Smoke Signals

Cheap Clothes for Broke People -- Like Mepg 10-11

Valentine’s Daypg 16-17

Tebowing:The Phenomenonpg 8-9

Student Work Featuring Artpg 22-23

February 2012

Hockey Feature: New Class Level, Same Goal

pg 6-7

Smoke SignalsVolume 3 Issue 3Peters Township High School

264 East McMurray RoadMcMurray, PA 15317Phone: 724-941-6250

www.ptmedia.net

Photo by Reid Elattrache

Meet the Staff

Carly Beck,Features Editor

Amanda MooreNews Editor

Denée RenzLayout Editor

McKenzie FritzOnline Editor-in-Chief

Katie FinnLife & Style Editor

Madison MinconeSports Editor

Molly DoehringPrint Editor-in-Chief

Christine ManganasOnline Editor-in-Chief

Katie DenningManaging Editor-in-Chief

Valerie KotarSpecial Features Editor

Allie SchlafmanLayout Editor

John GalaticPrint Editor-in-Chief

Liz WeimerOnline Editor-in- Chief

Julia GauthierEntertainment Editor

Stephanie HammellMarketing Editor

Val GobaoLayout Editor-in -Chief

Smoke Signals StaffJosh GlicksmanAlexa Kennedy

Bobby LewisLaura PurkeyJenna Taimuty

Benjamin Zalewski

Camille BarnesMadison Creehan

Elise JozwiakLydia McCall

Lindsey McCayAndrea Salizzoni

Grant TaylorMichelle Thomas

Taylor CoxShane Dazen

Jesse EbyJillian Eby

Smoke Signals is produced six times a school year by Media II, III, and IV Jour-nalism students. The staff adviser is Mrs. Sitler. Commentaries, reviews, and opin-ion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Smoke Signals, its advisor, or the Peters Township School District.

Mission Statement:

T

ab

le o

f C

on

ten

ts

4-5 PT FocusLanguage Trips: Peru

& Germany

6-7 SportsHockey: New class level,

same Goal

8-9 Opinion 10-11 Life and StyleTrader Joe’s

12-13 Pittsburgh14-15 People Features

Christine Guenther

16-17 Valentine’s DayA Day in the Life of Cupid

18-19 Entertainment

Movie: The Woman in Black20-21 News Features

#FlyHighGaby

22-23 Student WorkFeaturing: Art

Tebow Takeover

AP Images Julie Jacobson

AP Images LionsGate

AP Images Martin Mejia

christineguenthermurder.com

4 PT Focus

4 PT Focus February 2012 5

AP Images Diether Endlicher

6 sPorTs

Junior Lauren Thomas is the current alternate for the PTHS Varsity Dance Team. With the Universal Dance Asso-ciation (UDA) National Dance Team Championship (NDTC) quickly approaching, Lauren must juggle long, grueling prac-tices with both Junior Varsity and Varsity.

Since the beginning of the school year, both teams have been practicing three times a week with random “all-day prac-tices” to prepare for various competitions. Being the alternate, Lauren had to attend all practices for both teams. She learned each routine and was prepared to fill in at any given moment for an injured Varsity dancer, while still dancing regularly with her teammates on JV.

There was no guarantee that Lauren would get the chance to dance with the Varsity team at a local competition, let alone at Nationals in February. However, at the regional UDA competition in early December, Varsity dancer Liz Hall injured her knee and Lauren was called-up.

“I was nervous because I didn’t want to let the team down. It was a big opportunity and I was excited and happy,” said Lauren.

She learned all of Liz’s parts and spots in the routine and was able to fabulously execute the dance just as a Varsity member would. This occurred for the next competition, Steel City Cup, as well. Both times, Lauren danced with the JV girls, then ran off stage and made a quick change into the Varsity cos-tume just in time to perform with the team. Lauren helped con-tribute to the first place medals that JV and Varsity earned.

At the start of the New Year, Varsity started to pick up more and more practice time. Out of the thirty-one days in Janu-ary, the girls danced for twenty-four of them. They had intense practices and performed at vari-ous boys basketball games and wrestling matches. JV also per-formed at these events and had practices, both alternating with Varsity.

“It’s really hard to bal-ance. I have to plan my time wisely and stay up late to do school work,” said Lauren.

Nationals is the biggest event of Dance Team’s year. Ev-erything they do throughout the year relates back to the common goal: winning. Lauren would be thrilled with the opportunity to dance with the other girls on the Nationals floor in Disney World’s Wide World of Sports. However, with the opportunity comes an unfortunate injury to one of her teammates.

“As bad as I would like to dance for Varsity, I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt,” said Lauren.

Either way, Lauren will be dancing at the UDA NDTC with one of the teams. Whether it be Varsity or JV, she is willing to work hard to achieve the common goal, winning.

Will The hard Work Pay off?CamilleBarnes.StaffWriter

The Peters Town-ship Indians bumped up class levels from Double-A to Triple-A this year. That puts Peters’ hockey in the same league as rivals Canon-Mac, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, and Mt. Lebanon. Al-though the Indians are fac-ing different competition this year, the goal remains the same. “Every year we only have one goal: to win the Penguin Cup. Anything else is considered a failure,” said senior captain Cole Snyder. The road to this year’s Penguin Cup definitely will not be an easy one. With the class level change, the competition level increases. Defeating teams such as the Big Macs or the Blue Devils will undoubtedly be a dif-

ficult feat. Canon-Mac looks dominant right now, with a threatening offense and a tough goal tender. “There are plenty of good teams in the league this year, but we are still confident we have the ability to defeat any opponent,” said junior Alex DeBolt. Predicting the future of the Indians in the playoffs is certainly a challenge, mainly because of some inconsisten-cies on the ice. Sometimes PT plays to the level of fierce oppo-nents such as Mt. Lebanon and Canon-Mac. On other days, the team looks entirely out of sorts against weaker competi-tion such as Bethel Park. Once the Indians can find a way to consistently gel on the ice, the team may find themselves in contention for the Penguin Cup.

If the Indians are to win the Penguin Cup this year, a couple factors must be in or-der. First, sophomore goalie Brian Baker has to be on top of his game all postseason. Sta-tistically, Baker ranks as one

of the best goalies of the 2011-2012 PIHL AAA season. How-ever, it will be interesting to see how he matches up against con-sistently strong shooters.

NeW Class level, same GoalJoshGlicksman.StaffWriter

(Continued on page 7)

Submitted photo

Photo by Austin ChapellSenior Davan Groom backhands the puck to the net against the Seneca Valley goaltender.

6 sPorTs February 2012 7

JG: Sidney Crosby should retire early and enjoy the rest of his life in style after being absent for the better part of last year. His playing time has been inconsistent this sea-son. After numerous concus-sions throughout his whole life, Sid’s brain cannot withstand much more damage. Obvious-ly, the game of hockey becomes exponentially more exciting when one of the best players of all time is out on the ice. It is truly amazing how well Cros-by has performed in the few games he was healthy enough to play. However, at a certain point, the physical well-being of the individual must overrule the impact of the player. Every-one knows Crosby wants to see

himself play for the Penguins again, but his judgment may be clouded by his passion for the game and his recent. Any fan who wants to see Sidney Crosby out on the ice is selfish and un-caring. TC: Sidney Crosby should not retire after this season. Although Crosby has only played in a few games, he has had a major impact on the team. Playing in only eight games this year, Crosby recorded twelve points com-piling two goals and ten as-sists. He is one of the premier superstars of today. The NHL obviously does not want to lose their golden child; the popularity of hockey has rest-ed on Crosby’s shoulders since he was drafted. Crosby has likely made more than enough money from both his playing salary and endorsement deals with Reebok, Bell, Tim Hor-tons and Gatorade. It’s obvi-ous that Crosby’s retirement would have a huge impact on the game of hockey and would leave people wondering if he could have been the best hock-ey player of all-time. There has yet to be a doctor to tell him to retire. Crosby, being only twenty-four years old, has plenty of time to recover from his concussions.

JG: Oh, that’s right. I seem to have forgotten that we live in a world where personal desires come before the life of a badly injured young man. My bad. I wish there was a font for sarcasm. Crosby has had incredible success throughout his career. He has already won a Stanley Cup. Does he really need to risk his livelihood in order to do more than that? What Sidney Crosby has done in his career so far is what most hockey players never accom-plish in their lifetimes. Also, the unbelievable amount of money he has made is just another rea-son why he should retire. Cros-by could start living his golden years early and enjoying life instead of constantly worrying about how another hard hit to his head could destroy his men-tal stability. I simply hope Sid-ney Crosby carefully weighs his options: live it up on a beach in Jamaica, or possibly die. Wow. What a tough decision. TC: Concussion spe-cialists who have been treating Crosby since he was knocked out of action in early January of last year said they do not believe he will suffer any long-term effects from the injuries, but they are taking a cautious approach in terms of a return to play. Even if he doesn’t play

the rest of the year, Crosby will always be remembered in Pittsburgh. Penguin’s fans, NHL fans, and anybody who loves sports should be hop-ing that Crosby returns. The money factor is irrelevant; Crosby loves to play hockey. He would rather play then have to retire, and think of what he can accomplish if he plays. You are right, he does have a Stanley Cup ring and a gold medal, but just like every other hockey player, and he is not satisfied with just one. I say let him keep playing and whatever happens to him hap-pens. Crosby retiring would be one of the worst moments in sports history.

UNder revieW: shoUld sidNey Crosby reTUrN or reTire?JohnGalatic.PrintEditor-in-Chief & TaylorCox.StaffWriter

AP Images Gene J. Puskar

AP Images Alan Diaz

“I will have to play with high intensity and fight to the finish, and as long as the team makes the smart and simple plays we can beat anyone,” said Baker. Second, the Indians are going to need a dark horse. On any winning team, one play-er really needs to step-up dur-ing the postseason. My guess for the position is senior Davan Groom. Groom possesses great speed and agility on the ice and has an impressive mental aspect of the game. He seems to know the game very well and rarely ends up in the penalty box. In addition, he can fire a quick wrist shot towards the net, and is able to set up scoring plays.

Next, the Indians need their Rowdy Red student section. The fans recharge the team when things look bleak. Although the student section sometimes gets slightly out of control, the players need to hear their loyal fans to motivate them to play harder.

“I think it really means a lot to the players that I would show up to cheer them on,” said senior Park Bogan. Lastly, the Indians must receive assistance from their playmakers. Senior lead-ers Cole Snyder, Taylor Cox, and Aaron McDonough need

to help the team on and off the ice. On the ice, the trio has to work on setting up plays and keeping the team in check. Off the ice, they need to work on keeping the team focused and motivated. There is nothing worse than an unmotivated team. “A major thing to do is make sure everyone is focused during practices, because it will lead to focus during games. Also, we need to spend more time together as a team to promote chem-istry on and off the ice,” said McDonough. Photo by Reid Elattrache

From page 6

JG: It is a police-man’s job to protect the pub-lic, which was potentially in danger when Jamie Gonzalez brought a gun into school. After requesting that he drop his weapon, the young man refused to back down. “He had the weapon in his hand and he pointed the weapon at the officers,” explained Brownsville Police Detective Jose Trevino (ABC-News.com). In a world where school ground shootings are becoming more frequent, as-suming the best in an armed youth is not an option. Maybe Gonzalez had not shot the gun yet, but the police men had no clue what his next move would be. What most people do not understand is that police officers are trained to shoot and kill, not simply injure the culprit. When an entire school is in danger, a policeman must put the safety of the school before the life of a dangerous delinquent. No matter what the situation, when a gun is pointed at a cop, that police officer is required to react. Perhaps three shots may seem a bit like overkill, but when the heart is beating rapidly and the adrenaline is flowing, de-fense becomes a priority. The policemen are not to blame here. Blame the inattentive parents who allowed their kid to bring a pellet gun to school.

aPProPriaTe CasUalTy or PoliCe brUTaliTy?

8

CM: Although Jamie Gonzalez initially made the wrong decision to bring in the pellet gun to school, his death is not justified. This fifteen year old boy was fatally shot and he never even pulled the trig-ger. Gonzalez refused to put the gun down, so he was shot three times: one to the back of the head which fatally wound-ed him. Although he refrained from giving up the weapon, the two police officers wrongly de-cided to fire their guns and kill the young boy. If in fact shots were necessary, one was more than enough. “Why was so much excess force used on a minor? Why three shots? Why not one that would bring him down,” said Gonzalez Sr. according to the Associated Press. As the parents and so many others are left with ques-tions, it has been confirmed that the shots were legally jus-tified. Lingering is the question of why both the officers fired their guns when one shot from a single officer would have been enough to wound and bring down Gonzalez. “I think it’s terrible that the boy was shot in the head. He was fifteen and never even fired the gun. Death was definitely not the answer for Gonzalez Jr.,” stated senior Er-ica Gretz.

The police officer who fired the bullet that killed Gonzalez should be punished for his actions. Numerous peo-ple including his parents and friends continue to fight to de-fend Gonzalez’s death, and as this occurs, it raises question as to what factors justify police shootings.

Broncos’ quarterback Tim Tebow might possibly be the most criticized player in the NFL. But does he really deserve all of this criticism? Since taking over for Kyle Orton after the fifth game of the season, Tebow has posted an 8-4 record and already has one playoff victory under his belt. In that playoff game, he set a fran-chise record for highest passer rating in a game and an NFL record for yards per completion in a contest. If those do not contribute to the making of a successful quarterback then I don’t know what will.

Tebow has struggled in the beginning of most games, but his performance at the end of each game makes up for it. Tebow has a handful of fourth quarter comebacks and has given his team the opportunity to win in overtime. Great quarterbacks have always performed at their best in the final moments of the game; we can compare Tebow to some of the all time greats like Joe Montana and John Elway because of his ability to perform well during clutch time. Tebow has found a way to channel all of his critic’s sour words into victories.

The Broncos’ quarterback feeds off of negativity and uses it to motivate him and his teammates. This is another sign of a great NFL signal caller. He inspires his teammates to go out every week and do whatever it takes to get the win. Defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs who arguably have the best defense in the league also contributes to his reputation. Sure, the game did go into overtime, but he threw an eighty yard touch-down pass on the first play to win the game and leave Steeler Na-tion heartbroken.

Tebow is quite vocal about his faith. He can be found kneeling and praying, referred to now as “Tebowing,” multiple times during a game. He also credits his success to God and he makes that point well known. However, his openness about his be-liefs has led to numerous people bashing him. However, I frankly do not understand why he deserves all of this criticism. He stands behind what he believes in and does not care what people think. His faith is a major part of his life, and according to him, a major part of his success. He even spends his summer vacations going on mission trips to third world countries. Tebow is a genuinely good person and he does not deserve to be bashed in the way that he is. Tim Tebow is someone that we can all look to as a role model.

TeboW TakeoverGrantTaylor.StaffWriter

Tebow prays before the start of a game. “Tebowing is a huge Phenom-enon,” stated senior Grant Taylor.AP Images

seNioriTis sTrikes baCk

AP Images Julie Jacobsen

JohnGalatic.PrintEditor-in-ChiefChristineManganas.OnlineEditor-inChief

Student Jamie Gonzalez

February 2012 9

As the first semester winds to a close, teachers and parents of high school students are carefully preparing for the epidemic. No, not Bieber Fever or Swine Flu which have both, thankfully, been eradicated save for a few freshmen victims. The disease that is closing in on upperclassmen is much more dangerous. It’s Senioritis. The illness affects seniors--and some especially lethargic juniors--every year. It’s a rare pandemic that scientists and over-achievers alike struggle to explain. Signs of Senioritis start off small, a missed homework assignment here, a tardy there. However, before the word “graduation” even occurs to most faculty members, Senioritis has already claimed its victims. Symptoms include wearing sweatpants and/or tracksuits four days a week, excessive trips to Taco Bell, glazed eyes, the rationalizing of failing grades and an overuse of the phrase, “I

just don’t really care anymore.” This crippling disease can take hold of even the brightest of students. Many become so infected that they try to blame others for their sickness.Shouts of, “My parents/the superintendent/ the government are such Dick Cheneys for making me go to school!”, are frequently heard in the halls. While some methods may alleviate the disease such as, long-term groundings, college rejections and parental threats of Guantanamo Bay imprisonment, there is but one true cure: graduation. I personally have been a victim of this horrifying illness since around October. Not a day passes in which I don’t ask myself questions like, “Why am I here?”, “Have they ever reconsidered renaming the school Peters Township Juvenile Detention Center?”, “Who can I copy that homework from?”, and “Why can’t we wear pajama pants/Snuggies/ Forever Lazys

on casual Fridays?”. I think the severity of my ailment truly struck me after watching a weekday twenty-four hour marathon of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in which I only moved from my sprawled position on the couch twice. The fact that I even had the will to count my movements astounds me. At such an advanced stage of the disease, I believe it is fair to say that even Stevie Wonder can see that I’m a goner. Now as spring approaches and the faint light at the end of the tunnel grows ever closer, twelfth graders will be itching in anticipation. While many dream of that fateful day when they finally get to throw their caps into the air, for most it is still just a far off mirage. While graduation is only four months away, there’s still a lot of Senioritis to sift through.

seNioriTis sTrikes baCkMcKenzieFritz.OnlineEditor-in-Chief

With the Entertainment Must List, you can easily keep up with the best in pop culture—the movies, sports, music, food, books, etc. that should not be overlooked, even if they do not top the charts on iTunes or at the box office. Look for a new issue of the list in every news magazine article and you can become a pop culture connoisseur. Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay: In Coldplay’s most upbeat

and cheerful album to date, Chris Martin, the band’s front man, sings lyrics that strike the soul. The most popular single “Paradise” features a hypnotiz-ing chorus, but the less popular songs do wonders for the album and show how much Coldplay has progressed. Check out: “Hurts like Heaven,” “Up With the Birds,” and “Don’t Let it Break Your Heart.” The Descendants: Nominated for five Oscars, the recent film set in Hawaii is surprisingly not overrated at all. Every amount of praise the cast—including The Secret Life of the American Teenager’s Shailene Woodley—

and director Alexander Payne have received is much deserved. Woodley’s performance was stunning, and George Clooney did not disappoint; with his opening monologue about paradise, he cap-tured audiences for the entire picture. Suburgatory on ABC: This new show on ABC is a great comedy about a city girl moved to the suburbs—and hating the switch. The show’s portrayal of the suburban town is so ridiculous it’s funny. In addition, the show is strangely relatable… Moe’s Southwest Restaurant and Grill: Welcome to Moe’s! That’s a sentiment that never gets old. The South of the border themed restaurant has excellent tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tortillas, quesadillas, etc. There are locations in both Washington and Market Square. ChildishGambino: Donald Glover on Community=amazing. Donald Glover as a rapper= even more amazing (if possible). He just released his album Camp back in November. Buy it now, you will not regret it! Zumba: This fun new dance style is an option for those who are sick of yoga. You can go to Alexander’s Gym on Mondays at 7:30 PM and be taught by Mrs. Degnan. Only $10 a class! James Neal: Without much of Sidney Crosby, this season for the Penguins has been pretty rough. Luckily though, the second year player James Neal is fun to watch and improving all the time. Neal recently played in the NHL All-Star game, and even managed to score a goal.

The eNTerTaiNmeNT mUsT lisT LauraPurkey.StaffWriter

Senior McKenzie Fritz jumps for joy in her Forever Lazy, on the senior benches. “I think the Forever Lazy gives me a touch of casual elegance. I sugest everyone invest in one,” stated Fritz.

AP Images Mark J. Terrill

10 LiFe & sTyLe

Let’s face it, one trip to the mall can result in your wallet or bank account becoming completely empty. With the steep prices at most designer stores, it is easy to overlook the cash you have spent until you are completely broke. If you are like me, stopping the spending craze can be dif-ficult, but luckily, there are a few tips to make it easier. #1: Go shopping with a friend that is also into saving money. If you both set a goal of mini-mizing spending, it will be easier to resist buying

shoPPiNG sUrvival GUide for broke PeoPle, like meKatieFinn.Life&StlyeEditor

From the Runway, to the Hallway

everything in sight. A perk of this tactic is a good number of stores have two for one deals, or buy one get one fifty percent off. Split the final price with your friend and you both get the clothes for less. Also, if you tend to shop with cash, only take a small amount to the mall. If you take all of your money, it will be gone by the time you leave. If possible, lean towards shopping with cash. Studies show that shoppers that use cash spend eight to twelve percent less than those that shop with some type of card (wisebread.com). #2: An additional tip is to shop with a purpose or list the items you are shopping for. This limits the amount of un-

necessary clothes purchased. Furthermore, do not buy the same types of clothes you al-ready have. For example, I have way too many striped tops in my closet so I try to steer clear of them so I do not waste my money on more. #3: Online shopping is another option that replaces the typical mall shopping spree. Websites like Forever 21, Body Central, Macy’s, and numer-ous others always have a larger clearance section that includes many more styles than those that can be found in stores. The only downside to this option is the cost of shipping, but some websites do not require fees if you spend more than a set

amount. Ebates is a phe-nomenal website that of-fers cash back when shop-ping online. Before you begin your shopping, visit the Ebates website, signup, and navigate to the store. It is definitely a worthwhile internet search. The only downside is not all stores are offered on this site. “I never expect-ed to find so many cute clothes and good deals on the Forever 21 and Body Central websites. I was so surprised and I will defi-nitely be online shopping there more often,” stated senior, Kristen Jacobs.

Style Inspiration?

Favorite Store?

Must Have Item?

Item to Splurge

Kim Kardashian Victoria Beckham

Express

Mini Skirt

Shoes

Forever 21

Leather Jacket

Tops

Miley Cyrus

Forever 21

Jeans

Shoes

Margherita Missoni

BCBG

Blazer

Shoes

MollyDoehring.FashionEditorIsabelle Stasenko

FreshmanCarly LittleSophomore

Maddy MaggsJunior

Ariana SampsonSenior

These Peters Township fash-ionistas catch the eye of girls and guys alike while making our hall-ways into their own personal run-ways. With their incredible fashion sense and style, our fellow class-mates can look to these girls for their fashion inspira-tion.

10 LiFe & sTyLe February 2012 11

The average nail painting styles can be bor-ing and too simple at times. To spice up your nails, try the four following techniques and your nails will look amazing without even visiting a salon. Water Marbling: After adding drops of nail polish to a bowl of luke warm water, swirl the nail polish into a design and dip your finger into it, nail face down. Be sure to put scotch tape around, underneath, and on the sides of your nail to keep nail polish off your finger. Hold your finger in the water for two to three seconds then, with a toothpick, remove the excess nail polish from the water.

Newspaper Nails: The base coat for this type needs to be a white, tan or light pink. Let the nails dry then soak each individual nail in rubbing al-cohol for five to ten seconds. Lay a piece of newspaper on the nail for about a minute after soaking it in the alcohol. The words on the news-paper will transfer over to your nails. Be sure to use a clear top coat.

Splatter Nails: To start off, paint the nails white and get as many bright colored nail polishes as you can. Pour a small amount of the colored nail polishes separately onto a palette and add some polish thinner to them. (Thinner can be purchased at a drug store.) Wrap scotch tape around your finger. Dip a small paint brush into one of the colors and splatter it into your nails. When you get the amount of splatters you de-sire, switch to the next color and do the same thing.Striped Nails: Begin with a base coat of any color you like. After put-ting on a base coat and letting it dry, cut pieces of scotch tape to whatever thickness you prefer. Paint over the tape with a thin-ner polish to make the stripes. Carefully pull the tape off and apply a top coat.

sNaCk seNse: Trade UP for Trader Joe’s

CarlyBeck.Life&StyleEditor In our culture, snacking is often frowned upon and viewed as unhealthy. This can be accurate if the only snacks you ever reach for are chips, cookies, and chocolate. However, eating small meals throughout the day regulates the body’s metabolism and helps to avoid overeating at meals. The key to smart snack-ing is to fuel your body with nutrient rich foods that will keep you full for longer. Foods that are processed or high in sugar may seem satisfying at first, but will leave you wanting more. Adding a periodic eating plan to your daily routine, consisting of five to seven small meals, will result in a healthier lifestyle.

Fruits and veggies are obvious smart choices when it comes to snacking. Using peanut butter is an easy way to jazz this snack up, as long as it is kept to about two tablespoons. Also, a handful of mixed nuts is a more savory way to satisfy mid–day hunger. However, be sure to grab the unsalted option to keep excess sodium intake down. Almonds are an especially great choice as they are packed with fiber and heart healthy fats. Fur-thermore, low-fat yogurt is another smart snack that will keep you full. Throwing in granola is a good way to add crunch, flavor, and fiber. Finally, hummus spread on pita chips or crackers is a flavorful substitute for chips and dip.

Although Giant Eagle is typically the go-to for grocer-ies, Trader Joe’s, a new specialty grocery store, was put in on Washington Road just up from the Galleria. While it is small in size, the store is packed with interesting items and numerous or-ganic options. Trader Joe’s offers a large amount of frozen and dried fruits, great for cereal toppings. A display filled with a vast selection of protein/power bars will fulfill that on-the-go break-fast need. Also, the store has an entire aisle full of nut and trail mix assortments, in which everyone is assured to find a com-bination they will love. The trip to Trader Joe’s may take a bit longer than to the local Giant Eagle, but stocking up on healthy snacks every month or two is worth the time.

CarlyBeck.Life&StyleEditorKatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor

Photo By Katie Finn

Photos by Carly Beck

Photo By Michelle Thomas

Although some may not believe it, Pittsburgh’s complexity stretches past the Steelers and the Penguins. It not only has set the scene for some major Hollywood film productions, but it has been named the “most livable city” in the United States in 2011, as it was in 1985. The city also took tenth place for the most livable cities in 2009. The 2011 Global Livability Rankings ranked each city on 30 factors in the categories of stability, health care, education, infrastructure and culture, and environment. Pittsburgh claimed the top spot with a solid 92.3 score. Pittsburgh was one of only two U.S. places to be included in National Georgraphic’s “The Best Trips of the World 2012.” According to National Geographic, Pittsburgh is “one reinvented city” and has a “wealth of fine art and architecture.” The Steel City is also the new “In” city of 2012. According to the Washington Post, Pittsburgh has that honor due to its breathtaking scenery, artwork, walking and biking trails, the reasonable rent, food, and, most importantly, the people.

The sTeel CiTy beComes The “iN” CiTyJennaTaimuty.StaffWriter

As Pittsburgh begins to evolve into the new “Holly-wood,” stars have taken to the streets of our beloved ‘Burgh. Tom Cruise and his family have been spotted multiple times walking around downtown, as well as Emma Watson. Anne Hathaway was seen exercising and some lucky people got a glimpse of Christian Bale filming the up and coming movie, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Pittsburgh is becoming the fresh, new movie capital and star sightings will gradually become more common to “yin’s Pittsburghers.” The following mov-ies were filmed in Pittsburgh:

It’s a (ADJECTIVE) Sunday morning in the ‘Burgh and

(ADJECTIVE) Stiller fans are getting aht of the house and getting

their gear together for the big game at 1 o’clock. After everyone puts

on their (PLAYER) jerseys, they are either rushing Dahntahn to

(VERB) and tailgate or to the store to fill their buggys with (PLU-

RAL NOUN) and (PLURAL NOUN). Flooding into Heinz Field,

Pittsburghers claim their seats and whip out their Terrible Towels.

On the first drive of the game, Ben gets sacked (NUMBER) times and

throws a total of (NUMBER) completed passes for a total of (NUM-

BER) yards. The Stillers lose by a score of (NUMBER) to (NUMBER)

and they end their season in the playoffs once again. Fair-weather

fans (VERB) their teams kellers for losing, and convince themselves

they have the (ADJECTIVE) team in the NFL. Others know they will

always have the (ADJECTIVE) Penguins to turn to and get a win. So

as fans (VERB) the Liberty Bridge and head back to the (PLACE)

to have a sammich and worsh their jerseys for next season, they are

thinking one thing: “Yinz better win next year!”

One Shot- 2013

The Perks of Being a Wallflow-er- 2012

The Dark Knight Rises- 2012

Abduction- 2011

She’s Out of My League- 2010

PiTTsbUrGh movies

Love and Other Drugs- 2010

I Am Number Four- 2010

Unstoppable- 2010

The Next Three Days- 2010

Inspector Gadget- 1998

Silence of the Lambs- 1991

mad libsChristineManganas.OnlineEditor-in-

Chief

KatieFinn.Life&StyleEditor

Photo by Sarah Yoest

Pittsburgh Exclusive

Pittsburgh has a certain uniqueness to it that no other city in America can match. From food to sports to celebrities, there is plenty to be found in the Steel City that can be considered quite extraordinary. Here are just a few of the unusual and unbelievable statistics Pittsburgh has to offer.

• In 2009, the Steelers won their sixth NFL Super Bowl, and the Penguins defeated Detroit for their third Stanley Cup victory. Not since 1969 has a city won two major sports championships in the same year.

• Pittsburgh is home to Primanti’s Brothers, makers of the most famous sandwich in town. This classic combines grilled meat, cole slaw, tomato, and French fries between two pieces of Italian Bread.

• Musical artists originally from the ‘Burgh: Christina Aguilera, Wiz Khalifa, Bret Michaels, and Mac Miller.

• The Consol Energy Center, built in 2010, seats exactly 18,087 fans in honor of number 87, Sidney Crosby.

• Although a Polish tradition, pierogies, potato dumplings covered in butter and onions, are a staple.

• Actors that got their start in our town range from Fred Rodgers, to Jeff Goldblum and Sharon Stone, and even Michael Keaton and Zachary Quinto.

• Pittsburgh is the only city where all major sports teams wear the same colors: the beloved black and gold.

JohnGalatic.PrintEditor-In-Chief & CarlyBeck.Life&Style Editor

Photo by Sarah Yoest

Photo by Emily Cocco

other girls as well. Most people would assume that since Banashefksi is a girl, the boys would take it easy on her. She says that is not always the case.

“Either you hold your own or you get destroyed” said Banashefski.

In the future, Banashefksi may consider putting wrestling on a side burner due to the fact that lacrosse has caught her eye. If lacrosse becomes a sport that she plays at the high school level, wrestling will become a hobby rather than a team sport.

Since wrestling is so competitive, Banashefski must never fall behind. She is ready to hit the mats hard when she returns from her ankle sprain and she hopes to eventually win a tournament.

14 PeoPLe FeaTures

You may think that the sport of wrestling only involves boys, but think again. Sophomore, Haley Banashefski defied all odds by being the only girl to join the wrestling team.

When you see her in the halls, Banashefski appears as your average teenage girl. However, if you take a deeper look, you will learn that she is proud to be the only girl on the varsity wrestling team.

Haley’s interest in the sport started the summer after her eighth grade year. Banashefski’s father, a former wrestler himself, asked her if she would like to join him in going to “open mats.” Her love for the sport flourished from there.

“I quickly realized I loved it. The coach said I looked like I was born to wrestle and I had a lot of potential. He asked if I was joining the high school team and I accepted the offer without a second thought,” said Banashefski.

Banashefski is currently out with an ankle sprain. It is still not strong enough for the running, shooting, and sprawling that the sport involves.

“Taking a shot and sprawling are two major things in wrestling - it would be best to not have an injured ankle to do them,” said Banashefski.

She is in the same weight class as Ty Buckiso. However, Buckiso is one of the best wrestlers on the team, she is his back up. There is no bias when it comes to who Banashefski wrestles. She takes on guys but gets time on the mat against

baNashefski Takes doWN The boysJennaTaimuty.StaffWriter

Four Peters Township High School students have been recognized as Semi-Finalists in the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These four students are among 34,000 of the highest scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT and will receive letters of commendation in recognition of their scholastic achievements. Seniors Kierra Falbo, Valerie Gobao, Alexandra Hussey and Daniel Ketyer are now competing for the opportunity to earn a portion of $36 million dollars in scholarship money, which will be offered next spring, within the National Merit Scholarship organization. In addition, Taylor Young was honored by the National Achievement Scholarship Corporation as a Semi Finalist, recognizing outstanding Black American high school students. Young is one of 1,600 students across the nation to earn this honor.

”I was so surprised and was unsure that I would even get the opportunity. I’m so honored- money is good,” said Young as she gave a thumbs up.

Congratulations students, it’s an honor to have you in the school.

hoNored aNd CommeNdedLydia McCall.StaffWriter

All photos submitted

February 2011 15

On a cold, rainy day in October of 1981, a fifteen year old student of Peters Township named Christine Guenther left the high school on an early dismissal from her tennis class to catch a bus to her doctor’s appointment in Pittsburgh. The bus stop was on Rt. 19 by Donaldson’s Crossroads, but she never got on that bus. Five days later, on Halloween, her body was found under a pile of leaves. Police said that she had significant trauma to the skull from a blow by an ax or a hatchet. The case stirred quite a commotion among Peters’ residents. However, despite the publicity, Guenther’s murderer was never found. Now, thirty years later, Guenther’s friends and family are working together to reopen the case and hopefully solve it once and for all.

Through many interviews and witness

accounts, Police have been able to piece together a possible story about what happened that dreadful day. Guenther, on her way to her doctor’s appointment, had picked up the wrong schedule and missed the bus. She stood out in the rain for a while before, as stated by a witness, entering a phone booth nearby, if it was for either shelter or to make a call, no one knows. Both staff and students, along with the community as a whole, grew very concerned with the case as the mystery surrounding it deepened.

“In many ways it was very frightening, almost like a slap in the face for us all,” said Ms.Hamilton, a teacher here when Guenther disappeared.

Christine’s best friend, Chris Patrizzio Wallace, has never stopped hoping that Guenther’s murder will be solved. Wallace and a few other friends started the “Justice for

C h r i s t i n e Guent her” page on F a c e b o o k which is open to c u r i o u s viewers and anyone who

may be able to add information to solving the case. There are now 44 members consisting of friends, family members, teachers, and other supporters. Another firm supporter of solving Guenther’s murder is her cousin, Nicole Mayor. Collectively, both Wallace and Mayor are working along with the help of others to gain some insight and leeway on the case.

“We were young and couldn’t do anything about it at the time, but now, thirty years later, we have the money and we have social media to help us get information out to people,” said Diane Postrech, spokeswoman of the friends of Guenther, to TRIB Local Media. “We’re pretty certain that someone out there knows something.”

Together Wallace, Mayor, and Postrech raised $3,000 to set up a billboard on Route 19. Seventy-five other smaller signs were scattered over the township and nearby areas and state ‘unsolved mur-der’ along with the date and address of the murder itself. The signs also contain contact information on how to notify the police of any tips or insight. Several memorial services have been held recently, including

It is senior night in the Peters Township gymnasium. There is only one player waiting to have his name called while looking at the Rowdy Red cheering him on as he walks onto the court. That player is senior point guard Kevin Glod, and to many people’s surprise, he is the lone senior on the basketball team. “It’s really not that bad, to be honest. I don’t even think about being the only senior,” said Glod. Glod’s defensive play as the squads starting point guard has earned him t

Shane Dazen.StaffWriter‘Glod’ To be baCk

admiration from the players and coaches alike. He has been counted on to lead a young, ambitious team into opposing gyms and to help maintain a calm environment on and off the court. The tenacious senior and his peers have been playing their hearts out, orchestrating comeback after comeback as they aspire to earn a trip to the WPIAL playoffs. “We have a couple of very important games coming up. If we can capture a few key wins in the next couple of weeks, we will make the playoffs. I think

we can accomplish great things if we continue to focus on the main goal, which is to win,” said Glod. Although the game of basketball has treated Glod well, he realizes that his favorite pastime is not always going to be there for him. He is already thinking about life after the court, which includes going to a university to study business and law. However, there is still one thing he wishes to accomplish. “I want to go out a champion,” said Glod.

JUsTiCe for ChrisTiNe GUeNTherJuliaGauthier.StaffWriter

one at Saint Benedicts the Ab-bot Church. There was also an automobile caravan from Pizzaz Italian Restaurant to Guenther’s burial site at Queen of Heaven Catholic cemetery where purple balloons were released (Guenther’s favorite color). Remembrance speeches were made and a former PTHS graduate and friend of the Guenther’s, Mary Larkin, sang a hymn in her honor. Finally, a gathering was convened un-derneath the billboard on Rt. 19 at the exact date and time that her body was found thirty years ago, where more balloons were released and speeches were made. Since the publicity, 25 tips have come in the police hotline.

This case should be a lesson to us all that bad things can happen to anyone, even in a place like Peters Township. With current technology and resources, both Guenther’s supporters and the police feel it is possible to light a match un-der this cold case. In the end, after all the interviews and in-vestigations, Christine Guen-ther was just a fifteen-year old girl who didn’t deserve mur-der, but now deserves justice.

He Said, She Said:

First Date Edition

Where is the best place to go?Taylor: “Somewhere that both of you will enjoy.”Carly: “Somewhere casual like a pizza place.”

Taylor: “Playing games on their phone, texting other people, and checking out someone else.”Carly: “Play on their phone the whole time.”

What’s the worst thing your date can do during the date?

What should your date do to keep things from getting awkward?

Taylor: “Talk about random stuff.”Carly: “Make a joke!!”

What’s the best text you could get after?Taylor: “I had a great night, let’s do it again? ;)”Carly: “Let’s hang out again soon :)”

Who should pay?Taylor: “The guy should always pay for her.”Carly: “The girl should offer to pay half, but the guy should not let her.”

How Well Do you Know Meghan Fitzgerald? Favorite

Candy Heart Saying

Favorite Love song

FavoriteChick-Flick Dream Date

Hug Me! Our Song by Taylor Swift

The Notebook Taylor Lautner

with Taylor Cox & Carly Beck

McKenzie Fitzgerald

MeghanFitzgerald

Mitch Stowers

Jess McIntosh

I Love you

Hug Me

Be Sweet

Our Song by Taylor Swift

The one Mitch wrote

for her.

Love Story by Taylor Swift

John Tucker Must Die

The Notebook

She’s the Man

Taylor Lautner

Taylor Lautner

Actor from Peter Pan

A Day in the Life of Cupid

1. Cupid’s a Smooth Operator and wants to start music Fri-day with some Endless Love . If it doesn’t work out though, his Heart Will Go On.

5. Shot through the heart, Cupid’s to blame, Mark and Jared give bromances a bad name.

4. The only thing Cupid loves more than Gossip Girl is books with Fabio on the cover... so dreamy.

2. When Cupid asked Justin how he picked up Eleni, Justin said he used the line, “Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be what they call fine print.”

Roses are red, violets are blue, and Cupid is here to help love struck little you. Now that it’s approaching Valentine’s Day, Cupid plans to whisk love your way. Don’t forget your chocolates and candy hearts, when you get hit by Cupid’s love-darts. So watch Cupid frolick in the hall and bring love, joy, and mushiness to all!

1. 2.

3.

4. 5.

3. “I hope they name Baby Pinto after me!” -Cupid

18 enTerTainenT

“Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down. And I’d like to take a minute just sit right there, I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air.” The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was at the top of the food chain when it came to 90’s Television shows, along with many other for-gotten programs in that iconic era. The 90’s was a comedic gold mine when it came to cartoons and laugh out loud shows. How-ever, shows today lack the humor that the 90’s possessed. They now are not as light and humorous as they once were; they’re more drama filled and try to keep you on the edge of your seat, as op-posed to making you laugh. From Catdog, to The Big Comfy Couch, the 90’s was a great generation to grow up in. Shows such as, Aahh! Real Mon-sters, Rocket Power, and Animanics have always hit it big. Al-though those shows did not carry on to the 21st century, some of the networks are still here today and flourishing. Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon both remain today but are circulating drastically different shows. These networks have been taken over with numer-ous dramatic sitcoms. However, some comedic shows have been able to bridge this new era to carry on their legacy. For example, SpongeBob is still one of the networks most popular shows. It continues to come out with new episodes each and every season. Another popular 90’s show that has succeeded is Home Improvement. Just because some shows did not make it through the year 2000 entertainment conversion, does not mean they should be forgotten. This generation of classic TV shows will never be forgot-ten, no matter how many times your life “gets flipped, turned up-side down.”

Hey Arnold The Angry BeaversDoug Boy Meets WorldAll That Sister SisterLizzie McGuire Full House The Wild Thornberry’s Recess

EliseJozwiak.StaffWriterCartoons: It’s a 90’s Thing

“During afternoon tea, there’s a shift in the air, a bone trembling chill that tells you she’s there. There are those who believe the whole town is cursed, but the house in the marsh is by far the worst. What she wants is unknown, but she always comes back. The spec-ter of darkness; the woman in black.”Creeped out yet? It is hard not to be while reading an excerpt from, the bone chilling trailor for The Woman In Black that stars Daniel Radcliff, known to most people as Harry Pot-ter. No one knows quite what to expect from Radcliff. It came to theaters on February third, and will either be a smash or a pass for the fans of the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling’s larger-than-life series, Harry Potter, has defined a generation and has been part of many peoples’ lives since the first copy of (“Harry Potter and the Sor-cerer’s Stone”) was published in the UK in 1997. After following Potter (played by a young, Dan-iel Radcliff) for fifteen years, we watched Harry, Hemione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Ru-pert Grint) get past the life threatening encounters while attending school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wiz-ardry. Unfortunately, this past year fans saw the series come to a close, after a legendary fi-nale in which Radcliffe battled his biggest enemy Voldemort to the death. After busting the box office with over 6.1 billion dol-lars, this classic series was just a prelude to Radcliffe’s award winning acting career. The greatest challenge for The Woman in Black to beat, of course, is winning the hearts of the vast Harry Potter fan base. However, that won’t be easy. Hollywood writers are say-ing that this movie will be scari-er than any Harry Potter movie. This chilling film is about an at-torney, Arthur Kipps, played by Radcliffe, who goes to an isolat-ed home in England that is sup-

The Boy Who Lived Meets the Woman in Black

AndreaSalizzoniStaffWriter

posedly haunted by a ghost that still drifts through its walls. Al-though the large group of “Har-ry Potter” fanatics will probably only see this movie because it is Radcliff ’s comeback acting job, this movie will be a far reach for Radcliff ’s supporters to meet. “Although I think the Harry Potter movies are the best movies ever, I’m really ex-cited to see Daniel Radcliff ap-pear in another movie, and I hope he does as good as he did throughout the Harry Potter movies.” said, Erica Salizzoni. Longtime Radcliff fans are hop-ing that The Woman in Black will immensely portray Rad-cliffe’s award winning acting ability. However, manxious fans will have to wait until February third to decide.

AP Images Joel Ryan

AP Images Julie Markes

Favorite 90’s Shows

AP Images Carlo Allegri

AP Images Krista Niles

Christy Burris’ iPod Playlist

1. My Heart Will Go On-Celine Dion

2. Lucky-Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

3. Stereo Hearts-Gym Class Heroes

4. Love You Like A Love Song-Selena Gomez

5. Electric Feel-MGMT

February 2012 19

sUrviviNG The UlTimaTe baTTleStephanieHammell.MarketingEditor

Imagine immersing yourself in a world where your destiny could lie in an epic battle to the death; that is ex-actly the case with the “Hunger Games” series. In the ruins of North America lies the nation of Panem; a country consist-ing of a Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the twelve districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games. The book focuses on a District 12 tribute, Katniss

Everdeen, who lives with her younger sister, Primrose, and widowed mother. Survival is second nature for the sixteen-year-old, who struggles daily to feed her mother and younger sister. Katniss does everything in her power to protect her fam-ily, which includes stepping in to take her sister’s place in the Hunger Games. She knows it may be a death sentence, but she sees no alternative. Howev-er, Katniss cannot afford to lose the Hunger Games and will risk everything to be the last one standing.

Who’s yoUr “hUNGer Games” CharaCTer maTCh?StephanieHammell.MarketingEditor

Have you ever wondered which “Hunger Games” character you would be most like? Now is your chance to discover which main character you would resemble: Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, or Gale Hawthorne.

1.How would you describe your personality?A.CreativeB.RebelliousC.Opinionated

2.Who are you closest to in your family?A. Your FatherB. Consider friends as familyC. Your brothers and sisters

3.Which elective would you choose if offered in school?A. Baking/ CookingB. HuntingC. Archery

4.If stranded in a forest, what weapon would you use to ob-tain food?A. Nothing. You would just gather plants, nuts, or berriesB. An animal trap C. A bow and arrow

5. Select your survival strat-egy if chosen for the Hunger Games?A. Team up with a few other competitorsB. Stay true to your gut in-stinct and hope for the bestC. Try to avoid the other competitors by climbing trees to stay out of sight

Mostly A’s- Peeta Mellark. He is shy and tends to keep to himself. Peeta enjoys express-ing his creativity by baking and decorating pastries. He isn’t the obvious choice to compete in the Hunger Games, but with his unique characteristics he has a leg up on the competition.

Mostly B’s- Gale Hawthrone. He is a rebellious character who would rather be hunting than doing anything else. His fate does not involve the Hunger Games, but he would definitely stand a chance at winning.

AP Images Lionsgate

Mostly C’s- Katniss Everdee. She is an extremely opinioned person, who does everything in her power to protect her family. Her strongest skill is ar-chery, which greatly enhances her performance in the games.

AP Images Lionsgate

20 news #flyhiGhGaby TreNds afTer PsU sTUdeNT’s deaTh

KatieDenning.Managing-Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Lauren Ray

PT Alumni Lauren Ray celebrates her birthday with friend and PSU club lacrosse teammate Gabriella Sicard a few months before her death. “Gaby lit up any room when she smiled. She was one in a million and I am blessed for having met her,” said Ray.

A lot of times, people are immortalized through writ-ten word, but not usually written word on social networking sites. However, that is exactly what friends and family did to memorial-ize nineteen-year-old Penn State freshman Gabriella Sicard after she tragically died in a car accident on December 29th.

During her one semester at PSU, Sicard had an immedi-ate impact on the campus. She had even joined the Women’s Club Lacrosse Team and one of her teammates was Lauren Ray, a 2009 PTHS Alumni.

“Gaby loved to smile. Not to sound like a cliché, but Gaby lit up any room when she smiled,” said Ray. “You could tell she was the kind of person that did not have one enemy in the world.”

After her death, a large number of her teammates and friends wanted to honor Sicard’s memory in some way. However, it was through the efforts of her teammate, Michelle Gifford, and roommate, Katie Milmoe, that the #FlyHighGaby movement be-gan a few days after the accident.

“A couple of days after Gaby’s accident, my teammate Michelle noticed on Facebook a comment about Gaby wanting to one day trend on Twitter. She contacted Katie and they decided that this would be the day. They came up with #FlyHighGaby and started tweeting that evening,” said Ray.

Soon, the team and numerous other PSU students were tweeting #FlyHighGaby on a regular basis and were persuading others to join in. Two days after her death, #FlyHighGaby became the number one global trend (ibtimes). Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Snooki, Ed Westwick, Ray Rice, Chad Ochocinco, Brooke White, and the Kardashian clan tweeted to help Sicard trend on Twitter. Even local athlete and Penguins player, James Neal retweet-ed #FlyHighGaby. Students at Penn State have also reached out in the wake of the tragedy.

“We have only been on campus for a week, but we have re-ceived so many messages and people reaching out to help support our team. A sorority who also recently lost a sister even reached

out to the team because they know what we are going through,” said Ray.

By now the magnitude of people tweeting #FlyHighGaby has dwindled. However, friends and family refuse to let Sicard’s memory fade away.

“On Wednesday January 18th, the women’s and men’s club lacrosse teams held a candlelight vigil honoring Gaby’s life,” said Ray.

Furthermore, Sicard’s father joined Twitter to help keep the memory of his daughter alive. He recently tweeted “A shooting star was seen in the sky at mile marker 107.2 this morning at 6:15 AM by a family member of Gaby… Love Dad.”

smoke siGNals Uses aP imaGes

Since 2001, a fundraiser to benefit cancer research has been held in the Peters Town-ship School District. Prior to the dodgeball tournament, there was an annual student versus fac-ulty basketball game from 2001 through 2004. Mrs. Kendrick and the committee of teachers that helped organize the basket-ball game were interested in rais-ing money for a cancer patient named Bill Kauffman. Kauffman was a student who was battling lymphatic cancer and was ac-cepted into Penn State. Unfortu-nately, he lost his battle with can-cer before he was able to attend college. After four years of the

dodGeball ToUrNameNT: briNGiNG The CommUNiTy ToGeTherRebeccaPerryman.StaffWriter

basket ball game, the idea for a dodgeball tournament sur-faced. “The idea of dodge-ball instead of basketball was an idea I got from Mr. Peter-son. He gave me some very wise advice…he said to do an event that included the elemen-tary school kids. Being that the movie Dodgeball just came out and was a huge success, we thought it would be fun,” said Mrs. Kendrick . The proceeds of the dodgeball tournament are donated to the Make-A-Wish Scholarship Fund, which helps children with life-threatening diseases receive money for col

lege. “The event seems to bring out the best in everyone. Teachers donate their time and energy, not only by participat-ing in the event but by getting their students excited about the event,” stated Mrs. Kendrick. The National Honor Society sponsors the event. “I also love watching my NHS students. Society of-ten portrays adolescents as be-ing selfish and reckless. I wish more people could see how tru-ly wonderful these students are. Without the help of the students we could not possibly run this event,” stated Mrs. Kendrick.

The National Honor Society sponsors the event ev-ery year. The students help out with advertisements, refresh-ments, organization and clean-ing. The dodgeball tournament would not be complete without its audience: the Peters Town-ship community. People of all ages attend the event and stu-dents especially love watching their teachers battle against each other. The tournament is an awesome way to bring the community together.This year’s eighth annual dodgeball tournament will be held on February 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

February 2012 21

WhaT iN The World? ValerieGobao.LayoutEditor-in-Chief

When the Iraq war was declared over on Decem-ber 18, 2011, US citizens all had their own opinions on the pur-pose of the eight year war and what it accomplished. Some were thrilled it was over since they had never supported it, others felt the war left Iraq in a worse state than prior to the oc-cupation. In a random survey of PTHS seniors, 55 percent think going to war was a good idea while 45 percent disagree. Most students who thought it was a bad idea had various reasons. The main opin-ion was that it was a waste of innocent American lives. The supporters of the war mainly believe that the threat of terror-ism in Iraq was too much to ig-nore and that the US helped the Iraqi people. Senior Andrew Irwin, whose dad has been de-ployed to Iraq twice, supports the war. “I couldn’t imagine be-ing prouder of my dad. He is the main reason I will be attending WestPoint Military Academy after I graduate.”

Both sides have valid points. The war did sacrifice numerous American lives to protect its citizens, but it was also neces-sary for many reasons. It is re-freshing to see that normal high school seniors have such strong political views on these topics. However, there was one trou-bling survey result. In the midst of all these strong viewpoints being expressed, only 56 percent ac-tually knew that the war was not because of 9/11 but due to weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, 83 percent of students were unaware that the war had ended. These percentages are disturbing. This generation should take more care to keep track of current events because it will be responsible for the world soon. “Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it” is a popular cliché among adults to apathetic teen-agers. Most teens just brush it off as a way adults try to get them to study history. Howev-er, the question to those teens should ask themselves is do you want to risk it?

Big surprise: North Korea’s absurd propaganda shenanigans have continued with the death of their dear leader, Kim Jong Il. According to the ever-accurate Korean Central News Agency, even Mother Na-ture herself has been mourning for the poufy-haired, “Guiding Sun Ray.” Since his death on December 17th, temperatures in the country have dropped drastically and the weather has become “depressed” without its alleged master. Even the animals feel the dreadful pain. In addition to flocks of mourning magpies spreading the “sad news” to statues of Kim Il Sung (Kim Jong Il’s father), a family of bears has come out of hibernation to lament the loss, reportedly seen “on the road crying woefully.” It’s surprising that they haven’t reported heavy rain; after all, shouldn’t the clouds be crying, too?

Boy meets girl. They fall in love. They get married and live happily ever after, right? Well, this is not quite your typical love story; in Barry and Anne’s strange tale, the boy got a sex change six years into their marriage and became “Jayne.” Always uncomfortable with his body, Barry had secretly dressed in women’s clothing since grade school. But even though he wanted to be female, he fell in love with Anne at first sight and married her six months later. Eventually, of course, his inner woman got in the way. After the painful confes-sion of Barry’s feminine aspirations, Anne decided to support her husband, and helped “him” become her wife with hormone therapy. They’re still married, and recently renewed their vows as loving wives. Now, they “giggle and talk about hair, clothes, and makeup,” go shopping together, and steal each other’s favorite outfits. True love really knows no bounds.

Who is Iran’s public enemy number one? Right now, it’s not President Obama, nor any real person for that matter; it’s Barbie. As part of the “soft war” against western influence, Iran’s morality police have recently begun to enforce a ban against Barbie, on the ground of her un-Islamic, western indecency. In her place, a line of dolls named Sara are sold wearing the traditional black burqa required of wom-en by law. However, Barbie’s popularity with young girls remains, prompting shopkeepers to sell them in secret in a Barbie black mar-ket. Yet, according to these same morality police, the sale of violent toy spy drones to children is perfectly acceptable. Though I agree that Barbie can get a bit racy, she doesn’t exactly create the “destructive social consequences” that can occur with the violence a morbid toy spy drone can promote. That’s real morality for you.

refleCTioNs of The iraq WarAmandaMoore.NewsEditor

When most students open Smoke Signals, they immediately look for the spreads of photos. For years, the news magazine staff had to comply with strict copyright guidelines and was forced to fill spreads with a limited range of stock photos taken by students. The Media Department has always maintained a zero tolerance policy regarding copyright violation. However, instead of having to take less entertaining and often irrelevant images, the Smoke Signals staff is now able to publish interesting AP images due to a partnership agreement with AccWeather Sales and Services Education Division through Power Library. “I spoke with Kelly Minisale, our Power Library sales representative, about using the AP images in our

news magazine. She was so impressed with our stance on copyright that she agreed to let us use the photos as long as we cite them in a specific way and do not use Photoshop to adjust the images,” said Mrs. Sitler.

So say goodbye to unsavory spreads and hello to the Kardashian clan and the rest of the entertainment world.

smoke siGNals Uses aP imaGesJesseEby.StaffWriter

Photo by AP Images

The Art Department has some of our most popular elec-tives. In these Art classes students are taught different techniques of painting and sketching while having the freedom to create pieces that express themselves and their style. Here are just a few examples of the talent found in the Art Department.

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Ali Bianco, 12

Sarah Yoest, 11

Rosa Winslow, 11

Angela Mikec, 12

Holly Hanna, 10

Emily Corrigan, 11

Mandy Ho, 11

Emily Warne, 10

Sarah Yoest, 11 Erica Gretz, 12

John McGovern, 12 and Lindsey Del Cotto, 12

Katy Guadlip, 9 Ali Bianco, 12

Casey Kirwan, 10

Madi Mele, 11

What is the worst pickup line you have ever heard?

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Reid Elattrache

Matt Mullan

Nick Parello

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Freshmen

Teachers

Seniors

Juniors

Sophomores

“What’s your sign?”

“Is your coefficient high enough to stick

to me?”

Do you like to have french fries & gravy down at the

boardwalk?”

“Don’t listen to anyones pick-up lines.”

“Are you an angel? Be-cause you just swept

me off my feet”

“How much does a bear weigh? Enough

to break the ice”

“If I could, I would re-arrange the alphabet and put ‘U’ and ‘I’ to-

gether”

“Is it hot in here, or is it just you?”

“Are you gonna kiss me? Or do I have to lie

to my diary?”

“Are you a library book? Cause I’m about to check

you out.”

“Hey, didn’t we go to different schools

together?”

“Getting poked on Facebook.”

“Do you have a Band-Aid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.”

“Are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all

day”

“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”

“Can I have your phone number? I lost mine”

“Are you from Tennes-see? Because you’re the

only ten I see”

“Can I have your phone number; I’ve seemed to

have lost mine”

“Are you from Tennes-see? Because you’re

the only ten I see”

“Can I have some of your cheese please?”

“Are you a speeding ticket because you have fine wirtten all over

you”

“Are you from Hog-warts because I’d like

to hog your warts”

“If this was a library and you were a book I’d check

you out”

“If you were a booger, I’d pick you

first”

“Do I know you from somewhere?”