Are You Textually Active? Vol. 88, No.7 • March 2009 • Lakewood High School • 14100 Franklin Blvd. • Lakewood, OH • 44107 On the cover, students in an AP class stage a texting bonanza. Can you spot all the technology? From left to right: Seniors Tim Howell, Tyler Kadow, Matt Blackburn, Pat Sponsler, John Kearney, Frank Kushnar-Sanderson, Joanna Gobeille, Staff Aaron Morris, Bridget McKay, and Rachel Buckner. Photo and cover design by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor. The Lakewood Times Editorial Board Rebecca McKinsey Editor in Chief Thealexa Becker Design & Focus Editor Rachel Kowalski News Editor Sarah Jawhari Opinion Editor Isabella Zettler Lakewood Life Editor Jacob Ott Sports Editor Valerie Locke Names Monitor Miranda Mave Art & Photo Coordinator Adam Mihalski Public Relations & Pollster Andrew O’Connor Advertising & Business Manager Wilson Sackett Exchange Editor Fiza Shah Future Book Compiler Danielle Szabo Distribution Head Karen Ballash Adviser Above: The ever-elusive Desgin Editor, Thealexa Becker, finally makes it into the staff page after four years of hard labor. Photo by Fiza Shah, Editorial Board Member. Right: Sports Editor Jacob Ott lounges at the legendary Times table, overseeing his section from afar with a box of Chex close at hand. Photo by Rebecca McKinsey, Editor in Chief. Below: News Editor Rachel Kowalski and her date, Editorial Board Member Evan Graves, at Snowball. You can’t tell, but they don’t match – and the fault lies with Evan. Last time we checked, eggplant didn’t go with powder blue. Photo by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor. editor’s Note Hey, LHS! I’ve recently discovered a new love. His name is Texting. That’s right – I’ve joined the ranks of the students who are furiously typing away on their phones. Now that I have, I’m coming to understand the dangers of texting more than I ever did before. Our focus this month is about the technology, especially texting, that is becoming more and more necessary to teens, and the complications that can arise from this dependence. Read on to find out if your phone is controlling you. If you flip through, you’ll also learn about a grant that is allowing two teachers to take new educational steps, discover that we may be expecting too much from celebrities, view photos from the recent talent show and Snow- ball, and read about senior swimmer Kelsey Moran’s successes at states. I hope you enjoy this issue, and if you’re someone who likes writing, drawing, photography, convincing other people to see your point of view, or eating Meat Lover’s pizza, stop by Room 316 some Tuesday afternoon and sign up! Untl next time... 2 Rebecca The Lakewood Times Contents Focus 4 – Has dependance gone too far? News 9 – Statistics for next year’s students 10 – Grant will move students forward 11 – Rockers looking forward to tournament 12 – News Briefs 20 Sophomore Maeve Diffenbacher sings at AYF’s “Talent Night Live.” Photo by Rebecca Editorial McKinsey, Editor in Chief. 13 – Musical hallways Where are students directing themselves? 14 – One bad decision changes a life 16 – Cheers and Jeers The Oscars are getting boring 17 – Why teens need sleep One hour of helping the earth 18 – Times discourages technology dependence Celebrity expectations 19 – Letting cartoonists speak Celebrating the new 25 Lakewood Life Juniors Frank Blackman and Mary Beth Do- 20 – Talent Show at LHS nahoe sparkle at Snowball. Photo by Thealexa Becker, Design Editor. 22 – The travels of Walker 24 – Bands to watch for 25 – Snowball Fashion 26 – Five Guys is coming to Lakewood Lily Allen Review 27 – Rocking teacher Hoobastank Review 28 – “Halo Wars” Review Sports 29 – Moran’s States story 32 – Learning about sports injuries 33 – Editor’s Corner 34 – Ranger Report 29 35 – Underclassmen Uncovered Senior swimmer Kelsey Moran at states. Photo by Evan Graves, Editorial Board Member. March 2008 3 Focus Focus Technology becomes latest teen addiction By Sarah Jawhari, Opinion Editor Today’s teens are totally hooked on techno- particular.” Caruso argued that while software engineers logical gadgets. “There are a very rare few [students] who have been trying to ensure dependable systems From iPods to laptops, flash drives to cell do not have a cell phone or an iPod,” senior that won’t crash, it’s nearly impossible to test phones, portable gaming systems to cars that Amy Nelson added. “Also, many teens are de- reliability. “Today a bug-ridden upgrade can nearly drive themselves, it would be difficult pendent upon the computer to talk to friends crash even a ‘dependable’ computer system,” to imagine a modern world without the use and family members.” Caruso said. of what has become “daily conveniences.” Is there a danger in relying too heavily on Caruso’s research was based in 1998, but The fact that the computer has become the daily conveniences? Many students don’t know the same threats exist today. And with teens home of nearly everything becomes evident their own cell phone number. An even larger becoming more and more dependent on tech- only when a computer crash becomes a major percentage doesn’t know the numbers of nology such as the personal computer, these dilemma. friends or family members, because they don’t threats are even more ominous. Human dependency on technology has need to punch it in when they call someone. This is not to claim that people must rid spiked in the last twenty years, especially with It’s easier to go into the cell phone’s phone themselves of their computers immediately the mass production of the personal com- book and select the name from a list. – on the contrary, the computer’s use has puter. Teens have especially grown attached: “[Dependency] is definitely going to get become a necessity in both school and the cell phones and MP3 players are nearly as worse,” junior Bayan Hammad said, “con- workplace. Many teachers prefer students to common as notebooks and pencils in the high sidering most people don’t even bother to hand in a typed paper rather than one written school setting. Students scatter to text before memorize phone numbers anymore – they just in messy handwriting on ripped notebook class starts, check their voicemails in the bath- use their cells. Good luck when that breaks.” paper. Projects are also assigned on Microsoft room, and even pop their iPods in for a quick But what happens if the cell phone does PowerPoint and Publisher. Most businesses in listen in the six open minutes between classes. break? If it gets stolen? What happens when the United States have a correlating website, Many students freely admit they don’t know the computer crashes, or when the flash drive and just as many use computer databases to what they would do without their cell phones. accidentally slips out of your pocket? store information and make predictions. “I feel like I know too many peers that An article featured in the New York Times In every area, technology has manifested would die if text messaging was un-invented,” some ten years ago predicted the faulty depen- itself as something that is indispensable. senior John Kearney said. “There is a definite dencies of newer technological advancements “I cannot find a lot of answers in math dependency on phones and computers in – namely, computer systems. Author Denise based on scratch work,” Nelson admitted. A brief history 1895- The invention of the radio. 1941- The military creats one of the earliest computers. 1877- One of the first 1907- One of the first television 1963- The advent of the VCR and Tape uses of the telephone. broadcasts. player. Both utilize similar technology. 4 The Lakewood Times Focus Focus “Math teachers teach us based on calculator really. I mean, when you watch a teenager on people stop being dependent on technology. strokes. Every single day I use a computer TV, what are they usually doing? Talking on It probably will get worse as long as things and a cell phone. Everyone is dependent on a their cell, listening to music, on the computer, keep going they way they are now. People are vehicle to take them places.” or watching TV.” getting used to technology at an even younger The computer may be inescapable in the “Everything I do outside of school is based age as companies keep producing more and workplace and at school, but what about a on technology, aside from doing schoolwork, more items.” teenager’s personal time? and that’s only if I don’t need a computer for “[There is] an increase in demand for faster “Teens in general are dependent on technol- that,” Kearney said. “Really, is there anything gadgets and more high-tech devices,” Nelson ogy in my opinion,” senior Julia Millman said. to do besides read without technology these said. “Everyone wants to have the latest cell “Pretty much all of my friends are as addicted days?” phone or iPod. It could potentially be bad if to Facebook as I am, and pretty much every- Technology has become a means that is teens are too attached to these products, be- one I know keeps their cell phone with them nearly impossible to ignore. But according to cause when they come of age to actually have at all times.” interviewed LHS students, spending too much to pay for the bill, they won’t have enough According to the Pew Internet and Ameri- time texting or posting things on Facebook money to pay for it, especially with a first job’s can Life project released in 2005, Instant takes away from the experience of real life. pay.” Messenger is used by almost two-thirds of “We can get mental disorders should we “[Technology is] not a good thing at all if all American adolescents.