Vol 15 issue #3 by Central Stampede

central

Stampede vol 15 issue 3

50 cents

Dec. 11, 2009

Santa gives up Christmas secrets p. 8 Psychology classes host the annual rat Olympics p.6

WKFR morning show

p. 9

Women’s volleyball ﬁghts all the way to state ﬁnals

p. 12

oonls h c e S rs i

ag olla Por6t25,000radtive cuts

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FULL HOUSE: Superintendent Marsha Wells speaks to the board (top left). Many community members and teachers turned out for the open budget meeting on Nov. 23 (right). At left, board members Rusty Rathburn and Randy Van Antwerp listen as audience members appeal to the Board of Education. ALL PHOTOS BY JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

Tensions rise over looming cuts BY NATHAN RANNS

News Editor

A last-minute compromise between Portage schools and its teachers’ union may so�en the blow of potential mid-year budget cuts bound to dramatically aﬀect Portage students’ educational experience. Despite the potential compromise, it was evident that tensions were high and morale was low on the night of Nov. 23, when concerned teachers, students and community members packed the community room of the Portage Public Schools Administration building to voice their opinions on the budget crisis. A recurring topic throughout that night was maintaining the “Portage Edge.” With strength in academics and a high quality of teaching, many are concerned that, amidst the immense budget cuts facing the district, quality of education will falter. To avoid disastrous consequences from cuts taking eﬀect in January, many speakers emphasized the fact that the administration is si�ing on a $5.5 million fund balance. If the administration

were to dip into that fund, mid-year cuts could be avoided, they said. “[The fund balance] is supposed to be used for a rainy day,” said Maggie Higgins, a teacher at Amberly. “Now we’re in a hurricane. I beg you not to value the almighty dollar over the students.” While the fund balance was repeatedly stressed, the main plea from speakers was that the board explore a spectrum of possibilities. According to Higgins, the board immediately chose employees as their ﬁrst line of defense while there are other ways to remedy the situation. Eric VerHey, Portage Education Association president, stressed that oﬀering competitive severance packages to veteran educators could save younger teachers from losing jobs. To accomplish this, many employees suggested that the district borrow the money needed at less than one percent interest. The board, however, was hesitant to the proposition of borrowing. “You can’t borrow your way out of a longterm situation,” board Trustee Melanie Kurdys

said. “It may be beneﬁcial this year, but that’s just short-term.” Regardless of the availability of funding and how it’s obtained, many were extremely concerned over the potential loss of teachers. Teachers at the secondary level currently teaching ﬁve classes may have to teach a total of six or seven classes. According to VerHey, this 20 to 40 percent increase in workload will drain energy from teachers and negatively impact morale. Martha Keeler, math teacher, also hopes to protect teachers’ positions. “We have some excellent teachers,” Keeler said. “Once we lose them, I don’t think we’ll see them again. That would be a huge loss on our part.” While there is great concern over the impending negative implications of the budget, several are bi�er toward the board over one its approach to the situation. “I think this was initially poorly organized,” VerHey said. “There was a survey given to the community [on the district’s website] before we had the opportunity to

brainstorm.” In the survey, community members had the opportunity to publicly voice their opinions on what aspects of the district should remain untouched, and which aspects were unnecessary. English teacher Janet LaVasseur cautioned the board to keep an open mind when looking into the survey’s responses. “Remember that surveys are feedback, not data,” LaVasseur said. “They need to be taken with a grain of salt.” Last week, the board cancelled its planned Dec. 7 special meeting, instead opting to take up the issue at its next scheduled board meeting. The oﬃcial vote will take place Dec. 14. Until then, Superintendent Marsha Wells assured that “every idea is being explored.” Regardless, great uneasiness emanates throughout the community of Portage. “For the ﬁrst time in 40 years, I’m scared of the Portage Public Schools legacy,” said Bob Walker, former PC teacher and Student Council adviser. “We need to stop saying what we can’t do, and we need to say what we can do.”

Guidance counselor due back by end of December BY RACHAEL LeFEVRE

View Editor

Last May, counselor Jennifer Russell suﬀered severe head trauma in a motorcycle accident. Due to the severity of her injuries, Russell was unable to return to PCHS to ﬁnish the school year. However, late this December, Russell plans to return to work part-time, and by January, she will be able to resume her full-time job, according to Principal Eric Alburtus. Alburtus said Russell’s recovery has progressed well, and though she may not be able to perform daily activities as easily as before, he believes Russell will pull through. “[Russell] is one of the brightest people I’ve ever known, [and] one of the most hard-working people I’ve ever known,” Alburtus said. “When someone like that can’t do daily [activities as well], it leaves a person frustrated. But if there’s anyone who’s going to get be�er,

Herd in the Hallways

“In other years, we have one outstanding rat, but this year, it was nice having four rats that had a chance of winning.”

-Teacher Chuck Schira on his students’ rats in IB Psychology, p. 6

it’s [Russell].” Students normally under Russell’s guidance have missed their counselor as well, and they look forward to her return. “I’m happy she’s [coming] back,” senior Dillon Bailly said. “I really like her as a counselor.” Russell’s absence has greatly affected the counseling department, especially during the busy scheduling process. However, with the help of retired staff members Paul Schonveld and Don Shull and the combined effort of the other four counselors, the counseling department pulled together to manage during this hard time. Alburtus is grateful for the hard-working staff members who have kept the counseling department running despite Russell’s absence. “We are blessed with really good people to do everything they can so students have what they need,” Alburtus said. “And [they work hard so Russell] can have everything she needs when she comes back.”

?Pop Quiz ? ?

Which Portage Central soccer player recently received ESPN All-American third-team honors? a) Sean Magee

Jennifer Russell has been absent from her ofﬁce since May, affecting students with last names with A and B Russell is set to return by the end of the month

Stampede

News.....................................1-3 hallways and city streets

View.......................................4-5 opinions and editorials

Focus....................................6-8 features and lifestyles

b) Paige Wester c) Shannon Bennet d) Taylore Peterson For answer see briefs on p. 3

Vibe......................................9-10 entertainment and events

Sports..............................11-12 athletics and leisure

Stampede

page two

Dec. 11, 2009

. . . l o o h c S A

News hallways and city streets

Progress on track for new school BY LAUREN MOON

Staff Writer

Years of waiting are beginning to pay oﬀ. The construction of the new Portage Central is well under way. Students and faculty see the progress being made with each passing day. There are many changes taking place on campus and construction is moving at a rapid pace. By the end of August 2011, if not sooner, the new building will be standing and students, faculty and the community will be able to see what a huge diﬀerence just a few short years can make on a school and its community. ALL PHOTOS BY LAUREN MOON/STAMPEDE

This (above) is the main academic wing, which will stand three stories tall upon completion. All of the classrooms will be the same size and have three windows, making them all uniform. However, the science labs will be designed to ﬁt the needs of each particular class.

The original auditorium (above) is still standing and construction is going up around it. The student commons will be directly next to the auditorium. Next to the commons will be the gym, which will be on the southern edge of the building. The construction behind the auditorium is the cafeteria kitchen. Behind that will be the music and woodshop areas.

The gap in the two sections being built (le�) will be the main entrance for students who drive to school. Students will enter the student parking lot from Centre Street. Juniors and seniors will be sharing the same lot when the construction is done.

Construction boosts local economy Students easily ﬁnd ‘Sweet’ escapes throughout the day BY AMY RUIMVELD

Staff Writer

From 2:45 to 3:30 p.m., more than 100 students wander across the junior lot to Sweet Convenience Food Store. Buying mostly energy drinks, slushies and Arizona Tea, students are able to easily access the inexpensive treats in the local store due to the construction of the new school. Since the majority of the student body now travels along the path to Waylee, they can quickly stroll over to the convenience store, nicknamed “Sweet’s.” Although upperclassmen may leave the campus for lunch, students are not allowed to go to the store during school hours, regardless of its short distance away. Despite teachers and staff watching the flow of students carefully, some manage to escape the watchful eyes. Tom Hamilton is a pair of those vigilant eyes, and he said he tries to watch as much as he can. If caught, the staff at Waylee refers students to the office for punishment. That referral may result in a 2:50

Brief

detention. “We’re like the police,” Hamilton said. “We take you in, and the administrators are the judges who deal out the punishment.” Still, some students manage to slip away to the conveniently-located store. Senior Trent Maxwell goes to Sweet’s every day before ﬁ�h hour to buy a beverage. On average, he spends $1.50 a day, nearly $12 per week. However, Maxwell doesn’t see why students should be prohibited from going to the store during the school day. “Why not?” Maxwell asks in regards to the prohibition. “There’s more variety there than in the school [cafeteria], and it gives you more freedom.” Store Manager James Huntington sees a substantial increase in business during the school year. “When the student body is up, the business is up,” Huntington said. Despite the potential punishment lingering on the horizon, students still venture over to the store before, during and a�er school.

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

FOOD RUN: Junior Travis Kleeves and seniors Sean Magee, Ryan Richmond and Mike Kasten journey back from a mid-day trip to Sweets.

Annual fundraiser a great success

This past weekend, the Debate team placed first overall in the Holland Christian Invitational. The Debate team has established itself as the top team in Michigan in legislative debate. Competing nationally, they have placed in the semifinals at the California State University Long Beach Invitational. In November, they placed first and second in the varsity and novice division at Grand Ledge High School.

On Saturday Nov. 21, students raised about $3,500 during the annual Breadli� fundraiser. The money will go to the March of Dimes to assist with premature births. More than 175 students from all grades participated in the event. Student Council Adviser Mark Sutherland said that this year’s eﬀorts were successful overall.

Prom details released

Community members have the opportunity to leave their mark on the new school. The centerpiece of the new school will be an area constructed with inscribed bricks. A 4-inch by 8-inch brick, with three lines of 14 characters, can be purchased for $50. An 8-inch by 8-inch brick, with ﬁve lines of 14 characters, can be purchased for $150. Forms are available in the oﬃce. Any questions can be directed to Kent White at kwhite@portageps.org or 323-6573.

Debate team places nationally

Breadlift results

Brick fundraiser

Personalized bricks to be centerpiece

Debate team success

Date and location announced The 2010 Prom has been oﬃcially scheduled for Saturday, April 24. Once again, the event will take place at the State Theatre in downtown Kalamazoo. Members of the prom commi�ee say that this year’s theme will follow a masquerade motif. Ticket prices will be announced at a later date.

News

Stampede

page three

hallways and city streets

Dec. 11, 2009

IRON CHEF

Scholarships ease burdens

PORTAGE CENTRAL EDITION

Amidst tough economy, hope remains for college-bound seniors

Food and Nutrition classes battle to see who is the best

BY MORGAN CLOTHIER Staff Writer

Congratulations to the Winning classes! 2nd Hour: Jordan Teachout, Marissa Miras, Chloe Westley, Lubna Oulmane, Maddie Kelley, Najwa Kouja

3rd Hour: Jami Morrisey, Dani Jimenez, Jessics Segraves, Erika Segraves

4th Hour: Jessica Johnson, Frida Kapida, Sydney Fontanilla, Amber Schmidt, Kaitlyn Sullivan, Rachel Key

AMAZING

FOOD: Two of the samples that students prepared for the cookoff on Dec. 2. The groups of students needed to prepare one dish to pass.

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

LET

THE TASTING BEGIN: Teachers Dana Grosser and Carolyn Moore (below) are getting their ﬁrst samples of the students’ food. Donny Peel (right) is helping to prepare his dish to serve to the judges.

olunteer of theMonth

Teen helps in the community BY OMO OGBOMO

Staff Writer

Every student here can recall making a mad dash to complete their required community service hours for freshman year history. A�er that there is a signiﬁcant drop in the enthusiasm of students to help others. However, junior Fatima Mirza continues this welcomed service, not only for herself but for the sake of others. Surprisingly, her selﬂess deeds began at a young age. “I started volunteering in the summer of sixth grade,” Mirza said. “My a�itude about volunteering was never another burden on my list.” Mirza’s has spent her time volunteering at various locations in Portage including the United Way, Portage District Library, the Portage Youth Advisory Commi�ee, Kalamazoo Lend-a-Hand, Islamic Relief, and West Middle School’s Science Olympiad team.

She has contributed a total of 300 hours since sixth grade. Having so many experiences to look back on, one can assume that there’s no way to choose a most deﬁning moment out of so many, but to her there is one that is especially touching. “While volunteering at the [Islamic Relief Day of Dignity], I witnessed the prevalent poverty right in our backyard,” Mirza said. “What struck me, however, was how the homeless individuals, although in dire need of many of the supplies, treated a smile as the biggest gi� of all. It made me realizethat, although basic materialistic possessions are important for a healthy life, respect goes much further.” ” One of Mirza’s more notable achievements includes being a founding member of West Middle School’s Science Olympiad team. To those students out there who are involved in IB Science classes or anyone who would like some volunteer hours, West Middle School is always looking for understudy coaches for their team. “What most people don’t realize is that volunteering can be really fun,” Mirza said. “Especially in a small city such as ours, when you do it with your friends.”

Brief

With college on the horizon, students scramble to find loans and other forms of financial assistance to prepare them for the burden of college tuition. Although the thought of free money sounds exciting and extremely helpful, it can be very difficult to obtain without some hard work. Guidance Counselor Jim Herm says there are multiple steps one can take in order to obtain some form of financial aid. Herm recommends taking an active approach and spending time to research and apply for scholarships that pertain to the individual. “You need to be proactive with it and don’t sit on the sidelines,” Herm said. Herm emphasizes the numerous amounts of scholarships available and the importance of taking the time to complete the application process thoroughly and efficiently. In addition to heading to the counseling office and receiving multiple handouts and applications, the internet can be very helpful, especially for out-ofstate students. Herm says taking the time to research scholarships pertaining to the school the student wishes to a�end will help in the long run. Senior Bre� Wagner has faced many difficulties in finding scholarships that pertain to him but isn’t giving up. “The process of finding a scholarship is tough for me because I am going out of state and most of the scholarships I find out about are for Michigan schools,” Wagner said. “But I’m not done looking.”

As well as searching for scholarships, Herm recommends that students in need of financial aid fill out the application for Student Financial Aid Services Inc. (FAFSA) online. FAFSA is a financial aid organization focused on giving students financial aid for college. A�er registering and answering 204 questions, the organization totals up the amount of money the registered student will receive per year towards their tuition. In addition to applying for FAFSA, there are academic related scholarships, sports scholarships and those based on family history, parents’ alumni affiliation, work experience and other factors. Many colleges give scholarships to students who achieve and maintain a high GPA the first two years of college as well. Seniors Bri�any Boyer and Ma� Stuut are both receiving academic scholarships for next fall. Boyer will receive $2,000 per year from Indiana University if she chooses to a�end and Stuut will receive a scholarship for Michigan Tech due to his high ACT score. In contrast to an academic scholarship, Senior Megan McQueen is receiving an athletic scholarship for so�ball. Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan is paying for 40 percent of McQueen’s total tuition. “There is so much, it can be overwhelming,” Herm said. “But if you don’t [apply], you rule out free money.”

your Fatima give time here ... Mirza OMO OGBOMO/STAMPEDE

 What: The library

is your one-stop location for answers in a world full of questions.  When: The library is open year round and needs volunteers for many different activites  Why: To beneﬁt all who use the library's many reasoures

Peace Jam raises funds for YWCA

Student Council supports Angel Tree

The Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) are hosting a ﬁlm competition for young adults ages 13-18. Potential participants with a homemade ﬁlm they wish to enter into the competition must pick up an entry form from the KPL. Films must meet a set of predetermined requirements and be submi�ed to the KPL or KIA by Jan. 1.

Peace Jam is raising funds and various necessities to donate to the Kalamazoo YWCA. Throughout the month of January, collection jars are placed in classrooms to collect spare change. Donation boxes are also placed in key points such as near the Blue Oﬃce and outside of room ﬁve at Waylee. Many simple donations are needed, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, scarves, towels and children’s toys. For more information on donations or volunteering, see adviser Kate Hazen or any Peace Jam member.

The Angel Tree present drive is back this year. Each third hour classroom will receive a card with a recipient’s name, gender and age. The week before winter break, each class will collect presents for the Salvation Army who will deliver to families experiencing hard times this holiday season.

Angel Tree

Monday marks the sixth year that the Portage Central and Portage Northern hockey teams will face oﬀ in the annual Hockey Classic game. The puck drops at 6 p.m. at Wings Stadium. All funds raised help provide scholarships to Portage students. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for adults. Fans can expect a “Super Fan” competition, in addition to many other prizes.

Movie contest give from KIA and KPL

Peace Jam

Hockey Classic

Sixth annual hockey game Dec. 14

Movie Maker Contest

-compiled by Staff PC Pop Quiz Answer: b) Paige Wester

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

page four

View opinions and editorials

Dec. 11, 2009

The gift that keeps on giving

our

View Volleyball squad success inspires PC pride PC’s volleyball squad made an unforge�able run to the state championship game this fall.

ALI NOGGLE/STAMPEDE

Though they faced diﬃculties

Re-gifting is acceptable, with some exceptions

Re-gifting defeats the purpose of presents

along the way, the team pulled

staff writer

editor-inchief

game. The team may not have

K E V I N M A RT I N

together in the push to their ﬁnal come home with the state title, but it deﬁnitely sparked an intense

KEENAN CRONYN

interest in volleyball for the ﬁrst

The only gi�s that guarantee appreciation these days are money and most gi� cards. Nothing else is certain to be liked, although the notion is hopefully appreciated. If you receive an ugly sweater or an una�ractive, unusable item, it is acceptable and practical to re-gi�, without being judged or chastised. When receiving an unwanted gi�, it is still important to be grateful that someone was thoughtful enough to buy you a gi�. However, it’s be�er that the item finds a use rather than no one ever see it again. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and someone’s Hannah Montana CD is definitely some pre-teen Disney enthusiast’s ideal gi�. Anything purchased is fair game for re-gi�ing. There’s no proof of who bought the gi� when, and anyone receiving it isn’t going to ask themselves if it might be a re-gi�. Generally speaking, there are some things to keep in mind when figuring out what to do with grandma’s kni�ed sweater. 1. If someone makes something using their own time and materials, you should never re-gi� because the gi� could end up in the sight of the maker, which would undoubtedly lead to disastrous and awkward situations. 2. Re-gi�ing anything used is also a big no-no. Obviously, if a present ends up being a gi� card, or some type of food, it’s best to re-gi� it before use or consumption. Also, re-gi�ing electronic devices becomes trickier with your fingerprints all over the screens and bu�ons. 3. It is never okay, under any circumstances, to re-gi� something a romantic friend has given to you. Even though the memories may be sore, it is not cool to give that pink cuddly Build-a-Bear to your new love affair. The most obvious rule is not to re-gi� to the person who gave the gi� in the first place. This would be extremely embarrassing and appear simply moronic. So if that present isn’t exactly what you wanted, it’s okay to wrap it back up and give it to a friend. Game on.

I know it’s a li�le hypocritical, because realistically we’ve all done it. And perhaps I’ve done the worst you can do; I’ve given away wildlife puzzles, lanterns and DVD’s I don’t watch anymore. Re-gi�ing is rude, thoughtless and goes against ‘the season of giving.’ I guess it is the thought that counts, and that’s exactly why people re-gi�, right? Wrong. Re-gi�ing blows. If you’ve ever been on the wrong end of re-gi�ing, and you’ve go�en that random shot glass from a friend’s vacation or fallen victim to a junk-drawer treasure, I’m truly sorry. O�en times these so-called gi�s are hidden beneath pristine, crisp wrapping paper and then furnished with a small bow like a li�le cherry on top. O�en times, that cherry ends up turning sour and spoiled, and that crisp shiny wrapping paper feels like the Sunday newspaper once it’s been unwrapped. The whole idea of giving gi�s in the ﬁrst place is to convey a feeling or thought. And that pair of fuzzy dice out of the junk-drawer really isn’t really helping me feel loved or appreciated. I guess what I’m ge�ing at, is that the season of giving is completely trampled by thoughtless re-gi�s. I know it’s simple and I know it’s convenient, but at this time of year it’s truly important to receive something that is nearly intangible. It is the thought that counts and as cliché as that may be, it’s a truly instrumental part of the holidays. I know that deep down, all of us would rather see nothing at all than an ephemeral a�empt at giving. To put it simply, the holidays are for thoughtful gi�s not thoughtless a�empts at salvaging some use out of an old board game.

Kevin Martin is a staff writer for the Central Stampede.

Keenan Cronyn is Editor-in-Chief for the Central Stampede.

time in years. Students and parents united to cheer their girls on, and word of the team’s success spread rapidly across the school. As we apprehensively await the budget cuts coming next semester, this powerful school spirit is just what we needed. The volleyball team’s winning streak served to create bonds between students and parents and unify our student body. The team’s unity is a prime example of how, despite the many imminent changes and challenges on the horizon, PC can, and will, stay together.

E The Sources... V I F N O E FIV

The Questions...

1 2 3 4 5

Kevin Federkins, 9th How will the budget changes affect you personally?

The band program is deﬁnitely going to receive a hit.

Star 105.7 because What’s your favorite they have good radio station, and Christmas songs. why? It should be their choice What do you think and if they like the about wrestling results, I’m all for it. diets? Who’s your favorite No favorites. substitute teacher, and why? What’s your opinion on re-gifting?

It’s deﬁnitely a good thing, but you don’t want to give it back to the person.

Lindsey Fillar, 10th I’m involved in varsity sports, but I don’t think [they’ll be cut].

Jeffrey Wadas, 11th We might not get new equipment for wood shop.

For track we might [have issues with] busing and uniforms.

88.3 because it’s all Christian music.

103.3 because I like the current music.

103.3 because they play a lot of newer songs.

I think that they should try to do it in a healthy way.

It’s deﬁnitely worth it, I think they should [be [but] I heard some went allowed] a little bit of days without eating. ﬂuctuation.

I don’t really have any favorites.

Mr. Mandrick because he runs a fun class and he can teach [well].

Mr. Miner because I know him as a friend.

If you’re not going to use it, someone else will. It won’t go to waste.

I probably wouldn’t regift. If I don’t like it, they probably won’t either.

It’s wrong because it’s the thought that counts. The friend could ﬁnd out.

Kelly Broberg, 12th

Mr. Smith It won’t be fun to have a lot more kids in class. [We] might lose colleagues. 103.3 because it plays newer songs and older songs. It’s a mind set. They should take upper weight classes to compete. No preference for subs. I don’t usually miss a lot of days. I don’t have a problem with it. It’s like recycling. If I’m not going to use it, I’ll give it to someone.

Stampede Staff Keenan Cronyn and Christianna Gluys Editors-in-Chief Nathan Ranns.......News Editor Assistant Editors/Staff Writers: Zack Anderson, Matthew Brandt, Rachael LeFevre....View Editor Morgan Clothier, Ali Fulling, Amber Lester, Sarah Manis, Sarah Erdman......Focus Editor Kevin Martin, Lauren Moon, Carly Nagengast, Omo Ogbomo, Emma Page, Amy Ruimveld, Marissa Miars........Vibe Editor Megan Scott, Chloe Westley. Artists: Mandi Mills, Ali Noggle Alex McCarthy.....Sports Editor Business Manager: Holly Evey Jon Zomer............Photo Editor Adviser: Cheryl Braford

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 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.

The Central Stampede 8135 South Westnedge Ave. Portage, MI 49002

View

Stampede

page ﬁve

opinions and editorials

Dec. 11, 2009

STOP! STOP!

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

Teens key in ﬁght against drugs

ONE WAY: Hall monitor Carol Cutler directs student trafﬁc in the 100 hallway.

Trafﬁc signals, signs could improve hallway chaos staff writer

K E V I N M A RT I N

Turning in the hallway is a lot like the first few rounds of musical chairs. There’s about three or four directions to go in, with tons of people scrambling in every direction. At passing times, any hallway intersection can transform into complete unorganized chaos. iPods are disconnected, bruises form, books spill over the floor… this isn’t a bad hallway experience- it’s an hourly occurrence in the hallways everyday. Students smack into each other, clothing articles are damaged and bags are subject to adolescent rage in every direction. The constant flow of traffic up and down stairs only exacerbates the problem. Also, the exit to the Waylee walk usually clogs up like a backed up drain waiting to spill out into the cold. The problem is unlikely to go away or fix itself, so it’s time to bring in measures that will make our classroom commute less like Manha�an at five in the a�ernoon. The first possibility is to integrate street signs and devices into the hallway walls. This includes the use of stop signs, which is pre�y straightforward, and other roadway signs such as exit signs for stairs and Waylee. Additionally, using direction signs

ALI NOGGLE/STAMPEDE

A guide to the holiday’s biggest dilemmas staff writer

M AT T B R A N D T

Everyone has those last-minute, down-to-the-wire decisions at Christmas. The endless bickering begins when two equally appealing choices lead to an over-dramatized death match over what food should grace the table and if Auntie’s dress will match the tree. In order to avoid such catastrophes, here we provide the most preferable options to those holiday spats to save those feelings of peace on earth and goodwill towards men.

with destinations would be helpful for freshmen and visitors. The “road” itself could also be tweaked. Adding yellow lines to divide the hallway (similar to middle school), or adding a median such as the one by the 300 hall would help organize the crowds into a more fashionable manner. Along with yellow lines, arrows could be added on the hall floor to keep students in a makeshi� line and in the right direction. Though a li�le more outrageous, posting speed limit signs and issuing citations would help calm the hallways while promoting safe commuting. Accessory wise, adding lights, bumpers, and turn signals to students would be a hilarious and more efficient way to show directional intentions. A more drastic but entertaining measure is to install around six full-fledged stop lights in the busiest hallway intersections to help smooth out traffic. Time is wasted waiting for the light to change, but it is more efficient than trying to weave through dozens of students. Out of all the possibilities, one stands out as the best and least practical way of regulating the hallway traffic. That method is of course to have several more Mrs. Cutlers, Mr. Frinks, Mr. Badders, and Mr. Sco�s at the crosswalks to help guide students safely to the other sides. In all reality, the hallway crowding issue is not going to disappear, so the only legitimate option is to encourage students to stay within respective lines in intersections heading in the same direction. This will insure fewer accidents, promote good commuting and driving and aide students in their transit to classes.

Kevin Martin is a staff writer for the Central Stampede. Ham v. Turkey Ham Pro: Multiple ways to eat it, i.e. honey, glazed, baked, etc. Con: Requires cu�ing. Pro: Has no correlation to swine flu. Turkey Con: Didn’t we see this bird at Thanksgiving? Pro: Take a drumstick, people! Con: Always dry and hard to swallow. The only way that your turkey will ham it up is when pigs fly. Silver and Gold v. Red and Green Silver and Gold Pro: Favored by stock brokers. Con: Over-used and over-abused. Pro: Has its own song. Red and Green Pro: Most Christmas lights are already white and gold. Pro: Desensitizes you to mistletoe. Pro: Goes well with plaid . Just remember: When all else fails, silver duct tape will hold up those pesky ornaments. Tinsel v. Popcorn Strings Tinsel Pro: SHINY! Pro: No assembly required. Pro: STILL SHINY! Popcorn Strings Pro: Originality bonus points. Con: Some assembly required. Pro: Edible with many flavors. The first word that comes to mind with popcorn strings is“hard work.” Cash v. Gift Cards Cash Con: About half of all dollar bills have traces of fecal ma�er. Con: EW! GROSS! YUCK! DISGUSTING! Con: I mean, my goodness. Gi� Cards Pro: Come in pre�y designs. Con: Not as versatile and can break. Pro: You can wash them with hand sanitizer! Do you know where that raggedy, old bill has been? Neither do we.

Matt Brandt is a staff writer for the Central Stampede.

Students should join county task force’s effort staff writer

CHRISTIANNA GLUYS

On Oct. 28, the Kalamazoo Gaze�e ran an article about the progress the Kalamazoo County Substance Abuse Task Force (KCSATF) had made in the past year, and how excited our city government was about the declining number of teenagers who use drugs. But it is impossible for anyone to say the a�empt to keep high school students from abusing alcohol and using drugs is even close to being over. This article, and the sentiment given the statements made by task force members and government officials, annoyed me. First of all, I thought, what have they been doing? I haven’t been forced to watch a terrible documentary with a title like “Your Brain on Drugs” since sophomore-year health class. Secondly, how can they even measure the progress they’ve made? Are they just going around asking kids every few months if they’ve done drugs? The accuracy in that seemed highly questionable. But my questions turned out to be pre�y easily answered. KCSATF coordinator Jenny Jordan informed me of the task force’s fact-finding mission that took up most of this year. Their 100-member decrease in number of team conducted over MIP arrests from 2006 to 100 interviews with area 2008 teenagers and gathered data via several surveys completed by high amount of money school students countyobtained from wide; members took federal Drug Free these measures in order Communities Grant to determine what sort for five-year plan of action to take next. Furthermore, “our primary goal [this year] was to heighten number of community awareness [about presentations KCSATF has substance abuse] and held begin to engage our community, and we did Source: KCSATF 2008-2009 Report so pre�y effectively,” she said. According to the task force’s 2008-2009 Annual Report, there has been a prominent decrease in the number of MIP and DWI arrests since 2006, and their monthly meetings have been well-a�ended and, according to Jordan, have helped make progress. But high school students haven’t seen any signs in the hallways spla�ered with warnings in trendy fonts about the dangerous world of drug use—primarily because the task force knows that’s not working and not what teenagers want to see. We don’t want to be inundated with pamphlets and posters; they tend to seem cheesy, with their photos of model families having frank discussions about drinking, or they’re boring and covered with percentage rates and brain scans that don’t seem relevant. That’s an approach our city has been trying for years to no avail, and the task force recognizes it’s time for a change. It’s now up to us, though, to help with that change. “We’re adults trying to help kids,” Jordan said, “but it’s so much more effective when we have kids guiding us, helping us understand what a�racts teenagers and what influences them...so we can change the social environment we live in.” Since its creation in 2004, originally to combat methamphetamine use in the county, KCSATF meetings have been steadily a�ended by an overwhelming majority of adults, but the target of their upcoming five-year plan is the teenage population of our city. Ultimately, we are the deciding factor as to whether, a few years from now, the task force will be successful in permanently decreasing the number of students abusing drugs and alcohol at PC and in other area schools. KCSATF will have a much more lasting effect on our community if teenagers involve themselves in the task force’s endeavor to drastically decrease the number of high school students using drugs. We need a “for the people, by the people” effort.

190

$125,00 21

Christianna Gluys is Editor-in-Chief for the Central Stampede.

Focus E C A R T RA

Stampede

page six

features and lifestyles

Dec. 11, 2009

IB Psychology students train, race lab rats in experiment

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

BY SARAH ERDMAN Focus Editor

WINNER’S CIRCLE: This rat, whom students christened “Mittens” during the experiment, took ﬁrst place in the competition, beating four other rats.

Winter car maintenance BY SARAH ERDMAN

Focus Editor

Living may be easy in the summertime, but it definitely isn’t once the snow starts falling. Though winter brings the classics of sledding, snowboarding, hot chocolate and fires, the frigid air and slippery slopes become less fun and more dangerous for drivers. Senior Kelly Broberg has experienced the worst of winter driving. Two weeks a�er returning from Christmas break last school year, the roads were slick, and as Broberg was turning le� onto Waylee Street, a Jeep crashed into her car. Her car’s bumper still has duct tape in the shape of a smiley face covering it today. “I told myself that if I had a junker, it had to be pre�y,” Broberg said. Though accidents are not unavoidable, preparing your car for the winter conditions is the surest way to diminish the chances of accidents. “Low pressure in tires can make them slip all over the place, which can lead to accidents,” Chris Markee, an Autozone employee said. Checking air pressure is just one of the items on every car owner’s to do list heading into the winter, and because of the winter weather arriving shortly, Markee recommends keeping cars in good repair. As well as helping prevent accidents, keeping your car maintained also keeps it running. Markee ranks checking anti-freeze as the most important item on the list. “If you didn’t change out your anti-freeze, it could crack the block and basically destroy your engine,” Markee said. Upon completing the checklist, only you as the driver can control what happens. Broberg and Markee both advise driving slowly. “If it’s your first winter, always drive the speed limit or under…don’t try to slide on the ice just for fun,” Broberg said.

tips for

winter car care

...

Be sure to check

...the antifreeze ...that the battery is tested ...the windshield wipers ...that the car has good oil ...the washer fluid ... and all other fluids ...that there is sufficient air pressure in the tires - Chris Markee, Autozone employee

Car keys: the new locker combo

said. However, Al-Kharusy disagrees. “I think Mi�ens was just more intelligent than Remy,” Al-Kharusy said. “I was more than disappointed that we lost, because Remy had so much potential and we had high hopes for him.” Regardless of the outcome of the competition, many students had a good experience. “I thought that as a group, they did very well this year,” Schira said. “In other years, we have one outstanding rat, but this year, it was nice having four rats that had a chance of winning.”

Students can utilize their cars for much more than just traveling Off the Radar

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

Random Thoughts from

ZACK ANDERSON

ZACK ATTACK! Senior Zack Anderson stuffs yet another nerdy underclassman into his beloved Batmobile.

The junior parking lot is an a�ractive-looking patch of cement this year. Filled with potholes, dirt and cars parked outside of the lines, it is far inferior to the luscious new section of pavement across Westnedge Avenue known as the “Senior Lot,” though it does hold many perks that the Senior Lot does not offer, one of them being the ability of students to use their cars as a locker. The idea came to me very early in the year. I was walking to Waylee looking for a way to dispose of the extra books that had been weighing down on me all day, and I thought: why can’t I use my car as a locker? The Buick, or “The Batmobile” as my brother Jake christened it, is an absolutely perfect combination of storage and mobility, all compacted into one fire-red vehicle. With three trips between Waylee and Central throughout the day, I am never going out of my way to use my car as a locker; it also has much more space for doing things that those of you with stationary lockers have to cannot experience. For one, I can put miscellaneous knick-knacks inside of it and not have to worry about conserving space for any English AKE RADSHER text that weighs half of my body senior weight, but is hardly ever used. In the Batmobile, I can find anything from a Bop-It Extreme to a pile of roofing shingles to the Senior Paddle stored inside of it. Another perk of using any car as a locker are the occasions that I might have some time to kill and I can go and lounge in my locker. With so much open space, I can even invite a guest to join me, maybe even take a quick li�le cat nap, and then be on my way back to class. In switching over to the mobile locker this year, I have found my a�entiveness has increased drastically inside of the classroom with the addition of a “nap time” in between third and fourth hours, and the occasional lounging session to listen to some John Mayer. Senior Jake Bradsher, a frequent lounger in the Batmobile, finds

“

it very soothing to be there. “Sometimes I don’t even go to my third hour and just go listen to John,” Bradsher said. “This mobile locker is on a scale that hasn’t been a�empted since the ‘Even Stevens,’ and I think that it’s working.” The greatest perquisite of all, however, is the amount of underclassmen that you can stuﬀ inside your “locker.” One kid, maybe two if you push hard enough, can ﬁt into an ordinary locker; that does not house nearly the amount of dweebs that you might need to just shove into a locker from time to time. With the mobile locker, you can shove in multiple underclassmen, and then drive around in a circle many times to make them sick. Nerdy sophomore Brenna Reder has had to experience this for herself. “Zack, what are you doing?! You can’t just put me in your car! I have to get to class!” Reder said. The Waylee path has allowed for a few perks that have made walking it just a li�le bit more bearable. The mobile locker may be a thing of the future, but for me, the future is now.

This mobile locker is on a scale that hasn’t been attempted since the “Even Stevens”... J

“

Snowy conditions

Jake Al-Kharusy smells a rat. That’s no surprise considering psychology teacher Chuck Schira’s room was transformed into a living textbook that included mazes, cheese, and of course - rats. “We do this every year to replicate the experiments done by B.F. Skinner and other behaviorists,” Schira said. His class was split into ﬁve diﬀerent groups, each group chose a rat, and then every group tried to train their rat to run through the maze with the fastest time. At the end of a two-week training period,

a competition took place where all rats but one competed (one group withdrew their rat from the competition). “It was deﬁnitely a hands-on way to learn about psychology,” Al-Kharusy said. Al-Kharusy had trained his rat, Remy, with his other group members, and Remy had the second-fastest time in the competition. Remy came in a close second to Mi�ens, the winning rat who was trained in part by senior Shannon Cleveland. “I think she won because of the way we handled her; other groups let their rat just sit there while we made her go,” Cleveland

Zack Anderson’s feature column appears monthly in the Central Stampede.

Focus features and lifestyles

Stampede

page seven Dec. 11, 2009

A newfound root

Freshman learns to embrace her Indian heritage guest columnist GAURI RANGRASS It was the first time I’d ever been in the country in which my parents were born. I rolled my eyes as our flight descended toward the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India. My father looked out the window of the airplane and pointed out all the important landmarks to me. “Look, Gaur, there’s the Lotus temple,” he said with pride. I looked outside and saw a large, white, flower-looking structure glowing in the dark sky. I normally would’ve gasped and made a comment on how beautiful it was, but I didn’t this time. I kept an expressionless face; I didn’t want my parents to think I was too interested in this country which obviously was not mine. I had always been ashamed of my roots. All my friends were Caucasians, and I always felt le� out. Whenever my mom was kind enough to drop off my forgo�en lunch to school, I would always run to the car to make sure she didn’t have to get out, not because I wanted to do her a favor, but because I didn’t want anyone to see her dressed in her ethnic silk saari that none of my friends’ mothers wore. Sometimes, before I le� school, my parents would have a prayer session, and my mom would apply a dot of red powder in the middle of my forehead. One day, I went to school with it on and some children in my class started making fun of me, calling me different, and asking why my family didn’t do things the way theirs did. This became my Achilles tendon; whenever someone mentioned my heritage, my religion, or my culture, I felt a deep regret. I didn’t want to be Indian. I didn’t want to be Hindu. A�er our flight landed, I walked out of the terminal, plugging my nose. My brother laughed at me, calling me an “ABCD,” or an American-Born, Confused Desi (Desi meaning from India, or countries around it). “Gaur, this is how India smells. You’ll get used to it a�er a while; you’ll even start to like it,” my mom smiled, taking a long breath of air that to me, smelled strongly of excrement. I gave her an annoyed look and squeezed Fluffy, the stuffed pig I had bought in the New York airport. It was the only part of America I would have with me for the next three weeks. During the next couple of days, I stayed as far away from my family as I could. I read my stack of “Junie B. Jones” books over and over, dozens of times, in the room my grandma and I shared. But soon, I was ready to give up this

HOME SWEET HOME:

Gauri Rangrass’ parents and extended family, shown here in a photo taken in 2008 at a family reunion on her uncle’s farm in New Delhi, India.

whole pity tactic. I felt very lonely, so I walked outside the house toward where my cousins were; they were all playing their favorite game, cricket. My brother had joined them too, and they were all cheering and clapping and chanting his name. I wanted to be a part of the friendship, too. When they noticed me, most of them turned their backs on me. I didn’t blame them. A�er all, it was the same thing I had done to them the past few days, especially when they had been so eager to establish a relationship with me. However, my oldest cousin, Shivani, smiled warmly at me and asked, “Would you like to play?” She spoke in her best American accent, and I almost laughed, but I reminded myself I was trying to build relationships. “No, she obviously doesn’t want to. If she did, she would’ve at least looked at us by now,” scoffed my other cousin, Madhav. “Be quiet won’t you, Madhav,” Shivani snapped. “Gauri, I’ll show you how to play.” At once, I caught the hang of the game, and pre�y soon, my cousins were chanting my name too. I was starting to enjoy myself. As the bond I had with my family grew, so did my love for my parents’ country. I didn’t realize it, but I was becoming just like my cousins. I had even developed an Indian accent over the course of just one week. I loved the hot sun; the bu�ered paranthas (crisp flat bread made of wheat flour) my grandmother made; the compassion my aunts and uncles showed for me even though they had never

met me before. The bustle on the streets, the disorder of it all a�racted me more than any organized U.S. highway or main road could. I didn’t know why; it just did. The way even a fruit vendor would be called “brother” by the richest man on the block gave me a warm feeling in my heart. These Indian people felt like my brothers, my sisters. I started wearing a shalwar kamiz (an Indian outﬁt – a combination of a knee-length dress and legging-type pants) instead of jeans and a t-shirt. I had changed. And in these three weeks, I visited so many a�ractions that I had read about in books and heard about in movies. Our family went to the Taj Mahal in Agra, one of the wonders of the world, and learned how Shah Jehan built the memorial in honor of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who he had undying love for. This ancient marble structure was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen in my life, and looked just how I had pictured it. Another a�raction we visited was the Golden Temple in Punjab, India. Surprisingly, I liked this even more than I liked the Taj Mahal, and it was a religious place. What I liked about it was that it was totally free. Whoever wanted to go there could go there, and under any circumstance. When I went to the Golden Temple, I realized that not everyone was like my family. People who were poor, and had no clothing went there to pray; however, no one gave them a second look. There was so much diversity in that temple, yet everyone accepted each other. Even if one wasn’t of the Sikh religion (which

you have a

story to tell

Submit your guest column to the Stampede newsroom (Room 306). It should be school-related and between 400 and 600 words. If it’s good, we’ll run it!

my family is), they were still brought in as brothers and sisters and were treated with the same respect as everyone else. Before I knew it, it was time to leave my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my grandmother. It was time to leave my brothers and sisters. As my flight took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport to go back to New York, I looked out the window and saw the Lotus Temple glowing in the dark night. I gasped and made a comment about how beautiful it looked. I took in a long deep breath of the Indian air, and I smiled. It did smell good. I was leaving the country that I had fallen in love with in the last three weeks; I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen in love with it until that moment, and my vision of India Fort blurred as my eyes teared up. I reached in my duffel carry-on to get Fluffy when I realized I had le� him in my grandmother’s room. It didn’t seem to bother me, however; I felt like it belonged there. A tear fell on my shalwar kamiz as the flight a�endant turned off the cabin lights.

Gauri Rangrass is a guest columnist for the Central Stampede.

December a month of many holidays BY AMBER LESTER

by the

numbers 8 7

nights for Hanukkah (Jewish)

days of fasting (Muslim) days of Kwanzaa (African descent)

festival called Diha (Hindu)

Staff Writer

As the holiday season rolls, not only Christmas will be celebrated in the community. Thanksgiving and Christmas are times for celebration, fun, food, and people, but not all religions celebrate these days. Many religions have festivities of their own celebrated throughout the year and not just around this particular holiday season. Sharon Bade Shrestha and her family are Hindu and celebrate several celebrations throughout the year, including Diha which is celebrated in the fall. “We have a lot of celebrations related to the lunar calendar,” Bade Shrestha said. “Like Diha the festival of lights. It’s kind of like Christmas in a way, we get presents and have lots of parties.” A common trait among all diﬀerent religions

is celebrating. In whatever way it’s done, it’s a time for food, fun and for people to come together. Sarah Surna, a member of the Jewish faith, celebrates Hanukah with her family. “It’s a festive time of year,” Surna said. “My mom makes potato pancakes called Latke and [we] light the menorah. One candle on the ﬁrst night one two candles on the second night and so on.” In the Jewish tradition, the Menorah is lit every night for eight nights. Each night the children are given presents and prayers are said for the family and extended family members. Many religions have celebrations throughout the year and not around Christmas, such as the Muslim religion. Allysha Chouldury is one of the many Muslims in our community. “We have Ramadan. We celebrate by fasting

for 30 days and then we have a huge celebration.” Chouldury said. “It happens earlier in the year, but it’s like our ‘Christmas’.” Around the community many people will be ge�ing ready for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, New Years and a plethora of other celebrations. This time of year is a time to give and be thankful no ma�er what religion you are. America , the land of the free, and home to many different religions offers a great variety of times to have fun with our friends and family. Around Portage the standards are no different. Mrs. Hazen, who teachers World Religions, feels relatively the same. “I do think we as a society are more aware of cultures around us,” Hazen said. “We have become for respectful and understanding of others, [and] the various celebrations around the world.”

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Focus

Stampede

page eight

features and lifestyles

Dec. 11, 2009

Away for the Holidays Soldiers’ Angels gives troops a Christmas from home AMANDA MILLS/Special to the STAMPEDE

BY CHRISTIANNA GLUYS

Editor-in-Chief

Ever since 2003, when her son Brandon was deployed to Iraq, Pa�i Pa�on-Bader has sent care packages once a month to him—as well as 280,000 other soldiers as of this year. Concerned for the well-being of American troops overseas, Pa�on-Bader operates h�p://www.soldiersangels. org, which sends not only backpacks full of supplies to all branches of the military, but also handmade blankets and scarves, holiday packages full of hot cocoa, phone cards and handwri�en correspondence from volunteers across America. Currently, there are approximately 1,500 deployed soldiers serving all around the globe waiting to be adopted by “Angels,” as the website calls citizens interested in supporting the troops without going to war. Once a “Hero” is adopted, he or she receives one care package a month, ﬁlled with the usual toiletries and socks, as well as weekly le�ers. O�en, soldiers don’t get mail from their family and friends for weeks or months at a time, and many have told Pa�on-Bader, the president of Soldier’s Angels, how appreciative they are for the le�ers. Senior Ashley Babcock, whose father has twice been deployed to Iraq since 2003, said, “I know the troops really like ge�ing packages from people other than their families—it’s great encouragement and shows how much people care about them.” But Angels are also grateful for the experience. “I get as many le�ers from Angels as I do from [soldiers],

saying ‘Thank you for giving me this experience, for le�ing me help,” Pa�on-Bader said. This holiday season, Soldiers’ Angels is also helping with the a�ermath of the Fort Hood shootings. “When Fort Hood came up, we had to get busy,” Pa�onBader said. The organization is focusing on making sure those wounded at Fort Hood as well as the families of those killed get help through the holiday season. They had a similar experience in 2006 a�er Hurricane Katrina destroyed military families’ homes and displaced soldiers based around the Gulf. Additionally, Soldiers’ Angels is preparing for the 30,000 new troops soon to be sent to the Middle East. Once those soldiers are deployed, there will be a major demand for more Angels. Pa�on-Bader said, “The great thing about this organization is that we can work with anybody—young,

old…any race or religion…. We have a ton of [teenagers] who participate, who ﬁnd it rewarding.” “It’s really cool to see how much people appreciate the troops. So much eﬀort is put into [Soldiers’ Angels],” senior Victoria Phillips said; her father was stationed in Iraq for 15 months last year. “I’m so honored,” Pa�on-Bader said, “to stand wingtip to wingtip with people who support our troops. It’s so important to let the men and women serving our country know how much we appreciate them.”

Santa sheds light on Christmas mysteries At Crossroad’s Mall, Old Saint Nick gives answers BY MEGAN SCOTT

Staff Writer

Between wrapping all the gi�s, making a list and checking it twice and spreading all the merry cheer, Santa Claus ﬁnds time in his busy schedule for those who make his gi� delivery all worth while — the children. Santa asked to remain nameless due to the fact that it’s part of his job description. Throughout the month of December, Old Saint Nick is at Crossroads Mall taking pictures with young visitors and adding to his holiday wish list. In all the hustle and bustle, Santa found time to sit down and answer a few questions lingering on many childrens’ (and teens’) minds.

Of all the various sorts of cookies, which is your favorite?

A: “I love them all! It`s [Christmas Eve] the one night where I can eat as JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

JOLLY OLD SAINT NICK: Santa is spreading the holiday cheer as Santa in Crossroad’s Mall.

many cookies as I want and never gain a pound!”

Q: Do you have any children?

“I have three children, but 3,444 A: grandchildren-I`m not sure how that happened.”

While you are away from the North Pole, who is le� in charge to keep the workshop organized? “Bernard and Kyle are taking the A: reins along with Judy- They`re my head elves. Bernard is 1,200 years old so he knows what he`s doing and Judy has been working in the candy department for hundreds of years.”

Coal is long known as the present given to children on the naughty list, why is this?

“Well, I`ve been doing this for a number of years, so the elves and I have go�en the hang of it. The most important thing is the good spirit and love that keeps our workshop running.”

Many children know the most famous nine reindeer, but are there any others? “Oh, of course! There are A: thousands of deer but only three girls:

Dancer, Vixen and Cupid. Those three are the best because they know exactly where every child is when they aren`t staying at home for the holidays.”

“In the past few years, we made A: the decision to stop giving coal-children

What deems a child to be placed on the naughty list? And is there any hope for children to redeem themselves before Christmas arrives?

How is the workshop handling the Q: present falling economy?

“Mrs. Claus and I don`t like having a naughty list anymore. It`s too negative. Every child slips now and again and they all need to have a second chance

don`t know what it is anymore, so it defeats the purpose.”

Vibe

Stampede

page nine

entertainment and events

Dec. 11, 2009

Quick Hits Music John Mayer Battle Studies Rock

68%

- Keenan Cronyn

Lady Gaga The Fame Monster

Pop

98%

The eight new tracks on the masterpiece that is “The Fame Monster” hold true to Gaga style. The sadistic-andtwisted-love-story theme holds a strong presence with stand-out tracks “Monster” and “Bad Romance.” The heart-felt ballad “Speechless” allows the artist to show her so�er side, while the Latin-inspired dance beat “Alejandro” provides a theatrical aspect. Scandalous lyrics combine with a unique sound to give us just what we expect from Lady Gaga, which in my opinion, is pure genius. In the words of Gaga herself: enjoy, you li�le monsters. -Marissa Miars

OneRepublic Waking Up Alternative

80%

If one were to stop at “Apologize,” the band’s most popular hit, one would be missing the true artistry and potential OneRepublic exhibits on their sophomore eﬀort, “Waking Up.” A signiﬁcant improvement over the debut album, “Waking Up” combines catchy beats with big choruses to reach a mainstream audience. It’s hard to resist catchy numbers like “All The Right Moves,” the album’s standout track. However, it’s disheartening to see a band with such raw talent stoop to mainstream formulas. -Nathan Ranns

JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE

KRISTA

HATCHER

WILL

HARVEY

Putting faces to the voices behind the WKFR morning show BY CARLY NAGENGAST

“This job is fun because it doesn’t feel like a job. You get paid to entertain people,” Hatcher said. “Personally, I tried the theater for five years; I knew I wanted to be in entertainment. That’s my passion: to Krista Hatcher resembles a fairy as closely as a grown woman make people laugh.” can while still looking like a respectable adult (and without sprouting Harvey and Hatcher’s show is unique to some in the way that their wings). A carefully coordinated green knit sweater complements her broadcast revolves around a partnership. This can yield either great raging red hair and modern magenta glasses; her perfectly round rewards or great consequences for the duo. cheeks only magnify this effect. Hatcher hums along in time to a Justin “We’ve all worked with morning shows that absolutely hate each Timberlake song as she rests her chin in her palm and clicks through a other and have huge egos, and it never ends well,” Harvey said. “If website. two people can’t talk together it’s going to sound awkward on air and Will Harvey, on the other hand, paints a much different picture. people can tell… You have someone to play off of, and with a team it all He’s busied himself with a�acking a four-by-five paper grid on an depends on your chemistry.” adjacent wall (his schedule for the next week). If he claimed to just have For 103.3’s pre-dawn pair, the partnership was sink or swim the woken up, he would be hard pressed to find a man or woman who first time they worked together. wouldn’t believe him. Then again, these two report to the office while “Will and I met for about 45 minutes,” Hatcher reminisced, “and most sensible people are still dreaming. that’s it.” Harvey returns to his roosting spot in a pre-‘90s Lazy Boy in his The pressure for perfection mounts track sweats and indiscernible band t-shirt considerably when you consider some of their just visible above the zipper of his grey working conditions. striped hoodie. The florescent lights must “We’re 100 percent live in the morning,” be much brighter than they seem for he has We’ve all worked Hatcher said. “It’s basically improv off the decided to don his sunglasses – indoors. with morning shows seat of our pants.” This unlikely pair make up the two-man In an industry as old as radio, though, that absolutely hate team of the locally noteworthy radio morning the question is inevitably raised: what kind show, Hatcher and Harvey. Every weekday each other and have of longevity does it have? However, even in a morning, these two manage to crawl out of huge egos, and it world where it seems almost every teenager bed and into the office in time for their 5:30 in America owns a portable mp3 player, – 10 a.m. radio show. never ends well. neither Hatcher or Harvey are ba�ing an “Our bedtimes are right around eight eyelash with worry. o’clock or nine at night,” Harvey admi�ed. Krista Hatcher “We put the local twist,” Harvey Being well-rested is a necessary evil in their Radio host added. “A lot of people who listen to the line of work when manning the morning morning show for a long time feel they’ve show for 103.3 FM, the highest rated station in become friends with the personalities on the the Kalamazoo area. radio stations. It’s almost a comfort thing Though a rigorous schedule to keep by sometimes… We’re almost like a break from reality for a lot of people. most people’s standards, it was not a surprise to the two when signing Just tune in and have fun.” on. “The only thing I worry about is [the] recession,” Hatcher “[The station was] looking specifically for morning show said. “The only way we have jobs and the only way radio exists is personalities,” Hatcher said, “so we knew what we were ge�ing into.” commercials.” Neither was it chance which ne�ed Hatcher and Harvey the Yet, the morning show combo isn’t le�ing this possibility stop them lucrative morning show positions at WKFR. from se�ing goals. “Both Will and I had to pay our dues,” Hatcher laughed. “I’d like to be the number one show in the number one market one “My first job, I had to move in with my great aunt and uncle,” day, but for now, [with] our show we stay away from the political talk Harvey confessed. “There were disagreements, and for the last two and serious things about religion and a lot of the downer things you months I was living out of my car at the radio station… I would go into hear about in talk radio,” Harvey said. the radio station at night when no one was there and I would literally “I think our goal is syndication [being distributed over more just practice - practice editing audio, practice breaks, practice being a stations simultaneously] one day. Who doesn’t want to make money?” personality type of thing.” Hatcher said with a smile. “I’ve yet to know anyone to do that… That Despite such events, though, the effort put into their careers so far would just be a dream.” has been well worth it to work in a field they truly enjoy.

staff writer

“

For a celebrity so interesting, John Mayer’s newest release “Ba�le Studies” is underwhelming at best. His ﬁrst real a�empt at a blues album feels incredibly insincere and repetitive. It’s riddled with tacky similes and metaphors relating to war that are anything but clever, and instead come oﬀ as fake and absent-minded. Despite the trampled creativity, Mayer comes out of his bunker during an upbeat cover of “Cross Roads” as well as the folk-themed single “Who Says.” It’s worth a purchase, but let’s face it, Jennifer Aniston is not worth an entire album.

the

Weekend Pass

An all-access guide to what’s happening this weekend

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Vibe

Stampede

page ten

entertainment and events

Dec. 11, 2009

Quick Hits

Winter wish list

Music Rihanna Rated R R&B

73%

Rihanna’s new album, “Rated R,” is a mixture of intense, fun songs to enjoy. Some of the songs include a Caribbean feel with a booming beat while sticking to the theme of the album: love gone bad. “Stupid in Love” has a good beat and strong lyrics that emphasize the artist’s hardships in love. Despite the more serious lyrical choices, these songs have good tempos to dance to and this is an overall satisfactory album to listen to. - Emma Page

Movies Chris Weitz Twilight: New Moon Fantasy/Romance

Bela Lugosi, the original Dracula, first infused the vampire movie class with mystery and sex appeal in 1931, evolving it into a fantasy that struck a chord with the masses. In 2009, “Twilight: New Moon” exterminated that same genre like a race horse with a broken leg. Instead of connecting with the masses, “New Moon” speaks solely to the mass – the mass of screaming, paraphernalia-addicted, estrogenic teens. Dipping largely into their slow motion and gym membership budget, the movie comes out strong with billowing shirts and half-naked men, but seriously lacks any artistic value. At all. This film desecrates everything that was holy and admired about the fine culture of vampire films. Then it throws what’s le� of it to the wolf-crazed teenage girls.

-Carly Nagengast

Ward off winter weather on your walk to Waylee with ﬁve must-have pieces

The Scarf

BY MARISSA MIARS

The Boot

Vibe Editor

The Sweater

As appealing as throwing on that fuzzy North Face jacket may sound, it may be time for a new standby-sweater with less ﬂuﬀ and more tough. Whether it be the classic cardigan, the fancy pullover, or the zip-up hoodie, Frayed has all the essentials when it comes to staying warm and cozy. Located on 815 West Michigan Ave., the only Frayed store in existence sits just outside of downtown Kalamazoo. The fact that it is home to well-known brands like Hurley, Element and Roxy, and lesser-known brands such as Alpine stars set Frayed apart from other stores in the area. The store doesn’t discriminate against gender, carrying an equal amount of men’s and women’s apparel. One word of advice when it comes to sweater shopping, unless you plan on ba�ling Eskimos in the Alps, do us all a favor and keep the furry hoods to a minimum.

The Overcoat

It’s no question that Express is the hidden gem of the Crossroads Mall. Although most teenagers pass by without a second glance, a step inside reveals a world of sophisticated whimsy that both genders can appreciate. Being a store specializing in dress clothes, Express makes a perfect haven for the winter coat of your dreams. I’ve always loved the idea of rolling out of bed, throwing on an overcoat, and looking put together. The coats at Express allow you to do just that, providing a dressy feel with a causal ﬁt. It doesn’t hurt that all sweaters, long sleeve shirts, and leggings are buy one get one 50 percent oﬀ just in time for the Christmas season. Casual sophistication oh how we adore you.

No one can deny that scarves are the latest trend. They are no longer merely a neck warmer but a fashion staple. From men’s neutrals to women’s hot pinks, the clothing store H&M masters the knit scarf be�er than most grandmothers. The closest H&M clothing store is found at the Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor. If shoe stores were useless items, DSW would be balloons. Located at 5110 W. Main St., DSW is the equivalent of a shoe warehouse, housing such designer brands as Betsy Johnson and Marc by Marc Jacobs alongside Minnetonka moccasins and Birkenstocks. Both women’s and men’s boots span for aisles on end before even reaching the clearance racks. Two tips to keep in mind while shopping: cow boy boots should be kept at the barn and high heels and ice do not mix.

The Hat and Glove Combo

When it comes to keeping you warm, Urban Outfi�ers beats hot cocoa by a landslide. With large online collections of winter hats galore and gloves in every color and length imaginable, it’s hard to decide where to begin. I suggest starting in the sale section on www.urbanoutfi�ers. com, where men’s and women’s hat prices begin at just $10. If you’re not a fan of online shopping, an Urban Outfi�ers can be found within a five-mile radius of just about every college campus, housing stores in both Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

Frayed 5

Gives students in-store credit for their friends’ purchases a�er referring ﬁve friends.

Percent oﬀ entire purchase when students bring in their Id on Student Appreciation Tuesdays

Perfect oﬀ all accessories on Sundays

Upcoming Events

STUDENT COUNCIL Portage Central

December 14th-18th Angel Tree, bring in toys to your homeroom.

February 1st-5th Winter Homecoming

Can Drive for PCOC

December 19th December 14th Portage High School Hockey Start of Winter Break Classic PC vs. PN

January 16th 5 v 5 Volleyball Tournament Sign up in the Blue Ofﬁce or Mr. Sutherland’s room-W14

6:00 p.m. Wings Stadium

Fridays:

November 6, 2009 – AQ Day November 13, 2009 – Science/Nursing/Math AQ Day November 20, 2009 – AQ Day December 4, 2009 – Leadership AQ Day March 19, 2010 – Fine Arts Day April 16, 2010 – AQ Day

Saturday:

January 23, 2010 – Athletic AQ Day

If our dates don’t work, we’re happy to schedule individual visits between 9 and 4 Monday – Friday, and on most Saturdays during the academic year. Just go to www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/visit or call (800) 678-9593.

1607 Robinson Road, SE | Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 616 632-2900 or 800 678-9593 | www.aquinas.edu

Sports

Stampede

page eleven

Dec. 11, 2009

athletics and leisure

Great sports, great expectations sports editor

A L E X M C C A RT H Y

If one gets nervous or stressed easily, the fall season definitely wasn’t for him or her. Whether it was a hard-hi�ing triple overtime game to win a share of the SMAC West title for football, a heart-pounding relay race to win the conference for swimming or a frankly unbelievable comeback win in an intense regional final for volleyball, the fall sports season was filled to the brim with unforge�able moments. Undoubtedly, these moments helped propel Mustang sports teams to one of their best seasons ever. Some may scoff at the claim that this was one of Central’s best seasons ever. Boy’s tennis finished in the top 10 in the state, girls’ golf finished in the top 15 and boys’ soccer won the SMAC Central Championship with a lastminute goal. A�er trailing in the conference meet from the first race to the penultimate race, the girls’ swimming and diving team barely beat Kalamazoo Central’s team in the last relay of the meet to win.

While those achievements seem difficult to top, both football and volleyball were the main focuses of the fall season. Following oddly similar paths, they both exceeded expectations and had their best seasons in three decades. While both squads dominated opponents in their regular seasons, they both suffered major setbacks as a captain from each team broke important bones. During a win over Grand Rapids O�awa Hills, senior quarterback Jeremy Renda broke his hand, placing him on the bench with other key injured teammates. Senior Kristina Krautmanis, a captain of the volleyball team, also suffered an unfortunate accident during the playoffs. In the words of another senior captain of the volleyball squad, Mari Schoolmaster, “You can’t replace a Kristina Krautmanis.” Despite vital health issues, football reached the regional final game before succumbing to powerhouse Lowell (who eventually won the state title) and volleyball overcame the loss of the dominant Krautmanis to go all the way to the state finals (see page 12 for a li�le more). While all of us simple fans of these teams are grateful for the endless entertainment from the fall athletes, members of winter teams are probably a li�le frightened from this success. Since students watched numerous teams go deep into the playoffs during the fall,

expectations expectations for themselves; may be next year’s fall dangerously teams have a lot to high for the live up to. Since nearly winter season. all of them have some kind Usually, a school is lucky of championship to defend, to have one they should expect to work or two teams hard in preparation for next year. represent their school well in Obviously, the playoﬀs, there were many ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE but fans may more positives be le� bored to this fall season EMOTIONAL SEASON: Fall athletes, having just one than negatives, like seniors (left to right) Bethany or two winter teams and every person Schmall, Mari Schoolmaster, Jeremy compete for conference or Renda and Spencer Munson provided involved with a fall regional titles. A�er all, it was Portage Central fans with copious levels of excitean anomaly for a team not to team should ment over the course of the season. compete for a championship be enormously during the fall. proud of themselves; whether you were the Fans need to make sure to expect a lot captain of the team, a coach, a bench-warmer, from our talented athletes during the winter, a trainer, a parent or one of the dedicated but not too much. To all you freshmen out members of the cheering section, you deserve there, don’t expect as many heart-stopping congratulations. For years to come, Mustang excitement and incredible highlight-reel athletes will look back on 2009 and cheer; on moments as we saw during this fall (I’ve never the other hand, opponents will look at 2009 seen so many amazing games in one season and shudder. Honestly, I’m not sure if there before), although I’m sure the winter season has ever been a be�er year to be a proud will have its share of great games. player, coach, fan or sports editor. Not only do the winter athletes have great

Previous coach returns

Weight watchers

BY SARAH MANIS

time and drinking only Pedialyte. When asked if the goal of becoming a healthier person has Hard-core diets are usually been put on the back burner in associated with paper-thin models, favor of being a winner, some not strong and beefy wrestlers. wrestlers admit that it is just a part While no one on this year’s of the training regime required to wrestling team sports the willowing accomplish goals. physique of the runway models, “Although I am aware of the many of the wrestlers do make fact that it could aﬀect my health in drastic changes to their diets. In a negative way, I am in contention order to compete at the high quality for a state title so I am willing to do of past years, the team calculates what it takes to be the best in the their intake, including food, liquid, state,” sophomore Angelo Latora muscle builder and laxatives. said. According to the wrestling Some students worry that coach Eric VerHey, this is just a part the amount of weight lost is being of everyday habits. turned into a macho badge of honor. “Every person on the planet is “Most wrestlers eat enough on a diet,” VerHey said. to have energy to perform,” Romo While nobody has a problem said. with a diet of water and fruit, A�er a number of high-proﬁle which is the majority of sophomore deaths in Michigan a while back, Nicholas Romo’s intake, many the NCAA tweaked the training students are alarmed by some of the regulations. In Michigan, all high wrestlers’ eating habits of skipping school wrestlers must meals, consuming rice cakes all the have their body fat calibrated before the season starts with a skin fold fat test. VerHey and fellow coach Ken Haughn then send the results to the state. Throughout all of this, credit is due to the wrestlers for their dedication to the sport. “Anyone would JON ZOMER/STAMPEDE like to win, but the best DOWN FOR THE COUNT: Junior Jared Szymanski work hard so they can be the best,” Latora and teammate prepare for an upcoming meet. said.

“I think that it is a li�le bit harder this year because Staff Writer there’s only one of her and there are more of us,” junior Megan Weessies said. With the new budget cuts effecting the school’s A change in coaching staff is usually something that gets around the school pre�y quickly. This year’s funding, it’s possible that the gymnastics team will cease gymnastics team not only got a new coach but decreased to exist next year. Despite the future, our gymnasts are working harder than ever. its coaching staff from two coaches to just one. Along with a new Ashley Baarda is the new gymnastics coach, there are new coach this year. She rules and guidelines as well. With the coach’s graduated from Portage Northern High extremely energetic a�itude and noteworthy School and holds a state record of a 9.75 gymnastics background, on a floor routine. this years’ team is a lot Baarda later graduated more intense by means of having harder workouts. from Oklahoma City “It’s exciting University with a watching all the girls dance major and a push themselves, it really history minor. Baarda proves their dedication,” is currently studying at Western Michigan junior Rebecca Jacobs University toward said. Although the team her organizational was altogether more communications relaxed last year than it is major. She just recently this year, the gymnastics finished choreographing floor routines for the team is making strides towards a be�er and WMU gymnastics team. A�er being the more closely knit team. ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE Portage Gymnastics “It all comes down head coach in 2006, to the relationships made Baarda wanted to get within the team,” Jacobs HARDER WORKOUTS, TOUGHER TEAM: Returning coach Ashley back into it again. She said. “Skill is important Baarda instructs junior Megan Weessies at practice. loved it before, and she but the interdependence and support your teammates give you is what really loves it now. ma�ers.” “I really enjoy being the only coach,” Baarda said. Baarda hopes her athletes make it further than they “I enjoy handling all the paper work myself because I have ever gone before, but she stresses that she can only know it will get done right.” do so much to achieve this. This year’s cuts le� the gymnastics team with one “There is only so much I can do to push them, they coach. This spreads out the a�ention that each athlete are going to have to want it themselves! That is what receives, giving them a slightly smaller opportunity to learn new things. makes a good team,” Baarda said.

BY CHLOE WESTLEY Staff Writer

Mustang Sports Central December 2

ALL MINIS CURRENT AS OF TUESDAY, DEC. 8

Women’s Basketball Record: 1-1 Next Game: Tonight at Loy Norrix Head Coach: Matt Tabor

ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE

Head Coach: Jim Murray

Hockey

ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE

December 1

JUNIOR PAIGE WESTER

Lady Mustangs open season with a win

Next Game: Tonight at Cranbrook Kingswood

Season opener an easy victory

JUNIOR PAIGE WESTER

Record: 1-0

Fall All-Division Athletes Football

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Swimming

Men’s Tennis Singles

Senior Junior Senior Junior Senior

Nick McIntyre Ryan Krill Spencer Munson* Kyle Cutler Mike Martin

Senior Bethany Schmall Senior Kelsey Cubbage Sophomore Alex Desotelle Junior Elin Nystrom Freshman Hannah Parry

Men’s Cross Country Junior Zach Warner Junior Alex Waldvogal Senior Matt Jones Junior John Rose

Women’s CC Senior Senior Junior Junior

Julia Slesinski Victoria Phillips Karen Jones Maddie Sandmeyer

Senior Senior Senior Senior Junior

Sean Magee* Patrick Drabik Jared Penland Kevin Ledden Zach Al-Khamis

Senior Ryan Richmond* Sophomore Tyler Richmond*

Men’s Tennis Doubles

Senior Brogan Vandevelde Junior Brad Beadling

Women’s Golf

Junior Cassidy Goldner Freshman Jessica Heimonen

Volleyball

Senior Kristina Krautmanis* Junior Taylor Galloway Senior Mari Schoolmaster * denotes all-state player

Stampede

page twelve

Sports athletics and leisure

Dec. 11, 2009

Volleyball cruises to state ﬁnals Mustangs ﬁnish second in state after incredible run Sports Editor

Standing next to a jet engine couldn’t have possibly been any louder. A split second a�er senior Mari Schoolmaster pounded home the final of her 11 kills against Livonia Churchill High School to give the Mustangs a 25-23 victory in the clinching game of the volleyball semifinals, Kellogg Arena almost literally exploded with the reactions of both the players and fans. For the first time in history, the Portage Central volleyball team was bound for the state championship. “It was our dream to get there,” junior Taylor Galloway said. Although they fell to top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian in the finals, it was still the longest run in Portage Central volleyball history. While the season officially began in August, the team began truly bonding at a volleyball camp at Michigan State University during the summer. The players put the inner struggles of last year’s squad behind them and grew KATIE AFTON incredibly close over the next

“

were sure we could [make it to the finals],” Galloway said. However, the biggest setback the team suffered was the loss of immensely talented senior captain Kristina Krautmanis when she broke her wrist in a biking accident just a�er the district playoffs. She remained a constant vocal supporter from her spot on the sidelines. “Even without Kristina on the court, she still supported us from the bench,” junior Mallory Pa�erson said. The problem still remained in terms of how to try and replace Krautmanis on the court. Who could possibly fill the red tennis shoes of the Miss Volleyball (equivalent to ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE MVP) candidate? Through various TENSE CROWD: As junior Taylor Galloway sends the ball over the net in the semifinals against shi�s in the Livonia Churchill, Central fans look on, anxious to see their team make it to the state finals. lineup of the front line of the players. While each fan had their favorite player, Magee was Mustang offense, a winning partial to the leadership and charisma of Schoolmaster. combination was eventually found. “In her own li�le way, I think Mari put in a lot of “Everyone stepped up,” junior Katie A�on said. “It wasn’t intangible things that people didn’t see for the most part at the just one person.” volleyball games and I admired that,” Magee said. The giant sea of yellow: Mustang fans While the student section was loud by itself, they became While a number of the girls on the team filled bigger deafening when they started collaborating with the parents. roles during the playoffs, many would agree that it’s difficult “We developed a relationship with them throughout the to mention 2009 Portage Central volleyball without a nod season and…by the time we got to semis and finals, we were to the outstanding fans who faithfully followed the team to working together,” Beranek said. “‘We are PC’ was a united Muskegon and Ba�le Creek. chant.” “From the freshmen to the seniors, everyone is cheering The combination of students and parents was a constant as hard as they can,” senior Sean Magee said. “They’re not just reminder to the players of the reason they were truly playing. there for the game, they’re pu�ing all their effort into cheering “It helped us in knowing that we should play not just for as hard as they can.” ourselves but for our friends and family,” Pa�erson said. As soon as the team won an incredible match over Grand Rapids Christian to win the regional title, word of mouth about 2009: The beginning of a dynasty? volleyball spread faster than swine flu. Luckily, one of the While the combination of students and parents was team’s biggest fans was class president senior Tony Beranek. difficult for opponents to handle, the crowd noise was nothing At the end of his address to compared to the skill on the court. It’s the student body regarding quite probable that this was the most the construction of the new talented volleyball squad to ever call school, he threw in a quick Portage Central its home, and it looks plug urging students to to continue its dominance next season. a�end the semifinal match, A�er all, the only two departures (even and during seventh hour that though they were huge parts of this same day, an announcement year’s run) will be Krautmanis and was made regarding the same Schoolmaster. With the exceptions of subject ma�er. Not only sophomores Erika Nord and Sarah was Beranek enthusiastically Heckman, all of the remaining varsity recruiting fans, but he worked members will be seniors next year, hard to make the Mustang providing a wealth of experience and student section among the leadership. loudest in the state. “Everyone will want to be a leader “I would single out because it will be their senior year,” people if they weren’t Galloway said. participating in any of my While the prospect of another cheers,” Beranek said. “If deep run next year is exciting, 2009 they were si�ing down when will stand out as the first year that we were doing something, I everything came together and worked would yell at them.” to near perfection. Perhaps this year While fans were first will be remembered as the beginning of drawn to the matches because a dynasty for PC volleyball, but it will ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE of the high ranking and great be nearly impossible to match the level successes of the volleyball of excitement achieved by this year’s EUPHORIA ON THE COURT: Senior Mari Schoolmaster team, they kept returning squad. celebrates the team’s win in game two of the state to the games because of the “I’ll never forget it,” Galloway said. finals, which was the school’s first ever appearance respect they gained for the “That’s for sure.” in the volleyball state finals.

Everyone stepped up. It wasn’t just one person.

Junior weeks leading to the season. The team rolled through the regular season to the tune of a 62-8 record, but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t approach hardships on the way to their finals berth. Obviously, the difficulty of opponents greatly increased as they went into the playoffs, especially with teams like Rockford (a top-five team with a 42-19-1 record) and top-ranked Marian in the finals (which had beaten Central in two of the three regular season meetings between the two teams). “Once we got on a rhythm in the state tournament, we

ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE

HIGH FLYER:Junior Mallory Patterson spikes the ball past Marian’s Alexandra Cocklin (Michigan’s Miss Volleyball winner) during the state finals match on Nov. 21.

“

BY ALEX McCARTHY

Men’s and women’s basketball share court BY EMMA PAGE

Staff Writer

Everyone has their own pre-game ritual. Whether it’s wearing the same socks or listening to the same song over and over, it gets them focused for the game. However, this year for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the pre-gaming might change. Due to low gate revenues, the Big 16 made the decision to have the varsity men’s and women’s basketball teams play at the same location Friday nights. “Friday is our main revenue night,” Athletic Director Dr. Larry Edlund said. “This year we hope to get more Fridays with the boys and girls on the same night.” Last year the men’s team had two home games while the women’s team had three. Now, the teams will play at the same location for Friday games. The women’s team will play ﬁrst, and then the men will follow. This will hopefully increase a�endance and allow the players to have more exposure. Women’s varsity coach Ma� Tabor agrees with this change and believes it’s a be�er situation for the players. “It’s going to be great,” Tabor said.

“There will be difficulties you don’t anticipate but it’s a be�er situation for the girls.” Not worried about the lack of concentration, senior Bri Russell looks forward to the season. “Hopefully people will start going to [our] games more,” Russell said. Since the women’s team will play first, the men will sit and support their fellow Mustangs. “We’ll be distracted but it’s good,” senior Ian Ryder said. “We get to watch the girls play for free.” The freshman and JV teams will play the Thursday before the Friday game at different locations. The women freshman and JV teams will be at home when Varsity is home, while the men’s freshman and JV teams will be away. It does add more travel which adds more expenses because of the location differences. “The boys will sit in front and the girls in back,” Tabor said. The only other concern is if one team wins when the other team loses. “Either way it’s going to be the a�itude of the coaches,” men’s coach Corey McNeal said. “I have more of the outward intensity, so [if we lose] there won’t be a word either way.” It’s a big change from last year, but the players and coaches are looking forward to it.

ALEX MCCARTHY/STAMPEDE

SUPPORTING THEIR COURTMATES: Senior men’s basketball players Andrew Galer (blue shirt), Monty Porter (gray shirt) and Ian Ryder (cream shirt) yell their praises for the women’s team during its ﬁrst game against Mattawan. This year, both teams will be sharing the court on gamedays.