October 23, 2009 - Findlay High School

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Vampires take a
bite out of Hollywood
page 3
Area offers
several spooky thrills
&
page 6
blue & gold
Volume 87, Issue 2
Friday, October 23, 2009
1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, Ohio, 45840
(
)
All three middle schools are 84
years old and have major
age-related problems. Classrooms
are overcrowded, the electrical
and plumbing systems need
replaced and the buildings have
outdated wiring.
photos by Katie Logsdon
Homecoming
photo essay
Injury puts senior
on sidelines
page 8
page 10
Middle schools in disrepair,
don’t meet state standards
n By Emily Rivest
With the election less than two weeks away, the condition of the
three middle schools is front and center.
Under the proposed plan, two new middle schools would be built
to replace the current three. Glenwood, Donnell and Central Middle
Schools all have structural problems qualifying the district to receive
state money to help pay the replacement cost.
“In a renovation, you could replace those (things that need work),”
facilities director Dennis McPheron said, “but it’s a matter of how much
money do you really want to use to renovate an old building? These
buildings are 84 years old. We should bring them up to the current
standards (set by the state) to get what’s best for the students.”
All of the buildings have problems with the internal infrastructure,
but each building also has its own specific issues.
Donnell Middle School
ANCIENT
Many of the bathrooms have
not been renovated since the
building was built.
“The biggest thing for us is space,” Donnell principal Don Williams
said. “Our numbers are higher than they’ve ever been. The classrooms
are too small and we’re running out of space to put people.”
To solve this problem, the proposed plans call for classrooms that
are almost double the current size.
Approximately 20 percent of the current student population has a
Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which explains the weaknesses of
a special needs student. Students with an IEP must be in a smaller room
than normal to meet state standards, which is difficult in the current
buildings. New buildings will have rooms specifically built for this.
Central Middle School
GYMATORIUM
CROWDED
The upper gym is
also used for assemblies because there
is no auditorium.
Classrooms are half the
size they would be in the
proposed new schools.
“Security-wise, it’s practically impossible to lock down the building,”
Central principal Rich Steiner said. “Typically (in new buildings) there
are security cameras and single points of entry or buzz-in systems.”
The new buildings could use an electric latching system to
automatically lock all entrances once school starts.
Also, unlike the two other buildings, Central only has one gym,
making it hard to schedule classes and activities.
“In the new buildings, we’ll have three gyms for 690 students,”
McPheron said. “We’ll have one for each grade level so it’s easier to
have gym classes and sporting events like volleyball in there.”
Glenwood Middle School
“The heating system is probably one of the main problems,”
McPheron said. “There’s still a big fan that circulates the air throughout
the school through the hallways and stairwells which makes it really
hard to regulate heating in the building.
“If there was ever a fire, it’s going to go right back through the
hallways (because of the fan).”
The school is also not handicap-accessible, which all the new
buildings would be because they must follow state code. For Glenwood
alone, it would be $400,000 to install an elevator.
Some former students, including sophomore Alex Ervin, agree that
the schools are in need of repair.
“Glenwood is old and outdated,” he said. “The steps were crumbling,
the ceilings and bathrooms were gross. Everything was old and nasty.
“I really hope it (the levy) passes. We have that $19 million so we’d
just be throwing that away. We have this chance so we should take it.”
The benefits of new schools will help the students’ attitude.
“Moving over to a brand new building, you’re going to take a little
more pride in it,” Glenwood principal David Alvarado said. “You’ll take
more pride in your studies, and in your school. It’ll change the whole
climate just by moving to a new building.”
RUNDOWN
Facilities director Dennis McPheron explains what is wrong with the electric and
technology systems in Glenwood. Building two new schools would lower district
operating costs for transportation and staff salaries, and would be more eco-friendly.
photo by Katie Logsdon
Levy goes to voters for last chance at state funding
n By Emily Rivest
Voters will have the chance to pass the
school levy Nov. 3, giving the district the
funds to build two new middle schools and a
Millstream facility.
Because of the poor condition of the
buildings, the district qualifies to receive about
$19 million in state funds through the Ohio
School Facilities Exceptional Needs Program.
If the levy passes next month, the district
will only have to pay $54 million for the
schools, 68 percent of the total cost. If the
community doesn’t pass the levy again, the
district loses the chance at state funds.
The two new middle schools would be built
at the sites of Glenwood and Donnell Middle
Schools and Millstream would be between the
high school and Washington Intermediate.
Although the plan does require an
investment from the voters, it will ultimately
save the district money as well.
“Going from five buildings down to three,
you’re looking at being more operationally
sound,” Superintendent Dean Wittwer said.
“It’ll save a large amount of money, around
$37,000 just in transportation costs. The
savings in staffing will be very helpful.”
The opportunities in the new buildings
would also help teachers, according to
Director of Student Services Kathleen Crates.
“The main thing is that the schools would
be built for the technology of today,” she
said. “What the new buildings offer with
technology, teachers get more options with
that. The flexibility would be beneficial.”
Most importantly, though, updated
buildings will help the students.
“When it comes to lighting, heat, handicap
accessibility, security and things like that,
everything would be updated,” Wittwer said.
“There would be tremendous improvement in
the environment.”
Casts prepare for opening night
Want to know
when to catch the
fall plays?
One Acts
by David Ives
Nov. 6-7
7:30 p.m.
A Bad Year
for Tomatoes
Nov. 13-14
7:30 p.m.
Both shows are $5.
Saturday
Audience will enjoy two
weekends of comedy
n By Emily Rivest
Audiences will be able to attend two
weekends of comedy entertainment next
month when the two fall plays hit the Findlay
High School stage.
The upperclassmen play, A Bad Year for
Tomatoes, tells of an actress who lies to her
neighbors while the underclassmen show, One
Acts by David Ives, is a collection of skits.
“Rehearsals are going pretty well,” director
Jeremy Brown said. “We’re starting to run
the entire show. It’s interesting to put things
together because when we start rehearsals we
just do little chunks so it’s interesting to see
how things transform together.”
Because it is his first year directing, Brown
has some challenges to face.
Sunday
5
“My biggest challenge will be realizing
the differences in the type of students I’m
dealing with in the two shows (with age and
experience),” he said. “I’m very hopeful the
shows have a good crowd. The kids put in a lot
of work and I want people to see that.”
Sophomore Arden MacDonald likes her
crazy character in the play.
“I switch personalities during the show,”
she said. “When another character makes me
angry, I turn into an angry old German doctor,
who is a man. I like being out of my element.”
Both shows are comedies, which will help
attract high school students.
“It’s a fun play,” senior Jarred Korecky said.
“The humor is definitely geared toward high
schoolers. It’s dirty, high school jokes.”
One Acts by David Ives will be Nov. 6-7 and
A Bad Year for Tomatoes will run Nov. 13-14
at 7:30 p.m. in R.L. Heminger Auditorium.
Tickets are $5.
YIKES
things to make you look smart today
1. The fastest time to carve a pumpkin is 24.03 seconds.
2. Michael Jackson is second on the list of Yahoo’s Top 10
most-searched Halloween costumes this year.
3. The per capita consumption of candy is 23.8 lbs.
High: 49
Low: 39
Showers
High: 49
Low: 39
Partly Cloudy
4. The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend a record
$5.07 billion on Halloween this year, an average of $64.82 per person.
5. Out of all 18- to 24-year-olds, 83 percent will celebrate Halloween.
Senior Felicia Laube and junior Sarah Black rehearse for the junior/senior fall play,
A Bad Year for Tomatoes. The play debuts November 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. in R.L.
photo by Katie Logsdon
Heminger Auditorium.
Hats Off
2aToday is one of 10 finalists
for the Pacemaker award, a top
national award for high school
journalism for the fourth time.
“It’s very exciting and such an
honor even to be nominated,”
producer Carrie Lammers said.
“It motivates us to strengthen
the program and try to get
nominated again next year.”
Lammers
2
page
op
“It bothers me administrators lock the building on Thursdays because students need to go to
their locker and talk to teachers before classes and if they’re quiet they should be allowed to.”
senior Brice Tarbox
30,000
opinion
square feet of space will be opened at the high school if Millstream moves
Friday, October 23, 2009
Staff policy
OURVIEW
Levy needs voter support
Current middle schools
among worst in the state
District administrators have one more
chance to pass the levy for three new
schools before $19 million in state money
will disappear.
After the levy was defeated by just 483
votes in an August special election, it is
important citizens approve it this time
around to fix the district’s disintegrating
middle schools.
Too many voters seem to be focusing
on the financial aspect of the new schools
rather than the positive impact they will
have on the community.
The district’s current middle schools
are run-down and dated. The 2007 flood
and over eight decades of aging have
taken their toll on the three buildings and
their infrastructure.
Building new facilities will save the
district money over time, because transportation and staffing costs will be lower
going from three schools to two.
Better schools will not only improve
the overall quality of the district but also
the community by attracting businesses.
Run-down schools are a major turn-off
for companies looking to relocate to a
new city.
However, some residents think board
members are playing up the conditions
of the middle schools as a scare tactic to
pass the levy.
There are no scare tactics here. In order to qualify for the funding, the school
district’s facilities rank in the bottom
quarter of the state.
Students and teachers in the district’s
middle schools deserve better than the
current crumbling facilities.
Unfortunately for teachers and future
middle school students, the levy competes with two other taxes on the November 3 ballot.
It is understandable this is bad timing,
but money may not be as big of a concern
with the school levy.
The owner of a $100,000 home will
only be paying $11 more per month beginning February 2010 if the levy passes.
This is the equivalent of a family meal at a
fast food restaurant.
Taxpayers may also be concerned that
their money will not be put to good use.
However, the district’s countless awards
for excellence in financial reporting
should assure voters their dollars are being spent wisely.
If the levy does not pass this time, the
Ohio School Facilities Commission will
withdraw the funds offered to the school
district and administrators must reapply
for the money.
This means the money could go to another district. It would be a shame to miss
out on such an opportunity to receive
funding because voters do not see the
importance of new facilities.
It’s time for the citizens to realize
that while the new buildings may come
at a cost in a bad economy, this new tax
is a small price to pay to construct new
schools for the children and the future of
the community.
Locking students out of building on Thursday mornings unfair
n By John Sisser
?
I seem to remember
a time, not too long ago,
when students were
welcome and even
encouraged to arrive to
school early, get help
with homework from
teachers or socialize as
they pleased.
I used to enjoy the
extra 15 minutes set
aside every Thursday
morning for teacher
collaboration as a time
to get some extra work
what’s
the
problem
done in the building.
But when teachers started complaining
about students being too loud in the hallways,
administrators shot this down in a heartbeat.
Now, the school, except for the cafeteria, is
locked off to students until 7:35 a.m. not allowing anyone in to go to lockers or visit teachers.
What’s wrong with this situation?
For most districts, getting students to
attend school alone is a major problem. Apparently this isn’t the case for us. We have to
lock off the building because students get here
too early.
I shouldn’t have to play Mission Impossible,
dodging walkie-talkie-clad assistant principals
and security guards, just to get into the school
and finish up some work in the morning.
However, maybe this whole situation is
about something much bigger than just Thursday mornings.
Teachers and administrators should have
better things to worry about than whether or
not students are in the hallways before school.
Administrators spend so much time trying
to keep students out of the building, it’s no
wonder we don’t want to go to school. On top
of my workload and stress, locking me out
makes me feel like teachers think students are
too much of a burden to deal with.
It is true that some high school students
are notorious for being rowdy, and it may be
difficult for teachers to get any work done
Blue & Gold is a
monthly student
publication for the students of Findlay High
School. Blue & Gold is
a public forum which is
funded by advertising.
Letters to the editor
As an open forum for
students, letters to the
editor are welcomed by
the staff, but we request
that they be 300 words
or less due to lack of
space. All letters must
be signed. Blue & Gold
staff reserves the right
to edit letters without
changing the meaning.
Letters may be dropped
off in room 286.
Staff editorials
All editorials without
a byline reflect at least
two/thirds opinion of
the Blue & Gold staff
but are not necessarily
the opinion of the
administration.
Contact us
Blue & Gold
1200 Broad Avenue
Findlay, OH 45840
(419) 427-5474
About us
Blue & Gold is a
member of the
Columbia Scholastic
Press Association, the
National Scholastic
Press Association,
Quill & Scroll and the
Ohio Scholastic Media
Association.
The staff
when there are teenagers roaming the halls
making noise.
But if a few students are causing that much
of a problem, then teachers and administrators
should step in and punish them, not everyone. A few troublemakers shouldn’t force the
school to be locked up in the morning.
I take offense at being told I am not allowed
to go to my locker or get my work done, in a
school of all places.
It is understandable that the school will always have necessary regulations, but this goes
too far. When it comes to the issue of clearing
the hallways for teacher meetings on Thursday
mornings, isn’t there a more respectful way to
do this?
John Sisser
Editor in chief
Kim Maples
Feature editor
Emily Rivest
News editor
Lexi Perrault
Sports editor
Katie Trinko
Taylor McGonnell
Co-photo editors
Sam Malloy
Advertising editor
letters
to the
Hannah Gray
Katie Logsdon
Brady Miller
Morgan Grilliot
Abby Kehres
Kieley Ray
Photographers
editor
Column told only one side
Dear Editor,
I was reading the column about the president’s speech and I was livid!
American parents have the right to choose
what they want their children to see (or not
see, in this case), not the school. Parents are
also allowed to complain to the school if they
disagree with any of the curriculum.
It seems to me that Obama is trying to
instill his liberal beliefs into the American
youth. Being raised on conservative ideals,
what Obama is doing is completely against my
moral values.
When George H.W. Bush gave his speech,
liberals were up in arms against it. Parents had
every right to complain.
The point that was made about skipping
core curriculum is also not logical.
History is history and science is science.
One talks about what happened, the other tells
why things happen. The president’s speech
dealt with neither of these.
The questions after the speech were not at
all necessary. I do not have to help the president if I choose not to.
After all, the president works for me, I do
not work for him. Obama should be trying to
help me.
The questions should have said things
like, “What do you want the president to do?”
and, “How can he help you?” That is what the
Constitution was based on and that is how it
should stay. The saying goes, “We the people,”
not us the government.
Basically, there are two sides to every story.
Both sides should be heard.
Respectfully,
sophomore Brad Becker
Cafeteria needs more options
Dear Editor,
While schools are supposed to recognize
and accommodate people and students of all
cultures, beliefs and traditions, in some ways,
the high school seems to have failed to accomplish this in relatively obvious areas.
One of the many groups of people at the
high school are vegetarians. Those who don’t
believe or agree with the consumption of ani-
mals find themselves with a lack of potential
choices when attempting to determine a suitable meal in the cafeteria during their lunch.
While the cafeteria does have some nonmeat options, these options are lacking in all
variety and nutrition. If the school truly values
its self-opinion of having many open opportunities and healthy options, then they should
offer these to vegetarians who are in fact not
only a large group among teenagers, but also a
growing one.
The way I see it, the school lunches need a
healthier variety of options for students of all
different types of dietary preferences, including vegetarians.
Respectfully,
junior Ashleigh Pierce
Maggie Malaney
Leah Cramer
Michaela Marincic
Reporters
Emily Lentz
Autumn Simmermeyer
Artists
YOURVIEW
If you could vote in the election, would you support the school levy?
“No, because the
existing schools are
fine and the city is
already in financial
trouble. This would
just tax the people
even more.”
senior Luke Opperman
“No, because the schools
still work fine and we
have more important
issues to worry about
right now.”
senior
Alyssa Hilkert
“I don’t support it because
they are basically splitting
the town between
the rich and the
poor and it just
doesn’t seem fair.”
senior
Brennan Logan
“No, because we already
have good schools and
the buildings are fine the
way they are.”
sophomore
Thomas Womack
“I would because the
schools are really old
and the buildings
are not up to the
standards they
should be.”
senior
Eric Smith
“I would vote
for new schools
because Central
was damaged
by the flood
and the middle
schools are all
really old.”
junior
Mady Williams
Jim McGonnell
Adviser
et
3
“Dracula is by far my favorite vampire because in the original movie he was intimidating and
the scariest of all vampires.”
senior CJ Rogers
$355,000
entertainment
Friday, October 23, 2009
budget for the original Dracula film in 1931
page
senior Fhalyshia Orians
Blood-sucking monsters are pop culture’s latest craze
n By John Sisser
Hollywood’s latest trend is something you
can truly sink your teeth into.
From Dracula to Anne Rice novels to True
Blood, vampires have a history of dominating
the pop culture scene.
However, since the arrival of the Twilight
phenomenon, the blood-sucking monsters
seem to have taken a bigger bite of the entertainment world than usual (pun intended).
The four Twilight novels written by Stephanie Meyer have sold 70 million copies across
the globe and are published in 38 languages.
Last November, Twilight was made into
a movie and grossed around $384 million
worldwide. The release of the second movie,
5
Twilight: New Moon November 20, is expected
to top its predecessor.
“Everything to do with vampires is really
popular right now, but especially Twilight,”
sophomore Becca Finney said. “It’s popular
because there is a romance, which teen girls
love, and it is a great example of a typical teenage girl and all of her emotions.”
Finney, who describes herself as the
“biggest Twilight fanatic ever”, thinks other
vampire shows and books are merely riding on
the success of the series.
“None of this vampire stuff was ever very
popular until Twilight,” she said. “It seems like
vampires are just the new hit thing.
“They’re dark, romantic, stylish and really
just appealing to everyone.”
Junior Mari Hernandez agrees the craze
over vampires is superficial.
“To be honest, a lot of the girls are just in
love with Edward Cullen (Twilight character),”
Hernandez said. “Girls always love the bad
guy. Their supernatural powers and the fact
that they live in disguise is really exciting. Their
adventurous quality makes them appealing.”
The vampire obsession, though intensified
by Twilight, is anything but new.
Since Béla Lugosi’s 1931 portrayal of
Dracula, vampires have made their way in and
out of popular movies, films and books.
While Meyer’s Twilight plots may have
dominated the film scene, Anne Rice’s The
Vampire Chronicles have sold 80 million copies worldwide, making them the most successful vampire book series.
Television couldn’t escape the vampire’s
bite either. Shows like HBO’s True Blood, the
CW’s The Vampire Diaries and older series like
Buffy the Vampire Slayer have all raked in millions of viewers.
Though Twilight is the center of attention
for now, some vampire purists will stay fans,
even after the fad fades.
“Vampires are mysterious,” junior Suresh
Sandhu said, “and we’re intrigued by what
we don’t know about them and their hidden
personalities. I’ve always enjoyed vampires
and I always will.”
fact
or
fiction
Fact: Vlad the
Impaler, Dracula’s
inspiration, was from
Walachia, Romania,
not Transylvania
Fiction: Vampires
have no reflection,
made up by Dracula
author Bram Stoker
Fact: Over 100
movies feature the
character Dracula
favorite
vampires
Béla Lugosi‘s Dracula
Dracula (1931)
Count von Count
Sesame Street (1969)
She Wolf forgettable, boring
My movie
If my life were a movie...
Title: Jordan J. Total B.A.
Horror
Genre:
Sylvester Stallone (in his
Cast: prime) as me and Megan Fox
as the woman who falls in
love with me at the end
world has been overrun
Plot: The
with zombies, because I
love zombie movies. So,
I’m kicking butt and taking
names. I’m the world’s last
hope and it is up to me and
Megan Fox to repopulate.
Rated:
R--because I don’t play by
the rules.
Coming to a theater near you
n By Katie Trinko
Album: She Wolf
Artist: Shakira
Last release: Oral
Fixation Volume 2
Why not to buy it:
it
Shakira’s
Shakira newest English
album will have a hard time living up to
the success of her previous ones. Where her
first albums highlighted the pop star’s vocal
talents and unique beats, She Wolf’s techno
sound disguises her strong voice, and all the
songs sound the same.
After the unbelievable success of her
last album, one would expect more from
Shakira. While some songs like Did it
Again and Spy are catchy and musically
unique, most of the tunes are boring, leaving Shakira with a forgettable album.
Download this: Spy (featuring rapper
Wyclef Jean)
Grade: C-
5
to check out
Edward Cullen
Twilight (2008)
Wild Things brings tale to life
n By John Sisser
senior Jordan Jaskiewicz
Rudolph
The Little Vampire (2000)
Mamuwalde/Blacula
Blacula (1972)
James Gandolfini as Carol
Title: Where the Wild Things Are
Starring: Max Records (The
Brothers Bloom) and James Gandolfini
(The Sopranos)
Plot: The main character, Max
(Records) runs away from home and
finds a sailboat that takes him to the
island where a ragtag band of unusual
monsters live. He tames the monsters and
becomes their king until he decides to
return home.
Why see it: Based on the beloved
children’s book of the same name,
Where the Wild Things Are brings
the classic tale to life. Director
Spike Jonze pays attention
to detail and does a great job
adapting the screenplay from a
short story to a full-length film.
Grade: A-
Hits
and
Misses
There are over 140 million videos estimated to be on YouTube.
Lucky for you, we’ve sorted through some
to find which videos are worth a watch and
which ones fail miserably. Read on:
Check it out
Title: Twilight Trailer Spoof
How was it: This video
takes a comedic and
light-hearted approach
to the dramatic trailer for
Twilight: New Moon.
Could have been better
Title: The Onion: Obama
Negotiates with Wildfires
How was it: This mock
newscast makes a few
quick jokes, but the scene
is almost too realistic to be
funny. Watch it if you have time.
The Stepfather:
Catch this remake of
a 1987 thriller about
a new member
of the family who
seems too good
to be true, and is.
The Stepfather is in
theaters now.
The Vampire
Diaries Halloween
episode : This
ABC Family’s 13
Nights of
Halloween: The
Cirque du Freak
The Vampire’s
Assistant:
hyped-up episode
of the CW’s popular
show is expected to
reveal much more
about the series’
twisting plot.
annual Halloween
celebration airs
all week featuring
favorite movies like
Hocus Pocus
and Beetlejuice.
The first installment
of the popular book
series-turnedmovie, starring
John C. Reilly, is
now in theaters.
Saw VI: Goreloving teenagers
can’t seem to get
enough of the Saw
series. The sixth
movie in these
horror franchises
comes out tonight,
Oct. 23.
What a waste of time
Title: Stairs are Very Nice
How was it: You may ask
how anyone made a video
about going up stairs. The
better question is how has
it already gotten 20,000
views. I want my two minutes back.
4
page
nf
“To stay healthy, I wash my hands more often and use hand sanitizer in public places.”
senior Kelsey Zimmerly
4,735
people have died worldwide of the swine flu as of Oct. 11
newsfeature
Friday, October 23, 2009
Students improve math
skills with iPod technology
KEEPITBRIEF
Show choir hosts festival
n By Michaela Marincic
Findlay First Edition (FFE) will host the
22nd annual Fall Fest October 31 at 7 p.m. in
the Central Middle School auditorium.
Their Las Vegas-themed show features
tunes such as Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas.
“Even though we have a theme, the style
is similar, so I don’t think anyone will be
disappointed,” senior Nick Taylor said. “FFE
is known for having ballroom, Latin and tap
dance numbers, and that won’t change.”
While Fall Fest features five other show
choirs, FFE’s song choice and appearance
will set them apart.
“Our style is different from most other
show choirs,” director Kevin Manley said.
“We tend to do traditional music and
costuming. Our music and dancing tend to
be more difficult than other groups.”
n By Emily Rivest
Band will compete at state
n By Michaela Marincic
For the seventh consecutive year, the
Findlay Trojan Marching Band (FTMB)
qualified for Nov. 1’s state finals at Welcome
Stadium in Dayton.
FTMB received superior (I) ratings at
state the past three years, but has never
been awarded the highest rating four years
in a row.
“You always want that I,” director of
bands Tim Mattis said. “I would be most
happy for our seniors…These guys would
be the first ones to get it four years in a row,
and that would be a very historic event.”
To achieve this record-breaking
accomplishment, band members continue
to polish their performance.
“With each time we have done the show
at games and competitions we improved
something or found an aspect to fix,” drum
major senior Anna Sankovich said. “If we
keep working hard and stay focused, we
have a good chance of getting a I.”
Orchestra performs Nov. 1
n By Maggie Malaney
A Stroll Down Melody Lane is the theme
for the Symphony Orchestra concert Nov. 1
at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Music will range from Bach and
Beethoven, to Louis Armstrong, to songs
from James Bond.
“I chose a variety of music to keep the
program exciting and to show off how well
the orchestra students perform,” director
Ken Pressel said. “I like the music to be fun
for the students as well as the audience.”
PODCAST
Junior Jarrad Balko listens to an assignment on an iPod Touch. Math
teachers Ellen Laube and Karen Ouwenga use podcasts to help teach
students lessons at their own pace.
photo by Katie Logsdon
Administrators plan for possible swine flu outbreak
n By Emily Rivest
With the media hype and one confirmed
swine flu case in the county, administrators
are taking steps to keep students healthy if the
disease begins to spread.
Swine flu, also called H1N1, currently
makes up 97 percent of all flu, according to the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The flu is so widespread because many
people do not have immunity to the swine flu.
After someone gets a disease once, their body
begins to build up protection to it.
“We don’t have any immunity like with
the seasonal flu, that’s why we see so many
more people getting sick,” Barb Wilhelm,
Findlay City Health Department deputy health
commissioner, said. “We tend to see more
young people who are prone to the virus.
“They (experts) think the virus may have
circulated in the distant past so older people
may have an immunity in their body.”
School administrators worked last spring
with Wilhelm to develop a plan to prevent the
spread of H1N1 in the district.
“Our facilities manager (Dennis
McPheron) put hand sanitizers in every
classroom,” Director of Student Services
Kathleen Crates said. “We’ve sent fliers out to
the parents. The nurses are working with the
younger kids, doing hand washing.”
The custodians are also working to keep
the school environment healthy, by washing
all the tables and desks often.
“Under our custodial department, all of
our chemicals are labeled to kill 99 percent of
all germs,” McPheron said. “The biggest thing
of all, though, with the flu is hand-washing; all
of our soaps are anti-bacterial.”
People can stay healthy in the same ways
as they do with the common flu.
“I wash my hands a lot, try to stay away
from sick people, get lots of sleep and drink
lots of water,” junior Leah Zelinsky said. “It’s
good they are taking extra steps, but really, it’s
just like the common flu, it’s not that different.”
The vaccine will be available Oct. 25 from
noon to 4 p.m. in the gym for high risk groups
which include pregnant women, those with
chronic illnesses, those who spend a lot of
time with children under six months and those
under 24 or over 65 years old.
n By Emily Rivest
n By Leah Cramer
Close to 400 students will attend the
fourth annual Challenge Day Nov. 10-13 in
the auxiliary gym.
Each day around 100 students enrolled
in health class will go through the program,
which encourages students to be more
accepting of others.
“It is designed to help students look past
the exterior things, like the clothes someone
wears, and see people for who they really
are,” Assistant Principal Kelly Legg said.
“We need to create the school of our dreams
where everyone feels cared for and that’s
our goal.”
Tips for staying
healthy this
flu season:
• Wash hands often
• Use hand sanitizer
away from sinks
• Cough into sleeve,
not hand
• Stay well rested
• Don’t share
utensils, cups,
bottles or dishes
• Stay home from
school when sick
Program helps freshmen with high school issues
Challenge Day returns
MENTOR
Senior Heather Black helps freshman Jennifer
Buetow with her homework in mentorship
class. The program is designed to help ease the
freshmen transition into high school. photo by Hannah Gray
Bagels, soup,
sandwiches, and
the freshest
coffee in town!
1971 Tiffin Avenue
Findlay, OH
Algebra II and Honors Geometry students are using the newest iPod
technology in class.
No, they aren’t listening to the latest Lady Gaga song on the music
players, they’re watching math-related podcasts
Math teachers Ellen Laube and Karen Ouwenga are students in the
21st Century Academy, where they are learning how to use technology
in the classroom.
“It (the academy) is a group of about 12 to 15 teachers throughout
the school district who are trying to focus on bringing more technology
into all our classrooms,” Ouwenga said, “but we want it to be relevant
and beneficial.”
As part of the program, each teacher got six iPod Touches for their
students. Mostly, they are used to watch podcasts from the Internet
relating to the latest lesson.
“It (a podcast) is allowing us to mix up our instruction,” Laube said.
“Instead of the traditional, come in, take notes, do homework, we can
do different things.”
Besides the podcasts, the students use iFlipr, an app for the iPod
that is basically electronic flashcards made by the teachers. Both of
these technologies increase student learning.
“It’s really helpful because you can draw things from many different
sources, like the Internet,” junior Paige Trafton said. “If you have trouble
learning things from your teachers, you might learn better from a
different teacher on the Internet.
“You can drill over and over again the different problems you need
help with.”
For Laube, the replayable aspects of the podcasts, which are
basically another teacher online giving a lesson, is a positive.
“One of the benefits is students can view the podcast as many times
as needed to learn the material,” Laube said. “Some kids picked it up
the first time, while others had to watch it four or five times. We’re
trying to put learning into their own hands.”
Senior Courtney Lowrey
Upperclassmen are helping the freshmen
make their high school transition easier as part
of the Freshmen Mentorship Program.
The freshmen eat for 20 minutes then
meet in their mentorship groups for the rest of
fourth period.
They participate in activities such as
icebreakers and are planning discussions on
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean
Covey, which all the students will read.
“The goal is to help the freshmen get
comfortable with the transition to high school
and also to help freshmen become involved
students that contribute positively to the
school environment,” freshman principal
Janice Panuto said. “We are providing a
supportive environment for freshmen to
adjust to high school.”
The program is beneficial not only for the
students, but also the mentors.
“You wouldn’t expect a senior to have fun
with a freshman, but it’s a lot of fun,” senior
Paige Madden said. “We play a lot of games to
get to know each other.
“If they see me in the halls, they ask
questions, like just really simple stuff. If I’m
in the classroom they ask for help with their
homework. They’ve already started to look up
to me and ask questions about school.”
Freshman Ta’Tyana Lewis enjoys the
connection she has with her mentor, senior
Anna Miller.
“She said if we were ever in trouble, we can
call her,” she said. “If we ever need help, she’s
there for us.”
vp
vito’spizza
Friday, October 23, 2009
“I like Vito’s regular cheese pizza and their bread with the olive oil. It’s different because it’s more of a
local restaurant. Their food has more taste to it and it isn’t just salty like most pizza or Italian places.”
junior Yumi Hirotani
18
specialty and premium specialty pizzas available at Vito’s Pizza
5
page
6
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hw
“I love haunted houses. Who doesn’t? You never expect what’s going to happen and it’s just a thrilling
adventure. My favorite one would be Mansfield Prison.”
sophomore Jade Garza
93%
halloween
of children go trick-or-treating every year
Friday, October 23, 2009
Halloween haunts
scare thrill-seekers
Ohio boasts over
80 spooky spots
n
By Michaela Marincic
Raking in dollars like autumn leaves, the
haunted house industry booms every October
with more than 2,000 attractions grossing
between $400 and $500 million according to
hauntworld.com.
Teenagers and young adults make up the
largest consumer group for the business.
More than 80 haunted houses and
attractions in Ohio cater to this annual
sensation, so here’s a sampling of area
Halloween hot spots.
Putnam County’s Haunted Cornfield
Classic chainsaw-wielding maniacs roam
through a winding labyrinth of corn in this
haunted attraction.
Operating for over a decade, this creepy
cornfield teems with haunters who know how
to spook a person.
“At the beginning, there are strobe light
rooms and dark hallways,” junior Jacob Fenton
said. “The rooms got skinnier and skinnier.
After that, it turned into a cornfield path with
guys hopping out at you.”
In addition to the cornfield, thrill-seekers
can explore the two levels of a dimly-lit
haunted barn, filled with hidden actors
waiting to scare unsuspecting prey.
“It was startling when the people jumped
out at you,” Fenton said. “It wasn’t that scary,
but it was fun.”
The cornfield and barn provide half an
hour of horrors for $9 every weekend through
Halloween at 13360 Road 12 in Ottawa.
HalloWeekends
Amusement park turns terror park as
Halloween invades Cedar Point.
Two new haunted houses have taken up
residence in the park, bringing the total to four
separate ghoul-infested buildings.
“The people (in the haunted houses) wore
masks and costumes,” sophomore Meghan
Peterson said. “They got as close to you as
possible without touching you and whispered
in your ears.”
Sections of Cedar Point’s paths are also
marked off as “scarezones”—areas with
individual themes, such as pirates.
“I didn’t think it was scary because there’s
so many people walking around that they (the
haunters) don’t really focus on you,” senior
Paige Kutschbach said.
HalloWeekends take place inside the park
in Sandusky every weekend until October 26.
Ticket prices range from $29.99 to $44.99.
Mansfield Reformatory
Serving as a penitentiary for more than
a century, the Ohio State Reformatory, also
known as Mansfield Reformatory, held over
155,000 prisoners throughout its career.
don’t be
ridiculous
Now, 19 years after the prison released
its last inmate, the Mansfield Reformatory
Preservation Society runs Halloween tours for
the public, complete with horrifying actors
and animatronics.
“They (the actors) know what you’re
expecting and do what you don’t expect,”
sophomore Sara Plott said. “There’s a dead
body in a casket, and you think it will get up,
but then someone grabs you from behind. It’s
like reverse psychology.”
Between actors that spring from dim
corners of the cage-like cells and the
possibility of actual spirits, the Mansfield
Reformatory’s Hell on Earth tour chills scareseeking souls.
“I would only go if you can take serious
horror,” Plott said. “It’s definitely scary to the
point where you don’t know what will happen
and you just want to get out of there.”
The prison looms at 100 Reformatory Road
in Mansfield, open for tours every Thursday
through Sunday until Halloween at $15 per
person. You must be 13 or older to enter Hell
on Earth.
Time for teens
to give up on
trick-or-treating
n
By Kim Maples
Maybe I’m just bitter, but a line needs to
be drawn on the appropriate age for trickor-treating.
Since I entered middle school, at the
age of 12, I’ve been forced to stay home
and pass out candy. At first, I couldn’t
understand why my mother said I was too
old to trick-or-treat. I soon found out.
Throughout the evening, I’d open
the door expecting little kids dressed as
princesses and dragons and, instead, I’d
find a group of teenagers, four or five years
older than me, asking for candy.
Do teenagers have no shame when it
comes to free food? Is it really okay to butt
in on a little kids’ holiday just because you
want candy?
Some of these aged trick-or-treaters
argue that there isn’t an age limit on
Halloween. To help solve this dilemma,
here’s a list of warning signs that maybe it’s
time to hang up the costume.
Fear Factory
Claustrophobic passages and bridges
through spinning cylinders disorient those
who dare to enter the hallowed halls of
Findlay’s Fear Factory.
Fear Factory is a downtown city block-long
house of horrors.
“The creepiest part was the clowns
because I hate clowns,” junior Shelby Smith
said. “Also, there’s things that grab your
ankles or jump out at you.”
The owners of Fear Factory also added
Fear Forest. Over a mile of trails through
spooky woods, Fear Forest provides a new
thrill for Fear Factory fans.
The entrance to Fear Factory is located at
the corner of Lane Avenue and Pine Avenue,
while Fear Forest lies three miles south of
Findlay along U.S. 68.
Fear Factory admission costs $9 on Fridays
and Saturdays and $7 on Sundays. Fear Forest
costs $7.
You know you are too old to trick-ortreat when:
• You have to go home early to study for
a Calculus test.
• You drive yourself to each house.
• The person who opens the door is a kid
you used to baby-sit.
• You dress up as Vanilla Ice and, worst
yet, remember when he was popular.
• They don’t make a Power Rangers
costume in your size.
• People mistake you for the another
kids’ parent.
• Your younger sibling stays home to
pass out candy.
• You have to take a night off work to go.
• You show up on someone’s doorstep
wearing a mask and they think you’re
trying to rob them.
• You use your Homecoming dress as
part of your costume.
• The other kids call you “mister.”
The Haunted Hydro
Stained, gray stone walls enclose this
former hydro-plant-turned-haunted-house
and its maze of terrors within.
The plant is divided into sections
connected by strobe light-filled hallways just
wide enough for one or two people.
“It’s like a maze all the way through the
building with the exit and enter doors right
next to each other so you could see the people
coming out who were scared,” sophomore
Corey Bern said. “Going through, there are
different themed rooms. I remember one was
a bathroom where a guy would jump from the
toilet. It was just completely unexpected.”
The Haunted Hydro celebrates its 20th
anniversary with a new haunted house,
Industrial Mayhem. This attraction and The
Hydro are located at 1333 Tiffin St. in Fremont.
Tickets cost $10 to $20.
So this Halloween, don’t try to stretch
out your old Spiderman costume for
another year.
Let go of your childhood, stay home,
hand out candy and maybe later you can
buy yourself some post-Halloween sale
candy 50 percent off.
SKETCHPAD
Ghosts, ghouls, spiders and bats,
everyone has a different image for the spookiest day of the year.
We asked students to draw what comes to
mind when they think of Halloween. Here are
some of their creations.
senior Robert Kelley
freshman Ashley Haley
senior Stephen Linn
sophomore Kevin Misamore
FINDLAY / FOSTORIA
CRUISIN’ 2
DRIVING SCHOOL
sophomore Nate McKinniss
Nov. 9, Dec. 7
Wouldn’t you like to be cruisin’ 2?
Findlay • 1649 Tiffin Avenue • (419) 422-3852 • www.cruisin2.com
junior Kanae Hirayanagi
lia sophia
Starting dates
7-99
senior Brianna Reinard
SHARE THE LOVE OF JEWELRY
Free
$100 piece of jewelry when you host or refer
a host to one of our in-home jewelry shows
Contact Tracy Grilliot
419-581-2649
[email protected]
ft
“It’s fun being around your friends (in youth group), growing closer to them while helping each other
grow in their faith.”
sophomore Stacy Graham
$250,000
feature
Friday, October 23, 2009
is the cost of a new Nicaraguan orphanage built by youth group missionaries
7
page
On a mission
Church youth groups
offer friends, support
n
By Leah Cramer
Some teens might expect youth group
meetings to be a series of one sermon after
another, but actually there’s a lot more
going on than preaching and Bible study.
Freshman Philip Jewett sees it as a place
where he can relieve the stress and tension
of his hectic life.
“Praying and connecting with other
Christians really helps me settle down after
a busy week,” Jewett said. “It gives me a
group of people who share my beliefs to
talk me through things like family issues or
problems with peer pressure.”
Youth groups provide a support group
for teens to help them keep their priorities
in order and improve their religious life
while having a good time.
“It (youth group) is a safe environment
where kids can be accepted for who
they are, grow in their faith, develop a
close relationship with God and build
friendships,” St. Michael’s Director of Youth
Ministries Donna Brown said.
One thing youth groups offer is an open,
positive place for discussion.
“Talking about Bible verses and topics
with Gateway Church’s youth group
has really helped me learn more about
making the right decisions by interpreting
scripture,” Jewett said. “We discuss how
the Ten Commandments could apply to
situations in real life.
“One huge thing that helps me to
remember is that taking the Lord’s name in
vain is wrong, even though it’s something a lot
of people do everyday without ever thinking
about it.”
Another opportunity that youth groups
provide is mission trips, which not only give a
chance to travel, but can also change people’s
perspectives on life.
“My trip to Belize with my (St. Michael’s)
church group to organize a Vacation Bible
School for the kids made me realize how selfcentered Americans can be,” sophomore Abby
Reed said. “Over there it didn’t matter what
clothes you wore or what phone you had, but
who you were as a person.
“I got to see how happy people can be
without a lot of possessions and when I got
back, I felt terrible about how much we have
here and take for granted.”
Besides giving service and learning
opportunities, one of the most important
benefits of youth groups is a chance to make
new friends.
“It helps build strong friendships,” Reed
said. “We don’t just talk about stuff like what
we did over the weekend, but we get into
deeper topics.
“We discuss our beliefs and questions we
might have on right and wrong when it comes
to avoiding sin and standing up for others.”
Joining a youth group is a simple process.
“All you have to do is start showing up to
meetings,” New Life Assembly of God Youth
Director Will Krost said. “There’s an aura of
acceptance and everyone’s excited when new
members join.”
MISSIONARY
Senior Hannah Nelson hugs a young girl while on a church youth group mission trip to Nicaragua. Besides
travel, youth groups also offer a chance to make friends and discuss scripture.
photo by Hannah Gray
Local teens help Nicaraguans living in poverty
n
HELP
A Nicaraguan boy watches teen
missionaries work on a project. New
Life’s youth group built an orphanage
photo by Hannah Gray
for kids there.
By Kim Maples
With an $11 trillion national debt, 9.5
percent of the nation unemployed and
skyrocketing foreclosures, it’s hard to turn the
national eye away from America’s problems.
But while the United States is going
through hard times, Third World countries
around the globe have been facing even worse
conditions for decades.
To provide relief, New Life Assembly of
God’s youth group takes yearly mission trips to
Nicaragua, where the average income is $400 a
year, compared to $50,233 in the United States.
“There’s nothing in Findlay or the
surrounding area that truly represents the
level of poverty in Nicaragua,” youth leader
Will Krost said. “What we see is a snapshot of
it. Our goal is to simply take a step outside of
normal life to see how the world lives.”
Earlier this month, senior Jonathan Shaffer
returned to Nicaragua a second time for a
think-tank on Christian leadership.
“A lot of people live in tin huts, the streets
are covered in trash and it smells really bad,”
Shaffer said. “You can’t drink the water there
and the air quality in general is really poor;
there is a lot of dirt and dust.”
To improve conditions, missionary
representatives from America and Nicaragua
met to plan for improvement projects, which
includes a new hospital and orphanage.
“We already built an orphanage two years
ago,” Krost said. “The next big project we have
is to build an orphanage for teenagers. As they
get older, we’re trying to provide a place for
them and provide education.”
However, the hospital is an even more
ambitious project.
“We’re doing it in phases,” Krost said.
“We’re trying to set up mobile clinics first to
provide care in villages.
“We’re bringing physicians to train doctors
there in 2010. A large number of those
doctors come from Findlay.”
To raise money for
their projects, the youth
group sells Nicaraguan
coffee for $10.
The fundraiser
Honduras
helped students
from New Life and
Gateway go to Nicaragua
last summer to host church events,
visit ill patients and help with projects.
“I gained a completely different
perspective of the world, how God works
in everyone’s lives and how he cares for
everyone,” Shaffer said. “People who have
nothing still believe.
“I want to go back (next summer) because I
really enjoyed my time while I was there. I love
the people there. Nothing could keep me from
going back.”
Co
st
a
Ri
ca
Kisers adopt Chinese boy after three-year wait
n
By Leah Cramer
When people visit a foreign country, most
bring back small trinkets as souvenirs, but
junior Tyler Kiser’s family returned from their
trip to China with a new family member.
The Kisers traveled to Taiyuan, China to
adopt a three-year-old boy, Jude.
“When my parents told me we were going
to adopt a child, I was really excited to get to
go through the experience of having a baby
brother again,” Tyler Kiser said.
After three and a half years on a waiting
list, the family found out in February that they
were able to adopt a child, but could not pick
him up until September.
“It was so exciting to meet him for the first
time because we had waited so long,” mother
Kristie Kiser said. “But I also felt a little sad
for him because he was going to have to leave
everything he knew behind.”
Jude Kiser was abandoned with a cleft
palate and cleft lip, medical conditions that
connect part of the lip to the nose, which were
repaired with a surgery prior to his adoption.
“The most exciting thing is the reward of
seeing a child alive and well and knowing that
you provided him with a good family,” father
Michael Kiser said.
However, sometimes adjusting to a new
family can be difficult for adopted children.
“When we met (Jude) at the orphanage he
said he had to go to the bathroom and then
hid between the stall and the wall so that no
one could get to him,” Tyler Kiser said. “He
knew we were going to take him away with us.
“But the next day he was fine and now he
seems comfortable with our family.”
Even though Jude Kiser mainly speaks
Chinese, aside from the 15 to 20 English words
that the Kisers have taught him, he still com-
municates fairly well.
“He fits right into the family (including
three brothers) and interacts with everyone
very well,” Michael Kiser said. “He says this
one Chinese word a lot that the translators told
us means happy.”
While they are helping Jude Kiser get used
to American life, the family also wants him to
know about Chinese holidays and traditions.
“It’s important to teach him about his
culture because as he grows older, he’s going
to want to know about where he came from,”
Michael Kiser said. “He looks different from us
so he’s going to be curious about his heritage.”
Though he looks different, he will, in time,
become part of the family.
“Right now he feels more like a friend than
a sibling to me,” Tyler Kiser said. “But eventually, as we have a chance to bond, he’ll begin
to feel like a brother.”
FAMILY
Junior Tyler Kiser and his father, Michael, sit with Jude, who was
recently adopted into the family. After three years on a waiting list, the
Kisers traveled to China to bring him home. photo courtesy of Tyler Kiser
Stop in to see our
new fall colors!
VON’S
1161 Trenton Avenue
Findlay, Ohio
Diamonds and Jewelry
Stop in for candy, gifts, costumes and more
this Halloween at Walmart
Sophmores Mark Sleasman and McKenzie Curlis
1691 Tiffin Avenue
In Front of Menards
8
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“My favorite part of spirit week was movie day because everyone dresses up in unique costumes and it
made me feel like I was part of a movie.”
junior Lizzy Rogers
1,364
bp
bigpicture
students attended the Homecoming dance
Friday, October 23, 2009
And the winner is...
Seniors Lindsay Atkins, Michael Alexander
Seniors Kathy Jastal, William Kreh
Seniors Cherrelle Sanchez, Marc Wadsworth
Seniors Abbey Hale, Zach Crawford
Seniors Kelsi Romatowski, Sherwin Quiambo
Senior Mark Janowiecki juggles bowling pins while balancing on
BOUNCE a ball during the pep rally. Besides Janowiecki, two bands also
performed in the Trojans’ Got Talent competition.
ANCHORS
photo by Kieley Ray
JUST DANCE
Juniors Michael Popovec, Caleb Joseph, Tyler Campbell and Alex Henry dress up for
Movie Character Day during spirit week. Tuesday saw the halls filled with Hollywood
photo by Kieley Ray
actors and legends.
Sophomore dance team member Bailey Croy performs during the Homecoming pep rally. The dancers prepared two routines for the annual spirit event.
photo by Taylor McGonnell
HARMONY
Sophomores Alex Zoll, Greg Ornella and Landon Frost in the band Second to None share the mic singing All These
Things I’ve Done by The Killers. The group won the talent competition, Trojans’ Got Talent.
photo by Abby Kehres
sp
“The pressure of playing on varsity as a freshman has made me a stronger player. It gives me a different
confidence on the field that I didn’t have before.“
freshman Regan Campbell
12
sports
Friday, October 23, 2009
9
page
freshman played or started on varsity fall sports teams
Group improves
sportsmanship
n By Lexi Perrault
SPRINT
Running back sophomore Ben Kupferberg heads for the end
zone against Lima Senior. Findlay won 33-7 and moved into
second place in the league.
photo by Katie Trinko
Football controls own destiny
n By Lexi Perrault
With a Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) league championship up
for grabs, the football team is battling to defend its title.
Despite their loss to Sandusky, they are still in the running with the
Blue Streaks and Napoleon for the GBC crown.
The football team has to win their last two games against Marion
Harding and Napoleon.
“We will win the GBC or at least share it,” senior Tee Redd said. “We
have to have Sandusky lose but we can’t control that, we just have to
win out.”
Napoleon must also beat Sandusky tonight to keep the Trojans in
the GBC fight.
“The odds are pretty good that Napoleon will win,” Redd said.
“Napoleon has a great team this year and I can’t see them losing until
week 10, when they play us.”
Sophomore Ben Kupferberg hopes the team plays as well as they did
last week.
“We need to do exactly what we did against Lima during our last two
games,” Kupferberg said. “We need to execute with the running game
to open up the passing game, which will keep our offense on the field.”
Students are working to improve school
spirit and sportsmanship by becoming
involved in a new organization called Student
Athletic Leadership Team (SALT).
The group was formed in September by
athletic director Nate Weihrauch and principal
Victoria Swartz.
“We come up with ideas that promote
leadership, sportsmanship and integrity,”
junior Jessica Girard said. “With the help of
school officials and parent volunteers, our
ideas are able to be put into action.”
Currently SALT consists of mainly
upperclassmen hoping to improve athletics.
“One of our missions right now is to find
underclassmen that we think would benefit
the group,” Girard said. “You don’t have to be
a student athlete to join SALT.”
One of the goals of SALT is to encourage
student support for all sports teams.
Senior Clay Paul, along with SALT, are
working to promote cheering at events.
“At games only two rows of students are
involved,” Paul said. “SALT wants everyone
to be involved because a great atmosphere
during sporting events is a once in a lifetime
thing. You can’t replace it.”
On Oct. 24 SALT is raking leaves for the
elderly as a service project.
“We wanted to help out others and be a
good example to the rest of the community,”
senior Molly Parsons said.
Boys’ golf loses by stroke
n By Michaela Marincic
One stroke kept the boys’ golf team from
returning to the state tournament during last
week’s districts.
After coming this close to state, the team
will work through the winter to better prepare
for next year.
“We’re going to spend a lot of time over
the winter continuing to putt and working on
the short game,” coach Scott Grant said. “It’s
tough losing the seniors, but at the same time
they did a great job pushing the younger kids
and helping them develop.”
Sectional tournament next
for seven-time GBC champs
n By Lexi Perrault
With seven consecutive Greater Buckeye Conference
championships under its belt, the volleyball team is gearing up for the
sectional tournament with a positive outlook.
Senior Kristen Davidson believes determination will help them win
the sectional title tomorrow at Otsego High School.
“There is always a worry because it could be my last game,”
Davidson said. “All of us will go out with confidence that we can beat
any team in the state and that will help us win the game.”
Head coach Ryan Shifley is also confident in his team, but knows
they will face difficult opponents along the tournament trail.
“It’s anybody’s game at the sectional tournament,” Shifley said. “Our
toughest competition is Bowling Green. They’re our archrival and are
always good.”
Though senior Krystan Krucki believes Bowling Green will be a
challenge, she is more worried about St. Ursula after losing to them
earlier this week.
“We did a lot of good things,” Krucki said. “We just needed
more intensity. In a way, the loss is a good thing because it gives us
motivation to make sure that they don’t beat us again in tournaments.”
Shifley is content with improvements made throughout the season.
“The team is improving on serve receives and getting points out
of what we call broken plays,” Shifley said. “If a pass doesn’t go to the
setter our girls will get it under control so they can still get the point.”
HEADS UP
Junior John Shrader heads the ball away from two Ashland players. After ending an 113-2 season, the boys’ soccer team has a goal of making it to the regional tournament.
photo by Hannah Gray
Boys’ soccer ready for sectionals
n By Maggie Malaney
As Greater Buckeye Conference champions, the boys’ soccer team is looking forward
to post-season tournaments.
The team ended the regular season with an
11-3-2 record. They played the first round of
sectionals against Anthony Wayne yesterday
and hope to move on to districts.
To advance they must get by two teams
they have already played.
“If we play to our potential, we could win
the sectional,” coach Bill Geaman said. “But
this will be very difficult with both Anthony
Wayne (tied) and Perrysburg (lost to) in the
sectional.
“They are tough competition.”
If the team wins sectionals it will move on
to districts in Ashland, Ohio Oct. 31.
“We can make it to districts because we
have a quality team,” junior Drew Short said.
“We will need to play fast and capitalize on all
opportunities to play well.”
The team has to work on consistency
though, if they want to win tournaments, according to Geaman.
“We can beat the lesser teams, but we are
struggling against the better teams,” Geaman
said. “We have the potential to win as long as
we keep our focus and remember all we have
worked on this season.”
Although they suffered three losses this
season, senior Stephen Perkins is confident
they have a good chance to advance to the
regional tournament.
“We have good depth and the ability to
play more quickly than other teams when we
are focused,” Perkins said. “We have the potential to go far.
“We’ve made it to regionals the past two
years. We want to get that far again.”
District tourney loss ends girls’ golf season
n By Leah Cramer
SLAM
Freshman Kayce Krucki spikes the ball
at the Volley for the Cure game. The
team raised $3,000 for breast cancer
awareness.
photo by Taylor McGonnell
Districts marked the end of the golf season
for the girls team.
They placed fifth out of 10 teams with a
score of 387, 18 strokes from making it to state.
“Considering it was freezing cold, there
was a lot of wind and it was raining, we played
pretty well,” junior Lauren Mains said. “We
learned from districts how to manage a course
in bad weather and are going to use our talent
and determination to make next year our year.”
With a season average score of 173, they
won the Northwest Ohio Girls Golf League,
beating four other teams.
“Winning the league was a good
accomplishment,” coach Scott Grant said.
“Anytime the season ends, you can look back
on things like that and be proud.”
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Sophomores Kayla Towell and Kyesha Neal
bg
sports
Football battles
for GBC title
page 7
&
Senior sidelined
with knee injury
Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
Medial meniscus
Lateral meniscus
A torn ACL injury put senior Kelsi Romatowski on the sideline her senior year. She hopes to return to action
before the end of the teams’ post season tournament run.
photo by Taylor McGonnell
n By Lexi Perrault
Secondhand Sports, started by junior Chelsea Risser’s family, is collecting used softball and baseball equipment to distribute to players of
any age that need it.
Risser and her family started Secondhand Sports to help athletes
afford equipment in the tough economy.
“We have received around 100 e-mails about Secondhand Sports, so
hopefully we receive a lot of gear,” Risser said.
Chelsea’s father, Chris, hopes Secondhand Sports will give more
kids the chance to get involved with baseball and softball.
“People should donate equipment to help less fortunate and new
players,” Chris Risser said. “It has been a tough time for everyone and
this way more kids are given the chance to play.”
To donate equipment, clean it and bring it to the Fraternal Order
of Police Lodge at 604 Fishlock Ave. in Findlay, on November 3 or 17
between 6:30-8 p.m.
The equipment will be distributed at softball and baseball drafts
before the season starts.
Equipment
that will be
accepted...
bats
mitts
helmets
cleats
bags
batting gloves
baseball socks
sliding pads
sliding shorts
baseball pants
Questions? call 567429-9844 or e-mail
secondhandsportz@
yahoo.com.
Girls soccer hope for sectional win
n By Leah Cramer
Hopes are high for the girls varsity soccer
team’s semi-final sectional game tomorrow,
Oct. 24 at Graham Stadium.
The team got a bye the first round,
meaning they will only play one game instead
of two.
“It feels good to win the bye,” senior
Ashley Miller said. “It gives us a big advantage
because now we get extra time to practice and
prepare for the tournaments.”
In order to win sectionals and make it to
districts, the team has to beat Defiance.
“Our junior varsity team beat Fremont,
and Defiance is seeded below them, so I’m
confident we can win sectionals,” head coach
Mark Laux said. “ I also expect to win districts
because we’re the top-ranked team and
already beat Lexington, the second-ranked
team this season, 4-0.”
If the team makes it to regionals, they will
face the Sylvania district winner.
Game time
weather
Showers
7:30 p.m. tonight,
Oct 23
football vs. Marion
Harding
5
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger, a 2000
graduate, has 51 wins, the most by any NFL
quarterback in their first five seasons.
Tom Brady set an NFL record on October 18
against the Tennessee Titans with five
touchdowns in one quarter.
Articular cartilage
Group collecting used gear
?
Mickey Mantle has the highest number of
home runs during a World Series with 18.
Volume 87, Issue 2
Friday, October 23, 2009
BENCHED
??
Did you know...
“Anthony Wayne, Perrysburg and
Northview are the top three seeded teams
from that district,” Laux said. “I would expect
a tough game from any of them.”
One way the team is preparing is by
scrimmaging the junior varsity boys team.
“It helps us learn to play at a faster
pace,” senior Shannon Mills said. “We’ve
also been working a lot on finishing scoring
opportunities we get.”
A challenge the team will face in achieving
their goal is playing to their full potential
throughout the whole game.
“They need to work on fighting through
adversity,” Laux said. “If they’re not having a
good game, they tend to get frustrated and give
up a little a bit.”
However, the team’s strong point is how
well they work together.
“Our strength is in our chemistry,” Miller
said. “We connect well on the field and know
how to play each others’ strengths.”
n By Lexi Perrault
When senior Kelsi Romatowski found out
an injury would prevent her from playing volleyball her senior year, she still found a way to
contribute to the team.
Throughout the volleyball season, Romatowski has supported her team at every game
and practice-but from the sidelines.
The injury that put her on the bench was
an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear in
her knee.
“On the first day at nationals during club
season I landed on my foot wrong and my
knee gave out,” Romatowski said. “My knee
didn’t pop so we hoped it wasn’t an ACL tear
but we found out later it was.”
Her ligament was not completely torn, but
still required surgery.
“The ACL is a unique ligament because
when it is damaged it cannot heal itself so we
use tissue from another part of the body or
from a cadaver to reconstruct the ligament,”
orthopedic surgeon Jim Davidson said.
An ACL tear typically requires up to six
months to be completely healed.
“Most athletes are out for at least four and
a half months and then with a brace after that
for a full year,” Davidson said.
Romatowski is hoping to get back on the
court in two and a half weeks by doing intense
physical therapy.
“I do physical therapy at FASTAR (Findlay
Area Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation),”
Romatowski said. “I am working on getting
faster, on my footwork and also getting my
strength back.”
Although Romatowski was injured before
the fall sports season started, head coach Ryan
Shifley kept her on the team.
“She was a two-year letterman and would
have made the team as one of our top return-
ing players,” Shifley said. “She is a really positive leader and is an asset especially with our
new freshmen, because she teaches them and
helps them out.”
Instead of working with her teammates on
the court, Romtowski has been giving advice
from the sidelines.
“My teammates are willing to listen to my
input,” Romatowski said. “I see a lot of things
that they don’t.
“I’m able to help with strategy and technical things. It’s nice because they still treat me
as part of the team.”
Junior Morgan Winans appreciates Romatowski’s help at practices and games.
“We don’t have her talent (on the court)
but we have gained a lot because we now have
someone to go to for advice,” Winans said.
“It’s like gaining another coach and yet keeping a teammate at the same time.”
After showing support throughout the
season, Romatowski was able to get in one
game to serve.
“It was awesome,” Romatowski said. “It felt
good to get on the court, even though I didn’t
do much.
“I knew my teammates were there to support me.”
Although the injury robbed her of her
senior year of volleyball, Shifley is confident
Romatowski will play in college.
“She’ll get recruited for college during the
club season,” Shifley said. “I’d be thrilled if she
can play now, but she needs to be healthy.”
The senior has learned a lot from watching
from the sidelines.
“I’ve learned to play every game as if it’s
your last game and you can’t take things for
granted,” Romatowski said. “”It showed me
how much I loved volleyball when I found out
I couldn’t play.”
GBC title motivates
cross country team
n By Maggie Malaney
After the boys won the Greater Buckeye
Conference and the girls took second, crosscountry runners are confident about postseason tournaments.
Districts are tomorrow, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. at
Pearson Park in Toledo, Ohio where they have
already run this season.
“It’s a beautiful course with lots of scenery,
so the race doesn’t seem as long,” senior Molly
Parsons said. “We’ve run it before. I’m looking
forward to seeing times drop and us hopefully
qualifying for regionals.”
Coach Mark Gleason agrees that both
teams have a good chance to qualify for
regionals, Oct. 31.
If they run well enough, some may even
move on to state.
“(Freshman) Matt Waaland has a great
chance to go to state,” Gleason said. “He has
been running very strong all year and if he
continues to, he has a chance to qualify.
“On the girls side, both (sophomores) Erin
Gwinn and Sara Plott have a chance to qualify
for state.”
Waaland, who is in the top 20 in the region,
is looking forward to the experience state has
to offer.
“The experience is really good to have
because I’m hoping to get there all four years,”
Waaland said. “It will be good to know what
it’s like so I’ll know what to expect.”
While experience is good, Gwinn said
having a positive attitude is important.
“If I believe I can go to state, then I’ll be
telling myself while I run that I can pass the
girl ahead of me, or that I can go faster,” Gwinn
said. “This sport is 90 percent mental and if
you don’t believe in yourself then you won’t
reach your full potential.”
Having young runners with strong
potential is good for the teams’ future.
high school sports with the most injuries
1. Football
The annual cases of football-related concussions
in the United States is estimated at 300,000.
2. Wrestling
Wrestlers sustain an estimated 99,676 injuries
and 8,741 skin infections per year.
3. Boys soccer
Head injuries account for up to 22 percent
of all soccer-related injuries.
4. Girls soccer
Girl soccer players suffer concussions one
and a half times more than boys.
5. Girls basketball
Girls basketball has the second highest number
of ankle injuries annually.
ALL OUT
Cross country runner sophomore Zach Brown hopes to improve
his best time of 17:30 at tomorrow’s district. The team competes at 2 p.m. at Pearson Park in Oregon.
photo by Abby Kehres
“They’re going to continue to improve
as they get stronger and older,” Gleason
said. “Having this year at state will be a great
experience for them to have under their belt.”
Gleason is already looking forward to a
strong season next fall.
“Both teams were very young this year with
a lot of first and second year runners,” Gleason
said. “They have improved each week and
have gained confidence in their ability.
“This will come into play next year when
they come back.”
Personal best
times this year
16:17
freshman Matt Waaland
20:08
sophomore Sara Plott
20:10
sophomore Erin Gwinn
Who will win the World Series?
in a random poll of 100 students
45%
Junior Matt
McDaniel was
injured during the
Lima Senior game
but was able to
return to action.
Football has the
most injuries of any
high school sport.
38%
9%
8%