Three years ago, Waunakee nat ive Roger Endres Jr. , more commonly known as Mojo, pulled up to a fast food restaurant in Madison around 11 p.m. Upon his arrival, he noticed about five Waunakee football players sitting inside. Endres thought to himself, “Why should high school students have to go all the way into Madison simply to get the

food they want?” Though he already owns

Mojo’s Pub, Town and Country Builders and Endres Investment Group, Endres was looking to start another business in the Waunakee area. Thus, Endres’ idea for a combined KFC and Taco Bell was born.

This building, located at 600 West Main Street, is scheduled to open during the first part of January, which will coincidewith high school’s exam week.

The decision to no longer report class rank this year sparked discussion to make other changes in recognition at the 2011 graduation ceremony.

A committee made up of school board members met in early December to look at putting in place a new system of recognition, the laude system, instead of valedictorian and salutatorian. “We need to have something in place that will augment that traditional valedictorian and salutatorian,” said Principal Brian Kersten.

“The one thing that will remain constant is that we will still have gold honor cords for any student that has a 3.6 GPA over the course of seven semesters,” said Kersten.

According to Kersten, this laude system is not set in stone as of right now, but it will become final after the school board and policies committee approve it. This decision could be made as soon as late January.

The new system is made up of three achievable levels of recognition. The highest level being summa cum laude, which will be a purple cord at graduation. The next level is magna cum laude, which will be a silver cord and finally cum laude, which will be a white cord at graduation.

To be considered for any

laude recognition, a student must have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of seven semesters. It is very possible that students could be awarded with both laude cords and the classic gold honor cord.

The committee expects that about the same percentage of the class that was recognized with previous academic honors at graduation would be recognized with this system. The calculation of what type of recognition a student receives is based on the rigor of his or her coursework and his or her cumulative GPA as previously mentioned.

C l a s s e s t h a t a r e considered for calculation in laude placement are made up of what Kersten called the “capstone courses” of the high school and include several classes which can be seen in the table below.

Few students are aware of this potential change, but responses have proven to be mixed. Senior Dan Statz said, “I think it’s better if we [continue to] have a valedictorian.”

On the contrary, junior Katie Greiber said, “It’s good for the kids who have the grades to be valedictorian but can’t be because there’s only one.”

English Instructor Rachel G u r a l s k i , w h o t e a c h e s two courses on the list of a d v a n c e d c o u r s e s f o r

Laude consideration, British Literature and AP Literature, said, “It’s rewarding kids that accept the challenge o f tak ing more rigorous classes.”

A student’s s c o r e i s de te r mined by multiplying h i s o r h e r cumulative GPA by the number o f s e m e s t e r s o f a d v a n c e d c o u r s e s completed in all four years o f h i g h

school. For i n s t a n c e , a student with a cumulative G PA o f 3 . 0 a n d e i g h t c o m p l e t e d s e m e s t e r s of advanced coursework would have a score o f 2 4 a n d b e recognized f o r C u m L a u d e . A score between 2 4 - 3 9 . 9 9 w i l l r e c e i v e C u m

Laude. Scores of 40-55.99 will receive Magna Cum Laude, and scores of 56 and above will receive Summa Cum Laude.

“Many other schools in our area are switching to systems similar to the proposed laude system and eliminating class rank to better foster students’

willingness to take more rigorous courses,” said Kersten.

At this point, the system could be tweaked for future years or even for this year’s graduating class.

“I think people feel comfortable with the direction of trying to bestow appropriate recogn i t ion on students for the great job they do in the classroom. There’s a benefit t o t r y i n g t o m o t i v a t e o r e n c o u r a g e our students to take the

most rigorous c o u r s e w o r k that we have to offer because t h a t ’ s g o i n g t o h o p e f u l l y prepare them best for moving

on to their post s e c o n d a r y

education,” said Kersten.

December 22, 2010PurPle SageWaunakee, WIVolume 9, Issue 3Waunakee Community High School

QuotableUOTE

”— Buddy the Elf, from Elf

“Buddy the Elf,

what’s your favorite color?

Presented by The Wednesday Society

The

Graduation honors undergo changes for 2011 ceremonyOlivia KnierEditor in Chief

Advanced Courses:• Advanced English 10• British Literature• AP Literature• Expository Writing• PreCalculus• AP Calculus

• AP Statistics• AP Computer Science AB• Human Anatomy• Biotechnology• AP Biology• Chemistry II

• Physics II• AP Psychology• AP Economics• AP US History• French V• Spanish V• Advanced Art Workshop• 4 years of band + A solo• 4 years of choir + A solo

• 4 years of orchestra + Asolo

• Advanced Accounting• Marketing II• Principles of Engineering• Engineering Design and

Development• Other unique situations,

such as AP online courses

KFC/Taco Bell about to open its doorsCaroline PatzReporter

see KFC page 3

In just a few weeks, the prophecy will be fulfilled, and we can bask in the glow of deep fried bliss.

—Chris Pedersen For more on the new

restaraunt plans, see page 5.

Opinion

“”

KFC/Taco Bell construction during the end of November. (Photo by Candice Bertram)

Sports

Jason Ford in hockey game against DeForest on November 29.

For more see page 14.

FeaturesOver 25 percent of adolescents have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the internet.

For more, see cyberbullying, page 8.

Entertainment

Nick Frey on the set of “Glee.” Read more on page 10.

Sage Page

Meet Hanoulia Salame, WHS’s newest foreign exchange student from Belgium.

Turn to page 16.

Charitable holiday activities have always been a major part of Waunakee Neighborhood Connection, Waunakee’s most prominent social service organization.

With the holidays already underway, these programs have infected the Waunakee community with holiday cheer. Holiday programs put on by Waunakee Neighborhood

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 2

NEWSLily Vanderbloemen, News Editor

124 W. Main StreetWaunakee, WI

608-849-3110

Hours:Monday: 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.Tuesday & Wednesday:11 a.m.- 6 p.m.Thursday & Friday:11 a.m.- 5 p.m.Saturday11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Waunakee Neighborhood Connection spreads holiday cheerJenna McGowanReporter

Salvation Army marches on

December marks the beginning of the Salvation Army’s Christmas fundraising season. Though the Salvation Army receives donations in several ways such as airline mile donations, government funding and used car donations, the yearly “red kettle” fundraiser is its biggest fundraiser.

The red kettle fundraiser began in 1891, when Captain Joseph McFee placed a large pot where the Oakland ferry landed in the San Francisco, California area with a sign reading, “Keep the pot boiling.” The money raised helped feed 1000 poor people on Christmas day. Over the years the idea spread across the country and is now used throughout the United States and the world. People volunteer to ring bells with red kettles around the country in front of numerous retailers. In Waunakee, red kettles are located within the doors at Walgreens and outside of Piggly Wiggly.

This year, according to the Detroit Free Press, the Salvation Army aims to raise 7.8 million dollars nationwide. In addition, the Salvation Army has set up an online kettle and hopes to raise three million dollars through onlineredkettle.org.

The donations provided during the

Chris PedersenWeb Page Manager

“red kettle” fundraiser go to various people in need during the holiday season. It provides the homeless, elderly, and needy families with Christmas dinners, clothes, and toys to children. Even after the season of giving, families are still being helped thanks to the massive donation red kettles raise every year.

The Red Kettle Campaign runs through December 24, and you can volunteer by visiting ringbells.org, where you can choose the preferred location and time to volunteer.

Volunteer Kenneth Spielman ringing bells at PIggly Wiggly. (Photo by Jeremiah Kirch)

Christmas goodies for a typical basket. (Photo by Lydia Dorn)

WNC founder, Genna Eaton, with Christmas basket goodies. (Photo by Lydia Dorn)

Volunteers help package WNC Christmas baskets at the Village Center on Saturday, December 18. The store was packed as volunteers sorted, packed and organized baskets for local families. (Photo by Lydia Dorn)

Connection include Adopt-a-Family, the Christmas meal program, and the annual kids’ shopping event.

Adopt-a-Family is a need-based program in which families ask anonymously fo r var ious necess i t ies , such as hats, winter coats, and t-shirts. Classrooms, businesses, individual families, or other donors step forward to purchase these items by family. Purchasing the requested items can be a large time and financial commitment but Waunakee Neighborhood Connection founder, Genna Eaton, said, “I’m not sure who has more fun on this one; the families opening their gifts at Christmas, or the donors who adopt the families!”

T h e C h r i s t m a s M e a l Program put on by Waunakee Neighborhood Connection is the largest project during the holiday season. Just this year, 220 families in the Waunakee area will receive a bag full of goods this holiday season. These “goody bags” are filled to the brim with ham, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, an apple pie, a handmade Christmas card, a Christmas ornament, two boxes of Girl Scout cookies, and a new stuffed animal. This project requires many community

volunteers and a lot of time to unload the truck full of goods, assemble the food, and finally deliver it.

The annual kids’ shopping event is another holiday program put on by Waunakee Neighborhood Connection. Businesses and individuals donate hundreds of new items, and the Waunakee Neighborhood Connection store opens i ts doors to approximately 100 kids. Each child is allowed to pick out two free items to give to their parents during the holiday season.

T h e i m p a c t o f t h e s e three holiday programs is monumental in Waunakee. As Eaton said, “ I t takes hundreds of volunteers and hundreds of hours of work to make these [programs] all

successful.” These programs offer a helping hand to the sometimes-overlooked needy right here in Waunakee and make a difference during the holiday season. “It also gives our community a purpose. It provides opportunities for

volunteers and donors–helping our neighbors in need,” said Eaton.

For ways to volunteer and get involved with Waunakee Neighborhood Connection, visit waunakeeneighborhoodconnection.com.

The building’s lobby

and dining area are on the north side of the building, facing Main Street, and the dining room can seat up to 62 people. The kitchen and the coolers are on the south side of the building with the drive-through on the east side. The KFC and Taco Bell are integrated into one space, using the same cashiers, soda dispensers and dining area. The building as a whole cost approximately 2.8 million dollars.

C o n s t r u c t i o n o n t h e building has given many contractors work, helping boost Waunakee’s economy. There is already a workforce of 72 hired people, and most of them are from Waunakee. Many positions have been filled, but there is room for more employees. People can start in the business at an

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 3

NEWS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

During this holiday season and every day of the year,we wish you all the best.

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

Tammy A Reefe, AAMS®Financial Advisor.

314 E Main StreetWaunakee, WI 53597608-850-6267

Shelley M Moffatt,AAMS®Financial Advisor.

221 S Century AvenueWaunakee, WI 53597608-849-6649

briefsLONDON, England - WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, willingly handed himself over to British police on Wednesday, December 8. He was released from jail December 17 and is being confined to a mansion in London. He must report to police daily, wear an electronic tag and put up 240,000 pounds in bail. The next hearing will be January 11.

NEWS

Melanie Guitzkow, ReporterSources: CNN, Fox News, NBC

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - Pounding snow from the blizzard on Sunday, December 12 caused many states to be under alert. At the 64,000 seat Metrodome, home of the NFL team the Minnesota Vikings, the snow was too much to handle. The Teflon roof ripped and collapsed, spilling snow onto the field and onto the inside of the building. The Vikings were supposed to play the New York Giants in the Metrodome on December 12, but the game was rescheduled to be played on Monday, December 13 in Detroit.

YEONPYEONG ISLAND, South Korea - Tuesday, November 23 was the beginning of the breaking of the 57 year old armistice between North and South Korea. Days after, South Korea threatened retaliation, and on December 8, the U.S. pressured China to act on North Korea after they threatened to declare war.MARINETTE, Wisconsin - On Monday, November 29, Marinette High School was the scene of a hostage situation. One teacher and about two dozen students were held hostage for six hours by another fifteen year old student. The student, sophomore Samuel Hengle, shot himself and died by gunshot wound later that evening.

MADISON, Wisconsin - Since the beginning of his campaign, and later his election, Scott Walker has been aiming to abolish the high speed rail plan for Wisconsin. On Thursday, December 9, it was made clear that the project was dead,and that the $810 million allotted to Wisconsin will be given to other states.

RALEIGH, North Carolina - 61 year old Elizabeth Edwards died on Tuesday, December 7 after battling cancer for six years. She was a famous attorney, best-selling author, advocate of gay marriage, and health care activist.

from Page 1KFC

Tutoring changes at WHSFo r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n

Waunakee High School history, the National Honor Society is teaming up with the school tutoring program.

The idea for National Honor Society (NHS) to partner with the school’s tutoring program was founded last year, but this is the first year of NHS involvement in the peer tutoring program at WHS. Students involved in the NHS program are required to do at least ten hours of community service; the tutoring counts as five of those hours.

Anna EvansenReporter

Construction on KFC/Taco Bell has made signifcant progress. Picture taken in late December. (Photo by Candice Bertram)

The Purple Sage wishes you happy holidays

entry level, earning minimum wage. However, they can also work their way up to become a manager.

“I feel this will be a success because it’s a combination of two fast food places, both of which we don’t yet have in Waunakee,” Endres said. The addition of this new restaurant gives locals another dining option in Waunakee and will hopefully keep people eating locally.

A huge advantage of the new restaurant is that it allows people to eat at the same

place and go out together, even if they do not want t h e s a m e t y p e o f food. The res tauran t should also help boost other local businesses. N o w t h a t there will be t w o m o r e

opt ions for quick meals

in Waunakee, people may be less likely to drive all the way into Madison for a meal. This will hopefully help people stay in Waunakee for other things too, such as for the hardware or drug store.

Endres hopes to break the record for the largest grand opening of a Yum Brand’s store in corporate histor y by having the l a r g e s t a m o u n t o f customers at the opening.

Students who feel the need for a tutor can contact a counselor or advisor and are then matched up with a peer tutor involved in the NHS program.

Tutors and tutees meet through the guidance office, and tutoring is then scheduled according to the schedule of both the tutor and tutee. Senior Maggie Holm said, “It’s hard to find time because I have a very busy schedule, but they work around it.”

Prior to this year, students would come forward and ask to help with the tutoring program. Barb Fassbender, one of the school’s guidance

counselors, said, “Initially it was a shock. It’s a big change. There was concern about how [the NHS students] were going to have enough t ime because ever ybody ’s schedule is very tight…like anything else that’s new, it’s going to take some getting used to.”

The program is still in its first few months, but so far it has been successful. Fassbender said, “I think teachers like the idea.”

NHS member Emily Luttrell said, “[Tutoring] makes me proud to be academically recognized.”

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 4

OPINIONJamie Warner, Opinion Editor

Waunakee’s winter wonderlandAngela GilbertsonProduction Assistant

Inaction a worse decision than building a roundaboutJamie WarnerOpinion Editor

Picture this: Youwakeuponaweekdaymorningand out yourwindow isa blanket of white fluffcovering everythingandeverywhere youlook. There are at leasttenfeetofsnow,andicicles are hangingoffyourroof.Thefirstthing that pops intoyour head is, “Do Ihave school today?”You rushdownstairsto check the news,and to your displeasure,almost every school isclosedbutyours.SinceyouareprobablyaresidentofWaunakee reading thisnewspaper, you know Iamtalkingaboutatypical

snowydayinWaunakee.Doesour superintendent ignorehowmuchofahassle it is totransportourselvestoschool?Alongwith that, doeshenotthinkofall theconditionswehavetofacetomakeourarrival

ontime?Asweallknow, thechanceofgettingasnowdayisalwaysslim. Forthemajorityofstudentsin high school, the idealtransportation to school isdriving.Whenyoulookaround

at our parking lots, a goodamount of our vehicles aresmall cars.What happenswhenyouhavesmallcarsandsnow?Yougetanaccidentjustwaiting to happen.Withoutfour wheel drive or front-

wheeldrive,arideinthesnowisfullof sliding throughstop signs andswerving aroundcorners.Thisisanissue because itcancausecrashes.Accidents on theroad can a l soc r e a t e t r a f f i cproblems,which

leadstostudentsbeinglateforclassandisasafetyhazardinitself. Theroadsonschoolmorningsarebusywithstudentsdriving,parentsdroppingofftheirkids,andbusdriverstakingstudentsto where they need to be.Streets and intersections areclutteredaspeoplerushtobeontime.Allofthistrafficplustenfeetofsnowcannotleadtoanythinggood.Itisdangerousforeveryonetobeputinthesesituations. Once again, picture this:Yourushtoyourwindowonaweekdaymorning, and thereis a blanket ofwhite fluff atleast ten feet thick coveringeverywhere you look. Iciclesdangle from theendof yourroof.The first thing thatpopsinto yourhead is, “Do Ihaveschooltoday?”andsoyourushdownstairstocheckthenews.Toyourpleasure,almosteveryschool is closed, includingyours.This,Iknow,iswhatweallwanttoseehappenwhenthesedaysoccur.

After ameeting with theDepartmentofTransportation,a proposed roundabout tocleartrafficattheintersectionofHighway 19 andHighwayQ has sparked controversyamongst the community ofWaunakee. As tension anddebaterisesovertheplannedroundabout, it is importanttokeeptheprojectinperspective.Many complaints have beenraised about the proposal:it is confusing to navigate, itwouldhurt local businesses,it would be unsightly, etc.However, what needs tobe remembered is that theroundaboutisasolutiontoanexistingproblem, thebackeduptrafficonHighway19.What

eventually needs to happenasaproperlong-termsolutionwould involve rerouting thehighway around our village,but doing so cannot happenanytime soon (even if therewerefunding).As a result, we are stuck

withachoicebetweenshort-termsolutions,ofwhichthereare several. TheWisconsinDepartmentofTransportationfirstproposedthatHighway19beexpanded into four lanes,removingstreetparkingspace.However, thiswas deemedunacceptablebecauseitwouldheavily damage businessesand pedestrian traffic. Theroundaboutwaschosenasthelesserofevils.After all, something needs

tobedoneaboutthetrafficonHighway19.Thejamrestricts

passagefromthestoresnearbyto the street,meaning thatwould-be customers oftensimplybypass theWaunakeebusinessestoavoidthehassle.Theproblemwillonlygetworseover time. If the conditionon thestreetdeteriorates toofar,thentrafficcouldbecomeunstable, leading to serioustraffic jams in addition tothe constant overflow.Doingnothing is hardly a viablesolution.Ifweassumethatsomething

needs to bedone about theproblem, thenwhathappensifwe lookat thebeastof theroundabout in theeye?Well,thespaceitneedswillcertainlydamage the surroundingbusinesses–butnotasmuchas the total damage trafficwould cause. The damage

couldbe reducedby shiftingtheroundabout to theVillageHall lot and thereby notinterferewiththesurroundingbusinesses.Toeaseourfinancialwoes,

the cost of the roundaboutwouldbegreatly reducedbyfederal funding.Although thecostof theroundaboutmightbe asmuch as $10million,Waunakeewouldonlyhavetopayabout$600,000.Despi te compla ints o f

confused drivers causingcrashes, roundaboutsusuallyimprove safety.A studydoneby the National HighwayCooperativeResearchProgramshowed that roundaboutsreduce crashes by about 35percent. In addition, crashesthat do occur are at lowerspeeds and in the same

direction.As for complaints of the

roundaboutsbeingconfusingthemselves, I hope that suchconfusion goes away afterthe resourceful citizens ofWaunakee get used to thetraffic device. A roundaboutwould hit businesses in theshorttermandbeconfusingforawhile, sure, butWaunakeehaslittleelsetotry.Yes, it is clear that the

roundabout isunpopularandhasitsshareofflaws.However,thecurrenttrafficisevenlessaccepted – andwill becomemoresoastimegoeson.Wehavelittleotherchoicebuttoaccept the roundabout. Ifwedo, thenmaybe itwillnotbesobad.

”“Whathappenswhenyou have small cars andsnow? You get an accidentjustwaitingtohappen.

–AngelaGilbertson

Thumbs up! Thumbs down...As the storefronts

have proph-esized it for the last few months, win-ter break has finally come.

The student council fund-

raiser, Canes for Canes. If the name of the project did not endear you, then the goal, aiding the elderly, will.

The new KFC/Taco

Bell. Twice the fast food goodness!

Secret Santa: not

so secret anymore. Also, the person who signs up but does not deliver.

Flashing LED Christmas

lights. “The more, the merrier” is the wrong philosophy here.

School on Christmas

Eve’s eve.

Obligatory small gifts

for coworkers or distant relatives.

WEDNESDAY SOCIETY speaksTH

E QuotableUOTE

Daredevil multitaskers across Wisconsin have a new law to dread while free on the road: a restriction on texting while driving. Yes, it is true: the number of people who can drive down the highway while looking down in their lap – and often driving around 100 yards without looking at the road – has increased to a point where legislators have been forced to make a law against it.

The violation is a primary offense, so people can be pulled over solely because they were texting. Of course, violators will probably first be identified by their wild swerves and delayed adjustments before officers dare to get close enough to peer through the window. Because of how obvious offenders are, enforcement of the law will be relatively easy.

It is astounding, however, just how common the criminal case is. No doubt many of our readers are sheepishly thinking back on a day they themselves laughed at a text or two while on the road.

One instance in 2008 comes to mind particularly to show how widespread the problem has become. On an autumn evening, a Metrolink train set off from downtown Los Angeles to a nearby suburban city. All was normal until the crew

spotted another train barreling toward them on the tracks. One of the conductors pulled their emergency brake, but it was too late; the two collided head-on. Both locomotives and a passenger car fell over, and 25 people were killed. Afterwards, an investigation found the cause of the crash; the engineer was sending a text message and ran through a red signal.

The story repeats itself throughout the public; according to the Department of Transportation, there were 5,475 deaths and almost half a million injuries in car accidents which involved distracted driving in 2009.

The restriction on texting while driving may seem laughable, but it is a widespread issue. A person might feel safe and snug driving down a road while enjoying a text conversation, and in many cases, they can get away with it, but in truth, they are driving worse than they would be if they were driving while intoxicated. On the road, the people who make mistakes and cause problems never seem to realize it, and unfortunately, because of the innocence of texting while driving, it is likely a problem that will stick with us for a while.

Con-text of communication

– Arthur Miller

“

”

Once we begin to

see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 5

OPINION

EDITORIAL POLICIES

OLIVIA KNIEREditor in Chief

LILY VANDERBLOEMENNews Editor

JAMIE WARNEROpinion Editor

SARA VINCENTFeatures Editor

SIERRA GILLESPIEEntertainment Editor

Editorial Staff

The Purple Sage is written and produced entirely by Waunakee Community High School students. Opinions in The Purple Sage are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the newspaper staff or the school district. Students, staff, and members of the community are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and must be signed. Letters may be delivered to room 1502, or sent to our mailing or email address. The Purple Sage is published monthly and is printed by South Central Publishing. The Purple Sage is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Kettle Moraine Press Association. Subscriptions to The Purple Sage are available for $20 per year. Mail subscription requests or other requests to our mailing address or e-mail address.

KELLY MARTINSports Editor

JOSH LERDAHLAIDAN SCHLITTLERSage Page Editors

LYDIA DORNPhotography Editor

ANGELA GILBERTSONProduction Assistants

EMILY DREWRYCopy Editor

AARON SCHMIDTAdvertising Manager

CHRIS PEDERSENWeb Page Manager

TAMMY RADEMACHERAdviser

Contact us by e-mail: purplesage@waunakee.k12.wi.us

The Purple Sage Waunakee Community High School

301 Community DriveWaunakee, WI 53597

OSRICGnome

THE PURPLE SAGE

Should we have opened our gates to KFC/Taco Bell?Aboutfouryearsago,peoplebegantowhisperofthecomingofanewrestaurantinWaunakee:theKFC/TacoBellcombination.Injustafewweeks,theprophecy

willbefulfilled,andwecanbaskintheglowofdeepfriedbliss.Atfirst,thesmarttownupbringinginmeopposedthenewrestaurant,butthecityboy(borninMilwaukee,raisedinJanesvilleandlaterMadison)wasexcited.Now,intheinterestoffairness,wewillseebothdirectionsthenewrestaurantcouldtakeus.

Waunakee does NOT need KFC/Taco BellWaunakeehas longprided

itself in being a “bedroomcommunity,”meaningwearea small, primarily residentialcommunity with a limited,localeconomy.IfpeoplewantamenitiestheygotoMadison.Wekeepoutthebigboxstoresbecause theydonot gowithoursmalltownAmericaimage,sowhyshouldweletKFC/TacoBellchangethat?Not only is the newKFC/

Taco Bell an affront to theatmosphereofthecommunity,it isunnecessary.WealreadyhaveMcDonald’s,BurgerKing,Subway,Milio’s, andmultiplepizzarestaurants.Speakingofpizza,remember

Cimino’s?Cimino’swasalocal

momandpopbusiness thatunfortunately folded earlierthisyear.ItisnationalfastfoodchainslikePizzaHutthatdrovethisdeliciousWaunakee-bornand run business into theground.KFC/TacoBellstandsto do the same thing to ourotherlocalrestaurants.S uppo r t i n g t h e l o c a l

economy i s impor t an t .Local businesses employmany communitymembers,especially teenagers.Whena business l ikeKFC o r TacoBe l l pusheso ther loca lbu s i n e s s e sout, the localeconomy herei s damagedbecausemoneygoes to bigcorporationselsewhere.

Waunakee DOES need KFC/Taco BellAsmy alter identity pointed out,

Waunakeehasalreadyembracedotherfastfoodchains,andtheadditionofanotherfastfoodrestaurantwillnotaffect our status as a bedroomcommunity, if you think thatisimportant.Thebuildingis

fairlysmall,andtheexteriorisasclassyas the interior ofMcDonald’s; it isnot high class,b u t h a s arefinedfeel.

Furthermore, while it isunfortunate that Cimino’sclosed,ifitwasreallyasgreatasmy alter-ego and I thinkit was, people should havesupported it. After all, theirpriceswerefairlycompetitive.Theysimplydidnotmakethecut.Finally,while it is true that

franchises pay a franchisingfee to the corporation thatowns the brand, franchisesstillemploylocalcitizensandtheincometheyandtheownerearn also stimulate the localeconomy.Thenamemaybenational, but a franchise is alocallyrunbusiness,evenifitdoesnothavealocalflair.Ultimately, KFC/Taco Bell

merelyprovidesanotherlunchordinneroption,andtimewilltellifWaunakeeisagoodfitforthebusiness.

Chris PedersenWebpage Manager

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 6

OPINIONAttention all Waunakee drivers: it is now winterGlenn WillColumnist

“Should Waunakee have

”more snow days?

Photo poll by Lydia Dorn and Jamie Warner

“No. That’s why we’re state champions at so many things; we’re tough.”Rick BraunEnglish Instructor

“Yes, roads are bad, so people can’t get to school, especially if they live far away.”Ashley StatzGrade 9

“Yes. We go a long time in the winter without any breaks, so snow days help to refresh.”Kayla HansonGrade 10

“Yes, it’s nicer out in the summer, so people can get to school easier if we push back the year.”Eric AndersonGrade 11

“We don’t care how many snow days we have; we’re seniors!”Robert Kinzler, Kyle DesRochers, Jameson Coopman, Josh Paulson, David MarshallGrade 12

Iwassupposedtobewritingaboutmyopinionsonthenewban of textingwhile driving,but after seeing how carswere driving in the parkinglot after the first snowfall, Ifelt obligated to tell peoplethey cannot drive like idiots,especiallysincethereisiceontheground.Theproblemisnotonlywith

students,butalsohowparentsaredriving:ignoringstopsignrules,tailgatingandgoingwayover the speed limit in the

parking lot. I usually like tocruiseonthroughaswell,butseriously? There are like fiveinchesoffreshsnow;youaregoingtoslide,soslowdown.Withoutadoubt, theworst

o f fenders a re the malestudentswhoinsistondrivingunsafely at all times of theyear.Iunderstandyourfuturelies inwatching cars do thesame, but do not putme atrisk for your stupidity. If youinsistondoingthis,pleasedoitsomewhereelse,wheretherearenotonehundredandfiftytightlypackedcarsandpeopleroamingaround.Godownto

Suppose you are situatedin the passenger seat of acar, cruising to any desireddestination. You tune out tothedroneofthecarengineandradioand listen to thesteadyrainoutsidethewindow.Fromyourpresentspeedof45miles

per hour, the rain appearsto slant. In truth, you areexperiencingakindofopticalillusion,aphenomenonbasedonarelativesenseofmotionin respect to your currentsituation. Your senseof timeis jiltedbecause you thinkoflifeasitpassesbyyouatyourcurrentspeed.

In themodernday, peoplehave an adamant resolve toseekouttruth.YetawayfromtheeverydayAmerican’sworldofpresentdaysuburbiaistheunknownworldofbattlesandbloodshedover the conceptofbelief.Nowherehasbeliefbeenmoreprevalent than inreligion.IntheMiddleEast,thefight

betweentheShiitesandSunnisects of Islam have causedsuchastirforagesthatperhapsthebasisoftheconflictmightneverbeuncovered.InSudan,ithasbeenestimatedthatover17,000childrenareforcedintoarmedmilitias over culturalfeud. The ghosts of Belgiumrule inCongo still haunt thecountry.Asaneyewitnesstotragedy,a

personwillwonder:Isreligiontheanswertoman’swoes?Isitthebalmtoourtroubles?Respectfully, it seems like

theissueofreligionismerely

anirritation–afesteringcallusthatdoesnotheal,doingmoreharmthangood.What then is truth? Belief

isdefinedas thatwhichoneardently trusts in, hopes inandperceivesas truth. Truththen, isasubjectivereality inwhich the realmofperceptionsapersonchooses to believemight well differfromfact.I began to get

curiousafterreadinga brochure on thesubject entitled “IsRe l i g i on L os ingi ts Inf luence?” I ti s a respectablep u b l i c a t i o ndistr ibuted by Jehovah’sWitnesses, the enthusiastswhogodoortodoor.Aftermuchmetacognition,

I believe that truthmay beunderstoodthroughtheuseofaphysicalanalogy.As always, I implore the

reader to imagine another’svantagepoint.

Eric MomouColumnist

someother parking lot,withless people, or headout thecountry somewhere. It doesnotmatter tome, justdonotforceme tobackmy car upto avoidbeing t-bonedat anintersection (something thathashappenedtwicealready).Then thereare thegiggling

girls who constantlymakemistakes and do not care.They need to stop laughinglikeitisgoingtohelpanythingandlearnfromtheirmistakes.Seriously,growupandrealizeyouarenottheonlypersonontheroad.AccordingtotheWisconsin

DepartmentofTransportation,the time of daywith the mostaccidents thatcaused i n ju r ywas between threeand fourp.m.,which is rightwhenwe get out of school,coincidentally.We have toget it out of our headthat needing tobe somewheredoes not giveus the luxur yof driving likemaniacs.IamnotsayingIwant

OfficerLybecktocomearoundissuing citations to everyone

whohasnot“winterized”their drivingplans,

butIdowantt o b eab let og e to u t

ofherew i t h o u t

feelinglikeIjustbarelybeatdeath.

At the same time, fromanadjacentbusstopthatyouhavepassed, another individualsits. In theminiature, flimsyand plastic fortification, thepersonwitnesses the rain.In the tediouswait, he looksat hiswatch and grimaces.

Thehandsread7:40.Heis late forwork again.To thebusinessman itseemsasifnotimehaselapsed.As thispersonisstationary,thedelugefal ls s traight down,contrarytotheviewpointfromthecar.In the atmospheric

galesabove,apassengerofacommercialairplaneexperienceslittleofwhat

thepriortwohaveundergoneonearth. Inher senseof therelative world above thenimbus clouds, there is norain.Situatedcomfortably,sheisobliviousas the restof theworldremains inmelancholyfromthedownpour.Sheviewscivilizationasaspeck.Allshehearsisthefaintreverberations

ofthunder.Sheseesthedistantflashes of lightningbelow inherperipheralvision.What is the point of these

illustrations? Each individualin this parable can attest tothe truth ashis or her senseof theworld is basedon theperson’s individual reality orviewpoint. All individuals,based in different locations,hadadiffering senseof timeand place, perceiving his orher set of reality in the onlywaytheycould.Allwitnessedtheweatherdifferently.Insidethe car, theworld seemedto slant;outside thebus stopeverything appearednormalandmundane;andoutsidetheplanetherewasnothing.Likewise, the looking glass

ofculturemayactinthesamemannerwhilewitnessingtruth.Truth may seem distortedthroughanother’seyes,but itmayalsobewhatapersoncanjudgebasedoncircumstance.

There are myriad perspectives, but all have claim to truth

“Truth, then, is a subjectivereality inwhich the realmofperceptionsapersonchoosestobelieveinmightwelldiffer

fromfact. –EricMomou”

MembersoftheScienceClubtraveled to “the land beforetime” in search of fossilizedremainsofprehistoricbeasts. T h e y w e r e u tmo s t l ys u c c e s s f u l a n d f o u ndnumerousfossilsrangingfromsmall vertebrae and teethto thewhole front end of aXophactinusaduax. Last summer, Sc ienceInstructors SteveBower andDeb Kellerman took ninemembers of the ScienceClub down to Kansas for apaleontological adventureofalifetime.Thesestudentshadfivedaysofdigging inRusselSprings,Kansaswithtwodays

allottedfortravelonbothendsofthetrip. In order to get to the digsite, the Science Club tookthree vans down toKansas,spending 14 hours in thevehicleeachway.“Thecarridewas super long,” said juniorHaileyBussan.“Butwe foundways to entertain ourselves[suchas] readalouds,MarioKart, and for themost part,sleeping.” K a n s a s u s e d t o b esubmergedinabodyofwatercalled theWestern InteriorSeaway.DuringtheCretaceousperiod, thisseawaystretchedfrom theArcticOcean to theGulfofMexico.Therefore,allthefossilsdugupandbroughtbackweremarinecreatures.

When a student found afossil,theyhadtoexcavateit.Todothis,theychiseledawaythe rock all theway aroundthe fossilandabouteighteeninchesunderneathit. “The excavating processis a lot ofwork and a lot ofdigging.Itmusthavetakentwodays just todig[a fossil]out,and sometimes it ended upbreaking.Buthey,Igottouseapickaxe for the first time,”saidBussan. After digging the fossil outof the ground, they appliedglue to it and covered it inaluminum foil. Then theywoulddiplongstripsofburlapintoplasterandcoverthefoilas aprotective jacket for theridehome. Upon return toWaunakee,the students involved in the“Dino Dig” needed to prepthe fossils they found. Thisisalongprocessthatisgoingon inBower’s roomandwillcontinue on throughout therest of the school year. It isapproximated for eachhourspentout in the field findingfossils,ittakes20hoursinthelabpreppingthem. The foss i l preparat ionprocessdonebythestudentsis actually very similar to theprocessusedbyprofessionals.Thetoolsandmachinesownedby theWaunakee ScienceDepartment are the same

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 7

FEATURESSara Vincent, Features Editor

F i nd ing new ways t ovolunteerandbringnewlighttopeople’s livescanbehardto accomplish. The StudentCouncil is always looking fornewways to fundraise fordifferentcauses. Thismonth, they ran threemajorevents.Theyorganized“Canes for Canes,” “Call anElf,” and they sponsored a“CancerSucksOut”basketballgame. Eachof theseeventswereverysucessfulandeachbenefittedadifferentgroupofpeople. “Canes for Canes”was afundraiser to raisemoney forthe geriatrics branch of theUWhospital. Geriatrics is amedical branch that dealswith diseases and disordersofelderlypatients.Themoneymade in this fundraiserbuyscoloring books, large printbooks, stuffed animals andcard games to entertain theelderlypatientswhoareoftenlonely.Oftheobjectsthatweredonatedlastyear,juniorMegan

Fitzpatrick said, “They lovedit.” The total amount raisedfromsellingcaneswas$250.The corporation MERI willmatch the total profitsof thefundraiserupto$500. The candy canes weredeliveredtorecipientsaroundthe school onDecember 21

by“Santa’sElves.”Eachmintcandy canewas sold for $1individually and five candy

canesfor$4.Donationswerecollectedatbothlunchesandduring the delivery process.“Itmakespeoplehappy, andsinceit’sthegivingseasonyoufeelsogoodaboutdonating,”saidFitzpatrick. “CallanElf”isaneventforthechildrenofthecommunity.Theeventwillbeheldtonight,from4-6p.m.Childrencancall

thehighschoolofficephones(849-2100), and “elves” fromSanta’sWorkshopwill talkto thechildrenandask themwhattheywantforChristmas.“CallanElf”isnotafundraisingeventbutinsteadbenefitsthechildrenofthecommunity. The “Cancer Sucks Out”basketball gamewas heldDecember 10 at the boysbasketball game againstMt.Horeb. Prior to the game, StudentCouncil sold “Cancer Sucks”t-shirts,with all profits goingtowardstheAmericanCancerSociety. The shirtswere soldfrom November 8-17 in avarietyofdifferentcolorsandtie-dye designs. The studentsectionwasacolorfularrayofCancer Sucks t-shirts. At thegame, “Coins forCure”werecollectedathalftimetobenefitcancerresearch.Therewerealsoribbonssoldthatweretiedtoalargechickenwireribboninmanydifferentcolors.Eachof thesmalldifferentcoloredribbonssymbolizedadifferenttype of cancer. At half time,thelargeribbonfilledwiththe

smaller ribbonswas shownwith its rainbowof differentcolors.AllofthemoneyraisedandonedollarfromeachticketsoldwasdonatedtotheAmericanCancerSociety.

Thetotalamountraisedfromtheshirtsandthegamecameto$2,889,whichwaspresentedto a representative from theAmericanCancer Society athalftime.

Maggie FrawleyReporter

Student Council embraces season of giving

StudentCouncilraisedatotalof

$2,889fortheAmericanCancerSociety

Science Club “raises the dead” in Kansas Kelsey MayerReporter

The “Dino-Dig” group at their worksite in Kansas. The group discovered many fossils from the Cretaceous period. (Photo submitted)

Students at the “Cancer Sucks Out” basketball game sported many multicolored “Cancer Sucks” t-shirts. (Photo by Kelsey Mayer)

Juniors Kelsey Cherf and Nicole Anderson sell candy canes at lunch for “Canes for Canes.” (Photo by Jeremiah Kirch)

$2,246 was raised from selling “Cancer Sucks”

t-shirts.

Science Club recovered bones from:Xiphactinus audax Leidy - largestbonyfishoftheLateCretaceousSeasClidastes and Platecarpus -MonasaurmarinelizardsPlesiosaur -LongneckedcarnivorouslizardPteranodons and Nyctosaurus - Flying birdscharacteristicallytoothlessandtaillessHesperornis -ToothedmarinebirdCretoxyrhina mantelli and Squalicorax - LargesharksSaurocephalus, Saurodon and Prosaurodons -Sword-eelsEnchodus petrosus and Enchodus gladiolus -Sabre-toothedfish

All were found at the Kansas site

as thosemachines used inmuseums. Thefirststepofpreparingafossil is toget ridofasmuchexcessrockaspossibleusinga Micro-Jack tool. This issimilartoapencilandusesairpressure to chipawayat theexcessrock.TheonlyriskwiththeMicro-Jackisthatwithoutcare, it could start chippingawayat the fossilsaswellastherock. Aftergettingridofasmuchrock as possible, studentsmoveonto theMicroBlaster.“Theprepworkiskindofscaryat first, but using theMicroBlaster is pretty cool,” saidBussan.

This is set up in a closedoff boothwith a vacuum toremoveallthedust.TheMicroBlasterthencleansthefossilsbyshootingoutbakingsodaat600milesperhour. Afterthisprocessisfinished,theymountthefossilsandputthemoutforshow. The Science Club takesthis trip roughly every otheryear,andanystudentwho isinterestedinuncoveringfossilsiswelcometogo.Overall,thegrouphad immense successandwas able to returnwithmanyfossils. Students can stop by thelibraryandcheckoutsomeofthefinishedfossils.

Page 8 Page 9The Purple Sage

1)DonotshareanythingthroughtextorinstantmessagingonyourcellphoneortheInternetthatyouwouldnotwanttobemadepublic.Remember,thingspostedelectronicallymaynotbesecureandareforeverontheinternet.

2)Keepcyberbullyingmessagesasproofthatthecyberbullyingisoccurring.

3)Tryblockingthepersonsendingthemessages.Itmaybenecessarytogetanewphonenumberore-mailaddressandtobemorecautiousaboutgivingoutthenewnumberoraddress.

4)Ifthemessagesarethreatening,tellyourparentsorcontactyourguidancecounselor.Also,yourparentsmaywanttocontactyourcellphoneprovider,and/orthepoliceifthemessagesareabusiveorsexualinnature.

What to do if you are being cyberbullied:

CYBERBULLYINGTHE EVOLUTION OF THE EVERYDAY BULLY

Sources:Cyberbullyalert.com,TheNationalCrimePreventionCenter,i-SAFEfoundation,Bullyingstatitics.org

[IM with AlysonSchaefer from PurpleSage13]

PurpleSage13:Whyareyoupassionateaboutcyberbullying?

AlysonSchaefer:Kidshidebehindscreenstoexpressdiscontentwithstudentsinsteadofbeingmatureandsayingittotheirface.Cyberbullyingisasbadassexualabuse.Also,it’sadecimationofone’scharacter.

PurpleSage13: Haveyouevergotteninvolvedinastudent’scyberbullyingissues?

AlysonSchaefer:TheinvolvementI’vehadwassupportingastudentwhogotcyberbulliedanddroppedoutofschool.

PurpleSage13: Doyouthinktheschoolshouldgetinvolvedwithcyberbullying?

AlysonSchaefer:Itdependsonthesituation.Theschoolshouldgetinvolvediftherearethreatsandifitconcernsthestudent’smentalandphysicalhealth.

PurpleSage13: Whatarethecausesofcyberbullying?

AlysonSchaefer:Justlikeregularbullying,thepersonwhoisdoingthebullyingfeelspowerfulandincontrol.Peerpressurealsocausescyberbullying.

PurpleSage13:Ifastudentseesanotherstudentonlinethatisbeingcyberbullied,whatdoyouthinktheyshoulddo?

AlysonSchaefer:Decideifyou’regoingtoactimmediatelyandassessthesafetyrisk.Askyourselfifthestudent’sphysicalandmentalsafetyneedtobeaddressed,anddetermineifthesituationrequiresadultassistance.

PurpleSage13:IfateacherseescyberbullyingonasitesuchasFacebook,aretheyrequiredtoreportit?

AlysonSchaefer:They’renotrequiredtoreportit.Itisuptotheindividualteacherwhetherornottheywillreportcyberbullying.

PurpleSage13: Whatcanyoutellusaboutthecommitteeyouarestarting?

AlysonSchaefer:It’scalledtheAntiBullyCommittee,whichwillempowerkidstostanduptobullying.Lookforupcominginfoonit!

Longgoneare thedaysoftheplaygroundbully. Today, a student maynot only be harassed bya peer in the hallway,but also may be abusedthrough online channels.A new generation of bul-lies is emerging with theintroduction of socialnetworking sites such asFacebookandanincreaseintheuseof instantmes-sagingande-mail amongyouths. This phenomenon iscalled cyberbullying, de-

fined as: “willful and re-peated harm inflictedthrough the use of com-puters, cell phones, andotherelectronicdevices,”by the Cyberbullying Re-searchCenter. The cyberbully canconceal his or her iden-titybehindacomputerorcell phone using anony-mouse-mailaddressesorscreennames.Becauseofthis, victims not only feelhurt and offended by thecyberbully’s remarks, butconfusedas towhat they

didtocausethecyberat-tacks. Also, since somecyberbullying attacks arepostedpublicly,forexam-pleonavictim’sFacebookwall, the victim developsthe perception that abso-lutelyeveryoneknows. Moreandmorestudentsareutilizingcyberspaceasabullyingvenuebecausethe harassment can bedone from a physicallydistant location, and thebullydoesnothavetoseethe immediate response.In fact, some teens sim-

ply might not recognizetheseriousharmtheyarecausingbecause theyaresheltered from the vic-tim’sresponse. Studentsshouldbecon-scious about what theypostonlineandwhattheydecide to send to peers.Messagesmaybehurtingsomeone unintentionally.Peopleshouldtakeamo-menttothinkbeforetheytype. One never knowshowsomeone isgoing toreactontheothersideofthescreen.

SpreadbySaraVincent,LauraMeeker,AnnaEvansen,andLanaScholtz

THE EVOLUTION OF THE EVERYDAY BULLY

CYBERBULLYING

EVOLUTION OF THE EVERYDAY BULLY

WHAT TO DO IF

CYBERBULLIED

YOU ARE BEINGBULLY

WOMAN LOSES 200 POUNDS WITH ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT DIET

• Girlsaremorelikelythanboystobethetargetofcyberbullying.

• Thereisadirectcorrelationtotheamountoftimestudentsspendonline,andthelikelihoodthattheywillbebullied.

• 10%ofkidswhowerecyberbulliedtoldtheirparentsabouttheincident.

• 53%ofkidsadmittohavingsaidsomethingmeanorhurtfultoanotherpersononline.

• 42%ofkidshavebeenbulliedwhileonline.1in4havehadithappenmorethanonce.

CLICK HERE AND ALL YOUR WILDEST DREAMS WILL COME

TRUE!!

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTSierra Gillespie, Entertainment Editor

Getting stuck becomes entertainingBrandyn LiebeColumnist

WHS GleekWHS alumnus Nick Frey was featured in two episodes of “Glee.”

A few weeks ago I was unfortunate enough to get stuck in the huge snowstorm stranding me in DeForest for the night.

On the way home the next morning, I pulled over to the side of the road. When I tried to pull back out, I found that I had pulled over a little too far and that I was slowly drifting into the ditch.

Fortunately, I stopped the car before it got too far down and with some help I got out of the ditch with no harm done. However, while I was on the side of the road it got me thinking of how many other people out driving will end up on the shoulder like I did.

No matter if you find yourself in this situation because of a stupid mistake, or if you lose control and shoot off the road, here are the top five things all teenagers need to have when

Concert pleasing to the earsMeghan CaulfieldColumnist

‘Raising Hope’ proves itself on FOXTommy WieslerColumnist

T h e l i g h t s began to dim a n d s m o k e began to appear the crowd went

wild. Adoring fans began to scream for Christofer Drew, the frontman of Never Shout Never. His name sounds amongst high pitched squeals of utter excitement. As Drew himself walked onto the stage alone, without his band “The Shout,” the screams only grew louder and the crowd became more and more eager for the music to begin. As soon as the first chords of Never Shout Never’s “Harmony” began to play, a calm and seemingly confident Drew captured the attention of the crowd. Right as “Harmony” was coming to a close, “The Shout” rushed on stage to join Drew and began to play “Love is Our Weapon,” the opening track to their first album, What is Love? Confetti soared into the crowd as everyone sang along.

On November 26, Never Shout Never headlined a show alongside The Maine, I Can Make a Mess like Nobody ’s Business, and Carter Hulsey at The Rave in Milwaukee. This was one of the last stops in the “Harmony” tour to promote

Never Shout Never’s second album entitled, Harmony. Harmony is an 11 track album of short songs, which sounds similar to Drew ’s former, primarily acoustic songs.

Drew started off promoting his songs on myspace in Joplin, Missouri, and has since been taking on the world with his love for music.

On his new album, Drew targets new subject matter. While he still writes about how he sees the world and his relationships, he also targeted how he as well as others view him. Tracks such as “Sellout” and “This S**t Getz Old” are examples of this. “Piggy Bank” has a strong folk-rock sound, which sets it apart from the other songs. Some stand out tracks on the album are “Sweet Perfection” and “Harmony.”

Never Shout Never played Harmony almost in its entirety, as well as multiple songs off of What is Love?. Carter Hulsey, I Can Make a Mess like Nobody’s Business, and The Maine were the perfect openers, making the show overall a success just like Never Shout Never’s newest release. When Drew alongside The Shout ran offstage, the entire venue began to chant. Drew came out to play one last song, “The Past.” The crowd took this as their last opportunity to sing along and take in the final moments of such a memorable show.

Though “Glee” is a difficult act to follow, this year’s new TV show, “Raising Hope” proves worthy of the timeslot.

“Raising Hope” is this year’s best new comedy. It can be extremely bizarre at times, but it is extremely hilarious.

It debuted on Tuesday, September 21 this year, and since its pilot episode was released, it has gained a large fan base.

The show stars relative newcomer, Lucas Neff, who previously worked on A&E’s “The Beast” and in the 2010 movie “Amigo.” Neff stars as Jimmy Chance, a 23 year-old single father left to raise his infant daughter, Hope.

Hope was conceived by a one night stand, and after Hope’s mother is given the death sentence, Jimmy is given the custody of his daughter, thus beginning the conflict of the show. Though the baby is not much of the problem, raising her in Jimmy’s dysfunctional household is an issue.

Jimmy receives little help from his mother, played by veteran actress Martha Plimpton, and his father, played

by Garret Dillahunt, who were not the best parents throughout his own childhood.

The main premise of the show is Jimmy ’s struggle to raise Hope in his current situation. He lives in a house that is not b a b y - p r o o f e d , his job as a pool skimmer does n o t g e t h i m a n y h e a l t h i n s u r a n c e , which he n e e d s for when Hope is sick, and his paycheck will not support daycare.

With his parents being little help raising Hope, Jimmy is left in a difficult situation. Luckily he meets Sabrina, played by Shannon Woodward, who gives him some relief. Sabrina gets Jimmy in at her sister’s insane daycare for babies, seniors, and dogs. She also gets him a job at her grocery store, so he can get insurance.

Sabrina and Jimmy become good friends, but Jimmy wants more. However, Sabrina has a boyfriend, who gets in Jimmy’s way. Jimmy needs to spend more time with Sabrina to get a chance, but that means he

needs to leave Hope in the care of his incapable parents, who are busy taking care of Jimmy’s dementia-stricken grandma Maw Maw, played by Cloris Leachman. While Maw Maw is usually insane and crazy for most of the show, her occasional lapses of reality and can be quite helpful.

The show is funny and cute, and is definitely worth a watch. Though it has only been on television for three months,

it has a promising storyline that will hopefully continue.

Following the hit show, “Glee,” “Raising Hope”

proves its place in the lineup. “Raising Hope” was most likely placed after “Glee” in hopes that viewers would stay tuned for the latter show, and the network has seemingly made the right choice. Though not quite cemented as TV royalty, “Raising Hope” will hopefully stick around long enough for Jimmy to raise Hope into adolescence.

Tune in on Tuesdays, 8 p.m. on FOX, to follow the always entertaining, and generally humorous ch i ldhood o f Hope. If its past success is any indication of the future, “Ra is ing Hope” wi l l be around for quite some time.

stuck in the ditch in the winter. 5. Dental Floss Always, always, always remember the importance of good dental hygiene. Getting out of the ditch is worthless if you get tooth decay. Constant flossing is very crucial to a healthy smile. Once a day minimum. I mean, hey,

your time is not going to be too occupied if you are stuck in the wilderness anyway. 4. Portable Microwave Oven Make sure you have some sort of microwavable product. What is the point of having a portable microwave oven without that? 3 . Snow Saw Great fo r amputations and fending off caribou. You should probably carry at least a 40 inch blade, just to be safe. This is also

good for cutting off blocks for making an igloo. You may think your car is safest, however, unless you have a white car with some chrome rims, you will stand out like a sore thumb. Nonetheless, your car will eventually run out of gas, forcing you to find a

more permanent settlement. 2. Bear Grylls Who better to get you through these tough times than the man of adventure himself? I recommend putting him in the center console if possible. Plenty of space for him to move around, and if you poke some air holes in the side he will be sound as a pound. Once he gets his adrenaline pumping he can do almost anything. 1. Polar Bear Urine Whether you are on the side of the road for five minutes or five hours, the first thing you want to do is establish a safe perimeter. If you take a jar

or flask of polar bear urine and draw out a perimeter, its odor should protect you from most threats out there. I recommend 50 yards on all sides of your vehicle. You do not want to travel too far from your car because that would put you in more danger than

just staying in your car. As mentioned p r e v i o u s l y, t h e mere scent of the polar bear urine will drive off most prey. Unfortunately, it may not drive off any other polar bears. Polar bears,

unl ike the North American Brown Bear, are not territorial. However, polar bears, if given the option, will avoid confrontation. So, there is a large chance that if a polar bear gets near enough to you it will walk away. The only time when a polar bear would attack you would be during mating season, if it thinks you are a rival candidate. Fortunately, the polar bear mating season is usually between March and June, with April being the most sought after month, so the snow will be gone by then anyways.

Five months after walk-ing the halls of WHS, Nick Frey appeared on FOX’s hit TV show, “Glee.”

Frey was first shown on the November 9 episode, “Never Been Kissed,” and featured in the “Teenage Dream” sequence of that episode. Frey also made an appearance on the No-vember 16 episode “The Subsitute.”

“It was very cool to work on [“Glee”]. I felt lucky to be working on a show that I love and everyone watches,” Frey said.

Frey is currently pursu-ing his acting and model-ing career in Los Angeles.

Frey during “Teenage Dream.” (Photo Submitted)

With our first blizzard of the season, Christmas (and the break) looms on everyone’s minds. Ever y family does someth ing d i f fe rent fo r the holidays, whether it is spending the day with family and fr iends, traveling or going to see a movie. The latter has been growing in popularity as a Christmas day activity, and here is some low-down on the matter. Not only is going to see a movie on Christmas a great

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTThe classic Christmas film ‘A Christmas Carol’Sierra GillespieEntertainment Editor

Kelly MartinSports Editor

Jingle all the way to the theater this Christmas seasonBrittney HaukeColumnist

“S t range , i sn ’ t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he

leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Says Clarence, George Bai ley ’s guardian angel , toward the conclusion of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It echoes, in its entirety, the principle idea the movie emphasizes. Released in 1946, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is still shown 64 years later, and although many things have changed since its release, the profound meaning has remained, leading to the belief that this film will withstand the test of time. In 2010, movies seldom have heartwarming aspects that were so commonly found decades earlier. Critically acclaimed films of present day have intense portrayals that, though realistic, are not always comforting or enjoyable to think about. Take, for example, last year’s “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire.” The film swept all the award shows, but did not capture the hearts of the audience, rather their uneasy stomachs. When “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered, films were not as harsh as they are these days, but still were not as light-hearted as we may make them to be. At the time “It’s a Wonderful Life” had both comic relief and heart wrenching aspects. While most films of the black and white era live on only through Turner Classic Movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is beloved by many of the digital era, and has become a Christmas classic. The concept of the film is simple: a man is out of luck and is thinking seriously about committing suicide. An angel grants him the wish

that he was never born, and he realizes how important his life is, and that every man’s life touches so many others. The main character, George Bailey, has lived in Bedford Falls, a small New York town, his whole life. All he ever dreamed of was getting out and seeing the world, but ever y c h a n c e George has to leave, he s e l f l e s s l y sacr i f ices f o r t h e g r e a t e r good, and remains in h i s s m a l l community. S h o w n every year during the holiday season, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a Christmas favorite, and gets that credit from the second half of the film, which takes place on Christmas Eve. With a slight mix-up, George has misplaced $8,000 and will be sent to jail without it. Fearing that there is no other alternative, George plans to kill himself, for with his life insurance, he is worth more dead than alive. Realizing the importance of George’s life, the angel, Clarence, saves George, and shows him how awful Bedford Fa l l s would be without his influence. After viewing a horrific alternate universe, George realizes the title of the film is true, that it is a wonderful life.Frank Capra directed the six-t ime Academy Award nominated film, though at the time of its release, the movie was considered somewhat of a flop because it did not garner the revenue it was expected to. However, over the years it has cemented its status as one of the great Hollywood classics, and is sure to live on forever.

Headed by James Stewart as the relatable and loveable George Bailey, and Donna Reed as his levelheaded and witty wife, Mary, the film has a plethora of flawless actors from the golden age of film. Stewart was formerly known for comedic and simple roles

(he starred in “The Shop Around the Corner” before “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which went on to be re-made into 1998’s “You’ve Got Mail”), but after he showed his range as an actor in this film, his roles changed drastically. (For example he s tar red in “Rear Window,” which went on to inspire

2007’s “Disturbia.”) Stewart plays George Bailey perfectly, making him both loveable and pitiful, depending on the scene. Lionel Barrymore played the villain, Mr. Potter, long before his great-niece, Drew Barrymore went on to star in 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” or last September’s mediocre success, “Going the Distance.” Barrymore shows an evil side to the character, making him the perfect fit for the part. Decades after its initial release, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is still shown every Christmas, and for good reason. The theme of the film appeals to the general audience around the world, who sometimes question the meaning of their lives. “It’s a Wonderful Life” puts into perspective that every life matters, and shows everyone can attain a wonderful life. Being that Christmas is just around the corner, it is the perfect time to watch the classic film. However, the meaning of the movie remains throughout the year: “it’s a wonderful life.”

In the windy city of Chicago, the streets are buzzing with Christmas cheer. As the temperature drops, the merriment of the holidays rises with each moment.

Downtown is the Goodman Theater, which houses a Christmas favorite year after year.

The building has been a part of Chicago for more then 80 years, and has housed “A Christmas Carol” for many.

The play is a Christmas favorite ever y year, and although the sets are reused, the play changes annually to keep audiences returning year after year. “A Christmas Carol” runs until December 30.

“A Chr is tmas Caro l , ” written by Charles Dickens, has been told for generations. Dickens used his own life exper iences to inspire events of the story. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, fails to see the joy and giving-spirit of Christmas. The ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley, along with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, guide him to see the error of his ways and ultimately save his soul.

In having the honor of attending this play ten years in a row, I have had plenty of time to focus more on the actors and acting then on the story line.

This year’s play is much more emotional then in previous productions. There were a few tear-jerking moments that audiences have not experienced in prior years.

The show featured more music as well, including a new opener. This year, the darker scenes of the

show are expected to make the audience jump, but the horror is not intolerable.

For the bes t seat ing selection, it is recommended that you buy your tickets online in early July, but tickets can also be purchased at the theater.

For the third season in a row, I have sat in the first row nearly dead center. The first row audience sees the spit from the actors’ articulation, and receives a face full of fog during dreamy scenes. Sitting in the front row makes the play is much more intimate, and you can see everything that happens on stage.

This year Scrooge is played by John Judd, who makes his “A Christmas Carol” debut this winter.

Judd has acted in dozens of plays in addition to film and television appearances. The play started with a bit of rough acting on his part, but it quickly improved as the play went on.

He cemented his talent with incredible passion for acting, which was shown as the show continued. He provides a believable character that previous actors did not.

John Lister, who plays Mr. Fezziwig, returns for his sixth season along with 15 other returning members to the “A Christmas Carol” production. These 15 are accompanied by 11 new actors making “A Christmas Carol” their debut show.

Anish Jethlamani, the Ghost of Jacob Marley, who returns to the Goodman for this sixth season of “A Christmas Carol,” and Ron Rains, who returns for his fourth year as Bob Cratchit, p e r f o r m e d f l a w l e s s l y throughout the show.

way to spend time with family, it is also a good time to release big block-buster hits. One of the highest-grossing movie weekends was December 25 through 27 of last year. “Avatar,” “Sherlock Holmes” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” were released that weekend, and earned $75.63 million, $62.39 million and $48.88 million, respectively. Altogether, that is over $259 billion of movie revenue, just during the Christmas weekend! Christmas movie releases have a history of bringing in the big bucks. Some of the top box-

office movies released on this day are “Catch Me If You Can,” released in 2002, and “Cheaper by the Dozen” in 2003. The 2008 Christmas weekend was big for releases as well, with “Bedtime Stories,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Marley and Me” at the top of the pack. This year, only one movie will be released on Christmas day: “The Illusionist.” The film is about a French illusionist who is loses his job to the more popu la r fo r ms o f entertainment of the day. One day, he meets a young girl named Alice who inspires him

to start performing at a lesser known theater. The illusionist begins giving her extravagant gifts, and she starts believing that his amazing illusions are real. Not wanting to tell her the truth, the illusionist continues to give until he has nothing left. The movie is rated PG and around 90 minutes long. I am particularly attracted to this film because it is completely animated, which is becoming increasingly rare in the film industry. So far, the average rating is 7.8 out of 10 stars, according to IMDB. “The Illusionist” has been nominated

for the British Independent film award, the Satellite Award, and the Spotlight award from the USA National Board of Review. This looks like a nice holiday film, to be enjoyed by every member of the family. My own family has never gone to the mov ies on Christmas. We are normally spending the day with family in Milwaukee, however, movie-going may be a nice change of routine. Who knows; it may become a tradition in my family, like it has with so many others on Christmas day.

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 12

ENTERTAINMENT‘The Game’ provides dating insightEric MomouColumnist

Games that will blow your mind, but not your allowanceRyan MinorColumnist

While everyone wants to buy the next big thing, this practice tends to leave our pockets drained. While you

wait for “New Vegas,” “Black Ops” and “Fable 3” to drop in price, perhaps you could try playing an older game.

There are plenty of good games that are old enough that you can buy many for the price of a single new g a m e , s o here is a list of my favorites: “Chromehounds” ($4.99) This is a game that received very little attention, but is great nonetheless. It allows you to customize a giant robot and drive, glide and stomp around destroying things. This is an entertaining game with hours of reply from its great customizability and is cheaper than a sandwich. Its online servers were closed, which is unfortunate. The game averages about a 7/10 from most reviewers, but this was with its multiplayer. (360 exclusive) “ The Elder Scrol ls IV : Oblivion” ($14.99) This is my

absolute favorite game of all time, which earned itself many Game of the Year awards and full ratings from reviewers. Alter your character’s race, facial structure and skills. The game holds a massive world that would take hours to walk (fast travel allows instant transport to found places and main cities), many side quests, and an epic storyline. It has a unique system of leveling

skills, so that using them increases their value.

Try to find the G a m e o f t h e Year edition, as it comes with the two main Downloadable

C o n t e n t s . You can download them (and others) on Xbox or PlayStation’s marketplace or Steam. (360, PS3, PC) “Bioshock” ($17.99)

B i o s h o c k r e m a i n s a n atmospheric and chil l ing First Person Shooter/horror game that sinks you to the depths of a dilapidated city full of deformed people and giant metal guys. It is one of a select few games with a truly interesting and original story. Plasmids never get old, as anyone who has set security systems upon their enemies can attest. This can come in a

combo with Oblivion for a much cheaper price than buying each separate. (360, PS3, PC) “Burnout Revenge” ($19.99) Some people find racing around a track at top speed with grace exhilarating. For everyone else, there is Burnout Revenge. The concept is simple: You get a car, other people get a car, and you must destroy those cars. With events that have you wrecking intersections for maximum carnage, taking hostile cars off of the road, and normal races with an explosive twist, you will find yourself enjoying this much more than Nascar. It lacks Paradise’s open-world, but that is hardly a problem. The 360 version is prettier and comes with some new features and events. (Xbox, 360, PS2) “Batman: Arkham Asylum” ($19.99) Play as the Dark Knight in the first good Batman game. It is extensive, inventive, and nothing is more satisfying than clearing a room of enemies without alerting a single one to your presence. The Game of the Year edition comes with a couple more challenges and optional 3D graphics. “Poker Night at the Inventory” ($4.99) This game is a bit of a deviation in genre, but every bit as fun. At the low price of five dollars you can play a poker game with the loquaciously

I am a simple adolescent. My bedroom walls are a bare white; expressionless per se, if not for

the dismal nature painting on my right wall. I own a Smith Corona typewriter that may be considered aesthetically pleasing to a senile antiquary. The average passersby can attest to it being none more than a grim abode. Bland, my world is either black or white. There are little to no grey, ornate areas. With a healthy amount of skepticism, I began to read “The Game” and thus became aware of a profound revelation: it matters not the origin from wisdom protrudes, rather it is the wisdom itself and its practicality to human life, even if the informant is a self-proclaimed balding magician, who professes to understand the law of attraction in women.

Since reading “The Game,” by best seller Neil Strauss, a comedic yet revolutionary spin to the ideology of dating

has shed light on what some may coin with near religious importance. I have begun to see the world about me in a new light, much like a Biblical epiphany, except I do not hinder to call it Neil’s Word. And I do not hesitate to testify that it is a benefit to the AFC (book jargon for the Average Frustrated Chum). One may begin to view social interaction as an opportunity—a so called enlightenment in the social realm.

Of the numerous constituents of sociology, it is easy to decipher that interactions are multi-faceted. There is the human psyche behind the ever-unyielding guard of the individual façade. The trick then, is to seep through a n i m p e r f e c t i o n , blunt confrontation. T h i s t h e n c r e a t e s tension—it creates imbalance which disrupts the norm of equilibrium for safe passage into a conversation. Genius.

I have begun to leech off the anecdotes of the book, paralleling extended metaphors for my life. Geeky? I suppose.

The book begins with Neil

Strauss, credible writer for Esquire and New York Times. Attempting to come up with a new idea for his work, he decides to infiltrate the ‘underground’ society of pickup artists with such prominent namesakes as Mystery, David DeAngelo, Tom Cruise and Ross Jeffries. Taken under the wing of Mystery—a gothic “peacock,”he dons the alias Style.

L i t t l e by l i t t l e , Strauss reveals his encounters p i c k i n g u p women through the online

underground community. Interestingly, he relates how he was able to woo Britney Spears and other attractive women. The book then is a collaboration of his experiences and that of certain associates’ experiences, code named Extramask and Juggler.

However, Style’s sole focus

becomes women. At his wit’s end with his obsession he is consumed by the community at the expense of friends and family. Thus begins his endeavor to find himself by meeting quality women.

Investing in a Hollywood mansion with fellow artists, Style compromises his sanity, and helps Myster y f rom psychopathic demise. The

community then is soon brought to naught.

It levels the playing ground, so to speak. Illustratively speaking it is playing ground not intended for the faint of heart.

Most guys will find this a beneficial read—not

for the mere fact of understanding o n e n i g h t stands, but in

comprehending themselves as others see them.

On a less comical note, the book warrants a sense of opportunity for both men and women alike. Reinforcing confidence, “The Game” is an incentive boost for any aspiring pick up artist.

Comic by Robert Kueffer

TV SpecialsChristmas traditions vary, but the major-ity include some sort of Christmas special.BRAND NEW• “30 Rock” Christmas Attack Zone• “Brothers & Sisters” Cold Turkey• “Community” Abed’s Uncontrollable Christ- mas • “Family Guy” Road to the North Pole• “Glee” A Very Glee Christmas• “The Office” Classy Christmas Part 1 and 2• “Pysch” The Polarizin ExpressCLASSIC MOVIES• “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”• “Frosty Returns”• “Frosty the Snowman”• “Jack Frost”• “Little Drummer Boy”• “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”• “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year”• “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”• “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

insulting Tycho, the concise, gun-toting Heavy (of “Team Fortress 2”) and the slightly insane Max (of “Sam & Max”). The dialogue itself is enough to buy the game, but there is even more cause if you are a “Team Fortress 2” ($19.99) owner; you get several bonuses with the game, including a spy watch.

If you do have Steam, the online game shop, you can take advantage of the deals on older games, including “The Orange Box,” ($29.99) which contains “Half-Life 2,” “Portal,” and “Team Fortress 2.”

Contributions made by Laura Meeker.

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 13

SPORTSKelly Martin, Sports Editor

The Lady Warriors look t o d o m i n a t e t h e i r n e w Division 2 foes as the season begins.

The girls played a couple of non-conference games against two of the top teams in Wisconsin, Luxemburg-Casco on December 3 and 2010 Division 1 state semifinalist DePere on December 4.

The ladies came away empty handed in both games. The Warriors held their own in the first half of the Luxemburg game, only down by three points heading to half time. The main reason for their success was the containment of Luxemburg’s 6-foot-2-inch forward Janelle VandenPlas, holding her to just 6 points. The Spartans broke it open in the third when VandenPlas added 13 of her 27 points, leading to the Warriors’ demise. Sophomore Samantha Murray said, “We needed to come out strong in the second half and finish the game.”

Murray led the game in scoring for the Warriors with 16 points. Junior Lindsay Jones added two threes and was the Warriors’ second leading scorer. Foul trouble doomed Waunakee, as they committed 21 in the game. Junior Kelly Preston fouled out, and the ladies were without one of their leading scorers.

The DePere game ended with a similar result. Murray led the way for the Warriors, scoring 18 points. The ladies were tied after the first quarter when things began to slip away. They trailed by 8 points at the break, and things got worse as the Warriors lost their second game that weekend.

“In both games we struggled in the second half, especially the third quarter, to execute parts of our game plan,” Coach Brad Lussier said. “As a team we need to play well for all 32 minutes.”

On Friday, December 17, the girls faced Reedsburg and won 39-36. The team is scheduled to play Verona on Tuesday, December 21.

“Verona is always good, having been to state the past three years and is a well coached team. We are the clear cut favorite. We shared the title with Sauk Prairie last year, but they lost their top two players,” said Lussier.

The girls’ next home event is January 8 against Baraboo.

Willie FreimuthSports Reporter

Girls’ basketball faces tough competition

2010 Waunakee Football Team,

This football season has been the most fun I have ever had on any football team. This team had the best chemistry that I have ever seen in my life. Everyone got along and everyone brought something special into the relationship we had with one another. A couple

of guys and I were talking about this team, and Zak Hougland said, “We are just a bunch of goofballs who love playing football, and are damn good at it.” We all had to agree because there was no doubt about that. We did amazing things that everyone thought we wouldn’t be able to do, like beating Monona Grove and their “unstoppable” defense, going 14-0, and becoming back to back state champions. We won those games because of the Hogs: John Oyer, Jay Mazanet, Zach Statz, Eric Alfson, and Jacob Ohnesorge. They are the most important players on the offense, but they don’t get their name in the press like it should be. Also, we won those games because of our fast defense which held Franklin (the fastest offense on turf) to only seven points. We played with heart, and we played for each other.

No matter what the score was, we did not let our team down. Yeah, like any team there were bumps to heal and mountains to climb, but as Coach Martin said, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion.” This 2010 team never did underestimate what we could do. We believed in each other and in our coaches. That is how we became state champions again and how we went where no other Waunakee football team has gone before, 14-0. The perfect season, with no regrets. • Thank you so much coaches for all the work you guys put in, and never giving up on us. • Thank you Mom and Dad for being there for me, I love you. • Thank you scout team for helping us prepare every week and making the starters better. • Lastly, thanks guys for giving me the thrill of a life

Austin MalyGuest Columnist

time with you guys out on that field on Friday nights with the crowd roar ing. I’ll never forget you guys. Juniors, I hope you have had as much fun this season, as I had with you guys this season. Keep this great thing you have rolling. I hope you learned from us, on how to do things the Waunakee way and how to make team chemistry, so no team can beat you no matter the circumstances. I am very excited to play at the UW with former Waunakee football player, Jake Irwin. It is a complicated process that people don’t know about. You still need to be accepted to the school even though you have a scholarship, so my grades are still important. I am planning on studying business at the UW. Good luck next year!Sincerely, Austin Maly #4

Austin Maly reflects on final season at WHS

Junior Leo Musso stiff arms a Cedarburg player. Above seniors Kendra Pfiel, Karrie Larson and Stevie Kaufman perform a dance routine at the Division 2 State Championship game. (Photos by Adam Stroud)

State Champions once again: Football takes state second year in a row

Girls looking forward to Waunakee rink appearance

The Cap City Cougars girls’ co-op team skated into the season on November 23 where they played the Stoughton Co-op Icebergs in the Stoughton Mandt Ice Arena.

Senior Josie Johnson started off the team’s scoring with the first point on the board in the first period. Stoughton answered with two consecutive goals early in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Sophomore Michaela Johnson tied the score up with help from her sister Josie. The girls scored again with the help of DeForest freshman Jamie Henderson. They continued their streak with two more goals on the Icebergs. Josie Johnson and Madison East’s sophomore Lily Klapper added two more

points late in the third period to advance the Cougars’ score to 5-2.

Josie Johnson completed the game with a hat trick for the sixth and final goal of the night. Madison East’s senior Jana Bellke Skoug helped the Cougars to victory with a total of 22 saves. “We definitely needed to work on our special teams like our power play,” Michaela Johnson said. “It was a little bit disorganized but we are all getting back into it.”

On December 7, the girls played at their home rink in Sun Prairie against Baraboo where they took home another victory 3-1. Josie Johnson, Klapper and Henderson led the team with goals. Josie Johnson said, “I think we are slowly making improvements and we are starting to learn each others tendencies.”

S o p h o m o r e M e g a n McCormick said, “It was a big game because they beat us and got conference championship last year so it was really a nice game to win.”

A rescheduled University School of Milwaukee game from Saturday, December 11 could potentially be moved to the Waunakee rink. The team beat the girls in sectionals last year, so they were not able to move on to state.

January 8 against Northland Pines marks the Cap City Cougars Waunakee/DeForest first Ice Pond appearance. Last year, the girls pulled out a close victory 2-1 over Northland Pines. The Cougars return to Waunakee’s rink on January 29 to face Appleton, who they beat 2-0 last season. McCormick said, “I want people to come to our games. It makes it so

Kelly MartinSports Editor

much more fun.”On Monday, December 13,

the girls played Metro Lynx and were down 3-1 going into the third quarter, but made a quick recovery taking the 4-3 victory. The following day, the team played Middleton to take home a 4-3 win. On Friday, December 17, the girls played River Falls and on Saturday, December 18 they played Hudson. This week, the team had two games against Beloit Memorial on Monday and Viroqua on Tuesday.

Next Home

7 p.m.January 6

vs. Reedsburg

Event

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 14

SPORTS

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The boys’ swim team started off the season taking third place, with 380 points, out of eight teams in the Sun Prairie Invitat ional on Saturday, November 27. Monona Grove took first place with 476 points, followed by Baraboo in second place with 426 points. The Waunakee team attended the meet with only a partial team as some of the members were out of town for the holidays.

Junior Ryan Duffy took third place in the 500-yard freestyle race with a time of 5:13.02. Freshman Jake Defnet also took third in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:03.99. Sophomore Chris Kottke swam the 100-yard butterfly in 1:02.98, while sophomore Aidan Schlittler swam 55.62 in the 100-yard freestyle and senior Adam Stroud swam the 50-yard free race in 24.64.

On November 30, the team headed to Baraboo for the Badger Relays, coming home

Boys’ swimming starts the season off with top placings Kelly MartinSports Editor

Kelly MartinSports Editor

Boys’ hockey successful at Waunakee openingthe first time and junior Mitch Horras will step into the net this season. Straus said, “The team is not just one line strong. Everyone contributes and has their part on the team.”

The boys showcased their skills in a scrimmage late in November against Edgewood, Madison Memorial and Kettle Moraine. Straus said, “We played well in the scrimmage and I’m looking forward to building on what we have already started this year.”

T h e t e a m t r a v e l e d t o Wa u p a c a t h e f o l l o w i n g weekend to kick off playing Waupaca in the first of a three-day tournament where the boys lost in overtime 7-6. The team faced Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln on November 27 where they crushed them 10-0.

Wi th the i r home r ink completed, the boys skated onto the ice at the Waunakee/DeForest Ice Pond Monday, N o v e m b e r 2 9 a g a i n s t Waukesha North for the final game of the Waupaca Tournament. The team suited up for their first game at their new Ice Pond in hopes of sealing a 2-1 record from the tournament. Waukesha pulled

The boys’ hockey team skated into their season looking forward to defending their Badger North conference title.

A loss of several important seniors, including four top scorers, puts the team into high gear to match last winter’s success. Calvin Richardson led the Warriors last winter with 27 goals and 19 assists. He was the 2009-10 team MVP, earned first-team all-conference and an all-state honorable mention. Andrew Severson, Mitch Severson and Jack Carr were other key seniors Waunakee lost after the 2009-10 season.

Junior Jason Ford returns to the ice with last year ’s second highest number of goals scored and close behind Richardson with 18 assists. Ford received a second-team all-conference honor last winter. Juniors Connor Scheffler and Chase Busch will be starting defensive players for the Warriors, along with freshman Keegan Ford and senior Mike Krumm. Senior Derek Straus joins the team for

ahead first with a goal early in the first period. Waunakee was close behind when senior Luke Meske and sophomore Blake Anderson got the puck to senior Jay Croop, tying the game 1-1. With the help of the Ford brothers, Waunakee led 2-1, and Straus added another goal, making the game 3-1 in the first period. Before the period ended, Waukesha scored to tighten the gap 3-2. Waunakee powered through the second period, adding three quick goals before letting Waukesha answer. This brought the score to 6-3. Waukesha scored twice in the third period, trailing only by one goal. Senior Sean Hepp sealed the 7-5 victory in the final period. After this experience, Anderson concluded, “We need to play more as a team.”

Waunakee lost to Monona Grove 3-6 on December 4, and the team faced DeForest on December 7, winning 11-5. With a loss to Baraboo behind them, the boys played Sauk Prairie on December 14 and picked up a 5-4 win. On December 21, they played McFarland at home. Results were not available at press time.

Senior Sean Hepp skates between two DeForest defensemen on November 29, helping the Warriors to a 11-5 victory over the Norskies. (Photo by Adam Stroud)

with a 109-59 win over Oregon. Oregon’s pool is measured in meters; whereas a standard pool is measured in yards. After the times were converted, they were similar to the times recorded at Sun Prairie.

The 200-meter medley race consisting of Defnet, junior Brandon Creamer, senior Gunther Knutson and Stroud took first with a time of 2:04.20. The other Waunakee medley team consisting of Schlittler, junior

Chris Pederson, freshman Josh Tuschl and freshman Noah Stamsta followed close behind at 2:08.97.

The boys took first, second and third in the 100-meter butterfly and in the 400-meter freestyle. Tuschl took first with 1:08.70 in the 100-meter butterfly and Duffy with 4:46.46 in the 400-meter freestyle. Duffy did not stop there. He took first in the 200-meter freestyle race, with sophomore Gabe Sobczak and freshman

Nick Mathwig taking fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Coach Kayla Proctor said, “[We need to work on] getting stronger, but there is a lot of support on the team.”

The team placed third against Milton on Friday, December 10. On Tuesday, December 15, the team lost to McFarland in a very close contest. The team swam in a meet against Elkhorn on Saturday, December 18. Results were not available at press time.

Willie FreimuthSports Reporter

Last year the Waunakee Warrior wrestling team took 8th place in conference and 12 out of 13 in the Badger Conference Tournament. To start off this season, they took second out of a five team tournament in Cambridge on December 4. Their only loss was to a skilled Fort Atkinson team.

Senior Randy Clemens, at 152 pounds, wrestled the reining Badger Conference MVP, Kyle Young, losing 9-4. Freshman Jake Paschke lost a very tightly contested match, at 112 pounds, 10-9 to Brett Bowar from Fort Atkinson. Pa s c h ke a n d C l e m e n s remained undefeated the rest of the day and went 4-1. Freshman Bryce Statz and sophomore Damian Ziegler also finished the day 4-1. The Warriors rebounded quickly and took the next match from Madison West.

Junior Josh Wipperfurth was a major contributor from the 189 pound weight class. He finished the West match 11-2 and was 5-0 for the day.

As a team, Waunakee had five pins in a total of 8:40, beating West 49 to 30. The Warriors went on to win the rest of their matches that day. They beat Brodhead-Juda 50-30, Cambridge 51-30, and Jefferson 52-24. Although the

boys took second place, they were still hungry for more.

On Thursday, December 16, the team faced Mount Horeb at home. Ziegler pinned his opponent first, adding a quick six to Waunakee’s score. Junior Brandon Statz held his own and won 11-3 in his match, giving the Warriors another four points. Senior Kyle Meinholz, at 135 pounds, pinned Mount Horeb’s Lucas Skram in 1:47, adding another six points for Waunakee. Clemens added three points to Waunakee’s team score as Mount Horeb’s gained six. Mount Horeb added 16 more points before Wipperfurth pinned Mount Horeb’s Jacob Wright to add six more points for Waunakee. Waunakee forfeited in the 215 pound weight class, which was followed by a pin to give Mount Horeb 12 more points. Statz stayed strong and only gave Mount Horeb three more points. With Waunakee down, Paschke knew he had to win his match in order to claim a victory for the Warriors. He pinned senior Sean Loupe and sophomore Kyle Horning sealed the win with a Mount Horeb forfeit in the 119 pound weight class. Waunakee walked away with a 37-36 win over Mount Horeb.

Last Saturday, the team traveled to Richland Center for the Richland Center Invite.

Wrestling looks to advance in conference

The Purple SageDecember 22, 2010 Page 15

SPORTSBoys’ basketball dominates conferenceMandy RiceSports Reporter

The Waunakee boys ’ basketball team started their 2010-11 season looking to claim another conference title. Senior Jared Staege said, “We were focused on coming in and working hard to get another conference championship.”

To kick off the season, Waunakee faced the Portage Warriors at home. Waunakee pulled ahead early with a 15-point lead in the first quarter. They were able to keep the lead and sealed the 61-25 win.

Waunakee then headed to Sauk Prairie a n d w o n by only t w o p o i n t s w h e n sen io r Zac Hougland hit a winning three point buzzer shot in overtime. Waunakee took home another win 58-56. Hougland said, “It wasn’t meant for me, the assist from Jared Staege made it happen.”

On Friday, December 10, Waunakee played Mt. Horeb for the “Cancer Sucks Out” game at home. The game ra ised funds for cancer research, and at halftime members of the Student Council presented a check of $2,248 to a representative of the American Cancer Society. Waunakee was able to pull out the win, 59-30.

On Saturday, December 1 1 , Wa u n a ke e t r a v e l e d to Oconomowoc where they played their first non-conference game. Both teams faced a challenge, but senior Beau Murray led the team with 19 points to contribute to the 58-54 win.

The boys have some tough compet i t ion coming up, with the Badger conference being one of the strongest conferences this year. Staege said, “ We have a real ly challenging schedule this year, coming up we have Milwaukee Bay View and Milwaukee

Washington which will be great tests.” They look to continue t h e i r undefeated record. “We a r e j u s t taking it one

game at a time and doing all the little things right,” said Staege.

Last Saturday, the team faced Baraboo and yesterday the team faced Reedsburg at home. Results were not available at press time.

Senior Austin Maly jumps for the ball during the toss-up against Mount Horeb on December 10 in the “Cancer Sucks Out” game. Waunakee was able to take home another victory 59-30. (Photo by Kelsey Meyer)

”“ It wasn’t meant for me, the assist from Jared Staege made it happen.

–Zac Hougland

Next Home

7:30 p.m.January 14vs. Milton

Event

Teaming up for the second year in a row, the WaunaFo girls’ gymnastics team certainly has a strong stride. With two meets past them, they have already made signif icant progress, not only on the mats, but within the team as well.

Returning varsity members are sophomore Tanner Regalli, juniors Alyssa Cynkar, Jess Meyers and Caroline Patz, and senior Corinne Spizcenski. New members are freshman Alexa Carl and sophomore Emily Gamm. The total number of girls out this year has increased to 25, filling the varsity and JV level competitions. The girls were conference champions and are looking to defend their title this year.

The first meet of the year on December 11 split the team, sending five varsity representatives to Waterford,

and the other girls to the Baraboo Invite. Cynkar, Patz, Meyers, Spizenski, and Regali placed fourth out of eight teams in Waterford, ahead of Homestead who beat them at state last year. The five girls scored 132 points and Meyers came home with first place honors in the all around competition.

At the Baraboo Invite, JV held control of their defending champion title and took first place again. Varsity scored third place overall. This meet was unique because all seniors got the opportunity to compete at the varsity level. A notable performance was by freshman Hannah Dorn, who took first place honors in the JV all around competition.

Next, the girls competed against Mt. Horeb at home on December 16. Varsity took the win, outscoring the Vikings 134-126. Four of the five varsity beam performances were no-

falls, an impressive record for the girls, especially this early in the season. JV stayed behind Mt. Horeb, but slid behind to lose the meet with a final score of 105-109.

The team atmosphere continues to improve, and according to Patz, is better than ever. “I feel like we’re all a lot closer to each other than we’ve been in past years,” she said. Senior Kristina Maly seconds that opinion, saying, “We have a good team, and everyone gets along with one another.”

Continued work in practice on areas such as routines, new skills, and honing previously known skills is strengthening the team for future competition.

With such strength in the team in early performances already, the season ahead of the gymnastics team looks promising. Their last meet was Monday, December 20 in Sun Prairie. Results were not available at press time.

Emily DrewryCopy Editor

Gymnastics begins home season hosting Mt. Horeb Ski team looks to defend conference title

Olivia KnierEditor in Chief

As the snow is fall ing and everybody has school cancellations on the brain, members of the ski team have only one thing on their mind: ski season.

Practice began December 9. The team consists of 21 boys and four girls. The large turnout of boys this season is a huge increase from last year. The top three seniors returning for the season are Aaron Schmidt, Ben Hutchins and Charlie Greiber.

“Our team will be a lot more competitive this season due to the larger volume of racers this year. We have four returing all-confrence skiers, and many of the underclassmen racers aspire to be like them,” Coach Paul Kuehn said.

The boys’ team finished fourth in state and first in

conference last season. “We have some high expectations for this year’s team. I expect us to place highly at conference and hopefully we will return to state,” Kuehn said.

Losing alumnus Alex Kuehn opens positions for others to step forward on the team. The girls’ co-op (with McFarland and Stoughton) lost alumna Carly Lungdren at the end of last season, making seniors Cassi Brucker and Alyssa Gardner the only female returners. Sophomore Jenna McGowan, and freshman Danita Ziegler are new to the team this year. Brucker said, “I’m excited for the season because we now have four girls on the team. It’s going to be a fun year because there are a lot of new people; hopefully they will like it too.”

The first race will take place at Tyrol Basin on January 3.

Hanoulia has been in Waunakee since August.Purple Sage: What do you think of Waunakee High School?Hanoulia Salame: It’s easier here, really easy. We don’t have the same classes. We don’t have arts, sports, music; we don’t have how to be a good parent, nor cooking class. We just have the serious classes like mathscience, English, and French.

hello is different, you kiss on the cheek in Belgium. Here you just say hi, it’s so cold.PS: What was your American stereotype like before you came here?HS: It’s fat, but people [in Belgium] don’t know that you do a lot of sports; also, they think it’s dangerous here because of all the crime we hear about.PS: What things do you miss about Belgium?HS: Friends, food, cats.PS: What are your favorite American things that you have had or experienced?HS: I love Culvers’ ice cream. It’s my favorite American food. Starbucks is great. Peppermint hot chocolate is very good, and the cheese, it’s not better than French, but it’s good.PS: What kind of music is popular in Belgium?HS: Electro, Techno. Stromae is a popular band. There are a lot of Flemish influences in music.PS: Who is the most famous American in Belgium? HS: Brad Pitt.PS: Who is your favorite U.S. president? H S : B a r a c k O b a m a .

PS: What is everyday life in Belgium like?HS : Ever yday l i fe in Belgium is kind of the same, we have school 8-4, with 8 classes. I see my parents when I come home in Belgium; that’s different.P S : W h a t a r e y o u r birthday celebrations in Belgium like?HS: Having all the family and friends together in one place, and eating and celebrating and playing games. This year it was kind of a goodbye party for me as well.PS: How does the legal drinking age of 16 affect life as a student?HS: We are drinking all the time. Everybody goes to the bar and drinks right after school at the end of the week. PS: Do you feel it is a healthier way to drink?HS: Better than here. It’s good because you can’t drive until you’re 18. It’s good to try when you are younger. You can learn your limits before starting to drive.PS: What are some A m e r i c a n p r a c t i c e s that you find strange or different? HS: The way you say

The Purple Sage December 22, 2010Page 16

SAGE PAGEJosh Lerdahl and Aidan Schlittler, Sage Page Editors

Hanoulia Salame: Living the American Dream

From left to right: Hanoulia Salame with some of the male members of her second host family, the Buttons, inside their home; Hanoulia takes a boat ride with her first host family, the Johnsons; Hanoulia feeds the goats at Endres Manufacturing, a Waunakee tradition she enjoyed taking part in. (Photos submitted)

Hanoulia Salame, Waunakee’s most recent foreign exchange student from Soignies, Belgium, talks to the Purple Sage’s reporters about her new life here in Waunakee.

P S : W h a t k i n d o f traditions do you have for the holiday season?HS: I think everybody has traditions. I’m Lebanese, so I spend the whole day cooking and all the night eating that food.PS: What holidays are celebrated in Belgium?HS: We have the day of the crepes, the day of the kings, and Saint Nicholas for the little kids. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, nor do we eat the turkey.

People in Belgium love him! We are really liberal people in Belgium. We are not selfish, we share the money. PS: What is the biggest d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n America and Belgium?HS: All the snow!PS: What is different about how people dress? HS: I don’t understand the wearing of pajamas to school. There is a more sporty dress type here. PS: What differences do you see in sports between America and Belgium? HS: We have rugby, but we don’t have American football. Also, people back in Belgium are not crazy [about football] like they are here. PS: What did friends and family think about you coming here?HS: My friends know I’m the person who likes to travel and do crazy stuff. My mom hated the idea, and I haven’t talked to my dad about it much.PS: Why are you in school if you’ve already graduated?HS: It’s not going to be fun if I just have to stay home studying. I want to get out and meet friends.

Hanoulia tests out fire equipment at the fire station. (Photo submitted)