Casady Crier Issue 1 by Casady School

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October 8, 2010

IN THE ‘LEED’ “I am very excited to see how the energy system will work.” –Mr. Nathan Sheldon

Volume 58, Issue 1

Casady School, 9500 N. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, OK 73120

Michael Whaley News Contributor The new math building for the Upper Division will be a great addition to the School. Not only is it nicer than Woods, it is much more energy efficient for the campus. It will be the first K-12 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building in the state. LEED certified buildings limit energy consumption and pollution and are mostly made out of recycled material. The roof will reflect the sun in order to reduce energy consumption and heat in the building, giving the roof a rating of 75 in the solar reflecting index. Its windows let very little noise travel through, giving them a rating of 35 in the sound transmission class. The windows also contain a film to reflect the sun for energy efficiency. The building runs off of geothermal lake technology. This has an EER, Energy Efficiency Ratio, rating of 28-30, which is unheard of for a school building. The air units are located inside the building between the roof and ceiling. The lake is the source of air and heat in the new building. More than 3.2 miles of coil were placed 4-5 feet under the surface in the middle of the lake for this process. The water runs through the coils and the pipes pull the water into the building. The air units in the building then convert the energy in the water to air for the building. “I am very excited to see how the system will work,” said Mr. Nathan Sheldon, Chief

New building construction launches the transformation to a greener campus

Financial Officer. Using the Casady Lake water is much more efficient, because in Oklahoma lake water that is located 4-5 feet under the surface only varies between five and 10 degrees throughout the year. Therefore, in the summer, instead of pulling in 100-degree air, it will pull in 75degree water, allowing the units to cool the building much more quickly. The effect is the same in the winter. The new building also has a new lounge area. The front room will have couches and tables where students can hang out during free time. The classrooms are spacious and the hallways are wide, like Woods, for the locker areas. “The new lounge area is a place where I see students wanting to hang out,” said Mr. Sheldon. The new math building is not the only area on campus getting a makeover. St. Edward’s Chapel will also use geothermal technology to improve energy efficiency and will have a new music and choir space. In addition, the choir loft of the chapel has been extended. For more music on campus, the new bell tower holds 20 chapel bells that can play an entire octave. The new math building is expected to be open and in use by the end of October. The chapel should be ready for use between the end of November and the beginning of December. Both of these buildings will enhance the Casady campus with a more energy efficient atmosphere.

Adding to the tradition

For roughly the past year and a half, there have been renovations to St. Edward’s Chapel. The new bell tower will house 20 chapel bells, which can play an entire octave.

Debate looks to test skills, compete in multiple tournaments Aamina Shakir Managing Editor Casady Upper Division can now boast of another extracurricular available to its students, thanks to the formal creation of a school debate team this year. Although a debate club was created last November, its main goal was to get ready for a legitimate, competitive team for the 2010-2011 school year. Debate Club still meets every E day, as it did last year, but the focus of the meetings has shifted from a general overview of debate to full-out tournament preparation. Another new fixture designed to provide students with the tools for competitive debate is the option to take debate as a trimester course, open all year round. Having attended various debate camps over the summer, from the well-established Heritage Hall camp to a new Casady camp, and even various out-of-state camps, Casady’s aspiring master debaters began the school year ready to

MYopinion

quickly kick things into full gear. “We plan to begin our competitive season in October; because we’re all new we’ll be debating in novice divisions, but we’re excited to see how we’ll do. We intend to compete in 10 or more tournaments this year in Oklahoma and Texas,” said debate teacher Dr. Bonnie Gerard. In fact, the Casady team’s first tournament will take place Oct. 8-9. The idea of having school mock debates for parents and other students to watch is also being floated. Debate Club meetings are jam-packed with jargon, with the students hunched over laptops busily “card-cutting” and “flowing.” The students are hard at work, collecting evidence for speeches. “Our current topic is whether or not the U.S. should remove or significantly reduce its military presence in any of several given countries,” said Dr. Gerard. “Right now our team is focusing on South Korea for its affirmative position.”

Vose is a cramped old building with old lockers. I’m looking forward to the new building. The water cooling system is cool.

I’m looking forward to the new building unless it leads to the destruction of Mt. Bickford. Then we might have problems...

I am excited they are focusing on an environmentally friendly building.

While club meetings center on preparation for actual competitions, many team members, mainly freshmen through juniors who will be around long enough to remain in debate long-term, also take the debate class, where they learn the basics. “We spend our time learning about the techniques and strategies of competitive debate, affirmative and negative. We’ve also been practicing in many rounds, doing speed reading, flowing, arguments, and researching,” said Dr. Gerard. Many eager debaters wish there was more time in the day to focus their effort to debating. “It’s really terrifying because there’s so much to do in a short amount of time. With classes and other extracurricular activities, it seems debate gets left by the wayside,” said junior Catherine White. Even so, the Casady debate team continues to research hard and anticipate a successful year. It’ll be nice to have more spaces in the senior parking lot and the freshmen farther away.

The modern design, the geothermal energy system, and the diligent efforts of both students and teachers will inspire great things through math in the future. As the time until opening approaches zero, I know the math department’s enthusiasm is approaching infinity.

Why am I looking forward to the new math building Salman Hamid, freshman

Jack Bickford, junior

Liz Brindley, senior

Dale Jordan, senior

Mr. Chris Halpern, math teacher

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campusNEWS

October 8, 2010

Student’s plan involves greener campus Salman Hamid News Writer The Environmental Club has become involved in a new project after freshman Salman Hamid started the Green Team. The Green Team is a branch of the Environmental Club, hoping to complete three goals, or tracks, over the course of the year. The tracks are to record the electricity, gas, air, and carbon dioxide levels in all Upper Division buildings, discover ways to make the

buildings more environmentally friendly based on the data, and explain the results to the student body. Hamid created the Casady Green Team after previously seeing the positive effects it had on his middle school. He attended Deer Creek Middle School, which has an extremely successful Green Team. Two years ago, the OK Green School Association named Deer Creek Middle School a Green School. He joined their team

in eighth grade and was able to first hand witness what it takes to orchestra such a successful program. Hamid hopes to use this experience to inspire others to help make the Casady campus more environmentally friendly. As a start, the Environmental Club plans to place more recycling bins, plant more trees, and promote energy reduction around campus. They are also recruiting members and planning a bake sale, raising

money to buy new equipment for the Green Team. The team will use this equipment to measure energy levels in Upper Division buildings, beginning with Cochran Library. It will specifically track their electricity usage and other utilities. Cochran was built in December 1961, but has had more recent changes to update the building. However, the light fixtures in the library are approximately 20 years old. The school could

not previous replace the old fixtures without replacing the roof. Now that Cochran has a new roof, hopefully the school will also decide to replace the light fixtures in order to make the building more environmentally friendly. This year, Casady’s Green Team and Environmental Club aim to transform Casady into a Green School. Their goals may take a year or more to become reality, but the team has already

made progress and is expected to continue doing so as the year rolls on. “The only thing that Casady needs to become a Green School is student and teacher dedication, sacrifice, and change,” said Salman. By lending a hand, students and faculty will not only help Hamid turn Casady into a Green School; they will make the world a healthier place to live.

Mother Nature at her finest

Casady School’s beautiful campus is one factor that distinguishes it from other schools in the state and nation. The Green Team led by freshman Salman Hamid is working to make the campus more environmentally friendly.

Health care reform creates praise, criticism Defne Alton News Writer On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, which intends to accomplish a health care reform that will enhance the quality of health care for all Americans. The law will not be put into effect all at once; some parts of the act will be carried out through 2014. The health care reform bill sets up a new competitive private health insurance market through state exchanges. “People having to pay for insurance plans is among the worst ideas in the health care plan. It’s more like a gift to insurance companies than anything else,” said senior Jake Patton.

It also holds insurance companies accountable by keeping premiums down and preventing many types of insurance industry abuses and denials of care, as well as ending discrimination against Americans with preexisting conditions. “One of the best things about the new bill is that insurance companies can’t deny coverage based on preexisting conditions,” said sophomore Eliza Robertson. The new bill is planned to put the budget and economy on a more stable path, since it is expected to reduce the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next decade by cutting government overspending. In addition, the new reform plan allows chil-

dren to stay on their parents’ insurance plan until they turn 26. “I think including individuals under age 26 on their parents’ health care plan is a nice idea,” said junior Zainab Shakir. However, others have their own ideas as to what will work well concerning health care reform. “The concept of insurance is that the larger the pool is, the less each member pays. But if we have fifty little pools, everybody pays more,” said Mr. Robert Wiley. See the sidebar, where the arguments for and against health care reform are expanded into greater detail.

Advocates claim that: • If an individual likes his or her doctor and/or health care plan, he will be able to keep that doctor or health care plan, no matter what. • Children can remain on their parents’ health care plan until the age of 26. • This law promotes the general welfare because it makes health care more affordable and widely available. • The act helps 32 million Americans afford health care who did not get it previously. Under the plan, 95 percent of Americans will be insured. • It is estimated that the new law will lower premiums by nearly $2,000 per family. • The plan is intended to reduce the federal deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years by cutting government overspending.

Opponents claim that • More than 87 million Americans could lose access to their current health care plan under the new law. • The plan costs around $940 billion over ten years according to the Congressional Budget Office. • The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says that the health care reform will impose billions of dollars in annual fees on manufacturers and importers of brand-name prescription drugs and health insurance plans. These new taxes will be passed down to consumers in the form of higher drug and device prices, along with higher insurance premiums, raising health care costs from $2.1 billion in 2011 to $18.2 billion in 2018. • The new law would raise federal deficits by $562 billion. • The bill would increase taxes and burdens on small businesses, and ultimately target high-income Americans with taxes. • Families with health insurance in the individual market will pay $2,100 a year.

For more information on health care reform, please visit http://www.healthcare.gov/

campusNEWS

October 8, 2010

the CRIER

From Fee to the bright lights Casady alum achieves success on the set of CSI Miami

Eric Kaplan Editor in-Chief Every Casady student has the potential to achieve his or her wildest aspirations. Through its top-notch faculty and rigorous curriculum, Casady challenges students’ to examine questions and present descriptive answers. This process not only teaches students how to succeed in the classroom, but how to become wellrounded, preaching preparation and determination as keys to success in life. Mr. Rex Linn, ‘75 Casady alum, has had a tremendous acting career, starring on CSI: Miami and in numerous movies and portraying characters ranging from an outlaw and a serial killer to a detective. He attributes his success to his time at Casady and the life lessons it taught him. “Casady means a lot to me for several reasons. Back in the ‘70s, Casady was magical. The teaching staff was phenomenal and to have a campus like that, practically a mini college campus, was unbelievable. Above all, it taught me discipline, which is a great thing to carry on beyond high school,” said Linn. Rex grew up in Spearman, Texas, before moving to Oklahoma City. In this little town in the panhandle of Texas, there was only one theater, The Lyric Theater, where he first fell in love with acting. “Growing up in Texas, you would think I would have wanted to play a cowboy as a kid. However, I was more interested in horror films. By the age of 5, I was completely enamored with Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, and the creature from Black Lagoon. Once I was old enough to understand that the characters were not real and were actually actors getting paid for it, I became interested,” said Linn. At Casady, Mr. Linn found his calling on the athletic fields. He starred in football, basketball, and track, winning the Dartmouth Cup in 1975.

“I loved playing football and basketball. I was a football freak. I was fortunate to go to Casady in the ‘70s. I played on one of the greatest Casady football teams. We beat St. Mark’s for the first time in a while,” said Linn. Besides loving to play sports, Mr. Linn formed meaningful relationships with his coaches. “The coaches also taught me a lot about character. Coach Grantham is one of my heroes in life, second only to my father. He taught me discipline in sports, which translated to life after Casady. Both he and Coach Sears showed me how to be a better person,” said Linn. Mr. Linn has many other fond memories of his high school career off the field, too. “I fell in love with the head cheerleader, Kathy Upsher. Great memories are walking around campus holding hands with her (cheesy, I know). I was also an average student (to say the least). I still have nightmares about math. I was horrible at it. I just could not get fired up walking into Calculus.” While in high school, there were two events that significantly influenced his decision to become an actor. The first occurred during a performance of Fiddler on the Roof. “It still is the only play I’ve ever been in. I was playing the role of a Russian dancer and there was a scene where I was supposed to dance and tear up the furniture. Since it was the first night, Mr. Gill warned me to take it easy since we still needed the props for the following shows. Needless to say, I tore up a lot of stuff. Mr. Gill was obviously angered and advised me to direct my energies elsewhere. This is one of the top five best pieces of advice from my life. Although it was devastating then, it later fueled the fire,” said Linn. The other experience happened his senior year when he saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

“I walked into the Continental Theater by myself and watched it. Jack Nicholson was amazing and I loved the movie. I phoned home to tell my mom that I was going to watch it again. That movie confirmed that I wanted to be an actor. I went home that night and told my parents I knew what I wanted to do; I just had to stick with it,” said Linn. After his time at Casady and in college, his career began to take off. Obviously, he has had numerous highlights along the way. They range from getting a conference phone call from his agent and Sylvester Stallone congratulating him on receiving a role in Cliffhanger, which jumped-started his career, to having the honor of working with two greats, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, in Odd Couple II. “One evening I was in Santa Fe, New Mexico filming a movie with Kevin Costner. My character was riding into town, and as I was waiting between takes in cowboy attire with a scar on my face and six guns strapped to me, on a horse named Dallas, I looked out at the purple sunset. I remember saying ‘Thank you, God,’ realizing that this was definitely a highlight of my career,” said Linn. “Receiving the phone call that I was wanted on CSI: Miami as a regular is another highlight. I cannot wait to go to work everyday. It is the number one watched show in the world, and we all have a blast and get along well. I could not have a better job.” Rex Linn is a prime example of what can happen if one is determined to succeed. He hopes to inspire adolescents to reach for their dreams. “No matter what you want to do, whether it is to become an actor, doctor, lawyer, plumber, architect or whatever you want to do, do not let anyone or anything discourage you from achieving your dreams. I did a movie called Night Game with Roy Scheider and he gave me one word of advice, perseverance.”

A natural

Rex Linn was a superb Cyclone athlete, starring in football, basketball, and track & field. He was awarded the Dartmouth Cup in 1975 for his performance.

Students plant pin-wheels in celebration of the ‘Six Billion Paths to Peace’ initiative Press Release On Sept. 21, 2010, the International Day of Peace, Casady School students from pre-school to 12th grade planted pinwheels around the Casady lake. These pinwheels were made with the intention of goodwill and hope for a world at peace one day. The planting of the pinwheels culminated a series of activities started by the arrival and student interaction with the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum Hope Trunk, a program that uses the story of the Murrah Building bombing to educate students about the senselessness of violence and the need to find more peaceful means to solve our differences.

To celebrate the International Day of Peace, the San Francisco based Shinnyo-en foundation donated Six Billion Paths to Peace tshirts for an out of uniform day at Casady School. The Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative believes that “we live in an interconnected world and like a ripple in the water, each tiny act of peace reverberates out into the world expanding the experience of peace for all of us. It is so easy to feel overwhelmed or hopeless by the suffering, violence or war going on in our world. The antidote is to take action and notice that there is much we can do through daily actions.” The Shinnyo-en Foundation

helps build more caring communities by supporting educational programs that engage and inspire young people to meaningful acts of service. Shinnyo-en believes in teaching children the value of helping others in the spirit of goodwill and without regard to differences of faith and background. The Shinnyo-en Foundation CEO, Dr. Harumitsu Inouye, Ed.D and a team composed of Ms. Mariko Terazaki, Communication Director, three Shinnyo-en fellows, Audrey Lin, Sara Mizner, Gordon Greaves and Blake School high school senior, Courtney Alpeter accompanied by her mother shared their Six Billion Paths to Peace stories at chapel services and spent the

day with faculty and students. The Shinnyo-en team ended the day visiting the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, where Mrs. Lynn Roller, the museum’s Director of Education and Research, gave them a tour and provided an opportunity to the community to come meet and greet the Shinnyo-en team at a museum reception from 5:00-6:00 p.m. cohosted by Dr. Clydia Forehand, Director, Oklahoma Institute for Teaching East Asia (OKITEA), Associate Director, University of Oklahoma Confucius Institute, Casady Service-Learning, the Casady Service-Learning Program, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.

“It is so easy to feel overwhelmed or hopeless by the suffering, violence or war going on in our world. The antidote is to take action and notice that there is much we can do through daily actions.” –Shinnyo-en Foundation

campusNEWS

the CRIER

ON THE CALENDAR Casady performing arts

Choir: Fall Concert November 2, 2010 Winter Lessons and Carols December 12, 2010 Spring Concert April 26, 2011 Orchestra: Fall Concert October 20, 2010 Winter Concert December 7, 2010 Spring Pops Concert May 13, 2011 Jazz and Winds Winter Concert December 15, 2010 Spring Concert May 19, 2011 Percussion Winter Concert December 13, 2010 Spring Concert May 17, 2011 Theatre Performances The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged November 11-12, 2010 Into the Woods February 17-19, 2011 Pass My Imperfections Lightly By Spring 2011

Why do I enjoy participating in the performing arts

October 8, 2010

Music Department, performing arts ready to take center stage Ted Moock Entertainment Contributor Everyone on campus is buzzing about the new school year, especially the students and teachers involved in the Music Department. Each year, the musicians on campus get to begin anew. Whether it be learning a new concerto or sonata, mastering a new technique, or simply strengthening their skill, Casady musicians have much to be excited about in the year to come. The Jazz and Winds program at Casady is already in full swing. Last year’s Winds ensemble was fortunate enough to have every member return to play more music, and the year looks promising for them. “The Winds ensemble is going to have a great year. We have a lot of talented seniors playing, and we’re planning some interesting pieces,” senior Ben McCampbell said. Although Jazz Band 2 lost four very talented seniors last year, they gained a ton of freshmen and are already working hard on “Testify” by the Pocket Dwellers. This is a very challenging and complicated song, but with their young and fresh talent, they should knock it out of the park. Jazz Band 1 lost only one senior, but he was their drummer. The drums hold the band together, and there certainly is a huge hole to fill. Luckily, senior Liz Brindley, who has worked with the percussion ensemble, volunteered herself for the job. “Rehearsals are something I’m getting used to because I’ve never played in a small band, but I’m having a lot of fun and am excited to play awesome music with my friends,” said Brindley. Jazz Band 1 is hard at work on “Bloody Well Right” by Supertramp, “Don’t Change Horses” by Tower of Power, and is looking to start “Stitched Up” by Herbie Hancock & John Mayer in the near future. The percussion ensemble has many great reasons to be excited this year. Most importantly, they won’t have to worry about changing teachers in the middle of the year like last year. Mr. Adam Bruce is an excellent percussionist and is excited to expand his goals for the ensembles this year. Last year the ensemble was not able to go to district contest because there was not enough time to prepare any pieces under Mr. Bruce. This year, however, district is an achievable goal, and the percussionists are all talented enough to achieve Superior ratings. “I believe that we have a very talented group this year and I look forward to performing with them every step of the way. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I can’t wait

Since choir more than doubled this year, we will be able to sing more fun and challenging pieces.

Emma Sharp, junior

Music to the Ears

Mr. Larry Moore leads the Casady orchestra during class last year. Mr. Moore has used his supreme musical talents to help our musicians, turning Casady into an orchestra powerhouse.

for ISAS,” said senior Tanner Hanstein. The Casady Orchestra is also wasting no time getting ready for district contest in November. They have begun rehearsing “Lullaby” by William Hofeldt. Mr. Larry Moore likes to challenge his students, but he also lets them have a little fun every once in a while. He got them an orchestral arrangement of “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics, and the String Quartet just got music for “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. “‘Stairway to Heaven’ sounds really awesome,” said senior Nathan Prabhu. The Orchestra also will enjoy a once-ina-lifetime experience later in the school year. Over spring break, they will be traveling to Italy to play in several fascinating places, not to mention have opportunities to see many extraordinary sights. “I think everyone is really excited for the Italy trip this year. All of us really want to go,” Nathan said. The Casady vocal music program is already rapidly expanding. The Casady Choir has almost doubled in size from last year, adding to the group’s eagerness to perform. “We have a lot more kids in choir this year, meaning we can perform songs that will have a much bigger sound. We also have awesome talent in all of the vocal sections, so we’re really solid all around,” said senior Scotie Conner. The Players, who specialize in more

We have a really strong and experienced orchestra this year.

Connor Morrison, senior

modern songs, are already working on “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” from the famed musical, and hope to start new songs soon. The Women’s Choir and Men’s Quartet are also working hard on new pieces as well. The Casady Theatre Club is taking it to the next level this year. The Fall show, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (ABRIDGED), will take place in November. This show is different from anything the club has done before, because it will be heavily based on improvisation. Improv is a new addition to the Theatre Club this year, and it has a lot of people very excited since the required spontaneity usually results in hilarious scenes. The musical this year is Into the Woods, which intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales and follows them further, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. Stephen Sondheim, writer of the music and lyrics for the show, is a very intricate composer, and the cast will have their work cut out for them as they begin rehearsals later in the fall. “With the challenge of the new improv style of acting in the play, and the difficulty of music for the musical, all aspects of the club should be as exciting as the next,” said junior Brannan Crossno. With new music, shows, and talent, the Casady Performing Arts is sure to wow everyone this year.

Normal people drink water out of cups, but here in Jazz Band, we drink out of bowls.

I’m excited about the awesome Star Wars song we get to do.

Reshawn Lawrence, senior

My favorite part about percussion is the Suns Out Guns Out Days.

Warren Wright, senior

Mitchell Manar, senior

fun&ENTERTAINMENT

October 8, 2010

the CRIER

Tech Review: A rotting Apple? Salman Hamid Entertainment Writer Apple flew out of the 90’s expecting to see a better decade than the previous one. When the 21st century began, Apple prepared this decade to be a successful one. In 2001, Apple released the iPod, which spiked sales in personal MP3 players. To this date, 240 million iPods have been sold. The first iPod generated new ideas for later products. Along with the iPod, Apple introduced the world to iTunes, an application designed for accessing entertainment user-friendly. This product has become a staple for all Apple products. Over the years, iTunes has expanded, now selling movies, TV shows, music, music videos, ring tones and games. All Macs come installed with iTunes and Apple has used iTunes to enhance its more recent products. From 2002 to 2006,

Apple revolutionized personal computers around the world. Within those years, the Mac Mini, MacBook, and other computers were released using the Mac OS, Apple’s operating system, to form one of the greatest laptop families to this date. These laptops have become great for personal use, not usually used for jobs, by hardcore gamers, or schools, but for using Apple programs to easily design a variety of things. These computers exceeded the capabilities of their old models, with more features, bigger hard drives, and more efficiency. Apple also started a trend with mobile devices that ignited technology companies around the globe. In 2007, Apple created the iPod Touch, an iPod on steroids. It had a large screen and an innovative control wheel. People could listen to music, watch videos, and connect to the Internet, but the greatest

What are your thoughts about Apple

feature was the touch screen. Since then most phones and MP3 players have had touch screens. Also released in 2007, the iPhone was and still is a product that awes the consumer world. Its slick, touch screen design broadened the public’s imagination as to what a phone, or any mobile device of that size, could possibly do. The iPhone is basically an iPod touch that can call and text. Since the original, Apple has released three other models that have each slightly exceeded the capabilities of their predecessor. In 2008 and 2009, Apple released other products, such as the MacBook Air and iMac, which were somewhat of add-ons to previous family products. The MacBook Air is a not extremely improved MacBook, truly only weighing less and possessing a more efficient battery. The iMac is a desktop computer

Apple is the root of all evil. Their symbol stands for the apple Eve took a bite of.

Shane O’Connor, sophomore

that improved from its previous family products, yet honestly was not much different. In 2010, the iPad, Apple’s tablet computer, was released into the technological world. Although its large touch screen and colorful display might dazzle some, others anticipated much more, seeing it as basically a larger iPod touch with 3G capabilities. Apple really took promises to the next level with big ideas when the world was pressed into the 21st century. They dominated the technology world with new and exciting products in the early part of the decade, but since 2008, Apple has just made add-ons and improvements to previous products, and has had no new ideas. If this trend continues, Apple will slowly go back to its state in the 90’s.

I bought a MacBook this summer and I’m happy with the performance. It’s a refreshing change from a PC.

Eihab Khan, sophomore

Casady Culture Grid What the administration thinks about...

Although consumers are rapidly flocking to buy the newest version of the iPhone and iPad, some wonder if Apple is nearing end of its prime through releasing very similar, socalled improved models to previous products.

I’m always surprised that Apple’s market share isn’t more. I haven’t owned an Apple product since the IIe in 1985.

I’m really impressed with Apple. I love my MacBook and iPhone.

It’s awesome. Once you go Mac, you never go back.

Scotie Conner, senior

False Advertising?

Michael Whaley, senior

Mr. John Kelly, History Department chair

Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga?

TV Show I cannot wait to see again is...

Snooki from Jersey Shore is...

The best summer movie I saw...

If I could become any celebrity for a day, I would pick...

Mr. Christopher Bright Headmaster

Justin Bieber when played 800x slower, otherwise Lady Gaga

Curb Your Enthusiasm

an umpa lumpa

Inception

David Byrne

Mr. David Gorham Associate Headmaster

Neither

All in the Family.

Never heard of Jersey Shore

The Frogmen, 1951

Bob Hope

Mr. Nathan Sheldon Associate Headmaster/CFO

Lady Gaga. She is unbelievably talented

America’s Got Talent

I don’t know

Despicable Me

Donald Trump

Mr. Peter Huestis Director of Upper Division

Bieber because he’s Canadian

House

a great role model

I didn’t see any but Xavier liked Toy Story 3

Bill Mahar

Mr. Matt Pena Dean of Upper Division Students

Lady Gaga because of her mink dress

Glee

Brillant. She makes millions of dollars to party

Inception

Mike “The Situation”

Mrs. Jen Warden Dean of Student Life

They both make me half crazy

Celebrity Apprentice

an unknown being to me

Erin Andrews

casadySPIRIT

the CRIER

October 8, 2010

Let’s Go

Seniors Dale Jordan and Mason Roberts energetically lead the Cyclone football team onto the field through screaming students and cheerleaders.

SPIRIT Connor Morrison Entertainment Contributor What is Cyclone spirit? This question has been coming up a lot recently around campus with the start of the new school year. To describe what it means to be a Cyclone, no one knows better than alum, coach, and current athletic director, Mr. Steve Shelley. “To be spirited means to have pride in one’s self and school, which ultimately generates emotion, energy, and enthusiasm,” said Coach Shelley. “School spirit causes a burning desire to demonstrate love for classmates and teammates through participating, competing, and supporting all school activities.” This year, school spirit has been high at sporting events, as can be seen by the crowds of people cheering for the

How would you describe school spirit on campus

Should we increase appreciation for non-sporting events?

Cyclones at football and volleyball games. This has been largely due to the cheerleaders’ efforts to fire up students to cheer for their teams. “All the students really get into cheering at sporting events. It’s great,” said senior co-captain cheerleader Emily Cox. “We really try to get everyone involved at games through different means, such as handing out spirit sticks to those who cheer the hardest.” Students feel the cheerleaders’ efforts have undoubtedly made the school more passionate when cheering for the Cyclones. “School spirit at Casady this year is really great, and the cheerleaders do a great job of getting everyone pumped up at the games and pep rallies,” said junior Maya Shiff. However, some students

feel that other areas lack the same support. “As a first year Cyclone, I’ve noticed that the school spirit here is good at some points, but it’s still about average,” said freshman Tristen Patton. Students who have gone to Casady for numerous years are also in agreement with Patton. “Spirit here is good but it could be a lot better,” said sophomore Davis English. Some students believe Casady spirit could be improved through a greater appreciation for the nonsporting events. “I believe that more people should support the artistic endeavors around campus,” said senior Ben McCampbell. Many would agree that the artistic and musical events that fellow students

The pep rally was really intense and it was great having the whole school there cheering and doing the Cyclone chant.

Patrick Loeffler, freshman

participate in deserve the same enthusiastic support that is shown at sporting events. While sporting events present the clearest opportunity to root for classmates, larger student attendance at school plays, concerts, and art shows would give an added boost to the students who specialize in those areas. Although interest in school activities has drooped over the past few years, this can change this year. Even though the cheerleaders and Student Council are suppose to inspire their classmates to want to attend school events, each student has this obligation as a Cyclone. Hopefully, realizing the importance of taking pride in being a Cyclone will cause students to be more enthusiastic for all school activities this year.

I love going to the football games, cheering for the team and competing for the spirit stick.

Lexi Bell, sophomore

I’ve got spirit, yes I do! I’ve got spirit, how about you!

Jason Shelley, junior

Most valuable cheerleader?

Senior athletes hoist senior Matthew Silver into the air as part of a cheer at the Casady-Heritage pep rally. Every year, the male senior athletes participate in a skit, showing off their cheer skills.

I love being a senior woman and dressing up with my classmates at the games. It’s the most fun part of the weekend.

Bobbe Chaffin, senior

Sometimes I’m suprised by how few students there are at games and concerts.

Ms. Joanne Infantino, Spanish teacher

casadySPIRIT

October 8, 2010

First year faculty bring new element to staff Eric Kaplan Editor in-Chief The start of every school year always brings revitalized enthusiasm to campus. Many new faces eagerly arrive hoping to quickly discover how to use their talents to better the Casady community. This year, Mrs. Jen Warden has been added to the Casady administration to help better the student life on campus while Ms. Megan Pargeter, Mr. Mark Delgrosso, and Mrs. Diane Dawkins are qualified teachers hoping to improve their respective departments. Mrs. Warden has assumed the position Dean of Student Life, a new post designed to better ensure the happiness of students on campus. She has a strong background in basketball, from her days playing at the University of Colorado to head coaching the women’s programs at both Boise State University and Colorado State University for three years. Basketball is what initially led Mrs. Warden to Casady. “When my family and I moved to Oklahoma, I decided to coach youth basketball. I came home from a game with Mr. Bright’s business card, and at the time I still did not know much about the schools in Oklahoma. My husband told me that Casady was the best school in the state. We got excited, and after visiting the campus, I understood what Casady was about,” Mrs. Warren said. Mrs. Warden began coaching the girls’ basketball team last season and will continue her role as head coach this year. She also feels prepared for her administrative role due to her experience as a college basketball coach. “This job parallels head coaching in a number of ways since coaching is really two full time jobs, acting as a full time administrator and a full time coach for your players,” she said. “I feel very at home because

I’ve counseled college players on how to live their dreams. Casady’s strength is its ability to be the best resource for students in areas they love. Through better understanding students’ lives at Casady, I feel I can help to better the student experience from an administrative standpoint.” Ms. Pargeter achieved a lifelong dream when she was named a full-time art teacher for Upper Division this year. “Since elementary school, I always have known I wanted to be an art teacher and work with kids. It is amazing how in art and life everything happens naturally, just how it’s meant to happen,” Ms. Pargeter said Ms. Pargeter has large aspirations for the Art Department but knows she must first create a foundation on which to build on. “I have big goals and big ideas but I am starting with baby steps, teaching the basics,” she said. “Hopefully with time and a strong group of students, we will be able to do more within the community. I’d like for students to see more artwork made by their classmates on campus, especially in the Student Center and around the lake.” Along with Mrs. Seitter, Ms. Pargeter wants to encourage more student participation within the Art Department, and she hopes her art studio will become a place where students can come to create art in their free time. Mr. Delgrosso is originally from Boston, MA, but he has lived and worked in numerous places, including Hawaii, California, Mississippi, New York and Africa. With his vast experience, which also includes being a wildlife biologist and park ranger, he hopes to improve the Science Department at Casady. “Initially, I would like to incorporate more lab exercises with the topics being dis-

cussed in lecture,” Mr. Delgrosso said. “In the future, I hope to offer other opportunities for students interested in studying biology in greater depth, such as elective courses analyzing animal behavior or paleontology and possibly formulating a research project focused on answering a question about birds or another specific wildlife species. I hope to take a group of kids who want to pursue biology in college to a place like Central America and allow them to experience at firsthand being a wildlife biologist.” Mrs. Dawkins has previously taught at Casady and is now returning to the Math Department full time. “I love Math, and I enjoy teaching because it gives me the opportunity to help students like and appreciate the need for it in society,” Mrs. Dawkins said. “Casady, because of its small class sizes and flexible schedule, presents the perfect place for me to do this. I understand each student possesses different strengths and weaknesses and, therefore, understands the material differently. Casady gives me the possibility of working with my students multiple times during the day to make sure they achieve success.” Mr. Bright considers multiple factors during the process of selecting a new addition to the faculty. Ultimately, each teacher’s ability to connect with students plays the largest role in his decision. “I make sure they love kids and they love teaching,” he said. “They obviously need to know their subject matter well and are also creative and collaborative when working as a part of a team.” So far, it seems these additions will tremendously benefit the students and Casady community as a whole.

StuCo aims to boost student life Liz Brindley Entertainment Contributor The Casady Student Council is back and ready for action. The Council kicked the year off with a lock-in at Bennett Athletic Center to discuss their goals for the year and play games, including Twister and a campus-wide scavenger hunt. Shortly after, the sophomore, junior, and senior representatives happily welcomed five newly elected freshmen representatives to the Council. Now that all positions are filled, Student Council looks forward to a year of accomplishments and fun. StuCo has established three goals for the 20102011 school year. The first and main objective of Student Council this year is to create better communication between the student body and the administration. To accomplish this goal, the executive board plans to have monthly meetings with Mr. Huestis, and at least

one meeting each trimester with Mr. Bright, to discuss issues on campus. “I’m extremely excited about finally being able to lead the school and work with the administration to get things done. I really hope to turn StuCo back into an actual government,” said vice-president Ted Moock. StuCo meetings occur on A days during B-Block and are open to all students. The Council welcomes ideas and suggestions, and grade representatives are always willing to hear what their peers have to say. The second goal of the Council is to raise as much, or more, money for a charity as was raised last year. The Council and the Casady community did a great job last year raising $20,000 for Charity: water to build a well for a school in Africa. This year, StuCo is looking to raise money for a charity that is closer to home.

Currently, the Council plans to raise money to build a house for Habitat for Humanity. The group believes this is the perfect charity to focus its efforts on because not only does the school community get to raise money to provide a house for someone in need, but the students also get to help build the home. It’s a hands-on project in which contributors can see the results of their hard work. “I hope to continue having success raising money for charities this year because it’s cool to play a part in helping people in need,” said sophomore representative Davis English. “I hope to raise more money than previous years and increase student involvement and interest,” said junior representative and StuCo historian Sydney Hood. The third goal is to increase school spirit. StuCo plans to

bring back the Student Council Olympics with an event once a month. Among the games and activities to look forward to are the chapel run, pumpkin launch, and ugly sweater contest. These are only a few of the many “Olympic Events” that will happen on campus this year. “I’m especially excited for ‘Olympic Events’,” said new junior representative Chandler Helms, “because they have not been done since I’ve been in high school, and I’ve heard fun stories about them from previous upperclassmen.” StuCo hopes that integrating fun activities and events into school life will make student morale and enthusiasm on Casady campus even greater. Student Council looks forward to creating many laughs, memories, and positive changes with the rest of the student body and administration this year.

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TEN TIDBITS of Casady student life

Nathan Prabhu Features Editor 10. It makes as much sense to have fruit for dessert as to call something a blonde brownie that is neither blonde nor a brownie. 9. The TVs in the Student Center finally work. Now we can kick back, relax, and watch…a slideshow.

8. The senior gift idea for a refreshing mist maker to use during those really hot days was struck down; it turns out we already use one when we walk back from Calvert… the lake. 7. Mr. Gill: Dumbledore AND Gandalf. Enough said. 6. To those of you that are so enraged and think you’re just about to lose it, just take one look at those pinwheels.

5. We have so much school spirit that at Casady Heritage, we had 90 percent of the student body storm the field…five times…in pre-game. 4. There are new bells for the chapel, apparently at the expense of the ones in high school. 3. Beware of the PDA in the Student Center. 2. Only one part of our campus defies all geographical, political, and social limitations known to man, Mt. Bickford.

1.This year, the administration has single-handedly eliminated one of the most vicious menaces ever to set foot on campus…the flip-flop.

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casadySPORTS

Leaders step up, fight through obstacles

Threading the needle Junior Mac Katigan has played the quarterback position with plenty of confidence this season. His ability to beat defenses with both his speed and arm has been essential for the Cyclones.

Inside the Helmet

October 8, 2010

What goes on in the mind of a playmaker before making the big play?

Eric Kaplan Editor in-Chief Football is not a game for the weak. Every summer, players band together, pushing themselves to the brink, exhausting every single muscle in their bodies in order to succeed the upcoming fall. However, the physical toll is only half of the sacrifice a player must make. Mental toughness and determination to push through any obstacle is key for every team. Usually, this mind-set is broadcast vocally and demonstrated by select individuals deemed leaders. “A leader has got to be the example. First, he does his job and knows his role better than anyone. He has the foresight and experience to know when the team needs a pick me up, when a particular down or quarter might decide who wins and loses. He makes the plays consistently not just when he feels good,” said head coach Koby Scoville. In the recent past, the Cyclones have had numerous seniors ready to guide their teammates victoriously through adversity. However, this year there are only three seniors. This situation has placed greater pressure upon the shoulder pads of the seniors, juniors and underclassmen to rise to the occasion and take advantage of a great opportunity. “There is a lot of pressure to be a leader. It is definitely more difficult because we have such few seniors but we always have to stay positive and lead by example. We have to work hard all the time and never take a single play off,” said senior Connor Morrison. “You have to be vocal and keep everyone’s energy positive and make sure that every single player on the team wants to play football. You have to make sure ev-

eryone is wild and pumped up for each and every snap of every game throughout the year,” said senior Trace McMurrain. “We are not the biggest or the most talented team, but we know that we have to keep working hard until the whistle every snap,” said senior Andrew O’Bannon. All three seniors have assumed new roles for the betterment of team this season. Morrison has started the previous two seasons at center, gaining crucial experience about what it takes to succeed. His role has been expanded to the defensive side of the ball, where he has contributed regularly at linebacker and defensive line. Both McMurrain and O’Bannon unselfishly agreed to move to offensive line this season while still assuming linebacking and kicking roles respectively. “Connor is an offensive coach on the field. He can tell what’s going on better than most and relay it to the coaches and offensive line. Trace and Andrew being guards for the betterment of the team has been huge. We have a lot of youth at that spot and they have given the youth time to catch up and not get thrown into the fire. The three have done this while still assuming all their other responsibilities; Connor long snapping and playing both defensive line and linebacker, Andrew handling all the kicking duties, and Trace never leaving the field even due to a hurt shoulder. They all don’t complain,” said Coach Scoville. The juniors also have been relied on to step up and lead their teammates. Junior Mac Katigan had started the last two seasons at cornerback, but due to the graduation of Cale Shivers, has needed to play quarterback as well. However, Katigan’s adjustment has been smooth, making key plays for the Cyclones early in the sea-

son. “The number one thing is his pose in tough games. There have been critical downs where we did not block well and he still puts the throw on the money. He has been good under pressure, and he makes quick, smart decisions,” said Coach Scoville. “I feel its been an easy adjustment into the starting quarterback role. All of the seniors last year taught us how to act, how to lead, and most importantly, how to play the game as a unit. With the lack of seniors, the juniors have really stepped up into a leadership role. I feel like the team looks to the upperclassmen to keep that drive and continue to play hard,” said Katigan. Also, juniors Garrison Lee and Graham Bennett have continued to inspire their team through their ferocious play and determination to leave every ounce of their hearts on the field. “The team has had tons of heart. We have been in dog fights and some guys are playing at 90 miles per hour every snap. As a football coach you like to see that but at the same time I’m watching if Graham or Garrison need a snap off here or a breather there so neither gets injured,” said Coach Scoville. This immense determination to always battle until the end has propelled and become the essence of this team so far. Ultimately, the Cyclones will continue to fight for the extra yard and every defensive stop until the clock hits zero each week. “The only way to succeed whether you are undefeated or have no wins is to never overlook a week no matter how good you or your opponent is. Our goal is to take it one day and one week at a time and figure out how we can get better right now,” said Scoville.

Garrison Lee, junior

“I focus on getting my head across, rapping up and driving with my legs. I try to be wherever the ball is and punish the opponent every tackle.”

Cassius Calhoun, junior

“We look to stop the run first, then the pass. On defense, we are trying to get off the field as quickly as possible.”

Sophomore Michael Parry “See ball, catch ball. I try to catch every pass thrown my way to help Mac out.”

casadySPORTS

October 8, 2010

Time to spike the competition Matthew Silver Sports Editor As the boys’ volleyball season gets underway, many questions are being answered about the talent available for first year head coach, Jay Gallegly, to utilize. With eight seniors this season, one may think that the team is full of experience, but only two of the eight seniors have quality varsity playing time. This brings up the question, do the Cyclones, although they have a lot of potential talent in their senior class, have enough experience on the court in order to compete this season? The Cyclones opened their season in Houston, competing in the annual Houston Zone Cup. They opened up the tournament with back to back wins but ended up narrowly losing to the defending Southwest Preparatory Conference champions in a hard-fought game. “We were so close. I know we can beat those guys and I know we will before the season is over,” said senior Mason Roberts. By the end of the tournament, the Cyclones had compiled a record of 5 wins and 3 losses, knowing they could compete with and even beat anyone in SPC. They realized their athleticism and talent matches up well with other SPC teams. “Well, now I know we

can and should win SPC. The boys are very athletic and people should be scared of our potential. When we put all the pieces together, we will be feared,” said Coach Gallegly. The Cyclones scheduled a scrimmage against an all men’s team from the Oklahoma City area. Since Casady is the only high school in Oklahoma City to have a boys’ volleyball team, opportunities like this are used to keep the boys fresh between SPC games and gain more much needed game experience. Simply put, the Cyclones were much more than impressive, destroying their competition. “That was the best we have ever looked, playing like that. Hopefully, we can keep up the hard work and put ourselves in position for a good shot at an SPC championship,” said senior Preston Sullivan. With that said, the Cyclones still have somewhat of a quiet buzz around campus, although people are starting to realize that this years team could be special. Hopefully the volleyball players will not become distracted and stay focused on the ask at hand. “The goal is an SPC championship. We will work as hard as possible to fulfill that goal and will not settle for anything less,” said senior Matthew Silver.

News Editor

“We never know how high we are till we are called to rise. And then if we are true to plan our statures touch the skies.” This line from an Emily Dickinson poem is the newest theme for the field hockey team. After losing a core group of seniors from last year, the field hockey team knows that they need to step up if they want to have any chance at the Southwest Preparatory Conference title. “Right now we are working mostly on offense. Our goal for this season is to score a lot of goals,” said head varsity coach Carla Lane. The team went undefeated at invitationals in St. Louis and at Hockaday, giving promise for the upcoming season. “I think the season is going to be great. I’m really excited,” said senior team captain Emily Cox. “I really like field hockey this year. It looks like we’ll be good. I can’t wait to see how the season turns out,” said junior Madison Utz.

ON THE CALENDAR Upcoming sports events

Football

October 8 HOME vs St Mark’s 7 PM October 15 AWAY at St John’s 7 PM October 22 HOME vs Houston Episcopal 7 PM October 29 HOME vs Holland Hall 7 PM

Field Hockey

October 6 AWAY at Heritage Hall 4:30 PM October 8 HOME vs ESD 4 PM October 9 HOME vs Greenhill 1:30 PM October 22 AWAY at FWCD 4 PM October 23 AWAY at Hockaday 2 PM October 29 HOME vs Holland Hall 3 PM

Boys’ Volleyball

Concentration

Senior Matthew Silver keeps his eyes on the ball as he prepares to serve. Silver and the seven other seniors have people hoping that this is the year the Cyclones can regain their SPC supremacy.

Field Hockey team looks to elevate play to the next level Kelsey Jones

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“We look good this year. We hope to win SPC, and I think we have a good chance,” said sophomore Claire Vick. However, the team has some big shoes to fill. The defense is young with only Molly Brown as a returning starter from last season. “Because our defense is so young, we have to also focus on teaching them how to play good defense at the varsity SPC level,” said Coach Lane. Nonetheless, the team already seems to be working together well; even the freshmen feel like they are a part of a winning team. “The upperclassmen help me out when I mess up. They are very encouraging,” said freshman Katie Hanstein. The girls know that they must continue to work hard throughout each and every practice. They have a lot of potential and understand it is time to elevate their play. “We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go if we want to win SPC. However, I like what I see,” said Coach Lane.

“We never know how high we are till we are called to rise. And then if we are true to plan our statures touch the skies.” –Emily Dickinson

October 9 HOME vs Greenhill 3 PM October 15 HOME vs St. John’s 4:30 PM October 15 HOME vs Houston Episcopal 7:30 PM October 16 HOME vs Greenhill 1 PM October 22 AWAY at FWCD 5:45 PM October 23 AWAY at St. Mark’s 2 PM

Girls’ Volleyball

October 8 HOME vs EDS 4 PM October 9 HOME vs Greenhill 1:30 PM October 12 AWAY at Holland Hall 6 PM October 22 AWAY at FWCD 5:45 PM October 23 AWAY at Hockaday 2 PM October 29 HOME vs Holland Hall 4:30 PM

Cross Country

October 7 at OBU Invitational 5:35 PM October 16 at Chile Pepper Festival October 23 at Monster Dash in Norman 8 AM

studentOPINION

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October 8, 2010

Students express mixed feelings about changes to off-campus policy Nathan Prabhu Features Editor Casady has undergone many changes this school year. Among the student body, one of the more controversial of the changes was the new off-campus policy. Whereas some of the perks this year for juniors and seniors include going off once or twice a week respectively, the downside is that students cannot go off during their free periods. There are a lot of people who have welcomed these changes. “I think that actually this year’s policy is great. It will cut down on people wanting to go off when they shouldn’t simply because we have it every week, and that makes people a lot happier than just having one or two per month,” said junior Taylor Brown. In addition to being allowed to go off campus for lunch on set days of the week, students can now leave during the B-block period. This allows students to dine at restaurants that previously they could not due to time restraints. “I like how off-campus days are consistent now. The schedule is nice because I can plan accordingly, and it’s nice to have an hour for lunch,” said junior Chandler Helms. Like Helms, most students find it easier since they no longer have regularly check the school calendar in order to figure out when the next off-campus is scheduled. “I like being able to go off every Wednesday. It’s like a routine and you always know when you will be able to leave, instead of questioning when your next off campus is,” said junior Elle Portwood. However, in exchange for generously adding these things to the off-campus policy, the administration also took away some components of the policies of previous years. The big debate among Casady students is whether being allowed to go off-campus is a privilege or a right. While in principle it makes sense that the administration decides how and when students go off-campus, when the seniors heard they could not go off during their free periods, they felt like the administration took away one of their rights. It is especially difficult for the seniors because they could go off last year during their free

periods and many of them are now 18. “There are no good things about it. I don’t like how we can’t run home to get something or go and get a quick bite to eat,” said senior Dale Jordan. Although the administration is trying to encourage students to work on assignments in free periods, many students feel the new rule has not changed when they choose to study. “We should be able to go off campus during our offs and study halls. No ones uses their study halls, and if they do, they probably would still use them even if we could go off campus,” said senior Mason Roberts. After hearing the many complaints and grumbling stomachs in Woods, the senior members of Student Council met with Mr. Peter Huestis on Sept. 15 to discuss a compromise. In exchange for being allowed to go off campus during study halls, the senior class agreed to oblige to three goals throughout the year. These goals consisted of keeping Woods clean, not missing more than five chapels, and not going in front of the Discipline Committee. If an individual senior were to violate any of the goals, the whole class would receive a strike, and if the senior class were to receive three strikes, there would be no off-campus privileges. “The off-campus proposal would be a great alternative to the policy right now. Students would still have to sign out with their study hall teacher before leaving campus, and it’s much more efficient than signing out in the office. Also, the goals would really help keep our grade in line, especially since, in previous years, we’ve had a hard time following the rules,” said senior Liz Brindley, the president of Student Council. However, the administration did not want to implement this proposal, causing much frustration within the senior class. It is obvious that, with any new policy change, there are going to be people that love it or hate it. Even though the administration ultimately has all the power, many students will unfortunately be unhappy unless a compromise is agreed upon.

A lost privilege

Changes have been made to the off-campus policy this year, eliminating students’ capability to venture off during their offs and Block A. In previous years, local donut shops were beloved destinations for sweets and treats during those periods.

No freedom in new recreation system? “If people want to run, they should be able to run all four days. If people want to lift, they should be able to lift all four days.” –Ritt Costello

Eihab Khan Opinions Editor For students who do not want to participate in competitive sports, recreational sports has always been a reliable alternative. There were many choices of activities that students could participate in based on their interests. If one wanted to workout, one could join strength and conditioning; if one enjoyed doing yoga, one could join the yoga class. Most students were able to participate in something they enjoyed. Towards the end of last year, however, the administration felt that a change was needed in the recre-

ational sports program. Administrators implemented a structured program where all students in recreational sports would participate in the same activities as part of a structured schedule. The new system, called fitness, carried over to this year. In this new system, each student does not get to select which activity he or she would like to participate in. One must do lifting, cardio and yoga. There has been a mixed reaction to these new changes in the recreation program, however, most of it negative. Students miss having the ability to choose what activity they want to participate

in and focus on. “It was better when you chose one activity and that’s all you did. It’s not fun when you have to do all of the activities,” said sophomore Ronnie Garcia. With the new scheduling system, students have to participate in activities that they do not particularly enjoy and would rather skip. It takes most of the fun out of fitness because they are forced to participate in activities they would rather not do. “If people want to run, they should be able to run all four days. If people want to lift, they should be able to lift all four days,” said sophomore Ritt Costello.

However, the new system does have its benefits. Students get to try new activities that they would not have participated in under other circumstances. The new system provides a wellrounded workout that helps all participants stay healthy and fit as well. Nonetheless, the response to the new fitness program has generally been negative and most students would rather go back to the old system. Despite this overwhelmingly negative feedback, it looks like the new Casady fitness program is here to stay.

studentOPINION

October 8, 2010

How to survive and enjoy your freshman year Zainab Shakir Opinions Contributor Every new school year brings a plethora of homework, sports practice, and stops at Rich Bean’s. For sophomores, juniors, and seniors, everything is familiar. To the inexperienced freshmen, however, surviving high school may seem like a daunting task. There are traditions to uphold, classes to attend, friendships to make, and crowded buildings to navigate. Every upperclassman is able to recall a time when he or she wished for some help his or her freshman year, perhaps in a survival guide with useful information concerning important traditions, teachers, and methods. “One of the things I wish I had known when starting ninth grade was that block periods weren’t mandatory study periods. If I had known that, I would have been with friends or in club meetings half the time,” said sophomore Eihab Khan.

Block periods have recently changed at Casady. Last year, Block A was when students could relax, get snacks, or go off campus with friends to the various restaurants within walking or driving distance, while Block B was the mandatory academic enrichment period. This year, the blocks’ purposes have been modified, with Block A as the academic enrichment period and Block B as a free period for club meetings and relaxing with friends. Blocks allot a fair amount of time to catch up with friends or update one’s Facebook status, but they also provide an opportunity to get otherwise tedious homework assignments out of the way. “As lame as it sounds, never procrastinate. Eventually, it stops working out well, especially if you’re fond of sleep,” said junior Layne Turci. Finishing assignments early might seem unnecessary, but in the end it pays off, especially in

later grades. “Never wait until the night before an APUSH test to do terms,” Turci advises. As for surroundings, freshmen this year are in a completely different situation than that of their predecessors. In recent years, freshmen lockers have been in Hightower, but due to the remodeling of the Chapel and the construction of the new math building, freshmen have been moved to Vose. By keeping Vose clean and noise levels at a minimum, freshmen can stay on the good side of the science teachers and avoid being kicked out of the building. Although recreating a Farmville in the ceiling might seem appealing, some seniors discourage it, knowing (from personal experience) that it will unfortunately have a dismal end. Even though freshmen won’t spend nearly as much time in Hightower this year, it is still strongly advised to tread

cautiously past the infamous APUSH and AP Government classroom while class is in session. Mr. Robert Wiley has frequently mentioned how much he likes freshmen, though not in the typical way. “I like freshmen smoked with barbecue sauce,” Wiley joked to his APUSH students. The best way to overcome any problems in high school, however, is universal for all students. If there is a problem with a certain class, ask questions. If the buildings are too difficult to navigate, ask the friendliest-looking upperclassman or teacher. Most of all, become involved in activities you enjoy. “I wish I had known that just because you are the newbie, it doesn’t mean you don’t participate in things and get to slack off. Get involved, because freshman year is just as important as every other year of high school,” said junior Khadija Hamid.

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Editorial Policy The Crier is a publication of Casady School, produced, written and designed by the students of the Casady Upper Division. The Crier staff believes in maintaining editorial integrity, placing importance in sound journalistic principles of truth, fairness and objectivity. In so doing, The Crier will not purposely show disregard for facts nor proceed with malicious intent in any item contained in its pages. Editorials, representing the newspaper’s opinion on issues, are unsigned and will appear on the Opinions page. Columns, representing the writer’s personal viewpoints, are by-lined. The Crier recognizes that as publisher of the newspaper, the administration has the legal right of prior review, but we will endeavor to conduct our reporting and coverage to merit the ultimate trust of the Casady community. The Crier will not knowingly print anything libelous or obscene, nor will we engage in personal attacks against members of the community.

Letters Readers are encouraged to use the open forum provided by The Crier to exchange ideas and thoughts which affect the School and community through the submission of letters to the editor. All letters should be sent to The Casady Crier, Casady School, 9500 N Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, OK 73120 or emailed to casadycrier@ mac.com. All signed submissions will receive consideration for publication. While letters may be edited due to space limitations, their original intent will be honored. Letters must be signed; however, the writer may request anonymity.

Advertising The Crier welcomes community advertising. However, the editors reserve the right to refuse any advertisement deemed inappropriate for high school students. Inquiries should be directed to Sam Effinger, 405-749-3161.

Distribution The Crier is distributed freely to the students, faculty, administration and staff of Casady’s Upper Division. Subscription is offered to all Upper Division parents (and others requesting it) at $10 per year.

Staff Eric Kaplan

Editor in-Chief

Vose South, where virtual farming turned into a reality

What advice would you give current freshmen to help them succeed in high school

Do everything ahead of time. Don’t put anything off.

Managing Editor

If you want to survive, stay out of my way.

Take freshman year serious because the grades do count.

They ought to use the resources of the library and form regular study habits.

Aamina Shakir Kelsey Jones

News Editor Features Editor

Nathan Prabhu

Sports Editor

Matthew Silver Eihab Khan

Opinions Editor Headmaster Adviser

Mr. Christopher Bright Mr. Sam Effinger

Writers/Contributors Connor Morrison, Ted Moock, Michael Whaley, Liz Brindley, Ben McCampbell, Tory Smith, Zainab Shakir, Defne Alton, Salman Hamid

John Stickler, Richard Clements, sophomore junior

Preston Sullivan, Mrs. Jeanie Johnson, senior Dir. of Library Services

backPAGE

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October 8, 2010

CASADYentertainment Why college counselors hate iPhones Week ending Oct. 5, 2010

#1 Album

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

United States Like a G6 • Far East Movement

(2) 1

Just a Dream • Nelly

(3) 3

Just the Way You Are • Bruno Mars Hemingway’s Whiskey Kenny Chesney

Only Girl (In the World) • Rihanna Club Can’t Handle Me • Flo Rida

(1) 2 (4) 4 5

United Kingdom Just the Way You Are • Bruno Mars

(1) 1

Let the Sun Shine • Labrinth

(2) 3

Shame • Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow Monster Floorfillers Various Artists

Make You Feel My Love • ADELE Forget You • Cee Lo Green

(3) 4 5

Spain Club Can’t Handle Me • Flo Rida

(4) 1

Waka Waka (Espanol) • Shakira

(5) 3

Loca • Shakira Clapton Eric Clapton

Alejandro • Lady GaGa

DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love • Usher Source: iTunes

(2) 2 (1) 4 5

Casady School P.O. Box 20390 Oklahoma City, OK 73156

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Movie Piracy