pow wow issue 8

8
Pow Wow Covering Real Issues for the Students of Portage High School Portage High School Issue 8 January 25, 2013 Senior Nicki Monahan needed 14 points entering Tuesday night’s game against Michigan City to become Portage’s all-time leading girls basketball scorer. She won this year’s Region Roundball Rumble Three Point Shootout at the Hammond Civic Center on Jan.1. Monahan will play the final regular season home game of her career against LaPorte tonight at PHS. Photo by Miles Motto Entering Tuesday night’s game against Michigan City, Portage High School senior Nicki Monahan was knocking on the door of the latest in a series of accomplishments that she has racked up during her four-year tenure on the girls varsity basketball team. Going into that contest, which took place after this edition of the Pow Wow was sent to print, Monahan needed 14 points to surpass Stacy Sheriff as the PHS girls basketball record holder for most career points. “It’s definitely something to be proud of, it’s a great accomplishment and it shows that hard work and dedication brings about good things,” Monahan said. Monahan said she began to eye the record at the beginning of this season, and as the season moved along, she started to realize that her goal could be accomplished. “Nicki is about as humble as a person as you can get,” head coach Chris Seibert said. “She worries about winning and worries about the team, that’s why she’s been successful, because that’s been her focus.” See MONAHAN, page 4 Monahan racks up honors Brandon Vickrey Editor-in-Chief Athlete moves up all- time scoring list, wins three point shootout ‘somebody had to talk to somebody’ Board members questioning officer alliances “This was not pre- planned by any means. The people who are most active on the board are the ones who get nominated.” - Deb Ekdahl, Vice President Katie Peksenak News Editor SCHOOL BOARD Just when you thought voting season was over, the Portage Township School Board brings the trend back with its most recent election. The PTS board held their elections with member Cheryl Oprisko given the title of President, Debra Ekdahl earning Vice President and Jessica Bailey winning secretary. The outcome of the election was a 3-2 vote for Oprisko and Ekdahl, while Bailey won by a 5-0 vote. School board members Rhonda Nelson and Bill Fekete believe that Oprisko, Ekdahl and Bailey had an alliance formed prior to the vote. “I think this was kind of pre-planned, but I feel that it’s going to work out okay. Mrs. Oprisko is starting to take charge and implement some changes that I’m hoping are going to turn out to be beneficial for all of us. We just want to work together and do what is best for the kids,” Nelson said. Fekete, the past Vice President of the board, is in agreement with Nelson on the issue of alliances. “When you go into a reorganization meeting and the three of them agree on everything, somebody had to talk to somebody,” Fekete said. Vice President Debra Ekdahl said she had no part in any type of pre-planning activities. “This was not pre-planned by any means. The people who are most active on the board are the ones who get nominated,” Ekdahl said. An issue that has been debated among members is the recent public discussion policy that Bailey suggested to the board. This policy requires prior notice to a board member upon speaking at any meeting. According to Bailey, this is common among other school corporations. She heard about this idea while attending a meeting with Glenda Owens before her retirement. “Every school district is completely different. There is no cookie-cutter, yes or no way to do anything. If we choose to do this we need to make it our own,” Bailey said. See SCHOOL BOARD, page 2 Students prep for OYM competition Earning scholarships can be a troublesome task for students, but dancing around in boxer shorts is not normally a way to obtain them. Outstanding Young Man is a scholarship program that creates an opportunity for senior male students to compete for scholarship money while having fun at the same time. Each senior is judged on the following categories: after school activities, community activities, an interview, grades, the physical segment, the casual segment and presentation and address. “The different categories are up to the 4-5 judges and how well they interview and by who has the most fun in the physical segment where they are dancing in their boxer shorts,” Co-director William Fortenberry said. Not all of the judging is done on the day of the program, however. “Fifty percent is prejudged on the Sunday when the preliminary judging takes place,” Fortenberry said. “The questions for the interview go off of the application sheet,” Fortenberry said. “They are more personal, like people who inspire them and why their favorite actor is who they are.” See OYM, page 2 Josh Lewis Features Editor Senior Jimmy Spence practices the Outstanding Young Man physical fitness routine.The finals for the competition will be held on Feb. 2. Photo by Taylor Searcy PTS reevaluating safety procedures After the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., a heightened awareness for school safety has swept across the nation. Portage Police Chief Troy Williams and Assistant Superintendent Tom Taylor assure parents and students that they feel the Portage Township Schools district is a safe place to be. The district currently has two Student Resource Officers, Mike Candiano and Greg Coleman, both of whom are trained Indiana School Safety Specialists. Portage High School assistant principal Mike Spagna and PTS Director of Transportation Dave Harman have also undergone the training. According to Williams, each school has a safety plan and each building does drills based on those safety plans. See SAFETY, page 3 Brandon Vickrey Editor-in-Chief

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Issue 8 of the Portage High School Pow Wow.

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Page 1: Pow Wow Issue 8

Pow Wow Covering Real Issues for the Students of Portage High School

Portage High School Issue 8 January 25, 2013

Senior Nicki Monahan needed 14 points entering Tuesday night’s game against Michigan City to become Portage’s all-time leading girls basketball scorer. She won this year’s Region Roundball Rumble Three Point Shootout at the Hammond Civic Center on Jan.1. Monahan will play the final regular season home game of her career against LaPorte tonight at PHS. Photo by Miles Motto

Entering Tuesday night’s game against Michigan City, Portage High School senior Nicki Monahan was knocking on the door of the latest in a series of accomplishments that she has racked up during her four-year tenure on the girls varsity basketball team.

Going into that contest, which took place after this edition of the Pow Wow was sent to print, Monahan needed 14 points to surpass Stacy Sheriff as the PHS girls basketball record holder for most career points.

“It’s definitely something to be proud of, it’s a great

accomplishment and it shows that hard work and dedication brings about good

things,” Monahan said. Monahan said she began

to eye the record at the beginning of this season, and as the season moved along, she started to realize that her goal could be accomplished.

“Nicki is about as humble as a person as you can get,” head coach Chris Seibert said. “She worries about winning and worries about the team, that’s why she’s been successful, because that’s been her focus.”

See MONAHAN, page 4

Monahan racks up honors

Brandon VickreyEditor-in-Chief

Athlete moves up all-time scoring list, wins three point shootout

‘somebody had to talk to somebody’Board members questioning officer alliances

“This was not pre-planned by any means. The people who are most active on the board are the ones who get nominated.” - Deb Ekdahl, Vice President

Katie PeksenakNews Editor

SCHOOL BOARD

Just when you thought voting season was over, the Portage Township School Board brings the trend back with its most recent election. The PTS board held their elections with member Cheryl Oprisko given the title of President, Debra Ekdahl earning Vice President and Jessica Bailey winning secretary. The outcome of the election was a 3-2 vote for Oprisko and Ekdahl, while Bailey won by a 5-0 vote. School board members Rhonda Nelson and Bill Fekete believe that Oprisko, Ekdahl and Bailey had an alliance formed prior to the vote. “I think this was kind of pre-planned, but I feel that it’s going to work out okay. Mrs. Oprisko is starting to take charge and implement some changes that I’m hoping are going to turn out to be beneficial for all of us. We just want to work together and do what is

best for the kids,” Nelson said. Fekete, the past Vice President of the board, is in agreement with Nelson on the issue of alliances. “When you go into a reorganization meeting and the three of them agree on everything, somebody had to talk to somebody,” Fekete said. Vice President Debra Ekdahl said she had no part in any type of pre-planning activities. “This was not pre-planned by any means. The people who are most active on the board are the ones who get nominated,” Ekdahl said. An issue that has been debated among members is the recent public discussion policy that Bailey suggested to the board. This policy requires prior notice to a board member upon speaking at any meeting. According to Bailey, this is common among other school corporations. She heard about this idea while attending a meeting with Glenda Owens before her retirement. “Every school district is completely different. There is no cookie-cutter, yes or no way to do anything. If we choose to do this we need to make it our own,” Bailey said. See SCHOOL BOARD, page 2

Students prep for OYM competition

Earning scholarships can be a troublesome task for students, but dancing around in boxer shorts is not normally a way to obtain them. Outstanding Young Man is a scholarship program that creates an opportunity for senior male students to compete for scholarship money while having fun at the same time. Each senior is judged on the following categories: after school activities, community activities, an interview, grades, the physical segment, the casual segment and presentation and address. “The different categories are up to the 4-5 judges and

how well they interview and by who has the most fun in the physical segment where they are dancing in their boxer shorts,” Co-director William Fortenberry said. Not all of the judging is done on the day of the program, however. “Fifty percent is prejudged on the Sunday when the preliminary judging takes place,” Fortenberry said. “The questions for the interview go off of the application sheet,” Fortenberry said. “They are more personal, like people who inspire them and why their favorite actor is who they are.” See OYM, page 2

Josh LewisFeatures Editor

Senior Jimmy Spence practices the Outstanding Young Man physical fitness routine.The finals for the competition will be held on Feb. 2. Photo by Taylor Searcy

PTS reevaluating safety procedures

After the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., a heightened awareness for school safety has swept

across the nation. Portage Police Chief Troy Williams and Assistant Superintendent Tom

Taylor assure parents and students that they feel the Portage Township Schools district is a safe place to be.

The district currently has two Student Resource Officers, Mike Candiano and Greg Coleman, both of whom are trained Indiana School Safety Specialists. Portage High School assistant principal Mike Spagna and PTS

Director of Transportation Dave Harman have also undergone the training. According to Williams, each school has a safety plan and each building does drills based on those safety plans. See SAFETY, page 3

Brandon VickreyEditor-in-Chief

Page 2: Pow Wow Issue 8

For Portage High School wrestling coach Leroy Vega, years of commitment to the sport have finally been rewarded.

Recently, Vega was inducted into the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He is currently in his second year at the helm of the Portage wrestling program, leading the Indians to a sectional championship a year ago. Vega was also able to coach two state qualifiers last year in current senior Julian Torres and former PHS wres-tler Zach Thorn.

“My favorite part about coaching wrestling is to watch the boys grow to men and advance their tech-niques,” Vega said.

According to Vega, the criterion of being inducted into the IHSWCA Hall of Fame includes a person’s high school wrestling career along with what the

coach has been able to give back to the sport since then. Vega is a former PHS wrestler, eventually going on to wrestle at the University of Minnesota as a Division I athlete. In addition to coaching at PHS, Vega also owns Vega Wrestling, an academy for children.

“It was a nice honor that everything I worked for would be noticed,” Vega said. “Wrestling has made me who I am today. I’ve succeeded and failed and grown from it.”

With being inducted, Vega will continue to coach high school wrestling with the hopes of being able to coach his own children as they grow up. He also hopes that children in the area continue to love the sport that he has loved his whole life.

“Wrestling makes me more organized. I own a business, have a wife and three kids. One of my kids is two right now. I hope to see the youth wrestling program grow and coach him as a senior,” Vega said.

2 News Issue 8

Head wrestling coach Leroy Vega watches on as Portage took on Lake Central on Jan. 16. Vega was recently inducted into the IHSWCA Hall of Fame. Photo by Alexis Sosa

Vega inducted into coaching HOFEric MesarchContent Editor

Students who wish to receive college credit while still in high school have yet another opportunity to take advan-tage of at Portage High School.

Students began the two college courses offered through Purdue North Central on Jan. 14. The courses are being held at the Portage University Center on Central Avenue. Both classes earn a student three credit hours that can be used toward a degree at PNC. The tuition rates for the courses are reduced and students eligible for free or reduced lunch are not required to pay the tuition. All students are responsible for the cost of the books that are required.

According to Guidance Department Chair Jennifer Symer, the two courses being offered are a speech course and a course in political science, both of which meet four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Students enrolled in these courses no longer have high school classes during the morning hours, though some students were required to remain enrolled in their respective first period classes due to scheduling difficulties.

“The two courses are on the core-transfer library, so they will transfer to any college in the state of Indiana,” Symer said.

The program offered through PNC is also being offered at neighboring school districts, including Valparaiso, where students are able to complete their entire freshman year of college while still in high school. The program, 1+3, is the same program being offered at Portage, although the Portage program is in the beginning stages of formation.

“It all came up at the very last minute,” Symer said. “Before Christmas break PNC said that they had a class-room at the University Center and asked if we would send them some kids. Right after Christmas break, we decided what the courses would be and how we would work around

schedules.”According to Symer, these classes are not dual credit

courses, thus a student enrolled in the courses does not receive high school credit, but she did say that special ex-ceptions for students that required the high school credits could be arranged.

“Next fall, PNC would like to offer a block of three classes and tentatively we are looking at speech and psy-chology and sociology,” Symer said.

Symer also said the courses are currently being offered at a discounted rate, although students are responsible for the cost of the required books.

“The tuition rate they offered us for the spring is a one-time deal so we are working on a grant or some type of support from ArcelorMittal, we are writing that right now,” Symer said. “To expect our students to come up with, even if it is a reduced rate of tuition, is challenging. We are aware of that and working on some things.”

Only 17 seniors took advantage of the program this year, as it was put together on short notice. Principal Caren Swickard is hopeful that more students will take part in the courses next year.

“Students are going to get more out of a college class,” Swickard said. “It is not just a high school teacher teach-ing it, it is a college professor, which sometimes is good and sometimes is bad.”

Senior Hannah Glos is one of the students enrolled in the program.

“It is a good transition for next year as a high [school student] to be a college student,” Glos said. “It is like being in college. You are graded like a college student and you are treated like one.”

The program is expected to be expanded next year with additional courses being offered. The vocational and dual credit programs will continue to offer students options to earn college credit and certifications in addition to the college courses.

University Center offers PHS students new college courses Collin CzilliOpinion Editor

School BoardContinued from page 1

The concept of permission having to be asked to speak at meetings is one that not all members agree with, but Bailey believes this would be a more effective and efficient alternative to the current method being used.

“I agreed with Mrs. Nelson when she said that some people may just want to attend the meetings with their children and give their input on certain discussions. However, right now when people are choosing to talk, they are jumping from topic to topic and then back to the original topic, which is not very orga-nized,” Bailey said.

Currently, when someone attending a meeting wants to speak at the end, they are given two to three minutes in which they have to state their name, address and what they would like to discuss. If participants were to fill out a paper prior to these meetings, then they would have already been introduced. Bailey feels this would not only allow meetings to be more organized, but will also allow the school board to set aside more time for participants to talk.

According to Fekete, this policy is something he does not want to see implemented.

“The tax payers of this district make it possible for students to attend this school and I think it’s ridiculous that we are try-ing to put restrictions on them. The people of Portage elected me as a school board member, so why would I all of a sudden try

to restrict what they are allowed to do? I totally disagree with this policy and I will vote against it,” Fekete said.

The topic of safety is also one that has been popular lately. The members are not discussing safety issues openly at the meet-ings, but through private executive sessions.

“The issue of safety is so touchy and we want to try and implement things that are going to work. I’m not for the policy of not letting the public know because I think the public could really help us out. I’d like to see more input from parents and the community,” Nelson said.

Though there are some different views among school board members, Nelson is hoping they all can work together and ac-complish what is most important to each and every one of them: helping the students.

“We are definitely going to work together. There are some personality conflicts in everything that we do nowadays, but we all have the same goal of doing what is best for the kids,” Nelson said.

Bailey agrees that keeping the students in mind is the most important thing and also believes that the differences among members make for a better school board.

“I think that everyone on the board has the best interests of the kids in mind. We are all completely different people with different opinions and different strengths. That is going to make us a cohesive board. I think respectable debate is what makes an all-around great policy,” Bailey said.

Multiple attempts to contact Board President Cheryl Oprisko were unsuccessful.

OYMContinued from page 1

The interview may seem daunting, but for some seniors, the dance itself is more intimidating.

“The toughest part for me will be the physical portion,” senior Kevin Elkins said. “The dance is very long and fast. It will take a lot of practice to perform it well.”

Senior Jimmy Spence shares Elkins’s concern about the physical segment.

“The dance will be the toughest section because there’s a lot of different dance moves we had to learn,” Spence said.

Spence said although the dance is the toughest section, it is also the one he is looking forward to the most because of how funny it is.

“I’m most looking forward to the final show, the one that isn’t being judged,” Elkins said. “This is the show where we all perform together and show off our hard work.”

Competition for the scholarships is fierce, but the key tactic to winning is with a simple smile.

“The guys essentially have to sell themselves,” Forten-berry said. “They’re in a tuxedo showing off their stuff and they always have to be smiling. If you don’t smile, it makes you seem unhappy and that you don’t want to be there. Marko Pekovic, the winner last year, had a printed on smile that was ridiculous.”

The Good Guy Award is an award for seniors to win that is not based upon the judges’ decisions, unlike the other categories.

“The Guy Good Award is voted on the guys themselves. I won the Good Guy Award when I competed, but I didn’t place,” Fortenberry said.

Paying for college has becoming a daunting task, espe-cially as the price of it soars, but OYM is actively trying to combat the high costs of college by giving seniors the opportunity to win scholarships.

Fortenberry said the higher a student places will garner them more money. Sponsors donate money or checks and some businesses donate coupons so that everyone is able to walk away with some kind of prize.

Scholarships are not the only prize seniors take away from their OYM experience.

“Students take away confidence from participating and create friendships by meeting new people and having fun through doing something out of the ordinary,” Forten-berry said. “OYM is an opportunity to do something different.”

The reason for joining the competition, however, varies from senior to senior.

“I made a promise to the senior, Evan Dominguez, back when I was a freshman to do it,” Elkins said. “He bragged about how fun it was and he helped me along that year and made me promise to do it. He was captain of the swim team my freshman year and kept a close eye on me because we both swam the long-distance events.”

OYM is also an experience that transcends any normal high school event and remains in a student’s memory for a lifetime.

Spence said he joined the OYM competition not only to win scholarships, but to also make memories he can look back on in the future.

“OYM is an event that you remember for life,” Forten-berry said. “It’s like a brotherhood where you meet new friends and rekindle old friendships. Most of the old win-ners never thought they would have won but it’s all about how you act on stage and how you stay true to yourself.”

The finals for the competition will take place in the PHS Auditorium on Feb. 2. The program begins at 7:30 p.m.

Page 3: Pow Wow Issue 8

“Based on what you see in the news with all these school shootings, there is no perfect solution,” Williams said. “If you have a committed bad guy, he or she can potentially bring harm to your community. However, what you do want to do is what we call harden the target. If someone is choosing between two schools, they are going to choose the school that doesn’t have the police car out front.”

One way students can help secure their own safety is not opening doors for anyone attempting to enter the building.

Long-term plans to increase safety include altering “blind entrance ways” that cannot be seen from the main office.

“At those doors currently, we have cameras and speaker systems so we can try to identify who those people are,” Taylor said. “What we are looking at down the road is possibly remod-eling those entrance ways so that whenever people enter the building, they are automatically funneled into the main office, where somebody can identify them.”

Another way students can help increase safety in schools is reporting anything that they hear that they think may have validity. Taylor said he would like parents to constantly talk to their children and about their children’s friends. Williams said parents and students should keep an eye on “Facebook chatter.”

“A lot of parents don’t check their kid’s Facebook account, especially as they get older,” he said. “There’s a lot of chatter about smoking weed, about parties; I think most parents would

be amazed at what actually goes on out there. We want parents to be vigilant with that.”

Williams, who spent six years as the Student Resource Of-ficer, makes keeping PTS safe a high priority. He encourages officers to park in a school parking lot when they are writing a report or observing traffic.

“I want parents to know, we care about their kids,” he said. “We are all on the same page about wanting to keep them safe. We need them to do certain things, keep an eye on their kids and know who their child’s friends are. We all have to be working together.”

When Taylor is contacted by parents concerned about their child’s safety, he respects their concern and tries to give them the latest information that he has. When rumors about vari-ous threats spread right before holiday break, he constantly provided parents that he talked to with as much information as he could.

“When you look statistically across the country, schools are still one of the safest places for kids to be,” Taylor said. “Un-fortunately, when things happen like [Sandy Hook], it’s hard to explain something like that. It makes everybody nervous and I understand that nervousness. I do think our schools are safe, I do think we’re working hard to stay on top of it and I hope they send their children to school.

“I think our schools are safe, I think our kids are good kids, our teachers are good teachers and everybody cares about each other. We ended up with a safe week before holiday break, and I think we’re safe now.”

3NewsJanuary 25, 2013

Seibert loses over 100 poundsEvery day people

struggle with their weight, including physical educa-tion teacher and girls

basketball coach, Chris Seibert. Seibert, who has lost over 100 pounds, is winning the struggle.

In May, Seibert ruptured his Achilles tendon playing basketball. Anyone can rupturehis or her Achilles tendon dur-ing sports, but added pressure of being overweight definitely contributes to the injury. He received surgery the day after school was let out and spent the whole summer in a cast. He decided this was the final straw and something needed to be changed.

“Playing basketball is one of my favorite things to do and when my weight was holding me back from doing that it was definitely a motivating factor,” Seibert said.

Seibert had been on a waiting list for over a year, but in early August he received a call from a nutritionist in Plym-outh, Lisa Mae-Colvin. Seibert met with Mae-Colvin on Aug. 12 and now meets with her weekly.

“My daily diet has completely changed. I meet with my nutritionist each week on Mondays and she provides me with a new diet for the upcoming week. This diet is very specific down to the ingredients I can use to make each meal, the time I am supposed to eat it at and the amount I can eat. Each week is a little different so I do not get sick of eating the same foods each week,” Seibert said.

Due to his injury, Seibert’s physical activity is limited. He works out one hour each day by walking, which is all he is allowed to do for now. In March, he will be cleared and able to run and jump.

“I understand completely that the hardest part is yet to come. Many people can lose weight with a diet, but keeping that weight off is the most difficult part. This has been more of a lifestyle change than a diet and I feel better prepared and educated to keep this weight off in the future,” Seibert said.

Seibert’s wife, PHS math teacher Tracy Seibert, along with his parents, have been a tremendous support group to him. They have changed their eating habits as well to support Seibert’s dieting decision.

“This has been not only a lifestyle change for him, but for our entire family. We have been eating healthier and working out together. Although I am pregnant and gaining weight, I am at a much healthier weight with this pregnancy than I was with my first,” Tracy Seibert said.

Chris Seibert has become a role model to Tracy Seibert, their daughter and many others. Tracy Seibert, their family and the ones around him have become inspired by Chris’s decision to lose weight. Tracy helps by cooking healthier meals at home, working out with him and encouraging him to continue becoming healthier as much as possible.

“I did reach my initial goal of losing 100 pounds. How-ever, I have since set a new goal with my nutritionist of losing 25 more to get to where I would like to maintain that weight. In roughly five months I have lost 110 pounds. The key is a year from now to still have the weight off and be living a healthy lifestyle,” Chris Seibert said.

Seibert weighs himself every day, and with his nutrition-ist, to check his weight loss progress. Along with his weekly weigh in, he and his nutritionist set a weight goal for each week. As a coach and former athlete, Seibert is naturally a very competitive person, so he looks at each week as an individual competition. He keeps a daily weight loss journal, where he writes down his weight, everything he eats, drinks and any physical activity that he participated in that day.

“The results of the diet have been so positive and notice-able that I have not had a difficult time staying focused,” Seibert said. “I feel like I have more energy and clothes are definitely fitting better. I also feel as a physical education teacher, coach and father I am being a better role model being physically healthy and hopefully showing others that may be overweight that you can make changes without having to have surgery or take pills.”

Ashley ConradNews Writer

Snyder reflects on first year as mayorKatie PeksenakNews Editor

As 2013 commences, Portage mayor Jim Snyder’s first year comes to a close with lots of triumphs, successes and much more work left to be done.

Snyder feels confident about his first year in office.

“My first year as mayor has been great. We were able to find solutions to some of our major problems; now we just have to implement them.

The city has some of the best depart-ment heads in the state and they are doing exem-plary work to plan and implement an

even better Portage,” Snyder said.

According to Snyder, there are still many issues facing the city. Aging roads and side-walks are two main problems he is looking to tackle. Savings from automated trash collec-tion is beginning to help the city out financially.

“I plan to start neighbor-hood projects so that our roads, drainage and sidewalks are fixed,” Snyder said.

For 2013, Snyder would like to continue making deep budget cuts along with building a new Street Department so equipment is better protected from weather damage. Adding a splash pad and live entertainment to Founder’s Square Park upon its completion is one of Snyder’s goals as well.

Snyder will be delivering a State of the City speech in February, addressing the current condition of Portage

along with his plans for the future.

Some of Snyder’s ac-complishments in his year as mayor include fixing a nearly $2.5 million budget shortfall, paying over $50,000 in unpaid bills, starting to fill up the University Center that had no signed leases or letters of intent and working to create a new garbage plan.

“The new garbage plan works efficiently and effective-ly. It will also save us millions over years and help take care of our environment,” Snyder said.

Snyder started adding a police officer to the schools prior to the Sandy Hook shooting. Blighted properties on Route 20 have been bought and torn down and dozens of drug arrests have also oc-curred.

Snyder believes he has not only been honest with Portage residents about problems facing the city, but has gotten them under control as well.

“We are working with nearly 20 less employees than we started with and have energized our employees to get the job done,” Snyder said.

When asked about the direction the city is heading in, Snyder said he could not determine this alone.

“Whether or not the city is heading in the right or wrong direction is something the residents will determine. We do what is right every time and we welcome the critics’ ideas if they are constructive. The Mayor’s office is not mine, it is the residents’ and they should feel free to come give me their opinions any time,” Snyder said.

SafetyContinued from page 1

Portage installs bus GPS systems

Snyder

The transportation department of Portage Township Schools has received a major upgrade. Global Positioning Systems have been installed into all buses, and staff will be trained by late February. PTS Executive Director of Support Services David Harman has been on top of the changes. “The most obvious improvements will be route efficiency, payroll management and idling reduction,” Harman said. Principals and, by next school year, students will be able to know exactly when

buses will arrive. Harman said the school is looking to make a “Principal Portal” and a “Parent Portal” available so both parties can track the location of buses. With the new technology, drivers will be able to keep their stop times consistent. “We often hear concerns from students and parents that the stop times are inconsistent. The system will allow drivers to verify their stop times and either confirm they are running their routes efficiently or determine the cause of a problem and fix it,” Harman said. Harman said students and parents will see an improvement in “on-time performance.”

Alexis SosaFeatures Writer

Head girls basketball coach Chris Seibert instructs his players during practice. Seibert lost roughly 110 pounds in five months by meeting with a nutritionist once a week and changing his eating habits. “The key is a year from now to still have the weight off and be living a healthy lifestyle,” he said. Photo by Taylor Mlynski

Page 4: Pow Wow Issue 8

4 Sports Issue 8

Freshmen play vital roles for girls swim

Freshmen who are in a sport are sometimes underestimated for their abilities on the team. For girls swimming, that is a different story.

The girls swim has eight freshmen swimmers.

The freshmen have been contributing to the swim team, even having a chance to make it on to varsity. Freshman Rachael Joseph is on the varsity swim team and is swimming with her sister Courtney Joseph.

“It feels good to come in as a freshman and be on the varsity team and help contribute at all of our meets,” Joseph said. “The hard work pays off, although I have meets and practices that get frustrating. My sister, Courtney, who is also on varsity, helps me keep my head up and pushes me to become a better swimmer.”

The swimmers take the sport seriously and feel they will benefit the team in the future. Freshman Alison Sobkowski feels she will reach her goal once she is a senior.

“In the future, I hope that I will be

able to swim my best and help out the team. A goal of mine would be to get the 500 freestyle record before I graduate,” Sobkowski said.

The freshmen are keeping up with the upperclassmen. Head coach Greg Mundt thinks they will benefit the team in years to come.

According to Mundt, the team is doing well without seniors this year.

“The freshmen girls have improved a lot this season,” Mundt said. “The girls team does not have many sophomores, so the team is basically all freshmen and juniors. Once the juniors graduate, the freshmen need to step it up, but for their first year, they are doing excellent.”

Freshman Laryssa Vaclavik is also on the varsity team as a freshman. According to Vaclavik, she has been swimming for five or six years and does not plan on stopping.

“Being a freshman and on varsity feels amazing,” Vaclavik said. “All the complaining and hard work has paid off. I have always enjoyed swimming. It is not just a sport, it is a passion. I feel I will go far with swimming and plan on making it to the Olympics, if not, at least to time trials.”

Alexis CoffmanSports Writer

Top: Junior Courtney Joseph competes in the butterfly in a varsity co-ed meet in Chesterton on Jan. 15.

Bottom: Freshmen Laryssa Vaclavik battles in the backstroke event against Chesterton.

Communicating key for girls basketball squad

Being part of a team is much more than just about winning for the girls basetball team, it is about building a relationships.

“All the girls on our team act like a family, were all there for each other and I think that’s why we’re are different than all the other teams in the conference,” sophomore Alex Gardner said.

Gardner said her goal for the rest of the season is to continue her hard work and become the best player she can for her team.

Head coach Chris Seibert said defense is one of the teams biggest strengths.

“We have statistically been one of the top teams in the area the past few seasons, but this year we have taken another step. The players are great at taking a

scouting report on another team or player and executing it,” Seibert said. “They are very intelligent

basketball players and work well together. Communication is a critical element of effective defense and they do a tremendous job of constantly communicating throughout the game.”

With strengths comes weaknesses, and the team is able to recognize both.

“We still need to improve offensively. We are at our best when we are balanced offensively and getting contributions from many players. Our goal each game is to get three players in double figures scoring wise and we have yet to lose when that occurs,” Seibert said.

The team has an overall winning record of 10-6.

“I expect us to continue to

improve and be playing our best basketball come sectional time. Our goal from the beginning of the season is to be sectional champions and we remain intently focused on achieving that goal,” Seibert said.

Seibert said the team has what it takes to win in the postseason.

“We had a tough season last year but none of their commitments to the basketball program ever wavered. This complete commitment to getting better has allowed them to have a very successful season,” Seibert said. “This senior class are great basketball players but even better people. They epitomize the term student athlete. I hope the underclassmen can take the lessons they have learned from the seniors and continue to advance our program in the future.”

Peyton HulseSports Editor

Senior Hannah Glos eyes the basket during a girls basketball game against Valpo on Jan. 11. The Indians downed the Vikings 50-24. Photo by Miles Motto

Monahan’s season has been littered with both

team and individual accomplishments. The Indians are 12-6, one win shy of matching Seibert’s previous

career high, which came when the squad went 12-10 during 2009-

2010, Monahan’s freshman season.

On Jan. 1, the Portage point guard won the Three Point Shootout, which was part of the Region Roundball Rumble at the Hammond

Civic Center. Monahan used her experience from competing in the annual event last season to help her win the title. “I kind of knew what to

expect when I got there,” she said. “This year, I just went out there for something fun to do with some friendly competition between all of the girls in the area. Once I got to the finals, I just went out there and relaxed and had fun and accomplished that goal, too.” Seibert said nearly all of Portage’s varsity players were in attendance to support Monahan on New Year’s Day. “She puts in a ton of work and good things happen to great people who work hard,” Seibert said. “It’s not only good for her, but it’s good for our program as well.” The list of accomplished goals continued to expand as Monahan reached the 1,000 career point threshold in style on Jan. 5 against Merrillville. She scored a career high 32 points and provided 74.4 percent of her team’s scoring in a 56-43 loss to the undefeated Pirates.

Tonight, Monahan and fellow seniors Alyssa Tampier, Hannah Glos and Heather Zengler will take the floor for Senior Night 2013 as Portage hosts LaPorte in the final home game of the regular season. It will be an emotional night for all four players and their families. The four seniors, all of whom have been significant varsity contributors since their freshmen and sophomore years, have played together since they were four years old in Portage Youth Basketball. “It’s definitely emotional, something to be proud of, you’ve finally made it there as a senior,” Monahan said. “The three other girls that are with me mean the world to me, we’ve grown up together and it’s going to be fun. There are just a lot of important memories to look back on.” Monahan is talking with Indiana University Northwest (Division-II),

Anderson University (Division III), Saint Xavier University (Division III) and Manchester University (Division III). She plans to decide where she will continue her career “probably sometime in March.” Before she can focus entirely on making a college commitment, Monahan and her fellow seniors have one common goal left on their high school check lists. They have plans of hoisting a trophy on their home floor when the sectional concludes on Feb. 9. “Sectionals this year are really, really important,” Monahan said. “It’s our last time playing for Portage. We want to go out there every game and give it everything we have because we don’t want it to end, you want to be with your teammates longer, and you want to keep playing. We can do it. “We have faith that we can beat Michigan City, LaPorte, all of the tough teams. I believe we can win.”

MonahanContinued from page 1

Page 5: Pow Wow Issue 8

5Sports January 25, 2013

Boys basketball team reaches eight wins

The boys varsity basketball team holds

an overall record of 8-7. Last year, the team had a record of 1-22. Head coach Rick Snodgrass said that one of the biggest contributions to this more suc-cessful season is maturity. “Last year they were put in a situation they weren’t ready for. They should’ve been junior varisty and freshmen players, instead they were playing at a varsity level. They were way over their head,” Snodgrass said. Snodgrass said over the summer the boys spent 2-3 days a week practicing together and this greatly impacted the team. He said the team also attended many camps and tournaments that brought them close together. Spending so much time together in the summer paid off for the team during the season. “We all have a strong bond on the team and it translates on the court because we can communicate with each other much better,” sophomore Jordan Collazo said.

Junior Luke Kizer said having such a strong bond gives the team a unique edge against other teams. “It helps us on the court because we know everyones tendencies and can play with any five players on the floor,” Kizer said. Snodgrass said he thinks the team’s close-ness is also highly tied in with its success this season. “The beauty of it is they are still young. They are still a year away from really fully developing what they can do,” Snodgrass said. The team’s last regular season game is on Feb. 22 at Merrillville, and sectionals will begin on Feb. 26 at Michigan City. Varsity player and junior David Clegg said he is expecting the team to continue to get better, and if they play to their full potential he thinks they can win sectionals. Snodgrass said maturity and experience is the number one reason the team is doing better this season. “The most pleasant thing this year is see-ing how far the team advanced in the nature of their mental and physical approach to the game,” Snodgrass said.

Peyton HulseSports Editor

Sophomore Jordan Simpson looks to pass against Boone Grove. Photo by Olivia Forrester

Portage High School’s girls bowling season is almost completed, leaving the team with a perfect record, and senior Alyssa Bogolin having the second highest score in conference with a 269. The team practices are held once per week at its home center, Camelot Bowl, led by head coach Debbie Gossett. The team also went undefeated and was conference champion for Portage High School this year. Each match, the team plays two games, unless they are playing a position round, in which they play 10 baker games. The team’s immediate future goal is to advance to the state finals.

“The season is close to being over, but it is a huge goal to advance to state this year, and a lot of our girls individually want to go far in post season as well,” sophomore Jackie Rhoda said. Junior Nicole Walton ended with the highest average in the conference with a 206, while Rhoda went second with a 200 average. Sectionals for the team will take place on Sunday, Jan. 27. Four girls were named to the all conference team: sophomore Jackie Rhoda, junior Nicole Walton, senior Caitlin Pidgeon and freshman Haley Keller. Individual sectionals were held on Jan. 20. Rhoda, Keller and freshman Paige Chapman advance to regionals. The team continues the season with a 13-0 record.

Girls bowling holds perfect 13-0 recordBrandon WeisSports Writer

Winning eight state titles and three national championships is what sets fresh-man wrestler Gaige Torres apart from his teammates. Torres said he started wrestling when he was only three years old. He loved it. Although Torres is only a freshman, he is still thinking about his future. “I plan on wrestling in college but I do not know where yet,” Torres said. Torres said his role model is David Tay-lor, who is a Penn State wrestler. Taylor was named Inermat’s National Freshman of the Year and also Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2011. He is also an all American runner up. Freshman wrestler Tyler Haburjak said Torres is a great wrestler and he always works hard. Haburjak also said Torres is very competitive which is what, he thinks, makes him such a good wrestler. Torres said one of the hardest things about wrestling are cutting weight, train-ing hard during the offseason, and going

hard the whole practice. Even though Torres has accomplished a lot, he still finds room for improvement throughout the season. Torres said he feels that he improves with every practice. “I would like to improve on the shots I take when wrestling. I am well conditioned and it takes me a long time to get tired. I think this gives me an advantage,” Torres said. Torres said that with him only being a freshman, he has plenty of time to work on his skills and really perfect his techniques as a wrestler. “I cannot wait to see what Gaige brings to the table in the future. He is a hard working kid,” head wrestling coach Leroy Vega said. Torres already has 27 pins, and the season is still not over. Torres said beating Merrillville was the teams’ biggest accomplishment. According to Vega, Torres works very hard and his hard work continues to pay off. Portage enters postseason play tomor-row with the sectional in Calumet.

Lauren WinickySports Writer

LEFT: Senior Caitlin Pidgeon working on techniques at practivce. RIGHT: Junior Nicole Walton approaches the lane at practice. Photo by Taylor Mlynski

MVP Gaige Torres grabs national wrestling titles

Freshman Gaige Torres already has 27 pins this wrestling season. Photo by Olivia Forrester

“The season is close to being over, but it is a huge goal to advance to state this year.” -Jackie Rhoda

Page 6: Pow Wow Issue 8

Editor-in-ChiefBrandon Vickrey

Content Editor

Eric Mesarch

Design EditorEmily Evans

Opinion Editor

Collin Czilli

News Editor Katie Peksenak

Features Editor

Joshua Lewis

Sports EditorPeyton Hulse

Photo EditorOlivia Forrester

Sports WritersAlexis CoffmanLauren WinickyBrandon Weis

News WritersAshley Conrad Mallory Lopez

Features Writers

Tyra Allen Emily Hensley

Angela DornbosCaleb Ingersoll

Alexis Sosa

PhotographersIan DePerio

Taylor Mlynski Miles MottoTaylor Searcy

AdviserMelissa Deavers-Lowie

6 Opinion Issue 8

Pow Wow Editorial PolicyThe Pow Wow is a student-produced newspaper. As an open-forum publication, we do accept letters-to-the-editor. All letters must be grammatically cor-

rect, free from errors and 200 words or fewer. Letters must include your name. E-mail submissions can be sent to [email protected]. Letters will be run in

the next available issue of the newspaper.

It may surprise many readers of this column to discover that I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. I believe in a citizen’s right to bear arms for sport or to defend himself. The stereotype that I have been labeled with over the years as an ultra-liberal does not accurately portray my stance on many issues.

For the record, I am a registered member of the Democratic Party and I stand for; a woman’s right to choose, the right of gay couples to marry and the belief that military options are a last resort. Just because I am willing to admit I am a Democrat does not mean that I accept the label of liberal. I believe in the Second Amendment, the rich do pay their fair share in taxes, illegal immigrants drain money from true Americans and we spend too much money each year.

I do not agree with the Democratic Party on many issues, including guns. Banning guns will not stop gun violence, just as banning drugs does not stop illegal drug use. It makes no sense to punish responsible gun owners, like my father and grandfather, because some perform unspeakable acts. The

weapons used in Newtown were legally owned by the shooter’s mother, who was an avid gun collector. Even if an assault weapons ban like the President suggested were in place, the guns were still legally owned.

I have a sensible stance on weapons and the Second Amendment. I believe in universal

background checks for anyone wishing to purchase a gun. Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals

will decrease gun violence. Obviously, it is impossible to stop gun violence. No one is suggesting that it is possible, but Canada has roughly the same gun to people ratio and far less gun deaths per year. This issue is not

about guns, it is about the culture in America.We must also place mandatory waiting

periods on weapons. If a person needs a gun right now and cannot wait, that either signals that he or she is in danger or going to be a danger. This is a sensible law that many can agree on.

Finally, weapons designed for the theatre of war and use high quantity magazine clips are more dangerous than handguns and shotguns. Removing these weapons from the streets is a must. They are designed for war and law enforcement and that is where they belong. A person does not use an AK-47 or M16 for self-defense or hunting purposes.

I hope many of you understand that I have views that diverge from my party’s platform. An idea that comes from a Republican is not necessarily a bad idea and ideas from Democrats are not always good ideas. There is a middle when it comes to guns, as a nation, we must find that middle. Guns cannot be banned completely, nor can they be unlimitedly used and purchased. This issue cannot divide our nation. Differing views can find common ground on these issues just as we have before on taxes and the environment. Cooperation is sign of a healthy nation and government, something we lack now.

Debate over gun control laws crosses party linesCollin CzilliOpinion Editor

[email protected]

Super Bowl to be exciting matchup

Super Bowl Sunday is just a few short weeks away, and, frankly, I am excited for the outcome.

As I watched the conference championship games last Sunday night, I was thrilled to see that the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens were able to move on to the Super Bowl. The 49ers have been a mediocre-at-best team year after year, and the Ravens have not made it to the Super Bowl since 2001.

It is impressive that both of these teams have made it to the Big Dance because both of them were underdogs going into these conference championship games. The 49ers first had to get past the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoffs; a tough win that I was just as thrilled to see, as I am not a big Packers fan. Then, the Niners had to take on the number one seed in the NFC in the Atlanta Falcons, who were the favorite to win the conference title after taking down Seattle in the divisional playoffs. San Francisco took ‘em down even after being down 17-0 at one point.

One of the only reasons that I am happy

for the Ravens being in the Super Bowl is because they handled New England pretty well in the American Football Conference Championship on Sunday. Baltimore came out with a 28-13 victory after being down 13-7 at half, holding one of the best offensive teams in the entire league scoreless in the second half.

New England has been in the postseason so often in the past decade and has several Super Bowl victories as well. Again, I am not a huge New England fan at all, as I feel that the Patriots are very cocky and always expect to be in the playoffs.

The Super Bowl is going to be a great matchup between two teams that are very balanced between their offense and defense. San Francisco has a great, young quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, who had to work extremely hard to get the starting QB nod during the regular season over then-starter Alex Smith. In addition to Kaepernick, runningbacks Frank Gore and LaMichael James are other pieces of the Niners’ offensive puzzle that will prove to be game-changers, just like they were in the NFC championship game, both of them combining for three of San Francisco’s four touchdowns. On defense, outside linebacker

Aldon Smith will lead the pack and try to contain Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco from getting big yardage.

Baltimore also has a very potent offense, led by Flacco and runningback Ray Rice, who was able to have a big game against New England on Sunday. Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin will also prove to be a favorite target for Flacco when Rice is not running the ball. Baltimore’s defense also was able to show that they have one of the best in the league, holding New England to just 13 points in AFC championship game, including holding the Patriots to a scoreless second half. Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs will lead the charge and hope to continue their defensive dominance as the Ravens will compete for their second Super Bowl title in the new millennium.

I am very excited for the Super Bowl to happen. The 49ers-Ravens matchup will be such a great game and I am expecting a back-and-forth battle between offenses and defenses, making it a pretty low scoring game.

In the end however, I am hoping for a 49ers Super Bowl victory because of the hard work that they have put into the season and how humble they are about their other victories. Brotherly love will be the last thing on both of the Harbaughs’ minds as they duke it out for bragging rights. Yeah, it is going to be pretty awesome.

Eric MesarchContent Editor

[email protected]

Delayed acceptance unfair to applicants

As the Dean of Admissions, it is my proud duty to inform you that you have been accepted into the college of your choice.

Just kidding. Starting early in their senior year, high school seniors

spend countless hours on college applications, slaving away gathering letters of recommendation, perfecting transcripts and crafting essays that would make an English teacher cry. Many students apply for early admission or early decision, something that allows them to know if they have been admitted before the admission process officially ends. What they may not know is that colleges can withhold admission decisions even if an applicant meets an early decision

deadline, something that I find absolutely awful. “Typically, we delay students when we see potential for

collegiate success but would like more information before making a final decision,” Associate Director of Admissions for Franklin College Jennifer Bostrom said.

Universities in Indiana such as Purdue University, Notre Dame and Butler are able to withhold admission decisions until late February, a time when, if a student is not admitted, it may be too late to come up with a backup plan for furthering education.

“It was a bit of a letdown to find out that after waiting for what felt like an eternity I was going to have to wait even longer to find out if I would be able to follow my desired career path,” senior Dani Petro said.

Many colleges offer scholarships and financial aid programs to assist students with the financial burden of school. With these programs come deadlines, deadlines that

a prospective student may not meet if they are not admitted to the school before the scholarship deadline ends. A student that is not told of their admission decision may miss a deadline for a scholarship that, if they had been admitted earlier, they would have met.

As a high school student, I cannot claim to know every

nuance of the college admissions process, but I do believe that it has become unfair to certain applicants. Personally, I have been admitted to the college of my choice and was informed early decision, but I cannot begin to imagine the stress that my peers face not knowing where their future may lead.

Emily EvansDesign Editor

[email protected] “Typically, we delay students when we see potential for collegiate success but would like more information before making a final decision.”

-Jennifer Bostrom, Associate Director of Admissions for Franklin College

“Banning guns will not stop gun violence, just as banning drugs does not stop illegal drug use.”

Page 7: Pow Wow Issue 8

7Features January 25, 2013

Peer tutor program provides students the opportunity to assist their peers

Electives are classes students take to better

round their education, but enrolling in the Peer Tutor class provides students with an experience unlike any other. Peer Tutor is a class where students assist their peers in the Least Restrictive Environ-ment program in their coursework through offering a helping hand. “My job as a peer tutor is to help the kids with their studies, and show them that they have friends outside the classroom and that they are just like everyone else,” junior Alyssa Ronk said. Peer Tutor is a class that meets every day like any other class and provides a hands-on ex-perience for the tutors in assisting the students.

“A typical day in the classroom is often con-fronted by a number of challenges or struggles that we try to help the students overcome,” senior Emilio Lopez said. “By helping them work through each problem, our job is to help them understand and learn through either the mistakes they make or by finding easier ways to solve more difficult problems.” The assignments for the Peer Tutor class involve writing daily journals based on their experiences in the class and an essay at the end of the semester. According to Lopez, the journals must consist of the challenges each peer tutor faced during the day and how they overcame them. Peer tutoring is not all work, but involves some play as well. Peer tutors are able to in-teract with the students outside of school by going to the movies, going to get their nails

painted or even going to the student’s houses to spend time with them. “I’ve learned that the students in this program are some of the greatest kids that Portage High School has to offer,” Lopez said. “It has taught me patience and that I just generally feel like a better person going through this experience.” Ronk has also learned valuable lessons from going through the Peer Tutor program. “I have learned that the kids are so fun,” Ronk said. “They are really my friends and they are a blast. [I have learned] also that people underestimate them. They are ridicu-lously smart.” Peer tutoring creates the opportunity for students to go through an experience unlike any other and that no other class can exactly duplicate.

“Peer tutoring is an unique experience be-cause of the kids that you get to meet, that each student has their own unique ways of communicating their thoughts and emotions to the peer tutors and each of them are the nicest kids you’ll meet,” Lopez said. What is learned in some class may be forgotten by students after the class is over, but peer tutoring leaves an impression on the tutors that lasts a lifetime. “I have found that they are the most car-ing individuals in the school, and if you see anyone of them in the hall, be sure to greet them and you’ll most likely get a reply and a smile,” Lopez said. “This is no doubt one of the best experiences that I have had in my high school years. I will forever remember these kids and they will always have a place in my heart.”

Joshua LewisFeatures Editor

Pinterest crafts and techniques vary in effectiveness and qualityVarious techniques and crafts from Pinterest were tested out to verify their effectiveness and how well they stayed true to their claims on the website.

A post on the popular online pinboard “Pinterest”

claims that if a person wants to achieve perfectly wavy beach hair, they can accomplish it by braiding their hair and running a hot straightener over the secured braid two or three times. After the hair has cooled, the braid should be carefully removed and sprayed with hairspray. Supposedly, after following these simple steps, the pinner should have “perfect

beach waves.” After six trials on three different lengths and types of hair, this Pinterest do-it-yourself was proved impossible. Instead of “perfect beach waves,” those who attempted this task were rewarded with an oddly crimped and static filled mess. Following the directions exactly, this Pinterest find was extremely unsuccessful. To possibly improve the outcome, the hair should be straightened while in the braid more than three times. Depending on the thickness of the hair, three times is not adequate heat to create hair waves.

Emily EvansDesign Editor

As the

students at Portage High School get older, they have more responsibilities. Work, sports and harder classes make it more difficult for students to enjoy relaxation time or arts and crafts.For example, Pinterest has a solution for your relaxation and crafty needs and your boredom. It is the Orange candle. The Or-ange candle was one of the crafts tested out. For starters, one needs an orange or tangerine. The next step is to cut it down the middle, like the Equator and take the halves and carefully pick out the fruit in side. Make sure when you take out the fruit from the in-side, you leave the white stringy pulp intact.

This will act as a wick. Once you have the “wick” standing up in the middle of a gutted orange or tangerine, you fill the bottom half of the fruit with oil. We found the olive oil works best compared to corn or canola oil. Now that you have a fruit filled with oil, light the “wick” on fire. Now you have made an orange candle. You now have half a burning orange or tangerine and half an empty orange. Cut a hole in the top of the half so the flame has a way to breathe. Carefully place the top on your lit fruit half. Take into a dark room and enjoy your little friends. Please watch these carefully, because they burn so easily. Do not leave these alone and make sure they are cooled down before they are thrown away. Overall, this was one of the Pinterest crafts that worked best.

Olivia ForresterPhotographer

Orange Candle

DIY

Success FAILvs.

Wavy hair braid

Page 8: Pow Wow Issue 8

8 The Back Page Issue 8 | January 25, 2013

Meet the Indian: Wood wins essay contest

Every year one sophomore is selected to be awarded the Hugh O’Brian Youth essay leadership award. This year sophomore Alicia Wood entered the challenging 100 word essay, expressing her teen leadership.

She said writing has always come easy to her and she has had a love for reading books and using their information to assist her in her writing vocabulary. She wants to write and be as interesting as the books she reads.

“My favorite form of writing is fiction,

love/romance and autobiographies,” Wood said. “I am fine with writing whatever I need

to though when it comes to competition.”

Wood said her word choice and topics developed from her love of reading books. She had to compete with other great writers to come up with the best scenario.

Wood goes to Butler University every June for a conference with other previous HOBY leadership award winners from other schools.

“I am so excited to go through this experience and I hope that it’s all what I am looking forward to

being,” Wood said.Wood said she does

not have plans to write a book. She just simply has a passion to write, in which books happen to be her inspirations. When she won the contest, she could not have been more ecstatic.

“I was so excited. I called my mom right away because she loves knowing when I win stuff,” Wood said.

Despite winning, Wood has decided to remain humble.

“I’m not sure if I deserved to win because I have not read the other essays but I hope I did because I put so much effort into it,” Wood said.

What Grinds Your Gears?

“When people see you standing in line for lunch and they make their own line in front of you.”

-Junior Lauren Tomaszewski

“Square pizza.”

-Freshman Jacob Evans “Clapping wars.”

-Freshman Lydia Gerike

“When ice cream drips out of the bottom of the cone.”-Freshman Nick Blue

When there’s some-thing strange, in the hallway, who are you going to call? Officer Can-diano! From house calls, to fighting in the halls, Candiano does it all.

Being a resource of-ficer and a police officer working in the city is one in the same for Candiano. He has been on the Portage police force for 11 years, but he has been at Portage High School for one year after taking

over as Student Re-source Officer in Janu-ary 2012.

“When you take this job, you have to change. The difference is I’m here with all of you guys all of the time. It’s not like being on the road when you probably won’t see a person again,” Candiano said.

Candiano arrives at school around the same time the students do, and he does not leave until all of his work is done. Every day is different for him.

Upon arriving at

school, he checks the parking lot for accidents, then goes to his office. There is usually a line waiting for him. The situ-ations he deals with on a daily basis vary from a teacher wanting him to talk to a class to checking on a student at home.

“It could be anything, I just deal with whatever the problem of the day is,” Candiano said.

Investigating thefts are a big part of his job, but he also handles fights, drugs, home issues and restraining order violations.

“I’ve had pretty much the exact same stuff you would deal with out there. It’s like a little city in here,” Candiano said.

According to Can-diano, school security has never been a major problem. Practicing drills and having a good plan in place is a big part of keeping the school safe.

“Overall, we’ve got a pretty good plan in place, this school is unique be-cause it’s so big, but with all of the social media, keeping everyone safe is not a difficult thing to do,” Candiano said.

A day in the life of: Student Resource Officer Mike Candiano settling in after year on the jobTyra Allen Features Writer

Photo of the weekSee story on page 1

Senior boys practice the Outstanding Young Man fitness routine. Finals for the competition will take place on Feb. 2. Photo by Taylor Searcy

Midwest faces driest and coldest winter in years

caleb IngersollFeatures Writer

Wood recently won the HOBY essay contest, a competiton that requrired her to write 100 words concerning teen leadership. Photo by Taylor Mlynski

Officer Mike Candiano is relied upon to keep the school safe. Photo by Olivia Forrester

Emily HensleyFeatures Writer

“When there is ravioli for lunch. Does anyone actually like that stuff?”-Senior Haley Hodges

“When people scream in the hallway for no reason.” -Junior John Whitney

Winter weather normally brings thoughts of sledding and snow days but not this year with less snow than any other year before. This winter has broken records in unseason-able warm temperatures and a lack of snow or precipitation. Students and staff alike are noticing the lack of snow as well.

“I saw people wearing flip-flops during December, just because it’s so warm,” sophomore Jessica Marsh said.

According Jim Allsopp, a meteorologist

with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologically, there are several large scale patterns that are moni-tor to determine future weather patterns. The primary players appear to be a negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, or PDO, and the positive of the North Atlantic Oscillation. When the wind blows west to east from the Pacific across the US, the mois-ture gets squeezed out over the mountains. Then it warms and dries as it comes down the east slopes of the mountains, across the Central America. So a westerly wind flow off the Pacific brings mild, dry weather to Chicago.

This means that the Midwest will see a cold winter with little snow and some rainfall for the area. This winter is thought to be much like last year’s but temperatures that mirrors 2011 arctic blast temperatures.

“Part of the reason for the lack of snow is just sheer luck. There have been heavy snow across eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin,

and across parts of central and southern Il-linois, they just missed us,” Allsopp said.

“As much as I really want to wear T-shirts all year, I also just really want one snow day from school,” sophomore Katina Tsranas said.

Overall this winter is still not fully understood in which direction it is heading, but with any reminder of the last two years it may just swing in either direction. With less chance of precipitation 2013 might just end up on record for the driest winter ever recorded in the Midwest with the harshest cold that’s been seen in two years.

“Part of the reason for the lack of snow is just sheer luck.”

-Allsopp