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The Belleville East High School student newspaper
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News - 2-Features - 4Art on the Terrace - 6Entertainment - 8Sports - 10Activities - 11
Days to RememberFeb. 25 Parent/Teacher ConferencesMar. 1 No SchoolMar. 4 Casimir Pulaski Day, No SchoolMar. 13 Early Dismissal - 2:55 pmMar. 20 Early Dismissal - 11:45 amMar. 28 Spring Break - Apr. 1
Semester 2
89Countdown
On Friday, Feb. 1, Belleville East biology teachers; Mr. Norm Dahm and Dr. Phillip Short, gave a student informational presentation of the annual Quetico canoe trip dressed in 18th century French
Canadian voyageur attire. The two voyageurs spoke of a life-changing, $1,295 (which is 1/3 the cost of a private trip) all-inclusive trip to Northwestern Ontario-a trip they go on every year. Belleville students have been going to Quetico Provincial Park since 1968 and will continue doing so
for students to experience this magic. The two French Canadian voyageurs spoke in their old language, demonstrated transporting methods and gave explanations of cooking.
The Voyageur Wilderness Program was founded in 1960 by environmentalist, wilderness preservationist, lecturer and educator Charlie Ericksen and Jean Goff Marantette, where they took a group
of students, for the first time, to Quetico park. In 1986, Guy M. Savoie took over the
programme and has developed
it into more of a learning experience about the history and lifestyle. Quetico Park is 2,000 square miles with 1,400 km of canoe routes and 612 portages. All important camping gear, nutritious freeze-dried food, transportation and safety are provided for the students. The Voyageur Wilderness Programme continues to bring students on this revitalizing adventure, for it was said by Henry David Thoreau, that “in wilderness is the preservation of the world.”
Quetico Canoe Trip Welcomes Voyageurs by Logan Bray
February 8, 2011 will always be remembered at Belleville East as a sad day. This was the day that Jeremiah Radford, who would have been a junior this year, passed away at the age of 15. Jeremiah was an outstanding football player, but more importantly, he was a friend and an inspiration to many at Belleville East. Principal Stephanie Posey said of Jeremiah, “Jeremiah had a profound effect on the student body. The Lancer family learned how to live a life to the fullest and to live with dignity right up to the very end. We learned how to grieve together and to support our friends and family through a tragic event and come out stronger on the other side.” She also said that he “..was an inspiration to those in similar circumstances.” One year later, the Lancer family honored him by wearing t-shirts in his memory. All of the proceeds for the shirts went to the purchase of a bench in his
honor to be placed on central terrace. Mrs. Posey said, “The entire cost of the bench was raised by the students and staff.” Jeremiah will always be remembered at Belleville East as a strong, good-hearted person with the drive to fulfill his dreams. He still
continues to inspire all of us.On January 26th,
Belleville West was also struck with tragedy. Stephen Zehner, a senior, was killed in a car accident in unincorporated Belleville. The passenger, sophomore Megan Webb is listed in critical condition at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Both students are loved dearly by students at Belleville East
and West. Grievance counselors were made readily available for students at both schools.
“St. Clair County has a crisis response team, divided into four quadrants around St. Clair so that when a tragedy or crisis occurs, there are counselors specified to respond to the site. East and West always work together to support each other and our students within a crisis situation.” On the night of the accident, students gathered at Belleville
West for a candlelight vigil to honor Stephen Zehner and send out thoughts and prayers for Megan Webb. In light of these events, District 201 has further encouraged driver’s safety awareness. Mrs. Posey said, “When a tragedy occurs, specifically with young drivers, it puts our focus on reviewing our safety procedures with students. We also review our crisis management plans and make sure that our response team is up to date and ready to
respond to an issue.” There is a safe driving survey available for students to fill out at www.drivingskillsforlife.com. The Lifesavers group has also done more to further push their message of safe driving. There will also be a fundraising event for the families of both Zehner and Webb at Bel-Air Bowl on February 24th. The Belleville East and West family prove that together, we can persevere through trying times.
by Chandriss Mcallister-Lang
District 201 Overcomes Tragedy Together
Inside
Above: A group of students jump for joy for completing the Quetico canoe trip
Right: Dr. Phil Short and Mr. Norm Dahm explain the Canada canoe trip to a riveted audience.
Photos courtesy of Laurie Gray Students join together to show support for Jeremiah Radford’s family by wearing special t-shirts on Feb. 8th. Shown at the left are junior classmates Jada Blackmon, Alexis Akins, Anthony Martin, and Breona Collins.
Page 2 Austin Priebe, Mr. Cheer crowned
Mr. Lancer
Local Elementary Schools Respond to Sandy Hook Tragedy
As you may have seen or heard, the first full week in Febru-ary, Distributive Education Clubs of America, (DECA) has been busy collecting jeans for homeless teens around America. For those of you who don’t know, DECA is an inter-national association of students and teachers that are involved or inter-ested in marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing
sales and service. The jeans that everyone helped to donate last year helped to clothe two out of every three teens that were living in homeless shelters. Last year DECA managed to collect three hundred pairs of jeans and hopes to sur-mount that number this year. Those that donated also received a 25% off coupon to Aeropostale so they could buy a new pair of jeans.
On Dec., 14, 2012, worry and sadness erupted across America. Twenty students along with six staff members were murdered by an intruder in Newtown, CT. The event has become known as the Sandy Hook tragedy. The people in Newtown are continuously facing the hardships after the catastrophe. Local schools want to avoid a tragedy like this at all cost.
Mr. Matt Klosterman, the superintendent of Belleville District 118 elementary and middle schools, spoke about a scare that occurred within Belleville a few short days after the tragedy. Union Elementary School went on lock down after an incident was reported to police about a possible danger to the students. Mr. Klosterman explained that when there is a potential threat near the school “we secure all of our kids and staff.” The initial police report stated that an individual was near the school’s property and was pointing a weapon at the school. According to Mr. Klosterman, “the initial report heightened people’s awareness
and concern.” Staff members remained calm and followed the safety procedures that have been in place for years. Information about the potential threat spread through the media and began frightening people in the community. The original report was false, a young man was walking near (not on) the school’s property on his way home. He was carrying either a paintball or pellet gun and posed no threat to the students or staff. Overall, the superintendent described the event as an “unsettling situation for a relatively short amount of time.” The scare proved that staff members understood what had to be done during an emergency.
Each teacher has a flip chart at hand which explains the steps to take during each emergency situation. Once a year, a committee meets to discuss any changes that need to be made to the flip chart. As times change, new procedures are added to ensure maximum safety for students and staff. Frequently, schools have drills which are an opportunity for staff and students
to practice the procedures for each emergency. Mr. Klosterman did say that these drills are held more often now. A few years ago, the buzzer system was placed in the schools within the district. Many other schools already had a similar system. All doors, including the front door, remain locked during the school day. If a visitor needs to enter, they must press a button which alerts the secretaries in the main office. The individual must explain why they need to enter the school and then they are allowed in. Cameras are placed outside of the building so staff members can analyze each person asking for permission to come inside. This is a great safety precaution, but Mr. Klosterman doesn’t “…want to make schools uninviting.”
No major changes have occurred since the tragedy, but school district board members have discussed possible changes. Mr. Klosterman said “people want to review what we have in place.” The main alteration being considered is hiring school
resource officers. Members of the board have questions concerning the payment of resource officers. Besides resource officers, local schools simply plan to tweak their emergency plans. As Mr. Klosterman said “when bad things do not happen, we get casual.”
Overall, local schools are relying on the plans that have been around for years. Small alterations have been implemented to ensure safety and board members are still discussing changes. In district 118, the tragedy did not interrupt the learning process. As Mr. Klosterman said, the tragedy “caused them to stop and think-- staff members will look at situations differently in the back of their minds.” School staff members throughout the country are working to protect coworkers and students. Mr. Klosterman explained that each staff member, regardless of position, is prepared because they are “in the business of taking care of kids.”
Teens for Jeansby Angelina Goodman by Audreyana Brown-Nash
A new club has hit the campus of Belleville East. The History Club, or “Ermahgerd Herstery” as founder junior Emily Furlow calls it, had its first meeting on Tuesday, February 12. The club is sponsored by Mrs. Katie Hoerner of the social studies department and, so far, has a membership of 15 people mostly from Hoerner’s American Studies class. The club takes history to a whole new level. “I started the club because I felt we don’t go in depth enough into some topic areas,” says Furlow, “but since we can’t get everything done in class,
we can talk about it in the club. Plus, we would be watching all the history movies we didn’t have time for in class.” The club, as Furlow states, would spend a few meetings discussing the background of a certain movie and watch it with either a movie someone brings in or in the theaters. “We’re probably going to go see the Great Gatsby first, since it’s coming out soon,” Furlow says. Now that the club is fully functioning, Furlow has opened the club to everyone, and anyone can join.
Ermahgerd Herstery!
by Arkayal Tenney-Howard
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Photo Courtesy of Pat MertensStudents of the Month enjoyed their limo lunch date on Valentine’s Day. Pictured from L to R are Emily Thomas (freshman), Key-Juan Young (sophomore), Mrs. Mary Ann Loyet, (chaperone), Jacqueline Yokoyama (senior), and Abby Scoggins (junior).
Students of the Month
“S.O. what if we like Science?” That’s what Science Olympiad is for!
Science Olympiad (S.O.), a newer scholastic team on campus, is sponsored by chemistry teacher, Mrs. Leanne Kniepkamp, with captain Heather Hamilton (junior). Formed from a previous team at Pontiac Junior High School, the Belleville East team now has many members pooled from all parts of East. The team has been on campus for two years now and has enough members for both a varsity and junior varsity that were to compete once (and hopefully more times) a year. They began preparation for competition in September and met once a week until competition day came. Saturday, February 16, the Belleville East Science Olympiad team left the parking lot at 7 am to go to the event they have been anticipating all season long, the regional competition.
Every year in February, Science Olympiad has its first of three competitions, the regionals from the respective state. The other two, State and National competitions, happen later in the year. Both middle and high schools from the Greater St. Louis area form teams of up to 15 (or 30 if they have a junior varsity team) with up to three alternates. Each teammate is assigned 2-5 of the 23 separate events in various areas of science, such as chemistry, biology, or engineering. They all gather once a year at SIUE to show off their in-depth knowledge of each subject. This year, there were 20 high school teams competing for the four available spaces in the State level competition. These teams included schools such as Belleville West, Sacred Heart Griffin, Collinsville, and Mascoutah, the four teams who made it to the State level.
Sadly, the Lancers were not
part of the elite four this year. “I am disappointed that we did not go to state, but that does not mean we will not go next year!” says varsity team member Logan Grady. The team did, however, win the award for most spirited team. They won this award with thank you notes to judges, face paint, glitter, ribbons, chalk drawings all over SIUE’s campus, and, of course, Lancer Man (sophomore Brennan Grady). No matter what happens, we will always have that Lancer spirit and team oriented attitude. “I really enjoyed seeing everyone work together as a true team,” remarked captain and varsity team member Heather Hamilton. Even though these Lancers did not go home with the big prize, they did win several medals for their individual events, ending up with over 22 between both teams. Medals included first in Mag Lev, second in Forensics, and third in Forestry.
The Science Olympiad team will have their final meeting of the year on Monday, February 25. There, they will discuss the final scores from the regional competition and plan for next year. Each member of the team has their opinion on how to improve for next year. “With some better coordination and better planning of practices and the team, Science Olympiad could become the group I remember and loved in Junior High, and possibly better,” states varsity team member, Jonathon Verduzco. With suggestions like this one and multiple others, the team here at East could perhaps advance to the State competition next year. Good job and good luck in the future, Lancers.
For more information on Science Olympiad, visit their website at http://www.soinc.org/. For information about joining the East team next year, visit Mrs. Kniepkamp in Q building.
Illinois is on its way to becoming the 10th state in the United States to allow same sex marriage. On Feb. 14, 2013, the bill for same sex marriage was placed before the Illinois Senate. The bill was approved with a 34 to 21 vote in favor of the bill. It was only passed, however, following vigorous debate between Illinois lawmakers. When it came time to vote, it seemed to be split along the lines of party affiliation. Only one republican- Sen. Jason Barickman of Champaign-voted in favor of the bill. Now that it has passed in the Senate, it moves to the House of Representatives. If it does pass there too, Governor Pat Quinn has already stated that, if passed, he will sign the bill in law. In his State of the State Address, Governor Pat Quinn actually urged both houses to pass the bill. Meanwhile, opponents of marriage equality have increased
efforts to stop the bill’s passage: Chicago Cardinal Francis George wrote a letter in January urging lawmakers to block a vote in support of marriage equality during the lame-duck session; After Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady personally backed gay marriage, GOP leaders unsuccessfully called for his removal. A poll released Wednesday by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found that 45.5 percent of respondents approved of marriage equality -- up from 33.6 percent in 2010. Only 20 percent of respondents opposing any legal recognition of same-sex relationships. The poll of 600 respondents had a 4 percent margin of error. If the bill is also approved by the state House of Representatives, Illinois will join Washington, D.C. and nine other U.S. marriage equality states.
S.O. What If We Like Science?by Audreyana Brown-Nash
Make Way for Gay Marriageby Quinn Heimann
Recently, during all of the choir classes, students could audition for the highest choir here at Belleville East, Concert Choir. Almost all of the choir students auditioned, including the current concert choir students, who must re-tryout. The auditions were based on a 125-point scale. The prepared piece, The Last Words of David, was forty points, each of the four scales, major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic, were ten points. The chromatic scale was offered as bonus points, as ten points. Students who auditioned also had to learn the National Anthem, which was twenty points, and rehearsal etiquette was twenty-five points. Mrs. Kim Stamps, who was very excited about the auditions for next year’s Concert Choir said “I feel very good about the auditions. It will be very hard to decide.” Senior Chase Mueller mentioned that “A lot of new talent is being discovered.” Prior to auditioning, Mike Farroll was all nerves, he said “ I literally felt like I was going to vomit.” After the auditions, he was proud of himself but still said he would like to “go back and try again.” Jill Humphreys agreed that try-outs made her nervous but “afterwards it was a relief.” Mrs. Stamps was looking for preparation, accurate scales, tone quality, pitch, intonation, rehearsal skills, etc.
Singing Their Way to the Topby Erin Tippit and Madison Bradshaw
Staff PhotoConcert choir veteran, Chase Mueller with hopefuls Jill Humphreys and Mike Farroll.
SopranoElyse Collier * Heather HamiltonAnna KurtzBrooke LittleMeghan McGarrityMadeleine McGradyThema ThomasEmily WhitePaige GrissomErin WagnerDarby MaguireJenny ReaAlyssa Gaskill
AltoIvana Nanthavong *Alexis MaderoJordan SchradMolly ComptonMakayla EasonOlivia FuehneMolly ThomasCaroline EffingerHaley Stelling
Elizabeth ZmailaMakaila BryantArianna BrownKelsey Sutherland
TenorMichael HawkinsMatthew HuebnerKorey ProsiseFrederick RiceTreyone WashingtonJacob YoungDaniel Jackson
BassWilliam AstleMichael FarrollNoah HarrisonChristian Hayward *Jordan LemonsHart MorganMichael Kelley
Concert Choir 2013-2014Announced
Belleville East’s Performing Arts Center drew a crowd Saturday, February 17th at 7 PM for the 15th annual Mr. Lancer Pageant. Austin Priebe took the winner’s walk, but there were twenty of East’s young men that participated in representation of their school club or team. All contestants received gift cards to the Belleville East café the “Daily Grind,” and the top three contestants received a tuxedo rental, flowers for themselves and their date, and a gas card. The winner received prom tickets and $25 toward a photo package. Mr. Lancer accepted $200 for his team. Karl O’Brien took first runner-up and Kevin Horner took second runner-up. RENAISSANCE Co-Directors, Mary Ann Loyet and Jean Meyer, were the brains behind the event. The competitors performed together in the opening act to the song, “Modern Remix,” and wore boxers specifically designed to represent their club or team. The event clearly aimed to be comical.
Round One, the talent portion, was primarily singing and/or dancing. Master of ceremonies, music teacher, Mr. Tim Hassall kept intermission entertaining by poking fun at contestants. Round Two consisted of the top 10 semi-finalists being asked a semi-serious question. Round Three, the final round, tested the final three contestants abilities to answer a serious question. Guest performances
included a dance by students Alixandra Parsons and Kaela Glueck, a karate show by Spanish Teacher Mr. O’Chiu, a band performance by Tim Hassall, Vocal Music Teacher Kim Stamps, Band Director Mark Tessereau, and English Teacher Ross Kincaid, and “Irreplaceable,” sung by students Corinne Kwapis and Chloe Fike.
The scores were composed of the introduction’s clarity and creativity, and the talents portion’s enthusiasm, costume, choreography, preparation, crowd appeal, and overall performance. Judges, including Athletic Department Secretary, Susan Harris; Campus Patrol, Susan Hull; Assistant Principal, Laurie Grey; Instructional Technologist, J.J. Stallcup; and Success Specialist at Southwestern Illinois College, Dale Zinc, considered pre-pageant scores, as well, like meeting attendance, participant contracts, dance practice, boxers/photo, and bonus tickets sold. Teacher Assistant and Varsity Cheerleading Head Coach, Roxanne Dinga and Teacher Assistant Dianna Blomberg tallied scores.
The clubs that were represented and their consequent contestant are as follows; Art Club, Jon Pulse; BASIC, Nick Lohmann; Basketball (boys), James White; Beta Chi Phi, Owen Luetkemeyer; Break Dance Club, Joe Halton; Cheerleading (Basketball), Austin Priebe; DECA, Michael
Geaschel; Drama Club, Freddie Rice; Film Club and Spanish Honor Society; Austin Ward; French Club, Jared Carrier; German Club, Karl O’Brien; German Honor Society, Ian Freed; HOPE, Jamel
Summers; Lancers for Change, Kevin Horner; Octagon Club, Lucas Birk; Soccer, Kane Lowe; Tennis, Sean Read; Volleyball (Boys), Josiah Bergt; Yearbook, Keelan Vaughn; Young Republicans, Tyler Hamilton.
Sponsors for the program included Belleville East Prom Sponsors, Dill’s Flower Shop, The Daily Grind- DECA, Savvy Formal Wear, and Willard’s Formal Wear. Mr. Lancer Committee Members consisted of Meghan Boyles, Maggie Munis, Kiersten Dey, Katie Collins, Erin Kincaid, Katherine Effinger, Miles Brunk, and Marty Brunk. Dance/choreographers included Alixandra Parsons and Carson Dumstorff. Special thanks were given to the Technical Crew led by Mr. Rich Hodson; William Tippit, Bradly Weilmuenster, and Miranda Rose.
by Jacquelyn Crockett
Mr. Cheer “Soars” to Top of Mr. Lancer Pageant
Photo by Jacquelyn CrockettAustin Priebe (Mr. Cheer) was crowned Mr. Lancer on Sat. Feb. 16th.
Photo by Jacquelyn CrockettMr. O’Chiu flew over four students during his martial arts demon-stration at the Mr. Lancer Pageant. Photo courtesy of Sharon Voss
Corrine Kwapis and Chloe Fike entertained the crowd.
Photo courtesy of Sharon Voss ...and then there were 3. Austin Priebe (Cheer), Karl O’Brien (German Club), and Kevin Horner (Lancers for Change) listen to the instructions for their final question.
Prom season is just around the corner. One of the most important things that completes the perfect prom is the perfect prom dress. Because the perfect dress is differ-ent for every girl, the people at “A Night to Remember Prom Shoppe” hosted a Prom Fashion Show. The show was held at Belleville Sports-plex on Wednesday, February 6th. It was a spectacular event. All the latest designs and designer brands were on the runway while the DJ was playing all the hottest music. Some of the male models even danced down the runway. During the event, two designer dresses were given away as well as other great prizes like a dinner for two and a free corsage set.
There were a total of 140 dresses in the show as well as 400+ in the actual prom shoppe. Trendy colors this year will include tur-quoise, neon lime, and fuchsia. The most popular styles are full body sparkle, high-low, bright colors and sheer. Some of the sheer high-low skirts were detachable for func-tionality. For example, wear the high-low for picture, and then take it off for dancing. But if an expen-sive dress is out off the question, or you have a lot of dresses already, this prom shoppe has what you need. A Night to Remember Prom Shoppe has a consignment option. They will give you 60% for dresses bought from other stores and 70% for dresses bought there. They have every color and style you could imagine. They even have a
dress that lights up!Featured gowns include:
Beaded tulle in white/tur-• quois by Tony Bowls
Sequined chiffon in tur-• quois/silver by Juliet
Beaded chiffon in aqua mist • by Clarisse
Beaded charmeuse in light • pink by Tony BowlsThere were also many different
tuxedo styles on the runway. Vests or feux vest shirts are very popular this year. At the Prom Shoppe there is a tuxedo to match every dress. Now your date can look almost as good as you in a matching tie and complementary tuxedo. Overall, it was a great event and the fashion show was a success.
Belleville East Prom is set for May 11th. Make Prom 2013 a “night to remember.”
Perfect Prom, Perfect Dressby Madison Bradshaw
The presidential election of 2012 came and went with Inaugural Day soon after. On January 21, 2013, Pres-ident Barack Obama cele-brated being sworn into office for his second term. Although many watched to view the making of history, Michelle Obama seemed to capture a portion of the nation’s attention, captivating people with her impres-sive way of dress.
First Lady Michelle Obama has traded in her once intense, colorful outfits for a more subdued look. At the 2009 inaugura-tion she donned a bright Isabel Toledo ensemble. However, at the recent 2013 inauguration, she opted to dress more moderately in a navy jacquard coat by Thom Browne along with magenta gloves and a jeweled belt. Our current First Lady’s wardrobe offers clues to her personality. With the eccentric em-bellishments and quirks she chooses to add to her clothing, we are able to obtain an idea of her characteristics - among these, individuality. Com-pared to a portion of past first ladies who adorned beige and cream tradi-
tional attire, leaving minimal impact, Michelle Obama has aided America in developing a clearer idea of her per-
sonality, simply through her use of colors and prints. Our na-tion’s fascina-tion with the presidential first ladies, however, generated years ago.
John F. Kennedy’s presidency during 1961 to 1963 initi-ated America’s obsession with the First Lady and her attire. John F. Ken-nedy’s wife, Jackie Ken-nedy, became a fashion inspiration for women all around the world. Jackie Kennedy was
poised and confident. Her classic en-sembles incorporated above-the-elbow gloves, classic suits and pillbox hats. Jackie’s style was mimicked among young women around the world, the way of dress being referred to as the “Jackie” look. Compared to any other first lady, her style of dress was lusted after the most, going as far as to be copied by commercial manufacturers and women around the world. Jackie Kennedy was overall responsible for prompting America’s attention to be focused particularly on the presiden-tial first lady’s apparel and ensembles.
Fashionable First Ladiesby Abi Agne
Official White House PhotoFirst Lady Michelle Obama
Photo by Madison BradshawModels show off prom dresses at the Night to Remember Fashion Show
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17.There is always something interest-ing in the Lost and Found, but finding a basketball in the library is, well, a bit unexpected. How did Baden, the basket-ball, get “Lost in the Library?” You could win a $50 iTunes
gift card for the most origi-nal story on how Baden got lost in the library. Here are the rules: no more than 250 words, story title must be: Lost in the Library, and you must include the basket-ball’s name as Baden. En-tries must be sent to [email protected] by February 26th to qualify. That’s it! This is not about grammar; it’s about creativity. Happy writing!
There are many writers and artists on campus that are
seldom recognized. Here are a few examples of their work.
CREA
TIVE
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Pictured on this page: Omeed sculpture by Hannah Jolana; BEAST by Victoria Rodriguez, senior, Hanna Jolani, senior, Stephanie Chatfield, senior, and Alexis Bowlin, sophomore; 1) De Robinson, junior; 2) Brandon Gray, senior; 3) Cheyenne Schmitz, senior; 4) Erin Paule, senior; 5) Brandon Hoguet, senior; 6) Brandon Hoguet, senior; 7) Michael Spengler; 8) Ashley Asberry, senior; 9) Haley Burton, junior; 10) Niki Cloutier, junior; 11) Bre Butler, senior; 12) Javan Emerson, senior; 13) Marisa McCann, junior; 14) Cheyenne Schmitz, senior; 15) Mikaela Mongeon, junior; 16) Sam Hahn, freshman; 17) Jalen Blake, senior
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looking out across empty skies i never see, what truly dies is it love, or the final lover as we always move on for another is it fair, is love meant to be because out of my eyes its hard to see to understand is all i ask to live no longer with a mask fake smiles dancing on my face it seems, my feelings left a waste. but why do i keep going i ask inside and were in time i abide for a chance, ever out of reach a chance i see across the beach ever so far and never so near is this love? an endless tear? is it right, that some have to cry while others get to ever fly is it right, for some to fly, while some love sits, and slowly dies what is worse i ask my mind the love so sweet, the love so kind to leave a life so swift and quick so fast, it always makes me sick or is it worse for never to love and for that, my heart is shoved
Untitled Poemby Jacob Rayl
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Photos of artwork provided by the Art Department teachers, Mr. Paul Konya, Mr. Mark Lasley, and Mrs. Candice Santos
Do you want your writing or artwork to be featured in The Lancer student gallery? E-mail us at [email protected]
From Jonathan Levine, the direc-tor of 2011’s phenomenal 50/50, comes this romantic comedy with a twist. In Warm Bodies, the world has been engulfed by an illness that turns people into the living dead, who feast on human flesh and walk about in a groaning stupor. The only known civiliza-tion is quarantined from the rest of the world by four concrete walls. No one knows how the ill-ness began, and no one knows when it will end.
Warm Bodies, based on a novel by Isaac Marion, chronicles the adventures of a very unique zombie, “R” (Nicholas Hoult), whose quick-witted thoughts don’t quite make it to his deadened mouth. Along with a pack of other zombies, R attacks and feeds on a group of young recruits from within the walls, sent out to retrieve medical supplies. In this group is the pretty Julie (Teresa Palmer), who, as soon as R lays his glazed-over eyes on her, is hopelessly in love with. Un-fortunately, also in the group is Julie’s boyfriend, Perry (Dave Franco), who becomes R’s latest meal. R protects Julie from the rest of the undead, and from there, Julie and R begin a very
interesting relationship. As R falls more deeply in love with the human Julie, he finds himself changing back into a human state himself.
Yes, you heard it right: the cure to the zombie illness is the magical power of love. How touching.
The music in Warm Bodies is beyond fantastic; so fantastic, in fact, that it de-serves its own paragraph. One of R’s favorite things is his record player and accompanying collection of vinyl LP’s. Throughout
the film, oldies make up the bulk of the music-- this means plenty of Guns N’ Roses, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan. Quality music adds a level of coolness to this movie that makes you feel a little bit less lame for going to see a romantic comedy. Definitely, Warm Bodies is proof that a solid soundtrack can make all the difference in the likability of a film.
Its originality is certainly well-appreciated in a world of dramatic Twilight doppelgangers, but it still leans too heavily on the romantic side of things. The Shakespearean
parallels are sometimes too obvious, making this seem less like a zombie movie and more like a sappy romance. The humor is often very cheesy, which is the trademark of a romantic com-edy; still, it could have been done a tad more cleverly. Most of the actors are well-suited to their roles (Hoult is definitely zombie-boyfriend material), with one exception: John Malkovich, this is getting exhausting. It feels like he’s played this very same charac-ter-- a bitterly militaristic old man-- a million times. Certainly, he’s typecast to a T; it would have been much more refreshing to see another actor in this role.
This movie is unquestionably a romance first and a zombie movie second. However, this opens it up to a much wider audience, allowing for a crowd that may not be able to handle guts and gore. It’s a welcome break from the more traditional Valentine’s Day comedies, and although it can occasionally get a bit cliché, it really is fun to watch. Sure, a bit more gore may have been better for the non-sappy moviegoer, but it’s lighthearted and sweet, an easy and enjoyable three stars out of four. And as for romantic comedies, especially ones at this time of year? I’ve seen worse. Much, much worse.
Warm BodiesThis zom-rom-com is the bombby Laura Kern
Everyone has that one artist, genre, or song that they just can’t get enough of. From pop to rap or from Garth Brooks to Stevie Nicks, each person has a different taste. So what’s on your playlist?
Emily Win-land, freshmen, says her favorite song is “Beauti-ful Things” by Gungor. “It has such a beautiful simplicity and the words are poetic and meaningful at the same time,” says Winland.
Tyler Hamilton, senior, has a taste that greatly differs from Winland’s. “Jazz is my favorite,” he says “It’s fun to play and you get to add your own personal
style.” On the other
end, sophomore Nick DeAngelo says his favorite artists would be Freddie Mercury and the classic rock sensation Queen. When asked why they were his favor-ite, DeAngelo replied “Fred-
die Mercury is the best singer of all time and Queen had a very unique style.”
Queen’s style of music varies from the choice that junior Kelsey Quirk made. Quirk says her favorite genre of music is pop. “It is easily relatable, upbeat and excit-ing,” says Quirk.
Some people have a “comfort zone” when it comes to their music choices. Oth-ers are very open and willing to try new things. There are so many different types of music in the world that it is just so hard to pin down one as your favorite. Your music choices may reflect your personal-ity, which is one of the many reasons that music is a popular form of self-expres-sion. Many people use songs and lyrics to express their emotions and how they feel.
So where do you fall? Are you more open to listen to new artists or genres? Or would you rather stick with what you know? Instrumental or lyrical? Meaning-ful or just plain catchy? It’s all up to you! John Lennon, a former member of The Beatles, once said, “Give peace a chance.” In this case, maybe, “Give music a chance.”
What’s on your playlist?by Peyton Kaercher
Emily Winland, Freshman
Nick DeAngelo, Sophomore
Kelsey Quirk, Junior
This month marks the 85th Academy Awards, and what better way to celebrate than by paying tribute to film?
Film originated as the Kinetoscope, invented by none other than Thomas Edison in the 1890s. The first films were sequential clips of action; they simply showcased the new technology. While moving pictures were finally available to be seen, accompaniment by sound and color was still but a dream.
By 1905, small theaters called Nickelodeons began to appear. They showed twenty minute-long shows without stories, similar to the modern day Nickelodeon television network! As time wore on, Nickelodeons gained popularity and were eventually replaced with bigger theaters that played a new type of film: narratives with linear, fictional plots. Characters had dialogue, but their words were written on screen as images called intertitles. Soon movie-going was a middle-class favorite, and so it remained.
When the 1930s arrived, studios were making big changes in the industry. The introduction of “talkies,” or movies with characters that speak audibly, changed film forever. At the time, however, this type of movie was considered to be impure (even renowned movie-maker Alfred Hitchcock was hesitant to delve
into the new world of film). And as women started to stray from the social norms, film did as well. With the classics Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz came the introduction to color in film. Minorities were finally being recognized for their acting abilities, even though they were only given stereotypical roles. The industry was as racy as ever, and the public loved it.
Film continued to grow. It took on a new role in society as the 1940s brought war to America. Movies were propaganda for the war effort, and some argue that they still are.
The ‘50s rolled in and brought with them the revolutionary drive-in theater. Teenagers were the targeted consumers for studios, and short, violent Sci-Fi’s became all the rage. Television became a household item, and movies suddenly had a big competitor.
With the ‘60s and ‘70s came civil rights and serious social changes. Film reflected the new ideas shared by the public, which were influenced by fun, rock and roll, and seemingly ubiquitous drugs. The videocassette recorder, or VCR, was perfected and made available for home use. All the while, classics like Jaws and Star Wars were being released, and the newly conceived People Weekly
(known now as simply People) magazine was around to report it. “Paparazzi” became a term everyone knew, and rightly so; their prominence in Hollywood was growing rapidly.
The ‘80s and ‘90s introduced film as we know it, if not quite as advanced. Shoot ‘em ups became popular with actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Chuck Norris to carry them through the box office. DVDs replaced VHSs, people had computers in their homes, and cellphones could be fit into pockets. All of this new technology caused a boom in film, which was more accessible and more enjoyable than ever.
And here we are in the 20-Teens, with life centered completely on technology. Movies have graphics so progressive that they can be mistaken for real images. A camera that required four men fifty years ago can now be held in the hand of only one. Films no longer have social restrictions nor obligations but to the filmmakers themselves. Anyone with internet access can find whichever film they desire, whether they pay for it or not. An artist is an artist, whether they’re black, white, red or Lady Gaga. The future obviously has much in store for movies, but the question remains: who will win Best Picture this year?
From Avatar to Zeffirelli: A History of Filmby Brianna Batson
Ben Affleck’s newest film, “Argo”, is a thriller based on a true story about a group of Americans who find them-selves stuck in Iran during the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis. Only six diplomats escape from the US Embassy when it is overtaken by violent protestors; they flee to the home of the Canadian ambas-sador, who hides them from the vicious rebels.
Affleck (Good Will Hunting), who also directed the movie, stars as Tony Mendez, the CIA specialist who is given the nearly impossible task of getting the hostages home safely. Under the guise of a Canadian film crew, they must make it out of Iran to security.
This movie is absolutely brilliant. It is tense without be-ing overly dramatic, humorous without be-ing shtick, and heartfelt without being sappy. Affleck and his team, clad in surprisingly fashionable 1970’s garb, are honest and real, mov-ing through airports and crowded city streets with both fear and bravery. The actors’ strained expressions betray the perfect amount of suppressed nervous-ness. In addition, the film also boasts a few very big names-- Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) and John Goodman (The Big Lebowski) relieve some tension as witty Hollywood big-shots who help with the false production of the phony film. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) makes his appearance as Mendez’s supervisor. Perfectly timed at almost exactly two hours, Argo feels neither tedious nor rushed.
Suspenseful though it may be, the film sometimes contains unnecessary or dragging content. Shots of the rebels occupying the Embassy are inserted
at rather inoppor-tune times, breaking up the drama of the mission in strange ways. It distracts from the terseness of some of the best scenes.
However, even with this very minor issue, the film seems to be a shoo-in for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards.
Currently, after winning so many high accolades at the Golden Globes, the Directors’ Guild Awards, and the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, Argo is the front-runner for Best Motion Picture, favored over films such as Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln. As fantastic as the competing films are, if Argo topped the list, very few critics could argue a strong case against it. Argo is worthy of four out of four heart-pounding stars. Here’s hoping it will come out on top.
ArgoIt’s no secret: this film is the real deal
When trying to find a reason behind violence, especially violence among youths, generational divides are often given the blame. Rock and Roll and television were said to rot your brain. But recently, video games have been called out.
Jack Thompson, a lawyer who repeatedly made attempts to sue the video game publishers and developers selling video games, is a well-known anti-video games advocate. Though discredited in 2007, Thompson largely represented the anti-video games movement. He, like many other people of the movement, blamed video games for crimes and unruly among youths.
But according to Deathpenal-tyinfo.org, the murder rate a year before the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released, 1984, per 100,000 people was 7.9. From then to 2011, it dropped to 4.7. As the NES is widely known as the most popular home console game of the 1980’s, it paved the way for gaming today. Games are ar-guably more graphi-cally violent today than they were in the 80’s, a
link between that and the murder rate
seems less plausible. Compare the original game Splatterhouse, made in 1988 for the NES, to its 2010 remake of the same name.
Video games, like any other form of entertainment, aren’t just made for children. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) gives most questionable games an M rating, such as those of the Grand Theft Auto se-ries, Mass Effect, and Mortal Kombat. With this rating, these games can only
be legally sold to people 17 and older. So, in most cases, a parent would have to purchase the game for their chil-dren. A parent could easily deny their kids these games, as today’s consoles come with Parental Controls.
And like any other forms of en-tertainment, video games are art. It’s been nearly three decades since Super Mario Bros. was released for the NES. Since then, the industry has not only made advancements in graphics, but in
story and gameplay as well. Games are often compared to movies. Nowadays, blockbuster games like Grand Theft Auto IV, which made over half a billion dollars in its first week, can be likened to big crime movies like The Departed in scope. Episodic games like The Walking Dead show the power of story in today’s industry. And games like Journey show that a game can evoke emotion from be- ing simple and subtle, yet deep, like a work of art. Adding the fact that all of these games are award- winning titles raises the bar for video games as a whole.
Why Violent Video Games Aren’t the Problemby De Robinson
by Laura Kern
1988 above2010 below
One of the lesser-known clubs around Belleville East is the Bass Fishing Club. The first year for the club was 2012, but there is a lot of enthusiasm surrounding the team. There are around eight members in the club and membership is open to anyone. Just like other sports, the Bass Fishing Club has to practice to keep their skills sharp. Most people don’t understand why you would need practice to fish, but reeling in a bass requires more skill than you think. Numerous things could go wrong while trying to catch a bass. You might miss your chance to sink the hook, the bass could snap your line, your hook or
weights could be ripped off by the bass, your line could get tangled in nearby brush or debris, or you could even be pulled out of the boat!
Knowing what to do and when to do it is essential, or else that “catch of the day” could turn into “the one that got away”. The
fight between a bass and a fisherman could quickly turn into a battle of who can
last longer. Reeling in a ten pound bass could take a while, and steel nerves and an iron grip are required to catch “the big one.” The top six members will fish at Sectionals in April, and those who
do well enough will move onto State. The Bass team will be fishing
for support at Lancerfest, so be sure to drop them a line and you’ll be sure to get hooked!
by Jeremy BrunoEverybody has opinions. Whether
they’re on something as trivial as the best ice cream flavor or on something more controversial like the economy or politics, views on certain topics differ from person to person. One thing all of these opinions have in common, however, is that they like to be expressed, and people like to express them. The debate team at East is full of such people. If you’re into arguing, debate team is for you.
What exactly is debate team? In the words of Evan Stone, a member of the club, it is, in summary, “civilized arguing.” During competitions, team members travel to compete against teams from other schools. Two teams are given a topic they will debate, and a set time period is given in which the teams can prepare an argument. Most of the time, the topic is not known before hand.
After the time is up, different opinions on the same topic go head to head. A panel of judges assigns points based on the organization, professionalism and strength of the argument. The team that wins is the one that can back their
stance up with the most logical and credible facts. The winner then advances onto more debates, and are usually paired against teams with similar win/loss records.
During meetings, team members help others with debates and practice their own. The more members practice debates, the better they become accustomed to forming strong arguments in a limited amount of time. Members are also encouraged to research topics and keep up with current events that could possibly be topics for future contests.
Overall, debate team is a fun and enjoyable experience. Because most colleges have debate teams, it is something that you can continue past high school and into adulthood. Debating helps improve research and persuasion skills, as well as being a good way to keep up with current events. Additionally, research shows that participation in debates actually increases academic performance and the chance of earning a college degree. Overall, the Debate Team is a fun and rewarding club that anyone can join.
by Ari BrownThe Great Debaters Lancers Get Hooked on Bass Fishing Club
On Sat., Feb. 15, the Lancer Dance Team took their home floor for the Illinois Drill Team Association competition. The girls performed both their lyrical and jazz routines. They placed 1st in lyrical and 1st in jazz.
The team has been preparing for this competition, since October. Even with all the practice, Beth Stock says, “I always feel nervous right before we perform. During the awards I feel excited and ner-vous. I just have to hope that my best was good enough for the judges.”
In addition to a first in both catego-
ries, Gabbi Locke received a Rising Star Award. This award is given to dancers that stand out when they’re dancing. She says, “it’s really exciting to be recognized for what I love to do. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
The Lancer Dancers competed with a host of other schools from the area. There were high schools there from every divi-sion, and a few middle schools even made an appearance.
Even though there were many strong competitors, the Lancer Dancers overcame them and earned two 1st place trophies.
Jacquelyn CrockettEditor in Chief
Section Editors
Quinn Heimann, News [email protected]
Lindsay Smith, Features Editor
Laura Kern, Entertainment [email protected]
Audreyana Brown-Nash, Center [email protected]
Felesha Lee, Sports Editor
De Robinson, Art [email protected]
Logan Bray, Photography Editor
Kayla Tenney-Howard, Copy [email protected]
Staff Members Abi Agne, Brianna Batson,
Taylor Benton, Madison Bradshaw, Ari Brown, Jeremy Bruno
Angelina Goodman, Becca Humphrey, Peyton Kaercher,
Chandriss McAllister-Lang, Amoni McNair, Jacob Rayl,
Thema Thomas, and Erin Tippit
Mrs. J.J. Stallcup, Adviser [email protected]
The Lancer is the official student publication of
Belleville Township High School East2555 West BoulevardBelleville, IL 62221
618-222-3740
Lancer Dancers Dominate IDTA Competitionby Felesha Lee
Photo by Felesha LeeThe Lancer Dancers won 1st place in Lyrical at the IDTA competition hosted by East on Feb. 16th.
Photo by Felesha LeeThe Lancer Dancers took 1st place in Jazz with a routine to Settle Down by Kimbra.
The Belleville East girls’ basketball team won their last home game on Feb. 7 against Granite City with a final score of 53-33. The boys played their last home game against Collinsville on Tues., Feb. 9.
Though there is only four graduat-ing players on the girls’ team, Aniecia Brewster, Tequera Anderson, Melissa Bridges, and Sadie Mosby, the night was very special to them. “I knew I had to play with emotion but not emotionally,” said Brewster. With this in mind, the girls pulled out an amazing win. “It was defi-nitely one of our best games of the season mostly because we played harder. Our defense was much better,” said Bridges.
Tequera Anderson did not get to play in their final game because of broken right leg. She said, “even though I did not play, the rush was still the same. You would have thought I suited up to play. It was that exciting.” She expressed heartbreak because she trained with such dedica-tion but only played five games. “It was a definite shock,” she says.
Patrick Smith, a senior on the boys’ basketball team has the same bittersweet feelings about thier season coming to a close. “It’s sad that this is my last time playing on East’s court, but I’m also happy that I’ve got to spend all 4 years of high school playing in front of great fans.” Tarrance Akins says, “I’m not ready because it means high school basketball has come to an end.”
The boys team will graduate five seniors this year, James White, Patrick Smith, Malcolm Hill, Tarrance Akins, and James White.
Both teams have had excellent sea-sons. The hard work and dedication of the senior players is greatly appreciated.
Basketball Players Say Goodbye to Their Home Courtby Felesha Lee
WORD SEARCH
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Across1. First musical to make the best-picture cut since Chicago in 2002 (2 words)4. 2013 Best Picture nominee based on Yann Martel's novel of the same name (3 words)5. The theater where it all happens7. 2011 Oscar winner for Best Motion Picture (2 words)8. The first film ever to be named Best Picture11. Frances McDormand won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in this movie14. Daniel Day-Lewis is the second actor to be nominated for playing this presidential role15. The latest musical to win the Best Picture Oscar16. 2013 Best Supporting Actor nominee with both Actor and Supporting Actor awards under his belt (2 words)17. Won Oscar for supporting role in The Help (2 words)Down2. The only movie to have both Best Actor and Best Actress nominees in 2013 (3 words)3. Accrued the most Best Actress nominations to date (2 words)5. 2013 Best Picture nominee about a German bounty hunter and a freed slave (2 words)6. First-time Best Actor nominee for Silver Linings Playbook (2 words)7. Based on a novel by Alice Walker, this movie received 11 nominations, but won nothing in 1986 (3 words)9. This original song nominee is the first in 10 years to have also been a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 10010. Glamorous fashion runway for Hollywood’s elite on Oscar night (3 words)12. Received 14 nominations in 199813. Oscar winner who appeared in a Snickers ad (2 words)18. Movie rating
CROSSWORDS: OSCAR TRIVIA
FIND THEDIFFERENCEby Ari Brown
There are 5 differences in all. Can you find them?
On February 18th, the track team brought in clothing to be donated to the Salvation Army. Generously, the team brought in many bags of clothes. The entire team was grateful for the opportunity to help their community, and Lawrence Holmes said “The clothing drive provided our team with yet another chance to come together.” Jalen McIntyre was in agreement and said “We are thankful for the chance to help our community.”
When asked about the upcoming track season, Senior Brandon Gray, said that he was “ready for redemption.” Coaches Byrne, Jones, Zellmer, and Isbell have been trying new methods to prepare our track team. Unfortunately, we had a few valuable seniors graduate last year. Christian Herring, who graduated
last year, was one of our best long distance runners. Despite the loss, Coach Byrne has confidence in our team. He noted that “relays will be our strength”. No stand-out athletes have been spotted yet, but in the relays the team will combine their strengths to excel. The first track meet will be Friday, February 22nd at I.W.U. Recent practices have been dedicated to getting the runners in shape. Coach Byrne explained that coaches “…are being smarter about training.”
Upperclassmen members of the track team expressed their excitement about this season. Donovan Hicks said “This is our year, and we will be going to state.” Runners are responding positively to the new training methods. Bobby Shull enthusiastically stated that “you can never train too hard.” The team
agreed that they push themselves harder by remembering that no matter how hard you train, you will compete against someone who has trained harder. The team
shows overwhelming confidence, but Dakari Franklin explained modestly that “only time will tell.”
Ready For Redemption by Arkayla Tenney-Howard
Staff PhotoTrack team veterans, Jalen McIntyre, Bobby Shull, Brandon Gray, Donovan Hicks, Darian Peele, Dakari Franklin, Aaron Dunn, Lawrence Hoklmes and Jalen James-Patterson contributed to the clothing drive
In the new millenium, there is so much to worry about. From extracurriculars, to homework, the pressure is on to be better now and always think to the future. But who has time to look back? And better yet, who cares? It takes so much time to look back into your past, it is almost a detriment and can easily get in the way of urgent tasks. Lately, it seems it is getting harder and harder to find people who know about their heritage, and specific information from a family’s past.
It is relatively easy to find information about what race you are, but more difficult to discover about people in your family. The more general it is, the easier it is to find. The U.S. Census Bureau states that 58% of the population specified only one ancestry, and 22% provided two ancestries. Only 1% of Americans classify as just “mixed” or
“adopted”, and 19% do not refer to one at all. Also, the drive to dive into family history usually isn’t there, especially when there are so many other things to be done. But actually, it is important to know a bit of background on where you come from and who you are. Sometimes it can be easy to feel lost, especially in high school, and it can be made easier by knowing about people in your family who have overcome challenges relatable to your own.
In Ms. McGee’s Sophomore Honors English class, a project was given that urged the students
to delve into their history. The students were assigned a poem to write about their heritage. “I had never really thought about it my ancestry] before,” said Ericka Harris, a student in her 2nd hour. They were given a website, http://ancestrylibrary.proquest.com, to begin their search. “I could only find a
Social Security number,” Harris joked, “But some people got some really good stuff. Photos, birth dates...things like that.” Even
though Ericka couldn’t find as much on the website, she asked her parents and they were more than happy to assist. “We sat down and talked about our family and where we came from...we went as far back as my great uncle. I really enjoyed the project. I never knew a lot about my family until now!”
So maybe it takes a little nudge to get started looking, maybe it takes an assignment, but in the end, it’s worth it to know a little about who you are and who you represent.
Heritage: Lost and Found
The heritage poems are placed in the second floor hallway of D building.
by Thema Thomas
Staff PhotoEricka Harris learns about her heritage in Ms. McGee’s Sophomore Honors English class.
