XBOX Kinect

by Serena Wells

Jump. Duck. Run in place. These are just some of the things you have to do while playing the new X-Box 360 game with Kinect. In this game, the player is the controller rather than having an remote type of controller. There is a camera and everything you do while playing, the camera sees and your character does the same thing in the game. The cost for Kinect alone is around $150 but you could also get the new X-Box with Kinect for $300. Kinect is an interactive game which keeps players on their toes while playing. Much more is planned to be added to Kinect in the future. Kinect is similar to the Wii console but instead of having a controller, your entire body is the controller. I talked to a couple of our students who have played with Kinect and for their opinions on the game.

“I think it’s really fun, and it’s really entertaining”, says Jordan Butler. “Kinect has much better graphics than the Wii and also a better workout because you use your arms more than you do with the Wii”, Jordan added. “It is the most super duper fantastic game in the universe”, says Allie Caldwell, “And I’m real excited for it to reach its full potential”.

Kinect is still new on the market and is already very popular. If you are wanting to try out Kinect, WalMart has it set up for people to try. With Christmas right around the corner, it’s definitely something to add to your Christmas list.

Shop with a Cop

by Olivia Underwood

With Christmas just around the corner, what are you doing to spread the Yuletide joy? There are people all over the world without the means to have dinner tonight, let alone a Christmas for their kids. What is being done to help those of us who can’t celebrate one of the most important holidays of the year? Well, this year, the PCHS Key Club is participating in Shop with a Cop to help the Paris police department give underprivileged children in the area a Christmas to remember.

Early in the year the police department begins collecting money for the Shop with a Cop program. How this charity works is rather simple. The police department finds children in the area in need who are not likely to receive much, if anything, on Christmas morning. These children are then invited to Shop with a Cop for Christmas presents such as clothing and toys. The tags and receipts are then thrown away so that the present cannot be returned for money, this way the children benefit from them. This charity strives to make a difference in the lives of children who need it.

“Key Club's role is that of telemarketers,” explained Mr. Doughan, a PCHS English teacher and sponsor for Key Club.

Some of Key Clubs members are also helping with the Shop with a Cop event itself. This year at least some of the children who really need a Christmas are getting one thanks to the Paris Police Department and PCHS Key Club.

The Holidays Mean Something Different to Homeless Animals

by Kayla Foushee

Have you ever seen the commercials about all the abused and abandoned animals? Have you ever noticed how many TV shows there are about animal abuse and rescuing animals? Do you know how many animals are abused and abandoned every day?

Every year over ten billion domesticated animals are killed: twenty-seven million each day and nineteen thousand each minute. People all over the world mistreat, abuse, and even kill animals.

Animals are dumped at humane shelters all the time year round. Sometimes it’s because people can’t afford to take care of the animals or are just too inconsiderate to take care of them. People don’t take into consideration that animals are like people. They live, breath, and eat like all of us. Animals can feel pain, and they don’t forget.

So many animals are abandoned around the holidays because people can’t afford to take care of animals. “A lot more animals get dropped around the holidays than any other part of the year,” stated Ms. Earlywine, foster mom to countless animals throughout the years. People don’t know how many animals are lying in cages with hundreds of other dogs and animals around them, but also people don’t realize how many animals are being kicked and beaten. There are on average 15 billion homeless animals in the U.S.

It’s hard to imagine that so many animals are abused, abandoned, and killed each year, but it’s also hard to imagine that people like you and I would even think about hurting animals. Animals are living, breathing things, and it’s absolutely outrageous to think about people hurting them.

Romeo and Juliet on Spruz

Left: Mr. Ogle's freshmen literature class reads a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

by Rachel Kenderdine

Romeo and Juliet: it’s not just a love story anymore. For freshmen enrolled in English 9L this semester, the characters have been brought to the future, and into the modern world of computers and social networking sites.

While students cover the unit on Romeo and Juliet, they will be using technology to enhance their understanding of the characters, said Mr. Nathan Ogle, English 9L teacher. “The Romeo and Juliet project is an interactive project that we have set up on a private social network called Spruz,” he said. “All the students in English 9L have been assigned a group and a character in that group, and over the course of the play, they will interact with each other.”

“It’s like Facebook and MySpace,” said Alexis York, a freshman who says that she likes the project. “It relates to our life outside school.”

The project, Mr. Ogle added, has two major parts, the first being the design and use of the profile page (background, layout, “about me,” and song) as their characters, and the second being their daily homework and discussion. “Instead of having them read and answer questions out of the back of the book every night, they are able to use the social networking page. It’s not a worksheet, it’s something that they would do on their computer at home,” he said.

Additionally, becoming one character from the play helps students to focus and allows them to really get into the play. “It causes them to think very deeply about their character,” Mr. Ogle said. “For the requirement to have a song, they have to think and infer about what profile song their character would have on their page.”

“My favorite part is when I’m going through and checking the comments, and checking the forum posts, and I see students really looking into character motive and getting deeper into the play,” said Mr. Ogle. “Their favorite part, I think, is pimping their profile.”

Trip to Costa Rica - Summer 2012

“On the edge of Costa Rica,” or at least that’s where one lucky group is going in June of 2012 to explore its travel attractions and experience its unimaginable beauty.

Mrs. Kelsheimer and Mrs. Wilson are sponsoring an eight to ten day trip to Costa Rica for all PCHS students and their parents are also welcome to go. You don’t have to be a student when they go, so all juniors and seniors currently here at PCHS are welcome too; you just have to pay before the trip. The cost is still undetermined, but it’ll be based on the tour group being used, excursion choices and the sign up dates. They should have the prices ready by the group meeting. The group meeting will be held soon to check for interest in the trip, so listen to the announcements for the date. Every person will be required to have a passport to go on the trip, so make sure to have one by then.

One possible itinerary or guide is as followed:

Day One: Fly to Costa Rica
Day Two: San Jose Arenal region
Day Three: Arenal region (volcano area and soak in the Tabacon hot springs)
Day Four-Five: Monteverde (cloud forest with zip line sky trek through the rain forest)
Day Six: Carara-central pacific coast (Jaco beach and Carara biological reserve with plentiful wildlife)
Day Seven: Manuel Antonio National Park (white sand beaches and rain forests with squirrel monkeys, three- toed sloths and orange-purple crabs)
Day Eight: Sarchi- San Jose- (possible white water rafting or kayaking)
Day Nine: Depart for home

This trip is going to be an unforgettable experience. It may be a little on the pricey side for most, but that’s why we’re being told this early so we can save up for the trip.

Talk of a New High School

Over one hundred years of memories have been built up into one building. What are your thoughts of the building of a new high school for our town? There are many disadvantages as well as advantages to having a new school. I talked to two teachers and got their input on the whole idea. One of the two asked to remain anonymous, and the other is Mrs. Rodriguez.

The first question I asked the two about the school was just for their general opinion. Rodriguez said, “I believe that having a new high school would greatly help the attitude of the students in the high school to be positive. It would also give more students school spirit because they would be proud to claim they are part of Paris Cooperative High School.” The second teacher stated that “a new school would be a simple way to address the educational and accessibility needs of students, staff and community members”.

I asked if they thought it was necessary and both seemed to agree that it was. “I fear that the community cannot handle the added expense, particularly at a time when the economy remains somewhat depressed.” Has this thought been thought of by others? I asked for what they thought the benefits of a new building would be and Rodriguez said, “Students could have more freedom to be involved in class activities. At this current school, students and classes are very cut off from each other and it makes it hard for students from different classes to interact. If there was a more open school, students could more easily interact across the curriculum. Ag students could work with foreign language students to make a project or foods students could work with chemistry students to find the chemical properties of different types of food.”

The meeting that was held a few weeks ago with the architects was brought up, anonymous says “There were some great suggestions to improve the educational environment, however the cost-benefit analysis was not addressed. I would like more information on the expenses before and after the ‘extras’.”

The idea of a new school is great, but the way the economy is right now, is it really feasible? However, being closer to the top of the list for federal funding money in Illinois, now may be Paris's only chance for a new high school for a while. Everyone involved is moving as quickly as possible so that this opportunity does not pass us by.

New Curriculum Director at PCHS

by Andreanna Smith

For many years, students and teachers alike have been dreaming for a new school. For Paris High School plans are coming together to create that new school. With the plans come the thoughts of curriculum. For PCHS, curriculum is coming before the new school.

Ms. Hill, our former full time librarian was added to the administration this year as our curriculum director. With this new job comes new responsibilities. The main responsibility for Ms.Hill is to read all of the course standards for Illinois and for her to work with the teachers to mix the course standards of each class with the course standards of Illinois. Once she is finished with the conferencing, she has to type up course descriptions with the information based on what the teachers tell her. When asked if she would still be the librarian next year, she stated”That depends on whether or not the board rehires a curriculum director. I like being the librarian and also the course director. I am thankful for Mrs. Wegner for taking over the library in the afternoons. She is doing a great job!” In the morning, she is in the library as our librarian, and in the afternoon she works on course descriptions.

With all of the talk of a new school, Ms. Hill says that yes we would have the same courses but it depends on money for the staff and additions into the new school.
Next year, there will be multiple new classes added to the curriculum if approved by the school board. Some of the classes that Ms.Hill would like to see in PCHS are Clothing/Textiles I, Music Appreciation, and Earth Science. The Clothing/Textiles II would be an extension on Clothing/Textiles II. Music Appreciation would be an elective and wouldn’t require for a students to be in band, it also wouldn’t be a dual credit class. As far as dual credit classes, she would like to see dual credit Chemistry II and a dual credit business class. Again, these classes may not be added to the curriculum unless approved by the school board.

Another change to the curriculum for next year would be that the freshman and sophomores next year will have to take English I and II, which will be writing intensive classes. If passed, students will move on to electives. The electives will be semester classes and will include the following Journalism, Creative Writing, World Lit, American Lit, Monster Lit, Composition, Memoirs and Autobiographies.