Blast Back: Santa Surprise from Scott Andrew on Vimeo.
Blast Back: Happy Holidays
January 4th, 2010Blast Back: Lost & Found
December 18th, 2009
Blast Back: Lost & Found from Scott Andrew on Vimeo.
Blast Back: Video Editorial
December 4th, 2009
Siren Video Editorial from Scott Andrew on Vimeo.
Fair Play with Fawn Rawl
December 2nd, 2009Lincoln Park basketball preview: Keys to the season
Tigers are busy roaming in the fields. Lions are busy prowling the jungle. And Lincoln Park’s Leopards are busy in the gym preparing for their upcoming basketball season!
Last season the Leopards came up against a few setbacks, including their one-point loss and season-ending game against Clarion. But after speaking with athletic director/new head coach Mike Bariski and a few of the players, it’s clear they don’t plan to let anything or anyone get in their way this year.
With the start of the season just a few weeks away, we wanted to be filled in on what the team thought would be the keys to this year’s success and obstacles:
Key newcomers and departures: With three integral players — David McCauley, Marcus Brown, and Justin Hosack – graduating last June, the Leopards felt sort of in a rut. But not long after these players’ departure, the coaches and remaining teammates realized they had a lot to look forward to in the arriving year.
“It’s close to impossible to replace David McCauley, but for the most part his scoring and ability will be split between three guys, and that will be Sean Shirley, Devontae Watson, and Kyle Taylor,” said Bariski.
With the newest additions — Jalen Katrell; freshmen from Midland, junior Kyle Taylor of Quaker Valley; and junior Seth Davis of Cornell all joining the Leopard family this year, the players and coaches suggest that they are at no disadvantage from the departures of last year. Another newcomer they were able to welcome is assistant head coach Mark Javens.
Key injuries: Through the duration of the season preparation, the Leopards thought everything was in place. However, a few weeks ago, point guard Kyle Taylor was injured during practice. When asked about the incident, Bariski expressed his determination for nursing Taylor back to health as soon as possible and not letting it take much of a toll on the jump of the season.
Taylor seems to agree. “I’m rehabbing right now and working on seeing doctors. I plan to wear a brace during the season to help, but overall I don’t think it will have a big effect on my playing because I always go hard.”
Key rivalries: At the end of last year, rumor was that the Leopards had formed many rivalries. After speaking with a few of the players, the rumor was primarily proven true. Sean Shirley, a senior from Midland and also team captain, said, “I’m thinking the season-opener against Blackhawk will be somewhat of a challenge because they’re Triple A and we’re Single A. In the past we haven’t had much success against them and I’m hoping we might have it this time.”
As the interviews progressed, there seemed to be a pattern. Each player felt their previous high school would be their biggest challenge. “In relation to our old schools, we like to think of it as more of a friendly rivalry,” said Keith Hutchins, a junior from Midland.
Key improvements and advantages: In a recent interview with Coach Bariski, there seemed to be a lot said about the newest players and their advantages, one of these being “the tremendous amount of size.” The tallest players on the team are Jalen Katrell, a freshman who stands at 6’4”; Seth Davis, a junior who stands 6’6” and the tallest, Devontae Watson, a towering sophomore standing six foot nine. Bariski said that of these three players, Watson “has the wingspan of a seven-and-a-half footer and for his size, has adequate leaping ability”; Davis “is a basketball player in a football player’s body, who is more of a physical player and will rely on his strength”; and Katrell, who “is big and young, has unlimited potential and is expected to be the next great basketball player out of Midland in the years to come.”
Key Dates: The Leopards kick off the season Dec. 11 and 12 by hosting the Midland Tip-Off Tournament. Teams participating include New Brighton, Blackhawk and Center.
Until then, each individual player with the Leopards is hard at work, and they have made it clear they think this year is there for the taking. “Our future looks so bright, one of the more appropriate reasons being that were so young,” said Bariksi. “There’s Dante Hutchins and Sean Shirley that are seniors, and once they’re gone the other 14 that are left are all juniors and down. We anticipate being competitive and quite good this year.”
Cuddle Magic: Picture (FYO)
December 2nd, 2009Cozy Up To Some Cuddle Magic
Picture, the sophomore album by the “psychedelic chamber folk ensemble” Cuddle Magic, is set for release February 9, 2010.
Cuddle Magic is a group consisting of a number of talented musicians from the northeast area, many of them coming from the New England Conservatory. The music Cuddle Magic produces dwells under the shadow of no specific genre, instead touching upon many styles such as avant-pop, jazz, classical, and world music. Cuddle Magic’s esoteric approach to music may only appeal to certain listeners; however, there is something to be said for the unique qualities of Picture, which can be appreciated by most, if not all.
The instruments used on the album include violins to vibraphones, banjos to basses and much more—all of with are professionally played and seamlessly arranged. The vocals are calming, reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel, with whimsical yet strangely poetic lyrics, such as “whitened germs in a vacuum/chewing Happydent gum”; it makes less sense until listened to. Several songs from the upcoming album can be heard on the band’s website (www.cuddle-magic.com).
Cuddle Magic’s Picture is made up of some very experimental music but the lush and beautiful soundscape is an experiment to be considered a success.
Cuddle Magic with be appearing along with Boca Chica December 9 at Modern Formations in Pittsburgh.
~Logan Thomas
Adding It Up: Lincoln Park students cram for math with new course
December 2nd, 2009Many students here at Lincoln Park have been missing their arts classes lately due to a course called Comprehensive Math. It is a product of Title One, a federal program which goes towards promoting math and reading.
“This is one of the ways we’re promoting math,” said Lindsay Rodgers, Title One Coordinator, who controls the federal funding at Lincoln Park. “[The goal is] to prepare students to reach a proficient level before graduation…which is a graduation requirement of the school and also falls under both national and state expectations for students.”
There are Title One staff members who teach the math classes—Sarah Marcy and Lynn Parr. Students meet with them two days a week or one day a week based on their individual needs. But how are the needs of each student calculated?
“We’re using an online assessment program offered through Plato Learning,” said Rodgers. “It provides us with benchmark exams [which are given three times a year] to test various proficiency levels in various subjects and can also provide online remediation courses in each subject.” Rodgers explained that they chose the teacher-taught classes over the online courses because junior year is “such a major year.” She also mentioned that the freshman and sophomore classes may also qualify for online instruction time through Plato.
But not all the students were forced into the program. Due to a glitch in the original testing, some were placed in the Comprehensive Math course even though they had proficient scores. Several of them, however, chose to stay.
“I’d rather be in the class than get a low score on my PSSAs,” said junior Cassie Hall. “It is helping me, because a lot of the stuff I didn’t know. It’s not necessarily exciting; I’m educating myself.”
Stelanie Chirgott, also a junior, had similar reasons for staying.
“I felt that it’d be very beneficial to take that class,” Chirgott said. “If you know how expensive SAT and PSSA prep is, to have a free class handed to you, there’s no reason not to take it.”
Chirgott is “really into studying for the SATs and PSSAs.” She is taking an online Kaplan SAT prep course and owns three SAT prep books. She ranks the Comprehensive Math course above all the other methods.
“Nothing helps more than a teacher teaching you. All of these tests are logic-based. I can’t learn from book logic. I have to be taught it,” said Chirgott.
Chirgott also understands the stakes of the PSSAs for Lincoln Park. “If we don’t pass, the arts are going to be gone. For everyone. If you think about the consequences if we don’t pass, it definitely outweighs this class.”
When asked if she would take advantage of the reading course in the spring, Chirgott replied, “There’s no point in not taking something that’s given to you.”
~Taylor Sirko
Club Corner with Lauren Brunke: Fun and Gaming
December 2nd, 2009Every year when clubs are chosen, there are always a few clubs that students are a little unsure about. Sometimes it is because they are not sure what the club is or because they do not know what they club does. Either way, they are hesitant to sign up for them and in turn move on to choose a more popular, well-known club.
The Game Design Club is one of those lesser known clubs here at Lincoln Park. It is not overwhelmingly large like other clubs – it has about 20 members — and there is not always much activity seen. That does not mean that the Game Design Club does nothing because the members are actually working quite hard. During club meetings, the members experience some of the newest types of gaming technology. They are currently working with Blurst, which is a website that features high-flash games.
The club, which meets in the Media Design Lab, does not have much planned for this year just yet. Doug Sharp, the advisor who is in charge of the Game Design Club, would like to plan a field trip to GEARS and possibly to some game design studios in Pittsburgh. GEARS (Game Environment Applying Real Skills) is a program that is part of the Lincoln Interactive program, run through the National Network of Digital Schools, and it works to create educationally-based games. According to Sharp, “Kids are more likely to play video games than to study, so why not get them to study while playing games?”
Unlike the majority of the clubs at Lincoln Park, the Game Design Club does not have a president or any officers. Sharp and the members of the club agreed that it is very laid-back and has no need for officers. There are members who have been part of the club in previous years and some new, just like any other.
Taylor Heinselman, a junior, is a new member to the Game Design Club. For her, Game Design Club was not her first choice but it worked out well for her. Heinselman says that she enjoys experimenting with games and that there is a possibility that she will want to go into a career for gaming design or computer programming.
A second-year member of the Game Design Club and a sophomore here at Lincoln Park, Brandon Stettner, says that the club is much better this year. He stated that last year the attendance to club meetings was very poor and the club activities were only available to select members due to a lack of computers. This year, there are less people in the club which means there is not a problem with the computers. He says that this year the Game Design Club is more of a “doing stuff club” and that members are actually playing games and getting more involved.
Senior Dan Burnside has been involved in the Game Design Club for the past two years and the Gaming Club for one. He says that it has changed a lot in the previous years. When the Gaming Club was still available, more people actually played games. It was focused on a more social aspect. If someone found a good game they might bring it to other members of the Gaming Club who would then play it. “It was a bunch of gamers doing what they do best.” He says.
Although it is not as well known, the Game Design Club is an active club that is really doing things this year. The members are stepping up their game and really doing a lot more than they have in previous years. Things seem to be getting better for the Game Design Club members and hopefully there will be positive advances for the club throughout the year.
The New Faces of Lincoln Park
October 22nd, 2009This year, as Lincoln Park welcomed back new and old students alike, they also welcomed for the first time a few new staff members. These new staff members range from teachers of math, English, and science, to people who work heavily with the administration.
One of those new additions to the staff of Lincoln Park is our new assistant principal, Jonathan Ludwig.
“I’m actually a working consultant for the National Network of Digital Schools,” said Ludwig. “I was asked in a meeting if I would be interested in [working at Lincoln Park], for the experience.”
His goal here is to work closely with the administration.
“Right now I’m getting to know the building, sitting through lunch, studying the attendance and then talking with the students who are late,” he said. “Just helping out.”
There are also a few new teachers in the academic field. A second Spanish teacher, Donald Wilson; two new math teachers – Sarah Marcy, who teaches Algebra 2, and Jerome Herring, who teaches geometry — and another English teacher, Ed Wesolowski, have all been hired this year, along with a new guidance counselor, Lynn Parr, who has a dual role and is working now as a chemistry teacher. There is also a new addition in the arts. The music department has welcomed instructor Christina Howell, as well.
But as for Ludwig, he’s adjusting to the ever changing environment of Lincoln Park.
“I hope it’s a positive year for everybody,” says Ludwig, “I hope to learn more and help out the administration.”
– Louis Ivan
Book It!: Lincoln Park Students Start BatCat Press
October 22nd, 2009
Lincoln Park is going to be making books—books with spines and covers and designs. That’s right: BatCat, the new student press, has started its first year.
Last school year, the Literary Arts Department developed a class called Bookbinding in which students learned basic to advanced binding techniques and created their own books and journals. Since then, the idea has expanded into the start of a small, student-run press.
Deanna Mulye, the teacher who started Bookbinding here, said the press “was an expansion on what we already have. We wanted to do more with Media, and we had the resources. It seemed natural.”
The small press is run modestly. The staff consists of a mere six students, though there is also a section of the Media Arts Department dedicated to helping with the design and formatting aspect of the projects. There is only one single machine used to aid the staff with binding, and all binding and designs are to be done by Lincoln Park students.
BatCat’s mission statement, as summarized by Mulye, is to “publish works of high entertainment value, but also of high literary value…and to give students the opportunity to work in a semi-professional working environment.”
Submissions are not limited to alumni or students of Lincoln Park, however, and are open to anyone. Over the summer, the staff worked on promoting submissions through events like the Small Press Festival (SPF) in Pittsburgh. They did receive submissions from people (“mostly younger people,” said Mulye) not affiliated with the school. When asked if any of the outside works were to be published, she replied, “We haven’t made any solid decisions yet.”
The staff set a goal for the number of works it wants to publish, however. They are aiming for five books this year, “two definitely for the fall, possibly three,” said Mulye. The staff picked the works for their first two books, but production is sill in the editing and design phase.
Senior Courtney Druzak, staff manager of the press, said there will be “hundreds of copies of each [book we produce].”
When asked where books could be found, Druzak said that the press is “compiling a list of local bookstores. We can’t use big [chain] stores…but maybe small, local ones.”
For anyone interested in submitting, Mulye also stressed that the press is “open to a variety of genres.” For the books to be published in the spring, no definite selections have been made yet, and according to Mulye, the press will be reopening submissions “late this year.”
For more information, visit BatCat’s website:
http://www.batcatpress.com/
–Taylor Sirko
Blast Back!
October 22nd, 2009Want to make your voice heard? Want to send us a story idea or tip? Want to just get something on your mind off your chest? Then e-mail Blast BacK! at lppacs.siren@gmail.com !
Dear Editor,
The online paper seems a bit dull. I was randomly thinking about something while reading one of the articles. Would you consider adding a comic strip page? There are many artists in the school so it would not be hard to find someone to do one for each week. Try to conduct a contest for which comic or picture that can be used for next week. Just a possible idea that could help.
Sincerely,
Alexandra Black
Grade 9
Dear Editor,
The clubs were to be chosen today, and drawing (art) classes were not on the list. Drawing (art) club would efficiently be used for media and any other student that is interested in the club. Many students are in different majors rather than media and are interested in art classes but can’t because of their major. I think this club would have many benefits as well as helping students discover new interests.
Sincerely,
A person interested in art.
Brittany Morrow
Grade 11
Dear Editor,
In a school of mostly open-minded students there seems to be one thing most of the veterans of LPPACS have a very common view on: New kids don’t need to be here. As a new junior here at LPPACS there isn’t much to complain about except for feeling unwelcome by some students who aren’t new.
Don’t get me wrong — not every person at this school wants the new students out of the school. But some students have no problem expressing how they feel about the new, somewhat overpopulated student body. As a new person I would just like to get the point out there that just because we’re new doesn’t mean we’re any different from the veterans of LPPACS. Before stating an opinion on all new kids, quit generalizing. It might make us feel more welcome and older students might make a new friend.
Caitlin Wimer
Grade 11