t Peters Township High School, where every turn brings new drama or chaos, cheerful news is sometimes hard to come by. So much so, that when a student witnesses a Samaritan feat, he might just glance over it. High school students are often egotistical and oblivious, making every selfless act much more important. However:

Andrew Paul is giving back. Andrew Paul is recognizing world need. Andrew Paul is changing the stereotype. Paul has organized a district-wide shoe drive for underprivileged children in the Dominican Republic. From October 30th until December 19th, boxes will be placed at the Recreation Center as well as in classrooms throughout the district in order to collect gently used shoes for “Roberto’s Kids.” As the name suggests, “Roberto’s Kids” is a charity started in honor of Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente as an organization that looks to improve conditions for children all over Latin America.

Paul and his girlfriend, Jessie Smith, have organized the drive, placing boxes at every school in the district. The two juniors, working with the National Honor Society at the high school, have worked for the past month to ensure a successful drive for the Dominican Republic and other areas of Latin America.

Why the Dominican Republic? “[The Dominican Republic] is an area of extreme poverty.” “Roberto’s Kids” has chosen the most poverty-stricken areas of the country in which to donate the shoes.

“As of right now I’ve collected 2,500 [shoes] that are packed and I have at least another 500 waiting to be packed.” Paul noted, “I’m unsure of what the final count will be since the shoes are still pouring in.”

“The realization of how well we have it here really comes alive doing work like this,” said Paul. “Charity work gives an opportunity to better the life of someone else in the world and gives you a thankful attitude.”

Smoke SignalSDecember 2007 Volume 39, Issue 3

PTHS

Students’ Charity Gives Hope to Third-World Country

A

Sen ior emily yang k ind ly donates her o ld shoes to the Nat iona l Honor Soc ie ty ’s shoe dr ive, wh ich benef i ts ch i ld ren living in the Dominican Republic. Drop boxes were placed in each school throughout the district to help support this worthwhile cause.

Grant BurkhardtNews Editor

Last year, Paul coordinated another charity drive for Latin America. He collected gently used baseball equipment – shoes, gloves, etc. – and sent them to areas of need. As a high school baseball player, Paul knows the importance of having resources to be able to play the game. He added, “When the kids were being fitted for their spikes for baseball, they didn’t know their shoe size because they didn’t even own a pair of shoes.” The success of this caring teenager should inspire others to follow his lead. In fact, the entire community should watch and learn from Andrew Paul’s act of charity; he has a bright future ahead of him. Paul would like to thank everyone involved; “I literally had people call me from all around Pittsburgh wanting to make donations. Most importantly, I want to thank all of the people who took the time to donate their shoes.”

Junior andrew Paul proudly relishes in the success of the district wide Shoe Drive that he organized. This is the second fundraiser Paul has developed to benefit “Roberto’s Kids”.

Photo by Emily Correal

Photo by Mady Dietrich

December 2007 Let it 1

World AIDS Awareness Day

2Britney Spears’

Birthday

3B.V. Ice Hockey vs.

Chartiers Valley 8:50

4Santa’s List Day. . .We hope your on the “Good” List!

5 Hanukkah Begins 6G.V. Basketball vs. Mt

Lebo 7:30

7B. V. Basketball vs. Mt.

Lebo 7:30

8B.V. Basketball vs. Mars

3:00

9 10 Mississippi

became the 20th US State

11 12Poinsettia Day

13G.V.Basketball vs. Bethel

7:30

14B.V Basketball vs. Bethel

Park 7:30

15

16Boston Tea Party,

1773

17B.V. Ice Hockley vs.

Greensburg Salem 9:30

18Bake Cookies Day

19B.V. Basketball vs. Oliver

High School 7:30

20G.V. Basketball vs. Shaler

7:30

21B.V Basketball @ Shaler

TBA

22Winter Solstice

23

30

24 no School!Christmas Eve

31 New Year’s Eve!

25 Christmas

no School!

26Kwanzaa Begins

no School!

Boxing Day

27no School!

28no School!

29

Peters townshiP high school referencesmoke signals

2December 2007PTHS

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Smoke Signals is produced eight times during

a school year by the students of Media II, III,

IV Journalism and extracurricular staff at Pe-

ters Towship High School, 264 E. McMurray

Road, McMurray PA 15317. Telephone: 724-

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newsPTHS December 2007 3Smoke Signals

What In The World?

Compiled by Katie Ellis

Boys and girls around the world were disappointed one by one as their eleventh birthdays came and went with absolutely no word from Hogwarts School of Witch-craft and Wizardry. But fear no more small children; Elwood “Bunky” Bartlett, a Pagan priest, won roughly $49 million dollars from his local lottery, and is planning to open a school for witches. The school will be for college-aged students but is not just for those who want to become more learned in the art of Wicca; those that honestly want to study witchcraft are more than welcome to attend as well. The real question is, will the headmaster be as sweet as Dumb-ledore or as wicked as Snape?

Everybody on the ground! This is a… ketchup? Two masked men ambushed a supermarket employee in England as he was taking cash to the bank by throwing two large bags filled with ketchup onto the employee’s windshield. The robbers didn’t get away with much, though – they only managed to keep 400 of the 140,000 eu-ros that the employee had on him at the time.

First rule in hunting: never leave your gun lying on the ground – your dog may step on it and shoot you in the leg. Iowa native James Harris did just that and was hit in his left calf by more than 120 birdshot pellets. Incidentally, this isn’t an uncommon occurrence in Iowa; according to Alan Fos-ter, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, hunters get shot by their dogs “a couple times a year”.

Media Department Reaches Out to Children For the past seven years, as a school, have donated thousands of toys to the U.S Marine Corps Reserve’s national foundation Toys for Tots. Every holiday season, from October through December, the U.S Marine Corps Reserve begins their mission of collecting new, and unwrapped toys so they can be distributed as Christmas gifts to needy children in communities throughout America. Each location of the Marine Corps in the communities of the United States acts as a sponsor as they conduct this suc-cessful nationwide campaign. The primary goal of Toys for Tots during every wishful holiday season is to deliver a new toy to every child whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. This also gives these children a message of hope that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive patriotic citizens and strong leaders of their own com-munity. “Every child deserves a toy for Christmas, and I really like how Toys for Tots makes that happen for the children in America,” said junior Andrew Paul. The school has been promoting the great deeds of Toys for Tots since the new millennium. Ev-ery year around the holiday season, the determined Media Department sets up cardboard boxes in the rooms of the high school to receive toys from stu-dents and faculty members that will be donated to the cause. Peters Township comes together every year motivated to succeed in helping needy children across America experience the joys of Christmas

by playing an active role in the foundation. “We as a department enjoy doing this campaign because it gives us an opportunity to work with our commu-nity through Peters Township Community Television to provide local families in need with gifts for their children,” stated Robin Frick, a media teacher at the high school. The foundation believes in the de-velopment of one of our nation’s most valuable re-sources, the children of the world. This foundation is not only a way to help others, but it also unifies all members of a community by bringing people to-gether for a common cause three months each year. The Toys for Tots Foundation was founded in 1947 by Colonel William L. Hendricks. Hendricks and his wife, Diane, established the idea of giving back to people after the holidays in 1947 when the couple collected 5,000 toys for their own community. The Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and immediately expanded it into a nationwide campaign. On average, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation col-lects about 19 million toys valued at a total $42.9 mil-lion dollars every year in the United States. Since its establishment in 1947, Toys for Tots has distributed more than 370 million toys over 173 million needy children. The foundation is also expanding with its 558 active communities participating in the campaign every year, which covers all 50 states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Junior Sam Higgins does her part and contributes two toys. The Media Department donated over 411 toys to the US Ma-rines’ Toys for Tots Foundation in 2007.

Wal-Mart: Low Prices at a High CostWal-Mart is known for

having the best savings around, but these prices come at a high cost for those who make and sell their products.

The commercials that air on television about Wal-Mart portray the store as a great envi-ronment with even greater deals. However, for employees, the atmo-sphere is less than welcoming. A large number of female workers have spoken out, saying that men are promoted faster, and are generally paid more than their female counterparts. There have even been reports of business meetings being held at the Hooters restau-rant chain. While over 72% of the workforce in Wal-Marts is female, only 10% of the managers are women.

Even for the male employees, things aren’t always a dream. The average pay for sales associate is $8.23 an hour for annual income of $13,861 - if an employee were to work 40 hour weeks with no sick days. The current poverty line for a three-person family is just over $17,000. The difference is significant, over $3,000 a year. Considering that Wal-Mart rakes in nearly $200 billion yearly, it would cost them very little to increase wages so

that employees may live just above the poverty line. Its higher-ranking businessmen make millions of dollars, but ordinary employees barely make enough to survive. Even the workers overseas aren’t safe. Chinese factory employees work under harsh conditions, sometimes locked into the factory and forced

to work under the threat of being fired. They are paid $0.23 per hour, well under the Chinese minimum wage of $0.31. Overtime hours go unpaid, and the average employee works an 80-hour week. Wal-Mart imports much of its merchandise from China – so much, in fact, that if Wal-Mart were its own separate country, it would rank fifth in China’s trading partners, ahead of Germany, the UK, and Russia. Healthcare is a major issue for this company as well. Only 43% of its 1.39 million US employees are covered by healthcare, compared to the average company that insures

66% of the people they hire. Even though not nearly enough employees are covered, the ones who are in the program might as well not have it at all. The average Wal-Mart worker must pay 7-25% of their annual salary just to cover the premiums and deductibles. There are times, however, when Wal-Mart opens its heart and pays for medical treatment for its

employees - but then turns around and asks for the money back. Former employee Deborah Shank was in a horrific car accident that caused severe

brain damage and called for nearly $500,000 in medical bills. After Wal-Mart paid for everything under her healthcare plan, they sued her husband for all the money they had provided, plus the interest that would have compiled during the three years that Deborah’s rehabilitation took place. This is not outside their boundaries; in fact, it is not unusual to see terms in many healthcare plans that say the company has every right to ask for the money recovered by an injured person. However, Wal-Mart put the welfare of the company over the welfare of a human being, and that isn’t right.

“Wal-Mart put the welfare of the company over the welfare of a human

Top 10 Toys to Give This Christmas:LEGO Mindstorms | Rubik’s Revolution by Techno Source | FurReal Friends | Hannah Montana Singing Doll by Play Along | | Guitar Hero 3 | Webkinz by Ganz | iDog, iCat, iFish | Transformers Toys by Hasbro | Barbie Girls by Mattel | Pleo Dinosaur

Photo by Nicole Sitler

Stephanie Cotugno

Staff Writer

Andrea Briggs

Syntax Editor

The pigeon population in New York has always been overwhelming. In the past, vendors and residents would lace their birdseed with arsenic to help sup-press the overcrowded species. Council-man James Odd believes that this is an in-humane way to deal with the pigeons. His solution? Birth Control. The drug has not yet been approved for the birds, but the odds look good; a similar project for geese was given the OK just weeks before.

GO FIGURE

GivinG

ouTSpeak

featuressmoke signals

December 2007PTHS4

The amount of cards sold during

the holiday season would fill a football

field ten stories high, and requires the harvesting of

300,000 trees.

In London,

10,000 people are expected

to go bankrupt as a result of

over-spending at Christmas.

37% think it is nicer to give a

gift rather than giving a gift card or gift

certificate.

Consumers spent a

total of $438.6 billion during the Holiday season.

32% plan to buy their

holiday gifts on sale.

What’s Your Favorite Toy? It seems like school has been getting more and more difficult in the past few weeks, especially since teachers are trying to cram in extra work before the holidays. Your situation may seem hopeless- maybe you can’t get a good grade on a paper, tons of math problems are piling up, and you’re too stressed to function. What many students do not realize is that PT has a few resources that can help you out, even if they aren’t always conventional. Need help with a paper? Have a previous English teacher read it before you turn it in. The same goes for college essays. Given enough notice, most teachers would be happy to offer constructive criticism. Get your rough draft done

early and hand it off for proofreading. Having trouble in pre-calc? Mathnasium is a great local tutoring service. They have teachers that can help you with any kind of math, no matter how challenging. It’s not the kind of place that tries to help kids pass, it helps kids get A’s. And the best part- no appointments are necessary; you can show up whenever you want as long as you pay a monthly fee. Their website claims that “Children don’t hate math. They hate being confused and intimidated by math. With understanding comes passion.” Some teachers care. Chances are the teacher you respect the most will be willing to talk to you about anything that’s bothering you. Teachers would rather you work through problems with them than show up with random late work. As Mrs. Kocan advocates on her website, “Strive for excellence, not perfection!”

Angelina NepaF e a t u r e s

Untapped PT Resources

Writers’ Strike: Is It A Curse or Blessing?

Emily EstepStaff Writer

After a long day of school, sports, extra-curriculars, and chores, everyone deserves to watch the new South Park or Grey’s Anatomy. Some students may obsess about TV more than others; however, we can all agree, seeing a new episode of your favorite show is an exciting event. The new Desperate Housewives is the perfect way to end a weekend, and who doesn’t love the NBC Thursday night line-up of My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, and Scrubs? Unfortunately, television, and the world as we know it, is in danger. On November 7, the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike. This includes all writers for American film, television, and radio. What does this mean to us? No new episodes. Shows such as The Office, Two and a Half Men, and Grey’s Anatomy

New Feature Appears in

Smoke Signals Here at PTHS, where the drama is so prevalent, we have very skill-fully observed certain individuals, engaged in more-than-just-friends re-lationships, are experiencing difficult situations- most of which cannot be resolved with a simple “I’m sorry.” We get it-you are obviously going to marry your high school lab partner/locker buddy/ride home/late pass/third hand …really, we do. However, we also understand that these “friendships” come with their fair share of tears, drama, and heartbreak. This is where we come in. We are not promising overwhelming success, but we have seen every sappy, romantic movie ever made and can offer a third party opinion (assuming you have yet to consult your parents). We are concerned, fellow students who just happen to possess a gift of advisement to those unfortunate couples who feel their high school love life is slipping away. However, even though we like to think we are geniuses, we cannot possibly know who is having a problem or what the problem could be. This is where you come in. You are our inspiration. You are the only source that we have. You are the reason we are starting this monthly column. You worry us, and your stories are needed. So, write to us. Drop-off boxes will be located in the guidance office and in the library.

We also understand that, by writing to us, you are being very brave, so we are going to keep this column completely anonymous. However, we would like you to know when we are answering your question in the newspaper, so we have come up with what we think is a very efficient system. Next to each drop-off box, we will have question forms where you will be able to discuss your problem, state your gender, and come up with a creative name with which we will identify you (Desperately Confused, Hopeless Romantic, Passionately Loveless, etc). We would also like to keep this anonymous on our end as well. We are not going to print our names. This is for us to know and for you to wonder about.

We want to reassure you, the writer, that we are not going to simply critique and gossip about your problems. We are writing this column because we feel that it needs to be written. With the already enormous high school workload that you are dealing with, relationships should be your safety net, not the source of more stress. We really do want to help, so give us some ammunition. We promise to take our best shot.

are already in repeats. This isn’t to say that they don’t have new episodes to present, it just means the network or producers support the strike. Even if they don’t support the strike, they only have so many unaired episodes filmed before they run out, and no one is there to write a new one. Are students really so attached to television that this will affect them? As it turns out, it does greatly. When fifty students were asked about the show they would be missing most, twenty-five different television programs were named. Leaders amongst the poll were Hannah Montana, Desperate Housewives, and The Office. “Every Thursday I used to look forward to watching The Office, without new episodes on, my Thursday nights have no meaning,” sophomore Anni Keffer explained. It seems

that students are very in touch with their television schedules. Most students found it difficult to pick only one show they’ll miss. Freshman Alyssa Trier stated, “I have a very strict schedule, and I would die if I missed one of my shows.”

In fact, the average student watches TV or movies for about four hours a day. Is this really time spent wisely? “TV is not always a bad thing, it’s a good way to stay updated on current events,” said sophomore Brad Trylko. On the other hand, there are plenty of mindless TV shows like Tila Tequila and I Love New York. Perhaps, a writer’s strike is just what we need. It will give us time to get ahead on our school work, get in touch with an old friend, and more importantly, finally catch up on those old episodes of House.

Andrew Nixon ‘08: My favorite toy is my Shox 360.

Keith Quinn’09: Legos. Yeeeeaaah!

Laura Karras ‘10: Candyland.

Grant Kocher ‘10: McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys.

Tyler Martik ‘11: My football.

5PTHS December 2007

features

Mad

Abo

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Fash

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By

Mad

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Picking the Perfect Coat

Loco for CocoaWarm up with the Best Cocoa

on the BlockHot for Hot Chocolate

Nothing is more stressful than getting out your winter coats and not have a single one fit. Some may look so old you wonder if they could pass for vintage. These are some simple pointers that will help you find the perfect coat. First, pea coats, puffed jackets, and vests are good for the warmer winter days, and fur jackets and jackets with the higher necks are very popular and will also keep you warm in the cold weather.

This season’s pea coats are bigger than ever. Pea coats that poof or flow out, according to ‘Elle’ magazine, are very high in fashion and are seen all over. You can top your pea coat off with a medium sized belt strapped around your waist to add a ‘street chic’ look. Pea coats with the high neck and large buttons going down the front are another smart choice you could make this season.

If it is a warmer day and you want something that’s not as hot and bulky, you could try a vest. You have seen them, the big, colorful jackets that are in stores now. If you like the puffy feeling of a large coat, you could get the jacket with the longer sleeves. To be more fancy, you could go for the fur coats. There is no specific popular color this season. My advice is the brighter the colors, the more you will stand out in the crowd.

Skinny scarves are no longer popular. Warmth has taken over this season with the huge, bulky scarves that keep you warm on the snowy days. The scarves that your grandma knitted for you will come in handy this season. Even make a gesture and ask her to knit you one. You will earn brownie points from the grandparents and also look fashionable.

Review: Hot Chocolate Review

Some people go crazy for hot cocoa this time of the year. If you are one of these people, I will hook you up with the best places to find the hot chocolate you crave. If you have a sweet tooth and want a flavorful blend of cocoa, you can’t go wrong at the Farmhouse. At a reasonable price, your taste buds will thank you while you sip the warming refreshment, topped off with cold whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. For those of you who enjoy a screaming hot, semi-sweet blend, Starbucks is the way to go. It may be a little more costly then other places, but you can always be sure your cocoa will be hot and you can get it quickly when you are in a hurry. Finally, if you like your cocoa semi-warm and not too strong, swing by the marketplace. Their hot chocolate is light and will go great with a treat from the bakery. So next time you are going loco for a cup of cocoa, remember my advice and go to the place that best suits you and your taste buds.

A classic winter pick-me-up, hot chocolate is popular all around, but who has the best? I traveled to three well-known coffee shops to test out just how good their hot chocolate was. I went to Starbucks, Giant Eagle: Market District, and Farmhouse cof-fee. Starbucks was my first stop. I thought their hot chocolate was overpriced, especially for the quality of it. They charged a whopping $3.50 for a small cup. It tasted as if it had gone through a coffee filter. It was very bitter, as though they used dark chocolate to make it. I personally didn’t like it. However, it tasted a little better than the Market District’s. When I got my cup of cocoa from Giant Eagle’s Coffee Shop, it wasn’t even hot, and it was very thin, like a water substance. Giant Eagle’s price was a little lower, coming in at $2.50 for a small cup. The chocolate all sunk to the bottom, making the first half of the drink not sweet at all and the second part overpowered by chocolate.

Lastly, I tested out The Farm House. At a cheap price of $1.80, I got one of the best hot chocolates I’d ever tasted. It was the perfect temperature, and the consistency was just right. I even got the option of marshmallows or whipped cream on top with a chocolate drizzle. It was the perfect drink to warm me up on the cool November day. If you want the best hot chocolate, I suggest Farmhouse Coffee.

Emily CorrealStaff Writer

Bridget StasenkoStaff Writer

What’s the best way to warm up this winter? Try grabbing a cup of hot chocolate. After testing three of the most popular coffee shops in Peters Township: Starbucks, Giant Eagle’s Market District, and Farmhouse Coffee, I’ve ranked each place’s hot chocolate. In order to do this, I ordered the same exact drink– a small hot chocolate with skim milk and no whipped cream. Farmhouse Coffee had by far the best hot chocolate. The texture was smooth and the chocolate was delicious. It wasn’t over done at all and had the perfect mixture, unlike Giant Eagle’s Market District, whose hot chocolate was more like dark chocolate, giving it a bitter taste and grainy feel. However, once it was stirred up, the texture softened and it was much easier to drink. This was almost exactly like Starbucks, only the consistency never got better. They’re known for the frappuccinos and lattes for a reason, the hot chocolate was awful. The chocolate tasted like it had been ground up with coffee, then poured into a cup. All in all, the best hot chocolate around here was at Farmhouse – and the price was great too, at only $1.80 for a small cup. This was a nice break compared to the same size cup at wallet-breaking Starbuck’s $3.50 and Market District’s $2.50. For a nice break from the cold, curl up and relax with Farmhouse Coffee’s outstanding hot chocolate.

Melanie HoffmanStaff Writer

The Peters Township High School’s Thespian Troupe 185 recently participated in the Pennsylvania State Conference (also called Festival). The event serves as a yearly display of high school drama productions, including solo and duet performances, short skits, one acts, musical selections, dance features, various workshops, and even full-length plays. Hosted by York Central High School in York, PA, Peters was the oldest Troupe in attendance. The event’s theme, “Building Character”, was illustrated through the many student chair members decked with hardhats and tool belts.

“State Conference is the greatest experience known to mankind. Period,” stated senior Eli Diamond, Troupe Historian. Eli also served as this year’s representative chair, and director of the One Act “The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World”, written by Jonathan Rand.

The play featured seniors Natalie Palamides and Jess Ward as two comically conservative hosts of an off-kilter infomercial. The plot centered on the magical ‘Script Cleaner 500’. With all the controversy over high schools performing plays and Broadway musicals, the Script Cleaner 500 is guaranteed to wipe away all content dubbed ‘inappropriate’. The piece constantly made fun of the bloody scenes in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the topic of “relationship indecency” in the play ‘Angels in America’, and just about every aspect of the Broadway musical and blockbuster ‘RENT’.

The cast consisted of: Natalie Palamides as Shelly and Jess Ward as Alice, the hosts, Carl Mitchell as Roma/Dennis, Drew caliguri as Williamson/Mark, Nate Meyers as Linqk, Caitlyn Roberts as Tybalt, Eli Diamond as Mercutio, Samuel Rodgers-Melnick as Roger/Warren, Kyle Bloser as Abraham/The Falling Chandelier, Jackie Deily as Benvolio, Renée Wunderlich as The Page/The Surgeion, Tomas Raugh as Romeo/Jason, Laura Sunday, Gina Wagner, and Alexa Baxendell as the ‘Toga Girls’ (chorus), Christine Ghetto as Medea, Jessica Rothaar as Frankie,

Alex Kocher as Jonny, Annemarie Hall as Harper, and Angelina Nepa as a female opera singer. Natalie Palamides was awarded as being the most dynamic actress by the professional judging panel. The members from the Troupe also sang “For Now” from the popular musical “Avenue Q”. The piece was directed by Drew Caliguire (who will serve as Peters Township’s chair member for next year’s Conference) and choreographed by Christine Ghetto.

“Festival is always amazing. You meet so many talented people who share your interests,” said Ghetto, “I’ve realized that, although I’m really enjoying my senior year, I wish I was a junior so I could come back again.”

While there were no puppets present, this spunky and inspirational version of the song looked deeply into the fact that nothing in life (exempting death and taxes) is forever.

Those who attended Festival in addition to the student thespians were Karyn Kuhn, Sponsor, and Mr. Barry Wood, the Troupe’s founder.

Comedy and Tragedy: Under ConstructionRenée Wunderlich

Co-Editor-In-

Junior and senior thespians of Troupe 185 gather together at the Pennsylvania State Conference to sing, dance, and celebreate the art of theatre.

Photo by Renee Wunderlich

Let There Be

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and naturally everyone knows it’s Christmastime. And why is that? Because every year around that time we’re all running around like Santa’s little elves being forced to help our parents put up the Christmas decorations. The truth is, it isn’t until after the lights have been put up when it really starts to feel like the holiday season. It’s that warm, fuzzy feeling we all get while taking a ride down the street on a cold December night, seeing all the different Christmas lights at each and every house. It’s sort of a magical feeling, one that makes you feel like a little kid again. It’s the feeling of holiday cheer, and it all begins with the lights. The American tradition of Christmas lights has been shared since the invention of the light bulb, but we all know it’s become much more than just a tradition. Every year we witness manger scenes, wreaths, light up reindeer, luminescent Santas, icicle lights, and colorful strands of tiny bulbs strung across trees in the front yard of the average American home. Neighbors are getting more and more competitive to see who has the best lights. Communities have seen everything from the simple wreath on the door, to the Clark Griswold winter wonderland. No matter how little or over the top Christmas lights get, they still spread holiday cheer all over the neighborhood. Sure, Christmas is about so much more than decorations - it’s about family, generosity, and helping those in need. But I think everyone can agree: the lights just make the season that much more festive.

Christmas LightsAlex Egan

Opinion Editor

Let There Be

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and naturally everyone knows it’s Christmastime. And why is that? Because every year around that time we’re all running around like Santa’s little elves being forced to help our parents put up the Christmas decorations. The truth is, it isn’t until after the lights have been put up when it really starts to feel like the holiday season. It’s that warm, fuzzy feeling we all get while taking a ride down the street on a cold December night, seeing all the different Christmas lights at each and every house. It’s sort of a magical feeling, one that makes you feel like a little kid again. It’s the feeling of holiday cheer, and it all begins with the lights. The American tradition of Christmas lights has been shared since the invention of the light bulb, but we all know it’s become much more than just a tradition. Every year we witness manger scenes, wreaths, light up reindeer, luminescent Santas, icicle lights, and colorful strands of tiny bulbs strung across trees in the front yard of the average American home. Neighbors are getting more and more competitive to see who has the best lights. Communities have seen everything from the simple wreath on the door, to the Clark Griswold winter wonderland. No matter how little or over the top Christmas lights get, they still spread holiday cheer all over the neighborhood. Sure, Christmas is about so much more than decorations - it’s about family, generosity, and helping those in need. But I think everyone can agree: the lights just make the season that much more festive.

Photos by Alex Egan and Melanie Hoffman

Christmas Lights

oPinionsmoke signals

PTHSDecember 20078

Fishtank:‘Tis the SeasonBy Renée Wunderlich

Stinky SteelersBrian Lewis

Opinion Co-Editor

The Steelers are currently one of the most overrated teams in the NFL. Despite all the hype and hoopla surrounding them, the Steel-ers really have not had an impressive win all year. Yes, they did defeat Cleveland twice, but other than that the record is very shoddy. This includes losses to former Steeler’s offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona, and another to the Denver Broncos. Of course, we can’t forget about the inepti-tude the Steelers showed in their loss to the New York Jets, or the absolute shellacking the Steelers received at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Even their victories have not been as impressive as those generated by the New England Patriots or the Indianapolis Colts. A 3-0 win as time expired against the winless Dolphins showed just how far this team has fallen since its miraculous Super Bowl victory two years ago. Perhaps nobody is as big of an example regarding the lack of ability on the Steelers team as much as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Although Big Ben played an important role in the Steeler’s run to the Super Bowl, the past two years have shown

that he may not be the second coming of Terry Bradshaw that everyone thought he was. To me, Roethlisberger seems to be nothing more than a caretaker, a guy who just hands the ball off to Willie Parker without needing to do much else. He is not a

pure passer in any sense of the word - almost any time the Steelers are forced to throw the ball, Roethlisberger throws a crucial interception that demoralizes the entire team. One of the most troubling aspects of the Steelers is the lack of effort by the front of-fice to retain key players. Many people have heard about the much-publicized turmoil regarding a contract extension for offensive lineman Alan Faneca. In 2006, the Steelers ranked in the bottom half of the league in total payroll. This is puzzling, considering

that the Steelers have one of the most loyal fan bases, and consistently pack the stadium despite weather conditions that are some-what lacking. In addition to stadium revenues, the team receives a substantial payment from the NFL to help cover expenses. Now I understand that the Steelers are not the New

York Yankees, but can’t they at least put some money into the team? Although the entire team does not have to be made up of highly paid stars, there are certain players that need to be kept. Despite the fact that some stars such as Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward were signed to long-term deals that is not enough. Another issue with these Steelers is their inability to win on the road. Currently every loss has come away from home in stadiums that are not extremely hostile. All of these games have shown the Steelers to be

ineffective at holding onto the ball, and playing with the potential that they show when at home. This hurts the Steelers more than anything because the road to the Super Bowl will involve several road games. Their most recent game against the Patriots proved that the Steelers do not have the mentality to withstand the difficulty of playing on the road in the NFL. Unless Coach Tomlin is able to correct this pressing issue, the Steelers will always be a second-tier team in the NFL. Although the Steelers are currently leading the AFC North by a mere two games, times are not as rosy as they seem. In the past few games, the team has struggled to eke out two wins against inferior opponents, while getting picked apart by the premier team in the AFC, the New England Patriots. It may be that the only guarantee the Steelers have made over the past few weeks is that they will be sitting at home come the end of January.

“Of course, we can’t forget about the ineptitude the Steelers showed in their

loss to the New York Jets.”

Gift cards are a quick and easy way to provide something for everyone on your list, but they’re not always the best gift, nor are they always appropriate. Your relationship with someone plays a large role in determining the kind of gift you should purchase and how much you should spend on him or her. There are pros and cons to both gift cards and gifts. Here are some things that should be taken into consideration before you buy something:

While shopping, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind; shopping for a teenager requires a different mindset than when shopping for an elderly grandparent. As most teens don’t have a serious job, cash and gift cards may be the best bet. Gift cards also provide an easy way to provide gifts for everyone on your list, including schoolteachers and other adults, such as tutors or piano teachers. For adults, gift cards from upscale restaurants like Bella Piatto or the Capstone Grill are always a good idea, while teenagers can appreciate gift cards from Best Buy, Target, or clothing stores like American Eagle or Abercrombie and Fitch. However, if you’re shop-ping for a close friend or relative – parents, grandparents, siblings – it’s better to hand-pick something. These gifts should come from the heart and a generic gift card doesn’t always give the impression that a lot of time and effort was spent trying to find the perfect gift.

There are dangers to purchasing a gift card. Before you pay ten to twenty-five dollars for the card, be sure that there is no expiration date on it and that there is no fee for using it later. Visa gift cards, for example, begin to deduct $4.95 a month after six months if the card hasn’t been used. It’s your money; don’t let it go to waste. American markets rack up over eight billion dollars in unused gift cards every year, and most of it goes straight into the stores’ pock-ets. For the most part, companies will advertise if there is no charge for unused cards – it’s better for business. Another downside to gift cards is the lack of freedom that they provide. “When you give someone a gift card, you’re basically saying ‘here’s your present, but you can only use it in this specific place and it’s only worth this specific amount of money,’” stated sophomore Sam Fortna. And there’s always the problem that the amount that is given is too much or too little; if the buyer wants a sweater that costs twenty dollars and you’ve given her a fifteen dollar gift card, she still has money coming out of her own pocket. Then again, if you give a twenty-dollar gift card and the recipient wants a game that costs $18.99, there’s money left on the card that now goes to waste. Whi le g i f t cards are a good idea in the long run, be sure to think twice before purchasing one.

Gift Cards: Facts, Figures, Ugly TruthsKatie Ellis

Staff Writer Student frustration keeps rising due to the lack of space in the library for the most important people in this school: the students. Libraries have always been a quiet place to study and work, until recently. Now it’s almost impossible to get into the library because of the classes being taught in both the main library and lab.

Passes have been cut off for many study halls as a result of vandalism to the computers. Although it is a problem, it is not fair to completely shut out those who wish to do work in the library. It is also unfair to allow certain students library access everyday, while others are rarely able to go.

Senior Allison Auld complained, “There have been multiple times when I needed to type something or use a computer in the library, and there are no passes or no room.” “I don’t see why we can’t use the computers in the library if there is a class in the lab,” said junior Sam Higgins. Period one study halls are in an even bigger predicament considering the Career Resource Center is now closed that period.

Thank goodness for Mrs. Morriston, allowing some students to have emergency passes on occasion. She’s saved many grades, but there should not be wasted space in our library, let alone classes filling it up constantly. When asked about the space problem in the library, Mrs. Morriston responded by saying, “The only way to fix the present situation is by not allowing teachers to access the library either.”

Students who are willing and able to work should be able to do just that.

Lack of Library Space

Melanie Hoffman

Staff Writer

9December 2007 PTHSoPinion

Having politically correct things surrounding us everywhere brings comfort in the way that we cannot be offended by anything. This craze also has a negative side. It creates an illusion of what people and the real world are actually like.One part of being politically correct is using phrases and words that will not bring offense to anyone. Have you ever heard a person address someone who can’t hear as being visually oriented instead of deaf? Or some-one who isn’t tall being called vertically chal-lenged instead of short? At this point, these terms might seem a little ridicu-lous to include in our ev-eryday vocabulary, but at the rate that the “politically correct” movement is going, hearing these words and phrases no longer seems like such a stretch after all.

Addressing things in a politically correct way has gone beyond just words. Pictures used in school books, entertainers on T.V. shows, and even some characters from our favorite pasttimes are all feeling the pressure to give into the new “politically correct” world. The revolution started to gain the public’s attention once organizations hurried to make changes with the media.

A prime example of this is

when organizations wanted to change the beloved character of the Cookie Monster on Sesame Street to the Vegetable Monster, to spread the image of eating healthy food and making the right decisions when it comes to dieting. The most recent goals of these organizations trying to stress the point of being politically correct is to make the legendary Santa Claus lose some

weight and say, “Ha Ha Ha” instead of the commonly known jingle, “Ho Ho Ho”. The group claims that by Santa being overweight, the point of controlling obesity isn’t being stressed enough to children. Also, the word “ho” holds several meanings in today’s society and one of those meanings can be interpreted negatively towards women.

Although associations mean well when they choose what to change next and make politically correct, many people think it has gotten out of hand. “I personally think it’s ridiculous that everything has to be

considered politically correct. Real life was not intended to be perfect and by sheltering people, especially growing kids, from problems we have today and being polite in an over-the-top kind of way, it takes away from the reality of things,” said sophomore Laura Karras.

In a way, our society turns its back on its problems and points fingers at absolutely everything else to blame.

The issue of obesity has become a serious problem over the recent generation. Instead of facing the problem head on and making more serious changes, such as cutting down the number of fast food places in an area, organizations choose to point their

fingers at characters like Santa Claus, as the cause for such problems. The generations before ours grew up with a chubby Santa Claus and a cooking-eating Cookie Monster and obesity wasn’t a serious problem at the time.Obesity and some of the other issues our society now faces are the problem of the individual. If a person decides to go to a fast food place on a regular basis, that’s their choice, not Santa Claus or the Cookie Monsters.

Snowboarding, decorating the tree, and seeing my cousins.

Eating, sleeping, and being merry.

I am going to have to go with Elf.

Everything! The lights, the snow, the Christmas carols, the holiday cheer… I love it all!

Eating, sleeping, Seven Springs, and having a grand old time with my friends.

You’ll shoot your eye out! You’ll shoot your eye out!!! (A Christmas Story)

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

Pittsburgh Steelers season tickets. To get into my first choice college. And of course, a new pair of Ugg boots.

What does your Christmas break consist of?

What’s your favorite thing about Christmas?

What do you want for Christmas most this year?

SHE SAIDAlex Egan

HE SAIDBrian Lewis Christmas

Eating waffles on Christmas morning and visiting with relatives.

Parties with friends and family of course!

How do you celebrate the holidays?

School Sports: Separate But EqualGina Nepa

Staff Writer

It’s that time of year again and Christmas is right around the corner. You slept through Black Friday, shipping prices on websites are rising by the minute, and you hardly have any money to buy an expensive present. Do you want to buy the perfect gift on a small budget? If you answered yes to this question, then you need to follow the “gifts under $50” guide.

For Girlfriends: The best gift to give your girlfriend is something thoughtful, and gift cards are not thoughtful. Vera Bradley purses are a great gift to give. What girl doesn’t love a designer purse? There are six different items to choose from that are under $50. The Mini Hipster, Sherry, Katie, Tote, Amy, and Maggie are all examples of purses that range from $27-$50. These bags come in different colors and patterns. Another gift to give your girlfriend is a Coach wristlet. It is just as thoughtful as giving a Coach purse but not as expensive. The Bleeker signature wristlet and Chelsea signature wristlet are $48, so they are ideal gifts that fit your budget.

For Boyfriends: Guys are hard to buy for. So when picking the perfect gift for them, think of things that they will actually enjoy. You can never go wrong with getting him clothes. Find out what store he likes first. You can get two shirts for $20 at Champs, and Hollister is having a t-shirt sale, one for $12.50. When you are shopping with these sales you always get a lot for a little.

For Parents: You want to get your parents something that is appreciative and is meaningful. Relaxation is the key to making parents happy. So when shopping for their gift, consider getting them a gift card for a massage. At Geno Levi’s, a thirty minute massage costs $25. If you buy two massages for both of your parents, it will be exactly the right amount of money that you’re allowing to spend. Your parents will be happy that you were thinking of their needs when you give this to them Christmas morning.

For Siblings: “Anything my sister gets me I will like. It’s the thought that counts,” said junior Brooke Wilson. There is a wide range of things you can get your siblings for Christmas. Clothes, DVDS, and video games are only a few examples of what you can get them. As Brooke’s sister said, anything you get your sibling they will like.

For Friends: At Sephora, they have Philosophy shampoo and body wash. It ranges from $16-$20 and the scents are incredible. “My friend purchased me the Philosophy shampoo and it was amazing! I was never so grateful for something I put in my hair,” said sophomore Stephanie Lusk. If you are still confused as to what to get your friends, it is okay to resort to gift cards. If you don’t know what to get them, just give them a gift card so they can pick something they like. In the end, you’ll both be happy.

Christmas is a time for giving and if you follow this guide, you will be sure to give the people you love the perfect Christmas gift!

Inside our “Politically Correct” WorldStephanie Nitschmann

Staff Writer

Gifts Under $50 Guide

Dana Hoelle

Staff Writer

PT has always been known for its variety of recreational ac-tivities and overly energetic pep rallies. Controversy arises, however, as the true meaning behind these pep rallies is established. Students scoff at the school headline atten-tion and pep assemblies being solely focused on football. Recently, two girls from varsity tennis won the PIAA Class AAA State Girls Doubles title, but minimal focus was given. At the very least, a pep rally could have been assembled to honor the winning boys varsity soccer team for its victory in the PIAA Class AAA Championship game. Students ques-tion these decisions and why the school focuses on football. “The whole thing is stupid,” explained sophomore Carly Ellis. “Our football record is horrible.” Truth be told, various other sports teams have been winning

championships left and right, but the entire school prospers over the win of one football game. “I don’t like the fact that girls’ sports are less represented,” added sophomore Danielle Dolcich. Agreeing with Dolcich, a recent broadcast from www.nikewomen.com tries to highlight the bias that women face while on the athletic field. On www.nikewomen.com, Tamika Catchings, a famed WNBA player, explains that “It’s not a boys thing, it’s not a girls thing, it’s a skills thing.” Next time, before we raise our arms in celebration of a win on the football field, let’s look around at all of the other star sports teams nipping us in the bud. Pucks are shot into nets, baseballs are slammed across the field, and slam dunks are proclaimed. Let’s put equal consideration into the unbeliev-able effort that these various teams have put in. Go, PT!

“The group claims that by Santa being overweight, the point of controlling obesity

isn’t being stressed enough to children.”

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SportSSmoke SignalS December 2007

Holiday Conversation: Sports Movies

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ian Extra 01 01

Who is the NFL’s best wide receiver?

IJ: T.O. is the greatest athlete currently on this planet, let alone the best wide receiver in the league. He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns last year, even while playing with a broken bone in his hand. He is the best combination of strength and speed and he runs the best routes also, he is the best player in the league and the best receiver.

TR: I don’t really know what to say to such delusional praise of an athlete, but Randy Moss is definitely a better receiver. He can make the big plays when it counts. When he was in Oakland, he didn’t have a good quarterback to get him the ball. Now that he is with the New England Patriots and their pass-happy offense, Moss has scored 19 receiving touchdowns in 13 games. Anyway, Moss is also faster than T.O. and is a more integral part of his team’s offense.

IJ: I agree that Moss is a great receiver, but second best nonetheless. Owens brings more to the table than just touchdowns, celebrations, great catches, popcorn, and great suites. The guy is the second best blocking receiver in the NFL according to an SI player’s poll in 2006(behind Steeler, Hines Ward). He also is dedicated to winning. Moss’s dedication has been questioned many times, while T.O.’s hasn’t and never will be.

TR: Moss’s dedication has been questioned when the teams he has been on have had any other talent around him. T.O. has also had trouble in the past with his team play. All he did when the Eagles were struggling was blame Coach Andy Reid and his quarterback Donovan McNabb. To throw away all other statistics, whose team has more wins this season? I am far from a Patriots fan, but that statistic speaks for itself.

IJ: The Cowboys are the second best team in the league and obviously don’t have the same power as the Patriots, but T.O. is a better player. It is plain and simple; he makes his teammates truly shine. He may not always get along with all his teammates, but it is usually tough love. He has made below average quarterbacks such as Tony Romo actually become superstars, while Randy just cries if he doesn’t have a star throwing him the pigskin. Donovan McNabb has never had stats like he did when he was throwing to Owens. The only receiver in history better than Owens was his mentor, Jerry Rice. I guarantee somewhere Jerry is smiling knowing that he helped T.O. become the best.

TR: Everything you said in that last paragraph was totally wrong. First of all, how can you say T.O. makes his teammates better when he single-handedly ripped apart the Philadelphia Eagles franchise? I think your comment about Moss crying if he doesn’t have a star quarterback is the other way around. Tony Romo could not be considered in any stretch of the imagination “a below average quarterback”, and T.O. did not have anything to do with his rise to stardom. The NFC is so bad that without Owens, I think the Cowboys would still have 14 wins

IJ: I don’t ever want to hear that kind of talk about Terrell Eldorado Owens again (yeah that is his real middle name. Pretty sweet huh?). It is totally uncalled for. No comment on the Eagles situation, but what did Romo ever do without T.O.? You may say he never had the chance or whatever, but I can guarantee you he would have never had as much success without T.O. catching the dead ducks that he throws. If T.O. had Tom Brady and played in the Patriot’s offense, he would have at least 35 touchdowns.

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PointJaCKSon reliCHTaylor

Emily Correal: She Shoots, She Scores

As my family sat around the turkey, mashed potatoes, and other fixings of another absolutely delicious Thanksgiving dinner, I realized the need for more interesting conversation than just memories that consisted of “…well, back when we were in ‘Nam…,” and “…yet another time I had to bail out my little brother.” So, as everyone was wiping their eyes from the laughter, and going back for their second helping of pumpkin pie, I very casually brought up the subject of the greatest sports movie ever made. It’s a pretty safe bet that no one was expecting that to come up at that specific moment, but everyone definitely had their own idea of which movies were the best. I got pretty much the same responses from my dad, grandfather, and a few of my uncles. The list included Hoosiers, a classic, Caddyshack, naturally, and of course, a Rocky or two had to be thrown in there somewhere. However, as far as absolutes go, Bull Durham and

The Natural took the top spots. My younger siblings and cousins gave me a very typical, unoriginal, of-course-they’re-on-the-best-sports-movies-ever-list list. Remember the Titans (a movie that actually deserves to be in the top five) made this list, as did Invincible, which is all right if you are a Mark Wahlberg fan. Miracle was also suggested, which is another one that would make anyone’s top 10. Am I spotting a trend? Perhaps Disney’s sappy makings of inspiring true stories that tell of a teams’ hardships and how they work together to overcome them? It gets better. We Are Marshall and Glory Road topped off the U-10 (under-10) list of best sports movies ever made. Once I reached the brainstorm of my uncle and other grandfather, I was finally starting to get some creativity. I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with them, but at least they were thinking outside the box. First, Rudy. I know many people disagree, but I think Rudy is a great movie. Slap Shot

was another proposal by the duo, along with Chariots of Fire. I heard Rocky for the second time, and they put Field of Dreams in the number five spot. Again, I don’t agree or disagree with their list, however I must give them props for thinking of movies that my under-10 league has never even heard of before. I was surprised that I didn’t hear a few titles that I figured that I would, the first being The Sandlot, which is a personal favorite of mine. Another movie that wasn’t mentioned was Friday Night Lights, which, in my opinion, is one of the best football movies ever. The Mighty Ducks wasn’t brought up either, and even though it maxes out as far as clichés go, it still has a pretty good story.

I suppose the moral of my story is, when an awkward silence arises or you’re sick of hearing dumb stories for the trillionth time, bring up the subject of the best sports movies ever. You are guaranteed to hear from everyone and have a few laughs while you are at it.

Last year the Peters Township Boys Basketball team struggled throughout the season. They finished with a poor record and didn’t really even compete with many of their opponents. This year promises to be different. The team has the core of last year’s players returning as well as some new additions. The main reasons that this year will be different are: Nick Wilcox is another year wiser and more dominant than in the past, JD Adamsky will get a lot of playing time throughout the season, and this year’s seniors, such as Pat Russo, will continue to play steadily well. Wilcox was named as a player to watch by the Observer Reporter after last season. They were correct; Nick is off to a dominant start this season. He has led the team to a 5-0 record, with a team high 176 points and a clutch, buzzer beating shot to win one of those games. He was awarded the Player of the Week for his play in the first week of play this season. Nick is the leading junior on the team, alongside Steve Radke, and will be counted on to be a valuable leader to the younger players. One of those players includes sophomore Corey Wilcox, Nick’s little brother, who is constantly full of jokes. Coach Gary Goga, who is being recognized around the area as a great young coach, leads the team for his third season. He fully understands the type of talent and potential this 2008 team has. “I really like the talent we have this year. I have had talent in the past, but this team is looking really tough,” Goga stated confidently. “But they need to stick together and work hard, if they want to have a successful season.” Wilcox gives the Indians a player who is not afraid to drive to the hole, but also has the ability to knock

Nick Wilcox: Ready to Shine

“I see us going deep in the playoffs this season, for the first time in a long while.”

-Emily Correal, junior

Junior Emily Correal is as much a part of the girls’ basketball team as the team is a part of her. Since she began playing the sport in third grade, Correal has had many ac-complishments. She lead the high school team in scoring and rebounding in her first two years at PTHS. Among many awards, she has received the MVP award for the McGuffey tourna-ment and was the All-District player as both a freshman and sophomore. During WPI-ALs, she was named the All-Section player and was among the Fabulous Five. However, her proudest tri-umph was when she won the Observer Reporter’s Player of the Year award as a Sophomore. Correal credits her accomplish-ments to her dedicated father. “My dad helps me so much by giving me tips and coaching me whenever he gets a chance. It is great to have that support. He and my mom never miss a highschool game or AAU tournament,” she said. The girls’ basketball team has made huge progress – they’ve turned their record around from being 9 and 16 to 15 and 9 in just one year. Correal says that much of this success is due to the team’s foot speed and firm defense. She believes that the

combination of great teamwork and the girls’ individual talents has helped them get as far as they have. “I see us going deep into the playoffs this season for the first time in a long while,” she remarked. The team’s future is not the only one that looks bright; Correal plans to continue playing basketball in

college. “There are a lot of division colleges looking at me, and I’m going to visit the ones I’m interested in,” she said. Correal is going to attend a school that fits her academic needs as well

as basketball. Even though she will be moving on from high school in under two years, Correal will take many memories from her experiences, especially the team’s victory against Bethel Park this year. They had never beat them before. “The celebration when the buzzer sounded was priceless,” she recalled.

Averi Clements

Staff Writer

Jordan Dent

Sports Co-Editor

Ian Jackson

Staff Writer

Photo By: Emily Estep

down the outside shot. He is great at slashing through traffic and attacking the rim. That ability will give the team a great inside-outside combo when Nick is in with a good big man.

It is hopefully going to be a superb season for the team this year. They may have enough talent to finally remove the perennial losing from the minds of students. Will they make that happen? With a great player like Nick, they have the ability to do that and much more.

“I hope we can pull out many big wins this season against our section rivals,” Nick told me. “Individually I am aiming for around twenty points per game, but only to help

the team win. I think we can make the playoffs for the first time since 2000.”

Junior Nick Wilcox practices lay-ups. Wilcox leading the team in scoring with 25 points.

SportS

December 2007

B o y s ’ B a s k e t b a l l

G i r l s ’ B a s k e t b a l l

W r e s t l i n g

S w i m m i n g

H o c k e y

I n d o o r T r a c k

5-1, 2-1 in Section2nd place

Correal- 20 points

0-1

Season starts in January

Congratulations-State Champs!

7-2-014 points1st place

Meets begin in January

11December 2007

S p o r t s B r i e f s

6-0, 2-0 in Section1st place in WPIALWilcox- 25 points

We all knew the team was good, but it was just a matter of time until the whole state recognized us as a force in high school soccer. Peters Township added another chapter to its illustrious soccer history with a 2-1 overtime win against Downingtown West. After falling behind 1-0, PT rallied in the second half. Mark Majoras scored the tying goal on a pass from Tim Hutchins with 7:09 left in regulation. In overtime, Shane Pruitt shot the winning goal on an assist by Nick Wilcox, to boost the team to their first AAA state crown. For Coach Bob Dyer, this championship was both a return to state gold, as well as a return to Hershey for the fourth time. Dyer was on the Peters 1988 state championship team, as well as the 1989 team that shared the state championship with Great Valley High School. He was an assistant coach for the 1998 team who lost in the final game of the state playoffs to none other than Downingtown. “This last time for me was very special because as I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate the memories that myself and the team will hold forever,” said Dyer. Through the years, there have been many changes to the PIAA soccer championship. According to Dyer, the state championship has become much more prestigious and the level of talent has definitely been raised. This state championship has not come without hard work though. Coach Dyer said that the team had a specific approach to this game. “We wanted to make sure that our players knew as much about the other team as possible, and we kept distractions to a minimum.” Dyer explained that the goal throughout the playoffs was to make each game seem like any ordinary game. Coach Dyer said, “The reason the team went so far in the playoffs is that in every game someone else stepped up.” Shane Pruitt, the team’s most highly recruited senior said, “In the state final, everyone played their best, given the conditions.” The Indians overcame pressure, expectations, and most importantly Downingtown West. The soccer team was recognized by the

PT Soccer- State Champs Once More

Washington County Commissioner’s Office. The team’s juniors look forward to another championship- caliber season next year, but living up to this year’s expectations will be no easy task. “It was nice to celebrate and be recognized,” said junior Nick Wilcox, “but we have to focus on next season now.”

The Steelers Give Back

Christmas is a time of giving, and professional athletes are taking the opportunity to lend a helping hand. All across the country they are using their million dollar salaries for good, by giving back to the less fortunate. But no team contributes more than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch is one of the strongest supporters of charity. His foundation, The Best of the Batch, benefits local children from the Homestead area. Batch provides underprivileged kids with opportunities to play sports, go on field trips, and attend educational programs. This year he will receive the Jerome Bettis Award for Humanity and Community Service for his work in providing local kids with a better chance to succeed.

Defensive End Brett Keisel recently hosted the 65 Roses Sports Auction to benefit kids with cystic fibrosis. Keisel took a personal interest in the cause because some of the members of his family had been affected by the life threatening disease. “To have the support of the Steelers and the players, and that it

means that much to them to take time out of their day and do this means the world to us,” said the director of Western Pennsylvania’s chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Pat Joseph (steelers.com).

Deshea Townsend, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Carey Davis, and Anthony Madison donated their time to the Light of Life Rescue Mission over Thanksgiving. The players had the chance to help

prepare Thanksgiving dinner, sing Christmas carols, and talk with the less fortunate.

The Steelers have had a strong connection with Toys for Tots. Charlie Batch held a drive in Homestead to benefit local children, and the Steelers’ organization teamed up with the Marines for a Toys for Tots drive in early December. Linebackers Clark Haggans and LaMarr Woodley held their own toy drive to benefit Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital.

Also helping out Children’s Hospital were Health Miller, Matt Spaeth, James Farrior, Clark Haggans, and Carey Davis. They took time to sign autographs, take pictures, and interact with patients.

The National Football League also gets into the giving spirit. The NFL donates $30 million of airtime to the United Way Foundation to broadcast their public service announcements. The PSAs

feature athletes such as Shawn Merriman and DeShea Townsend who volunteer their time free of charge. Their messages of hope reach 120 million viewers every week.

If more athletes recognize

their responsibility to the community and give back the world would be a better place. Hopefully, the Christmas spirit will inspire more and more athletes to take an active role in their communities. “The more that you can do, you should. If we can bring a smile to their face just by showing up and having a conversation with, it’s the least we can do,” said Deshea Townsend (espn.com).

B o y s ’ S o c c e r

G i r l s ’ T e n n i s

The Indian soccer team finished the season with only two losses, and won the 2007 State Championship held in November at Hersheypark Stadium.

Congratulations to Emily Palko and Julie Stroyne-State Doubles Champs!

Taylor Relich

Staff Writer

Bill Berry

Sports Co-Editor

“The NFL donates $30 million of airtime to the United Way Foundation to broadcast

their public service announcements.”

Photo By: Emily Grisnik

Photo By: Emily Estep

VoiceS in the hall12

smoke signalsPTHS December 2007

Karen Jackson‘11“Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

Ron Massari ‘09“’I Won’t Be Home For Christmas’

by Blink-182”

Melissa Carbonara and Brighid Knoll ‘08

“Mr. Antonelli’s DNA Replication song”

Anni Keffer ‘10“Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

Luke Cellini ‘11 “My cousins sprinkle ‘Reindeer

dust’ on the front yard.”

Jenna Simmons ‘09“My family opens our gifts on

Christmas Eve”

Valerie Lang ‘08

“My parents hide a pickle ornament in our Christmas tree and whoever finds it first on

Christmas day gets an extra present.”

Robert Lois ‘10“I write love letters”

Mr. Compeggie “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’, because it’s my daughter’s favorite

song”

Mr. Maize “’Silent Night’, because it brings

out the true meaning of Christmas.”

Mr. Whalen“Once I was done unwrapping

my stocking, I would put it on my foot and wear it the rest of

the morning.”

Mrs. Kocan “Um, finding a pickle on the tree.”

What is your favorite holiday song?

What’s your strangest holiday tradition?

What the Teachers Have to Say

the

PT

Pete Ross ‘08

What was your best Christmas ever?When my brother fell off the tree, while he was trying to decorate

it.What was the best gift you’ve ever gotten?

Stenger in a Santa SuitWhat was the best gift you have ever given, and to who?

Tube Socks for my momDo you have any Christmas traditions?

Leaving cookies for Santa Claus, and a rose for Mrs. ClauseWhat is your favorite Christmas movie, why?

Bad SantaWhat is your favorite Christmas carol, why?

Feliz Navidad

Sean Connors ‘08

What was your best Christmas ever?I’ve never had a good Christmas.

What was the best gift you’ve ever gotten?Can Opener

What was the best gift you have ever given, and to who?I don’t give gifts.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?No

What is your favorite Christmas movie, why?Home Alone

What is your favorite Christmas carol, why?Run, Run, Rudolph, because Mikey D said so.M

inu

te