Pony ExpressPONY EXPRESStheGAITHER HIGH SCHOOL - 16200 N. DALE MABRY HWY - TAMPA, FL - 33618

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011

VOL. 27

ISSUE 3

Check us out online @GHSPONYEXPRESS.COM

insideNEWS

coming up

ESE Aide Diane Sangelo was recently recognized on The Oprah Show for her impact on student Isaac Rago’s life.

See page 3

Teacher appears on The Oprah Show

A P R I L 2 2

Non-Student Day .

M A R C H 1 7

End of 3rd Grading Period

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onlineTo read exclusive stories and stay up to date on the lat-est school events and news visit our website at ghspony-express.com.

numbers50+

Number of toppings available at Yogurt Mountain. See what yo-gurt shops suits you out of the four compared.

M A R C H 1 8

Non-Student Day .M A R C H 2 1

Non-Student Day.

See page 4

A P R I L 2 5 - 2 9

Spring Break . See SOUTH KOREA, page 4

SPORTS

Recently hired head foot-ball coach Jason Stokes talks about the school and the team.

See page 10

New football coach discusses team

100Number of dogs owned by students out of 100 surveyed, making dogs the most owned pet at the school, according to our survey.

See page 6-7

Photo used with permission from cia.gov

Teachers’ Seoul Search

Science teacher Ettore Minutillo and social studies teacher Jeff Ditman both spent time in Seoul, South Korea both impacting students and discovering

more about themselves.

CATHERINE BACONFeatures Editor

Top: Jeff Ditman poses with his class, seen wearing traditional South Korean attire, called hanbok.Bottom: A few of Ettore Minutillo’s students break from class in which they were taught conversational English.

Courtesy of Jeff Ditman

Imagine standing in the airport. No one else in the massive glass structure appears to be American. People are rushing past, consumed

with their day-to-day lives, and speaking to one another in cacophonous tongues English adapted ears don’t recognize. It’s impossible to determine where to turn or who to ask for directions or even how to ask for directions for that matter.

Science teacher Ettore Minutillo found himself in this very situation in early 2005 after stepping off an international flight and onto South Korean soil for the first time in his life.

“I felt really nervous; I felt like I was lost in the whole shuffle,” said Minutillo.

At the time, Minutillo was a recent graduate of Clearwater Christian College with a degree in biology. He had traveled to Seoul, South Korea to teach English to Korean children.

“When I finished college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I was on the track to go to medical school; I had that set up and thought I knew where I was going. But I still wasn’t really sure that’s what I wanted to do,” said Minutillo.

Due to his uncertainty about pursu-ing a career in medicine, Minutillo opted to open himself up to other options that came his way.

He had a handful of friends already teaching in Asia who believed Minutillo would be successful as a teacher there. After over-nighting his information, Minutillo received a call almost immedi-ately.

“[A school] called as soon as they read my information and they said ‘we want to offer you a job.’ And I [asked] ‘when do you want me there?’ And they said ‘how about Sunday?’ said Minutillo. He received the call on a Monday; six days later he was on a plane that would take him to South Korea

***During early 2003 history teacher Jeff

Ditman was feeling as though his life was in a bit of a rut. He is a Yale graduate with a history degree who had secured a job working in financial services. A job, he says, he wasn’t happy with.

“I found [an advertisement] online for teachers in South Korea and I answered the ad,” said Ditman.

According to Ditman, at first the job opportunity sounded far- fetched, but he applied anyways, hoping to receive good news. Within a day he received a job of-fer from a school in Seoul, South Korea, and within six weeks he was on a plane traveling to a foreign country for only the second time in his life.

***Both Ditman and Minutillo describe

experiencing similar feelings of anxiety as they made the drive from the airport to the apartment they would be living in for the next few years of their lives. Both of the young men found themselves in Seoul, South Korea, a city with a popu-lation upwards of 30 million and neither had any prior training in Korean culture or language.

This barrier was one of the first things Ditman recalls recognizing as he rode a school bus from the airport to the apart-ment building he would be living in.

“I still can remember driving from the airport to the apartment I was staying in and just thinking ‘what have I gotten my-self into?’ because you can go to Europe and the alphabets are kind of [similar to ours] and some words kind of make sense, but [there] it was completely different al-phabet, completely different language, different everything,” said Ditman.

After having the chance to settle into their apartments and absorb their new surroundings, both men found that some of their qualms were put to rest. Minutil-lo realized that there were other foreign-ers living in his neighborhood who spoke English, while Ditman discovered that, even though communicating was initially complicated, there was a certain degree of English spoken in Korea which, along with “hand gestures… and tone of voice”, blurred some of the boundaries he initial-ly perceived.

***Once they had a chance to quickly

settle into their new homes Minutillo and Ditman began their new jobs as teach-ers. During their stay, each taught at a hagwon school, also known as an English emersion school. Hagwon schools focus on teaching Korean students English in such a way that they could perform skills they already knew in English.

“[Students] would have to tell me how they felt in English when a certain thing happened. They would need to tell me what they wanted in English and why they wanted it. I tried to create scenarios that forced them to think in English. As soon as you can start thinking in anoth-er language, that is when real progress

Courtesy of Ettore Minutillo

MARCH 2011News2School strives to provide healthier meals to studentsAnti-obesity initiative begins cut back of fats, oils and grease in school lunches.

For the past year, the school has slowly, but surely, began to cut down on its unnecessary fats, oils, and grease, for Michelle

Obama’s anti-obesity movement. “We have been trying to go healthy for

several years, but now that it is mandat-ed, we are required to conform within the new criteria,” said student nutrition spe-cialish Darlene Clements, “The plan is not to cut down on calories but to switch to healthier food, like whole wheat bread, low fat cheese, [baked] chips, and reduced fat cookies.”

“The point of this was to cut down on the factors that can cause childhood obe-sity and diabetes, mainly things like the cutting down of fats, and sugars. If by not drinking soda and those types of things, like having healthier options, can have a positive impact, then hopefully that would transfer to healthier young people,” said Principal Marie Whelan.

Senior Alex Giraldo buys school lunch every day at the cafeteria. He can see the aspects of these changes and what it will do to the student population.

“I think that it will make a big change for students because it would help them stay healthy. Also athletes would be able to eat healthy food to stay in shape for their sports,” said Giraldo. “Hopefully this change might help the taste of the food.”

KEVIN SARDJAWebmaster

The school’s policy was instigated by the First Lady, who wanted a change in the number of obese children in America today. According to ABC News, Obama states that one in every three children is overweight or obese. This new anti – obe-sity program will jumpstart her goal to a healthy future, starting with children.

Sophomore Carolyn Murman agrees with Obama that the changes will bring a positive aspect to a “healthy alterna-tive”.

“I think it is a great idea. And it will definitely impact the school [and its students] in a positive way because it doesn’t give [students] unhealthy options

Source: mysdhc.com.k12.fl.us Infographic by Kevin Sardja/ Pony Express

to choose from. From these changes, the outcome will be healthier students,” said Murman.

Senior Gio Rivera said he is open to the idea of healthy lunches.

“I think it would help the overweight students to be healthier and lose weight,” said Rivera, “[But] it also depends on the person, but if they are really serious about losing weight and enjoy healthy foods, this would be [a] great change. If you don’t like school lunch and health foods, the switch could have a negative effect on you.”

Some students are skeptical of the new meal options and how they will be af-fected by the new alternatives. Especially how they will taste. Junior Steven Lopez is still hesitant to find out how the school lunch will change whether for better or for worse.

“I think it is going to be a great idea to make the food healthier so the student population would be healthier, but change can alter the taste of food in a negative way,” said Lopez, “When you try to make it healthier, it will probably make the food taste worse than it already is.”

Previously Florida was the only state that did not have health guidelines in-volving school lunches.

“Within the next ten years, we are to conform to the new student nutrition laws,” said Clements, “Florida was the only state in the nation that did not have a lunch regulation so they decided to start. The obesity actually starts at the root, [home] and we don’t want to become a contributing factor to the rising number of obese students.”

Florida schools begin serving healthier lunches in efforts to decrease the amount of obese and overweight students . The new meals include baked rather then fried foods and healthi-er alternatives such as whole grain bread and low fat cheese, all with lower fats per serving.

THE PONY EXPRESS News 3

Diane Sangelo, ESE permanent aide teacher, recently went on a surprise trip to meet bil-lionaire and legend Oprah Winfrey. Previous-ly on The Oprah Show, Winfrey had publically

announced that she would like to give back to people who had made a difference in someone else’s life, and asked viewers to mail-in recommendation letters. With-out Sangelo’s knowledge, she was nominated by ESE student Isaac Rago’s mother, Jeana Rago Blair, for her dedication to helping Issac for the past seven years.

“[Sangelo] is fabulous. She goes beyond the call of duty. Diane is very caring to all students, she helps a lot,” said fellow ESE teacher Milka Ginex.

From the first day that Sangelo met Isaac, she felt that there was an instant connection.

“It was Isaac that inspired me to continue being an ESE aide. It was a connection. His family is like a sec-ond family. We do almost everything together. I’m like his best friend,” said Sangelo. “He’s got a wonderful tem-perament, everybody loves him, and he’s got a couple drawbacks of not being able to talk but you never know. He could possibly talk one day, and I pray every day for that.”

For more than seven years, she has been his perma-nent aide. Sangelo taught him some sign language that she learned from previous experience with autistic chil-dren, so that they could easily communicate. She spends much of her time taking him to special needs horseback riding camps, going on vacations with his family, and taking him out to the movies.

“I am his hands and feet and eyes and mouth. He does not speak, and he cannot make any decisions on his

own. I have to take him to the restroom, get his lunch for him, and get him to stand up and sit down, and anything else that has to be done during the day,” said Sangelo. “If he has prevocational work to do, I help him with that. If he is on the computer, I help him with the computer. If he’s doing artwork, I help him with his art. I drive him to school and take him home from school every day. “It’s not an easy job. As long as I can do it, I’ll do it. I’ll always work with special needs children, they’re in my heart.”

On Nov. 22, 2010, Sangelo flew up to Chicago with Isaac by invitation of Oprah herself. As they walked in the studio where “The Oprah Show” is taped, they saw the audience from the previous taping walk out, and found out that they had just missed Oprah’s legendary “Favor-ite Things” episode. Sangelo expected an interview, or a chance to explain how she had helped make a difference for Isaac’s family. Instead, Oprah planned out another surprise “Favorite Things” show, so Sangelo, Isaac, and Rago Blair wouldn’t also received the rewards, including an iPad and a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.

“I was very pleased, very surprised, and very hap-py to find out that there was another ‘Favorite Things’ show. One of the gifts we got was a car, and it won’t be out until 2012, so I won’t get it until sometime after May of next year,” said Sangelo.

Sangelo was extremely thankful for the experience that she received.

“It was wonderful. It was an experience I would have never been able to do otherwise. Oprah’s very down to earth, a very giving, caring, loving person. She’s done so many wonderful things,” said Sangelo. “There are a lot of people in this world that have a lot of money, and they may give to an organization, but it doesn’t trickle down to an actual person like this has. She knows her past, and she knows where she’s come from, and she knows how to help another fellow American out.”

ESE Aide recognized on ‘The Oprah Show’Diane Sangelo was nominated by parent to appear on show, become recognized for dedication to student.

JACKIE LAWSONStaff Writer

For seniors across America, the closing semester of their final year of high school translates to one thing: senioritis. A symptom of which is the ten-dency to miss an obscene number of school days. In an attempt to counteract this phenomenon Toyota of Tampa Bay donated one new Toyota to be given away to one Hillsborough county senior with perfect attendance second semester.

In addition to perfect attendance, to be eligible for the drawing a student must be enrolled in a Hills-borough County high school as of Jan. 19, 2011, be a full day student, have no sign ins or sign outs and have had no disciplinary action taken against them second semester.

In past years, exam exemptions were used as an attendance incentive to keep students in the class-room.

“We know that exam exemptions back in the day always helped but now that we’re not able to do those our attendance has [gone] down overall for the school so we’re looking for different incentives to [increase attendance],” said Assistant Principal Matthew Smith.

Smith believes there is a solid chance that a stu-dent from Gaither will win the car.

“We’re always at 90 percent for attendance while most schools are in the 80s and so we have the poten-tial to send a lot more Gaither names [to the draw-ing], which will give us a greater potential chance of a Gaither student winning a car,” said Smith.

However, it’s not only seniors who have an extra incentive to strive for perfect attendance. According to Smith, any student with perfect attendance in the third quarter will be entered into a drawing to win one of two iPads. Unlike the car competition, this only involves students enrolled at Gaither.

Other than the potential to win a new car or iPad, a good attendance record has additional benefits.

“[Good attendance] will contribute to our school grade, which will hopefully stay at an A, the more the students are here and engaged, the higher their test scores will be,” said Smith.

Students offered incentive for perfect attendance

Story by Catherine Bacon

MARCH 2011Features4

starts to happen,” said Minutillo.Minutillo taught such skills to students ranging in age from eight years old to 18. Ditman on the other hand taught younger students, mostly elementary school children. The majority of the stu-dents in English emersion type schools tend to start young and continue their English education until they graduate from the Korean high school equivalent. Most of the students Ditman and Minutillo taught attended a hagwon school in addition to traditional public school. According to Minutillo, many of his students studied English diligently with hopes of gaining acceptance to American universities. “Of my upper level students who were trying to come [to the United States] a little over half, about 60 percent, made it over here,” said Minutillo. Three of Minutillo’s former students are currently studying biotechnology at the University of Indiana and another handful of his students are scattered throughout universities in California. Both Ditman and Minutillo noticed a slight difference in the caliber of the typical Korean student compared to the

typical American student. However, both said that it was because Korean parents pressured their children into being the very best they could be. Living in such a large metropolis, meant that if a Korean student was not at the top of his or her class, he or she would have difficulty excelling in the work world. “If you’re a doctor and you’re not the number one doctor, they don’t have the need for very many new doctors every single year. So if you wanted to get a decent job where you lived you had to be the number one guy,” said Minutillo. *** After their experiences overseas, both teachers came home with what they describe as a broader world view and an experience of a lifetime under their belts. “I had a great experience because I went over there with an open mind,” said Ditman. He mentions that he met other teach-ers during his time in South Korea who went overseas and did not welcome the Korean way of life. He believes his will-ingness to immerse himself in Korean culture played a key role in making his experience a positive one. “I learned how to speak Korean, at least enough to direct a taxi driver

where to go or to order food. I could probably listen to a Korean conversation and tell you what it was about, maybe not the details, but at least what it was about,” said Ditman. He said the biggest thing he brought back with him from his experiences was a sense self-confidence he didn’t have before. “After experiencing something com-pletely different and completely out of the box from what most people experi-ence and [finding myself able] to build a stable, happy life, [I gained the] confi-dence that in any situation following, I [was able] to be successful and to be happy,” said Ditman. Minutillo also speaks highly of the experience and even still communicates with some of his former students and friends teaching at universities and Eng-lish schools in Asia. He highly recom-mends that everyone seize the opportu-nity to travel if it is presented to them. “I really feel [that] people need to see things from another place’s point of view. I left the United States long enough for another culture to become normal. Waking up in the morning and eating cold soup with buckwheat noodles was normal; it wasn’t like ‘where are the eggs at?’ anymore,” said Minutillo, “It

makes you start to view things in your own country in a different way. Different things are important to me now, I feel like I’ve learned a wider world view.” Minutillo stresses that while someone may live and work in the same place for their entire life, that doesn’t mean that the rest of the world doesn’t affect them. “We need to be aware, and we need to embrace the whole situation because if we don’t, we’re speaking with a very limited point of expertise. We don’t have all the information we could have and by not having that we may short ourselves or make decisions we might not have if we had been given all the information,” said Minutillo. He also stresses that he believes people need to take advantage of the opportunity to travel and experience the world while time is on their side. “I was in Korea for two years and then I spent almost another year traveling and backpacking through places and when I got back almost ev-erybody was doing the exact same stuff I was doing when I left. Time will not wait for you, go explore. If you’re interested in something try it. If something looks cool, do it. Don’t wait because you might not always have that opportunity,” said Minutillo.

SOUTH KOREA, continued from page 1

Yogurtology in South Tampa adds a refresh-

ing amount of variety when compared to other yogurt shops. They replace

their flavors daily– excluding the tradi-tional cookies n’ cream, vanilla and choco-late– to surprise new customers, and satisfy yogurt enthusiasts. The topping bar offers 60 toppings to pair with Yogurtology’s ever changing variety of yogurts. And at 49 cents an ounce almost any creation is affordable.

The vibrant green and purple tiled

walls, chairs, tables, and even staff t-shirts give off a modern

vibe as soon as someone first walks through the door. Yogurt Mountain re-

cently opened in Carollwood and offers quite a few flavors of yogurt, including cake batter and bubblegum, satisfying any creative or picky customer. Their toppings bar spans almost an entire wall, even of-fering rice crispy treats and gummies.

Berryism recently opened its second location in Car-

rollwood on N. Dale Mabry, in addition to its original location on S. Dale Mabry. While they offer the traditional yogurt and toppings, they

also have a variety of other tasty treats, including frozen yogurt smoothies, lattes

and teas. Unlike The Yogurt Spot, Yogurtology and Yogurt Mountain, Berryism is not self-serve. It opened its doors in 2008 and since has been offering free Wi-Fi, outside patio seating, and

contemporary music to entertain customers.

I scream, you scream, we all

scream for yogurt!

When a pa-tron walks into

The Yogurt Spot, he or she is immediately

greeted by a line full of classic and original yogurt

flavors. The self serve style al-lows customers to be unique with their taste, using toppings that range from sugary children’s cereals to fresh cut fruit pieces. The 39-cent an ounce price is also low enough that you can create almost anything, and still leave with some change in your pocket.

The frozen yogurt craze has hit Tam-pa, hard. In the past three years, four new yogurt shops have opened in the greater Tampa area, and there’s most likely many more to come. With each venue offering both unique and traditional yogurt flavors and an inumerable number of toppings, the options are endless and people are eating it up,

literally!

Compiled by Katie Hoskinson

FeaturesTHE PONY EXPRESS 5Amber RazzanoThese have got to be the top 5 worst Facebook fads of all time!March, 2 11:59 pm Like Comment . .You and 25 others like this.

Like This! People become exasperated when they check Facebook and find their news feed filled with wall posts and unnecessary status updates. “Truth is” when seeing how much everybody loves each other on the internet, the status of interpersonal relationships can be confusing because two people may hated each other a second ago in real life. Are you the person who everybody wants to punch? The person who stepped on my shoe in the hall yesterday? The one who annoys everyone around? Yeah, I know you! “Why what’s up”? “Everyone thinks” you are really cool, so keep on posting because it makes everyone’s day ten times better!

Farmville. There was a time when everyone rushed home after a long school day and frantically logged on to Facebook to check their virtual crops. A “farmer” could grow a variety of foods, not concerned that they didn’t exist outside the virtual world. Nobody enjoyed the sinking feeling experienced when they forgot to harvest their precious crops and found them brown and withered. Now-a-days the obsession with virtual farming has slowed, but the occasional obnoxious reminder still pops up every now and then; “[She/he] wants to be your neighbor”! Most would prefer real strawberries over virtual ones, but to each their own.

PAR-TAY! There was a time when invitations were actually sent out in the mail. The excitement associated with receiving an envelope containing a party invite is now nonexistent. Invitations delivered via Facebook have become the new fad. It’s quick, easy, and completely unoriginal. You can see everybody attending and everyone can see your attendance decision. If an invitee registers “not attending”, the host will promptly be able to jump down their throat, asking why he or she can’t attend their super awsome party. Virtual invita-tions have stolen the elation of partying from the younger generation.

Gaither’s Best. Do you think you are the hottest kid at school? Are you, and each of your 15 “best friends” super awesome? Do you crave attention? If you answered yes to any of the preceding questions, then go ahead and tag yourself in Gaither’s Best on Facebook. It’s full of the coolest, most contemptible kids around. Want to know who the hottest kid of the week is? Of course you do! So, if you wish to be no-ticed for your haughty appeal and your braggart-ish ways, then make sure you befriend this gossip group.

Ahh It’s Snake! Snake is the addicting game that tops all Facebook distractions. The purpose is to clash into a red block without hitting the wall or yourself. Kids persistently sit in front of the computer for extrane-ous amounts of time just to beat their friend’s most recent high score. Listed below the application are the scores of all your friends who have attempted the challenge that Snake provides. Wasting so much time on unimportant Facebook games may be the reason many guys couldn’t seem to aquire a Valentine this year.

MARCH 2011 THE PONY EXPRESS 76 Centerspread Centerspread

Photos by Midge Leeand Jackie LawsonPhoto courtesy of Alexis Perrini

TOP LEFT: Freshman Alexis Perrini and Princess Buttercup, guinea pig+TOP RIGHT: Senior Luis Mariussoand Benson, pet rockBOTTOM LEFT: Senior Melanie Midkiff and Mandy Mocha Midkiff, miniature Doberman Pinscher

FINANCING YOUR FURRY FRIEND

“I have a turtle named Patty. Actually, I think we renamed him Leonard. He’s a red-eared turtle, and very friendly. I like petting him. He likes to sun bathe with me, and we go swimming some-times.” Sophomore Alejandro Gonzalez

CUDDLY COMPANIONS

Compiled by Jackie Lawson

“Her name is Alli and she’s a golden retriever. She is very friendly and she licks every-thing. She likes to sleep on me.” Senior Jeff Dyal

“[My pet is] a beagle named Molly. She tries to bite her ears sometimes. She walks around with her ears in her mouth; it’s really cute.” Freshman Riley Winter

“[My pet is] a padigonian cavy, with light brown hair. It walks on four legs, and eats lettuce, nuts, guinea pig food, and crackers. It’s from South America, and you need a permit to have it.” Sophomore Christine Ley

“My guinea pig’s name is Abby. She’s cute, but she nev-er shuts up. I cuddle with her a lot and take care of her.” Senior Marisabel Vella

HOBBES IN BLUE POLO

MANDY, SMILING

MELANIE & MANDY

LEXI & PRINCESS BUTTERCUP

HOBBES IN MICKEY MOUSE

HOBBES AS CINDERELLANUMBER OF PETS OWNED

25%2 PETS

18%0 PETS

35%1 PET

22%3+ PETS

*Based on a survey of 100 students.

FREQUENCY OF EACH PET OWNEDWHERE TO FIND THE PERFECT PET

FAST FACTS

Providing for all the needs of pet can be costly, especially in this economy, and it’s best to be prepared. Here is the general breakdown of annual expenses for a cat and a medium-seized dog.Facts courtesy of the ASPCA.

100dogs

46cats

5rabbits/hamsters

12other

B 5birds

W 4fish

T T 8reptiles

Choosing the best companion to live with can be a daunting process, but finding them can take just a walk down the street to the local petstore or reputable animal shelter. For those who are searching for a budget-friendly and general breed of animal, these are some places to check out:

Humane Society of Tampa

3607 North Armenia Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607 (813) 876-7138 www.humanesocietytampa.org

A five star non-profit organization and known for it’s no-kill policy, this lim-ited admission shelter has provided for many animals; dogs and cats have been microchipped and neutered or spayed. A small questionnaire and a meeting with an adoption counselor is required to ensure that the animals are going home to a proper and loving home.

Avg. Prices for adoption: Dogs $50-125, Cats $50

Hillsborough County Animal Services

440 Falkenburg Road, North, Tampa, FL(813) 744-5660www.hillsboroughcounty.org/animalservices/

The Hillsborough county shelter has provided care to many homeless or abandoned animals; the animals here have been microchipped and neu-tered or spayed; a somewhat extensive adoption process is required.

Avg. Prices for adoption: Dogs $35-125, Cats $50

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Petland

17657 N Dale Mabry Hwy. Lutz, FL 33548813-908-PETS

Located by L.A. Fitness, this store has a selection of puppies, cats, birds, rodents, and other animals and also sells pet supplies.

Avg. Prices: Dogs $100+

Compiled by Cameron Valdez

National Humane Society

4039 Gunn Highway, Tampa, Florida 33618 (813) 269-2567www.nationalhumane.com

This non-profit organization is dedicated to the spaying and neu-tering of pets, along with adoption of cats and kittens.

Avg. Prices: Cats $50-$65, Kittens $75

EXPENSE COSTFood/water $145

Litter $200Toys/Treats $25Medical +Insurance $205

Misc. $30

TOTAL $705

EXPENSE COST

Food/water $120

License $15Toys/Treats $55Medical +Insurance $460

Misc. $45

TOTAL $695*Does not include the intial adoption expenses and costs of the first year.

CAT

DOG

From dogs riding skateboards to cats flying off ceiling fans, pets can be a source of much amusement and entertainment. Here are some interesting tibits on your favorite four-legged or aquatic friend. Facts courtesy of strangest-facts.com.

(((

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((

Goldfish have a memory span of 3 seconds.

Both gorillas and housecats purr.

A giraffe can run faster than a horse and go longer without water than a camel.

The stomach of a hippo can be up to 10 feet long and hold up to 400 pounds of food.

Falabella horses are only 16 inches tall fully grown.

Rabbits and horses cannot vomit.

Compiled by Midge Lee

Compiled by Midge Lee

L)VE

WILDKIND of

LUIS & BENSON

“I have a pet rock. His name is Benson. I found him when I was swinging in the park.” Senior Luis Mariusso

“I have a bunny named Cotton and I’m allergic to him. He is white and funny and he poops a lot.” Sophomore Taylor Yonke

*Based on a survey of 100 students.

KEY= 5

MARCH 2011 THE PONY EXPRESS 76 Centerspread Centerspread

Photos by Midge Leeand Jackie LawsonPhoto courtesy of Alexis Perrini

TOP LEFT: Freshman Alexis Perrini and Princess Buttercup, guinea pig+TOP RIGHT: Senior Luis Mariussoand Benson, pet rockBOTTOM LEFT: Senior Melanie Midkiff and Mandy Mocha Midkiff, miniature Doberman Pinscher

FINANCING YOUR FURRY FRIEND

“I have a turtle named Patty. Actually, I think we renamed him Leonard. He’s a red-eared turtle, and very friendly. I like petting him. He likes to sun bathe with me, and we go swimming some-times.” Sophomore Alejandro Gonzalez

CUDDLY COMPANIONS

Compiled by Jackie Lawson

“Her name is Alli and she’s a golden retriever. She is very friendly and she licks every-thing. She likes to sleep on me.” Senior Jeff Dyal

“[My pet is] a beagle named Molly. She tries to bite her ears sometimes. She walks around with her ears in her mouth; it’s really cute.” Freshman Riley Winter

“[My pet is] a padigonian cavy, with light brown hair. It walks on four legs, and eats lettuce, nuts, guinea pig food, and crackers. It’s from South America, and you need a permit to have it.” Sophomore Christine Ley

“My guinea pig’s name is Abby. She’s cute, but she nev-er shuts up. I cuddle with her a lot and take care of her.” Senior Marisabel Vella

HOBBES IN BLUE POLO

MANDY, SMILING

MELANIE & MANDY

LEXI & PRINCESS BUTTERCUP

HOBBES IN MICKEY MOUSE

HOBBES AS CINDERELLANUMBER OF PETS OWNED

25%2 PETS

18%0 PETS

35%1 PET

22%3+ PETS

*Based on a survey of 100 students.

FREQUENCY OF EACH PET OWNEDWHERE TO FIND THE PERFECT PET

FAST FACTS

Providing for all the needs of pet can be costly, especially in this economy, and it’s best to be prepared. Here is the general breakdown of annual expenses for a cat and a medium-seized dog.Facts courtesy of the ASPCA.

100dogs

46cats

5rabbits/hamsters

12other

B 5birds

W 4fish

T T 8reptiles

Choosing the best companion to live with can be a daunting process, but finding them can take just a walk down the street to the local petstore or reputable animal shelter. For those who are searching for a budget-friendly and general breed of animal, these are some places to check out:

Humane Society of Tampa

3607 North Armenia Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607 (813) 876-7138 www.humanesocietytampa.org

A five star non-profit organization and known for it’s no-kill policy, this lim-ited admission shelter has provided for many animals; dogs and cats have been microchipped and neutered or spayed. A small questionnaire and a meeting with an adoption counselor is required to ensure that the animals are going home to a proper and loving home.

Avg. Prices for adoption: Dogs $50-125, Cats $50

Hillsborough County Animal Services

440 Falkenburg Road, North, Tampa, FL(813) 744-5660www.hillsboroughcounty.org/animalservices/

The Hillsborough county shelter has provided care to many homeless or abandoned animals; the animals here have been microchipped and neu-tered or spayed; a somewhat extensive adoption process is required.

Avg. Prices for adoption: Dogs $35-125, Cats $50

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Petland

17657 N Dale Mabry Hwy. Lutz, FL 33548813-908-PETS

Located by L.A. Fitness, this store has a selection of puppies, cats, birds, rodents, and other animals and also sells pet supplies.

Avg. Prices: Dogs $100+

Compiled by Cameron Valdez

National Humane Society

4039 Gunn Highway, Tampa, Florida 33618 (813) 269-2567www.nationalhumane.com

This non-profit organization is dedicated to the spaying and neu-tering of pets, along with adoption of cats and kittens.

Avg. Prices: Cats $50-$65, Kittens $75

EXPENSE COSTFood/water $145

Litter $200Toys/Treats $25Medical +Insurance $205

Misc. $30

TOTAL $705

EXPENSE COST

Food/water $120

License $15Toys/Treats $55Medical +Insurance $460

Misc. $45

TOTAL $695*Does not include the intial adoption expenses and costs of the first year.

CAT

DOG

From dogs riding skateboards to cats flying off ceiling fans, pets can be a source of much amusement and entertainment. Here are some interesting tibits on your favorite four-legged or aquatic friend. Facts courtesy of strangest-facts.com.

(((

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Goldfish have a memory span of 3 seconds.

Both gorillas and housecats purr.

A giraffe can run faster than a horse and go longer without water than a camel.

The stomach of a hippo can be up to 10 feet long and hold up to 400 pounds of food.

Falabella horses are only 16 inches tall fully grown.

Rabbits and horses cannot vomit.

Compiled by Midge Lee

Compiled by Midge Lee

L)VE

WILDKIND of

LUIS & BENSON

“I have a pet rock. His name is Benson. I found him when I was swinging in the park.” Senior Luis Mariusso

“I have a bunny named Cotton and I’m allergic to him. He is white and funny and he poops a lot.” Sophomore Taylor Yonke

*Based on a survey of 100 students.

KEY= 5

Become a patron today!

MARCH 2011Opinion 8

Editor-in-Chief: Andy ZunzNews Editor: Katie HoskinsonFeatures Editor: Catherine BaconOpinion Editor: Laura HoganCenterspread Editor: Midge LeeSports Editor: Kelli EichornGraphics Editor: Samantha JohnstonWebmaster: Kevin SardjaBusiness Manager: Carly CepelakStaff Writers: Amber Razzano, Jackie Lawson, Cameron ValdezAdviser: Louisa Ogle

The Pony Express is published by the newspaper staff at Gaither High School, 16200 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33618.Advertising rates are available upon request by calling (813) 975-7340 ext. 254. Advertising which promotes illegal products under Florida law, opposes any reli-

gion, or is of any sensitive nature will not be accepted.

The Pony Express has been established as an open forum for student expression as outlined in the Student Press Law Center’s model guidelines for student publications. The ions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the faculty and administration of Gaither High School but rather of the author or the newspaper staff and its editors.

The Pony Express welcomes letters to the editor on topics of interest to Gaither High School and its surrounding community. We also welcome contributions from writers not associated with the newspaper staff. All contributions need to be turned into Ms. Ogle in room 288.

The Pony Express

THE PONY EXPRESS

STAFF EDITORIAL:

Just Think:LAURA HOGAN

Opinion Editor

Through the Looking Glassby Samantha Johnston

Hypersensititivity soars to new heights

Complaining pervades our society. From the Jer-sey Shore to the Iowa plains, there are individuals who find it necessary to whine about overrated is-sues such as politics, revolutions, and even educa-tion, all in a useless effort to incur change.

But just think with me for a moment: if all the people in the world focused their criticism on real-life issues, such as the variety of chips in school lunches, change wouldn’t remain a useless hope but would become an actuality.

Skimming the major news networks’ websites, I find headlines such as “An era of cheap food may be drawing to a close” (MSNBC.org). With all the disturbing things occurring in today’s world, people deem the rising price of food important enough to be a leading headline. Contrary to popular belief, whether or not food is cheap enough for the average consumer is not that significant of a problem. In all honesty, it’s a blessing in disguise.

Because according to statistics, a significantly large percentage of the American population (over 1/3) is overweight or obese. These rising prices of food are merely forcing people to buy, and conse-quently consume, less food. If individuals wish to complain about something that is helping them shed those few extra pounds, it’s no skin off my nose. And should comestible prices ever become excessively ex-

pensive, there’s always the broccoli from the garden.But this is only the icing on the cake. As every

American with a little dose of common sense under-stands, from December through March, the tilt of the earth’s axis causes the phenomenon we know as winter. This means that the temperature becomes predictably cooler.

Yet many northerners still find it within them to whine about the snow and the deadly blizzards and the massive power outages they face every single year, even though they know it’s coming. Last I checked, neither blankets nor snuggies have been labeled a scarce com-modity. And maybe if they pray for global warming, their situation will improve.

The only individuals who have a license to complain about the winter are Floridians. For those who have yet to experience what I’m describing, the weather in Florida is, in the literal sense of the word, bipolar.

For example, one day in late January I’ll swing out of bed and as the icy tiles hit my bare feet I’ll decide to bundle up in coats and scarves for school. But by the time midday rolls around, the temperature has climbed from forty to seventy and I’m sweating.

These dramatic changes in climate can be both mentally and psychologically unsettling. Girls espe-cially will struggle in vain to decide whether to dress for warm weather or cold weather and will end up in a strange hybrid outfit, consisting of both boots and shorts. While northerners can at least anticipate the weather and prepare adequately, those in the south have no such luxury. Politicians and environmental ac-

tivists need to wake up out of hibernation and listen to the complaints of Floridians and begin researching remedies for this problem.

But maybe individuals would have a plausible excuse for their attitudes if they ranted about some-thing they had the power to change.

But the fact is, complaining about the latest ac-tions of the government is relatively fruitless, espe-cially in light of the fact that most politicians are deaf to the public. However, there are other, far more im-portant things about which people could bemoan.

For instance, the results of the Academy Awards depict a clear image of America to the international artistic community. Yet when movies such as The Social Network win the prestigious title of Best Pic-ture, other countries will receive the impression that Americans are a people who esteem their computers and Facebook above all else. This negative image would lower the world’s standard of our country.

But protesting such poor choices would cause those designated with voting for award winners to re-think their decisions and choose something of greater cultural quality, thereby presenting a more positive picture of American society to the world.

The issue all boils down to choosing the right topic to rail upon. The course of the education system or our nation’s government don’t even warrant our at-tention. Instead with the right subject and the right tone of voice, complaining can be a most effective tac-tic to call attention to suffering and to incur change in hair styles, TV shows, and even gum flavors.

Within the next few years, when all that’s left of high school are mere memories, few people will even remember who made the wrestling team and who didn’t, who walked

across the stage in white and who in blue. The fact is, 20 years down the road, no one will even care.

Why then should it be a big deal if those who actually put forth the effort to become the starting linebacker or to graduate in white receive their rightful recognition? Should those who did all the right things be denied the recognition and respect they earned because of the feel-ings of others? Yet the public is so plagued with the po-litical correctness syndrome that every little thing that has the potential to injure the feelings of another should be banned and labeled taboo. It is not as if those suc-cessful students actually seek to antagonize those who were unsuccessful in a given area.

To begin with, the honor of wearing tassels has al-ready been stripped. Now, according to freerepublic.com, even Colorado’s Durango High has been discuss-ing the idea of scrapping white gowns. This concept of removing academic honors is designed to make sure no one feels inferior or left out. Thus when all is said and done, the ideal high school student, the one who consis-tently hits the books hard would simply go unnoticed.

Walking across the stage at graduation, it would be difficult to distinguish those who “passed with flying col-ors” from those average students who simply “passed”. After all the late nights and stressful weeks, a little rec-

ognition wouldn’t hurt. If school officials don’t want to honor students for

all their efforts by letting them graduate in white, all for fear of offending others, they might as well ditch all AP and Honors level classes. Or, if they were re-ally serious about protecting the emotions of other students, they should curve the entire grading scale.

Similarly, this same hypersensitivity spills over into the sports arena. Honestly, when walking into a tryout, the reality that one could potentially not make the team is known from the start. If someone doesn’t make the team, it’s nothing personal. It’s just an in-dicator that that individual has to work even harder before next year’s tryouts. But coaches refrain from posting names on the new team roster to avoid hu-miliating those who didn’t make the cut while simul-taneously failing to recognize those who did qualify.

And on top of that, those who did make the team still feel the effects of hyper-sensitivity. Not only can one’s name not be read aloud, but neither can they wear their team jersey on game day. Although the only goal is to advertise the team and raise school spirit, they are allegedly hurting others’ feelings and rubbing failure into their faces.

So come on, high school students are big boys and girls now; they shouldn’t be breaking into tears if someone wounds their ego. In only a few years, the real world will be knocking at the door, and it defi-nitely won’t be looking out for anyone’s feelings.

The other penguins and I have come to the consensus that you can’t fly anymore. It’s not fair.

The art of complaining eludes Americans

Students question off-campus lunch banShould I stay or should I go now?

THE PONY EXPRESS Opinion

PRO

CON

“Without tech-nology, I wouldn’t have

known that Jamaica wasn’t in Africa.”

~Sophomore Mikaela Herres

“Technology has made everything so easy;

communicating is pretty much like pressing a button.”

~Junior Jonathon Garcia

“Technology has made everything so easy;

I practically don’t have to do homework.”

~Senior Kim Fakhar

“With comput-ers, I am now able to

follow Coach Lattimore on Facebook all the time.”

-Freshman Sung Jung

9

KEVIN SARDJAWebmaster

LAURA HOGANOpinion Editor

Imangine this. It’s a beautiful day in late March and there’s not a cloud in the brilliant blue sky. A gentle breeze stirs

the emerald green tree boughs. Yet, aside from the 50 people that can cram themselves into the outdoor patio, everyone else must suffer the noise and mess of the cafeteria.

Ironically, it’s in the age of cars, when students have a convenient method of transportation at their disposal, that Hillsborough County strictly prohibits students from leaving school. Even back in 2007 when the thirty minute lunch was increased to a full 50 minute period, they didn’t budge. For the sake of the students, this policy should be altered to allow off-campus lunches.

Officials may contend this allow-ance to be unnecessary, especially when schools offer free lunch, hot lunch and even pizza. But what they may not realize is the fact that lunch is more than just an opportunity to eat, but a time to rest and prepare for the remainder of the day. After three to five hours of tests, essays, presentations or notes, students are always ready for a small breather.

Yet attempting to relax in a caf-eteria packed with more than five hundred students is no easy task. The rumble of teens chatting, laugh-ing and shouting would be stressful enough yet the spastic bouts of ap-plause and “happy birthdays” and countless other shenanigans are enough to annoy even the most plac-id of students.

Allowing students the opportuni-ty to escape to the outdoors for fifty minutes would be a simple method for them to relax without worrying

a bottle of Gatorade will whack them on the head.

And for those who have qualms about the tight time frame, allow me to point out that there are a plethora of restaurants within minutes of the school, including Chick-fil-a, Taco Bell, Boston Market, and more. Most individuals won’t be dumb enough to travel to Olive Garden simply to sat-isfy their craving for breadsticks. And those who are will simply get a tardy, to say the least.

On that note, the primary argu-ment against off-campus lunches lies within the law. Clearly put, the school is responsible for anything that hap-pens to a student during the entirety of the school day, including lunch. Thus if a student was injured in a car crash as he drove to Taco Bell, the school itself would be held liable. In this context then, Hillsborough Coun-ty’s policy is quite understandable.

But like most controversial issues, there are more than just two clear cut solutions. The third road, in this case, is simple. Each student who wants the option of an off-campus lunch must obtain a permission form that grants him or her the ability to leave school property.

But unlike the average paper that must be taken home and “signed by a parent or guardian”, this would have legal ramifications. It would release the individual from the school’s custo-dy and, if the teen was under the age of eighteen, hold the parents liable for him. This way, the parent would be the one considered responsible and couldn’t sue the school on the occasion of an accident or other unexpected problem.

Allowing students to leave campus for lunch is an option that would be beneficial to the individual, providing a way to escape the stressful school environment and recharge for the re-maining classes, heightening produc-tivity.

And the only major argument bar-ring the removal of this prohibitive policy can be answered simply. Hills-borough County Schools needs to wis-en up and realize that with the proper precautions, off-campus lunches can become reality.

Got Rants? [ Be sure to send your complaints, thanks, thoughts, and stories to room 288 or post your rants on our website, GHSPonyExpress.com ]

STUDENT|PERSPECTIVES How does technology affect your everyday life?

Photos by Kevin Sardja

One word comes to mind with the thought of leav-ing the school campus for lunch, disaster.

With all the dangers off campus, both teachers and students alike have much to fear. It’s better to be safe than sorry and simply remain on school property.

It may seem like Hillsborough County officials are dictating your freedom, acting like parents and “telling you what to do”, but the fact of the matter is that they’re doing what’s best for everyone, to keep ev-eryone safe.

First there’s the time aspect. Let’s say walking to the car will generally take 2 minutes, then driving (with traffic) takes 15, driving back takes another 15, and finally walking to class and getting ready for the next period takes another 8 minutes. Such a trip, if my calculations are correct, gives a student only 10 minutes to or-der and “enjoy” their food. These 10 minutes would only rush students, whereas the comfort of the school cafeteria gives them the whole fifty minutes.

These strict “rules” requiring stu-dents to stay on campus are beneficial for both the student and the county. Because to a school, the number one priority is not the books, lockers, or cleanliness, but is the 2360 students that walk up and down the halls, five days a week. And from the moment a student steps foot on campus, the school is responsible for him or her until the last period of the day. With almost 2400 students, the number of liabilities around the school would heighten, if even just half of the stu-dent population were to leave campus for lunch.

This means that administrators will try to avoid any possible accident and injury to students under their watch. When someone is hurt, the school is at fault. Just think of it as a drunk driving accident, your friend may have been the one who had a drink, but you knowingly supplied

him with the car keys. Teens must re-alize that being on campus for lunch gives security to them, as there are not as many threats inside a school as there are out in the world.

Eating lunch on campus and lis-tening to all of your friends at other schools bragging about their freedom might be a drag, but it is actually a blessing in disguise.

And with unmonitored students running around off -campus, who’s to say students won’t be late to their next class, or even come back at all. Tardies and absences to fifth, sixth, and seventh periods would see a drastic increase as students who are already off campus simply go home instead of returning to school. This would disrupt classes and decrease learning time. Also, with more stu-dents eating out, the school would see a decrease in funds for the school. With the school not making money, much of the needed equipment and materials for school could not be af-forded.

This then is the reason the vending machines located around the school are closed during the lunch periods: to encourage those who are hungry to buy lunch at school. According to As-sistant Principal Henry Strapp, rev-enue from school lunchesbenefits the school district and allows it to create a better learning environment.

Who would even want to drive miles to buy food that charges stu-dents twice the price of a regular school lunch? It would end up costing hundreds of dollars out of pocket. The idea of off campus lunch is just a ter-rible initiative, period.

I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but the fact of the matter is, it’s a stupid idea. It may sound wonderful now, but trust me; you’re going to regret getting into your car, and breaking 75 mph down Dale Mabry at 12 in the afternoon. It only spells disaster.

MARCH 2011Sports10

Cameron Valdez / Pony ExpressThe new head football coach Jason Stokes leads the team in agility training on the practice field after school. Stokes has spent the past two seasons at Middleton, where he accumulated 10 wins and 10 losses, after one year at Bloomingdale.

ANDY ZUNZEditor-in-Chief

Picture the dream of any high school athlete. It’s the playoffs. The game is tied with time running out on the clock. You’ve spent four long years playing for

your high school team, and now your career is teetering in the balance of this game. Adrenaline rushes through your body. Your team needs some-one to step up and make a big play.

Now put yourself in the position of many high school athletes throughout the country. You are forced to sit on the bench while an underclassman trots onto the field or court to make the play you have trained four years to make.

It’s no shock to hear that in many cases under-classmen are given starting positions or signifi-cant responsibilities over seniors in high school sports. In many cases, some underclassmen are deserving of crucial responsibilities, but, in high school, patience and dedication should be reward-ed at some point.

I know what you’re thinking. Coaches should play the best athlete, no matter what their ages are. At most levels, that is the exact strategy coaches should use. But with high school football and basketball making primetime TV, and high school athletes being treated like rock stars in the media, we seem to forget what it really is.

High school sports are not anywhere close to collegiate sports in purpose. Winning is not every-thing. Banners and trophies are nice, but at the end of the day what’s more important: winning an extra playoff game or impacting a kid’s life?

Eventually coaches have to look themselves in the mirror and check what their true motives are.

Playing a high school sport as a senior is a se-rious task. With upcoming college decisions and the overall stress of school, it’s impressive to see seniors without collegiate careers ahead of them playing at all.

Coaches have to consider the dedication it takes to stick with a sport for four years.

Seniors have put so much more into the team than underclassmen. They have put in an extra year of practices, bruises, fund-raisers, games (and even sucking up) to be where they are.

Remember that those underclassmen will be there next year, so give the seniors a break and put ‘em in, Coach.

Andy Zunz: You’ve been here for a few weeks now, what are your initial thoughts on the school?

Jason Stokes: Well I’ll tell you I’ve gotten a really good vibe from the kids they seem to have a lot of school spirit and they seem to be hard working. The adminis-tration is great, really supportive and very competitive. The kids are working hard and really getting after it. I’m pleased.

AZ: Why Gaither? What drew you to apply here?

JS: I really think Gaither has all the immeasurables to be a big time program. It has the support from the community, it has the administration, it has the sprin-kler athletes, it has the kids and it has the parents. I really think we can be the next Plant.

AZ: How does this team compare with the other teams you’ve coached?

JS: There are similarities and differences. It kind of reminds me of Bloomingdale, but with a little bit more talent and there is a lot more numbers [of players] at Middleton.

Jason Stokes is stepping in as head football coach after one year at Bloomingdale and two at Middleton. Stokes brings in a 16-15 record as a head coach, a no-nonsense work ethic and the accomplishment of taking Bloomingdale to the playoffs in 2007 for the first time in school history. Stokes will join the faculty next year as a physical education teacher. Editor-In-Chief Andy Zunz takes a few minutes to chat with Stokes and discuss his thoughts on the school and the team.

Seniors deserve seniority on the field

AZ: What’s the number one message you’re trying to bring to this team?

JS: Hard work pays off.

AZ: What is the most impressive thing you’ve seen in this team? What do they have to work on the most?

JS: What I’ve seen so far is the work ethic and what they need to improve on the most is paying more atten-tion to details when they are doing things.

AZ: This team has a strong core of juniors and seniors coming in next season. Do you think they can make a run next season, or will it be a rebuilding process?

JS: We’ll see. I mean the kids are working hard, but we haven’t seen them in pads. But I think we can be competitive in every single game this year.

AZ: Any final comments?

JS: I’m just really happy to be here and really excited to get into school and really be a Cowboy.

New coach talks about plans for upcoming season

“

”

I really think we can be the next Plant.

-Jason Stokes

MARCH 2011 THE PONY EXPRESS 11Sports

Compiled by Kelli Eichorn

Change up:According to wordiq.com, a change up is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with the same motion used for the fastball, but with less speed. The change up is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball.

J unior Alex Milne has worked at mastering the art of pitching since the age of five. Milne is currently a three year veteran on the varsity baseball team and has already verbally com-

mitted to the University of Central Florida. Milne imparts his hard earned pitching knowledge with a few tips.

Four –seam fastball:According to wordiq.com, the four-seam fastball is a pitch that is used often by the pitcher to get ahead in the count or when he needs to throw a strike. This type of fastball is intended to have minimal lateral movement.

Curveball:The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that induces extra rotation on the ball causing it to “break”– to fly in a more exagger-ated curve than would be expected, according to wordiq.com.

“This one is not usually my favor-ite to throw, but it’s a big pitch because I can throw it once in a while when a hitter is batting to show them a different pitch, just to keep them off balance and keep them from guessing.”

“I usually just use this one for a strike-out pitch. As with a fast-ball, my main goal is to keep it low and even bounce it once and a while, just to show that not everything is going to be a strike and once again just locate [the hitter].”

“This is the one I throw the most. All I want to do mainly is to keep it simple and just lo-cate in and out on the hitters. I like to keep it low to keep the ball from getting any lift so that it will make it hard to get solid hits most of the time.”

Milne pitches his tips

MARCH 2011Insight12

2004

Everyone remembers their favorite movie, game or song growing up. This issue takes a look back to 2004 and focuses on famous songs, movies, games and events.

“”

Games GHS Events

MusicMovies

“”

“”

“”

Compiled by Jackie Lawson

I used to have my own dance to “Yeah”. I was obsessed with that song.

-Junior Cori Miller

“Yeah!” by Usher feat. Ludacris and Lil John

“With You” by Jessica Simpson

Usher made a comeback with his album Confessions in which he explains infidelity, partying and other bad decisions during his time out of the limelight. “Yeah” was a quick favorite, peaking at number three on the billboard charts in the year 2004.

“With You” was released on Jessica Simpson’s third al-bum, In This Skin. After the mild success of her first two albums, the popularity of In This Skin surprised critics. “With You” was her tribute to then hus-band Nick L a c h e , while they divorced not long after.

Pokemon Fire Red

Halo 2

<

Master Chief sure does pull off a spacesuit.

- Senior Shawn Sirignano

Pokemon Fire Red takes place mostly in the fictional world of Kanto. Throughout the game the player unlocks special powers and places as they advance in the game. The plot of the game is to gain powers, trade pokemon and fight other players. The game is a remake of the original Pokemon Red.

Halo 2 takes place on earth in the 26th century where Earth is threatened by a pending invasion by the Forerunners, or Covenant. Halo is a shooter game, with players predominantly experiencing game play from a first-person perspec-tive. Players use a combination of human and alien weaponry and vehicles to progress through the game’s levels.

Shrek 2 featured stars like Mike My-ers and Eddie Murphy and was the top grossing movie of 2004. It follows Shrek and his new wife Princess Fio-na after there honeymoon as he meets his new in-laws, the king and queen of Far, Far Away. The trip turns sour when the king and queen discover the couple’s secret.

Shrek 2

Who doesn’t love Shrek? It’s always funny and never gets old.

-Sophomore Annallia Fernandez

The Day After Tomorrow released right as the global warming con-cern swept the nation. This mega-budget, special effect filled film re-

volving around an international crisis as the ef-fects of global warming catch

up to us.

The Day After Tomorrow

While the boy’s soccer team has advanced to States year, the boys have done it before. In 2004 the soccer team competed in the State finals. Current Driver Education teacher Trevor Scott played for the

2004 team serving as captain.

Boys soccer advances to states

In 2004 the area above the weight room in the gym had to be closed due to leaks in the roof. A split in the roof, which may have weakened when a nearby wall collapsed, caused the leak. The fairly new room had undergone previous work, after the roof had been blown off in a windstorm.

Gym deteriorates due to building malfunctions

Second chances are few and far between, so it’s important to give it all on your first chance.

-Alumnus Trevor Scott