Jan. - Limestone Community High School

Limelight
Limestone Community High School
Bartonville, Illinois 61607
Visit us on the web* http://limestone.k12.il.us/limelight
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Coming
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February 2006
February 3
Mid-Nine Weeks
February 4
Scholastic Bowl Mid-Illini @
Canton (8:30 a.m.)
February 7
Key Club Elections- Meeting
Room 15 (7:15 a.m.)
February 9
Early Dismissal (1:45 p.m.)
Parent/Teacher Conferences
(4-8 p.m.)
February 10
No School
Parent/Teacher Conferences
(10 a.m.-1 p.m.)
Wrestling (V) @ Sectionals
February 11
Wrestling (V) @ Sectionals
Speech @ Sectionals
February 13
Freshmen Preview NightAuditorium/Cafe (7 p.m.)
February 14
Grade School Band Tours
Key Club Meeting- Room 15
(7:15 a.m.)
February 15
Mid-Illini Vocal Concert- IVC
(7 p.m.)
National Honor Society
Meeting- aud. (10:30 a.m.)
February 16
Student Council Easter Seals
Kick-off Assmebly
February 17
Wrestling @ State
Speech @ State
Key Club Kiwanis Chili
Supper (4-6:30 p.m.)
Art Club Facepainting @ Bball game
Fashion Merchandising-Job
Shadowing
February 18
Wrestling @ State
Speech @ State
Key Club-Spike for Spastics
(9 a.m.-4 p.m.)
Snowflake-Cafe & Classrooms (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
February 20
No School
February 22
Fashion Show- aud. (7 p.m.)
February 24
Food Fair
February 25
Vice Versa Dance-gym (7
p.m.)
Musical Set Constructionaud. (9 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Dodgeball TournamentAuxilary gym (9 a.m.)
February 28
Grade School Band Tours
ICC Placement Tests
8th Grade RegistrationCafeteria (6-8 p.m.)
Volume 52, Issue 5
E-mail us @ [email protected]
January 31, 2006
LCHS Rhetorical Rockets win
third consecutive Mid-Illini title
Illini conference title can
only increase the team’s
momentum as they close in
on their Regional and
Sectional competitions in
February.
Good luck to all the
Rhetorical Rockets and
congratulations on such an
outstanding season.
Mid-Illini Finalists
Fifth place
Theresa Sanders: Prose
Fourth place
Rachel Lawrence: Dec
Colleen Swanson:
Impromptu Speaking
Third place
Jessica Bamber: Verse
Holly Bauer: SOS
Sarah Hanlon: Radio
Shayanna Jacobs and
Brandon Chandler: HDA
The 2005-2006 speech team won their third consecutive Mid-Illini title on January 19, 2006.
By Ian Henderson
The 2005-2006 speech team
won their third consecutive
Mid-Illini conference title on
January 19, at Dunlap High
School.
To win this conference is
always the team’s goal.
Coach Jeri Look said, “We
win because no one else
wants it as much as we do.”
The team knew they had
the ability to win, but they
would still need to remain
focused. Team co-captain
Shayanna Jacobs, junior,
told me, “I think we are
doing really well this year.
We are going to have to
continue working really hard
so we can keep winning.”
The team agrees but says
no matter how much practice
they have, they are still
nervous before competitions.
JV scholastic
bowl team wins
county tourney
Page 4
One half of the Mid-Illini
second place HDA team,
junior Brittany Christensen,
said to do well she needs a
balance. “I’m confident and
nervous.”
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“I think we are doing
really well this year.
We are going to have
to continue working
really hard so we can
keep winning.”
-Co-captain Shayanna
Jacobs
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Junior radio speaker Sarah
Hanlon admits that she
wonders, “if I’m going to do
good and remember
everything.” Even Mid-Illini
HI champion Allison
Sandborg, junior, gets
nervous. “I hope no one has
the same piece (script) as
me…again.” Sandborg faced,
and successfully took first,
against an opponent in a
final round earlier in the
year that had the same
script as her.
But all nerves go aside,
and the team’s sole focus is
on the competition once it
comes time to perform. The
DDA team of juniors
Brandon Chandler and Kelly
Kooken told me what they
think about when they are
going to perform. “If there’s
fifteen (competitors), we only
need to beat fourteen.”
The team certainly has had
one of their best year’s. So
far they have won all but two
of their competitions, even
beating their rival Richwoods
at several tournaments.
Even adding yet another Mid-
Conference
Runner-Ups
Shayanna Jacobs: HI
Amy Sanders: Verse
Lacy Gonzalez: Dec
Caitlyn Moore and
Brittany Christensen: HDA
Allison Sandborg and
Spencer Simmons: DDA
Andrew Kluesner: OC
Erin Lawrence: Oratory
Theresa Sanders: DI
Conference
Champions
Sarah Mason: SOS
Rachel Lawrence: DI
Allison Sandborg: HI
Anne Heien: Radio
Crystal Loyd: Oratory
Kelly Kooken: OC
Kelly Kooken and Brandon
Chandler: DDA
Tom Winchester: Extemp
and Impromptu Speaking
Inside this Issue
Page 5
LCHS students
have fun on
annual ski trip
A Year in
Review:
2005
Page 6-7
Page 8
LCHS junior
races go-karts
for sport
22
January 31, 2006
Say What?
By Elysia Cox
What is up with all the
overly sensitive, touchy,
prickly, and easily upset
teenagers today? There was
a fight earlier this year
because a boy looked at
another boy “the wrong way.”
Excuse me for asking, but
isn’t that a little immature
and just a wee bit stupid?
Yes, I think it is.
However, this seems to be a
problem with every teenager
these days. No, I’m not
talking about fighting. I
mean extreme sensitivity.
I am getting tired of
conversations that have
been taken the wrong way,
jokes that were made to be
funny until ruined by
someone who took it badly,
and people that are yelling at
friends because they have
the exact same outfit as
herself. I’m tired of it, and
so is the rest of the school
who has to listen to it.
Let me tell you a story: I
know someone who
Relax and lighten up!
constantly teased his friends
until one day the tables were
turned and a friend teased
him back. Can you guess
what happened? The person
freaked out and said that all
of his friends hated him,
etc., etc., etc. Give me a
break. If you can dish it out,
shouldn’t you be able to take
it?
It seems to me that
everyone is just too
defensive these days. They
are angry inside, so they feel
the need to lash out at the
soonest possible moment.
Frankly, I’m sick of everyone
being on the lookout for
things to get angry at. If you
have that much pent up
rage, go get a punching bag,
go running, or if you are
really bad, go join football
and knock some people
down.
I admit that I do this too;
however, I try to apologize or
just hold my tongue when I
realize what I’m going to say
is not all that nice.
Let me give you another
situation: A group of friends
were laughing at a joke when
another friend walked up and
asked a question. The friend
got bent out of shape
because she thought her
friends were laughing at her
and her question. Making a
scene, she yells at her
friends and accuses them of
having “a problem.” The
group of friends is stunned;
their laughing had nothing to
do with their friend. This is
just another example of
someone being overly
sensitive and defensive.
Why must people do this?
I think the person with the
“problem” is the person with
the over-sensitive mind that
gets into fights or breaks up
a friendship. Something
must be done. This
nonsense has to stop. And I
think the only way we can
stop this is to stop thinking
of only ourselves and realize
that everything is not about
us.
Opinion
Never forget...
Acts of kindness are needed at all
times, not just during holidays.
By Sami Hubbard
On December 26, 2004,
220,000 people were killed
when a tsunami hit thirteen
countries in southeast Asia.
Out of the 1.8 million people
who were left homeless, 36
thousand people are still left
homeless one year later.
My point? When news of
the tsunami first hit
American media, we were
shocked. The news touched
our hearts. We are all a
parent, a child, a friend. As a
result, we felt the need to
help. Immediately, people
began donating money to
different organizations to
help the families affected.
Soon, the news found other
stories to feature, and we all
fell back into our daily
routines, almost seeming
like we lost interest. Then
when the winter holidays
came, it seemed to me that
everybody remembered about
the tsunami and wanted to
donate and try to do
something to help the
families again.
The same thing happened
when Hurricane Katrina
caused 1,383 people to die
and 1.5 million to lose their
homes. Katrina is all we
read in the papers and
watched on tv for the longest
time. We all pitched in to
help, whether we donated
money, clothing, personal
items, or other necessary
things. Soon Katrina was
featured less and less until
nothing was mentioned. Did
we forget too?
Just because something
doesn’t affect us directly
doesn’t mean we should only
care about it when it first
happens and maybe again
around the holiday seasons.
We should be just as helping
and caring all year round
because someday it may be
us who needs a little extra
help.
My thoughts exactly...by Kyle Hovey
DISCLAIMER: The following editorial contains
many different examples
from many different
teachers and is not intended to single out any
one teacher. It is nothing
more than the ramblings of
an opinionated loudmouth
who needed to get it off his
chest.
Are teachers underpaid?
Yes. Are teachers overworked? In many cases, yes.
Does this mean I should be
used as a Scan-Tron or Xerox
machine in order to save
time and work. I don’t think
so.
I have noticed that more
and more students are
grading papers or mindlessly
copying down notes.
Whether it is entire days
devoted to overhead notes
Limelight
with little or no explanation
from the teacher or the
simple task of “trading and
grading,” students are simply
not being taught. Given that
there is only so much that
you can cram into a sixteenyear-old’s mind, I still think
that class time should be
used more effectively. Instead of making overheads,
make handouts. Instead of
having students grading in
class, let your teacher helper
do it (they have a reason for
being there).
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Some of you hate your
classes more than
your students hate
them. Why?
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Most importantly, get your
students involved in the
class. I have a teacher that
awards points based on class
participation. If a student
accumulates enough points,
he will receive extra credit on
his final grade. Every time
the teacher asks a question,
somebody’s hand goes up. By
offering a little incentive, she
gets us paying attention and
learning.
Another example is a
history teacher that would go
beyond the textbook’s
teachings and lecture about
the larger effects of an event
and how it applies to the
modern world. He was even
so rash as to have class
discussions and throw in odd
bits of homor that were
understood only by those
who had been paying attention. Both of these classes
are challenging, but I have
learned a great deal from
them.
TEACH US. Though we may
not always act like it, we
want to learn. Sure there are
some hopeless cases, but too
often does the curriculum
cater to them. It is not fair
to the rest of us when we are
stuck reading the textbook
and memorizing its glossary.
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Most importantly, get
your students involved
in the class.
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Some of you hate your
classes more than your
students hate them. Why?
You got into teaching for a
reason. I know it wasn’t the
money, and I doubt it was
the free summers. Didn’t you
want to enlighten, to educate, to pass on that passion
for knowledge?
I can only imagine how
twenty blank faces day after
day would burn you out, but
if you can get through to even
one kid, hasn’t it been worth
it?
I am not the best example.
I do not get along with
homework and seldom take
the time to compliment my
teachers on a job well done,
but I tend to be more responsive and attentive when
presented with a new idea or
perspective in my classes.
That has to count for something.
Please just do me this one
favor: next time you plan on
putting something on the
board and letting the class
spend a majority of the hour
copying it down, try instead
passing out handouts and
going through the material.
Do not just read it aloud;
explain and expound on it.
The more effort you put into
your teaching, the more you
will get out of it.
The Limelight is the student newspaper of Limestone Community High School. It is published monthly by journalism and media
methods students. The Limelight is a member of the Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association, and Illinois High
School Scholastic Press Association. Students are responsible for the content of the Limelight. Views represented do not
necessarily represent, in part or in whole, those of the Limestone Community High School administration or faculty. Editorial
policy is determined by the Editorial Board of the Limelight, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of the
editorial board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent that of the Limelight.
The paper is distributed free to students and staff. Subscriptions are available by mail anywhere in the US for $5 per school year.
Address: Limestone Community High School, S. Airport Rd., Bartonville, IL 61607. Telephone: (309) 697-6271. Reach us on the
Internet at: http://limestone. k12.il.us. Email: [email protected]. Printed by P & P Press, Peoria, IL.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Wendland;
Editorial Board: Mallory Fawcett, Ian Henderson, Danielle Richmond, Jake Stewart;
Reporters: Elysia Cox, Jessica Demoss, Kyle Hovey, Leah McElhiney, Caroline Miller, Stephanie Motsinger, Tiffany Newtson,
Samantha Hubbard, and Zach Towery;
Student Business Advisor: Leah McElhiney
Advisor: Roni Oleson
Opinion
January 31, 2006
Simple Inspirations
3
Opinion
Laughter: Life’s Best Medicine
Poll
By Danielle Richmond
If anyone were to ever ask
me what I felt was the most
important part of life, I’m
afraid I wouldn’t have to
think very long to give you
my answer: Laughter.
To me, laughter is the one
true joy in the world. Some
people may disagree, saying,
“Oh, no! It’s love or world
peace or something like
that.” But I still stand firm
in my own opinions. Love is
nice, sure. It’s like a fire
that fuels your life, at times.
But still, even fire can burn
or be extinguished. And I
know this much: when love
ends, it HURTS LIKE HELL.
Laughter never hurts. In
fact, laughter is most often
what helps us get over our
pain and disappointments in
life. It’s hard to put your
best foot forward and move
on until you’ve sat down and
had a good laugh at yourself
and your crazy life. There’s
just something about that
merry burst of ecstasy that
lights up inside of you when
you laugh, that heals you, or
that just gives you a little
piece of hope that says,
“Well, maybe life doesn’t
suck quite that bad.”
As for world peace, well,
um, that idea is kind of funny
as it is. I mean, if you look
at it realistically. First off,
there are how many billions
or trillions of people in the
world? And each person has
his or her own way of seeing
things – usually in
completely different ways.
Now, let’s add in the guns.
And the bombs. Nuclear
weapons. Money. Land.
Gas. Politics. Drugs.
Sexual orientation.
Abortion. Religion.
And whatever else people
like to fight about. There
you go. A realistic view of
today’s world… Do you think
world peace is gonna
happen?! Not in this
lifetime. I mean, just in an
everyday scenario, I can
barely get through one week
without bickering with this
one friend of mine. And
after we end up getting into
it, I’ll walk around being
mad at the world until I
finally have the good sense
to look back and have a good
laugh over what a pair of
high-minded stubborn idiots
we are. Then, of course,
after I have had a good giggle
over our immaturity, he’ll
still be grumbling over my
stupidity, and our two
moods and perspectives will
clash, and we’ll end up
fighting like a pair of twoyear-olds again… Trust me.
World peace isn’t gonna
happen.
Not that I don’t like the
idea. I’m all for improving
this crazy world. And, like I
said, I think the only way for
everyone to do that is to
take a really big dose of
bubbly, tickley, giggly
laughter. You can think I’m
mad if you like, but it’s true.
Almost everything is funny if
you think about it the right
way. But it takes looking at
the problem in the right way.
I finally figured this out a
couple weeks ago. Let’s just
say my heart was getting a
really big dose of drama. One
day everything was perfect.
The next, everything came
crashing down. I took a deep
breath, cried a few tears, and
fixed the problem best I
could. Or I thought I had.
Just as I had breathed a
huge sigh of relief and
started to smile again,
everything came crashing
down again, only in a worse
way. Way worse.
This is what happened: A
friend of mine showed me
something that should have
just made me feel worse on
the worse day of my life.
Now I know that you think
my world probably just
ended, right? Well, it didn’t.
As I sat there looking at this
piece of drama, something
funny happened. It was like
something just clicked in
me. My numbness blocked
emotions so well that I was
able to look at the situation
without the extra trauma in
me. I could see things from
all sides, without the pain.
And what I saw was so
hopelessly crazy, so mixed
up and dramatic, I felt the
corners of my mouth twitch
as I shook my head.
Then it happened. I
couldn’t help it… I busted
out laughing. I laughed and
laughed and laughed at my
crazy life, and boy, did it feel
great. The rest of the day, I
walked around with this
huge grin on my face, when,
if anything, I should have
been crying my heart out.
Simply because I had chosen
to look at the drama from a
different perspective. The
funny perspective. And let
me tell you… the funny
perspective is much better
than the woe-is- me,
pessimistic perspective.
Laughter can work miracles
sometimes. It’s all in the
way you see things.
Considering all this, I
suppose I have a New Year’s
resolution for you,
Limestone. Enough with the
frowns! People say that they
want the world to be a better
place or that they want to
make a difference… and yet
all we have to do is banish
this pessimism that eats at
our hearts and put a smile
on our face and a laugh in
our souls. So start laughing.
Just laugh and laugh and
laugh, and your problems
won’t seem half as bad.
Laugh when you’re scared,
laugh when you’re sad, laugh
when the world around you
gets crazy or confusing or
dramatic. Just open your
eyes and your heart and find
something to be happy and
laugh about. Trust me, there
is always something to laugh
about. You just have to learn
to look the right way so that
you can find it. So just open
your eyes up and learn to
look at things from all
perspectives… then just sit
back and laugh, laugh ,
laugh.
Laughter, after all, is life’s
best medicine.
From the Editor’s Desk...
We should give just as much as we take
By Megan Wendland
All too often in our lives,
we expect the people around
us to be there. We expect
our parents to take care of
us, to make us feel better
when we’re uncomfortable,
to take care of our cars when
they’re broken, to cook us
dinner, clean the house, and
still have a job so that they
can buy us new things.
We expect our friends to
be there no matter what,
even if they have a problem
of their own.
We expect our teachers to
bend over backwards to help
us, but we can’t turn in a
simple paper on time.
As a society, we have been
taught to become
interdependent, but in
reality, we are becoming
solely dependent on those
around us without
recognizing everything they
have done for us.
From the time we were
young, we knew that if we
couldn’t reach something,
mom would get it, or if our
toy was broken, grandpa
would fix it. We have grown
up knowing that we can
count on our families for
everything. We know that
they will always be there to
bail us out of tough
situations, no matter what
we have gotten ourselves
into.
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I am realizing that we
all have this problem
of needing people to
be there but not looking at the fact that
they need us equally
as much.
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The problem with this is
that it should be a two way
street. Our parents should
be able to count on us as
much as we can count on
them. They should be able
to come to us with their
problems and talk to us just
as easily as we can talk to
them. It isn’t fair that we
can expect everything out of
them, but they can’t get a
civil conversation out of us.
I’m one of those people
who put everyone else in my
life ahead of myself because
it kills me to have the ones I
care about most upset. They
know that they can come to
me whenever a problem
arises, and I will either help
them work through the
issue, or I will tell them that
everything is going to be
alright and that they have
nothing to worry about.
Sometimes I feel like as
much as I do for them, when
I need them most, no one is
there to pull me off the edge.
I think others take for
What is your New
Year’s resolution?
“I quit making New Year’s
resolutions because I could
not seem to keep them.”
- Senior Amanda Damron
“To go out and have fun in
life.”
- Senior Chad Hohenbery
“To hang out with my friends
more.”
- Freshman Courtney Braden
granted what they have until
it’s gone. We often don’t pay
attention to what is right in
front of us until it begins to
matter to us that it is there,
until it makes a difference in
our life.
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It should be a two way
street. Our parents
should be able to count
on us as much as we
can count on them.
“To help others more.”
- Sophomore Mario McCart
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Although I feel this way, I
know I’m not completely
without blame on this issue.
I realize that often times I
expect things out of people
or my family that I don’t
know if I could do in return.
I am realizing that we all
have this problem of needing
people to be there but not
looking at the fact that they
need us equally as much.
“To think of a New Year’s
resolution!”
- Freshman Stormie
Schmider
24
January 31, 2006
JV scholastic bowl
team wins Peoria
County tournament
By Sami Hubbard
On December 17, the
junior-varsity Scholastic
Bowl team won first place at
their Peoria County
tournament. The team beat
Princeville, Brimfield, and
then Notre Dame to earn
their spot in the semi-finals.
During these first three
matches, the team was led
by freshman Shawn Fryer
with 14 toss ups and
sophomore Josh Sholty with
7 toss ups.
In the fourth match, the
team defeated Dunlap,
advancing them to the final
match against IVC.
The final match was close
between Limestone and IVC.
The game was up for grabs
when the final question was
asked, but the Rockets
proved victorious when IVC
buzzed in with the wrong
answer.
Fryer received a medal for
the most toss ups answered
during the tournament.
According to Fryer, the
team’s victory was
Students of the
month recognized
Academic Student
of the Month
Senior Colleen Swanson
has been named January’s
Academic Student of the
Month based on her
academic achievements.
For her efforts in the
classroom, Swanson will be
awarded a savings bond,
and her picture will be
featured in the Limestone
Independent News.
LCHS Key Club and
Salvation Army pair
up for annual project
At the end of December,
Key Club members spent
one hundred hours
participating in their
annual Christmas project
with the Salvation Army.
The project involved
picking up donations from
the Salvation Army, sorting
toys and clothes, and
distributing the gifts and a
Christmas dinner to area
families.
“It was nice to see the
parents’ smiling faces as
they came to get the toys to
make sure that their
children have a merry
Christmas,” said junior
Jared Schneider about the
distribution.
This year, the Key Club
helped one hundred twentyfive local families.
attributed to Hawaiian
Punch. Fryer said, “The
Hawaiian Punch bottle made
us better.” Fryer had bought
the Hawaiian Punch on his
birthday, and it is now the
team’s good luck charm.
JV coach Kyle Bloyd is
happy for his team. He said,
“This is a bright group of
kids. I expect great things
from them as they go up into
their varsity years.”
The JV team’s success
continued when they won
second place [They lost to
IVC, the team they beat in
the Peoria County
tournament.] at the Peoria
Christian Invitational on
Saturday, January 21. Once
again, Fryer was recognized
for being one of the Top 5
scorers in the tournament.
The junior-varsity team is
made up of freshmen Shawn
Fryer, Abby Borland, Sami
Hubbard, Pat Revallo, Dalton
Vodden, Ruben Rodriguez,
Ethan Siebel, and
sophomores Chris Corey and
Josh Sholty.
LCHS Key Club hosts
annual game night
Senior Tricia Lofthouse and her fellow Key Club members played an
enjoyable game at the annual Key Club game night held on Thursday,
January 19, 2006, in the Limestone Snack Bar. For just five dollars, Key
Club members were able to purchase food and to play Scrabble and
Trivial Pursuit, among other games.
News Notes
Local Scholarship
applications available
from guidance office
Attention seniors!!!
Applications for local
scholarships are currently
available in the Guidance
office.
All applications must be
returned by Friday, February
24 in order to be eligible for
the scholarships.
Applications available for CAT Student
Trainee Program
Applications are now
available for Caterpillar’s
Student Trainee Program for
the 2006-2007 school year.
Students accepted into
Caterpillar’s Student Trainee
Program will work full time
during the summer and 20
hours per week during the
school year.
While the program is
designed mainly for co-op
students, there are a very
limited number of summer
only jobs. Jobs are available
in the accounting, clerical,
and technical fields.
You must have a 2.3 grade
point average and be a junior
or senior next year to apply.
See Mrs. Hott in Room 5 for
an application packet. You
must complete the
application process by
February 21 in order to be
considered. See Mrs. Hott if
you have any questions.
News
Auto shop classes
donate money to St.
Jude’s Hospital
Mr. Bob Privratsky and his
auto shop classes have done
it again. For two weeks in
December, Privratsky and
his junior/senior auto shop
classes donated money to
St. Jude’s Children’s
Hospital.
For the past sixteen years,
Privratsky has organized this
project. This year fifty-nine
of his junior and senior auto
shop students were involved,
and they raised $1064.
Annually four little girls
are chosen, and these girls
receive a collector’s Holiday
Barbie. This year, the girls
ranged in ages from four to
eight years old. In addition
to the dolls, the girls’
parents received a $25 gift
certificate to Cracker Barrel.
Privratsky began getting
the Holiday Barbies for the
girls when he started
collecting them for his own
daughters. He felt he was
blessed to have two very
healthy daughters of his own
and wanted to put a smile on
other little girl’s faces.
The rest of the money was
used to purchase items for
the cancer center itself.
This year two Play Station 2
units, many Play Station 2
games, DVD movies, and
stuffed animals were bought
for the children’s activity
center at the hospital.
The donations were
presented to St. Jude the
last week before finals.
Privratsky is really proud
that the kids used their own
money to help children who
need it most. “They put
someone else before
themselves to help put
smiles on kid’s faces during
the holiday season, so they
should be proud of what they
have done,” commented
Privratsky.
Winter Blues Fest
held to raise money
for Limestone Youth
Baseball Facility
The first annual “Winter
Blues Fest” was held on
Saturday, January 28 from 411:30 p.m. It was sponsored
by the Limestone Youth
Facilities and Limestone
Youth Baseball.
The event was held at the
Bartonville American Legion.
The cost of the tickets was
$15.00 for adults and $8.00
for children 17 and under. It
included a spaghetti dinner
and beverages. All proceeds
will go towards the construction of a new concessions
stand with restrooms at the
Limestone Youth Baseball
Facility.
At the event, the band
Bubble Gum Jack performed
for the patrons to enjoy.
Also held were silent and live
auctions.
For more information on
making donations to the
fund, contact Coach Loren
Peacock.
Junior wins title of
Central Illinois
Hometown Idol
Junior Brandon Chandler
was awarded the title of
Central Illinois Hometown
Idol at 7 p.m. on Friday,
January 20. The competition
was held at the Riverplex in
downtown Peoria.
The contest cost $15 to
enter and was for contestants ages 10-19.
With his title, Chandler
won four hours of recording
time at a music studio in
Pekin, a guest performance
at a special event, a medal,
and a gift bag from the Peoria
Park District.
Chandler was also featured
on WMBD This Morning on
Tuesday, January 24. He
sang “Gone” by N’Sync.
Salad bar offers
new option
The salad bar line in the
Limestone cafeteria now
offers the option of a halfsandwich and soup as a
choice for a student meal.
The students seem happy
with the change in menu.
January 31, 2006
Feature
Limestone Welcomes
New Faculty
Mr. Jeff Schmider
Miss Linda Thomas
LCHS students participate
in third annual ski trip
By Kyle Hovey
Birth date: 12-1-72
College attended: IVCC,
ICC, ISU
Hobbies/pasttimes:
Hunting, Fishing, Dog
Training
Subjects you are
currently teaching:
Driver’s Ed, World History
Why you want to be a
teacher: To train studentathletes to ignore
obstacles, pain, and
discomfort to accomplish
great things.
Your dream vacation:
Goose hunting and Walleye
fishing in Canada
Your favorite high school
memory: Being a two way
starter on the 1989 MidIllini Conference Football
Championship team at
L.C.H.S.
The adjective that best
describes you:
Blue Collar
What your friends say
about you:
I’m a high school coach; I
have no friends.
Your favorite movie:
All the Star Wars movies
Your favorite food: Pizza
Birth date: January 16,
1971
College attended: Western
Illinois University
(undergrad); University of
Illinois (graduate school)
Hobbies: Scuba diving
Position: Special
Education Social Worker.
I want to work with
students to help them
develop a healthy social and
emotional lifestyle.
Your dream vacation:
Traveling to Australia so I
can dive at the Great
Barrier Reef
Your favorite high school
memory: When my high
school’s football team won
the State Championship my
senior year.
The adjective that best
describes you:
Independent
What your friends say
about you: I hope they say
I’m nice, funny, and caring.
Your favorite movie:
The Breakfast Club – We
may all be different, but we
can find commonalities if
we try.
Your favorite food:Pizza
What did you do during
winter break? Did you sit at
home? Did you hang out at
the mall? Did you go to
Galena, Illinois, and hit the
slopes?
Skiing is what
approximately forty
Limestone students and
teachers did on January 2.
The third annual Limestone
ski trip rolled out of
Bartonville at 5:30 a.m. and
arrived at Chestnut
Mountain at 9:00 a.m.
Weather was a mixed
blessing.
It was a rainy forty-five
degrees, which made for poor
skiing conditions, but it also
deterred other ski
enthusiasts. Senior and two
year ski trip veteran Matt
Bazhenow remembers, “The
day lasted a long time
because the runs were so
short. It seemed like you
skied each one 40 times, and
the weather was so bad that
very few people were there.
We had the mountain almost
entirely to ourselves.”
Given this, the fact that
there are twenty-two
different runs and four
separate ski lifts and that
out of the forty people the
only chaperones were Mr.
Greg Robinson, Mr. Kyle
Bloyd, Mr. Tim Turner, Ms.
Becky Bontz, and her
boyfriend, there was no
trouble with the students.
The only person to suffer
real injury was Bloyd, who
suffered a nasty fall on a
black diamond course known
as the Warpath.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
“In retrospect, it was
a really awesome
day, especially for
its price.”
-Senior Nick Ricca
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
For those of you not into
skiing, there are generally
three types of ski runs:
green for easy, blue for
intermediate, and black
diamond for advanced. Black
diamond courses have tight
turns and generally contain
moguls (large patterned
bumps). Bloyd suffered what
most likely was a dislocated
shoulder, and after he
popped it back in himself, he
spent the rest of the day
watching the students.
Bloyd’s fall was the only
major mishap of the trip. As
mentioned, the slopes were
Enriched freshmen reflect on the past
English teacher Jamie
Kocher’s fifth hour
freshman enriched
English class, featured
on the left, was required to create portfolios centered around
the year they were
born. Each student
was required to study
the year, reporting on
top movies, news
stories, songs, and
toys. Overall, the
class and Kocher were
proud of the turnout of
the project.
By Jessica DeMoss
Have you ever wondered
what went on the year you
were born? English teacher
Jamie Kocher’s fifth and
sixth hour freshman
enriched English classes
participated in a project to
explore the world the year
they were born.
The purpose of the project
was for the classes to write
an autobiography, which they
came to find was a type of
non-fiction.
The project also required
the classes to work on their
writing and independent
research skills.
To find the information, the
students went to great
lengths. They used various
sources such as interviewing
their family members,
researching from reliable
5
sources on the internet, or
using microfilm from Peoria
Public Library.
The project consisted of
various pieces of information
centered around their dates
of birth. Included in the
binder was a table of
contents, a two-page typed
autobiography, ten
summarized news stories,
billboard charts for the week
and the year, TV listings for
the day and Neilson top ten
for the year, movies showing
and the top ten movies for
the year, toy of the year, a
life timeline, and a correctly
formatted bibliography.
Each student’s creativity
played a major role in the
outcome of his or her grade.
The entire project came out
to be worth 180 points.
not crowded, and there was
something to enjoy for
everyone, be they novice or
expert.
The highlight of the day
came in the many jokes
made at Robinson’s expense.
“Many of the students gave
Mr. Robinson a hard time on
his juvenile skills and his
pink, ladylike coat, which he
borrowed from his mother,”
said another senior and two
year trip veteran, Nick Ricca.
After a long, fun-filled day,
the group got on the bus for
the return trip around 6:30
p.m. and arrived back home
at 11:00 p.m.
“In retrospect, it was a
really awesome day,
especially for its price,” said
Ricca. “I paid $60, and that
paid for my bus ticket, ski
rentals, and lift ticket.”
So next year if you don’t
have anything to do during
Christmas break and you can
scrape up a few dollars,
consider the Limestone ski
trip. It’s an experience and
memory that will last a
lifetime.
Volunteer
Students of
the Month
Amber Rasbury
Year: Sophomore
Key Club Position:
Sophomore Representative
Favorite Project:
Christmas Project
Favorite non-Key Club
Activity: Tennis
Jenny Osborn
Year: Sophomore
Key Club Position:
Member
Favorite Project:
Homecoming Parade
Favorite non-Key Club
Activity: Swimming
26
January 31, 2006
Centerspread
A Year in Review
Rocket Re-Cap
-Easter Seals week brings in $41,000.
-Senior boys rally together to start a
dodgeball tournament to raise money for
Easter Seals.
-The vice versa dance is held on Saturday,
February 28. The theme is Una Noche
Hermosa.
-The basketball cheerleaders go to State and
brought home a 4th place trophy.
-Mr. Zack Binder and Ms. Briana Nannen
direct the spring musical, Little Shop of
Horrors.
-Prom 2005 is held at the Gateway building
downtown on Saturday, April 23. Josh Haun
and Michelle Roberts are named King and
Queen. The theme of the prom is An
Evening in Paris.
-The Class of 2005 graduates on Saturday,
May 14.
-Jesse Burns and Brandon Wikoff are named
WHOI’s Athletes of the Week.
-The boy’s baseball team competes in the
State tournament at Elfstrom Stadium in
Geneva, IL, on June 10 & 11.
-At the start of football season, several students begin tailgating in the parking lot to
get pumped up before games.
-Freshmen take home the crown at the Variety Show, winning the skit competition.
Brandon Chandler wins first place in the
filler acts.
-Homecoming King and Queen are Chad
Hohenbery and Michelle Roberts. The dance
is held Saturday, October 8, and the theme is
Viva Las Vegas.
-Colleen Swanson student directs the fall
play, Card Play by David Foxton.
-TR Pursell and Nicole Benson run in the
State cross country meet at Detweiler Park.
-Senior Brandon Wikoff signs his letter of
intent to attend and play baseball for the
University of Illinois.
-Ms. Kris Tinnon and her students organize a
Veteran’s Day Assembly to commemorate
those who have served our country.
-Senior Tricia Lofthouse and members of Key
Club and Student Council organize a Chili
Supper to raise money for Hurricane Katrina
victims.
-At the winter sports assembly, the senior
class is victorious and walks away with the
“spirit stick.”
...And we say goodbye...
January:
August:
1- Shirley Chisolm
23- Johnny Carson
1- King Fahd
7- Peter Jennings
8- John H. Johnson
February:
4- Ossie Davis
10- Arthur Miller
20- Hunter S. Thompson
March:
29- Johnnie Cochran
April:
5- Saul Bellow
6- Prince Rainier
13- Johnnie Johnson
May:
26- Eddie Albert
September:
2- Bob Denver
20- Simon Wiesenthal
Surrounded by family
and friends, Johnny
Carson, the “King of
Late Night TV,” died
on January 23, 2005,
at the age of 79.
October:
2- August Wilson
24- Rosa Parks
June:
November:
6- Anne Bancroft
24- Pat Morita
July:
December:
1- Luther Vandross
5- James Stockdale
18- William
Westmoreland
20- James Doohan
10- Eugene McCarthy
11- Richard Pryor
Most Watched TV Shows of 2005
#1: CSI
#2 Desperate Housewives
#3 Without a Trace
#4 CSI: Miami
#5 Grey’s Anatomy
#6 Lost
#7 Monday Night Football
#8 NCIS
#9 Survivor: Guatemala
#10 Law & Order: SVU
On the Bestsellers List
#1Harry
Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
#31776
#6
Blink
#8
The Broker
#2
You: The Owner’s Manual
#4Eldest
#7
Freakonomics
#9 The
#5
The World is Flat
Honeymoon
#10
4th of July
January 20
January 30
March 18
April 2
May 31
Bush took his 2nd oath of
office with the “ultimate
goal of ending tyranny in
our world.”
Iraqis elect a transitional
National Assembly.
Brain damaged Floridian
Terri Schiavo is disconnected from life support
and dies 2 weeks later.
Pope John Paul dies at 84
after 26 years as the
leader. He was succeeded
by Pope Benedict XVI.
Mark Felt admits to being
the source of the Washington Post stories that led to
the Watergate Scandal.
Centerspread
Top 10
Movies of
2005
January 31, 2006
Biggest Broadway Ticket:
The Odd Couple- $21.5 million
Top Sports Stories of the Year
NHL
Star Wars:
Episode IIIRevenge of
the Sith
$380.2 million
War of the Worlds
$234.2 million
Wedding Crashers
$209 million
Charlie & the
Chocolate Factory
$206.4 million
Batman Begins
$205.3 million
Harry Potter & the
Goblet of Fire
$201 million
After a cancelled
season, the NHL returns with a revamped
game in October that
is getting rave reviews.
White Sox
win
World Series
The San Antonio Spurs
win the NBA Championship against the
Detroit Pistons 83-68
in the seventh and
final game in the
series. The MVP of
the NBA in 2005 is
Steve Nash.
The Chicago White
Sox clench their first
World Series title since
College Basketball World War I on OctoNorth Carolina wins
ber 26, winning four
the Division I champigames to one against
onship over the Unithe Houston Astros.
versity of Illinois.
At 30, Tiger Woods is
resurgent in his career after marrying
his Swedish fiance,
Elin Nordegren.
Tony Stewart takes
home the title of
Nextel Cup champion
this year. This is
Stewart’s second
championship in the
#20 Home Depot
Chevrolet.
Lance Armstrong wins
his seventh Tour de
France in the summer
of 2005.
U2
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Paul McCartney
4. Dave Matthews Band
Hitch
$177.5 million
5. Coldplay
6. Bon Jovi
7. Kenny Chesney
The Dublin, Ireland,
band’s Vertigo Tour
was the most requested concert of
2005.
8. The Eagles
9. Elton John
10. Nine Inch Nails
Time Magazine’s Persons of the Year
U2 Frontman: Bono
and
Bill & Melinda Gates
The Longest Yard
$158.1 million
Ben Affleck
& Jennifer Garner
Luciana Bozan
& Matt Damon
Donald Trump
& Melina Knauss
Ashton Kutcher
& Demi Moore
Sandra Bullock
& Jesse James
Seal & Heidi Klum
Trisha Yearwood
& Garth Brooks
#1
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
$186.3 million
Marriages
Cycling
Most Requested Concert Tickets
Madagascar
$193.1 million
Star I Do’s
& Break-ups
Golf
NASCAR
NBA
7
Christina Aguilera
& Jordan Bratman
Tiffany Thiessen
& Brady Smith
Break-Ups
Orlando Bloom
& Kate Bosworth
Renee Zellweger
& Kenny Chesney
Chad Michael Murray
& Sophia Bush
Paris Hilton
& Paris Latsis
Jessica Simpson
& Nick Lachey
June 13
July 26
August 29
September 3
October 26
Michael Jackson is found
not guilty on all charges in
California.
Space shuttle Discovery
safely returns to Earth. It is
the first flight since the
Columbia disaster in 2003.
Katrina makes landfall
with 140 mph winds. It is
the costliest and deadliest
storm in U.S. history.
Supreme Court Jusitice
John Renquist dies at 80 of
thyroid cancer. He is
succeeded by John Roberts.
The death toll in Iraq
reaches 2,000.
28
January 31, 2006
Career Corner:
with a bus driver
Bradley University
By Tiffany Newtson
Location: Peoria, IL
National Recognition: Bradley University has been
ranked 4th among Midwestern comprehensive
universities in the 2005 edition of America’s Best
Colleges published by U.S. News & World Report. In
addition, Bradley’s Department of Industrial and
Manufacturing Engineering and Technology was
ranked number 2 in that special discipline.
Enrollment: 5,200 Undergraduates, 900 Graduates
Programs of Study: over 100 programs offered
Tuition: $18,700
Room & Board: $6,580
Average ACT: 23-27
Average class size: 23
High School Rank: 92% of all freshmen ranked in
the top 50% of their high school class
Number of freshmen enrolled each year: 1136
Housing: Apartments & CO-ED Residence Halls
Visit Dates: Monday, February 20; Friday, February
24; Friday, March 24; Friday, April 7; Saturday, April
22; and Friday, April 28—online registration is
available for all dates
For more information: visit www.bradley.edu
Scholarships Available:
More information is available on the bulletin
board in the guidance office.
See your guidance counselor with any
questions or concerns.
1. Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship
Due 4-12-06
2. AMVETS #64 Scholarship
Due 4-1-06
More information available at: www.AMVETS.net
3. Beta Sigma Psi Scholarship
Due 2-11-06
4. College Financial Aid Handbook
5. Discover Card Scholarship (for Juniors only)
Due today
6. Got Milk? Scholarship
Due 3-3-06
More information available at: www.whymilk.com
7. A Few Good Students Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
More information available at: www.MCSF.org
8. Illinois AMVETS Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
9. Lillian E. Glover Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
10. National Defense Transportation Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
11. Odd Fellows Rebekahs of Illinois Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
More information available at: www.ioof-il.org
12. James Ursano Fund Scholarship
Due 3-1-06
More information available at: www.aerhq.org
13. ICC Scholarships
Five days per week,
students pack their bags and
head off to school. Some
drive or are dropped off, but
many ride the bus. Few
people stop to think about
their bus driver.
In order to be a bus driver,
you must have a good driving
record. You must also pass
a written test and a driving
test to attain a class B
license.
To get to school on time,
bus drivers have to be at
work at 6:30 A.M. or before.
They then work for about
three hours, depending on
how many students their bus
takes to school. Drivers
work for another three hours
after school.
Before going on their
routes, drivers check their
breaks, lights, heaters,
windows, doors, and even
first-aid kits.
The starting pay for a bus
driver in this area is about
ten dollars per hour. Each
year that a bus driver
returns, he/she receives a
raise.
Though assignments are
based on seniority, drivers
can opt to drive students to
extra-curricular activities or
on fieldtrips.
A District 150 driver, who
asked to remain anonymous,
says that the most
important part of her job is
making sure that students
follow bus rules. She said,
“The rules are in place to
keep you kids safe.”
Standing or eating on the
bus might not seem like a
major offense to you, but the
driver pointed out that such
things become much worse
in case of an accident.
The major differences
between a car and a bus are
mirrors and length. In
buses, there are five mirrors;
two extra mirrors help the
driver see anyone in front of
the vehicle. Because a bus
is so long, it takes three
times longer than a car to
slow down and has to be
turned differently.
This is a decent part-time
job with good pay. It is great
for those who like children.
The only downside is driving
in bad weather.
January 1966
Cheaters Fool Only Themselves
In the January 14, 1966, issue of the Limelight, cheating
was described as an art. However, despite all the top of the
line technology students were using at the time, teachers
were still catching on.
Some of the most popular forms of cheating were: Watch
rolls – hiding answers in the band of a watch for easy and
quick access. The Crib – a piece of paper tucked in your
hand. Roving eyeball – self-explanatory. The article also
mentioned many more that were pretty clever but extremely
obvious.
The point of the article, however, was to prove to students
that they weren’t really learning from cheating and to make
it known that teachers were cracking down on those
students who did cheat.
Semester Limelight Sale
Did you know that at one time LCHS students had to pay
for their Limelights?
A semester subscription to the Limelight cost $1.25.
Subscriptions to the Limelight started over each semester
and could be purchased from any of the student newspaper’s
representatives.
World’s Foremost Whistler Fred Lowery To Perform
In an assembly on January 18, Fred Lowery, the “King of
Whistlers,” showcased his whistling talents for Limestone
students.
Lowery had previously appeared with high ranked
performers of the time, such as Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Ed
Sullivan, and Vincent Lopez.
Lowery’s talents were on commercials, radio, clubs, and
even records. His superior talent to that of other whistlers
earned him the “King of Whistlers” reputation.
Debaters Love To Argue, Work, Compete
To be a debater on the 1966 debate team, students had to
have a willingness to work and a strong desire to win.
Debate coach Mrs. Vonna Lou Larson said that her team had
to love their job as debaters.
The argued topic was “Resolved: The federal government
should adopt a program of compulsory arbitration in labormanagement disputes in the basic industries.”
Feature
Up Close &
Personal With...
Jared Vogel
If you were a crayon,
what color would you
be?
Burnt Cyan. That just
seems right.
Future plans:
College at Bradley &
working at Caterpillar
What is your favorite
Kool-Aid? Stick with
original Red. O, yea!
If you could be a superhero, which one would
you be?
The Human Torch
because of the fire! And
he doesn’t wear tights.
What would you do for a
Klondike Bar?
Gather a 40 man raid
and take on whatever is
keeping it. If it was a
legendary or epic item, a
lot would be done.
What is your favorite
high school memory?
My first day in Mr.
Wittmer & Mr.
Perschnick’s classes...
the best teachers to have
left.
What is your favorite
school lunch?
The wedges, man.
Which of Snow White’s
seven dwarfs are you
most like?
Doc, because it doesn’t
rhyme, and he wears
glasses.
If you could go back in
time, what would you do
differently?
I would go back to all the
great wars and help the
underdogs. Why? The
question comes to What
If?
If your life were a
movie, which one would
it be?
Fear and Loathing in Las
Vegas-Johnny Depp’s first
crazy movie.
What is your most
prized possession?
My computer. It owns!
And my Dachshund, too.
Who is your hero?
Dan Rathers of CBS
News! He’s old; he’s cool!
What adjective best
describes you?
Articulate
Entertainment
Scene it?
Fun with Dick and Jane
Plot Overview
Dick Harper (Carrey) works
for a large company and is
the main source of his
family’s income. Suddenly,
the company goes bankrupt,
and Dick loses his job.
Now Dick and his wife
Jane (Leoni) find themselves
in debt. Soon, they both
realize that in order to keep
themselves and their son off
the streets, they have to find
a way to earn money fast.
They figure the only way to
do that is to turn to a life of
crime, so they organize
heists on their rich friends’
bank accounts.
Rating: Pg-13; Starring: Jim Carrey, Téa Leoni, and Alec
Baldwin; Time: 1 hour and 29 Minutes
Viewer’s Commentary
By Leah McElhiney
By Sami Hubbard
I personally did not like
this movie. Yes, it was
funny at certain times,
although it was not
something I will want to see
more than once. I also think
that if Jim Carrey would not
have played Dick, then the
movie would not have been
funny at all. Carrey helped
to make the transition from
horrible movie to bad movie.
Though I did laugh very
hard at certain times, Téa
Leoni just wasn’t doing
anything for me at all; I did
not think she was very
funny.
I have to say that during
the entire movie I was
sitting there just waiting for
the movie to end. It did
seem to drag on forever, but
luckily it was only 89
minutes long.
Jim Carrey is easily one of
my favorite actors, but this
was not his best movie by
far. He really played the part
better than anyone else
could have ever done.
The problem with the
movie, in my opinion,
definitely had to be casting
Téa Leoni as the part of
Jane. Her acting style is not
what made this movie great.
This movie is supposed to be
funny, but her acting made it
the opposite.
This is the kind of a movie
a person would go to see in
order to get a good laugh, not
to simply waste time. Most
of the scenes seemed to
make the movie longer. I
have to admit that the only
really funny parts were the
were the scenes featured in
the previews.
Reading Between the Lines
WIND IN THE WILLOWS
By Kenneth Grahame
By Danielle Richmond enjoy pretending
This book was originally
written, ironically enough, as
a bedtime story for Kenneth
Grahame’s own son. WIND
IN THE WILLOWS is a book of
pure imagination. It takes
you back to the days when
you were a kid, and once
again it opens the door to
your limitless imagination.
Featuring a tale of four
main characters- Mole,
Ratty, Badger, and ToadGrahame weaves a tale for
all ages. The book is filled
with sincerity, simplicity,
adventure, instinct, loyalty,
dedication, and it gives us a
deeper peek at that funny,
heart-consuming, tangible
thing called friendship.
Thumbs up all around!
This book has been a
favorite of mine since I was
a kid. I remember my dad
reading the book to me as a
bedtime story. I used to
to be one of
the main characters, and I
usually chose the role of the
adventurous, troublesome
Toad. I loved the way my dad
impersonated Toad; he
always was a great story
teller - he could even make
the most boring stories
sound alive and real, putting
wonderful pictures in my
mind’s eye.
No matter your age, I
would definitely recommend
reading this old favorite.
9
Music to my ears
January 31, 2006
A review of O.A.R.’s Stories of a Stranger
By Jake Stewart
From their beginning of
playing for free drinks at a
fraternity house to now
playing in Israel, the
transition of Of a Revolution
(O.A.R.) from a college band
to a major headliner has
been nothing short of
amazing.
O.A.R. came together in
1997 when Marc Roberge,
lead vocalist, went to Ohio
State University. There he
met Jerry DePizzo, sax
player, and Chris Culos,
drums, at one of the
fraternity parties on campus.
They later joined together
with Rich On, lead guitar,
and Benji Gershman, bass.
In the beginning, the band
thought they would be a
simple frat band and nothing
more after their graduation.
But they gained dedicated
followers from OSU, and
their music was being
downloaded from Napster
users all over the country.
After O.A.R. had five
albums under their belt,
they went into the studio
with some money and time
to produce Stories of a
Stranger, which is a new
style of their already unique
sound.
I think “Heard around the
World” is a great opening for
this new album. With a
combination of Marc’s
fantastic voice and Jerry’s
awesome sax skills, the
song will fill your
headphones or your room
with this infectious sound.
This song is the perfect
example of what to expect
from the rest of the album.
“Love and Memories,”
another great song, is the
first and one of few of
O.A.R.’s songs to be made
into a music video. I think
the song is great because I
love the combination of the
two guitars playing and the
drums in the background
when all of a sudden a palm
muted guitar explodes with
the accompaniment of Marc
doing his thing… again.
I also love “Program
Director,” a song with a ska/
reggae feel that is perfect for
Writer’s Block
with
Night
Nigel Wheeler
Born on January 23, 1991,
Nigel Wheeler is now
currently a freshman at
Limestone.
Actively imaginative, he
writes about “morbid stuff,
and the world.”
Nigel draws his
inspiration and ideas from
music, thoughts, and
experiences, and he enjoys
writing as a way to express
himself.
When it comes to
influential writing, Nigel
says his friends play a large
part in that. “I want them
to get a picture in their
head as they read it, so
they can see the story as
I’m telling it.”
Being the thoughtful
writer type, Nigel has a lot
to say about what he has
learned from life. “Enjoy
life as it is going well, and
don’t give up. And always
do what you believe in,” he
explained.
The following poem,
Night, is one of Nigel’s
many poems he has
written.
warm nights out with
friends, or in our case, cold
nights at home. The sax
part in this song, in my
opinion, is out of this world.
The only other song that
comes to mind that includes
great sax playing on this
album is the last song on
the album, “52-50.” With a
bass and palm-muted guitar
playing, listeners can hear a
sweet melody of grace taking
over the song and taking it
to new heights. “52-50” has
no distinct chorus; it is more
of an ever flowing verse with
different ways of taking you
to a distant place.
I really loved this album,
and I think others will enjoy
it also. I especially think
saxophone aficionados will
love it. O.A.R.’s music is
infectious. With their root
influences including Bob
Marley and the Whailers and
other famous reggae bands
from the 1970s-1980s, their
music makes me think of
sunny California, a pleasure
during our cold, grey winters.
As dark as the world
could be,
A lone stranger makes
his way,
through the darkness
no good luck,
he cannot see for the
night has corrupted.
He has made his way
long and bold,
he has lost many a
friend,
many a soul,
a one and true love
that he thought he
could behold,
but the night has
corrupted.
The ones he held
dear,
he has hurt and
turned upon,
the darkness growing.
Alone once again,
the thoughts
haunting,
he rids them by dying.
The night corrupting.
The night dark and
lonely,
Nigel Wheeler
I walk as I ever did,
alone, cold and
waiting.
I wait for what seems
my second life.
No one comes,
for I am out of sight.
It starts to rain,
alone, cold and wet.
Still waiting.
My life has been a
circle,
never a broken chain.
I am still waiting for
what I hold dear.
I can’t seem to get
her out of my mind;
now I know what I
fear:
I fear of losing her
again,
through the night
Still alone, the night
more corrupting.
I try not to give in but
I have failed.
The darkness inside
and growing,
for the night has
corrupted.
January 31, 2006
Entertainment
1
20
Reality Twist
In the Spotlight...
10 by 10: Ten Scenes loosely based on the Ten Commandments
By Kyle Hovey
“10 by 10: Ten scenes
loosely based on the Ten
Commandments.” As I was
sitting in the odd layout of
Corn Stock Theatre reading
this title, one thing kept
going through my mind,
“Wes, this had better not be
a sermon or I’m going to kill
you!” Without making any
real religious statement, I
would like to point out that
I like to keep religion and
entertainment separated
with the exception of
Charlton Heston, who
conveniently draws a
reference in the first scene.
This being said, I will not
delve deeply into how each
play reflects its
corresponding
Commandment. Without
further ado, I now give my
humble review of “10 by 10.”
1. Kelso and Case-Tec by
Jose Cruz Gonalez (Six
stars)
Summary: Two brothers
(played by real-life brothers
Nick and LCHS alum Zack
Stein) from a broken family
try to pass the time while
waiting for a call from the
hospital to confirm their
mother’s status after a
domestic dispute with their
father. Points of interest: The
story was realistic and did a
good job capturing the hard,
yet intimate, relationship
between brothers. There
were some points in the
play where someone must
have forgotten his line or
perhaps it was just overacting. The highlight of the
play was the running joke
that suggests Charlton
Heston, in one form or
another, is always on TV.
2. Wonder on Paper by
Mary Hall Surface (Seven
and a half stars)
Summary: A brother and
sister are at an art
museum, and the brother is
eager to leave so they will
not be in trouble with their
father. The sister refuses to
leave until she has drawn
“beauty.” A philosophical
conversation of aesthetics
takes place until they reach
the revelation that “beauty”
in itself cannot be drawn.
Points of interest: This play
was directed by senior Wes
McKinney. The dialogue was
smooth, sarcastic, and
thought provoking. The
serious parts of the play
were sub-par, but
sophomore Sam Stein more
than made up for this with a
finesse for the comedy.
3. Waiting for Bobo by
Sandra Fenichel Asher
(Four stars)
Summary: Two teenage
girls wait in a bus station
parking lot to meet a
country music star after one
of his shows. Conflict forms
between the two when one
points out to the other all
the reasons this is a bad
situation. A rambling
argument occurs and is
resolved when the latter of
the two girls admits their
exploits were a bad idea.
Points of interest: To tell the
truth, there are no points of
interest in this scene. I am
not sure why, but I did not
care for it at all. The story
and acting were not bad,
although neither of them
were great. It was just,
“schmeh.”
4. Last Minute by Barry
Kornhauser (Nine stars)
Summary: Avante-gard
piece relating the creation of
the play itself to the
creation of the world. Points
of interest: WOAH!!! I loved
this play. Combine effective
scenery, skillful narration,
rock instrumentation, and a
truly unique style, and you
have one doozy of a play. I
only had three problems
with this one. The narrator
(who spoke for a large part
of the play) stumbled over
one line, the sound levels
were slightly off, and I was
not smart enough to digest
the entire performance.
5. Sitting with Bertie by
Ric Averill (Eight Stars)
Summary: A boy is
ostracized at summer camp
for befriending an outcast.
Points of interest: This was
the other play directed by
McKinney. It was
heatwarming, realistic, and
insightful. Besides for a
small amount of overacting,
it was performed flawlessly.
6. Quick-Draw Grandma
by Elizabeth Wong (Five
stars)
Summary: A psychotic
grandma takes sick pleasure
in killing flies, and her
grandson points out how
sadistic she is. Points of
interest: I hated this play. It
had a terrible story, and I
almost feel stupider for
having seen it, but... the
matriarch of the Stein clan,
Lisa Stein, gave such an
energetic and convincing
performance, the play was
saved. No joking here, folks:
that woman is the only
reason I did not boo.
7. Grown Up Tree by
Calen Sinnette Jennings
(Six stars)
Summary: A married
woman is caught kissing
another man by her young
daughter and tries to cover
it up. Points of interest: The
family in this play is
dysfunctional in a totally
weird way. The highlight of
this one was junior Megan
Larke full out slapping her
fellow actor across the face.
He was more surprised than
the audience and I laughed
for at least thiry seconds.
8. Out of Order by Cherie
Bennett (Six and a half
stars)
Summary: Eve (as in Adam
and Eve) lectures a teenage
girl about the evils of theft.
Points of interest: I have a
feeling I would have enjoyed
this play much more if it were
not so preachy. It was by no
means bad, but I felt like I
was watching a play by an
evangelical youth group. The
only notable attribute of the
play was its acting, which was
good but by no means great.
9. Fork in the Road by Y.
York (Two stars)
I’m skipping the summary
for a very important reason:
this play was so rambling,
boring, and overall terrible
that I could not follow the
story even though I tried for
the first half of it. The only
reason I did not give this a
lower rating was because the
actors were doing their best
to pass it off as something
other than the piece of
garbage it was. They failed. I
would prefer a fork in my ear
rather than watching Fork in
the Road again.
10. Get by James DeVita
(Four stars)
Summary: A brother and
sister are angered and hurt by
the selfishness and coldness
of their older brother who
seeks to rob them of their
inheritance. Points of interest:
The acting was bad. The story
was okay. The only thing
interesting was Nick Stein’s
rapping, which was highly
entertaining but still could
have been better.
An original short story by Danielle Richmond
Rain, rain, and more rain…
It was like that was all the
sky knew how to do. I am at
lunch, chin in hands, staring
out the window. I was trying
to find just one, single, tiny
ray of sunshine that all the
gloom might somehow have
managed to miss.
I sighed. Nope. Not one,
single, blessed speck of Thunk. A single, yellow
french fry penetrated my
ponderings, bouncing off my
nose and landing in the
middle of the soup. I
decided to neglect what had
just happened when a
droplet of the stuff hit my
forehead and trickled slowly
down my nose.
“Earth to Jen,” I heard a
voice say.
I sighed, wiped my nose
on my shirtsleeve, and sat
up. I ended up looking
straight into the mass of
blonde hair and laughing
brown eyes that belonged to
my best friend Nicole. She
had another french fry in her
hand, loaded with ketchup,
and it was halfway to her
lips.
“Either the display of
greasy fingerprints on that
window must be particularly
outstanding today,” she
mumbled as she munched.
“Or you’ve got some other
issues that I don’t know
about.” She then grabbed
another fry and put it into
her mouth.
“Nah,” I said. “I’m just
bored. Everything just
seems so… blah, lately… I
wish something exciting
would happen for once.
Nothing exciting ever
happens to me. And I’m
getting sick of this rain. It’s
making me restless.”
“I can tell,” Nicole said
dryly, leaning back in her
chair and watching me.
Suddenly, the bell rang and
we both jumped. Picking up
our trays and weaving
through the crowd, Nicole
grinned at me.
“Talk about excitement…
isn’t Miss Clark supposed to
announce the final decision
for our class field trip next
hour?”
“Oh, yeah…” I picked up
my pace a little, thinking,
well, maybe something
interesting might just
happen after all.
To be continued...
Heard in the Halls
“Look, I’m sorry, but I
need a break...”
~~
“Why don’t you just tell
me?!”
~~
“You’re worse than my
ferret”
~~
“Hey, I’ll take my pants
back! Thanks!”
~~
“Man, I don’t wanna do
that!”
~~
“Crazy, I was crazy
once.
I was in a small dark
room.
It was crazy!”
~~
“You’re going to die a
miserable painful
death! Have a nice
day”
~~
“See, this is how it is.”
~~
“They call him
Flipper, Flipper!”
~~
“I have to hang out
with people my group
approves of...”
~~
“No way! I hate that
class!”
~~
Sports
January 31, 2006
Limestone’s
Superstar Athletes
Nick Jacobs
Brandon Wikoff
Birthdate: December 14,
1988
Sport: Hockey
Position: Center
Plan to play in college:
Yes
Height: 5’ 10”
Uniform number: 22
Grade: 11
Nickname: Ronnie
Favorite color: Blue
Biggest role model: My
dad because he gives me
everything.
Good luck charm: My
2005 Black Hawk wristband
Favorite class: Math and
history because they’re
fun.
Pre-game rituals: Work
out, tape my hockey stick
Warm-up routine: Stretch
Off-season training: Work
out and play hockey
Major fears: Breaking a
bone
Favorite music:
Everything
Birthdate: April 5, 1988
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Plan to play in college:
No – Baseball
Height: 5’ 8”
Uniform number: 5
Grade: 12
Nickname: Wizard
Favorite color: Red
Biggest role model:
Michael Jordan – greatest
basketball player to ever play
the game
Favorite class:
Computerized Accounting–
fun and easy
Warm-up routine: Stretch
and z-line lay-ups
Off-season training:
Work out and play other
sports
Major fears:
I always think I have
forgotten part of my uniform.
Favorite music: Rap and
classic Rock
“Gentlemen, start your engines!”
Junior races go-karts, wins awards
Photo courtesy of http://home.earthlink.net/~akartracer/
Junior A.J. Zentko-Hill competes in go-kart races and has won many awards.
By Zach Towery
Does the sound of engines
revving excite you? For
Limestone junior A.J.
Zentko-Hill, that sound has
almost become a way of life.
Hill has been racing go-karts
since he was eight old!
“When I was eight, I went
up to my dad’s and asked
him if I could race. We
looked into it, and there was
kart racing around, so we
decided to do it,” explained
Zentko-Hill.
The first in his family to
race, Zentko-Hill has
competed and won in many
races. He has raced in many
big competitions, like the
IKF. During this
Dance: The forgotten sport
By Megan Wendland
Now give me a beat. Heel,
brush, heel. Shuffle ball
change. Riff. Shuffle Jump
back. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. This
language may seem
completely foreign to some,
but for many of the dancers
at Limestone, they are terms
used on a regular basis.
Welcome to the world of
stretching, leaping, jumping,
tapping, and the place where
the set of numbers only
reaches eight.
From the time many of us
girls were young, we have
participated in dance recitals
every year without thinking
twice. It has become a part
of our routine—we just know
we have to go to dance,
almost like how we have to
go to school.
For the past thirteen
years, I have spent at least
one day a week sharing in
the joy of clicking my heels
and learning eight counts. It
has become almost an
obsession—it clears the
mind and allows us to focus
solely on the motions of our
bodies.
Students at Limestone, as
well as girls from various
schools in the Peoria area,
meet each week to pound the
latest steps from their feet
into their brains. Some girls
who participate in dance
outside of school include
seniors Breanna Closen,
Mallory Sanders, and Sarah
Mason, junior Caitlyn Moore,
sophomores Paige Sanders
and Emily Larke, and
freshman Leah McElhiney;
however, that is just to
name a few.
In our lives, we have found
dancing an awesome way to
meet new people. It
introduces everyone to girls
from all walks of life that
have one passion in
common.
Closen has been taking
dance at The Dance
Connection in Bartonville,
taught by Heidi Turner, since
the age of 3. Now that she
is older and more
experienced, she feels that
the lessons she learned in
that studio could not have
been taught to her anywhere
else in the world.
“It’s not just about going
to dancing anymore. It’s
about the relationships I
have formed with all of my
friends over the years. It’s
about how at home I feel
when I’m there. Heidi has
become almost like a second
mom. I can show up at
dance, cry to her about my
problems, and she always
11
has a way to fix them,” said
Closen.
Several girls, such as
Mallory and Paige Sanders,
Emily and Megan Larke, and
myself, have been helping
Turner out at the studio for
a few years. We each take a
shift one day a week, and we
go in and help instruct the
dances to the children. It
allows us to give a little bit
back to a studio that has
done so much for us.
Hopefully, the kids are
looking up to us the way we
looked up to our “helpers” so
many years ago.
“It was an honor when
Heidi asked me to help out
at the studio. I got to be a
role model the way her
helpers were role models for
me growing up,” commented
Mallory Sanders.
McElhiney has been taking
Irish dance lessons for four
years at Flynn’s School of
Irish Dance in West Peoria.
“It gives me a chance to
show that I’m proud of my
heritage.”
Next time a girl makes the
comment that she is a
dancer, refrain from taking
the face value. Look a little
deeper at the story that
unfolds behind it.
competition, Zentko-Hill was
awarded second place out of
60 racers.
Zentko-Hill also received a
ninth place award at a
Mississippi Tournament,
which had 80 competitors.
Zentko-Hill normally races
just in the surrounding
states. During the summer,
he races almost once or
twice a week, which can be
very exhausting.
Racing go-karts requires a
lot of physical and mental
endurance. Racing can take
a lot out of somebody and at
the same time, requires fast
reflexes, a sharp eye, and a
careful hand.
“I prefer racing dirt over
concrete because dirt
challenges the drivers more,
making for a better race,”
explained Hill.
The cars Hill drives now
are modified go-karts, which
can run on dirt around 45
mph. When on concrete, the
cars can gain speeds up to
80 mph.
Anyone interested in
learning more about go-kart
racing should check out
Zentko-Hill’s website. There
you can find ways to race
yourself and also see the
results from his 2004 and
2005 seasons. His website
is http://
home.earthlink.net/
~akartracer/.
Sports
12
January 31, 2006
Sports Shorts
North Stars rally back
Thanks to the support of a very rambunctious crowd of
people, the varsity hockey team came back from a 2-0 deficit
to tie the first place team, Morton/Washington 3-3.
The Ice Hawks dominated until junior Nick Jacobs got a
late goal in the second period, and Drew Parkhurst scored in
the middle of the third period.
The North stars start their playoffs on February 12. Game
times will be on morning announcements.
Genovese named
lifter of the month
Do six
internships
seem like
an unfair
advantage?
The Limestone football team would like to congratulate
sophomore Mike Genovese for his achievements as “Lifter of
the Month” for December. Genovese has really pushed
himself in the weight room and is very deserving of this
award. Genovese, like many other Rockets, know that “Only
the Strong Survive!” Congratulations, Mike, and keep up the
good effort!
Softball season already
in full swing
Softball is getting ready to start the season. The first two
open gyms were on Wednesday, January 18, and on
Wednesday, January 25; listen to morning announcements
for upcoming open gym dates and times.
Softball tryouts will begin on Monday, February 27 and will
last through Wednesday, March 1. Any student interested
in trying out must have a current physical, an insurance
wavier, and an athletic code on file or she will not be allowed
to tryout.
If you have any questions, contact coaches Leanne Bonifas
or Shelly Stoner.
Girl’s basketball
makes progress
At St. Ambrose, we encourage students like Aaron
Freshman girls
can do that because we have great connections with all kinds
The freshman girl’s team had a shaky start but is making
progress as the season goes on. The team has gotten much
better at their free throws, but they still need a lot of work
on boxing out. The team’s next home game is on
Wednesday, February 1 against Notre Dame at 6:00 p.m.
of businesses and organizations, both in the Quad Cities and
Sophomore girls
The sophomore girl’s team, as of January 20, have a record
of 7-7. The team has worked extremely hard this year and is
showing great progress. They are working on being better at
rebounding and passing.
Washington to pursue as many internships as they want. We
throughout the region—from schools and clinics to engineering and marketing firms. Does that give our students an unfair
advantage? Maybe. But they say it feels great.
Join us for a campus visit to find out more about all the
Ambrose advantages. Call 800/383-2627 to schedule
your appointment.
Varsity girls
The Varsity girl’s record is 4-15. Their next home game is
on Friday, February 3 against Morton High school, so come
out and cheer on your Lady Rockets!
Boy’s Basketball is
improving its season
Ambrose. Advantage.
Freshman boys
With six wins and seven losses, the freshman boy’s team
is just one game away from having an even record. The boys
have become much better ball handlers and at blocking out.
Their next home game is on February 6 against Canton.
Sophomore boys
The sophomore boy’s team has improved since the
beginning of the season. Their competitiveness has vastly
improved over the past couple of months.
Varsity boys
The varsity boy’s team has had a huge improvement with
their defense. In their last few games, they have been able
to keep very good teams at less than forty-five points. They
have also shown improvements on their scoring.
Davenport, Iowa
800/383-2627
www.sau.edu/advantage