Wolf Prints

Lace It Up!

2012-01-09T13:01:00.003-06:00

by Sulwana Hussain

Lace, lace and more lace -- it is everywhere! On the runways or on the streets, whether it is casual or highlysophisticated, lace is rocking our fashion world these days. Though laces have beenaround in fashion for a very long time, the fashion world has brought it back inmany ways recently. Before, there used to be only lace dresses, and it was wornat special occasions. And now, lace is just not being used to make outstanding dresses,but also as main attraction of shoes and jewelry, it doesn’t need a specialoccasion to be worn, it has simply become a part of our casual wardrobe, too.People are loving this trend; it brings softness, drama, romance and class toone’s wardrobe. It is very easy to pull off. The trick is…just keeping itsimple. Don’t go overboard; just wear one thing in your whole look whichbelongs to the lace family.

Just Being Casual to Being Glamorous
Whereveryou may plan to go, you can still rock out the lace. Going to school, going outat lunch, hanging around with friends, spending time with family, shopping,date, etc., Lace can make you fashionable, anywhere. Want to look ultra hot?Well, then just don’t wear that red hot dress by itself! Pair it up with simpleblack lace tights! You can match a gray or brown pair of your favorite flatboots for a more delicate and monochromatic look. You can mixdelicate lace tights with tougher fabrics like tweed and menswear-inspired clothing. Wearskirts, dresses and shorts with a shorter hem, long pieces may make anoutfit look sophisticated. You can even pair lace tights with over-the-kneeboots so just a little of the pattern shows. This way is the best way to pairup lace tights and make it look very chic and sophisticated.
Lace skirts: You can just wear them withcrewneck sweater, or with a nice top. Voila! You will be ready to rock out atthe party! And, if you want to tone it down a little bit, than just wear asimpler top, or pair it up with a textured shirt. Anyone wearing a lace jacket willlook very cute and innocent. Just pairthem up with regular one-colored t-shirts, and some leggings, or if you want tomake it a bit more of an edgy look, than wear it with jeans and boots. You canalso pair the jacket up with a summer dress, to keep that cute and innocentlook. For dates, parties, or dances, anywhere,and everywhere lace dresses can be your best friend. These highly fashionabledresses are considered vintage, graceful, innocent, romantic, and luxurious. Itis easy to find a dress that defines you and your style with so many patterns,designs and colors.

Earrings

Thelatest trend on the runway is the lace earring. The fire from the runway iscatching on! The fashionistas are first in line to wear them. Lace braceletsare also in, too. Yet earrings are the accessories people are falling for themost. They are pretty, simple and delicate, with details that make them pop out.They can be found in the jewelry stores, but not many people know that they canbe handmade. You can easily make your very own custom-madeinexpensive lace earrings! To make them you’ll need; lace trim or a lace doily,multi-purpose glue, , a bowl or measuring cup, a pair ofpliers, and a pair of scissors. Step one: Mix equal amount of glue andwater in a bowl. Cut out shapes from the lace trim or doily, making sure bothpieces are symmetrical. Step two: Dip the cut shapes into the water and gluemixture. Using the side of the bowl, squeeze out as much extra liquid aspossible. Step three: lay the pieces down on a flat non-stick surface. After afew hours, attach cut out lace pieces onto ear wires using pliers or you canjust wear it with big stone stud earring by putting the back of the earringsthrough the lace cut outs.

Shoes

Like lace earrings, lace style shoes were also all over the runway,shown in shows like Valentino and Dior. Several designers are offering elegantfabrics like lace in sandals, booties, and flats. And what is the best partabout this femininely flirty footwear trend? It doesn't require a harshdiet or working out really hard. One thing you might need is a pedicure, tolook polished. And then you are ready torock the world.

Just going hanging out with friends or going to avery important dinner, lace will keep you looking glamorous.Thanks toits highly textured look, lace will make you look very sophisticated and chic.Stick to a fairly limited palette for a quiet impact. You want its rich andultra-ladylike mood to be the center of attention.

Choir Students Selected for All-State Groups

2011-12-12T15:15:00.002-06:00

The Prairie Ridge HS Music Department is proud to announce that Aly Blakewell (Sr), Elaine Cotter (Sr), Sean Lohmeyer(Jr), & Steven Mondloch (Jr) were selected from thousands of high school students state-wide as members of the IMEA All-State Choirs. Having auditioned for the Illinois District 7 Regional Honor Choir back in October, these four students were notified on December 1^st that they had been selected as members of the two All-State Choirs that will perform on January 28^th, 2012 at the Peoria Civic Centre in Peoria, IL. Prior to the Festival Concerts, Elaine, Sean, & Steven will rehearse for 2 days with the All-State Chorus and Aly will participate in the All-State Honors Chorus. Each All-State ensemble is comprised of 200 students chosen from the 9 regional districts that make up IMEA (Illinois Music Eduactors Assosication). Selection to these ensembles is the highest individual honor available to choral students in Illinois.

STATE CHAMPS: Wolves Ahead of the Pack

2011-12-05T13:34:00.005-06:00

by Jeremy Schrank

Prairie Ridge football players have worked to get faster, to get stronger – and their work paid off. For the first time in school history – 15 years – the PR football team not only went to Champaign to play for an IHSA class 6A state championship, but they brought home the title in a 35-14 victory over the 10-4 Peoria Richwoods Knights. Ever since the 14-7 loss just one year ago in the state semi-finals to Boylan, the Wolves have been ready for another opportunity.

In a cold and damp Memorial Stadium in front of an electric crowd of loyal Prairie Ridge fans and families, the Wolves showed why they deserved to be crowned champions.

The game got off to a slow start for the Wolves offensively, but that didn’t bother anyone in the huddle. The Knights “obviously prepared for the option pretty well and it showed” tight end Nick Margiotta said. “But when we executed our 1/11th we were able to move the ball whenever we wanted. We made some adjustments at halftime that they couldn’t adapt to.”

After a 7-7 first half tie, the Wolves imposed their will on both sides of the ball. PR scored on its first possession of the second half on Jordan Getzelman’s 13-yard TD run and then added a defensive score when Brad Simms stripped running back Jeremye Johnson inside the Knights’ 20 yard line, and defensive end Erik Odden picked up an ideal hop at the 15 and ran it in for a score.

Prairie Ridge scored three third-quarter touchdowns to break things open, one of which was an option pitch to Getzelman, who rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns, for a 35-yard score.

Senior fullback Connor Greenwald picked up the tough yards for the Wolves getting 51 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Senior offensive linemen Nick Hartleb said “Converting on those third and short and fourth and short plays can demoralize a defense. They’re all about who can stay lower and get a bigger push, and then we give it to [Greenwald] who pounds it up the middle.”

The Wolves defense, lead by senior linebackers Brad Simms, Josh Hrudicka, and Colin Corcoran, clamped down and held the Knights offense to only one touchdown for the remainder of the game.

“It all started up front with the defensive line” Simms said. “Ralph Nardi and Eric Odden did a phenomenal job hitting contact points and line racing. The rest was up to me, Josh, and Colin flowing to the ball.”

The Wolves defense held the Knights running back Kendrick Foster, who had 2,362 yards coming into the game, to 59 yards on 18 carries. The Knights managed only 192 total yards and turned the ball over three times.

Senior running back Steven Bashor suffered a broken collarbone early in the fourth quarter but scored a touchdown anyway.

Other seniors displayed great heart. With sixteen senior starters, and many returning varsity players, there was leadership throughout the locker room. “They were all a very determined and experienced group,”Getzelman said, “so just having them around made it a positive and hardworking environment.”

All the coaches deserve the utmost credit for what the team accomplished this season. “Every coach played a major role,” said quarterback Nick Nissen, who played well once again racking up 89 yards on 18 carries. “Coach Hartl is so committed to all of our offseason training, and he definitely goes beyond what he’s asked to do. Both Coach Terhaar and Coach Petersen spent so much valuable time away from their families and made the offense and defense click. Throughout the season every coach was absolutely committed and Coach Schremp was a great leader for such a large group of coaches. I think seeing so much commitment from the coaches drove us players to want to win it for them in addition to winning it for ourselves.”

Swimming to State

2011-12-05T13:32:00.001-06:00

by Kelly Byker and Maddy Loch

On Friday, November 5, the Crystal Lake High School swimming girls emerged from the locker room with one goal in mind: beating Jacobs at JV Conference.

As the first relay stepped up to the blocks, the team had a feeling they were going to win. The PR girls in this relay were Katy Fritz, Maddy Loch, and Elizabeth Peroni. The relay came in 2nd place and set a great tone for the rest of the meet.

As CLHS and Jacobs battled for first, it came down to the final relay of the night: the 400 freestyle relay. With CLHS only a few points ahead, Maddy Loch (PR), Erin Howe (CLC), Katie Schendel (CLS), and Elizabeth Peroni (PR) all swam their best times in the heat of the competition. The CLHS JV team was victorious, creating a great start for the weekend.

At Varsity conference the next day, CLHS was prepared for the tough competition about to come, especially from Jacobs and Cary-Grove. Every girl on the team brought her best. Two girls from PR who especially did an outstanding job were Courtney Lefevre
and Marisa Barton.

Marisa received a gold medal in the 50 free and 100 free and got state times for both events. Marisa was also voted MVP for the meet by the coaches.

Courtney also had an amazing conference meet. She got a 2:06 for the 200 free, which was a best time until the next weekend.

Courtney and Marisa were also in the 200 and 400 free relays with Jess Schwendau (CLS) and Nikayla Dahl (CLS). Both relay teams swam their hardest and they got first place in both events. Also, both of the relays were close to the state cut, so they worked extremely hard for the sectionals meet the next weekend.

Right before the last event, the team scores were announced, and the girls of CLHS were ecstatic to hear that they were ahead of Jacobs by three points! The 400 free relay worked hard to keep their place ahead of Jacobs. The CLHS Varsity team won the meet, and remained undefeated for the season.

At the IHSA Sectionals meet on Saturday, November 12, four swimmers were hoping to get a state time for four different events. In the 2nd event of the meet, Courtney LeFevre swam an amazing 200 free and received her best time of a 2:02. She beat her previous time at Conference by four seconds!

A few events later was the anticipated 50 freestyle event. Marisa Barton was seated first and prepared to swim her hardest for a state time. Marisa swam her best time for that event as well as for the 100 free, in which she also swam a state cut.

All of the Varsity swimmers had a great meet, and came in 4th place at Sectionals!

At the ISHA State meet the next weekend, the Crystal Lake girls had fantastic races. The 200 freestyle relay came in 29th place overall and had a time of 1:39.8! There were over 200 teams at the state swim meet on Friday and Saturday November 18 and 19, so what they accomplished is incredible.

Marisa Barton also had amazing races for her 50 and 100 freestyles. She swam a time of 53:25 in the the 100 free and came in 27th place! During the Preliminaries on Friday, she swam a 24:4 for the 50 freestyle, and got fourth place. Because of her phenomenal time, she qualified to swim in the State finals the next day. She was seated 4th, but after she swam a time of 23:97 she did better than her seed time and placed 3rd in the state! The girls on the Crystal Lake High School swim team had a great season!

A Lifesaver in Physics

2011-12-05T13:29:00.001-06:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

Flooded with a sensation of panic, senior Brad Schillinger was choking on his lifesaver. Just a few moments ago on that very day of October 12, he had been taking notes in Mrs. Shah’s second period Physics class while laughing at his lab partner’s joke. Fortunately, in a matter of seconds, a fellow classmate’s Boy Scout training would save Brad’s life.

At first, Brad didn’t fully understand the importance of the situation. “I was just coughing
since I thought nothing would happen,” he reflected. “I went to drink my water, and it was still there. That’s when I knew it was serious, so I stood up.”

As his realization dawned upon him, Brad’s fear began to take over. “I couldn’t really process what was going on because I haven’t choked before,” Brad added. “But it was really scary…Once I realized it was in there and I couldn’t get it out myself, I was panicking because I didn’t know if it would come out.”

Meanwhile, the rest of the class looked on with horror at the event. Senior Matt Claypool,
who sits diagonally from Brad, recalled how “… no one was screaming, but [the class was]… just scared. Brad could’ve died at any second.” According to him, their reactions mainly resulted from shock because “all of [the students] in the classroom were [thinking], ‘How could this be happening in school? This just isn’t supposed to happen.’”

Even Mrs. Shah was taken aback by Brad’s sudden plight, explaining that she had never “expect[ed] something like this to happen in the classroom.” When Brad first began to choke, Mrs. Shah was facing sideways in her lecture, and therefore did not realize he was choking. “When I saw him first… I thought he was about to throw up [or]… had an asthma attack,” she recollected. “[But] when John Palsgrove, his lab partner, said that he believed Brad was choking, that’s when I yelled [for] somebody to go get the nurse.”

At that precise moment, a sudden epiphany sparked in Matt’s mind. He had learned the Heimlich maneuver before in Boy Scotts, and realized that he could help Brad. “It was all an adrenaline rush,” explained Matt. “I really didn’t think of what I was doing; I just sort of did it. It was… like second nature. Afterwards, I was trying to process what had happened.”

As soon the candy had been dislodged, Brad was hurried out of the classroom right as the school nurse, Mrs. Secrest, arrived. Afterwards, Brad felt fine. “I’m just glad that Matt Claypool came over,” he expressed.

Mrs. Shah added how “[she] appreciated how the whole class worked together to help the student. [She] was very impressed by Matt, and his ability to stand up and do what needed to be done to help another student.”

This isn’t PR’s first incident of a student choking and getting saved through the Heimlich maneuver. Last year, Casey Wharton, who is currently a sophomore, choked on a clementine towards the end of his Ancient Civilizations class. “Mr. Terhaar gave the Heimlich maneuver to the student,” Mrs. Secrest narrated. “The situation was very similar. [Casey] put [his] hands to [his] throat” to signal his distress.

Looking back on the event, Matt believes that it is important for anybody, whether student
or adult, to be prepared for this type of situation. “I would like to have a class where teachers and students in the school can go learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver,” he stated. “[It] can really help.”

Mrs. Secrest also agrees that it is a good idea to take one of these classes. “You are given the opportunity to do a little bit of practice, and the instruction will show you exactly where to place your hands,” she validated.

Classes are offered in your local park district. If you look on the internet, there are plenty of different opportunities and places. In addition to taking classes, you can always look up how to perform the maneuver online through many professional resources.

As Mrs. Secrest reinforced, students should all make an effort to learn because “the Heimlich maneuver is really as simple as it is portrayed to be.” Since “it doesn’t take a lot of muscle to push into the stomach,” Mrs. Secrest explained that anyone can do it as long as they try. Furthermore, the Heimlich maneuver “is nice since you don’t only have one try. You can keep trying and trying and reposition… Eventually, you’ll be able to get it just right.”

Each year, more than 2800 people die from choking. “For your own family, for your own loved ones, make sure you are educated!” Mrs. Secrest exclaimed. “[And] in the time of crisis, everybody seems to remember what they were taught… and it works.” This was certainly the case when Matt Claypool stepped up to save Brad Schillinger’s life.

Handsy Herman Won't Be President

2011-12-05T13:27:00.001-06:00

by Dan Simak

With sexual assault allegations whirling around Herman Cain, electoral experts believe that the once republican favorite may have already lost the 2012 nomination. This once-simple pizza boy is now enduring a vicious political onslaught. It seems as though a new “victim”—a more appropriate name may be money seeker—surfaces daily.

Thus far, four women claim that Herman Cain acted inappropriately towards them. Two of the plaintiffs, Karen Kraushaar and Sharon Bialek, claim that Cain “pushed my head [down]” and “touched my leg under my skirt.” Can their claims be any more generic? And can the “victims” possess more trustworthy résumés?

Karen Kraushaar, a very public spokesperson to Herman’s harassments, has a murky past and is a seasoned veteran at accusing powerful men. Just ten years after her settlement with Cain, while working at the Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS) in the Justice Department, Kraushaar happened to file a complaint against her then current boss for, you guessed it: sexual harassment.

With no sound evidence, how can we believe these accusations? How do we know that Rick Perry, another republican candidate, did not have this information
leaked to aid in his nomination campaign? How can our society know that Cain is guilty? It seems like every time we turn on the news, there is a new court case in which a powerful man is defending himself against a barrage of ridiculous accusations from money and fame seeking women: Kobe Bryant and Ben Roethlisberger are a few recent examples of this trend.

Herman Cain is just the next person in line for this never-ending cycle of torment. All of this should not prohibit him from being a presidential candidate, but it most likely will. Even if the accusations are false, the baggage will follow Cain wherever goes. The Republican Party and United States of America cannot have a political leader with said baggage.

Just as Cain’s spotlight began to brighten, it has already gone out. Along with the constitutional requirements of a natural-born citizen of this country, a resident for at least 14 years, and no younger than 35 years old, having a squeaky clean past is another necessity; Cain’s past and present should have been sterilized before attempting to run for presidency.

Give Cain a Second Chance

2011-12-05T13:26:00.001-06:00

by Jeremy Schrank

In the world we are in today, no one should be surprised to see such an uprising by the media over a case that some say is irrelevant. Herman Cain, accused of sexual harassment by at least three women, is trying to earn the Republican nomination for president of the United States. Before this incident, Cain was leading in the Republican polls. But when the media smelled blood, that all changed.

Everyone has flaws. Everyone has done something they regret. Everyone has to move on. Herman Cain may have done something morally wrong, but that was 20 years ago. Maybe he wasn’t ready for the presidency then, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t now. From the polls prior to the allegations, Cain held a commanding lead. Obviously, certain Republicans felt that Cain has what it takes to run this country. Why have some Republicans changed their minds? The answer is simple. The media ostracizes anything they get their hands on. People rely too much on their morals when considering candidates. While morals are important, they do not affect the policy making or decision making of politicians. A nominee may disagree with your policies at home, but still may be suited to run the country.

Herman Cain, a capable Republican nominee, is falling out of the race over a questionable sexual harassment case. Let’s just move on. Let’s try to give him a chance to succeed as nominee, or even president. Because who knows, we may be scaring away one of the best presidents in the history of this country.

Political Predictions

2011-12-05T13:25:00.003-06:00

Polls by Hannah Stiff

Just how much does the PR student body know about the upcoming presidential race?

Despite that the majority of people surveyed cannot name three presidential candidates,
some were willing to predict who would be our next president:

Occupy Wall Street

2011-12-05T13:20:00.001-06:00

by Paul Sindberg

The Occupy Wall Street – or 99% - Movement has become important for Prairie Ridge Students. The movement, which calls for a more equal distribution of wealth, has been a national hot topic for a while.

Gabby Trexler, a sophomore, disagrees with the movement. “It’s their money – why should they have to share it?” Gabby plays clarinet in the school’s marching band and is an active member of National Honors Society, as well as other clubs and organizations. “I don’t think the rich should have to give money to the poor, but I will say I don’t think they should get tax cuts either.”

“I suppose it’s kind of unfair. Unbalanced, you know?” disagreed Antonia (Toni) Corrado, personifying the other opinion. Toni is a member of the Teen Advisory Board at the Cary Area Library and will be involved in the Sound division of the backstage crew for the spring play. The top one percent of Americans control 42% of financial wealth, and have experienced an increase in average income over the past months. However, they pay 38% percent of the taxes in America, while the median income households pay 10.96%, according to Financial Samurai.

Santa Claus 007

2011-12-05T13:11:00.000-06:00

by Morgan Marinelli

Well, Agent, it’s that time of year again. The Holiday season is here. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: successfully complete a Secret Santa gift exchange. What is such an intriguing way of gift-giving, you might ask? It begins with a group of people, perhaps a class, maybe just a commons table. Each member of the group draws a name out of a bowl; this is the person you must buy a gift for. For the game to work, no one can tell whose name they received. After all, you are a Secret Santa.

So before you get a jump start on your own Secret Santa exchange, here are some tips to go by during the game:

1. Draw names early. It makes it pretty hard to make the most of Secret Santas if you decide to start the game one week before Christmas. Plus, when you start early, it makes it more suspenseful!
2. Make a cost limit. Usually around five or ten dollar limits are appropriate; it’s always fun to give and receive gifts, but not when it leaves you broke.
3. Put all the gifts into a pile, with the name of the receiver on it- NOT the giver. When everyone finds their gift, have them guess who their giver was.
4. Try not to pester people into doing Secret Santas; lack of interest will result in one unhappy receiver who actually wanted to participate.

Now go out and have your own gift exchange! Who doesn’t like giving and receiving presents? The most important rule for fun, however, is to keep your identity secret! Happy gifting!

Prairie Ridge Holiday Playlist

2011-12-05T13:10:00.001-06:00

by Jeremy Shrank

For some, Thanksgiving, can be a joyous, relaxing time. But for others, it is stressful trying to organize, to gather, and to prepare the big day. After Thanksgiving, Americans turn to one thing to relax and to get in the holiday spirit: music. Whether it’s the classics, or a new hit, they all come together to provide that awe-inspiring playlist. A playlist you can listen to during the Holidays to lighten your mood and bring joy to your soul. So I went around PR trying to find what holiday songs would be on Prairie Ridge’s playlist. Here are the top 10 holiday songs named by PR students and faculty:

1. White Christmas
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You
3. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
4. Baby It’s Cold Outside
5. Silent Night
6. Santa Baby
7. Little Drummer Boy
8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
9. Dominick the Donkey
10. Feliz Navidad
11. Deck the Halls
12. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
13. Silver Bells
14. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
15. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Splendid Start for Speechies

2011-12-05T13:07:00.002-06:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

Speech team is an extracurricular activity in which students have the opportunity to improve their public speaking skills through a variety of fun and challenging events. “It is composed of fourteen different events,” explained Anna Flemming, a senior, who has been involved with the team for the past four years. “There are acting events, events where you write your own speech, events where you read pieces of books or poems, events where you read someone else’s speech, and ‘on the spot’ events.”

After choosing the events of interest and practicing them, students then perform at competitions against other high schools throughout the entire season. They present their speeches in three different rounds categorized by their particular event, and are ranked for the overall performance.

So far, the speech team has attended two tournaments, one on November 5th and one on November 12th, at which many students have received awards for their outstanding performances. Freshman Aaditya Rawal, who is new to the team this year, placed in the Novice division in the first meet and won second place in the Varsity division in the second meet for Extemporaneous Speaking. “I was really nervous at first,” he recalled. “But after the first round, I felt a little calmer.” Aaditya also expressed his amazement at his placement in the tournament. “The first time, a lot of people placed, so I didn’t think much of it,” he described. “The second time, I was surprised where I placed. I came second to the person who went to state last year!”

Sophomore Maddie Mocchi, who also joined speech team this year, was thrilled at her performance. She felt “really glad, because a lot of people [had] told [her] it would be hard to place in [her] event, Prose Reading.” The reasoning behind this was due to the fact “so many people participate in [that event].”

However, despite the difficulty, the speech team members have done an excellent job in placing in the tournaments. So far, seventeen people received awards in the first tournament, and fourteen people placed in the second. “I have high hopes!” exclaimed Mrs. Hartnett, who is one of the coaches for speech team, along with Mrs. Pham and Mr. Kennett. “I would love to see us be the conference champs! We definitely have that possibility!”

Yet, the members aren’t letting their outstanding performances get inside their heads. “The conferences have made me more determined to work harder, and keep up the good work!” reasoned Cecilia Smith, a sophomore, who is new to speech team this year as well. She has placed first for Impromptu Speaking twice, once in the Novice Division and once in the Varsity Division. “There’s always more room to get better.”

“We have a lot of kids place,” added Mrs. Hartnett. “But it’s not about the prizes or the trophies. I like watching the individual growth. Every kid on the speech team gets exponentially better. Not only do they gain public-speaking skills, but they grow in self-confidence.” In addition, Mrs. Hartnett is “extremely excited because [they] not only have strong and dedicated returning seniors, especially Anna Flemming, but [the team has] a lot of talented freshmen and sophomores this year as well.”

While the speech team is looking forward to an awesome season ahead, the members are also excited to have a great time. Olivia Jensen, who is a returning sophomore, has “tons of friends in Speech Team, so it’ll be fun…to hang out with them.” Jimmy Bossemeyer, a freshman, who performs Humorous Duet Acting with Olivia, also agrees that “it’s pretty good [because] everyone is very supportive of one another.”

“We all bond in some way or another,” Anna Flemming reflected. “ We cry when one of our friends really deserves to win and he or she does not. We cheer whenever one of us places. We all feel so proud of our improving teammates.”

PR Celebrates World Language Week

2011-12-05T13:06:00.001-06:00

by Johanna Sveden

During the week of November 14 – 18, Prairie Ridge students took part in various activities to recognize the four languages that are offered at PR. Many could be seen sporting the yellow t-shirt designed by PR art students.

Monday began the sale of the Brazilian wish bracelets in the commons, sold for a dollar each to support a school in El Salvador. The Portuguese writing on the bracelets literally translates to “the end will be good,” meaning that the wearer’s wishes will come true. The idea is that if three knots are tied (each stands for a wish), wishes will come true when they fall out. Marina Jacobs, a student selling the bracelets, was glad that “they raised quite a bit of money for the school in El Salvador.”

This year Spanish club also sponsored a trip to La Tasca, an authentic Spanish restaurant in Arlington Heights. Jack Disselhorst was excited, and was amazed how “this year so many students were interested that some had to be turned away.” Fortunately, there will surely be another trip to the Tapas restaurant in the spring.

Sophomore Lili Schiller, a trilingual scholar, also went to La Tasca and mentioned that “German club had a movie night on Wednesday.”

Christina Kappil, President of Chinese club, said that they had a game day in which they “played Chinese board games, had Chinese snacks, and watched Mulan.”

This week was a multicultural experience for Prairie Ridge, and each year it is a fun way for students to get involved and celebrate the diversity of the school and the world.

Rob Elgas Visits RAM Students

2011-12-05T13:04:00.002-06:00

by Travis Lang

The former Crystal Lake Central Tiger, Rob Elgas, is the latest celebrity to stop by Prairie Ridge. On Tuesday, November 15th, the NBC News anchor gave every Rheotorical Analysis of Media class a speech on what it is like to be a broadcast journalist.

Elgas commented on things like what time he must wake up every morning and the hardships he went through trying to live his dream.

Unfortunately, his speech was cut short by a sudden ring of the fire alarm. However, outside of the school, he still mingled with students and asked us questions like what colleges we plan on attending and what our career goals are, then gave us advice on how to achieve those goals.

Senior Jake Schuler, commented on Rob Elgas’ presentation by saying, “It was cool to see someone famous at PR. He had an interesting story, and it was cool that he was from our home town of Crystal Lake.

Jake was one of a handful of students who stayed and listened to Elgas in the theatre after the fire alarm situation was over. Even then, the D155 grad took more time out of his day to answer students’ questions.

Field Trip to Museum of Science and Industry

2011-12-05T13:03:00.002-06:00

by Mark Zoleta

Crowds of seniors were huddled together outside of the Museum of Science and Industry. It was a brisk 40 degrees out, and what was 10 minutes of waiting outside seemed like hours as the monolithic building was practically begging to be seen.

On November 17th, 2011, the students in Science in Society and Anatomy ventured into the museum and quickly dispersed from each other, with everyone excited to see all the different sorts of exhibits. With numerous exhibits viewed, students were asked to share which part of the museum really stuck out for them.

“It had to be the Stages of Development exhibit,” said Mark Wiedner, “I’ve never seen anything like it before, and all of it was real.”

There were other fantastic displays the museum had to offer, such as the Smart Home that Science in Society got to see, and the You! Experience where students had to verse each other in a game by using their brainwaves.

“The point of the game is to relax,” said Ben Rohrer, “I just tried to fall asleep and yes, I was in far more control of my brain than the other Ben, Ben Beecroft.”

Although many exhibits were visited, many more were left to be discovered. With Jess Ayers exclaiming, “I wanted to see the Human Body exhibit,” and with Mark Wiedner saying, “I wish I got to see more of the Space center,”

As soon as we got in the museum it felt like we had to leave, and students were wishing and itching to see more. There were discoveries, and memories of what the human race has left for us in that museum. Not only that, but there were also fun memories of the times we had in the Museum of Science and Industry.

Freshman Aaditya Rawal

2011-12-05T13:01:00.001-06:00

by Mitchell Sullens

Upon entering the high school, an immediate thought placed in a new student’s head is “what am I going to do now?” While some students generally avoid getting too involved in the world of Prairie Ridge, Aaditya Rawal has done the exact opposite. Aaditya has involved himself in many, many clubs, trying the dozens of opportunities offered at Prairie Ridge. From music to play production, Aaditya is doing exactly what the faculty has been telling us from day one: get involved and have fun with it.

What clubs are you in?
Scholastic Bowl, Speech Team, Math Team, Musical Production, and Band.

With so many clubs is it ever hard to keep all your commitments for each one?
Well, I have different ones each day, but it’s totally worth it.

What do you do during your free time?
Read, sometimes play on my iPad.

What is your all time favorite book?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, mainly because it was the finale of the series.

What is the most exciting part of the year so far?
Probably the fall play, because it was fun doing the production, so it was nice to see the final product.

What do you most look forward to in this coming quarter?
I’m going to be in tennis. It’s going to be really fun.

Sophomore Emily Parczany

2011-12-05T13:00:00.000-06:00

by Sara Dobrzycki

One of the most interesting people I met this year is Emily Parczany.

She is an accomplished bloggist, with hilarious articles such as “How to Walk Away from an Argument like a Boss” and “Quick Lessons.” Emily “was inspired to make a blog by Jack Disselhorst,” and basically writes whatever comes to mind. Readers should be informed that she does “not hold back on anything,” and considers blogging her “calling.”

In addition to blogging, Emily has also amused herself and others with hat making. She “started making hats last year, and since then it’s become a hobby.” In her collection she has “animal hats, such as sharks and pedo bears; also superhero and lobster hats.”

On top of blogging and hat-making, Emily is secretly a ninja. She began learning martial arts during the summer and is “almost a yellow belt.” She finds martial arts “very enjoyable.”

When asked for some thoughts on life in general, Emily pondered for a moment and replied, “I hate everybody. Not everybody. Just a lot of people. And my English class is a riot.”

Junior Matt Baldocchi

2011-12-05T12:59:00.001-06:00

by Johanna Sveden

For junior Matt Baldocchi, a typical day may involve anything from singing to schoolwork to scampering about in penguin costumes. He is extremely well-rounded and stays quite busy with his varying activities. Baldocchi was recently cast as the leading role, Frederic, in this year’s spring musical, Pirates of Penzance. He will also be performing as a second-year member of Prairie Ridge’s Madrigal singers. In the fall production of Up the Down Staircase, he played one of the dropouts in addition to holding the position of student director. Matt does not just participate in Fine Arts extracurriculars; he is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and the track team. While juggling an eventful after-school life, he maintains superb grades in rigorous courses such as AP Language and Composition, AP Calculus AB, Honors Physics, and Honors Accelerated Spanish III. As if this isn’t enough, Matt works as an intern at the Raue Center in downtown Crystal Lake.

Matt Baldocchi has been seen several times wearing a penguin costume around school, which he bought during his freshman year at a Halloween store. “I’ve worn it three years in a row,” stated Baldocchi. “I figured I may as well get some use out of it.” Some students were curious as to why Matt wore this costume every single day during homecoming week instead of following the standard dress-up days. Apparently, his good friend Bij Heydari bet him five dollars that he couldn’t wear it for five days straight, but Baldocchi proved him wrong and won the bet.

Obviously Matt has a great sense of humor, but he gets down to business and sets goals, as well. He hopes to major in film production or directing and minor in business. “That is my dream, to be a producer or a director,” he said. Northwestern, USC, and Michigan are his top three colleges at this point. He is working on building his resume, and already has several achievements to list. Matt Baldocchi is incredibly talented, intelligent, compassionate, and ambitious, and is well on his way to great successes in his life.

Senior Aditi Das

2011-12-05T12:58:00.001-06:00

by Kellie Whitworth

Aditi Das: If you haven’t heard her name yet, you’ve probably heard her voice at least once a day every second period right after the bell.

“Please stand for the pledge of allegiance.” That’s right, Aditi is the one who says the pledge every morning, initiates and ends the moment of silence, and spouts off the announcements of the day, like where and when football tickets for the championship game are being sold.

Have you noticed one other thing she does? She sets a theme for every day of every week. “Have an enthusiastic day, PR!” “Have a fabulous day, PR!” “Have a grand day, PR!” Aditi has been working her way through the alphabet, one letter every week. Sure, she does other themes such as homecoming and world language week, but, as she tells Wolf Prints, the alphabet is her main topic.

Curious where she gets her words? Many of them she thinks up herself but sometimes friends and magazines are great sources for finding a colorful word. After the alphabet exhausts its supply of letters, Aditi says that the routine will begin again starting with ‘A’ but with fancier words.

Aditi decided to bring the alphabet to the game to bring more creativity to the repetitive high school day and so she could keep herself from repeating words. What words are next in line to be words of the day? Listen up every day at second period to find out!

A Chapter from Book Club

2011-12-05T12:57:00.002-06:00

by Teal Hemmerling

If you like to read, then book club is for you. Winter is on its way and what’s better than curling up next to a fire with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book? Headed by Mrs. Bland, book club happens around once a month. The book read is chosen by the group where anyone can throw in ideas, though the most common genre so far this year has turned out to be fantasy.

At our first meeting we talked about books we had read over the summer and what we thought of them. One of the most common books read was the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. It was a particular favorite of Amanda Nelson who said, “I never thought I’d cry and laugh at the same time about a book, but it’s finally happened; definitely one of my favorite series!”

Our second meeting was regarding The Maze Runner, a book by James Dashner. It was tricky to have any predictions about this book because Dashner had already added to the series with a second and third book! Larry Gillett was the only student who had read The Death Cure, the last book. It was nearly impossible for him to keep from spoiling any questions that weren’t answered in the first book, but he managed not to ruin the surprise for anyone.

For our most recent meeting, we read The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. The book was surprisingly pleasant! Not many in the group had read beyond the first book, but many enjoyed it. With the author’s unique usage of language, the book was similar to The Maze Runner.

Basically, the students in book club get together to discuss the book they just read and have fun doing it. Everyone’s opinion is accepted and everyone gets a chance to talk. Senior Quincy Sadowski says “I love book club! It’s fun to talk about great books with friends and others that you might not get to see throughout the day. I always leave with a new book in my hands that I never thought I’d read but always end up enjoying.”

If you’re free after school on Thursday once a month, then head on down to the library for book club. Everyone is welcome. Our upcoming meeting is December 15 to talk about The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.

Madrigal Dinner

2011-12-05T12:49:00.002-06:00

by Paul Sindberg

The rehearsals leading to this year’s Madrigal Dinner were very successful, according to co-director Elaine Cotter. Including a cast of around fifteen actors, the Madrigal Dinner was set in Old England, complete with kings and queens and a rather spoiled prince.

“It’s going really well. We’re all super excited and nervous, but it’s going awesome,” said the enthusiastic Elaine Cotter. Seniors Stuart Buthod and Elaine co-wrote and co-directed this year’s show. Both have been members of the madrigal choir at Prairie Ridge since their sophomore year.

The Madrigal Dinner is partly about upholding traditions; every year a special Yule Log holding candles is lit for the performances, certain songs are sung, and the dinner is ended the same way. These traditions lend a timeless feel to the performances. Said Elaine, “In the past, we’ve also given gifts to our singing partners (usually some kind of an inside joke) and the seniors write letters” to the new members.

Every character in the Madrigal Dinner was slightly unique: a love-struck Jester, a preoccupied Wench, a stumbling detective. An exciting new twist to the traditional plot was sure to please, and delicious food of the era was served on stage December 2nd and 3rd.

PR in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2011-12-05T12:44:00.002-06:00

by Morgan Marinelli

A big congratulations to our very own Elisabeth Sladek and Katie Nobbe who participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York! Elisabeth played piccolo for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, while Katie participated in the pom style dance group, Varsity Spirit of America.

So how did they receive this marvelous opportunity?

For Katie, it was at UDA camp, a pom camp the PR poms attend every year. The camp decided this year to honor the captains by giving them the opportunity to participate in the parade. Katie has worked hard, and the camp wanted to recognize that by giving her this once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Before she left for the Big Apple, Katie was “nervous but very excited to be given this opportunity to see New York and to meet new people… maybe even some celebrities!”

For Elisabeth, it was when she attended the Smith Walbridge Drum Major Clinics this past summer. One of the directors at the camp was also a director for the marching band that would be marching in the parade.

Elisabeth had to prepare a music audition as well as a marching audition. On top of that was the actual application, which was accepted.

This was surely a special experience for Elisabeth; after all, the song that they played in Herald Square was custom made for the 85th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“I’ve watched it every year on TV and now to be a part of it is just a dream come true,” Elisabeth happily exclaimed.

Varsity Volleyball Teammates Hamilton, Onoyan Sign Letters of Intent

2011-11-09T15:13:00.013-06:00

Before the school day began, Katie Hamilton and TaylorOnoyan signed letters of intent to continue playing volleyball next year at thecollegiate level.

Katie Hamilton, outside and right side hitter, has knownever since she started playing club volleyball that she wanted to play for acollege team. “It seemed like the ultimate achievement.”

After a recent visit to Loyola University in New Orleans,Hamilton knew this was the school for her. “Everything felt perfect,” she said,and the coach is “exactly what I’m looking for.”

Taylor Onoyan, middle blocker, will also attend collegeseveral states away with her decision to accept the package offered by BryantUniversity in Rhode Island.

Onoyan’s campus visit solidified the deal in October whenshe met the volleyball team. “I can see myself fitting in with the girls,”smiled Onoyan, who has played club volleyball since seventh grade.

About the school, she reported, “I loved it – it hadeverything I wanted academically and athletically.” Having family on the eastcoast was also a big factor in why Onoyan is excited to attend BryantUniversity.

Varsity Football Players Read to North Elementary Students

2011-11-08T09:26:00.004-06:00

by Mike Kubik

Click the photo to see more at the PRHS Library Facebook page

For those of you who hail from North Elementary School, this should bring a bit of nostalgia. Remember back in fifth grade when those big, strong football players came in? Remember how despite how big we thought we were, they seemed so gigantic? Well, the varsity football layers finally got the chance to be those giants as they traveled to North Elementary on October 14 to read to the elementary students.

What was it like being back? Nick Hartleb commented that “It was weird being back…almost surreal that I was once the same size and just like these kids.” Justin Lindahl and Kerry Kohlbacher both agree that “it was fun and nice to know that [the kids] look up to us so much.”

The players remembered when they were on the receiving end of this exchange. Nick Margiotta reminisced, “It was like the Chicago Bears were coming to our school.”

Okay, so we’re not The Bears. Regardless, Nick Hartleb noted, “it was really fun. Even though the kids are young they can still teach you important things. And it was neat having them look up to us and have them be so excited that we were there.”

But why dwell on the favorite memories of the past when we can focus on making favorite memories for the future? Nick Nissen enjoyed “having the kids put on the helmets and telling them to put on a mean face.”

Now that we have grown, now that we are the giants, we can look back at the elementary youth and see where we started; we have the timeline of our lives thus far. So to all of you at Prairie Ridge, students and staff alike, keep on growing to be the giant, the hero, you always hoped you would be.

Poms Qualify for State

2011-11-07T11:58:00.001-06:00

On Sunday, the Prairie Ridge Poms competed in the open pom category for the first time and qualified for the state competition with their high score.

About the first place finish, head coach Lana Bachta said, "this was such a huge accomplishment for the girls."

The PR poms competed in 3A, a higher division than last year, at the competition held at St. Charles East. Competing in the higher division raised the bar, with PR competing against schools with much larger enrollments.

"We were all so excited," Coach Bachta added.

The state competition will be the first weekend in March at the Peoria Civic Center.

Speech Team Prepares for Season

2011-11-02T08:35:00.001-05:00

by Johanna Sveden

Since the start of the school year, members of PR’s speech team have been writing, memorizing, and practicing for their first competition of the season this Saturday at Huntley High School. The coaches, Mrs. Hartnett, Mr. Kennett, and Mrs. Pham are also getting anxious because they know what it takes to be a strong opponent against the other schools in the conference. Jack Disselhorst, who has led the team to the finals in past years, unfortunately cannot compete this year, but is helping co-coach and is “occasionally bustin’ out an impromptu speech.”

There are a wide variety of events in which the team participates, ranging from original writing to duet acting to prose reading. Sophomore Maia McLin is a first-year member who wrote an original comedic piece which “contrasts sassy black people to awkward white people.” An original comedy must be written by the student, but an event such as poetry reading requires the participant to interpret a published work. Junior Aashini Patel will be reading a poem on Saturday about “the three stages of love,” and it is her second year on the team.

As a senior and a third year participant in speech team, Jeremy Chapnick has stepped forth as a senior leader. This season he will be perfecting his original oratory, a “persuasive speech on the Apple media conglomerates.”

Another unique event is extemporaneous speaking, in which performers are given a topic regarding current events upon which to expound. They then have 45 minutes to obtain information from browsing magazines and newspapers, and to write a speech analyzing that information in relation to the topic presented. This year’s “extemp champ” is Aaditya Rawal, who is only a freshman but is excelling already and proving himself as a talented, valuable member of the team.

Saturday, November 5 will be an exciting day for the 2011-2012 PR speech team, and the students will be ready to meet the challenge.

Varsity Football Defeats Marmion

2011-10-31T10:02:00.000-05:00

The varsity football team will head to the second round of the state playoffs next Saturday, after a resounding win (49-0) against Marmion's team. Check out the story at McHenryCountySports.com.

Cross Country Runners Qualify for State

2011-10-31T09:14:00.000-05:00

From a challenging sectional at Schaumburg on Saturday, October 29, Mitch Wilkins and Joe Cowlin qualified to race in the 3A state cross country meet which will be next Saturday, November 5.

Besides Wilkins and Cowlin, additional postseason runners include Adam Procknow, David Thompson, Tommy MacMeekin, Travis Lang, Drew Ferguson, Scott Hearne, and Mitch Kazin.

The PR varsity cross country team concludes a successful season which includes a Fox Valley Division title and winning the conference invitational meet.

D155 Budget Approved

2011-10-31T09:08:00.000-05:00

The Community High School District 155 board of education approved the FY2012 annual budget at its September 27 meeting. To view the budget, please visit http://www.d155.org/ and click on the “Annual Budget” link.

Freshman Football: Looking to the Future

2011-10-25T08:40:00.002-05:00

by Mitchell Sullens

While watching a Varsity Game you are filled with excitement, anticipation, and sometimes pure adrenaline. The same can be said for players, coaches, even the announcers are filled with a unstoppable feeling of fun, and excitement. But looking to the future, specifically three years from now these players will have left the school long behind. And this year’s rookies will be veterans of the field.

With a final record of 4-5, the Freshman A team fought hard in every game and always left the field stronger than they were when they entered. B team also fought hard with a final 2-2 record. With the season coming to an end it brings a sad feeling to both players and coaches.

But over some very good teams like Mchenry, and Glenbard South there is always a sense of achievement.

Assistant Coach Kerry Kohlbacher says “We start with a group of guys, who really don’t know each other, and have them work together as a team. If we succeed in that it doesn’t matter what the record is.”

With one year down these students will soon be the Sophmore and Varsity players in the years to come.

Wolfpack Band Busy in October

2011-10-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

by Morgan Marinelli

With a competition or performance almost every weekend in October, the Wolfpack Marching band has continued to perfect its show Quidam.

October 1st marked the exciting NIU Red and Black Band Competition, where the band had the unique opportunity to perform in a college stadium. The excitement of presenting the show along with many of the best bands in the area got the players’ adrenaline pumping.

The band was more than ready to perform in its next competition, on October 9th. The Marengo Settler’s Days Competition is favored among my band students with a parade during the day and a performance in the evening. The band performed extremely well; the scores were the highest they have been in a few years, placing fourth in the parade competition.

October 15th was the friendly festival at Crystal Lake Central, featuring bands from McHenry, Harvard, and Central. It was a very entertaining afternoon that concluded the band’s field performances.

Lastly, the annual Band Blast concert occurred on the 19th featuring pep tunes and the show music.

The eventful season was certainly successful for the Wolfpack Marching Band!

Get Ready for the Pack Attack

2011-10-21T09:39:00.001-05:00

by Johanna Sveden

The Pack Attack, a new club at PR, is promoting school spirit, encouraging attendance at fine arts and athletic events, and recognizing students for their achievements at school and in the community. Ms. Bartells and Ms. Morris formed this organization to create unity within the student body and to instill a collective sense of pride at Prairie Ridge.

Ms. Morris explained how when “Mr. Humpa asked teachers to sponsor a new club at PR, we jumped at the chance because when we were in high school, it was always so fun to come to school and see everything decorated and everybody in spirit mode. We wanted [the students] to have those same great experiences.”

The Pack Attack welcomes all grade levels and does not have a large time commitment. To support schedule flexibility, meetings are either before or after school on Tuesdays, and anyone can join.

Future activities include class color days, football game tailgates, and spirit wear competitions. The group also plans to publicize individual accomplishments, facilitate service projects, and advertise games and performances.

Senior Ryan Timmer joined and became a fine arts committee leader because he “wanted to get involved and promote school spirit” in hopes that the musical cast would support the baseball team, and that the pom squad would come see the Madrigal dinners. He believes that “this club will make a difference in our school and create a more positive environment.”

To date, seventy students have attended the meetings and have participated in hallway decorating during Homecoming week. These members also helped tally the amount of spirit links that each class received.

This club is enjoyable because it is a great way to get involved, meet new friends, and take part in fun group activities. Once the ideals of this organization infiltrate the PRHS student body, everyone will be sure to start singing in the cafeteria and dancing on the tables. Kidding! Unfortunately, this is not High School Musical, but perhaps the introduction of this club will motivate students to get involved in other ways and to step out of their comfort zones. We are PR!

Reactions to New Cell Phone Policy

2011-10-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

by Teal Hemmerling and Natalie Tokarz

This year, Prairie Ridge High School adopted a new cell phone policy. Now students are allowed to use their cell phones in the cafeteria for commons and lunch. Additionally, students are permitted to use their phones before school and in between classes during the five-minute passing periods (in hallways only). Here are some students’ opinions on the change:

“It’s good! But everyone did it anyway.” –Tia Long
“I’m excited about it! It prevents the temptation we had before when we couldn’t have our phones.” –Paul Sindberg
“Awesome.” –Peter Regione
“I don’t care. I don’t use it often,but I like it anyway.” –Michelle Kojs
“I like it. It’s nice that you can text people. But I have bad reception!” –Alexis Ankele
“It’s useful. I’ve taken advantage of it myself and it’s helped me out a lot.” –Mark Walters

Meet the Foreign Exchange Students

2011-10-21T08:51:00.000-05:00

by Morgan Marinelli

Where are you from?

Lea: Hamburg, Germany
Giulio: Milan, Italy
Agustin: Olavarria, Argentina

How did you first get involved in the foreign exchange program?L: My step dad asked if I wanted to do it.
G: My brother did it before.
A: My brother and sister did it.

Do you talk with your family often?
L: Every weekend
G: Not every weekend… every two weeks
A: Once a week

How do you communicate with your family?
ALL: Skype and email

How is Prairie Ridge different from your high school?
L: We have about 600 students … here we have about 1,600! The teachers are pretty cool. In Germany they are boring.
G: We always stay in the same classroom, there are no sports like football, and the teachers are boring.
A: My school is small, maybe 400 people, we don’t have sports, don’t change rooms, and the school day is a lot shorter.

What types of activities are you involved in at your school?

L: Running team, but there is not as much support from the school.
G: We don’t really have anything.
A: There isn’t anything.

What are you involved in here?
L: German club and GSA
G: Soccer team
A: Soccer team, Rotary

How are you doing with your English?
L: I think it’s getting better every day. I can understand other people, especially my friends in German class.
G: It’s getting better. I can’t understand that much.
A: It’s pretty good. I can understand most things.

What is the biggest difference between your host family and your family back home?
L: I have a sibling here, and they travel a lot here.
G: They are really busy here.
A: It feels kind of the same.

What is your favorite food here that you can’t get at home?
L: Pancakes with maple syrup.
G: Oh yeah, pancakes! Starbucks, Wendy’s.
A: Starbucks.

Student Spotlights

2011-10-21T07:57:00.007-05:00

Freshman Spotlight: Erika Priester

by Hannah Stiff and Haley Glenn

You juggle hockey, school, homework, and other commitments every day. Does it ever become hard to keep up? How do you keep that balance?It can be difficult, but I still have time to do other things. In my free time I like to hang out with friends, watch TV, and free skate.

What is it like being the only girl on the hockey team?
It’s different, but I like it.

Do you want to play hockey professionally?
No girl, but college and the Olympics, yes!

What’s your favorite team?
Blackhawks!

Besides hockey what other activities do you do?
Softball and track

Sophomore Spotlight: Michael Lucchese

by Sara Dobrzycki

What are you liking about sophomore year so far?
There is less homework than freshman year, and I’m not a freshman anymore. Also, chemistry is far easier than biology.

What advice do you have for freshmen?
Don’t slack off, and always lock your gym locker. I’ve had my gym uniform stolen on multiple occasions.

What are you looking forward to this year?
Change and Rev, which is next semester.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Politics

Will you dress up as Obama for Halloween?
NO!!! That would be a terrifying Halloween costume!

What will you dress up as?
I’m supposed to dress up?

Junior Spotlight: Rachael York

by Teal Hemmerling

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I can see myself playing music somewhere – maybe New York! And I’ll be married with two kids.

What’s something that you hope to accomplish this year?
This year I’m hoping to try something new, like joining the track team.

What relaxes you the most when your day is stressful?
Sitting down with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa always makes me feel better after a stressful day.

What’s your most embarrassing moment?
It’s way too embarrassing to tell!

If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
I would be able to freeze time. Then I could get as much sleep as I want!

Senior Spotlight: Annalisa Faso
by Sulwana Hussain

Who is Annalisa?

I am weird, funny, and I enjoy being me.

If you were an animal, you would be…
A fox! Because, I think they are pretty. And, I also like how their ears look.

What song describes you the most?
“Lost In Stereo” by All Time Low

You came to PR your junior year. What was your first reaction about this school?
My first reaction was, OH MY GOSH! This school is so different than my old school.

How do you feel about PR now?
I like it a lot over here. Actually, I like it a lot more than my old school.

How did you get involved with color guard, and why do you like it?
I got involved with color guard while I was at my old school. All my friends were in band, and I wanted to be with them. I liked it a lot. It was a lot of fun.

Tell us about your obsession with Hello Kitty. How did this obsession start?
I LOVE HER! She is so cute! She is a cat. My aunt bought a lot of Hello Kitty stuff for me, and that’s how it all started.

You are a big fan of Tim Burton. What do you like about his movies?
I like his art and style. I like how it is creepy, but not that creepy at the same time. It is charming in its own way.

Homecoming 2011

2011-10-21T07:52:00.001-05:00

PR Playlists

2011-10-21T07:41:00.000-05:00

by Johanna Sveden

Need some new tunes? Check out what other PR students are listening to:

Travis Nielsen - “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO
Linda Pozen - MCR
Olivia Jensen - Panic! At the Disco
Neil Ray - Led Zeppelin
Matt Baldocchi & Bij Heydari - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eminem
Dale Wesa - "Promises" by The Morning Benders
Taylor Candia - Classical
Jordyn Reitz - “Blood to Bleed” by Rise Against
Tatiana Schaffer - “All In” by Lifehouse, “Hero” by Abandon
Sammy Elston- “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer
Danielle Finucane- “Parachute” by Cheryl Cole
Elaine Cotter - “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes
Henry Hillstrom - “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
John Lardino - “Rock n Roll” by Skrillex
Carl Beringer - Voltaire
Cecelia Smith - Pink, Train
Meggie Layer & Courtney LeFevre - Needtobreathe
Zach Davis - Rap

Upcoming Video Games

2011-10-21T07:31:00.001-05:00

by Mark Zoleta

With October rolling around, our local suburbia should be ringing and reverberating with sounds of laughter, anguish, and gunfire not from the streets, but from the televisions within households themselves.

This quarter in the videogaming industry has to be one of the busiest to date, as many are wondering how major titles such as Battlefield 3, Call of Duty Modern Warfare: 3, and Gears of War 3 will fare against each other in not only having the most enjoyable experience, but the most competitive as well.

Although Gears of War 3 and Battlefield 3 hold earlier release dates, recent polls show that 53 percent of gamers said they would spend most of their time playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Call of Duty may be eclipsed by the anticipation for Gears of War 3, the final chapter of the Gears saga.

Commenting on Gears, Colin Slack, a PR senior, said, “they fixed the lag received in multiplayer, and drastically improved the multiplayer ranking system from the previous installments.” He continued, “what I disliked, however, is that they changed the maps from beta.” With an average rating of 9.1/10, Gears has certainly impacted the gaming community.

Don’t forget to check out games like Dark Souls or Rage, both recent releases. Batman: Arkham City was also released October 18. Next month we’ll be checking out Skyrim and a few others such as Uncharted 3. So enjoy October, with its extreme ability to destroy your wallet.

Which Halloween Candy Would You Swap For?

2011-10-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

“Gummy worms” - Brittney McHugh
“Heath Bar”- Erika Oesau
“Probably Snickers”- Connor Newman
“Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for sure” - Emily Parczany
“My favorites are Baby Ruth and 100 Grand.”- Mr. Mairet
“I go crazy for Snickers! My mom and I fight over them.” - Sulwana Hussain
“Swedish Fish” - Jack Disselhorst
“Swedish Fish without doubt.”- Jackie Shimp
“Skittles”- Jeremy Fillip
“Milk Duds”- Mike Harrison
“Definitely Reese’s Pieces - Jeremy Chapnick

Trick or Treat Movies

2011-10-21T07:14:00.002-05:00

by Brendan Healy

It’s around that time again, when kids dress up in costumes and go trick or treating. If you’re not into trick or treating anymore and still want to experience the Halloween vibe, I suggest watching some of these Halloween film classics that’s just the Trick and a lot of Treat.

Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, and The Wolfman

The Grandfathers of the horror genre, these black and white Universal Studio films may not look as scary as they used to be, but they formed and popularized the horror genre. Each one has its own unique look and feel, unlike most of the clichéd horror films of today. All four are perfect films during the Halloween season and because they are true classics they should not be missed by anyone interested in film history.

Halloween

Pretty self explanatory. As far as Halloween films go, this one is at the tippy top. A classic villain and a catchy yet haunting music theme, this film would not let up. It was constantly moving and constantly keeping your heart beating fast. You never knew what was going to happen next, even at the very end. The perfect Halloween film.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters is somewhat different than the other films on the list because it’s more of a comedy. However, that shouldn’t stop you from seeing this at Halloween as there are some light scares in the film, most of them coming at the end. The reason I put this on the list is because it’s just too good to leave out. Plus it does have to do with ghosts, evil gods, and gargoyles.

Psycho

If the original Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy, and The Wolfman invented the horror genre, then Psycho reinvented it. This film has it all: a creepy and surprising villain, plot twists, and more than a good amount of scares. It’s so good and so well-designed and full of classic moments. It’s the kind of film you need to see in the dark, especially if you’re seeing it for the first time—alone. But what’s most impressive is that it holds up more than five decades later. A timeless classic, it’s a great film for Halloween and one of the best films ever made.

Dawn of the Dead and Zombieland

No doubt these are the best zombie films ever and both are great watches for Halloween night. While Dawn of the Dead was more gritty and dark, Zombieland had a more comedic approach and a greater sense of the scale of a zombie apocalypse. Some of the best scenes are when Bill Murray plays himself. Dawn of the Dead is far superior than George Romero’s cult classic, Night of the Living Dead. Both are perfect films for Halloween that will get you quickly in the Halloween mindset and perhaps make you wish a zombie apocalypse would happen.

Sports Spotlights

2011-10-21T07:13:00.000-05:00

Soccer Spotlight: Kurtis Stefan
by Travis Lang

What were some of your goals entering the 2011 season?

We had hopes to have a winning season and win the conference. My personal goal, beat South.

Do you feel like you have met these goals?
Absolutely not

What can be done to improve?
Work on team camaraderie and work on better effort in our play.

Do you have any plans for participating in Soccer during college?
Some other teammates do, but for me, I do not have any plans for playing at the varsity level during college. However, I do plan on playing on a club team and staying involved.

As Kurtis described, the Wolves were not as successful as they had hoped. Although their record may not have shown, they did in fact end on a pretty good note. With four consecutive wins to wrap up their regular season, success is obtainable for this team entering the post season.

Cross Country Spotlight: David Thompson
by Scott Hearne

David Thompson, senior, has battled through some bad injuries with his lungs that sometimes lead to him not being able to breathe on runs. Even through the struggles, he has managed to still be Prairie Ridge’s 5th best runner on the team.

Why did you first join cross country?
I joined cross country mainly because of my 8th grade cross country coach because he told me that I could really be good in high school.

How many miles did you run this summer?
I ran about 550 miles this summer.

What remaining goals do you have for the rest of the season?
I still want to drop my time down to 15:30. I also want to maintain my healthy eating habits

What has been your most memorable moment this year?
My most memorable moment this year has to be the Palatine race. There was a lot of good competition and Palatine is a fun course.

What do you like most about cross country?
I like how great the group of guys are on the cross country team.

What colleges are you looking at?
I am looking at Northern Michigan, University of Minnesota, Southern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and Wisconsin.

Are you planning on running in college?
Yes in college I plan on running even if it’s not competitive running, then I’ll still do the running club at the school that I choose.

Volleyball Spotlight: Mia Queen
by Colin O'Connor

How is your team doing?

Okay, we’ve lost two games.

What position do you play?
Defensive Specialist

What are your team’s goals for the season?
To be like Maddie Drain!

Have you accomplished them yet?
No!

What is your team’s record?
13-2

Can your team advance in the playoffs?
We don’t have playoffs, but the Varsity will!

Are you thinking of playing in college?
Yeah!

How long have you been playing?
Since 7th grade.

Have you played for any other teams, outside of PR?
Yeah, Fusion

What is one improvement you’ve personally had this season?
My serving has gotten a lot stronger.

Football Spotlight: Tom Evans
by Travis Lang

What were your expectations going into the season?

I knew we would do well but not sure how well.

Do you feel you have lived up to those expectations at this point in the season?
Yes, being undefeated.

How hungry are you after being defeated in the semifinals the past two seasons?
It was tough the past two seasons, especially last year, good motivation.

Do you plan on playing football after high school?
Yes, I am currently looking at some Ivy League schools.

The Wolves are undefeated and are ranked near the top in 6A. They are expected to make it deep into the playoffs and hopefully the state finals. The past two seasons have been cut short due to two consecutive losses in the state semifinal and has led to an even greater devotion by the entire team. Wolves tight end Nick Margiotta also chimed in on this interview and stated, “I agree with everything Tom said, we are very determined.”

Wolves Roll Over McHenry Warriors

2011-10-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

by Jeremy Schrank

The Wolves once again showed their supremacy Friday night defeating the McHenry Warriors 55-19. As seen by the score, this game was in PR’s hands right from the start, literally.

The Wolves’ offense racked up 364 yards to take a 42-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. QB Nick Nissan led the team to a quick start with a number of 20+ yard runs, the first one being the first play from scrimmage as he ran 56 yards to the McHenry two, and then FB Connor Greenwald ran it in for the first of his two scores a play later.

Steve Bashor also had a 31-yard scamper in the first quarter.

Nissen also had a 63-yard TD run on the first play of another possession, and scored on a 9-yard TD run and threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to WR Sean Valentine to end the first half. He ended up with 272 total yards and three touchdowns.

McHenry QB Robert Tonyan added two touchdown passes in the second half as he finished 26-40 with 331 yards.

The Wolves (8-0 overall, 5-0 FVC) stay at home next week to play rival Cary-Grove in the season finale. The Wolves look to end the season on a high note as they get ready for the playoffs.

The Senior Experience: Simplified

2011-10-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

by Mike Ridge

The hunt for a brighter and well-earned future is gathering at a sudden, certain, and surely massive target for seniors here at PR … College. Though the consideration of such a life-determining subject has been lingering in the minds of students throughout their developing scholastic careers, it’s definitely “go time” for things like college visits, applications, and even any last question when it comes to being a senior. Gearing up for next year couldn’t be taken more seriously, yet getting to know the ins and outs of the process makes the whole ride much more relaxing and worthwhile.

Whether you’re an overachiever already set on his school, or that last-minute student pulling her hair out over the overwhelming heaps of incoming information, you can always find yourself comfortable due to the help that our PR staff offers in the college prep field. Coordinator of our College & Career Center, Paula Steiner, says with clarity and a smile about the college application process, “Don’t worry too much. You have time to get your requirements in; just keep those deadlines in mind.”

At this time of year, it’s really not too late at all to be starting the whole application process as long as you have no strict deadlines closing in quickly – realistically though, most of us are at least a bit closer to final decisions leading to our next year plans. Some common advice includes

-“have yourself a few schools narrowed down to, with a reliable fallback”

- “make sure your application has every last bit of information necessary for your specific school”

-“check up with any trustworthy English teacher, in the literacy center most likely, on any necessary corrections needed within your application letters/ essays.”

The main point: If you have any questions about absolutely anything at all, you better ask, because you will, indeed, receive.

And to those choosing one of the many alternative paths to life after high school, it doesn’t matter what that path may be, pop your head into either the career center or your counselor’s office to give a simple “hello” and educate yourself – you truly cannot get enough help.

Most importantly, on a more personal note, make sure you do what you really want. Know that what you are about to do will affect everything else down the road and that you can be happy with that. Have a great year, seniors. You’re almost out.

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

2011-10-18T07:23:00.001-05:00

by Hannah Newman

New York Times best-selling author Cinda W. Chima does it again! She brings the characters to life in this new and thrilling tale filled with adventure, danger, and a hint of romance. You might recognize her as the author to The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and The Dragon Heir. But this book is the third in Chima’s Seven Realms series and will make you want to stay up all night to finish it (I know I did).

This story starts with the wizard Han Alister finding his old friend Rebecca Morley, who he thought was dead, in a bit of a fix. Rescuing her from the jaws of death and putting himself at great risk, Han soon discovers that Rebecca isn’t who he thought she was. In fact, her name isn’t even Rebecca. Hurt and betrayed Han struggles to come to terms with his feelings towards "Rebecca." Meanwhile crown princess Raisa ana’Marianna fights for her right to the throne and needs Han’s help to get it. But can she trust someone who hates her with their entire being? Someone who blames her for their mother and sister’s death?

Filled with suspense, danger, and the rise and fall of relationships, Chima makes it hard to put down her third book in The Seven Realms series. Only having been released at the beginning of October, The Gray Wolf Throne is still relatively new. Originally it was to be the last in the series but Chima decided to make her fans wait just a little bit more for the fourth and final book. I highly recommend this series. I love a good adventure with a splash of suspense.

I have one question for anyone who reads The Gray Wolf Throne - who killed those wizards?

Heroes on Duty: Learning about Leadership

2011-10-17T14:48:00.001-05:00

by Tyler Kendall

On Friday, October the 7th, students from schools around McHenry County area gathered in the auditorium of Huntley High School to collaborate on ideas to increase leadership and promote unity throughout the school. Prairie Ridge sent 20 students to the Fox Valley Leadership Conference representing Student Council, NHS, and the performing arts.

“From the moment I walked into the auditorium and I saw the keynote speaker giving everyone who walked in a high five, I was pumped” Courtney Lefevre said.

Aric Bostic, the keynote speaker who arrived all the way from Texas, came to talk about how all of the leaders in the FVC needed to become “Heroes On Duty.”

At first glance the term hero could be seen at face value; however, this was not what Aric wanted them to get out of it. He spoke about the meaning behind each of the letters in hero.

The H is for honesty, the E is for empathy, the R is for responsibility, and the O is for optimism.

After he was done with his presentation the students broke off into different break out rooms to discuss ideas between the different clubs and organizations.

When asked about the breakout time, Nick Nissen said, “I think the breakout session was great because as we started to talk with other schools' Student Councils we got so many ideas for things that we could do to enhance the atmosphere of Prairie Ridge.”

Following the breakout time students enjoyed a lunch of pizza and smoothies before beginning the afternoon session.

In the afternoon the students learned about several different organizations that they could become involved in around Illinois.

To conclude the day, all students returned to the auditorium for an improv comedy show run by several students from each school. The students that were chosen to represent Prairie Ridge during the show were Nick Nissen and Matt Baldocchi.

Overall, the students had a great time and are looking forward to sharing the message that was presented to them throughout Prairie Ridge.

Ban Books, Ban America

2011-10-14T07:57:00.002-05:00

by Mark Zoleta

I understand some things should be banned from the public eye, including damaging drugs to explicit x-rated films, but books? When we stumbled onto the banned books display in the library, cross country runner Travis Lang exclaimed, “What are banned books?”

Banned books are books that are challenged and taken off the shelf due to their “explicit” nature. More than 11,000 books have been challenged since 1982, and many more continue to be pried away from our hands. I was shocked when I found one of my favorite childhood novels, Bone, sitting in the challenged section. It suddenly came to my mind, that this is wrong.

How can a pillar of education such as books be banned from school libraries? The banning of literature is wrong and is synonymous to book burning, except for the fact that it’s hidden under the guise of protection. Senior PR Student Michael Yoo agrees that “Writing is writing, and it shouldn’t be hidden from the world.”

From what I can gather of the people asked, only parents support the banning of books. When I talked to PR librarian Mrs. Bland about the banned books display, she suggested parents don’t want their children “to lose their innocence.” As a librarian, Mrs. Bland in no way supports censorship, but as a new parent, she understands parents’ concerns about age-appropriate content. However, what I believe is that parents just don’t want to get confronted with awkward questions like, “Sex? What is it?”

Bone, an unforgettable graphic novel, was challenged last year for its content containing images of drinking, gambling, and smoking. But Bone is an exceptional adventure and in no way deserves to be banned, let alone challenged.

It’s inevitable for children to avoid human nature as they go on living their lives. Material that is banned will appear before their very own eyes sooner or later, and it’s debatable whether or not it’s best to know of it through pages first, as opposed to learning of it in person.

Books are there to teach. You immerse yourself into the stories and take in the lessons, so you don’t have to learn them yourself the hard way. Books set examples for you and deliver loaded messages in a creative manner.

By banning books, you ban America. You ban freedom of speech, liberty, and the way for individuals to express themselves artistically through words.

Volley for a Cure

2011-10-11T10:58:00.002-05:00

Photo Credit: Robin Pendergrast/Crystal Lake Patch

Prairie Ridge will play Crystal Lake South tonight in Volley for a Cure, a fundraiser to support breast cancer research. See the Crystal Lake Patch article from the photo shoot at Baskin Robbins last week. JV starts at 5:00 and Varsity plays at 6:30. The coaches hope to see the whole gym in PINK to support this cause.

10/13/2011 Update - Click here to see photos from the event

Maturity Hits Blink 182 Like a Ton of Bricks

2011-10-04T08:06:00.000-05:00

by Mark Walters

On September 27th, 8 years since the release of their last, self titled album, Blink 182 bounces back into the mainstream with the release of their 6th album entitled Neighborhoods.

Immediately upon listening to "Up All Night" and "Hearts All Gone," it was clear that the album would not contain many former themes which included mindless teenage angst and foolish juvenile antics acknowledged on albums such as “Dude Ranch“ and “Enema of the State."

On Neighborhoods, Blink tailored their writing to struggles with life, love, and adulthood, showing their overall maturity boost, and completely changing the overall timbre of the music, meaning, a darker overall tone that lingers amongst songs like "Natives," "Hearts All Gone Interlude," and "Hearts All Gone."

PR student George Wood concurred by stating that “[the album] is a lot more somber and gritty. The album is very different from old Blink but it’s good music.”

Unfortunately, not a single song on “Neighborhoods” contains the delightfully raunchy sound of older songs like “Dammit” and “Dysentery Gary,” a very risky move that prevails in the end by producing a gloomy punk sound that may or may not attract long time fans.

Anne Marie Roberts, an avid listener of the band, claims she “like[d] it a lot! [She] likes how they made it really different from the rest of their stuff. Good work.”

Tyler Kriete also decided to give his opinion: “I think it’s a great record. It’s got everything from power chords to wicked drumming from Travis. The synthesizers may throw off long time fans, but it’s great to have Blink back.”

Overall, the change in pace for the band seems acceptable, but issues with the album are definitely evident. One in particular is Tom Delong’s voice. Having been torn to shreds for years, his singing puts an awkward tonal blend between Mark and him. This is nothing new for devote Blink fans, but may put off newcomers looking for fresh music.

Another dent is the album’s overall length, and like not enough food at the dinner table, leaves listeners craving for more at only 36:34 minutes. This insufficient amount of music eliminates many opportunities for expansion on creativity, and disappoints copious patient fans waiting for so much more.

But aside from the rough edges of the album, it is worth a try. It still contains Travis Barker’s furious drumming that never fails to entertain, and a few enjoyable singles that you’ll sing in your car for months to come. 7 out of 10.

PR Football Dominates Crystal Lake South

2011-10-03T13:29:00.000-05:00

by Jeremy Schrank

Last Friday night, the Prairie Ridge football team, 6-0 on the season, showed their dominance once again in a 41-16 rout of rival Crystal Lake South.

The wolves started off strong jumping out to 20-0 lead at the half after a punt return by RB Jordan Getzelman and then a 45 yard run 1:32 later. The Gators fought their way back to a 20-10 lead on a 37-yard field goal by Brad Walovitch with 11:38 remaining in the fourth.

The Wolves’ lead seemed to be slipping away, but the Wolves’ defense pulled through once again. LB Collin Corcoran recovered a center-quarterback exchange fumble and then QB Nick Nissan scored a 19-yard touchdown just plays later. On the next play from scrimmage for the Gators, CB Johnny Borst forced a fumble and LB Corey Peterson returned it to the three yard line, and FB Connor Greenwald scored on the next play.

Sean Folliard later put the dagger on South returning an onside kick for a touchdown.

The Prairie Ridge defense allowed only sixteen points while turning South over 5 times. Gator QB Austin Fowler completed 17 of 27 passes for a career high 226 yards, but his interceptions may have cost the Gators.

Before the big win against South on Friday, the Wolves learned they achieved the number one ranking in class 6A of Illinois, something that hasn’t been done in Prairie Ridge history.

The Wolves played like it on Friday and look to continue their run at the 6-0 Jacobs Golden Eagles. Teams in the area must be asking themselves how to stop the PR offense and also score points against that defense, and so far, no one has the answer.

The Top 5 NFL Teams through Week 3

2011-10-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

by Brendan Healy

#1 - Green Bay Packers: Though the defending champs have their 3-0 record for this season, they have some problems against the pass, but that’s about it. They have the most dangerous offense in the league with Aaron Rodgers and his great cast of wide receivers, as well as a solid running game, something they were lacking last year. It might seem scary but the Packers are only getting better.

#2 - New England Patriots: Their defense is young, and their loss to the Buffalo Bills was a shocker. However, this is the Patriots we’re talking about here. They always seem to bounce back from a big loss. They have both the best coach and the best quarterback in the league. They are what the Yankees are in Baseball.

#3 - The Detroit Lions: The team that only knew how to lose is now starting to become winners. They have a solid defense and a well crafted offense. Overall, they are a well made team. I predict that the Lions will have not only a winning season but are playoff contenders. However, they won’t win the division.

#4 - The New Orleans Saints: The Saints have the third best offense in the league and for good reason; they have a diverse running game and the most accurate passer in Drew Brees. Coach Sean Payton has a great offensive mind, but it’s the Saint’s defense seems a bit shakey. Super bowl contenders for sure.

#5 - Buffalo Bills: This is the surprise team of the year. I’m still not sure how their winning, but they have the highest scoring offense in the league right now and have had two great comeback performances this season. This is the team we must keep an eye on this year. They are in the same division as the Jets and the powerful Patriots, so its not clear if they can keep winning or make the playoffs.

NHS Hosts Blood Drive

2011-09-30T13:55:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, the PR National Honors Society hosted a blood drive by LifeSource. In all, 206 donors, students and teachers, contributed 222 total units. Mr. Mairet and Mrs. Koch sponsor National Honor Society.

One PR student brought sustenance with him when he donated.

CLC Tigers Served Up for Homecoming Dinner

2011-09-26T13:59:00.000-05:00

by Anthony Pence

There was no stopping the train aptly named the Prairie Ridge Wolves football team, as it destroyed the Crystal Lake Central Tigers 29-0 at our Homecoming football game.

Jordan Getzelman led the rampage to score the first, of many, touchdowns by the end of the night.

Coordination between players was at its absolute best, and the powerhouse known as the PR Wolves’ defense stopped the CLC Tigers dead in their tracks. Unfortunately for the Tigers, CLC’s star athlete Gage Harrah tore his MCL. When asked about the performance of our players, Offensive Coach Terhaar responded, “Our defense really stepped up this game. Central is a really physical team.”

Senior Superfan Nick Samuels acknowledged the PR Wolves’ superiority when he said, “I expected a tougher game, but our team is just too good.” Junior Dimitri Malouhos also expected a closer game and added, “Maybe next year Central.”

Undefeated and definitely not looking back, The Wolves are striving for something greater than a winning season. PR is going for it all, and is not stopping until the State Championship title is resting at its rightful place right under our roof.

Pack Attack Takes First in Homecoming Parade

2011-09-26T09:18:00.000-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

Friday, September 23rd, was certainly a day to remember as the students in various after school activities wore costumes and rode upon their spirited floats for the Homecoming parade. Pack Attack, the new spirit club, won first place, with the sophomore volleyball team taking second and the Madrigals winning third.

“We had four criteria for grading the floats: creativity, use of theme, spirit, and overall presentation,” explains Mrs. Treadwell, who was one of the three judges for the competition. “We graded them on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best.”

Among the activities participating were the Volleyball Team (varsity, freshmen, and sophomore), Girl’s Golf, Girl’s Cross Country, Cheerleading, Poms, Madrigals, the Fall Play, Spirit Club, and German Club.

Pep Assembly Shows Spirit, Humor

2011-09-26T08:04:00.015-05:00

by Natalie Tokarz

The PR Homecoming Pep assembly was exciting as always!

To kick off the assembly, we had the PR Madrigals sing the National Anthem. The Madrigals sound fantastic this year; the Madrigal Dinners should be fun with so much talent in the group!

Next the student council announced the cheerleaders to perform. They did amazing, bringing PR spirit to a whole new level.

Pommies were next to perform. Being some of the best dancers in the school, they did a dance to a remix song and got Wolves fans really pumped up for the big game!

Every year the PR Poms, Cheerleaders and football players collaborate to entertain the school with a fun PR spirited dance. As usual the football players had the crowd cheering with their amazing dancing skills. Jordan Getzekman said “It was a ton of fun. It’s a good time to get away from football for a little bit and have some good times with your teammates, plus working with the poms and cheerleaders is always a good time too!” Sounds like the traditional PR Pommie/Cheerleader/Football Player dance is fun for everyone!

Next the Pack Attack's spirit link project showed the seniors came in first place for their dress-up day spirit!

Another crazy PR event was the new pie-eating contest. Coach Hartl definitely won. Well, he was the only one who actually participated, but nonetheless he still won. I asked Sarah Yelle how she reacted to Hartl’s pie eating and she said “I was cracking up. It was very entertaining, and I wasn't expecting that.” Excellent job, Coach Hartl!

Finally to close out the pep assembly the PR Marching band played our fight song and the Cheerleaders, Pommies, and Flags got the crowd pumped for the big Homecoming game!

The Epic Race

2011-09-23T09:51:00.003-05:00

by Katarzyna Robak

PR students play Balero in epic race

Organized by Spanish National Honor Society, Prairie Ridge High School's first ever Epic Race took place Wednesday, September 21, beginning at 5:45 pm.

The Epic Race, meant to mimic the set-up of a giant scavenger hunt, consisted of various activities and stations set up around the school. Each team's goal was to figure out the clues, find the stations, complete twelve of the fourteen activities on the list and be the first team to finish.

Twenty teams of three or four people took part in the event, and participants included freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, as well as Mr. Pellikan and his kids and Seňora Tiria.

Before the racers received their cards and clues, they first had to take a picture of the Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory. Then, the fun began as students sprinted down hallways and even travelled outside the school, as they tried to understand the clues and find the location of a station.

During the race, teams completed activities, such as learning the school song and accompanying dance, catching a sombrero on their head, pinning a tail on the burro, imitating a Picasso painting, snacking on some hot peppers, scoring a goal, singing along to Shakira, playing some games of Matamoscas, testing their frisbee golf skills, and showing off their beatboxing talents.

As participant Carly Stovall worked to match flags, countries, and capitals, she exclaimed, "I'm loving this. It's s much fun, but so exhausting."

At about 7:00pm, the first team consisting of seniors Alexandra Saldan, Cheska, Zoleta, and Kurtis Stefan crossed the finish line. They each received a gift certificate in the amount of twenty dollars to Las Cumbres.

The second place team finished shortly after, receiving tubes of delicious mini M&Ms.

As the event came to a close, many of the participants expressed their wishes to participate once again next year. SNHS member, Morgan Marinelli enjoyed working her station, but after observing the high energy race, she " wish[es] [she] could have taken part in the excitement."

With twenty teams participating, the event raised $240. These proceeds will go towards the work of Kelly Harvey in El Salvador, who has asked PR's Spanish National Honor Society to help her by funding scholarships for the kids to attend school and by providing the money to purchase computers and sports equipment for the children of El Salvador.

As Seňor Taege said, "It was truly EPIC" since in the end, this memorable event did not only provide students and teachers with a way to make Homecoming Week even more enjoyable and high-energy, but it also enabled Prairie Ridge to help those in El Salvador.

As the year progresses, SNHS plans on raising even more money towards the benefit of the communities of El Salvador, helping to make Kelly Harvey's goal a reality.

PR Runners Start Strong

2011-09-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

by Abby Mann

Prairie Ridge’s Cross Country runners are looking great this season after coming home with a first place win from the Ryan Byrne Festival in Woodstock on September 17th.

Mitch Wilkins, Joe Cowlin, and Dylan Trauth came in 1st place in their flights contributing to PR’s combined score of 70 points.

Runner Ashley Duda stated that “as a team PR really made this [its] best race and put a lot of effort into it.”

Want to experience a PR cross country meet? Come to the conference meet hosted by Prairie Ridge at Veteran Acres Park on October 15th!

Red Hot Chili Peppers New Guitarist Changes Sound

2011-09-21T07:52:00.001-05:00

by Mark Walters

I'm With You Album Cover

On August 26th, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released their 10th album entitled ‘I’m With You’ under Warner Bros. Records with their new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. The shift in style makes itself quite apparent throughout the majority of the album, but does not fail to bring back some qualities of former albums.

“Monarchy of Roses” will not fail to impress those critical that RHCP can still compose a powerful funk driven song such as those found on former albums like Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Mother’s Milk, while “Brendan’s Death Song” will attract those fond of albums such as Stadium Arcadium because of its subtleness and beautiful execution.

Even though the album may be fun to listen to, it dispossesses a few characteristics that stand virtually impossible to fix due to the addition of Klinghoffer. Although Klinghoffer brings something new to the table with his blues influence hovering over songs such as “Happiness Loves Company” and “Police Station“, his guitar work fails to strike the hearts of the listeners by not honing in on emotion but rather using strictly music theory to compose the album, which is a small, but very important quality to contain in a compilation.

Yet despite the lack of soul from Klinghoffer, he remains a strong replacement considering his style closely represents that of former RHCP guitarist John Frusciante as seen on songs such as “Goodbye Hooray” and “Brendan’s Death Song” which both include stellar chord structure and commanding delivery.

A few PR students decided to give their opinions on the album including Matt Baldocchi who said that the album was a “a solid album overall with a few big hits. I like how they integrated all their genres into the album (funk, punk, alternative, melodic songs),” and Alex Corry claimed, “I think it was actually very good and I was impressed to see that they stuck with their same music ‘style’ unlike most bands today.”

Overall the album is indeed deserving of a listen. It still contains Flea’s illustrious bass playing that we’ve all come to know and love, and Anthony Kiedis’ vocals are better than they have ever been, both heavily contributing to the albums strengths. And for seven bucks, it’s a steal. 8 out of 10.

Keith Hawkins: A Talk to Remember

2011-09-20T08:19:00.002-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

One minute, the students of PR were roaring with laughter; the next minute, it was dead silent as each and every student was captivated by the words of guest speaker Keith Hawkins. On Friday, September 16th, Hawkins came to Prairie Ridge High School to present a speech during third hour, and this was the exact spectacle that happened several times as he was talking.

“I just want to clarify that I’m not a motivational speaker,” Hawkins explained at the very beginning of the assembly. “I challenge thinking.”

And that’s precisely what Hawkins did. Throughout his speech, students were drawn to every word as he tied his own life experiences with messages regarding education, wealth, motivation, parents, forgiveness, friends, high school status, and most importantly, respecting and helping other peers.

Hawkins’ main message of the presentation was how “people don’t remember what you say, but they remember what you do. [And] people forget what you say, but they never forget how you made them feel.” These lines kept coming throughout his speech in different forms as Hawkins encouraged that students should act kindly to one another, and make everybody feel good about being who they were. His empathy towards the students made it appear as if he understood each individual present.

Some of his advice that enforced this message included how students should “stop being so normal [and] be abnormal”, “stop using words to hurt each other [and] start using words to help each other”, “forgive others”, and “[to] be significant to somebody in this school.”

Many students were moved by the effectiveness of Hawkins’ speech. “I could really relate to what he was thinking and what he was saying with my own life,” admits Callie Schmit, a sophomore.

“Of all the guest speakers I’ve ever seen at any school I’ve been to, [Hawkins] is by far the best one. He changes lives,” Brian Tiedemann, a junior, reflected.

Furthermore, students were amazed by the lessons that they took away from the speech. Brad Simms believed that Hawkins’ message was “pretty powerful. It made me realize that you have to do more for others than think about yourself all the time.”

Overall, PR was very impressed by Keith Hawkins. As he stated towards the end of his speech, “The people who you help… won’t forget you.” The same thing goes for Hawkins. We will never forget his life-lasting and heart-warming messages he has given to PR.

Up the Down Staircase Sure to Please

2011-09-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

When most people hear the title “Up the Down Staircase”, they think of a comedic play with a silly plot and a lot of laughs. “That’s not the case,” reveals sophomore Marissa Gabel, who plays the role of Charlotte Wolf in the cast. “It’s definitely funny, but it has a meaning to it. There is a life lesson involved that students should take away.”

Up the Down Staircase is the story of Sylvia Barret, a new teacher who comes to a school full of troublemakers. “Sylvia sees a problem with the way the school is run, so she tries to change the current situation by empathizing with the students,” explains Cecilia Smith, who acts as the character Claire Blaine. “She stands up for the biggest troublemaker in class, while most of the teachers in the school don’t take the time to understand the students.”

While the plot is certainly entertaining, what will make it even better is the connection it has with the students at PR. “Students will especially like the play this year! They will be able to relate to what is going on since the setting is in high school, so there are similar situations that take place,” Rachel Brucki, assistant head of Props Crew, enthusiastically states. According to Rachel, the characters in the play have “problems that real high-schoolers are facing today”, such as “having a crush on a teacher” or “lacking the motivation to complete homework”.

The cast will also make the play an unforgettable experience to the audience members. “The fall play this year is very well-casted,” Cecilia says. “Everybody brings something different to their part, making it their own. I’m confident the students will really enjoy the roles in the play, and will be able to see themselves in at least on of the characters.”

Mr. Daren Dusenske, the director of the play, also agrees that the performance will be spectacular. The fall play being the first time he is directing, Mr. Dusenske says that he is “impressed with the dedication and ability of everybody involved. It’s really neat to watch such a talented group of actors and technical crew members to work so hard to make sure that the play is a success. [He is] honored to be working with them.”

The show will be on Friday, October 7th, and Saturday, October 8th at 7 pm. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, and $7 for adults. Students with activity tickets will be able to get one free ticket to the show.

We wish everybody, both the cast and the crew, good luck as they continue to work hard towards making a wonderful performance!

Band Steps off on the Right- well, Left- Foot

2011-09-19T09:34:00.003-05:00

by Morgan Marinelli

Photo courtesy of Margaret Bengston

The Prairie Ridge Wolfpack Marching Band certainly made a phenomenal first impression in the McHenry Marching Band Competition on September 10. Performing the music from a Cirque du Soleil show, Quidam, the audience was captivated by the exciting tunes and visuals.

Anneliese Henderson, a senior, thought that for their first competition, the band did “pretty well; a lot better than [they] have in past years.”

Even though the McHenry Competition is not one in which bands are competing against each other, comments from the judges give the band a chance to learn how to fix many of their mistakes and just get used to the atmosphere of performance. Sophomore Stephanie Marinelli knows that “McHenry is always a good competition for the band to start with… it gets us ready for bigger performances, like NIU.”

Best wishes to the band in the rest of this season's competitions and performances.

Super Fans Compete

2011-09-15T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Prairie Ridge Super Fan Competition, hosted by Captains Council, is now in full swing. Each home varsity sporting event will have a super fan table set up for students to sign in; 15 attendances rewards you with a free t-shirt and entrance into a raffle.

Remember, not just Friday night lights are for cheering; your fellow classmates play every other day of the week too! Dan Simak believes “the super fan competition is a great way to get students active and increase peer support.”

As many long-timers at the Ridge can attest to, an active student is a happy student. On this, Lauren Geissel comments that “the competition will boost school spirit and help us have even more good memories in high school.”

All students deserve to have some claim to fame while at Prairie Ridge. Our athletic director, Ms. Hie, thinks this “gives us a chance to recognize those students who are truly PR Super Fans.”

So who will be the ultimate super fan, PR? Come support your friends and join the high school experience!

Honors Night

2011-05-24T07:33:00.000-05:00

Altman, Ryan - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Shannon McCarty Memorial Scholarship

Anderson, Chad - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Arndt, Christopher - Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship

Baker, Lina - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship

Barnes, Kathryn - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Barton, Danyelle - Illinois State Scholar

Bear, Maria - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Iowa State University: Award for Competitive Excellence (ACE), The W.R. Hotchkiss Foundation Award

Beringer, Samantha - Milestones Scholarship

Billimack, Grace - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Truman State University: Combined Ability Scholarship, Non-Resident Award

Birnbaum, Sydney - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student

Brachmann, Allison - Illinois State Scholar, Indiana University: Honors College Scholarship, National Merit Indiana University Scholarship, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Salutatorian

Bracht, Bianca - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Quadlingual Scholar, USMC Academic Excellence Award, Valedictorian

Bradshaw, Justin - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Paul H. Frederick Memorial Scholarship

Bransley, Colleen - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, University of Dayton: Trustee's Merit Scholarship

Brennan, Maggie - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Bruksch, Emily - 4 Year - Three Sport Athlete, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Buettner, Miriam - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Burchard, Emily - Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship

Caputo, Robert - United States Army

Chevli, Trisha - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student

Choi, Anna - Illinois State Scholar, Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship, Trilingual Scholar

Clark, Matthew - Dawnbreakers Rotary Club: Scott Mueller Scholarship, Illinois State Scholar, Kishwaukee Trail Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution: DAR Good Citizen Award Scholarship, DAR Good Citizen Essay Scholarship

Corcoran, Cassidy Mae - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Corrado, Nicolao - Illinois State Scholar

Covers, Jennifer - University of Minnesota: Athletic Scholarship

Cullian, Shane - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Curtis, Matthew - 4 Year - Three Sport Athlete, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Miami University: University Scholarship, Redhawk Excellence Scholarship

Davis, Danielle - Illinois State Scholar, Western Michigan University: Goizueta Scholarship

Delage, Brandon - Southern Illinois University: Academic Scholarship for Freshmen

Delahunty, Phillip - Trilingual Scholar

DePaepe, Jessica - John & Jan Mackie Scholarship

Didier, Rachel - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Meredith College: Academic Award

Dinsmore, Haley - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Diverde, Marc - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Marquette University: Magis Award

Domoto, Andrew - Illinois State Scholar, PR Booster Club

Federighi, Christina - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Fenton, Ashley - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois General Assembly Scholarship, William E. McCormick Scholarship

Fieber, Christopher - Illinois State Scholar, Michigan State University: Legacy Scholarship, Presidential Study Abroad Scholarship, University Scholars Award

Fortman, Geoffrey - Illinois State Scholar

Frey, Alex - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Gengler, Lauren - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, The National Society of High School Scholars, The University of Iowa: Advantage Iowa Award, Iowa Heritage Award, Iowa National Scholars Award, President's Leadership Class

Guo, Simon - Illinois State Scholar

Gupta, Rahul - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Gurgone, Nicholas - Illinois State Scholar

Hearne, Mathew - Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Award, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Iowa State University: Award for Competitive Excellence (ACE)

Heinzmann, Taylor - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Hempen, Genevieve - Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Award, District 155 Teachers Association Scholarship, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, University of Minnesota: Gold National Scholarship

Hillers, Lauren - District 155 Teachers Association Scholarship, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Hope College: Presidential Scholarship, Illinois State Scholar

Humm, Taylor - AAEC Credit Union Scholarship, Chicago Northwest Suburban Alumnae Panhellenic: Scholarship Award, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Oakland University: Talented Scholar Award, USMC Distinguished Athlete Award

Hunter, Trevor - Milestones Scholarship

Jacobs, Maya - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student

Jenkins, Erik - Crystal Lake Lions Club Scholarship, Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship, Milestones Scholarship

Jensen, Nicholas - Illinois State Scholar

Kelly, Bonnie - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Kirsch, Michael - Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers Rotary: Joe Helbling Vocational Scholarship

Klepitsch, Evan - Illinois State Scholar, Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Engineering International Scholarship

Kootstra, Stephanie - Carroll University: Voorhees Scholarship

Kremer, Anya - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student, PR Booster Club - Endowed Scholarship

Krueger, Evan FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Lamoso, Justine - American Legion William Chandler Peterson Post #171 Scholarship

LaRosa, Nicholas - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, University of Notre Dame: Provost's Scholarship, University Scholarship

LeBreck, Rochelle - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Sheppard/Schleisman Memorial Cary Soccer Association Scholarship

Lee, Valerie - Illinois State Scholar, McHenry County Retired Teachers Scholarship, North Park University: Nyvall Scholarship

Ljunggren, Haley - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Lombardo, Danielle - Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship

Magly, Sara - Illinois State Scholar, Trilingual Scholar, John & Jan Mackie Scholarship, Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship

Maki, Sarah - District 155 Teachers Association Scholarship

Mangold, Michael - Drake University: Presidential Scholarship, Trustee Scholarship, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Trilingual Scholar

Mann, Wm. Andrew - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Iowa State University: Return to Iowa - Generations Scholarship, Award for Competitive Excelence, PR Booster Club - Endowed Scholarship

Manoharan, Anjella - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student, The Ohio State University: Maximus Scholarship, National Buckeye Scholarship, Prominence Scholarship, Biomedical Science Scholarship, Trilingual Scholar

Marchuk, Alyssa - Illinois State Scholar

McMahon, Kenneth - Illinois State Scholar

McNally, Samuel - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Mertins, Allison - Illinois State Scholar

Micula, Sergiu - Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers Rotary: Joe Helbling Vocational Scholarship

Muranovic, Adnana - Illinois State Scholar

Myers, David - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Myers, Robert - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Nath, Neelesh - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, College Board National AP Scholar

Nawrocki, Abigail - Trilingual Scholar

Nielsen, Tyler - Illinois State Scholar

Nirva, Samantha - Saint Joseph's College - SJC Scholarship

Osude, Nkiru - Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship

Pangallo, Audrey - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Park, Peter - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Patel, Karishma - Marquette University: Magis Scholarship

Patras, Amy - Illinois State Scholar, PR Booster Club, Shannon McCarty Memorial Scholarship, University of Minnesota: Gold National Scholarship

Pendergrast, Tricia - Dawnbreakers Rotary: Scott Mueller Scholarship, Illinois State Scholar

Peterson, Kelsey - Illinois State Scholar, Liberty University: Honors Program Scholarship

Polizzi, Alexander - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Rasmussen, Keri - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Northern Michigan University: National Academic Award, Recognition Award

Reitcheck, Melissa - Illinois State Scholar, Tulane University: Deans' Honor Scholarship

Reitz, Rebecca - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Truman State University: Combined Ability Scholarship, President's Honorary Scholarship

Richert, Christopher - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Rife, Tessa - Iowa State University: Award for Competitive Excellence

Rinn, Steven - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Robinson, Kyle - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Salmon, Kelly - Illinois State Scholar, Trilingual Scholar

Sarno, Devin - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar, Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship

Schachtschneider, Kurt - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Schaumburg, Jessica - Illinois State Scholar

Senyshyn, Alexander - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Taylor University: Faculty Scholarship, Athletic Director’s Scholarship

Shrewsbury, Shauna - Service League of Crystal Lake Scholarship

Sievers, Michelle - District 155 Teachers Association Scholarship, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois General Assembly Scholarship, Golden Apple Scholar, Illinois State Scholar

Sirotzki, Amanda - Illinois State Scholar

Smerecky, Taylor - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Smith, Colin - Illinois State Scholar, Northern Michigan University: Merit Award, National Academic Award

Smith, Erin - Cary Firefighters Association: Eugene Flyn Memorial Scholarship, Central Michigan University: Board of Trustees Academic Honors, Award of Excellence, FVC All Conference Academic Honors, PR Booster Club - Endowed Scholarship, Shannon McCarty Memorial Scholarship, USMC Semper Fidelis Music Award

Steverson, Sydney - Illinois State Scholar

Streling, Carly - DePaul University: DePaul Deans' Scholarship, FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Sullivan, Kathryn - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Washington University in St. Louis: 2011 Thomas H. Eliot Scholar

Terdich, Benjamin - Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Student

Thompson, Tori - Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship

Thorpe, Kelsey - University of Nebraska - Lincoln: CASNR Scholarship, George Beadle Scholarship, Shannon McCarty Memorial Scholarship

Todd, Grace - Illinois State Scholar

Truitt, Scott - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Ure, Austin - FVC All Conference Academic Honors

Urick, Nicholas - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, University of Minnesota: Gold National Scholarship

Vadnais, Courtney - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Northern Illinois University: Centennial Scholarship, Trilingual Scholar

Vance, Devon - USMC Distinguished Athlete Award

Vierck, Kelly - Illinois State Scholar

Walker, Asia - AmVets Pearl Harbor Memorial Post #245

Woenker, David - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Zdunek, Katelyn - FVC All Conference Academic Honors, Illinois State Scholar

Zuidema, Samuel - Illinois State Scholar, The Ohio State University: National Buckeye Scholarship

PRAC

2011-05-16T15:35:00.001-05:00

by Rebecca Reitz

Whether it was dancing to Billy Jean, playing glow in the dark ping pong, or singing one of their favorite songs, our 2011 seniors rocked Prairie Ridge for the annual performance of PRAC. Senior girls Kiki Osude, Anya Kremer, Sarah Clayton, and Kelley Nugent along with senior boys Chad Anderson, Steven Covalt, Ben Terdich, and Neelesh Nath competed to win prize money that would go towards a charity of their choice. Chad Anderson and Kiki Osude each won $100 for Helping Paws Animal Charity and the International Rescue Committee, respectively.
The hilarious reenactment of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly’s performance of “Por Ti Volare” from Stepbrothers made the audience feel like they were in the movie themselves and landed Chad Anderson first place for the senior boys. The beautiful Kiki Osude flawlessly sang India.Aire’s “The Truth” to win first place for the senior girls.

Other seniors who competed each contributed something unique to the night. Neelesh Nath dedicated his act to the senior class as he sang and played “Time of Your Life” by Greenday, stirring emotions as the seniors prepare for their graduation here at PR. Sarah Clayton sang a gorgeous rendition of “Better Than a Hallelujah”by Amy Grant, dedicating the song to her father. Anya Kremer’s
Not only did our senior PRAC-ers take the stage, but talent mildly confusing dance got a few laughs from the audience as numerous guest performers started their own interpretive dance in the backdrop. Kelley Nugent’s hip hop dance was full of energy and fun, as was Ben Terdich with an expressive cover of Billy Joel’s "And So It Goes." And who could forget the highly anticipated ping pong match between Steven Covalt and Luke Lamar? Each PRAC member brought their best performance, adding a new flavor to the overall excitement of the performance as a whole. show acts filled in between: Black Cat Bone (featuring seniors Jimmy Pinkl, Matt Palsgrove, and Sam Zuidema), Mosshart (featuring seniors Grayson Randall, Tyler Rippel, Tyler Ommen, and Rebecca Reitz), the lovely Maya Jacobs and Cody Nowak and their fellow Madrigals, as well as solo performances with Matt Gonsiorek, and jump-roper Claire Hensley, all added to the fun of the evening. Everyone backstage flipped in and out of other performances, everyone taking part in something unexpected. The atmosphere behind the stage demonstrated what a great group of students we have here at PR. The audience was amazing and supportive of all PRAC and variety show performers. The night was reflective of the friendly setting here at PR, and it’s something these seniors will never forget.

2011 Senior Projects

2011-05-16T15:34:00.001-05:00

by Ryan Altman

One of the many great opportunities afforded to the Prairie Ridge Senior Class of 2011 was the chance to participate in various service projects created by the Senior Project Committee. Dedicated sponsor, Mrs. Buck, assisted senior volunteers in creating activities that were focused on giving back to PR and its surrounding communities. Highlights included a food pantry drive, a Toys for Tots collection, the Home of the Sparrow 5K Walk/Run, a Game Day for local special needs students and fundraising efforts to build a new ticket shelter for the football stadium.

Looking back over the course of the year, the results have been fairly impressive! In the fall, the Class of 2011 was able to donate over 3,000 pounds of food to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry. Before the holidays, over 400 Toys were collected for Toys for Tots. Both of these endeavors showed the community that Prairie Ridge seniors realize the importance of helping others during difficult economic times. This spring, seniors hosted a Game Day for special needs students from School District 47. There were many smiling faces as the children enjoyed the numerous games provided by the Senior Project Committee, as well as the support and friendship offered by their hosts. The Home of the Sparrow 5k Run/Walk brought out many fine student athletes, parents and teachers to raise money for homeless women and children in McHenry County. Congratulations go out to Nick Urick, who was the winner of the 5K run with a time of 17:49. Almost $1,000.00 was collected during this event.

Throughout 2010-2011, various restaurants hosted fundraisers to assist seniors in meeting the financial goal necessary to construct a ticket shelter for the football stadium. Unfortunately, due to the high cost of construction, as well as a less than projected turnout at these events, this goal was not achieved. However, the money raised may go to help purchase benches for the garden that Mr. Senese’s class is updating or other campus improvements.

The Senior Project Committee would like to thank all of the students who stepped up to make this year a success. An extra-special thank you also goes out to the core group of seniors who worked diligently, all year, to keep the Senior Project on target. Good luck to the class of 2011!

Bianca Bracht: Valedictorian

2011-05-16T15:33:00.001-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

Bianca Bracht was never planning to become the valedictorian of her class. She explains how she had “…worked hard, and it just happened.” In fact, Bianca humbly accepts the title of valedictorian as an “honor,” acknowledging the fact that there are plenty of others who are intelligent in her grade. To her, the title of valedictorian “puts together all the hard work” that she did during her four years of high school.

As a well-rounded individual, Bianca has not only excelled academically but has overcome the challenge of balancing her time between her family, schoolwork, sports, and extracurricular activities. She has taken part in Math Team, Scholastic Bowl, WYSE, one year of soccer, two years of tennis, two years of cross country, and Chinese classes outside of school. In addition to these activities during the school year, Bianca even traveled to Panama during one of her summers to offer her volunteer work there. Although she admits that she has had to deal with many “sleepless nights” to accommodate everything into her schedule, Bianca truly believes her “all-around experience” in high school was worthwhile.

Bianca encourages that one should not only focus on academics and school work but should use high school as an experience to “find and distinguish [one’s] passions.” She believes that getting involved in a variety of activities helps students have a taste of many different areas in order to harness the true potential within them and to see where their interests lie. As she leaves PR, her biggest piece of advice to underclassmen is to be “open-minded to new experiences, and [to] challenge themselves to be successful in finding out what it is they want to do in life.”

Next year, Bianca will attend Duke University in North Carolina, where she will major in Biomedical Engineering and minor in either Chinese or Business. In the future, Bianca plans to use this major as either a stepping stone into medical school, or an option to pursue BME. Prairie Ridge wishes the best of luck to Bianca as she continues to challenge herself.

Alli Brachmann: Salutatorian

2011-05-16T15:31:00.001-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

With a sister who was the former valedictorian of PR and a mother who was the salutatorian of her high school, Alli has always been inspired to push herself to the best of her abilities. “I didn’t expect it at first,” she explains, “but when I found out my rank at the top, I tried to keep it that way.” Her accomplishment of salutatorian in high school “represents all the hard work [finally] paying off.”

Alli has kept busy through the amount of work she has had to do both inside and outside of school. She has not only managed her grades, but she has also participated in musicals, plays, the Madrigals, choir, German NHS, and German Club. In addition to the time spent in these extracurriculars alone, Alli has dedicated much of her hours leading others as the President of German NHS, and as the Vice President of the Choir Board. She describes her biggest challenge during her time at high school as “managing time” and “trying to keep her stress level down” while trying to accommodate both her school work and extracurricular activities.

The most important thing Alli learned through her high school experiences that helped her with success was to “figure out the person you want to be, and become that person.” She believes the only way to truly be yourself and be happy is do to something you want to and love.

Out of everything else, music has been the biggest part of Alli’s life throughout her four years at Prairie Ridge. Even before she began as a freshman, Alli was inspired to participate in musicals, plays, choir, and the Madrigals like her older siblings had. As she took part in these activities, she found herself “growing a lot more as a person” through her interaction with others. More than anything else, Alli was able to use her involvement in music as a means to discovering her true self. Her favorite role out of all the musicals and plays was Helen Burns in Jane Eyre. “Before that show, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my major in languages,” Alli admits, “yet the character of Helen and the lessons she was able to teach Jane inspired me to want to teach too.”

Alli plans to attend Indiana University Bloomington to major in both German and French, and also wants to learn Italian on the side. In the future, Alli hopes to teach English in foreign countries for a living as she travels the world. We wish Alli the best of luck as she goes on to pursue her dreams.

Optima Dies, Prima Fugit

2011-05-16T15:30:00.001-05:00

by Anjella Manoharan

The best days are the first to flee, as Virgil said. Indeed they are. Looking back, I can remember the wonderful memories that I was able to create here at PR. The amazing students, teachers, and faculty have definitely made my high school experience unforgettable, but the time has come that I must move on.

It is unbelievable to even think that I will be finally going off to college soon. Finally, I will be taking one of the greatest leaps in my life, a step I have been looking forward to since I was little. Now it’s here. Surprisingly the fact that college is right around the corner does not seem as daunting as I thought it would. Why? I’m prepared. Taking many AP classes throughout my high school career has challenged me academically. Also, participating in many extracurricular

activities like newspaper, Math Team, NHS, SNHS, and others has allowed me to develop my interests in different areas so that when I go to college I’ll be able to connect with a variety of people who share the some of the same interests as me.

High school has also taught me how to become a good citizen to the US. One concept that many teachers support throughout their teachings is thinking for oneself and being an individual. Although the process was tiring and painful, it was worth it. Now, I am a changed individual: I can think for myself and create my own decisions instead of accepting those that society hands me.

Looking back, I realize that I never really appreciated high school as much as I should have; I was always so bogged down in the workload and activities and other things that I never realized how much high school was changing me for the better. So to those of you out there that have actually read this article, I have one piece of advice to you: Don’t let these days past you by. Before you know it, you’ll realize optima dies, prima fugit.

Challenge Yourself

2011-05-16T15:29:00.001-05:00

by Nick LaRosa

Although many people say that senior year is all fun and games, I’m happy to say that senior year has had the ability to be the most challenging year, as it was in my case. If you’re looking for a pure, stress-free senior year, I would advise my younger brethren to refrain from taking numerous AP courses, having a job during the school year, and participating in extracurriculars that include tutoring and varsity sports. In addition, you should probably not apply to more than 10 colleges.

However, if you want the transition to college life and academics to be easier, the academically challenging path is definitely beneficial. The opportunities here at Prairie Ridge are vast, and I am glad to have gotten involved. The activities and academics have pushed me to my mental limits; however, Track & Field has given me the opportunity to stay in shape and push myself to my physical limits. Also, many extracurriculars, including Spanish NHS and Senior Leaders, provide the chance to help others while meeting many humorous people (shout-out to 3rd/9th hour Numeracy Center!!). Just try to ignore those peers making fun of you for actually challenging yourself. Either way, make some memories senior year!

I hope that the Class of 2011 is forever remembered, not only for our awesomely high ACT scores and GPAs, but for our contributions to the school’s atmosphere and community. I challenge each subsequent class to match and exceed the performance of the Class of 2011. As I head off to the University of Notre Dame in the fall, I will always remember Prairie Ridge, the people I’ve met, and the teachers that have taught me. There were friendships made here and talents discovered that I truly will never forget.

Ready for the Real World

2011-05-16T15:28:00.001-05:00

by Sam Zuidema

Here you are my friends: yet another senior reflection to read, yet another opportunity for a nostalgic look back on your high school years. Some of us seniors are on the verge of tears, whether it be tears of sorrow or joy, and some of us are just plain anxious. I tend to lean more towards the latter; I am ready to move on. I will, however, be the first senior to admit: high school wasn’t that bad. I do complain about school like anyone else. I complain about the classes that I don’t think benefit me and I complain about projects I think are busy-work and I complain about tests just like anybody in high school. But I also see what I have gained in these four years. Between the periodic busy-work and required nonsense that has come my way, I have learned an awful lot that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have learned how to communicate with people, I have learned about the world that surrounds all of us, and I have discovered true passions that I previously didn’t even know I had.

But if I learned anything in high school, it would be this: it does not adequately prepare us for college! Contrary to what most teachers seem to believe, I am anxious to experience the life in which nobody is there to hold my hand. I am anxious to not have note packets handed to me. I am anxious to leave this school, leave my home, and heck, leave this state! I am ready to live life how I want to live life, without parents or teachers breathing down my neck and saying, “They won’t do this for you in college!” It is time for us to leave the safe little nest we call high school, and dip our little toes into the ice cold pond of the real world.

Personally, no matter how ready I am to dive headfirst into that brand-spanking-new experience, I will never forget my four years at Prairie Ridge. I had some great teachers, some great classes, some great friends and some great times, but I know there is much more out there to experience. As Paul Simon said, “I’m on my way, I don’t know where I’m going...” and that’s a feeling I do not want to take for granted—it isn’t going to last forever. Before you know it, we will (hopefully) be secure in a job, a home, and a lifestyle. Now is the time to take a few risks, have some fun, and develop the skills and acquire the knowledge you want to and need to in order to secure a successful future. But we had to start somewhere, and Prairie Ridge was truly only the beginning. Therefore, on behalf of the senior class, thank you PR for a great four years; you are a chapter of our lives that we will never forget. We are now off to that “real world” you warned us so much about!

Strategies for Low-Stress, Fun High School Experience

2011-05-16T15:25:00.001-05:00

by Emily Kolasinski
No matter how many times you’ve heard it, it certainly is true—high school flies by as fast as a blink. It honestly seems like yesterday where I walked into this huge school with quivering hands and butterflies in my stomach on the first day of freshman year. Pretty soon, I’ll be walking towards my high school diploma with those familiar butterflies and shaky hands.

Prairie Ridge is an amazing and unique school, even though it may look like a maze to a new kid. Inside and out, this school is unlike any of the others around. Each teacher and student are unique in their own way and always can put a smile on your face.

But for any student going to PR, you need a strategy. Here are some of my tips:

Do your homework! Yes, I know you’ve heard it at least 1,000 times—but it’s the truth. Doing your homework can only put you into the habit of doing it every night, which is very important. When you’re in this habit, 4th quarter of senior year will be a breeze since you still have to do every single assignment if you don’t want to take a second semester final. Oh yea, and of course you’ll get amazing grades!

Take advantage of lunch release! Being a junior or senior means you’re allowed to leave campus for your lunch break, so make sure you know at least THREE people who can drive you out or go with you in your lunch hour! In my opinion, it’s nice to take a break and get out of the school for a half hour or so (besides gym class…). But beware: students who tend to arrive late back to class after lunch release are crazy drivers!

If possible, try to know other students from other D155 schools! Okay, this one might seem weird, but just imagine—double the dances and football games! I went to Cary Junior High for 7-8 grade, and I still kept in touch with my friends who go to Cary Grove. I’ve been to their Homecomings, Winter Formals, football games, and I’ll be going to their prom! It’s nice because you can always have a backup in case you don’t have anyone to go with to a PR activity.

Soak in the time you have here and use it wisely! Prairie Ridge has MANY, MANY fun things to do on Fridays or on the weekend. Football games are TONS of fun during the fall (dress warmly and bring your spirit wear!), and the school plays and musicals are amazing. There are all kinds of clubs that you can have a blast in, and, my favorite, the annual Karaoke for Charity! With all these possibilities, there’s no doubt you will never be bored.

I’m really going to miss this school and walking out of these doors one last time will be really hard since I grew up here. Prairie Ridge helped me figure out who I am as a person and what my future will hold, and hopefully it will for you as well. The teachers here are all different, and during all of my four years here, I never had a teacher that I didn’t like one bit. Each one helped me figure out my personality through their projects and assignments.

I hope you live your high school years to the fullest and with no regrets. That’s my advice. Don’t let stress get the best of you! Enjoy your years here, and if you take my advice, it’ll be just the way you want it to be. Go Wolves!

Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship Recipients

2011-05-16T15:21:00.001-05:00

by Mr. and Mrs. Powell

The Brayden Spencer Powell Memorial Scholarship was formed to keep the memory of our son alive while helping Prairie Ridge High School seniors make college more affordable. Our son passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in the fall of 2007.

Supporters of Brayden’s scholarship gather together each summer to participate in a golf outing and auction at Prairie Isle Golf Club. We continue to be overwhelmed by everyone’s participation and generosity. We are excited to report that this year we will be awarding five separate $4,500 scholarships based on the tremendous success of the golf outing.

To be eligible for the scholarship a student must have been nominated by a faculty member at PR. We asked the faculty to nominate students that were extremely hard working and would benefit financially from the scholarship.

We are proud to announce that this year’s winners are Christopher Arndt attending McHenry County College, Erik Jenkins attending University of Illinois, Danielle Lombardo attending Winona State University, Sarah Maki attending Northern Michigan University, and Tori Thompson attending McHenry County College.

Congratulations to all of you who were nominated for Brayden’s scholarship. Please continue to make us proud and know how you are helping us keep the memory of our son alive. We invite you all to participate in this year’s outing on July 8, 2011. For details on the outing or more information on this year’s scholarship winners, please visit the website in memory of our special boy at BSPGolfOuting.com.

Honoring Those Retiring: We Will Miss You!

2011-05-16T15:17:00.006-05:00

by Katarzyna Robak

The 2010-2011 school year is approaching its end and unfortunately so are the careers of some dedicated and talented teachers, who have decided to retire after many years of service at Prairie Ridge High School. Therefore, as this school year comes to a close, Prairie Ridge will be saying good-bye not only to the class of 2011 graduating seniors but also to four wonderful faculty members. These retiring faculty members are: Mrs. Haas from the Social Science department, Mrs. Kopera from the front office, Mr. O’Leary from the Science department, and Mrs. Spillner from Guidance.

Retiring teachers, Prairie Ridge wants you to know that we greatly appreciate your dedication and work as teachers and faculty members, and we are sad to see you leave. ! The school will not be the same without you. We will miss you! We also wish you the best of luck in your retirement and with any future plans!
Mrs. Haas
Saying good-bye to Mrs. Haas, the school says good-bye to a brilliant Social Science Department Chair, who has taught students everything from Ancient Civ to Modern World. After 23 years of teaching, 14 of which she spent at Prairie Ridge, Mrs. Haas is trading in her career as a teacher for the life of a retiree. She originally pursued the career and began teaching, wanting "to help students become good citizens of their community, state, country, and the world, believing that education […] is the way to make your life better and the world better." Now as she leaves Prairie Ridge, she will miss the wonderful Social Science department, the great students, the great friendships, and teaching in a field she enjoys and loves. Taking with her an infinite amount of memorable experience, she will gladly leave behind the alarm heard at 5:30 a.m. everyday. Revealing her plans for retirement, Mrs. Haas expressed her hopes to "travel, move to the Southwest, help [her] husband in his art business […] perhaps teach part time at a 2-year college." She would love to find the time to "join a library book club, visit museums, and take part in organizations that [she] has not had the chance to join." At the and of august, when the 2011-2012 school year begins and the hallways of Prairie Ridge once again bustle with life, Mrs. Haas plans to be enjoying a road trip to "Montreal, Ottawa, and other places to and from these destinations." Leaving the school, she wants student to remember the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt- "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"- and the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.- ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge."

Mrs. Kopera
As Prairie Ridge says good-bye to Mrs. Kopera, the school will be parting with an amazing faculty member, whose work in the front office has helped keep the principal and the school organized and running smoothly. She has been at Prairie Ridge since the school opened, and when asked about her greatest accomplishment in the course of her career at P.R., Mrs. Kopera replied, "Being a part of such a wonderful place." She will really miss "the staff, the students, and the parents." The extreme generosity of the staff and students in helping each other and charitable organizations will continue to influence her forever. When asked about her most memorable experience at the school, Mrs. Kopera replied, "My first day at P.R. when there were no roads, no furniture, no phones, and the construction crew was in the building finishing things up so we could have an open house in August." Now as she eases into retirement, Mrs. Kopera will keep these memories in mind as she begins a new lifestyle, hoping to "spend more time with family and friends."

Mr. O'Leary
As Mr. O’Leary retires, Prairie Ridge will lose a fantastic science teacher and faculty member. Having taught for 33 years, 14 spent at P.R. and 19 years spent at C.L.C, Mr. O’Leary will walk away from teaching with an immense amount of experience, memories, and knowledge. Originally, however, teaching was not a part of the plan as he started college headed for medical technology. When or how the switch to teaching happened he does not know, but looking back, he is glad he made the switch because "teaching and coaching has allowed [him] to have experiences [he] never would have had in medical technology." Over the years, teaching and coaching has helped him become a more patient person, and it has helped him realize his impact on others. He has also learned to value experience and to learn from it, holding on to the positive things he has learned and attempting to eliminate the negative, "character defects." Talking about the power of experience, he shared a very thought-provoking story about two businessmen talking, one was a young hot shot and the other was an older very successful business man nearing retirement- The young guy asked the old guy how he became so successful. The old guy said "good decisions." The young guy wasn’t really satisfied so he asked, "How do you know when you are making good decisions?" Again, the older gentleman kept it pretty simple. "Experience." By now the young guy was getting a little frustrated so he asked, "How to you get all the experience??" Once again, pretty simple, "bad decisions." Accompanying Mr. O’Leary’s years of experience will be years of memories. His most memorable include the first three years coaching soccer when he was able to coach his son, who was on the team, and when the team was able to get to state tournament finals, finishing second in 1998 and winning a championship in 1999. Although Mr. O’Leary is not leaving P.R. permanently since he plans to continue coaching basketball, he will miss seeing the people working in the district now that he had in class or coached when they were in high school. When asked about his plans for the future, he revealed that he "[is] going back to school to get an associate degree, Veterinary Technician," and he hopes he will not "have a lot of spare time [because] sitting around makes [him] tense looking for something to do." He wants everybody to know that "the time spent in high school and college is the time in your life where you have the fewest really significant responsibilities and the fewest demands on your time. [...] You are also developing habits that will stay with you for a LONG TIME, [...] Don’t be afraid to do the next right thing even when nobody else in your circle of friends is willing to go along. [...] Everyone deserves your respect and courtesy until they prove to you that they don’t. [...] The people that come into or leave you world, the events that take place, both good and bad, it’s all for a reason." As he leaves Prairie Ridge, Mr. O’Leary is confident that Prairie Ridge and District 155 will continue to impress and the students continue to succeed.

Mrs. Spillner
Sadly, as the end of the school year nears, Prairie Ridge High School’s Guidance Department will have to part with an incredible Director of Guidance, Mrs. Spillner. Having worked in education for 26 years, she has spent 23 of these years working in District 155. Working at P.R. since its opening in 1997, Mrs. Spillner feels "richly blessed to be around the energy of the P.R. students on a daily basis," exclaiming that "any adult who is lucky enough to be surrounded by 1600 teens every day has to work hard to be an old stick-in-the-mud." She is immensely proud of the team of individuals working in the Guidance department, and she expresses no worry leaving, knowing that the department is in good shape "thanks to the hard-working counselors, social workers, and support staff." Once inspired to teach and work in education by her 10th grade English teacher Miss Virginia Hinchiff, upon retiring, Mrs. Spillner will greatly miss "[her] whole life […] the start of each new school year […] the feeling when summer vacation is over […] the start of the 2011-2012 school year." She already plans to be out of town when the "big yellow buses start making their rounds," but she is sure that she will come back and visit. When asked if there was anything she wished she could have done while working at P.R., Mrs. Spillner declared that she wishes she could have "seen to it that every single classroom, office, etc. in the school had a decent size and decent quality American flag," and she wishes she would have "encouraged genuine reverence for the morning pledge each day." Now, as she will enter retirement, she hopes to do more volunteer work, read more books, and visit more places. She is also very excited, knowing that she will become a grandmother for the first time in July, and therefore, she looks forward to getting acquainted with her new grandbaby. As she leaves Prairie Ridge, she wants every student to know that she "has every confidence in their future, [she] believes in them, [she] wants the best for them, [she] hopes they will stay in touch to let [her] know how they are doing in the future."

Senior Spotlight: Amanda Sirotzki

2011-05-16T15:16:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as outgoing, funny, and entertaining.

I would describe my PR experience as a rollercoaster, a thrill ride that had HS ups and downs, but mostly ups!

At PR I was involved in cheerleading, poms, NHS, SNHS, Link Crew, class officers.

Something very few people know about me is I have a Stitch voice from Lilo & Stitch.

I am passionate about talking in accents and checking at Jewel.

My most memorable event from high school was running into a stop sign face first during a fire drill. It hurt!

What I have learned/will take away from high school is work hard because it will pay off for you in the end.

The thing I will miss most about high school is the cookies and the people!

Next year I’ll be attending Loyola University.

I hope to be remembered as a walking holiday.

Senior Spotlight: Jacob Sumanis

2011-05-16T15:14:00.001-05:00

I would describe my PR experience as a good time for the most part.

At PR I was involved in not too much!

Something very few people know about me is I was involved in World of Warcraft.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is try harder at my next school (MCC).

The thing I will miss most about high school is nothing at all.

Next year I’ll be working full time at las Cumbres!

I hope to be remembered as the hero.

Senior Spotlight: Ben Sumanis

2011-05-16T15:13:00.001-05:00

I would describe my PR experience as better than Jake’s.

At PR I was involved in some football and tennis.

Something very few people know about me is my truck has 280,000 miles on it?

I am passionate about very little.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is E.L.E. – everybody love everybody.

The thing I will miss most about high school is the girl next door.

Next year I’ll be at Iowa with Kyle Harvey!

I hope to be remembered as the man, the myth, the legend.

Senior Spotlight: Sydney Birnbaum

2011-05-16T15:12:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as special, eccentric, determined.

I would describe my PR experience as glorious, but admittedly long.

At PR I was involved in speech, scholastic bowl, and a crime scene investigation.

Something very few people know about me is I once killed a dozen cacti.

I am passionate about vaccines, liberal ideology, and Teddy Roosevelt.

My most memorable event from high school was the diabetes walk.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is “only two things are infinite, the universe and stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” – Albert Einstein

The thing I will miss most about high school is my awesome, and equally special, friends.

Next year I’ll be at the University of Chicago.

I hope to be remembered as a good conversationalist.

Senior Spotlight: Ben Popp

2011-05-16T15:11:00.003-05:00

Friends would describe me as hardworking, caring.

I would describe my PR experience as enjoyable.

At PR I was involved in wrestling for three years.

Something very few people know about me is me gusta bailar.

I am passionate about helping others.

My most memorable event from high school was Anthro – with Wadz & “insomniac.”

What I have learned/will take away from high school is it pays off to work hard.

The thing I will miss most about high school is my friends.

Next year I’ll be attending Lewis University flying.

I hope to be remembered as a nice, somewhat out there guy.

Senior Spotlight: Bri Delisi

2011-05-16T15:11:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as outgoing, entertaining, sincere, hard working.

I would describe my PR experience as pretty typical. Overall, I’ve had ups and downs with high school, but in the end it was worth it.

At PR I was involved in NHS, student council.

Something very few people know about me is I’m afraid of butterflies!

I am passionate about dance and traveling.

My most memorable event from high school was rushing the football field freshman year!

What I have learned/will take away from high school is try new things. Boys are more fun to look at than date.If you walk too slow in the hall you will be moved. Even if it’s 70 degrees outside you still need to bring a winter coat.

The thing I will miss most about high school is the cookies, my friends, and knowing where everything is.

Next year I’ll be studying psychology and pre-medicine at the University of Illinois.

I hope to be remembered as always keepin it classy.

Senior Spotlight: Austin Ure

2011-05-16T15:09:00.002-05:00

Friends would describe me as responsible, fun-loving, trustworthy, stubborn, energetic.

I would describe my PR experience as a wolf pack. At first I came in as a lone wolf, but I met others, and together we formed a pack.

At PR I was involved in football, intramural basketball and volleyball, PRAC, PE Leader, 2011 b-ball All-star

Something very few people know about me is I am an Eagle Scout.

I am passionate about being the best I can be, as well as my friendships.

My most memorable event from high school was beating South in quarterfinals.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is friendships and maintaining good relationships is more important than anything.

The thing I will miss most about high school is all of the people I have met.

Next year I’ll be at Utah State University studying Business Administration.

I hope to be remembered as a loyal, trustworthy young fella.

Senior Spotlight: Nina Caldarella

2011-05-16T15:08:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as a really outgoing, fun, loving girly girl who has no problem telling it like it is but also saying some pretty dumb comments at times.

I would describe my PR experience as a learning experience that has taught me so much, as well as a really fun and great time.

At PR I was involved in cheerleading.

Something very few people know about me is at home we speak German.

I am passionate about working and building into children because they are our future, as well as country music and summertime.

My most memorable event from high school was the blackout football game.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is love who you are. No one’s opinions truly matter but your own, and enjoy every day ‘cause time flies by.

The thing I will miss most about high school is being in classes with my friends every day.

Next year I’ll be at Oklahoma State University.

I hope to be remembered as someone others could count on and go to, as well as the person who always made class fun.

Senior Spotlight: Minga Gregory

2011-05-16T15:07:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as always up for anything, funny, and easy to talk to.

I would describe my PR experience as ups and downs. I learned a lot about myself. I learned who I can trust and who I can’t and of course I made friends that will last a lifetime.

At PR I was involved in four years on the Varsity Pom squad and having the opportunity as the captain my senior year.

Something very few people know about me is although I can dance and perform in front of hundreds of people, I can be very shy when I first meet someone.

My most memorable event from high school was sophomore year overall because my friends and I went through a lot that year and we stuck together as a crew ever since.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is learn from your mistakes and when times are tough, don’t give up.

The thing I will miss most about high school is definitely my friends and being able to see them every day.

I hope to be remembered as a friend, leader, and a genuinely nice person.

Senior Spotlight: Stephanie Kootstra

2011-05-16T15:06:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as smart, caring, and nice.

I would describe my PR experience as a wonderful chapter in my life where I was able to become friends with awesome people.

At PR I was involved in Link Crew, Choir, Senior Leaders.

Something very few people know about me is my family and I are like best friends.

I am passionate about animals, especially dogs.

My most memorable event from high school was my first solo in a choir concert. I was so nervous and there were so many people!

What I have learned/will take away from high school is time flies faster than you realize.

The thing I will miss most about high school is the football games! Everyone crammed in the stands and cheering was so much fun!

Next year I’ll be a freshman at Carroll University.

I hope to be remembered as someone that is happy, upbeat, and optimistic.

Senior Spotlight: Edward Lam

2011-05-16T15:03:00.001-05:00

Friends would describe me as Asian.

I would describe my PR experience as eventful.

Something very few people know about me is I’m left-handed.

I am passionate about cute animals.

My most memorable event from high school was the Chinatown field trip.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is a basic understanding of the high school curriculum.

The thing I will miss most about high school is everyone.

Next year I’ll be a freshman again. :(

I hope to be remembered as Edward Lam.

Senior Spotlight: Tina Naponelli

2011-05-16T15:02:00.002-05:00

Friends would describe me as outgoing, silly, awkward, talented, loud.

I would describe my PR experience as bipolar. Each year was totally different. Some were bad; some were really awesome!

At PR I was involved in theater, choir, volleyball.

Something very few people know about me is I have the permanent hiccups. One hiccup every hour.

I am passionate about my dream of being in a Broadway musical.

My most memorable event from high school was the musical All Shook Up.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is don’t procrastinate! It will only make things worse.

The thing I will miss most about high school is seeing new friends and childhood friends every day.

Next year I’ll be singing, dancing, and acting every day, studying musical theater.

I hope to be remembered as that nice girl that sings a lot.

Senior Spotlight: Michael Mangold

2011-05-16T15:00:00.003-05:00

Friends would describe me as funny, easy-going, and slightly obnoxious.

I would describe my PR experience as perfect. The school gave a lot to me, and I hope I gave back just as much, if not more.

At PR I was involved in a couple of things, but my involvement in Germanklub meant the most to me.

Something very few people know about me is my love of ballet.

I am passionate about didn’t I just say ballet?

My most memorable event from high school was Oktoberfest.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is a free education that was priceless.

The thing I will miss most about high school is the free education . . . also German class.

Next year I’ll be going to Africa to rediscover my roots.

I hope to be remembered as a great guy, someone who people will want to know how I’m doing, or where I am even if it’s twenty years or more in the future.

Senior Spotlight: Francois Raymond

2011-05-16T14:56:00.003-05:00

Friends would describe me as a bit crazy.
I would describe my PR experience as interesting.

At PR I was involved in football, lacrosse, hockey.

Something very few people know about me is that I’m going to Canada for university.

I am passionate about sciences.

My most memorable event from high school was Homecoming.

What I have learned/will take away from high school is to do well in school and still have a good time.

The thing I will miss most about high school is my friends.

I hope to be remembered as a good, fun person.

Taking My Memories Along

2011-05-16T14:50:00.001-05:00

by Rebecca Reitz

I remember freshman year as a time of over-dramatic teen angst and discovering my love of the cafeteria’s puppy chow. I remember sophomore year walking into the chemistry room to find a new explosion going off or even a story about smothering the halls of PR after school while experimenting with fire extinguishers. I remember our AP U.S. History class practically crying as the note cards full of terms reached closer and closer to the stratosphere. And I remember the countless dress up days, PRAC, and football games of senior year as well as the people I really took the time to get to know. My four years at PR, as corny as it sounds, transformed my attitude, work ethic, and ideals as an individual.

Granted, I’m ready for a new start as I’ll be attending Truman State University in the fall; high school generated multiple new habits and gave me the attitude that will influence the decisions I make next year. It’s always a great idea to join a club, sport, or activity of some type. Being involved in yearbook, newspaper, Spanish NHS, Link Crew, and soccer, I had plenty to keep me busy and focused. Along with keeping me on my toes, I met a lot of great people and have had great experiences with each activity I was involved with. Proactive students derive a sense of self-discipline, focus, and determination, which I think are all key to success in college.

Whether it’s joking with Wads in Anthro about how I’m unlike a human and more like an ape, or our AB Calc class continually answering “Area!” after Mrs. Gilbert shouts, “When I say derivative, you say—” (The answer is slope, by the way), or having deep conversations about books and life with Mrs. Harnett, or calling Mrs. Stantesly from a Christmas cookie party to invite her over, the faculty and students at PR have made each year memorable and worthwhile. I plan on collecting the lessons and memories from these years and packing them along with me for the upcoming year’s journey.

My Two Cents

2011-05-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

by Andrew Mann

I remember reading the senior edition of the newspaper when I was a freshman and thinking that it would be an eternity until I could ever think about graduation. There is an old cliché that time flies, but time is actually more like a rocket ship zooming by at a million miles per hour. Before you know it you’re staring at your diploma and thinking “where the heck did this come from?”

I could give you advice that you already know, and tell you to grab life by the horns, take risks, be involved, do homework, comb your hair, and brush your teeth.

I could also brag about my accomplishments listing my involvement in sports, clubs, volunteering and whatnot. But that’s lame- why would I want to do that?

My four years at Prairie Ridge have been incredible and this school does a fantastic job preparing you for the rest of your life. Sure, there are plenty of days (mostly during the winter) when you roll out of bed and would rather die than drag yourself to school, but everyone has these days.

The faculty and staff are amazing and will gladly go out of their way to help you; I attribute everything I’ve accomplished to them. I am so happy that I have gone to this school, and I will always remember Prairie Ridge. (Maybe because I live right next to it, but hey, what are you gonna do?)

Earthquake Devastates Japan

2011-04-08T08:42:00.002-05:00

by Emily Kolasinski

With a death toll expected to reach 25,000, you can’t go anywhere without seeing the talk of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan with a magnitude of 8.9. According to CNN, as of March 18th, over 10,316 people are missing and 380,000 people are staying at one of the 2,200 health facilities. Reporters say that 25 of the 10,000 evacuees from Fukushima have passed away in the shelters. Funeral homes and crematory services are overcrowded, while the Japanese police force are saying they are running out of body bags and coffins.

National Geographic says that the quake was so powerful that it shortened Earth’s day by 1.8 microseconds (microseconds are one millionth of a normal second) and added 6.7 inches in the planet’s wobble; scientists say that it wasn’t too much of a difference. Instruments with strong capabilities calculated that the earthquake shifted Japan 13 feet (four meters!) due to fault plates.

These shocking facts are just as shocking as the number of problems rising in Japan after the earthquake. More than 2,500 houses completely collapsed, while another 2,500 were ruined during the earthquake and 20-foot-wave tsunami. According to the Red Cross located in Japan, over 157 fires were reported; ruined roads, railroads, highways, and bridges were reported in 460 locations; power was lost in 5 million homes; and 40,000 people were forced to evacuate due to the problem of the nuclear plants. Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint all allowed free calls and texts to anyone in Japan on the Friday of the quake until the following Monday.

Do you want to know how you can help? Donate to the Red Cross at www.redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to help. You can also help out and still be in style! Lady Gaga is selling red and white rubber bracelets with the words “Pray for Japan” in both Japanese and English on it. The colors red and white symbolize the country’s flag, and the bracelets sell for only $5. Plus, all the money goes to Japan Relief Efforts. According to MTV, Gaga’s bracelets raised $250,000 in just two days! Go to Lady Gaga’s official online store to purchase one.

This huge earthquake has left America wondering—are we prepared for an earthquake? Earthquakes normally occur in California, Alaska, Japan, South America, and the Philippines because they are all on plate boundaries. An earthquake happens when two blocks of the Earth quickly slip past one another. During an earthquake, you must stay away from glass and stay inside—one of the most dangerous things to do is try to leave. Also, be prepared for aftershocks because they can cause more harm for hours to months after the main shock. After a quake, check utilities for any damage. If you smell gas, turn it off and do not use any electronic devices (especially telephones), and stay away from any wires. Turn off the main fuse and do not use any source of water if pipes are broken.

You and your family can be prepared by having everyone in your home know where and how to turn off gas, water, electrical switches. Find a place to meet in case you are all separated during the quake. Also, assign a relative or friend out of the area for all of your family members to contact with their condition or location. Create an emergency kit with food and water to last a week with a portable radio, batteries, a flashlight, and first aid supplies. Although earthquakes are uncommon in Illinois, you never know if one could happen!

Keeping Up With the Gadhafians

2011-04-08T08:41:00.002-05:00

by Andrew Mann

A recent hot topic in the news has been the widespread unrest in North Africa and the Middle East. Some revolutions have progressed relatively peacefully while others have not. So far the most violent uprisings have taken place in the nation of Libya, where civilians and certain units of the military have taken up arms against the entrenched leader Moammar Gadhafi.

In retaliation to the uprising, Gadhafi killed many protesters in the streets of Tripoli and has sent his forces to smash the resistance. Last month, the situation appeared dire for the rebels as Gadhafi’s ground forces advanced on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi and his air forces pounded rebels caught in the open.

However, in March, in order to avoid a potential genocide, NATO launched a massive air and missile campaign against the regime. These attacks led by the United States, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were initiated to avoid a potential massacre like those of Rwanda or Kosovo.

Critics of the intervention claim that it will become the United States’ third war.

Speaking from Brazil, President Barack Obama assured the nation that the U.S. would not become involved on the ground in Libya. In response to the attacks on his forces, Gadhafi renounced what he calls U.S. imperialism and a ploy to gain control of the nation’s oil fields.

Recently, the U.S. ceded control of the air campaign to NATO, and now it is NATO’s task to enforce the current no-fly zone. It is unclear what the West will do now, and many hope that the rebel forces will be able to use the counterattack as momentum to capture the capital of Tripoli and establish a democracy.

One thing is certain: Libya will remain in the world’s spotlight for months until the conflict resolves.

Four More Years?

2011-04-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

by Sam Zuidema

Well it’s about that time again; various politicians across the country are beginning to announce the possibility of their running for the 2012 presidential election. This election is expected to be a very heated one, as were the last few federal elections, and the list of possible candidates is finally beginning to shape up. Let’s take a quick look at who some of these candidates are.

Barack Obama (D)

First and foremost, Chicago’s own Barack Obama will run for a second term in office. One reason this election is predicted to be so heated is because it’s predicted to be close; Obama’s approval ratings continue to linger around the 50% mark. They’ve been slipping recently, however, now hanging around the 46% mark. By 2012, we will learn whether the American people want another four years of this liberal Democrat; after experiencing some controversial “accomplishments” including healthcare reform and liberal economic policies, they may be ready to move on.

Ron Paul (R)

Ron Paul is a Republican Congressman representing Texas’ 14th district in the House of Representatives. Though Ron Paul is not known for having spearheaded any major legislation, he maintains one of the most consistent voting records out there; he’s not a flip-flopper. He’s known to be very knowledgeable in economics, a quality many voters will be looking for in this election. He can’t claim to take part in any tax-hiking legislation and has never voted himself a pay increase, which is rare among politicians. He also works hard to balance budgets, something this country needs badly. Overall, Ron Paul’s voting record is flawless and consistent, and he bears many qualities voters will be looking for.

Mitt Romney (R)

Let’s just get this out of the way first: Mitt Romney’s Achilles’ heel is his own healthcare reform known as “RomneyCare,” and that will undoubtedly hurt his chances among Republican voters in this election. However, Republicans are still quite fond of him; though he championed a state healthcare takeover similar to that of ObamaCare, he maintains a strong list of accomplishments as Governor of Massachusetts. For starters, he turned a $3 billion deficit into a $300 million surplus without raising taxes or borrowing. That’s a quality the Republicans want in the white house ASAP. He’s also a successful businessman who can rightfully claim to know the economy. If he can do to the nation’s economy what he did with his state’s, Republicans may find him very appealing.

Newt Gingrich (R)

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich recently publicized his consideration of running for the 2012 election. A former professor of history, Gingrich is certainly a smart man that Republicans champion, and as a true conservative, was widely considered to be the head of the GOP in the 1990’s. He lead the “Republican Revolution” of the 1990‘s when the GOP took both houses of Congress and was known as a powerful and influential Speaker. He also successfully worked to balance the federal budget and passed monumental welfare reform. His popularity later fell after he was fined $300,000 for ethics violations, but it has recently begun to reemerge among Republicans.

You can bet this election will be between Barack Obama and his unknown Republican contender, who may very well be on this short list of some of the most popular GOP candidates. It will be a vehemently contested debate, or at least we can infer that based on Obama’s split approval, but in the end only time will tell whether the United States votes for another four years of President Barack Obama.

Robots: Replacement and Revolution

2011-04-08T08:38:00.001-05:00

by Anita Venkataswamy

Robots are becoming more intelligent than people. A couple weeks ago, IBM’s computer called Watson was able to beat two former winners at Jeopardy, analyzing the questions that were given and responding to them at a faster rate than the humans.

It’s not just in intelligence that robots are better than humans; robots are programmed and don’t have a mind of their own, so they can never get bored. They can also never make mistakes because a program tells them exactly what to do.

If robots are beginning to excel in things that we are lacking, what does this mean? The answer: Jobs that were once performed by humans are now being replaced by robots. Robots are now able to analyze information and perform tasks better than humans can.

With our generation entering into the work force at this time, we are the first to experience this new change in tasks that were once handled by humans now being given to robots.

In just two years, in 2013, there will be 1.2 million robots working worldwide. Find out which professions you may have some robot competition in below:

Pharmacists: A particular robot has been created in the UCSF Medical Center hospitals that can collect the prescription and medication order by the doctor, pick out the correct medicine, dispense the specific amount of pills that have been ordered, and package the medicine. They put this medication in a plastic ring for the patient containing a certain barcode, and nurses are then able to scan the barcode and give it to the correct patient. So far, robots have filled out 350,000 prescriptions without making a single mistake at two hospitals.

Lawyers and Paralegals: Software can now perform the job of looking over documents in a shorter amount of time than paralegals and lawyers can. Also, the cost of using software is cheaper than hiring lawyers, who can bore of what they are doing whereas software can’t.

Drivers (Bus and Chauffeurs): Google has been working on an automated self-driving car to ensure the safety of the passengers and to reduce the time taken to arrive at destinations. Tests on these cars have been made with human supervisors riding in the car to see how safe and efficient they were, and so far, seven test cars have driven 1,000 miles on their own without human control. In tests where humans helped control the car frequently, the cars were able to drive over 140,000 miles.

Astronauts: NASA, along with the assistance of General Motors, has created a robot called Robonaut2. This robot has a five-fingered hand that is dexterous and has a variety of sensors. As of now, it has performed simple tasks, like helping humans with small jobs and cleaning up the space station. However, in the future, it can possibly go out into space and actually help with either making repairs in telescopes, making scientific discoveries, or performing other activities that astronauts have been assigned to do.

Babysitters: A huge Japanese company called Aeon, Co. made a four-foot tall robot which it introduced at a store in 2008 that helps watch children while the parents go shopping. In fact, the PaPeRo Robot that has been created can tell jokes, give quizzes, and track the kids down using an identification chip.

Soldiers: We still have soldiers in the army, yet our uses of different machines to assist us in combat missions has been growing. Foster- Miller has created a robot called MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robot System) that has been programmed with a GPS monitor, can tell the difference between the fire and no-fire zones, and can even drag dead bodies out of the battle field if instructed to do so.

Rescuers: At some places that are hard for humans to access, such as places struck with natural disasters where victims need critical help, rescuers aren’t able to get to them fast enough or take a dangerous risk putting their life on the line. Therefore, machines are being made that help perform this task. Satoshi Tadokaro of Tohoku University has allowed for the use of his robot in situations such as these. His robot is snake-like in shape and can enter very small spaces. It has a camera attached to it, which can help locate people in a collapsed building.

Sportswriters and other reporters: A software called Narrative Science developed at Northwestern University can write stories. It is much cheaper and easier for companies to use this device for developing articles on sports, instead of having to go through the havoc of paying for the trips and relying on reporters to follow up on every game.

These are just a few examples of jobs that have already started to be replaced by technology, but in the future, there are surely more to come. From the business perspective, using robots helps save time and money in marketing products and goods, and are also easier to command since they don’t have their own minds. In a consumer’s eyes, robots make simple tasks in our daily lives, such as getting money from an ATM account or contacting virtual assistants over the phone, extremely easy and efficient.

It is important to realize how much easier our lives are using this technology because in the future we will be depending a lot more on robots to assist us with our everyday lives.

School Dirt

2011-04-08T08:35:00.003-05:00

by Anjella Manoharan

Ever wonder where the dirtiest places in the school are? The AP and Regular Biology classes went around the school in one of their labs and tested various areas for bacteria; their results were surprising.

Contrary to what many would believe, the bathrooms actually did not make it to the list of places with the most bacteria. However, surprisingly enough, the markers in a Spanish room, the library mouse and keyboard, and an eyelash showed the most bacteria. Other areas that yielded lots of bacteria included a cell phone, a vending machine button, Mr. Jensen’s piano, the stair railings, an instrument, and the choir room’s water dispenser and fountain. Some areas even produced fungus, such as the art room’s storage room’s floor and the space bar on a keyboard in the library. So why did students find lots of bacteria in these areas and not in the cafeteria, bathroom, or weight room?

The areas we commonly see as dirty, such as the cafeteria, are cleaned on a regular basis so they essentially are some of the cleanest areas in the school. On the other hand, the areas of the school that are not really thought to be “dirty” and are not cleaned very often are where bacteria flourish.

So, the next time you’re about to reach out to touch something, think twice about it. You might be reaching into flourishing colonies of bacteria. If you must touch something, be sure to use hand sanitizer afterward since you don’t want that bacteria flourishing on you.

GSA Welcomes All Students

2011-04-08T08:28:00.000-05:00

by Emily Surch

GSA ,or the Gay Straight Alliance, is a new club at PR that was started to create a new way to communicate with students about issues present throughout the school and the community.

The purpose of the club is to make a safe haven for students to talk about any problems they are going through, or anything they want to talk about. Everything that is said is highly confidential so people feel like they can speak without judging eyes on them. Everyone who goes is extremely friendly and welcoming and is always thinking of new ways to make a positive change on the school. It does not matter if you are gay or straight; the point of GSA is to bring people together to discuss, to resolve issues, and to make people more aware about things that are happening around them.

At one of the recent meetings, there was a giant snowball fight with pieces of crumpled paper. On the papers were problems or topics that members wanted to discuss. After throwing around the paper balls, the members sat down and somebody would grab the paper and then everyone would talk about the topic. It was a great way to think about problems, and try to help people lift up their peers rather than hurt them.

GSA generally meets every two weeks after school at 3:00 in room 318. Check the community board for announcements of upcoming meetings.

Un cuento, por favor

2011-04-08T08:27:00.001-05:00

On March 23 students in Accelerated Spanish 2 traveled to Hannah Beardsley to read their original stories (written in Spanish, of course!) to the middle school students.

Turmoil in Wisconsin

2011-04-08T08:24:00.002-05:00

by Nick LaRosa

Last month, 14 Democrat senators from Wisconsin fled to Illinois in an attempt to hinder the vote on a bill that would reduce Wisconsin’s $3 billion deficit. This would require public employees to pay a mere 5.8% towards their pension and 12.6% towards their health insurance premiums.

According to Wisconsin law, three-fifths of the Senate must be present in order to pass a bill that “imposes, continues or renews a tax, or creates a debt or charge, or makes, continues or renews an appropriation of public or trust money, or releases, discharges or commutes a claim or demand of the state.” Because these senators refused to show up and vote for the original budget bill, Governor Walker took a backdoor approach, encouraging the lawmakers to, instead, take away state workers’ bargaining rights after the state capitol erupted into a frenzy of demonstrations that continued for over a month. The original bill was eventually discovered to be exempt from the three-fifths quorum because it technically didn’t make an “appropriation.” The newly-approved plan shaves off $165 million from Wisconsin’s $3 billion annual deficit and was passed easily by the Republican majority in the Senate.

The situation in Wisconsin gathered national attention when celebrities, such as Michael Moore, encouraged union workers from across the country to protest in Wisconsin’s state capitol. As a result, it was estimated that only about half of the protestors were actually from Wisconsin. The essence of this new Wisconsin law stipulates that public employees, supported by tax money, should not be allowed to strike against the very people that pay their salaries- the citizens.

Many union supporters have accused the Wisconsin Republicans of somehow “silencing” the minority and “destroying” democracy through the passing of such a bill, when in fact, it is the 14 Democrats who fled the state that should be viewed as obstructing democracy. They were halting the vote on a bill merely because they knew it would be passed by the Republican majority. These 14 senators were attempting to cripple a system of government that operates through the will of the majority.

Perhaps the real problem causing this situation is that only 48% of registered voters chose to participate in the congressional elections back in November. This country’s democratic process only works if the people show up to the polls to vote. We must remember that the only difference between a dictatorship and a democracy is this exercised right.

Tanning for Prom: Worth the Risks?

2011-04-08T08:23:00.003-05:00

by Rachel Didier

With the excitement of prom filling the hallways and swimsuit season approaching, tanning salons are a hot place for teens. It’s time to come out of hibernation from the cold weather and hit the tanning bed to be bronze and beautiful for spring. But what about all the hazards of tanning? Is the summer glow worth the cancerous risks?

Tanning machines emit dangerous ultraviolet radiation exposing tanners to as much as 12 times the annual ultraviolet radiation they would receive from regular sun exposure. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UV radiation is a proven human carcinogen and is linked with a higher risk of all forms of skin cancer, including melanoma. Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer among young adults 25-29 years old and that’s due to fake suntans. On average, tanners are 74% more likely to develop melanoma than non-tanners. As well as, 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma, the two most common skin cancers.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “the UV radiation causes a destructive process of photoaging, premature skin aging due to UV exposure, which produces profound structural changing in the skin including fine wrinkles, blotchiness, sagging, and a leathery texture.” The more you tan the closer you get to having your skin begin photoaging. The process can appear as early as 20 years old if you have spent a great deal of time during your teenage years in a tanning bed. In the 15 minutes you spend in a tanning bed, you could be accelerating the aging of your skin five to seven years. You may have sleek, bronze skin but underneath that tan lie lifelong effects including cancer, wrinkles, and leathery skin.

However, there are some positives about tanning. Mike Holick, a professor of dermatology and medicine physiology, states that you need 1000 international units of Vitamin D a day. Even if you drink two glasses of milk and two glasses of orange juice, you are only getting about 40% of the daily Vitamin D required. Vitamin D is known to protect against bone diseases and may protect against diseases such as multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and depression, as well as colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Holick says one of the best ways to get the 1000 international units of Vitamin D is to be moderately exposed to sunlight. A simple way to do that would be to go to a tanning salon, especially if you live in place where sunlight is scarce.

Teens are repeatedly reminded of the facts and risks of tanning yet they tend to disregard them. Some alternatives to tanning beds are self-tanning products or sunless tanning lotions. By temporarily dyeing the top layer of skin, these products are less dangerous than tanning beds. Though lotions and spray tan products will eventually fade, harm done to the skin by fake suntans remains permanent.

Next time you are laying in a tanning bed, soaking up UV radiation, remember the risks you are taking and the damage you are doing to your skin.

Cleaning Up Your Language

2011-04-08T08:22:00.004-05:00

by Sulwana Hussain

People think it is cool to say curse words. But have they ever considered what others might think? Or that people who are around them might get offended? Some people may think those who curse are rude, vulgar, and full of bad behaviors. People also think they lack vocabulary, and probably do not come from a good family.
Do you really want people to think like that about you? Probably not! You know that you are a good person, but people will believe what they hear and see. As humans, we have to consider people’s feelings, and some people might not care, but others will get offended.

Others yet may see you as an uneducated person. As a result, people start disrespecting you, and they do not want to listen to what you are saying.

Well, some of you might say that we have the freedom of speech! On the other hand, people have the freedom of whether or not they want to hear what others are saying! People will respond with a fight-or-flight reflex. They will give you feedback by using bad language back at you, or they may not say anything to you but think about you negatively. How would you feel if some one said the exact same words or worse than them, at you? Wouldn’t you feel hurt and insulted? Some of us will say, “those are just expressions, and we use them when we are angry.” We do tend to use curse words when we are angry. But we should not.

Cursing is not good at all! As a result of using cursing words, one may end up losing respect and being jobless too. There have been various cases of people getting fired. These days there are rules on job contracts that one cannot use bad words while being in office or while representing the company. There are many stories where employees did not get a contract or turned away customers because of their bad language. In the future, would you like to listen to your children using cursing words at you or to others? They will adopt this behavior because of you! It will be your fault because you did not stop yourself or others!

So, to all the people who use curse words, do you really want people to think about you like that? Do you really want people to think that your parents have not taught you any good manners? Or destroy your kids’ behavior or lose your job? Probably not! So, is there any solution to this? Yes, there is! Well, you do not have to clean your mouth with soap though!

There are some easy solutions, which can be easily followed! First, realize why are you cursing. It is often used when your being lazy and you lack vocabulary while you are angry and trying to express yourself. Try to learn other anger management skills. It may stop you from attempting to curse next time. Second, attempt to listen to others when they curse. Ask yourself: do you really want to sound like them? Third, learn some new words! Find alternative words, which are not swears. They still satisfy you and at the same time they get your message across! Use silly words too! Like fudge, fuzzy, or Frankenstein can replace the F-word. You might feel so silly that you might swear off swearing! Fourth, imagine being yourself surrounding by little kids and elders, or a being at a religious place! It will stop you from using those words! Fifth, punish yourself! Yes, you did read that right! Make a swear box and put a dollar every single time you swear. Or you can do a chore! Sixth, ask your family and friends to help you out! Ask them to stop you every single time you curse.

At the end of the day, you are or will be responsible for your own behavior. It is true that you will not stop swearing overnight. It takes time. Remember, practice makes perfect! Just keep practicing, and in the end, your hard work will pay off. Be more elegant, classy, well-behaved, well-mannered, well-educated, more social and posh by not using curse words.

Student Spotlights

2011-04-08T08:13:00.000-05:00

Senior Phillip Delahunty
by Sydney Steverson

What college are you going to next year?

The American University of Paris

What inspired you to study abroad for 4 years?
I love foreign languages and I believe exposure to other cultures is invaluable.

What about France do you love so much?
The food is amazing, and the people, contrary to popular belief, are very nice.

If you were to take a guess, how many Abercrombie polo shirts (which you are “famous” for) do you think you own?
12

Do you have any advice for PR students who may want to study abroad in college?
Make sure you choose somewhere that interests you and will also benefit you in the future. It’s not just a vacation.

Junior Jeremy Chapnick
by Sulwana Hussain

If you were an animal, you would be...

A cow, because they are cool!

Your most prized possession…
Definitely my laptop!

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Literally, the only place you can see yourself is a reflection. So, maybe a mirror or a pond. Actually, I want to be in Taiwan.

The song that describes you the most…
“I’m Too Sexy”

A character from a movie, a TV show or a book that makes you say, “Hey! That’s me!”…
Ash Katchum because “I wanna catch’em all”

One word to describe yourself…
Bread!

Why a bread?
I don’t know! I just feel like one!

Current obsession…
Pokémon Black and White!

Goal for next speech season…
I want to do a second event and come up with a new original comedy.

A place you would love to visit…
Beijing!

You are known for your World of Warcraft T-shirts! So, how much World of Warcraft stuff do you have?
Probably too much!

If a producer of a reality show asked you to join their show, your answer would be what and why?
I would say yes! Because everyone wants to watch me!

Sophomore Kirsten Stevens
by Sulwana Hussain

If you were an animal, you would be…

A wolf, because it’s our school mascot and the softball team is called the Wolf Pack!

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
A job in sports medicine and still playing softball

The song that describes you the most…
“Nine in the Afternoon” by Panic! At the Disco

A character from a movie, a TV show or a book that makes you say, “Hey! That’s me!”…
Momiji from Fruits Basket, because he is out there sometimes but still a great person.

One word to describe yourself…
Spontaneous

Current obsession…
Panic! At the Disco and Fruits Basket!

Why are you so obsessed with Fruits Basket?
I love the story and the characters; they relate to my friends!

Goal for softball season…
Work hard on the pitches and continue batting strong!

If you could participate in a reality show, which one would it be?
Probably any of the Japanese game shows because I think they are funny!

A place you would love to visit…
Narnia!

Favorite place to hang out in school…
The library!

Your best memory…
Meeting my buddy Rochelle Prehoda!

Something in your life you would never trade with someone…and why?
My friends and family! Because they are always there for me and I love them so much!

Freshman Brooke Johnson
by Bailey Johnson

What was the hardest part about entering high school?

Time management. I have had a hard time managing my time between my after school activities and school.

Have you joined any clubs?
Math team

Who is your favorite teacher so far?
I do not like picking favorites, but I would say for the most part all of my teachers are wonderful.

What would you like to accomplish before you leave PR?
I would like to go to prom and get into a good college.

What are some cons of being a freshman?
Having your locker in the band hallway because it is far from EVERYTHING!
It is not that bad being a freshman.

What is something you miss from middle school?
Waking up later for school

If you could change something in the world, what would it be?
The world is good as it is besides world hunger and natural disasters.

What was the hard part about finals for you?
Studying and sitting in the classrooms for long periods of time.

If you could be any fictional character who would it be and why?
ARTHUR!! Because Arthur is my favorite show ever, and he is an aardvark

Karaoke for ALS

2011-04-08T08:01:00.003-05:00

by Katarzyna Robak

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, students, parents, the PR faculty, and many others took their seats in the theater, anticipating a great show, which began at seven o’clock. For the past couple of years, the National Honor Society had organized Karaoke for Cancer; this year however, when new needs arose and new issues were brought to the attention of the NHS board members, Karaoke for Cancer was transformed into Karaoke for ALS. Therefore, this year’s proceeds, made from ticket sales, the sale of Gatorade and wristbands during commons, and various donations were put towards the Carole VanDoorn Memorial Fund.

What is ALS? ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease , is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, resulting in the inability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movements. Each year, approximately 5,600 people are diagnosed with ALS in the United States. Because ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial or ethnic boundaries, it can strike anyone. Therefore, by dedicating the night to ALS and to the Carole VanDoorn Memorial Fund and by working to raise money beforehand, the National Honor Society not only impacted a student’s personal life for the better, but also impacted the future of ALS research by displaying that Prairie Ridge students and faulty care.

To hear the boys in Madrigals sing, jugs were passed around as the guys hoped to raise at least one hundred more dollars. In the time between songs, the guys successfully raised over $260 and earned their right to sing on the stage. Furthermore, the night grew all the more amusing as Mr. Dusenske walked onto the stage stating that he will sing the song “Lunch Lady Land,” accompanied by Dale Wesa on the guitar and Mrs. Berg’s interpretative dancing. His performance surprised many, and it was quickly followed by Ms. Orsi’s and Mr. Jauch’s “It Takes Two” and Srta. Bartells and Sra. Tiria’s “Waka Waka.” Near the end of the show, Mr. Seiler, Mr. Dusenske, and Mr. Kennett kept the audience interested with their version of “Intergalactic,” while Mrs. Orsi, Srta. Bartells, Miss Arfstrom, Sra. Tiria, Miss Morris, and Miss Bauman showed off their moves as they danced to the classic “Thriller.” By the end of the show, everyone in the audience had enjoyed an awesome night.

Rachel VanDoorn ended the night with kindness and gratitude as she thanked the audience for the time, the money, and the laughter that erupted that evening. Rachel declared that “everyone’s efforts and contributions were greatly appreciated,” and so ended Karaoke for ALS 2011.