The Olympiad- December 2011

Jim Thorpe Area High School1 Olympian Way, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

[email protected] 44 Issue 2 December 2011

Features

Focus

Opinion

Sports

Foreign exchange s tudent , A lvaro

Canizares, isfeatured in this issue’s MyFace.

Page 2

A remembrance of Steve Jobs.

Pages 4-5

Coldplay’s new album Mylo Xyloto is reviewed

by Corey Ligenza.

Page 6

Page 7

Olympiad

By: Rachel Montelius [email protected]

The winter play is on the way!

By: Amanda Crandall [email protected] alumni study abroad

Photo credit to: www.google/images/globe

The Jim Thorpe High School is putting on its first winter play at the school on December 21, titled A Mauch Chunk Christmas. The play is about a fictional radio broadcast done in Mauch

Chunk (what Jim Thorpe was called at the time) in 1943, during the Christmas holiday. The radio show’s crew has been told, at last minute, that instead of doing their normal murder mystery show, they are now broadcasting the “Christmas Special.”

“I absolutely love the fact that this play is based way back in 1943,” said Elizabeth Strauss, freshman.

A silent film star, Marie Osborn, who has lost all of her money during the depression and is now trying to make a comeback, is one of the main characters. Chris and James are two other lead characters with their own stories as well. Chris, the radio station manager, was wounded in action and sent back home to the states. James, the leading man who thinks he is a “playa,” is a bit too old for women to pay him the attention he believes he deserves.

This play was written by the play director, Mrs. MacLeod, with

support and opinions from the cast and several other adults and students. Mrs. MacLeod explained, “This is a great situation, because we can tailor it to our needs. If a student does not feel comfortable singing, they do not have to. The play is challenging, but we have a lot of talent in this school.” Mrs. MacLeod also stated, “Since the play is being specifically written for this cast, it should work out very well.”

Dancing and original songwriting may also be incorporated into the musical. With these aspects included, there will be several areas of the performing arts seen in into the play this winter.

“I am currently arranging the music for the instrumentation of the Christmas carols and helping assign to and sing the Christmas songs,” says Gabriell Miller, senior, “I very much enjoy it and am looking forward to show time.”

The first of its kind, A Mauch Chunk Christmas will be held at seven o’clock on Wednesday, December 21 to anyone who would like to come to see the performance.

Once students leave Jim Thorpe High School, many new doors are open to them. One of these doors could lead a student to a foreign

country with a study abroad program.One student studying abroad right now is 2010 graduate Erin

Nanovic. Erin decided to study abroad in Rome, Italy. She is currently taking classes dealing with the culture and history of Rome to help her to better understand the country where she is living. Her hotel is a measly three minutes away from the Pantheon, and only five minutes from the Trevi Fountain. Although she misses her family, Erin stated, “I absolutely recommend studying abroad to anyone. When you go to college, definitely look into their study abroad program.” Another former student who graduated in 2009, also made the decision to travel to Europe. Morgan Levitz studied in Salamanca, Spain for one month this past summer. Morgan decided to study abroad because she enjoys traveling to new and exciting places. While in Spain, she visited the capital, Portugal, the La Reina Sofia art museum, and even attended a bull fight. “Studying in Spain had been my dream for a long time, and improving my Spanish was also very important to me,” stated Morgan. I am a Spanish major and although studying abroad is not required, it is highly encouraged in our program.” Morgan also expresses her love for meeting new people from different backgrounds, which she was able to do often of during her stay in Spain.

William Rieck, of the same graduating class, also made the decision to study abroad in Spain through Ursinus College. This specific college has a great program that allows about twenty students to study abroad. This year, since these students have not completely experienced the Spanish teachers in this program, the college sends a professor along with the students and they are graded harshly. Overall, William admits to having a great time. “I have done a lot here in Spain,” he stated. “I have traveled all over the country and each region has been different from the last. I have seen unbelievable, jaw dropping, ancient architecture.” Like most students studying abroad, William claims the only downfall of his experience is leaving behind his friends and family.

All in all, studying abroad seems to be quite a life changing, enjoyable experience. This may not be for everyone, but those with an interest in traveling and learning about different cultures s h o u l d h i g h l y consider a s tudy abroad program.

“I have seen unbelievable, jaw dropping, ancient

architecture.”

- William Rieck

While in Spain, Morgan Levitz experienced many beautiful sites.

Erin Nanovic made sure to capture all of her memories in Rome.

William Rieck expressed his excitement to be in Barcelona.

Morgan Levitz witnessed several Spanish cultural events.

Erin Nanovic enjoyed the sunny weather of Spain.

William Rieck immersed in the city of Madrid.

The outlook on winter sports is looking positive.

Feature s2

Alvaro Canizares

About Me:

Who I’d Like To Meet:

My name is Alvaro Canizares. I am currently 18 years old. I am from Ecuador in South America. I am a foreign exchange student staying with the Lawrence family. I like living with the Lawrences, they are really friendly, and when I am with them, I feel at home. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends, playing soccer, and practicing wrestling.

George St. Pierre

is freezing.

I have never read a book, ever.

Watching UFC and soccer on TV.

Two and a Half Men

W a l l P o s t s

MyFace: Alvaro Canizares

By: Corey Ligenza [email protected]

t o P F r i e n d s

Rap (Tyga)

Blurbs

tV shoWs

Books

interests

Music

Kyle Lawrence

Corey LigenzaKristin Lawrence

Kyle Lawrence

Kristin Lawrence

Heroes:Lionel Messi and Charlie Sheen

“Wanna lose in FIFA?”

“Stop calling me Squirky!”

“What’s up with that?”Some explanations to our school’s mysteries.By: Ben Moore [email protected]

Mrs. Marino-AdvisorKayla Susko-Editor-In-ChiefErin Bucci-Managing EditorJeanna McElmoyle-News EditorMike Kalage-Features EditorAindrea Williams-Focus EditorMary Slack-Opinion EditorLauren Zurn-Sports EditorDylan Bradley-Managing Photo EditorAlyssa Dachowicz-Copy EditorNathan Ryals- Copy EditorAlexandria Ventrella- Business Manager

Amanda CrandallJade ElliottShannon GreenEmily KrajcirikKyle LawrenceCorey LigenzaRachel MonteliusBenjamin MooreAmanda Petrin

Editors:

the Olympiad staffReporters:The air conditioning... Is it on or off?

Why is it either really cold in some parts of the school and really hot in others? The temperature seems to be a lot warmer in some places, such as the Spanish hallway, and really cold in other areas, such as the LGI and math classrooms. I wish the school would be set at one temperature at all times. With our school, this does not seem to be the case. With all of these “bipolar temperatures” no one knows how to dress! What’s up with that?

Editors-in-chief... Why are they so sassy?Why must I have to take orders from my editor in chief, Kayla Susko and my

managing editor, Erin Bucci? They seem to find a way to give everyone sass (especially me). They are considered to be the “leaders” of the journalism class. However, because of their sassy attitudes, tensions sometimes rise. Attitude reflects leadership; therefore, the “sassiness” spreads around the classroom during the course of the day. I must say, every leader needs some attitude, so I can’t complain too much. Without of them, this school newspaper would not be what it is. I took the opportunity to write about the attitude that I have to deal with, and I am glad that someone finally had the chance to expose them. What’s up with that?

Spirit week... What changed between last year and this year?

It seems that this past year’s spirit week was a whole lot smoother and laid back than compared to last year. Last year, students were not allowed to wear jeans at all, and the costumes had to be very simple. However, during this year’s spirit week, students were allowed to wear jeans everyday of the week, except pajama day, with good cause. I feel that this year was a lot more fun than the previous year, and I believe that students did not violate the regulations or get into too much trouble because of this. With the good behavior over the course of spirit week, I hope faculty becomes even less strict in the years to come. With the dress code being so strict now a days, I am surprised with the relaxed and fun week. What’s up with that?

My Photos:

Ben getting hit hard with some editor “sass.”

Hot or cold? Jim Thorpe students never know.

Two Jim Thorpe students go all out for spirit week 2011.

Feature s 3Report CardName: Jim Thorpe Area High School

Term: 2011-2012Principal: Mr. Thomas Lesisko

Category Grade Student CommentsQuality of Education “I feel like I am getting a good education here. We do not have all

of the classes offered at other schools, but what we have is quality.”

Friendliness of Teachers “Teachers are usually there to help, but sometimes they have their bad days, just like everyone else.”“Everyone is pretty friendly, but it is a high school, so drama cannot be completely avoided, of course.”“It seems like there are a lot of double-standards. Many people get away with things that I could never get away with.”

“I believe there are a lot of fun and interesting clubs to join, and in the past few years they are always adding even more.”

“I usually feel fairly safe here.”

“The food is not as good as my mom’s, but it is not bad!”

“Playing a sport for our high school is a great experience. Teammates always grow so close even if they are having a bad season.”

“I feel like our school has a lot of great technology, the only thing is that on some days, computers are just so slow.”

“Class sizes are perfect. Classes are not too crowded or completely empty. They are small enough that you can get individual help.”

Technology

Safety and Security

Cafeteria FoodAthletics

Extracurricular ActivitiesFairness of Disciplinary Action

Friendliness of Peers

Class Size

C

C O RN E R

A N D ID

As graduation quickly approaches, all I can do is regret my past. Now, as a senior, I am starting to realize how truly special high school is. I look back at all of the things I missed

out on, and sometimes I even want to start all over from freshman year.In previous years, I lacked in participating in all aspects of school. I was not involved in

any clubs whatsoever. I thought I was too cute to do any sports, and there was no way I would ever do something crazy like dressing up for spirit week. I stuck to my little group of friends, and I just let my grades slip away, thinking that my junior and senior year would be the only ones that mattered. Not to mention, I was especially afraid of being different and showing my true personality; pretty unbelievable, right?

Everyday, I push to make up for the former years I missed. I talk to as many people as possible, speak my opinion in classes, and am sure to go out for school events, especially spirit week.

I simply want to say to the underclassmen of Jim Thorpe:• Think about exactly what you want out of your high school

experience. • Show all of your Olympian spirit at pep rallies and games.• Join every club possible.• Break out of that clique you have been in for five years, and meet

new people.• Do not leave high school without trying a sport.• Stay on top of all of your work.• Take advantage of spirit week because it is an awesome time of

the year!Lastly, always remember that high school is where you discover

yourself. So, take advantage of it!

Leaving your comfort zoneBy: Aindrea Williams [email protected]

Focus Editor

Cou

rtes

y of

Jos

h G

uth

*Student comments left anonymous for confidentiality purposes.

(15-25)

By: Jade Elliott [email protected]

“Indeed, he is one of a kind. He will be missed. A person like him can only

be a gift from God. My singular learning from him is about perfection...

focus, simplify until you can’t remove anything anymore.”

-Reader hfortuna commenting on “Steve Jobs’ Real Legacy: Apple Inc.”“America’s Entreprenuer is gone now. I feel blessed to hacve lived all

during his life. You only experience genius like this perhaps once in a

lifetime.-Reader DesertSun59 commenting on “10 Ways Steve Jobs Changed the World”

“Some people move us beyond the barriers of religion, politics, and

self. To that I say. ‘Thank you, Steve.’ Thank you for fonts, the Mac,

the iPhone, iPads, and iTunes, for vision, for building products that

created an industry worth trillions. For my office job.”

-Reader Charles Polamcp commenting on “Steve Jobs, 1955-2011:

Technology’s Greatest Visionary”

xPPANDORA

+ -=X

Traveling through time with Apple

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“Innovation distinguish-es between a leader and a follower.”

-Steve Jobs

By: Alexandria Ventrella [email protected]

Students’ thoughts about Steve Jobs and Apple

What do you think of the new update on the iPhone? Sophomore, Bryce Micciche: “I am very excited to get the iPhone 4S for Christmas. I always play with my girlfriend’s phone!”

Which do you prefer, PC or Mac?Senior, Michael Trainer: “Mac, because I think it is easier to use; plus

there are no viruses and it is faster.”

How do you feel Apple will be affected without Steve Jobs?

Senior, Brooke Tworkowski: “There was a loss of a great inventor, but there are plenty of other great minds behind Apple.”

What features do you like more on your iPhone?Senior, Jonathan Sheehan:

“I like the new notifications where I can just pull it down instead of exiting out of whatever am doing.”

Do you think Apple will ever run out of ideas for phones?Senior, Lexi Pisani:

”Probably not. They are going to get as close to robots as they can get!”

Steve Jobs photo credited to Geekteck.com

By:Rachel Montelius [email protected]

Remembering Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, the cofounder of Apple Inc., had an extremely interesting life. He accomplished many tasks within the

fifty-six years of his life, and our world may not be the same without him.

Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955. His parents were Joanne Simpson and Abdulfattah Jandali. His mother was a speech therapist, and his father was a Syrian political science professor. After Joanne and Abdulfattah put their unnamed child up for adoption, Clara and Paul Jobs became his parents. Clara was an accountant and Paul was a Coast Guard veteran and machinist. Unfortunately, it took twenty-seven years for Jobs to uncover information about his biological parents.

As a boy, Jobs lived in Mountain View, a city within California’s Silicon Valley. He and his father would work with electronics in the garage, taking them apart and putting them back together again.

Jobs was a very intelligent child, but he was not mature and he could not focus. As a child, he was a prankster. His fourth grade teacher even had to bribe him to study. Administrators wanted to make him skip to high school, but his parents declined the offer. When he did enroll in high school, he joined the computer club. It was there that Steve Jobs became friends with Steve Wozniak. They were both great with computers, and they became very good friends.

When Jobs graduated from high school, he enrolled in Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He dropped out after six months and he went in and out of creative classes for the next eighteen months. One course in calligraphy introduced Jobs’ love for typography, the art or process of setting and arranging types and printing from them.

When Jobs was only twenty-one, he and Wozniak started Apple computers. Steve Jobs was the CEO and John Scully of Pepsi-Cola filled the role of Apple’s President.

In 1985, Jobs resigned as Apple’s CEO. He began a new hardware company called NeXT Incorperated, which is an American computer and software company. The next year he purchased an animation company that was later named Pixar Animation Studios. Jobs invested fifty million dollars of his own money into the company, believing in Pixar’s potential. The company later produced popular films such as

Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. In 2006, the studio merged with Walt Disney.

Since Jobs did not reveal much about his personal life, only few knew that he fathered a daughter with his girlfriend, Chrisann Brennan, when he was twenty-three. He denied paternity of his daughter, Lisa, in court documents. It was not until Lisa was seven that Jobs’ initiated a relationship with her. Despite this, Lisa she came to live with her father as a teenager.

In the early 1990s, Jobs met Laurene Powell, and they married on March 18, 1991. From there, they lived together in Palo Alto, California with their three children.

In 1997, Apple bought NeXT Inc. because it failed at its attempts to sell its specialized operating system in mainstream America. That same year, Jobs returned to his position as Apple’s CEO. Jobs brought Apple back on track and caught the attention of customers once again.

Recently, Apple introduced revolutionary products such as the Macbook Air, iPod, and iPhone; all of which play an enourmous part in modern technology. In 2008, iTunes became the second largest music retailer in America, only Wal-Mart surpassing them. Half of Apple’s profits come from iTunes and iPod sales, over 200 million iPods have been sold and six billion songs have been downloaded. Apple has even been rated number one as America’s Most Admired Companies.

In 2003, Jobs discovered that he had a neuroendocrine tumor, a rare but operable form of pancreatic cancer. He continued delaying the surgery for nine months, but in 2004, Jobs finally had agreed and had successful surgery removal of the tumor.

On October 5, 2011, Apple Inc. announced that their cofounder, Steve Jobs, lost his battle to cancer. At the time of his death, he was fifty-six years old. The death of Jobs will effect technology in several ways. Sadly, his ideas will no longer grow before us, but his legacy will remain.

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“And no, we don’t

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-Steve Jobs

By: Corey Ligenza [email protected] Statement

The Olympiad is first and foremost a platform for student expression which is completely managed by the volunteer students of Jim Thorpe High School. The newspaper staff will always strive to provide the most accurate reporting and will take full responsibility for any accidental errors that may appear in the publication. The newspaper wholeheart-edly welcomes both positive and nega-tive articles, comments, and suggestions from their peers, the staff of JTHS, as well as citizens of the community. The Olympiad’s main loyalty belongs to JTHS and the students in attendance there.

Coldplay releases Mylo Xyloto

By: Ben Moore [email protected]

Thumbs up movie review

ParanormalActivity

3

Last year at this time, I was writing my first movie review on Paranormal Activity 2. That movie did not impress me at all, but the third is, by far, the scariest of them all.However, like most trilogies, the original is still my favorite and the most impressive.

The “paranormal” movies all revolve around one family that has been haunted and terrorized by a demon entity. Also, all three films have used the same POV (point of view) Format, which means the film has been shot with a home video recorder. The first two films deal with sisters in present day, while in their twenties, but this third film goes back to when the girls were young children during the 80s. Paranormal Activity 3 is the perfect movie to go see with friends, especially the ones that are scared easily. The suspense is unreal in some scenes and the movie will leave you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Despite this, I still believe that the first movie had the best ending. In the third film, the audience is built up for an epic ending, but it unfortunately does not deliver. Since a good movie’s ending will complete the film, this ending did not impress me. Simply put, it was sudden and unsatisfying. Without a doubt, Paranormal Activity 3 is the most suspenseful and is way better than the second, but the original still takes it all in the end.

Coldplay, one of the most popular mainstream rock bands of the past decade, released their new album

Mylo Xyloto on October 21st, 2011. Coldplay is well known for their fantastic vocals and unbelievable instrumentals. The band has high expectations for this album with their last album, Viva La Vida, appearing on the “iTunes Top 10 Albums of the Year.”

After listening to Mylo Xyloto for the first time, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped. In my opinion, the album is disappointing. After thoroughly enjoying the last Coldplay album, Viva La Vida, I was expecting an amazing follow-up. Although Mylo Xyloto is not my favorite, I still enjoy the subtle instrumentals and production of the songs. One of the better songs on the album is “Princess of China” featuring Rihanna, which is already hitting the “iTunes Top 10” chart.

Another song that definitely grabbed my attention was

“Paradise.” The song reminded me more of the original Coldplay, which I personally prefer over their newer style heard throughout this album. The instrumentals in this song are incredible and it has been rated an eight out of ten on the iTunes rating scale.

These great tracks however, are accompanied by less impressive tracks. One that stands out is “Up With the Birds” that has an extremely slow tempo, unlike other Coldplay songs. Although variety is good, and all songs should be different, this song is just not appealing to the ears and does not flow with the rest of the album.

The album has received good reviews on iTunes so far, rating a nine out of ten, and has already appeared on the Billboard Top 200 list three days after its release. Although I personally did not love every track, I enjoyed listening to Mylo Xyloto and I would recommend it to anyone.

By: Kayla Susko [email protected] it beLast week, I was in the school library starting

this column. I typed “gay marriage” into the Google search bar, and the results page was blocked. I expressed my confusion out loud and the two boys sitting next to me asked why I would be searching for this in the first place. Due to their unfriendly tone, I simply said I was “writing a paper for a class.” It was not good enough for them to keep their opinions to themselves though. One of the boys had to exclaim, “That sounds like a gay class to me!” Being the act-on-impulse person I seem to be becoming, for the good or bad, I shared my own thoughts about the two boys’ incapacity to understand my search, and we exchanged some words that included me saying, “Kind of like your face?” I know. That was certainly not my most shining moment.

I wish I would have known this quote that day, but I recently found it and I believe I am accurate in saying that it can sum up my feelings towards these boys very simply, “The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about,” said by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

However, I did take something from this conversation, and that is that some people are underprivileged in terms of exposure. It is possible that these two boys have never traveled or that their parents have spoon fed them their own judgmental opinions. Whatever the case is, I believe that a person’s negative attitude towards a concept like same sex marriage can be highly attributed to a closed mind and lack of understanding towards the said topic.

I honestly cannot grasp the idea of why anyone should have a problem with another person’s sexual orientation. My point rings even more true when you consider that another person’s decision to be gay does not usually harm or affect others in any way.

In my mind, being against same sex relationships is like being against Paula Deen. Maybe she cooks with a lot of butter, but you can not hate her simply because her food preferences are not the same as yours.

By: Amanda Crandall [email protected]

Quality of a friend: The “stay-at-home” typeMost people have one friend in their life who is the loyal, quiet, “stay-at-home” kind of person. However, having

a friend with these specific traits has its pros and cons.This type of friend might be helpful when it comes to something such as needing help on a school project. Usually

those who are the “stay-at-home” type, have more time to devote to their schoolwork and studies. Therefore, they have the knowledge and drive to support their friends with help on schoolwork or studying for a big history final.

“I think having a friend who is willing to help you when you need it, rather than an uncaring friend who just wants to talk on the phone for hours, is a great quality,” states senior, Brooke Tworkowsky. “I have a friend like this and I would not trade her for the world.” These friends also tend to be loyal and trustworthy, locking away their friends’ deepest, darkest secrets.

Just like in all good things, there are cons to this type of friend as well. Being that this person may prefer staying home, rather than going out, it may be a pain sometimes when others want to go out and do something on a Friday night, but this friend would rather stay in the comfort of their own home. Plus, since they are more quiet and reserved, socializing with them might tend to be a bore.

“Having a friend who is more on the shy side can get annoying at times when you want to go out and be adventurous, but you need to accept them and love them the way they are,” senior, Brittany Caufman explains.

All in all, there are ups and downs in all sorts of friendships, but friends just have to learn to accept them at face value and not pick them apart. After all, good friends are hard to come by, and it would be careless to push them away or leave them behind.

To find out about the “party” kind of friends, check The Olympiad online at: sites.google.com/a/jtasd.org/olympiad

Editor-In-Chief

Close friends, Brooke Tworkowsky and Victoria Devries, enjoy their quiet friendship.

Opinion6

Spor t s

By: Shannon Green [email protected]

Fall sports wrap-upSeason Highlights & Accomplishments:The boys’ soccer team has come a long way since last year. They have dedicated much time to improve their season and will continue to work hard for next season.

“Our team really worked together this year. That was a big accomplishment for all of us, and helped us

improve our record.”- Junior, Matthew Rich

Boys’ Soccer6-12

Girls’ Soccer9-10

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:The Lady Olympians worked hard to improve and obtain their second consecut ive winning season.

“The highlight of our season was scoring our first goal against Tamaqua and putting up a fight throughout the game. We finished our season strong.” - S o p h o m o r e , A m b e r

Castillo

Girls’ Tennis4-11

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:The gir l ’s tennis team started practicing in early summer and strived to have a good season. Kasey Herman and Gabby Binder were able to make it to Districts.

“I would say we were a young team this year. It was a good experience for the younger kids and hopefully they can use their experience for next year.”-Junior, Kasey Herman

Girls’ Cross

Country6-3

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:The girls achieved second at the Haven Invitational, third at the Pine Grove Invitational, and fifth at the League meet.

“Even though we had a great season, there were some difficulties and we are hoping to improve them

next year.”-Junior, Briana Gehres

Boys’ Cross

Country6-3

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:The boys’ team placed first at the Schuylkill Haven meet, third at Leagues, and thirteenth out of twenty-six at Districts.

“This cross country season was a great one. We had many fun memories and I

am going to miss it.”-Senior, Darren Gehres

T h e f o o t b a l l t e a m struggled to uphold a n o t h e r s u c c e s s f u l season. However, they are working hard to get back on track for next year.

“Our main highlights was our first victory against Schuylkill Haven. Throughout the season we still had kids willing to work during adverse times. They still work hard for their

coaches and teammates.” -Coach Miller

Football1-9

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:

Golf0-13

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:In the summer, it was not offcial that golf would even have a team. Mr. Hauze recruited as many players as possible and helped them transform into a dedicated golf team.

“If it weren’t for all the kids that came out this year, we wouldn’t have had a golf team. Going into the season, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but we all stuck it out and had fun.” -Senior, Mitch Hoffman

Season Highlights & Accomplishments:

Volleyball1-17

“The highlight of my first year playing at Jim Thorpe was meeting and playing with my new teammates.” -Freshman, Riley Carroll.

With two new coaches and the loss of four key senior players, it was a re-building year for the girls’ volleyball team.

[email protected]: Amanda Petrin

This year’s winter sports teams are anticipating performing at the best of their abilities during the upcoming 2011-2012 season. Many of the teams have returning players who have shown

true dedication. With the help of their coaches, each team will push it to their limit, and play their hardest.

The wrestling team is starting off their season strong with open rooms three days a week. Open rooms are for wrestlers who are not participating in a fall sport to be able to learn new techniques before season. Unfortunately, the wrestling team has lost five wrestlers from the 2010-2011 season, but, on the bright side, there are still many returning wrestlers who are anticipating a successful season. “We have a strong base of returning wrestlers. The experience we have can help us win some matches this season. Our coaching staff has worked hard in the off season to prepare us for this year,” stated junior, Brian Ohl. The returning wrestlers are Brian Ohl, Ryan Roberto, Christian Gavornik, Mike Munoz, Akeeno Stewart, Conner Rumley, Alex Pope, Benny Mazzella, Mike Helmer, and Avery Zigenfus.

The girls’ basketball team is also looking forward to a rewarding season. Open gyms have already begun in order to prepare the team for their upcoming season. With many experienced starters returning, the team should continue to be as successful as last year. “I think we will have a great season this year. We know how to work well together as a team and the upperclassmen have been playing t o g e t h e r f o r a long time,” said sophomore, Nikki E n n i s . T h e re turn ing senior players include Kristin Lawrence, Celeste Robinson, Nina Batts, Jeanna McElmoyle, Chasity Mosteller, and Chelsea Smelas.

The boys’ basketball team is anticipating a victorious season this year. They began preparing for the season early by practicing at open gyms three times a week. Despite the loss of five key players, a few familiar faces have returned. “I think we will have a successful season this year. We have had open gym for the past three weeks to prepare kids who do not participate in fall sports, to work hard and get ready for the season. We are all determined to make it to playoffs this year,” explained junior, Michael Harleston. The returning players include Dane Ciavarella, PJ Johnson, Robert Freeman, Darius Clark, Michael Harleston, Khaaliq Lynch, Ben Moore, Conner Ennis, and Jaquan Brown.

Winter track began after Thanksgiving break to acclimate the athletes for the Spring track season. There will be a few track meets held throughout the winter at various indoor tracks. The students participating in winter track work hard to develop themselves physically and mentally for the spring season.

In conclusion, the winter sports participants, as well as fans, are looking forward to the exiting upcoming seasons.

Winter sports outlook

“We have a s t rong base of returning wrestlers. The experience we have can help us win some matches this season.”

- Brian Ohl

The girls’ basketball team is one step ahead of the game, practicing in open gym practices.

7

Last year, wrestler Brian Ohl held a record of 26-15.

Track & Field

Basketball

Football

Track & Field

Basketball

Soccer

She is unstoppable. Whether she is shooting hoops,

kicking the soccer ball down the field, or throwing the javelin in track; Chelsea Smelas always puts one hundred percent of her effort into what she does, even though her passion and skill often makes it look effortless. Chelsea is a starter in both varsity basketball and soccer. She shows true dedication and seems to never fail her teammates or coaches.

When it comes to soccer, Chelsea’s heart is always in the game. She was part of the very first Jim Thorpe girls’ soccer team, and she has been captain for three years. “She is

always there for me on and off the field, as an honest friend,” explains soccer teammate, Monica Eckley, “She is always pushing me, to play as hard as I can and making sure that I am having fun while doing so.” Over the last three years, Chelsea has scored sixty goals total, earning her the record for most goals scored in Jim Thorpe soccer. She also achieved second place for overall individual points in goals and assists in the Schuykill League. “Chelsea and I have been best friends and teammates for many years,” explains senior Kristin Lawrence. “She is very competitive and a team player who pushes herself and her teammates to always do their best.”

Chelsea’s teammates can also see how dedicated she is to basketball. She is only 300 points away from her goal of 1,000 points and earning a place in Jim Thorpe history. “During every practice and game, I can tell how dedicated she is just by how hard she works on and off the court,” states senior, Chasity Mosteller. Also, Chelsea’s coach is always impressed with her performance and impact on others. “Chelsea has been a vital part of the basketball program the past four years. She is, without question, one of the main reasons for the resurgence of girls’ basketball in our school. Her presence as a senior this year is certainly one of the main causes so many people have such lofty expectations for our season,” explains basketball coach, Mr.Kovac, “One thing is certain, Chelsea has been a model of constant effort and yearly improvement. I am most proud of the leadership she has exhibited to our younger players on the court, and more importantly in the classroom. Chelsea exemplifies what it is to be a student athlete.”

Track and Field is yet another sport Chelsea participates in. She competes in throwing javelin, shotput, and running the 300 meter hurdles. She enjoys Track and Field because she can do different things like run, jump over hurdles, and throw down the field.

Even after achieving all of these goals, Chelsea still has her eye set on many more. She hopes to break the school record for javelin in track and field

and score 1,000 points in basketball. In the future, she plans to attend a four-year college and major in Pharmacy. Chelsea is hoping to go to either Wilkes University, Temple University, or The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Chelsea pushes herself to the extreme, not only in sports but in academics also. Competitive in all categories, she is also Secretary of the National Honor Society, and is ranked fifth in the senior class as of last year. Chelsea also participates in: Students Against Destructive Decisions, Student Council, Canteen, and Prom Committee. She excels in every aspect of her high school career and this success will certainly reflect in her future.

By: Kyle Lawrence [email protected]

PJ Johnson

Winner’S

C i r c l e

Chelsea Smelas

By: Jade Elliott [email protected]

Whether he is scoring a touchdown, shooting

a three pointer, or sprinting down the track, PJ Johnson is always striving to go the extra mile to be successful. “PJ is a big contributor to every sport in which he participates. He has a strong work ethic, positive attitude and leadership qualities that all players admire about him,” stated boys’ basketball coach, Mr. Carroll.

During the Fall season, PJ plays for the football team. This will be PJ’s third year playing varsity football, currently postioned as a slot receiver and a cornerback. “PJ impacts the players by showing his athletic ability, which inspires the other players to perform as well as him,” stated senior, Ben Moore. In his sophomore year, he even received a “special teams” Most Valuable Player award. PJ has made many great accomplishments in his football career and has helped make the organization become what it is today. PJ was also selected to be on the All Star football team this November. Ben added, “The best memory that I have of PJ is when he ran back a kickoff for a touchdown in the first varsity football game he ever played in, back when we were sophomores.”

PJ is also a key athlete to the boys’ basketball team, playing the sport since the sixth grade. He has started varsity for all four years of his high school career, and currently fills the point guard postion. During his first two years, the team was able to move on to districts. PJ’s position on the court is point guard. “PJ was blessed with many natural talents, and he does not waste them. Whether at practice or in a game, PJ is outworking all the players on the court. He always listens to the coaching staff, and he does what ever is asked of him,” stated head basketball coach, Mr. Carroll.

In the spring, PJ is involved in track and field. He runs the 100 and 200 meter dash and also competes in the high jump and long jump. He was a state qualifier during his sophomore year and has achevied gold medals in all of these events he participated in other races. “PJ is an unbelievable athlete with natural power and explosion. His experience and skill set allows for a varied use of PJ in multiple situations, which always has a positive effect on the overall performance of the team. These skills also set him apart locally from others in the area, which allows for his overall success. The expectations set forth on PJ are real simple; work hard everyday to improve his overall skills, which will ultimately lead to great achievements for himself and his teammates,” praised his track and field coach, Mr. Miller.

There is a reason for all of PJ’s hard work and dedication besides his passion. PJ explained, “My aunt and my mother inspire me the most, to succeed as a student-athlete because they are always pushing me forward.”

In PJ’s future, he plans to go to Kutztown University to major in Business. Also, he hopes to continue his athletic career in college by playing basketball or football.

Most of PJ’s friends do not call him “MVPJ” for nothing. PJ has all of the qualities that make up a natural born student-athlete. All of these accomplishments have made PJ as successful as he is today, and also as he will be in his future.

8 Spor t s

The Olympiad- December 2011

Documents

Transcript of The Olympiad- December 2011