PAW PRINT October 2013
Features 3
Marci Nickeas joins Payton
Alum interview: finding your path
Now that Dr. Zolt has returned to the classroom, the Payton library is under the care of Mrs. Nickeas, the library assistant. She is one of the new faces of the Payton community:
College can seem like a daunting experience, even more so is the thought of switching majors. Cody Cousino ‘08 explains how it is not as terrifying as it may seem, and is, in fact, one of the most rewarding changes you can make. Cody found himself facing this “challenge” two years into college. After originally majoring in math and education, he found himself, once exposed to the subject, drawn to journalism. Upon realizing this passion, he changed his major from math and education to a major in communications. Cody explains his journey:
By Lileana Calvillo Staff Writer
Paw Print: How long have you been working at a library? Marci Nickeas: “I was the library assistant at Northside College Prep for 12 years. I knew someone who was working at Northside, and they told me about the job there. I had also worked in the library in high school, so it sounded interesting and then I was there.” PP: What are the differences between Payton and Northside libraries? MN: “Text books were done through the library there so we were very busy with text books, especially at the beginning and at the end of year; that’s probably the biggest difference. And there were two floors so you had to monitor two floors.” PP: Do you have any goals for the library? MN: “Too early in the year, still
Mrs. Nickeas is one of the newest members of the Payton staff. Photo by Brian Tam getting my bearings.” PP: Top three favorite authors? MN: “Wally Lamb, John Sanford, and Nora Roberts.” PP: Best part about being a librarian? MN: “All the books.” PP: Current favorite book? MN: “‘I Know This Much Is True’ by Wally Lamb.” PP: Anything you don’t like about working in the library? MN: “Telling the students that they need to stop eating.”
Student Hot Seat: an interview with Joushua Padilla ‘17 By Andy Bermeo Staff Writer Paw Print: What do you do outside of school? Joushua Padilla: “I do taekwondo every day for three hours.” PP: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? JP: “Seventeen.” PP: What’s your favorite Miley Cyrus song? JP: “Party in the USA.” PP: What do you look for in a girl? JP: “Well, she has to be pretty and definitely not stuck up.” PP: If you knew your next meal would be your last, what would it be? JP: “Four tacos of chorizo, a burger, fries, and some fried chicken.” PP: If you would switch places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? JP: “Bill Gates because he’s really rich.” PP: Describe the school year in one word. JP: “Long.” PP: Why does glue not stick to the bottle? JP: “Because it doesn’t feel like
it.” PP: If you were a superhero what would your name and outfit be? JP: “My name would be J-DOGG. I would have an all orange outfit with no cape.” PP: How do you like freshman year so far? JP: “It’s pretty good, but it’s kinda long.” PP: If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? JP: “I would make sure the dinosaurs don’t die.” PP: What’s your favorite non-alcoholic drink? JP: “Kool-Aid.” PP: Have you ever met anyone famous? JP:” I’ve met the players from the Real Madrid soccer team.” PP: Would you rather trade intelligence for looks or looks for intelligence? JP: “Looks for intelligence, because looks can only get you so far. You gotta be smart.” PP: Celebrity crush? JP: “Definitely Betty White.”
Strasbourg (continued from p. 2) By James Malnati Staff Writer
of attractions while still choosing places you think your student would enjoy. Don’t limit your student to a specific place or neighborhood. Make sure to keep your student safe and put their priorities over yours throughout the two weeks. I f you have a mandatory school activity, send them with a friend. Finally, make sure to enjoy
yourself. If something doesn’t work out, don’t stress. Remember that Chicago is a buffet of fun places to go, and there’s always a plan B. At the end of the exchange, you’ll be left with an amazing new friend and a plethora of memories.
By Emma Oehring Staff Writer
Paw Print: What made you want to change your path in college? Cody Cousino: “My decision to change majors did not come to me in a typical fashion. I originally just wanted to be on the sidelines for an Ohio State football game, and I figured that the best way for me to do that was through photography. I had taken a photography course at OSU and was pretty good at handling a DSLR camera, so I thought I’d give it a shot. After shooting a couple of other events for my school newspaper, The Lantern, they let me on the field to cover a game. That game was the coolest thing I had ever done, and I knew then that I had a new passion and a new career path.” PP: Why do you think finding/
College students can follow many roads to a career path. Taking a variety of classes and exploring opportunities are ways to choose your path. Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org doing something that you enjoy is important? CC: “It is particularly important in this day and age to do something that you’ll enjoy. People seem to end up putting in more hours and more of their life into the work that they do, so finding something that is truly enjoyable is worth it.” PP: How hard is it to switch paths in college? CC: “The decision to switch paths, two years into my major, was actually relatively easy. I was already winning awards and getting paid for my work, before even graduating, so I knew my new situation was better. There was, however, some more work that I had to do because of it, more classes to take and a delayed graduation. But it
has been completely worth it.” PP: Are you happy with your decision to switch paths and pursue journalism? CC: “I could not be happier with my choice to switch career paths. Since switching majors I’ve traveled the country, covering events in 11 different states, including trips to Boston, New Orleans, and Florida. I’ve also taken pictures of the President of the United States, won several awards and gotten to personally meet some extraordinary people, including astronaut John Glenn. All of those opportunities, which I am extremely grateful for, arose through my work in journalism.”
Halloween activities: hallway fun and trickor-treat visit from Salazar Photos by Brian Tam