The Waunakee Community High School unveiled a new student information system called Infinite Campus at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. The system replaced the previous attendance system SASI and family communication site ParentConnect. It allows students to check grades and attendance online. While a big change, teachers and students have embraced Infinite Campus, though some aspects remain cumbersome. The school chose Infinite Campus over other options like PowerSchool and Skyward because it was found to have the best features, ease of use, and future enhancements.
1. â â
Food to a body is like
gas to a car...it is a must.
-Physical Education
Instructor Alyson Shaefer
See page 8 for more
healthy habits.
NOVEMBER 17, 2010
Purple Sage Waunakee, WIVolume 9, Issue 2Waunakee Community High School
Opinion
Features
Sage Page
Sports
Quotable
UOTE
ââ Mr. Rogers
âThe tears
and sweat
often bring
out the best
in us.
Presented by
TheWednesday Society
The
One Act to State for 20th year
The Wisconsin Green and
HealthySchoolsProjectisajoint
project between the Wisconsin
Department of Instruction and
the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources that has
been making a statement
throughout school districts
across Wisconsin. It has
recently made its way into
the school district, where the
implementation of the initiative
here is being headed by fellow
science department instructors
Betsy Ippolito and Karen Olson.
According to the Wisconsin
DNR website, the program
aims to âincrease studentsâ
knowledge and awareness of
Wisconsinâs natural resources
and the environmental,
health, and safety concerns
and challenges that face our
schools, our communities,
and our earth.â To do this,
the program recognizes
schools that complete
thethreestepprocess
to become certified
as a Wisconsin Green
and Healthy School.
The first of these three
steps is forming a Green
and Healthy Schools Team
and signing a Green and
Healthy Pledge. In the second
step, the team must complete
a series of six assessments on
various areas related to the
schoolâs general environment,
such as waste and recycling,
energy, water and school
facilities and grounds. Ippolito
said, âBefore we can start
changing the school for the
better, we have to know where
change is needed.â
After these assessments are
completed and the problem
areas have been identified, the
third step begins. This is where
the team creates a plan to
eradicate any issues and meet
the Green and Healthy Schools
program standards.
The Wisconsin Green and
Healthy Schools program is
web-based and self-paced, so
there is no immediate pressure
for our school to become
certified.
Either way, Ippolito
and Olson are charging
ahead with their plans
to gain certification.
They hope this project
will create an overall
awareness of a healthy
school environment, help
build a stronger sense of
community, and give students
real world problem solving
skills. More importantly, they
believe this process will allow
everyone involved to realize
that every action has an effect,
and that little things help to
change the world for the better.
Jenna McGowan
Reporter
Sierra Gillespie
Entertainment Editor
WHS One Act made history
on November 6, when they
qualified for state for the 20th
year in a row at the Mitby
Theatre at Madison College.
This yearâs One Act is The Isle
of Dogs. Seniors Stephanie
Shepro and Nathan Taylor,
provide some insight on the
production.
Purple Sage: How long have
you been involved in One Act?
Stephanie Shepro: I joined
One Act my sophomore year
and have been a part of it
ever since.
PS: What role do you play in
this yearâs One Act?
SS:IplayDameOliviaBuckbill
who is an enthusiastic theatre
board member.
PS: What is an interesting
aspect about the play?
SS: Itâs a dark comedy, so
thereâs a lot of humor, but
then there are moments
when it becomes serious.
PS: What challenges do
you face getting into your
character?
SS: My character, though very
outgoing like I, has a tendency
to speak for others, which
isnât like me. I have to be able
to become a different person
on stage, which is what acting
is about.
PS: What challenges does the
group face as a whole?
SS: Not laughing when weâre
not supposed to. Everyone
has to stay in character.
PS: Are you ner vous?
SS: Of course Iâm nervous.
Ever y performance gets
judged by different people and
we have to hope they love it.
PS: How does your set change
from district to sectionals to
state?
SS: We always like to change
our set, to improve it. There
[are] always additions and
even more painting between
performances so itâs never
the same.
PS: Do you get stage fright?
SS: Most definitely! I still have
the dream where weâre doing
the play, and I forget all my
lines, so I have to make my part
up and fail miserably.
PS: Do you have any pre-
p e r f o r m a n c e r i t u a l s ?
SS: Oh sure, but the only way
to find out about them is to be
in One Act.
PS: How long have you been
Junior Brandyn Liebe (William Shakespeare) aids Senior Stephanie Shepro (Dame Olivia Buckbill ) after she
is stabbed. Jack Rosenberry (Cuthbert Burbage) watches Buckbillâs death. (Photo by Jeremiah Kirch)
involved in One Act?
Nathan Taylor: This is my
fourth year.
P S : H o w w o u l d y o u
describe this yearâs One Act?
NT: Vile, vulgar, putrid,
contagious and charmingly
witty.
PS: What is your role this
year, and what challenges
does your character bring?
NT:IplayNicholasDebeaubien,
the young playwright, who is a
silent character. Itâs proved
very difficult to develop a
character with no dialogue,
but Iâve finally lived my life
long dream to be Harpo Marx
and not be judged, though I
suppose I am being judged.
PS: This year you made
t h e s w i t c h f r o m c r e w
to cast. Why, and what
challenges does that bring?
NT: I transferred to cast
because I can make funny
faces; thatâs really it! The most
difficult part of acting in this
production is trying to keep
up with those more seasoned
actors. I also miss the crew
greatly because theyâre such a
tightly knit group, and itâs hard
to leave them.
PS: How does this One Act
differ from past One Acts and
plays from other schools?
NT: You really have to do your
homework for this piece.
There are many Shakespearian
references that are integral to
the comprehension of many
jokes and the conclusion.
WHS One Act will be
performing at state at UW-
Oshkosh on November 20 in
the Festival Theatre at 1:15
p.m.
Football travels to
Camp Randall for
second year in a row.
See page 13 for more.
Waunakee schools go green and healthy
football advances to stateDetails on page 13.
â
Entertainment
âWhy is âsheâ not paying
her debt to society by
paying a simple tax on all
of her âseashellsâ or
whatever it is she writes
them off as?
-Junior Brandyn Liebe
See page 12 for the
complete Top 5.
Flip your newspaper
over to page 16 to
view a timeline of
terriffic trinkets. From
timeless to the toys to
be.
Your community government:
a proposed plan to build a
new elementary school was
voted down. For more on the
referendum
see page 6.
2. The Purple Sage November 17, 2010Page 2
NEWS
Lily Vanderbloemen, News Editor
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Waunakee, WI 53597
608-850-6267
Shelley M Moffatt, AAMSÂź
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221 S Century Avenue
Waunakee, WI 53597
608-849-6649
124 W. Main Street
Waunakee, WI
608-849-3110
Hours:
Monday & Tuesday:
11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Wednesday:
11 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Thursday & Friday:
11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Waunakee Community High
School unveiled a new student
information system at the
beginningofthe2010-11school
year. Infinite Campus went live
for teachersâ training this July
and has been functioning
for students since the doors
opened on September 2.
The system is a replacement
for the attendance system
SASI of previous years and
family communication site
ParentConnect. It is available to
all WHS students, parents and
staff, each party with a different
level of functionality. According
to the Infinite Campus website,
the program offers assistance
for: administration, curriculum,
instruction, school services,
communication, reporting and
analysis.
A support team made up of
teachers has been assembled
to assist the transition.
Rebecca Cassel moved from
the middle school to become
the computer resource teacher
at the high school this year. Her
main task is to assist students,
parents and teachers with
Infinite Campus.
T h e p r o g r a m a l l o w s
students to check grades, view
attendance, and accomplish
various other tasks. According
WHS campus is now becoming infinite
Emily Drewry
Copy Editor
to the providerâs web detailing,
â[The system] delivers out of
the box functionality, proven
rapid implementations through
training and ongoing support.â
Infinite Campus has seen
mostly positive reactions
since its debut in September.
Sophomore Elise Moss said,
âI think itâs a great way for
students to be able to see what
their grades are and not have
to go ask the teachers.â
Senior Josie Johnson
also spoke positively about
the system and said, âI like
[Infinite Campus] better than
ParentConnect because itâs
easier to access.â
The change in systems
stemmedfromtworeasons:the
first being the discontinuation
of SASI as a system, and the
second being what Principal
Brian Kersten referred to as
the school, âwanting to move
towards a real-time web-based
application.â
The research began in
August 2009 and included an
in-depth study done by Tim
Schell, Director of Curriculum
and Instruction for the district.
Infinite Campus was compared
to two other options, Power
School and Skyward, which
were chosen in five other area
districts. Infinite Campus was
selected over the other online
programs because Kersten
found the âinformation to be
readily available.â Schell also
referred to Infinite Campus
as âthe winner [between the
other two possible solutions] in
features, ease of use, and road
mapforfutureenhancements.â
Middleton-Cross Plains, Lodi,
McFarland, Monona Grove,
Stoughton, and Sun Prairie
districts all use Infinite Campus
as well.
The transition from SASI
and ParentConnect to Infinite
Campus was âa forklift
upgrade,â according to Schell.
This refers to the vast amount
of data integration that had to
happen in order to prepare the
system. âMigrating from SASI
to Infinite Campus has been
a major undertaking, and I
think the community, parents,
students, and teachers, have
been patient and accepting
of the inevitable glitches in a
project this large,â said Schell.
While implementing a new
system was a huge transition,
members of the staff have
embraced the change. Math
instructor Karin Carson said,
âThere are things [in Infinite
Campus] that are nice that
werenât in the old system, but
there are also things that are
cumbersome.â
It may take time to learn
the quirks of the
program, but,
âWith change,
thereâs always
hesitation, but
teachers have
really embraced
it and jumped
right in,â Cassel
said.
Calendar: View due
dates for assignments.
Schedule: View
current grades.
Reports: View
progress reports,
report cards,
schedule, missing
assignments, and
unofficial transcript.
Change Account
system: Ability to
change username/
password.
Payments: Directly
make payments to
your lunch account.
Attendance: View
tardies and
absences.
Food Service:
View lunch
account balance.
3. NEWS
The Purple SageNovember 17, 2010 Page 3
Volunteer Connect: Sign up
The Waunakee community
Problem Solving team is
starting a Volunteer Connect
program.
Community problem
solving is a division of the
future problem solving
program. In the community
problem solving competition,
team members actually find
an area of concern in his or
her community and then
attempt to solve it. After much
thinking, the FPS team felt an
area that needed attention
was involvement and
volunteering by the student
body.Althoughmanystudents
want to volunteer, or need the
hours for something, they
often never get organized.
Thus, FPS decided to start the
Volunteer Connect program.
The team will provide a topic
of the month, to help give
volunteer ideas and even
organize trips to places to
volunteer.
The month of November,
w i l l b e f o c u s i n g o n
volunteering with the elderly.
On the website there is a list
of places to volunteer with the
elderly and more information.
FPS will be organizing a trip to
the Manor on November 20.
To sign up, visit the website
and send a message with
the names of volunteers.
For more information visit
the facebook page (search
Volunteer Connect) or the
website www.wix.com/
volunteerconnect/thinktwice.
Any questions, comments,
or concerns can be emailed
to waunakeecmps@yahoo.
com.
âArticle Submitted
New classes introduced to curriculum
To build or not to build, that was the question
Olivia Ruch
Reporter
On Tuesday, November
2, the citizens of Waunakee
v o t e d o n a t w o - p a r t
educational referendum. The
proposal included building
a new elementary school
and expanding Prairie
Elementary and the Waunakee
Intermediate School at a
reported cost of $23.5 million.
Waunakee homeowners
would have increases in
their property tax bills of
approximately 3 percent in
order to pay for the expansion.
Although the vote was close,
the referendum did not
pass. Superintendent Randy
Guttenberg said, â[I am]
disappointed the referendum
did not pass, but respect the
decision of the community.â
The proposal was brought
on by an overcrowding in the
elementary, intermediate, and
middle schools. According to
Guttenberg, âOur enrollment
is anticipated to grow by
about a thousand students
by 2018.â The intermediate
school currently utilizes some
space in Heritage. Guttenberg
said, âThe students in the
elementary schools and the
intermediate school will likely
see larger class sizes, more
students moved to schools
outside of their regular
attendance area and possible
temporary classrooms.â
W h e n a s k e d i f t h e
referendum was to be
proposed again, Guttenberg
said, âSchools cannot secure
financing to build schools
without approval through a
public referendum, and since
our enrollment is anticipated
to continue to grow, we will
need to bring a plan back to
the community in the future.Â
When this will occur and what
it will entail still needs to be
discussed with the board of
education.â
High school students in the
district should not be directly
affected by the votersâ decision.
They will be affected from the
referendum to expand the high
school, which was passed in
April 2010.
New teachers to math department
Lily Vanderbloemen
News Editor
In addition to new math
instructors Trygve Fritz and
Samantha Heyer, Math
Instructor Courtney Ring was
also added to the high school
staff this school year.
Pr i o r t o t e a c h i n g i n
Waunakee, Ring taught at
Brodhead High School where
she taught Pre-Algebra and
Algebra. Ring was also the
math advisor and prom advisor
at BHS.
Ring currently teaches
Geometr y and Algebra/
Geometr y 2B. She first
discovered she liked math
when tutoring students in high
school for NHS. Ring also had
a teacher, Mary Waltz, who
Ring said, âmade everything
different and exciting.â
This past fall season, Ring
coached the seventh grade
volleyball team at the middle
school. She is also involved
in the high school student
council and is looking to get
involved with the soccer
program here at Waunakee.
Her other hobbies include:
playing volleyball, swimming
and downhill skiing.
If Ring could travel anywhere
Math instructors Courtney Ring, Samantha Heyer, and Trygve Fritz in
their respective math classrooms. (Photos by Lydia Dorn)
in the world, she would travel
to Hawaii. Ring said, âWhat
I have learned about myself
over the years is that I do not
need to go far away to have
fun, I just need to find a place
that is relaxing to me.âÂ
The math department
welcomes Ring along with
the other instructors to the
Waunakee High School staff.
Chris Pedersen
Web Page Manager
W h e n s t u d e n t s g e t
their course directories in
December, they will find seven
new course offerings. The new
courses are Mandarin Chinese,
a compacted FST/Pre-Calculus
course, IT Essentials, Game
Design, Jazz Improv, Issues in
Psychology, and Spanish for
Heritage Speakers.
For a class to be taught at
Waunakee High School, it
must first be approved by the
appropriate department. It
then advances to a building
review. Passing that, there is
a district wide review with
the department chairs. A sub-
committee of the school board
approves it, and finally the full-
board votes. All seven of these
classes were approved by the
school board on November
8 and will be added to the
course listing for next year. A
class needs about 15 students
enrolled to be taught.
According to Principal Brian
Kersten, âWe feel with the size
oftheschoolitisanappropriate
time to look at adding another
language. One of the fastest
growing languages in the
world in addition to Spanish
is Chinese.â Waunakee
High School currently offers
Spanish, French, Japanese,
and Latin language courses.
K e r s t e n , D i r e c t o r o f
CurriculumandInstructionTim
Schell and Assistant Director of
Curriculum and Instruction
Amy Johnson recently met
with representatives of the
Middleton-Cross Plains school
district to discuss co-hiring a
Mandarin Chinese instructor.
Finding a qualified teacher
may prove to be an issue, but
according to George Mavroulis,
the Director of Curriculum and
Instruction at Cross-Plains,
âThe candidate pool is not
deep, but I think we can find
someone due to our location
near UW.â
A compacted pre-calculus
and advanced algebra course
will help students who want
to take Calculus during his or
her senior year. Currently, the
only way for someone to do
so is to take both Geometry
and Advanced Algebra courses
freshman year or have already
skipped a year of math. Many
college math, science, and
engineering programs have
calculus as a prerequisite,
and this compacted course
will help Waunakee students
be competitive with other
students. According to high
school math teacher Erin
Schroeder,â[Enteringtheclass]
will be like Advanced English,â
meaning it will require some
sort of qualification process.
Currently, computer science
courses are part of the math
department, but next year
they will be listed on their
own in the course directory.
The first of two new additions,
Computer Essentials, is
a course done by Cisco, a
multinational networking and
communications company.
The class will allow students
to earn A+ certification. This
is an entry level certification
that shows competence as a
computer technician, or as
computer science teacher
Aaron Pavao put it, âqualifies
[you] for jobs that make more
money than I do.â This class
will also work as a dual credit
with Madison College.
Game Design will âhelp
bridge the gap between
Computational Thinking and
Computer Science I,â said
Pavao. The class will cover
games and their effect on
society, programming logic
and more. Computational
Thinking is a prerequisite for
both classes.
Jazz Improv will be geared
towards students with a
music background interested
in improvisational work and
as jazz composition. This
course aims to give students
the tools to improvise as well
as transcribe music. In the
past, this interest was served
through Independent Studies,
but âis about 90 percent
individual work, so there are
less checkpoints and it is
less effective,â according to
band instructor Ryan Gill. Jazz
Improv will be offered every
other year.
Currently, AP Psychology is
the only psychology course
available at the high school.
Many students, however,
either want to learn about
psychology but are not ready
for an AP level course or
simply are not interested in
taking the AP test. Issues in
Psychology is a class that
will be open to sophomores
through seniors, and provides
a smaller workload than AP
Psychology. âI think it fills a
niche that is long overdue,â
said psychology instructor
Charlie Fuller. Although there
is inevitably some overlap,
the material covered in
psychology will be different
from the AP course material.
Potential topics include family
dynamics, addiction issues
and mental illnesses.
Spanish for Heritage
Speakers will benefit native
Spanish speakers. In the past,
native speakers could take
Spanish IV or Spanish V, but
these courses may not offer
enough of a challenge. Spanish
for Heritage Speakers will be
designed specifically for these
students and will run much
like an English class. The focus
will be mostly on literature and
proper grammar rather than
pronunciation and culture.
4. The Purple Sage November 17, 2010Page 4
OPINION
Jamie Warner, Opinion Editor
Jamie Warner
Opinion Editor
With problems such as oil
depletion and global warming
looming in the distance,
people have been turning
to biofuels as an alternative
to oil companies. However,
while modern research may
give more power to biofuels,
concoctions to this day have
not been effective.
In fact, it is questionable
whether biofuels have helped
the environment at all. To
make room for farmland,
natural habitats are sometimes
destroyed. In the U.S., corn
plots that would be used
for food are being replaced
with corn for biofuel, turning
away food in addition to
taking up more space.
Plants take carbon from the
atmosphere and replace it with
oxygen, fighting global
warming. Biology students
might be familiar with the
concept that around half
of a treeâs mass is made of
carbon from the atmosphere.
Removing the trees and thus
adding to global warming
in an attempt to solve that
very problem hardly seems
efficient.
In the U.S., the problem is
particularly bad. Since we
cannot grow sugarcane, we
have to make biofuels out
of corn, which is much less
efficient. Most of the energy
biofuels produce through the
processes we use is spent
producing them in the first
place. For this reason, biofuels
intheU.S.havebeensubsidized
extensively. Because the
biofuel industries here are too
ineffective to stand on their
own, the government needs
to prop them up. It does not
need to be that way, however.
In Brazil, the biofuel industry
is running smoothly without
government support, a far
cry from biofuels in the U.S.
which are struggling to stand.
In Brazil, the more efficient
sugarcane makes biofuels a
legitimate source of energy.
Greater efficiency
and innovation
are rewarded
instead of having
i n e f f i c i e n c y
and bad ideas
c o v e r e d u p
by the tricky
t a x e s a n d
subsidizations
used to make
t h e b u s i n e s s
profitable in the U.S. Because
the Brazilian system is more
conducive to good ideas, good
ideas have come.
One such innovation is
hydrocarbons, which are
chemically similar to fossil
fuels but are still made with
biomaterial. Because of this,
hydrocarbons can be mixed
in with gasoline and such
products without requiring
a specialized engine. Such
hydrocarbons would also
be purer than petroleum, so
refineries would have to do less
purification. Through a joint
effort between oil companies
Shell and Cosan, hydrocarbons
are becoming a reality.
T h e s u c c e s s o f t h i s
venture could then pave the
way for future fuels, such
as ethanol made from non-
food biomaterial, or cellulosic
biofuel. With this technology,
making biofuel would not
deplete food sources but
would make food and biofuel
prices more stable and provide
more land that can be used to
produce food.
Once hydrocarbons are
brought out onto the market,
then innovations can be made
with less risk. Scientists and
engineers can team up and
be funded by oil companies
to try to make better fuels,
adding to the research done
by the current government-
funded workers. Biofuels as
they exist today are inefficient
and subsidized heavily. Current
energy research done in the
private market, however,
has made a new path for
improvement.
Biofuels ineffective; hope for future
Understanding social
norms is the catalyst for
c o m p r e h e n d i n g s o c i a l
interaction. Often, what is
unsaid makes the biggest
impression, yet the unsaid may
be difficult to decipher, such
as the many nebulous aspects
of personality. Although
qualities of persona are broad
in scope, all people fit into
differing personality types. The
categories are introversion,
extroversion and ambiversion,
which denotes a middle and
often disregarded type on the
personality spectrum.
Learning the attributes
of both may breach the
communication gap between
acquaintances, students and
teachers, work mates and
such. Understanding both
types might well benefit you
in communication with others,
as well as knowing your own
intuition.
It is thought that 50
percent of all individuals
are introverts. Contrary to
common opinion, introversion
is not the quality of being
reclusive, as most introverts
enjoy social interaction.
Rather, it is the social stimuliâ
namely preferenceâthat the
individual would interact with.
Introversion dictates that a
person would much rather be
with close associatesâthose
whom he or she has known for
a longer amount of time.
T h e s e p e o p l e a r e
distinguishable from the
shy and socially anxious.
Introverted people might
classify as socially competent.
Tending to ponder and reflect,
the method in which they relay
information is more likely to
be steeped on a cognitive
basis. The result? They tend to
have a better comprehension
of rationale and are often
misunderstood by their
extroverted contemporaries.
They are described as
intuitive and regard the world
as an interesting, endless
smorgasbordofinformationâa
codex of sorts to be deciphered
through meditative processes.
Mainly, this group of
individuals benefits more from
single activities such as music,
literatureandarchitecture.They
are judgingânot judgmental
mind youâbut meticulous
and thorough. Leaving no
question unanswered, life is
unambiguous to them because
they are lifeâs problem solvers.
In contrast, extroverts thus
have a tendency to gain and
reciprocate energy from the
outside world. They thrive on
the notion of social interaction.
In doing so from this vantage
p o i n t , c o m p r e h e n d i n g
an introvert may prove
exceptionally difficult.
This group of people is
primarily interested in their
stimuli. They are well spoken,
genuine, and interested in new
things.
Primarily, extroverts are
known as sensors of their
environment. They thrive
where introverts would stilt
and hesitate. They are the
worldâs multitaskersâoften
able to complete several given
tasks in the most distracting
environments. As a result,
they are confident. They are
personable and apt to change
decisions.
Extroverts conceptualize the
world around them through
a different scope. Often
impulsive, they are quick to
action. Unlike introverts, these
individuals prefer freedom to
explore their curiosity: meeting
new foods, sampling new
delicacies, and learning new
cultures.
Predominantly, extroverts
are in the limelight. Choosing
sociable occupations, they
might well be impromptu
comedians, newscasters,
teachers, or authoritative
figures.
The question is how does
one communicate with an
extrovert?
The communication barrier
seemsdauntingforanintrovert.
As an introvert, it is important
to desensitize oneself to the
constant, often tiring influence
ofextroverts.Itseemstomethat
we benefit most by exploring
Eric Momou
Columnist
Understanding the two archetypes of communication
Thumbs up!
Fall of Disney
teen girl icons
One Act,
Football, Cross
Country, and
Swim Team to
state
Facebook
addiction. âIt
will just take a
minute to
check it, and
then I can go
start my
essay.â
New Harry
Potter movie.
We know how
it ends
already, but
there is
suspense all
the same.
Thanksgiving
food
A lack of stom-
ach space to
be filled with
Thanksgiving
food
Raking leaves.
Making a
wind-resistant
pile is a
challenge of
engineering
unsolved to
date.
âConan.â
After a calam-
ity with NBC,
he is finally no
longer
âlegally
prohibited
from being
funny on tele-
vision.â
Thumbs down...
see MIND page 6ï”
6. The Purple Sage November 17, 2010Page 6
OPINION
âWould you take any of the
ânew classes?
Photo poll by Olivia Knier and Lydia Dorn
âSpanish for
Heritage Speak-
ers because thatâs
something I donât
know a lot about.â
LuAnn Miley
HS Assistant
âThe jazz one would be really
cool because I love jazz music.
[Also] Issues in Psychology
because Iâm really interested in
psychology, and it would be a
nice precursor to AP Psychologyâ
Steph Shepro
Grade 12
âGame Design be-
cause I like games,
and Iâm very inter-
ested in how they are
made.â
Eric Swanson
Grade 9
âFST/Precalc so I
could get ahead in
math.â
Kara Schultz
Grade 10
âJazz Improvisation
[because] itâs another
branch of music that
a lot of people could
explore and Issues in
Psychology beacuase
thatâs hopefully my
career choice. Iâm
really interested in the
mind.â
Andrew Zobel
Grade 11
Nick Stamm
Columnist
French pension plan not worth its costs
a common sight during months
of protesting. It is believed that
at one point 40 percent of all
the gas stations in France were
closed due to the gas shortage
problem.
Off the coast of France in
Many countries around the
world have had to make tough
decisions on how to save their
money during these trying
economic times. Recently,
France, in what they believed
to be the best financial
solution to save their pension
plan, decided to raise their
retirement age from 60 to 62
years old, even with massive
protests going on around the
country.
As you could imagine, the
people of France were not
thrilled at the prospect of
having to work for another year
ortwobeforereceivingbenefits
from the government. Protests
throughout the country were
rampant with many turning
violent as the idea was debated
in Franceâs Parliament over
many months.
As part of the protests many
people boycotted their jobs
and refused to work in protest
to the possible change to the
retirement bill. In particular,
the oil and docking industries
t e m p o r a r i l y l o s t m a n y
employees to boycotts of this
plan.
Oil shortages and empty gas
stations all around France were
the Mediterranean Sea, ships
were lined as far as the eye
could see with full cargo loads
simply waiting to get into port
and unload their cargo.
Looking back at all of this
mayhem and chaos, is it truly
worth it for France? By raising
the retirement age, does the
government really expect to
solve a massive debt problem?
It seems they think making
people wait for two more years
after 60 years of hard work
wiill earn them money in the
long run.
Maybe they can save short
term because all of a sudden
they are not paying another
two yearsâ worth of citizensâ
typical wages, but what about
in the future? Chances are the
extreme majority of people
who are 60 now will be alive
and well by the time they are
62 years old. France still ends
up in the same situation, and
what really is gained?
Given more time and a
little more thought, it is very
possible that a better long
term solution to save Franceâs
pension could be found. A
solution that does not put any
more financial pressure on
its people, especially in these
times, is what the country
needs.
Voters back from school bills
The Waunakee community
voted on November 2 against
a referendum to add a new
school at the elementary level.
The school would have been
placed on Woodland Drive, in
a plot currently occupied by
fields. However, Waunakee
residents denied any money
to be used for constructing a
new school. In April, a new
elementary school was put
to vote and was denied. It
has been made clear that we
need more space, but the price
tag is blocking voters from
considering it.
Waunakeeâs last elementary
school, Arboretum Elementary
School, was a bust. The school
is too small for the needs
of Waunakee. Only a few
short years after that school
was built, another school is
needed. Clearly, Arboretum
was not big enough. Why
would voters approve a
school that would exceed its
capacity so quickly, though?
The reason is that the price tag
was considerably lower than
a full size elementary school
would have been.
Waunakee voters have
expressed their concern over
spending such a large amount
of money. Therefore, the
school referendums put up
for voting are referendums
with smaller price tags. Lower
priced schools mean smaller
schools that will not fit needs
of future students. This means
that schools have to be built
every few years instead of one
large school being built and
lasting for ten or more years.
Waunakee voters have to
know that overcrowding is
an imminent threat. In order
to fix this issue, there is a
cost, and it might be large.
Money spent on education is
priceless; education is what
makes the United States
strong. Elementary education
is the first step in a childâs
schooling career. A voterâs
mindset should be in the long
term rather than the short
term.
Waunakee is one of the
fastest growing communities
in the area; the public schools
here are also some of the best
in the area. To keep up with the
growing community, schools
have to be able to handle the
students.
Additionally, splitting up
elementary students into
multiple schools is harmful
for the students themselves.
Waunakee is still a small town,
and if students are split up
in four, five, or six different
directions concerns arise.
Are all the different schools
teaching the exact same thing?
Are these students learning
more than those students?
Making sure multiple schools
are performing exactly the
same is difficult. It could lead
to a wide contrast in the quality
of education. Parents want
the best for their children.
If they hear that one school
has been performing even
the slightest bit better than
another, they may want to
move their student to the
school that is performing best.
Neighborhoods may also be
split up with a growing number
of schools. It is not fair to the
children to go to a different
school than their friends whom
they have previously gone to
school with.
What Waunakee citizens
need to understand is that
education costs money.
Teaching the next generation
should not be taken lightly.
Children hold the future, and
it is our responsibility to make
every effort to shape them
well. Education does just that.
from Page 4
Mind
ï”
our creative juices.
However, it is important
to express ourselves as
well. We thrive on the
complements of our
work. Extroverts fill the
void made by introverts in
aspects of expression and
voicing the thoughts made
by creativity; they are the
complementary. Thus,
I believe that instead of
conforming as extroverts
do, many introverts would
find it beneficial to follow
their own life course,
pursuing whatever they
deem worthy to pursue.
Itseemsasifweareoften
constrained by societyâs
restraint on personality. In
a world where extroverted
people are described as
more socially competent
it is exceptionally difficult.
Aaron Schmidt
Advertising Manager
For a list of new courses and
to read more, see page 3.
7. The Purple SageNovember 17, 2010 Page 7
FEATURES
Sara Vincent, Features Editor
Adam Stroud: an acoustic craftsmanSara Vincent
Features Editor
Senior Adam Stroud surrounded by his many handmade guitars and banjo. His creations usually take six months to finish. (Photo by Glenn Will)
It is 9:37 a.m. on a beautiful
Tuesday morning. Senior
Adam Stroud sits on an old,
blue couch strumming a hand
stained acoustic guitar, playing
a chord progression; switching
between sweeping finger-
picks and strumming. The
sound is warm, melodious and
familiar; at least to the others
in the room. This is because
Adam is playing one of his own
hand-crafted guitars.
Noticing that his friend
received a text about an
interview for the paper in less
than ten minutes; he gracefully
stands up and places it on
the couch, making sure the
neck is supported. His care
is unparalleled. His care for
guitars is unfortunately not
translated to being on time,
and he arrives ten minutes
late for his interview at MNMs
coffeehouse.
Purple Sage: Why did you start
to make guitars?
Adam Stroud: It was a
combination of the fact that
I had absolutely nothing to
do and had recently decided
to become a âbroâ and start
playing guitar. Soon enough,
I got bored with just playing
guitar, and I was pretty curious
about how they worked, so
thatâs when I started to make
them.
PS: How did you go about
learning how to make a guitar?
AS: I could have gotten kits
to make them, but instead
I bought this book, âGuitar
making: Tradition and
Technology.â For my first
guitar, I followed the book
the whole entire way, just to
get the basics down. It was
terrible.
PS: How long did it take to
make your first guitar?
AS: Six months. [The guitar] is
so bad, you canât even play it.
Iâm considering smashing it
against a wall like in âAnimal
House.â
PS: How did you go about
improving the quality of your
guitars?
AS:WellthesecondoneImade
was electric, and I used the
same techniques, but I really
got better just with experience.
The second one is awesome, I
still play it.
PS: How do the materials used
differ from acoustic to electric?
AS: With acoustic guitars you
have to use one soft wood
and one hard wood, and with
electric, it doesnât really matter,
you can use all hard woods. An
example of a hard wood would
be an oak, whereas a soft
wood would be a pine. Thatâs
so you can get the right sound
because the woods have to
balance out so you can get the
right sound. Thatâs one of the
creative things you can do. You
can vary the sound with the
different types of wood you
use. So all guitars are different
in a way.
PS: Does it take a lot of time to
get all the pieces together so
the guitar does not fall apart?
AS: There are some pretty
tough gluing procedures, and
the wood canât just be flat and
thick like a table. The wood is
thin and it has to be rounded.
The bending of the wood is the
hardest part. You need to soak
it in water and then put it on
a hot pipe and steam all the
water out of it and give it shape.
PS: How many guitars have
you made?
AS: Iâve made eight guitars and
a banjo.
PS: Have you sold any of your
guitars, or have you kept all of
them?
AS: I sold one to a guy who
had just graduated from the
Air Force Academy, it was an
electric one. He just told me
how he wanted it to sound
and how he wanted it to look
and I just made it for him.
Sometimes I give them to
friends.
PS: Have you ever made a
guitar for a school project?
A S: I made one for an
independent study with Mr.
Staskal sophomore year, and
this year second semester, Mr.
Staskal is trying to get a guitar
making group independent
study. Itâs open to anyone who
is interested in making guitars.
If people are interested they
should contact Mr. Staskal or
me. They wouldnât need wood
working experience to take the
course.
Introduction by Glenn Will.
Contributions by Caroline Patz
and Danielle Schiestle.
Girlsâ swim team a welcoming environment for students with special needs
The Waunakee High School
girlsâ swim team is a strong
and competitive team with
many talented and driven
swimmers. Among the girls on
the team, there are two unique
swimmers that do not seem to
let anything get in their way of
swimming and competing.
Kayla Tarantino and Pilar
Shogren are two autistic girls
on the swim team who love to
swim. Sophomore swimmer
Annabell Pedersen said, âThey
come to practice like anyone
else and are always included
in what the rest of the team
happens to be doing. They
have both swam in meets,
and there are always people
cheering for them at the end of
the lanes. They are part of our
team. They are as much a part
of the team as anyone else.â
All the people on the team
show their support in different
ways, and many girls were
excited to see students with
special needs join the team.
Freshman swimmer Elena
Patz said, âI was really excited
to see them join the team
because not many special
needs kids go out for sports.â
Having Kayla and Pilar on
the team has helped the two
girls as well as bringing out the
best of the other swimmers
on the team. Other people on
the team agree Kayla and Pilar
have caused them to make
changes within themselves
as well as broadening their
perspectives.
However, it is not only the
girls on the swim team that
show support for Kayla and
Pilar. Their special education
instructors, Kristin Benedict
and Cindy Howard have been
encouraging the girls from the
seasonâs get-go, and have seen
the positive influence the swim
team has had on Kayla and
Pilar.
Benedict said, âI believe that
the swim team has helped
Kayla make friends that she
probably would not have had
if she werenât on the swim
team.â
Many of the other swimmers
have seen the two girlsâ
swimming skills greatly
improve from when they first
joined until now.
Swim team coach Kayla
Proctor said, âOf course I was
also excited to see them join
the team. I hoped that joining
the team would help them
grow, but in return they really
helped everyone else grow.â
The two girls have changed
the team in great ways. Patz
said, âI feel that people on
our team really do have a
more open mind now because
we realize that they can do
anything we can do, and we
definitely respect them for it.â
Melanie Guitzkow
Reporter
ââMr. Staskal is trying to get a guitar making group inde-
pendent study second semester this year. Itâs open to
anyone who is interested in making guitars.
âSenior Adam Stroud
8. Page 8 Page 9
Purple Sage: How long have you
been a vegetarian?
Ellen Drewry: Iâve been a
vegetarian since my
tenth birthday.
PS: Why did you start being a
vegetarian?
ED: I didnât like the
ideaofeatinganimals.
PS: How do you
stay on track?
ED: My parents
help out a lot by
not making a lot
of meat dishes.
PS: What other
foods do you eat
that most people
do not have to eat?
ED: I eat a lot of
tofu and some
vegetables that
arenât very popular.
Interview by Anna Evansen
Physical Education Instructor
Alyson Schaefer gave The Purple
Sage some great advice about
nutrition, healthy lifestyles and
school lunches.
Inteview by Lana Scholtz
âą About 5-10 percent of the worldâs population is vegetarian.
âą A pescatarian is someone who eats no meat, with the exception
of fish.
âą Vegans are people who do not eat animals or bi-
products
âą Though not officially proven, studies suggest
that vegetarians are less likely to have cancer.
âą The amount of meat consumption in the U.S.
has increased 400 percent in the past 50 years.
âą Studies show that following a vegetarian diet
may decrease your risk of a stroke.
âą One third of the worldâs grain is used to feed
animals that are being raised for food.
âą LactoâOvo vegetarians do not eat meat, but do
consume animal products such as milk and eggs.
Source: www.vegetarianvegan.com
Factsabout
vegetarianismandveganism Interviewwitha
vegetarian
DonâtWorry,BeHealthy
What are some easy things students can do to
improve their everyday health?
1) Never ever skip breakfastâŠ..this meal kick starts
your engine and your body. I often tell my students
food to a body is like gas to a carâŠit is a must.
2) Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water!
(Even more if you are an athlete.) It is the nectar of
the gods.
3) Eat five small meals a day to keep that engine
going. These need to be healthy meals and do not
over eat. Eat more veggies and fruitsâŠ.this seems to
be the deficit in most teenagersâ diet.
4) Watch the portion sizes. American restaurants
serve way too much food in a serving. Keeping the
body properly fueled helps maintain or lose weight.
If you skip meals the body will then go into starvation
mode and store food as fatâŠ.not good.
What can students do to lead healthier lives?
Things kids can do to lead to a healthier lifestyle are
as easy as moving more in their daily activitiesâŠ..
biking or walking to school, parking farther away
so they walk farther to school, taking the stairs
whenever the opportunity arises and at lunch going
for a brisk 10 minute walk. Also, step away from the
video games and facebook. Instead, take time for
you and your health. Or else you will be unable to
continue even the simplest of activities if you lead an
inactive lifestyle. Take time to de-stress. Â Take deep
breaths and re-evaluate what you are stressed about
and if you can control it. Stress can kill, so kids need
to control it ⊠prioritize. If the situation is out of your
control, let it go. Kids should be active 30-60 minutes
at least five days out of the week. It is imperative to
lead a longer life and healthier life.
Also, how do you feel about the schoolâs cafeteria
food?
I am not too familiar with [cafeteria food] but what
I have seen is the portion sizes and they are way
too generous. Kids may feel obligated to eat an
entire sub that is as big as their head. I do know
there are nutritional choices too. I will tell you this:
kids should be able to take responsibility to choose
what is right for them. We all have the power of
choice, but we need to use it responsibly and take
ownership for our choices.
I have heard that you like to refer to the book
âEat This, Not Thatâ in class. Do you think the
students can learn some important things from
the book?
âEat This, Not Thatâ is great. It is an eye opener to
what kids may think is nutritious but really [tells
which] foods have hidden fats.
Anxiety
The Situation: You are
really nervous about an
Advanced Algebra test you
need to get an A on.
Your Meal: Grilled chicken
wrap, no mayo
Why: Eating between
4 and 5 ounces of
protein helps your
brain create dopamine
and norepinphrine
neurochemicals that keep
you alert.
FoodstoIncreaseYour
Brain PowerRestlessness
Situation: You need
some serious shut eye
before your gymnastics
meet tomorrow, but the
past couple nights you
have not been able to
fall asleep.
Your Meal: Nonfat
popcorn half an hour
before you go to bed
Why: The carbs will
induce your body to
create serotonin, a
neurochemical that
makes you feel relaxed.
Depression
Situation: Issues at
home are doing you in
emotionally.
Your meal: Grilled salmon
or sushi
Why: A study in Finland
showed that people
who eat more fish are 31
percent less likely to suffer
from depression. Skip
sweet simple carbs. The
sugar crash can actually
deepen depression.
Confusion
The Situation: Though
you take good notes in
math, you can not seem
to make sense of anything
your teacher is saying.
Your Meal: Pineapple
chunks or a cup of berries
Why: Antioxidants from
the most colorful fruits
and vegetables help
pick off the free radicals
that wear away at your
memory. Because your
brain consumes so much
oxygen, oxidants can do
heavy damage there.
Produce grown by
the Pay-it-Forward
Community Garden
used in school
lunches:
Carrots, Peppers,
Tomatoes,
Pumpkins,
Mixed Greens,
Green Beans,
Summer Squash,
Oregano,
Thyme, Cilantro
Source: eatthis.menshealth.com
Spread by: Sara Vincent and Anna Evansen
The Purple Sage
9. The Purple Sage November 17, 2010Page 10
ENTERTAINMENT
Sierra Gillespie, Entertainment Editor
Mark your calendars, âDue Dateâ is here
It is somewhat
difficult to believe
that just a decade
ago Robert Downey,
J r . , c u r r e n t l y
one of the most bankable
actors in Hollywood, was
on a downward spiral out of
control.
The actor was arrested on
multiple occasions for drunk
driving, possession of heroin,
and possession of firearms.
Downey was arrested several
times, and his substance abuse
only seemed to be getting
worse.
For a while, the actor
disappeared from the limelight,
but he came back with a bang
playing the lead role in âIron
Manâ in 2007. The casting of
Downey for the role was risky
but successful, as âIron Manâ
grossed $5 million world wide.
Sierra Gillespie
Entertainment Editor
Nightmare: a dream
Meghan Caulfield
Columnist
When a
band comes
along with
such sheer
power and
such ability
to hold a
high ranking status, people
and the media have a way
of trying to make it fall from
its fame. The band Avenged
Sevenfold is a perfect
example of this.
Late last year, Avenged
Sevenfoldâs long-time
drummer, Jimmy âThe Revâ
Sullivan, was found dead
in his home. Despite the
devastating loss, Avenged
Sevenfold managed to finish
their fifth studio album,
Nightmare, without flaw.
Nightmare was released
on July 21, 2010, crushing
any notions that Avenged
Sevenfold could not progress
further in their music. Mike
Portnoy of the band Dream
Theater helped Avenged
Sevenfold with drums to
finish their newest release.
In past albums, Avenged
Sevenfold has shown both
a heavy metal side as well
as a screamo side to their
music. Imagine the perfect
combination of both, and you
have Nightmare.
Their newest album in
its entirety is an album
worth listening to, but there
are a few standout tracks.
âNightmare,â the radio hit
and opening track, sets the
tone for the album perfectly.
âDanger Lineâ and âBuried
Aliveâ seem very reminiscent
of Avenged Sevenfoldâs last,
self-titled album. âGod Hates
Usâ is an attention-grabbing
track with a suspenseful intro
that also seems to be similar
to former Avenged Sevenfold
material.
While listening to âFiction,â
a beautiful track, you cannot
help but remember the
deceased drummer, Sullivan,
through the touching lyrics. It
also features Sullivanâs piano
playing and his personal
vocals. This was the last track
Sullivan had the honor of
working on before his death.
Although âFictionâ seems
like it would be a sufficient
closing track for the album,
there is one more song
featured on Nightmareâ
the nearly 11 minute track,
âSave Me.â This track
ends the album well, with
large portions of straight
instrumentals unique to
Avenged Sevenfold.
While to fans and fellow
bands, Avenged Sevenfold
may never be exactly what it
once was, there is no denying
that Avenged Sevenfold still
remains one of the best
bands in the hard rock scene.
It is unknown as to what
the future holds for Avenged
Sevenfold. Whether they
continue or put the name to
rest, fans will be supportive
with whatever choice the
band decides on.
Downey used the success
of the film to his benefit and
three years later is on top of
his game. He put his shady
past behind him
and has been
cranking out
hit after hit.
H i s m o s t
r e c e n t
f i l m , â D u e
Dateâ takes a
step away from
the superhero/
action star role he
portrayed for the
past three years but still
manages to act in a heavily
publicized film.
Downey plays Peter
Highman, an expectant father
who leaves his wife at home
in Los Angeles while taking a
quick business trip to Atlanta.
At the beginning, Peter is
planning on flying home, but
when his bag accidently gets
switched with that of Ethan
Tremblay, played hilariously by
Zach Galifianakis, things start
to go wary.
With much struggle, Peter
boards the plane, but after
a bit of ruckus, both him
and Ethan are thrown off
the flight, and placed on a
âno-flyâ list. Unfortunately,
Peterâs luggage, wallet
and identification are
all left on the plane,
a n d t h e o n l y
possession he has
is his Blackberry.
W i t h o u t
identification or money, Peter
hasnopossible wayofrentinga
car. Driven by the pending birth
of his first child, he reluctantly
agrees to ride to California with
Ethan.
Ethan is an eccentric
character with qualities that
quickly grow to annoy Peter. An
aspiring actor, Ethan heads to
Hollywood in hopes of making
it big.
The pair encounters a
plethora of misfortunes along
their way to California, each
more intense than the last.
The duo goes through a total
of three cars, several broken
body parts, intense emotional
episodes, a few run-ins with
the law, and one extreme case
of deep sleeping.
W h i l e D o w n e y a n d
Galifianakis mainly carry the
film, small appearances by
Jamie Foxx and Juliet Lewis
sum up the cast to just about
star-studded.
Though similar to the
1987 film âPlanes, Trains &
Automobiles,â âDue Dateâ has
striking differences. The two
main characters of the latter
have similar qualities to the
original road trip film; however,
they are different enough to
make up a whole new movie.
Downey plays the Steve
Martin character, an uptight
b u s i n e s s m a n t r y i n g
desperately to get home to his
family, and Galifianakis plays
the John Candy character,
an unconventional man who
takes his time getting places.
These similarities aside, not
much else can compare the
films.
â P l a n e s , T r a i n s &
Automobilesâ is aimed for
a wide audience, and is
definitely more appropriate
for children than âDue Date.â
Still, âDue Dateâ manages
to harness the humor that
Galifianakis first showcased in
âThe Hangover,â and appeals
to audiences mature enough
to appreciate it.
âDue Dateâ is a fresh look at the
road trip story that generations
grew to love in âPlanes, Trains
& Automobiles,â and the movie
provides entertainment for
viewers.
Credited as a comedy, âDue
Dateâ is really a range of
genres, showcasing all sorts
of emotions from the lead
actors. The majority of the film
is laugh out loud comedy, but
the story is filled with small
bits of intense emotion, adding
some insight to the lives of the
main characters.
Downey plays his role to a
tee, showing that his acting
chops were not diminished in
spite of several stints with the
law. Galifianakis continues
giving off hilarious yarns, but
does show off some deeper
qualities throughout the film.
Though comparable to
âPlanes,Trains&Automobiles,â
âDue Dateâ is a completely
different film, and much more
up to date. The comedy is
intensely hilarious, yet still
somewhat meaningful.
âDue Dateâ may not be âThe
Hangover,â but it will definitely
live on for quite some time.
The humor may slowly widdle
away with time, but the overall
meaning will always remain.
Conan OâBrien returns to television
Tommy Wiesler
Columnist
âConan.â It was âthe most
anticipated television event
since televisionâs last most
anticipated event,â according
the TBS promotions. The last
most anticipated event being
when Conan OâBrien took the
micophone as the fifth host of
âThe Tonight Show,âon June 1,
2009.
However, when OâBrienâs
predecessor, Jay Leno, moved
to primetime to host âThe
Jay Leno Show,â it messed
everything up. Leno got
horrible ratings, which led to
bad ratings for OâBrien. Instead
of getting rid of Leno, NBCâs
solution was to give Leno a half
hour slot at 11:35 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time, and move âThe
Tonight Showâ to 12:05 a.m.,
giving OâBrien even worse
ratings.
At the start of the argument,
OâBrien gained support from all
of his fans and even other late
night talk show hosts. David
Letterman supported OâBrien,
for OâBrien was supposed
to be the successor of âThe
Tonight Showâ after Johnny
Carsonâs era, but it was given
to Leno. Talk show host, Jimmy
Kimmel mocked Leno on his
show, and appeared on âThe
Jay Leno Showâ to make fun
of him.
Even amid all of his support,
NBC gave OâBrien two choices:
Move to 12:05 a.m. or leave
NBC. OâBrien left the network,
saying he did not want to
damage the greatest franchise
in television by moving it into
the next day. His last show
aired on January 22, 2010,
earning his best ratings to date.
As part of his contract
termination agreement,
OâBrien was not allowed
to return to television until
September 1, 2010. OâBrien
instead toured the nation on
his, âLegally Prohibited From
Being Funny on Television
Tour,â which sold out rapidly.
Soon it was announced that
OâBrien would host a show on
TBS. OâBrien would own the
rights to the show, allowing it
to go where ever he wanted.
NBC gave him support,
allowing him to use his popular
characters, such as Triumph,
the Insult Comic Dog on the
new show. OâBrien named
his new show âConanâ and
prepared for the premiere on
November 8.
The premiere was hyped
up, with OâBrien doing a
promotion almost every day,
including stunts such as driving
an explosive packed car off a
cliff and launching a blimp.
âConanâ aired with nearly
the same band since his
beginnings on âLate Nightâ
and his hilarious co-host/
announcer, Andy Richter
present as well. OâBrien kept
a lot of his original stuff and the
show became a success.
He had great guests: Lea
Michele, Seth Rogan and
musical guest Jack White, who
jammed with OâBrien. It was
good to see him back where
he belongs.
In case you missed the
premiere, full episodes are
on teamcoco.com. Be sure to
watch âConanâ weeknights at
10 p.m. Central Standard Time
on TBS.
10. The Purple SageNovember 17, 2010 Page 11
ENTERTAINMENT
Emily Drewry
Copy Editor
Magic in the air
Wands, glasses, scarves
and cloaks are flying off the
shelves, yet Halloween is
clearly past us. The reason
for the recent outbreak of
WizardFever?TheNovember
19 release of the seventh
installment of the âHarry
Potterâ film series.
Fans ever ywhere
are squir ming in
anticipation of the
latest excuse to
p r o v e t h e i r
a l l i a n c e t o
Gr y ffindor, Sly the rin,
Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.
âHarr y Potter and the
Deathly Hollows: Part 1â
hits theaters nationwide
Friday, and judging by the
palpable excitement in the
entertainment world, it will
not disappoint.
T h e â H a r r y Po t t e r â
series revolves around a
young wizard, Harry, and
his lifelong battle against
Lord Voldemort, the evil
wizard who he famously
defeated before he could
speak. Harry and his two best
friends, Ron and Hermione,
attend Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry
and have spent their years of
schooling battling evils in the
wizarding world on the side.
The film follows friends
Harry, Ron and Hermione
on their journey attempting
to complete headmaster
Dumbledoreâs mission and
eliminate the evil from their
world, once and for all. They
must find and destroy all
of the lost Horcruxes, the
keys to Lord Voldemortâs
immortality.Dangerescalates
when the students become
fugitives after the Ministry of
Magic is taken over by Death
Eaters. In order to survive,
they must encounter, battle
and defeat Voldemort.
âThe Deathly Hallowsâ is
the seventh and final book
in J.K. Rowlingâs bestselling
book series. The decision to
split the book into two films
was made on the claims
that it would be impossible
to accurately portray all the
action in one movie.
Part one runs 146 minutes
and is directed by David
Yates, returning after success
in leading the fifth and sixth
movies.
The leading roles will be
reprised by actors Daniel
Radcliffe, Emma Watson
and Rupert Grint, who have
portrayed the famous trio for
nine years.
Since this is the last book of
the series, âDeathly Hallowsâ
is even more valuable in the
eyes of Potter fans. The first
screen test held on August
21 garnered rave reviews as
well as mentions of it being
the perfect âHarry Potterâ
film. Avid fans also claim it
to be the most faithful to the
plot of the book.
The release of the final
two parts of the series
brings near the end of
an incredible ten year
run for the Harry
Potter enterprise.
Over $7 billion
revenue has been attributed
to the films, and over 400
million copies of the books
have been printed, in over
69 languages. The enormous
success of the books, movies
and merchandise has not
only shocked the industries,
but will surely influence
culture for decades to come.
The first âHarry Potterâ
book was released in 1997,
and was titled âHarry Potter
and the Philosopher âs
Stone.â The title was only
changed to âHarry Potter and
the Sorcererâs Stoneâ for the
release of the book in the
United States.
After the success of the
first bookâs release, Rowling
continued to pen what
became a series of seven,
while stories of Harry Potter
grew with the turning of each
page.
Beyond just acting as a
series of childrenâs books,
âHarry Potterâ was adapted
into a motion picture for
the first time in 2001, and
since then, the success of
the series has only grown.
The films widened the fan
base of the series, drawing in
millions of new âPotterâ fans
not familiar with the books.
Each âHarry Potterâ film
is more successful than the
last, making the series one
of the most bankable in the
movie and book industries.
This past summer âThe
Wizarding World of Harry
Potter,âathemeparkdevoted
to the âHarry Potterâ series
inside of Universalâs Islands
of Adventure, was opened,
insuring the positive mark
that âHarry Potterâ has made
on our culture.
With the much anticipated
release of part one of the final
âHarry Potterâ movie Friday,
the series will insure its place
in our hearts forever. The film
will keep fans on the edge of
their seats until the final film
is released next summer.
Microsoft Kinects with us
Ryan Minor
Columnist
W i t h n e w c o n s o l e s ,
controllers, motion sensors,
and a âHaloâ game, Microsoft is
looking to win big this holiday
season.
While PlayStation 3 has its
new game, âMove,â playing
blandly titled games like
âThe Shoot,â and the staff at
Nintendo sit back waiting for
âZeldaâ and the new DS to
print money (again), Microsoft
is unveiling some new wares.
A t t h e E l e c t r o n i c
Entertainment Expo this year,
Microsoft released the new
Xbox 360 with 250 GB storage,
a smaller frame, a sleeker
look, touch-sensitive buttons,
quieter and colder running fan,
Kinect port, and built in Wi-
Fi. The new consoleâs Kinect
port is going to allow people
to make better use of another
of Microsoftâs additions: the
âKinectâ sensor.
The Kinect is a powerful
tool combining its color and
3D cameras to quickly scan
you into the game. When
combinedwithitsmicrophone,
this allows it to navigate menus
fancy, but its real use is its
incredible game interaction.
Whilemostofthelaunchtitles
are casual games, the horizon
is filled with possibilities.
The new dashboard brings a
sleeker look to the Xbox, but
is disappointing with its new
color scheme, sound effects
and sharper edges.
The dashboard does bring
one endearing quality to sports
fans: a section devoted entirely
to ESPN, making any ESPN
game available in HD live.
Lastly, the new controller
aims to make some slight
improvements. It comes
with a new shinier paint job,
grayscale ABXY buttons, and
dips on the analog sticks to
hold your thumbs in place. The
most notable improvement is
a new D-pad which transforms
from a disc to a plus for easy
control.
The new Xbox 360 comes in
four kinds: the four GBâs, and
the 250 GBâs, with or without
Kinect bundled. Without
Kinect, the four and 250 GB
prices are $200 and $300, and
with Kinect $300 and $400,
respectively.
Those looking to use
Netflix or Zune may want the
Behemoth 250 for another
$100, and those who want
Kinect can add another $100.
But the real question is: what
should you ask for this holiday
season? The 4GB is a nice and
reasonable $199.99, and can
generally satisfy the needs of
the average consumer, though
bundling it with Kinect saves
$50.
Those who play games
dependent on the D-pad may
want to make the switch
because of its new pad anyway.
Those with old Xbox 360s really
should try to make an upgrade
during Black Friday, and those
with only one controller (or
those with 3 who like to play
with a couple of buddies)
should think about grabbing
the new controller.
In all, these new gadgets
are not necessary to enjoy
your games, but having them
will definitely enhance your
gaming pleasure.
âThe Lost Heroâ starts off new series
Brittney Hauke
Columnist
Finally getting
a n e w b o o k i s
amazing, especially
when you have been
waiting forever for its
release. If the book is part of a
series, you can finally continue
on from where you left off,
after a while or so of freaking
out about what comes next.
That definitely happened
to me when âThe Lost
Hero,â part of the âHeroes
of Olympusâ series by
Rick Riordan, came out.
It is the sequel series to
R i o r d a n â s a c c l a i m e d
âPercy Jackson and the
Olympiansâ series. There
has been a movie adaptation
which in my opinion
was nothing compared
to the book, and a graphic
novel adaptation as well.
Set a few months after the
events in âThe Last Olympianâ
(the fifth and final Percy
Jackson story), âThe Lost
Heroâ opens with the three
new protagonists of the story.
Jason, Leo Valdez, and Piper
McLean. Jason wakes up on
a bus full of teenage kids and
knows nothing about how
he got there. Piper and Leo
both insist that they are his
friends and tell him that he is
on a field trip with Wilderness
School, a place for âbad kids.â
When they arrive at their
destination, The Grand
Canyon, Jasonâs condition
goes from confusing to life-
threatening. Dylan, another
student from Wilderness
School, actually turns out to be
a wind spirit: anemoi thuellai
in Greek, or venti in Roman,
as Jason calls them. The three
friends almost die right there,
just before Jason appears to
be lightning proof, can float in
the air and is an expert fighter.
His weapon of choice is a
coin that, when flipped, turns
into either a sword or a lance.
Dylan escapes, and shortly
after, two teenagers turn up in
a chariot, claiming that they
and our heroic threesome
are actually demigods.
The new arrivals introduce
themselves as Butch, son
of Iris, and our favorite
daughter of Athena from the
previous series, âAnnabeth.â
They have come because
Annabeth had a vision from
Hera that involved a guy with
one shoe, which happens
to be Jason. Said problem is
the fact that her boyfriend,
the for mer protagonist
Percy Jackson, is missing.
The five make their way to
Camp Half-Blood, home of
demigods, to get Jason, Leo
and Piper situated and find
out who their godly parents
are. Of course, it is not that
simple. Jason has the feeling
that he is not meant to be at
Camp Half-Blood and he has a
strange tattoo on his arm. Plus,
Chiron, the head councilor of
the camp, said that he is
supposed to be dead. As
the threesome get settled
in, they realize that they
are all part of the newest
âgreat prophecyâ that the
Oracle has given, and
must go on a quest to save
Hera from the awaking
forces of the earth.
Overall, the book
is packed with a satisfying
amount of classic mythological
tales. In my personal opinion,
the previous series is better,
but this is only the first book.
Already there are tons of twists
and turns, and there is a lot of
promisewiththecomingbooks.
If you finish âThe Lost Heroâ
and want something else to
slow the wait for âThe Son of
Neptune,â check out Riordanâs
new Egyptian mythology series
âThe Kane Chronicles,âstarting
with âThe Red Pyramid.â
Because, while getting a new
book is great, there is always
long wait after it has been
finished.
12. The Purple SageNovember 17, 2010 Page 13
SPORTS
Kelly Martin, Sports Editor
Cross country sends runners to state
Kelly Martin
Sports Editor
The cross country team sent
juniors Taylor Zimprich and
Sarah Heinemann to the state
meet at Wisconsin Rapids on
October 30. âEveryone seemed
faster this year, so individually
we had to step up and work
even harder to improve,â said
Zimprich, âSarah and I always
ran together in practice, so we
pushed each other every day.â
Zimprichâs season took
off at the Janesville Midwest
Invitational. âIt was our first
actual look at our faster
competition,â said Zimprich.
âIt was a real eye-opener for
the competition to come.â
Zimprich set her personal
record that meet with a time
of 15:15 and took 22nd. She
headed to conference with
her team hoping to take a
win for the girls; they came
up just a few places short
of a victory in 4th place.
Individually, Zimprich placed
4th and was ready to compete
in sectionals. âI was nervous
before sectionals, knowing
that state was the next step,
however, once we took off,
I knew I was feeling good,â
Zimprich said. At sectionals,
she set another personal
record of 15:14 and placed
5th overall. Zimprich was the
second individual qualifier
for the state meet. âI was so
happy that Sarah and I made
it to state together. There were
so many superior runners and
the course was very hilly, so
times were naturally slower,â
Zimprich said. She ran a
15:27, placing 39th in the state
and 17th out of the individual
qualifiers.
Heinemannâs season started
at the Janesville Midwest
Invitational where she set
her personal record of 15:05.
â[An] awesome thing about
this meet was that it was the
only meet with a DJ. The cross
country team was jamming
out to the music and we even
had a cross country mosh
pit,â Heinemann said. She
advanced to the conference
meet in Baraboo. The course
consisted of many hills and
rugged footing. âA girl from
Baraboo just powered right
up it, she knew exactly where
to place her feet. Another girl
and I who were right behind
her were slipping on the roots
and rocks trying to keep up,â
said Heinemann. She placed
second overall and made
first team all-conference.
Heinemann moved on to
sectionals knowing what was
ahead. âTaylor and I had to
go out fast and just hold on,â
Heinemann says. She was the
4th individual qualifier with a
30 second drop in time from
the time she had last year at
this meet. Heinemann placed
high enough to advance to
state. She said, âI was really
happy my teammate Taylor
made it to state with me. It
was nice to have a familiar face
[while] running. Taylor and I
have been running together
all season so it wouldnât have
been the same without her
there.â Heinemann went to
state last year, but this year
she improved and placed
37 out of 190 runners with a
time of 15:24. âI had more of
an idea of what to expect this
year but the course had some
slight changes that I wasnât
expecting,â Heinemann said.
Both girls are happy with
improvements made from
last year and in the 2010
season. Zimprich concluded,
âNext year, we hope to win
conference as well as take our
team to state.â
Player of the
Month:
Bri Dziuk
Purple Sage: How long
have you been swimming?
Bri Dziuk: I have been
swimming for 12 years.
PS: Whatâs your favorite
swimming memory?
BD: Qualifying for state
junior year. Being in the at-
mosphere of the UW-Nata-
torium was pure bliss. That
and breaking the school re-
cord in the 500 free sopho-
more year.
PS: Whoâs your favorite
swimmer and why?
BD: Michael Phelps. He is
simply a boss.
PS: How will you fit this
sport into your life after high
school?
BD: Swimming is a passion
of mine that I will never stop.
Warriors head to Camp Randall for state
Kelly Martin
Sports Editor
Senior Austin Maly starts on defense for the first time this fall. He knocks the ball from Franklinâs quarter-
back, resulting in an interception by junior Cole Bollant, to help Waunakee seal a trip to Camp Randall Friday,
November 19. (Photo by Adam Stroud)
The Warrior football team
earned the opportunity to
defend their Division 2 state
championship title. The
Warriors were the Badger
North conference champions
for the eighth year in a row and
on Friday, November 19 they
will play Cedarburg at 1 p.m. at
Camp Randall Stadium for the
2010 Division 2 Championship.
The Warriors dominated
the playoff rounds again this
year. Junior Leo Musso and
senior Derek Straus racked
up points for the team against
Beaver Dam in the first round,
winning 35-0. In the second
round, Waunakee faced Milton
where Musso, Straus and
senior Christian Foster led the
Warrior offense to a final score
of 54-21.
In round three the Warriors
faced 11-0 Monona Grove.
Senior Sam Russell kicked a
28 yard field goal to put the first
points on the board. Monona
Grove scored late in the second
quarter. Foster intercepted a
pass and scored and Straus
added a 53 yard touchdown
run. Monona Grove answered
with a touchdown. Then with
2:30 left to go in the game,
Straus ran 26 yards to bring the
score to 24-14.
Kickoff began in Kettle
Moraine at 6 p.m. on Saturday,
November13whereWaunakee
faced the Franklin Sabers in
the semi-finals for the second
year in a row. Looking back
in Waunakee football history,
every time the Warriors faced a
team for the second time at the
semifinal level, they have lost.
Polls taken on ESPNMadison.
com also predicted a victory
for the Sabers.
â That was some real
motivation for us, everyone
in the world may have voted
against us, but our family knew
that we worked too hard to get
this far and it wasnât our time to
go home,â Musso said.
Franklin arrived at Kettle
Moraine having given up only
146 points to opponents the
entire season. Head coach
Pat Rice said, â[Franklin] has
a very explosive offense, and
the more we can keep the ball
out of their hands the better
chance we have.â
Senior Austin Maly started
for the first time on defense
Saturday night, where he
helped shut down Franklinâs
offense. âWe challenged the
Hogs up front to be able to
move the sticks,â Rice said.
âTherefore, if we move the
sticks, we control the game.â
The score remained 0-0
for the first quarter, but the
Warriors kicked it into high
gear for the second quarter.
Junior Hunter Darger scored
on a one yard drive and
Musso followed with a 30-yard
option pass to senior Jared
see FOOTBALL page 14ï”
13. The Purple Sage November 17, 2010Page 14
SPORTS
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Senior Kevin Fong chases down a ball in the sectional finals during the
Middleton game on October 23. Heartbreak came in the final minutes
when Middleton shot the winning goal to bring the Cardinals to victory
3-2 over Waunakee. (Photo by Mi Jo Mucklow)
Cardinals stop boys in sectional finals
Willie Freimuth
Reporter
The Waunakee Warriors
boysâ soccer team wrapped
up their season on Saturday,
October 23, after losing to the
Middleton Cardinals in the
Division 1 sectional finals. This
is the farthest any Waunakee
boysâ soccer team has gone in
Division 1.Â
All-state accolades were
awarded to seniors Corry
HinzÂ, Jared Denu and Calvin
Witt. Hinz, Denu and Witt
were also awarded first
team all-conference, as
well as sophomore Casey
Grosshauser, junior Tyler Gatz,
and seniors Kevin Fong and
Mikey Genova. âIt was pretty
amazing [winning first team
all-conference] because no
other sophomore received the
award,â said Grosshauser.
Senior Jesus Tinoco made
second team all-conference
and sophomore Joe Witt and
junior Alex De La Rosa were
awarded honorable mentions.
The team traveled an
emotional rollercoaster the last
two games of the season. On
October 21, the team rallied in
overtime to beat Madison West
with a header from Denu.Â
The ride plummeted to a halt
as the boys faced the Cardinals
in Middleton. The Warriors
were off to a fast start when
Genova hammered a pass
from Denu into the back of the
net. The Cardinals responded
with two consecutive goals
before halftime, taking a 2-1
lead. Waunakee was not fazed
and came out in the second
half with a scoring corner
kick from Grosshauser. Denu
headed the ball for a goal
to tie the game up at 2-2.Â
Heartbreak came in the 88th
minute, when the Cardinals
scored the goal that sealed
the deal for the Warriors. âI
was disappointed that we lost
because we would have went
to state,â Grosshauser said.
The season ended with
a record of 18-4-2. The
team earned a share of the
conference title and a regional
championship.Â
Middleton
ends
volleyball run
at sectional
semi-finals
Mandy Rice
Reporter
The Waunakee girlsâ varsity
volleyball team made it to
the sectional semi-finals for
the second year in a row.
The team lost this year to the
Middleton Cardinals and last
year to Madison LaFollette.
Both teams have gone to state
in the last two yearsâMiddleton
last year and LaFollette this
year.
Their season came to an
end on Thursday, October
28, in Middleton. The match
stayed tight the entire night,
but Middleton pulled ahead
winning 3-1. Waunakee lead
in the third set 22-20, but
with a failed block and a few
additional errors, Middleton
pulled ahead.
Waunakee senior Hailie
Ripley stepped up in the match
and had a total of 30 kills, but
it was not quite enough to
pull the team ahead of the
Cardinals.
The match ended with the
final scores of 23-25, 28-26, 23-
25, 21-25.
The girls were seeded
number one with a record of
21-10 overall. In the Badger
Conference, Waunakee
finished a close second behind
Sauk Prairie. âItâs not about
winning or losing, itâs about
a team of girls who work
really hard,â said coach Anne
Denkert. âItâs so easy to win,
but so hard to lose.â
Looking back on her senior
career, Ripley finished a
successful four years as a
member of the varsity team.
â[The most memorable game]
last year [was] beating Sauk
see VOLLEYBALL
page 15
ï”
Olivia Knier
Editor In Chief
from Page 13
Footballï”
Staege to make the score 14-
0. Waunakeeâs defense was
able to keep the Saber offense
at bay, while Russell kicked a
32-yard field goal near the end
of the half. Franklin answered
with a two yard touchdown
with seconds left in the half.
At the beginning of the third
quarter, Musso ran 15 yards
for his only touchdown of the
night. After a missed field goal,
the scoring concluded at 23-7.
âI thought it got pretty rowdy
when [junior] Cole Bollant
intercepted the ball. I was so
excited I jumped up from the
bench I was sitting on, then
unfortunately started to cramp
again,â said Musso. Looking
back on the Waunakee
semifinal history, Musso said,
âItâs a pretty good feeling
because there have been many
great teams before us, and for
our team to do that was pretty
special and fun.â
â[Cedarburg comes] from
a pretty good conference and
have a pretty good running
back. They should be a great
opponent, but hopefully we
can knock them off,â Musso
said. â[This year at state] Iâm
going to hold on to the ball and
not let my teammates down.
After that, weâre going to try to
bring home that second gold
ball and hopefully we get to put
it on the Hogs again this week,
so we can have another great
game.â
The Bulldogs have an overall
record of 12-1, their only loss to
Homestead 21-24. Cedarburg
has given up 185 points to
opponents, an average of 14
points a game. Waunakee
heads to state giving up an
average of only eight points a
game. Offensively, the Bulldogs
average 36 points a game with
a total of 476 points. Waunakee
has scored 563 points, an
average of 43 points a game.
Starting for the Cedarburg
offense is four year varsity
running back senior Logan
Lauters. Lauters has a total of
33 touchdowns this season,
matched by Waunakeeâs
Musso. Cedarburgâs running
offense is also led by freshman
Hudson Walton, who has
scored six touchdowns this
season. Their leading receiver,
sophomore Matt Johnson, has
two touchdowns. Waunakeeâs
Straus easily tramples Walton
with 13 touchdowns, and
Maly, who leads Waunakeeâs
receiving offense, has eight
touchdowns.
âI think we just need to
come out and play hard-nosed,
physical Warrior football. It will
be a whole team effort like last
year to bring home the title,â
Staege said.
Offensive line/Defensive
line coach Paul Martin said,
âwhoever makes the least
amount of mistakes, who wins
up front, and whoever has the
least amount of turnovers, will
be state champions.â
Freshman Elena Patz swims the 100 fly at the state meet in the UW-
Natatorium. (Photo by Aidan Schlittler)
The last pre-race adrenaline
rush took place for some
members of the girlsâ swim
team last Saturday at the
state meet held at the UW-
Natatorium.
All the of girls dropped time
in their races at the sectional
meet and the 200 medley
relay, the 100 butterfly and 100
breaststroke qualified for the
state meet.
Coach Kayla Proctor was
thrilled with this result and
attributes it to the tough work
ethic and dedication of the
team as a whole, âEveryone
worked really hard. At the
end of the season, times were
dropped and everyone had
ended with [either their] best
times of the year or personal
best times.â At the state meet,
Senior Jordan Houden had a
time of 1:10.17 in the 100 yard
breaststroke. The 200 medley
relay (consisting of seniors Bri
Dziuk and Houden, freshman
Elena Patz and junior Kelsey
Geiger) took home a time of
1:55.84. In the 100 butterfly,
Patz had a time of 1:00.05. She
was followed by sophmore
Elissa Hermsen with a time of
1:00.61.
Reflecting on her experience
going to state as a freshman,
Patz said, âI think it was a really
great experience because itâs
a lot bigger meet than Iâve
ever been to and it will really
prepare me for the next three
years of my swimming career.â
Patz conluded, âI think [the]
season went pretty well. I had
a lot of good times and I liked
getting to know the girls.â
State meet wraps up swim season