1. Smoke Signals
March 2012
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3. Photo by Lexi Harmon
Smoke Signals
Volume 3 Issue 4
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 Media II, III, and
IV Journalism students. The staff adviser
is Mrs. Sitler. Commentaries, reviews,
and opinion columns are the expressed
opinion of the author and not of Smoke
Signals, its advisor, or the Peters Township School District.

5. 4-5 PT Focus
6-7 Sports
Track is Back
8-9 Opinion
Gaining, Not Giving
Up During Lent
10-11 Life and Style
12-13 Faculty
Face-Off
AP Images Jay Leprete
Now Trending:Yoga
14-15 People Features
Poetry Contest:Morgan
Boyer
16-17 Reality TV
18-19 Entertainment
20-21 News Features
New Frozen Yogurt:
Moo Moo
AP Images Evan Agostini
Celebrity Obsession
22-23 Student Work
Mixed Art
Table of Contents
Prom Fashion Show

6. 4
PT Focus
PT Dominates PJAS
Competition
AlexaKennedy.StaffWriter
The Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science is a
competition that took place on February 18, 2012 at California
University of Pennsylvania. PJAS is an organization for all grades
seven to twelve across the state of Pennsylvania. It promotes interest
in science through research projects and investigations conducted
by students. Eighteen first place winners out of the twenty-three
contestants who entered the competition were PTHS students
including Junior Maple Chen.
“I started preparing a week in advance for this
competition,” said Chen.
She has participated in PJAS since seventh grade and
has several fond memories of past competitions. “After my first
presentation, the judges asked me ‘How will your experiment affect
the banana industry?’ and I started to laugh. I thought that was so
funny,” she recalled. “I continue doing PJAS because of all the great
memories I have from being involved.”
The goal of the competition is to create a project that
answers a real world problem, similar to the TEAM+S competition.
“It’s important to pick a topic you have real interest in, this
way it is much more enjoyable,” stated Chen.
Along with the seventeen first place winners, PTHS also
had six second place winners and six recipients of the Perseverance
Award. Allison Resnik, Grace Brandstetter, Maria Oldenburg and
Sebastian Hymson all acquired perfect scores in the completion.
Resnik and Brandstetter won the Exemplary Award in their
divisions along with their other awards. Congratulations to all the
first place winners:
Allison Resnik
Carolyn Grechen
Cecelia Allison
Jessica Johnson
Cheng Wang
Chris Heldman
Christopher Malencia
Elise King
Grace Brandstetter
Hannah Foster
Jen Cashman
Mandy Nerone
Maple Chen
Maria Oldenburg
Matthew Stablein
Raashmi Krishnasamy
Samuel Batchelder
Seabastian Hymson
Special congratulations goes to senior Samuel
Batchelder who earned a
$2000 scholarship to a school
of his choice courtesy of Disney. Additionally, Allison
Resnik, Grace Brandstetter,
and Sebastian Hymson all
place exemplary in their respective divisions.
Submitted photo
Legally Blonde:
Coming Soon To PT
MadisonMincone.SportsEditor
From Broadway to
the PT stage, Legally Blonde
is coming this spring, March
29th through the 30th. It will
be starring sophomore Rachel
Ferraco as Elle Woods, along
with a superb supporting cast.
The plot surrounds
Woods, a bubbly blonde, who
follows her love Warner to
Harvard Law School. While at
Harvard, she is treated like she
will never succeed. In the end,
she proves all of her friends
and family wrong in the courtroom. Ferraco loves her role
because of Woods’ personality.
“There is not a single
thing I dislike about this show
or role. There is no greater
feeling. I feel very blessed to
have this opportunity,” said
Ferraco.
However,
Vivian Kensington, Emmett Richmond, and Paulette Bonafante
are played by talented actors
and actresses who will show
everyone what it means to be a
star in a supporting role.
One of these actresses, freshman Kylie Marshall, is
in the role of Vivian Kensington. Vivian is a stuck up, cunning character who resorts to
playing petty games with Elle
because of their rivalry for
Warner’s affection. Marshall’s
favorite part of being Vivian is
playing the bad guy.
Playing the role of
Emmett Richmond is junior
Josh Reardon. Emmett is the
nice guy. He shows Woods
around Harvard, and he is the
first to realize that there is more
to her than meets the eye.
“My favorite part
about playing Emmett is probably playing an intelligent, wellliked character. Often you play
these bizarre people (which is
fun), but it’s nice to be ‘normal’
for once,” said Reardon.
Junior Kelsey Kern
will provide the comic relief
by playing the role of Paulette
Bonafante. Paulette works at
the local salon and does Woods’
nails and hair. Kern loves her
character, especially since it is
the part that she wanted.
“It is a lot of fun playing character roles because you
get to be crazy and eccentric,”
said Kern.
The cast will spend
countless hours learning lines,
perfecting characters, and practicing their singing to put on a
performance that they can be
proud of.
“I think it is going to
be fantastic; everyone in the
cast is incredibly talented and
the rehearsals we’ve had so far
really show that,” said Reardon.
Photo by Madison Mincone
Senior Cole Marks, Junior Josh Reardon, and Sophomore Rachel Ferraco goof
around before they rehearse for their scenes.

7. March 2012
5
New Process Aims to Select Commencement Speaker
JennaTaimuty.StaffWriter
Graduation…the
only word that is a solace to
senior students at PTHS. It’s
the day you look forward
to and work towards your
entire high school career.
Have you ever dreamed
that it might be you one
day, up there behind the
podium, speaking to your
entire graduating class and
their families? Well, now is
your chance.
First, to apply, seniors must be academically
eligible. By having a GPA of
3.00 or higher and no disciplinary actions that resulted in either an in-school or
out-of-school suspension
may submit a speech for
consideration.
Next, seniors have to
submit a written speech. The
speech must cover topics that
are of interest to the graduating class and the general
audience of thee generations
(grandparents, parents, and
students). Also, the speech
must be typed doublespaced, twelve point font,
and approximately three to
five minutes in length when
orally presented.
The speeches must be submitted to the High School
Office by the end of school
on Friday, April 13, 2012.
The author’s name should
NOT appear on the speech,
but instead, the student
should place his/her name,
student ID number, homeroom, and telephone number on a separate piece of
paper and attach it to the
speech. Speeches that do not
conform to these guidelines
will not be considered.
Speeches will go
through an evaluation process and will remain anonymous while being reviewed.
Each speech will be assigned
a number. The Commencement Speech Selection Committee will read and rank
each speech. Then, the authors of the top five speeches
will be asked to give an oral
presentation to the committee. This committee will
choose the best speech to
be presented at Commencement.
The committee consists of a minimum of two
high school administrators,
two members of the High
School English Department,
a Speech teacher, at least
three student leaders, and
up to five additional teacher
representatives.
All students will be
notified by Monday, May
14, 2012 via letter. If you
have any questions about
the commencement speech,
please contact Mrs. Sitler in
room A114 or at sitlern@ptsd.org.
Masquerade Madness: Prom Fashion
LindseyMcCay.StaffWriter
The
anticipation
for the 2012 prom is already
beginning to brew. All of the
excitement was launched on
Saturday February 25 with the
prom fashion show. Prom is
such an important day for so
many juniors and seniors in the
high school, it was a marvelous
idea for the school to host a
fashion show. It was a great
help for girls and guys who are
looking for what they should
wear on this special night.
A local dress shop
in Pittsburgh got the chance
to show off their beautiful
gowns and tuxedos to potential
buyers. The store featured was
Carrie Ann’s Bridal Boutique
in Canonsburg. They offered
a wide array of different dress
styles for girls. Then Tuxedo
Junction located in South Hills
Village gave an assortment of
suits for guys.
Fifty girls and twenty
five guys worked the runway in
their formal prom attire, all of
which were juniors and seniors.
The models and escorts loved
getting all done up like it was
prom night. Senora Degnan
and Mr. Lawrence were the
splendid hosts of the night,
introducing each couple going
down the run way.
Each of the dresses
paraded showing the top
fashion trends for the 2012
prom. A few of these trends
are flowing hem lines, dresses
with a high to low hem line,
and dresses with gems. Lace
has also become very popular
this year. Cut outs and ruffles
are also a new trend popping
up everywhere on this season’s
dresses. Though the always
classic mermaid style is still
very popular. All of these
trends were displayed during
the prom fashion show.
The show went off
without a hitch. Everything
ran smoothly and it all looked
magnificent. All of the girls
walked the runway with grace
and poise. Then the boys in
the fashion show put together
a hilarious dance to “I’m Sexy
and I Know It”. Everyone had
a wonderful time.
“It
was
great
participating in the prom
fashion show! The dress I was
Photo by Allie Schalfman
The models line up to show off their dresses from Carrie Ann Bridal Boutique.
They were all excited when the night went well.
wearing gave me a lot of ideas
of what I want to do for prom,”
stated senior Stephanie Miller.
The prom fashion
show gives a multitude of
ideas of what people can do
for their prom. Finding the
perfect prom dress is essential
for every girl going. After
the fashion show, girls are left
teeming with ideas of their
immaculate prom dress. After
seeing all of the great dresses
during the fashion show every
girl should be able to find their
perfect dress. The perfect
prom starts with the perfect
dress.
“The fashion show
was great. As soon as I saw
the one dress, I knew it was
the one,” exclaimed Camilia
Younes. “I know it’s the one I
want to buy.”
Being able to find
the perfect prom dress is
a challenge for all juniors
and seniors. With the prom
fashion show, it helps girls see
all the fashionable dresses and
makes it easier for them to
find the exact dress they want.

8. 6
Sports
Jeremy Lin: Overnight Sensation or NBA Star?
Jeremy Lin had always
dreamed about playing in the
NBA. As a kid, he would watch
Michael Jordan play and try to
copy his moves on the hoop
in his backyard. Lin was an
excellent high school player
and went on to play at Harvard University. After graduation, he was picked up and
then cut by three NBA teams.
Shortly after, Lin had thought
it was time to put the basketball down and move on to the
next phase of his life. However,
one morning he received a call
from the New York Knicks inviting him to join the team and
the rest was history.
After superstar Carmelo Anthony sustained an
injury and could not play, the
Knicks looked for someone to
pick up the slack. Jeremy Lin
As the 2012 spring
track season rolls around, no
longer will the eccentric yet
inspiring Mr. Scott pace the
infield of the track. He was
an irreplaceable figure in the
world of PT athletics. Yet, after the darkest time of night,
the sun begins to rise.
New head coach
Justin Pinto has big plans for
the team. With a slew of new
assistants, Mr. Pinto is ready
to accept the responsibility of
coaching an incredibly competitive sport.
“My hope is that
each kid improves their results each time they compete
Photo by Stephen Luzier
Sophomore Mark Minjock warms up
prior to a scrimmage.
GrantTaylor.StaffWriter
did just that. Lin broke out as a
phenomenon after his performance against the New Jersey
Nets. He recorded 25 points,
5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2
steals. Lin went head to head
with all-star point guard Deron
Williams and completely embarrassed him. In the Knick’s
next game against the Jazz, Lin
would make his first career NBA
start. He would drop another 28
points along with 8 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. Lin hit a
game winning 3 pointer at the
buzzer to beat the raptors on
Valentine’s Day. Perhaps even
more impressive was his 38
point game against the league’s
premier superstar, Kobe Bryant. However, this is not a just
stroke of luck; Lin has been as
consistent as any NBA veteran.
In the month of February alone,
Track
he has averaged 21 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds. This is
essentially unheard of for an
undrafted free agent.
Numerous critics believe that Lin is just an overnight
sensation whose fifteen minutes
will be up very soon. However,
Lin is here to stay. He has a
good number of starts under
his belt now and has performed
above average in all of them.
Lin has gone up against some
of the league’s most prominent
stars and even outperformed
them. Jeremy Lin’s work ethic
and desire to be a great NBA
player has rocketed him into
stardom. Also, there is much to
be said about his humility and
perseverance after being picked
up and then cut by a number
of teams. Lin has the talent and
support to be an NBA superstar
is
Back
JohnGalatic.PrintEditor
in a meet. Winning sections
and qualifying as many kids
as possible for WPIALS is also
very important to myself and
the team,” said Mr. Pinto.
This year’s squad
is ready to step up to the
plate. Headlining the sprinting corps is senior John Bianco. Bianco reached WPIALS in the 100 meter dash
last year, and hopes to make a
repeat appearance this May.
Also running sprints with Bianco are sophomores Pat Manak
and Mark Minjcock. Manak is
a transfer student from Seton
La Salle High School. Look for
these three, as well as several
others, to shine in the 100 meter
dash, the 200 meter dash, and
the 4x100 meter relay. Senior
Ed Findley and junior Craig
Johnson return as the lone male
hurdlers. Both are going to be
crucial to the team’s success.
Perhaps the most versatile athletes on the team are
Tony Wagner and Tom Phillips, who specialize in middle
distance. The two can run any
race from the 200 to the mile
successfully but will focus on
the 400 meter dash, the 800 me-
ter run, and the 4x400 meter
relay. Wagner, who was only
four places away from making states in the 400 at WPIALS last year, is hoping to once
again score numerous points
for Peters Township.
“Tony and I want to
see the team succeed, but we
also want to post great times in
the 400,” explained Phillips.
The distance squad
is highlighted by Jon Radolec,
Cameron Maxwell, and John
Galatic.
Radolec’s goal is to
reach WPIAL Finals again this
year in the two mile. Maxwell
and Galatic will concentrate
on the mile, both sub-five minute runners. Those two hope to
be a consistent one-two punch
in the mile, an extremely competitive race this year. Watch
for freshman Zach Jaap to
build on his success in cross
country. All distance runners
are quite excited to run for new
coach John Knabb. You may
recognize the last name, as his
daughter’s name is all over the
walls of the gym, having won
multiple WPIAL championships.
his entire career, but only time
can tell.
AP Images Haraz N. Ghanbari
The jumpers return
some serious talent, with
Christian Nossokoff and
Mike Erenberg setting the bar
high for the rest of the group.
Pole vaulter Andrew Brannen
is close to breaking the school
record for his event.
Taking the biggest
hit in terms of lost talent is the
throwing group, losing Doug
Maronde, Justin Portz, and
Ben Chiste, all seniors from
last year. However, expect Joe
Bianco, Steve Janusey, Dan
Pletz, and Jonah Conroy, who
went to nationals for shotput, to lead the way and can
carry the team when necessary.
Look for the boys’
team to turn some heads this
year. Most of the best athletes
from each event return from
last year, and they all expect
to improve this spring. As incentive to perform well, coach
Pinto has offered the team a
deal.
“If anyone breaks a
school record, they can cut
my hair however they want.”
So when Mr. Pinto
is walking down the hall with
a reverse Mohawk, just know
that the boy’s track team is
succeeding.

9. March 2012
Under Review: Will Bucs Break .500?
7
JoshGlicksman&ShaneDazen.StaffWriters
SD: It has been the
golden question for 19 seasons.
The Pirates have experienced
new levels of futility. However,
with a bevy of young talent
and a trailblazer in manager
Clint Hurdle, 2012 will surely
be the year the Bucs will turn
it around. Led by all-star center fielder Andrew McCutchen,
the Pirates will boast a youthful but battle-tested lineup that
includes Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, and Garrett Jones. These
three will be counted on to provide some pop in the middle of
the order, and with several key
signings of veteran talent the
team will undoubtedly be more
productive this spring. Plus, the
starting rotation had a combined E.R.A. of 4.05 BEFORE
the acquisitions of Erik Bedard
and A.J. Burnett, two valuable
arms acquired in the offseason.
Couple that with a bullpen that
is anchored by Joel Hanrahan, a
closer who compiled 40 saves in
2011, and the rest is history. The
Bucs will break .500.
JG: You are correct;
the Pirates have experienced
“new levels of futility” for the
past 19 seasons. However, you
are incorrect in thinking that
this is the year the Buccos
turn it around. You say that
the Pirates’ stars include Neil
Walker, Pedro Alvarez, and
Garrett Jones. Excuse me, who
are they? Walker is a decent
second-baseman, a career .280
hitter. Alvarez is the furthest
thing from a star. His embarrassing .230 career batting
average (just .191 last season)
proves that. If that weren’t bad
enough, he is only a mediocre
fielder at best. Lastly, Jones’
power numbers are already
dropping and his career average is just .254. Other than the
lone talent, Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates hitting is worse
than it has been in any of their
other 19 consecutive losing
seasons. In terms of the pitching, the Bucs will have to count
on washed up has-beens. A.J.
Burnett, a complete and utter
head case, is supposed to be
the “ace” for Pittsburgh. Yes, it
is possible for him to succeed
in the “Steel City,” but only
when there is no pressure. If
the team miraculously ends up
in the postseason hunt, Burnett will quickly melt down
and become the “salary dump”
that the Yankees traded away.
SD: I think you have
misunderstood what I said. Alvarez was limited to 74 games
last year due to injuries. Walker
and Jones are not stars, but they
DO have star potential. The Pirates are committed to producing a more youthful brand of
baseball, and with McCutchen,
Pedro, and Neil all being first
round picks, they have stuck to
Baseball Team
their word. These players are
years away from reaching the
prime of their careers and they,
with the exception of Alvarez,
have already produced in the
limited time since they have
been called up. The Pirates may
not have a bunch of big name
players, but what they do have
is a core of talent that will remain in Pittsburgh for years
to come. Did I mention that
McCutchen just agreed to sign
a six year, 51.5 million dollar
contract, so look for that talent
to blossom in a Bucco uniform.
Lastly, there has only been a
small sampling of Alvarez, as
well, so I do not think all the
criticism about him should be
merited.
JG: Thank you for
backing up my argument. The
Pirates have some potential,
however, that potential will
not be reached this year. In a
couple of years, the Bucs may
be a real threat to cross the
.500 mark, but not this year.
You said that the Pirates have
a core of players for years to
come. It is a core of mediocre
players that may have the occasional “career year.” James
McDonald, Pedro Alvarez,
and Neil Walker do not constitute the foundation that
will bring home championships. Ultimately, the Pirates
do not have the pitching, hitting, or fielding to win. If the
goes for the
TaylorCox.StaffWriter
The Peters Township
baseball team comes into the
2012 season as a contender
for the WPIAL crown. Led by
senior captains Andrew Erenberg, Zach Verner, Mike Bittel,
and John Hlavinka, the Indians
boast a formidable squad that
is focused on developing their
skills on and off the diamond.
For the team, anything but a
championship is a bust.
“We’ve come close so
many times,” said senior pitcher
Mike Bittel. “It would awesome
to go out on top my last year
here.”
To get there, pitching
and defensive skills need to be
improved. The fundamentals
of the game were stressed early
in offseason workouts, and the
players bought into the coach’s
game plan as they strived to
better themselves before the
season started.
“We need to break the
game down, and instead of focusing on the big things like hitting, there needs to be attention
to making the little plays, the
plays that should be routine,”
said senior centerfielder Andrew Erenberg.
Even though the team
will field twelve seniors, youth
Bucs had a solid foundation
in one of the three categories,
this may be a different story.
For example, the Phillies’ hitting is decent, but their pitching is extraordinary. They
will easily win the National
League East. In addition,
Pittsburgh has to overcome
many difficult teams in the
National League Central. The
Cardinals, Brewers, and Reds
are all contenders in the division. The Bucs have absolutely no chance of snapping the
streak in 2012.
AP Images Jeff Curry
McCutchen recently agreed to a six
year, 5.15 million dollar contract. He
will be the key to the Pirates’ success
this year.
Ring
still dominates the roster. Junior and sophomores who
were offered the opportunity
to make varsity will now mature on and off the field. The
pitching rotation will feature
four non-senior athletes: Chris
Watschak, Billy McLuckie,
Devin Ulam, and Max Augenstein. To be successful, the
young core of talent need to
harvest their skills.
“I look forward to being a mentor for some of our
younger players,” said senior
shortstop Zach Verner. “We’re
all in this together, so we have
to become a family.”
Stock Photo

10. 8
Candy Constriction
ChristineManganas.OnlineEditor-in-Chief
Chocolate is something that every kid begs for in the grocery store. It is a sweet treat that kids strive for every Halloween,
Christmas, and Easter. For years, it has been the one treat that not
only kids can depend on, but adults as well. Over the past few years,
sweets have been a topic for discussion for the health of our children. The questions being asked are how far should parents and
suppliers go in order to keep America healthy? Should there be a
limit to the extremes parents take to protect their children’s health?
How far is too far?
Recently in Alabama, nine year old Savanna Hardin was forced to
run for three hours by her grandmother, Joyce Garrard, because
she lied about eating a bar of chocolate. After the torture
had stopped,the little girl later died of dehydration and the grandmother now faces murder charges and could face the death penalty. In the attempt to keep her granddaughter healthy, she ended
up achieving quite the opposite effect. Because Garrard worried so
much about the health of her grandchild, she went to an unnecessary extreme to achieve her goal. Making her exercise as punishment with the restriction of water to hydrate her, I believe she is
guilty of the charges against her and has set an example of how
harsh adults have become to the children who will soon shape the
future. With adults’ concern about the future generation’s health,
the candy suppliers themselves are contributing by placing a limit
on the number of calories a candy bar can hold. Michelle Obama
has recently signed an agreement with Mars Candy maker to reduce the size of its chocolate bars. That means goodbye to the king
size wonders and hello to just another afternoon snack that leaves
you begging for more. Some question this decision and wonder
why suppliers are going to such extremes. The candy companies
say they are only answering the high concern of parents, who feel
that their children are become overweight solely because of the size
of a chocolate bar. Truly, reducing the size of the candy bar is not
going to reduce the size of kids. Parents are blaming chocolate for
the unhealthy habits of their children, and although that may contribute, it is shocking that parents want to cut it out from their lives.
Kids should be kids; they have their whole lives to worry
about what they should eat and how much they weigh. Although
their health is important, the extremes parents take have become
unacceptable and, if they continue, will destroy the childhood of
their children.
AP Images Etowah County Sheriffs Office
Gaining, Not Giving
Up During Lent
RebeccaPerryman.StaffWriter
Whether you are Christian or not, you have most likely
heard the term “Lent” associated with a food or habit that your
Christian friend is “giving up.” But what is Lent and why do Christians observe it?
Lent is a forty day period of fasting in preparation for
Easter. Christians sacrifice specific food and habits to recognize
Jesus Christ’s forty day fast in the wilderness.
Catholics, Orthodox Chris tians, Lutheran, Methodist
and many other different Christian denominations observe Lent.
Each congregation observes it in a different way whether it is sacrificing food or praying more often. For instance, Greek Orthodox
Christians typically participate in a strict fast from meat and dairy
products.
“Since I’m Greek Orthodox, during Lent my family and
I give up meat for forty days plus Holy Week, an extra seven days.
It is difficult to see all my friends eat meat. On Easter, when I first
get to eat it, it is such a great feeling, and the fasting is all worth it,”
said freshman Kassiana Politis.
Usually in Catholic churches, members fast from meat
on Fridays and give up one food or habit that they especially love
throughout Lent.
To provide Catholics with a meal appropriate for nomeat-Fridays, Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church and Saint Patrick’s
Cathedral host a fish fry. Additionally, grocery stores and restaurants have seafood specials during the Lenten period.
However, Lent is not solely about giving up certain foods
and habits. There is a deeper meaning behind the fast which makes
the struggle worth it. Many Christians gain more than they give up.
During Lent, they have the opportunity to develop a connection to
God by sacrificing foods and habits they love. Christians approach
Lent as a period of spiritual cleansing in order to be forgiven for
their sins. Several Christian denominations attend confession at
the beginning of Lent to purify themselves and have a “clean slate.”
Taken seriously, Lent is a sacred journey of repentance and spiritual reflection. Giving up food or habits for Lent is viewed as a
constant reminder of Jesus’ suffering before his Crucifixion. Before
Christians reach for that one food they desire, they will be thinking about their spiritual health and the real reason why Lent is
observed in the first place.
AP Images Gene J. Puskar

11. March 2012 9
act
When you think of
the
grievous. Fighting
When Sports Cross the Line this mostagainst teamwork is
sports, you usually think of
with an opponent already
fun competition, teamwork,
and, above all, sportsmanship.
As a student athlete myself,
I see sports as an oasis from
the real world, a place to break
away from yourself, make new
friends, and reach goals that
you never thought you could
actually accomplish. However,
when competition is taken to
an entirely new and unhealthy
level, this sanctuary changes
to a nightmare; it loses the enjoyment, the teamwork, and
the sportsmanship. Sadly, this
unhealthy change is becoming
too common. Sports are drastically spinning out of control.
We, as a school, recently experienced this when
one of our students, junior
Gabe Pritz, was punched in the
side of the head during a playoff game on February 18. Pritz
was assaulted by Woodland
Hills senior Shakim Alonzo,
who had lost his composure,
elbowed another athlete, and
ejected from the game. Although Alonzo was obviously
upset because his team was
losing in the fourth quarter, he
claims that he became infuriated because PT athletes were
using racial slurs. Whether
his claims are true or not, the
fact that the game got that out
of hand illustrates that sports
have diverged too far off the
path that they were intended.
Both racially degrading another human being and fighting to the point that an athlete
KatieDenning.ManagingEditor-in-Chief
was laid out on the court are
definitely not a part of healthy
competition, teamwork, or
sportsmanship.
Nevertheless, I’m sure
some people would say that this
one event does not mean that
sports have gone too far, that
this was just a freak moment
where the heat of competition took one player tumbling
over the edge. However, you
wouldn’t accept being punched
in the side of the head while
walking down the street, would
you? Of course not; it would
be assault. Therefore, this one
event does prove that sports
have crossed the line, and it is
most definitely not the only example.
During a championship game for girls’ soccer in
Rhode Island, two teams got
into an all out brawl that the
fans in the stands soon joined
in on. There was even shoving,
punching, and hair pulling; basically, everything a catty girl
fight needs (wpri.com). But,
the worst part about the fight
was that it began because one
team was upset they were losing by five goals. I get it, in soccer that’s a pretty devastating
loss, but it never justifies a fight,
especially not an all out brawl.
Yet, for some reason, athletes
seem to think that when they
are losing they have the right to
lose their composure and their
sportsmanship. This should
never be the case.
Another example of
sports crossing the line was
when a basketball coach at Division II Holy Family University shoved his own athlete to
the ground, consequently injuring him, and then kicked him
for good measure (rivals.com).
For some ridiculous reason, the
coach continues to act like an
overgrown, immature, ten year
old bully by claiming he was
justified because he was trying
to toughen up his team after a
hard loss. However, no coach
has the right to touch any player
in a violent manner. Motivation
is one thing, injuring and possibly ruining an athlete’s athletic
career is (no pun intended)in
an entirely different ballpark.
Finally, a Mississippi State basketball player punched his own
teammate (rivals.com). For me,
takes sports too far, but fighting with your own teammate
is just plain wrong. Your
teammate is supposed to be
your family, someone to work
with towards a common goal.
However, no longer are athletes playing for the love of
the game, but they are playing to be the best player on
the team. Furthermore, it’s
this disgusting competition
between teammates that not
only derails a team’s season,
but also creates a whole new
generation of Terrell Owenslike drama queens.
All of these examples show that competition
has caused sports to go too
far. Drama not only between
teams but also between teammates and coaches undermines the essence of sports,
and more importantly sportsmanship. Without this sportsmanship and teamwork,
sports have crossed the line.
AP Images Paul R. Benoit
The Knicks and Celtics broke into a fight during an NBA game in 1984. Obviously, fights have been a part of sports for years, but they seem to be becoming
scarily more common.
PT Awareness Kicks Off with Tolerance Assembly
JennaTaimuty.StaffWriter
“&$%^#*” When you
walk the halls of PTHS, you
may not think twice about the
racial slurs and derogatory
terms you hear students jokingly fling at each other. Well,
some students and administrators have and are taking action
to stop these nonchalant acts
of belittling others.
Mr. Lesnett, along with a panel
of seniors, presented an assembly to the freshman and sophomore classes on March 14. The
assembly included a video made
by the Media Department, as
well as a panel discussion. It encouraged students to be aware
that they are either part of the
problem or part of the solution;
there is no in between. Allowing bullying or discrimination
to happen is just as harmful as
taking part in it.
Since discrimination
is a problem that every school
faces, Mr. Lesnett feels a better
way to solve this problem is by
taking a proactive approach.
Students need to have empathy
towards what others feel when
they receive comments of a discriminatory nature.
L e s n e t t
hopes that the presentation will
springboard into an initiative to
encourage tolerance and empathy. Understanding someone
prior to judging them is something that everyone should
keep in mind.
“I think that people
need to think more about what
they say and do and how that
affects others, just taking a sec-
ond to say hello to someone
could make their day,” said
Valerie Gobao, a senior panelist.
However, Mr. Lesnett believes that a positive culture
change is possible.
“Sure, people make
occasional mistakes, but we
have a student population that
I wouldn’t trade for the world,”
stated Lesnett.
Just remember, whenever someone is being bullied
or discriminated against, take
a step toward maturity and
help them out. Don’t be a part
of the problem, be a part of the
solution.
Photo by Allie Schlafman

12. 10
Life & Style
Candidate Couture
As the Republican
National Convention draws
ever nearer, the American
public is becoming more fed
up with the 2012 candidates.
There truly is no way to judge
who is the best candidate --or
at least best of the worst-- for
the job. That’s why I propose
that the republican candidate should be chosen by his
fashion sense. While ‘stylish
republican’ may seem like an
oxymoron, if one of this group
actually wins the presidency
and drives the country into a
deep pit of doom and despair,
they may as well look good doing it.
Rick Santorum is a
very busy man. From questioning our current President’s
McKenzieFritz.Online Editor-In-Chief
religious beliefs to campaigning to take away basic human
rights, Santorum is always on
the go. He barely has time to
picket Planned Parenthood,
nonetheless worry about his
fashion sense. That’s where the
Santorum sweater vest comes
in. Rick Santorum doesn’t have
time for sleeves; for God’s sake
he’s on a moral crusade! By
dressing like a knock-off Mr.
Rogers, Santorum can relate to
all Americans. Rick Santorum
wants you to be his neighbor—
unless you’re a non-Christian
or gay, of course. In fact, if you
donate $100 or more to the Santorum campaign, you can get
your very own Rick Santorum
sweater vest. According to Santorum’s website, his sweater vest
AP Images Chris O’Meara
At a recent Republican debate Romney said, “No sweater vest today Rick? Your
style is evolving.” Santorum replied, “Oh Mitt, you know I don’t believe in evolution.”
is, “perfect for demonstrating
solidarity with true conservatives.”
Ron Paul loves small
government. However, there
is one thing that’s tinier than
Paul’s ideal government: his
fashion sense. Paul is prone to
‘rocking’ novelty ties and suits
that haven’t seen the light of
day since 1976. Then again, if
I were as old or paranoid about
an impending nuclear war with
China and/or Iran as Ron Paul,
I suppose I wouldn’t be too
worried with my style, either.
Newt Gingrich’s current wife, Callista, looks like a
Barbie Doll—that is if Barbie
had Botox. As they say, third
time’s the charm and one would
think that Newt had hit the
fashion jackpot with his third
wife. Unfortunately for the
people of America, Gingrich’s
styles (and morals) are just as
repulsive as ever. However, it’s
not all Callista’s fault. It must be
rather difficult finding attractive suits for a man who is the
human incarnation of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Hopefully,
Callista can get Gingrich’s style
on track soon. After all, she
probably only has a few more
years before Gingrich divorces
Now Trending: Yoga
her for his newest intern.
Mitt Romney is certainly the most suave out of
the Republican candidates. My
mother fondly refers to him as,
“Mormon man candy.” Though
Romney’s style team tries awfully hard to dress him like an
‘average Joe’, it’s obvious that
his perfectly tailored suits are
not ‘Made in America’. Though
Romney doesn’t hold a flame
to President Obama’s style, he
does have one secret weapon…
his hair. Romney’s hair looks
like it waltzed off the Just for
Men box. It’s a salt and pepper, perfectly coifed dream. Not
even Fabio could compete with
the lusciousness. Though Romney’s foreign policy may not be
White House ready, his follicles
certainly are.
The public can’t rely
on them as politicians or possible presidents; however, the
Republican candidates are
consistent in their lack of style.
Through the thick (Newt) and
thin (Ron Paul’s comb over),
these contenders can always be
counted on to make the ‘worst
dressed’ list. The only thing
more laughable than the Republican candidates’ fashions is
the fact that they’re serious contenders for the presidency.
CarlyBeck.LifeandStyleEditor
With the end of the
school year closing in, stress is
starting to pile up. Spring sports
kick into full force, homework
seems overwhelming, and AP
Exams are in the near future.
There is no better time than
now to give yoga a try. With
nearly 11 million people enjoying the benefits, it can hardly
be called a trend, yoga is a phenomenon.
AP Images Jay Leprete
The benefits for anyone hopping on the yoga train
seem never ending. Not only is
it a calming ritual, it is physically vigorous. Most westernized classes focus on holding
different poses and increasing
strength and balance. In addition, breathing exercises and
some form of meditation are
usually incorporated; this aids
in stress relief and relaxation.
The yoga poses vary from
downward and upward facing
dog, in which the body is supported with the arms, to tree
pose, which is done by balancing on one leg. Muscle tone
will inevitably be a by-product
of holding these poses. Furthermore, being able to sustain
the position while taking long
breaths in and out helps with
balance as well as lung capacity.
Another added benefit of yoga
is the increased flexibility that
your muscles will attain. The
routine stretching reduces lactic acid build up in the muscles,
which will then reduce stiffness.
Finally, overall posture will improve after regular yoga classes.
In the past few years,
this stress-relieving hobby has
gained a lot of attention and
popularity. It is no longer only
associated with trendy young
women trying to fit in a work
out. Throughout the world, different types have been created
to fit all different needs. One
recent trend has been sports
teams taking classes as a group.
From toddler yoga, to holy
yoga, to yoga/pilates combinations, there is something for
everyone. Looking to follow
the trend? There are a couple of
options right in Peters Township. The Pilates Body, located
on Valleybrook Road, is a yoga
studio that offers a variety of
classes. In addition, the PT Rec
Center has weekly classes for
people of all ages. Every class
and studio will present a slightly different experience, making
it possible to find one right for
you.
AP Images Jay Leprete

13. Color Your Way Into Spring
March 2012
11
LydiaMcCall.StaffWriter
With the seasons rapidly changing it is hard to know what to
wear. As unpredictable as our weather has been, so has this season’s
spring style. The trends expand from romantic lady like dresses to wild
patterns and bright colors.
The first big trend that is evolving is colored pants. Spring
runways were sporting more color than
a crowd at a Lady Gaga concert. Bright,
deep colors of red, pink and royal blue
have now traveled from a bold shirt to
even bolder pants. Super daring prints
are also a huge trend for this spring.
There are prints, and then there are
PRINTS. Capital letters are the only
way to introduce this year’s vibrant colors that sashayed down the spring 2012
runway. There seems to be a pattern to
fit the likes of everyone- oversized florals, Aztec prints, mirror like geometric
shapes, futuristic prints and, of course,
the never dying animal print. As the
more daring trends step in, familiar faces seem to be making an even
bigger appearance. While the styles get more courageous, the classic
romantic style is making a comeback. Pale off the shoulder dresses
have been the latest design for the hopeless romantic in everyone. Lace
and pretty florals have been more popular than ever. The pick for this
season’s numero uno shade was tangerine tango. Orange was seen all
over the runways. If tangerine isn’t your citric choice, there are plenty
of shades that can be substituted, such as, peach or a yellow based orange. If wild hues are not your thing, worry not –pastels are in. Spring’s
sweet
sorbet
shades and pastel tones have
a low key, lady
like vibe. Colorful camo is another big trend
that you can add
on your long,
confusing list of
“what to wear.”
Camo seems to
be heavy duty for spring but thanks to soft, feminine like tints, the
usually husky pattern becomes chic. Scarves first appeared in the
spring of 2010 but this year it’s all about size. Big wrap around scarves
turn any boring outfit to an instant win. Blocking is the new planking.
Block coloring is taking two contrasting colors like, yellow and blue
and wearing them together. Placing bold contrasting colors together is
an immediate statement piece. As far as nail polish goes, the paler the
better. Just as pastels are making an impact on clothing, they also are
on nails. With all these trends in mind, it’s important to pick the best
one for you. Not all trends will look good on everyone. However this
spring there are millions of options to choose from. Make this season
fashionable!
AP Images Jason DeCrowMatt Sayles
KatieFinn.CarlyBeck.
Life&StyleEditors
As spring quickly approaches, try these four
items to rid the winter blues. They are sure to bring
with a fun, healthy start to your hair and skin.
If you need new makeup but do not want to
splurge on a name brand, consider trying E.l.f. E.l.f.
is a non-commercial company that sells quality, inexpensive makeup. Eyeliner costs from one dollar to
three dollars and a complete palette of 144
shadows can be purchased for only fifteen
dollars. Visit your local Kmart or go to
eyeslipface.com and check it out for yourself.
If the cold winter weather has dried out
your skin, try adding Purpose Face Wash to
your daily routine. Purpose is a gentle cleanser
that removes makeup and cleans skin without
drying it out. This wash has a light, natural
scent and will not clog your pores. It leaves
skin feeling soft, clean and healthy. It can be
purchased at most local drug and grocery
stores for prices around seven dollars.
To get the “just left the beach” look, try a
sea salt hair product. Many salons, like Geno Levi’s,
sell this product, as well as drug for varying
prices. Some brands are closer to twenty dollars and others range at about ten. It will add
thickness and volume while giving hair the
tousled, wind-blown beachy look without
even stepping foot onto the sand. Using a
diffuser to blow dry your hair will further
improve this look.
sham-
Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship
poo is perfect for girls with long locks. It
fortifies dry hair, while strengthening it
against breakage and split ends. Unlike
some shampoos that claim to restore hair,
Long Term Relationship actually smells
great too. Also consider purchasing the
Long Term Relationship conditioner.
Your hair is sure to look and smell
beautiful as well as feel healthy. This
product is available at grocery stores
and drug stores.

14. Round of 64:
Who would survive a Japanese
game show?
Wilkinson
Kowalcyk
Degnan
Lesnett
Round of 32:
Who is the
better freestyle rapper?
Bockstoce
Perrotte
Frick
Hickle
Guerra
Kazalas
Veltri
Walsh
Wildcard &
World Language
Caponi
Cunningham
Maize
Wawrzeniak
Bastos
Elite Eight:
Who could
dance a better
Irish jig?
Miller
Meyers
Dodson-Rosenberg
Farrell
Prinsen
Sweet Sixteen:
Who would win
a pie eating
contest?
Wilkinson
Barney
Lemmon
Lane
Kuhn
Burns
Sprowls
Facu
Face
20
Fin
Who wo
the cag
Cham
Rose
Sudol
Fox
Final Four:
Who would
survive
Dec. 21,2012?
Electives

15. ulty
e-Off
012
nal:
ould win
ge fight?
Final Four:
Who would
survive Dec.
21,2012?
Elite Eight:
Who could
dance a better
Irish jig?
Sweet Sixteen:
Who would win
a pie eating
contest?
Round of 32:
Who is the
better freestyle rapper?
Round of 64:
Who would survive a Japanese
game show?
Creany
Mannion
English &
Social Studies
Kocan
Blackhurst
Kuharcik
Livingston
Hamilton
Vollmer
mpion
Stefan
Lawrence
Beckjord
Polard
Daerr
Ingham
Stevenson
Redilla
Wentzel
Demascal
Cifelli-MacDonald
Pinto
Math & Science
Canfield
Peterson
Ripepi
Compeggie
Kendrick
Whalen
Lacey
Antonelli
Sussman
Zippay
Gearhart
Cervanek

16. 14
People Features
Lauren Thomas Leads By Example
CamilleBarnes.StaffWriter
hurt,” said Lauren.
Although she did not
get the chance to dance with
the team, Lauren’s hard work
definitely paid off. Lauren was
a fantastic role model for her
younger teammates. She demonstrated great sportsmanship,
enthusiasm, and work ethic for
anyone to look up to. Even the
older girls admired her dedication to the team.
“Even though it was a
lot of hard work, I still got more
practice and got better by practicing with both teams,” said
Lauren.
As a Captain of the JV
team, Lauren displayed leadership throughout the whole year
and especially at Nationals.
Because she had been dancing
with the Varsity team the whole
year, she knew what it took to
do well. She saw firsthand the
Fencing Team Foils
Their Way to
PIFA Championship
CamilleBarnes.StaffWriter
The Peters Township Boys Fencing Team has
competed at multiple events
throughout the year. Foil season included five weekly competitions against other high
schools.
“The boys have been
working really hard every week
so it’s nice to see that it all paid
off,” said Senior Elise Bigley.
The team will be competing
in two more competitions at
the end of March, hopefully
to bring home more victories.
The boys brought home first
place in the PIFA 2012 Championship on February 23rd. On
February 29th the Field Director of Congressman Tim Murphy, Nate Nevala, presented
the team with a Congressional
Certificate to congratulate them
on their PIFA Championship.
Good work boys!
Photos by Elise Jozwiak
amount of dedication, hard
work, and drive there had to be.
Lauren took what she learned
during Varsity practices and
used that to help her JV team.
“I really enjoyed being a leader on JV because I saw
how Varsity was and I was able
to bring that enthusiasm to JV,”
said Lauren.
Her new knowledge
and experience helped to motivate her teammates went a long
way as JV earned a national second place title in thier Division.
Although she did not dance
with the Varsity team to earn
their national third place title
in the Varsity Division, she still
helped them throughout the
year.
To be an alternate for
the Peters Township Dance
Team is not an easy task. Balancing all of the practices,
dances, and school work was
difficult for Lauren, but it was
also worth the extra effort.
“I’m glad I got to do the
competitions with Varsity that
I did and also that both teams
did extremely well throughout
the year and at nationals, both
coming in top three,” said Lauren.
Junior Lauren Thomas stands proudly
with the teams well-earned second
place trophy. “The team works so well
together and we all chipped in to accomplish this,” said Lauren.
Tori Lewis places
2nd at WPIALs
BobbyLewis.StaffWriter
Freshman Tori Lewis
represented Peters Township
High School as an “independent” in the WPIAL Gymnastics championship and took
home the silver medal in the all
around event. The all around
event consist of the total of the
gymnast’s score, from all four
events, floor, beam, bars, and
vault.
“I was so nervous
since this was a big event. Each
year I look forward to this meet
because the bus ride is so much
fun with my team,” said Tori.
She has trained at numerous gyms and has practiced
hard to get where she is today.
Tori’s goal for next year is to
place first in every event.
Although Tori didn’t
move on to the state competition, her strong showing as only
a freshman is very encouraging.
Gymnastics is a sport
invlving performance of dances, flexibility, agility, coordina-
tion, and balance. It typically
involves the women's events of
uneven bars, balance beams,
floor exercises, and the vault.
Participants can usually starts
as children as young as two
years old. Tori have been to
several camps and gyms over
the years the get to where she is
today. Currently, she trains at
Premiere located at the Baldwin
High School.
Submitted Photo
Junior Lauren Thomas
participated in the Universal Dance Association (UDA)
National Dance Team Championship (NDTC) in Disney
World this past February. As
we learned in last month’s issue,
Lauren had the opportunity to
possibly dance with the Varsity Dance Team on the NDTC
stage. After a whole year of juggling long, grueling practices
with both Junior Varsity and
Varsity, did the hard work pay
off?
Unfortunately, Lauren
did not get the chance to dance
throughout all stages of competition with the girls. It was
fortunate, however, that no one
was injured for her to have the
opportunity.
“It would’ve been great to
dance with Varsity, but I definitely don’t want anyone to get

17. March 2011
Swimmers Succeed at States (and WPIALs)
15
JoshGlicksman.StaffWriter
At the PIAA State Swimming Championships at Bucknell University, Andrew
Rich finished 4th place in the 100 fly and Saoirse Palu-Benson finished 10th in the 500 free.
Kyle Higgins broke the PTHS record in the 500 free (4:37.17), finishing 10th place in the
competition. Christopher Buzard, Kyle Higgins, Dan Pletz, and Andrew Rich finished 9th
in the 400 free relay, breaking the PTHS record with a time of 3:08.97.
In addition, congratulations to all of the swimmers who participated in the WPIAL Championships. Andrew Rich took first place in the 100 fly, setting a new WPIAL
record. The boys medley relay team- consisting of Dan Pletz, Chris Buzard, Kyle Higgins
and Andrew Rich- also broke a WPIAL record in their event.
For the girls, team Saoirse Palu-Benson and Gavi Krohner qualified at the WPIAL
and will moved on to the state championships. Also, Cam Winterhalter and Ian O’Brien
participated in the PIAA State Swimming Championships at Bucknell University.
Photo by Mr. Rich
Broken Glass Leads To Success
AmandaMoore.NewsEditor
Junior Morgan Boyer won a
silver medal in the National Scholastic
Art and Writing Award contest, beating
out 55 other students from three counties.
Boyer’s inspiration comes from
a variety of sources. She typically writes
about the themes of philosophy, history,
and religion. “My poem, Shards, was
inspired by a vision of broken sea glass
falling. I captured the feeling of the mirror never being able to fit together the same way it had,” said
Boyer.
A lot of Boyer’s poetry was inspired by living with her
father while he was suffering from cancer. Shards was written
“Candle-flame”
Candle-flame dances in the moonless summer night
The slowly dimming skyline losing its last touches of
light
The sounds of the highway racing in the lands so near yet
so far
The beat of pulses of light from fireflies,
The shepherds of nature’s summer blanket
Once green blades of lush grass now pitch dark
The hound roaring to his wolverine ancestors
And the kitchen light still on as the baseball game plays
while father’s asleep
Candle-flame dances in the moonless night
As the winds of ancient flow like crashing waves through
the branches and vines of a nearby hillside
The chill of sir Night freezes the tips of my calloused toes
As I stare at the dancing candle light that only I know
Photo by Sarah Zimmermann
while her father was in the hospital receiving treatment for his
cancer. Shortly after this poem was submitted to the contest, her
father lost his ten year fight with the disease.
Boyer constantly tries to improve herself. “I take a class
with the fantastic Sandy Umboch at Washington Arts,” explained
Boyer. “The class has three people in it and the teacher helps review any poetry you write - even the poems outside of class. Sandy
gives the class journals and we go to Crazy Mocha to make the
time even more enjoyable.”
Boyer has not gone on to compete further, but the silver
medal is a fantastic accomplishment in itself. As a junior, Boyer is
already looking for colleges with creative writing programs. Currently, her top choice is Carlow. She plans to continue writing poetry and aspires to become an even more successful writer.
‘‘Shards’’
I am the crimson flow of broken charcoal,
Lying on the tiles of denim,
Spirals of blackened shavings,
Lying carelessly among the broken pieces of
dreams
That dreamt of being a masterpiece.
Though now we lie silent,
For we are the flames of the somber, winter mist
that is born,
From a single, brave word, spoken in the frigid
cold,
And dies come nightfall, as we are dying,
As our dreams of being artwork slowly fade into
the silence,
A treasured spring that shall never come
Photo by Jake Wilhelm

18. It is nearly impossible these days to flip through the channels on TV without coming
across several reality shows. Who doesn’t want a sneak peek into others’ lives every once in a
while? As time goes on, it appears the more ridiculous the show the bigger the ratings. Here,
test your knowledge with our reality quiz and get an inside look on the current phenomenon:
Dance Moms.
Reality T.V: How Much Do You Know?
McKenzieFritz.OnlineEditor-in-Chief
2. Which stunt has NOT been performed
on Fear Factor?
A. Bobbing for objects in a vat containing
50 gallons of cow blood
B. Walking in a naked fashion show in
which the contestants had to walk for at
least three minutes in front of 100 people ,
while photographers took photos
C. Dangling from a helicopter while
unscrewing grenades off a moving Army
truck
D. None of the above
E. All of the above
3. How many Bachelor couples (not
counting Ben and Courtney—I hate
them) are still together today?
A. One
B. Four
C. None
D. Who cares, there are kids starving in
Africa.
4. What is the name of the Survivor contestant who lied that his grandma died,
in order to gain sympathy from the other
contestants?
A. Jonny Fairplay
B. Johny Appleseed
C. Johnny Cash
D. Joe Maize
E. Johnny Depp
F. Jonny Lang
7. Which reality talk show host’s catchphrase is, “You are not the father!”?
A. Maury
B. Jerry Springer
C. Dr. Drew
D. Tyra Banks
5. Which reality family has more children, the Duggars, the Gosselins, or the
Kardashians?
A. The Duggar family
B. The Gosselin family
C. The Kardashian family
8. What is the average weight loss of a
Biggest Loser contestant per week?
A. 10 pounds
B. 4 pounds
C. 20 pounds
D. 6 BigMacs
6. Who is the most successful (based off
record sales) star from American Idol?
A. Kelly Clarkson
B. Carrie Underwood
C. Clay Aiken
D. Jordin Sparks
E. Chris Daughtry
AP Images Nam Y Huh, Dima Gavrysh and Keith Svakocic
9. Is Snooki actually Italian?
A. Si (that means ‘yes’ in Italian, people)
B. No, she’s Chilean
C. Maybe
D. Yes, if Italian means ‘inebriated’
10. Which gift has Oprah not given to
her audience?
A. A cardboard cutout of herself
B. A wide-screen LDC TV
C. A VW Beetle
D. A trip to Australia
E. J.Lo Velour Sweatsuit
Answers: (1,C) (2,D) (3,A) (4,A) (5,A)
(6,B) (7,A) (8,A) (9, B) (10, A)
1. Which is not an actual Real Housewives series?
A. Atlanta
B. Beverly Hills
C. Disney
D. New Jersey
E. New York
F. Orange County

19. Dance Moms Backstage: A close-up of Payton
AndreaSalizzoni.StaffWriter
Through the the stage lights and
glitter that gleams off their costumes, the
girls of Dance Moms have become well
known for their amazing dancing abilities.
The dancers of the Abby Lee Dance Studio,
located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, include Maddie, Chloe, Brooke, Paige, Nia,
Kendall, and Payton. Through their dancing on the show they give viewers a picture
of what competitive dancing is all about…
mostly. However, one of the dancers, Payton, opened up about her experience on the
show and what the show is really like compared to how it is portrayed on television.
“The show is about 50% real,” Payton said. “The producers put us all in situations that might not actually happen in real
life. Even though the situations/ arguments
we are put into might not be real, the reactions and feelings are real. When the moms
fight with each other and Abby it is because
they are expressing their feelings…if they
didn’t show their true feelings, the show
wouldn’t be interesting.”
On a recent episode of Dance
Moms, Payton made a comment after
a competition; which she didn’t intend
to hurt her friends, but it caused a huge
fight between her mom and Abby. All of
a sudden, Payton appeared at a Candy
Apples group audition. Cathy offered her
a spot right away, but Payton denied. It
shocked many viewers. Although fans
would have dreaded one of Abby’s own
going to their arch enemy, it was still confusing to many as to why she did not accept the offer from the Candy Apples.
“I chose not to go to Candy Apples because
I would miss my friends too much and I
wouldn’t be as good of a dancer. Cathy’s
girls’ aren’t that good at dancing,” Payton
said.
Given the title, Dance Moms, the
show would not be the same without the
moms’ shoe throwing and kissing up to
Abby.
“Even though the moms fight with each
other, I love each and every one of them, including Jill. Melissa is like my second mom;
Kelly and Christi are so funny. Holly is very
nice and respectful, and Jill wants the best
for everybody. My life wouldn’t be the same
without all of them,’’ said Payton.
Although the parents are nicer
than they appear, viewers frequently question whether Abby is really that mean.
“Abby came up with this show.
Dance moms would not be as successful
without Abby,” stated Payton. “If she was
not mean there wouldn’t be a show. Believe
it or not, Abby is nice when she is off camera. She is a great dance teacher and she can
make anyone a star.”
Due to the popularity of the show,
fans find it hard to believe that Payton is
a regular high school freshman. However,
her life did change once she starred on the
show.
“Since the show has started, I have not really been treated differently at school,” said
Payton. “However, whenever I am at dance
competitions I am treated like a famous
person. I get asked for my autograph and
my
picture all the time. Also, I have
had many friend requests, followers, and direct messages on
Facebook and Twitter…it’s a bit
over whelming, but I
love all of my fans!”
Fame also comes with a negative
price tag and Payton has experienced that side of it as well.
“Through the show I
have gained many fans
and many haters. Even
though people say rude
things about me, it doesn’t
bother me. My favorite saying is, ‘my
haters are my motivators.’ It fits me perfectly.”
For those induviduals who are
striving to meet their highest potential
as dancers, many wonder how to get their
“big break” in dancing and performing.
Payton has some advice for them.
“Never let someone tell you that
you are too tall, short, fat, or skinny. You are
perfect just the way you are. If the person
doesn’t like the way you are, don’t change
yourself to be liked. Always follow your
dreams, and never give up on what you believe in,” she said.
Photos submitted by Payton

20. 18
Entertainent
The Entertainment
Must List
LauraPurkey.StaffWriter
The second edition of the Entertainment Must List
brings you the best of the best in bands, restaurants, TV, and
more. Here are some pop culture greats I am currently obsessing over. If you’ve never heard of these things, they definitely deserve a minute (or more) of your time!
1. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming by M83
M83, the electronic rock band (named after a galaxy) fronted by Anthony Gonzalez, shines in their double album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The album features 22 songs
all using the reverb effect. Gonzalez sings softly over loud instrumentals. This band has become extremely popular at colleges with the song “Midnight City,” but other tracks “Wait”
and “My Tears are Becoming a Sea” should not be overlooked.
2. Yesterday’s News
This great little boutique is found in the South Side.
Yesterday’s News is an authentic, vintage clothing and accessory store. Each piece includes a tag with its original date.
Some even range back to the early 1900’s. Even if you don’t
bring money, it’s fun to look around.
3. Marcus Mumford
If you’re not obsessed with
Mumford & Sons yet, come out of the
cave you’ve been living in (pun intended). Marcus Mumford, the frontman,
is not only a beautiful singer, he’s also
adorable, and he delivers in every song.
His soulful crones in their recent single
“Home” are mesmorizing. He even
rocks in their innovative music videos—especially “Winter Winds.”
4. Maybachs
These are officially the coolest
cars you’ve ever seen. They’re even better to drool over than a
porsche. They’re ridiculously expensive, having features like
a 21-speaker sound system, seat massagers, and night vision.
The brand will be discontinued in 2013, so ogle while you can.
5. Drive
This movie was very overlooked during the 2011
award season. Ryan Gosling deserved an Oscar nod for his
performance--and not just because he’s Ryan Gosling. Even
with his few words through the excessive violence, he still
pulled off a chilling calm in his character.
6. Il Pizzaiolo
This Italian restaurant in Mt. Lebanon has hands
down the best pizza you’ve ever tasted. The chefs make Neapolitan (traditional European) pizza using mozzarella cheese
and wood-brick ovens. Additionally, the outside seating is
perfect for springtime.
7. Happy Endings
This ABC show’s second season is absolutely hilarious. The show, almost a modern version of Friends, follows
six pals living in Chicago. The group has almost nothing in
common, but clicks together superbly well. Also, the show is
usually timed with recent holidays and events, making it relatable. Characters Penny and Brad are especially entertaining.
Photo AP Images
Legalized Stalkers:
Do they feed our
Celebrity Obsession?
EliseJozwiak.StaffWriter
Lights! Camera! Drama! In the 21st century, we can
easily be in touch with the latest celebrity gossip 24/7 using
the latest technology. Could
this be the reason why we are so
consumed with other people’s
lives even those who we don’t
personally know? Or could it
be the fact that the media portrays them in such a desirable
manner? We are constantly receiving updates on who shaved
their head, who was caught
with an engagement ring on
their finger, and whose baby is
on board. There are nine teachers pregnant at the High School
and you don’t see us walking
around snapping pictures of
them and asking for interviews.
It all leads back to the media,
their drama, and our constant
addiction to it.
With the latest smart
phone technology, the public
can basically stalk their favorite
celebrity. You can learn everything from where your celebrity
was last seen and what he or she
was wearing, or their favorite
places to dine. People know
more about celebrities than they
do about close friends or family. No one else is to blame for
digging up this so called “enticing” information other than the
paparazzi. The media displays
these normal people in ways so
attractive and transfixing that
you can’t help but get pulled in
to the juicy gossip. These gods
and goddesses are usually displayed as pure perfection. They
can sing, dance, and always
look phenomenal. We look to
these people as practically untouchable, and some look to
them as role models. It is clear
that the media separates them
and us into two very different
classes: realistic and flawless.
Even in grade school,
everyone wanted to know everything about everyone. Now
growing up, we’ve moved out of
petty school drama, and moved
on to the world of celebrity
drama. This is the main factor
of why we are so addicted to ce-
lebrities. These people do outrageous stunts that we would
not or could not do even in our
wildest dreams. It is almost as
if we live through these crazy
tales. We find it fascinating that
a life could be filled with so
many exciting and extravagant
stories. Gossip could easily be
classified as a drug.
People
Magazine,
number two, along with Star,
number five, are amongst some
of the most popular magazines
in the US according to AllYouCanRead.com. We love getting the next issue in the mail,
and now we can just have the
next issue sent directly to our
phones. The glamorous, drama
filled, twisted lives of celebrities is what continues to fuel the
fire. Some people can’t even go
a day without getting the latest
word. It is a must have and we
are sitting here gasping in disbelief at some stories that might
even be over played by the paparazzi. We cannot seem to get
past the fact that they are exactly like us. We think of them as
a totally different species--just
something to gawk at.
Without the media,
would we be able to walk past
celebrities on a street and causally say “hi” to them without
finding our face on the cover
of a magazine the next day? We
have to get past the fact that as
different as they seem, it’s nothing but lights, cameras, and drama that sets them apart from
us.
AP Images Evan Agostini
Shown above is the famous Kim
Kardashian who has made her name
known by many in the past few years

21. Spring Break Book Reviews
KatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor
Before I Go To Sleep
Imagine having to
relearn your life every day
and forgetting every moment
of your existence once you
fell asleep. Christine lives this
nightmare every day. When
she wakes up she remembers
herself as twenty years younger
and in college. Her husband
has to fill her into what he calls
her “life” each and every day.
Against her husband’s wishes,
Christine starts secretively seeing a doctor in the hopes of regaining some of her memory.
With the help of her doctor
and her growing subconscious
memories, Christine begins to
piece her life together for herself, but slowly begins to realize
her life may not have been as it
seemed.
hood friend for the popular boys
and fashion obsessed, fake girls.
One night, after years of Q loving
Margo from a distance, she shows
up at his window in the middle
of the night insisting they go on
an adventure. They trash their
enemies houses, ruin their reputations, and to finish the night
off, they break into SeaWorld. Q
feels like a brand new person and
thinks they can finally be friends
again, but the next morning Margo is gone. Margo has run away
before and left her family clues
as to where she is going, but this
time she leaves the hints for Q. Q
is determined to find his life-long
friend and crush before the clues
run out and he is too late.
March 2012
19
Amanda McCay’s iPod Playlist
1. Mac Miller-Party on Fifth Ave
2. Adele-Set Fire to the Rain
3. Kelly Clarkson- Stronger
4. Drake - The Motto
5. Coldplay- Paradise
Paper Towns
Ten year old Margo
and Q were best friends and
partners in crime. However, as
they grew up, Margo was pulled
into the rush of popularity and
easily left behind her child-
Photo by Katie Finn
Pinning the Direction of Social Networks
Social
Networking sites have evolved over
the years. It all started with
MySpace in the early 2000’s
and like the ever-popular Facebook and Twitter, many more
have been created since. Additionally, new social networking
sites are always being created.
Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest are currently sweeping the
nation. With the lack of activity on MySpace and the waning
interest in Facebook, it will be
interesting to see which social
networking site will become
the next sleeper and which
fresh site will come out on top.
Instagram is a free
JesseEby.StaffWriter
photo sharing application that
allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter, then share it
on a variety of social networking services. It has accumulated
over a million users in the span
of a year. Instagram is currently
only for users with an iPhone,
but an Android version will be
available at a date yet to be determined. This will do nothing
but increase the amount of users.
Sophomore Jake Augustine, a new member of the
Instagram community, had this
to say about the site. “I love Instagram because it is a good way
to see what your friends are do-
ing and where they are,” stated
Augustine.
Tumblr is a microblogging site that allows users
to post multimedia and other
content to a short-form blog
called a tumbleblog. Tumblr is
an older site, developed in 2007,
but has gained much popularity
in the last few years, receiving
thirteen billion views a month.
Also, gaining 25,000 new users
daily, it is growing at an incredibly fast rate.
Another image-based
site is Pinterest. This service
allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections. This past summer, Time
Magazine named Pinterest one
of the best “50 Best Websites of
2011.”
All of these social
networking sites offer a great
amount of features and involvement, but only one will be
on top. The others will inevitably sink to the bottom.
AP Images

22. 20
News
Improved iPad Factory Working Conditions
AmandaMoore.NewsEditor
Ethical business is always
a touchy subject. There is a fine
line between making money
and doing the right thing. Many
people thought the Apple factory in China (Foxconn) was
abusing workers when a reporter publicized the story of a poor
13 year old girl who worked
13-15 hour days. On top of that,
in three months, nine workers
took their own lives and 18 have
taken their lives in the past few
years. In addition, there were
explosions from the factory
caused by the high level of aluminum dust. The blasts injured
77 people and killed four. People protested all over the world
for an “ethical” iPad that would
be made using fair labor.
It did not help Apple’s case
that the company did not allow
anyone to see the inner workings
of the factory. However, the
factory has recently opened up
its doors to reporters in order
to show the world how business
is conducted there. A Nightline
reporter investigated and found
that the workers were not as
miserable as the news made
them out to be despite several
sad stories of abused workers.
One woman, Zhou Xiao Ying,
works tirelessly and once a
month she takes a 2 hour bus
ride to visit her children and
parents.
What the world fails to
realize in this economy is that
they feel lucky to have a job.
Many times, giant masses of
people wait outside the factory,
just praying to be able to go in
to support their loved ones. The
starting salary is about $ .25 an
hour, which is above minimum
wage. The thousands of people
wishing for a job think that is
very good.
What was learned from
AP Images Kin Cheung
this insight into the workings
of Foxconn? Although the
working conditions are not
ideal, they do help support the
unemployed China , which is a
great number of people. They
are working towards improving
their ways and Apple has
promised increased ethics.
AP Images Kin Cheung
Technology Grant Changes The Future of PT
StephanieHammell.MarketingEditor
This is the first
year
Granting
Educators
Opportunities, or GEO grants,
have been awarded within
the Peters Township School
District. Three teachers from
the district were awarded this
honor by the Peters Township
Education Foundation (PTEF).
The foundation grants funds to
support technology projects in
classrooms. This organization
awarded a total of $7,000 to
support classroom projects at
the high school, middle school,
and elementary school.
Librarian, Ms. Myers, was
awarded the grant for her global
literature project.
“Applicants were not
given a specific amount of
money for the grant; instead,
applicants were asked to request
specific technology tools or
materials that they need to
complete educational projects
and lessons in the classroom,”
stated Myers.
The library project will
use iPads to connect students to
classrooms in other countries,
where they will be able to
participate in group discussion
as they read the novel
Siddhartha. Both current and
future students will be benefit
greatly from this technology.
“The grant of ten
iPads will greatly assist students
to learn how to use new
technologies and work together
with their peers in their own
classroom as well as classrooms
abroad. Each class will interact
as they read and discuss a
common text, and the iPads
will be the means by which they
connect and collaborate,” said
Myers.
The technology will
not only be available in the
library, but can be accessed in
the classrooms as well.
“Because iPads are
so versatile, they will be used
in all classrooms across the
disciplines, so that students
in many types of classrooms
completing a variety of different
lessons will be able to benefit
from the technology,” remarked
Myers.
The iPads tools and
applications will forever change
the way that library projects are
structured, now that classes will
be able to work on numerous
different collaborative projects.
“For
instance,
freshman classes will complete
scavenger hunts to learn about
the library using an iPad.
English classes will be able to
research using the iPads, as
there are many apps which are
literature-focused and assist
with the writing process. Social
studies classes will be able to
use the iPads to create movies to
illustrate instances in history or
to explain topics from current
events,” stated Myers.
Since the technology
is so user-friendly and familiar,
it will benefit students in the
future.
“Students will be able to
manipulate various types of
technology, from PCs to Apple
products,
and
employers
will appreciate this diverse
knowledge,” explained Myers.
The applications and
features on the iPad will also
help students will develop
critical thinking skills and learn
how to problem solve.
“With
technology
things are always changing, but
students who are familiar with
technology and not afraid to try
new things with technology will
be successful,” Myers remarked.
Photos by Shane Dazen
& Alexa Kennedy

23. Frozen Yogurt Trend
Expands in PT
StephanieHammell.MarketingEditor
The self-serve frozen
yogurt trend is continuing to
gain popularity in the PT area.
The first frozen yogurt place
to open was Swirlie Wirlie’s,
which is located in the plaza
as Panera. This frozen yogurt
place has eight different flavors
and a wide range of toppings.
However, Swirlie Whirlie’s will
not maintain its monopoly on
frozen yogurt. This March,
residents will have another
business to purchase their low
calorie, low fat frozen treats.
Moo Moo Frozen
Yogurt will open in mid-March,
just in time for spring. Moo
Moo will be similar to Sincerely
Yogurt with self-serve yogurt
machines and various toppings
for a delicious and healthy treat.
This frozen yogurt shop will be
located next to the Starbucks by
the Dairy Bar.
Moo Moo will feature flavors
such as Acai Berry, Almond,
Banana Pudding, Birthday
Cake, Blueberry, Cheesecake,
Guava, Green Apple, Lychee,
Grape, Mango, French Vanilla,
Kiwi, Cookies and Cream,
Coffee, Melon, Mint Chocolate,
Coconut, Chocolate Macaroon,
Green Tea, Latte and more.
With such interesting
flavors this yogurt place will
set itself apart from other local
shops. The store is hiring now.
Call 724-949-0438 and for more
information and more frozen
yogurt visit mymoomooyogurt.
com.
March 2012
21
What in the World?
ValerieGobao.LayoutEditor-in-Chief
In the ultimate instance of real-life-turned-horrormovie madness, 95 year old Li Xiufeng spooked her small rural
Chinese village by rising out of her coffin after being “dead” for
six days. No, it wasn’t the full moon, nor was it the zombie apocalypse; due to a head injury sustained two weeks before, Xiufeng
entered such a deep coma that it seemed like she wasn’t breathing. So when her neighbor found her totally unresponsive one
morning, he naturally assumed she had passed away. Thankfully
for her, the village’s tradition dictates that the coffin be placed
in the home for a few days to allow mourners to visit the body.
And in another stroke of luck, the coffin was not yet nailed shut,
allowing for her to easily escape death again: frail Chinese grandmother, 1, Grim Reaper, 0.
Photo by Stephanie Hammell
From School Tragedy
School Safety
to
ValerieKotar.FeaturesEditor
Chardon, Ohio is 2 hours and 36 minutes away from
Peters Township. That makes the shooting that occurred there
on February 28, 2012 the closest yet. After the shooting, student
T.J. Lane admitted to bringing a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol
to Chardon High School and firing shots at four students in the
cafeteria. Three victims, Russell King, Demetrius Hewlin, and
Daniel Parmertor, died from the attack and others were wounded.
It has been reported that Lane chose his victims at random and no
motive is clear. Chardon students who knew T. J. Lane said he was
quieter than most, but generally a good kid with no prior record of
trouble.
F r o m
Columbine
to
Virginia Tech, the
frequency of horrific
school shootings in
the United States
has increased in
recent years. With
this shooting so
close to home, it is
a stark reminder
that tragedies can
occur anywhere, even in the bubble of PTHS. To address this
potential problem, Superintendent Dr. Zetty recently met with the
entire faculty to open a discussion on the topic of school safety.
Additionally, she met with a team of high school teachers and
administrators to discuss practical ways to make the high school
a safer place.
AP Images Mark Duncan
And the number one mom award goes to…Sarah Burge,
for giving her eight-year-old daughter the totally appropriate
birthday gift of €8,000 in plastic surgery vouchers! According to
Burge, she is “empowering…her [daughter] to take charge of the
way she wants to look.” With a face and body worth €250,000,
this mom is no stranger to spending the big bucks; her daughter’s
birthday proceedings will also include a professional, Lady Gagathemed photo shoot, a diamond encrusted dress and shoes, and a
party with a hundred guests including her own personal professional singer and the world’s largest rabbit. Talk about a party;
this takes the child spoiling absurdity of Toddlers and Tiaras to
fabulous new heights.
What happens in your yard stays in your yard, right?
Well, not anymore; with the watchful cameras of Google Streetview surveying the world, embarrassing candid images are now
available for the whole internet to see. However, one middle aged
French citizen, whose name remains anonymous, does not appreciate this new, Big-Brother-like technological intrusion. After
being caught urinating in his front yard by one such camera, this
man is suing Google for about $13,000 in damages. Though his
face was blurred out of the picture, neighbors easily recognized
him, making him “the laughingstock of his village.” He should
have thought of that before he left the comfort of his own bathroom.

24. Mixed Art
These student pieces from the wide variety of PT electives
show the skills of artists and woodworkers alike. From painting
murals to creating chairs, students exhibit their remarkable expertise by creating unique and beautiful pieces. Here are just a
few examples of the talent found in the elective classes.
Carla Buzzato, 11
John Provident, 12
Denée Renz, 12
Kyle Higgens, 11
Layout Design by Denée Renz
Lindsey Delcotto, 12
Rachel Rex, 10
Austin Ansell, 9

25. Kailyn Schmidt, 11
Mike Ranalli, 12
Ben Hoskins, 12
Alexa Ansel, 12
EmmaLee Ducoeur, 10
Joey Sala, 11
Chloe Smith, 11
Ben Hoskins, 12

26. At the end of the rainbow, there
is______.
“Happiness”
“Leprechauns”
Jessica Dowd
“The Emerald City”
Emily Smith
Teachers
Nathaniel Tost
“Lax”
McKenzie Fitzgerald
“A Gold Medal”
“Oz”
“Pot of Gold”
“Pi”
Mrs.Vollmer
“The end of school
year and the promise
of summer”
Mr.Cervanek
“The Sky”
Kassianna Politis
“Care Bears”
“Little People”
Morgan McPherson
Alex Dagnal
Seniors
Mrs.Kocan
“It Never Ends”
“The City of Oz”
Christian Nossokoff
Morgan Wyatt
Juniors
Sarah Luzier
Christian Petrozza
Emily McKenzie
“Money”
“Hope”
“Fun Times”
Mr.Pinto
RJ Pfeuffer
Sophomores
“Pot of gold”
Jeremy Troup
“Gold”
Trent McPherson
Laurel Carpenter
John McGovern
“Gold”
Frederick Smith
“The Sky”
Mrs.Baker
“Clouds”
Kevin Hutchins
Gwen Caven
Freshmen
“Gold”
“Gold”
“Gold”