3. Photo by Jennifer Coffey
Smoke Signals
Volume 3 Issue 1
Peters Township High School
264 East McMurray Road
McMurray, PA 15317
Phone: 724-941-6250
www.ptmedia.net

4. Meet the Staff
Carly Beck,
Features Editor
John Galatic
Print Editor-in-Chief
Allie Schlafman
Layout Editor
Valerie Kotar
Special Features Editor
Katie Denning
Managing Editor-in-Chief
Christine Manganas
Online Editor-in-Chief
Katie Finn
Life & Style Editor
Amanda Moore
News Editor
Denée Renz
Layout Editor
Molly Doehring
Print Editor-in-Chief
Val Gobao
Layout Editor-in -Chief
Stephanie Hammell
Marketing Editor
Madison Mincone
Sports Editor
Liz Weimer
Online Editor-in- Chief
Julia Gauthier
Entertainment Editor
Smoke Signals Staff
Camille Barnes
Madison Creehan
Elise Jozwiak
Lydia McCall
Lindsey McCay
Andrea Salizzoni
McKenzie Fritz
Online Editor-in-Chief
Grant Taylor
Michelle Thomas
Taylor Cox
Shane Dazen
Jesse Eby
Jillian Eby
Josh Glicksman
Alexa Kennedy
Bobby Lewis
Laura Purkey
Jenna Taimuty
Benjamin Zalewski
Mission
Statement:
Smoke Signals is produced six times
a school year by the students of the
Media II, III, and IV Journalism staff
at Peters Township High School. Staff
Advisor is Mrs. N. Sitler. Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns are
the express opinion of the author and
not of Smoke Signals, its advisor, or the
Peters Township School District.

5. 4-5 PT Focus
Peters Township P-Rade
Cross Country vs. Football
8-9 Senior Servants
10-11 Life and Style
12-13 Homecoming
Charming Charlie’s
14-15 People Features
New Principal- Mrs. Pavlik
16-17 Halloween
Costumes under 5 Dollars
18-19 Entertainment
Social Networking Sites
20-21 News Features
Pay to Play
22-23 Student Work
Table of Contents
6-7 Sports
Photography Students Work

6. 4
PT Focus
Fourth Annual Peters Township P-Rade
AmandaMoore.NewsEditor
The fourth annual
P-Rade
delivered,
yet
again, an array of diverse
floats descending down the
hill from Pleasant Valley
Elementary School. With
the extravagantly decorated
trucks, detailed costumes,
and trailers, it is hard not
to be blown away by this
spectacle. In an assembly the
day before Homecoming,
various awards for the P-Rade
were distributed. The best
costume award went to the
Girls’ Volleyball team for
their country cowgirl outfits.
For the fourth year in a row,
the Cross Country team won
best float. Their trailer held
a contraption that made
cardboard cutouts of all their
seniors appear to be running.
The event was sponsored
by the Dance Team to raise
money for uniforms and their
trip to Nationals in Disney
World. After the P-Rade,
underclassmen bid on the
senior captains of sports and
activities. For the Senior
Servant Auction, seniors Jake
Brown and Ryan Wyatt were
sold for a record high of $500.
It is a great way to raise money
because the whole school
loves to get involved and
show school spirit.
Photos by John Galatic and Sarah Yoest
Join the PTHS Breakfast Club
AlexaKennedy.StaffWriter
Waking up for
school in the morning
can be a daily hassle: Taking a shower, picking out
an outfit, or just trying to
get into the building before first period. For some,
breakfast is the last thing
on their minds. Fortunately,
the high school is serving
a tasty list of options every
morning in the cafeteria for
those busy students.
“I think the high
school serves breakfast to
help the students be healthier and get the nutrients we
need.” said sophomore Allison Hurley. She, like numerous other students, picks up
a snack in the morning.
“We wanted to
provide the service for the
benefit of our students,”
explained Lesnett, PTHS’s
new assistant principal. The
menu is stocked with great
tasting, nourishing foods
that any student could find
at home or at a restaurant.
The vast variety consists of
assorted muffins, cereals, bagels and cream cheeses, fresh
fruits and many more. The
best part is that prices range
from 75 cents to $1.50.
“I really like the
ham, egg and cheese croissant, it’s my personal favorite.” Stated valued lunch lady,
Margie Urbans, who also notice favorites of the student
body, “The kids like the fresh
fruit and croissants the most,
they sell fast.”
Some students and
Mr. Cervenak who like to
keep breakfast simple to
start their day. “I like Poptarts the best. If I’m going to
get breakfast,” said the picky
math teacher. So make sure
to stop by the cafeteria from
7:05 to 7:25 to grab a meal,
snack, or something to hold
you until lunch.
Photo by Alexa Kennedy
Sophomore Elsie Growall grabs an apple. “I sometimes don’t have time for
it, so it’s great that the school sells breakfast every morning,” said Growall.
There are 2.7 billion packages of
cereal sold every year – that’s enough
boxes to wrap around the Earth thirteen times. Cited from Lloyd Moritz

7. October 2011
5
Pretty in Pink Pants
MckenzieFritz.OnlineEditor-in-Chief
As the first quarter
winds to a close, many students such as myself are reflecting -- read complaining-on the high school’s policies
and procedures. However,
there is one policy that I firmly stand behind, the enforcement of the dress code.
After spending the
last three years of my life in
the high school, I can easily
attest to the numerous fashion
tragedies that occur in this
building. From the seasonally
confused freshmen who enjoy
“rocking” the Uggs and shortshorts look to the oh-so popular muscle shirt trend (an
upper-middle class, suburb is
a treasure trove of ripped men
– didn’t you know?), my retinas have been assaulted since
day one.
Following the horrifying leggings and subsequent jeggings trend of 2010
(honestly people, unless you
are going to a renaissance fair
or ballet practice, tights are
not an adequate substitute for
pants), I decided enough was
enough. However, as one measly student in a sea of Richard
Simmons’-like bedazzlement,
what was I to do? For the past
year I have attempted to put
the pants back on this school’s
occupants. Alas, my mission
was unsuccessful.
Nevertheless I came
back into this year with a posi-
tive, pro-clothing attitude and
lucky for me, our new principal, Mrs. Pavlik, seems to
agree with my opinion. While
nothing can make up for the
loss of the outstanding Mr.
Frank Brettschneider -- God
Bless his soul-- I applaud Mrs.
Pavlik for her strong enforcement of the dress code.
In the words of the
great Mark Twain, “Clothes
make the man. Naked people
have little or no influence on
society.” Did you hear that
freshmen? Go put on a sweater and be successful.
Photo by Mrs Boni
An unknown student violates the dress
code. A few of the dress code rules include no short shorts, spaghetti straps,
and cross dressing.
New Rule Dims Friday Night Lights
JesseEby.StaffWriter
Each football game
is full of exciting plays and
the extremely rowdy fans
that stay for the entire game,
whether we win or lose. Recently, the school district has
instituted a new policy that
changed the environment
at the football games. The
biggest change is that the
students standing around
the fence are restricted to a
specific area, in which they
only have a certain amount of
room to stand. This rule has
negatively impacted the way
students root for their team.
Peters fans now view going to
the games as a chore.
“I disagree with the
rule because the most fun of
being at the games is the at-
Photo by Elise Jozwiak
mosphere and this rule was
probably made so things
wouldn’t get out of hand,” said
sophomore football player
Greg Watts.
Watts is not the only
student that has a problem
with the new rule.
“The rules restrict the
fan’s ability to enjoy games,”
said sophomore Johna Conroy.
This may all be true,
but it is important to consider
the parents and others trying
to enjoy watching games.
Local parent Janet
Dougherty said, “students can
interrupt the parent’s ability to
enjoy the game. Yes, students
should be able to have fun too,
but they need to tone it down
a little bit.”
Photo by Carly Wickstrom
The students are not
the only ones at the games,
so they should have some
mutual respect toward other
people watching the games.
This rule should not affect
anyone’s ability to cheer on
the team, so do not over-react and just have fun.

8. 6
Sports
Ruffing Irons Out His Legacy
JoshGlicksman.StaffWriter
Sophomore
Cody
Ruffing lives and breathes the
driving sport of golf. He dedicates much of his free time
sharpening his skills on and off
the course. When people see
the skill that Ruffing possesses,
they think that he is naturally
talented, but they don’t see is
how hard he works when off the
course.
Ruffing came into the
world with a golf club in his
hand. He has been playing golf
as long as he can remember. His
father is a professional golfer,
greatly influencing the way his
son plays the game.
“He helps me and
teaches me new tips every time
we play,” stated Ruffing.
Ruffing makes sure to practice
his skills frequently in order to
stay a step ahead of the competition. Having a golf course in
his backyard certainly allows
him to practice anytime that
he wishes. He spends countless
hours on the course, making
practice perfect.
Although his dad
loves golf more than anything,
Ruffing never feels the pressure
to try to follow in his father’s
footsteps.
“Golf has always been
my passion, and my dad has
always made it a point that
playing golf is completely my
choice,” said Ruffing.
He has played other
sports, such as basketball and
football in the past, but golf
has always grasped Ruffing’s
heart. Ruffing does not know
how far he wants to go in the
game, but he hopes that his
talent can take him as far as
possible.
“I just know I love
the game and want to play
it for as long as I can,” stated
Ruffing.
Along with the help of his
father, Ruffing has been involved with the stellar PT golf
program. In fact, the JV Boys
golf team has not lost a match
in over nine years.
“Their legacy is unbelievable. I hope it never ends,” he
said.
Photo by Audra Bastyr
Sophomore Cody Ruffing dedicates
much of his free time to golf. “Golf has
always been my passion,” said Ruffing.
Under Review: Cross Country or Football?
JohnGalatic.PrintEditor and GrantTaylor.StaffWriter
JG: Football may be the most widely
publicized sports in America. However,
this does not mean football is the most
difficult and grueling sport high school
athletics has to offer. A more challenging
sport takes place not on a field, but on a
running trail. The cross country squad can
be found at the local park every weekday,
running five to ten miles each practice.
Running five miles is considered a “work
day,” when the team collectively goes as
hard as possible to improve its speed.
The longer distance practices are considered “recovery” days. Most people have
trouble jogging two or three miles every
few days, let alone 35-50 miles a week. It
requires more hard work to succeed in a
cross country meet than it does in a football game.
GT: While cross country may require
excellent endurance, it cannot compare
to the physical brutality of football. Day
in and day out, football players must
deal with nagging bruises and numerous
other injuries. Not only are these injuries
bothersome in themselves, but players
must continue to hit and aggravate their
pain. I hardly think that cross country
runners have to deal with these bumps
and bruises. “Shin splints” cannot compare to a sprained ankle or a fractured
hand. By the third week of the season,
some players on the football team were
already dealing with contused biceps,
broken arms, and broken ankles. People
who have never experienced football do
not have the first clue about the amount
of physical and mental strength it takes
to play the sport.
JG: Give me a break. Speaking of breaks,
football teams take a lot of them. Sure,
injuries can be painful, but players are
given ample time to recover from them.
Furthermore, those who are healthy are
given a quick but sufficient breather in
between downs to recuperate and prepare for the next play. Halftime, time
outs, and standing around in practices
are all luxuries cross country runners
do not enjoy. Because of the lack of injury in the sport, runners are expected
to compete as hard as they can every
single race and practice. Do you think
cross country runners are able to stop
and catch their breath during a varsity
invite that features 450 runners from
dozens of schools? Those who walk are
quite weak. In football terms, these in-
dividuals would be known as “benchwarmers,” which is exactly what most
football players would be on a cross
country squad.
GT: Although football does see a large
amount of stoppage in play, fatigue sets
in very quickly. Blocking a 300 pound defensive tackle all night can wear a player
out in no time. The only physical contact
found in cross country is when runners
accidentally bump arms as they jostle for
position. Clearly cross country requires
extraneous conditioning, but it takes
just as much if not more to play football.
Players have to be in top shape, so that
they can fight through fourth quarter
exhaustion when the game is on the line.
Football is quite possibly the most challenging sport because of the concentration it takes to play. It is imperative that
football players shake off game time injuries and continue their effort on every
down. While cross country runners use
perseverance to make it through a race,
it simply does not compare to the type of
mental and physical toughness that football players possess.

9. October 2011
7
Pfeuffer’s Star Shines Bright Despite Criticism
ShaneDazen.StaffWriter
R.J. Pfeuffer has always been one
who leads by example. This year is no
different. Pfeuffer, a sophomore, came
into the 2011 football preseason as the
Indians starting quarterback and has
not relinquished the job despite pressure
from players ahead of him.
“I like being in charge. I like setting an example for my friends and teammates to follow,” stated Pfeuffer.
At the beginning of camp, some people familiar with
Peters Football were skeptical of the team showcasing a quarterback that did not have much experience. Pfeuffer took this
criticism head on and has made the best of the situation.
“It has been a tough task but a good experience. Not many people get the chance to do this, so I’m making the best of it,” said
Pfeuffer.
Teammates have noticed his desire to succeed and have
supported him while he works out the kinks in the offense. It has
also been helpful that first year Coach Rich Piccinini has implemented an offense that displays Pfeuffer’s wide array of talents
on the gridiron.
“It helps me because it varies. It has drop back passes,
screens, and roll outs. It puts me in the best position to succeed,”
said Pfeuffer.
With the help of running backs Andrew Erenberg and
Justin Miller, the Indians go into the season confident that this
new look offense will be successful.
As Friday night nears, Pfeuffer’s adrenaline starts flowing and he knows what he needs to do.
“First off, I focus on the game plan and my assignments.
After that, I just prepare to go out and play the game I love,” said
Pfeuffer.
Keeping a normal routine has helped Pfeuffer stay true
to himself and his game. It has also convinced teammates that he
is playing with the team in mind and not just for his own performance.
At the end of the day, football is just a game. Pfeuffer
knows that it is hard to be a professional athlete, but it is too
early to decide his fate just yet.
“I just want to be a great quarterback for my last
three years of high school and then I will go from there,” stated
Pfeuffer. “I want
to use all the people who told me I
was too small to
be a quarterback
as motivation to
work my hardest
every time I step
on the field.”
Photo by Katie Stiegel
Sophomore R.J. Pfeuffer warms up for a big game. “I just
prepare to go out and play the game I love,” said Pfeuffer.
“Bump, Set, Spike”
MadisonMincone.SportsEditor
The Peters Township Lady Indians Volleyball Team started the first
half of their season strong.
A 5-1 section record is not
easily achieved without the
strong teamwork and commitment from this squad of
seventeen girls. It’s the team
chemistry that keeps the
Lady Indians going strong.
“I love my teammates, which makes the
sport even more fun to
play, and nothing feels better than a bump, set, and
spike,” said senior Sarah
Grippi.
Leading the Lady
Indians this year are cap-
tains, Gabriella Santa Lucia,
Madison Mincone, Kelly Johnson and Shiloh Simonson.
Santa Lucia runs the defense,
while setter Kelly Johnson
commands the offense. Simonson and Mincone lead
the stats for the most points
scored.
Assisting
Johnson
with the offense are the outside
hitters Shiloh Simonson, Maddie Auld, Christine Renz, and
Sarah Grippi. Grippi played
an incredibly strong game versus section rivals USC, earning
multiple kills to keep the Indian’s spirit alive. Juniors Lauren
Tassone and Lauren Belack,
and sophomores Jordan Ha-
rakal and Kelsey Hunter help
to run the middle. Hannah
Gross and Brooke Lininger
run the right side.
No team is complete
without a strong defense, and
the Lady Indians defense is
certainly not lacking. Santa
Lucia earned MSA Sports’
“Player of the Game” against
USC and MaxPreps.com
“Player of the Week” for the
week of September fourth.
“My favorite part
of volleyball is spending time
with my team, we are more
like a family than a team and
that is something special,” said
sophomore Jill Kovac.
Photo by Jenn Coffey
As of October 13th, junior, Kelly Johnson had 187 assists and 25 kills. Johnson is an essential part of the Lady
Indians’ offense.

10. 8
Senior Servants
Seniors Serve up Tradition
ChristineManganas.OnlineEditor
Photos by Mrs.Boni, Mrs.Silter,Sarah Yoest and Christine Manganas
Friday, October 7th, was a day that every underclassmen looked forward
to. For weeks, they had stood in the background as seniors had gotten away with
just about everything with the simple phrase “because I’m a senior.” However on
Friday, it was payback time. Students from every class bought senior leaders at
the Senior Auction to dress them up and make them their personal servants for
the day. Lifesavers, Snooki, an American flag, and numerous other embarrassing outfits flooded the hallways. Servants could be heard singing songs and seen
doing anything they were instructed to do within the guidelines of the student
handbook. Students found it hard to focus and teachers found it hard to teach. As
the day drew to an end, students, teachers, and servants entered into the gym for
the grand finale: the pep rally. It can be summed up with the teachers performing a flash mob, the servants singing the Barney song, and former principal, Mr.
Brettschneider, making an impressionable speech to the students.

11. October 2011
9

12. 10
Life & Style
Best Drugstore Makeup
KatieFinn.Carly BeckLife&StyleEditors
When entering a drug store, the makeup section can
be overwhelming. With the countless brands and products, choosing the right one can be a challenge. However,
after sampling several, we found the following four
products will not disappoint.
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm- $2.99
A lip treatment that heals
chapped lips by soothing, nourishing, and hydrating. Grab a
tinted balm for some extra color.
Maybelline Colossal Volum
Express Mascara- $7.50
This mascara’s oversized wand
allows for well coated lashes,
length, and curl.
Maybelline Dream Matte
Mousse Foundation- $9.50
A foundation that covers blemishes and shine without leaving a
greasy feel.
Physician’s Formula Multicolored Bronzer- $12.99
This bronzer gives a natural,
shimmering tan without turning
you orange.
People who enter their home
through a door near the kitchen
tend to eat 15% more than those
who use the front door.
From homeremediesblog.com
The Forever 21
of
Accessories
KatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor
Located in the Galleria Mall, Charming Charlie is
the perfect place to purchase
accessories of all kinds. Its inventory includes all things from
handbags to hats and shoes to
jewelry.
“When you walk in,
there is so much stuff to look at
and I wanted to buy everything.
The different color sections really tie the store together,” stated senior Jess McIntosh.
Charming
Charlie
is conveniently sectioned off
by individual colors. Within
each section, there are different styles of purses, jewelry,
scarves, shoes, and much more.
Items are located on separate
tables for red, blue, purple,
pink, green and every other
color imaginable, so finding an
accessory of a specific color will
be easy.
To top it off, the accessories sold at Charming Charlie are very reasonably priced.
The average cost for a purse is
around twenty-five dollars, and
earrings can be purchased for
below five. Unlike other low
priced accessories, Charming
Charlie sells quality items that
do not look cheap or fake. The
different types of purses at this
store include big bags, satchels,
handbags, wallets, change purses and so much more. The shoes
at this store range between cute
strappy sandals, wedges, and
high boots. The shoes are also
distinctly cheaper than department store or brand name
shoes, however the quality is
just as good. Also, Charming
Charlie sells numerous new
trends, like feather earrings.
“I was able to purchase a satchel for only
twenty dollars and it looks
like something I could buy
at a designer store! I also got
a pair of cute heels for only
twenty-five dollars that I wear
all the time,” exclaimed senior
Meghan Fitzgerald.
These are only a
few examples of the excellent
styles you can find at Charming Charlie. The next time
you need accessories be sure
to try out Charming Charlie
because you will not be disappointed.
“It is a good place
to shop if you have a specific
outfit in mind. I got all my
jewelry there for a party and
it looked great,” said senior
Jamie Simpson.
With their low prices and quality items, you will
find everything you would
need for every special occasion. You will be looking the
best, without spending the
most.

13. October 2011
Defeating The Common Cold
such as congestion or chills. Unfortunately, it is ineffective in getting rid of
the cold.
On the bright side there are
long-trusted ways to fight the commoncold. A favorite activity of many teenagers, sleep, is the best way to tone down
the symptoms. Our bodies are especially
hard at work while a virus is present,
which adds to that run down feeling.
Plenty of rest will provide more energy
to fight the cold.
High Fashion Homecoming
Photo by Liz Weimer
Homecoming fashion is
always a big deal. While some girls
are so anxious in their search for
the perfect dress that they buy their
dresses in the summer, others often
wait until the week of the dance to
make their purchase. Whether they
find their ensemble early or late, the
fashion event of the season is always
stylish.
MollyDoehring.PrintEditior-in-Chief
A very popular trend this year
was the one-sleeve dress. Most would
not think of wearing this style to a dance
because it is such a high fashion, dramatic
look. However if one is stylish enough,
they can pull it off. This type of dress looks
best with hair down and pulled to one side.
Simple statement jewelry, such as a long
necklace or chandelier earrings, look great
with the one-sleeve dress. To pull the look
together, add a pair of platform pumps.
Many girls at Homecoming wore
headbands across their foreheads instead
of actually in their hair. This look is very
retro-chic, channeling flappers in the ‘20s
or hippies in the late ‘60s. It can be worn
with hair down in loose curls or waves, or
with hair in a simple ponytail or low bun.
Either way, this trend is definitely something that we will continue to see at dances
to come.
Lastly, the classic, all-over
sequined dresses were a big hit again this
homecoming season. They seem to always
be a popular choice. When wearing this
type of dress, keep all accessories to a min-
imum. Small stud earrings and a dainty
bracelet will keep all those sparkles in
perspective. As for shoes, try to keep
their design as minimalistic as possible,
so they do not distract from the dress.
Photo by Mrs. Jacobs
Seniors Bri Wagner and Molly Doehring
flaunt their trendy looks as they wait in line
to enter Candyland. “My friend from California told me wearing a headband across
your forehead is the West Coast style,” stated
Wagner
11
Gargling with warm salt water
is an effective way to address scratchy
throats. The thirty seconds of unappealing taste pays off for the rest of the day.
Humidifiers are another great way to
decrease congestion. They add moisture
to the air, which eventually thins out
the mucus buildup, making it easier to
drain.
That unmistakable time of year
when the tissue boxes empty and the
sniffles are constant has arrived. With
over 200 different viruses as the cause,
it is no wonder the cold is referred to as
common. However, with these tricks the
common cold doesn’t stand a chance.
Carly Beck.Life&StyleEditor
The beginning of every school
year brings new classes, teachers,
friends, and
ultimately: the common cold. Although
the symptoms are all too familiar, there
are countless tips and tricks out there to
improve those scratchy-throat Monday mornings. Learn which ones are
myths and which ones will get the job
done.
The first of these myths, and
perhaps the go-to when a cold hits, is
loading up on orange juice, due to its
Vitamin C level.
Although it is beneficial to
receive healthy doses of Vitamin C, it
has no effect on the cold virus. Another
common attempt is to try to sweat the
cold out. This involves covering up with
a blanket, cranking up the heat, and hovering your head over hot water. This may
temporarily make the symptoms lessen if
it addresses the correct ones,
Seniors Allison Resnik and Kristen Jacobs
get ready for the dance together in their
sparkle dresses. “I wanted a sparkly dress
for senior year because i thought it would
be fun,” stated Resnik.

14. Homecoming
P-Rade
Pep Rally
All photos taken by Christine Gaab, John Galatic, and Sarah Yoest, or submitted.

15. Week 2011
Candyland Delivers Sweet Homecoming
TaylorCox.StaffWriter
Planned by student council, Homecoming Week was packed with fun activities and, of course, the dance which
took place on October 8, 2011.
This year Student Council broke away
from the traditional red, white, and
black that has dominated the past several years.
“We saw some pictures of a Candyland Homecoming and thought that it
would be a really fun and bright event.
The student council voted on the
theme this year, Candyland being one
of the options, of course, and it won by
a landslide,” stated Mrs. Duffy, adviser
of Student Council.
However, the actual dance was not
anything new. Homecoming is based
on tradition and school spirit; therefore, there is something to be said
about a cheesy dance in the gym.
“We are hoping to see much better participation in Spirit Week,” said
Duffy.
Duffy’s prediction was accurate with
an exciting pep rally leading us into a
very successful Homecoming Dance.
“Homecoming was a great night,
and it brought the school together,”
stated junior Abbie LaVigna.
With positive praises comes
some criticism, although many students had the time of their lives, a
few had constructive criticism of the
event.
“I had an awesome time, but I wish
that the music they played was better,”
stated freshman Morgan Weimer.
Despite the different tastes in music,
Homecoming was a sweet success.
The Dance

16. 14
People Features
Mrs. Pavlik Shares Her Vision for PTHS
JuliaGauthier.StaffWriter
Mrs. Lori Pavlik began
her first official year as principal
by sharing her ideas and plans
that will hopefully transform
PTHS into a better learning environment where students take
pride and ownership in their
school.
“I believe that students
need to take a greater role in the
decision making processes of
the school,” stated Pavlik.
She has already begun
to provide practical ways for
students to contribute by meeting with several of them to elicit
their input and to listen to their
opinions. Mrs. Pavlik hopes to
create more leadership opportunities for students. During
the class meetings, she shared
her vision with the student
body.
Additionally, she desires to solidify PTHS’s position
as one of the best schools in the
state by continuing to focus on
academics while also excelling
in sports and other activities is
also very important to her.
Though most students
have a difficult time believing
that teachers and principals have
lives outside of school, Mrs. Pavlik has numerous interests and
hobbies that she enjoys from
scrapbooking to spending time
with her two daughters, Mrs.
Pavlik leads a very fulfilling and
busy life. Most importantly, she
is a confirmed GLEEK.
“I have loved that show
since it first aired. I have all the
sound tracks in my car. Though
it’s over the top, it touches on
many relevant issues that impact
high school students,” stated Pavlik.
She graduated from
Baldwin High School where her
favorite subject was European
History. Mrs. Pavlik’s interest in
history led her to Duquesne University where she completed her
undergraduate degree in Political Science. She later returned to
Baldwin for ten years as a teacher
where she taught American History, Civics, Navigating Contemporary Society and AP European
History before accepting a position as Unit Principal at Mt.
Lebanon High School. She
spent four years there prior to
accepting the principal position at PTHS.
“I felt a real connection to PT’s staff and students before coming here, so
I jumped on the opportunity,”
said Pavlik.
Photo by Christine Gaab
“I am so happy to join the Peters Township School District and hope to make
a positive difference,” said Mrs. Pavlik. She has been working hard to provide
opportunities for students to take ownership in their school,
Elattrache & LoBasso Photograph Batch Fundraiser
Benny Zalewski.Staff Writer
Seniors Reid Elattrache
and Antony LoBasso helped
out with the Charlie Batch
Fundraiser. This charity
event, which took place in
Homestead during late September, gave school supplies
to underprivileged children.
Both Elattrache and LoBasso
enjoyed supporting the fundraiser and using their talents as photographers.
“Helping people in need is
a great feeling,” stated Elattrache.
Both LoBasso and Elattrache attended this event
to take photos. Elattrache’s
main duty was to organize
the children into a large
group picture, while LoBasso focused on capturing
the event as it happened. Although this was a tough task
for both of them, LoBasso took
this as a personal opportunity
to build his skills as a photographer.
“This gave me the feel of a reallife situation,” stated LoBasso.
LoBasso thought this fundraiser was a good opportunity
for him to test his skills in a different situation. He took a few
quality shots that he kept digital
copies of for personal use.
In his spare time, LoBasso
also takes pictures, and makes
videos as a hobby. This allows
him to test his creativity and
skills as a photographer. LoBasso wants to pursue a photography career in college by choosing to double major in Media
and Psychology.This will allow
him to keep his skills fresh and
provide multiple career opportunities.
Elattrache also enjoys taking photos outside of school. He tends
to take photos of automobiles and operates his own photography
business. Elattrache keeps all of his photographs in a journal, which
keeps track of what he has done and where he took those photos.
Elattrache shares his work via Facebook, Flickr, and by physical
prints.
Photo by Reid Ellatrache
Several elementary school students from Steel Valley Elementary School pose with
their new backpacks provided by Charlie Batch and his foundation.

17. Sophomore Stephanie
Smith is an incredible tennis
player that is taking her tennis
game to the next level. Her perseverance and intensity has led
her to earning a national ranking of 134 and a state ranking
of fourth place. For the past
eleven years, Smith has been
training to reach the extraordinary level she is at now.
“I started tennis because my uncle played, and
he told my mother it was a
good sport. When I started, my
October 2011
Smith Serving Up Success
RebeccaPerryman.StaffWriter
mother kept forcing me repeatedly to play just one more year.
After about two years, I really
developed my love for the sport;
my mom didn’t have to force
me anymore,” said Smith.
After a few years,
Smith put more and more effort
into her game. Her first tournament experience was not successful, however.
“When I was eight, I played
in my first tournament. I lost
every match my first fourteen
tournaments,” said Smith.
A lot has changed
since then. Now, Smith’s victories in local tournaments have
taken her to nationals. This past
summer, Smith attended three
national tournaments, and she
was most successful in clay and
hard court nationals because
she plays best on those surfaces.
She dedicates hours and hours
of her life to tennis.
“My success has come
from camps, off-court training,
constant match play in multiple tournaments, and twenty
hours of practice per week,”
said Smith.
It’s not always an
easy ride for Smith, however.
Her fractured shoulder and
recent knee injury have occasionally been a burden. However, Smith strives to overcome these hardships.
“Since I play so
much, I am prone to injuries,
but that doesn’t stop me from
playing tennis,” said Smith.
Because of her incredible play-
15
ing ability, Smith is shooting
to achieve some pretty big
goals.
“My goals are a full
scholarship to a Division I
college and after, at least a
year on tour, and possibly
trying to make a living playing tennis,” stated Smith.
If Smith keeps up
with her training and continues to keep her goals in
mind, we might be seeing her
on television, in the future,
playing professional tennis.
Photo by: Rebecca Perryman
Smith warms up with her teammates to prepare for a match against Sewickley
Academy.
Latsko Kicks Toward The Future
JennaTaimuty.StaffWriter
Sophomore, Veronica Latsko has made a name
for herself on the soccer field.
Leading by example, Latsko
practices diligently to perfect
her skills and to be at the top of
her game.
Latsko is not just your
average student. Although she
appears just a normal girl when
you meet her in the hallways,
on the soccer field, she is a phenom.
Latsko plays not only
for the Varsity high school
team, but also for three other
teams: Century United Soccer
Club, PAWest ODP (Pennsylvania West Olympic Development Program), and a Region 1
Regional Team. Latsko not only
was an all-section player her
freshman year, but also won the
title Rookie of the Year last year.
As for her high school
team, they won the State Championship title and WPIAL
Championship titles last year.
In 2010, her Century United
Cup
Team won the State Championship for PAWest.
Soccer is not only a
hobby for Latsko, it is her life.
“The thing I like best
about soccer is being able to
have fun and play with all of my
friends,” said Latsko.
Not only has she built
a sisterhood with the girls on
each of her teams, but she has
created many remarkable memories with them. One of her
favorite memories was seeing
Dani Hume score the winning
goal in the State Championship
final.
“That moment was
incredible and filled with such
collective happiness as a team
that I am certain I will never
forget it,” said Latsko.
In the future, she
hopes to play soccer in college.
However, her first priority will
be to attend a college that has a
great academic program.
“If soccer can get me
into a high quality academic
university then that would be
amazing,” stated Latsko.
Latsko will continue
to succeed in her soccer career
here at PTHS. “I want just to
have fun with soccer for however long I’m going to be playing it, and if our team happens
to win another State or WPIAL
championship or two, that
would make it even better,” said
Latsko.
Photo by: Val Mikec
Latsko celebrates a goal with teammate
Taylor Daerr during last year’s season.

18. 16
Seasonal
Halloween Stories: Fact or Fiction?
KatieDenning.ManagingEditor-in-Chief
Haunted Houses bring
in about half a billion
dollars annually.
In 2009, 1.1 billion
pounds of pumpkins
were sold during the
weeks approaching
Halloween.
Candy sales average
$2 billion a year.
Approximately 35
million children will
go trick-or-treating.
Most Popular Costumes:
1. Witch
2. Vampire
3. Pirate
Cited from todayfoubdour.com
Civil War Apparition - Student’s Story
When my husband
and I married, we bought a
farm house in the middle of
nowhere. We decided it was a
good home to raise any children we would have, even
though it was built during the
Civil War. The house was light
and beautiful, although it was
filled with creaks and moans
and things that go bump in
the night. Our house’s history
was a dark one, riddled with
tales of betrayal and cruelty.
The house was the last stop
on the Underground Railroad
before the slaves reached their
safe destination: Canada.
As a little girl, my
daughter Lily had an imaginary friend. She described
him as having dark hair, wearing a ‘really funny looking
uniform,’ and speaking with a
‘weird’ accent. Her friend was
a soldier for the Confederate Army, but he was against
slavery. While he fought for
his ‘country,’ he freed slaves
and kept them in our house’s
basement. Lily’s friend always
wore a hat; Lily said it was because he had a big scar on his
forehead. I thought nothing of
it, a little girl uses her imagination- and the town was
built around the Civil War.
Lily loved to read, I assumed
she had read about the war in
one of her stories. I did find it
strange that she used to sit in
the basement for hours and
talk to this friend. When she
came upstairs, she would be
smiling- and always smelled
of tobacco smoke. When I
asked why she was like thisshe would always respond
the same way, “My friend and I
were talking.”
About a month after Lily invented this friend, she was in
the basement for four or five
hours. I got scared and crept
downstairs, hoping that she
wouldn’t hear me. What I saw
alarmed me. Lily was sitting in
a corner, looking up at the wall
above a barrel; as if someone
was sitting on the barrel and
speaking to her. The closer I got
to Lily, the more I was aware of
smoke. Tobacco smoke. When
Lily laughed and reached up
to touch the wall, I panicked. I
ran over and snatched her into
my arms as I ran for the door.
When we were safely upstairs,
Lily crying and screaming because she wanted to go see
her friend, I asked why she sat
in the basement for that long
time. My little girl responded,
“General McCreary tells me
stories. I like his stories.”
“Why does he talk to
you, Lily? What does he tell
you?”
“He says he has a job to do.
And that he needs my help. But
I don’t know what the job is.”
Lily shrugged, “I just like his
stories.”
Then she ran away to
swing with her older brother.
As Lily ran away, calling for my
son, whom she called Bug (because she couldn’t say his proper
name), something dawned on
me. Why would Lily name an
imaginary friend something
she couldn’t pronounce? I
felt chills race up my arms.
It all made sense: all the little details she knew about her
friend, all the Civil War facts,
why she smelled like smoke.
This was too strange to leave
up to guesswork, so I called for
my husband to watch the kids,
and went to the history center.
When I pulled out the book
about my street, I was overcome
with fear at what I read.
On page 74 was a
story about a General Luke McCreary, born in Virginia, who
was a Confederate soldier and a
Yankee sympathizer. He used to
transport slaves from the South
and move them up to Canada.
He hid most of them in the
old farmhouse at 79 Seminary
Road (our old address). When
the South found out about McCreary’s actions, they captured
and killed him for treason. He
was executed; shot once in the
forehead. General McCreary
was credited with freeing over a
hundred slaves. Beside the story
was an old picture of McCreary;
he had dark hair, wore a
confederate
uniform,
and
was holding a
pipe.
Public domain image
In the U.S., more
than $3 billion is
spent on Halloween
costumes each year
It is that time of year again. The time of year when scary movies show in theaters, seasonal decorations overtake store shelves, haunted houses attract fear-goers of all ages, and the news magazine
has its fall seasonal spread. This year the spread, which is usually full of local Halloween attractions,
has gone in a different direction to provide you with your Halloween fix; we have collected scary stories from Mrs. Duffy and one of her creative writing students. These stories, which will send a chill
through your bones, are based on real life experiences. Can you guess what is fact and what is fiction?
Answers are listed after each story.
Answer: Everything in this story
is true, except the names.

19. The Light in the WindowMrs Duffy’s Story
I didn’t really think
anything of the light on in the
master bedroom of my newly
purchased home as I pulled up
to the front one dark, stormy
evening in order to show
my sister around. It was odd
enough to notice it though,
since my husband, who was
basically the only person there
working every day trying to
get our newly purchased 1924
home in move-in condition
from its current gutted state,
is usually really careful about
turning off lights. I have to
admit, I was a little spooked
before anything even happened. My friend Dan, who
was taking a CCAC class in
ghost hunting for fun, kept
teasing me about the old
woman who used to live in
the house and died (presumably at home, since it was
so long ago and that’s where
most people died). He kept
telling me that in his class, he
learned that ghosts reside in
the place where they die and
generally come out when their
home is disturbed. Dan loves
to scare me, since it’s such an
easy thing to do. He got a lot
of pleasure telling me that
my renovations would stir up
the ghost of the woman who
died because I was causing so
much commotion in her once
quiet home.
So admittedly a little
jumpy, I began to give my
sister a tour of the first floor.
My voice echoed throughout
the hollowed out home as I
walked from room to room.
“This is the living
room. We are going to re-do
this fireplace and these floors.
This will be the dining room.
Here is the plan for the kitchen. We have to knock out this
wall first, and then we will
be able to put our appliances
there.” I continued about my
spiel and pointed out things as
I walked her around. Next, we
made our way upstairs.
“This is going to be a bathroom eventually,” I said as
I flicked on the light so we
could see through the pitch
dark. “There is my new bathtub.” There wasn’t anything
else to see in the bathroom, so
I shut off the light and moved
on. I opened up the guest
bedroom door and turned
on its light. “And this is the
guest room. I just painted it.”
Like the bathroom, that light
was turned off before moving
along with the tour. The second guest bedroom was much
of the same. Light on, check
it out, light off, move on. Finally, I approached the end of
the hall. The master bedroom.
“And, this, is going to be our
room. We just— ” I stopped
dead in my tracks as I cracked
the door to this room. Something was not right.
The room was pitch black.
“Ohmygosh,
we
have to go, hurry up, let’s go,
we have to go, we have to go,
let’s go,” I rambled and fumbled through the dark hall
and down the stairs. I clumsily tried to turn the key in the
front door to lock and nearly
couldn’t do it as my hands
were shaking so badly.
“You’re
scaring
me,” my sister cried. “What’s
wrong?!?”
“The
light
was
OUT in the bedroom! Don’t
you remember,” I screamed,
“IT WAS ON WHEN WE
PULLED UP TO THE
HOUSE!!!”
“Oh my gosh, you’re
right. Let’s get out of here!!!”
The two of us flew off of the
porch and sprinted through
the rain into my car. Safely
inside, I hit the locks on my
doors, started the ignition
and peeled out. I quickly
turned my car around to go
back down the street the way
I arrived. Before I turned off
of my street, I couldn’t help
but get distracted by something in my rear view mirror.
It was the image of my house
as I drove by.
There was one single
light on in the master bedroom.
Answer: 100% true.
October 2011
17
Dress Up for Dollars
LydiaMcCall.StaffWriter
Running low on cash but crave that candy?
Halloween can be a drag when you aren’t w i l l i n g
to give up that dime. Costumes can be a
little
expensive but here are a few different
outfits
that you can either find around your
house
or that you can buy for just five
dollars or less.
A classic toy costume
is a Lego. You will need a rectangle box, paint and round
boxes that you can find at the
nearest department store or
a Michaels Craft store. First,
trace a dinner plate on the
top of the box and on the
sides. Then cut out the circles that you just traced for
your head, legs and arms. Next,
glue the round boxes on to the box
in a
design of a Lego. Let the glue dry
a n d
then spray paint the whole box with
a
color
of your choice. Choose clothing to wear under the costume
that is the same color as the paint. Now you’re
ready to transform into a Lego for the night.
A second cheap Halloween costume is a
bag of Jelly Beans. What you will need for
this costume is a clear plastic garbage bag,
which can be found at local convenience
stores, and different colored balloons.
First you will need to carefully cut
out holes for you head, arms and
legs. Then you’ll need to blow up
the balloons, as many as needed. Put
the garbage bag on carefully and then
stuff the bag with the different colored balloons, then you can create a
Jelly Bean sign similar to the original
on the computer.
Another inexpensive costume is
a Tissue Box. For this you will need,
a
cardboard
box,
spray paint, tissue
paper and a white marker. First,
trace a dinner plate for the head,
arms and legs on the cardboard
box. Next, spray paint the entire
box, preferably a light blue color.
Once it is completely dry, write tissues in white ink on the center of
the box. Next, arrange the tissue
papers on the top of the box andglue
it so it’s standing up.

20. 18
Entertainent
Facebook vs. Twitter: Which is Better?
EliseJozwiak.AndreaSalizzoni.StaffWriters
Mark Zuckerberg: the king of procrastination. However,
most people would be more familiar with him if he was referred to as “the creator of Facebook.” A “jazzy” small social
network site generated in February of 2004, originally referred
to as “The Facebook” is now in a
strong second place for the most
visited site on the web (right behind Google). “Facebook is better
because it’s easier to connect with
friends and to “creep,”said sophomore Maddie Auld.
This constantly growing
site has now reached more than
500 million active users, making
it worth 7.9 to 11 billion dollars.
There has now been a legal mental
diagnosis of an addiction to Facebook called “Facebook Addiction
Disorder” ( HubSpot Blog). “I like
Facebook more because it’s more
user friendly and there are more
things to do,” stated freshman Margaret Halo.
Users usually log onto Facebook for about 55 minutes
a day or longer. The average “Facebooker” has about 130 friends
and on average more women are online than men. The Unit-
ed States is ranked number one on Facebook, with more than
111,212,840 users currently.
Twitter is an upcoming social network that is increasing
in popularity and really topping the
charts as competition with Facebook.
“Twitter is definitely better because
the new Facebook is stupid and the
new setup is confusing,” said senior
Tommy Folino.
Created in August of 2006, and currently at 105,779,710 users, Twitter
has definitely made its mark against
other major social networking sites.
Although not as popular as its competitor, Facebook, it is gaining numerous new members every single
day and is moving up to the level of
Facebook. Twitter welcomes 450,000
new users every day. Mainly 30-49
year olds use Twitter and teens are
the next highest age group. Women
consist of 54% of the users, compared
to only 48% that are male; but it doesn’t stop there. You could say
current Twitter users get “addicted” after only a few times of going online. There are about 1 billion tweets posted per week, 55
million a day, 138,888 per minute, and 456 per second.
Google Plus: Leading the Way
CamilleBarnes.StaffWriter
Google Plus is a
great new social networking
option. It makes connecting
with friends more enjoyable
and realistic. Communicating with people is necessary in our day-to-day lives.
Whether it be reconnecting
with long lost friends or
meeting new ones, the internet has become the best
way to maintain your relationships by using new features such as friend circles,
video chat, Hangouts and
Huddle.
Google Plus parallels features to that of Facebook. On Facebook, one
can have a list of “friends”
with whom they share unfiltered information with.
Similarly, Google Plus has
lists of “friends” that one
can connect with. However, it is up to the user
to decide what “circle of
friends” certain people are
in. Such groups may include
co-workers, bosses, family, high school friends, and
college friends. This aspect
allows users to filter what
each “circle of friends” is
able to see of their personal
posts.
Facebook is trying
to keep up with new and
upcoming technology, such
as video-chat, but is still far
behind. Google Plus has
“hangouts” where friends
can video-chat simultaneously, making it seem like
they are there actually all together.
Makers of Google Plus
have also incorporated
group texting in a feature
called Huddle. When users
Huddle, they are essentially
sending a mass text that goes
to a group of people in which
they select. This makes planning evenings with a group
much easier.
“My husband loves Google
Plus. He was able to transfer
all of his pictures from his
phone to the social networking site. He says it’s so easy
to use,” commented Mrs.
Boni. That is just one of the
reasons everything is easier
with Google Plus.
Senior Madison Creehan is making
a new profile on Google Plus. “I am
very excited to be a part of the new
social network,” said Creehan.

21. 19
October 2011
Pittsburgh—
The New Hollywood?
LauraPurkey.StaffWriter
People spend over 500 Billion Minutes per
month on Facebook.
Dannybrown.me
Matt John’s iPod Playlist
“Boys of Fall” by Kenny Chesney
“Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga
“Welcome to the Black Parade” by
My Chemical Romance
“Monster” by Kanye West
“Friday” by Rebecca Black
On October 1st, 1968: the now cult
horror movie “Night of the Living Dead”
had its world premiere in Pittsburgh, Pa.
purpleslinky.com
Recently, the beloved
‘Burgh has become a hot spot
for many major Hollywood
films. During the last couple of
years, production crews and Alisters have brought screaming
fans to Pittsburgh. Movies such
as “She’s Out of My League,” “I
Am Number Four,” and “Love
and Other Drugs” have all been
shot in the Steel City. Scenes
in the films have even featured
familiar Pittsburgh places,
such as the Mellon Arena and
the Pittsburgh Airport. Major
name actors such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and
Jay Baruchel have starred in
these films.
There seems to be
no sign of production slowing
down either. The year of 2012
will bring much anticipated
movies such as “Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “The
Dark Knight Rises.” In 2013,
the movie, “One Shot,” starring
Tom Cruise and directed by the
Academy Award winner Chris
McQuarrie, will come out in
theaters.
The main reason why
more movies are being pro-
duced in Pittsburgh is due to
a new Southwestern Pennsylvania film tax credit program
that gives movie crews an
incentive to film here. This
tax benefits local businesses
that reap the tax money paid
by production crews, but it is
also good for the movie crews
who pay much less to produce
a movie here than in Hollywood. In addition, Pittsburgh
gets press and media attention. It’s a win-win situation.
The future of Pittsburgh as the new movie center
is bright. As more prestigious
and famous films are scheduled to shoot, the trend is
likely to catch on. Pittsburgh
is fresh. While Hollywood is a
classic choice of location; it is
a cliché, and in a day and age
where completely new ideas
for media are rare to come
across, directors and producers will do anything to make
a name for themselves. For
movie moguls, Pittsburgh is
the solution to their problems.
For residents of Pittsburgh,
it is just another reason why
their city is the best.
PT alum Katie Ellis poses with actor
Paul Rudd
on the set of
“The Perks
of Being a
Wallflower,
filmed
in
june 2011.
The movie
is set to
premiere in
2012.

22. 20
News
Tough Economy Leads to Designer Steals
StephanieHammell.StaffEditor
Fashion designer, Missoni,
recently launched products in
Target stores around the country. This exclusive Italian designer line, which is known for
its zigzag patterned knitwear,
was to be sold for six weeks at
highly discounted prices, but
the Target website crashed within a few hours after the launch
and the products were sold out
within a few days. This left the
public in a state of turmoil as
orders were cancelled long before the promotion ended.
The Missoni promotion with
Target has made it possible for
anyone on a budget to get designer pieces at a price they can
afford, because Target can sell
these high-end pieces for a steal
by having the designers use in
cheaper fabrics. Both Missoni
and Target will reap the financial rewards from selling the
collection in Targets across the
country. This is a very popular
business trend that clothing retailers are using to entice consumers to spend in this economy.
Companies such as Kohl’s
and Sears also boast selling designer lines at reduced prices.
Later this month, Kohl’s will be
advertising a clothing line designed by Jennifer Lopez, and
Sears will be selling the Kardasian Kollection.
Hopefully, this will lead to
promotions with other well
known designers pairing up
with stores to make their
clothes more affordable and
budget conscious. Considering
the economic recession we are
currently in designer discounted lines, similar to Missoni may
be the solution to stimulating
our economy.
Peters Implements Pay to Play
Photos by Steph Hammell
ValerieKotar.FeaturesEditor
The best way to get
the “high school” experience
has always been to get involved.
Not only can participating in
a school sponsored activity be
fun, but numerous colleges
expect it. Being involved in
a sport, band, club, etc. helps
to show that a student is wellrounded.
Due to the country’s economic struggles, Pennsylvania
Governor, Tim Corbett, made
budget cuts in the education
department in an effort to fly
the budget. As a result, Peters
Township students must pay
fees in order to participate in
activities for the 2011 to 2012
school year.
Each school district has its
own fees, but for Peters, club
fees are $10, sports are $90,
and band/ auxiliary are $40 per
member. All of a sudden, being involved has begun to add
up. Families like the Meyers get
the worst of the new rule. They
had to pay $120 for their three
kids to join marching band.
This price is without any extra
clubs or sports that their three
children take part in.
Although, there may
be a student maximum of $215
per year, this only applies to
High School Athletics. Activity
fees have no cap on payments.
Is this rule really fair to families
with more than one child?
The clubs might be
struggling with this turn of
events a little, but according to
Ms. Alexander, they find ways
to beat the system.
“Interact is funded by the
Rotary and we have fundraisers,” said Ms. Alexander, “so,
the budget cuts don’t really affect us.”
Interact Club students
have to pay dues up to $30, but
these go toward things such as
transportation or projects for
the club.
As it turns out, these
hard times have actually
helped connect different
groups within the school.
When the Peters Township
Mighty Indian Marching
Band began to feel the effects
of the budget cuts, Interact
Club tried to lend a hand the
way they could; Ms. Alexander gave the Band Boosters
access to the smoothie machine during Friday night
games in an attempt to raise
funds.
Any amount helps the band
because director, Mr. Barney,
has had to make some major
changes to this season. Any
normal year, the band does at
least six festivals, but this year
they performed at only one, not
including their own.
“We have to take five buses
anywhere we go which costs
a lot, so sacrifices had to be
made,” said Mr. Barney.
Not to mention, drastic cuts towards things such as
sheet music and instrument repair.
The boosters also try to help
out by donating funds to the
district to assist with cost. Even
though Peters Township may
not be thrilled with the pay to
play policy, its residents are rallying together in order to make
it work.
“I do not care for
Pay to Play. There
are better ways of
raising money other
than taking from
the kids,”said senior
Shane Johstonbaugh
Photo by Amanda
Moore

23. The Saga of Casey
Anthony Continues
AmandaMoore.NewsEditor
Everyone now has
heard the shocking verdict of
the Casey Anthony trial that
surrounded a two year old girl,
Caylee Marie Anthony, who
went missing July 2008. For 31
days, no one knew where she
was or bothered to call 911 to
find out. The first person to call
the authorities was the grandmother of Caylee, Cindy Anthony, who accused her own
daughter (and Caylee’s mother)
Casey. With skilled legal tactics not seen since the trial of
OJ Simpson, Anthony’s lawyer
pulled off what seemed impossible- he got her off the hook
with minimal charges. Public
opinion is overwhelmingly
against the mother.
“This will reinforce
the importance of gathering
proper evidence for future trials,” said senior Tom Phillips.
This is not what is so shocking
about the trial. What people
didn’t expect were the reverberations that are still echoing
from the outcome.
“When I heard the
news, I was sad and upset. I
almost started crying,” stated
seniorTony Wagner. People of
all ages are still shell shocked as
new information continues to
pour in.
“I was shocked that
she was found innocent because
there was so much evidence
against her,” said sophomore
Rachel Moore.
Casey Anthony is currently hiding in an undisclosed
location somewhere in Ohio
and will not grant interviews.
People who were close to her
are opening up to the pressincluding her parents. Mr. and
Mrs. Anthony gave an interview to Dr. Phil for no money.
They were relentlessly questioned and people have to wonder: is this a sincere curiosity
from the public, or are we sick
of the story continuing just for
the publicity that has been fueling tabloids since 2008?
Most students say they
are sick of it. They are outraged
by the outcome, but no amount
of media attention is going to
change the verdict. Hopefully,
the news moves away from this
eventually.
Early Detection and Life
Resurrection
JoshGlicksman.StaffWriter
October is breast
cancer awareness month. According to Susan G. Komen
for the Cure, in the United
States this year, “there will be
39,520 breast cancer deaths.”
Although to most it seems very
unusual, this form of cancer
can affect males as well. About
450 American men are estimated to die from breast cancer this year.
According to breastcancer.org, “about 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%)
will develop invasive breast
cancer over the course of her
lifetime.”
However, this horrible disease can be controlled.
Women are encouraged to
schedule an annual mammogram and check-up. Also, women can regularly do self-exams.
If breast cancer is detected
early, there is a greater chance
of conquering the disease. With
the knowledge of breast cancer
expanding, the survival rate is
increasing because it is detected
early.
Encourage your mother, sister,
grandma, aunt, or any other
women you love to schedule a
mammogram or annual checkup today. For an easy self exam,
visit http://projectirreplaceable.
com. The more knowledge you
have about breast cancer, the
easier it is to beat it.
October 2011
21
What in the World?
Valerie Gobao.LayoutEditor-in-Chief
When confronted with the possibility of her husband’s infidelity, Maria Simoes of Brazil decided to take
the obvious, logical action: hire a hit man to murder the
husband-stealing harlot that was responsible. But when the
ironically named professional killer, Carlos de Jesus, stalked
out his victim, he was shot with Cupid’s arrow and fell in
love with her instead. Carlos confessed his mission and his
undying love to the woman, and together they formulated
a cunning plan to fool Maria into thinking the murder had
succeeded. Taking a page from the worst B-Horror Movie in
existence, he gagged her, ripped her shirt, stuck a fake machete in her armpit, and then covered her in tomato sauce.
He then sent the extremely convincing picture to his employer. However, three days later, Maria saw the pair kissing in public, and called the police to complain about the
botched murder job. Now, they’re all in jail. Hollywood has
nothing on this; where’s the Lifetime movie?
For toddler Natalie Hayhurst, picky eating has
turned to “bricky” eating; as in, she literally eats bricks. Natalie has a condition called Pica, which causes her to crave
inedible objects instead of food. According to her mother,
she can eat a brick “like a chocolate chip cookie” and is also
known to “eat rocks and sticks that she finds in the garden.”
Now that’s my idea of good eats. Unfortunately, her condition started to become even more dangerous when she ate an
entire lightbulb taken from a lamp in her room. It’s sad that
such TV worthy addictions can start so young.
Finally, there is a political party system more ridiculous than our own! The Society for New Bulgaria has
taken political symbolism a bit too far by entering Marko the
Donkey as a legitimate candidate for the mayoral election in
the town of Varna. The party urges the town’s citizens to vote
for Marko, because they believe that he would do a better
job than the incumbent mayor. Now that’s a burn. Apparently, they feel that Marko “has a strong character, doesn’t
steal, doesn’t lie, and gets work done,” which is the opposite
of all other politicians. Maybe they have a point here; the Tea
Party should get on that. Would you vote for a donkey?

24. Picture This...
Photography is one of our most popular media electives. Students are taught different techniques for using a
camera and Photoshop, while having the freedom to take pictures that express themselves and display their style. Below
are just a few examples of the talent that can be found in our
Photography classes.
Reid Elattrache, 12
Liz Gesselberty, 11
Nikkie Naulty, 11
Layout Design by Denée Renz
Rachel Cellini, 10
Hannah Squeglia, 11
Lauren Cisney, 11
Emilou Landas, 10

25. Lexi Harmon, 11
Jenna Johnson, 12
Gina Vilsack,
Emily Koch, 11
Christine Gaab, 11
Photography Club Contest Winners:
“Leading Lines”
1st
2nd
Denée Renz, 12
Katie Koenig, 11

26. What’s your favorite song to have
played at dances?
Mr. Kuharcik
Teachers
“Party Rock
Anthem”
by LMFAO
“Moves Like Jagger”
by Maroon 5
“Yonkers”
by Tyler the Creator
Reid Elattrache
“Party Rock Anthem”
by LMFAO
“Poor Some Sugar
on Me”
by Def Leppard
“Baby Got Back”
by Sir Mix-A-Lot
Mr. Bastos
“Livin’ On A Prayer”
by Bon Jovi
Nick Bianco
Christy Burris
Abby Ross
Mac Oberschelp
Laura Counihan
Kim Chedgey
Johnny Ivaschenko
Natalie Krewin
“2012”
by Jay Sean
“Super Bass”
by Niki Manaj
Mrs. Degnan
Andrew Erenberg
Seniors
“Made In America”
by Toby Keith
“Fire Burning”
by Sean Kingston
Mike Arnoni
“Donald Trump”
by Mac Miller
Nick Michalski
Mrs. Boni
Joey Fairbanks
“California Love”
by 2Pac
“Hey Soul Sister”
by Train
“Everytime We
Touch”
by Cascada
Matt Pisciottano
by Cali Swag District
Juniors
“Da Da Dewz”
by Handewzy
“Bubbly”
by Colbie Caillit
“Teach Me How To
Dougie”
Stephanie Cathell
David Tennent
Sophmores
Kenna Kuehn
Carly Johns
“Cheers”
by Rihanna
“Party Rock Anthem”
by LMFAO
“Don’t Wanna
Go Home”
by Jason DeRulo
Joe Spinabelli
“No Speak
Americano”
by Yolanda Be Cool
Ms. Stefan
Erin Sullivan
Freshmen
“Get Low”
by T-Pain
“Friday”
by Rebecca Black
“It’s Gonna Be Me”
by N Sync