Issue 5 - North Canton City Schools - sparcc

THE VIKING VIEWS 

Hoover High School ! 525 Seventh St. ! North Canton, OH 44720 

December 19, 2003 ! Vol. 54 No.5 

‘Tis the season 

New parade 

highlights community 

Christmas festivities 

INSIDE: 

HOLIDAY 

LIGHTS

EMILY KUHN 

CAITLIN SAMPSEL 


EDITORS’ NOTE 2003-2004 

As the Christmas season comes 

into focus and 2004 looms just around 

the corner, the year seems to be 

coming to a climax. 

The first semester has almost concluded and exams will closely follow, seniors are eagerly 

awaiting their college acceptance letters, and the student body is immersing themselves in a plethora 

of student organizations and clubs. 

With so much activity cluttering student’s lives, it is sometimes hard to keep the spirit of Christmas 

alive – separating the stress of life and the joy of the holiday spirit. The Viking Views is strongly 

suggesting that you make this clear separation, because the community is offering so much this 

holiday season. 

Georgiana Condric reports on North Canton’s first ever holiday parade on page four, while Chris 

Cauley and Adele Vergis take a look into the holiday entertainment that continually brightens our lives 

during the holiday season on page 32. On page 12 of the Features Section, Sara Barr writes about 

the area’s glorified light displays that bring fun and enjoyment to both those people that put them up 

and those that see them. 

Although prominent, this issue is not completely about holiday cheer as both The Voice and Indepth 

tackle serious subject matter. The Voice posed the question as to whether Christmas has 

become a secular holiday, and the results are presented. After a recent teen shooting, our In-depth 

section was spurred to delve into the world of violent video games. Nick DeFazio gathers a widerange 

of opinions on this hotly debated subject, while Chelsea Crofford gets expert opinions from two 

local psychologists. 

Also look into our Sports section for updates on the “Win Tunnel” as well as our swimming teams, 

which both captured the McKinley Relay title for the third year in a row. And look for “Game Faces” on 

page 42 this issue. 

Although balancing in increasingly hectic holiday season is a daunting task, the staff here at The 

Viking Views wishes you an enjoyable and well-deserved winter break. 

SHANNON PIFER 

Editors-in-Chief Tyler Allchin 

Jonathan 

Dieringer 

Managing Editors Georgiana Condric 

Chelsea Crofford 

Kristen Mooney 

Business Manager Kyra Schloenbach 

Copy Editors Tiffany Bader 

Sara Barr 

Kaci Lapp 

News Editors Adele Ver 

ergis 

gis 

Lindsy Wise 

Chris 

Zaluski 

News In Brief Dominic Reolfi 

Beats Editor Nick DeFazio 

Features Editors Khalei Fogle 

Amy King 

Sarah Upperman 

Featured Student Kat Bello 

Health Column Meghann Gunn 

In-Depth Editors Meghan Pifer 

Beth Simmerman 

Angela Stobbs 

Opinion Editors Steve Aquino 

Christen 

Misanik 

Kate Roshak 

Opinion Columnist Don Kotnik 

Poll Page Jamie DiEugenio 

Entertainment Editors Mike Aquino 

Beth Becherer 

Chris Cauley 

Events Calendar Nikita Reiserer 

Sports Editors Don Kotnik 

Danny Savage 

Jeff 

Wallick 

Sports Columnist Tyler 

Allchin 

Featured Athletes Brandon Hugg 

Billing Manager Chris Tomin 

Circulation Manager Sean Bhagat 

Advertising Design Megan 

Tulodzieski 

Research Assistant Ashley Fogle 

Photo Editors Amanda Crawford 

Emily Kuhn 

Shannon Pifer 

Cathy Samara 

Art Editors Mike e Cook 

Ashley 

Pucci 

Caitlin Sampsel 

Public Relations Anne DeFazio 

Kristy 

Ferruccio 

Merritt Woods 

Freelance Photographers Patrick Dahl 

Joerg Jacobsen 

Freelance Artist Nick k Novotn 

otny 

!You’re only as old as you feel, 

and, exercising on the Hoover 

track, North Canton resident Edna 

Walker can keep up with the most 

youthful of ‘em. She even decorates 

her walker to match the season. 

!Reaching up for the tip-off, junior 

Sahar Nusseibeh begins the 

girls game against Hudson. The 

girls team has been preparing 

for a great year and hopes to 

carry on the basketball team’s 

past success. See page 41. 

!Mr. Jack Bunnenburg and his 

son, Nicholas, enjoy the crafts 

table at the NHS Christmas party 

held for staff members’ students. 

Kids also enjoyed face painting, 

movies and a special appearance 

from Santa. See page 5. 

Adviser Ms. Pamela 

A. McCarth 

thy 

The Viking Views 

Hoover High School 

525 Seventh Street NE 

North Canton, Ohio 44720 

Email 

vv1nc@northcanton.spar 

thcanton.sparcc 

cc.or 

.org 

Web 

http://www.nor 

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.org/~vv1nc/ 

Tune into HVTV every morning 


EDITORIAL POLICY 

The Viking Views is a student-produced newspaper distributed 12 times a year to 

approximately 1,800 students and staff, as well as members of the community. As student 

editors make content decisions independently of the school’s staff and administration, 

the paper is considered a forum for student opinion. It is therefore exempt from prior 

review or restraint in both principle and practice. 

Letters to the editor are accepted and encouraged. Letters must be signed, but, 

upon request, they may be published anonymously at the discretion of the staff. The 

Viking Views reserves the right to edit letters for space and content in order to maintain 

the paper’s high standards against obscenity, libelous material, and personal attacks. 

Letters that exhibit a blatant disregard for such standards will not be considered 

for publication. 

Unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of the editorial board. No 

one individual may be held responsible for opinions expressed therein. Signed 

editorials and columns reflect the opinion of the writer and not the Viking Views, 

advisor, or school. The Viking Views takes all measures possible to make a clear 

distinction between fact and opinion in all news printed. 

In the event of an error, the Viking Views will print retractions as they are 

brought to the attention of the staff. 

-The Editors

VVIEWS 12.19 

IN-DEPTH 

Despite being released 

over a year ago, Grand 

Theft Auto: Vice City 

has created a media 

uproar over its 

extreme violence 

and suggestive 

situations. The Viking Views’ 

Nick DeFazio looks at the social 

significance of violent videogames, 

from Mortal Kombat to Manhunt. 

See page 26 

news 

4 

Community holds Christmas 

celebration 

GEORGIANA CONDRIC covers the 

North Canton holiday parade 

5 

NHS holds staff appreciation 

Christmas party 

6 

Civics Club resur 

esurrected 

ected 

Intro to Law visits jailhouse 

7 

Mock Trial previe 

view 

8 

Jazz Notes receives award 

Symphonic Band goes to U of A 

9 

Holiday y helpers 

ON THE COVER... 

Ashley Pucci’s photoillustration shows a 

sample of the North Canton Holiday 

Parade. Photos by Emily Kuhn. 

REGULAR FEATURES 

!News in Brief p.11 

!Features Column p.18 

!Get to Know... p.18 

!Think Healthy Thoughts...with Meghann p.19 

!Letters to the Editor p.21 

!Pop Culture Cassidy p.21 

!Viking Virtue p.23 

!Kotnik’s Chronicle p.22 

COURTESY OF JOHN WISE 

features 

12 

Holiday light guide 

SARA BARR finds the best local 

Christmas light displays 

Has Christmas gone secular? 

13 

14 

Different religions, different 

traditions 

15 

‘First Night’ offer 

ers s safe 

alterna 

nati 

tives to drinking 

16 For 

ormer Hoover teacher now 

playwright 

Review of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ 

!Your Voice p.21, 24 

!’Noise’ CD Reviews p.34 

!Stop Making Sense p.35 

!Culture Calendar p.37 

!Spotlight On... p.35 

!’Z’ Marks the Spot p.43 

!Tyler’s Tirade p.44 

!Game Faces p.42 

INSIDE 

!The girls swim team celebrates after their win at the McKinley Relays Dec. 

5. Clockwise from top left: Amy Kovacevich, Liz Volpe, Christen Misanik, 

Emily Misanik, Mary Schopper, Lindsy Wise, Stacy Snyder and Rachel Heilmeier. 

the voice 

20 

Editorial page 

The Viking Views believes that 

videogames do not cause 

violence 

23 

Students talk back 

Poll page 

culture 

32 

Holiday media traditions 

36 

? 

ADELE VERGIS, CHRIS CAULEY on 

Christmas movies, music, TV, books 

‘Christmas Carol’ jingles all the 

way y into the hearts ts of those 

looking for Christmas cheer 

sports 

38 Wrestling season preview 

DANNY SAVAGE on the new team and 

how it has dealt with the loss of 

key athletes 

39 

Hockey season begins 

40 

Boys basketball rocks 

the ‘Win 

Tunnel” 

41 Tough schedule catc 

tches up with 

girls baseketball etball team 

42 

Indoor soccer season 

43 

Indoor track update

NEWS 

Citizens, Santa celebrate 


New event brings 

parade downtown 

!Juniors Jessica Oravec and Megan Deering 

sing Christmas carols with HiNotes at the holiday 

parade. Along with HiNotes, Hoover vocal groups 

HiLo’s, Jazznotes, and the Hoover 13 performed 

at the first time event. 

BY GEORGIANA CONDRIC Staff Writer 

When change occurs, the outcome 

can be both good and bad. So far, this 

holiday season change has turned out 

pretty well. 

The annual North Canton holiday celebration 

took place Nov. 29, and with it 

came a few surprises never seen in previous 

years. In addition to the usual tree 

lighting and caroling, this year’s festivities 

also included an equestrian parade, 

numerous food vendors and a special 

performance by the Royer family. 

The annual holiday celebration has 

always been something that the citizens 

4 ! The Viking Views ! 12.19.03 

of North Canton look forward to, but the 

many unexpected changes added an extra 

spark to the day for many people, including 

Mayor Tom Rice. 

“I thought it was a lot of fun–a new, 

unique event for the city,” Rice said. 

Many of the new festivities took place 

thanks to planning by North Canton 

Chamber of Commerce member Ron 

Kindy and his family. 

Several new events were modeled after 

a similar holiday celebration that the 

Kindy’s had seen in Lebanon, Ohio. 

When planning events for North Canton’s 

celebration, the Kindy’s thought an 

equestrian parade, as seen in Lebanon, 

would be just the thing to help North 

Canton kick-off the holiday spirit. 

“We started to call different people 

[who owned horses and sleighs] and 

things started to travel by word of 

mouth,” said Laurie Kindy, Ron’s daughter. 

“Soon we were getting letters from 

people who were volunteering themselves 

to be in the parade.” 

Another new highlight of the evening 

was a performance by the Royer family 

of Lake Township. The Royer’s act consists 

of a father, John, and son, Jonathon, 

playing the trumpets, while 

mother, Jenny accompanies 

daughter, Jennifer, by playing 

the ivory keys while Jennifer 

sings. 

Laurie Kindy says that her father 

was so impressed by the 

family’s talent when he saw them 

perform at his church, that he decided 

they would be an excellent 

addition to the celebration. 

Entertainment was not the 

only new addition to the parade; 

citizens attending the celebration 

were also kept content with 

the abundance of area food vendors 

donating tasty treats throughout the 

night. Among the vendors were businesses 

such as Starbucks and Grinders. 

“The food helped to warm people up 

ASHLEY PUCCI 

and make it so they could stay out in the 

cold,” Laurie said. 

According to Laurie, the Kindys have 

sent surveys to those that participated 

in this year’s celebration to see how the 

recent changes have been accepted. 

“Every single survey that we have 

received so far has had nothing negative 

to say, and everyone is willing to 

participate again next year,” She said. 

The adults were not the only members 

of the Kindy family who were involved 

in the planning of the holiday 

celebration; Laurie’s daughter Rachel 

Leith, a senior at Hoover, also played a 

part in making sure that the day ran 

smoothly. 

“On the day of the parade, I was there 

from 12 p.m. until seven or eight o’clock 

at night. I helped to check people in and 

make sure that everything was on track,” 

Leith said. 

Leith also got the opportunity to get 

up close and personal when she rode in 

a sleigh during the equestrian parade. 

Overall Leith feels that the new holiday 

celebration was a huge success. 

"See PARADE, p.5 

"See PARADE p. 5 

! Horses in this year’s inaugural equestrian 

parade take part in the festivities. 

Thirty units of horses with sleighs, carriages 

and riders participated in the event.

NHS throws Christmas party 

BY JAMIE DiEUGENIO Staff Writer 

The ground outside was covered with 

snow and the blustery wind made the 

temperatures seem twice as cold, but inside 

the atmosphere was anything but 

uninviting. 

Hoover High School staff members 

and their families attended the first ever 

Staff Appreciation Christmas party, 

thrown by National Honor Society Dec. 

6. 

The party was geared toward the two 

to 12-year-old age group; for the children 

and grandchildren of Hoover’s staff 

members. 

It was easy to tell that holiday spirit 

was in the air after just walking through 

the door. Giggling children moved from 

table to table, eagerly watching as NHS 

volunteers demonstrated how to do a festive 

Christmas craft. 

And if they got tired of crafts, a Christmas 

movie was playing and cookies and 

punch were available. 

The staff appreciation committee, 

formed this year, planned the party from 

an idea that Mrs. Flo Rankin, librarian and 

NHS adviser, had last year. 

“They took the idea and ran with it,” 

Rankin said. 

The party was thrown as an act of 

gratitude for everything that Hoover’s 

staff members do. Becky Smith, senior 

and staff appreciation committee chair, 

was happy to do something to give back 

to the teachers. 

“I’ve really enjoyed all the teachers 

that I’ve had, and I wanted to show that 

I appreciate them,” Smith said. 

While the kids were watching the 

movie and doing crafts, many of the staff 

members took the time to socialize with 

each other. 

“It was nice to be able to see everyone 

and their kids; we don’t get to do 

that very often,” Mrs. Kim Nidy, teacher, 

said. 

The abundance of activities to keep 

the kids occupied was just what the NHS 

committee wanted. 

“The kids were always busy and doing 

something, and that was one of our 

goals,” Smith said. 

A highlight of the afternoon 

came when 

Santa Claus arrived. Everyone 

gathered around 

as the kids anxiously 

waited to shake hands 

and get a goodie bag, 

filled with candy and 

other treats, from the 

North Pole visitor. 

“We thought the kids 

would enjoy meeting 

Santa and having their 

picture taken with him,” 

Smith said. She was 

clearly right, a line instantly 

formed to sit on 

Santa Claus’s lap. 

As the festivities 

wound down, holiday excitement 

was still in the 

air. Judging from all the 

smiling faces, the party 

was a great success. 

“Everyone seems to 

have enjoyed themselves,” 

Rankin said. 

Nidy said that she will 

be back next year be- 

PARADE 

! Above Tracy 

Russell and 

Leah Marie Nidy 

work on a holiday 

craft, while 

Mrs. Wrenn 

Nico-demo and 

son Luke (right) 

also participate. 

The party, 

thrown by NHS, 

celebra-ted the 

staff and the 

holidays. 

(Continued from p. 4) 

“A lot of the community always enjoys 

the lighting of the Christmas tree,” 

she said. “But adding a little more this 

year made a better holiday effect.” 

With the spirit of the community coming 

together seems that North Canton experienced 

the beginning of the holidays 

with more than a little bit of good, which 

cause of all the fun her family had at the 

Christmas party. 

“My kids love coming to the high 

school and seeing the high school kids,” 

Nidy said. “ They’ve had a great 

time.”!V 

will hopefully last through the rest of the 

holiday season. Mayor Rice thinks this 

kind of community togetherness is exactly 

what our town needed. 

“It’s nice at the holiday time for a community 

like North Canton to come together 

and enjoy the holidays,” Rice 

said. !V 

SHANNON PIFER 

12.19.03 ! The Viking Views ! 5

Civics Club comes back 

BY JON DIERINGER Staff Writer 

While the majority of Hoover High 

School’s students are too young to vote, 

Civics Club, started last year, 

nonetheless gives students an 

opportunity to become politically 

involved with both the school and 

community. 

With the second year’s inaugural meeting 

occurring on Nov. 25, the club got 

off to a late start, but promises to have a 

great year. 

“I’m really looking forward to [the 

year],” said advisor Mr. Glen Cummings. 

“Last year went well.” 

According to Cummings, the late start 

was in part due to his commitment as Defensive 

Coordinator of the Viking football 

team, which left him unable to meet 

after school. 

Senior Wallis Welsh says that students 

were also busy as well. 

“The beginning of the year was so 

busy that no one had a chance to get it 


organized,” she said, “but now we’re on 

solid ground.” 

Now that the club’s year has begun, 

several changes have taken place. 

Most significantly, Civics Club has 

done away with traditional office positions, 

opting instead to have a board 

make decisions for the group. 

“More students can have a say now,” 

said senior Becky Smith, who encouraged 

the formation of the board. 

According to Cummings, many students 

had approached him about different 

ideas, such as a Business Club 

(which already exists) and Amnesty International. 

These ideas might become 

part of Civics Club, with the possibility 

of each interest being represented by 

board members. 

Another change is the planned 

speaker series, an idea still in an early 

stage. Last year, the Civics Club was visited 

by a speaker from the Green party, 

which Cummings said had a “very good” 

turnout. This year, the club hopes to 

have more speakers, who may speak in 

the evening, an event which will be open 

to the public. 

“We’re not sure who [will speak],” said 

Smith, “but we have some ideas.” 

Cummings says these plans depend 

on whether or not the club will be able to 

have the school available in the evenings. 

Finally, the club is looking into what 

direction it will take this year. 

Last year, according to Cummings, the 

club was mostly service-oriented, organizing 

a successful blanket drive. This 

year may be different. 

“I don’t think [members] want it to be 

a service organization,” said Cummings, 

although he adds that service is still a 

possibility. Other prospective activities 

include movie nights and formal debates. 

Welsh sees the club in having the potential 

to affect change. 

“I think a lot of students really want 

somewhere where they can voice their 

opinions, because Hoover doesn’t really 

have a strong program where they can 

do that,” she said. 

Smith also sees an informative potential. 

“This year, the goal…is to expose and 

educate students to civics,” she said. 

With a second meeting held Dec. 9, 

the club’s activities look to be well under 

way, and the group is ready for a good 

year. 

“Last year was a success, and this 

year we’re expecting the same,” Welsh 

said. !V 

I/L visits jailhouse 

BY TYLER ALLCHIN Staff Writer 

The daily, monotonous grind of high 

school is seldom broken up by educational 

activities that take students out of 

the classroom and give them learning experiences 

first hand. These types of 

events, also know as field trips, give students 

the opportunity to expand their 

horizons and increase their overall scope 

of knowledge. 

Mr. Collier’s Introduction to Law 

classes traveled to the Stark County Jail 

Dec. 10. This trip was meant to give students 

a look into what happens once the 

trial process has concluded and defendants 

are found guilty. 

The jail, which houses nearly 400 inmates 

and has 12 guards always on duty, 

serves two purposes. First, to allow those 

serving sentences under two years to do 

their time, and secondly to house convicted 

felons before they are sent to state 

penitentiaries. 

Senior Devon Chambers, who had 

never visited the jail prior to the field trip, 

said that the out of classroom trip added 

to his law-related knowledge. 

“It’s important to see what goes on 

inside the jail,” Chambers said. “To see 

what occurs after the trial process.” 

According to Collier, who has been 

taking the class to the jail for the past 

five years and says that the trip serves 

several meaningful purposes. 

“They [the students] get to see what 

we study on the criminal justice system. 

They get to experience it first hand; it’s a 

good reality,” Collier said. “If they are 

interested in law enforcement for a career 

the trip is a good experience for 

them.” 

"See PRISON, p. 7

Mock trial gets serious 

Students prepare for succesful season 

BY LINDSY WISE Staff Writer 

As the courtroom heats up and the 

defendant takes the stand, there may 

be a few less attorneys on the case. 

Due to a funding cut by the state of 

Ohio, the cost of having Mock Trial 

teams has gone up significantly. 

Hoover, 

with the highest number 

of teams in the 

state, is looking to recover 

the lost funds 

from the school. If 

money becomes too 

limited, the number of 

participating teams 

may be reduced. Presently, the state is 

not required to accept all the teams, but 

has yet to reject one of Hoover’s 

groups. 

While a change like this would reduce 

the number of participants, some 

see it as a way to cause people to become 

more serious about the club. 

Those less dedicated would no longer 

be accepted. 

“I think it is a good decision, because 

last year some people did not 

come to practices and were still able to 

participate,” junior Samantha Simpson 

said. “I believe if you are going to par- 

Prison 

(Continued from p. 6) 

Once arriving at the jail around 9 a.m., 

students were introduced to one of the 

jails correctional officers and processed 

through numerous security measures. 

The classes were then shown into a room 

where the officer made a brief presentation 

about the jailhouse procedures. 

Although interesting and informative, 

the core of the jail experience did not 

occur until after the jail door had closed 

behind the students as they enter cellblock 

D1. Cellblock D1 houses is home 

to the most dangerous and violent criminals 

within the Stark County Jail. The 

charges of those within D1 range from 

rape to murder and anything in between. 

Students began to comprehend the 

realness of the situation as the steel door 

slammed shut behind them. 

ticipate in something like Mock Trial, 

you have to participate in all aspects. 

This includes practices.” 

The change is not definite yet, which 

is good news for the 110 students interested 

in the program. With this many 

kids, adviser Mr. Charles Collier will be 

able to create 11 or 12 

teams, a positive sign 

in Collier’s eyes. 

“It is [very] early, 

but I think just by 

looking at the names, 

we have a number of 

students who have 

been involved in it for 

a few years, so I am excited,” 

Collier said. 

Besides the returning 

members, who bring talent 

and experience to the group, 

there are a number of new 

members. 

“We’ve got about 15 or so 

freshmen, and we’re excited about that, 

because down the road that will help 

the Mock Trial program,” Collier said. 

Freshman Tony Vergis is one of the 

newcomers to the program this year, 

and intends to stick with it throughout 

highschool. 

“I am doing Mock Trial, because I 

“It was scary because it felt like I was 

blocked in. It added to the realness of 

the field trip,” senior Allison LaRocca 

said. “[It] made me realize that this was 

real, not just something out of a television 

show.” 

Before entering the cellblock students 

were given strict instructions as to not 

talk to anyone, touch any inmates, or 

purposefully flash any gang symbols or 

inflammatory actions. Students walked 

single file down the narrow corridor; they 

were often within reach of the inmates 

and always within earshot. 

Senior Kevin Doyle said that he found 

the comments being made by the inmates 

comical but at the same time unnerving. 

“You had to keep in mind that these 

were real people and that they just 

wanted to intimidate us,” Doyle said. “I 

want to be involved in things that will 

help my academics,” Vergis said. 

The positions available on a Mock 

Trial team are witnesses, defense attorneys, 

and prosecutors. Some of 

these positions require quite a bit of 

work. Vergis is looking to become a 

witness in order to learn the ropes. 

“It is an easier job, and I think as a 

freshman it would be good to start off 

with a job that requires less work,” he 

said. 

The Mock Trial teams meet every 

day after school. Participants, however, 

are not required to show up every 

day. They may choose any two days 

they wish to attend. Last year Hoover 

“I am excited to see how my team 

and other teams will approach [the case].” 

- SAMANTHA SIMPSON, JUNIOR 

sent a team to States and is looking to 

repeat this performance. Simpson believes 

the competition will be tough, 

but is looking forward to the challenge. 

“The case this year is very interesting 

and I am excited to see how my team 

and other teams will approach it,” she 

said. !V 

had the feeling that they were focused 

on the girl behind me the entire time.” 

After finishing the loop around the 

cellblock, Chambers said the movies have 

done the atmosphere justice, but the real 

thing emphasized his fear of prison. 

“It was about what I expected, pretty 

much like the movies,” Chambers said. 

“Makes me appreciate not being in a jail.” 

According to Collier, the inmates have 

been reliable in their messages to the students 

and serve a great purpose. 

“I like the students to hear some of 

the life lessons, whether they are positive 

or negative,” Collier said. 

At the end of the field trip, Collier felt 

his goals were met and exceeded. 

“I hope they get an impression of what 

it may be like to be incarcerated, to live in 

prison,” Collier said. !V 


New group jazzes up Hoover 

BY ANNE DeFAZIO Staff Writer 

Jazz Notes participated in the 4th annual 

Concert for Compassion held at the 

Massillon Lions Lincoln Theater on Nov. 

23 and recieved a plaque for their service. 

Jazz Notes is a new group at Hoover, 

made up of eight seniors in either HiNotes 

or HiLos. 

“It’s been a group I’ve wanted for a 

“We sing stuff that that’s fun 

for the crowd to listen to.” 

- KATHY VANDERVAART, SENIOR 

while and this seemed like the year to 

get it going,” Mrs. Patty Grewell, Jazz 

Notes director, said. 

Jazz Notes is different from other musical 

groups at Hoover, according to senior 

Kathy Vandervaart, a member of Jazz 

Notes, because of the contemporary 

songs they perform and the atmosphere 

of the group. 

“It’s more laid back then the other 

groups; it’s fun,” she said. “We all get 

along really well.” 

Grewell is also enthusiastic about the 

new ensemble. 

“It’s an exciting new group. 

Everyone’s excited to be in it: they really 

like to perform,” she said. “It’s a fun group 

to direct.” 

The Concert for Compassion was their 

first public performance. This was held 

to raise money and awareness for 

Hospice, a nonprofit group that helps 

people in their final stages of life. 

According to Jim Dhomas, Chairman 

of the Board, since Hospice is a nonprofit 

group with a large cause, they rely 

heavily on functions like Concert for 

Compassion. 

This year’s concert collected a record 

amount, exceeding $13,000. Besides 

money, this concert also raised awareness 

in the community about Hospice. 

Dhomas feels that programs like these 

“keep [Hospice’s] name in the public.” 

Jazz Notes received a reward for participating 

in the event. 

“It’s nice to have a little something to 

put on the wall and say ‘we were in that,’” 

Vandervaart said. 

Senior Daniel Lenzer, another member 

of Jazz Notes, is also pleased to be recognized 

for this event. 

“It was our first public recognition as 

an ensemble and a nice start to what is 

looking like a good year,” Lenzer said. 

The Jazz Notes received a standing 

ovation after they were forced to sing a 

song a cappella for the first time due to 

some technical difficulties. 

“We sing stuff that’s fun for the crowd 

to listen to,” Vandervaart said. 

Dhomas feels that the audience responded 

well to them and will in the future 

as well. 

“I’m sure that anyone that hears them 

would get a kick out of them,” Dhomas 

said. “They’re really good.” 

Dhomas feels that the Jazz Notes contributed 

a lot to this cause. 

“I want everyone to know how grateful 

we are,” he said. “We appreciate the 

time and talent [Jazz Notes] gave to Hospice.”!V 

Music rings in Guzzetta Hall 

Band visits University of Akron to perform for music directors 

BY CHRISTEN MISANIK Staff Writer 

The Hoover symphonic band was selected 

to perform in the 32nd Annual 

Ohio Band Directors Conference Dec. 6 

at Akron University. Chosen from over 

200 other musical groups, the symphonic 

band was able to showcase a 30-minute 

performance for the conference. 

“It’s a great honor to be selected,” 

said band director Mr. Ronald Varn. 

“[The band] has come a long way and, 

for us, it’s a work in progress.” 

The band has been holding afterschool 

rehearsals to prepare for the upcoming 

conference. Senior band member 

Carissa Patton said it was worth the extra 

effort. 

“Though the practices can get monotonous, 

I know they will pay-off for 

our band,” she said. “They enable us to 

listen to each other more and learn to 

blend as a group.” 

Other performances included two 

middle school bands from Ohio, the 

University of Akron symphonic, jazz 

and concert bands and concluded with 

the Ohio Band Directors Conference 

Honors Symphonic band. 

“[The University of Akron Symphonic 

Band] was very good,” said senior 

band member Justin Shaub. “Our 

show went well for the first performance 

of the year.” 

Junior band member Allison Arnold 

said she thought the overall performance 

was a success. 

“Mr. Varn seemed pleased and we 

were happy with our performance,” she 

said 

Senior band member Ken Eckberg 

said the performance allowed the band a 

much needed practice performance to prepare 

for upcoming competitive conferences 

and competitions. 

“Our performance showed us that 

we’re not quite ready for competition 

yet. We need an immense amount of 

work,” he said. “But we’ll get there.” 

The Hoover band is continuing rehearsals 

in preparation for a New Music 

Reading Clinic, showcasing new 

music, Jan. 23 at Bowling Green State 

University. They will also be performing 

at the Ohio Music Education Association 

state convention Feb. 5. 

“We were fortunate to be selected 

[for these conferences]. It may be the 

only time people across Ohio will be 

able to hear the Hoover band play,” 

Varn said. “It’s a real honor. It’s nice to 

know the Hoover program is recognized 

for what it is.” !V 

8 ! The Viking Views ! 12.19.03

Holiday helpers 

Students’ volunteering brightens Christmas for others 

BY SHANNON PIFER Staff Writer 

Everyone loves getting presents at 

Christmas. Remember how it felt coming 

down the stairs on Christmas morning, 

seeing that bright, new, shiny bike Santa 

left under the tree? Now, ten years later, 

why not give that bike you can no longer 

ride to a little kid whose parents can’t 

afford to buy them a bike of their own. 

This year, some students at Hoover 

are buying less fortunate families presents 

and sharing their gifts of music and cooking 

to the elderly people at nursing 

homes. People who volunteer their talents 

at Christmas, change the feeling a 

person might have on this holiday. Receiving 

one present can allow a child to 

be warm this winter, and giving them a 

toy to play with while their parents are at 

work may make that child happy for 

months. 

Junior Allison Arnold is volunteering 

with the Giving Tree at Faith United Methodist 

Church in North Canton. She chose 

a two-year-old girl who requested 

clothes, a game and a baby doll. One 

hundred and fifty people are signed up 

to give gifts to people aged one to 95. 

People who volunteer are given two weeks 

to buy the gift, and the money spent 

should not exceed $25. 

“It’s nice [that] people who don’t have 

much can get at least one gift for Christmas,” 

Arnold said. 

Her family has been adopting a family 

each Christmas and shops for those 

people every year, but this is the first year 

she has actually had her own person and 

paid for it. She thinks it’s important to 

volunteer all year, instead of just at Christmas 

when a lot of people advertise for 

needing volunteers. 

“The stuff people get at Christmas 

doesn’t last year-round and that’s why 

people have Christmas in July to show 

that people need to be in the spirit all 

year,” Arnold said. 

She said that it’s fun to 

shop and try to imagine 

what that person 

is like and 

what they want to 

open on Christmas. 

Since it’s her first 

year to pay for it herself, 

she said that she 

felt like she was actually 

helping this year 

instead of her mom 

helping. 

Junior 

Laura Barry, 

along with 

S a r a h 

Upperman 

and Jamie 

DiEugenio, are 

making cookies 

and delivering 

them to 

St. Luke’s 

Nursing 

Home. The girls are going 

to split the cost of 

the supplies, each contributing 

money. 

“My mom mentioned 

making and delivering 

cookies to St. Luke’s and 

I thought it sounded like fun, so I called 

the activities manager, set up a date to bring 

them and asked some people to help me 

make them,” Barry said. 

They’re going to make nine dozen soft 

cookies, so that most of the residents can 

eat them. Barry said she hopes the people 

enjoy the cookies. They’re making the 

cookies a couple weeks before Christmas, 

“I enjoy meeting people and seeing how much they 

enjoy people’s talent especially at the holidays.” 

- CARISSA PATTON, SENIOR 

said Barry, because it’s important to have 

spirit year-round, not just at Christmas. 

“It’s something fun to do and it hopefully 

cheers up the residents,” she said. 

Senior Carissa Patton is doing a string 

quartet with her three 

younger siblings for elderly 

people at the Canton 

Regency, and hopefully 

at St. Luke’s nursing 

home also. She said 

she was inspired by 

the joy of the people. 

“I enjoy meeting 

people and seeing 

how much they 

enjoy people’s 

talent, especially 

at the 

holidays,” 

Patton said. 

Patton plays 

the cello and has 

been doing the 

string quartet for 

four years. They 

play in the dining 

hall and approximately 

30 people 

come to watch, 

she said. 

Carissa and her 

siblings first got 

into this when 

their dad suggested 

for them 

to play, since 

they play at 

church quite frequently. She said that 

she really enjoys talking to the people 

and seeing their faces after the performances. 

“It’s really uplifting to see the way 

the elders come alive to see the young 

people.” 

Many places are available at 

Christmas to volunteer at the soup 

kitchen, donating money, making 

cookies, playing music for older 

people and donating gifts to send to 

people in need, but people are in 

need all year. 

The things people receive at 

Christmas don’t last all year, and 

many organizations are in great need 

of volunteers. Volunteering is a way 

to help others and can also be a lot 

of fun. !V 


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Lelakus to dance in 

“Nutcracker” for last time 

BY KACI LAPP Staff Writer 

The Canton Ballet performed 

“The Nutcracker” Friday, 

Dec. 12, with performances 

at 8 p.m., Saturday, 

Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

and Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. 

It was Canton’s last chance to 

see Noelle 

Lelakus 

dance “The 

Nutcracker” 

at The Palace 

Theatre. 

Lelakus 

has been 

dancing for 

15 years, 

and this was 

her tenth 

and final 

year performing 

in 

the Canton 

Ballet’s version 

of “The 

Nutcracker.” 

“I’m going 

to miss 

the ballet. I 

[was] sad 

when I realized 

that when the last casting 

list came out, it was the last 

time I would see my name on 

[it]. I cried,” she said. 

This year, Lelakus danced 

the roles of “Party Lady” in 

the opening scene, as well as 

a Spanish dancer in the second 

act and the Dewdrop 

Fairy in the Flower Waltz 

scene. 

She has performed in the 

Flower Waltz scene “for the 

last four or five years,” but this 

was the first year Lelakus was 

given the opportunity to play 

the lead role of Dewdrop Fairy. 

“I helped stage the Waltz 

this year,” she said. “[It was] 

fun to be the head of the part 

you know so well.” 

Practices for “The Nutcracker” 

started the first week 

of November, and it was not 

unusual for the Company to 

practice for five and a half 

hours a day to prepare for their 

performances. Lelakus admits 

that all of the practicing became 

monotonous. 

“When 

you know 

a part, 

sometimes 

it gets ted 

i o u s 

when others 

aren’t 

focused, 

and you 

have to 

keep doing 

it again,” 

she said. 

B e - 

cause of 

the monumental 

amount of 

work it took 

in preparation 

for this 

year’s performances, Lelakus 

understands the importance 

behind sponsoring the ballet. 

“You have to promote it, but 

you have to give people a reason 

to want to attend the arts; 

especially ballet,” she said. 

“You have to build-up support 

and your own audience.” 

The audience may be one 

thing Lelakus misses most after 

she graduates, and she said 

her “last big show” with the 

Canton Ballet was bittersweet. 

She feels that although dancing 

has been beneficial, after 

ten performances, it was time 

to move on. 

“Ballet has really shaped 

my life,” she said. !V 

!Senior Noelle Lelakus dances 

during last year’s performance of 

“The Nutcracker” at the Canton 

Ballet. This is the final year Lelakus 

performed in the Ballet. 

VIKING VIEWS FILE PHOTO 

IN BRIEF 

Annie Kim and Amy Liu 

had art works accepted 

and displayed in the Ohio 

High School Art Exhibition. 

The Exhibition was 

held at the STRS building 

in Columbus, Oct. 24. 

Lona Gero, Kaitlyn Dent, 

Amy Tisevich and Lindsay 

Rybkoski, part of Mrs. 

Bradway’s Child Development 

class, were featured 

in The Repository’s “Read 

Me a Story” program in 

November. The students 

read and recorded stories 

that dealt with the theme 

of “caring.” It was estimated 

by The Repository 

that 1,000 people called to 

hear their stories. 

Seven members of the 

Hoover A Cappella Choir 

traveled to Toledo on Nov. 

7 and 8 to sing with 

students from other areas. 

Kari Ringer, Aimee 

Monter, Desirae Heimann, 

Matthew Ducey, Michael 

Wiley, Seth Johnson and 

Christopher Richards all 

participated. 

Three classes had the 

chance to participate in a 

video conference with the 

USS Arizona in their 

Witness to History 

Program on Dec. 2. 

Participants had the 

chance to talk to survivors 

of the attacks on Pearl 

Harbor in WWII. 

Lit Mag is asking anyone 

who wants to submit a 

work of prose, poetry or art 

to do so at this time. 

Envelopes are posted in 

English classes and 

students may also submit 

work by dragging and 

dropping files into the Lit 

Mag file on the “R” drive. 

The Hoover Orchestra 

performed their first 

concert, the North Canton 

City School’s String Concert, 

Dec. 9 in Hoover Hall. The 

concert included grades 5 – 

12. 

The Speech and Debate 

team traveled to the Git N Go 

tournament Nov. 22. Junior 

Adele Vergis and sophomore 

Kavita Betkerur placed first in 

their respective categories. 

Reach 9/10 has participated 

in many field trips this 

semester. They visited the 

Cleveland Opera, The 

Northeast Ohio University 

College of Medicine, the 

Great Lakes Science Center 

and the Rock and Roll Hall of 

Fame. They also plan to visit 

Kent State’s Museum of 

Fashion Design. 

The Graphic Arts classes 

have adopted a family from 

the 11 Street Church of God. 

The class is gathering gifts 

for the children, which will be 

delivered to them for the 

holidays. 

Summer Schott, a former 

graduate of Hoover, recently 

shared her culinary expertise 

with the Hoover staff. Schott, 

the pastry chef at two 

Columbus restaurants, 

helped the staff with their 

Christmas and Thanksgiving 

dessert plans. 

The North Canton Playhouse 

is holding a New 

Year’s Eve Gala at the 

Fairways of North Canton 

(formerly Arrowhead Country 

Club). The evening will 

include dinner, a live band 

and a cash bar. For tickets, 

please call the North Canton 

Playhouse at 330-494-1613. 

The Guidance office is 

having a meeting for College 

Financial Aid Jan. 6 at 7p.m. 

and a meeting for Post 

Secondary Enrollment Jan. 

13 at 7.p.m. Both meetings 

will be held in Hoover Hall. 

– Dominic Reolfi 


FEATURES 

light up the holidays 

PHOTOS BY SHANNON PIFER 

Holiday light guide 2003 

If you’re looking for light displays more extravagant 

than those found within the confines of 

North Canton, but still a reasonable drive from 

your home, check out the following popular 

locations: 

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo hosts a 

winter event, Zoolights, during the month of 

December from 6-9 p.m. The park is illuminated 

with Christmas lights and is lined with several 

indoor facilities housing zoo animals. Cost of 

admission is 5 dollars. Visit www.cleveland 

zoo.com for more information. 

Lakewood, near Cleveland, holds an annual 

lighting festival. 

Carrollton holds a light display featuring 

more than 10,000 lights, ice skating and an enchanted 

forest. Visit www.carrollcounty 

ohio.com for further details. 

The Geauga County Fairgrounds has a light 

display open for viewers to drive through during 

the holiday season. Visit holiday 

deelights.tripod.com for more information. 

12! The Viking Views! 12.19.03 

Holiday cheer shown 

through colorful 

light displays 

! North Canton homes on Radford 

(above) and Stayman (left) are lit up for 

the holidays. Many people choose to 

decorate their houses with festive lights 

to brighten up the season. Families also 

enjoy driving around to see the various 

lights. For information on light displays 

outside of the area, see the holiday light 

guide 2003 below. 

his family keeps their Christmas tree up 

and decorated from one Christmas to the 

next. As for their outside decorations, 

the Flicks put up icicle lights on their 

porch and white lights on their bushes, 

and, according to Flick, “usually keep 

BY SARA BARR Staff Writer 

them up way too long.” 

North Canton residents will travel Sophomore Jessica Bender and her 

down the icy roads of the town under the family don’t go as far as to keep their 

dim light of the moon this December with house sprinkled with Christmas spirit 

their frosted faces shielded from the bitter 

through the blazing months of summer, 

night by bulky scarves, snuggly-fit but do embrace the warmth of the holi- 

hats and... sunglasses? That’s right: sunglasses, 

day on Christmas Eve. Bender and her 

to protect their eyes from the vi- 

family pile into a 15-passenger van with 

brant Christmas lights illuminating North their cousins and drive around “for 

Canton’s neighborhoods. 

hours” singing Christmas carols and looking 

Marking the end of the all-you-can eat 

at Christmas lights. 

Thanksgiving holiday, Christmas lights “It’s really exciting,” she said of the 

spark the beginning of the winter holiday, 

tradition. “It’s a time to get closer to my 

according to senior Heather Josif. family.” 

Josif says that driving around neighborhoods 

Christmas lights also bring senior 

to look at lights “gets [her] in Amber Snyder’s family together during 

the mood for Christmas.” 

the holiday season. 

Senior Kristan Piero says that Christmas 

“My dad takes me out and we have a 

lights are an important part of Christ- 

great time drinking hot cocoa and remi- 

mas celebrations everywhere. 

niscing of the past Christmas years,” she 

“I love the feeling of everyone coming said. 

together and getting into the holiday According to Snyder, you don’t need 

spirit,” she said. 

to stray from the neighborhoods of North 

Christmas spirit lights up senior 

–Compiled by Sara Barr Kenny Flick’s house all year round, as 

"See HOLIDAY, p.13

Commercialized Christmas 

True meaning of Christmas not disguised by gift giving 

BY KRISTEN MOONEY Staff Writer 

At this time of year, the Christmas 

spirit abounds everywhere you go. 

Wreaths are hung along Main Street, 

adding a touch of the holidays to busy 

shoppers passing by. Christmas songs 

can be heard, and Santa Claus can be 

found just around the corner. Americans 

find Christmas to be a fun season to celebrate, 

but is Christmas still the same holiday 

that it used to be? 

Being a Christian holiday, Christmas 

is “a time of year that you get together 

with your family and celebrate the birth 

of Christ,” senior Jeff Bair said. 

Children raised in Christian homes are 

taught the ‘real meaning’ of Christmas. 

“Through my years of attending 

Christmas Eve service at church, my interpretation 

of what Christmas is, is that 

God gave us his only son which makes 

the spirit of Christmas giving,” senior 

Evan Cline said. “God gave to us. We 

can’t directly give back to him, but we 

can help people in need around the 

world.” 

Although some people claim to know 

why Christmas is celebrated, Canton resident 

Jonas Fortune says that many 

people celebrate Christmas for the wrong 

reasons. 

“Nobody really knows the true story 

behind Christmas anymore,” Fortune 

said. “It’s all about ‘give me my presents’.” 

Fortune does not regularly practice a 

religion. 

Bair says that people can be greedy 

and see Christmas as a time to receive 

presents. 

“It’s Jesus’ birthday, and everyone 

acts like it is their 

birthday with all the 

gifts and everything,” 

Bair said. 

Although people 

get caught up in 

gifts during the holidays, 

many still 

have an understanding 

of why they celebrate 

Christmas. 

“I think that most 

people deep down 

know and believe in the true Christmas 

spirit, but it’s hard not to get caught up 

in the hype of the season,” Cline said. 

He believes that the media influences 

people to think about the commercial aspect 

of Christmas. 

Bair agrees that Christmas is extremely 

commercialized, but thinks that if a person 

understands the true meaning of 

Christmas, it is okay to celebrate other 

aspects such as Santa Claus and Christmas 

trees. 

“[The commercialism] is fun, and I like 

it,” Bair said. “We are raised to expect 

that part, but if you have your priorities 

straight, it’s ok.” 

Fortune does not get caught up in 

Christmas hype. 

“I really don’t get excited one way or 

another. It’s just another day really,” Fortune 

said. “Sometimes the presents are 

“I think that most 

people 

deep down know and 

believe 

in the true Christmas spirit...” 

-Evan Cline, 12 

cool.” 

Cline believes that Christmas spirit is 

shared among all people. 

“Even the people who don’t really 

practice a religion get into the Christmas 

spirit. It’s as if the people who do get 

into it influence them to get into a giving 

mode,” Cline said. “You don’t have to 

believe in God to feel the need to help 

other people out. Even just something 

little, like giving your change to the lady 

ringing the bell on your way out of a store 

can help.” !V 

HOLIDAY 

(Continued from p.12) 

Canton to see extravagant Christmas 

lights. 

Senior Jennifer Golden enjoys the displays 

of several North Canton allotments, 

including St. James and Bob-O- 

Link. 

“I love driving around at night and 

looking at Christmas lights,” she said. “It 

makes me so happy.” 

Senior Jenna Sommers makes sure to 

drive by one particular house each year: 

a house in Greentown’s light display and 

its huge golfing Santa Claus figure in the 

front yard. 

“It was the first golfing Santa that I’ve 

ever seen, so it was pretty cool,” she said. 

With everything from icicle-shaped 

lights to golfing Santas, the increasingly 

elaborate displays of Christmas time 

worry senior Ian McFarlin, who believes 

Christmas lights pose a potential problem 

for our environment. 

“Some individuals greatly increase 

light pollution by using too many lights,” 

he said. “It will essentially wreak havoc 

on our ecosystem.” 

Piero believes that the positive spirit 

Christmas lights bring ultimately outweighs 

this potentially minor threat. 

“A Christmas without lights is like a 

Thanksgiving without turkey,” she 

said. !V 


Variety adds to holidays 

Students celebrate differently, still enjoy season 

BY AMY KING Staff Writer 

December. Snow. Candy canes. Reindeer. 

Santa. Christmas. 

In many people’s minds, December 

is the month to spend hours in crowded 

stores looking for the perfect gift for 

that special someone. It is the month 

to spend curled up in front of the fire. 

December is often related to Christmas. 

“The spirit that the 

season 

brings is very 

“December makes me 

think of sled riding with my friends and 

brand new pairs of socks, a big Christmas 

tree and my whole family coming 

downstairs in their pajamas anxiously 

waiting to open their presents,” sophomore 

Stephen Wakulchik said. 

But not everyone spends the morning 

of Dec. 25 tearing open packages 

filled with DVD players, CDs, digital 

cameras or other anticipated gifts. For 

some, it is not a holiday at all. However, 

it may be hard to notice some 

people aren’t celebrating because of all 

the Christmas hype. 

The reason is partly because some 

of these people find themselves 

wrapped up in the Christmas spirit regardless 

of their religion. 

Junior Ankur Poseria, of the Jain religion, 

does not celebrate Christmas. 

Yet, he feels that Christmas is a “great 

holiday” for many reasons. 

“The spirit that the season brings is 

very positive,” Poseria said. “And if 

the holiday is celebrated with the right 

reasons in mind, it can be a memorable 

time to enjoy.” 

Wakulchik does not think anyone 

should feel guilty for becoming 

too excited about 

Christmas. He thinks that 

as a Christian, Christmas is 

t h e 

most important 

positive . . .” 

-Ankur Poseria, 11 

holiday, 

a n d 

other religions 

have different important holidays. 

“[Christmas] is the most wonderful 

time of the year, especially when you 

give people their presents and their little 

faces light up,” Wakulchik said. “You 

get that good old feeling deep down 

inside of you.” 

As a member of the Jewish faith, 

senior Adam Schweitzer celebrates Hanukkah. 

Despite this fact, he still enjoys 

the Christmas holiday. 

“I think it’s a fun time of the year,” 

Schweitzer said. “I like all the lights.” 

Poseria feels that the holiday spirit 

is valuable to American culture as a 

whole and not only during Christmas. 

“This sort of generosity, egalitarianism, 

and sincerity should be some- 

thing that doesn’t just come about during 

holiday season,” he said. “But the 

holiday season should just serve as a 

reminder that we should be virtuous 

throughout our entire life.” 

Because of this seemingly contagious 

spirit, and the inability to enter a 

store without being reminded of the 

seasonal festivities, Poseria associates 

December with “red, green, and Christmas.” 

And he does not do it with spite. 

“If anything, recent years have been 

a bit disappointing,” Poseria said. 

“The spirit has been down. However, 

this year seems to be a little more positive 

in terms of allowing the Christmas 

spirit to spread.” 

Schweitzer does not think there is 

too much Christmas hype. But, he does 

not like some of the activities that go 

on at school during the month of the 

December, including the assembly before 

break. 

“[The assembly] is probably the 

only time during the whole school year 

I feel left out because of my religion,” 

Schweitzer said. 

Wakulchik admits that he does not 

always think about the people not celebrating 

this holiday. He thinks they 

may feel “lonely” during the season, 

but he does not think there are any 

“rules” preventing people from giving 

or receiving gifts. 

“I don’t think we should have to feel 

guilty for showing Christmas cheer,” he 

said. “It’s just brightening little spirits 

across the globe.” !V 

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Bringing in the New Year 

There are ways to be safe when the ball drops 

BY BETH SIMMERMAN Staff Writer 

Like turkey dinners on Thanksgiving 

and decorating cookies for Christmas, 

New Year’s Eve has its own tradition – 

parties. 

However, these gatherings of friends 

or family are not always the prime choice 

for those looking to celebrate. Many in 

North Canton and the surrounding area 

opt for less traditional festivities to bring 

in the New Year. 

Downtown Akron hosts First Night, a 

community celebration of the visual and 

performing arts. Nineteen buildings are 

used for the event, which offers seven 

hours of entertainment starting at 5 p.m., 

including 10 concerts, take-home crafts 

and clowns. 

Sarah Fisher, First Night program assistant, 

believes the celebration is a “New 

Year’s Eve alternative” to parties and 

teens can safely attend. 

“It’s alcohol free and family oriented,” 

she said. “There are so many different 

[activities] for people age three to 103.” 

Fisher feels that “First Night Idol,” a 

singing competition similar to the television 

show “American Idol,” will interest 

teens. The contestants are high school 

students and there will be a DJ with dancing 

in between numbers. 

First Night requires those who attend 

to purchase buttons instead of tickets. 

They are $10 and are available at sponsors 

like Acme Fresh Market and First 

Merit Bank branches. 

Junior Jenna Slingluff attended First 

Night in Akron in 2000 and enjoyed the 

experience. 

“Not only could I celebrate the New 

Year during such an exciting event,” 

Slingluff said, “…but I could also spend 

quality time with my family.” 

Slingluff said she would recommend 

First Night as a “family party alternative” 

but believes it is a fun event for teenagers 

as well. 

Several area churches also host 

unique New Year’s celebrations for teenagers. 

The youth group of Bethel Temple 

in Canton holds their own New Year’s 

festivities every year. This year, they 

have rented out the YMCA for the night, 

allowing them to use the equipment 

and pool. In past years they have 

spent the night at Laser Quest or at 

the church. 

Sophomore Kaitlynn Gunn, 

who has attended Bethel 

Temple’s celebration in the 

past, feels that they are 

more fun and safer than traditional 

parties. 

“At other parties people 

drink and stuff and we 

don’t do that there,” she 

said. “It’s a lot more fun 

just to hangout, play games 

and relax.” 

Because alcohol is often 

present at parties on New 

Year’s Eve, the threat of those 

who drink and drive encourages 

senior Seth Johnson to find activities 

to do at home. 

“It’s dangerous to be out 

that late at night driving 

home,” he said. “I believe it’s 

better just to stay in…I watch 

TV and rent movies from 

Blockbuster.” 

Blockbuster gets business 

from many people like Johnson 

on New Year’s Eve. Blockbuster 

assistant manager Rob Zaleski is surprised 

by the definite increase in business 

the rental store sees that night. 

“We get killed New Year’s Eve,” 

Zaleski said. “We’re not really 

sure why. You’d think people 

would want to see the ball drop.” 

The store will stay open until 10 

p.m. on New Year’s Eve. 

Other stores in North Canton will 

be staying open later, offering activities 

that could be alternatives to parties. 

Laser Quest is having a “New Year’s 

Eve Bash,” a lock in from 6 p.m. to 11 

p.m., and Park Centre Lanes will be open 

for bowling. 

If a person does choose to attend a 

party, Slingluff recommends that he or 

she behaves responsibly. 

“I’m happy I didn’t go to a party 

because I felt safer,” Slingluff said. “New 

Year’s Eve is known for out of control parties.”!V 


Denlinger produces play 

Former Hoover teacher tells ‘tale’ 

BY GEORGIANA CONDRIC Staff Writer 

A legend never dies, and sometimes 

they even come back to make a difference 

in their community. Some would consider 

Steven Denlinger, former yearbook and 

drama club adviser, somewhat of a legend 

at Hoover. After all, he produced the first 

student-written, student-composed, and 

student-directed production, “Lost in 

LaGrange” at Hoover in March of 2000. 

In August, 2001, Denlinger went to 

California for a “quick visit.” That “quick 

visit” turned into a job interview, and 

Denlinger soon made a permanent move 

“The chance to put it on 

stage 

to California, beginning a fulltime 

teaching position at The Archer 

School for Girls. 

Denlinger now resides in Brentwood, 

California, and although he teaches English, 

his primary focus is still his writing. 

It was Denlinger’s writing that brought him 

back to his hometown of Hartville, Ohio 

this past November. 

BY SARA BARR Staff Writer 

“The two stand in the fast-thinning 

throng of victims, but they speak as if 

they were alone. Eye to eye, voice to 

voice, hand to hand, heart to heart, these 

two children of the Universal Mother, 

else so wide apart and differing, have 

come together on the dark highway…” 

found within Charles Dickens’ renowned 

novel, A Tale of Two Cities, it is obvious 

by this quotation that this story, set during 

the French Revolution, contains more 

depth than your average high school 

play. 

With this in mind, former Hoover High 

School yearbook adviser Steven 

Denlinger took on the project of re-writing 

Dickens’ novel into a lighter, theatrical 

version of the original story for Lake 

Upon the request of John Fohner, drama 

director at Lake High School, Denlinger 

began to spend eight months, working 20 

to 60 hours a week, writing and adapting a 

new, more modern script of the Charles 

Dickens’ classic, “A Tale of Two Cities.” 

Denlinger describes the new version of “A 

Tale of Two Cities” as “Les Miserables 

meets M*A*S*H.” 

“We started with Dickens’ language,” 

Denlinger said. “We translated it into modern 

language.” 

The production, which features 40 cast 

members, mainly high school students from 

around the area, premiered on November 

20 in Lake High School’s brand 

new 600-seat auditorium. 

Although the production 

really excited me. 

-Mr. Steven Denlinger 

is now concluded, Denlinger says that the 

next step is to take the “A Tale of Two Cities” 

script back to Los Angeles, California, 

for even more editing. 

“It’s about 45 minutes too long, we need 

to try and cut everything that doesn’t lend 

itself to the main story,” Denlinger said. 

Charles Dickens’ classic novel comes alive 

High School. Denlinger was generally 

successful in casting a more light-hearted 

theme of the work, while still preserving 

the intensity of Dickens’ writing. 

Although Dickens’ passionate style 

enhances the mood of the drama, it brings 

about much wordiness, which should 

have been further cut to simplify the play 

for its younger audience members as well 

as shorten the show’s 4.5-hour run, which 

a bit much for the average highschooler’s 

attention span. 

The length certainly had no affect on 

the actors, though, who brought the performance 

to life with profound animation 

during the entire show. And with its 46 

actors, even more than the original play 

called for, Lake’s production of the drama 

had as many characters as a Hollywood 

movie. 

MEGAN TULODZIESKI 

!Mr. Steven Denlinger, a former Hoover 

teacher, talks at a reception prior to the 

play “A Tale of two Cities.” Denlinger 

adapted and modernized the storyline 

for the preformance at Lake High School. 

Denlinger hopes that perhaps after the 

script is revised, they can send it to a professional 

for insight as to where the show 

can go from there. 

Denlinger was very pleased with the 

production at Lake and thanks Fohner for 

having faith in his writing, as well as giving 

him the chance to write the script. 

“I have always been particularly moved 

by the redemption theme,” Denlinger said. 

“ The chance to put it on stage really excited 

me.” !V 

The actors’ brilliant performance and 

Denlinger’s writing talent aside, I was not 

terribly impressed with Lake’s hyped-up 

new playhouse. Not only was the sound 

horrendous (an incredibly annoying 

“bzzz” ran in the audience’s ears throughout 

much of the night), but also the set 

was incredibly elementary. With such an 

outstanding play, I would have thought 

that there would have been at least one 

set change, or that the school would 

have been able to spring for a cheap, real 

mirror instead of a piece of aluminum 

foil… 

Despite these minor flaws, Lake’s 

opening night could not have been more 

successful. And Denlinger could not 

have done a finer job at rewriting Dickens’ 

work into a memorable high-school performance. 

!V 


1601 N. Main St. 

N. Canton, OH 44720 

Phone: 330.244.9184 

FAX: 330.244.9186 

WE DO 

CATERING! 

3,287 U.S. teens gave birth 

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A message from the Marriage First program of Community Service of Stark County 

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12.19.03 " The Viking Views " 17

Jamie’s Jingle 

Jamie DiEugenio 

Crazed shoppers overpower holiday spirit 

Get on Santa’s good list this year by being polite while bargain hunting 

Get t to know 

Preston Phillips 

Christmas is a mere six 

days away, and with the 

holiday season comes the 

desire to purchase gifts for 

all those near and dear to 

our hearts. This tradition 

of exchanging gifts with 

those close to you has the 

power to turn ordinary, 

nonviolent shoppers into 

frenzied, deal-hungry vultures 

ready to dive when a 

sale sign goes up. 

But don’t let bargain 

hunting or the search for 

the perfect gift make you 

forget what the holiday 

season is really about. 

On Nov. 29, Patricia 

VanLester and her sister, 

Linda Ellezy, were the first 

people in line for a post- 

Thanksgiving sale at a 

Wal-Mart in central Florida. 

The doors were scheduled 

to open at six in the morning 

for the five-hour ‘Blitz’ 

sale, and VanLester was 

hoping to get a DVD player 

while it was on sale for her 

mother. 

When the siren signaling 

the start of the sale 

rang, the 41-year-old 

woman and her sister hurried 

inside. After grabbing 

a DVD player, VanLester 

was trampled by a mob of 

shoppers eager to get to 

the sales. According to a 

CBS News report, she was 

knocked unconscious and 

began convulsing from the 

blow to her head, all for a 

$29 DVD player. 

While they waited for the 

ambulance, VanLester’s 

sister frantically tried to 

stop people from stepping 

on her sister. Several 

shoppers stopped to help 

VanLester, but most just 

continued to shop. One 

lady and her children even 

joked of taking the DVD 

player from the trampled 

woman! 

When did a good bargain 

make people forget 

about simple decency? 

After seeing this story on 

CBS News I couldn’t believe 

people would be so 

desperate to get a bargain 

that they would actually 

trample a woman. 

In one trip to the beloved 

Westfield shopping 

town, I realized VanLester 

isn’t the only victim of overzealous 

holiday shoppers 

who will go to any length 

to get a good deal. 

After being inside the 

holly-trimmed doors for 

only a few minutes, I saw 

two women arguing loudly 

in a crowded store over a 

sweater they both wanted 

to purchase for their sons 

for Christmas. Is it really 

that big of a deal that a 

scene needed to be created 

in Kaufmann’s? 

Later on, I noticed a 

man yelling at a sales 

clerk about the price of a 

jacket. After about five 

minutes of ruthless discussion, 

the man realized he 

had read the advertisment 

wrong and neither the 

store nor the sales clerk 

had done anything wrong. 

Then, he just walked away 

without an apology or a 

jacket. 

The holiday season 

comes just once a year, 

and it’s supposed to be a 

time for merriment and joy. 

Although many people, 

myself included, complain 

about the long lines in 

stores and the Christmas 

What is one thing you want to accomplish 

before you graduate from high 

school? 

“I want to receive at least two letters in 

soccer.” 

decorations up before the 

Halloween ones are down, 

you can’t help but feel 

happy when the classic 

Christmas songs are 

played on the radio or the 

family next door is out 

hanging their icicle lights. 

Remember this feeling 

the next time you’re out 

shopping. Be courteous, 

and don’t forget that the 

holiday season is supposed 

to bring happiness, 

not meaningless arguements 

over material 

items, and it is certainly 

not supposed to cause human 

stampedes that will 

trample a women for a 

good deal. 

Elevated holiday sales 

are expected this year, so 

stores will continue to be 

crowded and chaotic. This 

greatly increases the 

chances of more incidents 

like the one Patricia 

VanLester went through. 

Be careful when you’re 

out holiday shopping, and 

if someone reaches for a gift 

at the same time you do, let 

them have it. It is the holiday 

season, after all. 

If you could be on any reality TV show, 

which one would you be on? 

“Fear Factor. It looks like there would 

be a lot of stuff that would be fun to try 

once or twice.” 

What is your favorite kind of animal, 

and why? 

“A cat, because they have their own 

personality and they’re not like a 

slave.” 

What is your favorite fast food 

restaurant, and why? 

“Taco bell, because I love Mexican 

food.” 


What is your biggest pet peeve? 

“When people tap their pens when I’m 

trying to take a test.” 

If you could go back in time and meet 

anyone who would you meet? 

“George Washington, because he’s a 

great leader and a big part of our 

history.” 

What is the most embarrassing thing 

that has happened to you this year? 

“Getting called Pee-Wee on the soccer 

team by all the varsity players.” 

Who is your favorite college sports 

team, and why? 

“Ohio State, because I love watching 

football.” 

–Kt Bello

Think healthy thoughts 

Ninety, 91, 92, 93…. 

Counting sheep every night 

is not working like it used to. 

More and more people are 

having difficulties getting their 

beauty sleep on a daily basis. 

Not getting those precious 

hours of sleep can and 

will start to damage your 

health, if not fixed. 

Adequate restful sleep, 

like diet and exercise, is critical 

to good health, according 

to www.ivillageheatlh.com. 

Sleep allows your body to rest 

and restore energy, while at 

the same time carry out important 

physiological and 

psychological functions that 

affect your physical and mental 

well-being. The average 

teenager/young adult needs 

a minimum of eight hours of 

sleep a night. 

Research has shown that 

sleep loss accumulates over 

time, causing a sleep debt. 

According to www.ivillage 

health.com, there are nearly 

70 sleeping disorders and 

approximately 40 million 

...with Meghann 

Can’t sleep? Try more than counting sheep! 

...and a few fun facts 

Is it more than just a cold? 

Get the perfect pigment 

Americans suffer from them. 

More than 50 percent of the 

American population encounter 

sleeping difficulties 

at some point in their lives. 

The top three disorders are 

insomnia, narcolepsy, and 

sleep apnea. 

Insomnia, the most common 

sleep disorder, makes it 

difficult to fall and stay asleep. 

Narcolepsy is defined as 

sudden sleep attacks during 

the day. A person with this 

disorder may fall asleep randomly 

at inappropriate times. 

Eight to 12 percent of people 

with Narcolepsy have a close 

relative with this disease. 

Sleep apnea is a serious, 

potentially life-threatening 

condition that is far more 

common than people think. It 

is described as a brief interruption 

of airflow during 

sleep. For more information 

on these disorders, check out 

www. ivillagehealth.com. 

The night is for sleeping 

and without getting sleep you 

can and most likely will feel 

awful the next morning. Lying 

in bed all day won’t help. 

When you spend extra time 

in bed, your sleep becomes 

fragmented. Periods 

of sleep alternate 

with frequent awakening. 

These alternating 

periods of sleep and 

awakening will cause 

the “unrefreshed feeling” 

you were trying to 

avoid by staying in bed 

longer. 

Try to get in the “sleep 

mode.” Four steps help give 

you a good night’s rest. It is 

suggested at www.shuteye 

.com that the first step would 

be to relax your body by reducing 

muscular tension 

such as meditation, reading 

a book or going into a warm 

bath or hot tub. 

The second step would be 

to unwind mentally for about 

a half an hour before you go 

to bed. Enjoy a low-key activity 

or listen to music. Third, 

try not to worry and avoid 

solving problems from your 

bed. Make a list to help solve 

them for tomorrow. Last, try a 

Is it becoming a habit for you to carry around a Kleenex box with you all the time? What you consider to be 

a cold, may be something more. According to ivillagehealth.com, sniffles that occur for more than a week 

are likely to be caused by allergies. It is recommended to visit an allergist, where the variable that triggers 

the allergic reaction can be identified. –ND 

Worried about breaking out right before the holidays, when all those memorable family pictures are taken? Learn from 

Hollywood. TeenOutreach.com, gives advice for keeping skin clear, and how to cover it up when breakouts occur. According 

to Maurice Stein, who has done makeup on “some of the most expensive faces in the world,” getting a foundation with a high 

pigment level is the key. He advises that you use a pigment level of 50-70%, enough so that you cannot see your actual skin 

color underneath it. Most foundations are only 15-18% pigmented. –KR 

Compiled by Nick Defazio and Kate Roshak 

high-carb 

snack such as a 

bagel, which might help 

relax the body. Avoid spicy 

or sugary foods. 

With these steps, having 

problems going to sleep 

might be solved. If not, the 

next best step would be to go 

to a doctor or a sleep therapist 

where medication is provided 

and conditioning into 

the sleep mode is practiced. 

Relaxing and getting quality 

sleep helps people get 

through each day. So try to 

follow these strategies and 

get some shut eye for your 

mind and body. 

– Meghann Gunn 

Healthy hits fast food industry 

Despite public awareness that fast food often contains much fat, people can consume fast food and still eat healthy. Nutritious 

alternatives to the notorious foods such as french fries and hamburgers include Wendy’s Mandarin Chicken Salad, Burger 

King’s Chicken Whopper Jr., Subway’s Low-Fat-Subs, McDonald’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait, and Burger King’s BK Veggie 

Burger, according to webmd.com. –ND 


THE 

ALTHOUGH 

VIOLENT VIDEO 

GAMES HAVE 

BEEN PROVEN 

TO DESENSITIZE 

ADOLESCENTS 

TOWARD 

VIOLENCE, 

THEY HAVE 

NOT BEEN 

DIRECTLY 

LINKED TO 

VIOLENCE IN 

TEENS. 

? VOICE 

VIDEO GAMES DO NOT NECESSARILY CAUSE VIOLENCE 

Many experts claim that video games are directly 

related to the increase in violence among 

America’s youth. However, saying it and proving 

it are two different things. 

Studies have shown that there is no significant evidence 

that connects violence in video games to violence 

in teens, which means there is no reason 

to think that violent games cause violent 

teens. What is actually called “video game 

violence” is just stimulated aggression, which 

is very different from real aggression. 

People need to consider other factors that 

have been shown to cause violence in teens. 

Factors like a bad family life, drugs and alcoholic 

beverages, school and not being able 

to tell the difference between fantasy and 

reality are all examples of the other things 

that should be examined to help determine 

why a child is violent. With all of these other 

factors to consider, it is almost impossible to 

determine if games cause violence or not. 

The fact that many children understand 

that the games are make believe should be 

enough to make people realize that video 

games do not make children any more violent 

than a child who watches TV or listens to 

music. Scott Dagenfield, MA, CCDC3, of Columbus, Ohio, 

believes that problems occur only when players become too 

involved, and virtual reality takes place of actual reality. He 

states that he sees avid video game players and they are no 

more violent than any other adolescents that visit him. 

Family life and parents play a major role in the amount 

of violence in the United States today. Bad home life can 

cause children to become angry and lash out. Even though 

they most likely play violent video games, the virtual world 

isn’t why they are angry, the real world is. Some children 

may use the games to release concealed frustration that 

they are feeling at home. 

If people assume that violent video games are the main 

cause of violence, they are jumping to incorrect conclusions. 

Although violent video games have been proven to 

desensitize adolescents toward violence, they have not been 

directly linked to violence in teens. 

However, the issue is still controversial, and with little to 

no solid evidence stating whether video games cause violence 

or not, we cannot come to the conclusion that they 

do. However, playing any video game for a long amount of 

time is not good. If parents are worried about their kids 

spending too much time playing violent video games, they 

should limit their time. But as for violence in video games 

causing violence in teens, correlation research in laboratories 

just doesn’t prove that. 

BE THANKFUL FOR THE NEW 

YEAR–STAY SAFE 

20 ! The Viking Views !12.19.03 

The New Year’s holiday is a time for 

celebration. Congratulations on making 

it through the year’s trials and tribulations; 

we’re finally ready for 2004! As you 

wait for the ball to drop this New Year’s 

Eve, wherever you are, remember to stay 

safe. New Year’s Eve can be one of the 

most fun nights all year, but it can also be 

classified as one of the most dangerous. 

Remember drinking and driving 

never mix, and for all the high school 

students the drinking age is still 21. You 

may not be drinking, but someone else 

might be, so the best plan is to avoid 

cruising around if possible. 

According to the MADD website, a 

total of 575 traffic fatalities were reported 

during last year’s New Year celebration. 

So remember to celebrate smart this holiday 

season and enjoy the New Year.

- EDITORIAL BOARD - 

Tyler Allchin - Steve Aquino - Georgie Condric - Chelsea Crofford - 

Jon Dieringer - Don Kotnik - Christen Misanik - Kristen Mooney - 

Kate Roshak 

DO YOU VIEW THE CHRISTMAS SEASON AS A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY 

OR A NON-RELIGIOUS TIME OF YEAR? DOES THE COMMERCIALIZA- 

TION OF CHRISTMAS AFFECT HOW YOU FEEL? WHY OR WHY NOT? 

Personally, I view Christmas as both 

a religious holiday and a non-religious 

holiday. Most people fail to realize it is 

religious and believe the whole season 

is about getting presents. Can we 

find a happy medium with religion, 

gifts, family, and giving? Commercialization 

has a big effect because it shows 

nothing of religion, and the focus is 

on buying and receiving gifts. 

–Josh Higgins, 12 

I know Christmas is a religious holiday, 

but I don’t really think of it that 

way. I know what we’re celebrating, but 

that thought never really crosses my 

mind. I just take time to enjoy the shopping, 

give and receive my gifts, and 

make it as enjoyable as possible. 

–Brian Beam, 12 

Christmas was a religious holiday, 

but not anymore. The commercialization 

affects how I feel towards it.... I 

don’t get why people show so much 

love only at Christmas. Why not do it 

all year long? 

–Derek VanSickle, 12 

“’Tis the season to be jolly.” Well, not 

for all. For some ‘tis the season to idealize 

Ebenezer Scrooge by dedicating 

their winter to tell people they can’t 

write or say anything that has to do with 

Christmas. 

...If I wish people a merry Christmas 

who aren’t Christian, what’s the problem? 

I am wishing them good health, 

safety, and happiness, regardless of their 

religious beliefs. Maybe I missed the 

memo or something, but the last time I 

checked, it was okay to hope that people 

have a wonderful day. It isn’t saying their 

beliefs are wrong. It isn’t even saying 

Christianity is right. All I’m doing is being 

nice and hoping they have a great 

Dec. 25th. 

We are being stripped of Christmas. 

... the Christian majority. Yes, that’s right, 

we live in the “Bible Belt.” In a country 

where the majority is supposed to rule, 

how is the extreme minority able to 

subjuate the majority? In St. Paul, MN, 

red poinsettias were banned from a display 

at the county courthouse simply because 

they were considered religous. In 

Covington, GA, this year, the school 

YOUR 

VOICE 

removed Christmas (a national holiday) 

from the calendar. 

If this trend continues, then Christmas 

cards will soon look like this: 

“Please accept without obligation, 

best wishes for a socially responsible, 

gender neutral, celebration of the 

winter solstice holiday, practiced 

within the traditions of the religious/ 

secular persuasion of your choice, 

with respect for the religious/secular 

persuasions and/or traditions of 

others, or their choice not to practice 

religious and secular traditions at all.” 

....I’m not saying everyone should 

celebrate Christmas. People should 

celebrate their own holiday, whatever 

it may be. If you are Jewish, wish 

people a happy Hanukkah; if you are 

Canadian, wish people a happy Boxing 

Day; and by all means if you are 

Christian, wish people a merry Christmas. 

So, in closing, I wish everyone a 

merry Christmas and a happy New 

Year...and if that offends you, just sue 

me. 

–Robbie Christian, 11 

WHAT WE THINK 

Tiffany: “I view Christmas as a religious 

holiday and I think it has become 

too commercialized because people 

forget what it is about.” 

Amy: “I agree, but I don’t think 

there’s a way to celebrate the holiday. 

I celebrate the religious aspect of it 

but I don’t see a problem with people 

celebrating for Santa, if that’s how they 

feel.” 

Georgie: “Christmas has become so 

wide spread, that even people who don’t 

practice the Christian religion are still 

swept up in the season. I think that especially 

with kids and teens, they want 

to fit in with their friends regardless 

of what religion they are, so they 

just end up celebrating the more 

materialistic side of the holiday.” 

T: “But the media has taken ideas 

like Santa Claus and run away with 

them. And all of the stores have turned 

Christmas into a gimmee; it’s not about 

presents, at least it’s not supposed to 

be.” 

A: “Modern day religion is expressed 

differently than it used to be. I think it’s 

becoming more socially acceptable for it 

to be about presents, despite what some 

of our morals are.” 

! Amy King, Tiffany Bader and Georgie 

Condric share their voices on this issue’s 

question. 

G: “I think you’re right. It is really 

easy to get caught up in the idea of 

presents during the holidays and 

unfortunately that aspect of the holidays 

sometimes distracts us from everything 

else about the season.” 

T: “Even if it were about presents, it 

should be about giving gifts, not receiving 

them. People can get kind of 

greedy, especially people our age.” 


? 

Kotnik’s Chronicle 

by Don Kotnik 

Bush’s visit sparks spirit 

Families cope with lonely holiday season 

As Christmas time creeps into our 

midst this holiday season, many things 

come to mind. No matter who you are, 

how much money you make, or whether 

you’ve been naughty or nice, we will all 

dwell on one thing more than any other: 

our family. 

It’s that one time of the year when we 

put all of our silly quarrels, tantrums and 

disagreements to rest, and share a moment 

of happiness and togetherness. 

No matter how much you hate your 

grandma’s presents (hand-knitted 

sweaters) or the embarrassing comments 

of your Uncle Lester, Christmas 

is a time we should look forward to and 

be thankful for. 

However, as most of us wake up to 

this full household Christmas morning, 

others are stationed miles away. Many 

families in Stark County, as well as every 

other county in the United States will 

be sending a Christmas greeting, hug, 

and kiss to a loved one overseas who is 

fighting for their country. 

Many husbands, wives, sons and 

daughters have given up their holiday 

memories for a much greater cause: protecting 

our freedom and spreading democracy 

throughout Iraq. 

I, for one, could not begin to imagine 

a Christmas thousands of miles away 

from my home. Still today, we read every 

week in the newspaper about our 

troops being attacked and bombarded 

by Iraqi militia. This could be your neighbor, 

friend or even loved one. 

Imagine all the pain and anxiety the 

families of these troops must go through. 

Wondering every day if their loved one 

is safe. Instead of rejoicing in neverending 

conversations with these loved 

ones, they must deal with the pain and 

loneliness of living without this missing 

person. 

I think it’s time for each and everyone 

of us to be more thankful for these 

men and women– people who have sacrificed 

their time, families, holidays and 

lives to protect us. 

Most of these men and women have 

spent countless months enduring harsh 

conditions, injuries, and even death. 

They’ve already accomplished great 

success and still have many more tasks 

at hand. 

Just a week ago we heard about two 

suicide bombers injuring 61 American 

soldiers. This is evidence that there is 

always a constant threat of death and 

war is still a present being within Iraq 

and within the minds of the men and 

women there. 

Despite the surrounding attacks the 

soldiers remain strong and stick to their 

duties. 

These troops are much more than 

just soldiers in my eyes. Every single 

one of them is a hero. They do more 

than we can ever imagine. They are 

flight technicians, medical marvels, pilots, 

engineers and mechanics. They 

help the dying, sick and injured. They 

are peacekeepers, freedom fighters and 

argument solvers. In other words, they 

are the key ingredients in our nation’s 

political and foreign success. 

President Bush helped boost the 

morale of the forces by spending 

Thanksgiving with them. He made a surprise 

visit to Baghdad and was able to 

spend two and a half hours with the 

troops. 

He became the first U.S. president to 

visit Iraq. The troops were unaware of 

the visit and were stunned to see him 

emerge from the military mess hall. 

Bush shook hands with soldiers and 

took a place in the chow line, serving 

plates of food. He gave them words of 

encouragement and sincereity. 

One of the messages Bush relayed 

to the troops was the message to stay 

focused. 

“We did not charge hundreds of miles 

through the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter 

cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator 

and liberate 25 million people only 

to retreat before a band of thugs and 

assassins,” Bush said. 

When you sit down at your Christmas 

dinner, give a prayer or a word of 

thanks and praise to those families, and 

to those people who have given up so 

much for you. When you’re out spending 

a fortune on that perfect gift, give a 

little to that poor old man, standing in 

the cold, ringing that bell. 

I wish everyone a very merry and safe 

holiday, and to those not home right now, 

thank you, and God bless. 

As Bush said to the troops Thanksgiving 

Day, “I bring a message on behalf 

of America: we thank you for your 

service, we are proud of you and 

America stands solidly behind you.” 

The Viking Views 

Thanks to the following 

Patron Subscribers: 

Thomas and Diane Allchin 

Arby’s 

Belmont Business Systems 

John and Patty Crofford 

Boske, Foltz, & Associates 

Larry J. Brandau, D.D.S. 

The Canton Student Loan 

Foundation 

Bruner Cox, LLP 

Jim and Kathy Dieringer 

Dr. David J. Farinacci D.D.S. 

and Team 

Gary L. Giammarco D.D.S. 

Hettler Engineering Services 

Human Development & Counseling 

Assoc., Inc. 

Roger and Nancy Knudsen 

Kumon Math and Reading Center of 


LaRocca Enterprises, Ltd. 

Mel L. Lute Esq. 

William J. Miller, D.D.S. 

Neurocare and Sleep Disorders 

North Canton Community 

Building YMCA 

North Canton Family Physicians 

North Canton Veterinary Clinic 

North Canton Vision Center 

Henry A. Selinsky, Inc. 

Sam O. Simmerman 

Stark County Medical Group, Inc. 

Tire Source-North Canton 

Westwind Electrtical Serv. Corp. 

Brian S. Gunn, Pres. 

Wise Nutrition Concepts 

Willis Pontiac 

Ziegler Tire of N. Canton 


THE 

VIKING VIRTUE 

Letters to the Editor 

? 

" 

“You can complain because roses 

have thorns, or you can rejoice because 

thorns have roses.” 

—Tom Wilson 

Every once in a while life will, inevitably, 

throw an unsuspected situation 

at you. However, most everything 

can be looked at in either a 

negative or positive light, and the 

determinant of a person’s overall 

success is how he or she perceives 

these seemingly bad moments. 

Therefore, it is important to not 

focus solely on the negative moments; 

for if you do, they may overshadow 

all of the good times. 

— Caitlin Sampsel 

Dear Editor: 

This country was founded on the 

basis that everyone who lives here has a 

choice. The men that shaped our nation 

wanted the people living here to be able 

to create their own destiny. We have a 

choice of whether or not to wake up, get 

jobs, vote, sleep, eat, shop, etc. Every 

decision we make we have a choice. 

What makes the decision to watch violence 

any different?... If you don’t like 

what you see, there are a million other 

channels you have the choice to turn to. 

However, I do agree that there is an abundance 

of violence around our youth, but, 

like I said, there is always a...choice. 

These days, there are parental controls 

all over the place. If you don’t like 

what’s on, you can change it, you have 

that choice. You can even block the news 

channels. However, I think that would be 

a big mistake. Face it, parents; violence 

is everywhere and if you don’t illustrate 

that side of the world to your kids, then 

they will never know and they’ll grow up 

thinking this world is a big ball of sunshine. 

If you live in the real world like me, 

then you realize that the world is no ball 

of sunshine. Therefore, I think the violence 

on television is a sort of educational 

tool for your children, because, as 

much as you baby them, the real world 

will still be out there when you’re not. 

You should stop bickering and fighting 

over trying to get the violence out of 

the media. There is no way that you can 

do that, but there is always something 

that you can do; you have a decision to 

make because all you need to do is make 

a choice. 

–Mary MacIntosh, 12 

HOLIDAY HELPING 

BESIDES GIVING GIFTS, 

HOW DO YOU SHARE HOLIDAY SPIRIT? 

MR. TIMOTHY ROACH, 

TEACHER: We go every 

year to a cabin, we start a 

roaring fire, we roast 

chesnuts and play 

boardgames. 

" " 

ABBEY CRAIGG, 11: 

On Christmas Eve my 

family always reads the 

true Christmas story of 

Jesus in the manger. 

CHRISTINA WARREN, 12: 

I get dressed up as a 

penguin and visit children 

who are terminally ill. 

MIKE RADOSEVIC, 11: My 

family and I volunteer at a 

soup kitchen on Christmas 

Eve to feed the homeless. 

ERIN MULCAHEY, 12: I 

donate gifts to my church 

and go caroling with my 

friends. 

DANNY ROBERTS, 9: We 

eat special foods... and we 

all gather together, which is 

a rare occasion. 

RYAN COWAN, 12: I go out 

of my way to be more kind 

to people. 

JOHN ARNOLD, 10: I get 

up early each Christmas 

and shovel my neighbor’s 

driveways and the 

sidewalks on my street. 

CORY BRECKENRIDGE, 12: 

I build snowmen for the 

neighborhood kids. 

! ! 

! 

" 

CAROLINE 

GIAMMARCO, 10: My 

friends and I throw 

Christmas parties and have 

snowman-building 

contests. It is a lot of fun. 

Pop Culture Cassidy 

I have to agree 

with anyone who 

says that video 

games affect 

teenagers. For 

example, just the 

other day in the 

hallway... 

Stay away 

from my 

boyfriend! 

Ashley Pucci 

Ack! Don’t 

worry. I’m not 

interested! 


The 

Viking Views 

Letters to the Editor 

NORTH CANTON NOT SO BORING 

Dear Editor: 

Throughout high school I 

dreamed of my future in “the big city” 

and my escape 

from 

what I considered 

the 

monotony of 


life. As a 

freshman at 

Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, 

though, I’ve begun to realize that cities 

aren’t all that different from small 

towns. Sure, in Pittsburgh we have 

more people and more square miles, 

but, for the most part, we do the same 

things I did in North Canton; we shop 

at larger versions of Belden Village 

Mall, we eat at the same restaurant 

chains and we hang out in a Starbucks 

nearly identical to the one at Washington 

Square. Furthermore, downtown 

Pittsburgh deadens at 6 p.m. 

when the offices close, transportation 

requires bus schedules and fare, and 

our closest movie theater is 14 miles 

away in Bridgeville. 

While Pittsburgh is quickly becoming 

my second home, perhaps it is the 

supportive, tight-knit atmosphere that 

secures North Canton’s place in my 

heart. Regardless of its nightlife (or lack 

thereof), the North Canton community 

raised me to be the person I am 

today and the person I will be in the 

future, and for that I am genuinely 

grateful. 

SMALL TOWN 

FUN 

PEP –Bethany RALLIES Chambers, NOT ENCOURAGING 

Class of 2003 

Dear Editor: 

I was reading the article expertly written 

by Tyler Allchin in the latest issue 

of the Viking Views, and it made me 

wonder why we even have pep rallies. 

After observation of the football team 

on the gym floor, I noticed that about 

95 percent of them seemed less than 

excited to be there. I have found that 

the student body is mostly cheering for 

individual classes, due mostly to the in- 


credibly annoying class cheers led by 

the cheerleaders. I don’t see how or 

why this would motivate the team to 

win. I see no reason these cheers should 

have a place in the pep rally, when they 

don’t encourage 

the team to do anything, 

except stare 

at the cheerleaders, 

but I’m not going to 

start on that topic. 

Here’s a hint, try to 

get a microphone 

that works, and that may help a little, 

but STUDENTS probably not. NEED TO BE LEAD- 

–Nick Hall, ERS 11 

Dear Editor: 

In the short span of a little more 

than two months of schooling, the student 

body of Hoover High School has 

already had a number of events that has 

sparked both feelings of joy and resentment.... 

But, the question remains, how 

does one hone these emotions towards 

both control and changes that 

benefit the student and the school as 

a whole? Is the answer resigning 

those feelings of resentment and frustration 

and forcing it down to submission 

in the pit of one’s stomach? Ah, 

now that, my friends, depends upon 

the circumstances. You see, these are 

areas where the leaders of the future 

shine and persevere. A leader, contrary 

to popular view, is not one that 

goes along with the norm and simply 

accepts what authority tells him/her. 

A leader is the one with the suspicious 

eye, always questioning and wondering 

to make sure what is going on is 

what is supposed to be going on. A 

leader is someone who doesn’t care 

what others think of him, and strives 

for what he or she believes in. A 

leader is someone who, in this circumstance, 

would not bury the resentment 

under a thick layer of frustration.. 

We, as successful Hoover High 

School students in the excellent-rated 

North Canton City School District, 

should not simply bow down and take 

what changes are simply given to us 

without a question.This does not 

mean illegal activity or outright rebellion 

or anything that is indecent and 

unprofessional. Rather, if there is an 

issue which a student feels strongly 

about, he or she shall use the proper 

channels to make sure his or her voice 

is heard. In business, an executive 

needs and desires counter-opinions as 

a catalyst for company growth. Businesses 

thrive when different views are 

discussed and analyzed. Let us hope 

that ACCEPT no one in GAYS the North FOR Canton WHO THEY City 

School District forgets this. ARE 

Dear Editor: 

After reading last –Sam issue’s Clevenger, letter to the 12 

editor about gays in the media and accepting 

them, I was appalled. It raised 

many questions in my mind about society 

today, and how we tend to judge 

people before we get to know them. 

Your sexuality is a small part of who 

you are, and being judged as “gay” is 

not how they would like to be known...If 

you look beyond the sexuality of a person, 

you will see gay people have a ton 

to offer, sometimes more than straight 

people do....As 

we all have seen, 

gays have become 

more 

prominent in 

the media. I 

would hope 

that this would 

help society accept gays and their life 

styles not condemn them. In the letter 

it is stated, “how long will it be before 

shows will have adults with the sexual 

preference of children as its main 

topic?” This does not compare with the 

sexual preference of gays...Children 

could not possibly be a sexual preference, 

seeing as it would be a crime. The 

two do not even compare. If I were gay, 

I would certainly not want to be compared 

to a pedophile. 

I know not everybody will be accepting 

of gays, but if you do not like 

them, or don’t agree with the shows, 

simply don’t watch them. But persecution 

is certainly not needed against 

their beliefs and preferences. 

COURTESY OF BRAVOTV.COM

Bill & Mary Renner 

330.494.9036 

Fax: 330.497.4468 

1022 North Main Street 


Chicken Manor 

Restaurant 

8043 Cleveland Ave. N. W. 


330.499.2159 

Daniel Mastroianni, Mgr. 


Video games have been around for many years, 

but with their increased popularity, some 

! 

have caused controversy. Many games 

have intense violence as well as explicit 

scenes that may not be appropriate for 

children. The Viking Views takes a closer look 

at violence in video games. 

Video Games: 

Do They Cause Violence? 

Story by Nick DeFazio • Photos by Ashley Pucci 

Junior Dave 

Felber 

stands with 

a 

Playstation2 

controller. 

He and his 

friends 

spend a 

majority of 

their free 

time playing 

video 

games. 

t’s just a game. 

These words have 

been spoken by many 

young people throughout history who 

have been entertained by playing games 

where the violence is make believe and 

no one really gets hurt. 

“Kids have always been playing cowboys 

and Indians,” senior Dorian Wallace 

said. 

But the harmlessness of violent 

games has been placed under question 

recently with the murders of random citizens 

by teens who played violent video 

games, particularly Grand Theft Auto. 

According to abc.go.com, two stepbrothers, 

William and Joshua Buckner, 

fired shots on June 25 at cars on Interstate 

40, killing one person and severely 

injuring another. Both said that they were 

acting out what they played in Grand 

Theft Auto III, a game in which the player 

progresses by killing and stealing cars 

from innocent bystanders and policemen. 

Following this, a $10 million lawsuit 

was filed by the family of the victim, 

Aaron Hamel, on Take-Two Interactive, 

the maker of the Grand Theft Auto 

games. 

However, Rockstar 

Games has recently asked 

a judge to dismiss the 

Above: Two 

girls play video 

games after 

school. Video 

games are a 

popular pastime 

for teens. 

case, citing protection from the First 

Amendment’s free-speech clause. Nevertheless, 

the victims’ lawyer is proposing 

that the case be reopened because 

of Tennessee’s consumer protection act, 

according to gamestop.com. 

This murder was just one of multiple 

incidents of illegal activity in which the 

criminals claimed they were inspired by 

the game, according to abc.go.com. 

Lawrence Liermann is a Seattle resident 

who is Operations Manager for Gem 

Con LLC. He works with video games 

and coordinates conventions for nearly 

30,000 gamers. Violence in video games 

26 " The Viking Views " 12.19.03 

Junior David 

Felber holds

is a prominent issue in his work, and he 

believes it is clear why violent video 

games are so popular. 

“As animals, we instinctively love aggression. 

Being civilized, we do it safely,” 

he said. “Video games are violent, and 

so is the sport of football. The problem 

comes because some people just end up 

giving in to that instinct.” 

Parents’ Responsibility? 

The appropriateness of the violence 

in many recent video games has become 

a controversial issue. Some believe that 

it is primarily the parents’ responsibility 

to determine what is right for their child. 

“If you live in a normal, healthy household 

and you bring your kids up right, 

you should be able to know what your 

kids can and cannot handle,” senior Nate 

Moran said. 

Junior Natalie Gago believes that parents 

who neglect this responsibility will 

try to point fingers elsewhere. 

“Parents feel guilty, so they just try 

to place blame on the company,” she said. 

Liermann said that parents should be 

“involved, aware, rational,” and should 

“compromise fairly” when determining 

which games are appropriate for their 

child. 

Sophomore Rachael Schory said that 

a person’s age and values taught by good 

parenting can be essential in helping 

children deal with the violence in video 

games in a mature manner. 

Schory, who prefers Mario and Valiga 

over gory video games, believes that violent 

video games are usually not harmful 

if only played in moderation, and that 

parents should make sure their child’s 

schedule is balanced with more productive 

activities. 

“Parents should limit the time kids 

play, and the kids should get involved 

with extracurricular activities,” she said. 

Although Moran’s parents have allowed 

him to play violent video games, 

he said he is glad that they monitored 

him when he was young and made sure 

that he knew that there are negative consequences 

for the same aggressive behavior 

in real life. 

Liermann said that awareness of what 

games children are playing today is “the 

price of freedom.” 

Grand Theft Auto is known as one of 

the most violent video games on the market. 

It has been rated “Mature” by the 

Entertainment Software Rating Board to 

warn parents of its content, but, despite 

this, it is still a popular game among teens. 

Junior Matt Zepp and Moran both said 

that they play Grand Theft Auto. They 

said that they enjoy the game because 

it’s like no other. 

“In other games you don’t get to open 

up people’s car doors and steal their cars,” 

Zepp said. 

Still, some believe the game has 

pushed the boundaries of the First 

Amendment and is grossly inappropriate. 

“I think Grand Theft Auto has gone 

too far,” senior Jason Stroll said. “Do we 

really need this much violence in life?” 

“Why [do] they need to make a video 

game that violent—I can see they’re doing 

it for business—but that’s crossing 

the line,” Stroll said. 

Why people play 

Moran said that playing violent video 

games is a good opportunity for people 

to be aggressive in a place where it is 

legal and where no one can actually get 

hurt. 

“It puts you in a world where you can 

do things you’re not allowed to do in the 

real world today,” he said. 

Wallace is not surprised that violent 

video games have become so popular and 

said that people have a natural attraction 

for watching death. 

“It gives people an adrenaline rush 

to watch someone die,” he said. 

Violence in society 

Schory said she is upset that violence 

is well received in our world today. 

“People in our society would rather 

watch violence than watch flowers 

grow,” she said. 

Liermann feels that violence is just 

one of the many things that embodies 

the media. 

“War, sex, and violence have been 

pounded into us since the beginning. 

You see it in commercials. At what age? 

All. On the flip side so has love, perseverance, 

‘coming of age,’ and friendship,” 

he said. 

Because violence is not just in the 

media, but also in real life, some consider 

video games just one small outlet 

of violence. 

“[Violence] runs far deeper than video 

games and movies. Those are just tributaries 

from the great deep river of our 

culture,” Liermann said. 

Stroll believes that a limited amount 

of violence “can be funny,” such as in 

See Violence p. 28 


SCANS BY ANGELA STOBBS 

Violence 

Continued from p.27 

cartoons, but that video games push the 

limits too far. 

However, there are people who admit 

that, when it comes to watching violence 

through a TV screen, they enjoy it at a 

level that some would label as evil. 

“The other day, my little brother and I 

rented a Jesus movie for the sole purpose 

of watching the crucifixion of 

Jesus,” Wallace said. 

He said that in video games, violence 

is often accentuated to such an extreme, 

such as with excessive blood, that it becomes 

humorous. 

“I look for gory violence because it’s 

ridiculous and wouldn’t normally happen 

in real life,” Wallace said. 

Stroll has played Gran Turismo, a car 

racing game, and liked it. However, he 

said he is appalled that illegal activity, 

and not racing, has become more popular. 

“People want to steal a car more than 

racing it,” he said. 

Desensitized? 

Stroll said that people become desensitized 

to violence, and that “the only way 

for people to notice violence is to make it 

more and more violent.” 

Stroll believes that consumers’ acceptance 

for the increase in violence in video 

games like Grand Theft Auto, paints a 

28 " The Viking Views " 12.19.03 

1. 

Clockwise from above: 1. This scene from 

Grand Theft Auto Vice City depicts violent 

and sexual content in the game. There’s 

debate over whether such games negatively 

influence the young people who play 

them. 2. A variety of games show the different 

ratings given to them by the Entertainment 

Software Rating Board. These 

ratings can help parents decide if a game 

is suitable for their children. 3. In the screen 

shot from the game Max Payne, the main 

character tries to kill an enemy. With the 

improvement of gaming technology, the 

graphics in these games may have become 

more life-like and violent. 

2. 

disturbing 

picture of 

what consumers 

want. 

“There’s 

something 

wrong with 

playing a 

game where 

you run over 

a person and 

then back up 

3. 

over them for 

fun,” he said. 

Lawsuits 

Stroll believes 

that it 

isn’t lawsuits 

that are going 

to bring 

about a 

change, but 

rather disgust 

from video 

game consumers. 

“The only way to change [violent behavior] 

is to change society’s views, and 

this isn’t happening,” he said. 

Moran believes that the lawsuits will 

make the government’s control over 

video games extreme. 

“Too much censorship will destroy 

our culture,” he said. 

Schory also believes the lawsuits are 

putting fault in the wrong place. 

“It’s the parents who are buying it, 

and the kids who are playing it, so the 

companies shouldn’t be sued,” she said. 

Effects on teens 

Many students said they find it hard 

Percentage of Students 

Random survey of 100 Hoover students 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

to believe that a game could cause someone 

to commit random acts of violence. 

When playing the games, they feel no 

urge to hurt real people. 

“They try to say kids who play violent 

video games shoot kids at school,” 

Gago said. “But I play violent video 

games, and I don’t shoot kids at school.” 

Liermann explained that there are 

stronger factors that can cause young 

people to commit crimes, such as “neglect, 

depression, overly prescribed medication, 

or a combination of thousands of 

situations like these.” 

“Video games are a popular target because 

people think that monkey-see, 

monkey-do,” he said. “I don’t believe 

that. Something has to be seriously 

wrong in other places.” 

Moran said that he has become desensitized 

to gore and that it doesn’t have 

a major effect on his emotions. 

“For people who kill people, they have 

a rush from the blood and violence,” he 

said. “That doesn’t happen for me [when 

playing video games]. I’m used to it.” 

Some believe that society has become 

desensitized to violence through a multitude 

of mediums. 

“I do think that too many hours of 

video games is desensitizing. I think too 

many hours of CNN would do it for me 

too,” Liermann said. 

However, the argument remains that 

although violent video games may not 

effect everyone, they are still a threat to 

society, because they do affect certain 

susceptible people. 

“Some people can handle violence 

Favorite Videogames of Hoover Students 

Role 

Playing 

Sports 

Adventure Racing One Person 

Player 

Game Genres 

See Violence p. 30 

Other 

Compiled by Anne DeFazio

From the 

Experts 

By Chelsea Crofford 

Psychologist 

Richard Hellgren 

believes video 

games may be 

cause for 

violence 

Q & A 

Email interview with 

Dr. Robert A. Humphries 

When dragons and goblins fly off distant, 

make believe plants in your video games, it’s 

easy to see that it is not anything like the world 

in which you live. When you shoot at the cops 

that are chasing you, the reality seems to blur. 

Research done by the American Psychological 

Association said teens who play violent 

video games are more 

likely to express “aggressive 

behavior,” according 

to a press release. With all 

of the violent video games 

that are on the market, local 

psychologist Dr. Richard 

Hellgren believes if a 

child or teen plays any 

violent video game from 

a young age, it becomes 

easier to believe violence 

is a way to express how 

you feel. 

“All behavior is the result 

of a complex interaction 

between individual 

predisposition and learning experience,” 

Hellgren said. “People tend to mimic behavior 

that’s modeled. When you’re exposed to violence 

as a repeated or preferred way to solve 

problems, you’re much more likely to engage 

in violence to solve your problems.” 

With technology enhancing the games to 

make them seem real, it becomes much harder 

to say what is acceptable in society and what 

is not. 

“We’re wired to generalize learning; that’s 

how we’ve survived as a species. Anything 

we learn in one situation, the more similar another 

situation looks like that, the more likely I 

am to repeat what I’ve already learned,” 

Hellgren said. “The more realistic the display 

I’m learning these behaviors in, the more likely 

I will automatically engage in those behaviors 

in other similar situations.” 

Technology doesn’t just make the graphics 

seem more real; it also allows others to compete 

against each other. Hellgren believes when 

your opponent must die or suffer in order for 

you to win, it begins to harm the effect the 

game has. 

He believes one reason the violence in video 

games can have such an ill effect is because of 

the player’s ability to interact with the game 

“When you’re 

exposed to violence 

as a repeated or 

preferred way to 

solve problems, 

you’re much more 

likely to engage in 

violence to solve 

your problems.” 

Dr. Richard 

Hellgren 

and control the game’s end. 

“Video games have a more significant effect 

on encouraging aggressive behavior 

because they’re interactive. When you have 

the controls and you’re playing the game, 

you’re making choices and affecting behavior,” 

Hellgren said. “That feed back seems 

to result in a more identifiable 

association between playing 

those games and generalizing 

the behavior to real life situations.” 

Before a child reaches the 

age of six, parents have the 

most influence over them. 

When a child sees violence 

in the home, or is exposed to 

violence in games, it’s easier 

to believe violence is the way 

to solve problems. 

Hellgren said if a child 

plays these games from a 

young age, it is easier for 

them to believe the actions 

taking place are acceptable. 

“The younger these kids are when they 

start playing these games, the more they 

play them in terms of amount of time, [and] 

the more effect these games are going to 

have on these kids,” he said. 

Because of the closeness with which they 

resemble society, the plots of the violent video 

games become easier to believe and associate 

with what is going on. 

“If we lived in a different kind of society, 

these games wouldn’t have the ill effect that 

they do. They also wouldn’t have the allure 

that they do,” Hellgren said. “But we don’t, 

and they do.” 

Although research proves violent video 

games can be linked to violence in society 

caused by teens, Hellgren doesn’t believe that 

the games cause the teen to act that way. 

“Would I say the games made him do that? 

No. The kid or the person chose to [play] that. 

Would I say what they’ve learned playing 

those games and in the context of our society 

set the stage to encourage and more easily 

allow that behavior? Absolutely,” he said. 

“They’re still responsible for it, they still made 

the choice. But as a society, we’re setting 

people up.” ! 

By Chelsea Crofford 

What causes teens to act violently? 

This is a complex question. What 

causes anyone to behave in any 

particular way? Various motivators, a 

lack of experience, teenage egocentricity 

and a sense of invulnerability 

all contribute in some ways. 

How does violence, in general, 

influence teens? How much is due to 

video games? 

Violence has a tendency to increase 

and bring about more violence in all 

people. Older studies suggested that 

catharsis (acting out our aggression) 

was of benefit to the individual. 

Current research suggests that 

catharsis actually increases aggressive 

tendencies. In youth who 

witness violence that would include 

an adverse consequence to the 

perpetrator, there is a tendency over 

time to disconnect the consequence 

and see an increase in aggressive 

behavior on the part of these youth. 

How do you think society’s reaction 

to violence in the media and in games 

affects teens? 

With teens, sometimes making 

something taboo increases the 

tendency to want that which is 

forbidden. It [is] important to 

understand too much of anything can 

be a bad thing, but forbidding and 

banning things seem to make them all 

the more tempting. 

Can violent video games impact a 

teen’s or child’s actions? What can 

be done to stop it? 

Yes, they can. Moderation in all 

things is suggested. The violence is 

not the only issue, but the isolation 

of interacting with the video or 

computer game also has a problematic 

effect. 

See Q&A p. 30 


Max Payne 

manhunt 

Man Hunt 

Color Spa Color Spa 

Max Payne 

Rated Mature 

Available for XBox and PS2 

MSRP for $49.99 

Become Max Payne, an undercover 

cop that is framed for murder. “Bullet 

time” lets the player use slow motion 

to defeat enemies, which also allows 

the viewer to see more intense death 

scenes. This game has extreme 

violence with realistic-looking characters 

and settings. 

Manhunt 

Rated Mature 

Available for PS2 


In Carcer City, the only thing to do is 

granting people’s lives and taking 

them away as a sport. James Earl 

Cash has just received his life back, 

and will be hunted down again. Become 

James and hide from the hunters, 

while fighting desperately for your 

life. The violence in this game is 

extremely intense and bloody. 

Grand Theft Auto Vice City 

Rated Mature 

Available for PS2 and XBox 


Tommy Vercetti is sent to Vice City by 

Sonny Forell. He is set up and left 

with no money, but Sonny still wants 

his money back, causing Vercetti to 

turn to crime. He murders innocent 

pedestrians and steals vehicles belonging 

to the citizens of Vice City. 

Vice City has extreme violence, strong 

language and some sexual content. 

Information compiled by Angela Stobbs, taken from www.buy.com 

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Q&A 


Is there a certain age where children 

or teens can differentiate a violent 

game from reality? 

There is a tendency to disconnect the 

consequence from the aggression. The 

younger a person is, the more quickly 

that [disconnection] takes place. 

With new technology and better 

features, do video games cause teens to 

become more violent? 

The technology does not cause the 

violence, it is the content, the time 

spent and isolative features that seem 

to contribute most. ! 

Violence 


well,” Stroll said. “They know it’s just a 

game, while others, on the other hand, 

can’t deal with it and will try to imitate 

it.” 

Schory also believes violent video 

games can be harmful to children. 

“When you’re young enough and it 

replays in your mind, it can pollute your 

mind,” she said. 

Wallace said that games sometimes 

provoke emotions from him, but that 

he is able to deal with them appropriately. 

“[After playing video games] I just 

feel like I played a video game,” he said. 

“My imagination is running, and it 

doesn’t go any further than the pages 

of a notebook.” 

He said games should not be blamed 

for a psychological disorder; some 

people are simply born with the condition. 

“I do not think violence in movies 

or video games makes someone a psychopath,” 

Wallace said. “I think that 

violence can enhance the behavior of 

an already psychopathic person.” 

Wallace also argues that video 

games should not be singled out for 

causing violence because such problems 

existed before. 

“If we got rid of video games, there’d 

still be crazy people,” he said. “There 

were crazy people back in the Jesus 

day.” 

Moran said that the players should 

be able to enjoy gory games while understanding 

that they are not reality. 

“As humans, we know that in real 

life there is no reset button,” he said. ! 

30 " The Viking Views " 12.19.03

The Rating 

Game 

By Nick DeFazio 

Through the past decade, as video 

games have been perceived by many as 

becoming more and more controversial, 

some parents have found the need to filter 

the games their children are playing. 

To help parents determine which games 

are right for their children, the Entertainment 

Software Rating Board has created 

a rating system for video games. 

The ESRB was formed in 1994 by the 

IDSA, now known as the Entertainment 

Software Association. They have rated 

over 9,000 games to date, according to 

esrb.org. 

The ratings include a letter on the 

front of the game’s package and then a 

brief list of objectionable content on the 

back. They include “E” for “Everyone,” 

“EC” for “Early Childhood,” “T” for 

“Teen,” “M” for “Mature” and “A” for 

“Adult.” 

A recent study of 400 parents conducted 

by the Peter D. Hart Research Associates 

found that 77 percent of parents 

believe the ESRB ratings to be “about 

r i g h t , ” a c c o r d i n g t o 

digitalgamedeveloper.com. 

“Parents find computer and video 

game ratings to be highly accurate,” Hart 

wrote in a memorandum, according to 

digitalgamedeveloper.com. “The tastes 

and values of ESRB consistently and reliably 

match those of American parents.” 

The ESRB president Patricia E. Vance 

is pleased with the results, saying they 

prove their ratings are “accurate and 

trustworthy.” 

Because many Hoover students have 

been impacted by the ratings throughout 

their lives, some have strong opinions 

on whether or not they should exist. 

Junior Natalie Gago said that the ratings 

placed on video 

games are just as important 

as those placed on 

movies, because they allow 

parents to know what 

is right for their children. 

However, Junior Matt 

Zepp believes that the ratings 

are unreliable. He 

said there is too big of a 

range of content that falls 

into the “M” category. 

“They swear once and 

they rate it ‘Mature,’” he 

said. 

Senior Jason Stroll is 

happy that attempts are being made to 

restrict gory games, but he believes the 

ratings are not enough to keep the games 

out of children’s video systems. 

“It’s a good idea, but it’s just like X- 

rated movies,” he said. “If people want it 

bad enough, they’re going to get it.” 

Seattle resident Lawrence Liermann, 

Operations Manager for Gem Con LLC, 

and an organizer for major video game 

conventions, said that the ratings are 

“worthless” when games are available 

“over the counter,” with sales not restricted 

to those of a young age. 

Still, Liermann feels that the ratings 

are a great alternative to censorship. 

“I am not sure where the video game 

train is heading for sure, but for now there 

is nothing wrong with it. I do believe there 

are other things that should be done that 

are less radical than controlling content,” 

“I don’t think 

the ratings should 

be enforced; they 

should just be 

there for children, 

to help 

them be 

responsible” 

he said. “The ESRB system is a solid 

choice.” 

Senior Dorian Wallace said that he believes 

video games should not restrict 

sales to certain ages, but should rather 

be “more of a warning.” 

The “M” rating on Grand Theft Auto 

means that it can legally be sold to a person 

of any age. However, Wal-Mart, K- 

Mart and Toys-R-Us, among others 

choose to restrict sales of “M” rated 

games to anyone under the age of 17. 

To test this claim of the three major 

video game sellers for this article, 16-yearold 

sophomore, Amanda Annis, tried to 

purchase an “M” rated Grand Theft Auto 

game at all three stores. 

At Wal-Mart and K-Mart she was 

asked for her ID. When she said she 

didn’t have it with her, they told her they 

could not sell her the game. At Toys-R- 

Us, however, she was sold the game on 

two occassions. 

Annis enjoys playing video games on 

her XBox, particularly 

Halo. She believes that, 

although Halo is rated 

“M,” it is not harmful, because 

the player only 

kills aliens. 

“In Halo, there is 

green guts that come out 

of the aliens. That should 

not make the game be 

rated ‘Mature,’” she said. 

She said that the decision 

of Wal-Mart, K-Mart 

and Toys-R-Us was made 

simply to gain a better 

reputation. 

“The stores want to have a friendly 

image in the eyes of parents,” Annis said. 

Annis believes that ratings can be 

beneficial, but does not think it is necessary 

to restrict sales to children. 

“I don’t think the ratings should be 

enforced; they should just be there for 

children, to help them be responsible,” 

she said. 

The ESRB ratings are receiving more 

public attention after a 12 and 14-yearold 

killed a man who was a passenger in 

a car on the highway. The boys claimed 

they were acting out what they played in 

Grand Theft Auto, according to 

abc.go.com. 

Nevertheless, many gamers argue that 

the games do not cause them to act violently 

in real life. 

“I don’t like to kill people,” Annis said. 

–Amanda Annis,10 

“I like to kill aliens.” ! 


CULTURE 

More than just a ‘fa la la’ 

Traditions remain a 

favorite for young 

and old this winter 

BY CHRIS CAULEY 

AND ADELE VERGIS 

Staff Writers 

As the holiday closes in, the traditions 

of seasons past once again make 

themselves known. From books and 

music to favorite television shows and 

movies, the holiday spirit is in full swing. 

Books 

“Twas the night before Christmas and 

all through the house, not a creature was 

stirring, not even a mouse.” These words 

are often read in the home of Senior 

Allison LaRocca as part of a long standing 

holdiday tradition. 

“Every Christmas Eve, my mom reads 

‘The Night Before Christmas’ to my 

brother and I,” said LaRocca, “We don’t 

all fit in the same chair anymore, though.” 

Books, especially those written for 

children, have long been a typical aspect 

of the holiday season. 

At Borders, on The Strip, Christmas 

books have been selling like crazy. A 

Christmas edition of the Chicken Soup for 

the Soul series has been a very popular item 

this year and “The Polar Express is always 

a big seller,” according to Lacy Hirsch, a 

Borders employee. 

“Sometimes we get adults buying 

Christmas books from when they were 

little,” Hirsh 

Added. 

L a u r a 

Abershaff, 

Hoover English 

teacher, believes 

this is because “Christmas brings back 

the little kid in all of us and brings back 

those memories.” 

“‘A Christmas Carol’ has been my 

favorite, ever since I was a little girl,” 

she said. Abershaff also admits to 

haveing a soft spot for Dr. Suess’s “How 

The Grinch Stole Christmas.” 

“Most stories inolve caring for others,” 

Abershaff Said. She believes that 

is what makes Christmas stories so important 

to the holiday season. 

Music 

Nothing sets the mood of the holiday 

season more than the music that comes 

with it. 

Christmas music plays the most essential 

role in getting you excited for the holiday 

season, whether it be Bing Crosby or 

the stars of American Idol. 

Evan Cline, a Hoover Senior 

and cashier at Target, 

knows what the people 

want. 

“Kenny Chesney 

seems to be popular this 

year,” Cline said, “I 

sold six copies to one 

lady.” 

Cline, himself, 

prefers a less traditional 

sound to his 

music. 

“I really like 

M a n h e i m 

steamroller’s Christmas 

albums,” he said, 

“it sounds like classical 

music put 

“We all tend to get 

wrapped up in ourselves, 

and Christmas is the great 

equalizer.” 

Laura Abrashaff 

through a 

synthesiser.” 

Cline isnt the 

only one to take a 

less traditional 

route. 

“Alot of 

people have been 

asking about 

Jethro Toll’s Christmas,” said Lacy 

Hirch, a Borders employee. 

Hirch added with a laugh, “We had 

to order more.” 

She has noticed alot of people seem 

to be interested in the American Idol and 

Harry Conick Jr.’s Christmas albums this 

year. 


Junior Kari Ringer sees no reason to 

purchase CD’s for Christmas, she prefers 

to make her own music. 

“Before I go to bed, I sing Christmas 

Carols all by my self,” Ringer said with 

a grin. 

However she does admit to being 

“obsessed with the Mariah Carey Christmas 

album.” 

With all the different music choices 

it’s impossible not to find some christmas 

spirit through the sounds of the season. 

Television 

As well as bringing back memories 

of past holiday seasons, Abrashoff feels 

the general public enjoys watching these 

programs for three specific reasons. 

First she feels they are a happy 

diversion from everyday stress, second 

she feels they highlight the holiday spirit 

of giving and sharing, and finally she 

feels they bring families together. 

Culminating these reasons Abrashoff 

feels Christmas television emphasizes 

the true Christmas spirit. 

“I think they make us think about 

others,” she said. “We all tend to get 

wrapped up in ourselves, and Christmas 

is the great equalizer.” 

Prasnal also sees major themes that 

are consistent in Holiday programs. 

From TV movies such as “Eloise’s 

Christmas” to “Santa Clause is Coming 

to Town” she sees a trend of the good 

always overcoming the bad in the shows. 

“No matter what the situation is in a 

Christmas movie the good guy always 

wins, because [writers] want to make it 

seem like during the Holidays that’s just 

what happens.” 

While sophomore Zane Shetler feels 

Christmas 

programs bring 

families together 

and spread the 

Christmas spirit, 

he also feels that 

they can often be 

over played. 

“I enjoy it to 

an extent, but sometimes it gets annoying 

because you just want to watch regular 

TV shows,” Shetler said. Adding that 

when they start around June they “makes 

me sick.” 

Though he can grow tired of such 

Christmas shows, Shetler admits that 

holiday programs are vital to the season 

for him and others. 

“Without Christmas TV shows all 

would be failed, because you have time 

to feel happy and joyful for the 

holidays.” 

section of Blockbuster, employee and 

former Hoover graduate Brandon 

McDonald was stunned. Not only was 

there a movie in the section that he was 

unaware of, but this movie was “The 

Preacher’s Wife” starring Whitney 

Houston. 

“I didn’t even know this was a 

holiday movie,” he admits as he searches 

for his favorite festive film. 

While some holiday movies, such as 

As the days get shorter, and the nights 

get colder, there is one countdown on the 

minds of TV viewers this season as the 

world awaits Christmas day. O.K. there 

may be two this year as the old standby 

of the 12 days of Christmas has been 

paralleled and parodied by ABC 

Family’s 25 days’ of Christmas. 

Christmas Television shows flood not 

only ABC Family this season as all 

networks gear their programs to the 

upcoming holidays. Displaying the core 

values of family, kindness and justice, 

students and staff of Hoover High school 

anticipate these shows. 

“I look forward to [ Holiday 

programs] because even though some of 

them are cheesy, they are hilarious, and 

they put me in the Christmas mood,” 

junior Monica Prasnal said. 

Prasnal looks forward most to seeing 

again this year a movie she saw last year 

about Christmas magic granting all the 

wishes of a woman’s Christmas list. 

“The Preachers Wife” are not as blatantly 

“That is one movie I love because it is 

seasonal as others, holiday movies in 

a ridiculous scenario and of course 

general have brought their spirit to 

everything works out in the end,” she said. 

Hoover students in many forms. From 

“My friends and I love to laugh at it.” 

comedies to dramas, holiday movies 

Abrashoff also looks forward to 

offer many different ways to look at the 

seeing old favorites on TV this holiday 

meaning of the season for citizens of 

season. From “Charlie Brown” to “The 

North Canton. 

Grinch Who Stole Christmas,“ Abrashoff 

According to McDonald, since the 

feels each time a classic is aired on TV 

holiday section was set up in November 

she is reminded of her Christmas past. 

the most popular holiday movie rentals 

“‘The Grinch’ reminds me of my 

have been “The Santa Clause 2” and 

children”, Abrashoff continued. “When 

“The Christmas Story.” He feels a 

they were younger they always liked it. We 

reason these are popular is that they 

relate things to the “Grinch,” still, we’ll Movies 

say ‘What’s for dinner? Roast beast.’” Looking over the Holiday movie "See HOLIDAY MOVIES, p.36 

ABCFAMILY.COM/USED WITH PERMISSION 

! Santa and the Postman 

from “Santa Claus Is Comin’ 

to Town,” a perennial holiday 

favorite. It’s just one of the 

movies in ABC Family’s “25 

Days of Christmas.” 


SCANNED B Y K. SCHLOENBACH 

SCANNED BY ASHLEY PUCCI 

Noise 

Britney blends diversity 

in new album 

Like it or not, America’s reigning pop 

princess is back. With the release of her 

fourth album, “In The Zone,” it’s clear that 

Britney Spears has done a complete oneeighty 

since her early days. 

Not only have her songs become a bit 

more risqué, but they’ve also become more 

personal. Spears co-wrote seven of the 12 

tracks on the album. 

Obviously, everything is working for her. 

“In The Zone” debuted at number one on the 

Billboard 200 Album chart and the video for 

the first single “Me Against The Music,” her 

collaboration with Madonna, has been a staple 

on MTV’s Total Request Live. 

The tracks range from hip-hop beats – “(I 

Got That) Boom Boom” featuring The Ying 

Yang Twins, to breathy ballads – “Everytime” 

and “Shadow,” – allowing the album to remain 

true to her pop roots while simultaneously 

pulling inspiration from hip-hop, 

rock, club beats and even Oriental rhythms. 

The Dixie Chicks ! Live ! Columbia Records 

The Beatles ! Let It Be... Naked ! Capitol Records 

34! The Viking Views ! 12.19.03 

Co-writing isn’t the only first for Spears 

on this album. She also worked with producers 

and artists such as The Matrix and 

Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, among others. 

One famous name adding their touch to 

“In The Zone” is Moby. He produced 

“Early Mornin’”, a story of returning home 

in the wee hours of the morning after a 

night of partying. 

As if talk of sex drives and debauchery at 

all hours wasn’t enough to prove she‘s no 

longer a little girl, “Touch Of My Hand” was 

In 1969 the original concept of the Get Back project, a back-to-basics live in the studio recording was 

scrapped and given to Phil Spector, who added his famous ‘Wall of Sound’ technique. The 2003 

release of “Let It Be…Naked” restores the original takes to how they were ‘meant to sound.’ Two of 

the original tracks and the snippets of conversation scattered throughout the album have been cut in 

favor of the B-side to the “Get Back” single “Don’t Let Me Down.” The most noticeable single track 

difference is on McCartney’s enchanting “The Long and Winding Road” gone are Spector’s overdone 

horns, choirs and strings in favor of a simple piano ballad. One can only hope that The Beatles will soon, 

for once, follow in other’s footsteps and digitally remaster their entire catalogue. Chris Cauley 

Jay-Z ! The Black Album ! 

thrown into the mix. If the title doesn’t give it 

away, once you listen to it, it’s obvious that it 

deals with the taboo subject of…well…“selflove.” 

Once again, not the sweet Britney we 

used to know. 

While they’re less racy, tracks such as 

“Showdown”, “Toxic” and “Brave New 

Girl” need not be overlooked. Their futuristic 

sound, fun-loving lyrics and bodymoving 

beats ensure that you will be humming 

them for days. 

On Spears’ third album, “Britney”, she 

sings “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman.” 

It’s apparent that, with this album, she 

wants the world to know that she has made 

that transition and is no longer the pigtailwearing 

sweetheart we loved when she 

first came on the scene. Now she can talk 

about sex, she can wear dominatrix-style 

leather to awards shows and she can party 

until she passes out. One thing, however, 

hasn’t changed. She can still make CDs 

fly off the shelves faster than you can say, 

“Baby, one more time.” 

-Khalei Fogle 

From their Top of the World Tour, “Dixie Chicks Live” is a CD “must have” for anyone’s country 

collection. Beginning with “Goodbye Earl,” the CD a continual burst of energy, outstanding lyrics 

and music. The Dixie Chicks perform all of their hit radio songs on the album, each girl helped write 

many of the songs on this two disc wonder, including, “Torture, Tangled Hearts,” “Ready to Run”, 

“White Trash Wedding.” The Chicks are all featured on either guitar, violin or banjo, leaving the 

audience with not only vocal inspiration, but instrumenal inspiration also. From beginning to end, 

this CD will have the audience singing at the top of their lungs, and making them feel like their 

actually seeing the Dixie Chicks live. Kyra Schloenbach 

Rock-A-Fella Records 

On “The Black Album,” which Jay-Z says will be his last, he bypasses the old “better to burn out than 

fade away” adage by quitting while he’s ahead. Rapping about going “from grams to Grammys,” then 

heading off to play golf, Jay-Z uses this album as an opportunity to mix tracks that recall his earlier, 

narrative-oriented raps, like “December 4 th ,” with songs that, like his work since the late 1990s, are 

more centered around the hook “Change Clothes”. Joining him is a menagerie of producers from Rick 

Rubin to Timbaland; most notable is upcoming young producer Just Blaze, who creates a pastiche of 

strings and old soul records that sounds like dance group The Avalanches. While not his best, nor most 

essential set of songs, “The Black Album” is a suitable epitaph to Jay-Z’s career. Jon Dieringer 

SCANNED BY CHRIS CAULEY

Stop Making Sense 

‘Tis the season to blow stuff up. Lots of it 

Those tired of excessive cheer my find solace in Willis’ chest 

The holiday season is full of delightful 

clichés that can draw one into the 

spirit of the season with a few cheery 

symbols. “Merry Christmas,” “Happy 

Holidays” and even just-plain “Ho-hoho” 

are examples of such phrases. 

My personal favorite is “Yippie-ki 

yay, motherf—er.” 

See, I like to start Christmas off with 

a bang. Not something from one of 

those confetti poppers that scare Nam 

vets into jumping under tables on New 

Years—something more like a helicopter 

exploding over a New York sky 

scraper. 

To me, Santa’s big white beard is 

Bruce Willis’ sweaty, blood-caked 

chest hair in “Die Hard.” 

The greatest American popcorn action 

flick, “Die Hard” is also one of the 

great Christmas-but-not movies. It’s 

got snow, Santa hats and a cheery 

rendition of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” 

but it’s just not one of those movies 

played on the Fox Family Channel’s 

holiday movie marathon. Maybe this 

is because the aforementioned Santa 

hat is being worn by a dead terrorist 

sent down an elevator with “Ho-Ho-Ho, 

Now I’ve got a machine gun” scrawled 

across his shirt. 

While I might be more of a sucker 

than anyone for an assembly-line 

Christmas movie—I’ve spent way too 

much on Christmas DVDs over the 

Spotlight on 

Justin Shaub 

After playing solos for the last four 

years, first chair trumpet player, senior 

Justin Shaub believes he’s overcome any 

case of nerves that he used to get. 

Shaub has been in the symphonic band 

for the last four years, and has also participated 

in marching band, pep band, jazz band and 

full orchestra. 

past few weeks—sometimes it’s the 

more subversively Christmas films that 

that really get one in the spirit of giving 

(even if “giving” means lobbing grenades 

at German terrorists). 

Even if it’s not central to the plot of a 

film, setting a story during Christmas 

adds a special intimacy. 

One of my favorite Christmas scenes 

in a non-Christmas movie is the arrest 

of Mr. Buttle in Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil.” 

Set in a dark totalitarian future in a city 

similar to that of “Blade Runner,” the 

movie features a scene where a mother 

sits reading “The Night Before 

Christmas” to her young children in front 

of the family Christmas tree. Suddenly, 

a whole team of menacing looking 

special police burst into the room to 

arrest her husband. In shock, the wife 

is confronted by a stuffy constable who 

requests her to sign a series of receipts 

for her spouse’s arrest. 

While in the context of the film the 

scene is actually rather funny, it’s 

heartbreaking to think of children losing 

their father on Christmas Eve. 

The Christmas season creates a 

familiar emotional context for the drama 

in Tim Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands,” 

as well. 

Burton is well known for his dark, but 

ultimately endearing fantasies for 

“children of all ages.” Johnny Depp’s 

Edward, who radiates with a childlike 

Shaub believes that he owes his start 

in music, to his mother’s influence. 

“My mom encouraged me to take 

piano lessons,” he said. 

His mom helped him to get involved 

in music, but a family friend helped him 

to decide on the trumpet. 

“I picked trumpet because a family 

friend, the great trumpeter Bob Hill 

sparked my interest and I’ve been taking 

lessons from him ever since,” he said. 

While Shaub said that being in band 

is a “fun experience” he also said “it 

takes a lot of effort and concentration but 

in the end the pay off is great.” 

Shaub not only keeps busy with school 

band activities, but also has participated 

Jon Dieringer 

naiveté, is compared the gossipy 

women in his suburban neighborhood 

that, in contrast, need to know 

everything. In this film, as in others, 

Christmas is the penultimate symbol of 

both the wide-eyed wonders and joy 

that the world has in store for simple 

minds, as well as said naiveté, as 

Christmas encompasses the myth of 

Santa Clause that many of us hold dear 

for the rest of our lives. 

The Christmas season motivates 

Bruce Willis’ “Die Hard” character to 

kill stuff, lots of stuff, as he struggles 

with being separated from his family 

for the holidays. Furthermore, it 

encourages the good will and 

friendship between him and a cop 

played by the guy who was Carl 

Winslow on “Family Matters.” 

Added to that, were it not for the 

Christmas setting, the movie would not 

contain the song “Christmas in Hollis” 

by Run D.M.C., which would be rather 

unfortunate. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong 

with thoroughbred Christmas movies. 

But sometimes, we as participants in a 

media-oriented culture must be 

reminded that there is indeed a God, 

and He works in mysterious ways. To 

me, nothing symbolizes the spirit of the 

season of the birth of His Son like 

explosions, dead bodies and freaks 

with knives for fingers. 

in the brass choir at the community sing 

each year. He also plays taps at many 

different functions. This year he played on 

Memorial Day, and he also played for the 

Canton firefighters. 

While Shaub does not see a future in 

music, he does hope to continue playing 

trumpet while at Mount Union College 

next year. 

Looking back on his four years of band, 

Shaub feels that he’s made a lot of memories, 

one of his favorites being of Band Prom 2003 

when he was crowned king. 

“[I’ve made] great lasting memories 

with people and experiences that will 

stay with me forever,” he said. 

–Tiffany Bader 


CANTON PLAYER’S GUILD/USED WITH PERMISSION 

In Review: Christmas Carol 

Old English charm 

kicks off the holiday 

season in Canton 

BY CHRIS ZALUSKI Staff Writer 

Having trouble getting into the holiday 

spirit? 

Maybe the Canton Player’s Guild can 

help. Its 22nd annual production of 

Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas 

Holiday Movies 

(Continued from p.33) 

a traditional appeal to many people from 

all age groups. 

“‘The Christmas Story’ is popular, 

because it’s a classic,” McDonald said. 

“ ‘The Santa Clause 2’ is not a classic, 

but it is based on the classic idea of Santa 

Clause and the value of family.” 

Ringer also feels that generally this is 

the case for many Christmas and holiday 

movies, while each has a different plot, 

they all have that same Christmas spirit. 

“There are comedies like ‘Elf’, there 

are dramas like ‘A Christmas Carol’, there 

is something for everybody, but it 

eventually comes down to what 

Christmas is about-the heart,” she said. 

For Hoover senior Joe Talamo, the 

classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is his 


Carol”, is sure to entertain 

even the most 

“Scrooge-like” of 

audience members. 

With a new format, 

“A Christmas Carol” 

leaves its traditional 

musical-style, simply telling 

the classic story the way Dickens had 

originally intended. 

The story is set in England during the 

eighteenth century, where the mean, old 

Mr. Scrooge learns the lesson of Christmas, 

by getting a visit from three Christmas 

ghosts. The ghosts of Christmas 

past, present and future, allow Scrooge 

to see the real meaning of Christmas and 

save his own damnation. 

Beginning with a modern, still-life 

scene, which also provides more background 

into the story, the play is able to 

captivate its audience from start to finish. 

One way in which the play achieves 

this is by the use of special effects. For 

example, when Scrooge is visited by the 

first ghost of Christmas Past, both actors 

fly around the stage as if they were 

actually going back through time. Also, 

the use of fog, strobe lights and sound 

favorite holiday movie, because it 

combines tradition and a “feeling of 

holiday goodness” 

Talamo feels “It’s a Wonderful Life” 

not only gets him in the mood for 

Christmas, but like all Christmas movies, 

represents the holiday’s themes well. 

“Basically, they stay true to the ideals 

of Christmas, because they outline a 

general theme of love and spending time 

with family and friends,” he said. 

In general McDonald feels the public 

watches Christmas movies, because they 

are eager to feel the holiday spirit, and they 

look to these movies to allow them to. 

“People started asking for the 

“Christmas Story” around the beginning 

of October,” he added. 

While he didn’t start renting them in 

the beginning of October, Talamo admits 

effects help to give the play 

a realistic feel. 

Another effect is 

the old English accents 

used by the actors 

when speaking. 

Although the accents 

are, at times, difficult to understand, 

they create an authentic feel to 

the setting of the play. 

Even before the play starts, the actors 

manage to get the audience involved 

by singing Christmas carols in 

the lobby. Nearly 40 members of the 

cast, already dressed in their costumes, 

sing familiar Christmas songs in front 

of a giant Christmas tree in the lobby. 

Members of the audience are invited 

to sing along during the last song, “Silent 

Night,” which succeeds in getting 

everyone into the holiday spirit even 

before the play starts. 

All aspects of the play are designed 

around the “old English Christmas” 

theme. From the costumes, acting, dialogue 

and settings, the play manages 

to transport its audience into “A Christmas 

Carol’s” origins. 

So, if you still find yourself cringing 

at the thoughts of Yuletide carols being 

sung by a choir, take a lesson from 

Scrooge and brighten your holiday season 

at the Canton Player’s Guild rendition 

of “A Christmas Carol.” 

!The ghost of Jacob Marley (Robert 

Keith) scolds Scrooge (Lee Iden) in the 

play, A Christmas Carol. The play is 

running Dec. 19-21 at 8 pm at the 

Canton Players Guild, Tickets are $17. !V 

that he associates the feeling of 

Christmas with holiday movies. 

“As soon as it starts snowing I feel like 

its time to watch a holiday movie,” he said. 

The Christmas Story” best brings 

such a spirit to Ringer. She feels that 

because the story is a timeless tale of a 

child who has a dream, almost anyone 

can relate to it. 

“Everybody has a Christmas wish and 

they try very hard to fulfill it,” Ringer said. 

“It comforts people to know that even 

though its a fantasy it could come true.” 

As for McDonald, the movie that best 

puts him in that holiday mood combines 

the traditional Christmas themes and 

classic premises that are seen in other 

popular holiday films. 

“I’d have to go with Charlie Brown, 

it’s the best classic,” he said. !V

December / January 

19 

*Although we can not promise publication, let us know about your cultural 

event! E-mail us at vv1nc@northcanton.sparcc.org 

18 19 20 

21 

22 

Hoobastank, 

Linkin Park, 

P.O.D., Story of 

the Year at the 

CSU 

Convocation 

Center 

20 

CHRISTMAS 

BREAK begins 

Calendar Girls, 

House of Sand 

and Fog, Mona 

Lisa Smile out 

in theaters 

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

Trans-Siberian 

On video: Alex 

CHRISTMAS 

Orchestra 

& Emma, 

DAY! 

playing at the 

Cheaper by the 

Anything Else, 

CSU 

Dozen, Cold 

Jeepers 

Mountain, The 

Convocation 

Center through 

Creepers 2 

Company, 

Monster, 

the 22nd 

and The 

Paycheck and 

Medallion. 

Peter Pan in Julia Roberts in 

theaters today Mona Lisa Smile 

28 29 30 31 1 2 3 

Dreamkeeper 

Marilyn Manson Celebrate New 

playing on 

at the Agora Year’s Eve at 

Theatre Akron’s First 

ABC 

HAPPY NEW 

On video: The Night 

9 p.m. YEARS!! 

Order, S.W.A.T. 

On DVD: Sex 

and the City: 

Season Five 

4 5 6 7 8 9 

David Bowie and 

Sesame Street Macy Gray 

Bette Midler 

is at the Civic performing 

at Gund Center through together at the 

Arena at tomorrow night CSU 

8 p.m. 

Convocation 

Center 

Hybrid Factor 

at the 

Peabody’s 

David Bowie Down Under 

11 12 

13 14 

15 16 17 

EXAMS EXAMS No School 

Don’t 

forget to 

study for 

exams! 

No School 

Keep 

studying! 

Against Me, Anti- 

Flag, None More 

Black and Rise 

Against all 

playing at Agora 

Theatre tonight 

Chasing Liberty 

and My Baby’s 

Daddy out in 

theaters today 

Sevendust 


Odeon Concert 

Club 

23 

Issue 6 of 

The Viking 

Views out 

today! 

The Santa 

Clause on ABC 

Tuba 

Christmas 


Civic Theater in 

Akron at 12 and 

and 2:30 p.m. 

24 

Mushroomhead 

and Sponge at 

the Peabody’s 

Down Under 

The Icemen 

playing at 

Greentown 

VFW 

Run for Your 

Life at The 

North 

Canton 

Playhouse 

through 

February 7th 

12.19.03 ! The Viking Views !37

SPORTS 

Wrestling down success 

Season starts off 

with great intensity 

BY DANNY SAVAGE Staff Writer 

Running mile after mile while 

wearing four layers of clothes. Not being 

able to eat anything except a salad for 

almost every meal. Practicing for at least 

two and sometimes three hours every 

day. These are just some of the scenarios 

“This past month leading up to 

the season, we’ve had some of 

the best workouts since I’ve 

been in high school.” 

—Kyle Shackle, 11 

that many wrestling teams go through 

day after day throughout their season. 

The Hoover wrestling team is no 

different, as they do all these, and more, 

in order to be great. 

After losing a solid group of seniors 

to graduation, including state champion 

Mike Grogan, the team has rebuilt 

quickly and is ready for another successful 

season. They return with several state 

qualifiers, including seniors Alex 

Ramsey and Matt Wiley. New faces that 

will also help the team include junior 

Kyle Shackle, who transferred back to 

Hoover after a year at Perry, and junior 

Gary Gilbert, who moved to North Canton 

from Iowa. Another new face includes 

assistant coach Jaime Fausnight, 

who has taken over as the team’s head 

technician. 

With all the returnees and newcomers, 

head coach Tom Fausnight is “very 

excited to get started,” as are all of the 

wrestlers. 

According to senior Mike Wright, the 

season looks pretty good. 

“We have a lot of young people, but 

we have a lot of guys returning, so we 

should be pretty strong,” he said. 

The youthfulness of the team has not 

caused a problem, according to 

Fausnight, as the Vikings are starting 

four freshmen. 

“We have an outstanding group of 

freshman,” he said. 

Shackle attributes the outlook of a 

good season to the hard work that the 

wrestlers put in during the summer 

break. 

“Everybody that wasn’t doing another 

sport was in the [wrestling] room at least 

twice a week; wrestling, running and lifting,” 

he said. “This past month leading 

up to the season, we’ve had some of the 

best workouts since I’ve been in high 

school.” 

The wrestlers were 

also on “intense lifting 

programs,” according 

to Fausnight. 

The team started 

the season Dec. 5 and 

6 at the Springfield- 

Holland Tournament 

in Toledo, where they 

were the number one 

seed. According to 

senior Wiley, they 

ended up coming in 

seventh place out of 

about 20 teams. They 

also wrestled against 

Jackson Dec. 11 and 

lost 36-23. Tonight 

and tomorrow, they are 

EMILY KUHN 

hosting the North Canton Holiday Tournament, 

where they hope to build upon 

their success. 

Despite all the success, the team is focused 

on “getting the program in the 

right direction,” according to Wright. 

Fausnight said that this can be accomplished 

if the wrestlers do not get injured. 

“We don’t have a lot of depth, so it’s 

important we keep our kids healthy,” he 

said. 

Other keys to the season include leadership 

and hard work, which the team is 

already fulfilling well. 

“Our senior leadership is very good,” 

Fausnight said. “[Alex] Ramsey, [Mark] 

Rose, Wright, [Cory] Breckenridge, and 

[Matt] Wiley all have contributed to leading 

the team.” 

Wright agreed, adding that juniors 

have helped as well. 

“Kyle [Shackle] has led really well,” 

he said. “He makes sure we get everything 

done.” 

As Shackle alluded to, the team has 

been working hard, but must still “listen 

to the coaches and keep working hard in 

!Senior Alex Ramsey and senior Mike Wright wrestle during 

a recent practice. The wrestling team has high expectations 

for this year and hopes to send several wrestlers to 

state. 

practice every day.” 

According to Wright, if the team 

comes prepared for each match,” they 

will match and better last season’s success. 

They also must stay together as a 

team. 

“Our whole team wants to have a 

good season,” Shackle said. !v 


Hockey hits season strong 

BY CAITLIN SAMPSEL Staff Writer 

The clanking of equipment provides 

a subtle backdrop to an otherwise silent 

atmosphere, as the Hoover Viking 

hockey team prepares for another day of 

practice. One first concludes that this 

overwhelming sense of tranquility may 

be due to the personality of the team, or 

perhaps a long day at school. However, 

according to junior defender Shawn 

Krucek, the reason is, “we’re all just so 

tired.” 

Due to the fact that ice time is limited 

at Center Ice in Jackson, where the team 

both practices and plays its home games, 

a decision was made to meet once per 

week at 5 a.m. While many of the players 

find waking up some time in the 4 

a.m. hour less than enjoyable, most understand 

the importance of these practices. 

“Of course waking up before the 

crack of dawn isn’t fun,” senior captain 

Adam Satow said. “But we know we 

have to improve our skills and learn to 

work as a team.” 

Due to the graduation of several key 

players, including four starters from last 

year, the players are aware that their ability 

to work as a team will determine their 

success this season. 

Senior captain Jimmy McClellan acknowledges 

the importance of teamwork 

and sees the rebuilding of the team as a 

good opportunity to focus on and reach 

new goals. 

“This year we’re really looking to better 

our record and beat some of the really 

competitive teams,” he said. “Were 

especially looking forward to the Jackson 

game.” 

Overall, the team looks strong despite 

what some may consider a rough start. 

The boys first match was in the form of 

hosting a three-day tournament over 

Thanksgiving weekend versus teams 

with some of the most highly acclaimed 

hockey programs in Ohio, including 

Kenston, Toledo Whitmer, and Kent 

Roosevelt. 

“We kind of struggled against Toledo,” 

Satow said. “We’ve obviously still 

got some kinks to work out.” 

However, they recognize that, from 

here on out, the currently three-andthree 

team needs to improve to be 

ready for the playoffs. 

“We played some of the best teams 

we’ll face all season,” Krucek said. “We 

lost to Kent Roosevelt three to one, 

which was as good as a win for us.” 

With some of the most physically 

demanding games of the season already 

behind them, the opportunity for a strong 

overall season seems within the teams 

grasp. The only challenge they face is 

working towards making up for a few 

void spots left by last years grad-uated 

seniors. 

“I think the team’s defense is strong, 

but some players need to step it up this 

year on offense after losing our first line 

from last year,” Krucek said. 

With leadership from the upperclassmen, 

especially the four senior captains, 

and the powerhouse freshman and 

sophomore classes, including standouts 

sophomore keeper Ryan Kovacevich and 

Eli Woodhall amongst others, the team 

will be “comparable to, if not better than 

last year,” Satow said. 

If nothing else, the team is confident 

that they will continue to mature as players 

and improve their record because of 

their hard work and bonding. 

“Team unity’s our greatest strength 

right now,” McClellan said. “We can just 

joke around and have fun.” 

Satow agrees. 

“We play hard as a team and have fun 

as a team,” he said. 

Even if it is at 5 a.m.!v 

!Senior Matt Gates faces off with an opposing player during the Toledo Whitmer game. The 

team lost 6-2, putting their record at 3-3. 

AMANDA CRAWFORD 


Shaking the rafters 

Boys basketball 

packs ‘Win Tunnel’ 

BY MERRITT WOODS Staff Writer 

The boys varsity basketball team 

started the season off with a 79-47 victory 

over the Louisville Leopards Dec. 

6, blowing in “The Win Tunnel’s” eleventh 

win in a row. 

Top scorer, junior Bret Wackerly, 

brought in 17 points for the Vikings, and 

had 12 assists. Wackerly felt that because 

of Hoover’s success last year, the 

“For the first game, I thought 

we played well. I think we can 

do better.” 

—Coach Randy Montgomery 

Upcoming Games 

Fri. Dec. 19 

Sat. Dec. 27 

Tue. Dec. 30 

Fri. Jan. 2 

Fri. Jan. 9 

Sat. Jan. 10 

Fri. Jan. 16 

Sun. Jan. 18 

Fri. Jan. 23 

Sports Updates 

Swimming 


at Boardman 

Timken 

at Canfield 

GlenOak 

Lake 

at Akron East 

Austintown Fitch 

Akron Buchtel 

at Perry 

With a storied tradition, the 

Hoover boys and girls swimming 

teams were always expected 

to do no less than their 

best. And their best is exactly 

what is going to be expected 

of them again this year. 

The swimming season 

began with a win for both 

teams at the McKinley Relays. 

The boy’s team is led by 

the three senior, who are also 

captains: Nick Hoffman, 

Brooks Butts, and David 

Snyder. The junior class is 

very strong for the Vikings, 

with Ankur Posseria and Chaz 

LINDSY WISE 

community expects them to be as good 

this year. 

“As players, I think we stood up to 

[the community’s] expectations, and we 

played very well,” Wackerly said. 

The poor weather conditions played 

a factor in which day the Vikings would 

play their first basketball game. They 

were scheduled to play on Friday, Dec. 

5, but the icy roads made this difficult, 

resulting in the sliding of the game over 

to Saturday. 

Senior co-captain Chris Saltis said 

that despite the weather, the cancellation 

of Friday night’s game, and the fact that 

it was their first game of the season, there 

were a great number of fans. 

“I was impressed with the crowd turnout 

for the first game; however, our performance 

was not a surprise,” Saltis said. 

Coach Randy Montgomery also felt 

that their performance was no surprise. 

“For the first game, I thought we 

played well,” Montgomery said. “I think 

we can do better.” 

Wackerly, on the other hand, was not 

as pleased with the team’s performance. 

“I wasn’t really impressed because I 

knew what we could do and I’ve seen us 

in practice,” Wackerly said. 

Sophomore John Bertsch feels that 

team unity is very strong this year because 

of the senior’s leadership, which 

heightens their ability to perform well 

on the court. 

Maul, both All-Americans, 

supported by Jon Luke and 

Brian Grady. 

!Left: Freshman Mike Maul swims a leg in 

the breaststroke relay at the McKinley Relays. 

Right: Sophomore Kristen Gibbs focuses 

on her next race. Both the boys and 

girls team came in first for the third consecutive 

year. 

“There is chemistry,” he said. 

Both Saltis and Bertsch feel that the 

team’s weakest aspect is their defense. 

“Defensively we gave up 47 points,” 

Bertsch said. 

Scoring 11 out of the attempted 13 

foul shots, the team is off to a great start 

and hoping to take their 11 consecutive 

wins to 12 in “The Win Tunnel” Dec. 12 

against Youngstown Wilson. !v 

EMILY KUHN 

Junior Chris Daigneault 

thinks that the upperclassmen 

are a huge factor of the 

!Senior Chris Saltis goes up for a layup 

during a recent practice. The boys basketball 

team has started the season 

strong, as their record stands at 1-0. 

team’s success. 

“The upperclassmen give 

a huge impact,” he said. 

“They motivate and encourage 

everyone.” 

The girl’s team isn’t 

short of talent, either. 

Led by nine senior 

girls, the team remains 

strong this year. The 

team is led by captains 

Christen Misanik, 

Brenna Doyle, Amy 

Kovacevich and Liz 

Volpe. Volpe believes all 

the seniors help the 

team. 

“All the seniors work 

together to get the whole

Fastbreak to a steady season 

BY DOMINIC REOLFI Staff Writer 

The tough schedule that the Lady Viking 

basketball team will face this season 

has already caught up with them. 

After defeating Hudson 50-36, the Vikings 

lost their second game to 

Wadsworth, 56-49. 

Getting the win against Hudson was 

very important for the Vikings. Last year, 

as the girls were looking to repeat as 

State Champions, it was Hudson who 

ended their run in the Regional finals. 

Hudson ended up finishing as the state 

runner up. 

“It felt nice to finally beat them, since 

we lost to them last year,” senior Jenny 

Runner said. 

A win is a win, but the Vikings did 

not play as well as they should have, 

according to Runner. 

“We did good, but we still have a lot 

to work on,” she said. 

The team was led in points by senior 

co-captain KellyAnn Staudinger, who 

had 13, and in rebounds by Staudinger, 

who had eight. Senior co-captain 

Natasha Halloway also added ten points. 

This was a very important win for the 

team, according to head coach Paul 

Wackerly. 

“It [winning your first game] can really 

get you in the groove,” Wackerly 

said. 

Unfortunately for the Vikings, the 

groove was a little too deep. They lost 

to the Wadsworth Grizzlies in their second 

game of the season. Even though 

they were down, the Vikings never gave 

up, as they came within two points of 

the Grizzilies at the beginning of the 

fourth quarter. 

The team was plagued by bad lay-ups 

and missed free-throws throughout the 

whole game. But, according to Wackerly, 

the team can learn more from a loss than 

they can from a win. 

“You pay more attention to 

the little things during a loss 

than you would during a 

win,” Wackerly said. 

Junior Sahar Nuissbie 

thought that the team played 

good defense and was seeing 

the court well. Nuissbie 

put the loss into perspective. 

“You just have to take 

games one at a time,” she 

said. “It was only our second 

game of the year, against a 

team that we have never 

played before.” 

Throughout the first two 

games, Staudinger seemed to 

carry the Vikings. Against 

Wadsworth, she again led the 

team with 20 points. 

“The team has been kind 

of shaky, but KellyAnn has 

really been playing well,” 

Wackerly said. 

But don’t be mistaken; the 

team is really playing as one. 

“We are very close,” Runner said. 

“No one is selfish.” 

The Lady Vikings started the season 

off a little slow, but now are ready to get 

down to business and back into the 

groove. 

“We are only a couple weeks away 

from playing really well,” Wackerly 

said. !v 

!Head coach Paul Wackerly speaks to the girls basketball 

team during the Wadsworth game. The team lost, and currently 

has a record of 2-2. 

MEGAN TULODZIESKI 

team working hard,” she 

said. 

The team swam almost 

every morning all summer, 

and, from the first day of 

school, have been working 

hard lifting and running at the 

YMCA. Coach Matt Johnsen 

believes hard work is significant. 

Daigneault believes 

that the workouts are good 

for the team. 

“Coach Johnsen really 

pushed us,” he said. “That 

helps us a lot.” 

The Vikings hope all of 

their hard work and talent 

pay off during the upcoming 

season. 

Following the McKinley 

Relays, the Vikings faced 

Boardman Dec. 12, Hudson 

Dec. 13, will face Copley today 

and swim at Cleveland 

State tomorrow. After this 

meet, the team will take time 

to prepare for their meet 

against Firestone, which 

Johnsen thinks will be an extremely 

tough meet for both 

teams. 

“[Firestone] will be the best 

we face this year,” he said. 

–Chris Tomin 

!The members of the boys swim team 

hold up their first place trophies at the 

McKinley Relays. The team came in 

first for the third year in a row. 

LINDSY WISE 


‘Inside’ the soccer season 

Soccer players play 

indoors, stay in 

shape for fall 

BY JEFF WALLICK Staff Writer 

“There is no off season in high school 

sports anymore. The season never really 

ends, especially in the Federal League. 

I’m sorry, deal with it.” 

Sound like a nightmare you’ve had 

before? Well, this is reality for most high 

school athletes in Stark County, 

especially those in the Federal League. 

To outsiders, it may be just a saying, 

but for many athletes in the Federal 

League, hard work has become a way of 

life and has prompted them to adopt a 

never-ending work ethic. 

This is especially true for soccer players 

as the 2003-04 indoor soccer season 

has officially begun and club soccer has 

picked up once again after a brief hiatus 

from play during the regular season for 

school soccer. 

“Soccer is a lot of work, but looking 

back on all of our accomplishments and 

the good times we’ve had, it makes it 

all worthwhile,” senior Evan Cline said. 

Now that the 2003 regular season is 

officially over, many soccer players 

look to improve their skills for next 

year’s regular season with indoor and 

club soccer. 

With leagues in Cleveland, Akron 

Sports Updates 

Game 

Faces 

Leading 

the boys 

soccer team 

in goals and 

assitsts, 

Dane Spitzer 

was a valuable 

asset for 

the teams 

successful season. The team 

finished with a record of 9-8- 

1. 

Spitzer who started most 

games tied with teammate 

and right here in North Canton, soccer 

players, both serious, and those who simply 

play for the love of the game will trade 

in their spikes for indoor shoes to be used 

on the turf surfaces of indoor sports complexes 

all across Northeast Ohio. 

For the fun-loving soccer enthusiast, 

there is an indoor league at the Diamond 

Community Soccer Club, where teams 

such as “Bayside High” and “Peggy’s 

Warriors” compete in a lighter atmosphere. 

Don’t be fooled by the humor, however. 

There is one main goal on each 

player’s mind: win at all costs. 

“We hope to gain winning experience, 

because we don’t plan on losing 

ever again,” senior D.T. Riley said. 

For the soccer enthusiast looking 

to compete at a more serious level, and 

where competition is stressed, there 

is club soccer. 

“Indoor has a lot more action, but 

outdoor takes more teamwork and 

passing,” junior Casey Eck said. “Club 

soccer is played on a higher level with 

better teams.” 

Club soccer is played almost yearround, 

and with more than 100 teams 

competing in Northeast Ohio, there is 

plenty of competition to go around. 

Whether they choose to play club 

or indoor soccer, or even both, one 

thing is for sure; all of the hard work 

that players have and will continue to 

Casey Eck with 9 goals and 

12 assists. 

“It was nice to have that 

kind of impact on the team,” 

Spitzer said. 

As a junior Spitzer is looking 

forward to improving next 

season and is training in the 

off season by playing club 

soccer. 

“Next year we should do 

better, its going to be basically 

the same team,” Spitzer said. 

“It will be easier now that we 

all have been playing together.” 

–Beth Becherer 


It was a 

close score 

and the 

girls needed 

Kendre 

DiPietro to 

do well in 

the Sectional 

Tournament 

With an all time low score of 

90, DiPietro did just that. 

DiPietros commitment to 

the team and her willingness 

to learn has been shown 

throughout the season. It has 

been noticed by coaches and 

team members alike. 

put in will undoubtedly be worthwhile in 

the end. 

“At first it seems overwhelming,” 

Cline said. “But when you start to see it 

all ending your senior year, it really hits 

you how much you’ll miss it.” 

!Senior Harrison Crumrine goes after the 

ball in a recent indoor soccer game. 

Crumrine is a member of Bayside, one of 

several Hoover teams involved in the 

league. 

!v 

With her success in this 

season, DiPietro contributes 

it to both her family and the 

senior girls who helped her 

during the season 

“I have a lot of support 

from my family, especially my 

grandfather,” DiPietro said. 

“[And] the seniors on the team 

really motivated the juniors 

to work hard and go together 

as a team.” 

With this years successful 

golf season completed, placing 

7 th place in states, 

DiPietro looks forward to an 

even better season next year. 

–Amanda Crawford 


‘Z’ Marks the Spot 

Indoor soccer matchups heat up 

All-Ohio honors given to Hoover football players 

Bayside vs. Peggy’s Warriors: 

It’s getting ugly 

Army vs. Navy, Ohio State vs Michigan, 

Yankees vs. Red Sox. 

There’s no doubt that all of those 

games are classic rivalries, but none 

compare to the rivalry that is currently 

taking shape at Hoover: Bayside vs. 

Peggy’s Warriors. 

Both indoor soccer teams have top 

quality athletes and also have a bitter 

hatred for the other. 

Senior Justin Cline, who plays for 

Peggy’s Warriors, describes the rivalry 

as something that has gotten its roots 

from long ago. 

“What most don’t understand is that 

this rivalry is long in existence, even before 

our forefathers. I don’t understand 

the hatred, I just know it’s there–and I 

must hate.” 

Fellow senior teammate, Brett 

Sampson agrees. 

“There is an unparalleled animosity 

between the two teams,” admits 

Sampson, who also claims that Peggy’s 

Warriors is the best soccer team at 

Hoover. 

How does Bayside feel about the 

heated rivalry? 

According to senior D.T. Riley, who 

plays for Bayside, “We could lose the 

rest of our games as long as we beat 

Peggy’s Warriors.” 

Chris Zaluski 

Riley describes the game as becoming 

Ohio State vs. Michigan-esque. in 

nature, with the game becoming so bitter 

that people might have to be sent to 

the hospital afterwards. 

Also, both teams have already made 

their predictions on the score of the 

game. Sampson predicts the score to 

be: Peggy’s Warriors, five; Bayside, 

three; while Riley predicts the loftier 

score of: Bayside, 17; Peggy’s Warriors, 

negative two. 

Only time will tell how these predictions 

turn out, but, according to Bayside 

senior Harrison Crumrine, only one thing 

is for sure. Jan. 17, when both teams 

square off their differences at the Diamond 

Indoor Sports Complex, will be the 

date of “the greatest epic battle of alltime.” 

Award-Mania…again 

Recently, the following Hoover seniors 

received All-Ohio honors for football. 

First Team All-Ohio (offense): Jon 

Andrews 

First Team All-Ohio (offense): Alex 

Ramsey 

First Team All-Ohio (defense): Kyle 

Watts 

Second Team All-Ohio (offense): 

Sam Cerreta 

Ohio “Coach of the Year” Award: 

Coach Don Hertler 

Also, many awards were given out at 

the football banquet, which was held on 

Dec. 7. 

Team MVP – Alex Ramsey 

Best Offensive Skilled – Kyle Watts 

Best Offensive Lineman – Mark Rose 

Best Defensive Lineman – Jon 

Andrews 

Best Linebacker – Tom Santelle 

Best Defensive Back – Chad Coyle 

Most Improved – Sam Cerreta 

Team Player – Chaz Keeney and 

Chris Zaluski 

Scholar Award – Andrew Budgake 

Tim Powell Award- Chris Zaluski 

Bowling is back in action 

Hoover’s boys and girls bowling 

teams started their third season this past 

week against Perry at Park Center 

Lanes. 

Expectations are high this year, said 

senior captain J.C. Heighway. 

“We look good, and I think we have a 

shot at going to states.” 

Heighway and senior teammate Joey 

Milini both share the highest average 

on the team (215), which they hope will 

help their team to beat their opponents 

this year. 

Of these opponents, Heighway said 

that Jackson and Massillon are their two 

biggest rivalries. 

Indoor Track 

Even though their first 

meet is still a month away, 

the girls indoor track season 

is already in full swing. The 

team meets every other day 

after school and practices for 

about an hour. Their season 

begins Jan. 11 with a meet 

at Kent State University. 

According to junior Abby 

Barr, “most teams haven’t 

even started indoor yet.” 

This early start will help 

the girls prepare for both the 

indoor and outdoor season. 

The early start also allows 

the team to do more conditioning 

exercises instead of 

just running. 

“Since it’s so early, we 

mostly just work on strengthening 

our muscles, like lifting, 

and doing sit-ups and 

“We have a very strong 

team and a lot of 

returning lettermen.” 

—Coach Mark Baker 

pushups,” Barr said. 

Head coach Mark Baker 

said the team is doing a lot of 

weight lifting and circuit training. 

He also said that each 

group of team members is on 

their own program. 

“The throwers are doing 

their thing, the sprinters are 

doing their thing and the distance 

runners are doing 

their thing,” he 

said. “The distance 

runners have been 

running since the first 

of December.” 

The season 

should be strong, according 

to Baker, because 

the team only lost two 

seniors from last year. 

“[The season] looks good,” 

he said. “We have a very 

strong team and a lot of returning 

lettermen.” 

Barr agrees, adding that 

the large number of freshman 

runners will also help. 

“We have a lot of talented 

girls coming back from last 

year,” she said. “And there 

are hopefully some freshman 

that will step up and score 

some points.” 

According to senior 

Danielle Berasi, a successful 

indoor season will be a big 

help in preparing for the outdoor 

season. 

“It will have a positive impact 

on our outdoor season,” 

she said. 

–Danny Savage 


Tyler’s Tirade 

Fall futbol finale 

Tyler Allchin 

European soccer season controls European lives 

While most American sporting fans 

are engulfed by the climactic ending 

to the collegiate football season and 

the NFL playoffs that follow, Europe 

and the rest of the world are bracing 

themselves for the conclusion of their 

futbol season. 

The fall and early winter months 

mark the conclusion of many 

European soccer clubs’ seasons. As 

club teams finish their regularly 

scheduled games they are now 

currently moving into league 

championships and the Champions 

League which features the most 

glorified teams from around the globe 

competing for an overall 

championship. 

To Americans, this is little more than 

a blip on the preverbal sports radar 

screen, but for most everyone else, 

soccer is a way of life. When a 

country’s respected team plays in an 

important contest or their World Cup 

team competes, the average day is 

shut down; business for the day stops 

and fans fully concentrate on the 

ensuing battle. 

Players such as scoring leader 

Thierry Henry of Arsenal and 

international superstar David 

Beckham of Real Madrid are revered 

as gods, and their teams followed with 

the same tenacity that only could be 

compared to that of a cult. 

And for good reason. Unlike 

American sports such as basketball, 

where scoring occurs quite frequently 

and seems at times to become 

monotonous, soccer goals have 

extreme significance. Because teams 

may only score once or twice during a 

match, the intensity builds around every 

pass toward goal. Usually packed 

stadiums tremble as their team’s faithful 

scream for the winning goal. 

To the untrained eye, soccer could 

easily be looked at as a bunch of 

players meaninglessly kicking the ball 

back and forth. But, just like any other 

sport, soccer demands significant 

viewing time to understand its’ 

intricacies. Because scoring is often 

difficult, players must use calculated 

passing and keen field vision to 

carefully construct ample scoring 

opportunities. 

Although soccer has been quite 

popular at the prep athletic level for 

some time now, its’ appeal to 


Americans on a recreational or viewing 

level has been minimal until recently 

when it has seen a surge of interest. 

The media and social culture in the 

states is beginning to latch onto what 

the Europeans countries have known 

for some time now. As recently as a 

couple of years, The Fox Sports Network 

is now picking up many if not a majority 

of the European club soccer matches. 

Furthermore, ESPN is now frequently 

giving significant airtime to key club 

matches. It has become a common 

occurrence to see Beckham’s tantalizing 

corner and free kicks on “Sportcenter’s” 

“Top 10.” 

European soccer has also infiltrated 

the ranks of American video game 

consoles. The success of EA Sport’s Fifa 

2004 displays the growing interest in a 

sphere of sports that has not been 

looked into by the general public in the 

United States. With its’ quick game play 

and off-the ball controls the game is 

quickly moving into the almost untouchable 

territory of video game greats 

such as NCAA Football 2004. 

But maybe the most telling sign of 

soccer’s influence is in the country’s 

embracing of the motion picture “Bend 

it Like Beckham.” The movie which 

follows a young girl’s progress in a male 

dominated sport has become a rallying 

cry for young inspiring female athletes. 

Likewise, soccer as an intramural 

sport is gaining popularity; with leagues 

popping up at many indoor and outdoor 

facilities. 

As with most sports, soccer carries 

with it a certain culture. This culture, 

which includes game-announcing terms 

such as “equalizer” and the wearing of 

team embroidered scarves, has just 

begun to creep across our borders. 

Player jerseys have become some what 

of a dress symbol and club soccer 

knowledge is being talked about with 

the same satisfaction as Monday Night 

Football. 

The athletic world is crowded with 

many viewing options and soccer often 

gets the shaft becasue of Americans’ 

negative attitude toward it. 

Take the time to understand and 

appreciate soccer. If after giving it the 

old college try, you still feel it’s still an 

overrated European misnomer, then 

fine. But dont allow America’s sporting 

giants to push a great sport out of your 

enjoyment. 

Game 

Faces 

Viking Views Reader: 

Earlier this year, it was discovered the 

New York Times reporter Jayson Blair 

had been making up, plagiarizing and 

otherwise falsifying his own stories. 

The fiasco resulted in a black-eye for 

one of the world’s most reputable publications, 

as well as the resignation of 

two of the paper’s top editors. 

The Viking Views had a similar situation 

occur last issue, when Game Faces 

writer Brandon Hugg fabricated quotes. 

In an open letter, appearing here in 

an edited form, Hugg apologizes to 

Waltz, the staff and anyone else whom 

he may have let down: 

In the last issue of The Viking Views, 

I wrote about girls soccer player 

Amanda Waltz. Everything you read 

was a lie. I faked the whole story. I 

am writing this column to tell all of 

you about this experience and what I 

learned from it. 

My laziness caused me to do this. I 

sat around making excuses for why it 

wasn’t done instead of actually trying 

to do it. 

I made up the quotes until I could 

get an actual interview. Time rolled 

on, and I figured, since I hadn’t been 

caught yet, there would be no problem 

keeping the quotes. I did get 

caught. 

I lost the trust of everyone on the staff. 

That is something that will be almost 

impossible to get back. 

Lying will get you nowhere, and trust 

is a very hard thing to get back once 

you have lost it. I have learned that 

you have to step up and take responsibility 

for your actions, good or bad. 

I would also like to extend a few personal 

apologies. I would like to say 

I’m sorry to Amanda Waltz. I am sorry 

for all the dishonest behavior that 

went on during this whole ordeal. 

What I did was wrong, and I hope 

you can all forgive me. 

Hugg has been removed from his 

Game Faces writing duties. The rest of 

the staff also extends apologies to 

Waltz for not catching the mistake. 

Waltz’s accomplishments during her 

final soccer season were highly commendable. 

She deserved an accurate 

story. 

–The Editors 

See p. 42 for Game Faces

Issue 5 - North Canton City Schools - sparcc

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