April 2012 - West Clermont Local Schools

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