The nittany pride Student Newspaper of Penn State New Kensington

Vol. VI No. 2 nittanypride.wordpress.com October 2011

Campus Comes To Life!

(Photos courtesy Bill Woodard)

Student Radio Station Slowly Taking Flight ------Save Your Money, Share Your eTextbooks ------Lady Lions Volleyball Show Significant Progress in 2011 ------Value & Variety at Local Bar Table of Contents

Student Radio Station Slowly Taking Flight...... Page 2

THON: For the Kids...... Page 3

Profiles in Courage: Mark Messina...... Page 4

Festival Spirits Not Dampened...... Pages 5-6

Value and Variety at Local Bar...... Pages 7-8

PSNK Soccer Player Helps Team Reach Playoffs...... Page 8

Save Your Money, Share Your eTextbooks...... Pages 9-10

CAB: We Plan Fun!...... Page 10

Sportelli Twins Take Control of Destiny & Play Ball...... Pages 11-12

Top 10 Horror Films of All Time...... Pages 13-14

Top 10 Horror Films of the 80s & 90s...... Page 15

Jackie Kennedy Tapes Released...... Page 16

Lady Lions Volleyball Show Significant Progress in 2011...... Page 17

NHL Realignment May End Penguins’ Rivalries...... Page 18

Golf Team Places Fourth in Conference Championships...... Page 19

Helping Students Seeking Jobs, Internships is His Passion...... Page 20

What Is A Ferret?...... Page 21

Lady Lions Volleyball Show Significant Progress in 2011...... Page 17

Free the Kids: Author of Freshman Book Visits PSNK...... Page 18

Nittany Pride Penn State New Kensington, 3550 Seventh Street Road, New Kensington, PA 15068

Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief & Online Editor Kelly Haugh Entertainment Editor Craig McNair Sports Editor Shawn Annarelli Advisor Abhinav Aima

1 Campus Life

Student Radio Station Slowly Taking Flight By Michael Bordick LOWER BURRELL, Pa.- A Penn State New Kensington student plans to reach her fellow classmates on and off campus using the radio waves.

Victoria Hepler, of Vandergrift, is in the process of establishing a student-driven radio station. The 19-year-old is a bright and determined sophomore at Penn State New Kensington who is majoring in Journalism, and she’s more than enthusiastic about this most recent endeavor.

The station itself will eventually have specific segments geared towards different aspects of the students’ interests. The station is also going to have various guests, including important figures such as Chancellor Kevin Snider.

Being on the air isn’t a recent idea. “It has always been a dream of mine,” said Hepler. Ever since she was on the news at a young age, she has been interested in being a part of broadcasting. Hepler and Co-President Taryn Clopton got the ball rolling with relative ease as they have various connections with the Student Radio Club President Victoria Hepler. Government Association and the Chancellor. According to Hepler, “It just sort of (Photo by Michael Bordick) happened…One minute it was an idea, the next it was already starting.”

Moving forward isn’t going as smooth as Hepler would like, however. The members have experienced creative differences about which direction the station should go. There is also the matter of being short-staffed as the station has only four official members, including Hepler and Clopton. They have 29-40 other associates interested in participating, but they are unable to attend many of the meetings due to their commitments to other clubs.

The financial side of things isn’t very promising either. The club must pay $12,000 annually in accordance with copyright laws for the ability to play copyrighted music. Due to these financial circumstances, the Radio Club will temporarily take on a different direction by creating commercials involving club presidents, musicians, and other relevant figures around campus and in the surrounding areas that will interest students. According to Hepler, the station will hold such segments as the news, campus events, and even comedian skits.

So far, both the idea and the actual club are receiving extremely positive feedback. Hepler herself was expecting the opposite reaction, but most of the campus is supporting them and it has been really easy to get noticed.

In the future, Hepler plans to expand the initiative to other campuses as soon as PSNK’s station gains momentum. Hepler herself is planning to transfer to University Park in a year, though she is planning to stay involved and is fairly certain that Co-President Clopton is staying at the New Kensington location.

Hepler stressed that the club needs members and that anyone can get involved. She stated that the club is very diverse and welcoming, all one has to do is attend the meetings and have a little devotion. “We care about the school and its students,” Hepler said.

Hepler wished to offer some advice to those looking to start their own club and said that having dedicated members is key. Her club would not be anywhere without them.

For anyone interested in more information about the club or radio station, Hepler has asked that they visit the SGA office or meet with her personally. 2 Campus Life

THON: For The Kids By Jenna Swank

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. – Penn State New Kensington’s THON organization held their Zazzy Zumba fundraiser on October 14 in the school gymnasium. Students and people from the community had the oppor- tunity to help raise money for children with pediatric cancer by taking part in this night of Zumba dancing.

THON is the largest student-run philan- thropy in the world. Their ultimate goal is to raise funds and awareness for children’s fight against pediatric cancer. All the money that is raised by the Penn State campuses benefits the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. THON members raise money at PSNK’s Fall Festival Oct. 1. (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard) The Zumba event and the THON organiza- tion at PSNK are run by Lauren Richards. Richards is a junior from Penn Hills who is majoring in Information Scienc- es and Technology. She has been actively involved in THON for two years and is currently the chairperson.

Richards’ main goal for THON this year is to beat last year’s total of over $52,000. Another goal she has is “to get more people involved throughout the year and keep them active.” Richards said that besides numbers being down in the organization, one of her biggest obstacles is that some students won’t be emotionally connected until they at- tend THON weekend so it’s harder to get them involved.

Richards holds THON close to her heart because she personally knows of a child who is suffering from pediatric can- cer. She said, “I want everyone to get involved with THON who needs it because they don’t turn any family down.”

The next fundraiser that PSNK THON is holding is a Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, November 6 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The second canning weekend for THON will take place December 1-3.

THON raises funds to fight childhood cancer. (Photo courtesy THON.org)

3 Campus Life

Profiles In Courage: Mark Messina

By Craig McNair Have you ever been in class and wondered what the life of the student sitting next to you is like? I had the privilege of finding out the answer to this very question in Dr. Wood’s CAS 100 class. Throughout the semester we had to deliver both an informative and persuasive speech. From this I found out that a fellow student had served his country in the Iraq War.

Mark Messina is a modest and humble Penn State New Kensington student who enlisted in the United States Army at the tender age of 17. Messina served as a Combat Engineer, which is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions.

During his service of 6 years, Messina was stationed all over the country and around the world including global locations such as Germany, Iraq, Korea and Kuwait. Messina received numerous awards including a Combat Action Badge, Army Good Conduct Medal, Enduring Freedom Medal, Iraqi Freedom Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Medal, 3 Army Achievement Medals, and a Purple Heart, which is awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving.

On behalf of the Penn State community and all of my fellow Americans living in freedom throughout the country, we thank you for all of your heroic actions. If you know Mark then you would also know that he would simply say, “it’s not a big deal.”

4 Campus Events

Festival Spirits Not Dampened By Ruth Herstek Rain, rain did not go away. Penn State New Kensington’s Fall Festival on October 1 drew a smaller crowd this year, but the blue and white were not deterred. The rain may have kept many classic cars and would-be visitors away, but many students and community members weathered the downpour and had a fun time at the annual festival. The festival spirit was kept alive by some quick rearranging of key events.

In its third year, the PSNK Fall Festival saw its first year of steady rain. The festival has enjoyed continued growth over the past three years. Before it was called the PSNK Fall Festival, the campus hosted annual Alumni Days. The Alumni Days typically catered to the Alumni in a more meet-and-greet fashion. Three years ago, under the sugges- tion of the then new Chancellor, Dr. Kevin Snider, the campus changed its venue to include a more community friend- ly focus. The first year saw a small success, and last year’s larger crowds showed the event was picking up steam for a future that could possibly look like the old Burrell Community Days. Since Lower Burrell no longer hosts the annual community days at Burrell Lake Park, this event at PSNK is a welcome celebration for the local communities.

This year’s festival started with the dedication of a newly built, beautiful and modern fountain in honor of Dr. Larry Pollock, retired Chancellor of PSNK. The 10:00 a.m. dedication ceremony was moved inside where a crowd of more than 70 admirers filled the Art Gallery for the well-deserved accolades given to Dr. Pollock, whose three and a half decades of service to the campus cul- minated in the naming of a newly constructed fountain located at the campus entrance.

After the dedication, visitors could view 11 classic cars and motorcycles whose owners daringly participated in the annual car cruise that was started by Business Of- Dr. Pollock [left] poses with the fountain’s plaque. fice Assistant Bonnie Godfrey and the Car Cruise Com- (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard) mittee in 2010. This year, the committee secured three Classic Sponsors, Nick Cheverolet, Gatto Cycles and Glen Bush Ford. Despite the terrible conditions, local car cruise sponsor Nick Chevrolet attended and brought three new 2012 cars to the event, and sponsor Gatto Cycles opened an accessory booth. People’s Choice Awards were selected and the winners were given a commemorative plaque. The car owners are hoping for better weather and better atten- dance next year, but they will continue to drive on - rain or shine.

Events that were able to be accommodated indoors, such as the Kids Zone, were quickly arranged in the main area of the Athlet- ics Center. The Center was turned into a colorful and lively Kids Zone, and the children who skipped in to the gym through the puddles could not have been happier. The Athletics Center was morphed into a Chuckie Cheese-style atmosphere with a bouncy house, bouncy train, a balloon artist, craft stations, face painting, an African music performance and a reptile demonstration. All events had the children excited, and the close proximity cre- Kids enjoy the Kids Zone in PSNK’s Athletics Center. ated a circus-like atmosphere. (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard)

5 Campus Events

For the slightly older kids and Penn State football fans, the Alumni Tent was set up on the front lawn. This year’s tent was closed in and had seats, a bar, and a large screen TV for folks to watch the 3:30 p.m. PSU vs. Indiana game. Brave and dedicated alumni and PSU fans enjoyed watch- ing the 16-10 win despite the damp, chilly weather. They proved that “We Are” tough football fans and enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow alumni.

Because of the unrelenting rain, the festival’s most popular event among the college students – the annual Bed Races – had to be cancelled, though the campus is planning to reschedule a rain date for the races this spring. The disap- A little festival-goer enjoys the African drummers. pointment, however, was short lived as the pre-concert ac- (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard) tivities, such as the meet and greet with the locally popular band The Clarks kicking off at 3:00 p.m. and the opening band, Bishop Clay, taking the stage at 4:00 p.m. The Athletics Center was quickly morphed from a kids’ zone to a concert arena. The main stage looked out over a packed gymnasium floor of an estimated 300 to 400 people.

Theresa Bonk, Director of Student Affairs, stated, “Although the rain did keep some folks away, the center was packed, and the people enjoyed The Clarks and the opening band Bishop Clay.”

Community members of all ages enjoy The Clarks and stated they were glad to have them back at the campus for a second year. PSNK staff arranged for the concert to be free to the public, which was appre- ciated by concert goers of all ages. Although it was the alternative location, Bonk indicated that it was such a success indoors they may continue to hold the The Clarks serenade a packed Athletics Center. concert in the Athletics Center in the future. (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard)

The organizers were pleased with the outcome despite the challenges they faced by rearranging the location of many of the events. The or- ganizers were also pleased that the community has responded in such a positive way over the last three years. PSNK hopes that the com- munity will continue to place the Fall Festival on their calendars as an annual family event.

The PSNK Fall Festival will continue to grow and serve the community as a place to gather and celebrate fall, come rain or shine. Henry Wadsworth Longfello once said “For after all, the best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain,” but PSNK took that statement one step further by letting it rain, but also readjusting the day’s events to Fall Festival organizers Theresa Bonk and Lauren maximize enjoyment for all those who braved the elements to attend. Blum. (Photo courtesy Bill Woodard)

6 Community

Value and Variety at Local Bar By Joshua Pilat

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. – The House of 1,000 Beers is becoming known as the best place to find a variety of beers at great prices. The local bar and six-pack shop has received an “A” rating by visitors of beeradvocate.com, a national website which posts reviews of beers and bars.

General manager John Lakari works hard to keep the selection and value at the level that his customers expect. The bar carries from 1,000 to 1,200 varieties of beer at any one time, and the bar’s 40 taps rotate to offer new customers an ever-changing selection of draft beers.

According to Lakari, people come from other areas because of the variety and the value offered at the House of 1,000 Beers, located in New Kensington. “People will drive past some of the other places with variety to come here,” he John Lakari pours one of the 40 choice beers on tap. (Photo by Joshua Pilat) said, adding that the area is an important part of the business. “Where we are located allows us to keep our prices where they are, at value.”

Lakari is the son-in-law of owner and founder Dave Sagrati, whose passion and knowledge about beer made the House what it is today. Sagrati started a beer distributor business in 1974. His search for variety led him to open a six-pack store in 1994, where people could try different beers without having to buy a whole case.

Six N Save, as it was called then, kept expanding and moved into the larger current location in 2009. The name was also changed in 2009, because this was anything but the standard six-pack store.

“This was Dave’s dream,” Lakari said. “To be able to get beers that were hard to get, that people had to go a long way to get.” Dave’s dream is flourishing. “Instead of having people go to the beer, he brought the beer to people,” said Lakari.

There is something for almost any taste, even for people who don’t normally drink beer.

“I get people who tell me they don’t really drink beer,” said Lakari. “We tell them to try this or that beer, and they usually end up finding something they like.”

The House of 1,000 Beers encourages people to keep trying new things. The Bottle and Draft clubs reward customers based on the number of different beers that they have sampled. Customers earn T-shirts, mugs with their names and plaques on the wall. Once a customer reaches 100 different drafts, they earn a permanent discount on draft beers.

And they don’t stop at 100. Just before Lakari talked to WEDIG, he poured a customer his four-hundredth draft. “It’s not hard to get up there,” said Lakari. “Because the 40 different taps keep rotating, people don’t have to wait long to get something new.”

7 Sports

The new varieties will never stop say Lakari. “The Egyptians started it,” he said. “2,000 years before Christ they were brewing beer varieties.”

The House of 1,000 Beers keeps trying new things as well. They recently received a new brand of ciders called Crispin, which are sugar-free and gluten-free.

According to Lakari, they found the ciders because customers were asking for good ciders. It wasn’t hard to convince the House to try something new. “We always want to try new things. You have to in this business,” he said.

PSNK Soccer Player Helps Team Reach Playoffs By Joseph Swiklinski

FREEPORT, Pa. – A Penn State New Kensington soccer According to Teorsky, he did not play soccer during player helped lead the soccer team to the playoffs for the junior high and high school, opting instead to play high second year in a row on Sunday, October 30. school football for the Freeport Yellowjackets. He was a successful running back and started his junior and senior Sophomore Andrew Teorsky helped lead the soccer team year. During this time, Teorsky rushed for over 1,100 to an 8 and 9 record this season with a playoff appearance. yards and scored 25 touchdowns. The playoff appearance was a rematch against Penn State Hazelton who eliminated the PSNK soccer team from the “I wanted to play soccer for Penn State New Kensington playoffs with a 2 to 1 victory. because there was not a football team, so I saw that the soccer team was being jump started so I figured I would “The most remarkable thing about the soccer team is try out,” said Teorsky. that we’re a jump start program and in two years we have two playoff appearances,” said Teorsky. Transitioning from football to soccer was challenging for Teorsky. Playing running back helped this transition According to Teorsky, the reason why the soccer team has because there is a lot of running in soccer, which he was had so much success in the last two years is because the used to because of his position. Football also helped him team started out as all freshmen. The team had never because he had a good sports IQ from playing the sport played together because the soccer team was a new and that let his natural abilities and athleticism take over. program. This helped the soccer team because players would not be bossed around by other teammates and the However, there were some challenges transiting from coach would be the one person that everyone listened to. football to soccer for Teorsky. The hardest thing for him was getting used to playing for 45 minutes for a half, “The team bonded very well because we were all freshmen then getting a 15 minute halftime and going back on the and did what the coach told us to do, which helped us to field for another 45 minutes. He persevered, though, and bond a lot easier,” said Teorsky. helped his team reach the playoffs the last two seasons.

During his freshman year, Teorsky played midfield, and Teorsky will not be returning to play soccer for PSNK next switched to attacker during his sophomore year. His season because he has to transfer to another campus to favorite thing about playing soccer is that it made it easy complete his studies. to meet new people on campus. He also enjoys playing with his teammates because they have bonded and it makes the soccer team more successful.

8 Op-Ed: Campus Life

Save Your Money, Share Your eTextbooks By Kelly Haugh

Every college student in America loathes getting fleeced by textbook companies each semester, but it doesn’t seem like they can do much to avoid it. The cost of textbooks can be astronomical for a few hundred pages. If that weren’t bad enough, the evil textbook empire churns out new editions every year or two that change just enough to make the last edition obsolete. They even buy back used copies of the previous edition so professors and students have no choice but to switch to the latest version.

It’s a diabolical and highly profitable business model that has been allowed to drain the bank accounts of students for far too long. But what can students do? Sure, more textbook options have been added recently that are suppos- edly for the students’ convenience, but all that really does is let you choose the lesser of a few evils. Is it better to rent a textbook at a fraction of the cost but get no cash from re-selling it, or should you go the eTextbook way?

Before you fork over your hard earned cash on another over-priced paperweight, make sure you know all the tricks of the trade and the best way to get the most for your money. You may just save yourself a few hundred dollars in the process.

In this technological world, eTextbooks are quickly becoming the best way to learn, especially for the current iPad generation. They provide better resources at the click of a button, interactive content, searchable text and in-book note-taking, plus they’re lighter and easier to carry around than a bulky textbook. You can take an eTextbook with you anywhere…or can you?

There are two major drawbacks to eTextbooks that can rip you off even worse than regular textbooks. Some eText- books are missing entire chunks of content because of copyright and licensing restrictions that may keep some im- ages, graphs, examples and text from being digitized. Not that they tell you that in the description or knock anything off the price. You won’t realize it until the professor assigns something that – surprise! – doesn’t exist in your copy.

Selling such eTextbooks without being upfront about the omissions is one more in a long line of textbook compa- nies’ unethical transgressions, along with their outrageously inflated prices, even for eTextbooks, and their plethora of meaningless editions. Students shouldn’t have to take such treatment, but they didn’t really have a choice…until now.

With more textbooks being converted into digital form, students have a chance to stand up to textbook companies by choosing to share their knowledge with other poor, ramen noodle-eating students. When you buy a physical textbook, you’re free to do whatever you want with it, including sharing it with a friend. Why should anything be different with eTextbooks?

Publishers and retailers don’t agree. They go so far as to punish legitimate purchasers by strangling their eTextbooks with DRM, which is the second major drawback to buying them. DRM dictates what you can and can’t do with the book you paid good money for. You’re only allowed to have your eTextbook on a certain number of licensed devices and can’t convert it to a different format if one of your devices requires it, and you certainly can’t share it with a friend.

So why spend your money on it at all? Sure, you need the book for class, but we’ve all been screwed by the textbook companies enough. Why not engage in a little civil disobedience to show them we aren’t going to take it anymore? Use that college brain to come up with a better solution. Or, you can just keep reading.

9 Campus Life

If you and five friends all need the same $50 eTextbook, don’t give the textbook company $250 for limited access for what may be an inferior product. Instead, split the cost for a single eTextbook and do a little googling. All it takes is the free ebook management software Calibre and a simple plugin to remove the DRM and all its limitations with two simple clicks. Now you can each have a copy to “share” for a mere $10.

If every student showed their frustration with overpriced and overregulated textbooks this way, and passed those eTextbooks on to their “friends” around the world, they just might break the textbook monopoly.

Sites attempting to do just that have sprung up and grown over the past few years, created by students for students. The creator of one such site, LibraryPirate.me, recently added a new service to help the less technically advanced students take back their eTextbooks and contribute to the movement.

This new service allows students to join with their friends to buy an Amazon gift card worth the same amount as the eTextbook they need. They send the gift card code and a link to the eTextbook to the LibraryPirate staff, who will purchase it, strip the DRM and email the clean copy back to the students. That eTextbook will also be added to LibraryPirate’s ever-expanding library so other fed up, penny-pinching students won’t be forced to give the greedy textbook companies any more money just because they don’t have a choice. America is all about the freedom to choose, so isn’t it past time for students to take that freedom back?

Make the smart choice: save your money, share your eTextbooks.

CAB: We Plan Fun! By Jenna Swank

Can you imagine how boring college life would be if there weren’t events on campus to attend? This is exactly why we have the Campus Activities Board! CAB is a student run organization that focuses on making sure students have something to do while they are on campus. The members of this club work hard to ensure that the events are things that fellow students will want to attend.

CAB has organized such events as the drive-in movies, all the events of spirit week, caramel apple day, and many others. Within the next month, CAB will be sponsoring four events. The first event is Timbre, an African band perform- ing on November 3 in the theatre at 2:00 p.m. The next event is Video Game Night, consisting of several different game consoles with a variety of games set up in Café 780 on Thursday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m.

On November 14, George Watsky, the world’s fastest rapper, will be performing in Café 780 at noon. The last event before Thanksgiving is the Fear Factor Thanksgiving Dinner where participating students will be eating a variety of disgusting foods. This will be taking place in Café 780 at 2:00 p.m.

If there are any events that you would like to see happen on campus or are interested in joining CAB, don’t hesitate to stop in the Student Life Office or contact CAB’s president, Tansey Ochs, at [email protected] or advisor, Lauren Blum, at [email protected] or at 724-334-6063.

10 Sports

Sportelli Twins Take Control of Destiny and Play Ball By Shawn Annarelli

Since the moment Rachel and Valerie Sportelli took interest in volleyball they have blazed a path for others to follow from Highlands to Penn State New Kensington.

The twins first took a liking to volleyball during middle school and have aspired to play competitively since, but there was a problem. Highlands didn’t have a middle school team, and the high school didn’t have a volleyball program when they got there either.

“We played down the street at the YMCA or where ever else we could,” Valerie said. “But we always wanted to play on a team at Highlands.”

But to have a team, the Sportelli sisters needed other girls who wanted to play.

“Our freshman year we got a bunch of girls to sign a petition to play,” Valerie said.

But to have a team the girls needed a coach.

“We thought we had a coach our freshman year, but she wasn’t as committed to the team as we were,” Rachel said. “She said she had a life, too and bailed on us.”

And to have a team, they also needed the support of Highlands’ school board. To no avail, each attempt to start a volleyball program at Highlands failed until the Sportelli’s senior year when they found a voluntary coach, Mrs. Pollock, to coach the team for free. This time the girls’ efforts paid off.

The school board voted to allow the girls to play volleyball, but not without a hitch in their plans. One school board member voted no. Outnumbered, but not without a chance to speak, the despondent school board member tried to talk the Sportelli twins and the other girls out of starting a volleyball team.

“She stated to me all of the available sports we could play and said that’s enough for us to pick from,” Rachel said. “But if you have a drive you can’t just sit around and watch. We wanted to play.”

The girls petitioning for a volleyball program may have finally won the fight, but not on their terms. Mrs. Pollock’s offer to coach the team for free was turned down, and the school decided to pay a teacher from Valley to coach.

11 Sports

“We went out of our way to find a coach for free, because we thought money was an issue,” Rachel said. “Then they shut us down and found someone to pay to coach.”

“Mrs. Pollock knew having a team was important to us, but the school board didn’t want her,” Valerie said. “The lady they found was fired the next year.”

Still, the twins had a new team to play on and a volleyball program founded on their ambitions. The first-year team played through a lot of growing pains, and many girls on the team were just learning the basics. What the team lacked in refined talent they made up for with having fun.

“How impressive to see something they started could go so far,” said Carolyn Sportelli, the twins’ mother. “It was a proud moment for me to see them do that.”

After playing out their senior year on Highlands’ volleyball, or, more appropriately, their volleyball team, the Sportelli twins began looking at schools nearby that they could go play volleyball at. Penn State New Kensington was an obvious option, but the girls wanted to be sure they would be playing volleyball at the school they attended. It just so happened New Kensington needed a few freshmen to step in and play right away.

“I had a few open gyms with Valerie and Rachel before they decided to go to school here and play on the team,” said head coach Dave McGeary. “They were energetic and athletic and really wanted to learn and play.”

Rachel and Valerie have left their mark on the volleyball team since. During their freshman year McGeary focused on building and refining their fundamental skills. Now, the sophomore twins are team captains and led the Lady Lions to a 6-10 season, a four game improvement from the season before.

The only question now is whether or not they will continue playing at Penn State New Kensington or transfer to Penn State Berks.

There is one certainty for each of the Sportelli twins. No matter what they decide to do, they will continue playing the sport they wouldn’t quit on.

Rachel Sportelli’s (left) and Valerie Sportelli’s (right) efforts have led to a new volleyball program at Highlands High School and a chance to captain New Kensington’s volleyball team in 2011. (Photos by Sophia Pang)

12 Entertainment

Top 10 Horror Films Of All Time

By Craig McNair

It’s that time of year again for watching horror movies. Being born on Halloween I have been watching scary movies since my birth, so here is my list for top 10 horror films of all time.

10. “The Exorcist” (1973) - What top 10 horror films of all time list would be complete without this horrifying story of good vs. evil. The film is notable for being one of the most controversial horror movies of all time.

Famous Quote - “What an excellent day for an exorcism.” - Regan MacNeil

9. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) - From Tobe Hooper, the director who also gave us 1982’s “Poltergeist”, comes one of the most terrifying films of all time. The story of Leatherface horrified audiences upon it’s initial release.

Famous quote - “For them an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day were to lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” - Narrator

8. “Bride Of Frankenstein” (1935) - From James Whale, the director who brought us 1931’s “Frankenstein” and 1933’s “The Invisible Man”, comes the masterpiece of all Universal monster movies. “Bride Of Frankenstein” is notable for its innovative special effects and Boris Karloff’s stunning portrayal of the monster.

Famous quote - “I want friend like me.” - Frankenstein’s Monster

7. “Friday The 13th” (1980) - The film is most notable for introducing the world to Jason Voorhees even though it’s his mother who’s wielding the knife at Camp Crystal Lake. The film features make up effects artist and Pittsburgh native, Tom Savini, who also worked on 1978’s “Dawn Of The Dead”.

Famous quote - “Kill her, Mommy! Kill her! Don’t let her get away, Mommy! Don’t let her live.” - Pamela Voorhees 6. “Nightmare On Elm Street” (1984) / “Scream” (1996) - This two way tie is due to the fact that both films were directed by Wes Craven who is also known for other horror classics such as 1972’s “The Last House On The Left” and 1977’s “The Hills Have Eyes”.

“Nightmare On Elm Street” is most notable for introducing the world to Freddy Krueger. The film was innovative amongst horror films because the killer could transcend into dreams to claim his victims.

Famous quote - “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. Nine, ten, never sleep again.” - Elm Street Children

“Scream” is the greatest horror film of the last twenty five years due to it’s impact on popular culture from halloween costumes to parody films. The film is innovative due to Ghostface being embodied by multiple killers.

Famous quote - “What’s your favorite scary movie?” - Ghostface

13 Entertainment

5. “Night Of The Living Dead” (1968) - This George Romero classic is not only notable for being the first zombie movie of all time but it was also filmed in Pittsburgh. George Romero’s 1978 sequel “Dawn Of The Dead” was filmed at the Monroeville Mall.

Famous quote - “They’re coming to get you, Barbara, there’s one of them now!” - Johnny

4. “The Shining” (1980) - Author Stephen King and director Stanley Kubrick created one of the scariest films of all time with their story of a man who gradually descends into madness while snowed in at a hotel with his wife and son. Jack Nicholson delivers one of his greatest performances as Jack Torrance.

Famous quote - “Here’s Johnny.” - Jack Torrance

3. “Psycho” (1960) - Alfred Hitchcock’s film regarding the story of a boy, his mother, and their family hotel shocked audiences upon its release in 1960. Norman Bates is the original serial killer that all other are compared to. The character of Marion Crane who is murdered in the famous shower scene is played by none other than Jamie Lee Curtis’ mother Janet Leigh.

Famous quote - “Mother! Oh God, mother! Blood! Blood!” - Norman Bates

2. “Dracula” (1931) / “The Wolf Man” (1941) - This two way tie is due to the recent resurgence in popularity of both vampires and werewolves.

“Dracula”, the most influential vampire movie of all time stars Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula. It was such an important role for Bela Lugosi that when he died in 1956 he was buried wearing the black silk cape he wore throughout the film. The film also stars famous horror movie actors Edward Van Sloan and Dwight Frye who also star in 1931’s “Frankenstein”.

Famous quote - “Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.” - Count Dracula

“The Wolf Man” is the most influential werewolf movie of all time and it stars Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man. Many of the modern myths surrounding werewolves originated in this film.

Famous quote - “Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” - Maleva

1. “Halloween” (1978) - The story of an escaped mental patient’s Halloween killing spree in his hometown started the trend of slasher films that are still popular to this day. The John Carpenter masterpiece is notable for not only introducing the world to Michael Myers but also to scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis who makes her horror film debut as Laurie Strode.

Famous quote - “I met this six year old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face and, the blackest eyes... the devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply... evil.” - Dr. Sam Loomis

These ten films are perfect for any Halloween party or just to watch with the lights off and a bag of popcorn. Happy Halloween to all of the Penn State students out there and have a safe night.

14 Entertainment

Top 10 Horror Films of the 80s & 90s By Kelly Haugh

10. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)/ “Urban 5. “The Shining” (1980) – Does anyone do crazy better Legend” (1998) - It’s a very 90’s tie! than Jack Nicholson? Team him up with Stephen King and an axe and you’re pretty much guaranteed a good “I Know What You Did Last Summer” – A throwback to 80’s psychological horror film, not to mention one of the most slasher flicks set in Dawson’s Creek with four hot stars iconic movie moments ever. famous for their slew of 90’s teen movies. Not exactly horrifying but it was fun to watch and introduced a lot of 4. “Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) – Besides launching non-horror fans to the awesome world of slasher films, a famous film franchise, this film gave us a new twist on though the book by Lois Duncan was definitely better. the usual horror villain. Is there anything scarier than a perverted child molester who can kill you in your dreams? “Urban Legend” –The use of urban legends we all have Not to mention, this film so brilliantly blurred the line heard and probably passed around the campfire added between dreams and reality that 27 years later, people an extra bit of terror to an otherwise typical horror film, are still trying to figure out exactly how it ended. and for once I totally didn’t see the killer coming. Though I could have done without the most frightening thing in 3. “Poltergeist” (1982) – They used real corpses as props the movie: Joshua Jackson’s horrible bleached blond hair. for the truly terrifying pool scene and had a clown doll guaranteed to traumatize any kid who saw it. The fact that 9. “Child’s Play” (1988) – It was an original idea that it’s a regular suburban family who starts having chairs gave a new twist to the standard horror villain, providing stack themselves adds to the psychological terror and a refreshing change from all the masked, knife-wielding drives home the point that none of us really know what psychopaths. And what’s creepier than a demented doll? dangers may be lurking just beneath the surface, even in our own homes. “Poltergeist” also gave us legendary 8. “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) – It has been parodied Pittsburgh native Zelda Rubinstein, whose creepy voice and ridiculed, but it launched a new wave of indie horror seems made for horror movies, as the eccentric medium and had a brilliant viral marketing campaign that made Tangina Barrons. it one of the biggest independent film successes of the 90’s. Its use of first person viewpoint and frightening off- 2. “Halloween II” (1981) / “Halloween H20” (1998) – It’s screen noises built the psychological terror to the creepy, a tie. Neither were as good as the first a”Halloween,” WTF ending every self-respecting horror movie needs to which has to be the greatest horror film of all time, but have. both carried on the first film’s tradition well enough. “Halloween II” successfully picked up the action and style 7. “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) – This Quentin Tarantino of the first, while H20 showed us a slightly neurotic and film doesn’t seem like a horror film at first, which is part of very believable former victim/hero who could still kick what makes it so great. It starts off as an action-packed Mike Meyers’ ass despite her dependence on alcohol and and amusing bad guys on the run flick with brothers medication. Seth (George Clooney) and Richie (Tarantino) heading to Mexico, where they inadvertently land themselves – and 1. “Scream” (1996) – Best. Trilogy. Ever. (no, the recent their hostages – in the middle of an epic battle against reincarnation doesn’t count) It’s the best known horror the ugliest blood-sucking creatures I’ve ever seen…but at film from the 90’s and was responsible for the resurgence least they don’t sparkle. in popularity of slasher films. It’s got a kickass female lead, an interesting plot and a killer, or should I say killers, 6. “The Lost Boys” (1987) – How could this quintessential who actually die. Plus, there’s something inherently fun 80’s classic not make any top 80’s list? It’s a good mix of about horror movies where the characters recognize and horror and teen comedy with all the campy goodness of poke fun at the fact that they’re in a horror movie. the 80’s, including the two Coreys.

15 Entertainment

Jackie Kennedy Tapes Released

By Craig McNair

Interview tapes including topics such as JFK’s presidency, Martin Luther King Jr. and Lyndon B. Johnson have been released seventeen years after former first lady Jackie Kennedy’s death. Jackie Kennedy recorded audio tapes after her husband’s assassination in order to gather thoughts on his life and her life with him. Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the former President and first lady, released the tapes according to her late mother’s wishes.

The tapes have caused a controversy due to the comments made by Jackie Kennedy regarding certain topics. In regards to Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Kennedy stated that JFK called him “tricky” and a “phony” and said of him, “I just can’t see a picture of Martin Luther King without thinking, you know, that man’s terrible.” In regards to former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Jackie Kennedy stated that JFK said, “Oh, God, can you ever imagine what would happen to the country if Lyndon were President?” These are only a few examples of what can be found within the newly released interview tapes.

These newly released audio tapes contain many insights into our country’s history including thoughts on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs Fiasco and the Vietnam War. You can purchase “Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy” in paperback, hardcover or kindle edition.

16 Sports

Lady Lions Volleyball Show Significant Progress in 2011 By Shawn Annarelli

The Lady Lions collectively improved throughout the season and tripled their wins from last season. (Photo by Sophia Pang)

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. - Penn State New Kensington’s volleyball team made a four-game improvement to 6-10 on the 2011 season.

“Our record is still not a good indicator of our improvement,” said head coach Dave McGeary. “We played very well against some of the better teams in our conference.”

Rachel and Valerie Sportelli captained the team and worked alongside Doreen Akins during the last offseason on mostly serving and hitting. The extra practice paid off as the Sportelli twins became two of the most consistent all- around players on the team, and Akins became a special weapon around the net with her blocking and spiking skills.

“I told these and everyone else at the beginning of the season that if we can be successful on at least 85 percent of our serves we would be competitive in every match,” McGeary said. “We were better than that. We were probably about 90 percent successful, and it showed.”

McGeary also preached to the girls early on that they would have to be a scrappy defensive team due to height disadvantages. The tallest girl on the team, Melissa Daugherty, was 5’6’’. Daugherty naturally excelled as a force around the net. Every other girl on the team is listed at 5’3’’ or 5’4’’, making the Lady Lions a small foe for most opponents. Height, however, became less of a factor as the season advanced.

“The girls got faster and stronger as the season went on and jumped higher, and they challenged other teams around the net well,” McGeary said.

Newcomers Kara Shaley and Thamy Ferreira added special skills to the Lady Lions offensively and defensively. Shaley was a libero in high school and adjusted well as an energetic middle hitter as the season progressed. Ferreira possessed great hands and led the team in assists.

Taylor Pastovic, Katie Colbert, Jessica George and Sophia Pang rotated in off of the bench and spot started in case of injuries. Despite having a bench and team with little playing experience the Lady Lions collectively played competitive volleyball throughout the season.

“We may not have the best record, but the girls always played well,” McGeary said. “That’s what matters.” 17 Sports

NHL Realignment May End Penguins’ Rivalries By Kelly Haugh

The NHL is planning a divisional realignment for the 2012- 2013 season, and the option that’s getting the most press would doom the Penguins’ rivalries and split the state in half. Under this plan, the NHL would be divided into four divisions and the Pens would be forced to move to the Northeast Division with Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffa- lo, Boston and either Columbus or Detroit. In other words, mostly teams that mean nothing to us.

The Pens and Flyers are, of course, vehemently opposed to this, and their fans are rightfuly angry. Instead of meet- ing our cross-state rivals six times a season, we’d only get to butt heads two times a year.

It’s impossible to know what the NHL was thinking when it came up with this option, but I doubt common sense came into the picture. What could possibly be gained by splitting up not just one but two of the sport’s premier rivalries, the Pens vs. Flyers and Sid and Geno vs. Ovech- kin? Besides being a boon for fans, these are the games the NHL often spotlights on their national broadcasts, because that’s what garners the most viewers. If it goes through with this plan, the NHL won’t just be screwing Evgeni Malkin during a preseason game against the over the Pens, their rivals and fans, they’ll be shooting Minnesota Wild on Sept. 24. (Photo by Kelly Haugh) themselves in the foot.

And what do they really gain by throwing us in a division half full of Canadian teams? Yes, Canada is a big market of hockey fanaatics, and they especially love when their national golden boy, Sidney Crosby, comes to town. One has to wonder if that’s part of the reason for the proposed division shift and the NHL is hoping to manufacture some new rivalries around their biggest draw. The splitting of Ovechkin and the dynamic duo of Crosby and Malkin could certainly be seen as an attempt to get more bang for their buck for their hottest stars, though that decision would most likely blow up in the NHL’s face.

You don’t mess with inate rivalries as fierce as the Penguins and Flyers or as perfectly engineered as us vs. Wash- ington without ticking off a lot of fans, which is never a good business practice. Nothing can match the level of in- tensity of those games. No other team can compare to the history and sheer epicness of the keystone state rivalry.

For once, Penguins and Flyers fans are on the same side. If the NHL decides to stupidly sever the Pens from their division rivals, the fans and the teams themselves just may revolt. The NHL better be ready for a fight because we take our hockey seriously in Pennsylvania, and we’ve got the unbeatable Mario Magic on our side.

18 Sports

Golf Team Places Fourth in Conference Championship By Shawn Annarelli

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. - The Lions’ veteran golf team finished its season falling just shy of personal and team goals.

The Lions’ six returning golfers aimed to compete for the Penn State Athletic Conference Championship, a conference consisting of 12 Penn State campus golf teams. New Kensington ended the season with a 10-9 record, a one win improvement from last season, and finished in fourth place for the PSUAC title. Penn State Hazelton captured the PSUAC Championship with an overall score of 655, while New Kensington finished with a 684 total strokes.

Head coach Bill Woodard expected his golfers to mostly golf in the 70s and low 80s, but only Cody Dinger and Alex Baker consistently scored in the high 70s and averaged 79.6 throughout the season. Dinger and Baker received PSUAC All Conference honors. Dinger played well enough at the PSUAC championships to get the second-place medal, and Baker finished one shot behind him for the third-place medal.

Senior and Army veteran Matt Knapp was named to the USCAA Academic All-America team having posted a 3.95 GPA.

The USCAA national championship was played out in tandem with the PSUAC championships. The Lions finished in ninth place out of 21 teams, and Dinger and Baker finished sixteenth and seventeenth respectively.

19 Campus Life

Helping Students Seeking Jobs, Internships is His Passion

By Richard Durzo

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. - Sooner or later there comes that time when all your efforts will be geared to finding that job or internship you spent the last four years preparing for. Penn State New Kensington students know that pursuing and finally getting that degree is just the first step in the process. For them, Jim Shields, Career Services Coordinator at Penn State New Kensington, is there for them. Shields’ passion in life is doing everything he can to help students get that job or internship they seek.

In his position as Career Services Coordinator at Penn State New Kensington for the last 12 years, Shields has built a network throughout the community second to none. A student affairs professional in higher education for over 20 years, Shields’ primary fields of expertise are career services, career development and internship/employment search services for students and graduates. Shields also has significant experience in event program planning and project management in student affairs.

According to Laurie Kamenic, an English Professor at Penn State New Kensington, “Jim Shields is a vital asset to not only PSNK, but the surrounding community as well. His efforts with local businesses have ensured that they are well aware of the quality product that Penn State students are and wonderful addition they will make to their establishment.”

Shields, originally from Philadelphia, moved to the Pittsburgh area some 20 years ago, immediately falling in love with the area. What impressed him the most about Pittsburgh was that, “even through a big city it still maintains that small town feeling, mixed with the personality of the different neighborhoods. You can‘t beat it.”

When asked what he likes best about his job, Shields said, “the people I work with and the students I meet along the way are the best parts of this job.”

Matching students with national and local employers offering jobs and internships is a major challenge that Shields faces on a daily basis. The various job fairs he plans throughout the year are a great help in doing this. As Career Services Coordinator, he is essential in event and program planning. These events are an important link in providing not only students but local residents with opportunities for employment and internships.

Shields said, “The next job fair will be at the Western Pennsylvania Career Services (WestPACS) Association Spring Job and Internship Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville. It will be a great opportunity for students to interact with potential employers.”

Recruiters from a wide variety of industries including telecommunications, engineering, technologies, health care, government, human services, retail, hospitality and financial services will attend. The fair is geared toward fall 2010 and spring 2011 graduates and recent alumni with program certificate and degrees in all majors. There are also many internship opportunities for current undergraduates.

Shields is currently in the process of putting a program together that will enable him to measure how effective his program is. To date, all he has to go by is student feedback with has been very positive. Shields sees this program expanding on campus and encourages all students to take advantage of it.

20 Pet Corner

What is A Ferret? By Jennifer Phillips It seems as though many people have heard of a ferret, but they often aren’t quite sure what exactly these unique little creatures are. Ferrets are mammals in the Mustelid Family, which includes a variety of interesting animals, such as skunks, badgers, mink, wolverines, weasels, the Steppe and European Polecat, and the endangered black- footed ferret. All of these animals, including pet ferrets, are born with scent glands. However, most pet ferrets purchased from a pet store have these glands removed before you ever meet them. If a ferret still has its scent glands, it can release a small amount of unpleasant scent when frightened or upset, though it’s not very strong and Ferrets Loki and Tacoma play with a soccer ball. goes away within a few minutes. (Photo by Jennifer Phillips)

The ferret has a long slender body, with short stubby legs, are not a good food to feed them. There are foods and a tail that comprises about a third of his entire body made specifically for ferrets and some people also find length. Male ferrets are commonly up to twice the size it acceptable to feed high quality kitten food. Either way, of the females. This is most noticeable in the head and there should be at least 3 meats in the first 5 ingredients, upper body area. The males have a wider, less pointy and it should also have a high protein content, about 36% face, while the females have a skinnier, pointy face. In and a fat content of about 20%, and low carbohydrates. the upper body, you’ll notice the males are wider and bulkier, while the females keep a pretty thin, sleek look. Ferrets are considered babies, or kits, until they are A typical female ferret usually weighs between 3/4 of a around 1 year old, at which point they become adults. pound to 2 1/2 pounds and is often 13 to 14 inches long, Don’t let this fool you though. Ferrets are young at heart not including her tail. The males usually weigh between 2 and playful their entire life! They live, on average, for and 3 pounds, and are usually between 15 to 16 inches about 6 to 8 years, so once they reach 4 to 5 years of age, in length, not including their tail. The ferret’s tail is usually they are then considered to be geriatric and may begin to 3 to 4 inches long. develop health problems and show some signs of old age. This does vary, however, as have been ferrets that have They are both designed to be excellent at tunneling, taking living up to 11 or 12 years old! tight turns in the tunnels, and are expert diggers. They shows us many of these abilities during play, when they Ferrets can make great pets with their playful, fun loving move through a winding tunnel with an amazing speed attitudes. Some people describe a ferret’s personality as and grace. They have an impressive ability to bend their being a combination of dog and cat-like traits, with some bodies in ways unknown to most other animals. Another additional interesting characteristics of their own. They similarity between both male and female ferrets is that are very intelligent animals that enjoy interaction with they both can gain up to 50% of their body weight in people and other ferrets. They are small quiet animals addition to growing a very thick, fluffy coat to keep warm in that have a level of independence much like a cat, yet the winter. Then, in the spring, they will lose some weight they are playful like dogs. and become more sleek, as well as shedding again in order to attain a thinner, cooler coat for summer. Ferrets are a wonderful addition to your furry family. In addition to their charming personality, ferrets are fairly Just like cats, ferrets eat meat as their main source of food. easy to care for and are likely to get along with a variety of They are strict carnivores that require a diet of animal other pets. As with any pet though, it’s best to thoroughly protein, or meat, with little to no carbohydrates. A ferret research the animal to make sure you’re ready to commit can’t even digest plant matter, so fruits and vegetables to their lifelong needs. 21 Campus Life

Free the Kids: Author of Freshman Book Visits PSNK By Ryan McLaughlin

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – Robin Wiszowaty, author of the freshmen summer reading book “My Maasai Life,” came to Penn State New Kensington on October 19 to discuss her experience. She explained how she never was happy at home. She was frustrated with her parents, and she grew angrier and angrier. To relieve the anger, she drowned herself in activities at school. Finally, when she was at the University of Illinois, she realized that she couldn’t keep it up. Therefore, she decided to leave home and ended up in Kenya.

In Kenya, she was adopted by a family and became the fifteenth person to live in their tiny mud hut. Robin was too tall to stand up inside the mud hut, and she slept on a bed of sticks with the other children. Every day, she had chores to do. Since she was a woman, she had to help get water from the spring every morning. Then, they would gather wood for their fires and attend to every chore. Finally, she would get to go to bed, only to wake up and do it all over again. If there was a drought, Robin and her mother would have to get up before sunrise and traipse through the tall grass infested with ravenous animals to retrieve one jug of water.

For Robin, seeing the statistics come to life interested her. For once, she understood why so many African children did not go to school. The parents had to pay a lot of money to send their children to school. Finally, Kenya had a new government that decided that education should be a priority. They made primary school free, but the parents had to pay for the construction of more schools. Suddenly, children flooded the schools, and what new schools were built were made out of mud and sticks. While these schools weren’t stable, they were full of children.

Then a group called Free the Children entered Kenya to help build dedicated schools. The group was started by a 12-year-old boy who was troubled by a news article about a 12-year-old boy in Pakistan who had been murdered for speaking out against child labor. After reading the article, the boy brought it into his school to show his classmates. Then, he founded the group with his classmates, and since then it has grown into a much larger movement. Eventually, the group ended up in Kenya, building schools and helping educate children.

This session helped the freshmen truly understand the novel more. Afterward, Ms. Wiszowaty told the students she plans to return to Kenya, to continue her work.

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