FebruaryArlingtonian 25, 2005 Two Dollars Issue Six www.arlingtonian.com TEEN GAMBLING: National poker craze reaches UAHS; motivations, consequences examined original ideas in-depth coverage Volume 68 Issue Six real news February 25, 2005 11 CONTENTS Arlingtonian news sports 4 Students from tsunami-affected countries impacted 16 The Spectator’s Spot: Winter sports kick up the heat, by tragedy prepare for approaching tournaments 4 Natural disaster prompts students to aid victims 17 Gymnastics team prepares for state competition 5 Assembly held for freshmen about vandalism, theft 5 Early IB tests add stress to students’ schedule arts 18 Oscars 2005: Nominations, winners discussed feature 19 Musical uses a double cast, cuts chorus members 7 Students opt to take alternative courses 20 Indie rock music gains popularity among student body 8 The Feature Spread: Tea salon gives a Zen atmosphere to capital city voice 8 First-semester senior thesis projects highlighted 21 Letters to the editor remember Joe Conely 21 Students encouraged to serve others through time, cover design KYLE McMAHON focus meaning and care cover photo illustration 11 Popularity of gambling among student body raises 22 Columnist outlines the perfect acceptance speech for Oscars ALEX DAPPEN issues of concern over motivation, consequences 22 Students’ generous tsunami-relief donations contents design ALLIE D’AURORA 12 Card games, betting found in some study halls shortchanged by administrative incentive contents photo BAILEY CAPELLE 14 Sporting events give students the opportunity to bet 23 Editor evaluates the risks of gambling for quick cash contents graphic CAITLIN CRAIG IN THE NEWS: The tsunami disaster, along with administra- tive incentive, prompts students to donate to a school-sponsored 4 relief fund. February 25, 2005 3 NEWSArlingtonian provided students the opportunity to help those outside Upper Arlington. Jakatdar said students could broaden their horizons by helping the affected countries. “I think the fi rst step is realizing just how fortunate we are [here in UA], the kinds of things we take for granted,” she said. “We’re not juxtaposed with slums and poverty [in UA].” Charitable Hearts Students without connections to the countries affected by the tsunami have also aided in fundraising by donating money ATTOUA and supplies and supporting bake sales and K LLIE ribbon sales led by fellow students. A BY CET joined Jayadeva in raising funds HOTO for tsunami victims by organizing a P school-wide contest. DONATIONS: Cartons of bottled water and other packaged foods await delivery to The Ohio CET member Sarah Jane Dugger said State Sri Lankan Student Association. Students donated bottled water, among other supplies, to group members saw Jayadeva’s donation ta- benefi t tsunami victims. ble and wanted to bring even more attention to her efforts. She said CET began an incentive in which Students aid tsunami victims donations of money, food, medicine and other by Kaitlyn Williams items counted as points. For every 100 points accumulated, students received one minute fter the giant tsunami roared out of non-profi t organization in Sri Lanka. off of a school day. the Indian Ocean and crashed upon Senior Avanti Jakatdar said she joined Dugger said students raised over $2,000 Avillages and resorts in 12 Asian and Jayadeva in her fundraising efforts by orga- and 3,600 points of other items, for a to- African countries, the world watched the nizing bake sales with her friends and mem- tal of approximately 5,600 points. Students news coverage with horror. Sweeping pan- bers of the Peer Collaboration program. She will thus receive 56 minutes off of school on oramic images of fl attened villages only be- said she hopes to hold a bake sale every few an undecided date, she said. gan to show the devastation, and many stu- weeks for the remainder of the year. Despite some objections over whether dents, including junior Chenali Jayadeva, a Jakatdar said she has family living in In- CET should have offered motivation, Dug- native of Sri Lanka, were at a loss of how to dia. Though they remained unharmed, she ger said group members decided to offer an aid the tsunami victims. said she wanted to aid the victims to feel incentive to students in order to receive the closer to her homeland. most donations. Helping Their Homelands “We come from India,” she said, “but “We wanted to help these people, that we’re so disconnected from what is happen- was our number one priority,” she said. “So “When I fi rst watched my homeland wash- ing there. Maybe it’s patriotism, but it’s also we thought we needed an incentive.” ing away, I felt helpless because I couldn’t that I want to feel more connected and feel In another fundraising effort, Peer Col- help them physically,” Jayadeva said. “That’s like I’m actually doing something for the laboration program facilitators Sharon Fried- when I wanted to help the people who were country I came from.” man and Nancy Botti assisted Jakatdar with affected any way I can.” Additionally, she said she wanted to help the bake sale, which made approximately Members of Jayadeva’s family who live in the tsunami victims because she has seen $100. Friedman said students are focused on Sri Lanka were not physically affected by the many of the poverty-stricken areas of India, service beyond the high school. disaster; however, she said she still wanted to and she understands that the lives of the peo- “The spirit of service in our school is aid the other victims. Along with the help of ple who live there are now destroyed. pretty remarkable,” she said. “I think it’s her brother, freshman Samuel Jayadeva, and “It’s really sad because they already don’t a refl ection of the concern the students the Character Enrichment Team, she collect- have a lot of hope,” she said. “And now their have for our community, our country and ed money, clothes and medicine. The dona- lives are further shattered because they’ve the world. It’s g ratifying to see them care tions are going to The Ohio State University lost their homes, and they need to rebuild all about issues and show their concern. They Sri Lankan Student Association, which will over again.” act upon their awareness.” eventually send the donations to Sarvodaya, a The tsunami fundraising efforts have Other students without ties to the affected 4 February 25, 2005 ArlingtonianNEWS Vandalism, IB testing begins theft addressed by Stephanie Hummel hile most students still have nearly fi ve months un- at ninth grade til their fi nal exams, those enrolled in the Inter- Wnational Baccalaureate program are facing inter- meeting nal exams that account for approximately 50 percent of their by Kaitlyn Williams fi nal exam grade before spring break. The remaining portion of students’ grades come from fi nal external examinations that rincipal Kip Greenhill addressed take place from May 11 to May 24. Some students and teachers the ninth grade class Feb. 4 dur- are trying their best to prepare for an unfamiliar assessment in ing homeroom to highlight several the short amount of time provided. P L problems occurring within the class. Students are feeling the pressure as IB internal assessments ap- proach; they are nervous about meeting the demands of the test. UMME During his speech, he said the issues H included acts of bullying, vandalism and A year after he last took Spanish, junior Jim DeWille is currently in HRISSY C trash in the halls. He also said the ma- IB Spanish and said he feels he has had insuffi cient time to prepare for BY jority of students were not involved in his upcoming exam. Senior Leili Slutz said it seems teachers who the acts. have come to IB without teaching any other higher-level cours- RAPHIC G “I don’t like to pull everyone together es are trying to navigate their way through foreign territory. because it is such a small percentage of “[Some IB teachers] don’t know how diffi cult to make the course or what their students us doing it,” he said during his speech. are willing to handle,” Slutz said. Greenhill said to end the prob- Others, like junior Ashley Greathouse, said their teachers have done a satisfactory job lems, freshmen must be able to stand preparing them for their exams. up to other freshmen who are causing “The teachers are really good,” Greathouse said. “[They teach] the style of the test and the problems. how to [adapt to] the format.” “We can’t allow a few people to Those students who are familiar with AP classes and tests said they have no qualms about IB exams. change the culture [of the school],” Junior Joe Streb said other students’ response to the exam relieved his stress. he said. “Other people have managed to get through it [in other schools] so it can’t be too bad,” Streb said. If the issues continue to occur, Green- According to Streb, students were given a packet containing information about the exam hill threatened to close lunch for fresh- before IB courses started. The early dates of some IB tests were posted in the packet, inform- man and to impose a 3:25 p.m. curfew in ing students and parents. the freshman hallway. He said, however, “It makes sense [the exam] would be that early,” Streb said. “They have to send the tests he wants the problems to stop. and get them graded before the end of school.” “Let’s pull together and let’s make this The test format itself is a longer process than standard school exams. The commonality a better place,” he said.