Vol 11 issue #6 by Central Stampede

Central

Stampede Thursday, March 30, 2006

Portage Central High School 8135 S. Westnedge Ave. Portage, MI 49002

Vol. 11 Issue 6

50 cents

New CHS in store under district building plans BY KATE PENNINGTON & MEREDITH GAGE Assistant Editor & Design Editor

One district... Two proposals

Under two building proposals, Portage Central High School would be demolished and rebuilt on its current site if Portage voters approve in a vote next year. Portage leaders outlined the plans last week, which they stress are preliminary. Any bond vote could look vastly diﬀerent from the two plans unveiled last week, or it may be a hybrid of the two. Under the ﬁrst proposal (Plan “A”), Central High would be rebuilt on its current site, most district buildings would be renovated, Waylee and Lake Center elementaries would be demolished, and two new elementary buildings would be constructed, at locations at 12th Street and adjacent to the current Lake Center site. The far more comprehensive of the plans, Plan “C,” would call for replacing both Central and Northern high schools with a single-campus, two-building location on South Westnedge land currently occupied by and adjacent to CHS. It would include salvaging the recently-renovated auditorium and the Stable. Under that plan, Central and Northern would be located right next to each other, yet still maintain separate programs and identities. A previous idea of renovating the Pfizer Building 298, a sprawling 364,000-square-foot

Plan A

● Rebuild CHS on its current site ● Demolish Waylee Elementary ● Demolish Lake Center Elementary ● Construct new elementary on 12th Street ● Construct new elementary on land adjacent to current Lake Center

Plan C

● Replace CHS and NHS with two new schools on a single campus on South Westnedge land occupied and adjacent to CHS ● Demolish CMS, Administration Building, and Community Education Center ● Relocate alternative education, Curious Kids and community education to current WMS ● Relocate administration building to Moorsbridge Road site ● Move all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to a Middle School Center at current NHS and NMS site (sixth-graders would probably be separated from seventh- and eighth-graders) ● Demolish Waylee and Lake Center elementaries ● Construct new elementaries on 12th Street and on land adjacent to current Lake Center

facility at 6901 Portage Rd., appears to be on the backburner. Principal Eric Alburtus said the biggest issues driving these two proposals are space and cost. “This area that PC, PCMS, Waylee, the administration building and all the maintenance areas as well as the athletic areas across the street totals up to be nearly 100 acres; the space over at the old Upjohn headquarters is not that large,” he said. “Also, as you drive around Portage, you won’t ﬁnd

many areas that large that are available. Plus, a good amount of money has been spent recently on the auditorium and the Stable and they are goodquality structures. I think it would not be fiscally responsible to simply not use them regularly.” District officials are making it clear that there is still much brainstorming to be done as they are still in the investigation and research period. No price tag has been a�ached to either of these plans yet, although district voters can expect to see the final

plan on a vote in either February or May of 2007. Superintendent Pete McFarlane said this building initiative “offers opportunities to work with the city on issues we’ve been working on for years.” He sees this helping with safety issues, like the traffic flow in the senior parking lot, as well as a boost to the community as people will be drawn to the new state-of-the-art facilities. Alburtus agrees. “We are ringed by brand-new schools; that worries me,” he said. “It is important for us as a community to be a school people want to move to.” Still, there are a few drawbacks to the new conjoined school plan. McFarlane admits that more traditionally-minded residents might “like to keep things the way they are.” While McFarlane concedes “there are a number of things that are very exciting about [this idea],” he wants to make sure that this is not a premature excitement. “This is the beginning of a conversation,” Alburtus added. “We have been blessed for the past 80 years to have a strong community and a strong public-school system, and over those years the community has effectively supported our schools so they could continue to be among the best in the state. We are at a crossroads now... We are competing at a significant disadvantage when we have school buildings that are old and that keep us from using the best techniques possible to help our students learn effectively.”

Alumni ﬁght AIDS in ‘STRIDE’

Administration dispels

MySpace.com

BY MATT VELLOM

rumors BY DANA CRONYN Editor-in-Chief

KEVIN KEY/STAMPEDE

After speculation, outrage and anxiety, the official word on MySpace. com is in. “There have been no suspensions or detentions,” Assistant Principal Denny Roehm said. “There’s no policy at this time; we haven’t even begun talking.” The controversy surrounding this popular social-networking site, which boasts some 60 million members, began earlier this month as local media outlets warned parents of the site’s many potential problems. The tempest only escalated following the arrests of two pedophiles and the suspension of two Dearborn teens for threatening violence, all of whom used MySpace.com. In an a�empt to prevent these illegal activities, several Michigan school districts have imposed harsh penalties for MySpace.com users, a decision which Portage has no intention to emulate. “We don’t go there. It’s not our business,” said Kimberly Kirshman, assistant principal at Portage Northern. In fact, despite recent rumors, students can only face MySpace-related punishment “if there’s a direct threat of bodily harm,” Kirshman explains. This punishment is protected by the school’s code of conduct which clearly extends penalties to all threats, even those made oﬀ campus. Still, some students are not convinced. “I think the administration is playing the parent,” said Tom Chodl, a senior and regular MySpace.com user. “It’s another way for us to be punished…It’s another way for them to get us.” A gray area does exist for those who double as student-athletes or district employees.

Insider the

Herdin theHallways

“I have more fabric, starch and

attitude than I know what to do with.” –A rebellious Popped Collar proclaims its

independence, details on the collar revoluton inside Tilt

In the past few years, Portage has boasted more than its fair share of hometown heroes. It started with Lindsay Tarpley winning gold in Athens. Then Skyler Stone hosted his own show on Comedy Central, “Con.” Next, senior Eric Alexander was named Gatorade’s National Boys Soccer Player of the Year and seems destined for fame. Alumni Malini Daniel, Rocky Walter and Sunil Daniel will most likely never be on the cover of Sports Illustrated or have their own television series. Still, these Portage Central graduates are doing their part to change the world. The three have started a nonprofit organization called STRIDE to help fight AIDS and other prominent medical concerns all over the world. Malini Daniel, the oldest of the three at age 21, began researching AIDS while a�ending KAMSC and Portage Central. Now a senior at Harvard University, she realized that social approaches to the AIDS epidemic would be more practical than medical approaches. “An AIDS vaccine seemed pre�y far off,” Daniel said. With this in mind, she hatched the idea to raise funds and collect donated equipment to help combat AIDS. During the summer after her sophomore year at Harvard, she travelled to India, where she saw a severe need for money and resources to help fight AIDS. When she returned to the United States, Malini enlisted the help of her friend Rocky Walter, who also a�ends Harvard, and her brother Sunil Daniel, who a�ends Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Together, the three have worked to collect donations from both corporations and local families. Private donations to STRIDE from the Portage and Kalamazoo areas total nearly $4,000 so far. This money will be used to help pay for shipping costs to send 10 PCR machines to India sometime soon. The machines, which were donated by corporations, will help medical officials in India to be�er identify and treat AIDS. In addition to providing medical equipment, STRIDE plans to start an orphanage in India for the children of AIDS victims, who usually turned away from other facilities.

These students can face administrative action or athletic suspensions from their coaches or based on MySpace.com content. Roehm, however, maintains this policy is hardly a double standard. “When you put on a uniform, you’re representing the school,” he said. “It’s different when they’re an employee of the school district.” Senior Katie Rence, who coaches the men’s diving team, knows firsthand the effects of this policy a�er a superior asked her to remove questionable photos from her MySpace account. Despite this, Rence understands the district’s concerns. “I can see why they would talk to me because I’m a coach,” she said, adding, “That’s not a way a coach should act.” At this time, Roehm and administrators are only trying to keep rumors to a minimum, assuring students that teachers are not patrolling the site regularly or even at all. Typically, the district only receives word of MySpace.com problems when complaints are sent in by concerned parents. “Nobody here in the building has been instructed to go and look for trouble,” Roehm said. “Some [teachers] might go on their own time; they’re just curious because of articles.” So as a storm of controversy continues to surround MySpace.com in the press, it seems that Portage Central is le� to wait out the verdict. “Only time and the courts will tell,” Roehm said.

page 6 Got Google? • page 7 4n6 • page 11 Knock, Knock...

page

The spitballs are ﬂying!

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Staff Writer

Stampede

page two

News hallways and city streets

March 30, 2006

Comparative religion classes a new option BY LEVI BARRY

Surf Control crackdown frustrates students

nteractive games have entertained students for years. Ever since the inception of the Internet, students have had increasingly more access to games and other diversions. Yet recently, students have come to realize that the games they enjoy are no longer available because administrators next door are making it hard to access gaming websites, especially during the past year. Jack Milito works as a district technician who puts a red flag on websites that students are using for games to pass the time in their classes. “One of the reasons [for Surf Control] is because, educationally, there have been a lot of increases on streaming videos and other websites that are used for more dynamic content delivery,” Milito said. Once a month, Milito pulls a report on the most bandwidthintensive websites through Surf Control. Bandwidth is the range between a band of wavelengths or frequencies. The Portage school district shares bandwidth with 16 to 18 other districts. On a given day, the school runs between 10 and 12 megabytes of bandwidth, which is much more than the four that Portage is allo�ed. Milito agrees that it’s unfortunate that a lot of the websites that are blocked are gaming sites that take up so much bandwidth. But he states that when the web starts to “crawl,” or slow down, everything starts to crawl, including payroll programs and email. Sophomore Ryan Bax thinks the administration is being overdramatic. “I think they overreacted about a lot of things,” he said. “What does it ma�er if we play games in the middle of our class if our teachers let us?” Bax states that despite the administration’s best efforts, they will find different websites to play. Examples of games that students play range from card games to first-person shooters to role-playing adventure games. In spite of the ever-changing demeanor of the Internet and how it will continue to grow more dynamic, one thing remains constant: “Our number one thing is to educate,” Milito said. “My job is to make sure that the educational process is not hindered.” —Story by Malkam Wyman News Editor

KEVIN KEY/STAMPEDE

Staff Writer

Jesus, Shiva and the Koran are not your typical fodder for classroom discussion, but that will soon change with the offering of a Comparative World Religions class beginning next year. The new course will examine a variety of religions found in our world today and focus on the traditions and beliefs of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. It will take an in-depth look on how the religion came to be, what the foundations of the religion are and the important leaders in each religion. The class will also focus on the impacts the religions have on those who practice it today. The teaching of the class will be handled much the same way as any other social studies class: lessons will be based solely on facts and history. The idea came from students. In a needs survey offered to students two years ago, the majority of them rated a comparative religion class as one of their most-wanted new courses. The administration thought it a good idea as well and started the planning of the class. Many, such as guidance counselor Jim Herm, feel this class is a unique opportunity to learn about the world. He recommends it to those who would like to gain a deeper understanding of world conflicts, past and present. “If I were a student,” he said, “I would love to take it. There are so many conflicts going on in the world that have to do with religion. It would help to understand why there is so much fighting, especially in the Middle East.” Sophomore Ben Orchanian feels much the same way about the class and is intrigued with the chance to learn about other religions of the world. “Many people are narrow-minded to only Christianity and this class will help give some perspective,” Orchanian said. He also thinks that any fears about the religions being preached or forced upon the students are unfounded. “It’s not preaching the religion, it’s teaching about it,” he said. “It’s just a history class about religions, just learning about it.” Junior Lauren Ahle also thinks the class is an opportunity to broaden her perspectives on other religions. She, too, feels it is a great chance for students to learn more about the world in which they live. “I signed up for the class because I feel ignorant about other religions,” she said. “Even my parents think it’ll be a good experience [to learn about other creeds].”

Administrators ‘thrilled’ by drug dog results Despite cold weather, ﬂukes, detection canines deemed a sucess

poetry slam

Kudos! Last month’s Montage poetry slam a smashing success

Congratulations to the Montage staﬀ for their successful poetry slam. The open-mic and poetry slam was held in Portage Central Middle School’s Li�le Theatre on Feb. 23, a�racting over 100 eager listeners. All who a�ended were amazed by the quality of the readers and slammers and hope to see another slam in the near future. Another slam is currently in the works, but a possible date has not yet been decided. -Kudos compiled by Kay Tarleton

Freshman band proceeds to state competitions Kudos to the Freshman Band for receiving straight First Division Superior Ratings and “straight le�er grades of ‘A’” in Concert competition. They also got First Division Superior rating in the Sight Reading competition. MSBOA Districts was held in Three Rivers where they beat everyone in their school’s classiﬁcation which were ninth- through 12thgrade bands. They are now qualiﬁed for state competition.

to everyone during the assemblies,” Alburtus said. “We had an overwhelming number of folks that did nothing wrong, but there will be these instances. Our biggest concern is doing whatever we can do to make this place safe. But, there are costs and one of those costs is the hassle for those students who haven’t done anything wrong.” Senior Katie Munn was one of a few students called out of class by a fluke. License plate numbers were inadvertently crossed and she was mistakenly accused. “At first, I was like, ‘What’s going on, do I have returnable cans or something?’” she said. “But a�erwards, I just laughed it off; it was kind of funny.”

After in-class proposal, math intern to be married this summer Congratulations to intern Janelle Smolinski who was proposed to in Martha Keeler’s class on Feb. 10. Her fiancé, Mark Wolfman, entered the classroom by pretending to be a firefighter doing a “fire safety” presentation. A�er revealing himself, Wolfman proposed to his girlfriend of three-and-a-half years. They plan on ge�ing married on July 29.

Although the ordeal was a bit of a hassle, she, like the other students, wasn’t very upset and didn’t make a big deal out of the situation. She agrees that the drug dogs are a necessary evil in order to keep the school drug free. “It wasn’t too much of an inconvenience,” Munn said. “I think if they have drug dogs this sort of thing is just going to happen. There will be mistakes, but it is okay.” “I apologize in advance, and again for the future, we are doing the best we can,” Alburtus said. “The situation stinks, I wish the cost was something we could eliminate, but we have to make sacriﬁces.”

vertebroplasty

A�er their long-awaited arrival, drug dogs DeeDee and Myra ﬁnally paid the school a visit in late February and once again last week. Overall, their ﬁrst morning on the job went very well; very few students were found with contraband on school property and the students who weren’t so fortunate were cooperative, as were their parents. “I was surprised by how few things of concern we found, but of course I was really happy,” Principal Eric Alburtus said. “I was just thrilled by how well everyone reacted, even those

who were inconvenienced.” Although a few students were found with lessthan-ideal items in their possession, the majority of items found are harmless; for example, the dogs found asthma inhalers, prescription drugs (that were prescribed to them) and road ﬂares, which smell similar to ammunition; thankfully though, no contraband drugs were found. Though no students were found with illegal drugs, there were a handful of people found with other items not allowed on school property. These students were suspended for having these items in their possession. “We knew that this was something that would happen and we tried to make that clear

engaged in class

Focus Editor

freshman band

BY LAUREN STINE

MIT accepts senior after publication in medical journal Kudos to senior Alex Hopkins whose recent article on vertebroplasty was published in the proceedings of The American Society of Neuro Radiology. The article was on whether or not vertebroplasty made the problem of vertebral fracture worse or be�er. He has also been asked to present this article at an international radiology conference in San Diego in May. In addition, Hopkins was recently accepted to the Massachuse�s Institute of Technology (MIT).

News

Stampede

page three

hallways and city streets

March 30, 2006

taking ﬂight Senior prom moves from Radisson to Air Zoo; students cautiously optimistic BY LAUREN STINE

Focus Editor

For the first time in years, prom will not be held at the Radisson Hotel or any other ballroom; instead, students will enjoy a Portage Central first: prom at the Air Zoo. Due to student complaints regarding space and cramped dance floors in previous years, junior advisers Jason Badders and Chris Czuk decided to go on a search for an alternative location, a place that would be big enough to handle about 500 students. “We tried to get a space at Western and they laughed at us,” Czuk said. “They are booked two to four years in advance. Logistically, it was either here at the Air Zoo or in Ba�le Creek and we figured students wouldn’t want to drive that far.” The Air Zoo provides a huge space for students and an eating area that overlooks the dance floor so people can sit and watch the festivities. Not only is the space big, but it’s also quite unique. Adorning the walls are huge murals and everything is offset by a starry atmosphere. Most exciting of all, students will be dancing in the same area as a variety of different airplanes. Students might even enjoy valet parking and a red carpet. “It’s a really neat space,” Czuk said. “When we went there we thought, ‘Wow, look at all you can do with this.’ Students there can be a part of everything, compared to how it was at the Radisson. Here, you can get a different perspective.” Junior John Droghe�i has had an active hand in coordinating events this year, and is eager to see the final product. “I’m really excited,” said Droghe�i, a junior. “It’s the first time in a long time the prom is not at a hotel and it’s going to be a new feeling, not

so glamorous. Plus, I think it will be cool, like, talking around a huge World War Two plane. That’s not something you get to do every day.” It appears the majority of students are excited about having prom at a new location and even if there are those who are apprehensive, senior Bri�any Crawford is convinced that students will always ﬁnd a way to have a good time no ma�er where prom takes place. “I’m pumped,” she said. “It doesn’t ma�er where it’s at to have fun; it’s really about the people. I just can’t wait to be there and get my groove on.” “Prom is what you make of it,” Czuk said. “The space is not the issue. If all the people are going to be bi�er and upset about it, it won’t be so fun. You just have to make the most of what you have.”

UP,

UP AND AWAY!:

Located on Portage Road, this scale model of the Air Zoo shows where senior

KEVIN KEY/STAMPEDE

IB program could extend to 9th, 10th grades Study Time

6-12 grades the

IB program would cater to

11-12 grades the

IB program already oﬀers

1 number of

Middle Years Programs in the state (if approved)

serious consideration, according to Denise be designed to deter anyone. Junior Katie BY KATE PENNINGTON Assistant Editor Bresson, director of curriculum and Tennant, an IB Diploma candidate, reﬂects

professional development for Portage Public on the possibility of this. “I would have benefited from [a MYP]. International Baccalaureate (IB) classes Schools. “If this program is a good fit with The honors program prepared me well are dominant aspects of many students’ high school careers. Yet, this rigorous courseload Portage Public Schools’ structures and enough, but the IB would have been an mission, then it is likely we would pursue extra step,” Tennant said. may have found a brand new target. This program would also be of Start spreading the word to the middle authorization from the IB organization,” schoolers: a larger trapper-keeper may be in Bresson said. “[The MYP] would be at least international focus, henceforth broadening two years from being implemented.” the current curriculum, like the high school order. Budgeting for a MYP may be program has done. While the International Baccalaureate STACKING UP: Abi “I’m really impressed with the high Organization (IBO) does offer programs questionable, especially in the current Hayward, an 8th for sixth- through 12th-graders throughout economic climate, and some may doubt school program, so if the middle school grader at Portage the world, Portage currently caters only to whether this extensive program can be were as strong, then I would be all for it,” Central Middle, adequately funded. Yet, Bresson does not said Nancy Pederson, Portage Central’s juniors and seniors. balances a heavy high school IB Coordinator. This could all change with the proposal see this as a pressing issue. pile of books. Is “The program is not more expensive And a strong program seems to be the for a Middle Years Program (MYP). If this what the IB implemented, this new program would than the current cost of developing important platform. program could “I believe that sixth through 12th make IB classes available to sixth- through curriculum,” she said. “A�er the initial look like for 10th- graders and also become the only MYP training and supply expenses, there will articulation of curriculum would be�er those like actually be a cost benefit to the curriculum prepare our students for the next level,” in the state of Michigan. Hayward? Bresson said. “In addition, this curriculum The idea of creating such a program has development budget.” While this program would most likely is well-rounded, rigorous, research-based CHRIS OPPEL/STAMPEDE been explored two times before in the past replace the normal honors classes offered, it and would, in my opinion, take Portage but was abandoned due to poor timing. Now this plan is back on the table, with is still meant for all students and would not Public Schools to the next level.”

2006 Portage Central

Talent Show Friday, May 12!

Listen to announcements for more information.

Representative elections are in April.

Your 2005-06 Portage Central Student Council. Working for you! Room 403

STUDENT COUNCIL Portage Central

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Stampede “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

page four

opinions and editorials

March 30, 2006

Our View

Interns

‘Portage High School’ would provide more opportunities For years now, Portage Central students have endured leaky ceilings, microscopic lockers, an eroding library and an aging building living out its last days. All that may be in the works for a massive makeover. A current proposal is stirring, and it calls for the combination of both Portage high schools on a single campus. If approved, the city is in store for a colossal change. The Central Stampede eagerly awaits a new combined high school. The rivalry between Northern and Central has o�en served as the ultimate spectacle for this town; case in point: our football stadium being packed to full capacity only on the night of the Central vs. Northern game. The schools find themselves sparring in nearly every arena, from forensics to hockey to volleyball to MEAP scores. It has, in turn, produced a fairly elevated level of competition. However, the advent of a combined school would prove to be far more beneficial for this town than would several fierce competitions where tensions run high. Not only would a new high school combine the excellent coaches and program directors to provide the best opportunities available, but Portage would become virtually the finest high school in nearly every endeavor possible in West Michigan. Many have nonetheless argued that this classic high school rivalry between Northern and Central will leave some students with a depleted sense of school pride and fewer opportunities for students whose talent is outshined by their teammates’. But the bo�om line remains the same: the bar will be raised. And if anything, a competitive high school will be even be�er motivation to succeed than the previous rivalry itself.

Stampede Staff Dana Cronyn, Editor-in-Chief Meredith Gage .....................................................Design Editor Malkam Wyman .................................................... News Editor Samah Choudhury ................................................. View Editor Lauren Stine ...........................................................Focus Editor Lindsay Miars .......................................................... Vibe Editor Kay Tarleton ............................................... Writer/Copy Editor Michelle Beranek ..................................................Photo Editor Nauman Mangla .............................................. Graphics Editor Nolan Flynn ................................................................ Art Editor Andrew Rosenberger...................................................Writer/Asst. Editor Amanda VanderMeulen...............................................Writer/Asst. Editor Kate Pennington...........................................................Writer/Asst. Editor Jake Scott...............................................................................Writer/Artist Kallie Ashcraft ......................................................................Photographer Romy Bond ...........................................................................Photographer Sean Cleary ..........................................................................Photographer Chris Oppel ...........................................................................Photographer Kyle Sherman .....................................................................................Artist Kevin Key............................................................................Graphics Artist Alicia Sperling .............................................................. Business Manager Staff Writers ...............................................Jessica Atteberry, Levi Barry, Tim Coleman, Shelby Collier, Steve Hallman, Adel Johnson, Marah Klose, Erin Lenczycki, Renee Patten, Laura Pone, Alex Ray, Ryan Ray, Holli Smith, Elena Stachew, Irfan Syed, Peter Thompson, Matt Vellom Andrew Perry............................................................Aide to the Stampede Cheryl Braford ............................................................................... Adviser The Central Stampede publishes approximately one publication a month, primarily by the Journalism II class at Portage Central High School, 8135 S. Westnedge, Portage, MI 49002. It also uses work from Journalism I students. Ofﬁce: (269) 323-5218 Fax: (269) 323-5290 Room 306 The Central Stampede is a member of the Great Lakes Interscholastic Press Association (GLIPA) and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA). The purpose of the Central Stampede is to act as an open forum for students of Portage Central. The staff will achieve a balance between

under

FIRE KYLE SHERMAN/STAMPEDE

Students easily confused by Interns are necessary to intern’s teaching style teaching, learning process

vibe editor

staff writer Matt Vellom

Marah Klose Lindsay Miars

I have had one good intern in all my years of schooling. His name was Mr. Shriver and he interned for my 8th grade math class in Hilliard, Ohio. He came into our class about half-way through the year, observed my teacher for awhile and then began teaching the class. Now here is where he did the right thing: he kept all homework policies and test formats the same as they had been under my actual math teacher. He also imitated the teaching style of my teacher, which was a rather unique one. Because of these things, the transition from teacher to intern was very smooth and easy for the students. It was as though our teacher was still teaching us. Unfortunately, most interns are not as aware of the students they are teaching as Mr. Shriver was. The majority of interns that have taught me fall into one of two categories: the ﬁrst category is the “somewhat intelligent intern.” These interns seem to know the material they are teaching well enough, yet their ability to teach it is questionable. They o�en have li�le control over their classes and do things the way that they feel is best, no ma�er what feedback they receive from students. They may institute new rules or grading policies that seem unreasonable to students. Because of this, these are o�en the most disliked of all interns. The second category is the “not at all intelligent intern.” These interns do not know the material well enough to teach it. They might have chose to major in education knowing that the job market is usually good, not because they actually want to teach. Kids generally like these interns, mostly because the interns themselves act like kids. The students can get away with doing less than was expected of them under their actual teacher. In both cases, the students end up losing. Either they get new management that changes the way things are done and disrupts the learning process, or they get an incompetent novice standing at the front of the classroom all hour. Since the purpose of a public school system is education for the beneﬁt of its students, inconveniences such as incapable interns disrupting the evironment should be avoided. Certainly, interning is one of the best ways to learn any job or skill, especially teaching. But Portage Public Schools should employ a screening method to insure that our interns are more like Mr. Shriver and less like Ms. Blockhead.

It’s intern season at Portage Central and, sure enough, complaints have been pouring in from students armed with serious senioritis and a�itudes to match. The conflict surrounding interns is the same every year. Students, baffled by a new face at the front of the room, must adjust to the temporary shi� in teaching style or meet with a corresponding slip in their class grade. Meanwhile, interns, baffled by the fact that they alone are in charge of 30-or-so real live students, must struggle to find their footing. As a student, I have experienced the frustrations of this process firsthand. But intern teaching is such a vital and integral component of the educational system that it is impossible to dismiss. To put it simply: without interns, there would be no teachers. And without the interning process, prospective teachers, straight out of college, would be thrown into the classroom for a full year with no trial period. Doctors aren’t sent out into the world without internships of some kind, so in a country that cares deeply about the education of its children, why should teachers be any different? There is simply no prototype for the average high school classroom, and teachers can’t learn to teach without interacting with actual students. Furthermore, the teaching style of an intern, though unpolished, is o�en no be�er or worse than that of his or her mentor teacher; it’s simply different, and that’s okay. A slip in class grade can’t be blamed entirely on the intern; keep in mind that they’re also ge�ing graded for the 50 minutes they spend with you. Perhaps being more open and accepting of the way they run the classroom would ease the o�en-shaky transition. As it is, interns have far more things to worry about than students who feel the need to constantly vocalize their frustrations. A�er eight grueling hours spent poised in front of rowdy students, they face stacks of papers to grade, lessons to plan and university classes to a�end, complete with a he�y load of homework on the side. And they’re not ge�ing paid for any of the work they do. In fact, they’re paying to do it. So let’s face it: interns aren’t going anywhere. The best we can do is remember that the expert in anything was once a beginner and maybe replace futile complaints with an occasional word of encouragement.

Matt Vellom is a staff writer for the Central Stampede.

Lindsay Miars is Vibe Editor for the Central Stampede.

Students

Speak Out Have you had a good experience with intern teachers in your classes?

informing and entertaining our readers. Editorials Staff editorials are unsigned and represent consensus of the staff. The opinion of the staff is represented in the “Our View” column. The opinions of the editors, staff writers and guest writers will have bylines and will carry their own views. Letters As an open forum, the Stampede welcomes all members of the Portage community. However, the staff reserves the right to edit letters based on length and content.

“Sometimes. I don’t like them because you get used to the way your teacher teaches, and then they come in and do something different.” KATHRYN PAVLOVIC Freshman

“Yes. Sometimes they are nervous and it gets distracting, but I would be nervous too.” BEN ORCHANIAN Sophomore

“Yes and no. I have had math interns every year and freshman year my grade improved a lot, but in the later years I struggled.” LIZZI ULMER Junior

“Yes. My experience was good, but I didn’t learn very much.” DAVID SCHROCK Senior

View opinions

and editorials

Stampede

page ﬁve

March 30, 2006

Shaken,

NOT STIRRED

Blending two schools in one would have been a recipe for disaster staff writer

Marah Klose

Rumors about the future of Portage’s two high schools were – thankfully – put to rest last week with the announcement of two potential building plans. Prior to that, rumors circulated about how Portage Public Schools was considering constructing new schools or buying the Pfizer building or even combining the high schools into one big “Portage High School.” It’s high time to sort this stuff out. PPS administration is actually only in the very preliminary stages of developing plans to improve upon the conditions in all of its schools. Right now, all Portage buildings need at least some development to fit today’s standards. Our school, for one, was built back in 1949 and isn’t exactly top-notch compared to other high schools of similar size. In Portage, Moorsbridge Elementary is the most recently built, opening in the mid 1990s , while Lake Center, built in 1928, is the oldest. As of yet, there are two tentative “plans,” but they’re still on the drawing board. One is to simply renovate most of the current buildings. The centerpiece of this plan, though, is the demolition and rebuilding of Central High on i t s current site, and the demolition of both Waylee and Lake Center elementaries and the construction of a new 12th Street school and Lake Center. However, there is another more intriguing consideration for placing both high schools on the same campus, but in different buildings. There wouldn’t be a catastrophic meltdown between students, because the

rivalry wouldn’t end. We wouldn’t have to share teams, or classes, or anything but the land and, yes, the football field. To me, that sounds like an excellent idea – two brand-new, state-of-the-art buildings for two separate schools. There would be updated practice areas for sports teams and new classrooms, less cramped and bland than before. And in other parts of the building, mint-condition science labs for superior education, as well as enhanced rooms with finer acoustics for the music classes. What more could we ask for? We don’t have to funnel into one, generic high school. Each school gets to keep its own colors, its own mascot, its own identity. And then to top it all off, this plan would offer h i g h - t e c h conveniences in both buildings, with the potential of money savings as it would eliminate the need for traveling seminars and offer the ability to walk right “next door” to take a Latin class at Northern or a forensic science class at Central. Hands down, this is so much be�er than all the frantic rumors let on. Combining two high schools into one would have been a nightmare, and I applaud administrators for dismissing it. On the other hand, the concept of pu�ing the schools on one site really catches my eye. Portage Public Schools has my support on the idea of a double-campus. Now if only the taxpayers can jump on board.

Marah Klose is a staff writer for the Central Stampede.

Could this be For as long as I can remember, I can picture my mom watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” I recall Maya Angelou and crazy Christmas giveaways. I remember women screaming their heads off in the audience and sobbing out stories on her couches. But her a�raction runs deeper than just stayat-home-moms who need to watch a li�le TV every now and then. Oprah was recently voted one of the top 20 most powerful women in America by Newsweek magazine. And what does she do with all that power, you might ask? She starts a book club. Yes, Oprah’s famous reading circle. While Oprah’s genres may be limited, she does know how to move copies – a large, white “O” in the corner reading “Oprah’s Book Club” stamped across it is almost guaranteed to fly off the shelves. I remember my mom reading “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day” by Pearl Cleage, all because Oprah declared it to be a great read. Then, a�er a year of literature silence – she canceled her book club for a year in 2002 – Oprah started including “the classics” like John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” and Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Even Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” didn’t escape the ever watchful eyes of Oprah. But does a TV talk show host really need a reading list? Who’s Oprah to say what is or is not a “good book” to read? And what about that controversy with James Frey and his “memoir” “A Thousand Li�le Pieces”? I’ve heard many refer to her choices as “deep and depressing” which doesn’t appeal to

for Oprah’s Book Club?

everyone. She has also le� out important genres of literature; there’s no sci-ﬁ on her list –then again, Tolstoy can be a li�le strange at times. I’d also like to see some poetry added to her list. Many people blamed Oprah for spreading Frey’s fame, while others are shunning her for “reprimanding” the author once he admi�ed that he fabricated some of his work. Still, I do have to give the woman credit for

t h e work she’s doing; anyone who uses her power to get people reading is ﬁne with me, on at least some level anyway. She’s also bringing many old and new authors to a whole new group of eager readers. Whether or not they chose those books because it had the Oprah approval really doesn’t ma�er; at least they’re reading it. Besides, it’s not her fault that Frey decided

to add some fiction to his non-fiction. Who could have predicted that? And even if it isn’t completely true, that doesn’t affect how well the book was wri�en; it could still be a good read under another genre. Some have suggested that her book club has “run its course,” and that she should end it. To me, this is a bit drastic. Her name and stamp of approval were on this book and when it was declared untrue, she probably panicked and felt like she was responsible for ge�ing his name out here – which she kind of was. I still say her book club is an important addition to the shelves; ge�ing people to read is the real point of all this, not scandals or helping to create number one best-sellers. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a “teen” and “children’s” Oprah book series to get younger kids reading – or at least encouraging their parents to encourage them. She may not be a famous author, but at least maybe one of the TV star’s devoted fans will pick up a copy of someone’s book and read it just because her idol said to. If while ge�ing people to read, Shakespeare gets “Oprah-sized,” I say it’s worth it.

Kay Tarleton is the Copy Editor for the Central Stampede.

View

Stampede

page six

opinions and editorials

March 30, 2006

Where have all the

MANNERS gone?

A constant need for instant gratiﬁcation has left our society us in need of lessons in civility

1506

staff writer

Peter Thompson

Opening the door for someone and saying “please” and “thank you” used to have a place in everyday life. These days, you’re liable to be bumped into without even an “excuse me.” You’ll do favors without a “thank you.” Although our society is considered to be more advanced than ever, we seem to have lost some important things along the way: we’ve forgo�en about manners. Part of the problem is that these days people want instant gratiﬁcation; what they want they want now. We all do it and we see no point in waiting for what we want. This leads to impatience, which in turn leads to bad manners. There is no need for this, no one needs things instantly all the time, and many times the waiting for something will add to the sweetness of the reward. A man holds the door open for a lady. He takes her coat and hangs it up for her then goes and gets her a drink. A�erwards he makes a courtly bow and asks her, “May I have this dance?” He then dances with an old-fashioned grace, hand clasping hand, hand upon the waist.

1906

1956

2006

Another man doesn’t hold the door open happier if they get them. for a lady. He let’s her take care of her own coat Some may argue that manners are rigid and and doesn’t get her any drink. He just walks up more of a formality than anything else. I’ll concede to her and says, “You wanna dance?” He then that this is sometimes true. When it comes to true (if he manages to get a dance) hangs oﬀ of her manners, that is, true respect, it’s lacking in much throughout the entire dance. of the show of manners that people make. The ﬁrst man is much more likely to get That show of manners is not what I am a second date. He has shown the girl respect, suggesting. Everyone does not need to go out whereas the second and become a supposed man has shown none. paragon of virtue, with People like to be a Code of Honor like the shown respect. If you knights of old. This would respectfully brought to you by the Emily Post Institute show them respect lead to the creation of and remember your a rigid protocol, where Q Is it okay to blow your nose in front of people? manners you’re much there are no true manners, be limited to small puffs. It’s distasteful more likely to get what no respect, just going A Itto should others to see someone beleaguered by mucus. you want. This may not through the necessary happen instantly, but motions that are accepted Q When is the right time to remove hats and caps? eventually, you will. in society. Protocol is them upon entering a home, religious A Remove By showing respect not manners, with all place, or when reciting the National Anthem. you will in turn be the exceptions made; it What do you do if you get a gift you already own? merely deadens the soul shown respect. Q to true feelings, replacing This goes with the following lines: “Thank you ______, A Dictate them with automated all things, not just for I already have this but it’s so kind of you to give this to me.” responses. Nice words dates. If I wake up without feeling behind early to spot for my them are worthless. friend, and they thank Unfortunately, that’s what usually takes place me then I am much more likely to help them again these days. This is because, by and large, there are than I would be if they didn’t. This sounds slightly cold and manipulative, no obvious consequences for impoliteness. They but it’s true. People don’t do things only for the may lose a person’s respect and their future favor, “please” and the “thank you”, but they’ll leave but they don’t think about that, they just think

Politeness Primer

NOLAN FLYNN/STAMPEDE

about what they want. This is perhaps the greatest perversion of civilization; that a structure made to see that people all behave in a proper fashion makes it so that people can be as impolite as they want. As Robert E. Howard once wrote, “Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” Protocol is not completely without merit however. I’ll admit that it has its place. Protocol and decorum let society run smoothly, and society does need to run smoothly. Without them there would most likely be havoc, with true heartfelt manners lacking as well. Havoc is not beneficial. Manners can never really be faked; it’s not that hard to tell when someone is truly respectful. People who are being truthful will follow their nice words with respectful action. Manners are not a strict code of decorum; a�er all different situations call for different actions, I’ll not politely give a thief my wallet and thank him for taking it. Still, if more people had good manners then we would have fewer problems. The world would run smoother and people would be able to go about their business without as much aggression and interference. That’s what it’s all about really, living life without rubbing each other wrong; it’s much more pleasant than constant confrontation. Respect makes life a lot easier and will make your relationships much stronger. Peter Thompson is a staff writer for the Stampede.

Justice Department turns eyes on Google staff writer

Alex Ray

Recognized as the world’s largest search engine, no one will argue Google.com’s accuracy, speed and ease-of-use. In a fraction of a second, almost anything can be found, whether it be the phone number of a long-lost friend or pictures of Marilyn Monroe. When you visit Google.com, you expect to be satisﬁed, but you don’t expect to be watched. The Justice Department has asked this search engine for a random list of requests made by the millions of people who visit Google.com during the span of any given week. This is a direct invasion of privacy. The Google Company isn’t the ﬁrst to be asked, either; Yahoo.com, AOL.com and MSN.com have already complied with these requests for information. The information is to be used for a study to help the Bush Administration defend the Child

KEVIN KEY/STAMPEDE

Online Protection Act, an Internet pornography law. Although the act has been blocked by the Supreme Court, it hasn’t stopped the efforts to put this act in action. All the government needs is more support in their defense. In order to garner this support, they must prove that online filters aren’t strong enough to prevent children from viewing offensive websites, especially pornography. It doesn’t take

much to prove this, however; one could type in anything remotely oﬀensive in any search engine and come up with many links to choose from. Can the government realistically put a stop to this? The government seems to be taking the parents’ job into their own hands. There’s no one else that should make an eﬀort to make sure their kids aren’t looking at porn besides parents. Since public schools operate under state laws, there

should be limits on what can be found online by children while in school, but restrictions beyond this are simply unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union is also challenging the Child Online Protection Act. It argues that the law violates the right to freedom of speech mandated by the First Amendment. The Google Company’s refusal to cooperate isn’t just to prove a point. The owners believe handing over this information will harm their outstanding reputation. They also do not trust that the government will not provide rivals with their strategies, secrets and insights about how the search engine works. Who wouldn’t want to know? Google is the largest search engine not only America, but in the world. Google.com supports more than 104 languages and personalizes their engine for 113 diﬀerent countries. Google’s goal is to organize the world’s information, making it more accessible and useful for users. The goal is not, however, to help the government protect children from a cyber world of profanity.

Alex Ray is a staff writer for the Stampede.

Focus

D features and lifestyles

Stampede

page seven March 30, 2006

BY LINDSAY MIARS Vibe Editor

o you know the

Portage Central’s newest addiction is way out of control. Every morning, you can smell them in the halls. Unchecked, their contagious presence has spread from classroom to classroom, capturing unsuspecting victims along the way. What could keep students so captivated, teachers so intrigued and foods/nutrition teacher Cheryl Tucker so busy? Hot, fresh, 50-cent muffins. Tucker’s muffin-selling enterprise began as a fundraiser for her foods/nutrition class earlier this year, with a small base of customers in Deb Sykes’ fourth hour. Today, the entire undertaking has not only gone mobile, but expanded to include more than five classroom destinations each day, with the introduction of a muffin cart and numerous new recipes. The immense popularity of the muffins has even forced Tucker to consolidate her sell days, offering them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, rather than all week long. “I didn’t know it would become this popular,” Tucker said. “But we’ve go�en such positive reactions. Students come in and say ‘Mrs. Tucker, I’m addicted to your muffins!’” Tucker’s senior student aide and culinary enthusiast Desiree Jean helps make the muffins each morning, noting that they sell “like crazy.” “We started off making two

Muﬃn Lady

dozen a day,” Jean said. “Since then we’ve had to triple the recipe; now we’re making eight dozen muffins at once.” Tucker is equally surprised by her muffins’ rapid ascent to celebrity status but admits the appeal is simple. “Kids who don’t eat breakfast need something to tide them over until lunch,” Tucker said. “These muffins are a healthy alternative.” Tucker said her selling strategy is to “make muffins that taste good,” which, if her collection of dedicated customers is any indication, certainly seems to be working. Senior Jes Rungaitis knows firsthand the allure of Mrs. Tucker’s muffins. “It’s not like I depend on [the muffins], but I would be sad if she stopped selling them,” Rungaitis said. “They’re nice, quick and convenient.” Junior Sco� Klassen agrees, noting that the muffin sales are beneficial for everyone involved. “We get muffins, and they get money for making them,” he said. Math teacher and fellow sophomore class adviser Melanie Remynse, who said Tucker “roped [her] into selling muffins” a�er the two formed an “instant friendship” earlier this year, sees muffin selling as something beyond a simple exchange of services. “I thought it was a great way to get to know kids in a different capacity, besides just inside the classroom,” Remynse said. Additionally, Tucker admits that, while much of the profit goes straight into the next batch and the heavy demand is “stressful at times,” it is well worth the work. “We have way too much fun,” Tucker said. “…It gives me a sense of being needed and it draws people to the [foods/nutrition] class.” With the resounding success of such a unique business venture, only one thing was le� unsaid: a name for the enterprise. “Two students came to me with the name ‘Mother Tucker’s Muffins’” Tucker said. “I don’t think of it as profanity at all…it kind of fits; plus you get a giggle out of it, so that’s always good.” Remynse also found humor in such an… interesting title. “I think it’s cute,” she said, “like Mother Hubbard and her [cupboard], it’s Mother Tucker and her muffins.”

KYLE SHERMAN, NOLAN FLYNN, KEVIN KEY & DANA CRONYN/STAMPEDE

Forensics team rebuilds with new coach BY ALEX RAY

Portage Central’s forensics team has a long and distinguished legacy, winning eight consecutive state championships between Staff Writer 1993 and 2001. Kathy Mulay, a drama instructor who is recognized When strolling down the 400 hall, it’s hard to pass by the as one of the most outstanding forensics coaches in the nation, many framed pictures lining the walls without noticing the was adviser at the time. A�er she stepped down in 2003, Randy happy faces inside them. It’s called the Forensics Hall of Fame Borden took over for a few years during which the team continued – representing a winning streak, countless hours of going strong. This year, yet another hard work, heart and dedication. adviser has taken the reins. Theresa Imagine memorizing and acting out a six-toMills, an English teacher, has [Forensics] is a eight minute poem. Or spending three hours each accepted this position. night practicing a scene with a partner or group. Or “[It was] exciting and fun opportunity to traveling around the state to compete against other overwhelming,” Mills said, enhance your public students who are just as zealous as you. This is just describing her new duties as a an average season for the decidated “forensicator.” coach as “kind of a mixed bag, speaking skills and “[Time practicing] depends on what event [with] big shoes to ﬁll.” strengthen your acting you’re doing and how well you want to do,” said With Mills, the team is Lauren Meyer, a senior involved in a multiple working hard to rebuild. skills. called “Working.” “If you want to win, you’re “[The team seems weaker] HILLARY RUIMVELD probably looking at meeting with a coach around mainly because there are fewer junior three times a week. I’m in multiple so [practice] is lower-classmen this year,” said every night.” Andrea Blanchard, a sophomore In essence, forensics is competitive dramatics and speech, involved in prose interpretation. “We need more.” with six interpretive events (prose, poetry, dramatic, multiple, In such a competitive program, there is always room for storytelling, duo interpretation) and six public speaking events improvement, with the individuals and their own pieces and the (oratory, sales speaking, informative speaking, broadcasting, team as a whole. Forensics speaking gives kids a way to express extemporaneous). Each event is unique in its own way with their unique talents in acting and speaking but still gives them the individual requirements for length and content. “team” feeling of a sport. The participants are always looking for

“

new recruits. “It’s a fun opportunity to enhance your public speaking skills and strengthen your acting skills,” said Hillary Ruimveld, a junior also involved in prose. “You get to meet a lot of new people and it forces you to be creative.” The team recently took ﬁrst at the Northern Invitational on March 11 and ﬁrst at the Holland Invitational on March 17. They are currently preparing for the state championship on May 6. If interested in learning more about forensics, seek out any member or Ms. Mills in Room 2018, or enroll in the forensics class.

HEAVY METAL: After a district competition on Tuesday, many forensics competitors walked away with a ﬁrst-place trophy like the one pictured above. The team placed second at districts after crosstown rivals Portage Northern.

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Focus

Stampede

page eight

features and lifestyles

March 30, 2006

BY KAY TARLETON

Copy Editor

Some people have sleeping problems, headaches and neglect their personal hygiene. Others lie about what they do with their spare time or are extremely irritable. Then, there are the ones who know the exact date – including an hourly countdown – a certain video game will hit the shelves. All of these are signs that you may have an addiction to video games. Gaming addictions are no laughing ma�er. In Korea, the Ministry of Information and Communication is planning on building centers to help people recover from video game and on-line gaming addictions. There are several Internet sites dedicated to helping these video game junkies obtain the proper “rehab.” While every gamer may not be this extreme, video games seem to

have become the American pastime – from young children and teenagers to the “40-year-old guys who live with their moms.” Senior Alex Johnson said he plays an average of 10 hours per day on a given weekend. His favorite games include The Legend of Zelda and Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube. An addiction? Johnson doesn’t seem to think so. He said he can “quit anytime I want to…I just don’t want to.” Senior Greg Ellinger, however, has a diﬀerent side to the story. “I’m addicted,” he said. “If I’m not watching anime, that’s what I’m doing [playing video games]. I play an average of eight hours a day during the school week and whenever I’m awake on a weekend – about 16 hours per day. I was 3 when I got my ﬁrst game; it was the original Super Mario for Nintendo.”

Ellinger admits that the longest he’s ever played video games was for about 48 hours straight. Teenagers aren’t the only ones obsessed with this modern form of entertainment; people over 40 have been know to wield a controller, as well. Noe Giorgio, an employee at GameStop, said he too is in love with video games. He may have more responsibilities that take up more of his time than a teenager, but he still tries to squeeze in video games on his free time. He, however, has learned to balance them with other activities. “I’ve been playing video games for about 20 years,” Giorgio said. “I play an average of two hours a day, depending on how much time I have. I don’t think most people get into [video games] too much; as long as you balance [playing video games] out, I don’t think it’s a problem. I love them, but I always tried to go outside and do stuff.” Video games are o�en accused of affecting the player emotionally, by making the player more violent or anti-social. Ellinger and Johnson do not agree with these claims. Johnson said video games couldn’t be “evil” because “if I wasn’t playing video games, I’d be doing something else like watching TV which requires even less of me.” “If there’s anyone who’s stupid enough to be influenced that much by video games, they shouldn’t be playing in the first place,” Ellinger said. “[Video games] are my

entertainment.” Still, one cannot ignore the fact that video games have become a popular lifestyle for many people around the world. Giorgio said that on an average Saturday, GameStop gets 150 transactions, which doesn’t include those people who come in just to browse. He said that Playstation 2 is probably the most popular of their consoles due to its mass quantity of games for a wide variety of ages. But do the gamers that line up outside Best Buy to spend nine hours in line for the X-Box 360 still give you the creeps? Giorgio said he thinks “it’s

Popular LAN party games

Resident Evil 4

You can hear his vivacious laugh from a mile away. Jeﬀ Ma�ix has been working as a hall monitor for over a decade. In those years, students and faculty alike have grown to love him. “He’s always joking around with kids in the hallway, plus he’s really friendly and always willing to stop and talk for a minute,” sophomore Jenny Nezamis said. Stalking the halls with a smile on his face, walkie-talkie in hand, and a fresh stack of green and pink slips, Ma�ix is a normal sight for us. Ultimately, however, Ma�ix wants something more: a classroom of his own. Ma�ix is re-a�ending school at Western Michigan University to receive his teaching degree. When he does achieve his

goal, he hopes to teach gym, science and history classes. Highest on Ma�ix’s potential class list would be history, bringing a vast knowledge and personal experience to the white board. In 1988, Ma�ix first became involved with re-enacting the Civil War during a summer vacation and enjoys the process of bringing history to life. “It’s like actually stepping back in time,” Ma�ix said. Since he began partaking in reenactments, Ma�ix has appeared in three major motion pictures, including “Gods and Generals,” “Glory,” “Ge�ysburg,” and several made-for-television specials on A&E and The History Channel. Ma�ix has also worked with noted celebrities such as C. Thomas Howell, Jeff Daniels, and even Robert DeNiro. Ma�ix was in awe with his first day on set of

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from the attix: movies to the halls

BY ERIN LENCZYCKI Staff Writer

great that they’re excited to get their stuﬀ.” Speciﬁc games may even a�ract lines around the block. Ellinger feels that most gamers are basically just trying to enjoy themselves. “We’re TV talkers,” he said. “I’ve never met a gamer who doesn’t talk to the TV or that doesn’t hum along to the songs – they’re great songs.” In other words, gamers are just trying to enjoy themselves. So if you see a gamer squinting at the board in class or cowering in fear of a time before TV, just try to crack a smile; maybe they’ll outgrow their hobby by the time they’re 40. If not, they’ll at least have great hand-eye coordination.

“Glory,” and a li�le bit star-stuck. “It looked like a circus! Huge tents everywhere and everything was lit up,” said Ma�ix, referring to all the tents and trailers behind the scenes. The summers he spent ﬁlming, however, were not always enjoyable. Ma�ix would o�en wake up at 4:30 in the morning for makeup and costumes, with a good day of ﬁlming lasting as long as 13-14 hours. But, according to Ma�ix, compensation for the early wake-up calls and the long days is the catered food. “The food is great — steak, shrimp, anything you want,” Ma�ix said. Currently, Ma�ix is on contract with Miramax for an upcoming role this summer. Whether he’s falling in ba�le or patrolling the halls, one thing is for sure: when the new school year starts, you’ll hear the best laugh this side of the Mississippi echoing through the halls.

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Out of

Focus

M features and lifestyles

Stampede

page nine

your IND manners March 30, 2006

Senior Kevin Megee drops his

books in the 300 hall between 6th and 7th hour as onlook-

KEVIN KEY & CHR

OPPEL/STAMPEDE

ers shufﬂe past.

Three experiments test students’ manners When walking around the cafeteria and asking students at random lunch tables to borrow their cell phones, they gave looks of disgust and many gave confused glances. No one oﬀered up their cell phone. BOTTOM LINE: Students ‘hung-up’ on bad manners.

While struggling to walk through the halls with crutches, many students expressed concern and asked what had happened. Yet, none oﬀered to help and many students continued to block the hallways. BOTTOM LINE: Injured? Don’t expect to ﬁnd a friend to lean on.

Short a nickel in the deli line of the cafeteria, the students standing behind were asked if they would lend ﬁve cents. None seemed to hear, but the cafeteria worker gave the milk anyway. BOTTOM LINE: Lunch lines may leave you short-changed.

Many ﬁnd proper etiquette woefully lacking BY RENEE PATTEN

Staff Writer

It’s Monday morning and a student with crutches hobbles clumsily down the hall. Gathered near the hallway’s end is a group of freshmen, preoccupied with their own business. One freshman boy fails to notice that his bag is in the middle of the hallway, blocking the injured person’s way. It is not until several fellow freshmen bring it to his a�ention that he notices his bag, but does not make an a�empt to move his belongings, leaving the person with crutches to limp clumsily over it awkwardly. Chris Samdmeyer, the freshman

boy described above, initially failed to realize that his bag was causing this person trouble, but all the same, when the situation was brought to his a�ention, he still made no eﬀort to help. This is just another instance of bad manners that has been plaguing high schools across the country. “It’s [a problem] because people don’t care as much, being impolite is funny,” Samdmeyer said. Senior John Nguyen takes this philosophy one step further. “I’d only help some else out if it makes me look be�er,” Nguyen said. Nguyen feels that, overall, students here behave fairly respectably and demonstrating manners on par with any other high school.

Don’t Forget! Central

Stampede

“Not everyone is courteous, but by freshman year you should be mature already,” Nguyen said. “The cafeteria is a diﬀerent situation; it’s obnoxious. People in there act like middle schoolers...” According to Nguyen, in a sense, the cafeteria is too immature. It is a scene of pandemonium worse than the rest of the school. Students are leaning all over tables, yelling across the room at friends and chomping on their food like toddlers. Hall monitor Suzy Lemmer has one simple comment regarding the manners among students: “there are none.” This concept extends beyond the lunchroom, making its way around the entire school.

Lemmer is not the only employee to note the lack of manners in the halls and cafeteria. Hall monitor Be�y Beighler, who has been working at the school for eight years and monitors the cafeteria during the lunches, has seen no improvement in manners, rather a visible decrease. “Kids don’t know ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’” Beighler said. “They play with food on purpose. For them it’s like a game.” Beighler and other lunchroom monitors a�empt to help out the overall situation by taking around trash cans to motivate students to correctly dispose of their trash. Yet she said that many students don’t take advantage of the easy service they’re oﬀered and will

keep their garbage just so they can leave it on the table. Beighler also notices other impolite acts. The worst thing she has witnessed is bullying. As she explains, bullying others is clearly not something a mature and wellmannered student would partake in, especially a student with no motivation to bother others. “The kids bully others for money,” Beighler said. “I think they are just doing it to do it, they don’t actually need the money.” While a manner-less a�itude may not be present in every student, the select few students that have no manners are growing and becoming worse every year.

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Focus

Stampede

page ten

features and lifestyles

March 30, 2006

Students desperately seeking answers to SAT stress BY ADEL JOHNSON

Staff Writer or as long as the ACT and the SAT have been offered, generations of high school students and test takers alike have pondered the eternal question: to take or not to take preparatory classes. Prep classes, offered at Kaplan and Kaplan, Inc. in downtown Kalamazoo or at Sylvan Learning Center on Romence Road, run for $695 per seminar. These classes, two nights a week for two hours each, may seem pre�y steep cost-wise, but Sylvan Director of Education Tina DeGroff maintains that depending on the specific high schooler, the classes may be well worth the money. “Some kids feel they are ready for the test without the classes, but the reason most kids take them is to earn the scholarship money that comes from a good test score,” DeGroff said. “By taking the classes, kids want to guarantee that score.” Not only do higher test scores guarantee a be�er chance for scholarship money, but the requirements and base

knowledge for these tests rise every year to more difficult standards. Junior Emily Wagner took the prep classes for just that reason. “Most people don’t study, so they end up bombing it [the test],” Wagner said. According to both Wagner and DeGroff, the “magic number” of times to take the ACT or the SAT is three, for their desired score. Most kids who take the prep classes have already taken the tests once or even twice before turning to the classes as a last resort. Some students, however, don’t see the benefits of the prep classes. “I don’t think they are that important, and not at all necessary, especially since most kids are way too busy,” senior Jes Rungaitis said. She said that she has always been very confident in her test-taking abilities and thinks the prep classes are superfluous, expensive and unnecessary. If you agree with Rungaitis’ philosophy and want to do well but don’t feel as if you need to take the prep classes, or if you put gas money a rung or two above a perfect ACT or SAT score, all hope is not lost.

Other, more preferable alternatives to an eight-week seminar include preparatory books like “The Official SAT Study Guide” by The College Board, or “The Procrastinator’s Guide to the ACT” by Kaplan and Kaplan Inc., both available online for under $10. These books include important facts about the test itself, including what to expect and how to prepare. “Books with sample tests are a good self-motivator for kids because they include questions that may be on the SAT,” DeGroff said. Prep books may seem a li�le overthe-top for some kids, but Wagner is fully confident that they help. She said that they tell you “everything” in the books. Tons of preparatory books and sample tests don the racks at almost any book store. If a student is a confident test-taker and is sure of his or her ability to do well, these books are definitely the be�er option. If, however, a certain student feels that the classes are worth the extra time and money, or want that extra guarantee of not opening the envelope with dismay, then the prep classes are entirely worth the time and money.

KALLIE ASUCRAFT/STAMPEDE

CALCULATED EFFORT: Junior Alisha Hull works on a practice SAT math problem during a workshop at Sylvan Learning Center.

Calculator dependence: It doesn’t add up are you calculator dependent

Try to solve the following problem without a calculator:

{√121+π0} ÷[¼×16]

ANSWER: 3

BY LAURA PONE & ELENA STACHEW

Staff Writers Imagine if calculators were banned from math classes forever. This catastrophic event would be the end of the world for many math students, including sophomore Shivani Saith. “I would break down,” she said. I wouldn’t be able to handle the simple math, I would always secondguess myself and I would die.” Her opinion is common among many students, who acknowledge they place much onﬁdence in their calculators. Take, for instance, sophomore Dan Harkins, who largely depends on his calculator to further his mathematical abilities in and out of class. “If I can’t put it in my calculator, I can’t learn it,” he said. “I can’t trust myself without my calculator.” According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the primary organization of math educators, the use of calculators in class and at home enhances the understanding of mathematical concepts,

as in Harkins’ case. In addition to supplementing mathematical understanding, calculators perform many tedious tasks, such as matrix multiplication, graphing, and running sequences. These are concepts presented in many math classes, and using the calculator o�en makes homework less time-consuming for students. However, many teachers also see students’ dependence on calculators as a negative consequence. “Concepts would be easier for students to learn without a calculator,” said math teacher Tim Halloran, who teaches Advanced Algebra and algebra, and has taught geometry in the past. Kathleen Grove, an Advanced Algebra and calculus teacher said, “It’s depressing because you should be smarter than your calculator. It is a time-saving tool, not a knowledge replacement, which unfortunately it is for many students.” Freshman Jessie Kimbrel admits she is hopelessly dependent upon her calculator. “Yes, (I am calculator dependent) because I whine to my math teacher when we are not allowed to use a

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calculator on a test or quiz,” she said. Calculators are not only used for mathematical purposes, but they may also provide a certain amount of entertainment for students. “I have more games than I have actual math programs,” said Harkins. Harkins also has put forward unique theory about how a person’s calculator and personality are related. “Your calculator reveals something about your personality,” he said. “If you have one and you are playing a game, you obviously aren’t paying a�ention.” Although calculators are beneﬁcial to learning and provide entertainment, students can abuse the privilege. “One type of cheating is programming equations into the calculator,” Grove said. This becomes a hassle for teachers to monitor what programs are put into the classroom calculators. All in all, the drawbacks of calculators encompass more facets and positions than using up space in backpacks, however, they have enhanced our learning experience of math and technology.

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e m e : r r t e Ex eov entertainment and events

March 30, 2006

NAUMAN MANGLA/STAMPEDE

k a M

KALAMAZOO EDITION

BY AMANDA VANDER MEULEN Assistant Editor

The City of Kalamazoo is ge�ing a faceli�. With the help from urban reconstruction and private companies investing in the area, downtown Kalamazoo is being transformed from a dated urban area to a bustling metropolis. Passing heavy construction areas, barrels, and ripped up pavement may be bothersome now, but eventually the dust will se�le, leaving in its wake, a newly-updated Kalamazoo. Jerome Kisscorni, the executive director of community planning and development for the City of Kalamazoo, is excited about the new plans for updating the area. “Over the years, core downtown has been suﬀering,” he said. “The city and businesses are now working together to

improve the area.” Currently, Kisscorni says Kalamazoo is in a “renaissance” stage. For a while, Kalamazoo was rooted in an economic slump and Kisscorni believes new changes can bring more prosperity to the region. Firstly, Kalamazoo’s own Gazelle Sporting Goods is taking on an ambitious project reconstructing its location on the Kalamazoo Mall. They have the intention of keeping the same old-style storefront appearance for the sake of aesthetics. Also, notably, the city is nearing completion of a multi-million dollar parking ramp. Kisscorni believes this addition will draw more consumers and in turn, more business to the downtown region, making it “the place to be.” The ramp also has a 14 screen theater called Kalamazoo 14 as

part of the nationwide chain of “Rave” theaters, resulting in street work. Junior Emily Wagner is less enthusiastic about a 14 screen theatre. “I don’t want them to add a new theater, they don’t need it. You only need one; they all show the same movies anyway. It would be cool if they maybe showed indie ﬁlms only.” She said she goes downtown “on average, every other weekend, because there is a huge variety of small shops with unique things.” Her favorite store is “deﬁnitely Polly and Esthers because it is inexpensive and vintage… I wouldn’t want downtown to be mainstream,” she said, adding she thinks it is more original to shop downtown as opposed to the mall. On the northern side of Kalamazoo, near the river, there is a $2.83 million Clean Michigan

Initiative Waterfront Redevelopment project, designed to steer the region away from paper manufacturing which pollutes the river, to a more fresh, residential and commercial area. Kisscorni is looking for this to be completed within this ﬁscal year. Someday, Kisscorni would like to see a�ractions similar to those in Grand Rapids. “There’s talk of an arena… but it’s still in its theoretical stage,” he said. “[Let’s just say,] we’re doing studies and looking into that as an option.” Wagner says that she likes downtown as is for its “cute, vintage-y, and artsy” vibe. “It is deﬁnitely more interesting than Portage,” she said. With the opening of the theater, Kisscorni is looking to draw younger people to the area, making it a more youthful and fun place to be.

Comedy show brings laughs Riddle Me THIS What goes up and down stairs without moving? I have holes all over, but I still hold water. What am I? No sooner spoken than broken: what am I?

silence

Portage Central students. Expectations include several stand-up comedians and hilarious sketches with ingenious characters as “Lindsay James Richard Frances Montgomery Higgenbo�om the Third.” We can also expect a live band with lead guitarist Jason Curtis. Refreshments will also be provided in the form of cookies. Dely also put a high emphasis on supplying milk to go along with the cookies. The show should be lots of fun with Monty Python-esque skits and an admission price of $5. McKernan encourages all to come and support both the drama department and the comedians. “Come and spend your hard-earned cash,” McKernan said. “Besides, no one really works that hard for their money anymore, except for bricklayers, plumbers and the li�le guys that tote people around in carts.”

a sponge

Dueling knights in frilly garments, pantsing leprechauns and fake Shakespearean dialogue. Don’t worry, it’s not a Renaissance Fair gone horribly awry; it’s stand up comedy night. Senior Ryan McKernan is pu�ing on a one-time comedy show on April 20 along with the ﬁrst showing of the rock opera “Chorestra Majora”. It’s either going to be held in the school auditorium, or the Portage Central Middle School Li�le Theatre. McKernan has always

wanted to pursue a career in comedy. However, most comedy clubs have an age limit of 21, so McKernan took initiative and created his own gig. The proceeds from the show will go to the drama department. McKernan looks at it as the best of both worlds: raising money for the drama department and providing exposure for aspiring comics. “I’ve found that killing two birds with one stone is rather easy,” said McKernan. “In fact you can kill three, four, or even five. The key is to find a nest full of li�le ones.” McKernan looks for some comedic influence in his heroes such as comedian icons Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Mitch Hedburg and Bill Cosby. Those collaborating with McKernan include juniors Joe Dely and Jordan Bu�on, and seniors Jake Elzinga and Andrew Rosenberger, plus many more. The comedians exclusively consist of

a rug

BY JESSICA ATTEBERRY Staff Writer

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entertainment and events

March 30, 2006

Board in

Nine local spring break destinations BY IRFAN SYED Staff Writer

ll your friends are packing their suitcases for their exotic Spring Break get-away; sadly, you are less fortunate than them and realize that you’re homebound in good old Kalamazoo for that special oneweek vacation. Surprisingly, there is a lot more to Kalamazoo than one would think, such as going to an Amadeus concert or going Zorbing. Kalamazoo has many facilities, events and entertainment venues that are appealing and suitable for people of all ages, if you have an appreciation for music, dance, visual arts, literature, movie or just want to have a great night out with friends. Since the temperatures are warming-up, many celebrations take place downtown at Bronson Park. Some of the more routine events celebrate the cultural diversity of Kalamazoo and expose visitors to diﬀerent kinds of music and arts and oﬀer a multitude of cultural food and shows

to entertain families for an evening out. If you’re into plays and musicals, the Civic Auditorium is a great place to check for showings. Kalamazoo has a lot of acting talent and much hard work is put into each production within the community, which are definitely worth seeing. “The Foreigner,” for example, is a well-known comedy of an Englishman coming and se�ling “downsouth” in the United States, definitely good to see with family or friends coming to the Civic April 7. Spring Break is also a great time to pick up a new hobby, like a sport or instrument that you’ve never found time to start. There are many training classes and fitness lessons taught at the YMCA that provide a brief introduction for beginners or tournaments for the more experienced. If you’re a golfer, there are many places where

you can go hit the green. To get involved with music, begin with music centers such as Marshall Music or Crescendo Academy of Music, which oﬀer a wide variety of music lessons for instruments or voice. Kalamazoo also has a museum downtown, which has miscellaneous exhibits and facts on many subjects and also includes a planetarium, which oﬀers many alternating shows about outer space. If you’re interested in seeing local art, then visiting the

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is an excellent option also. There is a choice of visiting the

Kalamazoo Air Zoo, which has

drawn many visitors over the past few years. The Air Zoo has many rare planes, such as the SR-71 Blackbird which is one of the fastest planes to fly in history, going over supersonic speeds and flying at extremely high altitudes. They also offer a gi� shop, flight simulators and in-depth information about

aviation and outer space. Spring Break is also a great time to get community service hours. Even though it means work, there are still fun things to find out there during the break or making a li�le money on the side. This way you know you have free time to yourself and it’s a great way to get involved with the community. For example, you can volunteer at places such as the Binder Park Zoo, as well as having a fun time working with the animals in the zoo. If you’re able to travel within the region, then there are a lot of spots to visit with interesting tourist a�ractions. Grand Rapids has a lot to offer also, with the comforts of a friendly, small-town atmosphere combined with the pleasures of big city life. There’s fine dining, intricate museums and exhibitions, night clubs and many indoor and outdoor a�ractions. Shopping, however, is a must in Grand Rapids. Kalamazoo offers a variety of entertainment during Spring Break, you just have to get out there and appreciate all the local facilities and local a�ractions there are. NAUMAN MANGLA/STAMPEDE

Students give a break to the Gulf Coast

TAM N/S

FLYN

Instead of towels and beach chairs, they’ll take hammers and paint brushes; instead of swimming and tanning, they’ll be building and painting. While others are oﬀ relaxing in Mexico, a small group of dedicated students will be helping to rebuild parts of the South. Members of St. Catherine of Siena’s youth group will be spending their Spring Break working with the National Relief Network in the continuing eﬀorts to restore the Gulf Coast. The group will be stationed in Mobile, Ala., but could be doing work in places as far away as Louisiana. “The majority of the work they’ll be doing will be simple manual labor,” said Jan Wilcox, St. Catherine’s youth pastor. “Most likely, it will be outside jobs such as painting or basic repairs – anything that a high school student with minimal training could do. Many people don’t realize how chaotic it still is along the Gulf Coast,” she added, “and much of the work could just be clearing debris away.” “The biggest things that will impact that area will be the relationships,” Wilcox said. “Just showing our support and le�ing them know people still care is important.” In all, 26 students from the Kalamazoo

that there are poor and needy people here in Kalamazoo,” Wilcox said. “Hopefully by doing a trip like this, they’ll feel that they can help back here in this area.” Murray is optimistic about the impact the trip will have on the community in the Kalamazoo area and feels it will make others want to help. “I’ve gone on mission trips before,” he said. “And whenever I come back, my friends a r e always interested in what I did and these trips get other people to want to help.”

Staff Writer

area will be going on the mission’s trip, that is nearly three times the number that have gone in previous years. “I was really impressed with the number of kids from Portage,” Wilcox said. “People here always tend to do vacations and I’m really excited about the response.” Mike Murray is one of the juniors going on the trip. He feels that anything they can do there will make a diﬀerence and is very happy to see such a large group going. “One person can only do so much,” he said. “But you’ve got to try to do at least something down there to help.” Murray and Wilcox feel that many people think New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast is much be�er than it really is and Murray hopes this trip will help people know it is still extremely bad done there and help is still needed. “I think that people start to forget [about the destruction],” Wilcox said. “These people going down will help people in Portage know that it’s still there, it’s still real.” Wilcox also hopes that by this group of teens spending their Spring Break serving other, it’ll help raise awareness not only for Louisiana and that area, but also for those in need here in Portage and Kalamazoo, as well. “It’s important that people recognize

NOLA

BY LEVI BARRY

PEDE

Recent disasters cause increase in alternative spring breaks

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BLACKWHITE entertainment and events

March 30, 2006

New F/X reality show lets two families trade races

KEVIN KEY/STAMPEDE

BY JAKE SCOTT

Staff Writer

In 1992, two revolutionary producers forever changed the world of television with their new, cu�ing-edge series, “The Real World.” MTV’s “Real World” was the ﬁrst reality television show to garner national notoriety, when it forced seven complete strangers to live together while their every move was documented on tape. Television would never be the same. Now, in 2006, “reality” television has been reduced to moronic competitions for money, romance and short-term fame, pi�ing a�ention-starved cast members

against each other to bicker and ﬁght while gasping for air in the typical ﬁsh-out-ofwater backdrop of the show. “Black. White.” a new show on the F/X network, premiered on March 8 in hopes of pushing the reality T.V. envelope in a new and more thought-provoking direction. The premise for the show, while a bit outlandish, grants two average American families—one black, one white—the opportunity to trade races and experience life on the other side of the coin. The Wurgels, hailing from California, signed on the show opposite the Sparks family, a black working-class family of three from Georgia.

For several weeks, the families, with the aid of make-up and prosthetics, transform to the opposite race and go out explore the world. At night, the families remove their costumes and interact under the same roof, where racial tension and verbal sparring ensue. While “Black. White.” offers a very provocative and revolutionary premise, the show is still on television and is meant to be entertaining, sometimes sacrificing its social merit for conflict and higher ratings. The show does so by casting the overly naïve and somewhat odd-ball Wurgel family to contrast with the level-headed black family, the Sparks. As anticipated, the Wurgels expect to receive the obvious and

overt racism of pre-civil rights America, but feel that one’s a�itude and demeanor determine the service they receive, not their color. In response, the Sparks family struggles to persuade the Wurgels that discrimination, while mostly subtle, is a constant and everyday ba�le for black Americans. Let the arguing begin. Ultimately, “Black. White.” is a milestone for reality television but does not live up to the moral hype as projected. It does oﬀer rare and intriguing insight on social interaction and the diversity of America, but falls short for following the reality TV pa�ern like its more dim-wi�ed counterparts.

itlist

the

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Restaurant: Culver’s There’s a new restaurant in town, bringing you fast food at a slow pace: waiting for a bite to eat at Culver’s makes the drive-thru at McDonald’s lunch hour seem quick. A fast-food restaurant shouldn’t have to be confusing; unfortunately, Culver’s is. Upon entering Culver’s, one sees an abundance of people at the cash register,

but there is no particular line to hang around in. You’re going nowhere. A�er ordering, the clerk gives you a number to put on your table so that the food can be brought to you. It seems like there is no rhyme or reason to this process either, a�er seeing about ﬁve waiters pass by looking for the right number. Aside from their confusing ordering system and the long wait, the food was delicious and should have been for its expensive price. The regular “Deluxe Bu�er Burger Basket” totaled $5.94. The meal was very ﬁlling, but it wasn’t worth the $6 which could have been spent wisely at other fast-food places. The clean atmosphere and the quality food balance out the long wait and the confusing ordering system. The only downside to Culver’s is the ridiculously high prices. Frankly, six bucks is lot of money for a student to spend. Instead, grab a pizza for less than $6 and feed your friends as well. -Tim Coleman

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postapocalyptic world. King’s writings in this book are graphic and disturbing. Those with a weak stomach should stay away. King shies away from vampires, haunted houses and rabid dogs, instead going for an even more frightening, realistic and scientiﬁc approach. The characters’ discussions of current topics make the story authentic and the characters realistic. “Cell” is a thought-provoking and fast-paced book I highly recommend. If anything, it will certainly stop you from going over your cell phone minutes.

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Sports

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O page fourteen

athletics and leisure

March 30, 2006

Off the blocks and running Track team taking strides toward new season

BY AMANDA VANDER MEULEN Assistant Editor From “Monday Fun Day” to a�erschool meetings, the track team has been lacing up its running shoes and ge�ing set for a new season. Senior Lisa Keyte has “been training since the end of cross country, back in November,” she said. She and fellow senior track runner Laura Haskins have been training daily since cross country in hopes of staying in shape, she said. “I ran a lot before cross country and it made it be�er… and gave me a base so I do not get injured this season,” Keyte said. She said there are certain days that they have different takes on the workout. From Monday Funday, to Tuesday Cruiseday (where they run faster), Keyte and Haskins not only get a workout, but also “have a lot of fun.” Haskins credits Fridays as her favorite “runday.” In preparation, Keyte has been running five days a week, for roughly four miles a day. One of her favorite aspects of the season is when the relay team achieves a personal record. “It’s fun when we do well as a team,” Keyte said. Her goal for this season is go to states, and Keyte is “looking forward to my last season with my girls.” She points to seniors Haskins, Laura Smith, Morgan Pa�erson, and Allie Sturm as just a few of the strongest women’s track and field participators. Allie Sturm, one of the women’s cocaptains, participates in the 300 meter

hurdles and also the mile relay. Because she competes in both short and long distance events, she has been conditioning at the Stable “for long events three times a week; for the sprints, five days a week,” Sturm said. Her goal for this season is also to go to states. “Last year I was ninth in state for low hurdles in 47 seconds. I also want to be all state,” she said. But above all, Sturm wants “to beat the school record of 45 seconds,” she said optimistically, half smiling. Sturm also holds high hopes for the team as a whole. She describes the women’s team as a growing team, one filled with younger runners that have stored talent. Unlike the young women’s team, this year, the men’s track team is relying heavily on its seniors. Field competitor and senior Dan Yonker competes in the discus and shot put events for the men’s varsity track and field team. Like the women’s team, the men’s field team has been training for their spring season since fall. “I started working out in December, weightli�ing and such,” he said. He li�s mainly to gain strength for his events. When asked his favorite event, he reluctantly said, “if I had to pick one, it would be discus because it is much more technique. You actually have to know what you are doing.” Long standing cross town rivals Kalamazoo Central is the team’s biggest threat this year, Sturm said. “They are the division champs for the past four years, and this year I want to beat them,” she said.

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page ﬁfteen

athletics and leisure

March 30, 2006

olleyball season ends

in success for Mustangs

ADEL JOHNSON

Staff Writer

The women’s volleyball team took a great season and ran with it this year, boasting a 4813 record and making it all the way to regionals on March 11. The women ended the season with a loss to East Kentwood in the regional tournament, 25-21, 25-13, 25-23, but finished with a ranking of fourth in the region. Coach Dawn Jaqua, however, firmly believes the loss was not due to lack of improvement. “In the beginning, we made a lot of unforced errors, but over the season, we were able to correct them,” she said. The players also praise the team’s ability to improve over the season. “Toward the end of the season, we found a lot more heart, which made us be�er,” senior Brianne Stowell said. A�er losing six times over the season to East Kentwood (64-6), correcting those unforced errors and gaining heart most certainly helped the Lady Mustangs beat Portage Northern (25-18, 17-25, 25-19, 25-17) and Ma�awan (25-16, 25-14, 25-6) at districts on March. 3. Jaqua strongly credits the success to the team’s six seniors. “Each of them did a really nice job fulfilling their roles on the team,” she said. Stowell, along with other seniors Kaity Gormley, Anna Glass, Elyse Groh, Inta Grinvalds and Lara Krautmanis, will definitely be missed next year, as they have all contributed greatly to the team’s overall improvement and the volleyball program as a whole. “You have to set an example,” Grinvalds said. “You need to realize your responsibility on the team.” Freshman Kelsey Ray, for one, learned a lot from the outstanding leadership. She looked up to the seniors all season long, and hopes that

CHRIS OPEL/STAMPEDE

CLOSE CALL: The team ﬁnished up its volleyball season ranking an impressive fourth in the region. They lost to East Kentwood 25-21, 25-13, 25-23. their experiences will help her next year. “They taught us a lot, and next year we’ll have strong players in all the positions,” she said. Gormley was undoubtedly happy with the younger players’ eﬀorts. “We got be�er as a team as each player gave more,” she said, adding that given more time, the team could have done even be�er.

It would have been especially nice to advance further into the tournament, and not just for rank. Stowell said the seniors all feel like they have taken away many unforge�able experiences over the season. “The best part about being on the team was the team itself,” Stowell said. Gormley shares a similar opinion. Her

The Olympics ...that n

favorite part was “the girls and the friendships we made,” she said. All of the team members, however, credit their coach as an extremely positive force on the team, which she was. “It is very satisfying to see the studentathletes able to work toward the same common goals and needs of the team,” Jaqua said.

ne watched

‘Idol’ attracted more of an audience than the world’s four-year rarity Primetime ranks assistant 1American Idol editor 2CSI Andrew Rosenberger 3Grey’s Anatomy 4Desperate Hard to believe, but Fox’s “American Idol” won the ba�le of supremacy for network market share over NBC’s Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. “Idol” took the gold and silver for the ﬁrst week, pulling in a 31 and 29 share on its Tuesday and Wednesday night primetime slots.

The likes of skating, skiing, hockey and curling cracked the top 20 for sixth and seventh place only on Saturday and Sunday for the ﬁrst week’s Nielsen numbers. I’m not knocking “Idol” or its loyal fans. However, I am just agape at how a nation with as much pride in and love of sports could choose watching B-level songsters over the greatest winter athletes on the planet. The Winter Olympics have always taken a back seat to the Summer Olympics, but they have not been beaten so soundly by regular programming in years. The 1992 Winter Games saw a peak rating of 48.5 and an average rating of 27.8. Both of these numbers would make a network advertising manager

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drool. Of course, this was before Simon, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul became household names. Did NBC blow it, or is “American Idol” really that good? Let’s face it, ‘Idol’ is in its ﬁ�h season, so the singers we are watching are somewhat watered down from the previous four year’s participants which makes this dusting more embarrassing. There are those who want to watch two solid hours of curling or cross-country skiing, but obviously, most of them were in Italy, and not in front of a TV set. NBC needed to spice up its entertainment (I use this term loosely) with human-interest stories about the athletes, their families and countries they call home. Most people can’t discern the

difference between the 19th and 20th downhiller. In the modern world of Olympic channel surfing, you’ve got to keep the viewer on his toes, or he will flip you off, quite literally. Giving NBC a break, the viewing public and the technology are different these days. 24/7 sports coverage has satiated our appetites, and the ability to prerecord our favorite shows with VCRs and TiVo makes us less likely to change our habits and watch the “one-time” event. The bronze goes to NBC’s Olympic web site, which did crush the “Idol” web site for hits over the span of the games.

Andrew Rosenberger is an assistant editor for the Central Stampede.

Housewives

5Winter Olympics Source: Nielsen Media Research

Make sure to watch out for junior Meghan Gajare this golf season. Placed all conference freshman and sophomore year, she is a golf machine not to be balled with. “Lauren Buckstaﬀ also had a great season last year and as a senior I have high hopes for her,” Coach Marc Uhlmann said. These girls need to save some strokes this year if their goals are as high as their coaches. “My ﬁrst goal is to win our division and making it to states wouldn’t hurt,” Uhlmann said. “Their going to be working on short game, it needs some work.” Uhlmann said. “Just being smarter on the course is and other area that will be focusing on.” -Tim Coleman

Women’s lacrosse gears up for their ﬁrst season as a club this spring This year marks the inaugural season for the women’s lacrosse team. Although many people are already familiar with the sport, this is the ﬁrst year for a high school team. The middle schools have had women’s lacrosse teams for the past few years. “We had over 80 girls show up” to an interest meeting, Coach Kathy Rogers said. This meeting was open to all ages and schools, so there are 30 girls on the Central team and 20 on Northern’s team. There are also 32 middle school girls. “I wanted to have more opportunities for girl’s sports,” Coach Rogers said. She said that her daughter has enjoyed playing the game. “I expect a really competitive season,” freshman Rachel White said. The girls start practicing on March 13 at Ramona Park. -Holli Smith

men’s tennis

Women’s golf team has high hopes for low scores

women’s lacrosse

women’s golf

ustang

Mens’ tennis prepares for new season and ﬁrst game on April 12th. A new season of men’s tennis has begun. The team is coming together and soon will be ready to compete. The players to look for this year are Brian Dudasko, Nick Tempels and Mark Katz. The men’s tennis coaches are Peter Militzer for varsity and Chuck Parker for junior varsity. The men’s tennis team practices at the YMCA from 6 to 8 a.m. Even though the season has just started, the team has high expectations. “It’s too early to determine the expectations, we need to get outside more but we always have high expectations,” varsity coach Peter Militzer said. The team’s ﬁrst game will be on April 12 against Ma�awan, with the J.V. team at home, and the varsity crew on the road. -Shelby Collier

Sports

Stampede

page sixteen

athletics and leisure

March 30, 2006

Diamonds are a

Mustang’s best friend

Central’s baseball team looks forward to upcoming season BY JAKE SCOTT

Staff Writer

Portage Central’s baseball team enters the season with high hopes and level heads. Now entering his ninth season, ﬁ�h as varsity head coach, Paul Schneider and his team are looking to make an impact with this year’s relatively youthful but promising team. “We’ve got a real good team going into this season,” Schneider said. “Good team concept, but we’ve got to maintain focus.” “We lost a lot of seniors last year, but this year we’ve got a really strong sense of team unity,” senior ﬁrst baseman David Schrock said. “We play well together.” This year’s team, while full of senior leadership coming from catcher Chris Oppel and second baseman Steve Parse, is relatively young, consisting of nine juniors and one sophomore. But it also is full to the brim with talent, spanning across the board. “All of our players are very talented hard

workers, and the seniors are good models for our younger players,” Schneider said. In fact, the team will look to one of its younger talents to shoulder a large portion of the season’s responsibility with junior pitcher Greg Welke. Although Welke is lacking in age, his experience and drive to succeed echo that of his veteran teammates. “I’m not really nervous, and I pitched during regionals and quarters last season, so I have a good idea of what to expect,” Welke said. Although talent is present, Schneider stresses a well-grounded a�itude with all his players and to play to the best of their abilities. It is this a�itude that has consistently elevated the Mustangs through winning seasons and rather far into regional and quarterfinal competition. Last season, the Mustangs fought hard in the post-season but suffered a challenging loss to Ann Arbor Pioneer in the state quarter-finals. “We’ve set a pre�y high standard for ourselves,” Schneider said. “We must maintain focus and play our best baseball every game.”

MICHELLE BERANEK/STAMPEDE

BATTER UP: (From left) Parse, Schrock, Oppel and Welke.

Three Strikes

3 KEVI

KEY/ STAM

PED

7 29

Regional titles in last four years

number of returning varsity players

number of wins in 2005 season

Minis

Men’s lacrosse team looks forward to coming season Men’s lacrosse is starting out fresh and ready this year with a newly-chosen team and a new head coach, Dan Mills. “I’m excited about the change from last year to this year,” said sophomore Barry Beranek, who made varsity. “The new coaching staﬀ has a lot of experience and they know how to discipline the team be�er, plus they seem more organized.” The players already have the dedication needed without the coaches help, the oﬀensive players have been working together in their free time for four months. “My favorite aspect of the game is just being able to play,” Beranek said. “I love the fast pace and the hi�ing. It’s very physical.”

MICHELLE BERANEK /STAMPEDE

The intensity of playing lacrosse isn’t the only thing that the players love this year. “The coaches have such a positive a�itude along with all the eﬀort the players have been pu�ing forth,” senior Mike Freeland said. “That’s why I know I’ll have fun playing lacrosse this year.” -Andrew Rosenberger

women’s soccer

men’s lacrosse

ustang

Seniors enter spring with high expectations for team The women’s soccer team is gearing up for another season. The returning seniors are ready to kick oﬀ their last season as Mustangs. “We have high expectations this year,” senior Anne Rose said about this upcoming season. “We have a solid returning class; we need to take it one game at a time.” Among the many returning seniors is senior Meagan Brown, who has played for the Mustangs since her freshman year. She agrees that “having a more experienced team will help us win those big games.” She has been recruited to play soccer for Michigan State University. Coach Pat Norman also thinks this season will go well. “We’ve got three seniors to watch out for: Meagan Brown, Anne Rose, and Emily Peterson. They have

CHRIS OPPEL /STAMPEDE

all been accepted to Division I schools to play soccer. There are plenty of other players that make the team good as well.” The Mustangs held their ﬁrst home game Monday against Forest Hills Central.

-Tim Coleman