Smoke SignalsOct. 2014/Vol. 6 Issue 1

Photo by: Olivia Glod

The Editors

Staff Writers

Nicole Spindler Print Editor-in-Chief

Kassianna Politis Print Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Glod Web Editor-in-Chief Sports Section Editor

Karen Richtar Web Editor-in-ChiefSports Section Editor

Natalie Rihmland Layout Editor-in-Chief

Maria Hoge Layout Editor-in-Chief

Nicole Folino Business Editor-in-Chief

Life and Style Section Editor

Bailey Fink Business Editor-in-Chief

Natalie Leven Special Features Layout Editor

Madi StartOutside the Bubble and

#Connect Section Editor

Brenna Woodside Student Work and Content

Section Editor

Vanessa Scoulos Entertainment Section

Editor

Nicole Beichner PT Focus and People Features

Section Editor

Layout Staff Samantha Abraham Jessie Fairbanks Caitlyn Lawrence Kelly Dasta

Riley Gillespie Maille O’Toole Kelly SalaRebecca Schake

Nora BarczakCaroline BaumgartEric BlattAnna ButtergereitAndrew Byrne

Julia CasciolaNicholas ChapmanNathan DoughtyEmily FornofMadison Fritz

Marissa GlovierAbigail GordonJennifer HolcombeReilly McGlumphyAngela Roberts

Peyton StartAnny TarwaterLily TarwaterMeah Watson

Table of Contents

PT Focus 5

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12-13

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16-17

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Sports

#connect

Life & Style

People Features

Entertainment

Student Work

Outside the Bubble

Homecoming Week

Halloween Township

New Clubs Promote Acceptance

Record Setting Boys JV Golf Team Undefeated

Again

Homecoming Proposals & Illegal

Apparel Co.

What’s Hot and What’s Not

Zhuang’s Commitment to Conduct

Taylor Swift attempts to “Shake Off ” her

critics

Peters Visits the National Book

Festival

PT Focus// October 2014

PTHS

It has been over a month into the 2014-2015 school year. From the home games to the cafeteria, Peters Township High School has experienced some attention-grabbing changes. Here is a preview of the latest news.

The Search for a New Assistant Principal: For the first three weeks of school, PTHS did not have

Cafeteria Cookie Conundrum

School lunches have undergone major changes – namely, the cookies. Thanks to new FDA lunchroom policies, they are here to stay. “They’re kind of good, but not as good as the cookies last year, which were really good,” senior Freddy Smith stated.

As of July’s update, qualification as a member of the National School Lunch Program requires the food served to have above a fifty percent whole grain content. The cookies at Peters Township High School currently stand at fifty-one percent – which is at a bare minimum; last year, the content of whole grain was close to none. The standard cookie dough recipe uses two different kinds of flour: regular flour and enriched flour. Whole wheat flour is now used in place

of regular flour, and the enriched flour now uses wheat flour. Cafeteria workers are not to blame for the new cookies. The cookies are shipped in bulk from supplier Otis Spunkmeyer, who stocks most of the school’s food. The whole wheat cookies are planned to be sold indefinitely. “Half of the profit has disappeared,” said Carol Striebich, one of the school’s cafeteria workers.

Cafeteria worker Debbie Sliman stated, “Every product is now required to be whole grain.”

Bread, pasta, brownies, cookies, cereal, and even Rice Krispie treats now all use whole grains. The popular opinion on the new cookies is that they are not nearly the caliber of their predecessor, and some students find them sickening.

“I saw a couple students puking into trash cans; they’re gross,” said junior Anna Lyle. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) that was initiated by President Harry Truman in 1946 states that nutritionally balanced, low-cost meals must be provided to public and private schools across the country. The NSLP has evolved over the years to accommodate different action plans, starting with pilot breakfast programs in 1966 to Michelle Obama’s recent updates in 2014.

Photo by Andrew Byrne

A Preview of PTHSNicoleSpindler|PrintEditor-in-Chief

Photo by Molly Campbell

Andrew Byrne | Staff Writer

an assistant principal. During homecoming, Mr. Malvin, who came from Ringgold to join the PTHS faculty, was introduced but later made the decision to return to his old position. Although the search continues, the administration plans to find the right person for the job. Parking Passes: As seniors and juniors were filling out applications for parking

passes, students were oblivious to some major changes. The only juniors that were able to obtain parking passes on campus were the class officers and those who are medical mentoring or in the community service classes. Students have debated this topic over the past few weeks due to both seniors and juniors having hectic schedules with classes, athletics, and clubs. Healthier Lunch: The highlight of lunch was walking to the snack line to buy some of

those delicious cookies. Students were shocked to find out the cookies did not look or taste the same. Most of the lunch options are significantly healthier, for example whole grain or wheat bread for sandwiches has replaced white bread. For more information on the new cookie recipe, check out the article, “ Cafeteria Cookie Conundrum,” on this page.

“Rowdy Red” Games: This school year so far has focused on athletics. The Friday night football games have been entertaining with all the various themes, but they are not the only sport that has been receiving much attention. Attendance for soccer, field hockey, and volleyballs games has dramatically increased, with the help of having a “Rowdy Red” game for each sport. Typically, the “Rowdy Red” organizers identify games that students should definitely attend to either recognize the seniors or just to watch an exciting match-up. There will also be “Rowdy Red” games for winter and spring sports in the following months. These games are not only a chance to cheer on your fellow classmates, but a positive way to represent PT Pride.

With the school year finally in the swing of things, there are numerous extracurricular activities that students can participate in. This year, two new and empowering clubs

have been gaining attention. The Femina Club, sponsored by the well-known Spanish teacher, Mrs. Miller, and the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), led by senior Caity Bell, are both gaining popularity this year.

The Femina Club is brand new and dedicated solely to the empowerment of teenage girls through fun, healthy activities. President Brooke Vulcano, a junior, created the idea for a club

that helps girls get through challenging situations without making it feel like a therapy session. Club members meet bi-monthly on Thursday in room 239 to discuss a specified topic. For the month of October, members will be decorating pumpkins and discussing who sets the standard for fashion. Following the festivities in October, the November meeting focuses on self-defense. Guest speakers, hands- on activities, and discussions will all be used throughout the course of the school year to improve members’ lives.

“If you are looking for a way to be empowered, share your struggles, or just have a good time, the Femina club is femi-fabulous for you,” said Mrs. Miller.

New Clubs Promote AcceptanceMadison Fritz | Staff Writer

Photos by Rachel Thorton

Similar to the Femina Club, the Gay Straight Alliance has been helping students at the high school improve their lives since last spring. Senior Caity Bell, GSA club president, originally had the idea of creating a club for gays, lesbians, and their supporters during her sophomore year.

“We saw the need for a safe space at the school for students who identify as queer, trans, or support the community,” said Bell.

However, the club did not officially start until last spring. GSA promotes a safe environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and their peers to promote tolerance and acceptance in the school. Members participate in numerous events such as Pittsburgh Pride and National Day of Silence. Meetings are held every other Thursday in the library. Bell describes the school before the GSA was established as not supportive of the LGBT Community.

“I’ve heard so many horror stories about the school before I was here. I say this a lot, but I think we’ve made a shift from aggression to apathy. I’d take apathy over that any day, but I’d love to see a shift to being supportive over apathy,” said Bell.

Be sure to check out these clubs and other activities happening at the high school.

layout by rebecca schake 05

Obscure Sports Take Center StageCarolineBaumgart|StaffWriter

Sports// October 2014

PTHSAthlete of the Month: Josh Deyarmin

Reilly McGlumphy|Staff Writer

Senior, Josh Deyarmin has been playing soccer for as long as he can remember. As the starting goalie on the varsity soccer team, Deyarmin is an integral part of the team this year. During the first eleven games, he has only let in two goals.

The team won a WPIAL Championship last season by defeating their rival Upper St. Clair in the finals. Deyarmin and his team plan to defend their title in November.

“USC has always been tough competition. They have a few highly skilled players that we have been playing against since travel soccer.” stated Deyarmin.

Before a game, Deyarmin and his fellow seniors mo-tivate the team by focusing them on the task ahead. As he pre-pares to step on the field, Deyarmin listens to his “pump up music”, which includes any songs from A Day To Remember. Also, Deyarmin mentally focuses on the game and what he needs to do to earn the shutout.

With playoffs coming up, the pressure of winning becomes more and more prevalent. Deyarmins hopes to be

Photo by Reilly McGlumphy

Across the world, athletes are prepping their parachutes, adjusting their water skis, lacing up their hiking boots, and . . . warming up their irons? These people are participating in the new danger sport of extreme ironing. From this to basque pelo-ta, there are many sports that are gaining notoriety in American culture.

Extreme ironing combines wa-ter skiing, hiking, skydiving, or any other intense activity with the satisfaction of a

Photo by Creative Commons

newly pressed shirt. Athletes compete for the most extreme way to iron clothes while performing these activities. Jumping from a plane while ironing a shirt takes ironing to a whole new level and often results in winning a competition.

“Extreme ironing sounds much more interesting than common sports that are popular now,” said sophomore Sarah Oldenburg.

Bo-taoshi is a Japanese sport in which the goal of the game is to pull down the opposing team’s pole. This sport was originally used to train war recruits in Ja-pan and to prepare them for the brutality of war, making it very dangerous. Although bo-taoshi is regularly played on the anni-versary of its creation, it is still unknown in the United States.

“If sports like bo-taoshi were in-cluded with the regular televised sports, I would enjoy watching sports a lot more,”

said freshman Ava Bianco. Another sport that is obscure in

America is basque pelota. This sport relates to the quick-paced style of hockey and the game technique of hand ball. Basque pelota is a localized sport mostly played around France and Spain. It has been said to also resemble tennis due to the use of paddles, but can be played using only hands. The sport is usually played with two players on each team. The serving team hits the ball to a wall, which will then bounce to the re-ceiving team as they hit it back and so on.

From ironing atop a skyscraper to playing tennis with your hands, there are many underappreciated activities that should no longer go unknown.

“I wish the world was more open to different cultures of sports; if we had more variety, playing and watching sports would be much more fun,” said sophomore Meghan Byrne.

holding the WPIAL and State trophy at the end of the season. In addition, home field advantage is very important to Deyarmin for the first playoff game.

“I love playing on my home field and seeing all the sup-port we get from our fans”, said Deyarmin. . “There is no other feeling quite like it playing for this program. The whole team works their hardest and it pays off every time we step on the field.”

Deyarmin plans on continuing his soccer career in college. He is looking to play D1. As of now, Deyarmin is still undecided on where he would like to attend.

Record Setting Boys JV Golf Team Undefeated Again

EmilyFornof|StaffWriter

Layout by Riley Gillespie 07

The Peters Township junior varsity boys golf team has continued their tradition of excellence by remaining undefeated since 2003. The team has come together through a combination of skill, character, teamwork, and great coaching to achieve their record breaking 300th win. In addition to their winning season, the team triumphantly won first place at the Chairman’s Cup for the third consecutive time. This year, the team’s combined score of 416 led them to victory. This impressive win foreshadowed the season to come, giving the team more confidence in their abili-ties.

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1)Sophomore Tyler Brooks nears the end of his second lap around the course. A shared highlight of the season for the runners was playing soccer together after the long distance runs. Photographer: Angela Heisinger

2)“Before each game, we huddle up and go over key points that our coach wants us to execute,” said senior captain Dylan Weyers. The boys’ soccer team season will continue to find success as their season progresses. Photographer: Mrs. Harrison

3)Junior Jake Sollon leads the rest of his team to the next hole. “We were the section champs and we won every tour-nament we played in,” stated Sollon when reflecting on their successful season together. Photographer: Ryan Page

4)Alison Magyar swings for victory during one of the girls’ golf team’s tournaments. The girls performed exceptionally well this season. Photographer: Aaryan Jadhav

5) Senior Angela Krak celebrates after the Peters Township Volleyball Team wins another point. “All of the players have high energy, making each game exciting to be a part of,” said Krak.Photographer: Alaina Taimuty

6)Freshman Carla Goldsmith warms up for a match. “Since I’m smiling, it really exhibits my love for the sport,” said Goldsmith.Photographer: Allie D’Orazio

7)Tara Fawcett talks to her teammate on the sidelines during their field hockey game. The field hockey season has been nothing but fun for the girls. “The best part of our sea-son was when the whole team and student section ran onto the field after we defeated Oakland Catholic on Senior Rec Night,” said Fawcett Photographer: Maeve Parisi

8)“I was looking to get the ball from one of our outside backs,” said senior Maddie Santo. The girls’ soccer team never fails to meet the standards set for them each season.Photographer: Hannah Beck

Photographer: Emily Lusk

#connect// October 2014PTHS

During their high school years, students are expected to achieve and compete at the highest level in all classes, clubs, activities, and sports. This creates a high stress environment where teenagers feel as if they are forced to choose between making the grade and making healthy decisions. Sleep is often the cost to keep up with a busy schedule.

Students Struggle to SleepKarenRichtar|WebEditor-in-Chief

No matter the age of the individual, sleep is essential for the human body to function. However, high school students, in par-ticular, seem to suffer from a lack of rest. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need at least eight and a half hours of sleep every night, but studies show that only 15% of teenagers obtain that amount on school nights. The consequences of little sleep, although serious, cannot compete with the expectations set by society for a well-rounded teenager who is either preparing to begin college or enter the workforce.

Senior Kenna Kuehn, president of the Interact Club, a member of the marching band, and a frequent volunteer at Washington Hospital, struggles to get more than five hours of sleep on weeknights.

“I don’t get enough because the pressures of being a high school student who must maintain a fantastic GPA, well-rounded volunteer work, and an ongoing list of extracurricular activities doesn’t allow time for it,” Kuehn said. “Society asks for us to be superheroes when in reality we’re only human.”

Fellow senior Zenas Zhuang, who reported getting no more than six hours of sleep on weeknights, echoed Kuehn’s thoughts.“As high school students of this generation, our expectations are high in order to succeed in the real world.” Zhuang stated. As

the pressure builds, teens seem to place less value on sweet dreams and more value on studying for that all-important chemistry test tomorrow. In addition, teenagers are fighting biological factors as well; once puberty hits, there is a natural shift in a person’s circadian rhythms. “Circadian rhythms” are defined by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences as physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle. This change affects when an individual’s body signals that it is time to sleep.

A recent study by the University of Minnesota reports a potential solution to this alarming trend. For the past three years, data was collected from eight high schools that moved their start times to a later hour. The data provided evidence that with later start times, 66% of students achieved the desired eight and a half hours of sleep, a dramatic improvement over the dismal percent-age before the start time was moved. Attendance and academic performance also improved, while symptoms of depression and substance abuse decreased. Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming, which moved its start time to 8:55 am, experienced a 70% decrease in car crashes involving teen drivers.

So for all the members of #teamnosleep out there, you are not alone, and you are not crazy. Sleep deprivation among high school students is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Caitie Lawrence 09

Homecoming ProposalsJennHolcombe|StaffWriter

While everyone else is worried about purchasing new clothes from popular design-ers, junior Frank Augustine is busy creating his own. He works in his room drawing de-signs for his innovative cloth-ing line, Illegal.

“It’s been a lifelong goal of mine to have my own company,” said Augustine. “It started last winter; my brother and I came up with the name. Neither of us had money at the time, so we decided to put it off.”

It did not take long for Augustine to establish his clothing line. He started it this

summer and is not going to quit until he makes progress.

“Once I started working in the summer, I asked my broth-er if he wanted to still do it,” said Augustine. “He said no, so I

stuck with it and made my first couple products.”

Creativity requires inspiration. Augustine’s comes from the song writer, G-Eazy.

“G-Eazy started with nothing, and now he’s at the top,” said Augustine. “Anyone that drives for success is an in-spiration to me because it shows he’s a really passionate guy.”

It’s hard to find clothes that everyone can wear. Augus-tine’s clothing line is street ap-parel that can be worn in the summer and the winter. Al-though, this business venture has been a successful one for Augustine it has had a few road

blocks along the way.“I recently recruited

junior Bennett Faloni. I needed help getting sales and organiz-ing the clothes,” said Augus-tine. “I get help from friends, family, and supporters as well.”

Gaining support for a new product is definitely a challenge.

“At first it was difficult to spread the word in order to increase sales,” said Augus-tine. “Once people started tell-ing their friends, the sales and popularity grew.”

Balancing academics and the business is something that Augustine has figured out.

“I can usually balance my schoolwork with business work,” said Augustine. “When I want to work on my designs and sales, I do that on the weekends. School work is for the weekdays.”

This is just the be-ginning for Augustine and his clothing line, which he contin-ues to promote.

“I have big plans for

the future of Illegal. We are currently working on creating a vast array of new products,” said Augustine. “I plan on get-ting a vehicle to use for travel-ing.”

As seasons change from autumn to winter, Au-gustine is a step ahead of the game. He has already made headway for next season’s ap-parel and marketing.

“This winter will be packed with events that I plan to hold. I will also be sponsor-ing a variety of competitions at Seven Springs,” said Augus-tine. “I know my clothing line will be successful. You never want to be negative towards

Augustine’s Illegal ActivityNicoleBeichner|PeopleFeaturesEditor

Alyssa Salley-12

Alex Garcia-10Lexi Wilson-10

Alyssa Salley was asked to homecoming with a Build-a-Bear, flowers, and choco-late! What girl wouldn’t say yes to that?

All girls love food. When Alex’s boyfriend Frank appeared at her door with a cookie cake, she had to say yes! Alex said “It was really cute and the cake tasted amazing!”

Lexi was surprised by her boyfriend Jace with a bundle of balloons at her front door. When she walked up to her room there were even more balloons! On each balloon was a letter spelling out “Homecoming?”

Nearly every school in the nation has a homecoming dance. Each year students develop new and extravagant ways of asking their dates to the event of the fall. Although Homecoming occurred on September 20, nothing stopped your peers from coming up with creative proposals.

Nora Barczak-11Knowing Nora’s addiction to candy corn, Brandon Beringer designed a poster covered in it. When he presented it to her, she had to say yes! Nora described her feelings on the proposal by stating “It took me by surprise and made feel special!”

Submitted Photos

Life&Style // October 2014PTHSPT Focus// October 2014

PTHS2

“Don’t You, Forget About Me”- Fashion EditionNicole Folino|Business Editor-In-Chief

It is hard to believe that the 1980’s, the decade of Madonna and teased hair, was only thirty years ago. The ‘80s was its own unique world with many fashion, music, and everyday lifestyle differences from modern day. Some major fashion trends included shoulder pads, parachute pants, leg warmers, extremely teased hair, and “members only” jackets. Oddly enough, some of these trends are making a comeback; meanwhile we are hoping the others never see the light of day again. Today’s generation could not survive that vivacious decade because of all these crazy trends.

Parachute pants are making a comeback, especially in Pac-Sun. Senior Laura Rackley, a Pac-Sun employee, said, “I love parachute pants because they’re comfortable, light, stylish, and different. They’re a popular summer and fall trend amongst high-schoolers.”

These fashionable pants are baggy, easy to move in, and extremely comfortable. In the ‘80s, everyone wore them when they wanted to get down and boogey on the dance floor to Earth Wind & Fire. At the time, it was con-sidered “cool” and “stylish” to be wearing these. Parachute pants come in a plethora of different colors. After all, it did originate in the crazily colorful decade of the ‘80s. If you’re lucky, fake zippers and pockets are added for a special statement.

Shoulder pads are only worn by football players, right? Wrong! Noth-ing screamed “fame” and “fortune” like massive shoulders. Since shoulder im-plants weren’t an option, women would use shoulder pads to achieve that powerful lineback-er figure. Apparently this was considered “beautiful” back in the day and is slightly appear-ing once again in crew jackets.

Forever 21 is one of the most popular “fashion criminals” known for bringing back this trend. Another ‘80s trend that didn’t make any sense was leg warmers. Why did people in the 1980’s wear leg warmers, exactly? No one really knows. Maybe everyone had cold legs because of the miniskirts, or possibly it was just considered cute. Whatever the rea-soning, everyone owned at least one pair of leg warmers. Today, this trend is making a major comeback with leggings. Of course we can’t forget about the “members only” jackets. These high-end jackets are what differentiated the in-crowd from the nerds back in the ‘80s. Push the sleeves up to just below the elbow and now it’s officially ‘80s cool. Even though this may be the most normal 80’s fashion trend, this style is not exactly coming back. However, there are still copycats of these jackets that emerge sporadically. Out of all of these statements, when someone says “the ‘80s,” everyone thinks of the tremendously teased hair trend. People in the 80’s took the saying “the bigger, the better” to the next level. The ‘80s hair style was all about messy volume; women wore their hair past their shoulder width, allowing girls to slap other people around them with that enormous mop on their head. Thankfully, this hairstyle is not nearly as popular and prevalent anymore. Realizing that some ‘80s trends are suddenly popping up once again; let’s pray that the afro hair style doesn’t make a comeback. It could be very intimidating.

Layout by Kelly Sala 11

Clothing- Motorcycle jackets, currently known as moto jackets, give your outfit an edgy feel. By adding one of these jackets to a t-shirt and your favorite pair of jeans, you can take your outfit to the next level. If you want to feel more feminine, look for a moto jacket with a girly touch such as a bright color or a floral pattern.

Shoes- Saddle boots are a must have this fall. Get the stylish look everybody is talking about. These

boots can dress up any outfit, from leggings with a sweater to jeans and a t-shirt. Saddle boots are your must have item for dressing HOT this fall.

Accessories- Fall scarves can create a trendy vibe to any outfit this season. They will keep you warm and will complete your look. When searching for the perfect scarf make sure that you feel com-fortable with the size and material of it, so you can feel comfortable and look cute at the same time.

Clothing- Put away your dull jackets this season. Even though they may keep you warm, they are not adding to your style. Be sure to add a pop of color or fun print to make your fall outerwear stand out.

Shoes- UGGs were once the height of fashion worn by the designers themselves. Now, their sales have fallen since high heels have replaced them. Even though they are com-fortable, they are not fashion’s key essential this season.

Accessories - Put away your flow-er headbands this fall. Although they might have been a hot item during the summer, they are not hot this season. Instead of wear-ing them, you can substitute by doing a braided headband which gives you a more subtle and natu-ral look. Photos By: Julia Casicola

What’s Hot & What’s Not?Julia Casicola|Staff Writer

Don’t Worry, Be Pretty Finding the fine line between no makeup and looking like a clown can be diffi-cult. There are certain makeup trends that should be avoided at all costs. However, at

the same time, there are some makeup essentials that should always be used. Makeup is supposed to enhance natu-ral beauty without being overpowering. Teens can avoid disasters by following a few timeless principles when it comes to applying makeup. Never wear blue or purple eye shadow unless you are attend-ing a costume party, playing the role of a clown in a circus, or performing in a ballet. Although these colors look pretty on the palette, they can look gaudy and attract attention in a negative way. Try to stick to neutral colors such as brown, tan, or gray colored shadows. Be wary of what colors you put on your face, espe-cially when

Madi Start|#connect Section Editor

Photo By: Madi Start

buying foundation. Test the foundation on your skin before purchasing it to make sure that it is the right shade. Foundation shouldn’t be used as a bronzer. If founda-tion is even a few shades darker than your skin, your face will look like it doesn’t be-long on your body. Foundation should be almost a perfect match to your skin tone. Be sure to blend your foundation onto your neck. After applying the correct colored foundation, use a bronzer; it shouldn’t ap-pear to be blotchy if it is done correctly. Blush can make a person look more awake and healthy, but be forewarned; a little goes a long way. Simply brush over cheekbones a few times to accomplish a healthy glow. Don’t wear bright pink blush; it makes the face look too made-up and pink. Also, stay away from red-toned blush because no one has naturally red cheeks. Eyebrows are one of the most prominent parts of the face. This means they should be groomed with care. Sometimes, girls get a little pluck-crazy when attending to their

eyebrows. Just clean them up so that they look natural. Also, if you like to pencil in your eyebrows, don’t overdo it. Use a pencil that is similar in color with your eyebrow hair and don’t pencil them in too thickly. Lip color can make or break a look for a big night out. Whether it is neutral or bright red, a girl should feel confident. The shade of your lips should flatter the natural shape of your lip. For example, girls with big lips should try a bold red. When you are just going to school or work, stick to neu-tral; it could get annoying to keep applying more coats of color all day. Plus, lipstick is just too dressy for school. Next time you are rushed in the morn-ing, remember these tips. Also, never for-get that a little goes a long way with ev-erything you put on your face. Embrace your natural beauty, don’t hide it.

Kalabar- Mr. LesnettDylan Piper- Mr. AntonelliSophie Piper-Ms. Corsinelli Marnie Piper- Ms. McKenna

Aggie Cromwell- Mrs. BeckjordGwen Cromwell Piper- Mrs. Gearhart

Layout- Natalie LevenStory- Bailey Fink

It was the night of Halloween and all through the high school the halls were empty, not a student in sight. Teachers were socializing in the cafeteria. This year was different because Mrs. Beckjord, who never came to the staff Halloween bash, had joined with her bag full of mysterious objects. Mrs. Beckjord had an agenda that night; she needed to speak to Mrs. Gear-hart about Ms. McKenna’s necessary training. For what Ms. McKenna did not know, but was soon to find out, was that she was a witch, along with her fellow teachers. Mrs. Beckjord pulled Mrs. Gearhart away to privately speak to her about Ms. McKenna’s trip to the enchanted HalloweenTownship. Although Ms. McKenna had heard the entire conversation, she was not that surprised, since she always knew she was different.

Ms. McKenna ran to tell her friends. Mr. Antonelli immediately shot her down. He did not believe in magic, only scientific facts. He told her there was no way she could go to this place called “HalloweenTownship.” He did not believe it existed. However, Ms. Corsinelli thought differently. Ms. Corsinelli dreamed of going to HalloweenTownship, even if it was not real. Shortly after the teachers decided it was time to go home, Ms. McKenna saw her chance. She followed Mrs. Beckjord to a school bus, and when she boarded the bus she saw people were wearing what looked like Halloween costumes. Ms. McK-enna took a seat in the front so she would not be seen, but when she turned around she saw Mr. Antonelli and Ms. Corsi-nelli standing there. They were not going to let her travel to an enchanted world without them.

Mrs. Beckjord found Ms. Corsinelli, Mr. Antonelli, and Ms. McKenna, not surprised that they had snuck away. She prom-ised to take all of them on a tour of HalloweenTownship starting with the mayor’s office. First, Mrs. Beckjord brought her friends to meet Mr. Lesnett, the mayor of HalloweenTownship. When they entered his office he was in the middle of a phone call. He was speaking softly, but they could still make out some of the words. The call did not sound pleasant and his words sounded quite evil. The group of teachers did not have time to question the call because Mr. Lesnett saw them and immediately hung up his phone. After a strange conversation with Mr. Lesnett, they left. Mrs. Beckjord took her friends to her house, and as they were walking to her home Mrs. Beckjord told them that things in HalloweenTownship had become strange and that there was a dark force infringing upon the town.

The teachers entered Mrs. Beckjord’s house and were examining her well stocked rooms when there was a knock on the door. To everyone’s surprise Mrs. Gearhart was standing on the other side of the threshold. Mr. Antonelli ran to the door and began to blame Ms. McKenna and Ms. Corsinelli for making him accompany them. They started to fight, but Mrs. Gearhart was not interested in the argument. She wanted them to leave as soon as possible. The teachers reluctantly obeyed.

While Mrs. Gearhart was attempting to get tickets back to Peters Township, she witnessed Mrs. Beckjord being led into a movie theater by a strange man. When they entered the theater Mrs. Gearhart ran to Mrs. Beckjord, but the man she was with had put her in a trance. Mrs. Beckjord sat down and pulled Mrs. Gearhart down with her, the man left and pulled a lever in the corner of the room, as soon as he let go an image of a man in a mask came onto the theater screen. There were flashes of green light as the man said, “I’m so sorry to do this to you girls, but with the witches out, my plan will work.” The voice seemed familiar to Ms. Corsinelli. She ran toward her friends, but once she reached them she noticed they were fro-zen. Mr. Antonelli explained that they were still alive, but needed to be unfrozen. Ms. Corsinelli finally got a word in, and told them that the voice of the man sounded like the mayor.

The teachers ran back to Mrs. Beckjord’s house where Ms. McKenna found the Indian statue that Mrs. Beckjord had told her about. Mrs. Beckjord told them that when the statue was charged it had magical powers that could reverse any curse. The only problem was that they did not know how to charge it. They could assume that they needed to make a potion, but they did not know which one to use. They grabbed the spell book and started flipping through it. After hours of trying different potions, they finally found a combination that lit the statue up. The only thing they needed was a place to put the statue that would save HalloweenTownship. Thinking back, Mr. Antonelli remembered seeing a large bubble in the middle of the square that seemed like a perfect place to put the artifact. The teachers ran to the bubble. Just as they reached it, Mr. Lesnett stepped outside and yelled, “You will not get away with this. I will destroy you and rule HalloweenTownship my way!” Ms. Corsinelli ran up to where Mr. Lesnett was. She was attempting to give Ms. McKenna time to light up the bubble. With this time Ms. McKenna ran to the bubble and threw the Indian statue into it. Mr. Lesnett lunged towards Ms. McK-enna screaming, but it was too late. There was a flash of light and the friends heard a door swing open. They turned around to see Mrs. Beckjord and Mrs. Gearhart running out. Thus HalloweenTownship was saved and the teachers became heroes throughout the town.

Senior Jake Valley is back and ready to take on Peters Township for the second time. For those of you who don’t re-member Valley, he suddenly moved to Cali-fornia during the middle of his fourth grade year. His return has old friends excited and eager to see what this year will bring for him.

“I moved to California because my mom got a new job with her company. We always planned on coming back here, so this year we did,” said Valley.

Although California is a beautiful place, he was happy to return to his home-town.

“I felt sad when I first left in fourth grade. The worst part about leaving PT was leaving all my friends that I never got a chance to develop friendships with,” said Valley. “I got used to California pretty easily.”

Leaving Pennsylvania’s four seasons for the sunshine of

People Features// October 2014 PTHS

With over 130 members in

the Mighty In-dian Marching Band, it takes a true leader to assume the responsibility of drum major. Zenas Zhuang has been a part of the band for three years and co-conduc ts with Isabelle Stasenko. The

drum majors are in charge of conducting the band at practices, football games, and festivals. “I tried out for drum major feeling like I could make band something new this year. I felt like I could motivate the kids to per-form a better show than we did last year,” said Zhuang. Zhuang has been in a different sec-tion of band every year. He started out as a manager his sophomore year, then became captain of the mallet section his junior year, and is now a drum major his senior year.

Zhuang’s Commitment to ConductKellyDasta|StaffWriter

“Rather than being the leader of three mallets players, I wanted to be the guy that any band member could come to when there is a concern. I wanted the band to know I am there for them as much they are always there for me,” Zhuang said. Being drum major comes with many challenges. He is expected to attend every practice and performance because the entire band depends on him. Also, he must be enthusiastic and encouraging, even when things are not going well. “More often than not, I pretend like I know what I’m doing when I’m on the field and on the podium. Don’t tell the band I said that,” Zhuang joked. Band is full of memories and traditions ranging from activities at band camp, cheers at early morning practices, and the seniors passing off the band to the juniors during the senior show. Zhuang’s favorite memory is when he burst into tears while conducting the Alma Matter when practicing pregame at band camp. “Running a morning practice while functioning off little sleep was the worst yet funniest experience I’ve had,” said Zhuang, “I just can’t believe I cried

while conducting the Alma Matter. The ex-haustion and realization of my high school career coming to an end finally got to me I suppose.” The marching band is considered a family; the members form unbreakable bonds and friendships with each other. Zhuang’s favorite part about being drum major is being able to interact with every kid in band and help to build a strong sense of camaraderie. Outside of band, Zhuang is a well-rounded individual. His leadership qualities shine as President of the National Honor So-ciety and Vice President of the senior class. He also participates in varsity tennis, Eagle S c o u t s , and The T h r e e R i v e r s Y o u n g People’s Orches-tra. In-struments he plays include the violin, saxophone, bass, gui-tar, and mallets. Out of all these activities though, marching band will always have a special place in his heart.

Submitted Photo

Coast to Coast: An Interview with Jake Valley

NicoleBeichner|PeopleFeaturesEditor

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California wasn’t as challenging as Valley thought it would be. “I loved the weather in California,” said Valley. “It was differ-

ent because everything there is outdoors because it was so warm, where at PTHS everything is indoors.”

After seven years of beautiful weather and close bonds, Valley returned for his senior year.

“The worst part about leaving California was the weather as well as all my friends that I’ve spent so long with,” said Valley. “I was re-ally excited to see everyone that I haven’t seen in years, though.”

Valley is a huge soccer player and was very anxious to return and pick up where he started in the game seven years ago.

“I was really excited to come back and play soccer here,” said Valley. “I hope we win states for soccer and go as far as we can during the season this year.”

Although Valley only came back for his senior year, he has specific goals that he plans to reach by the end of the year. He desires to get good grades and go to a great college.

“I could see myself going back to California for college, but I also love PA; it would be hard to go back,” said Valley.

Photo by Jessie Bulseco

Photo by Olivia Glod

Layout by Maille O’Toole

Students may have already noticed a couple of new faces. In fact, there are four new high school teachers. This month we welcome Mr. Brado and Mr. Nicholson into the Peters Township High School family. Be sure to check out the December issue that will feature Mrs. Staywartz and Mr. Albright. The first day of teaching is just as stressful as a student’s first day of school. Every student and teacher has a goal that they try to reach before the end of each year. “I want to connect well with my students. I hope that they will find enjoyment out of the sub-jects, make connections, and walk away with newfound knowledge,” said Mr. Brado, the new American History and Economics Teacher. Brado has finally changed his part-time substitute status to full time. He welcomes the chal-lenges of teaching, but believes the benefits far outweigh the stress of the job. “I have the opportunity to make an impact on a student every day. Whether it is content related or simply talking to someone about their day, it is a unique feeling to really make a difference for some-one else.” Brado had a very interesting way of viewing a high school teacher’s career when he was a stu-dent compared to now teaching in high school. “It’s funny; I did not consider becoming a teacher until my senior year of high school. Up to that point, I took teachers for granted,” said Brado. “I think a lot of us view teachers as the people that are making us do work that we don’t want to do, as well as barriers to receiving good grades. Early in my senior year, of high school, I fell into this mindset.” Getting accepted into the college of your dreams is the best feeling in the world, but preparing for it is a completely different story. Brado has a few pieces of advice for the seniors who are preparing for their freshman year of college. “Don’t intimidate yourself, but do not go in overconfident either. There is a huge increase in the work load and responsibility of a college student.” stated Brado. “Take deep breaths and slow it down; you can handle it and everything always works out.” Just like students, teachers have their own hobbies and ways of enjoying themselves outside of the school. “I enjoy golfing with friends and my dad, watching movies, and watching baseball. I spend a lot of time watching baseball games live and on TV.” Finally, all teachers remember their all time favorite high school memory; Brado’s cherished memory was defeating Mt. Lebo in lacrosse his senior year.

Bravo to Mr. Brado

For 2009 Peters Township High School graduate, Mr. Nicholson, it has been an easy transition for him to become acquainted with the faculty and students; Nicholson recently accepted a position as a math teacher at the high school. Many aspects of school life, including spirit, have changed since Nicholson graduated. “I was surprised coming back at how awesome the school spirit has become. When I was at Peters, it didn’t feel like the school was connected as ‘one big happy community’ like it is now,” stated Nicholson. “It was a nice surprise to see all the students interact so well together at the pep rally and show so much pride towards their high school.” School spirit was important to Mr. Nicholson as a member of many sports teams in high school. Some of his best memories include participating in football and wrestling. He currently is the assistant coach for the PT wrestling team. Nicholson hopes that his involvement inside and outside of the classroom will benefit students. “I plan to make great, lasting relationships with all of my students and to continue adapting and improving my teaching strategies so I can always be offering my students the best education,” commented

Nicholson. “I want to get connected with the school in ways outside of the classroom, whether that is with athletics or other clubs.” Since Nicholson recently graduated from college, he can sympathize with students’ apprehension about college. “The biggest obstacle that I had to overcome in college was time management,” explained Nicholson. “You learn early on that you can’t push everything off until the last minute. If you do, it all comes crashing down. Once you realize how to stay on top of your work and stay ahead, it’s not too bad.”

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New Beginnings for Mr. NicholsonMarissa Glovier|Staff Writer

Photo by Peyton Start

Photo by Marissa Glovier

PeytonStart|StaffWriter

Homecoming week 2014

P-Rade

Theme Days

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Senior

Servants

Pep Assembly

Layout by Natalie Rihmland 17

Entertainment// October 2014PTHS

Taylor Swift attempts to “Shake Off” her critics AbbyTarwater|StaffWriter

Taylor Swift recently released her new single, “Shake it Off,” which was promoted by a new music video. This is the lead single from her new album, “1989”, set to drop on October 27. However, her new style has been criticized, and in some aspects has been labeled as controversial.

Swift, along with stars such as Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, cannot be discussed without strong opinions. She certainly has her fair share of critics, and her official departure from her country roots is not helping matters. Swift has said her new sound was influenced by ‘80’s pop.

“She’s not country anymore,” said former Taylor Swift fan, sophomore Meah Watson. “It’s not the same Taylor Swift sound I listened to

in fourth grade. She’s changed.” The music video for

“Shake it Off ” has also been the subject of criticism. The internet has labeled it as offensive and stereotypically racist. This is possibly due to the lack of diversity in the majority of the video, aside from the scene featuring twerking women and break-dancers. While many viewed the video in a negative light, it has also been praised.

“I liked Taylor Swift’s video because it’s different from what she usually does. Although she dances throughout the video, she is a horrible dancer., said junior Erin Wipperman. “This truly embodies the meaning of the song, to shake it off because she knew going into this that people would hate her atrocious dancing, but she doesn’t care. She’s gonna block

out the haters and shake it off.”Swift is known for

her long string of famous ex-boyfriends, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor Kennedy and Harry Styles. The majority of her singles call her exes out on their mistakes. However, her typical lyrical approach has changed with “Shake it Off.”

“I think that she has become a better role model in the past couple of years. She hasn’t dated anyone recently, and her songs aren’t all about boys anymore. They’re more about being happy and confident,” stated senior Caitie Lawrence.

Swift’s look has changed, from her everyday life to the red carpet. It began with her ditching her famous long curls, first for a long, straight look with bangs and,

most recently, she is sporting a wavy bob cut. She has gradually gone from typical to high fashion retro, wearing short dresses and high heels, but keeping her signature red lipstick. She even wore a blue bodysuit to the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, a risk she would have never dared to take before.

Traditional Fall Must-ListVanessasScoulos|EntertainmentEditor

Photo by Scott Mecum

Every season brings with it new weather, outfits and activities to try. This month’s must list will focus on getting the most out of fall, by embracing childhood traditions First, everyone must watch at least one scary movie this season . Go Disney and regain that déjà vu childhood feeling From Franken-weenie to Hocus Pocus, Disney offers a variety of thrills that will be sure to remind you of trick-or-treating days gone by.Plenty of fun, long established activities exist to keep you active and busy in fall. Whether you

choose to participate with friends, a significant other, or your family, there is always something for everyone. The weather is almost always beautiful so go to the local farm. There you can pick apples, get lost in a corn maze, go on a hay ride, and pick the perfect pumpkin from the patch. Take the time to stay home and carve or paint a pumpkin too. There are certain habitual foods that can only be enjoyed in the fall. Whether it’s the Starbucks specialty drinks, like the

salted Caramel mocha or a hot apple cider, enjoy them all. It is pumpkin season so while you are carving your pumpkins take the time to experiment with new pumpkin recipes. There is such a variety of recipes that use pumpkin, or just toast the pumpkin seeds. Don’t forget to enjoy a nice Caramel apple! One word, color. The trees are beautiful shades of red and orange, the sky is clear and the air is crisp. Go out and enjoy the weather. Rake your leaves, jump in

them and then rake them again. Repeat the process until you are tired. Feel too old to release your inner fall loving child? Play with a sibling, cousin, neighbor or another kid in your life. you won’t regret it.

Layout by Caitie Lawrence 19

Starstruck PittsburghKassianna Politis|Editor-in-Chief

Starting in the 1940s, Pittsburgh became a hotspot for filmmakers because of its diverse topography, interesting architecture, and economic benefits. Pittsburgh is often times considered the “Hollywood of the East,” as countless movies have been filmed in the city, capturing bridges, stadiums, colleges, suburbs, and the best that Pittsburgh has to offer. While the rest of the world is concerned with the final product of these films, many Peters Township teachers and former students have received the behind the scenes experience of the actual filming of these movies.

The ultimate Peters Township movie, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” perfectly portrays the halls and classrooms of PTHS. If you are a Peters kid and somehow have not seen this movie yet then you better go right now - forget about homework, forget about tests, forget about everything - and watch it. Who knows? Maybe Emma Watson and Logan Lerman used your locker or even sat at your lunch table. Also, make sure to look for some alumni and teachers that were cast as extras in the movie.

“The actual filming of the movie was fun but if I had to describe it in one sentence it would be hurry up and wait. Most of it was spent talking with other extras with a few exciting moments where we would get minor makeup or costume checks done, and then more waiting,” said Hardy Kern. “I also got to meet Paul Rudd, Logan Lehrman, Emma Watson, and Steven Chbosky and even got to eat dinner with them in the cafeteria at 1:00AM.”

Mrs. Ashley Vollmer was one of the few lucky teachers to be chosen to be in the film. She spent countless hours as an extra at a funeral scene for the main character, Charlie’s aunt. Unfortunately for Mrs. Vollmer, this scene did not make it into the film. Although the scene was cut out all together, Vollmer explained that she would not trade the experience for anything.

“My experience was awesome. I spent close to ten hours on set, had hair and makeup done along with wardrobe and enjoyed being part of the movie-making process,” stated Vollmer. “I also met Stephan Chbosky and had a picture taken with him.”

In addition to “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,”

“The Silence of the Lambs” hits home for another PTHS teacher. Parts of the movie were filmed in Mrs. Nicole Sitler’s high school physics teacher’s house while she had him for class.

“Every day of my junior year, my high school physics teacher explained that the movie crew was destroying his house while filming “The Silence of the Lambs,” said Sitler. He would give us inside scoop about Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. He said that Hopkins was a nice guy, but could not find anything positive to say about Foster.”

Although the suburbs of Pittsburgh have been a popular spot to film, filmmakers have also captured the beauty of the city such as in “The Dark Knight Rises.” One of the most memorable scenes occurred at the heart of the Steeler nation, Heinz Field. To bring even more Pittsburgh pride, former wide receiver for the Steelers, Hines Ward also starred in this famous scene. Another significant Pittsburgh hot spot in the movie was Carnegie Mellon. S o f t w a r e

Engineering Institute. It

was used as “Blackgate Prison,”

where Bane read. C o m m i s s i o n e r

Gordon’s speech to spark the release of all the prisoners. While it does not capture the bridges and rivers, “The Fault in our Stars” was filmed in eight distinctive Pittsburgh landmarks including the Strip District, the Pittsburgh International Airport, and Oakmont. Additionally, the place where Hazel and Gus first meet at their cancer support group is located in the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon. Allegheny General Hospital provided the exterior shot for the movie’s hospital scenes. Finally, look out for Lawrenceville, Hartwood Acres, and the Mansions on Fifth in Shadyside. “Abduction,” starring everyone’s favorite werewolf, Taylor Lautner, was yet another movie filmed in the ‘Burgh. One of the most memorable scenes is featured at PNC Park where during a Bucco’s game, a chase scene occurs in which Lautner slides down the top of the escalator. Other scenes were also filmed at Hampton High School. Side note, if you have any friends that attend Hampton, you can brag to them by saying that “Perks of Being a Wallflower” is rated way better than “Abduction.”

Photos by Caitie Lawrence

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Outside the Bubble // October 2014PTHS

Glimmer of Hope: Yazidi Girl Escapes ISISOliviaGlod|WebEditor-in-Chief

Despite a global mounting fear from the terrorist organization ISIS of an attack and sleeper cells, a 14 year old Yazidi girl, escaped the binds of an ISIS commander after being kidnapped with her family from her home. The Washington Post first reported this uplifting story in September and did not release her identity, only referring to her as “the young girl.” Relatives of the young girl reported that jihadists from ISIS would be arriving soon to capture the non-Muslim family in Tel Uzer, Iraq. Within hours, the family fled their home on foot, taking only a few belongings and the clothes on their backs. The family intended to take refuge at Mount Sinjar. However, their plans were foiled when they stopped after a mere hour of heading North and were quickly surrounded by members of ISIS. The refugees were immediately separated into three groups. First, the physically and mentally strong men were drawn away from the crowd. Then, a similar group comprised of women and children was placed in trucks to be taken into captivity. Finally, the elderly were robbed of all their belongings and were left on location with nothing. As the ISIS controlled truck drove away from the midst of the desert, the young Yazidi girl’s optimism was shattered by the noise of gunshots in the distance. Later, she was informed that the group of young men was executed by a firing squad. The women were immediately taken to a an empty school in Baj, near the Syrian border, where they joined other hostages who also lost their brothers, husbands, and loved ones due to the brutal murders conducted by ISIS. After a short period of interaction, the militants at-tempted to convert the girls to Islam. The assembly of hostages was disciplined for refusal. Days later, the girls were transported to Iraqi ISIS headquarters in Monsul where the girls were held captive for twenty days, forced to sleep on the floor, and were rarely fed. Sporadically, men would confront the girls and call them infidels, pushing them to convert. The devoted Yazidis painfully rejected every time. After approximately twenty days of being held captive, a guard split the group in half, married and unmarried women. In that moment the young Yazidi girl and her childhood friend, Shamaya, were each given to an ISIS member as a gift. The two men, nicknamed Abu Ahmed and Abu Hussein, took the girls to their residence in Fallujah. Abu Ahmed consistently attempted to convert the girl to Islam and even attempted to rape her on countless occasions, but she always refused. As a result, he brutally beat her and cursed at her. The girl began to question her own life, and admitted to discuss-ing suicide with her friend daily. Upon initial arrival in Fallujah, the girls were, surprisingly granted cell phones to contact their families. Although they found out their families fates were no longer in ISIS’ hands, their relatives’ journey to get to safety was harsh and brutal. The cell phones al-lowed them to speak to their loved ones and were a primary tool in the girls’ escape. The phones gave them a chance to contact a Sunni friend of Shamaya’s cousin, who lived in the area, for help. One evening when both captors were out of the house, the Sunni friend picked up the girls and drove them to freedom. After a long expedition filled with nerve-wracking checkpoints, and even a bribe of an ISIS member, the young girl was finally reunited with most of her family. Unfortunately, she had to bear the news that her nineteen year old brother was amongst those executed by the militants.

Fast Facts About ISIS-ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

-Terrorist group’s aim is to establish a caliphate with a single ruler to direct Islamic Law, or Sharia Law, through out Sunni regions of Iraq and Syria

-Originally was established as ISI (Islamic State of Iraq) in 2006 and officially merged with Syria in2014 to create ISIS

-ISIS refuses to recognize state borders and their leader, Abu Bakir al-Baghdadi, is acknowledgedas the authority over all Sunni Muslims through out the region

-Within a 44 day span (August 19, 2014 - October 3, 2014), ISIS released four videos of public beheadings of Western hostages that all followed the same strutcture

-On September 23, 2014, the United States announced airstrikes against ISIS would begin

Layout by Natalie Rihmland 21

As of April 22, a beloved dog named Gidget, a Jack Russell from Philadelphia, went missing. For five months, no word of the pup’s whereabouts were raised until recently in Portland, Oregon. The approximate distance from Philly to Portland is a jaw dropping 3,000 miles. So how does a dog travel from coast to coast successfully? Deborah Wood, the animal’s service manager at Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter in Hillsboro, Oregon, believes it is an absolute mystery and could only confirm the pet’s origin came from a microchip implanted on Gidget. Woods will not reveal the owner’s identity of this miracle pet, but reveals that a fund is being established to send the dog back home.

In Mainz, Germany, Beni Meier, a 30 year old gardener entered a pumpkin competition on a farm in Germany. The Swiss native Meier required a special vehicle to get the giant pumpkin to show. The pumpkin weighs a massive 2,096.6 pounds. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth was present to confirm the new world record overtaking Tim and Susan Mathison’s pumpkin in California. The Pump-kin is set to be on display until November 2, in Klaistow, Germany. Following the display plans are to cut it up and make a tasty soup out of it, as well as auction off the highly sought after seeds.

Flaming red objects hurled across the western skies on September 2. The phenomenon raised questions considering it was large and bright enough to be seen from New Mexico to Wyoming. Experts at the American Meteor Society’s believe what was seen by witnesses was in fact Russia’s Cosmos 2495 reconnaissance satellite breaking apart as it traveled through earth’s atmosphere. Its mission was to capture images from orbit. John Pike, Director of Global Security believes that the Soviets are still spying on the US. Russia is not the only country to have eyes in the sky. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimated that at least six nations make up the 98 spy satellites believed to be currently orbiting the Earth. McDowell confirmed, 30 from China, 37 from the US, and three (now possibly two) are operated by Russia. Former head of the U.S. Space Command, Gen. William L. Shelton, stated that 1,100 satellites are currently in orbit and our Defensive Department operates fewer than 100 of this mass of satellites.

What in the World?NickChapman|StaffWriter

Typically, teenag-ers wouldn’t be caught dead at their high school on a Saturday, let alone at 5 a.m.. However, on the morning of Saturday, August 30, a bus left the Peters Township High School parking lot with six students inside for the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. The field trip was the brainchild of Ms. Myers and Mrs. Fecher, the high school librarians, to kick off the 2014-2015 reading season. “I went to the festi-val because I love reading. It sounded like fun and I also thought it would be cool to visit a national festival,” said senior Christine Eshelman. This year marked the fourteenth annual festival and tens of thousands of book en-thusiasts attended. Senior Andrea Bryan

Peters Visits the National Book FestivalAngelaRoberts|StaffWriter

said, “It was so cool to see so many excited readers my age. There were also a lot of little kids who came.” The festival was crowded with amateur writers and excited readers alike. “We had standing-room audiences for most events and had to hold back entry into the evening poetry slam to pre-vent overcrowding the room,” said Jennifer Gavin, the project manager for the festival. Over 100 of the na-tion’s best authors and poets made appearances at book sign-ings and panels. “Meeting [Ishmael Beah] after reading [A Long Way Gone] truly made me ap-preciate his work because I was able to see where the words came from. It was almost as if I could see with my eyes what he went through. The words came

to life in my head,” said sopho-more Shreya Sharma. The festival also of-fered discussions that gave tips to aspiring writers. “I enjoyed learning about the writing process from actual writers,” said junior Christina Le. “I have a difficult time writing and would like to improve.” The students were sur-prised at the way the authors handled themselves during the event. “I expected [the au-thors] to be these aloof entities, but they were really down to earth,” said Eshelman. According to Gavin, the festival was founded to sup-port the love of reading. Today, it benefits book enthusiasts, such as Bryan. “I read because I like disappearing into another

world, even if it’s only for a few minutes. . . . Sometimes, fantasy can be a lot better than reality,” said Bryan.

Since this year’s field trip was such a success, Ms. Myers and Mrs. Fecher plan to organize a trip to next year’s festival as well. “We would like to make next year’s field trip even big-ger,” said Mrs. Fecher. “We hope to recruit even more stu-dents.”

Submitted Photo

Joey Cortese

Jessie FairbanksDaria Hofbauer

Rachel Thornton

Julie Sullivan

Digital IV Students Exhibit Their TalentsAngelaRoberts|StaffWriter

Although only a month of school has passed, student photographers have already jumped right back into the thick of shoots, settings, and editing. They are excited to continue to express their creativity through a medium that they love.

“I like photography because it allows me to see things from a different perspective,” said senior Daria Hofbauer.

Rachel Noonan

Morgan Weimer

Ben MorgretDanielle DibartolaCourtney Smore

Chad Wyatt

Tim Kuehn

Layout by Jessie Fairbanks

TEACHER 101: MRS. CORBIN

Layout and photo by Samantha AbrahamLily Tarwater|StaffWriter

My favorite workouts are ones with a lot of intensity in short intervals of time. I need to get the workouts done quickly so I have time to focus on my family. Since students don’t have a lot of time either, I’d encourage short, intense interval workouts, because they can burn more calories even after exercising. An example of this is the Insanity/T-25 type. Other times, look for ways to fit workouts into every day activi-ties. For example, I take my dog for a run to get in a quick workout.

LESSON ONE: QUICK WORKOUTS

LESSON TWO: TEEN HEALTHI think most workouts teens do are related to participa-tion in sports. Since so many teens participate in sports, they are getting copious amounts of exercise during the season. However, they should continue with some type of exercise in the off-season. Healthy teens should be exercising sixty minutes a day, five days a week. Eating healthy is very important because it builds strong minds and bodies. It is important to make good food choices now because it will establish a strong foundation for years to come.

LESSON THREE: YOGABecause I teach yoga in Physical Education, I know a lot of teens enjoy it because it’s something different for them. Yoga provides many benefits including flexibility, strength and better posture. It also strengthens the heart by reducing your heart rate and lowering blood pressure consequently reducing your risk for major dis-eases like stroke and heart attack. Yoga is definitely a great way to relax and relieve stress. Everyone needs to learn how to manage their stress in a healthy way.

LESSON FOUR: STRESSDealing with stress is different for each person. Sleeping and listening to music are some of the most popular ways that people deal with stress. There are so many healthy ways to cope with stress like talking to a friend, going for a walk, watching your favorite comedy or having a cup of coffee or tea. For me, I like to exercise. I highly recommend it. Exercise usually makes people feel better overall.

LESSON FIVE: STYLEMy work style is obviously athletic wear. I shop at Dick’s Sporting Goods or the Nike outlet. Nike is my favorite brand. It’s important to choose comfortable clothes that allow you to move, but most importantly you must choose the right pair of athletic shoes for the activity. You can never go wrong investing in a good pair of athletic shoes. At home, my style is basically the same type of clothes. On the other hand, if I am going out to dinner or somewhere nice, I wear jeans, cute tops, or maybe a skirt or cute dress. It depends on the occasion. Students need to develop their own styles that reflect their personalities.

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