Freshman Daniel Kington

“My first real impression of the high school was while watching students attempt to pop balloons while hugging others in a race. I thought, “Well, this is going to be an interesting four years … to say the least.

“The rest of the day was fun. My Link Crew leaders had some fun games planned for us to do, and I got a better idea of where everything was.”

Freshman Alexander Guerrero

“When I came in through on of the large entrances of the school, I knew I would leave my old childish life behind and become more serious about work, what I do and my future. That means take my classes more seriously, sports more seriously, and my upcoming profession.”

Freshman Elise Waltzer

“The hallways were filled with so many students, most of them just as confused as I was. The high school was like a zoo … then I remembered this was only the freshmen.”

Freshman John Lagucki

“I thought that today was very exciting. I enjoyed how we had upperclassmen to help us get used to the school. We played fun games and got to meet new people.”

Freshman Athena Patitsas

“The Link Crew leaders were very nice and they really made me feel welcome here. I think this will be a good year.”

*Quotes submitted by freshman students during the first day of school, Aug. 24, 2010

Summer vacation has officially ended and school is back in session. Students now must familiarize themselves with new books, new schedules and even new faces; however, freshmen will not be the only ones having a hard time with these adjustments. Nine new teachers have been added to the UAHS staff, with five of them joining the mathematics department.

Assistant principal Emilie Greenwald noted that only one of the five teachers has previous experience teaching high school math.

“Most of our applicants were young, because they came with the knowledge that these jobs are most likely available for one year,” she said. “Several math teachers from last year took leaves of absences for one year and are most likely returning in the fall of 2011.”

Another reason for the youth of the teachers is the seniority policy that exists at UA and most other districts. According to principal Kip Greenhill, once a teacher transfers to a different school district they are placed at the bottom of that district’s seniority list. If budget cuts call for it, teachers are let go by seniority, so the last teachers to join a school’s staff are the first to go when cuts are made. This policy makes it unlikely for experienced teacher to take a temporary position at a new school.

The five new math teachers who will be joining UAHS this year are Matt Solarz, Stephanie Marburger, Cara McNamee, Mindy Notestone and Andrew Tweddle. McNamee, Notestone, Tweddle and Marburger will be starting their first year teaching high school math.

Other new teachers at UAHS include Wellness teacher Kelley Windle, art teacher Robin Warren, special education teacher Gina Smith and global language teacher Xialoi Doty. Doty will be teaching Mandarin, which is a new course offering at UAHS.

Principal Kip Greenhill and the faculty at UAHS had a tough decision on their hands pertaining to the flex credit option; although the option was mandatory to all schools in the state of Ohio when first proposed, schools were later given a one-year reprieve from the state if they were not ready to use flex credit for the 2010-11 school year. Despite the short timeframe to prepare and perfect the option, the faculty decided to take on the project and do the best it could.

Senior Abe Lucey prepares to take his exam. Although 27 students originally signed up to flex out of Public Speaking over the summer, only two took the test and prepared speeches. Photo by Vince Camillo

After hearing about the flex credit option last spring, many students initially planned to use the option to flex out of required coursework. Some of these students later realized the flex credit option still requires a fair amount of preparation and work. Public Speaking teacher Chris Goddard experienced the results of this realization firsthand.

According to Goddard, 27 students originally signed up flex out of the course. Ultimately, only two students out of the original 27 completed the flex credit process. Senior Abe Lucey was one of these students. He said he used the flex credit option so he can keep his schedule open for other classes he would prefer to take.

Lucey, an IB Diploma candidate, doesn’t turn down any challenge when it comes to his schoolwork and studies, but admits that he was weary of flexing out of Public Speaking.

“It’s challenging, and flex credit definitely shouldn’t be used by students who don’t know anything about what they’re flexing out of,” Lucey said.

Although Lucey passed the class, he wishes he had had more contact with the teacher.

Lucey said the point of the flex credit option was to learn on your own.

“I was surprised when I found out I could e-mail back and forth with the teacher. I was a little confused with the exact requirements of the class,” Lucey said. “I think the administration should take it upon themselves to outline the class and make sure every student has a firm understanding of what they’re getting themselves into.”

The requirements for Public Speaking include three written speeches which are presented during the exam, one impromptu speech, and a written exam with approximately 150 multiple choice questions.

While the future of flex credit is still unclear, assistant principal Emilie Greenwald said she sees it as just another option for advanced students.

“Flex credit just allows students who excel [in a subject] get credit for [that knowledge],” Greenwald said.

According to both Greenhill and Greenwald, flex credit can be a good thing, but it takes a lot of careful planning and personal reflection, otherwise it can harm their future success in the more advanced classes in the subject they used flex credit.

The seminar included an information session with two professional sports journalists, a tour of the Memorial Tournament’s press facilities, a press conference with a PGA Tour Professional Golfer, and the opportunity to view pro golfers on the June 1 practice day of the tournament.

Though Tiger was nowhere to be seen, students enjoyed the opportunity to see firsthand the world of sports journalism at the professional level.

The photos show a progression of the field trip.

Media access to the Memorial Tournament is at the media center, which is located near the 18th hole of the course.

Journalists Jerod Smalley and Bob Baptist held an informational session about their role as sports journalists covering the 35th Memorial Tournament. Students listened and asked questions about their work.

Jack Nicklaus checks out the day's progress on a laptop in the media center before going out to his 11 a.m. June 1 press conference to begin the tournament. Nicklaus's nickname, the "Golden Bear," is due to his graduation from Upper Arlington High School.

Columbus Dispatch journalist Bob Baptist gives students a tour of the media room. He explained the setup of the room, from writers and photographers to radio broadcaster "boxes" and PGA tour press areas.

PGA Tour Pro James Nitties practices his swing in the driving range area at the Memorial tournament June 1.

2002 Memorial champion Jim Furyk and his caddy, Mike "Fluff" Cowan, discuss the 13th hole during the June 1 practice day at the Memorial Tournament.

2002 Memorial champion Jim Furyk finishes his swing on the 13th hole June 1. His caddy, Mike "Fluff" Cowan, and PGA Pro Tour Golfer John Sender watch the ball on its way to the green.

2002 Memorial champion Jim Furyk signs autographs for several UA students at the 2010 Memorial Journalism Seminar field trip.

PGA Tour Pro Golfer Ángel Cabrera strides down the 14th fairway to make a putt.

Students attended a press conference with PGA Pro Tour Golfer Mark Calcavecchia (right) in the afternoon. Calcavecchia, who joined the tour in 1981 and has won 13 PGA tournaments, discussed his years playing professional golf.

The seven students who attended the 2010 Memorial Tournament Journalism Seminar, juniors Alison Gilbert, Kristy Helscel, George Kankia, Parijat Jha, Corey McMahon, Bo Fisher and Evan Smith, pose in front of the leader board with Arlingtonian adviser Carol Hemmerly.

Photos: courtesy JR Kunkle

ComFest, the annual three-day summer festival in Goodale Park, has been a laid-back gathering  for festival goers that has usually involved little violence. That was until last year’s death of a college student, which has prompted an increase in security this summer.

According to the Aug. 7, 2009 Columbus Dispatch article, “OU student, 18, dies at ComFest,” by Dave Hendricks, Ohio University student Byran Barbin died at ComFest by an accidental stabbing. Barbin suffered from five knife wounds to his chest on June 27, 2009, the second day of last year’s festival. Witnesses led investigators to believe that his death was an accidental murder committed by one of his friends until Barbin’s autopsy found traces of LSD in his brain, according to the article. Such findings gave investigators reason to believe that Barbin’s death was self-inflicted, though accidental.

ComFest organizers, city and police officials have reached a deal that will double the security and police force inside and outside the park, according to an April 10 story in The Columbus Dispatch titled, “Security Deal reached for ComFest,” by Amy Saunders and Mark Ferenchik.

With the increase in security in the park, attendees cannot help but wonder how different the festival will be. In past years, people attending the festival have openly used drugs and brought alcohol into the park, ignoring ComFest’s rule against such activity. But with more Columbus City Police in the area, the taming of ComFest may be unavoidable.

Junior Laura Kington, who has been attending ComFest for three years now, said she could not see ComFest changing for anybody.

“I’m still going [to ComFest].  I do not think it will change much,” Kington said. “Increased security is not a problem.”

To Kington, Barbin’s death may be partly attributed to the size of the festival and the subsequent problems associated with that.

“If you really think about it, how big [the festival] is and how many people there are, something like that would happen eventually,” Kington said.

Senior Bart Brown believes that ComFest should not be blamed for Barbin’s death.

“It does not matter that it happened at ComFest,” Brown said. “Accidents happen. It could have happened at his home, too.  If anything, ComFest might have gotten him to the hospital faster.”

But for Brown, an increase in security is not necessarily a bad thing.

“Better safe than sorry,” Brown said. “I will still go.”

According to its official website, in the past, ComFest has assembled a Safety Committee of volunteers to ensure the security of all attendees.

“[The Safety Committee members] are not bouncers or bullies. Instead, Safety volunteers are the ‘event hosts,’ working to give help and solve problems in a friendly, positive manner,” the website states.

Connie Everett, ComFest organizer, said she believes that Columbus City Police have always been respectful of the festival.

“Columbus Police Department always respects ComFest rules, but they are certainly obliged to break anyone’s rules if they have to deal with a problem that demands it,” Everett said.

To Everett, the increase in security is not a result of violence or drugs, but from an increase in crowd size in the park and traffic.

“We have increased our special duty officers in high traffic areas in some proportion to crowd size at specific times of day,” Everett said. “[But] the neighborhood police may come into the park while performing their normal duties.”

As far as the typical atmosphere of ComFest, Everett said she does not condone the open use of drugs or the violation of alcohol-in-the-park rules, and she said the festival as a whole does not condone such illegal activities.

“Ignoring violations of the law or city policies has never been endorsed by ComFest,” Everett said. “We are particularly concerned about young people who come to the festival with the wrong idea about who we are and flagrantly break our rules, especially drug and alcohol violations. These people jeopardize the festival itself.”

To Everett, the change in security will not result in a direct change of ComFest’s peaceful atmosphere, and though the security will be tight, she does not foresee an increase in arrests.

“Arrests have been rare at ComFest over our 37 years,” Everett said. “And we believe we are the most peaceful three-day event in Columbus.”

Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures

by Noah Grumman ‘12

Iron Man 2 (4 out of 5 stars)

When watching Iron Man 2, it is often difficult to decide whether the unbelievable plotline and technology is cheesy or badass. In this movie, the latter wins out.

The sequel centers around Ivan Vanko, the son of a Russian physicist, who has come for revenge against Tony Stark, the billionaire who invented the Iron Man suit, played by Robert Downey Jr.

There is a new villain and an entirely new plotline, but the sequel does not change the original movie’s formula. As with the first Iron Man, there is no lack of explosions or action (What would Iron Man be without explosions?)

Similar to the previous movie, there is little attempt to make the technology believable. Unlike James Bond or Dan Brown, the gadgets, like the miniature power generator in Tony Stark’s chest that saves his heart, are often not even supported by pseudo-science—and that is where the cheesiness comes into play. Put simply, the plotline is not especially realistic, and the technology is not believable.

But taking into account that Iron Man II is a superhero movie and not everything has to be perfectly logical, these flaws can be forgotten. Whether or not you are skeptical, it is difficult not to root for Tony Stark, the likeable bad-boy who can always find a way to outsmart his enemies and devise even more complex weapons. And not only is he a genius, his hilarious one-liners are never-ending. Stark may not always be believable, but the movie certainly is thrilling and entertaining.

One thing that may or may not frustrate is a character change: Iron Man’s sidekick, War Machine. Previously played by Terrence Howard, the character is now played by Don Cheadle, which may not seem important, but War Machine plays a much larger role in the sequel.

Unrealistic or not, the movie is a worthy sequel to the first Iron Man. Since the franchise is still going strong, there is little question that sooner or later there will be another sequel. An Avengers movie, combining Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and other superheroes may also be in the works.

Photo courtesy Universal Pictures

Robin Hood (3.5 out of 5 stars)

He returns from a crusade in Palestine, raids some towns, takes on a false identity and fights off a French invasion. But during the entire span of two and a half hours of the movie, Robin Hood, played by Russell Crowe, does not find much time for his fairytale task of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

The movie begins in a jumble of characters and events, similar to director Ridley Scott’s previous movie, Kingdom of Heaven. For the viewers who have the patience to endure the nearly indecipherable first hour, the plot does straighten out.

Put simply, Robin Longstride (who becomes known as Robin of the Hood) is returning from the English King’s crusade to Palestine and raiding towns. When he returns to England, he sees the unfair taxes placed on the common English people. He starts fighting for the rights of the people, but a secret French plot to invade England inopportunely interrupts his plans. So, Robin Hood puts his goal on hold in order to attempt to save England. Then, it’s over. One is left wondering where the Robin Hood that stole from the rich and gave to the poor went.

In the movie’s defense, however, it is not marketed as the story of Robin Hood, but merely the story of how Robin Hood came to be. So, be forewarned: the plot of the movie is probably not what you expected.

That isn’t to say that the movie isn’t thrilling. The most advanced weapon may be the bow and arrow, but there are some intense battle scenes, especially a Normandy-style invasion of the coast of England.

Without ruining the ending, I can say that the movie leaves options open for a sequel. If a sequel were half as long and half as confusing, it could be a very successful movie.

After recent changes in state guidelines for charter programs, both the UA Community School and the UA IB High School will no longer be recognized by the state as official charter schools.

The new changes will result mainly in the ending of state charter recognition for the two schools, which means no further funding will be granted to either school, according to a statement made by the Ohio Department of Education.

Both charter school programs, IB Diploma and Community School, take place in the regular high school along with its regular classes, and that is why the state decided to end official recognition of both programs as charter schools, which are state-funded alternative learning school environments. According to principal Kip Greenhill, both the IB Diploma and Community School Programs were originally accepted by the state as legitimate state-funded charter programs; however, new changes in charter school guidelines now require all funded charter programs to take place in separate locations, under independent administrations. To remain as state-subsidized charter schools, both the IB Diploma and Community School programs would be required to move to a separate location from the high school in order to regain their status as charter schools funded by the state.

Greenhill stated that neither program will be moved to separate buildings, as they will continue in their current form; however, they will now be integrated into the regular high school’s curriculum.

“Essentially nothing will change,” Greenhill said. “We’ll still be offering the same alternative learning environments as before so as to give students a wider range of class opportunities.”

Some students though, are worried about the new changes and whether college recognition will in any way be affected.

Junior Thomas Young, an IB diploma student, recognized the concerns of some such students.

“A lot of kids only care about how official the diploma will look on a college application,” Young said. “Others care only about the boost to your GPA that you get though taking the IB classes.”

Greenhill said that both college recognition and weighted grades will remain, as will the current course list. For students currently enrolled in the IB Diploma, this means their hard work and educational ambition will still pay off in the end.

“For me, the IB Diploma has always been about knowledge and learning in a different way,” Young said. “I don’t think whether it has an official charter seal of approval should change that.”

By Eman Albash ‘10

As the school year comes to a close, students of all grades start to wrap up their last minute assignments, projects and papers. Seniors in particular have one last hurdle to overcome before they can graduate— their Capstone presentations. The presentations, held on May 25, allowed students to discuss all the aspects of their Capstone projects.

One of the requirements of the Capstone project was 16 hours of community service. Most seniors stayed fairly close to UA to complete their service hours, but some students traveled out of the the country for service, including senior Julie Laudick. As an IB diploma candidate, Laudick was required to complete a CAS project, which is comparable to Capstone. CAS, which stands for Creativity, Action and Service, requires students to a community service project that somehow impacts the world. Although students are not required to leave the country for the service, Laudick chose to go to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip to build houses.

“My trip to the Dominican Republic is the most memorable [experience],” Laudick said. “I loved being entirely immersed in the Dominican culture. We slept in hammocks, ate the native food, spent some time in the town and got a chance to talk to local high school kids about their experience.”

Community service was only one portion of Laudick’s CAS project, however. The long term part of her project was designing and implementing a nature trail at Shepherd’s Corner Farm and Ecology Center in Blacklick County. Laudick said the self-guided trail was essential because the farm lacked enough staff members to lead tours all the time.

“The idea for the trail was inspired by the growing need for an escape from technology and everyday life,” Laudick said. “We wanted to create a space where people could take some time to breathe, learn and grow. Every station has an activity, some information about nature, along with proverbs and inspirations from different faiths and cultures around the world.”

Like Laudick, senior Abby Moore traveled to another country for her Capstone project. She went to Caliche, Honduras on a mission trip, and focused on building houses and supplying items for the houses and medical clinic. Near the beginning of senior year, Moore held a bake sale and took donations to raise money for needed items, such as silverware, blankets and beds. Moore said her favorite part of the trip was having the chance to help the villagers.

“The best experience was when we got to dedicate the houses and give them to the new owners,” Moore said. “The Hondurans receiving them were so thankful and it was then that I knew I really made a big difference in their lives and the lives of the people in the village.”

For her final product, Moore created a booklet and iMovie documenting the work she did in Honduras. Moore said although she faced different obstacles, the hardest part of her Capstone project was leaving Honduras.

“I would have loved to stay there longer,” Moore said. “It was so hard to say goodbye, not only to the two families, but the other villagers we had gotten to know during the week as well.”

Although certain Capstone projects required some students to leave the country, other seniors excelled at the project without traveling. Senior Phil Lindsay recorded and released an album called The Family Plot for his Capstone project. He said his love for music gave him the idea to record an album.

“It has been a goal of mine for a long time to release a full-length album,” Lindsay said. “I have always loved music and have been playing in various bands and projects throughout high school, so it seemed like the only thing I’d have interest in doing.”

For the community service aspect of his project, Lindsay helped raise money for the Deep Griha Society, a mission organization in India, as well as interning at a recording studio.

As a reward to hardworking students, teachers have created the Matt McCoy Senior Capstone Project Award to be given to the two best Capstone projects.

Although Lindsay was not nominated for the award, he said he thinks the Matt McCoy award is a helpful incentive for students.

“I think [the award] cultivates a competitive mind set when doing Capstone in a lot of people,” he said.

To be a Matt McCoy candidate, students has to be nominated by a language arts teacher and then narrowed down to a group of 10 finalists by a jury. From that group, the Senior Capstone Project Jury will select the winners. First-place winners will receive $1000 and second-place winners will receive $500. Although all the work that goes into the Capstone projects can get stressful, the Matt McCoy Award gives seniors motivation to work hard on their projects.

Laudick said that overall, she feels like she did well on her Capstone project. Although she faced challenges related to construction and other details, in the end she was able to overcome the obstacles. She also had some advice for future seniors.

“I would advise the seniors next year to pick a project that they are really passionate about,” Laudick said. “If you use Capstone as an opportunity to pursue something you really love, all of the requirements and writing should follow naturally.”

Many high school students might soon walk into their favorite tanning salon and find their wallets thinner when they leave. On July 1, a new federal tax of 10 percent will be added whenever anyone uses electronic products with ultraviolet wavelengths between 200 and 400 nanometers, a measure designed to target tanning booths. The tax was levied in part to fund healthcare reforms passed earlier this year. The increase has caused outrage in the tanning community and support from the medical community.

According to the March 24 Columbus Dispatch article titled, “Industry Feels Burned By Tax,” by Tim Feran, the government expects the tax will generate $3 billion to help pay for the $940 billon health care overhaul. Tanning salon owners, however, are outraged by this tax, which would hinder their businesses.

Carla Plazas, owner of New Life Tanning in Columbus, is one such salon owner who is upset by the new tax. Plazas said she believes that this is an unfair tax imposed by the government and that it will affect her business considerably.

“To have the government come in and just non-discriminately give us another tax like this is just one more blow,” Plazas said. “It is one more thing hurting our American dream.”

Regardless of the bill’s intent, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, an organization dedicated to prevention of skin cancer, tanning beds are a probable cause for skin cancer; with the passage of this tax, it is believed that many lives could be saved from tanning-related skin cancer. Dr. Kari Kendra, a researcher at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center said the primary problem is that people are ignorant about tanning and do not realize how powerful tanning bed bulbs are.

“Ultraviolet radiation from a tanning bed is more intense than direct sun rays on the equator,” Kendra said. “Prolonged exposure to UV rays is thought to cause melanoma, [a form of skin cancer].”

Kendra said that as tanning becomes more popular with young adults, more of these people are being affected with cancer.

“Many young people don’t see the need for protection of their skin,” Kendra said. “Before, people in their 40s were coming in. Now we’re seeing 15-year-olds with melanoma.”

Senior Abby Brown said she is not a frequent tanner, but does tan occasionally before a school dance to look nice. She said she believes tanning is just as bad as laying out in the sun, but she does it anyway, as she believes it will not harm her if she only tans occasionally. However, she is very displeased with the new tanning tax and said that this will affect her tanning decisions in the future.

“I probably won’t tan again once the law is official,” Brown said.

Cosmopolitan magazine launched a Safe Sun campaign in 2006 with the hopes of teaching young women about the dangers of tanning and educating them on safer ways to tan. In Hallie Sklar’s article, “Little Mistakes That Harm Your Skin,” from the June 2010 issue, she interviewed Stanley J. Miller, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University. Miller came up with five central mistakes that women make when it comes to taking care of their skin.

These mistakes include using moisturizer instead of sunscreen and not checking whether or not there is a family history of skin cancer. Miller also cites placing too much trust in sun screen, working outdoors in the sun while forgetting to wear any sunscreen at all and thinking that darker skin is safe from skin cancer as factors that can contribute to unintentionally acquiring skin cancer, as well.

Although Congress’s main goal is to help pay for the healthcare overhaul, according to the article by Feran, Dr. Bruce Katz, clinical professor of Dermatology at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine agreed with Miller and said he is also supportive of the tax.

“I hope the tax will serve a double purpose,” Dr. Katz said. “Not only raising billions for health care, but giving people one more reason to protect their health by staying away from tanning salons.”

New texting-while-driving ban set to take effect in Columbus May 5

By Marisa Patwa

Many drivers have mixed feelings about the Columbus City Council’s approval of legislation banning texting while driving in Columbus. According to the March 24 article “Ohio House OK’s texting-while-driving ban,” by William Hershey of The Dayton Daily News, Columbus is now the fourth city in Ohio to pass such a ban, following Bexley, Cleveland and Toledo. The legislation calls for texting while driving to be a primary offense.

Twenty other states have already passed bans making it illegal to read, write and send text messages, as well as check e-mails or use the Internet while driving. However, according to Hershey, Ohio representative Barbara Sears said she believes the real issue is drivers being distracted, as activities such as shaving or putting on makeup can cause accidents as well.

“I think we need to keep our eye on what the real issue is,” Sears said. “Teaching ourselves to be more attentive when we drive.”

Senior Evan Hogankamp said he tries to refrain from texting while driving, but is tempted every so often.

“I try not to text while driving, but find myself doing it a little bit,” Hogankamp said. “I do realize that it can be dangerous though.”

In a lecture at the University of Michigan, psychologist Scott Campbell said he supports the ban and believes that those who text while driving pose a danger to others on the road.

“People disengage, or pay more attention to the person on the phone than to the people who are physically present,” Campbell said.

The March 12 story “Stop Texting While Driving,” by Kari Chadd of The Chillicothe Gazette, offered a few ways to prevent receiving a fine for texting while driving. These suggestions include putting the phone out of reach or turning off the phone while driving.

According to a July 2007 study by the Students Against Destructive Decisions, 46 percent of teens interviewed admitted to texting while driving. In addition, 37 percent of those students said they believe that even though they continue to do it, texting while driving is dangerous and distracting.

Although Hogankamp said people should be educated about the dangers of texting while driving, he is not sure he agrees that the ban should make the crime a primary offense.

“I have mixed feelings about that,” Hogankamp said. “I would say it depends on the situation to determine if someone should get in trouble for that alone.”

Sophomore Erica Sollitto, on the other hand, said she believes the ban is a good idea.

“As a new driver, I’m especially focused on what other people are doing,” Sollitto said. “I wouldn’t want to [get in an accident because] someboprevent receiving a fine for texting while driving. These suggestions include putting the phone out of reach or turning off the phone while driving.

According to a July 2007 study by the Students Against Destructive Decisions, 46 percent of teens interviewed admitted to texting while driving. In addition, 37 percent of those students said they believe that even though they continue to do it, texting while driving is dangerous and distracting.

Although Hogankamp said people should be educated about the dangers of texting while driving, he is not sure he agrees that the ban should make the crime a primary offense.

“I have mixed feelings about that,” Hogankamp said. “I would say it depends on the situation to determine if someone should get in trouble for that alone.”

Sophomore Erica Sollitto, on the other hand, said she believes the ban is a good idea.

“As a new driver, I’m especially focused on what other people are doing,” Sollitto said. “I wouldn’t want to [get in an accident because] somebody else makes the mistake of texting while driving.”

Sollitto said that texts can wait until the driver arrives at his or her destination, no longer posing a threat to others.

Famed talk show host Oprah Winfrey proposed a similar alternative and has been taking strong measures to prevent accidents caused by texting. According to her website, she has created the No-Phone-Pledge, where people pledge they will never text while driving again.

Winfrey said she hopes to encourage people to set aside their phones in an effort to curb the thousands of deaths that occur every year from texting while driving.

“Let it be the end of using a cell phone or sending a text message when you are behind the wheel of a moving vehicle,” Winfrey said. “And until we as a nation decide we’re going to change that, [the number of causalities] is only going to go up.”

On Saturday, April 24^th, the band was the musical entertainment following Scarlet, Gray and Pink—a walk for Stefanie Spielman which was held before the spring game at The Ohio State University.

Back in February, the band held a benefit concert at Upper Arlington High School with all proceeds going to the Stefanie Spielman Cancer Research Fund.

Thomas Young, band member and business manager said the cause was close to the band members hearts.

“In our community, the battle Stefanie Spielman fought and the work that she and her family have and continue to do for cancer research is very important,” Young said. “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago and we know many other people who have been impacted by cancer. We want to do all we can to help raise money and awareness.”

Wonk members are also busy performing at many Columbus venues and events.  They will be performing at the Newport Music Hall the evening of the Race for the Cure and on May 21^st will be the featured performance at the first 2010 WaterFire Columbus event on the Scioto River downtown.

Shopping center’s makeover nears completion, businesses anticipate economic upturn

by Evan Smith ‘11

For most students, Kingsdale has always been a ghost town, plagued by empty stores and run-down alleyways. But for the past year, the shopping center has been a hub of construction, with loud bulldozers and wrecking balls tearing apart buildings and pavement.

The new Kingsdale renovation, slated for a 2011 completion, plans to bring new life to the once barren shopping center, with the goal of transforming it not only into a new center of commerce, but also a community center for the residents of Upper Arlington.

The company responsible for purchasing and outlaying the renovation plans is Continental Real Estate, the major developer of Giant Eagle store locations across the country. Successful in previous endeavors, Continental CEO Frank Kass stated in a May 5, 2009 Suburban News Publications article that the new plans will work to bring back activity in the area.

“We are very proud of what the new Kingsdale will be … an active, vibrant shopping center,” Kass said.

With the help of Continental funding, plans for new store fronts and an expanded Giant Eagle are underway. Within the past few months, a newly developed MCL Cafeteria has opened in the front of the shopping center. MCL, a longstanding restaurant and bakery in the Kingsdale Center, is one of the more drastic store renovations in the overall renovation plans.

Candace Ward, co-manager of MCL, said that hopes are high that the new Kingsdale will help bring in more business and activity.

“I think business will definitely increase,” Ward said. “There has been a lot of word-of-mouth about the new store [and the Kingsdale renovations in general], and that alone helps bring in customers.”

Ward stated that while the renovations are not only vital to help revive the shopping center, they also represent a general change that is occurring in Upper Arlington as a whole.

“Our clientele is starting to change,” Ward said. “We’re starting to see younger couples and families come in, and I think that shows how Arlington is growing. More younger families are moving in, and that moves the community forward.”

Not all are entirely pleased with the new renovation. Junior Jeff Shy, who lives near the shopping center, is worried that the new renovations will tarnish the charm and appeal of the old Kingsdale.

“What with the new, [bigger] Giant Eagle coming in, and new buildings being put up, I’m apprehensive as to how it will all turn out,” Shy said. “I liked the old Kingsdale and I don’t want it to turn into every other shopping center in Columbus.”

Shy also showed concern as to how the Kingsdale renovation will affect future students at the high school.

“For me, Kingsdale was always a place to go to hang out when there was nothing else to do, so it has a sentimental value to it,” Shy said. “I doubt I’ll be able to see it done before I graduate, but for younger kids, I hope Kingsdale doesn’t turn into just another shopping center that they pass by on the way to school.”

Despite some criticisms from the public, the renovations are in the works, with the 2011 deadline still unchanged.

Continental CEO Kass said that once completed, the new Kingsdale will fit in with the general atmosphere of Upper Arlington as a whole, and will bring new life into a once faded area.

“Cities that continually attract new residents and business do so because they are always adapting and improving,” the Upper Arlington Community Improvement Corp website states.

“[Kingsdale] is going to be basically a community center,” Kass said in an April 8 ThisWeek article. “It’s going to be .. a little bit of fashion, a little bit of food, a little bit of services, and it’s going to be very convienent to an awful lot of people.”

By Parijat Jha

Year after year, over 70 high school lacrosse teams compete for one goal: the state championship. No matter what region or division, the chances of winning are slim. And winning is, after all, what generally defines a team.

With five straight state championships, from the 2004-2008 seasons, the UAHS boys lacrosse team went into the championship game last year against Worthington Kilbourne High School with confidence and victory on their minds. However, as the final seconds wound down and the time expired, the Bears saw their winning streak come to an end.

Head Coach Ted Wolford said the team worked hard, despite the disappointing finish.

“It is always hard to lose a close ball game. I was very proud of how hard our guys worked,” Wolford said. “They had a lot of pressure on them, and still our guys stayed focused and worked to the very end, and just missed the opportunity to tie things up.”

Similarly, the girls lacrosse team, led by coach Kim Rocheleau, ended last year with a 7-6  championship loss against rival Sycamore High School.

“The loss last year was a tough, yet winnable game. We have used such a close loss as motivation since then,” Rocheleau said.

Both teams have won many state championships in the past and are highly respected in the Midwest. Seniors, like midfielder Spence Parsons, have been part of many top tier squads and have helped continue their programs’ success.  Since their losses, the two teams have worked hard to become better teams. Both participate in summer lacrosse camps, fall ball, and are always in the weight room.

Parsons said the loss from last year has motivated the team to work harder this year.

“Last season was a situation we hadn’t been in before. It was a winnable game and we should have won, but it was a good learning experience,” Parsons said. “This year we want to get back to that level of play except maintain our work ethic.”

Senior Kevyn Harer said she thinks the team can be one of the best in the state this year.

“Last year, we often let up after getting an early lead. Using that as a learning experience, we now know that we have to continuously keep up our guard and stay focused,” Harer said.

As spring neared, both teams scheduled trips to prepare for the 2010 season. While the boys headed to Baltimore, Md to face some top squads, the girls went to Louisville, Ky for their games.

In Louisville, the girls team saw success as they comfortably won all of their games against some mediocre competition, Rocheleau said.

Junior Cam Williams went on the boys trip and said the team finished with a 3-1 record against some of the more superior opponents in the region. Their loss came with two-year starting attackman Luke Treece sitting on the sideline for much of the game. Still, according to Williams, the team gained a lot from the trip and left with hope for the regular season.

“The trip showed us exactly where our talent level was, and how good we are,” Williams said. “It is also a good team-bonding experience and helps us mentally prepare for the upcoming season.”

Despite last year’s let downs, both teams still have high expectations for this year. According to junior Adriane Ghidotti, who has been a member of the varsity team since her freshman year, the team is optimistic due to the 12 seniors on the team.

“We have lots of talent this year, and I think our team can go far into the state championship. We like how high the expectations are in UA because we use them as motivation to do better in the future,” Ghidotti said. “I think if this year we make it to state, we won’t make the same mistakes and will win the game.”

The boys team has set even higher standards for themselves, even after seeing their winning streak end. Their three goals are to win state, the Midwest, and if possible go undefeated, Williams said.

Parsons said he has confidence the team will persevere.

“We have great talent level in Arlington, but that is not the problem,” Parsons said. “If we go hard every second of every practice and every game we are almost unbeatable, and that is why this year we are going to win- by always playing to our potential.”