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Issue 6 Volume 4030 March 2012

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Page 2 Ads The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

Front: 2D and 3D art students create projects out of paper mache, alabaster, or soapstone. Other stu-dents use the potter’s wheel or glazing techniques to create and finish their projects.Photos by Shelby Woodard

The Oracle is looking for new ideas and new voices. Guest writers welcome! We’re looking for feature stories, creative writing, poems, pictures

Submit them today, be published tomorrow.

Opinion

this issueColumbus prepares for Columbus Idol 3

What’s happening now

Teacher SpotlightThe Oracle takes a flash-back to when East teachers were in high school 6-7

Oracle spotlights track and field 9

Sports

Junior Chris Fortmeyer shares his thoughts on the lack of musical venues in Columbus 8Freshman Sophie Schmidt shares about her transition to East 10

StaffDaran Brady

Brandon HarperMegan Kraszeski

Betsy MyersHannah ParkEvie Schultz

Sarah WeaverJia Wei Zhang

OracleTh

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staffEditors-in-chief

Ben Brown Shelby Woodard

Adviser : Megan Whitehead

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Take a look at some stu-dents’ cars 12

Backpage

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Lots of exciting activities are going to be coming up in the next few months. One to keep an eye on is Columbus Idol Live. This event is a fundraiser for Columbus North and Columbus East Best Buddies programs. For those who have been to this event in the past, there will be some radical changes sure to please the masses. For ex-ample, a former American Idol contestant will be providing extra en-tertainment and doing a musical show. Also, the auditions and finale are on two different nights this year. That calls for some suspense. The whole reason Columbus Idol Live was started was to commemorate Danny Altmiller. an East student who passed away in 2009. Also, his parents, Bill and Jeanne Altmiller, wanted to recog-nize the people who invested their time to help students with special needs. For that reason, part of the proceeds of the fundraiser goes to a scholarship, the Daniel Altmiller Scholarship, to recognize a student who plans to go into a field that would help people with dis-abilities. Lacey Brown, twelfth place finalist from season 9 American Idol, will be joining Best Buddies in this fundraising event. She will

be attending the night of the finale and providing a short concert for all who attend. “The contract is signed and she is ready to go,” says Jeanne Altmiller, a major coordinator of the project. Someone as big as a contestant from a hit television show coming to Columbus, Indiana is sure to draw large crowds. Unlike previous years, the event will be split into two nights; both are to be held at Columbus East in the auditorium. The audi-tions will take on May 18th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The finale will be held on Friday, June 1st from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Tickets for auditions are free; however, a $5 donation at the door is suggested. For finale night, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and children. Tickets can be purchased at Renner Motors, Viewpoint Books, in the Commons at East, or at North in the Senior Circle. In the future, when more advertising comes out, make sure to keep an open mind when considering Columbus Idol Live. Lots of talent can be discovered here and it is sure to entertain the masses. Get tickets early and save time waiting in line the night of.

Page 3 Feature The Oracle March 30, 2012u u u

Columbus Idol LiveBest Buddies fundraiser will be sweeping Columbus with a special guest

Q Hannah Park

Sygyzy. Kinnikinnick. Pheochro-cytomata. Could you spell any of these words? If you said no, you are in good company. Since mid-January, the Colum-bus East Drama department trained tirelessly to prepare for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

This comedic musical follows six sixth graders on their journey through their county's spelling bee. We saw these over- and underacheiving sudents face victory and defeat throughout the lively show. Veteran cast members say that this musi-cal is unlike anything they have performed before.

Freshman Anna Guse, who plays the quiet and shy Olive Ostrovsky said, ”One of the most wonderful things about this musical is that these characters all repre-sent people that we knew in elementary school.

The audience really got a chance to relate to these characters. Each one of them is fascinating in their own way and the show highlighted their unique, yet realistic personalities.”

Mr. Newell enjoyed seeing the hard-work of the drama department pay off. “From a principal's view, my favorite part

of the musical was the sense of community among cast members. They were all very supportive of one another. It also takes a lot of courage to perform up on stage, but by stepping out of our comfort zones, we grow.”

The student actors also discovered talents outside of their singing, dancing, and acting abilities. Some found that they could be part of a spelling bee like this in real life, while others realized that they should just stick to theater. Another skill they had to master was tapping into their inner sixth grader.

Cast members shadowed 12-year-olds to try to pick up on some of the habits they had at that age. While at the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the 12-year-olds learned that winning isn't everything, and losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The Columbus East Drama Department's performances of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee were on March 9th, 10th, and 11th. o

Tongue-twisting act

Q Molly Connor

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee hits East

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Walks for charity, remodeling a car or room in a house, or making a guitar out of scratch. These are all examples of senior projects done throughout the years. One project no one has ever done before though is Taxidermy. One could see why no one had done taxidermy but now that’s a thing of the past.

Grant Pruitt decided he wanted to branch out and explore a new hobby. “My board was interested in seeing it done because no one had ever done it,” said Pruitt. “I’ve always been interested in the outdoors and figured this would be a good opportunity to learn taxidermy.”

With this being Pruitt’s first taxidermy he has had to learn from scratch. “I didn’t train, my mentor helped me step by step,” said Pruitt. Since no one had done taxidermy before for a senior project Pruitt had to find someone he knew that would help. “My mentor is Ron-nie Gayle, he has been a family friend for years and always does our taxidermy.”

Every senior project has its bumps in the road and one of the biggest challenges for Pruitt on his project was skinning the deer out.

One thing Pruitt didn’t have a problem with though was the work, “There isn’t much that grosses me out.”

For Pruitt’s paper he is writing about hunting, “My paper is about how hunting is positive for the environment.” Though Pruitt might hunt in the future he’s not sure about taxidermy, “I’m not sure if I will do taxidermy, because you have to be patient and take your time on it.”

Page 4 Feature The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

Q Betsy Myerso

That’s the stuff Senior Grant Pruitt taxidermies a deer for his senior project

Pruitt’s deer (and senior project); above. Photo courtesy of Grant Pruitt

Page 5 Feature The Oracle March 30, 2012u u u

Yet another craze to keep you procrastinating on homework.by Evie Schultz and Jia Wei Zhang

interest in

Bright ideas. Creative thinking and handy ideas have gone universal and viral thanks to this online pinboard. Ideas we found and loved include cookies that look like a painter’s palette, messy Twister, and tiny notes you can give to the Tooth Fairy!photos courtesy of Pinterest

“I like looking in the Categories [section], because there’s so much new stuff. It’s kind-of cool to see

where it came from.”Senior Megan Daiker

“I like seeing all of the ideas that people come

up with and trying to fig-ure out how they came

up with it.”Sophomore Emily Dial

“I enjoy using Pinterest because I can find lots of cool new recipes or

crafts I want to try, even though I never do them. The nail [designs] are

impossible to mimic but pretty to look at.”Junior Cj Lamborn

We know, we know. You already spend enough time on the Internet Facebook stalking and working on homework. But if you haven’t yet heard of the latest online craze (as if!), Pinterest, you’ll probably be psyched to join. Pinterest is a new kind of social networking site - one that mem-bers can use to virtually “pin” their favorite things from all over the Internet onto different themed boards they create. Members follow fellow “pinners”, which allows pins to circulate and fun ideas to spread. “You see what other people like and find things that you normally wouldn’t find,” says junior Sa-vannah Weber, who often pins “clothes and places and stuff I find interest-ing.” She adds that the boards help keep ideas organized. For example, many members create boards called “My Style” or “Food”, then pin all of the related ideas they find and like. The pins contain links to the actual web-sites from which they originated, which helps to give credit to the creators of the idea. Senior Amanda Housel says that while she doesn’t actually have an account, she enjoys logging on and looking at the “humor, do-it-yourself, and fashion [sections]” of the site. It’s pretty simple: if you like it, Pinterest has it. You can find photos of your favorite celebrities, hair ideas, quotes and sayings, and ideas for parties.Above all, Pinterest fosters a creative and inspirational environment for all those DIY-lovers, style mavens, and aspiring chefs. “I like how it gives you a sudden enthusiasm for party planning,” says junior Kaitlin Lienhoop. Just be careful. Pinning is addicting. Pretty soon, you may be spend-ing even more time on the Internet than you already do. To create an account of your own, go to www.pinterest.com.

(We have an)

What You Think...

Page 6 Spotlight The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

I was involved in: cheerleading. I was the captain of the basketball cheerleading squadI was known for: My last name was Jump and I was a cheerleader. So students thought that was funny. I had also went to school for 13 years and never missed a day of school.I drove a: 1979 Ford MustangMy favorite memory was: being on the prom court, and going to Daytona beach with friends on Spring Break.I never expected: that I would eventually be a teacher at the school I graduated from.

I was involved in: The Dance Team, taking dance lessons outside of school at Beth’s dancecenter – working part time at MarshI was known for: I was friends with everyone so probably being too social.My favorite subject was: English and Literature, Spanish 4I wanted to be a: I was not sure! I knew I liked to help people and was a good listen-er but that was it.I drove a: Giant Ford LTD, red- my parents bought it from the Columbus Fire Dept. They always knew where I was.My favorite memory was: Just hanging out with my friends and graduation!I hated: that my parents both worked for BCSC – I could not get away with anything!I never expected: That I would be back in Columbus working in my rival high school!

I was involved in: FFA and bandMy favorite subject was: Vocational AgricultureI wanted to be a: ParatrooperI drove a: ‘69 Harley SportsterMy favorite memory was: arriving at Ft. Knox, KYI hated: schoolI never expected: to become a teacher.

Mrs. Stott

Mrs. Anderson

Mr. Burgmeier

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Page 7 Spotlight The Oracle March 30, 2012u u u

I was involved in: Choir, Singing Ensemble, Drama Club, School Radio Station, AFS (Ameri-can Field Service), AMA (American Music Abroad 1977), German Club (& German Polka Club!)I was known for: Comedic Roles in high school drama productions, a Monty Python fanatic!, a “Beatles” officianado.I wanted to be a: Radio/TV Broadcaster or a High School teacher. For 3 months I considered moving to NYC to wait tables and audition for Broadway Shows!I drove a: 1975 Buick LeSabre or a

1967 VW bug (green) I loved this car!Both cars were my dad’s (I borrowed no $!)My favorite memory was: Senior year! I had roles in both dramatic shows and I got to travel to Europe and sing in some awesome Cathedrals and performance halls!I hated: I can’t think of anything I hated. I disliked the competitiveness leading up to graduation and class rank-ings.I never expected: to marry a foreigner or to move to Indiana! I thought I’d stay in Pennsylvania...forever.

Mrs. Dewhirst

Mrs. House

I was involved in: softball, Key ClubI was known for: playing softball, working at Day’s Family PizzaMy favorite subject was: Math, Science, Technology classesI wanted to be a: surgeon, or teacher. Decided senior year to be Technology TeacherI drove a: 1966 Mercury Comet, V8 – 289 engine.My favorite memory was: Honor Day. I had worked so hard during high school. It had paid off that day, as I received numerous scholarships to fund all of my college (I wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise.) I hated: Pickles?

I was involved in: cheer block, working half time, hanging out with friendsI was known for: being friendlyI wanted to be a: nurseI drove a: blue chevy – when my parents let me borrow it! It was a sta-tion wagon, of course!My favorite memory was: pep rallies and bonfires for football week-ends and class trips to go tobogganing! Great fun!I hated: bugs and critters!I never expected: to see so many changes, to live so many places, to realize how great life can be!

Mrs. Otte

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Page 8 Opinion The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

Can you tell me where the last local music event you went to was located? Did you see Mylets at the Fork in February, or at DiHi records over the summer? Maybe you saw Those Valiants or Swansea at this year’s Dance Marathon. You may have gone to a house show and seen The Pontiacs, My Westpoint Stride and all of the bands previ-ously mentioned. You may have not even heard about any of these shows. Maybe you just had virtually no idea where any of these venues even were due to their low amounts of popularity.

“It’s strange that a town with a relevant architectural history, that is practically littered with works of art, has no consistent music venue. It probably would if the venues available didn’t seem so inaccessible to those who would otherwise attend,” The Pontiacs guitarist, and East graduate Sam Phillips said.

As the former guitarist for many Columbus bands in the past few years, Sam is right. So the question really is: How can we go about having these shows in a town with no consistent music venues, and expect a good turn out?

In the past year, Henry Kohen’s me-lodic loop rock project dubbed “Mylets” has earned lots of praise. Not just in Columbus, or let alone Indiana. But around the U.S. with

his EP entitled “Colossal Grin”. As a veteran of the Columbus music scene, Henry’s great-est local turn out in the past few months has been at The Fork on Washington, playing in front of a crowd of 30 people. Whereas in the past year, he has played in front of much larger crowds. Despite the recent poor conditions, Henry’s still managed to come up with a great tour plan this spring break that took him all the way to the East Coast, and even to New York City. This is a rare achieve-ment to someone of his age, but an even big-ger achievement to someone who’s coming from a city with a music scene like ours.

So is there hope for other bands? “I think there is potential in every musician here in town,” Those Valiants bassist, Ross Williams said. “It’s just a matter of if they are willing to put forth the effort and time into their work to be heard IN and OUT of Columbus!”

Every band looking to be heard needs to be dedicated to their work, and never stop being creative when it comes to planning shows. “I think people love creativity. I think people love it when you have a show with a barbeque or a food pitch-in, something that gives them another reason to be there, you know? And if the variety of venues Columbus offers is short, then it’s a good idea for bands to start creating more events more like those

to get themselves out there,” Williams said. With the Summer of 2012 rapidly ap-proaching, more and more bands will begin to look into creative ways to have shows around Columbus. The Fork, located down-town on Washington Street, will start to consistently open it’s doors for night owls looking for local music. As the weather warms up, outdoor shows and food pitch-ins at Mill Race and Donner Park will become possible, and provide bands with a new way to be heard. I encourage every one of you to look into these events, and make use of what we have here in town. Because who knows what could be gone tomorrow?

Hear today, gone tomorrow?Chris Fortmeyer shares his thoughts on the entertainment scene in Columbus

Will the music die? Lack of music venues threaten the chance for students to hear bands such as Swansea; left and Mylets; middle.photos by Chris Fortmeyer

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The track season will kick off Saturday. The many athletes involved have been preparing for the season to come and have many goals in mind. For these athletes track is not only hard work, but a lot of fun as well.

Freshman Tyler Campbell said that the best part about track was that there is a lot of freedom. Sophomore Adam Kurtz said, “The best part about track is hanging with friends.” Whether it is the freedom or the friends the track team is a great way to get involved in the school. Freshman Tiera Miller said, “The best part about the track team is being a part of a team that is representing Columbus East High School.”

With every sport athletes seem to always set personal goals for themselves. The track team this year is no different and many have

set certain goals already. Junior Haley Barnes goal for this season is to beat her personal record in shot put. Kurtz who says his best event is the 3200 has also made a goal. His best record in the 3200 is 11:36 and his goal is to get it down to 10:30. Campbell also has a goal to get times down. He runs many events, but his best event is the 100. His best time is eleven seconds and he has a goal to beat that.

Sophomore Deja Davis is setting a larger goal. Davis’s goal is not just over one event but the whole aspect of her season. Davis said, “My goals for the season is to be better than last year and to breathe better.” Miller also set a broader goal. Miller said, “I want to stay confident and work together as a team.”

With every team there are always people

who lead the way. Many times new people step up to replace the seniors from last year. Many people on this year’s team however, do not believe that the loss of the seniors will af-fect the team in any way. Instead, the team is looking to this years seniors and many other people. Kurtz said, “Dalton Smith will be one of the key athletes for this year’s success.”

Most of the members of the track team have been participating since their freshman year. This could give a major edge to this years team and fuel its success. From short distances and long distances all the way to the throwing this years track team is looking to fulfill their goals and spend quality time with their friends.

Page 9 Feature The Oracle March 30, 2012u u u

by Ben Brown and Ron Washington

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Tracking the season

Track and field begins for the spring season

Transition to high school is always difficult. However, it is especially difficult when you are accustomed to a private school in a city with a graduating class of 70, and you transfer to a public school in a small town with a class of 400.

Before Columbus, my family lived in Cin-cinnati, Ohio. My dad’s job brought us to Co-lumbus early this past summer. At first, I was devastated to have left my school and friends in Cincinnati. It took me a good few months before I finally began to enjoy my time both in Columbus and at East.

Being an only child, beginning high school in a new town made the entire situation much more difficult, because I didn’t have anyone to share my experiences with. During this time, I truly believed I was never going to find friends that would be as close as my friends and I are in Cincinnati.

I remember walking into East on the first day of school. Everyone was talking, laughing, and hugging each other, and I didn’t know anyone. That day was the most out of place I have ever felt. I walked to classes alone, barely talked to anyone, and sat with random kids at lunch.

After the first few weeks, I began to feel more comfortable in the school environment, and started talking to people in my classes To my surprise, I made friends very quickly, and I began hanging out with them all the time dur-ing school. Since then, my friends and I have become very close. Now, I am always looking forward to meeting new people.

When I first arrived at East, I was worried

that nobody would be accepting of me as a new student. I later came to realize that there is an extensive variety of people to be friends with, and a person could and should be friends with more than one group of people. Unlike my old private school, East is much more accepting and open, and anybody can be friends with anybody without being judged.

Despite the trouble I had at the begin-ning, I could not have asked for a more kind and generous school to help me through the difficult times. Both the teachers and students were extremely welcoming. Once people dis-covered I was new, everyone made an effort to help me find my way to classes, sit with me at lunch, and talk to me when I was alone. The welcoming environment really helped me

transition into a more comfortable and enjoyable school experi-ence. Not only is East a great school, but it has also been a great life experi-ence.

Page 10 Feature The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

by Sophie Schmidt

Starting overFreshman Sophie Schmidt shares about her transition to East

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Page 11 Ads The Oracle March 30, 2012

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Page 12 Backpage The Oracle March 30, 2012t t t

Hayden Fleetwood, 11 It’s been mine: Since summer of 2011, bought itMy dream car: Lamborghini Murcielago (lime green)The perfect name for my car is: StacyThe movie my car would star in: James Bond

Cole Snider, 11 It’s been mind: 2.6 months. It was passed down. My dream car: Red FerrariThe perfect name for my car would be: Whitey P. Oh EsThe movie my car would be a star in: Pineapple Express

Nick Hollenbeck, 12 I have had my car for about 2 years. I bought my car from one of my dad’s friends. My dream car would be a black Bugatt: Veyron Super Sport.

Paige Prowant, 12 It’s been mine: Summer 2011 Car shopping with my fatherMy dream car: Purple Mustang Convertible

Caroline Olzweksi,11It’s been mine: Since 2005 (my brother and sister drove it too). My family got it through my dad’s work.My dream car: Red mini cooper

Andy Hunkele, 12 It’s been mine: two yearsMy dream car: a two door jeep

Matching wheelsCan you match the student to their car?

Car: 1991 grey Mustang

Car: 2002 blue Dodge Intrepid

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2)

3)

4)

5)6)1) Andy Hunkele2) Caroline Olzweksi3) Paige Prowant4) Nick Hollenbeck5) Cole Snider6) Hayden Fleetwood

Answer Key

Car: 1996 red Saturn Sedan

Car: 1985 black Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Car: 1996 white Mazda Truck Car: 2003 black Toyota Camry