Does SpongeBob Make You Stupid? - My High School Journalism

December 2012/January 2013
Did you hear those sirens? Those are sirens
of a teen being pulled over. Did you know 20
percent of students drive without a license?
Some students are obligated to drive to get to
work and school. Many debate on the driving
age and complain about the number of unlicensed
drivers. People do what they have to do.
"I'm 16, I drive without a license because I
work every day, so does my father and my mom
doesn't know how to drive, but I hope to get a license
soon," an anonymous sophomore said.
This is just one of many examples of people
doing what they need to do to avoid a greater
struggle, but even at that people still feel that
the age of 16 is too young to drive.
"Eh, eh, eh I prefer 17," head of security
Linda Bultrini said.
"Students don't need licenses. It's just another
excuse for them to be staying out late and getting
into trouble," an anonymous parent said.
Others don't even agree on the age 17, some
feel that teenagers need to mature more before
driving.
"Driving should be put off until 18. You
should only be able to drive at 16 with a licensed
driver," Karen Dogan said.
According to a 2011 study done by the psychology
department of the University of Virginia,
SpongeBob SquarePants tends to make people
stupid.
Most people spend about 1 to 3 hours a day
watching TV. Some cartoons people still watch are
Family Guy, South Park, The Simpsons, and some
shows on PBS kids. Some even admitted to still
watching SpongeBob SquarePants.
"Girl, I love (SpongeBob); that's my man!" junior
Delilah Nunez said.
Others don't find SpongeBob entertaining.
"He's too immature," junior Miguel Rueda said.
Out of 100 students randomly surveyed, 20%
said that those who watch SpongeBob are dumber
than those who don't. The other 80% disagrees.
"There is a goal in every episode, but the
process is too distracting," senior Christopher
Fights are everywhere, and not only in Mortal
Kombat, but in the halls of Morton East.
On average there are about three fights every
two weeks, according to MEHS dean Mr. Eric
Ramirez.
"There have been about 15 fights since school
has started," Dean Mr. Ramirez said.
Administrators know of fights outside of the
halls as well.
J. Sterling Morton East High School, Cicero, Illinois
"(To) tell you the truth 18 At 16, kids are still
too immature," Spanish teacher Mrs. Borjon
said.
On the other hand some students agree that
they have to do what they have to do. They're
willing to go against rules to drive and get what
Valadez said.
Christopher also thinks SpongeBob is a bad influence.
"He doesn't set a good example on how kids
should do things," he said.
In one episode, SpongeBob was supposed to
write a paper for his Driver's Ed class, but instead
he got distracted too many times. He never wrote
the paper and put it off until the next day, five minutes
before class.
Our own principal thinks the other characters
are more of a bad influence than SpongeBob himself.
"Mr. Krabs is only interested in money. And
Squidward, he's annoying. He probably suffers
from a compulsive disorder," Principal Frank
Zarate said.
But the characters are not the only part of the
show that makes people stupid.
"The way the characters execute the plot might
be another reason," Christopher said.
"There are fights outside of school (involving
students) as well (that we know of)," psychologist
Mr. Jeremy Ceja said.
Administrators are a little modest about some
fights.
"I understand that in a school of this size
fights are going to break out now-and-then, but
we cannot have chaos in the school" Principal
Frank Zarate said.
Some students at Morton have been fighting
since elementary school.
(Continued at Brawls, page 13)
Photo by Raul Aceves
they have to get done.
"I'm not getting my license until I'm 18 but I
don't give a (expletive), I'm still gonna be driving,"
an anonymous senior boy said.
(Continued at Drivers License, page 17)
In the candy bar episode, the goal is to
fundraise. But kids lose perspective with the funny
and distracting scenes. So, rather than learning a
lesson, they laugh and forget the importance of the
episode.
Students recommend watching other shows instead
of SpongeBob.
"Watch Laura or Don Francisco," senior David
Volume 98/Issue 3
Illegal Drivers Take the Wheel HIGH School
By David Torres, Eduardo Ramirez
& Angel Ledesma
Does SpongeBob
Nearly one in every four students at Morton East may be driving without a
Make You Stupid?
By Reyna Segura & Ana Salgado
Brawls Break Out at Morton East
By Emil Johnson
Ghost of
Holidays Past
Page 6
Rockin' Battle
Memories
Page 16
The Monthly Mortonian
Sports:
Athletes, Are
You Smoking?
(Continued at Smoking Athletes, back page)
Photo by Reyna Segura
Senior Brian Saavedra takes some academic aggression out on SpongeBob.
Principal Zarate referees.
In a country where partying every weekend is
a must, many adolescents feel the need to fit in
and be out in the scene by all means necessary;
even if it means sneaking out.
A random survey of 50 people was conducted
and 37 said they have snuck out to go out with
their friends before.
"I sneak out because if I don't then I don't get
Mendoza said.
Mr. Zarate strongly disagrees with the University
of Virginia's study.
"I don't believe in that study. I would like to
know who conducted it. I find this show very appealing,"
he said.
But, what do you think, Morton East?
Students Sneak Out to Socialize
By John Davila, Brandon Cruz &
Alexis Santos
By Alex Verdin & Luis Castanon
You would expect athletes to stay away
from marijuana and illegal substances, but
this proves to be wrong in some cases.
Some of the world's most elite athletes --
Randy Moss, Carmelo Anthony, Michael
Vick, Allen Iverson -- and even the most
decorated Olympian of all time -- Michael
Phelps -- admit to smoking marijuana.
The marijuana wave proves to be contagious;
from the elite to the athletes here at
Morton, marijuana usage is prevalent.
A survey of 70 athletes at Morton showed
that 47 percent of sports participants have
smoked cannabis within the past two years.
to have fun with my friends," senior Yasmin
Lopez said
Sneaking out is a necessity to some adolescents,
but to others it's just a choice.
"I don't like asking for permission, because
my parents sometimes say no, and it makes it
more suspicious when I sneak out; so I'd rather
not bring up the topic and just do it," senior
Crystal Gutierrez said.
Sneaking out can seem like it's the fun thing to
do, some students gets caught up in the moment.
(Continued at Sneaking Out, page 17)

2
December 2012/January 2013
Juniors, Seniors Mentor
Sophomore Students
By Jonathan Martinez & David
Celis
Morton East has started the sophomore mentoring
program (S.M.P) and assigned sophomores
mentors.
According to Principle Zarate, 20 percent of
the sophomores at East begin at least half a credit
behind. A program had to be established as soon
as possible.
Every Tuesday, sophomores meet with their
mentors in supervision room 207. Mentors are
expected to help with academics, as well as with
any social and emotional problems, from making
new friends, to solving problems with
friends.
Mentors also help develop leadership and social
skills that can help in clubs, job applications
or college/university applications. For example,
many colleges require extra curriculum activities
in their applications and jobs expect workers
who are easy to approach and talk to.
"The S.M.P. is an intervention to help sophomores
at Morton East," Social worker and S.M.P.
Leader Mrs. Best said.
There are a number of reasons as to why students
are late; however, being late has become a
constant issue for many Morton high school students.
However, according to Mr. Rutowski's (assistant
principal in charge of assistance and registration)
report on first hour tardies, only four
percent, on average, of Morton East's student
body are late to their first hour class. 96% of students
are on time to their first hour.
For the students who are late there are various
reasons as to why they are late.
"Me and my mom got beef so sometimes she
doesn't give me rides (to school)," senior Rocio
Carillo said.
Another reason that some students are late is
because there are other things that stop them from
coming to school.
"My ride came late, clothes aren't dry, I'm eat-
The idea sounds great to a lot of students, especially
the sophomores.
"I like the idea of being tutored: I am looking
forward to it. I might stop ditching for this program,"
sophomore Brittaney Cruz said
Even the mentors seem intrigued by the idea
of helping out the sophomores.
"I have way too much knowledge to give away,
especially if they truly need it," senior mentor
Juan Arellano said.
Teachers are really looking forward to having
some of their student's mentors.
"I like most of my seniors, but if Tim (senior
Timothy Johnson) was a mentor, they would be
in trouble!" social science teacher Mr. Thevalakara
said.
A few students agree with Mr. "T"s opinion.
"It really depends on who's mentoring. People
who are involved in sports and clubs are good
mentors because their good influence on us,"
junior Dalia Salgado said.
This program is bound to have a positive impact
on Morton East since it's been helpful in
other high schools.
(Continued at Mentors, page 22)
Spelling Still a
Struggle 4 Students
By Fernando Ortiz, Alfonso
Vasquez & Zuleima Yepez
Morton is divided by opinion on spelling issues.
Some say misspelling is due to students
learning Spanish first and English as their second
language, others blame technology and say
that students mix texting-style English and regular
English class. A few believe that Dyslexia
may contribute to our spelling problems here.
Students, as well as adults have a hard time
spelling everyday words such as: occasion, fiery,
and embarrassed. Another common word that
people see every day but still tend to misspell -
believe it or not - is restaurant.
Students suggest that Morton should have a
special program after or during school to help
students with their spelling issues.
"Not everyone can spell very well", junior
Erik Meraz said.
Principal Mr. Zarate doesn't agree.
"Spelling classes would not help. Reading is
a better way to improve someone's spelling,"
Principal Mr. Zarate said.
Many students and staff have suggested ways
to improve fellow classmates spelling.
"Practice writing." English teacher Glen Herman
suggested.
"Spell check might help," senior Kimberly
Lopez added.
But, Mr. Herman believes that people shouldn't
rely on spell check so much because it doesn't
proof read.
With all the spelling problems, should the
grade schools be concentrating more on
spelling?
(Continued at Spelling, page 22)
ing (laughs), just dumb stuff." Junior Damaris
Gonzalez said.
"My bed, my pillow, I love them", senior Selena
Garcia said.
Other students feel that students feel that school
On January 8, 2002 the No Child Left Behind
Act was signed by President George W. Bush.
Many public schools are frustrated by the goals.
To these schools the following NCLB goals
seem unreachable:
-- All students will achieve high academic
standards by attaining proficiency or better in
reading and mathematics by the 2013-2014
school year.
-- Highly qualified teachers will teach all students.
-- All students will be educated in schools and
classrooms that are safe, drug free, and conducive
to learning.
-- All limited English proficiency students will
starts too early.
"Sleeping is tempting," senior Rocio said.
But, the time isn't always the case; others have
their own reasons for being tardy.
"I have to walk to school, sometimes I don't
Taken by Desiree Galvez
Junior Juan Casillas arrives tardy to Ms. Borjon's spanish class.
No Child Left Behind
or Are There?
By Annie Flores & Javier Martinez
become proficient in English.
-- All students will graduate from high school.
According to Principal Mr. Frank Zarate, Morton
East is meeting the goals in some areas, but
not in other areas.
"Our reading and math scores need to be improved,
we are working on that," Mr. Zarate
said.
"100% of teachers are high qualified, and most
of them have a master's degree," Mr. Zarate said.
"Yes, our school is safe with respect to drugs,"
Mr. Zarate said.
"ESL students are learning English at an appropriate
rate," Mr. Zarate said.
"78 percent of students that started from the
Freshman Center in 2008 graduated (last year
from Morton East) in 2012," Mr. Zarate said.
(Continued at NCLB, page 8)
Tardy Times in the Minority at East
By Desiree Galvez & Oscar
Burogs
Monthly Mortonian
School
Photo by Gabriel Corona
Ms. Holloway, Tapestry instructor, helps out senior Demarius Johnson, so he is
on track to graduate.
walk fast enough since it's the morning, and I lose
track of time," sophmore Jose Martinez said.
"I'm a sports junkie. I watch ESPN to hear
about las Chivas (soccer team)," senior Emmanuel
Zepeda said.
In a random survey of 100 Morton East students
87% of students agreed to school to school
starting too early.
13% of students are okay with school staring at
eight a.m.
Students were asked if their first hour teacher
had any effect on their tardiness and out of 100
students 89% said no. 11% answered yes.
"No, no, no, not at all, they (first hour teacher)
don't have anything to do with it," junior Damaris
Gonzalez said.
"No, they're pretty cool they aren't the problem,"
senior Selena Garcia said.
There was however, one fellow teacher who
had the ridiculous idea of changing the school's
starting time. (no offense)
"I believe school should start at six in the morning!"
Mr. Frankfother said.

CommunityMonthly Mortonian
Since the temperature has begun to drop, people
have started to shop for their winter jacket.
Although many people aren't purchasing a new
one, they continue to wear their favorite jacket
from last year.
In a random survey at Morton East High school
6 out of 10 students keep warm by wearing several
layers of clothing, rather than wearing a single
unfashionable warm jacket.
"Remember if the world ends you wanna stay
warm," social science teacher Mr.Thevalakara said.
Even though the jacket may appear to be the
most fashionable jacket, it can be the coldest
clothing out there.
"Coats are like your favorite books, they'll never
let you down and will always keep you warm," Mr.
Daniel Tondelli said.
When it comes to buying a new coat there's
always a certain budget that people tend to not
exceed.
"It depends what it's for if it's to beat it up $50 and if it's something cute then the price goes up,"
Ms. Doogan said.
While other people decide to buy new winter coats, there are other people that choose to save money
and reuse last year's coat.
"The last time I bought a new coat was 10 years ago, it still fits so why buy a new one," Security
Jacky said.
During the winter your outfit can't be seen therefore, your jacket/coat can show off your personal
style and fashion.
"Coats are what complete your outfit," Mr. Tondelli said.
Most people have a particular store that they like to shop for their winter coats, whether it's because
of a certain style or low prices.
"I bought my jacket at Burlington it was warm and it was only 60 bucks," Security Charles said.
Some people shop for their winter coats based on fashion, while others just look for a cheap jacket
that will keep them warm.
Some people hate waking up early but
others do it for the low prices on Black
Friday. People wait hours outside their
favorite stores or even camp out to get what
they want for Christmas presents (or for
their own interest). According to
www.thedailybeast.com the top stores that
people go to the most are Best Buy, Target
and Wal-Mart.
Black Friday Girls tend to have an
interest in clothing stores like Victoria
Secret.
"I like going to Black Friday for the
cheap stuff . My top are Wal-Mart, Victoria
Secret and Target," senior Paula Torres said.
Black Friday Guys tend to go more to
electronic stores.
"My top two stores to go to in Black
Friday are Best Buy and Wal-Mart," senior
German Godinez said.
Black Friday is beneficial for you
because it's a well known day to go
shopping. There's a lot of competition
between stores, so that means prices go
lower and the number of people gets higher.
"Absolutely it's beneficial to go shopping
anytime there is an opportunity and you
know your prices," Consumers Ed teacher
Mrs. Sharkey said.
People tend to get out of hand when
there's a limited amount of something .
People run, shove and even get into fights
with one another just to get what they want.
"I do get run over in the stores sometimes
because I'm tiny," senior Paula Torres said.
Sometimes people don't realize what
their doing until they get hurt or until they
see the paramedics. People can actually die
from Black Friday Shopping.
For example , from the Mother Nature
Network page: "in 2008, Jdimytai Damour,
a Long Island Wal-Mart employee, was
trampled to death when crazed shoppers
pushed open the doors to get their hands on
the goods. The paramedics who came to the
rescue were also trampled and seriously
injured by shoppers. In total, five shoppers
at the store required hospitalization."
According to a recent article in the
Chicago Tribune, Black Friday people buy
more flat screens, tablets, and video games.
Best Buy has hired 20,000 employees
nationwide for its store distribution centers
to support the holiday rush.
"I like going Black Friday shopping
especially for the video games, I go to game
"I like my coats to be warm, I don't give a
crap about fashion," Mr. Tondelli said.
Many people actually know how to layer
properly to keep up with the fashion while
keeping warm.
"Well, you have to wear a tank top first, a
long sleeve, flannel tee, another shirt and a
hoodie over. Also, wrap that bad boy (scarf)
around." Ms. Genge said.
"For example, when I walk my dog I put
on my hat or ear muffs to keep warm." Ms.
Fuentes said.
Many people buy their coats blind folded
because they don't know the characteristics
their winter coat should have. Ehow.com
gives us step by step instructions on how to
buy winter clothes.
"If you are going to be spending time outdoors in the snow, down coats are among the
warmest. Hats are essential, as humans lose a great amount of heat through their heads.
Don't forget mittens, which are warmer than gloves, and a scarf or neck-warmer to finish
off your snow outfit," Anne Baley from www.ehow.com said.
We all have those extra coats and jackets we don't fit into anymore or never liked or
used, be a better person and contribute to those in need.
According to www.salarmychicago.org, used coats can be donated at Jewel Osco from
September 24th through December 16th 2012. Thousands of coats will be collected this
year as part of the 24th annual Chicago Bears/ Jewel Osco "coat drive" beneficiating the
Salvation Army and Chicago land area.
If you're in need of a winter coat you can always visit any of these two locations for a
donated jacket: 2337 South Laramie Ave. Cicero, IL and 6536 West Roosevelt Road Oak
Park, IL.
stop because of the prices are lowered from
50 to 30 dollars," sophomore Oscar
Godinez said.
In a recent article of the Chicago Tribune,
The National Retail Federations predicted
that shoppers would spend about $586
billion this holiday season, 4.1 percent
more than last year.
"I usually spend about $150 on all the
stuff I get," junior Destiny Castaneda said.
Black Friday is an exciting time to go
shopping and a good way to buy stuff at
really low prices.
3
December 2012/January 2013
Zipper Up! Snow's Coming
By Maritza Cardenas, Jonathan Cortez & Hicela Trejo
Once You Shop Black You'll Never Go Back
By Stephanie Lopez, Dalia Rodriguez
& Bianca Paredes
Junior Jorge Meza Senior Daynir Montoya
Senior John Davila
Senior John Davila and Morton East graduates Rick Mendoza and
Adilenne Ramirez shop at Forever XXI.
Morton Girls Take
Time for Morning
Make-up
On average, it takes the Morton girls
about 30 minutes to "get pretty" for the
school days. Girls in Morton East take
the time to do their make-up and hair
because they care to show personality
and exhibit an attractive appearance.
"It all depends on my mood and the
amount of time I have every day in the
morning," senior Vanessa Ortiz said.
Most girls that wear make-up
continue to use make-up because they
are used to it.
"My routine in the morning has
involved make-up, so I'm pretty much
used to it,'" junior Rebeca Jurado said.
Tweaking your makeup routine is
more about how you wear the products
than a change in products themselves,
says Linda Wells, of Allure magazine.
According to her, this season's overall
look is relatable to the "everywoman".
On a budget, it can be achieved with a
little make-up red matte lips, and a low
ponytail.
"I choose to (spend the time) to
express my personality," sophomore
Natalie Ortega said.
In a random survey of 100 girls in
Morton East, 75 percent said that they
take the time to look presentable for
school.
Wearing makeup is a personal
choice; every girl is unique and
beautiful in their own way.
We'll leave you with a winter makeup
tip: mix your favorite liquid or
cream foundation makeup with a dab
of skin cream or moisturizer for a
lighter moister finish.
By Yuridia Duran, Griselda Vasquez
& Gisela Lara

4 LAST CHANCE LIQUIDATION: 25 EXTRA BOOKS ORDERED!
December 2012/January 2013

December 2012/January 2013 5
Morton's Got Talent
What Morton
East is Doing
to Protect the
Environment
By Emilio Luera, Orlando
Gutierrez &
Melissa Huerta
Morton East teachers,
students, and faculty do
their part to protect the
environment by recycling
paper, plastic, and
aluminum. Some ride
bikes or drive ecofriendly
cars.
"In the spring I usually
ride my bike to school
since I live pretty far,"
senior Christian Esmeralda
said.
22 out of 30 said "Yes" they recycle on a regular
basis.
"I actually recycle at school and at home," Mr.
Gonzalez, science teacher and head of the Ecology
Club said.
A number of students help out Mother Nature.
"When I worked for the town of Cicero I helped
clean up public areas like parks and stuff," senior
Sebastian Sanchez said.
Yet, some don't believe 'the hype'.
"Recycling benefits us because it gives us happiness
towards an illusion that we are actually
helping the environment, but in truth it doesn't
make a big difference," junior Luis Valladolid said.
Luis thinks people will still throw garbage or
leave paper on the ground.
A club that is trying to make a big difference in
and out of school is the Ecology Club.
"In Ecology Club we plan two major forest
cleanups and restorations throughout the year; we
try to do our part," Mr. Gonzalez head of the Ecology
Club said.
"We take a group of students into the forest and
clean up all the trash, so that the forest can sustain
itself as nature intended," Mr. Gonzalez said.
It's also a good workout.
"When I would run outside during cross-country,"
I would try to pick it up any trash I saw while
running," sophomore Chelsey Rodriguez said.
Morton East students do a huge part in protecting
the environment just by recycling, reducing
and reusing many materials.
"We have been recycling for four years now, our
recycled materials are picked up by paper retriever
and from the beginning of the year till now we
have recycled 6.99 tons, of just paper," Ms.Tobin
said.
(This equivalent to 1.75 tons of paper a month.)
Morton gets paid $5 a ton per month by paper retriever;
they've made $20 since September.
Take a carbon imprint test to see how much carbon
your everyday activities are producing: earthday.org/footprintcalculator.
This holiday season Morton East wants you to
bring recyclables from your home -- catalogs, magazines,
newspapers, papers -- to the paper retriever
bin in the teacher's parking lot.
Most people think breakfast is the most important
meal of the day, but why aren't most students
eating?
In a random survey of 40 Morton East students,
50% of students didn't eat breakfast. Most don't
wake up early enough for breakfast.
"Having breakfast wakes you up, makes you
more energized to take on the day," senior Gina
Guerrero said.
Most people who skipped breakfast are drained
and unready for the stressful day ahead.
"I feel off track on my day like something is
missing," sophomore Nick Del Valle said.
Most students wake up with barely enough time
to get to school on time.
"I have to brush my hair, brush my teeth, get my
clothes, rush my sister and by the time I'm done
Senior Diego Irizarry starred in a film that
was screened here in Morton East's very own
Chodl auditorium on December 4.
All supervision classes -- literally thousands
of students -- were able to see this short film -
- "Visiting The Museum." Just over 18 minutes
long, the film took about. a year to make,
but was made to perfection. To make the short
clip a success, the people who took part, apart
from Diego, were Margret Bystrek and Alex
Martin. Most clips take over tens of thousands
of dollars; this film was produced on a budget
of about $3,000. Video was shot in local areas
including Oak Park, Gage Park High School,
University of Chicago and the Oriental Institute.
Diego's Spanish teacher, Mr. Freytas, told
him about the audition for the movie, but
Diego was more of a singer than an actor. He
took his chances and auditioned anyway. Making
it is a dream many actors wish to have.
"It was a ridiculous experience; I got interviewed
by La Raza newspaper. We dined in a
presidential area," Diego Irizary said.
There are many parts to a movie than just the
video. Music is very important, not only does
Is finding a job hard, or is it just simply that
students can't balance school and work?
Jobs give you "work experience." And, working
teaches students responsibilities and it gets
them ready for careers in the" adulthood."
In a random survey 70 percent of students said
that they have a hard time finding a job. The
other 30 percent said that it is hard for them to
balance work and school.
"I've been working since I was 8 years old and
even though I'm doing well in school I still feel
that it's hard to balance school and work." junior
Yancy Monroy said.
Students complain about not being able to find
Students Skip
Breakfast
By Adolfo Ulloa
Morton East Senior Stars in Movie
By Enrique Elias, Anel Gutierrez
& Guadalupe Sosa
it's time to leave," senior Yaidda Guerrero said.
Most students like to have their breakfast at
home.
"For the most important meal of the day, I eat
cereal. I like Honey Bunches of Oats because
there's a different flavor in each bite," sophomore
Esmeralda Alvarez said.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
"What it does is it gives our body energy to focuses
and makes you more awake; kids who eat
breakfast have higher test scores," Melanie Cortez
school nurse said.
According to "The Importance of Eating Breakfast,"
by Julie Davis and Dr. Lindsay Marcellin,
research supports the claim that breakfast impacts
how one's day will go.
One study shows that nearly 10,000 people that
skipped breakfast increased their eating at fast
food restaurants causing them gaining weight.
Photo by Enrique Elias
Diego Irizarry pulls from classroom experience in this scene from "Visiting the
it go nice with the scene, but it also sets the
tone.
"Emblem 3 did the music for the film,"
Diego Irizarry said.
Many eyes have witnessed the very talents
of our Diego.
a job. But, as soon as students hear of a store hiring
everyone rushes to apply for a position.
Sometimes people are lucky and sometimes not.
"I haven't had any luck in finding a job. Every
time I hear that they are hiring I go and I apply.
But it's stressful just thinking of the company
calling you or not" senior Jonathan Cortez said.
Other students are just too picky. "I don't like
this, I don't like that". People pay more attention
to other things than what's really important, finding
a job. Others like the counselor from Morton
East say that they enjoyed their high school jobs.
"I liked the job I had because of the money I
received and when I wanted to go out with my
friends I didn't have to ask my parents for money
because I had money on my own." Morton East
counselor Mrs. Zeilman said.
Nowadays many students say that their favorite
cartoon would have to be "Family Guy."
"Family Guy" actually began in 1999, but
wasn't actually aired on public television stations
until 2005. So, even though many students
have been watching it since they were in
grade school, it's been around as a sitcom since
before most of the students here were born.
"Family Guy" may be a cartoon more for
adults because of all the vocabulary they use.
(We think kids under the age of 14 shouldn't be
watching it. They make racist jokes and a lot of
naughty humor.)
"I don't really watch cartoons that much anymore,
but I use to love "Family Guy" when I
was younger, it was my favorite I watched it
"The movie (has already been) screened in
Florida, Los Angeles, Chicago and Cicero.
London (England) is next," Diego Irizarry said.
There are talks going on about another video
being made, a video that Morton East student
Diego Irizarry will also take part in.
Can You Balance a Job
with School?
By Ruben Gomez, Daniela Aguirre
& Andrzej Utria
Student News
It seems like teachers from Morton East also
had trouble finding jobs when they were
teenagers. Either they weren't lucky enough to
get hired or simply, they were too focused in
their education.
"I struggled in having a job when I was in
school because I was involved in school sports."
Mrs. Zeilman said.
On the other hand, some teachers never looked
for a job or they were just not interested in having
a job when they were in school.
"I never struggled in finding a job because I
never really looked for one. I paid more attention
in doing well in school than anything else." Mr.
Thevalakara said.
(Continued at Jobs, page 22)
Students Tied to
"Family Guy"
By Marta Valdovinos & Julieta
Casas
every night, I am not sure why it was my favorite
but it just made me happy," senior Jose
Aguilar said.
54 students out of 100 students surveyed at
Morton East prefer "Family Guy" as their favorite
cartoon. Some parents don't even know
what their kids are watching because if their
son/daughter hears them heading towards their
room, they change the channel. They know that
if their parents caught them watching it they
would be mad because of all the sexual things it
says.
"My mom was shocked (when I was watching
'Family Guy') and banned that channel from
cable," senior Tania Martinez said.
Stewie is a popular character.
"It's funny to watch I guess, and (laughing)
Stewie is hilarious because of what he does to
Peter and Lois," junior Bianca Campos said.

6 Student on the Street
Rebeka Reyes, (Is that Justin Beiber?)
Leticia Diaz, Francisco Vasquez, David
Torres, Nereida Espino, Yasmine Lopez,
Maribel Valladarez, Maritza Huerta,
Griselda Unzueta, and John Davila bring
the holly and jolly to Morton.
December 2012/January
Holiday Musings Deck the Halls
By Monthly Mortonian Staff
Reporters
WHAT DID YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS?
"Make up" - junior Emily Mercado
"To meet Justin Bieber"-- junior Lorena
Mendoza
"Kim Kardashian"-- senior Brandon Garcia
"A Camaro SS 2012"-- senior Romario
Mendoza
"An iPhone"-- senior Nick Contreras
"Legalize "it"-- senior Uriel Meraz
"Black Ops 2 and new shoes"-- senior Christian
Velazquez
"Shoes, sportswear, a man cave, and money"-senior
Roman Villa
"Shoes and clothes"-- sophomore Stephanie
Perez
"New closet full of clothes and shoes . Oh and
I also want my family to get taken care of financial
and health wise"-- senior Daisy Sanchez
"Job after graduation" nurse Ashley Paschke
"A new phone and candy"-- senior Guadalupe
Sanchez
"Longer vacations"-- senior Estephany Sandoval
"A PS3 and new shoes"-- sophomore Brayan
Serrano
"A new car, touch screen laptop, and a new HTC
phone"-- sophomore Jaquan Marshall
"Happiness, health, hope, presents, and live for
as many years possible"-- senior Kevin Mora
"a kitten that comes with a life time supply of
pet things"--senior yazmin alfaro
"tv 72 inches"--senior ricardo delgadillo
"i phone 5"--senior jasleen perez
"coffee machine"--senior monica villa
" a new guitar gibson electric"-- alberto quioz
"new laptop sony "--sophomore natalia obacz
"$1000 to give away to a hospital "--sophomore
eric longoria
"loving family, friends and facial body hair"-sophomore
david arreola
"hugs and kisses"--sophomore bryan otero
"USC sweatshirt"--sophomore fabian medena
"marron adidas"-- sophomore sarah llort
"chicken kfc"-- jose roveo
"vinilla waffles"--sophomore victor quiroz
"every j in the world"--senior samuel cano
"obey snapback"--junior kevin magana
"clothes"-- junior edgar arellono
"i phone 5 and contact lenses"--junior yesica
tellez alverez
"ticket for bulls game "--senior alejendro arreola
"scarves"--senior karolina munoz
"scarlett johonson"-- senior jamie moreno
"ms. march"--senior ronario vasquez
"I just want the love from my family"--Deans
Office Ms.Cano
"I would like peace and joy throught the world"-
-Dean Mr. Baranowski
"I want every child in the world to open a gift
on Christmas Day"--Officer Ingve
"I would love a day with no referrals"--Ms.
Rivera
"I would like to win the lottery and stop working"--Ms.
Espinosa
"I want all the deans to buy me scratch off tickets"--Ms.
Snow
"I want the new pair
of Jays (Jordans)"--
Security Guard Carlos
Murillo
"I really have no idea
what I want for
Christmas. I dont
really want anything
for Christmas"--Ms.
Polk
"I want a yearbook,
jewelry, or a perfume
from my husband. Something unexpected you
wouldn't buy for yourself"--Mrs. Fuentes
"I want my girlfiriend back," senior Alexis
Santos said,
"An A+ in Mr. Doherty's class," senior Louis
Rodriguez said.
"I want John Davila for Christmas," senior
Alexis Santos said.
"Hanes boxer briefs that are extra tight," senior
Marco D'angelo said.
"I want the soccer player Guardado for
Christmas," senior Erica Herrera said.
"Extra tight Hanes boxer briefs," senior Marco
D'angelo said.
"An A in Doherty's class," senior Louis
Rodriguez said.
"I want my girlfriend back," senior Alexis
Santos said.
"Jewelry from my husband," English teacher
Mrs. Fuentes said.
"A trip to paris," junior Dolores Sanchez said.
"A lot of money," junior Michael Villa said.
WHAT GIFT WOULD (or HAVE) YOU RE-
GIFTED TO SOMEONE ELSE?
"I wanted a kiss -- no
several kisses -- under
the mistletoe. Got 'em."
Probably chocolate chips or popcorn," junior
Layla Aleman said.
"I would give away clothes," senior Jesus Rivera
said.
"Depends on the person," senior Miguel Nava
said.
"Ugly sweater," senior Joanna Sanchez said.
"A shirt," senior Christopher Figueroa said.
"A scarf," junior Jesus Chagoya said.
"A tiolet seat and a plunger," sophomore
Vanessa Perez said.
"Ugly socks," sophomore Orelia Davila said.
"A box of puzzles,"
junior Samuel
Jimenez said.
"I wouldn't regift
because that's bogus,"
senior Ahmed
Houmanna said.
"A dog because they
are annoying," senior
Jeniffer Salgado said.
"A book because I
don't like reading,"
junior Marisol Gonzalez said.
"I would regift clothes that don't fit me," junior
Arelhy Barrera said.
"A perfume that smells nasty," senior Jamine
Mendez said.
"Shoes because they are ugly," sophomore
Andra Cornejo.
"There was a candle and I didn't like the scent,
so I gave it to a teacher" -- Nurse Melanie
Cortez.
"I would regift underwear, " sophomore Jaqui
Aguilar said.
"Nasty smelling cologne," senior Kassandra
Ibarra said.
-- senior Brandon Cruz
IF YOU WERE TO MAKE A NEW YEAR'S
RESOLUTION WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"Looking for better opportunities, college wise,"
junior Elizabeth Gavan said.
"Focusing on doing a career I enjoy. Find something
that I like," senior Vanessa Raygoza said.
"Throw a huge party, have fun, bring my family
and friends," senior Roberto Vivas said.
"Become someone better," junior Maria Rosales
said.
"Better grades and graduate high school," sophomore
Andres Torres said.
"To stop smoking," sophomore Oscar Arroyo
said.
"Go to UIC for college," senior Estephanie
Rebolledo said.
"Choose to do the right thing, helping people
out," senior Jonathan Novoa said.
"To be a bunny," junior Emanuel Vargas said.
"Win state for softball," junior Britzaly
Villanueva said.
"To get a job," senior Melissa Zepeda said.
"Survive 2012," senior Ricardo Casarez said.
"Take showers regularly," senior Mari Mar
Gomez said.
"Pass sophomore year," sophomore Joel Paz
said.
"Try to be nice"--Ms. Destefano
"Stop smoking," sophomore Randall Aragon
said.
"Improve academically," junior Cassandra
Alvarez said.
"Go away for college," senior Lourdes Ortega
said.
"Get into Loyola College to study forensic
anthropology," senior Selena Gomez said.
"Save money," security Antoien said.
"Stop smoking," junior Michael Villa said.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR'S
EVE?
"Have fun, but you don't remember stuff just put
it that way," junior Jose Torres said.
"Party like white boys," junior Gabriel Ruclas
said.
"Going to Los Lobos Concert with my
friends,"Assistant Principle Ms. Kelly said.
"Staying home because I'm a lame," English
teacher Mr. Tondelli said.
"Kick it with my girlfriend and family at the W
Hotel," security D'Aunte Brown said.

It Depends on
Whose Face is
Looking at
Facebook
Facebook has its advantages
and disadvantages
- depending on who
you are: student, parent
or teacher.
For students, Facebook
is a primary way to connect
with other students.
Parents and teachers
think otherwise though;
By Cindy Diaz instead they call, text, or
email.
& Joel Magos "Facebook is my primary
way to connect with some people--like, for
example, old friends and people who may not have
my phone number--but I usually just call or text
message the people that are close to me," an
Anonymous Tapestry Advocate said.
Staff says contacting people through a text message
or call is way easier.
"I don't always have access to the internet, so it's
always faster and easier for me to just text message
or call my co-workers, friends, or family," an aonymous
Tapestry Advocate said.
Parents don't use Facebook as their primary way
to connect with people. Many parents don't have a
Facebook; they just prefer to talk on the phone or
send a text message.
"I don't have a Facebook, but I let my son have
one so we can contact our family in Florida faster,"
parent Silvia Hernandez said.
However,many children have a Facebook and
that might not be a great idea.
"I wouldn't let my youngest daughter have a
Facebook because she is too little for all that. She
is 8 years old and that isn't safe for her. There are
many people out there with no good intensions,"
parent Martin Morales said.
Students say Facebook is their primary way to
connect with friends and family.
"I have family from Mexico as friends on Facebook,
and it's so easy to talk to them and, it can be
cheaper than buying a phone card to call them,"
junior Daniel Reyes said.
Also, for students, Facebook is a great way to
keep up with old friend's lives and family that are
away. You have more contact with people around
the world.
"I can see pictures from my family in Mexico
that I haven't seen in years," junior Daniel Reyes
said.
There is no such thing as buying invitations for
a pizza party, a get together, or a birthday party
now in days; people just create an event on Facebook
and invite all their friends there.
"I get invited to the latest parties on Facebook
and find out about the latest news which is great,"
senior Alexia Carrera said.
But however, you cannot completely delete your
Facebook once you open an account. It is not secured,
and it can affect you in a career later on in
life if you put up things that you're not supposed to.
"There have been pictures or status that I have
deleted as an adult on Facebook, when you're 20
what's cool to put on Facebook is not cool at 30,"
an Anonymous Tapestry Advocate said.
Companies wouldn't want to hire people that
aren't good role model.
"You wouldn't want to put a picture on Facebook
that sends the wrong image like, for example, a
moment when you are really, really drunk even
though you're over 21 it can make you look unprofessional,
how would I have a serious talk with
one of my students for doing something wrong like
this if I'm doing it too," Tapestry Advocate Moniet
Holloway said.
There have been cases when people lose a job or
don't get a job for putting inappropriate things on
Facebook.
"There was a school that was going to hire a new
dean; two guys had the same votes and the school
was in a debate on who to hire so the pal suggested
to look at their Facebook to see who looked more
professional and matured. That's how they made
their decision," an Anonymous Tapestry Advocate
said.
Facebook friends should be people you actually
know for your own good and security.
"I have many friends on Facebook that I don't
know, so I started deleting them because some try
talking to me in a disrespectful way when they
don't even know me," senior Marlen Ojeda said.
Rmember that nothing on web can be deleted
completely.
Facebook As Textbook
Facebook may be blocked, but students still find a
way online -- often for academics.
By Andrew Garcia & Enrique Elias
Many people know it is against school rules to
use Facebook in school, yet the students still tend
to use their phone to access Facebook.
More than 900 million people in the world use
Facebook. In a random survey of Morton East
students, 34 out of 50 students use Facebook in
school. 30 percent of students use Facebook to get
academic help, ask for homework, and also to see
what assignments they missed due to absences.
"I ask people for homework when I'm absent,
so I don't have to make up work," senior Nayelly
Camargo said.
Getting help through this website seems to be a
source for students to be helped for academic reasons.
"I use Facebook for help. I post questions on
the AP Calculus page and get help with formulas,"
said senior Liliana Martinez.
A lot of students use the social network to clarify
assignments that were given as homework.
"I hear it all the time in my Language and Composition
class," English teacher Mr. Frankfother
said. "I used to be surprised when I heard that
students asked one another about assignments,
but now I encourage them to seek help from other
AP students on Facebook," he added.
Teachers are learning to use the social network
There are a lot of people that don't associate
with Facebook. But, there are a bunch of people
that love Facebook. People that use their
Facebook a lot said Facebook gets interesting
and it's funny as ever when you have nothing
else to do. Out of 100 people 29 percent surveyed
they use their Facebook. Morton East
was asked what an advantage of having a Facebook
is.
"I have a Facebook account but I only use it
to talk to my son in Afghanistan," teacher
Caryn Doogan said.
The best thing about Facebook is looking at
all the gossip. Although gossip is bad, it's the
most awesome thing ever when you're bored
out of your mind. You don't even have to look
at the news because everything on Facebook.
Photo by Cindy Diaz
Senior Jacqueline Diaz checks out math teacher Mr. Karaddimos's academic
to spread important information to the student
body.
"When I got the bulletin about the yearbook
deadline, I told my seniors to get out their phones
and post it on facebook, so others would know
about it," Mr. Frankfother said.
"I like the news feed and gossip. Facebook is
my news!"junior Jazmine Marroquin said.
Facebook is not only a way to connect to
friends, but also causes major problems. Different
people get into fights and even killed.
You find yourself in all types of situations.
"I don't like Facebook it ruins my life because
one time I caught my girlfriend cheating on me.
She had a picture up kissing another dude. It's
nothing but b.s and I have better things to do
than be involved with Facebook. It causes too
many relationship problems and fights," an
anonymous person said.
Morton East students have been surveyed to
see the difference between people who don't go
"on" as much as it seems everyone else does.
And surprisingly the people who don't go on
have a very strong opinion.
"It's a waste of time, it's an unhealthy way to
But, sometimes the social network can backfire.
"Last year, I found out through one of my students
that an exam essay prompt had been posted.
I guess that's why my sixth hour did better than
my first," Mr. Frankfother said.
Students Debate Pros and
Cons of Social Network
By Jujuan Hicks & Cindy Chavez
Friending teachers on Facebook may or may not
be a good idea.
For example, having teachers on Facebook as
friends can help students if they have any questions
on any assignment. Even though it's not against
school rules to have any contact with students on
Facebook, it could be very helpful for those students
who really need help and are falling behind.
On the other hand, teachers think it's a bad idea for
them to have students on Facebook as friends because
‘it's their personal lives."
In a survey of 100 people from Morton East
High School students, 13 people said that they
would "friend" teachers on Facebook and 87 people
said they wouldn't "friend" teachers on Facebook.
Sophomore Brian Cordero thinks that there's no
need to have teachers on Facebook when you can
just get their e-mail on the school website.
"I can just go to the Morton website and look for
their e-mail if I have any questions on an assignment,"
sophomore Brian Cordero said.
Whatever you post on Facebook it comes out on
your news feed where everybody can see it. And,
if someone likes your status it will pop up more on
other people's pages.
"I think we shouldn't be friends with teachers on
Facebook because if you write something bad on
your status you could get in trouble at school,"
anonymous junior said.
It may be better to just ask questions at the appropriate
time and place: after school in the classroom.
"I would wait until I get to class or stay after
school to ask any questions," senior Joanna
Sanchez said.
Senior Melisa Padilla thinks they are our teachers
and it should stay that way.
"It's not a good idea because what if teachers
start creeping me out," senior Melisa Padilla said.
Jamilett Torres thinks that having teachers as
friends on Facebook is such a bad idea because she
doesn't want teachers find out her personal status.
communicate with people," an advacate said.
Research shows that some students in other
schools have commited suicide or have been
suspended for threatning other students or bullying.
"Facebook is not made for drama that goes
on between kids. It's ridiculous. I got students
and parents calling the school telling me about
a Facebook page their on and have bad things
and lies said about them. That's not my problem!
Facebook should just be for people 21 and
older, mature grown people," Morton East dean
Ms. Snow said.
Morton East was asked how Facebook benefit
them.
"It helps me keep in touch with other family
members that live in other cities," senior Alejandra
Cardajal said.
Should Our Teachers Be Our Friends on Facebook?
By Wendy Terrones, Kimberly
Lopez & Jazmin Del Real
Focus: Facebook
December 2012/January 2013 7
"Probably, (later) we could become friends, after
high school," senior Jamilett Torres said.
In general, Mr. Karadimos thinks teachers should
maintain separate professional and personal webpages.
"You could make an extra page just for school
assignments and provide help for them," math
teacher Mr. Karadimos said.
Morton employees haven't gotten into trouble for
misappropriate conduct, but some New York
school teachers have gotten into trouble.
"New York City public school teachers may not
contact students through personal pages on websites
like Facebook and Twitter, but can communicate
via pages set up for classroom use," The New
York Times said.
Mr. Zarate thinks teachers should know the
boundaries. Facebook contains a lot of private information.
All teachers have an e-mail to ask questions
on assignment. Once a student graduates then
it's okay to keep in touch.
"There's no consequence, but it's something I
don't recommend," Principal Mr. Zarate said.

8
December 2012/January 2013
However, Morton East has programs to help
make sure that children here aren't left behind.
Some of these programs are:
• BLAST program, directed by Northeastern
Illinois University, helps students out with
homework after school, and they have extracurricular
programs like culture, art and
mariachi club. This year, they also are helping
students with the ACT-TEST with a special
afterschool ACT class.
"BLAST helps student complete homework,
and talk to student about planning for college,"
BLAST instructor Mr. Rene Diaz said.
"We want students and parents be engaged
in school," Mr. Diaz said.
• TAPESTRY program, our newest program,
is a technology and web-based program
designed to help struggling students recover
credit in a supportive environment that includes
tutoring and other forms of extra help.
Students have access to a digital curriculum
guided by a trained professional.
"We provide a safe learning environment,
and our goal is to increase graduation," Ms.
Monient Holloway TAPESTRY instructor
said.
According to her, TAPESTRY wants to increase
the graduation rate, start programs that
will keep students from dropping out, and provide
a venue for students who have left school
to re-enroll and remain until graduation. .
Counselors, deans, teachers, and other
school personnel refer students to the TAP-
ESTRY team for possible inclusion in the program.
Struggling students who are willing to
work hard, accept responsibility and learn
new skills and habits are the most likely to
succeed in Project TAPESTRY.
• Senior Plus program gives a senior who
Cartoons courtesy of Ms. Fitzgibbons.
(Left to right): Political cartoons illustrated by juniors Ricardo Cerezo and Vanessa Valle of Ms. Fitzgibbon's AP Language and Composition class. If you like to draw and have a cartoon (or even an
idea for one), bring it to Mr. Frankfother, room 207.
NCLB
(Continued from page 8)
By Wendy Terrones, Kimberly
Lopez & Jazmin Del Real
The majority of the students at Morton East
believe in equal rights between men and
women. Most agree on equality for both genders;
like women should work in manly jobs
and men should work in woman-like jobs.
Many Morton East students didn't even have
a clue what "sexism" meant. Sexism is prejudice
or discrimination against a gender (but typically
against women) on the basis of sex.
"If the job is getting done, then it doesn't matter
if a woman or a man does it," senior Irving
Lagunas said.
Surprisingly, many Morton students agreed
that women should be able to do more mendominated
jobs such as construction worker,
factory worker, or engineer -- vice versa for
men, when it comes to men
choosing women-dominated professions.
"A woman or a man could do the job, and if
they think they could accomplish the task then
so be it," sophomore Mario Vargas said.
But, not everyone agrees.
"Women could physically get hurt since they
are usually more fragile than men, but i think
sexism is wrong," sophomore Thomas Cueva
said.
One Morton teacher proves that a woman can
do a man's job.
"Before I became a teacher, I worked construction,"
math teacher Mary Pat Anderson
said.
Many people are different in their own ways,
but it doesn't mean we are not all equal.
"Men shouldn't be sexist because everyone is
pretty much equal; everyone could be qualified
for any job. Maybe someday we might even
Monthly Mortonian
have a female president," librarian Mrs. Jenicek
said.
Not many of us get paid the same as others,
but it all depends if you are a male or a female.
According to an article on businessweek.com,
women earn 82.2 percent of what men earned
last year.
"As a young woman about to enter the real
world, I believe both genders should be paid
equal," senior Maylene Villagomez said.
Ironically, one former student responded positively
about both genders earning the same
amount each year, but for stereotypical reasons.
"Women should earn more; they cook, work,
baby sit, clean the house, and sometimes still
manage to stay young, and make us men a sandwich
at the end of the day," former Morton student
Ivan Hernandez said.
Women are becoming more involved in
sports, and their numbers in top jobs are rising
Features
didn't graduate and, time an opportunity to
come back one more year to graduate.
• Night school and summer school help you
out by catching up on credits.
"Yes, everyone has the opportunity to catch
up in credits during Night school," assistant
principal Ms. Kelly said.
• Alternative school is a program the helps
students that who have dropped or gotten in
problems, to continue their education.
"If they want to continue their education,
they have to take alternative school," counselor
Ms. Melendez said.
Sexist Attitudes Still Prevalent in School
high. According to an article in the October
New York Times Upfront magazine, a 17-year
old high school
senior, Erin DiMeglio, is being admired by
many girls in her high school because she plays
with the "big boys" in the football team at South
Plantation High school in Florida.
"[They] all think I'm crazy," senior Erin
DiMeglio said. "But they also think it's pretty
cool."
Out of 100 students surveyed 95 percent said
that there are enough co-ed varsity sport teams
in school. And, the other 5 percent disagreed
and said that there should be more co-ed varsity
teams. There are already about ten girls on the
Morton wrestling team, and they wrestle boys.
"Boys are rough when it comes to playing
sports, so if they were to play with girls there
would have to be more cautious," senior Marco
D'Angelo said.

December 2012/January 2013 Promotions
9

Junior Robert Guajaro
and Sophmore Alondra
Abila
Photo by Julio
Pena
Sophmore Marco
Arellano munchin' on
a tamale
Seniors Amanda Garcia
and Javier Martinez
Seniors Alejandro Mandrigal, Stephanie Meza and Gabriela Gomez
ClubsHeatUp
TasteofMorton
Morton East held the first ever "Taste of Morton" -- their own version
of the "Taste of Chicago" -- on December 5 after school in the main
cafeteria.
Diversity Club came up with the idea because they believe that the clubs
should be more united and work together to better the campus environment.
Nine clubs participated in this event including Snowball, CARE,
MEGASA, Ecology, Jazz Band and Theater.
"Taste of Morton" featured different types of types of foods: tacos,
wings, ice cream, cookies, churros, Puerto Rican rice, tamales, nachos
and pasta (with lemonade to wash it all down). "Taste of Morton" sold
600 tickets that were worth .50 cents each. Money that was raised was
divided by how much food each club sold.
The event was a big success and according to the students, so was the
food.
Diversity club is thinking about creating a bigger "Taste of Morton" with
Morton West, Moron Freshmen Center and the community of Cicero.
Juniors Manny Alcaraz,
Stephanie Martinez
and Maria Diaz
(Left To Right)
Stephanie Sandoval,
Karina Magana, Cindy
Camacho, Cynthia
Padilla, Emil Johnson,Krissy
Pontarelli,
Sarah Bonilla, Katia
Rosas, and Marlene
Valencia

December 2012/January 2013 Photos
11
Mmmmm...Taste of Morton

12 MEHS Theater: Lend Me a Tenor
December 2012/January 2013
"Lend Me a Tenor"
Hits a Hilarious High
Note with Audiences
Recently Mr. Frankfother said
that students in his night school
class were talking how good the
play went. I myself thought the
show went very well. Everyone
that helped put this together
worked so hard and stayed so
many hours before and after
school. Crew members showing
up on weekends for the construction
of the set.
Cast members staying until
five after just to get the dialog
down. The set for this production
was about one of the nicest
designs we did and for the cast
for this production they all did a
fantastic job. Even with the adult
theme the female cast was not
shy "to get in there". The starstruck
bellhop - played by
Augustin Tapia -- was hilarious;
almost everything he said or did
was funny.
Maria Merelli's portrayal of
the jealous wife Conchita Avitia
made a lot of us men in the audience
rethink our ideas about getting
married. Nicolas Del Valle
played Max and he did a great
job of playing an inconfident
lackey with high operatic
dreams. (He also got it ON rather
hotly with Maggie and Diana.)
Gabriela Fuentes (as Maggie)
had us really believing she was a
virgin - until she wasn't anymore.
And, it was easy for us to
believe that the lusty Diana
(played by Karina Sandoval)
could have been a prostitute.
The sex scenes came off very
naturally - not in the least awk-
By Adolfo Ulloa
ward. Way to go cast! Kemi
Oshalusi did a great job portraying
a rich Snobby person.
Roberto Rodriguez did a great
job portraying a protected father
and boss. Tito Mereill's portrayal
of an aging opera star Diego B.
Irizarry was truly excellence.
The story focuses on a young
would be opera star Max, as he
helps navigate a series of crazy
happenings when Tito Merelli (II
Stupendo) is imported from Italy
to make his grand debut at the
Cleveland Opera House. After
Tito takes an overdose of pills to
help his stomach ache and is presumed
dead a chain reaction of
mistaken identities, plot twists,
innuendos, and constant door
slamming ensure.
During all three shows everything
for the most part went very
well, excerpt for a few technical
issues here and there, but for the
most part the show went
extremely well. I have to say this
show was something the student
body needed, but if you thought
the cast and set were great.
That's nothing compared to the
spring musical were doing.
The spring musical it's going
to have a cast of about 50 people
and it's going to have a 16 feet
high set. Making this production
look tiny in comparison. We may
have had some tiny issues this
performance, but the next one
will be 100 times better. So I'm
inviting everyone to come see
our spring production Evita.
Photo by Noe Sym
Augustin Tapia as The Bellhop, Kemi Oshalusi as Julia
and Gabriela Fuentes as Maggie
Photo by Noe Sym
Roberto Rodriguez as Saunders, Nicolas Del Valle Perez Jr. as Max and Diego B.
Irizarry as Tito Mirelli
Diego B. Irizarry as Tito Mirelli and Conchieta Avieta as Maria
Photo by Noe Sym
Gabriela Fuentes as Maggie and Nicolas Del Valle Perez
Jr. as Max
Photo by Noe Sym
Coming
Up Next
to Chodl
The next Morton
East production
called ''Evita'' will
be performed on
April 19 - 21.
''Evita'' is a musical
by Andrew Lioyd
Webber. It concentrates
on the life of
Argentine political
leader. Eva Peron,
her rise to power,
charity work and
eventual death.
Some say she "slept
her way to power,"
yet she was loved by
the working class.

Features
Brawls
(Continued from front page)
"(I have been into a fight) in elementary, it
began because the guy was talking smack to me.
I felt salty because I knew I was getting into
trouble," senior Sebastian Obacz said.
Others have been getting into brawls since
elementary school.
"(I fought) in 8th grade, it started from talking
crap, and I felt normal (as if nothing happened)
after the fight," junior Donnell Owens said.
Some students had fought more recently.
"(I fought on) November 16, outside my job.
Some drunk guy tried to steal my pizza I was
delivering," senior Jacob Golen said.
Some think fights are pointless. Just "walk
away" some say.
"You going to get suspended too. It's not
worth it," senior Andrew Garcia said.
So, is the internet to blame?
"(Kids are) talking smack to each other on
Facebook," Mr. Ramirez said.
Pretty soon, a lot more people are involved.
"(On) facebook, people who know very little
about each other often read comments about
their friends, and take it upon themselves to get
involved," Mr. Ceja said.
Others believe gangs are an issue.
"Gangs are the most common reasons for
fights," Donnell said.
Others think women are the issue.
"Women are the root of all evil," Andrew
said.
Some think that it's guys.
"Girls fight 9 times out of 10 because of a
male," principal Zarate said.
The majority of Morton East students
haven't experienced dating a teen parent.
In a random poll of 50 students, 70
percnet haven't dated a teen parent; the
remaining 30 percent have. Some of these
would date a teen parent and others won't.
This may be because most students at
school aren't parents themselves, and aren't
ready to be.
"I'd feel like a third wheel," sophomore
Sandra Ortega said.
Youth can have a hard time accepting
there is a child in the picture.
"I wouldn't feel right dating a girl with a
baby," senior Carlos Guerra said.
While some have dated a teen parent,
others find it less stressful dating someone
without a child.
"It's easier dating a girl without a child
because there is no "baby-daddy drama"
senior Jorge Salvatore said.
Sometimes family and friends interfere
and try to influence dating decisions.
"I wouldn't care; that's not their business,"
senior Ashley Sosa said.
Parents teach their children to be
responsible, but for themselves alone.
"My dad is a military dad, and my mom is
strict. My mom would question why I am
taking others responsibilities that aren't
even mine," Ashley Sosa said.
Students think it's a challenge when
dating a teen parent.
"You would deal with her and the child
too. I would feel obligated to take care of
the child because the baby's father isn't
there," junior Brian Guitron said.
Many teens are not ready to make adult
choices. They have concerns about getting
involved in a family that's not biologically
theirs.
Some think students don't think.
"(Students) don't have control of their
emotions and they take the situation out of
proportion," Jacob said.
Students like watching fights.
"(Two girls) were talking crap to each other
because the (explicit) pages. One girl said,
‘There's a reason why you are on the page.' and
then two girls threw the one girl into the locker,
and begin to stomp her," senior Sebastian
Sanchez said.
Students reflect on Morton's un-finest
moments.
"The one fight with the pregnant girl.
Basically, the non-pregnant girl was at the
pregnant girl. The pregnant girl got furious and
started to talk smack back at her. And the nonpregnant
girl got even more pissed and started to
tee off (punch) on the pregnant girl," Sebastian
Obacz said.
"The craziest fight I saw was in lunch last
year, when they broke the table," Donnell said.
Students talks about how their parents would
feel if they got into a fight.
"My mom would whoop my (butt)" an
anonymous student said.
Some parents would be furious.
"(My parents) would be mostly disappointed
in me," Jacob said.
Still there are parents who seem to don't care
if their child got into a fight.
"They don't care as long as I win," Andrew
said.
Students don't break up fights because of
amusement.
"For students it's a form of entertainment,"
Mr. Ramirez said.
Some think it's intolerable.
"Students think (fights) are fun to watch, and
"You can't compete with the baby's father
because honestly they're going to have
feelings for each other," Jorge Salvatore
said.
Teens with kids have to think more like
adults than teenagers. They need to think
about their child's well-being.
"I don't date right now because it's too
confusing for my child. I worry about what
it does to the kid. Will he think it's his
daddy?" senior Angelica Vargas said.
The grandparents, too, are concerned
about what may be best for their grandchild,
so often they pass their opinions onto their
own teen.
"My mom didn't know, or she would've
Monthly Mortonian
because
it's socially unacceptable," Mr.
Ceja said.
Some have broken up a fight.
"I tried to break the fight up
and I got punched," Jacob
said.
People want to see drama.
"They want to see the outcome, and
see people go to jail, it's a childish form of
entertainment," Andrew said.
(Continued below, right)
Dating a Teen Parent: the Ups, the Downs
By Elise Herrera, Angelica Vargas
& Silvia Gutierrez
Photo by Cindy Diaz
Senior Jacqueline Diaz and boyfriend Jonathan Blancas rejoice
in the birth of their baby Jazlyn on October 12, 2012.
been like 'Are you crazy?'" junior Crystal
Torres said.
Most (80 percent) of students polled
agreed age mattered when dating someone
who has a kid because kids come with more
responsibilities.
"If it's at this age, they don't know what
they want and if they are older, they take
responsibilities for their actions," an
anonymous junior said.
Others notice how much effort it takes to
be a mom.
"They're independent because most of
them are raising their kids by themselves
due to the fact the baby's father is not there,"
junior Rolando Olvera said.
13
December 2012/January 2013
Photos by Emil Johnson
These students and staff had a
good time "staging" fights for
the camera; it's not "fun" in
reality.
"The bottom line is that
school needs to be a safe
place for all students,"
Mr. Zarate said.
Others are afraid of getting hurt.
"(Why) risk me getting hurt? Uh NO,"
Andrew said.
Some students would break up a fight.
"If it was my friend I would probably
jump in or break it up," Sebastian Obacz
said.
Students provide advice on how to
avoid fights.
"Avoid stupidity," Donnell said.
"Don't talk smack," Sebastian Obacz
said.
Adults believe students should inform
an adult.
"First inform an adult of the problem.
And, then be willing to sit down with the
adult and the person you have a problem
with to resolve the conflict," Mr. Ramirez
said.
Others think students should evaluate
the situation.
"First look at the person's intent, (and
see) are they trying to damage my
reputation or me physically? Then also
you want to see if it's worth fighting
about. (Like), did you accidentally bump
into me? Students should really examine
the situation before performing any
actions that they might regret in the
future," Mr. Ceja said.
Mr. Zarate elaborates on the
consequences of fighting.
"(Students) need to stop and think
before they start a fight with someone in
school. Fighting in school could lead to
arrest and suspension and a second time
could lead to an expulsion
recommendation if you fight a second
time. If the fight is brutal you can be
recommended for expulsion in the first
fight. We have had a few fights this year
that are recommended for expulsion
because the fight was too brutal.

14
December 2012/January 2013
Javi Guillen and Kevin Lopez from Above Seas rocking out at Battle of the Bands!
Students and teachers make music, not for
boosting their egos but for enjoyment.
Teachers such as Mr. Pat Iovenelli, Mr. Chris
Blomquist, Mr. Brian Toms, and Mr. Danny
Tondelli make music in their spare time. Mr.
Iovenelli just released a CD with his band.
"You can be a professional performer playing
shows or a talent agent. Be a composer;
writing music. You can be a teacher, a person
who fixes specific instruments. Open up a
music store and provide people that want to
play intstruments," Music directer, Mr. Toms
said.
Morton East's music director, Mr. Toms
gives an insider of how he decided to get into
music.
"I was very interested in music and my older
sister was taking piano lessons, so it inspired
me to take up music myself," Mr. Toms said.
Mr. Toms is even interested in his own studio
to make music, so he investigated the cost.
"To have a small label with instruments and
signing 5 bands, it'd cost about $5,000 for
everything because they love music, something
they have a passion for. Something that
connects people to a type of music that people
will listen to," Mr. Toms said.
Senior Jaime Moreno, also known as his
alias "Jayem" shares his views.
"I record in a basement because it's the only
thing available. I use Audacity, FL Studio, and
Windows Movie Maker," Jaime Moreno said.
The programs, Audacity, Fl Studio, and Windows
movie maker are all free for download.
You can record with just a standard microphone
connected a computer.
"The equipment was worth $3,000 dollars. I
brought microphones, condensors, music programs
for recording and editing, plus the computer
itself was $3,000," Jaime Moreno said.
Other artist who record with Jaime (Jayem)
Photo by Reyna Segura
Students, Teachers Dabble in Music Production
By Sebastian Sanchez
By Marisol Avila, Jacqueline Diaz
& Abraham Gonzalez
As a majority of Morton East High School
knows, the end of the infamous Twilight Saga
was on November 16, and some students were
excited enough to attend the premiere.
In a random survey of 123, 71 percent of students
and some faculty said they had planned
on going to see the finale. (We wonder if they
made it). Interestingly with the 16 copies of
Twilight, 16 of New Moon, 10 of Eclipse, and
8 copies of Breaking Dawn, students here at
Morton East have checked out those books with
a total 873 checkouts, from our very own
school library, from January till November.
From the students we spoke to, a lot of them
could not wait to see the end of the phenomenon.
A few were die-hard "Twi-Hearts", like
Sophomores Celeste Ibarra and Alexis Avila,
who claimed she cried twice watching the
movie.
"It was an epic finale! I went with my sisters
and cousin to watch it, but before it came out
we would watch the movie trailers and fangirled,
so I finally feel complete," Alexis said.
"I LOVE Twilight! I need to at least watch the
final movie 4 times in theaters," Ms. Ibarra said.
However, there are also some students who
dislike the vampire/werewolf love story.
"That [explicit] is whack! It's all about Vampire
Diaries," senior Jesus Felix said.
Even some teachers are glad that the Twilight
Saga has ended.
"Thank God that saga is ending; I‘m tired of
waking teenage girls and sometimes boys back
to reality from their moony dreams of maudlin
vampirism and buff werewolves," Mr. Frankfother
said.
Monthly Mortonian
Entertainment
Finally Bella Swan's international decision to
pick Edward Cullen is clear, but some students
rather have had the sweet-hearted, stud to themselves.
"Edward is beautiful inside and out! He
SPARKLES in the light; He's legit cute," senior
Maritza Cardenas said.
But some prefer the heart-throb, bronze hottie,
Jacob Black.
"I'm team Jacob all the way, Edward looks
too stuck up and I like my guys with meat on
them like Jacob," security guard Evelyn Garcia
said, with a HUGE grin on her face.
One student even prefers to have Bella Swan
all to themselves.
"It's all about team Burgos. Me and Bella are
meant to be together," senior Oscar Burgos
said.
And for those who do not know about the
new addition to the Cullen family, Renesmee
are Remi Alcauter (Remi-D), Bret Wright (B
Ryte). All they do together is help come up
with songs together and make each other's beat
while recording ideas.
"The reason why this is my drive is something
Mahatma Gandhi said. "Be the change
you want to see in the world," Jaime Moreno
said.
Jaime Moreno explained briefly why he
makes music; Jaime, Remi, and Bret said the
same thing.
"It's just a passion I have towards music. It's
where I belong," Jaime Moreno said.
Morton Mourns End of Twilight Saga
Cullen finally is relieved in the final movie of
course, but there was mixed feelings for the
character, some found her perfect for the role,
but others found her to be too "perfect".
"Renesmee is too computerized! Especially
when she was a baby, it was too freaking weird;
I don't know why the casting directors didn't put
an actually, natural person," junior Diego
Sanchez said.
Twilight's Breaking Dawn part 2 is the perfect
blend of sci-fi and romantic drama. With
the suspenseful fight with the Cullen family and
friends against the Volturi, and the intimate, yet
appropriate moments between Bella and Edward,
make this movie a must watch. For those
who do not know where to take their next dates,
we suggest you take him or her to go see Breaking
Dawn part 2.
ADD ONE SENTENCE.

December 2012/January 2013 Features
15
Students Shut Down Without Shut Eye
By Rogelio Rodriguez, Carlos
Reyes & Martin Lizama
Students, it's bedtime.
Students need their sleep in order to succeed
in school. Lack of sleep can cause students to
fail academically and not push themselves to
their full potential. In a random survey of 100
students 57 percent said sleep does affect their
academic performance. Studies show that
teenagers between the ages of 11 to 17 need
an average of eight to nine hours of sleep daily
in order to have your body function properly.
Students who do not get enough hours of
sleep limit their ability to learn, listen, concentrate,
and solve problems.
"If I sleep late I won't be able to concentrate
the next day," senior Omar Gutierrez said.
Most people interviewed stated that they
went to sleep later than eleven o' clock at
night. Going to sleep late can have negative
effects on students the next morning. David
Rueda stated that sleeping late makes him feel
like he doesn't need classes so he sleeps
through them.
"I always come to school late; not just once
or twice but always," senior Ramiro said.
Students are not getting sufficient sleep because
of various reasons like; playing video
games, watching TV, using cell phones, and
using their computer.
"I can't fall asleep when I play Xbox and
smoke weed," anonymous Junior said.
The Hole Truth:
Self-Expression
Through Piercing
By Jessica Ceballos & Sergio Alvarez
Many Morton East students are falling into
the trend of unusual piercings.
In a random survey of 50 Morton East students
34 find piercings attractive in the opposite
sex while 16 do not. There are many types
of piercings that students are into now a day:
the medusa, industrials (located on the ear cartilage),
tragus (located in front of the ear
canal), gauges (that are stretched earlobes),
and, plenty more like intimate parts.
"Don't get piercings if you are being forced
don't fall into peer pressure," Senior Reyna Segura
said.
Some people consider having more than one
When is makeup too
much makeup?
Are you overdoing
your makeup and have
no clue?
Attention Morton
East girls. Makeup
should be based on
where you are going
and what look you are
trying to achieve. When
you work slowly, you
can work better and
achieve better results. You won't find yourself
in the position of having an overdone makeup
look.
By definition, makeup is cosmetics used to
color and beautify the face. Makeup is an option,
but for most Morton East girls it's a necessity.
If you like or wear makeup, remember
it's supposed to enhance your natural beauty.
Begin any makeup application with moisturizing
and exfoliation of your face and lips. If
you overdo it, simply clean the skin with tissue.
If you see a hard edge of foundation, blend
it out. The true test of a color match comes
Ms. Judge gently wakes up one of her students.
Some students are affected by insomnia, a
sleep disorder which prevents people from
falling asleep; this can also derive from stress.
People with insomnia have one of the following:
Difficulty falling asleep, waking up too
early, trouble staying asleep, feeling tired in
the morning, to some extent sleepwalking can
also occur.
"I guess to some degree I have insomnia,
piercing, for example Reyna has 6 piercings
and her favorite is her medusa located on top
of her upper lip below her nose.
"If you get a piercing don't regret it don't
take it off just because someone said something
negative," senior Robert Juarez said.
Some students don't get it because it's fashionable
but because it's a desire that they have.
"I have been wanting it for a long time,"
sophomore Laura Arzuaga said.
Piercings help students express themselves
and show others who they really are. Some
people don't feel that way and don't even think
about themselves getting a piercing.
"I like certain piercings but I don't think I
would ever get one,"senior Ricardo Casarez
said.
Before you decide to get a piercing you must
be aware of the consequences if not taken care
of properly according to Kidshealth.org "If all
goes well, you should be fine after a body
piercing except for some temporary symptoms"
(Continued at Piercings, page 7)
Make-up Tips for Girls
By Yesenia Villegas, Paola Cruz &
Jasmine Del Real
Senior Paola Cruz ap-
plies finishing touches at
school.
when you start patting and blending it out.
-You pat concealer in, you never rub it
-Play up your lips or your eyes, never both
-Less is more
-Know your best feature and play it up
- Don't rush!
-Remember: Beauty is mostly internal!
Some girls are beautiful but insecure and
though they look better without the makeup,
they may decide to put loads on. If you're overdoing
it, you're suffocating your natural beauty.
"Makeup depends on the way you perceive
the world. (Makeup) is a cultural construction
in which young woman have more responsibility
betting ready. Most girls wear make up
for social acceptance," Mr. Moriarty said.
When it's overdone, makeup can look tacky
and make you seem older. But, knowing where
that line falls can be tough.
"Some girls walk around the school and they
look like drag queens,"senior Samantha Macias
said.
No one wants bright blue clown eyes and
heavy red lipstick surrounded by thick cakey
make up.
"I don't know why girls wear makeup, they're
just being something they're not," junior Oscar
Maldonado said.
when I sleep walk I'm not aware but it's freaky
when people tell me about it" Junior Marcos
said.
Health specialists suggest tips for improving
your sleeping schedule;
(Continued at Sleep, page 7)
Photo by Janita Serrano
Girls show from tounge piercings to lip piercings
By Janita Serrano, Kimberly
Davalos & Guadalupe Sosa
It's the weekend what do you do? Party or stay
in? At Morton East High School, everyone seems
to be more interested in going out with their
friends and partying hard.
So where do you like to go? How do you get
there? What really goes on at these parties?
These are the questions being asked by students
and their peers nowadays.
Here at Morton everyone has the need to party
even young teenage mothers.
"Too legit to quit," senior Pilar Ortega said,
When going out you tend not to care about
laws or safety, but adults always caution us.
"If you booze you lose." Dean Mr. Baranowski
said.
"BE SAFE," Dean Ms. Rivera said.
You hear that music and it just makes you want
to dance your life away and you get in a mood
where you just want to,
"Party hard or go home," senior Kathy Perez
said.
People tend to like Session parties; sessions are
where one person hosts a party at their house and
invite people.
"I'm assuming a session is drinking and dancing,"
business teacher Mr. Pyburn said.
Review: Dawn
Breaks on
"Twilight"
By Marisol Avila, Jacqueline Diaz
& Abraham Gonzalez
The Twilight's Saga final movie,
Breaking Dawn part 2 finally hit the theaters
and soon to hit the stores. The
movie was a mix of action, romance and
especially SUSPENSE!
The relationship between Edward and
Bella that everyone is used to has definitely
changed. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen have
a new addition to their family which sets
the family, married type of relationship
as supposed to the high school puppy
love that they had started out with. And
when the Volturi threatens Edward's and
Bella's new family, they take action and
have family from all over the world help
to protect them.
The best part of the movie has to be the
fighting scenes. And, there is a heartdropping
twist at the end! You'll leave the
theater with both funny and wretched
memories.
Of course this movie is different from
the rest of the saga because everything
comes to an end; feuds between one another
close, as well as feelings and conflicts.
This movie is a must-watch!
We Like to Party!
Photo By Jessica Ceballos
We teenagers know what really goes on at
these parties; it's from dancing to drugs to drunkenness
and sex.
"Sessions are fun, you get to see everyone
dance, play beer pong, and enjoy themselves,"
an anonymous senior girl said.
Some places students/teenagers like to go and
party are Warehouses; a rented out place for 17
and up.
"Live it up!" an anonymous senior girl (short
girl) said.
"A fight broke up and a guy got hit with a bottle.
The cops came and there was a lot of teenage
drinking as well," an anonymous junior boy said.
"Warehouse parties are ghetto; they get raided
all the time," Morton West senior Marleny Landa
said.
But some of our peers don't agree about Warehouses.
Our peers believe that we shouldn't mix
with adults.
"The younger generation will try to do what
the older one is doing," bookstore clerk Ms. Higareda
said.
"You can't control a warehouse; it's never a
good thing to mix adults with teenagers because
you can be taken advantage of," Mr. Pyburn said.
Rodeos seem to be interesting to some students
at East, but what goes on there?

16 Photos
December 2012/January 2013
School of Rock: Students Kick Out the Jams
Rikie Leanos jams out on his guitar!
Sergio Apanco beats on his drums during his band's set.
Alberto Quiroz and Moises Saenz perform their acoustic set for the fans.
Photo by Jose Ramirez Photo by Jose Ramirez
Photo by Jose Ramirez
Carolina Jeronima & Mateo Hernandez perform for Banda Los Wachurros.
Photo by Jose Ramirez
Photo by Jose Ramirez
"Above Seas" with Mike Avila, Kevin Lopez, Javi Guillen, Harold Melchor & Irvin Sanchez.

December 2012/January 2013 School News
17
Drivers License
(continued from front page)
"My mom lends me her car because I live on
the opposite side of Cicero, but she knows I
don't have a license. She trusts me I guess," senior
Angel Ledezma said.
"Unless I wanna be walking home from Morton
West at like 6 o'clock , I drive every day to
school, then to practice, then back home, I really
need to get ahold of a license though," an
anonymous track girl said.
To some, having a license is a stage of growing
up and something to show off to your
friends. It's a very big accomplishment to some
people.
"It cost $300.00 to do behind the wheel. It
cost so much (explicit) money but it's worth it,
because I'm finally whippin' it," senior Jose
Silva said.
"I don't even have a car but I really do love to
rub my license in people's faces. Like ‘HAHA'
I got one bro," senior Steven Lee said.
"Illinois Republican leaders joined in support
of the proposal on Tuesday after Republicans
took a drubbing at the polls in November, when
an estimated 66 percent of Hispanics voted for
Democratic President Barack Obama.
Some Republicans in Congress also have
begun to soften their opposition to immigration
reform.
Unlicensed, uninsured drivers are involved in
almost 80,000 accidents in Illinois annually, resulting
in $660 million in damage, according to
Sneaking
Out
(continued from front page)
"I sneak out to party and smoke with my
friends all the time," junior Irving said.
Sneaking out can seem like all fun and
games until something goes wrong.
"I snuck out once and my sister locked
the window, so I couldn't get back in, and
my only choice was to knock on the door,"
senior Maria Robles said.
Out of the 50 students, at least 18 said
they don't sneak out, or don't have to because
their parents let them out whenever
they want.
"My parents almost always let me go
On Friday, December
7th, 2012, Morton
East's annual
Battle of the Bands
took place in the
Chodl Auditorium.
Six bands - including
the teacher band
- all took the stage to
give their best performances
for the
evening. The night consisted of music
from different genres; hardcore, punk,
indie, and pop music. The crowd got a
taste of the few mainstream genres in the
school among the student body. They
clearly enjoyed it as they chanted and
cheered.
Every band seemed to be a good sport
during the battle; however Mute Print
gave a cocky attitude which completely
changed the atmosphere. The vocalist
made a joke toward Above Seas, which
Photo courtesy eideard.com (Google images)
California already made it legal for undocumented citizens to get a drivers li-
cense. Illinois is debating it now.
the Illinois Highway Safety Coalition. Unlicensed
immigrant drivers cost $64 million in
damage claims.
The Illinois Safer Families Coalition, an organization
that opposes giving drivers' licenses
to illegal immigrants, ran an ad this week saying
Illinois politicians cannot be trusted to administer
such a program without corruption.
Coalition spokesman Bill Kelly cited Ricardo
out, so I don't sneak out. Plus, I live on the
second floor, so it would be kind of scary,"
junior Vicky Barrientos said.
Many adolescents go out not knowing
the consequences of being out after curfew
and being caught by the cops.
"If a parent calls we can fill out a missing
persons report, we can take the student
in for curfew or we can charge them for
runaway," Town of Cicero police officer
Eddie Perez said.
Teenagers usually ignore what their parents
say, not knowing that they have their
best interest at hand.
"These kids need discipline. They
shouldn't be out late at night and especially
without us knowing. What if something
happens to them and we didn't know
what's going on, because my kid decided
to be out?" an anonymous parent of a
sophomore said.
ADD QUOTES
Reyna On Rock: Battle Scars
By Reyna Segura
Senior Reyna
Segura
wasn't even funny. In fact, it showed the
immaturity of the band instead. After
Mute Print, the mood changed back to
the original happy and energetic mood.
And, as the evening came to an end, the
judges had to make a decision. They announced
that the bands Of Shattered
Dreams and Banda Los Wachurros
seemed to be the finalists; however
everyone was shocked when Above Seas
were announced the winners.
Some don't agree with the judges that
Above Seas should have won, they claim
they were just "noise" and the vocalist's
singing wasn't good enough. But if you
really think about it, it's not all about how
good the vocals are. Sure, that is one of
the factors that the judges had to look at,
but it obviously didn't affect the band that
much if they still won.
Above Seas' stage performance was a
giant factor in their win, I think. Regardless
of the immaturity and "hate" towards
the winners, everyone came together to
have an enjoyable evening.
Guzman, a truck driver who illegally obtained a
driver's license in Illinois and was involved in a
1994 crash that killed six people. It was later
discovered that Guzman had bribed an Illinois
state official to get the driver's license.
Lawmakers estimated about 250,000 illegal
immigrants live in Illinois."
This excerpt was obtained from the Chicago
Tribune December 04, 2012
Students Try
Teaching Goodwin
Gradeschoolers
By Luis Castanon
On Friday, December 7, 26 Morton East
students became teachers for a day.
They all taught different grade levels 1-3rd
at Goodwin Elementary. They were selected
by the Junior Achievement program. There
were about 50 National Honors Society members
who signed up and only 26 were selected.
"It's a new experience and I believe that this
will help me if I were to choose teaching as a
career," senior Luis Castanon said.
The JA program teaches young people
about business, economics, and the free enterprise
system. It benefited both the students
being taught and students teaching. Teaching
the whole day about how a community
works.
"I was surprised when I started teaching.
Wow, these kids learned so quickly I thought
I would have had a harder time teaching
them," junior Bryan Casallo said.
Many of the teachers for a day wanted to
have this as a job for the future. Many were
happy with how the day went. Who knows
maybe they will teach here at Morton.
"It was an experience that reassured me of
my desire to work with children in the future,"
senior Mayra Garibay said.
Photo by Brandon Cruz
Students say sneaking out at school is a lot harder than sneaking out at home.
These unnamed (to protect the guilty) girls show how it's done.

18 Photos
December 2012/January 2013
Teens Teach at Goodwin
Elementary

December 2012/January 2013 Mind Games
19
Small Words
ACROSS
1 Words
4 Pre-digital
5 Small cube with dots
8 Apparatus to prevent moisture build-up
9 Another word for short
11 Anagram and synonym of ‘YEA’
14 Part of plant fertilization
16 Sweetie _____
18 ‘MORE’ in Madrid
20 Second largest of the United States
22 Fever
25 Word for short
27 Vase
28 Projections on a comb
29 Monsters
Sudoku
DOWN
2 _____ America
3 Female parent
5 DeVito of “Twins”
6 Periods of time
7 “Get Shorty” star
10 Outward impressions
12 Fail
13 Nuns
15 A favorite of Aphrodite
17 Yet another word for short
18 Maniacal
19 That girl
21 Slip by
23 Donny & _____
24 Environmental Protection Agency
26 Word element meaning ‘LIFE’
Fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. In a
9 by 9 square Sudoku game:
* Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1
through 9 in any order
* Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1
through 9 in any order
* Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include
all digits 1 through 9

20 OPinion/EDitorials
December 2012/ January 2013
We think Morton East should...
...concentrate on school repairs
We think the school should fix the 4th floor ceiling; it is close to
falling and that isn't safe for the students and the staff.
The 4th floor ceiling especially the South East corners stairwell ceiling
is filthy and badly damaged. Honestly, sometimes we're scared to go up
the stairs because we're afraid that the ceiling might fall on us, and that's
truly a safety issue (Morton doesn't let us wear sandals because it isn't
safe, and yet they haven't fixed the ceiling?) It's crumbling and dusty;
this could be harmful to the students with asthma.
We understand that Morton is currently in a financial crisis, but heatth
and safety are serious matters. Please fix the ceiling.
By Zuleima Yepez, Fernando Ortiz & Vanessa Sanchez
...get some locks in the bathroom
In the girls' bathroom by 217, out of the 6 stalls, only 2 of them have
locks that can actually close up the bathroom door.
So, when the lockable stalls are taken, you have no other choice then to
have someone else hold the bathroom door for you while utilizing the
bathroom. When no one else is in the bathroom you have no other choice
than to use the stall with the door open and hope no one walks in on you.
It is really disturbing for someone to walk in on you while you're doing
your business. Point is: girls' bathrooms should have WORKABLE locks.
In order to resolve this HUGE issue, the school should buy new bathroom
stall locks, which cost $2.78 at Home Depot (which includes all the
screws that are needed) or move the locks up or down to make the latch
slide into the opening, which cost $0! It's the little things that cause these
huge problems. If the school had money to purchase three brand new
TV's they should have the money to spend $18 for the bathrooms.
By Maritza Cardenas & Hicela Trejo
...have students declare majors
Starting your major in high school would allow students to take an
active role in deciding their future, it would empower students to explore
careers within their major and it would motivate them to college.
If the students are interested then there is a higher probability that they
will graduate -- probably with better grades -- and then get free rides or
scholarships to college. According to a 2005 National Governor's
Association survey, 65 percent of high school students said they would
work harder if offered more interesting and demanding classes.
Some educators say it's already difficult for adolescents to narrow their
interests and decide on a major, but the earlier students choose a major
the better. If the student no longer has interest in the subject, they can
always change. It is better for students to experiment with strengths and
weaknesses at a younger age to prepare them for college.
By Alex Verdin, Andrew Garcia & Luis Castanon
What do our readers think?
We've told you how we feel, so now we'd like to hear
from you. There are two sides to every argument, so
if you have an opinion, please email us: themortonian@yahoo.com.
(We probably publish your letter!)
We think that our
Cicero community...
...will benefit if undocumented citizens
are allowed drivers licenses.
An estimated 45 to 60 percent of
undocumented immigrants live in
Cicero. And, 50 percent of these people
are probably driving without a
license.
If these illegal drivers are stopped
by the police, they are in serious trouble:
the unlicensed driver may go to
jail, or they can be deported back to
their country.
The undocumented also have to go
to school and work, but how can they
do it when they fear getting stopped
by the police? The mass transit system
hardly ever runs on schedule.
The undocumented have the right
of having a license so they can go out
onto the streets without having to
worry. Students or other people might
have personal things to do, and
maybe they don't depend on an adult
with a driving license. Since they
don't depend on anyone they go ahead
and drive illegally.
Having a driving license can also
decrease the hit-and-runs that happen
in roads. Accidents happen to everyone,
but for the undocumented it is
harder since they don't have a driving
license. As soon as they crash, they
leave the scene because they fear the
cops and consequences.
This is an alterior motive for allowing
the undocumented to receive a
license: the number of high speed
chases would decrease.
Undocumented drivers would have
legal licenses and thus, collision and
liability insurance. They wouldn't be
dealing with the fear of getting caught
and failed or sent back to Mexico, so
they wouldn't run. They'd stand and
face the consequences.
With the driving license in an
undocumented person's hand, one big
We think teen girls have issues...
....and girls, you need to tone it
down a notch.
The majority of girls are obsessed
with their boyfriends. But, why?
Every girl wants to grow up too
fast, and feel loved. In the beginning
of the relationship it's called
the "Cupcake phase", when the boy
and girl say I love you and tell each
other sweet "cakey " things like
saying I love you all the time. Then
there is the "I can't stand you
phase" where the guy could be in
the restroom and the girl is trying to
figure out where he is and who he
is with and what time he's coming
home.
Once the relationship gets to the
"I can't stand you phase", that's
when obsession comes into play.
Girls tend to forget about everyone
else and devote all their free time to
her boyfriend. Guys become
annoyed with their girlfriends attitude
and obsession, which leads to
them to do untrustworthy things, for
example: talking to other girls, they
begin to go out to parties more,
ignore their calls and texts, they
begin to lose interest in the relationship
and they drift away.
Girls on the other hand, watched
too many Disney movies and were
brainwashed when they were
younger into thinking that their love
life is supposed to be perfect and
that their boyfriend is not supposed
to have any defects. Girls want their
boyfriends to buy them stuff, and
problem is solved for the undocumented.
People come to the U.S to
look for freedom and a better life.
By Ruben Gomez, Daniela Aguirre,
Joel Magos, Emilio Juera, Raul
Aceves, Oscar VIvas & Jorge Olea
* * *
...should be proud of the fact that
gang violence is decreasing.
In the beginning of 2012, President
Larry Dominick announced there had
been a full year with no gang-related
homicides.
Within 2011, Cicero had zero murders
linked to gangs, shining a light
of hope to our Cicero residents.
Because of the non-gang related
homicide s, our town has received a
check from the state of Illinois for the
improvement in our town.
This sends a positive vibe to the
residents of Cicero and a different
direction to Cicero's bad reputation.
Unfortunately, there has been a few
homicides this year, but we could
keep the positive direction by having
our youths participate in community
events or centers instead of being on
the streets. The community has many
resources for us:
Every year there is Cease Fire week
Calm down, ladies!
the perfect prince charming, when
the majority of the time it's really
the girls' fault that the relationships
end badly. Girls expect too much
from their boyfriends, and fall in
love with the guys personality, and
as the days and months go by, they
begin to realize that there are one
too many things that they end up
not liking about their boyfriends
and what girls don't like they want
to change and fix it. That is where
the boy becomes upset because he
thought she liked him for who he
was, then that's where things began
to go downhill.
In the end, girls are dissatisfied
with their boyfriends, they then get
dumped, begin to feel depressed
and update their relationship status
on Facebook to being single. And
on to the next victim they go.
during the summer.
Cicero youths have their very own
Youth Center called Fuerza located
next to the fire station on 25th street.
Open gym is back open at Morton
East.
Corazon Community Services and
Youth Crossroads both have awesome
positive programs for teens. And, the
Cicero Park District has community
athletics for nearly every sport imaginable.
Teens can always volunteer at local
churches, animal shelters or hospitals.
(That's great for your resume.)
And, if you don't want to work for
free, look for a paying job.
If we want Cicero to maintain this
better image, it's our responsibility as
teens to stay away from gangs and
keep it away from our younger brothers
and sisters.
By Marisol Avila, Jacqueline Diaz
& Abraham Gonzalez
* * *
...should do something about drivers
who text.
In every state there's someone causing
a fatality by texting behind the
wheel. The police officers can easily
check with a breathalyzer if you're
By Jazmine Del Real, Kimberly
Lopez, Wendy Terrones
* * *
...because all these girls are fighting
over cheating boys!
Hey girls, fights can lead to jail
and explusion. Is that boy worth it?
Boys cheating are almost always
the main reason why girls fight
nowadays. Sure, cheating hurts, but
girls seem to forget that fighting the
other girl won't solve anything.
Little did you know, the other girl
is also being cheated on. Fighting
her to fight over him is just plain
stupid!
Girls are the fighters, but if you
really think about it, all these reasons
are stupid and childish. I
would say the only good reason to
ever fight is self-defense.
Boys are so not worth it and there
will always be rumors. If you know
that there is a rumor, just let it be.
As long as you know it's not true
then you have nothing to worry
about. There is no need for you to
get hyped up.
Next time be mature, think about
the consequences before you put
your hands on the other chick, and
actually think if she is worth it. Or,
better yet: is he worth it?
By Angelica Vargas & Elise
Herrera
drunk, but they can't confiscate your
phone to check when you send the
last message. In some states the government
passed a law that banned the
usage of cellphones while driving.
For example in the state of Utah, if
you cause injury or death, the offense
can grow to a felony with up to a
$10,000 fine and 15 years in prison.
Texting and driving takes a life
away every second. In Cicero there
are a lot of people texting while driving.
At Morton East, you see students
using their cellphones while they pull
out of their parking spaces. And,
there are students not paying attention
as they walk behind these same cars.
This is a dangerous combination; the
students driving and texting might not
see the student on the street and
might hit him or her. A few years ago
on Central Avenue and 25th street
someone was killed in a collision
because someone was probably distracted.
One simple text can change
your life forever.
By Noreli Vargas, Yesenia
Castaneda & Paola Sanchez
* * *
...

By Angela Rodriguez & Julio Pena OPinion/EDitorial Cartoons
21

22 School News
December 2012/January 2013
MEHS's College Partner Gets Credit
By David Celis
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is
sort of our older sister; she is responsible for
our afterschool BLAST, ALAS, and AP summer
bridge programs, and she helps many seniors
fill out college applications here at the East
campus.
And, according to Newsweek, Northeastern
Illinois University (NEIU) in Chicago has been
ranked sixth in the U.S. for Best Investment in
their annual edition of "College Rankings
2012."
The report states that more than 78 percent
of NEIU's full-time students receive financial
aid and only 13 percent of graduates incur
debt. Graduates from the University receive an
average mid-career annual salary of more than
$70,000 with a starting annual salary near
$40,000. The ranking showed students attending
NEIU could expect to pay less than
$20,000 a year in tuition and living expenses.
The four factors that they were ranked on were
debt, total cost, financial aid and future earnings.
This is a big achievement for the public university
in Illinois. Compared to a lot of major
universities, it's fairly affordable.
Some East teachers who went to NEIU speak
highly of it.
"It's a very affordable school; they have great
programs," English teacher Ms. Lilia Contreras
said.
Records Broken
at Jamboree
By Alex Verdin
Fall Fitness Jamboree 2012 was especially
exciting this year because of some shattered
records.
Junior Eliezer Serrato broke the standing
Morton record in the mile run with a swift 4
minutes 58 seconds time. And, senior Marlene
Valadez is the girls' champion for the 6th consecutive
time. Senior Daniel Torres is the
boys' champion.
For the sit and reach Daniel Torres, Roberto
Aragon, and Hector Luna tied for first place
with 24 inches.
In the girls Jamboree Viviana Vasquez and
Stephanie Ruiz tied for first both with 24
Spelling
(Continued from page 2)
"They should because
if not they won't
make the same mistake.
Without anyone
correcting them, how
do they get better?
Once that has
changed you'll see the
difference in how
Unsure? they use their spelling
Look it up! and grammar," senior
Miriam Herrera said.
Some grade schools don't participate in
spelling bees. Social science teacher Ms.
Duran's son's school doesn't have a
monthly or annual spelling bee, but Mr.
Herman's daughter's school does. Many
East students didn't participate in their
school's spelling bee when they were
younger.
"I wasn't selected to be in the spelling
bee," junior Erik Meraz said.
Others don't like the pressure that is
caused by spelling bees.
"The instructors I had there were the best,
compared to the teachers I had at U of I or
UIC," journalism teacher Mr. Frankfother said.
And, it's close.
"It's a short forty minute drive from Cicero to
NEIU," social science teacher Mr. Lavelle said.
Unfortunately, a lot of students don't know
about NEIU.
"I think that NEIU doesn't have name recog-
inches.
For the standing long jump Daniel Torres
had the furthest distance at 9 feet 3 inches.
In the standing long jump Iesha Gomez had
the furthest distance for the girls at 7 feet with
3 inches.
Jesus Ceja did 83 sit ups for the highest total
in under a minute.
Iesha Gomez did 80 sit ups for the highest
total in under a minute.
In the boys shuttle run Daniel Torres clocked
in with the fastest time at 8.3 seconds
In the girls shuttle run Marlene Valadez
clocked in with the fastest time at 9.2 seconds.
For the 50 yard dash Emil Johnson had the
fastest time at 6.1 seconds.
For the 50 yard dash Iesha Gomez had the
fastest time at 6.7 seconds.
In the mile run EliezerSerrato had the fastest
time at 4 minutes and 58 seconds
For the girls Lesley Lopez had the fastest
mile at 6 minutes and 26 seconds.
So, the bar's been set pretty high for the next
Jamboree. And, the question is: Will Marlene
Valadez take home a 7th win this spring?
"I was too nervous to participate," junior
Abelardo Valencia said.
Another reason for some people to have
poor spelling is Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a
learning disability that causes people to reverse
letters and sometimes see things
backwards when they read and write. This
disability causes people to have a hard time
reading, writing, learning and pronouncing
words. They sometimes even see numbers
backwards or in a different order.
Regardless of the split opinions, students
and staff seem to agree that students are the
blame for their misspelling habits, not the
teachers.
"It's not the teacher's fault," senior Kimberly
Lopez responded.
Every wonder what the 15 most misspelled
words are? (A lot of people misspell
"misspell" by the way) Here they are
(we've misspelled them on purpose): thier,
alot, recieved, seperate, untill, becuase, begining,
diffrent, occured, beleive, behaviour,
wich, truely, realy, definately.
Now, can you spell them correctly?
Photo courtesy thedailybeast.com
To check out the Newsweek article, go to thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2012/08/05/college-rankings-2012-most-affordable-colleges.
nition which is why it's overlooked so much. A
struggling economy means it's hard to have
thousands of dollars to spend. That's why it's
important to leave school with no debt," Ms.
Contreras said.
In this economy, cost is important.
"That was the best money I ever spend in my
life. It increased my salary by three times!" Mr.
Lavelle said.
Mentors
(Continued from page 2)
"We are mirroring a similar program
that is currently in place at Stevenson high
school," Mrs. Best said.
Being a mentor is a big deal and a lot of
responsibility is put on the mentors as
well.
"We will be having an all-day training
November 2 and monthly meetings
throughout the year for the mentors," Mrs.
Best said
Sophomores have gotten mentored
twice after the training and seem happy so
far.
"They're cool and easy to talk. Their activities
make us feel more comfortable to
have a conversation," sophomore Jailene
Rios said.
At the end of the day, teachers and students
are all just hoping for a great first
year.
"It's kind of a fluid situation, but the idea
of mentoring is great," Mrs. Best said.
Wondering who the mentors are? Have
a lookout on Tuesdays for the students out
of uniform, wearing their Morton Mentor
T-shirts; they're allowed.
Photo by Desiree Galvez
Record-breaker Eliezer Serrato shows he has both strength and endurance.
Jobs
(Continued from page 5)
Others like Officer Soto love their current
job and prefer to stay with the job they got and
not go back to that teen life and struggle to
find a good paying job as a teen.
"I didn't have a hard time finding a job. I always
stayed focus in school. And well now I
love my job and am use to my daily routine,"
Officer Soto said.
Research shows that students that work and
go to school at the same time have a much matured
attitude then teens that only go to school.
Teenagers have a more positive attitude and
they get along well with others. Through jobs,
teenagers learn to deal with all types of people,
a skill which will help students in school
and in their future careers.
The winter is a great season to go out and
look for jobs. Do walk in and ask if the store
is hiring, after applying call the store so they
know that you submitted your job application.
Be prepared in case of an interview.
Look for tips online. According to Mainstreet.com,
part time jobs teach teens how to
budget, save and manage money -- something
that they'll be doing for all of their adult lives.
Mainstreet.com notes some jobs that most any
teen can do:
Babysitting: if you've taken Morton's parenting
class, this is a huge selling point.
Dog Walking: if you love animals, put up a
couple signs around town that you'd be willing
to walk during midday. This is a great job if
you're going to summer school.
Camp Counselor: check with the park district
and churches to see if they are hiring for
summer vacation. (Parenting class is a selling
point here too.)
Landscaping and Yard Work: check out
local lawn care businesses or (if you have a
lawn mower) knock on your neighbors' door
and tell them you're willing to take the work
off their hands.
Household Chores: you already do the
work for your parents; how about offering
those services for pay to neighbors?
Tutoring: are you a good student? If so,
you might be able to tutor younger kids in
your community. Check with schools in the
community to see if there are grade requirements.
Put up some signs in churches and
youth centers.
Good Luck.

December 2012/January 2013 Jamboree 2012
23
Photo by Emil Johnson
Mr. Tsenes records senior Josue Saucedo standing long jump of 8'5".
Photo by Emil Johnson
Mr. Bageanis perpares to record senior Iesha Gomez's 80 sit ups.
Photo by Emil Johnson
Sophomore Antonio Richardson doing pull ups in between events.
Photo by Emil Johnson
Gustavo Martinez ,Raul Aceves, Luis Castanon, Danile Torres, and Josue
Saucedo
Photo by Emil Johnson
Senior Luis Castanon leaps to 7'7" in
the standing long jump.
Photo by Emil Johnson
Junior Nelsi Tino streches for 20" in
the sit and reach.
Photo by Emil Johnson
Sergeant Shultz rewards senior Daniel Torres and senior Marlene Valadez with
their names on a plaque. Marlene has an unprecedented 6 wins!
Photo by Emil Johnson
Junior Samantha Gianan runs a 9.8 in
the shuttle run.
Photo by Emil Johnson
Marines help out the jamboree.

24 Sports
December 2012/January 2013
Smoking
Athletes
(Continued from front page)
"Contrary to popular belief, I don't feel sluggish,
out of it, or have any negative side effects
after I burn some chronic," an anonymous soccer
player said.
Just about every high school in the state, including
Morton, have this issue in common with
their sports teams.
"I think that just about 50 percent of student
athletes are smoking marijuana in the United
States alone," Morton School Based Health
Center physician Dr. Stahl said.
Although, marijuana is known for its negative
effects, it actually has some positive elements.
"You know how
people take pills
for stress?
Well, marijuana is
my natural stress
reliever"
"Not all aspects of
marijuana are bad; it
helps relieve stress and
it helps you relax. Marijuana
also poses fewer
threats than most illegal
substances, but like
all drugs it alters your
judgment," Morton
School Based Health
Center physician Dr.
Stahl added.
Some are even skeptical
on the whole situation
that is an issue
within athletes on all
margins.
"It can't be that bad, can it? Aren't doctors
using it to cure cancer and to make medicines
for illnesses and disorders," Former Morton athlete
Lisa Solis questioned.
"I once knew a hell of a baseball player from
LT (Lyons Township) that never smoked until
his senior year. Even then he continued to dominate
like he was before the usage," Senior
Marco D 'Angelo said.
"I think they even went on to win state the
year that he played for them," senior Marco concluded.
Disappointment is a feeling felt by coaches at
Morton.
"This situation is terrible, it makes me feel
like kids don't enjoy their lives enough; where is
our generation going," poms coach Ms. Claudia
Fernandez said.
She doesn't seem to be the only coach that's
upset.
"Students using marijuana during any given
-- Anonymous Morton Athlete
sports season should be banned from the sport
and face serious consequences," rugby coach
Mr. Glen Brunton said.
"I know several athletes that have smoked
marijuana, but I don't think they should do it.
Even if it doesn't seem to bother them, it doesn't
change the fact that it's illegal and they can
get in serious trouble for it," senior Charles Guzman
said.
Just the act of smoking -- limiting your lung
capacity -- slows you down and leaves you
wheezing, according to one former Morton athlete.
"Me and my best friend got high once before
our game. It was horrible. Everything was different.
We shot different, passed different, and
we were just so careless. I
haven't done it ever
since," a Morton alumnus
said.
Other athletes don't
seem to care about thier
performance being effected
by marijuana
usage.
"People think I'm just
trying to justify my drug
habits, but believe me
when I tell you that marijuana
doesn't affect me as
an athlete. Freshman year
I ran a 6:34 mile and now
after two years of hard work and occasional
weed usage I'm running a 5:57 mile. Just looking
at my results would you be able tell that I
smoke weed? I doubt it," an anonymous athlete
said.
But, the Illinois High School Association has
it's own rules and restrictions.
According to the IHSA rules and prohibitions,
all coaches have the right to submit athletes for
a drug test. If any athletes refuse to abide the
regulations, they will be submitted to a hearing,
where they will be asked to forfeit the program
and have the opportunity to reapply in 365 days,
or have a suspension of 90 days.
Any athlete tested positive for the usage of
drugs will result in disciplinary actions given by
the administration. The only exception in usage
of drugs is prescribed drugs for medicinal reasons.
It's doubtful that any Morton athletes have
been prescribed medicinal marijuana.
Image By David Torres
Phelps thoughts after smoking: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable
and demonstrated bad judgment."
Boys' Basketball Shoots for Star Season
By Marco D'Angelo & Julio Rojas
The Morton basketball team is optimistic
about getting back to Regional and winning
it.
The team's record is 10
wins and 3 losses, beating
Elgin Larkin, Downer's
Grove South, Leyden.
In a random survey of
60 students and staff at
Morton East, 62% say
that the Varsity team will
win the Regional Championship
this year.
"We'll win because
Waller Perez is looking
strong and the JV guys
that are moving up are
looking good, the team
also has a great coaching
staff." Jackie the security
guard said.
Though the team lost
some key players due to
graduation, they have
strong returnees and good upcoming players.
"Rocco Belcaster will be tough to replace
because he was the type of guy that you could
always depend on late in the game to make
that clutch shot," varsity center Joe Robertson
The Morton girls Gymnastics team is more
than exceptional.
This past November, they opened their season
with a victory against Fenton High
School and followed that up with another
win against Riverside-Brookfield High
School. The girls are really focused and excited
to start the season because they all have
high expectation.
"We won our first meet because nobody
was nervous and we all just got out there and
had fun," Varsity gymnast Nayelly Camargo
said.
The girls believe that they can have a
strong season with their varsity returners and
the girls moving up. Even though they lost a
lot of talent all around in Andy Alanis to
graduation. But Tasha Bauers seems to be the
best all-around returner for the team.
"I think we can take first place at conference
because we're a solid team all-around,"
Varsity gymnast Iesha Gomez said.
The top performers are believed to be Iesha
Gomez (Vault), Tasha Bauers (Floor and
Beam), and Heather Flannigan (Bars).
"At the Regional I feel that we can place in
the top Five with our line-up," Iesha Gomez
said.
Football, the most favored professional
sport in the United States. As the teams of the
National football conference(NFC) and the
American football conference(AFC) clash
against rivals; we're all sitting around wondering
which two teams are going to make it
to the Super Bowl, and who's going to shine?
"I got the Texans and the Falcons going all
the way. The Defense of the Texans and the
Falcons offensive line. JJ Watt's defense and
Matt Ryan's offense" senior Luis Salinas said.
"Partiots and the Packers. Both teams have
Super Bowl experienced quarterbacks and
coaches.Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers; they
know the game" senior Joe Giovenelli.
"AFC; Patriots, NFC; I see the 49ers, or
even the Giants since they always start to do
said.
Last year the team finished with an overall
record of 18-10. They finished 3rd in conference
with a conference record of 7-5, behind
Proviso East and DGS. The team feels that
they have enough talent to win a Regional and
Conference title.
"I think they should
finish at the top of
their conference this
year, they have a lot of
good talent returning
and I also think they
have a good chance to
win a regional," Mr.
Vashinko Jr. said.
The Mustangs have
been working really
hard during the offseason
to prepare and
be at the top of their
game.
Taken by Julio Rojas
Varsity forward Weisner Perez driving
the lane for a dunk.
"We have been in
the weight room lifting
and we've been
having practices with
the summer team,"
varsity forward Brandon Cruz said. "The Proviso
West tournament is going to be a big
challenge for us because it's with all the
classes and the top teams in the state,".
Morton Gymnasts Tumble Into Victories
By Julio Rojas & Marco D'Angelo
Top performer Tasha Bauers broke two of
her fingers before the meet against Willowbrook,
and was a big blow to the team in a
115-97 loss.
"The team just didn't perform well, our
minds just weren't focused and it showed,"
Iesha Gomez said.
A couple big events to watch are the Main
West Invite on December 28th and West
Suburban Conference Invite on January
26th, where all the schools will be in attendance.
Who's Going to the Super Bowl?
By David Antonio Torres
Photo by Marco D'Angelo
Junior Olivia Carrizales does a scorpion
on the Beam
good at the end of the season" security guard
Bryan Sanchez said.
"Giants and the Partiots, period" senior Joe
Robertson said.
"I got the Broncos and the 49ers. Broncos
are 10 and 3 right now and Kaepernick on the
49ers been snapping" security guard Daunte
Brown said.
Sadly,l not everyone in Morton East follows
football.
"Uhh, the Bears and... the Falcons? I dont
even know football teams but I know those
teams' names." senior Elise Herrera said.
As a whole, most Morton students came to
the unanimous decision that the New England
Patriots will be contending the Greenbay
Packers. The reason why these two teams
were chosen was undisputed; the quarterbacks.