creepy children, psycho husbands,

and red rum. Sounds like a party! The

Shining is a classic horror film about

an evil presence in an isolated ho-

tel that attacks a young family. The

father—Jack Nicholson—turns com-

pletely insane while their young boy

begins to see forebodings from the

past and future. If you really want

to freak yourself out, The Shining is

a good place to start. Although not

as contemporary as modern-day

Paranormal Activity, the creepiness

of The Shining is sure to get you just

as well. It’s another classic Hallow-

een movie, courtesy of Stephen King.

I cried when I saw this movie. Liter-

ally, tears came out of my eyes. The

movie is about a young woman liv-

ing with her boyfriend, who is ter-

rorized by some sort of demonic

“paranormal activity” that has been

following her throughout her entire

life. When her boyfriend comes up

with the idea to leave a camera on

at night to see what happens while

they are asleep (brilliant, eh?), the

two watch what unfolds when the

lights go off. By the end of the film,

people are dead, knives are blood-

ied, and the camera is broken.

Yay for cannibals with chainsaws!

Here we are back in the seventies

with psycho killers killing innocent

girls in the most gruesome way pos-

sible. Sally and her band of friends are

travelling through the country to her

grandfather’s grave which has appar-

ently been robbed. On the way, they

pick up a less-than-friendly hitchhiker

who quickly turns to murderer. After

dumping him at the curb, the friends

soon find themselves deserted and

wander over to an old shabby house

and the seemingly innocent drive

soon turns into a nightmare for them.

With a chainsaw, an empty stomach,

and no escape, things aren’t looking

too merry for this group of friends.

Which one is the best?

“Saw boggles the mind.”- Trenton Gantt, 10

“Halloween has awesome music that builds sus-pense.” - Nolan Helmly, 11

“The Shining goes beyond normal horror films. It’s more of a psychological thrill.” - Erin Fisher, 12

8 9page

Did

You Know?

The atmosphere is, beyond all things, chilling. What was expected to be another clichéd flick about a human accidentally picking up a vampire in the folds of a hideously written plotline, instead unveiled itself as a sinister, yet tender, movie with a mission. Popular views of these seductive fiends of Twilight and The Vampire Di-aries fame have been redrawn to show horrifyingly sentimental m o n -sters that could eas- i l y put Edward Cullen to work. A somewhat creepy attraction is developed to-wards Owen, a scrawny little kid played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, on the movie screen. Bullied constantly and neglected by di-vorced parents, he gains sympathy from a

new neighbor who quickly evolves into a friend and advice-giver against his tormentors. She grows to something more as Owen realizes his feelings for mysterious Abby, played by Chloe Moretz, go beyond just polite acquain-tances. So far, so cute. Abby, the vampire, manages to hide her true identity from Owen for some time, but clips of Abby’s care-g i v e r a n d

Creepy children, psycho husbands,

and red rum. Sounds like a party! The

Shining is a classic horror film about

an evil presence in an isolated ho-

tel that attacks a young family. The

father—Jack Nicholson—turns com-

pletely insane while their young boy

begins to see forebodings from the

past and future. If you really want

to freak yourself out, The Shining is

a good place to start. Although not

as contemporary as modern-day

Paranormal Activity, the creepiness

of The Shining is sure to get you just

as well. It’s another classic Hallow-

een movie, courtesy of Stephen King.

Yay for cannibals with chainsaws!

Here we are back in the seventies

with psycho killers killing innocent

girls in the most gruesome way pos-

sible. Sally and her band of friends are

travelling through the country to her

grandfather’s grave which has appar-

ently been robbed. On the way, they

pick up a less-than-friendly hitchhiker

who quickly turns to murderer. After

dumping him at the curb, the friends

soon find themselves deserted and

wander over to an old shabby house

and the seemingly innocent drive

soon turns into a nightmare for them.

With a chainsaw, an empty stomach,

and no escape, things aren’t looking

too merry for this group of friends.

- Nolan Helmly, 11

Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain!

renee puvvadastaff writer

Movie review:

Our rating:

B-“It wasn’t very scary but it was somewhat entertaining.”- Scott Schaffer, 12

even herself hunting reveal pulse-accelerating details of an immortal life. This vam-pire is not an angel-faced sweetheart when provoked, which definitely feeds the mounting fear. Let Me In doesn’t pro-vide mind-bending torture and psychological thrill, but does succeed in giving the occasional surprise (i.e., jumpiness), plenty of blood, disturbing body parts, and a mysterious air. It is narrated by a haunting orchestra, that strangely keeps you in-trigued. While not recom-mended for your next Hal-loween party, the emotional details around the movie

truly paint a masterpiece of entertainment. Slightly slow-moving in some

scenes, but beautifully choreo-graphed, Let Me In takes you back to

the real bloodsucking core of friend-ship.

lhsa&e 10page

Have you ever been in a movie theatre and gotten a sudden craving for a brownie sundae? You squirm in your seat and pray that your stomach can keep from growling and disturbing the movie goers around you just waiting to scream “Shhhhh!” But, of course, the main character in your show has just found his long lost relative and they have begun an awkward silence waiting for someone to speak first. At this won-derful restaurant, one would never find themselves in this terrifying dilemma. At Studio Movie Grill, there is a full menu ranging from classic nach-os, to a spinach and mozzarella quesa-dilla. Movie Grill opened in 2008 and it became an instant hit. The main goal of the restaurant/cinema is to allow visitors to watch blockbuster movies while also enjoying delicious cuisine.

restaurant reviews : new places to eat

Studio Movie Grill

“Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source.” To those of you who can name the movie and narrator, kudos. You have earned and deserve commendation, as does a new restaurant that has opened only a few blocks from our homes. Nicky’s Diner, uprooted from its original location in South Florida and moved to what was formerly the site of Backyard Burger, is a version of a classic American diner with a touch of Greek influence. The curb appeal: I went into the experience that is Nicky’s diner re-ally WANTING to like it. This is proba-bly because of the welcoming appear-ance the restaurant features, setting it apart from the likes of Donny’s diner across the street, which I have never tried and likely never will because of its foreboding darkness. Nicky’s Diner has prime location, adequate parking, windows without dark blinds, and a good general look about its outside. The atmosphere: Not many

Nicky’s Dinertyler molinarocomedy editor

places can get away with hanging fish and garlic cloves from the same ceiling and then proceeding to insert some hanging lamps belonging in an Artusi’s and others desperately trying to make the cut of imitations of imitations of Tiffanys, but somehow it meshes. The place was packed, providing a lively and fun environment. The dining room is central and contains a mixture of booths and tables. A- The food: To be quite hon-est, many of the dishes my party was served were quite good and all were up to par. Not the best cuisine, of course, but, for the category of diner food, everything met or exceeded ex-pectations. The restaurant did not skimp on the meat and has its bread baked through a bakery at an alternate location. A- The all important question: “Will I be returning?” Yes. Nicky’s is definitely worth returning to. It’s just what you would expect out of a diner, with a little bit of pizzazz tacked on for good measure. Dishes served all day means Nicky’s is good all the time, anytime. Overall: A-

vince gonzalezstaff writer

New films, brilliant classics, and kid car-toons can all be enjoyed at Movie Grill. Sharon Cantu, mother of two, visits Movie Grill on a monthly basis and commented, “My kids love being able to watch their favorite movies and enjoy some of their favorite foods.” The Holcomb Bridge loca-tion in Georgia has movies running throughout the entire day. They even have showings in 3D! “My favorite dinner is the Megaplex Burger,” said Evan Cantu, youngest son in the Cantu clan. The Megaplex burger is a colossal treat loaded with bacon, mushrooms, and three slices of melted cheese. Studio Movie Grill has some-thing for everyone. Never have that longing for a delicious hot meal in a mov-ie again. When asked about Movie Grill, Nick Cantu replied, “If you’re looking for a great place to take a beautiful girl, I would definitely choose Movie Grill.” Film At Studio Movie Grill, the audience can enjoy a great movie

and a fantastic meal at the same time!

Classic Nicky’s Diner offers a wide selection of classic diner foods.

ajc.com

cory shaw

10 11page

Did

You Know?

Fall shows report cardShowGrade Comments

A- CommunityThis show is as original as it is clever. If you can follow quick dialogue and understand moderate

pop culture references, this show is for you. Going into its second season, Community has star power with Joel McHale and Chevy Chase, but more than likely you’ll fall in love with the entire cast and follow them through-

out their adventures at Greendale Community College every Thursday night at 8 p.m. on NBC.

B OutsourcedThis comedy takes place in a call center for novelty items located in India, managed by an Ameri-

can. As mundane as that may sound, this show has potential. With the pilot only airing on Septem-ber 23, this series still needs time to get settled and

find its place. No big-time actors in this one, though you may see some slightly familiar faces. Coming on NBC, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., it may be worth sticking around for after The Office.

B- Raising HopeIf this show were to be judged solely by the first ten minutes of the pilot, the only word to describe it would be “intense.” This show centers around a dysfunctional family trying to help their son raise

a child by himself after the child’s mother was ex-ecuted in prison. Created by Greg Garcia, the man who created “My Name is Earl,” viewers can expect

crude and at times somewhat dark humor. For those of you who are easily offended or looking for a light, simple comedy, I would watch with caution. This show airs on FOX on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

C+ No Ordinary FamilyThe title does this show justice. “No Ordinary Family” follows a family that has been blessed with super powers. While the plotline may not be exactly groundbreaking, I felt the cast members play their parts

well enough to make up for it. What the acting cannot make up for however, is the dull writing. The dialogue leaves something to be

desired, as it feels too real and boring to hold viewers’ attentions. A slow start for this show does not make it a must-see series in my book. Coming on ABC, Tuesdays at 8 p.m., don’t be too discouraged if you miss this one.

B Mike and MollyAt first glance, it is tempting to make a quick judgment about this show. Two overweight stars, so nothing

but fat jokes. Just what television needs. Luckily, that is not the case with this show. Heartwarming and sincere, this show is a light comedy you can

watch anytime. Now, its not to say the weight factor doesn’t come into play at all in the series. The stars did meet at an Overeaters Anonymous group after all. However through the chubby jokes reveals a sweet show that you can feel comfortable watching with your parents, a nice change from Jersey Shore.

top ten sonGs at lassiter

will morris staff writer

austin hayes/ staff writer

10. DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love (feat. Pitbull) by Usher

1. Like a G6 (feat. Cataracs & Dev) by Far East Movement2. Just a Dream by Nelly3. Speak Now by Taylor Swift

4. Gonerrhea by Lil Wayne & Drake5. Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars6. Club Can’t Handle Me (feat. David Guetta) by Flo Rida

7. Teenage Dream by Katy Perry8. Mine by Taylor SwifT

9. Take It Off by Ke$ha

Though it may be small, the sixth generation iPod Nano supplies more bang for your buck. This new technology has the lightweight aspects of a Nano with the touch screen abili-ties of the iTouch. The features on this iPod are endless. The musical GENIUS lets you find a song that you like and it will automati-cally find other songs related to the one you chose. Matt Hull, 10, states, “It is like Pandora on the go. With one touch on the screen, this iPod turns into my own personal D.J.” Unlike many of the past iPods, this Nano has a built in FM tuner in which you can listen to your favorite radio stations to find new music. You can even tag songs you like, so you can buy them off iTunes later. A new battery has been added to this iPod which allows you to have twenty-four hours of music without recharging. This built in rechargeable battery has never been seen in past iPods. One of the best new features on this iPod is its ability to assist you dur-ing exercise. It has a built in pedometer that shows how many steps you have taken, the amount of calories burned, and how far you have traveled. Parker Goldstein, 10, explains, “I use the Nike ID attachment to my iPod whenever I go for a run. It really helps to know how far I have run in the amount of time I have gone.” Overall, this new iPod has taken the world by storm as one of the newest technologies of this year. When you get your hands around one of these things, it is very hard to let it go. So what could be expected next from Ap-ple? The world will just have to wait.

austin hayesstaff writer

The new iPod Nano

Tiny The new iPod nano is barely bigger than a quarter!

Jack-o-lanterns came from the carving of vegetables in Ireland and Britian. They did not become associated with Halloween until 1866.

apple.com

Zoo DayFuturistic DaySuperhero Day

12

all roads lead back to...

3

Zoo Day

Futuristic Day

Route

2010 Superhero Day

Kindergarten Day

mary ann staak/staffcolleen purdy/staff

Zoo DayFuturistic DaySuperhero Day

12

all roads lead back to...

3

Zoo Day

Futuristic Day

Route

2010 Superhero Day

Kindergarten Day

mary ann staak/staffcolleen purdy/staff

lhslhsjff 14page

It’s the classic high school love story: all star quarterback falls for… the fat-animal-loving “Lit-tle One”? So maybe this isn’t exactly what you would ex-pect for the ideal couple. But these two are des-tined for each other. B e s i d e s , Athens isn’t THAT far away. As soon as Mary Ann saw her man throw his first touchdown, she knew he was the boy for her. “I had to discover this messiah of Lassiter foot-ball. I heard he shared my love of uni-corns and Disney Princesses, so it was a match made at the Frank.” Mr. Mason is now a thriving freshman at the University of Geor-gia. When questioned about his un-dying love for Mary Ann, the bulldog blushed, smiled, and refused to com-

10. ToothYes, remind every-one of the dentist on the one day of the year when stuffing your face with candy is en-couraged.

9. Man French MaidKindly spare the rest of us the sight of the extra five inches of your hairy thighs.

8. The convict nunPlease do not try to make those two worlds collide.

7. Adults who dress up as babiesThis is unbelievably creepy and weird. Babies are cute because they’re tiny. No-body wants to be forced to think about a giant, drool-ing adult who is incapable of taking itself to the toilet.

6. GhostYou might as well get a tat-too across your forehead that says “Completely inept at being creative.” You’re probably the kid who only colored with black crayons in Kindergarten.

5. Adult TeletubbieThere’s one too many Tinky Winky characters in this world as it is.

~Sudoku~

4. Toddler PimpPimpin’ ain’t easy… espe-cially if you are five years old. Dressed in a faux-fur coat covered in money and bearing a cane used for who- knows- what, we all know that the child whose parents dressed them in this has a bright, bright future.

3. Washing Machine Congratulations on selecting the most random household appliance possible and dressing up as it! Everyone knows to stay away from the sucker who dressed up as the washing machine, refrigerator, or dryer. He’ll be knock-ing things over all night.

2. Baby HotdogWhoever has the inclination to dress their newborn up as an edi-

ble object should have their head checked as

soon as possible. 1. Poo Poo PlatterFor the small sum of $29.99, you, too, can look like poop! This is not a costume. This is a recipe for blackmail.

ment, out of respect for his dedicated relationship with her. Mary Ann may be known for her stalker-like qualities, but accord-

ing to Hut-son that just adds to her adorability. “Every game you play, every night you stay, I’ll be watching you.” Hut-son may be wrong on this one. As e v i d e n c e d by the cou-ple’s song, hand-picked

by Mary Ann, a keen eye and constant attention is a major component in this love-fest. Now some may say that these two will never last, but that’s just crazy talk. How could two people so meant for each other even dare to think of a future without their counterpart, their matching puzzle piece, their cheese to each other’s macaroni, and Mary Ann’s Cinderella to Hutson’s Prince Charming?

They should be a couple worst costumes

Lewis Electrical Contractors...is a proud sponsor of The Laureate

read+

find=

money

Contest RulesHidden somewhere within this paper is the logo of Lewis Electrical Contractors (shown below). If you are the first one to email lauerate@leciga.com with the page number in which it is located, you win $50! Participants must also include

their name and address to receive the check. One entry per person.

Serene The couple could find peace and happiness in the countryside.

julia regeskinews editor

compiled byannabel edwards/JFF editor

14 15page

Did

You Know?

Dear Unsatisfied, Wake up. This may come as a surprise, but IT’S SENIOR YEAR. It is your last and most important year of your school career event-wise. Don’t allow not being asked to a dance like homecoming or prom keep you from going, and don’t let laziness prevent you from having the best year of your life to date. Yes, it is ideal to go to prom with a date but if nobody asks you, go anyway. Get together a group of friends in the same boat as you and all go together. It is more than likely that you will have a great time, and you better believe that if you sit out all of these high school traditions, rites of passage, and senior opportunities, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Now for the other senior events. If you don’t have school spirit already, you better get some fast. That train left the station sophomore year so you better run to catch up. Get into the football games. Go crazy and get a class t-shirt. Scream at pep rallies. But do not under any circumstances sit back and watch your last year of high school float by without partici-pating in it. If you haven’t gotten in-volved in school thus far, you might be shy or think you’re too busy. Well, the time for those things is over. Done. Finished. Through. Got it? It is high time to break out of your shell. The point is, senior year is a time to be ra-bid, crazy, and ridiculous spirit-wise. In the immortal words of the morning announcements, “Wave your flag.” I’m not kidding when I say that you will regret not taking the opportunity to participate in the senior experience. Don’t let senior year pass you by, be-cause it will if you let it.Good luck,T-Money

My Dear Unsatisfied, Oh, honey. Come on, it is se-nior year. Let me be the first to tell you, this is what you’ve been waiting for for a looooong time. About prom and homecoming dates: it’s really not a big deal. I know that everyone says it is and it seems like if you don’t have a date you aren’t “dateable” and blah blah blah. No, no, no. If you want to go to prom with someone, go ask them! What’s the worst that could happen, they say no? No harm done. Shake it off. They aren’t going to plunge their hand into your chest and rip out your beating heart when you ask. Just don’t completely abandon your senior prom because Prince Charming didn’t ask you to go with him. Now for problem two: You aren’t going to football games?! And you’re a senior?! Really?! I’ve been attending football games religiously since I could call myself an official “Trojan” freshman year, so take it from me: you’re missing out! Football games are a blast. Especially as a se-nior. From painting up to screaming so loud you lose your voice, you are making memories at a Trojan football game. And everything else goes for that, too! Senior Luau, senior formal, senior night on the green, etcetera. Take it from a fellow senior: if you don’t try to keep up with your senior year, it will pass you by like the cross country boys team. So get out, make some friends, and attend those senior bonding experiences. I can assure you that in May you won’t regret it. Good luck this year, and I hope it’s a blast! Don’t forget to help win the spirit stick at pep rallies…remember, juniors have won it in the past. ;)With lots of love and senioritis,Mary Ann

I’m struggling with getting the most out of senior year. I’ve never really been one for going to football games and such, but homecoming has come and gone and nobody asked me to go with them. I didn’t end up going and I’m worried that nobody will ask me to prom or other senior activities and I’ll miss those, too. This is my senior year and I really don’t want to miss out on things like this. How can I make sure I don’t waste my last year of high school?Sincerely,

Dear Mary Ann and Tyler,

Unsatisfied Senior

Happy 17th birthday Ellyn Mikkelson! Love, Mom, Dad, Emily, and Grace

To Ryan Rones,My love for you bears no boudan-ries; therefore, I express my affec-tion for you with no restraints. My love, if you were to take my hand in eternal friendship, I would be unconditionally loyal.Signed,Your secret admirer

LHS Chorus:Thanks for working so hard! You’re amazing. -Michaela Desrosiers

Holy Water FoundationHelp us build a well for an Aids Orphanage in Kenya. Bracelets are on sale for $4. Check us out on Facebook or contact Julia Miller or Colleen Purdy for more information about how you can purchase a bracelet.

Kudos on your excellent first issue of The Laureate.Superlative writing, editing, and layout!

Signed,Meredith Rubel, unbiased mother of err... Jane Doe. Yeah, that’s it... Jane Doe!

S t u d e n t ads

annabel edwards

Guess who?!1.

2.

3.

Answers: 1. Senorita Allen 2. Ms.Adams 3. Senorita Allen

In a 2009 Halloween survey, men between the ages of 18-34 were planning to spend the most on Halloween costumes at $72 a person.

Guess which LHS teachers these Halloween cuties grew up to be?

lhssports 16page

As the season comes to a close, the varsity volleyball team has much to be proud of. With a respectable re-cord, the players take pride in knowing that they gave it their all against some of the top ranked teams in the state. Chrissy Ricketts, Kaele John-son, and Krista Miller are the captains of the varsity team. When asked about the season, Krista, 12, responded, “Our team has worked so hard and even though it’s still young, everyone is do-ing their job well.” The team includes two sophomores, Kendal Smith and Megan Presswood, as well as juniors, like Sarah Young and Becca Ardnt, who have been dubbed as the MVP’s by the captains. This season has been filled with ups and downs for the volleyball team. A high point of this year was playing extremely well at team camp. They also had the privilege of beat-ing Kell High School on their very own senior night. Chrissy, 12, commented,

Volleyball: another successful seasonskye rubeleditor-in-chief

Teamwork Krista Miller, Chrissy Ricketts, and Kaele Johnson are captains this year.

courtesty of krista miller

3 the number of team captains on

varsity

4 the rank in the coaches poll

9the number of years

Coach Hodge has coached at LHS

12 the number of players on the varsity squad

By the numbers“Our low point was probably when we played Wheeler. Our loss to them was pretty bad, but I think it taught us a lot about what our team needs to work on in the state rounds.” The volleyball team is greatly looking forward to the region and state tourna-ments com-ing up soon. To prepare, they prac-tice everyday after school and condition on Fridays. Some of the true volley-ball fanatics even practice on the week-ends by go-ing to clinics. The team’s dedication is u n m a tc h e d by any other sport.

Aside from the competitive as-pect of volleyball, the varsity team is known for being a great group of girls. Because of their camaraderie and their inside joke, bibble, Chrissy comment-ed, “It’s been, without a doubt, one of the most fun seasons at Lassiter.”

8 their rank in the state

Inte

resting Fact

16 17page

Bobby Cox’s departure ends an iconic era

For twenty-five years Bobby Cox has been at the helm for the At-lanta Braves. He has spent time as a player, general manager, and manager. With all of his illustrious credentials he is a shoo-in first ballot Hall of Famer. With over 2,500 wins (4th all time), 153 career ejections (1st all time), and a record 14 consecutive division cham-pionships, there is no doubt why we love Bobby. He truly related to us and gave the fans a feeling of comfort. He understood the little things that en-deared him to us. Bobby always had a strong relationship with his players. In a sense Bobby was the dream boss. Not only was he understanding, but also he gave players time to perform and prove their worth. Bobby wasn’t quite Father Time, but he has always inspired us and made the blood course through our veins. From his “Let’s go O”, or “Come on Gilly”, Cox has always brought out the little league, sand lot,

cory shaweditor-in-chief

hard-nosed approach. Some question his manag-ing tactics. Well to those who doubt what he did in Atlanta, I pity you. He did something no any other team can say they have done in the modern era. The Braves went from being a laugh-ing stock to the class of the game, and they did it the hard way, developing and growing their own talent. Lassiter Junior A.J. Perez com-ments, “Bobby Cox has been a symbol for Atlanta Braves baseball. He consis-tently brings a winning mentality to the ball park.” A.J.’s statement resonates through out the state of Georgia. From players like Matt Diaz to front office personnel such as Frank Wren, Bobby was always “their manager.” They all knew that on any given day Bobby Cox would be on the first line of defense with them, and I must say, I would do the same for him. After Bobby Cox clinched his final playoff berth as the Wild Card, he stated, “Our guys were ready. This is a pretty good group. They work hard. They’re professional. All of them are professional guys. It’s

a team that any manager could have managed, and not had a problem.” I would like to say thank you Bobby. From his 2,500+ career wins as a manger, to creating a dynasty, words can’t describe my appreciation.

He treated everyone with respect and for that, the players worked their hard-est for him. His playoff run may have ended up short with a first round oust, but his legacy will live forever.

Ejections Bobby was ejected 153 times throughout his Braves career.

On a night in which seniors celebrated their final homecoming, the Lassiter Trojan football team had a decisive 31-0 victory against Wheeler.

For senior offen-sive lineman Alex Gonzalez, the cel-ebration had be-gun two days prior, when it was offi-cially announced that his father would be the next head coach of the Atlanta Braves. Fredi Gon-

Lassiter’s own creates legacy

zalez is left with one unimaginable task: filling the shoes of the fourth-winningest coach in Major League Baseball history. The announcement came less than 48 hours after the Braves lost an eighth-straight decisive home playoff game against the San

Francisco Giants. The match seemed fitting as Cox and Gonzalez were Braves coaches together from 2003-2006. Once Gon-zalez was fired from the Florida Mar-lins after 3 and ½ seasons under the realm, it was only a matter of time un-til the announcement became official. Cox, who will still be an active member in Braves upper-management, said of Gonzalez, “I’m going to be in the back-ground. There are always new starts, and Fredi’s getting a great start here.” Despite a painful end to the 2010 playoffs that included team-pro-claimed regular season hero Brooks Conrad’s four errors and an insur-mountable number of injuries to key players such as Chipper Jones, Martin

Prado, and Billy Wagner, it is a safe as-sumption that the buzz around Las-siter has never been so positive for the home-town team. To senior Nate Clark, the Lassiter-Braves connection is something to take great pride in. He proclaims “There are only 30 Major League Baseball teams. For Alex’s dad to be the manager of now two respect-able franchises should mean a lot to all members of the Lassiter community.” Alex commented, “Nobody can fill Bobby Cox’s shoes. He is one of the best managers- and people- of all time. I think my dad will do his best to keep the winning tradition Bobby has brought to Atlanta.”

Cox

Gonzalez

jack hermansports editor

or

ajc.com

69 age

2,504 wins

.556 winning percentage

6 number

46 age276 wins

33 number

.497 winning percentage

During the period ranging from 1990 to 1999, Bobby Cox’s Braves won 925 games, the most during that time.

mlb.com

While the Giants knocked out Cox and the Braves, his legacy with the team is strong.

lhsfeatures 18page

seniors

Juniors

sophomores

freshmen

Homecoming King and Queen!

Hayley Schneider, Nick Law, Eli Long, Taylor Bradley, Alex Gonzalez, Will Prosperi, Lindsay Hopkins, Libby Butgereit, Meredith LeVan, Sammie Bosma

Spencer Roush, Mitch Reaves, Will Morris, Jack Herman, Sarah Mayer, Avery Sechrest, Britney Colburn, Blair Barron

Eddie Printz, Trenton Gantt, Veronica Ulicny, Zoe Kakou, Marcie Merriman, Zac Daly

Jack Marchand, Corey John, Maddy Epperly, Copelyn Jue

courtesy of francesca rocca

colleen purdy

lindsay hopkinsfeatures

Were you surprised when they called your name?Totally! I thought Nick Law would sweep the polls with his raw good looks and amiable personality.What was your reaction to Libby be-ing crowned?Extremely excited because I knew that being queen meant a lot to her.What was your favorite part of the night?Shutting out Wheeler’s football team 31-0! Have you ever been on Homecoming Court before?I have been on basketball court the past three years, and football the past two years. What is your favorite memory from Homecoming since Freshman year?Getting to throw candy to the seniors with Mrs. Day at the pep rally!

Were you surprised when they called your name?I am still surprised and can’t even wrap my head around the fact that I won. I am so surprised and thankful that I actually won!What was your reaction to Eli being crowned?I’ve always loved Elijah since the day I met him so I was very excited for him! But I mean I wasn’t shocked at all. Look at that stud… he’s been wearing a crown since the day he was born!What was your favorite part of the night?My favorite part of the night was after I was crowned and all of Lassiter nation ran up to me and hugged me. Also when I got to see all my boys come out of the locker room with smiles on their faces from a win that night!How would you describe the night?Thug-tastic!!

KING ELI LONG:

QUEEN LIBBY BUTGEREIT:

Inte

resting Fact

19page

The noisy alarm goes off. It is 4:30, time to rise and shine. They make their morning cup of coffee and head out the door. They drive to work and then its time to get into another vehicle… a big yellow bus. Some bus drivers say their shift starts as early as 6:45 and ends at 5:30. Bus drivers don’t haul themselves out of bed at 4:30 for their personal gain or for the benefits of the job; they do it for the little tykes. Although a bus drivers’ work may seem like just another government job that pays the bills, bus drivers deserve to be seen in a new light. The difficul-ty of their jobs is right next to that of firefighters, surgeons, and tree cutters. Bus drivers have to put up with surly, crabby kids in the morning and deliv-er them safely to school. Then, in the afternoon, they have to deal with the same kids, who are at that point ex-tremely rambunctious and obnoxious-ly over-eager to go home. They have to say “sit down” time and time again for those really hard-headed children who

enjoy being difficult and defiant. The bus drivers of Lassiter are sweet, simple people who love children and have lots of patience. When asked what their dream vehicle would be, they all answered, “Something with air condi-tioning!” They all agree that they like the color yellow for buses, and might only change it to something more vis-ible like lime green. But the vehicle and its c o l o r r e a l l y

don’t matter; the most important thing is getting the students to school safely and on time. Harriett Patterson says, “I just feel like I’m everyone’s grandmother and the kids are all my grandchildren. I love it!” Big thanks to: Harriett Patterson, Angela Houston, Phil Brownlee, and Fred Turner.

natalie kietaeditorials editor

The life of a bus driverHS

Just like the students of Wil-liam McKinley High School from the hit Fox television show “Glee,” LHS will soon catch show choir fever. Thanks to juniors Mary-Ellen Norwood and Lau-ren Tuma, choral numbers will soon hit the stage for Lassiter to enjoy. A show choir is a group of peo-ple that uses a combination of choral singing and dance movements, some-times within the context of a story, to entertain. Just as a play or movie would. Think of all the off-Broadway excitement, only scaled down. “Lauren Tuma and I have been talking about it for years,” Mary-Ellen Norwood explained. “We never really had a group that could connect both of

renee puvvadastaff writer

those things, besides just one musical per year.” Through discussion, the stu-dent coordinators have decided that requirements include involvement in either the Concert Chorale or the Women’s Chamber Chorale, so that the auditions (already conducted) have selected a premier group of the most eligible fifteen girls at Lassiter to perform the shows at the chorus con-certs. Even though many details of this group are still undecided, the founders of Lassiter’s show choir are prepared for the hard work ahead. “The name and the specific song we are doing have yet to be announced, but we’re really excited. There’s so much talent in the group,” Lauren Tuma explained. So what exactly does Lassiter have to look forward to? “Our songs are go-ing to be sung a capella, and they’ll have original choreography too,” Lau-ren said mysteriously, refusing to elab-orate in order to hide any surprises the group may be concealing from an im-patient audience. “I hope we can bring it all together and make this an awe-some choir.” However, one thing is for cer-tain: Trojans love fresh ideas, and a new glee club brought to the table will certainly not disappoint.

courtesy of francesca rocca

Every year, an average of 820 students are killed in school bus accidents, but only 2% of them are bus passengers.

QUEEN LIBBY BUTGEREIT:

lhsfeatures 20page

cosmo fitness ad

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riter

Trick or Treating

There are many different ways that trick-or-treating

came about. One such practice was something called

“souling.” Christians would walk from town to town ask-

ing for soul cakes which were really just square pieces of

bread. The more soul cakes someone received, the more

they would have to pray for the dead family members of

those who gave them the bread.

Nowadays, it doesn’t really matter where Halloween comes from. It’s just an excuse to dress up and disregard our dental health. Whatever the case, it makes fall a little more exciting!

A trace of Halloween traditions

Carving PumpkinsThe Celts believed that on November 1, spirits from

the afterworld came to the real world to cause mischief and damage crops. In order to drive away

the evil spirits, they would leave food and burn huge piles of crops to scare them away with the lights.

However, they sometimes lit candles or carved lan-terns out of squash to light the way for good spirits. Also, children in Ireland used to carve out potatoes or turnips and light them for Halloween gatherings. The name Jack, in Jack O’Lanterns, comes from an

old Irish story called “Jack the Irish Villian.”

Halloween

It can be tra

ced back to th

e Celtic festival of Samhain on

October 31st.

People believed that th

e boundary between

the worlds o

f the liv

ing and the dead became blurre

d this

night. They would burn fires, o

ffer sacrifi

ces, and

wear costumes o

f animal skins to

protect them-

selves from the evil sp

irits. W

hen the Romans

conquered the Celts,

Samhain was blended with

other holidays. A

s Christi

anity became

more powerful, th

e pope dubbed Novem-

ber 1st “

All Saints D

ay.” This was a

lso

called “All H

allows,” and the night b

efore

was called “All H

allows Eve.”

“I don’t think there’s really a valid reason for Halloween. It’s just a fun holiday,” explained Samantha Bayer, 11, when asked about Halloween. The truth is, this holiday comes from ancient European traditions and rituals. The Halloween that

we celebrate in America is a mix of these customs and a true product of the “melting pot” of our country.

Inte

resting Fact

21page

Battle of thehomecominG halls

Seniors!Juniors!

Sophomores!

Freshmen!

49%

42.5%

6%

3.5%

Homecoming Route 2010 battle of the halls! Two weeks ago, students dedicated their weekends to decorating the school in attempt to create the best hall. After hours of hard work, students voted for their favorite hall. Seniors and Juniors were close, but in the end the Senior New York City won the competition!

natalie kieta

In 1911, the University of Missouri is said to have held the first homecoming ever.

lhsin the wry Lassiter High School has been cursed with an infes-tation. Much worse than bed bugs, more dangerous than hair lice, the current threat has students obsessive-ly sipping water wher-ever they go. Spill-proof, BPA-free water bottles, also known as Camel-baks, are spreading like wildfire. Some say a con-

spiracy is in the making. Camelbak brand has, in fact, had “mishaps” in the past. They perfected the evil design through the years, starting with a bottle posing as a device for hiking and biking. Attachable to the wearer’s back, the cord-like drinking apparatus was notorious for strangling its victims and then making the events seem like ac-

cidents. The latest deadly wa-ter devices in Camelbak’s lineup have found their way into the backpacks of almost every stu-dent who walks the halls of Lassiter. Why has their invasion been so success-ful? The answer is simple. They have a seemingly fun, even pleasant ap-pearance, and their way of de-livering water to the mouth hooks students like sandpaper hooks flies. “They just bring a joy to drinking water! The top is so s q u i s h y and fun!” Clair Thiba-udeau pro-claimed exuber-antly. Poor Clair doesn’t realize that

it’s all fun and games until the Cam-elbaks rise up and take over.

Once you acquire one of these water bottles, there is no getting rid of it. Do not let the seemingly “squishy” top fool you; the bottles are tough and nearly impossible to destroy. Some have likened the

virtually indestructible bottles to vampires of drinking wear.

It will take more than boil-ing water, freezing tem-

p e rat u re s , or even high altitude en-vironments to annihi-late a single Camelbak. S i m p l y tossing the bottle into the trash is not e n o u g h e i -ther. Like mummies that rise from the

dead, the bottle will

simply be re-cycled, and

the plastic re-used.

The specially shaped bottle

fits nicely in your hand and almost

any cup holder. Available in an array

of bright colors, the water bottles certain-

ly have visual appeal. They appear innocent,

but experts say that if they continue to gain

power, a catastrophe is possible. Remember how

innocent the Nalgene bot-tles seemed? I think we all

recall how badly that turned out.

These similarly innocent-looking bottles that swing so

easily from the crook of your finger may soon outnumber the

students of Lassiter; when this happens, the next step will be their

take-over of the school. You may scoff at the signs, but in an apoca-lypse, remember: you were warned.

The Sienna pulled cautiously into the secret location where Deep Nose was waiting. J was filled with nerves and grasped tightly to her juice box while T, never one to have a hair out of place, added gel to his already rock hard hair-do in anticipation of the meeting. He hummed an off-tune ver-sion of the Mission Impossible Theme mindlessly. J gripped her juicebox harder still. “J, can you do this?” T put a lov-ing arm on his comrade and searched for reassurance in her eyes. With a confident nod from J, the two stepped out of the Sienna, waved goodbye to T’s mom, and looked around, full of an-ticipation. They waited. T checked his wristwatch. J texted. A tumbleweed blew across the road. Both sleuths checked their bubble-guns.T began searching all around for any signs of Deep Nose. The only sign in sight was a rather unusual stop sign. “Haha,” chuckled T, poking J. “Do you know who that reminds me of?”A giggle emerged from around the cor-ner of a nearby building. “Tell me it isn’t…” pled J, glancing at the sign and then to the source of the unnerving giggling.“HEY GUYS!” Deep Nose bel-lowed in the faces of T and J. “Ann Mary?” The two agents were now unbelievably confused. The so called informant standing in front of them was actually Ann Mary Kaats, T and J’s former assistant who was fired after being arrested for harassment.“Seriously? SERIOUSLY?” J was over-come with a powerful fury. “Ann Mary,

we have a VERY specific restraining order against you! Enough following us!” Ann Mary whimpered at her idol’s outrage. “But… J… please I miss you so much. T? T, my only true love, you want me to stay, don’t you?” T whipped out his cell phone and di-aled with agitation pouring from every inch of him (all 48 of them), “Mom could you come back? Ann Mary is here. Again.” T thanked his mother then turned his attention to the strange girl with the wide smile staring at him. “Ann Mary, listen,” he began, “Follow-ing people is not an appropriate way to make friends. You know this. We’ve talked about this. There was counsel-ing… And a seminar! ... And jail time!”The confused creeper sighed sadly.J, still furious, had no patience for T’s sympathy. “T we now have no leads! How will we find Cho when we’re wast-ing all our time on crazies!” T had nearly forgotten about their mission. Ann Mary had not only irked the investigators, she took away their only lead. “Where is Alex Cho? How will we ever find him?” whined T.“Hehehehe Alex Cho. . . Chinatown,” giggled Ann Mary absent-mindedly. The swashbuckling protagonists ex-changed a surprised glance. Actually, J looked to be a bit more dreading than perplexed.Okay,” sighed T. “Let’s go.” “Can I come?” asked Ann Mary.In response, J and T made a break for the incoming car.“Phew, that was close,” exclaimed Ann Mary, sticking her head through the sun roof as the Sienna peeled out of the parking lot.J’s juice box exploded.

To be continued…

Camelbak attackannabel edwardsstaff writer

laura brink and tyler molinaro

The soliloquist saga: a very Mary meeting

tyler molinaro/ laura brinkin the wry editor/staff writer

22page

Did you know the U.S. government has a battle plan called “Project Nalgene’s Revenge” in case the Camelbak invasion worsens?

Did

You Know...

23page

“For the last time, Ned, Mrs. Morgan is not a zombie back from the dead to torture you.” Sally huffed at the most recent ex-cuse her younger brother had come up with to explain his despicable AP Lang grade. “You suck!” Ned barked at his nosy sister as he stalked off to his room, slamming the door behind him. That evening when Sally entered her room she found a neatly typed stack of papers on her bed. She scooped up the papers with immense curiosity and began to read. MRS. MORGAN: THE ZOMBIE A scientific report proving Mrs. Beth Mor-gan, AP Lang teacher, is a zombie. By: Ned Mrs. Mor-gan presents herself daily as an everyday high school teacher, but beneath the façade she is, without a doubt, an undead being returned from the grave to person-ally torture me, Ned, in a variety of manners. Do not think I am a bitter student, for I am nothing more than

AP (undead) language: grave dangerlaura brinkstaff writer

The soliloquist saga: a very Mary meeting

“Maybe every owl wants laughter.”

Confirmed: Every owl does want

laughter.

“So stick that in your juice box and

suck it.”

But how do we get it into the

juice box…“I just lost my mood ring. I don’t know how I feel about this.”I’m feeling a little purple about it.

“FML.”

FYL.

“Walmart ruins childhood dreams.”

And has since they nixed the bounc-

ing smiley face.

SFLN

“What do Brooks Conrad and Mi-

cheal Jackson have in common?...”

They both wear a glove for no appar-

ent reason.

a scientist of the paranormal. The evi-dence is overwhelming. For one, Mrs. Morgan’s classroom is significantly colder than the rest of the classrooms. Extremely low temperatures are the most common sign of the undead. Another sign of the presence of para-normal activity is sudden chest pressure or nausea, which I and many other

students most certainly felt when we had to write an in class synthesis pa-per that 98% of students completely forgot. And third is the repetition of phantom sounds such as Mrs. Mor-

gan’s use of the word “Alright.” The woman is clearly a zombie. I fear

for my life every day as I enter her icy room and feel the fe-

rocious cruelty in her gaze when I inform her that my homework has once again been eaten by my pet liger, Jamal. The evidence of paranor-

mal activity is extremely apparent in the constant

phantom be-h a v i o r

s u r -

rounding her. Because she is a zombie she is jealous of my young, agile, living body, and therefore is failing me out of jealousy. She has manufactured my so called “F’s on every assignment,” un-der false pretenses. I hope the science community and my jerky spoiled sister take this haunting reincarnation as se-riously as I do. As the siblings walked into the Lit hall the next morning, Sally repri-manded her brother for creating such an elaborate scheme when he could have just done his homework during that time, and for making up Jamal. “Bickering again?” Mrs. Morgan cackled as she walked by. And though Sally tried to pretend it did not happen, she could swear the air chilled when Mrs. Morgan spoke.

*A big thank you goes to the very much alive and not-haunting Mrs. Morgan for being such a good sport during the creation of this story.*

Seniors

Sen or Luau

College myths and facts

Myth 1: Senior year doesn’t count. Fact 1: Even if you have already been accepted, colleges can reject you after seeing your senior grades. Myth 2: Once you attend a certain college, you must graduate from there.

Fact 2: If you don’t like the school, you can al-ways transfer. One out of five students transfer. Myth 3: Only A students get financial aid. Fact 3: Most schools give financial aid based on financial need and academics.

What’s the di ff erence?

App

licati

o

n checklist

Pay application fee

Send transcript and counselor form

Send SAT and ACT scores

Request teacher recommendations

There is often great confusion between early decision and early action. Early deci-

sion plans are binding. This means that if you get into the school, you must go there. Early action is nonbinding. If you get into a school after applying early action, you can

still choose not to go to there.

skye rubel

skye rubelskye rubel skye rubel

cory shaw

skye rubel

cory shaw