April 11, 2007 - Minooka Community High School District #111

Peace Pipe Chatter
Is it r
wort eal y
h the
Too much
or too little
causes health
risks
Page 4
April 11, 2007
Vol. 9, Edition 9
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EDITORS’
Editor’s Note
Dear Readers:
There is only one more issue to go, which
will be our senior edition. We are coming to
the end of a very good year. We have made a
lot of changes to the Peace Pipe Chatter this
year, but havent got much feed-back. In previous years we received many letters to the
editors, this year we have only received one.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please let us know. We would love more
interaction with the PPC staff from students,
teachers, and administrators. Letters can be
dropped of in Rm. 197. Thanks to our readers
and supporters for a wonderful year so far.
Chandell Pet and Toni Bryant
Editors-in-Chief
Cover Photo:
an mchs student eats his double quarter pounder with cheese and extra bacon that he
ordered for lunch at mcdonald’s.
Photo taken by editor-in-chief Chandell Pet
Peace Pipe Chatter
Minooka Community High School
301 S. Wabena Avenue
Minooka, IL 60447
(815) 467-2140 Voicemail: ext. 264
[email protected]
Editors-in-Chief:
Chandell Pet, Toni Bryant
Managing Editor:
Jessica Pieszchala
Front Page Editors:
Sarah Silverman, Chandell Pet
Features Editors:
Samantha Kelley, Lauren Keers
2 DESIGNED BY SARAH SILVERMAN
Arts & Entertainment Editors:
Eric Reynolds, Steven Kelly,
Jessica Pieszchala
Advertising Manager:
Nick Condotti
Photo Editors:
Angela Mateo, Lauren Keers,
Toni Bryant
Sports Editors:
Carissa Weyer,
Jeff Beguin
News Editors:
Brandon Johnson,
Brittany Pendry
Social Chair:
Taylor Bowen
Technical Director:
Brandon Johnson
Advisors:
Mr. Matt Thomas, Ms. Laura Erion
Copy Editors:
Sarah Silverman, Allison Papp,
Taylor Bowen, Eric Reynolds
Staff Writers:
Karla Byrnes,
Megan McEvilly,
Ryan Kelley,
Amanda Alexander,
Samantha Menne,
Mark Photakis,
Kristi Lawrence
Journalism 1:
Iman Bradley, Shelby Carroll, Haley
Hetfleisch, Sarah Hiscock, Christa
Jenkins, Jacqueline Kaluzny, Victor
Lamas, Caleb Logan, Crystal Miller,
Ryan Miller, Zachary Nabor, Michael
Noe Jr., Margaret Raynor, Katelyn
Smith, Thomas Stokke, Amber Thompson, Genna Unley, Dennis Valera Jr.,
Ericka Zacek
Submission Policy:
The Peace Pipe Chatter strongly encourages suggestions and/or
responses to material printed on its pages. Letters to the Editor
should be submitted to Mr. Thomas’s mailbox or to a Peace Pipe
Chatter editor.
While submission does not guarantee publication, PPC staff
members will do their best to respond to all admissions. Submissions will not be returned. All submissions are subject to editing
and will not be printed if they are considered to be inappropriate. They must be signed but may be printed anonymously upon
request.
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EDITORIALS
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All the bad about Myspace,
but what about the good?
So everyone has heard it.
The good, bad, and the ugly behind this generations’ biggest
addiction: MySpace. The website that connects people from
anywhere in the world is bad,
unsafe, and has even been described as overly creepy. Sure,
if used incorrectly, MySpace
can certainly be every one of
those things. However, no one
ever focuses on the good that
MySpace has to offer.
Between movie advertisements, commercials, forums,
and band sites, MySpace can
offer more than just being
friends with the kids at school.
Many big-time bands, such as
Taking Back Sunday, have a
MySpace that they use to promote their band, albums, concerts, etc.
It also gives their fans the
opportunities to have a direct
connection to them, which
overall gives them more popularity and leaves their fans
more satisfied.
Along with bands that have
already made it to the big time,
MySpace gives local bands
that are just beginning or have
minor record deals a chance to
promote their music, sales, and
shows for free and lets them
expand their fan base.
“Band promoting is where
it’s at on MySpace,” said Alec
Jones, sophomore, and lead
guitar for a local band.
MySpace uses flash player,
which gives users the ability to
watch funny home videos posted by users or watch commercials any time they log on. The
videos get uploaded daily, and
there is certainly some room
for entertainment that not many
other websites can provide.
MySpace offers groups of
every interest, from sports to
movies to music. With each
group comes an open forum
where users can discuss any
topic they like. The groups can
have outings, send out group
invitations to events, and people can meet.
MySpace expands the opportunity to communicate and
meet with others that might not
have met without the group or
the forum. On a more personal
note, MySpace lets users write
blogs allowing them to update
their profile as to how their
feeling for their friends to see.
Basically, MySpace can either
broaden or dampen a relationship through communication of
comments, picture comments,
blog comments, or messages.
To become more helpful to
the general public, the site now
offers classifieds and helps people search for jobs and business
opportunities. They also offer
sections where sales can be located, much like the classified
section of a newspaper.
Although, MySpace can be
dangerous, if used correctly
and to it’s full ability, it can
be a social utility to connect
bands, movie makers, friends,
colleagues, and even help
someone find that perfect job,
house, or car. The bad wrap
that MySpace collects can be
overlooked after light is shone
on what good can come out of
MySpace.
‘I don’t care look’ becoming more and more popular
BY
TAYLOR BOWEN /
COPY EDITOR
I walk into school on a gloomy
Monday morning. Today I’m tired
and it is a dull day. This morning
I couldn’t bring myself to actually
try to get ready for school. So
instead, I do what everyone else is
doing: I get a T-shirt and hoodie,
and some sweat pants. I throw up
my hair in about nine seconds,
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toss some sunglasses on and put
on some mascara. And the final
touch: my comfy $7 slippers from
Wal-Mart.
As I pull into the school parking
lot, I see there are both guys and
girls in sweats, slippers, loose
clothes, and messy hair.
I get to school and wow; I’m
definitely not the only-one-who
couldn’t bring themselves to put
forth an effort into looking nice
for school.
But
why is this look so
acceptable all of a sudden? I think
people have finally come to realize
that it is so much better (and so
much easier) to just be laid-back and
stay comfy. It looks nice to go allout for school once in awhile, but
being comfy, not doing your hair,
and just looking natural actually
looks very attractive. It shows
that you have such confidence in
yourself that you don’t need the
approval of other people to make
yourself feel good.
Being lazy and comfy also give
you more time to sleep. I know it
sounds really funny, but it’s true,
at least for most. When you decide
to have a “comfy-look” day, you
can just wake up, throw stuff on,
and be on our way. On days you
have to work to look good for
school, you have to wake up early
to pick out a cute outfit, turn on
the straightener/curling iron so
it’s hot by the time you need it; do
your hair perfectly, and all these
things that just take way too much
time. On comfy days guys don’t
have to worry about picking out
something nice to wear, gelling or
working on their hair, or anything
time-consuming like that.
“DON’T CARE”
continued on page 13
DESIGNED BY TONI BRYANT
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BY
NEWS
JESSICA PIESZCHALA /
A&E EDITOR
Obesity
With the myriads of fast-food
restaurants on every
corner and fake diet
pill commercials interrupting sitcoms,
it’s no wonder
America is gaining
weight and can’t
lose it. However,
before, this standard
of overeating that
leads to obesity was
labeled mainly to
adults. Nowadays,
obesity rates are
rising in teens too,
leading to bad health
conditions and rises
in surgeries.
According
to
CNN.com, in 2003,
there were 771 gas-
Weight affects everyone
tric bypass surgeries performed
on obese teenagers. Researchers
anticipate up to or over 1,000 surgeries to be performed this year,
an outrageous number higher than
ever before.
According to Mr. Matt Marino,
psychology, obesity is a person
being 30% or more over their
ideal body weight. Anything over
a person’s body weight is overweight.
Obesity is more than just having a few extra pounds. Obesity is
a medical condition responsible
for over 300,000 deaths each
year. It’s easy to understand. The
causes are plentiful: family history of obesity, lack of exercise,
medications, and more.
“I think it’s because there’s too
much fast food. It’s convenient for
teenager,” said Lauren Ziemann,
junior. “There are so many 99 cent
menus and teenagers don’t have a
lot of money.”
Rises
“OBESITY”
continued on
page 13
Gay sheep raises eyebrows,
controversy
SAM MENNE /
STAFF WRITER
BY
Contrary to popular belief,
humans are not the only beings
that exhibit homosexual behavior.
According to the Feb. issue of The
Week a team of scientists from Oregon have discovered that 8% of
male sheep prefer the company
of other male sheep. These same
scientists have also come up with
a treatment that has effectively
changed the “gay” sheeps’ sexual
preference to female sheep.
Not only are these sheep being
forced to do things against their
nature, but according to PETA,
these gay sheep are being tested,
and experimented on without a
good, and justifiable motive.
“That is preposterous. If the
boy sheep want to frolic around
with other boy sheep, let them
frolic away! They can’t cure ho-
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mosexuality, come on man,” said
Chloe Perkis, sophomore.
These scientists have also
started talking about a hormone patch that could prevent
homosexuality, and detect it in the
fetus. This raises a big question;
can homosexuality be cured, and
detected in humans, too?
If these gay fetuses can be detected, the mother would have one
more factor to consider before the
child is born.
“What if people start aborting
all these gay babies?” said Jay
Larkin, junior. “It’s not the kid’s
fault they’re gay.”
“You should not abort just because your baby is gay, you should
just love it,” said Lue Parker, junior.”
DESIGNED BY BRITTANY PENDRY
“SHEEP”
continued on page 13
BY
BRITTANY PENDRY /
NEWS EDITOR
She looks in the mirror and
sees an overweight, unattractive girl staring
back at her. But,
every one else
can see her ribcage, bones, and
a girl seriously
suffering
with
weight
issues.
But what is it?
Why is it happening to her? And
how can it be
fixed?
Anorexia Nervosa is the No.1
most
common
psychiatric diagnosis in young
women. With the
Anorexia
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pressure to be thin, young women
take dieting measures to the extreme and end up with a disease
that many times ends in fatality.
Approximately one to three
of every 100 teenagers have an
eating disorder, and out of that
100, 20 percent cannot recover
and ultimately die from the disease, according to sadd.org. Unfortunately, eating disorders are
starting to occur in grade school.
According sadd.org, 40 percent
of fourth graders report that they
diet “very often.” And with these
new scares, parents as well as
doctors need to become aware of
the signs of the early stages of an
eating disorder.
The first stage of an eating
disorder is a dramatic amount of
weight loss in short period of time.
During this time frame, one might
say he or she just isn’t hungry a lot
or that he or she has been working
out more.
Counting
calories
is also
important to be
kills
aware of.
The second stage is new clothing styles. This includes big and
baggy clothes like sweatpants and
sweatshirts.
Weight loss is not the only
physical sign either. Hair loss,
growth of dark facial hair and on
the body (especially for women),
sudden breakout of pimples on
the entire face, extremely pale
skin, fatigue, and headaches.
Lastly, being aware of where
this person goes after he or she
eats. Do they go to the bathroom?
Do they go to their bedroom? Because either one of these could be
signs of purging after they eat,
taking diet pills, hiding food that
he or she might not have eaten
at dinner, or even self-mutilation
because they are mad for allowing themselves to eat.
For other possible signs of
anorexia visit www.somethingfishy.org.
“ANOREXIA”
continued on page 13
Book It no longer rewards students
BY
ERIC REYNOLDS /
A&E EDITOR
Pizza Hut’s Book It, an incentive program used by 50,000
schools nationwide to reward
young readers with free pizzas,
is now under attack by childdevelopment experts who say it
promotes bad eating habits and
turns teachers into corporate promoters.
According to critics, it promotes junk food consumption to a
captive audience and undermines
parents by positioning family visits to Pizza Hut as an integral component of raising literate children.
According to CNN.com, the
Campaign for a Commercial-Free
Childhood called on parents to
end their schools’ participation
in the long-standing program.
Though some activists have previously questioned Book It, the
organization said that only after
the recent upsurge of concern
over child obesity and junk food
did the group feel it could make
headway with a formal protest
campaign. It said many schools
are trying to reduce students’ access to soda, and contended that
Book It should face similar scrutiny.
“I don’t quite know what to
think,” said junior Kristen Neville.
However, the program (which
has given away more than 200
million pizzas) has deep roots and
many admirers at the highest levels of politics and education.
It won a citation in 1988 from
President Reagan, and its advisory board includes representatives
of prominent education groups,
including teachers unions and the
American Library Association.
“Banning the program isn’t
keeping children away from
bad eating habits, it’s discouraging them from reading,”
said Colleen Sewing, senior.
“Would you rather have a bunch
of skinny illiterate kids, or a
bunch of overweight readers?”
Dallas-based Pizza Hut says
Book It is the nation’s largest
reading motivation program, conducted annually in about 925,000
elementary school classrooms
from Oct. 1 through March 31.
Participating teachers set a
monthly reading goal for each
student; those who meet the goal
get a certificate they can redeem
at Pizza Hut for a free Personal
Pan Pizza. Families often accompany the winners, turning the
event into a celebration that can
boost business for the restaurant.
Said junior Stephanie Fink,
“Overall, it seems like a good
idea. Reading programs can always find restaurant chains that
offer healthier selections than
Pizza Hut.”
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Stricter curfew laws put
damper on teens’plans
LAUREN KEERS /
FEATURES EDITOR
BY
Earlier curfews, passenger
limits, and other new restrictions
are being proposed for teen
drivers in Illinois. The state has
made new rules to make sure teens
aren’t getting into accidents and to
make sure they are ready to be out
on the open roads.
When most teenagers first get
their licenses they want to go out
and pick up a bunch of friends,
sounds like a great idea right? Too
bad it won’t be able to happen if
they are under the age of 18.
“Well I don’t like the new
law only because I want to be
able to drive my friends around,
but I understand why they made
it because people need a lot of
experience and a lot of people in
the car would be a distraction,” said
Natalie Nurkowski, freshman.
Now when teens get their
license they can’t only drive wit
more than one passenger under
the age of 19 for the first 6 months
or until they are 18. The only
exception to this law is if they
have someone in the car over age
of 21 or if the kids in the car are
siblings of the driver.
“I like the idea of only one
passenger in the car for the first
six months. I have students who
have trouble paying attention in
class because they sit next to their
friends. I know I sure wouldn’t
want to be driving next to a car
full of teenagers who just got their
drivers license,” said Mr. Nicholas
Lundin, Driver’s Education.
Also make sure when there are
people in the car they all have their
seatbelts on because the law states
that anyone under 19 years old has
to wear their seat belt.
Along with not being able to
pick up a car full of their friends,
teenagers also can’t stay out as late
as they would like to, even if their
parents don’t care when they get
home. The state’s curfew forbids
teen drivers under 17 to be out
past 11 p.m. on Sunday through
Thursday nights. Then on Friday
and Saturday nights the curfew is
until midnight.
“I’m pretty neutral when it
comes to the curfew we have. I
don’t feel that a curfew should be
placed on us; however, I could also
see it as being a good thing. The
only reason I see it as a good thing
is because it could help prevent
wrecks from drowsiness. Other
than that, I don’t feel we should
have a curfew when it comes
to driving,” said Dan Hayes,
sophomore.
If you aren’t in driver’s ed yet,
when you do enroll in the class
and get your driver’s permit, make
sure you are ready to drive every
time you go somewhere with your
parents. Teens now with driver’s
permits have to drive 50 hours
with your parents to be able to get
your license, and 10 of those hours
have to be at night.
When teens get their drivers
license it’s one of the best days of
their lives, but now they have to
enjoy it with restrictions.
SCHOOL NEWS PPC
T.A.T.U. assembles list of
smoke-free establishments
815-727-4001
SAM MENNE /
STAFF WRITER
BY
Have you ever gone to a
restaurant and were not able to
enjoy your food because you were
engulfed in smoke? Students in
T.A.T.U. (Teens Against Tobacco
Use) have assembled a list of
restaurants in the area that are
completely non-smoking. Plus
with prom coming up, many
students do not want to leave their
restaurant of choice reeking of
cigarette smoke.
So if you are looking for a
place to eat and do not want
smoke ruining your time, or a nice
place to eat after prom, you may
want to consider these restaurants
courtesy of T.A.T.U.:
Arbor Vitae Java & Juice
111 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville
630-778-9090
Noodles & Co.
137 N Weber Rd., Bolingbrook
630-771-9999
Ooga Booga Bar-Ba-Q
110 Macgregor Rd., Lockport
815-838-7675
Sushi House
175 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville
630-717-8888
Tallgrass Restaurant
1006 S. State St., Lockport
815-838-5566
The Old Stone Café
1100 S. State St., Lockport
815-834-0500
Baby Back Blues BBQ
23145 W. Lincoln Highway, Plainfield
815-254-6939
Amancecer Tapatio
573-7 Collins St., Joliet
Science teachers to go to Tanzania
NICK CONDOTTI /
ADVERTISING MANAGER
BY
This summer three teachers
from MCHS are traveling half
way around the world to Tanzania,
Africa. They are not going for
a vacation but to train science
teachers on best practices in the
classroom and help them with
chemistry and biology.
Mrs.
Donna Engel, Ms. Laura Tessmer,
and Ms. Alexa Schlosser will be
leaving for the trip on June 10.
“I am in support of global
education and am willing to put
myself at risk to
help others across the globe. I
am excited to work with colleagues
in Tanzania and hopefully make
some impact to help them educate
Wizard of Oz performed
for 1st time since ’85
ALLISON PAPP /
COPY EDITOR
BY
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“I’ll get you my pretty, and
your little dog too!”
Almost everyone knows this
line from the famous film The
Wizard of Oz. On March 15-17,
MCHS put on a stage production
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of the picture.
The spring musical starred
senior Aileen Rak as Dorothy,
senior Krissy Gestel as Auntie
Em, senior Matthias Gill as Uncle
Henry,
sophomore
Brandon
Hamilton as Zeke/Cowardly Lion,
senior Raju Bond as Hickory/
Tinman, sophomore Mitch Pursell
their students
in science,” stated Schlosser
Tanzania is a developing nation
suffering from an educational
famine. Less than 6 percent of its
children have more than a seventh
grade education.
“As a teacher I believe every
child should have an education,”
Schlosser went on to say.
The schools are in bad
as Hunk/Scarecrow, senior Bri
Gustafson as the Wicked Witch,
and senior Katelyn Kratz as
Glinda, the Good Witch. It is
safe to say that the musical was
a huge success, and everyone
involved did an amazing job.
“I had fun. The play was very
entertaining, and I would go
again,” said Mr. Matt Muehlbauer,
campus monitor and usher for the
show.
As you can imagine, putting on
a musical takes a lot of time and
condition, the windows with
gaping holes. The classrooms
don’t have the necessities like
paper, pencils, books, maps, and
even electricity. A lot of the kids
that attend the school have lost
their parents of HIV and AIDS.
The country has a lot of diseases
like malaria and dengue fever
that can wipe out a whole village,
according to Mrs. Engel. The
teachers are going down there
to help with the schools; they
will make a difference in many
children’s lives.
“I think it’s really good
idea for the MCHS teachers to
go to another country to help out
schools,” stated sophomore Alex
Gajcak.
effort.
“ Working on this musical took
a long time and was pretty hard,”
said sophomore Spencer Sullivan,
who played a tough guy and
polisher.
Another thing that seemed to
be difficult for the actors was the
choreography.
“The dancing was hard, but
it turned out really good. It was
hard putting it all together,” said
sophomore Mike Burns, who
played the guard.
The Tinman, senior Raju Bond,
said, “ I am a really bad dancer,
but Mrs. Grawey-Beeler changed
that!”
I got the opportunity to talk
with the actors and actresses right
after the show opening night, and
here is what they had to say about
it:
“OZ” Continued On Page 13
DESIGNED BY BRANDON JOHNSON 5
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FEATURES
Seniors make the most of their remaining
days as they get closer to the real world
BY
KARLA BYRNES/STAFF WRITER
As the school year comes to a close, the
seniors are getting ready to start, what most
people call the most exciting time of their
life. The seniors will be graduating on May
20 and from there will be getting ready to
go to their ideal school and pursue their
future career or transition into adulthood
for those who will not attend college. It’s
hard to believe that everyone [seniors] will
be leaving high school and a majority of the
students will go their separate ways.
“Leaving high school is bittersweet
for me. I am excited to move on with my
future, but am also scared to leave my
friends, family, and the life I know and love
here. I plan to make the most of the rest
of my time at home and make memories I
will never forget,” stated Stephanie Durkin,
senior. “Next year I plan to go to DePaul
University and major in accounting. I love
the school and can not wait to see how the
next four years turn out, and I can only
hope that they will be as amazing as the last
four.”
A lot of students will leave here with some
life learned lessons and great memories.
People say high school isn’t all fun and
games, but in all honestly, it is. Seniors had
varied opinions on leaving high school.
“Graduating isn’t a spectacular
event. Am I going to graduate? I don’t
know. But if I do, I’m not looking forward
to it, except leaving high school. Besides
that, it’s like a whole new chapter in life.
New people. New Places. You know, it’s
scary. Who knows what life will be like
after this May? Up to this point, we’ve all
been guided, basically having our decisions
made for us in a sense. I think it’ll be quite
the experience, though,” Alex Simotes,
senior.
Alex is right, high school has been a huge
experience. Going through phases, making
new friends, and figuring out who you are
was just the beginning.
“I question if I was going to
actually graduate and for about a week.
6 DESIGNED BY BRANDON JOHNSON
Honestly, I don’t really look
forward to the end of this
year and everyone leaving,
however, I do not regret
anything I did in high school,
too many good times. I still
remember what I wore to
freshman orientation, As for
what I’m going to do after
this year, I basically plan on
going to JJC, and from there,
we’ll see what happens. I
still want to become a pilot,
so we’ll see how that goes,”
explained Mikey Guzman,
senior.
As far as graduating
many students are worried
about leaving their friends
and possibly never seeing
them again. That’s a risk
everyone is willing to take at
this point.
“I think I’ll miss a lot of
friends and stuff, but that’s
life. I mean if we are true
friends we will stay together,”
said Geoff Harvey, senior.
“I’m really excited to be
out of school, but it’s going
to be really sad to leave all of
my friends and the fun times.
Next stop, JJC,” said Allison
Spivy, senior.
“High
school
was
definitely really fun, except
the whole being in school
Two seniors, Michael Magro (left) and Rachel Harms (right) are looking forward to graduation and taking the next step to
fact. I met a lot of great
college. Photo taken by PPC Staff Writer Ryan Kelley.
people and shared the good
times with. I kind of wish I
could re-live it all again, yeah
that’d be sweet,” said Kyle Cottle, senor.
It’s a sad thing to think about when you
know that at the end of the year some of
your close friends will be leaving, but just
remember that true friends stay in contact.
Best of luck to all of the seniors.
“I think I’ll miss a lot of friends and
stuff, but that’s life. I mean if we are
true friends we will stay together,”Geoff Harvey, senior.
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FEATURES C
Can Your Dreams
Predict the Future?
BY KRISTI LAWRENCE /
PPC STAFF WRITER
Some people think that the dreams we
have at night are a way to solve issues from
our daily lifestyle. Other people think that
dreams are just impulses that the brain
gives off during the average eight hours
of sleep. Another theory about dreams is
that the brain creates fragments of images
from memory. Do scientists really know
what exactly dreams mean, or if they mean
anything at all?
“I think that every dream means
something that is going to happen in the
future,” said junior Sarah Grygiel.
According to howstuffworks.com,
your dreams may have a hidden meaning
that symbolizes something in real life.
For example, when you’re dreaming that
you are falling... and then you wake up;
this dream that is common among many
people is said to symbolize insecurities and
anxiety.
Those dreams where someone is chasing
you can make you feel paranoid. What it
usually symbolizes is that you’re running
away from your problems. Who is chasing
you, depends on what the problem is that
you may have. Let’s say that you have
a drinking problem. Your dream may be
telling you that your drinking is becoming
a real problem.According to www.sleeps.
comm you dream of sitting at a window
and watching a storm with blowing rain,
it is a sign that you will be blessed with
true love in your present relationship. To
dream of a clear day with sparkling rain
shows that you will soon have a pouring of
good luck, but if you are caught in a severe
rainstorm and get soaking wet, that is the
sign of amassing great wealth, perhaps
through an inheritance.
“Sometimes they can come true, but you
never know,” said junior Freddy Lopez.
“I once had a dream when I was like
five, that I got an ice cream cone, and this
man stole it from me. I was really [mad],”
said Eric Wilson.
Other dreams are said to be
premonitions. A premonition is a “feeling
or warning about a future event. This
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
may be a vague feeling or it can be quite
specific,” according to clubalien.dictionary.
com. There have been several incidents
where people have predicted the future,
according to their dreams.
In most cases the incident actually
did occur. One man made a 1.6 million
dollar profit, through his stock market
trade, because the intensity of his dream
was realistic enough to actually say what
happened in his dream, according to
“I think
that every
dream means
something
that is going
to happen in
the future,”
said junior
Sarah Grygiel.
howstuffworks.com.
“I’ve kind of had that happen before.
It felt like Déjà vu,” said freshman A.J.
Zalewski.
As theorist Sigmund Freud, thought
that the function of dreams was to preserve
sleep, but that 107 year-old theory was
contradicted by the fact that dreams happen
very regularly. On average, dreams occur at
least five or six times per night in an active
stage of sleep called REM sleep, which was
discovered in 1953, according to psych.
ucsc.edu/dreams.
A reoccurring dream affects many
people during their lifetime.
They usually mean there is
something in your life
you’ve not acknowledged
that is causing some sort
of stress. The dream
repeats because you have
not corrected the problem.
Another theory is that
people may have some
sort of trauma in their
past they are trying to
deal with.
“The
dreams that
are worth
interpreting
are the recurring dreams
in your lifetime
because they
obviously
represent
some underlying
fears/wishes/
motives,” said
psychology teacher,
Mr. Matt Marino.
Whether
scientists know
the real
answers or
not, many
people
already
have
their own
opinions
about what
their dreams
are all about.
It is hard
to say if dreams
actually do mean
something.
Or if they are just part of our
imagination that doesn’t sleep when the
rest of our bodies do.
Dream
catchers
are
devices that are rumored to help people rememb and the styles of
dream catchers reflect Indian culture. Photo by
PPC Photo Editor Angela Mateo.
DESIGNED BY AMANDA ALEXANDER
PP
C
FEATURES
End of school year:
more stress for students?
BY
SARAH SILVERMAN / COPY EDITOR
Spring break has ended, and students are
now in that time of the year where they seem
to get overwhelmed by stress. With very few
days off before the end of the school year,
students rarely have breaks to take time and
relax.
“I hate this time of the year because it
feels like we never get a break. All throughout the year we have days off, but this time
of the year we never have a day
off to just relax,” said sophomore Alexandra Pocta.
It is crunch time
in school because
there is only about
a month and a half
until finals and the
end of the school
year. With this
time coming up,
I have decided to
provide students with
some tips to relieving
stress during this hectic
time. All of these suggestions
are things that have worked for me or
people that I know so try them; they could
make all the difference.
One tip is to get organized. If you are unorganized you are often stressed. Try things
like keeping a daily planner, or making
to-do lists for things that need to get done.
Also, organizing can help you keep track
of where things are. If you’re unorganized
you may waste valuable time trying to find
something.
Another tip is to stop using stimulants. If
you limit caffeine, alcohol, and unnecessary
medicine consumption, it is quite likely that
you will become less stressed. Stimulants
don’t actually alleviate tension, but rather
increase stress levels and create more symptoms of stress.
Sophomore Samantha Claysen said,
“When I get stressed I drink a ton
of caffeine to try and wake
myself up. I know I drink
more than I should in
hectic times, but it
basically becomes
what I rely on to
keep me going.”
Other ways to
relieve stress are to
communicate. Talk
to a friend about your
problems so that they
don’t stay bottled up inside you. Your friend may
be able to help you with your
problems, and even if they can’t, a lot
of the time it just helps to talk to someone.
Also, you can take time and write everything down. This will help you to sort out
your life. Just like talking, writing will help
put everything into perspective for you.
Even if it doesn’t seem like you have
time, try taking a walk or losing yourself
in a daydream. Taking a walk can be one
of the best remedies for stress. It increases
“I hate this
time of the year
because it feels like we
never get a break,”
-Alexandra Pocta,
sophomore
Compromise,
now part of curfews
BY
TAYLOR BOWEN / COPY EDITOR
Curfew. Usually a horrible word for
most teenagers on the weekend. A time
when all the partying, all the hanging out,
all the fun ends. It’s when students have to
go home.
But even though the night has to end
sometime, what time is right, what time is a
good compromise for parents and students
to be fair but also safe?
“It’s 11:30 on weekends. I wish it were
later, but it is what it is,” said Casey Williams, junior.
“I’m a freshman and my mom makes me
come home at 9 or 10 on the weekdays, and
during the weekend it’s between 10 and 11,
and I think that is pretty fair,” said Michele
Powers, freshman.
Of course, there will be a time difference between the freshman and sophomore
curfew, and the junior and senior curfew.
“I don’t have a curfew, I just come home
when I want, which is usually pretty early,”
said Christina Donisch, junior.
Many students seem to not even have a
curfew.
“I don’t have a curfew, I just call and
say when I’m coming home,” said Rachel
Thompson, junior.
“I don’t have a curfew, luckily. As long
as my parents know what I’m doing they
trust me, said Taylor Hiller, junior.
Some students think their curfew is fair
and is what they want or deserve.
“I do what I want. And by what I want
I mean my mom tells me to come home at
11:30. So yeah...” said Zach Wieder, junior.
Most students with a driver’s license
have no curfew as long as their parents are
trusting and informed. Younger students
have a thought-to-be-fair 10 o’clock curfew
on weekdays, and eleven on weekends.
So what is fair? It may be the cooperation between parent and student, or it may
never be fair. The truth is, that it is different
for every family, every student.
The official curfew according to the Village of Minooka, and that of Channahon,
says that if you are 16 or under, on the
weekdays it is 11:00 p.m. On the weekends
it is 12:00 a.m. If you are 17 or older you do
not have a curfew.
The Shorewood law says for persons
15 and under have a 10:00 p.m. curfew all
week; 16 and 17 year olds have a 10 p.m.
curfew on weekdays, and midnight on
weekends.
Most parents in the areas agree with the
curfews set.
“Curfews are set for a reason. To keep
kids safe and off the street at dangerous
hours of the night,” said a mother of two
in line at the Minooka Police Department,
“I wouldn’t want my children our any later
than their curfew. It’s dangerous and you
never know what could happen.”
endorphins in your brain, but also, just getting away from everything and having time
to think is one of the best benefits of the
walk technique. If you don’t have enough
time to talk a walk, try losing yourself in
a daydream. Take 10 minutes and imagine
something that calms you down or makes
you happy. This is like the old “find your
happy place” technique.
My last tip is, if you become too stressed
and nothing else works, take a deep breathe.
Deep breathing can result in a calmer mindset. It supplies oxygen to the brain and will
relieve stress.
CURE YOUR STRESS MESS!
�COMMUNICATE-TALK WITH FRIENDS
�DREAM-FIND YOUR OWN“HAPPY PLACE”
�WRITE IT DOWN-RECORD THE STRESS
�CLEANSE WITH BREATH-BREATHE IN DEEPLY
�TAKE A COOL DOWN-LOSE YOURSELF IN A WALK
8
DESIGNED BY LAUREN KEERS & SAM KELLEY
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
Minooka’s own:
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PPC
Devoured by Sinners Dreams of L.A.
BY
TONI BRYANT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Have you ever thought of being in a rock band and taking
a walk down Fame Avenue? For a local band from Minooka,
Devoured by Sinners, a nationwide battle of the bands might
give them that chance. According to headbangforahighway.
com, Headbang for a Highway is a multi-city battle of
the bands, which has three different rounds, the winner
receiving not only money and a nationwide exposure, but
also the opportunity to be the opening act on a nationwide
tour and produce a live video.
“Winning the first round was amazing, I was so nervous
when they were about to announce the winners, and when
they said Devoured by Sinners, I was so happy and relieved.
We worked so hard and I’m still expecting a lot from my
band, we all work so hard,” stated Mike Husoski, one of the
guitarists in Devoured by Sinners.
The band’s drummer, Alex Acuna, was also very excited
about winning the first round.
“It feels great that we won the first round, I’m really
proud of us as a band, we have came along way,” stated
Acuna.
Headbang for a highway will be stoping in many different
cities to advance bands to the final show in L.A.
The Illinois Headbang for a Highway began on March
11 at the Colosseum in Mokena. Devoured by Sinners won
first place at this show, and a band from Wisconsin won the
wildcard stop.
“I think that the first round was a great experience, we
all tried our best to win over the judges and that’s what we
did,” stated Devoured by Sinners singer, Nick Terrell.
“Winning the first round was an awesome feeling, I fell
like I accomplished something for once, even though we
still have two rounds to go,” stated Ceser Acuna, the other
guitarist in Devoured by Sinners.
Rob Avery, Devoured by Sinners bassist said, “When
they announced the winners of the first round, I was
actually outside loading up our equipment, then I heard my
band mates saying ‘Rob, we won! Get in here!’ it was an
awesome feeling to win first place.”
The second show was on March 18, in which two other
bands advanced to the next rounds.
The third show was on March 25, Beneath the Hollow,
another Minooka oriented band won the wildcard slot.
The final first round show was April 1, in which two
more bands moved to the next rounds.
There will be a wildcard round, in which of the wildcard
bands will battle, and one of them will make it to the finals.
The days in which the wildcard round and finals has not
yet been annonced, when the day is announced it will be
available on www.myspace.com/devouredbysinners.
The five final bands will be competing for a chance to go
to L.A., in which every winner through out nation will be
competing for the grand prize.
All of the band members are excited about going to the
finals and all have different views, but one thing is for sure,
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
they are confident in themselves.
“I think the second round is going to be a little more
difficult because there will be more competition. I’m
staying positive and saying we are winning and competing
in California,” stated Alex.
Ceser stated, “We will win once again, it’s going to be
more difficult than the first round, of course, but we will
win.”
“We are going to rock out and go crazy for the second
round. We are going to play our hardest and hopefully take
first again,” said Avery.
The first place band wins a full U.S. tour, live music
video by Jerry Clubb, $2,500 spending cash, $1,000 in
merchandise printing, a spot on the mainstage at Infest, a
spot on the mainstage at the Virginia Metalfest, and a record
label showcase.
The second place band will win $1,000 spending cash,
$500 in merchandise printing, a spot on the mainstage at the
California Metalfest, a spot on the mainstage at the Virgina
Metalfest, and a record label showcase.
The third place prize is $500 spending money, and $250
merchandise printing.
Making it all the way to L.A. is something that all of the
band members are hoping to do.
“This is Devoured’s time, Devoured as a band has
waited too long and I think
we deserve to go
all the way to L.A.,” said
Terrell.
“If we make it to
L.A., first, I am going to
freak out and probably
run around in circles
screaming,”
said
Alex.
“We
have
came
a
long
way,
considering
that
my
b r o t h e r
Ceser and I
started this
band when
we were in
high school,
we think that
Mike, Rob,
and Nick fit
perfectly into
this new and
improved band.
When I was the
singer back in
the day our style
was Metal/ Death
metal, now our style
progressed
into
metal/death metal/ hardcore. Our sound is now more brutal
and matured and makes you want to punch someone in the
face!” stated Alex
“It will be awesome to go to L.A., I have always wanted
to go, and I have some buddies out there so it would be nice
to see them along with winning the competition,” stated
Ceser.
Devoured by Sinners has always been a Minooka
oriented band. Four of the members are from MCHS. Ceser
graduated in the class of 2002, Alex graduated in the class of
2003, and Husoski and Avery are both juniors at MCHS.
To get ready for the next two rounds of the competition,
the bands members have to make sure that everything is
perfect. Ceser stated, “Practice, practice, practice,” and
Husoski said that they are getting ready for the finals by
practicing two times a week for four hours at a time.
Devoured by Sinners may be competing against a
band that they usually play with, not against, Beneath the
Hollow, if they win the wildcard round, they will advanace
to the finals. The members in both bands are all very close
friends.
“I think that it was really fun, and interesting, to compete
against our friends, in the end we will all still be good
friends, so I’m excited. It is going to be different to compete
against BTH then to play with them,” stated Husoski.
“I wish we could be competing in California along with
our bros in Beneath the Hollow, but only one of us can
make it. Either way DBS and BTH are making it no
matter what!” said Alex.
One of the five finalists will be flying
out to L.A. to have a chance to walk down
Fame Avenue, Hopefully
it will be Devoured by
Sinners.
From left, Rob Avery, Cesar Acuna, Mike
Husoski, Nick Terrell, and Alex Acuna. Photo by
Editor-in-Chief Toni Bryant.
DESIGNED BY JESSICA PIESZCHALA
9
PP
C
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIES
M
B Y
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M
N G E L A
E
Cycle 8 of America’s Next Top Model
has got viewers hooked! The show airs
Wednesday nights on the CW at 8 p.m.
“America’s Next Top Model is a fun
show to watch because the photo shoots
are really interesting to watch. It’s also
crazy how tall those girls are! They’ve
got a good foot on me!” said Stephanie
Pierce, sophomore.
The models go through vigorous
modeling competition while having to
live with the other models day by day.
Every week they have a challenge to test
if their modeling skills have improved and
help determine who should go home and
who should move on closer to becoming
America’s Next Top Model.
Cycle 8 models include Cassandra,
Brittany, Dionne, Jael, Felicia, Jaslene,
Kathleen, Natasha, Renee, Samantha,
Sarah, and two plus size models Diana
and Whitney. Sarah is from Lake
Zurich, Ill.
Sophomore Elle Atra said, “I watch
G
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America’s Next Top Model because I
think it’s interesting to see what they
make the girls do and to see the photo
shoots that they have to take and plus I
love Tyra!”
The judges include supermodels Tyra
Banks and Twiggy, photographer Nigel
Barker, runway expert J. Alexander,
and guest judge who worked with them
throughout the week.
Each week one girl is eliminated from
the competition and the other girls are
one step closer to the grand prize.
Rachel Likes, sophomore, said, “It’s
awesome! Every week I wonder who
will be eliminated. It’s fun to see who
wins at the end.”
Whoever is chosen to be America’s
Next Top Model will be managed by Elite
Model Management, receive a $100,000
contract with CoverGirl, and appear on
a six-page fashion spread in Seventeen
magazine.
C
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S A M K E L L E Y / F E A T U R E S
Warner Brothers
army and themselves. The movie
has done it again.
is directed and written by Kevin
They have brought
Munroe, and has actors such as
another great tale
Sarah Michelle Gellar (April
to the big screen,
O’Neil).
meaning the TeenBefore many of the students
age Mutant Ninja
that attend MCHS were even
Turtles movie that
born, The Teenage Mutant Ninja
hit the theaters
Turtles have been on the scene.
March 23. TMNT,
In 1990, Steve Barron wrote and
as it is called, is
directed a film on the mutants
the story of the fathat were, “lean, green, and on
mous four staying
the scene.” The foursome fights
together to fight an
Shredder as he tries to take over
army of old monthe world, and the turtles in the
sters, raised by one
half shells succeed against their
of New York’s techrivals.
Many teens are excited
industrialists Maxi“I’m excited about the (new)
about the movie Teenage
millian J. Winters.
Ninja Turtles because they kick
Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Splinter, the rat and
major butt,” said sophomore
Photo taken by PPC
the character that
Alyssa Caron.
features and photo editor,
plays a parallel role
“I’m really excited to see my
to a counselor, helps Lauren Keers.
favorite childhood heroes fighting
them stay together
crime again. I can’t wait to go see
as a group while they try to fight off the it!” said sophomore Kelsey Mcguire.
B Y
Y
’
S
D I T O R
while working on set but we’ve
resolved it.”
“Resolved” might not be the
right word to describe it. Following
that incident, accusations surfaced
that during the fight Washington
called homosexual cast mate T.R.
Knight an offensive name. Though
Washington openly denied that
this ever happened, the rest of
the cast confirmed that it did,
digging him an even deeper hole.
Amidst rumors that he was being
booted from the show, Washington
DESIGNED BY ERIC REYNOLDS
T
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Grey’s Anatomy is a show
known for it’s dramatic plot lines,
but these days it hasn’t been the
actual show that’s been stirring up
the controversy.
The first on set commotion
occurred when Isaiah Washington
reportedly had a brawl with Patrick
Dempsey over time and production
issues.
Washington said this to People
Magazine: “We were like two
baseball players . . . nose-to-nose.
We had a difference of opinions
10
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AND
finally owned up to his actions and
proceeded to check himself into a
treatment center for psychological
evaluation.
However, Washington isn’t
the only cast member causing on
set drama. A spin-off of Grey’s
starring Kate Walsh is seemingly
in the works, and rumors of
jealousy among the group have
started. According to starpulse.
com the cast was blindsided by the
announcement of the spin-off, each
feeling their character deserved the
new show.
“I think the idea of a spin-off is
ridiculous. If they do have one, all
it is going to be is Grey’s Anatomy,
but with different characters. I
do not think that this is a good
decision,” said Katie Rings,
sophomore.
Also caught up in envy,
Katherine Heigl has been dealing
with a public feud over her contract
with the show. People reported
March 6th “Heigl backed out of
contract negotiations because she
felt Grey’s did not value her as
much as her costars.”
Firing back, Heigl released this
statement: “I am embarrassed that
this has become a public matter
and
disappointed
that
Touchstone felt it necessary to
divulge
private
employment
information…”
Thanks to their off camera
antics, the cast’s problems have
been thrust into the media spotlight.
It seems as though just as an issue
begin to fade, a new one pops up.
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
Art Feature:
PP
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT C
Painting talents and more at MCHS
As with most MCHS courses, they wouldn’t be
anything without the teachers: Mrs. Dana Becker, Mrs.
Carolynn Bartolotta, and Ms. Chris Listello.
At school, art has become something that most students
Becker commented, “Our three art teachers are
notice, acknowledge momentarily, and then ignore. Yet, to
continuously working together to further develop the
curriculum.”
Bartolotta commented on her hopes for the art
program.“I would like to offer, if we can, a little more
variety, but we are limited with staffing,” said Bartolotta.
“We are limited as to what we can teach.”
As the student population grows, the art department is
already trying to grow with it. They already offer many
art courses ranging from Drawing I to Portfolio AP;
however, they are still trying to expand the curriculum
further.“We have plans to offer more kinds of classes,”
said Listello. “We’ve already made some changes we
think will benefit everybody.”
Bartolotta revealed new classes for next year. “We
will be starting Drawing II and Honors Drawing II next
year to build on skills,” said Bartolotta.
Becker told of her future ideas. “I would like to see
additional courses offered in the art department, such as
ceramics and sculpture, [but] this will require additional
staff and facilities,” said Becker.
Listello commented on what she thinks MCHS needs
to improve the art program. “We’d especially like to add
more display cases around the school,” said Listello, Christina Donisch won 1st Place in Acrylic Painting at the
hopefully.
SPC Art Fair.
Although the teachers are a very influential part, the art
Hayley Fisk won 3rd Place in Mixed Media at the SPC
“[The best part of the art department is] the students.
department would be nothing without the students.
Art Fair.
They are very motivated,” said Bartolotta.
Listello described of the art students. “Generally all
some students, art has become life. A handful of
students are highly motivated in the department, especially
MCHS students are in more than one art class and
those who go on after Intro to Art,” said Listello. “I like
plan to extend their knowledge and talent into
seeing the students pleased with what they’ve accomplished
their career.
especially when it’s very challenging for them to get to an
“[I’d like to be a] photojournalist, tattoo
end product.”
artist, or cinematographer. [The school] offers a
Becker reflected of the challenges for students. “For
variety of classes; all of the teachers have a lot of
most of our students, the biggest challenges are patience
experience in their fields,” said Brittany Sowacke,
and persistence. They expect instant success. The reality
junior.
is that successful artists spend a significant amount of time
Of course, the teachers can help with more
developing their skills and seeking out inspiration,” said
than just art.
Becker.
Senior Taryn Cap said, “The teachers are very
Senior Molly Anderson talked of her inspiration and how
helpful when you ask them about colleges.”
it will help her. “I get influenced by all the other students. I
Publicity can also help boost one’s career as
think art will help me develop ideas [for my career because]
an artist. Recently, MCHS hosted the Southwest
I’m going to be a fashion designer.”
Prairie Conference Art Fair. Out of eight
Whether it is a new painting someone’s working on, or
submissions by MCHS students, four placed.
in a few years, a new sculpture, the art program certainly
Christina Donisch received first place in Acrylic
does and will continue to help students. After all, for now
Painting; Molly Anderson received third place in
it seems like a simple drawing, but one day it may be your
Acrylic Painting; Hayley Fisk received third place
tattoo by Sowacke, or your outfit by Anderson. These could
in Mixed Media; Brittany Sowacke received third
be the artists of the paintings on your walls.
Molly Anderson won 3rd Place in Acrylic Painting at the SPC Art Fair.
place in photography.
BY
JESSICA PIESZCHALA / A&E EDITOR
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
DESIGNED BY JESSICA PIESZCHALA 11
PP
C INTERACTIVE
Crossword Puzzle:
Movie Quotes
Brain
Busters
*Lee, Joe, Sue, Janet
and Charles took a math
exam. Charles was not
last, Janet was not first
or last. Charles scored
higher than Joe, Janet
scored higher than Sue,
Lee scored lower than
Joe but higher than Janet.
Who had the highest
score?
* Start by adding the year
Columbus
discovered
America to the year
William the Conqueror
conquered England, then
add the first year of the
21st century. What’s the
answer?
* The local grocer is a wouldbe mathematician. He likes
to arrange his apples in nice
rows. However, when he
lays his apples in rows of 3
he has one left over. When
he lays them in rows of 5
he also has one left over.
Remarkably he also has one
left over when he arranges
them in rows of 7 and 9.
11 seems to be the magic
number, for, in rows of 11
there are no apples left over.
How many apples does the
grocer have?
Flip your paper over! Answers are at the bottom.
*The ten most
generous countries
are all in Europe.
12 DESIGNED BY BRITTANY PENDRY & ALLIE PAPP
A
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R
S
All facts received by stunning-stuff.com
From March 7 Issue
Word of
the Week
MOGUL
An important,
powerful, or
influential person
Brain
1. Kevin, you wanna play
scissors, paper, stone again
5. Basic principles.. there
are none
6. They fought all the time
and they challenged each
other everyday... But in
spite their differences, they
had one important thing in
common, they were crazy
about each other
7. With great power comes
great responsibility
12. There’s a 30% chance
that it’s already raining
13. If you can dodge a
wrench, you can dodge a
ball
Busters
2. Rule #76: No excuses.
Play like a champion
3. Were you listening to
me, Neo?
4. I’m not gonna talk to
you tonight about winnin’
and losin’. You’re already
winners ‘cause you didn’t
kill each other up at camp
8. What if Andy gets
another dinosaur?... I
don’t think I can take that
kind of rejection.
9. From the moment the
invaders arrived... they
were doomed
10. You so totally rock,
Squirt! So gimme some
fin
11. You’re so wise. You’re
like a miniature Buddha,
covered with hair
Highest Score: Charles,
Joe, Lee. Janet, Sue
ACROSS
*There are more
nutrients in the
cornflake package
itself than there are in
the actual cornflakes.
Year of Columbus: 4559
DOWN
*0.7% of Americans
are currently in
prison.
*Rats destroy an
estimated 1/3 of the
world’s food supply
each year.
*An average human
loses about 200 head
hairs per day.
Apples: 946
Designed by Taylor Bowen and Allie Papp
Funny Facts
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
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JUMP C
“SHEEP” from page 4
“Plus what if there was a mistake
and the fetus was straight? You
would just be killing babies.”
There is also the possibility of a
cure for homosexuality. The scientists have been able to effectively
change the ram’s sexual preference, could humans be next?
“I think that that’s asinine,” said
English teacher, Ms. Jennifer Gabel. “It insinuates that it is a disease, and I don’t think that it is. It
is a segment of our population that
is enriching, not detrimental.”
Junior, Ashley Southerland said,
“There’s no cure for a state of
mind. It is just one of the things
that make us all different. I think
the world would be boring with
less rainbows in it.”
“Gay is just love, it shouldn’t be
looked at like a disease,” said
freshman D.J. Anderson.
These gay sheep may be support
for gay people that homosexuality
is not a choice, but the way they
are born. It may also bring negative effects to the gay community
such as biased abortions, and the
possibility of a cure some day.
“SMOKEFREE” from page 5
Chill Out
1880 E. Lincoln Highway, New
Lenox
815-462-9196
Heaven on Seven
224 S. Main St., Naperville
630-717-0777
El Tapatio
1695 Plainfield Rd., Plainfield
815-744-3922
Imperial Palace
360
N.
Schmidt
Bolingbrook
630-759-1117
Gourmet Junction
505 W. Lockport St., Plainfield
815-439-3933
Jitters Coffee House
178 N. Chicago St., Joliet
815-740-0048
However, before jumping to
conclusions, it is imperative to
speak to multiple doctors that specialize in eating disorders. This is
because a misdiagnosis can occur anywhere from 8 percent to
40 percent. If one feels as though
someone they know is suffering
from this disease, he or she needs
to become educated about it and
contact a professional as soon as
possible. Do not ignore the signs.
Many eating disorders do not get
reported and they end up paying a
high price for it later.
Furthermore, anorexia nervosa
does not only occur in women either, as many assume. According
to sadd.org, approximately 1 million men in America suffer from
an eating disorder. This includes
anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Currently, information shows that men are now concerned more about their image and
body weight, according to anred.
com.
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
Rd.,
“DON’T CARE”
from page 3
Being comfortable all
day, and not having to
worry about looking prefect
makes your day so much
better. It lets you relax and
think. Conversations also
seem to flow better when
everyone is relaxed. You
don’t have to worry about
a tight ponytail stopping the
blood flow to your brain, or
the pain of uncomfortable
jeans distracting you from
what you are doing. Being
comfortable is just better
for everyone.
So this “I don’t
care” look that everyone
is sporting: I think it’s
amazing. I love being able to
dress without any problem,
love being able to blend in
by just being relaxed and
in comfy clothes. This is
definitely a great thing, and
I hope it stays around for a
long time.
“OBESITY” from page 4
Sophomore China Oughton
comments on more reasons of
obesity.
“It’s probably just because
[people] don’t really watch what
they eat and they don’t think
about it,” Oughton said.
Worse than the condition itself
is the treatment. Treatment of
obesity is difficult because there
is not much one can do. When a
person becomes obese fat cells
change and become formed differently, and harder to lose.
To treat obesity, one should
approach just eating healthier and
exercising. If that doesn’t work,
there is not much else to do.
One of the most seeked options is gastric bypass surgery.
This is for many reasons including the fact that it’s the easiest
and most successful choice. This
surgery is thought to be safer to
perform on teens, hence the increasing numbers of operations.
Although diet pills and gyms
are everywhere, it is evident that
obesity rates are going to go up.
Hopefully the chance of fixing it
keeps rising too.
“OZ” from page 5
“Playing the role [of the
Cowardly Lion] was fun! You
get to exaggerate a lot and be a
crybaby onstage,” said sophomore
and Cowardly Lion Brandon
Hamilton.
Freshman Jessica Paramo, who
played a Munchkin and an Osian,
said, “Being onstage, I just had to
concentrate and relax. You can’t
focus on the audience, or else you
will get very nervous.”
All performances were
engaging and comical, and no one
seemed the least bit nervous.
“ANOREXIA” from page 4
Despite the statistics, media,
and hearsay, what is anorexia nervosa?
According to webcenter.com,
eating disorders are illnesses that
cause a person to adopt harmful eating habits. They are most
common among teenage girls
and women, and frequently occur
along with other psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. The poor nutrition
associated with eating disorders
can harm organs in the body and,
in severe cases, lead to death. The
two most common types of eating
disorder are anorexia nervosa and
bulimia nervosa.
Many times, people suffer from
an eating disorder because he or
she has low self-esteem, emotional or sexual abuse, pressure from
the media, pressure from society,
as well as many others. When a
person suffers from an eating disorder, they refuse to recognize it.
When they look in the mirror they
do not see what everyone else sees.
When a person has an eating disorder they will starve themselves to
death unless they get outside help.
Overall, our society is based
on what we view in the media. We
look up to actresses and models,
but many only look up to them for
their frail figures. It is imperative to
understand what anorexia nervosa
is, or any eating disorder for that
matter. Millions of young men and
women suffer each year, many go
untreated, and in the end, their life
is the price they pay to be thin. Is
being thin really worth someone’s
life? It shouldn’t be because there
is so much more in life to look
forward to. Never let an eating
disorder consume someone’s life.
And, if you know someone who
could be suffering from an eating
disorder, step up and do not let it
happen. Do not let someone you
love be another statistic because of
their strive to be thin.
DESIGNED BY TONI BRYANT 13
PP
C
SPORTS
You mess with the Bulls
you just might get the horns
BY
MEGAN MCEVILLY /
STAFF WRITER
The Chicago Bull’s have had an
amazing season so far. Winning a
numerous amount of games, the
Bulls have been living up to their
name. As of March 14, their record
is 37-28.
The Bulls stormed over Orland
magic, 100-76 on March 8. Ben
Gordon scored 25 points and
teammate Kirk Hinrich had 17. In
the second half, Luol Deng helped
by gaining 15 points, and a seasonhigh 14 rebounds.
A huge win for the Bulls was
against the Washington Wizards
on February 23, winning 105-90.
Luol Deng matched his career
high with 32 points. Deng was a
huge factor in this game, 13-of-22
shooting and 11 rebounds, making
this their third straight win since
the All-Star break. Kirk Hinrich
also helped with his 20 points, 12
assists and eight rebounds.
Golden State Warriors were no
challenge for the Chicago Bulls on
February 28. Ben Gordon scored
16 of his 22 points in the first 12
minutes; while Tyrus Thomas
tied a career high was 14 points,
helping the Bulls take a huge win,
113-83.
March 2, the Bulls rampaged
New Orleans 104-93. Gordon
scored 27 points, and Hinrich
added 11 of his 22 points in the
fourth quarter. Deng added 24 in
the win.
Atlanta Hawks also were an
easy defeat for the Chicago Bulls,
winning 106-81.
Chris Duhon scored 17 points,
and Hinrich and Deng both added
16 points to the game. This made
the Bulls tenth straight defeat
against the Hawks.
The Bulls played on March 11,
Wallace also pulled in a game-high
14 rebounds.
“I think the Bulls are great.
They all work together and use a
“Kirk Hinrich is my favorite
player on the Bulls. I think
with him, they could definitely
make it to the playoffs,” said
sophomore Megan Bersano.
defeating the Celtics 94-78.
Chicago shot 51.4 percent from
the field and 58.3 percent from
beyond the arc. Hinrich posted a
game-high 26 points and seven
assists, while Gordon scored 21.
lot of different strategies to win
their games,” said freshman Mick
Quinn.
A player on the Chicago Bulls,
Luol Deng, has been named
CDW/Sony Notebooks Player of
the Month for February, making
this his second time winning this
award this season.
Deng started all 14 of Chicago’s
February games and averaged a
team-high 21.8 ppg to go along
with 8.1 rpg.
“Kirk Hinrich is my favorite
player on the Bulls. I think with
him, they could definitely make it
to the playoffs,” said sophomore
Megan Bersano.
On March 31, 2007, the Chicago
Bulls and Midway Moving and
Storage hosted a food drive, that
benefited the Greater Chicago
Food Depository.
“I think the Bulls will make it to
the playoffs, just because they’re a
good team and they’ve won a lot of
their games so far,” said freshman
Matt McEvilly.
Olympics to go to Windy City?
BY
BRANDON JOHNSON /
NEWS EDITOR
Chicago is known for the home
of sports teams, sightseeing, and
their diverse neighborhoods. But
the Windy City may soon be known
for something else, the host of the
2016 Olympics, both Chicago and
Los Angeles are competing. If
Chicago were to win the bid, the
city would have to build a $1.1
billion stadium, according to the
Chicago Tribune.
The City of Chicago had only
until March 31 to make plans for
the Olympics.
The USOC (United States
Olympic Committee) will then
decide on April 14 whether or not
14
DESIGNED BY JEFF BEGUIN
Chicago or Los Angeles will move
into international competition.
“I think it would be fun to go
out and see it [the Olympics] if it
came to Chicago,” said
sophomore,
Dominic
Moretti.
Others
are
indifferent.
“I really don’t have
an opinion about it,” said
David Holm, freshman.
In order to hold such
a big crowd, the City
of Chicago will need
to build a temporary
stadium. A private
developer will build the
“Olympic Village,” if Chicago
wins the bid. It would be located
at Washington Park, which is just
south of the McCormick Place.
Private donors will cover $220
million of the cost; the rest of the
$500 million will be up to the city.
number of options in regards to the
commitment we’ll make.”
Although Daley has vowed
not to use taxpayer funds, it has
become
evident
that he
w i l l
need to,
to pay
the rest
that the
private
“I think it would be fun to
go out and see it if it came
to Chicago,” said sophomore
Dominic Moretti.
Chicago Mayor Richard M.
Daley told the Chicago Tribune:
“We are presently looking at a
donations will not cover. On March
5, Chicago’s State Street Macy’s
unveiled new clothing supporting
the bid. The first merchandise to
be released was an official $30
long-sleeved, limited edition tshirt, which contains the Chicago
2016 logo.
The Chicago games will consist
of: Aquatics, archery, athletics,
badminton, basketball, boxing,
canoe/kayak, cycling, equestrian,
football, and gymnastics, just to
name a few.
The city has many things that
would suit the needs of spectators.
The Chicago Transit Authority
(CTA) has one of the most modern
transportation systems in the
world. Spectators can take the
CTA to the games. Another great
additional feature is the quantity of
hotels to choose from.
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
Chicago baseball preview
White Sox
RYAN KELLEY /
STAFF WRITER
BY
After winning the World Series
in 2005, the White Sox are expected
to come back and succeed at that
once again.
Something they won’t have to
worry about at all is their offense.
Jermaine Dye had a great season
last year, hitting 44 home runs and
batting in 120 RBIs. He will have
a lot of opportunities to drive in
even more runs with Paul Konerko
and Jim Thome batting ahead of
him.
Thome is a player to watch
on this team, especially after his
performances last year. He hit 42
home runs and was also rewarded
2006 American League Comeback
Player of the Year. I think he will
have an even better season this
year if he stays healthy.
There is also Scott Podsednik,
who helps out a lot to lead the
White Sox. He is great on the base
paths as last year he had 40 stolen
bases. He is joined by second
baseman Tadahito Iguchi who had
11 steals last year. They are both
expected to have a great year for
the White Sox.
The Sox picked up outfielder
Darin Erstad, who might be
replacing Posednik when he is
injured. Another addition to the
team is third basemen Josh Fields,
who may end up playing a lot more
then he did last year, as it has been
said that he may be replacing third
baseman Joe Crede.
On the defensive side, the
White Sox have great starting
pitchers such as Mark Buhrlie,
Joyn Garland, Jose Contreras, and
Javier Vasquez. Vasquez should be
great if he can stay healthy, as last
year he had a great season, winning
only 11 games, but striking out
192, while having only 46 walks
in 215 innings.
Garland won 18 for the Sox,
with a 3.50 ERA. Buehrle had one
of his worst seasons last year, while
having his career worst in wins,
ERA, and strikeouts. It’s a big
question to whether he will bounce
back and bring up his numbers
from last year or unfortunately
have another repeat of last year.
The Sox are coming back this
year with a confident and positive
attitude, thinking that they will be
able do even better than they did
last year and have a repeat of 2005.
There are no doubts for this team.
They have the right players to do
what they did in ‘05 and most of
the players are getting stronger
and better, which means that this
franchise will be unstoppable for
years and years if they can keep
their players healthy.
I think that the Sox could go
as far as they did in 2005 as long
as they keep their players healthy,
get people on base, and basically
just play their cards right. They
will have another great season,
but I don’t think they will make
it to the World Series again. I do
believe that they will make it to the
playoffs, just not all the way like
they did in 2005.
Chicago Cubs
RYAN KELLEY /
STAFF WRITER
BY
Cubs or Sox. Who’s it going
to be this year? We all know
throughout the years, the Cubs
have had many problems such
as choosing the right managers,
getting the right players, and most
importantly, winning games.
After firing Dusty Baker, former
Tampa Bay Devils manager Lou
Piniella was acquired, along with
Alfonso Soriano and Felix Pie,
two attributions to the team that
could help out a lot. Once again,
the Cubs have a great bullpen and
if it holds together well this year,
who knows how far they could go.
Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood,
who were two great pitchers
before, will redeem themselves
4 . 1 1 . 0 7
and have a great year for the Cubs
franchise.
To make things better, they
will have Mark Prior, who may
be unstoppable as long as he can
stay away from injuries. On the
offensive side, the Cubs still have
Derek Lee, who is healthy again
from last year, and determined
to put up big numbers for this
organization.
Another transaction to the team
is Alfonso Soriano, who had a
great season last year. He hit 46
home runs and stole 41 bases, so
he will be attributing some speed
to this ball club.
The Cubs only weakness this
year, is getting people on base.
Last year, they faced that problem
horribly. If they can get runners on
base, and put up hits at the right
time, they will, without a doubt,
beat most of the teams they face.
Aramis Ramirez is another strong
player for this organization, who
re-signed last year, and should be
able to work as well as he did last
year.
As for how far the Cubs go this
year, I think they have a lot more
momentum and confidence with
the players they have. They have
the right players and as long as
they are smart, they will succeed.
I think the Cubs will go all the
way this year, and win their first
World Series since 1908. I say this
because I think it’s time for them to
do it, and they have good players
that I’m sure will stay healthy and
play good games, and it is quite
possible that they will be this years
World Series champions.
PP
SPORTS C
SOX VS. CUBS
May 18
Wrigley Field @1:20 pm
May 19
Wrigley Field @ 2:55 pm
May 20
Wrigley Field @ 1:20 pm
June 22
U.S. Cellular Field @ 3:05 pm
June 23
U.S Cellular Field @ 12:05 pm
June 24
U.S. Cellular Field TBA
DESIGNED BY CARISSA WEYER
15
PP
C
SPORTS
Big Crowds,
Big Plans,and even
Bigger Expectations
Baseball aims to live up to last
year’s state caliber season.
BY BRITTANY PENDRY /
NEWS EDITOR
School, homework, projects,
parties, and…baseball? From
the big crowds at each game,
many students are fitting the
“We’re a close-knit group,
and we have a lot of fun. But,
when it comes down to it, we’re
serious about the game,” said
junior and outfielder Brian
Papp.
As for the pressure that
comes from last year’s team,
“We’re a close-knit group,
and we have a lot of fun.
But, when it comes down
to it, we’re serious about
the game,” said junior and
outfielder Brian Papp.
boy’s varsity games into their
schedules. And, this is great
because this year’s team has
big plans.
“We’d like to win 25 games
and push pretty far into the
post-season,” said varsity head
coach Mr. Jeff Petrovic.
If anyone can recall, last
year’s season was one to
remember.
Our
Minooka
Indians took third place in state
and had an overall record of 328.
“You never know what to
expect, but I think we could
be as good as last year,” said
Petrovic.
16
DESIGNED BY JEFF BEGUIN
this year’s team knows that it
is important to remain level
headed.
“We just need to overcome
the mentality that we will go
to state,” said senior Austin
Lehman.
As for this year, nothing is
set in “concrete.”
During games, “it’s kind of
situation by situation, you have
a lot of control as coach,” said
Petrovic.
The boys’ won their first
game on March 13, but keep
looking in your planner for the
next game so you can go out
and support your Indians!
MCHS Scorebox
Varsity Girls Softball
Varsity Boys Baseball
March 15 vs. Batavia
Minooka
6
Batavia
3
Mar. 13 vs. Batavia
Minooka
6
Batavia
5
March 20 vs. Naperville
North
Minooka
1
Naperville North
0
Varsity Boys Track
Varsity Girls Track
March 17 @ Romeoville
Senior Nick Rousonelos
won the 3200 running a
10:38
March 17 @ Indoor SPC
The 4 X 800 team, Jim
Kelly, Ryan Zarley, Nick
Rossi, and Andrew Santillo
placed 1st
The team placed fourth
MCHS Athletes look towards
future in the NCAA
BY AMANDA ALEXANDER /
STAFF WRITER
Have you thought about
following your dream, and
playing college sports. Several
MCHS students are following
these plans, but there are a lot of
recruiting methods
and materials.
The NCAA has set
rules for recruiting
and signing athletes.
Senior
year,
beginning Sept. 9,
students are allowed
to get off campus
contact.
They are limited
to one official visit
per college and up to a maximum
of five official visits, to Divisions
I and II. Evaluations and contacts
are common, usually a minimum
of seven times during senior year,
if chosen.
A college coach may contact
the student or parents no more
than three times during your senior
year.
Colleges also have standards
you must meet, as in GPA and
ACT scores.
Brittany Poole, who was
accepted to play golf for the
University of Minnesota Kirstand
stated, “It was long process from
calls to the official visit, signing
on my phone,” said Poole.
Megan Musgrave is also
another student at MCHS who will
be graduating with a scholarship,
for bowling,at McKendry College
in Lebanon, IL.
”I have been in bowling for
seven years now, and not only
that I took a
lot of lessons.
Plus you have
to
balance
that with your
grades,” stated
Musgrave.
Musgrave
instead of calls
communicated
t h r o u g h
emails.
“My dad and Coach Y helped
me through the long process,”
stated, Musgrave
Therefore it’s a long process.
It takes a lot of work, but it can
happen, because here at MCHS
several students have accomplished
this goal. Follow your dreams,
keep up your grades, try your
hardest, and never give up.
”I have been in bowling for seven
years now, and not only that I took
a lot of lessons. Plus you have to
balance that with your grades,”
stated Megan Musgrave.
day is April 11, and I gave them
verbal confirmation.”
According to Poole, colleges
started getting in contact with her
during junior year; the coaches
were only allowed to contact her
once a week, until six or seven
days before the official day.
“At one point I had 6-7
voicemails from different colleges
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