November issue revised - Phoenixville Area School District
Transcription
November issue revised - Phoenixville Area School District
I’ve just finished playing high G on my flute, and I’m standing at a hold. Our drum major, Hayley Wickstrom, brings her hands down, cutting us off. It’s Saturday in mid-November, and the air is frigid. I stand in the middle of that field in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with adrenaline pumping through my veins. All that’s running through my head is, “That was my best show ever,” as I hear the announcer’s voice saying, “Give it up for the Phoenixville Marching Phantom Band!” As the crowd roars, I know that this could be the night that we take back the title we lost last year as Cavalcade Champions and win that huge trophy once again. Be honest now, how many of you actually watch the marching band at football games? That’s what I thought…not many dedicated fans. And to those special people, we appreciate all of your support. But those of you who come to the football game after the band has already performed, or run to get food or talk to your friends at half-time, have you ever stopped to think about what you are missing? Do you even know what we, as a marching band, do? “If you don’t want it printed, don’t let it happen.” Like all high school sports, marching band is very difficult and requires high levels of endurance. In fact, many people believe that the marching band puts in more active practice time than many of the sports teams. The band practices Page 2: Beware Online Predators! Page 3: Technology: From Records to IPods Page 4: Cyberbullying Page 5: Guess the Teacher! Page 6: Book Review “The Tenth Circle” Page 7: MTV Kills Good Music Page 8: Phantoms Golf Page 8: Lady Phantoms Soccer Page 9: PAHS Theater “Juniors win for the first time ever!” said the announcer at the Powder Puff game on Thursday, October 26. For the first time ever, the junior girls defeated the seniors in a game of flag football. They had a great cheering section of male cheerleaders wearing skimpy outfits, dancing around in forty degree weather. The football action was intense, but in the end the juniors won 18 to 14. They couldn’t have done it without MVP Ginny Smith. At about 8:15 the sound of many fire trucks in the dis- tance signaled it was time to start the event that a lot of people were there for, the bonfire. As the crowd of about two hundred people made their way over to the area behind the tennis courts, a smoking skyscraper of wood pallets came into view. A man with a lighter was standing at the base of the tower attempting to ignite it. Five minutes later, the pile of wood turned into a towering inferno, shooting flames fifty feet into the air. From sixty feet away the heat from the flame was very palpable and the tower was slowly falling apart, lighting the dry autumn grass on fire. By eight fifty the night was over as the once proud, blazing fire became a smoldering pile of ash which was still smoking two days later. If you missed this awesome event you should come next year. And if you did make this fun night you will probably want to go again. I know I do! Page 10: Raul’s Advice Column Page 11: Horoscopes Page 12: Continuation of “The Pride of Phoenixville” Page 13: Can You Guess? Answers Page 14: Mr. Kraynak, 55 and Still Alive Page 15: Speak Out! Page 16: Meet The Press, Comic, Upcoming Events Editorials The wonders and dangers of technology... One day a 13 year old girl named Angie was checking her e-mail. One of her e-mails was from a man she met in a chat room a few months ago. She thought he was a nice guy. Angie never told her parents that she was talking to a man online. She thought she could handle their secret relationship on her own. He started to give Angie reasons to leave her family and run away with him. He eventually had her hooked. One night, Angie packed her bags and waited at the bus stop for the true love she thought he was going to be, but he turned out to be a 47 year old predator. The man abducted her, and now her family searches for her every day. Unfortunately, Angie’s situation is not unique. communicate under false identities. In many situations, even young adults in high school use the wrong approach to avoid predators. Now I know teenagers think they are old enough to know what they’re getting themselves into, but in some cases, people lie about themselves. According to www.crisiscounseling.com, 20% of teens will have online encounters with sexual predators. Some teens will even be brainwashed into believing that their problems in the household can be taken away by leaving with a stranger they meet online. 25% of children in a chat room are asked, “Do you want to meet in person?” I believe that if teens are going to be in chat rooms that we should be careful. Here are some tips and safety guidelines to protect yourself from internet predators and people using false identities. First, you should never meet anyone you don’t know without your parents’ permission. Also, NEVER give out your personal information, such as your place of residence, your full name, or any pictures of yourself. Predators could come to your town and look for you. I do not believe that children under the age of 14 are ready to use the internet without supervision. They are too young to recognize predators on the internet. They also don’t realize that the internet allows people all around the world to In addition, you should never go into a private chat room with people you don’t know, or without your parents’ approval. Teenagers often give out passwords and usernames to people (maybe even best friends), but you should never do this because your friend could talk to someone under your name, and pretend Page 2 to be you. Then when you are online predators will be trying to talk you! Make sure you are safe in online chat rooms and open ended blogs such as AOL, AIM, or myspace. Consider ways to avoid strangers. Try using a blocked list. A blocked list is a list that will help you avoid people that are giving you grief. Many teenagers don’t use this. They just read anything that is sent to them. Teenagers tend to just be happy when they get e-mail and they don’t always care who it is from. Know that most of people my age get at least five new messages a day from someone they don’t know or don’t want to know. Just ignore them! Blogs and online buddy lists have a privacy preference; you are able to set your page allowing only your friends to see your myspace. You should also set your IM’s to “private” so you’ll be asked whether you want to accept an instant message or decline it. This will help you become safer on the internet. The internet is a great, but dangerous tool. Predators lurk everywhere, so teens must protect themselves. I hope that you will not take valuable information like this for granted. There are a lot of children like Angie who are victims of online predators. Let’s start helping ourselves and our friends to become safer and not another statistic. The Purple Press Emily is sitting in front of her computer staring at the screen, while on the phone, with her ipod blaring in her ihome dock. Emily is like most teens and uses technology on a daily basis. Again and again she says “I can’t live without my cell phone, ipod, and computer…. I would like seriously, like, die if I didn’t have them.” However, imagine what life was like for our parents! They didn’t have computers, ipods, CD players, DVD players, VCRs, cell phones, and high tech telephones. How did they survive? Technology is used for many purposes by different people. It definitely helps students’ education. What would we do without a computer? All the papers would be handwritten and some people’s handwriting is horrible. The teachers would be stuck trying to read a piece of slop. Computers/laptops these days can be also used for communication with an internet service. Instant messaging allows anyone to talk or chat instantly about whatever you want with whoever you want. However, think of our parents and how they lived. The common home computers did not come out until the 1980s. Before that they used typewriters. Typewriters are awful looking bulky keyboards where you had to put the paper in and as you type one letter at a time while the paper moves with it. What would you do if you pressed a wrong letter, or spelled a word wrong? Old typewriters didn’t even have backspaces so you had to be careful not to mess up. If someone was really worried about it they would use correcting tape, or retype every word on a new sheet of paper. Microsoft Word is so much easier! When was the last time you listened to your radio, other than in the car? Ipods can play music, games, videos, shows, or movies. Even if you don’t have an ipod I bet you’ll listen to your favorite CD mix, or listen to music online before listening to the radio. Regardless, our parents had much less then what we have today. Have you even ever heard of an 8 track player? It was a music player which played large tapes the size of a sandwich, and worked like a cassette tape with the wheels and tape running on it. Back in the day there were records, turntables, and of course the radio. Even if you don’t have an ipod, be grateful for a CD player. It’s a lot better and easier than what it used to be like for our parents. In addition, do you know what your grandparents had to go through to watch a movie? The only way to watch movies was to go to the drive –in movie theaters (in a parking lot with a big screen). You couldn’t even go to the movies on a rainy day. Technology is also used to communicate. When cell phones first came out everyone was amazed when you could call someone anywhere, and anytime you wanted. Since then, the use of cell phones has unbelievably expanded. Cell phones now have color screens, phones with keyboards, phones with internet access, phones with mp3 players, phones with email, and the list could go on. Emily would say “Oh my gosh, I totally want that Sidekick III that came out!” The Sidekick III from Tmobile has instant messaging, text messaging, email, a camera, music player, games, real web browsing, and a built in keypad. Now, when our parents were teens, no one could be on the phone on hold, and there was no three way calling. They didn’t have cell phones, but they might have had a car phone on which you could call someone from your car. If you didn’t have a car with a car phone, there were always pay phones by the side of the road. These old phones were called rotary phones. Basically it’s a phone with the numbers 0-9 and holes for your fingers so you can slide the numbers to dial the phone number you’re trying to call; they had long wires too. In the late 1980s cell phones came out but they had no colored screens, and were massively large, about the size of a brick with an antenna sticking out of it. Think about your parents not having free nights and weekends or using a payphone where you had to pay 50 cents for a 30 second call. Just imagine what life would be like if technology hasn’t been growing. Emily would seriously go nuts without her ipod, laptop, and Sidekick. Our life has expanded so much since our parents’ generation; imagine how the technology will grow as we get older! Topic Link Description Maps http://mapper.acme.org A great interactive map with satellite, road, topographic and NEXRAD maps Internet Safety http://xblock.isafe.org/imtn.php Internet safety topics and i-SAFE events. Become a certified iMentor. Library of Congress www.loc.gov/families/ LOC Kids and Families section so log-on Cool Math www.coolmath.com Confused by math? Hate math? Yeah, The Purple Press Page 3 “You stupid, ridiculously fat, wasteof-life,” your computer screen reads, as you scan the webpage that contains a bevy of foul language, about you. Your mind races as you struggle to conjure up reasons as to why this is happening. “Who dislikes me enough to want to print such cruel words about me, and why?” you ask yourself. This may be the first time you’ve experienced this problem, or it may be a common problem that you’ve known all-toowell for quite some time now. It is called “cyberbullying,” and it’s an issue that seems to be steadily increasing amongst today’s teens. According to StopCyberBullying.com, “Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.” To be honest, not every teen can relate to the issue of internet harassment directly, but this problem is on the rise. According to WebMd the percentage of kids who have experienced harassment over the internet rose 50 percent in the last six years, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. A 2004 study done by isafe.org shows that 57 percent of students have experienced someone saying hurtful or angry things to them online. 13 percent say that it happens “quite often.” I know that many students here at PAHS can name instances in which they’ve been involved in a cyberbullying situation. Whether they’ve participated in harassing a fellow student online, experienced harassment, or they’ve simply heard about other kids’ direct involvement, the majority of students know what I’m talking about. Page 4 Cyberbullying comes in a variety of forms, including; “flaming” (online fights), “denigration” (sending or posting cruel messages or rumors, specifically to injure one’s reputation or friendships), “impersonation,” and many more. The most common form of cyberbullying occurs when someone prints angry and vulgar messages to directly be read by whomever is being bullied. A similar form of this harassment occurs when someone posts messages in a forum which isn’t intended for the injured party to see. These messages can be displayed in messageboards, chatrooms, and even through “private” instant messenger conversations where the conversation can be directly copied and sent to the victim. The conflict becomes even more of a serious problem when harassment becomes repetitive, or actual threats are made. A threat doesn’t even have to be designed to be taken seriously. As long as the person on the receiving end of the threat feels scared or anxious about it, it will be considered a serious matter. Although something printed online may not be intended to hurt or offend another person, it may very well be seen and interpreted by other people as serious. In fact, it is very possible that a fellow peer, or even the victim, can discover the hurtful message online, even if it isn’t meant to be seen. It’s important that you choose your words wisely before sending them out into cyberspace. Not only can the slightest smallest remark cause another to become uncomfortable, but it may lead to a confrontation between that individual, or even worse, a higher authority figure such as a parent or a principal. If the conflict between the bully and victim stems from school-related arguments, then the school administration should be notified. For example, if two students have an argument on school property and it later carries on into an internet chatroom, “We encourage students to print [the argument] out and bring it in,” our assistant principal, Mrs. Gentile, explained. If the conflict between the bully and victim is a personal problem that is solely carried onto the internet, and not in school, students are still encouraged to talk to the administration. In turn, the administration can make suggestions to help put an end to the problem. Unfortunately, if the problem is personal rather than school-related, it is suggested that the victim take the matter to the authorities where it can be properly dealt with. Personally, I find it pretty pathetic that kids feel the need to resort to this type of harassment. Not only is it cowardly to sit behind a computer and type disrespectful and immature messages, but it’s disgusting that people can’t even feel safe and protected at home. Keep in mind that any type of these provocative messages can be accessed no matter how old they may be. They can also be accessed after deletion. Similar as to what Mrs. Gentile said during our behavioral/weapons policy assembly, you don’t know what a person may be experiencing outside of school. You have no idea if they’re depressed or anxious about any personal problems, and harassing them could push them over the edge. Although it may make you feel cool, or you may find it entertaining to rant or tease a fellow student online, it can create a permanent problem. The Purple Press You thought your teachers were boring…well, guess again! Take a look at the statements below by some of our PAHS teachers. Try to guess which teacher matches which quote. All of these are true! After you have guessed, check your answers on page 13. Don’t peek ahead!! Next month we’ll find out more about our male teachers! 1. “I am a die hard auto racing fan. Last summer I drove a 410 HP in a novice race at the Lincoln Speedway dirt track in Abbottstown. Two years ago, I drove a NASCAR stock car at Dover, DE.” Which teacher is it? 5. “I was a competitive figure skater for 10 years.” Any ideas? 3. “I danced in a ballet company from 7th grade 2. “I have 2 chinchillas and through 12th. I was a foundbullmastiff. I never watch ing member of the Chester horror movies and I dislike County Ballet Company. chocolate, bananas, I’ve also studied belly beans and peanut butter.“ dancing & flamenco! ToWho is this teacher? day I dance salsa.” Can you guess who this is? 4. “I was voted “Best Hair in a Mane Comb” in high school my senior year. I was also drum major.” Do you know who which teacher this is? 7. “I was a scuba instructor in Bermuda.” Take your 8. “I grew up in Phoenix6. “I used to play competibest guess! ville, but did not attend tive Women’s Flag Football PAHS. However, I was in the for the city of Philadelphia Dogwood Pageant and and actually played at was invited to the JunVeterans Stadium. I used to ior/Senior Prom in both my park in Mike Schmidt’s junior and senior years.” parking place during our Think really hard. night games.” Think of all the possibilities. 9. “I was a Division One athlete in college but be10. “I spent a month and a fore perfecting my skills on half backpacking around the field I was a semi-finalist Europe after college.” Any for Miss Pennsylvania world travelers? Teen.” Who was the beauty contestant? 11. “I worked as a dental assistant in college. When I was five I used to play cheetah…this included squatting on my friend’s raised porch and pouncing on unsuspecting people as they walked by…” Roar! 13. “I grew up on the same street as Mr. Kaskey. “ Who 14. “I have a fear of strong could this be? winds and lightning, so when there are severe storm warnings, I deal with it by cleaning the house. If my house gets destroyed, at least it will have been clean!” Give this teacher Pledge for a present. 15. “I worked as a Stage Manager in New York City and our Theatre Company was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.” Who might this be? 17. “I was the President of Student Council my senior year, captain of the cheerleading squad and had 13 Years Perfect Attendance Award at graduation.” Does your teacher ever have a substitute? The Purple Press 12. “I was once chased up a tree by a rhinoceros.” Anyone afraid of the rhino exhibit at the zoo? 16. “I white water raft. I’ve done the three big rivers in West Virginia-- The Tyger, the New, the Gauley, which all have class 5 rapids. I only went out of the raft once!” Could this be your teacher? Ms. Scerbo Mrs. Havrilla Mrs. Gentile Mrs. Riccardo Mrs. Wiegand Mrs. Ballentine Mrs. Lachenmayer Mrs. Weinstein Mrs. Sobel Ms. Hartzell Mrs. Dillon Mrs. Jenkins Mrs. Davies Mrs. Speckhals Ms. Saponaro Mrs. McMullin Ms. Spence-Brown Page 5 Entertainment! It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartwarming. It’s one of those books you just can’t put down. It’s The Tenth Circle. Jodi Picoult is a master of suspense in this novel about a fourteen year old girl’s life being turned upside down in a single night, and her long journey to putting the pieces back together. When Trixie Stone starts off her freshman year of high school with a boyfriend, a jock in his junior year, she is thrilled. Up until her and Jason’s three month anniversary, she is as happy as she’s ever been. So when he dumps Trixie, it’s a shock to say the least. Even with the “tough love” counsel of her best friend, the oh-sorebellious Zephyr, she is still head over heels, and devastated about the break up. To cheer Trixie up, Zephyr takes her to a party. Half the school is present, alcohol and drugs are present, but perhaps most importantly, Jason is there. In no time at all, Trixie finds herself exactly where she wants to be: sitting across from Jason and his best friend, playing strip poker, and trying desperately to prove to him that she is worth a second chance. Unfortunately, flirting soon escalades in to a series of events that Trixie would much, much rather forget. In fact, the happenings of that night have a life changing effect on every character in the book. You might even say a life ending effect for some, if you chose to be specific. Daniel Stone, a stay at home dad and amateur cartoonist, is Trixie’s dad. Convinced that he and Trixie are too close for the parent-teenage troubles most families have, he believes he can protect his daughter from the evils of the world no matter what. He is certain that the violent, angry adolescent inside of him is gone forever, and is very much unprepared when events uproot old feelings and bring them back to life. “The part of himself that he’d thought he’d exorcised turned out to have been only lying in the shallow grave where old personalities went to be discarded.” Still, Daniel’s love for his daughter throughout the novel is unwavering, and he proves time and time again that he will go to any length to keep her safe and happy. To his dismay, he comes to realize that there are some things in life that parents cannot protect their child from, no matter how much of a superhero they aim to be. Page 6 Laura Stone, an accomplished English professor, is Trixie’s mother. The first thing we learn about her is that she loves teaching her students about Dante’s Inferno. “..when you stripped it down, it was also the story of a guy in the throes of a midlife crisis, a guy who was reevaluating the choices he’d made along the way. Not unlike Laura herself.” Laura’s insecurities and uncertainties are apparent in our first encounter with her. She is in her midlife crisis. Her relationship with her daughter is middling, her marriage rocky, and her affair with a student weighing heavy on her conscience. After every chapter there are a few pages of comics that are (*made to be) copies of Daniel’s work. They add a lot of depth to the reading, showing us the complexities of Daniel’s thoughts and words, and revealing his true feelings about the situations; feelings he might not otherwise show. The detailed cartoons showcase a superhero father figure, “The Immortal Wildclaw,” going incredible distances to rescue his daughter from the inferno, metaphoric of Daniel’s struggle to stand by his daughter when everyone else has their backs turned. The Tenth Circle. The Tenth Circle earned five out of five stars from me for several reasons. First and foremost, the plot is complex and interesting, and kept me in suspense, just waiting for the pin to drop. It is realistic and imaginative all at once. The characters in the book are astonishingly real to life. The language Jodi Picoult uses to describe them is filled with just as much respect as it is with criticism, leaving the final opinion up to the reader. I felt mixed emotions for all the characters in this novel. At times I was sad for them, at times I was frustrated, at times I admired them, but mostly I just read about them, consumed myself in them, stepped into their shoes. This novel is enjoyable for any gender, any age, and anyone who wants to jump out of the real world and into the world of fiction for a wonderfully exciting ride. This novel stresses the importance of family loyalty, and challenges the role of the parent in certain situations. How far should parents go to keep their child safe? What if what they think is protecting their child is only putting them in more danger? These are questions that you will have to answer yourself after reading The Purple Press When I get ready for school in the morning I turn MTV on to see what they’re playing. One morning as I was picking out a shirt I heard this horrendous song come on. I seriously thought it was a commercial or something, because it was that bad. I couldn’t stand listening to it, so I muted the TV until the song ended and kept getting ready. I looked to see who was responsible for this absolute crap, and it turns out it was the Plain White T’s. I stared at the words on the screen and almost yelled, “THE PLAIN WHITE T’S?!” It was at that exact moment I knew they had sold out. About a year ago I found the Plain White T’s on Myspace and fell in love with their acoustic sound and meaningful lyrics, the song really getting my attention being “Hey There Delilah.” I was in love with the Plain White T’s and their album, All That We Needed, and was really excited to hear more from them. The songs weren’t cliché, the sound was original and I could easily relate to the lyrics. Their next album, Every Second Counts, was released in the summer of 2006 and was a huge disappointment. The first single off of the album, “Hate,” is an all around disaster. The lyrics are pitiful. “Hate is a strong word/ but I really, really, really, really, really don't like you.” Are you kidding me? A third grader could come up with lyrics like these, and I don’t think the Plain White T’s deserve the publicity they’re getting for this new album. They’ve really sold out and lost their uniqueness. They’ve let MTV’s promise of fame and fortune overrule their individuality as a group. When I first heard their new song, I didn’t even recognize the singers’ voices or the overall sound as being the Plain White T’s. I was expecting the song to be from just another cheesy band, like Fall Out Boy or Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Unfortunately, they’ve sold out and changed their sound to something more common that they know will sell albums. This is what MTV does to bands. MTV plays one song by the band and that’s all it takes for everyone in the free world to say “Like, OHMYGOSH I absolutely love them!” like they’ve known about the band for years. People think that if they The Purple Press heard a song or band on MTV they should like it. Follow a band because you like their sound, not because they’re on MTV and popular now! I can think of a few good examples: Taking Back Sunday, Wolfmother, Nelly Furtado, Jewel and Say Anything. Taking Back Sunday’s video “makedamnsure” hit MTV last spring. After their video aired tons of people were all of a sudden in love with them. Wolfmother’s video, “Joker and the Thief,” just aired on MTV. Never before had I heard someone talk about Wolfmother until I knew their video played on MTV. Nelly Furtado used to write songs that had more of a Spanish/Indie feel, but her new songs are these club songs with a good bass beat about being promiscuous. Once again, MTV and its listeners didn’t care about Nelly Furtado until her sound changed to something more common. In the 90’s, Jewel wrote her own songs, played an acoustic guitar and let her emotions out through her songs. Her song “Intuition,” released in 2003, had no acoustic feel and stupid one hit wonder lyrics, but MTV played it and it was loved by all new Jewel listeners who don’t even know her old music. Say Anything is another band I found on Myspace and quickly began to like. Their songs are fast paced and the lyrics are catchy. Their video, “Alive with the Glory of Love” just started playing on MTV and once again I’m starting to see people taking an interest in them. Now, this is just a prediction, but I really like Hellogoodbye, and I haven’t seen any of their videos on MTV, but they’re on MTV.com and I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before their new video “Here (In Your Arms),” gets played and is miraculously liked by everyone. It’s not fair that MTV has such a great influence on people and the bands they listen to. People are only willing to listen to something after MTV has deemed it good. Chances are, if it’s not on MTV it still has that real, authen- tic sound, but once MTV enters the picture the band changes. The band loses its loyal listeners and gains lots of listeners who are oblivious to the band’s original potential that was destroyed by selling out for MTV. I know lots of bands want to make it big, and MTV helps out with that, but once they make it big and start making some real money, they let the thought of writing really good music go because they know the new listeners will like their boring cliché lyrics or boy band sound. This really annoys me, and I’ve taken to listening to more Indie/alternative bands like The Strokes, Rogue Wave, Motion City Soundtrack, The Shins, Fiona Apple, The Flaming Lips and Built to Spill. These groups/artists have more of an acquired taste, and it’s less likely that they’re going to change their sound to fit the MTV mold. I’ve also really started to get into classic rock and older bands. Lots of people have forgotten about or don’t really appreciate bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, Steve Miller Band, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC or the Ramones. Bands like these weren’t afraid to think outside of the box and write music with a different sound. I also know tons of people claim to like The Rolling Stones and Queen, but I’m willing to bet that many only know “Satisfaction” or “We Are the Champions.” MTV has really let me down, and I’ve resorted to other ways of finding good music. I check out purevolume.com pretty often to see if I can find any good bands, sometimes local, that have that real unique sound. Many of the bands listed on the front page of the website are bands I’ve never heard of, and nine times out of then their music is decent and authentic. Another place I find good music is Myspace. It’s not as easy to find unknown bands as using purevolume is, but if you have patience you can find some good stuff. These are all great alternatives compared to constantly watching MTV to see what band they’re promoting, and it’s more fun to really see what types of music you like. Page 7 SPORTS The Phantom golf team’s presence has graced the Pickering Valley golf course for quite some time. This year, the Phantoms have proven a worthy occupant of the course, with a final record of 10-6 overall and 4-5 in the Pac-10. Version 2006 of Phantom Golf was comprised of many returning players. Coach Winnick was pleased with the consistency of his team this year, as well as the strong play of newcomers such as Aaron Jones and Ryan Doland. Making the varsity golf squad proves a daunting task. After two tryout days of eighteen holes each at the beginning of the season, players are positioned based on their scores. During the season practices also play a part in determining who starts. Basically, if an athlete performs well consistently, then that athlete holds his varsity spot and vice versa. Junior Varsity players are usually given the chance to play at least one varsity match in order to gain crucial experience. The season started fast for the Phantoms. Despite its good record early in the year, the Phantoms were barely winning with scores that weren’t so great. As the season drew to a Passion and tenacity are two words that described the Lady Phantoms Soccer team this year. Having finished with a 5-11-1 record, this was a rebuilding year with many rays of hope to be found. Unlike last year, the Lady Phantoms are not losing as many seniors to graduation. Felicia Dinnocenzo, Vicky Seagal, Ashley Hart, Amanda Brown, and Sarah Farley are the graduating seniors. Along with many of the seniors who played key roles, players like Denna Page88 Page close, the team hit a “tough stretch” and was not able to recover. Other teams such as Boyertown and Perkiomen Valley were able to shine on the way to a Pac-10 championship battle. Despite the tough ending to the season, the future looks bright for this young Phantom team. Both the developmental golf team and the junior varsity squad will provide an influx of new talent to the Phantom golf program. Future promise is evident in players such as sophomore John Bilo. This season Bilo received Pac-10 Honorable Mention, and finished a single eighteen hole match with a score of even par, excellent for any golfer, especially one in high school. Coach Winnick will be “disappointed if they are not in contention for the final four and league championship next season.” On a more personal note, Winnick has coached Phantom Golf for six Allen and Jade Wright were big contributors. Freshmen Andy Levine and Caitlin Barnett also played key roles and present a bright future for the team. Head Coach Mike Koch and Assistant coach Mr. Seel ran the team. Mr. Seel spent much of his time getting years. His favorite golf courses include French Creek, and Gulph Mills. He got the chance to set foot on these “elite to get into” courses due to an Invitational. The coach believes that he is on the same level talent-wise as his golfers, which should not be the case. He thinks that his players should be better, as “golf is one sport in which the athlete should be better than the coach.” Winnick found the season very enjoyable and liked interacting with the team members, developing a good rapport. Looking forward to next season, the Phantoms have some considerable potential. The coach wants to let the school know that “the team is looking for girls” to play as well. Other teams in the Pac10 have had girls play (at one point, LC’s number one player was a girl who ended up receiving a scholarship to St. John’s). Phoenixville has never had a female golfer in its history, but now it is time to make history. Four or five girls have already considered joining the team next season, but more are always welcome. Don’t forget the golf team when the 2007 season rolls around. the younger players acclimated to their system. In doing so, he prepared them for some varsity play, which is not normal to see among such young players. While Coach Seel feels The Purple Press What do sword fighting, exquisite costumes, (done by Loriel Wisely) and great acting have in common? Well, they’re all in this year’s fall play, “The Three Musketeers.” One of the stars in this year’s fall play is Vince Tavani. He says he has been in “every single theatrical production as a lead or as a supporting role in the Phoenixville School District.” This year, Vince is playing D’Artagnan, a young farm boy who wants to become a musketeer. According to Vince, “They [The Three Musketeers] are like the secret service, but cocky and French.” Although acting is Vince’s passion, he is also the Assistant Director, along with Cass Lowry. The Assistant Director’s job is basically “an extension of the Director.” Vince’s father, Mr. Tavani, is the Director, so they have a good working relationship. Vince, along with Cass, have really made a difference in the cast’s acting experience. “We give tips and ideas to fellow actors,” Vince stated. Even though other actors aren’t supposed to tell their fellow actors what to do, Vince and Cass have the advantage because of their Assistant Directing status. many of the freshman were not yet ready for varsity competition, it was still an experience that will help them in the future. The Lady Phantoms had many memorable games this year, but the one that stood out the most was the home game against the PAC-10 Champion hopefuls, the Upper Perkiomen Indians. In a thrilling game, the Phantoms defeated a team to which they were huge underdogs. The late season upset was living proof of the Phantoms’ passion, and tenacity. The amount of people in the play, according to Vince, “could be greater.” Theatre always needs more help. On the other hand, it’s important for people to be dedicated. “People think it’s just a place to hang, and it is, but that comes with dedication. Without dedication, the play is just bad.” Vince believes that you can be involved and still have fun. For example, Rachel Kinback is doing stage management, Mr. Gamble and his crew constructed the set, and Ms. Sapanaro, and Mr. Turley did the art direction. The stars of the play this year include Cass Lowry, Ross Peterson, and Chuck Savoy, who play the Three Musketeers. Joe Rogers plays the author, Alexandre Dumas. He composes the play which is being performed as it’s written. Vince says that “the best, and most challenging part of the play” is the sword fighting. The main reason the sword fighting is so difficult is because some of the actors need to be trained. It’s going pretty well, but it [the sword fighting] is intense. Vince definitely believes that the sword fighting is the “air of adventure.” Another important person in this year’s fall play is Mrs. Ballantine. She is the producer for the fall play this year. “This is my third year producing it, here [at Phoenixville High School]. Mrs. Ballantine has also produced “Tartuffe” and “The Crucible.” According to Mrs. Ballantine, this year’s fall play is a “really fun play, but a tremendous challenge.” Mrs. Ballantine has acted in some plays when she was in school. “The plays that we produce here are much more demanding and very sophisticated. There is high caliber acting, and a high caliber of dedication.” Mrs. Ballantine’s favorite part about being the play’s producer is the fact that she gets to see the students in a different setting. She claimed, “It’s nice to not have to be the teacher.” This year’s fall play would not be complete without Vince Tavani and Mrs. Ballantine. Thanks to these two amazing contributors, this year’s play should be amazing. The shows are on November 17th and 18th at 7 p.m. Show time for Sunday November 19th is 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $5 (Senior Citizens and Students), and $7 (Adults). Anyone who helps out with the play (ushers, ticket takers, lighting) gets in free! So, come out and support the 2006 Fall Play, “The Three Musketeers”! being a high school soccer player at Truman High School. However, if he was not a teacher and a soccer coach he would fancy being an Appalachian Trail Guide. When he is not coaching he enjoys hiking and mountain biking. In fact, Mr. Seel said, “I’d live out of my car and a tent.” Living out of a car and paying no bills is Mr. Seel’s ideal lifestyle. The lady Phantoms are a young group with a lot of upside for the future. They have the numbers, character and the talent to be competitive for years to come. Mr. Seel’s soccer background includes The Purple Press Page 9 Dear Raul, I didn’t even te. The truth is u c r e p su nd Y excited. I nior a end I was VER nd. He’s a se fri rie irl yf g o s b hi st e fir b y e to tm ht they’d be This year, I go hugs. I thoug n he asked m d he n w a s so e , ns d o e st sp reminded me ng re ew I exi Instead, they xpecting smili realize he kn e ” s. y, n a tio w a la t tu h in the head ngra nds rig ath teacher ne single “co m o r told all my frie e a th he it h ’t n d n id a ds, it was the last , but I d ees at little ki st year, and isb la happy for me Fr le w b u re o th tr e he som uff anymore, st year d gotten into n’t do that st a id h about how la d e h he w t e a th kn n insisted them racket. I est friend eve . When I told b m y with a tennis e M th . m m o hi fr r g n’t know trustin d to hea st week. I do as stupid for la w st I thing I wante t ju a y th a e llw m e ha untrue. and told d that it was e goldfish in th te liv sis a they scoffed in t e a e h n d n a mad at me ut it a e a freshm y friends are d to him abo m e y lk d that he mad ta a I e lre a us d a , an boyfriend! lying, bec of weeks now y brand new le m up se why they are o lo c to a t r n a going out fo , but I don’t w We’ve been lking to them ta s is m I . e sid for taking his I do? d ul o sh t Wha Signed, way? est friends any Who needs b Dear Who, To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if your friends are really just pretty jealous. They hate to think that someone in their immediate group of friends might be stepping up the social ladder by (God FORBID) getting a boyfriend-a senior boyfriend, before they do. I’m not saying that there’s no truth to their argument, but maybe the reason they are being so “hostile,” if you will, is because they can’t bear the thought of losing you to this senior guy. If I were you, I would start my assuring them that even if he has some bad habits, you won’t let him change you. You could also tell them you value their opinion and will be careful as you proceed with your new relationship. Next, don’t just say these things to please your friends, but actually mean it and stick to it. You could try asking some other people who know this boy if he has changed at all since last year. Then, you could take their words into consideration, but ultimately, YOU should be the judge of his character. Hang out with this boy, spend some time with him doing things you both enjoy, and try to get together with larger groups. He may act differently around you to try to convince you he won’t be a “bad influence,” so maybe watching him when he’s with his friends would give you some insight on his behavior. As you do all of this, keep your friends informed so they don’t feel “out of the loop.” At the same time, if things are going well, don’t rub it in that you’re having the perfect little high-school romance, because if they’re a little envious (as I suspect they are), this may only further distance you from them. Whatever you decide to do, remember that your friends probably care about you more than this boy, so don’t completely disregard everything they say, even if it is tinged with jealousy. Good luck, Raul Cold and flu season is right around the corner. There are many small things that we can do at PAHS to keep us healthier this season. Wash Your Hands! Handwashing for 10 to 15 seconds with soap and water reduces the spread of germs. Eat Your Veggies! Studies show that eating regular meals and lots of green vegetables is associated with a stronger immune response by white blood cells; helping to keep us healthier. Early to Bed, Early to Rise: Research suggests that immune function is enhanced when we get more than seven hours of sleep a night. Stress and Conflict: Stressful situations drain our energy and emotions. Studies show that this affects our immune system and physical health. A strong social/emotional support system helps to reduce the affects of stress. Exercise and Immune Function: Moderate exercise is good for your health. Studies show that exercising for 30 minutes daily affects the number of winter illnesses we get. Page 10 The Purple Press (March 21 - April 20): The lunar spectrum of your stars is still this month, indicating that your enemies will begin to rise and surface. New people will start to cross your path, but do not be fooled. These new people cannot be trusted. Remember, evil comes in all shapes and forms, so make sure you are on top of everything. Focus on trusting the ones you already know and love and you will be fine. This Month: Cook peanut butter. (April 21 – May 21): Decisions never mattered this much. A significant shift in the atmospheric layers of Mars will cause a shift in your life. You will begin to make choices that will cause you to switch lanes, taking you down a different road in your life. If you feel like changing or trying something new, run with it. Focus on what you want, not what someone else says is best for you. This Month: Wear cat ears to school. (May 22 – June 21): Get ready for a month with startling undulations in your personality. A crossing of Venus’s moons will create chaos in your head. You will at times feel destructive, imaginative, weird, needy, shy, optimistic, outgoing, and every other emotion possible. Don’t be freaked out by the sudden shifts in moods. Live it up when you get in that partying mood, and relax when you get in that anxious one. This Month: Make a chipmunk smile. (June 22 – July 23): The astrophysical eclipses in the planetary system this month will give you a new way to approach the problems you have been facing. Your mental state will emerge from its previous fog and everything you need to know will hit you quickly. Whether you had no clue how to cope with the heavy school load or something more deep, you’ll find the solution to your problems in life. This Month: Roll wit’ a pirate, yo. (July 24 – Aug. 23): Saturn’s rings have reversed lunar rotation this month putting the stars in your favor. Karma is on your side, so if you have previously felt cheated by someone, say a teacher, sibling, parent, boss, or co-worker, expect the tables to turn on them. Save your money, because at the end of this month you will find that there is something you will desperately want. This Month: Throw a fireball at a ninja. (Aug. 24 – Sept. 23): The cosmological balance of the solar system this month will grant you power. You will have the upper hand in all situations and will have complete control of the people around you. This is the month of achievement. With this power you will be able to take on anything and win. Keep in mind that you don’t always have the power to choose what you take on. The Purple Press HOROSCOPES This Month: Avoid vegetable oil. (Sept. 23— Oct. 22): This month, the Sun and Venus are moving into the beauty sector of your chart, making this month a great time to go out and buy some new clothes. I can guarantee that you will look amazing in everything you try on. However, steer clear from the color orange, it will make you look like a pumpkin. This Month: Dye one half of your hair green. (Oct. 23—Nov. 21): Thursday will be your lucky day! Although the last test that you took didn’t go so well, this month things will work out. No need to spend extra time studying because your star chart says that your IQ will increase twenty points, so go outside and run around! This Month: Learn to hula hoop. (Nov. 22— Dec. 21): You know that friend who really gets on your last nerve? Well this month you should watch out for a huge confrontation! Mars is moving through the sensitive area of your chart, so prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster! On a brighter note, you should talk to the person who sits to your left in first period. They may be able to make you laugh during this not-so-happy time. This Month: Hug a stranger! (Dec. 22—-January 19): You know that person you’ve been gazing at amiably all week? Well this is the person that could change the rest of your life. Talk to this person, especially if he or she is a Capricorn or a Libra Solar activity in your opposite sign of Cancer will bring you great confidence this month, so why not take a risk? This Month: Learn the Electric Slide. (January 20—February 18): The Sun is moving through the money sector of your chart. In other words, you need money! If you don’t have a job, this month is the time to go out and get one. It shouldn’t be hard to find a place with an opening because everyone will be looking to hire you this month. On the other hand, if you already have a job, prepare yourself for a raise, because the stars have told me that you have been working really hard lately! This Month: Paint one toenail red. (Feb. 19—March 20): A lunar eclipse in your sign will give you the power to take control. You will want to be the leader of every group that you are in. Use your power wisely, however, because if you don’t, your followers may turn away from you! It is important for you to keep yourself sane during this time, because you will be busy. This Month: Use all of your bathroom passes. Page 11 consistently throughout the summer, one or two nights a week for three hours each, through the months of June, July and the first weeks in August. Then comes the really scary part of the season, band camp. Now, erase all previous ideas about what band camp might be like, because it’s nothing like the movies that you’ve seen. Band camp is long and incredibly exhausting, filled with hours of repeating the same drill moves over and over, and playing the same music until you think your lips will fall off. And it gets worse. Imagine spending eight hours a day with the same people for two weeks straight, in the heat of August. Scary, isn’t it? For those of you who don’t know much about the marching band, there are four major parts: the colorguard, pit, band, and drum major. This year, the colorguard consists of nine girls. Their job is mainly to make the show more exciting by complementing the music with the artistic use of flags, pieces of fabric, and sabers. There is also the lesser-known pit. Their job is to add various percussion instruments to the band’s sound. They are unable to march because they play instruments like the xylophone, drum sets, gongs, and the like. The band is that which you would see in local parades. It consists of a woodwind section (flutes, piccolo, clarinets, and saxophones), a brass section (tuba, baritones, trumpets, and mellophones), and a drum line (bass drums, and snare drums). Then comes the glue that holds the band together, our drum major, Hayley Wickstrom. Although she is an excellent musician, her job conducting the band is quite difficult. In addition to Hayley, there are student leaders within the individual sections including Catie Gryzwacz, Anne Kornaga and Shannon Terstappen in the woodwind section, Chris Manley and Michael Peters in the brass section, Harry Fosnocht and Tyler Mittnacht in the percussion section, and Christina Hunt in the colorguard. Their job is to maintain order within the sections, because the fifty-three members can sometimes be hard to handle. Student leaders put aside, Mr. Goslin is the overall director. This is his second Page 12 year here at Phoenixville, and he hopes to make this year’s show his best yet. This year’s marching band show is the popular Broadway musical Wicked, based on the hit novel by Gregory Maguire,. It tells the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West became…Wicked. This was selected because the staff felt that it fit the students’ interests more than last year’s show. They are all big fans of the Wicked music. The show has four movements, “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “For Good,” “One Short Day,” and “Defying Gravity.” The music was arranged specifically for the band by the Assistant Director and Arranger, Michael Broschak. As the visual designer, Joe Santoro’s job is to take the music and create a drill design with movement to reflect the music. For instance, if the music is forceful, it is expected that the shapes on the field be rigid, like squares, and if the music is fast, the movement, too, should speed up. Along with the colorguard designer, Laura Santoro, the goal is to create visual imagery that enhances the musical phrasing. Director Mr. Goslin refers to the finished product as, “artistic athletic.” This year’s band is off to an incredible start. On our trip to Ocean City, New Jersey on September 24th we competed at Oakcrest High School and came in first place in the Cavalcade of Bands American Conference, with a score of 76.9. We had an great performance at Owen J. Roberts on October 7th, placing first with a score of 85.9. We competed again October 28th, with wicked gusts of wind threatening to send the colorguard flying with the props. We were able to overcome these obstacles and place second with a respectable score of 86.85 behind Hatboro Horsham who scored 89.25. November 4th, we had our best performance and came in second with a score of 89.9 behind King’s Way Regional who scored 90.3. But we won the High Auxillary and Colorguard award. Even though winning is great, Phoenixville’s major goal this year is to perform as well as can be. But ultimately we want to be in the top three, and get back to number one. This goal seems very achievable to the Phoenixville band instructors, who are very optimistic because the band plays better than last year. Although it is always nice to come in first, it is important that the students understand that there is not a “winner” and a “loser” because everyone works just as hard to perform well. The most important thing to realize about the marching band is that the members take their job very seriously. They strive to perform well, so that they can represent the community well and bring home awards, letting others know that there are good things happening in Phoenixville. Everyone should watch the marching band, because we are just like any other performing activity. Especially take notice toward the end of the season, because the best thing about the season is seeing the progress from the beginning to the end. From preview night to championships at Hershey on November 11th, the growth is incredible. From a music stand point, we will sound like a completely different band. Visually, the band, more noticeably the colorguard, will become drastically better, with fewer dropped flags, and more exciting work in general. The change in the overall effect that the band will generate will be amazing, after four months of practice. After Championships, the progress that we’ve made will fill us with the pure satisfaction of a job well-done. Hopefully, the best part of the season will be waiting in the stands at Hershey stadium on a cold Saturday in November, listening to the announcer say, “First place with a score of 97.5….Phoenixville!” The Purple Press Ms. Hartzell is our racer and number 1 in our quiz. The answer to number 2 is Mrs. Wiegand! Mrs. Spence-Brown is our former ballet dancer and our answer for #3 Mrs. Davies is our “mane” answer for #4 The answer to number 5 is Ms. Scerbo, the ice skater! Ms. Saponaro was the football player and is number 6! For scuba lessons, ask Mrs. McMullin...who is #7. The answer to number 8 is Mrs. Havrilla! Mrs. Gentile is the adventurer and is our # 10! The answer to number 11 is Mrs. Jenkins was the former beauty pagent finalist. She’s the answer to number 9. Mrs. Weinstein is our lucky number 13! Mrs. Speckhals is our answer to number 14...the cleaner! This is number 12...well, the picture isn’t Mrs. Ballantine. crazy Mrs. Dillon! Mrs. Sobel is our answer to number 15. Mrs. Lachenmayer is our rafter at number 16! Does she ever have a substitute? Mrs. Riccardo is our number 17! The Purple Press Page 13 After attending public schools for the past twelve years, it seems to me that most people, after three decades of working in a classroom, inevitably tend to lose some of their energy and passion for teaching. In fact, national estimates indicate that nearly 20% of teachers in the U.S. quit within their first three years! The challenges that come with working in education make people like Mr. John A. (“Jack”) Kraynak, of Phoenixville’s history department, a rare find. After four years of knowing him as a coach, and as an AP U.S. History teacher, I can confidently say that he is one teacher that hasn’t lost a bit of his enthusiasm for teaching history or for coaching. If anything, all of his years of experience make him even more qualified, by having better prepared him to coach his runners and help his students learn. With his healthy lifestyle, it’s no miracle that he’s not only physically alive on his 55th birthday, but has a lively personality as well. Now, as Mr. Kraynak approaches this landmark age, he reluctantly agreed to an interview that would provide some insight on his ability to stay motivated and excited about his work in Phoenixville. “The secret is to stay involved, especially with the kids and the school,” said Coach Kraynak, who is himself a Phoenixville High School graduate. He has a 33-year coaching career at Great Valley, Owen J. Roberts, Millersville, and of course, at Phoenixville, despite tempt- Page14 14 Page ing head-coach job offers in other districts. Staying with the job in his home town, Kraynak has kept himself surrounded with high school athletes. Being around such energetic teenagers “keeps me feeling younger” confessed Mr. Kraynak, who was even prompted to shave his moustache by a handful of nagging and obnoxious (yet persuasive) high school runners. “My wife didn’t even notice for a while...” he said of his wife Donna. But she eventually got used to it, and so did his 20-year-old son John, who is also attending Millersville University. The family lives here in Phoenixville with their three cats-Bogie, Toby, and Shoby. Jack Kraynak is a true family man, and, even with his commitments to his team and students, he prioritizes his family first. Kraynak does a number of things to stay involved in the community as well. He has been in the Sacred Heart Church Choir since the early 1970’s, and attends practices Wednesday evenings to learn his part for special church services. In his prime, Jack Kraynak played baseball, football, and basketball, and even participated in a gymnastics club at his high school. This Millersville grad set records at PAHS and at the college level, and still holds a 1972 university record for the 600 yards at 1:13.8. Although he doesn’t hope to keep setting school records, he does hope to stay active, despite a busy schedule. “When I retire, I hope to keep running and start competing again in age group competitions,” he said enthusiastically. But his retirement plans don’t stop there. Kraynak feels most accomplished with his investment in the track and cross country programs here at the high school, and hopes to always stay involved as a coach or a volunteer. Ten years from now, you might also find Mr. Kraynak helping out at the Phoenixville Historical Society, or dressed up as a revolutionary soldier at the reenactments in Valley Forge. With all his extra time, he also hopes to learn the guitar, take a road trip, make some home improvements, and even build a model railroad in his basement! Prior to this article, you may have known Mr. Kraynak as the reserved history teacher with a love for running and Colonial America. But this November 11th, as Jack Kraynak celebrates his 55th birthday, think of him as a multi-talented man, who loves the “Moody Blues,” granola bars, Humphrey Bogart movies, John Wayne Westerns, and chicken parmesan. Although he certainly has some predictable routines, Mr. Kraynak has consistently met the changing needs both of his athletes on the track, and of his students in the classroom. The Purple Press Nick Ciaverelli—“Ever seen the back of a Mazda Protégé?” Ut Dinh- “Did you just fart? Because you blow my mind!” Amanda Naile — “If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.” Nick Jones—“You must be a parking Troy Tabb—“If I had the choice between loving you and breathing, I’d use my last breath to tell you I love you.” ticket, because you have got FINE written all over you!” Mr. Tornetta - “I’ll have to ask my wife…..” Lauren Spangler - “Did you have Lucky Charms for breakfast? Because you are looking magically delicious!” Jenny McAvoy - “Can I take your picture? I want to show Santa exactly what I want for Christmas.” Saleem Williams - “Do you know CPR? Because you take my breath away.” The Purple Press Page 15 Nov 10: Football at home vs. Rustin Nov 11: Band Competition at Hershey, Sophomore Dance 7-10 p.m. Nov 17-18: Fall Play “The Three Musketeers” 7 p.m. Nov 19: Fall Play “The Three Musketeers” 2 p.m. Nov 20: Mr. Kaskey’s 13th wedding anniversary Nov 21: Parent / Teacher Conferences — no school Nov 22-24: Thanksgiving Recess — no school Nov 23: Thanksgiving Football! At Spring-Ford, 10 a.m. Dec 1-2: Boys Basketball tip-off tourney The Purple Press