Vol. 88, No.7 • April 2009 • Lakewood High School • 14100 Franklin Blvd. • Lakewood, OH • 44107

Wandering into the Wild

2 The Lakewood Times

Staff

Rebecca McKinsey Editor in ChiefThealexa Becker Design & Focus EditorRachel Kowalski News EditorSarah Jawhari Opinion EditorIsabella Zettler Lakewood Life EditorJacob Ott Sports EditorEvan Graves PhotographerValerie Locke Names MonitorMiranda Mave Art & Photo CoordinatorAdam Mihalski Public Relations & PollsterAndrew O’Connor Advertising & Business ManagerWilson Sackett Exchange EditorFiza Shah Future Book CompilerDanielle Szabo Distribution HeadKaren Ballash Adviser

The Lakewood Times Editorial Board

editor’s Note

Hey, LHS!

I love this time of year. Although I’ve never been a big fan of being cold, over the past nine years, I’ve come to enjoy Cleveland winters because of the promise of spring. As it warms up outside, what are you doing to utilize the nature surround-ing us? This month’s focus explores the nature around Lakewood and what LHS students are doing to take advantage of it.

As you flip through, also take note of the ways in which LHS students are learn-ing through hands-on work, read a faceoff about whether exercise is better inside or outside, learn the truth about caffeine – I couldn’t imagine life without it, but apparently it’s addictive – and check out the spring sports preview. I hope you enjoy this issue, and remember that new members are always welcome.

-Rebecca

LHS students students stroll on the pier at Lake Erie, demonstrating just one way they can take advantage of nature. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member. Cover Design by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor.

3April 2009

ContentsFocus4 – Celebrating local nature

News8 – Sonia Nazario comes to Lakewood9 – Art Students win awards10 – Hands-on Learning

Editorial18 -- Exercise faceoff19 -- Cheers and Jeers20 – Times take on nature Letter to the Editor21 – Make over the mods Benefits of ProgressBook22 – Walk for Mitochondria

Lakewood Life23 – International film festival24 -- Boat Regatta 26 – “An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrists” Review Mousechief27 – “Watchmen” Review “The Last House on the Left” Review28 – “A Piece of Cake” Review29 – Crazy Mullets30 – Caffeine craze31 – Exploring the Adirondacks and Machu Piccu

Sports32 – Spring Sports Preview35 – Sports Under Review Underclassmen Uncovered

Junior Bogdan Yakymchuk under the hood of a car in the Auto Maintenance garage. Photo courtesy of David Wyckoff.

Senior Jenny Farkas stands with her award-winning art in front of JCPenney. Photo courtesy of Amy Sedlak.

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The Lakewood Times4

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Celebrating the great outdoors

It’s that time again. It is time for students to decide whether they would rather do their schoolwork or take advantage of the great weather. In celebration of Earth Day, and the natural recreation with which we find our-selves surrounded, the Times staff has delved

into the ways that Lakewood High Students take advantage (or could take advantage) of the Great Outdoors. Some of these ideas might be new to you, and some may bring back childhood memories, but all are guar-anteed to peel you away from your computer

screens, televisions, cell phones, homework, and whatever else it is that distracts the mod-ern student from having a good time in the sunshine.

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It isn’t necessary to be a professional racer to enjoy the biking experience. Not only do many Lakewood students use bikes as their sole source of transportation, but many also use biking as a recreational opportunity.

Do you ever find yourself yearning to elimi-nate the boredom of an afternoon and replace it with exploration? Do you want to uncover of some of the nicest public beaches and lake views around?

Clifton can seem docile and dull. Riding near the lakefront is peaceful and soothing, and satisfies the need to break the mold of Lakewood’s side streets.

Starting at Lakewood Park and riding down Lake Avenue on the eastbound lane is a smooth ride during non-rush hour periods of the day. Not only are the houses architectural wonders, but the tree-lined avenue adds to the aura of any low-key bike ride.

Taking a quick right on Webb Avenue, then continuing on Lake Avenue takes you through the calm neighborhood of Clifton Park, offering a newly paved road and a quiet route where only the occasional jogger or dog walker will be seen.

Stay on Lake Avenue as you past the Clifton Club, and taking a right turn onto the Clifton Bridge will give you your first spectacular view of Lake Erie. Looking north, you can view the mouth of the Rocky River and The Cleve-land Yachting Club below your tires.

Immediately after leaving the bridge, take a sharp right into a narrow sidewalk that will lead you north to Beach Cliff Boulevard. Take this road north for a while, and you will confront the Cleveland Yacht Club.

Instead of going down the hill to the mari-na below, take a left onto Frasier and continue traveling west. After taking a long, smooth turn for about a quarter of a mile, take a right onto Kensington Oval Road and you will ar-rive at your first lake view destination.

Take in the scenery, then continue your route on Kensington for a short time, and fol-low with a right turn onto Parkside Road. You will arrive at the gorgeous Rocky River Park. Taking time to admire the pier, lake, and many grassy knolls is a great way to soothe your mind and body after an entertaining bike ride.

With appropriate weather and high morale, taking this soothing tour will show you the true beauty around us that often goes un-noticed. So hop off that couch, escape an afternoon of boredom, and take an explora-tion of the world around you.

“I enjoy riding my bike on the bike trails in the Metroparks,” senior Heather Doerschuk said.

Trails can also be created using the streets of Lakewood, beginning with a driveway and ending wherever your legs can peddle. You

can use main roads like Lake, Clifton, and Detroit, as well as side streets to add variety to the bike ride.

“Most of the time I ride for pleasure. It’s really enjoyable to ride in downtown Cleveland,” Doerschuk said. “Biking really goes unnoticed a lot of the time for how much fun it is. It’s a great way to see and experience our city.”

The Cleveland Metroparks offer many routes as well, ranging from novice to expert biking trails. Within the Rocky River Reservation alone there are twelve miles of biking pathways.

Page 4: A dramatic view of the river flow-ing through the Lakewood part of the Metroparks, a spot easily visible from the bike trail or hiking path. Page 5 top: The green-dashed bike trail that winds for 12 miles. Page 5 bottom: The Hilliard bridge impresses viewers on the Metroparks trail. Photos by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor.

Ride that ten-speed outsideA Times rideBy Wilson Sackett, Editorial Board Member

By Wilson Sackett, Editorial Board Member

The Lakewood Times6

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On an average Saturday afternoon, there are a number of activities that could keep a teenager entertained. Many would rank sleep-ing, working, or doing homework at the top of their lists.

Senior Erinn Arbeznik has a different way of spending time: hiking. Almost every day during the summer and on weekends during the school year, she navigates the Cleveland Metroparks.

Arbeznik says the best part about hiking is that there is “No roof,” and that it’s better than being inside.

“It’s so much healthier. You feel so much better than being inside watching a movie for three hours,” she said.

Junior Alex Mezin, another avid hiker, added, “It is nice when you are getting outside instead of sitting at home on a computer.”

Arbeznik and Mezin have hiked all over the Cleveland Metroparks. They prefer to hike

“off-trail” and get lost in the wilderness. Hiking is their go-to-B plan.

“Even if I plan to go inside somewhere, I usually end up hiking,” said Arbeznik, who is naturally an outdoor person. She currently works as a pony camp instructor at Rocky River Stables. One of her favorite trails to hike is the bridle trail behind the stables.

One part of hiking that is very entertaining is the unexpected. Hikers never know where they will end up, or what kind of challenges they will encounter.

Arbeznik reminisces about a hiking trip she took where a tree nearly fell and killed her in a vicious storm.

Mezin recalls a time that he went “snow hiking” and chose to cross the Rocky River on his hands and knees while it was frozen.

There are dangers in hiking, and a hiker needs to be aware of the risks.

“Sometimes we climb places that aren’t safe, or they seem safe, and we get there and they are really not,”Arbeznik said.

She suggests that people planning to hike take precautions and know what they are get-ting into.

I got really bad poison ivy once, so watch out for that,” she said.

She has weighed the pros and cons of hik-ing trails and knows that for her, the trip is worth the danger.

“What’s life without risk?” she asked.One thing that really annoys Arbeznik is a

bored teenager. “Kids complain about living in Lakewood,

about how there is nothing to do, but they are not looking in the right places,” she said. “If you have a little adventure and get up and explore, you might find something worth seeing.”

The work hiking takes is worth the reward, according to Arbeznik. “Ohio is beautiful,” she said. “You just have to find it.”

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE CLEVELAND METROPARKS Looking to combine your love for the outdoors with volunteer hours on your

resume? There are plenty of volunteer opportunities for high school students within the Cleveland Metroparks Program. Applications for multiple positions are ac-cepted anytime. Applications can be found on the Metroparks website.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE ROCKY RIVER NATURE CENTERBreakfast in the Park ProgramEarth Words Nature Shop AssistantGardenerInformation Desk AssistantProgram AssistantNight HikesTrail Manager

SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT NEED VOLUNTEERSYouth Outdoors: Youth Outdoors is a partnership between the Cleveland

Metroparks, 4-H, The Ohio State University extension, and the city of Cleveland. As outings assistants, volunteers chaperon kids involved with the youth outdoors program with activities like hiking, biking, rock climbing, canoeing, backpacking, and camping. This is available to students 18 and older.

Keep Lakewood Beautiful Annual Spring Cleanup: This year’s cleanup day is April 25. Register with friends as a group to clean up your favorite outdoor spot in Lakewood. To register, group members must have an idea of where they would like to clean. Groups can register by contacting KeepLakewoodBeautiful@gmail.com. Free trash and lawn bags can be picked up at Green Smart Gifts on Detroit, or at 9 a.m. the day of the event. This event is for all ages.

Hiking proves a great way to spend free timeBy Rachel Kowalski, News Editor

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The North Coast Nature festival takes place April 24 - 26 in the Rocky River Nature Cen-ter, Rocky River Reservation and North Olm-stead. A hike with the Cleveland Metroparks Photography Club, a digital photography scavenger hunt, several bird-watching hikes, fishing seminars and pond dipping for kids are a few of the many events planned for this year’s Nature Festival. The Nature and Art Show will be exhibited as well throughout the weekend.

There is something about the roar of water. It isn’t the bone-crushing current or the white foam of rolling rapids.

The beauty of the Berea Falls is that in our modern world, these falls cut through the urban jungle and give us something to enjoy.

Downriver from old train bridges, the Berea Falls provide a sight to behold to anyone who is willing to go the length of the valley parkway.

Among the interesting characteristics of the falls are the graffiti and carvings. The names of people from past decades are carved into the ancient rocks. Most of the names are filled in with moss or covered by the ever-changing current of the falls.

If you look at the enormous rocks lining the edges of the river, you’ll see craters and holes, each filled with pools of water. They serve as a reminder that it has taken thousands of years to create the Berea Falls.

The falls provide not only an interesting sight, but also a cool spot in the summer. The gorge provides a cool environment that

stays near or around the water temperature all year. Considering that the falls are part of the Metroparks, recreational activities abound in the area.

Dan, an avid motorcyclist who lives in Parma, has been visiting the falls for many years.

“For about 25 years I’ve stopped here every time I go out and ride,” Dan said.

Dan went on to say that watching and en-joying the falls is very important to him.

For many, the falls are some-thing beautiful and an important sightseeing attraction in the Cleveland area. But visitors must be aware of their impact on the environment.

Like any other part of nature, human impact is prevalent. Only a few hundred feet from the falls are apartments and houses. This collision with the real world only reminds us that we can’t truly escape civilization.

On the paths leading down to

the bottom of the gorge, trash is left behind. Old Hi-C juice boxes, aluminum foil, and broken beer bottles are numerous.

“It’s really upsetting to see all the rubbish,” senior Morgan Bulger said.

The trash does not take away from the whole, however. The falls are still an impres-sive site. Don’t let the assorted Heineken bottles distract you from enjoying the rolling waters of Berea Falls.

Page 6 top: A little-known hiking location at the base of the Lakewood Park Boardwalk. At lake level, it is possible to see not only the Cleveland skyline, but the cliffs of Lakewood’s coastline. Page 6 bottom: The steep rocks one must scale to emerge from the lake-level Lakewood Parks Boardwalk. Photos by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor. Page 7 top: The mouth of the Rocky River, a must-see on any bike ride. Page 7 bottom: Berea Falls, a great destina-tion for biking and hiking. Photos by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.

Join in the festivitiesBy Rachel Kowalski, News Editor

Times staffers venture into Berea FallsBy Jacob Ott, Sports Editor

8 The Lakewood Times

News

Some describe it as the “Odyssey” of the twenty-first century.

The protagonist? No, it’s not the famed Odysseus, but rather

a 17-year-old Honduran boy named Enrique.Instead of battling the Cyclops and dodging

Sirens, he faces brutal gangs and a mechani-cal beast in the form of a freight train. He is returning not from the Trojan War, but from a war against the odds û and against the Im-migration and Naturalization Service.

Enrique is an illegal immigrant, and behind his captivating and representative story stands Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Sonia Nazario.

Nazario visited Lakewood High School’s Tryout Theater on March 26 to share the ex-periences and inspirations that helped develop her book, “Enrique’s Journey,” which sheds light on an issue that continues to dominate news headlines and local conversations. In ad-dition to informing, her presentation inspired empathy and added humanity to the immigra-tion debate.

Facing History and Ourselves, an organiza-tion that sponsors activities that cultivate civic responsibility in hopes of protecting human

dignity and preventing human rights viola-tions, brought Nazario to Lakewood with the help of Social Studies teacher Joe Lobozzo.

In addition to LHS students, attendees from Garfield Middle School, Lincoln West High School, St. Martin de Porres, and Carl W. Shuler High School were present.

Inspired by a conversation with her maid Carmen, Nazario soon began exploring the possibility of taking her own journey. “Some things I just didn’t really get until I rode on the trains,” she recalled.

Nazario made sure, though, that her safety remained a priority, taking several precautions to ensure an experience she would be able to share. One of these was a letter written by the personal assistant to the Mexican president identifying her as a reporter and explaining her objective. “I called it my carta de oro, or golden letter,” Nazario said, adding that the letter kept her out of jail three times.

Although the letter was valuable in protect-ing her from dangerous situations with people, nature’s fury remained unstoppable, Nazario said. During her journeys, she was required to contend with tree trunks that wiped passen-gers off trains, unsteady rails, burning heat,

and freezing cold.Nazario’s experiences served as the basis

for several articles in the Los Angeles Times. These articles developed into the book that gained national attention.

“You have to remember that even though it’s ‘Enrique’s Story,’ that it’s a story common to thousands,” Nazario reminded the audience as she described the horrors of the train ride.

As shocking as these stories were, the sto-ries of happiness and humanity also inspired Nazarios’s audience.

“An old woman in Veracruz that I met would make tortillas and beans to put in bags to be thrown up to the train,” Nazario ex-plained. “It amazed me that there were people who barely had enough to feed themselves, giving food away to complete strangers.”

Nazario emphasized that her website con-tained several links to help create business in South American countries or send prosthetics to a home for victims who had lost limbs to the trains. “It’s amazing how people live their faith there,” Nazario said.

As the theater cleared, the audience was left with a story of faithful individuals, one faith-ful boy, and a faithful reporter.

By Greg Culley, Staff Writer

Pulitzer prize-winning author shares Enrique’s story

Sonia Nazario autographs a copy of her book for senior Amelia Eberlein.

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In the confines of the art room 324, Amy Sedlak’s students created several mas-terpieces entered in two different competi-tions, where they were deemed worthy of both regional and national awards.

This victorious journey for several stu-dents started out with a project assigned by Sedlak for 9th to 12th grade art classes. The underclassmen were instructed to create art by going to the valley and simply drawing nature by observation, while the seniors created self-portraits.

After each project was created, the teach-ers winnowed out the fifteen best. These pieces were then entered into two differ-ent contests: the Ohio Governor’s youth Art Exhibition and the Congressional Art Show. Lakewood High School students won in both of the competitions.

The second competition, titled The Congressional Art Show, is sponsored by Congress. It is open nationally to students from both public and private schools. The winner of this contest will have his or her art piece on display in the capitol building.

This year, senior Jennifer Farkas won from Lakewood High School. She, along with her parents and her art teacher, will be flown to Washington D.C. for the ribbon cutting ceremony on June 24.

The fourth place prize was awarded to senior Danielle Curran. These art works will be displayed in the JCPenny North Court in Parmatown until April 3.

Sophomore Sam Cross, one of the four recipients of the Excellence in Artistic Achievement award, said she was “so happy” to have won the award. Cross was entered into the contest by photography teacher Arline Olear.

“I came into class one day, and [Olear] told me she wanted to enter my picture into a contest,” Cross said.

To her, it just one more in a long list of contests Cross has entered. Her project was a compilation of several photos of her cat in one of her many odd positions.

Cross attended the awards ceremony on March 27, where she received a $10 gift certificate to Borders and a certificate

acknowledging her achievement. Her entire family attend-ed the ceremony as well, along with Olear.

When she saw the other pieces in the art competition, Cross said she was “surprised,” add-ing, “How could mine have won over those?”

She was, none-theless, enthused by the Superior Ribbon that was attached to her certificate. “I mean, I was really surprised when I saw that, because there were so many other art pieces that, I thought, were great,” Cross said.

Cross doesn’t necessarily want to go into photography as a career, but she does “want to do something creative when [she] grow[s] up.”

Curran won fourth place in the same com-petition. She says she was “shocked” when she found out that she had placed fourth. Although she wasn’t able to attend the awards ceremony, she did receive a plaque.

Curran wants to grow up to be a “graphics designer and also a designer of snow boards.” Originally, she drew the piece for the PTA Re-flections contest. However, when Sedlak saw the drawing, she decided it would be better suited to the Scholastics contest. Sedlak later entered the same piece into the Congressional Contest.

For the Ohio Governor’s Art Exhibition, 12,000 art pieces are chosen regionally. Out of these 12,000 students, 2,500 are then chosen from each region for the state level. Only 300 art pieces are entered for the actual exhibition. This year, Duane Kalta and Hannah Christian were chosen as state winners. These students will receive their Certificates of Recognition on April 19 during an awards ceremony at Columbus Ohio.

Congressional art show:Grand Prize: Jennifer Farkas4th place winner: Danielle Curran

artistiC aChievement award:

Hannah ChristianSamantha CrossErin Harvey Maureen MacGregor

ohio governor’s Youth art exhibition:

Regional Winners: Danielle CurranMiranda MartiDuane KaltaHannah ChristianDylan GowerAndrew ElabanAnthony AbdoChelsea Richards

state Winners:Duane KaltaHannah Christian

Student recieves a Congressional medal of artBy Fiza Shah, Editorial Board Member

Hannah Christian’s award winning self-portrait. Picture courtesy of Amy Sedlak.

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Lakewood students are learning by doing

Although pencils, paper, computer screens and calculators most often come to mind with the mention of education, many LHS students are taking advantage of another type of instruction often referred to as hands-on learning. Classes such as

Culinary Arts, Construction Trades, Auto Maintenance, and Horticulture are offering students a chance to put learning hand-in-hand with doing, by allowing students to do real, hands-on work as part of a class. Through these courses, students are prepar-

ing to open a restaurant, working on the construction of the new Lakewood High School, repairing and servicing cars belong-ing to Lakewood residents, and maintaining a professional greenhouse. Read on to see the effect hands-on learning can have.

“Chef Rob” McGorray demonstrates how to use a rolling pin. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.

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With the freshly refinished “new building” featuring brand new classrooms, equipment, and enhancements, students have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

The new culinary area will open with new features. Close to three times its current size, the area will feature a classroom for about 30 students, a large kitchen that is comparable to those in professional restaurants, and a walk-in freezer. It will also feature a restaurant style dining room that is close to 2000 square feet, which will serve student-made food to the public.

With space large enough to teach almost 30 students, the culinary classroom will include new tools to assist with teaching. Not only with it have a Promethean board, but there will also be a new device called a Demonstra-tion Camera. This camera records what the chef does and then plays it back onto a screen, allowing every student to see precisely how a task was performed.

“When teaching students how to prepare something smaller, or something that has more detail, the demonstration camera helps project what I’m doing so everyone doesn’t have to huddle around me,” Culinary Arts Teacher Robert “Chef Rob” McGorray said.

Along with learning in the classroom, students will have the chance to experience firsthand just how cooking in the real world feels in their state-of-the-art kitchen.

“To achieve a kitchen as nice as this one Lakewood High hired an architect to work with a food service company,” McGorray explained.

The kitchen will include numerous stations that are designed to cook different kinds of food, such as a hot food area for food that needs to be fried or sauteed.

“[Marty] Nagele, who has worked so hard on this entire project, worked with the com-pany for months to lay out the kitchen for the new building’s design. The whole culinary area completely simulates a real kitchen and restaurant,” McGorray said.

Along with stations, every inch of the kitchen will be filled with more than a baker’s dozen of cooking gadgets. From blenders to

apple corers, every utensil has been carefully selected after meeting difficult criteria, and is placed strategically where it is needed through-out the kitchen.

“Deciding exactly what to buy was a little daunting. Each item [of equipment] needs to be handled frequently by the student chefs and stay working for a long time,” McGorray said, adding, “but picking out the china [for the restaurant] was the most fun.”

The central principle of a professional chef ’s career is the restaurant and at Lake-wood High this essential element is getting the spotlight for the culinary program, and will the future of learning for culinary students.

“The restaurant will be run by the students and will work just like a real restaurant,” McGorray said. “They will come into class, change into their cooking uniforms [in the changing rooms located in the culinary area], and prepare to cook for their class time.”

About twice as large as the current culinary

showroom, the new restaurant will have many new advantages.

“The restaurant will seat close to 50 people at a time, but if I need to, the walls connecting the classroom and restaurant can be opened and 75 people can be served a buffet service,” McGorray said.

The restaurant will be open a certain number of periods a day. The students will be taking orders, preparing food, making “to-go” meals, serving the customers, and cleaning, just like in a real restaurant.

“I want the students to know how it feels to cook in the real world,” McGorray said. “Students will go on weekly job shifts – for instance, one week a student is taking orders in the restaurant, and the next week a student is preparing the main dishes. Everyone gets a chance to participate in every activity.”

Students will prepare not only orders that teachers can enjoy in the restaurant, but also food that can be taken “to go.”

“There will be a counter with coffee and wrapped food for teachers to grab, buy, and go. Teachers are busy and don’t always have the time to sit and enjoy a meal during their lunch,” McGorray ex-plained. “To-go orders will also be taken, so a teacher can order and pick up their favorite meal.”

“I have been so lucky to have received so much support from the staff and ad-ministration of the school. It’s only been my first year working here, but this plan is really going to make my job more fun and more rewarding, especially for the students,” McGorray said. “All of the credit goes to Mrs. Nagele, Mrs. Thayer, the West Shore Director, and all of the family consumer science teachers. They have all worked so hard on this, and the result is going to be great.”

“Other careers take a while to learn if you’re good at it, but when you find out you love cooking, you just know,” McGorray said. “You’re taking some-thing from a raw state to a finished product, and that’s very rewarding.”

Students get a taste of reality as Lakewood prepares for new restaurantBy Deven Middleton, Staff Writer

Senior Ellen Wyzkowski serves up her culinary creation. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.

Hands-on Learning:

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Some of the students who have gotten to experience the “hands-on” learning of the West Shore program are getting an opportu-nity to participate in Lakewood High School history.

The construction trades program teaches students skills they need to know for remodel-ing and building homes, focusing on electrical and carpentry work. The hands-on work gets students ready for a career in the construction business.

The construction trades program, taught by Mike Dow, has a partnership with the contrac-tors working on the High School remodel-ing and rebuilding programs. Construction students have generally worked on projects in the “D” building of LHS or out in the com-munity. This year, however, students have a chance to participate in this partnership.

The 13 seniors involved in the program are working five days a week, four periods a day, in the area that will be known as the “A” and “B” buildings – the current LHS construction zone. They have been working on projects in the building such as hanging drywall, tile work,

Hands-on Learning:

By Al Rodriguez, Staff Writer

Construction students build

A Lakewood High student measures twice, cuts once as he works on the new building. Photo courtesy of Mike Dow.

A peek at airy glass structures in the soon-to-be unveiled new building. Photo courtesy of Mike Dow.

cabinet installation, installing flooring, and working on the fire/sprinkler systems. Juniors in the program are taught the skills that they can apply on the job, and the current seniors are using these skills to work on this special project.

“Usually, we have the seniors out in the community, building garages,” said Dow, a first-year West Shore teacher, “but this year, they’re getting the chance to work in the build-ing.”

The West Shore career technical program just got involved with the school construction this year. Linda Thayer, the director of the West Shore program, initiated a partnership between the contracting company and the Construction Trades students. The class will continue to work in the buildings for the rest of the 2008-2009 school year, and possibly in the future.

“We’re welcoming opportunities, and we’re hoping that we can help out with the other phases of the construction on the schools,” Dow said.

The phases include the ending of the cur-

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toward the future of LHS

A construction student scales new heights in the construction area. Photo courtsey of Mike Dow.

A view of the new-and-improved atrium. Photo courtesy of Mike Dow.

rent Phase Two, and the beginning of Phase Three, which involves work on the part of LHS known as the “Old Building.”

“All signs lead to us working with them in the future, but our fingers are crossed as of now,” Dow said with a smile.

The “A” and “B” buildings, slated to open in the 2009-2010 school year, are showing significant progress, at least on the outside. According to Dow, the inside is moving forward as well. “It’s looking great,” he said. “Everyone is going to love this building. The technology is outstanding, and it really offers a different look for students.”

Not only is this unique experience helping West Shore students learn more about their selected trade, but it has giving them oppor-tunities to network for the future.

“Jobs have been offered to some of the students, to continue working for the con-tracting company,” Dow said. Senior Kevin Rolli is one of these students.

“I’ve been talking with the drywall contrac-tors about coming back for a summer job,” said Rolli, who plans to attend the University

of Toledo.“It’s a really good way of getting a job,

by working with professionals,” Rolli said. “Overall, it’s a good course and gives a lot of opportunities.”

The construction trades program has been popular in the past, but Dow would like to see a greater number of students take advan-tage of this opportunity.

“We have about 13 to 15 incoming ju-niors,” Dow said, “but we’re always looking for interested students.”

With this stepping-stone in front of them, current and future construction trades students can take advantage of a partnership between professionals and themselves to build a path to their future.

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A small blue car is suspended six feet above the ground in the large garage used by the Auto Maintenance class. Two young men stand beside it, work-ing on the car with a com-fortable familiarity as they conduct what is known as 70,000-mile maintenance.

Without warning, a tire tumbles to the ground.

“Guys, please remem-ber that car has to get me home tonight,” Auto Maintenance teacher Da-vid Wyckoff called across the spacious garage.

“I thought you lived here in the garage,” one of the workers hollered back, barely stifling a laugh.

Another tire falls as they speak.“It doesn’t even have any wheels on it,”

Wyckoff said, exasperated. “Put the wheels back on, and then finish the oil change.”

Retrieving the tires from where they have rolled some yards away, the two continue their work. The car in question belongs to Wyckoff, and the people work-ing on its maintenance are LHS students.

These students are not working with cars every moment. Sometimes they’re in a classroom, learning the intricacies of the work. “There’s a process to fixing a car,” Wyckoff said. “You can’t just pull a wrench out of your toolbox and walk over to a car and know what to do.”

However, the majority of the time these students are in Auto Maintenance is spent in a garage, doing real work on real cars. “We’re not doing anything with a computer screen,” Wyckoff said. “We’re out here with cars that are actually going to be depended on by the owner. There’s a brutal honesty to it. There’s no escaping or hiding from your work.”

Senior Mike Attewell confirms this, saying he chose to take Auto Maintenance because of the hands-on aspect.

Wyckoff says his students are extremely “with it,” adding, “They

By Rebecca McKinsey, Editor in Chief

Hands-on Learning:

Juniors Ayoub Hamidah and Bogdan Yakymchuk work under a car’s hood in the Auto class’s garage. Photo courtesy of David Wyckoff.

Auto students learninghave to be, with the real life of dealing with a glass and steel entity rather than a book or computer reproduction of it.”

The Auto Maintenance teacher isn’t the only one who brings his car in to be worked on. His class members service cars belonging to many Lakewood residents. Most of their customers are LHS faculty, because of trans-portation issues. The students do this work for free, leading Wyckoff to admit his surprise at “how enthusiastically they approach the idea of doing customer service work.”

After working in the service industry for some twenty years, Wyckoff decided to go

into teaching because he “definitely saw a need for training.”

According to him, there is no real source of auto training outside of on-the-job experience – and in the retail business, it’s all about speed. At LHS, “They have the luxury of being able to work at their own speed,” he explained.

Attewell agrees, saying that auto training is difficult to find on the job. “If you want to work on cars, get in an auto class,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re not really going to learn much. They don’t have those kinds of teachers in real-world places. [You won’t find] a teacher who’s actually going to sit down and teach you how to do something.”

The fact that Wyckoff, after working in this field, is now available to train students is valu-able to them. “Wyckoff ’s been in the field for who knows how many years,” Attewell said.

“At some point, I have to let them struggle with it until they succeed.”

April 2009 15

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Senior Caleb tinkers with the tire on David Wyckoff’s car seconds before it falls to the ground. This hands-on approach is typical to the Auto Maintenance class. Photo by Jordan Congeni, Staff Photographer.

by doing a real job

Junior Nicholas works with one of the many cars suspended in the Auto Maintenance garage. Photo courtesy of David Wyckoff.

“He can always relate. If you have any ques-tions, he’s always there to answer them.”

A great deal of waste occurs in the auto consumer area because of untrained car own-ers, according to Wyckoff. Many of the skills his students are learning – brake and exhaust work, taps and dies, metal fabrication, steering and suspension, electrical troubleshooting, and engine work are just a few – lie in areas on which consumers spend the most money. Wyckoff emphasizes that the skills learned in this class are valuable for anyone who has a car. “Even if you don’t go into the trade, you still benefit enormously by gaining experi-ence,” he said.

Although the experience is valuable to anyone, Wyckoff says, the class does prepare students for the field of car service as well. Half of his senior class is currently on job maintenance, including Attewell. The senior contends that the class is no different than real auto work. “[Job placement] is basically the same thing [as the class],” he said.

Many of Wyckoff ’s students plan to go into this type of work when they finish school. “I’m going to Indianapolis in September to go to a tech school, and will hopefully get in the job field after that,” Attewell said.

While some teachers and community members bring their cars in for maintenance, others donate old or broken-down cars to the class. These serve as a valuable tool, accord-ing to Wyckoff. One such vehicle came to the class unable to run. His students fixed it, and now it serves as their “bug car”: “I put bugs in it, and the students find them and fix them,” he explained.

His students have advanced over the past year. Wyckoff says what strikes him most is their skill level. “Not that they’re accom-plished master mechanics, but they have a great amount of analytical ability, and organi-zational skills.”

Attewell says that one of the most impor-tant aspects of the class is the fact that the students are actually doing work, rather than

watching someone else. “You know how to diagnose things by yourself,” he explained. “You don’t have to ask other people.”

Wyckoff says that students not familiar with the Auto Maintenance class might be surprised by what goes on there. “[The students] are doing a real job,” he said. “The people from the academic section might be surprised by the reality.”

He added that new faces, whether they belong to students who want to go into auto trades or those who just want to be able to care for their car, are always welcome. “We are here, and we are open to anybody who has an interest in cars,” he said.

Wyckoff emphasizes that the students learn the most by doing, even when mistakes are made. While he serves as a guide, Wyckoff says the students themselves do the majority of the work.

“Things advance to a point where students have to do it themselves. At some point, I have to let them struggle with it until they succeed,” he said. “Students find it rewarding. They can say, ‘Hey, I did this myself.’”

The Lakewood Times16

news news

Perennials, fertilizer, dioecious, petiole, acualescent – while at first glance, this ter-minology doesn’t seem to jibe with a science class, horticulture has become a popular LHS offering.

This class had a slow start. “It had gone through several teachers, and no one had a genuine interest in really going for it,” science teacher Mark Rathge said.

Change came in the form of a man who gardens 30 fruit trees and 10,000 square feet at home. “I am an avid gardener,” Rathge said. “To me, it’s a hobby interest. I’m teaching what I like to do in my free time.”

This class has given Rathge the opportunity to share his interest in horticulture with stu-dents. Through his class, “Kids get a real idea of what it takes to operate a greenhouse and what’s involved in different plants,” he said.

While the students receive their share of in-class material, ranging from pesticides and plant diseases to a hydroponic unit, they gain plenty of hands-on experience as well in many areas, from pruning and gardening to lawn care and maintenance.

“For the kids that really want to get involved, they get some nice experiences with planting outside, plant identification, care and maintenance of a greenhouse, and a little bit of landscape design and getting to think about what you would put into a landscape,” Rathge said. “There’s a lot of op-portunity for them to see a lot of neat things, get involved, and get hands on [experience].”

The class works to provide products to students and staff at LHS. Sales are held throughout the year – poinsettias at Christ-mas, lilies at Easter, and vegetables and flowers during the spring. Rathge adds that the class has fresh herbs available all year.

A major part of the class, one that Rathge wants to expand, is landscaping. His students are given the opportunity to do some land-scaping work around the school, and this activity has its rewards as

well. “It’s for the benefit of your school and the pride that you get,” he said.

As the year has progressed, many of Rathge’s students have become comfortable working in the greenhouse, tending plants. One of these is senior Leah Parks. “They can do things on their own. Like Leah – I can send her back there, and I know she’s going to do the job that I’m asking her to do.”

The class has shown several benefits for students. For the extremely interested, it pre-pares them for the job market.

“It gives them some job skills,” Rathge explained. “If they want to work at a garden center or greenhouse, they’ve got an in, be-cause they’ve seen a lot of the stuff. I’ve had several students that have gone on into differ-ent careers, or at least part-time jobs.”

Another more common result is that stu-dents gain skills they can use in a useful and rewarding hobby. “A lot of students will tell me, ‘This is something I can really use in my

life today,’” Rathge said. “A lot of them come back years from now and go, ‘Wow, I can’t believe how much I’m using. I never thought I’d grow anything.’ A lot of kids get addicted like I’ve gotten, and all of a sudden they’re growing all kinds of stuff.”

Rathge wants students to take the skills they have acquired and use them. “That’s my big push,” he explained. “I say, ‘Look, I want you to take this stuff home and use it. Beautify your home to beautify Lakewood.’ Because if you beautify Lakewood, Lakewood becomes a more desirable place to live, and it keeps everything going.”

Parks says Rathge’s teachings in this area are useful. “If you want to plant flowers around your house, you know which kinds to pick and how to plant them,” she said.

The students who take horticulture are varied. “It’s a human interest class,” Rathge said, adding that his students range from those who just need a science credit to those who

Student growth is measuredHands-on Learning:

By Rebecca McKinsey, Editor in Chief

Surrounded by greenery, senior Leah Parks moves flats in the horticulture class’s greenhouse. Photo by Rebecca McKinsey, Editor in Chief.

April 2009 17

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are taking their fifth year of science. “The kids that are interested might be

low-ability kids or struggling kids that all of a sudden you can strike an interest in them, or you might get the really into-science kid or into-education kid that is looking this and going, ‘Hey, this isn’t a difficult class, but I’m learning something I can use in my home,’” he explained.

The knowledge cultivated in the class goes beyond the ordinary. “If you ever get lost in the jungle, you know which plants you can eat and which ones are dangerous,” Parks explained.

Rathge says one of his favorite parts of the class is the way it can change his students’ thinking. One of the best responses he’s ever gotten was from a student Rathge described as “rough around the edges.”

“We finished planting our flowers out front,” Rathge recalled, “and he said to me, “You know, Mr. Rathge, I’ve seen what goes on to make these plants grow from a little plug up to something that we’ve planted out here. I’ve never noticed it before. Now I notice the work that goes into making it happen. Years ago, I’d have been one of the kids that just walked through them and stepped on them.

Now I’d beat up the kid that stepped on them.’”

It’s responses like this – ones Rathge calls “180-degree turnarounds” – that show him the class is making a difference.

The changes coming with the ongoing construction will affect the horticulture class. “We’re supposed to have a greenhouse on the rooftop next year, over on the other end, connected to my classroom, so hopefully it’ll continue,” he said. Rathge adds that he hopes the program will continue to bloom and serve the Lakewood community while teaching students how to grow.

A variety of plants grown by the horticulture class. Photos by Jordan Congeni, Staff Photographer.

by plant growth

18 The Lakewood Times

EditorialUse nature to your advantage

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single body in pos-session of good heath must be in want of exercise.

But to exercise indoors or outdoors? Ah ha. There’s the rub. The beauty of the modern world is that it affords anyone living

in a semi-developed society the opportunity to choose between the great outdoors and the plastic and linoleum jungle for their daily sweat. And with the promise of exercise equipment to build up your perfect bod, there must be little to no reason to venture outside.

And yet, there are lots of reasons to go outside for a little fresh air and cardio.

First of all, unless you are a vampire, your body needs a certain amount of sunlight to stay healthy. Sure, baking in the sun’s warmth for too long will make you wrinkly like a raisin, but that’s no reason to avoid a few glimmers of sunshine.

Second, exercising outside is much more interesting. How bland would it be to stare at the same wall while you run the treadmill or worse, or stare at yourself in a mirror while doing Pilates? Person-ally, I would get bored counting the paint-chips on the wall while

engaging in an otherwise monotonous activity. Really, running, bik-ing or walking aren’t interesting unless you’re going somewhere. At least when you go on a walk, you get a chance to see what is going on in the neighborhood or people-watch.

Lastly, the outdoors is a refreshing change of scene. Most people spend their time in the school building wishing they were some-where else. It just seems anti-climatic that as a way of spending free time, they would choose to stay indoors. Lingering in a gym to work out and then returning home leaves something to be desired.

Of course, there are the people who are concerned about self-image when working out or exercising in plain view. But think of this – as silly as you think you look trying to get in some calorie burning, there are others who look just as awkward and feel just as goofy. The squirrels might cackle, but think of how dumb they look playing frogger in the street.

Essentially, it shouldn’t matter where you exercise as long as you do. But when faced with the choice, wouldn’t you rather be outside taking in the fresh air than inside inhaling stale air and body odor?

By Thealexa Becker, Design Editor

Exercise is good for your body no matter where it takes place. Some prefer it outside, like Thealexa Becker (above left), and others prefer the comforts of the indoor treadmill system, such as Sarah Jawhari (above right). Art by Jordan Congeni, Staff Artist, and Sarah Jawhari, Opinion Editor.

FACE OFF

April 2009 19

Editorial Editorial

FACE OFF Don’t look at my white flabBy Sarah Jawhari, Opinion Editor

It’s nice to go outside and work out when the sun is shining overhead, and the weather is so fine and wonderful that the birds are chirping and the squirrels are … doing whatever it is that squirrels do (frogger, apparently, according to my opponent).

For a select few of us, exercising outside seems like an attainable dream. However, there is a population that prefers to keep themselves inside.

One can imagine that the only thing to do inside is play video games and watch TV. But this isn’t the case. With modern inventions such as Wii Fit for the Wii gaming system, staying inside can be just as healthy as going out. There are also work out DVDs, indoor pools, and indoor gyms.

Why would this option be appealing? Put plainly, someone who is on the obese side might not be comfortable jogging in front of strangers. The same is true for that certain student who hasn’t tanned since last

summer, and has a bad case of sour-cream-colored skin. Speaking personally, I just feel more comfortable working out inside

my house or at my preferred gym in Rocky River, Fit Works. Going outside is nice in proper amounts, but when it comes to exercise, the option just isn’t that appealing.

The sidewalks are a hazard with moving dogs plus walkers, and jogging becomes a chore when you have to dodge everyone along the path.

At my house, which is nicely air-conditioned and full of whatever snacks I fancy, I can do what I want in any way I want. I can take breaks between sit-ups and watch TV while on the Ab-Cruncher machine. I can check my email after jogging in place. (I know. You’re already surprised that I’m not obscenely overweight.)

The point is, I can control what I want to do and when I want to do it, without worrying about an influx of stranger-danger stares.

Today’s teens have a predisposition towards staying inside. We are taught from a young age that staying inside the house is unhealthy. But it’s possible to keep a healthy balance.

It is better for a student to exercise in the privacy of his or her own space than to decide not to exercise at all. If a thousand pairs of strange eyes or the blaring intensity of the sun is keeping you from working your quads and abs, then maybe another option is in order. Work out inside, then go get your vitamin D by sunbathing at your lo-cal public pool, or playing frogger with the squirrels.

“It’s possible to keep a healthy balance.”

• Slightly warmer weather. Hey, we’re not say-ing it’s perfect. But it’s definitely getting there.

• Spring Break starts April 10! So close...• To upcoming commencement rehearsals,

and the real thing, too.• To the new Times staffers. Congratulations

to all of you! • To nature! • To Sonia Nazario’s visit to the Tryout The-

ater. For those of you who have yet to do so, check out Nazario’s enlightening novel, “En-rique’s Journey.”

• To the upcoming Spring Musical, “H.M.S. Pinafore,” which will showcase the musical and acting talents of LHS students.

• Why was it cold for so long?!• Spring Break marks the start of intense

studying for AP students. We wish you luck when you go for the tests in May!

• After many repeated attempts of publishing well-written editorials on why seniors should have an open campus, seniors still do not have an open campus.

• To couch potatoes who will still refuse to enjoy Mother Nature, even after this issue.

• To first-period hall freezes.• To the “Get better scores on your SATs”

scam. • To LHS students who still decide to skip,

even though there are only two months left.

The Lakewood Times20

Editorial Editorial

The Times thinks it’s only natural

Instead of turning on the TV this spring, think natural.

Lakewood is lush with natural, scenic parks that need to be taken advantage of. From Berea Falls to our very own Metroparks, there’s so much to do and twice as much to see.

It’s important to consider the significance of having these natural get-aways so close: they can be utilized nearly any time of the year, any time of the day – whether it’s bike riding in the morning, hiking in the afternoon, or taking an evening drive. The scenes are amazing and re-freshing. Staring at the same old industrial build-ings along Detroit gets old fast.

Another interesting feature of these parks is simply what they represent: nature. Our last

Dear Editor, I am writing about the article you posted called “Self-directs

should mean ‘direct yourself.’” I am a tenth grader, and I agree with this article. Upperclassmen

should have the right to an open campus. In the past, many years ago, there was open campus and most people followed the rules. And other people disobeyed them. There will always be people who disobey rules. Those who disobeyed got the open campus privilege taken away. After all these years, I think it’s about it’s about time the school board gave students another chance. Yes, some people will still disobey. But they will get caught, and they should suffer the consequences.

This is the same with classrooms. If one person talks, the whole class gets in trouble. That one person should be singled out after class.

The reason for self-directs is to catch up on your work, but most people just use it as a “free class.” I think if upperclassman had the right to leave during self-directs, they would most likely go to a place where the atmosphere was quieter. Doing work in a place that you are comfortable in will help you think better.

The L-Room and East Cafe are so noisy and crowded. I believe upperclassmen should be given the chance to prove themselves. They could go to work or do anything they need to do after school, and they wouldn’t have to stay up late worrying about their homework or

worrying about how they never have time to do their homework. So if they have an

open campus, that’s a lot they do not have to worry about. I mean, they already have to worry about colleges and their future. Life isn’t easy. But sometimes you can help make it better for others.

Supposedly, the school board doesn’t trust the upperclassmen. When they leave high school, they will get jobs and become adults. How can you not trust them? Many seniors, and even juniors, have cars and jobs. I think if they can have those things, then they sure can have a free lunch.

The idea of seniors having to wear a colored sticker on their ID is a great plan. This way juniors can get the L-Room for themselves, and the seniors can use their last year at Lakewood High to have fun. They will get more privileges, which is the way it’s supposed to be. Many students will do well and follow the rules. The school board just has to let them have a chance to show it. Not all students will be a disappoint-ment, so I think that students should get a chance to acquire what they deserve.

I really think that the board should give the upperclassmen a chance. They will show that they can be trusted.

Tessa Cummings, Sophomore

issue dealt with the dependency of teens on technology, and this issue shows just the oppo-site. With all the technology we have available to us, it’s possible to take a break. It’s okay to do something natural, and it’s good for us.

Lakewood residents should consider them-selves lucky to live near these scenic marvels. While it’s hard to ignore the variety of offerings Lakewood makes available to its students within the school – career tech classes, AP and Post Secondary options, music programs, the Civic Auditorium, the new building – students should also remember that Lakewood has a lot to of-fer outside as well. As spring approaches, LHS students should take a break from video games and TV and get outside.

April 2009 21

Editorial Editorial

If our temporary fix for a fully functioning school belongs in a trailer park, we might as well make it attractive.

The mods are our solution to the construction taking place during the next few years. Walking into a plain, bare, maze of doors and aban-doned-looking walls does not promote a united, spirited high school.

A step into the main building across the street gives you a taste of Lakewood High’s rich, authentic culture. Why not bring a little flavor to the mods?

Taping monochromatic signs to the walls of the modular units doesn’t exactly show the creativity of the students or at the school itself. Putting signs up as a quick fix for the unclad walls is, quite frankly, a waste of space.

What happened to the artwork created by the students, or the nu-merous awards Lakewood High School claims? Where are the Ranger colors, the visual acknowledgments of student academics and athletics? Where has all the school spirit gone?

The American Youth Foundation (AYF) has already attempted to rectify this problem. Students involved in the schools community-based and leadership-building club decided to confront the school administra-tion about the issue.

Apparently, handling certain memorabilia is a problem. And space in the mods is already tight. If physically bringing trophy cases or LHS mementos across the street is not acceptable, then using the wall area is our only answer.

We agree that the units are undeniably and constantly crowded, but that’s no excuse to dismiss the idea altogether. LHS principal Dr. Bill Wagner stated that a mural-like structure or other forms of artwork and

Mood is mediocre in the mods

pictures could be displayed in the units.AYF students discussed their ideas to deck the halls, and are antici-

pating the fundraising activity. They hope to finalize details to ensure that faculty members and students from any grade level can join in the project to enrich the modular hallways. Giving the school a sense of unification and accomplishment will benefit us greatly.

If it’s the security guards scanning the halls for tardy adolescents, faculty members rushing from room to room, or the students them-selves, we all deserve a little something to look at every now and then. Something exciting, something different than beige paint – that’s all we’re asking for.

Different classes like foreign languages, Art, Pop Culture, English, or History could also benefit from the exposure by creating projects to elaborate the halls.

Adding a little spice is the only solution to unify Lakewood High School and its small duplicate across the street.

The school should embrace this opportunity to make the mods something we will all remember – or else they should just hurry up with the construction.

“Adding a little spice is the only solution to unify LHS and its

small duplicate across the street.”

Progress Book positive for grade up-keep

All we have to do is turn on our computers and log on! The conve-nient ProgressBook is a very useful tool that most of us at Lakewood High School appreciate.

Students can check their grades to make sure they are on task when completing assignments, and can also look ahead to see what home-work they will be given in the upcoming weeks. For honor and merit roll students, this is the best upgrade our grading system has seen since the G.P.A.

ProgressBook is helpful because it helps students avoid any grading problems that may arise. From now on, the anticipation to see if your grade has improved after waiting weeks for your final report card is no more. The burning fear of getting grounded disappears, because stu-dents can know their grades anytime, day or night, as long as they know their login name and password.

Occasionally, teachers make a few grading mistakes. However, this is understandable, considering the errands they have to run at the beginning or end of class, as well as taking attendance, and checking for compliance. As long we can check our own progress and find their mistakes, they are likely willing to change them, and we will get the grade we deserve.

We no longer have to guess at our grades. With ProgressBook, we

are less willing to slack when it comes to studying or completing our homework, and we push ourselves to get the best grade possible.

There’s a reason why LHS received the bronze metal for one of the best high schools in America. A large number of students are commit-ted to succeed. ProgressBook keeps us from any miscommunication in the grading system. With this tool, students do not have to continually ask their teachers to look up their grades.

When we really try to keep up with our classes to get our desired grades, in the end, we will learn more. Being challenged truly teaches people to manage time and learning, as well as prepare for their future.

If you have forgotten or have not received your login informa-tion, go to the guidance office today and ask for it. As soon as you get home, you can log on and experience the organized structure of the Lakewood High School grading system. There is nothing to keep any student in Lakewood from going on a computer and trying it out. With some work, your grade can soar.

It is rare to hear anyone ever complain about this tool. ProgressBook can be as addictive as Facebook or MySpace, except is for the better. Once you start to use this device daily, you will greatly appreciate our school system.

The Lakewood Times22

Editorial Editorial

Run wild to cure a debilitating diseaseBy Julia Houska, Staff writer

Many people know about life threatening-diseases like cancer. But not many people are aware of a disease called Mitochondrial Disease. Mitochondrial Disease (Mito) has no cure. Every 15 minutes, a child is born with a type of Mito. Many develop the disease before the age of ten.

Half of the peo-ple who develop this disease are under the age of five, and many won’t live past their teenage years. Mitochondrial Dis-ease is characterized by the body’s inabil-ity to process food into energy. The parts of the body that need energy the most – the heart, brain, muscles, and lungs – are affected the most.

This disease af-fects my sister. She is four and a half, and the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. She has been having a lot of good days, but the situation could get worse without warning. Because of this

disease, she misses

more school than she attends. She can’t go outside if it’s too hot or cold. And she can’t play too much, because she gets tired really quickly.

My sister needs all the help she can get, and that is why my brother Steve and I are asking you to go online and register for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation’s upcoming event under “Team Abby.”

Every year, the Foundation holds a “Run Wild for a Cure” day at the zoo. Participants are provided with breakfast, music and games. You can join in a scenic one-mile walk through the zoo for families and children or a challenging 5K course for runners chip-timed by Hermes.

There is pre-registration, so you don’t have to wait in long lines. You can pre-register online at www.runwildforacure.org. Adults pay $20 for the run, and $15 if they’re walking. Children ages two to 17 pay $10, and babies are free. This year’s race is at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Saturday, May 9. Registration for the all-day event begins at 7 a.m.

All the proceeds from this event will go to help find a cure for Mitochondrial Disease. Donations are accepted and much appreciated. Participants will receive a free continental breakfast, free admission to the zoo and rain forest, free T-shirts (while sup-plies last), free children’s entertainment, free parking, and a huge raffle with great prizes for the whole family. Please mark your place in a child’s life and register now. “Mito” can affect children under the age of five, such as

Julia Houska’s younger sister, Abby. Photo courtesy of the Houska family.

“Mark your place in a child’s life and

register now.”

Editorial Policy

As preservers of democracy, our schools shall protect, encourage, and enhance free speech and the exchange of ideas as a means of protecting our American way of life. The Times and its staff are protected by, and bound to, the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various court decisions

implementing those principles. It is the mission of The Lakewood Times, the official newsmagazine of Lakewood High School, to serve as a public forum that promotes the gathering and exchange of ideas, and

uphold high journalistic standards for the purpose of enriching the lives of our readers.The Times is established as an open forum for student expression and as a voice in the uninhibited, free and open discussion of issues. The Times will not be reviewer or restrained

prior to publication. Content of the Times, therefore, reflections only the views of the student staff or individual students and not school officials. The Times, and staff, will strive to avoid publishing any material determined by student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous,

obscene, materially disruptive of the school process, an unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright laws or electronic manipulations changing the essential truth of the photo or illustrations. Other obligations can be found in the handbook available to each student. The Times adviser will not act as a censor.

It questions arise over specific copy as defined within this policy, student journalists will seek the advice of the communications attorney from the student press law center. The Times editorial board as a whole will be responsible for determining editorial opinions, which represent the opinions of a majority of the editorial board. No single member of the Times can be held responsible for editorial content decisions. The Times is a tool in the learning process of journalism and operates as a learning laboratory. Any student may be a

member of the staff, with or without prior journalism experience or enrollment on the staff for credit. As a forum for student expression, the Times will publish all letters to the editor, provided they are 300 words or less and contain the author’s name, house, and address. On occasion, we will publish letters using the “name withheld” providing the Times editor, or a

team editor, knows the author’s identity.We reserve the right to withhold a letter or column and return it for more information if we determine it contains items of unprotected speech as defined by this policy. Letters will

be edited for spelling and grammar. Should a letter contain errors in fact, excessive grammatical errors or be too long, it will be returned to the author for re submission. Deadlines for letters and columns will be no later than ten days before the next publication date. The Times may choose to report student, staff, faculty, and alumnus deaths as he editorial board is

made aware of them. We reserve the right to decide not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness and circumstances. In cases where the editorial board decided not to cover death, letters to the editor in regard to that death could be printed.

23April 2009

Lkwd LifeWith the successful Cleveland International

Film Festival right next door, LHS French and German classes took the opportunity to watch recent foreign films.

The film festival, which also sponsors Film Slam, a sub-festival for educational purposes, featured sets of foreign shorts in French, Spanish and German. The French 4/5 and German 4 classes attended the respective sets of shorts along with several other Cleveland area schools.

“I was impressed by how incredibly worldly the average LHS students are compared to the other high schools represented,” said German teacher Gregory Sent.

Each film showing consisted of approxi-mately 20-minute short films. The German shorts included the recent Oscar winning Live Action Short Film “Spielzeugland (Toyland),” which tells the story of a single mother in WWII Nazi Germany who tells her son that the Jewish family next door is going away to “toyland.” Following the film, there was a short discussion about its impact and impor-tance.

“[Spielzeugland] showed us the Holocaust through the eyes of a child during that time

period,” said Sent of the movie. “It showed us an alternate ending to an altogether tragic event. But it also showed how many Germans during the Holocaust acted against the Nazi party and are too often forgotten in our his-tory books and in the media.”

The French students also took part in a discussion after their set of shorts, one that was initially conducted in French, but had to be changed to English because many of the students in the audience did not understand the French.

“The kids got an interesting perspective on French culture,” said French teacher Katie Braquet about the Film Festival experience. “American movies always have a resolution, usually a happy one. French movies don’t have one and you need to figure [the ending] out for yourself.”

At the conclusion of the shorts and discus-sion, the students were allowed to explore Tower City for lunch and some light shopping.

“It was a day full of firsts,” said junior Emily Barker, who traveled with fellow junior Arielle Giczkowski and seniors Emily Ott and

Jacque Hood. “We got matching two dollar sunglasses.”

They added that it was the first time that they had used the rapid and the bus to get to Tower City as well as the first time that they made “funny faces at weird people on the rapid.”

“I met my prom date on the rapid,” said senior Bailey Mueller jokingly.

Most of the students seemed amused by the public transportation aspect of the trip. Senior Jenny Shank even called it her favorite part of the trip. Many of the students were impressed by how much they gained from the experience.

“We actually got to feel like we learned something,” said senior Grace Elliott. “You’re hearing [the film] in another language and understanding it and thinking about it too. It really paid off to be at a higher [language class] level.”

“It was a great experience for the foreign language classes to hear and learn about their languages outside of the classroom,” added senior Eva Nemethy.

It was a Guten Tag for a film festival voyageBy Thealexa Becker, Design Editor

The foreign language students posed on the Tower City steps. Top from left to right: Grace Elliott, Hannah Eaton, Jenny Shank, Eva Nemethy, Chris Murrett, Bailey Mueller, John Kearney, Jaque Hood. Front row from left to right: Thealexa Becker, Heather Zap-pala, David Beargie, Joanna Gobeille, Emily Ott, Arielle Giczkowski, Mary Porter, Emily Barker, Liz Newell, Tyler Kadow, and Jesse Geyer. Photo by Greg Sent.

The Lakewood Times24

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Wednesday, March 11 about 169 students set up and prepared for the 7th annual boat regatta. These physic students crossed (or attempted) Lakewood High’s 25-yard pool in just a cardboard box, carrying two students.

There were 13 heats; the last heat was a race off of the top four boats based on time. This year the winners of the last heat were Kelsey Moran, Danielle Villnuve, Cecily Rus and Lau-ren Rosul with a top time of 28.9 seconds

The idea originated in 2002 when Physics teacher Jennifer Frend was student teaching for science teacher Lyn Eckert and the two came up with the idea, physics teacher David Hille brought in publicity for the event.

The fastest time in the history of the card-board boat regatta was 16.7 seconds set by Eric Pelot, Mike Johncock, Mike Zandy and Jason Fuller in 2004

When asked about building the boat, Senior Karmen Stoyadinovic said one of the hardest parts of the whole project was getting the cardboard. She said it was “very hard to find, we had to buy ours at a packing company.” Her and her team also looked at Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sears but none would give it to them “because of safety hazards.”

Zach Smith, grade 12, was “really scared [he] was going to drown” when crossing the pool, and half way across the boat sank. He blamed the boat drowning on his “bad sailing skills” and advices future physic students to “pick good sailing buddies”

Some teams competing not in the physics classes were the Lakewood Times, Electronics club, Lakewood Recreation Swim team, Won-der Pets and Lakewood High’s very own house three principles Brian Siftar. Among the many physic teams, some decided on a theme for the group, including the USA Olympic team, the village people, sailors, wearing summer dresses and making shirts that say “Ship Happens.”

Row, Row, Rowyour box!

“The stands filled quickly with stu-dents, parents and spectators as they awaited the 7th annual boat regatta.”

By Danielle Szabo, Editorial Board Member

April 2009 25

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1

2

3

4

5

6Opposite page: Regatta winners Kelsey Moran, Danielle Villnuve, Cecile Rus, and Lauren Rosul cross the finish line

1: Sean McGuan and his wife from Lincoln elementary School

2: Brian Kelly and Brian Evans battle it out against Pat rick Joyce and Jacob Ott

3: Sam Debaltzo, William Weible, and Evan Graves4: Jay Toole and Caitlin Link

5: Jordan Kraus and Duane Kalta

6: Jason Hoefke and

Photos Courtesy of Danielle Szabo

The Lakewood Times26

Lkwd Life Lkwd Life

“Anyone desperate enough for suicide should be desperate enough to go to creative extremes to solve their problems,” Owen Lowery sprawls across a chalkboard in edgy, semi-sloppy handwriting at the opening of “An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrist.”

What sounds like an overly morbid and depressing film is really a highly acclaimed documentary shot by native Clevelander Owen Lowery as well as one of the many films presented during the 33rd Annual Cleveland International Film Festival.

The film follows Lowery through a year of personal reflection, transition, and experimen-tation after being released from a psychiatric ward for attempting suicide. Each week of the year, Lowery plans to cross an item off of his list, filled with things from squirrel fishing to making a stranger happy.

As Lowery draws you in with comical and

nonsensical activities, he gradually builds up to things that prove to be true challenges to simply cross out on a peace of paper.

A victim of sexual abuse, son of an alcoholic father, an alcoholic himself, and depression-ridden, Lowery appears to be “the person with all of the problems,” but proves to serve as an individual who becomes universal and takes his audience on a journey that allows each person to discover something about themselves.

For Lowery, the list in created as a solution to everything that’s happened in his life. In the end, though, he comes to view his problems as significant to what makes him unique as well as some of the strongest contributing factors to his will.

On the journey, he finds his dad, his friends, and himself, in heartwarming and inspiring

ways.At times melodramatic, the film loses its

audience at heavier parts where Lowery is reading from his journal or writhing in sadness and anger.

It is through these parts that the film reaches its most effective peaks and leaves the audience questioning those afflicted by depres-sion. Through these questions, many see the adolescent experience in a new, revealing light.

As Lowery matures, I’m sure that his creative energy will be further harnessed and great things can be expected in the world of film from the Cleveland native. For more information, or to order a copy of the film on DVD, visit www.analternativetoslttingyour-wrists.com or www.myspace.com/analterna-tive.

Alternative film by Clevelander sheds light on depression

The student handed Lamphear another cup of coffee and said: “Why don’t you go home? We can tell you if he shows up.”

Lamphear said nothing and simply stared out the window of his basement classroom, Room 101.

“You can’t wait forever, coach,” said the student. “Maybe we can con-tact the janitor in the morning.”

“No,” responded Lamphear. “He will come soon.”

Lamphear had long been posted in the cold, dank basement of South LHS. And in all his time, he had never encountered the tenacity that prevailed in this case. He sat and contem-plated a course of action. The enemy agents were everywhere, infiltrating even the remotest corners of the vast secondary school empire. He had caught brief glimpses of these agents, although his office never had the success of catching one.

Suddenly, there was a shuffle, then a barely audible pattering of tiny feet. Lamphear looked to the corner of the room.

“There!” he cried, and jabbed his finger toward the brown ball of hair. In an instant it had vanished and the student stood bewil-dered at the fuzzy apparition. “Did you see

it? One of their spies has compromised our security.”

“Yes,” the student replied cautiously. “I did see it.”

Lamphear, noticeably distressed at the pres-ence of an enemy agent he felt sure was at-tempting to steal Ranger secrets for the Eagles in East Lakewood, called a conference of his fellow agents the next day during their lunch.

“I am sure we have a rat in Ranger terri-tory,” Lamphear said dejectedly.

“Well,” said Bal-lash, a fel-low agent

and an expert in communications, “I think it might be a mouse. We should lay a trap for the little fellow. Kinda cute, though.”

It was then agreed amongst the four agents, Lamphear, Ballash, Hille, and Frend, both lo-gistics specialists, that the next day they would cage the beast.

Sure enough, the next morning, Lamphear returned to his post in the dank South Room 101 to find a mouse contained in the steel wire box. Yet this enemy spy was not as sturdy as his prison. He seemed to be shivering.

Perplexed, Lamphear made sure that all Ranger secrets for Operation Baseball were secure and then wondered why this mouse appeared to distressed. He called the other agents for a de-briefing.

“Maybe he just came in from the cold,” Bal-lash suggested as they dumped the miniature rodent into an empty trash can.

“Doesn’t matter, let’s book him,” said Lam-phear and handed the camera to Ballash. “To-morrow we’ll dump him into neutral territory. Our secrets are safe. He’s just a red herring.”

And so the mouse that just came into LHS of all places for warmth was released into the wild on a mild spring day. Little did they know that his friends still lie in wait, ready to strike Room 101 when Lamphear least expects...

The Mouse who came in from the cold

By Greg Culley, Staff Writer

By Thealexa Becker, Design Editor

The mug shot of the furry culprit. Photo by Karen Ballash.

April 2009 27

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Alternative film by Clevelander sheds light on depression

The mug shot of the furry culprit. Photo by Karen Ballash.

Attendees during my viewing of “Watch-men,” a film based on the critically acclaimed comic book once believed to be unfilmable, seemed to fall into one of three categories: anxious fanboys who knew their favorite lines by heart and were eager to deride the lack of accuracy that the film would be sure to hold, awkward newcomers who weren’t sure what to make of the complex storyline and the lack of clothing on a certain blue man, and those who had read the comic a few months prior to see-ing the film and were interested in a different kind of superhero story.

I was part of the latter group.Having read the comic, I was familiar with

the characters and the alternate 1985 storyline, one in which Nixon is entering his fifth term as President, superheros are real but have been outlawed, and “God exists” in the form of a walking and talking particle manipulator, dubbed Dr. Manhattan. The comic is truly an outstanding piece of literature and art that helped push the term “graphic novel” into the mainstream. It is also the only comic to appear on the “Times” 2005 “All-TIME 100 Greatest Novels” list.

The film hits every major plot point of the story, only leaving out the sections of the comic that, although they gave the world of “Watchmen” more depth, were really just supplements. In fact, for die hard fans, two straight-to-DVD features will be available to complete the “Watchmen” experience: “Tales of the Black Freighter,” an animated feature based on the comic-within-a-comic from “Watchmen,” and “Under the Hood,” a live-action documentary that provides backstories

for the original crime fighters.Even though Zach Snyder, the director of

a previous comic book adaptation “300,” had to bring about several side projects to include everything that “Watchmen” offers, he has done an amazing job in the film itself of recreating entire panels of the comic in vivid detail. Some of the plot does get crammed along, but this film is truly one of the most accurate adaptations of anything in a long while.

When it comes to the actors in the film, everyone fits their character both physically and believably. Jackie Earle Haley as the uncompromising, ferocious ink-blot masked vigilante Rorschach, who spouts most of the film’s humorous one-liners in his clipped sen-tences, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the griz-zly Comedian capable of both horrific acts and credible insight into the human psyche, are both really suited to their characters. The whole cast is wonderful, but these two charac-ters are really something to watch.

What makes “Watchmen” less than perfect is that it slips into the age-old argument between which is better: the book or the film version? Any film adaptation of such a groundbreaking and lengthy comic couldn’t hope to capture everything, unless the audi-ence was willing to stay planted in their seats for a good while longer than three hours.

Depending on how well a member of the audience was familiar with the source material also affected your reaction to it. Life-long fans might have expected something a bit more epic and those completely in the dark about the story might have shied away from the film.

I was in the middle: I felt that the film version of “Watchmen” was a great adaptation and a fun popcorn film. I would enjoy repeat read-ings or viewings of either medium.

“Watchmen” is a film that earns its hard R-rating with Snyder’s trademarked stylized action sequences, several sex scenes, and, of course, Dr. Manhattan’s... nakedness.

If you are in the mood for an over-the-top, “If superheros were real, wouldn’t they be just as messed up as the rest of us?” film, then “Watchmen” is not to be missed.

The gruesome movie “The Last House on the Left,” directed by Dennis Illiadis, took stage nearly 40 years after its first showing in 1972 by Wes Craven.

With nothing but gore and sick twists, this movie makes you feel like you’re following the characters into their devious life styles, and will have you watching with a guilty con-science.

When summer finally arrives, the Colling-wood family is ready for their usual trip to their home by the lake, surrounded by acres of woods. With all the drama following their son’s death, they need time for some R&R.

Not even a couple hours of being their Mari (Sara Paxton) and her local friend Paige (Mar-tha MacIsaac), run into an escaped murderer, Krug (Garrett Dillanhunt), his son Justin (Spencer Treat Clark) and their two side kicks Sadie (Riki Lindhome) and Francis (Aaron Paul).

This horror film will have you squirming in your seats, unlike most fictional movies with masks, and people returning from the dead. With a family relatively similar to the Man-son’s, it makes you feel the horror and pain that Mari and Paige endure to try and survive these unfortunate mishaps. With the loss of loved ones, the horror of letting strangers into

By Miranda Mave, Editorial Board Member

By Shaina Switzer, Staff Writer

Not another Superhero movie

your home, and the sickening thrills that mass murderers get from hurting others, you can’t help but feel helpless yourself.

This movie is for someone who can handle more than just a horror movie, but a night-mare that some people have faced in real life. The sheer agony you come to face while watching this movie, is nothing compared to the pain the Collingwood family suffers in a matter of one day.

I would rate “The Last House on the Left,” 4 out of 5 stars. The director got his point across with the horror and gore, and made the film gruesome to the point where your stomach will turn.

This “House” doesn’t feel like home

Poster courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

The Lakewood Times28

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Two years ago, the novel, “A Million Little Pieces,” was exposed as a fabricated memoir of a man’s experiences as a drug addict. “A Piece of Cake,” written by Cupcake Brown, is the true memoir of Brown’s tragic, horrify-ing, and fascinating life. Her story is anything but fake, but as I tagged along on her written journey through a world of drugs, sex, and violence, I found myself wishing it were.

Cupcake La’vette Brown was born in 1976 in the ghetto of San Francisco. At the age of 11, she witnessed the death of her mother, who died from an epileptic attack. In a twist of events that would shape her life, Brown is placed in a foster home.

After being raped by her foster mother’s son, Brown becomes deeply scarred at the early age of 11. She is beaten on a regular ba-sis and rarely fed. Brown decides to run away, where she meets a prostitute named Candy. Candy tells Brown that she needs to learn to take care of herself, and she has to learn how to make money. After taking her first taste of weed and booze, Brown turns her first trick in the backseat of a man’s car.

By page 100, I grew concerned if I could mentally undertake this immense book. The reason I placed it on my nightstand was

because in her language, she is bare and exposed. She swears, drops the F-bomb, and is anything but poetic. And when you strip that away, Brown is extremely exposed. She has a kind of truth in her words that is too often erased in many stories in an effort to be published. Instead, she makes it clear that she could care less if she sells one copy of her book. It made me feel as though I was reading the very first draft.

Brown soon falls into a pattern of run-ning away and turning tricks across the California coast, only to be returned to her hell of a foster home. After becoming impregnated by unknown men two times, one of which ends in a miscarriage and the second in an abortion, Brown moves in with her distant Aunt living in South Central. Little does she know, her hell is far from over.

At 17, Brown joins a gang. After being jumped in initiation, Brown grows to love

the feeling of family that her gang members share. Strangely enough, I couldn’t help but feel happy for her. For a young girl who was stripped of her childhood and forced to grow up all too soon, it seems as though any form of love would be a positive thing in her life. She regularly robs and fights with rival gangs across the city. She tries PCP and acid, and wit-nesses one of her friends jump from a tree while high on “angel dust.”

As a high school student, I am not completely oblivious to drug use. But hearing it from some-one who experienced it makes it seem so much more real, and even I found myself horrified at her choices to smoke crack and mix drugs. On one typical afternoon, Brown is outside of her house when a drive- by oc-curs. She is shot in the back and rushed to the hospital, where she is informed that she will be returned to her foster care.

Years go by, and Brown

moves into her own apartment after receiv-ing her trust fund money set in place by her mother. She meets a boy named Tommy in a bar, and after being thrown into a whirlwind marriage, she tumbles into a dangerous cycle of drugs, partying, and trying to hold a steady job. This point of her memoir seems very monotonous, and this cycle seems to go on for pages and pages. But as she reveals in her words, as long as she has a job, she can’t be an addict.

The last portion of this book focuses on Brown’s escape from her living hell of a life. She checks herself into rehab, and as is re-vealed in the prologue, is currently an attorney at one of California’s top law firms.

Truly astonishing, A Piece of Cake is a book that will dig deep in your soul. It makes the reader realize the profound power of addiction, but more importantly, the strength that the human spirit has to overcome this in-credible force. Prepare to be equally disturbed and moved by Brown’s story.

Memoir Leaves Bad Taste

Photo courtesy of CupcakeBrown.com.

By Isabella Zettler, Lakewood Life Editor

Photo courtesy of CupcakeBrown.com.

April 2009 29

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You’re walking down Detroit Avenue and just as you pass Dave’s Cosmic Subs, you see this salon called “Crazy Mullets.” You’re taken back by the lime green walls and cartoon characters with mullets embracing the walls. You think, “Maybe I do need a haircut,” and you enter “mullet land.” You’re greeted by a tattooed, punk-rock stylist and your first question to her is, “Do I really need to get a mullet?”

Crazy Mullets Super Salon opened in November, 2008 and is just now getting in the groove. The used to be jewelry store has transformed itself into one of the coolest hair salons I have ever seen. The jewelry display cases behind the counter are now filled with hair products and supplies, each with its own painted mullet. The floor is wood or “particle board” that is always kept clean and shiny, just like the red craftsmen tool chests that hold the stylists things.

My sister Jessica Brandt and I took the

chance and went to crazy mullets for two different reasons. All I got done was a haircut and Brandt got her hair colored, cut, and styled. And no, our hair was not cut into a mullet- it was cut just how I’d asked.

My sister was so shocked with the quality that she left a $50.00 tip! We were at the salon from 11:00am until 5:00pm because my sister got so man different colors in her hair. I was amazed by all the different people who came into the shop. There were people of all ages, male, female, Goth, ghetto, skater, all with their own unique style and haircut.

The atmosphere inside Crazy Mullets is awesome. While you

wait, feel free to take a free drink out of the refrigerator, grab the remote, and pick a chan-nel to watch all while sitting on a big comfort-able black leather sofa.

It is also very easy to have a normal conver-sation with the people that work there rather than the awkward ones with the old ladies that work at other salons.

There is no need to worry about the prices; they are not bad at all. For a wash, cut, and style it was only about $25.00, and for a wash, dye, cut and style only about $100.00. They also sell top of the line products that are not as expensive then they would be anywhere else.

“Embrace the Shame” is the motto for this wacky shop that likes to embrace the 80’s mul-let hair-do. “What we are trying to do is give people something that’s a true value, but also gives you a good place to go,” co-owner Ed Maddox said. It’s about time Lakewood got a cool place anyone could go to hang out, grab a soda, and get a new haircut.

Crazy Mullets appears to be all business in the front...but the real party is inside

New Supersalon plants its roots on Detroit Ave.

By Valerie Locke, Editorial Board Member

Top: The graffiti in the basement of the Crazy Mullets Saon. Photo by Miranda Mave, Editorial Board Member. Bottom: The storefront of the Crazy Mullets Salon on Detroit Avenue. Photo by Valerie Locke, Editorial Board Member.

The Lakewood Times30

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Coffee. Tea. Pop. Energy Drinks. What do they all have in common? They all are con-sumed by teens and are loaded with caffeine.

The hard cold truth is that caffeine is a drug and it is addictive. Caffeine has been known to man since 1920 when it was isolated from the coffee bean.

Caffeine has been proven to have many undesired effects on the body. The effects occur differently with different people and at different amounts. In general, a beverage with 75mg-100mg of caffeine will have small effects like small surges of energy, a height-ened metabolism, and faster breathing. Bigger amounts that range from 101mg-300mg might cause a rapid heartbeat, headaches, and decrease in fatigue.

Caffeine is not currently linked to any dis-ease and the FDA (Food and Drug Adminis-tration) has marked caffeine as a “safe drug.” However, when an exceedingly high amount of caffeine is consumed, according to Lyrics-freak.com, the lowest lethal dose of caffeine is approximately 3200mg, an amount roughly equivalent to 38.5 cans of the Monster energy drink.

“I know a kid that drank 18 monsters,” said Sophomore T.J. Smith, “He ended up in the hospital with ‘sugar coma’ for two days.”

People who are curious about how much caffeine can actually kill them, can access En-ergyfiend.com which has a program that will tell you how much of any caffeinated beverage

can potentially kill you.All food and beverage products are labeled

with what they contain. But for most caffein-ated beverages, the caffeine amount is not given, making it much harder to tell which drinks contain a normal amount (45mg-75mg) to one that is loaded (85-300mg+). For example, Mountain Dew has 55mg of caffeine in 8 oz., while Monster contains 80mg of caf-feine in 8 oz.

Most energy drinks also contain an amino acid called taurine, which helps regulate the mineral and water levels in the blood. However, too much taurine, especially when mixed with sugar, can be harmful to the body. One 8 oz. can of Red Bull contain 1000mg of taurine, well under the safe level of 3000mg. That amount is more than 10 times the amount of caffeine it contains. France, Norway, and Denmark have banned Red Bull because of the amount of taurine and the health concerns with its ingredients, because the drink has been linked to several deaths.

Surprisingly, caffeine isn’t found only in beverages, but in chocolate as well. The new Snickers Charged contains 60mg of caffeine. The marketing idea for this new candy was “To meet consumer needs and help millions of Americans take back their energy-zapped afternoons,” according to Examiner.com.

But what makes teens want to consume these products? Junior Aaron Dippong drinks

Is LHS hooked on caffeine?By Josh Watkins, Staff Writer

two Monster energy drinks a month. “I drink it because it tastes good,” Dippong

said.“It gives me a rush,” Smith said. “It also

helps me wake up.” “Teens enjoy energy drinks because they

are incredibly bad for their health, makes them [feel] rebellious, and is an easy alterna-tive to drugs and alcohol,” LHS senior Kevin Finucan said.

Some people even believe that caffeine may help one lose weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine may only slightly enhance weight loss in people who exercise and keep a healthy diet. No studies show that caffeine will produce permanent weight loss.

Withdraws from caffeine are very real and can be painful. People who have caffeine in their diets, and then abruptly stop it for a while will experience withdraw. The reason is that caffeine molecules are act similarly to the adenosine receptors in the brain, brain cells that control how much energy is put out. The caffeine molecules block the adenosine receptors, and the adenosine receptors build up. So once the caffeine molecules have left, the brain is overloaded with adenosine, caus-ing headaches, shakiness, and cravings for caffeine.

“If you are not a caffeine addict already,” Smith said, “I don’t recommend starting.”

April 2009 31

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The Adirondacks, just north of Syracuse, New York, rise from the numerous lakes that entwine them.

“Being in the Adirondacks takes you away from normalcy of everyday life,” said Michael Andreani, University of Missouri freshman and LHS Alum. “The mountains free you in a way, and make you appreciate the simplest things in everyday life a little more.”

The Adirondacks are relatively close and provide an instant escape into the wilderness that makes America great. Lake Placid, located in the Adirondack mountains, provides shops, small-town appeal, exciting experiences, and scenery.

The ski slopes at Whiteface Mountain are one attraction. Maintaining the facilities from the 1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid hosts various sporting events throughout the year, including figure skating, bobsled champion-ships, and an Ironman Triathlon.

But the real attraction for any outdoorsman is the winding mountain trails around the high peaks above Lake Placid.

A few years ago, senior Ben Gallovic went on a week-long trip to the Adirondacks.

“Being so close to a major metropolitan area makes it very convenient,” Gallovic said.

Nestled in the forest beyond the city limits lies the Adirondak Loj. Its first owner and builder was Melvil Dewey, the man who cre-ated the Dewey Decimal System.

From the Loj, popular trails lead to the two tallest peaks in New York: Mt. Marcy and Algonquin Peak.

The most important aspect of Marcy, the second tallest peak in the Northeast and the source of the Hudson River is the exciting and challenging hiking trails.

The 5344-ft. hike to Marcy’s peak is one of the popular routes even though it’s difficult. It offers great views of the surrounding peaks and Lake Placid.

“When you are on Mt. Marcy, everything below seems unimportant,” Gallovic said.

Among his favorite parts of the trip were the mountains, plentiful trails, and

bears. Although bears can be a scary sight on the

trail, New York state laws require hikers to carry bear canisters to hold their food, elimi-nating the annoying toil of having to clean up after bears ransack your stash of food.

Gallovic says his 50-mile trek was both exciting and challenging.

“After the week, I was very exhausted,” Gallovic said, “but it was well worth it and I’d definitely go again.”

In June of 2007, my family was lucky enough to join an elite group of LHS faculty, which included Norm Murphey, Jamie Cure, Barb Sosnowski, Jeanne Hoopes, Bob Sedlak, and the legendary Terry Walker on a South American expedition through the country of Peru. Our ultimate destination was the sanctu-ary of Machu Picchu, a 500-year-old Incan city high in the Andes Mountains. To enjoy the ancient wonder, we trekked over 28 kilometers of the Inca Trail through thick vegetation and high, treeless peaks.

We arrived in the city of Cusco, the old capital of the Inca Empire and our journey’s starting point, to find the city and its residents closely tied to the surrounding environ-ment and landscape. The city center lies in a valley and permeates outward and up the surrounding mountains, where many of the city’s poorer residents live in tan and brown mud-adobe homes. What the small homes lack in size and luxuries, they make up for with spectacular views of steep mountainsides and Cusco’s magnificent stone architecture.

The trek started near the small town of Ol-lantaytambo, where we crossed a wood-plank bridge strung across the raging Urubamba River. This river is said to be the “throat” of

the region and supplies most of the water needs for the region’s lowlands, eventually merging into the Amazon. The first day of the trek was through semi-arid mountain ranges lined with cacti and dry bush. Lunch was fresh fish caught from the river.

Our first night’s camp was set in the shadow of Mount Veronica, a huge glacier which sup-plies most of the water needs to the region’s highlands and supplied me with the greatest bathroom view of all time.

Day two of the hike took us up to Warmi-wanusca pass and back again. The pass tops out at over 14,000 feet, so in order to keep our wits about us we chewed Coca leaves on the way up. The Coca leaf, when paired with a black, tar-like catalyst, causes the blood to thin out and circulate more efficiently, therefore making the increased altitude a little less tax-ing.

Before dinner, my brother and I, along with Mr. Walker’s brother-in-law, enjoyed a very cold dip in a nearby glacial runoff stream, the closest we had been to clean in days. When we returned to camp we were greeted with a thick blanket of fog, for we had now entered the cloud forest.

The third day of hiking was through the

jungle of the cloud forest. In many places, the left side of the eight-foot-wide trail was a 400-foot drop and the right side was a cliff wall covered in vegetation over five feet thick. We careened through tunnels carved into the mountains and descended over 2,000 “Gringo Killer” steps. After a long day of hiking, we made camp to get some rest before our 3:30 a.m. start time for the final day of hiking.

We woke up the next morning, downed some tea, and donned our headlamps to make the final push to Machu Picchu. My brothers and I raced ahead in order to be the first ones to behold the magnificent sight of the city at sunrise. It was the winter solstice, the holiest of Inca days, and we were going to be there.

When we finally arrived at the city gates, a site I had gazed at in textbooks for years prior, it seemed we had transcended into a different time, a far away place that few people will ever set foot.

After four long days of trekking through awesomely beautiful vistas and merciless ter-rain, seeing the piercing June Sun break over the jungle-covered mountains and strike the ancient stone calendar with precision just as it had done over 500 years ago, I realized it was well worth the effort.

Grab your packs and take on the Adirondacks!By Jacob Ott, Sports Editor

Lakewoodites explore massive Machu PicchuBy Will Weible, Contributing Writer

32 The Lakewood Times

Sports

SpringPreview

On the previous page: Seniors Nick Vagi (top left), Hannah Evans (bottom left), Will Weible (center), Lauren Rosul (top right) and Jacob Ott (bot-tom right) repersent their respective sport for this upcoming season. Photo By Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.

April 2009 33

Sports Sports

Boys’ TrackThe boy’s track team is in for an exciting

season this spring. After losing a large number of key seniors last year, their coach, Scott Troyan is hoping for the new (and return-ing) runners to step up to the challenge of filling their shoes. Sprinter Eli Carr also has a positive outlook on the season in spite of the loss of so many teammates. “We have a young team, but many talented athletes. If we stay focused on our goals and practice hard every-day, we can go as far as we want to.”

Troyan identified a few important seniors who are running this year; on the distance side: Pat Joyce, Matt Miller, Jacob Ott and Jay Toole, and the sprinters, Gabe Williams and Sam Nieves. Their first meet, the St. Ed’s In-vitational is April 4th, which Troyan claims to be really excited about. Another meet he said the boys “really like” is the Bell Invitational, which is held at Rocky River High School. The District meet, which Troyan calls “the gateway to states,” will be held at Lakewood Stadium.

Girl’s TrackAfter coming 8th last year in the Lakewood

district, the girls track team looks to rebound this season. After losing numerous seniors including Chelsea Mason, Maura Anderson, Hilary Vigh, and Daniella Beltran the Lady Rangers hope current seniors Tessa Endress and Hannah Evans will put in strong efforts to improve on the team’s results at districts.

Incoming freshmen Kyra Nall and Mel Shestina also add to numerous underclassmen that will compete for varsity spots.

Other girls that are vying for varsity spots include sophomores Sam Cross, Paige Mo-rana, and Lisa Kowalski.

Following the same schedule as the boys’ team, the girls’ track team faces stiff compe-tition at the District meet where St. Joseph Academy and Magnificat are the most com-petitive in the district.

Boys’ TennisWith five seniors and an impressive morale,

the Lakewood Boys Tennis team is quite the promising bunch. Doubles division contender Will Weible states, “It will take a lot of heart, hard work, style, and a high PPI to repeat our season from last year.” Spirits seem high around the tennis team, and confidence is equally rising.

The team faces tough matchups against the St. Ignatius Wildcats, the Brush Arcs, and the Nordonia Knights. The team seems highly prepared, with a clear goal of a championship. “It’s going to take consistent excellence, and good drop shots,” says Weible with a smile, “Also, 32 hours of community service and patchy facial hair.”

A sense of humor never hurt a sports team, and with enough experience and smiles to reach any goal, this tennis team is destined for greatness.

By Lisa Kowalski, Staff WriterBy Wilson Sackett, Editorial Board MemberBy Jacob Ott, Sports Editor

Jay Toole sits in the starting blocks with the baton in hand on the LHS track. Photo by Jacob Ott, Sports Editor.

The Lakewood Times34

SportsSports

BaseballAs the spring sports season starts its first week of com-

petition, seniors face their last chance to make memories and an impact on their team before their clock at Lake-wood High School strikes midnight. The Lakewood High Varsity Baseball team is just beginning this challenge. This spring’s roster of 18 includes the names of 11 seniors.

This is Coach Chris Lamphear’s second season as Varsity Head Coach, and he and his players are optimistic about the season. “We’re a lot better than last year,” Lamphear said. “We have a lot of competition at a lot of positions.’’

Highlighting the roster for the Rangers this year is senior shortstop Jordan Kraus. Kraus is a three-year Varsity player with the potential to play college baseball. “ We’re expecting great things from Jordan this year, and a lot of colleges are looking at him,” Lamphear said.

Another senior to watch this spring is Bryan Kelley. The second basemen will also start at the top of the lineup for the Rangers this spring. “Bryan and Jordan provide us with a deadly double play combination,” Lamphear said.

Junior Connor “Wildcat” McKee is another of the Ranger’s strengths. A transfer student, having spent his freshman year at St. Ignatius, McKee will start at right field for the team. “He is hitting very well and is a very strong player,” Lamphear said.

Lakewood’s strength is its depth. Many of the Ranger baseball players can play multiple positions, providing for flexibility and different lineups to face the opposing pitcher. The Rangers’ weakness is their pitching. “We have a lot of guys that are unproven,” Lamphear said.

Senior Nick Vagi is optimistic about this season. “We are so much better than last year, but our schedule is so tough,” Vagi said. “Our strength is definitely our defense, especially in the outfield. We have a lot of speed out there.”

“We play the toughest competition in the area night in and night out,” Lamphear said. “We play NOC conference games every Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Some great early-season matchups at Lakewood Field are April 8 against Strongsville and April 29 against North Royalton.

SoftballThe snow is finally starting to melt. That

can only mean one thing: three bases, one plate, and a new field.

Last season, the girls’ softball team went 16-12, 5-5 in the NOC, and finished third in the NOC.

Having kept every player from last year’s varsity, the girls plan to take it to the next level.

“The bar is set high, but I think our girls

can reach it,” said first-year varsity coach Tedd Bruening.

“We want to win the conference title and go further into sectionals.”

As part of a team that can hit for power, the girls should be fun to watch this year.

“Over the winter, the girls spent a lot of time getting stronger in the weight room, so our hitting should really improve,” Bruening said.

“The team can bunt well. We are returning some great pitchers and are solid defensively.”

The girls will be taking a road trip to North Carolina over spring break. “We are very excited for this trip. We are guaranteed three games and are very excited,” Bruening said.

Built to win, the team is reaching high, looking to win the conference and win in sectionals.

By Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member

By Andrew O’Connor, Editorial Board Member

Senior John Reulbach pitches against Rocky River. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.

April 2009 35

Sports Sports

SportUnder

Review:Fencing

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Fencing isn’t a minimum wage summer job sticking fence posts in the ground. It is a quick-paced and agile activity that many people fail to recognize as a sport.

Foil isn’t just a thin aluminum substance used for covering your Tupperware. It is a fencing sword that is light and flex-ible, originally used for sword training in the 17th Century.

Fencing is comprised of three disciplines: Foil, Épée, and Sabre. All three are played in ridiculous white suits and mosquito nets, making fencers look like beekeepers afraid of the swarm.

To understand the lingo of the common fencer, you need your Olde English dictionary at the ready. Plastrons, gorgets, thigh socks, and knickers are the regular clothing items.

Not to be outdone are the obnoxious battle terms: parries, ripostes and remises – in layman’s terms, deflecting attacks, parrying after a parry, and an offensive attack. Fencers’ vo-cabulary alone is enough to make them athletes.

Athleticism is the name of the game. No other sport needs quicker reflexes. Matches can be decided in milliseconds, not the three or more hours needed to decide an extra-innings baseball game that might end with a score of 1-0, or the drawn-out 90 minutes of a 0-0 draw in soccer.

Fencing is a sport. That’s why it is in the Olympics. That’s why it has an

NCAA national championship each winter. That’s why it has such a bright future with athletes like Cleveland-born Peregrine Badger, this year’s Junior Olympic Championships runner-up.

Students SpeakSophomore Dan Verbi: “No, it is just a bunch of wimps smacking

each other with skimpy swords wearing armor.” Junior Greg Culley: “What do you think?” Senior T.J. Grane: “No, it’s a high risk with pads, I don’t like people

who play with pads. It’s all about contact.” Sophomore Grant Graves: “Fencing is as much a sport as I am man.”

40

Yes

No *Polls and results taken from 60 students at LHS.

Taylor is also a dual-sport athlete who plays soccer and runs on the track team. Her favorite class is Pop Culture, and her favorite teacher is Ron Lewis. Taylor cannot contain her love for musician Taylor Swift, who is also her favorite celebrity. Taylor’s favorite book is Flowers for Algernon, and she also enjoys watching movies like “Mean Girls,” “Titanic,” and “A Walk To Remember.” Her hobbies include eating (es-pecially at El Jalapenos, The Old Stand, and Chipotle), and “the Jive.” Taylor also participates in Dance Group and Student Council. Taylor really loves summer, and her favorite color is deep purple.

Underclassmen Uncovered

Interviews and Photos by Lisa Kowalski, Staff Writer

Alex plays two sports here at Lakewood High, football and tennis. In his spare time, he enjoys watching action movies. His favorites are “The Dark Knight” and “300.” Alex’s favorite athletes are Tom Brady and Roger Federer. His favorite teacher is Mr. Phillips. Alex really loves the summertime and hanging out with his friends. Hex loves listening to the musical stylings of Kanye West, and he also enjoys the shows “House: M.D,” “Two and a Half Men,” and “Family Guy.”

Alex Mihas9th GradeFootballTennis

Taylor Birth10th GradeSoccerTrack

36 The Lakewood Times

We all know them. They’re terrified of the sun. The mere mention of fresh air makes them nauseous. Walking anywhere is unheard of. The word, “flower,” has no meaning for them beyond being the main ingredient in Twinkies. They’re the people who refuse to go outside.

As their nature-loving peers celebrate the return of spring, these select students launch into what they do best: making excuses. While I’m not so much against the outdoors that I don’t know what flowers are, I have found myself using some of these excuses. Upon analyzing them, I’ve discovered that most of them are pretty pointless and, well, a little pathetic.

One of the biggest reasons given to avoid going out into the sun is the risk of getting burned. No one wants to die from skin cancer caused by the need to be tan. And while those few people who do nothing but turn a deeper bronze every time they set foot under the rays will never understand this, sunburns hurt. A lot. Then they peel, and you feel like a snake. The whole thing is just a nasty business.

Every time I point this out to myself or

Final WordBy Rebecca McKinsey, Editor in Chief

whoever is attempting to pull me out into the great outdoors, however, that sneaky little bottle sitting on my bathroom table laughs at me. Sunscreen is such an easy, pain-free solu-tion that anyone who tries to use sunburn as an excuse not to go outside is just being silly.

Although some students enjoy exercising outside, others find excuses in this area as well. They don’t want anyone to see their stomach rolls (I’m always worried about this one) or their pasty skin; they’re afraid they’ll sprain their ankle. This excuse is garbage as well. There’s nothing more invigorating than being outside.

As per the words immortalized in the classic “Legally Blonde” by Reese Witherspoon, “Ex-ercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” The natural high that comes with exercise is ideal – no drugs required.

By exercising outdoors, you’re giving your-self a double dosage of goodness: a natural happiness without the use of unnatural and/or illegal substances, and the physical benefits that come along with exercise. And the sprained ankle excuse is useless too. The other day, I stubbed my toe, and it grew to the size

of an obese porcupine – and I was inside.Other kids shy away from going outdoors

because of the ever-present fear of bugs. I fully understand this argument. I hate bugs. I abhor them. Being a vegan doesn’t keep me from running in the opposite direction as soon as I glimpse a spindly little insect leg.

However, staying inside doesn’t protect you from these disgusting little critters. Many Lakewood houses are chock full of bugs. I can barely turn on the shower without having to brush aside pesky ladybugs. At least when you’re outdoors, you have more room to run.

LHS students have used these reasons and more to avoid stepping out of their houses. It’s time we see these excuses for what they are – excuses – and take the plunge. The outdoors has a lot to offer. You don’t have to set up a tent in the Metroparks and become a hairy, reclusive caveman, although a few LHS students may. Just remember at some point to set down your pencil and venture outdoors to discover what Lakewood has to offer outside the walls of our school. And if you see any bugs, remember – it’s only natural. Just make sure you have your running shoes on.

Throwing excuses out of the window

Students plot their course across Lake Erie and beyond. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member.