November 2005

The Oakwood Times
Oakwood High School 5870 U.S. Route. 150 Fithian, IL 61844
Volume 20 * Issue 4 * No
v. 23, 2005 * V
isit us online at www
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The future of the Chief ?
The NCAA is using all of its
resources to put an end to the
popular mascot
See Page 4
2The Oakwood Times
2
November 23, 2005
Best Citizens
Youhas and Marsh chosen as 2005 SAR and DAR
By Dixie Sexton
bring the community together,” said Marsh.
Zane Youhas and Kendra Marsh have been
In accepting their titles, Youhas and Marsh
chosen to represent OHS by accepting the memberbecome the students taken to the Illinois Principal
ship into the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
Association’s regional breakfast in February, recogand the Daughters of the American Revolution
nized by the Vermilion County principals with a din(DAR), respectively.
ner in the spring, and automatically become candiAt OHS, SAR and DAR are chosen by a pridates in the Outstanding Young Citizens of Vermilmary vote by the senior class and a secondary vote
ion County competition held in the summer at the
by the school’s faculty. After the primary vote, which
Georgetown Fair.
narrows the options down to four candidates for
“If anyone asks me for help, I would willingly
each award, the faculty is asked to vote on the stugive my time and effort,” said Marsh. “There’s aldents’ abilities to show leadership, service, patrioways a minute to spare for someone in need.”
tism, and dependability.
The SAR and DAR are two distinct organizaYouhas represents OHS in National Honor
tions. The SAR headquarters are located in LouisSociety (serving as President), Student Council
ville, Kentucky while the DAR is headquartered in
(serving as treasurer for the executive board), footWashington, D.C. Despite their differences they each
ball, and Scholastic Bowl. Youhas has also been
set out to find some of the most qualified students
awarded Homecoming King, Student of the Month,
across the country.
and DARE role model.
The SAR was first assembled on April 30, 1889
“It’s definitely an honor, not only to be chowith the intent of maintaining an appreciation for
sen as a candidate by the senior class, but to also
true patriotism, a respect for our national symbols, a
have been awarded SAR by the faculty,” said
respect for American citizenship, and the unifying
Youhas. “ I don’t consciously display the qualificaSeniors Zane Youhas and Kendra Marsh were recently selected force of e pluribus unum.
tions of SAR. I just like to voice my opinion. While I as SAR and DAR, the best citizens of the class of 2005. (Photo by
In 1906 the SAR was licensed by President
do take in what other people say, I don’t usually let Ashley Cook)
Theodore Roosevelt to set up societies in various
that sway my opinion.”
states enabling the start of new chapters within their
Marsh will be entering into the DAR organization. She is involved in Student borders. For the present, the SAR consists of 26,000 members in over 500 chapters in the
Council (serving as President), The Oakwood Times (serving as the Opinion Editor), United States, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The DAR was first recognized as an organization in 1890. The members of the DAR
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (serving as the Food Coordinator), National Honor
are dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing
Society, International Club, softball, and volleyball.
“I think she’s (Marsh) an excellent choice for the award. I feel the competition for America’s future through better education for children.
The DAR consists of 168,000 members representing 3,000 chapters within the US,
this award was of the highest quality,” said OHS Principal Brenda Ludwig.
On top of DAR, Marsh has also been awarded with the titles of Homecoming Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and
the United Kingdom.
Queen, Student of the Month, and an individual sportsmanship award in volleyball.
Unlike the SAR, the DAR gives Marsh an opportunity to apply for college schol“The majority of my school/community involvement is the product of Student
Council. I feel that through various projects I have helped to improve the school and arships through the organization.
Football field to undergo renovations, get new crown
Original crown runs the wrong way
field.
By Christina Zitello
The football field is finally getting some long-needed
work this school year.
The process of recrowning the field is going to be
started in the next few weeks.
The crowning of a football field has to do with how
level it is and the way in which it slopes. When a football field
is properly crowned, it should slope down to the sidelines.
Our current field is sloped toward the end zones. This means
that a player must run up hill toward the 50-yard line and that
water can collect on the field.
The field slopes in the wrong way because it used to
run in the opposite direction with the end zones on the east
and west ends.
When the track was built in 1925, the field had to be
turned in order for it to fit. This is why the end zones are now
“We try to avoid the southwest corner during a game because it drops off 24 inches
and the field is bad,” said OHS
head football coach Gary
Denhart.
in their current location on the north and south ends of the
“We try to avoid the southwest corner during a game
because it drops off 24 inches and the field is bad,” said OHS
head football coach Gary Denhart.
OHS players aren’t the only ones who have noticed
the problem.
“All of the other teams complain,” said Denhart.
The approximate cost for the work is $8,400. This money
came from part of the school’s building fund budget for repairs and improvements.
Obenland and Son Earth Moving will be doing the tearing up and grading of the football field starting in coming
weeks. The field will then sit through the winter and Owens
Contracting and Landscaping will finish the job in the spring
by reseeding it.
November 23, 2005
32
Two OHS students try their hand at
compiling a musical production
By Brooke Stevens
The Parker Organization, started by freshman Ryan
Parker and senior Amy Mildenberger, will perform a Broadway musical from the 1980s called Little Shop of Horrors.
Little Shop of Horrors is a comedy about a dorky
man who finds an exotic plant similar to a flytrap. The
bloodthirsty plant grows and brings great fortune to the
plant shop where it is located.
Senior Josh Bough will play Seymour Krelbourn,
the main character that finds the plant. Seymour falls in
love with Audrey, who is played by 2004 graduate Ashley
Harrington. Junior Kyle Collom will play the plant shop
owner, Mr. Mushnik. Orin, the maniacal dentist played
like Elvis, will be portrayed by senior Jordan Makowski.
The rest of the cast includes Ryan Parker, Dixie Sexton,
Kelsey Parker, Brittany Park, Jessica Whitington, Tabitha
Costigan, Aaron O’Neill, and Mildenberger.
“It’s a cheesy, over the top, bad sci-fi show with
lots of tie-dye,” said senior director Mildenberger. “It is
going to be a lot of fun.”
Mildenberger decided to direct her own productions when former teacher Bryan Hogan left the school
and drama department. Busy schedules caused the program to dwindle. Mildenberger decided that the program
was a must, so she revived it.
“Last year, many people didn’t have confidence in
me,” said Mildenberger. “I think we really impressed some
people with Exit Who, and now I am gaining support.”
The performances will be at the Muncie Grade
School on December 17 at 7:30 p.m. and December 18 at
2:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students, $3.50
for ages 12 and under, and free for children under five.
Advance tickets are available by calling 354-4209.
Although there are many people involved, extra help
with costumes, painting, and tech week is always needed.
If you would like to get involved, contact Mildenberger of
Ryan Parker.
Senior Amy Mildenberger and freshman Ryan
Parker go over some songs to present to the Little Shop
of Horrors cast at a recent practice. The musical will
showcase the talent of area teens.(Photo by Dixie Sexton)
The Oakwood Times
District music
dept. prepares for
holiday concert
By Kimber Hawkins
The band and chorus Christmas concert will take place
on December 4 at OHS. It will start at 2 p.m.
The concert will be put on by the high school, junior
high, and grade school music departments. This is the second year for this format.
“The concert really unifies the schools together, and it
gives the younger kids something to look forward to,” said
music director Mr. Mark Moore.
The highlight of the show is a combination of the opening and the beginning. The opening song selected this year
will be Shout for Joy. Other songs performed by the chorus
will be West Minister Carol and Carol of the Bells. One of
many songs the band will play is Christmas Fantasy.
“I really like the percussion piece. It’s really original,”
said senior Jessica Whitington. “I know the band is excited
about doing Carol of Bells; it’s one of thier favorites.”
The key difference in this year’s concert is the increased
participation from the band and chorus at the junior high and
sixth grade class. According to Moore, the junior high band
is more experienced due to changes in the curriculum.
Besides putting together the holiday concert, the high
school band and chorus have been busy this fall performing
at football games, volleyball games, the homecoming parade,
and at nursing homes. They will also be performing at the
girls’ and boys’ basketball games this winter.
Senior citizens’ dinner attracts large crowd to OHS
Senior Chris Chesnut picks up trays at the senior
citizen’s dinner at Oakwood High School on November 15.
Nearly 150 people had reservations for the dinner. (Photo
by Kacie Wilson)
By Dixie Sexton
This year the senior citizens’ Thanksgiving dinner was
hosted by Student Council, but was taken on as a project by
OHS senior Brooke Stevens. The dinner was held at 11a.m.,
on November 15.
The community has become accustomed to the dinner
as it is now looked upon as an annual event. OHS graciously
opened its doors to welcome the nearly 150 citizens, and also
accomodated their needs.
Student Council members took time out of their class
schedules to cater to the citizens’ needs. The OHS band and
chorus performed, serving as pleasurable dining entertainment to the citizens.
The senior citizens’ dinner has been recognized as a
part of the music curriculum.
“It’s a part of the year we look forward to very
much,”said music director Mark Moore. “I truly enjoy this
concert and the audience.”
The choral portion of the show took the audience back
in time by singing songs Sing a Jubilant Song, What a Wonderful World, If I Had a Hammer, and Blowin’ In The Wind.
As a part of the band’s performance, they recognized
the veterans of the crowd in playing The Armed Forces Sa-
lute.
In the miliary branch’s salute, veterans are asked to
stand as their anthem is played. The representation of veterans allows the audience and students to honor local military
personnel.
The band also included a non-traditional piece, Wicked
Medley, arranged by senior band and chorus member, Amy
Mildenberger. The medley consists of three songs from the
musical Wicked.
“It’s good to open people up to newer kinds of
music,”said Mildenberger.
Stevens took charge of the day’s events, noticing every detail. Floral arrangements and Thanksgiving decorations
transformed the gymnasium into a festive banquet hall.
While the Student Council did bring the dinner back
again this year, it’s primarily up to the students to make the
dinner happen next year.
It’s rare that people consider going back to school to
eat what’s considered a school lunch, but not when people
consider the dedication showed by the students.
From ushering the seniors in with umbrellas to simply
clearing the tables, it has becomes known that the students
take pride in their community.
2The Oakwood Times
ver Stor
Co
Storyy
Cov
By Jenna Hazelbaker
Chief Illiniwek has been a topic of controversy
in our area for years, but now the National Collegiate
Athletic Association has joined the fight.
Recently, the NCAA prohibited colleges and
universities from displaying hostile and abusive/racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames, or imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships.
The NCAA denied the university’s appeal on
November 11, saying the use of Chief
Illiniwek was not acceptable, but the nicknames “Illini” and “Fighting Illini” are acceptable.
The NCAA said that the Chief is associated with American Indians and it
strongly recommends that the university
should educate people on the term’s origin. The NCAA also said that American
Indian imagery will not be allowed in the
postseason and a school with a disallowed
mascot will not be allowed to host a
postseason game. The NCAA stated it
would not make the university change
their mascot.
“There is nothing offensive about
the Chief,” said OHS teacher Mr. Joel
Gehrig. “The tradition is not making fun of anyone,
but rather, honoring. If the name Illini is offensive then
so is the name of our state. The Fighting Illini is to pay
tribute to the students of the University who fought in
WWI. The intentions of the name and the Chief are
good.”
The NCAA’s policy will prohibit these colleges
or universities from holding any NCAA championships
and will take effect February 1, 2006. This policy will
also require these schools to take reasonable steps to
cover up any references predetermined by NCAA.
Along with these policies, wearing uniforms or
having paraphernalia with hostile or abusive references
will not be allowed in any NCAA championship competitions effective immediately. The colleges and universities that violate these new policies can appeal
within six months.
Florida State University has done so. Their mascot is the Seminoles, and the NCAA allowed the university to continue the use of this mascot because
they obtained the approval of the Seminole Indians.
While other universities are able to do this, the
University of Illinois cannot. The Native Americans of
the Illini Confederation are all deceased.
The Illini Confederation was a group of Native
American Indian tribes that once lived in the Illinois
region. One of their leaders was named Illiniwek, a name
that means “the men,” and is where the university
founded the name of the Fighting Illini.
In 1926, the university’s band director, Ray
Dvorak, came up with the idea of performing an American Indian dance during halftime of the Illinois vs.
Pennsylvania football game in Philadelphia. The students, fans, and university administrators enjoyed the
performance, so it was continued through the next
season. In the third season with the Chief, a Champaign
4
NCAA says
“No” to
Chief
merchant funded an authentic Chief Illiniwek outfit. Since
then, five other authentic Chief outfits have been used and
are still in use.
The Pro-Chief activists can’t imagine attending a game
at the University of Illinois without the traditional halftime
performance of the Chief. They believe the Chief is a dignified and honorable tradition that isn’t hostile or abusive to
American Indians.
They believe the Chief is a respectful symbol of the
university. Also, according to them, the names “Fighting Illini,”
“Illini,” and “Chief Illiniwek,” are not derived from American
Indian imagery. The word “Illini” is a reference to not only the
university’s athletic teams, but also to the residents of the
state of Illinois. In fact, the military units from the state have
been referred to as “The Illini” since the time of the Civil War.
The Pro-Chief activists believe the Chief should not be
considered offensive or making fun of any of American
Indians or their history. The University of Illinois does not use the name “Fighting Illini”
on any of their uniforms or paraphernalia. The Chief does not act in the manner of stereotypical sports mascots.
He does not bounce around entertaining the crowd; he simply performs at halftime of home games,
argue the Pro-Chief activists.
“If you were to attend a
University of Illinois football or
basketball game you would see
that each and every person in the
crowd does not yell and scream for
the Chief,” said OHS senior and Illini
fan Amanda Towell. “They sing the
school song, and honor him respectfully.”
“The intent of the Chief has always been
honorable and sincere,” says Towell.
On the other side of the debate are the Anti-Chief activists who believe the Chief is disrespectful and not in any way
honorable. They believe the Chief’s reputation reflects poorly
on the university. The Chief could be harmful to children by
perpetuating stereotypes. Also, they believe the Chief is a
racist symbol because of its negative affect on Native Americans.
“It is time for the chief to be retired,” said OHS math
teacher Mr. Geoff Griffiths. “We may not be personally responsible for discriminating acts, but we should surely understand that protecting the dignity of the remaining Native
Americans is more important than our attachment to a sports
mascots, no matter how sincere that attachment may be.”
November 23, 2005
The Native Americans have not expressed their acceptance towards the Chief, therefore they must not approve of it. They believe it takes away the civil rights of
the students at a public educational institution.
“Today’s Native Americans are descendents of the
few survivors of the genocide committed by settlers of
European ancestry and have endured a long string of
indignities and abuses at the hands of individuals and of
our government over the past century,” said Griffiths, a
former U of I student.
The Chief also drives away prospective students
and faculty who don’t think this is an acceptable price for
a university symbol. The Anti-Chief activists agree with
the NCAA president, Myles Brand, in that the Native
Americans have been disrespected, by being characterized and in some cases, caricatured. They think that allowing nicknames or mascots that disrespect African
Americans are prohibited so why are they allowed with
Native Americans. Native Americans should obtain the
same treatment as every other ethnic group.
On October 14, the University of Illinois Board of
Trustees sent their appeal to the NCAA. (Among the 18
cited schools by the NCAA only three appeals have been
granted.) The university said that the NCAA acted “incorrectly and unfairly.” The appeals maintain that the
NCAA has overstepped the association’s authority and
interfered with an existing university process. It asks to
remove the University of Illinois from the list of hostile
and abusive institutions.
They point out that the Illini Confederation of Indian Tribes no longer exits
and contends that the NCAA should
take this historical fact into consideration. The Chief was not
established to be disrespectful, it was created in conjunction with the marching band.
It also stated that the
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights conducted a thorough on-campus inquiry that said that neither the Chief Illiniwek tradition
or the name Fighting Illini created a hostile environment or denied them of their civil rights.
The appeals also stated that the
NCAA is unclear in defining how it determined the university “hostile” or “abusive.” The
university wants off the list of member institutions cited
in the policy.
Some pro-Chief and anti-Chief activists believe no
matter what happens with the NCAA ruling the university should think of some other mascots to represent the
school in a more respectful way. Some ideas for the new
mascot are: The Emancipators or the Illinois Rail Splitters,
in honor of Abraham Lincoln or the Illini Spirit.
So, Illini fans won’t see much change in regular
season play but come March we may be seeing less of
the Chief. While some Illini fans will be debating on the
Chief, many fans will be cheering on their favorite team.
November 23, 2005
Opposing
schools cite
no Chief
complaints
By Laura Lucas
While the University of Illinois
is working through the controversy
about having the Chief as a mascot, a
few area high schools use similar
mascots with little, or no, fanfare.
We asked the following area
high schools if they have ever had
problems with people complaining
about their own mascots: Annawan
Braves, The Judah Christian Tribe,
University High Illineks, and Watseka
Warriors.
“We haven’t had controversy
for a long time, since about 1992 or
1993,” said Sally Walker athletic
director of University High School. “I
think there hasn’t been much controversy for a while mainly because we
don’t use our mascot. We just use our
school’s name on our uniforms.”
Although the high school
voted and never came to a conclusion
on what an Illinek actually is, according to a variety of sources, Illinek
means: “men.”
According to the NCAA, the
use of the name Illini was found
acceptable, as it refers to the people
of the state.
Some other schools think that
we might be getting the wrong
impression about their mascots
entirely.
“No one really understands
what The Tribe actually is,” said the
secretary of Judah Christian. “It’s not
an Indian tribe; it’s one of the twelve
tribes for Judah in the Bible.”
Most of the schools we talked
to have never had much trouble with
their mascots.
“No, we haven’t had any
complaints up to this point,” said
Brenda Gripp, secretary of Annawan.
“Kids have came up and asked if we
were going to have to change our
mascot, because they read about the
U of I in the newspaper.”
52
The Oakwood Times
Area citizens attend meetings to discuss
cooperative, consolidation possibilities
By Erin Davis
The Oakwood, Catlin, and Jamaica
school boards are once again discussing reorganization among the high school districts.
A meeting to discuss possible plans
took place at the end of October at each of
the high schools.
Each meeting was open to the public.
“The information that we wanted to get
out, we succeeded in getting out,” said
Oakwood Superintendent Mr. Keven Forney.
The meetings were led by the three superintendents, each separate board president,
and another board member that had been selected.
During the meeting, Forney discussed
both the pros and cons of the reorganization,
and also questions were taken from the audience.
“People asked a lot of questions,” said
Forney, “on everything from the terms of
agreement, location, and how close to completion it is.”
Some of the positive aspects brought
up by Forney during the meeting were an increase in curriculum and being capable to have
a more efficient number of students with a
more diverse material.
A worry brought up during the OHS
meeting was the number of faculty positions
available after a possible consolidation.
“There may be a slight decrease in numbers initially,” said Forney at the meeting. “We
could draw more growth, though, and there
could be more potential positions.”
Another worry that doesn’t affect cur-
rent OHS students, but OHS
students in later
years is the consolidation of
sports teams.
“If there
are more people
on the football
team, I might not
get to play as
much,”
said
Oakwood Grade
School sixth
grader, Eli Davis.
“It wouldn’t be
very fair. My
brother could
easily play, and
I’d have to work
really hard for it.”
Now that
the meetings are
over, the next
step is a feasibility study, which
Catlin school board president Jeff Fauver, Oakwood school board
will take place in
president
Greg Wolfe, and Jamaica Superintendent/Principal Mark
January or FebruJanesky
answer
questions from area residents about the possibility of a
ary.
cooperative
high
school. (Photo by Dixie Sexton)
“A feasibility
study
would look into what different forms that re- school boards would have to take it to their
organization would have to have to happen districts once more.
“The soonest that it would appear for a
and to be successful,” said Forney. “It will
vote would be November of 2006, but more
help show us what to do to make it work.”
Following the feasibility study, the likely April 2007,” said Forney.
Youhas chosen as November SOM
Senior Zane Youhas was selected to be
the November Student of the Month. (Photo
by Brenden Watson)
By Jena Foley
There are only a handful of students who would truly say their biggest influence is
their biology or history teachers. One of them is senior Zane Youhas, the November student
of the month.
Mrs. Norma Anderson and his eighth grade history teacher, Mr. Frank Nixon, have
made the biggest impact on Youhas.
“Both classes were, and still are, fun, but when it’s time to get stuff done you better
believe you’ll know it,” said Youhas.
Youhas has been involved in football, baseball, WYSE, scholastic bowl, the student
council treasurer, and National Honor Society President.
“I am happy to see that the things I do get recognized,” said Youhas.
Youhas is very happy to finally be a senior and glad to be accomplishing his advanced
classes for biology.
“I had to stick with it,” said Youhas.
Youhas is much like any other high school student. He enjoys spending his time with
his friends.
“Zane is Zane, that’s all you can say about him,” said friend and senior Adam Wilson.
After high school, Youhas plans to attend Danville Area Community College for a
couple of years and then transfer to the University of Illinois. Youhas would like to major in
biological sciences, after being influenced by many of Anderson’s classes.
2The Oakwood Times
What’s the biggest
lie you’ve ever
told?
5 In T
he Hall
The
By Josh Bough & Kacie Wilson
Chelsea Tarquini, Freshman
“I told my mom that a candle
fell over in my room when I
really threw it on the
ground.”
Carly Wilson, Sophomore
“It wasn’t my idea.”
Josie Bloomfield, Junior
“I was out with a guy, but I said I
was with other friends.”
Chris Chesnut, Senior
“I said it was chocolate, but really
it was a poo stain.”
Mrs. Judy Steffen, Teacher
“I told Kyle Bartlow that I really loved his big
speakers when I really thought they were too loud.”
6
November 23, 2005
I have a paranormal roommate
that follows me around
Do you believe in ghosts? I do! I even believe one
lives in my house! Want to know something even more crazy?
I think I stole her from a cemetery about four years ago …
The day before my 13th birthday, my aunt and I were
driving to meet my mom on the Catlin-Homer road. We were
just driving until we saw her, then I was going to get out and
go with my mom.
I am, and always have
been, very into paranormal phenomenon, ghosts, and all that
good stuff.
Well, we decided to stop
at a cemetery and wait there for
my mom. It was hot outside, and
we were tired of just sitting there
in the car waiting on my mom, so
we decided to drive around and
look at tombstones. Weird, I
know, but hey cut me some slack,
I can’t help myself.
If you’ve been to the cemetery, you’ll know that it’s not
very big, and it’s not like you
could get lost if you couldn’t find
a tombstone you were looking
for.
We were driving though looking at dates and such on
the stones, when my aunt found one of a little girl who died
either on the day of her 13th birthday, or the day before, I can’t
remember.
After that she started teasing me. “Oh, you better watch
out, you only have one day!” I was twelve, and that definitely creeped me out a little.
Well, if we jump forward about two years, this is when
the weird stuff really started
happening. My little brother
started having nightmares. Every night, he would sleep-walk
and talk in his sleep. I never
put two-and-two together until about last year when this
picture came along.
For Christmas I had gotten a digital camera, and my
little brother was obsessed
with it. He always tried to get
me to take a picture of him with
it. Finally one day, I was annoyed enough to say “fine,
smile.” He looked at me and stuck his tongue out and I took
the picture. I loaded my pictures onto the computer, and when
I looked at it my mouth dropped. (See above.)
The picture that I had taken had someone in the background reaching up towards the TV, but no one was there
when I took the picture! My mom was sitting on the couch
and my stepdad in the recliner, and they were watching the
basketball tournament. Mind I mention, that if you were in
front of that TV while Jason, my stepdad, is watching basketball … Well, let’s just say, no one was going to be in the way
of his view, and there was someone there! You can even see
through the person in the picture’s hand! I did NOT edit the
photo in any way, shape, or form! The only people there that
can defend me for this are my brother, my mom, and my stepdad.
I looked at the picture a million and one times, and
couldn’t believe it. I took more pictures and tried to see if we
would see anything in any of
those. I had always had orbs in
several of my pictures, but I had
never actually captured something that looked like a human
being.
For those of you who
don’t know what an orb is, it is a
form taken by ghosts that looks
like a ball of light which can only
be captured on film, sometimes
video. I have several pictures of
orbs in my house and at other
places, so if you want to see any
just let me know.
Anyway, on with my story.
Last year my aunt said she
had a friend who knew a woman
who said she was capable of seeing ghosts. Yes, I was very skeptical too, but I guess you
would believe just about anything after seeing something
like I had seen.
My aunt and this woman came to my house when my
family was away on vacation and looked around. The woman
had said that there were two ghosts in my house, and one
was a little girl around 13, and the other a man in his late 20s.
This one shocked my aunt big time, cause we hadn’t
even thought about the cemetery incident until after the
woman said the girl was 13. The
lady said the girl had been in
my home for about three years,
and that the girl liked it here.
We had not told the
woman anything about anything that we knew. My aunt
only told her that we thought
my house might be haunted.
Also, we did not pay this lady
any money, so it’s not like she
was just making things up to
get her money’s worth.
The woman then went on to say that the girl follows me
places, and might even come to school with me! Ha! Don’t
worry though, if she’s here with me today, she hasn’t hurt
anyone... yet.
I am still somewhat skeptical to this day, but I know that
there was no one in the room when the picture was taken, and
that there was something there after the picture was put on
the computer. My stepdad says there was something on the
lens, or inside the camera, but you look at the picture and tell
me it doesn’t look real to you!
Special K
By
Kayla
Phillips
72
The Oakwood Times
A list of the greatest women of my life
This month, I am feeling it necessary to compile a short list of
the women who have been the most influential in my life. In
everyone’s lives, they have people who affect them in many ways,
and these are just a few of mine. The following females have shown
me who I am and taught me more than I can truly explain.
6 and 5. Karen and Jill, the Georgetown Fair Queen Pageant
directors, acted as second mothers to me when I decided to do the
pageant. I didn’t expect to get anything,
but when I did, I got to spend the week
with four other girls and these two wonderful women.
Leading up to the pageant, I was
more worried about not being able to
spend the week at the fair more than anything else, and luckily, I got to. They’ve
taught me how to stand up straight, that
it’s OK to cry, and that a sleepover is the
perfect antidote for sadness.
4. My Grandma Thomas has been
willing to fix any bit of clothing that I’ve
ever needed. She showed me what cross
stitch was at a very early age and has always been a help to me in
anything. She has been present at nearly all of my events, and
usually, she is toting grandpa along with his camera in hand.
3. I started working at the St. Joe IGA last summer, and I can
assure you all that there is really only one good thing that came out
of it, other than Miranda. Her name is Briana Leigh Keith, but she
goes by the name of Boo.
Boo has become one of my best friends, and through anything, I am able to call her. She puts up with me, and sometimes by
just telling her about all my problems, I sometimes come to the sudden realization of what the right thing to do is. She has listened to
me cry all hours of the night, and when I ask her to, she is willing to
do anything, say anything, and tell me the honest truth even when
I don’t want to hear it.
Boo has helped me to see that sometimes, a positive/gullible
attitude is one of the best in the world to have. She is always
smiling, and generally, she is always happy. I’ve found a love for her
that I never knew was possible.
2. My mom and I are extremely close. I don’t know if she
understands how awesome it is to have a virtually perfect daughter,
when she is only a senior in high school.
Mostly, my mom has taught me not to care what other people
Letter to the editor
think. I still do, but I don’t think that I could have made it through life
without her helping hand. She showed me four miles isn’t that much,
and sometimes, it is better to just go to sleep ...even in your chair.
1. Grandma Ardyth is wonderful. This woman can only be
explained by one word, and it is w-o-w. I sit here thinking about her,
and to be completely honest, I’ve got a smile on my face.
My summer wasn’t the greatest ever, and this is because for
over half of it, I spent nearly everyday at
the hospital, skipped church, and cried
myself to sleep. Grandma Ardyth had a
stroke, and after her stroke, she wasn’t in
very good shape.
I pretty much dropped everything;
my friends, a boyfriend, and nearly all of
my hours at work. When I did that though,
Grandma Ardyth taught me the most important life lesson that I will ever learn
ever in my life.
All the times when I was distraught,
there were people who knew exactly what
I was going through, and these people
were my family. I became closer with my mom, and for the first time in
a long time, I could not only stand to be in the same room as my
brother, but I considered him my best friend. He was someone who I
could talk to about my feelings, and he even escorted me to the fair.
The other thing that my grandma taught me was that you should
never give up. She was in rehab for over a month, and while she was
there, she never stopped working. Her optimism and strong will have
caused me never to think of her as the 86-year-old woman that she is.
I realize now that she is slowing, but I hope that she learns from herself
the same way that I did.
Since my birth, she has always been willing to take care of me
and any other member of my family, and I must say that this willingness has been partially passed on to me. Once she reached a certain
age, she and Granddad didn’t really go out as much as they did once,
but I’ve always understood.
I know that right now, she is sitting in her chair in Florida reading
this. She has no idea how much of a role model she has been and I
hope that I live my life as well as her. Everyday I think about her, and
I can’t wait for her to come home.
Everyone has these women, and I realize that if I did a full list, it
would include people that I liked, didn’t like, and even some that I’ve
never even met before. These people sometimes make you see that life
really is great and that there are always more things to strive for.
Erin’s
Space
By Erin
Davis
The real facts about depression
Dear Editor,
I am writing today to say a few things about your cover story in the last issue. I am one of the few people that I believe don’t have a
problem talking about depression. I am an 18 year old female, and I have to deal with [depression] along with many other problems on a daily
basis.
You have to deal with a lot when you attempt suicide. Not only do you have to get rushed to the hospital to get your stomach pumped
but you have to deal with the after affects. You also have to stop and realize how many lives you are affecting. After the hospital bills, puking,
the sore irritated throat, then you are put in counseling and have to face everybody around you. I myself have never successfully got myself
to this point but I have had many friends that have. Some weren’t lucky enough to have someone find them and they ended up dead.
I am not writing this to scare anyone; I just want people to see things from where I see them. You can’t help the feelings you have, if you
could you won’t have them. I just want people to see that it is a hard thing to deal with. You just have to keep your head up and try to move
on. You will have times you won’t even want to get out of bed; you just have to do it. I know it is hard to do, but what else are you going to
do? Sit there and let everyone else have all the fun? I hope this will help some understand that it isn’t always how the doctors say it is. Now
you have heard it from someone who always deals with depression.
Take care,
Lindsey Roderick
Charlotte’s
not aimed at
students
Have you ever had to choose
between good food and bad service?
Charlotte’s in Danville is just
off Gilbert Street. Recently, they
opened Charlotte’s II in the Village
Mall.
The highlight of the restaurant is definitely the food. They
have a very good caramel apple
salad and an excellent Italian beef.
They also have a variety of coffees
and hot drinks.
By Ashley Sermak
My tw
o cents
two
November 23, 2005
There are few cafes
in Danville, and this one
offers everything from hot
chocolate to French soda.
They are also known for
their unique atmosphere.
The restaurant is set up like
a cafe without booths and big
tables. You can eat outside if you
prefer the fresh air. It also has a
drive-thru if you need a quick lunch.
In the dining room is a spiral staircase that leads to an antique store, where they sell everything from bracelets to baby cribs.
Next door is another store, which
features items from local vendors.
The only drawback I observed was in the service. It wasn’t
very nice. While I was there, they
were very unhelpful. Other students have informed me that they
have experienced problems there.
From having to fill your own drinks
to unfriendly service, Charlotte’s
has a ways to go before getting a
good rating from this reviewer.
While it has a unique atmosphere and fine food, they don’t
cater to a younger crowd. They
are aiming at the older, antiquehunting groups, not students.
2The Oakwood Times
8
November 23, 2005
Be careful, and Time to be thankful for your family
avoid the deer
on the roads
OIM: Co-op or not!
By Ashley Cook & Carley Redman
CRed9: So what do you think of the consolidation with us, Catlin, and Jamaica?
Cookie22: I don’t really like the idea of going
to school with kids I don’t know.
CRed9: It’s not like it will happen for a few
years though. It’ll take at least a couple of years to
build the new school.
Cookie22: Oh…well since you put it that way,
I guess it doesn’t really matter for us. But Oakwood is
Oakwood and it should stay that way.
CRed9: But with a new school there’ll be more
classes to choose from. You could have the opportunity to meet a lot of new people and make new friends.
Cookie22: Yeah … having more kids in your
class would be good, but wouldn’t that make it harder
to get one on one time with a teacher for extra help?
CRed9: Maybe …But if you absolutely need
that one on one time then you could meet after class
and get it, or talk to the teacher and work something
out. Maybe then the teachers would teach a little slower
so they could go with everyone’s pace.
Cookie22: But what’s going to happen to all
the teachers that are here now, are they going to have
with time either. I wasn’t gifted with his ability to golf, but
instead with his love of the outdoors. As I’ve grown up, I’ve
become more appreciative of mother nature and her beauty.
As a result, I’ve chosen to major in biology.
It seems like yesterday that I was a little girl sitting on
the lap of her grandpa, her Grandpa
Trimble. I loved to sit with him in his
brown leather chain with my head against
his chest. I can still remember the smell
of his cologne as I napped with him.
Every time he came to our house,
he would empty his pocket of every
penny and put them in my piggy bank. I
I still do this, and have filled three piggy
banks since. The memories of my
grandpa come back during harvest when
tractors are as thick as deer. I feel closer
to him when I ride with Dusty in a tractor
while we plow.
My Grandma Marsh always seemed to be laughing.
She had a distinctive laugh that you could instantly recognize. I remember going places with her often. A wooden heart
with a pink bow hung from her mirror and gave the car a sweet
cinnamon aroma. After she passed away, that wooden heart
was one item I longed for. I now have it safely placed away
with one of her quilts.
After experiencing death at such a young age, my family is never taken for granted. I’ve learned to appreciate the
family parties and dinners knowing that they don’t last forever. This Thanksgiving take a moment to think about all that
you are thankful for. If family is one item on your list, remember that they won’t always be around. Spend as much time as
possible with your family while you still can.
By Kendra Marsh
Listen Up
Editorial
With deer season underway we,
the staff of The Oakwood Times,
believe certain precautions should be
taken when you’re out and
about.
Everyone has either seen
a deer while driving or knows
someone who’s had a collision
with a deer.
Around this time of year
deer are everywhere and it
seems they’re unavoidable.
With it being mating season,
and deer-hunting season,
they’re running everywhere and not
only in the woods, but also across the
roadways.
Being cautious at night and
during the day is the best way to avoid
a collision. Pay more attention to your
driving and surroundings than what’s
playing on the radio or who’s on your
cell phone. You never know when
something could happen.
Here are four tips to improve
safety, from Hagerty Insurance:
* If you see one deer, slow down.
Chances are there is another close
behind. Be especially careful in
heavily wooded areas, where deer are
more prone to dart out.
* Use your bright lights whenever
possible. It will give you a larger field
of vision and you’ll have more time to
react to animals in the road ahead. It
might also help you spot deer at the
side of the road before they run
across the highway.
* Wear your seat belts.
* Be extra alert near dawn and
dusk. Be particularly alert near deerwarning signs. They are placed at
known crossing areas.
This is the season to be thankful,
so let’s be thankful for what we do
have, and be careful not to lose it.
I don’t know about all of you, but I am all essayed-out.
After several hours of completing college applications, personal essays, and scholarship essays on top of papers due
for school, I have had enough. No More Essays!
Actually, I think this is a wonderful time for a break
from all the essays and school. I know I
need one, and I’m sure all of you are just
as ready. Lucky for us Thanksgiving
break is finally here.
Bring on the mashed potatoes and
noodles, hot rolls, stuffing, and turkey!
I’m eagerly waiting for that hardy meal
that leaves you miserable afterwards.
But on a more serious note,
Thanksgiving isn’t just a time for food.
It’s a time to celebrate with family and a
time to let known what and who you appreciate in your life.
My family is on the top of my
‘thankful for’ list. As a child, I quickly learned not to take
family for granted. I was only seven when I lost my only two
grandpas. A little over a year later, one of my grandmas passed
away also. I was old enough to have some great memories
with them, but too young to really know them.
Each time I pass through Kickapoo I am reminded of
my Grandpa Marsh. I most vividly remember his love for golf.
On those hot summer days, he would take my brother, cousin,
and I to Kickapoo to tee off. He even had an old set of his golf
clubs cut down to our size so he could teach us how to drive.
My drive never was that good; the dirt clump always seemed
to go further than the ball. By the time we left Kickapoo the
ground had looked like it had been infested by groundhogs.
Unfortunately I can’t say my drive has improved any
to find new jobs?
CR
ed9: We’ll still need teachers in the new
CRed9:
school; Most of the teachers will just move there. There
would probably be a few retirements and a few that
are released, but most would get jobs in the new school.
Cookie22: So then what’s going to happen with
the sports? It’s going to be harder to get playing time
with three schools into one.
CR
ed9: We’ll completely dominate in sports.
CRed9:
Of course we’ll have to join an even bigger division,
but we’ll still dominate. We’ll be bringing some of the
best athletes in the area together. Everyone has the same
chance of playing time as everyone else, some will just
have to work harder.
Cookie22: What will happen to your friendships with the kids from Oakwood? You may never see
your friends in a new school during the day, when you
see them almost all day at Oakwood.
CR
ed9: You’ll still be friends with them, and
CRed9:
you’ll still see them everyday, it’s not like we are going
to be living in different countries. You just may not
seem them near as much as you used to. Along with
those friends, you’ll have the opportunity to make new
friends that you would normally feud with.
Cookie22: Whatever they decide, we won’t
be around.
Getting all “dolled up” is not my thing
I think I must be missing one of the genes that comes
with being a female. Why do I think this? Don’t get your mind
running in the wrong direction.
I feel genetically deprived because I find no joy in one thing that many
girls seem to spend quite a lot or their
time doing. That thing would be “dolling myself up.” In fact, I don’t even know
how to do it.
I mean doing my hair and makeup and performing other such beauty
tasks. I do brush my teeth and I brush
my hair but not much else beyond that.
It seems to me, when I look around, that
almost every other girl must enjoy these
things that I simply leave out of my life.
They must find it worth their time. But
not I.
It’s not as though I’ve lost all of
my girliness. I love to shop and “play
dress up.” I can spend an entire day at the mall and not buy
a thing, but be happy as a clam.
I routinely devote a few hours a week trying on my
entire wardrobe to see how it looks with one shirt or pair of
jeans.
And I love shoes. Especially flip flops. I personally
own 13 pairs and don’t think that is nearly enough. I dream of
walking into an Old Navy in the spring and buying a pair of
flip flops in every color and style. That’s my kind of heaven.
But this is where the girlish fancies stop.
I prefer to spend my mornings on activities other than
primping. Beauty sleep is my method of looking great for the
day. Or perhaps spending my time working on a bit of homework not finished the night before.
Maybe it is just me, but I don’t see the point in drawing
lines around my eyes. If they were meant to be there they
would be already. The same goes for blush and eye shadow.
I feel weird going out with cheeks redder and eyelids a different color than they actually are.
Beauty can also be a scary thing. I have heard such
comments as “I can’t go out before I put my face on” or “This
face is not water soluble” coming from some people. These
remarks seem a little frightening to me. You wake up with out
a face? And your make up won’t come off with water? Then
what do you use? I know you can get paint off with gasoline
but I really don’t want to be slathering my face in that. I
would also rather wake up knowing that my face is there and
well every morning thank you very much.
Some of this stuff also seems to defy the laws of nature. I’ve always been under the impression that most people
with very light hair also have a light complexion. I’ve also
thought that most people with a light
complexion don’t really tan, they just
burn.
Well beauty has proved me wrong
because now I see extremely dark, platinum blond people everywhere. They’re
still around long after it’s become to cold
to lay out in the sun too. Maybe the
beautiful people can talk to God or
something.This leads me to another
By
thing I don’t quite understand. Tanning.
Christina
Yes, I realize most people look betZitello
ter tan, but having the complexion of a
Latino in the winter time when everyone know your all Caucasian is just a
little odd to me. It’s very obvious that
it’s not natural. And besides all that, it’s
expensive! Being a little better looking in the winter months is
not worth my cash.
And on top of that, tanning causes cancer!! So you’re
paying for cancer. And premature wrinkles. I have been to
Florida and I have seen some women who have been in the
sun all their lives. It is not pretty. I like to take my cancer and
wrinkles in the summer when it comes for free.
Finally we come to my hair. You would think, with it
being so long, that I would know how to make it look pretty.
But no. I may run a straightener through it for 10 minutes
twice a month, but that’s it. A bun is pretty much my most
complicated hair style.
Not only do I not care to spend any more time on my
hair, I just can’t make it do anything. After five minutes of
trying to make a curling iron work, I’m done. I’ve got better
things to do with my time. Like watch TV.
Maybe I am a little more self-assured than other people.
I really don’t like the fake feeling I get when I’m wearing
make-up. When a guy looks at me it leaves me thinking, would
he do that if I wasn’t wearing this?
However I know self confidence is not it. Laziness and
inability are the more likely culprits. I really don’t find it worth
my time and I can‘t even properly do it.
So If your wondering why my zits aren’t often covered
up, it’s because I decided to sleep that morning rather than
try to teach myself the art of applying cover-up. Or whatever
it is you use for that sort of thing.
T he Oakw
ood
Oakwood
Times
Volume 20, Issue 4
Members of the staff are enrolled in Journalism Class. The paper is published by the
Oakwood Times staff.
Subscriptions are $8 per year and may
be purchased by contacting the staff at
Oakwood High School, 5870 US Route 150,
Fithian IL, 61844.
The Oakwood Times encourages
signed letters, comments, art, or columns from its readers. The Oakwood
Times reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and clarity. No submissions will be printed that are considered libelous, in poor taste, or are
intended solely as a personal attack.
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire
staff or the district employees.
Editors in Chief Erin Davis
Dixie Sexton
Managing Editor Josh Bough
Copy Editor
Kacie Wilson
Business Mgr.
Brooke Stevens
News Editor
Carley Redman
Opinion Editor Kendra Marsh
Sports Editor
Nick Vinson
Photo Editor
Ashley Cook
Reporters
Brooke Eickhoff
Jena Foley
Kimber Hawkins
Jenna Hazelbaker
Meghan Hohn
Laura Lucas
Kayla Phillips
Erin Pouilliard
Ashley Sermak
Brenden Watson
Jessica Whitington
Christina Zitello
Advisor
Mr. Tim Lee
Cartoon
Sa
ving Z best
Saving
for last
The Oakwood Times
Staff Bo
x
Box
92
November 23, 2005
By Erin Pouilliard
2The Oakwood Times
10
Four seniors will
be tough to replace
Practice makes
perfect
In the Nick of Time
Sports Column
I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times,
somebody telling you that “practice makes perfect.” I think that we can all agree that nobody or
no thing is in fact “perfect,” but I think that this
statement has a lot more truth to it than people
may assume.
If you want to be good at something, you
must work hard to achieve it. If you want to be
g o o d ,
strive for
greatness.
If you want
to be great,
strive for
excellence.
And if you
want to be
excellent,
then you
must strive
By Nick Vinson
for perfection.
I believe that practicing is one of
the most underrated things in a young
adult’s life. I know that in my four years
here at OHS, I have not really worked very
hard in practices. I now realize how much
of a difference it makes when one person
isn’t trying hard. It can be contagious.
We all got a glimpse of that when a very
talented football team went 4-5 and couldn’t even
make the playoffs. Some people might have blamed
the coaches, but I was there and think that it had
nothing to do with the coaching staff. We (the
players) never took practices seriously, we would
goof around and make jokes all practice long.
It didn’t matter how much we had to run or
how many push-ups we had to do, we never really
worked our hardest to achieve the potential that
we could have.
Another thing that we lacked a great deal of
was emotion, it seemed that the only guys that
even cared whether we had won or lost were most
the seniors, and maybe a handful of the underclassmen. We didn’t really get fired up before
games, and we hardly did any screaming and yelling and getting each other excited after a big play.
The way that you practice can make any
team into a good team. If you have enough people
out there that want to play and love the game,
then as long as you give your all at to practice,
you are going to be successful.
Anybody can go out maybe once or twice a
week and play a game, but it shows who you really are if you can come out five, six, or sometimes
even seven times a week and give your all at practice. You can not only make yourself better, but
also make your team better.
November 23, 2005
Sophomore Stephanie Denius tips the ball over the net
in a game at OHS. Denius, an Honorable Mention All-County
and All-Conference selection this year, will be one of the few
returning letter winners on next year’s team. (Photo by Dixie
Sexton)
By Erin Pouilliard
The volleyball team is going to have a different feel
next year.
With the graduation of seniors Amy Bertilson, Katie
Haas, Kendra Marsh, and Leah Shepherd, the team is going
to have some big roles to fill.
“The chemistry is going to be a lot different,” said coach
Lynn Anderson.
The four will be hard to replace because they have
been playing together since middle school and are compatible both on and off the court.
One spot in particular that will be hard to fill is the
position of setter. Haas has been Oakwood’s starting varsity
setter since her freshman year, and played a vital role on the
team. Haas was the team’s only All-Vermilion County and AllVermilion Valley Conference selection.
With the departure of the four seniors, the team will be
looking to younger players to take on leadership roles.
“Someone has got to step up,” said Anderson.
The team ended this year’s season with a loss to Salt
Fork in the Iroquois West Regional. Although the team fell
short of its goal of a .500 season, its record did see major
improvement.
The team ended with a final record of 13-14, tripling the
number of wins from the previous season.
This season also saw major achievements for senior
Amy Bertilson and sophomore Stephanie Denius. Bertilson
received special mention All-County and All-Conference and
Denius was awarded honorable mention in both County and
Conference.
Girls’ team ends season in Sectional
Cross country achieves many goals
By Jessica Whitington
Of course, at the end
The cross country seaof any season the fact must
sons are over and they have
be faced, that some of your
great seasons to look back
teammates won’t be coming
on.
back next year.
Some of their highest
“You’re always conplacings were at the Bismarck
cerned when the seniors
Invitational (2nd by the boys),
graduate because they are so
the Vermilion Valley Conferimportant to the team in a lot
ence (3 rd, both boys and
of ways,” said Lee. “It isn’t
girls), and the Vermilion
just their times or places, but
County meet (3rd, boys and
what they know and their
girls).
leadership. Those kind of in“[The highpoint of the
tangibles are hard to reseason for me was] being in
place.”
All- County and All- ConferFar from being satisJunior Ashley Sermak was the girls top runner this year.
ence,” said sophomore Jusfied with one good season,
Sermak was All-County, All-Conference, and was chosen as
tin Jones.
the team has an even more
the team’s Most Valuable Runner. (Photo by Dixie Sexton)
Another impressive
vigorous plan for training in
fact was that the entire girls’
store for next year’s team.
squad qualified for the Sectionals this year. Last year, only
“We’re going to try to run over the summer,” said Lee.
Ashley Sermak qualified.
“Hopefully we can get a couple of hundred miles under our
For the boys, their best moment, according to Coach belt before August. If that happens we can train harder and
Tim Lee, was placing third at the Thunder Run.
score better.”
November 23, 2005
11 2
The Oakwood Times
Boys team ready to open season
tonight in Villa Grove tourney
By Brenden Watson
The Oakwood High School
basketball team has their fourth
coach in four years. The new coach
is Jon Heath. He has brought in a
new coaching system for the players to learn.
“I’ve learned a number of different things from each coach I
played for,” said senior Chad Ziegler.
He is only in his first year of
high school coaching, but the team
feels he is capable of leading the
program to success. He previously
coached at Paris Crestwood Junior
High and won an IESA State championship.
“He knows what he is doing,
and he is really making us work
hard,” said senior Robert Hubbard.
“He is very competitive.”
The main thing the team is
hoping to improve is teamwork. The
team has been playing together for
over five years. They are expecting
everything to come together for their
senior year.
“For four years that has been
our main focus, working together
as a team,” said Ziegler. “We really
want to improve on that.”
The expectations are high
this year, having five seniors on the
team. The seniors are: Chris
Chesnut, Hubbard, Rick Powell, Nick
Vinson, and Ziegler.
“We have a good chance of
winning the (Vermilion Valley) Conference this year if we play as a team,”
said Hubbard.
The team will start the season
with the 6 th annual Villa Grove
Thanksgiving Tournament tonight
against Salt Fork. The tournament
consists of eight teams divided into
two pools. In Oakwood’s pool are
Oblong, Tri-County and Salt Fork.
The other teams are the host Blue
Devils, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Heritage, and Judah Christian.
“We should have a successful
tournament if everyone plays to their
potential,” said Ziegler. “We need to
utilize the skills we have.”
Large wrestling squad combines
veterans with raw youngsters
By Josh Bough
This year’s wrestling squad
has 30 wrestlers.
“This is the biggest squad
I’ve had since I’ve been here for
the past 18 years,” said Coach Dave
Markwell.
Markwell gives a lot of the
credit for the big squad to the coop with Armstrong-Potomac and
the six wrestlers he gets from there.
“The co-op has helped the
squad fill all the spots,” said
Markwell. “Most of the wrestlers
coming from the co-op have never
wrestled before, but they seem to
like it, and they’re doing well.”
In years past, the team has
had difficulty filling each weight
class, but with their numbers this
year they will easily be filled. A new
goal has been set for this team.
“My goal for this year’s team
is to teach the young kids and try
to get them to perform along with
the returning letterman and to be
competitive in every match and every tournament that we are in,” said
Markwell.
Kyle Clingan, Brendan
Hafner, Ray Kent, Corey Lomax,
Matthew Kirkpatrick, Clint Peak,
Brenden Watson, and Adam Wilson
Sophomore Brendan Hafner and freshman David Navarro prepare
to wrestle with one another at a recent practice. Coaches have high
expextations of this year’s team, with four players looking at State-caliber
competition. (Photo by Kayla Phillips)
are all returning lettermen. Coaches
are Markwell and Ryan Shaw.
“Brenden Watson has a
good chance of making it to State
this year,” said Markwell, “He
placed fourth last year, and most
of the people that beat him have
graduated.”
Wilson, Hafner, and Kent are
also in the running for a possible
State berth.
The first wrestling meet will be
Tues., Nov. 29, at home against Salt
Fork and St. Thomas More.
Senior, Amy Bertilson, goes up to win the first tip-off of the
Comets’ season. Bertilson is the team’s only senior. (Photo by
Dixie Sexton)
Girls tip off
new season
By Erin Davis
The girl’s basketball team has recently started practicing,
and hopes to have a good season. The team only consists of
twelve players, but still is striving to reach their goals.
“Loss of numbers is definitely affecting the team,” said
Coach Lynn “Juice” Anderson, “although they will still be good.”
Head Coach Rick Bough has high expectations for the girls
including finishing the season with fifteen wins.
They started the season 2-0 with wins over Hoopeston
Area and Judah Christian.
“I would like to place in the Vermilion County tournament in
January,” said Bough.
Another of his goals is to win a game in the postseason for
the first time in four years.
A big addition to the team is Courtney Keagle, whose basketball team last year went on to win the Christian State Championship.
“She has a lot of experience in high-intensity games, which
could help us a lot,” said Bough.
Junior Kimber Hawkins and sophomore Kayla Terry are
returning this season after ending last year with injuries.
The team has five returning varsity players which should
help to lead the team. There will be a lot of responsibility placed
on returning senior Amy Bertilson.
“I think it’s important for [Bertilson] to show the players
that it’s a team effort,” said Anderson. “All [Bertilson’s] input to
the underclassmen should be positive, which it has been.”
The largest
pumpkin
weighed 377
pounds.
You share your birthday with at
least 9 million people in the world.
The ampersand
(&) was once a
letter of the English alphabet.
Did you know...
More Americans
have died in automobile accidents
than have died in
all the wars ever
fought by the
United States.
2,500 left handed people
die every year using right
handed objects.
On average, a four-year-old child
asks 437 questions a day.
Cacao, the main ingredient
of chocolate, is the most pest
ridden tree in the jungle.
By Josh Bough & Kacie Wilson
Facts were taken from: www.expage.com
http://www.berro.com/entertainment/general_interesting_facts.htm