The Vision - Windsor C

The Vision
Windsor High School
December 2006
Bump, set, spike!
Staff battles
students in
volleyball game
Volume 10, Issue 3
Christmas comes early to Windsor Castle
by Max Wetstein
News Co-Editor
On Dec. 27, the junior
class hosted the student versus
staff volleyball game. Fifteen
courageous students played the
eight staffers, but sadly lost. The
students were lead by their two
coaches Senior Morgan Holder
and Junior Fallon Heibel. The staff started out with a
commanding lead in the first
game with counselor and Windsor alum, Andrea Haegele, stepping up with a few big plays. “I just love playing in these
types of games,” Haegele said.
“It gives the students a chance to
see some of us outside the office
or classroom. Also I like the fact I
get to be in the old Windsor gear
again!” Between the two games,
there was a team relay race
with hoops, clothes, and small
tractors were involved. No
matter how weird that sounds,
everyone had a good time. The students tried and in the
end failed. There was a good
turnout and hopefully it goes
just as well next year.
Go for the
gold...card
by Luke Parham
Staff Writer
Every semester, questions
arise over how Renaissance
cards can be used with regards to
finals. What finals can you skip?
Do you have to have a certain
grade? Can teachers override
your card?
According to Ms. Kelly Isaacson, history teacher, “The only
ones [finals] you have to take are
performance and college credit
classes.” Teachers can stipulate what
grade you need in their class
to be able to skip. This means
teacher can make the requirement for their class an A. The cards come in gold,
brown, and white with privileges and requirements varying for each. To receive a gold
card students must earn a 3.5
GPA or better. To earn a brown
card, students need between
a 3.0 to a 3.49. The white card
may be earned with a .5 point
raise in their average. For all cards, students must
also earn a 95 percent or better
photo by Morgan Holder
An ensemble of the Christmas dinner court gathers. (Pictured from left to right) Kyle Shoemake, James Hutsler,
Sam Miloscia, Chauntel England, Lauren Homeier, Brianna Haefner, Joe Miloscia.
by Max Wetstein
really enjoyed everything. The commons looked amazing,
and I look forward to attending next year!”
Ms. Janet Taylor, math teacher, said, “The service and
food were great, better than that of a restaurant. I left with
a smile and a full stomach.”
The night was further filled with the delightful sounds of
the singers. There was also a sword fight that included two
brave knights from afar. The Windsor High School dance
team tossed their colorful pep costumes to the side and put
on the renaissance garb to provide an extravagant olde English dance. Orphans even sang a few songs for some bread
and cheese. William Shakespeare, portrayed by senior James
Hutsler, highlighted the night with his words and wisdom,
providing a challenge for guests with some tricky riddles.
News Co-Editor
On Dec. 9-10 the commons of Windsor High School turned
into the great hall of Windsor Castle. The hall played host to
the second annual Christmas at Windsor Castle, complete
with servants, jugglers, singers, and even Queen
Elizabeth I.
The night began promptly at 6:30 p.m. with a fanfare;
jugglers and recorder players provided some entertainment
shortly afterwards. After being seated, guests were introduced
to the queen, lords and ladies, and singers. Then guests began
to receive their six-course meal, which included wassail,
cheese, bread, soup, a hearty main course of chicken with
rice and veggies, and lastly a tasty pudding.
“The food was great,” said Junior Garrett Forshee, “I
See Windsor Castle, Page 2
Classes clash in quarter wars
Leadership helps needy families for the holidays by Jenny Roland
News Co-Editor
During the week of Nov. 13-17,
the Leadership and STUCO classes
held their second annual quarter
wars at the high school. This year
a total amount close to $2000 was
collected. Throughout the week,
members of the class went throughout the lunch periods and collected
change from students and faculty;
also buckets for collection were
placed in teachers’ classrooms. The
proceeds from this event helped the
two classes adopt a family for the
Christmas season.
Although the purpose of quarter warsis to help Leadership and
STUCO collect money to adopt
See Gold Cards, Page 2
families, it has turned into a fierce
competition to see which class can
raise the most money. Silver change
placed in a bucket of a grade level
brings the total to a positive amount,
while pennies placed in a bucket
bring the total back down.
When the Christmas season gets
close, Leadership and STUCO join
together to adopt a family within
the district. An application is distributed throughout the district
and then is approved to meet the
requirements to become an “adopted” family. After a week of raising
money, the family is adopted and
See Quarter Wars, Page 2
photo by Morgan Holder
Inside
features
sports
Should you put Deck the Halls
on your list of movies to see this
holiday break?
– page 5
The popularity of paintball is on
the rise. See who’s playing.
[email protected]
Junior
Hannah
Suire
wraps
presents
purchased
with money
raised from
the recent
quarter wars.
– page 6
opinions
Santa’s making his list and
checking it twice. Find out
who was naughty or nice.
– page 4
Please recycle
2
December 2006
The Vision
News
Mock intruder drill provides an eye-opening experience Windsor Castle continued from
page 1
Drill helps
students learn
what to do in this
type of situation
The night concluded with a humorous
puppet show, the Queen’s final words of
wisdom, and the whole hall joining in and
singing “Silent Night.”
Co-coordinator of this lovely festive
dinner Ms. Elaine Giemer said, “It was
amazing! Everyone was fantastic, and I was
very pleased with the turnout and hope to
see an even bigger turn out next year!”
by Max Wetstein
News Co-Editor
On Nov. 12, 2006, the
friendly confines of Windsor
High School were breeched
by an intruder. The alarm was
sounded. The local police were
sent out, along with the area
fire, ambulance and Jefferson
County Sheriff’s Emergency
Response Team.
Fortunately, this was all
just a drill. Planned by Superintendent Dr. Rudy Duran,
Jefferson County Police, and
all other first responders in the
area. Over a month of planning and preparation went
into the drill.
Many valuable lessons were
learned from this one-of-a-kind drill.
In all, twenty-four students and an
English teacher, Mr. John Leech, were all
held at the whim of an intruder. This drill
gave students a sense of what could happen
if an intruder did enter the school.
“I was nervous, even though I knew it
was a drill,” said Senior Andy Hays, “However, I felt good knowing when it was over,
that the law enforcement worked well with
the school, and they knew what to do.”
Jefferson County Detective Scott Poe,
played the role of the intruder.
Quarter Wars continued from
page 1
photo by Justin Scott
Mr. Leech’s second hour class during the frightening ordeal with the intruder.
Poe said, “ I was really excited to get a
chance to do this because I was once a school
resource officer, and to see how well the kids
faired during all of this was good to see. I
was happy to see everything go well.”
Poe and other members of the Jefferson
County Sheriff Department, along with the
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Rock Community Fire and EMS units, 911, Arnold
Police, and the Windsor staff all played key
rolls in this drill.
School resource officer Dept. Michaels
said, “I was very impressed by the Windsor High School staff and the way all the
students acted and cooperated.”
Overall, the drill was a success; students
along with the teachers, staff, and the rest
of the community learned what to do in
this type of situation.
Many students will reap benifits of minimum
wage hike at the start of the year
by Justin Scott
Editor-In-Chief
Starting at the first of the year there will
be an increase in the minimum wage for the
state of Missouri. Prior to 2007, the minimum
wage was $5.15. This will be increased
to $6.50. Local businesses didn’t express
concern about this. Only the employees
currently at minimum wage will be getting
an increase. The other employees will be
staying at their current rate.
Some businesses have already completed
the required changes for the workers. Others
are enacting the new law policies on January
1, which is the state deadline to comply. According to Brandon Dutton, manger of Sonic,
these changes shouldn’t have an impact on
the Sonic Corporation. “The corporation has dealt with these
changes in the past in other states such as
Kentucky and Illinois,” said Dutton. “So
this isn’t anything to worry us. We will do
what the law requires of us. The new bill
isn’t going to effect the workers that much,
just the ones at minimum wage.”
The concern by many is that the new bill
will affect the employment ratios in a negative manner. Others express hope that the
bill will create a greater demand for jobs in
turn helping to employ and sustain needing
families.
Junior Chelsea Pippinger works for
photo by Justin Scott
Ginny’s. She makes $5.45 as a starting wage,
which is above the current state average. Chelsea Pippinger takes a batch of fries at Ginny’s Custard.
Pippinger has mixed feelings. When asked whether or not she thought
the bill was a good idea, Pippinger said, “Yes and no. Yes “About half my workers will be getting the new wages.
because it’s good for me, but no because the prices will They start out on a training wage of $5.45, above the
also go up to compensate for the difference. In the long state requirements. After about a year they get a raise.
run, the people with higher seniority will start losing I will start the new wages on the first of the year, only
hours and possibly even start losing their jobs. That’s because with the holidays I just haven’t had time to get
it done,” said Williams.
when I’ll feel bad.”
Ginny Williams, owner of local restaurant Ginny’s Overall, the businesses in the area haven’t expressed
Kitchen & Custards expressed no concern about the bill concern over the bill.
and was eager to raise the wages.
then students in STUCO and Leadership go
shoppingfor the families to ensure they have
something for Christmas.
“It’s a great experience for the kids to
realize they are helping someone in need,”
said Mrs. Isaacson, the advisor of Leadership
class.
This year three families were adopted in
the district with kids ranging in age from 518 years old. The children will receive coats,
toys, and clothes, among other things. The
parents of the family receive gift cards to
spend at stores.
The results of quarter wars was great
for only its second year at the high school.
It is a fundraiser that is sure to still go on at
Windsor for years to come. Gold Cards continued from page 1
attendance record, and no ISS’s during
that semester. With the gold
card students may skip two finals. Brown
and white cards allow students to skip one
final. Also on the back of all cards are discounts
to many restaurants and other stores.
Opinions
[email protected]
why DON’T You...
To dream
of the
person you
wish to be
is to waste
the person
you are.
-unknown
by Meghan Schapp
Opinion Writer
...get into the holiday sprit?
One of the great things to look
forward to in December is putting
up the Christmas lights outside,
decorating the tree, hanging stockings, sending out Christmas cards,
and giving and receiving presents.
Make the season bright and jolly,
and go all out this season. It only
comes once a year, make the most
of it.
...make a donation?
There are many families out there
less fortunate than you think.
Many people don’t even have a
place to sleep or food to eat, and
you‘re complaining about how
you‘re not getting that new car you
wanted. Around this season, there
are many different charities that
you can donate to. Even our school
has charities you can get involved
with. Make a donation and make
someone else’s season brighter!
...bundle up?
Snowing outside? Don’t just look
out the window; get on your snow
boots! No one is ever too old to play
out in the snow. Make a snowman or
snow angels. Go sledding or have a
snowball fight. Or have a big bonfire
outside and invite all your friends
to roast marshmallows!!
...earn extra moola?
In need of some extra spending
money for all the gifts on your list?
Don’t just sit on you butt watching
T.V. and talking about how you
need more money. Get up! Shovel
snow, baby-sit, get a job, sell old
clothes to Platos Closet, or sell old
CDs or games to a slackers or a
pawnshop. There are also many
...make a New Year’s Resolution?
...stick to your New Year’s
Resolution?
Now that you have come up with
a resolution, do you think that you
can stick with it? Don’t resolve
to get in shape and then blow it
a week later by eating a whole
plate of cookies. Write it down
and hang it somewhere. You won’t
ever forget about it if you see it
everywhere you look. Or tell your
friends and family so they can hold
you accountable.
The most
important
thing is to
enjoy lifeto be happythat's all
that matters
-Audrey
Hepburn
by Amanda Jacobs
Opinion Editor
What is the first thing that comes to mind
when someone mentions Christmas? Eggnog,
Christmas music, gingerbread cookies, decorations, and snow. There are so many things
that help describe the holiday season. All families, no matter what size, have
traditions around this time of year. My family
for instance, like every holiday, makes way
too much food. We bake for months and
months. And we still have frozen Christmas cookies months after Christmas. Every
year we put up our Christmas tree and all
the decorations the day after Thanksgiving
while we listen to Christmas music. To me,
by Drew Bruning
Opinion Writer
1.
The strange number jumping with some of the
2. lockers? 3. The hectic parking situation?
The kids standing out in the blistering cold in the
4. mornings
before school?
one room can have multiple teachers for
5. How
different hours?
there are several room 200s (i.e. 200d,
6. That
200b)?
parents can become greatly informed as to
7. That
what is happening in school from the now powerThe massive amount of bulletin boards around
our school?
ful tool of the Internet and the school’s website?
how parents can access our grades
8. Furthermore,
and missing work?
That some people call it the commons and some
9. people
call it the cafeteria, but whatever you call
it, it is still just that big multipurpose room?
tHE TRUE MEANING OF GIVING
Hear me out!
...Christmas is about
making memories with your
loved ones and creating
your own traditions.
Hate the
sin, love
the sinner.
-Gandhi
stores looking to hire extra people
during the holiday season.
Maybe you want to lose weight,
be nicer, stop an unhealthy habit,
get into college, work out, or get
a job. The new year is on its way,
and you should start thinking of a
resolution that would benefit you.
It can change your daily life in a
big way or be as little as wearing
more of the color blue. Break old
and bad habits!!
3
DID YOU NOTICE?
...make a donation and
make someone else’s
season brighter?
December 2006
The Vision
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is another charity. The donations
Opinion Editor
given go toward cancer patients’ treat To most children all aroud the world, ments and working toward a cure. Every
Christmas is the most joyous day of the summer the Susan G. Komen Breast
year. Children look forward to seeing Cancer Foundation holds an annual Race
their gifts under the tree, and maybe for the Cure in St. Louis. I walked in it
even sneaking a peek at Santa placing this year, and seeing all the pink t-shirts,
them there. But some children aren’t survivors, and families of lost loved
that lucky. There are many families in ones made it one of the most amazing
the world that are less fortunate than us. experiences of my life. Another charity
is the Muscular Dystrophy
And I hope by now, we are all
Association. The money
at the age to understand that
raised not only goes toward
the holidays aren’t about the
research, but it also goes to
gifts that you recieve, but the
the young children and their
ones that you give and the hapfamilies who struggle with
piness they bring to others.
the disease each and every
Think about it. Each time
day. Every Labor Day, MDA
you go to the grocery store
holds a national telethon. (I
around this time of year there
have colunteered at the St.
are people collecting money
Louis base the last two years,
at the door. Those people are
and it is unexplainable.) It is
out in the cold trying to make
such a great feeling to be a
someone else’s Christmas a
little brighter. Just dropping a few dollars part of helping people. Granted, I just
or some spare change can make a differ- help in the mail room, but I still get to see
ence. There are countless ways to help the checks sent in by strangers to help out
someone this holiday season. There are these wonderful children. These are just
so many charities to choose from, and it a few charities that you can choose to give
is so easy to donate. Anything will help. to this holiday season. Think about it, if
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital has a pro- everyone at our school sacrificed just one
gram called Thanks and Giving, you can gift think of how many people we could
donate to help find cures for desperately help have a better Christmas.
ill children all around the world. The
by Amanda Jacobs
the remembrance part of Christmas is my
favorite. Everyone has a favorite Christmas
song. My mom’s favorite was “Carol of the
Bells,” and I remember her buying countless
CD’s trying to find the right version. Once
she found it, she listened to it over and over
for hours while she baked and decorated. I
am told that my Uncle Larry was quite the
bargain shopper. Each year I am reminded
of how he would go shopping the day after
Christmas for sales on ornaments and decorations. One story I remember is him telling
my aunt to just grab everything she saw, and
then they would sort it out later. He didn’t
worry about whether they wanted or needed
it. He and my mother had a deep love for
Christmas that has carried on in our family
through memories.
My family has definitely rubbed off on
me. I love Christmas. I have about fifty
Christmas songs on my Ipod, I decorate my
bathroom with snowman accessories, and I
Tivo just about every Christmas show so I can
watch it again and again. It is by far the best
time of the year. I don’t love it because I get
presents; I love it because I grew up loving
it. I love making snow angels, drinking hot
chocolate and sitting by the fire watching
It’s A Wonderful Life for the thousandth time. That is what Christmas is about to me.
The Vision Staff
Editor in Chief
Justin Scott
News Editor & Business
Mangager
Max Wetstein
Opinions Editor
Amanda Jacobs
Features Editor
Tori Sanders
Sports Co-Editors
Stephanie Ferguson
Adam Harju
Photo Editor
Morgan Holder
Writers
The Vision is produced 8 times per school year by the
newspaper class of Windsor High School, 6208 Hwy. 6167, Imperial, MO 63052. The Vision strives to inform and
entertain studens, staff, and community members and to
uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of
The Vision editors, not necessarily the school or district.
Signed editorials respresent the writer's opinion.
Adviser
The Vision welcomes and encourages letters to the editors.
Signed letters of 250 words or fewer should be brought
to Room 118 or emailed to [email protected].
The Vision reserves the right to edit as long as the intent
remains unchanged.
Drew Bruning
Kayla Gibbar
Greg Marks
Liz Oliver
Luke Parham
Meghan Schapp
Josh Range
Christy Hueter
4
December 2006
Speak
Naughty or Nice?
Opinions Writer
what tickles my fancy
by Greg Marks
Taco Bell!
Ice Age II: The Meltdown!
Christmas lights!
Mashed taters!
Snow days!
Ice skating!
Scarves!
My birthday!
Christmas break!
When Batman pushes
the afterburner button on
the Batmobile!
Football in the snow!
The Blues to keep on
losing for a higher draft pick!
- Mr. Lopinot
Rudolph!
When Ash and Charizard
defeated Blaine on Cinnabar
Island!
“It depends on
what you consider
NAUGHTY, but
I’ll always get
presents.”
-Kurt Hahn
Building snowmen!
St. Nick’s Day!
The show Heroes!
Playing Madden with some buddies!
First dates!
Playing Gears of War until 3 a.m!
Haircuts!
Oberweiss milkshakes!
Playing golf in December!
Corndogs with a cherry limeade!
The movie Old School!
Ice-free streets and sidewalks!
- Mr. Sheakley
Brownies
Watching The Crucible performed
live! - Mrs. Hueter
“In first grade, I got all the
Spice Girls dolls. I wish I still
had them because they’re
pretty cool. But this year
I want a professional lens
camera.”
Freshman
Kasi Bailey
Photos courtesy of Google images
by Amanda Jacobs
Opinion Editor
Ba-Ba-Black sheep when he has a lot
of wool!
Hoodies!
“I was NAUGHTY.
I didn’t get to work
for a week because
I cussed out an
old lady.”
-Adam Baldridge
“NICE, of course.
“I was NICE
Santa will get me because I help
presents.”
people.”
-Mr. Young
-Kaley Berthelot
When you finally find a suit
to match your favorite tie!
OUT
“I think I was
relatively NICE. I
enlighten the minds
of young geometry
students.”
-Mr. Siebert
Sledding!
The Vision
Opinions
You better hope you were good this year
because Santa is checking his list to see who
was naughty or nice, and there are a lot of
amazing gifts for sale this year. There are
many people to buy for around the holidays, and it seems like every year it gets
harder and harder to find the right gift. An
easy and efficent way to find the perfect gift
is to simply think of what they are passionate about. But, always remember that it is
the thought that counts.
Music = Life for a lot of people, no matter what age they are. So get the rock star
in your life a new Ipod Nano. They are
available in 2 GB ($149.99), 4 GB ($199.99),
and 8 GB ($249.99). There are five colors to
choose from: blue, green, pink, silver, and
black. They not only hold music but pictures also. No matter what music they like,
this is the perfect gift.
Everyone is a Cardinal’s fan. So this
year buy someone a Cardinal’s World Series Collector’s Edition DVD ($63.99). The
DVD set includes all five games against the
Detroit Tigers, the clubhouse celebration,
clinching highlights, rare interviews with
star players, and a look at the opening of
the new Busch stadium.
Memories are important to everyone
and buying a Samsung NV3 digital camera
($299.99) will make them easier to remember. This camera has it all. It has an MP3
player, plays and records video and is still
sleek enough to fit in your pocket.
The perfect gift for every fashionable
person you know is the complete second
season of Project Runway ($33.98) It includes 13 extended episodes, never before
seen footage and much more. So you will
be able to watch the ups and downs again
and again.
Magazines are that gift that keeps on giving all year round. They come each month,
and you can renew them countless times. Prices range, but they are all reasonable. There is a magazine for everyone.
105.7 The Point presents the Ho Ho Show
featuring Jet, Angels and Airwaves, The
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Autovein at
The Pagent on Sunday, Dec. 17. Go with a
friend, tickets are on sale now for $35 each.
The slogan is everybody loves chocolate,
in all it’s flavors. The new LG Chocolate
cell phone is available in three new colors:
mint, cherry, and white. This phone also
doubles as an MP3 player. Buy this phone
as a gift to sweeten someone’s holiday.
Everyone loves Build-A-Bear Workshop. For the Christmas season, there are
Christmas tree outfits, snowsuits, and plaid
Christmas pajamas. You can buy an already made one, or put your own personal
touches on it by stuffing it, giving it a heart,
voice box, clothes, and a name. Bears range
in price from around $35 to $55.
They greet you at the door and cuddle
with you at night, so don’t you think they
deserve a present too. Target has adorable
dog clothes ranging in price from $6 to $65,
if you really want to spoil your dog. So get
your puppy something to keep their fur
warm this winter.
“The best part of Christmas
is being with my family. I go
to my grandpa’s and open
presents. My cats even open
presents with their claws
without us knowing!”
Sophomore
Kyle Johnson
“My all-time favorite Christmas song ever is “Rudolph
the Red Nosed Reindeer”
because Rudolph is my
favorite reindeer, and I love
his nose!”
Junior
Katelyn Hicks
What’s your all-time favorite holiday flick?
Christmas Movies
by Drew Bruning
Opinion Writer
Tied for first place are two movies that represent
new and old. A Christmas Story is a classic, whereas
Elf is a recent release, but has already claimed it’s
place as a classic Christmas movie.
In 3rd place is The Grinch. Whether you mean the
old cartoon by Dr. Seuss or the revamped live action
movie directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey, everyone can sit down and enjoy some good ole’
rymetacularificness.
Coming in tied for third of this list filled with
Christmas cheer is an unrefined comedy and two
claymations. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
in one word. Chase. Finally, the claymation Rudolph
is claytastic.
Here’s what you said your
favorite Christmas movies are.
1
2
3
A Christmas Story and
Elf
The Grinch
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Rudolph
“I cry on Christmas. I do not
celebrate Christmas, Kwanza
or Hanukah, so I am going to
buy myself presents, wrap
them up and put them under
a palm tree.”
Senior
Caleb Yochim
Letters to the editor
The Vision welcomes letters to
the editors. Signed letters should
be emailed to thevision@windsor.
k12.mo.us. The Vision reserves
the right to edit as long as the
intent remains unchanged.
Features
[email protected]
December 2006
The Vision
New year means making
new resolutions for many
5
Deck the Halls
by Tori Sanders
Features Editor
New Year’s Eve has always been a
time for looking back to the past, and
more importantly, forward to the coming year. A New Year’s resolution is a
goal you set to change, start, or stop
something you have always wanted to.
A set day such as New Year’s Day gives
you a time to start with a fresh pallet.
It’s a time to reflect on the changes you
want (or need) to make and follow
through with those changes.
New Year’s resolutions can range
from spending more time with your
family to one of the most common,
quitting smoking. Keeping your New
Year’s resolution can be hard sometimes. People seem to do well for the
first couple of months and then often
fall right back into their old habits. It
all begins with one commitment, one
promise, and one resolution to become
a better person.
The tradition of New Year’s resolutions can be dated back to 153 B.C. A
mythical king of early Rome, Janus,
was placed in charge of the calendar.
The Romans named the first month of
the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and
entrances. This is where the tradition of
New Year’s resolutions began with the
new year representing the new beginning for all. Although the date of New
Year’s is not the same in every culture,
it is always a time for celebration and a
time to start over with good luck in the
coming year.
New Year’s resolutions are often
something you have always wanted to
do, but usually have put off. The new
year is the perfect time to make those
changes.
Mrs. Denise Ballew, special education teacher said, “My New Year’s
resolution is to become more patient
and to have a better outlook.”
The top resolutions are to stop
smoking, stick to a budget, save or earn
more money, find a better job, become
more organized, and exercise more.
Moreover, becoming more patient with
others, eating better, and becoming
an overall better person are also very
popular resolutions.
High school students may make
photo courtesy of Google images
...not the brightest
of lights
by Luke Parham
Staff Writer
(Above) Sophomore
Nicole King stays in
shape.
(Right) Other
students resolve to
quit smoking.
resolutions that
involve making the
most out of their high
school years, planning
for their future, and
just being a teenager. Also, setting an
athletic resolution such as becoming
better at the sport you play, getting in
shape, gaining or losing weight, or a
team goal such as, going to the top
in districts, or beating that team you
never could.
Junior Monica Massey has some
common New Year’s resolutions.
Massey said, “My New Year’s resolution is to raise my grades and make
more money.” Your New Year’s resolution
should be your own and something
you will work hard to keep. Try not
to be one of those people who has the
same resolution every year because
he or shee can’t seem to keep it.
Sticking to your goal will give you
a sense of accomplishment and the
results to show. So, whatever your
resolution is for the 2007 year, keep it
and hopefully you will have the best
year yet.
club spotlight
Photos by Morgan Holder
Rating: 6/10
trenDsetters
Top Christmas Wishes
1. Money
2. Car
3. Clothing
4. Digital Camera
5. Ipod
by Liz Oliver
photo by Morgan Holder
National Honor Society members pose for
a photo after their monthly meeting.
of the month
We asked readers what was on
their Christmas wish list. Here
are the top five wishes:
NHS serves Windsor
N
I went into the theater expecting an
average cliché about competing neighbors,
outdoing each other in big light displays. What I got was a little more interesting than
that, kinda. Sure it had most of the overused
plot elements that plague these types of
movies like slightly annoying new neighbors
and competitions over Christmas cheer, but
it went a little deeper by putting a reason
behind the neighbor’s annoyances, other
than simply outdoing one another. Even
if the reason was a little on the stupid side,
you couldn’t help but feel sorry for the new
guy who’s just trying to find something that
makes him feel good about himself. This, plus
the funny moments that pop up from time to
time, do push this movie a little bit further
than most holiday themed films. Have you seen all this before? Sure. Are
there better things out there? Of course. Are
their reasons for fighting childish and pointless? Definitely. Even though it’s not the most
revolutionary concept out there, it has enough
funny moments and family values to warrant
at the very least, a rental to humor someone
who really wants to see it. Freshman Emili Harvey
The Style: “Preppy but
Original”
Features Writer
ational Honor Society has been a part of Windsor since 1971.
Now with over fifty members, NHS does its part in the school
and community with service projects throughout the year. They
are most known here at Windsor for their annual blood drive. This year, NHS plans to hold two blood drives. President of NHS, Senior Erin White said, “ The blood drive was successful. So many people
signed up, and we were really thankful. Hopefully at the next blood
drive, everyone will get to donate.” The next blood drive is scheduled for
March.
Their next project is Pennies for Pony Bird. This will benefit children
with physical and mental disabilities. NHS meets about once a month
to discuss upcoming events and future services projects. To be accepted
into NHS, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is required. Also, you need to be free
of ISS or other disciplinary problems. Junior Hannah Suire says, “I’m
very excited that I’m in NHS. We do a lot of good for the community,
and it looks good on a college application!” So look forward to some
good things from the National Honor Society this year.
Sophomore Ben Niewoehner
The Style: “Major personality
with a hip, sophisticated look.”
6
Sports
December 2006
By the
number
Why did you pick
your number?
33
[email protected]
The Vision
Paintballing strikes an interest
in people of all ages
Senior Tayler Perrey
“It’s like 3, but better
cause I get two of them
and also, two words,
Larry Bird.”
44
Senior Billy Willis
“Bobby Briley is
my idol.”
03
Senior Calvin Kohler
“My Aunt, Sue Sinclair,
was number 3 on her
college volleyball team.
I have been number 3
since t-ball.”
21
Junior Fallon
Heibel
“It’s always been my
number and I got a
tattoo of it.”
23
Junior Alicia
Eubanks
“To be like
Micheal Jordan.”
Pictured above is Redding Indoor Paintball in Redding, CA. This is a typical set-up for an indoor paintballing field. It
offers a structured environment for kids and adults to go and play paintball safely.
by Kayla Gibbar
Sports Writer
Some students may wonder why paintball is not offered as a sport/club at Windsor. The students are interested, faculty’s
interested, and it is considered one of the
fastest growing recreational sports for all
age groups. According to Mr. Mike Rickermann, athletic director, paintball cannot be considered
as a school sport because it is not sponsored
by MSHAA. Furthermore, paintball is a high
priced sport and funding and facilites would
not be available.
The misconception by many people is
that paintball is a violent and aggressive
sport that involves shooting and guns.
Sophomore Ryan Schluter disagrees, “I
think it’s actually a really safe, fun, noncontact sport.”
Five high school students have a paintball
team outside of school. They are Freshman
Andrew O’Keefe, Sophomores Corey Roth,
*
P
O
L
L
Spencer Riggs, Ryan Schluter, and Junior
Brennon Baxter.
The Paintball Shop in Otto, Mo. sponsors
their team, which is also where they go for all
of their equipment. The boys will be gearing
up for their first tournament sometime after
December of this year.
“I’ve been playing for about four years
now, and the thing I like most about the sport
is that it welcomes all ages,” said Roth.
One downfall to paintball is the cost of the
equipment/gear you need. Prices do vary,
but overall it is a really expensive sport.
The guns alone can range anywhere from
$50 to $1700. Then, you also need the mask,
shoes, pants, gloves, jersey, and the actual
paint balls which would be at least another
$300 or $400 depending on the brands.
However, the actual paintballs themselves
are the most expensive overall, because you
go though so many of them in such a short
amount of time.
On the positive side, paintball is actually
one of the fastest growing sports in America
Is band or
cheerleading 52% say yes
a sport?
48% say no
What is the real definition
of a sport?
According to Wikipedia, a sport
is, “an activity requiring physical ability, physical fitness, or
technique and strategy in which
usually, but not always, involves
competition between two or
more people.”
Approximately 10% of Windsor High School
students were surveyed.
today and can be played by men and women
of any age. The sport originated for fun, but
has been turned into practice for the military
over the years.
There are several different kinds of games
that can be played regarding paintball. Riggs
said, “I like the intensity of the game and how
fast paced it is.”
“I paintball around in the woods at my
friends’ house; it’s like an adrenaline rush,”
added Baxter.
There are three different kinds of guns: the pump, automatic, and semi-automatic. These are all different in the way they fire. The pump is like a shotgun; you have to
pump it after each shot you take. However, the automatic is more like a
machine gun, you have to just hold down
the trigger and there will be continuous rapid
fire. Then there is the semi-automatic, which
is where you can fire one after another without
ever having to pump it. Also, everything on
these guns can be upgraded at anytime.
Paintball can be a very safe and fun sport
if it is played responsibly and correctly.
Cheerleading Results
Band
Results
17% say yes
83% say no
The Vision
December 2006
Sports
Windsor Owls Basketball
Girls basketball works hard
and plays well as a team
Boys basketball starts off on a
rocky road this season
by Josh Range
Sports Writer
The girls varsity basketball season is underway, and the girls are
hoping that hard work and determination will help them prevail. This year’s team not only has some new players, but a new head
coach to lead the ladies this season. Varsity head coach Cindi
Hanna hopes that through hard work and
determination the girls will step it up to the
next level and improve their performance
on the court.
“Right now we’re are a work in progress,” said Hanna. “We need to improve
everyday.” Hanna is looking to every player to step
up and be a leader for the team during this
season.
“Every girl I consider to be a leader. So
far they have all given 100 percent,” said
Hanna. This year’s captains are Seniors Kayla
Gibbar, Ashlee Whitener, and Junior Fallon
Heibel, who were all elected by the team. However, this year Hanna is not only relying on the upperclassmen, but a couple of
sophomores as well.
“I have two sophomores, Megan Franklin and Nicole King. I
told them that they aren’t looked at as underclassmen this season,
and I expect the same from them as the others, ” said Hanna. Franklin has taken the advice of Hanna and stepped up her
play. “My main goal is to step up and be a leader for the team
this year,” said Franklin.
Though hard work and determination will prove to be the
keys to success for the ladies this season, their chemistry on the
court will be a factor as well.
“The team has great chemistry. I was a little worried at first,
but the team has their eyes on the big picture,” said Hanna. The Lady Owls are looking at the Seckman Tournament as
being the proving grounds, to see if the hard work is paying off,
and judging by the mindset of the players, it seems it will.
Athletes
of the Month
Ashlee Whitener
Grade: Senior
Nickname: Whitey
Sport: Basketball
Quote: “Winning or losing is not the
point, it’s how hard you play!”
The boys varsity basketball team is off to what one might
call a rocky start. Though you cannot take away from the boys’
hard work so far, they have just not been able to produce a win
so far this season. However, most of the opponents the
boys have faced so far are out of the district,
so there is still hope left. The next games
approaching are against teams in their conference. Assistant coach Jim Maddock shares
this optimism saying, “They will be fine once
they start playing the upcoming conference
games.”
Despite the hardships faced so far, the
Owls seem to possess great team chemistry
this season. Many of the players have been
playing together for a number of years now
with the addition of a few new faces to the
team.
“The guys are great. They have always
gotten along with each other and worked
well together,” said Maddock.
There is no argument amongst players
or coaches that this year’s squad leaders are Seniors Jake Neff
and Tayler Perrey. “Neff and Perrey have really stepped up to be this year’s
leaders for the team,” said Junior Jerome Brown.
It is evident that the team has a loss of height this season as
opposed to last. However, the players have overcome and developed a new game plan in order to execute it on the court.
“This year the guards are relying on each other more. The big
guys are also working harder this year,” said Maddock.
The players are still very optimistic of what can come this
season and it shows.
“I’m looking to play hard, win and have fun. I plan on averaging twenty to thirty points a game this season. The next Allen
Iverson is right here baby,” said Brown. “So come out support
and watch us do our thing.”
Coach Hanna steps up to fill position as
new head varsity basketball coach
nents, talking with colleges to get some
of her players in their programs, and
Sports Co-Editor
baking cookies for her girls. Other than
basketball, she likes to spend time with
Coach Cindi Hanna is stepping up as
the new head coach of Windsor’s varsity her dogs, traveling to Chicago to see
the Chicago Cubs, and watching Illinois
girls basketball team, after former coach
University basketball games.
Doc Carranza left to coach college bas Hanna still plays basketball someketball. Hanna has also coached college
times with her team. During summer
basketball. She coached at Southwest
open gyms, Hanna played
Baptist University at
basketball with them
the B-2 level for two
“I know what you because there were usuyears.
ally only eight to nine girls
Even though Hanna
can get out of
there.
did not coach at Windsor last year, she has
playing athletics. Hanna has a very
practical coaching style. She
plenty of experience. It raises selfkeeps her team working as
Other than coaching
college, Hanna has
confidence. I had a cohesive unit and tries
to get her athletes to learn
played four years of
high school basketball great coaches and I from her.
said, “I know
at DeSoto and four
wanted to share that Hanna
what you can get out of
years of college basketwith them.”
playing athletics. It raises
ball at the University
self-confidence. I had great
of Illinois. She played
coaches, and I wanted to
forward and some
share that with them.” center in the big ten
Hanna is very focused and deterconference of Illinois. She started her
mined to teach her girls how to play
junior and senior year at Illinois.
Before coaching and teaching, Hanna her style of basketball and to get them
did consulting work in Chicago and New to work as the perfect team. This will
hopefully reflect on the team’s perforYork. With her new career, Hanna has
mance throughout the year, and lead to a
little to no free time. She is generally
productive season.
busy scouting future basketball oppo-
by Adam Harju
“
”
- Coach Hanna
Adam Howe
Grade: Senior
Nickname: Howe
Sport: Wrestling
Quote: “It’s only fun if we win!”
7
Wrestling season
experiences delay;
players use extra time
to prepare
by Adam Harju
Sports Co-Editor
The wrestling team has had a delayed start
to the beginning of their season. The recent
snow and ice storm has delayed the scheduled matches. They are eager to start their
season and have had extra time to prepare
in order to start the season off right.
The first tournament on the schedule
was at Westminster. The first match on the
schedule was a duel against SLU high school,
at home. The duel was cancelled, due to the
weather as well.
The next tournament is at Jackson. This
will be a very tough tournament with
top schools like Pike County and Jackson
competing. It is a tough way to start the
season, but with extra practice time Windsor
received, they might fair well at the Jackson
Tournament.
The focus for the team right now is to
win the upcoming tournaments and duels. Even though the season has barely begun,
districts are still the main priority. State is
also a very important goal for many.
Senior Nick Ortmann said, “I am looking to qualify for state for the first time this
year, but first I need to win my matches and
hopefully win at districts. It will take good
team work and even better training partners
in order to make it to state.”
Even though many wrestlers graduated
last year, Windsor’s lineup still looks strong. Several weight classes had to be filled with
this years prominent prospects. There are a couple of state qualifying
wrestlers that are making their return this
year. These wrestlers include Senior Ryan
McKinney, Senior Matt Boehm, Senior Adam
Howe, and Junior Joe Lamar.
Howe said, “We’re working as a team
in order to get as many people to state this
year.”
The tournaments and other matches are
very essential to achieve the team’s goal. These matches will determine state and it’s
seeding.
Without teamwork and dedication it will
be hard to win districts. These tournaments
will prove to be a test of endurance and will. Windsor is going to try and that is what their
team has been working for all year.
With the combination of skill, talent, and
experience, Windsor will be a force to be
reckoned with this season.
For the record
0-5
Varsity Boys Basketball
2-1 Varsity Girls Basketball
0-0 Varsity Wrestling
As of December 13
8
December 2006
In-Focus
The Vision
[email protected]
Left: Junior
Jerome Brown
goes up for a
shot against
Fox on Dec. 9.
Right: Junior
Alicia Eubanks
plays outstanding defense
against Red
Bud to help the
Lady Owls win
their second
game.
All Photos by
Morgan Holder
Left:
The boys
basketball team
huddles
for a timeout during
their game
against
the Fox
Warriors.
Above:
The girls
basketball
team listens
to Coach
Hanna while
she delivers words of
wisdom.
Right:
Sophomore
Mike Alvarado takes the
ball down
the court
and looks up
to execute a
play.
Above: Senior Ashlee Whitener looks to pass while being
guarded by her opponent.