The Wildcat, Feb. 2010 by Tressie Hays

the

Wildcat

Lexington High School - 2463 Augusta Highway - Lexington, SC 29072 - 803.821.3400 - Volume 47, Issue 5 -”Illuminating Youth Since 1951” - February 2010

SALSA STEPS brittany peacock

Students turn up the heat in a brand new dance club

entertainment editor

here are a variety of different clubs this year for any student

people, and cumbia is more of a folk dance.

“We also try to teach people the differences between the

interested in learning about a different culture, meeting new people, or just

types of music and which Latin countries they come from.

looking to fill their afternoons with

We have fun no matter what!” sophomore Susana Cuellar said.

some fun.

Last semester, the club hosted their own Winter

However, what if there was a club that fulfilled all of

these aspects and included dancing? Try joining the

Dance Performance Showcase in the Little Theatre that

Latin Dance Club. In its first year, the club has taken

gave others a taste of what all of the dancers had learned that semester.

off and already has a tremendous support of interested

“The Winter Performance was amazing. We all had

students.

an awesome time. We were all very nervous but

“It all started when a senior, Martin Luna, had the idea to start a club here since he knew that White Knoll

once we stepped out on the stage, the

had one and he asked me to sponsor. Since then, he has

nerves went away and we danced

been the instructor of most of the dances and I feel like

our hearts out,” sophomore Sabrina Duero said.

the kids love it because they get that taste of the Latin

Over

culture,” Ms. Caroline Hayes said.

150

people

attended

the

Senior Martin Luna actually used to attend White

performance and the performers received

Knoll and decided to bring Latin dance to Lexington.

great reviews from all of the audience including administrators.

“I’m happy that both schools have the opportunity

The Latin Dance Club shakes and shimmys every

to embrace the Latin culture through dance,” Luna said.

week after school if you wish to join.

During each practice, students learn different types

“Last semester, we met every Wednesday and Thursday,

of Latin Dance such as salsa, merengue, bachata, and

but due to some of our schedules, we are only meeting on

cumbia.

Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30,” Cuellar said.

“Martin teaches the salsa and merengue while Viridiana

Cuellar and Duero both encourage anyone who is still scared

teaches the bachatas and cumbias,” Ms. Hayes said.

to show off some of their moves among their peers.

For those that do not know, salsa originates from a mix

“My advice to someone who wants to learn to Latin dance is

of African and European dances, bachata is more of a four

not be afraid to move your hips. That gives it so much spice! And

step beat achieved with walking hip motions, merengue is

no matter what, have fun!” Cuellar said.

a two step beat similar to bachata yet usually includes two Photo by Gaby Ruiz

The Wildcat staff Farris Johnson Editor-in-Chief

news nugget: Jenny Sandford filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery back in Dec. and her book Staying True was released on Feb. 5. She writes, “What matters most is how you live your life, not what you have to show for it.”

Rachel Easterbrook Copy Editor

Wildcat Verdit: More power to you, Jenny!

Chris Rosa Design Editor

Send us your thoughts!

Ryan McCluney Managing Editor

Abby Meldau Galley Editor Alex Miller Photography Editor

Brittany Peacock Entertainment Editor Meg Backwinkel Student Life Editor Anna Kay Talmage News Editor Jake Willis Sports Editor

Ariel Dorn Broadcasting Correspondent Joy Eckert Staff Writer Randi Wooten Staff Writer Kimberley Davis Staff Writer

Taylor Seymour Staff Writer Pierre Hanna Staff Writer

The Wildcat encourages letters to the editors. All letters will be considered for publication. Writers may request that their names be withheld at the editor’s discretion. We ask that all letters be proofread for correct grammar and spelling before submission. Letters are subject to editing for language and libel. Please submit letters to a member of The Wildcat staff or to C106. Publication Policy: The Wildcat is published eight times per year for the students of Lexington High School.

Student editors shall be responsible for assigning and editing the news, editorial, and feature content of their publication subject to the limitations of responsible journalism. Views expressed in bylined articles and columns are the opinions of the writers. Views expressed in the staff editorials represent the position of the majority of the newspaper staff. Prohibited is expression which is vulgar, obscene or libelous. Also prohibited is material which so incites students as to create clear and present danger to, or the substantial disruption of, the orderly operation of the school. Student views expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the faculty , administration, or school board. All trademark and other proprietary information should be taken as read and respected. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Lexington County School District One does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities. Mary R. Walker and Joe H. Bedenbaugh have been designated to handle inquiries or complaints regarding Title IX, Section 504 or any other discrimination matter.Contact these people if you have questions regarding these issues at 100 Tarrar Springs Road, Lexington, SC 29072 and telephone number (803) 821-1000. Distrito Escolar Uno del Condado del Lexington no discrimina por motivo de raza, color, religión, origen nacional, sexo, edad, ó incapacidad en la admisión a, acceso a, de trato en, o empleo en sus programas y actividades. Mary R. Walker y Joe H. Bedenbaugh han sido designados para tramitar las reclamaciones o quejas en relación con el Titulo IX, Sección 504 o cualquier otro asunto de discriminación. Comuníquese con estas personas si tiene preguntas sobre estos temas al: 100 Tarrar Springs Road, Lexington, SC 29072 y número de teléfono (803) 821-1000.

Lexington School District One completed a comprehensive inspection of all facilities for the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1686. Subsequent inspections were performed in 1991, 1994, 1997, 200 and 2003 as required by AHERA. No material regarded as posing a hazard of health was found. While asbestos-containing building materials are still in several of the district’s schools, the materials are not friable, thus, not expected to release fibers into the air. As outlawed in the law, the district monitors all asbestos-containing material by conducting semi-annual inspections and provides needed information to appropriate employees of the district. Copies of each school facility inspection and management plan are on file at the District Office and at each school. They are available at any time for the public review.

Publication Board: Dr. Robert Kinard, Art Department; Melissa Rawl, API; Ms. Carlee Myers, Art Department; Ms. Cynthia Honeycutt, English Department; Student Body President, Kaitlyn Park.

d2d

publication policy

the cat’s meow

d forward notion

ant colony farris johnson

editor-in-chief

very book I open I imagine myself taking a seat across from the author. Billy Collins and I share breakfast in a cozy apartment; Milan Kundera and I share coffee in a French cafe; Walt Whitman and I picnic on the rocky northeastern American coast. This outing between writer and reader is essential in understanding humanity. It is an honest exchange of ideas between two very living beings. In the same way, I invite you to pull up a chair to this table. I imagine we are breathing in fresh air at a local park. Actually, you can

imagine us anywhere - just be comfortable. I want you to take a seat not because I think what I have to say is important, but because I think our exchange of ideas is valuable – and not in the idealistic sense that we should embrace each other’s differing views, but simply because I believe interaction between human beings is important. I want to talk to you just because I want to talk to you. In the movie Waking Life, two characters walk past each other on a staircase then suddenly the woman turns and says, “Hey. Could we do that again? I know we haven’t met, but I don’t want to be an ant.” She continues to explain,

voices that carry rachel easterbrook copy editor

‘’In increments both measurable and not, our childhood is stolen from us - not always in one momentous event but often in a series of small robberies, which add up to the same loss.” -John Irving

tanding out on the sidewalk, the January chill whipping through the crowd spilling out of the front doors of the church, I watch the mob of people shuffling among one another, shaking hands, hugging, shivering. Standing to the side of the crowd, all I can do is observe the delicate interactions between these people and feel the weight of these past three weeks press down upon all of our shoulders. I wish I could change the circumstances of my being on this sidewalk; in another life, I would have liked to have frequented this place. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this thought is the idea that this alternate life would have been so easily possible, if not for certain intangible yet inescapable robberies. It is those defining moments in life, the ones in which it seems everything is beyond your control, which

“We go through life with our antennas bouncing off one another, continuously on autopilot, with nothing really human required of us. Stop. Go. Walk here. Drive there. All action basically for survival. All communication simply to keep this ant colony buzzing along in an efficient, polite manner.” Let’s not be ants. Take a seat and we can have an honest, very real, very human conversation. It is not necessary that we pretend to be philosophers or intellectuals of any sort – all that I desire is someone alive and conscious of that fact. I am still sitting across from you, wherever you are picturing us, remember that. Did I ever tell you this story about the receptionist? I meant to. I wrote about it back in November but scrapped it because after the end of the month, I felt my words were obsolete and

stupidly optimistic. I do not think that is true anymore, but I felt it then. I want to tell you now. I am waiting anxiously in the lobby of a law firm, awaiting an envelope containing several thousand dollars to a local non-profit. It is my first time handling such a large sum of money. I am dressed in slacks and a floral top abnormal for me. You can tell I am uncomfortable. I explain nervously to the woman with the envelope that I cannot sign that official looking document because I have no clue what I am doing, I phrase it, “I can’t. I’m just 17; I’m just a high school intern.” She turns on her heel to leave, and as she does the receptionist commands from her corner desk, “Don’t ever say that again.” “Ma’am?” “Don’t ever say you’re just anything. You could be

the President of the United States for all you know, the point is: you don’t know.” That scene seems so scripted but I think that is because every “normal” interaction I have is scripted, so when something is real, it seems oddly out of place. Think about everyday conversation. According to the script, that receptionist should have told me, “Have a good day,” rather than seeing some sort of worth in my awkward, self-depreciating stammer. What makes the kind of person that says something like that to a teenager they have never spoken to? Is it courage or love or optimism or some other ideal? No, the person who tells an awkward teenager they are not “just” anything is someone who is truly alive. “They say dreams are only real as long as they last. Couldn’t you say the same about life?” That quote is

d also from Waking Life. The answer: I do not know. The receptionist was right, I just do not know. “Sorry to subject you to my stream of consciousness,” I will say to you from across the table we are sharing. I am eating a grapefruit, drinking black coffee, and reading a newspaper. My hands are grimy from the print on the page and also from the guilt of the body count I am currently reading. “Sorry, but I really enjoyed this. I know I rarely make a point, but I guess the point is this – it is not about dreams versus life, its about the dead versus the living. You can be alive in your dreams, in fact dreams may be life or life may be a dream, but you are still alive. Your purpose as a living being is to find the dead and resuscitate them through conversation,” I will say.

the presence of others

obviously seem the most unfair. It seems we could go back and change exactly what went wrong, those instants which define an entire future; a transfer, a phone call, an inbox message, one drink too much, a mile too fast, a cell too many. These instances build upon one another, acquiring volume and surprising impact, and before one is even aware of their presence, we are changed entirely. Upon realization of their existence, it is all too easy to become consumed by the striking unfairness of the changes they have brought about. It is all too easy to trace these moments backwards, piecing together the intervening segments to create an entirely different result, a slightly different life. But this is not another life, this is the life I have lived, the one I have perhaps been given, and surrounding me on all sides, there exists the collateral evidence of that life, my family. It is this realization that struck me as I stood on the corner of Orange Avenue, still observing the chaos. Perhaps it is obvious to everyone else, what took me so long to realize, that the momentous and unfair event of slowly losing all semblances of a childhood, of growing up, is made relatively acceptable by the presence of those individuals who really have no choice but to simply be there for you during the process. Recently, the film Up in the Air received the award for

d3d opinion

Best Screenplay at the Golden Globe Awards. I went to see this movie in mid-January, and, spoiler alert, I came out of the theater thoroughly depressed. While it was a good movie with A-list actors, George Clooney being the star, it was a story about a man who had no friends and did not have relationships with his family members. Basically the film explored what life would be like if you did not have anybody else to experience and share it with. Moral of the story: life would be pretty empty and fairly depressing. Even though the protagonist realized this, by the end of the movie, it was too little, too late, and the ending is far from happy. I suppose the moral of this story is along the same lines as that of the film. It is no secret life is far from fair and that relationships are complex, messy, and difficult. At this point in our lives, we all realize this without prompt. It is just that it oftentimes takes the most dreadful situations in our lives for us to be able to realize the importance of the people who make this life, the one shaped by a past we cannot change and moments we cannot take back, worth living. “Think about your favorite memories, the most important moments in your life, were you alone?” We all know the answer to this. “Life’s better with company.”

opposing viewpoints: Is the SEC the best conference in all of college football?

A CHAMPION OFFENSE Alabama running back Trent Richardson runs the football for a crucial touchdown during this year’s National Championship game. This year’s National Championship game ended in a 37-21 victory over Texas. Richardson is a true freshman out of Florida with a promising future in the SEC. Photo by Gina Ferazzi/ Los Angeles Times/ MCT

YES

The SEC has constantly produced national champions and consistency throughout the conference

The SEC does not deserve all of the accolades because the SEC’s wins are not as impressive as they appear

jake willis

Drew Harris Guest Writer

sports editor

umbers do not lie. And winning is everything, right? If that is the case in the debate over which NCAA football conference is strongest, the only viable choice is the Southeastern Conference, better known as the SEC. The first aspect that should be analyzed in the argument is who is winning national championships, and an SEC team has won, not one or two, but four consecutive national titles dating back to the 2006 NCAA football season. Alabama, Florida, and LSU have won championships in the last four years, with Florida winning two of the last four. Not only have SEC teams won the last four championships, but they have been dominant. In three of the four games, the SEC representative has scored at least 37 points, proving their athleticism against the defenses represented from other conferences. On top of that, each of the four games has been won by at least two possessions. So how about the rest of the conference? Well, in bowl games over this four year span, SEC teams have a combined record of 25-11. For those of you who are not too quick with division, that is over two bowl games won for each bowl game lost by an SEC team. Alright, I think that is enough talk about the bowl season. I know that regular season performance still holds much importance in this debate. The 12 teams of the SEC ran through the 2009 regular season with a 10-4 record against teams from BCS conferences. And overall against non-conference opponents, the league went a combined 42-6. Just to be clear, that is one loss for every seven wins against a nonconference opponent. Some make the argument that the reason the SEC can have this inter-conference dominance is because the SEC does not schedule a ton of difficult non-conference match-ups. These arguments overlook the fact that when they do play the tough games, they typically win. The SEC has produced two of the last three Heisman winner in Mark Ingram and Tim Tebow, the last four national champions, and 25 bowl game victories in the last four years. It is virtually indisputable to say that the SEC is not a dominant force in college football today.

et’s face it. Turn on ESPN and watch college football overdrive or college gameday, it is almost guaranteed that the commentators are singing the praises of the SEC. Not that these praises are undeserved. SEC teams have won the past four national championships. But, Florida, LSU and Alabama won those national championships, not the SEC. If you take a close look at the numbers, it is clear that the SEC is not a dominating conference and is in fact horribly overrated. Since 2002, the SEC has a non-conference record of 320-101 (.760), very impressive. The SEC has a .500 record against the Big 10 and Pac 10 and small leads over the Big East, Big 12 and ACC. However, the SEC boasts losing records against the Mountain West conference and a losing record against FBS independents. In fact, these seven conferences which have had multiple BCS bowl teams in the past few years do not even constitute the majority of the SEC non-conference schedule. The SEC has played non-conference BCS or Mountain West schools 117 times since 2002. The PAC 10 has 2 less schools, yet has played 162 games against BCS schools. Non-BCS schools account for only 17 percent of the Pac 10 schedule, while it accounts for 57 percent of the SEC schedule. No one is doubting that the SEC has great teams, but the media has anointed the SEC as THE dominating conference and SEC teams know this. Since 2002 the SEC has played only 70 non-conference road games, while the Pac-10 has played 88. When the SEC plays only lousy competition, they predictably lose very few games. Then the media continues its drumbeat of “best conference… best conference… best conference…” If an SEC team loses to another SEC team, well, we should have expected that. It isn’t realistic to think a team can come out of the SEC unscathed. It is, after all, “the best conference!” If USC, Texas, Oklahoma or Ohio State loses in conference, though, their shot at a national title is seriously damaged. As I said earlier, the SEC has great teams. But a .500 record against BCS competition is hardly dominating. But until college football fans (and ESPN) regain their heads and realize the SEC is not that special, we will have to live through this glorificiation of a highly overrated conference.

d4 d opinion

taking the

commentary

news flash

nose diving

anna kay talmage

Teachers, previous freshmen discuss their views on taking Advanced Placement courses in the ninth grade chris rosa

design editor

ow that a new semester is fully underway, students of all grades have begun to settle into their spring classes. However, this spring semester is the beginning of a new awakening for many freshmen. For the second year, freshmen have been offered two Advanced Placement social studies courses to take in lieu of seminar: AP Human Geography and AP World History. Although World History, taught by Ms. Melanie Wayt, has been around for a number of years, it is the Human Geography course that has risen in freshmen count. This year, there are three teachers teaching AP Human Geography: Ms. Meg Huggins, Mr. Benjamin Lee, and Ms. Kelly Smoak. What is different about this year is that each of these teachers are teaching AP Human Geography for all three of their blocks, raising the number of classes from seven to nine and a freshmen increase of 40-50 students overall. “I only had one AP Human Geography class

last year and this year I have three sections of it. In my one class last year, out of my 23 students, 2 of them were not freshmen. The vast majority of the class was freshmen and that is what I think we are going to have this year, ” Lee said. An increase in freshmen who are taking Advanced Placement courses is directly linked to many forthcoming factors that these students are projecting. “I think that freshmen are encouraged to take AP classes to prepare themselves for a larger AP load. Some students will take as many AP classes as possible and by taking an introductory class their freshmen year, they will see how much work one class is and begin to realize whether a full load is possible for them,” Wayt said. In the Human Geography course, students not only explore cultural aspects of social studies, but they are also required to do precourse work. “All AP social studies courses have pre-course work. AP is taught on the college level, so there is a lot of reading that will be done outside of class and it also requires you to be self motivated and self-directed,” Huggins said Junior Ruthanne Wenger

HITTING THE BOOKS AP Human Geography and AP World History textbooks are the foundation for the hard work that goes into each class. On the workload in Human Geography, Coach Ben Lee said ,“There is a great deal. There is a lot of vocabulary and we outline each chapter in the textbook.” Photo by Alex Miller

took AP World History in the ninth grade and has continued to take AP courses throughout her high school career. “I took AP World History my freshmen year and it was a class that actually challenged me and it prepared me for harder AP courses. There was a lot of reading to do, so the workload was pretty heavy. The worst of it was trying to understand the textbook because it was definitely written on a college level,” Wenger said. Sophomore Andrew Collins is another student who took an AP social studies course his freshmen year and has continued to push himself with harder honors courses. “I took AP Human Geography my freshmen year and I handled the class to the best of my ability. Throughout the course, I kept up with the information, which was very interesting! Also, Ms. Huggins was not too difficult on us freshmen,” Collins said On the opposite side of AP Human Geography and AP World History are their seminar counterparts. Although the courses share some similar binds, the differences greatly outweigh the similarities. “The content itself is

very different. In World Geography, students look at the regions and study culture a little bit, but it is predominantly weather, landforms, and the human interactions within those units of study. AP Human Geography is much more like sociology; we study the interactions of the people and their developments,” Smoak said. With contrasting areas of study, students anticipating an AP course that teaches the same topics as seminar will not only be disappointed, but also possibly ill-equipped. When freshmen sign up for an AP course, the workload is not only greater, but also the level of expectations are higher. “If freshmen want more of a challenge and are mature enough to handle the work, then they should take AP courses,” Wayt said. With a passing rate, which is a score of 3 or higher, on the AP Human Geography final of 57 percent and AP World History of 79 percent, is it worth it? Should students take AP courses in the ninth grade? “If a freshman enjoys the topic and is willing to work very hard, then I say go for it,” sophomore and former AP Human Geography student Braiden Furtick said.

d5d news

news editor

hree years ago, I began my college career, though I was still a freshman in high school. I walked into Mrs. Leigh Watson’s room on upper D hall and was introduced to the College Board Advanced Placement program, commonly called AP. I thought I was pretty cool to be taking college courses already, but I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Very few freshmen are prepared for the rigors of AP classes. I know I was not. AP classes do not require students to be geniuses; rather, they demand that students be highly self-motivated and possess sharp analytical skills. The College Board does not ask AP students easy, identification level questions. Instead, students must analyze documents, structures of societies, and significance of events. Just because a kid made a 99 in eighth grade history does not mean he or she will be able to shine in Advanced Placement classes. I think the reason some freshmen have trouble in AP is because they really have little background knowledge about the subjects they are studying. You cannot write a profound analytical essay about a topic you know nothing about. The AP classes LHS lets freshmen take ask them to analyze political institutions, governmental structures, and economic systems in different parts of the world. I found it very difficult to analyze different governments when I did not even know the difference between fascism and communism as a ninth grader. And how can someone write a paper explaining trading systems and the significance of economic structures when he or she does not even know the first thing about economics? Sure, the textbook may tell you that a country partakes in an oligopoly on the oil industry. However, how are you going to explain how this has shaped the culture of the country when you have no idea what an oligopoly is to begin with? I think it is more important that freshmen acquire basic knowledge before trying to tackle AP coursework. Another reason freshmen do not need to be taking AP classes so early is because it adversely affects the education of the upperclassmen enrolled in the courses with them. Because ninth graders are not ready for the college workload and difficulty level yet, the material seems to be “dumbed down” in order to make the class feasible for them. However, for the senior sitting in the classroom, making posters about various topics is reminiscent of his days in middle school. In my predominantly (Continue reading: page 16)

the ART of the

WIN

SKETCH IT OUT Senior Nikki Scioscia sketches out the first traces of her abstract drawing Regal. Scioscia was awarded an honorable mention for this drawing as well as a second honorable mention for her drawing Nomad. She and other artists worked hard for hours on end to prepare their artwork for class, competitions and more. Photo by Julie Hydrick

ryan mccluney

Art and photography students take on once in a lifetime opportunities to display their talents on statewide levels

Theses hopes and more were fulfilled as students learned that many of the pieces they submitted won places in the show and one of the pieces was even chosen to receive an award while the others received honorable mentions. Senior Courtney Price submitted a piece called Distracted for which she was awarded the distinguished silver key award. “I love combining my passion for horses with my newfound love for photography. This picture helped me start my photography concentration about horses,” Price said. The different awards at the competition are the American Visions, silver key and gold key awards. Four American Visions, 18 silver key and 31 gold key awards were given to S.C. students. The remaining artworks were awarded with honorable mentions. Any place in the competition as well as an award is an impressive addition to any college application but only gold key winners may be entered into the national competition. This competition is tough and this is the first time in years that students from LHS have earned a place in the show, much less received an award. Even more impressive is that Lexington is the only school in the district to be showcased by Scholastic. Art teacher Ms. Carlee Myers explains that only once in her time at the school have the art students reached even half as far as these five did this year.

“About two or three years ago, Megan Cheek entered the competition and was awarded with an honorable mention. That’s the furthest we’ve gone in the competition until this year, as far as I know,” Myers said. This year about 15 different students entered in different kinds of art forms in five different categories of judging; digital art, drawing, painting, photography and mixed media. Six pieces were chosen from all kinds of different categories from five students: Meg Backwinkel, Nick Johnston, Courtney Price, Nikki Scioscia and Brianna Wessinger. “This was a whole new experience for me. I was given a whole new perspective on S.C. arts. I know what to expect from the judges when I prepare for next year as I continue with art and photography,” Johnston said. Following the Scholastic Art Awards this year is an event at the Columbia Museum of Art known as the “Art of Healing.” Three art students were displayed in this showcase this month. Backwinkel, Petta and Scioscia entered the competition through their art classes. Petta won $300 for placing third while Scioscia and Backwinkle were awarded $200 for honorable mentions. Art is a thriving form of expression and students are encouraged to get involved. With competitions, galleries and showcases the possibilities for talented artists are endless.

HONORABLE MENTION

SILVER KEY WINNER

HONORABLE MENTION

Identity Diffusion (Drawing) By Brianna Wessinger

Distracted (Digital Art) By Courtney Price

Nomad (Drawing) By Nikki Scioscia

managing editor

ecognition is key for art students. This is why students in AP art and Photography 2 were privileged to be a part of the scholastic art awards held at Lander University on January 23. The Scholastic Art Awards is a statewide event that includes competitors from public schools, private schools and art schools in S.C. It is the biggest in the state with the most intense competition. Since this was the first time in a few years LHS has entered this competition, for every student it was an exciting and new experience like for senior Brianna Wessinger. “This was a new experience for me. I thought it was really great to see my art in the gallery. It brought my confidence to a new level,” Wessinger said. For some this was the last opportunity to enter in a major competition in high school. Senior Nikki Scioscia reflects on her high school art experiences as she prepares for college. “My art has changed so much throughout high school. I plan to double major in studio art and arts management at the College of Charleston so art is a very big part of my life,” Scioscia said.

d6d news

race to the

STATE

The new candidates running for South Carolina Governor have diverse ideas joy eckert staff writer

Current Position:

State Superintendent of Education

Lieutenant Governor

Political Platform:

Political Platform: •

• •

www.scdp.org

Jim

Rex

•

Improving educational system by updating schools and increasing the graduation rate to keep up with global economy Stimulate economy by creating a budget to stay within the State’s means Start a program called Jobs Now that will create new jobs and prepare tomorrow’s workforce Make S.C. a greener state and create jobs in the process

• • •

www.scstatehouse.gov/

André

Bauer

Current Position:

State Representative from 27th District

State Representative from 87th District

Political Platform: •

•

www.scdp.org

Vincent

Sheheen

•

Strong support for military families Supports refocus of agencies on elderly and disabled Pushing to find alternate ways of supplying energy Establishing the Job Connection Service to support education and create new jobs to better the economic state Implement a program to incorporate youth into the government

Political Platform:

Plans to create new jobs by bringing new industry into South Carolina Believes every school should receive the same amount of money per pupil Would like to raise cigarette taxes to reduce the cost of health care benefits on small businesses Plans to create infrastructure in rural communities

•

• www.scstatehouse.gov/

Nikki

Haley

d7d news

•

Pushes for the elimination of taxes for small businesses and the income tax to stimulate economy and create more jobs Strongly supports the right to bear arms and fight for the preservation of the Second Amendment She is a member of the NRA Supports pro-life point of view

a worldwide

language Current and former students show off their talents and love for music by performing at live shows and writing songs jake willis sports editor

Nashville-bound:

The man behind the music:

Grayson Venters is another singer-songwriter on the South Carolina scene. Though he now lives in Charleston, Venters also got his start at Lexington High School. Venters writes and plays in an acoustic-indie style. His raw songwriting ability has landed him shows all over the state and beyond. “I have realized that when I’m not writing music I begin to hate my life. You could call that encouragement. I just love doing it,” Venters said. Venters has been consistently songwriting since high school and it has become a vastly important part of his life. “I write all of my own music, I hate playing anyone else’s. Usually sit down with my guitar and come up with a riff that I really like and I’ll start humming to it,” Venters said. Venters released an EP in May of 2009 entitled “Give Me Your Skin.” This six track EP features acoustic music with an edge and coming-of-age lyrics according to SceneSC.com. The release of this EP coincided with a small subsequent tour with Mel Washington. Washington and Venters’s tour consisted of seven shows throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. As of right now, Venters is living in Charleston and still writing and playing. “As of the last seven months I have been jamming with a friend of mine who lives five houses from me in Charleston. About three months ago we finally wrote our first song. That is about the extent of any current musical projects,” Venters said.

Senior Jonathan Wyndham is an accomplished guitarist and vocalist here in the Columbia area. His singing talents and creative jazz feel with an added Fuzz Factory crunch on guitar has put him in position to get a jump start into the music industry while still in high school. “I broke my hand when I was in the seventh grade and my dad got me a guitar as a means of rehab,” Wyndham said. This soon turned into a serious interest for the young middle schooler. Before long, Wyndham began leading worship and gigging at other venues around Columbia and Lexington, as well as writing original material. “Currently, my favorite original song to play is ‘Borrowed Time’ but it tends to change depending on my emotional season. I guess I’m in a reflective season because ‘Borrowed Time’ is a looking-glass into a past relationship,” Wyndham said. Wyndham says that one of his most memorable experiences in music has been completing a fifteen hour studio recording session. During this session, he, along with a drummer and bass player, wrote and completely recorded a song in studio. Wyndham is currently preparing a solo album to be released this spring. Wyndham is recording his acousticalternative solo album with local producer Cory Plaugh. “I would describe my style as reminiscent of Muse and John Mayer,” Wyndham said. Wyndham now plans to move to Nashville upon high school graduation to attend Middle Tennessee State University and pursue a career in the music industry.

The other side of the music industry is too often overlooked. Without the expertise to record, manage, and perfect recorded music, the availability of local talent would be greatly obscured. David Walters is an LHS graduate with a talent and love for the recording industry and he recently started his own studio in Columbia. In his first year as a producer, Walters has began recording with Carolina artists such as Roddy Dinsmore, Don Russo, American Religion, and Hello Tomorrow. Walters got his start in music while still in high school by learning to play guitar with the worship bands at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. He got involved with the recording industry several years ago. “I got into producing because I sat in with Don Russo of Charming Hala while he tracked his CD and I fell in love with the idea behind recording music,” Walters said. Walters also is an aspiring photographer for local bands. He has photographed bands around the area, and he got the opportunity to photograph John Mayer at his recent surprise concert for USC students. Walters is getting married in March and sees a future in running a studio that can provide for his future family. Walters summarizes his passion for the music industry with this: “I love every part of it. I love kinks. I love smooth days. I love stupid stuff that happens. I even love the way the monitors sound when they get shut off at the end of the day. I just love making Columbia’s music scene larger.”

Grayson Venters

A creative combination:

American Religion

From the minds of junior Hunter Duncan and senior Thomas Ray comes the newest project in the local world of indie rock. This new songwriting duo calls themselves American Religion. Drawing influences from bands such as All Get Out, The Mountain Goats, and Bright Eyes, the group is exploring experimental and unconventional styles of songwriting. “A lot of our music is chaotic and unpredictable, whereas some of our songs have a more mellow feel,” Ray said. Duncan began American Religion as a side project to work on aside from his three-year band Kill Anties. Ray soon became involved in drumming and songwriting. As of now, American Religion has performed several live shows. Their first show was at the Watershed in midDecember and they also played at New Brookland Tavern on New Year’s Day. “My favorite song to play with American Religion is called ‘Brevi Tempore,’ which means ‘In a Short Time’ in Latin, I’m a hopeless romantic and this song proves it,” Duncan said. Duncan and Ray recently began recording sessions with local producer David Walters. Walters is an up and coming producer in the Columbia area and a graduate of Lexington High School. With the songwriting and recording process heavily underway, American Religion hopes to release a dual EP or album sometime this spring.

A love for songwriting:

MUSIC CREATION Senior Thomas Ray plays piano while junior Hunter Duncan plays drums. Their band American Religion is currently working on their first album. Photo by Alex Miller

Jonathan Wyndham

David Walters

saddle

UP!

Senior Mckenzie Hale shares her passion for horsebackriding meg backwinkel

student life editor

How did you get started? I started riding when I was little just because I thought it would be fun. How long have you been riding? I’ve been riding maybe nine or ten years now. What kinds of awards have you won? I’ve won a lot of ribbons, which is what they give out when you place in classes. And, in jumpers you win back money so that is always fun. What do you enjoy most about riding? I really like all the people out at the barn and how all the horses have different personalities. It is really fun! Where do you ride? I ride at a barn in Gilbert. Emily Thompson’s family owns it. Taylor Smith, Ivey Sumner, Caroline Adams, Shannon Burton, and Courtney Price all ride there too. All photos provided by Mckenzie Hale

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hitting the mat

Wrestling team ends season with success over rival White Knoll, junior Alex Morales shines rachel easterbrook copy editor

PIN HIM Junior Alex Morales practices his wrestling moves on a teammate at a practice, which is an important part of skill building and team bonding. Morales explained that he and his teammates are dedicated to one another, “The most rewarding part of being on a team is just the support you get from your teammates. We would do anything for each other.” Photo by Gaby Ruiz

2009-2010 wildcat wrestling line-up freshmen sophomores RussellTaylor ConnerJewell MatthewSteinbacher WalkerBarfield DacusFinchel NateMeagher LukeFetta

juniors

StevenSteinbacher JoshHeape ZachHeape AlexMorales

GarrettCorbett PayneIvie DJCrawford BrockBaxley DerrickEden

the team placed 8th out of 34 teams, and six wrestlers placed in the top 10, including junior Alex Morales, who placed first in his weight class. Alex continued to receive top awards throughout the season, receiving the title of Most Outstanding Wrestler in three different tournaments, including the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Virginia. “My favorite tournament that is the Va. Duals. It is a college and high school tournament with teams from across the nation,” Morales said. Morales looks forward to finishing off this season on top and the opportunity to shine next year. “Next year I look to keep winning tournaments and make a big name for myself as a champion,” he said.

the way i see it... Q: Who or what influenced you to start wrestling?

SteveLicina ScottTyndale CodyBonham CalebBrack WillMotley

seniors

hen the wrestling team first hit the mat in November, their prospects for seasonal and postseasonal success were high. To the cheers of their avid fans and the expectations of their coaches, the team did far from disappoint over the past four months. The team started strong, opening the season with big wins over Pelion and Orangeburg-Wilkinson at home. According to www. l e x i n g t o nw i l d c a t s . co m , “Lexington was too much for both teams as they defeated OW 64-0 and Pelion 74-6.” Their success continued throughout December with defeats over Northwestern, Sumter, Dreher, Gilbert, and

Dutch Fork. To top off the team’s regular season wins, the team remained competitive in both the Southern Slam and Beef O’Brady Classic tournaments, and they finished first at Greenville’s Red Raider Rumble in midJanuary, winning all of the seven matches they competed in. The key to the team’s strength as a whole lies in the skill of its individual members, many of whom have been incredibly successful in tournaments and matches alike. Even though the team returned five state qualifiers, three of whom placed in the state last season, returners and newcomers have exceeded expectations this season. At the Southern Slam tournament in December,

A: My dad got me into wrestling because he wrestled in high school.

Q: What has been the most rewarding part of being on the wrestling team?

with Alex Morales

A: The support you get from your teammates. We would do anything for each other.

Q: How often does the team practice, and what Q: How are your practices challenging is it like? for you and your A: The wrestling teammates to make weight? team practices every day after school. Our practice are nonstop. We never stop moving.

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A: As long as you lose weight the right way, then it is easy to make weight.

Q: What is your favorite tournament and why? A: My favorite tournament that we go to is the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va. It is a college and high school tournament with teams from all over the nation. It is an awesome tournament to go to.

tested

commentary

reviews

farris johnson editor-in-chief

pop flash: chris rosa

heart on film

The Wildcat reviews favorite novels The Road - Cormac McCarthy

design editor

hat exactly makes for quality cinema? Is the true essence of a film based upon its box office score data? Or does the true meaning of a big screen picture sink deeper? Cinema, from a teenage viewpoint, can often be judged upon the frivolity of the plot or the attractiveness of the leading star. However, when the frills of teenage movies are obliterated, true cinema is simple. True cinema has heart. I was once under the average teen’s impression of what made a good film. From grade six to grade nine, I judged the quality of a film simply based on its middle school popularity. In my 14 year-old eyes, I judged cinema on what my friends wanted to go see that weekend, never searching for the types of films I felt were fulfilling. However, as high school began and awkward preadolescence came to a close, I began to find the types of entertainment I truly loved. I suddenly stopped following the majority and began looking at cinema from a completely different vantage point. The first film I watched that completely reshaped my idea of good cinema was Sam Mendes’ film “Revolutionary Road” starring the lovely Kate Winslet and her “Titanic” costar Leonardo DiCaprio. The film captured the internal problems of a couple in 1950s suburbia that feel trapped in their conventional lifestyle. Gone were the cheesy teen punch-lines. Gone were the fluffy plot twists. When the chalky bubble of what I considered quality cinema had popped, what was left was the essence of a good film: great acting, a riveting plot, and true soul. After “Revolutionary Road,” came Angelina Jolie’s “Changeling,” then Anne Hathaway’s “Rachel Getting Married,” and another Kate Winslet classic, “The Reader.” These movies were at a polar opposite of what I considered a good movie. Films like these are now my addiction. I no longer have the urge to follow the status quo of movies. Although I occasionally want to lap on the froth and taste a good cult classic, riveting films with spectacular acting are my true loves. Am I preaching that you stop watching the teen films we all know and love? Absolutely not. I am simply saying that when you begin to feel these teen films are growing tiring and unsatisfying, pop in a film that your parents recommend. Absorb the acting and the riveting plot. You will find that simple films are not boring after all.

OOOOO

THE ROAD The road is a post-apocalyptic novel that has recently become a major motion picture.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini OOOO

Thousand Splendid Suns is Khaled Hosseni’s following act to his best seller The Kite Runner. Both novels center around Middle Eastern culture and especially focus on the effects the Taliban have had over the social and political climate of Afghanistan, however A Thousand Splendid Suns specifically hones in on the oppressive condition of women under Taliban rule. Hosseni does an excellent job of writing from a woman’s perspective without presenting the novel in an overemotional tone; the author displays beautiful restraint and understanding in this book. Even in Hosseni’s vivid description of regulations imposed on women, emotion rules the text without explicitly sounding “feminine.” A Thousand Splendid Suns is an excellent read for fans of The Kite Runner or those that wish to know about the unique culture of Afghanistan that has been overrun by the dominating Taliban.

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entertainment

ormac McCarthy’s masterpiece and Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Road is the story of a father and son traveling the barren country of a post-apocalyptic America. The two are essentially a pair of refugees cast out of the “old world” - our world of governments, electricity, stability, and morality into the “new world” which is scarcely a world at all. The Road is horrific and haunting, with vivid scenes of cannibalism and inhumanity. The father and son are all each other have, and it is easy to see the heart wrenching effects of love and dependence throughout the novel. A nightmarish chronicle of the death of civilization is brought to life by McCarthy’s complex style of prose that combines words in a manner that makes this novel read more like poetry. The violence, suspense, and deep emotional pull draws the reader into McCarthy’s desolate Earth and captivates the reader until the very end of the novel, making this book a quick read. Recently, The Road has been turned into a major motion picture starring Viggo Mortensen as the main character. The movie includes beautiful cinematography, but does not stay completely faithful to the novel because much of the narrative is impossible to capture on film. The Road is concurrently a beautiful and traumatic story of humanity in the face of all inhumanity.

oldie but goody:

Anthem - Ayn Rand OOO

cclaimed author Ayn Rand, who is famous for her massive works The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, wrote another work of fiction much easier to handle in regards to size. Her novella Anthem, published in 1938, presents a dystopian society in which the individual is worthless in the face of the “collective.” In Anthem the word “I” and all other first-person pronouns have been eradicated from the English language in an attempt to dehumanize individuals. The society presented in the novella is a stark contrast to the ideal world Rand supports through her Objectivist philosophy. Rand provides many examples of her ideals, such as individualism, juxtaposed with more socialistic viewpoints. The best part about reading this oldie but goody is the money associated with it. Every year, the Ayn Rand Institute offers a cash prize to 8th, 9th, and 10th graders that read Anthem and win the institute’s essay contest.

techno

reviews

RAVE

The newest pieces of technlogy are out, but are they worth it? WINNER! The Droid Eris proves far supeior to other technologies.

taylor seymour staff writer

Droid Eris HHHHH

he Droid Eris is sleek, refined, and technoriffic, offering a precise, intuitive touch screen, a spacious and comfortable outer design, and an overall user friendly experience. The Droid Eris has a Web browser, various home menus, photo browser, and all the other virtual bits and pieces are included, as well as a few physical controls, giving one the basics in a regular smartphone experience. While very nice, the Droid Eris does not exactly offer the most in innovation, merely taking many of the features of its predecessor, the HTC Hero, and improving them while some things did not change. Video and audio quality leave something to be desired, the talk experience is mediocre, and the Eris’s battery life is a measly 3.5 hours. Costing a bargain of a price, only $79.99, the Droid Eris is a steal. Overall , the Droid Eris is a fine cellular experience, and is a great, less expensive alternative to a Blackberry or an iPhone.

Canon PowerShot S90 HHH

he Canon Powershot S90, while a mouthful of complication, has a main focus on amateur photgraphers. Costing up to $490, the camera offers photo and control quality, but the peformance is greatly lacking. Its rather hard to use and is extremely expensive. The shutter speed is horrendous, and the camera has a tendency to slip out of your hands. It is not all bad however. Resolution is 461K, and has 10 megapixels, losing almost none of the fine detail of a picture perfect moment. The Canon Powershot S90 has almost 60 different shooting modes, making any photgrapher faint from excitement. Unlike other cameras, the Canon Powershot S90 has very good lowlight quality and has a great wide angle lens. Overall reccomendation, if one is serious about photography and has the money to blow, this is the camera to get. Otherwise, save your money. Stick to your cheap cameras and cameraphones., ladies and gents.

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entertainment

Apple iMac HHHH

he Apple iMac is without a doubt, a top computer, the only thing holding this PC back is its jawdropping price. Costing a giant $1699, it is one of the most expensive computers out today. The Apple iMac’s screen size is a whopping 27 inches and it has one terabyte of memory. That is big. While outstripping it’s Windows cousins in the performance court, the Apple iMac has no Blu Ray Player capabilities, and it has an uber reflective screen causing a frustrating amount of glare while trying to get your business done. The mouse is hard to get to respond, and the iMac has no quad pro processors. Advantages almost completely cover their shortcomings, however. One can fit two Safari screens on the iMac screen with room to spare. The efficiency of the computer is amazing, and the iMac finally has an SD card slot, hallelujah! Overall review? Amazing performance, outrageous price. The Apple iMac leaves almost nothing to be desired.

and the winner is...

Dazzling beauties take top spots in this year’s Miss Wildcat Pageant, senior Taylor Bohn receives top honor Taylor Bohn: Miss Wildcat

Ariel Dorn: Miss Senior

Photos by Eric Wenzinger

Eliza Ellis: Miss Junior

Ally LeJohn: Miss Sophomore

Holly Davis: Miss Freshman

Drama department’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown brings a classic story to LHS kimberley davis staff writer

he State Newspaper would come every day, and in bygone days, every kid would try to get to the comics section before their father got the newspaper so they see the next day in the life of Charlie Brown. Now there is no more wait for the newspaper. The suspense is building because

the play is coming to the drama department. The cast rehearses every Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:30. The cast works hard during the rehearsals so the audience will get an authentic view of Charlie Brown and his friends. “I think this play was a very good choice. Some people seem to lose the little kid inside each of us and this will definitely make you miss your childhood,” junior

Pamela Posey said. The cast enjoys bringing these childhood characters to life. “My favorite scene is when Lucy sets up a psychiatric booth. Here, she gives advice for five cents. Charlie Brown decides to visit her and, of course, she ends up making him feel worse than he did before,” Posey said. The play consists of short vignettes during a day spent with Charlie Brown.

“I chose this musical because I think it is absolutely adorable. High school students get the opportunity to play six-year-old children in an oversized set. The characters are innocent, yet witty and give a clear view on their idea of how the world works,” Director Dr. Christin Owens said. The cast will be playing the whole “Peanut’s” gang and each member is exactly as remembered in the comic

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strip. The audience will see Lucy being obsessed with Schroeder and taking much joy in tormenting Charlie Brown. Snoopy lives in his amazing imagination fighting the Red Baron and Linus still loves his blanket. In the beginning all the characters cannot stand Charlie Brown. Throughout the play, however, the relationships grow and expand and Charlie Browns’

stature grows among the gang. With a league of talented thespians, rocking music, and a humorous story, Lexington’s first spring production in over two years is sure to be a great time. You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown will be held on Thursday, Mar. 25, Friday, Mar. 26, and Saturday, Mar. 27 at 7 p.m.. There will also be a 3 p.m. matinee Saturday, Mar. 27.

Mock trial simulates what really goes on a courtroom pierre hanna staff writer

hile shows like Law & Order provide entertainment in the courtroom, clubs like Mock Trial simulate how to go through a case. Mock Trial and Law & Order are very much alike; they both have a defense and a plaintiff like any other courtroom. Mock trial, led by Mr. David Rest, meets every Tuesday and Thursday and works cases. With three witnesses on each side and six attorneys total, three with the defense and three with the plaintiff, this team is more than ready to take on the regional competition held every March. “We have won regional six out of seven times. Last year was our only fluke,” junior Alasen Strickland said. A plaintiff is the person that brings the lawsuit into court. The defense is the person that is accused of committing the crime. Becoming an attorney can be difficult. Because there are only six attorneys and three witnesses, it can be difficult joining Mock

STUCK IN COURT The Lexington County Courthouse. This is where lawyers, the defense and the plaintiff gather when in court, here in Lexington. Photo courtesy www.flickr.com

trial and becoming a “main character”.” “I became an attorney because the lawyer-coach saw potential in me to be a strong attorney on the team, and I am able to handle more than one affidavit,” Strickland said. Some students may wonder what it is that these student attorneys do. “As an attorney, I give a closing statement to the jury. I also give a direct examination of my witness and cross examine the opposing witness,” Strickland said. Freshmen Robert Underwood, one of the six attorneys, enjoys every minute of it. “I work with the witness to achieve a fluid and strong case,” freshman Robert Underwood said. Students have many different reasons on why they joined Mock trial. “I joined Mock Trial because I thought it would be fun and I knew that it would look excellent on my college application,” junior Shelby Duke said.

melodies

Strickland has her own reasons for joining. “I joined Mock trial at first because my sister was participating in it and they needed a time keeper, but I stayed on the next two years because even though that it is a lot of work and requires extra hours, it is very gratifying to know that I can hold my own in a courtroom,” Strickland said. There are very few freshmen on Mock Trial so when one makes it into the club, he is excited. “I joined Mock Trial because I enjoy the cases and working with the diverse personality in Mock Trial,” Underwood said. “In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders”. This famous quote comes from every Law and Order episode. With Mock Trial being one of the more favored clubs at the school, students need to work on their “game” if they want to make a difference in the courtroom.

in the morning

The Chamber Orchestra flexes their strings before school for top performance abby meldau galley editor

hen most students are getting out of bed, 18 students are already at school playing in an elite orchestra for fun. “We meet at 7 in the morning on Monday and Wednesday, every other week,” senior Ryan Blocker said. Instead of complaining and stifling yawns, students

are actually struggling to keep a straight face. “Chamber is amazingly fun! We never go all the way through a rehearsal without making jokes and laughing together,” junior Holly Brock said. But Chamber Orchestra, or Chamber, is not all fun and games. They have their serious moments as well. “We sometimes play without a conductor so a big part of chamber music is nonverbal communication.

We have to watch each other carefully and pay attention so we can stay together,” Brock said. Paying attention to each person is easier when there are less people. “I like the smaller group. It is calmer than the larger orchestras and I like playing the more advanced music. We play more classical music at a higher level than the other orchestras,” senior Rebecca Hughes said. Students are given the

opportunity to participate after they prove they are able to play music at that advanced level. “Well, we audition at the beginning of the year and receive certain scores. Based on the scores we get, Ms. Pollock places us in order. Those in chamber are the ones who did best on their audition. A person also has to show a love for music and must be dedicated to going to all the practices,” junior Sara Mohamed said.

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FIT AS A FIDDLE Senior Kaitlyn Park and freshman Christine Halferty play cellos. The members of Chamber: Graham Brooker, Holly Brock, Rebecca Hughes, Hanna Denney, Kaitlyn Park, Mercedes Doan, Cameron Shackleford, Nick Gregory, Sara Mohammed, Nathan Sairam, Lauren Crosby, Ryan Blocker, Shelby Lindler, Haleigh Marcolini, Lucy Young, Christine Halferty, Morgan Taylor and Rachel Hebert. Photo by Alex Miller

“Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn! The most wonderful stuff!” -Dr. Seuss “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Seuss “Don’t give up. I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small.” -Dr. Seuss “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way.” -Dr. Seuss

President P a r k’s

fireside chat

oh, the places you’ll go! kaitlyn park student body president

...Continued from page 5

freshman AP World History class, we talked more about what happened on American Idol the previous night than about why the Shi’a and Sunni are at odds with one another. I could have cared less, but that was not the case for the two seniors in the class who were actually trying to earn some college credit. And earning college credit is, by the way, the ultimate point of the class. From what I have seen and experienced myself, scarcely any ninth graders take AP classes because they are looking at how many credit hours they can exempt. Few of them, myself included, really care what they make on the AP exam. I commented once in AP World that I did not really care about my score on the exam. I remember one of the seniors in the class turning around and retorting, “Maybe you do not care now, but when you are in my shoes in a few years, you will.” He was absolutely right. Colleges now look at AP exam grades before SAT scores to determine how prepared a student is for college. Failing AP exam

lot of quotes to start today. Trivia game... who wrote these quotes? I’m sure you’re thinking in your head, maybe in your five-year-old voice, “DR. SEUSS! HOORAY!” (I added the hooray for effect, I apologize if you weren’t thinking that.) But here’s question two, What was Dr. Seuss’ real name? (Dramatic Pause) Theodor Giesel! Hooray! For the few of you who know this, I give you the reward of a tip of my hat, and the satisfaction of knowing you’re such a little smartie. But what does Dr. Seuss have to do with anything? Why am I writing about him? Well, recently, I got a case of this senioritis thing everyone talks about. To be honest, I procrastinated quite awhile on this column, much to the dismay of the Newspaper Staff. Senioritis. What is it? Why not, Seniorosis? I guess that sounds like a nasty little skin disease. And Senior Flu just doesn’t have any ring to it at all. If you can come up with a new version for this ailment, please let me know. This “disease” has different side effects and symptoms for everyone it seems. A common complaint among all is laziness. Seniors work and work and work from grade school to middle school and on through high school, and by senior year, we’re just... done. To put it simply. But to others it’s more. It’s the insurmountable block in the way, that great void and gap between high school and college. It’s like being Indiana Jones and looking over some great gorge and knowing you have no bridge to cross. Some just jump right in, and fall. Some stay back, and never move on at all. And some, use their guide as a human bridge to cross the gorge. (Chuckle.) Not literally. But see, this is where Senior year affects each of us differently. We take what we have learned and we make decisions. Decisions tend to frighten us. And I think many seniors, or kids of any grade level can tend to think “ANY DECISION I MAKE NOW WILL AFFECT THE REST OF MY LIFE”. Yeah, and Dr. Seuss was actually a goldfish who developed typing skills. Each thing we do can change the course of the actions of our lives, but anything can be changed. The possibilities are limitless. I believe that. So rather

grades definitely do not make one’s application shine out to any university’s admissions program. Advanced Placement is not a program to be taken lightly. If a freshman enrolls in an AP class, he needs to realize that he is no longer in middle school. You are not going to float through the semester completing assignments the block before they are due and still pull out an A or B. AP requires hard work and strong motivation. Outside research is often required for one to better understand the material. However, since AP is a COLLEGE program, most teachers will treat you as a college student. No one is going to stand over your shoulder and tell you to look something up when you do not understand it in class. Your teacher will not prod you along to make sure you complete your reading assignments on time. It is your responsibility to earn your grade. While Advanced Placement is a great program, it definitely requires a certain level of maturity and dedication, a level that few kids in their first year of high school have attained. By Anna Kay Talmage

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than crawling in a corner and doing nothing because of big bad fears like “Where will I go to school?” or “What if I flunk?” or “What if I don’t become a doctor?” are holding you back, I encourage you, “young cat”, to look out at all that’s in front of you. Theodor wasn’t kidding. There is no limit to the places you can go. So rather than, be practical, choose one of these majors in the District Course Guide, I encourage you to be yourself. You want to be the girl who makes women’s roller derby part of the Olympics? Why not. You want to invent the next thing greater than sliced bread? Dream big. Because I have found life happens best when life happens at you. Maybe you won’t invent the next best thing, but maybe you’ll find out you were never be an inventor. Take the chances, do the crazy things they say will never work. Because these are what will make your life. Wouldn’t you rather be Indiana Jones making a human bridge rather than so and so who stayed on the other side because it might be hard? No one will do it for you. That’s the decision, the jump, the risk, the chance you have to make completely on your own. Oh, no, it smells like Dove. I may have stepped on the soapbox again. But this is advice I wish I had. I wish I could have seen myself four years ago this Ninth grade little girl so wide eyed and full of promise to do it all and never let anyone tell her that she couldn’t. I would have erased all the doubt within myself and spent a lot less time worrying about what the people around me were doing or thinking about me. I would have told myself you are limitless and you are wonderful. I would have tried out for Drama. I let this stupid fear after a 6th grade audition for “Into the Woods” stop me from doing the one thing I always dreamed of. I’ve wanted to be on Broadway since I was about 4. Maybe it could still happen. I’m not giving up. I would have taken Auto Shop. Maybe I wouldn’t have had so many fender benders. And I would have aimed even higher. Around Junior year I thought the furthest from home I could get for college was Georgia. But recently I got an interview with Georgetown University in D.C. And applied to Notre Dame. And surprised myself. So, without all the cliché Captain Planet monologues get over the Senioritis excuse. Ooh, we’re almost done with high school... well here comes technical school, college, college radio, thesis statements, graduate school, and real jobs... AHHH. It’s cute, but it’s also almost March. What can you do? Surprise yourself. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you will be the guy who’ll decide where you’ll go. Oh the places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

T I C TAC TOE