Front April 2005.indd

VOLUME 83, ISSUE 7
WWW.REITZJOURNALISM.COM
APRIL 13, 2005
MIRROR
T H E F. J . R E I T Z H I G H S C H O O L
nd
22
This Month in Reitz History
April 5, 1926:
Reitz completes renovations on what is currently the
Small Gym, Foreign Language Office, Science Labs,
Technology Rooms, and English Offices in the Old
Building. The addition was purposed and designed by
Joseph C. Llewellyn and Charles L. Troutman.
National Library Week
“Bob’s Gem” features puzzles,
movies, games, golf, more
Zach McCutcheon,
Chris Basham
Staff Writer, Editor-in-Chief
“Solve the edges.” Science teacher Mr. Green and senior Adam Barron begin to solve a
puzzle during National Library Week. Monday in the library was “Priceless Puzzles” Day.
This year marks the 22nd
Annual National Library
Week (or NLW) at the Reitz
Media Center.
Media Specialist Mr.
Hammonds, aka Sponge
Bob Square Pants and Bob
the Builder, has prepared yet
another week of celebration.
Senior Natalie Hostettler
said, “I expect NLW to be
strange and fun at the same
time.”
The theme of the week,
which started on April 11 and
continues through April 15, is
Bob’s Gem -- The Priceless
Tr e a s u r e - - T h e M e d i a
Center.
This will be the first time
freshmen get to experience
this break from classes.
“I have never been to
NLW. I expect it to be fun,
and I will definitely check
it out,” freshman Charles
Sullivan said.
A c c o r d i n g t o M r.
Hammonds, no other local
high school celebrates NLW
like Reitz.
Monday begins with
Puzzle Day, followed by
Game Day on Tuesday.
We d n e s d a y m o r n i n g i s
the Faculty Recognition
Breakfast, with Movie Day
for students. Miniature
Golf closes out the week on
Thursday and Friday.
Mrs. Erin Koester, English
teacher, said, “I think Mr.
Hammonds does a wonderful
job of including both students
and faculty during NLW.
The faculty breakfast is the
highlight of my week.”
Students and faculty
consistently express their
enthusiasm for the events.
Junior Brandi Lovell said,
“National Library Week
is great and not just for the
games and stuff, but also for
the celebrating of the library
and of books in general.”
Mr. Hammonds plans
all year for this one week.
After 22 years, he said he has
not lost his enthusiasm for
preparation and production of
the event.
“I am proud to be hosting
the 22nd year of NLW at
Reitz,” said Mr. Hammonds.
“It is a wonderful learning
experience.”
National Library Week
was established in 1958
by the American Library
Association. Twenty-two
years ago, Mr. Hammonds
attended a state-wide
conference where two
women from Michigan spoke
about encouraging a unique
atmosphere for students and
faculty in libraries.
For the first NLW, NBC
sports reporter Mike Blake
talked to students for three
lunch periods during one day.
A one-hole putting game was
added the third year, and a
20 foot hole was added the
following year.
Golf became the most
popular NLW event day.
Photos by: Tatam Morgan
“(Above) Putting the pieces together.” Juniors Emily
Carnahan, Amy Monarch, Jennifer Peckenpaugh, Ashley
Wink, Shannon Mitchell, and Naem Madi are among the
first students to kick off National Library Week during 1st
period.“ Time to laugh, talk, relax, and build puzzles.
“(Left) Arrgh, my treasure chest.” Junior Randy Vickery
and sophomore Whitney Lux rummage through Mr.
Hammonds’ bead-draped treasure chest for a good book.
NEWS
Unified girls
take state
3
A&E
Art Show displays
student talents
5
FEATURE
Senior Projects
underway
6
SPORTS
Baseball swings
into season
350 DREIER BLVD EVANSVILLE, INDIANA 47712
8
OPINION
11
Is torture necessary for
Prisoners of War?
S i x y e a r s a g o , M r.
Hammonds created a full
18-hole game with designs
inspired by local putt-putt
courses.
Previous event days
featured airbrush t-shirts and
a Roger’s Hair Academysponsored hair event, called
“Hammonds’ Hair Raiser.”
Past year event days also
included instruction on
origami paper folding, kitemaking, microwave cooking,
and a knock-off “Pepsi
Challenge” food and drink
taste test.
In the future, puzzles and
games may be replaced, but
Mr. Hammonds said he will
not change popular Movie
and Golf Days.
Mr. Hammonds said he
“never stops looking” for
new themes, prizes, games,
and puzzles. He often scans
billboards, magazine ads,
and brochures for his “catchy
themes.” He has decided upon
next year’s theme already.
Prizes given throughout
the week are donated by
the Army, local businesses,
and restaurants. One new
contribution this year is
Hardee’s coupons for a free
“Monster Thickburger.”
“I just like to come up here
(Media Center), hang out and
get away from school. My
friends and I like to compete
for the highest score,” said
junior Allyson Crawford.
N LW i s n o t a o n e man show. Many teachers
volunteer their free time
to assist in supervising,
planning, and preparing for
each day’s events.
A c c o r d i n g t o M r.
Hammonds, NLW has built
a reputation as a fun, unique,
and unusual social event for
both students and faculty. He
said that early in the year,
students start asking about the
dates and theme of NLW, and
faculty want to know when
the breakfast is scheduled.
“What else is there
to say but I have Great
Expectations,” said English
teacher Mrs. Pat Buckingham.
“Awesome is all that needs to
be said.”
Media Center profits made
from video sales of school
events are “given back to
students” through NLW.
M r. H a m m o n d s s a i d ,
“The room is the Priceless
Treasure, not me.”
COMMENTARY
12
Power
corrupts and unifies
APRIL 13, 2005
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
NEWS
PAGE 2
Millions pay homage to Pope
John Paul II dies of medical complications; replacement undecided
Joe Oxley
Feature Editor
The St. Peter’s Basilica
bell, signifying a pope’s
death, had not been heard in
more than 25 years, since the
death of John Paul I in 1978.
On April 2, 2005, those
who waited and prayed for
the ill Pope John Paul II heard
the bell toll.
At 9:37 p.m., Pope John
Paul II died of kidney and
heart problems.
He was the first non-Italian
pontiff in 456 years; and he
reigned for 27 years, the third
longest papacy in history.
John Paul II, originally
n a m e d K a r o l Wo j t y l a ,
was born May 18, 1920, in
Krakow, Poland.
As a young man, he
enjoyed sports, but his
passion was theatre, and he
once considered a career in
acting.
He lived in a free Poland
until 1939 when the Nazis
invaded. After Russian
liberation, he started studying
to become a priest, partly
because of his experiences
from Nazi oppression.
He earned a doctorate
in mystical theology and
philosophy. He was ordained
into the priesthood at only 26
years old.
The Polish Catholic
Church noticed his work
with religious freedom in
an oppressive country. In
Photos by: CNN.com
“A peaceful pope.” (above) The late Pope John Paul II laid at St. Peter’s so all could
pay their last respects before his funeral on April 8. (Right) A younger John Paul II.
1967, at the age of 38, he
became Poland’s youngest
A r c h b i s h o p t o K r a k o w.
He then quickly earned a
promotion. Three years later
he became a cardinal.
Known as “The Year of the
Three Popes,” 1978 was the
year that the Catholic Church
laid to rest two popes.
Paul VI died, and John
Paul I was elected just one
day later. He died only thirtythree days after his election.
After a short two days
deliberation, the Sacred
College elected Karol
Wojtyla.
During his travels and
when speaking to crowds,
he wanted to get close to
everyone, which almost led
to his death in the spring of
1981.
While he was leaning out
of his vehicle in St. Peter’s
S q u a r e , a Tu r k i s h m a n
Mehmet Ali Agca shot and
seriously wounded the pope.
After the a long recovery, he
forgave his would-be assassin
and met with him in person.
The travels of John
Paul led him to almost 130
countries. His accumulated
foreign trips are equivalent
to 30 trips around the earth’s
circumference.
“He meant a lot [to me]
because of how strong of a
leader he was,” said English
teacher Mr. Mike Whicker,
who converted to Catholicism
at the age of 21.
John Paul II involvement
in international affairs started
with his role in preventing a
war between Argentina and
Chile.
“He helped set the mood
for the church,” said junior
Valerie Wedding. He is
mostly known for helping
President Reagan bring down
communism in Russia.
“Be not afraid,” is the
phrase John Paul II used
from The Bible during
his campaign against the
totalitarianism reign.
“This will be a big change
[the pope’s death] for the
Catholic Church because he
will be considered one of,
if not the most, significant
pope,” said AP European
teacher, Mr. Art Adye.
On April 8, Pope John Paul
II, the man once considered to
be one of the holiest on earth,
was laid to rest.
“He was a father figure-he
kept Catholicism going,” said
junior Nate Gibson.
Though the world is still
mourning the death of the late
pontiff, the Sacred College
must elect a new pope.
The Sacred College is a
panel of 134 cardinals which
meets at the Sistine Chapel.
When they meet, if there is
no unanimous “voice-vote”,
each member casts a ballot
vote. There must be a twothirds majority plus one for a
pope to be elected.
Photo by: Google.com
If the majority is not
met, the ballots are mixed
with a chemical so that,
when burned, its smoke will
be black. The black smoke
declares that a pope has not
been elected and they are still
deliberating.
When a pope has been
elected they will put the
ballots in a chemical that
will make the smoke white,
signifying a new pope. The
meeting must be held within
20 days of the pope’s death.
Pope John Paul II was
buried in the St. Peter ’s
Basilica crypt on April 8.
Bits & Pieces, School Briefs
Adam Burgdorf
News Editor
Drama tapes for sale
Video recordings drama
productions Pippin and The
Mouse That Roared are
available for purchase in the
Media Center. There are also
copies of last years’ one-acts
Candid Shots and Get a Clue.
Request the tapes you want
from Mr. Hammonds. The
videos are $10 each.
West-Sider wins nationals
Matt Coughlin, a senior at
Mater Dei, recently won the
national title in wrestling. He
defeated three time Iowa state
champion Ryan Morningstar
in double overtime at
Cleveland, Ohio.
After the first overtime,
the score was tied 1-1. Then,
with nine seconds left in the
second overtime, Coughlin
executed a reversal to earn
a 3-1 victory, securing the
national title.
He wrestled for the title in
the 152 pound weight class.
Coughlin was Indiana’s only
place-winner and Evansville’s
first national champion.
He finished his high school
career with a 178-4 record.
Congratulations to a fellow
West-Sider.
Speech team at state
The speech team took
23 contestants to state
competition.
To q u a l i f y f o r s t a t e ,
students had to receive at
least 7th place in the sectional
tournament.
State finalists were Sarah
Waninger, who received 6th
place in poetry, and Adam
Burgdorf who earned 6th in
Impromptu Speaking and 5th
in Domestic Extemporaneous
Speaking.
North-South football
Senior Andrew Backes was
chosen out of the Southern
Indiana Regional team to
participate in the North-South
Football game. This game
puts the best players from
Northern Indiana against
those from Southern Indiana.
Honors night
During Honors Recognition Night on April 7th,
Reitz High school inducted
72 new members into the
National Honors Society.
Several seniors were also
presented Special Awards.
The recipients of the
Special Awards are: Neil
Cook, Outstanding English
Student and Mathematics
Achievement Award; John
Schmitt, Early Bird Science
Award; Dan King, Science
Achievement Award; Tiffany
Morgan, Globe Theatre
Award; Katie Englehardt,
Outstanding Foreign
L a n g u a g e Aw a r d ; a n d
Chris Basham, Outstanding
Journalism Student Award.
Blood drive
Student Council will hold
a blood drive on April 15,
from 9:00 a.m. through 2:00
p.m. The goal is to have 100
students donate blood. If the
goal is met, there will be a
drawing from the donor list
for a $50 Simon Visa Gift
Card for Eastland Mall.
SAT testing
The next registration
deadline to sign up for testing
is on April 29. The test will
be administered on June 4.
School schedule
There will be no school on
April 29. This date is reserved
as a potential makeup day.
Take your child to work
Students wanting to
participate in the Take Your
Child to Work program
must pickup a form in the
Attendance Office. These
forms must be returned no
later than April 27. Forms
must be completed and
returned for students to
participate in this program.
Freestyle photo fundraiser
LifeTouch professional
photographers will provide
photo shoots on Friday,
April 22 for any group
with a maximum of seven
participants. Pose how you
want and bring props if
necessary. Reserve a photo
shoot now during the school
week of Monday, April 18
through Thursday April 21 in
the cafeteria during any of the
lunches. Groups will receive a
Photo Order Form of various
packages, a specific time slot,
and a special Hall Pass for
the shoot.
Contact Ms. Hull in
Room 237 if you have any
questions.
Career counseling
Counseling intern Mrs.
Hughes will be holding a
career seminar on April 18 in
the Media Center computer
lab. She will be helping
students interested in taking a
Career Interest Inventory, to
help students explore career
opportunities. This event will
be held during Enrichment
period. To attend, please sign
up in the counselors office.
Seating is limited.
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
| APRIL 13, 2005
NEWS
Academic Team outsmarts competition
PAGE 3
Social Studies Team wins First Place
Shannon Kearns
Sports Editor
As the track team hits the
track and the baseball players
hit the field, another team
stays in doors for practice-the
Academic Team.
The nineteen members
of the team, composed of
sophomores, juniors, and
seniors, stay after school
drilling their minds three to
four times a week.
T h e A c a d e m i c Te a m
consists of six separate
teams, each with up to five
members.
Faculty coaches are: Mrs.
Erin Koester, English team;
Mr. Jason Clark, Math team;
Mr. Art Adye, Social Studies
team, Mr. Skip Kniese, Fine
Arts team; and Mr. Michael
Douglass, Science team.
The sixth team, coached
by Mrs. Kathleen Shipley,
is the interdisciplinary team
which covers material from
all five categories.
The top one or two
members of each of the five
teams are chosen to be on the
interdisciplinary team.
Although the teams
compete and practice
separately, they all study
material pertaining to a
particular subject. The topic is
chosen two years in advance
by various coaches around
Indiana and is the same for
every academic team in
Indiana.
This year the topic is
Imperial Russia, and all of
the five teams review material
from that time period. Each
team has an outline providing
them with an idea of the
questions that could be asked
at competitions.
Senior Dan King, a
member of the Science team
and the Interdisciplinary
team, said, “We study such a
wide array of research in order
to insure that we are prepared
for whatever questions they
fire at us.”
During a competition, each
team goes up individually one
after another and is presented
with 25 questions. The
questions are read by a proctor
and displayed on power point
for each team to see. Teams
then have an allotted time,
usually 20-45 seconds, to
answer the question. Points
are taken after each question
is completed.
On March 12, after
competing in the City Meet,
the team brought home
several awards. The Social
Studies team placed first, the
Science team placed second,
and the English and Math
teams placed third.
The Area Competition
on April 19 will be held at
Reitz.
Mrs. Sarah Israel, the
coordinator of the entire
Academic team, said, “The
Area Competition is the big
one because it determines
who goes to State, a goal that
everyone wants.”
Senior Katie Englehart, a
member of the Science team
and the English team, said,
“It’s definitely worth the hard
work and stress because it’s a
lot of fun.”
Unified basketball
wins state tourney
Hostettler visits Reitz
Nathan Simon
Staff Writer
For the first time ever, the
Girls’ Unified team was so
large, that the team had to be
split into two teams, making
Division 1 and Division 2.
This year, the G irls ’
Division 1 Unified team once
again went undefeated. They
played in eight successful
games and went on to win
State Championship.
The Division 2 Girls’
Unified team played 8 games,
and they finished 5-3. They
went on to win the State
Championship.
The Boys’ Unified Team
competed in 10 games and
finished 7-3. They placed
first in sectional competition,
qualifying them for their first
time for state competition.
The Boys received the bronze
medal at state finals.
Unified Basketball coach,
Mrs. Schlosser said, “It’s fun.
It’s good to see both partners
and athletes excited about it,
but it’s difficult to keep up the
traditions.”
Photo by: Tatam Morgan
“The local Representative.” Congressman John Hostettler talked to Fellowship
of Christian Athletes students at the March 24 meeting. He explained how God
redirected his life, allowing him to focus on making an impact through politics.
State to cut EVSC budget
Adam Burgdorf
News Editor
Two years ago, the EVSC
cut school nurses, librarians,
and all day kindergarten
from the budget to help the
school corporation pull out
of debt.
EVSC officials expected
to begin building a small
cash surplus by the end of
this year.
However, new governor
Mitch Daniels announced
that he will be reducing
money the state gives to
school districts.
The cut is expected to be
around $581,000 or about
$6.82 per student.
Principal Mrs. Christine
Settle expressed her concern
about the proposed cuts.
“It would be quite
disturbing to public schools.
It shows a lack of general
concern for our schools in
Evansville and in Indiana,”
Mrs. Settle said.
Photo courtesy of: Hilary Brown
“Girls’ Unified Basketball Team.” Official photo of the athletes. Row 1: Junior Tara
Elderbrook, Abbey Ballard (Helfrich Park), Susan Schelle (Helfrich Park), De Pauw
University student, freshman Kayla Ritter. Row 2: Senior Erica Danks, De Pauw
University student, freshman Di’ Esha Wilson, Johanna Williams (Bosse), Kristina
McDowell (Bosse), Belinda Morgan (Bosse). Row 3: Senior Hillary Brown, junior
Elaine Baehl, Coach Jana Schlosser, senior Chelsea Tovissi, De Pauw University
students, senior Valerie Coulter, De Pauw University student.
APRIL 13, 2005
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Teachers say Old school music is back
PAGE 4
Zach McCutcheon
the darnedest
things
Nathan Simon
Staff Writer
Phrases and sayings
recognized by students
as trademarks of their
teachers are constantly
heard in classrooms and
halls.
While some phrases
inspire, others are
remembered and recited
in recurring jokes.
Mr. Arthur Adye
“Those who fail History
are doomed to repeat it.”
“It doesn’t affect the
life of Joe Ditchdigger.”
“Burn the Witch!”
Mr. Adye
Mr. Gene Backes
“Smack you with a
stupid stick!”
Coaches James Brinkmeyer, Jon Carl, and
Charlie “Stu” Stewart
“Hey, brother.”
Mr. Jon Carl
“Feel the History.”
Mr. Carl
For those about to rock again - we still salute you!
What a wonderful
experience it would be to
have the opportunity to rock
out to the same groups as
your mom and dad did when
they were your age.
Some of the greatest rock
bands of all time have “put
their noses to the grindstone”
to come up with a rock n’ roll
spectacle that will not soon
be topped.
One of the bands that
is coming back is Motley
Crue. They have started
a tour entitled “The Red,
White, and Crue Tour.” It is
a patriotic reference and an
uplifting message for current
and future fans.
They have scheduled
events all over the United
States and plan to tour until
May 1st of this year.
This tour is much better
because all the original
members of the band are
back together for this album
and tour.
The members had a lot of
hard work to do to prepare
Staff Writer
Mr. Glen Groben
[Cricket noises.]
Mr. Farquharson
Mr. Steve Johnston
“Trick that.”
Mrs. Melissa Miller
“Get your poop in a
group, and stop dinking
around!”
“Don’t give me schlep,
give me well thought out
and organized!”
“No slap and tickle.
Slap and tickle leads to
dinking.”
Upon leaving a room:
“I’m off like a prom
dress.”
Mr. Mike Whicker
“ T h e r e ’s n o h a n yockering in the halls.”
“No jack-lagging!”
“I’ve got the eyes of
a hawk and the ears of a
fruit bat; Coach Whicker
sees all and hears all!”
“It’s time to play Stump
Coach Whicker.”
“That deserves a root
beer barrel.”
Mr. Whicker
Mr. Groben
Mrs. Miller
Photos by: Tatam Morgan
Photos by: Google.com
for this tour. They had to
exercise, diet, and restrain old
habits of abuse for the good
of the band and the good of
the tour.
Another really heavyhitter in the classic rock world
returning to perform are the
two remaining members of
The Doors.
They are coming to
Evansville on April 26, and
will appear at the Centre.
Grand Funk Railroad also
did a few shows in Kentucky
and in surrounding states.
One of the most influential
musicians to the rock world,
Elton John, is going back on
tour. He has had a lengthy
career, but there have been
skeptics since day one about
his life.
Beyond the meaningless
speculation into his personal
life, there is no doubt that he is
an icon in the world of music.
His trademark sunglasses and
extravagant ensembles have
made him a shining star in the
world of classic rock.
The rock world will enjoy
some “oldies” -- new again.
Recreational Texas Instruments
Hannah Sigler
Mr. Michael Farqharson
“How did you cheat?”
“Who sent you? Why
are you here?”
Ms. SuzAnn Hull
“Put your noses to the
grind stone!”
“You’re shooting your
self in the foot.”
“You can’t make a silk
purse out of a sow’s ear.”
Staff Writer
Teenagers enjoy spending
their spare time playing
video and computer games
such as Tetrus, PacMan, or
even Duck Hunt. And now,
these same games can be
played on calculators. Of
course, playing during class
is forbidden.
Junior Natalie Wells said,
“I started playing Tetrus my
freshman year on a friend’s
calculator. Now I have it at
home on my computer too.
It’s like I’m addicted to it. I
can’t stop playing. My high
score is 39,200, and that took
forever.”
Te t r u s h a s a b i g
following of fans. Juniors
Courtney Jenkins and Molly
Bilderback play Tetrus on
their calculators.
Jenkins said, “At home,
when I am done with my
math homework, I play
Tetrus. It’s like killing two
birds with one stone.” Jenkins
has a high score of 34,000. “It
took a long time for me to
that score, but the game is so
much fun.”
Bilderback said she plays
about every week. “I get
bored at home so I play on
my calculator.”
Both girls said they like
playing on the calculators
because they are small and
easy to carry around.
Jenkins said, “It’s like
having a Gameboy, only you
can do math homework as
well.”
Junior Hunter Shane said
his favorite game is Galaga.
“It’s a game where you shoot
space ships and the more
you shoot, the more points
you get.” Shane said his high
score is 30,000. “ I like to
play Galaga because it gives
me something to do at home,
and I love the graphics.”
Shane plays video games
at home, so calculator games
come easy to him.
Adam Kendall, a sophomore, said his favorite game
is Duck Hunt. “I’ve been
playing Duck Hunt since I
was seven or eight. Now that
it’s on my calculator, I can
play anytime I want. I played
for 2 hours one time, and I
got a high score of 45,000.”
Sophomore Katlin Elrod is
on a traveling volleyball team.
“When I go on long trips I
have something that will
make it seem a lot shorter. It
also helps when I am waiting
anywhere. It’s small, so I can
carry it in my purse and get it
out whenever I want.”
Junior
Courtney
Laine said
her favorite
game is
Mars Patrol.
Laine, with
a high score
of 15,000 said,
“The game is so
addictive! It’s hard
to keep from playing
at school, but gives
me something to do if
I’m bored at home. I’ll play
it maybe a few times a day. It
Photo by: Tatam Morgan
helps take my mind off of
any stress that I have.”
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
| APRIL 13, 2005
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 5
Louvre de Reitz
Blake Ellis
Staff Writer
Mead Johnson Nutritionals
and the Reitz Attendance
District sponsored the
Eleventh Annual “Fine Arts
Explosion” this year.
The viewing of the
art work and the awards
ceremony reception were
Tuesday, March 22, 2005.
The location was the lobby of
Mead Johnson.
The public was able to
observe artwork from 6:00
p.m. to 6:45 p.m., and the
Awards Ceremony began
promptly after the viewing.
Junior Krista Gray said, “I
attended the art show, and I
was able to walk around and
see all the different works of
art. There were some beautiful
and stunning pieces. I was
amazed by the tremendous
amount of talent exhibited.”
Over 100 different
students’ artworks were on
display in the main lobby
from March 15 to the 22nd.
In addition to Reitz,
students from Perry Heights
Middle School, Helfrich
Park Middle School, Cynthia
Heights Elementary School,
Daniel Wertz Elementary
School, Tekoppel Elementary
School, and West Terrace
Elementary School displayed
Photos by: Nathan Simon
“(Above) For Viewing Pleasure.” Anthony Senior
Hannah Will, junior Anthony Wilson, and senior Alison
Wigand discuss works at the Fine Arts Explosion.
(Right) The next DaVinci?” Student art is exhibited at
Mead Johnson. Every year, the Reitz Art Show brings
out the creativity and talent of many artistic students.
their artwork.
There were two different
categories, 2 dimensional
and 3 dimensional art. In 2D, a $75 prize was awarded
for 1st place, $50 dollars for
2nd place, $25 dollars for
Honorable Mention, and $15
dollars for Special Honorable
Mention was awarded.
The artwork categorized
as 3-D is judged the same, but
there is no Special Honorable
Mention category.
Two prestigious awards
are the 100 Year Mead
Johnson Award for $200, and
the People’s Choice Winner
for $100 dollars.
“Everyone’s artwork was
really good,” said sophomore
Sunny Huang. “It seemed
like a really tough show to
judge.”
I n t h e 2 - D c a t e g o r y,
Bethany Linenburg placed
first, Allyson Crawford
2nd, Sunny Huang received
Honorable Mention, and
Rebecca Stratman won
Special Honorable Mention.
First place in 3-D went
to Craig Coursey, 2nd place
to Erica Fahrlander, and
Honorable Mention to Wade
Mayer.
Sunny Huang won a $100
dollar prize for People’s
Choice Winner.
Bethany Linenburg walked
away with a $200 dollar prize
for 100 Year Mead Johnson
Award.
The students who
participated in this year’s
art show put much time and
effort into their artwork.
Junior Wade Mayer said,
“It took me an exhausting,
demanding, long five days to
finish my magnificent work
of art.”
Senoir Bethany Linenburg
sold one of her paintings to a
Bristol Myers employee.
Linenburg said, “ I really
got into painting during
middle school, and I plan on
majoring in art in college.”
Ms. Janet Craig, Faculty
Sponsor and Art teacher said,
“The Eleventh Annual Fine
Arts Explosion represented
many Reitz students and really
showed how much talent that
the Panthers have.”
The show was a memorable event.
Junior Erica Fahrlender
said, “Seeing everyone there,
proud parents and general
viewers with happy faces,
made me proud that my art
was appreciated. It gave me a
feeling I can’t even explain.”
Hidden treasures of the Internet
Chris Basham
Editor-in-Chief
From many years surfing
the Internet, I’ve found one
constant: I am constantly
loyal to web sites I’ve found
to be the best. Here’s a web
site book list I couldn’t live
without.
Gamespy
(www.Gamespy.com)
Behold the CNN of
gaming news. Gamespy daily
features articles, previews,
and reviews on nearly every
game to hit any console
system.
Gamespy also hosts
numerous sister web sites
such as FilePlanet (www.
FilePlanet.com) to download
game trailers, videos, mods
(modifications), patches,
and demos; and web sites
for individual games
(PlanetHalfLife, PlanetDoom,
PlanetGTA, PlanetWarcraft,
etc).
Except for Peter Jennings,
there is no other news source
I trust more.
Red vs. Blue
(www.RedvsBlue.com)
The Red Army has a
Hispanic android. The Blue
Army has a Scorpion Tank
and Warthog ATV. They hate
each other, and they don’t
know why. In fact, they
don’t even know why they’re
fighting each other. They’re
just stuck in this huge canyon
waiting for attack orders from
Central Command.
Red vs. Blue is series of
weekly videos (averaging 6
minutes an episode) powered
by the Xbox Halo engine, and
written, voiced, and “acted”
by a group of friends based
on the West Coast. They’re
well into Season 3 (Episode
53 was released on March
28), and Season 1 and 2 are
available on DVD in many
national retailers and their
online store.
The same group also
creates a series of videos
(currently in Episode 5) called
the Strangerhood, powered
by the Sims 2 game.
WordCount
(www.WordCount.org)
Conquistador – the least
common English word spoken
or written. Type in any word,
and WordCount will rank the
how common it is compared
to 86,800 other words in
the English language and
literature. The word list even
includes names and all verb
variations (such as try, trying,
and tried).
Also, conspirators have
found hidden messages in
the words, such as “america
ensure oil opportunity” (992995), “environmental damage
proposed” (1224-1226),
“arafat unhealthy” (1604716048), and “microsoft
aquire salary tremendous”
(4304-4307).
Wo r d C o u n t p u l l s i t s
“ranking” data from British
National Corpus, an English
language “cross-section”
collection of 100 million
words spanning across
various spoken and
written sources.
10x10
(www.TenByTen.org)
Brought to you by the
creator of WordCount, 10x10
hourly summarizes online
news feeds from Reuters
World News, BBC World
Edition, and New York Times
International News into 100
words (each ranked by
their importance). By
clicking on any of the
“words of the hour” or image
thumbnails, you can read the
corresponding news headlines
and jump to the full story.
The site shows you how
to find the 100 list for any
hour since its creation on
November 4, 2004. Thus,
10x10 is one of the best
resources for staying up to
date with world events.
Hero Machine
(www.ugo.com/channels/
comics/heroMachine2/
heromachine2.asp)
Ever wanted to create your
own superhero, but couldn’t
draw? Hero Machine is the
answer to your prayers.
Customize your hero by
selecting each unique part of
the character (ear, skin, nose,
hands, overcoat, undershirt,
insignia, pants, shoes, gloves,
weapons etc.) and colorize.
Over a dozen choices are
available for each of the 32
categories, and even more
with the paid version of the
software ($20), guaranteeing
millions of superhero
combinations!
Xiao Xiao
( w w w. n e w g r o u n d s . c o m /
collections/xiao.html)
There is no other better
representation of SUPERAWESOME Kung Fu than
Xiao Xiao – not even in the
movies. In all these 5 minute
clips, a black stick figure
battles enemy stick figures,
moving more fluidly and
efficiently than a Jet Lee/
Jackie Chan crossbreed.
Homestar Runner
(www.HomestarRunner.com)
Homestar Runner is a
series of simple, clean, and
hilarious cartoon clips and
games featuring a cast of
about 12 characters.
The Strong Bad Emails
are my favorite part of the
site. There are currently 127
episodes of Strong Bad (who
dresses like boxer) answering
emails sent to him by fans.
Creation Engine
(www.CreationEngine.com)
There has been no other
place on the Internet that has
saved me more money than
Creation Engine.
It provides Educational
Versions of software from all
major software companies for
a fraction of the price of their
Commercial counterparts.
I have saved literally
thousands of dollars by
buying from Creation Engine
over the past few years.
For example, last summer I
bought the Adobe Creative
Suite Premium package (for
creating graphics) at Creative
Engine for about $380, saving
me $850.
The only downside of
buying Education
Versions of software
is that the graphics or
files made by them can’t be
used for profit; otherwise the
versions are identical. Thus,
only students (K-12 and
college) and school faculty
are eligible for this discount,
not companies.
PriceWatch
(www.PriceWatch.com)
Find the cheapest prices for
the best computer hardware.
Inktank
(www.InkTank.com)
Great daily geeky comic
strip featuring a game
developer company.
Mr. Picasso Head
(www.MrPicassoHead.com)
Create your own Mr. Potato
Heads in Picasso form.
Social Bookmark Manager
(del.icio.us)
Bookmark sites you like;
share them with your friends.
Apple Movie Trailers
(www.apple.com/trailers/)
Movie trailers, teasers, and
featurettes.
Addicting Games
(www.AddictingGames.com)
Mini-games of any genre.
Warning: The title is not
deceiving.
Curse of
senioritis
Jonas Raymond
A&E Editor
Being a senior at
Reitz at this time of the
year, I too, have fallen
under the “curse” of
senioritis. This is the
sole reason I have
decided to stop writing
this story.
APRIL 13, 2005
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
FEATURE
PAGE 6
Senior Projects into year two
Andrea Botzum
Public Relations Manager
O h , t o b e a s e n i o r.
Scrapbook pages due, college
decisions to be made, and
scholarship deadlines to
meet.
Not to mention Prom, the
class trip, announcements,
senior pictures, graduation.
Oh, yes, one must continue
holding down a job.
Last year, one more thing
was freshly added to the mix
--a senior project.
This meant that seniors,
if they have not already
done so, must become timemanagement masters.
“These projects are
designed to give seniors an
opportunity to take the skills
they’ve obtained the last
three years and apply them to
a project that interests them,”
said senior English teacher
Mrs. Koester.
Mrs. Sue Rolley and Mrs.
Erin Koester initiated a pilot
program last year with four
senior English classes.
Due to the success of the
pilot program, this year each
and every single student,
excluding Advance Placement
students, will participate in
the program and complete a
senior project.
How exactly does this
work? An idea is born, and
a proposal is made. Students
must present a polished plan
to a committee of teachers for
approval.
Once approved, the project
is underway with specific
requirements to meet. Every
student must have a mentor,
and every project must take at
least fifteen hours of work.
The 2005 seniors have
spent the last few months
working to complete a wide
variety of projects.
Powder Puff Football
The Second Annual
Powder Puff Football
Tournament was one of the
most anticipated and popular
senior projects.
Approximately 130 girls,
as well as a crowd full of
fans, showed up on Sunday,
March 20, at Barker Avenue
to prove that girls can play
football too.
The entry fee was a canned
food item. These items
were all donated to a shelter
house.
Darren Cloud and Matt
Wright organized their senior
project to give girls at all
grade levels an opportunity to
play ball.
Five teams of sophomores,
juniors, and seniors made up
the league.
The teams began practicing months in advance, and
football players served as
coaches as well as officials.
After five intense games
and serious competitions,
The Bonecrushers, earned the
coveted championship title.
Shadowing the Mayor
Senior projects can be used
as a step into the working
world.
These projects provide
opportunities for seniors to
understand what is required
to develop a career.
Dustin Cline thought he
wanted to go into politics, but
after spending his required
fifteen hours shadowing the
Mayor, he experienced a
change of heart.
“Going into the project, I
was really nervous because I
was about to get a glimpse of
what I saw myself doing in a
few years,” said Cline.
After spending his time
filing complaints called into
the mayor’s office and after
searching newspapers for
major comments that needed
to be recorded, Cline decided
that this aspect in the world
of politics might not be the
career for him.
Even so, Cline came away
with a positive reaction to the
project.
“I gained a lot of good
experience from my senior
project, and I really enjoyed
meeting and getting to know
the people who run our city,”
said Cline.
Yearbook Handbook
Attention to detail is one
of the keys to a successful
senior project, and this one is
all about details.
Sam Vaughn is writing
a step-by-step guide for
producing a yearbook. The
Handbook is complete with
the steps required to produce
Reflections and includes
helpful hints to make the
process as smooth as possible,
with less stress.
With current Journalism
Adviser, Ms. SuzAnn Hull,
leaving after this year, this
project will be very timely as
well as helpful.
“I think that with a new
adviser coming to Reitz next
year, this guide will help
him or her to keep the strong
legacy of Reflections in tact,”
said Vaughn.
Knitting Blankets
“One of the toughest
things about senior projects is
finding something that no one
has done before,” said Laura
Buck. “That’s why I choose
to learn how to knit.”
A sister at Mater Dei
Provinciality taught Laura
how to work the needles to
create a masterpiece.
After accomplishing the
art of knitting, Buck made a
blanket which was sent to an
needy child in Mexico.
Photo courtesy of: Hilary Brown
“Taking home another title.” Last years’ reigning
champs, the Senior Bonecrushers, enjoyed another
victory in Powder Puff football.
Photo by: Joe Oxley
“Put your game faces on.” Seniors Cody Mangold, Neil Cook, Eric Kendall, and junior Cody Radford teamed up
against nine other teams in a Halo 2 tournament that benefited the United Caring Shelter on March 10.
“I spent about two weeks
learning to knit, and the
blanket took a couple months
to complete. The hardest part
about knitting is learning how
to hold the needles correctly,”
said Buck.
Now Buck has learned a
sewing art that she can use
personally and for future
family projects.
Car Show
On April 17, the main
parking lot will be packed for
Nick Baylor and John Siscel’s
Car Show Project.
Registration time is
between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.
The cars will be judged
in four different categories.
Additionally, cleanliness,
paint, stereos, wheels, and
accessories will be part of the
judging criteria.
The winner of each
category will compete for a
Best of Show trophy.
The Award Ceremony will
be at 3 p.m.
Seniors in Action Calendar
Students love photos.
Seniors have been photographed at sports events,
pep assemblies, Fall Festival,
Homecoming, Turnabout,
Prom, on campus, in classes,
at lunch, and with friends.
Senior Kara Roedel has
compiled a calendar complete
with pictures of students
throughout their senior year.
Roedel took many photos
and produced a calendar
with each page featuring a
permanent colorful record of
seniors enjoying Reitz life.
“I always wanted to learn
about action photography,
and I did. My mentor showed
me professional cameras and
how they work. It was a great
learning experience,” said
Roedel.
Upon completion of her
final project, Roedel plans on
presenting the calendar to the
school at the end of the year.
Senior Quilt
Not every senior works
only the required fifteen
hours.
Kayecee Gross spent
approximately thirty hours
making her senior quilt.
Photo courtesy of: Cory Thacker
“Save the last dance for me.” On March 5, Cory Thacker and Trey Grimme awarded
the Fields family, victims of a house fire, with a $1600 check raised from the benifit
dance, West Side Alive. The gym filled with 232 students to support the family.
Blue and gray are the
featured colors, of course.
Each square has a date
and an event stitched into it,
featuring Prom, Turnabout,
football games, and cheerleading events.
“These (the quilt squares)
represent the activities I was
involved in my senior year,”
said Gross. “My quilt will be
something I can always look
back on and remember all of
the good times at Reitz.”
Reitz Home Guide
After an hour and a half of
showing visitors around the
Reitz Home, Laura Keil and
Jayla Campbell can record
their time for their fifteen
hours.
Both students memorized
the details of one room in
order to provide points of
interest for tour visitors.
“I really like being a
docent at the Reitz Home.
My favorite room to show
is the Drawing Room. It’s
really elegant with beautiful
chandlers. Seniors acquire
real world skills from their
projects. I feel that my
speaking skills are a lot better,
and I am not as intimidated by
people as much as before,”
said Keil.
Campbell also found the
experience to be rewarding.
“I learned about Josephine
Reitz’s bedroom. She was
the sister of F.J. Reitz,” said
Campbell. “I learned a lot
more about the Reitz family
and the history behind the
house.”
West Side Alive Benefit
Dance
T h e We s t S i d e w a s
definitely alive on Saturday,
March 5, when 232 people
packed the gym for Cory
Thacker’s and Trey Grimme’s
Benefit Dance Project.
The successful night
brought in a total of $1600
for Ken and Kim Fields.
The family’s home burned
down on January 21. They
lost all their belongings,
including their dog and cat.
Thacker and Grimme
raised funds to help the
family rebuild and recuperate
from their losses.
Student DJs Seth Baylor,
Evan Schmitt, and Darren
Cloud kept the music playing
all night long.
This dance was more than
just great music. Pizza was
available for purchase, thanks
to Papa Johns, Dominos,
and Pizza Hut. Wal-Mart,
Schnuck’s, and other local
restaurants donated prizes
for drawings. The profit
from purchases and drawings
added to the total.
“I think Trey and I spent
about forty hours working
on our project and getting
it together, but it was well
worth it when we presented
the check to Mr. and Mrs.
Fields,” said Thacker.
Mr. & Miss F.J. Reitz
Pageant
On April 12, a Mister and
Miss will be crowned during
Homeroom.
Brittani Decker and Tara
Dallas are looking for students
who best represent the school
in academics, involvement,
school spirit, and GPA.
Six senior homeroom
teachers will judge the
competition.
All seniors are invited to
watch the competition.
Digital Archive
The rich history of F.J.
Reitz High School is just a
click away thanks to Chris
Basham’s project.
Using the program
Macromedia Flash, the
history of our school has been
digitally archived.
The compact disc includes
Reflections Yearbook covers,
Mirror Newspaper issues,
football programs, blueprints
of the school, and a general
image gallery of every aspect
of the Reitz High School
building and campus.
The CD is designed like a
website with many features
and links.
It will be available for
purchase for about $10.
The anticipated date will be
during yearbook distribution.
Proceeds will go to benefit
Mr. Bob Hammonds’ Archive
project and the Journalism
Department.
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
| APRIL 13, 2005
FEATURE
The Seniors’ Evening of Enchantment
PAGE 7
Carrie Baugh
Staff Writer
After all of the planning
and preparing, it finally came
together at our 2005 prom.
“An Evening of Enchantment” was held on Saturday,
April 9, at the Burdette Park
Discovery lodge.
“I had a really good time at
prom. The Discovery Lodge
was a nice place,” said junior
Randy Vickery.
Before the rest of the
student body could hit the
dance floor, eighty-eight
seniors performed the annual
senior waltz. This year,
there were more seniors
participating in the waltz than
any other year.
“Everywhere you looked,
there were tons of people
dancing,” said junior Katie
Hahn. “I danced the whole
time,” said sophomore
Whitney Lux.
Apart from all the dancing,
there was a snack and drink
area, plenty of room to rest,
and not one, but two picture
lines with two backdrops
which made picture taking
faster and easier. “I thought
it was really neat how we
could choose our background
this year,” said junior Jessie
Goebel.
After three and a half hours
of dancing, the Discovery
Lodge cleared out and the
crowd headed across town to
Arc Lanes for the After Prom
Party.
“After Prom was fun for
me because I finally beat
my own score in bowling. I
got a 47! And the pizza was
good too,” said junior Sydney
Reed.
After Prom went from
midnight to 3:30 a.m.
“I had a really great time
both at Prom and at After
Prom. By the time after it
was over, I was so tired that
as soon as I got home, I went
right to bed,” said junior
Ashley Burke.
Prom seemed to be a
hit this year. “I had a blast
just hanging out and talking
to everyone,” said senior
Brittany Arnold.
“I’m already looking
forward to next year. I had
a great time,” said junior
Donnie Stading.
“The Royalty Dance.” (Above) Dawn Ryan and Kyle Frank, crowned King and
Queen, along with Matt Ruble and Holly Conley, Prince and Princess, dance alone.
(Left) Students spent a fun-filled evening bowling, socializing, and eating pizza.
Photos by: Tatam Morgan
“Waltzing Wonders!” (Above) Seniors continued the
ongoing tradition of opening Prom with the Waltz.
(Right) Dawn Ryan receives a round of applause from
the rest of the Prom Court as she is announced Prom
Queen and makes her way to receive her crown.
Remembering
Josh Hart
Zach McCutcheon
Staff Writer
What would Joshy do?
Josh would dress as a
woman and walk right through
the middle of Fall Festival.
Josh would also dress as a
pirate and partake in some
wholesome swashbuckling.
Josh was a talented
musician and a hard worker.
Joshua W. Hart, a 2004
graduate of Reitz, tragically
passed away Tuesday, March
8, 2005.
The funeral was held at
10 a.m. on Saturday, March
12, at St. Agnes Catholic
Church.
Josh was always the life of
the event no matter where it
happened to be.
Students remember Josh
as one of the most considerate
people ever known. He was
as selfless as one person could
ever be.
Bad times are always hard
to deal with, but death is
even more difficult when it
is someone close in age and a
good friend.
So, while Josh’s death is
not easy to take, his friends
can take refuge in knowing
that he lived a good life
and was a good person. His
memory will remain in our
hearts.
Josh’s aunt, Ms. Cathy
Brown, tells a story of a
time when Josh showed his
true colors in the best way
possible.
A young girl was lost
at Fall Festival, and Josh
happened to run into her. Not
only was she separated from
her friends, but she had no
ride home. Josh gave the girl
a ride home and went to the
door to make sure she got in
safely. This is one of many
examples of his kindness.
Photo courtesy of: Hart Family
Compassion for a stranger
is just one example that Josh
left for us to remember about
him. If you asked anyone
who knew Josh, he or she
would have many stories of
friendship, unselfishness, and
kindness to tell.
Josh was a good person.
He will be missed. He set
many good examples for us
to follow. A good thought to
remember him by is: What
would Joshy do?
After the funeral, Ms.
Brown contacted the
Journalism Office on behalf
of the family to express
gratitude for the support of
Reitz students during this
difficult time. Ms. Brown said
that she was so impressed by
the long line of students who
came to remember Josh and
to be with his family.
APRIL 13, 2005
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
SPORTS
PAGE 8
Targeting Panthers of summer
the outfield
Brittany Alldredge
Staff Writer
Hannah Sigler
Staff Writer
Girls’ softball season
officially began on March 10
with their first practice.
The girls practice every
weekday from 3 p.m. to 5
p.m. and Saturday from 11
a.m. to 3 p.m. The girls are
pushing themselves to beat
last year’s team which ended
the season with a 15 win
record, as sectional finalists,
and with State ranking for the
first time in school history.
Coach Brian Snow is
looking forward to this season.
Snow said, “ Our team is made
up of four seniors, six juniors,
seven sophomores, and five
freshman. I’m really excited.
We have six returning starters
this year; and the girls have
been working very hard on
not only the game of softball,
but learning to compete as
well.”
Coach Snow is optimistic
about the team enjoying a
successful season.
Senior Katie Helm has
been playing softball since
she was 4 years old. She has
played varsity for four years
and has received Academic
All City all four years.
In her junior year, Helm
received the Clutch award and
the Silver Slugger award. All
of the awards were created
and voted on by the team.
Helm said her favorite
part of the season is getting
to play everyday. Helm plans
on attending University of
Evansville, but she is not
planning on playing softball
in college.
Senior Melissa Litchfield
is starting pitcher. In her
sophomore and junior year,
Litchfield received the Cy
Young award, commending
her as best pitcher.
Litchfield has also been
on Academic All City all
four years. “My favorite part
about softball is when we are
down, and we pull together
and come out with a big
victory. We have so much
teamwork on our team, and
we are such good friends.
That’s what makes it so much
fun,” Litchfield said.
With plans to major in
business, Litchfield will
attend Indiana University.
Junior Meghan Price has
played softball since she
was five. This year, Price
is playing left field. In both
freshman and sophomore
years, she received the Hustle
award and was on Academic
All City both years.
Price said her favorite
part about softball is stealing
bases and getting dirty. She
would like to play in college
and is working hard to earn a
scholarship.
Junior Bryn Boren said,
“Last season was pretty
good but this year we want
a Sectional Championship.”
Boren also said she tries to
go by the quote, “Never be
satisfied, and never let the
fear of striking out keep you
from playing the game.”
Reitz Baseball has been
working hard preparing for
the upcoming season. The
athletes have been practicing
swings and batting for eight
weeks, with additional
emphasis on conditioning
for the last four weeks.
The team looks strong
with seven lettermen
returning this year.
March 24 was the first
exhibition game at Mt.
Vernon. The first official
game was at Heritage Hills
on March 29. The first
freshmen games were held
during Spring Break in
Louisville.
The team finished last
year with a record of 12-17,
but they are optimistic about
improvement this year.
Coach Steve Johnston
said, “This is a fun team to
watch!”
Junior Geoff Oxley plays
third base and pitches this
season. Oxley has been on
Varsity since freshman year,
and he received his letter
that year.
Oxley has played baseball
for six years. In addition to
playing for the Panthers, he
plays for the Yankees based
in Princeton, Indiana.
T h e Ya n k e e s a r e a
prestigious team that placed
second out of eighty elite
teams.
O x l e y, w i t h s t r o n g
baseball skills, has played
and traveled with the
Yankees for four years. In
his junior year, he was voted
in the Top One Hundred by
Baseball America.
Senior Brandon Paul plays
first base and as pitcher. Paul
has been playing baseball
since he was six. He plans
on going to Louisville for
college and hopes to continue
his baseball career there.
P a u l s a i d , “ Wi n n i n g
sectionals is the best reward
for playing baseball.”
Senior Troy Tenbarge
holds the positions of short
stop and pitcher. Tenbarge
plans on attending Western
Kentucky and hopes to
play ball in college as well.
Tenbarge said, “I’m looking
forward to having a better
record than last year.”
This year promises to be
entertaining, and the baseball
team would appreciate
having Panther fan support.
“Eyes Peeled.” In the first scrimmage game of the
season, senior Adam Heard looks for a grounder so
he can turn it into a tag out against junior Nick Julian.
Teeing off the
competition
Carrie Baugh
Staff Writer
Boys’ golf tryouts were
at Helfrich Golf Course on
Monday March 14th and
Tuesday March 15th.
Out of 13 hopefuls, 11
boys made the team.
Senior Adam Barron said,
“I’m looking forward to the
season because we have a lot
of talented players. We should
do really well.”
Barron has played golf all
four years.
Along with Barron, there
are four other returning
seniors on the team.
With the new golf season
came new golf players.
“It’s a good game to play
because it’s challenging
and it’s a lifetime sport. I’d
really like to play all four
years,” said freshman Evan
Rickleman.
Though there are only
three freshmen on the team,
the new players say that they
think it’s going to be a good
season.
Freshman Joe Goelzhauser
said, “It makes me a lot more
comfortable playing with two
other freshman.”
The boys’ first match took
place on April 7 at 4 p.m. at
Helfrich Golf Course.
In each match, two teams
competed against one another
with eight players on each
team. The four best scores
were added up and the lowest
scoring team won.
The Panthers competed
against Central and
Memorial.
It may have been the cold
rainy weather on Thursday,
or it may have been first
match jitters which resulted
in the Panthers coming in at
a disappointing third place.
The Panthers scored 178.
Central came in second
with a score of 168, and
Memorial was victorious
with a score of 163.
Many of the golfers on the
team hold the sport near to
their hearts. Barron has been
playing since he was eleven.
Senior Justin Stephens is
so devoted to the sport that he
has a very special golf club as
a talisman.
“I have an old five wood
that I’ve had for five or six
years - I call it the Ugly
Duckling,” said Stephens.
With the high spirits of the
team, improvement is right
around the corner.
Photos by: Tatam Morgan
“Sweet Spot.” Senior Jonas Raymond, Varsity left fielder, makes his first successful hit of the year. Junior Jeff
Perigo, in position as the Junior Varsity catcher, is alert and ready for action, including a possible strike-out.
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
SPORTS
| APRIL 13, 2005
PAGE 9
Track runners, take your mark
Shannon Kearns
Sports Editor
The weather is warm and
the sun shows its face as the
runners prepare their blocks
for the race. The gun fires.
They’re off. Track season is
officially underway.
A total of 50 boys and 25
girls are involved in track.
Because the boys have so
many qualified runners, they
have a separate Junior Varsity
team.
Coach Jim Brinkmeyer has
a history of success. For six
consecutive years, the boys
lost only one dual meet under
Brinkmeyer’s direction.
Mr. Jon Carl is the assistant
coach under Brinkmeyer.
The boys’ Varsity and JV
was undefeated last year and
they both took City.
“Our goal is the same
every year. Take as many
guys to State and bring home
as many medals as we can,”
said Brinkmeyer.
Last year the boys took
current senior Michael Weber
to State in the 110-meter high
hurdles and the 300-meter
low hurdles, along with the
4x100-meter and the 4x400meter relay teams.
Weber placed 9th in the
high hurdles and 13th in the
low hurdles. Both relay teams
placed 13th in State.
“This year, I’m shooting to
go to State and get top three
in both events,” said Weber.
Although the official
season is just beginning,
the boys remain undefeated
against Memorial and
Central.
On April 9, the freshman
and sophomore boys
competed in the Jasper
Invitational. With several first
place winners, they won the
meet with a score of 120.
The boys’ and girls’
City Meet will be held on
Thursday, May 5 and Friday,
May 6.
The girls, coached by Mr.
Sam Terrell, are 1-1. They
were defeated by Memorial
on Tuesday, April 5.
Te r r e l l , p r e v i o u s l y a
Central coach, had his first
go-round at coaching a
Panther team in the fall as the
head Cross-Country coach.
Although this is his first
year on the Hill, he has been
coaching for over six years.
“I feel that we can be
very competitive and do well
if everyone stays healthy,
focused, and motivated,” said
Terrell.
The girls’ assistant coach,
Mrs. Amber Marquart-Hale,
has been coaching at Reitz
for five years.
“This year, we’re counting
on senior leadership to guide
the team and help us step-up,”
said Marquart-Hale.
The team has only
six seniors. One senior
in particular has ample
experience in track and field.
Kayla Tucker, a former runner
for Harrison High School, is
a former State Champion in
high jump.
This is Tucker’s first year
as a Panther, and the team is
expecting to take her to State
again.
With young talent and
experienced coaching, the
track team is sure to succeed.
“One hurdle at a time.” Sophomore Brittney Clark enters the final stretch of the
300-meter low hurdles against Central. She received first place in the competition.
Photos by: Tatam Morgan
“(Above) Bend it like Tucker.” Senior Kayla Tucker, a
State Champion vaulter, clears the bar with ease.
“(Right) Take your mark.” Sophomores Daylon Redding
and Randy Baize take off in the 200-meter dash.
Panther Pick: Traye Mattingly
Andrea Botzum
Public Relations Manager
Boys’ Track & Field
Who is your biggest encouragement?
My parents because my mom is always there to support me, and my dad is always
pushing me telling me I can do better.
Who’s your number one fan?
My girlfriend Alicia because she comes to all of my meets. She hasn’t missed one yet.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Ricky Crider and I always take a warm up lap together and drink
Mountain Dew Amp.
Do you have any embarrassing moments?
When I was running the relay, I fell when
I handed off the baton to Ricky.
What is the boys’ team goal?
We want to win City and SIAC, as
well as Sectionals and Regionals.
What is your personal goal for
the season.
I want to make it to Regionals in
the 100m dash.
How long have you been running?
Since the 7th grade.
What do you run?
I run the 100m dash,
the 400 meter relay,
and the long jump.
Interesting Facts:
Academic All-City 4 years
Sectional and Regional Champion in track
Two-time State Qualifier in track
Second team All-City in football
Rose Cleaner’s player of the week
Three-year letter in track and football
Photo by: Tatam Morgan
Serving the love
Blake Ellis
Staff Writer
“Our girls work very hard
at practice to improve their
skill, and they all have great
attitudes. This season I am
looking forward to growing
as a team and using this as a
building year for the tennis
program,” said girls’ tennis
Coach Erin Koester.
The girls’ tennis season
started on March 14th.
There were no try outs. The
game attracted a number
of underclassmen and new
players to the game.
There are a total of 16
athletes on the team this year.
There are 10 freshman, 4
juniors, and 2 seniors.
Ms. Koester has two
seniors as assistant coaches,
Evan Schmitt and Jason
Mills.
As assistant coaches,
Schmitt and Mills are to help
the girls learn the basic skills
of tennis with emphasis on
hitting and feeding balls to
the girls.
Schmitt said, “I think this
season will go well. The
players are young so it will
take time, effort, and patience
for them to learn all the
skills.”
Returning player junior
Allyson Crawford said,
“Memorial is an extremely
strong team in every aspect.
The game was a big challenge
for our team, but we did the
best we could.”
Crawford and junior Devin
Murphy are returning players
who add leadership and talent
to the team.
Junior Abby Knight,
“Since we’ve started, every-
one has improved a lot. I can’t
wait for the season to start,
it should be a good learning
experience.”
As the girls focus on
playing for the team, they
will also have a sport they can
play throughout their lives.
Photo by: Tatam Morgan
“Two rackets, a ball, and a net.” During a practice
match, junior Devin Murphy focuses on her serve.
APRIL 13, 2005
PAGE 10
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
ADS
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
| APRIL 13, 2005
OPINION
P/CP: Torture for prisoners of war?
PAGE 11
Point: Unjustifiable Warfare
Adam Burgdorf
News Editor
The Geneva Convention,
signed by the United States
in 1949, states several key
points:
Article 2 of the Convention
states: “Although one of
the Powers in conflict may
not be a party to the present
Convention, the Powers
who are parties thereto shall
remain bound by it in their
mutual relations.”
This means that even
though we are fighting
an enemy not part of the
Geneva Convention, we are
still supposed to follow the
rules. We are never to torture,
abuse, or mistreat in any way
the POWs we capture.
America feels that we are
an international superpower.
That is a fact. Within our
role as a superpower, we
are expected to behave in
an established and cordial
way. We are looked to as
an example of how to run a
successful nation, and we are
emulated in many countries
around the world.
Why then would we
jeopardize this position by
torturing those whom we have
captured in warfare? Why
would we set the standard
of false promises to other
nations? We are obligated
to abide by the treaty that
we signed, regardless of
circumstance. If we ignore
this, other nations will see
our faults and it will diminish
America’s position around
the globe.
We are a nation that prides
itself on its guardianship
of human rights. We are
the originator of many
organizations dedicated to the
improvement of human rights
around the globe.
We, as a nation, have also
publicly denounced other
nations who employ torture
in their interrogation tactics.
We have literally become
hypocrites.
We refuse to negotiate with
people whom we consider
to be terrorists just because
they torture people, and yet
we demand respect form the
international community for
committing the very same
abusive acts.
Another reason why torture
is unjustifiable in warfare is
the fact that it is not effective
in attaining information.
Torture only goes so far in
persuading people to give up
information.
In the War on Terrorism,
many of the POWs are
under the impression that
to die defying the US is the
ultimate glory. They would
be proud to be tortured to
death without revealing a
single piece of information.
The mindset of the enemy
makes it extremely difficult
to coax information out of
POWs. They think that we
are the invader to their land,
and they have the power of
nationalism behind them.
Saddam Hussein was
one of the worst dictators
the US has removed from
power. One of his favorite
torture tactics was to simply
cut off body parts until he, or
one of his soldiers, received
the information they wanted.
There are also stories of
executions where the victim
was forced to drink gasoline
and was then set ablaze.
When comparing our
torture procedures, they pale
in comparison. Since we
condemned the Iraqi people
for using to such forceful
tactics, who are we to utilize
torture in a vain attempt for
information?
There are numerous
ways to gain information
from POWs that do not
involve torture. Interrogation
tactics, including sessions
of questioning that last for
several days, deprive the
POW from sleep but do not
physically harm him in any
way. This tactic has been
proven effective time and
time again in wars such as
World War II, the Vietnam
War, and the Korean War.
Repetitive questioning,
where the same question is
asked over and over again in
rapid succession, is another
useful tactic. This procedure
was developed mostly by the
Russians in World War II,
and provided large amounts
of useful information.
These alternatives do not
cause any mental or physical
harm to the POWs, nor do
they violate any of the laws of
humanity that we have abided
by for many years.
Overall, we need to be more
mindful of our POWs’ rights.
By infringing on these rights,
we jeopardize our standing in
the international community.
Countries will refuse
to respect us as
a champion of human rights
if we continuously violate
them.
We must also realize
that, in this war, torture is
ineffective.
Other means of gathering
information must be utilized
without harming our POWs.
Counterpoint: Torture
Cody Mangold
Staff Writer
During times of war
certain acts must be used
for the safety and victory of
the military.
The war
in Iraq,
regardless
of the
reasoning
for it, is
still a war.
Whether we
were there for
oil, weapons of
mass destruction,
or simply to take
out an evil leader, is no
longer the point. Survival
of the troops is all that
should matter, right? The
preservation of American
life, and of innocent people,
is top priority.
Wars are not fought like
they were in World War II.
The opposing force does
not wear a uniform, an
identifying patch, or even a
sash. Any man, woman, or
child can pose a potential
threat. Soldiers must be on
their guard at all times. One
slip could mean the difference
between going home alive and
going home wrapped in an
American flag. With tension
as high as it is, certain acts
must be done in prevention
of the deaths of soldiers and
innocent civilians.
Torture is nothing new to
humanity. It has been around
since before the human
race’s written history. The
ancient civilizations, after
which we model our current
Religion is a way of life
Joe Oxley
Managing & Feature Editor
In the March Issue of
The Mirror, Cody Mangold
wrote the article, Religion as
a fashion.
Mangold expressed his
opinion that religion has
become a “status symbol”
for some. He wrote, “This
new wave of religion is like
a fashion.”
It was a powerful article
and became a point of
discussion among students.
The article was also read
in several churches and
became a discussion point
with congregation members.
However, there are always
two sides to every story.
Believing in God isn’t just
a club or fashion for many
teenagers.
It’s not just a religion or an
affiliation. Religion is one’s
life.
The path for Christians has
never been “easy.” There are
those who consistently look
for believers to slip up, to find
someway to point out a flaw
or mistake.
The fact is that no one is
perfect. Everyone slips up.
Christians, Catholics, Jews,
Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems,
Agnostics, Atheists. But if
you believe in the teachings
of The Bible, we are forgiven
if we only ask for it.
Jesus said in Luke 23:34
“Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they
are doing,” as he was being
crucified for his teachings.
Life will never be easy.
An easy path doesn’t
explain the people who are
persecuted and killed in
other countries for what they
believe. It doesn’t describe
losing your job because you
wouldn’t take down the Ten
Commandments from your
courtroom.
In the United States, we
take freedom of religion for
granted. The majority of us
have never had to answer to
what we believe, knowing
that the right answer would
be fatal.
Ask the parents of Cassie
Bernall if their daughter had
an easy path as a Christian.
She was shot and killed at
Columbine High school
because of her faith. She was
asked if she believed in God.
She said yes, knowing that
she might lose her life. Why
did she?
“Now faith is being sure of
what we hope for and certain
of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 Jesus never
said we’d have an easy path.
Not every Christian
acts in the way Mangold
described. Going to church
on Sunday morning doesn’t
justify someone’s weekend
indulgences.
Trying to distinguish a
moral person from an immoral
person is a personal obstacle.
But I challenge you not to
look for the flaws in people,
but simply see everyone as
Christ did, without judgment.
“You see, at just the
right time, when were still
powerless, Christ died for
the ungodly. Very rarely will
anyone die for a righteous
man, though for a good man
someone might possibly dare
to die. But God demonstrates
his own love for us in
this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6-8.
civilization, were masters
of torture. Every time
technology advanced, torture
techniques were updated.
Even early American colonies
used forms of torture to get
the confessions of “witches”.
As Americans, our society
has roots in torture. As
humans our race was
raised on violence and
bloodshed. To think
other wise is to be
blissfully ignorant to
human nature.
Some people argue
that if we torture prisoners
we are no better than the
with whom we are at war.
This would be a true statement
if we beheaded civilians and
videotaped it, but we don’t.
Many American civilians
forget that the people in the
Middle East still practice
what some call “barbaric”
justice. For instance, if you
steal you get your hand cut
off. Or, if you kill someone
else, you are killed. Torture is
nothing new for their society.
America has become too
soft and too censored to keep
up with the harsh, and often
brutal, reality of the world
and of war. Our society has
the belief that as long as it
is not happening to us, it’s
okay.
During World War II,
America was united with the
threat of invasion. People did
not care about the torture of
P.O.W.’s. American soldiers
would cut off Japanese
soldiers’ ears and send them
back home as trophies. It
was not only accepted, it was
praised.
In less than a century,
American culture has
changed to protect the very
people who strike out against
the innocent. In the past few
years, America united against
the cause of terrorism. Then,
opinions in the country
became divided.
The torture of P.O.W.’s
should be allowed, but should
be regulated. If the torture of
a few men will save the lives
of countless others, then why
not utilize torture tactics?
Human Rights should not
be granted to those who do
not act like humans. Human
Rights are an American idea.
I am not aware of anything
even remotely close to human
rights in the Middle East.
The closest thing in terms
to human rights is a swift
death. It is difficult for people
to comprehend that we are
taking American beliefs and
applying them to cultures
halfway around the world.
When the American army
tortured prisoners in Iraq, they
were torturing those who had
been caught planning to harm
or actually attackingAmerican
soldiers. It’s not like people
are grabbed randomly off the
street and tortured for pure
sadomasochistic pleasure.
I f w e d i d n ’t t o r t u r e
prisoners, we might kill
innocent people or destroy
whole villages without even
taking out a single enemy
because we are unaware of
the location of our targets.
Sadly torture is a part of
war, and war will never cease.
This is a fact that everyone
must acknowledge.
One doesn’t have to like or
even agree with torture. But
torture must be viewed as the
lesser of two evils.
350 Dreier Blvd. Evansville, Indiana 47712
www.ReitzJournalism.com
(812) 435-8200
The Mirror is written, edited, and produced by F. J.
Reitz High School Publications, located in Evansville,
Indiana. The Mirror is printed by the Princeton Clarion,
Princeton, Indiana.
The Mirror is a member of IHSPA, JEA, NSPA, and
Quill & Scroll. Our purpose is to inform students about
school events and trends that affect them by keeping
them updated.
Editor-in-Chief,
Graphics Editor,
Web Administrator
Chris Basham
Photo Editor
Tatam Morgan
Business Manager
Ross Schmitt
Managing and
Feature Editor
Joe Oxley
Public Relations
Manger
Andrea Botzum
News Editor
Adam Burgdorf
Arts &
Entertainment
Editor
Jonas Raymond
Sports Editor
Shannon Kearns
Opinion &
Commentary
Editor
Amanda Atwood
Staff Writers
Brittney Alldredge,
Carrie Baugh,
Birdie Brodie,
Blake Ellis,
Casey Helfrich,
Cody Mangold,
Zach McCutcheon
Tatam Morgan,
Mary Schembre,
Hannah Sigler,
Nathan Simon,
Joe Walz
Adviser
SuzAnn Hull
APRIL 13, 2005
|
F. J. REITZ HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR
COMMENTARY
PAGE 12
Corruption of power
Cody Mangold
Staff Writer
“Absolute power corrupts
absolutely” is one of the
oldest sayings with the truest
meaning. The history of the
human race is one that is
laced with the word power:
religious, political, monetary,
and military power. Each
area of power has its own
influence over the masses
and has it’s own affects on
the person who controls that
power. Most of the time the
power is used for personal
reasons and not for the good
of mankind.
The word power has
negative connotations. To
many, it means something
evil, wrong, or greedy. It has
been molded into this image
through ages upon ages of
people in authority abusing
power, and instead using it
for their own personal gain.
The past twenty years have
been a major reason
in why people
perceive
power as a
dark and
evil entity.
In nearly
every
movie in
theatres,
there
is a
villain of some sort wanting
“POWER,” over the masses.
Some villains even long for
having the power of a god.
Hollywood is not only to
blame. Politicians and their
scandals have not altered the
image of the corrupt old white
guy: sitting at a desk, smoking
a cigar, telling people what to
do. This is meant as merely
a stereotypical figure; but, in
America, it is often true.
History has shown that
power is something that has
been used and will continue
to be used by selfish, morallybankrupt people. To those in
control, using power becomes
an addiction.
World leaders are the worst
at abusing their power. The
worse kind of
leaders are
often
t h e
most
well
known. Hitler, Stalin, every
Caesar and Czar in history
have misused their authority,
as well as many kings or
queens one can name.
The ability to sit back
and have your will be done
is often glamorized, and it is
often abused. It’s no wonder
why people will do anything
to stay in power.
An example of someone
in the last few years who had
a good image but let power
go to her head is Martha
Stewart. She tried to cheat
the stock market but, because
she is famous and the C.E.O.
of her company, she got to
spend sometime in a jail
that was more like a resort
than a prison. She is now on
house arrest, which isn’t too
bad because she lives in a
mansion that is worth
more
than most will make in their
lifetime salaries.
Stewart is just an example.
The Enron scandal opened
the public’s eyes to even
more instances of cooking
books and using power for
personal gain.
All of these examples
are ones in which powerful
people abused the power
they had. Very few people in
the past and the most recent
history have not become
greedy.
The exception is recently
deceased, John Paul II.
The pope, one of the most
powerful men in the world,
was one of the few people
used his power for good.
I am not Catholic, but I
think that Pope John Paul II
did a good job for being in
power for so long and not
abusing it or using it for
personal gain. To those
who still wield power,
Pope John Paul II is
a prime example
of the respect
an uncorrupted
authority figure
receives.
People with
power, whether
political, military
or any other, have
a responsibility to
use their power to
help humanity.
Power does
not have to be
synonymous
with corruption.
What are your plans after high school?
“I want to be a zookeeper
because you don’t have to
work in an office all day. I
love working with animalsespecially the big cats.”
Senior
Patrick Ryan
“I’ve been interested in
archeology since I was nine.
I plan to major in
it in college.”
Senior
Lauren Tally
“I want to be able to have
a nice family and be able
to support them. Playing
basketball is always
an option.”
Junior
Terrance Eastwood
“I want to be a beautician
because I’m into make-up
and hair. It’s the only thing
that keeps me interested.”
Junior
Shaina Moore
“I want to be a real estate
agent because I’m good at
selling ideas and I have
good people skills.”
Power has the
ability to either
corrupt or unify.
Knowledge, religion,
military strength,
politics, and resources
are prominent examples of
misused influence.
Sophomore
Pyotr Dodson
A new level of learning
Amanda Atwood
Opinion & Commentary Editor
As the school year begins
its close, students are left
reflecting on how quickly the
year went by. Seniors look
upon the past four years with
disbelief: it’s almost over.
Elation and disappointment
settle into their hearts
simultaneously. Their hard
work will soon be rewarded
in the shape of a diploma.
Such strong work-ethics
are evident within the
current senior class, boasting
twenty 4.0 students. While
this is indeed a marvelous
achievement that deserves
recognition, some argue
that it is unfair to group 4.0
students who take regular
level classes with 4.0 students
who take Honors or Advanced
Placement classes.
Both groups deserve
to be rewarded for their
dedication to their classes;
however, students who attend
AP classes should receive
extra recognition for their
persistence to excellence.
Grades should be weighted
based upon the intensity of
the allotted course.
If classes are college
level, or advanced, then these
classes should be on a 5.0
scale. This scale would give
additional scholastic rewards
to those taking the classes.
An Honors class would
have an additional multiplier
of 1.125. For example, instead
of receiving 4 points for an
A, the student would receive
4.5 points. AP level courses
would have a multiplier of
1.25.
Straight As, if taking an
advanced placement course
load, would be a 5.0. Straight
Bs would be a 4.0, and so
forth. Students attending only
regular level classes would
still be graded on the 4.0
scale. This system of grading
is indeed more complex to
establish, but its attributes
are evident. Many high
schools all over the country
are utilizing a 5.0 scale to
provide for the interests of
their students. The states
utilizing the weighted system
include Ohio, Wisconsin,
Illinois, California, Florida,
Minnesota, Colorado,
Massachusetts, Michigan,
Indiana and others.
In a recent study by
Anne M. Cogard, a positive
correlation was found to exist
between schools offering
weighted grades and the
probability of the students
to take more demanding
classes.
If students are taking
advanced level classes on a
4.0 scale, they are at a great
disadvantage. The easier it
is to obtain the highest, most
prestigious grade, the harder
it is for seniors to obtain
scholarships from the college
of their choice. Effort should
be recognized, not penalized.
It is not my intention to
discredit anyone who achieves
a 4.0 and takes regular level
classes. You deserve your
reward but separate rewards
should be given to those who
take college level classes.
Someone taking advanced
classes may receive a B, due
directly to the intense course
load. This B would be the
equivalent of an A in a regular
class.
If students are willing to
risk their grade point in the
pursuit of a greater challenge,
then no one should be willing
to penalize them. A 5.0 scale is
the solution to creating equal
opportunities. If the students
do the extra work, they should
receive the extra recognition
from both colleges and their
peers. If the students are not
rewarded for their effort,
what is to encourage them to
work at all?
“I want to be a nurse
because my mom and my
sister are nurses.”
Sophomore
Kameryn Brust
“I want to be an ER doctor
because it gives you a
chance to help people when
they have no control over
what’s going on.”
Freshman
Rick Yeager
“I plan on going to college
at Florida State. I’m thinking
about either going law
or cosmetology.”
Freshman
Kendra Reingardt