High School

Highlights

2

Grade School

Gossip

3-5

Middle School

Mania

6-7

Back in My

Day

8

Devil’s Den of

Sports

9-

10

Athletes of the

Month

11

Coaches

Corner

12

IN THIS

ISSUE:

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

From a Guy’s

Eye

Teacher

Feature

Student of the

Month

St. C Spirit

Lexie’s Playlist

Games

Supporters

12

13

14

14

15

16

17-18

19

20

21

212

23-24

25

26

27

28

Upcoming Events

Advice

Editorial

Paparazzi

Pics

Gift of Giving By: Katelin Gandee

On November 25 ,2011, Jordan Traczyk cut 11 inches of her hair for Locks of Love. When asked why she wanted to donate she said, “I wanted to help kids who lost their hair to cancer.”

So what exactly is Locks of Love? It is a non-profit organization, that was started in December 1997, that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who suffer from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They have donated over 2000 custom made wigs.

Want to donate? Well here are some of the requirements. Your hair has to be 10 inches or longer and your hair cannot be bleached. You also have to send in a hair donation form if you want to receive acknowledgement for your donation. You can find the donation form at www.locksoflove.org.

Jordan grew her hair for two years to get it long enough to donate. Giving her hair to such a great cause is an example of the true gift of giving.

Local, State, and

National News

Political Propaganda

Celebrate

and Honor

Interesting

Information

Taco Talk

Before

After

P A G E 2

St. Clairsville’s own chapter of the National Honor Society held their annual American Red Cross Blood Drive on December 6th. According to NHS Supervisor Justin Sleutz, this is the 3rd year St. C’s NHS and the American Red Cross have worked together on the blood drive.

“I donate blood simply because I am able to donate. The option of donating doesn’t even exist in my mind,” Senior Megan Theaker says, “Every person has a responsibility to donate.”

With over 50 pints of blood donated, it’s clear that many students share the same view as Megan. With each pint saving three lives, and that coming to the total of about 150 lives that will be saved, the blood drive was deemed a success.

The American Red Cross and NHS greatly appreciate everyone’s donations, and if you missed the opportunity of donating, you will have one more chance. The NHS will be sponsoring one more blood drive which is set for this spring.

A Drive to Save Lives By: Alexis Laurine

The annual Christmas Variety Show has delivered once again! Sweet Harmony, Chamber Choir and even a number of solo acts performed for audiences at St. Clairsville High School on December 7th and 10th in the Middle School auditorium.

The show began with the Chamber Choir and progressed to the solo acts. The students featured were : Brooke Gould, Anna Davies, Alyssa Lodi, Lauren Jeffries, Kelsey Knight, Juliana Madzia, Emily Vickers and Lexie Smith. There were also duets such as Hannah Wakulchik and Hannah Pagano, Lexie Prichard and Johna Borosh, Aimee Ratka and Ashley Bailey, Taylor Young and Madison Keenan, and Bryce Burnette, Austin Holmes and Derek Shunk singing as a trio. After these outstanding acts were performed, Sweet Harmony took the stage and afterwards, Chamber Choir joined them for the finale of Carol of the Bells. Overall, it was a successful show and brought

happiness to the St. Clairsville Christmas Variety Show. The show was put on by Mr. Berk.

What a Variety! By: Ashley Bailey

Mr. Berk

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

Keeping the Holidays Alive By: Alexis Laurine

Santa Claus is coming to town; St. Clairsville Elementary to be exact. Students from kindergarten to fourth grade received a visit from the big man himself on December 16th. However, the students in Preschool didn't just receiving gifts, they gave them too. They visited and caroled at the Forest Hills Nursing Home on December 15th. Lastly, the Elementary experienced Polar Express Days, which started on December 5th. All in all, St. C’s Elementary is keeping the holiday spirit alive.

Kindergarten: Emma Henry

First grade: Jared Holstein

Second grade: Emily Mozena

Third grade: Abigail Perzanowski

Fourth grade: Katie Bond

P A G E 4

Elementary Students of the Month

September and October

Pre-school Students: Jenny Kessler, Kambel Sall,

Gavin Schoolcraft, Logun Probst

Kindergarten students: Ben Lawson, Justin Beckwith,

Matthew Keller, Mason Conley, Alivia DaRa, Landon Matko,

Olivia Meager, Emma Kalo, Riley Maroney, Jenna Gorza,

Nathan Bond, Isabella Brignoni

2nd Grade Students: Tionna Alexander, Abbey Toothman,

Casadie Dibetta, Madison Stock, Holly Marangos-Fulton,

Jacob Haley, Isabella LaRose, William Smith, Ryan Jeffries,

Caleb Cook

1st Grade students: Jayson Clark, Casey Kadylak, Madison Mercer,

Hayleigh Harr, Drue Jozwaik, Jocelyhn Zucco, Kyli Breautingham,

Brooke Busby, Kaylee Bain, Grant Swider

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

Elementary Students of the Month

November

Elementary Students of the Month

September and October

3rd Grade Students: Megan Vah, Junior Burris, Macey Gross,

Chloe Carpenter, Kira Wakulchik, Kyle Kessler, Will Carson,

Ryan Hoover, Reese Skaggs, Noah Palmer

4th Grade Students:

Courtney Coen, Holly Strope,

Ethan Bethel, Emma Haley,

Madison Dagan,

Tyler Brookover,

Conner Green, Katie Strama,

Lindsey Probst, Katie Bond

Pre-school: Matthew Jurovcik,

Dino Burk

Kindergarten: Marcus Bush,

Jasun Long, Mason Myers,

Shay Suto, Logan Swetz,

Jacob Meager

1st Grade: Zachary McKeever,

Nathan Palmer, Jonah Mato,

Nathan Witsberger,

Haley Litchfield

2nd Grade: Haven Brak,

Jack Gasber, Lillie McMillen,

Dekotah Namack,

Paige Koshenko

3rd Grade: Jerry Abate, Ariel

Ott, Rhiannon Stotley,

Alexis Birch, Zoie Zielinski

4th Grade: Madelyn Conaway,

Abby May, Keri Klinkoski,

Joey Wissman, Lauren Reed

Team Edward or Jacob? By: Paige Beckett

“Breaking Dawn: Part 1 was

amazing! Definitely the best yet!” says

Kathy Schramm, a 7th grader at

St. Clairsville Middle School. For the

past four years the controversy has

been viciously stirring. Are you team

Jacob or Edward? Recently I talked to

twenty-one Middle

School students; eighteen girls and

three boys, that are filled with desire for

the latest Twilight Saga movie. Thirteen

say they are team Jacob, mostly because

he is muscular and sexy, but seven

disagree. They are team Edward all the

way. Most of these Twihards believed

the movie was

great and

recommended it to

everyone. Breaking

Dawn: Part 2 will

arrive in November

2012.

Bee Bound By: Paige Beckett

Of about 50 middle school students, only about twenty superb students ranked supreme to compete in this year’s St. Clairsville Spelling Bee. From 5th grade, six excited students are set to spell and they are Kyle Storer, Tori Cannon, Katelynn Davenport, Gergory Norman, Nicole Beck, and Remi Fordyce.

There are also four nervous 6th graders, seven eccentric 7th

graders and three poised 8th graders competing. From 6th grade: Madison Gillote, Ryhanna Wiethe, Cory Bodkin, and Shaquille McCormick and from 7th grade: Paige Beckett, Dan Gross, Nathan Walls, Paige Foltin, Alex Madzia, Sarah Heidelbach, and Brenden Ryan. The students topping off the participants from 8th grade: Merrick Malin, Austin Douglas, and Cassie Wiggins. The Bee will take place on December 15, 2011 at noon in the St. Clairsville Middle School Auditorium.

The students participating took a written test of fifty tremendous words just to get into the Spelling Bee. The winner of the school bee will advance to the County Spelling Bee along with the 1st and 2nd place winners

of the program cover design. I recently sat down with Alex Madzia, last year’s winner, for his opinions about this year’s competition.

RDD: Was last year’s County Bee hard?

Madzia: Not really. After studying and memorizing the patterns of the different languages, it was easy. I think the words are easy this year. Last year was definitely much harder. I think my competition is the 7th and 8th graders only because they have a lot of experience. I still consider the 5th and 6th graders competition though.

The Belmont County Spelling Bee is set to take place at 7pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012, at Ohio University Eastern.

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 6

Selling Out For Christmas By: Emily Eaton

How much are people willing to

spend on Christmas? Reported on

www.askville.com , the average

American family will spend $791.10 on

Christmas gifts. “Wow, almost $800?

That’s a lot of money! I only spend

around $50 each year.” says Savanna

Woodford. For some people,

over-spending is a concern. According to

www.eauk.com , in 2010

approximantately 5 million people

experienced money issues, plummeting

into an irreversible debt. Don’t let your

generosity exceed what your wallet can

afford.

P A G E 7

Swish! By: Trey Elerick

The boys and girls 7th and 8th grade basketball teams started their seasons the first week of December. The girls

opened up at Union Local, 7th grade posting a 31-24 win over the Jets. The 8th grade took a 37-35 tough loss.

The boys tipped-off their season at Harding Middle in Steubenville. The 7th grade team finished at a 47-21 loss,

while the 8th grade put up a 54-52 loss. The coaches and players are really looking forward to a great season.

Carry On By: Emma Hall

“There are around 4,000

children in foster care, and for so many

of them to carry their belongings in

garbage bags is just not right– it’s not

okay and we shouldn’t except it,” says

Carrie Robey, Mission West Virgina

Public Relations Center.

All last month the St. Clairsville

Middle School’s Care Club, ran by Mrs.

Henderson-Drake, had been involving

the “Carry On” program in the hallways.

The students can bring in backpacks,

toothbrushes and toothpaste, stuffed

animals, or gently used bags. One

student had donated six stuffed

animals. Attached to each stuffed

animal was a duffel bag, a toothbrush,

and a tube of toothpaste.

“I think this activity went

really well, especially for doing this for

the first time,” said Mrs. Henderson–

Drake.

On Wednesday, December 14th, the Middle School 8th and 7th grade choir, and 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band, got us

in the Holiday spirit with a Christmas concert. The 7th and 8th grade choir, taught by Mr. Berk, sang eight songs. The 6th,

7th and 8th grade bands, conducted by Mr. Schwertfeger, played many festive songs including “Bell Carol Rock” and

“Angels We Have Heard On High.” The concert was a great way to kick off the holiday season.

Care Club Back Row L-R: Sarah Butler,

Maddie Dwyer, Dan Gross, Alyssa Haller,

Logan Williams. Front Row L-R:

Jada Creer, Sydney Freeman, Jimmy Lodi.

(absent: Zach Bigelow, Faith Hilton)

Angels On the Hill By: Hanna Vera

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 8

“Christmas” By: Chalea Habig

Ho Ho Ho! Its time for old Saint Nick, and it just so happens that it’s December and that can only mean …. CHRISTMAS !! This time, the Red Devil Dispatch wants to tell you the stories of four fortunate teachers of the St. Clairsville Richland City Schools who were interviewed about their Christmas's “Back in their Day”.

It’s really nice to know that our teachers weren't always so preoccupied with teaching and the concepts of schooling and had a time when they were just like us. Worrying about waking up early in the morning to open presents, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying their toys while they continuously open more. Now that’s what Christmas is really about.

The first person to be interviewed for this jolly interview was Coach V. His favorite Christmas present was an Electric Race Car Set he and his brother got and played with a whole lot.

Coach V's holiday tradition was always having a big dinner and spending time with family. He first spent a good while at his grandparents and then went to his mother’s. Two Christmas's in one …. who could go wrong with that!

One of his favorite Christmas memories was he and his siblings having matching pajamas. Coach V celebrated his Christmas the “Traditional way.” He and his siblings didn't get to see any of their presents until that Christmas morning, but they did get their own sections of presents …. which is indeed very awesome. Some activities they did for Christmas was just spend a whole lot of time with his aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings, and Coach V always looked forward to doing so.

When asked “What is your favorite food to eat Christmas day?”

Coach V states “I like a lot of food”, but he also said the his main Christmas dinner consisted of Ham, green beans, roast beef and shrimp. Also, his wife makes buckeyes, which he absolutely loves, but can only get so many because his kids eat most of them.

The second person interviewed was Coach McClean. Now his favorite Christmas present was a dirt bike he got when he was 12 or 13-years-old. His holiday traditions he had “Back in his Day”, were having dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas and going places where his family would get together. Coach McClean celebrated Christmas by caroling with their churches and did so until he was 10 or 11. He says, “I wasn't good at singing” and they told him to not sing, but move his lips to make like he was singing.

His favorite Christmas memory was when he and his brother got BB guns and their dad took them to shoot targets. Coach McClean’s family celebrated by hanging with each other and enjoying each others presence. His favorite Christmas food was “All of it.” He loved ham and his mothers broccoli casserole.

The next interviewee was Mrs. Wilson, St. Clairsville's French teacher who was raised and from Germany. Her favorite Christmas present was a pair of ice skates, which she still has to this day. One of her holiday traditions was Advent, where her family and other friends gathered together, enjoyed each others company, awed at amazing decorations, and celebrated Christmas for 4 days straight! Imagine the presents and food that they all got to enjoy! Mrs. Wilson's favorite Christmas memory was spending time with her grandparents. She also celebrated Christmas by having an Open Air

Christmas, where everyone shopped at markets, had tons of fun in the Town Square, ate and had a good time. Some activities she did with her family was caroling with her family. Mrs. Wilson's favorite food was “Roasts of all sorts”, and of coarse ham, green beans, and mashed potatoes.

Our final person interviewed is known well from the St. Clairsville Ele-mentary School, Mr. Moe. His favorite Christmas gift was a Sega Genesis, which is an arcade system. One of his Christmas traditions was to open one present on Christmas Eve and he celebrated Christmas by getting together with family. Mr. Moe's favorite Christmas memory was baking chocolate chip cookies and decorating the tree for the holidays. He loved being with his family and celebrated Christmas in the traditional way. Finally, Mr. Moe's favorite food for Christmas was “Mashed Potatoes.” He still of course loved the other food as well. It is really nice to know that our teachers were just as holly and jolly as we are. Happy Holidays, and have a Merry Christmas!

P A G E 9

Step up, take your

mark, BOOM, it’s winter and

for the members of St.

Clairsvilles boys and girls swim

teams that means three things:

eat, sleep, and swim. This year’s

teams include first year

members: Faith Baldwin,

DJ Beck, Quentin Clark,

Allie Coe, Sarah Holtsclaw,

Jesse Machovina, Garrett Olexo,

Aaron Perkins, Alyssa Purman,

and Falon Weidman. These

swimmers are constantly

improving their times and

placing in higher heats;, they

can only go up from here!

The returning

swimmers Michael Blackwell,

Emily Delong, Marisa Dwyer,

Eric Eaton, Michael Eaton,

Carly Falcone, Alaina Fasola,

Victoria Hall, Megan Hender-

shot, Dan Kennon, Erica Strope,

and Nicholas Tobin continue

to succeed by winning relays

and events.

On the morning of De-

cember 10th the teams travelled

to their fourth meet, the Dover

Invitational. Good luck in the

rest of your season, Devils!

The New Kids on the Blocks By: Sarah Holtsclaw

Making a Deal with the Lady Devils

By: Kayla Dusz

The St. Clairsville Girls’ Basketball Team started their anticipated season with a home opener against Martins Ferry. Senior Alexis Emrisko says, “The outcome of the

score wasn’t what we wanted, but the fan turnout made up for that.” The scorers for the game against Martins Ferry were Alexis Emrisko with 14 points and Lauren Figura 10 points. The girls second game was against the Bellaire Big Reds. The rivalry was shown in the last quarter of the game when the Lady Devils came out with a 57 – 54 win. Emrisko said, “It was our first win, and we all played to our potential and never gave up.”

Hoops for a Cause By: Mattison Young

The St. Clairsville faculty (and others) in the area played in a charity basketball against the Belmont County Eagles on November 30th at St. Clairsville’s gym. The Eagles are a special needs team and enjoy playing the game of basketball. Playing for St. Clairsville was Bruce Stiles, Tony Ciroli, Christa Truchan, Walt Skaggs,Diane Thompson, Mike McKeever, Jim Rocchi, Dawn Daubenmyer, Stacey Agnew, Justin Schwertfeger, and Kelly Rine. The Eagels took a big lead at the beginning of the game, but in the end it was a tied game. According to Mr. Stiles, he said the game was exciting and was fun to see how excited they got when they made a basket. Also, to keep up the spirit, Denise Skaggs, Ann Jefferies, and Victoria Gabis played the role as

cheerleaders. All proceeds of the game went to the stadium improvement project and Tomorrow’s Corner.

Brick Squad! FSU!

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 1 0

Ready to Go! By: Abbey Maroon

High expectations for the men in singlets who are here at St.Clairsville High School has everyone a little nervous, but they are ready to pin down the season.

“I think that we’ve all worked to the best of our abilities and if we keep it up we’re all going to have the results we want.” states Alex Timko, sophomore, 106 weight class.

Joel Sansone second year head coach is ready to send

not just one, but as many wrestlers as he can, to the state tournament this year. Potential state wrestlers include, Jus-tin Callarik, Dalton Nolte, Fabio Cracolici, Nick McEndree, An-gelo Curcione, and Chase Holcomb.

St.Clairsville won their match against Edison on December 7th, 2011 with the final score 28-13. Senior Fabio Cracolici added to this score having two pins. Heating up the match gave the Devils confidence for the rest of their season and they are looking forward to OVAC’s and State’s this year. “We’re ready to wrestle someone else,” says Timko.

Bouncing off with a new basketball season, the St. Clairsville High School boys’ basketball team won their first game Friday December 9th against the Union Local Jets. Making the first points of the season, Jerrid Marhefka who had an outstanding game! The crowd and the crazies filled the stands and cheered on Dan Monteroso when he hit his 1,000th point of his high school career! Union Local played their best and pushed themselves but unfortunately for them the defeating score was 81-39! Come out to support

your St. Clairsville team December 23rd against Weirton, and December 30th against Martins Ferry! Every team needs their crowds’ support!

Double Dribbling By: Morgan Fincham

180 Spilt By: Izaac Wiley

The pins are flying and the pins are all bowing down to the

Red Devil’s boy’s Bowling team. The Red Devil’s Bowling

team is off to a striking start. The red team has opened the

season with a 3-0 record and is led in scoring by Junior Wes

Miller with a 192 average. The gray team has opened with a 3

-1 record and is led by DJ Beck. Junior Wes Miller and

Freshman Zach Oliver both have achieved scores over 200

points in a given game, which is outstanding. The two are

going to need to strike up some big numbers as will their

fellow teammates if thy want to beat their rival Martins Ferry

on January 10th. The team is in a better position this year and

is looking to have a very successful season.

The other side of the alley is the girls’ team. Junior

Paige Kelly leads the girls’ team with a 128 average. The girls

are set to play Buckeye Local on January 10th once returning

from a long break. The team is going to have an uphill battle

but the team is more than capable of turning this season

around and striking opponents down and not sparing any

pins.

P A G E 1 1

Swimming her way into this swimming season is “Athlete of the Month” Sophomore Carly Falcone. Carly Falcone has been swimming for 14 ½ years and is always leading the team. You may not know Carly, but Red Devil Dispatch caught up with her to find out more.

RDD: What’s on your ipod right now?

Carly: Country &some rap

RDD: After high school do you want to keep swimming in your life?

Carly: I’ll do it to stay in shape, unless I get a scholarship.

RDD: If you could get one thing and it could be anything for Christmas what would it be?

Carly: I don’t care. Anything is fine with me, I’m just happy I get to see my grandparents.

RDD: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Carly: Hang out with friends and sleep. But I never have time because of swimming.

RDD: Who’s your biggest inspiration?

Carly: For swimming, Rich Riedel and Ernie Banks.

RDD: What’s something that no one knows about you?

Carly: I hate pop, more than anything.

RDD: If you had to pick a sport to play besides swimming/track what would it be?

Carly: Basketball and volleyball.

Although swimming takes up most of Carly’s time, she still finds time to hang out with family and friends. Good luck this season Carly!

Take a Dive into This By: Dakota Woodford

I know I couldn’t go days with eating nothing more than salads, but Dalton Nolte and the rest of the wrestling team do it all the time. Wrestling might be the most disciplined sport out there. Wrestling at class 160, Dalton Nolte dominates. His goals for the season are to go to OVACs and the Buckeye 8. with the Red Devils hosting their first tournament Wednesday December 7, 2011 beating Edison and Bellaire, the Red Devils as a team are off to a good start!

Look At Who We Have In Our Corner! By: Paige Hashman

P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

Almost every sophomore has to go through biology in school. At St.Clairsville, we are blessed to learn from Ms. Gibeaut. With 3 years of teaching experience, Ms. Gibeaut knows everything about biology. Let’s learn a little about her.

RDD: Where did you receive your education?

Ms. Gibeaut: “Ohio State and Wheeling Jesuit.”

RDD: Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

Ms. Gibeaut: “No, I was actually studying to be an environmental consultant.”

RDD: What are some of your hobbies?

Ms. Gibeaut: “Volleyball, softball, motorcycling, and white water rafting.”

RDD: If you had 3 wishes, what would they be?

Ms. Gibeaut: “1.World peace, our soldiers could come home.

2. Homes for all the homeless people and animals in the world.

3. A permanent job at St.C”

RDD: Do you love your job?

Ms. Gibeaut: “Yes, I do, because there’s never a dull day.”

Ms. Gibeaut loves her job at St.C. Let’s try to keep her here. Thank you for everything Ms. Gibeaut.

Permanent Residence

Many students and staff at St. Clairsville know Kim Clifford as the 12th grade English teacher and the varsity boys’ basketball coach, but there is still so

much more to learn. There are things that Coach Clifford likes doing other than teaching and coaching.

RDD: “What sports did you play in school?”

Clifford: “I played football early on and I played basketball too, for Bellaire.”

RDD: “Why did you choose basketball over football?”

Clifford: “It’s just always been a passion of mine.”

RDD: “What do you like to do in the off season?”

Clifford: “I like to do carpentry work and fix the house up. And I’m really enjoying being a grandfather, too.”

RDD: “What’s your favorite holiday and why?”

Clifford: “It’s tied between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Those are two holidays where all your family comes together.”

RDD: “What room in your house is your favorite and why?”

Clifford: “My favorite room is my garage. It’s turfed and all redone in sports.”

RDD: “If you had to take your kids or your grandkids to the beach, who would you take and why?”

Clifford: “I would take my kids. I don’t think I can keep up with my grandkids.”

RDD: “Why is Ryan your favorite son?”

Clifford: “Ryan is not my favorite son. They are all equal.”

Whether he’s correcting grammar, dribbling a basketball, or jazzing up his house, Coach Clifford still finds time to be a family man. Keep up the great work Coach!

By: Mattison Young

Ms. Gibeaut

Jump off a “Cliff”

Mr. Clifford

By: Bryce Burnett

P A G E 1 3

What Women Want By: Chris Baker, Bryce Burnett,

and Abbey Maroon

Words of Wisdom By: Nathan Teater

By: Kody Barnes

Giving Her the Perfect Gift…

Is it really better to give than

receive? Now deep down inside you

would rather receive. For example, what

if you go out and buy something for

someone special and they hate it? My

advice to you is I hope you bought

something that you also like or it looks

like your going to have to do some

re-gifting.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Wait, only if you’re a single guy. Christmas for taken men can turn out to be extremely terrible. Spending your Christmas money because from past experience the day after Christmas is the best way to shop due to the lack of expensive things left.

So, what do women really want for this holiday? Possibly a Lexus parked outside of their house with a big red ribbon on it, just like the commercials. Would they want something basic like some nice Bath and Body Works and inexpensive necklace? As realized in previous columns, the world may never know what women want.

“Teenagers would want to be treated with a nice extravagant gift, with my wife she wants my appreciation and my time.” -Mr. Watt high school Guidance counselor. Time and a gift,

everything you’d expect a man to say, he must have a happy wife.

On the other hand from a teenagers perspective, “ Women want love and comfort,” says Turner Provost. Now notice from the teenagers point, of view no gift is mentioned. It seems men have the love part down but not so much the gift.

Now, from the actual woman’s mind. ‘Bath and Body Works, scented candles, nail polish, and things from Tiffany Jewelers in New York City,” states Miss Jeffries, history teacher.

Okay so gifts, gifts, and more gifts, but that was from a woman’s mind, let’s see if the teenage mind changes at all, “I want pink sparkle UGG boots,” says Megan Poglialunga 12th grader.

So, even more gifts! Women are a hard type to understand. Money

spending should be a crime but hey, if you don’t want this whole relationship to be awkward you might want to head on out to the mall. Oh yeah, tell her Merry Christmas!

P A G E 1 4 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

Choo, Choo! The A-train is rolling’ through with Cody Jackson aboard. This student of the month is keeping up his grades and spending time with his model railroad. Let’s hear what he has to say.

RDD: How much time have you spent on your model railroad?

Cody: “I’ve spent almost 200 hours with it, and I’d say I have at least another 100 to go.”

RDD: What’s your favorite type of train?

Cody: “The CSX SD80MAC”

RDD: What do you do in your free time?

Cody: “I work on my model railroad; I also play in the band, and enjoy railfanning”

RDD: How often do you railfan?

Cody: “Once a month”

So when Cody’s not spending his time fighting off women just to get out of his front door, he’s working on his model railroad or rail fanning keeping the train world alive.

The A-Train is Rollin’ Through By: Bryce Burnett

Sophomore Cody Jackson, railfanning.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Hilles

Christmas Break: Dec. 22– Jan. 2

School resumes Jan. 3

End of 2nd 9 weeks: Jan. 11

ACT registration: Jan. 13

SAT test date: Jan. 28

Martin Luther King day: Jan. 16

Elementary parent Teacher Conferences: Jan. 19 3:30-6:00pm

P A G E 1 5

Fork in the Road By: Paige Hashman

Nobody understand how hard it is to overcome the hardships of being disabled. It’s harder to go to college, get a job, and even fall in love. If you want to help the disabled youth in our schools, go to the “Middle of the Road Café.” In this restaurant, the kids learn to prepare, cook, and serve food, take orders, make change, and interact with the customers in order to prepare them for the real world. The café is open on Thursdays for all staff and you place your orders ahead of time with Miss Truchan, the advisor. The menu at the café shows much diversity for being in a classroom. They serve turkey, steak, and chicken salad sandwiches, baked potatoes, chips, and fruit cups. All funds go towards Miss Truchan’s classroom activities.

The St. C gym was packed Wednesday, December 14th as St. C’s own Band and Choir were rocking around the Christmas tree for the annual Band and Choir Christmas Concert. The concert included performances by the Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Concert Band, and Sweet Harmony.

The Concert Choir entertained the audience with songs such as By Candlelight, Sleep Little King, and Love has Come. The Jazz Band played We Wish You A Merry Christmas, You’re a Mean One Mister Grinch, and Feliz Navidad, which featured a solo by sophomore teacher Justin Sleutz. Next, the Chamber Choir took the spotlight as they sang Follow That Star and Gloria. They also featured Sophomore Kylee Laurine in a Hebrew song called Al Sholsha D’varim, and Sophomore Ayla Stewart in Mary Did You Know.

The Concert Band performed several Christmas Classics such as Thou Prince of Life, O’ Christ our Lord, Themes from “The Nutcracker”, Early American Hymn, Arabian Dances, and Sleigh Ride.

The last St. C group to perform was Sweet Harmony. They sang For You and For Me, which featured Sophomore Lexie Pritchard, Joy Unspeakable, Light of the Stable, which featured Senior Lexie Smith, and Jolly Old St. Nicholas. Lastly, for the big finale the band and choirs com-bined to sing Carol of the Bells.

Both Mr. Wayne Berk, choral director, and Mr. Justin Schwertfeger, instrumental director, would like to thank everyone for their continued support of the Music Program at St. Clairsville.

Deck the Halls! By: Alexis Laurine

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 1 6

Penny For Your Thoughts

Have a question for Penelope? Feel

free to leave it in the Penelope box

inside the door in Room 309.

Dear Penelope, My best friend of many years moved away and we stopped speaking. She recently returned to St.C and I haven't heard from her. I have been told by several people that she has changed and I wouldn't want to be friends with her. Should I listen to them or try to contact her in hopes of regaining our friendship? What do I do if she doesn't want to be friends? Dear Best Friend Betrayal, It wouldn't hurt to at least talk to her. If you guys were best friends at one time, why shouldn't you? And If she's changed for the worse and doesn't want to be friends, brush it off and move on. Don't let people tell you what you wouldn't want. If you want to, go for it. Don't base your actions or opinions off of other peoples'. That's one of the worst things you can do in any situation. Dear Penelope, I am a current teacher at St. Clairsville High school, and lately I have been noticing that when I start presenting my lessons, most of my students' eyes start to glaze over, and they seem to be in another world. Do you have any suggestions on how I can spice up my lectures or make my class more relevant and enjoyable for everyone? Dear Out Of Touch, Make your lectures fun. Relate what you're lecturing to everyday teenage life- video games, music, celebrities, general pop culture. Get them out of their seats, or just wear a funny hat or something. It's not hard to get the attention of teenagers, you just have to find a way to keep it. Dear Penelope,

I have a great group of friends, but sometimes the things they do to me as a joke really hurts my feelings. I don't want them to think I can't take a joke, but hiding my books and emptying my locker is getting old. I'm glad they get a laugh at my expense. Please help me know what to do. Dear Butt Of The Joke, I know exactly where you're coming from. I think everyone's guilty of pulling pranks on their friends that go a little too far. For example, I always tie up my friends' cars with yarn, or fill them with balloons. But if it bothers you that much, just talk to them about it. Tell them it was funny the first couple times, but now it's just irritating, and it's making you upset. Dear Penelope, About a month and a half ago, I had break up with my ex-boyfriend. It was devastating. I turned to one of my best friends for comfort and to help me get my mind off things. One thing led to another, and now we're dating and I've never been happier. However, he and my ex have mutual friends. They never really talked before, but now my ex is constantly contacting him through Facebook, Twitter, texting, everything. He's talking to one of my girl friends that he's never showed interest in before. It doesn't bother me that they're talking (I'm completely happy with my current boyfriend) But it bugs me that he's trying to stay one person away from me. Like, I don't want him in my life. Dear Stalked, That has to be one of the most irritating situations, ever. Tell him to knock it off. Or, if you don't want to make any waves in the pool, just ignore it and let it happen. You don't have to hang out with him. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Just let yourself be happy with

your current boyfriend, and ignore everything else.

P A G E 1 7

For months, the American people have waited to find out the result of the economic Super Committee, however; by the end of November, they hadn’t reached a conclusion. The lawmakers and Republican presidential candidates say that they want to look on previous proposed plans. In the past year, there were three different plans proposed and the Super Committee’s Troomey plan.

Death to the Deficit By: Frankie Berardi

Presented by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, the plan would be enacted over a ten-year span, and save four trillion dollars from the national deficit. The plan inevitably failed to receive a 14 super majority vote to be considered in Congress.

Simpson-Bowles

In relation to the Simpson-Bowles plan, the Ryan plan, proposed by Budget Committee Chairman, Paul Ryan, would save 6 trillion dollars from the deficit. This plan failed because senate democrats complained that it was too harsh on Medicare.

“Gang of Six” After the Ryan Plan, a collaborated group of senators proposed the “Gang of Six” plan which would save four trillion

dollars from the deficit over 10 years. This plan was defeated because both parties criticized it for “not doing enough,” and the system’s “outrageous tax heights.”

Troomey Plan Created by senator and Super Committee member, Pat Troomey, the plan would raise revenues, while reducing the

number of tax credits and deductions, but lowering the top rate from 35 to 38 percent. This plan ended up failing because, although favorable with people out side the committee, the committee members did not fancy the idea.

Despite the tremendous variety of the four plans, the congressional body stands divided and unable to make a decision, but they “promise to get things on the right track and by pulling out these old plans, a quick decision can be made.” The American people wait to see if our great leaders can negotiate or if they will continue to volley the deficit plans back and forth.

Ryan Plan

Courtesy of librarygrape.com Courtesy of baraelkarsan.com

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 1 8

By: Frankie Berardi

By: Frankie Berardi

As the nation’s economy continues to fall into disparity, protest movements have formed all over the country. In late November, the Los Angeles police decided enough was enough and risked themselves against thousands of people in an attempt to end Occupy L.A. At 12:30 A.M. November

30, the city of Los Angeles declared the occupy movement an unlawful assembly and gave protesters ten minutes to leave or be arrested. The city council did prepare for a likely fight by blocking off roads leading to the freeway, Hollywood, and downtown L.A.

After protestors began to slowly shuffle out of the park in which they were camping, and the ten minutes were up, approximately 500 helmeted police in bulletproof vests stormed the premises to douse the remaining people. People began running when the officers started firing rubber bullets, but some would not leave. The remaining protestors

yelled comments including; “Police Brutality,” “Please do the right thing,” and “madness,” but despite their pleas, the police did not stand down and easily overpowered the protestors.

By the time things had died down, police had arrested over 200 protestors, one of which made the comment; “The night had been a blast, I’m willing to get arrested, it’s easy to talk the talk, but you gotta walk the walk.” The tents still remained, but public workers continued to remove them until late the following day, and within a few days the park was functioning like always.

Police Brutality or Public Insanity?

At end of November, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) bombed Pakistan, killing twenty-four soldiers, and with tensions growing stronger between Pakistan and America, the U.S. military decided to remove its presence at an air base in the Middle Eastern country. In the past, America used a base in Shamsi as a safe haven, among the many clashes that occur in that part of the world, but out of fear of a possible engagement with Pakistan, the military will leave the country.

As of December 4, 2011, cargo planes arrived in Shamsi to collect weapons, equipment, and technologies and bring them back to the home land. The base also served as headquarters

for the United States Drome Program, but with the severing of the two countries relationships, after Pakistan accused the U.S. of aiding NATO in the attack, the Dromes will be relocated to either Afghanistan or return home to America.

The United States does not con-demn their involvement in the bomb-ing, but assures the Prime Minister of Pakistan that America will be com-pletely removed from the country, “as soon as possible.” Due to the accusa-tions from Pakistan, the U.S. has stopped receiving aid from the nation’s former Middle Eastern ally for the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This event has been considered by some people to be positive, by

“speeding up the war,” while some people believe that, “America cannot afford to lose that base.” Conclusively, as the wars near their close, U.S.A. has officially left Pakistan in the sands of the Middle East.

U.S. Abandons Pakistani Air Base

Courtesy of wordbullitin.net

Courtesy of the biglead.com

By: Frankie Berardi

P A G E 1 9

By: Frankie Berardi

As the contest for America’s next great leader becomes more transparent, there are still candidates who believe that the straw polls mean nothing. Congressman Ron Paul is one of these individuals, claiming that he can still “climb to the top, despite what the polls say.” The 2012 election is Paul’s

third try at 1600 Pensyvania Avenue, after his failure in 1988 and 2008. He now believes that his “chance has come.”

Representative Paul originally served as a physician in the Air Force, and later worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist, before his entrance into the political realm in 1976. As a Texas representative, Ron Paul has the most conservative voting record of anyone since 1937, and has the backing of the tea party for which he was labeled its Intellectual Godfather.

The Republican has many ideas that make him favorable among libertarians, but appear “too extreme” for both Democrats and Republicans. These views encompass withdrawal from North Atlantic Treaty Organization, rejection of World Trade Organization, and birthright citizenship

for illegal aliens.

Ron Paul is currently in sixth place for the republican nomination, and continues to drop in the polls; the American people are already condemning his political fate, saying, “He has no chance.” In fact, there have been rumors leaking from his campaign that voters may see Ron Paul as a third party candidate in the general election. This scares many republicans who fear that with a split in the Republican Party, President Obama is likely to receive re-election.

With his falling numbers, Paul is now turning his attention away from republicans and toward the Independents because with their backing, he could be the Republican nominee.

Intellectual Godfather

For nearly a year now, the Energy and Commerce Committee has been investigating the discrepancies behind the Solyndra loan. After the White House passed a 535 million dollar loan to the Solyndra company, the country was soon to discover that the money obviated and the company died.

With this added detail, Congress is considering using the Energy and Commerce Committee to sue the White House, for their “fault.” If Congress would go through with the threats, law makers would hold hearings at the subcommittee level, and

then the full committee. Experts speculate, that if an “event of this magnitude occurred,” then the full House would have to vote. They would then likely refer the event to the District of Columbia’s attorney for charges against the White House. With the House majority Republican, if the attempt to sue reached the final stages of the process, it could possibly enact.

The country now waits to find the answers to its many questions such as, “Is our nation so corrupt that we would sue the President?” While others believe that, “It’s a good thing, the president wasn’t doing anything.” The

opinions vary, but within time, America will know the truth.

Congress Sues the President Courtesy of silencertalk.com

Random Politicians Views R. Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman—“My plan is the Ryan plan.” D. Senator N.Y.—“The one good consensus we have both Democratic and Republican sides, is that we have to

reduce the deficit.” Super Committee member Pat Troomey—“I think there’s a chance to work with some of the more moderate

members of the Democratic caucus, who make progress, who realize how important it is.

Courtesy of visit2uni-

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 2 0

The Angry Beaver:

The Thoughts, the Views and the Opinions of One

Angry Mammal

By: Addy Beaver

It's that time of the year again- Snow, two hour delays, hopeful wishes for cancelations and early dismissals. And of course, Christmas. A bearded, fat man who breaks into your house, eats your cookies, and parks his reindeer on the roof of your home, taking the chances of possibly caving in your roof. But hey, he leaves everyone presents, that seems like a fair exchange. (Or at least, it will be if he leaves me that Macbook I asked for.) In all seriousness, what's with the reindeers names? Prancer? Vixen? Commet? Cupid? I thought Cupid was a diaper-wearing, arrow-shooting, "giver of love." And why does Santa have so many alias'? Chris Kringle. Santa. Old Saint Nick. Saint Nicholas. Father Christmas. Is this guy on the lam or something? Like, is he running from the Polar Police? And why is it so bad for Americans to be overweight, but it's okay for Santa? Hasn't he heard of Zumba or Richard Simmons? Give up the coca, Nick. Maybe

this year, my chimney won’t be missing a few bricks. But, the thing that gets me the most is why does Santa have an army? I mean, I understand the guys at the mall and stuff get the kids wishes and tell him, but there's so many forms of communication, why can't the kids just tell Santa directly? Like, Santa Email or something. But in all seriousness, I want to wish happy holidays to everyone. And I want to thank my little cousins, Ana-Rose Woollard, a fifth grader at St. Clairsville Middle School, and Amelia Woollard, a second grader at St. Clairsville Elementary School, for helping me come up with ideas for this particular article. They're firm believers in Santa, and they keep reminding me that this season is supposed to be full of love, magic, and times with friends and family. Happy Holidays everyone!

P A G E 2 1

By: Lexie Pritchard

A MUSIC MOSAIC

Just like any other human, I start the day off with a boring, monotonous routine but,

my routine has to include listening to music the second I wake up. Therefore, I’m downloading

music pretty often and I think I’ve got a pretty good stock. I learned early on that I’m the type

of person where once I have something new and interesting, I always want to share. So here

are the changes I’ve recently worked into my library. Show and tell was always my favorite

part of the day, anyways.

First off, did anyone else watch the new Lady GaGa music video for Marry the Night? I

died a little inside, it was that great. In my opinion, she is a true artist and as much as Lady GaGa is scrutinized for her

creativity, for lack of a better word, I think she is so talented. So, go check that out and while you’re there, look up Savannah

Outen’s cover of that song. She made it all acoustic and it provokes completely new

emotions after you listen to original.

While I am on the topic of covering music, the blog: http://www.copycats.tumblr.com/ has

completely captured my heart. It is just a compilation of different artists who have

covered, or basically re-sang, popular music. I think it truly captures the appreciation most

people have for just pure, organic, covers and how they really show originally.

So, as I’m looking through my archives, I rediscovered my love

for this one specific artist: Bon Iver. Now, to me, Bon Iver screams “Hey! It’s raining! Come here,

listen to my music, and ponder about your life. I’ll keep you company”. The lead singer’s voice is

just so melodic and that is really showcased in one the fans’ favorites, Skinny Love. The lyrics of

that song are pure poetry and for me, I have so much respect for lead singers who avoid auto-tune

and play their own instruments. So… Bon Iver? Check and Check. Check plus, actually.

Now, if you’re looking to rock out, look no further. Find an open

space, a loud speaker, an alter-ego, and plug this band in. The Pretty Reckless definitely rock out

hard. The fact that the lead singer is a girl is something to be applauding in itself. Well, okay,

maybe I’m biased but, it is really good music according to reviews on iTunes and many music

blogs. Its bass line is a little heavier than a Paramore song would have but, it’s not as intense as

The Foo Fighters. It truly is original. Check out their songs Make Me Wanna Die and Medicine,

those make me want to fight crime and wear a batman-no, batwoman- mask.

Well, go look up those bands/blogs/covers/songs out and give them a listen. They’re all very

different but, I hope you like them. As for the KISS FM lovers, the top four songs right now are

Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO, It Will Rain by Bruno Mars, We Found Love by Rihanna, and Good Feeling by Flo Rida. Phew, all

that music talks makes me want to go sing! So, until next time, I’ll leave you with some words of wisdom.“After silence, that

which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 2 2

m a n r t a c w s v e a h

p r e s e n t s a e f i o

s n o w m e n t b o l t l

u b g s l m d u g o n t i

e p n v j l s n n m w e d

s d e c o r a t i o n s a

s s g c y o m s p e s n y

o t g s y p t e p m r i s

y d n a c l s h o n o o n

n o o n e a i c h h s p v

w m g t u j r m s c t y e

y t o a a a h y a n s d l

c e a w c r c r e f o n t

Christmas santa

reindeer presents

family snow

joy elves

snowmen eggnog

decorations feast

shopping candy cold

mistletoe chestnuts poinsettia

bows holidays

With December 21, 2012 drawing closer and clos-er, more people are falling into the rumors about the world ending, but that’s all they are—rumors. Most of the things that 2012 believers stand on are blown out of proportion or taken out of context. The thing you might hear associated the most with the world ending in 2012 is the Mayan calendar. It is a true fact that the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012, but it doesn’t say anything concerning the significance of the date. The calendar we use in American today ends on December 31 every year, but that doesn’t mean anything. Nostradomus is also something you may think of when you hear about the world ending in 2012. Michael de Nostradome, better known as Nostradomus, published his predictions for the future in the 16th centuries. Many people believe that he predicted Hitler and WWII, Hurricane Katri-na, and even 9/11. So, if he predicted that the world will end on December 21, 2012, it must be true, right? But he didn’t. Nostradomus actually predicted that a comet would strike the Earth in 1999 and end the world. In a letter he wrote, he said his predictions ended in 3797, he never spe-cifically mentions 2012. Some rumors even say that the Bible predicts the end of the world in 2012, but this one might be the most far off of any of the rumors. Though it does say that before the end, there will be massive earthquakes, major global wars, poverty, and famine, it doesn’t give a date. With the hard times people are facing now, it’s not hard to see how this

might be interpreted as the end. However, the Bible also says specifically “No one knows the day or hour when those things will happen.” That doesn’t sound much like a 2012 prediction. Although some rumors point to the world ending on December 21, 2012, it is highly unlikely that will happen.

2012 By: Olivia Dibetta

P A G E 2 3

Forever young, I wanna be forever young. Younglife started in the year 1941 and the Ohio Valley was introduced to it in 1971. Valerie Ben-nett is the Younglife leader for St. Clairsville and Union Local, and meet-ings take place every Tuesday night at the Ruritan building in St. Clairsville.

What’s Younglife? We dance to songs, play games and put on skits, the last 10-20 minutes is always dedicated to talking about God and our relationship with him.

That’s not all, though! We do things other than just club every week. We have fall weekend, all valley, and camp every June. Fall weekend nor-mally takes place in November and it’s just a weekend with Younglife mem-bers all around that join together and have a blast! All Valley is taking place December 12th in Wheeling in the Stone Room. This is when every Younglife club in the valley joins together for the night. Younglife Camp in June takes place at Lake Champion or Rockbridge and people from all

around the United States come togeth-er for six days and everyone gets meet new people, this is on June 16th through the 21st, you can’t miss it!

Club is over for this semester other than All Valley, but it starts back up February 7th. We’re hoping to see you there! Come dance, sing, and have a good time!

Living Young By: Morgan Fincham

P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

Not Your Typical Relationship By: Isaac Wiley

Ahh, the holidays, they can be the best and worst

times of the year. If you have that special someone, it is most

likely not the best time of the year for you. However, if you

don’t have that special someone, it can be the best time of

the year!

Personally, I prefer having that special someone this

time of the year because you get to enjoy the frustration of

trying to find the perfect gift. If you have a special someone

you are lucky because the air this time of the year is filled

with joy and love. (The season sets one out in search of a

significant other.) Benefits of a special someone are endless

and include going to see Christmas lights, ice skating,

watching Christmas movies and yelling at one another

because neither of you can sing Christmas carols without

small children running in horror covering their ears. The

cons of this mushy stuff are it is expensive and too time

consuming.

The holiday season for a ‘forever alone’ person like

myself is the greatest time! This season is the best for single

guys, especially if you are a gamer! I love the cheap video

game prices and I love not having to worry about taking

time away from my true love, Xbox.

When you are single and a gamer, this season is the

time of the great stock up! The great stock up is when you

take all of your hard earned money and blow it all on the

hottest titles like there is no tomorrow. So I ask you, how

could a guy afford excessively violent, time consuming,

deafening video games and a girl? The answer is you can’t! I

mean video games control your life, like a girl. Video games

cost you money, like a girl. Video games make you angry,

like a girl. Video games keep you guessing, like a girl. Video

games make you hate your life, like a girl. So video games

are like a relationship, except it never ends.

So if you want to go through all of the shenanigans

and jump through hoops like a trained monkey, by all means

go for it. If you want a relationship that breaks your bank,

turns your mouth into a portable bathroom, but you still

love it at the end of the day, then the gamers relationship is

for you! I am a lazy person and I love knowing when I wake

up my true love is only a few feet away me.

In the U.S., many kids begin a

countdown towards Christmas as soon

as they see the Christmas lights,

waiting impatiently for Santa Claus to

bring them presents. In England,

instead of waiting for Santa they wait

for Father Christmas who, to us

Americans, looks like Santa from

Narnia. In France, they celebrate St.

Nicholas Day which is like another

Christmas! Last but not least, in Spain

they are singing Feliz Navidad at the

top of their lungs!

But now back to Christmas,

here in the U.S. There are some things

you might not have known about, such

as the first state to recognize the

Christmas holiday officially was

Alabama. Thank you Alabama! Also,

you know those red flowers that

everyone seems to have? Well they’re

called Poinsettias and they were

brought into the United States from

Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early

1800’s and in contrary to common

belief poinsettia, plants are non-toxic,

but they do bother most people’s (mine

included) allergies.

The next thing is a good thing

for girls, not so much for the guys,

more diamonds are sold around Christ-

mas than any other time of the year.

Now here is something very interesting

if you ask me, if you received all of the

gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of

Christmas,” you would receive 364

gifts! That’s a lot of gifts! Now the very

last thing is you know how almost

everyone calls Christmas, X-mas? Well

some people think that someone took

the “Christ” out of Christmas but in

Greek, X means Christ that is where the

word “X-mas” comes from.

So there you go, some

Christmas facts about Christmas, which

I doubt you knew. So when you’re

texting your friends ‘Happy X-mas’ or

‘Merry X-mas!!’ think about some of

these cool facts!

The Best Time of the Year By: Katelin Gandee

“His eyes- how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.”

–Clement C. Moore The idea of Santa Claus

has been around almost as long as St. Nick himself. As far back as the 8th and 9th century in Europe, it was tradition to be visited by your fireside by a man in a fur hat who made the winter a little less harsh. Saint Nicolas was born in the 3rd century in Myra, which is now a part of Turkey. His rich parents died when he was young, but he used his inheritance to help those in need. Though he helped the poor, the sick, or anyone else who could use it, he had a special love for children. He would toss money into people’s homes at night, but if the windows were locked, he would toss it

down the chimney. During the Middle

Ages, churches were dedicated to him and built in his honor. He is known all around the world; in France he is known as Père Noël and Shengdan Laoren in China. While in the United States, children leave Santa Claus cookies and milk on Christmas Eve night, in England and Australia, children leave cherry and mince pies for Father Christmas.

As a Christmas tradition, children hang their stockings and write letters to Santa. Studies show that girls’ letters are longer and more polite than boys’. They ask for more things but they also include gifts for other people. In Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, Louis Sachar says, “Whenever you give someone a present or sing a holiday song, you’re helping Santa Claus. To me, that’s what Christmas is all about.”

Santa Claus By: Olivia DiBetta

P A G E 2 5

New Year’s – A holiday

absolutely everyone knows of, however,

not everyone knows the history behind

it. The earliest recording of New Year’s

dates back to 2000 B.C. with the Early

Roman Calendar. The Romans originally

used March 1st to ring in the New Year

until 153 B.C. In 153 B.C., Julius Caesar

moved the New Year to January 1st and

formed the Julian calendar, which is

what we use today.

Along with New Year’s comes

its many traditions. The most common

tradition would have to be the making

of resolutions for the year to come.

They vary from weight loss to spending

more time with family to getting

organized. Although majority of people

make resolutions, less than half will

follow through with them.

Another well-known tradition

is the symbol of the holiday, Baby New

Year. He represents the “rebirth” of the

year. Lastly, the kiss when the clock

strikes midnight is another popular

tradition.

So whether your making a

resolution to lose weight, or kissing

your lover when the ball drops at

midnight, the New Year brings many

traditions and resolutions with false

By: Ashley Bailey

“Give me my freaking gifts!” These tend to be the

adorable expressions that little children say on the dawn of

Christmas Day. However, these kids are spoiled. Christmas

is not about the money your mom squanders on you every

single year. Christmas is about praising your Lord Jesus

Christ; hence the word ‘Christ’. It is also about the

traditions we Americans have evolved over the years; such

would include putting decorative bulbs on a pine tree,

buying cheap gifts for your family members, eating another

Thanksgiving meal and putting tacky decorations around

your house. However, children also wait for Santa Claus!

Many Americans are still confused as to why parents are

okay with this ridiculous custom. Why would they let some

strange man enter the house in the middle of the night,

while everybody is sleeping, to eat their food and leave

them gifts? Also, many would assume children would be a

little frightened. I guess people are willing to do anything

for free gifts. So, remember when Christmas comes your

way, gain 20 pounds, purchase ridiculous decorations and

worship Jesus. Then, perhaps you may possibly have a

somewhat decent Christmas after all.

It was an early December morning in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when the radar, a new tool still being perfected, picked up a squad of incoming planes. The commander in charge wrote the radar signal off as USAF B-17s that were due to arrive that morning from California. There was just one problem: the planes weren’t friendly. Even though the Japanese Empire had a peace agreement with the United States, they broke it with an early morning surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Their mission was to destroy any United States Naval and Air Force equipment whether they be LSTs,

aircraft carriers, planes, hangars, or other such targets of military importance. During the attack, four battle ships were sunk, three were damaged, and one was grounded, as well as two destroyers were sunk. 155 aircraft were damaged and 29 were destroyed. 2,402 soldiers were killed and 1,247 were wounded. As for civilians, 57 were killed and 35 were wounded. The attack on Pearl Harbor ultimately resulted in the United States involvement in World War II.

2012 Here We Come By: Alexis Laurine

CHRISTmas

70 Years After Waking the Sleeping Giant By: Cody L. Jackson

P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4

P A G E 2 7

The Red Devil Dispatch would like to thank those who have supported us

this year. If anyone is interested in donating or advertising with us, please

call 695– 1584 or email jacqui.sall@omeresa.net

Greg Bizzarri,

Richland Township

Trustee, and family

Jackson’s Wrecker

Service

Ann Jeffries

Mr. and Mrs. Robert O.

Wagner

Red Devil Boys’

Basketball

Red Devil Football

Chase Garan Fan

Club

Sarah Gibeaut

Dolores Pytlik

Justin Sleutz

Joyce Zeiher

Susan

Fitzsimmons

St. Clairsville

Girls’ Volleyball

St. Clairsville

Track

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 4 P A G E 2 8