LHS Advocate 2002-2003

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Party filled with noise, fun, chaos

---E-lla E.nglanct __ _ Feature£ditor

The sound of music and the smell of every possible type of food-from funnel cakes to egg rolls- filled the air. Looking around all that is -seen are students and teachers talking and laughing and just having fun.

This is what most people saw on August 30 at the Back to School Bash ori the Lincoln High front lawn. People were there for various reasons, including working booths for clubs and just hanging out with new friends and old. Sophomore Gabriela Santos went primarily to help out with the Cheerleading Dunking Booth, but she also had a great time with her friends.

(L to R) Andreas Stewart- Finkenstaedt signs up for the Ecology Club as John Demitroff looks on at the BTSB.

The Back to School Bash was not only for students. Teachers won a prize no matter what. There such as first and fourth year Span- were even Army representatives ish teacher Janine Theiler went with an "Army obstacle course" with her husband and dog, "I'm which was basically teaching expecting noise, fun, and a little people how to use a laser rifle to chaos. I am also looking forward shoot little pop-up targets. to seeing the jousting matches," - Afterward, there was an inforshe said. mal dance. The dance started at

Clubs set up tables featuring around 8 PM. At the same time food games, and sign-up sheets. huge spotlights started dancing Asian Caucus sold egg rolls, fried across the sky. The D.J. played rice, and crab rangoon, while mostly country music to dismay of Campus Life offered a free golf- many people. type game in which participants Fifth year Back to School

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Bash coordinator and Marketing teacher Trudy Hines said, "It was the best ever!" She continued explaining that it was so great because it wasn't just the teachers and the Booster club doing everything. The students got involved and the clubs got involved. It was everyone working together that made everything work out perfectly. Around two hundred students came to show their support;which is one of the largest turnouts ever. Hines also said that the

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Due to a recent decision by the Lincoln Board of Education, Lincoln Public Schools will be reconstructing the way they figure class rankings. The new class rank system is tied closely to weighted grades and how they factor into the student's overall Grade-PointAverage (GPA). The system will take effect this year, however to be fair to juniors and seniors the school district will nin a "dual system" for the first two years. The class of 2005 (current sophomores) will be the first class to be rariked solely by the new system. Currently, Lincoln Public Schools uses a GPA-based system to figure class rank. A student earns 21-.0points for an A in a class, 3.5 points for a B+, 3.0 points for a B, and so on. For weighted courses, the student earns 5.0 points for an A, 4.5 points for a B+, and 4.0 points for a B. Then to figure the student's overall

GPA, the total number of points is divided by the number of credit hours they have accumulated. According to a I11emosent out by Lincoln Public Schools District Office to all the high school principals, GPA will still be calculated the same in the new class ranking system, but the actual class rank (e.g. 134 out of 645) will be determined by a point system. Instead of ranking students by _their GPA, they will be rariked by the total number of points they have accumulated. In other words, they are skipping the last step of dividing by total number of credit hours. Classes taken pass/fail will not be awarded any points.

The reason for the new system: weighted grades. In the past, a student who had a GPA over 4.0 would actually be penalized for taking an 11nweightedcourse, since the 4.0 would factor into their GPA and thus pull it down. Because of this, many students chose to take unweighted courses pass/fail, or take as few unweighted courses as

first dance in the courtyard made the entire event even better because it allowed everyone to stay out until 11 o'clock and just made the fun last longer.

Events at this year's Back to School Bash included food for sale such, as cotton candy sponsored by the Spirit Club, tasty Sno Cones from the Pomalinks, juicy cheeseburgers bought by DECA, and the Red Cross helped out by bringing water. There were also activities that varied from a BopIt booth from SCIP to the Mummers karaoke to even a threelegged race from the Girls L Club. There were plenty of things to see. Hummer helicopters brought by the National Guard and live music from lbcal bands Trial by Error and Grover Plans have already started for next year. The National Guard has volunteered to return and bring a Rock Climb. The theme will not be decided upon until second semester. Mrs. Hines restated many times how Back to School Bash would not this year and will not next year be possible unless the stµdents want it and are willing to help with it. So far that does not look like it will be a problem. Student involvement is one of the most important parts of Back to School Bash.

an epossible. Now, students will not be penalized for taking unweighted courses, but rather rewarded for taking weighted classes. The new system also discourages students from taking classes pass/fail, since they will no longer earn points toward their class rarik by doing so.

Members of the Board of Education, voting 4-0 to pass the new system with three members being excused, enthusiastically supported the system. This system, though, might not be the perfect solution. In the new system, a student with a higher GPA who has taken a more rigorous class load could be rariked under a student with · a lower GPA, but who has taken more classes. This means a student who took only five weighted courses and earned all J',;s would be ranked lower than a student who took seven unweighted classes and also earned J,;s.

Lincoln High Principal Mike Wortman believes that there are both advantages and disadvantages

to the new policy. "With any system, there is going to be plusses and minuses. For any given sys-tern, there is going to be someone _ rariked at the top.'' Wortman added "There is not necessarily any one right way to figure class rank.''

"It seems very unfair," commented LHS senior Anna Swisher, a student who has taken several weighted courses. "Why should another student who is taking an easier class load than me get to havt; a higher class rank? If I had known that, I would have taken eight classes a day and summer school.''

Senior Sam Be utler agrees. "It's ridiculous that one student · can take a much more rigorous class load and still be rariked under someone else.'' Luckily, under the "dual system" being use_dfor current juniors and seniors, these two seniors probably will not be affected by the new ranking policy. Her advice, however, might serve as beneficial for the class of 2005.

Does Attendence

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by JayBeermann C-opyC-o-&Jitor

Each year, as average Lincoln High School students make their way through the first day of classes, they are confronted with a brand new set of teachers and grading policies. The latter is sometimes a cause for concern and distress for students, because although there are set rules as to what teachers must do and how they are allowed to evaluate students, a large gray area still exists in the use of attendance grades.

The choice to use attendance grading seems to be a split decision among the faculty of Lincoln High School. Though all teachers follow the "fifteen absence rule" (the policy that a student can only miss a semester class fifteen times and still receive credit), only some choose to give daily attendance points. In other words, some teachers factor into their grades the number of days a student is actively involved in class (i.e. two points/day). A student who misses class, either for illness, truancy, or a school activity, does not receive the points for that day.

Lincoln High Associate Principal Pam Cox serves on the Lin- · coln Public Schools district committee involving attendance. She noted that according to district policy, "a student cannot get points based on just showing up to class. The points must be based on some sort of participation in the class."

The district's Policy and Regulation Manual states, "It may not be possible to duplicate or even substitute equivalent activities for experiences missed during an absence. In such cases, credit cannot be iss.ued." Points based on inclass participation, discussion, or activities might fall under this category, and therefore attendance points cannot be made up.

English teacher Judy Strand sees a great advantage using such a system. "I find it helps kids stay accountable for bein g in class, and it helps them think about their at-

tendance." Strand started using an attendance grading system several years ago when a former administrator, Barry Stark, actually mandated that teachers use such a system in their classes. She has used it ever since and has found that for the most part "it helps the student's grade more than hindering it."

Strand, however, does not allow her system to make or break a student's grade. If one student has missed a lot of school for an unavoidable reason, she will not let it change her/his letter grade. She does believe, though, that "a kid who misses 45 days should not be allowed to maintain an A like the kids who are there every day.''

Not all teachers agree with the use of an attendance grading sys-• tern. Social Studies teacher Bob Holbert does not use attendance grades in his class. "What if a student got hit by a drunk driver, but · was still able to move their hand to complete their homework? Do you say 'Thanks for the effort' but ·fail them anyway?" Holbert does understand why some teacher might use one, however. "It's disheartening as a teacher to see students skipping class. It just adds to the total frustration level. But it (an attendance grading system) is not appropriate as a blanket policy."

For now, it seems that students will simply have to continue to adjust and adapt to the different styles of grading their teachers employ. Since there are currently no set rules as to how extensive a teacher's grading system is required to be structured, it seems that for now attendance grades will continue to be a gray area.

, Anniversary On Horizon For GLBTSA

byTiffanyBundy ----Web &Jitor

It all began ten long years ago when English Department Chair John Heineman himself put it all together. The Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Straight Alliance has been active for an entire decade. But getting a GLBTSA wasn't easy. In the beginning the answer seemed to always be "No." Not long after and with some good thought, the answer became "Yes." All it took was a little note from one student requesting to have the club and after only three days that note showed up to make it all a reality.

GLBTSA started at Lincoln High in October of 1992 and was the first school in Nebraska (and quite possibly the Midwest) to have such a club. The club started out with only a few members and . has grown to have a great following. All of its members have worked for the common goal, as stated in their constitution: "To provide opportunities for all students-_--gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, straight, and questioning-to come together to dis-

= c u=s-·s~"' i"s=.s-=ues--Yei-at-e cl •to ·sexual on- um aha ·eve ry ~summer ;- an n"'las entation; to provide education for April GLBTSA was part of a huall people at LHS on issues of ho- man chain around the Capitol for mophobia reduction, AIDS pre- equality, for GLBT citizens. More vention, dealing with differences, recently, on Saturday, September and fighting discrimination based 14th , 2002, GLBTSA helped with on sexual orientation; and to pro- building the Habitat for Humanity vide a group of supportive people house outside of Lincoln High. to aid all students as they face is- Currently the GLBTSA sponsues related to sexual orientation." sors include English Teacher Ruth Those few members that started Kupfer, English Teacher Kate the club also came up with its first Mason, and the man behind it all name, but surely not its last. Heineman. The club still meets on GLBTSA was first known as a regular basis after school and GLOBE, which meant Gay and works together on ideas for club Lesbian Organization for the Bet- days and what they can do to eduterment of Everyone. The name cate the community about GLBT eventually changed to GSA (Gay concerns. Straight Alliance), then to GLBSA For their 10 Year Anniversary, (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Straight on October 21 th an assembly is beAlliance) and finally to the alpha- · ing planned. It will be an optional bet as we know it, GLBTSA. Per- assembly to all of those students haps we have finally found a place and staff who wish to attend. for everyone, but who knows if this There will be a speaker, an aweis the final name. some visual presentation, and lots Throughout the years and lots of entertainment. The GLBTSA has been active in nu- GLBTSA !J.opesthat you will join merous activities such as protests, them for this celebration of a great parades, an ct community projects. accomplishment. It shows so much The club has participated in the strength and devotion to a cause National Day Of Silence for years. that only helps others. The club members and sponsors also attend the Pride Parade in

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teachers teaching."

Though Scott does not want to replace Carmichael's role in Lincoln High administration, she does believe she can fit into Lincoln High. "I'm coming from a different age group than she did," Scott said. "The frrst year you' re here you just kind of get into the groove.

"I especially like Lincoln High because in New Jersey we had all kinds of kids at that school," Scott said. "It's got that same diversity and an open-mindedness that's refreshing.

"I like this old building," she said. "It has so many nooks and crannies."

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·Though Marsh and Koeningsman welcome Scott into Lincoln High School, they will miss Carmichael. "We loved her," Marsh said. "She loved it that everybody hated her and

Lincoln High's newest administrator, Annie Scott, sits in her office. Scott replaces Pamela Carmichael in the Lincoln High . administration this year.

JoshSwartzlander

Fewer feathers may fly at Lincoln High School this year because former AssociatePrincipal Pamela Carmichael won't be roaming the halls of the school. Carmichael, who was a part of Lincoln High School administration for four years, left this year. She was replaced by Annie Scott. -

Lincoln High principal Mike Wortman said that Scott will be a good addition to LHS. "She brings amazing years of experience," he said. "She has been at other large schools here and in other states."Scott has indeed worked in education throughout her career. She student taught in TUinoisand worked in Wisconsin,New Jersey, and Nebraska. She has worked in high schools and middle schools as a teacher,a counselor, and an administrator.

Scott, who is married to LPS music supervisor Richard Scott, moved to Nebraska in 1991 when she worked as an associate principal at Lincoln East High School for three years. She worked in the Culler Middle School administration, and in 1995 she opened Scott Middle School. This year she is an associate principal at Lincoln High. Scott says she likes working at the high school level. "Every day something humorous happens at all different levels," she said. "You should laugh three or four times a day to stay healthy and you can do that at the high school level," she said. "High school is very interesting and different because high school students can reason."

Scott calls her outlook regarding high school students a "reasoning philosophy."

My philosophy is, let us reason together and live in peace and harmony," she said. "Read the planner, listen to teachers, and don't be nasty to each other," Scott advised. "I do like to see evidence of student learning and

But even though Scott is a great addi:tion to Lincoln High, Wortman says Carmichael was an important part of LHS culture. _ "She was here for four years and she was involved in a lot of different things," he said. "She had a sense of humor that always left us on edge."

Lincoln High seniors Chase Marsh and Kelsey Koeningsman had a special relationship with Carmichael. "We were her favorites," Koeningsman said. "Nobody can replace a woman like Ms. Carmichael."

• The two seniors, who Carmichael affectionately nicknamed Ren and Stinky, had their first run-in with Carmichael when they were sent to her by former LHS vocal music teacher Elizabeth Brockhoff. They were adding harmonies and tapping their feet when they weren't • supposed to in choir. "We got our frrst quote from her that day," Koeningsman said. "She said to us, 'Don't put harmony where harmony don't belong."'

Marsh's further behavior that landed him in Carmichael's office included leaving 14 eggs in his locker until they became rotten and smelled, and putting a dead bird in another student's locker as a prank.

'That woman was like the mother I never had," Marsh said. "She can be really intimidating, but she has likeable qualities and a sehse of humor."

· According to Wortman, Lincoln High School was more exciting because of Carmichael. "Meetings were never dull when she was around," Wortman said. "She always had a stage presence that kept everyone's at-

TinaWilson --1\ssistant Photography£di.tor

Imagine walking into a new school and being one of the frrst students to learn at the facility. The 1,152 Lincoln Southwest students didn't have to imagine. They started the new school year in a brand new building on August 26, 2002.

The Southwest High School building is a state-of-the-art facility. The school is comprised of 4 learning communities that are accompanied by 58 general-purpose classrooms, specialty classrooms, and a two-story green house. _ When you enter the school, you will find an open-air rotunda and 42 concrete benches. The benches at the entrance and around the school are wired for computers and television monitors. There are television monitors in the locker areas and in the hallways to keep the students informed about there school. When you look at the wall to find out what time it is, you will not find a regular big-hand, little-hand clock; All the clocks are digital.

The students of Southwest will enjoy their theatre, which seats 650 people. The main theatre classroom at Southwest is named, "Blackbox Studio Theater." Tt will serve for two purposes. The classroom and a smaller theatre for smaller productions, they can fit approximately 200 chairs in the room. The theatre area is full of new features for high school theatres. They have new dressingrooms, makeup rooms, a scene and construction shop, and a full fly space above the stage. The students will also be able to participate in Class A sports. They will be able to play basketball in the gym, which has four-side seating and a large silverhawk, the school mascot, at

would tell us, 'Don't let the word get out that I'm nice,"' Koeningsman said. · "She would say, 'I'm the associ"ateprincipal and I can do anything Twant,"' Marsh said. "And she did."

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center court. Students, who are interested in aquatics, will be able to enjoy the 268,000 gallon swimming pool. For those students who areri't interested in sports, but in lunch time, the school has a modem cafeteria and snack bar. The cafeteria is beaming full of natural light.

The faculty at Lincoln Southwest is consists of 68 people. The principal of the school is Jerry Wilks. As you look around Lincoln High, you will notice that a few of the staff members are gone Those who left Lincoln High are, Cory Free (Desktop Publishing, CAD), Tracy Fortney (Student Parenting, Hu- · man Behavior), Melody Kenney (Media Specialist), and Kevin French (PE, Health, Math). Southwest's opening had little effect on Lincoln High's student population. We lost only 46 students.

The way Southwest does scheduling is also new to Lincoln Public Schools. Southwest is using "block" scheduling in which, the students have 4 classes a day for 90 minutes, over 9 weeks, as opposed to 7 or 8, 45 minute classes for 18 weeks that we have here at Lincoln High. They also have a class called advisory at the end of the day. Ttis like a homeroom/ study hall. · The way that Southwest is doing their scheduling, the students will then receive 80 credits with a full schedule, at the end of each year, as opposed to the 70 credits most students,with a full schedule, receive for classes at other schools.

In being the newest high school in Lin-coln, in 35 years, Southwest has their work cut out for them. They have started traditions already and will continue to set more each day. It's a matter of time before Southwest becomes an old school and Lincoln North Star is the new school.

cameWiegert J\SSistantBusinessManager

On Thursday, September 26, the Lincoln High Varsity football team played Pius X High School. After some disappointing losses, our 27-14 win was an exciting victory. Only a day later we celebrated the game with a night of "Old Hollywood" glamour, and tons of great • music.

Student Council worked hard this year preparing for Homecoming. "Our committees stayed after school some nights, and scheduled the D.J in advance," sophomore student council member Richard King said. Their hard work paid off on the night of September 27.

The decorations were outstanding. Stars were scattered across the floor with the name of a different Lincoln High School student on each one. Lights hung from the ceiling added to the majestic feel-

l(evinReed .StaffWriter

In today's world you can go across the world in a matter of seconds with the click of a mouse. In the same way a hip hop artist's whole career can be washed away with the same fatal click.

Today's music industry is in the worst position it has been in for years. In 2001, 37 artists sold one millio n copies before midyear. This is compared to this year when only three hits sold one million copies within the first two weeks (Eminem, No Doubt and Ashanti), while most artists this year have sat back and witnessed the downfall of their dreams, hope and most of all, the downfall of their music.

Most, if not all, artists can tell you that the largest contributing factor to the low sales in music of the new age is copyright infringement. Copyright infringement can be a number of things; free internet downloads, or the use of an artist's copyrighted inusic without his or her knowledge (sampling). But we are now seeing different artists finding a new way to combat this problem.

For example, Nelly is number one; he is one of this year's brightest stars. The road Nelly used to make it this year was to extend his reach to an audience that has not really been heard before. This urban audience helped Nelly a great deal in pushing him to the top of the chart. By doing this, Nelly's new CD, "Nellyville,'' sold a grand total of 1.2 million copies within the first two weeks.

Another quick up-and-coming artist is Eminen. Eminem also made a move for the good. A marketing decisio n made with the help of his marketing team at Interscope Records pushed for an earlier release date. To get his album in to retailers' hands as quickly as he could, in an effort that would keep his music in stores and not mixed up in the illegal downloads and computer Internet leaks, CD burning , and a number of other illegal acts. It was a very important thing to Eminem that his album be in people's hands the way he intended for his music to be.

aing of the night. Some students even dressed for the occasion, sporting boas, and white gloves to compliment the "Old Hollywood" theme.

Homecoming Royalty was announced as the night began to wind down. - Sophomore Royalty winners included, Duke, Alex Hall, and Dutchess Gabby PorterLoving. Junior Royalty winners were, for prince, Curtis Coatman, and Princess McKinely Jons. Senior Jay Beermann was crowned this years 2002, Homecoming King, and for the third year in a row, Jean Clark took the crown as a Homecoming Royalty winner.

"It's a nice feeling to know that you have your classmates' support, but homecoming is a very special night, regardless of whether you win or lose a crown," said Clark. For all those who attended the dance this year, Homecoming was an event for everyone to enjoy.

t,tomecoming Royalty: CLto R) sophomores Alex Hall and Gabby PorterLoving, Seniors Jay Beermann and Jean Clark,juniors Curtis Coatman and McKinely Jons

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JAMES STEVENSON, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln freshman, plays video • games and reviews them for a hational magazine. But when it came to choosing a university, Stevenson was all that would lead him to a the high score: "The J.D. notch. We use the latest mainstream. Nebraska will

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business. He wanted a program winnJng career. Nebraska had Edwards honors program toptechnology before it becomesget me where I want to go in life. "

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Yes,lknow. Some of you seniorshave been protestingthe idea of a house being built in our seniorparking lot But come on, the house only takesup a few senior,parkingslotsand a few visitors'. We have that whole new parking lot to make up for those few seniorstalls,and it's not as if we' re allowedto park in visitor spots anyway (unlessyou want to pay eightybucks when your car gets tow~). Youreallyhave to hear the story behind the house before you make the next criticizingremark.

For those of you who don't know about Habitat for Humanity,it's a nonprofit organiz.ation that buildshousesfor familieswith financial needs,if they meet the group's standards. Selection for the house is a long process, and a homeownercandidateis expectedto fit into certaincategories The homeownerfamiliesare chosenaccordingto their need, their financialstability,and theirwillingnessto wOikinpartnershipwithHabitat. This is just the summarizedversion of what the applicants are expected to do. In order for selection committees to narrow down their choices, the rules actually become much more specificand strict. Habitat for Humanity could only build so many houses, so they need to make sure that the potentialhomeownerreally deserve it. Habitatfor Humanity will want to check out one's background and current residence, applicants shouldhave had a stablejob for at least the past two years,they will examineone's financial

Asian Caucus members put up one of the first walls of the habitat house. The house is being built in the LHS senior parking lot by various LHS organizations.

credit reports such as W2s (plenty of paperwork one job at Super Saver and-anotherpart time job this home," commentedDawn, her words stifled is expected of applicants).Plus, they require that at MolexIndustries.With thiskind of worksched- as she is on the brink of tears. I decidedto stopher whileone's houseis beingbuiltthatperson(s)must · ule she still finds time to be with her daughter, there and change the subject,not wanting her to put in a certainnumberof hoursvolunteeringwith taking her to 'SChoolin the morning, picking her cry and seeingas how I didn't have any tissueon the home. Though it does sound like too much up in the afternoon,and watchingher rideher bike ban.fl. I did get to find out Chelsea's favoritepart work and is quite an extensiveprocess,it's-worth aroWldthe block where they live When Dawn's in the layout plan of her house. She gets to have it. Accordingto Dawn Remmenga it's more than not aroqnd,Chelsea stays over at her grandma's. her own room, and one she constantlybrags to worth it.

· Chelsea, who attends Hawthorne Elementary . everyone that is eight inches bigger than her Dawn Remmenga, 32, and her daughter School,is a happy,vibrant,positivelittlegirl who mom's, Mom doesn't mind, (she gets the bigger ChelseaRemmenga,9, have been selectedas the has waited for this moment her whole life. Her closet), but no one wants to spoil an innocent officialfuturehomeowner.The motherand daugh- mom's always wanted a safer neighborhoodfor child'sjoy. Besides,shecan alreadyenvisionwhat ter, who currentlylive in an apartmentacross the her to ride her bike in. Where they live there are her room is going to look like, where everything streetfrom Lincoln High, were immensely over- sometimes too many ·cars driving by is going to go, and whom she's invitingover for joyed when they received the news that Habitat (hmmm yes, that would include us studentsin her first slumber party! Chelsea's grandma, a would be buildingtheir house startingSeptember "rush hour mode"), so Chelsea has to be closely painter,willbe paintingherroom wallswithhorses. 7. Even greaternews was that Lincoln High had supervised.Plus has anyone ever tried canying a "Chelseajust loves horses," added Dawn. been chosen as the constructionsite. It's no coin- · nine-year-old's bike down a two-story flight of The house,valueat $50,000,will be two stocidence that her house will be built close to her stairs? Luckilythat will all change soon enough. riestall witha basement,threebedrooms , two bathwhere she lived. An even more smprisingcoinci- They willbe livingmamuch more pleasantneigh- rooms, a one-car garage, and a deck all built and deuce was that Dawn is a 1988graduate of Lin- borhood out in the Air Park area of town. They financed by Habitat for Humanity. How is this coln High and now her house will be built on her will finally have a garage and a backyard and house funded? Part of it will be fundraised by former high school's parking lot! · grandma will only be a few blocks away. "I can't donationsfrom alumnirequestedby our very own Dawn is a hard working mother, working believe the blessi..'1.gsI've been given to receive principal,Dr. Mike Wortman. The $50,000 not

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onlycoversconstructionmaterialsandmortgage, but also interest on the house. That's right, the house is mortgage-free and interest-free,leaving the lucky homeowner with nothing but to be accountable for but paying the utility bills! However they don't just sit back and watch the house being built. The homeowner for this particular house is required to put in 400 hours of sweat equity labor with the Habitatfor Humanity, whether it's working in the organiz.ation's their office, working on their house or another homeowner's, or other activitiesthe Habitat is involved with Dawn's first comment on passingby the site a few days before construction was, "Oh my God they've got my I-beams out there, my!beams and the tool shed!" She was evenmore excited seeing all the volunteersworkingon her · home. There were at least 12professionalconstruction worker volunteers on site and at 20 Asian Caucus volunteersthat arrived8 am that first Saturday morning to help, including the sponsors, Linda! Risenhoover and Constance Kingston. Bob Freese, a special arts construction teacher from Northeast, volunteering that day,commented, "I enjoy workingwith the volunteers and the families. I love the building,it's fun and you get to do it out of self-satisfaction, you know, to get a house built for someone who needs a boost, a little help." Dawn has been very touched seeing the community work together so hard to build a home for her. She pon- · deredthe thoughtofhowthese constructionworkers (some even retired) are so thoughtful as to come out so early to work on her house, as well as the students. In a heartfelt tone of voice she · added, "I mean, you guys are teenagers. You're supposedto be doing your thing on Saturdaybut instead you' re all out here working on my house. That's incredible,but it doesn't make any sense. ·· I mean you hardly even know me.'' As one of the constructionvolunteersthat day who got to know her can tell you that she is a very sweet person and everyone should come out and meet her sometime by volunteering on a Saturday. Don't forgettobringafriend! Theconstructionisevery Saturday from 8 am to 3 p.m and will continue for the next thirteen Saturdaysafter September7. '1t is just so amazing to know that soon I'll be able to come home after a day's hard work to relax in a home both Chelsea and I can call ''Our Own and I won't have to share my parking space with anyone."

ere Soldiers'' orth Your Time

LucE,ssay .StaffWliter

"We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson, Sam Elliot, and Chris Klein, is a new look into Vietnam War, and all war movies. It is the true tale of Hal Moore (Gibson), a commanding officer of the new Air Cavalry, training to go into battle. They do and are engaged in a 72 hour sustained battle. Due to lack of intelligence, they are put down in a hot landing zone~ as the Vietnamese base is just about a mile away Many of Moore's men are killed and getting out looks impossible.

I give this movie a 10.425, on a scale of one to ten. It's not the standard shoot em up, blood guts and gore (though there is some of that) movie. It is a true tale and the director wanted to make this movie as realistic as possible. And by realistic, I mean it isn't the standard Hollywood war production. There are no long death monologues, ffiere •are "no ·1mposs15Ie- action - sequences,

and there is rto techno music as the good CCG guys march into battle It is a very moving

story about how much those men cared for each other, seeing it from the pilot's perspective, and what REALLY happened at landing zone X-ray.

'The only thing missing was the smell." Clay Milleson, ex-air cavalry said.

·I refused to see the movie until I finished the book, but in this case ( and I will probably never say this again) it isn't necessary. It is nearly word for word, and it's powerful. This critic shed tears more than once. You might too.

'

If you want a comedy, don't rent it, if you want an Arnold-esque action thriller, don't rent it. If you want to see the truth about what Vietnam was Buy it!

ran

Theft Auto 3'' Rocks

LucE,ssay .StaffWliter

• Fast cars, mob bosses, and a whole lot of things blowing up. That's Rockstar Games' pride and joy, Grand Theft · Auto 3. You play a recently escaped convict, running from the law a11dtrying to make a few dollars while you do it.

Your fist task is to get a gangster named 8-Ball to Luigi's club. He's the smallest of the crime bosses who owns a "Gentlemen's Club" in your home town of Liberty City.

Get your feet wet driving his Grand Theft Auto 3 is fast ''entertainers" around, and and furious.

Regan, "Can life get better? I submit that it can not!"

October 22·

2002, is the official release date of Grand Theft Auto:

Vice City. As I'm sure you loved the cinematic effects and fast paced game play ·of GTA 3, you are going to drool so much that you' 11have to duct eventually you'll work your way up the criminal ladder.

There are three islands of play, and on each island you'll find faster cars, better weapons, and the missions become a whole lot more fun. So if you like chasing down bank cars, taking care of pesky police helicopters, and racing down a busy city sidewalk, then GTA 3 is definitely for you. Oh

tape a Dixie cup to your chin while you play this! Set in the mid to late 80's in Vice City (half Vegas, half Mia.mi) you ,go about again working your way up the crime ladder. All the while you' re having fun, appreciating other people's cars. And for those of you, like me, who noticed the lack of motorcycles and hatchbacks in GTA 3, Vice City has us covered. And yes

of and did I mention the explosives? Lots and there are still lots and lots of explosives Can

lots of explosives. As summed up by Brian life get better? I submit that it has!

Madeline Stowe and Mel Gibson play a husband and wife who get caught up in the Vietnam War in ''We Were Soldiers.''

Mel Gibson plays a commanding officer

the new Air Calvary.

inco nites e ec on atr10

laws of another country. Rarnindar Manhas said, "I may even run for your office, Governor. [Laughs] That's just wishful thinking, but the important thing is that I could if I wanted to." Governor Johanns reiterated this point, urging Lincoln High students to "register and vote That is a right the new citizens will cherish all their lives."

Police Officer Chassidy Jackson sings the National Anthem at Pinewood Bowl on Patriot Day.

RuthK.ohtz

,1.sstEditor-in-chief

September 11, 2002, was declared "Patriot Day" in a proclamation by President George W. Bush in order to "remember and honor those who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001." The city of Lincoln participated in this observance by holding a special service at Pinewood Bowl in Pioneers Park. As Lincolnites entered the park, they received a small American flag from Boy Scouts Troop #911.

Lincolnites pledge allegiance to the flag.

Lincoln High and a member of Venture Crew # 99, a coed program similar to Boy/Girl Scouts, was at Pinewood Bowl to help the Boy Scouts. "I thought that [the service] was very perfect for the = ,.. e ve,;;; n t ;:;;_§£man y i fL ,...._ er eJJ.tcultur.es were represented here. It wasn't just Americans that died in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon; someone from every part of the world died. And that was displayed here," she said

Jules Hurley Dewey, a senior at

The display of culture was most aptly observed during the Naturalization Ceremony in which immigrants who have completed the necessary education took an oath and assumed United States citizenship. During the ceremony, two immigrants spoke of freedoms that Americans cannot appreciate unless they have been under the

Videotaped messages from Nebraska Senators Chuck Hagel and Ben Nelson were projected onto a large screen, and Police Chief Tom Casady read a letter from Congressman Doug Berueter. Senator Hagel called the events of September 11 a "jarring gong of reality" for the United States and encouraged its citizens to "believe in each other, believe in our country, and believe in the goodness of our people." The challenge lies in the pursuit of "human liberty, dignity for all, respect and tolerance for all," Hagel said.

S enaJ o r_N e.lson ..emµl:!as.i.ze that "While [the forces that sought to destroy us] succeeded in ending lives, they did not end the promise of America But we should not focus on the evil that was done to us, but on the great good that was done by all of us," citing the organization of blood drives and various civic activities honoring frrefighters, police officers, and emergency workers. Congressman Bereuter focused on the safety of the United States, promising that "We as a nation will dramatically increase our effectiveness in protecting our hon1eland

and our citizens from terrorist attack " In an address to the crowd, Governor Mike 'Johanns commended Nebraskans and Americans in their "amazing show of solidarity." Johanns also spoke of "a future in which peace reigns, a future iri which people are defined o;nly as members of the human race." Lincoln Mayor Don Wesley used his time at the podium to recognize the many ·police officers and frre fighters who lost their lives helping others in the immediate wake of the World Trade Center attacks, as well as Lincoln's own EMS personnel, state patrol, and county sheriffs. "Out of that terrible tragedy we found true heroes." Wesley said. He also urged the people to retain their memories, saying , "Some [are] tragic, some sad , some inspiring, some hopeful. We need to remember all. We need to never forget the victims of this attack."

,~08 ~0tte - spo~e-..on befialf='v 1 - I four Nebraska families who lost close relatives in the bombings. Also as a part of the service, Lincoln Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson dedicated a new pine tree in Pioneers Park as a memorial to those lost on September l l. Kyle Vincent, a singer/ songwriter from California, was on hand to sing a song he wrote about the events of September 11t h called "5,000 Heroes".

Patriot Day photos appear courtesy of Nancy Wilson, Studio 5 Photography.

''I never thousht I'd Center pass by me •

-Craig Chester s er1cans e

The World Trade Center Towers on of Newsweek Magazine.

usto 1ans ese e es ect,

MargaretGurewitz CopyE.ilitor

Each day of the schoolyear,they are working. Our schoolcould not run properlywithout them, yet we do not take the time to learn their names,oreventheirfaces. Beforeschoolbegins, they organizeour desks and chairs, and in the spring, they set up and take down our prom decoartions.When we have school assemblies, they are the ones preparingthe stage. The clean up afterus when we are too lazyto do it ourselves.

Who are these people who clean our trash eachday? Theyareourcustodians.LincolnHigh custodiansclean more than one hundred classrooms and sixtybathroomstalls.· They keep our many hallwaysclean artd remove the trash that we leaveunderour desks.

As high schoolstudents,most of us have choresat home that we absolutelyhate doing, yet we rarely stop to think about otherswho do thosesamechoreson a much greaterscaleeveryday. When we are rushing throughthe hallways betweenclasses,we hardly even notice if

our crumpledpapersor-stickypop bottlemake it into the the trashcans;we simplyassumethat the custodianswill cleanup afterus. fudeed, the custodian,will tidy up our messes,but this d0es not give us licenseto blatantlydisrespectthem in the way so many studentsdo.

Walkingdown the hallways,I have heard people say, "Oh, it's just the janitors. It doesn't matter if my spilled pop makes the hallwaysa littlesticky,"or "It's theirjob to clean,and I don't reallycareif they likeit or not." I findthesestatements incrediblyoffensive. I see our custodians working diligentlyeveryday after school,and I thinkthe leastwe coulddo is showthesepeoplea

littlemore consideration.

RodBrundlecleanssecondfloorof the main building.Rod has been worlcingat LincolnHigh for sevenyers,and seems quite satisfiedwith his job. He notes that, "most of (the students)are prettygood. Some look down on you, and most are pretty good." Another custodian, Wayne Anderson,beganworlcingat LincolnHigh in November of 1996. He has been a custodianfor abouttwenty-years,and at LincolnHighhis main job is in the library.He agreedthat most students mean well, but he would appreciateit if people would simplypick up their messes. It is a small task that wouldmake the custodians'lives much

o Lune

ust His

-

Luck

- Josh-Swartzlander E.ilitoPin-Chief

I got carded a few short weeks ago. No, I wasn't trying to buy cigarettesor alcohol. I wasn't buyinglotteryticketsor go-

l~ lum u .fl8, ,N(]

Josh Swartzlander Editor In Chief

Margaret Gurewitz Copy Co-Editor

Ryly Zetterman Business Manager

Liz Nguyen Opinion Editor

Katy Childs Photographer

Tina Wilson Asst. Photography Editor

Brittany Hodges Sports Editor

Ellen Wright Entertainment Editor

Kevin Reed Reporter

Jacob Miller News Editor

Ruth Kohtz .Y' Asst. Editor In Chief

Jay Beermann Copy Co-Editor

Carrie Wiegert Asst. Business Manager

Ella England Feature Editor

Julie Kilzer Photography Editor

Tiffany Bundy Web Editor

Joel Sievert Sports Co-Editor

Margo Kekeliya Asst. Entertainment Editor

Luc Essay Reporter

Greg Keller Adviser

smprisewhen a LincolnHigh School campus supervisorasked to see iny ID as I was exitingLincolnHigh via the front door to go to lunch. I felt like a sophomoreas I fishedmy LincolnHigh II) out of'my wallet,completelymortifiedas my friendsstrolled passed me.

As I sat down later that day to reflect on the situation,I realized my smprise stemmed from the fact this was the first time I had been II)' d going out to lunch.

This is my third year attendingLincolnHigh and this is the third,er, second year that I have been going out to lunch. Why hasn't anyone checked my LincolnHigh II) beforenow? Our schoolmust reallybe doinga bang-upjob of makingsuresophomores don't go out to lunch:

I am a "perfect" student and never went out to lunch my sophomoreyear, but I have plenty of friendswho were sophomorestwo years ago who went out to lunchevery day and never got caught. Last year, my junior year, I had my Lincoln High II) ready as f walked toward the door for my first legal lunch out. But nobody ever stoppedto check my II) the entire year. This is ridiculous.

I don't blame the campus supervisorsor teacherswho are supposed to make sure sophomoresdon't go out to lunch. I blame a lunch policy that is impossibleto enforce. It is impossible to check everyone's II) every day as students go .out to lunch. Further, it is impossibleto tell if students'parents said they could go out to lunchjust by checkingan m. To make the situationeven more impossibletocontrol,LincolnHigh sophomores can go outsideon campusto eat lunch,so thereis nothing technicallywrong with any studentgoing out the front doors. LincolnHigh shouldeitherhavean opencampusor a closed campus. It is the only way to truly have an enforceablelunch policy. It is just too harclto make sure only certainstudentsgo out to lunch. The lunch policy we have now at Lincoln High isn't working. Ifl can go out to lunch throughno evasiveaction for years,than anyonecan go out to lun~hwithoutgettingcarded Maybe a new lunch policy will stop me from being embarrassedagain.

reciation

• easier.

I am not asking th?t we cany around little brooms and sweepthe halls 011our way to class. All we need to do is keep our own small spaces clean, and that will be of immense help to uur custodians. fu additionto cleaningup after ourselves,we must also be courteousand polite to our custodians.Let them know that we reallydo appreciatetheirwork,and do not be afraidto say helloandtalkto them.Theyarewonderfulpeople who are willing to talk with us and share their stories. They do not hate students,and-we have - every reasonto enjoythem Just give our custodians respect.

LizNguyen Opinion£ditor

One million teenage girls will become pregnant this year. Twenty percent of websites contain pornography sites. Guys think sibout sex every 6 seconds Last year the film industry made 1,000 movies. The 'adult film' industry made 4,000 movies! In the 1960s, 25 per cent of young men were not sexually active prior to age 19. Among young women, 45 per cent were virgins prior to their twentieth birthday. By the eighties only 20 per cent of both males and females were virgins atage 19. The percentage stayed about the same for 2001. A recent survey conducted by Louis Harris and Associates found that over 65,000 sexual references are broadcast on all three television networks during prime time every year. The study also showed that the average American TV viewer watches 14,000 references to sex in the course of a year.

Like these statistics so far? Would you like it even more if I told you that these statistics have come to be as a result of society's brainwashing? No, I guess not. Nobody likes to be brainwashed, so beware of the major persuasive factors that are a part of society's scheme to reel -us in. Unfortunately, these factors are our closest friends----<ouropinionated peers, the media involving TV programs, advertisements, music, the Internet, books, and of course our hormones.

Still don't believe my statistics? Are you aware of what it's done to our lives? What it could do? The safety net of sexual values our parents and our church (those of you who may be religious) woven for us starts to unravel. Why? Because once we enter adolescence, society will start to mold our standards. And will we let it?! Of course we will, somewhat anyway. We will start to reevaluate our standards to accommodate reality. Wait, reality doesn't stop there Moral looseness and promiscuity develop, and oh

no, t~e worst has happened: the act of lovemaking turns into a capricious joyride. Remember guys , bad consequences could only lead to even more bad news. Li k e they say "a man reaps what he sows." The results of moral looseness and promiscuity could lead to teenage pregnan cy (one million sure is a lot), which could lead to aborti ons and STDs. Adultery could lead to divorces. Couples question whether their relationship can continue without sex People become preoccupied with physical makeup rather than being jn love: Even though you can tell this art icle is really long some of you might have started reading it anyways just because the word 'sex' appeared in the headline right? (Which is okay because you just helped me make a point). These are just a few examples of how it affects us physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Also , remember being obsessed with sex will somehow find its way into breaking your family ties and disrupting your so~ial circle. Is being sex obsessed natural? Is it really society's fault or is it just a part ofus? Now, I know that some of you are going to ask me these questions and argue that it's our fault, too, so I've decided to agree beforehand. Yes, we were created sexual creatures but our sexuality shruld not be abused. Our beautiful minds were not designed for unclean thoughts and dirty images. Our sacred body was not intended for free sexual expression whenever, with \\b.omever, and however just to gratify ourselves. Yes, because we are human and have free will, we are weak and may bow down to temptation. Personally I believe it began with the fall of man/nature in the beginning. It's possible that this weak nature of man in the beginning has been passed down through generations and therefore exists in life today. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm still biased. I may believe that the deterioration of sexual morals is partly our fault but mostly it's society's. "How?" you ask. Bec ause we can control ourselves. We can change. Will so iety change? Most certainly not. The media thinks it's gi ving •

• 1e

us what we want (mostly to make big bucks oif of us). For example, Dawson's Creek (please don't tell me you're still watching it) characters started out all innocent but eventually everyone slept with everyone else. It displays casual sex without consequences. Yay casual sex without consequences!! NO. I'm afraid I'm going to have to drag you back to mundane reality, of which there is no shortage. Again, society thinks it's giving us what we want. It plays on our emotions , our inner lusts. It manipulates our relationships into reflecting the fake morals seen onscreen.Studies of adolescents have found that heavy television viewing can lead to negative attitudes toward remaining a virgin and that there is a correlation between watching high doses of television and early initiation of sexual intercourse.

So is there really anything to keep us from becoming a part of this wicked, unfortunately tainted side of society? Yes there is. Look up into the sky. Yeah, I can see the dark clouds too, but do you notice the silver lining? That means that modesty, abstinence, and celibacy are good principles to adopt because those values contain great energy that can be rechanneled into productive and creative actions in the world. The silver lining also means that you should be able to realize that the claim that all forms of sexual expression are normal, healthy, natural, and desirable is an insidious myth. Learn both sides of sex. Learn the sex that is beyond orgasmic experiences and is actually a gateway to deeper sharing, a never-ending mutual revelation of the depths of our souls. And learn the other sex that can be entirely selfish, a mere using of somebody's body to gratify yourse lf, with long-lasting regrets including the feelings of shame and guilt. Yes, I am aware of the vain struggle against it but you don't have to totally close up all those sexual ' feelings. You can develop close friends you can share secrets wi th and who will keep you accountable in your walk to get past temptations. For now I guess this is the best I can suggest in making up for our sex-fascinated society.

or . un ,necessar

' -=-• ..., -·ictin on t t 1ews on a ontroversia ssue

E.llaE.ngland Feature£ditor

When talking about the events on September 11, 2001, it is very simple. It was bad. Unfortunately, US involvement in Middle Eastern affairs today isn't so cut and dry.

To blow up Iraq or not to blow up Iraqthat is the question. Some Americans believe we should. Others say we shouldn't. Most of us are just confused. It's nearly impossible to tell the difference between American propaganda and Iraqi. We have no real evidence that Iraq has done anything wrong, but most of us still feel that something should be done.

So, where is the line drawn between doing the best for all and just pushing our beliefs onto others? We shouldn't just go in and get rid of Saddam Hussein just because he doesn't rule as he "should." On

the other hand, we can't let the next Adolf Hitler come into power while we sit around doing nothing.

We can't prove Iraq has done anything wrong. In fact, Hussien even persecuted terrorists and outlawed many Islamic religious practices. Also, there is absolutely no evidence that Iraq does have nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction. Iraq didn't even expel the inspectors that were sent in to check for military power. The US pulled them out right be- ' fore we started bombing them several years ago

On the other hand, Iraq wasn't really cooperating when they were trying to be sent back in. - The inspectors did finally get to reenter the country recently. Was this another way of Iraq trying to suck up or not? Again, no one can tell.

There are numerous reasons many

Americans are against going to war with Iraq. One of the most c 11mmon is that the draft could be reinstated This time around though, women and men are possible draft candidates. This means that more young men and women will be sent to war. That in turn means even m ore human lives would be lost. they want to do.

Not only will Americans die, b ut also many Iraqi civilians. C ivilians like the ones that died on September 11. Only in Iraq, it will include thousmds more children and women.

What President George W. Busn and his cabinet need to decide i~ if it is worth all of those casualties now to ensure taat more lives won't be lost later. That is l\Ot an easy decision. Actually, all Americans need to decide because it is important to · make sure our government is rep resenting us, as they should, and not do ing just what

Not even the most informed person c an be one hundred percent sure about what is the best move we can make. The lines have become blurred, and there is no longer jl1st black and white. Governments let O\lt only the information they want people to know. This causes the people they go vern 'to be confused. That is exactly what has happened. Should we go to war or shouldn't we? The only person who can decide is y ou

10 s 0 s

SportsWriter

Last year was a disappointing year for the Lincoln High Boys Cross Country team. After starting the year off strong with a second place finish at the Kearney High School Invite, the Links finished fourth at the District meet, one spot off of qualifying for the State meet. The team was disappointed by their performance but received a little comfort when the top three teams in their district went on to finish 1st, 4th, and 6th at the State meet.

This year the Links return six lettermen from last years team: Senior Joel Sievert, Juniors Mitchell Memming and Matt Jennings, and Sophomores Chris Hatch, Ray Mikkleson, and Garret Jones. The Links will also be aided by Sophomore Chris Clymer, who lettered in Track but did not compete _ in Cross Country last year, and Freshmen Eric

ortoa

ross

Noel and Shayne Krull, who will contribute to the Varsity squad right away.

The Links' first meet of the year was the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational on September 7th. Last year Mitchell Memming, Chris Hatch, and Joel Sievert meddled for the Links and led them to a 5th place team finish. This year Hatch and Sievert were the lone medallists for the Links and help lead the team to a 3rd place finish and victories over Lincoln East and Northeast. The Links also ran well again Frem ont and Creighton Prep who were ranked 2 nd and 4th respectively.

"We've done really well against good competition and v,e are going to surprise a lot of people," sophomore Chris Hatch said. "I think our team has the potential to be in the top three in the state."

The Links then headed to Kearney

ainst a11s ort east

out

__ E-llenWright EntertainmentF..ditor

On Tuesday, September 10, the Links lost a heartbreaker in the second game of a double header at Doris Bear sports complex.

Four year Varsity veteran, Erin Johnson said one of her goals was for the team to play together and to beat Southeast High School. "We came out pretty pumped, 1,.1.itw-e""¾.~-ad--'-fl:~e-w ""'"'"'" errors and we never really picked each other up."

The Links started to gain momentum in the fifth inning when Lincoln High School pitcher Danielle Lohmeier caught a · line drive quickly threw the ball to first base where the LSE

They were scon in full swing when Jessie Singleton hit a double driving in 2 runs in the top of the sixth making it 33, but Singleton vas tagged out when she tried to push her ;~ouble to a triple giving LSE the third out. The Links strong pitching and defense quickly ended the sixth inning.

The top of the seventh the Links ..- 1 - · - -were aorng tne1r cheer

anfor the Kearney High Invitational. The previous year the Links placed second at this meet and were led by Chris Hatch, their lone medal winner. This year the Links were again runners up to Kearney and were led by the sophomore duo of Chris Hatch and Chris Clymer, who finished fifth and eighth respectively.

When the preseason rankings were released the Links were absent from the top 10. When the new rankings were released after the Kearney Invite the Links jumped up to the number 6 slot. Chris Hatch moved into the top 15 individual rankings (the top 15 in each race medal at the State Cross Country meet.)

The Links third meet of the year was their very own Harold Scott Invitational, named for the long time Track and Cross Country coach. Last year the Links did not have a single person medal. This year 0

uccess 0 ---carrie Wiege11--,\ssistantBusinessManager

The Girls VarsityVolleyballteam has gotten off to great start this year. They have played several games already; including the Bellevue East Invite, in which they placed 3rc1_Their success came as no surprise to 4"' year varsity returnee, senior Tiffany Davidson.

the Links bad three medallists; Clymer, Hatch, and Sievert, who finished 2 nd , 4 th , and 12 th respectively. Clymer had a break-out race that proved that he would be a medal contender going into state.

"I had a good race today and the cooler weather helped," Clymer said.

The Links finished second to East in the team race. This came as a disappointment as the Links had already beat Easf earlier in the year.

"We can run better than we did today. We have to keep up the hard work and give it our all during the races," Clymer stated.

After the Harold Scott Invitational the Links have the LPS and Heartland Conference Championships followed by Districts and State. The Links hope to challenge East at the LPS meet and Fremont at the Conference meet

ea • nse commented.

Their goals,such as talking more on the court and keeping a positive and mental attitude as a team and individuals, should lead the Links to success.

"So far this season, we have bonded, helping each otherboth on and off the court,"Davidson said. They have not only become a strongerteam, but better friends as well.

Links got two runners (···l it ·· on right away. The ,I J.v.. , j¥ Links then hit a long . ,.I. -.&." itt,, . ·r'.s~ < drive to center field and t-t ,tl, Cf' d d f f h ,~:;&/at:Vt tt ropp~ 1n ront o e • , ,,., .. ,,, center fielder. Allowing .:l@'i:::!]' 14: the Links to move into •·the lead making it 4-3. = 'I Unfortunately errors · cost the Links the lead. ·In the bottom of the sevpl ayer Ashley I ii '' i 111!!!1¥ enth LSE loaded the Weyers didn't get back on time, r- nm n 1P t

ex c1t1 n g dou b 1e

ter field fence, w h1ch play. Still hold- Jessie ingleton 11 ) ~arms up won the game for LSE. ing their defense, before th e _game again st South - "I guess we just pulled the Links recov- east. The Links lost the game 4-3. through in the end," ered a line drive LSE third baseman to second base, throwing it to first for the Megan Blosser said. "They were tough easy out. today."

"As a team we have a lot of energy anlf"'"encouragement from all of our teammates. We are physically able to be the best in the state,and we all have a lot of heart We all show up for practice and games ready to have fun and get the job done," Davidson said.

So far thishas worked well for the 2002 varsity team. They aregoing into the season with an awesome record of 10-5.

The team hopes to continue their success throughout this

Korey Mohr (11) goes up for a kill against Northeast. The Links won the game 15-10, 15-7.

season with lots of hard work. "Alissa Holland and Korey Mohr should lead us offensively,and Riki Klabenes should contribute some great defense,''VarsityVolleyballcoach KristiNelson Hitz

The 1 Junior Var' sity and Reserve volleyball teams have.alsohad a great sea' son so far.

The Junior Varsity girls kicked off the season with a recordof3-2, playing in t o u g h matches against the Southeast Knights aµd Grand Island. The Reserve Girls Volleyball team has also faced

tough opponents this season, coming up with a win against the Northeast Rockets. Both the Junior Varsity and Reserve teams have great potential, which should carrythem through the upcoming season.

l.i4

Brittneylfodges .Spol1sC-o-F..ditor

A new school ye ar · means new aspirations for this year's Lincoln High Football teams. The Links football program has gained 7 new coaches, and returns 11 senior starters. The Varsity Football team is hoping for success and a shot at the state title.

Despite the fact that last season LHS went 4-1 and " then lost their last four games for the players have not been effected. What little effect last year may have had on them only gives them the drive to do better.

Many of the players showed their dedication to the team this summer by coming to the LHS weight room as often as 5 days a week.

Coach Ferrand commented that, "I think the biggest things is to have some reasonable goals for each group of kids that comes through. For this team (Varsity), our goal is to make it to the State Playoffs."

Even though Lincoln High has not been a power in high school football the past few years, Ferrand still has high expectati'ons for this years team. "I think we have several players on our football team who are as good as anybody in the state. I am a little disappointed that

- been waiting for. Minutes into the 1st Quarter the Bulldogs kicked a field goal to put them ahead 3-0.

In the last minutes of the quarter Burke scored a touchdown to put them ahead 10-0 going into the ·second quarter. The Links regrouped and headed for

overwhelming as they pulled off a 27- 7 victory.

Marcus Myles said, "I think we played all right, but they pretty much beat us by our mistakes. We have corrected them so hopefully we will be better."

The following week, the Links had another chance to prove to themselves · and their fans that they have what it takes as they went up against Lincoln Southwest, the newest edition to Lincoln sports

The game kicked off at 7 p.m. and from the beginning Lincoln High started out with the advantage. When the end of first quarter came, the Links jumped ahead 21-0.

Silverhawks of Southwest 44- 7, giving up only one touchdown in the fourth quarter.

On Friday Sept.20, Lincoln High went up against top ranked Southeast. This time, the Links were not as successful as the previous week.

The Links were overpowered by the Knights' Lincoln High had minor mistakes that could have made the difference between a win

ir s'

Jerome McKie (1 2) and Jake Scheer (1 2) battle with Pius defenders.

not many of those players have been rec9gnized."

Lincoln High opened its season against Omaha Burke on September 6th at B .urke. By the end of 1st Quarter, Burke proved to be the competition that the Links had

ew ·1·ennis

Rylyzettennan

BusinessManager

As the fall sports kicked off, Varsity Boys Tennis has had two games. The LHS/LNE Invite at Woods Tennis Center was on August 31. The boys shocked themselves with a 2 nd place plaque to go in the Athletic Hall. Their second match was held at Fremont on September 6.

Senior Philip Tesch commented, " We played really hard but did not win Last year Fremont was number three in the state." This was not their first challenging meet; the team will challenge Southeast, East, and Pius X, among others at state that will be difficult.

The new varsity coach Steven Ward, a Lincoln High School teacher has fit in well with the varsity boy's tennis team. " The new coach is great," said T~sch.

Ward taught and coached at Lincoln Northeast while his children attended Lincoln High Ward, a booster C 1 u b member at LincolnHigh · feels that he knows most of

the field. However, luck did not prevail a~ the Bulldogs scored another touchdown in the 3rd. With less than two minutes to go, Lincoln High finally scored a touchdown , Despite the determination of LHS, the Bulldogs were too

"Before the LSW game, , I was just hoping that we'd be able to put points up on the board, to regain our confidence and be able to bounce back from the loss at Burke. When I saw the score at the end of first quarter, I knew we had accomplished my go al," saidA J. Franklin Lincoln High would later go on and defeat the

oac s ·an ce

teach and coach at the newest high school in Lincoln, Southwest.

Tesch believes that, " Southwest • 1s a new team, and doesn't have what it takes to beat LHS."

the tennis players here from Mikah Meyer (11 ) chases

Ward's out look on this season so far is to " improve to do well in conference tournament on October 17 and 18 because, five out of ten teams in the tournament are top in the state. They should get some wins and good tournament finishes."

Now, are they state bound?

JambMiller __ ---News E.ditor

The Girls Golf season teed ·off recently and the Links are ready for competition.

The Links return several letter winners who include, Kestrel Hauptman, Rachael Wells.

"The girls have been trying really hard. They've been battling at every tournament, and they have been beating several teams," said Girls' Golf Coach John Brady.

The strength of the Links may lie behind their work ethic. They can be found at a golf course daily, working on their swings and skills needed to compete.

and a loss The Links fumbled on the first play of the game, and with that it seemed as though the Links had lost their confidence and game plan.

When halftime came around, Southeast led the Links 28-0 and LSE didn't appear to be losing determination.

The Links defense was overwhelmed by LSE as the Knights went on to win the game 42-0.

0

ar •

explained Rachael Wells. The Links progress seems impressive because most of them have only been playing for a couple of years.

Not being intimidated can be hard especially with outstanding competition like Leigh Sutton of Pius and Ashlei Howell of Lincoln Southwest.

"I r~ally have been working with them on a lot of fundamentals. Some of these girls were beginners, so there has been a lot of work. There also is a lot of strategy, because you need to know how to play your way around a course," commented Brady.

•

· Although their previous coach is the new Southwest coach, Tesch had - down the ball. tennis competitions and being involved at Lincoln High. " This is a great group of players and I am excited about them and happy to be here," commented Steven. Ward.

The previous coach, Dennis Hershberger went to

high expectations for their meet with LSW on September 19..

The varsity tennis team has set some team goals they hope to achieve this year, including: giving great effort at every match, and being fair and sportsmanlike.

Of course they are. Six players can automatically play at state from one team. Ward will select the players because they have ten boys on , varsity Some of the key players include junior Mikah Meyers; number one in singles and junior Josh Ward and freshman Dan Beckwith in number two doubles. - Tesch led the team with two wins in the Southeast meet in both singles and doubles. Ward outlook on the entire season is," Ifwe continue to work hard we expect to have good results."

At a recent dual with :Beatrice, Rachael Wells showed what she had been working on her game. She led the Links with her score of 51, (top score of LHS) and left her 3,d overall in the tournament.

Lincoln High has a strong tradition in girls golf. Sarah Sasse, one of the best womens' golfers to ever play at Nebraska, is a Lincoln High graduate. This year, the Links are playing without Jenny Gwello, one of the best in the state last -season , but the girls don't seem to let it bother them.

"I just try to go out and have fun. I try not to care,"

"I'm longer off the tee now and that's helped me, because I could always putt good," said Rachael Wells.

"The girls have been really easy to deal with because of how well they get along. I'm not sure if it makes a difference for them, but for me, it has made coaching a lot · easier," commented Brady. Kestrel Hauptman has taken a leadership role on the course and Rachael Wells is a very personable leader : She's very good with the girls," explained Brady. With great leadership and an outstanding team chemistry, the Links look to be making noise in the Girls golf scene.

_____ JoelSievert ____ _ SPQrtsE.ditor

Do you hate having to rush through your lunch so that you can get back and find aparking spot? Are you looking for an alternative to fast food?

You could go home for lunch and not have to worry about the mad lunch rush, but you will get a good meal that will not cost you any extra money. Sinc e this is unrealistic for most Lincoln High students there has to be another alternative.

Ideal Grocery, located on the south side of Randolph and 27th street, may be a new alternative to fast food. Ideal's clQse proximity makes getting there and back a quick trip. When I went to Ideal for lunch I was back at Lincoln High in less than ten minutes. This was mostly due to Ideal's fast (more) and very friendly service. As soon as I walked up to the Deli, which is located in the back of the store, I was asked what Ineeded help with and what I would like. My food was made quickly and neatly. Overall the meal, which consisted of a roast beef sandwich, chips, cranberry juice, and a Snickers bar, was excellent and cost me around$ 4.

Ideal offers several lunchtime specials. You can purchase a deli sandwich with your •

Julie1'.ilzer

PhotoE.ditor

With each new school year comes change. A big change happened in the lunch hallways. While Lincoln High is a closed cam-

Knaub

and

during lunch.

pus for sophomores at lunchtime they have many options when it comes to eating lunch. One of the most popular menu items is pizza. Students and staff consume about 400 slices of pizza each day on Wednesdays when 2 slices and a pop run for only $3 about 500

choice of meat, cheese, and toppings. With chips, a pop, and a cookie the meal will cost roughly the same amount as a meal at Sub-way.

The options do not end with deli sandwiches. Ideal has a fully functioning deli that offers BBQ sandwiches, other hot sandwiches, salads, and other deli side dishes. Besides the deli Ideal offers prepared foods such as fruit, cookies, doughnuts, desert bars, salads, and already cooked meat products.

The first time I went to Ideal I purchased a Deli sandwich but there were several other options so I went back and to try the other selections. The second time I went I had their BBQ pork sandwich meal. This included a generous BBQ pork sandwich and a choice of two side items from the deli. This meal was very filling and cost me only $3.79.

The best part of going to Ideal for lunch · wa s coming back to an empty senior lot. Both times that I went to Ideal I made it back to Lincoln High around noon. This gave me plenty of time to sit down, eat my food, and actually enjoy it. The next time you are looking for a quick and easy lunch choice close to Lincoln High think Ideal.

slices are eaten. Each year local pizza places make a bid to the Nutrition services explaining their prices and service promises. "I am sure that Valeiltinos just offered a better deal,

enjoy the new

students seem to prefer Valentinos pizza better," said Lincoln High kitchen manager Mary Franch. Godfathers had always been the brand that was sold but this year lots and lots of Valentinos boxes will appear in the trash cans once class starts.

Down

1. First dance of the Year. 2. Known as Slacker's Day.

4. There's a net, a ball, and spandex.

7. What people of the world have neglected. (See Global Justice article on pg. 2)

8. Lots of running.

_ 10. The Pizza LHS sold last year. 11. Being present in class is called

12. New associate Principal 13. This will change to 25 if you don't vote. (Currently 21)

Across

3. Biggest sport in Lincoln, NE.

5. What you do to make your voice heard in politics.

6. _ This event happened on the first Fri day of school this year. abv.

9. Theme for homecoming.

14. This sports ball are rather big.

15. If Tiger Woods were a woman, he'd play this sport.

16 Lead Singer, Joe Humpal.

17. Two of these lists are in this issue of Advocate.

18. A grocery store on South 27th.

19. Equivalence.

20. Silver Hawks.

Zach

(1 0)

Jacob Brokaw (1 0)

Valentinos pizza

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____ MargaretGurewitz____ _ copyE.ditor

When you think of Iraq, what comes to mind? Dictators, suffering and danger? Althou gh most of us do not agree with Iraqi leaders and their decisions, there is another side to the story. Iraq is actually quite beautiful, and it has interesting cultures. · This country is home to more than 18 million people who live in a wide variety of climates, including deserts, mountains and fertile river basins. Iraq's economy is mainly dependent on oil exports, but about one-third of the people make their livings agriculturally. Vegetables, cereals and livestock are very important, and much of the farming takes place in the TigrisEuphrates valley. The majority of the population is Muslim and speaks Arabic.

At least twenty five Lincoln High students are from Iraq, and many of them were forced to

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bors. The houses were built very close together, so everyone was forced to interact much more than they do in America. Neighbors regularly stoppedby for dinner unannounced, and people had a very strong and close-knit community. She notes that this sense of community is also present at j_incoln High. "You never feel like you're a minority or like you're ai'I outsider, because there are people from everywhere here." She also feels that the school system is

much better in America.

Ann Mohammad (1 O) is proud of her Iraqi heritage.

leave their country when they were very young. Sophomore Ann Moha mmad was born in Iraq and lived there for many years She describes her country as being quite wonderful. It was not only where she lived, but is was also the home of her family, friends and community. She and her family were forced to flee the country when she was eleven because her father was a novelist who wrote against the Iraqi government. Her father was jailed, but the United Nations eventually forced Iraq to free the prisoners. At that point, Ann's family had to escape to other countries, and two years later they found th emselves in America.

One of Ann's favorite memories of Iraq was the tight community of neigh-

tions, and Haas taught at Goodrich Middle School.

As I walk down the hallways, I keep seeing UNTs. "What's a -Our newest English teacher is Emily Griesch, who taught at East UNT?" You might ask. UNT stands for Unidentified New Teacher; High School before coming to Lincoln High. She is replacing the we see many of these strange new faces in the hallways everyday, · retired Claude Wingrove.

but chances are that if we do not have them as teachers, we have -One of Lincoln High's vocal music teachers, David Finch, reno idea who they are. signed last year, and his replacement is Wes Hansmeyer. This year, Lincoln High has ten new teachers. Some are re- Hansmeyer used to live in Iowa. placing older teachers who retired last year, while others are re- -Mark Holt taught at Lincoln High eight years ago, but then moved placing faculty who left to teach at Southwest High School. Here to Park Middle School. He is now back at Lincoln High and teachi s a brief summary of who our new teachers are and where they ing ELL have been. _ -New to the Special Education department are teachers Brian Foley -Randy Ernst teaches parenting and human behavior classes, and and Steve Ward. They are replacing Kevin French, who went to he is replacing Tracey Fortney, who went to Southwest. Before Southwest, and Cathy Hull, who moved. teaching at Lincoln High, he worked at LPSDO. -The Math department's -new teacher is Janice Patterson, who -Replacing the retired Bill Jordan is Clyde Schroeder, who teaches taught at Dawes Middle School before coming to Lincoln High. about welding and engines. Also new to the Industrial Technol- She teac;hes Algebra and Transition Math. ogy department is Stan Haas, replacing Cory Free who went to -One of Lincoln High's new Science teachers is Eugene Kirianov. S outhwest. Schroeder previously worked at Nebraska Correc- Last year, he was a student teacher at Lincoln High, and he has

"They ( t h e teachers) really care a b o u t their student and how he or she is learning They try to help; they're more understand-

ing."

Senior Ban Mohammed is another Lincoln High student who was born in Iraq; she came to America when she was nine because 1raqwas no longer safe for her family. She agrees that Lincoln High is not only tolerant and _accepting, but also a place where she feels truly welcome. "I don't feel left out. Everybody cc1nbe with each other and it's not isolated."

Iraq's government i s often in the news, but that is not the only aspect of the country. When you watch or listen to the news, remember that as Lincoln High students, we are all connected to our world's events through our diverse classmates. Make new friends and learn about the world.

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now replaced Physics teacher Mark Shearer, who moved to Southwest. Joining Kirianov in the Science department is Stephanie Attig, who is replacing Zoology teacher Ms. Saathoff.

These new teachers are quite happy to be here. They find that Lincoln High provides a warm and welcoming environment with dedicated students. Mr. Holt is quite glad to be back, and he says that Lincoln High is, "very different from other places" because of the devoted students. His favorite aspect of our school is "defmitely the kids. We have great students."

Mr. Kirianov agrees that, "We have very good students and a vety supportive staff here. I like working with good students who, aside from wanting good grades, actually think. That's probably my favorite part of school here." Lincoln High is very fortunate to have such wonderful new teachers. Now, when you see these people in the hallways, they will no longer be UNTs; they will simply be NTs We need these teachers, so when you see them, tell them you appreciate them. Remember, you cannot have a "student" without an "NT."

JoshSwartzlander

The Lincoln Public School system spent $45 million to open Lincoln's newest ' high school, Lincoln Southwest, $40 million for construction and $5 million for furnishing and equipping the high school.

The school, which took about 18 months to complete, takes up about 369,000 square feet, according to the LPS District -publication, "Lincoln Southwest High School, A Community Builds Together."

According to the LPS publication, "The school - containing two gyms, a 268,000gallon swimming pool, 78 classrooms, a 600-seat auditorium, a snack sh op and vast, cafeteria-commons area - features block scheduling, the city's first Japanese language classes, an emphasis on technology, and state-of-the-art facilities for fine arts."

Southwest's huge commons area and cafeteria greets you as you walk into the building. The gym is shiny new and spacious, and the auditorium looks like a miniLied Center.

Southwest is nothing short of amazing, but for some students and staff it has brought up the question of equality. Lincoln High School is actually a bigger building than Southwest, taking up about 422,000 square feet. However, the entire Lincoln High campus includes about 26 acres, while the Li ncoln Southwest campus includes a whopping 70 acres.

Further, Lincoln Southwest his 1200 student parking stalls, while Lincoln High has 517, including junior lot. Southwest has · an entire parking lot for visitors, including 50 parking stalls, while LinGolnHigh ha§ 15 visitor parking spaces. Faculty parking is more equitable between the two high schools, Southwest with 250 staff parking stalls, and Lincoln High with 276.

Lincoln High senior Stephanie Bittinger says she doesn't park in senior lot because it is too crowded. "I just park in junior lot," she said.

Former Lincoln High School student and current Lincoln Southwest High School senior Greg Hammond is glad he went to Southwest this year. "Southwest is nice because it doesn't have all of the rules that Lincoln High has accumulated over the years," Hammond said. "Everyone who goes there wants to be there."

Hammond also says Southwest's building is better than Lincoln High's. "The building is so much nicer," he said. ''It's spacious and we have all new equipment."

New construction is planned for the other four Lincoln high schools. Almost $38 million will be spent oh renovating Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln Northeast, Lincoln East, and Lincoln High school. Construction is already underway at Southeast. Northeast will begin its renovating process in 2003, and following Northeast will be Lincoln High and East renovations.

According to Lincoln High School principal Mike Wortman, Lincoln High renovations will mostly involve finishing the building's air conditioning, especially in the south building. "The main thing is to modify air quality control," Wortman said. "There could be some other modifications too."

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RuthKohtz · ·,1ssistantEditor-in-chief

It has been said that history repeats itself,butNye Bond, an 86-yearold veteran of World War II, is determined to help preventwars of the past frotn happening again. You might have seen him in the cafeteria hallway handing out literature. He volunteered to join the United States Anny as a chaplain in World War II because he wanted a closer look at what was happening in the conflict. Leaving a wife and six-month-old baby behind,Bond leftwith the armed forces for Japan. The United States

ment does not always use judgment regardinghuman rights when it comes to war. In his experiencewith the military, Bond has found that the recruiters are not giving students all the information.

Many studentsconsider the military because of the financial help it offers,butBondisadamantaboutthe fact that there are other ways to find the money to fund a higher education.

"There are scholarships," he said. "Many scholarships[go] unused. It'll take more digging [to find them] than

Kyle Diefenderfer {12) looks into alternatives to the military service. what a recruiter would come and say we've got $40,000 for you."

According to Do You Know Enough to Enlist, a pamphletdistributed by Nebraskans for Peace, the money in the militarieseducation plan is only available to a person once they have met certain requirements,and that information is only availableonce the person has left the military. "The highest amount of money offered, $50,000, is of-bombed Hiroshima while Bond was en route to Japan, and by the time his company arrived there the country had surrendered. Bond came back to the U.S but not without a changed view of the world and the government of his country.

Fiftyyearslater,Bond spendshis afternoonsin area high schoolshanding out literaturethat encourages students to consider all their options be.fore choosing to enlist in the militar) right after graduation. Bond began considering the alternatives himself years after returning home.

"World War II was supposed to be the war to end all wars,'' Bond said "But it wasn't too long afterthat, Korea, and it wasn't too long after that, Vietnam."

The government was consistently keeping its citizens in the dark about its military actions and when Bond learnedthat over 50,000 people had been killed in -the Vietnam conflict he began to advocate peace and justice. "I've observedwhat war does to nations, I've observed what war · does to people and I thinkthere must, there has to be another way to settle our differencesthan to just suddenly assume we can go to war." Because of this, Bond encourages students to consideroptionsotherthanjoining the military.

Bond believes that our govern-

fered oruy to the enlisted who take jobs the military often has trouble filling."

Also, many students are lured to the military with promises that they will receive an educationwithouthaving to fight in a war. But according to Do You Know Enough to Enlj.st,"the military prepares for war." This purpose guides everything it does · Bond paid his own way through college during the Depression, so he believes that it is possible for anyone to do the same. Bond does not completelydiscouragejoining the military, but encourages students to think instead of responding to the recruiters.

"Whatever you do, do it for the right reasons,not because you get $40,000. There are other ways to get an equcation."

Programssuch as the Peace Cotp andAmericoip, as well as citizenjobs like teaching, are just a few of the alternatives Bond suggests students research before joining the military. ''People are strugglingwith these questions of what to do with our lives and we tnust find another way than using atomic power or invading in order to settleour differences,"he said. "It just killsmore people,it createsmore problems, and we must find ways to work together to bring peace."

Bond will be back at Lincoln High in February to talk with more students about his philosophies.

JayBeennann C-opyEditor

On Thursday, October 24, over 75 children from area elementary schools and daycare programs came to Lincoln High's West Gym for this year's "Trick-or-Treat for Kids with Disabilities." The event, put on and hosted by Student Council, was a chance for children with disabilities to come and have a fun day of activities, games, and of course, trick-or-treating.

"Trick-or-Treat" houses lining the walls, several games and activities all around the gym, and of course, a room full of excited and happy kids. "It is really a worthwhile event," Student Council president and senior Holli Richardson commented. "It is just so great to see these kids having such a wonderful titne playing and getting to go trick-or-treating." Games and

activities included a fishing pond, face painting, sock puppets; and ~ a sponge toss. Realizing that some of the kid s cannot have high-sugar candy, Student Council also provided small toys and healthy snacks as prizes. "For some kids with disabilities, this is the only way that they could go trick-ortreating," noted Richardson. "It's a safe, healthy environment for both them an d their families."

Those who attended the event this year agreed that it was a great experience. Jackie Rollison attended the event with her son. She believes it is one of the nobelst things Student Council could do. "It is very difficult to raise a child with disabilities, and events like these really help me as a mother."

Rollison 's son was all smiles during the event, and walked away with a bag full of goodies. Everyone involved agreed that this year's Trick-or-Treat for Kids with Disabilities was a tremendous success, resulting in a bigger turnout than ever of over

This is the fifth year Student Council has held the event, and each year has been more successiul than the last. Primarily, the children came from different elementary schools and community daycare programs across Lincoln, but it was also open to the public. The event, which ran from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., was free to all kids and families that attended. Mimi Abebe {11) makes sock puppets zs kids. Richardson ~dded, at the STUCOTrick-or-Treat. W_hen you see the sm1l~s on The West Gym was quite a sight with their faces, you know that 1t was all worth it."

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LizNguyen Opinion&Jitor

I just thought I'd give you all an update on the Habitat House. It's also my opportunity to give out a "Good Job" to all the students, teachers, and club sponsors for what I saw last Saturday. What I saw Saturday, September 7, the frrst day of construction, was nothing compared to what I saw the morning of Saturday, October 19, 6 weeks later. On September 7, the house started off with a foundation, having just two walls, no windows, and no roof.

By Saturday, October 19, the exterior of the house stood with a sturdy foundation, all four walls built and wrapped, windows put in, sliding door to the deck installed, the roof has been put up and shingled, and the fan ducts have been put on the roof. The inside is an even greater accomplishment; the walls have been framed and a bathtub installed as a start for the b athroom.

T,he clubs that have volunteered the past few weeks are: Asian Caucus, GLBTSA, Young Democrats, African-American Caucus, and the Girls "L'' Club. Building this house obviously takes a great deal of time and work, so kudos to all of you who have given up some part of your Saturday to help.

The part that's being built on our school parking lot is just the second floor, not the frrst! On the morning of Saturday, October 19, the builders' objective was to build the first floor walls, then take them out to the actual house.

ro2ress

briefly mentioned in the previous article. As the future inhabitant of this house, Chelsea anxiously awaits the completion of her new home. Judging from my interview with her, her enthusiasm has only grown over time. "I've already told my teacner, 'my principal, and most · of my friends" she says, as she wonders if she forgot anyone. She claims there will be a lot of things that will make her ho use better than the apartment.

Among them are a much bigger space for her to run around and more space for mom's Elvis paraphernalia collection. She also gets her own horse room, a backyard, and all of any pets she wants, preferably a dog.

When Dawn isn't busy with her two jobs, working on her house, or picking Chelsea up from school, she spends time working on the house scrapbook for her daughter.

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Rylyzettennan__ BusinessManager

Seniors beware, CI class is coming! Citizenship Issues class is required to be on every senior's schedule. In Social Studies teacher JP Caruso's words, citizenship issues means. "People getting a better understanoing of their roles in society, it's about the things people should b e concerned with like, voting and being an active participant in society "

In CI class the teacher teaches the studen:ts about the constitution and each student is issued a "We the People" book that they will read and do an occasional questionnaire from. In Caruso's CI classes h~ tries to take the interests of himself, his students, and what the district wants and put them together ; Mainly he decides what he can do to rile up the students. Caruso also thinks it is vital to include what is happening in the news in class discussions. Each ·student is required by the district to complete twenty hours of community service. The student is allowed to choose where he or she would like to volunteer and then have to get it approved by their CI teacher. Each student receives a time card that they will fill out every time they volunteer at their desired place. The hardest part of starting to volunteer is choosing a place that best fits the students time and a place that they will enjoy and learn from. Caruso believes that a person should take their most valued personal interest and find a place to volunteer that is involved with their personal interests. For example, if a student is interested in animals they

can volunteer at the Humane Society or the Raptor Recovery Center.

Caruso believes and supports community service, but he believes that the best type of community service is "When a student leaves high school they will run for public office. This is the most ideal for m of community service. The state

=··

'W·· Dawn Remmenga sits with her daughter Chelsea in her apartment awaiting the completion of her house.

Here they put on a cement-outlined foundation. The second floor of the house that's being built on our parking lot will soon be moved to the actual location of the house and stacked on the first floor.

The moving of part of the house may be the most difficult task yet. The construction workers are , still deciding on the most convenient route for transferring it.

In the meanwhile, Chelsea is still creating the layout of her room. Chelsea Remmeng a, 9, is the daughter of Dawn Remmenga, as I

In the scrapbook she keeps many mementos of the process of her house being built. Her goal is to have the scrapbook done by Dedication. Dedication is the event in which the house has been completed and is - celebrated by the blessing of the house, handing the keys to th e owners, and possibly a small speech.

Dawn plans to invite the students and all others who have helped work on her house to celebrate with her and her family on this joyous day.

•

can 't exist unless people are willing to offer themselves for public off iQe."

Many places in Lincoln allow som ~ sort of community _ work whether it is picking up trash or entert } ining elderly people in a retirem ent home. If the student likes child re n and toys a great place to volunteer is The Children's Museum. Also, you can complete you community service hours in advance. Juniors can pick up tune cards after their junior years and complete there twenty hours over the summer. Caruso said, I wis h

more young people would consider running for public office. Our community is growing and with growth comes new difficulties. If you really want to improve your community, offer yourself

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• • 1r1n a teac ers icult, ~ut not im • OSSl e

))ShSwartzlander Editorin Chief

Have you ever had a teacher who couldfl't teach? Ever experienced a class wJiere you actually felt like you were losing itnowledge? Have you ever beer , in a class where the teacher was more o f an extra strength tranquilizer than an exciting educator? I have. And it brought up the quJ;:stion in my mind: How do you get rid of a bad teacher?

There is a specific process Nebraska school districts must take to fire teachers. "Nebraska law governs the rights teachers have to employment," Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Nancy Biggs said "It's not easy to remove a teacher from their job, but it shouldn't be."

Lincpln High School princiJal Mike Wortman says replacing bad teache is is a process, not a single quick decision. ''The first way to get rid of a bad teacher .is to help them," he said.

Lincoln High teachers are eviluated two times every three years, Wortman said. The evaluation, called a Teacher P erformance Summative Appraisal, is done b y an administrator. The evaluation is a 16-plrt form that assesses teachers' abilities to us ~ productive teaching techniques, to use organizational and class manageillent skills, to pro 1note positive interpersonal relations, and to meet all pro-

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By MargaretGure~itz c,opyEdiror

Everything seems to be going swimmingly for Lincoln High's Aqualinks. Our Aqualinks are not shallow, nor are they off the deep end. Actually, they are gracefully diving into the new school year.

Okay, sorry, enough with the bad puns. Aqualinks actually have a long, interesting history, and this year the proud tradition continues.

Lincoln High's first synchronized swimming team was started almost fifty years ago, in 1953. The first team had twenty eight members, and the numbers remained high in following years. The Aqualinks were a strong and important part of Lincoln High for nearlythirty years, but when support began to dwindle in the 1980s, they faded out of Lincoln High culture.

During the 1980s and most of the 1990s, there were no Aqualinks. In 1999, Lincoln High Special Education teacher BarbWeckman decided Bit was time to bring back the Aqualinks. Weckman was part of Southeast's synchronized swimming team,

fessional responsibilities.

If a teacher is not working at a satisfactory level they have a right to notification by an administrator, Biggs said. "I would expect the administrator to give the teacher specific examples based on direct observation," she added. The official notification document • is called a Notice of Performance Concern.

Teachers know when they are going to be evaluated formally, but Wortman said informal observations and evaluations happen more often. "There [are] walk-through evaluations all the time," he said.

If a teacher scores at an unsatisfactory level (less than a three out of three possible points in any category) a plan is written to • resolve the situation, Wortman said.

If the plan does not work, then a school principal would work with the district offices to provide all the possible resources for a teacher to get better, Wortman said. Included in these resources for teacher improvement is the possibility of a team of experts, usually from the district, assigned to help a teacher get better at some aspect of teaching, Biggs said.

The last step ~ould be a recommendation to the school board. "If a teacher won't or can't get better, a recommendation could be made to not renew that teacher's contract," Wortman said.

President of the Lincoln Education Association (LEA) Dan Studer says the teach-

andcoached two AAU professional synchronized swimming team s

Weckman enjoys coaching the Aqualinks, saying that it is a very rewarding experience. · Weckman says, "I like working with the kids ... and synchronized swimming is one of my favorite things to do." She says the students "are a dedicated bunch."

Aqualinks are currently holding tryouts to determine the new team. By the end of tryouts, they expect to have 15 to 20 members. It has been decided that senior Jaqui Joplin is the president, senior Hilary Shrauger is vice president and senior Sara Gray is head of public relations. Megan Yavoich, the president from last year, has graduated and is now an assistant coach. The student coach is senior Cari Hodge.

Our Aqualinks will be dutifully practicing all year, they will give three performances in May. The theme of last year's show was "Synchronized Links , " and the year before it was "Hooray for Hollywood." The show in May will focus on "Music throughout the Ages."

Until their performances, theAqualinks

ers' union exists for exactly such a circumstance. "Teachers have to have somewhere to go where their rights are known and protected," he said. Currently, about 90% of teachers belong to the union.

Biggs -said teachers usually quit during some part of the appraisal process before they are fired. "Most of the time the teachers resign." '

If a principal uses the proper steps, a , teacher can be replaced, Wortman said. "If a • building principal goes through the process, it's almost 99% sure."

If the school district does not go through the proper steps, it could be difficult to fire a teacher, Studer said "If there are concerns in the district, they should not just move to cancel the teacher's contract," he said. "If the process isn't there, we could challenge the district that they didn't follow the proper procedures." -

All formal observations of teachers are kept in a file, but there is no official complaint form that parents or students can file that goes in teachers' permanent records, Biggs said. "They're not ignored, but everybody doesn't get to throw things into a file."

However, a visit from a concerned parent or student would probably prompt a meeting with a teacher, Wortman said. "If a person has a concern about a teacher, they should contact the building principal," he said. "A call from a parent would trigger me to talk to

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will be practicing every Monday and Thursday from 3:00 to 4:30 at the Lincoln High swimming pool, and during swimming season, they will practice on Saturday mornings. They dedicate their time to mastering skills such as sculling, tuck, pinwheel, tub turn, oyster, kip, barracuda and ballet leg. These seem like pretty odd terms, but all of the exercises come together in a beautiful routine.

Many Lincoln High students know very little about the Aqualinks, and have not been to their shows. When junior Mollie Moorhead went to a show last year, she "had no idea what to expect" because there is not much information out about Aqualinks. When she went, she was pleasantly surprised. "It was really good to see people having fun and not really caring about what others thought of them. They really seemed to enjoy themselves," Moorehead said.

To learn more about theAqualinks, you can go to their show in May. For those of you who cannot stand the wait, you are also welcome to -watch their practices. Perhaps you, too, could start practicing and tryout for the team next year. In any case, jump in and enjoy the Aqualink fun.

the teacher."

Biggs agrees. "I would always tell a person to share that information with the principal," she said.

It is difficult to fire a Lincoln Public Schools teacher based on substandard teacher quality over a long period of time, Wortman said. "It shouldn't just be on a whim."

Only · four teachers have been fired in the Lincoln Public School District since 1994, Biggs said However, that number does not include teachers who resigned at any point in the process.

Biggs said teac hers used to get fired in Nebraska districts when they made too much money. "I don't think the process of replacing teachers is unfair," Biggs said.

It is not accurate that the process of fir" ing a teacher is too difficult, Studer said. "What the public doesn't hear about is a teacher that leaves for other reasons."

Though the process of firing a Lincoln Public Schools teacher who is a member of the Lincoln Education Association is tedious, sometimes it works out for the best, Biggs said. "It's possible for the outcome to be positive for both the ·school district and the teacher," she said.

( .,

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____ By JayBeennann_____ _ CopyF..ditor

Ideas fly around a conference table as ' a group of ten motivated high school students work on planning the biggest youth rally Lincoln has each year. "Should we move it?" "How many people do we want?" ''What's our theme?" These are the questions that one might hear at one of the planning meetings for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Rally.

The rally, which will be held this year on the morning of January 20, has been an annual event in Lincoln for eight years now. It was originally started by a group of adults who felt that there should be some kind of local event commemorating Dr. King and his message, In past years, the event has been at various locations, including the Student Union and the Lied Center. This year, rally attendees will start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cultural Center, then march to the State Capitol for the program.

event by word of mouth. Leon got involved with it through the Lighthouse, a local neighborhood youth center. Leon became involved and has stayed involved because he believes" it (the Civil Rights movement) was one of the most significant events in American history." Leon believes strongly in Dr. King's message, and has chosen to be an active member of the planning committee for this event. "Dr. King is the greatest American I can think of. It takes a lot to lead a nonviolent revolution."

Junior Brittney Hodges is the chairperson of the Executive Planning Committee, and she, too, believes that there is an important message to be gained from the rally. "Racism still exists in this country. It might be more subtle than it used to be, but it's still there. The rally demonstrates how people can still come together and cooperate for the greater good." Hodges got involved during her ninth grade year when a counselor at her middle school who knew " _--..

Past wyears, programs nave _ 1nc1uaea · aoout fier aam1rat1on ror Dr. King s-u-ggesreu speeches, essays, poetry and performances she work with this project. Hodges' goal for by groups like the Lion Dance from the this year's rally: "Ten times more people, Asian Cultural Center, and Lincoln High's and an even more diverse group."' own Voices of Destiny. Dr. Jake Kirkland, Both Leon and Hodges urge everyone an associate of the University of Nebraska- that can attend to do so. The event will be Lincoln and one of the founders of the rally, both fun and educational, and a lot of lesbelieves that Voices of Destiny is one of the sons can be learned from it. Leon combetter groups to have been involved with the mented, "The real purpose is to echo what program. "They (the group) are a microcosm he (Dr. King) was trying to teach; that people of Dr. King's philosophy." Dr. Kirkland also must treat each other with love and respect described the day as full of "moving mo- if we are to have a happy and productive ments" that make attending definitely society. worthwhile. Anyone interested in helping with the Lincoln High has had a history of be- project is encouraged to attend the planning ing involved with the rally. Chris Leon, a meetings The meetings are held every other senior here at LHS, is in his third year of Sunday, starting with November 17, and being involved with the rally. Originally, begin at 5p m. at the Youth In Action Cenpeople were "recruited" to help organize this ter located at 920 "O" Street.

ByE.llenWright --F...ntertainment F..dit·or~

The U.S. Congress passed a Joint Resolution that would allow President Bush to use military force, acting alone if necessary, to make sure that Iraq disarms any weapons of mass destruction. With the threat of war in January, many young men and women will be deployed by the United States Armed Forces. It is important to realize that the thousands of enlisted men and women are not just names; but familiar faces that were seen in the hallways of schools throughout our country.

For many years , Lincoln High students have made the selfless decision to serve their country. As you walk into the front of the building you will find plaques listing those students who sacrificed their lives in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Wolterman is hoping to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Both have decided to join the military for the opportunities the service provides. "I wanted to join the Navy, because I wanted to travel · and it is going to pay for my education" Bergeron said. She couldn't apply to the Naval Academy because of a health condition, so she enlisted in the Navy and will attend basic training this year. Wolterman is awaiting his acceptance to attend the Naval Academy.

Wolterman has grown up with the military; his father has served for 23 years in the Coast Guard. "I guess you could say it's all I've known." Wolterman plans on becoming a fighter pilot, and when he retires from the service, he hopes to somehow tum his post-service into a teaching career, whether it is as a ROTC training officer or as a flight instructor. Even though their rea···~·~,m , sons are different, both Bergeron and Wolterman believe in fulfilling a military obligation for the protection of the freedoms granted to all of us in our great democracy.

In part, they were simply required to , fight in a time of war, but within each enlisted soldier or sailor, there were personal reasons as well.

Senior Molly Bergeron will go to Basic Training in the summer after being recruited into the United States Navy. of it s young citizens who enjoy the privileges of freedom. Both Wolterman and Bergeron don't think this a likely possibility , because they feel that the military is not for everyone and that people should do what makes them happy.

Two seniors at Lincoln High, Molly Bergeron and Sean Wolterman have already applied for military service to our country. Bergeron has enlisted in the Navy and is currently serving as a personal secretary

By RuthK.ohtz J\Sffi.F..ditor In Chief

It has been the chance of a lifetime, for both the Russians and the Amer-icans. Nine students and two teachers from Samara, Russia, spent three weeks through October and November with 11 Lincoln High host , families.The foreign students enjoyed spending time participating in the American teens' daily activities, as well as taking short trips to other places in southeast Nebraska, such as Omaha and Nebraska City.

With January approaching, both are very confident and happy with their decision to serve. "I can't really see myself doing anything else" Wolterman said. · • uss1ans

Next April, most of the LHS students who hosted Russians ' will have the opportunity to spend three weeks attending high school in Samara with their Russian host sibling. Oleg Kalinin, the Russian who stayed with Jeff Degner (11), said "It is easier for us to come here, because we know English, than it will be for them to come to Russia." English Department Chair John Heineman organized t):ie exchange after spending three weeks last October at the Russian school.

1; - l=lt™ i.s+t1J. , ~:J..i =1i,t-a,r-y-=-fgr:.,.= everyone? Since 9/11 there has been a reexamination of what it means to serve your country The media has been reflecting on the concept of public service. Countless stories of courage and self-sacrifice were related as public servants and private citizens responded to a horrific act of terror. Some countries require service of all young peo_ple; for example, in Germany men have to ~erve military or social work for two years. Perhaps the U.S. should require mandatory ·service

o · ien's ritin s

____ ByMargoD.,1'.ekeliya , Adventures of Tom Bombadil, another i\SSistantE,ntertainmentE,ditor Middle-Earth related book, and two parts

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is one of the most popular writers among youngsters today. The author of the fabulous trilogy The Lord of The Rings, exciting books like The Hobbit, Sylmanlion, and a bunch of research works on Ancient and Middle-English is also the creator of Fantasy as a genre of literature. What is the reason for the popularity of this unique author? Some people are supposed to think that it is because of the bestselling movie directed by Peter Jackson.

The name Tolkien is considered to be of German origin. He was born on January 3rd, 1892, in Bloemsfountain, South Africa. On February 15th his father died, so Ronald (among relatives and early friends) moved to the United Kingdom with his mother and younger brother Hilary.

In 1900 Tolkien became a Catholic. Tolkien successfully entered college in Cambridge, where he studied English. In 1915 Tolkien was sent to the World War I. Tolkien's army fellows are considered to be the prototype of Sam Gamgee's character: simple and faithful.

_ After corning back from hospital, where he had been since November of 1915, Ronald married his friend Edith.

A few years later, after his last child and the only daughter's birth, he started his great work, The Hobbit, which had great success and was followed by the well-known trilogy, Lord of the Rings. Other famous Tolkien's works are Sylmarilion, which was edited and published by his son Christopher four years after Tolkien senior's death,

of The B ook of the Lost Tales.

The Lord of the Rings is not the first movie created after the great writer's book. For example, it is a well-known fact that even the Beatles wanted to shoot a movie after the Lord of the Rings trilogy. According to their ideas, they wanted John Lennon to play Gandalf and Paul McCartney to play Frodo (That could be a very interesting movie to watch even if you don't like Beatles), but Tolkien himself was against this idea.

Peter Jackson, the director of the movie had his own goal as screenwriter. "I wanted to take the great moments from the books and use modem technology to give audiences nights at movies unlike anything they've ever experienced before," said Jackson. "Tolkien writes in a way that make everything come alive. Tolkien is indeed a great writer. You probably noticed that carefulness, with which he describes all kinds of events and characters in the book.

Some true Tolkien's fans feel disappointed with the movie, because many details and characters are not used.. Still people seem to be quite satisfied with what they purch11se on DVD and tapes and do not hurry to go get their money back.

"I have no criticism to the book. I liked it. I also have no criticism to the movie. It did the justice of the book." Lincoln High junior Gwen Lawson said.

"The movie is indeed a masterpiece (in its own way). It was shot in New Zealand

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and is considered to be unique, because it represents the combining of wonderful New Zealand nature and modern Multi Media technologies. Much attention in it is paid to details, for example, special experts from the UK were invited to train actors to speak as if they really had an Elfish accent, Elfish is hard to be studied, but when you get into it and it starts to flow, you realize that it sounds oeautiful," said Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas -in the movie. The full version of the movie (3 parts) lasts for 666 minutes. It was made in quite a short time, 18 months, and is remarkable because of the amount of injuries, which occurred during the shooting of it (For example, Bloom's broken rib, Viggo Mortensen's (Aragom) tooth-out and many more.) The parts of Nazguls, the Black Riders, and all the scenes of battles were perforrµed with active participation of the New Zealand National Army. When the prime minister of New Zealand was asked why the government spent taxpayers money like that, he replied, "It is our due to raise the authority of our country."

December 18th is the official release date of The Two Towers, the second part of the Lord of The Rings trilogy. Everybody who hasn't seen the clip yet can download it from http:// www.theonering.net.

Read the book, watch the movie and wait for December, which is not that far to come.

ariet or ~un raisers e ect iversit e

Bycarrie\viegert,---i\ssistantBusinessE,ditor

Every month a portion of students at Lincoln High are excused from class in order to attend Club Day. Some students belong to clubs for the sole purpose of missing a class. For others, the motive is to build up a more impressive college resume. A small group of students even belong to clubs because they are truly interested in the intended focus of the organization.

Faculty members in the building sponsor most clubs at Lincoln High. Students work with their sponsor to provide a time and place to meet one Wednesday out of every month. Finding a meeting place and sponsor is only half the battle of operating a club. The most successful clubs at Lincoln High have found ways to raise money, and therefore accumulate a "bank" to fund • • • act1v1t1es.

-at inco1n • 1

Fundraisers are the most obvious method of raising money and are frequently used by clubs. For instance, only two weeks ago members of the Spanish Club could be seen flocking the hallways with large bags of suckers, which they referred to as skull pops. "They're only fifty cents each and they taste really good!" saiq senior Spanish club member Amanda Lueke. Senior Brittany Madison commented, "I think I owe myself about five dollars considering I've eaten about half the skulls myself," Mummer's club has been selling $20 coupon books for over two months. "We haven't made as much money as we hoped, but we'll keep selling," Senior Mummer Dottie Urbanek said.

Most fundraisers have a tough time competing against the DECA Cookie Link. "This year, we sponsored a tailgate party for the Southwest football game. We grilled

burgers, sold chips and pop as well as football beads, rally rags; tattoos, and balloons," Senior Gabrielle James said. "All of the money we earned we donated to the Booster Club."

Fund-raising isn't the only aspect of clubs here at Lincoln High School. Clubs provide organized activities for teens with the same interests to come in contact with the community. Ecology club is just one of many clubs that intends to take part in volunteer opportunities in the city of Lincoln. They plan to help clean up the city of Lincoln, one piece of trash at a time. The Gay Lesbian Bisexual Trans gender Straight Alliance also provides a great support system here at Lincoln High School. It meets once a month, and allows students to voice their opinions and feelings.There are many great clubs here at

Lincoln High. The number, and kinds of clubs offered is as diverse as the population of students. Rest assured that there is a near perfect club for every person here at Lincoln High

ByMargaretGurewitz copyE.ditor

Lincoln High needs the "Advocate" like a fish needs a bicycle. Seems like quite . the insult, right? Soon enough, however, all of Lincoln will see how much fish truly do enjoy leisurely bike rides, Our streets will be filled with statues of all shapes, colors and sizes, each a different bicycle statue.

Tour de Lincoln, the funny French phrase we keep seeing in the papers, is actually the name of the Lincoln Arts Council's (LAC) newest project. LAC is a group of people dedicated to preserving all of Lincoln's many art forms. Tour de Lincoln is one of LAC's largest endeavors, and is headed by Liz Shea-McCoy.

The sculpture project was inspired by similar undertakings in other cities. Omaha was invaded by J. Doe, Toronto by moose,

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ByTiffanyBundy .StaffWriter

When the first club day rolled around, Lincoln High's own Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ Transgender/Straight Alliance (GLBTSA) had some entertainment lined up to rock the

There are lots of facial expressions and hand movements that are used. The emotions expressed in the poem are not only expressed through words like in most poetry. Spoken Word Artists also do not read from a document. Every word is memorized. m· 1 house .fulglisb Teache L Ruth.Kqpfer go.La "'' hold of Spoken Word Artist Alix Olson.

Kupfer had seen Olson perform at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. "I knew she rocked " , Kupfer replied She found out that Olson would be touring close to Lincoln, so she logged on to the poet's website (www.alixolson com), where she found her eAfter mail address. emailing Olson to request her to be a guest at

·GLBTSA's first club meeting of the year, Kupfer received the reply of "yes."

On October 2, 2002

Sioux City by ground squirrels and Chicago by cows. Beginning in May, 2003, the people of Lincoln will have to share their sidewalks with bikers. Our new friends will remain on our streets until September, 2003, when they will be auctioned at in Haymarket Park. The proceeds of the auction will support local artists and art organizations.

According to a letter by Shea-McCoy, our bikes will come in "146 exciting, magical designs." Each bike will be created by one artist with money coming from sponsors. Over fifty people and organizations have paid the $3,000 sponsorship, and their names will be placed on a permanent plaque and in promotional materials. These sponsors chose their bikes at a public exhibit at the Lied center for Performing Arts between September 19 and September 21. The bikes were displayed again on November 1, and got even more sponsors. If you just cannot

01-£Gn~stat-eE!.~..rl y- ~n th-at~'I l1a¥-e admit there is a bit of a language issue."

Olson usually doesn't have to deal with the issue of language because she usually performs for kids who don't have parents to decide about language content. "Most of my kids are homeless," · Olson said.

When Olson started busting out her lyrics, she sent a message to all of her listeners. Most of her poetry was very critical of the U.S. government and the economic system. One poem called "America's On Sale" was about how the world is being pulled under by expensive goods that are really during eighth period, Olson started off her performance with a little bit of information about herself. She talked about her current teaching job in New York City at the Harvey Milk High School for GLBT youth. Olson is a Spoken Word Performance Art Teacher at the high school.

Alix Olson made a special stop at LHSon October 2 to support the GLBTSAClub.

To be a Spoken Word Artist, or Slam Poet, is to tell poetry very dramatically.

made by people in sweat shops. It was also about how we are being drowned by ad campaigns and merchandise. She also talked about how the world is being brainwashed by fake people and fake patriotism. Olson's words were also very empowering for women. She talked about her heroes and people that have made a difference.

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wait until May, you can view the bikes on LAC's web <www.artscene.org>

some site of at

Few LHS students are aware of this new project, but those who are feel very excited. Senior Julia Stanfield said, "I'm afraid I' 11 trip over them, but they'll probably look neat." Senior Ariel Washington is not quite as worried about sharing her sidewalk space, but she agrees that the statues will add a lot to our city. "I feel that putting up statues is a great way to inform Lincoln about the arts." When asked his opinion of the project, senior Dan Hatch gave a perfect summary: "Bikes make me happy."

So get ready. We will soon have bicycles with eyes, wings, ribbons and colors galore. Fish may never fly, but they can now ride bikes.

''Scwinns for Finns''(top) and ''Mogul'' (bottom) are two examples of Tour De Lincoln Statues

Josh..swartzlander Editorin Chief

In 1871 the school board decided to invest $50,000 on building a high school for the citizens of Lincoln Nebraska and Lincoln High School was founded. More than 100 years and 40,000 students later, Lincoln High remains an institution that is intimately connected with the history of the city

of Lincoln and is an excellent educational facility today. Lincoln High, the oldest high school in the state, was built in the 1870s at 15th and M streets where Pershing Municipal Auditorium sits today. Since most of Lincoln was situated in the current area of 9th, 10th, 0, and P streets, the school seemed to be on the edge of tow n when it was built. Adults

worried about children walking to school through fierce blizzards. Wild animals such as deer and wolves also posed a possible threat for children walking to school.

The original building was so large that it reportedly had more room than it knew how to use.

The 1902 Lincoln High School football team was known as the best io the west.

The 1911 Lincoln High School band po.ses fo n photo. (left)

The interior of a Linco ~ High School classroom the 1880s when the sc~ was located at the con1 of 15th, 16th, M, and N streets (right.) This pit shows the old-fashi on11 desks used by most sc~ across the country in ,1 late 1soo•s.

Other critics of the Lincoln High School building said that the architecture was. too extravagant and that the building itself was too lilllllense.

The first graduating class of Lincoln High had five students, one boy and four girls. In 1873 Lincoln High had about 200 students. However, the school grew rapidly and by 1892, about 20 years later, thousands of students used the facility. The graduating class of 1900 had 85 students, 17 times larger than the graduating class of 1873. By that time, the building at 15th and M was de- · teriorating and the school was ' running out of room.

In 1909, the board pro-

posed a new location for Lincoln High at 22nd and J streets. However, the designated spot was controversial. Some argued that the school was located too closely to nearby railroad tracks. Others said that the site was an area swampy and subject to flooding. Many parents pointed out that the area was used for a traveling carnival in the past, making it unfit for children.

It took a furnace failure in the middle of winter where ink froze in the inkwells to convince the citizens of Lincoln that a new school had to be built soon. Finally, a $350,000 bond issue was approved for Lincoln High to be built on the 22nd and J location. Classes opened September 1915. Students 'deemed the structure "Lincoln

High School's new palace of learning." The building included more than 100 rooms, a beautiful auditorium seating almost 1,500, marble wainscotin g, terrazzo flooring, a 65,000 gallon swimming pool, and two gymnasi_!lms. Further, the school was built with private lockers for each student, two cafeterias, and a library that could hold 500 stude nts at one time

The building's dedication was supposed to take place November 15-19, but a smallpox epidemic postponed the dedication of Lincoln High until the week of December 6-10

Major renovations and additions since the current Lincoln High building was constructed include:

18 room addition in 1927

Johnson Activities Building with gymnasiums addition in 1956

New media center, roofing, arid skylights added from 19751983

Recently, Lincoln High took control of the South Ann ex, formally the Public Schools Administration Building, to add classrooms and labs.

In the 1990 s, a $5.1 million venture added 14 more ,math and science classroom ~and new counseling and administrative offices to Lincoln High along with a physical education gym, a Itew weight room, and a wrestling practice room. In 1998 a new track was completed and this year the track was repaired agah,. Lincoln High has "'11.dureda remarkable journey to get tc the modem facility it is today. Tht school's history is a lasting legacy that separates. it from all other Lin.coin high schools.

The information and pictll,res for this article were taken from The Lincoln

1922 Lincoln High School graduate Lois Brooks (right) shows off the LHS yearbook from the yearshe graduated as she leans up against the Lincoln High links. Brooks returned to Lincoln High this year on her98th birthday to visit her former High School. -

High School Storyby Ruth E. Gartner.

The 1896 Lincoln High School baseball team Pn!pares for a season game.

JacobMillerNewsE.ditor

Maybe its ju~t 1ne,but there seems to be a lot of people who voice t:J,cir opinions pretty loudly but the troubling thing is, most people seem so sure of themselves they fail to take into any consideration that there could be other opinions, and maybe, they themselves are not voicing fully educated opin~ ions. This is especially true if they have a lack of experience iP a certain area that is often debated. -

Take abortion, for example. A popular opinion in Lincoln High seems to be that abortion is wrong. Somt,argue that the fetus is a baby and having an abortion is basic.tllymurder. The problem with this opinion is, people are toe,quick to dismiss that there could be other educated opinions. Look at a)Jortion. Abortion is probably most commonly done out of necessity rather than the overwhelming deoireto have it done. Sometimes abortion is the only possibility 'What if the woman ' is raped? Why should she suffer the ad*d consequences of a rape? She shouldn't have to. What i{ going through with a baby's birth could mean the mot~r is in serious danger?

Should she have to go through wkh the birth just because a bunch of men and women who willprobably never have to go through that situation say she should? It is her body, no one else's. Unless all those wom:n and men who protest with those posters showing a dead fetus (how classy, right in front of churches with young children)are put through the situation where abortion is a serioils option, I don't really believe they are voicing a fully edu,ated opinion, The women who have had abortions or have been in situations where they have to make that tough de(ision should be the ones saying whether they think abortip.1is right or wrong. Unfortunately, most who have had aJ;brtionsprobably will never speak up because they fem:of being viewed as sluts or killers.

The death penalty is another corrroversialtopic that most do not haveJ lot of personal experience with. One argument •

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Ruthl(ohtz

Asst,E.ditor-In-cbief

Ah, cigarettes, porn, and pickle cards. Such are the milestones in an 18 year old's life, not to mention going to bars (and not being able to drink). Let's not forget casting that first vote into a massive cesspool where, upon arrival, my vote will become lost among other helpless votes, scrambling to graduate magna cum laude from the Electoral College.

Where had these inalienablerights been all my life? I found them hiding between the couch cushions one afternoon that just happened to be my 18th birthday. I also found $.37, but that won't even get me some white cheddarCheez-itsfrom the vending machine in the cafeteria hallway, which, by the way, does not offer refunds in the event that you put money inside and nothing comes back out. I guess I'm stuck with the aforementioned privileges, otherwise known as running amuck, reserved only for mature people, like 18 year old high school students , You know, I've been waiting to tum 18 for nearly,well, 18 years. The last year of my life was a virtual countdown, ticking off 171/4, 171/2, 17 3/4, and finally the big 1-8. Now that I've reached it, though, it doesn't seem to be as big of a deal as I had once thought, Being 18 gets a lot of hype in our society these days and people tel}dto view that age as though it's the secret password into the adults-onlyreal world They don't know that

against the death penalty is that it is no longer a deterrent People kill regardless of whether the death penalty is around or not. Jail is supposed to be a detterent, too, and jails are still filling up pretty quickly, so sincejail doesn't seem to be working, should we get rid of jails too? Jail is a punishment and so is the death penalty. The death penalty is the ultimate punishment for unthinkable crimes. It's not like people are getting fried for armed robbery. The people sentenced to death are the kind who brutally beat, rape, and then kill some unsuspecting college-agedgirl. It's not as if Nebraska is just throwing around executions and making it a weekly thing, They could probably handle the wrong-guy issue if DNA testing were done right away.

The odd thing about the death penalty is the way people view it. Most have opinions that have nothing to do with personal experience. It would be very interesting if all those who protest outside the state penetentiary against the death penalty would share those same views if they were in a different situation. Would those same people be protesting if they had their little brother snatched off the streets while he was playing, only to be found murdered a few months later? Or if their husband or wife was killed in a bank robbery? Would those mothers still be against the death penalty if their 16-year-old daughter was raped and killed by a group of men? Would they still be against the death penalty? And it would be interesting if some would still be in favor of the death penalty if their son or daughter had killed someone. I think views would change

if they would have to live through those personal experiences.

I'm wondering if there are any students or teachers at Lincoln High who are confident or naive enough to say they could do a better job than George W. Bush. Some of the things he's done are controversial, but you have to look at the times.

00 •

MTV left the key under the welcome mat, allowing us into the real world years ago. Besides, I had this preconceived notion that the older I got the more like the kids on "Saved by the Bell" I would be Unfortunately,I'm still not a cheerleader and my friends still aren't as good at stirring up trouble as Zack Morris, though I think I'm the only one to have noticed the resemblance between Dr. Wortman and Mr. Belding. But I digress.

So now that I'm old enough to buy cigarettes and porn and am old enough to vote, the question becomes, "Will I even want to?" The answer is yes, if I want to support corrupt tobacco corporations,th~ disgusting adult entertainmentindustry, and the illegitimate love child of the two, otherwise known as the government. (By "the government", I mean the Bush administration. I'm not hating on the Department of Roads or anything.)

The only problem is that I turned 18 five days too late to cast a ballot in the most recent elections. That means I have to wait at least two years until the next voting opportunity. So while I'm in the midst of smoking and gambling, I have to find the time to learn about the candidates and make an educated decision. But in order for me to do that, I would have to acquire all the facts, which seem to be in awful short supply these days. I better start searching for them, and I think the first place I'll look is under the couch.

It would be very interesting to see what kind of job he would be doing if9/11 hadn't have happened. It also would be very interesting to see if anyone else could be ooing a better job Trade the time that Bill Clinton was President with Bush's time. What kind of job would Bush have done if he had been President in Clinton's relatively docile period? And what kind of job would Clinton be doing right now? As many problems that Bush is having with the economy, drunken daughters, and so on, Clinton had his share of personal problems too (girlfriends, shady business deals, and last mjnute pardons). It's funny how quickly people are to forget. There is no problem with believing in something, but some need to think about what they are saying and take into account. Most will never be in a position where abortion or the death penalty is a big problem.

JoelSievert SportsCo-E.ditor

Every year millions of students,spend two or more hours taking standardized tests. Standardizedtests, such as the ACT and the SAT,are used by collegesthroughoutthe nation to gauge each student's scholasticability.For many colleges,these testshelp narrow down a long list of students with similar credentials. For students, however,these tests are some of the most stressful times in their high school experience, and essentiallymake or break their college dreams.

· Through the years the ACT and SAThave comeunder attack.Variousgroupshave claimed that the tests are biased towards the upper class white students.The SAT in particular has been targetedfor disproportionatescoresamongstdifferent races and between men and women. On averagewomen score43 pointslowerthan men., whilethe averageblack studentscoresbelow 70 to 80 percent of white students.Lastly, 75 percent of white students scored over 1200 compared to only 29 percent of black students.

Collegeshave attackedthe SAT,comprised of a Verbal and Math section, for not being as well rounded as the ACT which includesMath, English, Reading, and Science Reasoning sections The SAT does offer,however,the SATII: SubjectTests.The SAT II offers a wide array of topics, such as Writing,Math, Physics, History and Language tests. Others have claimed that the tests do not accuratelypredict how students will do in college; some students who excel in school strugglewith standardizedtesting.

'There are studentswhojust don't testwell," Lincoln High counselor,VrrginiaSaporta said. "I think that there are students who function in ways that are reflectedin their grades or in what they've learned but for whom the test is not an accuratemeasure."

While all of these statementsmay be true there stillhas to be an objectiveway for colleges to gauge scholarship.Grades and GPA's could be an option, but often there is too much vari-

ance from schoolto school,city to city,and state to state.The difficultyof course wor!<,is a good indicationof the student's motivationand dedication,but again this can vary betweendifferent schools,withsome schoolsofferingmore,higher level classes than others. Studentinvolvement, too, is a good way to measure dedication,but does not necessarily measure intellect If it is proven that the ACT and SAT are not fair and objectiveways of testing intelligence,what are the alternatives? · ~

The answer: there are no alternatives.Siudents' futures,both in collegeand the rest of their life, lie in the hands of two tests that may not even be equitableto all people Since there are no alternativesand test makers are probablynot going to design a new test the only option left is to find the one that most accuratelypredictscollege success.

When asked to comment on which test she felt wouldbetterpredictcollegesuccess,Saporta

BL]

LucE.ssay NewsReporter

With laws such as the PatriotAct, and many of our leaders wanting to go to war, I hear a large number of my peers and teachers complaining about our government.I hear things such

they were indeed registered,however, only 3 of them were planning on voting in the next presidentialelection.That's only six percent. If this is going to become a national trend, I am going to feel mighty uncomfortas, "Why should I vote? It doesn't matter. They do what they want anyways." Or "l it:~:::;~:!:'.!;i'.i::::; :

!!:;i i '•••· And it has naturally gotten me thinking.

I just turned 18 in August, and went on one of my lunch periods to get my Class 0 license. While there, they asked me if I'd like to register to vote. I was already ahead of schedule and had about 15 minutes to kill before I had to be back to class and decided, sure! It took five minutes. Five minutes and I was ready to vote. That's pretty simple. So I wonder why more people my age don't vote.To be honest I could only come up with two answers:Laziness,and they have no idea

October 22 - Students take out some of their class timE" to fill out ballots.

able with 6% of the populationdecidinghow my government is run. If we projected that, that would be about 13 million voters deciding.the fate of 281 million.

So what do we do? What if this trend does continue?How can we get people involved? What is it going to take to get young people to read a paper once or twice a week to stay sufficientlyup to speed? It pains me to think about all of the trials and tribulations that the United States has gone through to get where it is today, and then wonder what's · going to happendown the road when its own citizens defeat it through self imposed ign 0ranee. of what the issues are.

I feel that the people who publicize the issues are doing it wrong. They're not saying things that we young people are going to do a double take on. And even if we do, that "I just don't care" attinicl.ecomes back into play. I think the only good attempt anyone has yet made, as hokey as it is, is www.rockthevote.com.It's an MTV ploy using rock stars to try to influence young impressionable kids into thinking that voting is cool. And it is cool! But what would really make people care!?

Wellpeople, you have to care!Accordingto http://www.census.gov/ main/www/cen2000.htmlthere were 281,421,906 people living in the United States. 209,128,094 were of legal voting age. That's 74.3% of the United States population!

I polled 50 LPS high school students of legal voting age. I asked them if they had (a) registered and (b) were planning on voting. Unsettlinglymost of them said the same thing tb me. "It's just one vote. One vote doesn't mean anything " A surprising 36 out of the 50 said that

is, in fact; a privilege.When to the booths, we are telling governmenthow to go about ness. When it comes down buck stops with us, with evzen of the US. People comabout how one vote doesn't If only six percent end up

Voting we go t h e itsbusitoit, the ery citipl~in matter. voting, every vote matters. _ .---.

So read a paper, watch Cl volunteers pass s o m e news, get in your car and go out ballots for the submit your one vote. When 209 Student Vote. million votes are submitted, it adds up to 209 million votes! You have a voice. Let it be heard.

stated, "I think they both do an equal job. Both test publisherswill give you argumentsfor their test that are pretty compelling.Students' experiences with both testshave been aboutthe same."

Each test was designedto gauge different componentsof intellect.The SATwas designed to be a predictorof collegesuccessand the ACT was designedto be a test of what you learnedin high school. Knowing this, however,the situation of which test to use does not become anymore clear.

When we get right down to the bottom of this giant mess we still find no solutions. For now we, as high school students,will have to learnto deal with this confusingprocess.We can only hope that someday,somewhere,some person will come up with a solution to this problem. Until that day we will continue to pump millions of dollars into the standardizedtest industry and the test aides they produce

• • av1 ne: 0 r1ncess or - un oser?

RuthKohtz f\s&. E.ditor-In-Chief

In today's day and age, there is no shortage of teen superstars shrink-wrapped in bubblegum who sing upbeat songs about their boyfriends. You know the usuals: Britney, Christina, Mandy, Jessica. Boys drool over them and preteens dress like them. But there's a new successor to the pop princess throne, and her name is Avril , Lavigne. Upon arrival at MTV, her first single "Complicated" had people thinking that this perky blonde would be different from , all the others. Sporting All-stars on her feet, Dickies slung low on her waist, and a black tie around her neck, Lavigne claimed

to have a rebellious attitude and a feeling of angst towards the pop music world, and she advocated a group poorly represented in the m~stream: the skateboarders.

Gag me with a spoon! Avril Lavigne is no more than the latest clone off the industry's conveyer belt. Described on her website as "a skater-punk," she is anything but. That may be her preferred clothing style, but any true "skater-punk" knows that the purpose is not to dress a certain way only to market black ties on your website for $15 a la Avril. And last time I was down at the skate park, I did not hear "Sk8er Boi" blaring on anybody's stereo.

In fact, there wasn't anybody at the

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E.llaE.ngland FeatureE.ditors

It's a common sight in the many hallways o f Lincoln High. A student is being told to either cover-up or remove something they are wearing. What exactly is wrong with spaghetti strap tank tops? I mean, walking through the halls, especially at lunchtime, stu-

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erine

but girls can't. Sounds a little sexist doesn't it? Girls can wear make-up, but guys can't. Another double standard. " The teachers are a lot harder on girls, I think," Senior Eryn ·Byorth said. Keever, though, feels the code

skate park last time I was there. They were all at home watching NBC's "SK8" on Saturday morning television. So I guess the television beat you to it, huh Avril? Exploitation of a minority, I mean. (J/k, J/k, simmer down out there.)

. Anyway, Lavigne often uses her music to criticize people who dress or act a certain way to be accepted by a certain crowd, commonly known as "posers".

In "Complicated", she urges someone to "Take off all your preppy clothes" and on her website she says "I'm gonna dress what's me, I'm gonna act what's me." What's her problem with other people dressing the way they want to? True, it is a little

ro riate

1snot based on what gender you are, but what stereotype you fall under.They're both right. We each want to be our own person, wear what we like, and not feel like we can't. We are all different. The dress policy seems '

disgusting to see everybody dressed the same in order to please each other, but the rest of us are just as guilty of trying so hard to be unique that we end up conforming to each other .. I can't lielp but wonder when Avril Lavigne will come to realize the meaning of the euphemism "He who is without sin shall cast the first stone."Britain's Que magazine recently published a review of "Let Go", and began touting Lavigne as "the missing link be. tween Britney and Blink-182". As true as that may be, don't be surprised when she's replaced in two years by the ne .west 15-yearold import who's not afraid to say the fword. "Let Go"? Get real.

ressco e

Many students have found that they only get , ·

in trouble for spaghetti straps, not low-cut shirts that reveal far too much.

Give me a break! What, is my shoulder so distracting that people can't think? I understand that guys are wired differently than girls, but let's give them some credit, please! How many guys out there have a thing for shoulders? This rule makes it sound like the administrators want all female students to wear sweatshirts and sweat pants so that we're "modestly dressed.''

The dress code is not only affecting what girls can wear. Sophomore Anthony Keever has frequently been asked to take off jewelry or make-up including chokers and eyeliner. His friends have been asked to do the same. They are not even wearing things that the Student Handbook says they can't wear. Absolutely nothing is said about make-up, for guys or girls. As for jewelry, the handbook simply , states under the list of inappropriate apparel, · "clothing or jewelry that is gang related.'' So, any guy that wears multiple pieces of jewelry is in a gang and can't wear tliem? That is the message that seems to be getting sent out through teachers, administrators, and campus supervisors who refuse to allow certain people to wear the things they like. -

Keever feels that just because he looks different and is is commonly labeled as a ''Goth" for what he wears and the music he listens to, teachers seem to say that he can't wear certain things. What's wrong with a guy wearing make-up ifhe wants to? Or even jewelry as long as it's not offensive? A person should be able to wear whatever makes them happy as long as it's not Nazi Swastikas or anything outrageously offensive like that. Students should not feel as if they have to fit into the norm. It almost seems as if teachers, administrators, and campus supervisors want us all to be the preppy little goodie-goodies that most of us aren't and never want to be.

,

to be saying," We don't like that you want to be different.'' The rules aren't fair to anyone. A possible solution to all this inequity may be to not ban entire types of clothes, but go person by person. A representative from Clarkson College will • be visiting Lincoln High School in November. Let's talk about your future.

TinaWilson ,\ss~PhotoE.ditor

After six weeks of grueling rehearsals, you can rest assured that the cast and crew of the fall play, "Don't Drink the Water," are ready for a new challenge. The play, , which took place on October 10, 11, and 12, is now over and the actors are getting ready for the One Act, "The Laramie Project." "The Laramie Project" is based on the death of Matthew Shepard and the hate that was involved.

LucF..ssay.______ English .teacher Chris Maly directed -----~taff Report this year's fall play. Juniors Ellen Uland and

Stealing Harvard, starring Jason Carly Buzz both had the same opinion of Le e (The Jay and Silent Bob Mov- the director. "He was great. We couldn't ies) ,and Tom Green (The Tom Green have asked for a better director to work Show and Freddy Got Fingered) is a with." Maly prepared his cast for the per-

r1n s t e ater

The cast and crew of "Don't Drink the Water'' met on Saturday, September 28, and Saturday, October 5 to work on "tech" (the building of sets) for the play. The cast built the sets and put them together with the help of Ben Koch (Ms. Koch-Johns' son). Without his help, the set wouldn't µave looked as good as it did.

Marion ( Molly Pearson(l 0), Walter ( Ben The hard work and deterTibbels(l 2), and Magee ( Jeff Tinnean(l 1) figure mination of the actors paid out what to do with the bomb in the American off in the performances.

completely over-the-top attempt' at formances with two-hour rehearsals every O t b 8 Th t • th

knee- s_Ia~p1ng hllant~ that 1s 1n many mght. Th~y worked h~d on get~ng off of cial challenge: they were directed to create ways s1rmlar to watching an hour and book (scnpt), and knowing blocking (places their own scenes. That's right, some of Lin-· half long episode of The Tom Green on the stage). During rehearsals, Mal~ com- - coln High's own students wrote part of the Show. Just like the Mook glorifying mented, "Th~ har?est ?art of rehear~1ngth: play.

The play was a big hit. \ Maly felt the play was a great -success for many reasons. "It was a chance for me to meet and work with new theatre students and that is always an exciting venture. Students endured a short, fast rehearsal schedule that held a lot of obstacles; the fact that sitcom, it leaves the viewer in many p~ay was doing it wi th out a~ audience. Maly chose "Don't Drink the Water" ways stupider and a little violated. Sine~ th e play was a comedy, it was hard to after reading it this summer; he knew in- tbe:v a,,erc<1

wh:~

f $3 H Id b h left with a feeling of uncertainty. They per- f d. Id b nnnation.

o 0,000. appy as cou e t at pull 1t o fan 1t wou e great. Buzz commented "The show went formed for an audience, an assembly of , he and his long time g1rlfr1end well Wehadanicetumoutallthreenights ,, ,, nnddle school kids, for the first time on · ' (played by Leslie Mann, Hooters ....,, mm === ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,. rm;,i; ==== == =m = and I think that the crowd enjoyed it." Uland from Big Daddy) can now get mar- liitlll!l!'111,m,,,,,,, added, "It was very successful. Everyone ried and start their life together, he :mmmrn!mE! ~lll'llllll!IIIIIIIl'IiII ''"'"' tttumtt i;uiut mrt came together to get work done." gets a phone call from his sister who rm;; tmtt! "''''' ,,,,,,. On Saturday, October 12, the last night has big news. So he goes over to the im;irnr tti'!'Iim 1 of the play, the cast performed splendidly. trailer park and finds that his niece I mrn ~,,m~:;m,m "'"""mi ''''"'" They did the show and as the show ended, got accepted into Harvard, and he is !i!1,111n,i!Im1mmmm11 61 they all set out to "strike" (take down) the remi~ded of a promise that he made "''''"''''''' '"'''''' set. The cast gathered together to put an her. He told her after she'd misspelled -•fill;"'"~ Ilill!ililili: "'"'' 11• 1• ,,,,, , ,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,, end to all of the hard work they put forth. ''Tarp'' in her 3 rd grade spelling bee, t?ii?i;';,m:llllllrnt:l:!1!1111!liillli Iii:!! ilifWI As the set was taken apart and Theatre/Oral that he'd pay for college. And she r rt i·Iii,[ll mills 1001rt<mt mrnrrien:rt[ffifff[!fil[] Communications teacher Patsy Koch-Johns' needs $30 000. j; Lnrn;r 1 " 1,1,1,11iiui";ll['rn;m:mimlst1!!!Eilli':f~~mrnr rnmrn;:aroom was put back together, the cast gathThis l~ads John to look to his long mrni,, ''''''''"""' 1ml!1i'I!!'"'' Ji[Mllll TH@ ered in se~ior dip for one lastmeet~n~. Maly t fri d db d ·nfl i!B!:WEfill,,,,,""'" '"'"% 1 "'"lill thanked his cast and crew for therr 1ncred- 1me en an a 1 uence, a genu- "" "'"" ,,.1 \ - I \ I . d- C - h.' D ff (G . ) 1miftili@11miiii:!li/ii [lt[Iffill r"ciililiiil&\;llil ible commitment to Lincoln High theatre, _ 1ne goo .1cornot 1ng, u reen nm • - • d k hi "W" h 1 • ::rwtitt'It !illJ[ill'illiiEi ''""'""" rm;;:,ttJlWi! ,,,,,,,,,, and for their passion an wor et c. 1t - They attempt many things to get the • ld , b f 1 " M l out 1t, we wou n t e success u , a y, money, and send his niece to college, "''''''''"' "d Th ·d th · th k , d sa1 ey sa1 e1r an -you s an as his girlfriend had already bid on a !iFt! rmmm;"'''''''' r:rn1 '''""'"'' !10 goodbye's, and they were off to the cast h_ous~ with their 3~ grand. All of_the !ti!tii I! !i'l!il!ul:i!Iii mmiiiiii!iiiil:ttmmi;;r :@@' !@Im ii',!i!! '''''""" party. s1tuat1ons were trying to be amusing, llll!Il'!iii!/l1 !!ii ;;1,,1t1mt;;r;;;;,l!lll!!I!IliI1n,,, fl'fit 1:f\1!11!ilill:lill: ""t"i '"'"'"WIT11 Fiitm rnrnn;m!in Now the cast is moving on to the One but really never succeeded. . . r,,,;;tlirn,;mlltlimi1i"""'~:;,:::i:r1w!tillll!iill!ii1rnm1m11mm, mmm!llmmlltl'i!!;]f!wl\K!:[t'lll:!immrm Act, the "I:.aramie Project." The "Laramie So if you want a heartfelt ro- ,,mrrm;mr:n::;'i';;;"'miim"'rn'""@I'imrn:um@Il!iws[!il\iJtllllww1i!!: !![Iii !l!fillllll!llifi'till\f!/JjJ[)li:JilwI!ilfillfi/!:lill!tliiJII@! Project" is about the vicious death of Matmance, ,don't see it. If you want a ,rn1mmm,@JffPiiil!li!Nm!iml:lffolln1s1lWil!1llflllllil!wffllitrnlll1/J:! "''''"' Ml;iiit mnrnl,ll';,m,,,,,.,,,,Eff!iibfal,;;:;c::,,,,,,m thew Shepard. Matthew Shepard was brubang, bang shoot 'em up thriller, ,Rmw;,n;r;mw rmrr@mmtIII!EI m IEJ'iki tallykilledinavicioushatecrime. Thehate don't see it. If you actually want to M:Jimii!/lll!ii!llli;ml;;'!!:llilj!IIlll!:l:';Jilll!iiiilli•!llllli I rnA1 &1rnm@tI:rnm mu;:;rnt '"''''"'""itt11mt1 crime that occurred was due to the fact that sit for an hour and twenty three min- :mm:::,,m"'' ' ITI![l'!rii!t!i!IJ ,,;i;;;;ir liiliiwlsiii1li!1J!r:::m,1m1''''''""''.',,,irn;i,:tm''''"''"'"1/@iWii!ilttittti Matthew Shepard was gay. It is based utes watching this and taking the risk ,,:,;;,,mm\ilkiifi!tm !:11nrmmmII'Hfflit'i mmmmi,,,,,;;;,;;;;,@!diI'lm;;rnwwmrn'"''•' t?ttttt?"'f''""''''""" "';'·'•'~''i''''''lli;!I around his death in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoof ruining that new shirt because your IIrnHt\llimr•rnmrn:,;;;;;;:, ""'""""' 1,1,"" "J!lfji;mlitrrnm1!!!Ct ii!iVi•1~ x ming. Shepard was pistol-whipped and tied very own brain matter has leaked rnrnm:rnr I@@ mmrnmrni;,rnn,,,,!ii@rimmmtm"'"'mt;i""""I'I", rnm=rnm;m to a fence and he was left in the cold for 18 from your ear onto y our shoulder, by nitii,iii'"'"''t,;c:iwnn i;::ti'r11wnmtit Ei1!lm®iilittrn;rnniinm ,,T,,mv 1,1,1,1"'"1"", hours. He survived the night, but later died all means, go see it. '''"'"'"'"'""'""'''"'!mmmr,n,r,,nncmm!"!Mirn•ti ,mm

C!mr, 1 rnJ!!liill at the hospital \

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____ JambMiller _____ _ NewsF.iiitor

One of the biggest debates in the sports world right now is, should Augusta N ational Golf Club admit women rnern ~ b ers? Opinions are divided in, with sorne P.G.A. and L.P.G.A. tour players avoidi ng the issue completely. What there n eeds to be with this issue is clarity. This i sn't a black and white issue like sorne t hink. People on the inside at Aug usta N ational have said that women rnernbers m ay be corning in th .e future, but because o f the recent protests it may be delayed. A delay would mainly occur because of the stubborn me mbers at Augusta, but a c onsensus amongst club members seems to be that Martha Burks and h er supporters are a little qnreali stic.

The problem with Martha Burks appears to be that she.· knows little about golf. While some may d i s -

ationa • •

one would have to be very ignorant of the Club and their history to think that they would give in so easily. When Burks protested to the three main sponso r s, CocaCola, IBM, and Citi-group, of the annual , Augusta tournament, The Masters, Augusta chairman Hootie Johnson responded by announcing that they will be paying CBS to televise the 2003 Masters commercial free. After Augusta did this, you would think that the people at the National Council of Women's Organizations would receive the message and try a new strategy. Th at might be the intelligent thing to do.

What the NCWO should have """·done, was try to get a widely known women's golfer, such as Nancy Lopez, or even a current star like Annika · Sorenstam, and see if they would protest. They might get more d one, considering they know the way golf clubs work. Instead we are forced to deal with a mi ss golf-ignorant Burks, protesting a t hi s , place she knows very little about.

i t .-----• If women do join the club, do somecan be '.-ii i!.i!'5 thing that screams equality. Make a vi-The 15th hole at Augusta National them play from the same members t a l Photo Courtesy of Golf Digest tees. Building women's tees would i s - completely defeat the purpose of sue. I have to wonder if she realized equality, and men and women are equal. that Augusta National is completely If women join the club and insist on buildwithin their rights to deny women mem- ing new women's tees, that solves nothb ers. And beyond that, I wonder if ing It only shows that even though 13urks or any of her close associates re- women may be equal, they don't think alized how stubborn Augusta is. Some- they physically are.

e sa1

E.llaE.ru!land Featurel!..ditor '

All men ru,e oreatcu equal. 'l 'hat's one hundred percent true, but what about women? Over the years we've gained many rights such as being able to vote and work outside the home. We've become leaders in business and made strides in the medical world.

Taking all of this into consideration, it's no wonder why so many women, including myself, are outraged at the fact that Augusta National Golf course, one of the finest golf courses in the world and the home of the Masters Golf Tournament, denies us the privilege of being members. Women seem second-class to the many famous members including chief executive officer of Motorola Christopher :a.Galvin, and chairman of the investment firm Berkshire Hathaway and number two on Forbe's Magazine's list of wealthiest Americans Warren Buffet.

When confronted by Chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations Martha Burk with this startling fact, Augusta National President William Woodward "Hootie" Johnson simply stated that he would not be "bullied" into anything. Bullied! Ha! Now that's a laugh. Aman with his tremendous power and authority being bullied by a woman with little if any authority at all.

To add to the shock of Johnson's refusal is the facts that friends know Johnson as a supporter of racial equality. During the American Civil Rights Movement he persuaded m.:anybusinessmen in Georgia too not only hire African Americans, but to give •

them positions of authority. WhJI tho-, vu.LU sorn<>o=<> Iili.c r11mdeny women such a great honor that is so simple to give?

It's not even as if Augusta National was looking for the right women to join. There are many excellent and fully qualified female golfers just waiting for a chance. One such person is Darla Moore, a multimillion-dollar financier an d close friend of Johnson. Or there is Nancy Lopez who has won 48 golfing tournaments including three LPGA tournaments in 25 years. Augusta National simply doesn't want women to join.

Don't get me wrong, women are allowed to play at Augusta National. They are allowed to do almost evetything male members are except to become members. That's what I just don't understand. We're allowed to do anything there; they just won't allow us to join. It just doesn't make any sense.

The only other thing Johnson has been willing to say about women joining Augusta National is that possibly in the next six months they might let one woman join. One! One compared to dozens of male members. And in six months. They are not goi11gto have that much trouble finding women who want to join, are they?

Basically, it all comes down to this: Augusta National Golf Course is being sexist and stubborn. They are refusing to be fair to everyone and change an outdated tradition. They are a leader in golf, so why don"t they start setting a good example already! Women are just as good as men and we deserve every bit of equality that we've worked so hard to achieve. Augusta National should get over , themselves and give us our rights.

After a great fall season wrap-up, Linc oln High is now directing its attention to the winter sports. The boys' basketball team i s looking forward to upholding past traditions of Lincoln High. This years' varsity t eam will have the same head coach Russ Uhing . This years team, there are going to be 3 returning starters including, senior Tyron Canby, senior Jake Brestel and junior Seth Sharpe, and they will also be returning a number of letter winners. Last season, the Links made a state appearance before losing in the semifinals.

When asked if he feels any pressure to replicate last season, Uhing commented, ""l do not feel any pressure, rather I am excited and ready to begin our season." Canby stated, "One of the main reasons why I think we got there, was that we stuck together even when we were losing." Canby has been playing on the Var, as

sity team since his freshman year of high school. "The first game I played in I was a little nervous before the game, but when I got in the game I was okay" Canby said. Along with Canby, returners Jake Brestel and Seth Sharpe have also played a big role on the team. Both have goals that they would like to see fulfilled not only as a team, but personally as well.

Brestel, has been played on the Varsity level since sophomore year, and has been anticipating this year for quite some time, Sharpe, now a junior, keeps high thoughts of the Varsity team. Sharpe stated," We want to go past what we did last year ano go all the way"

So what really sets this year's team aside from the rest? "We have an experienced team returning. Therefor I would expect those players to set the tone for our teams in how we approach practices and games This group must be ready to take on any challenge presented to them" Uhing said. That is just what the Links are out to

•

The Links season will start on December 6th against Creighton Prep at Lincoln High

On the girls end of the court, there also will be a handful of players returning for another season of great competitio n. Among them will be senior Alexis Grenfell, senior Molly Shields, senior Tiffany Davison, junior Jennifer Endres, junior Alissa Holland, and junior Abby Wood The Varsity team is going to continue being coached by Bill Myers who has been with the team for over 25 years.

Last season the Lady Links finished the season out with a 10-11 record, but the girls still have a hopeful outlook on their upcoming season. Alexis Grenfell, a post player for the Links, feels that in order for the Links to have a shot at state, the girls Varsity team needs to take each game one by one. "Last year, we had a lot of games where we knew we should have won, but we just let them slip away. We need to re-

or ·eason

member that each and every game counts'' Grenfell commented. This years team has a lot of history together, and many of the players have been playing together since middle school. Shields stated "I believe that on this team we have experience, so we should be able to go far."

Alissa Holland who has brought much to the team sai .d, "My frrst game, I was mostly excited but nervous at the same time. I wanted to prove to everyone that I belonged on the team and was a good enough player to compete." Holland is one of many players on the team who have been competing at this level since their fresh~ man year.

This years' squad is being led by a number of strong players and that is sure to be in the Links favor. The Links will open up competition on December 6th against Columbus at Columbus. Their first home • game will be on December 14th against Fremont. Good luck ladies!

\ •

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JambMiller·andJoel.Sievert ffu r...-oi2d;tnr .SIJOrfSC<J-Edjfo,

The Lincoln High fall sports season has come to an end. There were many ups and downs for each team throughoutthe year.Each team deservesour supportand encouragement for all of their hard work that began in the offseason.

We gave each team a grade based off the grading rubric below.The rubric was designed to establish an equitableway to rank each team

tricts.

Softball... B+: Started the season slowly but picked up speed as the season progressed. Ended the regular season strong and were District runner-ups. They entered the State tournament as the number 8 seed and finished the tournament with a 1-2 record.

Girls Cross Country ... C : Injuries slowed this team down throughout the year. Despite this Rachael ~ells (1 2) wo_rks they continued to on her swing at practice. work hard and improved

with every meet. With some key returners they should improve next year.

Boys Cross Country... B+:

Chris Hatch(1 0) and Chris Clymer (1 0) run in the City Meet.

basedon theirperformancethroughoutthe year.

Now that the seasonsareover we can look back and reflect upon the success of each team and the achievementsof some individuals.

Teams

Football C: There were high expectations coming into the season,as they startedthe season ranked 7th in the state. Losses against Burke, LSE, and Kearney hurt but the district loss in overtime against East may have been the back breaker.A 27-20 loss against Northeast ended the Links shot at state.

Volleyball... B: They started the season off strong and peakedwith a number four ranking. Since then they have lost some key games and bounced in and out of the Lincoln Journal Star rankings. The Links season ended when they lost to Bellevue East in the first round of Dis- ·

This is a young team, with only one senior, that looks to do big things in the future. They were led by the ,sophomore duo of Chris Hatch and Chris Clymer. The Links finished 9th at the state meet in Kearney.

Girls Golf C : With a number of returning letter winners it was a disappointing season. But there were some glimpses of brilliance. They look to be a possible force with a senior heavy team next year.

Boys Tennis B: A good showing at the State Tournament (the best since 1997) and team loaded with underclassmen helped boost the Boys Tennis team's grade.

Overall B: With three of the seven fall sports teams qualifying for state this has been a good fall for LHS athletics. A couple more big time wins would have boosted this grade.

We selected the following people to be highlightedinLHS Fall All-Sports team for their contributions in their respective sports. This is an unofficial way to recognize a few fall sports athletes.

Boys Quentin Hodges: The leading _ rusher for the Links and second in the city, Hodges has been the work horse on the team. Hodges is one of the most experienced players on the team and plans to continuing playing in college.

Chris Hatch: Coming off a strong track season, where he ' ran the fastest mile time ever by a Freshmen or Sophomore, Chris continued to succeed in Cross Country. Chris fmished in the top 10 in every meet this year, except state.

Chris Clymer: After playing football as a Fresh-

m an Chris came out for

ment appearance. Jake Brestel: One of the top all-around athletes at Lincoln High he has been a reliable receiving threat, including a 147 yard game against Columbus, and a consistent kicker for the last two years.

A.J. Franklin: After going down with an in-

Dani Lohmeier (1 0) pitches for the Links at the LSE Invite.

Cross Country and found success right away.

Chris ran one of the top 15 fastest times ever at Lincoln High and has consistently finished in the top 10, including a runner up finish at the Harold Scott Invite.

Mikah Meyer: Mikah was the

number one singles player for LHS. Only a junior Mikah will be back next year to lead the Links to another successful state tourna-

jury last year A.J. has had a phenomenal ye ar. He lead the Links defense in tackles and was 4th in the city.

Girls Taylor Jones: Jones was the number 1 runner for the Links for the entire year and qualified for the State meet. Taylor will return to guide the Links next year.

Rachael Wells: One of the top Links golfers, Wells displayed solid leadership and led the team in many areas. Wells consistently improved her game throughout the year. Dani Lohmeier: Lohmeier was one of the top

Back Row (L-R) Jake Brestel (12), Mikah Meyer (11 ), Allisa

Mikah Meyer (11 ) focuses on the ball. hitters and pitchers this year for the Links. Only a sophomore, Lohnmeir should help lead the softball team next year.

Tiffany Davison: Davidson, a four-year letter winner, lead the Links in three categories, assists, ace serves, and digs.

Korey Mohr: Mohr was selected as a team captain as a junior and led the team in ace blocks and was second in kills.

Allisa Holland: Holland led the team in kills and was second in ace blocks.

Holland (11 ), Korey Mohr (11 ), Taylor Jones (10), A.J. Franklin 12) Front Row (L-R) Dani Lohmeier (10), Tiffany Davison (1 2), Chris Hatch (10), Rachael Wells (1 2), Chris Clymer (1 0). Not Pictured: Quentin Hodges (1 2)

__ BycarrieWiegert__ _ ,1.ssistantBusinessManager

This year approximately 700 seniors will graduate from Lincoln High School. Many will go to college, and some will not. Some of these graduates may eventually become doctors, nurses, pediatricians, electricians, veterinarians, politicians, CEO's, and more. The list is endless. For most of these graduates, and future graduates, the foundation of their knowledge began in kindergarten, learning the ABC's from their teacher. ·

On the week of November 20th through the 24th, Lincoln High School took part in Teacher Appreciation Day. Every year, Teacher Appreciation Day honors the courageous faculty members at Lincoln High School, and other schools around the nation. Teacher Appreciation Day is des-

students, and other members of the community may recognize and thank their wonderful professors, mentors, and role models. Lincoln High celebrated teacher appreciation day by giving faculty members at Lincoln High Christ-

onate

By F...llenWru!ht EntertainmentE:ditor

Cell phones are everywhere!

A person can't drive a car or shop at a mall without seeing or hearing a cell phone. Wireless phones are no longer used just for convenience, but also as accessories for one's outfits. The covers on the phones can accommodate the theme of one's car or even a favorite piece of clothing Phone styles are becoming more light weight and there are even added features such as programming certain songs to indicate who is calling or games when one is bored with life. The question is what do you do with your old phone , when you get a new one? It is estimated that by 2005, around 130 million cell phones will be thrown away. This amounts to 65,000 tons of trash.

In 1993, The Wireless Foundation was established by Cellular

mas tree ornaments. The Asian Caucus club even made a lunch for some of the teachers.

English teacher Judy Strand has been teaching for 28 years, 21 of which she has taught in the LinStrand began teaching because, "in the middle of nowhere Nebraska, women could be a waitress, a secretary, a nurse or a teacher when I was growing up. My father said, '"Be a teacher and make lots of

pend on an early retirement to coast you through the latter years of your life. Most teachers are i11their late fif, , " "" '" ,a-'""=""'rnm ties before they are eligible ELLstudents Sinh Dao(1 2), Huong for retirement, which caneJ:J2.l,.,.a~~kk Ll!a.q.i.clt(1-2: c-els -u u l "Ji10st"'"urcm1r~~ u1 serve their teachers food for rock-clin1bing, or awesome Teacher Appreciation Day. ski vacations. Yet, despite ' coln High School building. Imagine how many teenagers have walked away from her class to lead successful lives And to think,

at e

Telecommunications & the Internet Association to recycle old unwanted cell phones by redistributing the phones to three major causes One of these causes is ClassLink, which provides phones to classrooms of schools that are old and unable to furnish phones in roorris. With these cell phones, teachers can control poor student behavior with the threat of immediate contact with the student's parent. ClassLink also provides the opportunity for the students to contact professionals virtually ,anywhere in the world.

The second organization is Communities on Phone Patrol (COPP), which provides phones to local Neighborhood Watch groups. This idea started when former President Bill Clinton called for 1 million volunteers to join Neighborhood Watch. · The wireless industry responded by pledging to support by donating the necessary

all of these downsides, there are still a -handful of people who decide to become those courageous individuals who make the difference in our lives.

one!

wireless phones and airtime to protect neighborhoods. The third program sponsored is Call to Protect. This program helps battered women. Each recycled phone is specially programmed for emergency services and equipped with free airtime, all donated by wire1ess carriers members of Cellular Telecommunications IndustrialAssociation. When women are in an at risk situations, they can call the emergency ser-

phones contain nickel, cadmium

u an

By MargaretGurewitz Copy£ditor

Think school is torture? Think again. December 10, 2002 was Human Rights Day, which recognized that people throughout the world endure real torture every day. The purpose of this day was to inform people of events in our world and give them a chance to get involved in making changes.

Torture is not just physical, and it affects many more than just those being tortured. Those being tortured are not the only ones suffering; their families and· friends also suffer knowing that their loved ones are being treated unfairly. People can ,be imprisoned and abused based on nothing more than their race, religion, political ideas, intelligence or sexual orientation.

December 10 was a day made

reat

___ By E.llenWright__ _ E.ntertainmentE.ditor

It is 7:00 in the morning on November 21, 2002. Outside of Lincoln High Mike Reinmiller (Audio/ Technician) and the Lincoln High Student Council are writing on the sidewalk various statistics about the dangers of smoking. They are writing these messages to join in the 26 th annual Great American Smokeout. The day stemmed from an event in 1971, when Arthur P. Mullany asked people to give up cigarettes for a day and to donate the money they would have spent on cigarettes to a high school scholarship fund. The day is designated to underscore the dangers of smoking and to challenge people to quit smoking. This day more than any other day of the year is used as a means for many smokers to kick their habit. But why should one care whether someone chooses to smoke.

"Right now 21 % of Nebraskans smoke, the other 79% secondhand smokes." Dick Patterson (Work Experience Coordinator) said at the optional assembly.

The people who put this day in · the spot light at Lincoln High were Patter:;;on, Reinmiller, seniors Glynna Ridge , Jessie Wolfe ; Jocie •

• • 1 ts a 1n a 1 erence

to spread awareness of these issues. Human Rights Day was created by the Commission for Human Rights, which is ;i branch of the United Nations. According to their website (http://www.un.org/ english),the goal of the Commission for Human Rights is "to prepare studies, make recommendations, draft international human rights conventions and declarations and investigate allegations of human rights violations." 53 member governments participate in this organization.

Another group heavily involved in Human Rights Day activities was Amnesty International. Lincoln High's Amnesty International Club worked diligently to inform students about human rights issues. Stickers with information about human rights and Amnesty International were placed on the cookie bags that we •

er1can Krull, Alexs Jays, and Enayatullah Azizi (Sophomore) Each of these people have their own personal rea-

all know and love. These stickers had interesting factoids, and they directed people to go to classroom 139 (J.P. Caruso's room) to learn more. In room 139, students could global issues."

Treasurer and historian Mimi Abebe, junior, agreed that the day went w'<ll. "Human Rights Day offered a chance for students to get

Just think -- what would it be like if everyone . were guaranteed the freedoms granted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Our world would be an incredible place.''

J.P. Caruso

sons for participating in an anti-tobacco campaign Patterson and Reinmiller are both former tobacco users. Ridge has asthma as a result of secondhand smoke. Wolfe had a grandparent who had cancer from smoking. Krull works at a smokefree restaurant. Jays is a former smoker who just this past month had · a blood clot in her lung. Azizi feels that smoking is bad for everyone. All of these students are continuing the fight against tobacco use. At the fore-

pick up pamphlets, sign petitions • and join Amnesty International Club.

Amnesty International Club president Claire Climer, senior, thought the day was a success.

"Human Rights Day was an excellent opportunity for students to expand upon their awareness of and insight into the surrounding

informed and get involved. It's important for us to spread awareness of the outrageous injustices that occur in our world."

According to their website (www.amnestyinternational.org), Amnesty International's mission is "to create a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal

0 eout .a reat·

front are Wolfe, Krull and Ridge who are hoping to receive a grant that is worth $100,000. If they get the grant they plan to wage

an anti-smoking campaign at various public areas and recreational facilities through the use of multimedia projects and interactive games for youth. "I got asthma from secondhand smoke. It's disgusting and it bothers me that people know the facts and still

smoke, but I blame the tobacco companies more than the people because the company go them addicted," Ridge said. The fact that the Tobacco companies marketed to youth knowing that their product was addictive , was enough to make Reinmiller quit who started smoking in 10'h grade when a friend offered him a cigarette. "I was so mad that I was addicted, I quit cold turkey."

Kevin Brown a guest speaker from the Nebraska Health Depart-

Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards."

Social Studies teacher J. P Caruso, sponsor of the club, echoed this goal. "Just think--what would it be like if everyone were guaranteed the freedoms granted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Our world would be an incredible place." Caruso' said we should all strive to make this goal reality, and that school can help do this. "The purpose of social studies classes-History, Sociology, Citizenship Issues and all the others-is .to inform students about how they can help make that potential greatness described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights our reality."

Those fiiterested in finding out more about human rights and Amnesty International Club should go to room 139.

uccess

ment told the assembly that not only did the tobacco companies target youth but also minorities by creating a cigarette that had menthol just for African-Americans. The tobacco companies have people who's job requires them to create a marketable image that appeals to the sense's. The sense of belonging, or something will be attained such ascoolness, attractiveness or even weight loss.

"I started in 8th grade because I wanted to fit in with the 9th graders," senior Taylor Rierden said. When Rierden was asked if she had ever

considered quitting she responded "Yes, because I hear they (cigarettes) are bad for you. I tried to quit but I got fat." Though Rierden doesn't see quitting a likely possibility because she is addicted, she does think that the Great American Smokeout in theory is good, but she feels oppressed by the whole anti-smoking rhetoric, a mutual feeling shared among smokers. The state of Nebraska has con~

tinuously raised the tax on cigarettes , Right now new legislation is being considered to make all restaurants smoke-free. Non-smokers do not see it as a matter of oppression but more as a way to protect their own health

"We (Teens against Tobacco) w~nt to Village Inn, sat in the non-smoking section_toplan our grant and it wasn't more than 5 minutes before we all started coughing," Patterson said. Most of the smokers I visited with said that they ask the people they are around if they mind if they smoke. If yes they don't smoke, if no they do In both cases a choice can be made whether one wants to be exposed to smoking.

If a smoker is to quit, what method is the best? It is different for everyone. There are nicotine gums, nicotine patches and quitting cold turkey, the most popular method at Lincoln High. "I was going on a trip to St. Louis I thought it would be a good time to quit because I was tired of spending money on something so stupid," senior Brandi Petracek senior who used the cold turkey method

Overall the Smokeout was a declared success by Reinmiller whose original goal was to get one person • to quit, " At the end of the day several people went up to our speaker Kevin Brown to see how they could quit or help friends and family,' ' Reinmiller said

Speaker Kevin Brown chats with Toby Schauer (1 0) and Jesse Humpal (11 ).

By TiffanyBundy,___ _ Web&Jitor

Lincoln High theater has done it again. For the third year in a row LHS teacher and director Patsy Koch Johns and her one t act cast have incorporated talent with a message. This time, the one act play was based on a horrible hate crime that took place in the small town of Laramie, Wyoming. A gay college student named Matthew Sheppard was kidnapped, robbed, pistol whipped and then tied to a fence, where he was left for eighteen hours. He died five days later in a Colorado hospital.

The play was put together by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project. In Laramie they had numerous interviews with the residents ~t, the town. Witp those stories, "The Laramie Project" was born.

For the. LHS production of "The Laramie Project" Koch Johns took five pictures of people from all over the country who have been killed in hate crimes and placed them in the background to show that hate crimes happen everywhere. "The play is about hate crimes. The playwright chose to write about Laramie Wyoming's reaction to one hate crime. The message/moral lesson in the play is universal," Koch Johns said. People are affected by hate crimes every single day.

Before the play even took place the whole theatre crew made a road trip to Laramie. The group spent three days searching the town and even spending some time at the site where Matthew Sheppard was murdered. Groups stayed with families from Laramie who showed them around the town and told them their perspectives. "There were a couple of Laramie residents that told us conflicting stories. Not just nit-picky things, but completely different accounts," Sophomore theater student Molly Pearson said.

The performance of "The Laramie Project" began with a speech by Koch Johnswho spoke about how glad she is to have such a great theatre staff and crew and she

eater to om at ate

stop. They hurt people. They lead to hateful actions."

The play earned third place in competition, but was the only show to recieve a standing ovation. The entire cast relished the opportunity to share the message with £?therNebraska high schools, as well as at LHS. "Each of us has got to remember that this story isn't about Matt. It's about everyone. It could happen anywhere, to anyone, for any reason. The fact that it's Matthew Sheppard has very little to do with anything." Pearson explained.

Jeff Tinnean, playing Mathew Sheppard's father, performs his one-act. play. ·

also spoke about why she chose the Laramie Project. "l chose this play because I hear language that is 'hateful' and I wanted people to realize that these hateful words should \,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:,,,,::::,,,:,,=:::,.,,,:,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,.~,,,.,,,,,,,,h~,,,,,,~d-:::::::%::>-=8'.==:=fa._ - - The res ·1dents of Laramie relax in the Fireside Bar during a production of the Lara •mie Project.

Dennis and ~udy Sheppard (Jeff Tinnean and Allison

console each other after their son's death. •

The Laramie Project cast visited Laramie, Wyoming to interview town residents who knew Mathew Sheppard.

Greg Pierotti (played by Don Ellis, left) interviews Laramie residents (played by Carly Buzz, middle, and Ruth Kohtz, right).

Molloy)

tuco a es ·earance at tate

By TinaWilson ,1.ssistantPhotoEditor.

'Have fun!' or 'Good-luck at State!' are · popular signs that appear on lockers at Lincoln High, but when you look and you see a sign that says 'Have fun at State Links StuCo,' you start to wonder. How does Student Council go to state? The answer to that question is simple.

The Lincoln High Student Council went to the state convention in Omaha on Friday, November 15. They left school at approximately one o'clock to catch the bus at LPSDO. When they gatheredatLPSOO, the councilme.t up with Student Councils from Southeast, Northeast, and Southwest.

After completing the one-hour journey to Omaha Benson High School,the StudentCouncil wasn't preparedfor what would happen next. Upon entering the school, the students were bombarded with gifts. The gifts were from those who were running for office at -the state level. Some of the gifts included leis, beads, and candy.

After registration,the Council made their way into the gym along with the other Nebraska Student Councils in attendance. When everyone calmed down, convention coordinator Katie Schultz welcomed everyone. After her welcoming speech, she introduced the keynote speaker, Congressional Representative Tom .-

Sophomore Richard King (middle) partici· pates in Stuco State trivia game with st udents from other Nebraska schools.

Osborne. Osborne spoke to the students about leadershipqualities,and of course,Huskerfootball. Student Council members senior Nareen Al-Timmi and sophomores Stephanie Novak and Richard King shared the same thoughts on Osborne's speech, "It was too long, and boring." Sophomore Chris Moore commented, 'The speakers spoke Iortoo long. We are kids with short attention spans, 40 minute speeches

don't get through to us."

As the first session ended, the Councils broke into their quads, which are groups assigned by letters. Quads A and B stayed to listen to the speakers from Radical Youth Invasion. Quad C went to the summer workshop infonnation session, and Quad D went to dinner. For dinner, Omaha Benson's studentcouncilserved Valentino'spizza. At the end of the quads, the Councilshad districtmeetings. LincolnHigh belongs to District 6. While at the meetings, the students heard speeches from students who were running for office. As

the meetings ended, it was time to move into the general session. During the general session,they heard from author Gerald O'Nan and the NASC, National Association of Student Council's, president, Pete Harbert. Before everyone knew it, it was mini session time. It was time for students to explore their interests. Some mini-session topics included, ''September 11,Survivingthe Attacks," "K-9 Exploration," "Magic Show" and an ob-

'A Celebrates Ten Year ii\1111ive1~

By TiffanyBundy Web£ditor

On October 21, during eighth period Lincoln High's own Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ Transgender/StraightAlliance(GLBTSA) held an optional assembly to recognize the Club's tenth anniversary. The assembly composed of three speakers, including English Department Chair John Heineman, Northern California Community OrganizerEmilie Eagan and eighteen year old VanessaDuran, plus Lincoln High School studentcommentsfrom last years school wide survey on hate crin1es,and a time line of GLBTSA events.

The assembly started off with words from those who made comments in the school wide survey. The words scrolledacrossthe big screen as studentsenteredthe auditorium.As the words ran, English DepartmentChair John Heineman gave a speech on GLBTSA history and what he did to get the club started at our school.

When Heineman fmished up his speech, all eyes focused on the big screen once again to recognizesome of the major events in GLBTSA history. The time line went from the clubs first days in 1992 all the way up to recent weeks of this year. The.time line talked about sponsoring the dayof silence, being a part of the human chain for GLBT equality, helping out at the Back to School Bash, helping build the Habitat for Humanity House, hosting Pride Prom, showing support after the death of Matthew Shepard, and also helping with AIDS projects.

The second guest speaker of the evening was Lincoln High School graduate Emilie Eagan. Eagan was an qctive member of GLBTSA at LHS. She joined the club during

stacle course

Sophomore Student Council member Allison Schinstock spent some of the time locked up. Schinstock spent 2 hours in the Make-A-Wish jail. Lincoln High's Student Councildonatedtwenty-fivedollarsto put sponsor Jim Perry in jail, but Perry didn't do the time. Schinstock did it for him. She said that the best part of being at state was ''being in the jail." During her two-hour stay; other Student Council membersjoined her to show their support.

From 1:00 in the morning until 5:45, everyone had free time. The activities available included a trivia'game, movies, boxing, pedestal joust, and bungee run. From 3:00 am to 5:30 am, there was a dance.

As the councils partied the night away, it was soon 6:00 am. The Pancake Man was there to serve all-you-can-eatpancakes. After breakfast, the students returned for one last session. In the final session,the councilsreceived awards and found out who the elected state officers were.

As Lincoln High Student Council departed,tired and worn out, most shared the same thought about the convention as a whole. The convention was a good place to get to know each otherbetter and brii1gthe Council together.

California. Duran was recently named a recipient of the Colin Higgins Courage Award for her work with helping out in GLBT communities around the San Francisco Bay Area. Duran -also works at GSA Network with Eagan where she has held numerous positionsin help-

Vanessa Duran commended the Lincoln High ing the commuSchool chapter of GLBTSAon its tenth anniversary. nity. Duran

herjunior year of high schooland has now taken what she did during club with her on the road of life outside of school. Eagan graduatedfrom Stanford University,where she majored in Urban Studies. She now works for GSA Network in California, where she is a Northern California Community Organizer.Eagan helps people to make clubs that support the GLBT community. Eagan spoke about how Lincoln High's GLBTSAwas most likelyone of the first GSA's in the United States. Most GSA's startedin the late 80's and Lincoln High's began in 1992. She spoke about how importanthavingthis club truly is and how proud she is that our school has one.

The third and fmal speaker of the evening was eighteen-year-old Vanessa Duran from

spoke about her life as an out lesbian in California.She talkedabouth5fstruggles and how people can get help in so many places. She explained how there are ,,,, ..•. .., ''"''' places everywhere in all communities l:t'.'.::et:':::.:'::':,,:::': that people can go just to feel safe and to be themselves.

After the assembly a reception was held in the Media Center. A cake with a number ten candle sat in the middle of the food table. It was a time to talk to friends, speak to the speakers from the assembly,and most importantlycelebrate ten wonderfulyears of accomplishments. It all ended with the blowing out of candles, but the club stillremains steady and strong. There will surely be more celebrations to come.

• ! i

on't ant to ver

By l\atyChilds Photographer

I Don't Want to Grow Up!

Ah, to be graduating at semester (along with the other 37 this year), getting a full time job, moving out and such. It feels nice. No more feeling trapped or eating high school lunches; however, now there are bills and life insurance. My mom asked me how I felt about all of this ''growing up'' business, and hon-

estly I hate it I want to remain a young, down the free child street 1n running my nude pants whilst my mom chases me, screaming ''Katy, get your little butt back in here and take your bath!!'' (No, this wasn't recently) Yeah, that is the life for me, being young and fancyfree.

One of my main reasons for not wanting to grow up is that I

eac er's • • 1n1ons

• 1 er on sences

ByTinaWilson=---- her to miss class. I work from the assumption 'iI_ssismntPhotoEditor that school exists in order for students to learn Pre-arranged absence forms: A things. I'm not sure all would agree." teacher's favorite sheet to fill out. Not On the other hand, English teacher Chris really. Not at all Few teachers like to Maly feels that, "Whenever students are resign forms that are excusing a student moved from classes, it creates problems for from class for a school activity. When everyone involved." Maly added, "Having stuthese forms go out, it isn't just one stu- dw. ts acti Y.e..in.schQoJ p t.Qgr ams i s a .w..o rt h..)l-di- ~=ssa~~=.de nt wlio li as one. It is a group. lemma in my opinion because learning outside According to the Lincoln High at- of the classroom is equally profound and it entendance policy, a student can miss a courages responsibility and accountability." class 15 times, and then it is an automatic This leads to the question, "What shoula failure. This limit, however, doesn't in- we do?" Should we have student activities elude everyone's favorite absence, stu- added into the 15-absence limit? Should we dent activities. Student Absences in- limit school activities? Should we do away with elude, student council events, plays, and the activities? Heibel stated that if he had his sports. Many coaches and sponsors ex- way, "Student activities would be counted in cuse their students/participants only the absence limit. If we were serious about the when it is necessary. What a coach or notions implied by our attendance policy, we sponsor finds necessary, though, may be would count all absences." differentfor each teacher. Math teacher, Another issue that seems to poke its ~ead Micah Heibel feels that, student activity in the air is whether the teachers get angry at absences should be monitored and lim- the coaches/sponsors about missed classes. ited. "Sometimes a teacher, coach or sponsor needs to be told, 'No'."

Missing class is somewhat bothersome to teachers. It causes students to fall behind and miss important learning opportunities. A teacher can't re-enact a lecture, lab or group discussion. These are things that students need to be present · for. Students, who are absent could miss out on points and/or great learning opportunities. " Missing class for any reason 1s detrimental to a students progress." Heibel said. When the school encourages excessive student absences it is establishing the students to fail. "Students should be able to be in class a without missing class," he said. " It should be self evident that one does not do a student a favor by establishing him/

Heibel noted, "If a teacher feels that they have worthwhile opportunities for their students then they should go ahead. Teachers should then acknowledge that when a student misses class, the.y limit their opportunity to learn in class."

Many teachers are supporters of school activities and are teaching because they want to see their students succeed in life. Some student activities, such as sports activities, can be, part of a student's future. The activities that students participate in now may help them in the future. It could lead to excellent scholarships and job opportunities.

What will be done with the situation of students missing classes for student activities? Will t)1ose who are opposed to the activities, get rid of them once and for all? Will the attendance policy get changed? Or, will we just continue with how things are?

row an e I CJ '

don't want to turn into a harsh career woman who doesn't ever look excited about anything. I don't want to be one of those people who tells kids ''Enjoy it while only gets worse." you can, it That's not something that I want to hear.

r remember when I was little and couldn't wait to grow up. of those Then I noticed all unhappy-looking

''enjoy it while you can'' people. But I tell you what, I'm not going to let them ruin my life. I'm going to enjoy it all while I can. And while I'm being all adult-like, I'm still going to remain a kid doing child like things.

•

Oh, and I will never, ever tell a child to only enjoy one certain time in their life, because in all actuality, life is a beautiful thing if you're an optimist.

-

- oy7.l'1rugu-i'\eKeny11 __ _ ros~-the11Tuut.Ectucatin-g pwple nas beco the real purpose of the Ecology Club. Each c1ub day the members and the sponsors of ,1ssistantentertainment£ditor

A couple years ago an Ecology Club the club meet to discuss what's going on in was formed at Lincoln High School. the world and what we can do to help. "We The main purpose of this organization is to really try to increase the amount of politieducate people about environmental issues. cally aware ' people. We want more people The students involved in Ecology Club, and to write letters to the politicians, because the sponsors of it are concerned about the that can make a real difference," says future of our planet. They try to change the Geisert. way the environment is being polluted by LHS Ecology Club has lots of devoted increasing the amount of politically-aware members today as well as devoted sponsors people and organizing some environment - and officers. Senior, Ellen Wright, the presirelated activities not only for stude11ts in- dent of the club, said, "Our motive is to alvolved in the club, but for the rest of LHS low other students to become a part of the students also. solution It is a great way for many students "We didn't have a real active club last year. to get involved and to get educated about This year we've got real leadership and a the environment. Since I was a little girl I great group of kids," says Linda Geisert, the was always interested in the environment. co-sponsor of Ecology Club. Ecology Club was a way for me to educate

The main goal of this organization is to people about the state of the enviroment. educate people about what they can do to Education is the only way to improve the become a part of the solution. The club's environment." other co-sponsor, Mike Reinmiller's goal is "The environment is one of my pasto educate, tell people what they can do to sions. I have a deep and abiding respect for help. Everybody knows, recycling can save life. It comes from my knowledge of biolthe planet, but people don't realize that ogy. All of life is connected," says Linda you can recycle a lot of things like your cell Geisert. phones and your batteries. All of these ma- Both sponsors and students involved in terials are recyclable and most people just the Ecology Club are very optimistic about

e future and have al ot of plans. "We've got a lot of planning so far. We are going to look at increasing recycling here, at Lincoln High and some people are really interested in working with their friends. We want to make a web site, weekly e-mails on the local and state level and then, on the na- tional level," said Geisert. «Right now we are planning to increase the amount of recycling around Lincoln High. It is about 25 percent today. We are also working to organize a display to inform other students about what's going on in the enviroment," said Wright. Ecology Club students are now planning to organize collecting plastic bottles from all over Lincoln High. All volunteers will be divided into groups. Each group will be responsible for the certain area of the building. "Last year we recycled about 25 percent of all the trash at Lincoln High. This year we are planning to recycle at least 30 percent of it," says Mike Reinmiller, audio technician. Anyone interested in participating can contact Ecology Club sponsors or officers (reach Ellen Wright by e-mail ElWrig@hotmail.com or contact Linda Geisert, room _S 385) For

Earth Week (in May, 2003 )Ecology Club wants to get the whole school involved and organize a learning day for everybody.

The current Ecology Club consists of approximately 40 devoted members, who are concerned about the environmental problems, During the last club day the members of the club discussed the importance of increasing the amount of recycling at Lincoln High School. Marti Franti, from Nebraska Recycling Association, talked about the importance of recycling.

The sponsors and the officers of the club sincerely believe that they can influence the situation by writing letters to the politicians. "People just see the problem - from the economic point of view and so I see a lot of political decisions, that hurt the environment. If we don't change what we're doing, quality of life is going to be lower," said Geisert The Ecology Club members are not going to limit their function to writing letters to the politicians. They are also planning a lot of events, most of which will have educational character. In a word they are going to do everything they can to "be a part of the solution."

ave Planet art •

ec c1e at

By carrieWiegert JlssistantBusinessManager

Sincethereginningof time, JmIJlehavehad to dealwith theproblemof trash.fu the pastmost trash was dmnpedor burned, whicheventuallyleadto the spreadof thebubonicplague,cholera,andtyphoidfevea:Effortsto minimalizetheproductionof trashand increaserecyclinghavebeenattemptedinrecentyears. Despitetheseefforts,overthe lastcenturywasteimductionin the US has reachedan all-timehigh. The sadrealityis thatalmostallof the trashwhichfillsour limitedlandfillS)XICeoouldberecycledInstead,JmIJle throwawayplasticbottles,aluminumcans,and~ scrapsin the nearesttrashcan. Whatwegenerallythinkofastrashistechnicallycalled municipalsolidwaste.Municipalsolidwastesinclude packaging,food scraps,old furniture,yard clippings, bottles,clothes,newspapers,andevenoldappliances. Thisconstitutesmore than 50% of thewastefoundin ourlandfills.Paperandcardooardarethelargestcomponentofmunicipalsolidwasteat37%. Nextareyard trimmings,at 12%, and glass,metal, plastics,wood, andfoodscrapsconstitute5to11% Fommately,most, if not all of the municipalwastesin Americacan be recycledandreused Municipalwastesare not the onlytrashwe can recycleandreuse Wateris a preciousilllOtnee. <X)% of the world'swateris saltyor undrinkable,and2% is lockedin icecapsor glociers.Thatleaves1% forallof humanity'sneeds.Droughtsandagrowmgworldp;µilationworsentheproblem.NotSLnprisingly,rnostmajor water wastersare foundin the home. The toilet,

'

• showerand bath waste billionsof gallonsof water eachyear.Sprinklers,lawncareandlandscapingalso wastewateroulsideof the home. SchooIBareamajorrulpritintheproductionof trash.Evezyyear,schooIBalloverthe world,including Lincoln,prcxiucemillionsof tons of municipal trash.LincolnHighis amongthe top schooIBin Lincolnforrecycling~tages. fusixweeksofschooL LincolnHigh helped save approximately70 trees, 18,831kilowattsof energy,28,735gallonsof water, 246poundsof airpollution,1,ffl3gallonsof fueLand savedan astonishing14 yard of landfillSJX1Cefrom fiUingup with our trash. We have recycledan astoundingnumberofpizzaooxesandnewspapers,but we oouldstilldo more. Aluminumcans are lOOo/o recyclable,andplasticbottlescanbe recycledas we11 Recyclingdivertsapproximately25-30%ofthe wasteout of our1andfillSJXICeand schooIB.Thelandfill SJXICe we are ableto saveby recyclingreducesair pollution,whichin tum cuts downon diseasessuchas emphysemaWeareableto cutdownthedestruction of ourrainforests,and savemillionsof trees. Millions of gallonsof gasolinecanbe saved,andthesamegoes forwater.Preciousmetalscanbe recycledaswell,and divertedfromtheselandfills.

LincolnHigh activelyrecycles,but that is not enough.If in sixweeksof schoolwe have saved14 yardsof landfillSJXICe,imaginehow much SJXICe we oouldsavein a schoolyear!The worldwouldbe able tosavethousandsofyan:lsof1andfillS)XICeinsix weeks. LandfiUsihatour childre11can use, waterwhichour childrenneed,anda cleanearth,thatis essentialforthe smvivalof life

__

estiva 0 ts • 1

By

Margaret~urewitz__

battles had beeil fought, the CopyE.ditor Maccabees found that th ey did not Chanukah is a Jewish holiday have enough oil to keep the light that usually takes place during burning. December,. which is the Hebrew They had only enough oil for month ofKislev. Chanukah begins one night, so they lit it and went at sundown and is celebrated for out to find more oil. Upon their eight nights. This year, Chanukah return eight days later, they found was from November 29 to Decem- that the light was still burning. ber 6. This miracle is discussed in the Chanukah marks the recap- Talmud, and is remembered with ture and reconsecration of the the yearly Chanukah celebration. Temple of Jerusalem, which had During Chanukah, Jews light been taken by the Syrian Greeks. an nine-pro nged candle-holder The Syrian Greeks were defeated called a menorah to remember the by the Maccabees, who were the · eight nights that the oil miracuJewish leaders. The Maccabees lously burned, Other festivities were a much weaker an ct smaller include playing dreidel and giving · group than the Syrians, so their gifts. The dreidel game uses a victory was quite unexpected. spinner with four sides, each with After their victory, the Jews a different letter. · According to needed to rebuild the Temple, which side the dreidel lands on, == wh ic h was .no "sm"all jo 6. One of pt:op I-e·=tt rs-e oT g-a i n- mone-y- or the most most important tasks was candy. People also eat latkes, to maintain the eternal light. The which are potato pancakes. eternal light was supposed to be Chanukah is a time both for gratiburning at all times, but - after the tude and for fun.

WclllZCtAl tes

__ By MargaretGurewitz CopyE.ditor

Kwanzaa is a seven-day holiday celebrated by many African Americans. It begins on December 26 and continues through January 1. It was created in 1966

By MargaretGurewitz

profit together. Ne xt is Purpose, which means the community must work on maintaining and feeling proud of their culture.

Creativity is the next principle; people must use original thinking to make their community by M. Ron Karenga, an African • more beautiful every year. The American man from Los Angeles. The holiday was created to increase awareness of African heritage and closeness in the African American community.

Kwanzaa celebrates seven main principles: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani Umoja is the Swahili word for unity, which is essential in families, communities, nations arid races. The second principle is Self-Determination, without which people could not stand up for themselves. The principle of Collective Work and Responsibility • also helps build strong communities.

- The fourth principle of Kwanzaa is that of Cooperative Economics; this means that the black community must work and

final and most imporlant priciple is that of Faith. People must believe in their parents, teachers, leaders, and in the inherent goodness of all people.

One of the symbols most strongly associated with Kwanzaa is the Kinara, which is the sevenpronged candle-holder. The kirrara is symbolic of their ances- · tors, the continental Africans. The mat is also symbolic; it signifies that they must build on the f9undation of history.

There is also the Kidombe cha Umoja, a cup which symbolizes unity. The gifts represent the love of parents, and the flag represents pride in their heritage. The colors of the flag are black, to symbolize the race, red to sym-· bolize the blood of their struggle, and green, to symbolize hopes for the future.

Ramadan is one of the holiest times of the Muslim year Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar; the Qur' an, the Holy Bok of Islam, says th at this is when it was "sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation." ltis believed thatAllah (God) sent the Qur' an to Muhammad (the most important prophet), and Muhammad then gave it to the Muslim people.

For the entire month of Ramadan , Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset. At the end of the day, the fast is broken with an iftar, which is a meal with family and friends.

If observed correctly, Ramadan is

The Jewish menorah is an integral part of Chanukah.

Mary and Joseph marvel at t h from ''The Very First Christmai

believed to provide a deep spiritual cleaµsing, but the good can be negated if certain rules are broken. Lying, slander, taking false oaths and coveting are considered offensive at all times, but are 1 the worst during Ramadan because they hampe,r the spiritual cleansing.

On the 27th evening of Ramadan, , Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr, w hich means night of power. This is w hen Muhammad first received the Q ur'an. According to the Qur'an, this night is also when God decides the c ourse of the next year.

The fast ends on the first day of the n ext month with the Eid al Fitr. This is a l arge feast where gifts are exchanged, a nd friends and family can celebrate tog ether. Many Muslim cities hold fairs 1 t o celebrate the end of this special time.

as out rist ore t an i ts -

By Ruthl(ohtz__ AssistantF..ditorin Chief

One of the more commonly celebrated, and more commercial-ized, winter holidays is the Christian holiday of Christmas. While the secular world has adopted some Christmas traditions, such as putting up a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts. among family and friends, it is still a very spiritual celebration for Christians.

On December 25 th of each -year, Christians observe the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is seen as an important historical figure to most, but to Christians he is also God i11the form of a man.

In the Old Testament of theBible, Gqdpromises to send a savior into the world to rescue the people from the consequences of living their lives contrary to theways God Would want them to live. Many prophecies about tfie savior are made in the Old Testa_ment, one of which being that he

would be born of virgin woman.

Around the year 1 B.C., in a Middle Eastern area called Galilee, a young woman named Mary was betrothed in an arranged marriage to a man named Joseph. Mary was the one God chose to bear Jesus, and when she became miraculously pregnant, Joseph had in mind to divorce her. But God revealed his plan for the child to Joseph, and Joseph trusted God. Around that time, Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken of all of the Roman Empire, so Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem in Judea to be counted. While there, the time came for the baby to be born. Jesus, true man and true God, was born in a barn, because there was no room in any of the inns. Every year Christians rejoice . in the birth of a small child that grew up to be their Savior. They celebrate by givng each other gifts in remembrance of gifts that Jesuswas given when he ,was born and to acknowledge God's gif;tof a savior to the entire -world

-Santa Real to Many

that they can't believe something unless they see it for themselves. The Sun continued saying that, "He (Santa Claus) exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist." The Sun said that without Santa, "there would be no faith, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight."

According to the Sun, not seeing Santa Gn Christmas Eve is not a sign that he does not exist. "Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are in there are unseen and unseeable in the world," they stated.

___ By E.llaE.ngland__ FeatureF..ditor

''Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, lean your ear this way. Don't you tell a single soul, what I'm going to say," This is an excerpt from ·the old Christmas song, "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas." I can remember singing it when I was three years old and still believed in Santa . The question, "Is Santa Claus real?" is frequently asked with a variety of responses. Many old people simply say "no." Younger · children, on the other hand, respond "yes" without a doubt in ,their mind. For me, the answer is yes. I believe the New York Sun in 1897, explained it best when they respond~d to a young girl, Virginia, when she asked them if her friends were telling her the truth when they told her that Santa was not real.They're response to her was that her friends were wrong and

The New York Sun is right. People can't see the wind, but you can feel it and see how it can change things. It's the same way with Santa Claus. You can't see him, but you can see how people become nicer during Chri stmas time.

Santa is not a person, but a spirit and feeling of the holiday. Santa is the embodiment .of the Christmas Spirit. He symbolizes childlike faith and innocence and pure Joy.

· Santa is in the child that gives away his favorite teddy bear to another kid, just to make the other kid smile . He's even in the rich man who dresses up as Santa and Stands on a cold street corner collecting money for tne United Way. So, just by looking around at strangers walking down the street this holiday season, it is possible to see Santa Claus and how real he is. People just need to know what to look for.

1eir new child in this illustration

by Paul Meier.

___ .ByMargaretGurewitz __ _ copyF..ditor

The American Heritage Dictionary defines prostitution as "The act of selling one's ability or name to an unworthy cause."

According to this definition, the school board of the Lincoln Public School system has recently decided to prostitute education to advertisers.

saying that he is philosophically opposed to it. Even after the proposal passed, Evans said, "I still think it's wrong to do advertising."

Despite bringing money to the schools, advertising is still a bad idea. Who decides what is "distasteful, illegal, and noneducational?" It's obvious that businesses promoting drugs or sex

On November 14, the Board of.Education voted five-to-one to allow advertising in school athletic fields and gymnasiums. This allows businesses to sponsor and/or market at playing fields, tournaments, teams, players, district-wide events and gyms. It also permits advertising on the Lincoln Public Schools website. . will be prohibited from advertising, but other issues are not so cut-and-dry. I imagine that

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, · the advertising will be limited to "goods and services that are deemed suitable for children and youths." Some board members had been concerned, but were won over when they saw that provisions had been made that would prohibit "distasteful, illegal, and noneducational advertising."

toramine which ads are illegal, but deciding what is or is not distasteful or noneducational is much more difficult. The definitions of distasteful and noneducational are much too vague, leaving the slope much too slippery.

In addition to being poorly controlled, advertising goes against the very concept

''We are supposed to be taught, not bought.''

corporations selling sporting equipment and clothing will be allowed to advertise, which I find massively distasteful. These businesses often use sweatshops and slave labor; although we like to say we don't approve of these things, our actions will speak more loudly than our words. I also imagine that companies selling sports drinks will be allowed to advertise. A Gatorade ad

It is entirely true that this advertising would bring money to our schools which we so desperately need it, but at what cost? does not seem particularly educational to me.

Board president Doug Evans was the only member to vote against advertising,

Who exactly is in charge of deciding which advertisements are acceptable and which ones are not? It is easy to deter-

By JambMiller ______ _ NewsF..ditor

In the past years, it has been brought to the attention of some Lincoln High students that a certain paper has been harboring a Southeast alum. Year after year, she writes articles glorifing her alma mater, while shutting the rest of the high school community out. Okay, maybe she doesn' t shut the rest of the community out, but Lincoln Journal-Star writer Ryly Jane Hambleton seems to pay special attention to Lincoln Southeast.

You have to wonder if she is completely unbiased when an out of town Southeast football game gamers more attention than an inner city battle between Lincoln High and Lincoln East. Or when a certain basketball team in the Southeast part of town is ranked number one in preseason, despite the fact that they'll be missing two starters until January. Is Southeast that good (maybe) or is Lincoln High that unsensational to the local community?

But this isn't really about Ryly Jane. Of all the high schools in Lincoln, we've caught perhaps the most unjustified rap of all the schools. Meet someone new in the streets and mention you go to Lincoln High, then watch as they back away slowly, maybe disbelieving that a student has survived the dangerous halls of Lincoln High. For some people in the community, it is a belief that Lincoln High harbors a bunch of gun-toting, drug dealers, and no real education is served here. I'm having trouble remembering if I've ever heard gunshots in school. My eye may not be keen to drug deals, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen

of public schooling. As the name implies, public schools are public, which means they

should not be selling themselves to private organizations. A public school should be a place where students go learn how to think and make their own informed decisions. Students feel enough pressure to buy certain products outside of classes. School should be a place where students do not feel forced to worry about which brand they will buy.

The purpose of school is to expand our minds, not to indoctrinate them. Adults must realize that they are not selling the minds of moody and annoying teenagers, but rather the minds of the future. We are supposed to be taught, not bought. • esza 1ve

• s 1 1e

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By Joel.Sievert .SportsF.ditor

One of the jobs of print and broadcast media is to be a watchdog of the hundreds of corporations that inhabit this country. It is questionable, though, how effectively the members of the media are fulfilling this task, because today's media leaders have become the corporations they are supposed to expose.

AOL-Time Warner Inc. is a perfect example of a media group transformed into a ,tn<\]Orcorporation. AOL-Time Warner, the 8th largest donor to the Bush campaign, currently has 21 subsidiaries and share board members with Chevron Corr.., Philip Morris Inc., (the same people who kill thousands of Americans ever year with their product) and Sears Roebuck & Co. This information should make the average American wonder, "Will AOL TimeWarner let CNN air a negative story about the tobacco industry or will they censor the story to keep their friends at Philip Morris Inc. happy?"

If you think this would not happen, look at the example of General Electric, which owns NBC. When Larry Grossman took over NBC, GE president Jack Welch, reminded Grossman, "You work for GE!''

This was not the only instance in which Welch verbally threatened Grossman. Welch reportedly told Grossman, "Don't bend over backwards to go after us just because we own you."

ind-the-Scenes Cor orate ~canaa

The abuses at NBC do not end there. the control of our sources of · ation in of all_very few of us, the average working class NB C's. Tht?Today Show excluded an anti-GE the hands of fewer and fewer people, you are American, have even que~tioned this slstem; campaign ma segment about consumer boy- creating a situation where just a few individu- The way today's media slants the' news' cotts. Although the producers at the Today als concerned primarily for the bottom line for its own benefit should cause outrage. Yet Show were never officially told to axe the seg- ar~ going to be calling ' there is little to no backlash from rnost of this ment, they knew what would happen if they theshotsastowhatweknowanddon'tknow" country and even less is being done to stop did not censor the segment. One of the pro- · Moore stated that America needs "to ha~e this horrific situation. ducers ~eportedly said, "We can't do that one as much iriformat~o!1·as possible in order to So what can the average voicelessAmeri(the antJ.-GE segment) ~W.cll, w.e_could.do_that---make the--best--decrsronr1 mean that's what ~· can-do? one, but we won't." suppos~dly separates that kind ~f society (a Fight back!

T~e Today Show again used_ restraint democracy) from every other kind." OneofthereasonscorporateAmen_cahas when it cen~ored referen<?es~o GE 1n a story

When did the media, which is suppose to b~n able to successfully !Un the media and about defectJ.yebolts 1;1sedm aircrafts an~ oth~r be a watchdog for the Eeople, become ?110ther give us only half the story 1s because we ~ave products. _It ~s ~azu:ig how the media will tool of corporateAmenca'!Itall beganm 1934 allowed them to ~o so. We let them barge into comprorruse its 1ntegnty and th~ safety of oth- when Congress established the Federal Com- our da)'.-to-day lives and control our knowlers to kt?ep t:J:iemother corporat~on happy. munications Commission. · edge without as much as a struggle.

This rais~s another question. ~hy do When Congress established the FCC it We ~an no longer allow thi~ to happen, General Ele<:trlcand the other corporatJ.ons~at took control of the public airwaves away from and_the time has come for Amencans to colrun our \Iledia care so ~uc~ about contro~g the public and handed them over to corporate lect1vely let our outrage be known. We need the.~edia? The ~swer is simple: the media is America to look after. The most startlirig fact to come together as a people and pu_tan end to a billion-do~ar industry. is that the public never got a chance to vote on the corporate take over of our n:iedia.

AOL-Ttme Warner has made $40 ,2 bil- this issue!Isn't voting a key component of a , Groups sue~ as F.A.I.R. (Fain:iess aJ!-dAclion this year alo"!le.The country of Sudan h~d democracy? · curacy In Reporting) ~d people like Michael Gr9ss DomestJ.c Pr<_>duct(GDP) of $10 bil- This should make many people wonder, Moore have ~een leading the charge for sey~on in 2002. AOL-TU?e Warner makes four "Is this media system all that different than eral years. It is n<_>wour tum to lend_a hand m ttmes as much money m one year as the GDP those of the nations we love to hate such as the backlash against corporate media. of an entire nation. ~equi~y i~ no~ a strong Iraq?" ' If you too would 1/ke to hele this cause enough word to desc~be thi~ s1tuat1.on.. Sadly the answer is no, although there is you cm:istart by contactmg group Iik:eF.~.I.R.

An eve1;1more frig~tetu~g_trend, if n:ie- a slight difference. In those nations the gov- or finding (!U~what local groups are domg to dia C?rp9rations becorrung bµlion-~ollar m- emment runs the media while in our "great confro~t this issue. You can also start ~o fmd dustries is not scary enough, is the increased democracy" a handful of old rich white men alternatives to the corporate run m edia, the consolidation of the media entities. control what we think we know British Broadcasting Company is a good place

Mie:hael ~~ore,_ filmmaker and critic of As terrifying as all of this itiformation is, to start, tha~ wil_lkeep _you better informed

the media, said I think that when you have we have sat back and taken it for years. Worst about what is gomg on m the world.

Working in groups unfair to top students Group work improves interpersonal skills

By Josh..Swartzlander, MargaretGurewitz,and JayBeennann

It's time for a class project, and we can see it coming. We cringe as we hear the words uttered from the teacher's lips, 'This unit we will be doing group projects."

Aaahhhhhhhhhh!

We have been condemned, doomed, sentenced to at least a week of hell. We will either be stuck with the work load of the entire group, or we will end up teaching our group members all of the class material.

The problem with group work is, most times, the people within the group are not equally matched. The students in any given classroom have different abilities, and forcing students who are not at the same academic level to work together is cruel and unusual punishment.

There are three types of group members: Doers, Watchers, and Complainers. Watchers and Complainers weigh down the proverbial pung, while Doers struggle up the hill like an ancient, decrepit pony.

Doers are those few who organize, work, and perfect a project. They come up with ideas and put those ideas into action. Doers are responsible for the group grade.

Watchers are the lesser of two evils in group projects. Watchers do not interfere with the Doers, but they also do nothing productive. They are either too incompetant or too lazy to work on the project.

Finally, Complainers are the worst possible group members. Not only do they do · nothing useful, they interfere with Doers who are actually trying to complete the project. Complainers are more painful group members

because they irlsist on changing the project, even if they have no idea of what they are domg.

In a perfect world, Doers would walk _ Watchers and Complainers through the project, holding their hands and helping them learn.

However, Doers are not teachers. They do not have the ability or the time to teach all of their group members. Doers are students, not tutors, and their frrst priority is to get good grades.

Group work does not have to be painful. If students were divided by ability, groups could be fair and enjoyable. Projects would be less traumatic if students could pick their own groups.

However, teachers almost never group students in this manner. A typical group consists of one intelligent, motivated student and multiple uninspired students.

For teachers, everything works out fme. Each group does well and every student gets a good grade. For unmotivated students, everything is great. They get good grades and do no work.

But for Doers, life is not so grand. They end up doing the entire project without help from their worthless group members, but they get no more credit than the Watchers and Complainers in the group.

In conclusion, we realize ,the irony in doing a group article against group work. Don't feel proud of yourself for pointing this out to your friends because it's quite obvious. We are three motivated Doers who can work together in perfect harmony. Nqne of us are lazy or mentally sluggish, so we can pull the proverbial pung at light speed.

-----By JulieKilzer PhotoF.ditor

It's almost 1 a.m., you should have been in bed long ago, but instead your eyes are glued to your computer screen. You re typing up tlie la~t_page t~3:t contains wee_k_sof research, writing, editing and re-writing. This is not just a~ "oka.Y,I guess th~s will work" paper, this is an ' it will surprise me if a puolisher doesn't buy this, it is by far the oest put together paper I have ever written" paper. You proudly print it, l~ne up the pages perfectly and attacn them in the upper left hand comer with one shiny silver staple. You place the papers in your bag and smile, knowing your assigned group members will no longer view you as the inferior classmate they got stuck with.

Instead of stopping b)'. your locker to talk with your friends, you hurry to class to present your masterpiece. You pull out the report and hand it to you one of-you fellow group members, they read it quickly and sigh, "I guess I can redo this over lunch," the)'. say "the poster and handouts are already done."

Whether it was to make a poster, write a report or make a presentation to _the class, everyone, at some point ,in the 1O+ years of school, haS had to work together in some sort of group to accomplish a common goal. When it comes to group work, sometimes you are put in a group with students who aren't willing to J)Utforth the effort, or students who are perfectly satisfied with a minimal grade. I am not talking about them. (But you do have to ask yourself if those individuals who won't even try any more have ever had their work laughed at, thrown away or redone.)

Group work became popular in schools in the '60s when it was noticed by employers that people were having difficulty working together at their jobs. Schools realized that group skills needed to be taught and practiced; they were not natural skills. Most large cooperation's today are looking for people w90 can work in a team because ~hey have realized that ideas form better with a collection of different ideas.

In a 1999 study by Kathleen S.

Itzen

Many businesses around Nebraska were asked to put 20 attributes in order or what they looK for in new employees. The first five attributes were:

I. Demonstrates honesty, intergrity and personal ethics.

2. Respects customers and co-workers

3. Listens, understands, and learns

4. Willing to accept responsibilities for their actions

5. Have interpersonal skills to work with others as a team.

I understand that the skills measured by achievement tests are important, but while schools SJ:>enda large part of the school · day pounding reading and writing skills into our already overloaded minds, businesses around the nation are ranking these skills as some of the least important attributes. From their perspective, it's easier to teach or train someone in a writing skill, than J:>eople skills. Lincoln elementary schools nave embraced the "Character Counts" program. Teachers spend time each day teacbing studert~ to respect each other. Teachers are willing to take two minutes out of the valuable day to teach students life skills and concepts that they will use for the rest of their1ives. I am not sure how many years, or standardized test down the road we forget that other people matter. We develop an attitude that as long as we get a good grade, we don't have to help anyone else. We feel that if we hand in a "perfect" finished product, the brainstorming and building on other peoples ideas (the whole point of group wor'k:) isn't worth our time. And to those students who think that their work is better than everyone else's, and are willing to crush other pewe' s self confidence to raise their own 'A by a few tenths of a point, I hope you realize that you will not always be on top. There will come a day, maybe in co1lege or maybe in your career, where someone's "perfect project" will be a little bit better tiian yours, and you will find all of your hard work being redone.

oore's

D • owns1ze nica ' evea1in

-

. Joel--Sievert --SportsCo-E.ditor

Terrorism is a frequently discussed issue in this nation. One question you never hear asked is, "What is terrorism?"

There is the obvious hijacking a plane, and running it into one of the largest symbols of capitalism in America and killing thousands of people.

Then there is economic terrorism, a more subtle form of terrorism.

Economic terrorism destroys entire communities through a cycle of layoffs, plant closings, and soaring crime rates. This is one of several issues Michael Moore ad-

dresses in his book Downsize This. Moore, a well-known filmmaker and writer, got his start with his documentary film Roger & Me , which covers the General Motors layoffs in Flint, Michigan.

Moore's other work includes directing the films, Canadian Bacon Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint, and The Big One. Down size This is Moore's first book. He recently released a new book, Stupid White Men

Moore spends much of the book confronting the issue of economic terrorism, an issue seldom discussed in this country. Every year corporations lay off thousands of Americans while the CEO's of these companies receive million dollar b onuses. Economic terrorism destroys entire communities and broadens the gap between rich and poor. For proof watch Roger & Me.

The issue of economic terrorism, however, is not the only issue Moore covers. In Downsize This Moore comments on the blending of Democrats and Republicans in our two-party political system, white America's attempt to hide racism in America, and tries to convince right-to-lifers to protect a sperm's right to life.

As usual Moore takes humorous shots at conservatives and even attempts to commit Bob Doran, a member of the House of Representatives, to a mental hospital.

Moore sees his audience as being "made up of working stiffs, of people who come from the working class, and it is rare that you hear our voice in the media."

Moore wants "the average working Joe or Jane to be able to go to the movie theater and sit down and, for an hour and a half, laugh andreel like 'Here's one for our side.' They've been sticking it to me for years and now, here for 90 minutes, we're gonna stick it back."

j,

By LizNguyen__ OpinionE..ditor

Wondering how to achieve an actual stressfree, Holiday Season this year? Well, of course it's going to be stress-free because you get to be off from school and work, but the holiday shopping is what drives the everybody crazy. · Why and how so? Around the Holiday season, stores become a jungle. It's not easy to get around because there's so much shopping traffic. People are hastily scrambling to find ·the perfect gift for loved ones. And it's not only a difficult time for you shoppers out there, but also for the store employees. It gets really hectic around their workplace mostly because of the increased amount of seasonal merchandise that comes in every once in a while and they have to keep track of, arrange, and keep in neat order of display. Brandy Denius, 20, a part-time Dillard's employee said, ''The most dizzying task is ' having enough time to help our new customers, as in first time customers, because they need the most help on where to go, how to get to, and worse if they don't have the slightest idea of what they're looking for and need assistance for like picking out something for their girlfriend. Your best bet for shopping this year would have to be buy really early and have a general idea of what your looking for." Don't pe a part of the shopping mob frenzy. Get smart this year. Take a moment to read through these Holiday Shoppin g Do--'s and Don'ts. They'll tell you how you can enjoy • shopping quickly, easily,

safely this season. and DO:

1. Shop early. Yes, this may be one of those NoDuh pieces of advice, but it helps. Although, since I'm so kind and unders tanding, I'd 1 like to present an emergency al~ ternative for all you procrastinators and lazies out there. For all of you, there's always online shopping, which I don't recommend, one, because I don't like to pro-mote internet addiction and two, I think that one should make an effort to physically shop because it gives one's gift thatimportant-yet-so-ciftentaken-for-granted personal touch. But I guess some people would still disagree and love to shop online because they think it's quicker and easier.

For those people, again being kind and ·understanding, I have named a few trustworthy sites: h t t p : / / www.prezzybox.com http://www.ebay.com http://giftme.com http://zappos.com http://MySimon.com

2. Make that list of what your friends and family want this year.

3. Browse through store catalogues, store ads, or even a store's website to get gift ideas or to locate where your gift is being sold. This will make your gift search go faster and much easier.

4. Compare prices while checking off items on your gift list. Again by browsing through those catalogues, store ads, or a store's website. Don't put off comparing prices till later by assuming that the closer it gets to Christmas; the more on

sale things will be. Stores don't work that way and even if they did, by the time things are cheapest, what you' re looking for has already sold out. Otherwise what you would want to know is that certain merchandise 011ly become cheaper because the store is trying to get rid of the excess.

5. Shop during the daylight hours. It's not only safer but also the best time of the day to shop is during the middle of the day of a weekday because it's when shopping traffic is lowest. If you must shop at night, bring a friend.

6. Use coupons. There's nothing wrong with wanting to save as much money as possible this holiday season.

7. Remember to get gift receipts whenever possible for every gift item you purchase so that your loved one may be able to return/exchange their gift if they are dissatisfied in some way.

DON'T:

1. Shop impulsively. Know what you want. Have a general idea of what kind of gift you want to purchase. When you buy something without thinking carefully, the greater the chance you or the gift receiver will be coming back to return it. Denuis informs lis that, "Almost half of the merchandise was returned last year mostly due to people not knowing why they bought it in the first place.''

· 2. End up buying things for yourself. We all know some of us start to like things that we pick out for others when we've found it at such a good

price and would hate ourselves if we passed up this opportunity to buy it for ourselves, but stay focused. Do not stray from your gift-purchasing path. This is not about you.

bring as little with you as possible while shopping.

4. Leave packages in plain sight in your car. Instead unload them into the trunk.

5. Buy or even read Christmas magazines, especially the kinds that brag about how they can help you lose 10 pounds by Christmas, how to make the most delicious batch of Christmas cookies, etc. Christmas magazines boast many deceptive ads. Don't buy into it just because in the ad some object is photographed in soft focus against a background of holly, greens, a nd glowing lights. In real life it may not look anything like the display.

6. Buy clearance merchandise because they are much more difficult to return especially after holidays.

7. Waste your . time waiting in line at the cashregister to ask the clerk directions to the men's department Try to shop at stores in which you're a frequent customer to know where everything • IS

Whichever of these guidelines, you decide to follow, best if all, just don't forget to drop this issue of the Advocate into your shopping basket to have the handy list with you. Other than that reminder, have a fun and beautiful Holiday Season and best of luck to all you shoppers!

'

•

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' ----By Ruthl(oht A.~istantF..ditorin Chief

"Why do over 11,000 Americans die at the hands of guns each year?" This is the question filmmaker Michael Moore sets out to answer in his latest documentary, "Bowling for Columbine." While "Bowling for Columbine" has all the technical qualities that make it a documentary, you won't find yourself falling asleep in the middle. It was the only documentary to ever win an award at the Cannes Film Festival

Moore has never been known for conventional filmmaking, given his previous works-like "Roger & Me," in which Moore follows around the CEO of General Motors Roger Smith, trying to ask questions about , the GM layoff that left most of Flint, Michigan, unemployed; Moore's tactics are basically the same in "Bowling for Columbine." Moore and his camera crew wander the streets of Michigan, Colorado, Canada, and Beverly Hills in an effort to get responses

isto

ByLizNguyen OpinionF..ditor

We knew him as a plump, cheery old man who rides across the sky at night on Christmas Eve to deliver presents to all the good girls and boys across the world. We remember first thing Christmas morning how we checked under our Christmas trees or in our stockings to see if he had left us anything. We recall tugging on his beard that one time to see if it was real. "He carries a bag on his back filled with toys!" said Gabrielle, 4. Gabrielle is the son of Oscar and Erica Birky Rios. And who are all those gifts for? "All for me!" he replies excitedly giggling at the thought of Santa. "He brought me a coloring book last year," said Gabrielle.

The idea of Santa Claus has evolved over hundreds of years due to a combination of many different legends. His earliest ancestor actually dates back to pre-Chris~ tian days when the Vikings had a god named Odin. Odin always rode across the sky with his horse, Sleipnir, who had 8 legs. In the winter, Odin gave out gifts and punishments. He is the pagan forefather of Santa Claus. Another forefather of Santa Claus, also the most influential figure in the shaping of today's Santa, was a real man named Saint Nicholas Nicholas lived in Myra (modem Turkey) in the fourth century A.D. Born an only child of a wealthy family, he was orphaned at an early age when both parents died, leaving him a vast fortune. He grew up to be · a very kind and generous priest dedicated to God. He gave his wealth away in the form of gifts to those in need, especially children. Legends tell of him either dropping bags of gold down chimneys or throwing the bags through the windows

to the issue of gun control in America.

The first parts of the film are hilarious. In the opening scene, Moore walks into a Michigan bank to open an account after seeing an advertisement promoting a rifle as the free gift. All he had to say to get the account, and the gun, was, "I'd like to open the kind of account where I get a free gun." Since the bank was also a licensed arms dealer, this was not a problem. There is also an animated, comprehensive retrospective of the United States in which a talking bullet narrarates Americans' history of fear. What could be better than a history lesson that begins, "There were these people in Europe, and they were called pilgrims "?

While there are plenty of ironic, funny moments, Moore takes a tum for the serious when he heads to Littleton, Colorado, to visit with two students who were injured in the Columbine High School shooting. Both students still had bullets embedded in their bodies. Since the bullets had been purchased at a local K-Mart, Moore takes

the boys to the K-Mart headquarters so they can attempt to return the merchandise. Their visit led to the subsequent abolishment of ammunition and gun sales in all K-Martsin the continental United States.

Moore's "antics" prove time and again that if nothing changes, nothing gets better. Moore's mission in "Bowling for Columbine" is not to completely rid the world of weaponry, but to make its use safer for everyone.

If you go to www.bowlingfora'llumbine.rom, you can sign a petition asking Wal-Mart to stop the sales of ammunition. As with KMart bullets, Wal-Mart bullets have also killed too many people. ·

I found the most insightful interview to be Marilyn Manson's. After having people blam~ him for the troubles of Columbine murderers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, Manson remains adamant that he does not have as much influence on teens as the president, When asked what he would say to the people of Columbine, Manson

replied, "I wouldn't say anything. I would listen, and that's what no one did."

Moore also resorts to using a Hollywood Map of Stars' Homes to track down • Charleton Heston, and he even approaches Dick Clarke's mini-van. The point is that Moore doesn't fool around when trying to uncover the answers. If you're looking for a little humor and a lot of truth, Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" is the movie to see.

Unfortunately, I had to travel to Omaha to see it, where it only played for two weeks. It will be showing at the Ross Theatre in Lincoln when the theatre reopens after renovations-on January 10th.

Seeing this movie was a valuable experience that no one should miss. I enjoyed"Bowling for Columbine" more than Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July put together, which, because of guns, over 11,000 Americans won't be celebrating this year.

rou outt e ears

Christmas Old Man. These Santas were varied in every color of the rainbow. But for

that was to later beeome widely accepted. His Santa was a rotund, jolly old fellow with a white beard, wearing baggy breeches and a broad brimmed hat, and smoking a long stemmed pipe. He also added such details as Santa's workshop at the North Pole and Santa's list of the good and bad children of the world. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln asked Nast to do an illustration showing Santa with the Union troops. . Many historians say this was one of the most demoralizing moments for the Confederate army seeing Santa side with the North.

Finally, from 1931 to 1964, Artist Haddon Sundblom added the final touches to Santa's modem image when he created a new Santa each Christmas for Coca-Cola ad.vertisements that appeared world-wide on billboards and the back covers of Post and National Geographic magazines. His artwork featured the Santa we know and love today: a portly, grandfatherly Santa in a red suit trimmed with white fur, leather black boots and belt, a long white beard and a · ruddy complexion, and an overfilldd sack of toys slung onto his back. Over the years, the North American Santa tradition has grown to include Mrs. Claus and Santa's helper elves. Rudolph, the ninth reindeer, with a red and shiny nose, was invented in ·1939 by an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward Company.

Santa is more than presents because, like so many other American traditions, he's a product of the great American melting pot - a blend of many different c ultures and customs from around the world.

This benevolent figure encompasses all the goodness and innocence of childhood. And because goodness is his very essence, Santa will always be remembered.

• 1nco1n • 1 's

By JambMiller News£ditor

Forjust a minute,thinkabout what you were doing ten years ago. Most of you were in first or second grade, Bush I was still president,Ointon was on his way in, and Nebraskacoach Tom Osborne stillcouldn't win the big one Lincoln High's wrestling team was on its way to winninganotherStateOlampionship.

Now fast-forwardto present day. Bush Ilis President,Nebraska coach Frank Solich can't fill Osborne's shoes, and it has been ten years since Lincoln High's last NSM sanctionedteam championship.

Questionsseem to surroundeveryteam as anotherseniorclass looksat the possibilityof grad11atinewithouta statechampinrwltQ'-

en ear tate

One has to wonder, why is this happening? Have our athletes become infeiiorto other schools? Can the droughtof championshipsbe attributedto weak-mindedathletesor bad coaching? AthleticDirectorLany Parkerattributesthe droughttps0tnething else. 'We're just gettingbeat There isn't wUJ any other reasonfor lossesotherthanthe factthatwe'rescaJllgbeat at St=•" It's stillveryhard to stomachthe JxK of winning oonsidering crosstownrivalLlncolnSouth<'""'cseemsto hav"'an abundanceof StateChampionships.

'The goal at Li11COlnHigh is to make our kids as good as they can be "expldliledParl<:er'Wehave neverdown playedwinning, .. , but ii' wecontinuew work hard, winningwill take care of itself.'' - Parkercommentedlater,"It's becomingtougherto dominate. I think eventuallySouthwestwill take its toll on Southeastand

'}(:}f;J:;' f/:\tt=ti:J

CASSILUND seruo,; o,11aha,Neb.

Major biology and Sp~1sh

Career Tnick pedkltrician

Southeastr=j not be iJ9 6trong.The schoolsyou may see become bett=-dlldbetterar,,dlesingleschooldistricts,like Kearneyand North Platte.It's pruSibleto control theprograms a little better. It's tough for some students and alumni to understandthat."

Transferscould be another reason why Lincoln High has had a suddenloss of winning championships. Studentsin ••'I I :\1

LincolnHigh's districts can transfer to Southeast or East. There · havebeenincidentsinthepast where outstanding ath-

State Championship tro..:. phies have been in short supply at Lincoln High in recent years.

letes at lliS have transferredto anotherschoolto ''get a better scholarshipoffer"beforetheir seniorseasonsof competition. While it may be a given that Lincoln High may never return to its formerglory,it would be nice to see the occasional StateOlampionship. It would be nice to see a littlemore winning,at leastfor citybraggingrights,because sports are king. As much as some people would like to argue that band, theatre, or even academics are more important, or should be more important to the masses, they're kidding themselves. Ultimately Lincoln High will be judged by most other students in city by our athletic teams.

-------By JambMiller ]Vews£ditor

With a gym full of rowdy students, Omaha Creighton Prep tried to defeatLincolnHigh for the second straightseason opener. Unfortunatelyfor Prep, the second ranked team in the state was waiting.

The Links pounced on an abundance of early mistakes by Prep to race off to a 26-11 lead early in the game. Though Prep would try to close the gap, the Links were too much for the Junior Jays, winning 69-56. Junior Seth Sharpe contributed 23 points,including7-9 from the three point arc. Senior TyronCanby fell one assistshortof a triple~double,recording 13 points, 9 assists,and 10 rebounds.

'The game went the way I had hoped and envisioned,especially since its so importantto get a win in the first game. It's somethingto cany on. I had hoped I'd have the kind of game I did, but I definitelydidn't envision it happening like that," Seth Sharpe said.

On the same night Lincoln High beat Prep, number one Lincoln Southeast fell to Omaha North. With LSE's loss, fans can now look forwardto the possibilityof the Links being number one in the Lincoln Journal-Starpoll.

ron Lan

___ ByBrittneyl-Iodges__

SportsCO-E.ditor

Tyron Canby, a senior at Lincoln High, has contributed to many aspects of the Varsity basketball team, and is also one of only a few players to earn a letter for playing all four years. Canby's basketball career started when he was a second grader attending Clinton Elementary. "I had always followed my cousin Dustin around and he played basketball, so I guess I just started playing then" Canby said. The first league that Tyron was involved in was the Lincoln Cosmos, which was ran by Joe Ballard of Project Youth. 1yrur, v,o.c " second grader at the time, but his abilities allowed n111,>o ba '1 starter in the fourth grade league. "I knew at a very young age that this kid (Tyron), was going to be a sup er athlete! His basketball skills and athletic ability were just more than the other kids," Ballard stated.

• Over a period of four years (Canby's sixth-ninth grade) Canby's talent later went on to help the Cosmos to a 167-15 record (This included playing year round in a variety of leagues throughout Eastern Nebraska). Tyron's dominance on the court allowed him to average thirty-three points/ •

eame as well as earn six Cosmos' MVP awa1 d~ , six team MVP awards, and in 2000 ..,as induc ,.,d as a Cosnro<;Legend.

Freshn,"n year approached rathP,r quickly for the young Canby, and he had decided to tryout at Lincoln High. "I got along with a lot of the players, and I had known most of them since the beginning of middle school. Lincoln High sec11,-.,_..1 t,y he the right school" Canby stated. Freshman year, Canby played most1y on JV, but earned a spot on Varsity where he would

sophomore year, his team made it to the state tournament where East knocked them out in the first round. 'Over the summer Tyron participated in a select basketball team (Nebraska Bison Runza All-stars) where he was able to travel to different states and get a feel of what the future held for him. Junior year came around, and Canby 1,,,d his goals set for a great year, =-d that held up to be truthful. Carr.,_JIP,dthe Links to a 13 and 10 record lto., the season and ended up av~raging16.6 points per game, a1,<l 8.6 assists.

The time came ·when the Links were faced with the challenge of having to win their district to make it to the state tournament. The game was played at Omaha Papillion-LaVista be able to letter. Sophomore year, Canby earned his place starting as point guard for the Varsity team. "I was very excited, because I thought I would be able to do good. We also had a very good team." Canby's • and was played against Omaha Benson. The Links regular season ended in heartbreak after they ended up losing to the Bunnies, however the Links overall season record allowed them to receive the wild card and

Tyron Canby (12) is returnig for a third season as a starter

Wl a ers as at a 1n

By TinaWilson __ _ i\_ssistantPhotoE.ditor

Breaststroke, back-stroke, nose-dive.

These are all common terms in the swimming and diving world. That's right, Lincoln High • swimming and div-

1ng sea-

son IS Ill f u 1 l • swing

Tryouts were held the week of Kearah Droud

M o n - (11 ) is back for day, No- her third season. vember 18. Swimmers and divers joined together in the Lincoln High pool. One of last years returning swimmers is junior Samantha Staley. She has been swimming for ten years, and made it to state last year. Her goals for this year include putting forth her best effort, going to state, and placing in the top eight. Staley would also like to keep the team positive and working hard.

Junior Kearah Droud has been swimming competitively for two years. Last year

her main focus was on cutting down her time in the 100 freestyle. She lowered her time from 1:27 to 1:08.

Last year, the girls' swimming and diving team did not have anyone place at state. The question this year is, will the girls team place at state? The answer in Droud and Staley's eyes is simple: yes.

The boy's team did very well last year, with quite a few people placing. One o f the boys who placed was junior Michael Crane. Crane is a diver and he came in second place in the diving competition.

T h i s ye a r's · •swim season kicks off Thursday, December 5 at Millard South. With h a r d amantna ~ta1ey is looking forward to another shot at state. working swimmers anct great leaders on the team, Lincoln High'5 s,-:i.mming and diving team should be another great season.

• 1n ize!

make yet another state appearance. The Links were able to make it to the semi-finals where Canby had hopes of being earlier in the year. Unfortunately the Links squandered a ten-point lead thanks to blatant fouling by LSE's senior Brandon Rigoni. "He (Brandon) kind of frustrated me because he wa~ so quick. I would be able to get by him, but he would catch up with me."

Even though the Links were unable to win state, Canby success still allowed him to receive numerous awards including: (Journal~Star) 1st team super-state Class A, All- class A, (Omaha World Herald) 2nd team all Nebraska, and 1st team all Class A. He h,.s also taken part in the Nebraska Ilison Runza All-stars team for the past 4 yem '" This past October, C;anby made the decision '"" attend and play basketball for UNO. So why did Canby choose UNO? Canby stated that ,1 like the players and coaches, it is also cloie1.<>,rny biggest support system my mom". Cu"bY is an all around phenomenal player who l,-.i.smany years ahead of him. When asked what he likes most about basketball Canby said, " I have never really thought about it, it has just been something I have done all my life."

Lincoln High students choose English, World Experience ' as 111ostvaluable, Health and P.E. as least valuable

by JoshSwartzlander Edi~mChid

Lincoln High School students have spoken. A survey of more than 800 Lincoln High students shows kids do have opinions about the most and least valuable classes they have taken in high school.

According to Lincoln High School students, our school's four most valuable classes are: Unspecified English Class (32), World Experience (30), Marching Band (30), Unspecified Math Class (30).

The four least valuable Lincoln High classes according to students are: Health • (-136), Physical Education (-82), Oral Communications (-48), Career Education (-41).

In the raw survey data, required classes automatically received inore votes than any other classes because all students took the classes. To rank Lincoln High's most and least valuable classes, we took the number of least valuable votes and subtracted it from the number of most valuable votes the class received. For example. World Experience got 31 most valuable votes, and I least valuable vote, so its score was 30.

English Department chair John Heineman believes students' opinions are valuable. "It's always good to know what students .are thinking and feeling," he said. "[It] helps us help them."

Heineman thinks English classes, the most valuable classes according to students, help students interact. Students realize the value of strong communications skills like reading and writing, he said.

Health, P.E., Safety Education Department Chair Janet Zillig said she was amazed students voted health and P.E. the two least valuable classes.

"There are a lot of academic standards that put pressure on kids," Zillig said. "One way to relieve that is physical education."

Zillig said there were plenty of Lincoln High students who valued physical education. "There are a lot of kids who recognize the importance of health and physcial education," sh e said.

Though the survey specifically stated that students' responses should be based on course content, not teacher quality, many survey participants said the two factors were inseparable.

"Teachers have mostly everything to do with the class," wrote one survey participant. "The teacher makes the class."

"Teachers make a big difference in the learning experience of the class," another survey participant wrote.

"The reason why I don't like the classes I do is because of the teacher, not the material covered in the class," a student wrote. "Some of the best classes become a hindrance when the teacher isn't good, and viceversa."

One of the least valuable Lincoln High classes, according to the survey, was Physi-

cal Education. Many students said kids involved in sports should not have to take gym classes. "Sports should count as P.E. credits," wrote one survey participant.

"If you play a sport, you shouldn't be required to take a P.E. class," one student wrote.

However, some students said they don't

believe there is such a thing as an invaluable class. "All my classes are good for me," wrote one survey participant.

Another student said most and le ast valuable classes are based solely on individual preference. "Classes that students enjoy and have an interest in are the classes that are valuable to that individual student."

One teacher wrote on a blank survey that students don't always know what is best for them in high school. "As a teacher, I recall a time when I thought typing in high school in the 1970s wouldn't help. Thank goodness I took it. Now I can use a computer."

Many students said they thought the wrong classes were required in high school. "Band helps with most other subjects including math and science," one survey participant wrote. "Band should definitely get more funding."

"Electives are just as important, if not more so, than basic requirements," one student wrote. ''Math is important, but learning how to express yourself through writing and singing is much more valuable ."

"Multicultural classes are so very important," another survey participant wrote. "We need to make the ones we currently have longer."

World Experience, which about 60 students have taken in the Lincoln High School building, is Lincoln High's second most valuable class according to students. The class was cancelled this year because of scheduling problems, so no current sophomores are taking it. That means more than half of the students who were in World Experience said the class was one of the two most valuable classes they took at Lincoln High.

"It doesn't surprise me," English teacher Carolynn Goodwin said. "There was a good match between the students and the class."

Goodwin believes the class was valuable to students because students were involved in shaping the direction of the class. ''Too bad it's gone," she said.

"World Ex was undoubtedly the class that was most relevant to my life," one survey participant wrote. "It is a shame that it was cancelled, and I urge the administration to reconsider."

"World Experience was by far the most rewarding class at Lincoln High," wrote another student. "Not only did it teach amazing time management skills, but it taught more about life than could be learned in any other environment It was an amazing opportunity and its imprint on its students will remain forever."

_____ PYMargaretGurewitz_____ _ C-opy£ditor

T.here is a new book in Lincoln. For months, people who usually think themselves too busy to read have been going to libraries across the city to get involved in Lincoln's newest community project, One Book-One Lincoln.

One Book-One Lincoln w.as developed by the Lincoln City Libraries and the Lincoln Journal-Star. The project's website (www.lcl.lib.ne/uslinfo/obol.htm) said the goal was to "encourage reading and dialogue by creating a community-wide reading and discussion experience." After the book was read, there were discussion groups and talks with the author to keep people involved.

Lincoln is just one of many cities with "One Book" programs. The concept of a One Book program began in Seattle in 1998, and has spread throughout the United States and Canada.

Plainsong, by Kent Haruf, was chosen as the first of Lincoln's books. A selection committee met over the summer after reading mariy books and decided that Plainsong was the best choice.

Plainsong needed to meet many qualifications to be chosen for Lincoln. The book had to be interesting fiction that would give people a good starting point for discussion. It also had to address universal themes in a readable way. Finally, it had to be readily available in paperback.

Near the beginning of the school year,

ne Lincoln unitv -1-0 • r1n setner

common literature. It also provided the opportunity to exchange diverse thoughts and philosophies, weaving understanding amidst both close neighbors and remote strangers." Plainsong's success as Lincoln's first community book has inspired the Lincoln City Libraries and Lincoln Journal-Star to continue the project in 2003. This time, the book can be either fiction or nonfiction. Nominations for the next book can be made using the form in the January 1, 2003 Lincoln Journal-Star; forms are also available in all Lincoln City Libraries. Recommendations can be emailed to library@mail.lcl.lib.ne.us. Nominations must be in no later than February 9, 2003.

Graphic courtesy of One BookOne Lincoln. libraries and book stores bought Plainsong as a book and as a book-on-tape. As hoped for, the community response was enormous. Thousands of people read the book, each person reacting differently. Discussion groups were formed and Kent Haruf came to Lincoln, giving talks to prisoners and high school students alike.

The selection committee's youth representative, Lincoln High senior Claire Climer, thought the book was a great success. "One Book-One Lincoln allowed community members to embrace more than

CollegeExpensesScareSeniors

By Juliel(ilzer Photo£ditor

If you are a senior you can definitely tell that second semester is here. Whether it is by seeing the colorful college posters multiply in front of the counseling office or by the brochures weighing down your mail box from every college within a three thousand mile radius. After all the planning, testing and applying you have done to get into that one special college, there is still one question that lingers in everyone's mind. How are you ever going to pay for this?

I ama college bound senior with a fairly thin wallet and I have some good advice. Check out the Education Quest Foundation. These Education Planning Centers have been helping Nebraska High School and college students pay for college for 16 years. The program is funded by the Foundation for Education Funding (FEF) and has been able to provide a totally free service to students and their families.

Education Quest will not only teach you how to use a data base, they will also help you fill out and file your financial aid paperwork, which can save you weeks of processing time. If you are still undecided about where you want to go next year, Education Quest has the online profiles, catalogs and reference books of colleges nationwide. With millions of dollars out there in scholarship as well as hundreds of questions about college, it definitely makes sense to spend

an hour or two to get help from the experts. And just when you don't think that it could get any better, they will validate your parking in any of the downtown garages. So before you rule out schools because of costs, or pick a college with out knowing all of the information, head down to 1300 "O" street. You have nothing to lose and college money to gain.

When you're a teenager, life is full of positives. Don't let a pregnancy test be one of them.

a to s

By LizNguyen Opinion&Jitor

•

It's everything twelve years of industry-defining experience said it could be: the most natural, mobile, productive, and thoroughly thought-out PC the world has ever seen , the space-age desktop-replacement-notebook computer, aka laptop.

All seniors who are going to college pretty soon, especially out of state, need to start deciding what they need and want to take with them. One of the most important decisions is whether to bring their desktop computer with them, which is a big hassle because of packaging and the cost of shipping, or buy a laptop Let's take a look with a side by side comparision:

Desktops

Ability to be Customized: Gene Coleman, 22, full-time product specialist for Best Buy's computer department tells us, "The big advantage to your desktop would be the fact that it's easy to upgrade, such as I could add more memory. I could take out my video cart put in a new video cart wherein a laptop it's just not feasible "

Durabililty: Desktops are generally sturdy machines. Even though their size takes up more space area, their weight makes them less likely than laptops to be stolen. Since their internal features are easily upgraded, they won't outdate as quickly as laptops.

Touchpad vs. Mouse: It takes a while to be comfortable moving the cursor around with your finger and tapping the touchpad instead of clicking, especially when you want to select and drag items.

Hard Drive Space: Desktops will usually have more HD space . Price: $1,400-$2,600. This is for the 'standard desktop meaning fhe whole package-monitor, tower, keyboard, and mouse; l!Ccessories are cheaper. If you spill coffee on your desktop keyboard it only costs about $20 to replace. You wouldn't have to buy a whole new computer

es to s: e

Expandibility: Desktops allow you more because it has more ports than laptops. In laptops, there are some expansion possibilities too, but nowhere near the options you have for a desktop.

Speed: Because new desktops come out rapidly usually every 2-3 months, their new CPU (CPU-computer processing unit-it's your computer's brain) is improved 15-20% causing some people to believe that desktop speed is faster. Sound: Sound carts built in desktops are generally clearer.

Laptops

Ability to be Customized: · Laptops don't allow for much internal upgrading With a laptop, you're stuck with whatever video and audio hardware that comes with it You can't upgrade it. You can usually upgrade the hard drive, but that's going to cost you an arm and a leg. Otherwise, usually only the accessories can be customized.

Durabililty: Laptops weigh anywhere from 4 to 7 .5 lbs. That's including batteries! By the way, "the average battery life for a laptop is going to be 4 or 5 hours (it can be recharged) if you aren't doing anything like watching movies or burning CDs," says Coleman. Laptops require only a modicum of desk space Remember, though they may be thin and light so they're easy to carry around, but that's what makes them delicate 1?-achines. Having a laptop means . there's a risk for very costly repairs if your laptop is damaged in any way.

Touchpad vs. Mouse: Touchpads aren't as precise Hard Drive Space: Laptops may look attractive due to slick industrial design but one should be mindful that laptops are all about cramming as much info as possible into one small space. Such confined spaces don't allow for much HD space

Price: $1,000-$4,000. Accessories are expensive . Batteries have to be replaced every 1-2 years. With today's laptops, batteries can run anywhere from $200-$300, some up to $400. By the way, if you happened to spill some

coffee on your laptop keyboard that's it, everything's gone. You'd have to replace the whole laptop.

Expandibility: If you want your laptop to replace a desktop, odds are that at least one of those ports will be occupied by your mouse, leaving less room for any other digital devices you want to use

Speed: In reality, the speed is the same. "Typically your laptop is just going to run $500 more, but you can find the same speed laptop as you can find in a desktop right now. Same amount of memory just lower on the hard drive space," says Coleman. Also, their internet connection speed is always the same.

Sound: The laptop's internal speakers are never as good, but if you want, you could customize your laptop with external speakers for your sound system to be just as good as a desktop. But even that's going to cost you a pretty penny. This is just a basic summary of differences between the two. So are laptops gradually supplanting desktops? Nobody knows. Even though laptops have caught up with desktops in speed but not HD space, they're still advantageous for certain people, especially those on the go. A lot of people love them. Desktops excel in stability and manageability, whereas laptops excel in mobility According · to Thuat Nguyen, 41, data manager for TMP.Worldwide, there are 3 factors one must consider to decide which to buy: CPU, video image, and memory space. You don't necessarily need the best of all three, just whatever works for you. Test your computer's multimedia capabilities. Everyone's preference of performance quality varies, depending on what they plan want to use their PC for. If you're into gaming and graphics, stick to desktop PCs, but if you do some traveling from place to place and a lot of r word processing, e-mailing, and internet browsing, and even some basic digital functions with photos and MP3s, laptops are worth a look. We wish we could purchase the best of both worlds: desktop performance in a light and mobile package, but you know, they're still working on it.

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By TinaWilson ,1.ssistantPhotography&Jitor

In today's society women's sports are somewhat disregarded. They are seen as a ploy for feminists to make a fuss about not having equal opportunities. Despite the desperate attempt to silence women about this subject, society has failed.

If you go to a Lincoln High Girls Varsity Basketball game, you will notice. that it differs drastically from a Boys Varsity game. You will notice that the difference in attendance is like nj.ght and day. At a boy's game, the seats are packed and three sets of bleachers are open. At a girl's game, you are lucky to even see the seats filled. ls this right or fair?

Students can say, ''Oh we go to the guys' games because they have a winning record." But really, is it fair to force all the support to one team because they are winning? It isn ' t right or fair. Even if a team doesn't have a perfect record, I think you

should still support them. People must agree with me because the stands are packed at the Lincoln High football games. (No of -

team.) The Girls ( team is now 2-4.

Would this have I i been different if

come, but not the same turnout the more students

·•Boys receive. were in atten-

Youcanalsoexdance? It is sad

Lincoln High's. C'mon now, we were at home!

amine the attento think that the

students at

dance at the North-

east games . The coln High will

only attend the :

: guys had an excel-

lent turnout. The game of a team

girls, had a small with a winning

which was small

student section record

If you really and mostly comexamine this issue, you will see that I am prised of Pomalinks and Cheerleaders. It · correct . If you look at the attendance for was sad to tum around on the bench and see Lincoln High fans at the Holiday touma- Northeast have a larger student section than

The problem isn't just the students; it also has something to do with -the amount of coverage given by the media. If you watch the sports news on Friday night, you will see all the guys' highlights and scores first. Why? The answer remains unknown If you look in a newspaper you will find that same sort of thing. Guy's sports are covered more. If you look at the last issue of the Advocate, you will find two articles about the Boy's basketball team, and no articles about girls' sports. As a school, we aren't being very fair to girls' or boys' sports. Many are holding our boys' team on a pedestal where some believe they don't even belong, and disregarding the girls as if they don't matter. I'm sure that after many read this article they will realize what is going on, but then choose to ignore it But, what do I know? Many people are realizing what is happening Isn't it time that you realize it too?

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By E.llaE.ngland Ft'llture£ditor

I am a teenager. Well, duh! There are so many stereotypes that go with being a teen, but most of them don't apply to even half of the teens in the world. Adults don't always understand that. So, what can a person do about it?

I know! A teen can write an article complaining about the unfairness of it all, and that's exactly what I intend to do!

I was recently shopping with my older, yet still teenaged sister. BAM! All of a sudden a store clerk, who obviously wasn't a teen, started giving us trouble and treating us as if we were idiots trying to rob them. Well, neither of us is an idiot and we weren't stealing. It made me incredibly mad, not only because this happened, but also ,because

By Joel-Sievert Sports<ȣditor

I remember when Osama bin Laden was the craze of American culture. The major news networks covered him and each new video statement he released received massive amounts of airtime.

Was Osama the real deal? Were he and his Al-Qaeda terrorist network America's next great enemy? Had the -American government found someone to replace the void Russia left when it decided to jump onto the Democracy bandwagon?

Let's review some of Osama's actions over the years.

Osama's terrorist career came from modest beginnings. Osama began his rm1itary ca- · reer battling the Soviets in defense of Afghanistan. He was not alone in this fight. The American government came to his aid in an attempt to stop the sp.read of Communism.

American aid consisted of

it isn't the first time.

tion? Could it be the way they dress? Let me see, do I dress · the wrong way? I don't think so. My wardrobe primarily consists of jeans and t-shirts; last time I check pretty much everybody dresses like that or at least own clothes like that, even adults. So, it couldn't have been how we were dressed. Okay, so it wasn't how my sister and I were dressed.

every teenager wants to steal from stores or cause trouble.

So, what could be causing teens to get this bad reputa- I've got it! Perhaps when adults were teens they did things they aren't proud of, so now they think all teens nowa -days are still doing those things. If they do I've got a news flash for them- just because they did certain things doesn't mean that we are doing them too

Could it -have been the way we were acting? Again, I don't think so. I could be wrong though. Maybe, without my knowledge of it happening, it has become socially unacceptable to walk through the aisles of a store and not buy anything. I honestly don't think that has happened though. I'm running out of ideas about what makes people think

all about ambition?

When he was not being expelled from various nations Osama found time to plan terrorist actions against his former mentor, the United States. He started his now infamous terror campaign by bombing the World Trade Center in 1993. Then in 1996, Osama was linked to the death of 19 United States soldiers in his homeland, Saudi Arabia.

Osama followed this up by bombing United State's embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. These bombiru!"' were followed by the 2000 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen.

- . donating weapons, giving Osama Bin Laden remains

Nearly a year later in 2001, Osama returned to ' the · place where his terrorist streak began. money, and building secret as elusive as Waldo. pathways in the sides of moun-

On September 11, 2001, two tains

So how did Osama repay us for all of our generosity?

He turned on us! After the expulsion of the Soviets, Osama turned his rage toward America and the Middle East. After all we did for him, a "thank you" would have been enough. I guess that was asking too much.

Osama spent the next several years of his life being expelled from various countries because of his radical political ideas. Now if you ask me, that this seems a little harsh. All he wanted to do was overthrow Western Civilization. This may have been a little ambitious, but isn't the American dream

jetliners flew into the two World Trade Center towers. These attacks. killed thousands of innocent people.

Following the 9/11 attacks, Osama was everywhere. There were daily, if not hourly, mentions of Osama on the news networks. He even found his way onto t-shirts, book covers, and Joy Night skits.

In the months following 9/11, the lJnited States began the War on Terrorism. Unfortunately, we never did quite find Osama.

At the time, it was suspected that Osama ,escaped from Tora Bora, his mountain hideout in Eastern Afghanistan, and

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all teens are perfect angels. I know I'm not perfect. I'm also not saying that all adults have no respect for teens. What I am saying is that people should give us some credit. There are teens out there living and surviving on their own, without help from anyone. There are also teens that are more intelligent than a majority of adults. So, maybe adults should reevaluate how they think about and treat teenagers.

made his way into Pakistan. Vince Connistraro, an ABC News analyst and former CIA counter-terrorism chief said, "I think

"If the rest of the world never finds_Osama:s bo~y, they will never 1~ know tf he ts altve or dead, allow• IS ing him to live foreve~ in our true that t h e

ness is stranded in a damp, dark cavern with no modem medical care, things don't tum out so well. Considering this, it is plausible t h a t that most intelligence analysts are abso1u tel y convinced at this Osama is

· point that bin fears." Laden has slipped the noose and has left Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Slowly, life began to return to normal, or at least as normal as it can be. As our daily lives made progress towards normalcy, Osama slipped further and further out n£ the spotlight. ·

l{egarding the whereabouts of Osama, President Bush admitted, "I truly am not concerned about him." If even the president, a man who was dead set on finding Osama, is no longer worried about this evil-doer, what do we have to fear?

It has been over a year since the events of September 11. The United States has yet to find Osama. Some people believe that he is dead while others refuse to believe this until a body is produced.

So what happened to Osama?

Is he hiding in a belligerent nation and preparing another massive terrorist assault? Or, as one of our copy editors suggested, is Osama ice-fishing in Montana? My best judgment says that it is probably not the latter.

More than likely, Osama is either regrouping his Al-Qaeda terrorist group or he is dead. That's right Osama bin Laden might be dead.

As the war on terrorism came wore on, Osama began to look worse and worse. It was apparent that Osama's health was deteriorating, and he was stuck in one of his secret mountain passageways with no medical care.

Normally when someone with a fatal ill-

United · States, or any other country for that matter, has yet to find Osama's body. If he did die in some remote part of the mountains in Afghani.<:t= it is possible that his support,.=t1aried his body before the ,:e,,t-urthe world could find it.

· - If this scenario is true, it could play into the hands of Osama's terrorists. If the rest of ·the world never finds Osama'.s body, they will never know if he is alive or dead, allowing him to live forever in our fears.

If you do not like this idea or it scares you for some reason, here are some ideas from our friendly national government about Osama's fate.

First up is the United State's Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld said, "He's either dead in some tunnel or he's alive. And if he's alive, he's either in Afghanistan or he isn't." Unfortunately, this describes every person to ever walk the earth. Maybe that's why Osama has been so hard to find. ,

The next idea about Osama comes from our fearless leader, Preside.nt Bush II. "He could be in a cave that has-that doesn't have an opening to it anymore." This covers every single cave in every mountain in the world. Keep up the search and we're bound to find this mythical cave, right?

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfwitz believed Osama might "disguise himself as a woman and hide somewhere in the mountains of Chechnya." This would be the most ironic and fitting outcome, considering the horrific treatment women received under the Taliban's oppressive regime.

rownu artoons on AQUlt • 1

B.-yKatyChilds Photographer

On Saturday and Sunday nights, starting at 9:00 pm, Cartoon Network (Channel 33 for cable) hosts a series of shows for a mature audience (age 14 and over) called Adult Swim. This is my experience watching it.

(On Saturdays, they show cartoons that are referred to by the name "anime." In order to really understand, you need to watch them every Saturday because they all follow a storyline. Sort of like a movie, only you get to see thirty minutes instead of the whole nine hours).

Saturday, 9pm, Heman and Masters of the Universe- Skeletor (bad guy) wants to · t.ttffJF\::if8tttt\ capture Heman. and destroy him. He also r,,..,, '''"''"'' wants Castle Greyskull. (Castle a strong hol<l and holds a sorceress. Castle also has an orb that w111h<>lp Skeletor to control the world.) So basically, Heman a1,d th-,. other masters of the universe fight Skeletor so he does not conquor the world.

This show was very hard for me to follow. If you do like this show, cheers to you. I hope that you follow the storyline and don't get lost the way I did. Rating: One thumbnail up.

9:30 pm~ Transformers Armada- On this particular show, three kids, Alexis, Brad and Carlos, discover a glowing rock that unlocks Cyborgs, a type of man/machine that is comparable to tht: Transformers, only they are the bad guys. Carlos, Alexis and Brad just watch the Transformers fight, but all three kids really want to help. Tune in next time to find out what happens next. Rated- One thumb up for plot and two for graphics.

Sunday: For Sunday, all cartoons for Adult Swim are fifteen minutes long instead of the traditional thirty minutes. Also, they have no story- line.

9:00 pm - Aqua Teen - This show has three main characters, Milkshake, Mea,tball and Fries. Meatball is Fries' son. Other than

9: 15 pm- Harvy Birdman- A bird-likt> man who is a lawyer takes on a variety of cases that are obvio11sly,not "winners." This show rarely made sense to me, but was definitely hilarious. Rating: Two thumbs, definitely two thumbs up.

9:30 pm - The Brak Show- Brak origi-

like the Saturday cartoons. This cartoon was an odd one and didn't leave me feeling safe to watch the other three shows for fear that I would have nothing to write about. Alas! I was wrong. Rating- one thumb up for everything. Ghost." Since then two other parodies have been made (Space Ghost and Space Ghost Coast to Coast). Originally, Brak was a villain character, but The Brak Show is the story of Brak, his dad (Daddy), his mom (Comrade Mother), and neighbors who are put

and scene cells, except they have added new drawings, dialogue and objects. This show takes place under the sea (duh) and in a "futuristic water station." This show is random, but very funny. Rating: Two thumbs and two toes up

into "everyday'' situations that are far from normal. This show is quite funny and very amusing. Rating: Two thumbs up. 9:45 pm-SeaLab2021-This show also happens to be a parody, only this one is concerning a 60's/70's show called Sea Lab 2020. The newer version has the same char10:00 pm-Cartoon Network hosted a that, this cartoon doesn't follow a storyline nated from an older show called "Space acter cells (a cell is a frame in animation) "special feature" for the night, a movie called Char's Counter Attack. Unfortunately, that is when my satellite went out. I'm sure that if you wanted any information on this movie, you could go to Cartoon Network's home page and "get the scoop".

By CerrieWiegert AssistantBusinessManager

The times of teenybopper pop have gone. Christina Aguilera is no longer the sweet blond next door; she is now a 21-year-old woman exploring her sexuality in both music and the entertainment business. Pink has proven that you don't have to be as beautiful as Britney Spears to be successful. Vanessa Carlton, Alicia Keys, and Norah Jones have set out to create what seems to be a brand n ew concept of music, playing their own pianos, and writing their own songs. Michelle Branch, John Mayor, and the Hives are following this path as well, rhyming their 'beats' to guitar chords.

CASSIUJNl)

• senior,

Omaha.Neb.

Major biology and Spanish

CareerTrack pediatrici an

enre Boasts

Backstreet is the boy band of yesterday, and the former TLC no longer exists due to the death of band member Lisa 'Left-Eye' Lopez. The Spice Girls lived their moment of fame, and are attempting to launch successful solo careers. Justin Timberlake just released a brand new solo CD, Justified, and his former band member, JC Chasez is in the process of releasing his own CD as well. All the while, new streams of artists have taken us by storm, creating a new genre of musi~. ·

What is so different about these new artists? "A lot of the lyrics in the music of Norah Jones, and India Aries are really easy to relate to. They deal with feelings, and obstacles I myself have. They're just really good," commented senior Jean Clark. " Plus they play their own instruments, and write their own music!" said Clark.

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While a majority of teens seem to be embracing this new wave of music, others disagree. ''It all sounds the same to me," said photography teacher George Sedlacek. Most parents today seem to agree. Their vision of music and talent tends to center around the music of their generation "I don't hear many truly gifted singers when I listen to my step-daughter's CD's, I believe the standards of what a talented singer really is have changed over the years," commented Sedlacek.

Our new music genre may not appeal to all. The music many teens listen to today consists of sounds and lyrics drastically different from the music of their parents. Despite these differences in tastes and sounds, music continues to bring individuals together. It has endured the test of time, and remained a permanent fixture in our lives.

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By JambMiller NewsE.ditor

It starts in the player introductions. When they announce his name, he rises and makes his way onto the court, slamming against teammates with such a fury that you hope someone doesn't end µp hurt. Such fierce emotions are surprising, especially when you consider he's normally a calm, mild-mannered person outside of the basketball court.

But when he steps onto the court, junior Seth Sharpe has an emotional side that few people can match. He plays to the crowd during the key moments of the game and shows clear displeasure when anything bad happens on the court.

Sharpe is known for his emotional attitude on the basketball court, his special shooting ability, and his rather thin build. Unfortunately, he isn't always recognized by fellow students for his all-around play.

e- By JambMillerandJoel-SievetNewsE.ditor -SportsE.ditor

It has been brought to our attention recently that certain athletes at this school do not like our opinions. Right now would be a good time to apologize for this. That is, if we were actually going to apologize.

Everything we have written this year has been our opinion. People may not like what we have said or written but they are going to have to live with it.

The beauty of the First Amendment, that little paragraph that guarantees everyone freedom of speech, is that we can put our ideas in print even if others disagree. We realize there is a fine line between free speech, and hateful opinions. However, we have not come anywhere close to crossing this line.

ooter • 1S a

Sharpe has been playing basketball since the age of three. He fits the

We also hope most people would be able to tell that our articles should be taken with a - grain of salt. We hoped that our articles would be able to agitate peopleabit. Guesswhat?We've

become worse. In middle school and his early years in high school, Sharpe seemed an-

Seth Sharpe (11 ) attempts to run around Northeast's Angelo Stabler during a 67-47 Links blow-out.

typical coach's son role: he plays with discipline, is a good shooter, and seems to have a good knowledge of what is happening on the basketball court.

While he continued to improve his shooting ability through hours of endless shooting drills, his temper on the basketball court seemed to

been successful.

Some individuals have questioned where we got the information for our fall sports wrap up in the October issue. Let us say this as simply as possible: THE STATISTICS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES!!!! We can't be at every game but we known enough about - math and sports to know that looking at statitstics will generally be a good indication ,,ofwhat's going on.

Let's take a team with a losing record that complains because they lost several close games. They could have had a winningrecord if the games had just gone their way. Now think to yourself, "Does this give them any less of a losing record?"

We will leave this subject with one final comment: This is the school NEWSPAPER not the school NEWSLETTER. The newsletter, which highlights all the gooo Stuff going on in the school, is released by the administration, whereas the newspaper comes straight from the students and can cover any .topic (within

gry whenever lie missed a shot. While some may think this would be a hindrance to him on the basketball court, Sharpe disagrees. "My emotions help me because it gets me more into the game and it helps me to not be more passive," Sharpe commented. "My emotions have always been part of my game. I'm hard on

myself and I look at what I do wrong instead of what I do right."

Sharpe's hard work has helped him become not only one of the top shooters on the team, but also one of the most lethal outside threats in the state. Sharpe's shooting is one of the areas where he has improved the most, especially his

orts

reason) from any angle we choose.

We don't like to see Lincoln High teams lose and we want Lincoln High athletes to win and be successful. That do@sn't mean that we are going to sugar coat the truth either. We don't write for the Lincoln Journal Star sports section.

Now lets talk about the attempted censorship of the Lincoln High student section. Many of you might know that last year Lincoln High won the sportsmanship award at the state basketball tournament. So how have we come to the point of censorship?

Some Lincoln High faculty and members of the athletic department have found the student sections cheers inappropriate. Certain chants like "You, you, you , you " when someone on the opposing team fouls our player and "dribble, dribble, pass, dribble. dribble, pass, " have been deemed rude. Now maybe it's just us but we think this cheer is a lot better than Southeast's old cheer of "kill, kill, kill, kill "

mental approach to shooting. "I've learned to keep shooting, even after a couple misses. I just need to stick with things. I'd also like to think 'that the other parts of my game are • • improving too," Sharpe explained.Sharpe has spent two years -on Varsity afterplaying on the Junior Varsity team as a freshman.

• 1

ing 15 points a game this year, second on the team behind Tyron Canby. He's hitting 44 percent of his three's and is one of the top shooters in the state statistically. ''My personal highlight so far has been playing for the first time at the State Tournament when we beat Omaha Central in overtime. My personal low though, was when we lost to Southeast the

-Thhih·ssehason Seth Sharpe (11) shoots e ass own h , rnf rt _ during warm-ups.

· next round after we had a big lead after three quarters," Sharpe es co oable on the Varsity level, leading said. the Links with a team high 23 Lincoln High students can look forward to more Sharpe shooting in the years to come. points in the season opener against Creighton Prep. Sharpe is averag-

rou •

These chants and cheers do not promote violence and they • make the student section come together. What could be better than students putting aside their differences and coming together to cheer on their team . We don't think it can get any better than that!

Compared to most fans, especially drunken Lincoln Stars Hockey fans, we are calm and respectful. Nothing has been thrown on The court or at opposing players. We watch respectfully as the Pomalinks perform. So where did we go wrong?

Here's an idea! Lets havescheduled cheers at scheduled times. Say, three minutes into the basketball game, everyone cheer, "De-fense, De-fense!'' Make sure, though, that everyone does it at the same time Another new rule that should be in place: if you say "defense" any more than twice, you will be kicked out of ~ine 1:,'1111'..-. Thoro -LC no need to _ show real enthusiasm. Who wouldn't love cheering, "Well done fellow classmates" or

ur es

"Well executed Pick~and-Roll?"

Just to make sure we aren't too mean or rowdy, lets clap for the opposing team too.

Let's record the cheers that we do and play them over the PA so we students don't have to use our vocal cords, or even show up. Maybe someone can justput up a large "Applause" sign so we know when to cheer.

Or maybe, everyone can just lighten up. These are high school basketball games. Students aren't doing anything that every other high school's students do.

Ev ~er since the Sportsmanship Award, a whole lot of people in the athletic department and Lincoln High faculty seem hell-bent on living up to this "prestigious" award. While this is not a bad idea it has -been taken to an extreme.

We are not asking for students to be able to make obscene gestures or comments towards the opposing team, which we have never done as a student section. All we want to be able to au is cheer for our team and have our two hours of fun. ·

By Brittney1-iodgesc___, __ TinaWilson-

On Friday Dec. 27, Lincoln High experienced a disappointing loss to add onto their season of trials and tribulations. Lincoln High took part in the annual LPS Holiday Tournament over winter break as it was held at Lincoln Southeast. This year's tournament consisted of two separate championship brackets and this waScdue to the fact that only seven teams were participating. The Links were in a three-team bracket with single elimination. The other two teams that were in the bracket with the Links were Southeast and East. Lincoln High was scheduled to play tfie early-bird game against East, and this was where the Links faults were taken note of. In the first quarter of the game however, Lincoln High appeared to not be having any difficulties despite the occasional missed three or off-shot jumper. The Links led 25-14 at the end of the first quarter.

However, that didn't appear to be the case in the second quarter, as the Links would allow the Spartans to comeback within a point. "I was disappointed after we had the big lead and I wanted to increase it, but we ended up letting them get back into the game", Canby stated who finished the game only being 6 for 21 from the field. At the end of first half, the Links left for the locker

tu ent

By JayBeermann CopyF..ditor

" Aiiiiiiiirball, aiiiiiiiirball !"

"You got swatted!''

"Left, right, left, right, left, right SIT DOWN!"

Sounds from a Lincoln High Boy's Basketball game, right? Wrong. These are chants from a recent Nebraska Men's Basketball game. These sounds are of college students, professors, and the general public all coming together to support their team and lightheartedly taunt the other team.

So why can't Lincoln High fans do the same?

There has been a recent controversy surrounding the Lincoln High student section at basketball games, and more directly how they cheer for the team. Many in

room leading only by one leaving the game at 36-35." Going into the half-time with only a point lead was disappointing because we knew we could play better", stated Brestel. Whe11third quarter arose, it seemed to be all East on the court. East jumped out to a fourteen point lead over the Links, and it appeared as

etthree scored ten or more points. Seth Sharpe, who ended the game with 16 points stated his feelings on how he played. "In the first half I was doing well, but when the second half came around, their defense was preventing me from getting a shot off'',Sharpe stated.

In the fourth _quarter,

- Collin Hute came up big for the Links making two threes to get his team back in the game. "East gave me some really open looks, so I just tried to make the best of the situation. When I hit the two three-pointers, it kind of gave the whole team a boost of confidence," Hute stated. As forth quarter progressed the Links were forced into fouling the Spartans due to the lack of time on the clock. The Spartans made several free throws in the final four minEast defenders attempt to block a Lincoln High shot. utes of the game, and that was in the end the deciding factor of the game. _ The game ended in a heartbreak as the Links fell to the Spartans of East High. All in all, the Lincoln High Boys Varsity Team · has proved themselves to be worthy of a top-ten team despite the loss they experienced at the tournament. The Links are currently ranked number four in the Lincoln Journal Star Poll. Check them out in back to back home games against Pius and Grand Island, January 24-25.

Lincoln High would need to pull a miracle out of their play book to be back in the game." As a team we took East lightly, and as a result we didn't play as well as we should of. As a team we need to remember that we need to play hard all of the time", Brestel mentioned. Fate was on the Links side after all, as they rallied their way back into it , tying up the game with just about 5 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Seth Sharpe, Collin Hute and Brestel all stepped up in the Links time of need, as all

ection:

the administration and faculty believe that some students at the basketball games have been poor sports, and that certain phrases like the aforementioned cheers are unacceptable and displays of poor sportsmanship.

Now I agree with the administration in one sense: certain cheers are inappropriate. Telling a player or a ref that he or she "sucks" or calling a foul on the court "bull****" should not be allowed. They are offensive and especially inappropriate for any small children in attendance.

But what about just cheering that a player shot an airball, or commenting on the action of the game (you know, "dribble, dribble, pass")? I believe that lighthearted cheers against the

As many were taking down the _ holiday decorations on December 27 and 28, the Lady Links were hitting the court. The Lady Links took part in the twenty-second annual LPS Optimist Holiday Tournament.

To start the tournament, - the Links faced off against North Platte. During the first half, senior captain Alexis Grenfell got into foul trouble. Grenfell had a total of two fouls in · the first quarter alone. Grenfell had · two fouls added in the second quarter, one being a technical foul. "I was frustrated at first, then I was confused as·to why l got the technical," Grenfell said.

Junior Alissa Holland was on track all game. Holland was the leading scorer for the Links at halftime with 8 points. During the first half, the Links had trouble getting their shots to go in to the basket. Despite shooting trouble, the score stood at North Platte 20 and Lincoln High 16.

When the ladies came back out for the second half, they were prepared to fight until the end. Unfortunately, the ladies again got into foul trouble. The Links fouled North Platte players Katie Evans · and Brigid Kenny, _ who racked up the score against the Links. North Platte made only 3 baskets that were not free throws.

The fourth quarter score came down to -only a few points. The last three points came at 2: 17 left in the fourth quarter. Withthe Links down

etby one, something went wrong. North Platte player Jackie Wurl was fouled and made both · of her free throws with four seconds left. The score at the end of the game was 42-39 North Platte. North Platte moved onto the championship game against Lincoln Southeast, and the Links went to the consolation game to play Grand Island. In their second game, the Links faced off against the Islanders. The Links got off to an awesome start in the first quarter. With the ladies hitting their shots, the score at the end of the first quarter was Lincoln High 19, Grand Island 6. During the second quarter, Grand Island had some shooting trouble and the Islanders went Ofor 2 at the line. At the half, the Lady Links were ahead, 29 to 16.

The ladies had hoped for a win in this tournament and during the second half they wanted to secure that. The Links hit shot after shot. Grenfell was the leading scorer in the third quarter with four points. During the fourth qu.arter, junior guard Jennifer Endres helped out her team by making her free throws. Endres was 5 for 7 at the line. Endres had a game high 17 points. The Links ended up victorious in the second round of the tournament, beating the Islanders, 53 to 45. "Getting off to a good start was important to us, it gave us the confidence that we needed to win,'' Grenfell said.

oor orts or 0 a ans?

other team are not only acceptable, but also a very real part of the game. It's part of what makes the game fun.

Most players don't even listen to the crowd when they are taunted. "When I'm in a game, I don't hear the crowd," senior David Crabtree commented. · Crabtree is a member of the Varsity Boys' Basketball team, and in many ways represents a typical player. "The players are focused on the game, not the crowd." He added that if a player shoots an airball, "it's not like we take it personally that the crowd is taunting us. The game continues on, so we don't have time to stop and listen to the fans."

Is it a rude display of poor sportsmanship to encourage your

team. by trying to discourage the esteem? I think not. other team or their fans, as long Taunting and oppositional as it is not vulgar or offensive? I cheering, if done cleanly and am a fan, too, and I like those without vulgarity, are and types of cheers the best. It adds a SHOULD BE part of the game. note of comedy to the game, and It's not harmful to the players, the honestly, isn't it all in good fun? - coaches, the referees, or the fans, Maybe I don't watch closely so why is it considered inapproenough, but I have never seen a priate? fight break out between fans or - Administration, I ask you to let the , between players and fans because fans be fans. Stop the cheers that they did not like a cheer. I hon- are crude and offensive, but other estly don't think the players care than that, just let us be. We are that much, and the opposing fans only trying to support our Links, just echo the cheers back. not hurt the other team. The goal And, if at the end of the game of this year is to practice good everyone just goes home and for- sportsmanship, right? Well, then gets about the cheers and the plays let us cheer on the team and be during their sleep, has a little jeer- those good sports. Let us have our ing hurt anyone? Has it created a "airballs" and our "you got swatnegative atmosphere or caused the ted," because those, just like any opposing team to have low self- other cheer, are part of the game.

ear int e eo an 0 a1in

By F..llenWrigl1t__ _ F..ntertainmentF..ditor

Sure we all know who the Pomalinks are with t hei r hip-hop styled dance routines at pep rallies ,and various athletic events. However, what you might not know is how dedicated these fourteen girls are to their performances at both games and competitions.

The Pomalinks program was established in 1976. Since that time, the program has developed into yearlong dancing and clinics to perfect the routines that entertain us at halftime.

The Pomalink season starts at the end of third quarter with tryouts. The seniors ol!lthe squad start the season with creating a porn dance, hip-hop dance, and flag routine for the next set of Pomalinks wh o hav«. tryouts. "It is incredibly hard, so that the judges don't see if you can perform it (fhe routines),

but how well you can recover," s aid senior Jean Clark, who is one of the captains selected by her squad. At the end of tryo uts, the judges from the Universal Dance Association pick the top dancers.

The other Pomalinks begin fund-raising to cover the costs of outfits, competition, camp, and choreographers. At the beginning of the summer, the new and the returning Pomalinks start their summer camp, which is used as a preseason trainer. " Everyday at 6:00 am, we run and jog and then practice until our coach tells us to quit," said senior Lindsay Lundgren, the other cocaptain

At summer's end, the Pomalinks enter flag season the most rigorous of the three seasons. "Flag season keeps us really, really busy . The girls are literally committed to every Saturday for a month," said Tracey Hart the Pomalink sponsor for the past two years The Pomalinks also pre-

pare for two dance competitions during this season which keeps them practicing on Sundays. " It (Flag season) is very hectic with learning a flag routine on top of a competition routine. · We were all getting sick from the strain but now we can slow down," Lundgren said.

The dance season or basketball season is the last sea-

and again after school until 4:00 PM " We have to prepare for those competitions beca11se the judges are very fastidious," Clark said.

Indeed they do prepare! Over winter break, the Pomalinks worked with Alyssa Hart (former Pomalink) who was this year's guest choreographer. Practices were held from IO am to 1 PM and for some longer for some who chose to go over a section of the dance that Vl'asnot perfect.

The Pomalinks perform at the Girls basketball game . against North Platte.

son and the least stressful of the three athletic. Practicing 7-8 hours a week for two weeks to master the new dance routine that was created by three other girls on the squad is part of their requirement for lettering. When there is a competition in sight, the practice schedule changes to a 'two-a-day,' requiring the girls to practice at 6:00 am

At the end of the year, the Pomalinks are left with lifelong friends. " When you dance together for so many hours you create bonds it becomes a sisterhood," Clark said. All of the hard work and extra hours come through in every performance" Their technique is phenomenal! They are very talented and add a different performance level to a diverse school," said senior Jacob Absalon of the Pomalinks.

By J\nciyLutes Journalism-Student

On July 22, 2000, Americruise staged its annual parade of hot rod automobiles through Lincoln, and without a permit or authorization of any kind, the parade's cars, driven at low speeds, congested the city's streets. It was on this day , while returning to his Lincoln home; that Nigerian refugee An-

alcohol level was over twice the legal limit at the time of his accident, had a bail of only $2,500 and was given six months in jail for a lesser charge of motor vehicle homicide. The victim in the famous Mullin case was Tawni Perez, whose mother has been involved in efforts to overturn the sentencing of Waadah. David Brouillette, who had been convicted twice previously on charges of reckless driving,

Mullin, Brouillette, Willet, and Maxson? Many have noted that all of these other defendants were white citizens, and this has led to accusations of racism on the part of the judge and prosecution. When confronted by Nebraskans for Peace, County Attorney Gary Lacey said that the sentencing was appropriate bec ause Waadah was ''intoxicated" at the time of the accident; when further questioned, he stated that he could not remember exactly what Waadah's blood alcohol level was.

Kent Masloskie (11 ) joins other Lincoln High students in front of the City County Building to protest the sentencing of Anthony Waadah. ~AACP representative Leola Bullock speaks to the crowd in the background.

thony Waadah suddenly and unexpectedly lost control of his vehicle: After hitting the car in front of him, Waadah's vehicle swerved off the road, pinning spectator Connie McCullough against a tree and killing her.

Waadah was subsequently arrested, and his blood alcohol level tested at .042% well under the legal limit. His bail was set at $100,000. After being convicted of manslaughter on November 15, Waadah was sentenced to three years in prison, and now faces deportation. If deported , it is likely that he will be killed by the Nigerian government from whom he fled previously to seek refuge in the United States - the same gov~ ernment that has already killed his mother and other members of his family

Other recent cases of motor vehicle accidents resulting in death have been handled differently. Rob Mullin, whose blood

was given bail of $500 when an accident in which he was involved killed two people. While his blood alcohol was above the legal limit, he received only two years 1n pnson.

For cases like Waadah'sthose traffic fatalities in which the defendant's blood alcohol level was below the legal limit - sentencing has also been handed down differently. Christopher Willet was placed in the County Attorney's Pretrial Diversion program with a dismissed conviction, and Brent Maxson received two years probation.

Each of these accidents resulted in death, some involved defendants with previous records and whose blood alcohol levels were well over the legal limit, yet all received sentences less th an that handed down to Waadah. So what is the difference between Anthony Waadah's case and those of

judge during the trial. Whitthoff has made no ' Judge Earl Whitthoff pre- comment after the sentencing. . sided over the case, a bench trial On December 10, Nebrasc ond u c ted without a jury. kans for Peace staged a rally at Whitthoff, who had previously the County-City building in gone so far as to plead for le- support ofWaadah. Members of niency for the man who killed the Lincoln High Social Justice his own wife, stated in court that Club attended, as did family and he had no intention whatsoever friends ofTawni Perez, who see of reading the letters sent to him a contradiction in the way the about Waadah's good character, two cases were carried out. remorse, and danger of being In addition, Leroy Stokes, killed if returned to Nigeria the President of the Lincoln Additionally, Whitthoff re- Branch of the National Associafused to consider the request of tion for the Advancement of probation - a request that was Colored People announced in a , u IJ.acJ W:aadah: s_blQo..d~,approved by bot~ the defe~se Lette~ to the Editor published in I and the Qro s ec u t1on - sa Y]pg__the Lin c oln Journal ; Star J h,at tb e merely that the ''totality of the NAACP supports Waadah's atcircumstances" warranted a tempttogethissentencingover-

Nebraskans Gather -to Make

,

alum, citizens States over s ,ylraqi .eUnited

The rallyati~muchlargercrowd than anticipatedby organizers,despitebelow-freezing temperatures. They hope that the message of peace will be received by the Bush administration,and that there won't be a need for further demonstrations.

us ocuses • n o estic

____ By MargaretGurewitz Copy&Jitor

As the world watchedhim on televisionsand listenedtohimonradios,AmericanPresidentGeorge W Bush deliveredhis secondStateof the Unionaddres.5onJanuary28,2003.Hebeganhisspeechwith and plansforAmerica'sdomesticfuture,then outlinedhis reasonsand plans regardingthe war on Iraq.To the.excitementof Republicansand the chagrinof Democrats,Bush outlineda fairlyconservativedorne5ticpolicyand stewedjust shortof declaringwar on Iraq.

Bush devotedthe firsthalfof the speechto the economyandtheenvironment,tryingtoshowthathecaredaboutmorethanjustIraqandterrorism Partof Bush's economicpackageis a ten-yearproposalto over.hauJ.Medicarebydenationalizinghealthcare. He wouldalsoliketo givereligiousgroupsaccessto federalmoney,whichhethinkswill allowthemto better

ByI\.ustinMcCleery .StaffWriter

Every day students at Lincoln High are writing. They are writing essays. They are writing papers. Some are even writing music. But this year there are more students than ever writing poems, creative non-fiction, and fiction. They are writing original work to submit to Scribe, Lincoln High's very own literary magazine.

This year's Scribe is going to be "bigger and better than ever," magazine sponsor Deborah McGinn said. There have never been so many entries, an ct the editors have their hands full narrowing down entries that will be accepted, she said. There are five student editors on this year's Scribe staff. They are Seniors Jean Clark, Mikayla Edwards, Nicole Von Busch, Megan Walker, and Sophomore Richard King.

One specific job that the editors perfo1m is typing up all of the entries so that they are

helptheircommunities.

The Presidentproposedto helptheenvironment by spendingmoneyto developmore energy-efficient hydrogencars. He alsoplansto givemoneyto Africancountrieswhichneedthe fundsto combatAIDS.

Bush then dove intoforeignpolicy.Regarding Iraq,he said,'We willconsult,but lettherebe no misunderstanding:If SaddamHusseindoesnot fullydisarm for the safetyof our JXople,and for the ixace of theworld,wewillleadacoolitiontodisarmhim"He said that Americanshave reasonto be worriedbecauseIraqhas not accountedfor 25,(XX}litersof anthrax, 38,(XX}litersof botulinurntoxin,500 tons of sarin,mustardgasandVX:nerveagent,andmorethan 30,(XX}munitionsthat could cany these chemical weapons. He adderl that ''thedictatorof Iraqis not disarming he is deceiving."

WarisnotthePresident'sfirstchoice,but he said thathefeelsitcouldbeoneofouronlyoptions."If war

are also responsible for deciding which entries make the cut and are published in Scribe. The editors meet every Tuesday after school, and they also met during the holiday break.

The path to publication is a long one, and the authors must wait until the magazine is released to know if their work, was accepted. After a writer submits his or her work it is read by all of the editors and McGinn. The names of the authors are removed from the pieces so that they are judged solely on content. "It's not a popularity contest at all," McGinn said. After the editors read a submission they discuss its strengths and weaknesses. Then they vote. The process is repeated for each submission. Once all of the submissions are chosen, the pieces are spread out all around McGinn's classroom in no particular order. This is so that the order of the book can be chosen. "It looks like a mess, and it takes forever," McGinn said.

Scribe is published right here at Lincoln

is fon::eduponus, we willfightin a just causeand by justmeanssparing,ineverywaywe can,theinnocent Andifwarisfon::eduponus,wewillfightwiththefull forceand mightof the UnitedStatesmilitaryand we willprevail."

- Approximatelyonehourand77applausebreaks later,WashingtongovemorGatyLockegaveaDemocraticresponse.TheresµmewasrnticalofbothBush's dorne5ticpolicyandhisforeignpolicy.Lockepointed outthatBush's 10-year$674billionplantoboostthe economygavetaxbreaksmainlytothewealthy,while failingto trulyhelpthe porn:Locke saidBush'splan was "upside-downeconomics. It does too littleto stimulatethe economynow and does too much to weakenour economicfuture."Locke alsopointed outthat,'We're beingforcedtocutvitalsetVicesfiom policeto fireto healthcare. We need a Whitel-Iouse thatunderstandsthe challengesour communitiesand peoplearefacingacrossAmerica."

r1n

Lockewas not as criticalof Bush's ideas;ibout Iraq.Hesaidthatifwedohavea warwithlraq,itmust be donewithallies. 'We supportthe presidentin the coursehe has followedso fur. butwe needallies today,in 2003,just as much as w~ needed them in DesertStormandjust as we neededthem on D-Day in 1944."

Bush saidthe stateof our unionis strong;just how strongremainsto be seen.

01umoia

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mer1ca,

By JamieBrown GraphicsManager

After sixteen days of experiments in outer space, the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia was ready to come home, to wives, husbands, children, and the earth. On February 1, 2003, the crew started to make their way back to earth, but something unexpected happened. At 8a.m., NASA lost contact with Columbia, only 16 minutes before their scheduled landing. Soon after, the shuttle began losing pieces and eventually exploded, killing all 7 astronauts. NASA was unsure of what caused the explosion, but they thought that it might have been a minor technical problem with the temperature measurements that were reported hours before the accident.

The Columbia, the oldest shuttle, flew for the first time in 1981, carrying 7 astronauts aboard. This tragedy left families and friends of Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick Husband, William McCool, and Ilran Ramon with the memories of these fearless explorers.

em er o

____ By Jamb1\-liller

___ _

NewsEditor

Figures from history spoke to Lincoln High students and staff on Friday, January 31 in the packed Johnson Gym.

Elizabeth Eckford, one of the legendary Little Rock Nine, captivated the crowd with stories of her experiences facing racism and its effects during her year at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. Eckford and eight other te~nagers were the first Black students to attend the school after segregation was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1954.

The integration of the school made headlines

across the nation, due to the presence of the Arkansas National Guard which had been called in by the governor, Orval Faubus, to prevent the nine from entering the school. President Eisenhower eventually sent fed-

eral troops to escort the students to their classes. The following year, Go .vernor Faubus closed all of the public schools.

In this now famous photo from 1957 by Will Counts, Elizabeth Eckford is pursued by an angry mob after being denied entrance to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Speaking with Eckford wa s Ken Reinhardt, one of two White stu-

friend Eckford while at Central High. The two shared painful stories and memories of their time at the high school and after.

Some students may not have realized the importance of their appearance. It's not every day someone from your history book shows up at your school.

The event was made possible through the efforts and planning of former LHS teachers Randy Ernst and Jim Barstow, who arranged for the two to speak at

Lincoln High and the Zoo School.

This was only the second time that Eckford and Reinhardt have spoken together

in front of an audience. Eckforcl, who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has only recently begun to speak in public about her experiences over 40 years ago.

Both Eckford and Reinhardt broke down several times during the emotional presentation.

The more than 2,000 students and staff were respectful and attentive during the event and rose for numerous standing ovations. Eckford ended

Elizabeth Eckford speaks to students at the Zoo School before her presentation at Lincoln High. with words of inspiration for the crowd. "We were -ordinary people," she said. "But ordinary people can do extraordinary things."

• 1 s

By &nn Beutler ,1,ssistant£ntertaimnentEditor

The high number of math failures at Lincoln High are leading more and people to wonder, "Are more student-;failingthan ever before, or does it only seem that way?" After grades were,released this past semester, student concerngrew,but failures were no higher than in preVIOUSyears.

A growingnwnber of studentsare beingheld back from advancing to the next level of math. Not all those held back failedthe previous semester. Many of these studentsreceivedD'sand some C's,seeminglygoodenoughtocontinueoninmost areas of study. However, new concerns and requirementsaremakingteacherslessapt to advance students without assurance of their understandmg.

The Lincoln Public Schools District Office released new guidelines for math advancement. Math studentsmust receivea C+ or higherin their courseto continueto the next level. LincolnHigh Math DepartmentChair Don Olsen commented, 'The districtis tryingto get peopleto takethe Math DemonstrationGraduationExam as soon as possibleandpass it as soon as possibleinsteadof waiting until the 2nd semesterof senioryear."

This past semester, 70 students withdrew from their math course before the completionof the semester. An additional 263 students failed their math course. There were 187 studentswho did not fail their course,but rather,were held back receivinga D or a C.

One factor in the holdbacks is the Math GraduationDemonstration Exam. Passing this exam is one of the options for graduation, and many teachers do not feel that a student who received a D in Algebra or Geometry has a strong enough grasp on the material to continue on and pass this exam. Olsen added, "Just because a student gets a D doesn't mean he should move on." He believes that in math, compared to other subjects, gradeshave more of a tendencyto fallwhen

a studentgoes on to the next course. Among otheroptionsfor meeting the graduationcriteriain math is to receive a C+ or better in two semesters of Algebra. Many students who did not receive this grade are being held back to take the class again in order to meet this requirement. There are also many students who had receivedD'sin bothsemestersofAlgebraandmoved on to Geometryto soonfindthatthey did not know nearly enough algebra for the class.

Other options for achieving the graduation math requirementsincludeplacing above the 7(Jh percentileon the gi, grade MetropolitanAchievement Tests,or placing above the 7<Jhpercentileon the 1()lbgrade PLAN test.

Additionally,teachers and counselors alike aretryingtopreparestudentsforentranceintocollege,predominantlyat the UniversityofNebraskaLincoln.UNL requiresa levelof math higherthan AdvancedAlgebra,such as Pre-CollegeMath or Statistics. Studentsneed to do well in lower levels in order to be preparedto pass the courses necessary for collegeentrance.

Last year, the Math Department started a more rigorouscurriculumthan in past years. The increasedrigor of all math courses has also contributedto studentholdbacks.

Although the CriterionReference Tests, or CRf's, are thought to be used in determining a student'scontinuationin rnath,they are solelyused as a score within that class. The state uses the scoresfor statistics,but they are not used in determining whether a studentwill be held back For studentswho insistthey know the material and thattheir low gradeis due to uncompleted homework, there is the option of an appeal. A signatureby the parent will allow the student to ·continueto the next math course.

Holdbacksare purelyin the studentsbest interest for future math courses. Having a good understandingofthematerialisnecessaryforsuccess, and teachersat LincolnHigh are looking out for the successof their students.

•

1n·e

ByJambMiller NewsE.ditor

• •

Is he the fun media darling who poses for covers of magazines, or is he a walking lawsuit, who has offended homosexuals " women, and had most of his concerts protested by activists? We know Eminem for his tug-of-war between the role of a light, comical music star and a darker, meaner role. Take his frrst two singles released from his album, The Eminem Show: the light and fun Without Me, which was promptly followed by the dark account of his life with his mother, Cleanin' Out My Closet. The real question is, is he really hateful, or is he just trying to prove a point and sell his work?

Probably the biggest issue that Eminem is criticized for is his lyrical hate against homosexuals. One prime example is the lyrics from the song Criminal from The Marshall Mathers LP.

"My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge That'll stab you in the head whether you're a fag or lez. Pants or dress-hate fags? The answers "yes"

But just when you are convinced that he is completely against homosexuals, he comes back with a line like, "C'mon-Relax guy, I like gay men" in the very same song that he raps about stabbing homosexuals in the head. Although he plays games on whether he is a young Jerry Falwell who hates homosexuals, possibly the most famous gay man in the world,

onByA,braham,\kec -StaffWritter

The war with Iraq has become an international problem, not just the United States' alone. The possible war with Iraq has been brought by the following factors: development of chemical, nuclear, and biological warfare, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism.

There are many reasons for war. It will end development of weapons of mass destruction and rid us of a brutal killer and his dictatorial government. Saddam Hussein won'-t disarm without military action and enforcement of laws. If Saddam is still ruling, then terrorism won't end. The war can be a solution to Saddam and terrorism.

The United Nations Weapons Inspectors are trying to convince Saddam to show his weapons of mass destruction, but Saddam is cheating and deceiving the inspectors. Saddan1 won't stop unless we disarm with a strong war. If we get rid of Saddam, the world will be a more peaceful place.

Saddam must go by physical means, and not by negotiation talk, because he is a man who doesn't care about the lives of others. The world is trying to bring this man to the realization that he is doing evil things that are not acceptable to people. Those who died in trag-

ateru onster -or • r1ca enius?

singer Elton John, admits to thinking Eminem is a brilliant entertainer and he even went so far as to perform with him at the 2001 Grarru;ny's. Both Elton and Eminem claim Eminem' s ly1icsare meant to provoke thought, but some think differently.

Ruth Kupfer, co-sponsor of Lincoln High's GLBTSA, says, "He supports a prevailing notion that homosexuals are sick and that they don't deserve equal treatment or protection. His lyrics treat violent acts as if they are a normal part of living. After a while, lyrics like his and even those of others desensitize the listener to the seriousness of violence against women and hate crimes."

Another frequent target ofEminem 's lyrical hate is women, specifically his mother and ex-wife. He speaks of women in songs like the aptly titled, Kill You. "S***, you think I won't choke now****, til'the vocal cords don't work in her throat no more?!" Hey ladies, he's single! He raps about his mother's alleged drug habits and in the song Kill You, he raps about raping his mother. In his song Cleanin' Out My Closet he says, "Put yourself in my position, just try to envision witness in' your mama poppin prescription pills in the kitchen. " In response to allegationsin his three solo CD's, his mother, Debbie Briggs-Mathers, has sued him for a combined 11 million dollars. He also spreads out the love to his ex-wife Kim, ly1ically killing her in two different songs. In the

0 toredies are innocent, andliiey were trying to serve humanity. Their fan1iliesare in mourning andgnev1ng.

The September 11 attack is also an issue. The physical evidence regarding the attack took the Federal Bureau of Investigationand the Central Intelligence Agency a few months to fmd.

After !orig-terminvestigations,it was found that the attack was planned by Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, with connections to Saddam, who supported terrorists in Iraq.

Saddam is the one promoting the world of terrorism through fmancial support and chemical weapons used against other nations by AlQaeda groups.

What will end terrorism? The development of chemical, nuclear, biological warfare, and weapons of mass of destructionif the U 11ited States does not wage war against Iraq? If we do not go, who will disarm Saddam Hussein? Who will bring bin Laden to international justice?

There are advantages and disadvantages of going to war against Iraq. The price of war is not negotiable, but horrible. The war can make people disabled and hundreds of thousands of lives could be lost.

On the other hand, the war can bring peace to tl1eworld by disarming a brutal killer,

song '97 Bonnie and Clyde from the Slim Shady LP he kills his wife and receives the help of his young daughter in disposing of the body. In his next CD, The Marshall Mathers LP, he murders his wife and the new man in her life in the song Kim.

But wait, just when you think he limits himself to homosexuals and women, he lashes out at parents and the government. When he and Marilyn Manson came under frre after the Columbine tragedy, he fired back at parents who wanted to point fingers at someone other than themselves, saying, "But don't blame me when lil' Eric jumps off -of· the terrace, You shoulda been watchin him- aJJparently you ain't parents. "

He has also found a way to make fun of those in government, especially the two Presidents who have been in office during his time. Speaking of Clinton, he says, "I'm sorry, there must be a mi.x;-up,You want me to fix up lyrics while tlie President gets his **** ****ed."

He also speaks kindly of President Bush. "The boogie monster of rap, yah the mans back, wit/1 a plan to a,nbush this Bush ad1ninistration. " His agitation with people in government seemingly stems from the fact that people like Tipper Gore and Lynn Cheney have blamed him, among others, for hateful lyrics, and targeted him as an in1moral role model.

Ottowho is described as an evil man who doesn't care about the lives of others.

However, innocent people will be victims if we wage war. It will kill both civilians and frontline soldiers The economic recovery will be hard. The employment opportunities will be rare because there won't be money to give jobs or time to develop some employment agencies The fanillies of the victims will become orphans.

If the United States goes to war without any help from Allies, how successful will they be? If the United Nations tells us not to go to war, tl1enwe should listen to them in order to give them enough time to inspect whatever they can If we go to war, we are going to be the victims of the war.

On other hand, if we go to war, Saddam-a major foundationof terro1ism-willbe ended and the world will be a better place. Saddam will not stop killing his own people and developing programs for nuclear, biological, and warfare facilities unless we fight.

If we do fight, Saddam will not terro1ize the world anymore. He won't support the AlQaeda financially and territorially. TI1e International Peace Keeping Force will be working peacefully and the world will be free of the brutal killer Saddam.

There is no doubt that his material is homophobic and extremely hateful. He continues to say t11ingsthat make everyone else cringe because it sells records Homophobic? Yes, but I have my doubts on whether he really wants to kill homosexuals. He realizes that rapping about how rich he is or how he's from the hood will not make him rich. Rapping about homosexuals, his mother, and prescription pills have, strangely enough, earned him superstar notoriety, and he seems to be getting bigger. He is not oblivious to the fact that the topics he raps about will be put under a larger microscope than any other artist out there. He also realizes that with that microscope comes media controversy,and with that, curious people buy your record.

At some point, you have to realize that he is probably only out to sell records and/or support his daughter, which he has readily admitted Even i11pis lyrics, Eminem, admits to purposely creating controversy. "Half the**** I say, I just make it up/ To make you mad " He knows just what buttons to push In the pro cess of pushing these buttons, he's become a pop culture icon that seems to have drawing power, whether it's in the 1nusic stores or the box office. Sit back and listen for yourself as he creates controversy, because, as he says, "It would feel so empty without me."

RacismHasn'tIJimi11ished,Even With New Patriotic Push

ByBrettMaly A.sisstantNewsF..ditor

• racial equality, but it has a lot of room to improve Ac, cording to the Washington Post, 75 percent of minorities

At a time when America is trying to project images of unity, racism is still deeply rooted in the military. Although members of the military are fighting for the same cause, many divisive lines exist. Right now, we are on the verge of war and many questions still need to be anin the military say they "have experienced racially offensive behavior." The same survey revealed that 20 percent of Blacks and 13 percent of Hispanics report that they have been "given inferior assignments" because of racial bias. ber of Blacks and Latino have served in combat roles. These front-line assignments expose the soldiers to the greatest amount of danger. The combat role distribution is getting better, especially since Vietnam, but it still needs to be improved.

Another problem facing the military is the disproportionate percentage of minorities serving in the military compared to the general U.S. population. · swered.Racism has been thrown into the spotlight recently

by the introduction of congressional legislation that would reinstate the draft. A law was proposed by Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) to bring the draft into practice. The new draft system would eliminate the loopholes that allowed sons of rich families to avoid military service. The author of this proposal admits that the legislation has no chance of being made law, bt1t he is bringing many important issues to the surface.

The military has done a good job of trying to improve

One major obstacle in creating a military free from racis m is that soldiers grow up in a world that is at least partially racist. It is impossible for soldiers not to carry their prejudices into the military. The only way to correct

the prob.lems in the military is to eliminate racism in society as a whole, which I don't foresee happening. How_ ever, the military can take more steps to punish those who are active in racist activities.

Another way to create n1ore equality in the military is to equalize the proportions of minorities serving in frontline comb at roles. Traditionally, a disproportionate num-

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ro a1we to an 1 an

By Joel.Sievert .SportsF..ditor

When you hear the word extremist what is the first image that comes to mind? Is it a man in army fatigues waving a gun in the air and screaming about a corrupt government? Or do visions of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein flash through your head?

While these people are extremists they are not the only people who fit the bill. Before We can go about the b usiness of pin pointing extremists, we need to know what an extremist is

The word extremist, derived fro1n the word extreme, is defined by our friends at Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "advocacy of extreme political measures." In order to really get to the heart of what extre1nists are about, you need to dig a little deeper and examine what the word extreme means. Extreme is defined as "being situated at the farthest possible point from center " In the political world, this means being on the extreme left or on the extreme right.

Even with this defmition, extremists are still hard to pick out. This stems from the negative connotation ,ve have given to extremists. Nobody wants to be labeled an extremist because of the , images it brings to mind.

You cannot really fault these peoples' denial. Who really wants to be associated ·with backwoods militias and militant religious fanatics? The very fact that we think of extremists in this manner is why we as Americans have so much difficulty knowing what an extremist is.

Let's look at our first extremist, Jerry Falwell. Many of you n1ay know Falwell as the right-wing fundamentalist preacher who has been a spokesman of sorts for conservative Christians.

You may be wondering how in the

world I could ever label Falwell as an extremist. You may find it kind of harsh to brand him with the same title we give Osama bin Laden, bt1t remember an extremist is some one who advocates extreme political ideas. Falwell referred to the Metropolita11 Cormnunity Churches, gay-oriented churches in California, as "a vile and Satanic syste1n" that would "one day be utterly annihilated and there will be a celebration in heaven."

If this isn't enough to convince you that Falwell is an extremist, just look at what he did back in April of 1996. Falwell and his minions held a "Washington for Jesus" rally in Washington D.C. The rally was a mock trial in which Falwell and his followers put America on trial for seven deadly sins: persecution of the church, homosexuality, abortion, racism; occultism, addictions and HIV/ AIDS.

The nation was of course found guilty and Falwell declared that as a nation we are "violating God's law." All of a sudden the differences between the crazy militant in Montana and Falwell are becoming harder to distinguish.

For those of you who are still not convinced that Falwell is an extremist, I will leave you with these final words from our preacher friend.

"I hope to live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

Compare this to the words of a known extremist Osama bin Laden, "The government is committed to supporting God's religion, the country remains a strong bulwark for religion, and the people are among the most protective of God's religion, and the keenest to fulfill His laws." Both advocate a religiously backed government but only one

According to the Department of Defense, 37% of the 1.3 million troops are minorities, which is higher than the 29% of mi11orities in the general U.S. population. In order to make the military a more diverse body, the United States needs to raise soldiers' wages to attract more middle and upper-class citizens. Having affluent me1nbers in the military will discourage more middle and upper-class American s from supporting foreign wars. The United States military needs to improve its race relations and create an environment that treats all soldiers equally.

is an admitted extremist. Looks like it is Mr. Falwell's tum to step out of the closet on this issue

The second and final unidentified extremist is Mohandas Ghandi. This may seem even stranger than Falwell, but let me explain As a society we have come to view all extremists as bad wl1en in fact extremists can work for the good of our society.

· Ghandi was an extremist for nonviolence and pacifism. "Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destrl1ction devised by the ingenuity of man."

We have become too afraid of rightwinged extremists or leftist fanatics to realize that being an extremist is not always a bad thing. By being an exremist for non-violence and pacifism, Ghandi accomplished something that no army could have done. Ghandi liberated India from the Britisl1 Emprire, the most powerful nation in the world at the time, by non-violent resistance.

This type of extremism can be found in the American civil rights movement Dr. Martin Luther King Jr , and other civil rights leaders practiced the idea of non-violent resistance throughout the civil rights movement. A civil war and violent uprisings had been unable to grantAfrican-Americans their basic civil libe1ties. Through their "extreme" acts of non -violent resistance, the civil rights leaders were able to gain the basic rights they sho11ldhave been granted hundreds of years earlier.

Dr. King, like Ghandi, believed that violent means would not equate to peaceful ends. "Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both inlpractical and immoral.

"It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opp onent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love."

t 16, you should be pushing your game, not a stroller.

Joel-Sievert -SportsE.ditor

For several years now, the Lincoln High theater and music departments have been among the best in the state. Yet, we have never been required to attend an assembly to support them.

Twice every year, however, we are required to march down to Johnson Gym and sit through mandatory pep rallies, the most recent being the Switch Rally. While I know these pep rallies mean a lot to some members of the student body (partially because of the missed class time), I question their cultural value.

I am not saying we should not support the athletic department (as I have participated in it for four years now), cheerleaders, or Pomalinks, but should we really ignore the more cultural aspects of this school's curriculum?

When was the last time you saw campus security blocking the doors to make sure students didn't sneak out of the theatre program's assembly? I have never personally seen this happen, but I noticed campus security standing in every doorway at the Switch Rally.

Now I know a lot of you are probably thinking that I am just a copy of the now infamous Josh Swartzlander. As many of you know, Josh wrote an anti-Switch Rally article last year, and to this day (as was proven by the MC's of this years Switch Rally) the school remembers. Let me say right now that I am not here to defend every word Josh said in last year's article. He did, however, bring up some good points that should not be ignored.

It truly does say something about our school when assemblies like the Laramie Project, which preaches tolerance, something this school and world desperately needs, are optional.

Meanwhile the Switch Rally, which is purely entertainment and has little to no cultural value, is a mandatory assembly. I do applaud their effort to recognize the band and theater department at this year's Switch Rally, but they shouldn't take second billing.

Then the problem worsened. Along came an assembly for Elizabeth Eckford, who was a member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine black students chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

At first, the only information available to teachers was that there would be an optional assembly for a speaker on Friday January 31st.Then the word was leaked that "the speaker" was in fact Elizabeth Eckford. Upon learning this information, several teachers sought to have the assembly changed from an optional assembly to mandatory.

English teacher Judy Strand was one of several teachers who pushed for the

Eckford assembly to be mandatory. "If we pride ourselves on being a multicultural school, why is it that the Switch Rally is mandatory and this one wasn't?"

I realize there are a lot of students out there, both female and male, who put a lot of time and effort into the Switch Rally. Many of them arrive at school two hours before classes start and stay after school to prepare for the pep rally. I applaud this dedication and think it's great that they are willing to make that type of commitment. I do have to say, though, that I get tired of hearing them bring this point up year after year as a defense for the Switch Rally.

Spending a lot of lime preparing for something does not work as a defense of its value. I also get sick of this argument for another reason. There are so many groups of people that spend countless more hours at Lincoln High than the Switch Rally performers. The Lincoln High swim team arrives everyday at 6 a.m. and doesn't leave until 6 p.m., but we don't throw a pep rally for all their hard work.

I also find it interesting how light heartedly all the performers act when they perform their routine that they have worked so hard on. If they do not take what they are

doing seriously, why should we?

This is not to say that all the acts were like this. Student Council had the best routine and they only spent two days preparing for the Switch Rally. Lets hope next year's Switch Rally participants learn something from this. I realize some of the problem comes down to what entertains the student body. If the Switch Rally is the only kind of assembly that can entertain the student body, our future is in trouble. You may wonder how I have come to this conclusion. Well, let's just say that students paid more attention and acted more responsible at the Switch Rally than they did at the assembly for the Laramie Project.

Before this assembly, I knew that MTV and its spawns had fried our brains and attention spans, but I never knew we had fallen this far. Today the average teenager's attention span is a mere three seconds. I guess the Switch Rally just moves fast enough to keep our attention and the Laramie Project doesn't.

Now don't get me wrong; I am not calling for the abolition of the Switch Rally or any other pep rally for that matter. I enjoy getting out of class for an hour as much as the next student does, but it would be nice if that hour was spent viewing something meaningful. l

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e s an • rut so a1entine's a

Bycarri~Wiegert would sit together at the Feast of Lupercalia out his death sentence on February 14, 207. gods. This belief and controversy spurred ,1.SSJSfantBusmessManager in continued celebration of her. Valentine was never able to attend the glo- yet another tale of Saint Valentine. At this

The tales of Valentines Day involve The legend of Juno is by far the least rious feasts in Rome held on February 15th time, Valentine, a Christian priest, had been love and romance, heartbreak and death. romantic of all the myths told of Valentine's in honor of Juno, the heathem god. thrown in prison for his teachings. On FebWhether they are true or not may never be Day. It is one of two passed on tales, which Another variation of this legend por- ruary 14 th Valentine was beheaded for be-

==== Y1RG0¥@l'ea,,.,T,ney-Me eP.Jyicle-as ; legencls-ancl uot:s,1ot ass-c:rctate~a:imvaienrine-wrrh trays vaientlne as ffie frrst person to ever ing a Clm st ian in a time wfien ''goii' s '' stiff myths that have been concocted over the the ancient celebra- tions send a 'valentine' greeting card. After his ruled. course of several hundred years. of Valentine's Day. sentencing by the Emperor, It is impossible to say which, if any of

Despite it's mysterious heritage, Feb- In fact, the Catho- Valentine supposedly the tales behind Valentine's Day are true. ruary, and Valentine's Day have been hon- lie C~urch worships fell in love with a young Despite its mysterious past, Valentine's Day ored and celebrated for several hundred three saints; including ,_.,. woman. At the time, he ·s now a widely celebrated, and publicized ' years. Today, thanks to the contributions of Valentine an was in prison awaiting holiday in the U.S. The celebration of FebHallmark and other card manufacturers, Valentinus. One legend his execution. On the ruary 14th is second only to Christmas in the February 14th has become a day when, across of Valentine's Day, and its saint day before he was to amount of cards given and received in the the country, candy, flowers, and for those Valentine traces itself back to the ....._.. be killed, the priest U.S. lucky few, jewelry are exchanged between Emperor Claudius II. He observed sent his young "It's better to have loved and lost, than loved ones, all in the name of a mysterious that single men made better soldiers. love a letter, to have never loved at all," said Alfred saint, that is, Saint Valentine. As a result, he didn't allow young men ...- signing it, 'From your Val- Tennyson. Maybe that is what makes Valentine's Day is believed to have to wed. entine.' Today these three words Valentine's Day so important to some, and started in the time of the Roman Empire. During the time of the Emperor are not the signature of a saint. In- so difficult for others. While we strive to At this time Valentine's Day was not a tra- Claudius's rein, it is said that there was a stead, they make up a phrase which is find someone to share ourselves with, and ditional holiday, but ·a religious testament. saint by the name of Valentine. In secret, spread across the world from coast to coast love in return, we sometimes forget. The On the 14th day of February, "Valentine's this young priest would marry couples in on February 14th • true meaning of Valentine's Day is not in Day," Romans would spend the day honor- love. Later, when Claudius II found out Three hundred years after the death of gifts and presents, but in the love and dediing their Queen of the Roman Gods and about the saints deeds, he ordered the young Jesus Christ, Roman emperors still de- cation that comes not only from a loving Goddesses, Juno. The next day, the Romans priest to be killed. Saint Valentine carried mantled that everyone believe in the Roman relationship, but a loving friendship as well.

By F...llenWright F..ntertainmentF...ditor

Opa! (pronounced oh- Pah) One might think it's the start of a song or the beginning of a cheer. To a fencer it is the hooray of scoring a point. High school fencing is a unique activity in which a handful of Lincoln students from all different schools participate. Every week these fencers practice with each other or with coaches to prepare for a weekend tournament. At some of the tournaments there is the opportunity to fence against Olympic or World competitors

The high school fencing program in Lincoln began in 1991

select their weapon of choice. Practices last an hour and a half to two hours. During that time the fencers run, do foot and sword work, and have practice bouts to prepare them for the weekend tournaments. "I run around Whittier (the location of fencing pracas an intramural activity. Kit Boesch, who is the head coach, said that she would like to see fericing as a sport, but so far she has only been able to convince LPS to incorporate fencing into the seventh and eighth grade physical education curriculum.

• s1ca ' enta i it

issue at high school tournaments in which fencers compete to be in the top eight by going through a series of fencing pools and direct elimination rounds.

The three types of weapons are

valid contact with the opponent has occurred.

The saber is similar in weight and length to the foil, but it is used to thrust and cut. Points are scored by contact from the waist up both front and back. All fencing takes place on the strip that is 14 meters long an d 2 meters wide.

Like any

Katie Dumas (9, LE) holds a foil, J.T. Davis (10, LNE) holds a saber, and Sallie Dietrich (9, Lefler Middle School) holds a epee during a practice. With the help and sponsorship of various local businesses, many people have gotten the chance to try fencing as a new sport. In other parts of the country a person has to buy their own equipment before they have the chance to see if they enjoy the sport.

These fencers, new and old, dress in white coats that resemble a straight jacket. They don helmet, gloves, and

tice) 4 or 5 times and do some sit-ups and push-ups," said J. T. Davis, a Northeast sophomore saber fencer.

If a fencing association organizes the tournament, the fencers compete against other fencers who have a letter grade (A-E). The goal is to have an A in each of the three weapons, or at least one A. This grading system is not an

epee, foil and saber. The object is to score 15 points on your opponent before the opponent scores that number against you A touch with your weapon on the opponent constitutes a point. The foil and epee weapons score points by touching the tip on the opponent using a stabbing · action. Use of the saber is a slashing action · with the weapon.

Colin Mcchesney (11 ) receives coaching advice from Coach Cass sport, injuries are inevitable. ''You mainly get bruises, welts and cuts," said Sallie Dietrich, a ninth grader at Lefler Middle Kovanda.

The foil has a flexible, rectangular blade about 35 inches and weighs less than a pound. Points are scored when the foil touches the torso from the shoulders to the groin both in the front and back.

The epee resembles a dueling sword and is similar to the foil but weighs 27 ounces. It is much stiffer and has a larger hand guard. The entire body is a valid target, even one's toes. An electrical circuit in the tip causes the bulb on the scoring machine to light when r School who fences epee. So why would anyone want to play a sport where they are being poked and prodded with a metal sword? Colin McChesney, a junior epee fencer at Lincoln High said, "I like to fence because it is a game of physical chess, and fencing requires one to have good endurance to get into the top eight." Davis and Dietrich both likened the enjoyment of fencing back to story books. "You feel like Zorro or a Musketeer," Davis said.

C ona I CJ

's

By Andy Hammack Journalism Student

The new McDonald's 3 in 1 restaurant opened Tuesday October 15, 2002 in Lincoln, Nebraska at 6 a m. Of the 13,099 McDonald's restaurants in the United States, this is the first ever 3 in 1. The 3 in 1 is located at 5800 Old Cheney Road, a long trip for most Lincoln High stu dents. The restaurant may be trying to attract families rather than high school students since it is a fairly far distance from all of the high schools.

In addition to the regular McDonald's menu items, such as the Big Mac and Fries, the 3 in 1 offers new items. The Sandwich and Platter Shop 'Offer sandwiches such as the Beef and Cheese for $5.99, New York Rueben for $3.99, Chicken Parmigiana for $4.49, and the Turkey, Cheese, and Bacon sandwich for $4.49. They also offer open-faced sandwiches. If you decide to order a sandwich, you get your choic e of a side order of fries, or a side of coleslaw. You have to pay extra if you want a soft drink. If you're not in the mood for a sandwich you can order one of their

A representative from Clarkson College will be visiting Lincoln High School in March.

Let's talk about your future.

many platters. Some of the platters include Country Fried Steak, Meat Loaf, and Roasted Half Chicken. ·

You can also choose many dessert items from the Bakery and Ice Cream shop. They have cinnamon rolls for $1.99 and Swirlers for $2.89. Swirlers are basically ice cream with many different flavors to choose from, including s'mores, strawberry cheesecake, and cappuccino. Other dessert items include cheesecake, carrot cake, ice cream sundaes, and shakes.

Of the many new items the 3 in 1 offers, manager Rachel White said the most popular new item has been the cheesecake

Corey Vidlak, a senior at Lincoln High, ate at the new 3 in 1 and said the food was "surprisingly" not that bad. In addition Vidlak commented, "It's not my new favorite place to eat, but I would recommend to every one trying it once."

As you walk into the restaurant you have the option of sitting at a booth, or table, and ordering your food by phone, or you can just wait in line and order your food. Above each booth is a street sign with the name of the main streets throughout Lincoln such as Normal Blvd., Old Cheney Road, Pioneers Blvd., Vine Street, and Comhusker High-

By Nathan Burcham · Journalism Student

"Handball phenomenon" is the term that announcers and spectators will be using to dese:ribe this handball player in years to con1e. The kingpin and star (ofun der 17 boys handball) is Lincoln high senior Eric Hillgren, who has been playing hand-

ball since he was 9 and who

t OS ere

way. There are also many pictures at the restaurant of the different sites of Lincoln like the Capital, Haymarket Park, · Memorial Stadium, and Downtown Lincoln.

When you have chosen what you want to eat, you pick up a red phone and push a yellow button One of the approximate 100 employees will answer and ask you what you want. After you order your food, a McDonald's employee will bring it out to you. You don't have to worry about tipping either because the 3 in 1 has a "no-tipping" policy After you have eaten your food, you go up to the cashier and hand them your receipt. You then pay the cashier for your meal.

Lincoln High senior Kyle Frerichs thought the atmosphere was great, but rec ommends going to a different restaurant if you want something fast. Senior Elizabeth Lee also agrees tl1e3 in 1 has a good atmosphere, but she doesn't like how it is always so busy.

With the McDonald's company in a slump, the 3 in 1 is just one of the many new restaurant formats McDonald's CEO Jack Greenberg is experimenting with. · Greenberg and other McDonald's owners hope that better restaurants and better service will help boost the declining McDonald's franchise.

In 2002 Eric lost in the 2nd round to a pro handballer Kevin Pittius in the open division of the Bear Bash tourn ament at Southwest Missouri State University. But even with defeat Eric managed to come back and win. Just like when he made his biggest win of his career

It was in the 2000 USHA (United States Hand-

' ' ball Association) Junior National tournament in Des Moines , Iowa against rival handballer Jimmy Dawson (from Lincoln, Neb raska) for the championship. He also won dot1bles in the under 15 boys division in that tournament. has over 60 awards. Over half of those awards are first place, but they didn't come without practicing.

In his first tournament (Runza tournament in '96) for boys under 11, he got first place. He continued to ]1 = i-rn=p•rvv-e~a=r=1•El.+g'84: * t:e~R=i=s-=-f.i= r s""t'= ,:::::::::rn::: ::::::i:i,: national tournament in June of 1997 in East Lansing, Michigan and finished second.

From '97 nationals he found out that he was invited to go to the world tour-

Handball champ Eric Hillgren (12) demonstrates his skill on the court

"Handball is a fast-paced game and you have to have good coordination, so it isn't as easy as I i= t l=uo •s,"~.'.1.. ' ========-====

His recent junior national tournament was on December, 27 in Chicago, Illinois.

Hillgren came into the tourney ready to play and the result didn't lie. He won the first match 21-3 and 21-4. nament which was held in Winnipeg, Canada. The world tournament happens every three years and every time Eric has participated (twice) he has received the Waterford Crystal which is presented to the contestants that make it to the semifinals and finals.

He finished second in the one wall, 13 and Under Boys Division. He also reached the semis in the boys 13 and under, four wall, and he reached the quarterfi,nals in the 15 and under boys. From then on fie has continued his dominance and has had opponents well out of reach of him. He has even played against pro handballers that have been rated in the world top 25.

The second opponent fare -d no better with Hillgren winning 21-2 and 21-4. He then went on to the quarterfinals and won 21-8 and 21-8. It wasn't until the semifinals that Hillgren met his match.

He lost to Brian Carroll (an Ireland native) in straight sets to get knocked out of the Tournament. "Losing to Brian wasn;t that bad" he said "

He had to compete in an Ireland tournament to · come to this one which made him the top Handballer in Ireland." Even with defeat Hillgren takes his losses with class and is humble with his winnings.

If you want to get involved in Handball go to the downtown YMCA on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.

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iaeo a es to io ence? ' e ror

By Seth Koozer Journalism Student

Violence has always been a major part of the homosapien way of life. Ever since the dawn of humanity, there has been conflict and dispute. People have also been trying to pin down what creates a violent individual or what spawns a violent act. In today's industrious age, what's a scapegoat the masses can milk until it' s used up? The entertainment industry. Millions of people buy violent video games and motion picture films, but with these purchases, are people cluttering their minds with cruelty and disorder and possibly rewiring their own way of thinking?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, the typical American child watches 28 hours of television a week and by the age of 18 will have witnessed over 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence. It seems like our generation is bogged down with savagery and death. You tum on the news and hear of the latest terror bombing then open the Journal Star and read about the latest car crashes, brestk ins and homicides We adapt to the events though, despite what it may do to us. So why in the last couple decades do people begin believing it's the offensive movies and video games that make these acts take shape? I can assure you that people have been beating up on each other long before any movie or game could program someone to. If a person's mind is warped so badly that a film can influence them to murder then this person was a whack job way before the lights went out in the theater. If anything, the carnage witnessed in games and film prevents people from lashing out because of the ability to live it out in a fantasy world behind tl1e screen.

I know several students who play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City almost religiously after fuey get out of school but fuese people aren't going to obtain an M60 assault rifle and cut down the neighborhood. I loathe thinking of the whole idea. Granted, GTA: Vice City isn't a video game for people who can't handle a rated "R " movie because of it's mature rating, but this is no reason to

Josh Ward Journalism Student

Tis' the season to be jolly! Unless, of course, your name is Josh Swartzlander, and then you would more than likely have something to complain about. Maybe it is a devastating state tax increase which inconveniently forces you to have those four annoying pennies just lingering around in your pocket all day after hav1ng to pay that extra one cent for the lunch special at Valentinos which also deprives you of your daily 6th period Diet Coke. Even though other Lincoln High School students such as Amanda Shlowalter do not see the tax increase as being a big issue, saying that "I do not see this (the tax increase) as being a big deal, it is just a penny". Or it could be the Lincoln High School Switch Rally, which over the past several years has become one of the school's biggest, and in the opinion of many students as well as staff members , more fun and entertaini11g events that takes place in the course of the year. But

transform it into some sort of instrument of evil.

However, there are people who feel very ,strongly toward the belief of violent games and films creating violent individuals. One of these people is, Lt. Col. David Grossman, a former psychologist for fue United States Army In a 20/20 interview, John Stossel, an ABC correspondent, sat down wifu Grossman in a segmeqt named, "The Games Kids Play." Grossman is quoted as saying, "We are teaching children to associate pleasure with human death and suffering. We are rewarding them for killing people. And we are teaching them to like it," he added. Grossman is a large voice in the in the debate, appearing on several media stations and even taking his claims to Congress. "We need to treat these products like we would guns, tobacco, alcohol or sex. We need to restrict a child's access to it."

Responding to Grossmans statements, Todd Hollenshed, CEO of the company id software (the company who created one of the planet's most popular first-person shooters, Doom) made a statement that FBI crime statistics show violence has gone down every year since 1992, as well as the murder rate being at its lowest in roughly 30 years. "This has happened while the video game business has grown from $100 million a year in 1985, to a $7 billion a year business today."

A person can look anywhere and see forms of warfare and aggression on several different levels. The order of nature is considered violent in fuat only the strong survive. So what separates us from the regular pecking order of things in the animal kingdo1n? Modem society has wired us to think fuat we're an entirely tame species and our primal ways of behaving wifu others can be sent into remission. To an extent we can, wifu moral standing, but our animal instincts always remain present and eager to make a guest appearance. Some individuals cannot hold back fuese feelings and mat's when violence presents itself : What about children cartoons and the infinitely made board games, as well? Chess, for instance, is a game about d1iving your forces across the board to mangle the king of another faction.

etaccording to Swartzlander, as he stated in an article of the February 27, 2002 issue of the student Advocate, "I found the last Lincoln High spirit rally a waste of my time." He also called it degrading, saying that, "when guys dress up like girls, it can seem funny because they are actually lowering their position in society." But of course, ifhe could have taken just a little bit of time away from his adventures with Carl Hiaasen and his novel full of wonder, he might have realized that there ·were no guys dressed up like girls.

A number of LHS students, as well as myself, are starting to get annoyed with the pattern of Swartzlander complaining about this or that, or putting down something or someone in almost every issue. Especially when groups of people here at our very own Lincoln High l1ave fallen victim to his vicious verbal attacks. Once again, I am talking about the LHS cheerleaders, who last year worked hours upon hours, days upon days to organize the Switch Rally, an exciting event that has been a part of Lincoln High tradition for

When a person sits down and participates in a from the to-do list of life. A person can kick back game of Chess, is he/she being brainwashed by and enjoy an escape for a while. They can press strategically hunting down the opponents king? play or power and enter a different world -until Are the players conscious fuat they might be pro- they decide to leave. Violence has always been a gramrning their brains with murderous circuitry? part of the human culture and is nothing new to I fuink not. I know when I play a video game or anyone who lives on Earth. board game that might contain violent undertones, People who are set off by forms of enterI view it as a game and only a game; Keeping my tainment most likely already had violent tenden-concepts of fantasy and reality completely sepa- cies within themselves and should have gotten rated. some psychological assistance before they Movies and video gan1esare a vacation away snapped.

ore Pressin2 issues

years, and is fun and entertaining. for school staff, students, and parents. To many of the spectators, their presentation was a smash. "It was the most fun I've ever had during school!" said John Clay, a participant in the 2002 Switch Rally who graduated last year For Swartzlander, however, the whole thing was just another opportunity to complain. He stated last year in an article of the February 2002 issue of the Student Advocate that most of the events were nothing but ''embarrassing" and displayed a complete lack of "talent and hard work". But the truth of the matter is that he has no idea whatsoever of exactly how much effort and hard work it did take. Along with John Clay, I also took part in the Switch Rally with the Reserve cheerleading squad. We practiced every morning, Monday through Friday, beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 7:30 a.m . This went on for three weeks straight, including the early Saturday morning practices.

As for the his article complaining about the tax increase, there are a many

other issues th at would be would actually be more important to include in a high school newspaper. For example, it would be better to see an opinion articles about pending war with Iraq and North Korea, discrimination, terrorism, environmental issues, and perhaps the downturn of the economy, which shouldn't include anything about Nebraska's state tax increase of a PENNY! It's not so much that there is something wrong about complaining, it's just that if Swartzlander has to do it, let's hear abou( an is.sue that's important, instead of one that is so trivial. Don't get me wrong, Swartzlander is a quite a talented writer. He has an interesting writing style and the desire to be a good journalist ( consistently making good use of a variety of sources as well as meeting deadlines). However, he should find more pressing issues to complain about rather than a one cent tax increase. Regarding school events such as the Switch Rally, he should be sure to 1 get his facts straight before insulting people based on incomplete information.

By:JamieBrown___ _ JournalismStudent

Winter sports have arrived at Lincoln High, and most importantly basketball season is here. When most people think of the winter season they probably think of the boy's basketball season with all the fun of wearing our two new T-shirts and seeing if we can one make it anotheryearforthe sportsmanship award, and we wonder if we can go all the way this year and win state. Things are looking good, but who knows what will happen? One thing is certain; the girl's team has the makings of having a wonderful season (with a few factors to overcome), and who knows they could make it to state even if the boys don't. Yeah, yeah, I know, they lost their opening game and the next one to follow that, but I' mhere to say don't give up hope!

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The girls also have to overcome some heartbreaking losses from last year, like losing 48 to 44 against North Platte, 49 to 47 against Omaha Burke, and losing 54 to 53 against East. The girls did overcome the next game after those losses, but losing their last game 64 to 50 against

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The girls are trying to learn from their mistakes of last year by making it a team effort. No one person carries the team; the people on the bench are just as important as the 6 returnees and the 5 starters. ''We rely on everyone, the people on the bench too," Endres said.

Last year the team didn't have very good senior leadership, which is one thing that contributed to the semi-poor season, but this year is different according to Endres. "People want to work more and get better," she said. To have a good working team you need the seniors or even the ones with the most experience to step up and help the ones that might not have the experience, like with shooting, rebounding, and even with the nerves of going out and playing in front of the crowd.

u • 1• ort ball more, and fum UCKSno AOO this team improve _ You know Lincoln High; maybe another thing that would help this girl's team win some more games; is more FANS! Have you ever wondered why the boy's team does so well (sometimes)? Could it be because of the amount of fans that are there each and every single game cheering them on, whether they are a head by 15 points or down by 20? Do you think that if the girl's had a better "cheer" section that maybe, just maybe, some of the close losses would have been close wins? Senior Amanda Lueke thinks so! "If we had more fans at our games, then they could cheer us on and pump us up more," saysLueke

Although the past three years the Alissa Holland (11) shoots a freethrow heightofourgirlsteamhasdecreased,(av- against Southeast. eraging 5'9 in 2001, 5'8 in 2002 and 5'7 this year). We have brought back 6 girls from last year's team, and together they average 3 years of varsity experience. Senior Tiffany Davidson is returning for her 4 th year, Senior Molly Shields, Junior Jennifer Endres, Junior Alissa Holland, and Senior Alexis Grenfell are all back for their 3rd year, and Junior Abby Wood is back for her 2 nd • So, we have experience on our side.

Bellevue East, losing 4 of their last 5 games, and walking away 10 and 11 was probably the biggest heartbreak.er of it all.

Junior Jennifer Endres thinks that things could have been different last year, ''We should have won 4 games that we lost. This year things are differ~nt, we are learning from our mistakes," she said.

So has all these factors helped the team this year? As of now, NO, but the team is improving according to Coach William Myers. "The team is continuing to improve and should be competitive in every game left on the schedule," Myers said. As of now, the girls are only 8-5 with 2 losses coming in overtime to Columbus and Fremont, and a 3-point loss to North Platte in the Holiday Tournament.

So what can the girls do to overcome this disappointing start to their season? Senior Amanda Lueke says less turnovers, moving the

The best thing about the season being right in the middle like it is right now, is that we; the students and facility that make up this wonderful school of Lincoln High can still come to at least some of last 12 remaining games that the girl's team have left.

Come on Lincoln High; wouldn't it be better to cheer on two teams in the hopes of both of them making it to state? Lets help this wonderful team make it to state too! They want to make us proud too! So get up out of your seats Lincoln High and go see Molly, Amanda, Jennifer, Erin,Abby, Riki, Trlfany,Alissa,Ashley,Alexis, and Coach Myers, try and win Lincoln High another State Championship.

•

naoor or • ut • oor: 1nco n 1

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---~By:"Eric 1-fillgren___ _ Journalism.Student

It's a three on one··oreak you got , the speed of play, it's so much faster and the ball transition." said Ryan Lawrence.

The Indoor team consists of six players on ,the field instead of eleven. Also the field is surround by a wall which can be used to pass. The field is the same size as a hockey rink. This Indoor league isn't sanctioned by the NSAA but many kids represent their high school. numbers up, Cody Waller , Ryan Lawrence and Jeremy Gage are sprinting down the field full speed. Ryan runs into trouble and takes a wall pass back to himself. Hold on now, wall pass? What's are they playing? Open field now just him and the boys. Does he take it or be generous and give it to Cody or Jeremy. Ryan decides to be generous and does a one two pass to Cody receives it back, only to score, right side upper ninety.

It's Indoor soccer and it goes well with the Lincoln High Boys. Believe it or not Lincoln High does have a team for Indoor and they're unbelievable. They went through the first session of Indoor soccer season with a 7-1 record and got second place. They beat both Gold and Black teams from Southeast, Southwest, Lincoln Lutheran, Northeast, Beatrice, and Kearney. These guys haven't been given enough credit. All Indoor matches took place at the Abbott Sports Complex located on North 70th Street. "Differences and challenges of Indoor soccer is

The team mostly consisted of juniors with an exception of senior Tyler Lawrence. Most of the other high school's had their seniors play but Lincoln High didn't have no need to because they were confident and knew the juniors were capable of being successful. "We definitely are becoming better because we learn each others speed, capabilities, and styles." said Ryan Lawrence. They were right in playing mostly juniors because that's gives the juniors more experience and supplies depth to their team. Come this spring who's going to be able to stop them? This team was extremely good last year winning districts and making it to state. Other than the basics this is a whole new game, but it doesn't seem to interfere with the winning of the Lincoln High

ti •0

Boys. The boys had no problem going through the whole season. The team surpassed the season with grace and went undefeated to the finals.

The finals of the first session took place at Abbott Sports Complex December 14 2002 at 4pm. The team to play, one of Lincoln High's biggest rivals, East. The show down had began Now remember Lincoln High defeated East last year when they were ranked 2nd in the nation. East also went through the season successfully but with one game in exception, the forfeit against Beatrice. East had most of the seniors playing so the game would be tough. Lincoln High still had mostly juniors playing in this game. The game went back and forth having both teams on edge. "We should have won the game against east but three own goals (scored on them by them- · selves) cost us the championship." said Nate Burcham. It was tied and both teams weren't backing down, and all a sudden East shot from the outside and scored their only actual goal winning the game 4-3. Lincoln High was stunned, but pay back is in the second session and they • 1na t

got better chances.

The second session starts in the middle of this month. If you want to watch a game or two of the Lincoln High the games will take place at the Abbott Sport Complex 7600 N 70th Street, just call 402-464-2255 and find out when one of the teams play. These boys are very talented and several play in adult competitive league and are very impressive. In second session things will be a little different in that Lincoln High boys has three teams instead of one. The three teams are spilt up as the Red team, White team, and Black team. A few of the seniors decide whose on what team to try to make the teams equal in talent. "This session I have more confidence in ours teams because most of the Lincoln High players are playing in this session." said Burcham. Lincoln High Girls also has two teams playing in the second session the junior varsity and varsity. There is a total of 240 teams in this session, including, younger kids and even adults, this is proof that soccer is taking this nation by storm in being categorized as ·the most popular sport in the world.

•\

azer uest a ast • 1n C • 's

By:ju'edBates Journalism.Student

You're in the dark. Fog surrounds you. In the background lights are flashing and sirens are wailing. You have one mission: take down as many people as possible, and , cover yourself in the process. The adrenaline is rushing, and you begin. Sound like combat? It's actually the most intense experience yet-LaserQuest. Unlike paintball, a more physical game where you are actually being shot at, this sport will not leave you with several weeks worth of bruising. While on the outside, to many LaserQuest appears to be a violent simulation of combat, but the staff at LaserQuest will tell you, that they try to preserve the experience as a simple game of tag. In fact, when you begin your mission at LaserQuest you are issued a code name, and due to several issues of criticism you can no longer have names that reflect any form of violence. For example, a dedicated member a LaserQuest had the code name of "Hitman", and it was requested that this was changed to something more appropriate.

According to Cathy Henderson, General Manager of LaserQuest Lincoln location in EastPark Plaza they opened the center in 1995 and the firstLaserQuest center was founded in London, England 11 years ago. Using an electronic pack equipped shaped as a vest with sensors on your chest, back, and shoulders that create a loud commotion of flashing lights and sound, and a hand-held laser unit (also equipped with sensors), you enter a room along with 131 other people that is a twisting, turning maze specially equipped with multilevel towers, from which you can quickly and stealthily "tag" your unsuspecting opponent.

The walls are also lined with two-way mirrors allowing you to tag your opponent from behind a wall, protecting yourself and racking up your hit points. The fog is synthetic and water-based and is completely safe. However, strong asthmatics are cautioned. When you tag an opponent's sensor, or your opponent tags you there is a brief period where your ability to tag is temporarily disabled. Allow about 3 seconds of time lapse though and your powers up and ready for action.

I know, I know, now that I've told you about this exciting experience you are all rushing out to play. But I did forget to tell you the price. For regular, nonmembers there is a charge of $7 .00 per session. Each session lasts 20 minutes. But many benefits can be had if you choose to make the annual investment of becoming a member. Membership cost has a initial flat fee of $20, and an annual renewal rate of $10. After you've paid your fee you will be given credit for one free game, issued a permanent code name, and get $2 off of each session you take part in.

There are also membership lock ins which go for 6 hours (midnight to 6 a.m. on the weekends.) The next lock in

LaserQuest will be having will be held on March 21st. Cathy Henderson, LaserQuest General Manager says "people should get there by at least 11 p.m. because the slots fill fast. You can also call for reservations." The price for this lock in is a

Maxl-Iubka Journalism.Studentstandard $30 at the door and $25 in ad- There is a new restaurant in town. It has been vance. Tuesday night is members night created in the shell of a fast food restaurant, alwhere member~ who are aspiring to make though, it is much more elegant. It is a the ~orth A_mer~ca~ Challenge (NAC) can McDonald's, but theri again it's not. The menu pract1c~ therr skills 1n 8 matches, each last- has a new look to it, including a sandwich and ~ng 6 rmnutes long. ~AC matches are held platters menu which ranges from fried chicken 1n May, ~here a reg_1onaltouf1;\ament takes and mashed potatoes to sandwicheslikereubens, place. Prices for this event will be known hi ,. d beef d h d · M h c C.l\.enparmesan, an an c eese sanin arc h d al b~'· d h

Becoming a member holds many wic es, an so a i:U\.eryan ice~ s op. benefits. Former LHS student Eric The bakery h'.18the usual cake and cmnamon Louderback , a member at LaserQuest rolls, and the ~ce cream shop has the regular~y stated, "It really will save you money if offered c?o1ces. ,Of. course, the classic you play a lot. You will save $2 every time McDonald_s menu ~~s. you play. So if you play 3 games, there's 6 Thewhole1deabehind1t1stogetawayfromthe bucks right there." He also commented on 'fast food' image and to serve a wide variety of the physical aspects of the game. "It's good items. This is the first McDonald's of its kind in exercise since you're constantly moving," the U.S., more will probably begin to pop up all he said. " around the country. The McDonald's corpora-

While I myself am not a member at tionbelievesthatthesetypesofMcDonald'swill LaserQuest, I can tell you that I have par- become popular with families. It was designed ticipated in the game play there many tocreate"made-to-orderfoodandtableservice times, and that it is a truly exhilarating ex- in a fun place with a great dining room, all at a p~rience. !n my most recent visit , I played great value," according to Tom Ryan, one of with a friend who happens to be a mem- McDonald's Chief Executive Officers on the ber. All the of rest of those people there McDonald's website. This restaurant also inthat nigh_t were_ also members incidentally. eludes a children's playground in order to round After being suited up, I scanned the a~ea. out the great family experience. It seemed that most peopl~ were heading Now,afterallthetalk,Ihadtotryitformyself. I for one central tower, so I figured I should t • d • edi tel ticed th d ti follow. When I got up there I realized that wen man llllill a Y no e ec?ra ve that was where everyone had gone. use _ofand glass wmd~ws. The wood tnm and As I dashed behind a comer several banisters really make it look more elegant and people beamed me with lasers. I 'then got spruceupthewholep~. Thiswasabigchan~e out in the action and was surrounded by a ~m the normal plastic all throughout the tradiforce of pure adrenaline rush brought forth tlonal restaurant. by the questers, and an arena full of Laser I walked through the dining area to the only part beams tagging and being tagged in sue- of the restaurant that still resembles the old rescession. Needless to say the night was ex- taurants. It had two registers with the classic tremely intense.

There is no age restriction for this game. If you're able to hold up you're pack, you' re in. When speaking with Cathy Henderson, General Manager of LaserQuest, she said that LaserQuest recommends an age of at least 7. There is also an oath of conduct every player must take before they step into the arena, called The Players Code. It is as follows:

-I will not run climb or jump.

- I will not sit, kneel or lie down.

-I will not cover any sensors.

-I will not us offensive language.

-I will not make physical contact with other players.

-I will play fair, smart, and give it my all.

LaserQuest busiest nights are usually Friday and Saturday. For more information on LaserQuest, such as game reservations or holiday gift certificate offers, you can go to their official website of www.laserquest.com, or call their Lincoln location at (402) 465-5522. LaserQuest holds birthday parties, office parties, and is available for reservations to any organizational event. For birthday par

emenujustabovethecashier'shead. Totheright, there was a display case filled with bakery produc(:s. Apparently, this case represented the bakery area.

After I got my bearings, I decided to find a seat. I saw an empty booth and took it. When I sat down, I saw a red phone next to me, and right above it was the menu holder and ordering instructions. Ordering is simple and explained very well right near the telephone. I ordered a New York Reuben from the sandwiches and platters menu. After I placed my order, I looked around There was very little available seating, and it was very cramped The aisles between the booths were basically filled with tables and chairs. The dining area could have fit 75 people, although it · would be very cramped

My order did not arrive nearly as fast as it would have in a traditional McDonald's. After the nearly twenty minute wait, my chilly sandwich arrived on the plastic tray with very few french fries on the side. I was surprised to see a McDonald's restaurant skimp me on fries. The sandwich was pretty good, but it was nothing special. It was not worth my $4.27. The long waitandarrivalofcoldfooddidnotmakeagood 1IDpress1on.

After my meal, I decided to get a small piece of chocolate cake. After another20 minutes of waiting, I paid my $3 for a fistful of cake and took off. I was a little upset at wasting so much time to get such a simple order. I would give this restaurant 1 _ stars due to long waits and a low quality of food Also, it was very expensive and the quality of food was not particularly outstanding. If you would like to try it for yourself, it is located at 5800 Old Cheney Road. To try and avoid the wait, you could also order carry out at 421-8303. Hopefully your experience will be much better than mine.

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mitatin

ea1it 7'' •

____ ByRylyzettennan , BusinessManager

The Bachelorette, Meet My Folks, Joe Millionaire, and The Bachelor are a few of the many new reality shows aired on week nights. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are similar shows. The Bachelor aired first on television. The star of the sho w is a single male who is surrounded by twenty five attractive females. Then the bachelor goes on dates with groups of girls and on individual dates. The bachelor chooses who he wants to keep and who he wants to discard. This choice is based on whether the girl is pretty, thin, and has a charming personality.

The Bachelorette is constructed the same way as the Bachelor, but in this case it is the girl who is given the main role. She is surrounded by twenty five handsome males who want to win her over. The Bachelorette is still in the process of eliminating to find which man is best for her.

Evan, the central character in the reality show Joe Millionaire, is a construction worker who earns roughly $19,000 a year, but he is playing the role of a multi-millionaire who lives in a mansion in France. Evan, like the bachelor, gets to choose one woman fro m many women who believe that Evan is a millionaire. Evan has to lie to women about everything and pretend to be someone he is not. Eventually, Evan will reveal his secret when he chooses one girl who he will h.ive a future with, but the girl can choose love or money.

Meet My Folks is an embarrassing yet funny show. It consists of one single male, his parents, and a group of single females. The girls who are trying to win the heart of the male are trying to impress his parents first. The parents choose which girl their son will be with based on their impression of the girls. Some of the girls on the show are wild and crazy and I don't think they realize that his parents are there. The parents consult with their son before they eliminate a girl. The son gives his input and the rest is up to his parents to decide who the perfect match is for their son.

Reality shows cost very little money and they attract many people. For people who watch reality shows on a regular basis, this can be a social gathering bringing friends together to watch their favorite TV show. Viewers who watch the shows usually guess who is going to be the finalist ahead of time and sometimes the dramatic music can cause the viewer to become nervous and anxious for the final result. Personally, I get nervous, and when the final result is in I either smile and say, " I told you so," or I stay seated and think to myself, "What were they thinking, they'll regret it!"

• 1 s or t

ByJessiraperezStaffWriter & __ carrieWiegertA.sst.BusinessManager

As humans, we thrive on social interaction with each other. These healthy relationships are based on mapy components. They depend, first and foremost, upo11dedication, the dedication to make a relationship work and grow stronger over time. According to Families in Crisis, healthy relationships also require honesty, responsibility, trust, support, respect, open communication, intimacy, physical affection, fairness, ' and negotiation with your significant other. Despite their age and 'lack of maturity,' as some might say, students at Lincoln High had many important suggestions for a healthy relationship. Their tips were not

eove1orn

only realistic, bt1t helpful as well. Their insight may help some fellow classmates find that special someone they are looking for this Valentine's Day.

Tip number one: Although most students agreed that it is not essential for a boyfirend or girlfriend to be very romantic, a hug, candy and some roses are always a nice surprise, especially on Valentine's Day.

Tip number two: Nobody wants to be with someone who is mean or rude. Don't be a jerk, and don't change into one in front of your friends.

Tip number three: Although smoking doesn't make you a bad person, it is a turn : off, so please, boys and girls, just say NO!

Tip number four: A dream date doesn't require a wad of cash. A nice dinner with

some candles is really all you need.

Tip number five: Everyone makes mistakes. Cheating on your significant other should 11otbe one of them.

Tip number six: You are bound to fall down the stairs or spill on yourself sometime. Get embarrassed, and then get over it. Hopefully, your boyfriend or girlfriend will understand. If they don't, they really · aren't worth the effort.

Tip number seven: Everyone deserves honesty and respect. Always treat others the way you want to be treated.

Tip number eight: When asked what one thing is most important to establish a lasting relationship, most students agreed ... Communication is the key!

• a ust e 1nn1n or our uns

By LizNguyen___ _ OpinionE.ditor

Two years ago my cousin's friends and I decided to go out and eat as a small farewell party for my cousin before she left to go to college out of state.

When I walked into the Four Suns restaurant for the first time and sat down, I -honestly have to say I was not impressed.

It must have been the smallest restaurant I have ever seen, boasting just a few square tables and dining space about one-third the size of a Lincoln High classroom. I stayed calm in n1y seat and alleviated my state of disbelief by occupying myself with the old saying "great things come in small packages." I really liked how they had an open kitchen where the chefs cooked right in front of you, like at Shogun. I ordered my usual and favorite Chinese dish, Broccoli _, Beef, extremely curious yet still hesitant to try the Thai dishes because they were completely unfamiliar to me. Well, when they brought out our edibles, I regretted my hesitation. The Thai food looked and smelled delicious. -My Broccoli Beef was still good, but I was determined to try some Thai dishes next time.

Two years later, I walked into this restaurant again. Same reason: a farewell gathering for my cousin before she leaves. She had come back on break from college to visit family and now it was time for her to return. It felt like deja vu, except it wasn't really. Thai music was playing

sweetly in the background and the restaurant looked totally different. It had been renovated within the last year. When you first walk in you'll be able to smell and see the food being cooked in the open kitche n space and the chefs busily at work. Then one of the charming waitresses will lead you into the next room in which you'll see a pleasant Friday night crowd. The room has expanded now to the size of two Lincoln High classrooms with a casual out-inthe-open dining area and a separate room for private parties. The place was deco-

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is pork sauteed in special sauce, onion, vegetables, eggs, bean sprouts, tofu, and peanuts Sa'tay Beef is slices of beef smothered in peanut sauce and served with cucumber salad. The best thing about the Thai menu is that everything is offered in chicken, pork, or beef.

Nine years ago, Four Suns was opened as a dream of a determined woman who envisioned a restaurant that served good, authentic Thai food because she believed other Thai restaurant's food was becoming too Americanized. Pimpa Mills, 50,owner of Four Suns, has ta ken on many hardships to keep her restaurant open since 1993. She:s been keeping it steady since 1999. Today she's a content woman with her dream restaurant serving authentic Thai food recipes from her homeland.

rated with niany beautiful flowers and plants. A lot of nice sunlight came in from the spacious windows adorned with long, flowing curtains

The walls are painted with beautiful Thai countryside scenes except for one

I believe her success is due to many factors "If she's doesn't want to eat it, she's not gonna serve it," claims Rick Webb, 19, former gradu ate of Lincoln High whose been working for Mills since he was 14. The atmosphere and interior design of the restaurant really bring you to Thailand.

Even the waiters and waitresses wear Thai outfits as uniforms. The staff is very friendly and thoughtful, which explains the restaurant's great relationship with its ct1stomers. Among their loyal customers are Richard Ingraham and Brenda Friedman Ingraham, a middle-aged couple. "Pad Sam Young Tofu and Shrimp Noodle Bowl are our favorites," said the Ingrahams. The secret that makes Four Sun's food better than most Thai restaurant's is the fresh ingredients. "Hardly any ingredients come from a can," said William Wagner, 25, one

which depicts four elephants.

Pad Thai is one of Four Sun's most popular dishes. They serve a variety of Thai and Chinese cuisine. of Mill's sons, "everything is made from scratch." Pimpa Mills has four sons, hence the name of the restaurant, Four Suns. On one of the walls of the restaurant you'll see tour elephants, each _ with her sons' names on thern in Thai.

My cousin and our group of friends decided to eat "family style," meaning we ordered a great variety of dishes and shared everything. We ordered one of everything on the Thai n1enu. It was a great way to be able to eat what you liked, share it with others, and try some new dishes.

The food was brought out arranged on its plate so neatly and temptingly. Among the seductive dishes were Pad Sam Yang, Pad Thai, and Satay Beef. Pad Sam Yang is shrimp sauteed in special sauce, onion, celery, eggs, bean sprouts, and soybean noodles. Pad Thai, their most popular dish,

So open up your taste buds to a whole new cult11ral food experience at the Four Su11stoday dine in or carry 011t.The Four S11nsis located at 3239 S 13. I encourageyou to become acquainted with the inside because a buffet is coming soon. For now, inside you'll be able to enjoy good, authentic Thai or Chinese food in the relaxing setting of sweet and soft Thai music playing in the bac kground in addition to friendly service and reasonable parking space.

Jiao Huang, 21, works at the front counter of Four Suns restaurant located at 3239 5. 13. Four Suns has an enjoyable atmosphere and serves delicious Chinese and Thai food.

___ By E.ric1-(illgren A.sst..SportsE.diitor

You can't blame your losses on the lack of attendance because you have to win with or without fans. Teams don't win the "ship" because they have fans, they win because they have immense talent within the whole team including coaches. You win more, you get more recognition and attendance at games. It all makes sense.

The Boys Junior Varsity is 9-3, which is good so they have been getting additional attendance and now they're getting further recognition, as they should.

This years team is on the same path as last year's junior varsity team. Most of last year's junior varsity players now play on the varsity team which might make you wonder if Lincoln High Boys Basketball will be at the top of the rankings for time to come. The team has been successful and Coach Nunnally

pointed out there have been two main keys to their success.

"One, the players have developed and in many ways continue to increase their tremendous work ethic. They un-

as a

derstand and believe that their preparation in practice will for the most part determine their performance in games."

oment int

produces a team with this kind of success. Two of the losses this season were by three or fewer points and both were hard fought battles to the end.

On the team is Tyler Bullock, a freshman from Goodrich. This is the newest talent to join Lincoln High Basketball since Tyron Canby. Bullock has started eight games this year in place of two uppeTclassmen and has been victorious five of the eight times.

Being a freshman Bullock says "It's been a good opportunity to play up and I've been

e"Two, they understand and believe that by putting personal selfishness aside and making the team the most im , portant we can be much more successful together," said Coach Nunnally. I think this coa . ch knows what he's talking about when he

able to help the team."

"Bullock has made a successful transition because he is very coachable. He wants to learn everything he can and he wants to get better. Also, he came to us with a good work ethic" said Coach

tNunnally. Tyler has been and will keep being a first-class addition to the team for the remainder of the season. Also Bandak Chei is playing his part on the 9-3 team. This 6' 4" Sudanese native from Tennessee is doing what recent and present Link basketball players haven't been able to do: creating exhilarating games by dunking the ball. Up to this point Chei has made three dunks, two of which where against Grand Island. "Bandak understands that the most important thing is to make the shot so that his team gets two points," says Coach Nunnally.

Bandak said, "It makes people happy." His dunks even excite Coach Nunnally. " it's a lot of fun to see him dunk." He's plays his part so well that he has enabled himself to swing varsity and play once. This is an outstanding TEAM, not just outstanding players They have had seven different players to lead the team in scoring so that is evidence to the fact. As player Jesse Humpal would put it " all into getting the W." Built on teamwork and cooperation this team will go far and prove to be one of the most elite JV team in the city.

1nco1n 1 Wl ers ave an ear

____ '3-yE.llaE.nglanct___ _ FeatureF..ditor

Lincoln High has some exceptional swimmers and divers such as seniors, Rachael Wells and Sean Brozek. They know what they're supposed to do and they do it to the best of their abilities. The team practices daily and go to meets, once or twice

a week and last roughly two and a half hours.

At the meets, competitors start with warm-ups, and then begin a few of the events, which include the two hundred meter relay and the 100 meter breaststroke. Next, the divers compete. They perform up to eleven dives. After diving, competitors finish the rest of the swimming events.

Is your time worth $50 to $500 an hour? ·There'sa good chanceit is.

' The Lincoln Community Foundation has over 200 scholarships to award to high school seniors this year, The scholarship amounts vary, but hundreds of dollars are available for you, so the time it takes to complete an application could be worth $50 to $500 an hour, or more, If you are planning to attend an accredited two-year or four-year school next year, the Lincoln Commµnity Foundation invites you to apply for one or more of our scholarships. Your guidance counselor has full information and application forms. Or, you can visit our web site-www.lcf.org-for a listing of available scholarships plus downloadable forms. Please apply soon. Early deadlines start occurring in March.

LINCOLN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

This year both the boys and girls swim teams won their home meet, the Cotter Invite.

This was the first time in several years that the Links swept the team titles. En route ·to their victories several Lincoln High

the team, as a whole, is strong all around. "We have outstanding individuals in almost every event. We've had state qualifiers in all the events so far," he said. "They need to have more confidence in their abilities to be great swimmers," he stated.

One of the last chances for people to come out and see these amazing Links is February 14-15 at the Heartland Conference Swim Meet at Lincoln Southeast.

Lincoln High swimmers prepare to begin their race. This has been one of the most successful years for the Lincoln High swimming and diving program. They have been practicing twice a day nearly all year in preparation for the state swim meet.

swimmers set meet records.

Head coach Richard Conradt said that

The Links will compete at the state meet on February 27-28 at the Devaney Center. The team as so far qualified girls and boys in every event but two and both teams have qualified all three of their relays.

So, go out and see why the team motto is, "We just do it right!"

JV player Matt Jennings (11) goes up for a lay-up.

====

UC e es an uccaneers n it1e rou ts

___ By Josh-Swartzlander E.ditorin Chief

ESPN hasn't caught on yet, but it's the year of the Bue.

,1,; n -0tb ~the - Ohio- State..R11Gkg. y e~--a.1;1d---t.li@...;..,. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the two teams my father and I root for religiously every year) won their respective football championships.

Every year I go up to my friends and tell them this will be the year for Ohio State and Tampa Bay to go all the way. Every year both teams disappoint. Ohio State chokes when it comes time to play Michigan, and Tampa Bay loses their frrst playoff game.

But not this year.

The angels came down from heaven this year and graced any team nicknamed the Bucs/Bucks.

It's a miracle, an unbelievable occurrence. Something must be wrong with the universe. Both of my football teams went all the way. This is unprecedented.

My father introduced me to his football favorites in elementary school to the great football traditions of Ohio State, and to the woeful history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Like father, like son. I was destined to root for the Bucs/Bucks since I was born.

My father has rooted for the Ohio State Buckeyes his entire life. He grew up in Ohio,

a • 1n

By TinaWilson f\ssistantPhotoE.ditor

s

The LincolnHigh Girls BasketballTeamis steadilyimprovingevery week. This year's seasongot off to a semirough start. The girls started out 2-4 but won six of their next eight games to give them a record of 8-6. Many sports features are done about players, so let's take a look at the startersfor the Lincoln High Varsity Girls' BasketballTeam.

First up, is number 21, Molly Shields. Shields stands 5' 8" and has been on Varsityfor two years. Shields has started every game this seasonand a few games last season. "I'm proud ' to be a starter because it means that the coach believesI have the ability to play hard from the beginning,"Shields said.

Shieldsis one of this years captains.Shields describesthe other startersas "girls who are Willing to do what is needed to win and work hard." Shieldswould like to see the Varsityteam work hard and play to their full potentialfor the.rest of the season. S.he has faith that they will do what it takes to make it to state.

Up next we have number 23, junior Jennifer Endres ,who stands 5'5", and has been on the Varsityteam for 2 years. Endres is averaging 13.7 points this season, and tied the school recordfor three pointersmade in one game with sevenagainstPius.Endresfeels that itjs an honor to be a starterfor the Links. "Sometimes I feel pressurebecause I along with the other starters

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel celebrates the Bucks narrow win over the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl. and Ohio State was the best college football team around.

The Buckeyes truly have a storied football history. The Bucks have now won seven national championships, including this year's win. They have had five Reisman Trophy winners. And the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is the best ever in college football . . But most of the team's success took place during the Woody Hayes years. Since the Hayes era (1951-1978), Ohio State's football story has not been so grand. The Buckeyes didn't have bad teams, the.y just never put everything together for a national title. Michigan played a large role in spoiling

tarters

help set the tone of how we play," said Endres. Endres would describe her fellow startersas "a great group of girls who are willingto work hard and have their minds totallyin the game."

Next is number 31, junior Abby Wood Wood has been playing on the Varsityteam for two years now. Wood is known for her deadly three point shot She has known a couple of the startersfor many years and has strong feelings .abouther teammates.

Now we have number 40, junior Alissa Holland. Hollandstands5'11 andhasbeenplaying on Varsityfor two years.Hollandwas a starter for most of her sophomore year and all of her junior year. She feels that this season the team has been struggling. "So many people have doubted us and told us how bad we are. That is what providesus with motivationto play hard," said Holland. Hollandis an excellentrebounder for the team. Although foul trouble tends to plague her, that doesn't stop her from averaging 8 points per game. Holland describesthe other startersas hard workers.

Last, but certainly not least is number 44, seniorAlexis Grenfell. Grenfell is 5'9 and has had two years of varsityexperience. Grenfellis the other captain and 'helps keep the team unified. Grenfell started most of her sophomore year,part of herjunior afterreturningfrom a knee injury. Grenfell went out with a knee-injuryat the beginningof last season,she is back this season and playing great. Grenfellfeels that there really isn't any pressurein being a starter. "You

Ohio State's national title hopes.

John Cooper, who preceded current Buckeye's coach Jim Tressel, was afraid of Michigan like a hug is afraid of a windshield. Cooper's lifetime record against Michigan was 2-10-1, while his overall Buckeye's coaching record was a solid 109-33-3 Michigan ended undefeated seasons for Ohio State three times in the 90's in 1993, 1995, and 1996. Cooper ended his Buckeye coaching career with six consecutive losses to Michigan in bowl games.

A 30-year national title drought finally ended this year as Tressel's Buckeyes won the Fiesta Bowl in double overtime to

etwant to get the team off to a good start," said Grenfell. If anything for the rest of the season, Grenfellwould like to see the team keep on track while the challengecontinues. Grenfell feels that the other starters each bring something different to the court. "Whether it's Alissa's go-go gadget arms and rebounding, Molly's defense, Abby's shot behind the arc and or Jen's aka Mighty Mouse all around game," said Grenfell.

Coach Bill Myers feels that" The starters are working well together and improving their skills. They are beginning to trust each other to do what must be done." Myers

clench the national championship. My father's fascination with the Tampa Bay Bucs has a different history My dad lived in Florida during Tampa Bay's early 1 - y ars. 'f he7:e am s• n rstoty°'b<!gan-i n- r 97~ 1= when Hugh Culverhouse was awarded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the NFL's 27th franchise.

The Bucs began their National Football League existence uniquely with a league record 26 consecutive losses.

Not only were they bad, but they were · also ugly. Attired in hideous orange outfits, the team was the laughing stock of the NFL .

But not today

The Bucs won their first Super Bow1this year. In a dominating game against the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay finally proved that it was for real.

"A franchise that once dressed like a popsicle was draped Sunday night in an NFL championship," sports columnist Mitch Alborn wrote, "having gutted the Oakland Raiders the way a hungry bear gores a fish."

It has finally happened. My football preseason predictions have finally come true, college and pro. The Bucs/Bucks are the best in the nation

I have only one word left to say.

REPEATS

ers e

goes through the process of looking at each player's skills, offensive and defensively, shooting, dribbling, passes and rebounding before picking his starters. Lately he has decided to change things up a bit and start different seniors who are showing improvement and hard work. Myers would like to see his team play hard and to their full potential. "I hope that the team will play hard as they can so they will always remember that they did their best," said Myers.

How will the Lincoln High girls' varsity team finish there season? The answer to that question reqiains to be seen. '#:'?:?It\,.,=···

17, 2003

Two Words: ELEKtRO'SPORK

Two Guy$: Marcus Tegtme Ler(10), So H appy Together: For 2 -yea r's Sounds Like: Daft PunK, Moby, Tim Rockin' Out While ELEKtRO SPO ha "C.eone completed album ,n the works.

fn 5 years, we hope to be: "strolhn whit~ also being on the cover of Roi

r ·'• ,-Se - · ; :" at: a cu1rently unqi p "talyst. Ff :~ ~ . oclties.corr~ktrospork

Tv,,oWords:Half Mary Three Musicians: C:ath~rlneBalta(12}.Am, Eric. Scy-ivens(UNL} o HappyTogether;.Catherrhe and E.richav ·years, Amandij completedthe trio8 mdQt· Sounds t..ike:Blink 182.meets Thur , Rpck~'l'04,t: The best part of performr crowd -and f saw peoplij singingthe words w ,.tn S years, we hope to be:"'"playingmuslc a : '' '', & ' '' '' -and to be known. bym~ny!'Find out more: www.halfmary,enw.nu

One Word: Grover e ~atheflne Four Guys: Ian Egenberger(11), Andy L~s(11), Ni~ Noel(11), Col Talbert(11)

So ppy Together: Ian and Andy have b 8; ,.~.•;,:~fJ Jince third grade, N _ nd Cole joined a month ago. ds Like: The Beatles vs. Phish in' Out: "We played at a we of a song, without warning. When he ;rt~""'!:/;"'.:ilf"7!ff(t, ~e mocked him b _ongwith which he interrupte • , ••e hope to be: Playing at the Z em next at: February 22, 6:30-8:30,ffm, M& N Sa1'fdwich Shop, 27 1 ndolph, FREE ut more: http://www.oroveronline.cib.net

sement Jaxx erform~d live , they r. and one

ew York City, ,ut probably

imeto e

MargaretGurewitz CopyEditor

Ahhh, 18. The big 1-8. It will be exciting for a few days, but when all the excitement wears off, what will you do? You need to find a way to make 18 different from 17, so why don't you sign up for the selective service and register to vote?!?

Eveiy male betweenthe ages of 18 and 26 must be signedup for the selectiveservice. Immigrantswho are not yet citizensmust alsoregister.

If you have not registeredfor the selective servicewithina month of your eighteenthbirthday,you couldbe fmedup to $250,000andjailed for up to five years. Youare also not eligiblefor anyjobs with the federal government,and you carmot get money from FAFSA, because that money comes from the federalgovernment.

Signingup for the selectiveservice is not file'Slliln:as sigrTihgup forffie draff: l\llilli5iis of people have registeredfor the selectiveservice in the past thirty years, but none of them have been forcedto go to war becausethere has been no draft. If there were a draft, however,the government would use the informationfrom your selectiveserviceregistrationto draft you

Studentscan register for the selectiveservice many places. Studentscan register at the post office and at http://www.sss.gov.

ister is ea

So, if you are male, you have signedup for the selective service, and you are now bored again. If you are female,it has beendullall along. Now you shouldalleviateyour boredomby registeringto vote!

There is no government-enforcedpenalty for not registeringto vote, but you punish yourself by choosing to remain silent. It takes less than five minutes to registerto vote.

Studentscan registerto vote on March 11, 2003 at LincolnHigh.

When students register to vote, they are askedto choose a politicalparty. The two main partiesareDemocrat(generallymore liberal)and Republican(gei1erallymoreconservative).There are otherpartiessuchas the GreenParty andLibertarians. If you register as part of a party,you DO NOT always have to vote for the candidate from that party.

san. There is no such thing as an independent.If you are registeredas a nonpartisanyou can vote in all general elections. You carmot,however, vote in parties' primary elections.

Citizenship Issues teacher J.P. Caruso says,"Votingis not just a right, it is a responsibility that each and eveiy Americanhas. Inscribed in the limestoneof the capitol,it says, 'The salvationof the state lies in the watchfulnessof the citizens.' Votingis one way we can help maintain watchfulness... Truly,decisionsare made by those who show up. One of the places to show up is the ballot box."

- So after all the excitementof the big 1-8 wears off, do something worthwhile. Fulfill your duties as a citizen.

arsit

Lincoln High Bands Impress Judges, Audience

By AustinMCCieery .Staff Writer

This last month both the Prep Jazz Band and the Varsity Jazz Band took a trip down to Kansas City, a city widely believed to be the birthplace of jazz.

The groups left on Friday, January 31 and returned Saturday, February 1. Both bands participated in a festival held at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. They each had a performance which was then critiqued by judges. Judges commented on a variety of musical details, including tone quality, intonation, and articulation.

When they weren't performing at the festival, the groups were either attending concerts or visiting museums. Their first stop of the trip was the White Recital Hall, where they watched the UMKC "11 o'clock Jazz Band," directed by Hal Melia.

The "11 o' clock" group was at one point a group that anyone on campus could join without auditioning, but as it grew in popularity, Melia made it an audition-only band. Now, as the "second" jazz group on campus behind the Jazz I band, they have grown to be quite a prestigious ensemble.

Terry Rush, director of both the Lincoln High bands said, "The concerts were a great opportunity for the kids to hear some professional musicians."

The next day, the bands had their performances, received their critiques and set off for the Kansas City Jazz Museum and the Negro Baseball League Museum. These historical museums are recent additions to KC and feature interactive walk-throughs of different eras.

There were many hands-on activities where students could listen to music, choose

drumbeats for jazz songs, or watch videos of classic jazz performances. At the Negro League Museum there were more videos, old jerseys, and autographed baseballs.

The band dined at the famous Bryant's' barbeque restaurant "Me, Paul and Austin almost met Dave Matthews; his tour bus was parked outside when we got there" said trumpet player Tom Hilsabeck ( 11 ). "It was pretty cool."

After some shopping at the Plaza, the groups attended their final concert of the trip, featuring the UMKC Jazz 1 band, and soloist Paquito D' Rivera. D' Rivera is a Grammy-winning saxophonist/ clarinetist.

When the concert was over, the bands took to the bus and journeyed back home to Lincoln. "I am extremely proud of how the • kids handled themselves, both on and off the stage," Rush said.

By..samBeutler ,1ssistantentertainment£ditor

The future of Lincoln High DECA looks brighter than ever as this year's state competition quickly approaches. After a strong showing by the DECA chapter at the district competition, the prospects for state look bright. Lincoln f-ligh DECA hopes to be able to send more than a handful of student members to the national competition in Orlando, Florida.

DECA ,an association of marketing students, consists of students taking marketing classes at Lincoln High. The students are taught the fundamentals of marketing, as well specific types of market• 1ng.

Students are then given the chance to show what they have learned and practiced by competing against DECA members from other local chapters at the district competition. The competitors take a written test in the area in which they are to compete, such as Business Services, Food Services, or Apparel and Accessories, among many others. This test is a 100 question, 60-minute comprehensive exam that poses questions and situations in that particular ar~a of marketing. There is also a 50 question, 30-minute general economics exam.

The real fun, most DECA members will agree, is not in the test taking, but rather in the role plays. Members are given a situation with either 10 OL20JUinutes to prepare, depending on whether it is a solo .. event or a team event. They then present T.) 1:2~ A

This year's Lincoln High DECAChapter looks to win the state DECAchampionship. This year's competition will be at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.

their solution for the marketing problem to a panel of judges who score them based on the competencies that they achieved and how well they solved the problem.

At the awards presentation , the success of Lincoln High DECA was overwhelmingly apparent. Of the 39 members from Lincoln High who participated in the day's events, 22 placed in the top 8 in their areas of competition. In the Business Services competition, Lincoln High placed seven of the top eight, including the top three. Jay Beermann (12) placed first, Gabrielle James (12) second, and Lindsey Kortt.m-{1-2-} third - ·

In other areas of competition, Sara Caskey (12) and Kara Fritz (12) placed sec-

o _ 's ·sto on LHSStudents Celebrate The Month

Women have long fought to gain even the most basic rights, such as working outside the home and voting. For many women in countries throughout the world, it is still illegal to do these things. In honor of the \Vomen who have risked everything to gain their rights, March is National Women's History Month.

National Women's History Month has an interesting history. In the 1970's, women's history was not taught in a majority of schools. In order to fix this problem, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County, California Commission on the Status of Women established a ·Women's History Week on the week of March 7, 1978.

International Women's Day, March 8, was the focus of the week in order to maintain a multicultural perspective. Enthusiasm for the week was tremendous. Within just a few years, many area schools were celebrating Women's History Week.

In 1978 a conference was held at the Women's History Institute at Sarah Lawrence University. At the conference, leaders of

organizations met and decided to propose to Congress the idea of a National Women's History Week the week of March 8.

By the end of 1980, a joint Congressional resolution declared that the first National Women's History Week would be the following year. Shortly after this, the National Women's History Project (NWHP) was founded. Their goal was to provide a place where people coulq fmd information about women's history and the plans for the special week.

After much s-uccess with National Women's History Week, in 1987 the NWHP petitioned Congress to lengthen the celebration from one week to the entire month of March. In 1992, a Presidential Proclamation was made in support of a national celebration of women's role in history.

If you want to get involved, a few events are planned in Nebraska. On March 31, the UNO Milo Bail Student Center has a Women's History Museum where projects by students and pictures of women are on display. The cost is free; to obtaintickets, contact Angie Robertson at (402) 554- 7290.

ond in Travel and Tourism. Jacob Absalon (12) and partner placed first in the Sports and Entertainment competition and Nolan Day (12) and Guy Perkins (12) placed second. Ariel Washington ( 12) placed first in Retail Merchandising and Tyler Schroeder (12) placed third in Quick Service. ·Ryly Zetterman (12) and Carrie Wiegert (12) placed third in Hos-

pitality and Recreation. Lincoln High placed second and third in Food Marketing with Glynna Ridge (12) and Jake Schaffer (12), respectively.

The success of Lincoln High at districts is as prominent as past years. Trudy Hines, the Lincoln High DECA advisor, said "It was wonderful . It wasn't a surpise though, because I knew we had kids that were very capable." The state competition is March 20-22, and Lincol11 High hopes that this success will continue through the next competition. At the state competition, every DECA chapter in Nebraska comes to Lincoln to compete. Stt1dents spend several nights in the Comhusker Hotel and other surrounding hotels. They compete

Su TcL:e s~'"

in competitions similar to those at districts, only with far more competitors Anyone who participated in districts is automatically eligible for state.

There are also speakers who come to the conference to speak to the students about different aspects of marketing. These meetings are placed between competitions to give the students a break. In the evening, students may attend a large dance put on by DECA. On the final day, there is a huge grand ceremony, where all winners are presented with their awards on stage in the grand ballroom of the Cornhusker.

Those students who place in the top three positions in the state competition qualify to go to the national competition in Orlando, Florida. Last year, over 12,000 students from across the nation traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the national competition. Lincoln High sent several students to the competition last year, having two students place in the top 10 in their categories There are large cash prizes for placing at nationals. This year, Mrs. Hines thinks "we'll have four or five peopl". going to nationals We have that kind of potential."

Lincoln High is bubbling with excitement and anticipation as DECA members prepare for the upcoming competition. Everyone hopes to do well so they can go to nationals. And while each student prepares to do his or her best, the Lincoln High Chapter as a whole is optimistic for this year's competition.

Sex won't make hi.m vours, and

Pregnancy Prevention Coalition

should be a month for everyone, men and women, to show their support for all of those women who have helped shape our country and world; women like MayaAngelou,

tu ents • lS a

.samBeutler ,1ssisantentertainment Editor

They stood waiting, peering into the Southeast gymnasium filled with the entire student body. Their faces were painted bright red with their Lincoln High enthusiasm. It was the day of the much-anticipated Southeast vs. Lincoln High basketball game between the top two teams in the state. Just as they were about to run across the court, yelling for Lincoln High, the Southeast · resource officer grabbed them from behind. "You two are trespassing!"

Seniors Tyler Lawrence and Zac Venema traveled to Southeast High school on February 7. They were excited for the upcoming game that night and they were determined to make a statement of their support for their school. Lawrence said, ·'We wanted to keep it real for the High." Venema wanted "to razz those Southeast punks and create some camraderie." They

did not realize that it is not allowed for students to be in schools other than their own during the school day. The two l':!ft Lincoln High at lunch, and proceeded to paint their faces red and drive to Southeast. Initially, the two planned to simply sit in the bleachers until the beginning of the game, perhaps viewing a few physical education classes. They found out shortly thereafter that Southeast holds pep rallies for nearly all athletic events and this day was no different.

Lawrence and Venema entered the building without being stopped or question~d. They arrived at the door of the gym, clearly in sight of all the Southeast students.

A cheerleader was talking alone on the court. Not wanting to make her· feel bad, since they thought it is difficult enough to talk in front of the entire school, they thought they would wait for her to fmish speaking before they would make their

iris tate • rov1 es

carrieWiegert ,1ssisantBusiness Manager

"You are the cream of the crop, the best our state has to offer." At least that is what we were told, day in and day out at Cornhusker Girls' State. Approximately 500 girls sat together through assemblies and political debates. Many sang in the chorus together throughout the week. Others chose to participate in band or newspaper. Sports were only offered to Boys' State attendees, who were participating in many of the same debates in another dorm located on the UNL campus.

I applied for Girls State as a junior, and was sponsored by the Lincoln Auxiliary Legion. If I had known what my Girls' State attendance would entail, I doubt I would have accepted my sponsorship. For one week I ate, slept, and spent almost all of my waking hours in the Cathor Pound dormitory. Not until the third day of the sixday camp did I come into direct contact with the sun. I sat through long hours of assemblies and was forced to participate in political discussions, which I had no knowledge of, and really, no way to learn. I was out of place. Most of the girls attending did not like me. I was a "city" girl with little interest in small farms and no passion for saving them. When I had applied for Girls' State I had the impression I would be participating in a tradition, a great experience. In the car ride home, I realized that

Girls State was one of the greatest obstacles I have ever overcome.

Girls' State was a very valuable experience for me. The problem is, the experience I gained from Girls' State was not in politics, debates or elections, as it was intended. At Girls' State, I learned what it meant to be a girl of my generation, stuck in a world that still believes in the injustices of the past. A past that required all women to wear skirts and pantyhose at all times. A past that believed boys could play sports, and girls could not. A past very different from what I believe we experience today as women.

One of our first requireme "nts upon arriving at camp was to sign up for daily "freetime" activities. Naively, I believed that · these activities would include tennis on the UNL east campus, like it did for the Boys' State attendees, or even track and volleyball. I was disappointed to find out that the activities available to Girls' State attendees were limited. My choices: newspaper, choir, or band. Evidently sports required too much strenuous activity for a girl I chose newspaper

As I journeyed through my remaining week at Girls' State I experienced many similar occasions where I felt penalized or inadequate because I was a girl. We were told many times to act like ladies. We were even expected to dress up (for the boys) on the few occasions we met with their group at camp.

Perhaps it was the ugly felt beanie I was forced to bobby pin on my head throughout

statement. Just as she was wrapping up, the resource officer came and grabbed them, quite enraged. He immediately took them to the principal 's office where they were questioned. According to Lawrence, "Their (Southeast's) principal thought it was funny. He was laughing at us."

The officer thought otherwise. They were escorted out of the school, then taken in a police car to Lincoln High. Venema said, "I had never been escorted out of any place and I thought it would be fun to give it a try." Administration at Lincoln High sided with the resource officer. They looked down on the actions of Lawrence and Venema. The two were given the choice of one day of in school suspension or trespassing charges. Both opted for !he suspension. Neither was allowed to attend that evening's game and could possibly be banned from all basketball games for the rest of the season. Had they achieved their •

goal of running across the gym, they would have been given disturbing the peace charges as well. On a more positive note, Lawrence added, "In ISS we had the time of our lives!"

Many students at LHS feel that a possible trespassing charge would have been somewhat extensive. They think that the trespassing policy that LPS enforces is to ensure that the education of the students is not disturbed. When a school has a pep rally every other Friday, they wonder if it is really disturbing their education? They are , perhaps, learning how to cheer.

In any case, Lawrence and Venema managed to make a statement of their school spirit in a more unorthodox way. Punishment they received, but a lot of pride they gained. Their fame quickly spread throughout both Lincoln High and Southeast. The two could, in a sense, be considered martyrs for Lincoln High's school spirit.

1verse X er1ences

the week. Maybe I never really gave it a chance. The truth is, Girls State was not a memory I wish to carry for years to come. It was, however, a stepping-stone. I learned through my experiences there how far we have come in developing civil rights in our country, and how much progress we have yet to make.

Girls' State opened my eyes to inequality. From my experience, I will take with me this: the value of opportunity is price" less. Take every chance you are given, and learn from every obstacle with which you are confronted.

• em1c rea • 1n rou out inco1n

BycarrieWiegert_ AssistantBusinessManage -r-

cause extreme laziness, or the inability to concentrate in class for even short periods of ..,,.._ time. It dis-

ables even ii,,.,;,m simple motor functions.

It can't be found in a dictionary, yet it aftlicts hundreds of teens ply leave it at school with all of his across the country. It is an epidemic, and as of yet, we have not found a cure. If you walk around Lincoln High School, you can almost feel its presence. The senior dip is contamin~ted by its stench. If you have not heard of it before, beware, because the season for senioritis is here.

Senioritis has many characteristics. It affects the student and his · or her mind. Many times it inhibits the ability to study, therefore resulting in severe drops in GPA's. It may

Sometimes a student will sit in front of the television for hours, unable to press the off 1 }'"''''-"> switch on the channel changer due to complications in their fin-

•

the pupil cannot take the strain of They too find themselves struggling student and expressing their con.: - carrying a backpack and will sim- through the last months of school until freedom and summer vacation. Assignments are handed in late, if at all. Even the most studious students struggle to stay motivated through the months of March, April and May. cems. In more recent studies, parents have found that a suspension of phone or car privileges may also slow down the spread of senioritis . Drastic treatment measures may even include grounding, or an in.creased number of chores.

Ben Mosby (12) demonstrates a common effect of senioritis ·

or her homework inside. Iftheymanageto carry their backpacks outside the school premises, it is a lost cause. By the time they reach their destination they are so exhausted that actually completing their homework is nearly impossible.

While it mainly afflicts seniors, ger movement ability. The symptom,5worsen as time passes. Often

s tonite is to

___ ByJosh..swartzlander __ _ &litorIn Chief

Lately, I feel like U.S. military intelligence is a contradiction of terms With an~.om_terrQr..alerts _ and broad statements. about oomestic security, our country is neing controlled by fear.

gence information, ;(whatdid t ____ ) corroborated by multiple sources, that Osama bin Laden's terrorist organization sought to attack Americans," Associated Press reporter Curt Anderson wrote regarding our most recent terrorist warn- 1--1 ing. Is this the same -- ,e just say? intelligence we had before 9/11? What 1,-1

@' Who cares,now helpme finish ducttapingthe windows ----.----__,,,.;..........,,_,---\ - 7 · ....I)

senioritis has even been found to have slight effects on juniors as well.

· There is no known cure for senioritis, yet teachers and parents are continually making progress in an attempt to depress its symptoms and the effects it has on teens. Many times a call to a pupil's home about their grades or behavior in class may ease the symptoms for a short time. Teachers may even attack the epidemic directly, going straight to their

Treatments are developed every day to help students affected by senioritis. Unfortunately, while these treatments may help slow the spread of the ailment, in the end, it is up to the student to decide whether he or she will battle this epidemic. After all, "He who refuses to learn has no respect to eam!"-Daniel Chow

uct e is to errorists

other tragedy to worry about domestic security, but I need more evidence before I panic about terrori1>m, especially in Lincoln, Nebraska.

I feel like U.S. citizens are being maulated into a culture of fear by our own

government. I wish I could trust our current administration, but I am skeptical. Let's demand clearer evidence ofterrorist threats.

are our sources?

to attack us with biological or chemical weapons. Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge said it would be good to have supplies like duct tape and sheets of plastic, but that it was probably too early to start .s.'"ali.ng w.indQw~J ba nk~fur th e__a.\l\j 9.~, Tom. The 9/1 1 terrorists thwarted a irport security and successfully hijacked mul"Attorney Gen-eral John Ashcroft Oranqe Alert tiple planes, and we are counting on duct tape to save us. said the government Even though we are in a code orangealert, had received intelli- do not stock up on DUCT TAPE! After 9/11, President Bush said that Americans should not change their lives because of the attacks. The administration made it obvious that Americans should conduct business as usual. But now the tune is changing. How are Americans supposed to carry on business as usual when we are being told to buy duct tape in case we

The latest terror scare occurred in February during the annual hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The gov:ernment raised ·its terror threat to orange. Dunh, dunh,duuuuunh!

No one is sure why this event would trigger a terrorist attack, but hajj sounds pretty scary, doesn't it? I mean, what word ends in two j's anyway?

On Friday, February 7, CNN did nonstop coverage of the orange alert leve.l. Someone, please tell me the story that warrants nonstop coverage. Our new alert level is orange. So what? A level that has been <,hanged because of an Islamic event that few people understand based on information that nobody can access .Wow.

But the ~orst part is, people are responding to this madness. In Lincoln, Nebraska, hardware stores saw runs on dt1ct tape after the heightened alert. Not Washington, D.C., but Lincoln, Nebraska. It is unlikely that terrorists are going are attacked with biological/chemical weapons?

Since 9/11, this trend of frequent, random terrorist scares has begun to an• noy me. It seems that once a week, the FBI sends out a warning that terrorist attacks are imminent. But as Americans, we have seen no evidence of organized terrorist activity since 9 / 11.

"We have nothing to fear, but fear itself," former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said in response to the panic and chaos during the 1930's depression . Right now, we should fear, fear. We're afraid of our shadows, paranoid about our neighbors. And the consequences have been devastating. Since the 9/11 attacks, the Freedom of Information Act has disappeared, our due process has been compromised, and Congress has i:ejected its power to declare war, and instilled the entire trust and responsibility in one man of questionable morality and intelligence.

I'm not saying we should wait for an-

• inter em1-

By JamieBrown GraphicsManager

For those of you that were not a part of the 280 students who attended the Winter Semi-Formal, you missed out! The Winter Semi-Formal was held on February 21, 2003 from 9pm to 12am at the Union Train Station • 1n the Haymarket. The cost to get into the dance was $7, and the tickets were only sold before the dance and not at the door. The Winter Formal was a Sadie Hawkins dance, which means that the girls got to ask their dates this time. This was the first Winter Semi-Fo1mal that LHS has seen in several years.

When walking into the Train Station, the first thing visible was a table where you could vote on Winter SemiFormal royalty. The Royalty • winners were sophomore Gabby Loving-Porter, sophomore Darrin Reinhart,junior Jessica Talero, junior Chadd Stutheit, sen1or Sarah Behrens, and senior Nick Madsen. Upon entering the ballroom, there were round tables with white linen, with balloons and feathers gracing the linen. From the ceiling hung lights wrapped in a white see through fabric, which made it look like a winter night. In front, there were three pillars with feathers hanging on top, making a good place for the happy couples to get their picture taken professionally. The strings of lights in the plants and on the ceiling made the atmosphere feel romantic and peaceful, like a winter wonderland. But like all dances, there were some flaws.

''It wasn't quite what I expected, but I know that Student Council worked hard. The Train Station looked wonderful, and all it needed was some more people in attendance," senior Stephanie Bittinger said. Other than a few flaws, the Winter Semi-Formal was a total success. ''From a Student Council viewpoint, I think that our hard work paid off, the dance was successful and we were happy with the results," senior Nicole Von Busch, treasurer for Student Council said.

We look forward to see what Student Council and African-American Caucus will do with the Winter SemiFormal next year, and we hope it will be another Lincoln High job well done.

orma oc s e • rain tation

alty winners Nick Madsen and Sarah Behrens. Allen Ladd and Ahley Tolle share a slow dance together. Students dance their hearts away at the Winter Semi-Formal.

Top: Lincoln High School Students bust moves on the dance floor at the Winter Semi-Formal. Clockwise (top small picture): Sophmore Royalty winners Dc1rrin Reinhart and Gabby LovingPorter. Junior Royalty winners Chadd Stutheit and Jessica Talero. Senior Roy-

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By JessiraPerez -StaffWriter

In September of this school year, San Jose's Poet/ Author/Professor Marc Pinate visited Lincoln High School and preformed his slam poetry in some classes. Pinate enjoyed his time so much that he came back in February and decided to conduct a writing workshop with 7 selected Latino students at Lincoln High: Se·R~ie ,i;. s Luis Johnny Junior =l;\d = i b,i=l=i-B•G.cJ r N,,i:Gk,.Mar. , ti-!l-e.z,, Aguayo, Giraldo, Elided Martinez, and Sophomores Liz Ortiz and Olivia Martinez. The students who attended the workshop really enjoyed it. Liz Ortiz said, "He helped me a lot and showed me

the workshop. While the new poets recited their poems, Pinate played the guitar in the background and helped them decide which tone to put in their poems. Pinate identifies most with two of his poems: "Downtown When You're Brown" and "Joe." In the poem "Joe," he feels he speaks from his heart. "Downtown when your brown'' is about how life can be when you're Latino. It starts ' '.Do:wnt Qwn wJLe n.....).'. o W.:.. re br Q.iY. n ther muffled sound of injustice is drowned out by the boom boom boom oftricked out impala and cherried out minitrucks as the cat calls of oppression are how to express my feelings. It was a very good experience and he also

Slam poet Mark Pinate plays his guitar for students during a writing workshop for LHS Latino Students heard up and down Santa Clara Street and beautiful Latinos strut 5 6 deep in helped me not to care about what people say about my writing."

This workshop was only for Latinos. This was not Pinate's idea. It came from the teachers who made it possible for him to come to LHS. Lincoln High School teachers realized that there are not enough programs for Latino students. They thought that Pinate would interact better with Latino students only.

Johnny Giraldo said, "I improved a lot. He helped me get my Latino taste back."

Luis Aguayo added, "I found out how to mix Spanish and English." Pinate suggested that the students combine languages in their writing.

Pinate was born in Tacoina, Washington. His father was in the Air Force so Pinate travelled a lot with his family. Pinate moved to California for college and is currently living in San Jose, California. Pinate said, ''It's important to get our stories out because nobody will get them out for us."

The workshop only lasted one week. Everybody was upset because they didn't want him to leave, but he had to because he had other responsibilities to take care ofat home.

For the duration of the workshop, the students worked togethef and helped one another. Pinate felt really proud of working with the people who participated in

or midnight blue Buick Regals with gold spokes and silver cruci -fixes hanging from ' the rear view mirror. Downtown when your brown all signs say no cruising zone but what they really mean is no Mexican Zone. Latinos are a beautiful people and deserve to strut but the look of brow11 pride in the eyes of an Azatlan warrior are too much for fools to handle."

Olivia Martinez commented, "He helped me write in my culture. It was easy working with the group because it wasn't a big group. It would be nice if there would be more programs for Latinos." Nick Martinez wrote, "When the revolution comes I'm gonna be able to go out with my boys and not worry about a thing. Kick back and relax all of us. Unstopable from doin' what we want when we want. When the revolution comes No company is gonna put a twist on my culture. Taco Bell ain't gonna have ground beef, hard shell and sour cream. It's going to be tacos like the ones I could get in the plaza on my way home from a baile. And where everything comes fresh. When the revolution comes. . . people will see the Mexico I see. I've never been to Cancun or T.J. They will see the small houses and people of all ages walking everywhere but not caring because that's life. Work by day, time of your life by night

ritin or inc

and when you wake up the next day it's time to do it again. When the revolution comes. Nobody is gonna pay three hundred dollars for a PS2, they'll spend 'it on futbolito tables with the small handles. When the loser pays and I always win. When the revolution comes Mexicans will be able to cross into U.S. just like Americans can cross to Mexico. There won't be a thing called racism because people will know better Jobs will go to~ Ife~m o sf'q uai1lie cl- n o maf ter "'if tlre person is white, black, brown or whatever other color there is. Many improvements have been made but still think about what the world will be like when the revolus 0 or C 00

·o1n • 1

tion comes."

Elided Martinez said, "He inspires people with his brown culture poems and shows how there is discrimination in the world. He's also a great writer and is a very cool guy."

Johnny Giraldo said, "Marc made me feel the ritmo (rhythm) with his poems."

Pinate was brought to LHS by Ron Bowlin, a professor at University of Nebraska-Lincoln who works with a program--- '·a J111"

Program. Counselor Virginia Saporta and teachers Mary Dickinson and Erica Birky Rios also were instrumentel in organizing the workshop.

Lincoln High's own Gabe Yost ranked eighth •

ByJacobMiller NewsF..ditor

Imagine traveling to places such as Tokyo, Niagra Falls, Orlando, and Chico, California Is this the life of a rock star or a famous athlete? Yes, but it is also the life of a yo-yo star. Lincoln High's own GabeYostlives that life. Yost, a junior, is currently ranked eighth in the world in the official yo-yo rankings.

Yost began yo-yoing around the age of six with the help ofhis brother-in-law,a yo-yo demonstrator. He steadily improvedhis skills, and by the time he was twelve or thirteen, he

zn the world

tricks. If I can see something in my head, I end up pulling off the trick the way I thought about it,"Yost commented.

The competitions Yost enters are filled with hopefuls trying to become one of yo-yo's elite. A competition is filled with different divisions, each of which has over 80 competitors. During the first day of the competition, the competitors have to perform the tricks that the judges assign them. Some of the people continue to compete in the next round, while others go home to practice a little more. In the second day of the competi-

Gabe Yost (11) practices his yoyoing skill by performing various tricks in the halls of Lincoln High School.

Gabe Yost (11) practices his craft during lunch at Lincoln High.

decided to take his skills on the road. In his first contest in Niagra Falls, he made a splash in the yoyo world, finishing first. He continued to improve his skills and at one point was ranked sixth in the world. While winning more than ten competitions might satisfy most people, Yost works on new tricks everyday.

"Most of the time [the new tricks] are variations of other

Ranked Eighth in the World, Yoyo champ Gabe Yost (11) shows

tion, the top ten people from the previous day do their own tricks to music that they select.

Yost is already one of the top yo-yo competitors in the world, but he has plans to improve and climb in the world rankings.

"I can really yo-yo forever.Youdon't need to be athletic and there is no real age limit in the competitions. I've competed with kids that were eleven and with real old people. That's what's so great about it,"Yostexplained.

Yost says his career highlight has either been winning his first contest or when he was on the children's channel, Nickelodian, competing at Universal Studios.

He doesn't earn money for winning contests, but the Yo-YoJam company pays for his transportationand meals. Yosthas earned over 2,000 dollars for doing demos across the country.

He plans to compete in the Mid-America Regionals in Witchita, Kansas, followed by a demo appearance in Chico, California 1n April. Also on his schedule is the National Finals in Orlando, Florida this August.

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,

A new phenomenon has struck America. Reality television has exploded this season as many more television networks are jumping onto the reality television bandwagon. America's current obsession with reality shows started with the Real World and Road Rules. It has evolved from Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire and Survivor to the Bachelorette and Joe Millionaire. Today, we have many reality shows, including Survivor 6- the Amazon, the Bachelorette, and Joe Millionaire. Other major television networks decided to create their own shows to take advantage of America's obsession with reality televisions shows.

"Joe Millionaire" captured America's attention with a marriage "game" that matched a single guy with one of twenty women. The main catch of the show was that Evan, a construction worker earning $19,000 annually, lived a lie that he had just inherited $50 million. Twenty beautiful women went to a castle in France for the taping of the show. The women didn't know that they were being misled by the show. In the second to last episode, the producers created advertisements that hinted at the second to last episode being the final one. In the final episode, Evan had to choose between the two finalists, Zora and Sarah. He told the two women that he is living a lie: that he is not a millionaire, only a poor construction worker. Evan decided to ask Zora to be his wife and she accepted, even after fmding out that he is not worth $50 million. The much hyped final twist was when the show's butler presented Eva:n and Zora with a check for $1 million. •

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The Bachelorette was a new show that had one woman choose from 25 prospective guys. She had to decide which man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. In an emotional state, Trista, the Bachelorette, told Charlie that he was not the one she chose. Trista told Ryan that she is in love with him and she wants to spend the rest of her life with him. She told him that he is the person that she has been waiting for her entire life. After kissing Trista, Ryan re~ sponded by dropping to his knees and proposing to Trista. She accepted his proposal and then gave him a rose that symbolized her accepting the proposal. After going out on dates with 20 guys at the same time, Trista finally found the right guy: Ryan. Trista and Ryan ended the series telling each other that they were in love and had finally found their perfect mate.

Survivor 6 - the Amazon is another show of the continuation of the series Survivor. The show takes place in the Amazon jungle in northern Brazil. To add a new element to the show, the survivors were split into two groups immediately after landing, · males and females. The male group had to go to tribal council first, voting off Ryan in the first episode. In the second episode, the males pulled off a win in their challenge.

The reality television craze is not about to go away. In the coming months, many new shows are coming. The producers of"Married by America" are hoping audiences will be enchanted by the idea that they will decide who marries who. Everyone can look forward to new shows that are bigger and better as television networks try to increase their market share.

1 ua ua: ot ust an xc1a ation

ByJessicaPerez -StaffWriter

Ay Chih,uahua isn't just a phrase anymore. To all of you who don't know what Ay Chihuahua is, let me assure you that it's a good place to be on weekends.

Ay Chihuahua is a restaurant and bakery during the week, but on Saturday night the bakery/restaurant t11rns into a ballroom. Ay Chihuahua is owned and operated by the Barrera family, who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. The Barrera family members are Alfredo Barrera (father and owner), his wife Dora, and his two kids Wendy and Freddy. When Alfredo told his family that he wanted to start a business, they family didn't like the idea. Alfredo convinced Dora in the end, and decided to go ahead with his dreams.

Dora Barrera believes, "This is a good business, and it's one of the first Hispanic businesses."

Mrs. Barrera didn't like the idea at first because she was afraid that it would not work, she said, "There aren't many Hispanics, dances.

(L to R) The family Barrera; Dora, Wendy, Alfredo, Freddy are preparing to greet customerswho are ready to dine and dance.

Alfredo Barrera said, " Ay Chihuahua is a family business a n d everybody's • •op1n1on counts." and there aren't any good places for young

Freddy, the couple's son said, " I feel really proud ofmy dad and of Hispanics to be. We like to have dances, because in Lincoln there aren't many the business and because he's gone through a long road and was able to suceed in life."

Ay Chihuahua plays Mexican music, such as cumbia, guapangos, corridos, nortefio and many more. Ay Chihuahua is well known among the Latinos in Lincoln, but the rest of the community is not really aware, Everyone, however, is welcome. If you'd like to go visit Ay Chihuahua and party, Alfredo Barrera is willing to make a deal with Lincoln High students. Admission to Ay Chihuahua dances is usually $15, but if you show your student I.D. at the door, he will only charge $10. Is that a deal or what? Ay Chihuahua is located at 2050 Cornhusker Highway. This Saturday, Grupo Combincaion will perform.

Alfredo had advice for Lincoln High School students, "Be smart, stay in school, you are the future. Working without an education can be really hard."

Julianne More is nominated for an academy award for best actress in a leading role for her performance in Far From Heaven.

a e • ice ro • • 1a 1

By F..ric1-fillgren AssistantSports.E.ditor

Tired of the same old cold weather in Lincoln, Nebraska? Now there's a hot new restaurant in town and they're bringing the heat to Lincoln. Miami Slice, owned and operated by Jeff McCandless and Derik Rowe, creates a Miami setting with tropical murals, patio furniture and a wooden deck. The warm feeling, however, leaves you as soon as you _ hit the snowy roads of Lincoln. In the back of the restau rant there are several video games, air hockey, and pool tables. Television's all around add a sports bar feeling. It's the perfect hang out whether you

Eric enjoys a slice of Taco Pizza, just one of Miami Slice's unique pizza options.

are a use

high school student, college coed, or parent who thinks the pizza is just good. "It's a slice of paradise," R owe said.

To go along with the awesome surroundings, the restaurant has really good pizza, too. Miami Slice claims to have the best pie in town. I'll be the first to attest to that. Their ingredients are phenomenal. "The cheese makes the pizza. We decided to quality grade A cheese to give our customer the best taste, unlike most pizza places" said McCandless. The slice which makes Miami Slice is the "Paradise" pizza, which offers huge slices of canadian bacon with plump pineapple, juicy mandarin oranges, and cheese. very creamy, creamy cream Some other spectacular pizzas ~re the Hot Top, Taco, Veggie, Spicy Chicken Ranch, and Combination pizzas.

John's), and 1s open Mondays and Tuesdays 11:OOamto 9:00pm and Wednesday through Saturday 11 :OOam to 2:00am carryout services Dine-in, and delivery presently Owner and are available. Manager Jeff McCandless says -"Miami Slice is a great place to meet up with friends to plan your night, we

a bite at "the Max" with Zach Morris and A.C. Slater? A Max like atmosphere can now be found here in Lincoln. This hot new spot is making a big impact on Lincoln and the pizza crowd. So why not be part of the "in crowd" and go downtown and taste a slice or two.

Remember Miami Slice is not just about pizza. They also have Bayside sandwiches and Surfside soups bread bowls along with appetizers such as nachos, garlic braids,

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The d1n1ngroom at M1am1 Slice offers more entertainment than just eating pizza. turn up the music there is a relaxed smoke free environment for teenagers to just hang out." Remember when you used to watch Saved By The Bell and you always wished that you could grab so sticks, bread. chips & salsa, and cheese

Miami Slice is located downtown at 1339 0 Street (across the street from Jimmy

Data Match couple Jay Beermann (1 2) and Carrie Wiegert (12) find true love through the data match survey conducted by FBLA.

_____ JayBeennan___ _ Copy E.ditor

The week of anticipation is finally over. There I am, standing in front of potentially the woman of my dreams. I have known her for years, but only now, after DataMatch, do I know that we are meant for each other.

The DataMatch survey, conducted by Future Business Leaders of America

as who would fit the person as a friend. To get the results, students had to pay $2, or $3 if they wanted the results for more than just one grade. A portion of the proceeds went to the March of Dimes, but in my heart, I know much more has come out of the program. I found love.

This special woman, let's call her (FBLA), was intended as a fundraiser for Carrie, showed up as number five on my the club. During fifth period classes, FBLA list of potential matches. I only somedistributed a survey to all students. The sur- what knew the top four matches, and one vey asked students about their likes and dis- of them was far too good a friend to ever likes, as well ·as testing a little general date. But Carrie there was something knowledge. The results of this survey were about her that I could not put my fmger analyzed, and from these results they found on; Intelligent? Absolutely. Beautiful? each person's "potential matches,'' as well Without a doubt. Personality? The kind that makes you think you are in a wonderful dream from which you never want to wake.

I picked up my results on Monday, and Friday was Valentine's Day. What better time to start our romance than the one day of the year designated for lovers. That night there was a boys basketball game, so I offered to

t rou . ata ate

take her out to dinner afterwards. When I got to the game, I could hardly believe my eyes. Maybe it was the smell of the hardwood court or the sweat dripping from the players, but the instant I first saw her, my heart stopped. There she was: Carrie, my perfect match. -

Like any proper gentleman, I brought Carrie flowers; roses, to be specific. We watched the game sitting next to each other, but my attention was focused elsewhere. My heart was racing, and it sure wasn't the tension of the game (we · beat Southwest by

ing a real life physics lesson that Friday, because before I knew it, the game was over, and it was time for dinner.

Carrie, a group of our friends and I proceeded to Fireworks, a pleasant restaurant in the Haymarket next to Lazlo 's. The food was delicious and the service was great, bu! the company made the evening. We ate, conversed, and I tried my hardest to convey an aire of confidence, though on the inside I was shaking with trepidation.

The night was over almost as soon as it had begun. As we left the restaurant into the forty points, perhaps the largest margin of cold, snowy night, I swear I saw a light from victory EVER). Albert Einstein once said, above illuminate Carrie as she walked. I "Sit on a hot stove for a minute, and it feels like an hour. Sit next to a pretty girl for an hour, and it feels like a minute. That's the

knew then that she was someone special. Only a girl as magnificent as she could cause the stars to shine just for her. After all, she theory of relativity." Apparently I was hav- is Carrie, my perfect match.

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Marijuana's affect on the

By ----A,sst. Margo D. Kekeliya Feature E.ditor

Legalizing the so-called "light drugs" has become a very important issue in many well-developed European countries. According to a USA Today/CNN/GallupPoll (August, 2002), the support for legalizationof Pot in the US is at its highest level ever.The fact that 34% of Americans support the idea of legalization proves that the number of the people favoring this idea has significantlyincreased. In the situation of a potential war with Iraq, the US economy will try to find some alternative ways to raise the budget. So why not legalize some of the "light drugs" (for example, marijuana)? But there are many reasons that speak against legalizing any drugs, such as the amount of car accidents caused by drivers smoking marijuana or the fact that 6 out of 10"light drugs" users end up being seriousdruggies. Marijuana is illegal in most of the states. But in Honolulu, Democratic Gov.Ben Cayetanahas signed a bill decriminalizing the use of marijuana by sick Hawaiians but with the approval from their doctors.

There are similar laws that have passed in 8 states (for example, California and Arizona) and the District of Columbia. Hawaii is the first state to support the law by a State Legislature rather than through a ballot initiative.In other States - Alaska, Oregon, Washington,Maine, Colorado, and Nevada, the laws were changed by state wide initiative.

In the 70s, more people started supporting the idea of legalizingpot. More states (for example, California) decriminal' ized possession of small amounts. But the actual legalizationof manJuanawas nevermeantto h appen:in the 80s:R eagan'spolicy for drug offensesbecame more and more strict. President Bill Clinton gave new birth to the "war on drugs" by increasing federal funds.

Among the positive sides of legalizing marijuana is the possibility to collect more taxes from the drug dealers. That means more money to helpAIDS patientsin Africa,more money to build houses for homelesspeople and, of course,more money for the potential war with Iraq. But can that guaranteethat drug dealers wouldn't try to escape the taxes? Legalizing marijuana doesn't mean that all the drug dealers would become decent · citizens, start paying taxes and doing volunteer activities.

C'mon

economy

Some say that legaliz• • ·1ng marijuana would lower criminal activities. The police would have more time to investigate other cases and life in big cities would become safer. But, in my opinion, it would cause even more

criminal activities. Inlagine that marijuana is legalized Everybody can buy it. Fact one: druggies always need money to buy the next dose. If they don't find any they start robbing. How about that? Fact two: the amount of car accidentsthat might be causedby marijuana-smokingdriverswould increase.Fact three: people using the drugs (or having a delirium)might be aggressive. They can1t respond to the surroundingworld adequately.

• 10 t1me of war

of them think we have not used long enough to be addicted to marijuana,"says the MarijuanaAnonymous,the society of men and women helping each other overcome their addictions. If marijuana were legalized, the people might find less interest in taking it. In society, where all kinds of drugs were prohibited for years, there is always a risk that after legalizing any of them the public would not know how to act appropriately.

But there is also a possibility that if 'marijuana were to be legalized, the excitement of taking it would go away. So we wouldn't have to face the problems listed above.

Legalizing marijuana might be a relief for the people who have AIDS or terminal cancer. Using marijuana for medical purposes might be cheaper than using pain relief medicines. Besides,there are about 10,000governmentstudieswhichprove that cannabis (legal drug, which is usually prescribed for the people with certain medical conditions)has no medical value.

Legalizing marijuana would also make it cheap, whicl1 . means that more people wouldbe ableto affordit. So they would have to steal to get the next dose.

All drugs have a less or more serious affecton your organism. For example, strong drugs cause hard deliriums, even deaths, ruin liver and kidneys of the people, who take them. The scanned brain of a person, who has been using cocaine for 5 years (if the person survives that) looks like a sponge. Some people say marijuana doesn't damage your health at all. But it is scientificallyproven that one dose of marijuana contains four

Among the 16 million drug users in the US, 77 percent are using marijuana and about 60 percent of teenagers in treatment liave a prinlary marijuana diagnosis. K' ZOO1•study 'of stua""en""'l t"" s = "!'trine'!!

in grades 8-10 showed that 20 percent of 8'h graders had used Marijuana is absorbed by fatty tissues in variousorgans.In most marijuana and about 9 percent were current users. 39 percent of cases, marijuana can be detected by a standardurine test a few the males and 26 percent of females test positive. "In my opin- days after smoking it. But in some heavy cases marijuana can ion, it is easierfor a woman to get addictedto drugs,"-saysNancy be detected weeks after smoking it. Wolfe,theSCIP(SchoolCommunityinno vation)teamleader. · 121 students were surveyed. 43 were seniors, 41 were "There are more teenagers in Marijuana Anonymous to- juniors, and 39 were sophomores. 82 want to legalize mariday than at any time in the past. They come for many different juana, 39 did not want to, and I was undecided. reasons - parents tell them to come, the schools or the courts Regarding the problems and the benefits connected with send them, and s0J,11e of them come on their own.A few of them legalizationof marijuana,you and only you will decidewhether have smoked pot for years, others only a few months. Many of you are for or against So to legalize or not? The choice is them question whether they really are marijuana addicts. Some yours. . . -

0 • 1ca easons to e2a ize ar11uana

By A,braham A,kec ~taff Writer

The government prohibits and controls some dangerous drugs that are harmful to our bodies: ls this fair?

Marijuana is a natural plant that grows on the earth. We have human rights to do what we want as long as our actions do not harm others. Our rights should not be taken away if we smoke marijuana. ·We have the right to to do what we want. The government is wasting our time and money by prohibiting • • mar1Juana

cal reason that marijuana is prohibited when drugs such as alcohol an d tobacco are not. If the government wants to control marijuana, it should control other drugs too.

Marijuana can have good effects on our metabolisms and on emotional behavior. It also eases pain in our bodies Marijuana is used by medical researchers and is an importartt medicine in the treatment of cancer and some other diseases . Marijuana should not be abolished because people who need it will not be able to have it.

be removed too. The Bill of Rights indicates that individuals may assemble peacefully.

Those who are addicted to the drug will be affected emotionally,

is unconstitutional to make marijuana illegal because it is a consumable and use. ful drug.

Myfellow Americans, just because I choked physically, and mentally because the drug is playing a very impor, . tant role in their body system. The drug will become a natural food for their body It will be very hard for them to adjust to a world where there is no smoking of marijuana. And that is why it very hard for marijuana smokers to quit.

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Marijuana relaxes your mind and body. I think prohibiting it is not an effective solution to the problems associated with it. We understand that marijuana is like other drugs such as tobacco <1nrl

The control of marijuana is not ethical because it is against individual rights. The smokers of marijuana have a rigpt t9 form marijuana organizations without the government intervening in their decisions and rights. If ma!ijuana organizations are nrr,h;hit,-rl th,-n thP. Rill of R i P-hts should

In conclusion, marijuana should be legalized because it will help a lot and it will play a very important role in human health. It also releases the pain from uncurable diseases such as cancer It is against individual rights and-

.. .., on a pretzel doesn't mennyou should , misunderestimateme Besides,beingthe President is a hard job. l:t wouldbe a whole heck of a lot easier if this wholegovernment thing wasa dictatorship as longas. I were the dictator..1,

man, yo1.1knowya want to ·

Clieech GeorgeW

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By LizNguyen OpinionE.ditor

As bodies loom large in our consciousness, brains and real talent seem to evaporate into insignificance. Why go to the effort ofbeing a person of unique, original talent when you will get so much more attention by being a sex kitten? If a struggling artist has their first song is out, first movie made, or first talk show aired and it is not a critical success, what do they do? They flick the switch to propel themselves to celeb-

:rity status overnight by showing up on the red carpet in a tight, body-hugging dress showing half of their buttocks with the top so loose and low-cut, that teenage boys hope a strong wind blows by. Talk about naked ambition. Is a sexy, extrav.angantly flaunted body a good indicator of success? Hollywood seeins to think so. I'm sure we've all seen how the body in all its natural splendor, may be considered artful in watercolors and sculptures. But on the red carpet, .on CD covers, in music videos, bedroom posters, and covers of magazines like Vanity Fair, it's totally inappropriate and unnecessary. I understand there's a lot of pressure in showbiz and desperation to climb to the top is widespread, but that's still not a good reason for women to confuse stripping with empowerment. Wanting to show that you're ''not a little girl anymore" is not a good reason to wear !ess clothing, as it is implied by many female stars like Christina Aguilera and

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they are showing skin artfully, but that's just a poor excuse. What they're really doing is sending out the message of empowerment through sexuality. Should these women be con• sidered good role models? Because they're defmitely making a good play for mainstream acceptance of empowerment

to tar 0

stars music video? It's like they're desperately hoping to be recruited to model for the nextAbercrombie and Fitch ad. This defeats the whole purpose of if you want to be tops you've got to have the attitude and skills. When Arethra Franklin was queen all people c_ouldtalk about was her voice. Queen Latifah isn't exactly the best-looking artist of the year, but she is perfectly comfortable with the way that she looks. And guess what? She may not be the best-looking actress of the year, but she may be the best actress up for an Oscar nomination for her role in Chicago.

I feel sorry for some of the women in cinema and music who have been lured into undressing themselves in the public eye to gain popularity. They have totally bought into propaganda and submission. Poor Kelly Clarkson:. What are they going to get her to look like a year from now? A woman already worth $32 million plays a fool just to make another million and for fleeting attention at that. I know some women out there believe that if they've got it, they should flaunt it, but please ladies keep something for yourselves. It's already shameful enough that Angelina Jolie. At least Britney admitted ~he's"not that inno- through sexuality. A lot of ,won1er11lotjust rising and current cent" anymore. female stars are using their body to gain attention. How often

Female celebrities showing off their success and a lot more.

Do these female stars realize the message they send out do you see provocatively dressed models positioned all 9ver to their young fans especially ones who might be aspiring sing- male stars on a cover of a magazine? How often do you see ers, actresses, or musicians? Some female celebrities claim girls in tight short shorts and belly tops prancing in some ra·

e ea torv e ·in

By F..llenWright F..ntertainmentF..ditor

In a society dependent upon the automobile for transportation, nothing gets the attention of the American consumer quicker than the price of gasoline at gas pumps across the · United States. When the price of filling a car increases over thirty percent, the monthly budget of Am~rican households is impacted substantially. A pending war with Iraq dominates the news media, but the jump in gas prices now shares the

headlines in newspapers across the country.

Motorists are quick to blame the record-breaking prices on a possible war with Iraq, the largest single supplier of oil in the world. It is a valid and logical reason, but only one of the contributing factors. The largest factor driving gas prices is the amount of crude oil available worldwide. When the production of crude oil is up the cost at the pump goes down. It is basically a supply and demand issue. When supplies of crude oil are expanded the prices of gasoline decline. The OPEC

some women use their bodies to gain undeserved fame when they might have absolutely no genuine talent. But what's even more degrading is getting to the point where people find the sight of your 'supposedly-artfully-displayed' body parts bor1ng

countries produce forty percent of the world's oil supply. When OPEC cuts production prices rise and if production is increased then prices fall.

For example, in April 2001 OPEC reduced production by 1 million barrels per day. Gas prices rose to an average of 1.71 per gallon. The U.S. imports 273 million barrels of oil per month. Therefore when production is cut by this amount a shortage can trigger an increase in cost. Moreover · the December 2002 strike by oil workers in Venezuela where twenty percent of the U.S. oil supply is exported substantially impacted the price of driving in the country. Restrictions on oil production in Venezuela are lifting presently, but how much the easing will help the American consumer is unknown.

This leads me to discuss briefly the oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and whether drilling for this oil would eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. Clearly it would not. Why? There is a limited supply of oil in this area. It is estimated that the OPEC reserves are 700 times greater that the oil reserves of the U.S. Since our resources will run out much sooner than OPEC's we will be dependent upon the use of their oil unless we develop alternate sources of energy. The Arctic reserves would be nothing more th~ a quick fix. Probably for no more than a sixmonth supply. It wouldn't help the gas prices.

Finally you shoµld know how the cost of your gallon of gas is divided. For every dollar spent 3 7 cents goes to the crude-oil suppliers ie OPEC and other oil producers. Refining the crude oil into gasoline costs 20 cents. Distribution and marketing is 10 cents. Taxes, taxes, taxes take 27 cents. The balance goes to the station.

So there you have it a short little info on gas and how gas prices are affected by the production of crude oil.

• '

ommitment · to

By J\ndyLutes .StaffWriter

February. It's the shortest month of the year, which should make it no surprise that this was the month chosen in 1976 to be Black History Month. That's right, a whole month each year to celebrate the achievements of black Americans. Before '76, the United States set aside only one week each year for Black History; finally, our government decided "okay, we'll give them a month but let's not get too carried away. February sounds good." With that, a great tradition was born.

Lincoln High, a school that prides itself on ethnic diversity and racial equality, does the best it can to make Black History Month a learning experi=-.. ~trce~or=-e ve t:ymfe~ n'O aiteir d,;~ Fi fs t daily sound announce1nents aren't just for wrestling tournaments and Trial by E rror concerts anymore; every schoolday in February, the students were told about famous African-American achievements that have occurred on that day in history, especially when that achievement is that a famous black American died. Additionally, the walls of the school are enveloped in posters and decorations, at least three of which

The Black Histot,y

are Black H i s t ory Month posters.

Mostly, though, 'b ig red hearts and an I

inexplicably large collection of pictures of chairs threatened to extinguish the flame of racial pride. After all, before February was Black History Month, what else was it known for if not big red hea r ts, flowers, candy, and lots of chairs?

Lincoln High does have a relatively large rilinori ty population compared to o t h e r schools, and the students here have spoken with • one voice, clear and str . ong .

When it comes to Black History Month, we all join hands and say: "Meh." When I asked a random selection of students when Black History Month ·was, only six out often knew. I conducted this experiment on Tuesday, February 25th.

How could this be? Aren't the students being bombarded with information about African-American

ac lf ievements -:-every day, through announcements and posters? The truth is, we are, but we've be-come so accustomed to being bombarded with things that we all have the capac-

ity to block them out on a daily basis. The first time we saw Burt Reynolds reading a copy of Horton Hears a Who - - telling us to drink milk, stay away from drugs, and buckle our seat belts- we all rolled our eyes; ever since, we've been able to walk past such posters without even blinking, contently oblivious as to the messages they were trying to smack into our heads. The first time we heard that we were to "make it a good day or not!" and that the choice was ours, we knew that the first five minutes of fifth period were to be set aside for inane chatter while our teacher scrambled to take attendance. In short, the media used to deliver the messages of Black History Month have become irrelevant, while still remaining the only media used by anyone administration or student organization in Lincoln High.

Is there any hope for Black History Month? Is it possible that Lincoln High could do anything right? Yes The media center has multiple displays; all unencumbered by chairs, hearts, or Burt Reynolds; but then again., why would anyone w ant to go to the media center? I mean, books? That's pushing it. At any rate, with Black History Month over, we can all get back to not caring. Did we ever stop uot caring? - and return to business as usual. Mmmm, status quo.

Month poster displayed in the halls of Lincoln High seemed like a token to some students.

-

restlin n ear at tate ourna ent

Brett Maly.___ _ i\_ssistant News E.ditor

The Lincoln High wrestling team started off the season with the Fremont Invitational on December 6. The team had its ups and downs but was able to pull off many victories.

On February 17, Lincoln High wrestlers went to districts at Northeast High School. Lincoln High senior Marcus Myles advanced to state with a win over Fremont's Stephan Ball 2-0.

Myles, who

wrestles in the 152pound weight class, won his first-round match at state against Millard West's Bob

On his second day at state, Myles stayed alive in the consolation bracket with a win over Bellevue East's Mike Burton 4·3. With this

Floyd defeated Myles.

Myles lost to Floyd 5- l. With his loss in the consolation bracket, Myles had his second loss and was out of thetournament

Myles was the only wrestler to represent Lincoln High at State wrestling.

Myles commented that going to state was fun. "It was also crazy. Friday night, Devaney was packed."

Lincoln High 's

- team score for state wrestling was three points.

Marcus Myles, and Kyle Diefenderfer. The team's 'juniors were Erik Bidrowski, Jason Sindelar, Steve Amos, and Danny Menyweather. Think-

• 1 n g back on the s eas on, • senior

Marcus Myles (12) wrestles against Mike Burton from Bellevue East. Myles defeated burton 4-3 in the second consolation round.

Kanne 1-0. In his quarterfinal round, Myles lost to Scottsbluff's Tony Duarte. In this tough match, Myles came close to winning with his 8-1 performance.

win, he stayed in the tournament and _ advanced to the next round. In the consolation bracket's quarterfinal round, South Sioux City's Casey

This year's wrestling team had a lot of varsity experience. The team was made up with a

Myles attempts to escape from Burton's grasp. Myles wrestled Casey Floyd of South Sioux City in the thirdround of the consolation bracket. Floyd beat Myles 51 and Myles loss came one round before the medaling round.

Kenton Kathol said ''I worked hard at pract i C e over t h e l a s t year and I had a lot of fun."

Next

majority of seniors. The seniors on the wrestling team were Dustin Karre, Joe Lott, Zach Coffin, Kenton Kathol, ye a r, the wrestling team has four returning varsity starters and is looking forward to a great year.

• •

enn1s 00 s ar • to err1 1c ear

TinaWilson i\_ssistantPhotoE.ditor

The game requires endurance and concentration. You must be willing to have your entire head in the game. It's highly physical, and you must rely on yourself and be confident. This game is

•

• , tennis.

The Lincoln High Varsity Girls Tennis Team is aiming for excellence this year. This excellence will be led by new head coach, Steve Ward. Ward taught and coached at Lincoln Northeast for nine years before coming to Lincoln High. The new junior varsity coach is Jim Jensen. Jensen is a professional tennis coach whoformally coached at East.

The returning Varsity girls' are an important ingredient to Coach Ward's goals for the season. Let's take a closer look at some of the varsity returnees.

Senior Amanda Lueke has been playing tennis for four years and has been on varsity for three years. Lueke likes tennis because "our team is so close and we make each other laugh." Last year, Lueke gave her best effort. Throughout the season Lueke improved her game and

progressed. Lueke is doubles partners with senior Carrie Wiegert. "Carrie is one of my best friends and she is the only one who can stand my competitiveness."

Lueke said. Lueke began to play teni;iis because her freshman basketball coach, Cathy Maestas wanted her to play. Lueke complied with Maestas and has _ been playing tennis ever since. This season looks to be a good one for Lueke and Wiegert :___

Senior Rachel Black is eagerly anticipating the start of this year's season. Black, who has been playing tennis since her freshman year was "forced" into playing the game of tennis. Her mom wanted her to participate in a spring sport and tennis is the one that she happened to choose. Last year, Black improved a lot. "It was a great experience, even thought there weren't as many wins as I would have liked," Black said. -

Junior McKinley Jons has been playing tennis for three years. Jons likes tennis because it's fun and a stress reliever. Last year was Jons' first year on varsity. "Last year was a learning experience. I got to play people who were challenging," Jons said.

Jons became interested in the game

of tennis by watching Venus and Serena Williams, and her sister, Lincoln High graduate Sylvia Jons.

Junior Mariel Harding has been -playing tennis for two years. Harding likes tennis because it is different from any other sport. ''Tennis is a mind game, to succeed in it you have to have your full head in the game," Harding said.

Last year Harding did well, winning half of the matches she played. Harding participated in both singles and doubles and went to state.

Harding is doubles partner with Black. Harding decided to go out for tennis after talking to the foreign exchange student the Harding family hosted in the ninth grade.

All of the Varsity returnees participate in both singles and doubles competition.What spots they will play will become known after tryouts.

Last year, the tennis team was lead under the direction of DennisHershberger and assisted by Cathy Maestas. This year they both moved to a new home at Lincoln Southwest.

Black would describe her feelings of Maestas and Hershberger in one word, bitter. " I forgive them for leaving. I

think that they made a mistake, but I forgive them." Jons was upset to hear that they were leaving. "I love both of them. I cried when I heard the news," Jons said. Harding was really "bummed." ''I loved Coach Hershberger, he made you feel really good, important and motivated."

Hershberger decided to make the move to Lincoln Southwest so that he could be apart of the new high school. ''I had been teaching at the middle school level for the previous eight years and I wanted to move back to the high school level," Hershberger said. _Hershberger admitted that he misses some things about Lincoln High. "I miss the players, the Athletic Department and the Administration," Hershberger said.

This upcoming season is looking to be a sharp one. Ward is expecting many things from his players. ''I expect the seniors to use their experience to improve and understand the competition level," Ward said. He wants to se~ the hard work and dedication of the athletes. "The upperclassmen know what is going on and I expect them to lead," Ward said. He has mixed feelings on replacing Hershberger. "I'm excited, motivated, and nervous all at the same time," said Ward.

Wl In an 1v1n ave ecor ear

JoelSievert SportsE.ditor

In the world of sports, championships and records cannot be attained without hard work and dedication. This year's Lincoln High Swimming and Diving team reaped the benefits of dedication and put in the extra work to reach the next levelof success.

Starting with the first week of practice, Lincoln High swimmers ·arrived at school at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday to get in an extra hour of practice in addition to the two hours they practiced after school.

Putting in this extra time had its benefits, though, as the Links posted some of their best results in years. This was the first time that both the boys and girls swimming and diving teams won the Lincoln High Cotter Invite. Coach Richard Conradt commented on the

Links work ethic in an article by the Journal Star. "There's been years when the swimmer didn't respond as well and it showed. But it seems like this team is starting to believe in itself."

"Before the meet we were confident that we were going to win. We knew we could beat every team there," stated Wells.

This marked the fourth year in a row that the boys came out victorious at the Cotter Invite and the first time since 1998 that the girls team won their home meet.

• In the same Journal Start article, Conradt said, "They're (the swim team) ranking right up there with some of the better teams that we've had."

Wells beat the previous meet record in the 50-meter freestyle by three-quarters of a second. Samantha Staley beat the 200 individual medley record by more than two seconds. -

The girls swim team went on to tie their i~fUWW&Jnkilt.M.tf:Wtt:~:~kti!HfkiW:ltbfofo~f:KbmJJi • '·=·tf*<,,,.ffi%::;:c=:::,::::;:::::::,:;::::.~:,:,~=···········

perennial rivals Southeast 91-91, marking the first time in several years that Lincoln High dealt Southeast an unexpected blow.

Wells said, "It wasn't a huge surprise because we've been working harder than them. It further proved that our hard work was paying off."

Four days after swimming against Southeast the Links boys diving team went on to successfully defend their Lincoln High Diving Invitational Championship. The boys diving team have now won two years in a

row.

The next big challenge for the Links swimming and diving team was the Heartland Athletic Conference meet on February 14' h and 15th • Both the boys and girls teams placed third

girls had no individual champions but several solid performances.

FromFebruary27 th toMarch l st members of the Lincoln High Swimming and Diving team. The boys team qualified individuals in four different events, three relays, and three divers. The girls team qualified individuals in six events plus three relays.

Wells described the at-

mosphere at state as crazy. "Everyone has shaved heads and legs. People are sandpapering their legs. Watching everyone prepare and go all out is exciting."

At the State meet the Links boys and girls team went on to finish 16th and 17th overall. Individually the Links performed to the best of their abilities.

The girls 200 freestyle relay team CLto R) Renee Krenk (1 0), Marisha Lenz (11 ), Rachael Wells (1 2), and Samantha Staley (11 ) set a new school record at this years state swimming meet. The Lincoln High boys team was lead by Ryan Moseman who finished in the top 12 in the 100 and 200 freestyle and the 200 freestyle relay. The girls team

at the RAC meet and where lead by some strong performances. Tim Rosenau won the 50 freestyle and Ryan Moseman won the 200 freestyle and was second in the 100 freestyle by a couple tenths ofa second. Seth Sapp lead the diving competition right up to the last dive on which he was overtake by a diver from Grand Island and finished second. The was lead by the 200 freestyle relay. The team comprised of Marisha Lenz , Renee Krenk , Staley , and Wells set a school record of 1:45.05 to place 12'h • Wells was not surprised by the Links school record effort. "We were trying for it. I was more excited than surprised."

[J"aCJ or

JaimeBrown GraphicsManager

STATE, STATE, STATE rings loudly in the minds of the members of the Boys Golf Team. After last year's ninth place first finish at state, the boys are looking for first place this year. The Boys Golf Team finished third in the Heartland Conference and in the LPS Tournament last year. They also finished second in the District Tournament. The Boys Team had a lot of ups and downs last year, finishing twelfth in the Grand Island Invite, seventh in the Ralston/Westside Invite, and eleventh in the Capital City Invite. The biggest disappointment was finishing ninth in State.

"I was very disappointed with the way I played in the State tournament. I put too much pressure on myself, and that caused me to play worse," said Junior John Paek, a member of the Boy's GolfTeam last year. This year LHS has four returning letter winners: Juniors Seth Sharpe, Marcus Minzel and John Paek, and Senior Skid

_,, Meinen. The returning upper classmen who will compete for the fifth spot in tournaments are Junior Jacob Miller, and Seniors Zach Biggs and Jake Schaffer.

So what can we expect fro m the boys this season? "You can expect us to compete and represent Lincoln High well," Meinen said

According to Coach Sl).mSharpe, a lot of things need to change after last year. The boys need to improve their game, develop five or more solid players, and add consistency to be their best. Aside from improving their game from last year and playing their best, what else will this team do? "I expect them to enjoy the game, do their best, and -be prepared too," Sharpe said.

So we can expect this team to go far if they put their minds to it, and so far it looks as if they will. Be prepared to hear more about them in future Advocate issues. A message to the boys on the team, just be prepared, do your best, keep your cool, and most of all, have FUN! Enjoy xour time on the course!

•

JulieK.ilzer& JaoobMiller

PhotoF..ditorNewsF..ditor

The Girls Basketball season has been very exciting with their overtime victories and a few close losses. Districts were held on February 24th and 25th, where the Links beat Omaha Burke 48-44. The Links held the lead throughout the entire game. Unfortunately, the Lady Links dropped their next game to Omaha Marian in a heartbreaker 52-48. The Links held a first half lead and even had the advantage entering the fourth quarter against Marian. The game was · filled with excitement, with the lead changing hands numourous times. Finally, the Marian girls pulled it out in the end, sending the girls and their fans home disappointed. The Lady Links ended their season with a 12-8 record, an impressive feat considering their

slow start to begin the season. While they won't be in state, the lady's still can give fans hope for next year with outstanding shooters like Jen Endres and Abby Wood, and a top rebounder in Alissa Holland.

Endres has already established herself as one of the best players in the city and can probably count on breaking some more Link records next year. Wood started most of the year and has -:-,.. proved herself to be a great shooter on the outside. Much like Endres, Holland will be playing in her fourth year of varsity basketball next year for the Links. · These three players figure to be fixtures in the statistical categories. Fans should come out and support the team next year. The team will be ready to make a run at the state tournaments, with the help of those three key players. ·

ans unao1e to e eat

ortsmans

Lincoln High fans turn their backs as Lincoln Southeast players are introduced before the state championship game.

-Sam Beutler f\ssistant F..ntertainment F..ditor

I can only begin to express my supreme disappointment in the events of this horrendous weekend. All season, I have been cheering game after game. I have been yelling with all the strength of my vocal cords for the hope of winning at state. ··But my hopes ofback-to-back championships were left unfulfilled. When all was done, I could hardly crack a smile. There would be no sportsmanship award for Lincoln High.

Yes, I must admit that it was nice to win a state championship in basketball. It had been 44 years since we won, but that can still not compare to winning a sportsman- · ship award for two straight years. All of that effort and cheering that my peers and myself put forth through the course of the season did nothing for Lincoln High. I felt ashamed to come to school on that next Monday because I was, in fact, a loser. I hadn't won.

Saturday night, while all my friends went out to celebrate the victory, I could only sit in my room alone and sulk. The thoughts kept running through my head. What did we do wrong? Did we yell 'airball' at Bahe to loud? Or maybe we waved our hands and screamed at the top of our lungs when the opposing team was shooting. That must be it. I knew we should have been silent and been respectful when Southeast or Westside was shooting. How Ruud of us! We tried to give our team an unfair advantage by distracting our opponents. I began to feel miserable. The guilt grew and grew. How, just how do we deserve a state championship when our fans were so unfair?

It was now three in the morning, and I could only come up with one logical con-

clusion. I would no longer associate myself with Lincoln High. We are cheaters, utter cheaters. We used excessive and unreasonable means in order to win. Granted our players played extraordinarily, but it was the complete and total disrespect for any level of sportsmanship that won us that championship. How could I be involved with such corruption? I cannot ever bring myself down to that level again.

Next year, when I go to college, I will be a better person because I will bring with me the important lessons that I learned in the 2003 state basketball tournament. I will head up the student section at college and make sure that everyone knows the importance of silence. Any cheers must be yelled only when our team has the ball, so as to not distract our friendly opponents. We will clap and cheer on the other team at all times. We will be as happy for them to win as we will be for us to win, because we would know that we cheered a fair game. I know now that it is not winning that is important, but truly how good of a sport you are. I think that if we immediately stop cheering negatively at all sporting events, then all teams in the country will be impressed and amazed and will follow in our footsteps in no time at all.

It is a national movement that I am starting. Soon everyone will realize the importance of being good sports and that winning comes second. When my children are in high school, I can only hope thatthey have outlawed any cheering at high school athletic events. Then, and only then can we determine who are the true state champions. Hopefully my children will not suffer as I have from the shame of winning as a poor sport. I can only wish that they lose before they suffer as I have from not winning the .sportsmanship award. Let's all continue to be good losers!

Joel-Sievert & JacobMiller --SportsE.ditorNewsE.ditor

Historically, winter sports have been the strongest programs at Lincoln High. This year's winter sports teams were no exception with three teams receiving the highest grades possible for their respective sports. There were many highlights throughout the season on a team and individual level. The Boys Basketball Team was ranked in the top five all year long, the swimming teams had strong performances both individually and as a team, and the wrestling team had some shining moments.

Tyron Canby (1 2) skies above Southeast's Nick Bahe.

Team Grades and Comments

Boys Basketball-A+: Ranked number two nearly all year long this is one of the best basketball teams at Lincoln High in several years. The Links headed into districts with

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a 15-2 record. They went on to finish second at the district tournament, earning a wildcard berth to state. This marked the fourth year in a row the Lincoln High made an appearance at the state tournament. The Links went on to win state. Girls Basketball- B: The girls team has had a strong tradition in the past twenty years. This year got off to a rough start, but, the Lady Links went on a seven game winning streak. The Lady Links lost in the semifinals of districts to perennial

sover 40% from the three-point arc and came up big when the Links neede.d him. Sharpe had several games with six or more threes.

Tyron Canby: Arguably one of the best players ever at Lincoln High,

.eco nition

Ryan Moseman: Moseman was consistently one of the top performers for the Lincoln High swimming and diving team. Moseman qualified for three individual events and three relays (NSAA rules allow an individual to compete in only four events at state.) Moseman placed 11th and 12th in the 200 and 100 freestyle respectively. Moseman also helped the Links 200 freestyle relays qualify for the finals.

Girls

p~wer O~ah~ Marian 48 - Jen Endres (11) displays

Girls Swir_nmin~and Diving-A: This _was her great shooting Canby was back for his fourth year on Varsity. While the first time since 1998 that the Links touch to the dismay of girl_steam w?n the L~coln High Cotter Southeast defenders. Invite. The Links also tied Southeast dur- his scoring was down from last year he stiil managed to have several games with more than ten assists and his defensive talents gave opposing offenses

ing a triangular meet with Lincoln Southwest. The girls team had eight girls participate in the State meet. They went on to place 17th overall. nightmares.

Nick Madsen: Boys Swimming and Diving-A: The Links won their fourth straight Cotter Invite title and their second straight Lincoln High Diving Invitational. The boys team had nine individuals compete at the state meet. This included three divers, the second highest total in the state. The boys team placed 16 th - at this years state meet.

Wrestling- C+: The year was full of many high-

Steve Amos (11 ) shows no mercy to the defending state champion from East. Amos went on to win the match.

spot.

lights; such as a third place finish at the South Sioux City Invite and Steve Amos defeating the defending state champion. The year culminated with a disappointing district meet in which only one Links wrestler qualified for state. This, however, does not accua;, µ:r-

Nick Madsen (12) shoots over a Southeast player while Seth Sharpe (11 ) looks on.

tray the success they had this season.

Individuals: Boys Seth Sharpe: Sharpe led the Links in scoring this year with 15 points a game and was a deadly outside shooting threat. Sharpe shot

Madsen was a solid rebounder, averaging 8 rebounds a game, and could go on scoring sprees when needed. This was highlighted in a 29 point effort against Millard South. This was Madsen's first year as a starter and he proved to be more than worthy of the

Marcus Myles: Myles was the lone state qualifier for the Links wrestling team. Myles was the 152-pound weight class champion at the Quad State Invitational. Myles went on finish in the top 8, losing in the quarterfinals of the consolation round.

Steve Amos: Amos had a solid junior year for the Lincoln High wrestling team. This included defeating the defending state champion in a dual meet with Lincoln East. A questionable call at districts cost Amos a shot at state.

Seth Sapp: Sapp lead a trio of outstanding

Links divers this year by placing 9 th at the State championships, the Links placed 9 th lO'h , and 11 th at state. Sapp placed second at the Heartland Conference meet and helped lead the Links to the Lincoln High Diving Invite championship. Only a sophomore

Sapp has a very promising future and should become one of the best divers in the state.

Jen Endres: Endres led the Links in scoring with her accurate shooting. Endres had several games with over 20 points and led the Links on a six Ryan Moseman(l 2) g~me winning prepares to take to streak. _ the water at the Alexis Grenfell: State swimming Grenfell was a championships. solid inside threat every game. Grenfell was plagued by injuries throughout here career but recovered to have a solid senior season. Alissa Holland: A solid all around player for the Links Holland average 8 points a game. Holland was also one of the t O p rebounders for the team and will be back next year to

Alissa Holland (11) shoots h 1 1 d with deadly accuracy the PL_eka d · th L" I H" h e in s. ur1ng e 1nco n 19 - R h 1 ac ae Northeast game. we 11 s : Wells was a leader both in a out of the pool this year for the Links. Her hard work helped her to qualify in the 50 and 100 freestyle and three different relays. Wells set the Cotter Invite record in the 50 freestyle and had several first place finishes. Wells did not qualify for finals in the 50 and 100 freestyle but helped set a school record in the 200 freestyle relay.

Marisha Lenz: Lenz helped the Links this year with her consistent performances. Lenz qualified for the state swim meet in three different relay events and the 200

Marucs Myles (1 2) was the lone Link at State Wrestling. Myles finished in the top 8 in the state. freestyle. Lenz did not qualify for finals but was on the school record relay team.

_____ JoelSievert ___ _ SportsE.ditor gameby a scoieof 68-61.

Includingfue four minutes of Gvertime,the Linksmanagedto qutscoreCentralby 16pointsin

Whenyourteamis downandthe seasonis on a littleundersix minutes. the lineY<'.tihave two options:giveup or comeout

OmahaWestsidehandedLincoln High their swinging.·ri:ierewas not a singlemomentduring third loss of the S<lason in the Dis~t A-1 basketthis year'sBoy,:StateBasketballtournamentwhen ballfinals.TheonlyproblemfortheWarriorsis that LincolnHighco11sidered the firstoption. the Linksliketo avengetheir losses.

"They worked very hard and they never Earlyin the gameit appearecas if the Links quit," Coach Russ · weregoingto havelittletrouble Uhing said. endingWestside 's season.After

In allthreeofstate a 21 point second qJarter,the tournamentgames,the Links headed into te locker Links came storming roomwith a six point'ead. backfromwhatseemed LincolnHigh carre out and like insurmountable extendedtheirleadto'.en points, deficits.Ask the team, and a Lincoln Higi victory though, if the come- seemed certain. Th1 t is until backs surprisedthem, Westside'sJohn TorSJn,a 6'8" andyouarelikelyto get seniorwith long-ran!ecapabilian unexpectedanswer. ties,led the Warriorsoackinthe

"Wefoughtback game. the wholetoumamen~

With 31.6 se,onds left, We never quit play, Westsideheld whatseemedlike 111g " senior Tyron a securefive-pointbad.It would Canbyz~id. havebeeneasyforLincolnHigh

Lincoln High to giveup and letthe inevitable openedthestatetouma- happen,but that wasn'tpart of ment against the sev- theirgameplan. enth seeded Omaha • ;,= • Senior TyronCanby sank a CentralEagles,~ team 111C~ Madsen Cl2 ) drives paSt clutch three pointerto pull the thatplayedtheLinksto a 1.1ncoln Southeast forward Linkswithintw).Onthefollowa one-point overtime dut,ng the final round of the ingplayWestsi& 's RossSinclair victory earlier in the Class~ State Championship was fouledand sent to the link season. tournament. fortwo freethrows.Sinclairhad

slightlyoff,bouncingoff the opposite side of the rim. At that moment it lookedas if theLinks'seasonwasover.

"I didn't wantto end my senior year on that kind of play," said Brestel.

Thenwith 2 secondsleft, senior NickMadsengrabbedtheballandput backthe mostimportantbasketof his career.This left only 0.7 secondsleft on the clock,and Westsideattempted a desperationfull court pass, which Brestelinterceptedto securethe victory.

The statefinalswereset to be an all-Lincolnaffairas the Linkstookon· cross-townrival Lincoln Southeast. The LincolnHighfaithfulwereout in full support,with the studentsection fillingup nearlytwo hoursbeforethe start of the game, and alumni from severaldecadesback out to cheer on theirLinks.

Havingsucha largefanbasemade the game-timeatmosphereas memorableas the gameitself.Seeingaluntni· from severalyears back come out to cheerwiththecurrentstudentsleftlittle doubt in anyone'smind that Lincoln Highhasthebestfansintheentirestate. Oncea Link,alwaysa Link.

Aftertwocomefrombehindvictoriesa questionran through several people'sminds,"Had LincolnHigh fmallyused up all of its magic?"

All went well 1n , a chanceto putthe gameout of th".frrstquarteras the Linksgrabbeda~earlyfour reachbut couldonlyconnecton thefirstfreethrow. pomt lead The momentumquicklycharged,how- LincolnHighgrabbedthereboundandheadeddown ever,as Centralusedtheirathleticabilitytomuscle court. theirway backinto the game. The Linksfed the

A tlrreepointerby the Eagles'Karl \Vhiteat ball to junior Seth D..P,end of the halfput the Linksdownby nint.This Sharpewhotriedto find courlhavebeenenoughto derailtheLinks,butthey an openingfor a three had oti~rplans. pointer but was fouled Ltn<.,;iJnHigh outscoredCentral 11-8 in the before he could get ·a third quarter~ndcut the Eaglesleadto six. Certral shot up. Sharpehit two was a~le to up •-heirlead again and with rouglly crucial free throws to ~o m~utes left 11.the game the Linkstrailedty pull the Links within nmepoints. one.

· The Links then begantheir final push that Unfortunately, broughtthem back into the game.The comeback therewereonly6.9ticks was startedby seniorJake Br-estelwho sank two left on the clock,and it freethrowsand came_backwithanothertwo-point looked like the Links b~sket.Themostcrucialmomentofthe gamecame would come up short. with 23 secondsleft when seniorDavidCrabtree ThenW~stsidemadethe drovethe~aselineanddrewa foul.Crabtreestepped costliestmistakeofth~ir up to the !meand calmlysankthe twobiggestfree season,bobbledthe mthrowsof his career. boundpassand the ball ·

"Ijust try to blockoutthe crowd.Whenyou're bo~ct~ ou!of bounds, reallyfocusedin a game,youcan'thearthe crowd." g_ivmgu1eLinkspossesseniorDavidCrabtreesaid. s1on.

The Links were able to hold off Centralfor _Canbypassedthe

the next 23 secondsand force overtime In over- ball 1n to Brestel who time,LincolnHighdominated,thanksin part to a 9 fumbledthepassbefore of 12 effortfrom the free throwline and won the - he couldput up a shot. ' , Brestel 's shot was

Judgingfromthe Linksthirdcome 0 from-behindvictoryin as manydays,the answerwas,NO!

Afterwatchingthe fist ten minutes,in which the Linkswent scorelessand werebehind13-0,it " seemedthat successwas doubtful,though. Allthatdoubtwas erased when Canby dribbled into the comer and calmly sank the Links' frrstbasketof the game. At thatmomentit seemedas if the "magic" wasback,eventhoughthe Linkstrailed13-2. In the next 22 minutesthe Linkswould outscoreSoutheastto win 43-38, in what can be marked as one of the greatest comebacks in statebasketballhistory.

"Wehad built up so much momentumin the way we won the first two games, that those guys didn't think anybody was going to beat them," Uhing said. The Links used their balancedscoringattackto overcomea seeminglyoverwhelmingodds and win their frrststate basketballtitle since 1959.

Back Row (L to R): Coach Merced, Coach Zajicek, Stu( Bullock, Coach Nunnally, Head Coach Uhing, Coac h D and Coach Schnabel. Second Row (l to R): Studen t 1\1 Madsen, Jake Brestel, Preston Petersen, Studen t M a Bandak Chei, Eric Rose, and ,Bobby Weaver. Fron t Ro Canby, Marcus Minzel, Seth Sharpe, and David Cra bt

Seth Sharpe (11) drives around Southeast's Eddie Medlin during the state championship game.

Tyron Canby (1 2) brings the ball upcourt during the state championship game.

)'tudent Manager Emily Pederson, Tyler hDyson, Coach Jackson, Coach Sharpe, lt M anager Liz Higgins, Guy Perkins, Nick an ager Eric Currin, Matt Kirkland, Row (L to R): Nolan Day, Collin Hute, Tyron ~btr e e.

March at, 2003

JacobMiller Newstditor

I found myself wondering Sunday morning, fresh with a hangover of success, and nothing else, who was Lincoln High's MVP this season? ~The Lincoln Journal said Seniors Tyron Canby, Jake Brestel, and Nick Madsen were worthy ofbeing elected to the ·All-State Tournament team for their performance through their miraculous run throughout the state tourney.

Canby was also selected by coaches across the state to the first team All-State team this year. But those weren't the only ones on the team worthy of MVP consideration. Junior Seth Sharpe led the team in scoring and was also one of the top scorers in the state. But wait, just when you think the consideration for MVP should stop there, let me introduce you to senior David Crabtree. Often undervalued, his outstanding defensr and clutch free-throws in the State Tournament provided the Links with plenty to appreciate:

So which player should be considered the most valuable player? Since all of them

David Crabtree (1 2) steps up to the free throw line in the championship game. Crabtree sank his free throws and helped extend the Links lead against the Knights.

could be worthy picks, there can be no single • pick. This year's ' Links were the ultimate definition of the word team. They relied on each other to win. Each night, someone different stepped up for the Links. Whether it was Sharpe going 7-9 from the three point arc against Creighton Prep and Omaha North, , Brestel scoring 26 points against Omaha Central in state, Madsen scoring 29 points against Millard South, Crabtree holding Lincoln Southeast's Nick Bahe to nine points in the first battle against the Knights, or Canby dragging the Links out of an early deficit in the State final, each starter stepped up for the Links.

There was no individual that carried the team. This was valuable, giving the Links numerous players to step up, instead of relying on just one player to carry the whole team. Watching the Nick Bahe Express derail makes you thankful for our depth. This team didn't just play for each other, they played for the fans. People knew these players and believed in them. This was our team. We came and supported all year. This championship was truly a school wide effort. e1r or

"We 're a bunch of fighters and we have heart. We could have folded 10 or 15 times during the state tournament, but we just kept scrapping." ~Seth Sharpe

• Jake Brestel shoots over Southeast's Eddie Medlin during the state championship game.

When all was said and done, three players; Madsen, Canby, and Brestel, were named to the All-Classand ClassA All-Tournamentteam, as well as four of the top ten scorers in Class A, which includedBresteland Sharpewho were first and fourth respectively.

"I would guard Tyron in practice, so I figured if J could guard the best player in the state, I could guard the second best player in the state." ~Marcus Minzel

• s

·ust felt like "I knew it was good the minute I let go. It felt great." ~Seth Sharpe

, ,"Maybe we should just give the other team ,,. points at the beginning of the game. We \,better and fight back inch by inch." -,-:-. ick Madsen

:11Itf t ""l1elieve it. It's absolutely amazing

J.1I1'i~!!!Illlf:llfj 1 that enteredint? m~,headwas, !it ;1Ji!iMl~P,~11if score before half-time.

( 8,f:C':':-'i:i:%,J/ • iP { ! ttl -t :~i-'.~{ .f(t J:i{ffiftt,....CoachRuss Uh1ng f w.i,r~?,:,: ;:;::.• <!' -~ -,:::--,·· ,~ ;;:;:.p-,· .,./;f\~iii\lll1i f!.l;:~~i~;;J jil · •'' ""'"'""''"'JilrlNll i itfEll\%\i i &!1~hat you dream about when you are 1 energized us." -Jaks ,1&• l l. i&llw,rt'.l{JJ1hg in th~ driveway. I've been thinking Jt-\,fyi,.,.,.. ,,.':<l<'i,(JtiH WfHf/f/!)!ff!!jJ!f\)f,\j)f!lk-)!ff/flfi::ft' h I th d d d fi t ~:;:;:;:~;;;;:{~:':~ttt{:~t:n~:;\:::r::::,~t:,,.:~~:t?. :;::fS~H~:::;~tH~(:~:'.~:'.fi!F~t'~~·/!'.;e;¾;".~@jf1//::'~:?:X::e,wout t 1s since was 1n 1r gra e an 1rs 1P><'•'•,,.,,,,,,,,,,,,; # ii "•"''"" """-l!!ifi'>"'P'" "'' $tiif '';&~•v 1:tf!J!/ii!" • k d b 11" "'ilivB w ,,,,.tc1,¥rv;,,,1,,,e .;.:vr1 ,,n., , , """if"'·p1c e up a a ~Nick Madsen

'I felt some pain, but I knew I had to fight through it. This was the state championship game and I wasn't going to sit this one out."

"I've been at Lincoln High for 12 years, and I'm very comfortable here. There's a lot of school pride in the community. I thjnk that's one of the things that's been very special." ~Russ Uhing ~Nick Madsen

tu ents ranee

By MargaretGurewitz

- Great Wall of China, a jade factory, a pearl ----- copyEditor farm, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden

It was the trip of a lifetime. Lincoln City and much more. Junior Kim Smith Youth Symphony members traveled 7,000 (a clarinetist) thought the Great Wall was miles and 16 hours halfway around the the most interesting of the places they visworld to China over spring break. While ited. "The legend says that climbing the there, they participated both in musical Great Wall makes boys into men. We're performances and in cultural exploration. all men now. But in all seriousness, the LYS is a select group of approxi- Great Wall is really beautiful and its hismately 80 high school students from tory is fascinating." across Lincoln who practice every week Despite not speaking the language, with the orchestra. Seventeen Lincoln the students found that the people in High students are members of this en- China were more than willing to help in semble. These students are seniors any way they could. "We were just welKristen Pudenz, Sophia Potter, Alex corned with open arms," Rush said. Palensky, Sadie Slack and Bo Zhou, jun- One controversy surrounding the trip iors Kim Smith, Sarah Frank, Jonathan was the pneumonia-like virus, SARS (SeGoodding, Kestrel Hauptman, Ryan vereAcute Respiratory Syndrome), which Rahn, Peter Olds and Hannah Weber, and has recently been found in China. When sophomores Stacey Krzhizhanovsky, asked before the trip if they were conMargaret Fairchild, Sean Jones, Jacob cerned, most students replied that they Thompson-Krug, Mikaela Sandhorst, Sa- were not. "I was no more worried about rah Mullins and Jessica Koenigsman. The getting SARS than I was about getting group's conductor is Huadong Lu, and the leprosy," Smith said. When the students assistant director is Lincoln High Band, returned, their health was monitored by Orchestra and Jazz Band conductor Terry the school health office for almost two Rush, Rus h. is also~eJ.YS bxass ~c.o_ach. - ¥t;ee ks .,..c1.nd.al-l~ ..er~ f0un<i=t0,.,~h®a -1thj,':-

The students left on Friday, March 21 In short, the trip was a great success. and returned March 29, giving them a Senior Kristen Pudenz (a French Horn week in China. During that time, they player) summed it up best when she said, had an outstanding musical performance, "We saw beautiful places, ate excellent which was in conjunction with the Beijing Chinese cuisine (with chopsticks, no Music Conservatory. less!), spent all our money on the numer~

But the LYS members did more than ous items waved in our faces by the street just music. There was also a great deal vendors, a11d returned home exhausted, of sight-seeing and fun. Students saw the but satisfied and healthy."

By JaoobMiller NewsEditor

A team of four Lincoln High students, seniors Jocie Krull, Glynna Ridge, Jessi Wolfe, and junior Mitchell Memming, formed a group to increase awareness of the harms of tobacco and second-hand smoke.

The project named "Links Elinlinate Tobacco Smoke" or "LINKS ETS " wil1 ' focus on educating youth, teens, and community on the hazards of tobacco and secondhand smoke.

On March 26 th LINKS ETS hosted a "Lil' Links Elinlinate Tobacco Smoke" for 105 elementary school students. The event featured different events to keep the kids entertained, ranging from a coloring contest

to taking pictures with the Panda, the mascot for the group. Each student also received a "Save the Humans" t-shirt Memming said of the event, "We couldn't have asked for the day to go any better. It felt great to reach our to all those little kids and the response that we got back from all of them showed

,.,,,,,,,,,.how worthwhile the cause really is."

The benefits of the antismoking efforts are already coming in Lincoln High was · awardeda$10,000 grant from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Systems.

Part of the money will be spent on an electronic marquee outside of Lincoln High next to Capitol Parkway. Around29,000 driverspass by Lincoln High each day, and most will see the new marquee

Over the next five years, 20% of the messages on that board will be used to

Left to Right: Nancy Wolfe, Glynna Ridge, Jessie Wolfe, Mitchell Memming, Jocie Krull, Dick Patterson, and the group's mascot, a panda.

B u • rac_es ror et _ uts

By TinaWilsonE.llenWright__ i\SStfhoto&Jitor EntertainmentEditor

The news that is affecting LPS staff and students now is the fact that as many as 175 staff members could lose their jobs. These jobs could be cut bec ause of the predicted budget cuts by the legislature. The cuts are scheduled to begin after the April 8 meeting. After the 8th staff members will receive RIF (reduced-in-force) notices. According to representatives from the school board, these notices don't necessarily mean that the staff member will not return next year.

Lincoln High principal Dr. Mike Wortman and his administrative team met on March 26 and created a plan by a point system that will save as many staff members as possible. Each full time teacher is equal to 20 points, and one class period is 4 points. The breakdown in points for Lincoln High looks like this:

16- Administrative team- This means that the coordinators will be assigned one more period.

11° Art department- Photography teacher George Seladek will be going to Lincoln North Star when it opens in the fall.

1- Business Bducation- No major cuts made.

12- English Department- English teacher Joanna Davis-Keeling will be teaching Spanish part time.

13- Family & Consumer Sciences- JoAnn Bartek will be part time here at Lincoln High

and part time at the district office.

6- Health, PE, Drivers Ed- Drivers Ed is being cut across the district and health teacher Kristi Nelson-Hitz is going to North Star as well.

5- Industrial Tech- Finalized cuts not made public.

26- Math- Alice Hillhouse will be gone on maternity leave.

12- Music- Madrigals are being cut, Swing and Jazz Choirs are being combined, and VO D. is being changed to Vocal Links Freshman Select Choir will be added.

5- Social Studies- Jim Stork is retiring and Jack Brestel is going to North Star.

20- World Language- Erica Birky-Rios will be gone on maternity leave.

20-Homeroom- was to be new at LHS. The program is being dropped.

All of these points totaled up to 199. It is required for each school to cut 166 points. This leaves 33 points for LHS to work with. It is still questionable how these cuts will affect LHS next year when we welcome freshman to the building. It is already affecting students.

On Friday, April 4 students in the LPS school system showed their concern for their future education by participating in the sit-in that was organized by Students For Education. The sit-in started right after school and didn't end until Saturday morning The students spent their time wisely making signs that promoted awareness, doing their homework and writing letters to the legislature.

a ro

tu ents Learnt e

By E.llenWright Entertainment&Jitor

On March 18, 2003 the 15 th Annual Children's Groundwater Festival rocketed into orbit. The festival was envisioned in 1989 to be another

the world's future leaders The festival's activities and speakers also were correlated to this year's theme. One of the guest speakers was Scott Carpenter who was one of the seven original Mercury astronauts and an aquanaut who helped to create Sea Lab. Carpenter addressed the importance of protecting water, telling fourth and fifth graders that all way of educating youth about the importance of protecting water as a finite resource. Since then the festival has been used as a blue print all over the United States and the world.

This year's theme was the gold and silver on Earth could be taken away and mankind would still

overnor Mike Johanns makes Astronaut/ Aquanaut Scott Carpenter an honorary Admiral in the ''Nebraska Navy.'' survive. The same isn't true for water and other natural "Groundwater Galaxy: A World of Rising Stars." It was an inspiring theme that gave way to youth believing that they are indeed resources. " There ·is no re-supply. What we have on this planet is what we have to

work with."

ater a

Protectin ater

Carpenter's wonderful remark can be applied today especially with Nebraska being in a drought cycle. In a simulation called "You be the Judge," a class was divided into three groups:

Huskerville (an imaginary city seeking water for basic needs); Farmers (who need water for their crops);

T h e Recreationalist (who wanted the water in a local lake for recreational use). Each group prepared an oral argu-

they should get to use the water in a nearby lake. Environmental engineers, who were amazed at the children's thought process and that the children knew so much about water, helped the students prepare their arguments.

Lincoln High Ecology Club member laura Birilibescue (11) puts on a tattoo at the Groundwater Festival.

These 1,600 fourth and fifth graders came from all over Nebraska to the festival in Grand Island with knowledge of the water cycle. With an innovative and hands-on learning approach, the students built a foundation promoted by the goal of educating

ment, to be presented before Nebraska Supreme Court Justice John Wright, as to why and motivating others to care about groundwater and the environment. •~',' ,_,,

ew 4 tu an ents

By JayBeennann CopyE.ditor

They had the demeanor of new sophomores on the first week of school. They looked hesitant, a bit nervous, and completely overwhelmed. But these were not new sophomores, they were National Honor Society students from Newman Grove, Nebraska

During March, members of Lincoln High's chapter of the National Honor Soci-ety and Newman Grove's chapter exchanged students for a day. The first exchange of this type happened five years ago. Newman Grove called all the high schools in Lincoln, and only Lincoln High agreed to take part in the exchange.

"The focus for these exchanges is to expose both schools to a different type of atmosphere," Assistant Principal Pam Cox said. Cox was one of the prime coordinators of the exchange. "It's also important for the students from urban and rural communities to share ideas," she added.

On March 18, fifteen brave students and one very patient sponsor from Newman Grove toured Lincoln High, a school with three times the number of students as they have people in their town. Some students had pre-conceived notions about the environment in bigger schools.

"I thought I was gonna get shot at," Newman Grove senior Holly Nienaber said. She did add that she had that thought about

tu ent • ins

By BrettMaly AssistantNewsE.ditor

,.

Lincoln High senior Luling Sun was recently declared by Teen People Magazine to be one of "20 Teens Who Will Change the World." As a part of her award, she was included in the April issue of Teen People along with the other 19 ,vinners. Some of the other 20 teens included celebrities Lil Bow Wow and Kelly Osborne. Sun flew to New York where she attended an awards banquet and gave a speech about her accomplishments.

Teen People conducted a nationwide search for their recipients of the award. After being identified as an outstanding teen, Sun was called for an interview by the editor of Teen People Magazine. She stood out to the selection committee because of her dedication to her community.

Two years ago, Sun helped start a radio program in Lincoln centering on the

Chinese culture. - She is involved in broadcasting a weekly program, "Voice of China" on KZUM 89.3 FM. Her idea for doing the show came from when she was younger and lived in China, listening to Chinese broadcasting. As a kid, she "always wanted to be on the radio," Sun said.

After coming to the United States four and a half years ago, Sun wanted to have a positive impact on her community. "I felt it was important to do the program, to inform people about my culture," she commented. Along with a friend, who is a professional radio broadcaster in China, she was able to put together the radio show. She feels that it is "great to have an audience." "Voice of China" runs every Sunday from 1:30-3:00 PM.

The two segments of the show that she is involved in are "Follow Me, Speak Chinese" and "Today's Digest." "Follow Me, Speak Chinese" is a 5-minute weekly show

dedicated to teaching non-Chinese speakers the Chinese language. This segment runs every Sunday from 2:00-2:05 PM. The program consists of simple Chinese instruction. Some of the units covered have been introduction phrases, counting, asking directions, and eating in a restaurant.

Her segment, "Today's Digest," runs every fourth Sunday. It is a 20 minute segment devoted to current issues facing C.hinese-speaking people around the world.

The program she did for the frrst year was called "Children's Paradise." The show included Lincoln High students in Chinese language classes being guests on her show. She also welcomed younger kids to come onto to her show and sing songs for her audience

-

Sun continues to devote her time to the Lincoln community. Tune in to her program every Sunday, "Follow Me Speak Chinese" on KZUM 89.3 FM.

-_ "any big school. not just Lincoln High."

As many people realize, though, Lincoln High is not a dangerous place, and the students had different opinions at the end of the day.

"The people were really nice," commented one Newman Grove senior. "I was expecting classes with 200 people," added another.

Most of their seniors, however, would still have preferred sn1aller schools. Although everyone in the group conceded that bigger schools might provide more opportunities for activities and classes, many would still take the smaller class any day.

"I don't like a big school as much," Newman Grove senior Stephanie Buhl said. "I like to know everyone's name."

Travis Anderson, the only junior from the Newman Grove group, added "I liked thllt you could find what you want to do, and start focusing on that, instead of just doing requirements." ·

The exchange opened the eyes of both groups. Each student; Lincoln High or ? Newman Grove, had the chance to experience a type of school they might otherwise not have known.

&nnBeutler i\_ssistantE.ntertainmentE.ditor

The State DECA conference, held at the Comhusker Hotel March 20-22, was a success for Lincoln High in every respect. The Lincoln High chapter qualified eight of its members to compete later this month at the International DECA conference in Orlando, Florida. But all members, regardless of whether they won or not, agreed that the weekend was quite fun.

For the competition, members competed ill'a series of tests where their competencies in the subject area were scored. They also performed role plays in front of judges in which they worked out solutions to marketing problems that they were given. For those competing in the team events, many were called back to the finals, where the top 8 teapis from the preliminaries compete once again in front of judges

CASSILUND

senior, Omaha, Neb,

Major biology and Spanish

CareerTrack pediatrician

0

inates at ,tateSeveral Lincoln High members finally got the oppo .rtunity to show their hard work with their written projects. Senior Jessi Wolfe did a written project on the public relations aspect of an anti-smoking grant that she and several other Lincoln High students received Seniors Jocie Krull and Chelsie McMeen did a written project on all the events DECA conducted at Lincoln High events, such as halftime shows at basketball games and tailgate parties. Seniors Chase Marsh, Kelsey Koenigsman, and Brittany Madison conducted a written project on plans to open a school store selling Lincoln High souvenirs. All three written projects had Power Point presentations to accompany them and hours of work spent rehearsing for a presentation of the project to judges.

The weekend was not all work for DECA members. Thursday evening there was a "Superdance " DECA

members from across Nebraska got their groove thing on with rocking music from the disc jockey. On Friday night, a hypnotist entertained competitors. Throughout the weekend, there were numerous speakers and workshops for DECA members to attend as well.

Senior Jacob Absalon finished his one-year term as a DECA state officer. He held the position ofVice President of Business and Industry Relations for the past year. Absalon said, "It was a tremendous growth experience for both me and the members I had the opportunity to wotk with." His responsibilities included the DECA newsletter, organizing events for DECA, fundraising, and establishing strong partnerships between Nebraska DECA and businesses in the state. Absalon worked with five other state officers from schools around the state for the past year. Absalon also added, "It was an amazing conference and exciting times for all of the members of Lincoln High and from around the state."

When it was time for the awards ceremony, eight Lincoln High DECA members finished in the top three. Senior Ariel Washington finished third in the Retail Merchandising category. Senior Jake Schaffer finished first in the Full Service Rest -aurant category and senior Gabrielle James finished third in Business Services. Koenigsman, Marsh, and Madison finished second in the Entrepreneurship Written category. Absalon and partner finished second in Sports and Entertainment Team Decision Making Event.

Trudy Hines, the Lincoln High DEC A advisor was very pleased with the turnout of the weekend. "I thought the conference went great. We have 8 people going to nationals and some for the second year in a row," Hines said. She was very excited about the school store project. Hines said, "One of the most exciting things is that the school store project is going to nationals and it is really exciting project that we want to get up and running in the next ye_ar." The school store will optimistically be operational next year.

All eight of the qualifiers fro m Lincoln High will make the six-day trip to Orlando, Florida for the DECA International Conference. The conference will be held April 24-30.

Lincoln High students gather at the State DECA conference. They stayed at the Corn husker Hotel for the 4-day event. Throughout the weekend, they competed in various events against other DECAmembers from across the state.

Students

By carrieWiegert Asst,BusinessManager

High school is tough, yet among all our obstacles lie unforgettable times. The excitement and experience of winning a state

Prepare for Pro111, Post Pro•-•

championship, for instance, or participating in a school play, attending school pep rallies or maybe a school speech debate competition. And of course there is Prom--that special evening which comes around once every school year. It is a Saturday night

when everyone is polished to perfection and dressed in elegance.

"I have been looking for my Prom dress since last year, and I finally found it last week," senior Nicole Kills Enemy said. Of course purchasing your Prom dress isn't the only detail in preparing for Prom. "I spend about six hours getting ready for Prom," Kills Enemy said. These six hours can include last minute alterations, hair appointments, nail appointments and even the occasional panic attack as the time winds down and your date rings the doorbell. ·

"Getting dressed up and having your last fun memories with friends is definitely what I'm looking forward to this year;' senior Nyabuony Yiel said. "I just hope there is better music this year than at Prom last year." Yiel commented.

Prom is on the night of May 10 this

and any sophomores who are lucky enough to be asked by an upper classman are welcome. It is a formal event, but many people choose to make a statement, either with a wacky tuxedo or unusual dress. The dance goes from 8 p.m. until midnight at Pershing Auditorium in downtown Lincoln. · Following Prom is Post-Prom, which takes place at Lincoln High in the Johnson Gym. Post Prom goes from midnight to 4 a.m. Tickets for Prom night are $10 a piece, and Post Prom tickets are $4 each.

"I'm excited and sad because this is it my last Prom," commented senior Rachel Wells. Many other seniors at Lincoln High feel the same way; both sad and excited. Some stress over the perfect dress, or renting the most awesome tuxedo, many people forget to have FUN at Prom. After all, it is the last school dance of the year, so eelyear. All juniors and seniors may attend, ebrate!

•

tu ents, ta 0 etrot ur1n rea -

By Jessicarerez -StaffWriter-----

Many people around the U.S. and the world changed their travel plans when the war in Iraq began. While some student trips, like the one to Russia, were postponed, others we11tahead as planned. A small group of stu-

dents traveled to France, and numerous LHS students and some staff journeyed to China.

Senior Jennifer Adams went to France on March29, and although her fannlyat first didn't have a problem with letting her go, after they found out we were going to war they had second thoughts about the decision."I understandwhat

my parents where going through,"Adams said. In the end they decided they just had to take a risk. Adams felt nervous when she was getting on the plane, especiallyknowing that we were starting war that same morning. "Once I got there everythingwas much better." Adams' favoritepart of the trip was when she had a picnic

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on the beach with the fannly she was staying with. She said that everybodywas nice and she didn't have any problems at all.

The studentsparticipated in many activities while they were there includingvisiting the EiffelTowerand Notre Dame. Adams also went to school with one of the children she was staying with. The mainreasonAdams went was be-

l\ssociate F'rincipal Annie Scott accompanied the Lincoln Youth Symphony students to China. Above she shows her Lincoln High spirit at the Great Wall. cause she thought it would be a good experience, and her parents thought it would be a great seniorpresent. "It was incredible!"Adams said.

While Adams was in France, Associate PrincipalAnnie Scott was going to China with the Lincoln YouthSymphony.Scott didn't have any issues with her familybecause her husband went along also. They had planned to go to Beijing on September 11, 2001, but had to cancel because of the terror attacks Scott'sfavor-

LPSStudents visited many monuments in Paris, including the Eiffel Tour, over Spring Break.

ite part of the trip was going to the Great Wall. "It makes you wonder how many people died trying to build this wonderfulwall!" she said. Scott and her husband went to temples, a musicalsymphony,and to a boardingschoolthat was combinedwith a privateand a public school. "It's an educationalexperienceyou need to have for yourself," Scott said. "Being able to be there and talking to people is better than just reading."

The trip also provided her with some practical experiences. "This will help me interact and learn more about students coming from China. I can relate more and know what they are taking about," Scott said.

-r1

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,

aaaa icate soc1a ' es on 01itica ' • an economic ro1es. ~1

byJosh-Swartzlander_____ _ E.ditorin Chief

Though the Bush administration has set up an office of postwar planning, directed by retired general Jay Garner, government reports of """" ~ IIUS1Warf1rannftfg-foT~il"~t1 are vague. One sound byte remains constant among administration officials: the United States intends to liberate Iraq, not occupy it. "Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee it is 'false and malign' to claim, as anti-war - protestors do, that the U.S. wants to go into Iraq to take control of its vast oil resources" (Associated Press, CBS News).

The White House de-

cided not to create a provisional Iraqi government before an invasion ,, as the act would seem imperial-

istic and presumptuous. "Instead, it intends to install a civilian administrator after the war to administer Iraq's economy, rebuild its social institutions, and run aid programs" (New York Times Online) But the Bush administration has stressed that the United States will not become

a colonial power in the Middle East, that the main goal of the U.S invasion is the liberation of Iraq from the cruel leadership of Saddam Hussein.

Marc Grossman, undersecretary of state for political affairs, said post-Saddam

U.S. planners env1sion three stages leading to a legitimate government:

> Stabilization, a brief military government focuses on security, stability, and order

> Transition, Iraqi institutions gradually take over the development of a democratic Iraq

> Transformation, Iraqis draft, debate, and approve a new constitution and hold free and fair elections.

"They (government officials) also said the administration is c ommitted to preserving Iraq's terri-

torial integrity and ensuring that Ira qis inside and outside the country work together to establish a British Royal Marines fight their way toward the center of Al Faw, Iraq. broad-based government that represents various ethnic and religious groups" (Associated Press, CBS News).

As the United States and coalition forces attempt to stabilize a legitimate Iraqi government, the country's vastly different cultural groups will play a large, complicated role

A multi ethnic coalition government including Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds would be ideal. However, the possibility of Iraq fracturing into many warring cultural regions is also possible. "Even without Saddam, instant democracy is not likely. For one thing, Saddam's iron rule has kept Iraq united. The real fear is that Iraq will splinter into rival groups once he is gone" (ABC News).

t

Though Bush insists that Iraq's oil reserves will belong to the Iraqi people, the U S. is seriously considering a quick takeover of the country's oil fields to pay for reconstruction and occupation. But as Saddam torches oil fields,

Donald Rumsfeld (back) convinced Bush that the military should be quicker and more flexible in a meeting discussing the changing climate of the war in Iraq.

the country's oil industry is becoming more and more dilapidated. It will cost billions and take at least ten years to get even a modest flow of oil (Newsday). "If not planned for in advance, the challenges faced by Iraq's oiJ industry could leave Iraq's population of 23 million largely dependent on international donor aid and portend a humanitarian crisis of serious proportions" (Rice News)

Although Iraq's oil industry is being "held together by band aids," the oil reserves still exist. And they are big. Iraq's oil reserves are second in size only to those in Saudi Arabia. "'Once the fighting starts, you have to be involved or you are irrelevant,' says oil analyst Sara Emerson. 'And it's not just because of the Iraqi oil. It's because of the oil in the entire region. You want to be part of the postwar world in the Persian Gulf'" (ABC News).

• The United States wants to be part of the postwar world

in the Persian Gulf. The American hope: "A democratic Iraq would be · ' an oil-rich ally with a government friendly to Washington" (ABC News).

[ ~seMP - s1icli - ~b.,Qµe,-ccitic.s..g,£,=== the Bush administration say the U.S. is more interested in seizing control of Middle Eastern oil in a bold international power grab than bringing democracy to the Iraqi people. Critics maintain that The White House is only interested in setting up a pro-western puppet government in Iraq that would allow U.S. oil companies, some of the same companies that helped finance the Bush administration, to exploit Iraq's national resources

The U.S doesn't have a great track record when it comes to the reconstruction of foreign governments. Though the Iraqi government could

technically end up an elected Democracy, a two-class society could unfold between rich proAmerican landowners and an impoverished working class. It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. has supported such a system. Examples of U.S. intervention to rebuild or save foreign governments that did not bring direct freedom and equality to the people of the country include: post World War II Japan, post World War II Germany, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, Honduras; El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Haiti, the Congo, Afghanistan, etc.

Right now, the government and living conditions in a post-Saddam Iraq are uncertain. They rest on the questionable motives of The White House, the turbulent relations between multiple cultures inside Iraq's borders, and th e complex role of Iraq's rich oil deposits. Though we can speculate, we will have to wait to determine the fate of a post-Saddam Iraq.

CSN Concert: Not a Peach

ByWebA.ndyLutes &litor

On April 6 th , Pershing Auditorium hosted a "Night with Crosby, Stills and Nash." For those of you born after 1973, the group plays folk-rock a la Woodstock, and is famous for their feel -good harmonies and quirky si11g-along songs.

After opening with "Carry On," it was business as usual for tlie trio, who were backed by a merely adequate rhythm section for most of the show David Crosby provided harmony while Graham Nashalso known as the "quiet Beatle" - pretended he knew what he was doing on a variety of Telecasters Steven Stills did his best to channel Jimi Hendrix, but only seemed to pull off an exhausted George Thurogood. Since when did CSN become less about peace and love and more about tired guitar pyrotechnics that were old before Jom1y Lange's parents met underneath the bleachers? I have to give Stills credit, though; he actually played at Woodstock andstill had J he ne i:yeJ o:_co QJii<l-:sfrom.the greatest rock guitarist ever.

The highlight of the frrst set was a song about military madness; Nash led most of the crowd in a chorus of "No More War," while the others fidgeted awkwardly and tried not to be noticed. After a 15 minute set break and unforgivable forays with a synthesizer - one song featured percussion from a drum machine, another was introduced by Graham Nash with an excursion into synthesized vocals, and one encore even featured a prerecorded guitar track by guitar genius shamefully reworked into ''America, The Beautiful" - the band attempted to pacify the crowd with their opus "Suite Judy Blue Eyes " It was not a peach. Steven Stills seemed to be unaqle to pull off the guitar part, and the bassist was delinquently absent for most of the song.

Crosby left the stage for a few songs, which I believe were titled "Bathroom Song," "Let's Get a Pretzel," and "Is There Anything Else We Can Do Besides Listen To This Awful Steven Stills Song Until They Play More Old Material?" When it came to new material, the crowd was visibly bored, but the trio still had some of their former magic when it came to classics ·like "Marrakesh Express," and the final encore "Teach Your Children" - during which the crowd was obligated to sing with the performers - was the only satisfying way to end the concert. For Crosby, Stills, and Nash, it may have been a mediocre performance, but as far as any other old white guy music in Lincoln goes - Ed Love, I'm looking at you - CSN was a breath of fresh air. Fresh, patchouli smelling air.

tudents Reco nize T eir Teac ers Dese e More

LHS Teachers' Salary Indicate Teachers are Being Taken For Granted

By JambMiller .SportsF..ditor

In a world bursting with inequality, here's a question. How in the world does Nebraska football coach Frank Solich earn more than some doctors in this city? And why are basketball players paid more to not play basketball the way it should be played, (I'm son-y for you NBA fans, when the palm of your hand is under the ball, it's not a crossover, it's carrying the ball) than teachers are paid to have an impact on our future? It's ridiculous how teachers in this city are not paid more.

This city, and the state of Nebraska for that matter, is notoriously low in teacher salary. What's ridiculous about this is the fact that teachers at any level, whether it be elementary, middle, or high schools, have a huge impact on students lives. One teacher in the right subject could help a student find a career path or a passion that develops for a lifetime.

The average pay for a teacher is $40,785 a year. Some teachers that are actively involved in sports and other activities could reach $53,741, but it is doubtful that most teachers will ever see some of that. What adds to the ridiculousness is the fact that teachers have to pay out of

tudents, Teac

ByLizNguyen OpinionF..ditor

According to statistics from year 2000 and up, general attendance has improved over the years (if not by great or perfect increments.) But some teachers are still frustrated and concerned with students' attendance to their class. "Regular attendance has been shown to be one of the most important factors determining success or failure in school," according to the introduction statement of the attendance policy. Does it mean success as in just good grades or appreciation of the classroom experience? The definition varies with each teacher. One may argue that regular attendance has no effect on keeping up good grades because even if a student is not present, as long as that student is diligent and responsible in making an effort to communicate with the teacher or another classmate to stay on top of homework assignments or have their homework emailed to them, they will be fine. Of course that would not be fair to those students who consistently attend and participate in class. They shouldn't be receiving the same grade. That's where attendance points come in and yes the point system is permitted. The policy states, "when a student is absent excessively for any reason, the principal or designee is authorized to reduce the number of credit hours granted for a course, or reduce the grade for a course." The district permits, even encourages, teachers to develop their own attendance expectations individually for their classroom. Because the way the policy is set up allows some students to take advantage of it, some teachers who utilize the point system believe it will academically equalize students as well as teach them the consequences of missing class. They believe regular attendance enhances the educational experience, students take schoolwork more seriously, prepares student not only for future job employment or college, but the adult world in general. Yet there are those who believe that the attendance points overcompensate for lack of expectations

pocket for a lot of their own supplies. How does the state what it feels like to be in high school and generally forget of Nebraska expect to attract high quality teachers, espe- that students take more than one class. cially young ones, when they pay them with peanuts? The Here's a proposal that is unlikely, but could help. average beginning salary for a teacher in L.P.S. with a B ach- Teachers should be paid on a scale depending on how they elor of Arts degree will only earn $26,94a. Sweet! That do their job. And you could even J-nterview a variety of makes the learning experience better when you know that a students and teachers to see how they think each teacher is couple of years from now you'll be earning more than your doing their job. That way the people that would ultimately educator. pay the teachers salaries would have a good idea of how

What about the young, single teachers that are paying the teachers are doing. It eliminates the need for the userent, car payments, and other bills with only $26,948 a year? less junk called standardized tests that do nothing and prove And what about the mothers and fathers with children? nothing. It's pretty safe to say that being paid on a scale

The only negative to raising teacher pay is what to do would light a much needed fire for some teachers. That with the teachers that don't deserve to receive a raise, and way, the great teachers in this school are paid accordingly barely deserve to earn their current salary. As much as and the bad teachers are paid the way they teach. Not only people, especially fellow teachers, like to dance around the would the good teacl}ers get good pay, a policy like that subject, there are bad teachers at Lincoln High, the other could attract new , better teachers to L.P.S. Any teacher high schools, and all across the district These are the teach- worth having would love the opportunity to earn their pay ers that are unmotivated, unfriendly, and negative to some based on their performance. shidents. They tell students to "look it up in the book" a11d Tl1ere needs to be a pay raise for teachers. Most of seem to not care whether a student learns or not. They them deserve it and a pay- raise should help attract new assign stupid assignments with no point and some seem to teachers. The money has to be somewhere. C'mon, do have some special vendetta · against athletes or other per- kids really need air conditioning or heat? The teachers need formers that periodically have to miss class. They forget the money.

ers De

of students.

"Students shouldn't be graded on seat time," says Social Studies teacher Jack Brestel. There are arguments that teachers focus so much on perfect attendance that they forget to teach their students. The classroom experience becomes unappreciated. Students claim they come to class but don't learn anything. "Exposure to the classroom setting is not always necessary," LHS se• nior Claire Climer said. Does this mean we could obtain our diploma through the computer? Do we want our teachers to be replaced by computers? Is that how we want our children to learn? Teachers are here to make knowledge in the classroom applicable for their students. They are not here to entertain. But not all teachers are alike. There are teachers who are willing to help students keep up with class if they're absent, "but there are also teachers who dismiss devotion to every student," Climer commented.

Another concern about teachers focusing too much on attendance may be that it serves as a setback for students who are actually serious about academics and show up for class regularly. What is believed to place students on an equal academic level may actually hold all students back and instead widen the gap of achievement amongst students.

One thing is for sure. Despite the fact that teachers may not be able to fully control the content of their curriculum (the district actually controls it), they are (and I'm sure most would admit) responsible to make that content interesting to their students, to teach and make knowledge applicable for their students. And despite how valuable a student may view a certain class, students should prove their maturity and responsibility by regular attendance of class unless a very special circumstance prevents them from doing so.

"How much the student learns from a class may not wholly depend on the teacher, but on the student as Well," English teacher Judy Strand said. The student must have

some form of internal motivation to learn before they can receive the useful information a teacher has to impart or the rewarding experience the classroom setting has to offer. The internal motivation indicates the student, whether they have a good teacher or not, has a will to learn and that pushes them to pursue education on their own.

"There's a saying that goes 'you're only as bored as you allow yourself to be,' Strand said. There are many complications in deciding how attendance should be handled. Teachers, students, even parents all have their side of the story, but is there any such thing as who is more right or more wrong? Either way teachers and all others on the attendance committee who work very hard to develop an effective policy have good intentions if not the best interests of every student and fellow teacher.

The attendance policy isn't perfect. One complication leads to another. There is no way to tell if poor attendance reflects more negatively on the teachers or the students. Also every teacher has a different definition of success in their classroom. We need to understand why students do not come to certain classes. There are many things we still don't know about attendance such as there are records of students exceeding the 15 absence limit, can pass with Bs or Cs, but are careless as to not take up ' appealing their absence and therefor e earn an automatic "F." Another example is nobody knows if anyone screens teachers' class expectations to approve of them. We need to face these problems now because there might be depressing unforeseen consequences in letting them exist. Of course there are too many factors that play into this crisis (only a few examples discussed here.)

The only solution to a perfect policy that works is to make sure everyone is aware of complicated circumstances surrounding the attendance issue and then somehow get students and teachers to meet each other halfway.

xtent o rotect1on n er

io1ence

ByE.llaE.ngland FeatureF..ditor

It starts out as an accidental bump in the hall or a misinterpretation of a word or phrase. In an instant, though, it can tum in punches, cussing, and an all-out fight. It doesn't matter who started it, both students are immediately suspended for exactly one week. But is that always fair to the one attacked?

Several studentshave recently been suspended from Lincoln High for committing acts of violence. According to some teachers and staff at Lincoln high the policy, is simple: zerotolerance Some of the students who were suspended were merely defending themselves from attackers, but violence is violence in the eyes of some teachers

Upon investigating this seemingly unfair rule, I discovered that in the Student handbook, in the Responsibilities of Students section, it states that students who commit flagrant violations, includingunprovoked assault upon another student, will be suspended for one week. Therefore, according to that crystal clear definition,studentswho defend themselvesshould not be suspended because it was provoked, but they are.

• uestiona e

According to Assistant Principal Pam Cox whether or not a studentis suspended,and for how long depends on two things: the extent of the fight and the student's previous history. "When kids fight back and cause injury to the other student, whether they (start) it or not they still have that physical contact," Cox explained when asked about why people at Lincoln High are being suspended , which she admitted that they are.

• Unfortunately,it is not alwaysclear who "started" the fight. Was it the student who threw the first punch? Or was it the student who said the wrong thing or looked the wrong way? "Provoked" is not clear enough for most to determine who is at fault. So, it seems to be the closest thing to fair to suspend both, instead of risking suspending the wrong one.

Students shouldn't be getting suspended for committing acts of violence that they wanted nothing to do with. Also, it's not a good idea for students to just stand there and get beaten by another studentjust so that they won't get suspended. Teachers can't always tell who was to blame, so they blame both. Lincoln High needs some kind of judiciary system to intervene and decide who was at fault because teachers can't always decide Students shouldn't get in trouble for protecting themselves.

• occer ets ress1ve, eats ort east

JoelSievert SportsE.ditor

The last several years, the Lincoln High Girls Soccer Team has run into a problem at districts. They keep having

Burke was last year's state t6urna1nent 5 seed, but that is a minor matter compared to facing Westside for another year in a row.

The last 3 years, Lincoln High has lost their season opener against Northeast in a shoot out. This year was different as the Links defeated the Rockets 3-1.

· tied last year's team scoring leader.

Glynna Ridge (1 2) and Malia German (12) chalJenge Grand Island players for the ball.

to face off against Omaha Westside, who has made it to the state finals for the last ~ !tree -y ears.

This year should prove different, as the Links were finally placed in a Westside-free district They do, however, ha ve Omaha Burke in their district.

The Rockets drew first blood, but the Links responded when junior Michaela

Flowers put in a corner kick to tie the game. The Links • took the lead when senior Molly Shield drove in a free la.ck- for her first goal of the year.

The Links final goal of the game came on a header by Flowers in the second half. With two goals in the first game, Flowers

Lincoln High then traveled to North Platte in search of their second victory, and did not leave disappointed. They. won 3-2 in a shoot out. After two overtime periods, junior goalie Alissa Holland came up with the . w1nn1ng stop in a shoot out to preserve the Links victory.

" W e had practiced penalty shots the week before so I

mance, and senior Glynna Ridge had two assists to help lead the Links to a 3-1 victory.

"Our team was very prepared for this

Jessie Singleton (11) and Molly Shields (12) fight a Grand Island player for the ball. The Links won 3-1.

was pretty confid !(,!l t in m Y..team and knew - -tliey would make their shots. I just wanted to win, and hopefully stop at least two shots," Holland said.

Looking to start of with a 3-0 the Links faced off against Omaha Duschene. Duschene scored a goal in the first four minutes of the game and were able to hold the Links off for the rest of the game to preserve a 1-0 victory.

In their fourth ga me of the year the Links took on Grand Island and secured • their third victory of the year. Sophomore Amy Lathrop turned in a two goal perfor-

season. We are..J1.lot m ore ..a2J1;re_ssi y e and - WOWwe push up a lot more than we did last year," Ridge said.

The Links great start moved them a few spots closer to a top ten ranking and placed them in the top 10 in wild card points. This should go a long way in helping the Links achieve their goal of qualifying for state.

This year's Girls Soccer Team has made great strides from where they were last year. With a more potent scoring attack this year, the girls could have one of their best teams in several years.

' Joel-Sievert -SportsE.ditor

For eighty years, high school, collegiate, and professional Track and Field athletes have been participating in the University of Kansas Relays. For the first time in school history, Lincoln Higl1 will become part of the tradition.

The 80 th annual Kansas Relays will be held April 16-19, with high school sections on the 18th and 19th • The Links hope to qualify athletes in the field events, track events, and a handful of relays.

In order to qualify, an individual or relay must have one of the top 24 times or marks entered in the meet. The Lincoln High coaching staff would like to see their entries be in the top 16 times or marks before they send the athlete or relays to the meet.

The athletes fortunate enough to go to the Kansas Relays will witness great performances from some of the top track athletes in the nation and the world. Last year's meet included a performance by former world record holder and Olympic and World Champion Maurice Greene.

The Grand Island Relays were the Links lone chance to qualify the Distance Medley and Sprint Medley relays. The traditional relays and field events also competed for qualifying spots at the Kansas Relays.

Lincoln High got off to a good start

e or ansas s

for their quest to qualify for the KU relays with strong showings · in the 4xl00 meter relay. The boy's team consists of three returners, seniors Jacob Absalon, Scott White, and Kemari Shinall, from a team that finished sixth at the state meet last year. The boys' 4x100, anchored by junior Chadd Studdheit; won with a state leading performance in less than ideal conditions.

The girl's 4xl00, which also has three state returners, senior Jocie Krull and juniors

Tanya Warren and Abby Hendrickson, ran to an impressive third place finish.

"We did really well for the first meet of the season. We ended up running a second faster then our goal time,'' Krull said. "I think we will make it to state as

sealed the victory with sophomore Chris Hatch 's anchor leg. The Links won by over

"I was a little disappointed with my split but I know we will go faster down at KU."

Lincoln High continued their domination in the field events, where the Links posted several impressive marks:

The most dominate performance of the day came in the long jump when junior Tony Taylor unleashed a state and Class A leading 23 foot -long jump. Taylor's mark was only one fourth of an inch off last years Class A winning jump: Junior Ryan Blahak finished third to give the Links an impressive showing in the long jump.

The Links domination extended in the throwing events where seniors A.J. Franklin and Levi Neukirch finished first and second in the shot put. Franklin throw of 52 feet won the meet by over fo11rfeet. On the girls side senior Ashley Gillmore finished second:

A.J. Franklin (12) unleashes a throw in the shot put at the LPS Indoor Classic. Franklin has thrown the shot put over 50 feet in his last two meets.

long as we get our hand-offs down."

The Links continued to outperform their competition by literally dominating the competition in the Distance Medley. Lincoln High led from start to finish and

forty seconds and came within seconds of capturing the school record.

"Our first three legs did a great job getting me the lead and I knew the other teams could not close the gap," Hatch said.

The Links continued their throwing excellence with strong performances in the discus. Junior Jarred Gillmore won the discus by one inch to li::ad the Links in a 1-3-6 finish. On the girl's side Gillmore secured a third place finish.

In total the Links posted victories in eight events and top four finishes in all but two events. With meet registration closing on Saturday April 12, the Links qualified their 4xl00 and Distance Medley Relays and Taylor in the long jump. The Links hope to post top 6 performances in all three events.

1 cor1n • ense ea s occer to uccess

Joel-Sievert -SportsE.ditor

Last year the Lincoln High Boys Soccer Team was unable to advance past the first round of the state tour~ nament. This was a disappointment after · making it to - the semifinals the year before.

However, this is a new year and one in which Lincoln High teams are proving to work wonders. This may · prove to be the year the Links capture their first state soccer title.

The Links opened their season over spring break with a match up against Northeast. Lincoln High came out with a well-balanced scor1ng attack and crushed the Rockets 5-0. The Links had a well-balance cl scoring attack with five different players contributing goals. Seniors Zac Venema and Tyler Lawrence and ju11iors Cody Waller, Ryan Lawre nce, and Matt Jennings each ...contributed

a goal to the Links win. Marcus Myles made his first career start in goal and recorded his first career shut outt.

"Everything is a lot more critical now on Varsity. I've been staying after practice to work on my positioning in the goal," said Myles.

Picking up

where they left off the Links came out and blasted North Platte 5-1. The Links out shot North Platte 33-4 and again had five different players _ score. This time seniors Sam B-eutler, Venema, juniors R. Lawrence , Waller and Jarred Waddell all scored for the Links.

''To tell you the truth I had no clue what to expect out of

this season," Myle .s said. "I knew we were going to be a great team and our defense is only getting better."

In their third game of the season the Links took on ninth ranked

Bellevue East and delivered their most dominate performance in the last four years defe_ating the Chieftains 10-0.

"I've been here four years now, and this year I knew we had our best team and that we would score a lot of goals. To be winning 5-0, 5-1, I 0-0 is still a surprise," T. Lawrence said.

The Links fourth game of the year was a scoring exhibition for Venema as his four goals helped lead the Links to a 6-0 victory o'ver Grand Island.

Through their first four games the Links high-scoring offense generated more goals than their opponents had shots, with the tally running at 26 goals to 19 shots allowed.

Ryan Lawrence (11 ) looks to pass the ball upfield during the Lincoln High-Grand Island game. The Links defated the Islanders 6-0.

"This year nothing but a state championship will be a success. I'm not saying that in hopes of winning, but I'm expecting to win," T. Lawrence • said. '

1n

TinaWilson ____ in the past and it is being shown " i\sst.PhotoE.ditor Danaher commented. Grell was glad ~o

We are now in the fourth quarter see his teamof the school year. This means mates not give spring sports are in full "swing." up and give This year's baseball season got 110% from the kicked off on Monday, March 31, first pitch. 2003. The Links took on the Lin- The highcoln East Spartans. light for senior

The Links gave it their all dur- Troy Stewart ing the game and beat the Spartans was "seeing the 11-0. first three guys

"It felt great! We haven't beaten get on base and them for a long time and they talk then hitting a about us all the time. It was great to homerun." 10 run them after 5 innings," said The Links junior Lance Grell. Grell went 2-3 then took on the at the plate against the Spartans. Panthers from

Senior Keegan Danaher agrees Norfolk. with his teammate. "It felt great af- The game ==- te r.Jis.tening Jo. the m t.alkin g c.ragJ. h.e w as pn Ai;,ril w 1w at _ past four years. Den Hartog

Beating them like that made it field. The Links

ase a

from the first game was 12-4. During the first game, Danaher led the Links

towith a double, a homerun and three RBI. In th-e second game, the Links defeated the boys from Norfolk 95. In the second game, Grell hit a homerun.

"The highlight of the game for me was when I hit that homerun. It felt great , " Grell said. Stewart was glad to see sophomore Alan Deist go 3-3 and have some great hits.

Unfortunately, the Links fell short in their fourth game against Lincoln Pius X. The Links lost by one run with the score ending 2-1.

The Links face a hard schedule and highly anticipate their next challenge. Grell would like to see the team "be the best in the ! e-i=t7~ be..._ran=leeci'r-iwtf-re t or,-t--terr a-r1-d qualify• for state."

Danaher agrees with him. even sweeter." The goal for the game defeated the was to try and work as a tealll. "Team Panthers in the unity is the key We have much more double header.

A Lincoln High batter stares down the incoming pitch. The Links are off to a 6-2 record and have inner city games against Northeast and East still to come.

"My goal right now is to win city and districts and make it to state." Stewart would like to see the team win at least 20 games. · team unity this year than we have had The score

1\.ustinMc:Cleery.StaffWriter

Madness. No other word could possibly describe the - events of the Men's 2003 NCAA Basketball Tournament. This year, as is the case almost every year, there were many unforeseeable upsets and numerous Cinderella possibilities. There were buzzer-beaters and huge blowouts. Teams that were picked to go all the way were knocked out by overlooked underdogs. But after the dust settled in New Orleans the Syracuse Orangemen reigned as National Champions when beat Kansas 81- 7 8 to claim the title.

There were many other great games in the tournament as well. Butler - a team seeded in the twelve spot in the East Region-beat Louisville, a number four seed. Central Michigan (11 seed) came away with a 79- 73 first round victory over local favorite Creighton (6 seed). Even Arizona, a number one seed and a favorite to

of overtime

The Final Four eventually materialized with only one number one seed. Texas ( 1 seed from the South) geared up to meet Syracuse (3) while Marquette prepared Kansas (2). (3) for

bring him his first national title. Minutes after the Kansas - Marquette game ended, Syracuse and Texas took the court in New

Carmello Anthony skys over a Kansas Jayhawk. Anthony helped lead Syracuse to its first national championship.

transition game had Marquette tired and reeling by the second half and Roy Williams' team looked to be in good shape to

Marquette appeared to have some positive momentum going into the Final Four coming off an upset victory over Kentucky in which Dwayne Wade had a triple-double ( double figures in points, assists, and rebounds), but the Golden Eagles were stopped abruptly by Kansas 94-61; at one point Kansas was up on Marquette 72-31. The Jayhawks' win the entire tournament, had trouble closing out a game against Gonzaga. They pulled off a 96-95 win after two periods

Gerry McNamara shoots over Kansas' Aaron Miles in the NCAAChampionship game. McNamara made six first half three-pointers to give the Syracuse Orangmen a first half lead.

Nick Collison had 19 points and 21 rebounds, but Kirk HinrichKansas' other senior starmade only6 of 20 shots from the field. It looked like Kansas might make a comeback in the end, but a last ditch 3-point shot was blocked and the game was over. The S y r a c us e Orangemen were the national champions.

An -

was another good game from Syracuse freshman phenom Anthony; he came away with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Kansas' Orleans. Four Syracuse players and five Texas players ended up with double figures in points, including 33 points by Orange men freshman Carmelo Anthony. Syracuse, a team overshadowed by Texas' number one seeding, stopped the Longhorns 95-84. They were on the way to meet Kansas in the final game.

In the national title garne the young Syracuse team shined. While both teams had four players each in double figures for points, Kansas struggled to make their free throws, hitting only 40% from the line. It other Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament has come and gone and on« thing is for sure: while there are never any guarantees at the Big Dance, there are always plenty of great moments for the fans to enjoy.

ByFeatureF.-llaF.-ngland E.ditor

As the end of the year draws near, daily life for everyone is about to change. Freshmen are about to enter the High for the frrst time ever.

The biggest change is coming on the frrst day of school.

New freshmen and sophomores will be the only ones in attendance on August 26, 2003. This day is set aside to introduce the underclassmen to the building and allow them to fmd their classes without upperclassmen having to worry about stepping on them.

CASSILUND senior,Omaha,Neb.

l\llajor biology and Spanish CareerTrack pediatrician

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Another change to start the year is during LockerCheckout. Instead of having one day for each grade and then ending the week with a day for make-ups, there will only be a day for each grade and there will not be a makeup day.

Many students and teachers have bee11concerned about lunch time. With freshmen and sophomores not being able to go out for lunch, there will be an increased number of students staying at Lincoln High for lunch, which will in turn increase the number of places needed for people to sit and eat. The solution to this problem is that tables and chairs • en ·e 0 1n

will 'be placed in one of the gyms as was done four to five years ago. To help make lunch go more smoothly, teachers and staff will attempt to keep students from roaniing the halls, whether it be from students returning from getting food outside the school or just meandering through the halls.

· Students will be expected to find a place to eat within the six minute passing time and stay there throughout lunch until the next passing period.

Another common concern is about where the freshmen will be put in our already over-crowded school. This is not an issue to administrators, though, because thanks to • the new high schools opening, Lincoln High will actually have fewer students than it currently has.

Instead of 2,200 students, the building will have only 2,000 students. Also, the first day of school for freshmen and sophomores will help them get acquainted with the building so that they have an idea of where they are going.

Many rumors have been flying recently, concerning changes caused by incoming freshmen. These include: only seniors will be able to go out to lunch, everyone will have to wear their student ID's around their necks both are false. The policy on juniors a11dseniors leaving the school for lunch is a district policy and although the student ID issue has been discussed, the policy will remain the same. The best advice concerning the validity of any rumor is to ask an administrator or teacher.

Although freshmen are coming to Lincoln High next year, the changes will not be dramatic, especially for those already at Lincoln High.

Ten Helpful Tips for Freshmen

1. If you have one class on 3rd floor main building and the next class in South Building, don't walk to class, run!

2. Seniors won't hurt you. Juniors might, but not se• mors.

3. The bathrooms are never as close to your classes as • you wish they were. ·

4. When going to the bathroom, use the buddy system, because most of the stalls' locks don't work.

5. Don't count on being able to go to your locker be.. tween every class; there's usually not enough time.

6. Join clubs! They're a great way to meet new people.

7. Not all teachers are nice, just as not all teachers are mean and evil.

8. Take your required classes early so you can goof off as a senior instead of working your posterior off.

9. Don't buy elevator passes or keys from upperclassmen

10. Clean your locker frequently there's nothing quite like the smell of a month-old PB&J.

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By TinaWilson AssistantPhotographyF..ditor

On Thursday, May 1, 2003, the Lincoln High Student Council invited children with disabilities to the West Gym to celebrate May Day. The Student Council set up mini houses, games and stations to create May Day bags.

Student Council tradition for six years. The council created this tradition to provide May Day fun for children who may not be able to participate in other May Day activities.

This event is similar to the Trick or Treat that is held in October. "This event is a great opportunity to put smiles on the faces of children," senior president Holli Richardson said.

The kids arrived at 9:30 A.M., then drifted in and out throughout the day, making their way .....,__ .....,.....,.....,"'"""""""'""'. iH:i:':'i}:@i#i:UhE'i!:Hl::::':H:t:,=:=t:::i:}t:;:A:,tt//M:,:,=,>. :,:dfr,:,t: to the different stations set up around the gym.

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With a total of 60 kids attending, this year's May Day celebration was a great success. The large turnout helped make the May Day celebration an enjoyable ex• penence. tions that were set up this year were face painting, fishing, bowling, duck pond and a pifiata. "The kids en-

Student Council member Mimi Abebe(l 1 ) throws a wet sponge at StuCo President Holli Richardson (12).

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ByCopyJayBeennann F..ditor

Cornhusker Boys' State and Girls' State, put on each year by the American Legion and the American Legion Women's Auxiliary, are two of the most well-known and respected programs in Nebraska. The intensive week-long camp, intended fo teach high school juniors (soon to be seniors) about Nebraska government, is a great honor for those who are chosen to attend. This year at Lincoln High, five junior boys and three junior girls were selected to attend the programs.

for the last week of school. Because of the rules for Boys' and Girls' State, no one is allowed to leave during the week for any reason except a family emergency. This year, special exceptions have been made for kids to leave the campus for a couple hours in order to take their final exams.

Joseph Manglitz will be one of the Lincoln High students attending Boys' State in June. He realized the possible complications in being gone the last week of school, but he also recognized "how great of an opportunity Boys' State was." Manglitz is hoping to gain "a greater understanding and overall appreciation for our government, improved leadership skills, and a bunch of new friends."

The attendance this year was the best that Student Council joyed the stations and had a good time hanging out in a high school for the day," morale officer junior Carly Buzz said. The large number of stations allowed the kids to enjoy a variety of games.

Boys' and Girls' State take place the frrst week of June each year on the UNL campus. Although the programs are kept separate, the main goal is the same: to create a better understanding of how Nebraska's state government works. Every day of the week is filled with seminars, workshops, activities, and meeting with people who work in the Nebraska government. The Governor almost always makes a showing, and usually the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court also speak to the groups.

Heather Larkins will be attending Girls' State. She, too, hopes "to learn new things I didn't know before and get a better understanding of government." Larkins believes that the knowledge she gains during the week long program would help her "in voting, as well as understanding the positions of political candidates."

The turnout surprised the organizers, but they were glad to see the large numbers of kids.

Planning for the celebration started in March and was one of the last large projects for the Student Council this year.

The May Day celebration has been a has ever seen.

Last year, nine Lincoln High juniors attended Boys' State. A possible reason for the drop ' in numbers could be the scheduling for this year's program. Last year, Boys' and Girls' State took place the first week of summer break. This year, the camp is scheduled

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LHS Athletic Director Harold Simpson is one of the organizers for Boys' State. "The only real problem in scheduling happens with Lincoln Public Schools," he said. "All the other school districts around the state are out for the summer." Simpson understands that the scheduling has hurt the number of delegates corning from LPS. "No school is sending the same number of students, and I don't think Southeast is sending any." Simpson believes every problem Boys' State has experienced thus far with scheduling is also being felt by Girls' State, but attempts are being made "to work individually with the students on conflicts." It is no secret that the Girls' State·program is far different than the Boys' State program. The girls are held to a stricter dress code in which they must always be in professional dress, often in nylon stockings, and ALWAYS with their beanies. Yes, you heard right, the girls mQst always be wearing Girls' State approved beanie caps. The boys must always be in their specified Boys' State T-shirt, even when meeting with important government officials af the State Capitol. Also, while the boys have their choice of activities in sports, music (vocal and instrumental), and newspaper, the girls only have music, newspaper, and campus tours. Sports are not an option.

Despite any discrepancies, Boys' and Girls' State both promise to be rewarding programs for those who attend. Lincoln High delegates this year are: Boys ,...Tom Hilsabeck, Joseph Manglitz, Mikah

Meyer, Peter Olds, and John Paek. Girls - Rachel Carlson, Zoe Holmes, and Heather Larkins.

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By LizNguyen OpinionF..ditor

News of the Community Blood Bank coming to Lincoln High had been publicized for three weeks prior to April 17. During these three weeks, Student Council members signed up 120 people in the school. The Blood Bank had received 77 donors by the end of the day. Nurse Lois Whitefoot said this was a good count. Not everyone meets the donor eligibility requirements: you must be 17 years old, weigh 110 lbs, and must not have had a tattoo in the last 12 months. This information is verified by your student ID, social security number, and a questionnaire.

The collection of donors consisted of students and a few faculty members. Some students reported feeling nervous and scared, but others were fearless.

The process started with signing in at the front desk. Senior Alyssa Schuettler was spotted chatting with a friend while waiting patiently in line. "I'm kinda scared, scared I won't be able to give blood. I tried before and I didn't have enough hemoglobin, so I'm really trying this year," Schuettler commented with an aire of confidence.

The second step of the process was filling out a questionnaire. "I'm pretty nervous because my sister [who just donated] got sick, but I'm still going through with it," senior Alicia Pottorf boldly stated as she was filling out her questionnaire. The questionnaire, which serves the purpose of retrieving each donor's health history information, is reviewed by a nurse and once approved, the donor takes a mini physical exam to ensure the safety of the blood. Once it's absolutely evident the donor is in good shape, all systems

are go.

Senior Chelsee McMeen made it to the final round and lay calmly on her cot as the phlebotomist (blood doctor) drew her blood. "It may hurt at frrst but it's actually not that scary. Several of my friends have already done it," McMeen said. Most student donors were donating blood for the first time, and one of the factors that usually influenced them to do so was that one or more of their peers have done it before.

Last stop: Table O' Snacks where donors must stop to pick up fluid and food to replenish their bodies. Donors left content not only due to the fact that they were able to indulge in great snacks after their brave contribution, but also •

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By JamieBrown GraphicsManager

May 1, 2003 was the frrst night of the 87 th annual Joynite at Lincoln High School. As always, Joynite brought many laughs and good times. ·

This year's theme was "Joynite Gets Real," inspired by America's many reality shows.

This year's MCs were seniors Jessi Wolfe, Andrea Kerns, Alyssa Schuettler, Mikayla Edwards, Dottie Urbanek, > atLHS.

Jacob Absalon, Jay Beermann, Sam Beutler, Ben Tibbels, Marcus Myles, Ron Leach and Zach White, and juniors Emily Ernst and Jeff Tinnean. The MCs were witty and had some hilarious skits. Some of the more memorable included "Married by LHS," in which MC Sam Beutler got married to Wink the Link, and "Are you Jean Clark?" in which Jeff Tinnean and 2 judges, Mikayla Edwards and Emily Ernst, tried to find someone better than LHS's very own Jean Clark. Another memo-

The acts this year were amazing. They varied from jazz to french horn and from stepping to rock. On Thursday night, you could have seen the light and sassy dancing of senior Gabrielle James. Cory and the Popes played songs from Dave Matthews Band and Eric Clapton. IIG surprised everyone, coming on stage with only five members, five fewer than when we last saw them. The faculty skit was good, with Associate Principal Annie Scott and Jack James singing an oldie but goody. Student teacher Brian Douglas sang, "I Can Only Imagine" by Michel W. Smith. Next was the loud rock band with lead singer Micah Heibel and Bob Mersed on drums, along with Chris Maly on the guitar, lead

the crowd with a amazing renditions of Street Fightin' Man and Blitzkreig Bop. Half Mary played with good song lyrics and an amazing beat. Ashley Tolle and Lindsey Lundgren gave an emotional farewell dance together as their high school career came to an 'end. Other bands that played were Grover and Jive Pistol.

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because they had done something "altruistic," Nurse Whitefoot commented. Most noticeable was the beaming smiling on Schuettler's face as she left the gym that day, proud to finally wear her "I'm-A-First-Time-Donor" sticker. (Another sticker for returning donors was the humorous "Feed Me, I Just Donated Blood.")

The Blood Bank staff was very pleased to see a good number of first-time donors from Lincoln High. (Out of 77 donors this includes attempted donations, 61 units of blood were actually obtained. And 44 out of 61 were from new donors!) It is said that there is a good return rate of students who donated in high school. "I didn't rea1ly think about any pain if there would be any when I signed up for this. All I knew was that it's for a good cause. It's not too time-consuming and doesn't cost anything either," McMeen remarked. For students who are afraid, "so is the other person on the other line [the transfused]. The pain of the needle is well worth it," Community Relations Coordinator Desiree Elder declared. Every unit of blood that is donated can save 3 lives. On Thursday, April 17 Lincoln High School donors saved 183 lives!

If you would like to make a donation to the Communit Blood Bank, lease call 486-9414 to make an

Landon Pierce prepares to donate blood for the Community Blood Bank's annual Lincoln High blood drive.

(Left to Right) Nick Noel, Cory Watermeier, Paul Kenney, and John Spence formed Cory and the Popes, one of the performers at Joynite.

rable skit was "I'm

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By 1\braham1\kec -StaffWriter

There ate many different cultures in the world. Some have their own traditions, and some of tl1ese cultures have lost their traditions through emigration and intermarnage.

A culture that has retained its customs and values is the Dinka. Dinka's cultures are very complex and very hard to understand because they are not easily adopted by other people. They are passed from generation to generation. They are not changeable or easily absorbed by other cultures. Dinka culture revolves around marriage, tribes, clans, relatives, and traditional government, known as the council of elders.

The council of elders is there to solve any disputes that might occur in the clans and tribes. One of tlie functions of the council of elders to make sure that traditions are accurately followed. They are also peace makers among local tribes and clans. They make sure that laws and orders are obeyed in the communities. The council of elders is made up of twelve members, including judges and community leaders.

The marriage ceremony in Dinka tribes is a long process. It takes up to five years to get married. It begins with courtship. Courtship is a long conversation between a man and a woman. The women have to make many appointments with the men they want to marry. It is the responsi-

bility of the girl to pick a time he can come to her house. The man then comes to officially talk with the parents. The parents have the choice to say they don't want a man if he is not from a royal family or if his parents do not have enough cows to pay for the dowry.

Dowry is the property paid by the bridegroom to bride's parents in order 'to own his wife. And his wife can't divorce him because he has paid for her. If the wife divorces him, the n he keeps the dowry so that he can marry a different wife with the same property. A divorced woman in ,Dinka cultures is not easily married by other men.

So divorce in Dinka tribes is not very common because divorced women are big trouble. On the other hand, marriage and divorce in some western cultures is more accepted. Dinkas are social people. They live in tribes and clans in order to keep the heart of their cultures alive. A tribe is larger than a clan. Tribes are made up of five hundred people while clans are made up of fifty people. Clans have closer blood relationships than tribes.

In Dinka cultures girls are married at age seventeen to eighteen. Girls have to maintain a standard of respect toward men in order to be worth many cows. Girls who respect others during their childhoods can bring wealth to their parents. And those who do not demonstrate their dignity and traditions will bring nothing but a few cows.

When a man and a woman come

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into an agreement in which they will be making a family then it is a time for the wedding ceremony to take place. During marraige ceremonies, both parents have to come together for two things.

They must first determine the size of the dowry. A large bull is then slaughtered by the groom's parents and fed to the bride's parents to symbolize the new unity. Both parents have to maintain an atmosphere of respect since they have been connected by the new relationship

Most of the Dinka people practice polygamy. There was one Dinka man who was married to one hundred fifty wives. He was a famous and well-rounded man with many thousands head of cattle. Many people marry as many wives as they have cattle.

There is an important initation for Dinka boys. Boys have to leave their fami-

ByJulieKilzer PhotoF..ditor -

We have all heard of the notorious Simon Cowell from the hit Fox reality show American Idol. You know - the guy who may or may not have any talent of his own but is not too shy to embarrass young singers in front of nearly 30 million Americans who tune in weekly. In Lincoln a few months ago the search for the Mid-American Idol began. No, there weren't lights or cameras, but there were over 100 very talented people called, hoping that they would become the next Mid-American Idol. Lesley Higgins, a Lincoln High senior, swallowed her fear of singing her own song on the air and the judges were blown away.

lies and go to the forest for thirty days and nights before they come back. When they come back home then they have to be treated as men. They are no longer called boys because they have been away from their homes for thirty days. The initiation marks the end of childhood and is the beginning of manhood. Initia1ion is like graduation from high school.

When a boy becomes a man, he must show his manhood by doing significant and remarkable things. For instance, he must kill a cow or a bull to be eaten by his peers. Also he must be a champion in wrestling, singing, rapping and composing good songs. And he cannot eat the meat of the cow he kills. If he eats the meat he will become dumb and stupid.

So Dinka cultures have different marriage ceremonies, initiations, and forms of government than the rest of the world.

After a week of waiting Lesley was told that she was in the finals with only four others. The next night she was asked to come to the studio to sing her song for all the KFRX listeners, not to mention her family and friends who tuned in to listen. "After I sang on the air I just had a feeling that I had won," Higgins said. Her feeling was right on target. After it was announced that she had won, AJ Rider (the DJ who was putting on the promotion) helped arrange a time when she could put her song on a CD. With the help of Underground Recordings, her song entitled, "Close Your Eyes" will soon be played on KFRX.

Higgins plans to study Photojournalism but is not planning to ever give up her dream of singing. "I would like to sign with a record company and have people hear my music."

While singing on American Idol is not in her immediate future Higgins said that she would love to ' be on the show someday.

Higgins said, "I want to sing as much as I can, it's the thing I love doing."

Senior Lesley Higgins won the mid-American Idol competition.

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• ByRyly BusinesszettermanManager____ _

On April 26, 2003 eight high school girls and eight high school boys from a combination of Northeast and Lincoln High were involved in the third annual Jabberwock pageant. The first Jabberwock pageant was held in Boston, Massachusetts in 1925, and it was organized by the Iota Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. The goal of the Jabberwock pageant is to raise money for the chapter's scholarship fund. The contestants in 2003 dressed formally,the girls in white and the boys in tuxedoes. This year Jabberwock was held in the University of Nebraska's Grand Ballroom. The Delta Sigma Theta Alumnae Chapter organized the event and the .contestants had to sell tickets to friends and family that attended.

The girl that sold the most tickets and received the most donationswas crowned Ms. Jabberwock. Eight students at Lincoln High participated in Jabberwock, se-

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couples to "Still in Love" by Brian McKnight. There were many awards presented by the alumni; the awards consisted of Ms. Congeniality,Ms. J abberwock,Mr. J abberwock, the gold, silver and bronze were awarded for the number of tickets sold overall. Then the overall donations and ticket sales were totaled and Ms. Jabberwock was crowned. Ms. Jabberwock was awarded to Jasmine Jackson, a senior at Lincoln Northeast. Senior, Brandi Allen won the Ms. Congeniality

The Jabberwock participants gathered on the Lincoln High steps in their last photo together.

niors: Tyrina Webster, Brandi Allen, Jerome Mckie, and Melvin Moore; juniors: Mckinely Jons, Anthony Canada, and Brittney Hodges.

· The boys and girls each preformed a dance and also danced together. The girls danced to Whitney Houston's, "I'm Every Woman," and the boys strutted their stuff in a dance to "Air Force Ones," by Nelly. Lastly, both groups danced in • en1or

award and was the third runner up for most ticket sales, and Brittney Hodges was the second runner up and she received the first place special incentive award for academics and community service. Also, McKinley Jons received second place in the special incentive award. Brittney Hodges

said overall, "Being in Jabberwock was a good experience geeting to know other people from around the city. Friendships were formed and in the end not only did the event come together, but I can always look back and know that I gained 15 new friendships." Nate Bunch of Omaha was responsible for taping the anual event.

• to ece1ve _____

By .samBeutler ___ _

Every year the University of Nebraska awards the R.H. "Rick" Davis Scholarship to the most academically talented minority student. This year, Lincoln High's own, senior Codah Gatewood, was the recipient of the Davis Scholarship. Since the scholarship fund was established 13 years ago in 1990, Gatewood is the first Native American to be awarded the scholarship.

The Davis Scholarship has no set amount. Depending on the applicants and the strength of the applications, recipients may receive anywhere from $2000 to full tuition. Generally, the scholarship ranges from $2000 to $4000 over fours years. Only occasionally is full tuition given. Due to his extraordinary academic achievement and involvement, Gatewood received full tuition for all four years at UNL.

Gatewood recalls that applying for the

scholarship was no easy task. "I remember how stressed I was to fill out the scholarship application. The counselors wouldn't leave me alone about applying," Gatewood said. The counselors ·saw that his exceptional academic record made him a strong applicant for the award. "Codah represents all the best at Lincoln High - academic excellence, good character, cultural diversity, and community," said Lincoln High counselor Virginia Saporta. Gatewood said his counselors and teachers supported him a lot in applying for the scholarship. "I would really have to thank the counselors and my teachers," Gatewood added. The Davis Scholarship application was several pages in length and required writing three essays.

Gatewood, an enrolled member of the Navajo tribe, is the first Native

American to receive this scholarship. "Codah really knows who he is and brings pride to his identity in all the best ways," said Saporta. He is very involved in Codah Gatewood (12). the Native American

Caucus here at Lincoln High and hopes his efforts will pave the way for future Native Americans. "I hope other Native Americans will see these opportunities and take advantage of them too," he said.

Gatewood also hopes that people will see that he is not different and that he has just worked extremely hard. Gatewood is also a finalist for the Gates Millennium Scholarship. This is a national award offering a full-ride to any college or university in the United States. It included nearly a 30-page application and seven essays. That hard work and perseverance has paid off and is leading him towards success in college. He plans to major in architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "I really enjoy my applied architecture course," Gatewood said with a smile after returning from a presentation he had just given to five architects at UNL. Gatewood's efforts and hard work have shown that anyone from any background can achieve success. If someone puts forth the effort, then they will then reap the rewards.

Senior Prom R Tibbels, Cathe Mo ks, Jean Was _ n)/i

yalty Nominees(L-R): Nick Madsen, Claire Hutchinson, Ben e Balta, Scott Cavadinl, Molly Shields, Joel Ruiz, Matt k, Jay Be~rman, Sarah Behrens. (Not pictured: Ariel

·ght of "Enchantment Under the St dates. Th e dance, held from 8 p.m. to midnig g Auditoriurlr, was a nighf\, f surprises , including the coronation of Pr Queen Scott Cavadini and Catherin e Balta; Prince and Princess were thony C da and Tanya Warren. The da nce at Pershing was followed by "Nautical Nonsense," the Spongebob-themed Post Prom Party at Lincoln High, which was organized by the Lincoln High Booster Club. Students played games and won prizes until 4 a.m.

(L-R) Marcus Vaness, A.J. Burks, and Stanley Cayetano shake it up at Prom 2003.

Junior Prom Royalty Nominees (L-R): Ryan Blahak, McKinley Jons, M arcus Minzel, Amy Densberger, Morgan Raymond, Deep Amin, Chadd Stut heit, Kath y Erickson, Seth Sharpe, Jessica Talero, Anthony Canada, and Tanya Warren.

Students participate in the softball throw, one of the many fun games available at Nautical Nonsense,this year's Post Prom Party.

(L-R) Ben Basher and Tanya Warren do the limbo at Post Prom

riae .are ro a run, ternative

RuthKohtz Mi.torinChief

Prom night can be a night full of wonderful things: a wonderful tuxedo or dress, a wonderful restaurant, a wonderful dance, a wonderful date. We can be sure most people pictured the same thing when imagining that wonderful prom night. A boy in a tux and a girl in a dress, posed holding each other endearingly.

For some high school students, though, that picture is a little different. So on April 26 th all the Lincoln high schools worked together to organize this year's Pride Prom, a dance where all students can feel safe and comfortable with whomever they choose as a date. "Everybody goes whether they're gay or not," Senior Catherine Balta said. "You don't have to feel weird." Sophomore Jessica Wallen-Thompson added, "You don't have to be gay to have a good time there." The dance was held at Lincoln Southwest High School and was attended by 156 students from all Lincoln high schools. The theme was ''All You Need is Love" and it is believed that this was the largest Pride Prom to date.

Pride Prom started about eight years ago and was first held at the Unitarian Church. Since then, it has been held at each of the high schools in Lincoln. The location of the dance is kept out of public know ledge for much of the time; interested students must contact a sponsor or other students to find out where it is being held. This is for the safety of the students, said Lincoln High English teacher Ruth Kupfer, who is also the co-sponsor of Lincoln High's Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender-Straight Alliance along with English Department Chair John Heineman. "We don't want people to come whose intentions are to disrupt it," Kupfer said. Over the years, there have been individuals who have spoken out against Pride Prom. One year, a former Lincoln High teacher sent letters to the principals, Kupfer, and Heineman expressing opposition to Pride Prom. Attached to the letters were statistics on deaths from AIDS. "The assumption was that Pride Proµi was an opportunity to engage in sexual behav- · iors," Kupfer said, which is obviously not the case any more than regular prom is such an opportunity. "Needless to say, it didn't stop Pride Prom.'' People who express such concerns "represent a group [that is] uninformed and bigoted about what happens there," Kupfer said.

Organization for Pride Prom begins in the fall and is largely the responsibility of the school hosting it. There were two all-city meetings in which members of all the Gay-Straight Alliances discussed plans for Pride Prom. The dance is the highlight of the year for many of the club's members and this year ·was not a disappointment. Pride Prom is a wonderful tradition, a good time where "everyone is accepted for who they are," said Sophomore Lydia Bums.

{L-R) Don Ellis, Noella Niati, JessicaWallen-Thompson, Molly Butler, and Lydia Burns on the dance floor at Pride Prom.

(l-R) Catherine Balta, Rachel Bia.ck, Bailey Heafer, Kylie Magnuson, and Hannah Voelker have a blast at this year's Pride Prom. ·

Seniors Paul Kenney, Sean Wolterman, Noah Knisley, and Jacob Absalon have a wild game of Twister at Post Prom.

Pride Prom sponsors had fun, too! (l-R) Amy Jewel {LSW), David Smith {LNE), Jane Reinkordt (LSE),Arlys Eddy {LSW), Mary Reiman {LSE)Ruth Kupfer (LHS), Kate Mason (LHS), and John Heineman {LHS).

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By MargaretGurewitz CopyE.ditor

This year's spring play, Much Ado About Nothing, was far from what its title suggested. Shakespeare'swell-writtenscriptwas sk:illfullyexecutedby the performers,showingthat theirweeks of hard practice had paid off.

The play revolvesaroundtwo mainplotlines. One is of the beautiful Hero (played by junior Emily Ernst) and just-returned soldier Claudio GuniorJeffTinnean)who fall in love. They want to get married, but Don Jon (senior Brandon Barron)plotsto keep them apartby makingit seem as though Hero had an affair. There is the expected argumentand turmoil,but in the end love conquers.

The other story is of Benedick (senior Ben Tibbels)and Beatrice (seniorMikayla Edwards). Botiri:rave-crustyextt:rion t a11dliaveswom1Jfflove and marriage. Their friends,however,recognize that they would be a wonderful couple, so they work to bring them together. fu the end, Benedick and Beatricerealizethat they were meant for each other, and the play ends happily.

Particularlystrong acting came from senior StewartHehn, who had the very challengingrole of Leonato, Hero's father. Ernst performed well as Hero, too. Edwards and Tibbels were quite good, adding humor to the play.

The actors were very proud of their work. "I can't think of a more appropriate way to end a greatyear of theatrethan wth one of Shakespeare's most memorablecomedies," Ernst said.

Junior Ryan Poyer, who played a police officer, agreed. 'Toe cast was lots of fun because the seniors wanted their last show to be fantastic, and it was."

Director Patsy Koch-Jons thought the play went well, and said the actors and actresseswere a joy to work with. 'This was an amazing cast. They created scenery,props, costumes,the world of Much Ado. This was not just a theatricalsuccess, but a major educationalsuccess."

OU le ontinue

Juliel(ilzer& JamieBrown PhotographyE.ditor& -StaffWriter

While the Coupled By LHS promotion may not have ended with any marriages, it did end as a success. The goal was to couple individuals who were open to the idea of h.

==F- ra vmsa, 1.=fu~ ,;.Fi1g •1=t1.,--r-&c7 f)f0R1 'r,n =1LTr° S0ffle8Be ilitiM~~m; chosen by their fellow students.

The Advocate published information about 4 females arid 4 males and it was left up to the students to fill out the ballots with which couples they thought would be the most compatible.

No names or photos were prin ted in the paper to ensure that people would vote strictly on qualities the individt1als had in common, instead of matching up couples based on name and appearances.

The process of finding four females and four males started slowly, but with time running out we got just enough people to go ahead with the activity. Shortly after the newspaper hit the stands, the ballots rapidly flowed in. mer1can X

A few minor adjustments were needed with on male deciding that he would rather go with a friend. We were forced to eliminate one girl, and were left with three couples.

• Once we delivered a note to the six people to let them know who they were going to be matched up with, another couple chose together that they would rather go with other people.

Here are the couples that you, the LHS student body, matched together:

Quitina Mitchell (12) & Danny Menyweather (11)

Brittany Billings (11) & Nick Vaske (Jl)

Rachel Black (12) & Matt Darrington (12)

While all three couples were found to be quite compatible, only one couple decided to follow through with their date. Danny and Quitina ate atApplebee's downtown and then headed off to Pershing where they danced the night away.

Thank you to the more than 200 students who voted and the great ind~viduals who participated. Without their support, this promotion never could have happened.

And as for the future of the couple, Danny said, "We have been friends for three years and we are going to stay friends. Prom was great, she looked great, I looked great, and we had a blast!"

___ MargoD.l(ekeliya___ _ Asst.FeatureE.ditor

I was sick and tired of the people telling me I was going to fail all my classes, gain a · couple dozen pounds, forget how to spell in Russian (my frrst language) and never graduate.

While I've been here, a lot of people have asked me whether it's hard to make a choice about leaving your family, friends and community. The idea of going ,;across the world for a year is scary. But tJhe risks are worth it. They're really worth it.

The organization that brought me to the United States is called the American Councils for International Education. For about ten years they have been linking Eurasian and U.S. students to schools and families across the globe.

To become an exchange student in the U.S., I had to pass a three round competition, which included writing essays, interviews with native English speakers, grammar tests and so on. In a competition with 17,500 participants from all the countries of the former Soviet Union, only 350 students were approved to become FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange Program) students. Everything, including my academic record and my personal achievements (such as being a class president for two years in a row or 1st place • at the International Sociological Conference), was important.

My American experience was more than just a year of high school in another country. It was year of discovery, a year of learning to be tolerant and flexible, a year of achievement and a year of new impressions. A year when I met new friends and new teachers who did a lot to support me, and my new American family. This year will stay in my

heart forever.

Americans amazed me with the warmness of their hearts and souls. Now I know that the American Dream does exist, and I'll never give up thinking about it. The most important thing that I discovered this year was to listen to your heart. If you work to achieve something, you certainly will achieve it.

This year also helped me understand some world issues and my own culture better. Russia is a free and powerful country in which I take great pride! The future is in peace and friendship: the peace and friendship between the people of all countries and all cultures.

This year made me realize that each individual is unique and each human being is an individual. I also got to meet new and interesting people. People who think, act and even dress differently. People who have become my true friends and who will always stay in my heart.

My host school, Lincoln High, will also stay in my heart because it treated me as if I was more than just "one of those exchange students." It opened its doors to me and gave me new knowledge, which in my opinion, is the most important and valuable thing of all. It showed me how diverse and unique the population of the USA is and I take pride in the school which is able to celebrate that diversity. Somewhere in my heart of hearts I will always stay a Link.

But besides my host school and teach-

ers, there were a lot of other people who helped me and supported me throughout the year, such as my host family and friends. Even the whole families of friends, my regional and local representatives from the American Councils, and my new friends which I've met at the different events organized for or by the exchange students. It's obvious that this year will stay an independent chapter in the book of my life, and that chapter is full of bright and cheerful moments. Thinking of these memories, I sometimes feel like crying.

Among the people who helped me through this year and made it really bright are my host family, the families of friends (especially the Dunns), my teachers, especially Ms. Koch-Johns, Mr. Heineman, Ms. Doerr and Ms. Meyer, and all of my new friends. I love all of you guys and will miss you when I go home. I want you to know that your friendly faces will always stay in my memory as one of the most treasured momeqts in my life. Thank you and farewell.

If someone is willing to bring an American experience into somebody else's life, host an exchange student. To find out more, please contact Catherine Seneviratne at (202)-833- 7522, or e-mail her at seneviratne@actr.org. You can also visit the American Councils website at www.americancouncils.org for more information.

Help create peace and understanding in a troubled world. Be a host family for a high school exchange student for the 2003-2004 school year. Adventures in Real Communication is a well-established agency looking for qualified families to share their home with a 16-18 year old from Europe, South America, Asia, or Central America. For more information contact the Lincoln Community Cooridator, Rosalie Meyer at 327-2526.

wartz1an

By Josh..swartzlander F.ditor-In-Chi.ef

High school is hell. It is a battleground full of pitfalls and landmines. It is an emotional roller coaster that few students survive without permanent scars. People who claim to have had entirely positive high school experiences are lying, or they are doomed to flipping burger~ until their dying days.

But there are ways for successful high school students to survive high school without constant agony. Behavior and attitude modification can make high school more enjoyable to students who are miserable.

1) Be confidant. Actually, be over-confidant. High school students prey on uncertainty like flies on a dead squirrel. All high school students are uncertain about themselves, so they are drawn to those who seem certain, who project an aura of leadership. Conversely, students mercilessly pick on kids who are scared and • anxious.

2) Be intelligent. I'm not talking about

er~s arewe

knowing the capitol of Ethiopia (Addis · Ababa for anyone who's curious). I'm talking about basic knowledge and common sense. Worthwhile high school students don't respect people who can't speak intelligently about a variety of topics, nor do they respect students who don't understand basic customs and rules that should be common sense.

3) Be kind. Good people are not impressed by mean practices, which are far too common in high school. Mean people may be good for a quick cruel laugh, but they do not have successful high school experiences. If you have to make fun of other people to make an identity for yourself, it isn't an identity worth making. Besides, people are attracted to kindness. If you are nice to others, they will be nice to you. Ah, the golden rule.

4) Be an individual, but not a fool. It is important for high school kids to create unique identities for themselves. But some students try too hard to be different. You can be yourself without dressing in moronic outfits or refusing to do

ress

work. Here's how the social structure of high school works: A group of popular kids are idolized. Then, a group of losers tries to mimic the structure of the popular kids like the losing bracket of a doubleelimination sports tournament (they operate under the same system as the popular kids, but have half the chance of success). Finally, a group of students reject all of the hierarchy and pretend like they don't care about fitting in Only a select group of kids are capable of shaking off the social pressure and creating autonomous high school identities.

High school is a strange time for kids. It bridges the gap between elementary school and the real world. But it also provides unrealistic images of how the world operates. High school shouldn't be taken too seriously. It can be a time of learning and fun, but it is also a time of misery and deception. High school is hell, but it is also survivable.

I have but one thing left to say. The switch rally is still pointless. See you later not.

e ition to enioritis

By BrettMaly A~t NewsF.ditor

The end is almost here. It's almost over. Seniors are rejoicing and leaping in jubilation. Now is the time to enjoy the last few moments of our high school years. Only a few more days remain. Everyone is marking their calendars. Having fun is all that matters now. But wait! Seniors still have to take finals.

The last obstacle for seniors is finals week. After spending most of the year thinking about college, seniors still have to worry about graduating. Many of the challenges

seniors face include finishing CI hours, applying at various colleges, filling out scholarships, completing ·the FAFSA form, deciding which college to attend, and completing house contracts. After all this, they still have to study for finals.

Many school officials and critics will argue that finals are necessary to ensure that students learn in their classes. The tests are supposed to make students accountable for their learning. Our schools have had 13 years to teach us. If they haven't taught us the necessary skills and knowledge by the end of first seme ster, then our educational system has failed us.

Making students review for finals doesn't teach students anything more. The only thing finals week does is force students to put the information into their short-term memory. After taking their finals, students will most likely forget it all. Students only need to retain the information for 24 hours, take the test, and then they can forget it forever.

Having to take finals the last three days of school interferes with enjoying the last few moments of high school. When seniors take finals, their last impression of high school is sleepless

nights. Is this what we want our last memory of high school to _ be? Do we want to finish high school without having any fun? Why should Lincoln Public School students be forced to take finals when their peers in other schools don't have them? Not only do seniors in other Nebraska schools not have to take finals, they also get out of school early. Seniors at Pius X high school had their last day of school on May 9, weeks before the rest of the school had their last day of classes.

So I ask, why does LPS want to interfere with seniors having fun the last week of school when they have worked hard for 13 years? Do they not want us to enjoy high school?

We're doing more than g.,;JtMS..l!i,!!J!.Q lffl asking you to enroll , at sec.

More than 40 programs in, ·

• Agriculture/Laboratory Science/ • Family & Consurner Science •· • Mass Media/Communication i

• Electronic/Computer ; • Academic Education /

We're saving a chair for you.

e ecret to C 00 uccess

Seniors use their experiences to enlighten future Lincoln High classmen

By Joshswartzlanderandi\ustinMCCieery quiz

or test coming up, don't throw away your say they check to ~ake sure h~mework is Labs can be faked, forged, and results tam-

F..ditor-In-chiefand-StaffWriter

- time thinking about what details you need to accurate, but they lie. They srmply don't pered with. Once again, discover the result

It's 1:30 in the morning and you have an important book quiz only hours away. Are you awake cramming for the quiz, trying to read the entire book in one night? No. What a foolish idea. You're sound asleep. You haven't actually read the chapters that you were assigned, but you're not afraid. You don't know anything about Thoreau, but you are confident in your abilities.

Why is this? Shouldn't you be afraid of failure? Shouldn't the idea of taking a quiz without reading the material scare you?

Of course not. Because it's not about what you know; it's about what you seem to know.

You see, school can be very difficult, but only if you choose to make it that way. You can study hard, read every word of an assigned text, and double-check all of your homework and you'll probably do quite - well >tn -schooi "."=-You'l f get good grades, make the honor roll, perhaps even earn a spot in the National Honor Society. But you will have wasted countless hours of your life on unnecessary tasks.

The next time you have any sort of

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By F..llaF..ngland FeatureF..ditor

Ok! This has gone far enough! Recently I was online and I fell upon a list of upcoming movies. Out of five of them, all five were for sequels to already existing movies.

Now, it's not that all sequels are bad, but most are. An example of this would be the Disney sequels. Do we really need to hear about Ariel's ' daughter or an adolescent Mowgli? What's next? Learning about Simba's grandson? Or how about Snow White's second cousin twice removed? And, anyway, I didn't like the first Inspector Gadget, what makes them think I'll like the second?

As I said before, not all sequels are horrible. Some movies like Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the next Harry Potter movies are not necessarily bad, but movies such as those are continuations of the first and not just the same story. X2: X-men United, promises to be the same way as Lord

know. Think about what the teacher is going have time to go through 150 students' daily you are supposed to get, and make sure the to want to hear you say. Because that's what homework. If you understand the math- procedure yields those results. Don't rely high school is all about: giving teachers what ematical concept, d9n't continue doing the on lab partners to do anything; they will only they want. As long as you understand that, same kinds of problems over and over again screw it up. you have a free pass from freshmen year all on the homework. Start copying out of the ®>Social Studies - Very much like English, the way through graduation. back of the book. And if the answer isn't in you don't have to read pages and pages of You neeq only pay attention to what your the back of the book, copy the closest one dry history book text to do well on tests, teacher thinks. Does your teacher agree with that is. As far as tests go, you usually have papers, etc. Listen to points that teachers the author? Does he/she even like the au- toknowwhatyou'redoing. Butdon'tworry make in class, because these are likely to thor? Perhaps he/she has a crush on the au- about the lengthy application problems at appear on exams. For history papers, rethor. Questions like these are the only ones the end of assignments. They are never on member the copy and paste commands. important enough to occupy your time. · tests. Ummm, just kidding.

Once you know where your teacher ®>English-For English classes, always re- Don't get us wrong; it's not that we stands on testable ideas you are home free. member, everything is symbolic. If you don't like learning. Learning is spectacular You can B.S. your way through anything. can't find symbolism in writing, just make when the subject matter is interesting and Discussion groups? No problem. Pop quiz? it up. That's what the teachers are doing; important. But very little that is learned in Ain't no thing. only they went to college so they seem more school fits these categories. Mostly, school

When you begin a new class, don't study credible. If you don't like a book, don't read consists of busy work and worthless sound the book; study the teacher. Analyze his/her it. Has anyone in Lincoln High actually read bytes of information. Why bother learning behavior patterns. What does he/she like? Walden? Here's a hint: Cliff's notes or the inconsequential? We're not lazy or imWhat are his/her political leanings? What Sparknotes. Writing essays requires thor- moral; we're practical. We learn what we style of writing does he/she prefer? This ough knowledge of your teacher. Just give want, and mak£_§~ it loQ~ wekarne.d h b 1,,, T ...1·w.orks~..W-~¥€ - been----d@in·g-it4 or..yenars:= !!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! ==t••eJ11,!;.w11at-h1ey""""W'fint-=m - ursctrss1-ons-;-B-:-5-:- C very"thing"elSe.

Here are some more specific pieces of Start talking aboui how the reading reflects School success is about fooling teachadvice for your classes: Shakespearean ideals and alludes to multiple ers into thinking you learned what they ®>Math-Always remember, most of the an- concepts regarding Romantic allegories. taught. Manipulation is more important than swers are in the back of the book. For daily You'll be fine. studying when it comes to grades. And rework, know whether your teacher grades on ®>Science - First, make sure to get the right member, everything is symbolic. completion or accuracy. Most math teachers teacher. Then worry about the course work.

• I lCJ

of the Rings. One can only hope that the sequels of XXX and Spiderman will follow suit.

What I am saying is, please get a new idea already. I think we've all had just about as much as we can take of good movies that should have been left alone, instead of being messed with and completely ruined by being overly done, as in the Austin Powers Ill: Goldmember. Ok, you had a good idea and made lots of money now get O\;er it and stop ruining our movies. Sure, you may make more money off of them, but that doesn't make it a good movie, it just means that either people are curious if the second is as good as the first, there is noting better to go to the theater to see, or people suffer from temporary insanity.

Unfortunately, this isn't a new trend. We've been surrounded by bad sequels for years. Thinking back to the Star Wars Episodes 1 and 2 and the Back to the Future series of films proves my last statement.

I'm sure many people are asking, "So, -

what exactly is wrong with sequels to good films?'' There is a simple answer to that question: there are too many. I'm getting bored with the movies being released because they're not new ideas. They're just the same ideas redone and put back into theaters. It makes me think of those late night infomercials that claim

their products are ''new and improved." I am so incredibly sick of hearing about movie sequels! I have gone to fewer movies in the past few months than ever before. No wonder people are seeing fewer and fewer movies, the quality of the movies is falling just as fast as they can come up with new ideas for sequels!

Approximately a in 5 girls become pregnant at least once before age ao.

ears

JacobMiller NewsE.ditor

Lincoln High golfer John Paek is a star on the fairway and in the classroom,holding a 4.0 grade point average.

Paek, a junior, has solidifiedhimself as a contenderto win any tournament he enters. Hefinishedin · a tie for frrst in the LPS Championship, tied for second in the Grand Island Invitational, and finished seventh in the Capital City Invitational.

or tate

houseworkhis mother is unable to do because of her kidney problems, she is currentlyon dialysis.

Paek's father is a professor in Seoul, South Korea and travels back and forth between Lincoln and Seoul.

With home responsibilities and a golfing career, one might find it tough to work on

Paek picked up the game aroundfive years ago, a late start compared to most of his competition. Paek got his start on homework.

Yet,Paek has maintained an exceptional GPA and ranks in the top ten of his class.

"It is John Paek (11 ) concentrates on the hole while practicing his putting. importantfor me to keep the good grades for school because my parentsprobablywill not let me play golf with bad grades,"Paek explained ''I would like to get a scholarshipto college. Ifl do get one, [for golf] I will definitelyplay,but ifl don't, I probably will start to focus on my school work " by spending days at courses like Jim Ager Jr. Golf Course and Holmes Golf Course. If not competing in tournaments, Paek can be found workingon his swing,even in nearfreezingtemperatures during the winter months

Paek says ''I practicefrom the early mommg until it is dark almost everyday in the summer "

After practicePaek returnshome to do any

tars • 1n

i\.ustinM<Dleery.StaffWriter

uPaek qualifiedfor the State Tournamentby finishing5thatDistricts. and looks tocontendfor one of the top spots at the State Tournament

Tuesday April 29th was the night that the Lincoln Stars had been working towards all season. Leading the United States Hockey League Finals two games to one, they beat the River City Lancers 5-1 to win the Clark Cup.

It was the first Championship for the Stars since their inaugural season in 1997.

Lincoln won the first game of the finals 3-2 in OT to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Lancers fought back for a 2-0 victory in the second game to tie the series 1-1. ButtheStarswongame3totake the lead in the series for good. The Clark Cup series is only a 5 game series, so when the Stars entered game 4 leading the series 2-1, thfY knew they had to capitalize on every opportunity they had. c

One of Lincoln High's own was at that game in the Midwest Center on the 29th . . Junior Joseph Manglitz, an avid Stars follower, described the settin g_as anxious. "There were so many people at the game -

that night," said Manglitz. "I was glad to see that a whole lot of Lincoln fans made the trip up to watch their home team play. The crowd can either be a help or a hindrance; I think that the crowd that night played a large part in Lincoln bringing home the championship."

Manglitz said that the highlight of the · night, apart from actually winning the game and the championship, was the announcement after the game. "The Presi-· dent of the USHL came out and gave a speech," said Manglitz. "He said 'and now ... I give you the Anderson Cup winners (the Anderson Cup goes to the regular season champion). No ... the Clark Cup Champions! The Liiiincoln Staaars !' All the Lincoln fans went crazy. Plus the Lancers had to stand on the blue line and watch. It was great."

The Stars proved April 29th that they weren't going to be satisfied with only the regular season championship. They persevered and won the Clark Cup, taking their Qlace as the Tier I National Champi- '-----""'ons.

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carrieWiegert i\s.st.BusinessManager

Lincoln High Boys baseball teams found a lot of success this season. The VarsityBoys baseball Team fmished the year with a successful regular season record of 11-11. They competed in districts on May 12 and ended the season with a difficult match up against Millard North. They practiced approximately 3 hours, six days a week throughout the season. "I think we had the hardest district in the state, but we were confident knowing we had beaten one, and lost 2 one-run games to top 10 teams," said senior Dustin Lottman.

"Our main goal going into districts was to win games and feel good as we entered districts," commented senior Cole Larkins. The Varsity boys were defeated in a tough game against Southeast in the week before districts began. They were to face five competitors in districts including, Millard West, Millard North, Millard South, Omaha Roncalli and Ralston. They were 11-11 for the season going into districts.

Troy Stewart, Cole Larkins and Keegan Danaher contributed as stand out players on

o es • istricts

this year's team. Both Stewart and Danaher led the team in RB I's (runs batted in.) Larkins had also been an essential outfield player both at center field and left field. "Cole played an awesome outfield for us this season, and Troy contributed in just about every way as a pitcher and catcher," said Lottman.

"Our strengths dealt with having 9 seniors [ 7 of whom] were on the team this year. We have all played together for a while, some of us since we were 13 or 14. We knew how each person on the team played, which was a major contributor in the success of this year's team," said Larkins.

Both JV and Reserve baseball teams wrapped up their seasontwo weeks ago .. They started out strong and continued their success throughout the season. The Reserve boys played in the Lincoln Public Schools Tournament on Thursday May 8, where they had the possibility to advance on to compete in the finals the following Friday. First year coach Ty Tinant helped coach the team to a 6-4 record, a record which the team has not acquired in two years. The JV team ended the season with a 69 record, and played very competitively in all of their match ups.

occer istrict eason t.nas at ournaments

JayBeennann CopyF.ditor

Despite well played regular seasons, the post seasons for both the boys and girls soccer teams ended in disappointment. The boys could not get back on track after a tough loss to Lincoln East towards the end of the season, and injuries plagued the team throughout their postseason play. The girls, though finishing with a losing record, played well and had big victories during the season, yet they could not pull out a win against the #4 ranked Omaha Burke in the district fmals.

The Boys' had a very successful regular season, finishing 10~4. The frrst three losses came at the hands (or feet) of ranked • teams, Omaha Burke, Lincoln East, and Columbus Scotus. Columbus, the fourth loss, was unranked. The East game was a tight 1-0 nailbiter in which the Spartans barely edged out Lincoln High in a shootout. The other three games were also close, all with only a one or two goal differential.

During the Omaha Westside Tournament, the Links had somewhat disappointing results when compared with the rest of the season. The boys lost in the frrst round to Columbus Scotus by a score of 2-0, and then also in the second round to Columbus

High School in a close 1-0 game that went into double overtime. The girls also lost close games to Columbus Scotus and Columbus by I scores of 0-1 and 0-2 respectivtrly.

In the District Tournament, the boys team was fraught with injuries. Senior scoring leader Zac Venema tried to play on a sprained ankle, senior defender Darrin Faughn was suffering from a pulled quadricep, and junior outside midfielder Jared Wadell was not at full capacity due to a hip injury.

In their frrst district game, the boys lost 2-1 to Bellevue East, a team they had beat 10-0 during the regular season. T11eLinks still had a chance to advance on to state with a wild card, but Omaha Westside lost to Bellevue East and by doing so took the wild card position the Links had hoped to fill.

The girls team also tried to rebound from a somewhat disappointing Westside Tournament. There was no opportunity for a wild card, so it was a must win situation for the team. The girls came into the district tournament seeded #2, and in their first game against Omaha North they won by a score of 6-1. Six different players on the girls team scored in that game. In the district championship game, the Lady Links suffered a heartbreaking loss to #4 ranked Omaha Burke in a close 1-0 game. With the loss, the girls season was over.

After the Links went through the regular season with a 16-3 record, they showed up for the first round of state against Omaha Central, their opponent in the first round the year before. In a great battle, the Links came from nine down in the final two minutes, capped by senior David Crabtree's two clutch free throws in the final seconds In the semifinal game against Omaha Westside, the Links came from five down with 30 seconds to play before Nick Madsen made the "shot heard round the state" to beat Westside by one in the final seconds. To cap a wild state tournament, the L.inks started ' out cold against Lincoln Southeast. Actually, it~as freezin g. The Links didn't score in the first quarter and at one point in the second quarter, the Links were down 17-4. Ultimately, the Links pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and beat Southeast 43-38 for Lincoln High's first basketball championship since 1959.

The softball team lost nine of their first twelve games before starting an unthinkable comeback. The Links began their tum around by sweeping Columbus in a double header. From that point on the Links went 15-5 and earned the number two seed in their district. The Links capitalized on wild-card points and earned the number eight seed in the state tournament. The Links lost in the first round of state to the eventual champions Papillion-La Vista. Lincoln High was able to fight its way back into the quarterfinals of the loser's bracket where Omaha Central ended the Links season by a score of 2-1 in extra innings. The Links finished the state tournament fifth and with a 2317 record. Softball's run to state is one of the most impressive tuni arounds in

recent Lincoln High histopt

istance

e e rea ecor s

The first record came in the Distance Medley Relay, run in the following order 1200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1600 meters. The team of sophomore Chris Clymer, seniors Joel Sievert and David Crabtree, and sophomore Chris Hatch shattered the former school record by over ten seconds at the Kansas University Relays. The team ran to sixth place finish out of 32 teams from a seven state area.

The second record to fall was the boy's 4x100 meter relay. The team of junior Chris Arps, seniors Kemari Shinall and Scott White, and junior Chadd Stutheit ran a time of 42.8 to beat the 19-year old school record. This year's 4x100 relay has three of

the top four times in school history and went undefeated through the district meet including setting a meet record at the LPS Championships. The Links went into the state meet with the third fastest time in the state The team has set their goals high, aiming for nothing less than a state title.

inKs vs. artans

One of the best,games of the year in any sport,the Links and Spartansbattledinto overtime. Chadd Stutiett's 80 yard touchdown catch brought the Links back into the game and was a me1norablehighlightin a gamethat showedLincolnHigh's never-saydie-attitude, coming from behind severaltimes.Ultimately

CJI1Kn01lt r wrrewse mur rumnrrg- oac -

Quentin Hodges dove tor the end wne but failed to cross the goal line for the two-point conversion. The call was controversialas itappearedthat Hodges had made it into the end zone, a result that will be debated for years. Regardlessof the outcome (28-27 Spartansin overtime) this game was a classicthat left everyone on the edge of their seat $PC>Rf$ V('.)Jeyball Softball 9,~-.Tennis-