Emma Cordes

This year, the Phoenixville Phantom Baseball team had a successful season. With starting pitcher junior Jake Waller out for the season due to a broken foot, juniors Devon Landis and Jeremy Burgess stepped up to the challenge. “With mental game help from The Dog (Mike Matson), the season went well,” said Landis. “I felt myself improving and learning after every game we played. It doesn’t matter what sport it is, The Dog knows how to win.” Varsity’s record this season was 8-10, while JV’s record was 6-10 overall. Owen J. Roberts beat Methacton for the Pac 10 Title.

The Phantoms’ most memorable game this season was against one of the team’s toughest opponents, Boyertown. The Phantoms won the 10 inning game 4 – 3, showing just how much effort and teamwork they possess. “That game was epic,” commented Landis. “We were tied for so long then finally won; it was the first time we beat them in eight years! It was just a good overall feeling.”

In order to be a successful team, you need to be led by outstanding coaches. Leading the Phantoms through their victories is head coach Jack Sturgeon, who completed his 13th year of coaching. Varsity assistant coaches Mr. Huston as well as JV head coach Scott Smiley have both been coaching for about five years. “The staff is really pleased with the youth on our team. This year we only had two seniors,” stated coach Smiley. “As a team, we were able to stick together and work together and we were able to win some close games, which I think shows a lot about our team.”

The varsity team’s pitchers included juniors Devon Landis, Jeremy Burgess and Gary Moses. Catching for the team was junior Derek (Ducky) Ryan and sophomore Tommy Romano played shortstop. At first base was senior John Wieland, at second base junior Cal Milano, and playing third base was Jeremy Burgess. Helping out in the outfield was senior Andrew Ewing, with junior Matt Cohen in left field and junior Sam McQuiston in right field. “The team really worked together,” stated senior John Wieland. “We’ve learned from games throughout the season what works and what doesn’t and we just went out there and gave our all every game, just like Mike Matson would.”

Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image. The success the baseball team had this year was a combination of good teamwork, leadership and toughness they displayed all season. With the season over, the underclassmen can expect nothing but success for the future. “I was happy with the overall outcome of the season,” said Smiley. “Now the only thing to do is look forward for next year.” Congratulations on a successful season boys and although I will not be managing the team next year, I know you guys will continue to work hard and play hard!

By: Rebecca McCulloch, Grade 12

Your browser may not support display of this image. With the school year winding down, all of the students are preparing for summer, but the seniors are planning for something a little different. Unlike for all of the other students who will return next year, the end of senior year is the end of high school and marks the beginning of the rest of our lives. When we graduate on June 12th ,we will no longer be the Phoenixville Phantoms. Some of us will be the Penn State Nittany Lions, West Chester Rams, Kutztown Golden Bears, Bloomsburg Huskies, University of Delaware Blue Hens, Saint Joe’s Hawks, etc. And after that, some of us will go on to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and burn-outs…well, hopefully not. There are so many things to look forward to, but there is also a lot to leave behind. Although we might all complain about Phoenixville, when it comes down to it, we’re all going to miss it.

The Good.

Graduating high school is an exciting time. Everyone is getting ready for summer and college. There is so much to get excited about when thinking about college: independence, roommates, dorms, classes, parties, clubs, sports, and more. Gaining your independence is probably one of the most exciting things about college. No more parents nagging, “Where are you going?”, “What time will you be home?”, “Who’s driving?”, or “Where are you really going?” College offers the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want.

Then there is the whole roommate situation. There are two options: room with someone you know or have a roommate selected at random. Either way, it offers the opportunity to get close to someone you already know or to meet someone new. Personally, I think that choosing a roommate at random is part of the college experience. It’s exciting to leave it up to chance.

Another great thing about college is choosing your classes. College is so different from high school because you get to major in the classes you are interested in. Also, each semester students only have to manage four to five classes, whereas in high school we have seven classes at a time. It gives students the ability to focus on each class rather than juggling too many at a time.

But honestly, what every senior is thinking about are parties, sports, and clubs. College has so many opportunities to get involved it’s kind of hard not to. Whether you’re joining a frat or sorority, playing for a sports team, singing in the choir, or just rooting for the basketball team, you’re bound to get involved in some way.

The Bad.

Although graduating and going to college has many perks, there are some downsides. A big one that most people struggle with is paying for college. Over the years college has gotten so expensive that it forces students to base their choice of college by their financial situation. With the current economic situation, many families are struggling to make ends meet and sending children off to college doesn’t make it any easier.

Also, leaving high school can be tough. Some students have become extremely involved and have to leave their teams or the clubs they have joined. It’s hard to say goodbye to teammates whom you have played with for up to four years. You get comfortable with your routine and you know the coaches, so leaving can be difficult. Also, students who have attended different sports games can no longer cheer on the Phoenixville Phantoms as a student at PAHS. Students have also become close with different teachers and administrators, and leaving can be sad.

Finally, a lot of responsibility comes with going to college. This includes paying for tuition, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc. Although college is really exciting, with great opportunity comes responsibility.

The Ugly.

Possibly the hardest thing to do is to say goodbye to friends and family and start a new life. We all have that group of friends that is going to be nearly impossible to leave…those people that you can tell anything to and hang out with all the time. It’s nearly impossible to imagine yourself meeting new people that could ever compare with them. And for those of you who have to break off relationships, that can’t be easy. Saying goodbye to someone that you have been with for so long or even someone who you have just recently fallen for cannot be easy. And for those of you who are going to try to make a long distance relationship work…that won’t be easy either. Although it’s hard, leaving friends, family, and boyfriends/girlfriends we’ll all get through it. We will all go our separate ways and make new friends, but hopefully we will all come back to visit and keep in touch.

Graduation is a big step in everyone’s life and with it comes the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hopefully, we will all graduate, have a great summer, and then start the rest of our lives. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye, but college is going to be a great experience and we’re all going to have a lot of fun. Congratulations class of 2009!

Kathleen Pellegrino

Phoenixville Boys’ Tennis has come a long way since the Pac-10 first started in 1985-1986. Since then the team had a 196 winning streak in the Pac-10 and were Pac- 10 champions every year since, but this year suffered a Pac- 10 loss to Methacton. This is Methacton’s first season in the Pac-10 league. Phoenixville also lost to them last year in a non-league match. The team got a little down because of the loss, but Coach Scoda (and mayor of Phoenixville) was still very proud of the team. He said, “I look back at this team and I think that 196 wins in a row is a great accomplishment.” Coach Scoda has been coaching tennis in Phoenixville for 46 years. His assistant coaches are Mr. Zittel and volunteer Mr. Curley. Former PAHS student and tennis star Wanzell Flemming also volunteered time to lead the team to success.

Despite the breaking of their streak, this season went very well for the tennis team. They finished 7-1 in the Pac-10, 2-2 in the non league, and 1-1 at districts, putting them at 10 -4 overall. Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather the team was not able to play a few of their matches. They usually play about 14 matches, but only played 12 (not counting district matches).

The eight senior players rotated as the team captains; John Reading played at 2nd singles, Yusuf Brown and Steve Ng played at 1st doubles, Mike Reeves and Adam Leggieri were at 2nd doubles, Kyle Taylor and James Churgai were at 3rd doubles, and Kyle Eldridge played at 4th doubles. Not only were the seniors the leaders of the team, but some of the underclassmen acted as leaders as well. Steve Tassone at 1st singles won the Pac-10 Singles Championship. Mike Potts was solid at third singles. At the Boyertown match John McInally, who usually played at 4th doubles, was able to step up into third singles as a replacement and win his match. Freshman Doug Reeves also played in a few varsity matches.

Steve Tassone and John Reading finished 2nd at Pac-10 doubles behind Methacton. They qualified for district doubles, as did Yusuf Brown and Steve Ng, who went undefeated in the league at first doubles. In districts the team beat Octorara 5-0 but lost to Lower Moreland 2-3 in the semifinals. Steve Tassone reached the semifinals of district singles. John Reading and Steve Tassone got to the final of district doubles, almost making it to states.

Sadly, the team will lose eight key players to graduation. The seniors provided some advice to the returning players. Kyle Taylor said, “Looking back on tennis I’ve realized that you can’t just go out there and play, you have to put in the extra work and practice a lot. And make sure that at every moment you’re trying your hardest.” Mike Reeves said, “Take your time in a match, be focused and listen to what the coaches have to say.”

Tennis is a year round sport. Just because the season ends at the end of May doesn’t mean tennis is over. To have experience you have to play a lot. There’s no better time to get ready for next season than right now. A lot of the players will be a part of the Mr. Scoda’s Summer Tennis Program that takes place here at the school. (See Mr. Zittel to sign up!) Coach Scoda hopes the boys (and girls) get a lot of time to play in the summer and don’t put down their rackets.

Next season definitely seems promising with the commitment that the team shows. Two returning juniors will remain the singles players, with Steve Tassone at first and Mike Potts at second. Beyond that, the team has some tough shoes to fill and some rebuilding to do. As for this season, great job boys! Now it’s time to start a new streak of wins!

By: Ryan Tigro

The Girls’ 2009 Softball season continues the long line of success they have had in years past. Finishing the regular season with a 10-9 record (9-9 PAC-10), the girls moved on to face Saint Basil in the District playoffs. After winning 2-0, they played top-seeded Nazareth . After their impressive playoff stint last year and the return of key players, the girls look to make it far in the district and even state competition.

Senior leadership provided the team with a competitive edge. Seniors Ruth Jasienski, Kacie Nemeth, and Miranda Peto, along with juniors Molly Ferguson, Lauren Granese, and Katie Kelly held down key roles on the team. Senior Captain Ruth Jasienski, a softball veteran of thirteen years, was particularly pleased with the season. “There were a lot of ups and downs. Beating Boyertown [one of the top teams and a AAAA school] and just the senior experience was very gratifying,” Ruth recalled of the season. Ruth is going on to Towson University next year and is considering playing softball there.

The team has veteran coach and former PAHS teacher Coach Bogus, who has been coaching softball for 20 years, along with assistant coach, Coach Devlin, to be grateful for a successful organization.

There are plenty of things that the Girls’ Softball team is thankful for, even though they were consistently hindered by rainy days and indoor practice, as well as many injuries to players and the lack of a junior varsity team to provide depth. There was also a hole with the loss of Coach McLaughlin who moved on to be head coach for Perkiomen Valley. Despite all the setbacks, the girls made the best of the season. Be sure to congratulate the girls on a great season.

What are your feelings on the season?

I feel that the season went very well for having such a small and young team. It probably could have been a little better had we a little less injuries, but overall it was pretty good. Myself personally, I had a good season head to head in the pac-10 but it wasn't my most stellar season and it didn't quite live up to my expectations. Districts was a bummer too.

Positives?

There were alot of positives mainly getting to run with my close friends and being able to watch the team develop.

Plans for next year?

I'll be attending Shippensburg University majoring in either exercise science or some sort of engineering. I will be running there also with the opportunity to recieve a scholarship

By Charles Hanlon

On May 17, the Greater Philadelphia Cappies Award Gala took place. For those of you not familiar with the Cappies, they are a group of high school students that review local high school theater productions. At the end of the year, the Cappies nominate the best plays in the area for awards. For such a small school, such as PAHS, in the second largest Cappies organization in North America, to even be nominated is an honor.

However, the Cappies nominated Phoenixville for eight Cappie awards, including Best Production. As part of this nomination, Phoenixville students had to perform a “trailer,” in movie terms, of their play Twelfth Night. After several rehearsals, run-throughs, and a pizza dinner, the Phoenixville nominees got their chance to walk down the red carpet.

This year, of the 8 Cappie nominations, Phoenixville’s Twelfth Night received one award. Owen Howsen took home the Cappie award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Those roaming the halls can view the Cappie award in the display case outside of Frau Tavani’s room in the main hallway.

As Owen accepted the award, he thanked his friends, family, Mr. Porter, and most of all the cast and crew of Twelfth Night. As he returned to his seat, he was swarmed by his fellow students as they hugged and congratulated him.

As always, the Cappies would not exist without the aid of student critics. Students interested in becoming Cappies should talk with Frau Tavani. With your help, next year’s Cappies can be the best ever!

By Jacob Unson

Of all the students who will graduate this year, special note should be paid to one who would’ve graduated along with her peers had her life not been tragically cut short. Dana Marie Carr, a second grade student in Schuylkill Elementary, was involved in a fatal auto accident in 1999. Those who knew her also remember that she had her heart set on becoming a teacher.

Some time after her passing, the Dana Marie Carr Memorial Fund was established to “award scholarships to two graduating high school students who demonstrate the same potential as Dana Marie did in her short life.” To this end, the annual ‘Run for Dana Marie’ foot race has been held over the past several years in Phoenixville. The most recent run was the 10th and final ‘Run For Dana Marie’ in Phoenixville history, at the end of which her family was presented with a sort of ‘yearbook’ that commemorated what would’ve been her graduation year, and the class she would’ve graduated with. Senior Maygan Henzie, a good friend of Dana Marie, explained that “the run is a special time for all of Phoenixville to get involved and show a unique family that we all truly care.”

Her friends remember her fondly, and regret that her life was taken so suddenly. Senior Lexi Condit, who was a Dana Marie Memorial Scholarship winner, stated “I remember Dana’s generosity! We would play Barbies for hours on end and she would always let me pick out my favorite ones of hers to borrow.” Maygan Henzie added, “Dana was my best friend; I remember things like buying the same shoes together or sitting with her [on the bus] on the way to school. Little things such as these will stay with me forever.” Senior Amy Osterhoudt said of Dana Marie, “She was always fun and happy and easy to get along with; it’s just a shame we didn’t get to know her better.”

Dana Marie’s younger brother, freshman Scott Carr, also offered his memories of his older sister:

“[Dana Marie] was 8 at the time, and I remember that she always played with me a lot… she was kind, she was loving, she shared a lot, she loved everyone… she was the perfect little girl.”

Scott also went on to mention other things his sister did, such as her active involvement in the Girl Scouts, and hanging out with her friends. In her short life, Dana Marie was a social butterfly who loved her friends and family very much, and received the same love in return.

So while Dana Marie Carr is no longer with us physically, her spirit lives on in the memories of her friends and family, and in the ambitions of students who follow in her footsteps.

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Dana Marie in second grade

Alexander Miller

This school year, Phoenixville Area High School was one of the recipients of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s “Classrooms For the Future” grant. The PDE grant has been going on for three years now. PAHS applied and was accepted during the program’s third year of operation. Although PAHS only got half of the grant because of the volatile economy, it was still a good $158,000 and it was enough to make our science department a more technical learning environment.

Pennsylvania’s goal is to equip every classroom in public school as a classroom for the future. Each grant includes interactive whiteboards, projectors, laptop computers, and wireless access points. PASD had a choice of which equipment to purchase with the grant. They could’ve selected PC’s, however, they chose the Macbook by Apple Inc. PASD started using this technology with the science department because they are re-writing the science curriculum and it is great to write the curriculum around the new classroom technology. Not only did the PDE state grant provide great equipment at our disposal, they provided a new way to teach and learn for the both the educator and the student. Not only has this equipment allowed students to be more interactive with projects and assignments, it has allowed teachers to develop a new and exciting way of learning.

“The state did a great job of supporting the teachers with workshops, resources, trainers, online learning, and providing at least a part-time coaching position for the CFF grant at each school, ”stated Mr. Barron, PASD Instructional Technology Specialist and CFF Coach.

Phoenixville Area School District has also backed the grant by funding and providing internet access, wireless printing capabilities, and technical support. Apple Computer sent Eric Erb, an Apple “genius,” to train science teachers on the new Macbook. He showed the teachers Del.Icio.us, which is a social bookmarking site, and iTunes Music Library, which features educational videos, lessons, and ideas. Eric Erb also taught the teachers how to use iWeb, iPhoto, iMovie, KeyNote, and GarageBand. During in-service days the teachers have been getting computer lessons.

Mrs. Spear, the science department chair, loves the new Classroom For the Future. She said, “I love it. I can change my instruction and have a more student-centered classroom. Instead of just teaching from a textbook, I am teaching from the internet.” Mrs. Spear also stated, “Students have more ways to show me they’ve learned the material, whether it is through iPhoto, or iWeb!”

Phoenixville High School students have used the internet and iWeb to construct curriculum-based web sites on watersheds via iWeb. I also got to experience the useful and productive Classroom For the Future technology. During Biology we were given a podcasting assignment and we utilized the Mac program GarageBand. It was a very interesting a fun project to complete.

I personally feel that this grant will help all of us learn in a more creative and more interesting way. If you love technology, taking a science course next year would be your best bet! Not only do you learn the material in the class you are taking, you get to learn how to use a Mac, and learn how to utilize all of the productivity programs installed on the Macbooks.

By Charles Hanlon

On May 17, the Greater Philadelphia Cappies Award Gala took place. For those of you not familiar with the Cappies, they are a group of high school students that review local high school theater productions. At the end of the year, the Cappies nominate the best plays in the area for awards. For such a small school, such as PAHS, in the second largest Cappies organization in North America, to even be nominated is an honor.

However, the Cappies nominated Phoenixville for eight Cappie awards, including Best Production. As part of this nomination, Phoenixville students had to perform a “trailer,” in movie terms, of their play Twelfth Night. After several rehearsals, run-throughs, and a pizza dinner, the Phoenixville nominees got their chance to walk down the red carpet.

This year, of the 8 Cappie nominations, Phoenixville’s Twelfth Night received one award. Owen Howsen took home the Cappie award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Those roaming the halls can view the Cappie award in the display case outside of Frau Tavani’s room in the main hallway.

As Owen accepted the award, he thanked his friends, family, Mr. Porter, and most of all the cast and crew of Twelfth Night. As he returned to his seat, he was swarmed by his fellow students as they hugged and congratulated him.

As always, the Cappies would not exist without the aid of student critics. Students interested in becoming Cappies should talk with Frau Tavani. With your help, next year’s Cappies can be the best ever!

Kathryn Sutton
As the Vulcans say, “Live long and prosper,” a suiting motto for the Star Trek series. After decades, the futuristic films are back and just as action packed as always, proving the longevity and prosperity of this classic series. This latest movie, Star Trek (the eleventh in the series), surpassed expectations of a mediocre movie for oldies fans, and turned out to be an adventurous journey into the future with a skillful melding of the past Star Treks. Even young people can enjoy this blast from the past.

Serving as a prequel to the original films and TV series, Star Trek introduces the characters and shows how they got their start on the U.S.S. Enterprise. The movie opens with action and drama as the captain of the U.S.S. Kelvin is murdered on board a Romulan ship, and the acting captain, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), must evacuate all survivors on the Kelvin before they are also killed. To protect the fleeing refugees, Kirk stays behind on the ship and propels it into the Romulan ship, dying just as his son, James T. Kirk, is born on a fleeing shuttle.

Years later, when James Kirk (Chris Pine) is a young adult, he gives up his reckless life on Earth to follow in his father’s footsteps and joins Starfleet, a military organization to keep the peace and explore new worlds in the universe. At the academy, three years later, Kirk cheats on the “unbeatable” Kobayashi Maru test, showing that he hasn’t changed much during training. In the midst of his hearing for cheating on the test, Starfleet receives a distress call from planet Vulcan and a fleet is mobilized. Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Kirk’s friend from the academy, smuggles Kirk onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise and they depart.

Recognizing the similarities between the distress call and what happened to his father’s ship, the Kelvin, Kirk warns Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood), of the Enterprise that they are falling into a trap. Wary of the danger, the Enterprise arrives late to Vulcan, only to find that the entire dispatched fleet has been destroyed. With no choice, the captain of the Enterprise promotes commander Spock (Zachary Quinto) to Captain and Kirk to First Mate, and is taken onboard the Romulan ship. The Enterprise escapes, but the planet Vulcan is destroyed by the Romulans and Spock’s mother dies, along with most of the other Vulcans. After being faced by a situation similar to his father’s years before, James Kirk must earn control of the Enterprise to destroy the Romulan ship before it destroys Earth and all of the other planets of the Federation.

With the fantasy of time travel, the science of alternate universes, and the reality of complex human emotions, Star Trek is a well-balanced film. There is just enough sci-fi to satisfy hard core Star Trek fans while entertaining people who aren’t as fond of science fiction. It was a nice touch to have actors that closely resemble the original actors, and in this sense the casting was phenomenal. Leonard Nimoy from the original TV series also played Spock’s father and Spock as an old man, and Majel Barrett Roddenberry was brought back to voice the Starfleet computer. This is a great movie to see with fans of the original series, but perfectly fun for people new to the series as well. Star Trek is an exciting revival of the Star Trek series, and hopefully this is the first of many more Star Trek films to come.

By: Alexander Miller

I’m sure you’ve all seen a cast of senior guys walking around with abnormal attire on. One day, I was walking down the hallway when I saw what I thought was a giant girl walking, when in reality it was a senior dressed in short shorts and other feminine attire. Another day, I just woken up from sleeping in study hall and my eyes were really fuzzy. I was walking down the hallway and I thought there were fire balls flying up and down, no lie. I pulled my glasses off the top of my head down over my eyes, and I saw this cast of seniors in orange shirts jumping over the white blocks on the floor. On yet another day, I saw that SAME cast of seniors wearing beach attire. They had on sunglasses, safari hats, and bathing suits, with towels around their necks! I thought they were going on a field trip! Have I been seeing things?

One day, while sitting hanging out, Anthony Nattle, Maxx Bilodeau, Dan Kochinsky, Mark Rodgers, John Wieland, Ryan Kuhns, and Joe Kovach decided to wear crazy outfits on various “theme days” just for the fun of it. “We just wanted to do something fun before we graduated,” stated Joe Kovach. Not only were these outfits utterly hilarious, they will definitely leave a lasting impression in our minds! “We like to stand out,” Joe also stated. Each of the theme days were created by one of the seniors listed above. Anthony Nattle came up with beach day, a day where they all wore beach attire, including towels, sunglasses and safari hats! John Wieland thought of the really short shorts day, a day that… well… I’m sure the day’s name explains it all. Joe Kovach came up with Lava day, a day where these seniors wore orange colored shirts. They also needed to avoid the white floor tiles and only step on the colored ones, regardless of what it took, whether it was by using a backpack bridge, or climbing on railings. A group effort came up with the “Day 1” dress up day, a day where formal “church” attire was worn to school.

Each of the theme days gave everyone a great laugh. Not only were they creative, they were funny. Good clean fun. I think we will all miss the humor these seniors had to offer PAHS and I hope that someone from the junior class will take over the theme day tradition next year.

By: Laura Gronski

April 17th was a night of great anticipation as the audience waited in their seats, anxious to see what was in store for them in the Mr. Phoenixville pageant. As the lights dimmed and the show was about to start the audience grew quiet and the contestants came out dancing. The contestants strutted their stuff, showing off their moves and swagger for the judges. This year’s contestants included Ducky Ryan, John Wieland, Scott Crabtree, Steve Ng, Ryan Kother, Mike Randolph and Jordan Mattiola. The judges for the night were Ms. Scerbo, Mr. Gnias and Mr. Anthony, the student teacher for Ms. Santry. The hosts for the evening were seniors Steve Sabia and Kyriq Williams.

For the first event was the Swimsuit Competition. This event was full of bikinis, sarongs and grass skirts. The contestants were announced and soon paraded down the runway. Each contestant fiercely walked across the stage, boldly portraying their bodies in bikinis. John Wieland rocked the Hawaiian look, wearing a grass skirt on stage.

Next came the talent portion of the night which was kicked off with Ducky’s rap about the school. Next came one of the favorite performances of the night that had the audience cheering and singing. John Wieland sang “I Love Phoenixville,” a parody of Asher Roth’s song “I Love College.” Steve Ng showed off his dance skills, starting with some hip-hop moves and ending with an interpretive dance to “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. Mrs. Dippell was the main focus throughout many contestants’ acts, including Scott Crabtree’s act. He sang a song about missing Mrs. Dippell. Mike Randolph challenged and won in a triathlon against Ducky, which included a tricycle race down the aisles of the auditorium and a jousting fight on computer chairs. Jordan Mattiola put on a live singing performance, while playing his guitar. Ryan Kother ended the talent part of the evening with his stage performance of Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em “Kiss Me Through the Phone” with Steve Sabia and Kyriq as his background dancers.

After a short intermission the contestants were back to show off their evening gowns with their female escorts. One of the favorite gowns was John Wieland’s, whose red and white polka dotted dress was claimed by Steve to be “inspired by Minnie Mouse.” While many of the contestants walked to the stage accompanied by their escorts, Kother was carried up to the stage by his escort, Ruth Jasienski. All the other contestants looked good in their gowns, strutting down the aisles of the auditorium, eager to be reviewed by the judges.

Your browser may not support display of this image. As the judges deliberated who would win, the audience murmured quietly, waiting eagerly for Steve and Kyriq to read the ballot aloud. Everyone in the auditorium grew quiet as the winner was about to be announced. Steve Ng and Jordan Mattiola were announced as this year’s runners up and this year’s Mr. Phoenixville 2009 was… John Wieland! Congratulations to John and the rest of the contestants for a great show! You looked beautiful.

Kathleen Pellegrino


Phoenixville Boys’ Tennis has come a long way since the Pac-10 first started in 1985-1986. Since then the team had a 196 winning streak in the Pac-10 and were Pac- 10 champions every year since, but this year suffered a Pac- 10 loss to Methacton. This is Methacton’s first season in the Pac-10 league. Phoenixville also lost to them last year in a non-league match. The team got a little down because of the loss, but Coach Scoda (and mayor of Phoenixville) was still very proud of the team. He said, “I look back at this team and I think that 196 wins in a row is a great accomplishment.” Coach Scoda has been coaching tennis in Phoenixville for 46 years. His assistant coaches are Mr. Zittel and volunteer Mr. Curley. Former PAHS student and tennis star Wanzell Flemming also volunteered time to lead the team to success.

Despite the breaking of their streak, this season went very well for the tennis team. They finished 7-1 in the Pac-10, 2-2 in the non league, and 1-1 at districts, putting them at 10 -4 overall. Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather the team was not able to play a few of their matches. They usually play about 14 matches, but only played 12 (not counting district matches).

The eight senior players rotated as the team captains; John Reading played at 2nd singles, Yusuf Brown and Steve Ng played at 1st doubles, Mike Reeves and Adam Leggieri were at 2nd doubles, Kyle Taylor and James Churgai were at 3rd doubles, and Kyle Eldridge played at 4th doubles. Not only were the seniors the leaders of the team, but some of the underclassmen acted as leaders as well. Steve Tassone at 1st singles won the Pac-10 Singles Championship. Mike Potts was solid at third singles. At the Boyertown match John McInally, who usually played at 4th doubles, was able to step up into third singles as a replacement and win his match. Freshman Doug Reeves also played in a few varsity matches.

Steve Tassone and John Reading finished 2nd at Pac-10 doubles behind Methacton. They qualified for district doubles, as did Yusuf Brown and Steve Ng, who went undefeated in the league at first doubles. In districts the team beat Octorara 5-0 but lost to Lower Moreland 2-3 in the semifinals. Steve Tassone reached the semifinals of district singles. John Reading and Steve Tassone got to the final of district doubles, almost making it to states.

Sadly, the team will lose eight key players to graduation. The seniors provided some advice to the returning players. Kyle Taylor said, “Looking back on tennis I’ve realized that you can’t just go out there and play, you have to put in the extra work and practice a lot. And make sure that at every moment you’re trying your hardest.” Mike Reeves said, “Take your time in a match, be focused and listen to what the coaches have to say.”

Tennis is a year round sport. Just because the season ends at the end of May doesn’t mean tennis is over. To have experience you have to play a lot. There’s no better time to get ready for next season than right now. A lot of the players will be a part of the Mr. Scoda’s Summer Tennis Program that takes place here at the school. (See Mr. Zittel to sign up!) Coach Scoda hopes the boys (and girls) get a lot of time to play in the summer and don’t put down their rackets.

Next season definitely seems promising with the commitment that the team shows. Two returning juniors will remain the singles players, with Steve Tassone at first and Mike Potts at second. Beyond that, the team has some tough shoes to fill and some rebuilding to do. As for this season, great job boys! Now it’s time to start a new streak of wins!

Zack Weber

Over the past few weeks, PAHS has experienced quite an abnormal phenomenon that has led many to ask: is time travel really possible? March 8th, 2009 marked the annual spring Daylight Saving Time, which normally consists of advancing clocks by one hour. However, the clocks here at the high school did not comply with the change. On the contrary, since Daylight Saving Time the high school’s clocks have rotated wildly, leading to many problems throughout the school day.

The uncooperative clocks have caused much confusion among students and faculty during classes. “When is this period over?” has been replaced by “WHAT TIME IS IT ANYWAY???” Without any measure of time, test-taking took on a whole new level of difficulty. The malfunctioning clocks wreaked havoc on PSSA test-takers, and the unusual bell schedule did not help the problem. Normal, everyday activities such as signing passbooks and dismissing students from gym class have been complicated by the unruly clocks. Also, I know students (and teachers) can relate when I describe that dull class that seems to drag on and on…and on. The inability to anxiously check the time is beyond frustrating—especially when you just can’t WAIT to get to Taco Day.

Your browser may not support display of this image.So, what exactly was causing the problem? The classroom clocks are controlled by a central system that was installed in the high school several years ago. The system was set up to account for Daylight Saving Time, and the three main bell schedules were also programmed into it. However, in 2007, President Bush extended Daylight Saving Time by moving the date up four weeks in an effort to save energy and gasoline. That change, combined with the wear-and-tear on the clocks’ mechanisms, caused the system to malfunction. Consequently, the classroom clocks stopped working correctly.

The physical apparatus was finally fixed on Thursday, April 2nd. There was as an issue with the output relay in the system, and there was also a shorted circuit. The repairs were completed, and the majority of the clocks fully adjusted themselves the next morning.

The “Great Clock Catastrophe of 2009” was indeed a one-of-a-kind experience. The ordeal lasted 25 days (19 school days) and frustrated teachers and students alike. Thankfully, our (unintentional) time-travel experiment has ended.

By: Nicole Risell

Indian Chief Oren Lyons once said, “There are two times of the year that stir the blood. In the fall, for the hunt, and now for lacrosse.” There is definitely something stirring here on the PAHS lacrosse fields. With a PAC-10 record of 2-2 (2-4 overall), the Phantoms Boys’ Lacrosse team is optimistic to make the playoffs this season.

Senior captains A.J. Ryan and John Moser lead the Phantoms this season. Other seniors include Khalil Ervin, Kevin Hyland, Ryan Kuhns, Max Kulp, Chris Rossi, Matt Talarico, Dan Tornetta, and Shawn Wassel. Juniors Burke Bodo, Morgan Frees, goalie Josh Frey, Steve Kinback, John Kornaga, Tom Leupold, Mike Semenuik, Josh Sommers, Matt Viscuso, and Brian Woodall also provide the team with talent. Sophomores Vinnnie D’Innocenzo, Chris Fry, Tim Hackett, Mason Kulp, Dakota Lantrip, Bryce Morse, Evan Panepinto, Mackey Park, and Matt Randall provide depth for the Phantoms. Nineteen freshmen round out the team. The team is coached by Head Coach O’Brien and Assistant Coach Seel.

Coach Seel is eager to see how the season plays out. He defines the season as “a mixed review because we beat two PAC-10 teams and then lost to Boyertown.” After losing a lot of seniors last season, Coach Seel remains in good spirits. He said, “This year a large class of freshmen came out with a lot of skills that will definitely contribute to our successes this season.” He also said, “Any success this year will be a direct result of teamwork.” Captain AJ Ryan said, “We continue to work hard as a team and be competitive. If we keep working hard, we have a good chance of making the playoffs.”

The loss of a big group of seniors will cause a lot of changes on the field this season, but nonetheless, the Phantoms expect to play their way to many victories this year. Compared to last season, this year’s group is much more competitive in the PAC-10, already doing better than last year’s record of 5-13 (3-11 in PAC-10). The team plays against Boyertown on April 22nd. The team plays on the annex field at Valley Forge Christian College, so come out and support your Phantoms Boys’ Lacrosse team as they claw their way to victory.

By: Ryan Tigro

Perhaps you’ve been Jedi mind tricked by Ben “Kenobi” Simons, a freshman in Phoenixville High School, or have seen him wield his pencil to slay the mightiest of projects. Nothing can stop Ben Simons. Born without a left arm from the elbow down, Ben had to learn to overcome many obstacles at an early age. “Being born with one arm, I just learned to deal with things differently. It became normal and I wasn’t hindered too much,” Ben said of the use of only one arm. Ben also refused to use prosthesis, or artificial limb, when he was young, simply because it got in the way. Ben has never let his disability hinder him in any way. Ben is always an active guy and is currently participating on the school’s track and field distance team. “I also like to play soccer, run, snowboard, water-ski, hang out with friends, and am in the process of learning golf,” Ben said of his very active life-style.

One of Ben’s favorite stories is when he was at an amusement park and just got off a roller coaster. He looked into the long line and saw a bunch of kids and using his classic-happy personality, Ben raised up his one arm and claimed that he had lost it on the ride. Of course the young kids began to get upset, but not only does Ben get a good laugh out of the situation, everyone he tells the story to does as well.

In school Ben’s favorite class is Art and favorite teacher is Ms. Nesta. His favorite food is chocolate and of course his favorite movie is Star Wars with Jedi Knight, Ben “Obi-Wan” Kenobi. A Jedi is connected to the Force or life stream of everything and symbolizes an ideal way of life. Obi-Wan Kenobi is the mentor character of Luke Skywalker and Ben likes him because they share a name, he is from his favorite movie, and because Obi-Wan is one awesome Jedi. “I like Star Wars because of the way Luke overcomes his obstacles, very similar to how I do… with superior use of the Force!” Ben stated about why he enjoys the Star Wars series.

Despite bumps in the road and the obstacles an average teenager faces, Ben “Kenobi” Simons finds a way to rise above the challenges and live a very fun and busy schedule. He is a very open person and is definitely one of the coolest freshmen around. If you should see Ben on your travels in the hallways or Jedi mind tricking the teacher out of a test, tell him, “May the Force be with you.”

Kathryn Sutton

This year’s freshmen class is stepping up to the plate and leading an anti-bullying program to teach 7th grade students at the middle school about how negative bullying can be. The whole plan for the program came from former PAHS student Drew Carter’s senior project, which was presented several years ago. It was a PowerPoint presentation, which outlined a strategy to decrease bullying and get more students to care instead of ignoring the problem. So, when legislature was passed requiring all schools to have an anti-bullying program, the guidance department thought it was natural to use Drew’s ideas.

This program was further developed by freshmen in the Freshman Academy, who are responsible for putting this plan into action. Paige Ferguson, Katy Griffith, Jeremy Lander, Glendys Orellana, and Kirsten Kielburger focused time into updating Drew Carter’s power point. Dorca Salazar and Dulce Velasco, two ESL (English Second Language) students, have converted it into Spanish. The PowerPoint will be presented in classes, over the course of two days, to 7th grade students at the middle school. Abdul Kelly will give the presentation, and the ESL students from the high school will present it to ESL students in the middle school. Because Abdul Kelly is a senior, and is respected as a football player, he was chosen to present. A corresponding poster competition will also be held in the middle school; each homeroom will submit their best anti-bullying poster and the homeroom with the best poster (decided by a vote) will have a pizza party.

This terrific project was organized by freshmen students, and it promises to be a great learning experience for both the 7th graders and the freshmen involved. Next year, the guidance department would love to continue and expand the anti-bullying program. Good job and good luck in your efforts to stop bullying in our schools.

Your browser may not support display of this image.

A student being bullied

By: Nicole Risell

Speed, agility, and power are just some of the words that come to mind when talking about girls’ lacrosse. The sport of girls’ lacrosse has a long tradition of excellence here at PAHS. They ended the season last year with an impressive record of 12-8. With a current record of 5-2 (4-3 in the PAC-10), the girls’ lacrosse team is hoping to make the playoffs this season.

Leading the team this season are senior captains are Liz Jones and Becky Porter. Other seniors include Nora Gerstenberger, Julie Kachnoskie, and Kathleen Mizzi. Juniors Liz Beckerman, Tiffany Cole, Franziska Denz, Natalie Donahue, Liz Grover, Elizabeth Harris, Mariah Johnson, Emily O’Brien, Heather Parris, Taylor Schmidthuber, Kierstin Schwagerl, and Kacie Vargo are great additions to the team. Sophomores Meghan Fortmann, Karen Hayde, Casey Kobilka, Sarah Lombardi, Casey Luzins, Kat Moakes, Brianna Quay, Katie Randolph, Brandy Rogers, Britney Rohall, Kelsey Szegady, Beatriz Valdez, and Erin Watson provide the team with further talent. Fifteen freshmen round out the team.

Coach Foresta has high expectations for this season, even though it’s still early in the season and a strong group was lost from last season. Coach Foresta said, “Young players need to step it up; we can’t just rely on veterans from last year.” According to Coach Foresta, every team is good competition, but she doesn’t measure success in wins and losses. She said, “If there’s improvement from March to May, that’s success.”

Captain Liz Jones said, “As the season progresses, our growth as a team is obvious to anyone who follows our team. We are not only improving on a competitive level, but we are growing as players and bonding as a team. The girls and I are very optimistic towards our success and are looking forward to ending our season with a winning record.”

Show your support for the Lady Phantoms at their big home game against Boyertown on Monday, April 27th at 7:00 pm. Hopefully, our Lady Phantoms will experience the thrill of victory. Good luck girls!

Review by Jacob Unson

In video games nowadays, it seems like no one wants to fly jets anymore. A glance at most war-related video games these days will yield a plethora of strategy-based combat, squad-based combat and first-person shooters, but very little in the way of aerial combat. What’s that all about? Have gamers resigned the air combat genre to a life of obscurity and written it off as little more than a distraction from their knuckle-dragging, shoot-at-anything-that-moves FPS games?

If this is the case, they should be ashamed of themselves. While having hot lead snap by your head, missing your vital organs by mere centimeters, is very exciting, little can match the thrill and danger of pulling extreme-G evasive maneuvers as missiles fly around you in a deadly, fiery, high-explosive ballet. No first-person shooter can match the satisfaction of outmaneuvering an enemy fighter, hearing the piercing tone of target acquisition known as missile lock, and sending a heat-seeking missile up the enemy’s exhaust. The latest addition to the Tom Clancy video game franchise, Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X, accomplishes this task admirably.

The player starts the game by entering the flight suit of USAF pilot David Crenshaw, a member of an elite Air Force unit known as H.A.W.X, which stands for High Altitude Warfare eXperimental squadron. The very first mission has the player flying close air support just outside the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Captain Scott Mitchell and his ‘Ghost’ team in Ciudad Juarez (from Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2; H.A.W.X is set in between GRAW 2 and EndWar). The mission is successful, but it is Crenshaw’s last as part of the H.A.W.X unit, which is deactivated afterwards. Crenshaw and his wingmen are recruited shortly after by the Private Military Company (PMC) Artemis Global Security. Over the next several years, Crenshaw and his wingmen fly various types of missions for Artemis and its clients, including escorting NATO bombers, intercepting a third-world dictator, and defending an oil refinery in the Middle East.

Playing H.A.W.X has been a very satisfying experience for me. Until H.A.W.X came around, the only other air combat games I have ever played were a PC simulator for the EuroFighter Typhoon dubbed EF 2000 and the PlayStation 3 online-only multiplayer game Warhawk. H.A.W.X is a welcome addition to this genre, with more than thirty licensed real-world aircraft at the player’s disposal. The game also features a unique utility known as the Enhanced Reality System (ERS) which, when active, provides vital battlefield information such as RADAR, ammunition status, weapons targeting, airspeed, altitude, and even a neat feature where the press of a button projects a virtual flight path to intercept your currently selected target or an evasion path to avoid enemy missiles. This is also known as ‘assistance mode’, which makes flying the plane much easier but as a tradeoff, limits your spectrum of movement. A simple double-tap of the throttle or brake buttons will turn Assistance mode off, and you are switched to a much wider view of the battle area. With off mode comes a higher level of maneuverability by ‘drifting’ your plane with a steady press of the brake button and movement of your control stick.

Control-wise, H.A.W.X is easy to learn and not terribly complicated. If it feels like your plane isn’t handling as crisply as it should, you either need to look at its stats when you select one, or put it in ‘off’ mode. Otherwise, you need more practice. Graphically, H.A.W.X is decent, but there are limitations. In mid-air, the explosions of enemy targets are impressive and a sight to behold, as well as satisfying to fly through seconds after launching the missile that destroyed the enemy plane. However, when in Assistance On mode and flying a ground attack mission that requires ‘nap-of-the-earth’ flying (extremely low-level flight, practically skimming treetops), the environment gets heavily pixelated, and the trees are practically cardboard cutouts. Sometimes, you are flying at altitudes where you expect to be taken out by a tree, but instead, you fly right through it! This is a little disappointing, considering the developers worked closely with GeoEye Incorporated, the world’s largest space imaging corporation, to create the environments and locales the player takes flight in.

Despite these little bugs here and there, H.A.W.X is probably the best air combat game I have played thus far. Little else has come even close to the intensity of its air battles, where you and your wingmen can easily be outnumbered yet still shoot down every enemy aircraft in your path unscathed. Mind you, this is only the single-player campaign. An online component is included, and you can choose to either fly a co-op campaign with another player, or take on up to several players at once in the online versus mode, which includes free-for-all and team deathmatch modes. If you want the thrill of Top Gun without the silliness of Tom Cruise, then H.A.W.X is the game for you. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone while playing.
In a Nutshell

Title: Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.

ESRB rating: ‘T’ for Teen

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Nintendo Wii

Average Price: $49.99

Grade: B+

By: Alex Miller

In every school, there are interesting people who are unknown to many. “RachRow” is a junior at the high school who is FAR from boring. Although shy, once you get her talking she is hilarious!

Rachael has lived in Phoenixville ever since, as she stated, she “was evicted from the placenta!” Rachael attended Renaissance Academy from third grade until ninth grade. She began her sophomore year here at the high school. This year Rachael is taking Economics and Government CP, English 11 Honors, Biology CP, and Spanish III Honors. “Government with Mr. Varady has to be my favorite!” says Rachael. She added, “I really want to challenge myself next year and I would love to save some money by getting a few college credits in high school for free, rather than pay in college.”

Rachael plans to enter Bloomsburg University with an undecided major. She hopes to develop some ideas of where to go in the future, but in the meantime, she enjoys a wide variety of activities, such as B.O.B. and SADD. Although Rachael is a member of B.O.B. she rarely gets to attend because of her hectic work schedule.

Outside of school Rachael loves hanging out with friends, when she isn’t working at Target as a cashier/ sales floor associate. “We hang out at each other’s houses. My friends and I usually just drive around and watch movies, but lately we’ve been hiking and urban exploring abandoned buildings and bridges. I just feel like this is a constructive use of my time. I get a little bit of a history lesson and get to have fun at the same time,” stated Rachael. Her favorite places to visit include Pennhurst State School and Frick’s Lock, both located right outside of Phoenixville.

Traveling and exploring the world is what Rachael loves to do most. Rachael has been to Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, France, and England. In the summer of 2010, she will be traveling to Italy, Greece, Germany, and Hungary. “I never knew how much is going on outside the United States. It’s great. People have many different cultures and I am thankful that I am able to see so many things,” remarked Rachael. Rachael has traveled with many organizations such as People to People, EF Tours, and The Girl Scouts. She added, “Some of my favorite memories include wading by Fiji’s most gorgeous beaches, climbing a mountain in New Zealand, taking a nighttime cruise across the Sydney Harbor in Australia, exploring the open air markets and standing on the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England, and checking out the Eiffel Tower in Paris. That’s only a few of them, but they’re some of the most memorable.”

Rachael is always open to meeting new people and having new experiences, so feel free to just walk over to her and strike up a conversation. She may seem quiet and nervous at first, but when she starts talking you’ll be rolling around on the ground in hysterics. She’s one of Phoenixville’s many unknown, yet interesting and funny citizens.

Life can present us with bizarre situations that we deal with in the best way that we can. Most movies seek to portray the stories of life in a dramatic fashion. One story, in particular, focuses on a man who is born under unusual circumstances. The movie is called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and it’s about a man named Benjamin Button who is born in 1920. Although Benjamin is born the size of a normal baby, his physical means show signs of a ninety year old man. Benjamin is born with cataracts, arthritis, and wrinkly skin that makes his tiny body look like he’s extremely old. Although his body looks old, his mind starts as almost a blank slate, like any normal baby. So while his mind develops normally, his age increases but his appearance ages backwards.

In the beginning, after Benjamin is born, his mother dies. His mother tells her husband to take care of Benjamin and to give him a good life. His father takes one look at Benjamin, sees what he looks like, and becomes aggravated. He picks up Benjamin and runs away with him, only to drop him at some random woman’s door step. The name of this woman is named Queenie and she takes care of Benjamin well into his early years when he begins to talk and walk, all the while his body ages backwards.

After Benjamin has been alive for almost fifteen years, with less wrinkles and a developing mind, he meets a young girl named Daisy and begins to take an interest in her. As Benjamin gets younger, he decides to sail as much as he can on the ocean. He returns home years later, even younger, and meets Daisy again. She is obviously a lot older and more mature. They go out on a date and spend a lot of time together. Several years pass before Benjamin and Daisy meet again. At this point, Daisy and Benjamin finally look the same age. They end up dating once more and they even get married. They have a kid and seem to be happy together. However, problems begin to surface when Benjamin continues to look like he’s getting younger and Daisy looks like she’s getting older. Although their minds are equally developed, their physical looks move in completely opposite directions. Benjamin begins to feel old as his looks continue to age backwards. The rest of the movie deals with the rest of Benjamin’s life as his looks move backwards and Daisy’s struggles as she grows into old age.

The entire cast of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is absolutely fantastic. Not only are they completely versatile with having to change looks and attitudes throughout the years, but they keep their characters consistent despite the lapses in time.

The leader of this phenomenal cast is Brad Pitt, who plays Benjamin. For this part, Pitt had to wear tons of makeup and work with the special effects supervisor to put an old man’s looks on a child-sized body. Pitt also changed his voice to a Southern style to help create a sense of the South. I have to say that this is one of Pitt’s better performances. The audience fully feels the interesting struggle that Benjamin is faced with and they feel bad for him. Pitt brought his character’s confusion and uneasiness to the screen with a performance that will leave you overwhelmed. Brad Pitt was nominated for an Oscar for this performance, but lost to Sean Penn in MILK.

Cate Blanchett plays Daisy, Benjamin’s love interest. Blanchett used quite a lot of makeup in this film as well, to make her look like a young adult or a middle aged woman. I am truly surprised that Blanchett wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for her performance in this movie. This performance was one of THE BEST in the category for females in the past year. Blanchett worked well with Pitt and did an excellent job at struggling with the emotions of being in love and having life throw curve balls. Blanchett was the perfect choice for the character of Daisy and I loved watching her in this film.

Taraji P. Henson played Queenie, Benjamin’s “adopted” mother. Her love for Benjamin was a strong bond in the story line and, as the audience, we could feel her love float off the screen. She was nominated for an Oscar for this performance as a supporting role, but she lost to Penelope Cruz. As a mother, Henson acts with ideal perfection and great poise.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was originally a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote The Great Gatsby. The writer of the screenplay for this movie, Eric Roth, did a brilliant job in bringing Fitzgerald’s themes of life, death, time, and the idea that nothing lasts forever to the script for this movie. It was interpreted and brought to the big screen by an outstanding cast. The film’s technical qualities like makeup, costumes, cinematography, and visual effects, were beautifully done and were the icing on the cake to this amazing movie. Seeing this movie will help you to understand that you should enjoy what you have while it lasts. The ending that will leave no one with a dry eye.

Kathleen Pellegrino

Your browser may not support display of this image. Attempting to fill the shoes of one of Phoenixville’s most successful teachers would seem pretty hard, but Mr. Bolig is doing a very good job! During the fall semester Mr. Bolig was a student teacher here, with Ms. Riccardo. In January a job opened up here for a long term substitute replacing Mrs. Dippell, teaching 12th grade English, and Mr. Bolig got the job.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Mr. Bolig stated that being a student teacher was a good way to prepare for becoming an official teacher. He said, “The hardest thing about being a student teacher was the constant running around, grading papers and coming up with new lessons.” A new teacher has to think of his/her own lessons and come up with different ways to teach the class; it’s like starting from scratch. A veteran teacher can draw from his/her experience. There are a lot of differences between being a student teacher and an official teacher. In becoming an official teacher Mr. Bolig is for the most part on his own. He has to watch over the whole classroom, not just the group of students he works with. There is no teacher there to directly help him, and there’s no more supervisor to make sure he’s doing everything correctly. Being a long term sub here created unique challenges for Mr. Bolig to overcome. Some of his students were familiar to him from the fall, but he had to get to know all the rest. He said, “I wish I could’ve started at the beginning of a school year because there’s a good week or two to get used to everything. I jumped into things in the middle of the year, which made things difficult because there was no spare time.”

While growing up, Mr. Bolig lived in Downingtown and he attended Coatesville High School. After graduating from Coatesville High School in 2001, Mr. Bolig attended Penn State University. While he was there he planned to study engineering. During his second year at Penn State his Goshin Jitsu teacher, Sensei Graves, recommended that he should consider teaching as a career plan. Mr. Bolig then became involved with tutoring fellow engineers in their English courses. Working with other students and helping them through school made him realize teaching might actually work out. He said, “I find teaching satisfying because it’s nice knowing that I’m helping students prepare for the real world after high school.” Mr. Bolig transferred to West Chester University to get his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education/ English.

Even with the challenges that teaching brings, Mr. Bolig is very happy with his decision of becoming an English teacher instead of engineering. He said, “I chose English in the end because I feel that engineering and English are actually a lot alike. Most people would think that they’re two completely different things, but I see them as similar.” His favorite thing about teaching is seeing the interaction between students and hearing their different opinions. His number one goal in his teaching career is just to get better at it and find new techniques to help the students do the best they can.

Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image.When Mr. Bolig isn’t here teaching he enjoys practicing kendo, which is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship. He practices it in a dojo in West Chester called Ken Wa Kan. He says it’s a lot of fun, but he hasn’t been able to go for a couple of weeks because he bruised a rib practicing. He also enjoys playing video games and reading. His favorite book is The Giver by Lois Lowry. He chose that to be his favorite book because its dark themes relate to the real world and it can bring serious topics to the minds of teenagers. His favorite movie is The Empire Strikes Back. He said that it is his favorite movie because, “It’s just one of those perfect movies, and it has great directing and drama. I thought it flows really well, and it’s rare that the bad guy wins.”

Mr. Bolig is engaged to get married in the summer to a woman named Angie that he met while he was at Penn State. As of right now Mr. Bolig doesn’t have any pets, but once he gets married he and his wife would like to get a kitty which they are going to name Ichiban.

At the conclusion of the 08-09 school year Mr. Bolig hopes to get a permanent job here at PAHS and we hope he does too! Even one of his students, Emma Cordes stated, “He’s the man and anyone is lucky to have him as a teacher.” We wish Mr. Bolig luck and hope to see him back at PAHS next year.

By: Catherine DiGiacomo

Students, residents and cast members of Phoenixville had been anxiously awaiting the opening night of the high school musical Thoroughly Modern Millie for months. The night finally arrived and the atmosphere was tense with nerves. The lights dimmed in the high school auditorium, and suddenly a silk menagerie of sounds streamed through the auditorium as the audience waited in anticipation for the curtains to open. Finally they parted and we were introduced to our main character: Millie Dillmount (played by Emily Starczewski.)

Millie is a naïve country-bumpkin who comes to New York City trying to free herself from the suffocation of her boring life back home in Salina, Kansas. Her mind is crowded with hopes of finding a rich man who can fulfill her dreams of being a “thoroughly modern woman.” Within ten minutes of her arrival she is mugged and already frustrated with the city. In her desperation she trips a man walking by (Jimmy Smith, played by Liam/Mac Snead) and tells him about her tragedy. After giving her some discouraging advice, he tips her off to a place where she can stay for free until she gets some money: the Hotel Priscilla. Millie takes the tip and heads off to continue her journey in the big city with unrelenting optimism and courage. Her first goal: to marry her future boss!

Unfortunately, Millie is not the best job-seeker in town and also not the only young lady looking to find a new life in New York. After a couple of weeks, a Miss Dorothy Brown (played by Jamie Dougherty) comes to stay at the Hotel Priscilla after seeing a vacancy sign on the door. Millie, unaware of her landlord, Mr. Meers’, (played by Brendan Farrell) evil scam of kidnapping the young and beautiful tenants, assumes the vacancy sign is there because Meers is giving her the boot and replacing her with Dorothy for not paying up. Needless to say, Millie’s and Dorothy’s friendship starts off on the wrong foot, but they soon they realize they are the perfect balance for each other and become close friends. Even though money is tight, Millie never gives up her hope of finding a job. She says to Dorothy, “I’m broke, not poor. Poor sounds permanent- broke can be fixed.”

Soon after, Millie has a job interview as a stenographer for a handsome boss: Mr. Trevor Graydon (played by Ryan Lantzy), who fits all of her husband qualifications: single and good looking. But first, she has to get past the frumpy and grumpy Miss Flannery (Graydon’s secretary, played by Kathleen Mizii), whose rude comments take the audience off guard and add to the humor of this musical. Graydon approves of Mille after making her go through a rigorous interview and she immediately falls for him. Is he in love with her as well? Or is her true love still waiting for her to notice him? Is it possible that being “thoroughly modern” isn’t every girl’s road to happiness?

The beautifully dynamic characters and their contrasting life-styles captivated the PASD audience in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Emilie Starczewski firmly captured the personality of Millie, with her tireless determinism to be a “thoroughly modern woman.” Millie’s modern attitude mixed with Miss Dorothy’s adorable innocence was a terrific match. In one scene, after being confused with what a “New Yorker” was saying, Dorothy explains, “I’m from California; I don’t speak New York yet.” Meanwhile, the antics of Mr. Meers’ Asian henchmen, the Ching Ho and Bun Foo brothers, (played by the Cappelli twins) had everyone in stitches. The glamorous Muzzy “Van H” (Muzzy Van Hossmere, played by Monicka Fosnocht) wowed the audience with her dynamite vocals, while her carefree attitude made even the viewers want to be her friend. And when Mr. Graydon’s type-A personality is faced with a dramatic entrancement for, none other than, Millie’s best friend Miss Dorothy Brown, the audience is able to see a second side of him and revel in his comic love-sickness.

Charming and comical, Thoroughly Modern Millie at PASD was a high-school musical masterpiece. This romantic musical was sprinkled with humor, from the wittiness of the characters to the hilariously awkward circumstances they find themselves in. Lisa Starczewski (Musical Director), Christine Tavani (Musical Producer) and Jessica Starczewski (Musical Direction) truly conducted an amazing program. Everything from the lights (thanks to Lew Osterhoudt and Fitch Electronics), to the dancing (thanks to Diane Hodgkiss, Jean Osterhoudt and Deborah Brand Fosnocht), to the silky smooth sounds casually ascending from the musical pit (directed by Heather Moll, performed in part by the PAHS band) was dead-on, never missing a beat. The beautifully crafted costumes (designed by Lauriel Wisely, Fern Heit and Christine Howson), and the first-class scenery (prepared by Andy Cappelli, Rick Snead, Tom Horan, Jim Henzie, John Henken, and assisted by Franzi Denz, Brad DeLeone, Brett Williams, Aimee Powell and James Pappas) captured the time period perfectly, while the accents of the cast took us completely back in time. As we sang along in our heads to the fun, catchy lyrics of this musical we lost ourselves in the story. Sitting in the auditorium, watching students that I’ve known for years, suddenly transform into 1920’s New Yorkers, I had to frequently remind myself where I was. Do I regret having seen this musical? As they said in the show, “Not for the life of me.”


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoroughly_Modern_Millie_(musical)

By: Laura Gronski

Did you ever have a late night desire to get your celebrity gossip? For everyone who needs their daily craving of celebrity news with a twist, Chelsea Lately on E! is your answer. Chelsea Lately is a talk show on E! where correspondents and comedians take recent celebrity news and bash them. Chelsea Lately is on every week night at 11 pm. Chelsea Handler, the host of Chelsea Lately, uses her sarcasm and comic genius to make this talk show fun and very entertaining.

The main part of Handler’s show is called the Round Table. At this point in the show, Chelsea Handler and three other comedians and actors discuss pop culture and celebrity news. Handler usually picks a topic, whether it is Paris Hilton announcing she wants to be in the second Twilight movie, or Miley Cyrus suing her parents again; comedians on the Round Table go back and forth explaining how ridiculous some celebrities are. Some Round Table regulars include John Caparulo, Heather McDonald, Loni Love, Jason Kennedy, Giulianna Rancic, Jo Koy, Josh Wolf, Brad Wollack and Michael Yo from Yo! On E! At the end of the show, Handler always interviews celebrities, whether they have a new album coming out or they are part of a popular show. Another main part of the show is Chuy, Chelsea’s sarcastic assistant. Chuy and Chelsea have a love-hate relationship.

Chelsea Handler is not afraid to touch on sensitive topics. She always digs deep to make the show more interesting. She’s had rapper T.I. on the show talking about T.I.’s new show on MTV, T.I.’s Redemption. She had him discuss some of the things he’s worried about, such as not being able to produce music when he goes off to jail. Handler recently interviewed Russel Brand and was not shy to discuss his sex addict problems. Also, Khloe Kardashian of Keeping Up With The Kardashians came on to promote the upcoming season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and to talk about herself going to jail after skipping three consecutive DUI classes. Some of Chelsea’s questions throw the celebrities off, but most play along with them. Most of Chelsea’s questions have the celebrities laughing to themselves.

Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image. Chelsea Handler is very blunt when it comes to humiliating celebrities. She openly dislikes many celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and her lover Samantha Ronson, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Amy Winehouse, Perez Hilton (who has been on the Round Table), Heidi and Spencer from The Hills, The Jonas Brothers, Madonna and Kanye West. Chelsea is quick to bash these celebrities for anything stupid they may have said to the press. Every time Chelsea Lately discusses Kanye West she challenges him to come on the show for an interview so he can defend himself, but he is yet to be on the show for an interview with Chelsea.

Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image. For everyone who needs your dose of laughter from celebrity gossip, watch Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately. This show is very entertaining and you’ll definitely get a good laugh out of it. So get your Chelsea on with Chelsea Lately, weeknights at 11pm on E!

Sam McMaster

What is the difference between a band that makes it and a band that never finds success? Is pure talent really all you need to succeed in the music business? A group of Phoenixville students found out what it takes to make it from two very successful musical artists: Paul Hammond and Andrew Lipke, two members of the band Get the Led Out, a band that covers Led Zeppelin tunes and produces their own music.

These two talented artists came to Phoenixville on April 1st to speak about the life of a rock star. They answered questions about music piracy, work environment, and what kind of working hours a rock star keeps. They enjoy the relaxed working hours of a rock star, like getting to sleep in and start work late in the day. They also talked about the work environment of a musician, which they said was so fun it barely feels like work. They described the previous bands they had each respectively played in and what styles of music their other bands had explored. Their presentation ended with a small musical performance of a song of Andrew’s own creation. After their presentation was complete, students asked the two musicians questions of their own.

Paul Hammond is proficient in keyboard, bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar, and even the mandolin. Andrew Lipke’s repertoire of instruments includes the drums, harmonica, and bass guitar; he is also a music composer. Paul first started playing the guitar at the very young age of eight and he had started his first band by age twelve. Andrew got his first guitar at age twelve and was in several minor bands that would do cover songs or original music.

So where did these two musicians get their influences? Of course, the most obvious answer would be Led Zeppelin, but they also find musical inspiration from a wide range of artists. Some of their musical influences include The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and Metallica. However, for this band, it all comes back to the great Led Zeppelin. What makes them such a great band in the eyes of Paul and Andrew? Andrew said that “their music was very intricate, and had influences from folk, blues and even classical music.” With such a wide range of music in their arsenal, it makes sense that Led Zeppelin would have such a great influence on Paul and Andrew.

A lot of aspiring guitarists came to hear Andrew and Paul speak, including kids who love music and may want to get into the music business. What words of wisdom could these two successful musicians offer? Paul said that the best policy is to “be flexible and open to new experiences. The more styles you learn, the better off you are, so practice every day.” They also said never to skimp on technique, and to find out who influences your favorite bands and learn their style. Who knows? Maybe the words of these two men will encourage some young guitarists here at PAHS to pursue the art of music, and then one day they can be the ones giving a speech to the next generation of young musicians at PAHS.

Emma Cordes

“I feel like we have truly been making a difference this year in the community. We, as a club, have talked to youth around Phoenixville about the harmful effects of tobacco use, and I really believe that the message will stick with them.” - Steve Kinback, T.A.T.U President.

T.A.T.U is an organization in our school that stands for Teens Against Tobacco Use. The goal of this club, led by school nurse Rosemary Newcomb, is to spread a no use tobacco message to our school and community. Being an active T.A.T.U member, I know how committed this club is to spreading the word of a tobacco-free lifestyle. The club’s activities include teaching younger children about the dangers of tobacco, attending conferences, and going to places in the community and cleaning up ashtrays and cigarette butts. We spread our message any way we can in hopes to make an impact on those around us because many people don’t know the harmful effects tobacco has on the body.

Nicotine is the addictive drug found in tobacco and is the reason why most people cannot quit once addicted. Nicotine kills more people than cocaine, heroin, alcohol, fire, automobile accidents, homicides, suicides, and AIDS combined. Causes of death from tobacco-related products include heart disease, lung and esophageal cancer, and chronic lung disease, as well as cancer of the mouth, gums, and esophagus. The goal of the tobacco industry is to attract a young audience so they become addicted at an early age. This is directly related to the fact that 90% of smokers become addicted to tobacco before the age of 18 and die, on average, 10 years earlier than non-smokers. These, along with other facts, are the messages T.A.T.U tries to spread about the effects of tobacco.

Our most recent project to spread our message was a poster contest presented to 4th graders in the Phoenixville Area School District in order to celebrate a nationally recognized day called Kick Butts Day. This project consisted of a presentation from club members to all 4th grade health classes in the district, followed by the students creating posters with slogans that spread anti-tobacco messages. Winners were picked from classes, elementary schools, and finally, from the district as a whole. “I can say I am proud of everyone in our club. They have gone above and beyond to do peer-to-peer education. The younger students really look up to them and I couldn’t be happier,” said advisor, Rosemary Newcomb. Kick Butts Day is normally celebrated on March 25th but this year our club recognized it on March 27th with an assembly in the high school auditorium. The program consisted of words from Mr.Kaskey, our advisor, Representative Drucker, and the awarding of all the winners of the poster contest from schools and throughout the district. 1st place winners from all schools included Dymond Robertson from Barklely Elementary, Kayleigh Horton from East Pikeland, and Julia Rose Brown from Scuylkill Elementary School.

Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image.Your browser may not support display of this image. After being a part of this club for the past two years, I am happy to know that we have made an impact on so many lives in the community. T.A.T.U is always looking for new ways to spread their anti-tobacco message and welcomes anyone who would like to join. If spreading a message that you know helps people sounds like fun to you, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with Mrs. Newcomb or any member to join T.A.T.U!

Emma Cordes & Kathleen Pellegrino


10. Po-Po- Noun. (Pronounced poe-poe) a policeman.

“That party I was at got busted by the po-po”

9. Trippin’ -V. /Adv. (derived from "tripping”) to act crazy or hostile about something or toward someone.

"Yo girl why you be trippin’?”

8. Swagga- Noun. A person's distinctive style and confident presentation of self.

“My swagga be betta than yours.”

7. Rollin’ Up- V. To arrive, mainly through the use of a car.

“What time are you rollin’ up?”

6. Nahh mean? -“Do you know what I mean?”

“How was your day?”

“It wasn’t the best, nahh mean?”

5. Sick- Adj. Something exciting or intense.

“Yo man that movie was sick!”

4. Bangin’- Adj. - to describe how good or intense a thing is.

“That cheeseburger was bangin’”

3. Legit- Adj. To be in a state just past coolness.

“His new shoes are legit”

2. A’ight- (Pronounced "ite") All right, okay

“Do you like my new shirt?”

“It’s a’ight”

1. Jawn –Noun. An unspecified thing or person.

“Did you hear that hot new jawn on the radio?”

“Yeah man, that jawn was poppin’.”

Jessica McGilvery
Movie Review


“My name is Christine Collins. On March 10th, my son Walter Collins disappeared. A five month investigation led to a boy being brought to Los Angeles from De Count, Illinois. The LAPD told me and all of you that this boy was my son. He is not my son.” – Christine Collins

Changeling, based in 1928, is a true story about a woman named Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) who loses her son and runs into many problems with the police when trying to get her nine-year-old son back. She goes into work (at a telephone company) one day after she has already promised her son, Walter Collins, that they would go see a movie. When she leaves she promises that they will see the movie tomorrow, not knowing that she would never see her son again. When she returns home there are no signs of break-in, but Walter is not there. She becomes frantic and begins to search all over town for him. Then she calls the police and is informed that the police will not do anything until Walter has been missing for 24 hours, leaving her helpless.

The next day she tries to get help from the police but she would probably have been better off without them. Miss Collins lives in Los Angeles which, at that time, was run by a corrupt police force. In that time, the police would “get rid of” people who went against them. So they had all of the power, which they used for evil. A local Christian Minister, played by John Malkovich, knew just how corrupt the police were and would give speeches on how LA needed to change. He warned people of what the police were up to and told them that they needed to beware.

Since they have such a bad reputation, a few days later they try to improve their image by providing Miss Collins with a boy who claims his name is Walter Collins. However, when Miss Collins greets “Walter Collins” she realizes immediately that he is not her son. The main police officer, Capt. J.J. Jones, (Jeffrey Donovan) tells her that he is sure that she just needs some time with him, seeing as the boy has no place to go, and she will realize that it is her son. He even suggests that maybe he just seems different because he has been through a lot. Miss Collins takes the boy home because she feels bad for the boy, but she knows he is not her son. Hearing of her story, the Christian Minister believes Miss Collins and tries to help her find her real son.

Later, Miss Collins measures “Walter Collins” and finds proof he is not her son. He is three inches shorter than her son, before he disappeared and she took the boy to his teacher and dentist who both say that the boy is not Walter Collins. The dentist says he has different teeth and the teacher explains that he doesn’t know where his seat is in his classes. Miss Collins then goes back to the police station to talk to Capt. J.J. Jones about the differences she has found, but he will not hear any of it. When Miss Collins tries to fight for her son she is told that she is crazy and that they have already provided her with her son. Then Capt. J. J. Jones has her thrown into a mental institution. While she is enduring the mistreatment in the mental institution, the police then tell the press a twisted version of her words to make her sound like she is an irresponsible mother. Reading this, the Christian Minister starts to search for Miss Collins. While all of this is going on a police detective finds out horrific information about the real Walter Collins’ whereabouts. Where is the real Walter Collins? Will he ever be reunited with his mother? Where did the other Walter Collins come from?

This movie is full of twists and turns, and is overall an awesome movie. Through its plot, Changeling explores the corruption of a legal force, the mistreatment of the mentally ill, misuse of power, the evils of people’s actions, and all of the emotions of sadness, frustration and hope that go along with it. This movie will keep you rooting for Miss Collins and wondering what is going to happen to both boys. The fact that it is a true story makes it all that much more interesting. You have to watch it to find out how it ends! It’s now on DVD and on On Demand and I promise it is worth the rental!

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Miss Collins (Angelina Jolie) with “Walter” The Christian Minister (John Malkovich)

talking about corruption.

Mr. Barnas

The 8th Annual PAHS Computer Fair was held on Wednesday, March 18th. The computer fair featured twenty –eight student projects, all of which featured the use of digital technology. Five different categories, including digital movies, animation, graphic design, multimedia presentations, and programming made up the fair. The two projects that received the highest point totals from the judges moved on to the CCIU Regional Fair, held on April 3rd. At the Regional Fair, two students moved on to the State Computer Fair, which will be held on May 19th at Dickinson College, while five other students placed.

I was one of the judges for the PAHS computer fair, meaning that I looked at many of the projects and rated them on a rubric used in all similar computer fairs in Pennsylvania. I was asked to rate the projects based on their content, technical qualities, and audience appeal. After carefully viewing each project, I used the rubric to give the project a score. My score was then added to the scores of the other judges, which included several other teachers and administrators. These scores were used to determine which students and projects moved on to the Regional Fair.

I was able to view several excellent projects as a judge for this fair. It was clear that the students who created these projects put a great deal of time and effort into them. I was very impressed with the projects that I saw. They used a variety of techniques to convey their messages to the audience on many different topics, which included a report on the development of Phoenixville, a parody of an infomerical, and excerpts from the Phantom Morning News. Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who participated in the PAHS Computer Fair for putting together creative and thoughtful projects!

PAHS Computer Fair Winners

Animation:

1st- Steve Ng and Jess Rapp

2nd-Katie Yoder

3rd-Evan Talbert

Digital Movie:

1st-Julie Weicheld

2nd-Charles Hanlon

3rd-Steve Sabia

Multimedia:

1st-Timothy Hackett

Programming:

1st-Thomas Nilson

Graphic Design:

1st-Timothy Hackett



CCIU Regional Fair Winners

The following two students advanced to the State Computer Fair:

Timothy Hackett-1st place

Katie Yoder-1st place

The following students had projects place at the Regional Fair:

Julie Weicheld- 2nd place

Timothy Hackett- 3rd place

Charles Hanlon-3rd place

Thomas Nilson-3rd place

Jess Rapp and Steve Ng-4th place

Marissa Rock

As many people know, the Phoenixville Area High School FBLA club has been very successful the past four years. The club is advised by Mrs. Jenkins who has always worked very hard bringing FBLA its success. The purpose of this club is to bring business and education together while building leadership skills, holding fundraisers, and helping out the community. FBLA also includes competitive events in which every member has the opportunity to participate.

This year, Phoenixville High School’s FBLA had seven members who qualified and participated in the state competitions from March 30-April 1 in Hershey. The competitions are based on business courses or skills needed in the business world. There are many different events and students have their choice of which one to compete in. Public Speaking, Accounting, and Desktop Publishing are a few examples. To qualify for states, the competitors had to place in the top three (or four, depending on the event) at the regional level. The majority of the events required the competitors to take a written test and/or be interviewed. The competitions are more difficult than one might imagine because when students take written tests or sit through a nerve-wracking interview, they are also going up against all the other FBLA competitors in the state.

The participants in this year’s competitors and events were Brynna Labik- Accounting I, Alex Kray- Business Calculations, Tyler Lutz- Sports Marketing, Matt Peeling- Accounting II, Nick Rabena- Computer Applications, John Bozzelli- Accounting II, Marissa Rock- Ms. Future Business Leader.

Out of the seven students who participated, three of our students placed in the state’s top ten! Alex Kray placed fifth for his event, Nick Rabena placed tenth and Marissa Rock placed eighth. Congratulations to all of the participants!

Another FBLA success from this year was the Poverty Project. Our high school collected many toiletries that benefitted the Phoenixville Area Community Services. They were very pleased with the outcome and thankful for everyone who donated.

Our high school’s P-Mart store is also an accomplishment of FBLA. FBLA members sell snacks, candy, drinks, and other items that the cafeteria does not. The store is open Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunches… so if you don’t want to stand in a line and enter a pin code every day, stop by P-Mart and buy something to benefit FBLA!

An exciting upcoming event is the FBLA has been the Dodgeball Tournament. This year’s tournament is on April 30th. Tickets are being sold at all lunches starting the week of April 20th, so bring in your money and get a Dodgeball team together to compete for the title of this year’s Dodgeball champions!

Overall, the Future Business Leaders of America is a very prestigious and well-known club. Therefore, being involved in FBLA looks excellent on college transcripts. Even if you’re not interested in going into business, you will learn important skills and find being a member very beneficial. So if you’re thinking about joining, see Mrs. Jenkins. You’ll have a great time and learn a lot in the process.

By: Britney Styers

On Monday, April 13th 2009 the Philadelphia Phillies lost their beloved announcer who had been with them longer than any player or coach. Harry Kalas died of a heart attack in Washington, D.C. He collapsed in the press box at approximately 12:30 PM, several hours before the Washington Nationals' home opener against the Phillies. Kalas was rushed to George Washington University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:20 PM.

Harry Kalas began his career in 1962 calling minor league games for the Hawaii Islanders while he was in the United States Army stationed in Hawaii. Harry made his major league debut in 1963 with the Houston Astros (then known as the Colt .45s). Harry was hired by the Phillies in 1971 to succeed Bill Campbell, and was the master of ceremonies at the 1971 opening of Veterans Stadium. After the retirement of By Saam, Harry was paired with Andy Musser and Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. Harry joined NFL Films in 1975, and remained there until his death.

With his favorite phrase “Outta here!” and his unique voice in NFL films, Harry Kalas will live on forever in the hearts of Phillies fans all over the world. Harry’s death on April 13th 2009 impacted millions of Phillies fans. “We lost our voice today,” Phillies president David Montgomery said. “He has loved our game and made just a tremendous contribution to our sport and certainly to our organization.”

Harry Kalas’ passing affected both teachers and students alike here at PAHS. “He can never be replaced,” commented Mr. Burns. Mrs. Hudgins stated, “I enjoyed listening to his voice during baseball games.” As for the students, Robby Werner said to Harry Kalas, “You’ve touched the heart of every Philadelphia Phillies fan. We’ll never forget you.” Harry Kalas will be missed by people all over the world and will live on forever in their hearts.

Brandon Hershey said it best: “Although you’re gone, you’ll never be outta here!”

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Harry Kalas Memorial

Kathryn Sutton

Results are in from the 70th Annual Latin Week competitions sponsored by the Philadelphia Classical Society. The classical society was founded in 1924 to promote the teaching of Latin and Greek in the Philadelphia area. Latin students from schools in the area can submit works of art from several categories including drawings, painting, sculptures, posters, models, or literary works like poems or stories. They can also take an academic test, and they qualify for an award if they place in the top five highest scores, for their level of Latin, in their district. Latin III and IV students were given an exceptionally hard test, similar to some tests from an intermediate Latin university level course. Congratulations to the following winners from PAHS:
Project Winners

Latin I: Rebekah Cox, an original centaur story

Kathryn Sutton, drawing of Furies

Latin II: Kayla Allen, hippocampus diorama

Alexander Clark, Nemean lion drawing

Felicia Dellaquila, Empusa goddess drawing

Catherine Hamilton, Pegasus drawing and Medusa model

Latin III: Evan Panepinto and Jeremy Witcher, Polyphemus diorama

Michele Wisely, phoenix model

Academic Winners

Latin I- Emily Boring

Rich Brenner

Vincent Ciaverelli

Kathryn Sutton

Latin II- Kayla Allen

Catherine Hamilton

Alyssa Lipcsey

Joseph Mc Erlean

Ryan Vogan

Latin III – Michele Wisely

PAHS students did very well at this year’s Latin Week competition and should do even better next year!

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Michele Wisely and Evan Panepinto holding their projects Michele Wisely with her phoenix model

Your browser may not support display of this image.Evan Panepinto with his Polyphemus diorama

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Michele Wisely’s phoenix model Evan Panepinto and Jeremy Witcher’s Polyphemus diorama

By: Sam McMaster

TV is a big part of modern society, and let’s be honest, a lot of us enjoy it in excess. Regardless of your age, you probably have at least a couple shows that you cannot miss, and probably other shows that you like to watch too. Quite a lot of us suffer from television addiction, and there is nobody out there trying to stop it. Or is there? One teacher at this school decided that it was time to try and unglue the eyes of his class from the TV screen. That teacher is Mr. McColl; an English teacher here at PAHS. He created the “NO TV” competition as a challenge to his students. He said he wanted to “make students see how much time they were budgeting for other things for the sake of TV” He wanted to make his students realize how much of an influence television has on their lives.

The rules of the competition were simple: no television usage of any kind. The TV could not be used for shows, the news, movies or video games. If a student used the TV for anything at all, they were automatically out of the competition. And for students who are fans of Hulu.com, sorry but if it’s a television show, it makes no difference what they view it on. Since Mr. McColl could not monitor the students, he left it up to their sense of honor to tell him if they had broken down and turned the TV on. The game would end when only one student remained.

How did the students of Mr. McColl’s class react to the idea of no TV? In a word: negatively; most of the students were so hardwired to watch TV that by the end of the first weekend half the class was already out of the competition. After that massive drop, the remaining students slowly dropped off until only two remained. One, Jasmine Nicholson, finally broke down while out sick. The winner was Mike Robey, who successfully made it three weeks without television. How did he accomplish this? He said, “Whenever I found myself tempted to turn on the TV I just went outside. When I ran out of books to read, I went to the public library to read.”

The prize for the winner is a very appropriate twenty five dollar gift certificate to Barnes & Noble, so Mike can buy new books (since he read all the ones they had during the competition!) Now that Mike is able to watch TV again, you would think he would be glued to the TV box, but the opposite is actually true. Mike claimed, “Now that I can watch TV, I still don’t find myself watching that often because I’m used to not watching now.”

Perhaps we should take note from Mike and the other students of Mr. McColl’s class and turn off the TV a little more often. Try reading instead; it’s something that can be really entertaining and stimulates your brain. People have become so addicted to the TV and the computer that they forget sometimes that they can hang out and have fun with others. Never forget that there is a world outside that talking box, and it’s waiting for you to come out and enjoy it.

Kathryn Sutton


Some freshmen students in Freshman Seminar (formerly called Success in High School) have begun volunteering their time to tutor middle school students in math. Mr. Hoshaw, a middle school math teacher, contacted Mr. Yeager with his idea for helping out 6th grade students, and Mr. Yeager thought it would be great for students in his 7th period Freshmen Seminar class. It’s a great way for freshmen with a gift for math to help out middle schoolers, as well as brush up on their basic math skills.

The opportunity was offered to any freshmen in 7th period Freshman Seminar with Mr. Yeager who feel they are able to help with math and are comfortable with tutoring. There is no GPA or math grade requirement to join. Currently, Sarah Hammaker, Aaron Sifford, Joe McErlean, Jackie Scheidel, Bridget Mcloud, Brad Deleone, Mary Newman, Greg Hodgkiss, Samantha Schumacher, Sean Daugherty, Hao Ngo, Catherine Quinn, and Ari Levine are tutoring. “It’s an awesome opportunity for freshmen,” said Mr. Yeager, “not only to give back to the middle school, but to start building their transcript.”

Equally as important, the middle school students are benefiting from the aid of the freshmen, and the one on one attention they receive. Khilan Vyas, a middle school student, commented that, “It’s easier to talk with the tutors than [it is to talk to] a teacher; teachers are also good, but it’s better because [the tutors] pay more attention.”

Many of the tutors find it refreshing to review the basic math many high school students have forgotten. “Brushing up on your basic math is great,” stated tutor Catherine Quinn. “I really forgot a lot!” With the recent success of the math tutoring, Mr. Yeager and many freshmen report that they would like to expand the tutoring to more subjects. Jackie Scheidel contemplated that, “Math is important, but there are other things. I definitely think [the program] should expand.” Perhaps in the near future, freshmen will be heading over to the middle school to tutor in science, language arts, and foreign languages too. So far the math tutoring program has been a great success and hopefully may expand to encompass more topics. Good job and good luck freshmen!

Kathryn Sutton

Gossip was flying at the beginning of this school year over the newly introduced Freshman Academy. What is it? Why was it started? Is it good? For those who aren’t freshmen the news is mixed; teachers make it sound great, this school paper reports good news, and yet the freshman complain. Now, a semester into the 2008 – 2009 school year, some honesty can be brought to the table over the Academy.

The Freshman Academy is a touchy subject for some people, and the opinions of the students vary greatly. This year the Academy was instituted to aid incoming freshman with adapting to the high school, and making sure they have the skills to succeed in the following years. It is also a response to mounting studies showing the problems many students have in the transition between middle school and high school, where many students’ grades tank. As a major part of the Academy, a new class called Success in High School (SIHS) became mandatory for all freshmen. A semester later, some of the students are thankful for the extra help, while others are frustrated and would rather be on their own. Others are unsure, and don’t have a definitive point of view. Not much can be done to change the Academy now because of scheduling constraints, but is the opportunity to improve the program and avoid pitfalls that have occurred this year, so that next year things can flow smoothly.

In December 2008, 31 students of varying grade levels took an anonymous survey about the Freshman Academy. Here are the results of the surveys:

* 68% of the 31 students surveyed thought that they were well prepared for high school.
* 2/3 of the 31 students surveyed said they had good grades their first semester of high school.
* Although 59% of students surveyed appreciate the effort of the school to aid incoming freshman, 67% would choose not to be in the Academy.
* 3/5 of students said they don’t like being divided into teams.
* 81% of freshmen would rather take an elective than SIHS.
* Most students struggle with time management, study skills, and understanding GPA & class rank in high school. (Topics covered in SIHS)
* A majority of students said that high school rules, public speaking, and plagiarism weren’t problems for them, so there’s no need to include these in SIHS

Many students aren’t pleased with the Academy and would rather take an elective, but the Freshman Academy shouldn’t be abandoned so soon. The hostility toward the program is in part because it is a change, even if it is to help students. No matter how the program is changed there will likely still be harsh criticisms of it because it is in its early stages. In a few years most of that will die down, and the Academy will be much better because of time and experience. Students will likely be warmer towards it even if they don’t love it.

Some suggestions from the surveyed students may help teachers and administrators running the program. For example, instead of making the SIHS class mandatory for all students, target the ones who had lagging grades in middle school. The question for teachers is how to determine which grades count as lagging, as grading expectations differ between middle school and high school. One option is to devise an assessment for eighth grade students. Also, to make the SIHS class a few days a week instead of every day, or only one semester long. Contrary to the opinions of the teachers, many students believe there isn’t enough material to cover a full year, and students could take an elective second semester. A problem here might be creating enough electives for all of the students, but it makes more sense. Lastly, the students like spending time with their guidance counselors, and planning for the future. Maybe a good way to help the program would be to expand the number of days the students spend with their counselors from one, to two or three.

Another major reform for the program would be to edit the curriculum and take more time for planning and development. Freshmen surveyed reported that GPA, class rank, study skills, test taking skills, and what colleges look for were topics they really feel really they benefitted from. Stress management, high school rules, plagiarism, and the resources at PAHS were topics that some students felt were pointless. Using Vista and SAT prep are also potentially good topics to cover. An issue is that what is useful to one student isn’t a problem for another, so the curriculum is a lot of give and take. There also should be no homework for the class; it should be more fun, or more like a study hall.

Another suggestion is that there shouldn’t be teams. Teams were formed so that students’ English, Global Studies, and IEE teachers would be grouped together. That way, students could visit other teachers for help in SIHS. Also, the teachers can get together and discuss how to help students who are having problems, which is the main reason teams were started. But, with topics to teach in SIHS, students can’t visit another teacher on their team without missing class. Unfortunately, some students don’t have all of their teachers on the same team anyway. These cross- team students are at a severe disadvantage because teachers have tried to overlap projects into SIHS. Originally, students were supposed to take all honors or all CP level classes to eliminate cross-teaming. This idea was unpopular among students and parents and was quickly shot down. Teachers also have problems addressing both overlapping projects and the curriculum for SIHS because of limited time. There are other ways to help students without teams. Personally, as a freshman, I don’t think SIHS is a pointless idea for students. The concept is fine, but teachers need to target the students who need help with poor grades or lagging skills, rather than all of the students. Also, the organization and planning for the Freshman Academy was a little rushed, but the school can make it work with some changes.

Recently, a task force of board members, parents, students (current and graduated), teachers, administrators, and a college professor met to discuss the Ninth Grade Academy and the Success in High School course. It was decided that the Success in High School course is going to be renamed Freshmen Seminar to more accurately describe the course. The course teaches skills and concepts that are beyond success in high school. The curriculum is going to be reviewed and differentiated for the College Prep and Honors level. New changes will be discussed in future articles!

By: Ryan Tigro

Can you handle the responsibility? The pressure? The work? Can you handle taking over as Superintendent of the Phoenixville Area School District several months into the school year? Answering yes to all of these questions, Dr. Mancini has responded to the beck and call of the concerned residents in the area to get the Phoenixville Area School District back on track.

Earning his B.A. and M.A. from West Chester University and another M.A., as well as his Doctorate, from Lehigh University, Dr. Mancini has an accomplished resume. Dr. Mancini also brings a variety of firsthand experience and knowledge to Phoenixville. He began his educational career in Lancaster, where he held every position from teacher to principal. After seventeen years in Lancaster, he became Superintendent of Schools in Brandywine Area School District for eight years. Finally, he worked as Superintendent in the Upper Merion School District for seven years before retiring.

As Superintendent, Dr. Mancini’s job is to oversee all the schools in the district, meet with principals and discuss what is best for their school, and help establish a budget for the schools. These tasks add up to a massive 60-hour work week. Sometimes from four in the morning to seven at night, Dr. Mancini will be navigating and discussing the various tasks at hand in the area. Dr. Mancini’s goals are enormous undertakings in themselves. “The school district has to be good for everyone,” Dr. Mancini said. “My top three goals are to get through the economic struggle by creating a budget that can satisfy the people and keep the students happy, begin working on ideas for the new middle school (estimated to open in 2012!), and overall management of the area.” Dr. Mancini predicts that there are sure to be challenges in getting everyone to understand some new changes and trying to fund all the projects which, ideally, will make Phoenixville a better community.

Dr. Mancini is only an interim Superintendent, though, which means that by June 30th there needs to be a permanent replacement. The process of finding a replacement is vigorous and challenging. Through an executive search consultant, Dr. Mancini and the school board will get input from the community for the candidate’s qualifications and develop a job description based on that information. They will then send out an advertisement and screen applications of 10-12 candidates that will go through an extensive interview process. Dr. Mancini’s personal top qualities of a Superintendent are one’s, “work ethic, interpersonal skills, overall knowledge, orientation to kids, communication, and integrity.” His top priority, however, is in the best interest of the kids. “You have to care about the kids; if not, you can stay home,” he said.

Dr. Mancini started as many high schoolers do, with lots of talent but un-ambitious. “I didn’t work real hard in high school. I had lots of talent but didn’t know how to hurt. I learned that you can handle anything if you put in the effort. The Army helped me hurt and learn self discipline,” he admitted. His guidance counselor even asked, “Are you sure you can handle that?” when Dr. Mancini talked to him about college. Dr. Mancini could and did; he has faced plenty of challenges in his career and brings a positive atmosphere to Phoenixville. If you happen to catch Dr. Mancini during his busy day, give him a warm welcome and friendly thank you for accepting the needs and responsibilities of the community. Don’t forget to ask yourself, “Can you handle that?” during the next obstacle in your life. Like Dr. Mancini, you can answer “Yes,” hurt, and rise to any occasion.