Class of 2003 diminishes as the year goes on

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Issue 6
Lewis Central High School
April 2003
Only One Snack Source Remains
Brooke Bergantzel
Photographer
Students who once raided the
pop machines at lunch are now out
of luck. Due to regulations
regarding federal funding, any
vending machine containing
carbonated beverages must be
turned off from a half an hour before
until half an hour after both
breakfast and lunch.
“To receive federal funding for
food service, carbonated machines
have to be turned off [at those
times],” said finance secretary
Charlotte Butterbaugh.
According to Butterbaugh, this
requirement has always been
around, but hasn’t always been
enforced. This recent “bucklingdown” on regulations could be due
to Iowa Senator Tom Harkin’s
campaign for healthy lunches in
schools and a crackdown on obesity
in America.
“School vending machines and
‘a la carte’ counters are filled with
products from companies that
seem determined to super-size
everything and everybody,” said
Harkin at hearings on the National
School Lunch Program.
Some students are unhappy
with the new practice and many
don’t know why the vending
machines are off.
“A La Carte has the same
stuff, but more expensive,” said
junior Brandy Jennings about the
recent shut-off of the snack
machine.
“There has to be a specific
amount of nutrition in [the snack
machine],” said Butterbaugh.
The snack machine will be
turned back on once she can
restock the machine to meet the
criteria for federal funding. Right
now she’s awaiting clarification
on the constraints guiding what
can be sold from a vending
machine during lunch.
The regulations currently
affect only the machines in the
cafeteria area, but Harkin’s push
for healthy lunches may someday
regulate the A La Carte line as
well.
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel
Sophomore Sami Hedrick makes her selection from the pop machine in the corner of the commons during lunch.
Tennis Courts Go Unfinished Small Interest
May Eliminate
Small Classes
Krista Hansen
Design Editor
Picture this—it’s the final
minute of the homecoming game; the
quarterback makes the pass, the
receiver catches it and makes a run
for the end zone. But wait, the field
isn’t painted and no one knows if he
has made the winning touchdown.
Would this ever happen? Probably
not. Now picture the tennis team
practicing on the courts. They’re
volleying the ball back and forth,
clueless whether the ball is in or out.
This scenario is reality for Lewis
Central’s tennis team, who has been
playing and practicing without lines
on the courts since the season began.
“They ran out of good weather
in the fall,” says the girls’ tennis
coach Curt Mace. “So we have to use
other courts while we wait on the
outside company to finish them.”
Although Mace seems relaxed
about the whole issue, others feel that
there is someone to blame.
“Somebody should be held
accountable for not having this
done,” said the boys tennis coach
Chris Hanafan.
Because of the unfinished
courts, the players have to find new
ways to seed the varsity positions.
“We are using the seeds from
previous years,” says senior Scott
Kemp.
While the boys are using last
season seeds, the girls are taking a
different approach and are keeping
the tradition of competing for the
varsity positions.
“We have to travel to other
places to set seeds,” said senior
Mallory Danielson.
Even though they have to travel
they are still having difficulties
finding courts that are not occupied
by another school or the boy’s tennis
team.
“The guys need to practice at
their own time,” said Danielson, who
gets frustrated when they have
traveled to another court at their
scheduled practice time to find out it
is already occupied by the boys.
At the beginning of the season
both teams were using the courts for
practice, even though they weren’t
painted, which could cause problems
for the team in some of their first
meets.
“Without the lines you get in the
habit of hitting it out of bounds,” said
freshman Austin Strobehn.
Both teams have been outside
practicing, but there seems to be no
improvement in the court’s
completion.
Traci Matters believes there is
no excuse. “It’s been beautiful
outside and they still haven’t painted
the courts and now it’s too late since
the season has begun and we have
started matches.”
Tennis season has started
despite the lack of complete facilities,
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel
leaving Titan tennis fans hoping it
Unlined courts cause much turmoil for tennis players.
has little effect on the team.
Accident Causes Flood, Blows Fuses
Melinda Smits
Reporter
“It
was
an
accident!”
These are the words
of social science
instructor John Drake
regarding a recent
overflow in the sink of
the lower level teacher’s
lounge.
“I come to school to
work at night,” said
Drake, “and I had a cup
that needed to be clean.”
Drake placed the
drain stopper in the
teacher’s lounge sink
between pods one and
two. He turned on the
sink, squirted some soap
into the sink, shut the
lounge door, and
returned to his room to
check papers while the
sink filled.
After checking
papers, Drake left the
school, forgetting the
sink was running.
“I remembered .that
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel
I
left
the sink running at
Sharon Crawley assesses damage caused by John Drake in teacher’s lounge.
midnight,” recalls Drake.
“I came back to the school and the
janitor had already turned the
water off.”
Upon arriving at school the
next morning, Drake turned
himself in to secretary Shari
Green, Associate Principal Paul
Massman, and Principal Doug
Radtke for the flooded sink. Word
had already begun to spread that
the incident was an act of
vandalism by students.
“I couldn’t let kids take the
blame for something I’d done,”
said Drake.
Drake had reported himself
with one ultimate risk lingering –
English instructor Carol Gottsch.
“It wasted one-half hour of
my time and blew two fuses by
the coffee pot when water flowed
into the sockets,” laughs Gottsch.
Gottsch had been the first to
find an abandoned, soapy water
puddle on the floor. She cleaned
the mess up and naturally gave
Drake a hard time about it.
The overflow produced very
little damage compared to what
the flowing water could have
done.
With all that’s been said and
done in the past, Drake reiterates
one point: It was an accident!
Shannon Kelley
Reporter
The cutting of less-popular
electives and larger core classes for
next year may be results of budget
cuts and a rising underclassmen
population.
Not all freshman and
sophomore classes next year will be
large. But, since both the current
freshmen and the incoming freshmen
have student bodies of over 200,
most required classes for those
grades would have more students
than usual. Current freshmen are
already being affected.
“I had a history class with 15
people in it,” said freshmen Meredith
Sillau. “But in some other classes
there are 28 people.”
In order to keep class size down
in required classes, electives with
smaller numbers may be cut to make
more class periods available for the
required classes. Whether or not a
class is cut depends on several
factors.
“If things get too small, they
won’t happen. We’re under budget
cuts,” explains Associate Principal
Paul Massman. “To pay for the
teacher - not the classroom or
supplies, but the teacher – takes
about 17 kids. If you’re offering a
class smaller than that, it’s for other
reasons than economy: periods
available, politics, sometimes you’re
trying to grow a class.”
Sophomore Krista Wickersham,
who’s been in two electives with less
than ten students, and students like
her don’t think cutting some classes
will have much effect on students.
“Since there’s not that many
people in the class,” says
Wickersham, “I don’t think that many
people would care.”
Lack of student interest also
affects classes that haven’t been
available in years past, like British
Literature, Creative Writing,
Probability and Statistics, and United
Nations. Because of the small number
of students signing up, these classes
don’t have priority.
“I wanted to take British Lit. I
put it down as one of those alternate
courses,” said junior Jamie Taylor. “I
also signed up for U.N., but I don’t
think that’s going to be offered
either.”
Just because classes aren’t
offered next year doesn’t mean
they’re gone forever, though. British
Literature and Creative Writing, for
example, may be coming back in a
few years.
“We’ve looked at our population
K through 8 and there are some
smaller [freshman] classes coming
up,” said English instructor Carol
Gottsch. “That’s when we might try
to bring these back.”
Meanwhile, students, teachers,
and administrators will have to cope
with the current situation and hope
for better years to come. Because,
as Massman explained:
“We don’t get to create situations,
we just react to them. Managing a
decline is a messy business. Growing
is much more fun.”
The last department meeting to
decide class offerings for next year
will be April 16, after the paper’s
deadline. Also, the board meeting to
finalize reductions is April 21. Read
the next issue of The Wire for an
update.
Photo By Meg Black
Tom Heckman instructs in a classroom with several empty seats.
April 2003
Page 2
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Underage
Teens
Gamble with
their Future
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-In-Chief
Americans today seem to be all
about the quick fix. Faster, longer,
stronger, better – and all with as little
effort as possible. Teens are even
more swept up in the fast paced life.
Technological advances such as cars
and the Internet have granted us
more independence than ever before
– and we’re keen to utilize it. We
want it all, and we want it now.
While lofty goals are certainly not
an issue, doing anything to achieve
them is another problem entirely.
In a quest for the ever-elusive
goal of “getting rich quick” an
increasing number of high school
students are looking to underage
gambling as a means of making
money. Unfortunately, what begins
as harmless fun can quickly turn into
a life shattering addiction.
Gambling has always been
intended as a form of recreation.
Whether betting on horses at the
racetrack, joining an office pool, or
slipping quarters into the slots at a
casino, gambling isn’t a way to make
money, particularly if you’re
someone who studies your odds of
winning. People are naturally
competitive, and gambling plays
upon this competitive nature. We
love winning, and gambling allows
us to take the risk and see if we come
out on top. The problem comes in
when people begin to see gambling
as something more than simple fun,
or worse yet, they become addicted
to the “high” of winning.
Teens are especially susceptible
to a gambling addiction. Young
people love a challenge, are often
looking to fill their pockets with cash,
and typically don’t have the financial
know-how to fully understand the
risks of gambling. In addition, we
often feel invincible in the world
around us. That’s why gambling laws
were imposed - to prevent young
people from gambling their money
away at a time when they might not
fully realize the consequences.
The problem comes when teens
disregard the laws that were imposed
to protect them, and gamble
underage regardless. Casino
gambling is the least popular form
of underage gambling. Popular
forms of gambling for teens are
sports betting, and an increasing
number of teens are getting their
gambling fix on Internet casino and
betting sites.
I didn’t realize the substantial
number of Internet gambling sites
until I began researching for this
story. Within seconds of typing
“underage gambling” into a search
engine, I was inundated with over a
dozen pop-ups for gambling
websites. They touted messages of
winning big and having fun. These
sites are fine until teens begin to think
they have what it takes to turn a
harmless game into a money making
endeavor.
Teens today have more
discretionary income than ever
before, and there are certainly those
willing to capitalize on it. But should
teens really be using this income on
gambling? A few dollars can quickly
spiral into hundreds, leaving teens
with a burden of debt they’re unable
to handle.
And what’s the best way to
prevent the hazards of underage
gambling? Don’t do it. It’s illegal,
and with good reason. Gambling is
a perfectly harmless form of
recreation (note: recreation, not
money-making endeavor) for adults.
But by waiting until teens are
emotionally, intellectually, and
financially capable of making the
right choices, we’re ensured that
they’re gambling with only their
money, and not their future.
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Pass the Fries or Send ‘em Packing
Sam Tsuji
Reporter
Congress recently passed a bill
that officially changed the name of
‘French Fries’ to ‘Freedom Fries’ in an
effort to show the discontentment felt
toward France’s opposition for the war
in Iraq. Freedom toast, freedom
kissing, and freedom doors are just a
few other formerly French objects and
actions that have been altered.
These acts have shown that our
government is willing to revert back
to petty insults and childish taunting.
Which is exactly what this re-naming
movement is, childish. Those
supporting these actions say it is to
support American troops and to show
the patriotic views they hold, but it is
nothing more than a protest of France’s
opinion.
The bottom line is that the reason
behind the changes is the fact that
France disagreed with us and stood by
their position. Is it not the right of every
American to hold their own opinions,
and to be FREE to disagree with their
government? Aren’t these the very
same freedoms our soldiers are
fighting for in Iraq? But even more so,
who is really being attacked by these
comments? There are American
citizens who are French or of French
origin. There are American citizens
living in France. But more importantly,
French people are American people,
too. America is the blending of all
cultures English, German, Russian,
Iraqi, African, French and so many
others.
As Associative Professor of Law
Peter Ferrara, said in his article “What
is an American? Americans are not a
particular people from a particular place.
They are the embodiment of the human
spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds
to that spirit, everywhere, is an
American.”
So, by attempting to disgrace the
French for “holding the spirit of
freedom” we are in turn disgracing
ourselves. This whole ordeal is nothing
but another obstacle on our way to unity
as a race, the human race. Our
government should be focusing on what
it can be doing to better the world, not
setting up more boundaries within it.
And Congress should be less worried
about the cafeteria menu and more
worried about the well being of the
American people, all over the world.
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel
The cafeteria staff has taken to heart what is happening overseas and has decided to support the soliders by
renaming french fries ‘freedom fries’
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-In-Chief
The war in Iraq has prompted
heated debate across America.
From classroom discussions, protests for peace, and rallies for
troops, everyone is attempting to
get their voice heard. Recent action in the pro-war movement has
prompted restaurants, schools, and
even the U.S. capitol to rename
French fries “Freedom” fries in order to express disappointment in the
French government’s decision to go
against war in Iraq. Some say it’s
childish, I say, it’s harmless, and
even uplifting in troubled times.
Some might argue that to
single out France is unfair, but in
light of their actions in recent
months, America certainly has reasons to hold a grudge. France has
not only expressed dissent in the
war, it has actively worked to prevent it, regardless of whether Iraq
was in violation of UN inspections. Before weapons inspectors
even gave their reports, France’s
Foreign Minister Dominique
Galouzeau de Villepin was already vowing to go against a US
war resolution.
And why is France so against
war? One might say that it’s because of their own experiences, but
if they were to look to the past
they’d see that they’ve never
managed to survive a war without the U.S.’s help. The French
are the last people to be giving
military advice, or sporting an arrogant know-it-all posture – they
always seem to surrender before the
war really begins. Do WWI, WWII,
or the Cold War ring a bell? Or how
about a little place called Normandy
Beach? Thousands of U.S. soldiers
died in order to preserve France’s
freedom. Now, in a quest for the freedom of the Iraqi people and the elimination of a dictator with chemical
weapons and terroristic intents,
France isn’t even able to offer its support. We’re not asking for their
troops, previous experience has already proved that they’re incompetent. But is a little word of support
too much to ask for?
While one might like to think
that France is in a quest to promote
world peace, the real answer probably
has more to do with dirty deals, including French Mirage F1’s that were
sold to Iraq by France, possibly after
being converted to handle chemical
weapons.
Regardless, the intention of renaming of things like French fries and
French toast isn’t to anger the French
– they couldn’t care less. And it’s
not a personal attack against the
French people. Representative Bob
Ney, one of the House members who
ordered the word French stricken
from all of the chamber’s menus, is
of French decent and even speaks the
language fluently.
And renaming foods during
times of war isn’t a new phenomenon. During WWII numerous
foods, including sauerkraut and
frankfurters received new, non-German names. Renaming foods is a
simple, harmless way to show American unity and pride. Some call this
kind of unity ignorant, foolish, and
stupid. I say, that’s fine, but I see it
as patriotic. And you’d better believe
the next time I’m out getting a fried
food fix you can bet I’ll be saying
“pass the freedom fries, please.”
Perfect Prom in 24 Hours
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-in-Chief
I’m sure most of you are reading
this and thinking, “come on, this is
ridiculous – Prom in 24 hours? It’s
the biggest dance of the year, an event
that typically entails months of
preparation. How can one possibly
get ready for such a big night in 24
hours?” Well, I knew there would be
skeptics, but rest assured, it can be
done. With just a little bit of ingenuity
and perseverance anyone – even you
-can be ready for prom by tomorrow.
Okay, it’s 7:00 p.m. Friday night
and you’ve just decided that you want
to go to prom. (Congratulations, you
just might win the prize for being the
ultimate procrastinator!) I’ll follow
the lead of Cinderella’s fairy
godmother in saying that the first
thing you’ll want to do is find suitable
attire – i.e. – a dress or tux. (Oh, and
you can go ahead and try singing the
Bibbidy, Bobbidy, Boo song, but I’ll
warn you that it’s awesome powers
of transformation work only in
Disney movies). At this late date,
don’t even bother trying to go to a
dress shop – trying on legions of overpicked dresses will only stress you
out, and you have much more to
worry about, believe me. Guys
attempting to rent a tux at this late date
will run into similar problems. If
you’re fortunate enough to have a
friend exactly your size with suitable
formal attire, great, but I’m afraid
most of you won’t have that luxury.
For the rest of you, this is where a
little thing called ingenuity comes in
handy. I’m sure most of you have
heard of the scholarship program for
people willing to create their prom
attire out of duct tape. This is your
time to show off your creative side
and design a unique and gorgeous
dress or tux out of something I’m sure
you all have rolls of in your garage
(after all, we were supposed to stock
up in preparation for war).
With the perfect outfit created (oh,
and note, do not tape the outfit directly
to your body, trust me, I learned that
lesson the hard way – ouch) you’re now
ready to move on to the next aspect of
prom – finding a date. Desperate times
call for desperate measures. Since all
of the choicest dates will have already
been snagged, now is the time to look
to your family tree for the date of your
choice. Distant cousins are top choice,
with siblings and parents suitable only
for the most dire of situations. For
those of you a little creeped out by
keeping it ‘all in the family,’ it’s okay
– it only becomes wrong if you actually
start to enjoy the idea of having a
relative as your date.
The next item on the agenda is
finding a suitable place to eat. Don’t
even bother attempting to make a
reservation at a nice restaurant – it’s
too late for that. It’s time for you
to think of making a “run for the
border.” Taco Bell will satisfy your
taste for foreign cuisine and is
affordable on even the tightest of
budgets.
So, now that you’re dressed,
you have the perfect (okay, lessthan-perfect) date, and dinner plans,
the final thing on the agenda is
finding suitable transportation to
the dance – if only pumpkins really
did magically turn into beautiful
coaches, right? Well, if you’ve got
the guts, this could really be your
time to shine. While most students
will settle for driving their own
vehicles (freshly washed, of course)
you should use this opportunity to
be a stand-out. You probably think
I’m talking about renting a limo or
fancy sports car – wrong. Believe
me, it’s much too late for that. No,
what I have in mind requires just a
little more effort. Lewis Central is
largely composed of rural areas, and
I’m sure most of you pass at least a
couple farms on your way to school.
To make your prom truly special,
simply “borrow” a horse or two from
friendly Farmer Bob down the road
(note, don’t tell Farmer Bob that
you’re borrowing his horse, somehow
I just don’t think he’d understand).
So, saddle up your mighty steed and
ride off into the sunset (just remember
to go in the general direction of the
high school while you’re at it).
Well, I think you officially have
everything you need to know to have
a great prom in 24 hours. So sit back,
relax, and prepare for the prom of
your dreams (dreams, nightmares –
time is short, don’t focus on details).
After all, it only comes once a year,
and you just might be missing out on
an unforgettable night.
Hot or Not? A Look at this Year’s Prom Fashions
Prom is in the air, leaving fashionistas throughout the school bit by the fashion bug. Here’s our own list of what’s hot and what’s not. By reporters Shelby Johnsen and Melissa McKern.
Dress by:
Empower Mint
By:
Precoius
Formals
By Nadine
Pant Dress By:
Precious Formals
This piece of cloth with multiple
holes should not be worn by any
body type. In fact, it should have
never been made. We all remember Christina Aguillera’s “Genie
Empower Mint By: in a Bottle” days, but if she’s over
Precious Formals them, so are we.
Editor-In- Chief.........................................Lindy Dinklage
Assistant Editor............................................Pam Shorey
Design Editor............................................Krista Hansen
Assistant Design Editors.......................Candace Adrian,
Molly Lich, and Sam Tsuji
Reporters............................................Katherine Goethe,
Shelby Johnson, Shannon Kelley,
Melissa McKern, Ashley Richter,
Melinda Smits, and Jill Whitney.
Photography Editor.........................................Meg Black
Photographers...................................Brooke Bergantzel
Ads..........................................................Megan McKern
Cartoonist................................................Ryan Showers
With a halter neck, this dress’ own accents
require no accessories. It should be worn by
someone who is confident and comfortable in
their own skin. The slit in the left side of the
dress gives the opportunity to show some leg
for a subtly “sexy side.”
Note: any article of clothing attempting to serve two purposes, is considered a definite no. Wearing this dress
to prom would be like using a Spork in
a fine dining restaurant.
If you’re generally mistaken
for someone who is walking the corner then this is the dress for you.
Prancing around at your senior prom
wearing next to nothing may strike
the general public as odd. Irridescent
By Jim Hjelm
For those girls with an hourglass figure this dress with a “V” neck adds flavor
to your prom. It is very simple and elegant and doesn’t take much to make it
look good. Although the flower accentuates and adds style, it can be easily removed.
This dress is
perfect for one who
is not eager to show
how their body contours. If you have
bigger hips or the
“pear shape” this
dress works wonders. The beading
accentuates the dress
without going overboard.
By: Mary’s
Promenade
An Itsy-Bitsy-Teeny-Weeny-Yellow-Polka-Dot
Bikini: What is that about?
Katherine Goethe
Reporter
So now it’s socially acceptable
to wander outside under the hot summer sun wearing mere inches of thin,
stretchy fabric as we slowly blimp out
from our over consumption of cookies, candies, steaks, and ice-cream?
Stop and rewind! As America
grows fatter, bathing suits become
more revealing, why? Teen girls
should not feel the need to flaunt their
bodies because of social pressure,
especially when teen obesity is becoming more and more prevalent.
Soon the bikini craze will make selfconscious teen girls not even want to
go swimming, (a very good form of exercise), which only increases American
obesity concerns.
So you’re not exactly a size 1, but
you can still decently reveal most of
your body, but what about the price
you’re willing to pay for that totally
“cute suit.” Prices range from $55 for
a more conservative suit from Speedo
to over $80 for most suits from Venus
swimwear, and it’s only up from there
for the “designer suits.” My question
is not really about how much it will cost
or if it’s even socially acceptable to
wander around a public place nearly
naked- I want to know who is wearing these and where they got their
body! How insanely perfect are we
expected to be?
The “perfect woman” measures 36 bust; 26 waist, 36 hips, and
wears a size 6. The “average
woman” measures 40 bust, 34
waist, 42 hips and wears a size 10.
Where are these Swiss supermodels
cloned from and how much plastic
really goes into those beautifully
fake bodies?
All I am saying is that no one is
perfect enough to be mistaken for a
Cindy Crawford look-a-like, not even
Cindy herself. After the major
makeovers and Photoshop-touch-ups
any female can look fantastic in a picture.
In conclusion, the message on
the teeny-weeny bikini is that such a
revealing article of social acceptance
isn’t really necessary to sun bathe,
rarely works for decent swimming,
and is just another pathetic expression of society’s needy whining to be
perfect
Page 3
April 2003
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LC Alumni Success in the Summer Job Search
Do Their Part
Kathryn Goethe
Reporter
Shelby Johnson
Reporter
As the war progresses and the
lives of some of America’s finest are
lost, the thought of a draft proves to
be a frightening one to those in the
reserves, and those 18 and older.
With America moving further
from the traditional concept of war,
the countries believed to be our allies
are now becoming hesitant to join
in the fight against terrorism and
Saddam Hussein.
“One of the greatest dangers we
face is that weapons of mass
destruction might be passed to
terrorists,” said President Bush,
“who would not hesitate to use those
weapons.”
While the American soldiers
and our allied troops move close into
Baghdad, the death of soldiers could
soon take a toll on U.S. forces, and
eventually lead to a draft that could
possibly be necessary to finish the
war.
Those males who are turning 18
are required to register with
Selective Service. Registering does
not mean a person is joining the
military; it is only used to sustain an
accurate list of names and addresses
of the men in our country who might
be called upon if a return of the draft
is authorized.
“I have two more years and then
I have to write my name on a piece
of paper that could sign my future
over to the United States
Government,” said sophomore Doug
O’Reilly, “and that kind of scares
me, especially if they have to bring
the draft back.”
With some LC graduates being
shipped out these past months and
in months to come, along with some
parents of several students, the war
is hitting closer to home than
expected, and students are becoming
concerned with what may happen to
their friends or family.
“I think it’s sad that my brother
is getting sent away,” said senior
Casey Randolph of his brother Miles,
“I think it will be good for him
though.”
While some are opposed to the
war and others have been ready for
this long awaited encounter, the
world seems split on what to do. One
thing is for sure, the troops are
bringing on a regime change that will
not end the conflict with Iraq and
surrounding countries. Troops will
not just return home when the war is
“over”; they will still be needed, and
perhaps still be sent in years to come
to keep peace and assure no more
conflict.
Photo by Meg Black
Sophomore Katie Smith shows off
a patriotic locker sign
Here are some of Lewis Central’s friends, family, and alumni who
are already fighting for Iraqi Freedom or are soon being shipped:
Robert Brown
Tom Houser
Jacob Mosure
Miles Randolph
Shawn Ridgeway
Matthew Schultz
Ross Sheppard
Rom Simmonds
Eric Singass
Jason Steger
Declaration
Visits Omaha
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-in-Chief
“We hold these Truths to be
self-evident, that all Men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of
Happiness-”
The
Declaration
of
Independence. An expression of
freedom, an expression of the
American mind, and the document
that sent the message to the rest of
the world that there are certain
liberties to which everyone is
entitled. Often taken for granted, it
is the document upon which America
set its foundation, and a document it
adheres to today, 227 years later.
While many might not spend a lot
of time reflecting on the importance
of the Declaration of Independence,
metro area residents recently had the
opportunity to view one of the 25
original copies.
The
Declaration
of
Independence Road Trip was created
in order to bring a copy of the
Declaration to small towns and big
cities across the United States in
order to inspire Americans,
particularly young people. A recent
reception held at the Omaha World
Herald’s Freedom Center allowed
area high school students to view the
document in a special ceremony,
with Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel
present to speak and answer
questions. Represented at the
reception were students from
Abraham Lincoln, Saint Albert, ISD,
and Lewis Central.
Viewing the Declaration itself
was indeed inspiring, but only if one
truly took the time to think about the
magnitude of importance within the
Declaration. To simply view it is to
see a faded piece of paper in a tightly
guarded case, but to read the words
and understand the implications of
those words is a different thing
entirely. It is an opportunity to
understand and appreciate the value
of freedom and liberty from its very
inception. Because that’s what the
Declaration truly is – a birth
certificate for America.
In keeping with the concept that
the Declaration must be performed
and not read, spoken, not only
written, the reception included a
video featuring a dramatic
interpretation of the Declaration by
Hollywood celebrities. While the
film was well-done, and the
Declaration certainly carried more
meaning being spoken than being
read, one couldn’t help to turn their
attention to the ISD students and
their sign language version of the
Declaration. To see the Declaration
in yet another form, sign language,
was a reminder that that the
Declaration is just as pertinent today
as it was a hundred years ago, and
just as beautiful in sign language as
it is in every language.
The World Herald sponsored
the reception, and several staffers
were present to introduce Senator
Hagel and remind students of the
importance the Declaration.
“If you’re ignorant you can’t be
free,” said one staffer, “If you
choose not to participate, you can’t
be free.”
Senator Hagel spoke briefly,
being quickly ushered into the
reception, and being rushed out
equally as quickly once the allotted
time had passed. But before leaving
he was able to give students a
glimpse into his own interpretation
of the Declaration, and reason why
it is still enduring today.
“The founding fathers knew it
must be a living, breathing, working
document. And they knew it must
be anchored with principals. Not a
day goes by that I don’t reflect on
what our founding fathers did in
writing the Declaration of
Independence. It’s a document not
only for America, but to help others
chained down by tyranny.”
More than a faded two-hundred
year old document and more than a
boring history lesson, the
Declaration of Independence is a
symbol of American freedom and
ideals, and a written promise that
Americans will forever be entitled to
the basic liberties inherent to an
independent life.
Everyone needs a little extra
money during the summer, but how
hard are students willing to work to
get it?
With summer’s breeze blowing
right around the corner, almost every
student and even teachers are
starting the search for the “perfect
job.”
Pottery instructor Clay
Cunningham already has his plans
mapped out, “I plan to work at an
art summer camp, do art shows, and
teach at an art school in Tennessee.”
While Cunningham is ahead of
the game, many students haven’t
quite secured the full details of their
summer toils, but are busy laying out
the basics.
“I know I am going to work at
Mimosa Bay Marina, and I think I
will make about $5.50 per hour, but
I don’t know how many hours they
can give me,” says freshman David
Stokes.
For those students who haven’t
even started the quest for income, it
is difficult to know where to look.
With the Metro’s newfound growth
spurt, an increasing number of jobs
are opening up options for Lewis
Central teens. Telemarketing, fast
food, restaurants, and other
miscellaneous jobs are becoming
available everyday. Just outside
room 409 job postings are already
up with wall-to wall opportunity
courtesy of JAG instructor Monica
Mayberry.
“I wanted to start a place for
relevant employment opportunities.
Unfortunately many places just are
not hiring yet,” said Mayberry.
Once a student has the perfect
job picked out-from a friend, in an
ad, wherever- how does one get that
perfect job? Here are a few good
hints to help those job seekers out
there on their road to success.
1) When filling out an
application be sure to write neatly
using your best writing skills and
elaborating in necessary areas.
2) When going to an interview
be well dressed, clean, and take a
mint for good measure. If you are a
girl with long hair, pull it back or
up. Employers want to see your face,
not your hair in your face.
3) When speaking with a
potential future employer, use your
most courteous manner in addressing
them. Always say “please” and
“thank you.”
4) When answering questions,
use your best judgment and never lie
or boast about your skills, but make
them known.
5) Last but not least, SMILE.
Almost all teen jobs are working
with people; therefore, they want
kind, upbeat, happy people
interacting with their customers.
When looking for the perfect
job some things to take into
consideration include distance from
your home and pay per hour. If you
can make two dollars more an hour
with a job in Omaha you should
probably take that job, unless your
parents will have to drive you. Pay
is important, but not if it means
getting parents to drive 30 miles
everyday for it.
“The average teenager job will
make anywhere from $6-8 dollars
per hour,” said Mayberry.
Spring Fever Strikes
Pressured Students
Melissa McKern
Reporter
Remember those winter blues?
Well you can officially bury those
blues and get ready for spring fever.
The school is buzzing with the
symptoms of spring fever. Symptoms
of this so called “fever” may range
from cutting classes, tan lines, lack
of focus, scraped knees, and
everyone’s favorite—allergies.
These are not the only
symptoms for these spring fever days.
They could be anything one
experiences during the season. One
symptom that several students
maintain is loss of focus on
schoolwork.
“I definitely slack off when there
is nice weather,” said sophomore
Kara Ziegenfuss.
Springtime is also a time when
people may feel sleepy. Many tend
to notice that in their classes a few
students and even the teacher may be
dozing off. One thing that may help
you stay awake in those moments of
sleepiness is to frequently move one’s
body postures.
“When there are not many days
left it’s like waiting for the shower
water to heat up…it takes forever,”
said senior Andrew Crawford.
Although there is no medical
explanation for why people are
infected with spring fever, many
researchers do notice a difference.
The spring weather changes the level
of concentration one has. A student
may also be more immune to illnesses
during the season.
With the coming of spring, there
is a noticeable change in students’
apparel. They’re digging out their
shorts and tanks and beginning to feel
the affects of spring, until the next day
when there is snow on the ground.
Living in Iowa the weather is very
unpredictable, leaving those with
spring fever in a momentary lapse
into the winter blues.
With the school year coming to
an end and spring adding its
pressures, students scurry to get their
grades up and assignments in. Even
with all the procrastination spring
brings, students haven’t begun to
change their ways.
“Procrastination is the biggest
part of springtime,” said Crawford.
Realizing that summer is
approaching and spring is taking a
few days break, students and teachers
are willing to pull it together to finish
yet another school year, rain or shine.
Photo By Meg Black
Sophomore Abby Feller and Junior Tara Durfey dress for warmer
weather.
Another aspect to consider is
the job itself. If you hate the smell
of french fries you may not want to
work at McDonalds. Take into
consideration personal strengths and
The most important thing about
a summer job is to not get burned
out. Often students will get so caught
up in the job that they forget that
summer is a vacation and that they
Photo ByBrooke Bergantzel
Junior Kevin Larson earns his extra cash working at Thunderbowl
weaknesses when looking for a
suitable match.
“You should probably look for
a job that will interest you or help
you develop some sort of skill,” said
Cunningham.
should reserve some time for a little
fun now and then.
So whether it’s being busy at
Burger King, or making it at Mickey
D’s, find the perfect job and a little
fun, too.
War in the
Classroom
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-in-Chief
War. Images of a nation in the
midst of war dominate television
newscasts, radio broadcasts, and
nearly every newspaper and
magazine. It seems the entire nation
is bracing for what’s to come,
whether it’s buying duct tape or
simply tuning into the evening news.
But are students really feeling the
effects war?
“I have a cousin in the marines
and one in the army,” said
sophomore Maggie Mucha. “One
is in Kuwait and the other is in
Korea. I worry about them.”
While American students are
certainly impacted by the threat of
war, foreign exchange student
Marina Legaz Bautista was able to
reflect upon it with a global
perspective.
“I was really surprised so many
wanted war. In Europe no one wants
war. My family in Spain doesn’t
want war, and my family here wants
war, so I’m stuck in the middle.”
Marina returned to Spain about
a month ago, and she knew the
atmosphere would be quite different
with a war waging.
“The President of Spain
supports the war, so it’s going to be
bad.”
In light of each student’s unique
opinion regarding the war, it’s
sometimes a volatile subject for
classroom discussion. Despite this
many students feel talking about it
in class to be important.
“We talked about the possibility
of war in global issues, and some
other classes,” said sophomore
Alyssa Ranney. “We should have to
learn about it in school, not just on
the news, because it affects every
aspect of our life.”
Many teachers are finding it
increasingly important that topics
regarding a possible war enter into
classroom discussion.
“I know that keeping current
isn’t something every student does
on a regular basis,” said instructor
Gail Wallenburg. “But all of us have
an obligation to keep our students
informed. I’ve found that while
students might not know much, they
are very receptive to learning. And
there’s certainly a depth of
understanding; it’s more than just yes
or no, but why yes and why no.”
One might think Marina would
have faced a lot of questions about
Europe’s opinion on the war, but she
said she only discussed it in English
class.
“They wanted to know how I
felt about it, being from Europe. I
think people are just messing around.
They don’t know what it’s for. Some
think it’s for oil, others think it’s
about missiles, but nobody really
knows what they’re talking about.”
While Marina may feel that
many are uninformed, Wallenburg
has found that students who take the
time to get the facts benefit.
“For the most part those who
do spend time reading and watching
the news have a good level of
understanding. There are a lot of
kids out there who have a good
working knowledge and a very solid
comprehension of what’s going on.
And I hope talking about it in class
will inspire kids to keep up with
things.”
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Page 4
April 2003
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The Shrinking Senior Class
Class of 2003 diminishes as the year goes on
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-In-Chief
Seniors stopping by the office
to pick up their transcript are
noticing an alarming trend: the
size of their class seems to drop
with each passing week. At the end
of last year, the class size was 232,
by third trimester of this year that
number had dropped to 193.
Numbers like this are leaving
students and teachers asking the
question – what’s behind the
shrinking senior class?
“Since August we’ve had four
drop-outs,” said Assistant Principal
Paul Massman. “We consider a
student a drop-out if there are no
requests for information from
another school. Another 44 have
left for transfers or moves, and we
had 6 move to Kanesville that were
approved because we no longer
have FLC.”
This still leaves a question
of where those transferring
students are going – is it family
moves or are students simply
transferring to avoid LC’s
slightly higher graduation
requirements?
“A few play the credit
game,” said Massman. “But not
as many as people think. We
simply have a tremendous
amount of people who move and
in and out of the district. This
same trend would have been
about right a year ago.”
While the numbers may
seem staggering to students,
teachers have noticed the same
trend in years past.
“A lot of years the classes don’t
drop this much, and then some years
we’ll lose a lot of kids,” said
instructor and senior class advisor
Barb Padilla. “We noticed the same
thing last year. It tends to happen
when we have big classes.”
Photo by Meg Black
Certain seniors fail to finish the high school race, while others (like those pictured above) continue to
ride it out.
In 2000-2001 the senior
class started with 203, increased
by 20 students over the year, lost
43 to drops and transfers, and
ended with 180. In 2001-2002
the senior class started with 229,
added 14, and lost 30 students
to end the year with a class of
213.
Massman is quick to point
out that the data has inevitable
glitches, but is also quick to
point out that the trend of
“churn” is quite apparent in
each year ’s fluctuating class
size.
Class numbers and dropout rates get special attention
by administrators because
both state and federal
guidelines
require
the
information. The state looks at
drop-out rates for the year, while
the new federal No Child Left
Behind guidelines ask schools to
provide a cohort, compiling the
drops from 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th
grades to arrive at a graduation
rate.
But
it’s
not
only
administrators who are affected by
those rates, seniors are also
concerned with their shrinking
class size.
“It’s ridiculous. The class
gets smaller and smaller,” said
senior Ashley Gordy. “Every time
you go to the guidance office the
class is five people smaller. It
happens every year, too.”
In the end it appears there
are several reasons behind the
shrinking senior class. A
decreased
number
of
graduating seniors seems to be
the trend, and while this year’s
loss of 39 students may be
slightly higher than the norm,
it’s not alarming to those doing
the number crunch.
Let The Truth Be Told
Megan Longmeyer
Guest Reporter
This day and age, is it more
acceptable for a guy to be “girly”?
And if so, can it be used to their
advantage?
Male femininity is something
that’s most likely looked down upon
from other guys, but it’s not
necessarily a new concept. Things
such as being a good dresser and liking
to talk a lot are some qualities that
many males have that are usually seen
as feminine. However, there are
additional things that guys can do to
increase their feminine side.
“I put on lipstick a week or so
ago,” says junior James Nguyen. “I
did it for Heather Exley, to cheer her
up.”
Putting on make-up and other
items might be a little farther than
some guys are willing to go when it
comes to acting like a girl. Then again,
while some guys won’t put on that
flavored Chap Stick, others are daring
enough to step above and beyond the
application of mere lip accessories.
“My cousin and I were messing
around with my grandma’s clothes,
you know, trying on dresses and high
heels,” says an anonymous
sophomore. “Anyway, my sister and
my other cousin caught us, so they
tackled us and tied us up. They ended
up giving us makeovers. My sister
Photo By Shelby Johnson
even strapped a bra on me over my
dress.”
Whether for their own
entertainment or as a practical joke,
most guys have tried on a dress, put
on make-up, or done something that’s
seen by the world as “girly”. Todd
Thieschafer was a full-fledged
ballerina for last year’s Halloween;
Ignacio Cockcroft dressed up as a girl
for a skit back in Mr. Maddux’s sixth
grade class; Justin Pomeroy put on
perfume just the other day to “get the
smell off.” It just goes to show that
boys won’t always be boys.
Despite their expression of
sensitivity, ease of communication,
and the occasional dress-up, these
guys are still manly men. Still, have
these random acts of femininity not
only helped their wardrobe but…their
chance at getting a date?
Junior Brenda Barrett seems to
think so. “It makes them more
sensitive,” says Barrett when asked
if male femininity was a good thing.
“You can get along with them better
because they understand you better.”
In a survey asking Lewis Central
girls if sensitivity and communication
are key factors when it comes to
dating, a large majority of the girls
interviewed said yes. There was
emphasis that both traits were
important, but good communication
was the key factor; sensitivity, on the
other hand, is good if it doesn’t get
out of control.
“I like guys sensitive,” says
junior Melinda Smits. “But when
they’re too girly, they lose their
‘guyness’ and that’s why I like guys.”
Well, that settles it; femininity
isn’t such a bad trait to have after all.
In some ways it’s even an equalizer;
it helps people to communicate and
understand one another better. It
keeps feelings open and lets members
of each sex share and express, either
through their personalities or the way
they act and present themselves. And
hey, it can always help in getting a
date on Friday night.
“I’d date a guy who’s sensitive
and communicative,” says freshman
Sarah Burning. “They’re the perfect
guys, but they’re really hard to find.”
Who Says Soda?
Photo from cocacola.com
Sam Tsuji
Design
Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, Dr Pepper,
Mr. Pibb, on and on. The beverage
industry is flourishing in America
especially soft drinks. There has been
much controversy along with this
success including debates about the
nutritional value, the cost, the
flavoring, and the competition, but
little has been said about the term all
of them fall under. One important
question remains…is it Pop or is it
Soda?
Both terms originate from soda
pop, which is rarely used anymore in
everyday language. Soda, Pop, and
Coke are the most popular names for
it. Other names include coca-cola,
fizzy drink, tonic, and lemonade.
Many linguists have done studies
relating to the differences in language
usage across the country. They have
found that there is a strong relationship
between word usage and location.
According to a study done by
Harvard University Associate
Professor of Linguistics Bert Vaux
, and linguistic concentrators
Rebecca Starr and Scott A. Golder,
soda is the most commonly used
term for a soft drink beverage.
52.9% of people surveyed
responded they said soda, while
pop (25.08%) came in second and
soda (12.38%)came in third. The
survey included a total of 10669
respondents from all over the
United States.
Language usage is a
perplexing area of study, and there
has yet to be a clear answer as to
why they say ‘coke’ in California,
‘pop’ in Iowa, and ‘soda’ in
Vermont. However, the study
continues and Linguists and
Sociologists continue to find more
links to between language and
region. For more information on
Linguist studies by Harvard
University go to: http://
hcs.harvard.edu/~golder/dialect/
index.html.
Journals Move to
the Next Level
Photo By Meg Black
Many students choose to express their emotions and or daily events
via internet diaries.
“It’s not all shock and awe;
Brooke Bergantzel
it’s real life,” says Drake. “[Pax’s
Photographer
blog] hits on cultural universals
and relates to us on a level we can
The advances in technology in understand . . . it puts a human face
recent years have made worldwide on the war.”
These journals serve many
communication both easier and faster.
purposes
for their writers—while
In fact, a rapidly growing tool, the web
some offer an open commentary
journal, allows people from around the
about global politics and policies,
world to publish their ideas
others are simply a narrative of
instantaneously on the World Wide everyday life.
Web for free.
“I will use this space to
Thousands of people around the “sound off” on the important issues
globe have gotten their own web log, of the day, and express views that
or “blog,” to post any number of are too “edgy” for the mainstream
things. Columnist Dave Barry is corporate media,” wrote Barry in
among those posting regularly to a his first post.
Many blogs are created with
blog. In fact, a link to his journal is
featured on the main page of friends in mind, whether those
Blogger.com alongside a link to the friends are a few blocks away, or
journal of Salam Pax, a supposed Iraqi on the other side of the planet.
citizen journaling from Baghdad. Most LC bloggers fall into this
Pax’s blog is a convincing rendition category.
“I post my thoughts and my
of Iraqi life, and many people—both
everyday readers and reporters— feelings about everyday life,” says
junior Brenda Barrett, who keeps
believe him to be authentic.
“By the end [of the journal] I a web journal regularly. “My
assumed it was real,” says government friends read it.”
There are many organizations
instructor John Drake.
While Pax’s true identity has offering web journaling services on
been called into question more than the Internet. Some of the most
are
Blogger
once, many believe he still paints a popular
valid picture of what is most likely (www.blogger.com), Live Journal
going on in Baghdad and many come (www.livejournal.com) and
away from reading Pax’s blog with a Diaryland (www.diaryland.com),
new understanding about the feelings all of which offer free web logging
for the masses.
of an everyday citizen in Iraq.
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Page 5
April 2003
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Snacks or Salad?
Melinda Smits
Reporter
Mmm. Pizza for the third day
in a row. Could a high-schooler’s life
get any better? You reach for a
napkin to wipe the grease off the top
while batting away the nagging health
conscience tickling the back of your
mind. You grimace for a second as
you think back to fifth grade rumors
of fingernails in the hotdogs, or hairy
chicken. You wonder for a minute if
you saw any hairnets or gloves. Oh
well, on with the pizza…
Many students complain about
the lack of nutrition they find in
school food. It is not uncommon to
hear a comment or two over a lack of
fresh fruits or vegetables. According
to Food Service Manager Rite
Hermsen, most of these complaints
hold no ground.
“For regular lunch, federal
regulations require us to serve two
ounces of protein per day, 14 servings
of bread per week, one-half cup fruit
and vegetables, and one cup of milk
per day,” Hermsen.
The cafeteria does keep healthy
food, as required by law. All food
groups are present in the cafeteria as
a part of regular lunch, but it is the
student’s responsibility to consume
three food groups.
“I hear a lot of complaints about
the grease in foods,” recalls
sophomore Sara Harris.
Every food made available in a
school cafeteria has a CN label
containing various pieces of
nutritional information on its
package. Governmental regulations
are placed on levels of certain areas
included on the label. In a high
school, for example, any meal’s fat
level must be kept below 30% per
day. (Such restrictions must be kept
in mind as meals that students
willingly consume are planned).
For those concerned with other
nutritional information, a chart
listing such information is open for
viewing in the cafeteria office.
“Of course French fries will be
greasy and have fat,” laughs
Hermsen. “But we try to do most
of the cooking in the oven. If we
serve one food that is high in fat,
we have to balance it out with
another low-fat food.”
Of course, if skeptics still
aren’t convinced, there is always
the salad bar – a grease free, hearthealthy alternative to the everyday
pizza and french fries.
The school cafeteria receives
a fresh supply of salad every
Thursday.
The salad comes in a sealed,
vacuumed packed bag. The bags are
safely stored and unopened until they
are placed on the bar at lunch. With
fears of not-so-fresh salad
eliminated, a student’s mind often
turns to freshness of food in third
lunch.
“What can be kept in a warmer
is placed there until third lunch,”
states Hermsen. “Otherwise, we
cook more food during lunches.”
With little to worry about in the
nutrition or quality of lunches,
concerned consumers target
cleanliness. There is always the
nice lunch-lady serving food
without a hairnet in sight. The
ladies charging lunches on tickets
don’t seem to ever wear gloves,
either. This has got to be against
the rules, right? Wrong.
The Lewis Central cafeteria
once again clears regulatory
hurdles. Hairnets are required;
however, they may be substituted
with hairspray. Gloves are also
required while working with food,
but not while charging lunches.
Think before that next greasy
pizza you thought was a good
alternative to the french fries in
regular lunch. The lunch meets more
standards than you might know.
Photo By Meg Black
Heath Epperson is walking out of the lunch room with his tray full of fries and a hot dog. Do you think he
is eating healthly or not?
The Athletic Quick-Fix
Lindy Dinklage
Editor-In-Chief
Lose
weight,
increase
metabolism, gain muscle, and have
more energy than ever before.
Sounds great, right? These are only
a few of the promises made by the
hottest dietary supplement on the
market, ephedra. In a society that’s
already body obsessed and with
athletic competition becoming
increasingly fierce, it’s no wonder
that millions of Americans look to
products containing ephedra to
provide the fitness results they seek.
But with recent reports by the FDA
expressing concern over the risks of
the product, some are asking if using
ephedra is worth the risks.
Ephedra was discovered by the
Chinese more than 5,000 years ago.
It wasn’t until about 10 years ago that
ephedra (also known as Ma huang)
surged to popularity as a dietary
supplement. Today U.S. consumers
spend roughly 1.3 billion each year
on products containing ephedra.
“I think there should be some
sort of regulations on high school kids
using ephedra,” said junior Nick
Barelos. “In the magazines you see
that stuff and everyone’s trying to
look better and be better, and kids are
trying to do the same thing.”
The minor side effects of using
ephedra include nervousness,
dizziness, tremor, alterations in blood
pressure, and headaches. Effects on
the severe side of the spectrum
include chest pain, hepatitis, stroke,
seizures, psychosis, and even death.
At least 100 ephedra related deaths
have been reported, and 1500 reports
of medical problems.
Increasing reports of health risks
prompted the FDA to issue a medical
bulletin stating its concern over
products containing ephedra. It also
reported “clinically significant side
effects” to using the product. Despite
these risks, most drugs containing
ephedra receive little to no pre-market
review, dosing guidelines, or
monitoring advice because they are
sold as dietary supplements, which
don’t fall under the strict scrutiny of
the FDA. This leaves students to
make their own choices regarding
what supplements they do and don’t
take.
“I’d say it works well for about
your first 25 years, when you’re just
worried about looking good,” said
junior Jason Dick. “But then it’s all
downhill from there.”
While the FDA may be unable
to fiercely regulate ephedra use,
sports teams are taking matters into
their own hands. The NFL, NCAA,
and
International
Olympic
Committee have all banned ephedra
use among their athletes. High school
athletes, on the other hand, are left
using their own discretion in what
supplements they use to enhance
their performance.
“I really wish our high school
athletic association would be more
aggressive,” said head football coach
Duane Orr. “Right now the posture
is only to discuss it, and there are a
lot of questionable substances out
there that people without training are
pushing. I’ve never been in this kind
of environment before, where there
are campaigns targeting student
athletes directly. It’s really reaching
a crisis situation.”
Yet despite the many claims
made by products containing
ephedra, there are no studies proving
it’s beneficial for athletic
performance.
“People putting these so called
safe substances into their bodies are
flirting with danger,” said Orr.
Fitness Reaches a New Level
Pam Shorey
Assisstant Editor
It’s an exercise program that
engages the body. It’s something that
is appreciated rather than dreaded.
Unlike most other exercise programs,
it leaves the body feeling even more
refreshed and alert than before the
workout began.
Although this form of exercise
may seem too good to be true, it’s
been practiced by many since the
1920’s. The legendary physical
trainer Joseph Pilates developed this
unique exercise that now bears his
name. Pilates focuses on improving
flexibility and strength for every
muscle in the body without adding on
bulk.
Many look at their bodies as a
sign of imperfection. With the image
obsessed media now it is often hard
to not get overly conscientious about
every bit of flab hanging off your
thighs, arms, or stomach. It often gets
to the point where people end up in
the gym a couple of times a week
struggling to get the look they’ve
always wanted. This becomes a habit
and an hour or so a day is spent
sweating and grunting at something
that feels more like a chore rather than
something that is fun and actually feels
like it’s accomplishing something
worthwhile.
Pilates isn’t just lifting weights
continuously and sweating profusely.
Pilates requires intense physical
concentration that eventually forms a
mind-body connection. Physical
trainer Mari Winsor says that with
most physical exercise it is our brain
that holds us back and not our bodies.
By forming a mind-body connection
one can begin to reach great lengths
physically.
Pilates is a series of controlled
movements that go in a specific order
allowing every muscle in your body
Photo By Meg Black
Sophomore Sara Riehlle practices her pilates.
to get attention. When lifting weights
or doing other forms of exercise,
there are many muscles that get left
out. Pilates gives all those muscles
attention and helps make them
stronger.
A major factor with people on
the go these days is the amount of
time exercise takes. Many people
don’t pay close attention to their
bodies because they are so
preoccupied with everything else
that is going on. At less than an hour
each day, Pilates can cause a
dramatic change in the way you feel
and look. Winsor believes that “after
10 sessions you’ll feel a difference,
20 sessions you’ll see a differene and
in30 sessions everyone will see a
difference.
The results of Pilates are
stunning if a normal routine is
followed. Many actors and models
have done sessions in order to prepare
for upcoming movies or fashion
shows. Jamie Lee Curtis, Marisa
Tomei, Patrick Swayze, and Danny
Glover are only some of the many
that have made it an everyday routine.
Pilates videos are sold in stores
like Target and New Realities in the
Old Market. Each tape usually ranges
from 30 minutes to an hour.
With the hectic schedules that
many high schoolers face these days,
Pilates is a quick, fun, and easy way
to remain in shape without taking up
a lot of time.
Butt Circles for the Brain
“Butt circles
Sam Tsuji
are my favorite
Reporter
activity because
Physical activity
they’re the most
isn’t only a part of
fun and don’t make
P e r s o n a l
my eyes hurt like
Development any
some others do,”
longer,
Mrs.
said sophomore Pat
Wandersee’s English
VanNordstrand .
classes stretch a lot
While
the
more
than
her
activities are meant
student‘s minds. From
to
increase
toe touches to butt
awareness
and
circles, Wandersee has
concentration in
numerous activities to
students, there is a
get her students blood
question as to if it
and ‘brain juices’
would be beneficial
pumping.
for all teachers to
th
th
10
and 11
use them.
grade
English
“I think that
Photo By Meg Black
instructor Marilyn
teachers should
Mrs.
Wandersee
is
instructing
her
class
by
demostrating
how
to
do
Wandersee discovered
only do it if they are
these strategies 12 fun exercises so they can be awake and ready to learn.
years ago when she took a class on junior Greg Baney, “I have comfortable with it. No one should
the book Brain Gym. Brain Gym is [Wandersee’s] first hour class and it do it unless they are comfortable,
focused on what is called Educational really wakes everybody up. It gets even students,” Wandersee stated.
“You should never force somebody
Kinesoilogy, which is the study of the you to pay better attention.”
Each of these activities carries into doing it.”
impact of movement on the brain’s
According to Wandersee it is hard
function. Benefits of Brain Gym out a different function in relation to
include improvements in learning, the body’s affect on the mind. to judge the actual medical effects the
vision, memory, expression, and According to Wandersee, butt circles activities have on her students because
movement abilities in both young release the sacrum, or base of your it depends highly on the level of
spine, and once it is activated the student participation. However, the
people and adults.
“[After doing these activities] I brain is also activated. Spinal fluid is activities do provide a way to get the
feel very refreshed and my mind is then stimulated and begins to hydrate class active and participating right
from the beginning.
more concentrated on work,” said the brain, which is very important.
The Stress Generation
Photo By Krista Hansen
Pam Shorey
Assisstant Editor
It’s about 10:00 on a Tuesday
night and you’ve just returned home
from work. You feel relieved when
you get a chance to sit down for the
first time in a couple of hours.
And then it hits you. You still
have homework.
Suddenly that Pre-Calc class
doesn’t seem like such a good idea,
even if it is for college credit and that
English book seems to transform into
a demonic creature that thrives on
your lack of sleep.
After a couple of hours you
retreat to your bed, satisfied with
finishing a couple problems and only
skimming the English assignment.
It’ll have to do.
In today’s world, this is a typical
teenager’s school night. Young adults
these days deal with more pressures
and problems than any generation
before.
There are many factors that
contribute to students being too
stressed out. One of the biggest factors
is the many activities that students get
involved in. There are a lot of students
who get so wrapped up in activities
that they barely have time to sit and
enjoy life. They’re always running
from rehearsals, to practice, to work,
and they never have the time to eat a
nutritious meal or take a deep breath.
“I’m just a lot more busy now
and I have about a billion hours of
homework every night along with
drama and all my other activities,”
said junior Lea Salvo.
The amount of schoolwork plays
a huge role in contributing stress to
kids’ lives. Those who excel in school
and take harder classes feel the effects
more than most.
“I have a lot of work and
studying for tests and all my after
school activities that tie me down,”
said senior Ellen Thompson. “It gets
overwhelming.”
Although being involved in
many activities and taking on many
hours at a job may seem necessary
right now, it may hit twice as hard
later on in life. One might wish to
rethink their decision after hearing
that too much stress can cause
stomachaches and migraines. It can
also contribute to high blood
pressure, ulcers, and heart disease in
the future. Research also shows that
prolonged stress affects the immune
system, possibly contributing to the
development of cancer.
“When people get stressed out
they tend to tense up their muscles
and they get pains in their neck and
their shoulders,” said school nurse
Marcia Ranney.
There are many different ways
that people choose to deal with their
own stress. Whether it’s taking a
walk, listening to music, or taking a
nap, everyone needs a little time for
themselves.
“Usually, a lot of times, I just
go home and take a nap,” said
Thompson. “That really helps me out
a lot.”
With work and extracurricular
activities coming in all at once, many
can’t take the pressure once finals
week comes around.
“In the nurses office before
finals, the number of students that
come in goes way up,” said Ranney.
“They don’t always recognize it as
stress. They’ll come in with a physical
symptom, but maybe underlying it is
because they’re just feeling really
tense. I talk to each student
individually and find out what’s wrong
and treat it according to that.”
Most parents don’t seem to
realize that their child is trying to
balance their school lives, work lives,
social lives, and still get the eight
hours of sleep they need. Teenagers
need more sleep at this point in their
lives then at any other time, yet none
of them even come close to getting
enough.
So next time there is too much
pressure on your shoulders and you
feel like everything is on ‘overload,’
take time out and do something for
yourself.
Page 6
April 2003
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Crows
Kick-Off
at the MAC
“We haven’t played with each
other for three weeks, so sorry if we
f*** things up,” said Counting
Crows’ front man, Adam Duritz, at the
beginning of their show on April 3.
As the show progressed, Duritz’s
comment was quickly forgotten as
each song caused a feeling of
euphoria to sweep over the audience.
The opening band for the
Counting Crows was a new and
upcoming band, Blue Merle. With
their unique blend of many music
genres, Blue Merle set a great tone
for what was to come. With a fiddle,
a mandolin, a bass, drums, and a
guitar, the audience was in for a treat.
With their exceptional amount of
talent, they definitely deserved more
recognition then what they received.
After about 45 minutes, Blue
Merle exited and the lights went up
as the stage was set for what everyone
had been waiting for…The Counting
Crows.
A half hour went by and the
MAC center was finally beginning to
fill in as everyone waited. Finally, the
lights dim and the spotlights go uprevealing the seven members that
have caused such a stir in the music
industry since the early ‘90s.
The set was simple, yet elegant,
with candles spread out around the
stage and backdrops that changed
with almost every song.
Jumping
right into their
first song, the
crowd went wild,
responding with
cheers as Duritz
explosively
Pam Shorey bounded around
Assistant Editor the stage, his
dreadlocks rising
and falling with every movement.
After only a couple of songs,
Duritz began to talk about one of their
hit songs, “Omaha.” Before he started
the song he told everyone that this
song was not, in fact, about Omaha,
Nebraska. Apparently he heard a band
in San Francisco that had the same
title to one of their songs and he “just
thought it sounded cool.” Despite that
information, “Omaha” had to be the
song that the audience responded to
the most. Duritz held the microphone
towards the audience and everyone
sang the chorus back in unison.
The crowd consisted of people
young and old. There were parents
with their kids and middle-aged men
and women mouthing every word of
their favorite songs. In fact, the only
screams we heard were the ones of a
dancing 40-year-old right next to us.
The concert mostly
consisted of new songs off of “Hard
Candy,” but they threw in a lot of the
old classics also. A classic like
“Round Here” was brought to life as
Duritz emulated the words in the
song.
“She walks along the edge of
where the ocean meets the land just
like she’s walking on a wire in the
circus,” Duritz sang as he walked
along the edge of the stage, as if
walking on a wire.
The Counting Crows have
always been known for their wide
range in music talent. With Charles
Gillingham on accordion, Dan
Immergluck on electric guitar, Dan
Vickrey on banjo, Ben Mize on
drums, Matt Malley on upright bass,
Dave Bryson on an acoustic, and not
to mention Duritz’s unique voice- the
Counting Crows has it all.
Every one of their popular songs
brought the audience to their feet.
Everyone sang and danced to the
songs that they had heard so many
times on the radio before. While
looking around the audience, it
occurred to me that these are not just
catchy songs that people absentmindedly sing along to. This music
touches people. There were couples
crying and holding each other, each
song carrying a different meaning for
every person.
After what seemed like 20
minutes, but was actually two hours,
they sang their last song and with a
few departing words, they left the
stage.
That wasn’t the end of it.The
screams from the audience and loud
banging on the floors were enough to
get them to return, not once, but two
times.
Closing with the soft, melodic
tone of “Goodnight Elizabeth,” they
said their final good-byes while
staying on the stage for a few
handshakes. Then the lights came up,
signaling that it was time to leave.
Disappointed that it was over, we
all flooded out of the arena. The voice
of Duritz lingered in my head as I
absorbed every moment of one of the
best concerts I’ve ever experienced.
○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○
Eminem’s 8 Mile Ain’t Bad
Sam Tsuji
Design
make it through his troubled life.
astoundingly realistic and well
Obstacles on his way to success
done. Even somebody who is as
develop and become increasingly
opposed to his music and
serious, from the abusive behavior
personality as I am can admit that,
of his mother’s boyfriend to gang
and should.
It was
beatings.
my own preSmith has it
determined
rough.
opinions of
Eminem’s
this film that
portrayal of
stopped me
t h i s
from seeing it
tormented
in theater or
and jaded
renting it at
street kid
the
video
seems
to
Photo Credit: Eli Reed s t o r e .
mirror the
rappers own Jimmy (Eminem) confronts a co-worker However, I
must say that
persona. His (Xzibit) with a rap in 8 Mile.
I’ll admit that I was one of
the first to berate Eminem’s
debut film 8 Mile, and I’ll be the
first to say I underestimated it.
In general, I’m not a fan of
musicians turned actors but
occasionally I am surprised and
find myself liking the film in
spite of that. This is one of those
occasions.
Eminem, also known as
Marshall Mathers, stars in 8 mile
as the young and ambitious
Jimmy “Rabbit” Smith. Smith
who grew up in the 313 or the
“ghetto” of Detroit, is drawn
into the precarious world of
street rapping. With his friends
behind him 100 % throughout
the film, Jimmy struggles to
troubled past appeared to have
provided him with the appropriate
frame of mind for this role.
Eminem’s performance was
I am glad to have seen it now. The
movie’s plot may not have crossed
many o f t h e b o u n d a r i e s o f
t h e s t e r e o - t y p i c a l ‘ g a n g s ter
rap’ movie, but its tone and realism
did.
The film was paced as so that,
even when the dialogue carried the
scene, the relevance of it kept it
entertaining. The cinematography,
writing, and editing was descent and
the story was respectable. All in
all, the film wasn’t bad.
It cleared the hurdle that
many films don’t, it captivated
the audience. After a while, I
even forgot I was watching
Eminem and was drawn into his
depiction of the character.
The movie may not make
my ‘best ever’ list but I consider it
to be a well-done film and
deserving of the praise it has
received. And to the people who
criticize it harshly the way I did,
I say: see it. And admit, it’s not
great, but it’s pretty good.
Hollywood’s
Tolkien Offers
Hottest Couples More Than One
Jill Whitney
Reporter
Even though the stars of
Hollywood may lead stressful lives
with the constant shuffle of making
new movies or making that perfect
hit album, they still need to hold
their very own personal lives also.
They may be famous, but they still
need to unwind and be engulfed in
romance and have a chance to find
that special person.
People begin to get lost in the
chaos of gossip among a certain
star’s relationships. Sometimes it’s
hard for celebrity couples to stay
together because of their busy lives
and the meddling media. Many
relationships get broken but others
can withold the obstacles and get
through the tough times.
Here’s an inside look at a few
of the celebrity couples and how
their relationships are coming
along.
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt
are one of Hollywood’s top hottest
couples.
The perfect start to this
couple’s life was on July 30th , 2000
when they married in a special
ceremony on a Malibu seaside cliff.
Throughout the time period that
they have been together many see
that they are a perfect couple.
Since both of them care deeply
about their careers they are very
supportive of one another. Jennifer
travels to some of Brad’s sets to be
able to spend mkore time with him.
And when that doesn’t work out
they use the webcams that are
Book to Rule
Them All
mounted on their computers so they
can see each other.
One couple in particular has had
a lot of people talking is Jennifer
Lopez and Ben Afflek. The gossip
was set off when people started to see
the two together. Then the paparazzi set
it all off when they began taking
pictures of the couple whenever they
were seen together. No one really knew
the status of their relationships until they
announced their engagement.
One aspect that threw off a lot of
people was knowing how different the two
actually are. Look at their ex’s- Gwynth and
P. Diddy. Who could see them as a couple?
One of Hollywood’s unique couples
-Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne have come a
long way together. They first met when
Sharon’s father was the manager for Ozzy’s
band. After being under the influence of
alcohol and drugs for many years Sharon
forced him to clean up his act.
Ozzy and Sharon were happily
married on a beach in Hawaii on July
4,1982. Soon after their marriage the
couple got Ozzy’s contract from
Sharon’s father and she took over the
management for his heavy metal
band.
The couple has three children,
Amiee (September 2, 1983), Kelly
(October 27, 1984), and Jack
(November 8, 1985). In addition to
their three children Ozzy has two
children from his previous marriage
to Thelma Reily.
Photo by Brooke Bergantzel
Ozzy told People magazine, Serior Henry Gerhardt checks out one of Tolkien’s masterpieces
“She’s not allowed to die before me. at a local book store.
I couldn’t live without her.”
Despite what some may think
instructional book on Middle Earth
Ozzy proves that true love in
and its history.
Shannon Kelley
Hollywood really does exist.
The book contains several
Reporter
stories, the longest one being the
Photo from allstarz.com
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, one of Hollywoods most
recognized couples make a public appearance.
IRTHRIGHT
of Council Bluffs, 427 E. Kanesville, Suite 303
We are here if you need us.
....Sam Tsuji
Call for:
A Free Pregnancy Test
Emotional Support
Medical Referrals
Maternity or Infant Clothing
Call : (712) 322-2100
With the opening of The
Fellowship of the Ring, the first
Lord of the Rings movie, J.R.R.
Tolkien became popular again. Now,
with The Two Towers out, all things
Tolkien are going mainstream.
In addition to the Lord of the
Rings trilogy, Tolkien wrote other
books about Middle Earth that fans
of the Lord of the Rings books and
movies might want to check out. Of
these other books The Silmarillion
and The Hobbit are the two that
relate most directly to Lord of the
Rings.
The Hobbit is the tale of
Frodo’s uncle Bilbo Baggins and his
adventures with the One Ring. It has
a lot of the elements of Lord of the
Rings, including wise elves,
Gandalf, battles, and, of course,
hobbits.
The difference is that, while
both are essentially quest stories,
The Hobbit isn’t nearly as dark. It
has a more juvenile flavor to it, with
more dwarves in starring roles than
elves. It also has more humorous
scenes, like Bilbo’s riddle contest
with Gollum in which Gollum talks
to his “Precious.”
If you read or watched Lord of
the Rings just for the gore and
battles, The Hobbit probably isn’t
for you. While there are a couple of
battles, most are bloodless and short.
However, if Lord of the Rings
left you wanting an explanation of
how the Baggins family got the ring,
or if you’re one of those people who
thought the Lord of the Rings was
interesting but too violent, The
Hobbit is just what you want. It’s a
Tolkien introduction and a tale of
good and evil with a hero that has a
sense of humor and cool adventures.
Unlike The Lord of the Rings
and The Hobbit, The Silmarillion
isn’t a quest story. In fact, it doesn’t
even have main characters. Instead,
The Silmarillion is meant to be an
Silmarillion text that tells of the
making and history of special jewels
called Silmarils that contain the light
of the sacred trees. Other texts tell
related tales, like that of the creation
of Middle Earth.
The Silmarillion isn’t for
everyone because it has a more
textbook feel than regular novels. It
also has religious tones to it,
mentioning Tolkien’s version of God
and the lesser gods that rule Middle
Earth, but they aren’t offensive or
related to any specific religion.
Even though The Silmarillion is
drier than most novels, it has
interesting parts. For example, a
Silmaril is eaten by an evil beast –
along with the hand of the man
holding it. I won’t ruin the ending,
but what they find in the beast’s
stomach when it dies is a real puzzler.
Other great parts describe the making
of the dwarves, the abandonment of
the two towers, and the slaying of a
dragon.
If you’ve become a Tolkien
fanatic or are very curious about
background events that were only
mentioned in Lord of the Rings, The
Silmarillion is the kind of extensive
Tolkien history that you need.
So, whether you’re a Tolkien
buff or just a fan of The Lord of the
Rings movies, The Hobbit and The
Silmarillion are classic Tolkien tales
that you might want to read. They
and other Tolkien books are available
at your local library or bookstore. Be
aware, however, that with the recent
increase in Tolkien fans, the books
you want may already be checked out
at the library.
Even if you think you don’t like
J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, try reading
these books because Tolkien’s
Middle Earth tales are often
considered some of the best fantasyadventure fiction ever written.
Tolkien’s books helped change the
fantasy genre and they might change
your opinion of it, too.
Remember The
Red Carpet
Photos and moments
from the 75th Annual
Academy Awards
Adrian Brody
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Highlight Phrase: Cut it[the
music] out, Cut it out. I only get
one shot at this.
Micheal Moore and
Micheal Donovan
Best Documentary Feature
Highlight Phrase: We like
nonfiction and we live in fictitious
times.
Chicago: Martin Richards
Best Picture
Highlight Phrase: Oh, God. Oh,
my God! Mom and Dad, look
where I’m standing. Oh my God.
Nicole Kidman
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Highlight Phrase: Thank you so
much. Yes. Now I have to think.
Eminem: Accepted by Luis Resto
Best Song
Highlight Phrase:He’s a good
man, good heart. Here’s to you,
Marshall.
Bill Guttentag and
Robert David Port
Best documentary short subject
Highlight Phrase: On September
11th, Detective Joseph Vigiano
and his brother John made the
ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Elliot Goldenthal
Best Music Score
Highlight Phrase:I want to
dedicate this award to the bridges
that we try to build, to the people
of Mexico, to the artistic tradition
and legacy of personal and
political art. For you, Mexico.
The 75th Annual Academy Awards
were held at the Kodak Theater in
Hollywood, California.
Photos from Oscar.com
Compiled by Sam Tsuji
Page 7
April 2003
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Soccer Season Begins with a Bang
Ashley Richter
Reporter
Ashley Richter
Reporter
The Titans boy’s
soccer season started out
with a bang.
The boys had their
first taste of competition
at the city jamboree going
2-1. The first game was
played against St. Albert
and received a 2-1 win.
The next game was a
tough one against
Abraham Lincoln with a
close loss, loosing 0-1.
The Titans regained their
strength for the final
game of the night and
squeezed by with a 1-0
victory over Thomas
Jefferson.
“The jamboree went
well, we went 2-1. We
played pretty well but we
still have some work to
do,” said sophomore
Justin Toole.
The boys had their
first regular season game
against Elkhorn Mt.
Michael taking a 4-3
victory on the cold
windy night.
Pat
Powers scored two
goals, while Keith
Damgaard and Josh
Probes scored a goal a
piece. It was a great
win and exciting down
to the last second.
“It was good to
get a win but we need
to play better and get
this more organized.
We
need
to
communicate with
each other more,” said
Toole.
The Titans next
game was a 3-1
victory
over
Glenwood, which
starts an away game
stretch.
Their next game
will be away against
Photo By Meg Black.
Sioux City North on Senior Jesse Smith passes the ball to senior Andy
April 17th.
Himes.
Teeing up with
LC’s Golf Team
Ashley Richter
Reporter
The Titan boy’s golf team had
their first tournament at the 24 th
annual Abraham Lincoln- Thomas
Jefferson Invitational.
The team ended up finishing
fifth place overall, with 15 different
southwest Iowa and Omaha teams
competing.
The top golfer of the day for
Lewis Central was Kyle Casson with
a 78. Other Titans that scored just a
little higher than Casson was Mike
Cozad with 80, Cole Grandfield 81,
Nathan Taylor and Mark Diller each
ended with a 86, and Mark Hubbard
with a 87.
The Titans beat all three-city
teams, with Abraham Lincoln taking
seventh place, St. Albert tying for 12th
with Bellevue East, and Thomas
Jefferson ending up in 14th place.
The boys lost to the city teams
earlier in the year and were glad to
settle the score.
“It felt pretty good because we
were looking to get revenge on them
from the city meet in the fall,” said
sophomore Mike Cozad.
With a great start for the season
the team had three games in a row.
The Titans traveled to Glenwood on
the 14 th , taking a close loss.
Glenwood scored a 162 and the Titans
ended the night on a 170.
The boys then had two home
games. Their first home game was
against Harlan on the 15th, with the
Lewis Central Invite that followed on
the 16th.
With a disappointing
ending to last year’s season, the
Titans girl’s soccer team is
hoping to reach beyond that
level this year.
The Titans won the
majority of their games last
year, ending their season with a
heartbreaking loss in overtime
to Abraham Lincoln, keeping
them from advancing any
further.
“I was really disappointed
because I felt like it was my
fault. When I saw the Abraham
Lincoln girls celebrating I
remembered the silly string and
confetti I bought in case we
won,” said sophomore Rikki
Southard. “I’ve built up a lot
of rage and I’ll have more
confetti this year. So hopefully
they didn’t get too used to
winning.”
The Titans have a talented
roster and a team full of
experienced players.
“ I think our season is
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel.
Freshman Olivia Gayten practices for a shootout. going to go really well. We
have a lot of good players, and we
only lost one senior last year. I’m
excited,” said senior Amanda Summy.
Four seniors, Rachel Grosvenor,
Jessica Lee, Julie Ryba, and Amanda
Summy lead this year’s Titans. A
strong mixture of freshman,
sophomores, and juniors make up the
rest of the squad.
John DeVries, who has been
head coach for six years, is also
excited and has good expectations for
this season.
“I expect these guys to qualify
for state. It will take commitment,
consistency, and hard work. They
have the skills,” said DeVries.
The Titans haven’t been able to
play their first regular season game
because their first two games have
been postponed due to weather.
They were happy to finally
have their first game against St.
Albert and it was an exciting one.
It came down to sudden death with
the Titans prevailing.
The Titans next soccer game
will be a home game against
Glenwood on the 24th.
All-Star Cast Makes “Charlie Brown” a Hit
Pam Shorey
Assistant Editor
Charlie Brown and the crew have
been making millions laugh and smile
for more than 50 years. The revised
version of the musical “You’re A Good
Man Charlie Brown” graced Lewis
Central’s stage on April 11 and 12.
Based on Charles M. Schulz’s comic
strip, the show offered entertainment
for people of any age.
Once again a crowd lingers by
the doorways of Lewis Central’s
auditorium, waiting for a show that
they know will live up to LCHS
Drama’s promising past. The doors
open and the theme music of
“Peanuts” puts a smile on people’s
faces and some can’t help but start
dancing a little.
Finally, the lights go down and
the curtains are drawn, revealing an
animated set of park benches and brick
walls. With a short intro from the band,
the cast breaks into the opening song,
“You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown.”
At first sight of the characters, the
costumes automatically attract
attention. Despite some problems with
ordering the costumes, the
replacements fit just right. Charlie
Brown in his recognizable yellow Tshirt, Sally showing off a cute pink
dress, and of course Pig-Pen with
clothes that haven’t seen a washer in
about a year.
“The first costumes we got
made everyone look like they were
on the cast of “Popeye,” not “You’re
A Good Man Charlie Brown,’” said
sophomore Pat VanNordstrand. “So
all the girls raided Bethany Riso’s
closet and got really good little kid
costumes.”
Aside from the fantastic
costumes, the cast proved that we
were in for a great show just by the
first song. Their exaggerated
movements and facial expressions
were priceless, portraying the actions
of everyday little kids. Drawing the
audience in right away with their high
energy, the cast managed to keep it
up throughout the entire show.
The various sets were
spectacular and brought everything
to life. They had everything from
Schroader’s piano and Snoopy’s
doghouse to Lucy’s Psychiatric Help
booth.
With a cast of only 14, this
production varies greatly in
comparison to many musicals in the
past. Every actor brought his/her own
personality to the stage and when put
together, an extraordinary amount of
talent.
Each character contributes
largely to the picture of life as a little
kid. There is Sally (Jaimi Joneson)
who overreacts over everything,
Charlie Brown (Andy King) who is
the kind-hearted pushover, Lucy
(Jennifer Beckner) who is the crew’s
bully, and Linus (Pat VanNordstrand)
“I liked teaching all the
who is the logical one of the group dances and watching the cast
and has insight on everything.
perform them onstage and have a
There was a time in each of our good time,” said sophomore Emily
lives when insignificant problems S h a n k s w h o w a s o n e o f t h e
seemed to matter so much- like choreographers. “Brenna and I
missing a pop fly at a baseball game would just get together and sit
or tripping in front of your crush. down and think about it. We would
While watching this musical, those listen to the music once and do
events replayed in our
heads as each character
brought his/her own set of
problems into the play,
providing a glimpse at the
troubles that little kids
face. Charlie Brown faces
the dilemma with his
admiration of The Little
Red-Headed Girl (Sarah
Kreger), while also facing
the perils of Valentine’s
Day. There’s even the
struggle of finishing a
100-word report about
Peter Rabbit in the song,
“The Book Report.”
The ignorance that
little kids have is greatly
portrayed through Lucy’s
Photo By Karen Watson.
song, “Little Known Seniors Jaimi Joneson and Andy King do the
Facts.” Lucy teaches ‘Snoopy Dance’
Linus that the snow comes up from whatever popped into our heads.”
There is no doubt that this
the ground and that you tell how old a
musical, directed by Tom
tree is from counting its leaves.
The choreography of each song McLaughlin, was a huge success.
added fantastic eye candy to the Receiving a standing ovation, the
outrageous facial expressions and LCHS drama department continues to
hold its proud tradition.
vocals of the cast.
The Talented, the Beautiful...the Men?
Photo By Brooke Bergantzel
Freshman A.J. Baney and senior Iggy Cockroft practice their putting
on hole one.
Ashley Richter
Reporter
The Lewis Central girl’s golf
team has the potential for a great
season. With hard work the girls
could be the top team in the city.
“Our goal is to be first in the
city,” said senior Shayla Sass.
Shalya Sass and Stacey
Goodman the two seniors of the team
lead the Titans. With two returning
starters five other girls make up the
rest of the team.
With such a small team the girls
will all have to contribute to have a
successful season.
“With such a small team, we all
need to play good for us to have a
good season,” said sophomore Kelli
Clark.
Some of the girls have the talent
of being one of the top five golfers
within the city, which would be quite
an accomplishment.
“We have four really strong
players and any of them have a chance
of medaling at the city meet,” said
senior Stacey Goodman.
The Titans traveled to Glenwood
for its first meet, taking a 235-254
win. Carly Frost led the way for the
Titans shooting a 51, while Shayla
Sass followed with a 58. Stacey
Goodman finished with a 59 and
Jessica Kamish shot a 67.
Drake will be asking each guy
one question and he will have
to answer it as best as they can.
And finally there is the People’s
Choice Award. Each escort goes
out into the audience during
intermission to collect money
for their guy. The money is then
tallied and whoever has the most
is awarded with the money.
Last year’s prize was a free
tux for prom because the show
was right before prom. This year
they will probably be giving out
a gift certificate since prom is
already over this year.
Each one of the guys has
chosen a talent that they are
going to perform for everyone
to see.
Ziggenfuss will be playing
the guitar and singing a song,
however, he is unsure of what
song it will be. Pomerleau has
chosen to imitate Enrique
Iglesias while having Brandon
Mason as his sidekick.
Pop
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Jill Whitney
Reporter
Monday- the so-called boring
day, now holds curiosity,
adventure,and numerous talented
juniors and seniors competing for
the title of Mr. LC on April 28th.
At 7:00 p.m. everyone is
invited to watch the 2nd annual Mr.
LC show.
The guys participating in this
year ’s big event are seniors
Cameron Ziggenfuss, Bruce
Pomerleau, Kevin Mcwhorter, Iggy
Cockroft, Dylan Davis, and junior
Dan Barnett.
The guys are judged on 4
things. The categories consist of
formal wear, talent, the interview,
and the people’s choice award.
During the formal wear
competition each guy is judged on
how good he looks and how poised
he is in a tux. For the talent category
each guy is instructed to find one
great talent that he can show off to
the audience. For the interview, Mr.
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Mcwhorter will be
singing a Dave
Matthews Band song
with his band. The
band is made up of
Turner Morgan,
Kyle Kreger and
himself. There’s a
possibility of more,
but for now they are
doing well with their
awesome
trio.
Cockroft will be
singing Hyponotized
by Notorious B.I.G.
Barnett
and
Davis have decided
that they would like
to keep their talent a
surprise
for
everyone who comes
to see.
To find out who
will be the next Mr.
LC make sure to
come and watch.
Don’t miss it!
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Artwork by Ryan Showers
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Page 8
April 2003
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The Adventures of Johnny and Gerbill
By Ryan Showers
Brooke’s Crazy Pictures
Picture One
Picture Two
These pictures are things
you find everyday at school.
Identify all four or three
out of four and win a prize.
Bring your completed paper
to room 401.
Picture Three
Dream Date or Dud: Does your
Prom date have what it takes?
Most of us take choosing a prom date very seriously. Having a The
right date can make or break Prom night, leaving us hoping the evening
never ends or praying for the time to pass more quickly. For those of you
who are still wondering if the date you’ve chosen is a dream or a dud,
simply take this quiz and find out.
When dining out your date:
a) demonstrates all appropriate table manners
b) chews with his or her mouth open, but still behaves in an overall
respectable manner
c) removes every vegetable from his or her plate and has a contest to see
which will best stick to a nearby window
When introduced to your parents for the first time he or she:
a) Behaves perfectly, and even treats your bratty siblings with kindness
b) Responds to all questions with yes or no and refrains from direct eye
contact
c) Provides your parents with a detailed list of their criminal record
Picture Four
Perfect Partners
It seems as though teens are always looking for the perfect member of the opposite sex.
So we here at The Wire took it upon ourselves to go out and find exactly what the opposite sex
wants in their ideal mate. Two reporters from our staff walked around the school and randomly
interviewed a variety of different students and asked them for their personal opinion. Below you
will find the characteristics of what scored highest in the survey.
The top pick among the girls of LC:
Top pick among the guys of LC:
Body Type: Athletic
Height: Tall
Clothing Style: Tee shirts and jeans, or
something causal
Skin Tone: LC girls like their boys evenly
tanned
Piercing: Some do, some don’t
Cologne: Just enough Lucky to get a whiff
of it
Personality: Cute and playful
Eyes: Sexy blue eyes
Hair Style: Longer shaggy hair, but not
too long
Side Burns: If at all, clean half-length
will do
Hair Color: Dark brown
Body Type: Average to athletic
Height: Medium
Clothing Style: Causal, some trendy
Skin Tone: Tan
Piercing: Definitely a winner
Tattoos: Depends on where they are at.
Make-Up: Don’t go natural, these guys like
the make-up if a girl knows how to put it
on
Perfume: Top pick was Lucky, but Cool
Water and Candies were also favored
Personality: Cute and playful
Eyes: Sexy blue eyes
Hair Style: Medium to long and
straight with a little wave is perfect
Hair Color: Blonde
When you take your date dancing to test his or her skills he or she:
a) Glides across the floor like Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers
b) Dances like Elaine on Seinfeld
c) Refuses to set a foot on the dance floor
When the
a)
b)
c)
bill comes after dinner out he or she:
Immediately grabs it and insists on paying
Offers to pay, but gives in when you insist on covering the bill
Suddenly becomes extremely interested in his or her napkin, only
looking up after you’ve already grabbed the bill
Mostly a’s – Congratulations! You’ve
....Samofficially
Tsuji snagged a dream prom date
– both polite and a great dancer – your prom is looking to be a night of
incredible memories.
Mostly b’s – Well, it seems that you’ve found yourself a fixer-upper. Not
perfect, but not hopeless. With a little preening this date could go from
mediocre to memorable. Do your best to drop some hints on more
appropriate behavior, but give this guy or gal props for making an effort..
More than one c – I’m sad to say you’ve found yourself a dud. Don’t even
bother trying to improve the behavior of this date, he or she is simply not
prom ready. But don’t worry, if you’re easygoing you just might find
yourself entertained by this less-than-perfect date. And, hey, if you’re less
than amused, you have my official permission to ditch the dud and look for
a stud.
Artwork By Ryan Showers