April 2012 - West Clermont Local Schools
Transcription
April 2012 - West Clermont Local Schools
VOLUME X ISSUE X FULL OF FOOLS Important Dates April Fool’s Day is the one day of the year that people all over the world use as an excuse to be jerks to each other. It’s a pretty fun time; people pull pranks on each other randomly throughout the day. April Fool’s Day is a strange tradition, with an even stranger origin! In 777 A.D., a small nation called Piceau du Gaílloux, in what is now France, was to host a very important secret international conference. It is so secret we still do not know what it was about. Foreign dignitaries from all over the world poured into Piceau du Gaílloux, where they were greeted by many odd local customs. These seemingly strange customs were not really customs at all though, the people of Piceau du Gaílloux coordinated many strange events to draw attention. Bakers would throw pies in each others faces, children would herd mice around the castle, tailors would cross dress, farmers would ride sheep around town, and everyone would bark like a dog at 5 p.m.. What’s even more interesting about these quirky customs was the hymn all the citizens sung titled, “Song of the People.” The original song was in French but historians have been able to translate it into several languages including English. The people of Piceau du Gaílloux believed there was a certain epicosity behind the song so they sang it as much as they could. The lyrics are below: Spring Break Starts March 31st and goes through April 8th. This is the song of the people We use it to ward off evil The rest of the words don’t really make sense Two in the hand is worth one in the bush Why are there so many words for tush The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence -Andy Berger and Carley Courts *You must be a fool to believe this—Happy April Fools Day early APRIL 1 IS FULL OF FUN What is the day when one can play a harmless but humiliating prank on someone else without getting yelled at or get into trouble? Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day-sometimes called All Fool's Day-is not totally clear. It is not like Halloween, where despite an interesting history, most people just put on Halloween costumes, get candy, and leave it at that. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures from celebrations involving the first day of spring. The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25th and was finished on April 1st. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1st. However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more stubborn crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1st. These folks were labeled as "fools" by the general public. They were subject to laughter, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes. This harassment evolved over time into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different countries celebrating it their own unique ways, therefore making it one of the most lighthearted days of the year. Emily Osterholz April 9th is the 1st day back to school! In This Issue In the News pg 2-3 Schooling you pg 4 Info Plus pg 5 Sports info pg 6 Easter Fun pg 7 Prom Pre pg 8 Reviews pg 10 Helpful hints pg 11 Birthdays pg 12 Community Support pg 13-16 IN THE NEWS . . . WHAT IS KONY 2012? Imagine a normal teenager in their suburban home, checking their Facebook for the tenth time today. In their pocket is their iPhone, near them is their laptop, car keys, and XBOX. Their most recent complaint is probably that their phone is about to die, someone posted something annoying on Facebook, their parents won’t let them go out with their friends, or their siblings are being annoying. Now imagine a child in a third world country. The term “third world” creates a sense of separation in one’s mind in itself. This child cannot help where they live, how they were raised, or the fact that another 7 billion people don’t care how they are treated because of this separation. Right now, all this child knows is he is being forced against his will to kill to protect a leader he does not honestly support. On March 5, a video was released that sparked a sensation of support for children in Uganda. The leading activist for Invisible Children, Jason Russell, made a promise to a young boy in Uganda ten years ago to stop the militant leader, Joseph Kony. Many have seen the posts of the video on Facebook or Twitter, but have not taken time to watch the video. The video itself advocates the need for people from all walks of life to support the cause to capture Joseph Kony. Not only does he abduct the children, he forces the boys to become child soldiers and the girls to become sex slaves. The young boy to whom the video’s creator promised an end to Kony’s reign, was one of the roughly 30,000 children that have been captured in Uganda in the past 26 years. Many children in the affected villages would rather die than live in the area, constantly in fear of capture. After past refusal to gain US government support due to lack of instigation, Invisible Children rallied support to ask the government to send a small number of troops to Uganda to capture and kill Kony, who is the #1 criminal on the International Criminal Court’s list of Most Wanted Criminals, well ahead of even Hussein and Ghaddafi. After millions of supporters asked their congressmen to support the cause, over 100 troops were sent to Uganda to find Kony. To support past rallying for troops in Uganda to find Kony, Invisible Children has vowed to make Kony famous to ensure his capture. The KONY 2012 documentary was created by Invisible Children and, “aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.” On April 20, 2012, an event called Cover the Night was organized to initiate mass advertisement through the Invisible Children organization to ensure Kony is a household name and recognized by all. Anyone may participate through wearing the bracelet, t-shirt, button, by putting up posters or posting on social media sites. Any way the word can be spread of the horrors the children of Uganda face, the sooner Kony can be caught and peace may be restored. As of March 23, 2012, 34 senators from both parties have agreed to support the Ugandan troops and the 100 Special Forces that were sent last October by President Obama. So far, the millions of viewers and supporters have provided the driving force behind the legislative support that has already been created. While this is a great feat for the first cause to gain supporters via social networking and the internet, Invisible Children needs to continue to be held up by its many activists to keep support from the government. As a further update, Joseph Kony has fled Uganda to escape capture by Ugandan troops, as trained by the 100 Special Forces troops sent by the US. While this creates a safer environment, Kony’s capture is the only way to completely ensure Ugandan civilians are safe from his ruthless abductions. -Chelsi Altman NATURAL DISASTERS IN OHIO In Ohio’s history there have been many natural disasters, some of the most devastating were the earthquake in Anna, Ohio, the Lorain–Sandusky tornado, and the Great Dayton flood. Anna is a village in Shelby County, Ohio, and had the biggest earthquake at the time on March 8th, 1937. It was measured as a 4.5 on the Richter scale and the damage was rated an eight on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, which meant that it was very destructive. The shock was so strong that people in Chicago, IL and Toronto, Ontario felt it. The Lorain–Sandusky tornado occurred on June 28th, 1924. Eighty Five people died during this tornado, eight of them from Sandusky. The tornado also hit Cleveland, killing 72 people. It ended up damaging over 1000 houses and totally destroying about 500 of them. This tornado is still ranked the 4th deadliest tornado in North America. In 1913, the Great Miami River flooded Dayton, Ohio and lasted six whole days. The first day, the storm arrived with winds of 60 mph. The second day took a turn for the worse when all of the sudden, the temperature dropped to 20 degrees and caused the ground to freeze over. Since the ground was frozen over, the 3rd day of storms made all of the water flow into the Great Miami River and into the Ohio Valley. At 7 a.m. the next day, the water level reached a record of 11.6 feet and continued to rise. On the 6th day, the water actually broke multiple levees, making the city streets flooded as well. The water continued to rise until the next day when it curbed at about 20 feet in downtown. In response to this flood, Ohio passed the Vonderheide Act, which allowed the Ohio State Government to create a flood control district, which was one of the first in the U.S. at the time. Throughout our history disasters have affected our lives. The tornado in Southeast Ohio that destroyed many homes and killed members of our community is another perfect example. Try to prepare yourselves and stay safe. Courtney Walsh Page 2 The Torch Volume X IN THE NEWS . . . NEW HOUSE BILL SUPPORTS LONGER SUMMER FOR SCHOOLS WALKING FOR THE RIGHT REASON In the 2010-2011 school year, 95 percent of Ohio schools started classes before Labor Day. House Bill 191, introduced in April, 2011, would change that for the school year starting September, 2012. House Bill 191 would limit the school year to Labor Day through Memorial Day, and also change state laws about the minimum time students actually have to spend in school, from 182 days to 480 hours (for half-day kindergarten), 960 hours (for kindergarten and grades one through six) and to 1,050 hours (for grades seven through twelve). That change could allow districts to shorten the time students spend in school in an attempt to conserve money and correct their fiscal mishaps. The changes would take affect starting with the 2012–2013 school year. Limiting the school year is a relatively new idea: usually, when it comes to adjusting the school year, the idea is to extend it, right? That’s because there is a growing body of research that suggests students forget much of what they learned in the previous school year during summer vacation. But it’s not unusual for non-academic interests to play a key role in making decisions about education. The bill’s co-sponsor, Representative Bill Hayes, introduced the bill last year in order to boost Ohio’s tourism industry. Hayes felt that by increasing school’s summer break it would allow for more time for families to spend vacationing, thus boosting Ohio’s tourism industry. Hayes has since made changes to the law in response to opposition from education groups. Those changes include eliminating provisions about when extracurricular activities can start and eliminating the requirement that the school year end by Memorial Day. Still, the Ohio School Boards Association and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials oppose the bill, as do several school superintendents. Ohio School Boards Association lobbyist Damon Asbury told legislators: “We certainly believe that school districts and school children need more time on task, they need a longer school year, they need a longer school day, but this bill provides neither the mechanism nor the resources to make that possible.” But, as it is written, the measure might not have much impact. It would allow a school district to set its own calendar by conducting a public hearing and having the school board vote on a date for classes to start. This isn’t vastly different from the way school calendars currently are set. The main complaint with this bill is that it sends the wrong message to the people of Ohio with new school standards coming out. People wonder why the state would condense the time that school districts have to prepare their students to get ready for new tests and curriculum that will take effect in 2014 and 2015. This bill has carried much speculation and no matter what the outcome it will continue to have supporters and people who completely disagree with its motives. - Brennan Hall Whether you donate to prevent it, a family member is diagnosed with, or you find out you have it yourself, odds are that cancer will most likely affect you at some point in your life; the effects are inevitable. Last year there were two million cases of cancer discovered in the United States; sixty five thousand of those were in our home state, Ohio. There are hundreds of types of cancer and it can hit anyone at anytime, so there is no real way to prevent it from happening. That doesn’t mean we can’t still fight it. On Friday, May 4th, Glen Este High School students will be participating in a Relay for Life event to raise money for cancer research at Madeira Middle School. The event consists of twelve hours of walking where at least one team member must be walking at all times. There are many ceremonies during the walk, including the dazzling luminaria ceremony where people light candles in honor of those who have been lost and affected by cancer. The Glen Este team plans to walk in honor of graduate Mason Blackham, who battled cancer his senior year, and senior Juliane Mai, who was diagnosed during this school year. The team will also honor former Glen Este teacher Mrs. Baughman who passed away this year due to cancer. If cancer has ever affected you in any way, please consider joining a Relay for Life team. It is sure to be full of fun and memories, as well as the wonderful feeling you’ll get knowing that you are Issue x The Torch Page 3 SCHOOLING YOU . . . CLASH OF THE CLASSES: SUCCESS! The Clash of the Classes, held on March 19, was a huge success! Attendance rates were well above what was expected, except for the teachers, who need to get their numbers up for next year. That’s right, Clash of the Classes is ready to go again next year, and it is expected that the event will be even bigger and better. Why? The event deserves it, and the students will enjoy it, that’s why! There were many events that brought hilarity to everyone, from the participants to the enthusiastic crowds. Among favorites was the pie eating contest, the balloon relay, and musical chairs. Each grade team, and even the teacher team, racked in points by ranking in multiple contests, and had fun the entire time they were doing it. The crowd was pulled into participation by grabbing random students to fill the few empty positions in events, and there were so many participants for the tug of war event that there had to be multiple games! While the crowd was watching, they were able to go over to a small recession area to buy cheap food and drinks so they could relax and have the most fun possible. In a huge upset, the senior team lost to the junior team, resulting in some hurt feelings. In the end, it was accepted that the juniors won, and everybody left in good spirits. The juniors should keep in mind that if they want to keep their winning title, they better make a good turn out next year. All those who attended the night had a blast, and the success is what makes it possible for Student Council to hold the event again this time next year. Winners of this year received a pizza lunch with a soda, so imagine what the prize will be when the event does even better? There’s no shortage of reasons for students to head to Clash of the Classes again, so they should make sure to uphold a new tradition that guarantees years of fun to come! -Emily Connor THE REMEDY TO SENIORITIS HANDICAP FRIENDLY Most of us never have to experience what it is like to not be able to use some part of their body. I was one of those people until I was put into a boot so my ankle could heal. While I was in my boot, I discovered a lot about what it’s like to get around school not being able to use a leg. I was fortunate enough to have a rolling cart for my leg, but some are not that fortunate. For some people having a disability is permanent and everyday life is really challenging. There is many way to make the school more handicap friendly. From my several weeks I had to spend in a boot, one of the hardest things that I had to do was simply open doors, specifically the ones coming from the outside into the school. Many of the other schools in the tri-state area have upgraded at least one door through their main entrance into a handicap friendly door that has a button you push that makes the door come open hands free. Having crutches and trying to open a heavy door is not an easy task. Another way the school could help out students or staff that are on crutches or that are unable to use their legs is by giving a temporary parking space that is closer to the door. Since I have late arrival to school by the time I get to school, the majority of the closer up parking spaces are all taken up and I normally find myself parking in the back of the lot. One more major way that Glen Este high school could make there schools more handicap friendly is by changing the times that people get out of classes. In between bells the hallways are a crowded mess especially since there aren’t as many class rooms this year. One way to make the halls less crowded is by making the times that students get out of class a couple of minutes apart from one another. This will free up the halls and people on crutches or a wheel chair can make it to class without getting run over by other students. The only way to make these kind of changes is if the student body could get together and present these ideas to the administration. Go to your student council representative and tell them. Only the students can make the change. Page 4 The What can seniors do to battle the horrible disease of extreme procrastination? Basically nothing. Senioritis, which can be caught before senior year despite the name, is a unique ailment that causes a student to slack off because they can see the end of their high school career approaching. Seniors should take note, however, that senioritis can only hurt, not help. The last quarter of senior year is still important, and keeping decent grades is a must. When a student feels the need to put off their work, or no longer cares about their work, they should take care to remember that colleges will look at final transcripts. Current grades can be taken into account for scholarships, jobs, and how a student is treated at home. Is an extra hour of Facebook time worth a D in English, which may result in being grounded for three weeks straight? Even if a student is already accepted into college, wouldn’t it be better to fill out scholarships and get extra money? However, there is a good chance that even remembering all of this isn’t going to cure a student’s senioritis. The next step in trying to battle extreme procrastination would be a rewards system. A student can set up a mental system where, for every half hour they do of homework, they can have ten minutes of surfing the internet as a reward. The variation on amount of time working and reward time can vary from person to person. To receive better results from this method, students should not be on the internet while doing their homework unless 100 percent necessary. Similar to a reward system, the students could have a person in their household monitor their progress and keep them on track. If all else fails, going to a public location such as Starbucks or Chick-fil-A usually helps students focus more on the things they need to get done. In the end, there is no real cure. The internet is a good source for trying to find home remedies to procrastination, which is highly ironic. In the end, seniors must try to get through the rest of the year; less than 40 school days, in fact. Counting down probably doesn’t help, though. Good luck, Volume X seniors of Glen Este! Torch INFO PLUS . . . TITANIC 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY On April 10th, 1912, the worlds largest, most extravagant ship set sail from Southampton, England. This was RMS Titanic*, the so-called “unsinkable ship” built by the famed company the White Star Line. The ship included some of the most modern amenities available, including a swimming pool, a French café, an exercise room (which ironically included rowing machines), elevators, and a grand staircase which wound down 5 levels. Although these amenities were only for the first class, the second and third class were well equipped too, especially the third class. In comparison to other ships of the day, Titanic’s third class was an absolute wonder. It was clean, neat, and offered items such as fresh fruit and bread third class passengers on other ships could only dream of. It was everyone’s dream to travel on Titanic , be they rich or poor it was simply the best ship around. On her maiden voyage, Titanic was to sail from Southampton, England to New York City, New York with stops in Cherbourg, France and Queenstown, Ireland. Queenstown would be the massive liners last stop until New York. The trip was a seemingly easy one: make the three stops, sail through the open ocean and reach their destination of New York. However there was much ice reported in the area which Titanic would be sailing through, a fact her captain, Edward Smith, chose to ignore. He ordered the ship to go faster in order to reach their destination as swiftly as possible to prove that not only was she the most luxurious, largest ship ever built, but also that Titanic could get you there fast and even ahead of schedule. Messages kept coming into the ships Macaroni** room, but Captain Smith kept ignoring them. This thinking would prove to be disastrous, as on Sunday April 14, at 11:40 pm, Titanic struck an iceberg. At first it seemed as though nothing had happened, only that the engines had stopped. On deck children were playing soccer with chunks of ice that had fallen on deck and down below the first class passengers continued their dining and partying. However, those very much below decks, third class, and those sleeping immediately felt – nothing. For days they had felt the rumbling of the engines below them and now there was nothing. Unbeknownst to them, the iceberg had ripped a giant hole in the side of the ship. Although the ships designer, Thomas Andrews, had put a lock system into place in case of emergency, they were failing. Within hours, Titanic would sink, causing more than 1,500 people to die. Sadly, many of these people could have survived. Lifeboats were lowered less than half full, and the Californian, the closest ship to Titanic, had shut off its Macaroni room for the night. Hours after the ship had sunk, Carpathia, the only ship to pick up Titanic’s SOS, arrived to retrieve the survivors. Three days later, Carpathia reached the docks of New York, where she delivered her passenger to anxious relatives and friends, many of whom went away disheartened. Although Titanic’s sinking was a great tragedy, it put into place many of the rules and regulations we use today. These include having enough lifeboats for all passengers, using the SOS signal, and having a constantly operated wireless room. Today Titanic’s memory is honored in many ways including documentaries, books, music, television and of course film, the most famous of which is James Cameron’s 1997 film “Titanic”. This April 15th, don’t just sit around at home. Do something to remember the story of Titanic and to honor the memory of those she lost, and those who lived. * RMS stands for Royal Mail Ship Issue x The Torch MAKING A MOCKERY OF MODERN MOVIES Anyone who has been watching movies throughout their life has likely been in the audience for some sort of reboot or modernization of a film that has disappointed them. With the advancement of technology, movies are focusing more and more on special effects and less on plot. When you have directors changing up the story and cutting scenes out so that they can add more explosions and flying spaceships in the background, what you receive is the kind of material that has people walking out of theaters and complaining that, “The original was better!” So why do directors change movies like this? It’s all about the target audience. Movies experience changes in their maturity level, storyline, and sometimes even genre in order to attract different people. Perfect examples of this are the many Phantom of the Opera movies. This movie has been made, remade and recreated in genres from horror, to romance, to musical which it is now best known as. Another popular movie that has been changed and modernized is Romeo and Juliet. The original movie focuses on the plotline and setting of Shakespeare’s famous play, but the newer movie, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, seems to be centered more on action and attracting a modern audience. It even goes to the point of featuring drugs and changing the ending in a somewhat drastic way. Another way directors are changing modern reboots is through what seems to be a much greater than needed focus on special effects. One such example is Amityville Horror, which is a remake that, despite modern filming technology, everyone seems to agree is less frightening than the original. A second example of this is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While this was still a good remake of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, it did certainly have its faults. The movie was so flashy and was so animated that, at times, the movie felt like all focus on the actual story had been lost. Even the ending seemed to prefer effects to story. A completely different resolution was written in that seemed to only be there to show off more animation. As filming technology improves, it is to be expected that more and more movies will be remade. There’s nothing wrong with this as long as future directors start focusing on what’s important – plot and not flashy effects. -Christian Davidson and Brittany DeBolt Page 5 SPORTS AND MORE . . . REDS OPENING DAY THEY ARE FINALLY OVER! On April 5th, at 4pm the Cincinnati Reds are looking to take on the Miami Marlins. However, before the game will be the Opening Day Parade that will start at 1pm. Last year, the Opening Day parade became a new holiday after it was approved by the city of Cincinnati and the state government. This year former Reds third basemen Aaron Boone (19972003), will be the Grand Marshal for the Findlay Market Opening Day parade. Aaron was an All-Star in 2003 while playing with the Cincinnati Reds. Barry Larkin was unable to lead the parade when asked. Last year former Reds player Joe Morgan led the parade. This years Opening Day pitcher will be Johnny Cueto. Last year around this time of year Johnny was heading straight for the disabled list due to irritation in his right biceps /triceps. The Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Bryan Price said, “Cueto is on pace for Opening Day”. Coach Price also said, “Health wise, he’s way ahead of where he was last year, and he’s making significant jumps in number of pitches thrown per start”. It seems that Johnny is back on track and happy about being the Opening Day starter. Coach Price stated, “There are no issues at all”. Last year Johnny went 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA. Johnny Cueto came up in 2008, when he made major league history to win his debut while only allowing one hit and recording 10 strikeouts. Cueto went 9-14 with an ERA of 4.81 his Rookie year. The Reds want to start this season off hot. ESPN stated the Cincinnati Reds will be the team to beat in the National League Central this year. So Reds fans go out and support your team this season. OGT’s are finally done, and we all feel a sense of relief. A poll was taken of the sophomores, every sophomore that was interviewed thought they were fairly easy. Shae Caruso says, “The material was what we’ve gone over this year and last year.” Half of the class thought the schedule change was fun and made the day feel shorter, but others felt like the schedule change made the entire week drag out. Out of all of the sophomores asked, the majority said the science OGT was the most difficult. The easiest was the math OGT. Some students said that some of their teachers prepared them well enough but others did not. The big question that many people ask is should sophomores or seniors take the OGT’s? Sandi Hines says “I think sophomore because the farther away from the knowledge you get the less information you regain. Also, the seniors have ACT’s and SAT’s to worry about. They don’t need the stress of another test.” Tristan Geuckenberger said, “I think sophomore should take them because they help prepare the students in lower grades for the SAT.” Another question that we all think the teachers are wondering is if the sophomores were given too much time or too little time? Kyra Hayes answered, “We were given a good amount of time. I was able to finish with plenty of time left.” Kamille Lowry said, “Too much, I got done at 9:15 at the latest.” Every student has their different opinion and test taking technique, hopefully the sophomores next year do as well as the sophomores this year! -Rachel -Travis Hall Bagley SPORTS PREVIEW Here at Glen Este our school revolves around sports and the boys and girls of spring are up to bat and ready to take off running in to their season. The baseball team won league last year making it far in to the district final, falling a couple runs short to Lakota West. With Seniors Heath Blanford and Nate Boston leading the team this year there are high hopes for our baseball team this spring. The girls softball team is second in our line up finishing their season last year, “on a good note,” said Coach Gregory. The softball team won league with an outstanding record of 24 wins and 3 losses. Just like our boys, the girls went far in to the playoffs but fell short to Lakota West 2 to 0. Third is our boys and girls track team. Steven Stoffel received Honorable Mention last season for the 800 meter run and teammate Michael Stamper received 2nd team for the 800 meter run. The boys look forward to hitting the starting gates this season right next to the girls. Like the boys our girls had several athletes who placed either first or second team; good luck to both squads and remember to run fast. Batting clean up for us today is our boy’s tennis team. Despite going 0-8 last year we still have high hopes for our boys tennis team this season. We believe they will go out and get their first win and keep on rolling through their schedule, well good luck guys have a great year. Remember to get out and help support your spring athletes who have all worked very hard this off season, may you guys have the best of luck and we at the Torch hope to see our student body at the events on March 26, 2012. GO GET ‘EM!! Page 6 The Torch Volume X FUN, FUN, FUN! APRIL FOOL’S DAY FUN -If you have little holders for your salt and pepper, switch the salt with sugar and then watch your family's and friend's faces when they try their food! Just make sure they have something they eat salt with. -This April Fool's practical joke is old but it still works. Superglue some coins to the sidewalk or any spot that has a lot of people walking around. Make sure it's an appropriate place, then watch people break fingernails to get the coins. -Place Cling-film over the toilet seat - an old prank but a good one! -You take PAM® Cooking Spray and spray it on the toilet seat, and the next person who uses the restroom might have a little trouble! -Fill a glass with water. Add food dye so it matches the color of whatever juice you have in your refrigerator. Serve the "juice" to your family. They will be expecting something sweet and getting water so it will taste funny at first. Don't forget to watch the funny faces they make! -Find all the balls in your house, even small plastic ones like ping pong balls, and place them in the kitchen cupboards. Whoever goes to open the cupboards will get a shower of balls! -Balance a small disposable cup of water on the top of a partially open door, then wait for the splash! Katie Daniels EASTER FUN FACTS *When taking a bite into a chocolate bunny, 76% of Americans prefer to bite off the ears first. 5% eat the feet first and 4% eat the tail first. *16 billion jelly beans are made specifically for Easter which is enough to fill a plastic egg the size of a 9-story building. *The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century and remain one of the most popular Easter candies today. *The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures. HOPPING FUN IN CINCY Believe it or not, Easter is right around the corner. Celebrating Easter can be a great way to bond and spend some quality time with family and friends. One very popular event for all ages to enjoy is on April 3rd at Beech Acres Park; it’s an Easter egg hunt! This hunt is special though because even adults can participate. There is an Easter egg hunt for all ages. The eggs that the kids 0 to 17 get they can trade in for candy and prizes. The teen and child hunt goes from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and then at noon the adult hunt starts! The adult Easter eggs are filled with prizes, gift certificates and also Swiss watches for both genders. It is only two dollars to join the egg hunt and it’s going to be a good time so make sure you check it out! -Courtney Walsh Issue x *Americans buy more than 700 million marshmallow peeps during the Easter holiday, which makes Peeps the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy. *Ninety million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year. Adults prefer milk chocolate (65%) over dark chocolate (27%). *Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween. *According to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallow. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame. *Easter has been named after Easter, an Anglo-Saxon goddess. The symbols of the goddess were the hare and the egg. The Torch Page 7 PROM PREP HAIR AND NAIL SALONS Prom is quickly approaching, and it is a great time to start making your hair and nail appointments. If you are looking for places to get your hair and nails done at a good price, there are many around our area. Some salons are pricey, but there are many that give you great looks for low prices. Here are a few places to consider: Street Beat Salon- $50 to get hair styled for prom. 671 Ohio Pike Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 752-4444 Regis –$50 to get hair styled for prom. Located in Eastgate Mall (513) 753-7373 Visions Hair Design- Approximately $35 to get hair styled for prom 741 Ohio Pike #1 Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 753-0507 Diamond Nails-$45 for a manicure and a pedicure 761 Eastgate South Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 752-2271 LA Nails- $12 for a manicure and $20 for a pedicure. Located in Eastgate Mall (513) 752-6245 Perfect 10 Again- $25 for a manicure and $35 for a pedicure 747 Ohio Pike suite #3 Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 752-6911 Kharisma Salon- About $35-45 for a cut and style, and about $17-19 for a manicure. 755-B Eastgate South Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 943-4222 Identity Hair Salons and Spas-$18-$23 for a manicure, $35-$40 for a pedicure, and $25$70 for a cut and style. 8501 Beechmont Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45255 (513) 791-2555 Page 8 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience midnight in Paris? Well you’re in luck! This year, Glen Este’s Prom theme is “Midnight in Paris.” The colors supporting this theme are crimson red, black and gold. Prom will be held at Loveland Receptions from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.. If you don’t want the party to end you can always head over to After Prom at Beechmont Racquet & Fitness from 12:00 a.m. until 4:00 a.m.. Students who purchase an After Prom ticket must be there by 1:00 a.m. or parents will be called! The all inclusive ticket is $15.00 which includes a fun filled time! There will be inflatables, obstacle courses, a photo booth and the all new Toilet Bowl Races. There will also be a rock wall, which will need a parental consent form signed and turned in when you arrive. So come out on May 12, 2012 to Loveland Receptions from 7:30-11:30 p.m. and After Prom at Beechmont Racquet & Fitness from 12:004:00 a.m.! All students can go to Prom and After Prom but if you are a Freshman or Sophomore you must be invited by a Junior or Senior! The Torch DINING OPTIONS Prom is quickly approaching and along with picking out your dresses and salons, you have to decide where you want to go for dinner before prom. Deciding on what restaurant to go to can be hard, it all depends on if you want casual or fine dining, and the cost of the meals. Here are some restaurants located in Cincinnati that can help give you an idea of where you want to go: Olive Garden 475 Ohio Pike (Beechmont Ave.) 45255 (513) 528-4075 Average Cost: $14 to $20 Per Person. Outback Steakhouse 7731 Five Mile Road 45230 (513) 624- 8181 Average Cost: $15 to $25 Per Person. Montgomery Inn 925 Riverside Drive 45202 (513) 721-7427 Average Cost: $25 -$ 30 Per Person Red Lobster 616 Ohio Pike 45245 (513) 752-3167 Average Cost: $25 to $30 Per Person The Cheesecake Factory 7875 Montgomery Road 45236 (513) 984-6911 Average Cost: $15 to $20 Per Person Primavista 810 Matson Place 45204 (513) 251-6467 Average Cost: $28 Per Person The Melting Pot 11023 Montgomery Road 45249 (513) 530- 5501 Average Cost: $20 to $35 Per Person Celestial Steakhouse 1071 Celestial Street 45202 (513) 241-4455 Average Cost: $25 to $30 Per Person Boca 3200 Madison Road 45209 (513) 542-2022 Average Cost: $25 Per Person Barresi’s Italian Restaurant 4111 Webster Avenue, Deer Park 45236 (513) 793-2540 Volume X REVIEWS . . . KINGS ISLAND EXPANSION With summer quickly approaching, we are all ecstatic about the expansion of the Kings Island water park, Soak City. Soak City will be expanded to nearly double its size to cover about 33 acres of land. This will be a $10 million expansion including the following new attractions: - A New Wave Pool- This will be much bigger and much more aggressive than the previous one which will remain in the park. The new wave pool will measure at about 39,000 square feet and contains more than 650,000 gallons of water. The waves will be an epic four feet which will guarantee a fantastic time. - A New Lazy River- This new lazy river has a waterfall, rain bucket, tipping bucket, spray hoses, spray units and jet located at the bottom of the river to create turbulent water effects. It will be more exciting and fun than the previous one! - A New Entrance- The new entrance will complete the new water park look. The outside plaza will include a new walkway, ticket sales window, fencing and landscaping. - More Amenities- There will be new family changing rooms, more secluded, shaded areas, and more cabanas that will feature fans and televisions. Also, there will be a party cabana by the new wave pool and new menu items for the restaurants. - Sand Volleyball Court- To top off the new beach-themed water park, there will be professional sand volleyball courts designed for both competitive and friendly games. This will be a fun and enjoyable activity for the families while they are at Soak City. - More Lounging Space- The capacity increase of the lounging areas is the size of three football fields! There will be more than 1,000 additional comfy chairs for the guests to soak up the sun or they could also just lay out in the grass. With all these new upgrades and expansions, everyone is very excited for the opening of Kings Island and Soak City on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Be sure to get a seasonal Gold Pass as soon as possible! You can buy them on the Kings Island website or in person at the park. ~Gabby Kirker BRUISER Everyone in school knows that Brewster Rawlins, a.k.a. the “big boy,” is really obscure, but then Bronte, Tennyson’s sister, starts dating him. Tennyson, the popular lacrosse player, becomes invincible during his matches as soon as Brew starts coming to watch him with Bronte. Is there more to Brewster than there appears to be and why does he have bruises covering his back? Bronte and Tennyson befriend Brew and quickly find out. Bruiser is a terrific book that keeps you wanting more. As soon as you think that you have something figured out about Brewster a new twist comes along and proves you wrong. The author, Neal Shustermnan, does a wonderful job of transitioning into each part of Brewster’s story and keeping the story interesting. Issue9x Page PUTTING MAKEUP ON THE FAT BOY Carlos Duarte has always dreamed of being the “makeup artist for the stars”; the guy that everyone wants, but first he has to get a job at Macy’s working at FeatureFace. Getting the job at Macy’s is hard enough, but then Carlos’s mom loses her job, his sister, Rosalia, comes home with bruises from her boyfriend, he loses one of his best friends, and he realizes that the guy that he has a crush on is two- faced. Even after all of this, Carlos isn’t about to give up on his dream and will do anything to make them come true. Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy, is an inspirational book about making your dreams come true. It is definitely written for girls, but the message can really be for anybody. It is an easy book to read and anyone will quickly be entranced by the phenomenal writing. The Torch HELPFUL HINTS . . . SPRING CLEANING AND ORGANIZING Spring cleaning is an important time for a lot of people. Spring cleaning is a way to organize and clean your home, room, locker or even your life. There are a lot of ways to get your spring cleaning challenge accomplished. This article consists of ways to get organized and clean for the year of 2012. Cleaning Tips: Full Bedroom Clean- As teenagers are growing, and sometimes maturing, a bedroom is something of a sanctuary for you. As time goes by without a good cleaning, your sanctuary can become a prison. For the best clean, clean all clothes, pick up and sweep, vacuum, and or mop your floors. Then clean all bedding, according to directions then drapery as directed. Finish off by dusting and cleaning all walls, corners, wall art, and ceilings, as well as picking up clutter to open up your bedroom space. Bathroom Time- The average American is in the bathroom nearly the same amount in their lifetime as on vacation. That shows how important a clean bathroom is. The easiest way to clean a bathroom is to work from the top, to bottom. Work on dusting and cleaning ceilings, then walls and curtains, then work your way to organizing and cleaning counters, mirrors, windows, toilet, and bath tub. This will make it easier to sweep and disinfect your floors. Living Room- Most people do a pretty good job of maintaining their living spaces, though sometimes, we need more than maintenance. Before you begin your true spring cleaning in your living room, do a ‘15 minute living room clean up.’ This will help to clear clutter and give you room to do your real spring cleaning. After you have done this step move on to dusting and cleaning ceilings (ceiling fan included), and walls, making sure there is no clutter or cobwebs. Dust and clean your pictures, as well as taking all the books off the shelves to be able to get them good and clean. Do the same for tables, lamps, entertainment centers, and knickknacks. Last, but not least, mop, sweep, or vacuum your floors for the finishing touch on your clean space. Organization Tips: When organizing, you need to be sure that everything has a place, and everything is in its place. That will make your life a lot easier. Say you have a work desk that is taken over by papers, pens, folders and you can never find anything, try these tips for organizing success. Try a folder holder. You can get something of this kind at any work supply store and they are easy to install and pretty cheap too. Things like graded homework, work papers, computer information and any other paper that you have piling up on your desk can be organized easily and sufficiently by using folders, you can write what is inside the folder on the front cover and know that any time you get that type of paper, you know exactly where it goes. Get dividers for your desk, or a binder for all the things that you need. If you have things like pens, pencils, clips, dividers can keep you organized, and if you have stuff like make-up it works the same way. If you have a certain place for everything then you should know exactly where it will be instead of searching to find it. SUDDENLY SPRING Spring arrived quickly and unexpectedly this year. One day, the weather was cold and dreary. The next, spring had sprung! Temperatures have skyrocketed from 40 degrees to 75 degrees. Clouds have reappeared in a beautiful blue sky. The drizzling rain has stopped and the sun has come out again! Grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and pollen fills the air. The wind is blowing, and people break out the brooms for their annual spring cleaning. Moods have improved as the weather has. People are opening up windows and having fun. More and more are taking walks, hiking, riding bikes, and driving around. Some people are glad to wear their new spring clothing, others were caught unprepared. Spring brings bad with the good. People are out doing their yard work and mowing their lawns. Decorative grasses are coming up with the growing season. Spring cleaning season has begun, and the chores are stacking up. Some people are pretty paranoid about the cleaning this year, as this allergy season is predicted to be one of the worst on record. The mild winter combined with the early spring make for a season that will start early and finish late. High temperatures during the winter led to a higher pollen count due to a lack of any serious freeze. Sunshine, clouds, and a warm breeze are pleasant surprises this early in the year. Unfortunately, we must deal with the bad while enjoying the good that has been brought by this early spring. The Torch Volume X Page 10 APRIL BIRTHDAYS………. Molly Ballitch- April 1, 1995 Brandon Benz- April 1, 1994 Trey Blevins- April 1, 1992 Dan King- April 1, 1994 Jamon Black- April 2, 1996 Amber Seipel- April 2, 1995 Emily Doppes- April 3, 1997 Joe Judd- April 3, 1994 Gage Thompson- April 3, 1996 Kahlil Andrews- April 4, 1997 Keegana Gregory- April 4, 1996 Eric Johnston- April 4, 1995 Jake Neeley- April 4, 1997 Steven Stoffel- April 4, 1994 Serena Strobel- April 4, 1994 Isabel Baird- April 5, 1997 Misty Brown- April 5, 1996 Jonah Creekmore- April 5, 1994 Blake Huber- April 6, 1995 Ricky Gerwe- April 6, 1995 Nick Robinson- April 6, 1995 Abigail Waldmann- April 7, 1997 Jordan Freedman- April 7, 1996 Victoria Gans- April 7, 1993 Megan Mays- April 7, 1994 Kyle Martin- April 8, 1994 Jacob McMullen- April 8, 1993 Justice Reynolds- April 8, 1995 Danielle Riley- April 8, 1994 Mary Stansell- April 8, 1992 Brittany Brate- April 9, 1995 Sandy Hines- April 9, 1996 Gage Rowan- April 9, 1996 Haley Vogelsang- April 9, 1996, Zach Burris- April 10, 1996 Jared Coffey- April 10, 1996 Harry Douglas- April 10, 1997 Matthew Jaspers- April 10, 1991 Breanna McClendon- April 10, 1997 Hope Shinkle- April 10, 1994 Nathan Brown- April 11, 1996 Ashley DeMaio- April 11, 1992 David Fehn- April 11, 1994 Page Issue11 x Michael McQuery- April 11, 1994 Erin Schneider- April 11, 1997 Carley Courts- April 12, 1996 Andrew Johnson- April 12, 1996 Devon Johnson- April 12, 1996 Jessica Lotz- April 12, 1994 Bernard Blust- April 13, 1995 Ashley Collins- April 14, 1997 Katy Conaty- April 14, 1996 Brittany DeBolt- April 14, 1995 Melissa McFerron- April 14, 1994 Colin Couch- April 15, 1996 Leah Patrick- April 15, 1995 Austin Blair- April 16, 1996 Jacob Durst- April 16, 1997 Kaitlyn Garner- April 16, 1997 Alyssa Napier- April 16, 1997 Jordan Reed- April 16, 1997 Alex Wood- April 16, 1997 Molly Birchfield- April 17, 1994 Myriah Clark- April 17, 1997 Shelby Corbin- April 17, 1996 Mitchell Mannah- April 17, 1995 Suzanne Schmitt- April 17, 1994 Marcus Shifflett- April 17, 1994 Aylin Umana- April 17, 1996 Elisabeth Duhaime- April 18, 1994 William Dunkman- April 18, 1997 Sarah Ruiz- April 18, 1996 Justin Taylor- April 18, 1995 Darney O’She’ Thomas- April 18, 1995 Matt Abner- April 19, 1995 Abril Belanger- April 19, 1996 Logan Damron- April 19, 1995 Rachel Fischer- April 19, 1996 Samantha Lee- April 19, 1994 Paige Shelton- April 19, 1997 Brandon Beck- April 20, 1990 Kristine Raby- April 20, 1995 Jacob Sadler- April 20, 1995 Molly Smith- April 20, 1995 Jacob Childers- April 21, 1996 Lindsey Hatfield- April 21, 1996 The Torch Gabrielle Hendrixson- April 21, 1994 Bailey Howard- April 21, 1995 Andrew Neff- April 21, 1995 Amber Noon- April 21, 1994 Mark Roush- April 21, 1995 Michael Cisneros- April 22, 1994 Monica He- April 22, 1997 Samuel Hornstra- April 22, 1997 Marc Neff- April 22, 1997 Brandon Burris- April 23, 1997 Haley Finnamore- April 23, 1996 Taylor Lesher- April 23, 1997 John Mikolay- April 23, 1994 Shae Caruso- April 24, 1996 Danielle Dunkman- April 24, 1995 Wesley Kilgore - April 24, 1994 Samuel Logsdon- April 24, 1997 Grinch Ervin- April 25, 1994 Hunter Colby- April 26, 1995 Andy Sigmon- April 26, 1995 Steve Vetter- April 26, 1994 Jeffrey WilliamsApril 26, 1994 Hannah Wilson- April 26, 1994 Kris Bennett- April 27, 1994 James Jetter- April 27, 1997 Corbin Marthaler- April 27, 1995 Matt Nowakowsky- April 27, 1996 Tyler Gibbs- April 28, 1994 Spencer Hutchens- April 28, 1997 Nick Kocher- April 28, 1994 William Spence- April 28, 1994, Jacob Maryo- April 29, 1997 Avery Purkiser- April 29, 1997 Austin Rowan- April 29, 1995 Josh Simmons- April 29, 1996 John Svintsitsky- April 29, 1993 Andrew Sweatland- April 29, 1997 Lindsey Sweatland- April 29, 1997 Ryan Brinkman- April 30, 1996 Alec Conway- April 30, 1995 COMMUNITY SUPPORT 989 Old State Rt. 74 Batavia, Ohio 45103 Tel: (513)752(513)752-3344 6112 Benneville Street Cincinnati, OH 45230 Roses Bouquets Corsages 513/231- HOW TO STAY AWAY FROM THE DEADLY SENIORITIS VIRUS Spring is almost here, not only does it attract warmer weather, flowers, and wildlife, it also attracts Senioritis! Senioritis isn’t really a virus, it’s more of idea that seniors get where they think they can slack off from doing work. Senioritis normally develops after spring break, but for some, earlier than that. Some just can’t help the excitement of leaving high school. Here are some ways that experts say can help keep the Senioritis away. Enjoy your high school experience! You only have four years of high school total, don’t let your final semester slip away. You have your whole summer to do whatever you want before college. Don’t rush through your teens, enjoy where you are at the moment. Remember, colleges can change their minds. If they see you slack off, they might reduce your scholarship. Responsibilities- keep daily or weekly responsibilities such as sports or clubs. Taking harder classes is a challenge—keep working above and beyond your potential. These aren’t 100% guaranteed to keep seniors focused but just keep them in mind and remember, June 1st, 2012 is the last day for the seniors! -Cody Frye - Page The Torch PageX11 Volume COMMUNITY SUPPORT Page 12x Issue The Torch COMMUNITY SUPPORT Address 4450 Eastgate Blvd Cincinnati, OH 45245 Phone Number: (513) 943-9923 Business Hours Mon. - Thurs: 11am 10pm Fri. and Sat: 11am -11pm Sunday: 12pm - 9pm EMERY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 7890 E. Kemper Road, Cincinnati, OH 45249 513/530-9351 Pg Page 16 12 The Torch Volume X COMMUNITY SUPPORT 978 Old St. Rt. 74 Batavia, Ohio 45103 513/947-9777 TARA LIMOCO MARY KAY COSMETICS H 513-741-0592 C 513-375-6716 [email protected] www.marykay.com/tlimoco Issue x The Torch MARY KAY Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant Page 13