ust Who Do You hink You Are? 10 Stereotypes send Split Signals 12 Homecoming leaves students in a Super Daze 16 Student Life mimics a Rollercoaster Ride 48 Seniors engage in Childish Acts 64 Underclassmen take their lives to the Extremes You Serious? Survival Guide comes in handy when oping with stressful Academics ports stun fans with Unbelievable Feats Clubs motivate members to discover What’s In It For Me and What’s In It ForThem e Help You? ntice students to empty heirwallets as theyface the Incredible Shrinking Dollar 232 Search the Index to FindThe Answers Morethan meetstheeye Tangledinamessofwires.Matt Lewis,senior,hurriestofinishthe seniorHomecomingfloat.With calculatorinhand,KatieHarvey, sophomore,determinescorrect significantfiguresforachemistry problem.Screamingtothe cheerleaders,MikeHawryszkow, sophomore,cheersduringthepep sessionthroughamegaphone. Paragon 2003 Volume 38 Munster High School Munster, IN 46321 8808 Columbia Ave. Enrollment: ,357 1 (219) 836-3200 Fax: (219) 836-3203 Web Site: www. munster.k12.in.us My injuries were a ^ that short guy stroke of bad luck. withthewalkie-talkie?” “Who, LAB?” Because was prone to “No, thatonetalkingtoTrip.” I “Oh, you mean Mr.Gandolfi.” getting hurt, the WiththeannouncementofMr.AlGandolfiasthe newassistantprincipal,youwitnessedthe coaches made administrationshufflepositions.Afterformer principalDr.MichaelO'Connormovedtothe comments like ‘try not to CentralOfficeasAssistanttotheSuperintendent, Mr.StevenTripenfeldasadvancedtoprincipal.You hurt yourself again.’ neverponderedwhattheadministrationdidallday untiltheyinformedyouaboutthedresscode Brandon Platt,junior crackdown.Youcringedathavingtoshelfyour favoritehotpinkExpresshaltertopandhideyour newbellybuttonringuntilthesummer. “Hi,wouldanyoneliketobuya Cr/er?” “Youcan’tcome in!We’llformaline.” “What? I needtogiveonetoMrs. Podkul.” “Fine,butyoucan’ttellanyonehowmany boxeswehave!” Bystuffing273shoeboxeswitheverythingfroma 24-packofCrayolacrayonstotartar-control toothpaste,youpartiedwithmathteacherMrs. JacquelinePodkul'sStudyHallafterwinning StudentGovernment'sholidaycontesttofillthe mostgiftboxesforneedychildren.Scanningthe Scoop,StudentGovernment'snewsletterfor programupdates,younoticedtheincreased numberofserviceandsocialevents,suchasa recyclingprogramforcans,theMunsterIdol contestandaninformalwinterdance. “Sowhat’sthefruitoftheday?” “I hope it’sthepineapplecup.” “Noway, I’mallaboutthekiwis.” Asyouheapedasmanycarrotsasyoucouldinto thepetiteStyrofoambowls,youtookthefreefood forgranted.Littledidyouknowthatyou participatedintheFreeFruitandVegetablePilot 2 Opening Louderthanwords DressingforHomecomingweek, MaxNtiamoah,senior,quickly finishesapre-calculusworksheet, Whiletheydancethenightaway, VictorZerngast,senior,andhisdate JillAdams,Gavitsenior,flaunttheir moves.Duringpassingperiod seniorsNidhiKansalandJanushi DalaiandsophomoreAlyssa DeBoldtalkabouttheirday. Gingerlygrabbingtheirprey, MarkBalickiandKristinaStandley, sophomores,dissectafrogfor zoologyclass.Twenty-fiveminutes beforeschoolstarts,SteveAlspach, freshman,riflesthroughhis backpackonhiswaytofirsthour. “MusicmadeStudyHalla “Usingfacialexpressionsin “Theunveiling...wasa relaxingplacetodo signlanguageduringgames specialdaybecausenotonly homework.Itmadethe helpeduslearnhowtosign didtheyoungartistsproduce distractionsofpeopletalking properlyandusecorrect VanGogh’swork,butthey andplayinggamesgoaway.” expressionsifweever giftedtheirpaintingstothe BradElias,sophomore communicatedwithareal schoolsothatotherscould deafperson.” learnfromthemaswell.” JessicaMontella,senior Mrs.LindaHaynes,art teacher , Opening 3 Programthatprovideduswitha$50,000grant fromtheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture.Oneof 106schoolschoseninfivestates,weexperimented All could feel was the inanefforttoimproveeatinghabits. I rope burn, and all I “mWeheattatgiamienssthLouCldtoInibgehtt?h”erefortheboy/girl could hear was my ““IBt’isggmoneneatfboerpyaocukebdo.yGse,thtuhhe?re”early.” “Actually, everyone’scomingforthegirls.” classmates cheering us Shovingopenthedoorstothepool,yousearched on. was probably one foranemptyseatinthecrowdedbleachersatthe It LakeCentralmeet.Sheddingyourcoatinthe my moments steamystands,youcheeredontheGirls'Swim of favorite Teamastheyswamtheirwaytoa3rdplacestate ranking.ThenextnightyouwatchedtheBoys’ in high school. Even BasketballTeam,zohoranked2ndinState,devour theircompetition.Yourealizedthatyourschool though we didn’t win, excelledinmorethanjust"country-clubsports"of tennisandgolf.Youtookpridethatyoursports we all left the field teamsdefiedaregionalstereotype. smiles. “Ifinallygotmylicense,and Ican’teven getatrickin’parkingspace.” Rachel Medina,junior “Well, I’mnotmuchbetteroff.Myspotisall thewayoutinbufubythemiddleschool. I havetowalkamiletogettoPremetzfirst hour. gotaSaturdayalready.” I “Whotookallthespots?” With257seniorsand198juniorsdominatingthe 481parkingspots,yougrumbledwhenStudent Serviceswait-listedyouamongthe32unfortunate driverswhocravedtheplastic,red-and-white parkingtag.Afteryourmomplantedagoodbye kissonyourcheek,youhoppedoutofthevanat 7:43a.m.Youscrambledtofirsthourtoslipinto the31stdeskinthecrowdedclassroom. “Thatcouncilmeetingwassolong.” “Truestory.I betSpeechiesaretheonly oneswhostayafteron Fridays.” “Wait...whoareallthesepeopleinthe Commons?” Bay what? Jus:spi:i:out Voraciouslygnawingatthe watermelon,AntonShishkan, junior,rushestofinishitbefore hiscompetitors.Withasteady hand,juniorStephanieCoulis, paintsan"M"onjunior ] DanielleGillund'sfaceto displayHomecomingspirit. ConcentratingontheCritical ThinkingTest,ThomasPaliga, freshman,poresoverthe || qWuietshtitohnesirtoarcmhseclkinhikseda,nswers. “Bandtookalotofhard CourtneyMambourg,senior, work,butwhenyou adrinovdwalnKiantrghaeclChalasalsrlkts-,shhjoiurwntiiso.nr,gwofafltkheir pitlwaayesdalflorwoarnthawuhdiileen.c”e, MattTepperman, freshman “Seniorsattackedme withlipstickassoonas theyfoundoutIwasa freshman.Itwasallin thefunofhomecoming.” SarahSteele, freshman “Ireadittoseewhatthe mainconcernswerein ourschoolandwhat peopletalkedabout.” SusanValand,junior Opening Amongtheother91playersinPing-PongClub,you gatheredeveryFridayafternoontoflauntyourtalentat thetablesandbattleyourwaytooneofthetoptwoteams. Asoneof28organizations,Ping-PongClubsatisfiedonly oneofyourdesires.ThenewlycreatedCoutureCluband AmnestyInternationalprovidedyouwithtwonewextra- curricularoptions. s of people got “What’syouropinionontheIraqsituation?” to see you march, “Ifwehavethe UN’ssupport,weshouldgoto war.However,weshouldtrytoresolvethings and showed throughdiplomaticmeansfirst.” it that you were Tearingawayfromtheusualsocialstudiesroutine,you listenedtothreeveteranslureyouintotheircompelling talesofexperiencesinWorldWarIIandtheKoreanand proud to be in Vietnamivars.Astheveteransretoldtheimpactofwar, youfinallyrealizedthegravityofthecountry'scurrent band and did diplomatictension.YounervouslyanticipatedPresident Bush'sdecisiononwhethertogotowar. mind doing it “SowhatareyoureadingforSSR?” KirstinBularzik,freshman “OedipusRex, an ancientGreektragedy.” “Oh really? I’m readingatragedytoo.It’san articlein CosmoGirlaboutJustinand Britney’s bigbreakup.” Toenhancecriticalthinkingskills,Mondaysduring secondsemesterfoundstudentsandstaffalikereadingfor funduringSustainedSilentReading(SSR).Aspartof PublicLaw221'srequirementforongoingschool improvement,theSchoolImprovementTeamtackled criticalthinkingskillswithSSRandtheCornellCritical ThinkingTest.YoufinallypartookintheHarryPotter hysteriabybrushingthedustofftheseries'firstbookyou boughtfouryearsago. Byaskingquestions,believing rumors,oreven readingtheannouncements,yousoughtthe truth.Justwhenyouthoughtyouhadeverything figuredout,somethingnewcamealongtoboggle yourmind. You askedforit.You gotit. Any questions?