Take a Stand Against Cyber-Bullying

by Allison Pardi

Imagine you were in a world where every day you were harassed, everywhere you went people made fun of you. You go to school and you get names screamed at you, go for a walk and people lean out the window to scream at you. Eventually you would just stop going to out places, possibly even school. If you were bullied, would probably feel lonely, depressed, and insecure. Now picture the only safe place you have is your home. You go to your bedroom, log on to the computer to do your homework. Awaiting you are hateful Facebook comments and harassing emails. Your cell phone buzzes, and it’s a hateful message from an unknown number. Do you still feel safe?

Everybody has gotten bullied at least once in their life, and it probably hurt their self-esteem. You would think as common sense people wouldn’t want other people to feel the way they did as they were bullied. However, it doesn’t really work that way. Unfortunately, the more people were bullied as a kid, the worse they bully other people. Now that most people have a computer, more people are being bullied over the internet, or cyber bullied. It’s not hard to make fun of someone over a computer, because you’re hidden behind a box. On the other hand, it is harassment and if they wanted to turn it in, there would be something they could do.

“I have been cyber-bullied; it doesn’t make me feel good about myself. In fact, it makes me feel pretty worthless, and as if nobody loves me. Nobody understands exactly how bad words really do hurt,” said a PCHS student.

“When I was cyber-bullied, it made me feel horrible. With all of the name calling it just felt like I didn’t have anybody there for me. I felt … alone,” states Kaylinn McGuinness.

Paris Cooperative High School, unfortunately, is not free from cyber bulling. An issue was recently brought to the administration’s attention in which cyber bulling was occurring on the school grounds on school laptops. Proper action and discipline was taken but that doesn’t always fix the hurt it caused to the victims. The stand against cyber bullying may be supported by administration and teachers, but the real change must begin with students. If you or anyone you know is being cyber bullied, tell an adult: a parent, a relative, a teacher, a counselor, or an administrator. They are here to help. And most importantly, every time you post something on Facebook, or send an email or text message, think about how your words might make someone else feel.

Red Ribbon Week

Pictured: Denver Brewer, LeiLani Reyes, Samantha Creech, Brandon Maloney, and Mickaela Clark wear red for Red Ribbon Week.

by Valerie Lau

Each year, SADD members set up the anticipated, fun-filled, Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is a fun way for students to show that they are against using drugs by wearing their “we are drug free” bracelets and dressing up according to the day. Last week, students were able to participate in all the dress up days.

“My favorite day was definitely when we wore red,” said Kaytlyn Elledge.

Monday, students showed they can stomp out drugs by wearing their boots. Tuesday was crazy socks day, and students socked it to drugs. Wednesday, students showed they can team up against drugs by wearing their team shirts. Thursday, was drug free red day, and students wore red. Finally, Friday was inside out day, and students wore their clothing inside out to show that they would not let drugs turn them inside out.

“Throughout the week we saw a lot of support from the student body. It was pretty awesome,” says Maddie Johnson, SADD member.

SADD is a dedication to helping people in our community. SADD is in charge of different things at our school such as highway cleanup days among other things. If you’re interested in joining SADD, talk to Ms. E. Anyone can join.

October Is More Than Just Halloween in Parke County, Indiana

by Andreanna Smith

It’s October and to most people across the country that means that it’s almost Halloween time, but for one county in Indiana, it means more than that. To the people of Parke County, October means get out the yard sale equipment and get ready for customers, because Parke County, Indiana is home to the Covered Bridge Festival.
Every year for ten days after the first Saturday of the month, the Covered Bridge Festival is held. This year was the fifty-third annual Covered Bridge Festival. From Bridgton to Rockville, every community is in on the festival. There are multiple things to do during the festival. Some of the activities are shopping, hiking, and tours of the 28 covered bridges in the county. People come to the festival from all across the world.

Kelsey Fuqua, a sophomore at Paris High School was one of the many people to come to the festival. Kelsey went to Mansfield and Bridgeton. When asked what her favorite part was, she along with many other people, including junior Erin Marietta stated simply, “The food.” To many people this is a time where you can try new and unique food choices, for example just some of the many festival food was fried pickles and sirloin tips. When asked what she would like to see improved for next year, Kelsey stated that she would add more vendors for different sweatshirts and more jewelry vendors. Erin Marietta also stated that if she could improve anything for Rockville, she would have added more places to shop.

If you missed out on this year’s festival, don’t worry. Next year’s festival is already being planned.

Fall Attractions in Paris, IL

by Rachel Kenderdine
(Pictured: Pumpkin Works (above), Halls of Madness (right)

Costumes, scares, candy, and trick-or-treating. All are staples of Halloween, right? But in Paris, Illinois, there is more to Halloween than just the holiday. Two popular local attractions bring people from everywhere to celebrate the Halloween season.

One such attraction is the Halls of Madness, a haunted house that can be found just outside of town, on Route 16. Open every weekend in October, the Halls of Madness draws in crowds looking for a scare each season. Now in its seventh season, the Halls is staffed by members of the community who enjoy the thrill of seeing others scared.

One such person is Katie Garver, a junior at Paris Cooperative High School. She, who got involved because her family works there, has been working there for three years. “I enjoy doing that sort of thing, scaring people,” she said. She also has a favorite part of the job. The best part, she said, was, “seeing the look on people’s faces.”

Another attraction that is popular with fun-seekers of all ages is Pumpkin Works, which is open through Halloween. In operation for seventeen years, Pumpkin Works started as a pumpkin patch with a corn maze and haunted house and has grown to a prime Halloween destination with eleven mazes, strawberries, and the original pumpkin picking patch, according to its website.

“It’s fun when you’re with a lot of friends,” said Mary-Hunter Smittkamp, a sophomore at PCHS. “I liked the more challenging mazes.” The only downfall to Pumpkin Works? “I didn’t like how expensive everything is,” Mary-Hunter said. “Twenty-five dollars barely got me through half the mazes.” But that appears to be the only downside to a day of fun.
Both the Halls of Madness and Pumpkin Works have special hours for their seasons. These hours, along with the rest of their information, can be found on their websites. Click on the following links:
Halls of Madness
Pumpkin Works

No More Textbooks?

by Meredith Penczek

New this year are EBooks. Ebooks, text books over the internet, are used in all of the biology classes. EBooks were introduced into PCHS as a step to moving into the technological age of teaching. EBooks are also helpful because more students are signing up to take biology classes. All biology students, even those without internet, were asked to set up an EBook account. Many students had trouble creating their accounts. Most of the problems were caused by issues with creating a username.

Freshman Renna Throneburg said, “I had to try three or four times because it would not take my username.”

One of the main pluses to having EBooks is having one less book to lug home with you when there’s homework. On the other hand, one of the downsides is the students with slow or no internet still have to take the book home. Also, students with slow internet take longer on their homework because unlike with a physical book, the EBook has to go page to page instead of just flipping to the section you need if you don’t know the page number.

Many students find it easier to read through the book on the computer though. However, using the internet does cause problems. Some students have already had problems with their internet being down so they can’t do the assignments, and some students have trouble focusing when they know sites like Facebook and Myspace are only a click away.

Freshman Quinn Shockely said, “Yeah, I have drifted off from reading to check status updates, but I’m getting better at waiting until I’m done with my homework or studying.”

It sounds like the new EBooks do have their upsides as well as their downsides. The big questions most students are asking is, "Are they here to stay?"

Homecoming Dance Is a Hit for Many!

by Olivia Underwood

The lights pulse, the beat pounds, and you and your friends dance until you collapse. This weekend’s homecoming dance was like that for Kenzie Vansickle, a junior here at PCHS. Kenzie, along with many others, enjoyed the annual dance on Saturday, September 18.

“This was my first time,” Kenzie says of the dance, “and I enjoyed it a lot even though I got really hot and sweaty.”

Kenzie wasn’t the only one to enjoy the dance! This year’s Homecoming was a great success with Millie Arp and Ethan Mason being crowned as Homecoming King and Queen. Homecoming is open to all students of PCHS and has been a tradition for many years. A lot of students have been going since their freshman year like Tabi Wimsett, a senior this year.

Tabi said, “I’ve been every year to homecoming, this is my fourth time.” Many girls spend a lot of time and money each year to look their best at the dance and Tabi is no exception. Like many students, Tabi and her friends take pictures of their dresses and dates to post on Facebook or print for their parents.

“I don’t spend all day doing my hair.” Tabi told me, “I usually get ready for like an hour and a half before the dance for pictures.”

This year, as always, homecoming was planned and set up by the members of student council. D. J.-ing this year was interesting because as well as providing music for the dancing; there was a large projection screen with dance videos playing throughout the night. I think Kenzie said it best when she said, “I had so much fun! I would definitely go again.”

Italy Isn't So Little in Clinton

by Andreanna Smith

The 45th annual Little Italy Festival was in Clinton, Indiana this weekend. Festivities began on Friday night at 6 p.m., with the annual parade, and continued until Monday at 9 p.m. with the Trip to Italy drawing and the annual fireworks finale. At 7:30 on Friday night the Little Italy Festival President and the Mayor welcomed visitors with the introduction of the 2010 Re and Regina and the Queen of Grapes and her royal court. This year the Festival Grape Queen is Michelle Natalie. The Queen of Grapes is a tradition that has been around since the festival started, the queen has responsibilities for the weekend, she along with the annual Re and Regina preside over the many events of the festival. The Re and Regina are kind of like the king and queen of the festival, and even though her title is queen, the queen of grapes is kind of like the princess of the festival. This year, the Re and Regina has been named Dick and Delcie Fossi Meyer.

Some of the festivities that people took part in this year was the annual grape stomping at the wine garden every day at 3:30 p.m. , the Spaghetti dinners , and the never ending entertainment at the main stage. Although the grape stomping is great, many people come for the spaghetti dinner. Sophomore Eleanor Holley admits that her “favorite thing is the annual Sacred Heart spaghetti supper.” A new feature this year was at the wine garden. Over the summer, there was a glass mosaic put in at the back area of the band stage. The mosaic is of a view of Tuscany and looks very nice.

Of course, another festivity that visitors took part in was the food vendors, amusement rides, and shopping. When asked if she would change anything for next year, sophomore Eleanor Holley stated, “I’d have less food vendors and more local shops, that way more people would come again. It was pretty dead this year compared to years past.” In fact, it did seem as though this year was lighter in the crowds than usual, but there were still a lot of people, that could be because there weren’t as many tents for shopping as there were food vendors.

If you are interested in going next year, the festival is always on Labor Day weekend on the banks of the Wabash in Clinton Indiana.

Picture: The Re and Regina ride the gondola in the Little Italy Festival Parade. (picture taken by Andreanna Smith)