Vol 26 issue 8

Volume 26, issue 8 DecemlHT 22, 19X9

SouthwordS

Miiine South High School

^m^m^^mmmm^^^^^^^^m

'Mountain' of food collected 1989 food drive is most successful in l\/IS liistory A mountain of food destined for the poor and homeless grew in the Student Council office between December 4th and 8th.

The annual Food Drive, sponsored by Student Council, was a raving success, with the total collection nearing 20,000 cans which wiU be distributed by Marillac House and Little Sisters of the Poor.

This total is the highest ever, with more cans collected this year than the cumulative total since the drive began seven years ago.

The drive took the form of a contest in which the winning homeroom complex would be treated to a breakfast in the cafeteria. Mr. McCann's complex came in first with 4154 cans. Mr. Cheffer's complex was second with 3905 cans. Mr. Misevich's complex was third with 3694 cans. Mrs. Simon's complex collected 2381 cans and Mrs. Smith's complex collected 2319 cans. Mr. Bonadonna's complex collected 1472. And Southwords, with only 14 people, collected 730 cans for an average of 52 cans per stu(]ent—the highest in the school.

The growth of the food drive has been dramatic over the past three years. As an example, the 730 cans collected by SouthwordS this year would have won the contest in 1987. Every homeroom this year surpassed that total, and three homerooms—McCann's, Cheffer's, and Misevich's—each collected more cans this year than the entire school did in 1987.

Along with the cans, the money , Student Council was going to spend for McCann's homeroom breakfast is also going to the needy. The winning homeroom complex voted on donationg the money to the Neediest Children's

Here's pie in your eye Senior Tim Steube delivers a lemon creme pie to history teacher Mr. Chris Deger. The stunt was part of a wager made by Mr. Deger, in which he agreed to take a pie in the face from the student in his homeroom who contributed most to the food drive.

Tim donated fifty dollars to win the honor.

Fund which is organized by Wally Phillips.

Marillac House and Little Sisters of the Poor expressed their gratitude for the generosity exhibited by Maine South students, faculty, and staff this year. Student Council felt certain that the recipients would be extremely thankful for the gift of food, and that their holiday season would be more joyful as a result.

1987

1988

1989

Q ommentary

Contest appeals to best, worst

by Imran Siddiqui Food Drive! Food Drive! Food Drive!

Those words resounded in the halls two weeks ago at Maine South. In the end, after all the shouting, screaming, and yelling, over 19,000 cans were collected.

But to some people, the most important thing was that their homeroom collected the most, or that their complex almost gotfirst.It seems that the main reason so many cans were collected is because of the intense competition. One person was even overheard saying that if their complex didn't win, they should get their money back. The sad fact is, if their was no competition, half as many cans probably wouldn't have been collected.

Which brings us to another interesting point, the whole idea of competition. It seems that the whole world today is based on competition. After all, to get into a semi-decent college, students must compete against each other for higher class ranks, etc. And once you're in college, you have to once again compete against each other in order to graduate with distinction. And then, once you're working, you have to compete with fellow workers in order to receive promotions. Looking at this neverending cycle, it seems that life is just one long competition.

No wonder then that competition is so stressed upon in schools. From day one, students are told to do better than others, and once in high school, students must compete against others in sports, schoolwork, and extracurricular activities. After all, we're just in training for the real world, right?

But looking at the real world, we can see that it's not a very pleasant place. With business takeovers, corporate quibblings, suicides and even murders, it can be seen how rotten of a world we live in. And if we examine those negative aspects of life, it can be seen that at the base for many of them is a single idea COMPETITION. Competition often inspires people to do things they would otherwise never do, and some of those 'things' are evil and detrimental to the lives of others.

So by looking at the evil in the world caused by competition, I wonder why we don't do something to change it. After all, if evil is caused by competition, and competition is implemented in our lives from our childhood and high school years, why don't we eliminate this evil society by reducing competition in high schools?

This question will probably be continued to be asked with no satisfactory answer in the near future, so I guess we'll just have to live with it.

Food drive brings out "trump cards" How serious was the food drive this year?

On the morning before thefinalday of the drive, counselor Dennis McCann pulled out his well-thumbed book of inspirational sayings and read them to his group. His homeroom complex went on to win the competition with a whopping 4,154 cans of food.

History teacher Chris Deger went a step further, offering to take a pie in the face from the student in his complex who made the biggest contribution. The pie, a gooey lemon cream, was "delivered" to Mr. Deger during homeroom on Monday following the food drive by senior Tim Stuebe, who donated S50.

But perhaps nobody caught the food drive bug as seriously as junior Beth Buckley, who continued the drive long after the cans were counted and winners proclaimed.

Beth, a member of the Southwards

homeroom, called several food stores, asking for contributions to the cause.

Thompson's came through with a $50.00 donation. Omni followed suit with a gift of three cases of food.

Then Beth got serious—she called Donald Trump in New York.

Understandably, such a man is hard to reach, so Beth had to be a bit cagey. Explaining that she was calling for charity and that she represented "a Chicago-area newspaper," she was transferred directly to the executive office and found herself speaking to Johanna, Mr. Trump's personal secretary. "I was so terrified I was going to hang up," Beth said, "but I knew I'd regret it later." Johanna explained that Mr. Trump was out, but that he would return her call.

As of this writing, the call has not come, but Beth has not yet given up hope. "I'm going to send him a letter," she says. "And a Christmas card."

Poverty and welfare—more needed than just 'common cents'

by Lisa Marie Wika

fortable life, when all of a sudden you feel the rug being dragged from beneath you.

America's poor are indeed poor. But this And there would be hardly anything you poverty extends beyond a lack of money. could do about it.

They are also stripped of their privacy, their Many people are forced to roam the streets integrity, and most of all, of their dignity. as a result offloodsand other disasters. They Many are looked upon as outcasts and are are forced into the cold. classified by their fellow man as "unhuman."

The government makes a bold attempt to Why, then, is it said that "All men are help out the situation through welfare, but created equal"? unfortunately only about 20 percent of all Man sets his own boundaries of equality. If poor families receive any form of public aid. he sees a poor man on the street, would he Benefits are really low because of the fact that consider him his brother, his equal, or would Americans will not contribute enough money he instead sneer at him, call him names, and to help the homeless people. People who are insist that he was a victim of his own misfor- "lucky" enough to receive welfare are policed tune? regularly and are given sets of rules and reguThe misconception exists in many lations. people's minds. They think that because a Sort of like in kindergarten. man or woman is poor or broke that it is the These rules are expected to be followed person's own fault. very strictly in order for the people to remain Is it their fault that their company went on welfare, and thus to survive. bankrupt or that a spouse died and left them Are the government welfare agencies penniless? Is a natural tragedy such as an making a mockery of these people or are they earthquake or afioodtheir fault also? merely trying to help them in time of need?

Poverty can strike anyone, in any status, at The answer is not clear to my eyes. In one any time. You may be enjoying a rich, comcontinued on page 3

commentary

Tis the season to be jolly—yeah, right

by Amy Huser People seem to get so irritable around this time of year. Shopping is close to impossible with packed malls and parking lots. Whatever happened to sitting by the fire on Christmas Eve, sipping hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows?

Commercialization is a key word here.

Kids no longer want trains or sleds; they want Nintendo or Genesis. So what's the point of Christmas anyway? It certainly isn't to celebrate Christ's birth, a meaning with significance. Christmas has become a holiday full of greed, somewhat similar to Halloween, with the object being to get the most presents.

Even some simple pleasures have been taken away by commercialization, such as sitting with your family and watching a classic movie—that has been colorized.

Doesn't anyone appreciate the first snowfall, or that feeling you get the first time the Christmas tree lights go on?

Those moments are truly memories.

Twenty years from now, you're not going to remember what you got for Christmas when you were 16, you're going to remember something special that happened. Maybe your brother or sister came home from college, and you really appreciated how much they meant to you.

Christmas is a family holiday. It is a special time in the world where men adopt the timeless philosophy of "Peace on Earth, good will toward men."

The problem is, do people really believe that? Are people actually more kind to each other? When you see two elderly women fighting over a Santa sweater, it makes you wonder.

The real meaning behind Christmas has been lost somewhere in all the packages and wrappings. The story of the shepherd boy giving all he owned to baby Jesus—that is the real meaning of Christmas, the real "Christmas spirit."

RLWPiVS FILLED " U \ T H HPl(J>\C RUD CJOKJ^eR. HRVBe CjHDo v o u LOOK LKP I M THIT s k v OM CMRlSTNftS B/E VOU^LL 8 F LaCKH Q^OiXG\A TO S^£ OLD S R I N T ^ ' T O M ' ' FD{t»l6. 8Y.

ICHRISTHP^S

\S

CM DOMV^EI^ aNJD CLIFTOM BMP 3 X W fiND KeW...

^«i^i'^

Poverty's true problems not solved by welfare, cont'd continued from page 2

respect, welfare is a good and wonderful thing for those who have close to nothing. It gives them shelter and food and clothing to keep Ihcm reasonably warm.

But when one is on welfare, they have to be constantly wary of the Welfare Board. They can't have a job making too much money or own anything that would disqualify them from the welfare program. In other words, it is difficult for them to own anything of their own.

Just the fact that they are on welfare prac^^tically places them in a position that they are ^Punable to obtain a decent job, and thus make a dramatic change in their life, because of the status they are in. Most employers prefer to hire employees who have a middle or upper class status in a middle or upper class commu-

nity.

Regardless of their talents or skills.

Even the ones who have the will to succeed have a major problem obtaining a job.

Those on welfare should be allowed to look for a decent-paying job, and should be allowed to remain on welfare until they are sure that their job is financially stable and secure. Welfare should be sort of a "temporary" position for those members of that society. It should be used as a way to help these people get back on their feet again, instead of causing them to fall even deeper into the hole.

Maybe if the situation were handled in that fashion, the other 80 percent of homeless people would be able to receive the welfare money that they are entitled to.

More should be done for these people, for they are entitled to live as rich and productive

a life as we so often take for granted.

The problem of the homeless extends nationwide, and it will not j ust disappear without the aid of their fellow man.

Although money is being collected in schools from food drives and such, not enough is being done. They are still wandering the streets, they are still sleeping in doorways, and they are still hungry, but not only for food.

Only the poor truly know poverty, for they are forced to live the realization of it every day. Life for them is a challenge and they must face it every day with a bold new courage unknown to us.

So tell me, would we have been so courageous as they have been? My hand goes out to them in hopes that someday they will be able to live as we so comfortably do.

Family memories warm tlie Cliristmas season 7,000 miles away, he was still very much looked out the frost- at home in my mind. We reminisced covered window at the about that Christmas Eve when we stayed pure blackness outside. up and played cards, laughing. He reIt couldn't have been membered that night just as well as I did. later than 2:00 AM, but I We recalled all of the Christmases we'd was wide awake. had. Okinawa was a long way away, but 'Being a six-year-old, I found it impos- Mike was right there with me, like he sible to sleep. After all, it was the night always has been. before the most important day of my short This year, Mike is going to be right life. It was Christmas Eve. where he belongs—home. He is out of the I sat on my bed looking for the Star of Marine Corps and is going to college.

Bethlehem, perhaps a glimpse of my idol, Everything is going to be back to norSanta Qaus. I heard a noise in the next mal—he will be there when the tree is room and ran to the door to see who it was. being trimmed, there to watch the sappy I opened it a crack, peering out in the commercials with me. But most imporhopes of not being seen. I gasped at the tantly, Mike wiU be home to spend time sight of my eleven-year-old brother Mike with the people who love him the most, playing solitaire in his room. I hopped on his family. the bed, sure that he would laugh at me Perhaps the years have changed us a and teU me to go back to bed. On the great deal. One thing, however, which contrary, he welcomed me into his room will remain a constant is the now-tradiand even let me play a game of cards with tional card game. As we anxiously await him. Brothers can be pretty merry around the gifts in store, the cards have become a Christmas. sort of security blanket between us. As It was that night, I feel, that I discovlong as those cards are there on Christmas ered how much my brother means to me. Eve, so will Mike.

To be sure, our relationship has never And once again Christmas will be been ideal, but as we have grown and merry. matured, so has our understanding of each other.

Each Christmas we get up a little later, grow a little less excited, but the bond between us grows stronger. It has come to the point where we look forward to the holiday not for the gifts but for one another's company. One recollection which vividly sticks out in my mind is of the year Mike spent Christmas over 7,000 miles away, in Okinawa, Japan.

Mike was in the Marine Corps., stationed in Japan. He had been there for almost a year and, though I had grown used to him not being around, I knew that Christmas was going to be much different. I found myself very emotional, crying at anything remotely reminding me of Mike. Commercials were all about families, stores possessed sweaters that he would wear. It was terrible not having him there to kid around with. I felt that without him there, I could not enjoy the season.

I still remember how I cried when he called Christmas Eve. Though he was

by Mary Moore

Lisa Marie Wika

very family has its own special Christmas traditions. Our family tradition is one that might seem strange to most, but to us, our Christmas would not be complete in its absence.

EveFy year for as long as I can remember, we receive a phone call from my grandmother two days before Christmas.

As fate would have it, she cries that she still has not begun her shopping. Mother and I pile into the car to begin our journey, from which we will notreturnuntil about midnight.

Our first stop is the mall. Grandma's trick-or-treat. Here, we let her run wild, scurrying from store to store, bumping into other holiday shoppers and arguing with the sales clerks.

Mother, who is beginning to tire, decides to rest her feet, and she directs me to see what is taking Grandmother so long.

Nervously, I duck through the crowds of anxious shoppers and search the shops.

Finally I find her. My grandmother.

They won't accept her check because she has no driver's license or other picture ID. She argues and questions the clerk almost consistently. Upon noticing my arrival, the clerk now looks at me for assistance. I roll my eyes and notice that a line of very impatient people has formed behind us.

Heroically, I duck through the masses once more, and upon hearing the announcement, "15 minutes until closing," I run wildly toretrievemy mother.

"Oh, no, not again!" my mother cries before I can even stumble the words out of my breathless mouth. Together we tromp toward the store occupied by my grandmother.

As expected. Grandmother and about five other anxious people are huddled around the clerk, who is dazed and very bewildered.

Mother charges forward and asks, "What's the problem?" After taking over the argument with my grandmother, the decision is made that Mother will charge the items and Grandmother will reimburse her later on.

Finally we leave the mall, sleepy-eyed and sore all the way to our feet, only to discover that we must now go to a "Midnight Madness" sale at Zayre.

Madness is right.

Exhausted, Mother and I sink into a chair in the front of the store and wait for Grandmother once more.

As the cash register dings Grandmother's final purchase, Mother and I exchange happy glances. She is done—at last!

Grandmother emerges with at least seven bags of goodies and yells at us when we try to help her carry them. You see, our presents are in that bag.

We wait for a moment while she rearranges them so that we can carry some of them and go home.

And to all a good night!

But the tale isn't over. The next day, on Christmas Eve, Grandmother stays awake half the night wrapping all her baggage.

And the next day, at our family Christmas party, we heave a big sigh when we come to her gaily wrapped gift—knowing that inside would be somebody else's gift.

As we open our gifts and discover that our assumptions are correct, we only laugh warmly to ourselves.

"Thank you so much! We love it!" we exclaim to Grandmother, who smiles back at us in her warm, grandmotherly way and says, "It was nothing."

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Grandmother or her antics.

Speaking for myself and my family, we love her more for making our Christmas and our Christmas presents so unusual.

N ews

Christmas radio siiow liits airwaves On December 21, from 4 to 6 p.m., the WMTH airwaves were once again taken over by the Horvath/Loise Hour. This time, its cast was out to set the mood for Christmas. For those who are not familiar with the show, the Horvath/Loise Hour ran during the three week summer broadcasting session and has the distinction of being Maine South's first comedy radio show.

This show was performed by senior Dom Loise and graduate Russ Horvath. "Russ and I enjoyed playing off each other's sense of humor so much that we wanted to do something that would test our comic abilities. We had no idea how other people would respond to the show because no one had ever tried it before. It was a longshot," stated Dom Loise.

The audience started out consisting of just friends, but they spread the word. "One of the main reasons we came back for an alumni show is because so many people were upset that they missed the original show," said Dom Loise.

One of the many repeat listeners, Marty Maloney, stated, "I have the honor of knowing that I own two tapes of the show. Including mine, there are only three tapes of the original show in existance. The only trouble is that I can't remember where I placed them."

Dom and Russ admit that it was best to start with a small audience, because as Russ stated, "A majority of our listeners were friends, and it opened the airwaves for occasional private jokes."

However, Dom and Russ were not the only members of the cast. Don Sebastian, WMTH's station manager, was technical director and was often brought in the station for some skits. "I knew we had something when the two of them started doing this goofy dance during the theme song, "Land of a Thousand Dances". In fact, some of the funniest things

Yesterday's Horvath/Loise Christmas Show featured (from left) Dean Westman, Dom Loise, Jim Pas, Russ Horvath, and Matt Krause. during the show the [audience] never heard Slated Bill Mellberg. The Christmas show and couldn't see, for obvious reasons," said also had three additions to the original cast, Don Sebastian. Another member of tlie cast Dean Westman, Jim Pas, and Malt Krause. was Mark Bielak, Maine South's broadcast"I enjoyed the show so much over the ing faculty supervisor. "At first, Mr. Bielak summer that I was very happy when asked to just sat in the station and listened, but ten participate in the Chrisunas Special. I also minutes into the show he started adlibbing enjoyed the creative freedom the show gives lines. In a week we had him writing and people." stated Dean Westman, the show's playing regular characters," remembers Music Director.

Russ.

'This was your last chance to hear the Another cast member who appeared occa- comedy and talent of these people for free," sionally on the original show and played a big exclaimed Matt Krause. part in the Christmas Special was Bill MellCast member Jim Pas also had a positive berg. Bill is not only a Maine South Alumni, altitude about the show when he said, "To see but a well known impressionist and political Dom and Russ perform is like seeing a young satirist. "I really enjoyed participating in Russ Belushi and Ackroyd. no doubt about that." and Dom's Christmas Special. I think it was However, the best lest in telling the show's perhaps the greatest two hours in WMTH success is when a listener puts it plain and history. It was a return to the great radio simple, like when Brad Johnson said, "It's comedy shows of yesteryear. I loved it!" darn good."

m

South students win trip to space camp Recently, three students won N.A.S.A. space-camp scholarships. These students, senior Katie McGuire, and sophomores Nate Hultman and Mike Mazukelli, sent in short essays of fifty words or less to N.A.S.A. about the futureof N.A.S.A. in space exploration late last year.

The grand prize in the contest was a 20,000 dollar scholarship, with a number of spacecamp prizes being given for the runners up.

In August, the three winners received word from the science department and N.A.S.A. that they had won tuition to the space-camp in Katie McGuire, Mike Ma/uktili, and Nate Hultman will attend Space Camp in Huntsville Alabama for the summer of 1990. Huntsville, Alabama, next summer.

peatures

7

Purdy is health teacher of year About a month ago. Miss Purdy, a health teacher at Maine South, received the Health Educator of the Year Award from the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. This state association, which represents health, P.E., dance, and recreation teachers in Illinois, picks a member teacher every year from health, elementary P.E., and secondary P.E. to receive their awards.

To receive this award. Miss Purdy, one of the thousands of health teachers in Illinois, had to be nominated by another member of the association, who in this case, was her former deparunent chairman, Kaye Pierce. After being nominated and sending in a five to six

page resume, all she could do was wait.

In selecting the Health Educator of the Year, the award panel determined how much service the person had put into the association and how much time the person had devoted to the teaching of health. After a year of deliberating, the panel chose Miss Purdy, who, besides receiving numerous other awards, has conducted workshops for other health teachers and written books and magazine articles on the topic of health.

Miss Purdy received word of the award in October, received the award itself in November, and is now eligible for a Midwest Heallli award.

How to have a hot time in Peoria

by Natasha Siddiqui By 9:30 am, Friday morning, we had already spent one hour on the bus going to Bradley University for our speech tournament. We, that is, Brenda Saavedra, Imran Siddiqui and I, under the wing of our coach .and speech "mother", Ms. Clarke, joined 'Glenbrook South's team and their coach, Mr. Ferguson, for the ride to Peoria. After two more hours and a break at McDonalds, we finally arrived at the castle: Jumer's Hotel.

Inside, I was surprised to find the lobby dimly lit with old-fashioned lamp candles and walls decorated with framed paintings depicting the Renaissance Era. Towards the left were old style telephones, in a comer was a brilliantly lit Christmas tree, and in the center, several sofas along with a piano forte surrounding a fireplace. This definitely looked like something out of a story book! I almost expected grandma to pop out with a tray of gingerbread cookies.

With the little time we had before our rounds, I tried to relax while Imran conjured up ideas of what to do with his complimentary wine and Brenda contemplated ways of escaping the room alive perchance there was a fire. The long ride to Bradley had definitely taken its toll on us!

So what was on the agenda for the first day? Extemporaneously speaking! Therefore Imran and I spent the whole day researching and preparing for extemp speeches in a noisy fieldhouse which didn't do much to aid our kConceniration, but we managed. Finally, after 'five hours of intense study over the possibilities of the end of the Cold War, the U.S.'s policy towards Panama and ways President Bush could overcome his wimp image, Imran still listened to his walkman while Brenda

laughed endlessly at her own jokes and I u-ied quickly picked up sleep from where I left off, to call it quits. Somehow, we made it back to and wasn't even sure if it had all been a dream the hotel in one piece and celebrated Mr. when I woke up the next morning. But sure Ferguson's birthday with cake and pizza. enough, the lingering smell of smoke in my I eventually had a chance to practice my clothes proved otherwise. The night's events original oratory on man's evilncss and take were pretty hard to top, so the rest of the advantage of the HBO movies before we all tournament seemed to almost breeze by with hit the sack at 1:30am...

Imran and Brenda making it to finals for ..the sound of sirens drifted in and out of extemp and original oratory, respectively. my sleep until I woke up and glanced at the Then after the tournament was over, while a clock. Three o'clock, and yet it was noisy few of us tried to get some sleep on the bus ride outside. I scrambled to the window and - low home amid a group of energetic vocalists, I and behold - afiretruck was parked outside of wasfinallyable to reficCt upon the whole \iip. my window! Immediately, Ms. Clarke was So the fire was real? We really only had four rapping on my door, informing me and hours of sleep last night? And we actually Brenda that the hotel was onfireand that we stood outside half naked in ihecold?? I wasn't had to evacuate the building. Without stop- sure... but the one thing I was sure about was ping to think, we ran into the smoky hall how happy our school would be when they (pajamas and all!), dragged Imran out of his find out they only have to pay half price for our room and exiled down the stairs, still not lioicl rooms! believing this was actually happening. We were relieved to finally leave the building when we were stung by the frigid air. IT WAS FREEZING COLD! People in pajamas SoulhHords is thf stu<knt-pt(Kluctd new.spapur i Maim' Zenith Hii;li Stliool, I'ark Kidsc IL, ! looked at each other groggily, trying to distin- of Lt'tltrs to tht wlilor should W dt'livurt-d to rw)m ! guish between dream and reality as we V-1.^0 or given to a moinhfr of tlir editorial staff huddled close to keep warm. This immedi- below, Soulhwortts reserves the ri(>hl to edit let- . ately brought to mind my original oratory tcrs containing oh.seene or Irtieious material. topic: evil. If there was anything truly evil, )':<litor-iji-ehift Natasha ,Siddit|iii being up at three in the morning and combatNews edilot \I.iÂŤreen Shethaii !

Associate News wlitnr Imran MdrtiijiH ting the wind chill factor in pajamas was u-uly (.'oinmen(.ir> editors Natalie Knehti ' one of them.

Matl Krause !

Half an hour later, by the time my feet were t'eaturos editor t'hari'; Riiiinels numb and myfingersseemed foreign to me, Associate I'Vatiii es editor,..<~hris Sosnowski we started heading back towards the lobby.

Sports iilitiirs Am; HUSIT Tom l.iii Eventually, we were informed that the fire J'loductlon editor ,lim ,SaKakorn started in the kitchen by a few towels which I'hoto Art (ditois tjre^ l!arrin|.'lon caught on fire, but it was now extinguished .Jo.sh .\iiderson and we were allowed to go back to our rooms.

Advitei T, R, Kcrth Exhausted from the whole experience, I

Southwards^

g ports

8

Senior rider among nation's best Ask anyone who the best athlete in the or soccer players, or any of the 23 sports school is and you would probably hear the offered for IHSA competition here at Maine names of Hawk basketball, football, baseball. South. You would hear the names of allconference, all-area, and all-state players, awards designed to identify and reward the best in the school.

But one athlete's name would be omitted—that of a girl who is ranked 34ih in the nation in her sport.

Senior Kristin Brainard has been horseback riding since she was five years old, competing in as many horse shows as possible during the summer months. She is what is called a "Hunters" rider. This category is judged on "How quietly and smoothly the horse jumps," said Kristin.

Kristin has been a part of many different competitions. But, the most memorable would have been the National Horse Show that she appeared in recently, held in New York. The top 40 riders in the counu^ from the category "Large Junior Hunters" were seSenior Kristin Brainard clears a rail at the lected to compete. Kristin, being ranked 34th Detroit Horse Show (photo: Judith Buck)

in the nation, was invited.

The road to the Nationals was not easy. S he had to finish among the top riders at the regional competition in St. Louis in order to qualify for sectionals, held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The top finishers at that show advanced to be among the 100 best in the nation in all categories, 40 of which would compete in Kristin's category.

Unfortunately, Kristin was unable to use her own horse in the National contest. "He's a little young. We rode around and he was kind of scared, so I had to borrow another horse," she said. Not being able to use your own horse in a run is a tremendous handicap, since the relationship between rider and horse is so important to success, especially at the national level, where only the finest horses and riders are present. Kristin failed to qualify for the following rounds of the competition, and was disappointed that she could not advance.

Still, the future looks bright for Kristin.

"It would be nice to become a professional, (horseback rider) but there really isn't much demand or money," she said.

In the meantime, like most high school seniors, college is the next hurdle to be In hopes of shattering the Chicago their mistakes and fouls in the second half. cleared.

Tribune's conference record prediction of 3-7 The fourth quarter took the Hawks from an 11 for the Hawks, Maine South took the floor and point defecit to a 19 point victory. The final dazzled Glenbrook South's "Pack the Place" score indicated that the Hawks are a team to spectators in the first conference game of the watch despite the fact that their bench is the season. Although they began slowly, the youngest in the conference.

Hawks just improved more and more as the Bill Vrbancic led the Hawk scoring with 23 The Hawk wrestling team has started off to game continued. Coach Verber's halftime points. Roy Johnson (16 pts.) and Paul Repak a 2-2 dual meet record. After beating St. talk sparked the Hawks and as a result, they (13 pts.) also contributed to theirfirstconfer- Joseph in the first meet of the season, the went on to outscore the Titans 28-3 in the ence win of the season.

Hawks have gone on to defeat Deerfield 35fourth quarter, enroute to a 69-50 victory.

The Hawks will be participating in the 33, and lose to Waukegan West 40-21 and It was the tenacious press of the Hawks that Wheeling Tourney beginning this weekend. Highland Park, 54-12. accomplished the victory. The Hawks picked In addition, the Hawks will take on conferIn an exciting anddown-to-the-wire finish, up the tempo and patiently watched Glen- ence powerhouse, Evanston, at home on Fri- the Hawks emerged victorious over Deerbrook South make all the mistakes. And un- day, January 5. field. Losing 33-29 going into thefinalheavylike the first half, the Hawks capitalized on weight match, Joe Mika came through in the clutch by pinning his man, winning the meet for the Hawks. Other outstanding performliiii'lfeomg contest ances included John Kirpanos, who also had a pin, Paul Asterino, and Jim Urgo.

Their next two meet pitted the Hawk?

Sport Fri. 12122 Sat. 12/23 Man. 12125 Tue. 12/26 Wed. 12/27 against strong Waukegan West and Highland Gymnastics Park teams. Although several wrestlers did not compete due to injuries, terrific performBoys' ances were turned in by Kirpanos, Asterino, Wheeling Boys' Bajsketball Tour4ament—Varsity Basketball and Mike Morandi.

Girls' Evansion :<:• Maine W Fr. But the outlook for the wrestling team is Basketball V/JV/So/Fr Tourney—9:00 still optimistic in the eyes of Coach McCann, j ^ "The quality ofcompetition is very tough, but ^j^ Swimming Evanston we're working very hard with an excellent V/F-S—5:30 attitude. We're just trying to improve, and Wrestling hopefully, we'll be at our best during regional competition."

Boys' basketball surprises critics

Wrestlers go 'to the wire' for exciting win

Hawk highlights