Ward scores for Freedom What’s Inside: Hines Ward paid a visit to Freedom Middle School in October—as the guest of 8th grader David Grove. The wide receiver spent several hours with students, played a few games, and left the school a check for $2,000.
Hang up be for rev it up: pg e you .6
For details on Ward’s visit, see page 2. Photo by Jessica Rosenkranz, Photo Editor
Food cart takes a healthy turn this year According to Rosa, at least 75% Jordan Kusich of choices we offer must be healthy. Staff Writer However, with the cart labeled as a You may have noticed that Mr. “fundraiser,” there is more lenience Rosa’s cart has gained some new as to what can be sold from it. additions over the past few weeks. It Earlier this year, students were now features healthier choices inasked to fill out a request form listcluding sun chips, granola bars, fruit ing various healthy foods and drinks snacks, trail mix, flavored water, and that the cart could possibly feature. green tea. Possibilities of what would sell In truth, the cart is no longer a well were then discussed while the “school store,” but is now a cart was taken out of school for a “fundraiser.” The funds from the short period of time. The cart then cart will go to the junior and senior returned as a fundraiser, full of classes, largely benefitting the prom. healthy items to sell. “We’re giving The reasoning behind the kids a choice,” Rosa said. change is simple: Dr. Staub said that However, the new healthy addiaccording to state regulations, only a tions are hurting the cart’s profits. certain percent of the food that we Most students are more interested in offer in school can be nonbuying junk food; “I don’t really nutritional. ever eat any of the healthy stuff,”
junior Adam Hunkins said. The cart is a fundraiser for the prom; the goal is to make enough money so that prom will continue to last until 5a.m., as it has in years prior. An event that costs close to $25,000 does not happen without fundraising, Mr. Rosa said. The idea of all students taking a bus to prom this year has even been discussed, for two reasons: in order to save money, and if the prom has to end before students with junior licenses can drive, transportation would be necessary. Rosa says that students must be the ones to take initiative to raise money for the prom. “It’s not going to be fixed by itself,” he said.
gutter Far from a ball: pg. 11
Murder in the 6 th period degree: p g.
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We can dance if we want to …
FHS gets its Christmas Dance on Emily Francis Copy Editor On December 12, a Saturday night, senior Nathan Novak might be doing any number of things, including working on his senior project, or hanging out with friends. One thing he won’t be doing is accompanying over half of the school to Freedom’s 2009 Christmas Dance. Nathan has never attended the Christmas Dance because he thinks it is too expensive. He doesn’t plan on going, but since it is his senior year, he is unsure. That same Saturday night, you can bet sophomore Emma Wagner will be dressed her best and tearing up the dance floor, whether she has a date or not. “I like to get funky and fresh with my friends,” she said. Emma had a lot of fun at last year’s Christmas Dance, and plans on dragging her best friend, Morgan Guy, with her, whether she likes it or not. Junior Matt McKinney has attended Freedom’s Christmas Dance every year he has been in the high school, and has always had a good time. He said the best part is “being able to cut loose with your friends.” Matt is unsure of whether or not he is going this year, because he has yet to find a date.
Senior Brittany Stehle didn’t have as much fun last year as she had in previous years, because she doesn’t like going to the Fez, but she plans on attending with a date and making the best of her last Christmas Dance. Freedom’s 2009 Christmas Dance will be held at the Fez in Hopewell on December twelfth. The dance is from six to ten thirty. and dinner will be included. Students attending must pick up a permission slip in the office or the career center in order to attend. Tickets are $65 for a couple or $35 for a single. Ticket sales have already begun; if you are interested in attending, grab a date and pick up your tickets today. This year’s dance will have a poinsettia theme. The poinsettia flower has said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and has been used as a traditional Christmas decoration since the early 1800s. Senior Andrew Murray also plans on attending this year’s Christmas Dance, if he can find a date. Andrew is hoping for a better experience than he has had in the past, especially since this is his last year at Freedom. “The sad part is,” Andrew said, “I can’t dance.”
Who dunnit? FHS is gonna find out
18 November 2009
Touchdown in Freedom Jessica Rosenkranz Photo Editor
Photo by Jessica Rosenkranz, Photo Editor That’s right Freedom, NFL superstar Hines Ward has returned to school. However, not just any school, our very own Freedom Area Middle School. On October 27, Ward met his “Take a player to school” (sponsored by JC Penny) sweepstakes winner, David Grove. Early that morning, a limousine pulled up in front of the Grove’s house and out popped Ward to
meet the entire family. The school was decked out in Steelers decorations, as well as the students, teachers, and other staff members clad in Steelers apparel. When Ward and the family finally arrived, they were greeted by a mob of reporters, photographers, and JC Penny representatives, and were escorted to Mr. Gallagher’s office to sign autographs. An assembly was boiling in the auditorium, awaiting Hines Ward to introduce himself to the students after the signing. As he peered around the corner of the curtain on stage before the students, a roar of cheers erupted from the crowd. He then began his speech, telling the students to play at least 60 minutes a day in attempt to encourage a more active lifestyle. The students asked him some tough questions, and he surprised everyone with a check for two thousand dollars going towards the school’s athletic program. Grove’s homeroom met Hines in the gym for a fun-filled hour of exercise. This included multiple stations like a football toss, dodge ball, and jumping rope, and ended with an obstacle course. To end the visit with a bang, Hines had the students make up touchdown dance ideas for him to use in future Steelers games. Make sure you tune in on Sundays to support your Pittsburgh Steelers, and to see which touchdown dance he chose.
Photo by Emily Hilliard, Contributing Photographer
Liz Brunner and Jordan Kusich Staff Writers It’s 1920. You’re in Al Capone’s biggest safe-house, Room 21. All of a sudden, bang! A scream is heard and the owner, Joe, is dead. There are eight different suspects, all with a different alibi that proves they aren’t the killer. The question then becomes, “who dunnit?” On November 21, Ms. Ross’s 6th block theater arts class will answer that question for you. Under the direction of Becca Fleming, the students are preparing themselves for the “Murder Mystery” drama which they will be performing from five to nine this Saturday night. “I think that we’ll get a good outcome. I want people to interact with it,” junior Shannon Schimmer said. Schimmer is playing one of the two flappers in the drama, alongside Julie Scheller. These girls, along with the rest of their class, are doing everything they can to prepare for the drama. Fleming
wrote and is directing the play, Chris Rooney is the producer, and is coordinating the dinner that follows Act I. Emily Hilliard is the stage manager, and Karly Swedish is handling all of the business aspects. If you choose to attend the drama, the first act features the basis of the storyline: who’s who, who did what, who knows who. Once the first act has ended, the audience will be treated to a dinner catered by Beyond Parsley, featuring foods true to the 1920s. During the second act, the audience will have a chance to interrogate the suspects and come up with their own conclusion to who the real killer is. It’s a mystery to all, because “although Becca wrote it, the suspects are writing their own confession; no one knows who the killer is,” Ms. Ross said. Can you pick out who really killed Joe?
Suzanne Hasenflu, Julie Scheller, and Christian Beck rehearse for the up and coming murder mystery.
18 November 2009
I guess it’s cool to missppell… haha
Photo by Casey Avery, Contributing Photographer
The week of our football game against Aliquippa, “Quipps” was spray painted on the side of the school outside the band room. Dr. Staub felt that this was very unsportsman-like.
This little piggy got the whole country sick Alyssa Applequist Staff Writer Since the swine flu virus appeared in the U.S. last April, cases have surged, especially after schools opened in the fall. Although a school is a breeding ground for such easily spread viruses, rumors of the case spread just as fast. If any, the number of cases at Freedom is small. How serious is swine flu? Should students be worried for their health after the World Health Organization declared swine flu to be a pandemic? One main concern is how to know the difference between H1N1 and the seasonal flu. "The swine flu is dangerous because it attacks the respiratory system," said Karen Mayo, Nurse Practitioner, "and causes pneumonia in the lungs." However, according to the Mayo Clinic, all other symptoms of the swine flu are the same as those of the seasonal flu. Justifiably, the swine flu pandemic is becoming frightening to some, but the seasonal flu has actually killed more people this past year than the H1N1 swine flu has. The swine flu is not the usual variant of the flu, so no one has a natural immunity to this new line of evolution. If infected, Mayo recommends
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staying home, calling a physician, and drinking lots of fluids. There are currently three antiviral drugs that can be used to treat swine flu; however, in most cases, a person will fully recover without any treatment. If any student or teacher is interested in receiving a vaccination for the swine flu, visit www.flu.gov. This site will locate all H1N1 vaccine locations in Pennsylvania. Supplies are currently low, but two different types of vaccinations are available. A nasal mist is the easier of the two; however, because this mist is a live virus, it should not be used by anyone with a compromised immune system or immune suppression. The other type of vaccination is an injection. The U.S. government has declared swine flu to be a public health emergency, and the World Health Organization considers the virus a global emergency. Although it remains to be seen how severe the H1N1 swine flu will become, the U.S. is monitoring the situation vigilantly and is preparing for the worst. In the meantime, the best precaution is to wash your hands and keep your drinks to yourself.
Please don’t stop the music Rosalyn Nye Staff Writer Each year Mr. Tinker’s sociology classes put on a game show for the student body. This year, as we all know by now, it will be Don’t Forget the Lyrics. The hosts will be Justin Baumiller and Briar Dewhurst. Ten pairs of students signed up to compete on the game show, but time constraints will only allow for about seven of them. Those with the chance to compete will have the opportunity to win an iPod Touch, courtesy of Mr. Tinker. The classes are keeping to the general idea of the original show, with necessary changes due to technology. Instead of a computer filling in the missing lyrics, Baumiller will write their guesses on a Smart Board. Another change is the way the winner will be determined. The winning team will be the ones with the highest percentage of correctly guessed lyrics. Each member of the winning team will receive an iPod Touch. An important goal for the show is to make it relevant to teenagers at
Freedom. Therefore, the songs selected for the game show were picked based on popularity. Students also got creative with category names to make the show more fun. “We made categories we thought would be funny, that would make other people laugh,” says junior Sierra Boggs. The biggest components in the production of the show are the PowerPoints that serve as karaoke tracks. There are five categories for each pair of contestants to choose from, and two songs in each category. That’s 70 or more songs that must be made into karaoke-like PowerPoints. “Each PowerPoint takes like an hour and a half to make, but my first one took three hours,” says junior Deborah Fanning. Mr. Tinker’s three sociology classes have been working on the game show since the beginning of October. It was originally scheduled for Friday the 13, but was moved to the day before Thanksgiving. “It will be pretty cool, it should be pretty fun,” says junior Matthew Notarianni.
STAFF EDITORIAL:
Don’t bring home the bacon: Protect yourself this winter There are invisible forces creeping through our hallways that make our students sneeze, cough, and stay home from school; they choose to attack during the cold winter months.These are the inevitable winter illnesses. Every October through February we see an increase in common colds, seasonal flu, and now the new outbreak of the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. We at the FHS editorial board know that coming to school whilst being plagued by these conditions is downright horrible. However, there are a few things that you, the students and teachers, can do to stop the spread of diseases within our school. First of all, the big sickness being looked out for this season is the swine flu. Yes, the swine flu is something no one in their right mind would want to catch, but it is not the only bug floating around in the air here. It is much more common that somebody will catch the regular, seasonal flu, or the common cold. Don’t automatically assume that swine flu is the only thing you must
watch out for. Now how do you protect yourself from catching the flu or the cold? Well the first tip is one we have been hearing since our childhood: cover your mouth. If you feel a sneeze or a cough coming, do it into your elbow, and not your hand, to help stop the spread of germs. If you do cough or sneeze into your hands, make sure to sanitize. Most teachers have a bottle in their rooms, although buying your own is suggested. Also, it is not wise to share drinks or food with anybody. Students, if your significant other is ill, hold off on the acts of affection. Lastly, and potentially most importantly, if a high fever or other severe problems are present, go to the doctor’s office immediately. If symptoms are extremely severe, go straight to the hospital. It is much safer to go see somebody than stay at home and try to sweat it out. Good school attendance is a Liz Brunner must for good grades, and being Staff Writer sick may get in the way. So this winter season, follow our tips and Picture this: you’re walking down stay as healthy as possible. the hallway and everything is going great for you; you’re as happy as can be. You see a kid walking towards you and they’re complaining about how everything in their life is just terrible, or what I like to call “pessimistic pressure.” Meagen Finnerty Editor-in-Chief: Tell me, does that not just ruin Rob Deane Business Manager: your mood? It sure does for me. Shannon Schimmer News Editor: I see a whole bunch of drama going through this school, and it Jake Cruise Opinions Editor: never brightens anyone’s day. Nolan Rider A&E Editor: I would enjoy telling all Bryan McSorley Sports Editor: these dramatic kids one thing: Jessica Rosenkranz Photography Editor: don’t worry, be happy. That’s Emily Francis Copy Editor: what I want you to do as well. It’s simple, just you rememKarla Knauff Design Editor: ber it. Mr. David Hartman Faculty Advisor: Being a teenager can be hard, I know. But making everyday some Assistant Editors: Cole Leonberg & Sophia Rosati drama-fest isn’t the way to live the Reporters & Photographers: Alahna Alderette, Alyssa Applequist, “time of your life.” Liz Brunner, Jordan Kusich, Marques Muron, Rosalyn Nye, & Ashlynd Robb It is high school, so you’re going to have a few bad days. Editorial Policies: FHS Press is the official student newspaper serving Freedom Area High School, in Freedom, To help you through those bad Pennsylvania. The views presented herein are not representative of the school, faculty, or administration; they are solely the views of individual student writers. The newspaper accepts and strives to publish signed letters to the editor days, here are some ways to help you under 250 words. To submit comments, press releases, or letters to the editor, or to purchase advertising space keep the smile big on your face: in the paper, e-mail newspaper@freedomarea.org, or contact Mr. Hartman in Room 114. 1. Surround yourself with happy
FHS Press — Editorial Board
Karla Knauff, Design Editor
Wouldn’t you know? It’s good to be alive
friends. They’ve always found some way to make my teeth show. 2. Don’t sweat the tiny stuff. Bad things will happen, but the little ones aren’t as important as you being happy. If you try to stop all bad things from happening, some good things will pass you up. 3. Seriously, just relax. Being calm is the best way to deal with pessimistic pressure. 4. Quit complaining and move on. Sometimes the most efficient way to deal with pessimistic pressure is just letting it slide. Don’t say anything you’ll regret and let the person off the hook for once. 5. Don’t worry, be happy. High school is about making memories; why waste all your memory-making time on being upset? I know how that feels: it’s unpleasant. Life will get you down, lower than the floor, as Vin Diesel says it best. But quit complaining, go have fun! I relinquish you from a year full of pessimistic pressure. Life happens; go live it with a smile on your face and make memories full of laughter. And remember: don’t worry, be happy!
“Don’t sweat the tiny stuff”
18 November 2009
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Two is always better than one But what happens when we’re not even number two? Nolan Rider Section Editor
people on the planet, but we have the biggest anymore; we are sixteen countries down the gun supply! line. Our healthcare system is shameful, to I think it’s time for a reality check for And when it comes down to it, that’s all say the least. us Americans. We walk around full of that really matters, right? I mean, we AmeriWe are ranked 37th in the world, with arrogance, thinking that this is the cans invented the nuclear bomb, so what else the infant mortality ranking at 30th and lifegreatest nation on the planet. Well is there? (Oh wait, those guys were from span way down at 42nd. wake up people, this isn’t 1945. New Zealand, Germany, and Sweden.) This country was founded on What are we number one in? Never mind. freedom of speech, and yet our nation ranks Health care? Education? Infant But really, what do we have to be 53rd in the world when it comes to freedom Mortality? Freedom of proud of anymore? We all claim to love this of the press. Speech? Democracy? Life- country, but do you think you can pass the The one place that we as Americans span? I’m sorry folks, citizens test? used to excel in were the fields of education, none of these above. In Do you know the number of stripes on but now we barely break the top 20. How do fact I couldn’t find a the American flag, or how about the number we expect to compete in the future, when 17 single statistic where of Supreme Court other nations’ students America was the leader of Justices? already beat out ours? the pack. What are the first China and India have With recent events and terrorist trage- ten amendments to the more honors students dies that have occurred on American soil, Constitution called? than we have total there has been a much needed and appropriate Can you name the students. U.S. Healthcare is surge in American patriotism. original 13 states? With the children of ranked 37th in the today being our sucWhile I do recognize that much of it is Do you know who for the love of our country, an overwhelming has the power to decesses of our tomorrow, world. percent of it seems to fall in the areas of preclare war? I think that we may one tentiousness instead of nationalism. These are just a day be turning to Infant Mortality is How can we claim that we are proud of few questions on a countries like China for our country when 37% of Americans can’t United States Citizenranked 30th in the inspiration for what our find their own country on a map? ship Test that every nation should be. world. The view of America that the world takes immigrant must take in So the next time on today is not the one once held post WWII order to gain their citiyou feel like bragging or during the Cold War. Citizens of other nazenship to this country. that you come from the Lifespan is ranked tions see America as the bully of the world. Could you keep best country, you 42nd in the world. With our recent deployments to Iraq, your citizenship if you should maybe rethink which was a very controversial issue, consid- were forced to take this that opinion, although I ering the lack of acknowledgement of the dis- test? don’t believe that our So how are we approval from UN, the rest of the world sees We are all ready to feelings will change us as a nation full of ignorance and foolishsay that we are the anytime soon. number one? ness; a nation of people who wave our guns greatest empire to ever We’ll just sit back, while thinking that we own the place. grace this fine planet shoving McDonald’s in And that is, in fact, what we do. America we call home. our faces, thinking we’re God’s gift to this spends more money militarily than the rest of But, my friends, I think that the glory of tiny chunk of dirt floating around in the vast the world’s nations combined. We may not be the American Empire is fading. expanses of the universe while the rest of the the healthiest, smartest, fastest, or strongest We aren’t the most democratic nation world passes us by.
Not number one
Photo by Liz Brunner, Staff Writer
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16 October, 2009
Hit the brakes before you hit send What not to do while driving Jake Cruise Section Editor On average, 43,000 people die each year in car related accidents. Many of these accidents involve alcohol or other illegal substances. However, this doesn’t always relate to the teenage drivers that are starting out behind the wheel. There is a bigger threat with teenage drivers than driving while under the influence. It’s an epidemic that just began with the start of this century. Nearly all teens own one: yes, it is the cell phone. Text messaging or talking on the phone while driving is extremely dangerous and causes the reaction time of the driver to reduce immensely. Our parents always tell us to be careful while driving, our schools tell us to be safe while driving, and even television tells us to use caution behind the wheel. So why do teens continue to text message while driving? Obviously, paying attention while driving is a key factor in safe driving. But how can you pay attention to the road if you’re concentrated on typing a message on a tiny screen? The answer is: you really can’t. Not safely, at least.
In a survey of 1,000 sixteen to seventeen year olds, forty-six percent admitted to texting while driving. These numbers are not good at all, and with auto accidents being the leading cause of deaths in teens, something has to change. Texting while driving is already outlawed in eighteen states, but unfortunately not in the state of Pennsylvania. Therefore, teens (and even adults) must take this matter into their own hands to keep the roads safe. Texting while driving is just plain irresponsible and dangerous. An easy alternative is just not doing it. Texting your BFF Jill is not worth risking your life, or other drivers’ lives. There is a time and place to text, and when you’re doing fifty-five miles per hour down Rt. 65, it’s not the time nor place. If an emergency arises and it is absolutely essential to send or read a text, just pull over and do it. It may take a minute out of your day, but you might save a life by doing so. You wouldn't drink and drive, so please don’t drive under the influence of your cellular device.
Gia’s maze: She drew it, can you solve it?
Photo by Chris Yeager: Contributing Photographer
The winter of our discontent Students freeze in English class Meagen Finnerty Editor-in-Chief It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Oh wait, no it’s not. But it sure feels like Christmas inside FHS. “Frosty wouldn’t melt in here, although he might be able to wear shorts!” said Miss Ross, who freezes daily. Seeing as though her room is probably the one most affected by the drastic cold, along with Mrs. Giammaria and Mr. Wilson’s rooms, Miss Ross has had to move classes on some days into the auditorium because the temperature can get simply too unbearable. According to Mrs. Giammaria, her classroom averages about fifty-five to fifty-eight degrees every morning. Not only is waking up in a freezing classroom unpleasant, working with the technology that is pushed so fervently in our school is practically unbearable; typing with cold fingers usually doesn’t allow for a lot of progress in your work. When the school was renovated back in 2000, two major components of the school were not replaced: windows and the heating system. Standing next to any window in the building for a few seconds is an easy enough test to clearly determine that air moves freely through them. According to Mr. Delp, the heating system is on a computerized schedule, which can be disrupted. For instance, at daylight-saving time, the heating system is off by an hour. Dr. Staub said that “we need to be efficient [when it comes to our heating system.]” More than thousands of dollars have gone into heating our school, but due to faulty insulation, the money could be spent on better things, say, renovating the windows and heating. “I hope, since it’s my last year, I
Photo by Jessica Rosenkranz, Photography Editor
Paige Cooper needs a coat just to stay warm in English class! don’t retire with frostbite,” said Miss Ross. Cold temperatures are not just a matter of comfort. Learning, which does seem to be the purpose of dragging ourselves out of bed every morning, is being disrupted. Everyone is more focused on keeping warm than who the Wife of Bath is in Chaucer. Action needs to be taken, not just for the toasty warm feeling that would come from heat, but in order to set the environment back to that of a school, instead of an igloo. As much as we all like seeing our breath during the winter, I’d much rather do that outside than when I’m sitting and shivering in class. But most importantly, none of us want Miss Ross to retire with frost bite!
HOT:
Turkey Sammiches - Stuffing
NOT: Blown Buttons - Cranberry Sauce Photo by Nolan Rider, Section Editor
Five Winter Fashion Tips Stay cute in the cold by following these tips! Caitlin Frain, Contributing Writer
Buy a cute coat (or two!)
Get a nice winter coat, like a peacoat, which come in plaid and various other prints. I like to have two different coats, a peacoat for when I dress nicely, and a not-so-fancy jacket for when I bum it to school.
Pair dresses with leggings
Want to wear dresses and skirts without getting cold? You can by simply wearing leggings or tights underneath. Also, get the comfort and warmth of a sweater and style of a dress by the great invention of the sweater dress.
Layer your clothes
You can wear multiple layers of clothing if you just know how. One way is to wear long sweaters, like boyfriend cardigans and long tunics. These sweaters are simple and cozy winter basics. Pair them with jeans and boots, or throw a cardigan over a cute dress.
Caitlin Frain, fashion guru, knows how and what to wear.
Say what? Questions designed for your enjoyment Favorite Class
Best Decade
Leann Gordan
Communications
The 80’s
Pizza
Hippogriff
John Tucker Must Die
Adam Trasport
Communications
The 80’s
Marshmallows
Snow Leopard
The Emperor’s New Groove
Ben Bates
Physics with Bossman
The 60’s
A baby Pegasus
Gran Turino (as Clint Eastwood)
It’s boots season: wear them
Boots are warm and comfortable, and there are many kinds. Ugg boots and sweater boots can be worn with casual clothes, or you could go with leather, suede, and boots with heels for a nicer look. Of course there are always your standard sneakers, but you can wear heels too. If you don’t want to walk in the snow with 4-inch heels, wear a pair of flats or boots until you get into school, like I do.
Don’t be afraid!
Who cares if your outfit makes people want to throw up? If you like it, wear it (as long as it’s appropriate). People will forget about any fashion mishaps the next day. *And guys, just wear whatever you want.
If you could be If you could What movie one food, what have any crea- would you would it be? ture for a pet, like to live fictional or out? real, what would it be?
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18 November 2009
: g P u r h d i o t n t a o r g i e raph h T y
the most talented photographer I’ve ever met. I was unaware of Costello’s passion until recently when I found some of his work on Nolan Rider Flickr. His shots are taken in strange locations, like abandoned old buildings or junkSection Editor yards. They have symbolism that flows You may have seen awesome student life pictures throughout all of his work, and his color alof your friends on D-TV lately. Well, many of those terations give a unique and eerie feeling to were taken by your peers in the Photography Club. his art. Did I mention that he dresses up in a The Photography Club is lead by the Multimedia gas mask when he shoots his pictures? Epicteacher, Mrs. Milanovich. ness, fo sho. She leaves a lot of artistic leeway for her stuCostello shoots all of his work on a Fuji dents. When asked about their assignments, members Film Camera, but is hoping to invest in a new claimed they don’t really have any set assignments, Nikon D-60 to take his pictures to the next but get to work on whatever they think best suits their level. He began his work a long time ago, but strengths and what will help them improve their weak- he recently started going hardcore about two years ago. nesses, allowing them to grow as artists. He claimes he can’t quit, “It’s like a drug.” Well I’m Although I love seeing what students do in getting addicted to hiss work as well. school and what they work on, I find that if they are If you’re walking down the hallway and you see really passionate about it, they will take steps even this ridiculously beautiful girl with a camera hanging further outside of our walls to expand themselves. down from her neck and she randomly takes your picTwo people I found that are overly enthusiastic about ture, that would be Sophia Rosati, aka Phia Phantastic. what they are doing are Sophia Rosati and Colton She takes her camera with her everywhere she goes, or Costello. she has the school’s camera taking pictures for D-TV, Colton Costello is among the coolest underclass- the Yearbook, or the FHS Press. men to ever grace this building. On top of that, he is Taking pictures is one thing that makes her happy.
You can tell by the way she’s always smiling as she’s holding up her camera, or how she giggles when she gets a good shot.\ It makes her day, “I tried forever to get a picture of someone smiling. I was having the most horrible day ever until I got behind my camera,” she stated in one of her captions on Flickr. Rosati started taking pictures last year, and in that time has accumulated hundreds, if not thousands of pictures on Myspace and Flickr. She shoots most of her work on a Cannon Powershot As90. She enjoys taking posed shots, and shots of nature. She may be the only one on the planet who can take a picture of Freedom, PA and make it look like heaven. She does have some help though. She loves to mess with color balances in Photoshop CS 3 to give her work a unique effect. I think that Freedom at its finest is not when students are forced to do things at school, but when they choose to hone their skills when they leave the confines of our school. These two students emulate creativity and artistic talent. Find their work on Myspace or Flickr. You won’t be disappointed.
“I tried forever to get a picture of someone smiling.”
18 November 2009
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Fast Food Survey Check out where everyone’s getting their grub on Karla Knauff, Design Editor
Burger King McDonalds Taco Bell Wendy's Subway
30% 25% 20%
25 % 24% 14% 13% 8%
15% 10% 5% 0%
ATTENTION SENIORS
Yearbook senior portraits are due Nov. 23, 2009. E-mail your portrait to yearbook@freedomarea.org or give a copy to Mr. Hartman. You’ll have your yearbook [forever] Make sure it has [your face]
Hot Dog Shoppe Pizza1Hut Series Chick-fil-A KFC Sonic
5% 3% 2% 2% 2%
Dairy Queen
1%
Long John Silvers
1%
Quads and dirt bikes
How about a sport with 600 CCs?
Becoming a soccer school
Rob Deane Business Manager
There are many ways to be athletic and have fun outdoors. Not everyone is on a sports team here at FHS. One way lots of kids spend time at Freedom is riding dirt bikes and quads. Riding is fun and isn’t as easy as it looks; it takes skill and athleticism. Adam Miller has been riding for about three years. He has a dirt bike and he usually rides in Piccinini Flatts. Miller said he prefers to ride with friends, as opposed to riding alone. Kenny Miles, Josh Herdt, Shane States, and Andrew Christopher are some of the people he frequently rides with. Miller said, “I enjoy riding my dirt bike because it gets me out of the house.” Andrew Christopher also has fun riding dirt bikes and quads. Christopher has been riding for around five years. He has had both dirt bikes and quads in the past but he has a quad right now. Like Miller, he likes to ride with his friends instead of riding alone. Some of the people he rides with are Shane States, Miller, and Terry Wilson. Piccinini Flatts is also where Christopher rides most often. He says he likes to ride because “it’s fun going fast and being smooth on jumps and stuff.” Quads and dirt bikes are also an interest of Tyler Kerr’s. Kerr has been riding for seven years and he likes it a lot. Kerr has a quad that he rides frequently. Terry Wilson, Christopher and Shane States are the kids he rides with the most. Kerr likes to ride with friends a lot more than alone. Places that Tyler rides include, of course, Piccinini Flatts, Route 60 and around his house. Kerr rides because “it is fun and challenging.” There are many more students that attend Freedom Area High School that ride dirt bikes and quads. Riding is a thrill and is very fun, especially when you ride with your friends. Everyone has a hobby or something that they do for fun; Riding dirt bikes and quads is just another way to have fun with your friends outside.
Photo by Jessica Rosenkranz Erik Gabrich goes for the ball against Springdale. Freedom lost 2-1 in the semi-final.
beaten Springdale in the first round of the WPIAL Playoffs last year, and it was clear that they were ready for payEvery school needs that one back this year. uniting force to bring its student body The first half was dominated by the together as one. This fall that force was Bulldogs, but had nothing to show for the boys soccer team, as it climbed its their hard play after a few squandered way through the WPIAL Class A Playscoring opportunities. Springdale capioffs, and came one game short of maktalized on Freedom’s missed opportuniing the PIAA State Playoffs. ties by scoring in the first minute of the Even though the team did not reach second half. their ultimate goal, the boys still led Then Springdale added to their Freedom into school soccer history. lead, scoring a fluke goal that bounced Never before did Freedom have off the chest of freshmen goalie Ana chance to make it to the PIAA State thony Kosis with twenty minutes rePlayoffs in soccer. In fact, the Bulldogs maining. had never made it past the second round However, Freedom never quit. before this year. With five minutes left, senior forward The boys came into the WPIAL Brad Prinkey shrunk the deficit to one. playoffs fresh off of clinching their first With two minutes left Freedom had a section title since the late 90’s. They chance to tie the game on a corner kick. were poised and focused for a long run, The ball fell out of the goalie’s hands, deep into WPIAL’s. but was quickly cleared by a Springdale The team’s first game was against defender. Freedom would not threaten Serra Catholic, whom they handled eas- to score the rest of the game. ily with a score of 2-0. After their win, Even though Freedom had lost they played Bishop Canevin. Again the their chance to play for a WPIAL title, Bulldogs were victorious, winning 2-1. they still had the chance to make the Awaiting the boys in the semiPIAA playoffs by beating defending finals was Springdale. Freedom had WPIAL champions, Seton-La Salle.
Bryan McSorley Section Editor
The Bulldogs played their hearts out by an early deficit, and an injury to Kosis early in the second half proved too much for them. Freedom dropped the game 6-3, ending their season. “It’s tough to know I’ll never play another high school game again,” said senior sweeper Tanner Mesing. “This was a fun group of guys. I didn’t want it to end.” Freedom may not have reached all their goals this season, but it looks as though Freedom will be a “soccer school” for years to come. Freedom loses five seniors to graduation this spring, but that is not as severe as it sounds. The team is left with a plethora of young, playoff-experienced talent. Many underclassmen saw significant playing time in the playoffs. Kosis, who had nine shutouts this season, played well beyond his years as a freshman, and will only continue to get better. Freshman forward Jon Cleek, who was tied for the team lead in playoff goals with two, stepped up greatly, and will look to have a breakout season as a sophomore.
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Winter’s “Fresh” Talent Lexie Potts
Lexie Potts Grade: 9th Sport(s): Lexie is now a member of the varsity swim team. Event(s): She is going to swim backstroke and distance for free style. Why she swims: “I like it.” Her favorite coach: Her favorite coach is Ms. Sosko, because Sosko is just amazing. Her favorite professional athlete: Potts' favorite athlete is Michael Phelps. Her favorite athletic memory: Her favorite sports memory was her first 200 freestyle race; even though she didn't swim the last 50 yards, it was still very memorable. Favorite pro team: Her favorite sports team is the one and only: Pittsburgh Steelers. A funny sports moment: After a long pause, she couldn't think of a funny sports moment.
Boe Bonzo
Wes Roberts
Wesley Roberts Grade: 9th Sport(s): Wes is now part of the Cross Country and the track team. Events: He isn't sure what events he will run for track, but he thinks it will be a distance event. Why he runs: “It's satisfying to do well.” His favorite coach(s): Roberts' favorite coach is Tink. His favorite professional athlete: The tennis great, Roger Federer. His favorite athletic memory: Learning to throw the cap of a bottle like a Frisbee Favorite professional sports team: The Pittsburgh Steelers A funny sports moment: While playing basketball Wes was dribbling the ball, and it was tipped out by an opposing player. Luckily for Wes, the ball bounced into a teammate’s hands, who then made the shot.
Photos by Cole Leonberg, Asst. Editor Boe Bonzo Grade: 9th Sport(s): Boe is going to be part of the wrestling team this year. Position(s): He thinks he's going to be in the 119 weight class, but is unsure because the season hasn’t officially started yet. Why he plays: “I like to win.” His favorite coach: Bonzo's favorite coach is Scott. His favorite professional athlete: Bonzo doesn't have a favorite professional athlete. His favorite athletic memory: His favorite memory was making it to states for wrestling. Favorite pro sports team: The University of Iowa's wrestling team A funny sports moment: His funny sports moment is going to practice and hearing all the stories that coach Patterson tells the wrestlers.
Pin-heads:
A new club that’s right down their alley Karla Knauff Design Editor Bowling is a sport that could be right down your alley. Did you know that Freedom has a bowling club? A pretty good one at that. The bowling club has some pretty talented players and a dedicated coach, Nate Schwab. Schwab is the volunteer coach and he has been bowling for 25 years. He started working at Baden Bowl at age 13. Schwab volunteer coaches for Freedom’s bowling club because of the students who are on a league at Baden Bowl. Many students from FHS are on the bowling league at Baden Bowl, and they compete every Saturday morning. Schwab saw that those students were committed to bowling, and after being asked a few times to coach for the new bowling club, he couldn’t say no. “Commitment makes an excellent bowler,” said Schwab. This year it’s only a club, but they are planning on being an official bowling team next year. Schwab plans on sticking with the club in
Photo by Karla Knauff, Design Editor
Bowling is every Thursday at 3:30 after school.
the future when they become a team. There are a lot of really great members of the Freedom Bowling team, including Leah Penson. Penson enjoys bowling every Saturday at Baden Bowl and is a member of a league there. Penson loves bowling mostly because it’s “always fun, but can be a real relaxing thing to do.” She has been bowling for 10 years and has also earned a $7,000 scholarship from bowling. Penson started bowling because of her parents; they are both very good bowlers and have been taking her with them since she was a little girl. Another member of Freedoms bowling club is Jeremy Steder. He has been bowling for five years. Some advice he would give to new bowlers is to keep practicing and use your head. Bowling is a great sport and it’s an opportunity to hang out with friends, enjoy a few laughs, and exercise a little. If you are interested in joining the bowling club, just show up at Baden Bowl on any Thursday at 3:30 with 6 dollars, and bowl away.
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