October, 2006 - Findlay High School

Friday, October 13, 2006
Junior
Mike
Spitnake
Findlay High School’s Award Winning Newspaper
Volume 84 Issue 1
Blue & Gold
Weekend Weather: Friday, Mostly Cloudy, High 53, Low 35
Alumni association
presents concert
Saturday, Partly Cloudy, High 54, Low 34
Board adopts new suspension policy
By JADE MUMMERT
NEWS EDITOR
By ALISHA RILEY
STAFF WRITER
Cavalcade of FHS Stars, the ninth annual
alumni choral performance will be October 16 at
7:30 pm in the R. L. Heminger Auditorium.
Findlay First Edition
and Pantasia Steelband will
perform, along with five
returning alumni; Stephanie
Irby, Ellen Gartner, Mark
Simons, Steve Huffman and Dr.
Marna Rayl Greenberg.
Stephanie Irby
“They (alumni) will be singing
their own numbers, but we might do a duet this
year,” Alumni director Roger Powell said. “In
the past, we would have them come out and do
all of their numbers, but we’ll mix them up so
they can go back and forth between singers.”
General admission tickets are now on sale at
The Arts Partnership, Gromans, Morey’s and the
Alumni Office. Students are $6, adults $10.
Conferences offered
during both semesters
By ASHLEY LAZAR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
In an effort to encourage more parents to
attend Parent/Teacher Conferences, the dates
are being spread across both semesters.
The first scheduled conference is October
17, the earliest date that conferences have ever
been held.
“We made the change because parents were
concerned that the conferences came so far
after midterms came out, they were not able
to address issues that were on the midterms
sooner,” Principal Craig Kupferberg said.
Two other conferences will be held
November 15 and 21. The last scheduled date
for conferences will be February 28.
“It’s great that we’ve got a variety of dates
throughout the year. In the past not many
parents have come, and we’re hoping that
having them earlier will allow more parents to
attend.” Teacher Laurie Beutler said. “Also,
now that we’ve added one in February it gives
us a chance to speak to the parents of the
students we have in the second semester.”
Parents are still able to schedule conferences any time of the year by contacting thre
main office.
Sunday, Showers, High, 53, Low 40
With changes to the Out-of-School
Suspension (OSS) policy made by the Findlay
City Schools’ Board of Education, students will
now have the opportunity to make up a certain
percentage of their work instead of receiving
all zeros, or being required to do hours of
community service like in previous years.
Now, the grade level principal looks at
the number of times the student has served
OSS, and how serious the offense is. Then
the principal decides the amount of credit
a student can receive for it. Students must
complete all work, whether they earn 100
percent credit or 50 percent.
The new procedure came as a surprise to
school board member Dr. Eric Browning, who
thought students could receive full credit.
“This new system is aimed on giving
students opportunity,” Browning said. “You
get the opportunity to make up 100 per cent of
the work. Otherwise, you’re being punished
academically as well, as behaviorally.”
Browning knows the policy is a work in
progress and still needs some fine-tuning.
“Many schools have done away with out
of school suspension because it is unfair to
students,” Browning said. “Our goal is to keep
students in school.
“They will learn from their mistakes if they
are kept in school, not sent home for vacation.”
Even though Browning says many districts
don’t have OSS, many area schools such as
Lima Senior and Perrysburg have OSS policies;
some let students make up 100 percent of their
work, and others don’t.
“It is a board requirement that students
have the opportunity to make up credit, and
this policy follows that,” superintendent
Dean Wittwer said. “But, the same debate is
happening not just around Findlay, but other
schools are noticing too that it’s like double
jeopardy when students are removed from
school and given zeros. It’s too much.”
Board President Julie Brown also supports
the new policy, but said that OSS is still
necessary for some students.
“Out-of-School Suspension is only a safety
precaution,” Brown said. “If the student
interferes with the learning experience, or
poses a threat by bringing a weapon to school
or something like that, then you shouldn’t let
them back in the building the next day.”
Students that have had suspensions in the
past are happy about the change in policy.
“During my suspension, I missed the turnin date for a project in Spanish,” Senior Jake
Dunbar said. “I failed the class because of it,
and I wish I would have had the opportunity
to make up my work.”
Brown is optimistic about the effect of the
new policy on students.
“It is too early to really get good feedback,”
Brown said. “But student’s grades should not
be affected, and they can recover if they slip
up. Now everyone has a fighting chance.”
Unfinished business
A year later Gulf Coast residents still need help
Johnson’s Island group
sponsors walk-a-thon
By ASHLEY LAZAR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Fall choir concert next week
By JADE MUMMERT
NEWS EDITOR
Over 320 students will participate in the
annual Fall Choir Concert on October 18 at
7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
This is one of the largest vocal groups the
school has ever had.
“Expect a big sound. We’re off to such a good
start, and this is our time to show it off,” director
Kevin Maley said.
The students rehearse three to five times a
week, and will settle for nothing less than the best.
“Our director expects perfection,” senior Jaren
Stutzman said. “We run songs over and over
untill we get them right.”
There is no admission fee, but donations will
be accepted.
Hats off
Mitchell applies for medal
Sophomore Andrea Mitchell is
trying to qualify for
the Gold Congressional Medal,
which will be
awarded in June
of 2007.
To qualify,
you must
have 400
Andrea Mitchell
hours, including 200 of communtiy service.
Volunteer Wendy Frost (right) comforts Hurricane Katrina victim Claude Bello as he tells his story of survival while his wife, Cookie and Volunteer Diane
Kittle look on. Frost is now collecting various items to take to Mississippi in December when she returns for her fourth visit.
Local nurse hopes
students will donate
By JADE MUMMERT
NEWS EDITOR
Pearlington, MS resident Sam Bailey looks
forward to her visits every time she returns to
the hurricane-ravaged costal town.
Wendy Frost, a Blanchard Valley Regional
Health Center nurse in a way, has adopted
Bailey and his town, ever since her first visit to
the devastated area.
“Wendy is such a comfort to the people
here,” Bailey said. “She will sit and listen as
long as you feel like talking. You wouldn’t
know how emotionally taxing a natural disaster can be until you experience it, and her
words help some of the pain go away.”
After making her first trip to Mississippi
with the Red Cross, she found that the small
town had stolen her heart. Frost has since
made two other trips independently, and is
planning a fourth trip before Christmas to
deliver more supplies.
After the storm, Americans from all over
the country opened their hearts and their
wallets to aid the victims in need. Now, a year
Walker heads to Louisville
Senior Brandon Walker has
narrowed down his list of over
65 colleges that contacted him
about football scholarships, and
decided to accept a full ride to
the University of Louisville.
Walker averages 40 yards per
punt, and looks forward to
playing for the Division 1 team.
Besides playing football, Walker
is interested in the school’s
accounting program.
editorial 2
www.wendyfrost.com(fair use)
Heart to heart
5
some parents aren’t going to work; they are
just staying home with their kids.”
Volunteers have made a difference to the
people of Pearlington, but there are others that
still need to be repaired.
“I am still waiting for doors and windows
to arrive for the first story of my house,” Bailey
said. “We now have rats and stray cats living
down there because it is open to the elements.”
Many victims in Bailey’s situation have
been scammed and cheated out of what little
money they have left, because they are anxious
to get back on their feet.
“Contractors ask for 50 percent of the
money down, and then just never show up to
fix your house,” Bailey said. “People are desperate enough that they’ll just give their money
to these people without thinking.”
The lives of the residents of Pearlington
have been changed forever, but Bailey is still
looking at things in a positive light.
“When the birds first started coming back,
and when the grass started growing again, it
was beautiful to see. I’ve never felt that way
before,” Bailey said.
“Be thankful for what you have.”
See related story page 5
Genius bar
Web watch
things that will help you look smart today
www.postsecret.com
Anyone can anonymously
contribute their secrets to
PostSecret. Each secret can
be a funny experience,
regret, fear, confession,
fantasy, or feeling. Reveal anything - as long
as it is true. Some are
posted for all to see.
New secrets are posted
every Sunday.
entertainment 3
later, volunteers are heading home to deal with
the needs of their own communities.
However, Frost is still continuing to provide
help and the basic supplies the victims need.
She is turning to her local community for help,
including the high school. Students can bring
in any donations and drop them off in the
freshman and main offices.
“When I go down in December, I will take
all donations to Pearlington,” Frost said. “You
can donate anything from canned goods to
clothing. Young people can make all the difference. People, like Sam, can use anything.”
Bailey’s story is one like many saw on T.V
weeks after the storm.
“My wife and I flagged down a military helicopter by waving a towel. They pulled me up
to the hovering chopper and asked where they
were,” Bailey said. “Pearlington wasn’t even
on their map. We did not receive any aid at all
until four or five days after the storm.”
Besides supplies, families of Pearlington are
without a school.
“Many parents are now home-schooling
their children because the school in the town is
gone, and it is too far to drive,” Frost said. “It’s
a big commitment on their part, because now
feature 4,5
1. The Departed with Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon
opened last Friday, earning $27 million.
Joe E. Brown Theatre is said to be haunted by the ghost of
2. BGSU’s
Alice, a student killed by a falling object during a show in 1987.
largest pumpkin was grown by Jerry Rose in 2005,
3. Ohio’s
and weighed 1370 lbs.
Detroit Tigers’ victory over the New York Yankees makes
4. The
this their first post-season series victory since 1984.
Justin Timberlake’s album Future Sex/Love Sounds
5. had
66,698 iTunes downloads in this week, a new record.
sports 6,7
photo essay 8
www.google.com/images (fair use)
Members of the Save Johnson’s Island Club
are giving students a chance to save a piece of
history by holding a walk-a-thon during the
annual Homecoming parade.
Anyone at the high school who collects $10
in pledges can participate in the walk-a-thon
on October 31. Participants can walk with the
Johnson’s Island group, or with any other group
that’s in the parade.
Besides helping Johnson’s Island,
participating in the walk-a-thon can help students
who might need a little boost in their social
studies grade.
“All of the social studies teachers have agreed
to give out some form of extra credit to those
who participate,” teacher Gene Damon said.
Participants will be entered into drawings
held on Johnson’s Island Days, where gift
certificates to the mall are given out to students.
Pledge forms can be picked up and turned
in during homeroom to Damon in room 262 or
history teacher Diana Schweinfurth in room 264.
editorial
Blue & Gold
Friday, October 13, 2006
“The new OSS policy bewilders me. I ask myself what are
we teaching young people with the adoption of this policy,”
chemistry/physics teacher Tim Opp
OSS policy
2
how we see it
Staff policy
Suspension policy needs
consistent guidelines
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.
Positive steps are being taken in the right direction
regarding the new Out-of-School Suspension(OSS) policy. It
is the procedures that need to be reviewed to create standard
guidelines that will be fair to all students.
The policy now allows students in OSS to make up
assignments, tests and quizzes for 100, 50 or 0 percent credit
with or without community service hours.
But there is a catch: the students’ consequences now lie
in the hands of their grade-level principal and will be dealt
with on a case-by-case basis.
According to principal Craig Kupferberg, board members
are the only ones who can set new policies, while the high
school has its own procedure within the proposal.
In turn, the procedure leaves the students’ consequences
at the discretion of the grade level principal. By leaving these
decisions up to four different people, the administration is
asking for controversy.
For example, if two students get into a fight, one is a
junior and the other a senior, each will be punished by
separate principals.
Suppose both have never gotten in trouble before and it is
not determined who started the fight. Fortunately, the senior
principal is feeling generous and gives his student 10 days
out, with no community service and 100 percent credit on
his make up work.
But the junior could get 20 hours community service and
only get to make up work for 50 percent credit.
Now there are two students who committed the same
offence, but because their consequences are determined by
different people, the punishments are not equivalent.
If anything, both students should be punished by the
same principal so they are given the same punishment.
Although it is logical to not deprive a student of their
education and let them make up missed assignments, it isn’t
fair that the student will have to play punishment guessing
games with their principal.
Granted this new policy is a work in progress, and
hopefully the high schools’ procedure will be made more
consistent. However, for the duration of this year, students
can only hope they will be punished fairly.
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 273.
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 Quill &
Scroll, the Columbia
Scholastic Press Association, and the Great
Lakes Interscholastic
Press Association.
how I see it
Community service requirement should remain part of OSS assignment
By BECCA CLARK
FEATURE EDITOR
A rule represents the line that
separates something that is acceptable
from something that is not. Something
that is right from something that is wrong.
Black and white.
The board of education has succeeded
in taking the new Out-of-School
Suspension, (OSS) policy from a division
of black and white, to completely gray;
which is unfair to anyone involved.
Before the change, suspended
students were only permitted to make
up any missed work by completing an
assigned amount of community service,
as given by the superintendent, principal
Graduate puzzled
over principal’s
sudden transfer
Dear Editor,
Hardworking, caring, dedicated,
knowledgeable and outgoing, just to
name a few, are qualities that Ms. (Deb)
Rollins showed as an assistant principal
at Findlay High School.
I am a 2004 graduate, and was
stunned and puzzled over the news that
Out
spoken
or assistant
principal who
suspended them.
Now, the
privilege to make
up missed work
doesn’t depend
on whether or
not you complete
Junior Becca Clark
community service.
Administrators are now given
discretion as to whether they assign
community service hours or not.
Administrators also dictate whether or
not the student’s make-up work will
count for class credit.
Punishments will differ from student
to student, which makes the entire
system unfair.
For example, one student may be
assigned community service but still may
not be permitted to make up work. In
another case, a different student could
make up work without completing any
community service.
Although some students view
community service hours almost as badly
as the suspension itself, the experience
can be both beneficial and rewarding in
it’s own way.
Community service is a “punishment”
that gets students out into the
community, learning and doing things
that they most likely wouldn’t have done.
It seems backwards to potentially
do away with the only educational or
interesting part of an OSS assignment.
Students should know from the get-go
exactly what a suspension includes, and
not have to wait until they are told by an
administrator how their particular case
will be handled.
The new rule ends up not being a
rule at all. The case-by-case ruling is
completely unfair to students.
Community service is one of the most
valuable additions administrators ever
included in the suspension policy.
For any student to regain class credit
during a suspension, community service
should be mandatory.
Ms. Rollins was being moved from a high
school assistant principal to a middle
school position.
Rollins was my class principal all
through my high school years, and she
was always there to help and guide her
students in any way she could.
There were several different occasions,
I needed something done or looked over
for 2aToday, Blue & Gold or softball and
she was always someone I knew I could
count on for good and honest feedback.
Ms. Rollins always made a point of
letting her seniors know she cared
for them, especially when it came to
applying for colleges and scholarships.
The amount of recommendation she
wrote for her students was innumerable
and always had a personal touch, not
just a form letter. Even when she was
extremely busy, she would find time to
sit down and put together a great letter.
Granted she was strict when we were
students, and was sometimes frustrating,
but she was always fair. When you look
back on it, you could understand why
each rule was put into play and enforced.
I do not agree with her being
transferred to Glenwood Middle School;
she needs to be back at the high school
dealing with the kids she knows and
doing what she loves.
I sympathize with the incoming high
school students who will never have the
opportunity of meeting and getting to
know Deb Rollins.
She was devoted to her job and cared
deeply for each and every one of her
students. The high school will not be the
same without her.
Courtney McGonnell
Class of 2004
Should students be able to make up work when assigned Out of School Suspension?
“There ought to
be community service
and partial credit but not
100 percent. Credit should
also be decreased if they get
caught a second time,”
communications teacher
Debbie Benson
“Yes, because
they are being
punished and this
is part of their
punishment,”
“Yes,
by not
allowing
students to make up work
you are only hurting them
academically and
this solves
nothing,”
junior
Lee Kindig
The staff
Kelly Clinger
Editor in chief
Jade Mummert
News editor
Becca Clark
Feature editor
Ashley Sottoway
Sports editor
Ashley Lazar
Entertainment editor
Katie Kehres
Photo editor
Matt Waddell
Advertising editor
Jordan Betscher
Kristen Climes
Maggie Morehart
Ariel Waldman
Photographers
Emma Brown
Carrie
Heidlebaugh
Bailey Richards
Alisha Riley
Reporters
Nancy Corle
Will Olthouse
Abbey Peter
Emmy Strzempka
Artists
Julia Weygandt
Rachel Roepke
Copyreaders
Jim McGonnell
Adviser
freshman
Kristen Davidson
“Yes, when we are
given OSS we get behind
in all of our classes
and come back completely lost,”
senior
Whitney Gonzalez
“No, because not
getting to make up
their work should be
part of their
punishment,”
junior
Joel Burget
Blue & Gold
Friday, October 13, 2006
entertainment
“MTV will always be popular because they continue to change, start trends and they’re always
coming out with something new,”
junior Courtney Patrick
Turntube
music television
3
on the
New drama lights up Tuesdays on NBC
By ASHLEY LAZAR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
tv.com (fair use)
Fans of the movie Friday Night Lights will celebrate
the premiere of the spin-off TV series, which follows the
Dillon High School Panthers and their road to the state
championship.
For high school students in Dillon, Texas,
football is not only the school’s most popular
sport, it’s a way of life for those on the team.
The Panthers are expected to win the
coveted state championship, a task that
new head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler)
struggles with. But the pressure to win games
comes not only from those at school, but the
whole town.
Even viewers not big on sports will
love watching the team members as they go
through normal teenage difficulties involving
Zach Gilford
school and relationships, with the added
pressure to win.
Watch the team’s struggle on the road to glory, Tuesdays at
8 p.m. on NBC
Lost new season full of even more twists
By CARRIE HEIDLEBAUGH
REPORTER
tv.com (fair use)
Unexpected relationships and even more danger on the
island were all hinted at in the season premiere of Lost.
The premiere follows the cliffhanger of last season’s finale
that changed the focus from drama to love story.
The love triangle between Matthew Fox (Jack) Evangeline
Lilly (Kate) and Josh Holloway (Sawyer) will
continue to develop this season and Lilly will
finally pick her partner.
However the question remains as to
whether or not the one she picks, will
disappoint her.
With secrets already revealed,
Lost will continue to shed light on
unanswered questions. The society of
the Others, the history of the island and
the secret of why Terry O’Quinn (John) is in a
Fox
wheelchair are all to come.
The third season of Lost started Wednesday with a bang
and will continue to keep viewers guessing each week with
more secrets revealed and unexpected new twists in store for
the upcoming season.
Nine strangers bond during bank robbery
By BECCA CLARK
FEATURE EDITOR
tv.com (fair use)
Already securing a spot in many viewer’s Wednesday
nights, ABC’s new show, The Nine, is one of this season’s
“don’t miss” shows.
Perfectly illustrating the American cliché, “live everyday as
if it were your last,” the new series depicts the lives
of nine strangers, who have, with an unexpected
twist of fate, all found themselves held hostage
during a bank robbery.
Strangers? So they thought. However, as
time wears on, each begins to find out how
deeply their lives are all intertwined. At
the end of the 52-hour robbery, two of the
people will be left dead.
Scott Wolf
Perhaps the only show of its kind,
The Nine allows a deep look into human nature and the
unexplainable bonds shared between people. Don’t miss The
Nine, Wednesday at 10 p.m.
Grey’s knocks CSI out of Thursday top spot
By CARRIE HEIDLEBAUGH
REPORTER
tv.com (fair use)
In the battle for Thursday night supremacy and valuable
advertising dollars, Grey’s Anatomy has toppled CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation after its four year reign at the top.
The first few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy’s focused
on tying up loose ends from the season two finale
and setting the mood for the rest of the season while
continuing its creative plots and humorous twists.
However, most of the excitement has been
Ellen Pompeo (Meredith) choosing between
Patrick Dempsey (Derek) and Chris O’Donnell
(Finn) and Katherine Heigl (Izzie) trying to get
her job back.
More juicy drama will pan out as a marriage
ends, another doctor-patient relationship unfolds
Dempsey
and all hospital rules are broken.
With new relationships, along with more hospital drama
than ever, the new season of Grey’s Anatomy will continue to
hook viewers every week.
tv.com (fair use)
Laguna Beach
Pimp My Ride
By ASHLEY LAZAR
By CARRIE HEIDLEBAUGH
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
REPORTER
MTV’s hit reality show Laguna Beach is
back for its third season complete with a
new cast and the same drama fans love.
The show follows a group of high
school students living the life of luxury in
California’s Laguna Beach.
Each character tells a different side
to every story, but that dramatic irony is
what provides entertainment
and builds tension between
several of the characters.
While the show may do
nothing to improve your
intelligence, it’s certain to
be entertaining. Tune in
Wednesdays at 10 p.m. to
catch up on the hookups, heartbreaks and
hot parties going on in Laguna Beach.
1
SPEED READ
SPEED READ
What
doyou
What do
YOU
think?
What
do you
think?
In a random
survey, 100
students told
their MTV likes
and dislikes
Whats your
favorite MTV
show?
24%
Laguna Beach
20%
Real World
19%
Next
18%
Two-a-days
10%
TRL
9%
My Super Sweet 16
Who’s your
favorite Laguna
Beach character
45%
Cameron
29%
Kendra
36%
Tessa
How often do
you watch
MTV?
36%
1-2 times a week
26%
3-4 times a week
24%
Everyday
14%
Never
Do you think
MTV has too
many reality
shows?
54%
Yes
46%
No
REPORTER
tv.com (fair use)
ABC’s new fall drama, Six Degrees, is sure to hook viewers
within the first five minutes.
The show deals with the idea that every person
is connected through a chain of six people; in the
lives of six New Yorkers, the links are already
drawing them closer.
Throughout the season, these seemingly
unrelated characters will form numerous bonds
and plotlines within the show, which, although
sometimes difficult to follow, are intriguing and
well worth keeping track of to the end.
Erika Christensen
From the very beginning of the show,
questions are raised about each character’s background,
what the next connection will be and how just sitting in a
particular subway seat can change your life.
With its strong characters and plotlines, Six Degrees is
definitely a show to watch every Thursday at 10 p.m.
Two-a-Days
tv.com (fair use)
By ASHLEY LAZAR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
With still more clunker cars on the
road, rap superstar Xzibit is teaming up
with car customization specialist Mad
Mike for an all-new season of the MTV
series Pimp My Ride.
Xzibit and his crew take beat up
old cars and fix them up by adding
outrageous paint jobs, top of the line
stereo systems and gadgets to
match the owners’ interests.
A new season calls for a
new car garage to turn the
hunks of junk into something
one of a kind.
The crew is kicking car
customization up a notch to
create more pimped out masterpieces on
Thursdays at 10:30 pm.
2
MTV’s latest reality show Two-a-Days
takes place in Hoover, Al, where life
revolves around the local high school
football team and their twice-daily
practices.
Although the team failed to
continue its legendary 23-0 record,
players are still aiming for yet another
state championship title
and hopefully a football
scholarship.
Head coach Rush Propst
uses a combination of hard
work, religion and over-thetop pep talks to push his team
to the number one spot.
Check out all the drama on and off the
field Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m.
3
MTV Turns 25
Network celebrates its quarter of a century anniversary
By ASHLEY LAZAR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Twenty-five years ago thousands of teenagers
across the nation gathered around their TVs to tune
into the new music channel, MTV.
But when the very first music video Video
Killed the Radio Star aired, no one knew just
how prophetic it was. MTV revolutionized the
world of music, and would grow to have the
power to influence fashion trends, reality
television and even the very artists whose
videos they played.
A quarter of a century later MTV continues
to change it up and push the limits in order to
keep viewers hooked and influence today’s youth.
MTV gave a face to the performers who had before
been only known for their music, making an artist’s image
as important as their sound, and opening the door to a whole
new type of musical expression: the music video.
“I like music videos because they let you see what the
artist is thinking about in the song,” junior Amanda Peterman
said. “Sometimes if you don’t understand a song the music
video lets you know what it’s about or tells a story.”
But some teens think that MTV does not live up to the
“music” in its name. They complain that the relatively new
stream of reality shows is not an adequate replacement for
the videos they love.
“It‘s called music television, but there’s no music
anymore,” senior Jesse Baker said. “I like my music
networks to actually play music, not just cheap reality shows
that are easy to make.”
The whole reality TV craze started in the 80’s, when
MTV pioneered a new idea, by sticking seven strangers in a
house and filming all three drama-filled months of thr time
living together in the house.
This show, called The Real World was the first of
many reality shows yet to come, each depicting a
different style of life.
Although some complain about not enough
music being played on the station, this relatively
new breed of reality shows prove to draw in
viewers, with MTV adding more every year.
“I enjoy watching the reality shows
they’re entertaining and I love all the
drama,” junior Alex Kloppel said. “I don’t
really believe that they’re real life. It seems
like they’re all scripted and filmed in a
studio , but they’re still really funn.”
Despite complaints from some viewers
and parents about controversial content
and reality TV overload, there are plenty
who still faithfully turn to the music
network the minute they flip on the
tube at home or a friends house.
In fact 6.4 million viewers tune
in everyday, proving that MTV will
always be an influence on the the
generations of today.
Junior Ashley Light
Time travel
ABC’s latest drama an addictive hit
By BAILEY RICHARDS
google.com/images (fair use)
photo by Katie Kehres
A look at some of the most groundbreaking moments in Music TV history
1984- the first Video
Music Awards, and
Madonna’s infamous
performance of
Like a Virgin
1981- The Beginning
MTV introduces the Video
Jockey and pioneers a new
revolution in music
1987- Headbanger’s Ball
premieres, the first MTV
show to air heavy metal
1993- Four
months
before his
suicide,
Nirvana’s
Kurt Cobain
performs on
Unplugged
1997- The
Carson
Daly
legacy
begins
1998- Britney Spears’ video
for “Baby One
More Time”
airs for the first
time, stirring
up much
controversy
2000- Johnny
Knoxville and
his fellow stuntmen star in the
first episode of
Jackass.
2004- Laguna
Beach: The Real OC
premieres as MTV’s
most popular reality
show yet.
google.com/images
(fair use)
Blue & Gold
feature
Friday, October 13, 2006
Hero
“I only focused on the mission in front of me, and tried to deal with
it the best I could. No one told me to go to Ground Zero, I had no
orders, no direction. I went down because I wanted to help,”
hero Jason Thomas
4
44
9/11
a real
A merican
Hero Jason Thomas
Thomas comes forward tells heroic story of 9/11 rescue
By BECCA CLARK
FEATURE EDITOR
F
rom the moment the Twin
Towers fell, 9/11 was seen as a
watershed, a national disaster
that would change America
forever, a historical turning point from
which things would never be the same.
Over 18,000 people reported for work
at the World Trade Center Towers on
September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 never
made it home.
The tragedy of 9/11 often over
shadows the heroism shown that day.
The courage, compassion and fortitude
shown by Americans, both as individuals
and as a whole, was comparable to
that shown only a handful of times in
America’s history.
For nearly five years, September 11,
2001 was a day in American history
primarily remembered through news
clips and photographs.
However, Hollywood has changed
that with the release of two 9/11 films,
the most recent being Oliver Stone’s,
World Trade Center.
Stone’s movie gave people the
opportunity to witness the attacks first
hand through the eyes of two of the
last survivors pulled from the rubble,
Port Authority Police Sergeant John
McLoughlin and Officer Will Jimeno.
The movie also uncovered the story of
a man who thought he had walked away
from the experience completely.
Sergeant Jason Thomas, an ex-marine
living in Long Island at the time, traveled
into the city the day of the attacks in
order to contribute in any way he could.
“My city was under attack and I felt
compelled to do something,” Thomas
said. “New York has never experienced
an event like what occurred on
September 11, so I felt that I should, with
all my military experience, go down and
help however I could.
“I felt that if there was one person in
need, it was worth my driving to the city
and just helping out.”
After making it through the basic
checkpoints in the city, Thomas arrived
shortly after both towers had collapsed.
Thomas parked directly across from
ground zero and began doing whatever
he could to help.
“Wherever I was needed, wherever
I could assist, that’s where I was. I was
helping civilians who couldn’t help
themselves, I was putting out fires,
helping in any way that I could.
“The pile of rubble was so hot, there
was so much smoke and a strong smell of
death. It felt like a war zone. The element
of destruction was there. There were jets
flying, smoke, fires, people running in
every direction and just general chaos.”
Thomas arrived at ground zero with
no plan and no preparation, only years of
military experience that helped him rise
to the occasion.
“Being a marine helped out a lot, all
that training is all you have to rely on
when you haven’t experienced that type
of devastation in your lifetime.”
Of the 20 people pulled from the
rubble after the towers collapsed, Thomas
played a direct role in recovering two of
them, McLoughlin and Jimeno.
The marine believes that his ability
to focus on the task before him played a
vital role in rescuing the two men.
“I only focused on the mission in front
of me, and tried to deal with it the best
that I could,” Thomas said. “No one told
me to go to ground zero, I had no orders,
no direction. I went down because I
wanted to help. “
Although Thomas and other rescuers
were aware that there were still men
alive beneath the rubble, the process of
creating holes big enough to get each
man out safely took hours.
“I saw the first man out of the hole.
We literally pushed him out of the hole,”
Thomas said. “Looking around, it was
very overwhelming. There were people
standing around, clapping and getting
emotional. There’s nothing like it.
“After I went as far as I could, I gave
all that I could give. When I emotionally,
mentally and physically could not go any
farther, I walked away.”
Thomas left his story untold until
earlier this year. When watching
television one day, Thomas saw the
trailer for the movie World Trade Center
and recognized himself as one of the
characters in the movie. Only after he
was persuaded by his family, did Thomas
identify himself and share his story.
“I had shared with my aunt a little
bit of what had taken place on that
day and she convinced me to tell my
story,” Thomas said. “She told me I was
a missing piece of the puzzle and that I
needed to let the rest of the world know
what happened that day.
“I never felt it was necessary that
I come out and say anything. It was a
mission that I had chosen and once the
mission was accomplished I didn’t feel
like it was anything big. I had done the
best I could, and I walked completely
away from it.”
Thomas now resides in Columbus,
OH with his wife and five kids. He
knows that the events of September 11,
2001, will never compare to anything else
in his lifetime. Through his experiences,
he tries to live everyday the best he can.
“I have a family. I have five kids. I
try to spend as much quality time with
them as I possibly can, because no day is
promised. You never know when you’re
going to leave this earth.”
SPEED READ
September 11
8:50 a.m.
American Airlines
Flight 11 crashed
into Tower 1 of
the World Trade
Center(WTC)
9:04 a.m.
United Airlines
Flight 175 crashed
into Tower 2
9:25 a.m.
All US domestic flights were
grounded
10:05 a.m.
Tower 2 collapsed
10:05 a.m.
Tower 1 collapsed
September 13
American air
travel was
resumed two days
after the attacks
McGonnell
recalls NYC
trip four days
after attacks
By KELLY CLINGER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
As he drove across the George
Washington Bridge into New York City,
his eyes traveled down the Hudson River
and began to fill with tears.
The tower-less skyline where the
World Trade Center once stood, was still
cloudy with smoke on that Saturday, four
days after the attacks. At that moment,
everything he had been seeing on the
news, now was a reality.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks left many
Americans devastated and in search
of answers. Even those who were not
missing a loved one, mourned for those
who were. Thousands of people fled to
New York in hopes of helping, among
them was Journalism/Communications
teacher Jim McGonnell.
“I knew I had to go help after I
watched Howard Lutnick crying on
the news,” McGonnell said. “He was
chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald, a
company on one of the floors in the north
tower that took a direct hit by one of
the planes. His entire company and his
brother were killed that day.”
After watching the events unfold
all week, McGonnell knew he had to
go to the city he calls his second home.
Whatever his decision, it would affect not
only him but also his family.
“There was so much unknown that
day,” wife Sue McGonnell said. “We
didn’t know who our enemies were or
even if they would strike again. Jim is my
husband and the father of two daughters,
I didn’t want him to go. I didn’t want
anything to happen to him.
“I knew that if I had denied him the
right to go, he would be living with the
‘what ifs’ for the rest of his life. He had to
feel, hear and write the news and nothing
was going to stop him.”
McGonnell had to see the destruction
for himself. The “journalist in him”, as his
photo by Jim McGonnell
The day that changed everything
The front of New York City’s (NYC) Engine 54’s fire station was covered with flowers and candles remembering the 15 men who perished during the World Trade
Center towers collapse. The firehouse was one of the many places Teacher Jim McGonnell spent time during his stay in NYC four days after the 9/11 attacks.
wife put it, was drawing him to the city.
“When I first got there, I saw one
of the first tragedies of the attack right
away,” McGonnell said. “The fire station
right next to the hotel I always stay at lost
15 men, leaving 28 children fatherless.
The front of the station was full of
flowers, candles and memorials for the
missing men.”
Even with thousands of people
showing their love and support,
McGonnell still wanted to help anyway
he could.
“There was an area about 15 blocks
from ground zero where people gathered
to help,” McGonnell said. “When I got
there, they were mostly covering the
basic needs like giving people water, food
and clean clothes. Therapists were also
there trying to help anyone in need.
“Many people were walking around
holding a picture of a missing loved one.
They would come up and ask if I had
seen their father, sister or just a friend.
The worst part was that four days after
the attack, they had to know that their
loved ones were no longer alive. But they
still needed that glimmer of hope to keep
their sanity.”
After a long and very emotional day,
McGonnell spent most of the night and
the early morning hours in Washington
Square Park.
“The park was packed all night with
people,” McGonnell said. Many of them
were holding banners, pictures and
candles and singing patriotic songs. I
didn’t leave until 2 am and even then
there were still a lot of people.”
Although his stay was short,
McGonnell will never forget the images
he saw.
“I hope we never forget the pain
we endured that day and the days that
followed,” McGonnell said. “Even five
years later many Americans are still
showing patriotism for this country and
that’s the way it always should be.
“Our country really came together
that day and the weeks and months that
followed. Everyone put their differences
aside to pull America back together. I
know I won’t forget what I saw that day
and I hope no one else ever will.”
SPEED READ
2973 fatalities
246
On the planes
2602
Were in or around
the World Trade
Center towers
343
New York City
firefighters
60
New York City
policemen
feature
Blue & Gold
profiles
Friday, October 13, 2006
“This town has been forgotten. It is in the middle of nowhere, it’s one of the
last areas to receive aid. I took their pictures and promised them that I would
tell other people their stories, so that they will never be forgotten again,”
nurse Wendy Frost
5
Helping
Lending a
hand
Local nurse aides hurricane victims
By JADE MUMMERT
NEWS EDITOR
One trip was all registered nurse
Wendy Frost thought she would make to
help Hurricane Katrina victims when the
Red Cross sent her to Pearlington, MS.
Now, as she is planning her fourth, Frost
realizes that she is drawn to the tiny town
like a magnet.
Since her first trip a year ago, Frost
has been providing aid without the
assistance of any organization, has made
two more trips and plans on returning
before Christmas.
Even when she is not on site, Frost has
the victims on her mind. She currently
operates her own website with pictures
and stories and plans on starting a
business, with all funds go to the people
of Pearlington.
“I am making beaded bracelets to
sell to buy refrigerators, washers and
other appliances for victims,” Frost said.
“These people need everything.”
Some victims have already received
assistance, and are living in new homes
built by volunteers. The nurse hopes
that the appliances will turn these new
structures into homes so that the victims
can start a new life.
Frost’s two daughters, freshman Mary
and senior Sarah Olesky are also trying to
made a difference, and spent one week in
Pearlington, MS last March to help their
mom and aid the victims by distributing
supplies and stocking shelves at one of
the shelters.
“I visited six months after the storm
and had seen pictures that my mom
took. Nothing had changed, it was so
disappointing,” Sarah Olesky said. “We
also did some outreach things like talking
to people and asking questions to help
victims cope. Besides material things,
these people just need to be talked to.”
The people of Pearlington appreciates
all that Frost has done for them.
“Katrina was a big emotional thing
for so many people, and she sat there and
listened when people wanted to talk. It
was so comforting,” Victim Sam Bailey
said. “If something needed to be done,
photo by Wendy Frost
A helping hand
Findlay nurse Wendy Frost is now planning her fourth trip to Pearlington, MS. She hopes to raise funds by selling beaded bracelets,
to buy appliances and other needed supplies for the people of the
small Mississippi town.
New administrators answer questions to help get to know them
Q: How
long have
you been in
education?
A: 16 yrs
Q: How long
have you been in
education?
A: This is my first full year, but I
have worked as an intern at Bowling
Green High School and Otsego High
School.
Q: What expectations do
you have for youeself?
A: I want to help students
make good choices about
education; I want to sit in
classrooms to see students and
teachers in action.
Q: How do you connect with
your students?
A: I have been a counselor so I am
to talk to students in a variety of
ways. I can listen to what the
student has to say, and try to
understand their needs.
she didn’t ask questions, she went out
there and got it done.”
Frost was sent to Pearlington because
the town had been hit badly, and was in
need of volunteers. Frost bonded with the
people of Pearlington during their stay,
and found it hard to leave.
“This town has been forgotten. It is in
the middle of nowhere, keeps to itself and
was one of the last areas to receive aid,”
Frost said. “When I went there, I took
their pictures and promised them that I
would tell other people their stories, so
that they will never be forgotten again.”
The Red Cross has stopped Katrina
support, and there are no other
organizations providing for Hurricane
relief in Findlay. Frost is accepting
donations, which she will take to
Pearlington on her next visit.
Students can drop off anything from
food to clothing in the office.
“I’m a nurse-this is what nurses do,”
Frost said. “You see someone who needs
help, you decide what needs to be done,
and then you do it.”
trained
Sophomore Principal
Kelly Legg
Q: How many children do you have?
A: I have two children, Stefan who is 16, and Maren, 12.
Q: If you could be an animal for a day what would you be?
A: I would be a dolphin, I love the sea and they are so
graceful and intelligent.
Q: What are three things you would do with one
million dollars?
A: I would pay for my children’s college, buy a
sailboat and invest the rest in stock.
Q: What’s the funniest excuse you have ever
heard for not doing homework?
A: Well this actually happened to my son.
We have a little dog and I told my son
to pick up his homework and not
leave it on the floor, but he
didn’t so the dog peed
on it.
Q: How long
have you been in
education?
A: 13 years
Junior Principal
Greg Williamson
Q: What expectations do
you have for yourself here at
Findlay?
A: I want to get to know students
and staff, and be able to serve both.
I also want to help the students by
getting into classrooms and helping
teachers with new techniques.
Q: What expectations do you have for yourself?
A: Make sure that I do my best for every ninth
grade student. Needs to be met personally,
academically and vocationally by following up with
any concerns that they have.
Q: How would you fix education?
A: There are a lot of things to fix, but it would be nice if
we could get an endless supply of money from the state.
Q: What are three things you would do with one million
dollars?
A: I would pay off any student loans,
give to my family and give to
organizations that encourage
youth to make good choices.
Q: What’s the funniest
excuse you have ever
heard?
A: Well I think the excuse I
couldn’t find my classroom is funny
because you should know where
to go since it’s your school!
Q: What’s your favorite song?
A: Honor and Harmony by Jack
Johnson
Q: Name a creative spirit
day.
A: Tall or stripe sock
day.
Q:How do you connect with your
students?
A: I like to find a common interest when I
talk to the students.
Q: How would you fix education?
A: Some schools aren’t doing their jobs.
The state budget needs to give the right
amount of money to those schools, so
teachers can get more training so we know how to
help struggling students. Basically we need to make sure
mandates are funded.
Q: How many children do you have?
A: I have two, their names are Mackenzie and she’s
eight, and her brother Cole, four.
Q: If you could be any animal for one day what
would you be?
A: Dolphin, because they swim fast.
Q: What are three things you would do with
one million dollars?
A: I would share some with my family,
invest some in stock and donate the
rest to charities.
Ads !
Freshman Counselor
Gina Zippay
sports
Blue & Gold
Friday October 13, 2006
“My favorite thing is just getting to spend time with my dad.
It’s great to have something like this, where we have fun and spend
time together. I also love the feeling of a huge jump,”
senior Chris Peterson
dirt biking
6
Dirt Bikers enjoy
adrenaline rush
of defying gravity
RIDIN’
Dirty
By JADE MUMMERT
NEWS EDITOR
In the Broadway musical, Wicked,
the wicked witch sings the song Defying
Gravity, and amazes audiences as she
floats high into the air.
The witch, however, is not alone
when it comes to gravity-defying stunts.
X-Game athletes do the same thing
everyday, but without special effects or
wires, they appear suspended in midair.
More and more students are getting
involved in extreme sports and working
some magic of their own. Events like
skateboarding, surfing and dirt biking
allow athletes to give their all, and there
is no hocus pocus about it.
Senior Chris Peterson has been dirt
biking since the third grade and is still
actively involved in the sport.
“I race with the Sandusky Riders
Club, and have met so many new people
competing there. I love going over the
crazy jumps,” Peterson said. “When you
go over a jump, you feel the compression
of your shocks as you leave the ground,
and then you’re up there and time slows
way down.
“You
so
ph
can think a
om
or
whole sentence
e
Je
ss
while you’re in the
ic
a
La
air, and then your head
rk
ay
jerks you back to reality as you
hit the ground and keep going.”
Sophomore Jessica Larkay is a little
tamer when it comes to dirt biking. Her
“You have to be careful of
father, Scott Laraky taught her when
other
people
when you are going
she was young. He is her main source of
around
a
turn
or if there are people
influence and support, and has been dirt
up
ahead
of
you,”
Jessica Larkay said.
biking since he was 12.
“Always
wear
your
helmet. I’ve been
“We used to live on an acre of land in
lucky,
and
have
never
broken anything,
Michigan, so when they bought a bike, I
it’s
a
safe
sport
if
you
follow
the rules.”
basically taught Jessica and her brother in
As
of
right
now,
there
are
no
trails in
our backyard, they picked it up quickly,”
the
area
that
are
good
for
dirt
biking.
Scott Larkay said.
“My family goes up to Hale, MI on
Besides the bike, other special
weekends
to dirt bike,” Larkay said. ”We
equipment is needed to participate in
ride
the
trails
all day, and then camp and
the sport safely. All riders must wear
spend
the
night,”
protective gear like gloves and a helmet.
Whether they’re racing or just out for a
A special shirt and pants are also
spin,
most riders can still satisfy their need
recommended to make the rider more
for
speed,
bikes can go up to 60 miles an
wind-resistant. There are also certain
hour
or
more,
and some are designed for
safety precautions that should be taken
big
air
tricks.
when dirt biking.
Kellogg wins third conference singles’ title
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
Three year tennis varsity letterwinner Joy Kellogg captured
her third Greater Buckeye Conference title of her career last
week. After being number one singles for three years, Kellogg
will go on to play at Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH.
AS: What is the highlight of your high school tennis career?
JK: As far as high school tennis goes, winning two Greater
Buckeye Conference titles has been the highlight. Outside
of school though, last summer I won the Greater Conference
Grand Slam Junior Tour in Columbus, which was a huge honor.
It was fun to play in and I got a lot out of it.
AS: Who is your favorite opponent to play?
JK: Lexington is the opponent I like to go up against the most.
They are good competition for me and they always play well,
which then will force me to play the best game that I can.
AS: What are your pre game rituals?
JK: I always eat a power bar 20 minutes before I play.
AS: How many hours a week do you practice?
JK: With the team, it’s roughly two hours a day. Normally
though I will come and practice my serves before and after.
Also, I do a lot of weight training to keep me in top shape.
Altogether I practice around 20 hours a week.
AS: What is your favorite brand of racket to?
JK: Babolat. I have three and they cost about
$180.00 per racket.
“My
favorite trick is
called a tail whip,”
Peterson said. “It’s when
you twist your bike 90 degrees
in mid air, and then straighten it
back up to land.
“I love the adrenaline rush dirt
biking gives me, and just being out
there and having a good time is what
the sport is all about.”
Tennis wins sectional,
GBC championships
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
AS: Who is your idol?
JK: US Open Champion Roger Federer
is my idol and my favorite pro player
by far. He is the number one player in
the world and I admire how his work
has paid off. Also, I just love the way
he plays the game.
AS: If you could ask Andy Roddick one
thing what would it be?
JK: I would ask him what he did to become so dominant in
the game of tennis and what he did mentally and physically
to come to be so successful in the game.
AS: What are your college plans?
JK: I’m going to play tennis at Cedarville University. I have
the opportunity to receive a scholarship for a combination of
academics and athletics there.
It is a Division II school. I can’t get a full ride, but I
would be able to play tennis and it is a good school
academically. At this point, Cedarville is the option
that I am liking the most.
senior Joy Kellogg
Winning a fourth consecutive Greater Buckeye Conference
title may have been a great ending to many of the tennis team
players, but for some girls, they need just one more match.
For senior and first singles Joy Kellogg that one more
match was a sectional championship and now she hopes to
end her career in Columbus.
“If I get matched up with the right people who I can
win against, I have a fairly good shot at state,” Kellogg
said. “I have worked hard to make it all season and I
hope the time I have put into it, inside and outside of
practices, will pay off.”
Also qualifying for the district match was
sophomore Britney Barlett and doubles team Carly
Harless and Jacintha Ratnasany.
“I’m very excited to have qualified two singles and
a doubles team to districts this year,” Coach Ray Elbin
said. “This is obviously another good achievement
for Kellogg and the doubles team and will be a great
experience for Barlett, only being a sophomore.
“All of these girls are very talented and could
potentially qualify for district finals if they play their best
match. It’s a great accomplishment for everyone.”
Golf team hopes for another state berth
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
Tee off
Senior Travis
Ballenger gets
ready to tee off at
the league tourney.
The team placed
second in the GBC,
and qualified for
this week’s district
tournament.
photo by katie kerhes
Placing second behind Napoleon in the Greater Buckeye
Conference, the guys’ golf team hopes to qualify for state.
Having a little fun might be the extra ingredient to advance
the team to the state tournament.
“The most important thing for us in districts is to just have
fun with our matches,” Grant said. “The more pressure we put
on ourselves and get upset at some of our mistakes during the
match, the more likely we are to choke on our swings.
“If we can keep our cool and stay calm, we have a very good
chance of getting to state with the depth of golfers we have. We
are a very talented team and I hope to reach the state level.”
With enjoying each match they play, the guys have a more
serious outlook on the tournament.
“Our goal is to always play our best,” Sophomore Kyle
Corbin said. “Obviously we enjoy playing, but we do take it
seriously because we want to do well.
“We want to get as far as we can in the tournament, and we
are all hoping that will be state. We just need to go into each
Fifth Third Bank
Elizabeth Waddell
Financial Center Manager
Assistant Vice President
Findlay Downtown
337 S. Main St. l MD 2966011 l Findlay Ohio 45840
Tel 419-424-8461 l Fax 419-424-8411 l Toll Free 800-972-3030
[email protected] l www.53.com
match with our best game and get our best scores.”
Although winning matches is their first priority, it’s
important to Grant to set high standards
for the teams’ reputation.
“As a coach you put your expectations
SPEED READ
extremely high for your team,” Grant
Golf
said. “We all have to come together as a
team and perform well on the same day.”
Senior
Travis Ballegner,
“I just want these kids to represent
Sophomores
this program well and keep up Findlay’s
Aaron Snook and
reputation with a good golf team. It’s my
Kyle Corbin
job to make sure this happens.”
Strongest players
Through the tournament, the guys
expect each player to contribute to their
Division I state
meet on October
team success.
20, 21.
“Everyone is a big player for us in
Upcoming events
districts and potentially state,” Grant said.
“Every guy needs to score thier lowest of
the season and if the whole team can do
this, state could be just around the corner for us.”
TIFFIN
UNIVERSITY
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Tiffin University – Gillmor Student Center
Over 50 Ohio and surrounding state colleges and
Universities will be present
Start your college search at Black Swamp Area College Fair
Tiffin University, 155 Miami Street, Tiffin OH 44663, 800-968-6445
sports
Blue & Gold
Friday, October 13, 2006
“I would like to win both sectional and district titles. It won’t be easy with
our tough draw, but it would be nice to go out on top. A long tournament
run would put a cap on my high school soccer career,”
senior Tyler Birchmeier
fall sports
7
Guys’ soccer confident
heading into postseason
Jock talk
Football player index
A recent survey of 12 varsity football
players revealed the following most popular
responses.
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
photo by alisha riley
Kick it
Sophomore Sarah Hemminger beats her opponent to the ball and
looks to pass to her teammate downfield. The girls’ soccer team
will head into tournaments next week.
Girls’ soccer looks for second
straight regional appearance
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
Expecting to make regionals for the second straight year, the
girls’ soccer team will head into tournaments next week.
With a 4-3-2 record, the girls anticipate sectionals and
districts to be fairly easy, while the regional game will be their
biggest obstacle of the tournament.
“Our goal heading into every game is to win,” Coach Kevin
Veroneau said. “Sectionals should be a pretty easy win and we
expect to also win districts again this year.
“At this point and time, Ashland will
be our toughest competition and we will
Soccer
probably face them at regionals. If the
girls play to their ability in each game
5-0
and show how much they have been
League record
preparing for this, we are very capable of
6-4-3
going far.”
Overall record
With high hopes for the tournament,
the team is depending on their work ethic to carry them to the
regional tournament.
“Our work ethic and having no regrets once each game is
played will be key,” Senior Alicia Almond said. “If we are not
working our hardest all the time as a unit, we will not score or
stop other teams from scoring the farther we go.
“We have to play every game like it could be our last, and
give everything we have into each second we are playing.”
SPEED READ
Napoleon will challenge
girls for league crown
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
With the regular season coming to a close,
the girls’ cross country team heads into the
Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) meet
with the title on the line facing Napoleon,
their toughest competition.
While Junior Alison Leckrone hopes
to make a return trip to state, each
individual will need to perform their
best to win the GBC.
“Every girl has
started shedding
time off at the
Cross Country
meets,” Coach
junior alison
Mark Gleason
leckrone,
said. “We are
sophomore
brier sterling
falling in right
where we
Top 2 runners
want to be at
this point to hopefully take the title.”
Although practices are strenuous for
the girls, they stay optimistic and focused on
their goals.
“Speed workouts are getting harder
and harder,” Leckrone said. “But we endure it and
try as hard as we can in each workout so we can
hopefully end our season as a team at the state level.
The GBC meet is tomorrow in Lima, and the following
week will be the district meet in Tiffin.
SPEED READ
Gaining confidence after capturing the Greater Buckeye
Conference (GBC) title is just what the guys’ soccer team needs
heading into sectionals next week.
The sectional competition includes two teams the Trojans
have already defeated earlier this season.
“It’s going to be an all out uphill battle because we are facing
some very talented teams,” Coach Albert
Laux said. “We must just go into every
game ready to always play our best and
Soccer
do all we can possibly do out there.
“We can definitely win sectionals and
5-0-0
districts with the talent we have. Seniors
League record
Tyler Birchmier, Justin Bohnlein and Greg
11-2-1
Acuna will be the strongest players for us.” Overall record
Although the team has some key
players, everyone will play a key role during tournaments.
“We all need to step up at this point in the season,” Senior
Tyler Birchmeier said. “It’s crucial right now to have everyone
at the top of their game and ready to play in any situation.
“Anything could happen at anytime and each player needs
to be prepared to play their part on the team and win.”
junior Jimmy Davidson
junior John Kenney
Volleyball tourney success
will depend on team unity
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
junior Dewey Balaga
SPORTS EDITOR
Unity seems to be the volleyball teams’ top priority heading
into sectionals next week, as the girls are gaining confidence
and putting all trust in their teammates.
The team is looking to qualify for regionals but will not
underestimate any competition they might face.
“We have a great opportunity to go
far into the tournament,” Coach Lindsey
Beckstedt said. “St. Ursula will be our
Volleyball
toughest competition, but if we play our
10-0
best volleyball we can pull out a win and
League record
move on in the tournament.
“Every player we have plays a role on
13-2
our team that we need. We also can’t look
Overall record
past any team we might play.”
In order to play to their full potential, the girls need to
dominate on defense.
“We have to make sure to control our side of the net when
receiving a serve and our serving also needs to get better,”
Senior Rachel Hammond said. “Most importantly though, we
need to play the strongest defense.
“We have to control the court with defense.”
What was your Halloween costume in the
second grade?
Spiderman, Batman, Dracula, Ninja, Ninja
turtle, Space Rocket, Power Ranger, Vampire,
the number one, a football player.
Boxers, briefs or none?
Boxers ……..9
Briefs………1
None……….1
SPEED READ
Favorite pregame “pump up” song?
It’s Gonna Be Me-n*sync, I Don’t Came Down–
Fat Al, It’s Going Down-Yung Joc, Heart of a
Champion-Nelly, Head Bussa- Lil Scappy, Titanic
techno music, Throw It Up- Lil Jon, Shoulder LeanYung Dro, Classical music, Titanic techno.
Favorite PG-13 body part?
Legs………...3
The gluts ………...1
Badunkadunk…….2 Abs….…………..1
Caboose………….1
Arms………….…1
Rumpess…………1
If you could tackle one college football
player, who would it be?
Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.…..3
Ohio State flanker Ted Ginn Jr......................3
Michigan quarterback Chad Henne…........2
Findlay lineman Chris Condeni……….......1
Ohio State running back Chris Wells,…......1
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith….….....1
If you were to get a tattoo, where would you
put it?
Biceps.…….4
Forehead….1
Arm……….2
Back…….....1
Shoulder…..1
Ankle……...1
SPEED READ
sophomore Mandela Shaffer
sophomore Wade Arredondo
Favorite kid show you watched in
kindergarden?
Power Rangers……4 Franklin……....……1
Doug…………..…...2 Arthur…………...…1
Barney..………….....2 Magic School Bus....1
Ipod Nano, shuffle or video?
Video………7
Nano..……...3
Shuffle……..1
State ranked Fremont can
Young runners lead guys’ team end Trojan’s playoff hopes
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS EDITOR
Experience may be lacking for the guys’ cross country team,
but ability and talent are not. As they head into the Greater
Buckeye Conference (GBC) meet, many of the teams’ youngest
runners will also be their strongest.
“Our team consists of a lot of freshman and sophomores,
although many of them are doing very well for us,” Coach Mark
Gleason said. “The younger guys on the team sometimes come
in the top 20 or 30.
“They are working hard and have
the ability to be up there with our top
Cross Country
runners. Senior Stephen Kostyo and
Junior Kyle Hermiller are our strongest
junior Kyle
runners, so in the next few weeks we
Hermiller,
senior Stephen
hope to see our young runners stick with
Kostyo
them in the race.”
Top 2 runners
With the GBC a week away, the guys’
are hoping to place in the top three and
begin to run their best times so far this year.
“We are getting better and better every week,” Kostyo
said. “The younger guys are really stepping it up and pushing
themselves in practice, so hopefully it will pay off in the GBC
meet and we can place top three as a team.”
The GBC meet for the guys tomorrow in Lima. The district
meet is the following week, held in Tiffin.
aren’s Flower Korner
Karen Hathaway
419-423-0526
senior Greg Zellener
404 S. Main St.
Findlay, OH 45840
(formerly RCK Florist)
SPEED READ
Fremont Ross, ranked seventh in the state in Division I,
invades Donnell Stadium to square off with the football
team tonight.
Coming off of a disappointing loss to Marion, the guys will
prepare for the undefeated Little Giants.
“Fremont is a very good team,” Senior Chris Schnieder
said. “We have to go into the game thinking we are going to
win and except nothing less. Playoffs are
going to be tough for us because we aren’t
seated, but if we win out we have a chance.
Fremont could give us a lot of points if we
Football
beat them.
1-1
“We have to be just as tough physically
League record
and mentally as our opponents, if not more.”
2-5
The guys will focus on playing their
Overall record
strongest defense for the rest of the season
and also execute well on offense.
“Our defense is going to be crucial for the turn out for the
rest of our games,” head coach Mark Ritzler said. “Because
the majority of our games are low scoring, we have to hold the
other team from scoring at all.
“If we want to win, we have to play well both ways, though,
offensively and defensively. We have to look to score every
possession and when we are on the other side of the ball, not let
the other team score.”
SPEED READ
Blue & Gold
photo essay
Friday, October 13, 2006
“The best thing about skating is the feeling you get when
you land a trick or grind you have been trying for months, ”
senior Addison Hilkert
8
skateboarding
He’s just a
Skater boy
photo by katie kehres
Soaring high
Sophomore Robert Love attempts a kick flip as he flys off the quarter pipe. The kickflip is one of the most popular skating moves, in which the skater kicks his board and spins it around 360 degrees.
Park gives skaters a place to fly
By KELLY CLINGER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Big air
photo by Maggie Morehart
Senior Danny Gantchev gets some air on one of the many ramps at Eagle Creek Skate Park. The park provides
skaters a place to hangout, socialize and work on their skills.
photo by
Mackensey
Phillips
Down the ramp
What once started as flat, wooden planks attached to rollerskate wheels has now become a trend among
12.3 million people. Since the 1950s,
skateboarding has grown to be one of the
most popular extreme sports.
As it swept the nation, skate parks
began popping up in almost every city.
However, until five years ago, the local
skateboarders and inline skaters had no
place “legally” to skate. Since then, the
Eagle Creek Skate Park was built, offering a
safe and fun place to go.
Between the two-foot pyramid and the
seven-foot quarter pipe, the park provides
variety for skaters at all levels.
Before the park was built, skaters used
parking lots and business fronts as their
recreational area.
“We used to skate in empty parking lots but
we usually were asked to leave,” junior Jesse
Taylor said. “I was really glad when they finally
built the park because we had a real place to
skate and not get in trouble. I’m there at least
twice a week now.”
The park is open everyday from dawn
till dusk.
Senior Ben Kiser blades down a ramp made by the skaters at Eagle Creek Skate Park.
Double take
Junior Jesse Taylor
and Senior Addison
Hilkert make a flying
leap off the seven
foot quarter pipe.
The park also offers
a five foot quarter
pipe and several
other ramps.
Skater boys
photo by Ariel Walman
Sophomores Jorge Vales-Campos, Brandt Barton, Jordan Comer and TJ Gillen take a
quick break before getting back on their boards.
photo by Maggie Morehart