Volume Issue THE LAKER REVIEW Calloway County High School

Volume 31 Issue 1 THE LAKER REVIEW Calloway County High School 2108 College Farm Road, Murray, Ky. 42071 September 29, 2006 Danielle Pritchett Feature Editor The Calloway County Board of Education recently rejected a proposed resolution by the Murray Independent School System, according to School Superintendent Steve Hoskins. The resolution came after the Calloway Board appealed Murray’s proposed annexation of the Crossfield subdivision, currently located in the Calloway School District. The resolution stated that if Calloway County would withdraw its appeal, Murray wouldn’t annex again until 2008. In addition to the annexation, the resolution included a proposal for the two districts to amend the 04-05 non-resident contract to prevent a large sum of money from being left in Frankfort next year. Hoskins said, “What we’re going to get out of the proposed resolution is half the money that would have been left in Frankfort, and what Murray is getting out of it is one-half the money, the Crossfield subdivision, and another annexation in 2008. This is a win-win for them and lose-lose for us.” The additional subdivision that Murray would gain in 2008 is what the Calloway Board called the domino effect. “The Commissioner of Education has made a recommendation that was in favor of the Murray School System regarding the annexation. This issue will now be addressed by a state hearing officer, who will make a recommendation to the State Board of Education,” Hoskins said. According to Hoskins, there has already been a pre-conference hearing, and another is scheduled in October. If the state board is convinced to rule in favor of Murray, the next step is Franklin Circuit Court. It will be a long time getting settled and will cost a lot of money. “It is a shame that it just can’t be dropped,” he added. The entire state is watching to see what precedent this is going to set. According to Hoskins, county schools exist by statute, while independent districts do not. “They chose to be independent, and they are limited to their boundaries. As a county district, we are land locked also. We cannot annex from Graves County or Marshall County,” he said. In a recent district-wide meeting, Hoskins said, “We believe the non-residential agreement between the two districts should be one that is mutual and equally beneficial to both districts. We have never wavered from the 04-05 non-resident agreement. “This was a very generous offer under the circumstances that we did not have to do, but we didn’t want to leave money in Frankfort. Keep in mind, we tried in the very beginning to grandfather all those students in and were refused. None of this would be happening. Here we are now being asked to amend again, plus lose a subdivision and another in 2008!” Hoskins added, “In 2004, it was discovered that Murray was grossly misreporting its numbers to Frankfort and receiving state funding accordingly for a decade and has passed a nickel Calloway rejects Murray District’s proposal Superintendent Steve Hoskins informs faculty about the Murray proposal at a district-wide meeting recently. The board later rejected the resolution. Courtesy of David Dowdy property tax matched by the state that is still levied.” The agreement reached by the two districts projected the numbers basically even in three years, which would give both districts time to adjust to the change in the enrollment numbers, according to Hoskins. Last year, Calloway gained approximately 200 new students, and about 40 new students were enrolled this year. Realistically, under the present circumstances, most of the students who will change schools have already changed. This means that Murray will have several out-of-district students enrolled in their system — a number above the one-to-one ratio. Murray would not receive money for those out-of-district students that are in excess of the 04-05 contract agreement. Hoskins said that if Murray would stop the annexation, the Calloway Board would agree to working with the Murray Board in order not to leave any money in Frankfort. Murray has only three choices to make up the difference in monies per student, according to Hoskins. It can either refuse to enroll those out-ofdistrict students, raise its tuition rates, or raise its tax rates to the level that all other independent districts in Kentucky levy. After rejecting the resolution proposed by Murray, the Calloway Board did not write a new resolution, Hoskins said. “This is all very unfortunate in light of what we just went through last year,” he added. Calloway County Schools’ CATS scores exceed expectations Whitley Dick Staff Writer The Kentucky Department of Education has released the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS) scores for 2006. Officials at both Murray Independent and Calloway County Schools are thanking the students for meeting, exceeding and progressing toward state-required academic goals. Calloway County Schools scored an 83.4 as a district, beating the biennium goal of 82.3, and all schools have been designated at either “Meeting Goals” or “Progressing” toward our goals, according to a Calloway District press release. At the high school, tests were taken by all four grade levels. The tests are scored according to four categories of academic achievements: novice, apprentice, proficient and distinguished, on a 0- to 140-point scale, with the proficiency level set at 100 points. The CATS test comprises a battery of tests in three parts: the Kentucky Core Contents Test; the national Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills and non-academic measures of school performance, including attendance, retention rates and dropout rates according to murrayledger.com. In Calloway County Schools, high school students also exceeded a 20042006 “improvement goal” of 80.2 with a combined index score of 82.7 and were classified as “meets goal” by KDE officials, according to murrayledger.com. According to Principal Yvette Pyle, an error in a recent article from the Murray Ledger & Times reported that the high school fell slightly below the mark two years ago, when it actually exceeded the goal with a score of 83.3 during the 2005-2006 school year. Our goal was to exceed a score of 80.2. In 2004-2005, we scored 82.0. In 2005-2006, we scored 83.3. Pyle said that she was pleased with the scores and is looking forward to even more improvement in the future with new technology and programs. Pyle said, “We already have in place new technology to boost next year’s test scores. I’m looking forward to using the new A+ computerized curriculum designed to meet individual student needs and to see the benefits from placing an InFocus projection system in every classroom in our school to share lessons from computer presentation software or from video programs designed for instructional purposes.” Superintendent Steve Hoskins said, “I’m pleased to announce that our district score has exceeded our biennium goal. As I look back over past years, it is good to see that Calloway County scores are continuing to trend upward.” Hoskins praised students, staff, faculty and parents for putting the district over the goal for the two-year period and beyond. Statewide, 2005-2006 CATS scores show that more than half of the state’s public schools met or exceeded their individual goals, with as many as 50 schools already scoring at “proficiency” level. Only two schools in the Purchase Area have reached the 100-point “proficiency” goal thus far; Farmington Elementary and Graves County Central Elementary have reported scores of 105.9 and 104.6 respectively, according to murrayledger.com. 2 News The Laker Review September 29, 2006 America remembers 9/11 tragedy Kelsey Dublin Staff Writer Five years ago this month, the United States was attacked by terrorists from the Middle East. Many were killed, hurt and devastated by this tragedy and are haunted by it to this day. Many students and teachers reflect back every year, remembering exactly where they were, how they felt and how they found out about 9/11. One of the Lakers’ own, senior Madison Selstad, was living in Manchester, New Jersey, at the time of the attack; Manchester is about 30 minutes from New York. Selstad said, “I was walking into class when the second plane hit the building, and every teacher was freaking out because a bunch of people knew everyone that worked there. “And when you looked outside, you could see some of the smoke in the distance, and about three-quarters of our school got let out to go home because so many people knew the employees in the Twin Towers. And I was one of them,” she said. Teacher Jarrod Martin said, “I was teaching class, and we were about to start on a grammar lesson, and somebody said to turn on the T.V. So, we turned it on, and we spent the rest of the period watching it. And we pulled out a sheet of paper after it was over just to write about it, so everyone could get a chance to say what they wanted about it.” Sophomore Toree Rogers said, “I was in fourth grade at East Elementary, and I was in Mrs. [ Janay] McKee’s class. It was like nine-something in the morning, and I remember all of a sudden, all of the parents started coming up and taking all of their kids. And that’s how we found out what happened.” Junior Heather Lowe said, “I was in Mrs. [Patricia] Albritten’s health class, and I remember hearing about the whole thing and didn’t believe it at first. I also remember all of the teachers trying to hide it from us. I guess they thought we were too feebleminded to understand the situation, but I remember I didn’t understand what was really going on until I got home later that day.” Senior Whitney Wicker said, “I was in Mrs. Heather Scott’s science class, and unfortunately, she wasn’t teaching that day because she was out with her pregnancy. It was Mr. [David] Foley, and so Mr. Foley turned on the T.V. and turned it where we couldn’t see it. And he was just freaking out and just leaves the room without telling us anything. “We all thought that maybe she was just having her baby, and it ended up being the attack. Well, he comes back in, and he just started saying, ‘Guys you just won’t believe it.’ And we kept asking him what happened, and finally after a while, he explains and turns the T.V. to where we could see it. It was just freaky to see.” Sept. 11th is a day we will always remember. No matter where we were or how we found out, it affected us all. Portfolio changes arrive at Calloway Valerie Crowder News Editor dents to have to present one of these types of pieces.” English teacher Patsy Pittman said that the fact that the Kentucky Department of Education has reduced it to four pieces instead of five has made it easier for students and teachers. However, she is frustrated with the fact that it hasn’t provided enough information about the scoring process of the portfolios. Students seem to be happy with the changes that have been made. Junior Courtney Elder said, “I think that it will help because it’s more real world with the transactive, and you can focus more on just four pieces instead of five.” Jonathan Higgins is a senior currently taking composition class. According to him, reducing the number of portfolio pieces takes a lot of stress off the students, but it doesn’t allow students to broaden their writing horizons. Martin agreed that these changes will make it easier for students. He said that students tend to have the most trouble writing transactive pieces, and with the new changes, they will be able to put more focus into those pieces. Senior Gina Stafford said the improved senior portfolios seem to be better than the old portfolios. Students will have less to worry about, and they will be able to write more indepth with fewer pieces. Due to state-mandated portfolio changes, seniors have to submit four writing pieces. Up until this year, senior portfolios consisted of five pieces: a reflective piece, a literary piece, a personal expressive piece, and two transactive pieces. English teacher Jarrod Martin attended training for the new portfolio changes. He said the new senior portfolio will include a reflective piece, literary/personal piece, and two transactive pieces. One transactive piece will be analytical, and the other one can be analytical or strictly factual. Martin added that the analytical piece will be persuasive in nature. As before, the transactive pieces may take the form of a letter, essay, speech, brochure, article, and a number of other real-world forms. The reflective piece will be a bit different this year. Instead of the reflective piece being in the form of a letter to the reviewer, it can be in the form of an essay. Literary/personal pieces will be yahoo.com written the same, but now a student chooses which he wants to write rather than writing both. Some of the writings that may be in this category are a memoir, short story, personal narrative, poem or a play. Martin said, “These two forms of writing are basically the same type of writing, so it makes it easier for stu- 2021 Rob Mason Road. P.O. Box 69 Murray, KY 42071 Alpha Delta Pi Phone- 270-753-0686 1-800-231-2295 Fax- 1-270-753-0753 2nd annual Battle of the Bands, benefitting the Ronald McDonald House. October 28th at Lovett Auditorium $5 in advance or $7 at the door The Laker Review September 29, 2006 News 3 BOE clarifies purse size Whitley Dick Staff Writer Through a decision-making process, the Board of Education (BOE) made a new rule on what size a purse should be, according to Principal Yvette Pyle. Past decisions about purse sizes have caused confusion. The first decision made by the BOE was that girls could carry a purse big enough to hold a student handbook. Many students requested to carry larger ones. The second decision the BOE made was that students could carry mediumsized purses. This medium size didn’t really have a description, though. After a while, with this new rule, teachers and staff started realizing that the purses were getting too large. After students began bringing big purses, the BOE met and decided that they needed to define the size. It then made a rule that students could carry a purse big enough to fit a student handbook but not big enough for the new grammar book, according to Pyle. A student gave her opinion on the new rule. Senior Michelle Schroader stated, “I think that we should have a purse check but not a purse size.” Now that the final rule is made, students keep asking why we even have to carry a certain size purse if we have purse checks in the morning. Pyle said with small purses, students carry fewer items, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to check them. Allyson Miller Staff Writer Calloway students strive to fit society’s standards Club Briefs As students came back from summer break, several wondered about the number of people who had lost weight. Junior Whitney Anderson said, “I was kind of shocked when I came back to school and saw how many people had lost weight.” Freshman Austin Miles said, “It seemed like losing weight was on a lot of people’s minds this summer.” So the question was, why? A number of students cited pressure to look a certain way. Junior Shelby Webb said, “I feel like I have to look a certain way to be popular and fit in.” According to a recent poll given to 200 students here, 44 percent of students feel the need to be skinny. Twelve percent said they had struggled with eating disorders so that they could look better and because they felt pressure. Junior Savannah Todd said, “People are really stereotypical these days. In order to be popular and to fit in, you have to say the right things, wear the right clothes, and look the right way and that includes being small and skinny.” School Nurse Vicki Williams said, “Right now one of America’s biggest issues is childhood obesity. But we also have people on the other end of the spectrum who have serious eating disorders. Although some guys have struggled with eating disorders, the majority are females. Guys often pressure girls into having eating disorders. “This is a serious problem. Eating disorders are not curable. They are Student Council – officers are senior Ashley Winkler, president; juniors Tatum Dale, vice-president; Danielle Pritchett, secretary and Allyson Miller, treasurer. The Homecoming Dance raised $585, which will go toward the Santa Project and area charities. Leadership Tomorrow – members are seniors Whitley Edwards, Leanna Linn, Brennan Parker, Victoria Moscoe, Crystal Eldridge, Jordan Patterson and Kelsey Dublin; juniors Allyson Miller, Heather Lowe, Patricia White, Valerie Crowder, Tatum Dale, Ellie Fisher, Jacob Wade, Danielle Pritchett, Jennifer Vincent, Coby Lyell and Katie Clark. BETA – will meet Wednesday. Members may contribute to Kosair Children’s Hospital and volunteer at rest homes. Rebate night at Sirloin Stockade is Oct. 19, and a bake sale/ car wash at Captain D’s is Oct. 21. Members may volunteer at East Elementary Fall Festival Oct. 23. Band – received the following awards: First place, Class AAAA; Best Percussion, Class AAAA; Best Color Guard, Class AAAA; Overall Class AAAAA, Color Guard; Overall, Class A-AAAA, Percussion; Overall Class A-AAAA Grand Champion and the only Distinguished Rating given at the Madisonville North Hopkins Marching Band Invitational. This year’s show is “The Shape of Things to Come.” FEA – attended the regional conference at Murray State Tuesday. Jasemine Carr, M.E. Coleman and Leanne Linn attended summer camp at Murray State University (MSU) this summer. Seniors Michelle Bradley and Matt O’Neil are enrolled in dual-credit courses at MSU, where they will receive six hours of college credit. Tennis – Anyone interested in playing tennis should contact Coach Darra Benson in room 709. Open courts are on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. FFA – Horse Judging Team won state competition in July and will be competing in the national competition in Indianapolis, Ind. during October. Floriculture Team placed third in the state. The annual picnic was Sept. 14. FBLA – is collecting baby items this month for Lifehouse. Every $5 is a point; members must keep your receipts. Laker Legacy T-shirts are on sale, and orders are due Monday. Members must sell five shirts to be eligible to attend the Nashville, Tenn. trip. FCCLA – Twelve officers and members attended the Region I FCCLA officer and member training at MSU Sept. 8. The chapter will attend the National Cluster Meeting in St. Louis, Mo., Star Events competition in Ballard County and the state meeting and competition in Louisville. NSHS – is collecting coats this month for the Resource Fair, and recycling paper here. lifelong struggles, and something you never get over. We want to prevent eating disorders now, because once you start, you may quit for a while, but you will never completely overcome it.” Sophomore Carey Boggess and junior Megan Starks both agreed that there is so much pressure because of all the skinny models and the way people look on television. “You feel like that’s what you are supposed to look like,” said Boggess. Senior Josh Price added, “People feel they have a certain image they have to obtain, so they do what they can to uphold it.” But despite all of the unhealthy images we have, and all the pressure there is, some people haven’t given in to it. Freshman Vivian O’Neil said, “People don’t need to worry about what other people think; just be yourself.” Senior Jeremy Jenkins added, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” 4 Viewpoint The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Myspace: good or bad? Staff deems site ban futile The Laker Review Genevieve Postlethwait Editor in Chief Whitley Edwards Associate Editor Valerie Crowder News Editor Connor Olsen Entertainment Editor Danielle Pritchett Feature Editor Blake Lencki Sports Editor Allyson Miller Circulation/Exchange Staff Writer Kris Fazi Adviser Sara Dick Advertising Manager Colby Starks Cartoonist Photographer Staff Writer Whitley Dick Staff Writer Kelsey Dublin Staff Writer Keela Evans Staff Writer Ginny Furches Staff Writer C.J. Green Staff Writer Kayla Simmons Staff Writer Laker Review changes to new process For The Laker Review staff, the new year not only brought new classes and teachers but a complete overhaul of the publishing system. The transition from a combination of word processing, manual manipulation of graphics and pictures, and pasteup by hand, piece by piece, to a new desktop publishing system has been a nerve-racking process, to say the least. But alas, we present the first computergenerated Laker Review issue. We thank David Dowdy, Calloway County Schools Public Relations Coordinator, C.D. Bradley, asst. city editor of the Paducah Sun, and Tom Bell, production manager of the Murray Ledger & Times for their invaluable guidance and assistance. We look forward to producing an even higher quality newspaper. Genevieve Postlethwait Editor in Chief The Laker Review is published by the CCHS journalism class. Its purpose is to obtain and record current events and issues of the school, to inspire students and faculty, and to stimulate school pride and spirit. All letters and school commentaries to the editor must be signed; the staff reserves the right to edit copy. Mail correspondence to The Laker Review, 2108 College Farm Rd., Murray KY 42071. To telephone, call 270-762-7374, extension 312. Views in this publication may not necessarily represent those of the Calloway County Board of Education, administrators, faculty or staff of the district. With the November elections drawing dangerously near, politicians and electoral candidates are fiercely debating over pressing issues such as immigration, war strategy, tax cuts and… MySpace? That’s right -- according to think.mtv.com, representatives in Congress have recently proposed a ban of access to social networking sites in public libraries and schools in the name of protecting minors from online predators. However, this is not an effective way to handle the issue. Since their inception in 1995 with the creation of Classmates.com, a website designed to let its users find and keep in touch with old classmates, social networking sites have rapidly grown in popularity with people worldwide, according to wikipedia.com. Now over 200 social networking sites exist on the web, counting over two-thirds of Americans as users. MySpace, one of the newest members of this social phenomenon, has surpassed the user count of all of its predecessors with a whopping 108,050,967 members and counting, according to wikipedia.com statistics. All of these sites are essentially the same, allowing their users to link themselves to a community of friends, family members or business associates across the globe, with whom they can then share anything from pictures to online journals via online profiles. Even though this topic is just now under the legislative spotlight, it has been in the headlines countless times in the past couple of years. The investigative series To Catch a Predator, which aired over several months on Dateline NBC, used mock profiles under false identities of minors to lure in sexual predators, exposing and arresting over 130 predators on national television in the process. This extensive investigation, along with many other newsworthy cases of online sexual abuse, opened the eyes of both parents and children to the dangers of social networking. Many now argue that these sites have become hunting grounds for child predators, putting young users at risk, but banning access to these sites is not the solution. Oftentimes, the advances of an online predator can be easily prevented with the privacy feature both MySpace and Facebook offer. These features allow users to set their profiles to private, making their profile viewable only by their approved group of friends. However, many young users opt not to use this feature, allowing anybody to view their information, making them easy targets for predators. Senior Whitney Whicker said, “I think sites like MySpace and Facebook are good things, but only if used wisely. As long as you don’t post your whole life story or personal information you don’t want a stranger to know, you should be fine.” Predators aren’t the only ones who reularly view online profiles. Law enforcement officials and employers have been known to search MySpace and Facebook as well. Junior Mackensie Karraker said, “I know that one of our local banks screens the MySpace and Facebook profiles of potential tellers to help decide if that person is someone they’d want to hire.” In a virtual world that eliminates face-to-face contact, it is easy to forget that what is written and posted on social networking sites is seen by real people on the other end of the connection. What happens on the internet, never stays on the internet. This is why users should be especially cautious when posting any information online. Also, according to the Crime Against Children Research Center, in 89 percent of online sexual abuse cases, the child encountered the predator either through chat rooms or instant messaging, meaning that the child voluntarily talked to the predator. Perhaps, since the internet seems to have replaced playgrounds as predators’ main link to their young victims, the old adage, “never talk to strangers” should be reapplied. Though Congress’s attempt to put a stop to MySpace-related crime is noble, it is futile in the end. When it comes down to it, the internet is only as safe as each individual chooses, and that is a choice Congress cannot make. The Laker Review believes that when used with responsibility and common sense, social networking sites can be used safely and for their intended purpose -- to provide friends, families, and businesses a way to keep in touch, regardless of distance. The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Viewpoint Genny Postlethwait Editor in Chief According to think.mtv.com, a recent international comparison showed that American 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 29 among developed nations in mathematics, literacy and problem-solving. However, many educators and students are questioning the legitimacy of these figures, saying that judging the progress of American schools by comparison to that of foreign schools isn’t entirely accurate. This is because the majority of the foreign nations with which America is being compared have a nationwide curriculum and testing system, whereas America has 50 separate educational systems, each with its own standards of assessment. Another kink in these comparisons is the question of which students are represented in the test data -- all students (as is the case in America) or only the top percentile? Principal Yvette Pyle is among those who question the validity of the numbers. “In America, all students are encouraged so that no child is left behind, whereas in other countries, only a select few who show promise are actually allowed to continue on with their education,” Pyle said. “With all of America’s students taking standardized testing and only the top percentage of students testing in foreign countries, it’s not a fair comparison,” she added. According to index-china.com, Chinese students are only required to attend school for nine years. In order to continue with their schooling, students must pass entrance examinations, thus weeding out students with lower aptitudes. With such stark differences in the educational systems of foreign countries and ours, it’s nearly impossible to standardize the comparison. As Monty Neil, associate director of Fair Test, a Boston-based group that analyzes the quality of standardized tests, said, “To what extent are they comparing apples and apples, apples and oranges, or vegetables and animals? One has to take the results with a grain of salt.” To our credit, when the achievement of high-scoring American states is compared with that of students in high-achieving countries such as Taiwan and Korea, we come out even. Likewise, the achievement levels of low-scoring states are about the same as those of the low-achieving countries such as Jordan, according to educational researchers and authors Berliner and Biddle. Despite these facts, President George W. Bush and the Department of Education have enacted the American Competitiveness Initiative Act (ACI) in hopes of putting America back on top of the academic world. The ACI will provide nearly $6 billion for educational research as well as science and math-oriented programs in public schools over the next 10 years. The well known No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy is another initiative to improve our nation’s supposedly lackluster educational system, projecting a 100 percent literacy rate by the year 2014. Just as assessment of our educational progress through comparison to foreign test scores has been under fire, NCLB has also been a target of sharp scrutiny as a means of measuring our nation’s progress. Pyle said, “In theory, No Child Left Behind is an excellent initiative, but in practice, just like with all educational initiatives, it needs some tweaking. 5 “For example, some of the comparisons being made between school districts and between states aren’t made on a level playing field. Hopefully, once they’ve addressed this problem, the goal of NCLB will be achieved.” One requirement of NCLB is that schools provide information about their progress towards proficiency by 2014. In the September issue of Kentucky Teacher, it was pointed out that each state and district uses its own standards to determine their annual progress towards that goal, giving some schools and districts an unfair advantage. According to Stanford Magazine, NCLB also requires schools to make “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP), and to report that progress by subgroups (including ethnic groups, special education students and English learners). If any of these 30-plus subgroups fail to make AYP for two consecutive years, that school may face sanctions. Even if 36 of the 37 subgroups pass, it is uniformly failing in the federal eyes of NCLB. This is comparable to a student who made all As and one B having the same GPA as one who made all Fs. It defies common sense, said Robert F. Sexton, Executive Director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. Even as national test scores rise, students and educators are being pushed to the limit in hopes of beating out other nations in a battle of numbers and statistics. More weight is being placed on the standardized test and less on the individuality of the students and educators, changing this global competition from a battle of the brains to a battle of the test-takers. If you could change one thing about high school, what would it be? “I would make the hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.” -Senior Luke Stinnett Educators question legitimacy of score ratings “I would get rid of the purse rule, and I would add a 30-minute study hall.” -Junior Heather Lowe “I wish they would change the internet policy; it’s ridiculous how many sites they have blocked.” -Sophomore Megan Summers “I would make extras at lunch free.” -Freshman Tyrell Willis Dress code prohibits leggings with short skirts Danielle Pritchett Feature Editor Leggings worn under a skirt is the most popular method of wearing spandex, but some female students are using the new trend to get around the dress code. They believe that wearing a piece of skin-tight material gives them the right to wear a shorter skirt. This just isn’t the case. Regarding leggings in the dress code, Principal Yvette Pyle replied, “As far as spandex, I know that spandex is back in style. Spandex has never been allowed. It was not allowed even 30 years ago. I know that people are going to want to wear spandex-type stuff, but they can’t wear it underneath something that’s out of code. “For example, if they wear spandex underneath mini-skirts, then the skirts need to be the appropriate length, which is below mid-thigh. If they wear them under shorts, then the shorts need to have the appropriate length of a four-inch inseam or longer.” Freshman Brittnee Deitz said, “I think we should be able to wear shorter skirts because your skin is covered by the leggings.” However, covering the body with skin-tight material does little more color and texture via clingy fabric leaves nothing to the imagination, so skirts and shorts should remain within dress code length. Teacher Marshall Ward said, “The dress code in general needs to be practical; it needs to be balanced among fashion, acceptable styles, and individuality. However, I see no need to stifle all individuality and promote a Brave New World mentality of looking like automatons. “I would make it where there would be only studying in the library during lunchtime.” -Media Center Specialist Melissa Spiceland “That’s what makes us different. However, some students support the dress code. Junior Cynthia Barnett said, “I think it’s a very good thing because I don’t want to see indecent dressing.” Sophomore Herbert Felix said, “I like it because it shows too much otherwise.” When all’s said and done, school isn’t a place to show off bodies indecently; it’s a place to learn, and it must have rules. Whether you like it, a dress code exists, as well as punishments for violating it. If caught, a student has two options, according to Pyle. “Students can either change into something appropriate that they have at school, or wear something from the Clothes Closet in the Harbour. If they refuse to comply, they will sit the day out in In-School Suspension.” 6 Entertainment The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Whitley Edwards Associate Editor Band Hinder rocks as Concert scams continue to newest teen sensation plague fans of music industry inspired by timeless groups like Bad Company, Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones, among others.” “We’re hoping to be the band to get people into rock again,” said Hanson, who writes the majority of the band’s material with Winkler. It is Winkler who is behind Hinder’s often harsh sentiments of regret and forgetting the past on songs such as Bliss and Better Than Me. The band’s goals for their lyrics are mainly to get stuff off their chests, something people can understand, unlike the dark feel-sorry-for-yourself stuff some bands put out. “We didn’t want to be just another faceless rock band playing depressing, ‘I hate my dad’ music,” added Hanson. “We want to go out there and kick butt like they did in the ‘80s.” Hinder is popular among students here at Calloway. Senior Beth Ross said, “I went to see Hinder in concert, and they were even better than on their CD. Their music is truly amazing.” Junior Rachel Adams said, “I love Hinder; they are probably my favorite group. They have music for every mood for wanting to get pumped up, or to be sad about a past relationship.” Senior Julie Gingles said, “Hinder is my favorite group. They will be huge one day. My favorite song would have to be Lips of an Angel or Better Than Me. Hinder’s new album, “Extreme Behavior, is sold in stores now. No matter what style of music you like, you will love Hinder. For more information on the band, visit hindermusic.com. C.J. Green Staff Writer Last month, music fan Richard Martinez gladly forked over $100 at the door for a concert by reggaeton star Daddy Yankee, a leading light in Latin music. But after a three-hour wait, Daddy Yankee was nowhere in sight. Martinez and other witnesses said a woman selling tickets got into what she claimed was the rapper’s limousine and screeched out of the parking lot with the money, according to msn.com. When the hundreds of fans in attendance caught on to the scam, they broke loose. “They were about to burn the club down. They started throwing bricks, glass, everything at the club,” Martinez said. The melee followed one of the latest alleged scams reported to law enforcement by management for Daddy Yankee, who is not currently on tour. Bergen County, New Jersey-based prosecutor John Molinelli has issued an arrest warrant for a suspect -- believed to be in the Dominican Republic -- who received a wire transfer of $100,000 to produce Daddy Yankee for a recent concert in New Jersey, according to msn.com. “They’re definitely allegations against the same person,” Molinelli said, referring to a possible connection among incidents in South Carolina, New Jersey and three other locations. A statement on Daddy Yankee’s website provides an e-mail address for fans to report suspected fraud. “Every day there are new scams,” Yankee publicist Mayna Nevarez said. In October, Nevarez said investors for a Daddy Yankee date in New York were ripped off for $75,000; more recently, a San Antonio, Texas, investor called before sending money to Daddy Yankee management for a non-existent concert, according to msn.com. Unlike Latin pop and regional Mexican musicians, who have longer touring histories and more established relationships between venues, management and promoters looking to make money on reggaeton concerts often literally don’t know who they’re dealing with, Nevarez and others say. In the South Carolina case, the club owner and the president of the local Spanish-language radio station say they were shown a performance contract that turned out to be fake, according to msn.com “They really did a number on us,” says Esperanza Ebersole of Radio Sol, which ran promos for the Daddy Yankee show in exchange for a promised cut of ticket sales. “And we got nothing.” Veteran promoter Henry Cardenas said inexperienced people looking to cash in on the Yankee concert are easy victims. “We work with a lot of managers and agencies. Before we get into one of these deals, we do our homework,” Cardenas said, who is handling the Yankee tour starting next March. Msn.com stated that the difference between a legitimate booking and a fake one can be a bit slippery. Dedicated to bringing back the good old, decadent days when sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll weren’t dirty words, but a way of life, is an Okalahoma City fivesome, Hinder. Hinder means to be or to get in the way of, to obstruct or to delay the progress of, and to interfere with action or progress, according to hindermusic.com. They have been doing some major hindering in the music world. Hinder formed more than four years ago in Oklahoma City, Okla., when guitarist Joe Garvey and drummer Cody Hanson discovered lead vocalist Austin Winkler singing for a cover band at a college dorm party. “I heard him and was blown away,” said Hanson. “He has the kind of charisma very few people have and that unique voice. You can’t really compare him to anybody.” “When we first got together, we were in a negative state of mind, recovering from personal problems,” said Hanson of the band’s name. “We had our issues. They were different issues, but we were all trying to overcome them.” Hinder is produced by Brian Howes and engineered by Mike Fraser, who worked for Aerosmith and AC/DC, in Vancouver, British Columbia’s Armoury Studios. According to hindermusic.com, “Hinder’s debut Universal Records effort, Extreme Behavior, is all crackling dual lead guitars, ethereal four-part harmonies and soaring rock vocals, are Despite being another victim of concert scamming, Daddy Yankee continues to please crowds at real events. google.com Murray State University and the Division of Student Affairs supports the Lakers. Make plans now to visit the campus and talk to School Relations about your future. Office: 270-809-6832 Don E. Robertson, Ed.D. Incarcerated concert scammer, Nathan Brenner, allegedly stole $21 million worth of revenue in ticket sales. google.com Javier Perez, who manages up-andcoming reggaeton act Alexis & Fido, said promoters often jump the gun and advertise a show lineup before all the deals have closed. “It happens all the time. You’ll see 10 artists being announced, and three show up,” Perez said. He recalled a promoter trying to lure him into booking Alexis & Fido on the promise of a bigger act’s participation -- even when the supposed headliner was not scheduled to perform, according to msn.com. For now, no plans exist to placate disgruntled Daddy Yankee fans with a South Carolina concert. “I know it’s not his fault, but it would be nice,” Ebersole said. “Not for free, but maybe half-priced.” Murray and surrounding cities have not been hit with this -- yet. Saturday: Isolated T-Storms High 73˚F Low 53˚F Weather this weekend Sunday: Partly Cloudy High 80˚F Low 57˚F The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Entertainment 7 Dylan’s ModernTimes: Tom Petty strikes gold with “they are a changin” new album, Highway Companion Colby Starks Staff Writer American singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar legend Bob Dylan has produced a record that has taken the corporate rock ‘n’ roll world by storm, topping the charts as the number-one album in the United States, according to wikipedia.org. Critics have hailed Modern Times, Bob Dylan’s 31st studio album, as a masterpiece; magazines have dubbed it with the highest scores. Even Rolling Stone magazine gave it five out of five stars, which is a rare feat. The corporate rock ‘n’ roll industry has been telling lies. If one is deeply rooted in the soil that I call rock ‘n’ roll, the latest work of Dylan just doesn’t cut it. Freshman Dane Garner agreed. “If this is what Dylan calls the modern times, then I will take the old times any day of the week.” Dylan (whose real name is Robert Allen Zimmerman) has been a mainstay in the rock ‘n’ roll culture as an author, musician and poet for five decades. Dylan, 65, recorded his best work throughout the 1960s. He wrote his most famous songs when America was in an outcry against the Vietnam War and racism. Songs like Blowin’ in The Wind and The Times They Are Changing were his lyrical cries of anti-war and civil rights efforts. “Dylan was known as a documenter and reluctant figurehead of American unrest. His lyrics spoke of politics, social commentary philosophy and literary influences,” according to wikipedia. org. From a musical standpoint, Dylan’s latest work is not up to par. Dylan’s music has slowly drifted from folk rock ‘n’ roll to ragtime country. We have heard these same old country tunes a million times over, with better vocals, so for Dylan—this doesn’t work. Senior Jessica Martin said, “This is definitely not Dylan’s best work. To best describe the album, it’s a country waltz.” The only shred of the old Dylan that is left from this album is his outstanding lyrical genius, said most critics. A hint of his worldly views are in this album; he just speaks more slyly about them. He is mature enough now not to beat listeners over the head with them. Though Modern Times was not what I was looking for out of Dylan, I respect his will to keep making music. Dylan once said, “Do not go gentle into that good night/ Old age should burn and rave at the close of the day/ Rage, rage against the dying of the night.” Rage on Bob, but my advice for those of you who are looking for a folk fix from Dylan—stick to the old times. Connor Olsen Entertainment Editor Tom Petty. The name is legendary, but he just won’t back down with his latest release, Highway Companion. Since his debut album with the Heartbreakers in 1976, Petty has remained a favorite of true rock ‘n’ roll listeners, and for good reasons. Songs such as American Girl, Refugee, Free Fallin, and Mary Jane’s Last Dance are just a few of those good reasons. His collaborations with Stevie Nicks (formerly of Fleetwood Mac), his great musical covers, his ability to change his playing style so well, his insanely wise supporting act choices during his tours (this years includes an all-star lineup with Phil and Trey, The Allman Bros. Band, Ben Harper, The Black Crowes, and Pearl Jam), and his work with Bob Dylan are a few more reasons why Petty is a rock ‘n’ roll legend. As with his previous work, 1989’s Full Moon Fever, Petty played and produced almost all 12 tracks of his solo album. Vocals, rhythm guitar, drums, backing vocals, harmonica, bass, keyboards, and lead guitar were all handled by Petty, and his skills as a musician really shine through. With sounds ranging from simply Petty on the tracks Saving Grace and Ankle Deep, to a Ben Harper-ish sound on Jack, to an even eerily done Allman Bros. impersonation on The Golden Rose, Petty really hits it home with Highway Companion. bobdylan.com As freshman Wade Garner laughingly said, “Petty’s latest album is simply awesome. It’s just classic Petty doing his thing. If I were a traveler on a long, dusty road, I definitely wouldn’t mind if he was my highway companion.” Petty can still put on quite a show. His live performances have captivated audiences for 30 years, and he’s still got it. He tours every major city with a great opening act, and he still plays all the best festivals. Earlier this summer, on the opening night of the 2006 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Petty was kicking off his new tour by jamming with tompetty.com 80,000 eager fans for three hours. Many felt that part of what makes Petty such a musical force is how he makes his appearances. As alumnus Corbet Hall said after the Bonnaroo performance, “It was just a good classic rock show, and one of the few of its kind. Not many rock veterans can still put on a great show like Tom Petty can, and not many can tour and do music festivals like Petty does. He’s just that good.” He is just that good. Check out the 45 minutes of pure rock ‘n’ roll bliss on his new album Highway Companion. August Moon Sunday - Thursday 10:45 am to 9pm Friday - Saturday 10:45 am to 10pm Serving all day Voted Favorite Restaurant 4 years in a row by Murray Legder & Times The Kelsey Dublin Staff Writer DO YOU NEED MONEY FOR COLLEGE? arship workshop for all seniors in November. Carmen Garland of Murray State Admissions will be speaking to anyone who wants information. COLLEGE Q: What will be the greatest influence on your college choice? (220 students surveyed) Danielle Pritchett Feature Editor Corner calculate the approximate amount of money the college of choice will cost and the amount the student needs to save personally. The site also provides an organizer that shows deadlines in order for a student to stay on schedule. Peterson’s 2006 Edition of FourYear Colleges is helpful if a student already has an idea of the school he wishes to attend. It provides an unbiased, comparative overview of nearly every four-year college in the world. Peterson’s also publishes an annual summary of several scholarships offered all over the United States titled Scholarships, Grants, and Loans. In addition, Williams said, “Campus visits are important. Contact people in admissions. So many times I have had students come to me and say, ‘Well, I want to know this about a certain college.’ Well, I don’t know. You need to call the college and ask. That’s what they’re there for.” When planning a college visit, collegeboard.com proves helpful by providing contact names and numbers. One essential thing to remember while researching colleges is to beware of scams. Never pay someone else to do research. “Never pay for financial aid or scholarships because they’re free,” advised Williams. Colleges will send material, and a multitude of resources is available to those wishing to research colleges. THE BEST COLLEGE RESOURCES want a good and thorough recommendation. Otherwise, we won’t have much time to write one for Seniors, it’s time for scholarship you.” applications. College is right down To apply for a general scholarthe road, and there isn’t much time ship, the quick and easiest way is to to waste. It may seem too early to go to fastweb.com. Coca-Cola gives be thinking about your future colscholarships every year around the lege experience, but there’s only a country. It’s all online and inforfew months left until you are off mation for it is in the guidance ofon your own. fice. Applicants must have at least 44% - Quality of Education According to guidance counsela 3.5 GPA and have gotten a 25 on or Laura Crouse, the deadline for their ACT. The deadline is Oct. 26% - Location all scholarships is Feb. 1st. That’s 31st, Crouse said. only four months away. For scholarship applications, Other scholarships that will be 13% - Financial Aid Many scholarship applications students need at least three letters coming in after Christmas are the are now available online and are of recommendation. They should area-wide scholarships, such as the 12% - Social Life easy to fill out. That way, seniors be sure the references are people ones from local business organizasend a neat professional applica- who know them well. Students tions, Crouse added. 4% - Friends tion for the admissions and schol- must also send a resume with the Some seniors believe they don’t arship committees. letters. have to make good grades; they Senior Mallorie Esterlein said, Crouse said, “If you would like think it doesn’t matter, but it does. “I’m already stressed just thinking a letter of recommendation from Any college can take away scholabout applying for scholarships. I us, you need to see us two weeks in arships at any time, according to Though a college visit is one of the best mean, that’s my whole future.” advance. The latest we would like Crouse. ways to find out more about a potential The school is providing a schol- to have them in is Jan. 15th, if you college, many students don’t have the time or are short on the money necessary to take such a trip. The U, which was launched by a college student in January of this year, offers Genevieve Postlethwait behind-the-scenes tours of over 50 of the Editor in Chief nation’s most popular colleges. Creator Doug Imbruce said on his webIn recent years, universities have been offering an increasing number of wild and wacky classes to their students, ac- site, “About two years ago while sitting in cording to theprincetonreview.com. my dorm room, I realized that kids could learn more about Snoop The Young America’s Foundation’s (YAF) list of America’s most bizarre college courses, otherwise known as the Dirty Dogg’s house than they could about the college they were going to Dozen by the YAF, outlines what it considers to be the top 12 outlandish classes being offered to students for the 2006- attend, and I had an idea: why not create content like MTV Cribs, 2007 school year. featuring colleges instead of celebrity homes?” The YAF researched over 55 courses and sifted out 12 of the most outrageous to demonstrate what is being taught in When The WB, now The CW after their recent merge with UPN, contemporary higher education, according to YAF spokesman Jason Mattera. caught wind of this new DVD series, they suggested that WB stars Near the top of their list is The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie: Race and Popular Culture in the United States, of- from shows, such as One Tree Hill and Gilmore Girls, host the tours. fered by Occidental College in California. According to its online course catalog, this oddly named course explores “ways On TheU.com, students can view any one of the full-length videos in which scientific racism has been put to use in the making of Barbie,” among other things. for free and purchase additional videos for only $3.99 each. Making the Dirty Dozen list twice, Occidental College also offers a course, Stupidity, in which students compare the Recently, the website has also expanded to include student-written American Presidency to Beavis and Butthead. reviews of over 2,000-plus colleges. Other Dirty Dozen courses include Alfred University’s Nip, Tuck, Perm, Peirce and Tattoo: Adventures with Embodied Culture and Brown University’s Black Lavender: A Study of Black Gay & Lesbian Plays. Though not mentioned on the YAF’s list, other unconventional classes are offered by universities nationwide. Several universities now offer relationship-related courses such as Falling in Love Without Losing Your Mind and How to Break Up Without Falling Apart at Seattle Pacific University. Cincinnati State’s course catalog includes Taking a Road Trip with the Family, Your Reptile Pet, Journal Writing for Happiness, Instant Mittens and Planning a Champagne Wedding on a Beer Budget. For potential college students who love to shop and spend, Miami University’s Social Psychological Aspects of Clothing or Williams College’s Shopping: Desire, Compulsion and Consumption would be perfect additions to their course load. Those who rank music next to oxygen on their list of necessities of survival might find University of Miami’s History of Rock ‘N’ Roll to be the perfect class. Other music-related classes include Brown University’s Bob Dylan, University of South Carolina’s The Beatles Albums: A Critical Appraisal, DePaul University’s Rock Journalism, University of California Los Angeles’s Cultural History of Rap and University of Florida’s Pop Music and Culture: A Geographic Perspective. Additional oddball courses worth mentioning include Duke University’s Failure Analysis and Campus Culture and Drinking, Georgetown University’s Philosophy and Star Trek, and Centre College’s Art of Walking, in which students frequently take neighborhood strolls with the professor and his dog. Though the FAC may think these unorthodox classes are a waste of tuition, students are saying classes like these offer a refreshing break from a normal, somewhat humdrum curriculum. STARS HOST VIDEO TOURS NEW COLLEGE CLASSES: THE DIRTY DOZEN When looking at colleges, any college student or alumnus will tell students to use their resources. Guidance Counselor Susan Williams said, “The web is huge, and everyone can have access to it. If you know of a college that you want to research, but don’t know its website, just Google it.” However, some students don’t even know where to begin looking at colleges. In such cases, collegeboard.com can be very helpful. This website grants the user access to information about thousands of colleges around the world. The user simply fills out questions about his ideal college, and the search engine matches the results to several colleges, even providing links to the colleges’ websites. When considering financial aid and scholarships, the site will QUOTES: TEACHERS GIVE THEIR ADVICE “In high school, I didn’t have to study, and in college, I learned how to study and how to be prepared for exams. You have to attend all your classes. Be responsible and make yourself go. Go to your instructors if you’re having trouble. I learned the hard way. I made a few low grades and had to work extra hard to get my grades back up to keep my scholarship. Once I worked hard and focused more on my studies than my social life, I started making the dean’s list. That is what it is going to take to be successful.” -Teacher Lisa Harrison “I think everyone should at least try college before saying they don’t want to attend because almost every job nowadays requires a college education.” -Teacher Vicki Simmons “Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school.” “If you did not study in high school, you are in for a rude awakening because in college, if you don’t study, you just flunk out. There is no making it up later, or turning it in a little late for half credit. Professors don’t care if you come to class or not because you are the one paying for the class, and if you don’t come, you’re the one who doesn’t get a degree. But it is fun; it is nice to get out of the little fishbowl that you live in when you are in high school. I didn’t realize how much fun I would have in college and how much better it was than high school, until I went to college. But then again, I went to Marshall County.” - Teacher Sarah Loveless - Albert Einstein “I think the biggest advice I can give is be ready for lots of responsibility. Most students rely so much on the parents. When you get to college, all that’s gone. When you have late nights, and you have a lot of activities, it’s easy to sleep in and miss those early classes. “The good students, the mature students and the ones who really value what they’re doing, will find a way to get up and make sure they are in class. Responsibility is probably the biggest adjustment.” -Coach Terry Birdsong. “I would suggest you go to class. Don’t miss one! If you do that and study hard, the rest of it will take care of itself. Keep your priorities straight. College is a time to get to know who you are and turn into an individual. Stay true to who you are and stay focused. You’re there to get a good education. Don’t have too much fun because you may just get stuck there.” -Coach Josh McKeel. 10 Feature The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Staff, faculty, student body welcomes three new foreign exchange students Danielle Pritchett Feature Editor This school year, three foreign exchange students are attending here. Senior Jon Salinas, an exchange student from Spain, didn’t pick Murray randomly. His older brother, Aitor, played basketball for Calloway nearly four years ago, so it isn’t surprising that Salinas is following in his brother’s footsteps. Though living with Head Coach Terry Birdsong means that he can’t play basketball, Salinas says that his host family is very nice. He’s also the new manager of the basketball team, so he’s still able to be around the sport. Regarding what he and his friends do for fun in Spain, Salinas said that they went to the cinema and the mall. Many students can’t imagine leaving their home for a new country where they know no one. Salinas said, “I was scared because of the difference in English and Spanish, but I understand a lot.” Though he admitted he misses his home, Salinas is still able to talk to his friends through instant messaging on his computer, and he said he likes America overall. Junior Jacob Wade said, “Jon is a really good guy and nice to talk to. He seems to be adjusting pretty well.” Kanna Tsurumaru is a junior from Japan. However, Murray wasn’t her first stop upon coming to the United States. Tsurumaru first went to California for one month to improve her English. Of her stay, she said, “It was very fun but too hot.” Regarding the main differences in the United States and Japan, Tsurupractice karate for three hours. I finish at about 8 and get back home at 9:15.” Here, students often complain about riding the bus. In Japan, Tsurumaru said she has to take the bus, train “Kanna is fitting in very well with the girls. It’s really fun because she can tell us stories about the differences in cheerleading between Japan and the United States. It’s really good for everyone because they are learning about different cultures.” Tsurumaru admitted that she misses home but added that she loves it here. Norway is junior Silje Nyborg’s native country. A friend told her about the program, so she went to her school’s guidance counselor, who helped her through the application process. Nyborg said her main motive for joining the student exchange program was her passion for traveling. Regarding what she and her friends did for fun in Norway, she replied, “Most just hang out—the same as here.” One of the most difficult things for Nyborg to become accustomed to was the change in climate. Nyborg said she wasn’t scared to come to a new country. Instead, she was excited. She added she misses Norway sometimes, but she loves it here and still talks to her friends and family through emails and phone calls. Sophomore Carey Boggess said, “She is so sweet, and I think it’s really neat that she came here from a completely different country. I just love her to death.” Nybrog plans to travel even more once her stay here is over. Laker football fans tune into new station Whitley Edwards Associate Editor “Logan Seay looks to his right, drops back to pass, where wide receiver Chase Chrisman is open. The pass is complete. Calloway County scores another touchdown!” This is an example of what listeners hear during a live broadcast of home and away games from 89.7 FM, home to Laker Football. Athletic Director Bill Cowan explained why the station was relocated from 1340 AM to 89.7 FM. “89.7 FM will reach everyone in the county. Also, we had to share 1340 AM with Murray High. That meant they would do some of our games and some of Murray, making Laker games sometimes delayed or not covered at all. Now we have our own station broadcasting all games at the time they are played.” Will Aubrey broadcasts the play by play for the Lakers, and former Laker Football Head Coach Joe Stonecipher is broadcasting, too. “I am very excited about being part of Laker Football again. I spent 28 seasons coaching on the sidelines, and I am proud to play a role again,” Stonecipher said. “My main goal in doing the ‘color’ part of Laker football on the radio is to offer input and actual football knowledge to our fans. Plus, I want to be totally biased on the side of the Lakers. It is our radio station, and I am pure Calloway County, and I want it to show,” he added. Senior quarterback Seay said, “I think Coach Joe will bring something to the show no one else could. He is a Laker through and through; we need that support backing us up! I think Laker fans will enjoy listening to a man who knows football like the back of his hand.” Senior Alley Hendon said, “I think Coach Joe will be good ‘color’ because he knows what he’s talking about, and he’s very funny!” Stonecipher added, “I am totally enjoying adding color to our games. Of course, it is rather easy working with Will Aubrey and talking about the program that I truly love.” Stonecipher advised, “People should tune in to hear Laker Football play by play laced with interesting facts and opinions.” As for the Lakers’ season so far, Stonecipher said, “I can see great potential in the 2006 Lakers. We have some excellent athletes, and I believe that the fans are really going to enjoy watching and hearing the Lakers.” So Laker fans, tune in to 98.7 FM to hear play by play and commentary of Laker Football. Foreign exchange student junior Silje Nyborg from Norway does homework after school. maru replied, “First, here it’s very free. I also have more time. I’m very busy in Japan. I leave my house at 7 in the morning, and my first class starts at 8:50. My last class ends at 5. Then I Danielle Pritchett and walk a little because people have to be 18 to get their driver’s licenses. Tsurumaru recently made junior varsity cheerleader here. Head Coach Sarah Loveless said, The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Feature 11 Halloween: costume ideas for everyone New coach makes State changes hit changes in dance Kentucky schools Ginny Furches Staff Writer This year, a new coach has made some additional changes to the dance team program. Coach Cara McCugh has definitely helped to change the way things are being done this school year, as well as how the team’s dances look in general. R e garding changes McCugh s a i d , “ We ’re g o i n g into more technical dance, w h e r e they ’re learning mainly technique instead of choreographed dances.” McCugh also said that the team has been learning and improving on more leaps, turns and other techniques that come with dance, requirements for competitions or dance camps, and an overall more professional dance technique. According to McCugh, the team has learned three dances this year, each one a different style of dancing: pom, hip hop and jazz, so they’re covering many of the types of dance seen from dance teams. According to jamfest.com the different styles of competition dance are hip hop, jazz, pom, variety, lyrical, prop and kick. As far as competition goes for the Laker Dance Team, that one is “up in the air,” according to McCugh, though she did say that if the team was to compete, it would be mostly at local competitions. One of the veterans of the team, junior Bianca Mora, said that she likes the changes being made this year. “We have more technique, and we are doing harder, m o r e difficult dances. I like t h e dances t h a t we’ve d o n e t h i s Allyson Miller y e a r . They’re more pom than anything, and we’re learning more technique with turns and leaps with kind of a jazz feel to it.” “[Our coach] has a lot of dance experience; she has been to nationals a few times, and she is highly qualified in her background of dancing,” Mora remarked. Regarding competition this year, Mora said, “I think it would be fun if we competed just to get that experience and to have that fun time together.” Even if their competition season is up in the air, Laker fans can catch a performance by the Laker Dance Team at home games and pep rallies. Valerie Crowder News Editor Standardized testing changes have hit Calloway this fall. The current changes affect seniors, sophomores and freshmen. Testing adjustments will be made for juniors during the ‘07-’08 school year. According to information released from the guidance office, freshmen recently had to demonstrate their writing skills with a new on-demand writing test. The freshman MAPS test ran on a normal schedule. The PLAN test was given to all sophomores recently. This test is designed to prepare sophomore level students for the ACT exam. After the exam is taken, students will receive an estimation of what score they will receive on the ACT. Junior Patti White, who has taken the PLAN, said, “It is a good idea because sophomores will know what to expect from the ACT.” Seniors will take the on-demand writing test this fall instead of in the spring. According to the guidance office, the test will be administered during the week of November 13-17. The change of dates is supposed Valerie Crowder News Editor Halloween is coming up fast, and it’s time to decide what to wear. Here are some unique costume ideas that are cheap and easy: For Singles: Darth Brooks: Wear western clothes with a cowboy hat and carry a guitar. Wear a Darth Vader mask. – costumeideazone.com Robin Hood: Dress in green. – junior Andrew Tacker Chick magnet: Attach Barbie dolls all over yourself. - costumeideazone.com Thomas the Tank Engine: Wear a decorated box on your head. Make sure it looks like the smokestack of the train. Then paint your face to look like the Thomas Tank Engines. –senior Jaimie Murdock Chia pet: Wrap yourself in duct tape with the sticky part facing out, and roll around in your lawn. - costumeideazone.com For Groups: Dominoes: Wear all black, and pin white circles in a domino pattern to your body. When you arrive at a house, one person lean in, and you all fall over. -costumeideazone.com Seven Deadly Sins: Envy wears green. Sloth dresses sloppily and moves slowly. Gluttony dresses like a pig. Wrath has a red, angry face. Pride walks around with a mirror and praises himself. Lust looks longingly at a Victoria’s Secret catalog. Greed pins play money all over his clothes. - costumeideazone.com Mean Girls: Wear short skirts, slinky shirts and high heels. Carry pink cell phones. - senior Jackie Thomas For Couples: Tom and Jerry: Dress as a cat and a mouse, and Tom chases Jerry around. – junior Haley Fain Clothesline between two trees: Dress in brown and glue on lots of leaves. Wear a hat and glue branches to it. Paint faces brown and green. Hang a clothesline between the two of you and don’t forget the delicates. – costumeideazone.com to allow seniors to test when they are in writing mode. Seniors are taking composition class this fall, and writing will be fresh on their minds. Guidance Counselor Laura Crouse said, “I look for them to do a lot better because that senioritis hasn’t set in.” At a recent Leadership Tomorrow Conference, a member of the Kentucky Board of Education, Keith Travis, shared with the group some information about the changes for juniors starting next year. All juniors will be required to take the ACT exam, along with CATS testing. This will allow all juniors to take the ACT at least once. Students will not pay for the exams and will be allowed to submit their scores to different schools. According to Guidance Counselor Susan Williams, “The ACT is a pretty good measure of student achievement. This test will put the accountability on the students’ shoulders and that’s where it needs to be. It will give students a vested interest in doing as well as they possibly can.” Williams added, “It’s all done in the name of progressing to a more valid measure of what our students are learning.” Breaktime billiards TUESDAY Pool Tournament WEDNESAY Ladies Shoot Free Line Dancing with DJ THURSDAY 9 Ball Tournament SUNDAY 8 Ball Tournament FRIDAY Teen Dance Night FREE 1/2 Hour of Pool with Meal Purchase $7 Special Every Night from 6 pm -12 pm Best Rates in Western Kentucky! Tina A. Carter, D.C. 604 South 12th Street, Suite A Murray, KY 42071 Telephone: (270) 753-1361 Fax: (270) 753-1369 •753-9303• Monday - Saturday 10 am - 2 am • Sunday 12 pm - 2 am 12 Feature The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Here she is.... Kentucky ranks fifth nationally in adult obesity rates Kayla Simmons Staff Writer Kentucky has adult obesity rates of 26.7 percent, ranking fifth heaviest in the nation, according to healthyamericans.org. Kentucky is also one of the 31 states in which obesity rose in the past year. In Kentucky, 6.2 percent of all adult medical expenses are related to obesity, according to healthyamericans.org. The five states with the highest obesity rates are Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky. The South is said to have the largest waistline. The South is the home to nine of the 10 states with the highest rates of obesity, according to healthyamericans.org. Senior Megan E. Futrell said, “I believe that people in Kentucky are obese because we now lead busier lives than before, and the fast food restaurants are very convenient. Also, the fast food restaurants offer many choices that are cheaper than going home and making a healthier meal.” Junior Patrick Wyatt said, “I think that people in the South are overweight because all they eat is fried food, like fried chicken and grits and foods similar to that. Of course, eating at McDonalds all the time doesn’t help much either.” Kentucky also rates eighth in the nation for adult diabetes levels at 8.3 percent and ranks seventh for rates of Florida law requires early declaration Keela Evans Staff Writer Picture this scenario: freshmen have just started high school and are still looking for classes, trying to figure out times and schedules and dealing with a whole new environment. On top of that they also must decide what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives. According to heraldtribune.com , The idea is a part of the A++ Plan Education Reform Bill passed in Florida. The bill requires that ninthgraders entering high school in 2007 must declare a major area of study as incoming college freshmen do. Sophomore Casey Brockman said, “No, I couldn’t have made that decision yet, it would have been too hard, and I would be planning my future 10 years before it would actually matter.” Senior Julie Gingles agreed. “I think it’s unfair to make a freshman in high school determine their life’s direction; most freshmen haven’t ever even had any life experience before.” State officials believe that forcing students to choose a major early in high school might boost Florida’s dismal dropout and college attendance rates. They also claim that the students, faculty and staff will not see that big of a change. The only change, per se, is the number of electives sudents must take. Students must take 10 electives. Of these 10, a student is required to take at least four classes that deal with their certain career major. This means 40 percent of the classes that Florida students take are subject to a change. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said, “Declaring a major area of interest will make high school more interesting to many students.” Freshman Sumer Starks disagreed. “I think that I would end up unhappy with my decision in the future because I’m only a freshman, and I would rather enjoy high school, and I would need more time to think.” Will Kentucky ever decide to pass a similar law? Asst. Principal Brian Wilmurth said, “Yes, moving to a program like the one in Florida could be the next move, and there has already been discussion on changing the entire educational system. If the program in Florida is deemed successful, then other states will move to mimic that program in their states.” So, faculty and students, be aware of the possibility of such a change. Whitney Wicker was voted Football Homecoming Queen recently. Seniors Keela Evans, Julie Gingles, Lyndsey Cleaver, Beth Ross and Ashley Winkler made up the court. Allyson Miller Elle’s Dance Studio 903 Arcadia Circle Murray, KY 42071 Phone: (270) 753-5352 hypertension at 29.4 percent, according to healthyamericans.org. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled from 1980 to 2004, from five to17 percent, according to healthyamericans.org. To change our obesity rates, the 2006 report, The Trust for America’s Health states, “Individual behavior change will not work in isolation.” The following are a few statements this report recommends: full funding for long-term government actions, improved physical fitness programs and nutrition in schools, nutritional labeling of foods based on product size rather than serving size and fasttracking research to identify the best ways to fight obesity. Kentucky is one of 11 states that require their school lunches to meet higher nutritional standards than the U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements, according to healthyamericans.org. Kentucky is also one of 16 states that has passed taxes on junk food or sodas, in hopes of changing bad food choices, according to healthyamericans. org. Recently, an article in the Murray Ledger & Times and a segment on The Today Show specifically pinpointed the South as having a large waistline. Senior Katlyn Smith said, “If everyone in our country tried to eat healthier and exercised more, it would really help to prevent these problems from occurring.” Owner: Elle Arant Terrapin Station 920 South 12th St. (Bel-Air Center) Murray, KY 42071 -New & Used Compact Discs, LPs, DVDs and Books Murray’s Best Music Store for 20 Years! It’s Worth The Trip! BUY-SELL-TRADE Mon-Sat 10:00-5:30 753-8926 The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Sports 13 Track team seeks new running surface Blake Lencki Commentary Sports Editor It’s time for a change here, a drastic, rubberized change! For years, this school has had the same old, outdated, eyesore of a track. According to the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT), athletes whose sports involve a lot of running, such as track or cross country, puts an enormous amount of strain on their legs. Every time a runner’s foot hits the ground, a force of more than twice their body weight hits one of their legs. Just as repeated hammering will eventually reduce a stone to dust, the impact associated with running can ultimately break down bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons and ligaments. NISMAT has documented stress fractures in almost every bone in the lower extremities and pelvis, caused by running on unfit and outdated surfaces. What most people don’t realize is that running on a hard surface can damage the back as well. With every footfall, the body absorbs the shock from the foot hitting the ground. The absorption begins low, then works its way into the body, so all muscles and joints absorb an equal amount of shock, and no single area is overloaded. According to NISMAT, the absorption begins in the foot, the arch flattens, the ankle joints compress and twist, the knee joint is compressed to one-eighth its resting size. The hip then flexes to compensate for the knee, putting a great deal of strain on the lower back. Every time the back is strained, a great amount of pressure is placed on the vertebrae and discs. This can cause an unnatural curvature of the spine, similar to that of scoliosis. All the things the body does to “soak up” shock can eventually cause serious damage to the entire body, according to NISMAT. As a member of the track team, I at a time.” Regarding a new track, she said, “I think a new track would be great. Not only would it help performance, but it would boost the numbers on the track team. No one runs because our track is so embarrassing.” Adams agreed the current track has been the cause of several recent injuries. “Yes, every runner on the team suffers from shin splints, tendonitis, ankle, knee or hip problems.” Track coach Keith Jared stated his opinion on the track. “To me, our current track does not meet the standards of a AAA track program in the state of Kentucky, compared to Paducah Tilghman or Marshall County. It really says a lot of negative things about our track program.” Regarding the resurfacing, Athletic Director Colonel Bill Cowan said, “You have to look at the big picture. No one has the crystal ball to look into the future. The best we can do is consider the effects a new track will have in the few years to come. “I agree that a new track would help the track team, as well as attract outsiders to our school. However, a new track is not a high priority at the time being. The cost will play a major part in the building of a new track, as well as the maintenance it takes to keep the facilities in shape.” What will become of the track here is unknown. However, with support from the school, families and fans, a new track is only a hop, skip and a jump away. Fore! know firsthand the effects a hard surface has on your body. Not only have I experienced the small aches and pains such as shin splints, sore feet and tired muscles, but I have also experienced the major problems that can come from unfit running surfaces. I have been operated on four times due to knee problems. Running on a hard surface only aggravates my injuries more; not only has my performance been affected, but my physical health as well. Junior Rachel Adams said, “Our track is horrible; it is a hazard to the track team, and it causes injuries that have kept some runners out for weeks Colby Starks Senior Eric Berberich fights his way out of a bunker at Oaks Country Club. The boys’ golf team finished fifth in the region, with Josh Miller two strokes from qualifying for state. 753-0700 1-800-395-HELP Free and Confidential Pregnancy Test Student claims title, breaks meet records Keela Evans Staff Writer Over the summer, junior Rachel Adams was named the Class AAA High Jump State Champion. According to Adams, she broke many meet records at the competition, including all school records in this category and was invited to many national meets to compete in this area. “I trained all spring,” said Adams. “We practiced every day and had about two meets a week on average.” Brooke Lenki, alumna, has been the only other record-breaking state champion from Calloway; hers was in the 300-meter hurdles, according to Head Coach Keith Jared. A recent award night here honored many students and teachers for accomplishments over the summer, and Adams received her official trophy. Information about.... * all your options * Pregnancy * Sexuality * STDs * Relationships 602 Poplar St. Murray, KY lifehouse@ murray-ky.net 14 Sports The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Run, Jacob, run! Lakers seek revenge tonight Blake Lencki Sports Editor In their recent game against cross-town rival Murray High, the Laker and Lady Laker Soccer Teams took two losses. It’s time for payback, and the Lakers are due for it. The boys lost to the Tigers in the last few minutes of play. The Tigers scored a goal with less than 10 minutes left in regulation to put the Lakers down 2 - 1. On the girls’ side, the Lady Lakers went into the game with a 3 - 5 record, hoping to come out with one more win. Unfortunately, the Lady Lakers’ effort just wasn’t enough; they lost 2 - 0. Monday the boys played host to Graves County ending in a tie of 4 - 4, and Tuesday the Lady Lakers played host to the Marshall County Lady Marshals, losing 5 - 1. Tonight, we will see how the Lakers play coming off last night’s game against Hickman County. The Lakers will play host to the Murray High Tigers. Girls’ action starts at 5:30 followed by the boys’ match. Senior Seth Asher said, “Last week, we just didn’t want the game, and that hurt us. I think last time we played Murray, they were in better shape than us, and that really hurt us. Tonight, we just have to come out ready to play; we have to want it before we can win it. I predict a three-to-one win.” The Lady Lakers should have fresh legs going into tonight’s game, coming from a two-day rest after losing to the Lady Marshals. Concerning tonight’s game, senior Mallory Esterlein stated, “In our last game against Murray, the girls just didn’t want to win. We didn’t play to our potential, and some of the girls were put in odd positions. Tonight we have home-field advantage, and hopefully, we will play better because we have seen them before.” The cross country boys’ team is ranked first, and the girls’ team is ranked second in the Purchase area. Both teams will compete Oct. 7 a the Marshall County “Invitational of the South,” a 30-team meet of schools in Ky., Tenn., Mo., and Ill. The season will conclude with the state series beginning at Christian County Nov. 4 for regionals. The boys’ team has qualified for state the last two years, while the girls’ team qualified three years ago. The state meet will be at the Lexington Horse Park Nov. 11, according to Head Coach Keith Jared. Colby Starks Colby Starks Pro Wash Of Murray Senior Brennan Parker heads the ball during last Monday’s game against Murray High School. The Lakers were beaten in the last few minutes of play, losing 4 - 3. 1310 Main Street- Murray, KY DK Kelley Announces the arrival of : Lucky Brand jeans, sportswear, jewelry, handbags, belts and scarves 305-A South 12th Street Murray, KY 42071 ◊Next to Dumplins◊ Phone: (270) 753-7441 Fax: (270) 761-0091 Monday - Saturday 10 - 5 pm The Laker Review September 29, 2006 Sports 15 Lakers enjoy turnaround season Lakers spike again Colby Starks Staff Writer The Calloway County Laker Football Team, possibly one of the most underrated teams in the area, has players who are equipped with speed, strength and players who are well coached. The question that lingers in the minds of most is: after two straight 1-9 seasons, do the Lakers know how to win? “It’s difficult to have success and win at anything if you haven’t had any success in the past. Colby Starks Winning is a habit, but so is losing. HabThe Lakers line up against their opponents, the Marshall County Marshals, on Friday, Septemits are hard to break, ber 8. The Lakers took a loss to the Marshals, pushing their season record to 1-3. Pictured is but I think this year, our habits of the past wide-receiver Chris Dobbins. will be broken,” said senior Elliott Lovett. continue to progress is our offensive McKeel. Calloway’s record currently stands line, which is led by our only senior In Calloway’s class 3A district, the at 3-3 in overall play, and 1-0 in dis- offensive lineman Elliott Lovett,” said six teams to quality for district playoffs trict play. Head Coach Josh McKeel. must win two of five games. CalloWith two wins against rival MurJunior Jacob Burks said, “I think way, who has already won one of their ray High and homecoming guests we have improved a great deal, and district games against Union County, Crittenden County, it’s becoming some of our losses are due to some is well on its way to compete for the clear that the Lakers not only have the minor setbacks that can easily be fixed district title. tools to win but they are beginning to with some work. If we improve in “Unlike past years, I think the find out what it tastes like. those areas then we will be ready for competition in the district is even, and “Our number-one strength is the districts.” if we play to our capabilities, we have definitely our speed offensively, with Calloway County is not only strong a shot at the number-one seed,” said guys like Trey Travis, Logan Seay, and offensively, but defensively. The Lak- McKeel. Aaron Dossey. Another strength that ers have the number one pass defense has been progressing and will have to in the state in Class 3A, according to Kelsey Dublin Staff Writer The Lady Laker Volleyball Team has broken all its records this year since its inception five years ago. This was the first year that a varsity volleyball team has had a winning record, according to Head Coach Cassidy Palmer. With a 17-8 record at press time, they still have more games to play. Senior Abby Kelly said, “This year was the first year we have ever won a tournament as a varsity team. We won the Livingston Central Cardinal Classic. Now, as a J.V. team, we had won some tournaments, but this is the first time any varsity has won. It’s pretty exciting.” The Livingston Central Cardinal Classic was in August. The Lady Lakers sailed through the tournament and won 5-0. They beat different teams around the region, such as Hopkins Central and Livingston Central. They competed at Slam Fest recently at Caldwell County. Slam Fest is one of their biggest tournaments, according to Palmer. During the first round, the Lady Lakers breezed through all of their matches and made it to semi-finals, the first year. Calloway has made it to semi-finals. They fell to Caldwell County by one point in a final match. Senior Alley Hendon said, “I’m pretty excited that we are the only team that has ever brought home a trophy after going to a tournament, and since our season is a winning season this year, it’s pretty exciting. Also, we are the second team to beat the Murray High Tigers. We have had some really big accomplishments so far.” Also, according to Palmer, this year was the first time since 2002 that the Lady Lakers beat Murray High. They won with two consecutive sets to take home another win. In addition, this is the first year that Calloway has beaten Paducah Tilghman. These were both big wins for the Lady Lakers, especially cross-town rival Murray High. Kelly said that win was one of her favorite moments this season. The Lady Lakers travel to Graves County Monday for junior varsity and varsity matches. Tuesday night they host Fulton City, and it is senior night. The district tournament, hosted here, is Oct. 9-12. Have a Safe & Fun Fall Break The Laker Review September 29, 2006 SPORTS PROFILES Sports 16 Brennan Parker Grade: Senior Sports: Soccer Most Memorable Sports Moment: Beating Marshall last season, 2 – 1. Words to Live By: “Soccer is our business; business is good.” --Mark Kennedy Sr. Tatum Dale Grade: Junior Sports: Soccer, Track, Cross Country Most Memorable Sports Moment: Placing 5th at Cross Country regionals. Words to Live By: “Our sport is your punishment.” --Coach Keith Jared Kayla Cunningham Grade: Sophomore Sports: Basketball Most Memorable Sports Moment: Beating the freshman scoring record. Words to Live By: “If you are going to take it to the bank, then you better cash it in. --Shannon Fish Tyrell Willis Grade: Freshman Sports: Football, Basketball, Baseball Most Memorable Sports Moment: Winning the championship in 8th grade football. Words to Live By: “Only real men play football.” --Unknown Among Murray Nation s Best Universities the Pro Wash Of Among the nation’s “Top Tier” universities in academic quality 16 consecutive years. ~ U.S.News & World Report 1992 – 2007 Murray ranked 9th in the nation two consecutive years among all public master’s universities. ~ U.S.News & World Report 2006, 2007 Ranked for four consecutive years in category of “Great Schools at Great Prices.” ~ U.S.News & World Report 2004 – 2007 , 1310 Main Street- Murray, KY Ranked 15th among all public and private universities in the southern region. ~ U.S.News & World Report 2007 Among the nation's top 22 "best buys" for online business and management bachelor's degrees. ~ GetEducated.com 2006 Ranked as Kentucky's best value in higher education and one of the best values in America. ~ Kiplinger's Personal Finance 2006 www.murraystate.edu Equal education and employment opportunities M/F/D, AA employer M U R R AY S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y