’tis the season

BLOOMSBURG HIGH SCHOOL / V. 86 / DEC. 2010

December 20, 20102

News Editor Casey Ward

Features Editor Ilea Franklin

Sports Editor Lauren Ball

Specials Editor Seth Loff

Design Editor Courtney Sabo

Staff Samuel Calhoun, Emily DuBartell, Mitchell Fornwald, Christina Gulliver,

Kylie Hastings, Avery Keefer, Mary Mael, Billie-Rae Michael, Katherine Mullen,

Maria Polanco, Samantha Royer, Talia Sainclair, Sarah Scheib,

Brianna Shannon, Emily Stewart and Emily Tolan

Adviser Sam Bidleman

Editor-in-Chief Brittany Karpinski

Those of us who were involved with TreeFest, Toys for Tots, the Angel gift program or some other holiday charity shared the joy of knowing that we turned what would have been a time of dark disappointments into a season of brilliant delights.

Those who volunteer realize how the simple efforts that are so often overlooked are the exact things most of those in need cherish - tipping points that result in worry-free smiles, modest gifts to open and optimistic dreams for a better year ahead. The depressed economy can be blamed for many sorrows, but just a few hours of our talents and good intentions have given innocent children the hope and happiness they need and deserve. How ironic that we so often dread putting up decorations or clearing the table after the large family meal when national statistics reveal that one in six Americans is at risk for hunger, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America, including 12.9 million children, and over 15 million adults were unemployed in November. For many of us, high school offers every opportunity to make a difference in our community. Our National Honor Society, Student Council, Interact Club and even our Journalism class have community service as an basic component of their charters. Year after year, students from these groups and many others volunteer their time and energy. Some other students have even expanded those single efforts into continuing habits at soup kitchens, nursing homes and food banks on top of homework, sports, friends and video games. Christmas is the perfect time for us to open our hearts to the less fortunate and give what we have so often taken for granted. But we should not just sit back after Dec. 25 and rest on our single season of good intentions. With nearly 500 students and staff in this high school, we are a powerful force for good. With the right leadership, classes, clubs and even athletic teams can generate formidable results. Give us a cause, and we can create the change to make a significant difference. We have done that in the past with clothing collections, food drives and Angel Dances; we can do the same or more in the future. Our Christmas holiday will not be perfect. We may not get the Wii game we hoped for or the right color Uggs, but we are with our families, food is on our tables and gifts are under our trees. But as temperatures drop and we snuggle warmly in our homes, it is worth remembering what our student volunteers are proving: The most powerful energy source on earth is the human soul, and that defines the best in all of us.

They say that there is a defining moment in every person’s life, and at that moment, everything that person does shines the brightest.

Bloomsburg High School 1200 Railroad Street Bloomsburg, PA 17815 December 2010 V88 N3

The Red & White is the magazine serving the students, faculty and administration of the Bloomsburg High School community, written, designed and published by the Journalism I and II classes.

Views expressed in the Red & White represent those of the writer, not necessarily those of the high school. Unsigned commentary represents views of the Editorial Board.

Find us on the web @ http://my.highschooljournalism.org/pa/bloomsburg/bhs and on Issuu.com.

The Red & White is printed by the Press Enterprise, 3185 Lackawanna Avenue, Bloomsburg, PA 17815Kathy Malkoskie, PE Customer Service Representative

Letters PolicyThe Editorial Board welcomes all comments and letters. Please sign and send all letters to room 215. The Board does not condone abuse deviated from the subject matter directed at one or more individuals.

PA School Code 22 Chapter 12.9Students have the right to express themselves unless the expression interferes with the educational process, threatens serious harm, encourages unlawful activity, or interferes with individual rights. School officials may not censor material simply because it is critical of the school or its administrations

The Red & White is a proud member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association.

DEFINING THE HOLIDAY

THE GIFTS OF GIVING

EDIT

ORIA

L“Don’t write an editorial to be liked. If you want to be liked, get a puppy. They will even lick you.”

- Journalism professor John Kupetz

Cover design and photography by Courtney SaboThank you to Courtney Sabo for the redesign of our cover and nameplate.

December 20, 2010 3

THE BUZZ

e surveyed 30 students and asked them, What’s in your closet?

KNOW YOUR SCHOOL

friends or familyWHO KNOWS YOU BEST? COLLECTED BY SAMANTHA ROYER

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT INTRAMURAL VOLLEYBALL BEING CANCELLED DURING THE UPCOMING WINTER MONTHS?

TANNER DILG (10)“It’s ridiculous; it shouldn’t have been cancelled because everyone has plenty of time to do it and they have the equipment provided.”

LARRY FRY (12)“Honestly, Intramural Volleyball being cancelled doesn’t really bother me because I think volleyball is fun but people can play it somewhere else during the year. They can go to the YMCA and play there.”

TANNER THRUSH (11)“I’m disappointed that they cancelled it because it was a lot of fun to show off your volleyball skills with friends, and we were getting great numbers of players to come out.”

MICHAEL KAKALEY(Math Teacher)“I miss playing volleyball with everyone. We always had a really good time after

school.”

ADAM SOSNOSKI (12)“The lack of volunteers and funds is a shot to the heart. The hopes and dreams of many young individuals have been broken. May God bless the soul of volleyball and its followers. It will be missed.”

COLLECTED BY SAMANTHA ROYER

Lunch

Two and a Half Men

Physics

Red Bull

Black Raspberry

Amplifier for her acoustic guitar

Two and a Half Men

Lunch

Red Bull

Chocolate

Amplifier for her acoustic guitar

Favorite TV show

Favorite Drink

Most Wanted Gift This Year

Favorite Class or Subject

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor

In this issue, close friend Spencer Erikson takes on brother Tristan Starr. Who knows senior Chelsea Starr best?

SPENCER ERIKSON CHELSEA STARR TRISTAN STARR

HER BROTHER KNOWS HER BEST. 3-0

JORDYN SICILIANO (12) “I do not agree with volleyball being stopped. I know the supervisors aren’t getting paid for it, but it is only an extra hour of their time. There are many other

teachers who could/would stay after for the students. I don’t understand why the gym teachers are the only ones who are given the opportunity.”

Antique Road Show

Strawberry Milk

Space Ice Cream

Two Front Teeth

Hollister

Aeropostale

Hot Topic

Delias

SalVal

American Eagle 26

7

7

6

14

15

W

Photos by Samantha Royer

December 20, 20104

MAKE A NOTE

BATH BROTHERS SHINE AT TREEFEST TreeFest in Bloomsburg has been a holiday tradition for over a decade, and this year two BHS students brought their singing talents to the TreeFest stage. Seniors Joe Gillespie-Hill and Christian Tloczynski, otherwise known as The Bath Brothers, covered music by the Avett Brothers and other musical icons at this year’s festivities. “We sing folk rock. You could call it country,” says Gillespie-Hill. The collaboration started when the two met in eighth grade. They were both in Holly Lapinski’s music class and shared common interests as well as musical talents. While Tloczynski began lessons in third grade,

Christmas is truly a special time of the year, from decorating the tree to hanging lights but most importantly spending time with family and friends. Everyone celebrates Christmas differently, and the way in which we do is what makes it unique to each one of us. Sophomore Sloane Barton is just one of many students who celebrate a special Christmas holiday, which includes opening one present on Christmas Eve and hiding a pickle ornament in the family tree. “I enjoy the pickle game very much,” says Barton. “It’s fun to see who can earn the title of Pickle Champ for the year.” Whether it be bizarre or the common Christmas traditions Barton says, “Spending time with my family and getting closer as a whole is the natural reward.”

Gillespie-Hill had waited to take guitar lessons until he was in eighth grade. Both are also members of the high school chorus. The chance to display their talents this year came about by a friend of Gillespie-Hill’s. “Bonnie Crawford, who helps organize TreeFest goes to my church,” he says. But for Tloczynski, this performance has been a long time coming. “I always envisioned myself playing live. Not to be cliche, but it was a dream come true,” he says. The festive atmosphere was also felt by the 50+ audience members. Joe’s brother, freshman Henry Gillepspie-Hill, felt it was “pretty cool” to see his brother perform.

Spanish Club fund raiser

The Nov. 15 School Board meeting focused on one main topic, The PA Heartland Coalition of Schools and its involvement in Cyber School Charter Schooling. These cyber charter schools are advertised as “free” however they are not for the students’ home districts. The Bloomsburg district is paying over $300,000 for Cyber School enrollment. A student enrolled in cyber education costs the district $8,593.61, and a special education student costs $12,660.49. A large factor is whether these cyber schools have the ability to deliver specially designed instruction for special needs students via the Internet. The main question for the district is whether these cyber enrolled students are receiving the same education they would if they attended Bloomsburg schools.

FIRST NEWS TO USE

Student NewsFrom the school boardA continuing series of articles by School Board Representative Rachel DeFrain

Designing newest robots

Concert band

Sloane Barton (10) and her family include special celebrations as part of their Christmas holiday.

Rachel DeFrain

Getting in the spirit

Photo by Courtney Sabo

BY MITCHELL FORNWALD

BY KYLIE HASTINGS

BY KYLIE HASTINGS

The Bath Brothers as played by Joseph Gillespie-Hill and Christian Tloczynski sing a cover song early in their one-hour set at TreeFest on Dec. 4. The duo also added several solo numbers into their performance.

Spanish Club will be collecting order forms for the candle fund raiser. They will be in before Christmas break. The group is also discussing a possible trip to New York City.

The yearbook staff has completed its first two deadlines, and with half the 2011 edition completed, everything looks good. With excitement growing, extra books were ordered, but those will be sold for the full $60 price. You can pay that at any time before the mid-May distribution or take your chances and wait until then.

The Technology Students Association has begun planning, designing, building and selecting new projects. They are planning an ambitious 2011.

The band has calmed down since the annual Christmas concert on Dec. 12, but many musicians are still preparing for upcoming District and County band events.

The Robotics team will be finalizing robot designs and building new robots for competitions in February and April. They’ll be in the construction phase for the next few weeks.

NHS students helped Student Council with Educator Appreciation Week by bringing in numerous food items. They also participated in TreeFest.

The Ski Club is set for its seasonal Sunday night trips to Sno Mountain. Fund raising for the winter trip to Lake Placid will get into high gear after the holidays.

Getting parents more involved and laying a solid foundation for the next three years will be the main focus for the next few weeks for the Freshman Class.

Memorabilia accepting purchases

NHS has busy month

Ski Club makes snowy plans

Freshmen invite parents to help

Sophomores setting their plansDesigns for t-shirts are in the process of being discussed and finalized. They are also organizing a school-wide volleyball tournament as a fund raiser. Dates and details will be released after Christmas break.

Book Club will be having a holiday party and book exchange towards the end of December. They will also be choosing a new book to read.

Book Club plans

TSA readies for 2011

Photo by Seth Loff

December 20, 2010 5

PUTTING DOWN PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is knowingly taking the words or ideas of another author and representing them as your own. This would often be the easy way out for many students that

have that big paper due tomorrow, have a forensics meeting, basketball practice, indoor track, dinner, and work until midnight. Communication Studies teacher DeAnne Casteel has a firm zero tolerance policy on the subject. “Students plagiarize now more than ever, mostly because of the easy accessibility from the Internet,” says Casteel, who has made a paper on plagiarism, collusion and cheating, which she has forwarded to all teachers in the high school to use in their own classes.

CHEATING DEFINED Collusion and Plagiarism are similar in nature; however, they have minor differences. Defined by Dictionary.com, collusion is a secret agreement for a fraudulent purpose; connivance; or conspiracy. In relation to school, it is when two students collaborate together to come up with answers on an assignment. “It is so much easier for a student to use collusion instead of their own thoughts,” says Casteel, who has turned spotting student collaboration into an art form. Noticing changes in sentence structure,

THE PROBLEM WITH

PLAGIARISMSTEALING IN THE TECHNOLOGY AGE

BY AVERY KEEFER

Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater! is a line that most of us learned from our elementary school days; however, now more than ever, the high school staff is cracking down on the pumpkin eaters.

IDEA

Illustration by Remington Weigle

In your opinion, what subject is most commonly plagiarized?1 James Lincoln (12) “Science. If anyone wants to cheat in science they can.”

2 Ann Shetler (9) “English, because you can go on the Internet without putting names on it from who it came from.”

3 Evan Moffitt (10) “English, because it’s a lot harder to come up with answers by yourself than using other’s work.”

4 Kurtis Minster (9) “English, because reports that need to be researched can easily be copied.”

34

2

1

Checking for cheaters

What do you do to prevent or catch collusion or plagiarism?1 Debra Shuman (math) “I try walking around the classroom and keep a good eye on students as they work.”

2 Jerry Davis (history) “Teachers can tell when it’s a copy and paste job. I usually just tell them to write in their own words.”

3 Todd Davis (chemistry) “If students want to cheat, they can find a way, with the increase in technology and the decrease in student’s integrity.”

4 Michael McGarry (English) “I teach my students that plagiarizing just doesn’t make sense.”

34

2

1

Teachers can use several sites to check for plagiarism. You can too.writecheck.turnitin.com Allows students or teachers to check what papers have unoriginal ideas and highlights the area in the paper that needs to be changed.http://www.plagiarismchecker.com Checks to see if students correctly cited sources or if they copied and pasted from the Internet. Phrases from the paper are put in the search engine for examination.http://www.articlechecker.com/ Put in a phrase and this database checks with Google search engine if your work matches someone else’s from the Internet.http://www.plagiarismdetect.com/ Not only check if you plagiarized in your paper but you can sign up for an accurate account which prevents you from being accused of plagiarism, guaranteeing that the final paper handed in is one hundred percent cheater free.http://www.checkforplagiarism.net/ This website checks papers for plagiarism, mostly used for college thesis statements.

catching noticeable spelling errors, and realizing that there are the sentences that are worded exactly the same are all ways that she nips collusion in the bud. Casteel describes these mistakes as “lazy collaboration.” Teacher Philip Burrell sees students plagiarizing as a sign that it is time to change up the lesson. “If I find a student that is plagiarizing, that tells me the project is not what it should be and students are not getting the full effect of the lesson,” says Burrell.

REMINDERS NEEDED The lessons may be repetitive for students, but English teacher Robin Callahan feels the message is important. “I think every year students need to be reminded of the consequences. Students are already taught about plagiarism in middle school so I think we can remind them here but ultimately students are responsible for their own actions.” Senior Emily Shady has not been aware of any change by teachers. “I haven’t even noticed that teachers were cracking down,” she says. Though teachers are not making their actions more noticeable, students teachers to be serious about cheating and cheaters “I think that a zero is fair,” says Shady. “Teachers make it a priority and they should.”

December 20, 20106

FLYING INTO THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY

TECH

GENERATION

WHICH IS BETTER –CLASSIC CHALKBOARDOR FLASHYSMARTBOARD?

socialstudies203Dyan Murphy”I like the Smartboard. I’m allergic to dust, and there is no dust with a Smartboard. It’s easier to use and it’s more hands on. I can multi-task with it too.”

english103DeAnne Casteel”The Smartboard is better, I use it everyday in every class period.”

Above: Alexander Lowe (11) gives a presentation about the Battle of Somme in Dyan Murphy’s American Cultures class.

December 20, 2010 7

English teacher Michael McGarry agrees. “The basic

skills and mental processes of the class are exactly the

same. The only things that have changed are the tools

we use to go through those processes.”

Although students today have used technology

for much of their lives, they still need a general

knowledge of how to use different applications,

beyond just Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Switching over to technology has proven itself to

help students. “It opens up opportunities and creates

an engagement for the students which helps them feel

connected,” says Social Studies teacher Phil Burrell.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Every day, technology becomes more and more

prominent throughout the world. Using technology

in classrooms could potentially prepare students for

their career later in life. “It gets students used to using

tools they’re going to be using in the future. It asks

them to do more, to look at a paper more than once,

have other people review the documents, to work

together with other students and learning the skills

that are essential,” says McGarry.

Senior Tyler Dalious also feels that technology

helps. “I think technology is going to be in virtually

every career sooner or later.”

And Traugh agrees. “It allows them to develop

skills that are going to transfer into the real world of

education, the real world of work and hopefully is

going to make them more marketable,” he says.

mathematics200James Yates”I have a chalkboard, but I would like to have a Smartboard in the future.”

comptech100Kyla Burns”I can type or write the information on the Smartboard and it can be saved so I consider that easier.”

ecology107David Bitner”I prefer the Smartboard because it is not monochrome, meaning it is not one color.”

mathematics105Billee Horn”I love my Smartboard.”

BY EMILY DuBARTELL

A TECHNOLOGYOBSERVATIONSince I started high school as a freshman in 2008, technology was used in the majority of my classrooms. From English to Science and even to Spanish. I did, however, have classes such as Civics and Algebra where technology was hardly used. Now in my junior year, technology is in every single classroom, yet old fashioned textbooks are still present in my history and Problems of Democracy classes. Laptops are convenient for using Google docs for journalism, class discussions during a movie and blog assignments. Textbooks are helpful with finding the exact question and not worrying about the web page closing unexpectedly due to an error. Technology and old school methods have their benefits, and they also have their weaknesses. Many assignments are posted online or require Internet research and some students do not have access to the web, and textbooks are big and uncomfortable to carry around. Yet, without textbooks and encyclopedias, we would lose our ability to research information and we would become used to the answers being provided to us. Although technology is dominating the classroom, a symbiotic relationship between textbook and Google offers the best education opportunity for students.

BY CASEY WARD

Below: Sophomore Amanda Shaleen utilizes a Smartboard in Billie Horn’s Geometry class.

smartboardsSugge...

This transformation was not easy and

teachers and students had to overcome some

personal, professional and infrastructure

challenges that seemed to be bundled with

every addition. Civics teacher Ron Grzybowski

explains the most difficult aspect of making this

switch. “I am used to teaching with paper and pencil,

and I’ve taught with paper and pencil for 30 years.”

Grzybowski was not alone in his thinking.

Social Studies teacher Donald Traugh agrees in

the difficulties of changing teaching habits. “It’s

uncomfortable, but I got over it. If you’re going to be

fresh in what you do, you have to keep pace with the

times,” says Traugh.

Senior Dakotah Cleaver shares those obstacles

to overcome when using technology. “My biggest

challenge was learning how to set things up on paper

so that they can be transformed to a real life object.”

Technology pointed Cleaver in the right direction.

“Without the experience with technology, I’m not

sure that I would even know what I want to do for

a living, but getting experience with technology has

lead me to pursue an engineering career.”

WHAT IT TAKES

“Students still have to be good researchers, good

writers and good readers. The basic educational skills

are still important, but you are just using a new media

to showcase your abilities,” says Traugh as he explains

the skills students need to make this switch.

BY T

HE N

UMBE

RS laptopsSugge...

352desktops

Sugge...

165 20

For many years, learning and teaching in a classroom involved papers and

books. Today, the variety of different software and hardware technology

used in education is fairly common. High school students now grow up with

PowerPoint, laptops, blogs, Goggle Tools and much more.

BY C

ASEY

WAR

D

There is something about the holiday season that has the ordinary person yearning to take action more than any other time of year. Whether it is giving one hour or one toy, the difference it makes is evident. You can make a difference this season by purchasing products from vendors who have made

pledges to donate some of their profits to charitable causes. BY TALIA SAINCLAIR

As the gift giving season approaches, students throughout the school are stepping up to become a part of a movement to make sure the holiday spirit reaches all. “I wanted to make a difference in kids’ lives who would not get as much for

Christmas as I do,” says freshman Angela Bagnata. Students have taken it upon themselves to think of others instead of focusing on what they want. “I know what it’s like to ask for all of these things and not get anything or only get one toy,” says junior Ilea Franklin, a participant in last year’s Toys for Tots drive. “It’s me trying to help other kids get what they want, because I rarely did.”

SANTA’S HELPERS Students also participate in holiday giving through the Student Council which organizes the Angel Gift Drive at the school. “We get a bulk order of angel forms from St. Columba [Catholic Church] and distribute them to students in school who want to donate,” says Student Council Historian Olivia Klingerman. “It’s for families who can’t really afford Christmas gifts.” Each angel includes a child’s gender, age, shirt size, pants size and specific gift wish. “We collect the angel gifts and give them back to St. Columba to give to the kids,” says Klingerman. Numerous students took more than one angel order and several even took three, including Bagnata. “I know if I were in that position, I would really appreciate it,” she says.

GOING THE EXTRA STEP NHS and NAHS are annually involved in TreeFest, a Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble fund raiser that donates trees and decorations to families that otherwise could not afford them. “We guided a project for the young kids who attended,” says senior NAHS member Michelle Kope. “They made snowmen out of socks and cotton and decorated them however they wanted.” Another charitable event took place Dec. 12 when six journalism students along with adviser Sam Bidleman and a parent volunteer traveled to the Toys for Tots warehouse to help package gifts. “Toys for Tots provides Christmas for underprivileged children,” says Pauline Roberts, who coordinates Toys for Tots in our region. “We want every child to be able to say they got something for Christmas, especially high school students.” Toys are sorted and given to children based on what they asked for. “Last year we reached 4,304 children in five counties. We averaged 7 toys per child,” says Roberts. “We do our best to fulfill the children’s wishes,” says Roberts.

MAKING AN IMPACT Taking action not only benefits those on the receiving end, but also those who give as well. “I don’t know how to describe the feeling you have when you’re helping to make someone else’s Christmas happen,” says Franklin. “It’s overpowering.” Every effort makes a difference. “The holiday season is a time that ignites an inspiration to give back,” says Franklin. With children reached by this type of generosity, Christmas spirit is rekindled. “We don’t want any child to go without Christmas,” says Roberts.

BE ONE OF SANTA’S HELPERS

TOMS SHOESAlso known as the One for One Movement, the TOMS Shoes company will match every pair of shoes purchased and donate them to a child in need in a developing country. The nearest store is located in Scranton, but orders can be placed online as well.

THE RAIN FOREST SITEThis site offers inexpensive gifts from kitchen serve-ware to clothing and footwear that when bought will help to preserve a part of a vital habitat around the world. The site also supports five other non-profit causes.

LIVESTRONGFounded by Lance Armstrong and in association with Nike and other sporting stores, LIVESTRONG sells sweatshirts, pants, bracelets and gifts for all ages to help fight and raise awareness of cancer.

THE FOOD NETWORK STOREFood Network has joined forces with Share Our Strength, an organization that looks to end childhood hunger in America. Anything bought from the Food Network’s online store helps support feeding America.

DANCING DEER BAKING CO.Dancing Deer Sweets have teamed up with One Family Inc., an organization that helps prevent homelessness, by donating a portions of their proceeds to One Family Inc.

WORLD WILDLIFE Any merchandise from the World Wildlife Federation will go toward conserving and protecting nature. You can buy watches, t-shirts, water bottles and even plush animals for a friend.

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December 20, 20108

LIFTING SPIRITS

NICE L

IST

TREEFEST (TOP)

While donating his time at

TreeFest as part of the BHS

Junior Honor Society, junior Sean

C. Dillon removes ornaments

from a tree which will be given to

a family in need.

TOYS FOR TOTS (MIDDLE)

Working as Santa’s helpers,

sophomores Maria Polanco and

Emily Stewart search through

books to give to their selected

child while helping the Journalism

class at Toys for Tots.

COMMUNITY FRIENDSHIP

MEAL (BOTTOM)

Senior Aimee Becker, sophomore

Katie Mullen and freshman Emily

DuBartell help serve those at the

Community Friendship Meal by

making dessert plates for each

table.

December 20, 2010 9

Illustration and Photos by Courtney Sabo

December 20, 201010

LIFE-CHANGING EVENT

ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

It takes a second for someone’s life to change and instant before it takes a turn. BHS graduate Alexandra Bankes has traveled down a path few could only imagine. BY MARY MAEL

On Saturday, Aug. 22, 2010, Bankes pulled out in front of a fire truck at the end of her families road onto Route 339 in Columbia County. Her younger sister Zoe tried to

warn her from the passengers seat, but Alex never heard the cry and continued to cross the intersection. Within seconds her car was hit on the driver’s side by the Mainville Volunteer fire engine going 40 miles per hour. Zoe was left practically unscathed with only a few bumps and bruises, but Alex had to be extracted from the wreckage and then was immediately rushed to Geisinger Medical Center in critical condition. “The doctors told my parents there was a good chance I wouldn’t make it,” says Alex, who was put into a medically induced coma to help with her healing. “My family told me that the doctors had to fix the two fractures in my head and remove my spleen because it was ruptured. I was bleeding internally,” she recalls.

HER RECOVERY BEGINS While her family can clearly recall those events, Alex is still left in a haze. “I lost complete memory of the accident as well as the week prior,” says Bankes. “I can’t even remember the week after.” Even following her release from the hospital, her days spent at a rehabilitation center are still unclear. However, she is aware that her time spent there was made better with the help of her family. “I was there from the middle of September to October 14,” says Bankes. “My mom stayed with me the entire time. She even took a leave of absence from work to stay at the place attached to the center.” Her sister, dad and grandfather would come visit during her rehabilitation. “They came all the time,” says Bankes. “But rehabilitation was just people trying to get me to slow down when I talked because I couldn’t talk very well. My balance had been messed up by my injuries so they were trying to fix that too.” Even when she arrived home, she still had to make frequent visits to the doctor, but living in her own house was a positive change. “It was a big adjustment going from rehab to my house. I didn’t get to see my little sister a lot there, so when I got home we sat together and watched T.V. a lot.” But a reminder of the day still lingers. “There are still skid marks on my road,” says Bankes though that has

not stopped her progress. In high school Bankes was a National Merit Semi-Finalist. According to math teacher Michael Kakaley, “She was a diligent, conscientious and polite student.” Due to the accident she had to delay her studies for a semester to recover. Bloomsburg University held her spot in their competitive nursing program. “I’m back to normal, and I’ll be attending Bloomsburg University this spring to begin my studies for a nursing degree,” she says. While her parents won’t allow her to

operate a vehicle just yet, she has plans to get back on the road. “As long as I drive carefully, I feel like I won’t have a problem driving,” says Bankes.

According to Drivers Education teacher Jeffrey Archey (left), “If the other driver tries to blame you for being the cause of the accident, call the police and have them start an investigation and they’ll tell you who they believe was at fault, which is very important for insurance settlements. Also look for witnesses as to who’s at fault. Remember to stay calm

COLLECTED BY MARIA POLANCO

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU ARE IN AN ACCIDENT?

and don’t get into an argument or confrontation with the other driver.”

ANNUAL TEEN ACCIDENTS BY THE NUMBERS K About 400,000 drivers age 16 to 20 are seriously injured in car crashes. K Even though teenagers are about 10% of the US population, they account 12% of all fatal car crashes.

Alexandra Bankes

Phot

o by

Ilea

Fra

nklin

Photo by Ilea Franklin

December 20, 2010 11

unior Davi

d Leberfinger

set a g

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says L

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steal th

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says

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Two yea

rs ago, he en

tered a

photo in the Bloomsburg F

air

and won a seco

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jokes

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animals,

nature,

beauty a

nd

intricacy

.”

He w

orks to find the b

est way

to

represe

nt his subject

s. “For sc

enery

shots, I’ll

wait for a

certain

light an

d get

down low

to find different an

gles,”

says

Leberfinger

. And by a

lready ta

king over

150,000 photos, he is

always

finding ways

to improv

e his s

kills. “Y

ou can neve

r take

too many photos,”

says L

eberfinger

. “The

more you sh

oot, the b

etter yo

u get.”

But ev

en though he takes 2

00 to 500

photos a tim

e, he o

nly keep

s two to five.

Leberfinger

contin

ues to exp

eriment w

ith

black an

d white image

s to refl

ect an

older

style o

f photography, b

efore P

hotoshopping

them.

LIGHTS, C

AMERA, SHOOT

Though Leberfi

nger ten

ds to sta

y with

scenery

and wildlife

, he has s

hared his s

kills

with the school. “

I just r

ecently

started

shooting sp

orts,” sa

ys Leberfi

nger ab

out his

football, field

hockey, cro

ss country

and

soccer co

verage

which has i

mpressed the

publications’ a

dviser.

“Dave

has a gre

at eye a

nd a quick

shutter which

means th

at he ca

ptures

what he se

es when he se

es it,”

says ad

viser

and photographer S

am Bidlem

an. “With

[yearb

ook editor-in

-chief ]

Courtney S

abo

and Dave on the si

delines o

f any g

ame, I

know that I

am the th

ird best photogra

pher

there an

d that is n

ot such a b

ad thing.”

Finding the Im

age

“I tr

y to focus on wheth

er or n

ot there’

s a

certain

aspect

, like o

n a leaf,

and exa

ggerate

it,” say

s Leberfi

nger. Th

is type o

f thinking

pours over

into his experim

ental shots.

“I

just start

ed water d

rop photography; a

ny

kind of fix scenario

, candle p

hotography,

and smoke p

hotography.”

But ev

en after a

ll the ti

me spent sh

ooting,

he is car

eful not to

get sw

ept away

by the

sound of the sh

utter. “I

t’s hard

to remem

ber

to think about th

e photo an

d compose

it,” say

s Leberfi

nger. “N

ot to just h

it the

shutter.”

Exposing detail

s that g

o unnoticed an

d portraying the world in a d

ifferent

light; even snagging a s

hot of the an

imated. W

ho is behind the lens ta

king

photos that h

ave found their w

ay into the yearbook an

d this publica

tion?JUST THE RIGHT

BY BRIANNA SHANNON

“With [yearbook editor-

in-chief ] Courtney

Sabo and Dave on the

sidelines of any game, I

know that I am the third

best photographer there,

and that is not such a

bad thing.”

- Adviser Sam Bidleman B

idleman rec

ognizes Leberfi

nger’s

standard

s. “He sh

oots so many p

hotos,

but the o

nes he sh

ares w

ith us are th

e very

best,” sa

ys Bidlem

an. “His b

est works ar

e

already in

our publica

tions, and I c

an

hardly w

ait to see

them on the 2

0 foot

screen durin

g the sl

ide show.”

Leberfi

nger plan

s to co

ntinue w

ith

photography th

roughout his life.

“I want

something th

at I can

be proud of; m

aybe

even disp

lay in my o

wn house,” say

s

Leberfinger

.

GIFTED ARTIST

Award-winning p

hoto of a sta

bled horse

on Leberfinger

’s frien

d’s farm

.

A micro

photograph of a

flower in

Leberfinger

’s home g

arden.

One of L

eberfinger

’s favo

rite

experim

ental wate

r drop photos.

Quarterb

ack Blak

e Rankin

running o

n

the field

before a

football

game fr

amed

by a su

nset in th

e back

ground.

One of h

is scen

ery photos o

f a

lighthouse

taken in So

uth Carolina.

Leberfinger

’s self

portrait.

J

December 20, 201012

COMPETING FOR THE BEST

ANCHORINGFor

these aquatic athletes, swimming means everything and working

hard is key. And it’s paid off. Bloomsburg’s boys’ relay team placed first at Districts last year

and placed third at states in the medley relay, while the girls’ relay team placed first at Districts. “We did very well for having a new coach that year,”

says swim coach Marc Barnes. “There was vast improvement. Placing third at States with only five boys when the other teams had over 20 kids – that’s a lot.”

SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR Continued success is hardly a given after the boys’ relay team lost Alek Szilagyi to graduation.

Szilagyi was a state qualifier in the 100 and 50 freestyle and an anchor in last year’s medley relay. While Szilagyi will be difficult to replace, a group of underclassmen are fighting for his empty spot.

“Everybody wants to be on the relay team,” says freshman Jonah Chamberlin, who is trying out for the position. “It’s a big deal.” On the girls’ side, freestyle anchor April LaBelle has also graduated, leaving another critical gap to fill. Sophomore Allison Wardrop, a freestyle hopeful says, “I think it would be really cool to be on the relay team. [Making the relay team] has made everyone try harder since everyone wants it.” Stefan Szilagyi, Alek’s younger brother, feels that the search for the final relay team member has been a positive for the team. “The team is wide open right now,” he says. “It’s making everyone push harder.” Stefan’s teammate senior backstroker Morgan Lee says that it’s a good feeling to be on the relay team. “It’s really fun because it’s more of a team sport then regular swim team,” she adds. In terms of the search for the final member, Lee says that timing is key. “Whoever has the best time gets the position.”

OTHER GAPS TO FILL Similarly, the girls’ diving team is recruiting three additional divers. Seven students are trying out – four in their first year, two in their second and junior Lauren Ball who has qualified for States both years she has been competing. With so many open spots to fill, Barnes continues to have an upbeat outlook on the team’s season

as well. “I expect the team to do even better this year than last year,” he says. First year assistant coach Joseph Tomassini feels the same way. “I think this team definitely

has potential to do a lot of good things at Districts and States,” he says. In terms of chemistry between swimmers, Barnes says, “We have some conflicts

but they’ll sort themselves out. It’s probably one of the most well behaved, close-knit group of athletes I’ve ever coached.”

Barnes maintains a positive outlook when it comes to selecting the replacement relay team member, too. “Whoever is the

fastest and hardest working will deserve it the most.”

The air is thick with

humidity. The tile floor is moist and slick with a thin

layer of water. The pool shimmers with a dim glint and is utterly

placid and undisturbed – but it will not be for long. This scene

is familiar to members of the high school swim

team.

SWIM TEAM’S HOLIDAY WISH LIST - TWO FREESTYLERS

BY B

ILLI

E RA

E MI

CHAE

LReaching for the wall, freestyle contender Allison W

ardrop fi nishes her warm

up laps.

December 20, 2010 13

CHAMPIONS1BACK

The first Olympic backstroke competition was at the 1900 Paris Olympics men’s 200 metre. Backstroke is sometimes referred to as the back crawl. It is the only regulated swim style done on its back. This provides swimmers with an easy advantage of breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. Backstroke is the only competition swimming style that starts in the water as well.

2BREASTThe 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis were the first Olympic games featuring a separate breaststroke competition. Breaststroke is a style of swimming in which the swimmer is on their chest and their torso does not rotate. It is known as the most popular recreational style of swimming due to the head being out of the water a majority of the time. It is also considered the slowest of all four strokes. The breast stroke kick is sometimes referred to as ‘frog kick’ because of the resemblance of movement to a frog’s hind legs. It is commonly known that this stroke is the most difficult of all to do correctly.

3FLYButterfly is a preformed on the swimmer’s chest, while both arms are moving simultaneously in a forward motion. The butterfly kick is referred to as the dolphin kick. Many coaches and swimmers consider this style of swimming to be the hardest to learn because of the technique needed. The head, shoulders and part of the chest have to be fully lifted out of the water with the synchronous movement of the arms. Combined with breathing, it is difficult to accomplish correctly. FINA, the international governing body of all water sports, lists it as the fastest swimming style.

4FREESTYLEThe freestyle stroke, also known as the front crawl, is the most commonly used style of swimming in competitions. There is no real regulation on how to swim the stroke. The stroke is swum with the head down most of the time, and the arms alternate as each one reaches out for the water in front, creating propulsion’s with flutter kick movements.

RELAY’S FOUR STROKES

Photos by Lauren BallOur thanks to Olivia Klingerman and Gabriella Paige for lending us their underwater cameras

Sophomore

back

strok

er S

am C

alhou

n gl

ides

thro

ugh

the

wat

er w

hile

swim

ming

frees

tyle la

ps at pract

ice.

December 20, 201014

SHOWING SUCCESS

IRON MANWhile most high school students are busy

molding their bodies to look good for homecoming, prom and other various special occasions, senior Tanner Johnson spends his

time preparing for bodybuilding competitions. “I started bodybuilding about ten weeks prior to my first competition,” recalls Johnson. “I go to the YMCA for an hour and a half to lift and then I ride the bike for thirty minutes every day.” Although working out is a major aspect of the sport, dieting also plays a vital role. “I drink strictly water and gave up almost all fats, sugars and sodium,” he explains. “Finally being able to eat my favorite foods after my competition is the best feeling. I diet for so long to look good and it’s nice to eat what I want again.” Dieting is no stranger to the sport of wrestling, an activity Johnson used to participate in but is no longer able to. “I’m not allowed to wrestle because I have a heart condition where one of the valves in my heart doesn’t pump enough oxygen,” he says.

CHANGING IT UP Though wrestling and bodybuilding may be similar in more ways than not, differences are still present. Competitions contain multiple parts and Tanner has to prepare and work out to be successful for each of them. Tanning, for example is a huge part of bodybuilding.

Supplements, dieting, banana suits and hardcore workouts are all things familiar to bodybuilders, and for one eighteen year old, it is something that rules his life.

“I tan for twenty minutes every day for three or four weeks and then I get three coats of Pro Tan two days before the competition,” he says. The skin color of a bodybuilder provides an illusion by making the muscle of the competitor look larger than the true size. That is a large part of how he has been successful in competitions. “Judges look mainly for two things: how symmetrical your muscles are and how ripped you are,” says Johnson. Although the judges check only those two components, the competitions last all day. “There’s prejudging, the actual show and then finals,” he adds.

CHEATING IS NOT AN OPTION While the mass of the muscle matters in bodybuilding, Johnson refuses to take the easy way out by turning to steroids. “The only substances I take are creatine and nitric oxide,” he says. Although some bodybuilding participants choose to take the easy road to the championship title, there is no such thing to Johnson. He must be dedicated to take part in such a strenuous activity but luckily, dedication runs in his family. “I had a lot of documentaries on bodybuilding but it was my dad who truly got me into the sport,” Johnson says. “In my family, it’s something we can all do together and enjoy.” It is no secret that the amount of time and commitment needed in this sport shows it is a grueling lifestyle. “The only easy part in the sport of bodybuilding is sleeping,” jokes Johnson.

BY CHRISTINA GULLIVER

STATSHeight

5 10

Weight187lb

Waist31

Bench245lb

Squat505lb

Curls55lb

TriPress180lb

Calf Raises190lb

Military Press175lb

Fueling the engine before competitionTo maintain a low body fat and still have energy to go through their routines, body builders abide by a strict diet. The following is one of the many diets a bodybuilder should follow a few weeks before a competition. This one from former competitor Tom Venuto.BREAKFAST¾ cup of oatmeal½ a large grape fruit2 scoops of vanilla protein powder

LUNCH6 oz. yam6 oz. chicken8 oz. broccoli

DINNER6 oz. chicken breast or 1 can of tuna8 oz. asparagus or spinach saladSUPPLEMENTSGlutamine

December 20, 2010 15

Freshman Kristina Kurelja has been hunting with her father since she was five years old. “I never used to hold the gun, but I enjoyed being out in the woods,” says Kurelja about her earlier experiences.

And at 14, she is still as interested as she was nine years ago. Now Kurelja hunts both squirrels and deer. Squirrel hunting season ranges throughout the year, but deer season starts in November and ends in December. “I go squirrel hunting once or twice a month, but during deer season much less because the season is shorter and because I only shoot rifle,” says Kurelja. Kurelja participated in the Junior Hunt for deer. It takes place three days in October and allows hunters ages 12 to 16 to hunt for buck. “It was like a regular season, but there were less hunters in the woods,” says Kurelja who went to the hunt with her father since her youngest brother Joey did not opt to go this year.

PULLING THE TRIGGER On Saturday, December 4, Kurelja shot her first deer. “I killed a doe, and it was about a hundred yards away,” says Kurelja. She and her father were about a half mile away from their cabin that is connected to the state game lands when she killed the animal. “I am the first Kurelja woman to shoot a deer or hunt for that matter,” says Kurelja. Like other females, Kurelja has a liking of animals, but has a different approach to when it comes to killing them. “I love any animals, including deer. It’s really hard for me to think about killing it, and when the time came, I did not know if I would be able to pull the trigger,” she says. Most girls are against the killing of animals and Kurelja feels that she still has that same feeling. “When I shot my first deer, and saw it die, I started crying. That fact that I was looking at this animal and realizing that I killed it, was pretty hard,” says Kurelja.

UNDER PRESSURE Hunting, commonly known as a male dominant sport, makes Kurelja feel that she is in competition with males her age. However the main competition seems to be with her younger brother Joey. “The pressure is pretty high with us and I feel pressured to out-do him because he is younger than I am,” she says. Kurelja is proud to say she’s a hunter and ignores the pressure and comments she sometimes faces. “I wouldn’t say I get picked on, but I do get called ‘lumberjack’ and ‘lumber-jail,’” she says.

HUNTING REMAINS AN OPTION Sophomore Taylor Young encourages women to hunt. “Females make the sport continue,” says Young. Kurelja also thinks that allowing females to hunt is important. “I would definitely encourage girls to hunt, but I know many girls don’t want to,” says Kurelja, “I think it takes a certain type of person to actually want to go and hunt, but if a person thinks that they’ll like it, then they should go out and try it.”

ALL SPORTS ARE FAIR GAMEHunting breaks down gender participation barriers

BY EMILY TOLAN

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service conducted a survey in 2007 that estimates the number of female hunters is 10% of 12.5 million hunters, a huge increase since 1991. 300,000 of those girls are under the age of 16.

Above: Freshman Kristina Kurelja holds her 243 bolt action rifle as she kneels with the doe that she killed on Saturday, Dec. 4, around ten o’clock in the morning. It was Kurelja’s first deer kill of her hunting career.

Far Left: Warrior Run junior Matthew McAndrew participates in field hockey, a female dominant sport. “I was booed almost every game unless the other team had a boy,” says McAndrew. But the taunting helped McAndrew excel. “I take it very seriously,” says McAndrew, who intends to play field hockey at the college level.

Left: Freshman Elexis Emery knows what it is like to be “one of the guys.” She played football, a male dominant sport, during her sixth grade year. “My favorite part was seeing the looks on their faces whenever someone got tackled by me,” says Emery. Unfortunately this experience ended after only one season when her parents made her quit.

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With 25,053,564 fans and gaining more each day, Michael Jackson’s page stands as one of the most popular on Facebook. Content includes upcoming events, song samples and updates about the latest news commemorating Michael.

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PAGES TO LIKE

Based off of Jonathan Swift’s novel, a new spin-off of Gulliver’s Travels has been produced. In this new movie, Lemuel Gulliver, played by Jack Black, is an amateur writer who also works as a mail delivery person at a major newspaper. In order to get the attention of his travel editor, Gulliver travels on a boat that is charted for the Bermuda Triangle. During the voyage, storms hit and sends him off course and he ends up on an island populated by six-inch-tall people called the Lilliputians. For Lemuel, being the biggest citizen on the island ensures that his relationship with the natives isn’t easy. Because of his huge size, the Lilliputians enlist the help of Lemuel to battle their long-time enemies. Unfortunately for him, he puts the Lilliputians in danger and must find a way to undo the damage, and he soon learns that it isn’t your physical size that matters, but the size of your heart that matters. Gulliver’s Travels will be playing in theaters today.

GULLIVER IN THEATERS TODAY

Livescribe Echo Smartpen ($200)The new brainchild of the Livescribe Pulse is now the Livescribe Echo Smartpen. This unique pen works with a special notebook to record audio while notes are being taken. The user simply has to tap on the written section to hear what was recorded when the writing took place.

ARTISTS NEEDED

Every day students use the shortcut through the Dollar General parking lot on their way to school, and walk past the Suncom building without a second glance. Suncom Industries is yet another place in Bloomsburg looking for volunteers. Suncom Industries is a non-profit organization intended for the sole purpose of helping people with mental and physical disadvantages have a normal, successful life. Their Adult Training Facility is located on 164 West Ninth Street behind the Market Street Plaza. Volunteers must be in grades 9 through 12, and must be at least sixteen years old. Students who are willing to lend a helping hand will participate in bi-monthly dances, assist with picnics and fund raisers, and read-to and socialize with clients. Suncom is particularly looking for volunteers who have music, dance, poetry, and artistic talents. Opportunities to help are not available after school or on the weekends, but are day-long and can be done one time. For more information call Carrie Charles at 387-0830 or log on to www.suncom.org.

WHAT’S HOT ON THE MARKET: NEWEST AND COOLEST STUFF

BY SARAH ELIZABETH SCHEIB

BY SARAH ELIZABETH SCHEIB

BY SARAH ELIZABETH SCHEIB

BY SARAH ELIZABETH SCHEIB

WITH TIME TO SPARE

The American flag flutters in the wind outside the Suncom building.

Photo by Sarah Elizabeth Scheib

December 20, 201016