February, 2007 - Findlay High School

Transcription

Friday, February 2, 2007
Junior
Mike
Spitnale
Findlay High School’s Award Winning Newspaper Volume 84 Issue 4
Blue & Gold
Weekend Weather: Friday, Snow Showers, High 24, Low 6 Saturday, Scattered Snow, High 17, Low 2 Sunday, Mostly Cloudy, Scattered Snow, High 15, Low 2
City finally gets snow
Orchestra to visit Ohio State
By ASHLEY LAZAR
Ohio State University’s music faculty will
welcome the high school orchestra on February
16, where they will spend the day performing and
working with staff members.
Dr. Robert Gillespie invited the orchestra to spend
the day with him and other faculty.
“He and other faculty members there will watch
us perform our contest program and hopefully have
some helpful advice,” Director Ken Pressel said.
Two weeks after their visit to Ohio State, the
orchestra will compete at the state contest.
“We will have time to improve on areas they
might point out before we go compete,” Pressel said.
Members of the orchestra hope to gain some
expert advice from the staff.
“It’s going to be such an honor to work with Dr.
Gillespie and the staff there,” junior Rachel Roepke
said. “I’m hoping they will be able to give us some
suggestions that will help us do better at contest.”
Dance team to host competition
By EMMA BROWN
Fifteen squads of girls from all over Ohio will be
in the high school gym February 24 to participate in
the Findlay Dance Team competition.
The high school team won’t compete,
but they get the chance to see other
groups and raise money.
“They will perform pom, jazz
and kick routines and the scores won’t
count, but they will get comments from
the judges which are important and
help us target our problems,” coach
Erica VanGunten said.
Dance Team practices after school
to improve routines and learn new
Junior Morgan Kelley
moves to wow the judges.
“We do well at practice, but that doesn’t compare
to the adrenaline of competition,” junior Officer
Abbie Spragg said.
The contest starts at 9 a.m. and will cost $5.
By JADE MUMMERT
Snow Day
photo by Katie Kehres
Juniors Chelsea Peterson, Courtney Patrick, Katie Miller and Ashley
Light go sledding during Tuesday’s snow day. Snow finally hit the
area this week after a winter of abnormal temperatures.Students are
With 28 straight days of
above normal temperatures in
December, the weather has been
anything but predictable with
high temperatures, flooding
and with this week’s snowfall,
winter may have finally come to
Northwest Ohio.
“The temperatures we were
experiencing were extremely
unusual, and confused weather
professionals,” 13 Action News
Weatherman Jay Berschback
said. “The cause is debatable.
El Nino has been warming
the oceans, and there is global
warming as well.
“It’s like flipping a coin, a
tiny shift in the atmosphere
could have it snowing in March,
you’ll have snow days, I just
don’t know when.”
Berschback’s prediction was
SPEED
READ
right, snow came earlier this
week, canceling school Tuesday.
Despite the complaints about
winter not coming soon enough,
it has arrived.
“We got spoiled with early
snow the past few years, all you
can do is wait,”Berschback said.
Mother Nature follows no
rules, making the weather
forecasts unpredictable.
“Weather is like a see-saw,”
Berschback said. If it is unusually warm in some areas, it is
unusually cold in others. It always flip-flops,”
There is nothing students
can do about the lack of snow
except cross their fingers and
hope for more.
“The holiday season wasn’t
the same without snow,” Junior
Grant Treft said. “I dreamed of a
white Christmas, not a wet one.”
Weather
whodunnit
El Nino
A disruptive
change in
ocean
temperatures.
Increases
rainfall,
flooding
globally.
Global
Warming
Gradual
heating of
the earth’s
atmoshere
and oceans.
Increases the
frequency of
floods and
heat waves.
Lead roles chosen for musical
By ALISHA RILEY
Four musical groups will perform
By JADE MUMMERT
Four instrumental groups will perform at 7:30
p.m. on February 27 in Heminger Auditorium for the
annual Bandtasia concert.
Wind Ensemble, Jazz, Concert
and the Freshman Band will perform
selections from their contest music to
cover a wide variety of musical styles
and genres.
“This is our time not only to
practice for contest in March, but
also show the city what we’ve got,”
director Tim Mattis said. “Concert
music focuses more on dynamics and
tone than marching band.”
The groups involved will perform
music from a variety of genres.
Admission is free, although
Junior Danielle Baum
donations will be accepted.
“Playing our contest music in front of an audience
before we face the judges really gets us pumped
and enables us to work out some of the kinks, while
having fun performing,’ senior Molli Weaver said.
BG weekend
www.google.com/images (fair use)
Diane Keaton stars as Mandy Moore’s overprotective
mother in Because I Said So, a story of a family with
some serious issues. This crazy comedy opens tonight.
Table Talk
photo by Ariel Waldman
Sophomore Principal Kelly Legg discusses the purpose of Challenge Day with students. Although all classes were able to participate, Legg thinks that it will
be more beneficial to underclassmen and juniors because there will not be much time for seniors to bring about change before graduation.
Appreciating diversity is Legg’s goal for Challenge Day
By CARRIE HEIDLEBAUGH
In order to help students understand and
appreciate diversity, a committee of administrators,
counselors and community members have
selected 120 students to participate in the high
school’s first ever Challenge Day on February 28.
Challenge Day, an interactive program
dealing with diversity and problems with teens,
was developed in 1987 and has been featured on
Teen Files and Oprah.
Picking a diverse group of students was
crucial in order to make the program function.
“It’s very important that we have a diverse
group of students to participate,” Sophomore
Principal Kelly Legg said. “The purpose of the
Rothey elected
state school
board president
Ohio’s state school board
has a new president; one who is
determined to have a positive
impact on schools state wide .
Marty Rothey, local school
board member and new state
school board president, is
excited about her new position
and what it will mean for
schools in the area.
“It’s an opportunity for me
to represent schools, students
and communities of Northwest
Ohio at a national level,” Rothey
said. “I’ll be using Findlay High
School as an example of success,
of successful students, teachers,
administrations and programs.”
Rothey will spend the next
Dunham makes honor roll
We the People, a group of A.P
Government students placed first
at state competition in Columbus
on Saturday. Students were
evaluated on their comprehension
and presentation skills on topics
throughout American history. Next
up for the team is nationals in
Washington D.C.
“I am so proud of the team, but we
still have more hard work ahead
of us,” adviser and teacher Mark
Dickman said. “They will do well.”
English teacher
Cathy Dunham was
recently inducted
into the National
Honor Roll’s group
of outstanding
American teachers,
Dunham
a group that
recognizes positive educators.
“I have no idea who nominated
me, but I am glad that I made a
difference to them. That’s the goal
of a teacher,” Dunham said.
photo by Maggie Morehart
President Marty Rothey
year traveling to each of the
state’s five regions, as well as to
conferences around the country.
“I’m going to be able to
bring the perspective of our
communities to the forefront and
hopefully I will be able to bring
back ideas for schools in our
area to implement towards more
success,” Rothey said.
For the second year in a
row, Findlay has been selected
by America’s Promise, an
organization started retired
Secretary of State Colin Powell
as one of America’s 100 best
communities for young people.
Findlay was one of only two
communities ( Toledo the other)
in Ohio selected for this honor.
“A determining factor
for Findlay’s success is
the collaboration between
community members pulling
together to solve problems.”
Hancock County Promise
chairwomen Barbara Brahm
said. “The wonderful youth of
this community is the apple of
our eye.”
The application process
included a 15 page form
that asked questions about
the school system and the
community.
“There are many things
we take for granted that make
our community outstanding,”
Mayor Tony Iriti said.
Also, three testimonials
required for the application
were written or recorded by
youth of the community.
“I submitted my video in
November,” junior Danielle
DeArment said. “It was a good
experience and enabled me to
use my talent to help others.”
All winners receive benefits
such as discounts towards
purchasing things for the
community and grants.
“I hope the spirit of this
community carries on,” Findlay
City Schools Superintendent
Dean Wittwer said.
Five
promises
Requirements
of all top 100
communities
1.
Caring
adults
2.
Provides a
healthy start
and future
3.
Safe places
4.
Chances to
serve
5.
Marketable
skills
Genius bar
www.myheritage.com
Besides helping you find your long
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can match you up to look like a
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will search through a huge database of famous faces, and comes
back with a list of celebs who have
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Myheritage makes everyone look
and feel rich and famous. Discover
your inner Olsen twin.
entertainment 3
SPEED
READ
By JADE MUMMERT
Web watch
We the People wins state
represent the division of groups.
“The presenters call out a category and
students cross the line if it applies to them. It’s
really eye opening because you realize that
everyone has been labeled for something at one
point and that you aren’t alone.”
Legg’s goal for the day is for students to walk
away with a better understanding of diversity.
“We’re hoping that after participating in
Challenge Day students will realize that we’re all
more alike than we are different,” Legg said.
Students also have high expectations .
“I hope by participating in Challenge Day I
will gain more knowledge about different groups
of people,” Junior Kiersten Smith said.
Findlay named one of nation’s best
By BAILEY SHOEMAKER RICHARDS
Hats off
editorial 2
entire day is to appreciate diversity.
“We have to make sure the group is balanced in
gender and race but it is also important that there is
a diverse group of problems that the students bring
to the program.”
During Challenge Day, students will participate
in a number of activities that will get students to
interact with each other.
“There will be mini lessons where the
presenters from California talk to the students
about life, small groups where students can get
together and talk and the most enlightening
part of the day is the Power Shuffle,” Legg said.
“The power shuffle is an activity where they
place a piece of tape in the middle of the room to
5
feature 4, 5
things that will help you look smart today
than100 schools in over 26 states now offer “Yoga Lite” classes, helping
1. More
young students meditate and focus on their school work, while improving fitness.
American Idol winner Taylor Hicks’ CD has fallen to number 42 on the Billboard
2. While
album charts Finalist Chris Daughtry’s album is holding steady at number three.
50 million roses and over 36 million heart shaped-boxes of chocolate
3. Over
are given every year on Valentine’s Day in the United States.
Faust Tillman, the oldest woman alive at the age of 114, passed
4. Emma
away on January 29, 2007, cause of death...old age.
ski resorts have received enough snow so far this year,
5. Colorado
to cover the state of Rhode Island in 1.3 inches of snow.
sports 6, 7
useless information 8
Daughtry
www.google.com/images (fair use)
Leads have been announced for the spring
musical, Children Of Eden.
When selecting the cast, directors found the
decision of which students should get parts was
harder than expected.
“There’s a really strong cast this year and we had
lots of surprises at the auditions. The show is almost
all sung, so we had to choose by who could sing it,”
director Debbie Benson said.
The musical is based on the first book of Genesis
and tells the story of Adam and Eve, man’s fall from
grace and Cain and Abel. Senior Kristina Prichard,
who plays Aphra, is excited about the cast.
“The principle cast this year is really dynamic.
Everyone is really solid with holding their parts and
rehearsals have gone well so far,” Prichard said.
Opening night is March 23 with additional shows
on March 24 and 25.
Blue & Gold
editorial
“I’m excited to participate in Challenge Day so I can learn
about other people and open my eyes to my environment.
I hope other students learn to be less judgemental,”
junior Kayla Maroney
challenge day
2
how we see it
National program
promotes diversity
Staff policy
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.
As “diversity” increases within the community as well
as in the school, one of the biggest concerns has been an
increase in negative or derogatory comments and actions
between different groups.
However, other than a few announcements over the PA,
it was not until recently that an individual actually took
the initiative to get to the bottom of the issue with hopes to
finally try and fix it.
Thanks to Sophomore Principal Kelly Legg, our school
will host the high school’s first Challenge Day.
Challenge Day is a program that was started in 1987 in
California. It is designed to empower students everywhere
to make positive changes within their community and
encourage the acceptance of differences between one another.
The program represents an incredible opportunity for the
entire community, which is so often looked on as a rather
closed-minded society.
Challenge Day is a national award-winning program that
has been featured on Oprah, Teen Files and also in the book
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.
The program uses a variety of games and activities that
incorporate the acceptance of issues such as violence, abuse,
teasing, social oppression, racism, peer pressure, suicide,
drugs and alcohol.
Participants will learn life lessons in how to deal with
their own issues, as well as the problems of others. Only by
recognizing problems can people work towards a solution.
Through this program, 120 students as well as 24 adults
will be given the chance to interact with others that perhaps
they would never have gotten to meet otherwise.
Challenge Day is an eye-opener to the fact that despite
our differences, we all face similar challenges and problems
in life, especially as teenagers.
The day will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all
those participating.
We can only hope that the lessons learned that day will
be taken out into the community and begin to open peoples’
eyes to the vitality of acceptance.
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 AM 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.
lettersto
theeditor
how I see it
District’s computer switch questionable
After the switch from Mac to PC
computers in some academic departments,
there is still question as to whether or not
the switch was necessary or smart.
With Apple’s introduction of Boot Camp
and Parallels Desktop, two new programs
out on computers with the release of Mac
OS X, Leopard this spring, the switch seems
like a waste of money.
Boot Camp allows you to boot into either
Mac or Windows at start up, while Parallels
lets you run both programs at the same time
on the same machine.
“With Boot Camp you can install the
software and chose which program you
want to run at start up,” Tim Hemmer,
Easton Apple Store senior assistant manager
said. “However Parallels allows you to run
both platforms simultaneously.
“The difference is when you install Boot
Camp, Windows is installed at the same
time, but with Parallels Desktop you also
have to install a copy of Windows XP.”
Although there are obvious advantages
and disadvantages to both programs, it
would still be more feasible to buy an intel
Mac and run one of the new programs
rather than buy all new PC’s software.
Purchasing new intel Macs will be
necessary, but are still cheaper than buying
Out
spoken
all new PC computers and programs.
“Parallels is nicer because you can click
back and forth between Windows and Mac
without having to restart the computer,
while with Boot Camp you have to reboot
the computer in order to switch,” Hemmer
said. “Both have the same major benefits
though because both programs allow you to
use two different platforms.”
With this knowledge, Parallels seems
more convenient, however, as in any new
release, it does have some glitches.
For example, third party devices, such
as a USB cord for a digital camera, run
more smoothly with Boot Camp because
it has been out longer and the many of the
glitches have been worked out.
Parallels, on the other hand, has just
been released recently so there hasn’t been
an adequate amount of time to experiment
with the program in order to make it run
completely smoothly.
Knowing all these facts, switching to
PC’s just seems like a waste of training time
and money.
Most Mac software will have updates
for the new OSX release. With this news,
Macs will be more versatile since they will
allow users to use both platforms on one
computer, while PC’s will continue to be
business oriented.
With Boot Camp now available and the
Athletes receive
special treatment
Dear Editor,
I’m writing to you about my concern on
an issue that seems to be plaguing small
town high schools in Northwest Ohio.
Athletic Departments.
Don’t get me wrong, sports are a huge,
nearly essential part of everyone’s high
school experience.
The issue is the attention and recognition
given to student athletes versus those
students in other, just-as-important extracurricular activities.
For instance, the football team gets a pep
rally before their Homecoming game. But
what about the Speech and Debate Club?
Academic Quiz Bowl? The Mock Trial team?
Do they get a pep rally? Of course not, but
if they’re lucky they get mentioned over the
PA during homeroom.
Students who participate in these
activities never receive the same credit for
doing well that athletic teams do.
The point is, kids who put in just as
much time and effort as athletes, deserve
just as much recognition as sports teams.
Our school needs to work on recognizing
individuals talents in every area, not just on
the athletes.
Chelsea Sherman
Freshman
Would Hillary Clinton get your vote to be the next president?
“No, if the point
is to get a woman to
be president then there
should be a better candidate
than her,”
“No, because some of her
ideas are too liberal and she
changes her views to
appease people,”
release of Parallels
Desktop in the near
future, having a Mac
won’t be an issue
anymore. In order to
run PC software, all that
will be needed is one of
the programs and an intel
Mac machine.
Purchasing those
computers after Boot
Camp and Parallels
Desktop become
standard would make
more sense than
buying PC’s because
you get the best of
both worlds.
Not only
would using
one of the
new programs
save the district money now, but
having updated software that can run two
different platforms on one machine may
also prevent the district from needing to
purchase new computers in the near future.
All this new information poses yet
another question: shouldn’t we have done
our homework and looked at all angles and
details before giving teachers options and
switching entire labs from Macs to PC’s?
The staff
sophomore
Logan Van Der Molen
“Yes, she’s a
proven leader and
America needs
a change,”
junior
Matt Boes
freshman
Ryan Travoli
“No, I don’t agree
with a lot of her
views. I would vote for a
woman, but not her,”
senior
Josh Kutschbach
“No, because anyone
stupid enough to stay
with Bill couldn’t possibly
make good decisions for
the country,”
senior
Morgan Brown
Becca Clark
Editor in chief
Jade Mummert
News editor
Becca Clark
Feature editor
Ashley Sottoway
Sports editor
Ashley Lazar
Entertainment editor
Katie Kehres
Photo editor
Jordan Betscher
Kristen Climes
Maggie Morehart
Ariel Waldman
Photographers
Jake Downs
Graphic designer
Emma Brown
Carrie
Heidlebaugh
Bailey Richards
Alisha Riley
Reporters
Will Olthouse
Emmy Strzempka
Artists
Jim McGonnell
Adviser
entertainment
Blue & Gold
“It’s apparently appealing to rip apart somebody
because it’s entertaining. They pick the worst
people to put on TV to watch.”
senior Eric Kerns
3
American Idol
By ASHLEY LAZAR
google.com/images (fair use)
What do you get when you mix an opinionated Brit, a Grammy
Award-winning producer and a world-renowned pop star with
thousands of wannabe superstars? A hit show called American Idol.
Idol debuted in 2002 and quickly drew in faithful fans by the
thousands, who tuned in every week to watch each hopeful get
shot down one by one, until the next star was discovered.
One of the show’s unique twists is the fans’ ability to decide the
outcome, by calling to vote for their favorite contestants.
After five seasons, the producers have caught on to what
viewers want more of, and try to meet the demands for even more
drama, comedy and outrageous “Cowell-comments” than before.
But after a while, enough becomes too much, as the acts appear
to be more and more staged and the judges’ criticisms more
malicious and cruel.
This season most of the show is devoted to melodramatic
stories from contestants who aren’t willing to believe they’re
not good enough, or acts so ridiculous they can’t be taken
seriously.
“This season’s really funny so far, but there hasn’t been
much talent except some of the younger people, none of
the perfomers over 22 seem to be any good,” sophomore AJ
Schultz said.
Even worse than the contestants are the judges
themselves, especially Simon Cowell.
Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson
theinlist
Although much of the show’s success
comes from his sharp tongue, many critics
think this season Cowell has taken it too far,
insulting not only contestants’ vocal abilities but
their appearances as well, sparing no mercy.
“I don’t feel this season is as good as the last
couple because of the judges, especially Simon,
he’s been ragging on people a lot more,”
Junior Emily Bucher said. “It’s really not
fair to judge people’s physical appearances,
there’s not much they can do about that.”
The one factor that seems to be
lacking so far this season is talent.
After watching a show filled with
two hours of bizarre and bad tryouts,
viewers hear host Ryan Seacrest announce
that 30 or so contestants have made
it to Hollywood, not many of whose
auditions we ever see.
Nevertheless Idol still manages
to take the top spots on the charts
and draw in over 35 million viewers
each week, proving that the show’s
fans have no intention of turning the
channel no matter how ugly things get.
Contenders
intheenvelope
Grammy album nominees announced
What to see, watch, buy this month
intheplayer
Garner shines in Catch and Release
By ASHLEY LAZAR
Academy Award winning writer/director Susannah Grant
(Erin Brockovich) brings a new dark comedy, Catch and Release, about
how the end of one relationship can be the beginning of another.
Jennifer Garner plays a woman struck by tragedy
when her fiancé suddenly dies a few weeks before
their wedding.
The little comfort she finds, comes from
her late fiancé’s closest friends Sam, Dennis
and Fritz, a group she never imagined herself
socializing with.
As Garner grows closer to the friends,
she learns secrets about the man she thought
she knew so well, while finding herself
unexpectedly falling for someone new.
Garner shines in Catch and Release, in
theaters now, promises to deliver more
Garner
entertainment than the average romantic comedy.
For the past 49 years the Grammy Awards have honored artistic
achievement and superiority in the recording industry.
Each genre has an award for the best album in that category and
there is also an award for the overall Album of the Year.
The albums nominated for these awards are compilations of
songs which exhibit outstanding musical talent, creativity and
receive positive feedback from listeners.
Below are reviews of a few of the many album’s nominated for
either Album of the Year or the best in their genre.
Turner’s proves he’s no one hit wonder
Country Music Singer Josh Turner proves
to critics that he isn’t a one-hit wonder with
the release of his sophomore album, Your Man.
After the great success of his platinum
debut album, Long Black Train, listeners
doubted how a second album could compare.
However, Turner’s deep baritone-bass
voice is even more powerful on Your Man than
it was on Long Black Train and the variety of
songs and genres makes the album more interesting
Your Man is a great follow-up to Long Black Train and after
hearing Turner’s matured voice, listeners won’t want to listen to
anything else.
Nominated For: Best Country Album
Keaton plays obsessive mother again Latest album is seventh hit for trio
By ALISHA RILEY
Taking the Long Way, the Dixie Chick’s
seventh album, is a great follow-up to their
2002 album Home as the trio blends classic
rock with their typical country twang.
The album has a more matured sound
than the group’s previous CD’s and the song
topics reflect that, focusing on things from
personal issues to politics. The Dixie Chicks lay out their lives and
their hardships to their listeners very honestly through their music.
The track Not Ready to Make Nice expresses the trio’s continuing
anger about the controversy between President George W. Bush and
lead singer Natalie Maines after her vocal criticism of the president
in 2003.
Although the song has a rather angry vibe, it is still catchy and
was as high as number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
Taking the Long Way is a wonderful showcase of their talent and
is sure to grab the attention of both country music lovers and nonlisteners alike.
Nominated For: Album of the Year, Best Country Album
Because I Said So, is the story of a obsessive mother’s unfailing
love for her three daughters.
The story focuses on Daphne Wilder (Diane Keaton) and her
three daughters, Maggie (Lauren Grahm), Mae (Piper Perabo) and
Milly (Mandy Moore). The girls are dynamically different sisters
searching for their place in life and trying to understand their
mother’s limitless love.
Daphne sets Milly up with the “perfect man”, in means of
helping her daughter find love. Chaos breaks out as Daphne does
all the wrong things for all the right reasons, she does not want her
girls to make the same mistakes she made.
The question of the limit on motherly love is tested and creates a
film for every mother and daughter to see.
Directed by Michael Lehmann (40 Days & 40 Nights), Because I
Said So comes to theaters February 2.
inthebox
Idol spin-off a major primetime flop Mayer showcases musical talents
By ASHLEY LAZAR
By BECCA CLARK
Adding to the mix of reality shows that already dominate
nighttime television, NBC introduces, Grease: You’re The One That I
Want, a bad twist of the popular show American Idol.
The show is hosted by Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush, whose
long-winded way makes the show tedious to watch.
Just like American Idol, contestants are
narrowed down from a field of thousands
by three judges, not surprisingly one of the
judges even has a British accent and makes
similar remarks as Idol’s Simon Cowell.
Imagine that.
Grease contestants
Supposedly, the whole point of the
show is to find male and female leads to play Danny and Sandy for
a new revival of Grease on Broadway.
However, as each new contestant gets up and ultimately ruins
classic Grease songs, viewers begin to wonder just how much of a
joke the actual Broadway production will turn out to be.
Between the show’s obnoxious host and ridiculous plot, it won’t
be long until viewers lose interest in this new series.
After two successful albums and a
collaborative project, John Mayer releases his
third solo project, Continuum.
Mayer’s latest does not fail to meet the high
standards set by the previous two, and in some
instances even surpasses them.
The first single, Waiting on the World to
Change, expresses the artist’s frustrations about his generation not
being able to make much of a difference in the world today and
waiting for others to stand up and make a change.
Surprisingly, Mayer includes a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Bold
as Love, breaking the stereotype set by his previous albums and
showcasing his true guitar talents.
Mayer’s skills on guitar and vocals are also highlighted on the
tracks In Repair and I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You) which
introduce a slightly different sound then we are used to from him.
Wih his third album, Mayer proves that he is never in short
supply of raw, emotional lyrics and a smooth guitar rhythm.
Nominated For: Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album
Defenders Idol judges show mean streak
New group deserves a listen
Broken Boy Soldiers, by the Raconteurs is a
CD well worth picking up.
The album will become an instant favorite
with its upbeat music and good vocals,
featuring songs like Steady, As She Goes and
Yellow Sun.
The sober lyrics of the title track, Broken Boy
Soldier, lend some depth to the album as well,
reflecting the pain of growing up and having to deal with the reality
of life.
Broken Boy Soldiers, unlike many other albums produced
collaboratively, is a CD which everyone should hear.
Nominated for: Best Rock Album
Barkley won’t drive you ‘Crazy’
Listening to Gnarls Barkley’s CD St.
Elsewhere certainly doesn’t make one Crazy,
although this song’s title might suggest
otherwise to a listener.
The album is full of good songs, like The
Boogie Monster, in which the singer realizes
that he is the monster under his bed.
The track Transformer, with its turns
of phrase like “I’m a microchip off the old block” make it more
interesting than it would be otherwise. Together with Crazy, which
was the No. 1 song of 2006 by Rolling Stone Magazine, St. Elsewhere is
not a CD to be missed.
With its crazy sounds and the impressive vocal range, St.
Elsewhere offers something for every listener to enjoy.
Gnarls Barkley will be around for a while, and St. Elsewhere
shouldn’t be going anywhere but into a CD player.
Nominated for: Album of the Year, Best Alternative Music Album
Beyonce’s repetitive lyrics get old
By EMMA BROWN
B-day by Beyonce lacks what her first album
had, a freshness that makes you smile when you
listen to it, something you can sing along with
and not want to change the radio station the
second you here the melody.
B-day has sold 1,397,537 copies in the
U.S. which has made her songs popular but
overplayed on the radio until you know and despise every word.
Okay, people get that you don’t need a man to survive, that you
are bootylicious and no man is irreplaceable, so sing something
new, please.
The best you can get out of Beyonce is her song, Listen written
for the movie Dreamgirls. It’s a little less bragging, a little more
emotion and that’s just what she needs in her songs.
Nominated For: Best Contemporary R&B album
Rocker produces third solo album
By ASHLEY LAZAR
After a decade of recording with The
Heartbreakers, Tom Petty released his third
solo album, Highway Companion which has
put him back in the spotlight.
Highway Companion pays homage
to the subject of the passing of time,
and showcases Petty on guitar, drums,
harmonica, bass and vocals, providing
listeners with a unique shuffle of songs.
The album’s opening song, Saving Grace, lends the album a
dose of blues, while the track Big Weekend brings a lighthearted anf
twangy bluegrass sound.
The Golden Rose sounds a lot like something from The Beatles
but Petty still manages to make it his own.
This album is sure to please old Tom Petty fans and gain the
respect of new ones.
Nominated For: Best Rock Album
What’s your
favorite
OVE
Lsong?
“You Make Me Feel So
Youmg by Frank Sinatra.”
Junior Taylor Love
“Broken Wings
by Mike & the Mechanics,”
Senior Nick Rackley
“The Luckiest
by Ben Folds,”
Junior Shelby Campbell
“L.O.V.E.
by Frank Sinatra,”
Sophomore Brandon Oats
“What a Wonderful World
by Louis Armstrong,”
“It’s Tearing Up My Heart
by N*SYNC,”
Junior Laura Ornella
Freshman Clay Illif
Blue & Gold
“The benefits of walking daily helps improve your overall health
and cardio health. Walking is an easy way to control weight,
and it gets people moving,”
4
Health teacher Jodi Garver
4
Snack time
feature
healthly choices
There is 30 seconds till the bell rings and you’re not sure what to invest
in at the vending machine, but before you press those buttons, check out
these snack facts before you make that crucial choice.
By EMMA BROWN
Smart
snacks
Guilty
pleasures
Nutri-grain Strawberry
Cereal Bar
Natural Valley
Peanut Granola Bar
140 calories, 3g fat
.5 saturated fat, 13g sugar
1g saturated fat, 11g sugar
Quakes Rice Snacks
Carmel Corn
Rice Crispy Treats
Double Chocolate
100 calories, .5 fat
0 saturated fat, 8g sugar
Rold Gold Pretzels
2nd best
Doritos Nacho Cheese
(Worst choice)
2.5g saturated fat, 2g sugar
0 saturated fat, less then 1g sugar
Snack Mix Kids Mix
110 calories, 4.5g fat
Last choice
Ruffles Sour Cream and
Cheddar Chips
Welch’s White Grape
Fruit Snacks
130 calories, 0 fat
0 saturated fat, 24g sugar
100% vitamin C
#1 pick
Smartfood Popcorn
White Cheddar
Sunchips Multi Grain
Harvest Cheddar
Pop-Tarts Brown Sugar
Gardetto’s Snack Mix
Baked Cheez-it
2nd worse
Sun-maid Raisins
(Best Choice)
Cheese and Peanut Butter
Sandwich Crackers
90 calories, 0g fat
0 saturated fat, 20 g sugar
100% natural
Doritos Cool Ranch
Toast and Peanut Butter
Sandwich Crackers
Rice Krispies Original
Club and Cheddar
Sandwich Crackers
2.5 saturated fat, 4g sugar
Baked Cheetos
Nutritional information is for contents of entire package, unless otherwise noted.
Appropriate mixture of diet, exercise help control body weight
SPEED READ
By BECCA CLARK
Keep snacks under
250 calories
the walk
Walking
An appropriate mix of diet and
exercise help individuals control body
weight and stay in shape. However, many
people do not realize the importance of a
well balanced diet, which is vital for their
health now and in the future.
For teens, a balanced diet should be a
high priority because vitamins, minerals
and nutrients are deposited in the body
throughout these years that are essential
for future health.
“If you’re not getting enough nutrients
as a teen, it’s very likely that you’ll run
into bigger problems down the road,”
Registered Dietician at Blanchard Valley
Regional Health Center Karen Schroeder
said. “Not only does a teen’s body
have high nutritional demands now,
but additional vitamins become very
important later in life.”
Although it’s ideal to eat proportional
meals throughout the day, breakfast is
perhaps the most important, the jump
start in the morning keeps metabolism up
all day.
“Skipping breakfast is really the
worst,” Schroeder said. “By not fueling
yourself in the morning, you’re more
likely to grow hungrier and overeat later
in the day.”
Aside from the traditional three meals
a day, snacks can also be a beneficial
addition to a teen’s diet. Fruits make ideal
snack foods, containing high levels of
natural vitamins and antioxidants.
“I usually grab a little snack after
school,” Junior Lee Kindig said.
“Something small like a banana or a quick
sandwich is healthy and it keeps me
energized through dinner.”
Also, contrary to popular belief, a
snack before bed is not a bad idea and can
even be helpful in keeping up blood sugar
and energy levels.
“A small snack before bed can be
beneficial to some because their energy
demands are high,” Schroeder said.
“Consuming something of nutritional
value keeps the body rejuvenated.
“However, a meal before bed is a
different story. Lots of food before sleep
does not give the body time to digest and
that is when people run into problems
with weight gain.”
Due to the hectic schedules, Schroeder
thinks that time is one of the biggest
factors in making unhealthy food choices.
“For involved teens, sometimes there
doesn’t seem to be enough time to make
good choices ,” Schroeder said. “By
planning ahead and choosing restaurants
that offer healthier options, it becomes a
lot easier to make better decisions.”
Eating Right
Healthy snacks
boost energy
and help prevent
overeating
at meals
Choosing healthy
snacks can
enhance diets not
harm them
Choose snacks
high in fiber,
vitamins and
minerals
Dieters must combine physical activity with good eating habits to maintain weight loss
By BECCA CLARK
Ask anyone who is a regular dieter,
they lose weight by cutting calories, and
then gain most, if not all, of it back within
one year.
The trick to proper dieting and weight
control comes down to one major factor,
physical activity.
According to the National Academy of
Science, most Americans need as much as
an hour of exercise per day to maintain a
healthy body weight.
Although running and exercise programs are popular options, many do not
recognize the advantages of walking.
“Walking has physical benefits just because it gets your body up and moving,”
YMCA Wellness Coordinator Robin Coit
said. “Anything that gets your body in
motion is going to be very good for you.”
However, because of the way the
media emphasizes intense cardiovascular
exercise, Coit thinks that many people
overlook the advantages of walking.
“Anyone can get just as good of a
workout from a quick-paced walk as any
other type of exercise,” Coit said. “A brisk
walk will get your heart rate up nicely
and your body burns a lot of calories
which can help you feel better.”
Aside from the cardiac benefits of the
activity, walking is easier on the body and
offers benefits not obtainable by other
types of exercise.
“Walking is a lot less invasive, you
can walk farther distances and it’s much
Every step you take...
Walking 20 extra minutes each day
burns seven pounds of fat per year.
Each minute of walking can add
two minutes to your life.
Walking boosts your metabolism
and helps control your appetite.
Your memory and thinking ability
can also improve with walking.
Source: http://www.timesforfitness.com
easier on your joints,” Coit said. “Walking is also really good for building and
maintaining bone mass.”
As with most activity, walking is just
as mentally beneficial as it is physically.
“Any exercise is going to release
endorphins in your brain which make you
generally happier and just feel better,”
Senior Michael Taylor said. “It’s a little
cardio with mental benefits, too.
“Walking can also give you time to be
social, if you have a few buddies to walk
with it can be fun, just some time to think
or even if you have to take your dog for a
walk, for instance.”
Compared to other fitness programs,
walking has a 25 percent dropout rate,
compared to 50-60 percent.
“Walking is something that anyone can
do at anytime,” Coit said. “All you need
is a comfortable pair of shoes and you can
walk wherever, whenever you want.”
feature
Blue & Gold
“Helping other people makes a big impact
on their lives, and volunteering shows your
community that you care.”
sophomore Andrea Mitchell
5
community service
Helping Hands
Stupid Valentine’s Day questions
Senior Kaelee Mains
tells her favorite
things about Cupid
and the love holiday
Teens volunteer hours
to serve community
SPEED
READ
Community
service
Where to Call
Salvation Army
422-8238
Findlay-Hancock
County Public
Library
422-1712
Hancock Historical
Museum
423-4433
Boy Scouts of
America
422-4356
Goodwill
422-2796
Hope House
425-4673
Hancock Park
District
425-7275
Campfire Boys and
Girls
422-5415
Open Arms
Domestic Violence
Shelter
422-4766
Judson Palmer
Home
422-9656
Agency on Aging
423-8496
By MAGGIE MOREHART
By EMMA BROWN
For sophomore Andrea Mitchell, helping
others began when she was 10-years-old,
showing and teaching others about her
family’s llamas.
Six years later, she continues to
volunteer at nursing homes and trains
assistance dogs through 4 Paws for Ability,
an organization that places service dogs
with people who are often turned away by
other agencies.
“My main volunteer work is training
assistance dogs,” Mitchell said. “I train a
different dog each year and it goes to the
person free of charge.
“There are six different services that you
can train for. I’ve trained hearing ear and
mobility, autism assistance and search and
rescue dogs.”
Mitchell has trained a variety of breeds
for the program and will continue to train
dogs through high school.
“I train different types of dogs because
they normally can get them from the
humane society as long as they’re good
dogs,” Mitchell said.
Whether it’s training assistance dogs or
working in a soup kitchen, getting involved
in community service is an opportunity to
help those in need. But it’s also a learning
experience for the volunteers
According to Youth Service America
(YSA), teens that participate in community
service are more likely to excel in school,
graduate and vote. They’re also 50 per cent
less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol or take
part in harmful behavior.
“Students do community service on
their own because they feel they’re giving
of themselves to an organization that really
needs their help,” Community Service
Program Coordinator Carol Clevenger said.
“It gives them a sense of purpose.”
For senior Emily Janowiecki,
volunteering at the Litzenberg McKinnis
house (west of Findlay), her church and
Latin Club has been a learning experience.
“At Litzenberg, I dress up as a person in
1847, and I portray that time period to
the public when they come through,”
Janowiecki said. “It’s a fun opportunity to
Q: Have you ever been struck by one of
Cupid’s arrows?
KM: Yes, in the butt. It kind of hurt but
pain is all worth it in the end.
Q: Who invented Valentine’s Day?
KM: Mr. Valentine
Q: Who is Mr. Valentine?
KM: Cupids’ father
Q: Why did he invent it?
KM: To make money
from selling chocolate.
Q: Where does
Cupid get
his powers?
KM: From Mr.
Valentine’s day!
Q: What do you
think he looks like?
KM: A naked fat
guy with a red bow
and a big diaper.
Good dog
Sophomore Andrea Mitchell works with one of the service dogs she has trained. The dogs are
given free of charge to people with disabilities who may not be able to afford them.
experience dealing with people. You learn
good people skills and you feel like you’ve
helped somebody.”
The National Honor Society’s (NHS)
requirements are another reason some
students get involved in community service.
NHS students must have 15 hours of service
each semester from four different places.
“Community service shows that you’re
well-rounded and you’re starting to show
that the world isn’t just about you,” NHS
adviser Karen Ouwenga said. “We all exist
here together.”
Of the 60 million teens in America 73
per cent, like Mitchell and Janowiecki, think
they can actually make a difference in their
communities through volunteering.
“Volunteering has taught me
responsibility by being in charge and
leading things,” Mitchell said. “You also
get to know other people. When I talk with
people at nursing homes, I get to know
what they were like when they were kids.
It’s just a good feeling knowing that you’re
helping other people.”
Volunteer work can also improve college
applications and resumes, making you more
likely to be accepted or get the job.
If you’re interested in community
service, volunteers are needed at places
such as the Salvation Army, Goodwill, the
Boy Scout Camp, the Findlay-Hancock
County Public Library and the Hancock
Historical Museum.
Dancers train at local academy
By BECCA CLARK
photo by Jordan Betscher
Dancing queen
dairy
Tailgaters
Junior Abbie Spragg practices her ballet routine. She is one of the
level six students who practices with the Findlay Academy of Ballet.
As she begins to stretch out her stiff
body, in her mind junior Eve Hay goes over
the dance piece she has just spent hours
working on. In order to perfect it, Hay
will endure weeks of blistered feet, aching
muscles and hours of practice.
Hay is one of only four Findlay High
School students that practice ballet through
the Findlay Academy of Ballet, located at
Becky’s School of Dance.
The Academy was started two years ago
by principal ballet teacher Judy Reading.
Although it is a fairly new addition, the
group has already earned a reputation for
being one of the best.
“I had the idea for the Academy because
when my advanced ballerinas go away to
camps for the whole summer, they wanted a
professional-sounding name that they could
write down on their applications,” Reading
said. “I came from a professional ballet
background and it is important to both
myself and the dancers to be able to write
down something that sounds serious.”
1600 S Blanchard St.
Findlay, OH 45840
(419) 424-6640
The Academy is made up of six levels,
level six being the most advanced dancing.
Dancers are divided into levels by ability
and age, although younger dancers with
higher abilities can be placed in higher
levels, and vice versa.
“Level six is the most advanced,
proficient group of dancers,” Reading said.
“In fact the group of girls I have now is one
of the best I’ve ever had. They are all hard
workers, put in a lot of time every week,
and are all very advanced, serious dancers.”
Dancers at the Academy benefit from
the serious training they receive there. They
are also encouraged to attend summer
programs across the nation.
“The Academy is a lot more intense,”
Hay said. “We practice more days a week
for longer hours. It’s a real ballet school
so we focus a lot on technique, it’s a good
place for dancers who are serious.
“Many of us also attend dancing camps
which last four to five weeks in the summer.
Dancers travel to different states where they
will stay and do different dances everyday.”
Q: Where does he live?
KM: In a castle on the
white puffy clouds.
Q: If Cupid had
modern technology,
how do you think he
would make people
fall in love?
KM: He would
use a texting system.
photo by Kristen Climes
Q: What kind of flowers do you want to get
for Valentine’s Day?
KM: Pink and white roses.
Q: What would be the perfect date?
KM: A walk on the beach at night time
under the starry sky.
Q: There isn’t a beach in Findlay?
KM: Ice-skating and then a romantic dinner
by candle light.
Q: What are the colors of love?
KM: Red because it’s like love and your
heart is red and pink because it’s just pretty.
Q: What’s the best thing to eat on
Valentine’s Day?
KM: Chocolate
Q: Why do you think we celebrate
Valentine’s Day?
KM: So you can buy someone you like a
present.
Q: Do you think Cupid gets along with
Santa and the Easter Bunny?
KM: Probably not, that’s why they have
separate holidays.
Q: Do you think Santa and the Easter
bunny are jealous of Cupid?
KM: Yes, because he is the coolest, he
makes people fall in love!
Q: Do you think Cupid ever tries to hook
up the Easter bunny?
KM: Probably, a bunny needs love too!
sports
Blue & Gold
“The biggest benefit to going to the YMCA is staying in shape
and spending your time doing something good for you.
I go to get better at basketball, ping pong and foosball,”
junior Travis Linhart
exercise
6
Regular exercise beneficial
to physical, mental health
Quick, easy ways
to burn 100 calories
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
Crunched for time or motivation?
Here are several ways to burn 100
calories by just engaging in some
everyday regular activities.
From jogging around the block to
shoveling snow, there are many simple
ways in which you can burn off your last
indulgence of tasty sweets in just a short
amount of time.
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
10 minutes
• Workout to a step aerobic
video
• Quickly jump rope
• Jog around the block
• Bicycling, moderate effort
• Touch or tag football
• Vigorous swimming
20 minutes
• Shovel snow
• Power walk
• Mow the lawn
• Ice skate
• Lift weights
• Play Dance Dance Revolution
30 minutes
• Throw a frisbee
• Challenge a friend to a
serious ping-pong match
• Wash the car
• Paint or wallpaper a room
• Archery
40 minutes
• Clean your room
• Walk quickly with your dog
• Cruise the mall
• Bowling
• Cooking
• Playing guitar
Spin master
Senior Kirby Loss makes time for spinning at the YMCA. Spinning
is one of several simple exercises that can benefit your health and
keep you looking and feeling good.
If you are in search of a remedy for
weight loss, a boost in your mood and
energy throughout the day or even
prevent potential health complications,
a little bit of activity might be just what
you need.
Although with cars in most driveways
and the
number of
physically
demanding
jobs decreasing,
students are finding it harder to
incorporate physical activity into their
daily lives.
“The first approach is to look at our
attitude,” Nutritionist Kathy Mills said.
“We tend to think just because everyone
is doing something, means we should
too, and that is wrong.
“We have developed bad habits, a lot
of which are due to the economic push.
Everyone is expected to have a car and
always get from one place to another
by driving. You, as an individual,
have to make a commitment and
believe that your health is
an important priority
to get that extra bit of
exercise and maybe
even go against what
others around you
are choosing.”
Despite these
changes, the facts
remain evident
that regular physical
activity will not only
improve your health and
prevent illness, but boost your
self-esteem as well.
“One of the main reasons I love to
exercise is because I always feel much
better afterwards,” Junior Megan Richter
said. “I go to the YMCA regularly,
and not only does it help me to stay
in excellent shape, but I feel like I’ve
accomplished something and gotten
something done.
“Sitting on the couch all day doesn’t
contribute to my health in anyway, unless
I’ve exercised hard beforehand. Not only
do I workout to feel better now, but years
down the road I am more likely to be in
better shape and much healthier too.”
Exercise not only adds to teen girls’
self esteem, but guys as well.
“It keeps you in good shape and it’s
a good way of using your time,” junior
Travis Linhart said. “I feel much better
after a little bit of activity each day.”
Among these benefits, there are
several others that are crucial in living a
healthy lifestyle not only now but also in
the years to come.
“The healthier you are as a teen, the
healthier you will be as an adult,” Mills
said. “There is no turning back, this is the
time to act on your fitness and health.
“Staying healthy will contribute to
teens feeling better about how they look,
leading to having confidence, which at
this age many teens lack. It is overall, a
safer choice and will benefit you in the
long run.”
Although teens are faced with a lack
of time, exercise is an important priority
that needs to fit into schedules.
“It’s not a matter of finding the
time,” Mills said. “It’s about making the
time. We all have 24 hours in a day and
it’s about choosing your own personal
priorities as an individual.
“The typical American attitude is to
think we can have whatever we want,
whenever we want, but this is not true.
We have to work and make time for the
things that are important. It helps to find
what motivates you and go from there.”
Practice is key for postseason hockey success
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
With an overall record of 19-5,
the hockey team hopes to continue
its’ success through their next four
regular season games, and heading into
tournament time.
Contributing to their triumph, the
team has 12 seniors who each play a role
in leading the guys to victory.
“By having 12 seniors, it helps bring
maturity to the team and provides
leadership that every team needs,” coach
Dan St-Jean said. “Our seniors all play a
big role in our success.
“We have strong goaltending by
senior Sean Brown, a well balanced
offense led by seniors Jerrod Hartman,
Drew Beardsley, Travis Ballinger and
Jeremy Horne, and Andrew Malaney,
Jay Simko and Jeremy Widman bring
stability to our defense.”
With each player focusing on their
area of expertise, the team is preparing
to face some tough competition as the
season wraps up.
“At the present time, we do not
know who we will be playing in the
tournament,” St-Jean said. “But, as in
any sport, when it comes down to playoffs a new season starts.
“Both players and coaches must be
prepared for any type of game.”
In order to do well in postseason,
the guys will start with making every
practice count.
“Practices are going to be what
counts,” senior Brandon St-Jean said.
“That’s what will bring us ahead of other
teams, because we will keep gaining
confidence from having good, strong and
tough practices.
“That’s what will bring consistency to
our games. We’ve got to keep practicing
hard and hopefully we will end up as one
of the top teams in the state.”
The next home game is tonight at 7
p.m., and their first tournament game
will be the week of February 16.
Check please
Junior Ben Bjorling checks his opponent in order to gain time or
space on the player. The hockey team is 19-5 and looks to have a
strong tournament run.
Girls’ show dedication, support for winter sports’ teams
By JADE MUMMERT
Cardboard cut-out
Junior Shauna Jones cuts fabric to decorate her hockey player at
The Cube. The girls dedicate time and money to support the team.
As senior hockey player Drew
Beardsley steps on the ice, he is instantly
motivated by the bright banners and
signs hanging on the walls of the arena
made by the hockeyettes.
With the names of the varsity team
members splashed boldly across the
walls and the group of girls cheering
in the stands, he begins to focus on the
game and on the opponents at hand.
Hockeyettes have been in charge of
pampering and firing up the hockey team
for years by making banners, posters and
goody bags full of snacks for the players
on game days.
“The hockeyettes do a lot for us,’
Beardlsley said. “I love that they give
us treat bags to keep us energized, they
come to all our games to cheers us on and
so much more. The support is great.”
While the hockeyettes are cheering for
the skaters on the ice, the wrestlerettes
are doing the same for the athletes that
are on the mats.
“I have been involved in wrestlerettes
for two years now, and I love being able
to help and support the guys,” Senior
Juanita Holdren said. “We take stats and
keep track of scores at meets, get towels
and water and decorate the lockers of the
team members too.”
Both groups are willing to go above
and beyond for their athletes.
“Hockeyettes spend so much time
on these boys. We meet once a week
and decorate lockers, make treat bags
and other small things,” adviser Sharon
Simko said. “On top of that we get
together once a month to scrapbook.
“This year we also made life-size
cutouts of all the players. The girls get
more and more involved each year.”
Wrestlers appreciate wrestlerettes for
all the time they put in to help out during
practice and at meets.
“They do such a good job and keep
meets running smoothly, they are in
charge of keeping everything organized,”
sophomore JV wrestler Mike Weyer said.
Even though the organizations are a
major part of the team, members are still
hard to come by.
“Wrestlerettes is a big commitment
that many girls aren’t willing to make,”
Wrestling coach and wrestlerette adviser
Ben Kirian said. “These girls work really
hard, and actually help us win by scoring
us accurately.
“Matches take place so quickly that
often the official score-keepers make
mistakes, so our girls make sure to
correct those mistakes.”
Hockeyettes and wrestlerettes alike
are out on the sidelines for one reason
and one reason alone: team spirit.
“My boyfriend is on the hockey team,
and this is a great opportunity for me to
support him and all his friends,” Junior
Morgan Kelley said. “I feel like my other
hockeyette friends and I really make a
pretty big difference.”
sponsored by PlaNet
BPA Fundraiser Event
February 24
1404 N. Main St.
Findlay, OH 45840
(567) 208-4202
Pizza • Drinks • Super Smash Bros. Melee Tournament
12 - 8 p.m.
Admissions $20
sports
Blue & Gold
“This year’s team has a lot more strength in certain events.
Hopefully we can qualify more people to districts and state in
those races as well as the 200 yd and 400 yd freestyle relays,”
junior Annie Donovan
post season
7
Swimmers set sights on qualifying for state championships
Girls place second in conference,
ready for postseason tournaments
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
Although Napoleon held the upper
hand over the girls’ swim team in the
Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) held at
Fremont’s new aquatic center, their second
place finish as well as an undefeated regular
season has given them the confidence they
need heading into tournaments.
Coming off of three top 10 individual
finishes, as well as the 200 yd and 400 yd
relays in the GBC meet, these swimmers
hope to continue this success and reach the
state championship.
“We have four or five very strong
individuals that can definitely make their
return trips and make it all the way,” coach
Jeff Wobser said. “We have had some great
accomplishments from the league meet and
that’s going to help us.
“But our goal is to get as many girls
as possible to the state championship.
Overall, I am very pleased with the girls’
performance so far this season, so I hope to
see some great things in the tournament to
reward them for their hard work.”
With experience and confidence, the girls
have set their expectations high.
“We hope to qualify as many girls as
we can to state,” Wobser said. “We have
two strong relays, the 200 yd and 400 yd
freestyles, that could qualify too. Our
experience will really play a big role in our
success at state.”
To prepare for the tournament the team
will be focusing on taper workouts.
“At this point in the season we are
cutting down on our yardage,” Wobser said.
“We swim less, and we work to perfect our
race specifics.
“We work on strategy and our
sharpness. We are already in shape, so now
it’s about saving energy. Then, before our
biggest meets the swimmers shave up to
gain speed.”
Leadership is key
to teams’ success
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
Freestylin’
photo by Kristen Climes
Junior Kaylee Obenour swims laps during practice to improve her
freestyle stroke technique. As postseason tournament preparations
near, swimmers taper their yardage during their workouts.
Gymnasts master basic skills
to begin a new state streak
Guys hope to stay in first,
end four year GBC drought
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
Led by two individual first place
finishes and a fourth overall in the Greater
Buckeye Conference, the guys’ swim team
gives credit to its’ leadership.
Seniors Chris Price (200 yd Individual
Medley, 2 minutes, 6.5 seconds) and John
Shaeffer (100 yd breathstroke, 1 minute, 6
seconds) won the league title in their events,
and are looking ahead to qualifying for the
state championship.
“I was very pleased with their
performance and efforts, Coach Jeff Wobser
said. “They have shown dedication through
the whole season and they have a lot ahead
of them yet,” “I am very pleased with our
performace so far.
“If we take a look at the rest of our
competition, we have a good shot of
qualifying these two guys to state. They
take the top three swimmers from districts,
so our goal is to get them in the first three
spots, which is very doable at this point.”
Team ready for revenge
By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
Suffering their first loss in the Greater
Buckeye Conference (GBC) to Marion
Though he isn’t a gourmet chef, basketball
Harding, after a three year 33-0 run,
coach Jim Rucki is finding the right ingredients,
the girls’ basketball team has sustained
mixing defense and rebounding, to create a
a positive outlook and will use this
winning recipe.
defeat to get revenge when the
After a four year league championship drought,
Presidents come to town on
the guys’ basketball team is proving to be hungrier
February 9.
than ever for victory, while they can almost taste a
Regaining confidence
league title.
and taking some of
“As of now we are in first place,” coach Jim Rucki
the pressure off their
said. “So we are hoping to win the league.
shoulders, the team still has their
“We last won the league in 2002, when it was still
eye set on another league title.
the Great Lakes League. We are just trying to get
“The target is now placed on
better every day, while our most pressing needs
someone else’s back,” coach Connie
are to improve our defense and rebounding so
Lyon said. “We have had a huge
we can achieve our goals.”
bulls’ eye on our backs for years
Aside from the teams’ goal of becoming
now in our league.
league champs, with tournaments nearing, the
“With some of the pressures off
guys will need to be ready for anything.
of their shoulders, they are able to
senior Mac Cloud
“Our tournament draw is Sunday so we will find out
relax and play the game now which
who we play then,” sophomore Luke Kraus said. “No matter what,
has made them more eager to win. These
we are going to have to be ready for whatever team we play and
girls show nothing but determination, and
control the game.
that will lead us to another shot at winning
“We’ve got to execute everything and play our game.”
the league title.”
With a squad of six, three of which only have competitive
cheerleading experience, the gymnastics’ team has been working to
gain some basic skills and overall knowledge of the sport.
With these tasks being mastered, the girls hope to begin another
streak of state appearances, after missing the meet last year by .1 of
a point, ending their 11 year run.
Before looking ahead to the state tournament, the girls must
place in the top three teams at the district meet.
“Overall so far, we have done well considering our position of
only having six gymnasts,” Coach Traci Dunn said. “I couldn’t be
more proud of these girls that know little about gymnastics, but
have stepped up and done their absolute best for us.
“It’s been a lot of coaching and teaching the basics, which has
been fun. We have to continue perfecting our skills until districts
and hopefully we do very well there to qualify for state.”
Determining much of the outcome districts and state, it all
comes down to one event.
“When it comes to this part
of the season every 10th of a
point counts,” Dunn said. “This
sophomore Hannah Curlis
is crunch time when every little detail
of our routines are crucial.
“We don’t want another incident like last year, so we are really
pushing to perfect everything. If we can do this, and keep our
nerves under control I truely believe that we could qualify and do
well at the state meet.”
With the goal of placing in the top five in the state, the girls hope By ASHLEY SOTTOWAY
to get revenge with Patrick Henry, who cost them their trip to state.
Looking to place in the top two at the Greater Buckeye
“Patrick Henry is our is our biggest competition,” Sophomore
Conference (GBC) meet, the wrestling team is hoping to use their
Hannah Curlis said. “They placed above us last year, making it to
experience to knock off the defending champs, Napoleon.
state and setting us back.
Although Napoleon as well as Sandusky will be some stiff
“In past years we have always been neck and neck with them,
competition
for the guys, the team is looking to have at least five
so this year we are hoping it’s our turn. We are practicing harder,
league champions.
focusing a lot more and really upping our skills to hopefully
“Our goal as a team is to finish in the top two at the league
achieve this goal.”
meet,”
coach Ben Kirian said. “This would be a huge improvement
Working ahead to the state meet, the girls have been practicing
over
last
year when we finished fifth, but with our returning
each day on skills and perfecting their routines.
wrestlers joining with a few newcomers we should be able to beat
“The girls put a lot of time and dedication into gymnastics,”
our competition. Since the beginning of the season we have guys
Dunn said. “Practices are every day for a few hours, just as most
back that were out.
other sporting practices would be.
“Our two biggest opponents are Napoleon, who has had a
“So far, we have come in second place in a dual meet, fifth place
very powerful showing at every tournament that they have been
in two invitationals, and seventh in another invitational. So we
have been doing pretty well, and building on what we have learned included in, and Sandusky who finished second last year and won
the league the two previous years before that.”
so far. It’s a lot of teaching right now, but it is rewarding because
Seniors John Kapostasy, Drew Metzger and Junior Matt
the girls show so much hard work and willingness to never give up.
Alexander are hungry for individual league titles. All three
They have been doing great.”
Wrestlers will use experience to stop Napoleon from defending title
were runners up in their respective weight classes in last year’s
conference championship.
“Last year Alexander, Metzger and I placed second in the
league,” Kapostasy said. “That’s a big motivator for us this year
going into difficult matches.
“We want to win, and we are highly capable of winning. We’ve
just got to get the job done and even with being fatigued, we’ve got
to fight through it.”
In order to end the league meet on a successful note, the guys
will need to focus on the both the physical and mental aspects of
their matches.
“We really need to work on the little things at this point,” Kirian
said. “Setting up and finishing all of our shots, not letting our
opponents off of their backs and staying off of our backs will be
very important.
“We’ve got to become more dominant on top and stay tough
mentally. Going hard all the time, finish everything and being
aggressive are all things that will help us to hopefully win
the league title.”
Blue & Gold
useless info
“My favorite thing about Valentine’s Day is when a boy goes out
of his way to try and be your valentine, ”
freshman Lauren Mittlehouse
8
fun stuff
If I were Cupid
Kyle
Collette
Would you ever dress like Cupid?
“Heck yes! He just is so free in his attire,
not being restricted by all that unnecessary
clothing.”
Groundhog Day
Would you help people fall in love?
“Sometimes it could get boring, but
shooting one person several times and
having them fall in love with many
people would make the job much more
interesting.”
National
Weatherman’s
Day
Besides Valentine’s Day, what other
Kite Flying Day
Freshman Bethany Gephart
holiday would you be in charge of?
“Halloween! Who hasn’t had a nightmare
about a little man with a weapon flying
around in diapers?!”
Valentine’s Day
If you could make anyone fall
in love with you, who would it be?
“I constantly attempt to charm the most
beautiful woman in the world, but all
to no avail. Soon though, you, Barbara
Buttermore (teacher), will be mine.”
National
Chocolate
Mints Day
Walk Your
Dog Day
Sophomore
Morgan Naugle
What are some perks of being Cupid?
“Many women believe that I am still a
baby and try to cuddle with me. I merely
play along, sometimes a little too much.”
National
Sleeping Day
Have you ever shot a bow and arrow?
Junior Ryan Redd
Many times! Many lovely couples were
first sparked due to my shots.
Ouwenga’s Must List
Holiday quiz
Sudoku
Puzzle
Are you a Groundhog Day expert?
Complete the grid so every row,
column and 3x3 box contains every
digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
Counting down the days until Groundhog Day?
Take our quiz and see how much you know about
the celebrated rodent:
1. When is Groundhog day?
A. February 2
B. February 12
C. February 5
4. Where does he live?
A. New York
B. Ohio
C. Pennsylvania
3. ”Hmm, I thought IHOP would be busier.”
4. “Wait Valentine’s Day is in February this year?
5. “Waiter, Check please...you have any extra cash?”
5. What color is the groundhog?
A. Brown
B. Grey
C. Blue
Rejected candy heart sayings
I’ve Got You Babe
“I like this song
because it’s just goofy
and it seems like it
could be your every
day person singing.”
Add up your correct answers and see where you
stand on your Groundhog Day knowlege scale.
7-10: You could be president of Punxsutawney
Phil’s fan club. You know your facts and should
set your sights on meeting the furry critter.
TV SHOWS
1
Crank
Crank, the story of
a tough Los Angeles
hit man killed the
competiton last week.
Top 10
4-6: Not too shabby. You know the gist of the
holiday enough to get you past February 2, but
you might want to do a little research and expand
your knowledge of one of America’s traditional
holidays, it may just do you some good.
DOWNLOADS
www.google.com
0-3: Do you live in America? You need to find
a computer or go to the library and brush up on
your groundhog facts. It is an important holiday
that you can’t miss out on, we can’t let Phil down!
1
American Idol
Simon, Paula and Randi
are out for the 6th time
searching for the next
American Idol.
Top 10
Top 10
1
American Idol-Tuesday
37.4 M
1
Fall Out Boy 2
The Illusionist
2
American Idol-Wednesday
36.9 M
2
Nelly Furtado
3
Jackass Number Two
3
Grey’s Anatomy
21.9 M 3
Daughtry
4
The Covenant
4
CSI
21.4 M
4
Beyonce
5
Pirates of the Caribbean
5
Golden Globe Awards
20 M
5
KT Turnstall
6
Snakes on a Plane
6
Desperate Housewives
17.1 M
6
Gwen Stefani
7
The Devil Wears Prada
7
NCIS
16 M
7
Corbin Bleu
Broken Bridges
8
24
15.7 M
8
Fergie
9
The Night Listener
9
Shark
15.1 M
9
The Frey
10 Law & Order SVU
Barnyard
15.9 M
As listed on nielsenmedia.com for the week of January 28, 2007
10
Yo, the latest MTV-like
extended music video,
turned movie, dances its
way to Number 1.
1
Stomp The Yard
Say It Right
2
Night At The Museum
It’s Not Over
3
Dreamgirls
Irreplaceable
4
The Hitcher
Suddenly I See
5
The Pursuit Of Happyness $6.7 M
The Sweet Escape
6
Freedom Writers
Push It go the Limit
7
Laberinto del Fauno, El
This Ain’t a Scene
Children Of Men
How to Save a Life
9
The Queen
All-American Rejects It Ends Tonight
10
$13 M
$8.71 M
Favorite Valentine’s
Dave Gift
Flowers
“Flowers are
probably my favorite
Valentine’s Day gift
because the rest
of them are pretty
uneventful.”
$8.23 M
8
Top 10 downloads from the iTunes store for the week of January 28, 2007
$13.3 M
Fergalicious
$5.56 M
$4.5 M
$3.73 M
$3.7 M
Arthur and the Invisibles $3.1 M
As listed on imdb.com for the week of January 28, 2007
Greetings from...
Favorite TV Show
Lost
“I love the math and
mystery behind the
whole show and I like
trying to figure out
the secret clues and
hidden messages.”
New DVD Releases
WalMart
Open Season
Flyboys
Sherrybaby
The Guardian
Gridiron Gang
Saw III
1161 Trenton
Findlay, OH 45840
Open 24 hours
Stomp The Yard
Top 10
Crank
As listed on imdb.com for the week of January 28, 2007
1
Fall Out Boy
The Chicago boy band
once again tops the
charts with their new
song, This Ain’t a Scene,
It’s an Arms Race.
8
Favorite Romance
Novel
“I don’t really have
one because I don’t
ever read those mushy
love books.”
MOVIES
1
10
Favorite Love Song
Chart toppers
DVDs
1
“I like it because they
try to make it more
about average people.”
10. Where did Groundhog Day originate?
A. Greenland
B. England
C. America
6. When was the first recorded Groundhog Day?
A. January 1, 1991
B. February 2, 1887
C. February 12. 1902
1. WE NEED 2 TALK
2. IT’S OVER
3. 2 TIMER
4. I STALK U
5. CUPID SUCKS
While You Were
Sleeping
1-A; 2-B; 3-A; 4-C; 5-A; 6-B; 7-C; 8-B; 9-A; 10-B
my other girlfriend.”
Favorite
Romantic Movie
9. What wakes up a groundhog?
A. Internal clock
B. Buffalo stampede
C. People yelling his name
3. What happens if he sees his shadow?
A. Six more weeks of winter
B. Six weeks until spring
C. His shadow runs away
Things you don’t want to hear on
Valentines Day
1. ”Table for one?”
2. “I gave you the wrong necklace, -- that one’s for
Teacher Karen Ouwenga
8. What is another name for groundhog?
A. Mole
B. Woodchuck
C. Gopher
2. What is the groundhog’s name?
A. Billy
B. Punxsutawney Phil
C. Hoggie
Top five times two...
7. What do groundhogs eat?
A. Cats
B. Ground beef
C. Plants
sophomore AJ Schultz

February, 2007 - Findlay High School

Transcription

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