Western Wayne High School1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA 18436 Volume 4, Number 2 December 2009

Also insidePoet’s Soul 4

Pet-tastic holidays! 8

Meet Katie Quinn 12

Check out these fun photos! Read all about it on page 15.

Semi Scrapbook

All this and more inside & out!

Semi, a magical, mystical ‘Wonderland’ by Liz Faux

Winter came early this year as students entered the winter-theme deco-rated halls of the semi-formal. Students from every grade came to the 2009 semi-formal dance. There was dancing and fun everywhere! The night started off with a buffet of delicious food followed by tons of dancing! Everyone was looking very dapper in their suits and dresses even when the shoes and ties came off on the dance floor. It was nothing but dancing and fun in the high school gym on November 21. There was even a perfor-mance by one of our own senior students, Anthony Russo. Sophomore students Nick Fischetti and Nick VanLeuvan tore up the dance floor! Everyone was having a great time and these two boys knew where the party was at. Whether they were dancing with their dates or get-ting everyone around them hyped up and moving, these boys didn’t stop having fun. Both boys agreed that, “It was a blast!” The students weren’t the only ones dancing and having a good time though, teacher Mrs. Ma-ria Masankay was caught busting a move every now and then with the students. Then again, how could anyone help but let loose a little at the dance? This year there was even a special performance by one of our own stu-

dents. Anthony Russo, a senior here at Western Wayne, has made a name for himself by show-ing us his talent as a rapper. At this year’s vari-ety show he first showed us what he could do on stage. He continued to get everyone riled up at semi by rapping for us again. It was a great treat for everyone to get to dance along to the original music of one of our peers. Many people were blown away by his creativity and boldness to rap in front of everyone at the dance. Although dancing is the main purpose of semi, that’s not what it’s all about. Everyone also has to worry about the clothes! It was easier for some people than others finding that perfect dress. Senior student Brittany Dagger came to semi with the perfect dress to match the winter wonderland theme.

“It came down to two dresses, and with a little advice from my friends, I knew which one would be perfect.” Although all girls sure-ly didn’t have quite as much luck in find-ing the right dress so quickly, by the night of the dance, everyone looked amazing. This year’s semi prince and princess, Matt Luke-ski and Abby Carmody looked especially nice in their crowns.

Posing with friends in semi-formal attire is one of the highlights of this popular school dance for these well-dressed students: Ashley Padula, Esther Michel, and Meghan Magalski (above), Liz Faux and her date, Gary Enslin, Mrs. Masankay, Trisha Zintel and Chel-sea Rivers (below).

For senior Anthony Russo, the semi pro-vided a chance to entertain his classmates with his locally famous rap routine.

Esther Michel and Joe Ingaglio couldn’t help but smile since the dance was that much fun!

1970A Easton Highway Lake Ariel, PA 18436(570) 937-4112 EX. 3104

Claws

& Paws

Planet Wildcat

OPINIONPage 2 December 2009

Editorial Immigration: Fabric of America

Planet Wildcat

by Ashley Padula

PAWS to students who participated in the Coin Wars.PAWS to the having a snow day! PAWS to the beautiful semi-formal decorations.PAWS to Semi princess Abby Carmody and prince Matt Luke-ski.PAWS to new honors courses for next year.PAWS to the December blood drive.PAWS to the Little Angels Toy Drive.

CLAWS to the cold, windy weather.CLAWS to no salt and butter in the cafeteria.CLAWS to no Italian dressing also!CLAWS to the very icy parking lot.CLAWS to students who don’t try on the 4Sight.

Reporters: Ashley Padula, Daniel DeVito, Chloe Karnick, Amanda Pritzlaff, Savannah Jablon, Rachel Bartron, Raena Lucas, Liz Faux, Mark Yamialkowski, Christina Gabriele, Colette Riedel, Samanta Corazzi, Emma Lamberton, Esther MichelPhotographers: Markel McConeghy, Trevor Kapschull, Nick VanLeuven, Adam Smith, Courtney MaskerAdvisor: Mrs. Marianne Morgan

by Daniel DeVito

For much of the early history of the United States, immigrants entered the country with little to no restriction. Of those we call Founding Fathers, one of the greatest was not even born in the colonies. Thomas Paine, the radical who authored Common Sense, was born in England and later moved to the American colonies. He was not born a colonist, yet he helped the cause for independence more with his pen than Washington did with the sword. Unfortunately, as America won independence and moved forward, nativist sentiments developed against new waves of immigrants. Irish, Polish, Ital-ian, and any other non Anglo-Saxon immigrant was viewed as less of an American by the prevailing social attitudes of the time. As time moved on, these Americans gained acceptance to society. An Irish-American, John Fitzgerald Kennedy,even won the Presidency, overcoming lingering nativism. President Kennedy’s brother, the late Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mas-sachusetts) termed attitude changes towards acceptance the “march towards progress.” Today, Americans continue this march towards progress. Although some polls indicate the majority of Americans oppose amnesty for undocumented im-migrants, the American spirit will prevail once again over nativist bigotry. Often, American nativists will cite culture as a reason for opposing increased immigration, or opposing amnesty. As in the past, these arguments have little to no basis in reality. These arguments were used against the Germans in Pennsylva-nia in early American history, the Irish during the potato famine, the Italians as they journeyed across the sea to a new home, and to a slew of other ethnic groups in this country today. Many nativists in early America grumbled that “Soon we will be speaking German!” Of course, this allegation was baseless, as is the accusation against Spanish today. As the Irish crossed the Atlantic, the Anglo-Saxon elite worried that America would cease to be a “Protestant” country, and we would soon be ruled by the Pope. This is a baseless allegation once again; yet, we see this argument repeated today in the bigotry against the cultural practices of immigrants. Italians were vilified as having come “without papers,” speaking “strange languages,” having odd processions, and being non-white. We can see how this definition has changed today. Unlike the German language, Spanish has a longer history on this continent and in this country than English. The Span-ish settled Saint Augustine, Florida, long before any settlers set foot in Jamestown. In fact, remnants of Spanish missions can be found as far north as Virginia. The Spanish language has a place, for this reason alone, alongside English in the United States. Yet, there is more! The western United States, especially the Southwest, has more Hispanic history than English. First ruled by Native Americans, then the Spanish, then the Mexican Empire, the United States claimed control through a war Abraham Lincoln opposed. Ironically, modern nativists may have roots less deep in the American story than those they vilify! The Irish were also looked upon with suspicion by the nativists. As portrayed in the movie Gangs of New York, the Irish were physically assaulted, persecuted, and mocked. Attempts were made to convert the Irish from their Catholicism to more subdued, puritanical Protestantism. Those who advocated accepting the faith of the Irish were smeared as “multi-culturalists” and “traitors.” Sadly, these familiar, backwards smears have once again reared in the United States today. Nativists deride immigrants because of their faith practices (traditional values are left at the door by conservatives when it does not benefit their cause) and a differing language. It is sad that many cannot recognize that this is simply another part of the American fabric. Many enjoy lamenting the loss of American morals, yet, nearly every faith tradition emphasizes the need to welcome im-migrants. Welcoming families and workers, and protecting their rights once they are here, is following in the tradition of modern day leaders, both left and right, including Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Ronald Reagan. Let us all look forward to that day when “The proud shall be scattered in their conceit, the mighty shall be cast from their thrones, the lowly exalted, and the hungry are filled with good things, while the rich are sent away empty” and the hidden prejudices against the religious practices of Hispanic immigrants are dispelled from society.

Tutoring and homework help Help is available both during the day and after school. Students who would like help during the

day should see their guidance counselor to set it up.Those who would like to remain after school must have a per-mission slip which is available in the office.

STUDENT SPEAK: The new year provides a starting point for change.With that in mind, what is your New Year’s resolution?

Interviews and photos by Liz Faux

Planet Wildcat

OPINIONDecember 2009 Page 3

“For my New Year’s resolution, I’m go-ing to try harder in school.”-James Hanley, 11th grade

“I’m going to try not to get detention and to behave better!” - Melanie Mengela, 9th grade

“My New Year’s Resolution is get along better with my parents.”-Chelsea Rivers, 10th grade

“My New Year’s resolution is to swim from Canada to Sweden.”-Alex Travis,12th grade

“I’m going to fix my car!”-Collin Koveleski, 9th grade

Ideally, the answer is ‘yes’

Do your teacherslove teaching?Commentary by Daniel DeVito

We all have had an experience with a teacher who simply did not want to be teaching. Ev-eryone has a bad day, but if you do not bring a positive attitude to the classroom and school, and do not enjoy students, is teaching really the optimal career choice? Although a huge sup-porter of teachers and public education, I believe some teachers simply need to take a happy pill or move on in life. Progressive education for the 21st century should involve a more inclusive, interactive method of teaching. Old fashioned methods of authoritarian and oppressive tactics are no lon-ger applicable in the modern classroom, from a student standpoint. I support the rights of teach-ers to unionize and organize, so student rights should also be recognized. Let me offer some suggestions to teachers to aid them in bringing a liberal, progressive mood to the classroom. Many teachers already do so, and I am a fan of

most of the teachers I have had, but for those who do not bring a positive, liberal attitude, and prefer to be conservative and stuck in the 1950s, then perhaps they can learn something from a progressive student. Teachers who have a bad attitude should smile more. If they do not smile, then their melancholy mood reflects on everyone else and upsets us stu-dents. How can we learn with a grumpy teacher? To use a cliche, if you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say it. As the Mahatma Gan-dhi said, “Be the change you want to be in the world.” If you want a happy student body, be the first to exude happiness and joy. In class, allow students to speak their mind. Support free speech in class, within reason. Some teachers seem to think they are a fascist officer running a camp, but in fact, they should be happy educating the youth, the future of tomorrow. To move forward to progress, the first steps must be small. Small cracks lead to larger crevices, and mending them will mend the future. We know the federal government manipulates the state into manipulating the school, yet not all the blame can lay solely on the government. After all, big government has helped many with liberal programs. Rather, some teachers simply need to lighten their mood, smile, and reassess why they are in education. Is it to teach, or is for a paycheck?

‘I can tell that my teacher really loves teaching. . .’“I can tell Mr. Nebzydoski re-ally loves to teach because he plays fun videos that help the students. He likes to tell silly stories that let us understand the concepts better, and he is never in a bad mood.” - junior Markel McConeghy

“I can tell Mr. MacDonough really loves teaching because when I had a problem in cal-culus, he took it home over the weekend to consider. When he came back, he gave me an example using pizza, and I understood it then.” - senior

Kristine Nilsen

“I can tell Mr. Zoppi really does love to teach. He doesn’t dislike anybody. He likes ev-eryone, and he is an all-around good person.” - sophomore Britnee Bergmann

struction of this dress is com-plete, there are many things Kristen is still deciding such as how to tweak the dress to make it the perfect piece for the Scholastic competition. In order to do this, Kristen has spent several hours researching the era and drew three sketches to determine what to add to the finished product. Some of the options she is considering are: adding some fur, an appliqué flower, some Slinkys since they were a popular toy of the time, or a credit card stamped belt and some shoes since the ‘50s were among the first years of credit cards. “The 1950’s fashion is sleek, formal and proper, un-like today’s clothes,” Kristen said. She has studied the work of Jillian Lewis and Giovanni Ver-sace in the past, but has chosen not to study any particular designer for this project. She also plans on attending college for a career in the

Across the s t reet on a cold winter morning,Fresh powder covered the ground.I fe l t l ike I walked a mil l ion miles be-fore I reached my dest inat ion.At the top of the hi l l , wind tore through me l ike a knife .My board begged me to s tar t shredding down the s lope.The mountain pleaded mercy.

The powder fe l t l ike I was surf ing in the ocean.I carved deep into the snow, making a psychedel ic pat tern.Soft snow swished below my feet .Adrenal ine, f lowing, the jump is near!Slap! Off my board compressing the snow as I land.

Wishing the s lope would grow as I come toward the end.Looking back up the hi l l ,Real iz ing that r ide was a thr i l l .Cl imbed back up to hi t that jump.Surf ing down the mountain,I f ly through the air.Boom! I land hard on the powdery snow.

1957 Vintage Dress to be first for Western Wayne

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES Page 4 December 2009

Boy and Girl

Heather Florentino

poetry

author

Snowboarding

Adam Sledzinski

poetry

author

Poet’s SoulHold on to Love

Caleb Wagner

poetry

author

One’s sanity would be crushed in this place.No one should suffer such a fate against their pride.Although I am confined within these walls. Walls that can choke one’s life from him.Only criminals deserve to be in here like the rats that scurry on the ground.

Criminals who murder for no gain in life should take my space.No greater decision would come of thieves behind a gate holding them inside.Exploitation of women caused by men would have no heed to their calls.No one it seems would stay sane within this asylum gem.It may seem I will stay until my love is found.

I cannot stay in this wet, cold, stony cell that will embrace.I feel my heart trying to burst from my chest to find my love that was to be my bride.Thoughts of her perfume that smells of roses makes the thoughts of jail turn to falls.Why am I here to be condemned?Not by my hands a crime I am bound.

Beginning at only nine, the boy and girl were never apart.

Not only neighbors, but the best of friends, they shared one heart.

He protected her like a sister.Then suddenly had a dream that he kissed her.

At the delicate age of fourteen, his feelings for her began to change.

With every sight, his heart would flutter like a hummingbird, and it felt quite strange.

He couldn’t understand why his heart went thud, thud, or why when they parted

He felt like a lost puppy with no one to love.She felt so out of reach; he wished he could just

rise above.

Turning eighteen was a shock for him; he was no longer a boy.

He wished he could just say the words and she would realize his feelings before they would de-

stroy.He could stand no longer his need for her sweet

lilac, or the sight of her silky hair.Without them, he felt quite bare.

After nine years of longing, the man confessed his love.

Declaring these feelings, he felt like a dove.Following this, he felt a spark for the first time

when her soft lips touched his.It was their first kiss, that is.

for a future project when the idea for a vintage dress arose. When asked to make the project a reality, Kristen agreed, and soon discov-ered she would be the first person in our school district to complete a vintage dress. Soon after this dis-cussion, Mrs. Carmody bought a vintage pattern from Butterick Pat-tern Company. Upon examining these patterns, Kristen decided to construct the 1957 style dress. She had wanted this dress to be a deep purple, but couldn’t purchase enough fabric, so she settled for a lipstick pink. The fabric choices for this dress were

satin and netting. Kristen’s dress is a sleeve-less, gathered halter look with a tight fitting waistline and full skirt. Kristen used a subtle petticoat in her de-sign to express the fullness of a 1950’s dress. Accord-ing to Mrs. Carmody, this dress cost only approxi-mately $25 to make. Although the basic con-

fashion industry. According to Mrs. Carmody, Kristen is already think-ing about her next vintage dress.

by Kay Reed

Junior Kristen McAndrew is no stranger to the sewing machine. She has taken a few classes in sew-ing and fashion in the past three years. These classes include: Intro. to Sewing, Textile and Interior De-sign, and Fashion Design.

During last school year, Kristen

and her sewing teacher, Mrs. Colleen Car-mody, were discussing some pos-sibilities

by Savannah Jablon

Get kissed under the mistletoe? In the snow?

Ashley Rivezzi: I’d rather be kissed in the snow because it’s more ro-mantic.Sadie Drake: I’d rather get kissed under the mistletoe because I think it’s more romantic.

Decorating the tree Putting lights on the house?

Jenell Johannes: Decorating the tree because it’s time you get to spend with your family.Denny Guo: Putting lights outside the house so that way Santa can see where you live so he can drop off your presents.

Snowball fight? Make a snowman?

Krystal Levitt: Snowball fight because what’s better than being chased by a friend, getting hot from all your clothes, and then getting smacked in the face with a snowball to cool off?!Kenny Morgan: Snowball fight because you can put rocks in snowballs and hit people with them. (Kidding!)

Open presents quickly? Slowly?

Sam Parr: Quickly because I can’t wait to see what’s in them, and I get excited!Aubri Haeslet: Slowly because I like to make people annoyed by taking my time.

Red? Green?

Kaitlyn Gibbs: Green because it’s just better than red. Anyway, red makes people angry.Brad Boots: I personally prefer green because it brings certain memories out and those memories are important to me.

Play with Dreidal Light the menorah?

Jamie Schlau: Dreidal because it’s a fun game based on probability, and playing means I get to spend time with my family.Melissa Gruber: Light the menorah because each candle stands for something whereas the driedel is just a game.

New Years Eve Celebration at home? Out?

April Krayer: Out because I’d rather go to a party and do something rather than sit home bored out of my mind.Harry Harrison: Home. I like parties, and I think it’s better to throw a party with friends and family at home. It’s more comfortable and more fun!

Look forward to a new year? Miss 2009?

Frankie Bunk: I want a new year so I can start fresh and forget about everything that went bad this year. I’m not going to lie. There were some good parts though.Ashley Taggart: I look forward to a new year because it’s a new begin-ning.

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES Page 5

If you HAD toChoose. . .

or

or

or

or

or

or

or

or

Band busy with districts, concert

December 2009

by Mark Yamialkowski

It’s Christmas in Chorus and Band! While walking through the hallways near the LGI and band room, you’ll be guaranteed to hear plenty of heart-warming, cheerful holiday music. Christmas songs fill the school as the stu-dents work diligently on making sure that the concert is perfect. The chorus has been working as hard as elves on their Christ-mas tunes “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “What a Wonderful Child,” “P.D.Q. Bach,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” “My Favorite Things,” “Christmas Time,” and “Comin’ Up Christmas Time.” “Hallelujah Chorus is my favorite song because it pushes you to your best and pushes you to your limit,” senior Brittany Strat-ton said. She enjoys all of the songs and thinks they will make a great concert. “The music is that it is all fun and interesting, and it really gets everyone into that holiday spirit!” If you enter the band room, you will find all of the members picking apart their music, making sure they are playing the right notes, rhythms, accents, melodies and harmonies. The band will be playing a wide arrangement of songs and styles, including “A Mariah Carey Christmas,” “A Christmas Festival,” “An Ameri-can Christmas,” “Greensleeves: A Fantasia For Band,” “Mid-night Sleighride,” and “Hallelujah.” “A Mariah Carey Christmas is my favorite song because it is a very beautiful arrangement and I have a solo. The music is all different styles and so it appeals to everyone. No one will get bored of our performance,” said junior Kay Reed. Kay enjoys all of the selections, but wishes there were nicer key signatures in “A Christmas Festival!” The Christmas Concert was held on December 15th. The mem-bers of the band and chorus worked very hard for an enjoyable show and was pleased to see a good turnout for the event.

District 9 Band 2009-10 As students from many schools in the area filed into the Wyo-ming Valley West High School, hearts began to race. The school auditorium was suddenly filled with hundreds of musicians, hop-ing to be chosen for the District 9 Band for 2009-2010. Auditions consisted of excerpts from solos, scale tests, and sight reading. Students could audition to get into the band or orchestra. Auditioning from WW were Adena Bianchi, Flute and Clari-net, Steven Trygar, Trumpet, Kristen Lopatofsky, Flute, Charles Rennekamp, Trombone, Katie Quinn, Trombone, Thomas Chris-topher, Trombone, Manny Santos, Alto sax, Jonathan Reed, Alto sax, Keith Mattern, Alto Sax, Mark Yamialkowski, Baritone, Josh Gershey, Percussion Band and orchestra, Ashley Lindow, Flute, Jaime Schlau, Clarinet, and Time Plaza, Bass Clarinet and Contra Bass Clarinet. While waiting in practice rooms, students make many new friends with those from other schools and learn a lot from each other. Practicing solos and scales for the last time before an au-dition does help to guarantee a good audition, but the event is nerve-wracking. “As Mr. Stedenfeld told us, I wasn’t nervous until I got into the audition. When I got into the audition room, though, and they told me to start, all I could think was “Ahhhh!” sophomore Stephen Trygar said. Unfortunately, sophomore Jaime Schlau really knows how to “put her best foot forward.” A few days before tryouts, Jaime had a karate class where her teacher accidentally broke her hand! Not willing to give up, Jaime gave it her all and pushed through the audition. Even though she did not make it into the band, Mr. Stedenfeld is proud of her because she did not give up. The members that did make it into the band are Adena Bianchi, Manny Santos, Ashley Lindow, Joshua Gershey, Stephen Trygar, Tim Plaza, Thomas Christopher, Katie Quinn, Charles Renneka-mp, and Mark Yamialkowski. All of the students who auditioned put in a tremendous amount of effort and practice into their solos. Everyone did their best and should be congratulated for their time and effort.

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES December 2009Page 6

New year calls for new lookBEFORE

This experiment taught all three of us different things:

You can change your look for a great • price!New Year’s should come with a new style • and attitude for yourself.You can turn a simple dress into some-• thing no one would imagine it to be.

Junior Carli Curtis: Twisted. by Laurie Halse Anderson. Every student should read this book before graduating because it’s a really good book written for teenag-ers. It made me feel like I was a part of it when I read it.

Junior Courtney Masker: Roots by Alex Haley. It is a book which can teach you a lot, not just about slavery, but about yourself.

Senior Phoebe Olsommer: The Outsider by Albert Camus. This book is about a man who lives a mediocre lifestyle, acting and living emotionlessly toward his friends, co-workers, and girlfriends. When he is charged with a crime, everything is taken away from him and it’s then he realizes he really enjoyed life. The book taught me to appreciate the little things in life and to live with meaning, emotions, and purpose. This is really a great book!

Senior John Swingle: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This terrific book com-bines action with suspense and cultural information.

“Brisinger by Christopher Paolini. a great fantasy book about a boy who finds a dragon egg and becomes a dragon rider. He is on a quest to kill an evil king. Chris-topher Paolini is an awesome writer. He provides incredible imagery so that you will imagine yourself be-ing there.” This book is part of a se-ries of what is soon to be four great books!

-SeniorSarah Hammond

What book should every student read before graduating?

Morgan & Company Tube Dress

Ruby Rox Off the Shoulder Dress

AFTER

by Christina Gabriele

The year 2009 has come to an end and it’s time for 2010! The new year will bring new style and trends, especially for great New Year’s Eve parties! When the new year rolls around the corner, it’s time for a new look and new you!

Sophomore, Kaitlin Frankovsky’s makeover is a great example of a new look. This wasn’t Kaitlin’s first experience with a makeover, but she was very excited! Her current style is simple, and she says that she doesn’t like Gothic clothing.

The first step in the makeover was hair and makeup. I took her long, brown, curly hair and used a hair straightener. This

process only took 20 minutes for a cheap and quick alter-native to spending money and time at the salon for a new hair-do. Kaitlin rarely straightens her hair because she loves to wear it curly. but she agreed to try it straight for a new look. Next, was makeup. I choose a sparkly, silver eyeshad-ow from NYC to spice up her look. To bring Kaitlin’s

pretty eye lashes out, I choose Rimmel’s long eye lash mascara for a extra boost. Last was lips. Kaitlin picked out

a light pink lip gloss to make her lips more noticeable. Finally, it time was time to choose the perfect New Year’s Eve dress. Just under $40, Kaitlin picked out a amazing, purple form fitted dress from the store Deb in the Viewmont mall. If you’re looking for a dress to celebrate the New Year, Deb is the perfect store. Deb has affordable and elegant dresses under $60. In the picture, April Krayer is wearing a black dress just for $30, Lauren Clark- red dress for $60, and Kaitlin’s purple dress for $30. You can’t beat these unbelievably cheap prices! For a more sophisticated look, Macy’s is a great store. One of the most popular dresses is a Morgan & Company Tube dress which is on sale for $87.99. The regular price is $150.00. Another great party dress from Macy’s is the Ruby Rox Off the Shoulder

Dress which has a rose on it. The price of the dress is on sale for $ 46.99 with a regular price of $79.00. If you don’t have a lot of money for a New Year’s dress, don’t worry! New accessories like necklaces, earrings, and belts could bring new life to an old outfit. You could try a different look by putting your hair up and wearing dangling earrings. A great store for cheap earrings is Claire’s. Their prices range $5 and up. Don’t forget to checkout clearance racks for great deals!

Now it’s time for a casual look for Kaitlin. From Macy’s, I picked skinny jeans with slight tears in them just for $40. The jeans gave Kaitlin more of a shaped figure. The shirt I picked for Kaitlin was a short sleeve silky shirt that was black and white with a belt attacted just for $30. Overall, this new look was a success! Kaitlin said excitedly “ I really love my new look and I can’t wait for 2010!” Friends and family loved her new hair and outfit.

A project her grandfather would be proud of!When it was time for Lyndsey Mosher to choose a senior project, she looked immediately to a place close to her heart, the Keen Cemtery where her mother works as caretaker and for which her grandfather made the orginial maps. Lynd-sey worked many hours on landscaping and general cleaning of the grounds and then redid the cemetery map.

He’s a science- minded student who wanted to make an impact on the environment!Senior Brandon Tufano was a volunteer in the effort to restore the Moffat Estate Garden in Daleville. Brandon’s work included planning sessions at the Lack-awanna College Environmental Institute and then hard work doing the actual landscaping at the estate. Brandon spent many hours digging up sod, cleaning and prepping the gardens and then actually planing the flower beds. One bed is herbs; one is native plants; two are floral gardens and one is an assortment around a tree.

Check out the impressive senior graduation projects of senior Kirsten Stratton! Kirsten worked with English teacher Mrs. Walsh to create an original children’s book. Kirsten, who loves art and photography, both wrote and illustrated her book! Kirsten’s book earned her many rave reviews from the graduation project judges.

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES Page 7December 2009

Projects on display Senior Projects showcase students’ interests and talents in and out of the classroom!

WW celebrate Veterans Day and commemorate the Ma-rine Corps birthday with a special assembly.

WW graduate Kelsey Lynn and senior Chelsea Henkel were proud to have a photo taken with Chelsea’s brother, Marine Joe Henkel, who has proudly served overseas in Iraq.

For Senior Jackie Davis, the assembly was a moment to cherish as her grandfather, veteran Sergeant 1st Class Joe Antidormi sang a moving “A cappella” version of “Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere.” His wife Joan also attended the event. “Sergeant Antidormi was the highest enlisted officer in his platoon,” ex-plained retired teacher SSG John Gaudenzi. “Joe is a very compassionate man and a great leader. The men always came first.”

Photos by Courtney Masker

smile. With her determination and the NAHS members’ talent, the project is sure to be suc-cessful. Planet Wildcat conducted a random survey asking students if they would volunteer at an animal shelter. These are the responses:• Freshman Douglas Jordan – “Sure, I like animals.”• Sophomore Lauren Clark – “Yes I would, because I feel bad for the animals that don’t have homes, and it looks good on a collage résumé.”• Sophomore Samantha Parr – “Yes, because I love animals, and I want to help them.”• Sophomore Kaycee Snuggs – “Yes, because I feel that the animals deserve at-tention and care.”• Senior Andrew Cox – “I don’t have time to volunteer, but if I had the money I would adopt an animal.”

If you don’t have the time to volunteer, you can still help. Animal shelters will always wel-come any kind of donations. There are prob-ably tons of things around your house that you’re about to just throw into the garbage that you could donate to an animal shelter for better use. Some of the things that you could donate are:

• Towels• Blankets• Placemats• Animal food• Animal treats• Stuffed toys• Laundry detergent• Grooming items• Newspaper• Old bowls (used for food dishes)

Those are the top 10 things you could donate to animal shelters that would help them, and help you. They get the supplies they need, and you get rid of old things around your house. This way everyone wins, and everyone’s happy.

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES December 2009 Page 8

Saving the life of a petMake the holidays pet-tastic for them, too!by Rachel Bartron

Christmas is soon coming up and most of us can’t wait to see our family, get presents, and give them. But have you ever thought about the animals? Ani-mal shelters all across the nation need your help, and maybe for Christmas you can give them that. Volunteers are needed all the time at shelters, and all it would cost you is a few hours a week of your time. This would be a great help to them, and be a wonderful way to give to your community. English teacher, Mrs. Grace Walsh, has volun-teered at animal shelters for years. She volunteered her Sophomore and Junior year in college, working at Gifford Pond Animal Shelter in Clarks Sum-mit. Then she started up again in the first week of January for her New Year’s Resolution. She put in a lot of her time there, walking the dogs, brushing them, and even training one! By doing this, she is making them more social, which in turn will help them be more likely to get adopted. More people will pick a dog that is trained over one that’s not. She also brushed and socialized with the cats to get them more comfortable around people as well. Why did Mrs. Walsh put so much time and effort into helping these animals? “I was interested in getting a dog, but my husband didn’t want to. So it was a way to get my ‘fix’, and a way to get out of the house.” Mrs. Walsh didn’t stop there though. Recently, she adopted a dog of her own from the Dessin Ani-mal Shelter. His name was originally Cider, but was changed to Jingles. Jingles is no young pup though. He is a fifteen year old Bichon Frise. Why would Mrs. Walsh choose to adopt such an old dog? First off she said that “puppies are cute, but are a lot of work.” However, her main reason was that “he was going to be put to sleep.” She also said that she was close to another dog who, unfortunately, wasn’t ad-opted and put to sleep. She felt guilty after that and, therefore, decided to take home Jingles. Jingles is very old and probably only has a few years left in him, but Mrs. Walsh is determined to make them his best. Being so old, it’s no surprise that Jingles has no teeth! Mrs. Walsh said she’s happy because “he can’t chew my shoes!” Anyone who knows Mrs. Walsh knows extremely well that she LOVES her shoes. Now she loves Jingles, who went from being shy and distant when at the shelter, to follow-ing her all around the house. Mrs. Walsh isn’t the only one in our school who has adopted an animal. Senior Paula Strada also adopted a pet not long ago. She adopted a Gold-en Retriever by the name of Riley from Autumn Valley, which is a rescue shelter just for Golden Retrievers. Paula and her family adopted six year old Riley nine months ago. She said that Riley was very nervous in the shelter since she was kept in a cage most of her life. However, Paula said that Riley was also very “energetic” and she knew that she could take better care of her. “Riley used to pace the house,” Paula said, “but now she has calmed down.” She believes that if you have the time, you should help volunteer. Pau-la gives this advice: “Adopting abusive pets are a

Photos courtesy of Paula Strada and Mrs. Walsh

Paula takes time to cuddle with her beautiful retriever, Riley.

lot of work, and if you don’t have the time, you should just volunteer.” Volunteering is exactly what freshman Cassie Wolfe decided to do. She started volunteering at Wayne Woodlands in Au-gust. Why she would spend the last month of summer vacation volunteering at the an-imal shelter? Since her stepmother works there, she thought that volunteering would look great on her college application. Cass-ie ended up enjoying the experience. She said she loved “seeing everybody’s happy faces” when they adopted an animal. While at the shelter, Cassie helped by feeding and walking the dogs. Of course volunteering has its ups and downs. Scrunching up her nose in disgust, Cassie said her worst ex-perience was, “cleaning up” when an ani-mal was sick. Although they aren’t going to volunteer at an animal shelter, National Art Honor Society (NAHS) members, decided they would still like to help in some way. The senior officers of NAHS felt strongly about helping animal shelters because of the economy, since many people are not able to give as much as they used to. “We are full of animal lovers” said NAHS founder, art teacher Mrs. Marie Ostrowsky. This is the first time that the club NAHS decided to help out animal shelters. They aren’t sure yet which animal shel-ters they are going to help, but they do know that they want it to be a “no kill” shelter. The members already have a few ideas as to how they are going to raise the money. At the art exhibit, they will have a section to sell the art they created themselves, and they are also considering sponsoring a dress down day. NAHS members are ex-cited for this since “they all have huge soft spots in their hearts for animals.” Mrs. Ostrowsky said that they got the idea to help animals because the artists that they are studying at the moment, have helped animals in the past as well. “I’ve rescued cats and kittens for as long as I can remember,” Mrs. Ostrowsky said with a

Senior Paula Strada and teacher Mrs. Grace Walsh have both adopted pets from shelters. Meet Paula’s retriever, Riley, and Mrs. Walsh’s Bichon Frise, Jingles!

Do you have a question for The Love Lady?

Submit your letters to the Love Lady in the Planet Wildcat box inside the library entrance. All letters must be suitable for school. Responses are all in fun. Advice is neither serious nor professional.

by Amanda Pritzlaff

Dear Love Lady,

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FEATURESDecember 2009 Page 9

Dear Love Lady, I recently moved far away from my girlfriend of several months. In the interest of keeping our relationship alive, we agreed to see other people so long as we stayed in touch and stayed close. However, every time I try to see another per-son, I sort of feel like I’m cheating on her. What should I do?

Signed, Clever pun involving my situation

and where I live.

Dear, clever pun involving your situation and where you live, Your letter brings about the age old question of when it is truly time to “let go” of past rela-tionships. There are two ways to look at your agreement: method one shows how both you and your ex-girlfriend thought your relation-ship was special enough to continue to stoke its embers until you could be reunited again. However, method two is quite the opposite: it shows that because of this agreement you have a metaphorical ball and chain tied to you, tap-ping you on the shoulder every time you try to get involved with someone new. How much do you value your past relationship with your ex-girlfriend? If you really feel that it’s going somewhere then, by all means, stop this long distance remembrance rubbish and get back with her! If you don’t want to feel guilty every time you try to find someone that is more your fancy, it is time to let her go and let her know. Ultimately it is up to you. Love, Amanda

Dear Love Lady, I have been thinking about this one special girl for weeks now. Ever since the first day of school I have had a crush on this little lady. I don’t re-ally know what it is about her, but I like her for more than the fact that she is a really pretty girl. I just haven’t been able to let her know. What is the best way to work up the courage to finally do this?

From Recovering Chicken Dear, Recovering Chicken, A lot of people ask me about how to let their crushes know they have feelings for them, so don’t be alarmed. This is a pretty mundane, yet still relevant and perplexing, question. Since you have been paying attention to this girl since the first day of school, I assume that you know at least a little bit about her personality. Knowing that is key to choosing the right letting-her-know method. Perhaps you can get her name spelled out across the sky in fireworks, or take a page from that movie, Snow Day, and when it finally snows, shovel a colossal image of her favorite animal into otherwise untouched snow. If such showiness is not your thing, then most girls go for straightforwardness. Going up to her and saying something like, “Hey, you know what, I know this is out of the blue, but I think I have a little crush on you,” will surprise her (if she’s into that) and also prove to her that you have courage, something most girls will take time to mull over.Love, Amanda

by Elizabeth Henry

Recently WWHS students, along with students from Passaic Val-ley High School and Wissahicken Senior High, had the opportunity to speak with Dr Peter Wenger of the University of Medicine in New Jersey. Dr. Wegner answered questions from the students pertaining to the Great Influenza of 1918 as well as the H1N1 swine flu epidemic that is facing the world today. With each school having an opportunity to ask questions it is clear that students are concerned with the viruses that they may encounter everyday, how they relate to viruses of the past, and what people can do to protect themselves. When a student brought up the question, “What are doctors looking for when trying to diagnose the swine flu,” Dr. Wenger proved to be a wealth of information. His answer: the virus affects the body quickly, when an infected person wakes up in the morning they feel fine, but by lunch the aching, fever, congestion, cough, nausea, and vomiting set in. Typically, with the seasonal flu a patient will not experience gastrointestinal symptoms however when infected with the swine flu these symptoms are present and painful. Students were also curious about whether or not Dr. Wenger recommended the recently devel-oped vaccine for this frightening virus. He answered honestly and passionately. Dr. Wenger strongly recommended that anyone with the opportunity to have the vaccine should get it; as far as lack of testing and research is concerned he informed us that the antigen in the seasonal vaccine changes every year and the swine flu vaccine had bee formed through

these same processes. Therefore it had just as much testing as the sea-sonal vaccine. Dr. Wenger’s presence at the video conference was greatly appreci-ated by all of the students. All who were involved walked away from the experience with new found knowledge about the H1N1 swine flu virus, the influenza of 1918, and a basic understanding of the human immune system. Dr. Wenger gave several students some peace of mind while giving others something to contemplate. Students said they were appreciative of the experience. “It was very educational and an excellent opportunity to use technology in the class-room,” junior Christie DeVito said.

Does the Great Fluenza of 1918 share any traits with the H1N1 flu of today?

Students learned this, and more, at a recent video-conference

This photo from the John Hopkins School of Public Health website, “An emergency hospital at Camp Funston, Kansas, is packed with pa-tients felled by the 1918 influenza epidemic.”

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FEATURESPage 10 December 2009

Raena Lucas:

Pay It Forward truly left me speechless from start to fin-ish. With brilliant casting and a positive message behind it, this movie truly leaves you thinking about what it means to “pay it forward.” Haley Joel Osment plays Trevor McKinney, a 7th grader who is given an extra credit assignment by his teacher Mr. Simenot (Kevin Spacey) to come up with an idea to change the world. Though most junior high students don’t take it seriously, Trevor begins to think and launches the idea, “pay it forward.” To “pay it forward” means that when someone does a favor for you, instead of paying that person back you do a favor for three other people. But after every person Trevor tries to get to “pay it forward” fails (or so he thinks), he begins to believe that the extra credit assignment was a waste of his time. Little does he know that it slowly begins to spread all credit to his mother (Helen Hunt) making up with Trevor’s grandmother. This truly is a heartwarming flick, and I can’t help but feel as if I’ve known these characters for quite a long time. Whatever emotions they were experiencing, I felt as if they were my own, too. With action, drama, comedy, and a splash of romance, this movie is definitely an inspiration and a pick-me-up during the holiday season. If we tried to “pay it forward” could it change this area, or even the world? I think it certainly is possible.

Rachel Bartron:

Pay It Forward is one movie that will touch the hearts of everyone. Its message is so simple and clear, it’s a wonder no one else has ever thought of it before. The idea is that if you help three people do something big that they can’t do themselves, they, in turn, each help three other people, and the world just might be a better place. In the movie, this idea starts with Trevor Mckinny as his 7th grade social studies project, and it spreads across the nation. A reporter tracks

Raena Lucasvs.

Rachel BartronNow featuring . . .

A review of Pay It Forward

the movement from LA back to Los Vegas, Ne-vada to find out who started the whole thing. Actor, Haley Joel Os-ment, went from seeing dead people in The Sixth Sense, to helping people in this movie. Haley plays the role of Trevor McKinny who comes up with the idea of “pay it forward”. His mother, played by Helen Hunt, is an alcoholic stripper who is trying so hard to keep everything she has from slipping through her fingers, that she winds up not paying enough attention to her son. Also starring in this movie is Kevin Spacey who plays Trevor McKinney’s so-cial studies teacher. With a troubled past resulting in severe burns all over his face and body, he feels the need to block people out. However, soon he’ll find that doing so doesn’t work as well as he would like. Pay It Forward will make you laugh and most definitely cry. But the meaning of it all will amaze you no matter how many times you see it. The movie has some mild lan-guage in it, but nothing too bad. I believe the best part of the movie is that it’s so realistic. ‘Pay it forward’ could actually work if people would take the time to help others. Just think how the world could be. I give this movie five stars for the acting, plot, and overall meaning. I suggest that you see this movie if you haven’t seen it yet. It will change your outlook on life! “When someone does you a big favor, don’t pay it back… pay it forward.”

Did you know? After appearing in the movie, • Pay It Forward, singer/actor Jon Bon Jovi has become tireless in the role of philanthrophist. Bon Jovi is well-known for his work on various charitable causes including Project HOME and Habitat for Humanity, of which he is a founding ambassador. Bon Jovi’s goal? To make volunteering hip! “The • cynics will say we can’t fix everything to which I re-spond, but if each of the hopeful can fix just one thing, imagine what we could do! Together . . . we can start a revolution. . .” - Jon Bon Jovi

Students in Mrs. Toepfer’s American Cultures II class had fun with an unusual assignment. Their task? To in-vent something designed to improve their own lives. For sophomore band member Mark Yami-alkowski, the obvious area to improve was music! Mark designed a “New and Improved Music Stand” while his classmate Ellen Clauss cleverly designed a “Basketball Passer!”

Students’ inventions made to ‘better life’

Other projects included Alley Roberts’s “Outlet Timer,” Chelsea Rivers’s Sponge Hamper,” and Taylor Robinson’s “Groovy Paint Roller.”

RStaff ProfileMeetMr. Ben Gill

Planet Wildcat

FEATURESDecember 2009

Page 11

In Step with Austin Krompasky

Austin plans to attend a four-year college majoring in business.

Age: 17Family: Sister, Leah, 15; Brother, Landon, 4; Sister, Kendall, 2.Mom - Linda MartinResides: Lake Ariel

Something that just might surprise you:When he was four Austin took dance at a local dance studio with quite a few of our seniors including Katie Quinn and Paula Strada. When asked if he’s a good dancer now, Austin laughed and said no!

1 Tell us about baseball and FBLA!I’ve played baseball since T-ball at age four and in our youth baseball league. I continued playing now through high school. I was captain of the JV team my sophomore year. I play shortstop and pitcher. I’d like to play in col-lege, but it depends on where I go.

2 What’s your proudest accomplishment?Everything I’ve accomplished in high school with FBLA, my grades (I’m proud to be 6th in my class), and with my outstanding senior project!

For my senior project, I coached in the Lake Ariel Youth Baseball League. I was working with a lot of kids I had played baseball with when I was younger. It was interesting to become the authority figure for them.

3 What has been most notable for you in FBLA?I’ve placed in the top ten at States all of my three years. They were all exciting, but during my sophomore year I placed fourth which was only one spot away from making it to Nationals.

4 What is one of your most memorable events in high school?It’s not a good thing, but I was in a car crash with seven of my friends in two separate cars. I’ll certainly always remember it.

5 Favorite quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.” - Dr. Seuss

Photo by Nick Van Leuven

by Markel McConehgy

Just the Facts . . .

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Social Studies; Masters of Education in Li-brary Science and Information TechnologyJob title: Social StudiesTeacherFamily: Sister, Mom, Dad, all in PA.. “My parents are re-tired!” Known for: Friendly attitude and passion for his subject matter

A few of my favorite things:Hobbies: Hunting, fishingPlace to eat: Any sushiStore: CabellasFood: Hot Wing HoagieMovie: Any James Bond movieReading: Spy thriller action books

The Multicultural Club• The Multicultural Club just had a successful presentation about Romania featuring a special guest speaker, Raena Lucas’s mother, Mrs. Irina Lucas, who came in to speak about her experi-ences in Romania where she spent most of her life. Club members learned things about Roma-nia such as population diversity, politics, and culture. Mrs. Lucas even created a visual presen-tation and translated into English a song that was made famous in America because of the popular video on YouTube; commonly known as “Numa Numa.” The club is always open to new members or even just visitors to come and watch a meeting or even a special presentation. Keep listening for an-nouncements of the next meeting!

Guidance’s “Career Cruising”• Most students in grades 9, 10 and 11 have opened up their “portfolio”. If you entered your email address you will be receiving announcements from the Guidance Department’s “Wildcat Whiskers.” The emails may be reminders or announcements. So don’t forget to check your email. If your email address has changed just go into your portfolio and update your personal information. If you forgot or lost your user name and password for your portfolio just stop in guid-ance and get the information.

New in the library• Students entering the library will see a new display: “The Writing’s on the Wall.” This is a competition that will focus on various topics of student interest. A current topic is a review of the movie New Moon and the question of how well it relates or gives credit to the book. Mrs. Petrosky started it as a way to display some student writing and critiques. Stop by to

post your comments! Also, the new Weekly Conundrum is now on the mobile bulletin board at the library entrance. Students can place their answer to the research question of the week into the bag that hangs off the board. “The first correct card I pull out of the bag on Friday before I leave is the winner,” Mrs. Petrosky said. “The questions may seem like they have a bit of a twist, but really they’re very simple to research if students put a little thought to the search.”

FBLA Halloween Event• Hundreds of stu-dents in kindergar-ten and pre-kin-dergarten classes throughout the WWSD celebrated Halloween with goody bags featur-ing healthy, fun treats compliments of the members of the school’s Future

Business Leaders of America chapter. This annual activity involved the members pre-paring nearly 275 bags and then delivering them to the students in the RD Wilson, Waymart and Hamlin Elementary Schools. Pictured are the students who helped deliver the goody bags: Cora Orehek, Morgan Franc, Michaella Carey, and Alyssa Caucci.

Nutrition and Fitness classes• Students in Mrs. Carmody’s Nutrition and Fit-ness classes recently traveled to Marywood Uni-versity’s Human Performance Lab for some test-ing on body fat percentages and to visit the inside of the lab. The students met with Dr. Rundell, a well-noted man in the field of exercise science and also a member of the International Olympic Advisory Committee.

This and That (news from around our planet)

Meet Katie

Quinn!Bits & Pieces

by Esther Michel

Want to know more about Katie? Her birthday is August 20th, and she is 17 years old. Katie is the daughter of Mi-chael and Noreen Quinn. She has one sister, Bridget.

Katie is active in many school activities and clubs. She is a member of FBLA, NHS, the Political Science Club, Mock Trial, and the Western Wayne band.

Katie is a member of the varsity track and tennis teams.

Her goal is to attend a four-year univer-sity majoring in political science.

In her free time, Katie likes to hang out with friends.

This girl is ACTIVE!Katie enjoys skiing, biking and kayaking!

Friends Say:

“Katie Quinn is an amazing person and friend. She is smart and funny but a little slow to recognize KOL familars. . . she could probably rap you any Eminem song!”- Chloe Karnick

“Katie and I were born in the hospital, practically at the same time, so we literally have known each other since birth. She’s a really good friend and a really hard worker. There’s nothing bad you can say about Katie.” - Austin Krompasky

“Katie is one of the best people I know, and I can go to her with anything. We have so many memories. She is a great friend!” - Tatiana Samson

“She’s a real great kid. She’s also one of my best friends. She always does her work; she’s a champ student! She’s also a funny kid; she’s great to be around!” - Ryan Mattern

Katie’s proudest achievement: “My success in FBLA and two AA District Track and Field medals.”

Who is Katie most inspired by? Steve Prefontaine. He overcame challenges and adversity with hard work and a strong will, and never took his eyes off the finish line.” Katie lists Mrs. Masankay as the teacher who has most inspired her. “Her work ethic and

passion for teaching motivates me to challenge myself and always con-tinue learning. Also, though I’ve never had Ms. Vitovsky as a teacher, she has been a great FBLA advisor who has taught me that you can go far with a little luck and a lot of hard work.”

Katie’s advice for her peers?“Everyone has something they’re really good at. When you find it, don’t ever give it up.”

Advice for underclassmen: “Live life to the fullest!”

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FEATURESPage 12 December 2009

all about Katie...

Katie’s Motivation:“I strive to live my life to its full potential, and this mo-tivates me in everything I

do!”

Katie’s favorite quotation:“Eat potatoes and love

danger!” It inspires me to never stop taking risks -

and to eat potatoes!”

Favorites:Book: The Alchemist by Paulo CoelhoShoes: Ballet flatsMusic: The Shins, Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eme-niemClass: AP ChemistryDrink: WaterFood: Breakfast foodsMovies: Invincible, The Guard-ian, Anchorman, Tommy Boy

Hobbies: Katie loves music! She has played the piano for ten years and has studied dancing for 14 years.

She’s smart, athletic, and well-liked!

Meet one of WWHS’S top ScHolarS!

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES Page 13December 2009

Sarah Bernstein, WVIA Artist of the Week

Theatre student Sarah Faith Bernstein, daugh-ter of Laura and David Bernstein of Hamlin, traveled to WVIA television studios to be filmed as the Artist of the Week. Sarah was chosen by her teacher, Mrs. Nancy Evans, for her exceptional achievement in the-atre arts and music and her overall character. She will be featured in a presentation on WVIA TV and wvia.org the week of April 18-24, 2010. Sarah starred in April of 2009 in the Western Wayne Players production of the Stephen Sond-heim classic, Into the Woods. Her portrayal of Cinderella gained her audience and critical ac-claim.

Freshmen Julie Kaudelky, Roberta Swingle, Nathan Packer, and Robert Cross are winners in the 100 Book Challenge spon-sored by their Academic Litera-cy teacher,Mrs. Kristen Stephenson.

100 book Challenge!

by Amanda Pritzlaff

As students beat their way through the jungle of the second quarter like so many machete-tot-ing Indiana Joneses, they begin to notice their academic surroundings differ slightly from last year’s curriculum. New courses have been introduced, one of these being Academic Literacy. This is now a re-quired freshman course that is solely based on reading and better understanding reading. The refreshing quality of this class is that students are free to choose their reading material. Mrs. Ste-phenson, our high school’s friendly new edition, and teacher of Academic Lit states lightly that this class exists because, “the more you read, the more you know.” However, Academic Lit has one quality that all other classes lack, an inter-student competition known as the “100 Book Challenge.” “[The 100 Book Challenge] is not about how many books you can read, but about the time spent reading books,” explained Mrs. Stephen-son. The 100 Book Challenge is simple, and rather organized. “Every step is fifteen minutes of reading, you can do it in class or at home, but when you’re at home a guardian has to sign your

Photo by MarkelMcConeghy

log to make sure you actually did it,” said Alec Weinstein, a 15 year old freshman in the midst of earning his Academic Lit credit. What’s the motivation for students to indulge in such a taboo task as reading by their own free will? There are small prizes granted for certain increments of step achievement. For reaching the 100th, 150th, 200th, 300th, or 400th step, stu-dents receive such prizes as medals, folders, or appropriately enough, book-bags, as encourage-ment. “The goal is for each student to log over one-hundred hours of reading by the end of the school year,” Mrs. Stephenson said. Hopefully, the immersion in a positive atmosphere and the allowance of freely choosing their reading mate-

rial will help every freshman in Academic Lit-eracy conquer the 100 Book Challenge.

Students already beating down the 100 Book Challenge and, therefore, immortalized on Mrs. Stephenson’s wall are:

150 steps1) Roberta Swingle

100 Steps1) Roberta Swingle2) LeeANn Vogelsberg3) Sally Jellock4) Elizabeth Curtis

One judge at the Sherman Theatre Spotlight Awards said, “Ms. Bernstein’s interpretation of Cinderella was fun and refreshing. Her voice and movement on stage only added to the overall effect-which was excellent in all regards. There is no doubt about it, this woman ruled the show. Ms. Bernstein gave an outstanding performance as Cinderella.” This critique garnered Sarah a nomination and in May, Sarah received the coveted “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” award at the Spotlight Awards Ceremony. The production, under the direction of Nancy L. Evans received the highest award of “Best Overall Production of a Musical” at the Spotlight Awards. Sarah’s prior theatrical accomplishments were in 2008’s production of “Grease” as Patty Simcox. Later that year, she was nominated for Out-standing Performance by a Featured Ensem-ble Member at the Sherman Theatre Spotlight Awards for her portrayal of Patty Simcox. Sarah acted as the Student Director for the WWHS’s production of Grease. Sarah had her first acting experience at age six in the musical “Rumpelstiltskin” as (Miss Busy Bee). In the 3rd grade, she was offered her first lead roles as (Chloe) in the musical “Inside the Outside Inn” and the Narrator in “Something’s up down in Bethlehem.” She later did an adap-tive play of “The Sound of Music” (as Kurt). Sarah played the role of Ada in the musical “Jo-seph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat here at WWHS. In 9th grade, Sarah auditioned for the Perform-ing Arts Institute and was accepted for voice and piano. At DeWitt High School, she was in Bella Voche (Woman’s Choir), Cantare (Soprano I)

and Chamber Singers (Soprano II). Since she was eight years old she has been involved in fine arts for women’s vocal solo, human video and drama. She also competed in KCEA for drama and won first place for her monologue, compet-ing in Denver and Orlando.

Mole Day celebrated On October 23rd, starting at 6:20 AM, WWHS began the an-nual Mole Day celebra-tion. Mole Day com-memorates Avogadro’s number (6.02 x 1023) which is why 6:02 AM signals the official start of the celebration.

Students in Mr. Nebzydoski’s classes were giv-en a mole project for which they had to create a mole that gave information based on the element they chose, The mole had to resemble that ele-ment. When it comes to Mole Day, Mr. Nebzydoski’s creativity kicks in, and his students end up en-joying the day with laughter. Mr. Nebzydoski makes Mole Day a project his students will nev-er forget. In addition to the projects, he amuses (and educates) students by singing, dancing to songs and reciting “Mole Day” theme poems. After all the laughter, hunger takes over and it’s time to eat a good mole snack such as guac-a-mole, mole cake, and many other creative foods prepared by his students as part of the celebra-tion.

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FEATURESPage 14 December 2009

IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL

SmILe! YOU’re IN PLANeT SHOTSMarkel McConeghy, NHS member (left) enthusiastically displays a pair of sweat pants which were one of many sold by NHS students to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness. Proceeds went to a district employee to aid in her battle with breast cancer.

The Art Honor Society elected new officers President: Paula Strada, V President: Trisha Zintel, Secretary Cassie Sommers, and Treasurer Nicole Chrzan. Also elected were activities chairpersons Abby Carmody, Samantha Dougherty, and Bridget Quinn. This year’s events include a fundraiser, Art for Animals, which will benefit no kill shelters.

talent

Helping others is not only one of the requirements to gain admission into the National Honor Society, it is one of the benefits of belonging to the organiza-tion. Western Wayne’s chapter is particularly strong in community affairs with projects such as Toys for Tots and the Feed a Friend food collection.

Seniors Tatiana Samson, Sean Sheridan, Daniel DeVito, Lizzie Warringer, Ka-tie Quinn, and Casey Mican are all smiles when it comes to lending a hand to their neighbors in need.

caring

Ninth graders enjoyed hearing the Strongest Man in the World, Phil Pfister, speak about the incredible challenges he faced growing up, and senior Val Caval enjoyed collecting this autograph! “Feel the Power” combined demonstrations of physical strength with the mes-sage of personal strength. “He talked to the freshmen about the im-portance of making positive choices,” Val explained.

Students in classes of Mrs. Carmody and Mrs. Zoppi were espe-cially busy in Novem-ber making hundreds of centerpieces for the “Friends of the Poor” annual Thanksgiving dinner.

Students and teachers also went directly to the Scranton Cultural Center to help set up and prepare food.

Picture this: Sixty-five turkeys, 750 pounds of mashed potatoes, 80 gallons of gravy were prepared and served!

Planet Wildcat

FEATURES December 2009Page 15

It’s the holiday season and you need something quick and easy to bring to a party. With a quick trip to the supermarket (if these ingredients aren’t found at home in the pantry) and four simple steps, your food will be the talk of the evening.

Super-Easy Fudge(From the Betty Crocker Cookbook)by Raena Lucas

Prep: 10 min. Chill: 1 hour 30 minutes 64 Candies LOW FAT!

For a deeper, richer chocolate flavor, be sure to add the unsweetened baking chocolate.Ingredients1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, if desired1 ½ cups of chopped nuts, if desired1 teaspoon of vanilla

1. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with butter.2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat.3. Quickly stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread in pan. Refrigerate about 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm. 4. Cut into 1-inch squares. Enjoy!

A Quick Note: Storing candy tightly covered at room temperature will last up to 2 weeks, or wrap candy tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, let the candy stand covered in their containers at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

What did the Planet Wildcat taste-testers say?

“Not bad, not great, but somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.” - Phillip Ingalls, senior

“Different. The texture is different, too. Dark chocolatey goodness.” - Samantha Baiamonte, junior

“Had a different texture. Reminded me of a truffle. SO CHOCOLATEY!” - Abby Carmody, sophomore

Semi Scrapbook

1. If a woman con-demned, what is the “last meal” you would eat?Chicken.2. What Hollywood celebrity would you like to meet?Nikki Sixx.3. If you had an endless supply of money, how would you spend it?On books or photography sup-plies.

Just Spit It Out!60 seconds with senior Kirsten Stratton!

Planet Wildcat

FEATURESPage 16 December 2009

Be Published in The Literary Magazine!

2009-2010

Do you want to see your written work published?

Submit your own original poems, short stories, or essays to Mr. Rebar,

Room 106.

Don’t wait too long to submit them!

Become a famous writer!

by Ashley Padula

Cross country runners work hard at every practice and put all they have into running a good race at each meet. Districts, which is the last and most important race of the season, is full of anxious runners awaiting the sound of the gun to sprint out, away from the pack and earn themselves one of the most rewarding races of the season. “I felt a lot of pressure this year compared to last year as a freshman. I placed 19th and I felt like this year I had to do just as well,” Abby said. Actually, she did even better! As just a sophomore, Abby came in 14th place out of 139 AA Girls. Placing 14th meant a lot to Abby personally, but it was important most because 14th place meant she was now going a step further - to States! Practice was over for the season, but not for Abby who had to run an ex-tra week of practice to prepare for States. States took place at Hershey on Saturday, November 7th. “It was unbelievable. There were so many run-ners. At the start of the race I could barely maneuver out of the position I was in because we were all packed together,” explained Abby. “It was also amazing to me how we had to wear numbers on the front of our uniforms and on the side of our shorts. We also had to wear two chips, one on each of our shoes, just in case we lost a shoe!” A chip was a small device that you had to lace onto your sneaker that had a number assigned to each run-ner so when they crossed the finish line, it would register their place and their time. “At States, before the race took place, I enjoyed spending time and going to the mall with my teammates, Bri and Sarah, who both went with me,” she said. Cross country practices consisted of slow days which were 20-30 minute slow jogs and hard days which were sprints and track workouts.“I enjoy running cross country because I love feeling relaxed and in shape. It’s a different pace compared to basketball, my favorite sport!” said Abby. To Abby, the most fun thing about cross country was, “Singing and doing chants with Ash, Sarah, and Bri while we ran and playing football.” Since the cross country season is over for the year, Abby is going to miss the seniors and would like to wish them their best. “I want to congratulate all the seniors, and I wish them the best of luck in their future, I will really miss them. My most memorable moment was when Zack Fleming took off on a complete sprint at Forest City two years ago and was in first place for at least 50 meters, then dropped back to last place.”

Carmodyadvances to States!

4. If you could be a movie character, whom would you like to be?Lizel in The Sound of Music. 5. If you could choose, what time would you live in?

The Eighties.6. If you could trade places with a friend, who would it be?Jennifer.7. If you could have the career of your dreams, what would it be?Photographer.8. What book would you have liked to be a character in?Exit Here.

FBLA students enjoy trip, competition at Penn State FBLA members Elizabeth Curtis, Ellen Clauss, Lizzie Warninger, Tati-ana Samson, Katie Quinn, Renee Reeke, Bridget Quinn, and Chloe Kar-nick had the chance to sharpen their leadership skills at the recent State Leadership Conference at Penn State University Park. The group studied topics such as entrepreneurship, finance and investing, communications, professionalism, career and college, and chapter management.

Congratulations ... to senior Tatiana Samson who was named to the Scran-ton Times

2009 Girls All-Region Ten-nis Team. Tatiana closed this season with a 10-3 re-cord at No. 1. She played in the District 2 class AA Singles where she advanced to semi-finals before losing to No. 1 seed Sara Lynn, of Berwick.

Boys Varsity BasketballSat 12/19 Away Old Forge Junior/Senior 7:30PMWed 12/23 Away Forest City Rotary Tournament TBASat 12/26 Away Forest City Rotary Tournament TBAMon 12/28 Away Honesdale Jaycees

Tournament TBAWed 12/30 Away Honesdale Jaycees Tournament TBATue 01/05 Home Blue Ridge 7:30PMThu 01/07 Home Forest City Regional 7:30PMSat 01/09 Away Elk Lake Jr/Sr 7:30PMTue 01/12 Away Montrose Jr/Sr 7:30PMFri 01/15 Home Lackawanna Trail Jr/Sr HS 7:30PMSat 01/16 Home East Stroudsburg Sr North 2:30PM12/8/2009Tue 01/19 Home Mountain View Jr/Sr 7:30PMFri 01/22 Away Susquehanna Comm 7:30PMThu 01/28 Away Blue Ridge 7:30PMSat 01/30 Away Forest City Regional 7:30PMTue 02/02 Home Elk Lake Jr/Sr 7:30PMFri 02/05 Home Montrose Jr/Sr 7:30PMTue 02/09 Away Lackawanna Trail Jr/Sr HS 7:30PMFri 02/12 Away Mountain View Jr/Sr 7:30PMTue 02/16 Home Susquehanna Comm 7:30PM