black and white - Arlingtonian Student Newsmagazine
Transcription
black and white - Arlingtonian Student Newsmagazine
acadamy award buzz student poll predicts winners $3 | feb. 24 2010 Haitian earthquake Students aim to Help relief effort Upper Arlington High School 1650 Ridgeview Road columnist sides with conan o’brien Upper Arlington, OH 43221 Black and White Homogeneity in UA causes ignorance, animosity, lack of understanding on the web: www.arlingtonian.com arlingtonian volume 73, issue 6 february 24, 2010 Black History Month highlights lack of diversity at UAHS 10 04 Literary arts magazine seeks recognition New online program helps students avoid plagiarism 05 06 UA school district faces lawsuit upon changes in independent status Student athlete’s workouts increase in commitment level 07 08 09 10 Students encounter cyber bullying on social network sites, such as Facebook Haiti crisis brings international community together Illegal music downloading can have pricey consequences Lack of diversity becomes an issue of concern in UA 14 16 18 19 Students report their Oscar picks, based on nominations Seniors travel to help less fortunate Columnist criticizes NBC and Leno’s role in Late Night scandal Editorial: Internet etiquette should be mandatory for all Eight in Eight: Eight students answer a question in eight words 06 Any thoughts, comments or questions? Let your voice be heard and e-mail us at arlingtonians@yahoo.com or visit www.arlingtonian.com 09 9 14 cover photos by emilypoole contents top photo by nicolewagner contents lower photos/graphics (in numerical order) by brittanymiller, brittanymiller, courtesy DreamWorks, joeadams some content courtesy asne/mctCampus HighSchoolNewspaperService 16 arlingtonian “We approached the issue of race with apprehension; it’s not exactly a comfortable topic for most.” T The beginning of second semester means many things for students. For freshmen, they have survived the first half of the year. For sophomores, National History Day projects have begun, and the prospect of soon becoming upperclassmen is looming. For juniors, there’s one thing on their minds—college. The stretch before applications are due is a daunting one. Seniors also have college on their mind, but with applications and first semester grades sent, we are more likely to be counting the days until school’s out. I, like many other seniors, have found myself more relaxed and less stressed out about school. To use my dad’s terminology, we seniors are in the “home stretch.” Ready to pass the finish line and leave high Leah Johnst on Arlingtonian is a student-produced newsmagazine published approximately every four weeks by Journalism III-A students at Upper Arlington High School. The publication has been established as a public forum for student expression and for the discussion of issues of concern to its audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Since Arlingtonian is a forum for student expression, the editorial board, which consists of the staff’s top editors, will determine the content of the newsmagazine and all unsigned editorials; therefore, material may not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Upper Arlington school officials. Arlingtonian welcomes letters to the editor, guest columns and news releases from faculty, administrators, community residents, students and the general public. The Arlingtonian editorial board reserves the right to withhold a letter or column and return it for more information if it determines arlingtonian school, yet hesitant about our future in college. On a more serious note, February is Black History Month. We approached the issue of race with apprehension; it’s not exactly a comfortable topic for most; however, that does not mean it is not an important one. Upper Arlington, a community that prides itself on its excellent academics and traditions, is also known for several other, more negative aspects. Diversity is not a strong presence felt in the high school— or really any part of the community. While definite strides have been made, there is still room for improvement. It is important to understand and appreciate different cultures, and that is what we have dedicated this issue to. We’d love to print feedback from students, teachers and readers alike. So if you have an opinion about any of our articles, feel free to e-mail us and we’d be happy to print it.You can also comment on individual stories on our website at www.arlingtonian.com. Feedback is always helpful in terms of knowing how we are doing and what we can do to improve. Hoping everyone has an enjoyable winter season and some snow days of their own, Leah Johston, Editor in Chief the piece contains items of unprotected speech as defined by this policy. As a public forum, all letters and columns meeting the above criteria will be posted in full on the Arlingtonian web site at www.arlingtonian.com for a minimum of four weeks. Arlingtonian and its staff will strive to publish only legally protected speech following the legal definitions for libel, obscenity and invasion of privacy. The staff will also refrain from printing stories that create a material disruption of school activities. Because the Arlingtonian staff will determine content of the publication, it will therefore also take complete legal and financial responsibility for what is printed.Arlingtonian will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy. The Arlingtonian staff raises and pays all printing and production costs through advertising sales, subscription sales and other fundraisers. The editor or co-editors shall interpret and enforce this editorial policy. february 24, ’10 2009-10 Staff Editor in Chief Leah Johnston Managing Editor Kristy Helscel Design Editor Corey McMahon Writing Staff In Brief Co-Editors Noah Grumman Maria Paskell Spotlight Editor Marisa Patwa Features Co-Editors Hannah Jochem Alison Gilbert Final Word Editor Evan Smith Staff Writers Zoey Whitmeyer Parijhat Jha Bo Fisher Eman Albash Business Staff Business Manager Megan Knoop Ads Editor Erin Williams Business Staff Tess Galantowicz Maggie Minor Megan Stucko VISUALS staff Photo Editor Nicole Wagner Photojournalists Emily Poole Brittany Miller Graphics Editor Alice O’Neill Graphics Artist Lou Ward ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Adviser Carol Hemmerly Printing Representative Bob Moyer with Beckman XMO 3 News • Briefs • Reviews • Bits • Bytes Aware of Bare? Award-winning magazine struggles for recognition emanalbash ‘10 I In the hallways of UAHS, many students have seen posters displaying mysterious eyes, followed by the words, “Submit to Bare.” Bare, the literary arts and music magazine, was recently rated as one of the top high school literary magazines in the country, an accomplishment unmatched by any other school in Ohio. Despite the magazine’s success and advertisements, the staff of Bare still encounters many students who know little-to-nothing about the magazine. Any creative student interested in writing, art or music can submit his or her work to Bare for possible publication. The magazine is produced annually in May, and the deadline for students to submit their work this year is March 15. According to Bare adviser Nancy Volksen, the staff reviews each piece of work without knowing who submitted it and then decides if it should be included in the magazine. “We do our utmost to get as many different students’ work in as we can afford each year,” Volksen said. “If you’ve got creativity, we want it.” The Bare staff is composed entirely of students, whose jobs include gathering and sorting all the pieces of work and then preparing them for the publication. One of the main tasks for the staff this year is to raise awareness for Bare. According to senior Amanda Ball, editor in chief of Bare, staff members raise awareness for Bare by putting up fliers around the school, filling the staff display case and spreading the word about the magazine. Despite this, she said most students seem unaware of the magazine. “I think Bare has been under-advertised since the beginning,” Ball said. “At this point, it kind of seems like only upperclassmen can really say that Bare is a magazine, but most don’t know much more than that.” On the other hand, music editor senior Phil Lindsay said he thinks the general awareness of Bare has grown during his four years at the high school, especially recently. “When I was a freshman, I didn’t know [Bare] existed,” Lindsay said. “I think that advertising in past years has been fairly confusing and essentially failed to get the word out. However, in the past two years the staff size has grown and word is definitely spreading.” With the growing awareness, Bare has undergone changes and improvements during the past couple of years. According to Volksen, Bare was first produced in full color in 2007 and has remained that way ever since. Additionally, Bare has evolved from Turn it in: Perhaps it has passed through the minds of many students. Staring at a computer screen trying to draft an essay that seems impossible to write, it seems almost too easy to conduct a quick Internet search and—with a copy and paste—the essay is done in a snap! But maybe that is too obvious. Maybe take a few words here and there and paraphrase the rest. However, with the new anti-plagiarism online program starting at UAHS, students might find that such methods of completing an essay will be quite easy to identify. TurnItIn is an online program used by 4 photo by nicolewagner simply a literary magazine to include artwork and music, as well. “Last year, with Phil Lindsay’s leadership, Bare produced its first CD of original student compositions,” Volksen said. “If we could add moving art—drama, dance, film [and] animation—we would be able to celebrate more student creativity. I guess we need to take it one step at a time.” Ball said her biggest challenge is reviewing all the late submissions. She said students usually wait until the deadline to submit their work to Bare, so she and the rest of staff must schedule extra meetings to make sure they review everyone’s pieces. However, Ball said she loves seeing all of the students’ creative work. “It’s inspiring,” Ball said. “The absolute best experience is choosing a piece to be in Bare, and then when the author [or] artist is revealed in the final magazine, seeing that this kid you’ve been sitting next to all year is a creative genius.” New web-based program aims to help students, teachers check for proper citation, end plagiarism mariapaskell ’11 P Bare editors, seniors Phil Lindsay and Amanda Ball, stand before their new signage. The staff reviews works without knowledge of the author to determine if it will appear in Bare. thousands of high schools and colleges across the country, and UAHS is now one of them. The program allows students to upload their essays onto the website which searches its database of information for any matches or similarities. Students will then receive an originality report that will highlight any areas of concern. According to principal Kip Greenhill, the program is not meant to punish students. “We are not trying to play ‘gotcha’ here,” Greenhill said. “Rather, we want to set a philosophy to be a better writer.” Greenhill said the program is meant to help students avoid plagiarism rather than get them in trouble. february 24, ’10 arlingtonian UAHS’ $1 million problem New conversion school standards could alter funding for Upper Arlington Community and IB High Schools The Upper Arlington School District faces a huge problem—a million dollar problem. According to the law firm Bricker & Eckler, the Ohio Department of Education has changed position on the issue of funding conversion schools, such as the Upper Arlington International Baccalaureate High School and the Upper Arlington Community High School. Such a change could, according to a staff bulletin, cost the school district $1 million. According to Bricker & Eckler, which described the situation in a January 2010 report, the controversy is caused by wording within section 3314.01 (B) of the Ohio Revised Code, which states, “a community school created under this chapter is a public school, independent of any school district, and is part of the state’s program of education. A community school may sue and be sued, acquire facilities as needed, contract for any services necessary for the operation of the school, and enter into contracts.” The phrase in question is a community school being “independent of any school district.” To ODE, this means the school must operate in an entirely self-sufficient manner. In recent letters to schools with conversion schools in question, ODE stated what constitutes operation independence. “Indicators of a conversion school’s autonomous operations include such things as separate facilities, staffs, students, treasurers and governing boards, and whether the day-to-day operations are carried out by an [independent administator],” ODE letters said. Bricker & Eckler, on the other hand states that the phrase within the Ohio Revised Code simply indicates that community schools have a status of independence as a matter of law. “Every community school has all of the powers associated with independent entities, including the power to choose with whom to contract,” the report said. According to a earlier report in Dec. by Bricker & Eckler, the ODE letters laid out a timetable for schools to be in compliance with the law. To do so, the letters asked that schools develop a “corrective plan” within 90 days. The plan should be implemented by July 1, 2010. Principal Kip Greenhill expressed dismay with the decision by ODE. “We had these plans approved by [ODE],” he said. “We made it very clear that it would be in the same building as the regular high school, and that was approved.” Greenhill also stated that compliance might not be possible, especially as early as ODE wants. Compliance would require a new administration, teachers exclusive to the conversion school and separate facilities. If schools cannot or do not comply with the measures, funding could be pulled. A staff bulletin on the issue stated that the amount of funding that Upper Arlington has received for its two conversion schools totals approximately $1 million. Bricker & Eckler has laid out a possible scenario if ODE persists. “In the event that ODE persists in its demands, the conversion schools’ options will be limited,” the Jan. report said. “The schools may choose to modify the manner of their operations, in order to satisfy ODE’s semands; or alternatively, if they believe they either cannot continue to operate on the terms required by ODE (or cannot maintain fiscal integrity and student achievement while operating on those terms), the schools may close. As yet another option, schools may choose to challenge ODE’s new requirements through litigation.” It remains to be seen whether a settlement between ODE and the school districts in question can be made, or whether the dispute will require legal action. According to Greenhill the issue probably will not be resolved this school year. “The decision is way down the road,” Greenhill said. “We’ll see how it works out.” “It gives a student feedback, so they can know if it is really his or her voice,” Greenhill said. “It informs students.” Social studies teacher Michael Hinze said the program can be very beneficial to students. “Students will become better writers with this tool...students will have to cite their sources,” he said. “It gives the student instant feedback and makes clear what needs to change.” Hinze said this will help students in the long run in terms of college and future jobs.. “TurnItIn provides direct feedback in terms that students understand. It might sound threatening, but as long as you… give it a fair shake, you will find it a great tool for writing,” Hinze said. Not only is the website beneficial to students, it provides many benefits for teachers as well. “It helps teachers because they don’t have to go through and check students’ work,” Greenhill said. Hinze said he will use the program in his classes in the future. “I plan to have students use TurnItIn to submit their research papers for the Capstone project and perhaps other papers too,” Hinze said. “Of course, students will have the opportunity to submit their work to the website prior to the due date to see how they are doing.” An assembly last January informed the student body of the philosophy behind the TurnItIn program. “It is a widely used program and many colleges have gone to it, meaning students will most likely see it again,” Greenhill said. “Therefore, it is best to expose them to it now so that they can better prepare.” coreymcmahon ’11 T arlingtonian february 24, ’10 5 caption With lacrosse season coming up, many players are in the weight room three times a week hoping to increase strength and stamina. Along with lifting, the lacrosse bears also run and have open gym lacrosse sessions multiple times every week. photo by brittanymiller Always workin’ out Athletes balance rigorous pre-season workouts with school T parijatjha ’11 Twenty years ago athletes such as Brett Rothgeb, a star football and basketball player at Dublin Coffman high school, did all of their work on the field. The off-season activities were minimal, and the players spent much of their off-season training individually or simply enjoying the time off. Athletes have limited time to rest in the offseason. Instead they spend many days with their teammates working on preparing for the future. “I think this change is brought upon by all the new resources athletes have these days,” Rothgeb said. “In my day we only had one gym. These days there are multiple weight rooms, gyms and fields to practice on.” Rothgeb’s son, junior Damon Rothgeb, plays football and works out for the sport year round. He lifts, runs and does individual speed training all in preparation for football, Damon said. Such dedication is typical for off-season athletes as they prepare for their respective sports. Athletes undergo rigorous activities such as lifting, running and even fundraising to raise money for their teams. “I feel like in my dad’s day student athletes had it much easier. It’s easy to be overwhelmed[because of sports],” Damon said. Junior Drew Dakin is a two-sport athlete and goes through preseason conditioning before both lacrosse and football season. Like most football players, Dakin begins his first few weeks of summer by lifting and conditioning. In late June, running and scrimmages begin, and soon part of the summer is lost in preparing for the upcoming season. After football season ends, he begins preparing for lacrosse. “For me, since I can't do anything in fall because of football, in the winter I go to indoor lacrosse. Along with indoor [lacrosse] we also have lifting, morning running, afterschool captains’ running, open gyms and basketball,” Dakin said. Despite the multitude of tasks laid out in front of Dakin and other athletes, he does not think that all the extra activities are unreasonable. “All of the running helps condition and build stamina. I think it is definitely necessary, but there is a lot and sometimes it is difficult to balance everything,” Dakin said. One of these scenarios is when lacrosse players have morning running, after-school captains’ running and open gyms all in one day. Athletic trainer Ron Walters has spent many years dealing with these athletes. He said they do not have to be overwhelmed. “It is the athlete’s choice to let the sports overwhelm them. Academics obviously come first,” Walters said. “In the past I have seen captains’ running [days] be on different days than morning running, but it all depends on how astute the athletes are, and how they decide to organize their activities.” Walters said that lifting and conditioning are important parts of an athlete's off-season. Off-season workouts are important because they not only prepare them for the season, but they also help reduce injuries. Swimming and cheerleading are other sports that require major commitments. Sophomore Andrew Rabe decided to stop swimming after his freshman year. “We have swimming practice almost everyday, even in the summer,” Rabe said. “It can be really hard to get school work done sometimes when I get home really late from practice.” Cheerleaders are also often thought to have it easy, but sophomore Abby Dugger said cheerleading is nothing to laugh about. “In the off-season I have tumbling classes, I prepare for tryouts and go to cheerleading camp,” Dugger said. Athletes these days have many obligations to fill. Along with excelling in sports they must keep up with rigorous school work. “Whether sports have a negative or positive effect on kids is their choice,” Walters said. “They just have to prioritize and learn how to manage their time appropriately.” Groceries Meats Produce 2140 Tremont Center UA, Ohio 43221 Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 6 february 24, ’10 arlingtonian Internet enemies Cyberbullying affects some students marisapatwa ’12 W When senior Audrey Plant discovered a cruel blog post made about her by a fellow classmate, she was shocked. The blog criticized her Filipino skin as “orange,” among other things. She had read cases about cyberbullying and had seen movies featuring it, but never did she think she would be a target. “I couldn’t hold it in any longer after I found the blog,” Plant said. “I started to cry and I cried for the entire day.” According to a report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, about a third of all teens using the Internet say they have been bullied online—39 percent of which have been harrassed through social networks such as Facebook. This increase in cyberbullying has been noted by sophomore Ryan Fry. “I have seen multiple accounts of hatred towards others on Facebook through photos, comments and groups,” Fry said. “This is not what Facebook and other social sites were made to do, yet people take advantage of being able to type in anything they want to.” Although Plant said she thinks cyberbullying is unthinkable, she said she believes people do it because they have nothing better to do. “After experiencing a day like I had, I think that it is the worst thing someone could do behind one’s back,” Plant said. “I wasn’t able to defend myself on the Internet.” Along with Plant, sophomore Chris Hemmingsen was also targeted by cyberbullies. A fair amount of students joined the Facebook group made about him before Hemmingsen reported it to Facebook administrators and it was shut down—but the damage was already done. Hemmingsen decided to leave UAHS and enroll in St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, where he said he believes people will no longer judge him. Though both Hemmingsen and Plant have dealt with their cyberbullying, some cases across the nation have led teens to commit suicide. According to the Jan. 24. story “The Untouchable Mean Girls,” by Kevin Cullen of the Boston Globe, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince commited suicide after being continuously bullied at school and online. Her bullies were suspended from school, but they continued to post disparaging remarks on Prince’s memorial page on Facebook, which were According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, about a third of teens using the Internet say they have been bullied online. Social networking websites like Facebook are common places where cyberbulying takes place. photo illustration by nicolewagner then immediately removed. Fry said he believes cyberbullying is becoming more prominent because the bully is able to put someone down without having to deal with a confrontation. “They can just hide behind their computer, because it’s easier to do [on the Internet] than in person,” Fry said. Although Plant’s parents, friends and teachers have been her support system in dealing with her cyberbully, she said she still believes the blogger does not understand the extent of the damage done. “This bully will never understand what they have done until they have to go through what I had to,” Plant said. “When they experience the violation and hurtful comments, maybe then will they understand.” There are a number of ways to stop the cycle of abuse and create a safe place for communication online. The National Crime Prevention’s website lists several ways to stop cyberbullying. These include: refusing to spread hurtful messages online, blocking all forms of communication with any cyberbullies, reporting cyberbullying to either the website on which it is occurring or to a trusted adult, as well as raising awareness of cyberbullying. Plant said she now has a new outlook on cyberbullying and would never accept a request for a hateful group or a demeaning site about one of her classmates, especially after having gone through it herself. “Cyberbullying fuels people’s insecurities and tries to break down people’s self-esteem,” Plant said. “Teens who do that are insecure about themselves and need a reality check.” Plant said she believes that anyone who purposely tries to make another human feel worthless through cyberbullying will receive a special visit from Karma, because as the popular adage warns: What goes around comes around. FABCO Recording the past - protecting the future Stephanie Furst Marlene Mahoney 4640 Executive Drive Columbus, OH 43220 www.fabcogroup.com arlingtonian february 24, ’10 60 years of service to the multi-housing industry Phone: (614) 737.5709 (800) 669.5010 ext. 309 Fax: (614) 538.5622 Email: sfurst@fabcogroup.com 7 Nine-year-old Altenu Bill Cosby Jones, shown here in Petite Riviere, Haiti Jan. 29, is lucky to be alive. Jones was injured during the Jan. 12 earthquake that devastated Haiti. A helping hand for Haiti Students, teachers work together to raise funds for country stricken with crisis photo courtesy carolyncole/ losangelestimes/ MCTCampus could buy and sell items,” Markovich said. Another student group that is committed to the cause started a Facebook group called Highschoolers for Haiti. Created by junior Yeri Lee, this group has organized several benefit January 12 was the day that forever changed Haiti. The country events. Junior Ameya Deshmukh, another leader of the Facebook group, experienced a 7.0 Richter scale earthquake leaving the country in said the group will also be organizing fundraisers for Haitian relief. disarray. Haitians were left without food, water or shelter until relief “We work to spread the love and to provide donations and aid to efforts reached the country five days after the quake. Many were left those who have been affected by the tragedy in Haiti,” Deshmukh said. injured, stuck under piles of rubble or dead. The estimated death In the Facebook group, kids from any toll at press time was 250,000. grade have the chance to post their ideas on “I am sure we will need everything,” Haiti We work to spread the love how to provide help for those in need. ambassador Raymond Joseph said. and to provide donations and The group’s first event started off with a The devastation left the country in desperate Valentine’s Day candy gram sale that took need of help. People across the globe have united aid to those who have been place during the week of Feb. 15. in different ways to provide relief to Haiti. UAHS affected by the tragedy in Haiti. The events also include a St. Patrick’s students are doing their part by raising funds to Day candy gram sale on March 11be donated to Hand to Hand Haiti. Junior Ameya Deshmukh 12 and a three-on-three basketball or One of the efforts made by students was dodgeball tournament also taking place a bake sale. During classes, foreign language in March. In April, the group will also host a Pink Flamingo students went to classrooms selling baked goods. Fundraiser kick-off starting April 3 and a Haiti benefit concert French teacher Lisa Markovich led this effort along with her on April 16. All of the funds raised by these events will be students to raise money for the cause. donated to a yet-to-be-decided charity. “My student, [freshman] Lena Saleh, had the idea for a bakeIf you cannot donate to any of these local efforts, there are sale-on-the-go when we were brainstorming ways to help the other ways to help. Although over a month has passed, help is earthquake victims in Haiti,” Markovich said. still desperately needed. Ways to donate are as simple as texting. Markovich said they raised over $1000 in a week. Text “QUAKE” to 20222 in order to donate $10 to the Clinton “[We plan to send the money to] Hand to Hand Haiti. Its founder, Bush Haiti Foundation or text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 Pelege Lareus, [is planned to be] at our school … Feb. 22,” Markovich said. to the American Red Cross. Doctors Without Borders is another According to Markovich, the bake sale was successful due to the organization offering medical assisstance, and more information dedication of the students and the teachers. can be found on their website doctorswithoutborders.org. “The students showed a lot of commitment to providing the The past month, and the effort on the part of many, has shown baked goods. The willingness of many Global Language teachers the wealth of compassion at UAHS. [helped] as they allowed an interruption to their classes so students mariapaskell ‘11 8 “ february 24, ’10 “ J arlingtonian Downloading dilemma As prices rise on iTunes, illegal music downloading remains an issue with expensive consequences noahgrumman ’12 F Some students turn to illegal downloading sites like LimeWire to find music. The consequences of being caught for illegal downloading are usually hefty fines to the record company in question. illustration by brittanymiller For senior Jane*, downloading music is simple and most importantly, free. In a matter of seconds, she can use LimeWire to get nearly any song at no cost. It’s illegal, but who will ever find out? Illegal downloading remains common among music fans and students, despite iTunes and many other legal downloading sites. “Most of my friends [download illegally] too,” Jane said. “I only have one or two friends who actually buy music.” And though the act seems harmless and widespread, the consequences can be severe. One Minnesota woman was recently ordered to pay $1.92 million for illegally sharing 24 songs on the Internet, according to the June 19, 2009 article “$1.92 million fine for music piracy” in The New York Times. The harsh penalty was later reduced to $54,000, but the warning was clear. According to Jason Elvers, an intellectual property lawyer in Columbus who has worked in the music industry, huge lawsuits against even minor illegal downloaders and sharers are one of the ways that the recording industry is attempting to combat the illegal downloading problem. “[Record companies] realize that there is no way that they can go out and file lawsuits against every single person who downloaded illegally, because the practice is so widespread,” Elvers said. “The more they can get the word out and strike fear into the hearts of these people who are [illegally downloading], the better it is for them.” The warning is not enough for some illegal downloaders, like Jane. “I’ve heard stories, but no one I know has been caught yet,” Jane said. And chances are good that she never will get caught. “In all likelihood, if you go out and download a handful of songs illegally, nothing is going to happen to you,” Elvers said. “But just because you’re not a heavy downloader of illegal music files, I wouldn’t think that you’re completely safe or immune from legal action.” Besides lawsuits, downloading illegally raises another issue—does downloading from these sites count as stealing? “I don’t really think about it,” Jane said. “[But] I feel bad because I know the music industry isn’t doing too well.” For many who say they would not otherwise steal or shoplift, the ethical situation of downloading illegally is different. “When you can buy songs for 99 cents on iTunes, people think, ‘A dollar here and there, what’s going to happen?’” Elvers said. “When they’re uploading and downloading and copying, there’s no physical manifestation that they can really see or hold on to, so to some extent, it feels less wrong.” Sites like Grooveshark and even YouTube are another debate for the illegal music battle. On Grooveshark, members can upload music to the site that can then be played for free by anyone who visits the site. The same is true for YouTube, including music videos. Because the websites themselves are not usually responsible or liable for the user-uploaded music, it is difficult for record labels to pick out whom to target, according to Elvers. In a June 18, 2009 blog, Rolling Stone magazine wrote that Grooveshark “operates in a legal gray area...enjoy it while it lasts.” The future of music downloading is still difficult to predict, Elvers said. “There are certainly folks out there who think that copyright laws should be changed so this stuff isn’t illegal,” Elvers said. “It’s really hard to predict. Whether it’s going to be five, 10, or 20 years before a resolution is found, it’s hard to say.” *Denotes source who requested anonymity Learn to Play from the Performing Professionals “Our mission is to provide music education and support services to help individuals achieve their musical goals.” Call 614.745.1245 Today!! arlingtonian february 24, ’10 9 A hidden truth While attempts have been made, the lack of diversity at UAHS has left some students uncomfortable T zoeywhitmeyer ‘10 & bofisher ‘11 The bell rings, a classroom full of students scramble through the room searching for their seats. The teacher begins to walk up and down the rows, handing stack of papers to their students. Junior Michael Kilstrom reads the heading at the top of the page—Black History Month. Once the teacher finishes distributing the handouts to the class, he announces that today they will be discussing February, the month dedicated to black history. Immediately, Kilstrom receives looks from many students in the class, some smiling, some laughing. Kilstrom looks around the room and notices that he is the only black student among nearly twenty white students; he sinks in embarrassment. A Homogeneous Mixture Walking through the hallways of UAHS, one may not notice the disproportionate racial representation, but the statistics speak for themselves. According to the Upper Arlington High School website, 91 percent of Upper Arlington’s residents are Caucasian while just 6.2 percent are Asian. Additionally, less than one percent of Upper Arlington’s population is African American. This can present a difficult situation for students like Kilstrom. “[The lack of diversity] took some getting use to,” Kilstrom said. “I wish we had more diversity in our school.” These lopsided ratios between races can result in ignorance or even animosity from students and the communtiy. According to senior Sonia Suber, students may be sheltered to the point where they are uncomfortable around people of other races or cultures. “I feel like we’re in this little bubble, sheltered,” Suber said. “There are some kids who don’t even make an effort to get out [of UA] and because of that, UA can create these ignorant kids.” Junior Jack Bowman attends both UAHS and the Columbus Downtown High School and said the experience of attending a different school was eye opening. “[The reason] I was ignorant of the lifestyle at Columbus Public Schools [is] because I’ve lived in UA so long,” Bowman said. Bowman expressed a similar sentiment to Suber, saying that UA is too sheltered. “I do feel though that UA students are sheltered, which makes them unaware of culture of kids in the city,” Bowman said. The lack of ethnicity in the Upper Arlington school system may not only be affecting minorities. Venturing from clique to clique of students, one may find that most friend groups of the high school are populated by one race. Sophomore Rachel Bishop finds the lack of diversity in groups troubling. “It’s not weird, but I find it sad that they [aren’t more] diverse,” Bishop said. 10 Whatever race the groups are filled with, the lack of diversity in social groups does not go unnoticed. Freshman Derek Galantowitcz is one of many to notice the lopsided groups. “I believe many people limit their friends because of race,” Galantowitcz said. “I think [the students] could invite or befriend other people.” To principal Kip Greenhill, a more diverse school has long been an aspiration of his. In his opinion it would help students of all races. “I wish we were more diverse,” Greenhill said. “It makes wellrounded students and we try to break out of the bubble.” The need for diversity is not limited to just the student body. According to Greenhill, UAHS does not have one black teacher on the school staff. To him, this would not necessarily result in teachers of different cultures steering away from UA, but it is a definite concern and is difficult to fix. “It is a concern that we do not have diversity on our staff,” Greenhill said. “[Culture] is not always easy to bring in. You need to hire groups of teachers so they have their own support system.” Hidden Racism A disproportionate ratio between races, like the one Upper Arlington suffers from, can sometimes make minorities its victim. That is exactly what Kilstrom believes from experience. On several occasions, Kilstrom believes that he has been a victim of racial stereotypes from residents of his community. According to Kilstrom these racist events began way before he attended any schools of Upper Arlington. Kilstrom, an adopted son of a white family, was brought to his great-grandmothers house shortly after his adoption. Many years later he was told by his parents that his great-grandmother was not fond of the idea of having a greatgrandson who was black. “My great-grandma called me a negro when I was one-year old,” february 24, ’10 arlingtonian Junior Michael Kilstrom stands out in a class populated by all white students. The lack of diversity at UAHS is a troubling situation for minorites. arlingtonian photo by emilypoole february 24, ’10 11 Kilstom said. “My parents told me that they brought me to see her among the students. and she said, ‘Oh, you adopted a negro.’” “They handle it pretty well but Though Kilstrom realizes that his great-grandmother was raised everybody looks at me because I am the in a different time and therefore an old time perspective, he does not only black student in the class,” Kilstrom believe that excuses her comments. said. “It is really awkward sometimes.” Junior Jeff Shy can relate to Kilstrom’s family struggles. Sometimes For Kilstrom and Suber, most racism Shy feels out of place being the only black member in his family. traces back to school and their classmates, “[Sometimes] I feel like I’m the odd one out of my family,” mainly in a joking or non-intentional Shy said. manner. These situations are easy for Shy’s parents have never heard him complain directly about his them to handle without confrontation. race regarding comments that his family or classmates have made, but One situation that extended out of the they admit that he has complained about not fitting in. classroom caught Kilstrom’s attention “We moved here when Jeff was four-years old,” Shy’s mother, Becky and made him re-consider whether Shy, said. “We were not focusing on the lack of diversity [when we or not Upper Arlington was the warm moved here] but on a good education.” and welcoming place that some may His parents said they believe that racism describe it as. If we wanted Jeff to will exist anywhere they go, but they have During the summer, Kilstrom recalls a not experienced it in UA. situation in which he and his friends were experience African “Students in Upper Arlington can be driving around the community and Kilstrom American culture, we sheltered from different cultures,” Becky was a passenger in the car. At one point in the Shy said. “Perhaps they are naïve of the car ride, the car full of teenagers was pulled would have to take him surrounding ethnic groups and cultures. over by a police officer. outside Upper Arlington. If we wanted Jeff to experience African According to Kilstrom and others present American culture, we would have to take him during the incident none of the passengers UAHS Parent Becky Shy had been drinking and they gave the police outside UA.” Traces of the old world perspective can officer no reason to be suspicious. Kilstrom still be found in UA, although sometimes it stated that the officer then ordered him to remains hidden. In fact, in some areas deeds to houses still state that step out of the car and searched him. Kilstrom was the only passenger the house is not be sold to an African American. to be searched by the officer. Whether or not the officer did this According to Sociology teacher Chris Swartz, some deeds on purely based on the color of his skin, Kilstrom’s perspective on UA’s houses exclude “undesirable persons” from owning property in UA. welcoming status changed for the worse. “Specifically the term ‘colored’ is used,” Swartz said. “Not just African Americans, but also Jewish, Catholics, and all ethnic groups can be excluded.” This topic is discussed in Swartz’s sociology class and Kilstrom Over the past few years racism has become popular grounds for finds it offensive when students act apathetic over the subject. joking among students of all races. Such jokes have taken a toll on Classroom discussions on racial topics is yet another touchy minorities throughout the years. Kilstrom and Suber said the joking subject in the world of racism. Kilstrom and Suber said they believe is easy to get accustomed to after the course of a few years, but it does the discussions are mostly handled well, yet some students can come not feel good, especially when the jokes are taken too far. across as ignorant during these topics. Kilstrom said it took him several years to adjust to the content of “In Minorities [class], there are a lot of topics and questions that some of his friends’ jokes. Now, he said it rarely bothers him. are insulting,” Suber said. “I am offended when students act ignorant “I was offended when it started in eighth grade [but now] I’m or apathetic to the subject.” used to it,” Kilstrom said. Kilstrom said he believes that the discussions never cross To Suber, if the jokes are made to be funny and not harmful, she the line when handled by teachers, but can create awkwardness can handle them. “ “ Just a Joke? q ue s t io n an e sw & r Do you believe racism exists in Upper Arlington? This can be in either the school or the community. “I believe that there still remains some hostility towards other races, but it is very rare. I would not call it a problem by any means.” Senior George Schooley 12 february 24, ’10 arlingtonian Coming Together Though UAHS is not a racially diverse school, some students find ways to integrate their groups. Senior Sonia Suber considers her group of friends to be racially diverse. photo illustration by nicolewagner “In a joking sense, I’ve never [been offended by] offensive comments [made] towards me,” Suber said. Suber said the jokes are acceptable when made by her friends, but Shy said he believes there is a line that has been crossed by even some of his friends. To him, once this line is crossed, the joke changes quickly from good taste to being racist. “Students usually take racist comments too far and cross the line,” Shy said. “You know it is too far when people start using the N-word through the roof.” On the other hand, Greenhill said there are not any jokes regarding races that are acceptable. “There is no joke,” said Greenhill. “Anything that hurts someone is not funny.” Though racism is not acceptable to Greenhill, he said he feels that traditional punishments such as detentions or suspensions are not the answer to the problem. Instead, Greenhill said he believes that when problems like these arise, the best solution is to sit the student down and have a formal discussion, setting everything straight. According to Swartz, most racist comments or jokes heard by him are not necessarily meant to harm other students. “All racial comments in my classroom have been subtle,” Swartz said. “In Sociology, I have related to some ethnic jokes to show how dangerous they can be, as a part of a lesson about stereotypes.” Though Swartz said he believes most comments are made without intention of harm, when he hears racist jokes in the classroom too often or jokes that become too dangerous to the students, he takes disciplinary action. “I don’t know if it does. I don’t surround myself with those kind of people.” Junior Emma Frair arlingtonian Though many groups of students at UAHS may be dominated by one race, some students find their way through the racial segregation. Kilstrom, Suber and Shy all believe their groups of friends are racially diverse and feel no problems accepting friends of different races. Students of different races that transfer to UAHS may find themselves out of place, wondering where they would fit in and turning immediately to whomever they can relate to. Suber notices this and sympathizes for these students. “I think we need more culture at UA,” Suber believes. “I feel bad for new students at UA that do not know where they fit in.” This is not the case for Kilstrom and his group of friends who believe they have a very diverse social group. Kilstrom and his friend, Corbin Grimm, who is Caucasian, said they have been friends since the eighth grade. Grimm, who also attends the Columbus Downtown High School for a half a day, is happy to have such a diverse set of friends. In fact, he can not imagine what it would be like to only have friends of his race. “It could be a little weird only having white friends,” Grimm said. “I think it is nice having diversity in our group.” Grimm and Kilstrom admit that they and the rest of their friends share racist jokes at the expense of each other. Neither of them find it to be offensive as long as it is all in good fun. In the past, the two of them remember times they had to overcome a few racial obstacles of their own. According to Grimm, his grandmother, like Kilstrom’s, can have an old fashioned perspective that can be construed as racist. “She usually throws around the N-word around Michael,” Grimm admits. Grimm believes that her attitude comes from where and when she was brought up and not hatred for Kilstrom. “She grew up in that time and does not know any better,” Grimm said. “She just has that mind set.” To Suber, diversity is an important part of feeling comfortable in school. She admits to feeling out of place on one or more occasions in elementary school. “Sometimes I wish I lived in a different place with more diversity,” Suber said. Though she felt like this in the beginning, Suber surrounded herself with friends of different races as a way of feeling individual. “[When I was younger], I hung out with a lot of people who were different races,” Suber said. “I feel comfortable being an individual. It’s a bittersweet feeling.” “I’m sure racism still exists to some extent, but I have not really noticed any problemat school or in the community.” Sophomore Molly Groza february 24, ’10 “Yes. Like people hang out with their own race and not really any other races.” Freshman Zach Lee 13 oscar Opinions Up kristyhelscel ‘11 & evansmith ‘11 W While the Oscars may be a night of celebration, star-studded intrigue, and breathtaking moments for some, for others the annual awards show means a night of disappointment, of shattered dreams and of hours spent crying in the stall of a Kodak Theatre bathroom. So who will come out with the coveted golden trophy and who will come out empty handed? Students have made their predictions, and the winners are… Best Picture Avatar (40%) A space expedition to a feral planet, Avatar follows the adventures of Jake Sully, a paraplegic marine who finds himself thrust into encounters with the planets natives, the Na’vi. As he grows more attached to the natives, he must ultimately face a decision between his duty as a soldier and his love for the native people. The Blindside (17%) Inglourious Basterds (9%) Up (9%) Precious (8%) Best Actor in A Starring Role George Clooney (33.6%) Nimbly alternating between comedy and subtle desperation, Clooney starring in Up in the Air as Ryan Bingham, perfectly represents the nuances of his character and, in doing so, raises the movie to altogether greater heights. Morgan Freeman (33.6%) Morgan Freeman portrays South African president, Nelson Mandela, in Invictus, who tries to unify his country one step at a time. Freeman brings any role full circle. Jeremy Renner (16.3%) Toby Maguire (11.8%) Jeff Bridges (5.4%) 14 february 24, ’10 Best Director James Cameron (58.1%) Famed director of Titanic and The Terminator, Cameron has a knack for action sequences and intense special effects. In his most recent film, Avatar, Cameron reaches the peak of his directing skills, seamlessly switching from the most frantic of action scenes, to personal, more dramatic scenes. Quentin Tarantino (22.7%) Peter Jackson (6.3%) Lee Daniels (4.5%) Kathryn Bigelow (5.4%) Best Actress in a Starring Role Sandra Bullock (62.7%) Starring in The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, a devoted, strongwilled mother. Without over-acting, Bullock is able to inhabit the larger-than-life spirit and determination of Tuohy, while at the same time revealing the character’s own personal struggles and weaknesses. It is her best performance since Crash. Meryl Streep (18.1%) Gabourey Sidibe (11.8%) Carey Mulligan (4.5%) Helen Miran (3.6%) *Source: voluntary Arlingtonian survey of 110 students during the week of Feb. 8-11 arlingtonian Avatar photos cour tesy pixar,FOX, w arne r br os. Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz (41.8%) pic tur es, This relatively unknown German actor jumped into the spotlight with his role as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. Landa, a sociopathic Nazi “Jew Hunter,” manipulates and kills throughout the film, while at the same time appearing comical. dr ea m wo r gr h ap ic s a by o’n lice eill & lo Woody Harrelson (10.9%) & Stanely Tucci (20.9%) ks Matt Damon (31.8%) rd uwa Christopher Plummer (3.6 %) Best Supporting Actress Mo’nique (36.3 %) Porter Wright is proud to support Upper Arlington High School. A stand-up comedian by trade, Mo’nique sheds all sense of comedy and instead takes on a role of devastation and brutality as the abusive mother in Precious. Penelope Cruz (30%) Anna Kendrick (20%) Maggie Gyllenhall (8.1%) Vera Farmiga (5.4 %) 41 South High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Best Animated Feature Film Up (80%) A story of old dreams and missed opportunities, Up follows one old man, one boy, one talking dog, and one giant bird as they fight on a tropical island against an old explorer and his own force of talking dogs. While it may sound strange, Up is actually one of the most heartfelt films of the year. (614) 227-2000 porterwright PORTER WRIGHT MORRIS & ARTHUR LLP ATTORNEYS & COUNSELORS AT LAW Fantastic Mr. Fox (10%) Coraline (8.1%) www.porterwright.com The Princess and the Frog (1.8%) arlingtonian february 24, ’10 15 MEANINGFUL MISSI NS Reason for Trip: Senio r Joe Adam went on a p s and his old ersonal mis er brother, si on to work rural India. David directly wit h a small hosp , “The main g ice in o dying,” Adam al of the [mission work ] was to pro s said. vide dignity He explained to the that he felt li those less fo k e it w as his job as a C rtunate. hristian to h Daily Sche elp dule and A ctiv ities: A consisted o d ams said h f keeping th is daily rou e patients c as possible tine lean, fed, a . n d as comfort “One day I w able as specificall man; as I hel y as si g n ed to d and massa comfort an ged elderly dyin I prayed and g sang whatev his hand to try to keep the blood fl er came into hard, but I k owing, my head,” A new I was w dams said. “I ork Impact on t was Current Lif ing for something great er e: Adams sa simplicity o id he was im than myself.” f the Indian pressed by th people’s live really learned e s. He said h was how to e believes wh be thankful been given. at he and appreci ative for wh “It was much at he has m o re p ea ce are,” Adams said. “I feel li ful. I realized how mater ke some of th ialistic we re granted com ally e fan plicate rather than simplify cy products we take fo r our already busy lives.” Joe Adams Hospice vo lu Calcutta, In d s ra Caliche, Hondu Jan. 16-23, 2010 16 ia Dec. 22-Jan . 4, 2010 som Jordan Blos graphics by d Caroline Wulf Abby Moore an Aide workers nteer aliceo’neill and louwar d led to Honduras aroline Wulf trave C d an re oo M y : Seniors Abb n country. Reason for Trip the poverty stricke to es ic rv the blessings we se of ty s other people with es to provide a varie bl to ity un rt od oppo “It was a really go k, the group did n,” Moore said. ve gi urse of one wee co e th d r have already been ve O s: ie es. Wulf explaine and Activit to building hous ic in Daily Schedule cl pe al ty ic y ed er m d ev opening a clinic and treate ever ything from ked at the rural or w ey th s, ng ni that in the mor her foot while opped an axe on dr d of injury. ha ho w rl gi s she was also a young e obvious injurie “One day we met th m fro rt pa A . a pill to prevent r her family nts had given her re pa chopping wood fo er “H . id sa f egnant,” Wul een.” seven months pr village. g her entire foot gr in rn tu up d know the whole de to en t it ge t d bu an n, io ith ct w fe k in or iring.” ey were able to w . “It was truly insp id sa re oo M ” , Moore said that th 79 to of everyone, ages six awe by the faith “We worked with d Moore were in an f ul W th Bo rent Life: Impact on Cur villagers had extreme and the nd the villagers. yo be as w y rt e extremely e pove “Even though th le things and wer litt e th in d ve they belie ” literally nothing, essings everyday, said. re could see God’s bl le] thankful,” Moo op pe he [t g, in d noth “Because they ha Wulf said. february 24, ’10 ic volunteer n li c l a ic d e M o resso, Mexic g ro P o v e u N 2010 Jan. 14-17, arlingtonian GeorgeP. P.Wick, Wick, DDS DDS George !"#$%&'(')*+#,-$.'/,0-$+-1& Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Four seniors donate their time and energy to help those less fortunate alisongilbert ’11 & hannahjochem ’10 !"#$%&"#'(&#)(*&#+,-."/ Joe Ad ams st ands w brothe ith his r in f older in India ront of the hospic where e they w o rked. photo co urt esy joea dams er, David, older broth ospice is h d n a s h r Joe Adam irectly with a small rip: Senio d T r rk o fo w n o to s Rea ission the personal m e dignity to id v ro went on a p to s wa dia. sion work] in rural In of the [mis l a o g in a ian to help “The m as a Christ b . jo id is sa h s s a m a w dying,” Ad ed that he felt like it e aily routin He explain te. said his d s ble m a ta a r n d u fo A rt m : fo d a s co tiv ities n c a those less , A d d fe n , a n edule tients clea Daily Sch ing the pa p e e k dying f o an elderly rt consisted fo m o c . ned to blood as possible was specifically assig to keep the dams said. y tr to I d y a n a d ,” A his h “One to my head r than massaged in d e n a m a c ld e r e h v ate greate man; as I nd sang wh rking for something a d e y ra p I flowing, I was wo e , but I knew ssed by th “It was hard was impre e h t he a id h w sa s s e believ : Adam e e myself.” h if L id t sa n e e r Cur es. H what he people’s liv and appreciative for Impact on n ia d In e of th e thankful simplicity s how to b a w d we really e rn a aterialistic really le m w o h d . e aliz iven take for has been g ch more peaceful. I re e fancy products we some of th busy lives.” “It was mu . “I feel like our already id fy sa li s p m m a si d are,” A ther than mplicate ra granted co !"#$%&&'()*+,$(%)*'+)-$*+$"./$+'#$0"&%)*"+1 Now accepting patients in our new location. 2345$607$8'+7'/-"+$9"%7$:$;"0.<=.->$68$5433? 1234 Old Henderson Road ∙ Columbus, OH 43220 Phone: 614-268-9443 ∙ www.georgewickdds.com @A"+'B$$C25D3CEDF554$:$###1,'"/,'#*&G77-1&"< Call for an appointment today! ;%00$H"/$%+$%(("*+)<'+)$)"7%IJ P∙K pinney kelly paper stationary ∙ notepads magnets ∙ labels ∙ calendars wrapping paper ∙ bag tags key chains 1991 guilford road upper arlington ∙ 485.9045 www.pkpaper.com Abby Moo with the lo re takes a break cal people of Caliche photo cour arlingtonian . tesy abbym oore february 24, ’10 17 I’m with Conan Joh n Sm ith Status Update: John Smith is a loser. editorial cartoon by aliceo’neill and louward Let’s keep the Internet safe W With the many advantages of technology, it is inevitable there will be a few drawbacks. One of these is the trend called cyber bullying. Teens are now able to make Facebook groups, blogs, MySpace pages and more that make fun of their peers. However, the consequences of these actions are not usually considered by the teen even if they are very real. Numerous stories about teens being cyberbullied and the horrible effects on these teens have circulated the media, yet the problem still persists. Like a scene from the movie “Mean Girls,” teens have taken to the Web to bully others. Hiding behind a computer screen to tell someone how you truly feel is not only cowardly and immature, but it is devasting to the other person. In a digital age, it’s hard to tell online if someone is “just joking” or if they are serious. The personal connection is lost, so when someone blogs about how dumb he or she finds another person, the person reading it will immediately take it the wrong way. Even if this supposed joke was not meant to be taken in a negative way, there is no way to tell for sure if the person was kidding or being serious. It’s best to just avoid these situations by keeping such comments to yourself or save them for a more appropriate environment. After all, if you wouldn’t say the comment to someone’s face, how does typing it onto the computer make it OK? It doesn’t. It just makes the person a coward. The next time you find yourself tempted to make a Facebook group or blog about someone, think again. Imagine if you ever found something like that about you. It would deterioriate your self-esteem. So why put someone else through that? It’s just not worth it. Cyberbullying is an immature, selfish and an ultimately hurtful act. When it comes to the Internet, the old platitude applies: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. 18 february 24, ’10 b Boycott NBC. Do it. For those who only skimmed headlines during the late-night scandal this will seem like an overly dramatic response, but I assure you it’s not. The ousting of Conan from “The Tonight Show” is an insult to the comedian who put everything he had into improving the quality and legacy of a classic TV dynasty. When Conan took over “Tonight” in June 2009, Jay Leno had apparently changed his mind and decided he wasn’t actually ready to retire. NBC graciously gave Leno his very own primetime talk show to air every night of the week at 10 p.m. The Jay Leno Show inevitably fell in the ratings and local NBC affiliates threatened to broadcast their own programming at 10 p.m., because they needed higher ratings to lead audiences coreymcmahon ’11 into their local news programs. The Jay Leno Show had to be canceled, but Leno still wasn’t ready to retire. “The Tonight Show’s” ratings had dipped with Conan, but with only seven months under his belt, Conan had not received much time to build his audience, either. The solution NBC proposed bumped the entire late-night lineup back one hour, starting with Jay Leno’s show. Being later means fewer viewers, so Leno’s acceptance of this proposal would be his success at the detriment of all the other shows after him. Luckily, Conan stood up to Leno and NBC and rejected the proposal. In a open letter to NBC he said, “I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting.” NBC, however, wouldn’t let Leno go, so Conan left, and Leno took back his old post at “Tonight.” Conan held his last show Friday, Jan 22. As I’ve talked to people about the ordeal, many have said to me, what should Conan be upset about? He walked away with millions of dollars in severance, some of which he gave to his staff because he was upset with NBC’s compensation. He’s even gained some popularity and sympathy from viewers. Why shouldn’t he be happy? But it is not now, nor was it ever, about money. It was always about the years of hard work and dedication to NBC—all with the hope of hosting “The Tonight Show”—being forgotten literally overnight. The right move would have been letting Leno go. He had a long run with NBC, but his time was up. Conan was the next era in “Tonight.” NBC showed that they care nothing for company dedication and loyalty. So I will boycott NBC, and I hope to watch Conan put the network behind him, as well. The question is: What will he do next? I hope he utilizes the Internet to still get his comedy out to the public. I hope that after seven months, he hosts a show on another network and simply destroys NBC in the ratings. Lastly, I hope that they see that forgetting the dedication and loyalty of employees is not a good business decision. I’m with Conan. arlingtonian high school camp guaranteed best week of your summer june 10-16 new! high school weekend a week’s worth of fun in 4 days july 23-26 E WELCOM BACK TO! SUMMER l.i.f.e. guard the most fun manual labor ever 7 sessions 2010 visit www.campakita.org to register! EIGHT in Camp Akita is a Mission Of First Community Church, Columbus Oh. Eight students respond to a question in eight words If you could hang out with any celebrity, who would it be and why? Lebron James, because Brad Pitt. He has Vince Vaughn, because he he is sick at basketball. a beard like Rasputin. is funny in movies. Sophomore Junior Freshman Connor Casey Will Seymour John Cambell Audrey Hepburn, because Meryl Streep. She’s Chris Brown, so he Sandra Bullock. She’s she is a classy lady. old but still has it. can teach me dancing. Senior great in The Blind Side. Freshman Junior Danielle Endicott Sophomore Patty Huntley Mary Corbett Breana Patwa Britney Spears, because bald chicks rock my world. Senior Phil Lindsey arlingtonian february 24, ’10 19 Upper Arlington High School’s Student Newsmagazine 1650 Ridgeview Road Upper Arlington, OH 43221 Northwest EyeCare Professionals James C. Bieber, O.D. Russel S. Fillmore, O.D. Douglas J. Bosner, O.D. 2098 Tremont Center Columbus, Ohio 43221 www.nweye.com (614) 486-5205 (614) 486-5206 Fax (614) 486-0354 Simply Rr’s t Tuttle Mall new for winter 2009 Symphony in Hue t (614) 734-0505 © 2009 Vera Bradley Designs, Inc.