Q - Millard North High School

Millard North High Schoolhoofbeat1010 S. 144th Omaha. NE. 68154 Issue 8 May 10, 2011Not just a joy ride:A drive down ‘Roller Coaster Road’ ends in catastropheelizabethmoranfeatures editorDriving down the roadat around 100 miles per hour,freshman Sarah Kisickiand three friends belted outCarrie Underwood songs inher friend, Glenwood CommunityHigh School juniorAmanda Scott’s, tan-colored1994 Lexus.The path was one far lesstraveled; the infamous NoyesRoad near Malvern, IA whichhas roller coaster-inducingeffects. The huge hills of theroad in the barren countryare often a place for thrillseekersto test their drivingabilities. However, the March14th excursion ended up beingmore than just a joy ride.“We had been drivingaround all night and had alreadygone over Noyes twotimes before it happened.The scariest part was that thedriver played the song “JesusTake the Wheel” right beforewe went over it the thirdtime,” Kisicki said.About half way down thecountry road, another carcame over a hill that none ofthem had previously seen.Scott swerved to avoid a collision,but instead, lost controlof her Lexus and veered offthe side of the road.The car was far off ofits track; it hit a ditch with agreat impact. The Lexus proceededto roll six full times ina cornfield before coming to acomplete stop upside-down.“They thought I wasthrown out of the car becauseI was so muddy and didn’thave my seat belt on, but inreality, I was scrunched witheveryone else inside the car,”Kisicki said.The two passengers in themost critical condition werelife flighted from Malvern,IA to Creighton Universityhospital in downtown Omahawhere they recuperated.Kisicki and one other weretaken by ambulance. Thesustained injuries includeda broken clavicle, a crushedand lacerated spleen andkidney, and a cracked pelvis.Some of her minor injuriesincluded brain hemorrhagingthat subsided aftertwo days and the road rashof cuts and bruises. It tooka full week for her to be releasedfrom the hospital.“When I received thecall from the sheriff, mythoughts were chaotic. Hegave me no details to the extentof the injuries. I didn’tknow if she was dead oralive,” Kisicki’s mother,Christy Moline, said.The emergency roomwas in a state of disarraywith friends and family ofall four victims. It was asight unfamiliar to them.“I woke up for a momentin the ER, and I couldfeel them cutting my clothesoff and fishing out my contactsbecause my eyes were somuddy. It was a rush with somuch going on at once,” Kisickisaid.Family, friends, and MNteachers visited Kisicki in thehospital while she recuperatedto keep her morale highand to help her maintain hergrades.“The community sentflowers and cards. I was thereeveryday in the hospital. Thewhole incident didn’t hit meuntil she was out of the hospitalthough,” Moline said.Other than recoveringphysically and missing school,Kisicki has dealt with puttingthe past behind her.“When I saw the car forthe first time since the accident,I couldn’t believe myeyes. It was too unreal; almostas if it had gone through acar cruncher from a landfill,”Kisicki said.The car accident is a lessonlearned and a story all toofamiliar to teens.“Some teens equate drivinga car to the thrill of aroller coaster at an amusementpark and unfortunatelydon’t understand the dangersof speeding,” school resourceofficer John Martinez said.Speeding is the numberone cause of all car accidents,and can be easily avoided.With summer just around thebend, teens will be out on theroad more than ever.“Every time I get in thecar, I think of the accidentand put on my seat belt. Icatch myself looking over tocheck how fast the driver ofthe car I’m in is going,” Kisickisaid. “Now, I’m moregrateful for my life and wantto do more with it. I probablywon’t speed like the normalteen. I will make sure everyonein the car with me has aseat belt on.”Sneak Peekpage nineCheck out Omaha’sbest fishing spots andtips for successful fishingpage twelveRead about MN’s newesttennis star, seniorStephanie Mannix

May 10. 2011 news 2I’mwritin’solonithyarajagopalannews editor“Justice isdone”His was a face many of us recognized betterthan our own next-door neighbors.A face elevated to a degree of evil in our collectivementality once reserved for dictators likeAdolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, capable of churningunease and triggering painful memories at aglance.He was the face of terrorism.By heading the Sept. 11th, 2001 attacks onNew York and Washington, which took an upwardsof 3,000 lives, Osama bin Laden searedhimself into the very memory of America.And we? We were just first graders, secondgraders, and third graders at the time, while one ofour seemingly endless bright days became darkenedby the destruction of the twin towers.That was the beginning.And nearly one decade later, we witnessedthe end of that beginning. On May 1st, 2011, binLaden was killed in a firefight headed by specialU.S. forces.Justice, in the form of personal retribution tomany, resounded throughout the global community,from Bali to London, Madrid to New YorkCity.But news of his death chimed most stronglyin the U.S., the nation whose core he had once sodeeply shaken.But exactly what it did it mean?With no armistice, truce, or treaty, we had notreached any form of historic closure.By eliminating just one extremist, we had notnecessarily eradicated the global militant operationof al-Qaeda, nor had we ended the fractiousviolence wrought upon the world everyday.We had not filled “the empty seat at the dinnertable”, as acknowledged by President Obamaduring his national address; a sense of closure,or even of retribution, seemed too trivial to beachieved by the death of just one man.So what was achieved?Justice.We did not reach historic closure, but we didreach a historic milestone. At a turbulent time ofglobal uprisings and revolutions, we sent a messageto Yemen, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, and tothe rest of the world, that hope still thrives. Andwe sent a message to terrorism—in the words ofObama, that we “will never tolerate our securitybeing threatened.”Though it would be naïve to think that theend of bin Laden marked the end of al-Qaeda,we certainly did achieve a valuable moral victoryagainst the terrorist organization. Bin Laden wasjust one man, but he was one man largely responsiblefor thousands of deaths. Additionally, wewere able to mark the end of the beginning—asymbolic victory at best, but a valuable one nonethelessthat brought us a little closer to being ableto look back on Sept. 11th with slightly less pain.Finally, though little but time will be able tofill empty voids at dinner tables and in hearts, weare now able to move forward and look to the future.Reeling from the devastating losses of theinitial Sept. 11th attacks, many Americans felt theneed for some form of closure or retribution formany years. But the death of bin Laden broughtwith it a surprising realization—that justice, anidea more noble than revenge, had been captured.From the iconic images of President GeorgeW. Bush standing at the site of Ground Zero,pledging to achieve justice no matter how long ittook, nearly a decade later, we have witnessed thedeclaration of a new era.That finally, “justice has been done.”ACROSSTHESTATESInternational National LocalMourns and calls for revengewere voiced at the funeralof Libyan leader MuammarGaddafi’s son. Saif al-Arab, 29,along with three of Gaddafi’sgrandchildren who were killedduring a NATO airstrike inGaddafi’s compound.Colorado StateColoradoHonestly, Nebraska’s awesome, butnot really. My goal since 7th grade hasbeen to leave NE and now I’m lookingforward to Ft. Collins.Mike Davidson“Before venturing to thefar corners of the U.S.,seniors share their enthusiasmsand apprehensionsabout traveling totheir colleges.On April 29th, the U.S. Courtof Appeals in Washingtonoverturned an earlier suspensionof federal funds for stem cellresearch. The controversial 2-1ruling marked a “significantvictory” for President Obama,according to correspondents.Located off 192nd and WestDodge Road, LawrenceYoungman Lake is nowOmaha’s newest recreationarea. The park includes alake, children’s playground,a natural amphitheater, andvast outdoor recreation space.Infographic by Nithya RajagopalanValues of volunteeringStudents bond while cleaning up communityelisha-kimdesmanglesfocus editor“University of Nebraska at LincolnNebraskaUNL’s not expensive, I get to stay closeto my family, and I definitely wouldn’tsay that Nebraska is a bad place to stayfor a few more years.”Ben LorenzenTheir tennis shoes soakedin the muddy soccer field ofWalnut Grove Park. With selflesssmiles, the volunteerscleaned up Millard Avenue. OnApril 22th, 85 students fromMN, Millard West, and HorizonHigh School came togetherto help their community. Forsome, the Walnut Grove ParkCleanup project was a field trip.For the students that participated,it meant so much more.“We were helping the environmentin a constructivemanner with our friends anddeveloping our [DevelopmentalAssets],” junior James Albrightsaid.The MN Assets team sponsoredthe service project withthe hopes of giving students achance to participate in a cooperativeserving experience.Students had the ability to learnabout the importance of youthinvolvement in the communityas well.“[This trip] taught us aboutyouth empowerment and communitywhile learning about ourpeers,” sophomore Kenae Merrittsaid.In addition to learningabout how they can help takecare of the community, the participantslearned about themselvesas well.“Service to others givespeople a chance to look outsideof themselves. They get to opentheir eyes to the needs of othersand the needs of the community.Service opportunities help studentsto become [well] roundedcitizens,” MN Assets coordinatorLeslie Irwin said.Activities that studentscompleted while on the trip includedcleaning trash on MillardAvenue and piling up branchesat Walnut Grove Park.“Being outdoors, gettingour shoes wet, collecting trash,we [were] making the world abetter place, making the Earthhappy,” junior Katy Mattes said.Along with making theEarth happy, participants hadthe opportunity to bond withthe students from other schools.Through games such as freezetag and other bonding activities,new friendships were madewhile helping the community.“My favorite part wasmeeting new people. We madeArticles of trash and plastic bags in hand, seniors Rina Morrisand Avery Meador clean up the Walnut Grove Park and MillardAvenue. A total of approximately 50 to 60 bags were collected bythe students.Photo by Alex Rizathree different groups for onegame and I had to learn allthe kids’ names,” junior JohnBirkentall said.The clean-up experiencewas a day that changed the students’outlook towards coomunity.“Picking up trash andcleaning up the park made mefeel good because I know I’mhelping other people,” freshmanAshley Cox said.With the combination ofUniversity of MinnesotaMinnesotaI’m going to be in the Honors Programand it’s a really great college.I’m not looking forward to the coldweather, but at least the universityhas tunnels between buildings.Nick Lambert” ”““Emory UniversityGeorgiaI’m really excited to getrid of my winter coatand wear lots of sundresses [in Georgia].Most of all, I’m ready toget my tan on inAtlanta.ddHelen Wu”making new friends and makingtheir city a cleaner place,MN Assets supervisor MatthewWood sees even more benefitsfor students doing communityservice projects.“Getting teens out into thecommunity changes folks’ perceptionof what students do.By cleaning up our neighborhoodcommunity, members geta small taste of all the greatthings students do in Millard,”Wood said.

May 10. 2011 news 3MNScienceHealthHuman InterestThe Hoofbeat newspaper wonthe State Journalism Class A1Sweepstakes with 27 total points,Millard South got second place with18 total points, and Westside gotthird place with 16 total points. Thestudents will compete for individualawards on May 9th.In successfully developing anew kind of cloaking materialthat can render objectsunseeable in the terahertzrange, Northwestern Universityis one step closer to creatingthe first Harry Potter inspiredinvisibility cloak in visible light.After being named the “fattestcity in America” by Men’s Fitnessmagazine, Miami has turnedits indignation to motivation.The city has invested tens ofthousands of dollars in the pastfew months to build gyms andparks, in efforts to shape up.Touting a “new standard ofexcellence in the bathroom”,kitchen and bath company Kohlerhas released their new, state-ofthe-art,$6390 toilet—completewith motion-activated lid andseat, deodorizer, foot warmer,music, and remote control.Migrating from MN: Some ready, some reminiscentAndy Fidler“Some people thinkI’ve been retiredsince I started teaching,but I really havebeen working. [OnceI retire], I am goingto get caught up onreading my books; it’stoo bad, I won’t havethe opportunity to usethem in class!”Ilene Kelly“I’ve been teachingfor 39 years, 27of which have beenat MN, so I’m definitelya bit sad tobe leaving. [But I]also look forward tothe future, as I amgoing to get a jobas a hospice at theMethodist Hospital;it will mean a lot tome.____”Linda Ferguson“I’ve taught inIllinois, Iowa, andNebraska for over 20years, [10 at MN]. [Ilook forward to] traveling,driving around,reading, playing withmy grandchildren,and doing everythingI’ve been putting offfor many years.”MN’s veteran staffreach for retirementnickbeaulieustaff writerWhen the final bell of theschool year rings on June 1st,MN won’t be the same.From the opening of MNin 1978 to now, there are onlythree staff members remainingwho have been here throughall 33 years. At the end of thisyear, MN will say farewell tocounseling department headVince Lenz, math teacher DougThomas and industrial technologyteacher Bob Trauernicht,as they retire from a school thatwill not soon forget them.Starting in 1978, MN beganas just a 9th and 10th grade highschool. But as the years passed,MN has evolved into a topranked high school in Nebraskaand even the United States.“It’s been a real privilegeto be a part of that growth andachievement, but it took a wholeteam to do it,” Lenz said.Lenz has been a counselorthrough the years, and his humbledemeanor will not soon beforgotten.“His shoes will never befilled; he is irreplaceable. We’veall taken away pieces of his personalityand hopefully, we cankeep that alive so he still has apresence here,” counselor JodiTherkelsen said.Lenz has brought much experienceto MN from his educationat Notre Dame to time spentas an employee of Boys Town.“The genuineness hebrings to the office and his 30plus years of expertise will bemissed,” Therkelsen said.Having a counseling role inthe lives of students, Lenz hashad many fulfilling experienceswhile at MN.“It’s great whenever wehave former students come backand express gratitude. It’s gratifyingwhen people say they willmiss you,” Lenz said.Along with Lenz, MN willsay farewell to Thomas. Thomashas given much towards theschool by teaching his mathcourses, to his past role as Assistantto the Athletic Director.“I got the opportunity tomeet a lot of great people and Ikeep in touch with students still.It’s fun having a connection toso many people in the community,”Thomas said.Thomas has taught everythingfrom Consumer Math toPrecalculus and has been an activefigure throughout the mathdepartment over the years.“Technology has changed[and] he’s rolled with changes;seeing his willingness to changehas helped other people change.You can teach an old dog newtricks,” Math Department HeadMaureen Preble said.Thomas has been in Millardfor his entire teaching careerand has experienced opportunities,such as teaching inAustralia, that might not havebeen possible otherwise.“My career in education allowedme to travel to places inthe world I might hot have otherwise,”Thomas said.Along with Lenz andThomas, Trauernicht has beenat MN through it all. Trauernichthas been in the district longerthan any other MN teacher,starting at Millard High Schoolin 1972. Known fondly as “Mr.T”, he is distinguished for hisinsight in industrial technology.“He knows about what isneeded in the industry and preparesus for careers in the field.He cares about all of his students,”junior Greg Decker said.These educators’ proficiencyand expertise has impactedthe school far more than theywould admit. As Lenz, Thomasand Trauernicht depart from theschool, they will still always remaina part of MN.Jelkinmoves upin MillardAt the end of this year,there will no longer be a Yankeethemed, white Ford Mustangfound in the staff parking lot.After five years as an administrator,Bill Jelkin is leaving MN.But he won’t be far, as Jelkin isbecoming the Millard DistrictHead of Pupil Services.Jelkin will manage everythingfrom discipline within thedistrict to student transfers.After being an administratorfor seven years, Jelkin willno longer work directly withstudents and teachers.“I’ll miss the vibrancy ofworking at the school and interactingwith kids. Kids help youstay young, and you learn whattheir interests are,” Jelkin said.Jelkin did a variety of tasksfor MN including the constructionof the master schedulingsystem and leading meetings forthe counseling department.“He’s very significant andvery positive. His visibility, hisinitiative, and his experiencehave been a great influence onthe staff,” Begley said.The staff will surely missJelkin as he leaves upon thecompletion this year.“As a friend I’ll miss him,although he’s one less Yankee,”Begley said.A look intoLitMagJosh Temple, 12Hannah Remers, 12This year’s LitMag is forty-twopages filled with visual art,photography, poetry, and shortstories, entitled “Marks of theMind” as a continuation of lastyear’s edition. The notes in themargin are an accommodationof work from lots of different MNstudents. The cost is $5.00 andit is available for purchase in thecafeteria during lunch.Kirstin Leas, 12Nhu Ngyuen, 12Cecilia Peterson, 12Jane Round, 11Palwasha Azimi, 12Information compiled by Elizabeth GraffInfographic by James Geiger and Nithya Rajagopalan

May 10. 2011opinions 430252015105Unfair expectations, satirespur sponsor’s resignationAfter April 1st MN 99News was suspendeddue to the sponsor’sresignation. However,the cause of theresignation goes furtherthan satire.4035Staff EditorialA simple gaze of TVlistings or a couple clickson the computer, and oneis immersed in the politicalcomedy of the modernworld. It is easier now tojoin in on what some viewas an American rite.Even the politiciansthemselves join in. However,is it appropriate for ahigh school news programto do the same?Before forming anopinion, it is important topresent the facts pertainingto the situation.TheGas BeatdownHave gas prices affected your summervacation plans?32YesFirst, MN 99 news wasnot cancelled. It was suspendedbecause the sponsor,English teacher SandraDrummond, resigned.However, the incidenton April 1 st did contributeto her resignation. Theincidentinvolvedtwo anchorswhoparodiedRon Burgundyand SarahPalin.No* Based on a survey of fifty people“We have two very different demographics.Some teachers wanta stoic reading of the announcements,while students want entertainment.”Sandra DrummondFormer Broadcast Club SponsorThe parodies, accordingto Drummond, wentbeyond the planned readingof the announcementsin character.Yet, if the news wasnot cancelled, why wouldthe sponsor resign?According to the formersponsor, it has a lot todo with expectations of the18broadcast.“We have two verydifferent demographics.Some teachers wanta stoic reading of the announcements,while studentswant entertainment.However, the broadcast isfor the kids not the teachers,”Drummond said.Regardless, in the futurethe staff should tonedown the political overtones.There is a place andtime for political satire,and news broadcastsshould not be one of them.That is not to say the“No, they helpus learn, butthey’re unnecessary,”Cody Moon, 9“No, summershould be atime forrelaxing,”Tyra deRozairo, 9“No, it’s ourtime off. Aftera long schoolyear, we needa break,”MattMcClane, 12“It depends,some classesit might be,but for others,not,”TamekiaMoore, 10Student ShoutOutDo you think summerhomework is beneficial?“No, mostpeople areworking or onvacation anddon’t havetime.”KatieClaassen, 9broadcast cannot be entertaining,but membersshould keep the integrityof the broadcast in mind.Which should be to informthe students.On the flip side, staffmembers need to understandthat the broadcastis intended for students.Everyone is entitled tohis or her own opinion,but staff members shouldrecognize the function ofthe news and the serviceit provides.This includes understandingthat the broadcastis made by inexperiencedjournalists and, therefore,expectations should be realistic.In the future thebroadcast should be moreprofessional, but staffmembers need to be morerealistic with their expectations.“No, they aretime consumingandstudents willforget to do it.”Sara Atkins,11lizziejohnsonRead it& Weepeditor-in-chiefWhy saywhy?I haven’t always known what I wanted to bewhen I grew up. Trust me, I went through phasewhere I wanted to be a ballerina slash firefighterslash karate kid slash pop star who lived on Pluto—that is until Pluto was demoted, then I settledfor Venus. Then again, I still kind of wish thatcould be my ultimate career choice.The unimaginative adults tried to squeezethe idea out of me by constantly asking, “Whatdo you want to be when you grow up?” insteadof simply letting me decide. That’s why, when Idecided I wanted to be a journalist, I did not tell asoul because I was positive someone was going totalk me out of it.When I came to Millard North and dived intothe journalism department, all I really focused onwere the basics. The “who”, “what”, “when”, and“where”, but I completely sidestepped the mostimportant question: the why? In journalism, it’simpossible to tell a story without it. However,now that I’m finally being forced to leave my oystershell, I’m realizing it’s a question that couldpertain to pretty much anything.We could sit for hours and skim the surfaceof these past four years, reminisce about Fridaynight football games and homework and teachersand sacrifice, but we would be forgetting toask ourselves the most important question: Why?Why did we make the decisions, some of themstupid, some spectacular, that we did? Why wasthis string of events so memorable? Guaranteed,the answer will be different for everyone, but thatdoesn’t make our answers any less valuable.We remember the football games not for theactual game, but for the friends that surroundedus at them, chanting with raw voices. For jumpingthe fence and claiming ownership of the teamwith taped helmets. We remember the homeworkbecause procrastination was our middle name—the four hours spent on Facebook and the onehour we dedicated to doing the actual homework,senioritis at it’s finest. We remember the teachersbecause of the unending help with chemical formulas,grammar conjugations, required readingsand, let’s be honest, food days. We remember thesacrifices, quitting one club to invest our passionin another, turning down our dream university fora campus we could actually afford. We are goingto remember high school not just because of theusual stereotypical events, but for the momentsthat helped to shape our four years—the stress,the sacrifices, the support systems.Whether we’re heading down the interstateto Lincoln or to a different state (to the Universityof Missouri at Columbia, for me), it so importantthat we keep asking ourselves, “Why?” not just toremember, but to move forward, to keep diggingbelow the surface.As Albert Einsten once said, because you alwayssound better when someone famous agreeswith you, “Learn from yesterday, live for today,hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not tostop questioning.”Millard North editor-in-chief. lizziejohnsonfront editor.bridgetvanbeaumontnews editor.nithyarajagopalanopinions editor. lizziejohnsonfocus editor.elisha-kimdesmanglesfeatures editors. elizabethgraffelizabethmoranentertainment editor. bridgetvanbeaumontHOOFBEATHoofbeat staff will publish nine issues of the paper at MillardNorth High School. Type is set with the use of Macintoshcomputers. Printing is done by White Wolf Printing, Sheldorr,IA. Hoofbeat is a member of the Nebraska High School PressAssociation and National High School Press Association.Hoofbeat exists for the express purpose of student informationand learning. Advertising will be sold at $7 per column inchor by special quarter, half, or full page rates. Information canbe obtained by calling 715-1404. All uncredited editorialsexpress the view of the Hoofbeat staff. All columns expressthe subjective opinions of the writer.sports editor.illustrator.photographers.staff writers.emilyseymourkellybasterinpolitokellybastnickbeaulieuad manager.advisor.principal.justindeffenbacherjamesgeigerbrentgriffithselizabethgrothpeacekanu-asiegbukaylalakejennireillycaseywaughnnataliewheelererinpolitosarahcushmanbrianbegley

May 10. 2011 opinions 5Dear Mr. President,Editorial Cartoon by Kelly BastA little on thebright sidejamesgeigerstaff writerThomas Edison didn’tknow what he was getting into.His revolutionary invention, thelight bulb, brought homes, business,and whole cities out fromthe darkness of night – allowingpeople to throw out their nowarchaic oil lamps and candles.Eventually, the light bulb wouldallow people to drive at night ononce-dark roads and, in a moremodern respect, stay awakewatching late-night television.Our extensive use of artificiallighting has never beenquestionedor thoughtabout twice,simply beingpassed off asan everydaynormalityand habit—but at whatcost?Lightpollution isoften passedoff as insignificant or unimportantin comparison to the otherforms of pollution cities face,but contrary to popular belief,light pollution is a seriousproblem that is easy to fix. Theexcessive light given off by artificiallight can do some majordamage to both animals in theregion and humans living in thecity.According to NationalGeographic Magazine, lightpollution is any nighttime artificiallight that shines where itisn’t needed. This unnecessarylight is then reflected downwardby cloud cover, a phenomenonknown as sky glow. Not onlydoes this sky glow account forthe lack of visible stars at nighttime,but it also can be a culpritwhen it comes to the disruptionof the Circadian Rhythm, whichregulates sleep/wake cycles.When this cycle is disrupted,the effects can be devastating.The most frequentlyexperienced disruption to thecircadian rhythm is jet lag,caused by moving between timezones while flying; but recentstudies show that an increase innighttime sky glow can also disruptthis cycle on a more regularbasis than jet lag. According tothe Society for Neuroscience, aregular disruption in circadianrhythms can cause weight gain,impulsive actions, slower thinking,along with reduced performancein school and at work.While many factors go intosleep schedules, artificial lightlate at night is a major contributor,and simple steps canbe done in order to limit the“Light pollution is oftenpassed off as insignificant orunimportant in comparison tothe other forms of pollutioncities face, but contrary topopular belief, light pollutionis a serious problem that iseasy to fix.”amount of artificial light.According to NationalGeographic Magazine, the currentdesign of streetlights is inefficient—oftenwasting 60% ofit’s potential light to the nightsky. Simple designs have beensuggested to improve efficiencyof nighttime lights, includingreflectors that direct light downwardswhere it’s needed most.Implementing these designswouldn’t cost much, but wouldhave a lasting impact on theproblem.Easily fixed issues, includinglight pollution, shouldn’t beignored due to apathy towardsthe problem. After all, whenEdison had an issue to fix, heset out to be successful evenafter he tried and failed. Withthe easy solutions to light pollutionthat are avaliable, there isno excuse to ignore the problemany longer.F a s tFacts:Light pollutionis moreprominateinlarge cities.Inefficientlights canw a s t e60% oflight tothe nightsky.On average,200-300 starscan beseen fromsuburbs,comparedto 2,500in morerural areas.Sky glowcan disorientboth animalsandhumans,disruptingthecircadianrhythm.More efficientlights andreflectorsare simpleandlong termways tosolve theproblem.‘You’re fired’to to suffer the same fate. Hecan’t simply declare bankruptcypeaceon the US economy and expectkanu-asiegbu to build it back up.staff writerAside from his financialwoes, Trump is also sorely lackingin his ability to pick hisbattles wisely. A president issupposed to have a “way withwords” but Trump is notorious“I’ve always been the victorand you need these kindof people in the government.”Donald Trump uttered thesefighting words at the 2011Tea Party Convention.Trump, best known asa billionaire business moguland for his reality show,“The Apprentice”, has engagedin talks as a prospectivecandidate for the 2012election year.Despite his talks, DonaldTrump doesn’t have theskill level, qualifications, nordoes he meet the criteria fitfor the presidency.Trump, a self-made tycoon,has an uncanny businessbackground. His businessestake him all over the world,so he has been left with someinsight on how to deal with economicsand the art of makingmoney.However, Trump has had todeclare bankruptcy four timesin the past 20 years only to bebailed out by big banks, familymembers etc.Though, it is admirable thathis businesses have survivedbankruptcy. The US can’t afford“One must exhibit characteristicsof strong familyvalues worth of emulation.Trump happens to be on histhird wife with five childrenfrom his marriages. A presidentcan’t simply “divorce”the country if minor infractionsarise. He must fight tokeep the peace.”Photo enforced finesbridgetvan beaumontfront page editorShocked and thoroughlyconfused, Plattsmouth residentJohn Blotzer received a ticketfrom an Iowa red light camera(RLC) in the mail. He went topolice when he realized the carin the photo was not his own.Only after visiting the CouncilBluffs Assistant AttorneyAfter was the error corrected.Blotzer’s case is just one ofmany confirming that RLCshave several errors and areoverall an unreliable ticketingdevice.RLCs do just as theysay. They photograph a car,focusing on its license plate,in order to collect evidenceof the vehicle actually runninga red light. Then thephoto, along with a ticket is sentto the owner of the vehicle. Theowner is then able to watch thevideo of the incident on theirhome computer for further review.While this sounds simpleenough, the system can easilybe flawed, such as in the exampleof the falsely accusedCouncil Bluffs man. Blotzer’scase of mistaken identity is notunusual. At least once a monththe red light cameras in Iowahave issues with duplicate licenseplates from Nebraska. Inaddition, the photos have otherfor starting “a war of words.”He recently accused PresidentObama of “conning” theUS. He claimed that Obamawasn’t an actual citizen. Heeven launched his own full-oninvestigaton to look into thesituation. Trump kept attackingObama until he finally firedback by releasing copies of hisbirth certificate to the public.Lastly, as president, onemust exhibit characteristics ofstrong family values worthy ofinaccuracies such as not havinga traffic light visible in the photoevidence and having a yellowlight illuminated instead of red.According to Red LightCamera List.com there are a totalof eight cameras in CouncilBluffs. Their placement rangesamongst stoplights from 6th to35th street, and anywhere fromWest Broadway to Willow Avenue.While the RLCs may seemlike decent way to collect revenuefor to the city’s generalfunds, the money earned from“While the RLCs mayseem like a decent wayto collect revenue for thecity’s general funds, themoney earned from thetickets is divided throughoutthe state government.”the tickets is divided throughoutthe state government. Cashfrom one ticket makes its way tothe city, county and state courts,in addition to being used as a feefor anything from law enforcementto document holding.Overall the typical trafficticket is split between 14 differentgovernment departmentsaccording to National MotoristAssociation, not creating a noticeableor profitable income.Along with the ticket moneybeing split into practicallynothing by the government,emulation. Trump happens to beon his third wife with five childrenfrom his marriages. A presidentcan’t simply “divorce”the country if minor infractionsarise. He must fight to keep thepeace, a standard that the countryruns on.Moreover, Trump’s motivesfor the presidency arequestionable. He“trumped up” noiseabout running forpresident during the2000 elections withSenator John McCainand former presidentGoerge Bush. Manybelieve that this timearound, Trump has thesame motives. Onlythis time around, it’sjust a ploy to gainpopularity for his T.V.show.Besides, if Trumpruns, he will prove to be a nuisianceto the Republican party.If Trump were to get the bid, theRepublican party can expect tobe the “butt” of many politicaljokes.There is no question thatTrump is not qualified for thepresidential seat. If Trump doesget the presidential bid, it wouldbe wise for the US citizensto think long and hard beforesomeone tells Obama, “DearMr. President, “You’re Fired.”the camera itself must be paidoff. In Iowa $45 from a single$65 ticket go back to the cameracompany. According to ErinMahoney at Emunds.com RLCscost around $100,000 for eachlocation. That means it wouldtake well over 2,000 tickets topay for just one RLC.Likewise, another fault inthe camera system is human determinationand ingenuity. Withlogic anyone can avoid a RLCby simply using a website suchas RedLightList.com whichgives the locations of all of redlight cameras in any city.While the wholepoint of these camerasis to decrease the numberof accidents and redlight running, severalstudies have revealedRLC’s having the exactopposite effect. Asstated in a study done bythe Virginia TransportationResearch Councilrear-end crashes increased 27%in an entire area of study afterRLCs were installed. If the safetyof drivers is being put at riskin fear of being ticketed, thenclearly the cameras are ineffective.The idea of the RLC givesthe impression a device usedby utopian government—usingtechnology to collect moneythough putting minimal effortinto it. Although red light camerasare an innovative idea theyare a reminder to all: buyer barware.

May 10. 2011 focus 6 May 10. 2011 focus 7Photo Illustration designed by James GeigerGoing for the greensMN students craft their own vegetarian lifestylesnithyarajagopalannews editorSavory chicken nuggets orbulky burgers don’t appeal tothem; alluring scoops of spaghettiand meatballs, and eveninfamously irresistible slices ofpepperoni pizza do not quenchtheir appetite.In fact, the closest a selectgroup of MN students, generallylabeled as vegetarians, get toeating meat is in animal crackersand Goldfish snacks.Vegetarianism encouragesthe consumption of plant-basedfoods, including fruits and vegetables,with the option of animal-basedproducts (dairy, egg,gelatin, rennet, etc.). However,it also characteristically encompassesthe practice of abstainingfrom meat products—a conceptthat would incite cringes frommost in today’s omnivorous society.“I really didn’t think I wasgoing to be a vegetarian until Iwas ten years old and accidentallyate an animal that I onceknew,” junior Taylor Seymoresaid.Seymore was sharply joltedinto the vegetarian lifestyleafter unknowingly ingesting heruncle’s cow. She would havenever previously anticipatedembracing a meat free lifestyle,yet seven years and many of herfavorite peas and corn kernelslater, Seymore stands as a proudvegetarian.“Personally, it was that [incident]that changed my mind,but if done correctly, I thinkvegetarianism can also be a reallyhealthy choice,” Seymoresaid.Lower levels and risks ofcholesterol, blood pressure,heart disease, and diabetes arejust a few of the health perksthat Seymore enjoys. Yet healthAt first, I started craving meat [and] Ialso get made fun of a lot. It sometimesis difficult to find vegetarian choices, butI’ve gotten used to it.Vaibhav ViswanathanSophomorebenefits are not a given for allof those who embark on a meatlesspath.“A lot of people just usevegetarianism as an excuse toeat junk food as their [whole]diet. [A vegetarian lifestyle] isdefinitely not for everyone,”Seymore said.But even healthy choicesdone right were not solelyenough to propel forth a lifestylechange in others, such asthe case with sophomore VaibhavViswanathan.“I have been a vegetarianfor four years. I thought aboutwhat I was eating and I wantedto take a more nonviolent approachto life encouraged in myreligion,” Viswanathan said.The most difficult phase,the transition from an omnivorousto a herbivorous diet, certainlycame with an array ofadversities for Viswanathan.“At first, I started cravingmeat [and] I also get made funof a lot. It sometimes is difficultto find vegetarian choices,but I’ve gotten used to it,”Viswanathan said.Though vegetarianism requiresa certain level of willpowerand resolve, unlike thecase for Viswanathan, abstainingfrom meat was never an issuefor sophomore NimanshaJain.“Culturally, I have grownup [avoiding] non-vegetarianfood, so following vegetarianism[is] easy,” Jain said.Indeed, religionssuch as Hinduism, Jainism, andBuddhism foster vegetarian ideals,as do several monastic sectsof Christianity. But even despiteher deeply seated religious motivations,challenges still persistfor Jain as she practices vegetarianismin a meat-heavy cultureeveryday.“At restaurants, there is asmaller selection of food itemsI can eat. Sometimes, the vegetarianfood runs out and I can’tfind a replacement. Lastly, Ihave to be careful with any foodthat I eat [to make sure] there isnot meat in it,” Jain said.Though these same challengesexist for junior JessicaThai, there is no question aboutThai’s commitment to her vegetarianlifestyle.“One day when I wasyounger, I went to a PETA rallywith my friend and after watchingthose videos, there wasno way I could ever eat meatagain,” Thai said.Despite the varying motivationsthat fuel MN’s vegetarians,one factor remains contheirlifestyle and the vaststant—their commitment toamount of dedication re-quired.“Vegetarianismdefinitely has its challenges,but I reallywouldn’t want it anyother way,” Thai said.“About five years ago meand a friend decided to bevegetarians. My parentsthought it would just be aphase. There were no realreasons, we were just talkingand decided it. We bothhave been animal rightspeople.”— Ally Shirley, 10Views“I’ve been a vegetariansince I was born. Myparents have been reallyhealth and organic conscience.We always shopat Whole Foods.” — ImaniStation, 12“I guess you could say I’m avegetarian, who sometimeseats chicken. I’ve never eatenany other meat due to religiousbeliefs. Cow is sacred in Hinduism.I was introduced to chickenas a child and have eaten it sincethen. At times it can be difficultto find something to eat when outand about, but you become usedto it.” — Sri Narayanan, 10“I guess you could say I’m avegetarian, who sometimeseats chicken. I’ve never eatenany other meat due to religiousbeliefs, cow is sacred in Hinduism.I was introduced to chickenas a child and have eaten it sincethen. At times it can be difficultto find something to eat when outand about, but you become usedto it.” — Audrey Tompkins, 11“I wouldn’t really considermyself a vegetarianbecause I do eatmeat, but at home weusually stick to just eatingchicken. So I guessI’m a ‘chickentarian.’”— Rohan Khazanchi, 10Some vegans go as faras not wearing clothesmade from animals,such as leather, wool,and cotton.Lacto-ovo vegetariansdo not consumemeat, fish, seafood,and poultry. Howeverthey consume all dairyproducts.Infographic designed by Bridget van BeaumontInformation compiled by Elizabeth Graff and Casey WaughnOvo vegetarians do not consumeanimal by-products excepteggs. Lactovegetarians do notconsume animal by-productsexcept for dairy products.A vegetarian person thatdoes not eat meat, fish, seafood,and poultry. Vegetariansdon’t eat products thatcontain gelatin in them. Thisis because it is made fromanimal’s tissue, bones, andintestines.A pescatarian doesnot eat any animalproducts except forfish.There are five categoriesof vegetarianism: lacto-ovovegetarian, ovo, lacto, pescatarian,and vegan.Vegans do not consumeany animal products.Vegan is the strictestgroup under the vegetarianumbrella.Sources: vegetarian.about.com, veg-world.com, vegetarianvegan.comcaseywaughnstaff writerLife is full of many choices.There are choices of what towear, what activities to fill yourschedule with on a daily basisand what to eat. Many people,six to eight million Americansto be exact, make the choice notto eat meat, better known as becominga vegetarian.There are many reasonsteens, or anyone, may chooseto become vegetarian, includinganimal rights, environment,health, religious restrictions,taste and even lactose intolerance.“I think that teens that becomevegetarians want to bemore aware of their environmentthan other teens. They aremore green,” Alegent HealthCardiac Dietitian Toni Kuehnemansaid.Because they only eatplant-based and natural foodsand no meat, vegetarians aremore likely to not get enoughnutrients, such as protein, calcium,vitamin B-12, zinc, andiron, compared to omnivoresVegetarianism uncoveredWhat to know before eliminating meatand people who don’t restricttheir diets.“[When I meet with a client]I first ask what they eat.I find out if they are gettingenough calories, proteins, fat,vitamins and minerals. Proteinis the main concern,” Kuehnemansaid, “People who do notget enough protein canbecome sick more oftenand not grow to theirmaximum potential.”There are manyways for teens to supplementthe nutrientslost from not eatingmeat other than by takingpills and vitaminsupplements. Barley,whole wheat pasta,brown rice, cereal, high-fibergrains, nuts, seeds, tofu andtempeh are all foods that willhelp to give back nutrients lostfrom not eating meat.Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian,Karisa Jansen suggeststhat vegetarians should eat foodfrom all food groups every dayif possible. If vegetarians keepa healthy balance, negative effectsshould be minimal.“If followed properly,[vegetarianism] doesn’t haveany negative effects,” Jansensaid, “However it can be a veryunhealthy diet if not followedproperly.”Although becoming a vegetarianis somewhat risky, ifone supplements the proper“I think that teens that becomevegetarians want to be more awareof their environment than other teens.They are more green,”Toni KuehnemanAlegent Health Cardiac Dieticiannutrients and is smart about thefoods they do eat, the benefitscan be bountiful.“A lot of times we see they[vegetarians] do get more fiber,whole grains and other nutrientspeople lack because of their diversediet,” Jansen said.By eliminating meat fromyour diet, you will get rid of alarge source of saturated fat andcholesterol which will reducethe risk of many chronic illnessessuch as heart disease, diabetes,high blood pressure, obesityand even many types of cancer.“We [Americans] are biggerthan ever but we’re also themost healthy we’ve ever beenas well,” Jansen said, “Peopleare more health conscious.”A c -cording toWebMD,weight lossis also oftenconnectedwith vegetarianismbecausemeatlessmeals allowpeople toeat larger portions for the samenumber of calories. Vegetariansalso tend to not consumealcohol, tobacco, and caffeine,which are all good ways to helpkeep your weight down.“Vegetarians eat manyfruits and vegetables, which isgood because they’re a greatsource of vitamins and minerals.It is also easier to prepare,less expensive and easier tocook,” Kuehneman said.Although vegetarianismhas been around for thousandsof years, it is easier to be vegetarianand have a meatlesslifestyle now than it has been inthe past. Vegetarians now haveeasy access to soy products, andthere whole product lines, suchas Boca and VegLife products,dedicated to vegetarians. Restaurantsusually have at leastone dish, if not an entire sectionof foods, that is catered to vegetarians.“I wouldn’t say vegetarianismis a fad because it’s beenaround forever. However it iseasier to be a vegetarian nowbecause there are more meatlessproducts and more options,”Jansen said.Even people who are notvegetarians could adopt a fewvegetarian practices. WebMDsuggests that it is a good idea foreveryone to eat a meatless mealat least once a week. If consideringbecoming a vegetarian, itis a good idea to speak to a dietitianor nutritionist in order todevelop an individual meal planthat works for you.

May 10. 2011 features 8AC T T W OTeachers juggle the struggle of two jobsScience teacher Daryl JahnWorks at: Stone Creek Golf Course doing grounds maintenance for the past ten yearsPhysical Education teacher Chip BaheWorks at: Passport Restaurant waiting tables for the past seven yearsI grew up on a farm and was used to working outside all day every day, so this gives me achance to be outside in the summer and work. I also like the landscaping; it gives me a chance tobe creative and build some really cool display areas on the golf course.English teacher Carol Vande KerkhoffWorks at: College World Series selling T-shirts at a hotel wherethe team stays for the last five yearsMost teachers have side jobs, and waiting has been enjoyable forme. It’s a change from teaching and [I get] to see the elegance of finedining. It [also] allows me to work [fewer] days so I can spend time withmy daughters.Carol Vande Kerkhoff displays the shirtsshe sells at the College World Series eachyear. She has met many people whomshe had become close to like Paul fromFresno State at the 2008 CWS.Photo by Elizabeth MoranInformation compiled by Emily SeymourGraphic by Elizabeth MoranIn 2008, I was at the hotel where Fresno State stayed.They were not supposed to be there [but] came to Omaha afterbeating the number 1 team. [They] ended up winning thewhole thing. It was amazing. They were so excited, thrilled,and humble for being there.Spanish teacher Larissa KnudsonWorks at: The Loft at Village Pointe for the past four yearsMy second job is a great change of pace from teaching. Iam able to talk about more frivolous things, such as which shoeyou would wear with an outfit. Also, I am able to talk aboutsomething other than education, which inevitably becomes atopic of conversation with my friends who are also teachers.Lastly, and most importantly, I can feed my fashion addictionwith my teacher’s salary thanks to a fabulous discount.Casey Lundgren poses with his bike in the front of the building.When weather cooperates, he rides his bike to school.Photo by Sarah CushmanSocial Studies teacher Casey LundgrenWorks at: Trek Store selling and servicing bikes for the last year and a halfI don’t work there for the paycheck. I work there because I’m an avidcyclist, and I enjoy being around bikes and people that like bikes. Alsocycling can be very expensive. The discount I get allows me to purchasebikes that I otherwise would not be able to afford.Mr. PilkingtonQ: When did you turn 16?A: 1978Q: What activities were youinvolved in?A: Football, Basketball, andGolfQ: Where did you work?Psychology teacher Mark Pilkingtonwhen he was 16. This is ing in the proshop at SkylineA: My summer job was work-his junior year class photo. Woods Golf Course.Q: Anything funny or embarrassing that happened?A: My family was very close; both of my parentswere educators. My mom actually taught Family andConsumer Science at my high school. I had her as myteacher in foods class, and she almost failed me.Q: Any memories that stand out about the year youwere 16?A: I know that this will date me, but we used tosneak into the drive-in theater in the trunk of mybuddy’s car.

May 10. 2011 features 9Stranger than fictionMN Student turns fantasy into realityA summer hobby to get hooked onGrab Some GearCatch some rays, fish•Look out for rod and reel combopacks to save some money.•Most will come with some starter tackle.•Buy some live bait and gradually build upyour plastics, spinners and crank baits.•Watch for sales and seasonend deals before & afterthe fishing season.Need toKnow InfoInformation compiled by Brent GriffithsIllustration by Kelly BastSenior Shelly Li poses before IB English HL II class. Li is the authorof the science fiction book “The Royal Hunter” which willbe in book stores late 2012. photo by Erin Politonataliewheelerstaff writerWhen first scrutinizing herwork, publishers were unawareof senior Shelly Li’s age. Thestory before them seemed to bethe work of a seasoned writer,not that of a student who regularlypushes her way through thecrowded halls of a high school.In fact, the idea that a MN attendingteenager has storiestranslated into ten languages isdifficult to fathom.Li realized her aptitude forliterature as a result of childhoodangst. She differed academicallyfrom her peers, and beganto curse in class to gain respect.Her fourth grade teacher washorrified with the behavior untilLi learned to express these pentup feelings creatively.“I actually enjoyed writing,”Li said, “and not just forthe shock value. I loved foldingin scenes and dialogue to makea character seem real.”Li quickly expanded onher newfound gift. She beganattending conventions and submittedher science fiction basedshort stories to various publications.In 2008, she finally soldher narrative “Replacement” toNature magazine, which publishedit three months later.“I smiled for so long that Inow have permanent smile linesfrom the joy of seeing my bylinein an international journal,”Li said.However this was just thebeginning. Li has since had herstories published in Daily ScienceFiction, Nature, CosmosOnline, and numerous otherjournals. She has even madeappearances at fantasy writingconventions.Yet while publishers are a-buzz with news of the brilliantnew author, Li herself has told•Practice “setting the hook.”•To fish everyone of age 16 andup must have a fishing license.•Know the limits and rules that applywhen you want to keep your catch.These vary by fish and lake so doublecheck beforehand.Tips and Tricks ofthe TradeDon’t over-do it- you might lose fish.•Use live-baits to start out with, for exampleminnows or worms. For extra ease,put a bobber on your line to indicatewhen the fish bites.•Most fishermen areeager to help.Information from NE Game & Parksfew people her remarkable successstory.“Shelly is very modestabout her gift,” English teacherRhonda Betzold said, “She’scompelled not because of fameor glory, but because she lovesit so much.”Betzold taught Li for twoyears, and was impressed whenLi presented her with a manuscriptfreshman year. The sci-fistyle she excels in was intriguingto her teacher.“Her ability to bring meaningand importance and to createthese worlds where everythingmakes sense is just phenomenal,”Betzold said.Friend Madelaine Hocklearned of Li’s love for writingas a freshman, yet didn’t approachher until two years later.While surprising to Li, the realizationthat her work was appreciatedallowed her to becomeless bashful.“I am blown away by hercreativity,” senior MadelaineHock said, “My admiration onlygrew when I learned how longshe had worked (about a year)to get her first story published.”Currently Li has about 25science fiction young adult storieswritten, one of which, “TheRoyal Hunter”, is going to appearin bookstores in late 2012.The credit of Li’s successpartially goes to her perseverance.She writes thousands ofwords every day to keep thecreative juices flowing and mustimmediately jot down the ideasrunning through her head. Howeverwhat deserves much of theglory is the astounding imaginationand creativity that is pouredinto every word of her work.“Writing a story is likeplaying God,” Li said, “It comeswith a lot of responsibility, butoverall, is very rewarding.”Local Locales:Bennington Lake—Public access is only permittedon the jetty locationa half a mile westof 168th street at theintersection of NE Hwy36 and Newport LandingLawrence YoungmanLake— In ElkhornWalnutInCreek—PapillionTwo Rivers— Bullhead,Bluegill, Carp, ChannelCatfish, Crappie,Grass Pickerel, LargemouthBass, RainbowTrout, Small Mouth Bass.Seven Pits. Trout fishingat Lake #5, youmust buy a daily tag.Lost in the lingo?Fishing GlossaryPlastics— plastic wormswhich can be put on thehook in various ways.Spinner bait— a type offishing lure designed tospin through the water.Crank bait— a commonhard-bodied lure whichusually imitates baitfishor other types of prey.In myownwordselisha-kimdesmanglesMiles ofmemoriesI walked from the airplane terminal to theairport, carry-on and passport in hand. Excitementand anxiety rushed over me as I noticed theplethora of skyscrapers and high rise apartmentbuildings illuminated at nighttime. Being almost100 square meters larger and having 18 timesmore people than in Omaha, the modern societyof Hong Kong was quickly becoming one of myfavorite places I had travelled to. Five minutesafter landing on Hong Kong soil, I already knewthat I was supposed to be there.Not only was I in Hong Kong to become immersedin the culture and tradition of the SoutheastAsian region, but to attend school as a studentfor one week at Ma Cha Duen Hey MemorialCollege. I was going to wear the uniform, takeclasses, make friends, and learn basic Chinese. Iwas now a high school student in Hong Kong.Two days after arriving, it was my first day ofschool at MCDH. The other participants from mychurch and I decided to greet the students as theyarrived at school. Eyes were glued on us whilewhispering and chuckles filled the air. Surelythey were making fun of the oversized uniformsthe school had given us, or the severe jet lag thatclaimed our exhaustion-ridden faces.I am going to admit that despite my optimisticand all-smiles attitude, I was very nervousabout the journey I had just embarked on. Hearingthe kids snickering while walking past us, Ithought twice about whether I would be able tosurvive a week in school with them.The first few days of school, we were able toshare a little about ourselves in the classes. I hadprepared a photo album that I showed to the students.They laughed as I showed them a picture ofme bowling, and the gutter ball that followed. Wehad a lot of the same interests. A passion for Paramoremusic and the Saw movie series brought theability to create bonds of friendship.As I paged through my photos, I found myselfexplaining concepts such as “prom” and“snow blowers,” words as foreign to them asHong Kong was to me.The week went on and they grew more andmore comfortable with me as I did with them. Ibecame used to the never ending comments aboutmy “big, curly hair,” or obnoxiously difficultname. It was almost as if they were as intriguedby me as I was intrigued by them.My newfound friends took me out to authenticChinese meals, where I learned how to usechopsticks and eat memorable delicacies, suchas duck feet and jellyfish. They taught me wordsin Chinese and showed me the best places to goshopping. They invited me to their houses to playNintendo Wii games and Monopoly—just likeOmaha.They wanted to visit the US; I wanted to stayin Hong Kong a little while longer. We chattedabout normal teenage things like college woesand favorite actors. We were on different continents,but there were commonalities between us.As I packed my suitcase on my last day, Icouldn’t stop thinking about how much I didn’twant to leave. There was still so much to see anddo. I thought about the fun times I had with thestudents, explaining what school dances werelike, or describing Omaha’s crazy weather in thewinter. This was the best week of my life, and Ididn’t want it to end.We’re worlds apart, but I still can’t stopthinking about my friends in Hong Kong. Theywere just like me. It took a 7000 mile 16 hourflight for me to realize it. Thank God for the inventionsof Facebook and Skype. After another16 hours, I walked into Eppley Airfield. My journeyhad terminated, but hopefully it will one daybegin again.

May 10. 2011 sports 11BaseballThe number 6, 18-7 Mustangs defeatedPapillion-La Vista 18-8 onMay 2. Seniors Jack Duran andCasey Gillaspie each had 3 RBIsin the game.Girls Track & FieldMN girls placed 4th out of 11teams at the Nebraska WesleyanInvite. They were 3rd out of 10teams at the Omaha South Invite.Boys SoccerMN defeated Fremont 3-1 in theinitial round of Districts. JuniorHunter Gorby scored two goalsand senior Cam Kellner scoredone.SportsBriefsGirls SoccerMN won the initial round ofDistricts at 18-0 against OmahaNorthwest. Twelve playersscored, including four goals fromfreshman Sarah Woelfel.Sophomore goalie Kylynn Moyerhas only allowed six goals thisseason.Boys GolfMN Black placed 1st in the MillardNorth Invitational with ascore of 311. MN won the teamtitle at the ArborLinks tournament.The team consisted of seniorsKarl Kreiser, Jon Kurylo,Scott Sheldon, and Drew Taylor,and junior Mitch Ryan.Girls TennisThe team placed 1st in the Papillion-LaVista Invite. JuniorsKatherine and Elizabeth Ternentplaced 1st in number 2 doubles.Junior Ali Sivinski and sophomoreAllison Johnson placed 1stin number 1 doubles.Boys Track & FieldMN is currently ranked 2nd in the3200 relay with a time of 8:10.41.Junior Cale Korbelik is currentlyranked 5th in the state for 100mwith a time of 10.88.*All of the stats were received as of May 4, 2011.Sucess for soccer:Girls soccer remains first in statekaylalakestaff writerIt was a windy day as theMN girl’s varsity soccer teamplayed their first game againstthe Burke Bulldogs. It had beena tough game of back and forthon the field with no team prevailing.Before the game wentinto overtime, the girls cametogether and encouraged eachother to stay focused. As theywalked back on the field, it feltlike a new game. The overtimewin would come down to penaltykicks. Tension was high asall the girls held hands in anticipation.The Mustangs cheeredwith relief as sophomore goalieKylynn Moyer blocked a potentialgoal for the Bulldogs. Mustangswon with the only penaltykick goal on the scoreboard.Unlike the game againstBurke, the team had many easywins at the start of the season.Their most overpowering winswere against Omaha Benson,11-0, and Omaha South, 10-0.However, the game against theMarian Crusaders would proveto be more difficult, losing 0-1.“We felt like we could beatMarian. But we know that wewill play them in State and beatthem,” junior Bailey Wobigsaid.Their loss was at MetroTournament Final. The Crusaderswon by one goal at the endof the second half, despite theteam being on top a majority ofthe game.“We knew that it wouldHoudesheldt proves to be homerunJunior finally makes team after three yearsjustindeffenbacherstaff writerSitting in the stands as aplayer is hard for many athletes.As your classmates, friends,and peers take the field you areforced to watch from a distance.This very same thing happenedto MN varsity pitcher CodyHoudesheldt for freshman andsophomore year. To reach hisgoal of one day taking the fieldHoudesheldt used determination,the driving force behindall athletes, to reach that goal ofwearing a MN uniform.After being passed over forthe last two years by the baseballteam, Houdesheldt got achance to represent his schoolon the baseball field.During freshman and sophomoreyear Houdesheldt wascut from the baseball programwith similar messages.“Coach told me to work onmy endurance and the health ofmy arm if I wanted to pitch,”Houdesheldt said.After his rejection fromthe team Houdesheldt headedto play for the Millard Sox, asummer league team that helpsbaseball players reach their fullpotential.“Playing for the MillardSox got me to the level I neededThe MN girls varsity soccer cheers as they prepare to take on Omaha Northwest in the first roundof Districts on May 2 at Buell Stadium. This win advanced the girls to play Bellevue East on May 4for the District championship. photo by Erin Politonot affect the season. We wouldplay them again when it actuallymatters,” Wobig said.After the loss against Marianthe team didn’t lose hope forState. They continued to winincluding their victories againstMillard South, 2-0, and LincolnPius X, 3-1.“We know we’re the betterteam. The freshmen thought wewould be demolished [by Marian].On the bus ride we all decidedthat we will win State thisyear,” junior Jaylyn Odermannsaid.In the second game againstOmaha Burke, the Mustangsmanaged to keep the only twopoints on the scoreboard mostof the game. MN unwillinglytied the game after making twoto be at by building up my pitchingability. The team also gaveme a high school experience byplaying teams at the high schoollevel,” Houdesheldt said.After finishing his secondseason with“Cody got in bettershape by spending a lotof his time in the weightroom. This effort reallyshowed in his performance.“Dave CorkVarsity Baseball Coachthe Sox,Houdesheldtbegan to preparefor histhird year ofbaseball tryoutsby puttingcountlesshoursinto his preparation.“Codygot in better shape by conditioninghimself and by spendinga lot of his time in the weightroom. This effort really showedin his performance,” varsitybaseball coach Dave Cork said.After two years of rejectionand cuts, Houdesheldt finallymade the team. Working towardshis goal of wearing a MNbaseball uniform concluded,ending in relief.“I felt relieved becauseof all the time spent preparingto try out, but in the end, Iknew I could reach my goal,”Houdesheldt said.On the team, Houdesheldtwas awarded the opportunity tonot only play for his school, butto pitch for the team, becomingmore confident each time hereached the mound.“Cody has been able tocome in and shut down battersall seasonlong. Everytimehe reachesthemoundhe throwsstrikes,”varsityplayerTim Lanesaid.Notonly has Houdesheldt improvedin his self-confidence, but hispitching has improved greatly.Houdesheldt has earned an ERAof 4.27 with just 19 inningspitched, thus giving the team anadvantage in the final innings ofown goals putting the game intoovertime. In the first three minutesof overtime Burke scored,winning the game.Undeterred by their loss,MN adapted and adjusted theirpractices.“We have improved a greatdeal. We scored a goal today[against Omaha Central] becauseof some of the things wehave practiced and discussed asa team. It was great to experience,”girls varsity coach JohnWalsh said.Despite the two losses, asof press time, and possible Statein their future the team staysstrong. They remain focusedand tighten their bond as ateam. During practices the teamhas emphasized more on penaltykicks. In the games at State,winning could more than likelycome down to scoring penaltykicks.“Practices are more focusedand more high paced.They aren’t as fun anymore, butthey are exciting because Stateis coming up,” Odermann said.They also focus on individualplayers on opposing teams.Each player is assigned an opponentto imitate during practicein order to get the feel ofhow other teams will play. EachMN player takes the initiativeon the team and have positiveoutlooks for State.“I think we can do it, butnot without hard work and effort.We have a good chance,”senior Shannon Courtney said.a game.“Against Westside we hadtrouble shutting down theirbatters and Cody came in andthrew four shutout innings givingus the win,” Cork said.Now as the season comesto an end Houdesheldt is facedwith the decision to pursuebaseball in college.“Cody provides an unconventionalstyle that keeps battersoff balance giving him anopportunity to play in college ifhe keeps working hard,” Corksaid.Determination not onlyplays a role in the lives of players,but in the sport of baseball,providing a game that givesathletes something to work towards.“I like the fact that inbaseball you are always workingtowards another goal,”Houdesheldt said.

May 10. 2011 sports 12Singles senior rises to topTransfer adds new dynamic to teamelizabethgrothstaff writerSenior Stepahnie Mannixgrips the familiar tennis racquetin her hand as she steps out ontothe tennis court. She’s numberone. A threat. A transfer student.Before coming to MN,Mannix attended Lincoln East.Many would worry about howthey would make a name forthemselves in their new school.However Mannix, number onesingles on the girl’s varsity tennisteam, has already done that.However, as is to be expectedwith any transfer student,she was nervous comingto a new school.“I’ve been first every year,but being a transfer student wasnerve-racking for me,” Mannixsaid.Her number one spot onthe tennis team fuels her fire ofcompetition and drives her toplay at the top of her game, alsoearning her a scholarship fromNorthwest Missouri State.Getting a new studenton the team would be nerverackingfor any coach. Mannix,however, surprised girls tenniscoach John Carroll and was thevery player the team needed.“I said ‘Whoa, Baby. Welost a good number one singlesplayer and we gained someonewho is better than what wehad,’” Carroll said.Showcasing her abilities forall to see, Mannix feeds off ofthe energy of the crowd, overall,making her performance better.“I play better when morepeople watch me. I just feel likeI should do well for the team,”MN Athletestalk abouttheir livesoutside ofathleticsWhat is thetrashiesttelevisionshow?If you weretrapped inan emptyroom, howwould youescape?If you werea rapper,what wouldyour namebe?Who is yourcelebritylook-alike?Track & FieldJill McInnis12The SecretLife of theAmericanTeenager—worst showOpen thedoorI wouldn’tbe arapperEmmaRobertsSenior Stephanie Mannix, number one singles for the Mustangs, eyes the tennis ball at an afterschool practice. As of press time, Mannix has won four of her singles matches and one of herdoubles matches. Photo by Erin PolitoMannix said.but after practice all of the girlsHowever, she isn’t above are crazy,” Carroll said.getting nervous.Her fellow teammates“I actually get really nervousagree with the coach’s senties,during my singles matchments.but if I’m winning and doing“Stephanie has taught mewell, I feel really confident. so much, both as a friend andI put pressure on myself and as a player. She’s an incredibleget nervous. But that doesn’t person and has so much to offer.happen very often; it only happensWe joke around saying sheif I’m losing or it’s a close is my mental coach,” junior Alimatch,” Mannix said.Sivinski said.Mannix doesn’t let nerves Mannix doesn’t let her statuskeep her down, though. Shepressure her. She allows her-keeps her attitude positive and self to enjoy her ranking to theher team in check with her personality.fullest.“Just having the title of“Her attitude is always positive.‘one’ is cool. You get the bestUsually with the position competition from all of thewith one singles you become other schools, which makes youthe role model. I have some better and you get to be a rolecrazy girls on my team, and she model for the others on yoursort of calms them down when team,” Mannix said.it’s time to be calm. When it’s Hard work and dedicationtime to practice, we get serious, doesn’t end with the ranking. AVarsity VoicesTrack & FieldKelson McCollum10SkinsSpeeddialChuckNorrisK DizzleI look like amix betweenOprah,NataliePortman, andMatt DamonSoccerHolly Hild09JerseyShoreDig atunnel toChinaH-DiddyNone, I’munique!BaseballAlex Mortensen12Teletubbies—inappropriatesubliminalmessagesI’d take amoment &snap into aTwix thenopen thedoorI am DJMortified.Youtube me.I’ve beentold my absresembleChanningTatumplayer’s ranking and reputationmust be continuously earned, nomatter who they are.“I know I want to do mybest, and I always try my hardest.I never give up, even if I’mlosing. I just want to do well formy team,” Mannix said.Her hard work reaps rewards.Her team members loveher as an addition to the teamdue to both her personality andher physical ability.“I love watching Stephanieplay. She knows the court sowell, and she is a very strongplayer,” Sivinski said.Playing tennis helped Mannixbond with her team andallowed her to rise to her welldeservedfirst rank.“I love my teammates.We’re all really close. I look forwardto practice to see them,”Mannix said.TennisKatherine Ternent11JerseyShoreClimb outthe ventK-SwizzleRebeccaBlackDrinkingtheKool-Aidemilyseymoursports editorPassing parkprejudicesThe enormous screen juts out in front of theslowly dimming Omaha skyline, revealing ecstaticfans trying anything from Bernieing to cheeringto appear on the jumbotron. Advertisementsfrom big name companies line the edges of thestadium. An array of concessions find their newhomes behind the lower section of seating. Signspoint out the upcoming spectacle: the CollegeWorld Series.I was almost skeptical about the constructionof the new baseball stadium.It will be a waste of money. It is too closeto the Qwest Center. The stadium will face thewrong direction. It will just not be Rosenblatt.You name a legitimate concern, and it probably(actually, most likely) crossed my mind one...ortwenty times.Much to my surprise, TD Ameritrade Parktranscended all preconceived notions about thestadium. For the majority of the game, I couldn’tfigure out how much bigger the stadium was thanits predecessor. While it only has about 900 seatsmore than Rosenblatt, TD Ameritrade Park’s atmosphereis so open that it appears more commodious.Along with the more open seating, the varietyof concessions is also impressive. Allergic togluten? TD Ameritrade Park accommodates withthat need with their gluten-free concession stand.While concessions edge the exterior portion ofthe stadium, during the Creighton-Kansas game,which only had roughly 4,000 fans, concessionlines were still extremely long. People waitedfor warm chicken baskets and hot chocolate, butended up missing part of the third inning and theBluejay Idol performance. However, the concessionsare pushed farther back so that the linesdo not extend into the aisles. Concessions wraparound the whole venue, including multiple locationsin the outfield. When the crowds reach tensof thousands, the additional concessions standscould help with crowd control.One of not only my, but a majority of baseballfanatics, concerns was how the stadium wasset up. In the design, the stadium is constructedso that the outfield shows the view of Omaha’sskyline. In theory, this seemed like a certain fail.Instead of the traditional northeast orientation, thebatters will bat toward southeast. Even with thesun slowly descending upon the horizon, this didnot seem to affect the batters. Actually, the stadium’sview of the skyline is much more impressivethan the dull and empty backdrop that couldhave been seen if the orientation was “normal”.All preconceived notions pushed aside frommy experience at the venue, the true test of TDAmeritrade Park will be the College World Series.For a small crowd of only a sixth of the capacity,the stadium appears roomy and open. But oncethe latter weeks of June roll around and every seatis filled with frenzied spectators, yearning to seetheir team take home the championship, the stadiummight not be as appealing.Granted I have yet to actually attend theCollege World Series, so I’ve never witnessed abaseball tournament of that caliber. However, thestadium is more than capable of hosting the grandiosesporting event that once called Rosenblatthome.TD Ameritrade Park was not a waste of money.Its proximity to the Qwest Center means moreis available to do around the stadium than just goto the zoo like before. The stadium orientationmay not be the typical direction, but it works. Itwill not be Rosenblatt, that is true. It is TD AmeritradePark, the new home of the College WorldSeries.