by Katarzyna Robak
By this time of the year, most seniors have completed their college applications, begun or submitted the FAFSA, had midyear grades sent to the colleges they applied to, researched and begun applying for scholarships, and struggled to focus on schoolwork. Plagued by senioritis, these students are making future plans and decisions that cannot be made for them by parents, teachers, or school counselors. These seventeen and eighteen year olds are making decisions and choices that will potentially affect the type of jobs and careers that will be available to them. Their choices may determine their lifestyles and will significantly affect the degree of happiness or satisfaction their lives. As they prepare for a new chapter in their lives, seniors are recognizing and accepting responsibility for the choices they make and the consequences or rewards that result from these choices. They are realizing that the most fun year of high school is also the most stressful due to grades, work, colleges, and thoughts of leaving family and friends.
Several seniors, who applied to colleges early action or early decision, have already chosen where they will spend the next four years and are ready to relax for the remainder of their senior year. In the fall, Rachel VanDoorn will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying to become a high school physics teacher, and Katie Nobbe will be attending Indiana University double majoring in Elementary Education and Special Education. After spending a lot time “narrowing down my options to avoid having to do tons of applications,” Katie was able to approach the process feeling “excited and totally ready.” Similarly, Rachel started “everything really early and I got it done quickly,” and with a career path in mind, she made a decision. By staying organized and focused, they were both able find the school
fits their needs, and although 50 percent of college students change majors two or three times during their college years, Rachel and Katie will enter school in the fall with a very clear idea of what they want to pursue.
Other seniors, however, as they begin their second semester are nowhere near ready to make a decision and some are still waiting to receive their acceptance letters. Before Aly Blakewell can say she has finished applying, she still has to complete “a few music auditions.” Wishing to major in Music Therapy, Aly found the whole decision process “a lot harder than I was expecting” as she struggled with deciding where she wants to audition and apply. Likewise, Elaine Cotter, also unsure of her future plans but wanting to major in Musical Theater, had to complete a very “stressful but extremely rewarding” process full of auditions. By finishing her online applications early, she was able to relieve some of the stress accompanying the application process. Seniors like Mike Yoo, who applied to universities that only offer a regular decision option, are anxiously awaiting their letters, realizing that the wait is more unbearable and frustrating than the essay writing and applications that precede it. Because Mike, who is hoping to study Industrial Engineering, will not “find out about my admittance to some schools until late March,” he is unable to make a decision although he is ready “to finish high school and move on.” Furthermore, many seniors, like Claire Jablonsky and Valerie Voce, have absolutely no idea where they are going. Before she began looking at colleges, Claire thought “I knew where I wanted to go, but when I started researching, my eyes were opened, and now I am utterly confused.” Also, Valerie “thought I had my school picked out until Isaw what other schools had to offer.” Valerie and Claire are both reluctant to make a decision as they are, like many other seniors, falling in love with multiple schools. As decisions do not have to be made until May 1st, seniors still have time to continue researching, to visit the Career Center, and to learn more about different schools before they make their choices.
As seniors deal with the excitement and anticipation of senior year and college, they are also acknowledging their fears and worries about the upcoming year. Jeremy Fillip, though ready to “build memories at another school,” fears “losing the friends I already have.” Claire Jablonsky fears “besides having a psycho roommate, starting over without the friends I have had since kindergarten and without my family.” Valerie Voce is nervous “to leave the place I have called home for 18 years and leave my family and some very close friends.” Aly Blakewell reveals that she is “a little nervous about being on my own next year,” but feels she needs “to learn how to make decisions by myself and become more independent and less dependent on my parents.” Many seniors like Rachel Jensen, who expresses “ I loved my experience at PR and I have met so many great friends,” will find it hard to leave the comfort of their current lives. At the same time, seniors are ready to leave high school with their diploma, and as Elaine Cotter reveals, “we are so excited for college and to meet amazing new people in a new place. We are thrilled for a change and a new step in life.”
Friday, February 17, 2012
Just the Facts: Republican Presidential Candidates on the Issues
by Johanna Sveden
Many upperclassmen, family members, and faculty will be voting in the upcoming presidential election, so it is important to be knowledgeable about current issues and aware of the potentially controversial viewpoints of the candidates. Where do the candidates stand on abortion, the economy, education, the environment, health care, immigration, and war? Here is a quick summary of the positions of the candidates competing for the GOP nomination.
Newt Gingrich
Abortion: Does not want a constitutional abortion ban and is against Planned Parenthood. (Pro-life)
Economy: Wants to repeal the financial industry regulations that were a result of the Wall Street meltdown and restrict federal power to set low interest rates.
Education: Wants to shrink the Education Department.
Environment: Wants to allow oil and natural gas industries to drill in offshore undeveloped reserves.
Immigration: Supports giving legal status to illegal immigrants with deep roots in the U.S. and who have lived otherwise lawfully, yet wants to direct more Homeland Security resources to the Mexican border.
Healthcare: Prohibits insurers from cancelling or charging hefty increases to insurance holders who get sick.
War: Supports Iraq war and opposes early withdrawal from both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ron Paul
Abortion: Says federal government should have no authority either to legalize or ban abortion. (Pro-life)
Economy: Intends to eliminate the Federal Reserve and eliminate most federal regulations, which will ultimately decrease general government involvement.
Education: Wants to abolish the Education Department and end the federal role in education.
Environment: Wants to remove restrictions on drilling, increase coal and nuclear power, eliminate the gasoline tax, and enable tax credits for alternative fuel technologies.
Immigration: Intends to take whatever measures necessary to secure the border, end the right to citizenship of native-born children of illegal immigrants, and implement aggressive deportation.
Healthcare: Opposes mandatory insurance and all federal grants for coverage.
War: Wants to bring most or all troops home from foreign posts as soon as possible
Mitt Romney
Abortion: Says states should decide their own abortion laws. (Pro-life) Economy: Proposes lower taxes, less regulation, a balanced budget, and more trade deals to spur growth. Aims to replace jobless benefits with unemployment savings accounts.
Education: Supports No Child Left Behind.
Environment: Supports drilling in the Gulf, the outer continental shelves, Western lands, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and offshore Alaska.
Immigration: Favors a complete U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants, and supports employers requiring cards for work, leading to “self-deportation.”
Healthcare: Proposes generous subsidies to help future retirees buy private insurance rather than going on Medicare.
War: Has not quantified the troop numbers needed to guarantee a successfully completed mission in Afghanistan.
Rick Santorum
Abortion: Favors constitutional abortion ban and opposes abortion. (Pro-life) Economy: Anticipates eliminating corporate taxes for manufacturers and reducing regulations.
Education: Wants a significantly smaller Education Department but not its elimination.
Environment: Favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, decreasing the strict rules that impede drilling elsewhere, and eliminating energy subsidies in four years.
Immigration: Supports a complete border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants, supports streamlining citizenship process.
Healthcare: Intends to deprive Obama’s health care law of money needed to implement it.
War: Says he would order bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities unless they were opened for international arms inspectors.
Many upperclassmen, family members, and faculty will be voting in the upcoming presidential election, so it is important to be knowledgeable about current issues and aware of the potentially controversial viewpoints of the candidates. Where do the candidates stand on abortion, the economy, education, the environment, health care, immigration, and war? Here is a quick summary of the positions of the candidates competing for the GOP nomination.
Newt Gingrich
Abortion: Does not want a constitutional abortion ban and is against Planned Parenthood. (Pro-life)
Economy: Wants to repeal the financial industry regulations that were a result of the Wall Street meltdown and restrict federal power to set low interest rates.
Education: Wants to shrink the Education Department.
Environment: Wants to allow oil and natural gas industries to drill in offshore undeveloped reserves.
Immigration: Supports giving legal status to illegal immigrants with deep roots in the U.S. and who have lived otherwise lawfully, yet wants to direct more Homeland Security resources to the Mexican border.
Healthcare: Prohibits insurers from cancelling or charging hefty increases to insurance holders who get sick.
War: Supports Iraq war and opposes early withdrawal from both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ron Paul
Abortion: Says federal government should have no authority either to legalize or ban abortion. (Pro-life)
Economy: Intends to eliminate the Federal Reserve and eliminate most federal regulations, which will ultimately decrease general government involvement.
Education: Wants to abolish the Education Department and end the federal role in education.
Environment: Wants to remove restrictions on drilling, increase coal and nuclear power, eliminate the gasoline tax, and enable tax credits for alternative fuel technologies.
Immigration: Intends to take whatever measures necessary to secure the border, end the right to citizenship of native-born children of illegal immigrants, and implement aggressive deportation.
Healthcare: Opposes mandatory insurance and all federal grants for coverage.
War: Wants to bring most or all troops home from foreign posts as soon as possible
Mitt Romney
Abortion: Says states should decide their own abortion laws. (Pro-life) Economy: Proposes lower taxes, less regulation, a balanced budget, and more trade deals to spur growth. Aims to replace jobless benefits with unemployment savings accounts.
Education: Supports No Child Left Behind.
Environment: Supports drilling in the Gulf, the outer continental shelves, Western lands, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and offshore Alaska.
Immigration: Favors a complete U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants, and supports employers requiring cards for work, leading to “self-deportation.”
Healthcare: Proposes generous subsidies to help future retirees buy private insurance rather than going on Medicare.
War: Has not quantified the troop numbers needed to guarantee a successfully completed mission in Afghanistan.
Rick Santorum
Abortion: Favors constitutional abortion ban and opposes abortion. (Pro-life) Economy: Anticipates eliminating corporate taxes for manufacturers and reducing regulations.
Education: Wants a significantly smaller Education Department but not its elimination.
Environment: Favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, decreasing the strict rules that impede drilling elsewhere, and eliminating energy subsidies in four years.
Immigration: Supports a complete border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants, supports streamlining citizenship process.
Healthcare: Intends to deprive Obama’s health care law of money needed to implement it.
War: Says he would order bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities unless they were opened for international arms inspectors.
Wikipedia Goes Dark in Protest
by Abby Mann
On January 18th, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and other websites including Google went black in protest of a recently proposed bill called the Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA). This bill, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, was created to stop online piracy. More specifically, this act would prevent U.S. search engines or other providers from displaying websites that violate copyright laws. Online piracy has been an enormous problem for the movie and music industries; they lose billions of dollars each year because of the illegal selling of their products off the Internet.
While the SOPA act would be good news for the music and film industries, companies like Wikipedia, Google, Twitter, and Facebook were not so keen on this proposal. For example, the SOPA bill would be extremely difficult for websites like YouTube to abide by, as thousands of videos are uploaded every day, making it impossible to monitor all of that content. The problems that the SOPA bill would create for websites like these are unimaginable, since they would be held responsible for blocking all content that violates copyrights. Protesters also claimed that censoring the internet violates an individual’s freedom, suggesting that other means should be taken in order to stop online piracy.
Overall, the protests from Wikipedia and numerous other companies may have worked; the House decided to postpone the SOPA bill.
On January 18th, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and other websites including Google went black in protest of a recently proposed bill called the Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA). This bill, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, was created to stop online piracy. More specifically, this act would prevent U.S. search engines or other providers from displaying websites that violate copyright laws. Online piracy has been an enormous problem for the movie and music industries; they lose billions of dollars each year because of the illegal selling of their products off the Internet.
While the SOPA act would be good news for the music and film industries, companies like Wikipedia, Google, Twitter, and Facebook were not so keen on this proposal. For example, the SOPA bill would be extremely difficult for websites like YouTube to abide by, as thousands of videos are uploaded every day, making it impossible to monitor all of that content. The problems that the SOPA bill would create for websites like these are unimaginable, since they would be held responsible for blocking all content that violates copyrights. Protesters also claimed that censoring the internet violates an individual’s freedom, suggesting that other means should be taken in order to stop online piracy.
Overall, the protests from Wikipedia and numerous other companies may have worked; the House decided to postpone the SOPA bill.
Heart Awareness Week
by Anita Venkataswamy
The week of January 30th to February 4th boils down to three words: Heart Awareness Week. Through the purchase of paper hearts and t-shirts during the entire week, where all proceeds went to the American Heart Association, and through the attendance at the red-out basketball game on February 3rd and dodge ball game on February 4th, several PR students banded together in numerous ways to raise awareness about heart disease. The end result: $890 raised from t-shirt sales, $82 raised from paper heart sales, $170 collected at the dodge ball game, and $167 raised through donations during the basketball game. All of these were donated to the American Heart Association.
While the support of the students was crucial to the success of the event, Mrs. Hie and Mrs. Kendall were the individuals who started the project. “I remember reading a poster [about] Liz Tenbrook, a former PR graduate, either online or in the paper,” Mrs. Hie recollected. Liz had heart problems during her freshman year of college. This information impacted Mrs. Hie greatly, making her realize that any person, despite age, can get heart disease. Mrs. Hie explained, “A little later, I got an email from Kelly Whik-Bartesch,” a member of the American Heart Association, “asking if [PR would] be interested” in sponsoring a heart awareness event and collecting donations for the organization. “But, because it was educational, I asked Mrs. Kendall if she would be interested in helping out,” Mrs. Hie clarified.
Putting the pieces together for Heart Awareness Week gradually became a joint effort. Mrs. Hie organized the members of the Captain’s Council to sell t-shirts during lunch periods, while Mrs. Kendall brought together NHS members to organize different aspects of the project, including Agata Robak, Lauren Boncosky, Tyler Kendall, Bryan Klendworth, and myself.
Eventually, all the hard work paid off, with spectacular sales of the paper hearts and t-shirts, as well as the huge audience at the red-out basketball game. “The attendance was probably the biggest that it’s been for two years,” Mrs. Hie stated. She profoundly appreciated that both Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge students “came together for a good cause.”
Opening Night of Pirates Quickly Approaching
by Johanna Sveden
It’s not another installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. It’s the Prairie Ridge musical, Pirates of Penzance, set to open on Friday, March 2. The emotions among the directors and cast members are a mix of excitement and worry because rehearsal time is starting to run out.
Mrs. Stouffer, the vocal director, expressed that “moving forward, the biggest challenge will be learning the music and putting it all together. The show is entirely sung!”
The music in this show is difficult, but the audience will surely love hearing it performed. “It’s different from the music in past PR musicals because it was written in the 1800s. But, it has stood the test of time and has become quite popular over the years. It is easy to appreciate its enjoyable, light-hearted nature,” explained Mr. Blakewell, the director of the pit band.
While the cast tries to stay focused during rehearsals, the whimsical nature of this show lends itself to dramatic outbursts and ridiculous dance moves. Seniors Elaine Cotter and Jackie Shimp both agreed that “the most entertaining part of the show is watching the boys dance and have sword fights.”
The laughter and cast-bonding times that occur in the last days before the show are leading up to the special moment when the show finally has an audience. “I’m most excited for seeing the crowd when the curtain opens,” mentioned Marina Jacobs, a junior who knows that extraordinary feeling never gets old.
Tickets are on sale now, and seats for the six shows are filling fast. Senior Brandon Ankele plans to go see it, exclaiming, “Of course, I love seeing the classic musicals!” Some cast members are spreading information about the show through word of mouth, and some are trying some other interesting tactics. “I’m going to tape posters to the lockers of good-looking men,” declared Jennifer Gulgren, a sophomore.
The cast, crew, and directing team have all been putting forth their best efforts in creating this show, and they hope that there will be a full house for every performance. When asked why PR students and faculty should go see the musical, junior Margaret Schlofner answered, “They just should! Well, when they see all our hard work it will increase appreciation for the arts.”
Performances will be held on March 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10 at 7pm and March 10 at 1pm in the Prairie Ridge Auditorium. Tickets for these performances can be purchased online at ShowTix4U.com. Show your support for the PR music program!
It’s not another installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. It’s the Prairie Ridge musical, Pirates of Penzance, set to open on Friday, March 2. The emotions among the directors and cast members are a mix of excitement and worry because rehearsal time is starting to run out.
Mrs. Stouffer, the vocal director, expressed that “moving forward, the biggest challenge will be learning the music and putting it all together. The show is entirely sung!”
The music in this show is difficult, but the audience will surely love hearing it performed. “It’s different from the music in past PR musicals because it was written in the 1800s. But, it has stood the test of time and has become quite popular over the years. It is easy to appreciate its enjoyable, light-hearted nature,” explained Mr. Blakewell, the director of the pit band.
While the cast tries to stay focused during rehearsals, the whimsical nature of this show lends itself to dramatic outbursts and ridiculous dance moves. Seniors Elaine Cotter and Jackie Shimp both agreed that “the most entertaining part of the show is watching the boys dance and have sword fights.”
The laughter and cast-bonding times that occur in the last days before the show are leading up to the special moment when the show finally has an audience. “I’m most excited for seeing the crowd when the curtain opens,” mentioned Marina Jacobs, a junior who knows that extraordinary feeling never gets old.
Tickets are on sale now, and seats for the six shows are filling fast. Senior Brandon Ankele plans to go see it, exclaiming, “Of course, I love seeing the classic musicals!” Some cast members are spreading information about the show through word of mouth, and some are trying some other interesting tactics. “I’m going to tape posters to the lockers of good-looking men,” declared Jennifer Gulgren, a sophomore.
The cast, crew, and directing team have all been putting forth their best efforts in creating this show, and they hope that there will be a full house for every performance. When asked why PR students and faculty should go see the musical, junior Margaret Schlofner answered, “They just should! Well, when they see all our hard work it will increase appreciation for the arts.”
Performances will be held on March 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10 at 7pm and March 10 at 1pm in the Prairie Ridge Auditorium. Tickets for these performances can be purchased online at ShowTix4U.com. Show your support for the PR music program!
Cheerleaders Place 11th at State
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Congratulations to the Varsity Cheerleaders on their 11th place finish at State!
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PR Students React to Gay Marriage Debate
On Tuesday, February 7, a federal appeals court determined California’s Proposition 8 (ban of gay marriage) was unconstitutional, but the judges did not go so far as to say gays have a constitutional right to marry. This issue will likely go to the Supreme Court.
Wolf Prints staff members asked PR students - where do you stand on this issue? According to a poll of 200 students during their free periods on Friday, February 10, 74% of PR students support gay marriage.
Here are some of the comments students wrote to explain their positions:
CON
"It is wrong!"
"It says in the Bible that it’s bad."
"It’s wrong."
"As a conservative, I don’t like change."
PRO
"In my opinion, everyone should have the right to marry whomever they choose and receive the rights from being married as well."
"I support a world where people can do what they want to do."
"Hey man, love is love to me. If you’re happy, then who am I to judge?"
"In a country that represents freedom and progress, it’s about time we include this in our legislation."
"I’m not gay, but I believe that gay communities are losing their rights. I believe that people should never be discriminated because of what they believe in."
"If the church won’t let them, at least let them marry through the legal system."
Wolf Prints staff members asked PR students - where do you stand on this issue? According to a poll of 200 students during their free periods on Friday, February 10, 74% of PR students support gay marriage.
Here are some of the comments students wrote to explain their positions:
"It is wrong!"
"It says in the Bible that it’s bad."
"It’s wrong."
"As a conservative, I don’t like change."
PRO
"I support a world where people can do what they want to do."
"Hey man, love is love to me. If you’re happy, then who am I to judge?"
"In a country that represents freedom and progress, it’s about time we include this in our legislation."
"I’m not gay, but I believe that gay communities are losing their rights. I believe that people should never be discriminated because of what they believe in."
"If the church won’t let them, at least let them marry through the legal system."
Freshman Spotlight: Rami Halabi
by Sulwana Hussain
Rami Halabi: a freshman involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. He is involved in soccer, marching band, speech team, the musical and the madrigal dinner. So, what are the reasons behind getting involved in so many time consuming and hard extracurricular activities? “I wanted to try out for the soccer team because it seemed fun. I wanted to do marching band since 8th grade, and it end up being fun. For the musicals…I have been doing it from last year (8th grade). And, I heard about the madrigals dinner from my friend Cecilia, and I just tried out and I made it! Speech team is something that I wanted to do; and also, I have tons of friends in the speech team, so I am having a great time!”
When Rami was asked how he balances all these things and also has good grades at the same time, he answered, “Well…I don’t have a lunch because I also have band and choir. I actually use my two study halls a week to get my homework done. And, also, my homework usually doesn’t take that long to get done. I always try to get my homework done in class when we have time, and if there is some homework left, I get it done after I go home! So, I guess…I do manage to balance my studies and extracurricular activities pretty well.”
Rami seems to be pretty popular amongst his comrades, so did he ever feel the pressure of being a popular kid in high school? According to Rami, he honestly does not think that he is popular in any way. “I don’t feel the pressure. I just do what makes me happy! I hang out with my friends. I really don’t try to draw any attention to myself,” he says.
On the speech team, Rami is known for his OC (Original Comedy) which has placed on top of the rankings in the tournaments very often. How did he come up with such a hilarious story? And, is he proud of himself and his OC? “Well, I was texting my friend Cecilia back and forth, trying to think what should I do for the OC, and in the meantime it was also dissection week in Bio, and I thought that I should do something with that, and that is how I came up with this Frog Dissecting story! And then I tried it, and everyone liked it! And, yes, I am proud of myself and the OC,” Rami shared.
So, Rami still has three more years of high school. Is he going to continue with all these extracurricular activities? For now, he says yes, he will definitely try his best to continue. And, when he was asked about his freshman year, he replied, “I think it went pretty well. I made tons of friends, did tons of stuff. It all kept me really busy, but I had a good time. I liked it!”
Rami Halabi: a freshman involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. He is involved in soccer, marching band, speech team, the musical and the madrigal dinner. So, what are the reasons behind getting involved in so many time consuming and hard extracurricular activities? “I wanted to try out for the soccer team because it seemed fun. I wanted to do marching band since 8th grade, and it end up being fun. For the musicals…I have been doing it from last year (8th grade). And, I heard about the madrigals dinner from my friend Cecilia, and I just tried out and I made it! Speech team is something that I wanted to do; and also, I have tons of friends in the speech team, so I am having a great time!”
When Rami was asked how he balances all these things and also has good grades at the same time, he answered, “Well…I don’t have a lunch because I also have band and choir. I actually use my two study halls a week to get my homework done. And, also, my homework usually doesn’t take that long to get done. I always try to get my homework done in class when we have time, and if there is some homework left, I get it done after I go home! So, I guess…I do manage to balance my studies and extracurricular activities pretty well.”
Rami seems to be pretty popular amongst his comrades, so did he ever feel the pressure of being a popular kid in high school? According to Rami, he honestly does not think that he is popular in any way. “I don’t feel the pressure. I just do what makes me happy! I hang out with my friends. I really don’t try to draw any attention to myself,” he says.
On the speech team, Rami is known for his OC (Original Comedy) which has placed on top of the rankings in the tournaments very often. How did he come up with such a hilarious story? And, is he proud of himself and his OC? “Well, I was texting my friend Cecilia back and forth, trying to think what should I do for the OC, and in the meantime it was also dissection week in Bio, and I thought that I should do something with that, and that is how I came up with this Frog Dissecting story! And then I tried it, and everyone liked it! And, yes, I am proud of myself and the OC,” Rami shared.
So, Rami still has three more years of high school. Is he going to continue with all these extracurricular activities? For now, he says yes, he will definitely try his best to continue. And, when he was asked about his freshman year, he replied, “I think it went pretty well. I made tons of friends, did tons of stuff. It all kept me really busy, but I had a good time. I liked it!”
Sophomore Spotlight: The Nuños
by Anita Venkataswamy
Andrew is right-handed, and Adrian is left-handed. Apart from that, they have the same look, the same hobbies, the same reactions, the same opinions, and are “the same basically in every way.” Who are they? The Nuño twins.Andrew is right-handed, and Adrian is left-handed. Apart from that, they have the same look, the same hobbies, the same reactions, the same opinions, and are “the same basically in every way.”
Their identical appearance has resulted in the large amount of attention towards them. Adrian explained how they get “the same reaction every time” when someone first meets them. “First, it’s a long stare,” he reflected. “Followed by the same question, ‘Are you guys twins?’… [It] never gets old.” Andrew confirmed that “whether it’s a hotel, a store, at school, [or] at the park, we get a lot of attention simply because we look alike.”
Not to mention, their identical appearance has resulted in large amount of confusion on which Nuño is which. “[It’s] become second nature [to]… wav[e] at people who wave at me even if I don’t know them,” Andrew admitted. “Usually, they turn out to be friends of Adrian’s from other classes.” Adrian added how “people have mixed us up so many times [that] it’s hard to count them all.” According to him, it is “interesting being an identical twin because so many odd things can happen, such as sudden conversations with teachers . . . people I don’t know.”
While most think it would be irritating to have someone exactly like them, Andrew and Adrian both believe that they have their own identities despite their countless similarities. “The very small list of things we do differently is enough to distinguish us from one another,” reasoned Andrew.
In addition, Andrew and Adrian enjoy looking exactly like one another. Adrian believes that “one of the fun things about being twins… is seeing if [people] can tell ‘Twin 1’ and ‘Twin 2’ apart.” Andrew acknowledged that both “Adrian and I have this running gag were we sometimes say we are the other [twin] just to mess with people’s heads.”
Andrew is right-handed, and Adrian is left-handed. Apart from that, they have the same look, the same hobbies, the same reactions, the same opinions, and are “the same basically in every way.” Who are they? The Nuño twins.Andrew is right-handed, and Adrian is left-handed. Apart from that, they have the same look, the same hobbies, the same reactions, the same opinions, and are “the same basically in every way.”
Their identical appearance has resulted in the large amount of attention towards them. Adrian explained how they get “the same reaction every time” when someone first meets them. “First, it’s a long stare,” he reflected. “Followed by the same question, ‘Are you guys twins?’… [It] never gets old.” Andrew confirmed that “whether it’s a hotel, a store, at school, [or] at the park, we get a lot of attention simply because we look alike.”
Not to mention, their identical appearance has resulted in large amount of confusion on which Nuño is which. “[It’s] become second nature [to]… wav[e] at people who wave at me even if I don’t know them,” Andrew admitted. “Usually, they turn out to be friends of Adrian’s from other classes.” Adrian added how “people have mixed us up so many times [that] it’s hard to count them all.” According to him, it is “interesting being an identical twin because so many odd things can happen, such as sudden conversations with teachers . . . people I don’t know.”
While most think it would be irritating to have someone exactly like them, Andrew and Adrian both believe that they have their own identities despite their countless similarities. “The very small list of things we do differently is enough to distinguish us from one another,” reasoned Andrew.
In addition, Andrew and Adrian enjoy looking exactly like one another. Adrian believes that “one of the fun things about being twins… is seeing if [people] can tell ‘Twin 1’ and ‘Twin 2’ apart.” Andrew acknowledged that both “Adrian and I have this running gag were we sometimes say we are the other [twin] just to mess with people’s heads.”
Junior Spotlight: Julia Jimenez
by Anna Flemming
Who is smiling, energetic, fun and funny? It’s Julia Jimenez! Like all Juniors, Julia is under the ever-looming deadline of the ACT. For the test she takes practice tests and prepares worksheets. And of course she has to deal with the insane amount of homework that comes with the penultimate year of high school. And on top of it all, she has a job. Julia works as a translator for a Japanese company. She used to go to Japan almost every summer for schooling and modeling. Hence, she keeps her multi-lingual skills sharp through her job.
However, she does not let it dampen her spirits. She describes her feelings as “unworried.” She knows that there is so much more to enjoy in high school. She makes sure she stays on top of everything and whenever she gets the chance, she knows the importance of taking a few moments to herself. In those fleeting moments she loves to sing and dance. In particular she loves Japanese and Korean music. However her two deepest passions are reading and writing. Before homework got crazy Julia used to read a new book every two or three days. And not a short book either, books around 200 to 300 pages! No wonder she has read so many of this year’s Abe books.
As they say, reading and writing go hand and hand. Julia is no exception. Julia is currently writing five books! Yes, you read that right: 5. Even more impressive her longest is currently 150 printer pages. Her story focuses around a goddess who is constantly being reincarnated. However she is blind to her fate. The main protagoinst’s job is to help her realize her unfortunate situation. Together the two must harness her full potential to save her world from collapse. Julia hopes to eventually turn this tale into a series written by multiple characters’ perspectives.
As a final question, we asked Julia that if she had a box of three crayons what three colors she would want. Her color choices show the exotic life of her personality. The three colors she chose were “red, it reminds me of volcanoes and the volcanoes remind me of the tropics where my cousins live. Blue, the ocean is the place I would love to be right now. And black, because it reminds me of night and at night I can see stars and gaze at them for hours figuring out which stars create certain constellations.”
Who is smiling, energetic, fun and funny? It’s Julia Jimenez! Like all Juniors, Julia is under the ever-looming deadline of the ACT. For the test she takes practice tests and prepares worksheets. And of course she has to deal with the insane amount of homework that comes with the penultimate year of high school. And on top of it all, she has a job. Julia works as a translator for a Japanese company. She used to go to Japan almost every summer for schooling and modeling. Hence, she keeps her multi-lingual skills sharp through her job.
However, she does not let it dampen her spirits. She describes her feelings as “unworried.” She knows that there is so much more to enjoy in high school. She makes sure she stays on top of everything and whenever she gets the chance, she knows the importance of taking a few moments to herself. In those fleeting moments she loves to sing and dance. In particular she loves Japanese and Korean music. However her two deepest passions are reading and writing. Before homework got crazy Julia used to read a new book every two or three days. And not a short book either, books around 200 to 300 pages! No wonder she has read so many of this year’s Abe books.
As they say, reading and writing go hand and hand. Julia is no exception. Julia is currently writing five books! Yes, you read that right: 5. Even more impressive her longest is currently 150 printer pages. Her story focuses around a goddess who is constantly being reincarnated. However she is blind to her fate. The main protagoinst’s job is to help her realize her unfortunate situation. Together the two must harness her full potential to save her world from collapse. Julia hopes to eventually turn this tale into a series written by multiple characters’ perspectives.
As a final question, we asked Julia that if she had a box of three crayons what three colors she would want. Her color choices show the exotic life of her personality. The three colors she chose were “red, it reminds me of volcanoes and the volcanoes remind me of the tropics where my cousins live. Blue, the ocean is the place I would love to be right now. And black, because it reminds me of night and at night I can see stars and gaze at them for hours figuring out which stars create certain constellations.”
Senior Spotlight: Tyler Stevens
by Anita Venkataswamy
While most students participate in after school activities involving sports, theater, music, and academics, Tyler Stevens does something else entirely with his free time: he recreates history. Tyler, a member of the Historical Reenactment Society for two years, takes part in the living history of World War II battles. “History has always been a passion of mine,” he explained. “Being able to participate in a reenactment sounded like a great opportunity, not to only educate people, but to further my knowledge as well.”
Before each event, Tyler takes part in only one role, his most recent being a common German soldier in the 709th Infantry Division. Yet, participating in a reenactment involves a huge commitment from Tyler. He has spent countless hours “reading and researching into the specifics of battles, locations, and… [the] equipment German soldiers carried.” Not only has he researched, but Tyler has interviewed veterans from World War II. In addition to his work alone, he and the actors in his unit “spen[t] time on weekends [together]… to prepare [their] equipment, vehicles, and weaponry” as part of making their display as authentic as possible. “A lot of time and hard work goes into these events to make sure we get it right,” Tyler explained. “People are able to see authentic displays with original vehicles, weaponry, radios, and equipment.”
Despite the time and effort that goes into reenactments, Tyler does not plan to stop. “After many interviews with the veterans of WWII, it’s made me appreciate what they did,” he reflected. “Through my reenactments, I try to honor the men of all nations that served and teach future generations about the greatest conflict of human history.”
Not only does he plan to continue, but he encourages others to view a reenactment and even take part in living history. “Living history is like stepping back in time,” he reasoned. “People can learn so much more about history at reenactments…[because] we do our best to make it as authentic as possible. We eat rations, sleep in foxholes, and march with full equipment the same way German soldiers would have.” To Tyler, this is precisely what makes reenactments more engaging and fulfilling than any history class, and this is why he will continue to remain a reenactor.
While most students participate in after school activities involving sports, theater, music, and academics, Tyler Stevens does something else entirely with his free time: he recreates history. Tyler, a member of the Historical Reenactment Society for two years, takes part in the living history of World War II battles. “History has always been a passion of mine,” he explained. “Being able to participate in a reenactment sounded like a great opportunity, not to only educate people, but to further my knowledge as well.”
Before each event, Tyler takes part in only one role, his most recent being a common German soldier in the 709th Infantry Division. Yet, participating in a reenactment involves a huge commitment from Tyler. He has spent countless hours “reading and researching into the specifics of battles, locations, and… [the] equipment German soldiers carried.” Not only has he researched, but Tyler has interviewed veterans from World War II. In addition to his work alone, he and the actors in his unit “spen[t] time on weekends [together]… to prepare [their] equipment, vehicles, and weaponry” as part of making their display as authentic as possible. “A lot of time and hard work goes into these events to make sure we get it right,” Tyler explained. “People are able to see authentic displays with original vehicles, weaponry, radios, and equipment.”
Despite the time and effort that goes into reenactments, Tyler does not plan to stop. “After many interviews with the veterans of WWII, it’s made me appreciate what they did,” he reflected. “Through my reenactments, I try to honor the men of all nations that served and teach future generations about the greatest conflict of human history.”
Not only does he plan to continue, but he encourages others to view a reenactment and even take part in living history. “Living history is like stepping back in time,” he reasoned. “People can learn so much more about history at reenactments…[because] we do our best to make it as authentic as possible. We eat rations, sleep in foxholes, and march with full equipment the same way German soldiers would have.” To Tyler, this is precisely what makes reenactments more engaging and fulfilling than any history class, and this is why he will continue to remain a reenactor.
Teacher Spotlight: Sra. Martin
by Mark Zoleta
Mrs. Martin is a Spanish Four Dual-Credit teacher for PR and just returned from her maternity leave.
Where were you from originally? Where have you studied over the years?
I was born in Venezuela, and have studied in Venezuela, Spain, and finally in the U.S.
Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. What is her full name?
Sofia Bonita Martin
Did you do anything fun over leave?
Yes, I was mainly occupied with Sofia. That was the most fun I’ve had over leave.
Would you want her to be bilingual?
Yes, I’d only speak to Sofia in Spanish at home, and she’d speak English at school and with friends.
Is it hard coming back to work?
Yes, mostly because I miss Sofia.
Do you plan on having her visit?
Yes, at some point in time.
After twelve weeks at home, Sra. Martin is back with an adorable baby and the motivation to teach her enthusiastic students.
Mrs. Martin is a Spanish Four Dual-Credit teacher for PR and just returned from her maternity leave.
Where were you from originally? Where have you studied over the years?
I was born in Venezuela, and have studied in Venezuela, Spain, and finally in the U.S.
Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. What is her full name?
Sofia Bonita Martin
Did you do anything fun over leave?
Yes, I was mainly occupied with Sofia. That was the most fun I’ve had over leave.
Would you want her to be bilingual?
Yes, I’d only speak to Sofia in Spanish at home, and she’d speak English at school and with friends.
Is it hard coming back to work?
Yes, mostly because I miss Sofia.
Do you plan on having her visit?
Yes, at some point in time.
After twelve weeks at home, Sra. Martin is back with an adorable baby and the motivation to teach her enthusiastic students.
Teacher Spotlight: Herr Higgins
by Maddy Loch
What is your favorite thing about PR?
I love the world languages because many students take more than one language, similar to the schools in Austria.
What was it like to live in Austria and Germany?
Really nice! The people are very nice, and it is very clean. There is great snowboarding, too. It is tons of fun and the people care about each other. They are different, but the same.
How long have you been speaking the German language?
Since I was 19, so 7 years
What is your favorite thing about German?
The directness. It is a very blunt language, but is one of the most beautiful languages spoken.
What are you most looking forward to next year?
A trip to Germany with students from PR and Crystal Lake South
What is your favorite thing about PR?
I love the world languages because many students take more than one language, similar to the schools in Austria.
What was it like to live in Austria and Germany?
Really nice! The people are very nice, and it is very clean. There is great snowboarding, too. It is tons of fun and the people care about each other. They are different, but the same.
How long have you been speaking the German language?
Since I was 19, so 7 years
What is your favorite thing about German?
The directness. It is a very blunt language, but is one of the most beautiful languages spoken.
What are you most looking forward to next year?
A trip to Germany with students from PR and Crystal Lake South
Wikipedia Races
by Danny Solis, Derek Voel-pel, Ryan Martenson
Game: A fast-paced race to get from one Wikipedia article to another Recommended # of Players: 2-4, each on a computer
How to Play: 1. Open an internet browser to Wikipedia
2. Pick some type of article on Wikipedia (Example: Basketball)
3. On another tab, pick another article to get to (Example: Chicken)
4. Allow one minute to view the destination page
5. Agree to start when everyone is finished viewing the destination page
6. Click on the links (the blue highlighted words) that will lead you to the destination article
7. REMEMBER: you are only allowed to click on the blue highlighted words!
8. Keep clicking on the blue words until you find the destination article
TO WIN: Be the first to arrive to the destination article
Against the rules (Things you are not allowed to do):
1. No “Ctrl F” to find words
2. Don’t use the search box!
3. No looking back at the destination article until you have reached there from the starting article
Why? The main reason why we do this is because when we have nothing really to do it’s a fun way to spend time. It also brings a lot of LOL’s to the group and also makes you think. The best part is that it never gets old and it’s a game we like to play with our friends.
Game: A fast-paced race to get from one Wikipedia article to another Recommended # of Players: 2-4, each on a computer
How to Play: 1. Open an internet browser to Wikipedia
2. Pick some type of article on Wikipedia (Example: Basketball)
3. On another tab, pick another article to get to (Example: Chicken)
4. Allow one minute to view the destination page
5. Agree to start when everyone is finished viewing the destination page
6. Click on the links (the blue highlighted words) that will lead you to the destination article
7. REMEMBER: you are only allowed to click on the blue highlighted words!
8. Keep clicking on the blue words until you find the destination article
TO WIN: Be the first to arrive to the destination article
Against the rules (Things you are not allowed to do):
1. No “Ctrl F” to find words
2. Don’t use the search box!
3. No looking back at the destination article until you have reached there from the starting article
Why? The main reason why we do this is because when we have nothing really to do it’s a fun way to spend time. It also brings a lot of LOL’s to the group and also makes you think. The best part is that it never gets old and it’s a game we like to play with our friends.
Top Charts from Around the World
by Morgan Marinelli
As you walk down the hall towards your Spanish class, you hear it: Señor Taege’s Spanish pop music blasting from his classroom. “Wow, Spanish music is pretty catchy!” you say to your friend, “But I wonder what it’s called…” Look no further; here is a list of some popular música de español that you could hear in Spanish class.
“Yerbatero” – Juanes
“Dímelo” – Enrique Iglesias
“Inolvidable” – Reik
“La Camisa Negra” – Juanes
“Loca” – Shakira
“No Me Digas Que No” – Enrique Iglesias
AP Spanish students Aditi Das and Danielle Schafer have loved spanish music ever since the listening activities in Spanish 2 and 3. “I love No Digas Lo Siento by Don Tetro,” gushed Danielle. “My favorite is Cambio Dolor by Natalie O,” recommended Aditi.
Having exposure to music from other countries has a phenominal influence on one’s listening skills. If you want easy, fun “Escuchar” practice that does not include multiple choice questions, music is a great way to increase your understanding of the language.
Not taking Spanish? Here are some popular songs in France, Germany, and China:
France:
“Du Temps” – Mylene Farmer
“Ca Ira Mon Amore” – Rod Janois
“Rock La Vie” – Rene La Taupe
Germany:
“Cello” – Udo Lindenberg
“Geronimo” – Aura Dione
“Eiserner Steg” – Philipp Poisel
China:
“Chong” – Rubber Band
“Lovin You” – Chow Pak-ho
“Ju -Shui” – Juno 3000
Check out more top charts around the world at Top40-Charts.com.
As you walk down the hall towards your Spanish class, you hear it: Señor Taege’s Spanish pop music blasting from his classroom. “Wow, Spanish music is pretty catchy!” you say to your friend, “But I wonder what it’s called…” Look no further; here is a list of some popular música de español that you could hear in Spanish class.
“Yerbatero” – Juanes
“Dímelo” – Enrique Iglesias
“Inolvidable” – Reik
“La Camisa Negra” – Juanes
“Loca” – Shakira
“No Me Digas Que No” – Enrique Iglesias
AP Spanish students Aditi Das and Danielle Schafer have loved spanish music ever since the listening activities in Spanish 2 and 3. “I love No Digas Lo Siento by Don Tetro,” gushed Danielle. “My favorite is Cambio Dolor by Natalie O,” recommended Aditi.
Having exposure to music from other countries has a phenominal influence on one’s listening skills. If you want easy, fun “Escuchar” practice that does not include multiple choice questions, music is a great way to increase your understanding of the language.
Not taking Spanish? Here are some popular songs in France, Germany, and China:
France:
“Du Temps” – Mylene Farmer
“Ca Ira Mon Amore” – Rod Janois
“Rock La Vie” – Rene La Taupe
Germany:
“Cello” – Udo Lindenberg
“Geronimo” – Aura Dione
“Eiserner Steg” – Philipp Poisel
China:
“Chong” – Rubber Band
“Lovin You” – Chow Pak-ho
“Ju -Shui” – Juno 3000
Check out more top charts around the world at Top40-Charts.com.
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