Smoke SignalsMay 2012

Photo by Lexi Harmon

Smoke SignalsVolume 3 Issue 5Peters Township High School

264 East McMurray RoadMcMurray, PA 15317Phone: 724-941-6250

www.ptmedia.net

Photo by Lexi Harmon

Meet the Staff

Carly BeckLife & Style Editor

Amanda MooreNews Editor

Denée RenzLayout Editor

McKenzie FritzOnline Editor-in-Chief

Katie FinnLife & Style Editor

Madison MinconeSports Editor

Molly DoehringPrint Editor-in-Chief

Christine ManganasOnline Editor-in-Chief

Katie DenningManaging Editor-in-Chief

Valerie KotarSpecial Features Editor

Allie SchlafmanLayout Editor

John GalaticPrint Editor-in-Chief

Liz WeimerOnline Editor-in-Chief

Julia GauthierEntertainment Editor

Stephanie HammellMarketing Editor

Val GobaoLayout Editor-in-Chief

Smoke Signals StaffJosh GlicksmanAlexa Kennedy

Bobby LewisLaura PurkeyJenna Taimuty

Benjamin Zalewski

Camille BarnesMadison Creehan

Elise JozwiakLydia McCall

Lindsey McCayAndrea Salizzoni

Grant TaylorMichelle Thomas

Taylor CoxShane Dazen

Jesse EbyJillian Eby

Smoke Signals is produced six times a school year by Media II, III, and IV Jour-nalism students. The staff adviser is Mrs. Sitler. Commentaries, reviews, and opin-ion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Smoke Signals, its advisor, or the Peters Township School District.

Mission Statement:

Ta

ble

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4-5 PT FocusNHS Induction

6-7 SportsGirls Softball Seeks Success

8-9 Opinion

10-11 Life and StyleUggs Causing Foot Problems

12-13 Retirement

14-15 People Features Art Plastic Scupltures

16-17 Retirement Part II

18-19 Entertainment

Kony20-21 News Features

Summer Water Parks

22-23 Student WorkMixed Art

Senior Reflection

4 PT Focus

On Monday, April 16 in the auditorium, 73 students were inducted into the National Honors Society. The inductees attended a brief ceremony, concluding with the holding of a candle while reciting the NHS oath. After the induction, a reception in the library was held, offering the students slices of cake and punch to celebrate. Congratulations to the following students:

InductIon dayJoshGlicksman.StaffWriter

With summer get-ting ever closer, the students of PTHS often lose focus on schoolwork and look forward to the months of June, July, and August. The class officers, however, are already planning events for 2012-2013. Recently, the class of-ficers took a trip to Mt. Leba-non High School. They were able to interact with the class officers from Mt. Lebo, and see how they handle tasks dif-ferently. “It was insane, they’re so put together and really know what they’re do-

Class Officers Field Trip Sparks ChangeLauraPurkey.StaffWriter

ing,” stated junior class officer Garrett Warmbein. The Mt. Lebanon class officers have a large influence on their school. Not only is the election process much more rigorous than the one at PT, but the ML class of-ficers have other students act as their assistants. In general, they assert more influence over school events with planning, organizing, and enacting. This has prompted the PTHS class officers to take a more activee role for next year. During the trip, the class officers talked with stu-dents from Mt. Lebo about

many important school events, but the main fo-cus was on prom. Mt. Lebanon has prom on a Thursday night (se-niors only), and the next day the senior class has off school. They hold their prom at the William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh. In addition, once their dance is over, students return back to their high school for an after-party and are locked inside until five AM. “Next year, we hope to try and make prom and other events even better than they have been in past years,” stated junior class Vice President Bryan Hall.

Alyssa AburachisAlexis Alavi

Cecilia AllisonAlisha Ambe

Alexis AntonucciHaley Banashefski

Ryan BlackBethany Brenneman

Rebecca BrottHannah CarpenterJennifer Cashman

Cara CasilliLukas Cervenak

Riley CraneLauren Dainesi

Thomas DevineIan Dickey

Alexa EkbergRebecca Flaugher

Jake FloydGage Fremer

Georgia GagianasRebecca GhobrialAlicia Gialanella

Joshua GlicksmanAdam HarschKelsey HunterJohn HusseyEmily KochVida Komer

Georgia KourakosJillian Kovac

Katherine KrajovicLeah Krawiec

Veronica LatskoDaniel Leon

Maxwell LindsayAnthony Lioon

Brandon LoGwen Lusterk

Melanie MagiskeRyan MalenciaKavan MallyChase Maszle

Katherine McGovernChristina McNeal

Italo MeranteAdelaide Mikec

Kyle MottolaMatthew Neky

Nicole PalomboAdam ParkerMegan Parker

Richard PfeufferRyan PollackTyler Pollack

Aaron RanalloKristina Rhen

Melanie Roberts Danny Schuerle Julia Schuerle

Matthew StableinBrenna SweeneyMarcus Ubinger

Devin UlamOlivia Vanistendael

Joshua VernerNicholas WellsNathan Wolk

Nicole WolowskiClayton Wunderlich

Sherrie YangMacie Zelenko

Photos by Mrs. Belcher

Photo by Photography Class Officers

May 2012 5

Peters Township Po-lice Officer Jim Stevick was hired on April 16th for the re-mainder of the school year. His job is to support the school’s proactive approach to provid-ing a secure learning environ-ment. He was approached by his boss, Chief Freucht of the Peters Township Police Depart-ment, because Chief Freucht felt that Officer Stevick would be able to maintain a safe en-vironment while building trust with the student body. Some of the benefits of working at the high school include interacting with students and working con-sistent daylight hours. Officer Stevick’s main responsibility is to keep the students safe. “We want students to be able to come to us with concerns. We don’t want them to be afraid. We are not here to hurt them, we are here to pro-tect them,” said Officer Stevick. This security extends

beyond the classroom into the community specifically focused on the Lewis and Clark Expedi-tion formerly known as Assas-sins. “The majority of people that live or work in the township are not aware of the game. They become alarmed when they see people dressed in black, running or sneaking amongst houses, businesses and cars,” stated Officer Ste-vick. “When responding to such calls, officers have no way of knowing if they are going to confront a participant of this game or a criminal.” Officer Stevick be-lieves it is a fun game that he would have enjoyed participat-ing in but he advises students to make wise decisions. After several years as a police officer, Officer Stevick can easily determine the best and worst aspects of his career. “The best part of my job is interacting with people,

and the worst part is going to accidents and seeing people suffer,” stated Officer Stevick. “I love the outdoors and my first choice was to become a Wildlife Conservation Officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commis-sion. I soon realized that would interfere with my hunting, therefore the next best choice was to become a police officer. I can’t see myself doing anything else.” Officer Stevick enjoys hunting, fishing and hiking with his family. In high school, he described himself as an “av-erage student” and he swam for his high school swimming team during his junior year. He is a Steelers fan and he enjoys watching college basketball re-gardless of what teams are play-ing. During his brief time here, he has noticed one trend among students. “Students avoid look-ing at me in the halls. Hopefully

they will open up by the end of the year and be able to ap-proach me with their concerns. I’m not here to scare them,” said Stevick. The high school com-munity thanks Officer Stevick for taking the time to keepour school safe.

PT Officer Stevick Secures Students’ SafetyRebeccaPerryman.StaffWriter

Thank God, summer is just around the corner. An en-tire student body is itching to shed its school-time skin and is patiently awaiting the flood of summer euphoria. With the an-ticipation of this being “the best summer ever” maybe cash will come in handy. However, this cash may not exactly come from your dream job but there are plenty of options available for all personality types. Smoke Signals has compiled a list of jobs for you to spend your sun-shiny days earning some money. “I have had a job as a hostess, babysitter, and tutor, but being a lifeguard is where I belong,” said junior Alexis Aronson. “I get excited for summer because I know I’ll be working.” If you enjoy being in the sun or spending your days la-zily by the pool, then lifeguarding is a job you should consider. Lounging in a chair and working on your tan is the ideal summer day for any typical teen and a perk of the job. However, it is not always paradise. You may find yourself scrubbing bathrooms and handing out band-aids to shrieking boys and girls. Requirements include knowing CPR, having a license from the Red Cross, and people skills. Availability is also a major must.

Pointers to a Part-Time JobAlexaKennedy.StaffWriter

Does setting your own fees, choosing working hours, and having no contracts sound like a dream job? Depending on your compatibility with children or lawnmowers, asking around the neighborhood if anyone needs landscapers or babysitters can be the answer. This opportunity could be the job of your dreams, especially if you are the entrepreneur type. With the exception of an onslaught of rainfall or a shortage of the kids’ favorite snacks, the satisfaction of setting your own schedule and helping others is completely worth the trouble. If a sport or hobby of yours keeps you happy during the school year, you are likely to enjoy it in the summer as well. Work-ing at a golf course or batting cage could be refreshing. Driving around golf carts or working a snack shack is time well-spent, and you most likely earn more than minimum wage. Although that may sound ideal, customer service oriented jobs sometimes require you to deal with difficult people. If the school year is too hectic or your return next fall is called off by college, a seasonal restaurant, such as Rita’s, is the perfect place to earn some extra cash. Although the schedule can get hectic, your wallet will persuade you otherwise.

Officer Jim Stevick hopes to build trust with the high school communi-ty while providing a secure learning environment

6 sPorTs

The Peters Township softball program has always surrounded itself with unwav-ering talent, and this season is no different. Senior pitcher Tara Konopka and senior catcher Morgan Matetic head-line a cast of savvy ballplayers who are determined to capture a section title, as well as a WPIAL crown. The two, who recently signed letters of intent to Drexel (Konopka) and George Washington University (Matetic), will play a large fac-tor in the team’s success. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play past the high school level and having some of my teammates move

on as well is special,” said Ma-tetic. Behind the pitcher and her backstop is a team that is as capable as any in the league when it comes to flash-ing the leather. Sophomore sec-ond baseman Tori Weida and senior shortstop Kellie Lewis will be counted on to man the middle of the field. Defense is a major key to succeeding in high school softball, and one of the team’s goals is to tighten up the holes in the field. “If we want to com-pete with everyone else in the league we need to make sure we are making smart plays in the field and backing up our

pitchers,” stated freshman Kel-lyn Perich. At the plate, the Lady Indians will have to cut down on strikeouts to have a great season. Their section features some elite pitchers, and the team will have to continue to make adjustments to stay ahead to remain a strong con-tender in a tough section that includes rivals Canon MacMil-lan and Upper St. Clair. How-ever, there are some personal goals that need to be attained as well. A couple ambitions include improving batting average, increasing RBI’s, and reducing strikeouts. For most members of the team, though,

it goes deeper than what looks good on the stat sheet. “I would like to be able to win more section games than we lose,” said freshman Katy Gaudlip.

Softball team SeekS SucceSSShaneDazen.StaffWriter

The coed track team has some of the best athletes in the school. There are no tryouts or cuts, but anyone who is willing to run mile long races, repetedly throw a jav-elin, or sprint until they can barely stand is clearly dedicated enough to strive for and expect success. The distance girls are working hard under the super-vision of Coach John Knabb.

The 4x8 relay team, consist-ing of Kenzie Stepanik, Marisa McKnight, Kristen Czajkowski, and Kara Erinburg is already making great strides. This race is very difficult, and the girls have already been successful at the meets. “John Knabb really whipped us into shape fast,” stated senior Kenzie Stepanik. “We had scrimmages early in the season, so it really helped us.” Thrower Margaret Halo is a freshman to watch. She can throw as far as some of the seniors and loves doing it as well. “The next few years of track will be great. I cannot wait to show people what I can do,” said Halo. As an up -in- coming star, Halo tries to stay in shape by eating right and staying ac-tive. On top of track practices, she plays in the Peters Township

recreational softball league. “I can’t sit still. I love always being somewhere to do some-thing,” explained Halo. Sophomore Andrea Salizzoni is a sprinter with a lot of heart. Even after suffering a season ending injury, she still stays active in the track team by being a manager. Before the in-jury, she ran the 100 meter dash and had a personal best of fif-teen seconds. She is determined to come back strong next year and go right back up to that time or even better. The Lady Indians Track team is full of desired athletes who compete seri-ously and enjoy doing it. All the girls on the team are a tight knit group, something that can be detected the second they walk onto the track. Stretching, warming up, and competing to-gether helps the team bond, and with the giant mass of students

attending practice everyday, it is no wonder why the team is destined to succeed.

“Its not a battle be-tween two teams. It’s a battle against yourself. That’s why I enjoy it so much.” said junior Alexa Kennedy.

Photo by Laura Counihan

lady IndIan’S track: runnerS, on your mark...AmandaMoore.NewsEditor

Photo by Carlee Wickstrom

Senior Marisa McKnight sprints to the finish of a relay during a re-cent track meet. She was a leader on and off the track this year.

Photo by Laura Counihan

6 sPorTs May 2012 7

JG: Remember the Titans is in a class of its own when it comes to sports mov-ies. Most movies of this genre are one dimensional, either focusing on only the serious aspect or the humor that can be found in sports. However, Remember the Titans has it all. It portrays a touching story of a high school football team that overcomes racial differ-ences to achieve their ultimate goal: a state championship. What makes the movie so great is that humor can be found throughout its duration. From the hilarious pregame workout to the “yo momma” jokes, the Titans had me laughing for a good hour and 45 minutes. The movie was based on a true sto-ry, so some of the more tragic elements, like a devastating car crash, were still included.

Yet, each time, the Titans over-come their adversity to become closer as a team and as a foot-ball family. For this reason, try-ing to compare any other sports movie to Remember The Titans would be pointless. GT: Remember the Ti-tans is a fantastic movie, how-ever Miracle is a much more inspirational film. Sure, Re-member the Titans is inspir-ing because of its theme of overcoming racial differences, but Miracle gives a strong sense of national pride. For those who have never seen Miracle, it is about how the 1980 U.S. hockey team defeated Russia to play in the championship game in which they won for the gold medal. This movie makes you feel incredibly proud to be an American. The joy that the U.S. shows after beating the Soviets is without parallel. The defeat of Russia was a pivotal moment for the U.S. because not only were the Russians heavily favored, but the country was in the midst of the Cold War, and the Sovi-et Union was the enemy. Every American should watch this movie if they haven’t already. JG: Oh, please. What problems did winning a gold medal in the Olympics solve?

Did it actually end the Cold War? I think not. At the very most, it took bragging rights away from the Russians. Amer-ica already had strong national pride even before that series, and I am pretty sure there have been more exciting sports mo-ments as well. Everyone hypes up the 1980 Olympic Hockey Championship upset as a magi-cal event that took divine provi-dence for it to even happen. Miracle was no miracle. It was simply a group of young men with a great work ethic and an even better coach. On the other hand, Remember the Titans was a true miracle. Perhaps the most difficult thing to maintain in this world is peace. The Titans did not just maintain the peace; they evolved from hating each other because of difference in skin color to loving each other as brothers. Granted, it takes a great team to win a gold medal in the Olympics, but it takes an even greater team to end many years of hatred between races. GT: Sure, Remem-ber the Titans shows how the players overcame racial differ-ences, but it is the story of just one team. Thousands of other schools had to go through the same thing when they decid-ed to integrate their schools.

The team in Remember the Ti-tans represents a multitude of other schools and teams. Miracle, on the other hand, is very unique because there is only one Olympic Men’s hock-ey team. Their struggles and triumphs are unique because only their team experienced them. To address the prob-lem solving issue, racism still exists in high schools around the country, but the Cold War is over. Without a doubt the players in Remember the Ti-tans share a special bond in the end, but imagine the bond the players of the Olympic hockey team felt after winning the gold medal. They earned Americans tremendous pride in their accomplishments, which, in the end, is insur-mountable.

under revIew: remember the tItanS or mIracle?JohnGalatic.PrintEditor & GrantTaylor.StaffWriter

It is that time of year again. As playoffs continue, sev-eral NHL players have put away their razors for a ritual that dates back to the 1980’s. Grow-ing a “playoff beard” became popular during the early 80’s success of the New York Island-ers, a team that won four Stan-ley Cups from 1979-1980 to 1982-83 and has gained steam ever since. It has become so popular that the NHL actually sponsors a ‘Beard-A-Thon’ con-test where fans send in pictures

of themselves pre-shaven and monitor their beard growth until their teams are eliminat-ed. Fans even pledge money for the growth of their beards. During the 2012 season alone the NHL site has generated more than $5,375, with all pro-ceeds going to Make-A-Wish Foundation. “I heard of this a cou-ple years ago and have been growing a beard for the play-offs ever since the Pen’s won the cup,” said sophomore An-drew Stroud.

Other athletes have joined in on the fun, like Pitts-burgh Steelers Defensive End Brett Keisel famously sported a dyed beard during the 2010 and 2011 football seasons. Furthermore, Keisel hosts “Shear the Beard” at the end of the season where he shaves his beard. Last year, the event raised more than $40,000 for Autism Awareness. Whether it is growing a beard for fun or challenging your inner athlete, enjoy the playoffs because it is the only

ready, Set, Grow for a Good cauSeTaylorCox.StaffWriter

excuse for looking disheveled, while raising money for a good cause.

AP Images Gene J. Puskar

AP Images

AP Images

8

Memes have been popular on Twitter, 9Gag, and apps on your smart phone. These are sarcastic Internet animations that have become an integral part of online culture and humor. Some of the most popular memes include one does not simply, success kid, un-helpful high school teacher, and condescending Willy Wonka. Let’s look at these popular memes through the lens of PTHS.

Pt meme madneSSJesseEby.StaffWriter

A boy was followed, two phone calls were made, and that same boy was shot. In the case of Trayvon Martin’s murder, these are the only piec-es of evidence known for sure. Everything else “known” about the last 60 seconds of Martin’s life is He Said – He Said. Con-sequently, the media has gone into a frenzy using uncon-firmed “facts” to decide on the case themselves, instead of let-ting the court do their job and develop an impartial ruling. Basically, the second this tragedy became break-ing news, every single media source immediately took one side or the other. There was no in-between, no unbiased tell-ing of facts. Instead, each dif-ferent media group used what-ever “evidence” they could find to prove their side. Through leaked school and police re-cords, they have made a mess of this case and the people it involves. However, in the end, no matter how much specula-tion the media does, only two people know what truly hap-pened during that mysterious 60 seconds. Unfortunately, one of them is going to say what-ever will get him out of trouble and the other won’t ever be able to tell his side. One example of incor-rect journalism surrounds the media’s varying reports about whether George Zimmerman, the alleged gunman, was in-

KatieDenning.Managing-Editor-in-Chiefjured during the crime. Accord-ing to CBS, a police officer at the scene of the crime claimed that Zimmerman was “bleeding from the nose and the back of his head.” However, on the oth-er side of the media spectrum, The Huffington Post claimed that surveillance video from the Sanford Police shows that Zimmerman “was ushered into the station without visible abra-sions, bruises or blood stains on his clothes.” These two different accounts both boil down to one question: which media outlet’s information is correct? Only one can be, but both are fight-ing hard to use their “evidence” to support their side of the argu-ment. Furthermore, differ-ent media groups are portray-ing both Martin and Zimmer-man incorrectly. The first photos released of Martin were from years ago when he looked young and innocent, not 6’2’’ and 160 pounds. Once that was discov-ered, the next photos the media used were of Martin in a hoodie. Coincidence? No, the photo was definitely used to evoke sympa-thy and incite a movement of support for Martin. These same media outlets also chose to por-tray Zimmerman with his 2005 mug shot, instead of a more re-cent photo. However, the media sources that do use recent pho-tos of Zimmerman often forget

60 Second myStery: QueStIonable medIa rePortInG on the trayvon martIn caSe

AP Images

Trayvon Martin was killed by his neighborhood watchmen George Zimmerman, and their case has caused a media upheaval. The two photos above show the media’s bias as they either try to portray Martin has young and inno-cent or Zimmerman as an already ac-cused criminal.

to mention the fact that he was arrested for assaulting a police officer. Finally, some media outlets have used Martin’s sus-pension (for a bag with traces of marijuana) and the fact that police once questioned him for stealing women’s jewelry (never proven) to paint Mar-tin in a bad light. These same media groups also follow blogs who claim that Martin stole the Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea he had with him on the night of his murder. This fact alone proves that media groups are pulling at straws to persuade people to agree with their side of the sto-ry. Furthermore, it’s these same media groups that fail to men-tion altogether that Zimmer-man was arrested for battery of a police officer and therefore was not permitted to become a police officer. Additionally, they often gloss over the fact that as neighborhood watchmen, Zim-merman was not legally sup-posed to carry a gun. After all the supposed “facts” have been laid out and worn to pieces, no one is any closer to knowing what truly happened on that tragic night. However, the media has made this a race issue and a national movement by using Martin as an innocent martyr for their petitions and marches. Unfor-tunately, during the process of

inciting these movements, they have tainted the reputations of both Martin and Zimmerman; they have also forgotten the fact that this is still a case about a poor boy who was murdered by a man who wanted to be a vigi-lante instead of waiting for the police to do their job.

May 2012 9

Well class of 2012, we’re about to burst out of ‘the Bubble’. It has taken four years, three principals, too many bad pep assem-blies, and one mystery pooper (don’t even ask), but graduation day is finally in sight. As people, we’ve spent some of the most tremulous years of our lives in this high school. While I can’t personally speak for the entire class, there have been moments when PTHS has made me want to go on a Britney Spears circa 2007 rampage. (No cars were beat with an umbrella during my high school career.) From waking up at the crack of dawn on a daily basis, to eating the mod-erately suspicious cafeteria food, there have been some unpleasant moments. However, I now realize that despite the drama, the last four years have been thoroughly enjoyable. As a school, we’re lucky to have excellent teachers. I’ve learned a lot from them and made friends and memories that are unforgettable. Come summer we’ll all be heading in different directions, but I’m glad to have spent the last four years with you…well, most of you. I’m not that sappy. I’ll be heading off to Germany for a gap year followed by Barnard

McKenzieFritz.OnlineEditor-In-Chief

a SarcaStIcally SentImental meSSaGe to the claSS of 2012

AP Images Joerg Sarbach

By time you read this you’ll be less than four weeks away from graduation meaning that you won’t be in school to read this, anyway.

College is finally with-in reach for seniors and the big-gest fear for most students is not the impending workload, but the freshman fifteen. Ev-eryone has heard the warnings from previous students, but usually no one knows how to stop the pounds from packing on. However, with a few tips and healthy habits, seniors will be able to tackle this fear. The first and most important tip is to adopt healthier food habits before and after starting college. Stu-dents should avoid eating when stressed, studying, or watching TV and avoid skipping meals. By eating during these vulner-

beatInG the freShmen 15StephanieHammell.MarketingEditor

able times, students’ bodies will want to eat more and therefore cause them to overeat. Instead students should choose foods with more nutritional value such as whole grains, vegeta-bles, fruit, lean meats, low- fat or nonfat dairy and light salad dressing. Also, students should not forget to watch portion siz-es and avoid going back for sec-onds. To know the perfect por-tion size, divide the plate into four sections protein, starch, and two vegetable sections.

The next healthy habit is knowing how to approach a college dining hall. Instead of thinking of food as bad or good students need to pay more

College to study English and Political Science or, as my parents lovingly say, “double majoring in unemployment.” However, I’ll always be able to look back on my memories of PT fondly (insert sad violin song here). In all seriousness, high school may not have been perfect but it has been memorable. I’m glad to have had the experience

attention to the portion size and how often they eat certain foods. Rather than counting calories, they should concen-trate on getting the nutrients their body needs by eating a variety of healthy foods. Stu-dents can vary their diets by trying new healthy foods they would usually not eat. Students should not linger in the dining halls. Since, most dining halls include a buffet the longer stu-dents stay the more likely it that they will return for more. Also, they should stock up on healthy snacks and keep them on hand and in their dorm room.

It is important to ex-ercise frequently and regularly. Some studies have found stu-dents who exercise at least three days a week were more likely to have better physical health, greater happiness, and be more productive than those students who did not exercise. Start by trying to work at least thirty minutes of an exercise activity into your daily routine. Some activities include walking, swimming, working out at the gym, jogging, a pickup game, or even attending exercise classes at a local recreation or college wellness center.

Finally, the key to

maintaining a healthy lifestyle is getting enough sleep. Recent studies have linked a healthy weight with getting enough sleep at night. Sleep is also a great way to manage stress without prompting over eat-ing. The recommended amount of sleep is seven to eight hours each night. To make the most of sleep, keep a regular sleep-ing schedule. Furthermore, students should avoid drinking caffeinated drinks in the eve-ning and listening to loud mu-sic before bed. Gaining weight during the first year of college may occur due to being away from familiar places. But with these tips stu-dents should able to maintain a healthier lifestyle and avoid the dreaded freshmen fifteen.

AP Images Larry Crowe

AP Images Tony Dejak

10 LiFe & sTyLe the PrIce of a bronze Glow

With prom and summer around the cor-ner, everyone is vying for rays of sunshine to achieve their bronze glow. Although a tan has been perceived as a sign of health for years, more and more research is showing the real risks of UV radiation. The scary truth is that any color change of the skin is evidence of cell dam-age. While abstaining from any level of tan may not be realistic, especially for teen-age girls, steps towards un-derstanding the risk of an obsession are essential. While lying out in the sun is just as harm-ful as laying in an indoor sun-bed, salons can offer a tan year round making this harmful habit more al-luring. Tanning beds emit AP Images Pedro Pedroncelli

With Prom season in full swing, hysteria has broken out to find the perfect dress. Though the dance is quickly approaching, there is no need to panic. By following this year’s trends, there is no doubt you will look like Cinderella. Nude and blush dresses will be making a comeback in popularity again this year, and may be even trendier than last year. These dresses definitely have a romantic and somewhat vintage feel. Most feature lace, tulle, or chiffon, making them appear soft and flowy. A dramatic charcoal or silver toned necklace goes well with a pair of simple studs and a bracelet. Hair and makeup should also be soft to go along with this dress style’s feel. Branching off from last season’s high-low cut dresses are this year’s chiffon overlay style dress-es. Though very similar in idea, the chiffon overlay features a cocktail-type short dress underneath a see-through overlay of chiffon or mesh-like fabric. They have been very popular so far on the red carpet this season. With this style, girls will not have to choose whether they want a short or long dress! It’s a great choice for girls who are planning on wearing their

prom dress again because they can take it to tailor to transform it into a short cocktail dress for less formal occasions. As far as jewelry goes, be bold. Since this is such a sleek and modern style dress, you have the ability to wear trendy jewelry as well. Try a chunky pair of earrings and a bunch of layer-ing bangles. Wear your hair in a chic little bun or with a headband for extra sparkle. Since this dress is so unique, you can have fun with the accessories. Though sequins and jewels have always been an important part of the classic prom dress, this year’s bedazzled dresses take it to a whole other level. Almost every big-name designer is us-ing large, chunky beads in geometric shapes. This is another ultra-modern look. Chandelier earrings emphasize the dramatic vibe of the dress. Makeup should feature something dramatic as well, whether it be a smokey eye or bright lip color. A volumous pony will go great with these dresses and will also show off the earrings. Finish the look with some killer platform stilettos.

Dramatic Prom Dress Trends for 2012MollyDoehring.Editor-inChief

AP Images

CarlyBeck.Life&StyleEditorboth UVA and UVB rays, both of which can dam-age the DNA in the skin. Excessive exposure to both types of rays increase the risk of several types of skin cancer, including the most deadly, malignant melano-ma. There are over 132,000 cases of malignant mela-noma and over two mil-lion of other skin cancers diagnosed worldwide each year (World Health Orga-nization). In addition to the most obvious risk, oth-er injuries can arise from regular tanning sessions. Burns and eye damage as well as premature aging, allergic reactions, immune system suppression, and premature aging are com-mon.

If a tan is something you cannot live without, try swapping the tanning bed for an airbrush spray tan. The end result is the same yet much less of a risk. While avoiding an overload of UV exposure is im-portant, there are also smaller steps that can be taken to im-prove skin health. Your skin is your body’s armor. Treating it with extreme care may be te-

dious now but the benefits in the long run will be worth it. A layer of sunscreen should be applied to exposed skin daily, even when it is cloudy. Getting into a regular habit of exfoliating and moisturizing will shed dry skin cells and keep the skin silky smooth. In addition, drinking an ad-equate amount of water is not a bad idea either.

10 LiFe & sTyLe May 2012 11

Trends come and go and unfortunately, some people do not notice the the long term effects of society’s current habits. From fashion to electronic trends, many have a negative long term im-pacts. The hottest fashions in footwear are Ugg boots and con-verse shoes. For the past year or two, these comfy and versatile shoes have helped dress up or down any outfit, but it is the shoe’s sole that can be harmful. Converse shoes consist of a piece of rubber with thin canvas as the sides. This provides no support for the foot, especially the arch of the foot. In addition, Ugg boots also provide no support. Therefore, by the end of the day people’s feet begin to ache and their ankles become sore. These pains could greatly affect the muscular and skeletal structure of a person’s feet as they grow older. The foot is what supports the entire body. All the strain and weight of a human is put onto their feet. Not only do they support the body, but it is almost impossible to function normally without using your feet. If a person grows up and has foot problems, it can be very harmful to them in completing day to day tasks. Uggs and Converse are great every once in awhile, but should not be the only shoes people wear. If you care this much about fashion now and do not care about its harmful effects, hopefully wearing orthopedic shoes at the age of 30 will not bug you either. It is better to fix the problem now while it is still minor.

Electronics have weaved their way into society, and in a sense have taken over some people’s lives. Many people take their phones and laptops to bed, and some even fall asleep with their electronics still on. Statistics show that 64% of people fall asleep listening to some type of music or noise (radio.com). Sleep is a time for the brain to relax and rest, but this cannot happen if music or the TV is playing in the background. The brain is still picking up and transmitting sound waves, causing it to never fully be at rest. Your brain needs to rest so it can be fully alert and ready for the next day. If it never gets to truly relax, your brain can over exert itself causing it to func-tion poorly. Sleeping with lights on in a bedroom also causes the brain to never fully rest. According to Readers Digest magazine, too much light around you while sleeping causes the pupil to never fully contract and rest. This can affect the muscles of the pupil to dilate and contract later on in life. Cell phones, laptops, and digital clocks with very bright faces especially tend to cause this problem. These affects can be harmful to the pupil’s muscles and wear them out or potentially damage them as well. Everything has a cause and effect; it is just a matter of deciding how intense you want the im-pact to be.

Long Term Effects of Short Term Trends

EliseJoziwak.StaffWriter

KatieFinn.andCarlyBeck. Life&StyleEditors

Decorating a dorm room can be a stressful time for incom-ing college freshmen. It is a brand new experience. With so many products available, deciding what needs to be pur-chased can be overwhelming. The following list of four items will be a helpful start in the craze of dorm room shopping.

Instead of lugging all of your toiletries to the bathroom each time you shower, purchase a shower caddy to keep every-thing organized and ready for use. You will save yourself numerous unnecessary trips back to the dorm to retrieve your forgotten shower products.

Remembering all of the homework, projects and social events can be tedious and sometimes impossible. To avoid forgetting an important date or assignment, invest in a white board or a chalkboard to jot down memos. Some white boards even come with a printed on calendar to further

The Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker is a new must have for a dorm room. A single serving (K-cup) of any hot drink you can think of is inserted and within a minute a steaming mug of coffee, tea, cider, or hot chocolate awaits. This coffee maker allows for a quick, personalized drink on the go. This can be purchased at a local department store such as Macy’s.

With the hectic workload that comes along with college, a lap desk is another dorm room essential. The desk top comes with a padded underside, making it perfect for getting work done on a bed. Since the room will be cramped, a lap desk will give plenty of options for studying. Bed Bath & Beyond regularly stocks these in their back to school section.

Above: Popular Ugg boots that are becoming wornand potentially harmful to wear.

Photo by Andi Saliszzoni Photos by Carly Beck

When Ms. Hamilton graduated from PTHS in 1970, she did not realize that one day she would return to Peters for her teaching career. However, her dream job did not come into fruition until 1981, after she had already taught at Oil City Middle School, Tionesta School, Chartiers-Houston High School, and Fort Cherry High School. Although it took Hamilton a couple years to re-turn to Peters, it did not take her nearly that long to decide that she wanted to be a teacher. “[I decided to become a teacher] through the influence of my high school teachers, Mr. Walter Boettcher in particular. I think I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, weirdly enough,” said Hamilton.

KatieDenning.Managing-Editior-in-ChiefMcKenzieFritz.Online-Editor-in-Chief

Hamilton’s lifelong passion to teach has resulted in an illustrious career and price-less memories such as teaching her favorite class of AP Lit-erature, directing plays, and, of course, sharing her favorite literature with students. Fur-thermore, Hamilton also enjoys keeping in touch with her pre-vious pupils. “[I am] still keeping in touch with one of my first stu-dents, Kim Phillips Sethna. She went on to be a teacher, princi-pal, and superintendent. We are still the best of friends after so many years,” said Hamilton. Although Hamilton’s career has been an impressive one, it is coming to an end this year as Hamilton will be enter-ing the wonderful world of re-tirement. However, Hamilton

is not entering retirement on a whim, she already has a plan as to how she will spend her days. “Sleep. Read. Shop. Play with my dogs. Do more volunteer work (I volunteer at the Human Society now) and definitely travel. I’m going to Germany, Austria, and Switzer-land with Mr. Wilkinson and his students this summer,” ex-plained Hamilton. However, before Ham-ilton leaves for the utopia of retirement, she has a final les-son she wants to leave students with. “Your life is what you make it. As Leon Uris said, ‘Tragedy is human legacy. Joy is human creation.’ Choose al-ways to be joyous!”

retIrement Every year, PTSD must say goodbye to some of its most valuable and beloved teachers as they retire. 2012 is no exception, as seven cherished teachers will move on to retirement after the school year ends. All seven of these teachers have dedicated both their minds and hearts to PT, and it has not been unnoticed. There is no doubt that they have irrevocably changed the lives of many students during their long tenures. Through-out this issue of Smoke Signals, their illustrious and eventful careers will be on display (pages 12-13, 16-17) for you to learn more about them and remember the passion for education they have instilled in generations of students.

the next JoyouS chaPter

Photo by Allie Schlafman

Mr. Dailey, a beloved social studies teacher, has decided to retire after spending his entire teaching career at the middle school. He began his career educating sixth and seventh graders at the old middle school in 1978. “I have been teach-ing for thirty-four years, and I made the decision this par-ticular year to go out while I’m still on top,” said Mr.

farewell, mr. daIley ShaneDazen.StaffWriter

After twenty five years in the district, starting as a substitute teacher at the middle school, Mrs. Stevenson is retiring. Al-though retire-ment is a time she has looked forward to, there are aspects of

her job that she will miss greatly. “My freshmen are the sweetest lit-tle cherubs; while my juniors are my older, maturing cherubs, enjoying life,” said Ste-venson. While at PTHS, Stevenson taught in the English Department. She primar-ily taught juniors Honors English but more recently has taught Academic English for freshmen. Stevenson served as the chair person for the VFW’s Voice of Democracy Contest where she helped students win at the local, state, and place at the national level. In the 2004-2005 school year, she was

honored and awarded by the VFW with the Voice of Democracy Teacher of the Year award for her years of service. “What I will miss most are the students and staff who have become my ex-tended family,” said Stevenson. For all of her “cherubs,” there was never a dull moment in the forty-one minutes she taught. The information taken away from each class was more than what was on the lesson plans. Each student was included and each class formed a little fam-ily. As Stevenson’s last days come into view, it is as if a small family is being broken apart. Upon retiring, she wants to take the time to straighten up her home and be-come more organized. With some help, she plans to accomplish this project. “I plan to get a dumpster to fill up so I can clean out my entire house,” stated Stevenson. A clean, organized house is only the first goal on her list. “I’m looking forward to spend time with my three, well soon to be four, grandchildren. I will also take trips when-

ever it moves me,” said Stevenson. After all is said and done, her goal is simple: to live life. Although she has formed a family here with the students and staff, Mrs. Stevenson looks forward to what will come. The cherubs here in Peters Township thank her for her twenty-five years of unforgettable teaching. Although everything must come to an end, there al-ways starts a new beginning, and from all the students she has taught and guided, we wish her the best of luck in what is next to come.

Dailey. “You don’t want to wait until students are putting post-it notes on your back that say ‘kick me!’ I feel like I should go out while I’m still very cogni-zant of what is going on.” Of all the things he cherished in his time with the middle school none will be more missed than the relation-ships he has formed with former students, parents, and faculty he has come across. Two years ago, Dailey had open-heart surgery. Friends and family of students he had came to his home to visit him and deliver food. It was the caring nature of the people that genuinely were concerned for him that he remembers most. “Establishing relation-ships are the most precious things because when I get really old, I know that there will still

be people contacting me and there will be tons of stories to be told. I can’t wait to hear those stories,” said Dailey. In 2009, Dailey gradu-ated from the Trinity School of Ministry with a second master’s degree in church history. Af-ter he finishes the school year, he will embark on publish-ing a manuscript about an old preacher named Edwin Men-denhall who lived in the Po-conos during the 1840’s. He will be the first person to ever write Mendenhall’s story. After he gets his manuscript published, he will also begin to write about a man named Dudley Ting, another preacher who lived in eastern Pennsylvania some time ago. “I love church history, and I feel like it is my calling to

tell the world about these men’s stories,” stated Dailey. Thank you for all your contributions to Peters Town-ship Middle School, the school district, and every soul you’ve touched over the last thirty-four years. Congratulations on a great career and make sure to visit often!

ChristineManganas.OnlineEditor-In-ChiefGoodbye leadS to new beGInnInGS

Photos by Molly Doehring

14 PeoPLe FeaTures

According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention›s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, about 1 in every 88 children is diagnosed Autism. Every year, the rate of children affected by it increases. However, what is this disease that affects so many lives?

According to the National Institutes of Health, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. It is almost five times more common among boys than among girls.   Unfortunately, scientists are still looking for a cure for the disease. Fortunately, the Sophmore Alyssa Aburachis hands an Autism band to a sup-

portive student.

donatIonS for a Good cauSeJoshGlicksman.StaffWriter

Interact Club helped to raise money that will be donated to help Autism research.

“It’s great to get to have fun and work for a good cause at the same time,” said sophomore Clayton Wunderlich.

Throughout the month of April, members of the Interact Club sat outside the cafeteria during all lunch periods. They sold items promoting Autism awareness such as bubbles, bands, and pins for just a couple of dollars. There is nothing like sporting fashion to support a great cause.

“Most people think that a single purchase cannot make a difference, but any money contributed to the cause can go a long way,” said sophomore Matt Crall. In addition to the

booth outside of the cafeteria, they held a walk for Autism at the high school stadium on April 21st. At the walk, there was a Chinese auction and a bake sale for a little added fun. The Interact Club appreciates everyone that donated money and that came out and to support the cause. The idea for the walk was hatched by

the brain of sophomore Casey Kirwan. It took a lot of hard work to accomplish such a big event, however, with perseverance, everyone came together to create a great end product. “I heard about the idea a year or two ago and wanted to bring it to our school,” said Casey Kirwan.

This is the third art mural being painted in the school’s hallways by Mrs. Kazalas’ art classes. A special thanks goes to the following students who helped in the production of the mural: McKenzie Fitzgerald, Erica Gretz, Kyle Higgins, Ben Hoskins, Shane Johnstonbaugh, Natalie Krewin, Jessica McIntosh, Lindsey Policz, Ryan Spangenberg, Carla Buzzatto, Allison Resnik, and Anna Zerkle.

creatInG the world one mural at a tIme CamilleBarnes.StaffWriter

Photo by Taylor Cox

May 2011 15

Remember Life Size Barbie? Honors ceramic students at PTHS have created life size saran wrap sculptures that have been installed throughout the school. The students recently completed a unit about installation/eco/found art.

“Installation art is art that is installed because it is so large. Eco/found art is art that is made from materials that are free or in abundance,” said Honors Ceramics teacher Ms. DeGiovanni. As a conclusion of the unit, the students cre-

extra claSSmateS around PthSCamilleBarnes.StaffWriter

A saran wrap sculpture is installed in the Principal’s office and clothed to imitate a true student.

the way to Go In mayLydiaMcCall.StaffWriter

ated these life size sculptures made of saran wrap.

“My favorite part was “wrap-ping each other in saran wrap,” said senior Sadie Martinez.

The idea is to have the sculp-tures be installed around the school to act as if they were students. Keep an eye out for these extra students in your classrooms or as you walk through the hallways.

As the months of the school year fly by, so does each students attention span. Let’s be honest, our attention span left a long time ago. With the weather getting warmer and the sun finally making an appearance, it is hard to find time to do all that lousy homework. Most students, no matter the grade, have already experienced the beginning symptoms of “Senioritis” and the fact is the illness is only getting worse. Even with the promise of summer, it is important to stay on task with grades and everyday activities that need to get done.

One way to keep focused is keeping a journal, otherwise known as a goal setting journal. No, not a diary boys, but a scheduled journal of all the things work or school related that need to be attended to. It is time to dig up that dusty Peters Township High School Planner. If you want to get fancy, list items according to importance. For example, list the easiest tasks first so you can get them out of the way to focus on the more difficult tasks later. In the end, the satisfaction of scratching off a task you have completed is very self rewarding.

That brings me to my next tip. We all like rewards, right?

Therefore, why not treat yourself to one after you have completed something important? Suppose you got an A in math class, that’s a reason to treat yourself to an item you have wanted to buy or maybe you would like to treat yourself to dinner one night. You are more likely to complete a task if you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, am I right?

Now there are also more obvious helpful hints. For example, turn off your distractions! Yes, that means the television, computer and even your cell phone. Turning off these oh-so-important items can be devastating but it is a definite way to finish homework or chores and eliminate distractions. You can also limit your time on tasks. Do not spend five hours on one assignment and not finish any of your other homework. Set a deadline for yourself and stick to it. When you have promised a deadline to yourself, you are more likely to get it done.

Finishing out the school year organized and efficient will end the year with a bang. Once school is over, there will finally be more time for the really important things- like tanning and sleeping.

Photos by Paige Hannah

PaigeHannah.GuestWriterDuring the third week of April, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) traveled to the sweetest place on Earth, Hershey PA, for the FBLA State Leadership Conference. Students participated in workshops and competed in individual and team events. All of the members were very successful, and 16 students placed in the top ten for their categories. Nick Roberts, Grace Brandstetter, and Paige Hannah qualified for the National Leadership Conference. Roberts placed first in the Business Math category and Brandstetter and Hannah placed second in the Global Business category, and all three will be representing PTHS in San Anto-nio, Texas at the national competition at the end of June.

FBLA Members Qualifies for Nationals

After being a gym teacher for 36 years at Pe-ters Township High School, Mrs. Rose has decided to hang up her sneakers and retire. Rose began to pursue

this career after being inspired by her junior high gym teacher’s progressive take on physical education. However, it was not until her junior year of high school she officially decided to become a physical education teacher. Rose had considered a few other teaching posi-tions, such as music, but knew physical education was the job for her. “I loved physical activity and teaching, so why not put both together?

I get to interact with students in a more ca-sual environment,” said Rose. She has enjoyed everything about her career at Peters. She loved offering a wide variety of classes varying from the more rigorous gym activities to the most relaxing like yoga. Her favorite subjects to teach to students were rock climbing and canoeing. Both are great outdoor physical activities that had a sense of adventure to them. The climbing wall gave Rose her best memories from teaching, because she helped a visu-ally impaired student and a handicapped student over the wall. She was able to get them to the top of the wall. It was fulfilling for her to help the students overcome their disabilities and be a part of gym class like everyone else. If given the chance to relive her life, Rose knows she would not have done

anything differently. She loved the fulfill-ment that teaching physical education has given her. “I enjoyed working with teenag-ers (really!), and I loved exposing them to adventure education. My pride and joy was bringing adventure education to PTHS,” stated Rose. Rose cannot wait to begin her re-tirement. She plans to spend at least the next two years living in her motor home with her husband. During this motor home expedition, Rose will be captain as her hus-band bikes across the country. She found fulfillment in her career at the high school, but ultimately felt that it was her time to leave. “I decided it was time to graduate and go out to the real world and play,” said Rose.

Mrs. Kathleen Sekley is mainly known as the Information Technology teacher who is an expert in Excel Spread-sheets and Word documents. However, she was also the head of the Future Busi-ness Leaders of America (FBLA) club for many years. What people do not know is what she did to get to the position of respect she has now. After high school, she went to the University of Pittsburgh for her under-

graduate in business and then went to teach at Connellsville Area High School. When she had her first of two sons, she decided to take a fifteen year maternity leave instead of a fifteen month one. While she was taking care of her sons, she got her mas-ters in technology and business at Penn State. Once the boys were grown, she became a software trainer and traveled a lot. She eventually decided to become a teacher again and ended up at PTHS in 1993. She immediately started teaching the Information Technology class (previously known as Computer Based Applica-tions) and became involved in FBLA. She has thrived here both as a teacher and the head of FBLA for the past nineteen years. As a teacher, her students have had much success, but she has impacted the students involved in FBLA the most. While most high schools have five or six students quali-fying for a chance to compete at the state level, this year there

were a total of forty three students from PTHS who qualified. This is a huge accomplishment in itself, but what is more impressive is that out of hundreds of students in Pennsylvania, 16 made top ten in their events and eight of them qualified for a chance to compete in the national level at Austin, Texas this summer. “Having so many students have this much success is a great way to end my career,” said Sekley. Looking back on her career here, the FBLA conferences were one of her favorite parts. “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a look of pride and accomplishment on the students faces when they win,” Stated Sekley. During retirement, she has four goals. She wants to spend more time with her husband and two sons, get into better shape, volunteer in her community and church, and do something she has been dreaming of since she was a little girl: get a grand piano and take piano lessons.Her legacy will be long lasting and im-pactful. The amount of respect she re-ceived from students and FBLA she kept will forever be in-grained in the PTHS way of life and she will be sorely missed.

Goodbye to a Great mentorAmandaMoore.NewsEditor

LindseyMcCay.StaffWritertIme to Smell the roSeS

Photo by Allie Schlafman

Photo by Naomi Burke

Sprowls graduated from Mansfield University with a degree in Eco-nomics and later studied at California University of Pennsylvania to earn a master’s degree in education. She has worked with every age of children,

from newborns to college students. Before teaching at PTHS, Sprowls founded a preschool, taught at a private Christian school, and was the director of an on-site preschool program. Here at PTHS, Sprowls taught two Child Development courses, with Child Development II being her favorite. “I delight in teaching Child Development II and running the lab preschool program. I have had the joy of meeting such darling three, four and five year olds. What a privilege it has been,” said Sprowls. “One memorable experience is of a little three year old. His mom had warned me that when he gets angry he rips off all of his clothes. Sure enough in a burst of anger he was nude quicker than I could get to him.” Departing from the students and children will be a monumental change in her life, but Sprowls is

Mrs. Morris-ton has been a part of PTHS since 1978. Yes, you read that correctly. During her impressive tenure, she has accomplished many things and she will surely be missed.When first joining

the PTHS staff, Morriston was an Eng-lish teacher and worked with her class to create the first issue of the Smoke Signals Newspaper. Without Mrs. Morriston, you would not be receiving the news maga-zine today. She was also the yearbook advisor or co-advisor for about a dozen years. From there, she went on to become the librarian. She now is the Graduation Project Teacher and works on technology integration with the teachers. “I’ve been so fortunate to have fantastic teachers like Mrs. Boni, Mrs. Sitler and Ms. Myers take my programs to higher levels after I’ve left,” said Mor-riston. Morriston is extremely happy to have had great administrators who have encouraged her and given her the trust to develop the courses she did. Before she was at PTHS, Mor-riston attended college at the University of Pittsburgh. She received a Bachelor’s De-gree in Education and English and a Mas-ter’s Degree in Library and Information

“Being a teacher I have had the opportunity to be a role model to thousands of students. I have tried to treat others with respect and share the importance of being a person who treats others with the value and worth they deserve,” said Mrs. Suzette Sprowls. After sixteen years of devoted teaching at PTHS, Mrs. Sprowls, the child development teacher, will be retiring. From freshmen to seniors, Sprowls has taught students the essential information on child care and child-hood education.

looking forward to retirement and the different lifestyle it has in store for her. She and her husband plan on riding their Harley Trike (motorcycle) to discover new, unknown places. She is looking forward to spending more time with him. “Thank you to all the students who have helped mold me to be calmer, more appreciative, and more in love with life itself,” said Sprowls.

Science. Being a Class Marshall and num-ber one in her school of education (Pitt di-vides valedictorian by majors), Morriston was often questioned on why she wanted to become a teacher and not something else. “I am willing to work hard and that’s how I got to be number one. I became a teacher because teaching is important and money is less important,” stated Morriston. Morriston, a very on-the-go per-son, looks forward to resting and exercising so she can keep as busy as she was while working. She plans to read all the books she never had the chance to read. Since she en-joys traveling, Morriston expects to do a bit of that as well. She also says she would not be surprised if she ends up working some-where again. As Morriston hears about her stu-dents’ college plans, she is reminded that the role of women in society has grown and changed. Her roommate in college was the only female industrial engineer in her class. In the early 1970’s only 11% of women went

to college but over 30% of the males did. Today the percentage of women is higher than the percentage of males in that catego-ry. “The world can’t afford to let any group of people waste their talents so the progress women have made is a great step down a path toward equality. Retiring is a good time to contemplate positive changes and to help ensure more positive changes in the future,” stated Morriston.

farewell, mrS. morrIStonJennaTaimuty.StaffWriter

KatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor SProwlS rIdeS to new horIzonS

Photo by Naomi Burke

Photo by Allie Schlafman

18 enTerTainenT Gotta See It to belIeve It

Andrea.Salizzoni.StaffWriter Summertime bore-dom is a problem for high school students. The fun out-door times with friends and family tend to get lost in the world of video games, mov-ies, and music. Summer camps used to be the highlights of the summer for young people, but now they have become less popular. Summer camps like Camp Kon-o-Kwee are a unique chance to make lifelong friends and have unbelievable experiences. Since 1926, Camp Kon-o- Kwee has taught boys and girls from the ages of seven to seventeen the four principles of Belonging, Adventure, Ac-

complishment, and Leadership. “Teens should go to summer camp because it helps them gain independence, con-fidence, self- discovery, and courage,” stated camp director Zach Hoffman. Since 1926, Camp Kon-o- Kwee has taught boys and girls from the ages of seven to seventeen the four principles of Belong-ing, Adventure, Accomplish-ment, and Leadership. High school students, teens may be worried that at-tending camp makes them “un-cool” or that it is too late. Not only does Camp Kon-o- Kwee frown upon judging others, but it is nonexistent there; welcom-ing people of different ethnici-ties, age and gender. “Summer camp is the best way to truly find yourself, and it makes you realize you

shouldn’t be anything other than yourself,” stated Hoffman. Teens have unique opportunities to go on amaz-ing off-camp trips. The “clas-sic” trip is the Vagabond Hike. This thirty-two mile hike on the Laurel highlands trail begins at Donegal, PA and brings camp-ers, accompanied by staff mem-bers, to Ohiopyle State Park. A more exclusive opportunity is the Kinzua Canoe Trip. This trip provides the “true camp experience” by canoeing ten to fifteen miles a day on the Al-legheny River. Campers total approximately 107 miles by the end of this two week journey. During this trip, campers find their own camp, cook their own food, and “shower” in the river. This truly is a “bucket- list” kind of experience. Young people always

leave camp gaining experi-ence in building fires, making friends, swimming, or playing games. These activities allow campers to grow and gain a sense of personal accomplish-ment.“There are no expectations; you may come in shy and alone, but leave with unforgettable experi-ences and gain lifelong friends,” stated Hoffman. Fortunately, leader-ship opportunities are offered for juniors and seniors even if they have not attended Kon- o- Kwee before. Eligibility for staff begins at age sixteen, when teens can apply to be a C.I.T. (Counselor in Training) and can volunteer to be a new staff member for the following summer. Applicants stay at the camp for a weekend in spring for interviews and evaluations. After two summers of going through the C.I.T. program, teens can apply for the coun-selor job. Most C.I.T.’s return for following summers. book revIewS:

delIrIum & SIlent wItneSS

Memorial Day week-end is on its way, which means that pools and water parks ev-erywhere are opening. Sand-castle is the ‘Burgh’s only water park, and let’s face it, Sandcas-tle is only fun about one trip a summer. Now, it’s time to take a plunge and visit some of America’s top water parks. Each year, a group of theme and water park enthu-siasts set out on a journey to find the best of the best in the amusement industry across the globe. These are the Golden Ticket Awards. Consistently winning the Golden Ticket Award for best water park in the world, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, Texas takes the prize. Schlit-terbahn is filled with nineteen tube and body slides, and each one gives riders a different taste of thrills. For those who like to relax, Schlitterbahn has ten pools and multiple lazy rivers mixed in throughout the park. Schlitterbahn’s newest addition is the world’s longest water ride, a tube ride called The Falls, a 3,600 foot long river that takes you through a crazy course of waterfalls, rapids, and waves.

America’s largest wa-ter park is in…Wisconsin? Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, is the location of Noah’s Ark that features thirteen slides. Among the thirteen slides is the first looping waterslide ever, the Scorpion’s Tail. The Scorpion’s Tail features a launch chamber that you stand in, and after a countdown the floor drops out. This sends you plummeting down a speed slide-like hill into the tilted loop. But if thrills are not your style, Noah’s Ark also features two wave pools and two rivers. Disney takes paradise to a whole new level with their two water parks. Both parks were in the top five for golden ticket winners; Blizzard Beach came in second and Typhoon Lagoon in fourth. The snow resort themed water park of Blizzard Beach has one of the world’s tallest and fastest free-falling body slides, the Summit Plummet. The Summit Plum-met is on top of Mount Gush-more and soars above the park at 120 feet. If this massive slide is too much for you, the six oth-er body and tube slides are just as fun but less intimidating. Ty-

phoon Lagoon is a water park that is themed like a hurricane-destroyed island paradise that, unlike the other water parks, stars the one of the world’s larg-est wave pools. The Surf Pool is the center of the water park, with huge tidal waves in the deep end and a play area for kids in the shallows. Typhoon Lagoon also has some awesome slides too, one of which is the Crush ‘n’ Gusher, an ominously named water coaster, and five other slides. It also has a lazy river that goes the entire way around the park and a shark reef where you can scuba dive with real sharks. Denver, Colorado’s Water World is probably the most creative water park yet. Water World has seven themed areas and five of them have slides. The eleven slides in the park have the most variety out of all of the other water parks; each slide has a theme relating to the section of the park that it’s in. Each slide has its own as-pect of thrill; The Bermuda Tri-angle is a covered underground speed slide. The Voyage to The Center of The Earth takes you on an animatronic journey into

the dark depths of the Earth. Deciding to spend the day, or a couple days, at Water World will certainly keep you entertained. If you are search-ing for thrills, or you just want to get out of the bubble for a couple days, America’s top wa-ter parks will certainly give you something to rave about. Just remember to hold onto your suits…seriously.

takInG a PlunGe: amerIca’S toP water ParkSMadisonMincone.SportsEditor

A rider heads down the Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach in Walt Disney World.

AP Images Phelan M. Ebenhack

May 2012 19

Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries: After the CW show’s first two great seasons, the show finally hit it out of the park with their third season. Every week, the creators deliver insane supernatural drama and always leave with a climatic twist. The new characters Klaus and Rebekah make being bad seem oh so good. Also, it does not hurt that no actor on the show is remotely bad look-ing. After vampires got such a bad rap, this show makes them cool again.

Young the Giant: After their first big-time debut at the VMA’s in August, the alternative rock band has been gaining fans. Their mesmerizing chords, along with lead singer Sameer Gadhia’s unique vocals and François Comtois’ excellent percussion make them the freshest band in alt-rock since Third Eye Blind. They’re currently on tour, and hit Stage AE on April 20th. Best songs on their self-titled album are “I Got,” “Cough Syrup,” and “12 Fingers.”

Fathead’s: This restaurant located in the Southside (which originally started off as Bighead’s in Dormont) is a great place to go. It combines a nice location with superb food. The best choices on the menu include a monster-sized sandwich called the “Headwich”, and wings with tons of different sauce choices. Better than Primanti’s? Definitely.

Dave Matthews Band at First Niagra Pavilion: DMB hits the First Niagra Pavilion in Burgettstown July 13th and 14th. That’s two opportunities to see one of the best bands of all time. 2012 marks the bands 21st anniversary. Hopefully, “The Space Between” you and the stage is not far and no one will “Crash” into each other. I bet the water there will be fine to drink as well. (Sorry for the bad play on words.)

Marley: Not Marley & Me—better. The documentary released April 20th captures the life of the amazing Bob Marley and the legacy he has left behind. The movie promises unheard songs and unseen foot-age. Besides this, the film illustrates the famous Rastafarian in a passionate, raw way; and shows a man who lived for life—not for material riches.

Boston Accents: British accents have been swooned over too long. The Boston

drawl is by far cuter. Some famous greats with this accent include the Kennedys, Ben Affleck, Marky Mark, and Joey Massone from The Voice.

2012 Cannes Film Festival: Probably the biggest film celebration there is--the Cannes Film Festival keeps growing. Peo-ple gather in Cannes, France to watch some of the recent year’s best indie, foreign, and short films. Awards are given in categories such as Sci-Fi and LGBT. If you cannot make it cross country, you can follow online and watch with some of movie’s most talented stars. Must-see: the striking documentary Prison Through Tomorrow’s Eyes.

the entertaInment muSt lIStLauraPurkey.Staff Writer

Delirium: If you were a fan of the Hunger Games, you will defi-nitely like Delirium by Lauren Oliver. This futuristic read pulls you into the world of seventeen year old Lena Holloway and the complications involving the love of her life, Alex. The main complication of the book con-cerns the government and its idea that love is a disease that must be cured. Lena is set to be cured of the disease at the end of the summer, but upon meeting Alex she finds herself letting the “disease” of love cap-ture her. As the summer goes on, Lena realizes she does not want to be cured and wishes to be with Alex forever. However, what will she have to do avoid the laws of her government?

Silent Witness: Silent Witness by Richard North Patterson is a novel that surprises readers up to the last word. After sev-enteen year old Tony Lord was wrongly accused of the murder of his girlfriend, Alison Tay-lor, he could not wait to escape the skeptic eyes of the citizens of Lake City. Once Tony is ac-

quitted and the real murderer is found, he leaves behind his home and travels to his dream college, Harvard, to study for a law de-gree. Twenty-eight years later, Tony receives a call from his best friend’s wife begging for him to represent her husband in a mur-der trial taking place in his own hometown. Tony returns back to Lake City after years of try-ing to put his past behind him. He is forced to struggle through the memories of Alison’s death as unbelievable, life altering secrets are unearthed and he realizes his life at seventeen was not what it seemed.

AP Images Dan Steinberg

book revIewS: delIrIum & SIlent wItneSS

KatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor

Photo by Katie Finn AP Images Collin Reid

Mike Kronket’s iPod Playlist

1. The Story of Us-Taylor Swift

2. Something bout a Truck-Kip Moore

3. Mine-Taylor Swift

4. Crazy Girl-Eli Young Band

5. Call Me Maybe-Carly Rae Jepsen

20 news

Before everyone fell in love with the extremely attractive Hunger Games character, Peeta, the only PETA known was the largest animal rights organization in the world.

(People for the Ethical Treatments of Animals) PETA activist, Christina Cho, has recently sparked controversy over an incident in which she flour bombed the oh-so-famous Kim Kardashian while she was walking the red carpet at a red carpet event. Cho did this because Kim was supposedly seen recently wearing fur.

As seen on one of the past episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Khloe posed naked for PETA and met with a top-ranked senior communications Manager Michelle Cho, Christina’s sister.

Outraged over her sister’s attack, Khloe Kardashian took to her blog stating, “I’ve been a vocal supporter of PETA for a long time, but I have also been very vocal about anti-bullying, so this was a huge disappointment for me. As you all know, I

don’t condone violence and bullying and what happened last Thursday was just that. I am absolutely disgusted by their [PETA activist’s] behavior.” Khloe has since cut ties with the organization.

Kim was reportedly debating whether or not to press charges as she does not want anyone to think that this type of behavior is acceptable. A PETA spokesperson released a statement saying that PETA will pay any legal fines they may receive due to the actions of the Christina Cho.

However, before Cho was a flour bomber, she was a stage jumper. At a women’s conference, Cho jumped the stage and grabbed the microphone out of designer Donna Karan’s hands. She began to rant about the use of fur in fashion. After ruining the event, PETA congratulated Cho with an award to celebrate her actions.

We get it, people should not wear fur and it should be left to the animals themselves, but has Christina Cho taken the name activist to a whole new level?

For many seniors turning eighteen brings many exciting and new opportunities into their lives. However, the most important may arguably be the right to vote. With the upcoming election this November, new registered voters have the responsibility of picking which candidate best suits their beliefs. Students should not be swayed by the opinions of others, but should find out what they qualities they desire in a president. So the question remains: what makes a good president?

It is hard to not judge our candidates based on their appearance or on the few clips seen occasionally on the news. The most important part is to avoid voting blindly, meaning not picking a candidate based solely on their political party. First time voters should research their vote by following the news and reading about the candidates. The same goes for evaluating our current president, up for re-election. Determining how our president has run the country the past four years helps voters decide

whether to re-elect the president or to turn to a new candidate. Furthermore, reading opinions from both the left and right gives a perspective not given from the media Being an adult means making adult decisions, which includes the responsibility as a citizen to vote. Voting is not as hard or as complicated as it might seem. The easiest way to register is right here in the guidance office. If you are eighteen, register now. You must be registered by October in order to be able to vote

in the November election. New voters will receive your voter registration card in the mail and will be put on the list at your specific voting location. The voting location is determined on where you live, and not everyone in Peters votes at the same place. Also consider if you go away for college to request an absentee ballot that you can mail in if unable to vote at your assigned location. Make sure to get out on November 6th and exercise the right to vote!

doeS chrIStIna cho tar and feather Peta?

makInG your fIrSt ballot count

AP Images Shizuo Kambayashi

JennaTaimuty.StaffWriter

JillianEby.LayoutStaff

AP Images Charles Sykes

AP Images Vincent Thian

May 2012 21

what In the world? ValerieGobao.LayoutEditor-in-Chief

From the crème filled Cadbury’s to the colorful, hard boiled variety, eggs are an integral part of our spring experience here in the Unites States. But, we’re not unique; the Chinese also participate in this spring “egg-session.” However, the citizens of Dongyang dye their eggs a little differently. For a springtime snack, they prepare a delicacy called “virgin boy eggs,” which are chicken eggs cooked in the urine of pre-pubescent boys. For anyone interested in recreating the recipe, the eggs are soaked and boiled in urine (collected from local schools) for an entire day to obtain the “popular fresh and salty taste.” Talk about a treat! According to street vendors, this recipe has been passed down for centuries as a body-restoring remedy; apparently, the eggs have health benefits ranging from an increase in energy to the prevention of aches and heat stroke.  However, as much as I enjoy adventurous eating, I’ll have to side with the sanitary concerns of Chinese medical officials. Stay away from yellow eggs in the future, folks.

                              It’s the end of the world as we know it! Doomsday, aka December 21, 2012, is rapidly approaching. But luckily, a commune outside the French village of Bugarach knows exactly how to survive this impending apocalypse; they’ll just hitch a ride on an alien ship. Yes, that’s right; in the ultimate new age conspiracy theory, these hippies believe that an “extraterrestrial Noah’s Ark” is parked within a nearby mountain, the Pic de Bugarach, and will whisk them away to safety. This odd belief is rooted in the mountain’s strange, upside down appearance, which has fascinated everyone from Jules Verne to the Nazis throughout history. However, it is now causing trouble for the normal citizens of the area, who are peeved by their new neighbors. Perhaps influenced by the mountain’s “unique magnetic waves,” the new agers have been spotted hiking naked and performing strange rites, and are expected to later participate in mass, ritualistic suicides. They’d have better luck stocking up and hiding bomb shelters; at least they’d survive the disappointment.

Holy impersonator, Batman! In a creative attempt to stop crime, the police of Taubate, Brazil, have hired a retired officer, Andre Luiz Pinheiro, to patrol the streets in a full Batman costume. They’re not a bunch of jokers, either; besides being a public face for the police, Pinheiro’s Batman will also act as a tool “to combat crimes such as murder and drug trafficking which have increased” in the town in recent years. While it’s unknown if this venture will succeed, it’s hoped to at least raise awareness of crime prevention in the area. So even if this Batman isn’t decked out with a bat-signal, a bat-mobile, Batarangs, and a sidekick, this remains the most awesome idea in the history of crime fighting. I just hope that DC Comics doesn’t get them with a copyright violation.

Kony 2012: Everyone recognizes those words and what they mean, but do they actually know what the Kony campaign is about? Grant Oyston discovered more than meets the eye when watching the Kony 2012 video. Most people have seen the “Kony 2012” video on You-Tube. The creator, Jason Russell, provides facts about what Kony is doing to the children in Uganda and—in a way—tears at your heartstrings in order to get your money for the campaign. How-ever, he does not provide any actual information. If you have watched television or read an article online lately, Grant Oyston has dedicated multiple blog posts on his blog visiblechildren.tumblr.com to the Kony 2012 Invisible Children group. Oyston is a college student at Acadia University in Novia Scotia, Canada who began researching the Kony 2012 group and decided that the world should know where all the money is really going. Students had the chance to chat via Skype with Oyston on Monday, March 19. This opportunity became available because Ms. Myers knows Oyston through another organization in which she is currently involved. He answered questions from various stu-dents and talked about what he has gone through since his blog was posted. He explained that he agrees Kony is “an evil man,” but he thinks that the message Invisible Children sends is that “anybody can change the world, and it’s easy.” Oyston stressed that he believes otherwise. “Anyone can change the world, and it’s difficult,” he said. “But you should do it anyway.” Oyston blogged that he strongly opposes Invisible Chil-dren. He goes on to say that the organization claims that it is non-profit, meaning that the profits and expenses are public. Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Oyston’s blog states that thirty-seven percent of their bud-get goes directly to central African-related programs, about twenty percent goes to salaries and overhead, and the remaining forty-three percent goes to our awareness programs. Which for most organizations, is the other way around. It also states that the truth about Invisible Children is that they are not an aid organization, and they don’t intend to be. People think it is delivering shoes or food but it is an advocacy and awareness organization. Since his post, Oyston was offered to be flown to Uganda with Angelina Jolie to see what is happening. He declined in know-ing that the money used to fly him out and pay for all of his ex-penses would be paid for by the organization, and that is not okay with him.

kony, famouS for what?JennaTaimuty.StaffWriter

Students talk with Grant Oyston, an activist who is seperating the rumours from the facts about Joseph Kony.

Photo By: Ms. Blackhurst

These student pieces from the wide variety of PT elec-tives show the skills of artists and photographers alike. From painting murals to creating art through photoshop, students exhibit their remarkable expertise by creating unique and beautiful pieces. Here are just a few examples of the talent found in the elective classes.

Layo

ut D

esig

n by

Den

ée R

enz

mIxed art

Dillon Devine, 12

Rachel Martin, 12 and Kate Kozlowski, 12

Reid Elattrache, 12

Kristina Carbonara, 11

Emily Koch, 11

Kailyn Schmidt, 11

Emily Corrigan, 11

Rachel Rex, 10

Jesse Borne, 10 Sadie Martinez, 12

Gretchen Brandstetter, 12

Matt Fick, 11 Taylor Robinson, 12

Christine Gaab, 11

Lizzie Keller, 12

What motivates you to come to school?

Nat

alie

Sm

ith

Brad

y Co

chra

ne

Mar

iah

Min

arci

n

Sean

Har

riso

n

Kayl

a M

inar

cin

Mat

t Cra

ll

And

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llen

Rach

el H

obbs

Tim

War

ne

Han

nah

Sque

glia

Mad

die

Este

p Just

in M

agno

tti

Aar

on M

cDon

ough

Broo

ke S

mith

Mar

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urph

y

Jon

Colo

sim

o

Mrs

. Gro

ning

er

Mr.

Milc

hovi

ch

Mrs

. Vol

lmer

Mr.

Barn

ey

Mr. Lawrence

Chrissy Lampert

Austin Chappell

Marah Borsch

Marissa Mullett

Freshmen

Teachers

Seniors

Juniors

Sophomores

“The light at the end of the tunnel”

“Students get ex-cited and it’s funny

to watch”

“Lots of good things to look forward to”

“June”

“I come because I have to”

“Graduation is in less than a month”

“Graduation”

“We graduate”

“I have to get good grades”

“Coming to do the Morning

Announcements”

“I do it for the street cred”

“I have to drive my friends to school”

“I kind of have to”

“It’s illegal if I don’t”

“Being with friends”

“The chocolate muffins”

“Being with friends”

“To get a good edu-cation and to make a

good life ”

“May as well

finish it”

“To get into a good college and get a

good job”

“In order to be in sports, you have to be here at least half

the day”

“So I don’t have to sit at home all day and to

get into college”

“School cookies”

“Seeing my friends”

“The end of the year literature

units”