JANAUARY 2010

THE CHIEF

ONLINE

PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL

New Teacher Report: Getting To Know Mrs. Thomas

By Vincent Murphy 

Mrs. Thomas has been at working with PTHS students for the last eight years but now has a new role. Currently, she is the Illinois ASPIRE regional coordinator and chair person of the special needs department at PTHS. ASPIRE is the Alliance for School based Problem Solving and Intervention Resources in Education. This is a program that started in 2005 which provides training for student intervention. On a daily basis, Mrs. Thomas answers questions of parents, uses her knowledge regarding school law, and helps with student guidance. She brings her past skills as a school psychologist to this new role.  

When asked what she liked about high school, she replied her relationships with students and teachers. These relationships helped her decide her future career. On her off time she likes a good book and spending time with her family.

Dance Team 2010 Update

By Haleigh Harper

PTHS Dance Team is back and better than ever! The team has been working extremely hard on their hip-hop and lyrical routines. Competition season is in full swing and their hard work and effort has been paying off. The long awaited pep assembly performance was a big success and the team is still working hard to make their routines even better. Performances have been scheduled to take place in the PTHS gym during half time on selected dates, going even past the end of February to some March dates. Be sure to come and show your support!

CELEBRATE JANUARY!

• National Blood Donor Month
• National Braille Literacy Month
• National Hobby Month
• Hot Tea Month
• National Oatmeal Month
• National Soup Month

Pontiac Lady Indians Play at United Center!

By Heather Richardson

Not many people have an opportunity to stand on an NBA court, let alone play a full game there. In fact, some even dream about getting a chance like that. For the Pontiac Lady Indians that dream became a reality.  On January 9th the varsity girl’s basketball team stepped foot onto the Chicago Bull’s home court to play BBCHS at The United Center.  “Although the outcome wasn’t what we had hoped it, still was an amazing feat we accomplished,” one of the players was quoted as saying.  A part of this experience, I can tell you how truly immense this was for us.  We owe many thanks to all the help we received to make this experience possible.  Planning for this event definitely took time, money, and dedication from our coaches.  Many businesses, friends, and families bought tickets to come watch this magnificent task and to show their support.  Nearly 400 Pontiac fans roared in the stadium seats as the tip-off took place. Not only did the varsity team play on the Bull’s court, but they were also lucky enough to watch them in action against the Timberwolves later that night.  This will be an experience hopefully more Pontiac teams will come across. As for us, my team can say we were the first team to set the bar for something like this and we are truly grateful and appreciative to all who were involved in making Saturday possible. We won’t ever forget the feelings that ran through us as we stood at center court, or as we sat on professional sideline seats, or even as we just looked up at our fans as they rose to applaud us after the final buzzer rang. Coach Petersen has graciously taken on the challenge of highlighting the night and will be creating a DVD to help us never to forget the first time the Pontiac Lady Indians stepped foot onto the Chicago Bull’s floor.

Letter to the Editor

                                     New Weight Room

PTHS desperately needs a brand new weight facility.  Pontiac Township High School is in dire need of a new weight room because the current one is much too small to fit all of the athletes who want to lift. A new weight room would encourage even more students to lift, and our various athletic teams would improve their performance on the field of play.

At times the weight room is not comfortable to be in when students are packed in the room so tightly that there is little room to maneuver.  This situation leads to students not trying their hardest because they are more worried about injuring someone near them.  While athletes are lifting, they need room to make sure they use proper form and reduce the risk of injury.   

A new facility would lead to more people lifting, leading to healthier students.  Lifting weights has been shown to burn calories and increase lean muscle.  Currently, non-athletes shy away from using the weight room because it is so cramped.  I spoke with Britney Mueller, star volleyball player on the varsity team, about this matter.  She stated, “Something definitely needs to change to make it better.”  Lifting weights is an extremely beneficial exercise for anyone regardless of whether he or she is in a sport or not.  Students at Pontiac Township High School would greatly appreciate a new facility to lift in. 

Building a new weight room would also benefit the athletes on the field of play.  Granted, some sports may require physical strength more than others, but they all call for physical strength of some level.  Someone may argue that athletes in a sport like cross country do not need to lift; however, they need to lift just as much as anyone else.  Lifting will benefit every athlete at PTHS.  A new weight facility will help all the various sports participants gain access to the weight room more often and eliminate the need to come in as early as 6:15 in the morning.   

A new weight facility would benefit Pontiac Township High School in many ways. Join me in voicing our plea for a new and improved weight room. 

John Trainor, junior at PTHS

Respond to this letter:

Student Survey

New Year’s Resolutions for 2010:

To get better grades – Zach Ahrends

To stop drinking pop – Loni Mackinson

To be a nicer person – Jake Gray

To read more books – Chelsey Shaw

To watch my figure – Kyle Ledford

To be a better team player – Carley Pfleger

To stop letting petty stuff bother me – Kristin Murphy

To get an apartment – Kristine Eilts

To bench 240 by the end of the year – Jacob Martinez

To not judge people – Bridget Roberts

To eat healthy – Brittany Snyder

To save money for college – Vicki Struebing

To be a better person because spirits settle wiser when left unbroken – Darlene Bella

To have a New Year’s resolution – Mitch Kennedy

The Chief Staff is:

Jake Long, Editor-in-Chief

Seth Brown, Assistant Editor

Megan Frizzell, Assistant Editor

Lindsay Friedman

Beth Guelde

Vince Murphy

Tiffany Patterson

Mark Panno

Heather Richardson

Trevor Ross

Louis Servant

Karame Schoon

Caila Smith

Jayme Soule

Maggie Verdun

Mr. Soares, Faculty Sponsor

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Movie Review

 James Cameron's Avatar 

By Louis Servant 

What kind of self absorbed person puts his or her name in front of a movie title?  Just because this movie is as old as many freshmen (14 years in the making, that's 1995 for those keeping score at home) does not make it epic.  Just because the film is nominated for four golden globes does not make it timeless.  Avatar is not the best movie ever.  It has a definite weakness: lack of original storyline.  Last month, I wrote a review on A Christmas Carol, and I said that rehashes and remakes are bad in principle.  In this case, Avatar's story, as admitted by Cameron himself, draws directly from Dances with Wolves.  Those unfamiliar should note that the basic outline is very similar to Pocahontas.  However, sometimes a person must overlook a glaring defect to appreciate the beauty in a product.  James Cameron does not make this difficult.  The visuals are stunning, electrifying, and just plain jaw-dropping.  The world of Pandora is, simply put, beautiful.  The Na'vi are the ultimate in alien creation.  It's also refreshing to finally see a blockbuster science fiction film that is neither a sequel nor based on a comic or television series.  If you end up seeing it in 3D, only three words can describe it: Oh. My. Gosh.  Take the opportunity, if you haven't already, to participate in the best theater experience you will have for a long time.

www.avatarmovie.com

Student Poetry

 “Deeper Root’s (From me to you)” 

By A. Nicole Walker 

It has no beginning

Or no end

It’s always been here/existed

             Let us see... 

Anger burns (still without)

Flaring violently (rising) 

I stare these emotions in the face

Whispers echoing

In high definition 

Independent and strong

I carry myself on the wind

 Two rights cannot make a wrong

Do you remember that song? 

The words describe the “ins” and “outs”

- Call them deeper roots-

From me to you 

Though I am realistic and believe in myself

It is human to miss the words:

 “You’re beautiful”

And “I love you”

Which I do

 Rejecting to release this rain

- from my eyes those thunder clouds it remains inside 

From the roots of me to you.

Ask Dr. TRuth

Dear Dr. Truth,
 
I’ve having some relationship issues. My best friend since kindergarten is acting very strange since we joined high school. She’s acting more girly, putting makeup on, and I think she flirts with me. Now I sort of have a little crush on her too, but I’m not sure if what she’s doing is flirty or if it’s her new attitude. Help?
 
Signed, Mixed Signals
 
 
Dear Mixed,

It seems as if the both of you should indeed set up a marker on your relationship. Now don’t go and just blurt out all sorts of nonsense, but maybe gently lead in to it. If she seems reluctant, then she might not be interested, and what’s the worst that could happen? So go out there and see where you two stand: friends, best friends, or maybe more? You’ll never know ‘til you take the first step.
 
Signed, Dr. TRuth
 

Have a question for Dr. TRuth?  Send it here!

DID SOMETHING NEWSWORTHY HAPPEN @ PTHS? DO YOU HAVE A STORY, REVIEW, OR PICTURE TO SEND TO THE CHIEF?

  EMAIL US @:  SOARESM@PONTIAC.K12.IL.US

Rebecca Kindelberger

NICKNAME: Becca

ROLE MODEL(S): My parents

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Colorguard

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Florida band trip my freshman year

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: My daughter, school, and work

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Heartland to focus on business administration

FAVORITE MOVIE: Sweet Home Alabama

FAVORITE TV SHOW: CSI: Miami

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “You are my sunshine”

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Mr.Woith/Marching Band

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: Any book by Sarah Dessen

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Being accepted in to the National Technical Honor Society

PET PEEVES: Irresponsible driving

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My personality

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? Car, college, and save the rest

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Shade, water, sticks

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: Never back out any option, plans change and goals come and go. Just be happy with everything you do in life and don’t see anything as regret.