The High Post

highpostonline.comOctober 2010 Volume 88; Issue 1

the high postthe high post

Onthe

Inside... New Laptops

for Sophomore Students

Pg. 2 Pg. 14Pg. 9Pg. 6

Students speak out about Unresolved Teacher Contract

I Like It!Homecoming 2010

No Empty Seats for Seniors ‘11!

Greater Latrobe SHSGreater Latrobe SHS131 High School Road131 High School Road

Latrobe, PA 15650Latrobe, PA 15650

QUEEN CARLYQUEEN CARLYSenior Carly Meholic crowned Senior Carly Meholic crowned 2010 Homecoming Queen2010 Homecoming Queen

2 The High Post October 2010

Surviving High

Survival

When 4Sight assessments come around each year, usually the only comments coming from students are how they are dreading to take them. Some students even ask how they are learning from these tests if the questions and prompts each year are the same. 4Sight was developed by the Success for All Foundation and target students in grades 3 to 11. They are given approximately an hour to complete each test in math and read-ing. The purpose of these tests is to al-low teachers to view how well students are progressing and to view individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. The 4sight assessment gives teachers an idea of how well students are going to perform on the PSSA’s in the future. This year, the 4Sight was taken on Tuesday, September 14 and Wednesday, September 15. Immediately after homeroom underclassmen began taking the assessment. On Tuesday, students completed the reading assess-ment which consisted of articles with a written response and multiple choice questions to answer on the computer. Answering questions on a com-puter is not the tradition-al form for standardized tests. “It makes reading more an-noying and it feels like I’m taking for-ever,” said sophomore, Amanda Adams. On Wednesday students completed the math portion of the as-sessment in which students answered the problems on their computers. Stu-dents had to complete open-ended problems for the math portion as well. “Having to take the test with the computer was annoying and it would be easier to have a print out of the test to be able to make notes on it,” said junior, Jocelyn Stas. Students and teachers are not the only ones involved with the 4Sight tests. Miss Vanessa Kolberg along with Miss Yasmina Hough, a math assistant, and Miss Natalie Reese, the science as-sistant are in charge of the organization of the 4Sight tests. They make sure the copies of the test are made and make sure the teachers know how to adminis-ter the test properly. They are also in con-trol of passing the tests out and collect-ing them after all of the testing is over. “It is a lot of pa-perwork,” said Kolberg. After all the testing is com-pleted, they look over the data with the teachers and decide the areas that students need improvement. Since 4Sight is an incre- mental assessment, students will be taking it three more times through-out 2010-2011. The 4Sight test will help teachers focus on students’ weak areas in both math and read-ing so they can improve for the future.

Kit: Use these tips to get

through the fi rst quarter

4Sight Test should predict

PSSA successRachel StaufferStaff Writer

1. Music Player-

2. Sweatshirt -

3. Germ X -

4.Snacks -

5. Extra Cash -

Whether during a study hall, in the hallways, or on the bus, some type

of MP3 player is always useful when trying to tune out the world of high school (or any annoying people you

are avoiding).

Any senior or junior will agree that the temperature in the school

varies depending on what room you are in. But when you have the

unfortunate fate of having a class in that one room that is always cold, such as the downstairs C-Hall, be

sure to layer. The one thing consis-tent about the temperature in the school is; if you are in a classroom that is cold, it will always be cold.

One day, when it is really quiet in your classroom and you hear noth-ing but silence; listen a little closer. Most likely you will hear about 5-10

people constantly sniffi ng their nose because of the cold that their best friend’s, brother’s, girlfriend’s

mom gave them. We don’t need another “Swine Flu” scare do we?

So keep your hands clean!

No matter what time you have lunch, A, B, or C; it is always

smart to keep snacks in your back-pack to eat when you get hungry. Especially since you most likely

skipped breakfast after waking up freakishly early to get to school on

time.

In case you didn’t bring snacks for your sudden bursts of hunger, be sure to keep a few extra dollars

with you at all times. No matter where you look, you can almost

always fi nd someone on the year-book staff to sell you chocolate-

covered pretzels.

For more tips in surviving

the first quar-ter, check out thehighposton-

line.com

In a world that is run by tech-nology, computers are important to everyone’s daily lives. Greater Latrobe provides all students with their own lap-tops. Every year as sophomore students get new computers technology has in-tegrated new styles of laptops into the school system. From the class of 2010’s large and bulky computers to this year’s sophomores sleek and portable net books, there is a noticeable diff erence. The main diff erence between the old ‘bulky’ laptops from the class of 2010 and the new sophomore net books are just that, one was a laptop and the other a net book. A net book is simply a smaller more compact version of a lap-top although, they aren’t as powerful. Net books are also much less expen-sive which can help anyone in a budget crunch, saving anywhere from one hun-dred dollars to four hundred dollars. “Student laptops should be portable so they are actually used and not left in a locker or at home” Mr. Sny-der, District Network Specialist, said.

New net books are able to do just this; they are to be carried around without too much inconvenience. “Student computers can’t be bought at Best Buy” Snyder said. The school gets the laptops from a compiled list made by Com-puter Center Line, the computer re-pair company for the school district.All school laptops are business class and have been chosen for specifi c reasons; because of their reliability, longevity and portability. It is impor-tant that these student net books will be able to be used beyond their fi rst owners three years in the high school. Junior and senior net books were a big step the last two years. They have the capability of video chat through a web camera that is installed in each device. New sophomore laptops also have this fea-ture which is a favorite among stu-dents who can now video chat with friends through programs like Skype. “I use Skype because it’s a

good way to communicate in class and it’s an easy way to keep in touch with my friends,” a Greater Latrobe student who wishes to remain anonymous said. Insurance for the comput-ers is the same, but the only diff er-ence is cases. This year, the sopho-mores weren’t given cases for their net books. Not because they don’t need them, simply because the bud-get wasn’t big enough to buy all cases for them. This also provides students the opportunity to express them-selves through their cases and covers. “I chose my case because it was inexpensive and cute at the same time,” sophomore Lizz Riten-our said of her polka dotted case. From large laptops that were always in the way to new improved net books that are portable and easy to carry around, Greater Latrobe High School has provided students with the tools they need to be successful and have a little fun at the same time.

Sophomores Receive New Net Books

Kaitlin NewinghamStaff Writer

Over the past two years, Greater Latrobe has invested in a diff erent, more convenient form of a laptop known as a net book.

Above, a sophomore, ju-nior, and senior comput-er sit side-by-side. Since the sophomores did not receive cases for their computers this year from the school, a majority of students bought their own like the one shown in the top right. Below, students use net books to take the 4Sight test and during study hall. Photos by Andrew Armstrong, Maria Graziano, and Dan Kubus

~Sarah Conley, Staff Writer

News Aspects

3

Meet the New Intern

Holes because it’s just such a great read”

-Adam Kniffen, sophomore

To Kill a Mockingbird because it’s a classic piece of literature and a best seller for many years.”

-Alexis Fannie, junior

The Bible because it’s the most popular book” -John Dickson, junior

Books that can’t be replaced by an online version.

Is society losing the value of

books?As technology becomes more advanced, reading should still remain an

important asset to our daily lives.

Technology is becoming more and more advanced every second of the day with new computers and phones. The question that is now brought up is if society and students are losing the value of books and other forms of print with people using books as a form of entertainment and looking to books fi rst as a resource engine. “I think that students have allowed the Internet and other digital technology to replace time read-ing books”, Mr. Duda who is a contemporary literature and academic English teacher at Greater Latrobe explains, “I don’t think they view reading as potential entertainment and the students that do are defi nitely in a minority.” Even though it plays a big role in our daily life, technology is not the only factor in the down size of print popularity. “I believe that it is not just that students don’t like to read but the fact that they have so many after school activities that they participate in they really don’t have the time to sit down and read” Ms. Riebel theorizes. “There are a lot of students that enjoy reading and also students that don’t really read a lot fi nd books that they enjoy.” When asked about the lesser value of books in students, Ms. Riebel had just the opposite to say. “Actually I believe the popularity of checking out books for leisure in the library has gone up in size not down.” Electronic devices have taken over books in other ways as well. Barnes and Noble’s Nook and Amazon.com’s Kindle which are priced at $149 and $139 have changed the fore-front of how to do your reading. With these new “eBooks” there are millions of choices on books that can be downloaded right from the device. “I think the electronic reading devices promote active reading and reduce what you have to carry around. This is the future for per-sonal libraries just like iTunes has become a personal library for music.” Mr. Duda reasons.

Shea AugustineStaff Writer

“You’re Irreplaceable”

Natalie Reese Member of AmeriCorps, a service organization doing ser-

vice at Latrobe as an environmental science tutor. What schools did you attend and what was your favorite class in high school?Hempfi eld Area High School, Penn State Main Campus and St. Vincent, Physics Why did you want to become a teacher?In school, I had good teachers to follow in their footsteps, and also my parents are too. It’s a way to always learn. What do you hope to learn while you are here at Latrobe?How to be very hands on with environmental education by bringing education outside.The song that always gets me out on the dance fl oor: Cha Cha SlideMy favorite movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding Top thing to do on my bucket list: Extended visit to Hawaii. In high school, I was: a nerd. People would be surprised to know that: I’m afraid of most animals, yet in previous jobs held birds of prey on my arm. The fi rst band I saw in concert: Chicago. The super power I wish I had in real life: Breath underwater. TV marathon I could watch all day: Sex in the City.

~Jimmy Singer, Staff Writer

Not only are books now going electronic but now many publications are switching over completely to the internet such as The Guardian. That popular maga-zine will now only be available via Twitter. In the world of reference books, the 126 year old Oxford English Dictionary may not be printed on paper. The publication is receiving increasing demands for the online product of the dictionary. “There are so many diff erent ways to get information from technology such as power li-brary and the internet so now you can do everything in one easy step,” Riebel states. With so many diff erent alternatives to reading it’s hard to pick just one and say that’s the biggest reason for the drop of interest in books. “I believe that it is the com-petition of other forms of media and entertainment. They’re reading more things on the internet than in print and the value of reading haven’t dropped but just changed,” claims Duda, “it’s also cultural. If kids aren’t around reading then they usually won’t be readers.” All in all, reading is an asset to everyday life that can’t be forgot-ten about. As technology grows more advanced the look of reading will change face. Society will get read their articles from internet sources download their books off the internet and get the information they need from online resourc-es. Reading will never cease to exist but the existence of printed things might.

Compiled by: Kal Kemp


9/11 Affects All

Flight 93On September 11, 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama and former First Lady Laura Bush gathered on the site of the future Flight 93 memorial to speak in front of the families

of the victims, prestiged guests, and the public. April SmithPrint Editor

f all the barriers that stand between one person and the next, memory holds the greatest weight. Someone who re-members a life altering experience fi rsthand knows of the con-sequences better than anyone else. The young man at lunch, who pretends he is somewhere else every time his friends talk about getting high, might know exactly how drugs aff ect peo-ple. Maybe his friend overdosed, or maybe he has to live with a parent that is high at home every day. Regardless, one person identifi es events as traumatic that no one else may have ever experienced. Truly a phenomenon exists when more than two people share emotional memories, nonetheless a whole na-tion. Memories this colossal have existed in previous decades. The bombing of Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, to this day stands out in our grandparents’ minds. They remember the na-tional panic the threat of terrorism caused. Our current gen-eration remembers a diff erent day of terrorism: September 11, 2001.

On that fateful day, merely nine years ago, four American planes were hijacked by terrorists and plunged into symbols of American success and pride. We remember two being aimed at the World Trade Center towers; news stations were fi lming as the planes hit the targets dead on. One came to a fi ery rest in the west side of the Pentagon. We thought, then, that nowhere could be safe. The fi nal plane, suspected to hit Washington DC, crashed into an empty fi eld near Shanksville, PA- only 45 minutes away from Latrobe. Flight 93 was unlike the other hijacked planes because the 40 passengers and crew knew what was going on beneath them. They decided to do something about it. A recent documentary, produced by David Gerber, attempts to accurately depict the events on the plane leading up to the crash. According to the offi cial A&E site for the TV movie, Flight 93 was set to take off from Newark In-ternational at 8:01 am and land in California. A few technical diffi culties ended up delaying the fl ight 41 minutes. Obviously, the plane never made it past Pennsylvania. Four terrorists occupied the aircraft and once they took control, the crew and passengers were able to make calls to their families and friends. On solid ground, we pan-icked without even knowing these individuals. None of the passengers or crew were from Pennsylvania, but they will be forever associated with the commonwealth. On solid ground, everyone knew that three planes had already crashed, so these calls became information highways for both the occupants of Flight 93 and the citizens of a country under attack. The people aboard the plane realized that they were to be pawns of the terrorists, and they were not going to stand for it. Through ul-timate bravery, they decided to try and take back the plane. After they had made their last good-bye calls, these ordinary American citizens defeated the terrorists, but at a tremendous cost; their lives. Flight 93 plunged into the ground before it could reach its target.

In the days following the September 11 attacks, men and women, whether in the FBI, or just volunteers, worked at the sites. Survivors had to be searched for under all of the rubble; human remains had to be collected for bodies to be identifi ed; articles of emotional value had to be bagged and labeled; the nation as a whole needed to recover. For those who could do no more than hang a fl ag high, the simple act of taking pride in America helped the national eff ort of toler-ance and healing.

Currently, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 are revered and deemed as heroes. They stood in the face of death and tried their very best to beat a common threat to all mankind: terrorism. On the 9th anniversary of the crash, Governor Ed Rendell, former First Lady Laura Bush, and First Lady Michelle Obama joined together to speak in front of the families of the victims, the fi rst responders to the crash, and a nation all bandaged up. “When this fi eld was marked by smoldering ashes, now, there is green grass,” Mrs. Bush describes. “But the passage of time cannot erase the images etched in our minds from that calm September morning.” The beautiful morning will not be forgotten. This terrorism aff ected every American, not just those who perished. When asked, “Where were you on 9/11?” every person, whether they were 8 or 70 at the time, has a clear answer. “I can remember the quiet air,” recalls New Stan-ton native, Linda Gaff ney. “Everyone was so sad because they were worried about their families.” Coming from a diff erent state, Bill Haines remem-bers that fateful day as well, “We didn’t know what to think; we were in complete shock. We knew that our country was under attack and we felt very sad, and very horrifi ed. We just knew it was a very surreal moment.” Shanksville fi rst responder, Jim Clark, commented, “There [was] only one thing to do, we [had to] secure the area,” Haines and his wife gathered at the Flight 93 site on September 11th of this year alongside Gaff ney, Clark, and over one hundred others to pay their respects to heroes that de-serve to be recognized. The tale of Flight 93 is “A story that’s important for all Americans and all future generations of Americans,” said Governor Rendell. Flight 93 is a story that our particu-lar generation is familiar with. We have the upper hand, the memories. We know fi rsthand how it feels to have our na-tion wounded and slowly healed. With the memories that we have, though, comes responsibility. We have to share our own accounts with our future generations because after a while, September 11th will just be another bank holiday where stu-dents are off of school. September 11, 2001, was “the day that we realized that we are not infallible,” as put by Gaff ney. One specifi c act of terrorism caused uneasy anguish in so many human beings. The memory of September 11, 2001 already stands strong in our hearts, but the message of our memories must be passed to future generations for there to be an end of terror and a growth of happy shared memories.

Remember September 11, 2001 Honor the innocent and brave that we lost that day

Choose to make a differenceHope for tomorrow

“A story that’s important for all Americans and all

future generations of Americans

- Ed Rendell, Governor

”

Flag flies high in Ligionier, celebrating national-ism in the Westmoreland county commmunity.

The victims of Flight 93 were commemo-rated on September 11, 2010, in Shanks-ville PA, with blue and white striped ribbons.

Photos by: April Smith, Print editor

O

Photos by: April Smith, Print editor

9/11 Affects all

5

9/11 In Our SchoolCenter for Student Creativity hosts guest

speakers in rememberance of 9-11Julia MenarchekPrint Editor People will always remember where they were the moment they found out that the United States was under a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Whether at work, at home, at school – anyone old enough to remember that horrifi c day will certainly never forget it. To give Greater Latrobe Senior High students the opportunity to remember and refl ect on 9/11, the social studies de-partment hosted a two-day event relating to 9/11. A documentary produced by CNN was shown to students in the CSC on Thursday, September 9. Watching the planes striking the World Trade Center, seeing the horror on bystanders’ faces, and hearing fi rsthand ac-counts of what happened caused the students to pay close attention. Though the fi lm has been shown in years past, it continues to touch stu-dents and give them the opportunity to simply remember. The images of black smoke rush-ing like a tidal wave through New York City and helpless people leaping from buildings are ones that never lose their eff ect on viewers. Senior Hannah Heagy said, “Even though I’ve seen the fi lm before, it is still really eff ective and meaningful.” The fi lm caused students to remember what a huge tragedy 9/11 really was and how crucial it is to make sure this kind of attack on our country never happens again. This was the sophomores’ fi rst time viewing the fi lm. “It taught me a lot about 9/11,” explained sophomore Ash-

ley Herman. Sophomores were only in fi rst grade at the time of the terrorist attacks. Nearly every student remembers that day nine years ago with vivid clarity, yet few experi-enced it in such close proximity as Cathy Emery. Friday, September 10, New York City native Cathy Emery bravely stood up and told students her story. As she spoke, her audience absorbed her fi rsthand account of September 11, 2001, as well as the months following. Em-ery commented on the eerie quietness that fi lled New York City as people watched the towers burn in stunned silence. “There were cars just parked in the middle of the street,” she described. She had friends who worked in the World Trade Center, and she was close to fi refi ghters on duty that day. Ten of her friends perished. According to Emery, the aftermath of September 11 was even more diffi cult than the actual day. The dust and debris formed a dark smoke that shifted with the wind and often sur-rounded her apartment. The dust didn’t disap-pear completely until February, six months after the attack. “Life was so changed and fractured forever,” Emery told students, “New York City was no longer a good place to be.” She said that her reason for telling her story is to “help oth-er people not have to deal with something like this.” In 2002, Cathy Emery moved to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, with her daughter. According to Ryan Cralk, Emery’s story made her “realize how much people were aff ected by 9/11 in New York.”

Clyde Snyder, another speaker in the CSC on September 10, was a part of the emer-gency services that helped with the tedious pro-cess of removing all traces of anthrax from the Hart Building during the anthrax scare. This scare began just a week after the September 11 at-tacks, in which letters containing anthrax spores were sent to several news media offi ces, as well as to US Senator Tom Daschle. He opened this letter inside his offi ce, which was located inside the Hart Building in Washington DC. Though he did not become sick from the anthrax spores, his offi ce and the entire Hart Building were shut down. Snyder played a part in remov-ing the anthrax spores from the Hart Building. Frank Nowak worked for the Penta-gon. He knew eight of the people killed in-side the Pentagon on September 11. He shared the story of a stewardess inside the hijacked plane that hit the Pentagon, whose body was thrown from the plane when it crashed into the Pentagon. A knife was sticking out of her back. “That was a cold, hard day,” he said. Alexis Brickel says that the events in the CSC, “helped to remember all the lives lost.” Due to the fi rsthand accounts of 9/11 and the events following, students gained a new perspective on the 9/11 attacks and realized the importance of never forgetting. Remembering is the only way to make sure history does not repeat itself.

High Post 2010-2011Assignment Editors: Maria Graziano and Nathan Takitch

Online Editor: Tori VallanaManaging Editor: Meredith Saunders

Public Relations: Erika Naeger and April SmithPrint Editors: Erika Naeger, Meredith Saunders, April Smith, and Julia Menarchek

Business Editor: Julia MenarchekPhotography Manager: Dan Kubus

The staff of the High Post is committed to serving the student body of Greater Latrobe Senior High School. The opinions articles contain the ideas and views of individuals and do not represent the views of the staff ,

advisor, or administration in its entirety. The High Post is a public forum for student expressions, therefore any student who wishes to create dialogue concerning an issue may do so by submitting articles or Letters to the Editor in C109. In order to uphold the integrity of the publication, the High Post reserves the right to edit the submissions for grammar, style, and

available space. Submissions should not exceed 300 words.

Advisors: Mrs. Renee Stallings and Mrs. Acacia Houck Administration: Mr. LoCascio, Mr. Khrelik and Mr. SmithPrinted by the Latrobe Bulletin

Mr. Clyde Snyder talks to students about the anthrax

The High Post October 2010 5


Seniors 2011

“Congratulations. You’ve graduated.” Imagine hearing those words as you walk across the stage dressed in cap and gown to receive the diploma that rep-resents twelve years of your life. Imagine the joy of knowing that you have successfully completed high school, with the rest of your life spread out like a canvas before you. Aptly named, “No Empty Seats,” this goal was fi rst announced to the senior class of 2011 on August 30, the fi rst day of school. Claps resounded and even a few cheers could be heard as the goal was declared that everyone in the Latrobe Senior High class of 2011 would graduate, and that no seats would be left empty on graduation day in June. Assistant principal Mr. Smith says, “We want every student that walks into this school to walk back out.” When Principal Mr. LoCascio heard the term “No Empty Seats” this summer, he was inspired, and this phrase transformed into the motivating motto for the class of 2011. The staff has always worked hard and made it their mission to see their students excel and primarily graduate. “This is no major change,” says LoCascio, “The teachers and staff have al-ways been dedicated and supportive. We’ve just now stated the goal out loud that we want all seniors to graduate.” The success of their students is foremost in teachers’ minds. Senior High arts teacher Mrs. Balko agrees, “It is an important commitment to let the students know we want them to suc-ceed.” Still, the seniors themselves are the ones who chose whether or not every seat will be fi lled at graduation. Mrs. Olecki-Leeper, senior high social studies teacher, says that, “It is important for students to recognize the ownership in this commitment. As members of this education community, we all have a responsibility to encourage this goal, not just the teachers and parents.” The administration is well aware of the great chal-lenge that this goal presents, yet they are willing and ready to meet the challenge head-on. “Our goal is not an easy one,” admits LoCascio, “Yet the staff will do everything they can to help the students succeed.” Mr. Smith is working with the academic resources team to focus on weaknesses within the senior class, making sure the road is well-paved for every stu-dent to receive their diploma. Making “No Empty Seats” a reality is a challenge,

and the success of this goal comes down to one group of peo-ple: the seniors themselves. They are the ones who decide whether or not every seat will be fi lled at graduation. The students choose whether to push forward to do well, or to give up just before reaching that diploma. “A student has to want to graduate,” says LoCascio, “If they want it bad enough, we will help them.” Members of the senior class shared their opinions on this newly-declared goal of “No Empty Seats.” “I think that it is a great mentality to have, in order for everybody to try their hardest and reach their full poten-tial.” Laura Spiegel “It’s defi nitely an achievable goal. It’s not too hard to come to school. People just have to do their work and be able to pass.” Jordann Rager “It is an honorable and noble goal. If we achieve our glorious aims, we shall forever go down in the annals of our great institution of learning as one of the premier class-es to have worked, lived, and learned in the halls of Greater Latrobe Senior High School.” Brian Gravelle “It’s a high goal. It’s a good motivation for us as seniors, because it is so easy to just blow off our senior year.” Jessica Saenz “I don’t think it’s going to happen. Regardless of how much motivation you give them, there are some people that just don’t care. Then, there are some people that will be motivated by it.” Marina Scaff ardi “I think it is a good motivation and very possible. It’s just that some people are lazy. It you do your work, you will do fi ne.” Andrew Ponterio “’No Empty Seats” is a lofty goal, but defi nitely worth pursuing.” Sam Prichard On Tuesday, September 14, all 353 Greater Latrobe seniors signed a banner bearing the words “No Empty Seats.” To be known as the class in which everyone graduated would be an enormous achievement for each and every senior. This can be accomplished if the seniors support one another and dedicate themselves to receiving that diploma. “No Empty Seats” can be a reality on graduation day in June.

NO EMPTY SEATSNO EMPTY SEATSJulia MenarchekBusiness Editor

Class of 2011Class of 2011How are you going to help your fellow seniors reach this goal of

No Empty SeatsNo Empty Seats“If a student comes up to me and if they need help in school or on a project I am going to help them to the best of my ability.”-Sarah Conley

“In my classes we all like to work together and if anyone needs help outside of class there is always someone that you can fi nd.”-Tori Vallana

“I participate in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and I will be willing to help out anyone at the high school just like I help out the kids at the elementary school.”-Maggie Smolka

“We all have hopes to graduate this year, and we’ll make it come true.”-Bobby Baker

Kim McDonagh promises to graduate with the 2011 senior class.

Doug Johnson, Alec Koluder, and Tyler Heydorn make the promise to graduate as they sign the banner together.

Ashley Hoyle and Ashley Horansky commit to the challenge of No Empty Seats.

y y Empty Seats.

y ychallenge of No

AAAAAsssssssAAAAAAAAsssssss

s

Our Challenge...

Our Challenge...

Our Commitment...

Our Commitment...

No Empty Seats

No Empty Seats

Den 2011

7

Reitz’s Raiders - the 2010 Greater Latrobe football student section, better known as The Den, is already fi ring on all cylinders and doing their part in helping to create a lively, intense, and creative way to show support for the 2010 Wildcats. With noise makers, bubble machines, and raucous and rockin’ chants and cheers, Reitz’s Raiders are hoping to make a posi-tive diff erence for their classmates who are working hard on and off the fi eld to become a football team that Wildcat fans can be proud to call their own. There is even a Facebook group “Wildcat Den 2011” that is a complete source of reliable information on such things as directions to the fi eld, what to wear (whether it is the homemade shirts created by puff paint, or your outrageous camo outfi ts), and after the game you can exchange opinions and thoughts on the game and ways to improve the Den for the next game. This webpage is a must for anybody wanting to be a part of The Den. Every Friday night, approximately 200 faithful Wildcats pack the stands, leaving little room for any late arriving students a chance to fi le in. The Den assists the team by being the “twelfth man” and providing loud (and sometimes obnoxious) chants in hopes of creating a cha-otic atmosphere to disrupt the opposing team that will, at the same time, benefi t our ‘Cats. The environment Reitz’s Raiders create helps bring a festive and entertaining evening for all involved. Those involved range from seniors to sophomores who know that they are a part of something positive that will show plenty of school spirit. The Den tries to match the intensity and enthusi-asm of those who take the fi eld each and every game. And don’t think the guys on the fi eld don’t notice The Den. “They pump up our team by screaming like crazy and it defi nitely helps, especially when we might be losing or just made a bad play. The Den does more than they know for our team,” said senior football player D.J. Rossi. The voices can be heard across the stadium passing excitement to all other Latrobe fans. Senior Chris Dudzenski, who is one of the Den leaders, says “The goal of The Den is to make as much noise as possible through chants, cheers, and Jake Leyland’s vuvuzela. Not only are we an intimidating student section to play in front of but we boost the overall hype the players get on game nights. I don’t have the pleasure of cheering in The Den during basketball season so football is where it all comes out. And 200 plus students in the student section on game nights makes it a great experience for all of us - from the tailgates at (Memorial Stadium) to the caravans for away games. It’s also a great way for our student body to get together and just enjoy the companionship of each other and dress up in unique outfi ts according to our weekly “themes”. We are The Den and by far the greatest student section in all of the WPIAL.” In addition to homemade shirts made by the students, senior Bobby Baker designed specifi c “Orange Crush” shirts for The Den to wear throughout the remainder of this football sea-son and the upcoming basketball season. “The speech Mr. LoCascio gave on the fi rst day inspired me to make the shirts and give hope to every senior to graduate this year.” The shirt has “Orange Crush, The Den, Twenty Ten” written on the front and the 2011 class motto “No Empty Seats” written on the back. One thing is for certain, no matter the weather or the fi nal score of the game, every student knows the fun and excitement each week brings watching the football game under the Friday night lights. So if you haven’t been a part of The Den yet, make a point to be there at the next game. I promise you it will be something you will not soon forget. All you need to bring is a loud voice and plenty of exuberance. Then you, too, will be a part of Greater Latrobe’s inimitable “Den”.

photo by Dan Kubus, photo editor

Meredith SaundersManaging Editor

The Den is Back We are The Den, and by far the greatest

student section in all of the WPIAL.

-Chris Dudzenski

Q&AWhat is your favorite

Den memory?

“Last year we did a hawaiin theme during basketball

season.”-Carmen Sylvania

“Storming the fi eld, doing touchdown laps with the other teams

fans saying dirogitory things about my skinny jeans, and doing

the touchdown push ups.” -Bobby Baker

“The song Hey Baby, we always sing it during 3rd quarter.”-

Brooke Leechalk“Storming the fi eld on senior night against Cannon Mac, and

then running a lap!”-Caitlin Egan

The Den does more than they know

for our team. -D.J. Rossi,football player.

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HOMECOMING 2010 HOMECOMING 2010 I LIKE ITWhere: Greater Latrobe Senior High Commons Area Theme: Opposites Attract Where: Greater Latrobe Senior High Commons Area Theme: Opposites Attract Colors: Black and White When: Saturday October 23, 2010

On Th ursday October 21, 2010, the senior high participated in the

annual Battle of the Halls. Th e Battle took place to promote school

spirit throughout the hallways. Th is year Th e 2011 graduating class

took fi rst place inthe battle, which was judged by faculty at 7:00 am

on Friday morning.

On Friday October 22, 2010, the students of the senior high gath-

ered in the gym for a pep rally to kick off the Homecoming weekend.

Th e dance team, the band, the mascot, and the cheerleaders took the

court to furthur pump up the student body.

“I had a great time. Out of

“I had a great time. Out of

the three homecoming dance’s

the three homecoming dance’s

I’ve gone to, this was my fa-

I’ve gone to, this was my fa-

vorite.”vorite.”

-Brittney Sarnese

-Brittney Sarnese

Senior Senior

“I had alot of fun.”-April Krivoniak

Sophomore


FMeholic Crowned as 2010 Queen

Lizzie Ruppen

Staff Writer

It was a chilly, fall night on Friday October 22, 2010 at Latrobe Memorial

Stadium as the second quarter of the homecoming game came to an end. Latrobe’s

eleven member 2010 Homecoming court took the fi eld linked arm and arm with their

fathers. Th e court members were announced and fans cheered as the girls were es-

corted down the 50 yard line, with suspense building as each senior court member

walked across the fi eld. Once everyone reached the track, the stadium fell silent, and

soon after a booming voiced announced that Carly Meholic was this year’s queen.

“Well after my name was called I was really shocked. It could have

been any of us,” expresses Meholic about her crowning. “It was a real-

ly stressful week, and it was a dream come true to have it end like that.”

Meholic’s win was well received by her fellow classmates and mem-

bers of the Latrobe community. “I really like Carly. She is so sweet and has

so much genuine concern. I’m really happy for her and she looked beau-

tiful,” says junior Taylor Smail, a fellow homecoming court member.

Currently a senior at Greater Latrobe, Meholic is a very active member in

school. She is a member of the Varsity Basketball, Cross Country, and Track teams, as

well as captain of the Cross Country team. Meholic is the president of S.A.D.D., vice-

president of Student Council, Secretary of Lettermen’s Club, and a member of Usher’s

Club and National Honor Society. She is also an editor of the Latrobean Yearbook.

Th is newly crowned queen’s duties include riding in the Fourth of July parade,

the Greensburg parade, and visiting next year’s homecoming game to pass on her title as

Homecoming queen.

I LIKE IT HOMECOMING 2010 I LIKE IT

“It was a blast “It was a blast and my group and my group was awe-was awe-some.”some.”-Matt Dudzen--Matt Dudzen-skiskiSophomoreSophomore

Colors: Black and White When: Saturday October 23, 2010Where: Greater Latrobe Senior High Commons Area Theme: Opposites Attract Colors: Black and White When: Saturday October 23, 2010

Th e Greater Latrobe Cheerleaders hosted a coat drive

during Homecoming week. A grand number of 700

coats donated by students and faculty were given to

Th e Greensburg St. Vincent De Paul store that is in need

warm winter appearal for the upcoming winter months.

“I thought they played really

great music and it was danceable.”

- Tera Pettina Junior

9


Pumping up the Spirit

Beneath the MaskKlaudia LongStaff WriterAlly Bair has been in musicals for seven years. With these many years she has learned numerous lessons, such as how to be passionate, hardworking, energetic, and focused. Each of these characteristics are needed to become our school’s zealous mascot. She is on the fi eld, strutting her stuff , and twirling her tail around, but now you will go beneath the mask of the Latrobe Wildcat.

Why did you decide to become the mascot for the Latrobe Wildcats?

“Well, technically, I didn’t decide to become the mascot. I was in Mr. Snyder‘s study hall, and they were doing a food drive against Derry. There was going to be a photo shoot for the newspaper with the Latrobe mascot. The original mascot couldn’t go. So, we were sitting in study hall, and Mr. Snyder asked if anyone would like to be in the picture. I had noth-ing better to do that day, so I said I’d do it. Then I went to the “photo shoot” in the suit. Mr. Snyder said I was really good at this, so he e-mailed Mrs. Mallory about me. The fi rst game I didn’t get it, but the second game the two other people quit, so then I stepped up, and here we are.”

What is your favorite part of being the mascot?

“My favorite part is kind of letting loose and going crazy. I also like when the little kids are like, ‘Oh, give me a high fi ve. Pick me. Hug me. It’s just a re-ally great feeling when you hug them, or give them a high fi ve, or shake their hand.”

What is the funniest thing the kids have ever done to you?

“Well, they all try to touch my teeth, for some rea-son. I don’t know why.”

Does that bother you?

“When there are a lot of them, and I get annoyed, then yes. But, not necessarily.”

Would that be your least favorite part of being the mascot? Or something else?

“Probably. I don’t really like little kids. The kids get kind of annoying at the end of the night. I don’t like getting harassed, but other than that it’s all pretty good.”

How tired are you at the end of the night?

“I am completely exhausted. After I get the suit off, I am so happy. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing it, but it takes a lot of energy and a lot of stamina. At the end, I just want to go home and sleep. I never do, but I want to.”

What do you wear underneath the uniform?

“I wear shorts and a t-shirt. I wear as little as politi-cally correct.”

Which uniform did you like better: the new or the old? “I really like the look of the new one, but I like the fi t of the old one. The old one had a hat kind of thing in it and now when I move my head, the mask wobbles a little bit. When I woke up the next morning, I had red marks all over my shoulders. With the old hat, it was more comfortable. I liked the old tail better because I did this thing where I swung it around when I walked. I can’t do that very easily with the new tail. I like the look of the new and the function of the old.”

What is your pregame and after game rituals?

“My pregame ritual is perfecting my walk. I have this kind of strut thing which I practice in my uniform. I strut along like the Wildcat. Afterwards, I have this really great group of friends, and we all go to Eat n’ Park. It is the highlight of the football games for me. Just getting out of the suit and going to Eat n’ Park is the best part.”

Is there anything that your family/friends have done for you since you have become the wildcat?

“Like I said, I have the best group of friends, and they all made shirts that said, “Ally Bair, Mascot Extraordinaire!” They wore them around the game for me. I almost cried when I saw them. It was a surprise, and I knew nothing about it. It was just awesome seeing that.”

The new school year brings along with it a new mascot

“Well technically I didn’t decide to become theschool mascot,” said Ally as she begins to ex-plain how she became the new mascot for the 2010-2011 school year.

Photos by Dan Kubus

Art Imitates Life

The High Post October 2010 11

Display Case:

Classes Taken: “Art Exploration, Drawing and Paint-ing, and Human Figure.”Art in the future: “I have looked into art colleges, and I am attending an art camp at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh this coming summer. I also plan on taking Portfo-lio Prep my senior year.”

STUDENT COUNCIL ART SELECTION

What is your favorite piece of artwork in the school?

“ I like “To Cast a Shadow” because it shows a mood between the sun and the darkness of the sky.” -Collin Cimba, junior

“ I really like “Charles” because the colors are rich and I like the way its set up.”-Lucas Weltz, sophomore

“I really like “Tigers Head” because when I look at it, it makes me feel strong like a tiger.” -Adella Hillenbrecht, junior

“My favorite painting is “Campers,” because it is a realistic por-trait of American life.”-Ally Bair, junior

Junior, Gretchen Urinek is an up and coming artist at Greater Latrobe Senior High school. She fi nds inspiration in music and the world around her.

~Lizzie Ruppen, writer

Shea AugustineStaff Writer

~Lizzie Ruppen, Staff Writer

Gretchen Urinek

Beginning in 1936 and still going on today, the stu-dent selected art has been going on for a very long time. The program was founded by Mary Martha Himler, who wanted her students to be exposed to original pieces of art. She had artists that were attending an annual art show in Pittsburgh at Carnegie lend their pieces of art to the school. The students would then vote on which pieces they wanted to keep for the art display. Funds would be raised to purchase the pieces. The fi rst painting ever purchased was Blossom Time by Mar-tha M. Morgan. This shows a beautiful outdoor scene with cherry blossom tress and children playing. There have been many additions since then of history, such as the holocaust and people and animals. All the paintings tell a unique story. The tradition is being carried on as Latrobe’s student council took a trip to the Latrobe Art center and Carnegie Art exhibit. They split up into two groups, half going to Latrobe Art Center and half going to Carnegie. Junior, Tori Russo was one of the student council who went to Carnegie. “It was an exhibition of local artists in pa” Russo explained. This year the student

council went back to Carnegie for paintings. This was symbolic because this is where the painting selection originated. The trip was successful and art was found. “We got six pieces of art; two sculptures and four paintings” Russo said. Junior Allie Campbell who went to the Latrobe Art Center on September 24 said that they found seven paintings to bring back to the school. “We picked out selections that included nature, fl owers and even a store that would all be a good addition to our collection here at school,” “We also got more photographs this year which we don’t have a lot of” Campbell said. The art collection had a great variety of paintings and photographs. Art is so close to the school right in town that can provide beauty for the school and students. Art was and still is a big part of what makes up Greater Latrobe high school. It teaches important lessons and inspires beautiful things. As the years go by the collection becomes more and more broad, with scenic views, emotional images from the past and biblical scenes and so much more. It is up to everyone in the school to help take care of this program and help support it.

What does art mean to you?“Creating something beautiful out of nothing, expressing and making yourself and others around you happy.” Inspiration for pieces: “Nature, bright colors, music, seeing something that I can draw.” Favorite art medium: “Oil and Charcoal.” Favorite Artist: “Depends on the day.”

Q&A

The Student Council chooses new paintings for the coming school year.


Sports

Baseball inNick KovacevicStaff Writer When fall rolls around in western Pennsylvania, most sports fans only consider one game to be in season, football. In most parts of the country, though, baseball is still prevalent and sometimes takes precedence over foot-ball. This concept may seem foreign to people in the Pittsburgh area, and it is no fault of their own. The Pittsburgh Pirates have failed to reach the MLB playoff s since all the way back in 1992. A whole generation of Pirates fans has grown accustomed to a team which is consistently clear out of the playoff race by June or July every year. This has cre-ated a unique sports culture in an area with a Major League team, in that people simply do not care about fall baseball. Pennant races are one of the more exciting time in sports, and people in the Pittsburgh area simply have no idea what that is like to consider skip-ping work or school on a Wednesday afternoon to see a pivotal home game that may alter the home teams position in the playoff s. Instead, the only reason baseball gets noticed this time of year is when a concert or fi reworks display at-tracts people to the game for the other reasons. The fans cannot be blamed, but rather the ineptitude of an organization which has failed to produce a winning team since I have been alive. The other day, in fact, I was on StubHub, which is a ticket reselling service. They had $27 in-fi eld box seats for a Friday night game set at $5 apiece. That is mind-boggling con-sidering that someone is so desperate to get rid of their ticket that they would sell it for 1/5 of the face value. While it may be tough for some to believe though, baseball did once matter in Pittsburgh. In the 1970s as well as the early 90s, baseball was prevalent in Pittsburgh. Long time Pirate fan Todd Leipold was college student in 1979, when the Pirates were in the midst of a World Series cam-paign. “ I drove all the way from Altoona to Pittsburgh to see the game against the Phillies..it’s a shame what baseball has become around here,” he said. 1979 was a long time ago, and one would be hard-pressed to fi nd a fan who could recount a similar experience following the team. Senior Nathan Pettican is a senior baseball player as well as an avid fan. He said, “ it is really sad that I’ve never seen (the Pirates) win, I just hope I will get to see it soon.” I believe this to be the sentiment among most Pirate fans nowadays, putting all hope in the future so that is somehow recti-fi es following a team which is in the present time about as bad as it gets. Pirates baseball fans are a seemingly rare and dying breed, but those who do follow are dedicated to say the least. Pittsburgh is a great sports town which is ready to em-brace the baseball team, and hope-fully one day soon the team will show people what baseball is like in the fall.

Should Big Ben be Back

Harrison LeipoldStaff Writer After the fi rst two weeks of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a po-sition that many did not expect them to be in. They have started the season 2-0, despite the fact they have played both games without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He has not been with the team since the start of the season after being suspended four games by Commissioner Roger Goodell for his poor conduct and behavior off the fi eld. Now the question is, can they sustain their success without him? I don’t see why they can’t. Against the Falcons in week one, Dennis Dixon went 18 of 26 with 236 yards passing. Although he may not have won them the game, he certainly did not lose it. In a battle of fi eld goals, Rashard Mendenhall was able to break off a 50 yard touchdown run three minutes into overtime to give the Steelers the 15-9 victory. In week two, Dixon was only 4 of 6 for 18 yards before he left the game early in the second quarter with a knee injury. With second string quarterback By-ron Leftwich still out from the MCL sprain he suff ered in the preseason, the team turned to a familiar face in longtime backup Charlie Batch. He was not at all eff ec-tive in his three quarters of play as he went 5 of 11 for only 25 yards. That being said, the Steelers were able to defeat the Titans in Tennessee by a fi nal score of 19-11 thanks to their dominating defense that caused a whopping seven turnovers. You know you have a good defense when you win a ball game with a total of 43 passing yards. With Troy Polamalu back on the fi eld and healthy again, this defense is a good as it has ever been. A quarterback who throws for 400 yards every week is not needed when you have a defense like that. All that is needed is one that doesn’t lose the game by turning the ball over and putting the defense in tough situations. They have that right now in both Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch. Unfortunately for Dixon, it was revealed that he suff ered torn cartilage in his knee and will be out for at least six weeks following the Titans game. That will keep Charlie Batch under center as the Steelers face the 2-0 Buccaneers in Tampa Bay followed by the hated division rival Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. Without Big Ben the team will prob-ably continue to put up a minimum amount of points, so it will be all about win-ning low scoring, defensive games. With this defense, that shouldn’t be a problem.

2010 Wildcat Football Season Closing Out

With one game remaining in the Fall sea-son, the football team has combated several strong opponents. However, after suff ering multiple heart-breaking losses, the Cats are going to miss out on the WPIAL playoff s. The deciding loss came against the visiting Norwin Knights on Homecoming weekend. A Pep Rally took place 11th period on Fri-day, October 22 to get the players pumped up for a big game hosting the Knights. Big support was shown for the homecoming football game with a large show-ing of students on a chilly Friday night. Many fans showed up to support the Cats in this conclusive game. The Cats lost 24-7 which put the team out of playoff contention for the 2010 season. The last game of the season is against a Hempfi eld Spar-tans team who has struggled as well. This game will still decide whether or not the Wildcats will come away with a winning record, or losing record. In order to qualify for the playoff s, the Wild-cats needed to win two of their fi nal three games. However the Wildcats were not able to pull off this feat. The Cats fell short of their

Kal Kemp and Harrison LeipoldStaff WritersPittsburgh

“Voices” in the CrowdDo you think the Steelers need

Big Ben to win?“I think he is a very good player, but he has some off -the-fi eld is-sues that he needs to work out.” -Ryan Aiello, Senior

“He’s a bum, the Steelers don’t need him.” -Andrew Mucci, Senior

“I’m very glad that Ben is back. I have him on my fantasy team and he is going to get me a lot of points.” -Nathan Pettican, Senior

“They will need him to make the playoff s.” -JT Douglas, Junior

“Even though Ben’s character off the fi eld is questionable; there is no doubt that he will help the Steelers win football games down the road.” -Evan Coats, Senior

“Yeah, I think they defi nitely need him to win. The season would go downhill very quickly without Roethlisberger as our quarter-back.” -Dan Trainer, Senior

“Yes. Even though he has done some bad things, I really don’t care as long as he plays well.” -Nick Stano, Junior

Compiled by Nick Kovacevic

(Left) The Wildcat defense huddles up as they prepare for a third down against the Canon-McMillan Big Macs. (Above) Senior Running Back Gavin Finley stiff-arms a Canon McMillan defender. Finley had a big game against the Big Macs, running for over 100 yards and scoring a touchdown. Photos by Dan Kubus

in Black and Gold?

goal and lost against Penn Traff ord and Norwin. It was still a hard fought season and the team ex-ceeded the expectations of pre-season rankings. The work ethic of the Cats cannot be ques-tioned. Through two-a-days in the summer to all the regular practices after school, the team has put their “all” into the season no matter what the fi nal record shows “I thought after the McKeesport game we started to play badly,” said Head Coach Ray Re-itz, “We were looking to go 7-2, but now we are struggling to get to a 5-4 record.” The Cat’s have had some good individual eff orts from many of the Wildcat players including quarterback Don Lonigro, running back Gavin Finley, running back Steve Taylor, lineman Carmen Sylvania, receiver Rich Hall, run-ning back Scott Mohring, and lineman Dylan Colucci.

The High Post promised that one random subscriber would win a free....

iPod Nano Touchand the winner is JUNIOR, LAUREN HENNESSEY!!!

Come to room c109 to claim your prize!!!

“Voices” in the CrowdDo you think the Steelers need

Big Ben to win?“I think he is a very good player, but he has some off -the-fi eld is-sues that he needs to work out.” -Ryan Aiello, Senior

“He’s a bum, the Steelers don’t need him.” -Andrew Mucci, Senior

“I’m very glad that Ben is back. I have him on my fantasy team and he is going to get me a lot of points.” -Nathan Pettican, Senior

“They will need him to make the playoff s.” -JT Douglas, Junior

“Even though Ben’s character off the fi eld is questionable; there is no doubt that he will help the Steelers win football games down the road.” -Evan Coats, Senior

“Yeah, I think they defi nitely need him to win. The season would go downhill very quickly without Roethlisberger as our quarter-back.” -Dan Trainer, Senior

“Yes. Even though he has done some bad things, I really don’t careas long as he plays well.” -Nick Stano, Junior

Compiled by Nick Kovacevic

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CONGRATULATIONS!CONGRATULATIONS! WAY TO GO!!!WAY TO GO!!!

Music and More

Latrobe senior Jessica Saenz is gifted with a soulful voice that fi lls a room, and she makes full use of that talent at local coff ee shops and school events. What does she have in common with Jackie Evancho, runner-up of the nationwide talent competition known as America’s Got Talent? These two are quite diff erent in their singing styles. Saenz belts out perfect-pitch notes with a jazzy alto voice. The other’s sweet opera singing has her reaching for notes high up on the scale. Saenz is on her way to completing high school. The other is still making her way through elementary school. Still, both girls know how to make people stop and listen.

In 2009, Saenz and Evancho competed against one another in the Keene Idol competition held in New Hamp-shire. Evancho’s singing won her second place in the com-petition, while Jessica’s soulful sound won her a close third. Jessica remembers her experiences with Jackie during Keene Idol. “She is the sweetest girl,” Saenz says, “To hear her sing live was unbelievable. She sounds even better in person than on TV.” Saenz recalls how surprised and excited Jackie was to win second place in Keene Idol. Yet, even greater suc-cesses were right around the corner for both of these singers. This year, Saenz took fi rst place in the 2010 Keene Idol singing contest. “I was shocked when I won,” she says, “I’m not used to winning competitions.” Saenz says that she sings more for the enjoyment of it than to compete. “I’ve become so used to being turned down that it was such

a shock to actually win the entire competition,” she says. Saenz explains that three rounds make up Keene Idol. Once she passed the fi rst round, she advanced into the semi-fi nals, and then the fi nals. In this fi nal round, she sang “Feelin’ Good” by Nina Simone, which captured the judges’ votes and won her fi rst place. The prize was two hours of free studio time at Au-dible Images, the studio where Christina Aguilera got her start.

Evancho’s own success brought her to the stage of America’s Got Talent, where she wowed judges and audiences alike. This little soprano has recently been fi lling newspa-pers and television screens, as the opera voice that emerges from her small mouth sounds like that of a well-trained and much older woman. “I was happy that she made it so far [on America’s Got Talent],” Saenz commented, “I would have loved to see her win fi rst.” Instead, Evancho won fi rst run-ner-up to singer Michael Grimm, who hugged her warmly after the results were announced. Saenz, as well as oth-ers who were involved with Keene Idol, watched the fi nale of America’s Got Talent together and rooted for Evancho. Though they are very diff erent in many ways, the unique singing abilities of Jackie Evancho and Jessica Saenz make them quite similar, as well. Both have faced rejection in the past, yet are now fi nding major success with their voic-es. These two very talented singers have the potential to go far in life, and it will be exciting to watch them do just that.

Singing SensationsJulia MenarchekPrint Editor

Latrobe Art Center Launches New Coffee Bean CafeKaitlyn NewinghamStaff Writer

The Coff ee Bean Cafe on Rt. 30 in Latrobe is a pop-ular study spot for both high school and college students in the area, due to a selection of coff ees and baked goods, plus a welcoming environment. After adding a location in Greens-burg, which has recently closed down, another has opened in downtown Latrobe in the Latrobe Art Center. With all of the art showcased around the small café area it’s a quiet and peaceful environment. It serves the same things as the location on Rt. 30.

This location which is in downtown Latrobe is open from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm Monday thru Saturday. The environ-ment is very nice and the coff ee is good. If you’re in Latrobe and you’re looking for a good cup of coff ee stop during their hours and enjoy the beautiful artwork throughout the art center.

A more suitable option for high school students would be the original location on Rt. 30 across from the drive-in. With free Wifi , a large spacious area perfect for studying and a wide se-lection of foods. The Coff ee Bean is the perfect location to work on school project, because the hours are convenient for students in high school. They are open Monday through Thursday 6:30 am until 8 pm, Friday 6:30 am until 9 pm, Saturday 7am until 9pm and Sundays 8am to 7pm. For larger study groups, such as those for AP History or AP Chemistry, there is even a room that you can use to spread out and converse louder than you can in the actual coff ee shop. For studying and group meetings, the Coff ee Bean Cafe on Rt. 30 is well suited for students’ needs.

Hot off the Charts...refresh your playlist.

~April Smith, Print Editor

Chillwith

AdeleKnown for:“Chasing Pavements” she’s British… she can sing about wacky improbabilities

FYI:Seen as “the new Amy Wine-house” courtesy of Pandora bios

Check it Out:“Right as Rain” for peaceful grooving

Partywith

cosmic Gate

Known for:“Exploration of Space” close your eyes and you’re an astronaut

FYI:Classifi ed as German trancewhich is ‘music genius’ for really cool

Check it Out:“The Wave” this time it’s boogie boarding in the waves of the Pacifi c

Rockwith

SlashKnown for:“By the Sword” featuring Andrew Stockdale, lead singer of Wolfmother you’ll just wanna’ sing along

FYI:Obviously former lead guitarist of Guns n’ Roses doesn’t need his band mates

Check it out:“Back from Cali” there’s a story worth hear-ing about the way back from Cali

Jamwith

Bang Camero

Known for: “Push, Push (Lady Light-ning)” picture the storm of a lifetime

FYI:Beat their jams on Guitar Hero and Rock Band

Check it Out:“Out on the Streets” start head banging now… then maybe you’ll be ready

The origional study hub, The Coffee Bean is located on Rt. 30 and equipped with comfortable seats ready to be occupied.

A new Coff ee Bean may never replace the old one.

Singers Jackie Evancho and Jessica Saenz steal the stage and the hearts of many.

Photo by: April Smith, Print Editor

13


Students Speak Out

In the past few months, the contract for teachers in the Greater

Latrobe School District has expired. An agreement is yet to be made,

but in the meantime, some routines of the teachers have changed.

Teachers are seen wearing GLEA polos and sporting GLEA pins.

Teachers have also cut back on their extra time. Teachers are avail-

able during seminar time on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and

during Writing and Math Labs.

Complied by Maria Graziano, Harrison Leipold, Julia Menarchek, Rachel Stauffer and Tori Vallana

The unresolved contract is causing students to speak out and teachers

to change their routines“The fact that teachers cannot stay is an issue. It

makes it harder for us to get help. It can be inconve-

nient to come in the mornings.”

Alexis Yazge, Junior

“I think it is harder for me to learn. I understand

things from the teachers’ point of view, but I think

the students are more important. I think this is a

good school district, and the teachers are already

getting a lot of money.”

Erika Hudock, Sophomore

“I’m all for a strike.”

Evan Coats, Senior

“I think it is going to be hard for people to get extra

help whenever the teachers don’t stay after school.

Sometimes it is easier for me to stay after school

than to come in early. I’m also more awake and alert

at the end of the day rather than in the morning.”

-Annie Jakubek, Junior

“I don’t really understand trigonometry, so not

being able to get help puts a damper on my grade,

GPA, and getting into college – no big deal.”

Elyse Echard, Senior

“I wouldn’t really mind a strike as long as the

seniors still went in to be taught by the administra-

tors.”

Andrew Mucci, Senior

“I don’t want the strike to ruin our basketball sea-

son.”

Josh Shoemaker, Senior

“It makes it very inconvenient when I have to make

up a test or get help from a teacher on Monday,

Wednesday, or Friday. I have to wait until a Tuesday

or Thursday morning to get help. It is much easier

to stay after school, especially the day before a test.”

–Kati Jo Bozelli, Junior

Are SADD meetings held after school?“We have changed them to be during semi-

nar time.” -Mrs. Houck

Are you doing basketball pre-season conditioning?“No, I am no longer running conditioning.

The girls are running it themselves. But I

will be coaching when the season starts.”

– Mrs. Shannon

How will you achieve your goal of “No Empty Seats” if teachers aren’t staying after school?“We will do everything we can- our goal

hasn’t changed. We still have tutoring time

Tuesdays and Thursdays- that’s not op-

tional.” –Mr. Smith

How has the Spain trip been affected by not having a contract?“It hasn’t been. The board is okaying both

dates [both the original and back-up date]

at the meeting tomorrow night.”

-Mrs. Ryder

How have law club and mock trial team changed the way they are run?“Law club is currently not having any mee-

tings; therefore no of�icers can be elected.

Mock trial team is meeting primarily with

the attorney coach and has to work more

independently – Mrs. Leeper

Same Situation, Another PA School

Bethel Park’s teacher contract expired June 30. The

teachers started striking on Monday, October 25,

keeping home 4,600 students. This strike involves

391 teachers throughout the district. Union Repre-

sentatives of Bethal Park warned the District that the

strike could last until December.

Allegheny Valley’s contract expired last year, June

30, 2009. The teachers went on a 20 day strike that

lasted from September 16 to October 12, 2010. The

contract has not been �inalized therefore there might

be a second strike this year. During the strike, admin-

istrators taught the seniors so that they can graduate

by June 3.

The Moon Education Association noti�ied the school

board that they will strike on November 8th. There

are about 3,700 students in this district that are

taught by 293 teachers.

On Tuesday, October 19th, two school board represen-tatives, Valerie Dunlap and Alexa Larkin, gave an oral presentation on the overall feeling they have toward the unsettled contract. Below is an excerpt:

“Th e faculty at Greater Latrobe are unique in that we have: a Pennsyl-

vania State Teacher of the Year, a Cornell alumna, a Saint Vincent Col-

lege Recent Alumna of Distinction, an actor who has been honored by

the Pittsburgh New Works Festival on more than one occasion, a former

news journalist, a former law fi rm intern, teachers that have lived and

studied abroad, among numerous other distinguished individuals. But

most importantly, we have a diverse group of caring teachers who go above

and beyond their job description each and every day in order to guaran-

tee that Greater Latrobe students receive the very best possible academic,

athletic, and artistic opportunities. Very few, if any, school districts are so

fortunate to have all of these resources and many more at their disposal.”

Greater Latrobe School District Faculty Working Without Contract

Nay Kills in the Making

15

Battle of the Bands: Nay Kills DebutSarah ConleyStaff Writer

After a month of waiting, the student body got to expierence what MTV had been secretly working on, on Saturday, October 23, after the homecoming dance.

After the debut of her new look, Natalie Nakles had her opportunity to live her dream of be-ing a rock star. Following the homecoming dance in the Greater Latrobe Senior High auditorium was the fi rst ever Battle of the Bands. Hosting the event was Latrobe Elementary School’s principal, Mr. Poremb-ka along with three judges including Joe Golden a member of a band called “Sugar Mountain” and also a Mt. View guidance counselor, Kevin Poole a Latrobe alumni and a member of a local band called “Life of Brian” and the student body President Alec Koluder. A large group of students stayed to witness the battle, cheering for their fel-low students participating in the event, all while MTV video crews recorded the excitement for Natalie’s episode of Made. The fi rst band to perform was “To Quote the Skies,” which not only featured normal rock band instruments, but also a trumpet player to create an interest-ing blend of genres. Their polyphonic sound earned them a 24 out of the possible 30 points.

Next performing was “The Empty Seats.” Start-ing their performance with a guitar solo, by Joe Urana, proved to be a smart choice; the crowd charged to the front of the stage. Equipped with ear-ringing bass and hardcore vocals, “The Emp-ty Seats” received a total score of 23 out of 30 from the judges, putting them in second place

The big perfor-mance of the evening, though, was Natalie Nakles in her band, the “Nay Kills”. Starting the performance off with what she does best, Natalie began playing piano, as the audience cheered with excitement and anticipation. Overall, it was an exciting and dynamic performance receiving a score of 28 out of 30, capturing the fi rst place spot. Being the end of Nata-lie’s Made journey, students were defi nitely impressed with the outcome. Junior Katie

Brinker said, “She turned out really good, and she looks excellent, like a rock star.” Her rocking new look, along with her stellar performance, made the students at Latrobe cheer on the newest rock star.

The Making of Nakles he small secluded school of Greater Latrobe is being shined with a spotlight that will put them on one of the most popular TV stations for teens, MTV. One of the more well known shows on MTV is the show ‘Made’. On the show, they pick one student from a random school, ask them what it is that they have always wanted to be in high school, and they make them into that type of person. Some examples of previous shows would be turning “a scrawny punk who is tired of being a failure” into a motocross racer, and even making a “rip rhymin’ rapper” into a pageant queen, as quoted by the Made website. Eleventh grade piano player Natalie Nakles is being made into a rock star and is taking the whole school along for her journey.

The school was kept unaware of any details of Natalie’s transformation until recently, “I heard rumors, I knew nothing about it until af-ter I saw the cameras coming around,” said senior Meghan Aukerman. Everything is being kept top secret through a contract between both the school and by Natalie, because “Made” is a reality television show that stays true to the element of surprise. But, when a lady with a camera began following Nata-lie around her classes, everyone had fi gured it out.

To be on video cameras or on TV shows, permission slips need to be granted. Every student at Latrobe was required to state if they would or wouldn’t allow Made to use them on the show in any way. So, the student body agreed to MTV’s terms and conditions relating to being seen on the TV show. Although this is said to be a reality show, stu-dents at Greater Latrobe, who are witnessing this “reality” fi rst had, are questioning its intentions

and have noticed this whole experience to be “sur-real.” Junior Emma Terek stated, “I think it’s a joke. I think it’s all just staged.” This coming from a stu-dent witnessing the whole event fi rst hand makes students question how real the show is to students watching it. Sophomore Sarah Secekeres feels that teens who participate on Made aren’t always real-istic with relation to their personalities. She said, “I think Made is a good program but some of the kids really need to, put reality into their goals.” Some students who auditioned for Natalie’s band in the CSC September 30 had the fi rst opportu-nity to see her begin her dream as rock star. Helping her choose her band was her Made coach, who has past experience playing drums in a band of his own.

Rebecca Taylor, bass guitar; Tom Ma-roon, electric guitar; Alex Kessler, drums; and Jim Ritenour, electric guitar were the select few who made Natalie’s band. Their debut was after Greater Latrobe’s Homecoming dance October 23, at the Battle of the Bands held in the auditorium. Other bands performing against her included other tal-ented students at Greater Latrobe who are preparing their bands for the Battle because they want to show their talents to both the school and the TV world. Most students are looking forward to this new ad-dition to homecoming night, “I think it will be lots of fun. I think some bands will try to outdo her band. I think she picked some good people, they do well individually,” said senior Jodi Musick. As a whole, most students feel that this is an excit-ing and unique experience for the school. One thing is for sure, it is defi nitely not what stu-dents at Latrobe expected of this new school year.

To Quote the Skies

Nay Kills

The Empty Seats

Tyler Hudock: Vocals, BassAndrew Smeltzer: Trumpet

Jake LeDejune: Drums

Joe Urana: Lead guitarGus Hough: DrumsJake Shawley: BassSeth Stopa: Vocals

Natalie Nakles: Vocals, Piano, Guitar

Alex Kessler: DrumsRebecca Taylor: Bass

Tom Maroon: Lead GuitarJimmy Ritenour: Guitar

Photos by: Sarah Conley, Staff Writer

T

Natalie Nakles sings while play-ing the piano.

The audience cheers as “The Empty Seats” take the stage.

I am [proud of Nata-lie], she is a rock star!~Alex Kessler, drum-

mer

”

“

I knew they were all very talented, but to-gether I didn’t know

what they could accom-plish, but they accom-

plished a lot. ~Andrew Smeltzer,

trumpeteer

”

“


Meet the Editors

This is my second year taking Multimedia Journalism II, but my fi rst as a staff member for the High Post. I am the online editor, which means that I am responsible for uploading content onto the website in an orga-nized and timely manner. While my main focus is the online aspect, I never hesitate to help my fellow editors in the production of the print publication. As an aspiring journalist, I take the opportunities that this class provides me with great appreciation and use them to advance in my career. My main goal, along with the rest of the staff , is to provide our school and the community with an accurate and easily available news source. Tori Vallana

I work as the business manager and co-print editor of The High Post. I love to write and hate to be on camera. Call me crazy, but editing drafts is a task that I enjoy. As this is my last and fi nal year of high school (YAY!), I want to make my mark on this newspaper and walk away knowing that I really contributed to the publication. I want all of the blood, sweat, and tears to be worth it when I graduate. Working to my full potential is really important to me, and this year I aim to do just that to help make The High Post the best that it can be.

Julia Menarchek

Erika Naeger

Maria Graziano

Meredith Saunders

April Smith

I’m truly honored to be a part of “The High Post” this year when all the positive changes are occurring. It is amazing we are able to do this in a high school publication. In addition to being a part of the newspaper, I am involved in 2 other publications within the school, the Latrobean Yearbook Staff and the WCAT-TV news crew. Also, I am a member of SADD, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Interact Club. Outside of school, I enjoy being a part of “The Den” and attending as many sporting events as I can and I have also been playing the piano for the past ten years. Being a part of the High Post is a huge commitment, but it pays off knowing that the best news-papers and online stories are shared to every past and present student, as well as the surrounding community.

Dan Kubus

Nathan Tak

itch

This is my second year on the High Post Staff . After spending last year as a staff writer, I currently hold the position of assignment editor and am also in charge of the layouts for the cover and the sports pages. I at-tended a journalism camp at Ohio University over the summer where I was helped to hone my skills in order to be an eff ective writer, page designer, and editor. I am excited to be a part of several phases of our school media including The High Post, WCAT-TV, and The High Post Online. I look forward to bringing you important school news and my personal insight about newsworthy topics all in a timely manner.

I am the High Post photography edi-tor. Last year as a sophomore I contributed to the newspaper with photos that I took at various events. I love photography and I hope to pursue a career in it after college. Along with working on the staff of the High Post I also get to experience a real newspaper as I work alongside the Latrobe Bulletin. I am excited to be on the staff and editorial board of a changing publication that is now also available online. I am looking forward to a great year!

This is my third year taking a journalism class and my second year as a prestigious “staff writer.” Since I am of senior status this year, I have the privilege of being considered both a Print Editor and Public Relations. The best thing about this year, though, is that I have the chance, yet again, to write about whatever dumb random ideas pop into my head at any given moment; it is what I will miss the most next year.

This is my fi rst year being on the High Post staff . I’m excited to be part of the staff and the changes we’re going through to moving online. My goal for this year is to be as timely as possible in creating our print publication and brand new online site. Other than the High Post, I am a part of the Latrobean Yearbook staff and the school TV studio, WCAT-TV. I also am a Key Club offi cer, part of National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Spanish National Honor Society, and the school cross-country team. I look for-ward to bringing you the news this school year.

When I was little I wanted to be a funeral director, then a fashion designer, a veterinarian, a movie star, a doctor, a secret spy agent, a choreographer, and now years later I have decided I want to be a journal-ist. When I was a sophomore it hit me, I loved writing stories for the newspaper. Now as my high school days are counting down I fi nd myself indulged in every aspect of media off ered at Greater Latrobe high school. I’m usually writing articles, in front of the camera, behind the camera, editing videos, producing WCAT-TV, doing layouts, inter-viewing, and of course helping build Greater Latrobe’s new multimedia publication. All this work brings mixed emotions, but overall it’s what I love to do!

The publications at Greater Latrobe have evolved into a new and improved multimedia experience. The High Post and Serendipity have converged to form a monthly news magazine and an online source of information at www.highpostonline.com. Visit us online to see student produced videos, news packages, hard news stories, sports highlights, and much more.

The High Post

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