November 2005 - Lincoln East High School - Lincoln Public Schools

oracle v. 38 i. 3 november 23

Inside cover: The three members of Skink crank out their tunes in a basement
(Photo by Shuqiao Song, Front and back covers by Lindsay Graef)

inside...
4-5 News: In the wake of the death of civil
rights hero Rosa Parks, the Oracle staff takes a
look at how far we’ve come since that day on the
Montgomery bus.
6-7 Voices: You know the feeling,
something’s really bugging you and you just
want to rant about it. That’s exactly what you’ll
find in Voices. From diet foods to corrupt
administrations, it’s all here.
8-11 Faces: The holidays are here and that
can only mean two things: family traditions on
Thursday, and rabid shoppers wreaking havoc in
stores everywhere on Friday. Get the inside story
in Faces.
12-15 Focus: For some Spartans, giving
back to the community is a way of life. Read more
in Focus.
16-19 A&E: Groundbreakers can be
found anywhere--in a studio, on a stage, or in a
kitchen. Here are some of their stories.
20-21 Sports: Admit it, you all were
curious about the cover, right Well, check
out sports for the scoop on several Spartan
Superheroes.
Chef and East High alum Ryan Dubney prepares a meal at the
HiMark Country Club. Dubney is just one of many groundbreakers
you can read about in A/E. (photo by Erin Brown)

Multicultural curriculum expands world views
Melanie Fichthorn
_ Staff Writer
The Civil Rights movement was one
of the most important events in American
history. Because of it, minorities
gained rights that had been forbidden to
them before. Following this movement
came a need for education about different
cultures. Multi-cultural education
has evolved greatly over the years, and
its future looks promising, according to
LPS Director of Multicultural Education
Thomas Christie.
Multicultural education reminds us
that the world doesn’t revolve around
those who are the majority. Christie
points out that the difference of one
vote made the national language English
instead of German. With so many
cultures in the world, people are finally
beginning to see their importance.
Before multicultural education,
there was one type of people whose
history you learned about: white people.
European Americans were seen as the
center of everything, so they were the
only ones whose history was deemed
worthwhile to study. As a result, other
cultures were stuffed into a box and
shoved under the bed to collect dust.
Minority voices were not seen as having
the importance that was required for
study in a history class. Not many knew
about their history, nor did many care.
Things have changed since then.
People today are much more informed
about different cultures. There is no
longer just one group of people or one
perspective that everyone learns about.
Now, students learn about a variety of
cultures different from their own. As
Christie puts it, European Americans used
to be the center of everything, but now
they are just one piece of the pie.
American women still waiting and fighting for equality
Kayla Knott
_ Staff Writer
In the 1920s, American women
were fighting for the right to vote and
to be represented in their nation. That
right launched women, and this nation,
into a new era. Now, more than 80 years
later, much has changed. The times are
different. Fifty percent of marriages end
in divorce. Single moms are no longer a
minority. And, whether or not this country
is ready, the issues are changing as well.
The leaders of this nation are responsible
for developing strategies appropriate
for this new era. These leaders include
Bonnie Coffey, director of Lincoln Lancaster
Women’s Commission, who keeps
Lincoln’s mayor current on women’s
issues. Times have indeed changed,
admits Coffey.
“The original issue was the right to
vote. Since that right was secured, now
women’s rights issues are more likely to
be discussed,” said Coffey.
Women have advanced since
LPS Muliticultural Education Director Thomas Christie sees good things in students’ futures (Photo by Susanna Webb).
Today, Christie said that multicultural
education is key in almost all
schools. Teachers have access to the
best resources provided by the school
system. As a result, everyone has a
chance to be educated about other
cultures through the school system. One
way LPS does this is by setting up a list of
they earned suffrage. They are now able
to focus on other issues that will ensure
equity in the workforce as well. One of
these issues is fair pay. The Fair Pay Act,
passed in 1964, assured women equal
pay to men.
“ B u t
w o m e n s t i l l
aren’t making
enough
money,” said
Coffey. She
continues to
fight that battle
for women.
“When women
aren’t making enough money, their
children are suffering along with them.
If these children are not being fed
properly, they cannot be expected to
learn well.”
Sexual harassment and discrimination
are also current issues within Lincoln,
4/News November 23, 2005
books about various cultures. This list is
called the “mosaic.” The schools’ libraries
use lists to order from, and all of the
titles are available for teachers to check
out from the district’s central library.
As Christie says, the process of
educating the masses about different
cultures is a slow one. Some people
as well as in the rest of the country.
“You have to keep fighting sexual
harassment, saying ‘No’, or else it will
continue to happen. And it will happen
when you have a workplace with men
dominant in leadership,” said Coffey,
“We need to
start getting
w o m e n i n
leadership as
well.”
M a n y
more current
issues affect
women’s welfare,
ranging
from the insecurity of Social Security to
the need for higher education in order
to assure financial stability. Locally, there
are success stories in these areas.
Among U.S. cities, Lincoln is ranked
third for placing women in the workforce.
Nebraska is ranked third among
“When women aren’t
making enough money, their
children are suffering along
with them.”
don’t want to let go of their old ideas
and prejudices. Others are happy with
being ignorant. “It’s not just about
facts. It’s about feelings,” said Christie,
acknowledging the ongoing challenges
facing multicultural education. But, he
adds, “There has been a huge improvement.”
the states.
Concerning solutions, the answers
do not come in simple formulas.
“Women need to get higher education.
They need jobs that can support
them and provide benefits,” said Coffey.
“They also need to get elected into office.
There needs to be representation in
government to address these important
issues. We need positive action to fix
problems over the long haul.”
In the past, women’s voices were
not heard, especially not publicly, and
most certainly not in politics. Eighty years
ago, a group of women decided to
change that, and the impact has been
incredible.
“The best coalition,” said Coffey,
“is when women get together and decide
‘This is something good. Let’s work
at it.’ ” Perhaps it will take another group
of united women to assure tomorrow’s
future is secure, as well.

GLSEN sets a glistening example
Aaron Stephenson
_ Staff Writer
In its mission statement, The Gay Lesbian and
Straight Education Network, GLSEN “envisions a future
in which every child learns to respect and accept all
people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender
identity/expression.” Lincolnite Emily Evnen, one of
20 national student coordinators for GLSEN, has been
busy spreading that message in high schools. She
organizes rallies and works with local gay straight alliances…and
still makes time to do homework. Emily,
17, is completing her senior year at Southwest High
School. As a member of the gay community, she said
she feels that it is her responsibility to help with the gay
rights movement.
A recent poll by Harris Interactive found a third of
teens reported that students are frequently harassed
because they are, or are perceived to be, lesbian,
gay or bisexual. This staggering statistic situates sexual
orientation as the second highest cause of student
harassment.
“It all stems from homophobia,” said Evnen. “The
phrase ‘That’s so gay’ has become a casual insult.
People don’t realize how damaging those three words
can be.” Evnen said that her biggest challenge with
homophobia is “people being worried I’m coming on
to them, when I am just being an amiable person.”
She said that schools could begin addressing
homophobia by starting a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance)
Nation mourns death of a legend
Katherine Wild
_ Staff Writer
On December 1 st , 1955, a revolution began. It was
not started with a gunshot, knife wound, or bomb. It was
not started through lies or name-calling. This revolution
began because a single woman
refused to stand up and move.
Rosa Parks was a middleaged
seamstress when she decided
to keep her seat on a
segregated bus. The Jim Crow
laws of the time dictated that
African-Americans could not
sit in the front rows, and could
only sit in the back if there were
no white people sitting there.
In addition, African-Americans
could not enter through the front
of the bus. They had to pay the
fare, exit, and enter through the
back door. Parks would not give
her seat to white man, so she was
arrested.
A kind of hazy legend surrounds
Parks in today’s world.
Many think her act of defiance was a spur-of-the-moment
rebellion, or that she didn’t move simply because
she was tired after a day’s work. In truth, Parks was an
involved civil rights worker. She helped to organize
marches and encouraged young people to participate
in them. Her decision to remain seated, while
partially on impulse, was also a thoughtful act.
“Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was
tired of it,” she wrote in her autobiography “Quiet
Strength. “I kept thinking about my parents and grandparents,
and how strong they were. I knew there was a
possibility of being mistreated, but an opportunity was
being given to me to do what I had asked of others.”
When Parks refused to give up her seat for the
white man, she was arrested and brought to trial. However,
her actions inspired the entire African-American
community of Montgomery to boycott the bus system
club. GSA clubs are student-led and student-organized
clubs that seek to create a safe school environment
for all students, regardless of sexual orientation. Evnen
Said East is the only public high school in Lincoln that
does not have an active GSA club. Such groups help
address stereotypes surrounding homosexuality.
“Too many people think the gay rights movement
is about everyone accepting homosexuality. That just
isn’t realistic,” said Evnen. “It’s about being treated
equally.”
GLSEN members seek to raise awareness of issues
like inadequate hate crime laws (homosexuality is not
covered in Nebraska’s hate crime laws), believing such
awareness is essential to the furthering of gay rights.
To raise awareness about equal rights issues, GLSEN
sponsored the National Day of Silence. Almost two million
students, teachers, and staff in over 3,000 schools
participated this year. The day of silence, according
to dayofsilence.com, “is a student-led day of action
where those who support making anti-LGBT (lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender) bias unacceptable
take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest
the discrimination and harassment experienced by
LGBT students and their allies.” This year’s day of silence
will occur on April 26, 2006. Maybe then Spartans can
help make Evnen’s vision a reality, by helping make a
East a safe place for all.
for 381 days, which caused the Supreme Court to rule
the segregation of transportation unconstitutional.
Parks’ act of quiet rebellion was not her only contribution
to African-Americans
pursuit of equal rights and treatment.
She was secretary for the
NAACP (the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People), as well as adviser to the
NAACP youth council. She tried
to register to vote several times,
and had several arguments with
bus drivers.
More recently, Parks spent
her time running the Rosa and
Raymond Parks Institute for Self-
Development, especially a special
program called Pathways
to Freedom geared toward preteens
and young adults.
The woman who is credited
with being the “Mother of
Rosa Parks being fingerprinted in 1955 (Photo
courtesy of Ebony Magazine).
the Civil Rights Movement” felt
awkward with that title. In her book, she remarked on
it, saying, “I am still uncomfortable with the credit given
to me for starting the bus boycott. I would like [people]
to know I was not the only person involved. I was just
one of many who fought for freedom.”
This magnificent lady who sat down and started
a revolution stood up for what she believed in and
made many remarkable changes in the society of
America. Rosa Parks’ death on September 24, 2005,
was mourned by the whole nation. Evidence of her
impact could be seen by the nation’s reaction to her
death. She is the first private U.S. citizen to have her
body lay in state in the U.S. Capitol building. Tens of
thousands of people paid their respects to this humble
woman whose act of civil disobedience led to the
transformation of this nation.
Digest
News
Four student athletes sign
national letters of intent
On Nov. 9, 3 Spartan athletes signed national letters
of intent. From left, Swimmer Maggie Bach signed
with Wyoming, swimmer Emily Connely signed with the
University of South Dakota, basketball player Kendall
Frantz signed with S. Missouri Baptist and golfer Austin
Anderson signed with Creighton (photos by Shuqiao
Song).
Clubs raise money for Red Cross
Lincoln East has been raising money to donate
to hurricane victims. Many clubs at East have been
helping to raise money to donate to the Red Cross.
Led by DECA and Mrs. Fraser, total fundraising efforts
have reached about $4,500.
Nebraska Distinguished Scholars
Congratulations to the following students who
were named Nebraska Distinguished Scholars: John
Douglas, Solomon Eppel, Alan Fast, Rachel Haase,
Sally Hudson, Kelsey Johnson, Laura Loeck, Brenden
Ottemann, and Daniel Russell.
LPS task force presents findings
The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education assembled
a task force last spring to look at the needs of
school buildings in our district for the next ten years. This
task force presented its findings to the School Board in
early November. They found that Lincoln needs more
elementary, middle and high schools to prevent further
overcrowding. They also found that many of the older
schools need improved cooling and heating systems.
A bond election may be needed to raise funds
to pay for the new buildings. The election would raise
property taxes by a few cents for every dollar spent
on property tax.
East teacher wins national award
Congratulations to industrial tech teacher Jonathan
Heithold for winning the prestigious Milken Family
Foundation National Educator Award. The award is
presented to two teachers in every state and the winner
receives a check for $25,000.
Math Day a success for East
Lincoln East was the top overall school at the
16th annual UNL Math Day. 1331 students represented
over 100 Nebraska schools at the event held at the
UNL student union. The East math bowl team also took
first place.
SAT deadline approaching soon
Seniors and highly motivated Juniors, the January
28th SAT registration is due on December 7.
-Compiled by William Chen
November 23, 2005 News/5

Staff Editorial:
Hope for the
future
Since the Oracle’s typical staff
editorial consists of ranting and railing
against the world, we decided to take
a happier route this time around. Despite
our dour appearance, the staff
does have some hope for a promising
future.
Today’s youth are typically
perceived to fall into one of two categories:
the lazy, apathetic teens who
sit around watching cartoons all day,
and the “Super Teens!” who barely see
their home because they’re so hard at
work. Chances are that you and your
friends don’t fit into these cookie-cutter
molds we’ve been given.
Most teenagers are complex
beings who land somewhere in the
middle of the extremes. We’re difficult
to label.
The majority of teens in our generation
are not the egocentric bums
that our media portrays us as. We do
participate. Our activities are as varied
as the motives behind them. Whether
we’re volunteering or simply enjoying
club activities, today’s teens are
aware of the world around us. Even
classes like CI help. Having mandatory
volunteering pushes students
who wouldn’t necessarily help others
to open their eyes to the world and
experience the joys of service.
We’re not embarrassed by our
conscience, either. These days, it’s no
longer socially unfit to be knowledgeable
about issues of the world. Take
MTV, with their Rock the Vote program.
They make it “cool” for kids to learn
about the candidates that they may
(or may not) vote for.
With more information about
issues, we are able to form our own
opinions. Sometimes these opinions
make us more divisive. Perhaps this
complacency isn’t such a bad thing.
We simply become frustrated with
things that irk us. Our positive intolerance
allows us to speak out against
such things so we can improve our
world.
In a world that stifles optimism,
we must realize that we are not powerless.
Youth can improve the world. We
can make it a better place. We must
understand that our world cannot
become better if we give up hope.
Those of us who aren’t peppy and
optimistic all the time can consider
ourselves capable realists. Recognize
that we may not achieve the idealistic
society we dream of, but work
hard and hopefully, we’ll come close.
Maybe, just maybe, not all will be lost
in this world of ours.
SOUND OFF!
Send letters to:
jholt@lps.org
Google gab: learning to talk tech
010001000110111101101110001001
11011101000010000001111001011011110
11101010010000001101000011000010111
0110011001010010000001110011011011
110110110101100101011101000110100
001101001011011100110011100100000
011011010110111101110010011001010010
000001101001011011010111000001101111
011100100111010001100001011011100111
0100001000000111010001101111001000
00011001000110111100111111
No, it’s not a misprint. It’s
not a space-filler, either. And,
as far as I know, I haven’t
dozed off on my keyboard.
I’m just trying to learn a foreign
language. My goal is
to find a universal mode of
communication. I started with
Spanish, for it may soon become
our nation’s second tongue. I
considered Mandarin, since more than
a billion people speak it already. But
I’ve finally found it. Call off the dogs.
The search is over. Binary code is my
calling.
Binary is much more than geek
speak. The code is truly boundless. Everything,
from the Bible to Beethoven,
can be reduced to 0’s and 1’s. In a single
second, billions of dollars change hands
on a stream of digits. Phone calls float
overhead in binary clouds. The code
runs our music, our travel, our weapons,
our toys. The code runs our lives.
As students, the digital revolution
has undoubtedly changed the way we
6/Voices November 23, 2005
learn. We now have a world of information
at our disposal. Just imagine school
as your parents knew it. No computers.
No calculators. No CD’s or DVD’s. No
PowerPoint. No World Wide Web. No
Google. Scary, huh And everyday new
opportunities pop up. Sparknotes, a highschool
student’s savior, just launched a
new program of MP3 books. Strapped
for time Stick your SAT vocab on an
iPod and cram on the go. Want
to fight for your rights Keep an
audio copy of the Constitution
on your PSP. Fear not, book
worms. There’s room for you,
too, in the digital age. A
group called Project Gutenberg
has started cataloging
the world’s great texts for free
internet distribution. Why lug
around the complete works of
Shakespeare when you can download
them to a PDA Or, for some lighter reading,
you could save the Kamasutra and
take it wherever it might be needed.
Clearly, digital tech has changed
the way we learn. Soon, though, it may
change the way we think. We all know
(and love) Google. The godsend search
engine has spawned many spin-offs:
Google Images, Google News, Google
Earth. But we ain’t seen nothin’ yet. The
next time you’re putting off a project
(or a column...) check out http://labs.
google.com. Google programmers use
the site to test drive all their new inventions.
Their latest brainchild is a program
As the White House turns
If the Presidency were a television
soap opera, this would be the episode
where all of the characters are exposed
for their cheating. Someone would
find out on their wedding day
that their fiancée is a wanted
criminal. And maybe somebody
would die, too.
That may be a slight exaggeration,
but you get the
idea. Within a relatively short
time span, several scandals
and setbacks have plagued the
Bush administration.
First, there was the bungled response
to Hurricane Katrina. Then, Bush
selected Harriet Miers, a top White House
lawyer, to replace Justice Sandra Day
O’Connor on the Supreme Court. The
move infuriated Democrats because
Miers lacks experience as a judge and a
Constitutional scholar. Republicans were
equally miffed because Miers’s conservative
credentials weren’t readily evident.
Miers eventually withdrew her nomination,
and Bush replaced her with Judge
Samuel Alito. While Alito’s conservative
credentials appeal to Bush’s base, he
will not get nominated without a fight.
Moreover, Bush has already drawn fire for
his failure to nominate another woman
or a minority.
Further contributing to the President’s
woes, the 2,000 th American casualty
was recorded in Iraq. In addition, the
CIA leak investigation led to the indictment
and resignation of I. Lewis Libby,
Jr., Vice President Cheney’s chief of staff.
The continuing investigation still threatens
some in Bush’s inner circle, including
his deputy chief of staff and
senior advisor Karl Rove.
While such events would
be troubling to any politician,
they are especially hard for
a man like Bush, a self-proclaimed
champion of morality,
to deal with. As a general
rule, it is bad when an administration
that has said it would stand
up for the average American and restore
“honor” and “dignity” to the White House
is accused of not caring enough about
the American public and of deceiving
the country about matters as important
as national security.
This moral hypocrisy is what is most
troubling about Bush’s implosion. In
public, Bush claims a moral basis for his
actions. His public facade is black and
white, wrong and right, and he reiterates
time and again that he is a bastion
of morality. This is what makes him so
appealing to many Americans. Yet his
behavior shows that he is just like most
other modern American politicians from
both sides of the aisle: selfish instead of
selfless. He has surrounded himself with
people who lie under oath, who break
federal laws and compromise national
security to exact political retribution, and
with friends who can’t do the jobs they’re
called Google Sets. It’s a simple system.
Type in three items that you think may be
linked. The engine then cull’s Google’s
data base looking for related topics. Instantly
it generates a set based on those
words. For example, enter “Lincoln East,”
“Lincoln High”, and “Lincoln Southeast,”
and it spits out every high school from
here to Omaha.
Of course, you already know that
list, so it does you know good. But consider
the potential. Though Google is
clearly systematic, its power borders
on creativity. Pattern recognition was
once reserved for humans. The ability
to analyze and synthesize information
required conscious thought. But Google
Sets is able to do what no human can:
scour mountains of knowledge in seconds.
Google can outwork any scholar.
Theoretically, then, anyone could enter
three random items and discover a
breakthrough connection. Google does
the thinking for us.
Such progress can be amazing and
terrifying, promising and dangerous. Hitech
thrillers like “The Matrix” foreshadow
the end of humanity at the hands of our
digital creations. Perhaps they’re right.
Perhaps technology threatens our monopoly
on creative thought. However,
if we can continue to harness the digital
promise, it may only enhance our lives.
After all, computers can only do what
we tell them to. We just need to learn to
speak their language.
supposed to be able to do. Michael
Brown may not have been able to manage
a disaster to save a life, but, man, he
was the best damn Judge and Stewards
Commissioner the International Arabian
Horse Association has ever seen.
As a result of his moral duplicity,
President Bush is facing a political crisis
that has been a longtime coming. His
approval rating was at 41 percent as of
the end of October, and even fewer than
that were satisfied with the direction that
the country is heading.
The President, who had a 90 percent
job approval rating 10 days following
September 11, and who won a second
term and a “mandate” with 51 percent
of the vote in 2004, is now at risk of being
a lame-duck during his last 39 months in
office. It will be hard for Bush to convince
Congress and the American public that
his agenda is worthwhile if he’s stuck
cleaning up his mistakes and the mistakes
of those around him. Bush can hope that
in this politically divided country of ours,
conservatives rally around him because
they have no other choice. Or, he could
become the President he wants us to
believe he is, by taking the interests of the
American people to heart, by becoming
a man who actually follows the moral
lessons he champions. If he is able to do
that with the time that’s left, he will be a
President and politician worthy of respect,
regardless of your political beliefs. Stay
tuned…

ant
v. 1. To speak in a vehement manner.
2. What the Oracle staff does when we’re
mad about something and want to tell
someone:
Every single day you have to be on your toes. You have to monitor
everything that comes out of your mouth to make sure that your words
won’t offend someone, and that they are “politically correct.” You can’t
say the wrong thing to the wrong person because then you’ll offend them.
At least, that’s what most people believe. Personally, I’d rather someone
be honest with me, rather than having people not talk to me for fear of
offense. It’s more offensive to have a person avoid you because they believe
that you are nit-picky enough to split hairs over a phrase. True, there
are indeed people like that, but those
people are usually the kind of people
who complain just for the sake of complaining
and they are not worth the time
to try to make happy. I’m not saying that
you should go around shouting social
taboos down the hallway for all to hear,
but you shouldn’t try to make sure that
every thing you say is completely and
totally politically correct.
~Melanie Fichthorn
¡PC!
I heart my philosophy class. Seriously, I look forward to that
class everyday. And I just finished writing a six-page paper for it…
and I enjoyed it. How crazy is that When was the last time you
enjoyed writing a six-page paper Sure, I’m still kinda dreading
writing a 15 page research paper about a philosopher for later
this month, but even that will probably end up being kind of
fun to write. Besides, I don’t even mind the paper that much
because of the teacher. How many teachers do you have
who can both teach you the material (in an interesting
way) and also actually take time out of class to talk to you
about things going on in the world today We’ve spent
class time talking about school security and character
counts and Mr. Fichthorn actually listened to our comments.
In an era when LPS refuses to listen to students
it’s refreshing to come to a class where our voices
are taken seriously.
~Jake Meador
So I’m really bummed. I’m sooo very, very tired. Tired of not sleeping in, tired of not getting to do
absolutely nothing, tired of no-week long quarter breaks! Yes, I’m a senior and senioritis is flowing steadily
through my veins. But, come on people! My entire purpose in life was making fun of my private-school
friends about how we have a week off and they don’t. Alas, there is hope! This is not a rant, ohhh no.
As I was flipping through my planner, (which I do every day of my life, for I have no reason to
live without it), I noticed the lack of school days each week. Sure, there isn’t a significant week off of
school aside from the Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanza (insert holiday here) break; however, with all of the
sprinkled days off here and there, going to a full week of school during second quarter is a thing of the
past. Imagine how my heart leapt when I saw: No school November 11 th —volleyball tournament, PLAN
testing November 15 th and 16 th —shortened days (sorry sophomores), November 24 th and 25 th –Turkey
Day, and then the week long holiday break of December 26 th through January 1 st .
Yes, we still have approximately ten more days of second quarter after that. But I say, why not
just forget second semester anyway If we aren’t going to be here half the time, why even come OK,
just kidding, school is…..good for you… Don’t fret, though, because second quarter is here and it’ll be
gone before you know it, so be happy, I know I am!
~Jetz Jacobson
Why the heck is the White House concentrating so
much on the Supreme-Court judge when we have a potential
Watergate situation on our hands The media is not
helping clear things up any. I had to conduct a lengthy
Interent search and hold a discussion with an editor to learn
about the Scooter Libby/Cheney fiasco. Call me crazy,
but corrupt systems, as a general rule, should probably be
revealed, not distracted from.
~Katherine Wild
I’m tired of diet foods. I’m tired of feeling inferior if I eat
flavorful foods rather than their diet versions that taste
like cardboard. What bothers me even more is that
it seems like every single diet food has been proven
to cause cancer.
My fruit-drink of choice--V8 splash—isn’t
even safe anymore. I wandered into Wal-mart
to pick out a few “healthy” foods and thought
“why not get some yummy fruit juice” Then
I saw DIET V8 Splash. Even better! Only 10
calories! Gleefully, I picked up the Berry
Medley, placed it in my cart, and headed
on my way. Then I saw the awful ‘disclaimer’
on the bottom. “Sweetened
with Splenda.”
Great. Now it appears that on
top of my cardboard Fig Newtons,
and styrofoam wheat toast, I’ll just
add a nice cup of cancer juice to my
breakfast menu.
~Kayla Knott
rave
v. 1. To speak with wild enthusiasm.
2. What the Oracle staff does when we’re
ecstatic about something and want to tell
someone:
Thank you administration for once again trusting
the student body to eat chicken poppers and
sandwiches in the hallways! It may seem like a small
thing, but it shows that you have hope in us and feel
that we can make our own d e c i s i o n s .
Students: If you screw this up again,
I will be infinitely angry!
~Sarah Melecki
November 23, 2005 Voices/7

Diary of a female shopper
Some of us leave our holiday
shopping until the night before. But a vast majority of the population
takes their holiday shopping very seriously. Let’s take a look at the diary of one
holiday shopper who’s going all out this season.
July 17, 5 a.m.: The holiday-shopping training commences today. I have
implemented the five-mile run, complete with shopping cart, to maximize stamina
and maneuverability in the shopping environment.
August 15, 5 a.m.: The shopping-cart run has been intensified to a fivemile
obstacle course, complete with old women and overweight men. I must be
prepared to tackle anything.
October 7, location: Chemistry lab. I’ve been researching the most effective means
of tranquilizers and artificial adrenaline. The adrenaline seems to have been perfected, but
the tranquilizers have some interesting side effects. Further research must be conducted.
October 9, 7 a.m.: After deep consideration, it has been decided that the side effects are a
necessary risk of the tranquilizers.
November 2, location: Back alley. Purchasing a tranquilizing gun. I reached a new personal
record on obstacle course earlier today.
November 12, 4 p.m.: The holiday wish lists have been extracted from my children. I
begin mapping out store locations, complete with the most effective driving route. I
calculate price-quantity ratio for each store.
November 20, 8 a.m.: The utility belt has been constructed. The tranquilizer gun
has been placed in the right (for easy access) with seven refill capsules. Adrenaline
shots are on the left.
November 24, 8 p.m.: After reviewing the course one last time, my utility belt is
ready with seven filled adrenaline shots and tranquilizer gun, which is primed, cocked,
and ready to go. I need plenty of sleep but will do so fully clothed, with key in
hand.
November 25, 0 400 hours: Operation “Shop at all costs” has commenced. After a
quick round of exercises, I get in my car and on my way.
0 420 hours: Elbowing my way to the front of the crowd at the department store
doors. I’m reluctant to use any tranquilizers just yet as they will be needed later.
O n c e securely wedged between door and crowd, I review my plans one final time.
0 430 hours: Doors open. I may have crushed a small child upon entering, but the end result
will be well worth it. Unfortunately, I am not the first in the toy section and am forced to
tranquilize an 11-year-old boy to get to the Transformer Lego Set on schedule.
0 530 hours: I could feel my adrenaline level going down and injected and injected another shot.
I now have four shots remaining.
0 700 hours: I have just completed the fourth store. So far, so good. Three rounds of
tranquilizers still remain for the fifth and final store.
0 715 hours: Upon entrance into the fifth store, I am greeted by people
rushing to the Furby stand. There are a choice few of the toys left and
I know what I had to do. With tranquilizer gun in hand, I proceed. All
of the sudden, the theme song of “Chariots of Fire” comes over the
loudspeakers as I make my way steadily over my fallen victims toward
the Holy Grail of toys. For a second, I think all is lost, but then
I realize that one tranquilized victim is holding a Furby of the exact
color my little Suzy asked for, so I reach down and grasp my prize
firmly in my two sweaty hands. This day, this hour, victory is
mine.
0 800 hours: Back at home, I changed out of camos and into a
Christmas vest, ready to bake sugar cookies. The dulcet sounds of Manheim
Steamroller, combined with the sweet smell of my gingerbread cookies, waft through
the house as the doorbell rang. I open the door to face my mother-in-law.
Despite our differences, I welcome her into my home. After all, this is the season of
compassion and good will toward all. I smile and offer her a cookie.
Diary By: Salome Viljoen & Sarah Melecki
Photos By: Susanna Webb
8/Faces November 23, 2005

Diary of a male shopper
6:00 a.m. Sleeping
6:30 a.m. Still sleeping
7:00 a.m. I get up, but then I fall asleep again on the floor next to my bed
11:00 a.m. I get up, and take a long shower. It is delightful and amazingly relaxing.
If fact it makes me want to take a nap…so I do. A long, delicious nap.
1:00
because seriously, who gets dressed in that order!
2:00 p.m. Now fully dressed, I look for some breakfast. I find copious amounts of turkey and dressing in the fridge.
Out of sheer laziness I neglect to heat the culinary delights. They are still scrumptious. Mmmmmmmmm…
2:30 p.m. I am fully fueled for a day of shopping as I head out to my car. I reach in my pocket for that familiar
jingling, but, alas, I find a void filled with nothing but lint, three pennies, and a gum wrapper.
3:30 p.m. I finally find my keys. It turns out they were in my other pocket. I knew I heard that jingling somewhere. I
carefully check to make sure that I have all the necessary items for a day of shopping. Funds Check. Keys Check.
Gusto! Double check!
4:00 p.m. I arrive at the mall parking lot. Holy sweet mother of god! There is not a single space for miles. I decide
to purloin a pregnant-mother parking space, but accidentally double park in the adjacent handicapped space as well. I can’t
understand why it hasn’t already been stolen!
4:15 p.m. Upon entering the mall, I look for a shopping cart. Unfortunately, the only one available has a small
plastic car attached to the front for young kiddies. As I begin cruising down the malls winding corridors,
I turn into Victoria’s Secret. This is one small step for man, and one HUGE awkward look from the sales
representative.
“I have..er…you…I mean…girlfriend…” I stammer. She giggles and walks away. Apparently my
testosterone levels are far too much for her to handle.
4:30 p.m. After selecting the most “appropriate” merchandise, I stroll over to the checkout counter.
Reaching gallantly for my rear pocket, I obtain cash money. My first present had been purchased. Now, I am
charged with the ultimate task. LUNCH!
5:00 p.m. After battling my way through the hoards of middle-aged moms and prepubescent girls,
I locate the food court. So many choices, so I decide to try them all. I enjoy
a long lunch consisting of the following items: a nacho-cheese filled
pretzel, a double deluxe butter burger with cheese, a 64 oz. Mountain
Dew, a medium meatlover’s pizza, chicken fried rice, and a fortune
cookie. My fortune: delicious.
8:30 p.m. I have finally sated my hunger. In the search for the Holy Grail,
that sacred chalice of motherly gifts, I dodge the makeup
ladies and skirt the perfume pushers. I arrive, unscathed mostly,
except for a blip of lipstick from the tube thrown at me. My keen
eyes scan the clearance racks of Dillard’s. Lo and behold, thar
she blows, a sweater with functioning inlaid Christmas lights woven
in its woolen glory. I race to the checkout counter and pay with my cash money.
I dash to my car, rip up the tickets left under the wipers, and slide across the rusted hood. I dive in
through the open window. Mission Accomplished.
Diary & Photos By: BJ Valente & Aaron Stephenson
November 23, 2005 Faces/9

Spartans Speak Out
Compiled by Kelli Blacketer
What do you like to eat on
Thanksgiving Day
“Mashed potatoes and
gravy.”
--Sara Plies, senior
“Turkey.”
--Pam Price,
cafeteria worker
“Goose and mashed
potatoes and gravy.”
--Dennis Mann,
Instructional
Coordinator
“Turkey, or sometimes
chicken.”
--Edwin Carlos, senior
We all know the scene, that
cartoon rendition of the first Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims in their Sunday
best, dolling out food to the nearnaked
natives, while the phrase “the
Indians had never had such a fest”
resounds in our heads. This is the image
of the founding of our country,
of our ancestors embarking on their
journey to triumph over that wild
realm and turning it into a country.
We consider the Pilgrims’
landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620 to
be the founding of civilization in what
is now the United States. James
Lowen, however, states in his book
“Lies My Teacher Told Me” that one
third of what is now the United States,
from what is now Arkansas to San
Fransisco, has been Spanish longer
than it has been American.” Spanish
Jews, seeking religious freedom,
were living here long before anyone
left England for these shores.
East High Students’ Holiday Traditions
Tina Zheng
_ Staff Reporter
Some holiday traditions never
change. The wind gets chillier, the colors
warmer, the shopping busier.
The American Thanksgiving is just
one of those traditions. The Pilgrims
hosted the first Thanksgiving celebration
in 1620. Since then, Thanksgiving has
branched out. As our country has
become more diverse immigrants
have contributed their
own customs. Our aging
and changing has spawned
new traditions.
Take, for example,
Junior Katherine White.
White’s family gather at
her grandmother’s house
for Thanksgiving dinner.
White’s fondest memories
are family traditions.
“My cousin Bradley,
who’s as thin as a stick, tries to set
a record for eating rolls every year. I think
his maximum is eight,” said White.
After dinner, the family usually
plays capture the flag, video games,
or cards.
“After that, my aunt always brings
two pies that we eat each Thanksgiving:
apple and pumpkin,” said White.
Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t
be the same for the family without a
family feud.
“My cousin Bradley and my cousin
Eric get mad at each other and fight like
little girls,” said White.
While White enjoys a traditional
Seth Flowerday
_ Staff Reporter
We also often omit the story
of Jamestown, because it does not
make a pretty picture for our country’s
founding. On the 102 people
aboard the Mayflower, only 32 were
Pilgrims. The rest were seeking their
fortune in a new land, hoping to join
the Jamestown colony. That same
colony forced natives to teach them
how to farm, according to James
Adams’ “The March of Democracy.”
In addition, Leitch Wright in his book
“The Only Land They Knew” recalls
that the colonists also took part in
early biological warfare when, after
negotiating a treaty with the locals,
offered a toast of eternal friendship.
Shortly thereafter, the chief, his family
and advisors and 200 followers
dropped dead from poison. This is
in stark contrast with our image of
Squanto and the Pilgrims and hardly
serves as a suitable creation story for
our country.
Thanksgiving, sophomore Mahir Gharzai
celebrates a Thanksgiving infused with
Afghan customs. Gharzai’s father is the
oldest in his family so Thanksgiving dinner
is hosted at their house.
“ I f
everybody can make it, there are about
30 people there,” said Gharzai.
The variety of food makes Gharzai’s
celebration special.
“We have all kinds of food you
normally wouldn’t find during the rest
of the year because they take so long
to prepare. My mom spends the whole
day in the kitchen using the oven,” said
Gharzai.
Some of the food includes mantoo
(round eggroll-shaped objects filled with
ground-beef), chicken kabob, eggplant,
bringe (Afghan rice), and nachood (a
spicy dish that includes potatoes and
sour cream). Gharzai knows Afghans
didn’t originally have Thanksgiving, but
his parents have adopted it.
“It’s the one time during the year
for us all to get together. Everybody has
the day off,” said Gharzai.
Senior Brin Miller puts a vegetarian
spin on Thanksgiving.
“We have the usual, like mashed
potatoes and green beans, and I still
get pretty stuffed without meat,”
said Miller. Though her food may
be different, Miller’s Thanksgiving
spirit remains. “The
nicest part of Thanksgiving
is getting to see the whole
family.”
F o r s o m e ,
Thanksgiving isn’t all about
the food. English teacher
Matt Davis doesn’t have
any particularly strong traditions.
“I usually watch football though,”
said Davis.
For junior Jake Wolf, music
makes the day.
“Every year, I listen to the ‘Turkey
Song’ by Adam Sandler with my family,”
said Wolf.
This time of year, many things
don’t change. Thankfully, as varied as
they may be, the traditions of togetherness
that highlight Thanksgivings are here
to stay.
Facts and Fallacies: the real Thanksgiving
10/Faces November 23, 2005
We also are led to believe
that the Pilgrims landed in a savage
and wild land. This creates a nice obstacle
for our ancestors to traverse,
although it’s not very accurate.
John Smith, who knew the region well
and named it New England, offered
to help the Pilgrims but was turned
down because his services were too
expensive. Instead, the Pilgrims built
a boat to explore the shores for a suitable
place to colonize. They chose
Plymouth Rock because the natives
already had cleared it of rocks and
underbrush and had planted their
crops there. In addition, according
to Gary Nash in his book “Red, Black
and White, the natives also had
trade routes in place that linked the
Great Lakes to Florida and the Rockies
to New England. One colonist
said according to Emanuel Altham
in Three Visitors to Plymouth “This bay
wherein we live at one time hath
dwelt about two thousand Indians.”
So the Pilgrims by no means entered
a barren wasteland It had been cultivated
and inhabited by natives for
some time.
These lies, though, helped
create a firm foundation for this city
on a hill. We repeat them because
we want our country to have been
founded on a clean slate, but these
lies perpetuate ethnocentrism. By
using the myth of the Pilgrims, by
not telling all the sides of the story,
we cheat everyone involved. We
accept and perpetuate a lie, and
those whose stories are not told
are left feeling robbed, wondering
why their country will not be honest
about their history. We must question
the ethos of a country that will lie to
project itself in a better light, and
we must question any populous that
is willing to perpetuate that lie and
remain in the dark.

Thanksgiving Decor:
How much is too much
Roshni Oommen
_ Staff Reporter
Deck the walls with boughs
of holly! In the past, this simple and
elegant decoration was enough
to create the Christmas mood. But
lately, that simple decorating spirit
has ballooned
into glitzy garland
mania.
C h r i s t m a s
i s n ’ t t h e o n l y
time of year we
decorate. Beginning
with Halloween,
the holiday
season allows us
to fulfill our every
decorating
desire. From the
giant, inflatable,
light-up pumpkins
that fill people’s
front yards to replicas
of the New Year’s ball, these
days, people go all out.
For Halloween this year, senior
Katie Streeter’s family went to
the extreme.
“We had a light up ghost skull
on our front door, green lights in our
bushes, and cobwebs on our front
porch,” she said. Streeter’s family
decorates every year, but she says
that this year was the most extravagant.
Christmas is still the most
decked out holi- day. Re-
cently, stores and decorators have
both taken Christmas decorations
to the next level. Sophomore Kelley
Christensen says that she “can’t seem
to avoid stores that are completely
devoted to
s e a s o n a l
d e c o r a -
tions.”
In an
a t t e m p t
to attract
more customers,
the
d e c o r a -
tions have
b e c o m e
more and
more flamboyant.
In
fact, starti
n g f r o m
early October, customers can begin
to buy every Christmas decoration
imaginable.
“I walked into Sam’s Club and
saw a giant inflatable snow globe
with a whole Christmas scene inside,”
said freshman Emili Jones.
Decorations used to add to
the holiday season, but now, the
holidays have become all about
decorations. So this year, as you’re
inflating your ten-foot Grinch, try to
remember what these holidays were
o n c e all about.
Photos by: Erin Brown
Gobbling up the
HyVee Gobblers
Jetz Jacobson
_ Faces Editor
This Thanksgiving, as you’re
shoving your face with any number of
stuffed, baked, or gravy-drenched delicacies,
you may not think twice about
those who prepared all that food. It all
came from mom and grandma, right
Sure, there are lots of us who enjoy that
good, old-family cooking, but what if
mom and grandma got lazy one year,
and (gasp), there was no turkey!
Not to worry, HyVee has your back, so
you can calm down and stop stashing
canned cranberry sauce underneath
your bed.
Each year,
the kitchen
at the
Williamsburg
Hy-
Vee gears
up for the
h o l i d a y
s e a s o n
by creating
different
family
meals that
can serve
anywhere
from four
to 16 people.
The
t u r k e y s
are prec
o o k e d
and therefore
can
b e p r e -
ordered.
However,
all of the
side dishes
are made
a t t h e
store. Needless to say, there are mountains
of mashed potatoes made, along
with everyone’s favorite side dishes. All
in all, the crew will cook approximately
450 pounds of mashed potatoes and 250
pounds of stuffing to go with it. The store
prepares around 100 to 180 packages
each year, each of which include an entrée
and up to four side dishes for a meal
serving four. That’s a lot of turkeys! Green
bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and
stuffing are the top sellers, but customers
also can choose to consume cranberry
relish, home-style pies, macaroni and
cheese, and, of course, rolls, to name a
few.
If grandma and mom aren’t
cooking, then who is Sarah Morris, manager
of the Williamsburg HyVee helps
create these delicious holiday meals,
and she wastes no time in preparing for
the holiday rush.
“We’ve already put in orders at
the end of October,” said Morris.
Because many grocery stores are
putting in food orders to distributors, it is a
first-come first-served basis. If the order is
too late, the store may not get the product
they need, and they will have to find
another distributor. Stores start ordering
as soon as possible in order to avoid this
potential setback.
Come Thanksgiving Day, most
of HyVee is closed, and the kitchen becomes
the primary provider of food inside
the store. Seven or eight kitchen employees
are
w o r k i n g
away the
day before
Thanksgiving,
as well
as Turkey
Day itself.
“ I will be
here a minimum
of 10
to 12 hours
a day the
week before
Thanksgiving,
and
1 4 t o 1 6
h o u r s o n
Thanksgiving
Day,”
said Morris.
On top of
all of these
ready-togo
packa
g e d
m e a l s ,
there are
also special
orders to fill. Four hundred pounds of
mashed potatoes may be ordered in
a single day to provide for a catering
party of 300 or more people. Whatever
the order, these employees are always
working hard to bring everyone the best
meal possible, and to ensure that everyone
has an enjoyable Thanksgiving.
HyVee meals are also provided to needy
families, as well.
As the orders keep coming
in, Morris and her kitchen employees
will begin to make their mountains of
mashed potatoes and vats of cranberry
relish. So if your family decides to get lazy
on Thanksgiving, you can still consume
over half your body weight in gravy and
pumpkin pie and not think twice, thanks
to HyVee and its dedicated kitchen
staff.
November 23, 2005 Faces/11

Giving
back
“People are sometimes
so cynical, everytime they
see this one kid they’re
like ‘Oh, that person is
so amazing!’ And
everybody else
is like, ‘pfft, who
cares’ ”
12/Focus November 23, 2005

A school
should be a safe
learning environment
for students, but at the
middle school Kir Bhardwaj
attended in Oswego,
New York, students walking to
school had to weave between
two-way traffic, narrowly avoiding
collisions with parents dropping off
their children. To convince the
school board to implement
safety measures,
Bhardwaj presented
a PowerPoint illustrating
the hazards
of the school zone.
Even though she
was a freshman
in high school
by the time she
learned Oswego
Middle
School finally
constructed
a turnaround
to separate
motor traffic
from pedestrians,
Bhardwaj still
considers the event to
be significant, “because
it showed that,
‘Yes! School boards
actually do listen to the
public.’ ”
Now an active junior
at East, Bhardwaj participates
in Speech, Ecology
Club, FBLA at school, mentors
young oboists in Nebraska
City, and volunteers at Gere
Library on Sundays. While other people
and events influence her, Bhardwaj’s main
drive comes from an innate determination
to not only create goals, but also to
complete her ventures.
Her friends and family know her as a
meticulous planner, a hungry but modest
achiever. Mary Bhardwaj describes her
daughter “as a kind of person who picks
up commitment and follows through.
She’s interested in things that matter a
great deal.”
Bhardwaj is not one to accept individual
praise, and takes exception to
stereotypes.
“I’ve never been able to accept
being called a teenager,” said Bhardwaj.
“When I look at so many kids, these kids
do not fit under the negative stereotype
of a teenager. They are doing so well for
themselves, for their families, for their community.
They’re just great people.”
She firmly believes community service
is not an elitist involvement, and that
everyone has something to offer. Bhardwaj
and the East student government are
working to create a volunteer agency that
would match students with established
volunteer organizations in the community,
given their diverse areas of interest and
time availability. The project is currently in
the rough stages of development.
Bhardwaj and the class officers working
on the campaign are trying to find
means to effectively reach out to their
East peers, without sounding cheesy or
patronizing. “ ‘Go out and do something
that’s great!’ Nobody will ever listen to
that,” said Bhardwaj. “That’ll just fade into
the other marketing out there. You can’t
put a poster at school and just be like, ‘Go
volunteer!’ ”
But if instilling passion into people is
possible, then helping others infuse their
interests while aiding the community is
certainly a worthwhile cause. Making the
organization all-inclusive is the foundation
of the project.
“It’s not so much one individual
who’s doing a lot; it’s a multitude of individuals
who are each contributing something,
which adds up to so much more,”
she said. “I really do think that there are a
lot of kids that do want to volunteer…and
then, they just get shoved over by this
notion that every teenager is apathetic.”
Bhardwaj laughs at and dismisses the mistaken
notion of herself as the prototypical
model of a philanthropist.
“I just have this idea that sometimes
people are so cynical that everytime that
they see this one kid, everybody’s like, ‘Oh!
That person puts in so much effort, and
they’re so amazing!’ And everybody else
is just like, ‘Pfft. Who cares’ ,” she said.
Both the typecast of disaffected youth
and the perfect do-gooder are molds
Bhardwaj hopes this project will break. For
her, the power of volunteering rests in the
pooling of individual resources and talents
into a mass undertaking.
Bhardwaj sincerely insists that the
spotlight not shine on her, but rather on the
organizations and projects she is involved
in. She maintains that every East student
has the ability and potential to serve the
community in his or her unique capacity.
For her, giving does not mean “one kid
tearing his heart out to work and volunteer,
every single weekend and day after
school,” said Bhardwaj. “That won’t make
as much of a difference as if everyone
at East did something, a couple of hours
every week.”
Story by Carrie Chen
Photo by Susanna Webb
Design Jake Meador
November 23, 2005 Focus/13

To give or not to give:
Is that really the question
Senior year comes around and
freedom is just around the corner. All of
East’s seniors are anticipating the moment
when they step across the stage,
smile at their families, move their tassel
across their hats, and leave the stage
a different person, an adult. Nothing
will stand between them and freedom.
Nothing that is, except 20 hours of volunteering.
At the beginning of the school
year, I shrugged off the mention of 20
hours of volunteering. With a little here,
a little there, I was sure I could slide the
hours in easily. But now, with one quarter
of my CI class left, those 20 hours are
becoming more daunting than I ever
imagined.
“Students will demonstrate the
knowledge, skills and attitudes essential
for living in a democracy and becoming
a contributing member of society.”
This is the purpose-statement which
launches every senior from an alreadybusy
schedule into absolute chaos,
running from place to place, cats and
dogs sleeping together, mass hysteria,
running place to place. Okay, maybe
I’m exaggerating a bit. However, in the
midst of a job, homework, church activities,
scholarship applications, and a full
schedule at school, I have to wonder.
Does it really take 20 hours of volunteering
to shape me into a contributing
member of society
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only student
out there who has wondered this
very thing. What is the point, really At
first, I was very excited to have an opportunity
to serve, but once I realized how
little time I have for it, I was not longer
thrilled to be forced into volunteering,
on top of everything else I am committed
to.
The line has been drawn, and the
appropriate sides in my mind have taken
their corners. I’m ready to debate…with
myself.
I love the idea of volunteering.
I think it’s valuable to stop thinking of
ourselves and start focusing on how we
Kayla Knott
_ Staff Reporter
can help others. I’m thrilled to help out.
Just don’t make me do it. Let me do it on
my own. I will get out there and serve in
the areas where I am comfortable, in the
time frame that is available for me.
Sure, there are students who don’t
want to serve anyone, and will never
strive to become an asset to the community.
C.I. Volunteer hours can help teach
them the importance of serving and the
joy that comes from looking outside of
the “me, me, me” mindset. I believe that
this is part of the purpose of the 20 hours,
to teach us to be “contributing members
of society.”
Then again, what about those
students who serve in three clubs, youth
group and Bible study, and who work
and attend school How are they supposed
to fit in 20 hours on top of everything
else that is demanding their time
Should they really be forced to serve
As I wrap up this self-argument, I
wonder if I have I missed the point. In
making such a big deal of this CI issue,
have I in fact destroyed the whole purpose
of serving in the first place
Perhaps instead of moping and
griping about how much this affects me,
I should stop to think about the bigger
issues that affect many people in Lincoln
as I speak: issues such as poverty, hunger,
education and survival. People’s lives
are unraveling before their eyes, and
I’m whining because my social activities
have been hampered for 20 hours
this semester.
Before I go hide in the corner and
cower in shame, let me just encourage
other seniors, as you finish out your CI
hours (or for any fellow procrastinators,
get ready to start them) please, stop
and consider what this is all about. And
maybe, in light of the season of thanks,
we can be thankful that we live in a
country that requires opportunities in
which we may serve one another.
“ A s k n o t w h a t y o u r [ C I
hours] can do for you, but what
you can do for your [CI hours]!”
Spartans Speak Out
What is the worst gift you have ever received
DECA’s Lindsey Kaiser, Molly Beedle and Rachael Pickerel and Jade Selvy presenting Channel 8’s Rod
Fowler with a $2500 check for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Photo by Laurie Fraser.
A reason for giving
Chris Oltman
_ Staff Reporter
Ah, yes. The holiday season is once again upon us. And with it comes the tradition
of providing food and services to those less fortunate than ourselves. Usually,
Lincolnites take part in the giving spirit. Food and toy drives thrive in some churches
and multiple Santas roam the streets asking for spare change for various charities.
And, while these Santas have become a recurring theme in my nightmares, they’re
still helpful to those in need.
There’s just something about this season that seems to get people in a more
charitable mood. Consider East. You hardly ever see a food or clothing drive quite
like the ones that take place in November and December. It seems that during the
summer months, we hardly consider charities or giving to the poor. And it’s not like
people suddenly need less help during that time. It’s just that we, as a community,
seem to give less thought to their need.
So what is the driving force behind people’s generosity Everyone has their
own reason for donating a portion of their earnings to an organization dedicated
to helping others. At East, the bulk of the people who donate money to a cause
usually do it through DECA.
DECA is involved in many charities and donations to charitable organizations.
In fact, one of their four core goals promotes charitable behavior through “Civic
Conscientiousness.”
DECA organizer Laurie Fraser said that Civic Consciousness “is what makes
students aware of what’s happening in their world and wanting to improve it.”
This is true not only for DECA members, but for most everyone else. Inside
most people, there’s a small voice telling them to help others or else they feel bad
if they don’t.
There are also other benefits to donating money to a charity other than
the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives you. High school students are can list community
service on their college applications and job resumes. Not only are they helping
the community, they’re helping to jump start their own future by providing aid to
others. But hopefully, students aren’t just giving to charity so they can look good
on paper, but also so they get a sense of integrity by assisting these organizations
with their goals.
Whatever the reason, helping others gives people a sense that they’re doing
the right thing.
“Donating to charities is something that can be very powerful and is fun to
be a part of,” said Fraser.
Compiled by Darja Dobermann and Tina Zheng
“Three jigsaw puzzles.”
--Shawn Donahue, sophomore
“A toothbrush.”
--Ali Bunde, junior
“A leisure suit. It was a big thing
in the 70’s. I wanted a real suit
but I got a leisure suit. It was
a horrible green color with
maroon stitching.”
--Dennis Mann, administrator
14/Focus November 23, 2005

East students and clubs share the love
Compiled by Darja Dobermann and Tina Zheng
Photos by Darja Dobermann, Tina Zheng, Susanna Webb, and Shuqiao Song
Name: Ambassadors Club
Good Deeds: The Ambassadors Club is planning a “Teachers
Night Out,” where they will babysit teachers’ kids. The profits
will support hurricane relief efforts.
“It’s enjoyable to help people and you are able
to change. It’s not a one sided thing, you receive
something in return in your heart.” Kari Tietjen, president
of the Ambassadors Club.
Name: DECA
Good Deeds: DECA is hosting a Bowl-A-Thon. The
proceeds will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
They are also doing publicity for St. Monica’s Home, a
local treatment center, and helping Habitat for Humanity
organize YouthBuild, a program in which Lincoln high
schoolers work together to build a house.
“I like knowing I can step outside the realm
of myself to make someone’s day a little brighter.”
Senior Lindsey Kaiser, DECA president.
Name: Student Council
Good Deeds: StuCo is mentoring special education
students and cleaning the grounds at East
“I get to work with some of the special ed.
kids and I got to know them. It is an opportunity
to get to meet more people. I just really
like working with them.” Sophomore Jim Hao,
StuCo member.
Name: Ecology Club
Good Deeds: In a
couple weeks, the club
will be selling organic
chocolate to fund an
ecological cause.
“I like knowing
that I’m making
a difference.”
Freshman Barb
Walkowiak, Ecology
Club member.
Name: John Hanus, freshman
Good Deeds: Hanus received the Prudential
Spirit of Community Award last year
for volunteering over 250 hours
to help Lux teachers. Hanus
o r g a n i z e d material
for the
t e a c h -
ers, aided
stud
e n t s ,
a n d
g r a d e d
papers.
“I thought it’d be
a good thing to do. It
was pretty cool because I got a medallion.”
Name: FBLA
Good Deeds: FBLA is selling Spartan magnets with
the profit going to hurricane relief.
“Giving helps society.” Sophomore Adam
Pillard, FBLA member.
Name: Katherine Wild, senior
Good Deeds: Over the summer Katherine volunteered
for several groups. She was a counselor-in-training
at a summer camp, helped with a theater camp at the
Lincoln Children’s Museum, helped organize
the Bright Lights program and
worked at her church with Sunday
school, vacation bible school, and
a creative arts program.
“I think I gain a sense
of accomplishment
and a feeling of confidence
because
of the positive response.
It’s nice
to know that
people really appreciate
you.”
November 23, 2005
Name: Baking Classes
Good Deeds: The classes baked chex
mix, puppy chow, cookies, muffins and brownies
that were sold in the library with the profits
going to Mr. Lautenschlager’s daughter.
“We sold everything. Everything
to the last little bit. He [Mr. Lautenschlager]
gave us a
thank you note, and it
made me feel happy.
We knew we couldn’t
pay for it all, but we
wanted to make it
easier on them.” Junior
Alyssa Sheets,
baking class student.
Donation
stations
There are places all over the
city of Lincoln where you can volunteer.
Here is a list of just a few of the
opportunities available in Lincoln.
CAPITAL HUMANE SOCIETY
Mission: The goal of the Capital
Humane society is to prevent
animal neglect and abuse. They
are constantly working to improve
relationships between animals and
humans.
Requirements: Must be 16
years old to volunteer alone. People
ages 13-15 years old must be
supervised by an adult
Volunteer Opportunities:
Assistant Kennel Worker/
grounds maintenance
Pet Groomer/socializer
Pet Assisted Therapy
Humane Educater
Foster Care Parent
Who to Contact: Jenny Stager-Director
of volunteers and education:
441-4483
GOODWILL
Mission: The Goodwill is a
non-profit organization the provides
job and training opportunities for
people with disabilities or other
special needs.
Requirements: Must be 14
years old to volunteer alone. Anyone
under 14 must be accompanied
by a parent or guardian
Volunteer Opportunities:
Pre-sorter
Custodial/Facility Upkeep
Clerical
Who to Contact: Renee Cohen-volunteer
organizer
Phone: 438-2022 ext. 118
E-mail: hr@lincolngoodwill.
org
CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER
Mission: The Child Advocacy
Center provides a safe environment
in which abused children can
be interviewed and examined by
medical professionals. They also
work towards prevention in the
community.
Requirements: Extremely mature
individuals because of the
sensitive nature of what the center
deals with. Each individual wishing
to volunteer must fill out an application
and complete a background
check.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Special Events
Maintenance/Housekeeping/
Landscaping
Clerical/Data Entry/Bulk Mail
Assistant Advocate
Who to Contact: For an
application send an e-mail to:
catina@smvoices.org
Compiled by Darja Dobermann
Focus/15

Taste Testers
Jerusalem Cuisine
2840 S. 70th St.
483-4433
Jerusalem Cuisine is a nice place close to East if
you have a fixing for Middle Eastern delicacies. I highly
recommend their gyros. The gyros also can come
with feta cheese which adds a nice flavor. You also
have an option of having fries, which I recommend
because one gyro isn’t very filling. The prices may
be a tad bit high for a student, but the prices aren’t
unreasonable. If you’re looking for something other
than Amigo’s or chicken poppers for lunch, you should
definitely try out Jerusalem Cuisine.
Ali Baba’s Gyros
112 N 14th Street.
435-2615
If you’re ever downtown and looking for a
great place to eat at a minimal cost, then Ali Baba’s
Gyros is for you. I ordered one of their gyros with a
choice of regular or steak fries. The gyro is actually
quite large, so large that it was difficult to pick up
and eat. It’s filled with so much meat, vegetables,
and sauce that I ended up having more gyro on my
face than in my stomach. Everything was good, the
fries had a special seasoning on them, and the gyro
was delicious. The prices are decent. You get a lot
of food for just a little over $5.00.
Great Wall
850 North 70th St.
488-2112
What the typical student doesn’t know is that
right up 70th Street, Great Wall serves tasty Chinese
fare at a reasonable price.
For lunch, Great Wall has 34 different specials
to choose from, which all cost $4.49. The entrees
are standard for a Chinese restaurant, but the wide
selection is sure to please. Lunch selections include
fried rice and an egg roll or soup.
The food is delicious. It tastes fresh and most of
it is prepared when you order. My personal favorite,
sweet and sour shrimp, is some of the best I’ve had
in the city. It is very sweet and filling. The fried rice,
which is fried with egg, white onion, and green onion,
is also hearty.
One suggestion: Since the food has to be
cooked, and the restaurant is sometimes busy, call
ahead before you get there.
D’Leon’s
2140 West O St., 1221 N 27th St., 7300 S 13th St.
438-7100, 474-7100, 423-7101
Once a drive-thru trailer on West O, D’Leon’s recently
opened two new restaurants to provide easier
access to other Lincoln diners.
D’Leon’s has been a longtime favorite of diners
making a late night Mexican run and one taste
explains why. D’Leon’s makes their food from scratch
using authentic family recipes, and all of the food is
bursting with flavor. The taste tops its fancier competitors,
and it is certainly better than the other fast-food
Mexican places.
The menu features breakfast burritos, omelettes,
burritos, tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, tortas, and combination
plates offering an entree, rice, and beans.
There are also Mexican juices. I suggest the beef
burrito, which is hands down the best I’ve ever tasted.
Each one weighs about a pound and is made with
fresh tortillas. I have also been told that the carnitas
(pork) combination plate is quite tasty.
The next time you’re craving Mexican, get yourself
some D’Leon’s.
Compiled by Sol Eppel and William Chen
Chef Dudney has a lot on his plate
East grad finds life passion in the art of cooking
Sammy Wang
_ Focus/Copy Editor
Grilled bourbon steak – medium-well,
one side of potatoes,
one side of steamed broccoli.
Time to get cooking.
As the executive
chef of Bunkers at
the HiMark Country
Club, 2001
East graduate
R y a n D u d -
ney’s got a
lot on his plate.
Along with prep
a r i n g c o m -
plete gourmet
meals in under 13
minutes, Dudney
also has a few business
ventures up
his sleeve.
D u d n e y
g r a d u a t e d
from Southeast
Community
College’s
C u l i n a r y A r t s
School in 2004 and
has since been using
his skills to create a
cookbook.
“It’s called
‘The Collegiate
Gourmet’,” said
Dudney. The cookbook
is a compilation
of simple yet
satisfying meals for college
students to prepare.
Dudney’s sister is doing the photography
and they hope to have it finished by early
January.
His love of food beckons to his first paycheck.
“My first job was at a restaurant,” said Dudney.
“I just fell in love with the dynamics of everything.
It’s an outlet for artistic ideas and to cook good
food.”
With Bunker’s fixed menu, Dudney’s love still
lays in creating new dishes.
“Finding new ways for presentation is my favorite
part,” said Dudney, “making it so the plate
could hang on the wall [as an
art piece].”
Along with the creative
outlet cooking provides, Dudney
also loves the atmosphere.
“Everything’s fast-paced
and slightly stressful,” said Dudney.
“You have to get into the
groove in order to multitask. It’s
stimulating.”
For Dudney’s final exam in culinary school he
was required to put on a dinner for 80 people as the
head chef. He hired a staff from of his classmates,
chose the colors to incorporate, designed the menu,
and assigned costs – everything that surrounds an
opening night of a restaurant.
“Cooking has become more
glorified... It takes focus
and time and energy - not
as many people can hack it
as they think.”
Chef Dudney prepares a
meal, taking his time with
the decorations
(photo by Erin Brown).
“I’m glad my family got to see my skills put to
work,” said Dudney.
With the popularity of The Food Network and
sitcoms and movies about the food industry, cooking
itself is becoming a new trend.
“Cooking has become more glorified,” said
Dudney. “Some people think it’s easy. It takes focus
and time and energy – not as many people can
hack it as they think.”
Dudney’s enthusiasm and passion for what he
does lends to his creativity when
coming up with new dishes.
“My favorite original dishes
are braised prawns in sweet corn
sauce and chicken pesto linguine
with grilled cherry tomatoes,” said
Dudney.
Someday, Dudney is hoping
to branch out independently into
a personal chef or an at-home
consultant. Not only is he advancing his cooking
career, but he is opening a martial arts school and
studio at Christmas, where he will be an instructor.
With so many opportunities in front of him, Dudney is
a firm believer that variety really is the spice of life.
16/A&E November 23, 2005

Black Market fashion show pins local designs in Lincoln
Jessica Lane
Jaclyn Geist wanted to bring a bit of fashion to Nebraska.
As a result, her clothing store, the Black Market,
is a consignment shop unlike any other. Geist, not only
sells very stylish, yet affordable clothes, but she also fixes
or re-styles them for customers. Junior Kate Rosenbaum
loves the styles available.
“Jackie will take clothes and re-vamp them into
something you can’t find anywhere else,” said Rosenbaum,
who worked at the shop over the summer.
Last spring, Geist came up with the idea of having
At East we have many girls that enjoy designing
their own clothing from sewing shorts, to patching holes,
or even putting their names on the clothes that they
have paid for.
Sophomore Emily Huenink has made all kinds of
her own designs on her clothing. From shorts to purses
she explains what made her want to design her own
clothing. “It started when I was in the eighth grade, we
were going into the sewing unit and I thought great this
should be boring, but once I got started it was all I ever
Her eyes light up as I come to the
correct conclusion. A smile passes her lips
as she nods in approval. “Exactly,” she says,
“that’s exactly how it works.” Her finger
points to the diagram of a sound wave in
the massive black three-ring binder. All the
information you could ever need is right
there, in her head, and she’s willing to tell
you everything.
Christine Hodges, mother of East
junior Julie Wertz, could be described as a
synthesizer programmer and
player, but she’s also a musical
guru. For six years Hodges
has been working in her
basement studio creating
and playing her electronicmusic
creations. During her
writing sessions, her fingers
tap the keyboard keys while
the sounds appear on the
glowing computer screen.
With a click of a mouse, the
turn of a knob, or a push of a
button, the sound changes.
The result can be anything.
“If you think it, you can create
it,” says Hodges.
Most people, though,
haven’t grasped this idea.
“I’d like to get more people
involved in electronic musical
synthesis. There just aren’t
enough electronic musicians
in the Midwest,” said
Hodges. Hodges has been
trying to rally support for more
electronic musicians, but the tiny group she
once worked with disintegrated following
the departure of one of its members. Now
she’s trying to get another group together
so that they can learn the thing she loves
to do: creating sounds.
_ Staff Reporter
High fashion, low budget
Tasha Roth
_ Staff Reporter
a fashion show. The first Black Market fashion show, which
ran last month, included 80 designs shown at the Iassion
& Sebastian Salon. Twelve local designers helped to create
completely new fashions from scratch or pulled some
styles straight off the racks of the Black market. The results
were very impressive.
Over 400 people attended, making it the highest
attended fashion show in Lincoln’s history. The models’
80s looks were the combined efforts of three people; the
designer, stylist, and make-up artist. The show made $1,700,
wanted to do,” said Huenink.
“I started by making pillows, those were fun and
then I started to make more things. I love sewing its just
something that I enjoy doing something. My mom taught
me everything she knows.”
“I think the best part about making my own design
is wearing them and someone comes up to me and says
oh Emily I love that where did you get it, and I can say I
made it with a huge smile on my face, that has to be the
best feeling in the world,” said Emily.
“Mom, turn that down!” One mom’s love of electronica
B.J. Valente
_ Staff Reporter
“I love unconventional sounds,” said
Hodges. “Creating new sounds and challenging
what is dance music has always
fascinated me. I have always found noise
to be pleasant to listen to.”
She has had a long love affair with
the synthesizer. “I remember when I was in
high school,” said Hodges. “I was walking
down the hall when I heard what sounded
like helicopters and bombs dropping. It
sounded like someone had turned the
Christine Hodges shows off her synthesizer programmer (photo by Julie Wertz).
television on really loud to Vietnam coverage.
As I walked closer to the A/V room the
sounds of helicopter blades spinning and
bombs got louder and louder. By the time
I was in the doorway the sound appeared
completely real, but inside were a couple of
which all went to Boys and Girls Town in Omaha to help
with Hurricane Katrina relief. Senior Kian Dempsey was one
of the models who strutted his stuff at the show.
“A friend asked if I wanted to be in it. I thought
it would be fun and I actually found out real fashion isn’t
conceited or contrived like I thought,” said Dempsey.
“It’s not about the label. It’s about the art and takes
a lot of work and creativity,” He also picked up on some
techniques.
“I had to learn to model walk with my shoulders
back, time spacing, and how to gyrate my bony body,”
he said. Practices took at least three hours and models
showed up several hours early to prepare before the
show started. The show highlighted Geist’s passion for
retro clothing.
“She knows that if we were all into consignment
there would be little need for all the consumerism that
takes over our lives,” said Tracy Rosenbaum, a Black Market
employee. Geist, whose store is at 1033 ‘O’ street, is
just happy to help others express themselves.
“I bought pants there. They’re a very satisfying pair
of pants,” said junior Claire Donahoo. Geist hopes her store
can give her customers additional ideas when it comes
to expression through clothing.
long-haired, stoner freaks huddled around a
synthesizer. I knew at that moment I had to
have one. I was completely hooked.”
Mrs. Hodges can’t understand why
more musicians aren’t attracted to electronic
music. “Making electronic music is
easy,” she said. It takes an average of four
days for her to create a song. “Plus, you
don’t need the manual skills you need for
conventional instruments.” Technology has
simplified music making even more. The
machines required to
create music have been
slimmed down to just
a computer. Originally,
the production process
required several hardto-find
and confusing bits
of machinery. Hodges
still has those machines,
some from Sweden,
Japan, Germany, and
a Kansas garage, but
today’s electronic music
composer doesn’t need
the vast array of keyboards,
drum machines,
oscillators, and filters that
remarkably resemble a
jet cockpit. To compose
electronic music today,
all one needs is a computer
with a soundcard.
There is software that will
replace the hardware.
Software companies often
have free, online
demos that can be downloaded. One of
these, a Swedish company which produces
Reason, allows experimenting candidates
a demo of their latest software at www.
propellerheads.se.
Mrs. Hodges’ early synthesizer experiments
don’t compare to the accomplished
artist she has become. She started as
someone who didn’t know where or how to
plug things in. That makes the idea of doing
it ourselves seem all the more attainable.
For all we know, the next electronic music
composer could be sitting at a computer
right now.
Electronica Dictionary-
Filter = programming device that
sets the parameters for which
tones are heard.
Oscillator = basic unit of
programming, can change
the pitch slightly and can be
used to give fatter tone when
strung together
Envelope = tells the computer when a
note is hit on keyboard.
Resonance = level of volume emitted
for a specified, independent
tone.
Low (High) Pass = term used to
describe effect of only using
tones higher (lower) than a
selected pitch.
Amplifier = final device that sends out
the sound at a desired level.
Sequencer = programming device
that dictates a sequence of
playing notes and rhythms for
any melody carrying
instrument.
Plugins = previously-made set of
parameters for a certain
desired tonal effect, can be
downloaded.
Compiled by B.J. Valente
November 23, 2005 A&E/17

Sampo is the Finnish
mythical beast that put the power
to create into the hands of those
who had passion and vision. Apparently
Sampo has been working
his magic on three Lincoln East
alumni. A short time ago, John Franti,
John Schrad, and Adam Butler started a
film company, Sampo Pictures, named
after their legendary inspiration.
Their first hour-long film “The
Empty Temple” is a story of researchers
trying to find ghosts
in UNL’s Temple Building. The
film explores the history of the
building, which sits across the
street from the Mary Riepma
Ross Theater, where the film
premiered on Halloween. The
former Spartans spent a month
just writing and scheduling auditions
before any filming actually
took place.
“Because of the Halloween
deadline, we’d end up filming 10 or 15
pages of script for several hours every
night. I don’t think I’d ever like to
do that again,” said Franti,
writer of the film. He wasn’t
the only one whose talents
were tested.
“ U s u a l l y n o
more than one or two scenes
are shot a day on a Hollywood
set,” said Schrad, who
Behind the desk sits
a big man with long hair
pulled back into a ponytail
and a thick mustache. He
puts his cowboy hat and
jacket on a hat stand,
revealing a long-sleeved
western-print button up.
D a n n y L e e
Ladely has been at work
bringing independent
and foreign films to Lincoln for 32
years. He selects the films shown at the
Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center.
“Moving images are the most important
art medium today.” said
Ladely. His interest in film
began in his hometown
of Gordon, Nebraska.
He always loved photography
and in high
school had the opportunity
to work in the
local movie theater.
However, his current
p a s -
sion was not realized
until later, in his college career.
As a journalism major who
switched into English, Ladely joined a
foreign film society. Once or twice a
month the group would meet to watch
18/A&E November 23, 2005
The Empty Temple, filled by Sampo
Jessica Lane
_ Staff Reporter
directed.
With no formal training, and an
intern from another local film company,
the crew learned techniques on the spot.
For example, they had to learn ADR (Additional
Dialogue Recording) and other
filming techniques.
“The sound of a sneeze or a
plane flying overhead makes a big difference.
These were things we had to
take care of,” said Butler who edited the
film.
“At about 5:30 the night before the
premier was when we
finally had just finished
the sound and music.
Ironically I was still making
more tweaks even
after the premiere,”
Scenes had to be sent
to Minnesota for sound
to be added.
“It’s much easier
when your source
for a soundtrack is actually
in the same state
the film is being made
in, but it turned out
great anyway,” said
Butler. Fortunately, former East student
Trent Haun, who attends a music production
school in Minnesota, was able to
help. The film featured other East graduates
including Jenny Cary who acted
in the film, Alex Duamas who was the
The Ross: Let’s get cultured!
Sean Dwyer
_ Staff Reporter
imported films. These films brought his
interest fully to the fore. When he finally
graduated after eight years, luck led him
to the job he still holds today.
“A lot of things kind of fell together
at the
same time.” said
Ladely. The Sheldon
Art Gallery
was looking for
a director for its
film section. During
the search,
Ladely’s name
was mentioned
several times to
the head of the
S h e l d o n a n d
after several interviews
was offered
a job. He
first thought the job would only be temporary.
But when the Mary Riepma Ross
Media Arts Center Split from the Sheldon,
Ladely followed. He oversees the film
selections shown and film competitions
sponsored or judged by the Ross.
As for selecting films, Ladely has
four main criteria. First: show film as an
art form. “Film is an amalgamation of
lighting technician, and Charles Baker
who provided the voice for a ghost.
“Charles was always at my
house where we’d be working on the
film and so he was kind of wrangled in.
Jenny was absolutely perfect for her role
and Alex always seemed to always bring
food around when we really needed it,”
said Butler. East High English teacher Bill
Dimon has enjoyed watching these filmmakers
evolve.
“Their first little project together
was the “3-Minute Epic” that was
shown a couple
years ago.
All I can say
is that Sampo
Pictures is all
about John
cubed and
Butler,” said Dimon,
sponsor
of the film club
started by the
students. The
three gradua
t e s h a v e
John Franti and John Schrad. (Photo by Erin Brown) come a long
way from the
novice videos made in their high school
club to receiving grants for their presentday
projects.
“This was our first real semi-professional
film and I’m really happy with
how it turned out,” said Franti.
the most important arts,” said Ladely, “It
has writing, photography, sound, music,
dialog.” Second: the Ross provides an
alternative to local, commercial theaters,
so Ladely
always picks films
that wouldn’t be
shown by Dougl
a s C i n e m a s .
Third on his list of
criteria is education.
The Ross is
part of UNL, so
Ladely is committed
to providing
films with some
e d u c a t i o n a l
content. But the
final, most important
criterion is
the entertainment
value of the films. Without some
entertainment, very few people would
come to watch.
Ladely tries to keep things entertaining,
while also honoring education
and art. In the end Ladely tries to bring
to the Ross what he loves: new films by
new filmmakers, breaking new ground
in art.
Ladely showing off a movie poster. (Photo by Sean Dwyer)

Take a stroll down Almira
Lane
Four East students have combined
their talents to create one of
East’s newest bands, Almira Lane.
Middle-school jam sessions in Young’s
basement have developed into laid
back and experimental music. The
foursome hopes to hone its talent while
having a lot of fun in the process.
“It was just me and Nate to begin
with, and then David [bassist] came in
and became the icing on the cake,”
said Young. “And now that we have
Derek we can work on vocals.”
Because it’s a newer band,
Almira Lane still struggles to find an audience.
“Raging crowds of chicks would be
nice,” joked Young.
The band hopes to play in several
shows and competitions before heading
off to college. “We hope to keep the band
together if we’re all still local by that time,”
said Young.
Meet A.L.
Nate Adams, senior – guitar
Mark Young, senior – drums
David Branker, senior – bass
Derek Outson, junior – singer
Myspace.com/almiraln
Genre: Psychadelic/rock
Influences: Sublime, Pink Floyd, 311
Oranjesta:
Can you feel
the glow
Oranjesta is probably East’s most developed
band. Having finished a promo package and recorded
their demo, the band hopes to catch the
interest of a record label soon. The band includes
seniors Aaron Stephenson and Jono Vander Broek,
and also college students Dave Rosser, Andy Stavas,
Alex Wright, and Andrew Tyler. Though Rosser and
Stavas live out of state, Oranjesta shows no signs of
slowing down or breaking up. The band even has
international appeal. “We just had our first overseas
sale. Some guy bought our CD for five euros,” said
vocalist Stephenson. Oranjesta hopes to turn its large
fan base into a record deal.
Meet Oranjesta
Aaron Stephenson, Senior – lead vocal
Dave Rosser, FSU – lead guitar/vocals
Andy Stavas, NC – sax/flute
Alex Wright, UNL – keyboard/guitar
Jono Vander-Broek, Senior – bass
Andrew Tyler, UNL – drums
myspace.com/oranjesta
oranjesta.com
Genre: Jazz Fusion
Influences: Maroon 5, DMB, 311
Members of Almira Lane jam on their instruments
(photo by Susanna Webb).
Stories and facts
compiled b y Danny Jablonski.
Photos by Shuqiao Song, Susanna
Webb, and Scott Fossberg.
Oranjesta, just chillin’ (photo by Scott
Fossberg).
Members of Skink show their silliness (photo by Shuqiao Song).
In the Brown household basement, sophomore Dan and junior Adam rock out
to songs they’ve written about pretty girls, robots taking over the world, and poop.
After scouting their bassist, senior Scott Schiffermiller, from Southwest, their
band, Skink, really took off. Skink has been entertaining audiences for
over a year now, playing at Knickerbocks and Freefest. They
also placed first at last year’s Battle of the Bands. Skink is
certainly unique, with its members wearing sweater vests
at shows and its crazy onstage antics.
“Our real trademark is being stupid,” said
Adam Brown. “We like to write songs about silly
things and we have a lot of fun doing it.” Their
energy and audience involvement add lots of
fun to performances.
Because it has only three members,
Skink operates very easily, but still struggles in
finding listeners. “Promoting is probably the
most difficult part,” said Dan Brown. “We’re
always looking for a bigger audience.”
Another breakout East band is Emery Park.
The band includes senior twins Alec and Eric Slyter,
and seventh grader Adam Slyter, with UNL student
Mike Hennings. The brothers Slyter play the instruments
while Hennings adds vocals. The band has
been around for over a year. With the Slyters all living
in the same house and Mike only a phone call away,
the band operates quite comfortably. Living together has
given Emery Park a lot of success when writing material. With
numerous shows at Knickerbockers, The Chatterbox, churches,
and on the UNL’s campus under its belt, Emery Park is well on its way
to success. Emery Park also did well in last year’s Battle of the Bands
competition and hopes to participate again this year. They also hope to perform
at this year’s Snatraps.
So how does Emery Park plan to expand in
the future “Coming out with a CD would be nice,”
said Alec. “If stuff happens along the way, then
it’ll happen. It’ll be cool and all, but it’ll still mainly
be about playing music.”
Mike Hennings, UNL – vocals
Alec Slyter, senior – guitar
Eric Slyter, senior – drums
Adam Slyter, 7th grade– bass
Myspace.com/emerypark
Emerypark.net
Genre: Rock/Christian
Influences: Relient K, Switch
foot
Meet Skink
Skink: What’s a skink
Meet Emery Park
Dan Brown,
sophomore – drums
Adam Brown
junior – guitar/vocals
Scott Schiffermiller,
LSW – bass
Myspace.com/skinkrocks
Genre: Progressive rock/
funk
Let’s go play
in Emery Park
Emery Park practices in their home (photo
by Shuqiao Song).
November 23, 2005
A&E/19

Name: Natalie Ebke
Grade: 9
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Outside hitter
Off-season activities: Basketball and
Soccer
Favorite sports figure: Jordan Larson
(Nebraska Volleyball)
In the beginning: She started playing in
fifth grade
Personal best: 14 kills against Southeast
Future plans: To play volleyball or basketball
in college
Sibling Rivalry: “It’s annoying that people
know me as Ebke’s sister. You do your best so
people know you’re good, and not just someone’s
sister.”
Name: Jordan Heiliger
Grade: 10
Sport: Cross Country
Off-season activities: Track
Favorite sports figure: Marian Jones
Personal bests: 15.53 minutes in
the 4K
Goal: Keep improving
In the beginning: “Michelle
Fluitt mentioned cross country
and I tried out.”
Future plans: Keep running
throughout high school and college
Sibling Rivalry: Her older brother
was on the wrestling team and she tries to
do as well as him.
Name: Sam Meginnis
Grade: 10
Sport: Football
Position: Starting linebacker
Off season activities: Basketball,
track
Favorite sports figure:
“John Lynch, who plays for the
Denver Broncos. He is just
a great guy. He graduated
from Stanford,
he’s very smart, and he
never talks smack.”
C r o w n i n g
achievements: “Winning
our last varsity game on
October 26.”
Future plans: Would like to
play college football.
Name: Mike Yardley
Grade: 10
Sport: Football
Position: Starting right
tackle
Off season activities:
Basketball, track
Favorite sports figure:
“Will Shields because
he is a guard in the pros
and used to play for the
Huskers.”
Crowning achievements:
“Winning my first
varsity game on October
26.”
Future Plans: Would
like to play college football.
20/Sports November 23, 2005

Name: Alex Neuhaus
Grade:10
Sport: Tennis
Position: #2 Doubles
Off Season Activities: Golf and
Swimming
Favorite Sports Figure: Roger
Federer
Season Highlight: Winning
at Conference
Turn-Ons to sport: Coaches
and Hillcrest
Record: 24-2 at season’s
end
Future plans: Continuing
in highschool tennis
Name: Michelle Fluitt
Grade: 10
Sport: Cross Country
Off-season activities:
Marching band, track
Personal bests: 15.25
minutes in the 4K
Goal: To make State and
medal in the top 15
In the beginning: Both parents
are runners and she’s following
in their footsteps
Future plans: Run track or cross
country in college
Sibling Rivalry: “My
older brother Aaron is a
big motivation for the
team. He always works
his hardest.”
Name: Nicole Gingery
Grade: 9
Sport: Varsity Volleyball
Position: Middle Blocker
Off-season activities: Basketball
and Track
Sports hero: Ogonna Nnamani
(Stanford Volleyball)
In the beginning: She started
playing in third grade
Personal best: 12 kills in one
game
Goal: To win State one
year
Future plans: To play in
college
Sibling Rivalry: “I want
to be known by my name,
not as Shauna’s sis or Ging’s
daughter. There’s pressure to
do better.“
Name: Brandon Videtich
Grade:10
Sport: Tennis
Position: #1 singles
Off Season Activities: Soccer and Basketball
Favorite Sports Figure:
Andre Agassi
Season Highlight:
Beating Southeast for
City Champs
T u r n - O n s t o
sport: My dad, he
plays, Hillcrest 1 s t
taught me
Record: 21-3 going
into state
Future plans: College
tennis and continuing
in highschool tennis
Underclass athletes, saving the future!
Compiled by: BJ Valente, Sarah Melecki, Kari Tietjen, Sammy Wang
Photos by: Erin Brown, Susanna Webb, Shuqiao Song
November 23, 2005 Sports/21

November
A&E
calendar
Nov. 23 – Ludo, Sokol Auditorium
Nov. 27 – Dave Matthews
Band with Gavin DeGraw,
Qwest Center
Dec. 3 – Keith Urban,
Qwest Center
Dec. 8 – Liz Phair with The
Fray, Sokol Underground
Dec. 10 – The Stnng/ The
Stay Awake/ Ladyfinger, Sokol
Underground
Dec. 15 – Internation
Noise Conspiracy, Sokol Underground
Dec. 15 – U2, Qwest Center
Dec. 16 – Anchondo with
Oranjesta, Knickerbockers
Dec. 22-23 – The Good
Life, Sokol Underground
22/Ads November 23, 2005

November 23, 2005 Ads/23

oracle v. 38 i. 3 november 23