March 2005 - Our Mission: Nurture and challenge for success

M
Manheim Township High School
T
Hi-Lite
Vo l . 6 9 I s s u e 0 8
We d n e s d ay, M a rc h 2 3 , 2 0 0 5
L a n c a s t e r, PA
Inspirational writer speaks at Township MT high
schoolers take
to the sky
Richa Naik ’07
Feature Editor
Craning their necks, students applaud
and try to catch a glimpse of the man that
has just walked in. Slowly, he walks up
the stairs to the center of the stage and
the applause continues. He could easily
blend into the crowd if he wanted to. He
doesn’t look like a man who has lived
through experiences some may deem as a
nightmare. It’s not as if one could look at
him and know that he composed a book.
If you didn’t know better, you would pass
him on the street and not even look back.
“It’s been a long time and coming
this visit…It [Manheim Township] does
feel like home,” he says in a soft voice.
Author Mark Mathabane was born
and raised in South Africa in the time
of apartheid. He lived in a small shack
with his mom, dad, brothers and sisters, and, oftentimes, he slept with a
newspaper because he had given his
little sister the blanket he slept with.
Mathabane arrived in America on a
tennis scholarship, yet tennis was not
the path he wanted his life to travel.
While in college, Mathabane discovered that he was not content with
Continued on page 8
Emily Field ’07
Staff Writer
Timmy Huynh
Author Mark Mathabane spoke at MTHS on February 23 2005 about growing up
under apartheid and creating a new life for himself in America.
Student lawyers make their case at
Mock Trial Competition
Elly Bennett ’07
News Editor
On Wednesday March 2, 2005
Township’s two mock trial teams competed against two other schools in the
Lancaster County Courthouse. Team A,
composed of lawyers Cassie Natarian
’06, Jacob Taber ’05, Phil Ehrlich ’05
and witnesses Behnaz Varamini ’06,
William Tuttle ’06, Andrew Lefever
‘06, and Alyson Aghamedi ‘05, competed against McCaskey. The half of
Teamb B that competed that night is
composed of Christopher Matamoros
‘06, Alyssa Lunz ‘06, Sarah Kunkle ‘06,
Zach Bennett ‘07, Kirstin Schneider
‘06, competed against Ephrata.
During Mock Trials each team presents either the defense or the plaintiff
Both teams earned important wins.
Team A will move on to the playoffs
and although Team B cannot move
on into playoffs due to a previous
Inside Hi-Lite
MTHS security guard Mike Deptula has a presidential past - p. 6
Mr. Witmer cleans up at table tennis tournament - p. 10
Check out this month's music
and movie reviews by the Justins
- p. 6 and 8 =Jacob and Tarun go head to head
over Bush's new social security plan
- p. 5
loss, by winning on Wednesday they
knocked Cocalico out of the playoffs.
Team A’s trial began with the opening
arguments for each team; Township’s was
given by Natarian. After the trial, during the jury’s deliberation, Judge Roth,
commended her by saying, “Overall, I
thought your opening was excellent.”
Following the opening arguments the
plaintiff (Township) called its witnesses.
Varamini played the first witness and
she came off very well, perhaps a bit too
well. The judge’s sole suggestion to her
following the trial was that she sound
a bit less rehearsed, because it would
sound more natural. After Taber finished
questioning her, she was cross-examined by one of McCaskey’s lawyers.
The next witness called to the stand
was Tuttle, and he was questioned by
Taber. Tuttle was incredibly convincing,
but the highlight of his performance was
during McCaskey’s cross-examination.
The lawyer became slightly hostile,
but Tuttle kept his cool and succeeded
in not conceding to any of the points
the other lawyer was trying to make.
After Township finished with its
witnesses, McCaskey had the chance
to call theirs. McCaskey’s first witness
was almost unintelligible because she
spoke so softly and timidly. During
Ehrlich’s cross-examination she was
forced to make every one of his points.
The judge noticed the powerful crossexamination calling it an “excellent
cross, short, sweet, and powerful.”
McCaskey’s second witness was much
more convincing and realistic than their
first. Natarian did the cross-examination
and during this time it was evident how
well the team works together. Taber and
Continued on page 3
Many high school students receive
only a few chances to fly on a plane, and
the few that do often have to put up with
annoyances such as a crying little brother, an annoying older sister, and cramped
coach class seats. But three Manheim
Township High School students each
have a seat all to themselves: the cockpit.
“Flying the plane is one of the most
exhilarating feelings,” said Senior Olivia
Walters, who has always enjoyed flying.
Walters’s stepfather is a pilot and a
flight instructor, and he took her flying
a few times. That was all she needed
to become hooked. “I loved it!” says
Walters of her first few experiences.
Senior Steve Newcomer, Walters’s
classmate, decided last year to take a lesson, and he has not looked back since.
He has set his sights on Arizona State
University to major in Aeronautical
Management Technology. After earning
Continued on page 8
Township students bringing
new life to an old hobby
Knitting craze invades the high school
Laura Donofry ’05
Editor-in-Chief
LIVESTRONG bracelets, Ugg
boots, and . . . knitting? Although it
typically wouldn’t fit into Manheim
Township’s usual list of “fads,” knitting is definitely a prominent trendy
pastime among students today.
Customarily a pastime favorite for
women slightly older than a typical
Township student, knitting has been
around for many years, but it seemed
to only recently pop into the trend scene
within the past few months. The only
logical explanation for this is Manheim
Lisbeth Kelley taking
part in the knitting
craze currently sweeping through the high
school
Elly Bennett
Township’s Textile and Design class
taught by Mrs. Wilmajean Leister.
Located in a tiny room in the 9/10 Café
(previously the I.S.S. room), the class’s
main aspect is to teach students, usually
female, how to sew and master the basic
aspects of fashion design. But this year,
a new twist was added to the curriculum
when social studies teacher Mrs. Jackie
Fuentes-Gillespie taught the textile class
how to knit during downtime, between
projects. Students sought knitting advice
from Fuentes-Gillespie, as well as from
the school librarians, who proved
to be the Township knitting gurus.
Continued on page 2
Page 2
NEWS
March 23, 2005
Budget limits funds for educational programs
Luckily for public school students,
only about 9% of school funding comes
from the federal government, because
education programs dramatically took
a beating with the announcement of
Bush’s $2.5 trillion new budget on
February 7, 2005. In an effort to cut
the budget deficit in half by 2009,
Bush decided to eliminate or dramatically reduce 150 federal programs.
One third of these targeted programs
concern education. This was balanced,
however, by increasing spending for
some educational programs already put
in place by the Bush administration.
Specifically, according to the
Washington Post, “the budget would
cut $440 million in Safe and Drug-Free
School grants, $500 million in education
technology state grants, $225 million for
the Even Start literacy program, $280
million for Upward Bound programs
for inner-city youths and a $150 million
talent research program.” Additionally,
the new budget reduces the Head Start
program (a program which assists
preparing pre-school kids) and targets
before- and after-school care programs.
Though many programs have been
reduced in the controversial new budget, Chairman of the Lancaster County
Teenage Republicans Zachary Bennett
’07 points out significant increases in
some areas. “President Bush allotted
$1.5 billion to states to initiate standardized testing to assure that our schools are
proficient. He also increased spending to
America’s Striving Readers Initiative by
eightfold, giving them $175 million.
Additionally, the new budget increased
the spending for Advanced Placement
and International Baccalaureate programs by 73%, allowing these programs $52 million. President Bush also
allowed for $269 million for math and
science programs, providing opportunities for math teachers to increase
their skills to teach students better.”
How will the new budget affect our
school? Since overall federal contributions to public schools do not exceed 10%
of funding, it will not have much of an
affect on teachers or students at Manheim
Township. The other 90% of our funding
is received through local and state taxes.
However, Bush’s budget does support
the “No Child Left Behind” act, which
may affect our school in the future. No
Child Left Behind is an education policy
which requires testing for the nation’s
schools in the areas of reading, writing
and math. In order for schools to receive
Continued from page 1
There are many reasons why knitting has become so popular among high
school students. It is a huge stress reliever to which many students can relate. “I
enjoy knitting, because it makes me feel
like I am doing something productive
and it tends to be a great stress reliever
for me,” said Samantha Bachar ’05.
Bachar knew the basic steps to knitting
prior to taking the class, but learned some
of the “tricks” in class. Kristi Castillo
’05 agreed that knitting releases pentup tension that accumulates throughout
the day. “As students, it gives us time
to relax and settle down and gives us
our own little down time away from
the busy days of high school life.”
Relieving stress is a major benefit of
knitting, as is the end result: a beautiful
homemade scarf, blanket, or whatever
else the student may aspire to produce.
A favorite for Castillo is scarves. “I love
scarves; I can never get enough of them.”
Like Castillo, Bachar has made many
scarves but has recently branched off. “I
have started knitting a section of a blanket that I would like to finish,” she said.
After the many hours spent into making a scarf or blanket, not only do students receive a delightful new accessory,
but they also receive a sense of accomplishment. “Knitting is a fun way to take
a step back and accomplish something
that you would have never thought
otherwise you could do,” said Castillo.
Diana Martin ’07
Staff Writer
federal money, they must meet the
guidelines set by No Child Left Behind.
These guidelines require the school to
continuously progress in the percentage
of students deemed “proficient” in these
areas. For example, if 35% of students
were proficient that school year, then
the following school year the school
must receive at least 36% proficiency.
As Social Studies Teacher Mr. Mark
Reinhardt explained, “In the long term,
if the legislation for No Child Left
Behind is not changed, then we will not
be able to achieve 100% proficiency,
or 100% of our students deemed ‘proficient.’ This would result in eventually someone else having to take over
the school. In 2008 though, there will
be a new president in office, and this
legislation will probably be reviewed.”
The schools hit hardest by Bush’s
new budget will be inner-city schools,
and schools deemed “failing” by No
Child Left Behind. As Social Studies
Teacher Mr. Dan Reynolds pointed
out, “Some schools (especially in areas
of high poverty) receive proportionally
more in federal spending, so the schools
that need it the most would be hurt
the most. These cuts create problems
for those who most need government
assistance.” Additionally, many of the
programs cut or reduced directly bene-
fited inner-city schools. One program in
particular is Head Start, which is for kids
primarily from areas of high poverty.
Bush’s new budget has certainly been
received with great conflict between
the two parties. Bennett summed up a
Republican viewpoint with his comment, “The overriding message of
Bush’s budget is that President Bush
views America as the land of opportunity. He would like to give Americans
a good education so that they have
the tools for success to prepare for the
work force in the future. He is allotting
money in education and particularly
reaching low income schools to make
sure they receive their full potential.”
These views are countered however
by Reynolds, one of many who does
not support Bush’s budget in regards to
education. “These cuts create problems
for those who most need government
assistance. In addition, they don’t make
much of a dent in the deficit, and they do
absolutely nothing to address the looming problem within Medicare and Social
Security. Professionally speaking, the
administration’s goals for education,
expressed through the budget and through
the policy of No Child Left Behind,
are wrong. They will have the effect
of damaging public education in this
nation, almost as if that were the intent.”
Township knitters unravel past trend
Laura Donofry
Knitting has become an increasingly popular hobby this year.
Exploring teaching as a career
Workshops being offered at Millersville University
Elly Bennett ’07
News Editor
A program entitled "Exploring
Teaching as a Career" will be held at
Millersvilled University on thursday,
April 7, 2005. The program will last te
entire day and is for anyone interested
in teaching, in any capacity, as a career.
Each student chooses whch workshop
they'd like to participate in. The different workshops include elementary
education, special education, secondary
education, early childhood education,
urban education, and psychology in the
classroom. Any interested student can
sign up with Mrs. Tate in the Career
Center. The cost to students is $15.00
for the entire day.
Page 3
NEWS
DyVerseCity steps it up for audition
March 23, 2005
Student Art
Works 2005
Hi-Lite
There will be an art exhibit on
Saturday, May 21, 2005 from 3pm to
7pm. There will be drawings, paintings, ceramics, photographs, and
sculptures. The pieces will be from
sixth graders through seniors. In
addition to pieces of art there will be
gourmet food and music ensembles.
Mock Trial
Elly Bennett
Keshia Gonzalez ’07 posing for the camera during DyVerseCity practice, surrounded by fellow dancers from left Thyda Nuon ’08, Sophearktra Hon ’07 and Jennifer
Davila ’07.
The most visible branch of the club
Elly Bennett ’07
is the performance group it has formed
News Editor
in an effort to perform at Follies. This
group, titled DyVerseCity, is composed
New clubs often have a hard time
of about 17 members who are not necgaining members and recognition, but
essarily members of Stomp Club itself.
Manheim Township High School’s
The group decided to do it because,
recently formed Stomp Club defies this.
in the words of Gonzales, they want
Keshia Gonzales ’07 developed Stomp
to, “Show Township what we’re all
Club with help from Jennifer Davila
about!” She hopes that this group will
’07 whom she dubbed her “wing-man.”
turn into a real performance group.
Stomp Club already has about
There is absolutely no competi20 members and is advised by Mrs.
tion between DyVerseCity and the
Jackie Fuentes-Gillespie, but stuHigh School Dance Team. “We
dent teacher Miss Barbara Book
respect them for what they do, but
has been helping out as well.
what we want to do is different. We
The club’s mission is to provide
have a more African inspired dancing.
its members with a chance to dance.
It’s really rhythmic,” said Gonzales.
There are no try-outs and everyone is
The girls are working hard for their
invited to join. Gonzales stressed the
Follies audition with practices every day
fact that, “You see every race here,
after school until five and even practice
every body type, every level of dance.
on weekends. Stomp Club is on its way to
We take everybody for everything.”
becoming a household name at Township.
Continued from page 1
Ehrlich were whispering and would get
Natarian’s attention between questions
and say a word or two. She would then
nod her head in understanding and move
onto the next question without breaking stride. When asked about it later,
Varamini described it as being like ESP.
Following the witnesses’ testimonies, closing arguments began.
McCaskey went first. Their lawyer
read her statement, but she lost her
place in her script multiple times
creating brief pauses in her speech.
Ehrlich did the closing for Township
and did a remarkable job. His voice was
clear and strong. As soon as he began
speaking the jurors visibly perked up
and the judge got a small smile on his
face. It was entertaining to listen to
Ehrlich speak and he kept the jurors
and the audience interested with his
voice inflection and body language.
When asked what the best part
of Township’s trial was, the judge
responded by noting the opening and
closing because they were memorized and said with great conviction.
Once the trial was finished the fate
of each team rested in the hands of the
Continued on page
Manheim Township High School
P.O Box 5134, School Road
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17606
717.560.3194
Room 125
Editors-in-Chief
Katelyn Burgess
Laura Donofry
Managing Editor
Courtney Monson
News Editor
Elly Bennett
Opinion Editor
Jacob Taber
Feature Editors
Monica Kosiorek
Richa Naik
Photography Editors
Emily Barton
Elly Bennett
Writers
Philip Ehrlich
Tarun Bhan
Diana Martin
Mackenzie Lind
Emily Rudisill
Maggie Downey
Kaitlin Wedge
Sara Archut
Emily Field
Justin Jacobs
Dan Carrigan
Sam Gross
Ari Paskoff
Frank Ready
Advisers
Marty Pflieger
Garrett Woznicki
Layout Editor
Timmy Huynh
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so-lil-o-quy...
Page 4
OPINION
March 23, 2005
In Our View...
Sound
Bites
What do you
think of spirit
week?
“They could
definitely
use some
creativity:
Black and
White Day?
Itʼs so clichéd.”
-Sami Hernandez ʼ05
Itʼs completely
unnecessary,
and a failed
attempt
to bring
our school
together.
- Julio Guardado ʼ05
Meghan Jahnke ʼ05
“I think itʼs
stupid because no
one does
it.”
-Whitney
Allen ʼ08
“Spirit week is
just a time
upperclassmen use to
make fun
of freshmen.”
-Joey Kline ʼ08
“We love it
- weʼre both
in student
council, and
we think itʼs
a great way
to show Township pride.
-Kelsey Frey ʼ08
- Dana Schaufert ʼ08
“ Itʼs a good idea
to encourage school
unity, but
we need a
lot of improvement in
that area.”
- Jenna Peart ʼ06
“I would
like to see a
group singing competition of the
Alma Mater to
involve more kids and level
the playing field.”
- Mr. David Hanna
Senior Community Principal
Spirit Week misses the mark
Student Council recently held the
“Clash of the Classes” as a culmination of the annual spirit week set in the
dead of winter to raise class spirit and
school togetherness. Hi-Lite has noticed
that many students did not get quite as
excited about wearing college sweatshirts as members of Student Council
would have liked.
We have been wondering, why are
so many students uninterested in spirit
week? It’s a shame that more students
don’t participate, considering the school
is doing its part to try to bring the all
the classes together, but maybe we’re
going about it the wrong way. Sure,
dressing up in plaid and polka dots may
be fun for the day, but with student
council members more often than not
the only ones actually wearing black
and white or sporting mohawks and
pigtails, we’re not convinced that these
spirit days achieve their ultimate goal.
So, we propose a more involved way of
raising student spirit.
Everyone remembers the field days
of elementary school and sixth grade.
Why not have a similar event for the
High School? We could compete in the
sports of the upcoming spring season
and maybe even pit students vs. faculty. And hey, scores could be based on
actual rules, meaning that underclassmen could win when they deserved it.
Maybe it’s just us, but we suspect
that some fresh air on a beautiful spring
day would do a lot more for students’
spirits than an hour of incoherent noise
in an overcrowded, sweaty gym.
MTSD should put learning first
Phil Ehrlich ’05
Staff Writer
One of my favorite things to do
in school is to listen to the Scantron
Machine whirring away in the teacher’s
lounge. Like a bowl of Rice Krispies,
with a few snaps, crackles, and pops, the
faceless arbiter quickly tells us whether
the sheet of filled-in bubbles will end
up on our parents’ refrigerator or at
the bottom of the nearest recycling bin.
Essentially, our fate rests in the hands of
this metal Osiris, with every red slash a
dagger to our hearts.
As entertaining as the symphony of
mechanical clicks can be, I recently realized that the Scantron Machine is simply
a loud reminder that our education and
learning is being reduced to right or
wrong, A, B, C, D, or the agitating “All
of the above.” No longer do we learn for
the sake of learning, but instead, armed
with a #2 pencil, we study and cram to
defeat the next test. Unfortunately, this
degradation of education is largely a
result of the world around us, a world
that increasingly takes learning for
granted.
Since most of the posters in our classrooms are too small to read, as my eyes
roam the walls, I usually end up staring at our district’s mission statement.
According to the incredibly long run-on
sentence, “The Mission of the Manheim
Township School District… is to ensure
that each student…realize his or her own
genius, by paths that transcend the traditions of traditional institutions, within
environments that nurture passion for
lifelong learning and stewardship in our
global society.”
Too often today, society sends us
a conflicting message, with a lot fewer
prepositions – learning and education
are no longer one and the same. As
unintentional and discreet as these messages may be, they are clearly changing
what it means to go to school, to learn, to
know. On a national scale, the No Child
Left Behind Act sets a precedent for
test-based teaching, not once mentioning improving how we learn among the
legislation’s fundamentals goals.
On a much more local level, even as
the school board is in meeting after meeting fielding citizen complaints about the
outrageous costs of our ‘Taj Mahal”
new school building (because apparently it’s a luxury to have a school that,
say, meets the fire code) the Township
Commissioners are considering millions of dollars of new spending on a
fitness center that many residents don’t
even want, let alone need. This clearly
indicates to us that instead of helping
students reach their genius, Township’s
new goal is to help the district reach a
profit. While our teachers push carts
from class to class because the school
doesn’t have enough classrooms, the
district spends money building miniature golf courses. Though hitting a ball
through a windmill is a pretty useful life
skill, we cannot continue to trade books
and teachers for superfluous diversions.
As hard as it is to admit, our education
is a gift. Though homework and tests
sometimes make it difficult to understand, the fact that we can go to school,
see our friends, participate in activities
we enjoy, and as an added bonus learn
something along the way cannot be
taken lightly. Throughout the world,
millions of people – people like Mark
Mathabane, who just recently brought
his message of the saving power of education to this very high school – crave
basic schooling, yet our society continues to devalue education. Until we get
our priorities straight, our school’s mission statement will be little more than
an empty promise, drowned out beneath
a chorus of Scantron Machines ticking
away the end of learning.
presents: America, land of the too free?
Kaitlin Wedge ’05
Staff Writer
What are your freedoms? And how
far, exactly, do they reach? Most people
at least get the general concept of first
amendment rights. Let’s see, hmm,
they’re bigger than a breadbox... They
just may be the most important protectors of your individual rights as a US
citizen and, oh yeah, aren’t there still ten
more amendments or something?
Here’s the up-front apology to civics
teachers everywhere: I don’t mean to
break your hearts on this one, but after
numero uno, those amendments get a
little blurry. Apparently there’s something about no unwarranted searches and
seizures of personal property and some
spiel between six and eight about speedy
trials, unbiased juries, and fair bail.
Yada, yada, yada, it’s not as if I, or
anyone else for that matter, has them
memorized and printed on a handydandy little card that can be whipped
out, with the three-snaps-mmmhmm “I
know my Bill of Rights better than you”
attitude. I, however, as an esteemed high
school “journalist,” have to know the big
Kahuna of all amendments pretty well.
That’s right...I’m calling in number one.
I’m pretty sure that if a reporter
doesn’t throw around “First amendment,
individual rights, blah, blah, blah” every
once in a while, the collective journalistic They will fly down from the newspaper heavens on delicately constructed
Washington Post-paper-cranes-of-doom
to exact a revenge of Page 6 gossip
proportions.
Personally, I don’t want to end up
chronicling some Backstreet Boy concert, elbowing 12-year olds out of the
way for the scoop on teen-dream clone
number four’s favorite color (I just
know it has to be red–the passion!), just
because I couldn’t say, “hmm, my freedoms–religion, speech, press, assembling, petitioning– I kinda like having
them!” Well gee golly gosh, maybe, if
I’m lucky, someone will think of protecting them.
Until a few days ago, I really
thought people knew the Bill of Rights.
I mean, hello, fought for by the founders here...this has to be pretty important
stuff. Yet, recent surveys by the foundation for some awesome dudes, John S.
and James L. Knight, show that 99%
of adults can’t name the five freedoms
of the first amendment and that 51%
of high school students think that the
government should control what news-
papers are allowed to publish.
Personally, I not sure that I could handle having the government control my
column. As it is, I’m already four rungs
down on the “get the article published”
ladder, five just doesn’t look so hot.
Plus, at that point I probably wouldn’t
have anything left to write about. I can
only assume that “Wedge’s World presents: absolutely nothing” isn’t incredibly
enticing to readers.
If the government, with its limited powers, closely adhered to the
Constitution that gave it no explicit
authority to infringe upon personal freedoms, we wouldn’t really need the Bill
of Rights. But, it isn’t. So, we do. For
now, I’m going to agree with the antifederalists because I’m not too keen on
housing a British soldier sans my gun
while standing around, neither assembling, nor petitioning, but doing absofreaking-lutely nothing about it.
I’m not exactly sure how to put this
tactfully, so I won’t. I don’t really think
that you should have first amendment
rights, or any of those Bill of Rights
rights for that matter, if you can’t even
name them. Not only should we know
our rights, but we should be thankful for
them and respectful of them, because at
one point, they weren’t rights at all.
Page 5
OPINION
March 23, 2005
Left vs. Right
Social Security Insecurity
Jacob Taber ’05
Opinion Editor
Tarun Bhan ’05
Contributing Writer
In 1935, President Roosevelt described his new, as-yet-unnamed social program, as providing “security of the men, women, and children of the nation
against certain hazards and vicissitudes of life.” In English, FDR wanted to
keep Americans safe from the whims of fate – safe from unemployment, safe
being orphaned, and safe from sudden bankruptcy in old age. His program, better known as Social Security, was never meant to serve as a retirement plan.
Instead, it was a kind of insurance – money in the bank to make sure that no citizen of this nation will die old and penniless, that none of us will someday have
to beg for bread on the streets.
President Bush, though, has a plan to change all that. The centerpiece of his
bold second term agenda is, surprisingly enough, not another war, but rather
a plan to change the way Social Security works by taking up to a third of this
insurance money out of safe government bonds (more or less, a really large bank
account) and dumping it into the much riskier stock market (which never, ever
crashes – just ask FDR), all in the name of making a profit.
“...personal retirement accounts do nothing to
solve the [Social Security] problem...”
Now according to the Bush administration, we need to drastically change
this system that has worked pretty reliably for the past seventy years because in
2052, the Social Security trust fund will dry up and the government will have
to start borrowing money in order to pay benefits to retirees, because our parents had fewer children than their parents did, and so when they all retire there
will be fewer workers to pay into social security for them. In a way, it almost
makes sense. But to solve this problem, Bush wants to create personal retirement
accounts – the stock market plan – at a cost of $2,000,000,000,000,000. No,
that’s not a typo – his plan could cost two trillion dollars.
You may be wondering – where does the president planning on getting all this
money? Certainly not by taxing the wealthy, or by denying social security benefits to millionaires who are pretty secure in their retirements. No, he wants to
borrow it, adding $2 trillion to the deficit over the next ten years.
So, to avoid going into debt in 2052, Bush wants to borrow $2 trillion now,
on top of the biggest deficit in American history, when we’re fighting a war that
could last for generations. Which makes sense…somehow.
But here’s the best part – personal retirement accounts do nothing to solve the
2052 problem, because they don’t increase revenue (they decrease it) or decrease
costs (which actually go up).
Now I’ll be the first to admit that the Social Security system isn’t perfect, but
at a time when the President is trying to cut programs that help students, farmers,
police officers, and doctors in the name of ‘fiscal responsibility,’ we simply can’t
afford the money it will take to bring about a truly fair solution.
So while millions of people keep investing in the stock market by themselves,
without the help of Uncle Sam, like they always have, let’s relax, stop trying to
make Social Security into a crisis it’s not, and protect FDR’s insurance program.
Let’s take a trip to the future for a second. It’s 2042, and after the successful
careers MTHS prepared us for (yeah, right) we’re ready for retirement. Every
paycheck we’ve been giving a percentage of our pay to Social Security, with
the expectation that we’ll be getting that money back when we retire. Suddenly,
however, the government announces that the Social Security system has gone
bankrupt, and we will be receiving a dramatically smaller amount of money than
we paid in, or even none at all. This scenario is all-to-possible if we do not take
steps to reform Social Security now.
Fortunately for us it isn’t 2042 – it’s 2005, and we can do something to prevent this future crisis. See, Social Security was created decades ago, for a very
different era. In those days, people did not live as long, and benefits were much
lower than they are today.
The system has worked well for generations of Americans, but 21st century
demographics doom it to insolvency. Because of the baby boomer generation,
the current system promises to give increasingly generous benefits, for
“As we fix Social Security, we...[must] make the
system a better deal for younger workers.”
increasingly long periods of time, to an increasingly large number of people –
and to pay for it by taxing a proportionately smaller number of people. It simply
cannot be done.
As we fix Social Security, we also have the responsibility to make the system
a better deal for younger workers. If we are going to have a government-run
retirement plan, we have the obligation to give workers at least as much money
as they could get investing on their own. Right now, every male currently under
the age of 38 will actually lose money under the current Social Security system.
And the average rate of return of Social Security is 1.5 percent, which pales in
comparison to the stock market’s historical average rate of return of 10.7 percent.
There are many ways to go about reconciling this difference. One is to create voluntary personal retirement accounts for younger workers. Under the plan,
instead of workers paying into the system and not seeing that money for another
40 years, they can invest their Social Security payroll taxes to amass wealth for
retirement.
The accounts make sense because the current rate of return of Social Security
is so low that it’s sometimes lower than the rate of inflation, and investing in a
mix of conservative investments would increase returns for the American worker.
Not to mention the fact that investing spurs economic growth. If Americans
invest, they are pouring more money into the economy. It’s a win-win situation
– workers get more retirement money, and the economy gets capital to expand.
People who are against personal retirement accounts or even against reforming Social Security altogether share one fundamental difference from the rest of
us: They believe that once you give money to the government, it’s the government’s money. It’s not – it’s our money and we should be allowed to keep it to
improve our retirement security.
Filling out the paperwork of the soul
Maggie Downey ’05
Opinion Columnist
I love filling
out paperwork.
Absolutely love
it. It requires a
trace amount of
cognitive effort
but leaves the
most
amount
of gratification.
Such a feeling of confidence, of security,
of competence. Given the progression of
my apathy over this, the second semester of my senior year, meaningless paper
work is about all I have the desire or
capability of attempting, other than playing solitaire, eating rice krispy treats and
staring out the window. Online tests are
my new thing. Taking the religion one
was rather fulfilling, besides the obvious
troubling of finding my current spiritual
inclination ranked something like thirty
out of forty-five. I’ve been indoctrinated,
though; I really don’t know where to go
from here. The which-classic-movie -are
-you was fun; right up until I found out
I was equal to Schindler’s List. Really
don’t know where to run with that lovely
little uplifting tidbit, either.
I took a personality test the other day.
This was not one of those ten-question
forays at
the bottom of a
page in
Vo g u e ;
no, I’ve
taken
those
before
a n d
they’re
completely transparent, a waste of time.
Believe me, save yourself three minutes
and just trust that if you like vanilla icecream, you’re doomed to a life of anonymity and if you happen to prefer chocolate, well, your adventuresome nature
will one day get the best of you. This
test, however, was the mother of them
all, two hundred and twenty-five probing, soul-searching questions. The sum
of your existence is tallied in a matter
of seconds, and then they plot it out for
you in black and white, with little charts
and visual aids for those who just can’t
get that So it turns out I am a timid but
socially comfortable, curious but incompetent discoverer, with a thirty-eight percent chance of being emotionally stable.
Thirty-eight
percent.
That’s an F,
right? I failed
emotional
s t a b i l i t y.
That
can’t
be
good,
but it says
here that I’m
relaxed and
transcendent. Hmm.
Maybe it’s my own fault for not being
perceptive enough (perceptiveness,
though…eighty-two percent…I thought
that was okay…) to discern anything
significant. I guess I shouldn’t put so
much faith in this pseudo-science. There
is a French social theorist, philosopher,
logician, dreamer, wise man, whatever
they’re calling themselves these days,
named Jean Baudrillard who would
probably blame it on my post-modernity, the common cold of my generation
The
Low
Downey
to make technology our new god, our
new source of enlightenment. Or maybe
he would cite the dichotomies we have
worked ourselves into, with conservative and liberal, right and wrong, strong
and weak, even using a binary code to
reveal the inner workings of ourselves.
It simply cannot exist: a being leaning
toward introversion (eighty-seven percent) that likes people, or an inefficient
pragmatist.
But it does. I do. Or at least I do my
best. And I like things that are bulky and
hard to define, so reconciling the personality on paper with the one I have, and
the one I hope to have, may not be that
difficult. It seems I already have.
The Hi-Lite is the official student-run newspaper
of Manheim Township High School. Its staff consists
of 24 writers, editors, cartoonists and managers who
devote their time to covering news around MTHS and
communicating information to the student body.
The Hi-Lite is published 10 times each school year.
It is distributed roughly once per month with an additional two issues in April and May.
The Hi-Lite appreciates any contributions from
the MTHS community. Any questions or comments
can be directed to the Hi-Lite’s e-mail address,
[email protected] Furthermore, the Hi-Lite reserves
the right to edit any articles or refuse publication of
any materials it deems offensive or inappropriate.
Other comments or concerns can also be directed to
the staff advisor, Martin Pflieger, in room 125 of the
high school.
Page 6
FEATURE
Stick to
what you
do best,
Mos Def
Justin Jacobs ’05
Feature Writer
“The New
Danger”
2/5 **
In 1999, Brooklyn rapper Mos Def
released “Black on Both Sides.” The
album was a breakthrough for underground, socially-conscious rap (yes, it
does exist). In the five years since his
major label debut made him a prominent figure in hip-hop, Mos Def has
worked on two major side gigs. Both
new sides of the rapper have an obvious influence on his latest release, “The
New Danger.” Mos became a respected
actor, appearing in “Monster’s Ball”
and Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled.” Great.
He also founded a rock band called
Black Jack Johnson. Not so great.
Mos definitely plays many different
characters on “The New Danger.” This
diversity is one key factor that separates
him from the indistinguishable garble
that is much of today’s rap acts. He
tackles the roles of social commentator, laid-back jazzman, old school rap
star, and even impassioned soul singer
with relative ease. The one character he
fails to portray convincingly, though, is
rocker.
Mos Def’s new rock mentality shows
up throughout the album, and in smaller
doses, it is palatable. The bluesy, backbeat drumming and meandering dual
guitars of “Bedstuy Parade and Funeral
March,” for example, gives the song
the feel of a smoky, dimly lit club at
3AM. The album suffers the most at
the hands of Rock’n’Roll on “Freaky
Black Greetings.” The track finds Mos
rhyming sparse lines over a churning
guitar/bass riff that would be more at
home – dare I say it – on a Limp Bizkit
record.
Thankfully, Mos proves he still
knows how to create chilled-out hip-hop
jams for the majority of the album. With
the rock tracks out of the equation, the
best moments on the album come when
Mos stops trying to be someone else and
just raps. The bounce of his rhythmic
talk-rap style is similar to Kanye West,
with the added freestyle attitude of Talib
Kweli, with whom Mos has recorded
under the moniker Black Star.
“Sex, Love & Money” displays Mos
Def at his head-bouncing best. Over
a churning funk beat complete with
jazzy flute lines, Mos seems to have a
great time with rhymes like, “I hit the
streets/Easy in my seat/Lightning on
my feet/Breezy like the evening.” Rap
tracks like this, his first single off the
album, along with several others feature
the most natural side of Mos Def. Mos
reveals himself to be a very talented
rapper: he has fun with playful rhymes
while remaining focused, thoughtful
and full of power and passion.
Continued on page 8
March 23 , 2005
Former White House cryptologist
secures Township halls
Monica Kosiorek ’07
Feature Editor
across the globe.
have to know your skills.”
If a mistake were to take place it
However, the job wasn’t all work
could have caused an international inciand no play. Going on honeymoons was
While many children dream of
dent. The President leaves Washington
also part of the deal. After Kissinger got
becoming firemen or professional musiat least 200 times a year and can travel
married, Deptula and two others took
cians someday, not many would consider
anywhere in the world; wherever he is,
a trip with Kissinger and his wife to
a job as cryptologist for the White House
he needs to be in
Communication Agency (WHCA). For
constant contact “It takes hard work, moral character, and
MTHS security guard, Mr. Michael
with the White
you have to know your skills.”
Deptula, this unusual dream became a
House.
- Mr. Michael Deptula
reality.
The
Deptula went through high school
White
House
their vacation spot in Acapulco, where
unsure of what he wanted to be, but
Communication Agency used technolDeptula worked eight to ten hours a
after being drafted into the Army he
ogy that Deptula views as “old school
day.
was trained as a cryptologist – someone
stuff” like the telephone, telegraph, andAfter working with Kissinger,
who codes and deciphers important messwitchboard, along with photography to
Deptula
estimated he had traveled the
sages. In 1972, after an extensive backcommunicate and support the President.
world
a
total
of five times, and helping
ground check, Deptula was selected to
Deptula helped provide communicathe
President’s
wasn’t too shabby either.
work at the WHCA as a cryptologist for
tions support for Presidents Nixon, Ford,
Seven
five
star
hotels have welcomed
President Richard Nixon.
Carter, and Reagan, ending his WHCA
Deptula
and
the
respective President
The WHCA is a joint service orgacareer with President George H. W.
he
happened
to
be
working with at the
nization that has experts from the Army,
Bush in 1990.
time.
Navy, Airforce, and Marines all working
Working with these Presidents
“It gave me the opportunity to see the
to deliver and present information to the
allowed Deptula to witness first hand
entire world that people would never get
President. During Deptula’s tenure at the
the Paris Peace Talks and the Middle
the opportunity to do” said Deptula.
department, he worked alongside close
East Peace talks, as well as take a trip
In 1990 after working for WHCA for
to one thousand other cryptologists, data
to Dacca, Bangladesh with Dr. Henry
18 years, Deptula decided it was time
technicians, and other agency staff.
Kissinger to broker a peace agreement.
to retire for family reasons. Deptula
The main goal of the White House
He also had behind-the-scenes access
worked in the Federal Government
Communication Agency is to move
to the Iran-Contra Arms Scandal with
afterward but said that, “I couldn’t get
along with the President as he travels
Colonel Oliver North, and even watched
to be satisfied…when I was in WHCA I
as President Nixon’s infacouldn’t wait to go to work.”
mous
Watergate
scandal
“A lot of what you guys learn about
After working in close contact with
unfolded.
the presidents in school...I lived it.”
five presidents and visiting places in
“A lot of what you guys
- Mr. Michael Deptula learn about the presidents the world that some may never know
existed, children everywhere might
in school…I lived it,” said
from place to place. Employees like
start thinking about obtaining unique
Deptula.
Deptula are responsible for setting up
jobs, instead of dreams of becoming
With such high stakes on the job “you
and breaking down communication
America’s best pop singer.
couldn’t mess up” said Deptula. “It takes
equipment that allow the President to
hard work, moral character, and you
get up-to-date information anywhere
Supreme Court questions rights
Orange County High School newspaper censored for controversial
article on student homosexuality
Emily Barton ’07
Feature Writer
Society is accustomed to concerning
itself with what is publicized through
the newspaper, television, or even
radio. In today’s society, censorship is
a common word considering the liberal
ways of many television stations and
radio hosts. However, the consideration of restrictions on what is printed
in a high school newspaper has come
under a closer watch in recent years.
In a recent case, the newspaper
of Orange County, California’s
Troy High School, caused
an
immense
dispute
between staff writers
and the administration. According
to
the
Los
Angeles
Times, the co-editor
in chief, Ann Long,
wrote an article about,
“openly gay classmates.”
In response to this article, the school administration,
in particular the principal, threatened to remove Long from staff, if
she herself did not resign. His decision
to remove her was not prompted by the
subject matter of the article, but rather it
was by the manner in which Long gathered her information. According to the
report, Long did not ask the permission
from the parents of these openly gay
students before printing their names in
the paper, a requirement under the state
educational code.
Long’s removal triggered a forceful response from fellow staff members as well as some legal analysts.
Recollections from previous situations
similar to this one arose; legal analysts
all the while considering all facts and
comparing this case with other Supreme
Court cases, regarding students’ rights to
freedom of speech and self expression, such as
Tinker v.
Des
Moines.
In this
1969
case, students wearing black arm bands meant to oppose the
Vietnam War were punished for expressing their opinion regarding the war. It
also serves as a more recent example
of the Hazelwood case of 1988, when
the administrative censorship of school
newspapers was brought into question.
Ann Long’s situation has many legal
analysts still questioning students’ rights
concerning press limitations and freedom of expression. According to the
First Amendment of the Constitution,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the rights of people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What rights do the students have
then, if Supreme Court rulings such as
Tinker v. Des Moines limit the students’
rights to self-expression?
According to the Manheim Township
Code for Student Expression, “The
School Board reserves the right to
designate and prohibit manifestations
of student expression which are not
protected by the right of free expression
because they materially and substantially interfere with the educational process,
threaten immediate harm to the welfare
of the school or community, encourage
unlawful activity, or interfere with the
rights of others.”
Mr. Randy Butson, ninth grade principal in the High School, said, “Students
Continued on page 7
Page 7
FEATURE
March 23, 2005
Faces in the Hallway
Compiled by Amanda Bareuther
Name: Courtney Ducey
Grade: 9
Siblings: Jacks (11) and Liz
(12)
Nickname: Duce
If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who
would it be and why? Andy
Roddick or Tom Brady... just
to make my sister mad.
Favorite Movie: “Grease”
3 adjectives to describe you:
Talkative, caring, and loud.
What is the most exciting
thing that has ever happened
to you? In 7th grade I went
to Worlds for Odyssey of the
Mind.
Extracurricular Activities:
Winter Track, SAS, SADD
3 things to bring on a deserted
island and why: A cell phone - to call for help, another person - to talk to, and a
computer - so I could talk to people.
If you were invisible for a day, what would you do and why? Follow my friends
around and see what they would say about me.
Pet Peeve: People who eat loudly and breathe loudly.
Worst Pickup line: Are you tired? Because you’ve been running around my mind
all day.
Worst Joke: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
What’s under your bed? A box of purses and basically my whole closet.
If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for and why? A cell phone - because I
won’t be getting one for so long, a cure for cancer - because there are too many sick
people in the world, and for the war in Iraq to stop - because too many people are
dying.
What is your dream job? To be a forensic scientist - to figure out why people die.
All of the money I’d be making would help too.
What is your theme song? “I Hope You Dance” by Leanne Womack
Describe your childhood in one word: Interesting.
If you had an unlimited amount of money, what would you buy first? A Dooney
and Bourke purse
First Amendment rights
questioned for HS press
Continued from page 6
should be able to publish reasonable
lic to conclude that students of Manheim
journalistic pieces in student publicaTownship High School are in fact
tions. There is a real fine line between
required to disregard their constitutional
appropriateness and offensiveness. Of
rights, including the right to free speech,
course, what is offensive to one may not
outlined in the First Amendment.
be to another. That being said, the courts
Is the Hi-Lite staff of our high school
have been very detailed and narrow
limited to what can be published?
when issuing rulings on cases.”
According to the Manheim Township
The Pennsylvania Administration Code
Regulations for Student Expression,
for Student Rights and Responsibilities,
anything that interferes with the educastates that “The right of public school
tional process is censored. The adminstudents
to
istration has
freedom
of
the legal right
“[Students] shed their constitution- to review all
speech
was
affirmed by the al rights at the schoolhouse gate.”
subject matUnited States
- Supreme Court ruling ter before
Supreme Court
publication
in Tinker v. Des
and remove
Moines Community School District.”
any contents which he/she deems inapThe rulings of the court have been
propriate.
viewed to fall either in support of
This may include crude and or
students or in support of the school
vulgar language, racial slurs, adveradministration. Examining these rultisements for a profit-based company
ings, a student’s right to the First
(outside of prepaid advertisements),
Amendment comes into question. “The
gang affiliations, drug and alcohol
First Amendment absolutely protects
representation, and acts of violence.
students, but within reason,” Butson
These areas are restricted because they
said. “One First Amendment case you
interfere with the learning process,
can look at is Tinker v. DesMoines
and therefore cannot be published.
(1968), a case about students wearing
“School officials have the right
arm bands to protest the Vietnam War.
to require pre-printed submissions
The students won.”
for review. However, if an article is
According to the Supreme Court
denied publication, the student may
ruling, students are to “shed their conseek legal remedy,” said Butson.
stitutional rights at the schoolhouse
However, should material such as
gate.” As this statement is upheld by
teen pregnancy, news briefs on openly
the Pennsylvania Administration of
gay students (as in the Long case), or
Education, it is upheld by Manheim
drug use be limited, or even removed
Township High School, leading the pubContinued on page 9
Name: Jeff Kramer
Grade: 10
Nickname: Kramer
Hobbies: Trumpet, music,
politics
What does your locker
smell like? Books.
Employed? No.
Post high school plans: I
plan to go to college and
study psychology.
Three adjectives to
describe your personality: self-righteous, sarcastic, goofy
What would you do if
you were invisible for a
day? Walk around school
and slam people’s lockers
Worst joke ever: This
guy with a wood eye
goes to a dance. He sees a girl with a peg leg and asks her to dance. She says,
“would I, would I” and he says, “peg leg, peg leg.”
Worst pick-up line: If you were a booger I’d pick you first.
Pet Peeve: When people don’t say the pledge of allegiance.
Most Addicting TV show: House
Best Band: Led Zeppelin
3 things to bring on a desert island and why: A yacht - so I could leave, party
food - for a fun ride home, and music - to add to the party.
Dream car: 1964 Chevy Stingray Corvette
One person to meet for a day and why: Will Ferrell - cause he’s hilarious!
Optimist/Pessimist: Pessimist, but I prefer realist.
What is under your bed? My trumpet and guitar case
Who’s your role model and why? George W. Bush because he is assertive,
strong and decisive.
Favorite Nursery Rhyme: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
If you had an unlimited amount of money, what would you buy first? A
brand new guitar and an enormous amp.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done? I met Jen Huston.
Famous last words? “Watch this.”
“
A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a
poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with
himself. What one can be, one must be.
-Abraham Maslow
”
so-lil-o-quy...
Page 8
FEATURE
“The Jacket” packs more
thrills than chills
Justin Heller ’06
Contributing Writer
If you’re looking for head-splitting,
eye-popping gore, “The Jacket,” starring Adrien Brody (“The Village,” “The
Pianist”) and Keira Knightly (“Pirates of
the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl”), isn’t for you. In fact, the film
runs more like a love story than your
typical horror bloodbath.
The focus of the movie is on Jack
Starks (Brody), a Gulf War veteran,
who is institutionalized to a rather
“cruel and unusual” mental hospital in
Vermont after having lost his memory
of shooting and killing a police officer.
Under the care of Dr. Thomas Becker
(Kris Kristofferson), Jack is diagnosed
as being delusional, which is why, they
believe, he would have lost recollection
of his crime.
Jack denies this but is forced to undergo the behavior modification techniques
of Dr. Becker including “The Jacket.”
Forced out of his cell and taken into the
morgue, Jack is strapped into a full-body
straightjacket and put, very much alive,
into one of the mortuary drawers.
With the help of tight camera angles
and quick editing, the audience gets the
sense that this is as close to death or
hell as one can get. Bouts of silence are
interrupted with terrifying screams and
visions of Jack, accompanied by various
faces and the brutal realities of war.
As Jack finds out, the mortuary
drawer acts as a time portal. Together,
he and the audience are swept back and
forth between the last week of 1992 and
the last week of 2007.
In 2007, he meets the beautiful
Kate (Knightly) who informs him of
his untimely death in the beginning of
January 1993. The movie then schizophrenically sweeps through the two
decades as Jack tries to solve the mystery of his own death.
The plot isn’t terribly gory and don’t
expect it to be. Except for an occasional
March 23, 2005
Student pilots
learn to fly
high
continued from page 1
blood puddle, there are no flesh-eating
zombies or demented serial killers.
I found, sadly, that the most frustrating aspect of this film were these
“time trips.” They’re almost dreamlike.
Director John Maybury wants us to consciously accept these lapses and move
on, yet it is rarely accepted outside our
subconscious – only in our dreams do
we feel comfortable with these unmethodical transformations.
Second to that is the poorly written
dialogue. Certainly, Brody and Knightly
are capable actors, but they are left with
so many dry lines and clichés that there
is little left to salvage.
Marketed as a horror film, but certified as a thriller, “The Jacket” offers a
typical student moviegoer little more
than they’ve already thought about or
seen. If you can imagine being buried
alive, you’ve seen this movie. If you
can imagine your creepy dentist, you’ve
seen this movie. And if you can image
time travel, I’d hope it would be a little
more coherent than it is in this movie.
Mos Def: One identity too many
continued from page 7
The most controversial track off the
album is “The Rape Over,” a heated
cover of Jay-Z’s “The Takeover.” Over
an agitated bass heavy beat, Mos overtly
addresses his qualms with the record
industry, indicting many familiar targets. “Listen/Old white men is runnin’
this rap s**t/Corporate forces is runnin’
this rap s**t,” he says with fiery conviction, declaring that artists are left to
“Poke out the ashes for a chance to cash
in.” Unfortunately, the track fails to live
up to potential, dwindling to a close just
before it reaches two minutes.
The rest of the rap tracks all fall
from decent to just a little better than
decent, from the soulful, piano-accented
“Sunshine,” to the sharp, horn-driven
“Life Is Real.” The remaining tracks are
scattered between genres. “The Beggar”
is a painfully slow R&B tune (yes,
he sings, or attempts to), while “The
Boogeyman Song” actually sounds like
a haunted lullaby. Scary.
Students
practice
law and
order
Continued from page 7
jurors. The jury is composed of lawyers
from the area. In mock trial there, is a
score sheet that each juror must follow,
so there is more to it than deciding if the
defendant is guilty or not guilty. The
jury came back deciding that in this case
the defendant was guilty, thus declaring Township the winner. The teams
politely congratulated each other, but
the smiles on the faces of the Township
team betrayed their pride at winning.
This is the sixth year for the Mock
Trial Club at Township. Four of the past
five championships have been won by
The only danger in “The New Danger”
is that Mos Def has forgotten which of
his characters is real. Sometimes it’s
hard to believe that this is one album
at all, and not a mix played completely
at random. On the screen, Mos, play as
many different characters as you want.
But in stereo, please just be yourself.
If you like Mos Def, check out:
Cody ChestnuTT, “The Headphone
Masterpiece” (2002)
Township. The single championship
that a Township team didn’t win was
the club’s first year, which Advisor Mr.
Mark Reinhardt explained by saying,
“We didn’t know what we were doing.”
They’ve moved quite far from not
knowing what they’re doing. The teams
have been preparing their case since
mid-October and had their first trial
February 1, 2005. Practices are held during club periods and after school. They
have the help of three Assistant District
Attorneys. Mock Trial Club is open to any
student during club selection next year.
the many pilot licenses required, he
wants to begin his career as a commercial pilot.
“I felt everything from nervousness
to pure excitement,” said Newcomer of
his first time flying alone.
Walters is considering using her flying skills on mission trips in the future to
reach hard-to-access locations, but does
not want to make a career out of it. Her
favorite part of a flight is the takeoff.
“There is a huge rush, and no matter
how many times I leave the ground, it is
still awesome,” she said.
According to the student pilots, earning a private pilot’s license is no easy
feat. A flying student must have at least
forty hours of flight time. This includes
hours spent flying solo, hours spent flying cross country and hours spent flying at night. Next, the students have to
pass multiple written tests that include
physics problems and regulations. Last,
students must pass a test with a certified
instructor who commands the student to
demonstrate specific maneuvers.
Walters compared the flight test to a
driving test. “They instruct you to fly in
certain directions and even try to distract
[the pilot].”
Newcomer needs only five hours until
he earns his license. Currently he is preparing to fly to Ocean City, New Jersey.
Will Bruey ’07, is also working
towards his pilot license, and he has yet
to even receive his driver’s license. He
first became interested in flying after his
father gave him a flight over Lancaster
as a Christmas present in 2003. When
the pilot offered him lessons, Bruey
made the commitment right away.
Bruey explains that while flying
is recreational, it is also exhausting
because “…it requires one hundred percent concentration one hundred percent
of the time.”
These ambitious students have also
had their share of frightening experiences while flying. Newcomer recalls
a storm that blew in faster than anticipated. “[The plane] was knocked around
like a rag doll. It felt as if we were on
a roller coaster 3,000 feet above the
ground without tracks underneath us.”
Even so, he said he is usually not nervous when flying.
Walters once landed roughly when
there was a strong wind gust. The
plane’s left wing ended up in a snow
pile beside the runway. She thought she
would never fly again, but her step-dad
explained to her, “A good landing is
any landing you walk away from.” She
described flying again after the incident
as a “…get-back-on-the-horse experience.”
Walters added that most pilots find
her young age to be surprising, and that
there are also no female teachers and
few female students at the Lancaster
Airport.
Despite Newcomer’s terrifying experience, he added that flying is a great
stress reliever at the end of the day.
“When I am flying I feel as if I am on
top of the world. When you are flying
everything in your life that is bothering
you seems to just disappear.”
The other students could not agree
more, and they all continue soaring in
the sky, working toward their goals.
Page 9
FEATURE
March 23, 2005
Mathabane advocates human connection
continued from 1
simply having a career that provided a
good life. It was his calling, Mathabane
said, to tell the people that he met of his
experiences in South Africa.
Soon, however, he realized that telling was simply not enough, he wanted to
reach out to the hundreds of people that
he knew he may never meet.
Sophomore year of college,
Mathabane began typing his first draft
of Kaffir Boy. Yet, typing a novel is not
an easy feat when one doesn’t know how
to type.
By graduation in 1983, he had finished his first draft. Two and a half years
later, the novel was published and ready
to spread its message.
“Through reading the book…you
have come to care about humanity,”
Mathabane told Township students at an
assembly during his recent visit to the
High School.
While Mathabane stood by the
podium, he simply had one request for
the students; to find this generation’s
destiny.
In the 1960s, students protested the
Jim Crowe system, while the youth of
the 1970s protested for peace.
The youth of the 1980s fought against
the injustices in South Africa, and the
youth of today, Mathabane said, must
show the world, “…that America does
really care about people and what happens to them in other lands.”
While growing up, Mathabane would
pray for a moldy piece of bread. He
drank sugar water to just get some glucose in his system, and shoes were a rare
commodity.
Mathabane wishes that Township
students will take his story to show the
world that, “No matter where the child is
born…[he or she has a
right] to realize his or
her potential.”
Mathabane reminded
Township
students
how lucky they are to
have grown up with
their television sets,
iPods, computers, and
cars, “instead of being
consigned to hell in an
apartheid ghetto.”
Although education
is Mathabane’s love
today, it was his enemy
when he first began. His
mother and grandmother
had to tie him up, while
he was kicking and
Timmy Huynh
screaming on the floor, Mthabane is presented with a $2239 check by student council president, Dan Zangie ʼ05, and sutdent
fling him over their council member, Gina Cimmino ʼ07, which will used for the education of South African children.
shoulders, and drag him
God,” Mathabane said.
Mathabane wishes for people to worto school.
Growing up, religion, to him, seemed
ship their god through their actions. It is
That phase was only temporary.
an ineffective concept, and he would
a copout, Mathabane said, the one can
Education quickly became his oasis. He
curse it for allowing apartheid to occur.
do horrible things to their fellow people
had a thirst for knowledge and would
Survival was key, not going to church
six days a week, and on Sunday, all
read anything he could find. He once
on Sundays. To this day, Mathabane
could be forgiven.
risked his life to save books from a
considers himself a spiritual person, not
Instead, Mathabane’s path to God
burning library.
a religious person.
is different. Mathabane’s faith is, “…a
When Mathabane first stepped foot
It was his mother who changed his
faith of deeds.”
into Manheim Township High School,
view on religion. Mathabane’s mother,
Understanding the world is key,
he called it, “A paradise of a school.”
through all her struggles, from beatings
Mathabane said. Don’t eat lunch with
“I thought, my goodness. There’s
from her husband to being denied a job,
people similar to yourself. Don’t get
food for the soul.” Mathabane said of
always radiated love.
to comfortable. Read, read, read,
the music wing.
It would have been so much easier for
Mathabane said. That is the only way
He was even more astonished when
her to have been bitter, yet she wasn’t,
that this world will ever truly be free
his eyes caught a glimpse of the school
and Mathabane respected her for that.
buses. “Do you know what a privilege
of hatred.
it is to ride a school bus?” Mathabane
asked the Township student body. By
contrast, many students complain
when they must
ride home on the
bus.
Mathabane
then discussed
the need for all
people on Earth
to look past the
each other’s differences and to
love one another.
“No one who
is incapable of
loving his fellow
An artist is a person who can hold two contradictory
human beings is
capable of loving
thoughts in his mind at the same time.
“
Timmy Huynh
Mathabae speaks to Township students about his love-hate relationship with educatioin.
-Anonymous
The right to write
continued from page 7
from student newspaper contents?
According to the Manheim Township
High School Code of Student Expression,
“The School Board respects the right of
students to express themselves in word
or symbol and to distribute materials
as a part of that expression, the School
Board recognizes that the exercise of
Butson also added, “There need to be
standards and restrictions. This has now
become a very controversial, religiously,
and politically charged issue.”
This subject matter is justified due to
the fact that the material does not interfere
with the educational process, and student
consent is always acquired before print“This has become a very controversial, ing someone’s name who may
represent a controversial topic.
religiously, and politically charged isStudent expression is visibly
sue.”
difficult to monitor and create
- Mr. Randy Butson laws for, due to the technicalities of many federal rulings as
that rights must be limited by the need to
well as the specific rights of individuals
maintain an orderly school environment
within a school community.
and to protect the rights of all members
of the school community.”
”
so-lil-o-quy...
Page 10
SPORTS
March 23, 2005
MT Table Tennis proves that “It’s No Joke”
Team’s first tournament a success, Witmer is the last man standing
Sam Gross ’06
Sports Writer
Their shirts proclaim, “MTTT- it’s no
joke,” and for the Manheim Township
Table Tennis team, table tennis is a
serious sport. The underground team
of juniors is taking the sport of Table
Tennis to new heights in Manheim
Township.
While most people might consider
it something to do on a rainy day, the
MTTT has created a team spirit and
level of professionalism that would
rival any one of the other MT scholastic
sports t eams. For being a club-organized team, the MTTT says that their
players maintain strict standards of conduct and grades. The standards include:
following the school district drug and
alcohol policy, maintaining an 85 NPA,
and being active in the community. “It
Matt Wood ’05 puts on his game face.
was just a dream, we wanted to protect
and showcase the athletic and academic
ability of MT,” said Junior Jimmy Way
about the standards. Way has been on
board with the MTTT since the beginning as a founding member and a strong
enforcer of the “No Joke” policy.
The “No Joke” policy is exactly that,
the members are there because they
want to be there. They take the game
seriously and are committed to improving their skills. Way and Junior Matt
Wood both agree; if a player is not part
of MTTT for the table tennis, then they
shouldn’t be there. “If you’re not here
to honor the game, then get out of our
way,” said Way. Junior Brad Miller said,
“People don’t realize how serious it can
be, they just think it’s a casual game, but
you can spend hours practicing.”
Though the commitment to character
and performance may seem daunting,
the bond of the team
members is another
way for MTTT to
show their spirit for
the game. Players
have a nickname
that represents either
something
about
their playing style or
personality in general. Written on the
back of the MTTT
team shirts, names
like “Wolfman Jack”
(Wood),
“Genie”
(Junior
Corey
Bauer), and “40
Millimeter” (Miller)
give the game a new
personality.
Originally started
as an exclusive club,
MTTT has recently
been branching out
Timmy Huynh
and trying to recruit
Timmy Huynh
Mr. Witmer focuses in on his game in the final round of the tournament. He went on
to become this year’s ping pong champion.
new members for the team, including an advisor. While MT is the only
school in the area with an actively
playing team, MTTT has been looking
at other schools in the area for competition. Currently the team is restricted to
challenge matches and practices due to
lack of any close competition, but that
hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm for
the game. In an effort to raise awareness
for Table Tennis as a sport, MTTT held
an invitational tournament after school
on March 3, looking for any possible
new prospects.
The tournament also gave a chance
for current players to advance in the
team rankings, which the team keeps
track of. The top fifteen players are considered the competition team, with the
top eight classified as Varsity, and the
bottom seven as Junior Varsity.
Table Tennis may be only a novelty
sport in Pennsylvania right now, but it is
a big deal in other states like New York,
New Jersey, and North Carolina. Table
Tennis is now sometimes televised on
sports channels, and international rankings exist for nationally sponsored
teams. The current world leader is China,
and the US isn’t far behind. The current
leader for individuals in the international
circuit is from the US. Table Tennis is
also at the college level, with an active
team at Penn State.
Like all organized sports, Table
Tennis has regulations for ranked
matches. Current rules include best of
seven games for a match winner and a
game is played to eleven points instead
of the pickup version of 21 points. The
regulation table is also nine feet by five
feet by thirty inches.
The entire goal of the MTTT is to
live on after the founding members
have graduated. The idea of setting up a
scholarship for Table Tennis alumni has
been tossed around among team members, but nothing definite has come out
of it. “We want this (MTTT) to continue
after we’ve left,” said Way.
Clash of the Classes ’05
left: Sophomores and freshmen face
off at the Clash of the Classes during
the Piggyback Polo at the spring pep
rally as the rest of the classes look on.
This year the seniors won the clash
for cheering the loudest during the last
event.
below: Sean Smigel leaps over hurdles
representing the senior class at the pep
rally.
TImmy Huynh
Page 11
SPORTS
March 23, 2005
Spring sports are in full bloom
Township tennis, track, and lacrosse teams prepare for their upcoming seasons
by Coach Lefever, they should make
out the team’s biggest weaknesses. “If
another run into the postseason. Top
we can maximize this, we should have a
returning seniors include Austin Ehrhart,
very good season.”
Dave Lambert, Brian O’Neill and Ty
Coach Lisa Lyons returns for her
As the birds return to the North, so
Nehlig. The Township lacrosse team has
fifth year to lead another strong girls
too do the spring athletes return to the
had much success in the past, and looks
lacrosse squad. “I am anticipating that
playing fields. Lacrosse, tennis, track,
to continue that into this year. They have
we will end at the top of our league.
soccer, and baseball players all begin
been training
Unfortunately,
because
their training shortly in the hopes of
all year round
lacrosse is new to the area, “I am anticipating that we
bringing home the gold to Township.
by
working
we only have league play- will end at the top of our
After finishing at the top of the league
out at the gym,
offs,” she said. There are 20 league.”
last year, the Manheim Township Boys
running,
and
new freshman playing this
Tennis Team looks to go deeper in the
year, so depth should not be -Lacrosse Coach Lisa Lyons playing indoor
postseason than ever before. Led by
games at Lanco
an issue with this team. Led
Seniors Eric Schreiber, Todd Frey, Dan
Fieldhouse. All
by senior Becca Weaver, and juniors Tara
Trach, Ryan Smith, and Matt St. Cyr,
of this off-season work should pay off
Walls, and Liz Hendrix, the team looks
Township is looking good in the prewhen it counts most.
to dominate the league. Other promising
season. One of the better juniors on the
All of the other Township sports teams
returnees include sophteam, Jim Stoner,
are looking to improve upon last year’s
omores Jen Waughtel,
will unfortunately “If we can maximize this, we
success, and with all of the off-season
Emily Rudisill, and
miss most of the should have a very good season.” Sarah Canosa. Kirstin
work they have done, we should finish
season because
at the top of the league in nearly every
Schneider
is
a
talented
-Tennis Coach Doug Pennington
of surgery. “This
sport. The school has high expectations
goalie who just recently
year we will try
for the spring, and it seems certain that
moved
here
from
to emphasize our
Georgia.
the school will not be let down.
depth and really work on our doubles,”
The boys lacrosse team also looks to
says Coach Doug Pennington, pointing
finish near the top of their league. Led
Ari Paskoff ’07
Staff Writer
Boys Lacrosse Leaders
Senior Austin Ehrhart, Senior Dave Lambert, Senior
Brian O’Neill, Senior Ty
Nehlig
Girls Lacrosse Leaders
Senior Becca Weaver, Junior Tara Walls, Junior Liz
Hendrix
Sports Shorts
Tennis Team Leaders
Senior Eric Schreiber, Senior Todd Frey, Senior Dan
Trach, Senior Ryan Smith,
Senior Matt St. Cyr
Manheim Township
Swim Team races
hard in District III
Swimming
Championships
Over March 5th and 6th, at the District III Swimming Championships, held
at F&M College, the girls’ swim team
placed 5th overall and the boys’ team
placed sixth. The girls team acquired
192.5 points, while the boy’s earned
162 points. The girls’ 200 Freestyle
Relay team, comprised of Anna Dogger, senior, Mariel Frey, sophomore,
Mercedes Minney, sophomore, and
Lauren Sindall, senior, placed first in the
AAA competition with a time of 1:38:
38. The four also placed 2nd in the 400
Freestyle Relay with a time of 3:33:91,
which broke the school record. Dogger,
a senior, broke two school records in the
200 free, where she placed second, and
the 100 free, where she placed fourth.
Also, Minney placed third in the 100
Fly, Sindall placcd third in the 50 Free,
Kevin Rybicki, a senior, placed third the
the 200 Free and fifth in the 500 Free,
and Ricky Walters, a senior, who placed
third in the 100 Fly and second in the
100 Breaststroke. Sindall and Minney
placed fifth and sixth respectively in
the 100 Free. On the boys’ team, the
200 Medley Relay team of Darren Hill,
Robert Rutkowski, Walters, and Rybicki
placed fourth and the 400 Freestyle
Relay team composed of Dan Powers,
Hill, Rybicki, and Walters placed sixth.
Of the squad, Dogger, Minney, Frey,
Sindall, Walters, and Rybicki automatically qualified for States. The State AAA
Championships will be held at Bucknell
University March 18th and 19th.
Township Ice Hock- Sophomore Mike
ey team fights for
Lee breaks records
title
in lifting
On the night of March 10, the
Manheim Township Ice Hockey team
nearly melted the ice, capturing the
Tier II Championship and for the first
time ever, the Viola Cup with their
3-2 victory over Cumberland Valley
who was considered the favorite with
their 18-1 record. The Streaks fought
their way to the title with goal-keeping from Josh Shoffstall, sophomore,
goals from Kyle Gerlach, senior, and
a strong defense.
On March 8th, Michael Lee, sophomore, broke the school incline press
record of 135 pounds, set by John
Decare in 2000. The new record
weight for the 123 pound weight class
stands at 150 pounds. A day later, on
March 9th, Lee broke another school
record. The bench press record was
previously held by Neil Myers who
set it at 150 pounds in 1999. Lee
has set the bench press record to 165
pounds for the 123 weight class.
Send original art and lit to Room 418
for submission to our new monthly issue or
Senior Tom Kocher
at PIAA state wrestling tournament
Township Bowling
team places 6th of
38
Over the weekend of March 12th and
13th, Tom Kocher, senior, represented
Manheim Township at the PIAA state
wrestling tournament at Hershey’s Giant center. Kocher is the first Township
state medalist in 21 years by finishing
7th at 171 pounds. On his way to the
top, he beat two regional champions.
His final match was a fall over the
southeast regional champion, posting
his 24th fall on the year. He has a record of 37 victories for the year.
Over March 12th and 13th, the 14th
Annual Pennsylvania State High
School Bowling Championships were
held in Pittsburgh. The Township
bowling team is comprised of Merle
Burkhart, sophomore, Ryan Forry,
junior, David Gerhart, junior, Bryant
Palmer, junior, and DJ Thatcher, sophomore. The township team placed 6th
out of 38 boys teams from across the
state. Top Township bowler was DJ
Thatcher who bowled an average of
197 is six games, earning 19th place
out of 167 bowlers.
our annual magazine.
Thank you,
so-lil-o-quy