May 2008 Smoke Signals Issue 7

PTHS

Summer Issue 2008

Volume 39, Issue 7

Do Unto Others:
Photos By: Annie Tarwater, Rachel Sunday, Molly Simeons, Mike Dubois, Tracey Lutes, Kara Lewis, Shania Herman, Nina Come, Shane Deiley, Jessie Smith, Olivia Bovalina, & Heidi Eltschlager

The Mahatma Project

Renée Wunderlich
Editor-In-Chief

The Mahatma Project, inspired by the efforts of peace-seeker
Mahatma Gandhi, is a service endeavor comprised of events and
fundraisers that benefit international causes. Sophomore students in this
year’s Honors World Cultures classes took on this assignment to give aid
and to gain an understanding of the world outside of the United States.

This challenging yearlong venture was broken up into four benchmarks:
During the first nine weeks, students brainstormed ideas and researched possible
means of fundraising for their individual causes. The second nine weeks brought
on the creative process, when students started putting their ideas together and
planning for each of their events. The fundraisers were put into action during the
third nine weeks, and then were evaluated on the fourth. On May 19, students’
work was displayed for the public eye at the Mahatma Project Fair. Here, awards
were given to select students for their gracious efforts to aid others in need.

Some of the service projects undertaken were a Max & Erma’s dinner
coupon for 20 percent off, where all proceeds go to starving children in Africa. Andrea
Briggs and Erica Schwotzer held a ‘Hat Day’ for disaster relief in the Virgin Islands.
Kira Scammell and Kaitlyn Richert sold baked goods to combat world hunger.
One project that was especially popular to the student body and staff alike
was Beth Herder and Claire LaRosa’s “Pie In the Eye” fundraiser to support the
Anna Seethaler Hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico, a free clinic that provides basic and
special services to those who cannot pay for treatment. Currently, the hospital is

looking to purchase equipment for complex eye surgeries. Such equipment may
mean the difference for many patients between sight and permanent blindness.
“The project was really challenging, and we weren’t exactly sure how the
teachers and students would react to it, but we made it through and it was really
successful,” said Herder, “Over Christmas break, Claire called me about an idea she
had gotten for our project off the Internet. It sounded cool, so we tried it. The teachers
were great – there were so many volunteers! We were sorry that we had to limit it to nine.”
On April 11, after recognizing the various spring sports teams for
their tournament accomplishments, a panel of 8 teachers (as well as Dr.
Hajzus) lined up to have Reddi Whip flung into their faces – for a good
cause. Over 30 teachers volunteered for the event, but after a careful tallying
of homeroom surveys, Herder and LaRosa settled on: Mr. Scott, Mr. Bastos,
Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Whalen, Mr. Pinto, Mrs. Lamb, Mrs. Polard, and Mrs.
Gunther. The vote to include Dr. Hajzus into the festivities was unanimous.
And while some teachers opted to wear a garbage bag over their attire, Dr.
Hajzus braced the hurling pie pans (3 in all) without any protective covering.
With the interest of the student body, a handful of teacher volunteers, and
lots of Reddi Whip, two dynamic girls are making a difference in the lives of many
patients in critical condition who do not have the means to pay for treatment.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

PT REFERENCE

PTHS

Sunday

Tuesday

Monday

Wednesday

Summer Issue 2008

Thursday

Friday

2

Saturday

May 2 00 8

1

4

8 Boy’s Varsity Volleyball 9
vs Cannon Mac 7:30
Fred
Girl’s Varsity Lax vs
Astaire’s
Baldwin 7:30
Birthday

10

15 Boy’s Varsity Lax

17

5

6

Varsity Baseball vs
USC 7:00

Boy’s Varsity Lax vs
Franklin Regional 8:00

7:30 ConcertBand Concert

11
Mother’s Day

7:30 Chorus Concert

12

13

7:30 Orchestra Concert

18

7

14

20

1

“Seinfeld” TV Series
final episode airs 1998

23

Mock Crash Assembly
7:30 AM

Theatre
Awards

28

29

30

2:30PM in the Cafeteria

27

4:3 0PM

Senior

4

Senior Breakfast

Smoke Signals
OPINION EDITORS
Alex Egan
Brian Lewis
SPORTS EDITOR
Bill Berry
Jordan Dent
MARKETING
EDITORS
Brianna Lutes
Shelby Miller
SYNTAX EDITOR
Andrea Briggs
STAFF WRITERS
Emily Estep, Gina Nepa,
Taylor Relich, Bridget Stasenko, Katie Ellis, Averi
Clements, Paige Burris,
Mady Dietrich, Stephanie
Nitschmann, Stephanie
Cotugno, Ian Jackson,
Dana Hoelle, Melanie
Hoffman

NEWS EDITOR
Grant Burkhardt

LAYOUT TEAM
Katie Gavlick, Kaylin
Zawicki, Emily Correal,
Shelby Miller, Brianna
Lutes

FEATURES EDITOR
Angelina Nepa

ADVISER
Ms. Daerr

LAYOUT EDITOR
Katie Gavlick

5

World Enviroment Day

& Senior Picnic Kennywood Day for

7:00PM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Renée Wunderlich
Ashley Czajkowski

Senior’s Last Day!

Prom

From EdHelperClipArt.com

Seniors!

Bob Dylan’s Birthday

31

6
Last day of school!

Relay
For Life

12:00
PTHS St adium

Hilt on Garden Inn

June 2008: Senior Week!
Awards

Smoke Signals is produced
eight times during a school
year by the students of Media
II, III, IV Journalism and
extracurricular staff at Peters
Towship High School, 264 E.
McMurray Road, McMurray
PA 15317. Telephone:
724-941-6250 x.5379.
E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org.
Commentaries, reviews, and
opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author
and not of Smoke Signals, its
advisor or the Peters Township School District. Member

24

Grand March &

Track and Field
Awards Night

3

Boy’s Varsity Lax vs.
Mt Lebanon 8:00PM

7:30 AM
Blood Drive

22

No School!

16

7:00 @ PTHS

Memorial Day

2

of the Pennsylvania School
Press Association.

vs Trinity 6:00

Yearbook Social

26

Musical: Annie Get
Your Gun 7:30

Musical: Annie Get
Your Gun 7:30

Mr. PTHS Show

1:00 PM

Mike
Myers’s
Birthday

Musical: Annie Get
Your Gun 7:00

Varsity Softball vs
Cannon Mac 11:00

Varsity Baseball vs
Mt. Lebanon 7:00

21

NHS Induction
25

Girl’s Varsity Lax vs
USC 7:30

3

7:30 Jazz Band Concert

7:30 Wind Sypmphony
Concert

19

Boy’s Varsity
2 Varsity Softball vs
Volleyball vs Moon 7:30 Mt.Lebo 4:00

7

Graduation
7:30

S
U
D
O
K
U

NEWS

PTHS

Emily Estep

Smoke Signals

Mr. PTHS

3

Summer Issue 2008

Staff Writer

Jerry Scheller, Sergio
Tennis, and Tim Beck. You may
know them as talented, funny,
all around nice guys. What else
do they have in common? Mr.
PTHS. Jerry set the precedent
for the title three years ago, and
now on Thursday May 15th, some
other lucky guy will get to fill the
spot. This year, Peters Township
High School will be hosting the
4th annual Mr. PTHS competition.

There will be representatives for each grade, showing off
for the coveted title of Mr. PTHS.
Whoever wins will go down in
PTHS history as being one of the
greatest guys in our school. This
competition is one of the most anticipated events of the year. To be
considered, contestants first had
to be nominated. Nominations
for Mr. PTHS were sent out dur-

ing lunch periods, and all grades
were involved. Each nominee will
do their best to excel in multiple
categories, to get as much support
as possible. One such category
is the talent portion. In this event,
competitors will have to show off
their skills to prove that they are
the best of the best. This may consist of anything from acting out a
scene or playing an instrument and
singing a song. Freshman Carlee
Schneider explains, “My favorite
part of Mr. PTHS is the talent part.
Those guys have serious skills!”

Besides the talent portion,
the nominees will also try and make
the audience laugh. They will also
have to dress their best. Sophomore Dan DeLuca says, “Mr. PTHS
is a great program for our school, I
encourage everyone to participate.”

What In The
World?
This just in: anorexia is illegal in France. The French Parliament has just passed a landmark bill making it unlawful
for celebrities and fashion magazines to incite or promote
unhealthy thinness in both men and women. This was
seen as a necessity after the death of a Brazilian fashion
model in 2006, which was linked to the disease. Better
late than never. Hopefully the rest of the world will follow
suit and help to prevent eating disorders in young women.
Yet another human disorder has jumped into the land
of animals: apparently, pets can now be diagnosed
as “clinically depressed.” In Britain, veterinarians and
zoologists have been known to prescribe the antidepressant Prozac for depressed parrots. “If people go out to work all day, their parrot will get bored
and frustrated, and eventually develop depression,”
claimed British television vet Romain Pizzi. So next
time Polly wants a cracker, you better give it to him…
Proving that those with disabilities can do anything they
set their hearts on Robert Dunham of Green Valley, Arizona, made a hole-in-one on a three-par course. The real
kicker: the eighty-five-year-old veteran was deemed legally blind ten years ago. According to CityNews.ca, one
of Dunham’s colleagues simply “lined up a ball for him on
the tee, gave him a nine-iron, and told him to take a whack.”

And we thought only high schools had a problem with
weapon control – an elementary school in Dennis, Massachusetts was set into a panic when an eight-year-old
brought a WWII hand grenade in for show-and-tell. The
school of 400 students was immediately evacuated and
the school was searched for other explosives while the
grenade was inspected. It was deemed inert, as the explosive charge and detonator had been removed, and
a hole had been cut in the bottom, rendering it safe for
school officials to handle and dispose of properly.
Compiled by Katie Ellis, Staff Writer

Features Editor

Peters Township will host
a local chapter of Relay
for Life, a fundraiser that
supports the American
Cancer Society, on May
31. The twenty-two hour
event lasts all night, as
competing teams keep
a team member walking
on the track at all times.
Notable event during the
Relay include the survivor lap, during which
cancer survivors are recognized in their own lap,
as well as a lap among

Steph Cotugno

hundreds of lit luminaries
dedicated to all who are
affected by the disease.

This
daylong
event features dozens of
track-side activities. Last
year the theater troupe
hosted carnival games
at their station, while the
music department staged
a memorable eating contest. This year’s event
will begin at 12:00 pm on
May 31, and will end at
10:00 am the following
morning. For those stay-

ing overnight, the fun
will last all night long, as
long as one member of
the team remains on the
track. Christine Ghetto,
captain of the thespian
team, said “It’s a great
event where kids can
have fun while raising
money for a cause that I
really believe in.”

The first Relay
for Life was held in Tacoma, Washington in the
May of 1985. Dr. Gordy
Klatt spent twenty-four

hours walking the track
at Baker Stadium in his
hometown. Friends and
family paid to walk or run
with him, and he ended
up raising over $27,000.
Today, events are hosted
all over the world, and
Peters always has great
success. Hopefully students of all ages will turn
out to help those that
have been given more
than their fair share in
life.

PTHS Gives Back
Staff Writer

In hope of providing Mexican elementary
schools with new school supplies, the Spanish
Club has created an outreach program benefiting a small school outside of Mexico City. The
club has recruited all of the schools in our district
to help, as well as members of the PTA. Pleasant Valley, Bower Hill, McMurray, the high school,
and the PTA have come together to help the
Mexican elementary school students receive a
better education. From May 5 to May 10, collection boxes will be available at both the main entrance of the high school and in all homerooms to
accept donated school supplies from the people
in our township. Also, PTA members will be present on Saturday, May 10 to collect supplies from
11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Supplies such as pencils,
crayons, markers, glue, construction paper, rulers and scissors are all needed to help provide
the elementary students with a strong education.

The elementary school, Escuela Primaria Federal, teaches students in grades one
though six in Tlalnepantlaa, Mexico, a small town
outside of Mexico City. There is no government
funding for the school, so the teachers working
at the school have to supply all materials for their
students. The students have few or no school

Photo By Katie Gavlick

With gas prices so high right now, it would be disastrous to misprice the gasoline that you’re selling. That’s just what happened in Wilmington, North
Carolina; instead of $3.35 a gallon, the computers
were set to charge just $0.35 a gallon. The gas attendants didn’t realize their mistake, and lucky customers managed to fill multiple cars and alert many
friends. By the time the mistake was recognized and
amended at 6:00 pm that Friday, there was mass
chaos and a traffic jam that extended around the corner. Police were called in to help restrain the crowd.

Angelina Nepa

Relay for Life

supplies to reinforce and enhance their learning,
so anything that can be donated will be beneficial
to them. “We are blessed with so much in our lives,
and don’t realize how much we have. The Spanish
club promotes giving back to others who are less
fortunate than us,” stated the Spanish Club’s sponsor, Señora Beth Bockstoce. The Spanish club exemplifies helping others and emphasizes the kindness of giving. “I am so happy I am involved in the
Spanish Club because I feel like I am really helping those who need it. The club truly has a magnificent purpose,” stated sophomore Katie Ellis.

4

FEATURES

PTHS

Summer Issue 2008

Smoke Signals

Speak

Breaking The Bank: Prom ‘08

OUT

Bridget Stasenko

Staff Writer

Prom is a pricey event, but
who spends more-boys or girls? Well,
let’s compare. Boys have to rent a
tux, while girls have to buy a dress.
The dress is the most important thing
needed, as it defines her night. She
will go to great lengths to find the
right one. Some will go out of town,
and some will go to multiple stores
and shop for many hours. Dresses
nowadays can cost up to $800 or
more, not including alterations, which
cost around $50. The guys have to

buy flowers, but the girls have to
buy lots of accessories, such as
jewelry, a purse, and shoes. It is
nice that the guys pick up the $110
tickets, because the girls have
fine details that cost a large sum
of money that makes the entire
look. Girls must schedule various
appointments to top off their
appearance. Hair appointments
must be scheduled way in advance
to be sure they get the time and
professional they prefer. The up-do

usually costs $40 or more. They also
need to begin tanning about 2 months
in advance. A tanning package usually
costs $40 for 10 tans. Manicures are
also a necessity, and to have a full set
of nails is around $30.
As you can see, prom is quite
pricey. The girls definitely spend more
on the big event. A ballpark price for
girls is about $900, while the guys
spend about $300. Even though this
is an expensive night, it will be one to
never forget.

Where is your favorite vacation
spot?

Senior Greg Maronde:

“The McDonald’s parking lot.”

Dana Hoelle

The Public Library Teen Room
Staff Writer

The
Peters
Township
Library
recently just opened
up the new teen room,
as apart of their new
expansion
project.
This expansion was an
impressive fundraising
feat for the library, and
it is luring teens to this
new space.
Video games
are being used to
turn on teens to
the joy of reading.
Featuring a Nintendo
Wii,
Xbox
360,
multiple televisions,
computers, and multicolored LED ceiling
lighting, this space
is ready for teens to
enjoy. Teenagers can
hang out, play games,
and socialize in this
new room. “The teen
room is a great space for me to hang
out, and become more educated
while still having fun,” said freshman
Doug Maronde.
The former teen area hardly
existed, with only a few beanbag
chairs in the toddler section. This
problem was causing teens not to
visit the library because of the age
gap between the toddles and their
selves. “We wanted to give the
teens a place that they could feel
was their own,” said Pier Lee (The
Peters Township Source.) The idea
of bringing video games with library

GO
figure

Olympics

Junior Kristina Gaudy:

“Anywhere warm is good for
me!”

Sophomore Dara Hoelle:

“I love going on cruises. They
are the perfect vacation!”

services might seem strange,
but it is a growing trend that is
continuing to increase around
the country. Getting teenagers
in the library in the first place
was the library’s main goal and
accomplishment. The new teen
room is attracting teenagers to
use the many services the library
offers. Having video games in this
new space is an alternate way to
learn in the library.
The plan for The Peters
Township Library was to combine

In the 1912
Summer
Olympics,
Austria, Russia,
New Zealand,
Estonia, and
the Netherlands

zero

won
gold medals

The US has won

79

gold medals from
1924 to 1976

video gaming with expanded lessons.
The same goes with the other
services in the new teen room. The
new space was one of the primary
reasons of the expansion of the book
collection. The bulk of the new space
is devoted to non-fiction shelving.

All the new services the teen
room provides are geared to attract
tons of teenagers. The new library
addition is becoming the new teen
haven. So if you need a place to
study or even hang out, visit the teen
room during library hours.

During the Stockholm
Olympics, Italy had a
gymnastics score of

265.75

Freshman Becca Beradino:
“The beach is the best place
to go on vacation.”

Thor Henning
(Sweden) won
the silver medal in
1912 for his 400m
Breaststroke with a
time
of

6:35.6

A stadium

400

is
meters long
because legend
says Hercules
walked that far
and called it a
“stadion”

PTHS

are off-limits to tourists for religious reasons, and
only certain parts of the monolith are allowed to be
photographed.
Harry Potter fans, Mont Saint-Michel
is worthy of being compared to Hogwarts. The
French castle is located a kilometer off the country’s
northern coast on a rocky tidal island. Once used as
an Armorican stronghold in the sixth and seventh
centuries, Mont Saint-Michel is a beautiful castle with
a quaint village all around it. While gorgeous during
the day, don’t forget to visit at night when it’s lit up,
making the whole thing even more magical.

Angel Falls of Canaima National Park in
Venezuela is the highest free-falling waterfall in the
world, with a 3212-foot drop. The falls are so tall
that before they can even reach the bottom they’re
pushed around by the wind and most of it is turned
to mist. An aerial tour of the falls is available, but the
falls cannot be seen well on cloudy days.

The Cathedral Reims is a French church
constructed at the end of the thirteenth century. The
cathedral is humongous – the foyer alone is nearly
5000 square feet. Known worldwide for its intricate
design work and beautiful stained glass windows,
this house of worship is locally famous because the
French kings were once crowned there.

England’s Clock Tower, better known as Big
Ben, is one of the most recognized landmarks in all
of England. Known for its reliability, the Clock Tower
has only had one major breakdown in almost 150
years. The name Big Ben is not actually in reference
to the tower itself, but is the nickname of the Great
Bell within the belfry, named for Sir Benjamin Hall,
the commissioner of the works. Be sure to catch the
Clock Tower at night when all the lights are on and, if
possible, from across the river – the reflection in the
water is just as breathtaking as the tower itself.

Lake Baikal, located in Southern Siberia in
Russia, has been called the “Blue Eye of Siberia,”
and for a good reason: the water looks as if it’s made
of liquid sapphire. The lake has a surface area of
nearly 12,200 square miles and has twenty-two
islands within its waters. The lake is available to
tourists most of the year. However, it’s frozen from
January to May, so try to visit late in the summer or
you’ll miss out on the sparkling blue waters.

Dippin’ Dot Delight
Emily Correal

Paige Burris
Layout Team

KENNYWOOD’S OPEN! It’s
time to start talking to your friends and
planning a date to go. You can’t miss
out on the great rides, games, and of
course, the food. Whether it’s their Potato Patch fries, corn
dogs, or any of the sensational desserts, you will soon be
indulged in great summer taste. My favorite Kennywood
snack is the unique type of ice cream, Dippin’ Dots. When
I’m on my way to wait in a long line for the Phantom’s
Revenge, I have to stop at the Dippin’ Dots stand and buy a
cup. The little ice cream dots melt on your tongue, satisfying
your taste buds and cooling you down on a hot day. They
usually have five flavors to chose from: chocolate, vanilla,
rainbow ice, cookies n’ cream, and banana split. Why not
eat a tasty treat while you are waiting in those long lines?
Another good thing about them is that they aren’t messy,
so you don’t have to worry about them melting all over you.
Next time you go to Kennywood, you have to try Dippin’
Dots; you won’t be disappointed.

By Mady Dietrich

Staff Writer

Are you sick of taking the same family
vacation year after year? Do you feel the need to
travel somewhere a bit more… interesting? This
summer, instead of piling into the family van for the
annual trip to the infamous potato farms of Iowa, try
one of the following destinations, all of which have
been dubbed the “Most Beautiful Places to Travel” by
Travel Paradise:

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most
popular tourist attractions in New York City. If you
want something more exotic, a visit to Las Vegas will
provide you with a replica of the Statue with the lights
of the city in the background, giving Lady Liberty an
entirely different persona.

If you’re looking for French beauty, the
Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the
world. It’s known not only for the beautiful art inside
the walls, but for its architectural design as well. The
pyramid-shaped building is made entirely of glass
and was once a palace in the tenth century during the
Capetian Dynasty. The museum is so large that to
view the entire thing it will take almost three days, but
it’s well worth seeing – both the interior and exterior
can be considered masterpieces.

The Karnak Temple in Egypt, the largest
ancient religious site in the world, is an open-air
museum. While there are four different precincts in
the temple, only one is open to the general public.
The difference between Karnak and the other temples
that cover Egypt is that Karnak took much more time
to develop and was used for a longer period of time.

For ancient beauty, the Parthenon is
definitely the perfect choice. Built in honor of the
Greek goddess Athena in the fifth century BCE, the
Parthenon still stands today. There have been many
reconstructions over the years and the building has
slowly begun to corrode due to acid rain over the past
few decades, so be sure to schedule your trip to this
architectural wonder as soon as possible.

The Uluru Giant Monolith, also known as
“Ayers Rock”, is a gigantic sandstorm rock formation
in central Australia. The cherry-colored rock stands
1142 feet high and has a circumference of 5.8 miles.
While the local inhabitants rarely climb the rock, it
is open to visitors who wish to attempt to make the
nearly vertical climb. However, parts of the rock

5

S wimming In
Fashion

Welcome to Paradise

Mad About Fashion

Katie Ellis

Summer Issue 2008

FEATURES

This year there has been a
flashback to the 1960’s- when go-go
boots, wide leg jeans and frilly bathing
suits were some of the psychedelic
trends. This summer, the ‘60s
continues with one-piece bathing suits.
One-piece bathing suits are no longer
just something that your 10-year-old
sister would wear. Some of the styles
consit of sweetheart necklines, all
over tiny floral patterns, checkered
patterns, wide ruched (a ruffle in the
fabric which is used for trim around
clothings) straps, animal prints, frilly
triming, polka dots, and a lot more.
Your bathing suit doesn’t have
to feel uncomfortable to be fashionable.
All you have to do is find the right size
for you. The website www.venus.
com/sizechart shows you how to fit
for a bathing suit. It has you measure
your bust, hips, and waist to find your
perfect size. It shows you where to
measure, and also helps you find out
your correct cup size. On this website
there are also
bathing suits
you can buy
that give you
support,
or
make
you
look thinner.
V i c t o r i a
S e c r e t ’s
website has
many designs
to
choose
from.
From
designers
such
as
J e s s i c a
Simpson
to
DKNY, anybody
can find a bathing suit on this website.
Photo Courtesy of: www.thisnext.com

Kennywood Food
Staff Writer

During the hot days of summer,
one of the best snacks to get at
Kennywood Park is Potato Patch
french fries. Cheese-covered fries with
bacon sprinkled on top is a treat you
must have every time you go to Kennywood. There are
so many fries in a single basket that it can be considered
as a full meal. The fries are made right in front of you
and they come out hot. There is sometimes a long line
that winds aroud the stand, but the utterly delectable
fries are definitely worth the wait. If you want a great
drink to go with your delicious, deep-fried snack, try
and ICY slush. They are a great thing to grab before
getting in line for the Potato Patch. ICYs are normally
cherry or blue rasberry, but there are sometimes many
other flavors. There is no doubt that the best food in
Kennywood is definitely Potato Patch fries. Paired with
a cool, refreshing ICY, it’s a combonation you don’t want
to miss!

6

OPINION

Summer Issue 2008

Smoke Signals

Three Cheers to Our Crazy Teenage Lives

PTHS

Alex Egan

Opinion Co-Editor

“Seventeen only comes once in a lifetime,” as Tim McGraw says.
I would have to agree. Our teenage years come and go so quickly, and
there will probably never be a year the rest of our lives like these. I believe
that each year from the ages of sixteen through eighteen is an experience
in its own. According to Bruce Springsteen, these are the “Glory Days.”

No wonder sixteenth birthdays have been given the title “Sweet Sixteen.”
From then on, the next few years of life are usually
filled with bliss and sweetness for the young and
innocent. Our teenage years are the times in
our lives when we really have time to experiment
with new things, and turn our lives upside
down to try and figure out who we really are.

Again, as Tim McGraw says, when
we’re “Seventeen, living on crazy dreams,
rock’n’roll, and faded blue jeans,” we feel like
we have the universe in our pocket. We do
what we want, we think we know everything,
and we like to aggravate our parents,
just because know we’re good at it.

Teenage years are the time to let
loose and show our true selves, whoever that
may be. In a teenager’s life, our friends are our world, almost as if they were
our family. Friends who grew up together usually go through their teenage
years together, which makes the years so much more worthwhile.

Being a teenager is all about feeling free (and trying to convince our
parents that we are.) When a group of close-knit teenage friends are together,
they almost feel as if they can do anything. The nights go on forever, and we
walk around like we own the town. As Brand New says, “We never miss a
party, because we keep them going constantly.” All in all, being a teenager is
just one big party. Throughout our teenage years we unknowingly take mental

photographs of the good times. The times we share together, like the nights we
feel most alive, the nights that change our lives, and then nights when tomorrow
just comes way too soon – those are what being a teenager is all about. We may
do stupid things at times, which may anger (or just “disappoint”) our parents,
but being grounded is also a part of being a teenager. But we never let it stop
us. In the words of the Beastie Boys, “We’ve got to fight for our right to party.”

The thing about being a teenager is we’re still so young and innocent.
We make our own mistakes, we learn the hard
way, we give in way too fast, and we often get our
hearts broken. All seem bad at the time, but help
us grown in the long run. By the end of our teenage
years, we can look back and realize who we’ve
become, and have our own mistakes to thank for it.
Summer off mean the world to us, and we plan
every moment of our summer from the start of
school. As a teenager, summer is an excuse
for sneaking out late at night, stargazing into
the night, wishing upon the shooting star, and
making friendships tighter than every. For a
teenager, the summer could last a lifetime.
Let’s face it.
Teenage lives are crazy,
dramatic, unforgettable, and time for us to make the memories that will last a
lifetime. Life is so full of change, but no matter how much fun we have our
post-teenage existence, there still is nothing like the glory days. The thing
is, our teenage years are only a moment in our whole lives. And the second
you blink, the moment is gone. Being a teenager sadly doesn’t last forever,
but the memories do. We all want to be “Forever Young”, and in a way we’re
all going to be eighteen forever. As my friends and I always say, “Friends,
boys, and drama.
Three cheers to our crazy teenage lives.”

“We do what we want, we think
we know everything, and we like
to aggravate our parents, just
because we know we’re good at it.”

Being on the Outside of the Inside:
PT Lockdown

Stephanie Nitschmann

Staff writer

Secrets, secrets are no fun;
but should they really be shared with
everyone? The recent lockdown at
the high school stirred up nerves,
anger, confusion, and most of all,
questions among students. After
having their bags examined, their
bodies swiped, and being herded
into the gym, students were left
with a handful of questions, but
no answers. Continuing the day
in lockdown, students were still
uninformed of what was happening
in their everyday environment.
Parents received an e-mail that
morning concerning the situation,
but then had to rely on news or a
text from their children in order to
understand what was happening
within the school. All of this
ultimately stirs up the question:
‘Why?’ Why not make a phone
call to the parents that day to
provide them with the information
the school knew? Why not come
on the PA system and make an
announcement to students about
what was happening?
Why
not explain the situation and
open the door to questions?
Although there is an
endless list of these questions,
there is one answer that covers

them all: safety. Keeping students
on the outside is the best way
to ensure their safety. Having
important information leak out and
reach a potential predator could
give them the open chance to
change their strategy to conform
around the administration’s plan.
“I understand the biggest issue is
safety,” stated sophomore Jade
Murman, “but how safe can you
really feel when you don’t know
what’s going on?” Students were
originally flustered about the
situation, but once calmed down
they accepted that the importance
of safety is greatly higher than
the importance of a good, juicy
story. Either way, is it fair to
completely leave students on the
outside of everything? I asked
several students and most said
that even if the teachers had lied
to them, it would have made them
feel safer just to know anything.
Comfort is a big part of security,
and when change comes to the
ordinary, sometimes people don’t
know how to react. Now that we
as a whole have experienced the
“Lockdown” procedure, hopefully
we’ll take a safe approach to
solving these questions next time.

Fishtank: Graduation
By Renée Wunderlich

Brian Lewis

Parking Problems
Opinion Co-Editor

The
administration’s
enforcement
and
changes of this school’s
parking
rules
has
caused more confusion
and congestion than
ever before. I remember
last year at Peters and
there were very few,
if any, problems with
parking. Every space
was filled in the student
lot, kids were able to
park down by McMurray
Road, and there was
no double parking or
teachers being forced to
guard the all-important
privilege that is parking
on campus. Sure, there
may have been a few
minor issues, but the
system worked by itself
without any complaints.

The
system
students had for parking
was, of course, too good
to last. After some outside
influences were placed
on the administration,
several changes were
made in order to placate
the thought that parking
was dangerous and
unsafe at the school.
These changes should
not have been needed,
but because of these

nagging
influences,
herding students into
the gated lot has caused
even more havoc. These
irrational changes have
forced the parking lot to
become a more dangerous
area than it was before
any
changes
were
placed upon the school.

Thankfully,
the
administration realized the
magnitude of this problem
and attempted to resolve
the issue by handing out
a type of “honors” pass
to select students in
good academic standing.
Unfortunately, this has
not completely solved
the problems as some
students are still blocked
in due to the large number
of students with traditional
parking passes. A second
problem is that any
student with a temporary
pass is forced to park in
the student lot as opposed
to parking facing East
McMurray Road. Perhaps
if the administration were
permitted to revert back
to this former policy,
some of the remaining
congestion in the student
lot would be reduced.
One
of
the
other problems that the
administration was forced
to clamp down on is student
parking in the wrong
areas. I’m curious as to
what the actual issue was.
From what I can gather,
no teacher was having
an issue finding a parking
spot, nor were students
with community service
passes and work releases
having difficulty. In fact,
several spots were still
available at the end of the
lot even after students with
normal passes decided
to park in the lower lot.

Perhaps
the
larger issue with the
parking is the number of
passes given out. When
school
administrators

were essentially forced
to abide by the exact
parking rules, it turned
out that too many
students had parking
passes. The concept
seems simple enough;
there are a certain
number of parking spots
in the student lot, so that
many passes should
be given to the student
body. Unfortunately the
school board has an
inability to allow simple
school policies to be run
by the administration,
which led to the issue
of too many parking
passes being given
out
to
students.

While
the
administration
does
say that the decision
to fully enforce and in
some ways change the
parking rules was due
to safety, the parking
lots at this school are,
by my standards, pretty
safe. I would have
to say that this high
school has the safest
parking lot out of the
various schools I have
attended. Unfortunately
this has not deterred
several of our school
board members from
attempting to meddle
in a minor issue such
as student parking by
regulating the parking
policies of the school.
This is regrettable,
because the issue of
parking needs to be
left to those who know
the most information
about the issue .rather
than those who think
they know what is going
on. The administration
has
already
stated
that their goal is to do
what is best for the
students at this school,
which leaves one to
wonder exactly what the
school board’s motives
are with this issue.

Summer Issue 2008

At the beginning of the second
semester, I began a program of unlimited
passes to every period, with an occasional
exception for meetings or recording days.
Because your article in the December
issue of Smoke Signals was the impetus
for this pilot program. I am writing to
let you know the results of that pilot.

While the pilot proved to be an
unworkable program, as will be explained
it has helped me design what I hope is a
better system. Beginning Monday, April
14, 2008, every study hall will get passes
everyday but the number of passes will
be based on the class schedule in the
library. The exact number of passes will be
dependent on the number of study halls
that period, with each study hall receiving
a number proportional to it’s class size.

Allowing unlimited numbers of study
hall students each period works if, and only
if, the students who visit the library do so
because of academic need, and conduct
themselves that way. Unfortunately that
wasn’t the case during our pilot. Most of the
students who visited did so (by their own
admission) to leave a “no talk” study hall.
Students were quite frank that they came to
socialize as much as to do work. Our statistics
confirmed their words. By staff observations,
approximately 70% of the students who
used the computers were playing games or
watching videos, both unacceptable by district
policy. We did not experience an increase in
material objects, lying on the tables and other
inappropriate behaviors. We did find a great
deal of graffiti on tables, and some vandalism.
Daily the tables and floors were littered with
food, baggies, and wrappers. It was evident
that the study hall students needed to be
monitored. However, monitoring study hall
students in one area and teaching in another
did not make for my best lessons! Remember
that it is not unusual for the library to have
8-15 classes scheduled per day. I cannot
increase time spent on study hall monitoring
if it means less time teaching the classes
that come to use the library resources.

It is the goal of the library program
to serve as many students academically as
is practical. That is the reason the library is
open more than 12 hours each week before
and after school. However, our pilot has
shown us that we cannot serve all people
in all ways. No program in our school can.
Students cannot randomly walk in the art
room and begin painting. Our staffing and
school structures don’t permit that to happen.

However, the pilot did illustrate that
even with classes in the library, study hall
students can have access, but in controlled
numbers. How large those numbers are
will be largely a matter of student behavior
and intent. I welcome any student who
has an academic reason to use the library.

Student input on library policy
and library materials is truly encouraged.
I welcome everyone to attend our student
advisory meetings, held every other
Tuesday at 2:30. The next one is April
15. Refreshments are always served.

Please be encouraged to continue the
fine work in your newspaper to enact change
in your school and your community. Your
library article has resulted in change. I enjoyed
your Farmhouse Coffee article immensely.
Who knows, if you write about it, maybe our
school will create a student union for students
to chat, listen to music and but a snack!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Morriston

7

Self-Esteem vs. Competiton

Letter to the Editor
To the Editors & Staff of Smoke Signals:

PTHS

Opinion

Grant Burkhardt & Jordan Dent
News Editor

(Jordan)
I have a
brother who is eight years old
and participates in numerous
little league baseball teams
throughout the year. I overheard
my parents talking about how
the draft for his upcoming
spring league was held, and I
was surprised at the thought of
an actual draft for kids his age.

(Grant)
I, on the
other hand, have played
competitive sports pretty
much my whole life and
have gone through year
after year of drafting to pick
teams. I have no problem
with the process. Actually,
I think drafting is the only
reasonable way to pick teams.

(Jordan)
I am not
saying that I am against
competition. I, too, have played
sports my whole life and have a
very competitive attitude about
most everything I do. I don’t,
however, think that such a high
level of competition should
be introduced or encouraged,
at such a young age. And
I do not think that drafting
is the only “reasonable”
way to put together a team.

(Grant)
Then how
do you expect 12 or 13 year
olds to gain a competitive
edge if they were never
properly
introduced
to
a little adversity? If you
place an athlete in a
competitive situation where
he understands who is
good at a sport, he will be
able to comprehend what
he needs to do to succeed.
I think competition is
essential at that age, and
seriously the only thing
that is really competitive
at that age is the feud

Sports Co-Editor

between the “baseball dads.”
How else would you pick teams?

(Jordan) I think learning
competitiveness through actually
playing the game is more valuable
than learning it by knowing who is
better than the next kid. And, I think
you prove my point ten times more
by mixing in obessesive parents.
Mom and Dad pressuring the athlete
to be “the best” at age nine can put
a serious strain on a child’s ability to
perform well. And as far as picking
teams goes, whatever happened
to picking names out of a hat?

(Grant) Picking names out
of a hat is ridiculous because if
you end up stacking a team with
talent, aren’t you just hurting the
all-important self-esteem of the
kids on the team that can’t win?
When was the last time teams
in a league were picked out of
a hat? Never. Competitiveness
is NATURAL. You make a good
point about wanting to please the
parents, but even the harshest
parents can understand that to get
better you have to play with better
players. If he is serious about
wanting to be good at a sport,
having teammate role models is
the best medicine to help with subpar talent levels. If he looks up to
his own “role models” in higher
level sports, that means that he
wants to be like that person, and
the sooner we introduce “wanting
to be the best” or just being
better, the better the product on
the field. That is what matters.

(Jordan) So don’t pick names
out of a hat, pick them alphabetically
or by birthdays or some other
meaningless way. At least if you do
end up stacking a team, you know
that you were not doing it on purpose.
And another thing, what if the kid
just wants to play? What if he didn’t
look up to Barry Bonds, Tom Brady,

or Tiger Woods? What if he or she
just wants to run out an a field and
have fun with their friends? That is
the whole point of RECREATIONAL
sports. According to Dictionary.
com, “recreational” is defined as,
“a pastime, diversion, exercise, or
other resource affording relaxation
and enjoyment.” If you ask me,
worrying about whether or not
you can throw further, run faster,
or hit harder than your friends
is not relaxation or enjoyment.

(Grant)
If you knew
anything about the drafting
process, you would know that
the teams are rarely picked with
last year’s statistics in view.
There is nothing wrong with a
kid wanting to just go out and
have fun with his friends but
at some point, for the sake of
the athletes who enjoy winning
and being talented, the level
of competitiveness needs to
be raised at rapid pace. If that
means phasing out the lessgifted, so be it. Barry, Tom, and
Tiger didn’t get to where they
are now by beating a hundred
lesser athletes; they achieved
greatness by beating the best
and becoming the best. Every
person who considers himself
athletic
has
role
models,
trust me. Let’s just say that
being competitive boosts selfesteem and end the fight now.

(Jordan)
I guess we
just have to agree to disagree.
While I do not think competition
should be encouraged so young,
I do suppose that a certain level
of competition is necessary to
achieve greatness in any sport, or
really anything else in life. I just
think it is important for kids to know
that in order achieve anything, they
must first believe in themselves.

SHE SAID

HE SAID

Brian Lewis

Summer

What are you looking forward to most about

Alex Egan

graduating?

The future! I can’t wait to see what lies
ahead.

Being able to sleep in.

Are you
Nope.

sad to graduate?

Yes! As much as I complain about high
school, I know I’m going to miss it, and
I’m going to miss all the people in it even
more.

What are you looking forward to
Sleeping in and being away from the
parents.

What was the
Once I knew where I was going to
school, I stopped caring about my
grades completely

most about college?

Boys. And the whole college experience
in general. But mostly the boys.

best part about being a senior?

Everything was just so much more
carefree...senior year is by far the easiest
and most fun.Also, it’s so nice just knowing
that this is your last year, then you’re done.

S
E
N
I
O
R

Best Dressed

Shelby Gregor & Andrew McMillian

Best Looking at 50
Justin Broglie & Leanna Frey

Best Personality

Jes Stockhausen & Kaitlyn Stroyne

Most Athletic

Pat Russo & Megan Hahn

Most Artistic

Tina Elderkin & Taylor Atkins

Best Smile

Greg Maronde & Mackenzy Radolec

Best Laugh

Bob Stein & Lauren Legg

Biggest Flirt

Alexis Joseph & Nick Smith

Most Musical

Becky Rosky & Dave Sheperd

Easiest to Talk To

Annelyse Giovannitti & Alex Sam

Most Likely to be Remembered
(Chosen By Teachers)
Andrew Marshall & Laura Sunday

Most Likely to become the next
Oprah / Dr. Phil
Melanie Hoffman & Grant Burkhardt

Most Likely to Be High School
Sweethearts
Mike Allen & Rebecca Nicholson

Most Likely to Discover a
Cure for Cancer

Kelsey Gallagher & Chris Jewison

Most Likely to be on
Saturday Night Live

Natalie Palamides & Eli Diamond

S
u
p
e
r
l
a
t
i
v
20
e
08
s
Most Changed Since Freshman Year
Jessica Ward & Clinton Amand

Most Likely to Backpack
through Europe
Danny Hinson & Elena Ponte

Most Likely to Climb Mt. Everest
TC Rauch & Bridghid Knoll

Most Likely to Live Off Ramen
Noodles for the Next 10 Years
Sasha Machel & Mike Stromberg

10
IAN
02

EXTRA
POINT

IAN
JACKSON

SPORTS

Summer Issue 2008

Smoke Signals

03

TAYLOR
RELICH

IJ: The 2008 NFL Draft went great for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. They arguably had the
best draft in the league, and made some
seriously shocking picks. Drafting Rashard
Mendenhall in the first round was a great
pick and second rounder Limas Sweed was
arguably the steal of the draft. So with all
the great picks, who was the best pick?
(excluding Mendenhall)

IJ: I think Limas Sweed was the steal of
the entire draft. I mean in the whole NFL,
not only the Steeler’s draft. Even though
I think that was a great pick. I think I am
going to have to go with my boy Dennis
Dixon. In the fifth round!?!?! Are you kidding
me? People forget that if he hadn’t gotten
hurt, he probably would’ve been the second
quarterback taken. No disrespect to Joe
Flacco, but Dixon is the superior quarterback
when he is healthy. That was the best pick
in the 2008 NFL Draft for the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
TR: I agree that Dennis Dixon was
very good in college at Oregon, but
the question is, will he be a good pro
quarterback. As a fifth round pick with
two quarterbacks in front of you on the
depth chart, if you don’t have a good
camp, you have a legitimate chance of
making only the practice squad. I think
Bruce Davis will make a much quicker
impact on the Steelers than Dennis Dixon
will. As long as Big Ben is playing well,
Dixon is nothing but a backup.

IJ: Dixon is the best athlete on the team.
They will find away to get him on the field.
Use him like Kordell, Randle El, or as a
kick returner. It doesn’t matter; if he’s on
the field we’ll score touchdowns. That’s all
I know. He can run (fastest 40 time of all
the quarterbacks in the draft), he can throw,
and he is the perfect gadget playmaker.
He would’ve won the Heisman trophy if
it wasn’t for his ACL exploding. Go on
www.DennisDixon10.com and tell me he
won’t be the best quarterback in NFL history.
I dare you to tell me that.

Taylor Relich

Staff Writer

It’s the time of year again
when the NHL Playoffs are the
only worthwhile thing on television.
Major League Baseball hasn’t
heated up yet, and nobody really
cares about the NBA Playoffs. After
much thought, I have come up with
five reasons why the Stanley Cup
Playoffs are way above the rest.

1. The playoff format
The NHL has one of the best
playoff formats in all of professional
sports. They take eight teams from
each conference, including the six
division winners, and ten at large
bids based on points. There is
reseeding after every round, which
gives the one and two seeds a
constant advantage, and the
better seed always gets home-ice
advantage, which I like.
2. The intensity of the
fights is cranked up
In the NHL Playoffs, all the
excitement of the regular season is
amplified. The fights in the playoffs
are so much better. The passion
that the players display is amazing,
because in the words of the NHL,
“every shift matters.”
3. The atmosphere of the
game
The atmosphere of the Stanley
Cup Playoffs is just amazing. The
crowds get into it especially in
areas that are crazy for hockey.
The crowds in Canada and cities in the US like Detroit,
Denver, and Pittsburgh really get behind their teams
come playoff time. During the playoffs, you see all kinds
of fan antics, from the regular banging on the glass to
throwing live octopi out on the ice, not to mention the
fact that the chants are always loud and proud.
4. The Penguins are back in the Playoffs
Probably one of the best reasons to watch hockey this
time of year in Pittsburgh is because the Penguins are
in the Playoffs. The Pens have revamped their lineup
and qualified second in the Eastern Conference. After
a strong first series, the Penguins show potential to go
deep into the playoffs.

Bill Berry

Image courtesy of: http://slam.canoe.ca

TR: I definitely think that Bruce Davis will
make the biggest impact next year out of
any of the 2008 draft choices, besides
Rashard Mendenhall of course. Davis
was a major steal at the point in the draft
that we picked him up. He was a standout
at UCLA and was kind of overlooked just
because he played in the PAC 10. The
Steelers linebacker core was weak last
year, with James Farrior having one of
the worst years he has ever had. The blitz
wasn’t producing sacks and the defense
was a non-factor.

5 Reasons to Love the Stanley Cup Playoffs

5. Playoff beards
It might be quirky and unique to hockey, but you have to
respect the playoff beard. This is one of the hallmarks of
commitment among NHL fans. In cities like Pittsburgh
where hockey is life after football season, fans from 15 to
80 love to show their passion for hockey by not shaving
until their team is out of the playoffs.

Although the focus of attention in Pittsburgh is
obviously the Penguins, the NHL Playoffs are a spectacle
to be seen. I strongly recommend watching as much
hockey as you can this postseason, because it doesn’t
get any better than this. The Stanley Cup finals will be
exciting no matter who is in them, but like the rest of
Pittsburgh, I think it would be a whole lot better if the
Pens are in contention.

PT Lacrosse, Push to the Playoffs
Staff Writer

The
Peters
Township lacrosse team
is fighting their way into
the playoffs. After beating
Upper St. Clair 8-7 in double
overtime, the Indians need
one more win to make the
post season. Either a victory
over Franklin Regional
on May 6 or a road-win
at Hampton on May 7 will
clinch a playoff berth. A win
over Mt. Lebanon on May
10 would also send PT to
the next round.

The
team
is
anchored by its strong
defense led by senior
goalie and captain Mike
Moretti. He is the team’s
only returning all leaguer,
and is a candidate for AllAmerican. The starting
defensemen are senior

captain Kameron Burk,
senior Brett Van Dyke, and
sophomore Jeff D’Abarno.
Junior Tyler Sheets is
the starting long stick
midfielder, and is backed
up by Charles Murray and
Andrew Johnston.

Another strong unit
for PT is their attack. The
three starting attack men
are senior Edan Fletcher,
junior
DJ
Destefano,
and sophomore Connor
Mannion. They will try to
replace last year’s talented
players, Jason Powell and
Sean-Paul Mauro. So far
the attack has been able
to fill the void by racking
up goals and assists.
Fletcher and Destefano
are currently the team’s
two leading scorers. The

fourth attack man is junior
Chris Cain.

The one thing that
hasn’t changed from last
year is Peter’s dominance
of face-offs. Led by senior
captain Ben McClure, the
Indians have been able
to win most of their faceoffs creating numerous
scoring opportunities. Also
chipping in are senior Dan
Marchky and sophomore
Jimmy Cogley.

Senior captain Jes
Stockhausen leads the
midfield, and is currently
the team’s leading midfield
scorer. Adding depth to
the position are McClure,
Cogley, Marchky, seniors
Justin
Broglie
and
Mike Mannion, juniors
Jeff Falsetti and Eric

Rackley, and sophomores
Bryce Palumbo and Dan
Markrinos.
After
graduating
a strong senior class, not
many people had high
expectations for their 2008
campaign. “I think we’re
going to surprise a lot of
people who don’t think
we’re going to do much this
season,” said head coach
Doug Miller. This will be
Miller’s first season as the
head coach of PT after three
seasons as an assistant at
USC.

Peters’ future looks
bright with four sophomores
either starting or contributing
quality playing time. Look
for Peters to be a perennial
powerhouse in lacrosse for
years to come.

Summer Issue 2008

SPORTS

Release the Hounds

Ian Jackson

Staff Writer

The year was 2006, the
World Cup was in full throttle, and
the Riverhounds were having the
biggest crowds they had ever had.
They had sold out the Consol Energy
Park, which holds 3,200 people, six
times during the season. That had
never happened more than once
in a season. Yes, the Riverhounds
always have spiked attendance
during the World Cup, because it is
the one time every four years that
most Americans care about soccer.
The Riverhounds responded to the
crowds and made the playoffs for
only the third time in franchise history.
The team had a great season to build
on until things got interrupted.

In
early
2007,
the
Riverhounds were put up for sale
and sold. The winning bidder was a
group that consisted of the Allegheny
Sports Complex and Everton FC,
of the English Premier League.
The group believed things needed
to change, and had the team sit
out the 2007 season to commit to
rebuilding. (They promised to be

Paige Burris

back in 2008. They kept their promise
and in December the team announced
that they would be back for the 2008
season.) They will once again play
in the United Soccer League Second
Division (USL 2), but they will be led
by a much different group of players
and play in a new stadium. The David
Flavius era has ended. Flavius, who
had MLS type talent, is the all-time
leading scorer for the Riverhounds.
He announced his retirement over the
offseason. He played nine seasons for
the Riverhounds (1998-2007). After
playing two seasons at Consol Energy
Park in Washington, PA, the Hounds
will play their home games at Chartiers
Valley High School during the 2008
season.

Flavius may be gone, but the
team is still full of talented players. The
key returners are defenders Jason
Kutney, Nathan Salsi, and attacker
Leon Browne. They will be joined by
forward Thabiso Khumalo, midfielder
Travis Mackenzie, and midfielder Justin
Evans. Khumalo and Evans (who is a
Peters Township graduate and starred

for the PT soccer team) each have
spent time with teams in Major League
Soccer, Khumalo with the Chicago Fire;
Evans spent time with the San Jose
Earthquakes and FC Dallas.
Khumalo and Browne will be
responsible for filling in the shoes of
Flavius. They have to finish the plays
Flavius finished for nine years and put
points on the board. That may be no
easy task, but it is one that they have
confidence in accomplishing.
“David was a great player for
a long time. He was a player I looked
up to and he taught me many things to
help me develop my own game. I thank
him for that, and he will be missed,”
stated Browne. “But this team still has
a lot of ability. I’m confident that we can
still put the ball in the back of the net
and win games.” (riverhounds.com) The
Riverhounds are currently 0-3-1, with
one point, and sit in ninth place in the
ten team USL 2. They played Harrisburg
City to a draw in their first home game of
the season, in front of 3,119 fans. They
play their next home game at Chartiers
Valley High School on June 13th.

Lady Indians Softball: Rewind
Staff Writer

has paid off; the Lady Indians have made it to the playoffs
by beating Mt. Lebanon, and Cannon McMillan in the
final stretch. We wish them luck in their upcoming playoff
games.

Image by: Paige Burris

The Lady Indians are surprising their opponents with
their unlikely level of success, given the circumstances
of the season. So far the team has had fourteen wins
and only four losses, to Mount Lebanon in the seventh
inning, Upper Saint Clair 4-1,Trinity 3-2 in extra innings,
and Baldwin 6-4. They have had a minor setback, with
Shaylee Ianno tearing her ACL on the mound on April
14 against Baldwin. Just a week later, the team received
disappointing news that Shaylee Ianno would not be
back for the season. However the team captain and head
pitcher will still be there watching and cheering on her
teammates. Her surgery happened on Friday, May 2.
Although Ianno is out, the team has played without her
before in the fall ball season and came out with a record
of 20- 4. For fall ball, the team also took two tournaments
without Ianno. So, needless to say, the team can still be
successful without the assistance of their head pitcher.
The team also got a great addition to the team- Amanda
Heitmeir. She is the starting catcher, and will be attending
a Division 1 softball school, the University of Pittsburgh,
in the fall. The defense has been adjusted according to
the new pitchers, which are sophomore Olivia Bovalina
and freshman Morgan Meadows, and the modification is
pushing the team towards a winning season. The offense
is also starting to step up. The softball team’s hard work

The girls won all but one of there games in Florida. They enjoyed hitting up the amusement parks as well.

A Spring Tradition: Powder-Puff Football
Melanie Hoffman
Staff Writer

As a spring tradition here at PTHS, Girl’s PowderPuff Football is something both the junior and senior classes
are able to look forward to. The game, to be
held on June 4 at 6:00, has been put together
by Mrs. Bockstoce.

The senior team is ready and, after
their shutout victory last year, there is much
anticipation. With the end of the year drawing
near and “senioritis” in full drive, the seniors
are ready to play.

The junior team, however, may have
a problem. With the lack of school spirit the juniors show
at pep rallies, some ask if they’ll even be able to pull
together a team. Junior Bridget Stasenko thinks otherwise.
“Our grade may not have the most spirit, but we’re ready

to play some Powder-Puff!”

Requirements to play this year are attending
four out of five practices, and purchasing a
ten-dollar jersey and a mouth guard. Some
volunteer coaches returning this year are
Miss O’Connor, Mr. Hitchens, Mr. Cervenak,
and Mr. Demascal, among others. “PowderPuff allows girls to show their true competitive
nature. It’s a healthy competition and one
of the activities most looked forward to
throughout the year,” fellow coach, Mrs.
Bockstoce said.

All in all, the game should be interesting, giving
upperclassmen girls something to top off their year.

11

Sports
Briefs
Baseball
(14-6, 9-6) – 3rd in
Section, qualified for
WPIAL Playoffs

Boys Volleyball
(5-11) – Won Their
Senior Rec game
against Canon Mac

Boys Tennis
Beat Penn Trafford in
WPIAL quarter finals

Softball
(15-4, 8-4) – 3rd in
Section, qualified for
WPIAL Playoffs

Track and Field
Boys and Girls
(5-1) - qualified for
WPIAL Playoffs

Girls Lacrosse
(10-4) – qualified for
WPIAL Playoffs

Boys Lacrosse
(5-7) – Senior
Recognition on
May 15, vs. Trinity

Congratulations
Aaron Dana
Adamsky Jay .D.
Ali Chelsea
Allen Katy
Allen Mike
Almnaizel Jeries
Anderson Robert
Arillotta Jim
Atkins Taylor
Bak Justin
Balionis Jon
Banas Steve
Barna Sara
Baxendell Alexa
Beck Tim
Beggs Chelsea
Bench Erin
Berestecky Andrea
Bergman Calvin
Berry Bill
Bittner Michele
Blandino Andy
Bloser Kyle
Boehme Benjamin
Broglie Justin
Brooks Joanna
Brouwer Derek
Brown Gino
Burgan Shannon
Burk
Kameron
Burkhardt Grant
Burns Angela
Buzard Kaitlyn
Cameron Zach
Carbonara Melissa
Carey Janel
Carone Megan
Carper Cayla
Caso
Taylor
Cassano Larissa
Catalano Chelsea
Caumo Brittany
Chiappino Jason
Christman Kayla
Ciancarelli Dan
Cicero Adrienne
Clawges Jennifer
Cole
Pat
Come Nina
Connor Matthew
Connors Sean
Corrado Vince
Courter Matt
Creehan Mackenzie
Crossman Josh
Debee David
Debowski Mike
Defelice Zack
Deiley Jacqueline
Dellavalle Jamie
DeLuca Alexa
DeNardo Jeana
Dent
Jordan
DeWoody Jake
Diamond Eli
Dinger Cassidy
DiVella Mike
Dodds Lindsay
Edwards Spencer
Eisengart Paige
Elderkin Rebecca
Ellis
Carly
Eskew Ryan
Fazio
Cooper
Ferrara Phil
Fitzgerald Katie
Fitzgerald Timothy
Fletcher Edan
Fletcher Hadas
Fortunato Joseph
Freeman Jessica
Frey
Leanna
Fryder Kelly
Galiano Brittany
Gallagher Kelsey
Ganick Katie
Garbera Alyssa
Gardner Haylee
Garland Anastacia
Gavlick Katie
Getz
Abby

Quinnipiac University
Penn State University of Altoona
California University of Pennsylvania
Case Western Reserve University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
Academy of Art University
Marine Corps.
Penn State University
Duquesne University
Ohio University
Duquesne University
Allegheny College
St.Francis University
Ohio University
Brigham Young University
Ohio University
Oral Roberts University
Grove City College
Pittsburgh Technical Institute
Montana State Univeristy at Bozeman
Slippery Rock University
Union College of New York
Ohio University
Undecided
Fairfield University
West Virginia University
University of Notre Dame
Elon University
Indian River Community College
New York University
Grove City College
CCAC
Ohio University
Edinboro University
CCAC
Northeastern University
Duquesne University
University of Connecticut
Allegheny College
Duquesne University
University of Central Florida
Hope College
Kent State University
University of Buffalo
Arizona State University
James Madison University
Miami University of Ohio
Ohio University
Carnegie Mellon
Chatham University
Columbia College of Chicago
West Liberty State College
University of Dayton
John Carroll University
Washington and Jefferson University
Coastal Carolina University
Purdue University
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech College
State University of New York at Oswego
Clarion University
Ohio University
University of Arizona

class of

Giovannitti Annelyse
Gompers Caitlyn
Gove
Brianna
Greer Daniel
Gregg Kevin
Mercyhurst College
Gregor Shelby
Philadelphia University
Griffith Justine
Waynesburg University
Griffith Rob
Waynesburg University
Hahn
Megan
Duquesne University
Hammell Lauren
Allegheny College
Hanson Nate
Hartenbach Katy
Heaps Katie
Duquesne University
Heilman Justin
Ohio State University
Heiskell Alec
Heldman Renee
Hilzendeger J.P
University of Pittsburgh of Greensburg
Hinson Dan
Utah University
Hoffman Melanie
Hornack Ryan
Hough Robbie
Huber Kayla
Hughes Christan
Hummel Eric
Undecided
Hunter Christina
Duquesne University
Ianno Shaylee
Irwin
Mary
United States Military Academy at West Point
Jacks
Crystal
Coastal Carolina University
Jacobs Megan
Clarion University
Jankowski Delanie
Jankowski Jordan
Jewison Chris
Cornell University
Johnson Kayla
Kartik Noelle
Rochester Institute of Technology
Kelly
Dean
Bethany College
Kennedy Kelly
Uinversity of Pittsburgh
Kipling Alison
Rice University
Kleja
Stan
Duquesne University
Knoll Bridget
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kocher Alex
William and Mary College
Koenig Chris
Purdue University
Koerner Will
Duquesne University
Lacey Maura
Lang
Valerie
Gannon University
Lanzy J.D.
Undecided
Legg
Lauren
Leightner Ben
Lesnett Elizabeth
University of Nevada at Reno
Lewis Brain
Clemson University
Lewis Kendra
Berklee College of Music
Lindberg Becca
Robert Morris University
Luketich Kate
Duquesne University
MacCleary Shawn
Florida Altlantic College
Magreni Gina
Majoras Mark
Manning Bridge
Northeastern University
Mannion Mike
Ohio University
Marks Kristin
Virginia Tech
Maronde Greg
Matthis Erin
Duquesne University
McAllister C.J
McClure Ben
Marietta College
McDonough Dave
McFadden Sean
Iowa State
McGrail Katie
McMillan Andrew
Cleveland Institute of Art
McNeal Kathryn
Wittenberg University
Meadows Tyler
Robert Morris University
Melanson Brittany
Edinboro University
Mellott Holly
Duquesne University
Merich Nick
Point Park University
Merrit Kyle
Metzmaier Mark
Marietta College
Meyers Nate
Edinboro University
Mitchell Carl
Lehigh University
Moore Alli
Moretti Mike
Ohio University
Mosallem Julie
Murgel Lauren
Murgie Amy
Carlow University
Murman Jordan
Murray Charles
Murray Morgan
Ohio University
Naumoff Bill
CCAC
Neville Dave
The United States Air Force Academy
Nicholson Rebecca
Nitschmann Natalie
Olawski Zach
Oleynik Ally
Ithaca College
O’Rourke Chelsea
Palko Emily
Bloomsburg University

2008!

Palumbo Anthony
Parchuke Danielle UPMC Shady Side Nursing Academey
Parchuke Jessica UPMC Shady Side Nursing Academy
Paterra Julianna
Paul
Rebekah
Peranteau Steve
Percival Rob
Pezzella Justin Community College of Beaver
County
Porco Tyler
Johns Hopkins University
Powell Bryan
Pruitt
Shane
Lafayette College
Quature Rob
Undecided
Quinlin Kevin
Duquesne University
Quinn Laura
Mercyhurst College
Rankin Julie
Penn State University of Behrend
Rauch Thomas
Reyes Jillian
Penn Commercial
Rider
Jim
Roberson Caitlyn
Duquesne University
Robinson Jeacey
Brigham Young University
Rodgers-Melnick Samuel Duquesne University
Ross
Pete
Rothaar Pete
Rothhaar Jessica
Westminster College
Russo Pat
Duquesne University
Sam
Alex
Santry Nick
Scarberry Jacky
University of Charleston
Schaefer Grant
Schaefer Zach
Carnegie Mellon University
Schneider Brandon
Clemson University
Sederholm Doug
Ohio University
Seguiti Gina
Carnegie Mellon University
Semko Chaz
CCAC
Sestrich Kristen
Shaner Ryan
Shepherd Dave
Temple University
Shultz Stephanie
Seton Hill University
Smith Joe
Clarion University
Smith Nick
CCAC
Smore Stephanie
Virginia Tech
Snyder Christina
Ohio University
Stanik Megan
Duquesne University
Steeber Doug
Stein
Robert
Stenger Mike
Potomac State College of West Virginia University
Steratore Anthony
The College of Wooster
Sternweis Carol
Stevans Matty
University of Colorado at Boulder
Stewart Jon
Universityof Pittsburgh
Stiffler Cara
Stipanovich T.J.
Ohio University
Stockhausen Jes University of Colorado at Boulder
Stokan Adam
Undecided
Stratico James
Stroyne Kaitlyn
Duquesne University
Suchy Rachel Case Western Reserve University
Sunday Lauara University of California at Davis
Swoope Niki
Tarwater Annie
Columbia College of Chicago
Taylor Sara
Thome James
Undecided
Tomayko Jenifer
Toth
Brittany California University of Pennsylvania
Trageser Erika
Duquesne University
Trier
Emily
Taylor University
Ulrich Danielle
Westminster College
Urbanowicz Dan
Duquesne University
Vachon Jordan Indiana Unversity of Pennsylvania
Van Dyke rett
B
Vodzak Kayla
Wagner Gina
Indiana University of Pennsylvannia
Wallach Aaron
Navy
Walnoha Alexa
Gannon University
Warzinski Paul
Liberty University
Wawrose Ann
Rice University
Weaver Sara
Welch Ally
Undecided
Yingling Hannah
Towson University
Zajdel Byron United States Military Academy at
West Point
Zawicki Kaylin
Zeffiro Liz
Lehigh University
Zini
Lauara
Zoufalik Stan


Summer Issue 2008

Moving House

Retiring Teachers

Angelina Nepa
Features Editor

Mr. Houser has always been something of an enigma for PT students. He comes to
school every morning, dressed impeccably, more eager to discuss The Grapes of Wrath than any
student and spends his class periods espousing his love for English. However, few students that
leave him to enter their sophomore year know much about him. Though never one to discuss his
personal life, Mr. Houser recently revealed a few details to lessen the blow of his imminent retirement.

It is widely known that Mr. Houser graduated from Washington and Jefferson College and
majored in English. But few know that his favorite subject was actually chemistry. He ultimately decided
to pursue a career in teaching, and embarked upon a 39-year run as a purveyor all things English.
He first taught in Rochester, before moving on to Carlington, PA, and then finally to Peters, where he
stayed for 34 years. Mr. Houser decided to retire while he was young enough to maintain a certain
quality of life. “Though I won’t have the same commitments, I will not have free time,” he admitted.

Obviously one who has taught English for decades would have thousands of
stories, about fictional characters and
real-life students alike. He remembers how his
students react to books read
and projects they embark upon most of all. Mr.
Houser hopes that
his pupils will remember him for the unbounded
enthusiasm he expressed during each day of
class. Mrs. Kocan, fellow English teacher, said
as much. “Mr. Houser is my mentor, I admire
the way he always maintains a sense of
class and dignity when others would falter.”
Mr. Houser is perhaps most famous, however
unwillingly, for being the “Best Dressed Man
in PT.” When asked about his amazing dress
sense, specifically where he shops, he humbly
replied, “wherever there’s a sale.” As for boys
that come to school in sweats every day, they
should, simply put, “up their style.” As for his
true passions, he plans to spend his retirement
reading fantastic books (his favorite being
The Great Gatsby), playing sports, and
spending time with his family. He divulged
that he will miss the daily interactions with
students more than anything. As for the
hassles of technology in the classroom,
however, he would not say the same.

High school seniors that hope to
someday become teachers would do well
to take a page from Mr. Houser’s book.
He advises all prospective teachers to
immerse themselves in their subject area,
instead of merely the prospect of teaching.
Additionally, every student heading off to college
should heed of his counsel concerning their years spent at school.
“Personal responsibility is key, don’t blame others for your mistakes,” he
commented sagely. Every one of his peers and pupils would agree that Mr. Houser is
a force to be reckoned with. After living such a life thus far, all that any student could hope for,
college bound or otherwise, is half the grace that he radiates, and half the respect he commands.

Renée Wunderlich
Co-Editor-In Chief

PTHS

Doc

For those students who are and have been involved in the Music Department, April 7,
2008 was a 2nd period that would live in infamy. After much praise for the Wind Symphony’s
th
10 consecutive Superior ranking in a recent adjudication, the band room experienced
an apocalyptic moment: it went silent. There was neither buzzing of mouthpieces nor
moistening of reeds. The classic mid-morning chatter was abandoned entirely, and not even
a spontaneous crash was herd from the Percussion section. Dr. Robert Dell had announced
his retirement. Some gawked, many cried, and most were just stunned into silence. It was
truly a turning point in the lives of the countless students and adults alike who have learned
so much from this remarkable man. During his interview, Dr. Dell insisted that this feature
fill only a modest corner of the paper, and the staff of Smoke Signals has tried to honor
his request. The following is merely a snippet of what was, is, and shall forever be “Doc”.
When first coming to Peters Township School District, what was your impression
of the music department and of the students here in general?

I’m a country boy – at that time, Peters Township was a farmland, so I was
right at home. The district certainly wasn’t up to the standards of excellence
that it is today, but nevertheless, it was an impressive system. My first position
was actually at the middle school, not at the high school, so it was a little difficult
to connect with the high school kids that I only got to see after school during
Marching Band. The 1968 Superintendent was phenomenal. He was the
one who pushed for a Marching Band and was the real reason it was started.

15

A Goodbye to Mr. Murdock
Gina Nepa

Staff Writer

Thirty-four years into the business,
Mr. Murdock has decided to wave us all
goodbye as he chooses to retire and move
on to bigger, better things. The school
will be sad to see him go; he offered a
new perspective to the district, as well
as constant passion in the classroom.
PTHS has been the only school he has
taught in, which demonstrates his loyalty.
“I definitely connect with fellow
teachers in this school,” Mr. Murdock
explains, “Frank Ciocci was like a mentor to
me when I was a new teacher; he showed
me the ropes and took me under his wing.
For that, I will always be appreciative.”
A bond between these two teachers is
widely shown, and respect is administered
towards each other on a regular basis.
Mr. Murdock attended Clarion
College, receiving his undergraduate
degree, and West Virginia University,
where he received his masters.
“My favorite part about this
place is the people - the kids and
the teachers,” Mr. Murdock states.
“The only thing that bothers me
is that when I see the potential
PTHS has the ability to possess,
and when they fail to meet these
standards, it’s upsetting.” Older
teachers develop bonds with
students, as did Mr. Murdock,
and have a strong passion
towards the students’ efforts.
Mr. Murdock laughs
when asked about the craziest
situation ever presented to
him while in the school. “I’m the
wrestling coach here, “ he says, “And
in 1986, we had to sue the WPIAL for
claiming that a match we won didn’t count.
If we had won that match, we would

Averi Clements

have moved on to the championship. I
was forced to testify on the stand.” It is
always refreshing to see teachers getting
involved in extracurricular activities such
as wrestling, as it shows their dedication
to the school and the lives of the students.
“I bet a lot of people didn’t know
that I’m the President of an Internet
company,” describes Mr. Murdock. “After
retiring, I plan to work on this business
and maybe expand a bit- after getting in
some much-needed travel, of course.”
His future plans seem typical in regards
to vacationing, and his pleasant attitude
demonstrates that he will most likely be
sad to leave, but excited for his
busy upcoming agenda.

Tapping Out

Staff Writer

Who/what inspired you to become a band director?

Many people were very influential, but I would have to say that it came from my
first great hero, the late Mr. Warren Mercer. He was my high school band director,
After 34 years of drilling students
and he somehow convinced me to pursue the same profession. I was the Drum Major in gym class, Mr. John Buckley is throwing
of my school’s marching
band, and music had always been my comfort zone. in the towel. He will be retiring at the end
of the year from his position as one of the
Do you have any pets?
physical education teachers of PTHS.

Yes, my six-year-old Siberian husky, Koda, In addition to his tasks as a teacher, Mr.
and Tye, a 23-years-young Palomino horse. Buckley also took on the responsibility of
She’s my second horse, actually. Riding was coach for the junior high wrestling team,
one of the things I used to do back in the day. I’ll encouraging many young wrestlers to
probably get back to that. I used to be a bit of a continue their careers through the high
cowboy – for five summers straight, I went on a school level. Although Mr. Buckley’s gym
horse-packing venture through the Allegheny students will breathe a sigh of relief knowing
Mountains. The landscape was just gorgeous! that their daily regimen of pushups will be
I also used to give a life skills class once a eliminated, there will be no such luck for
year, back when I was a principal. It was for the junior high wrestlers; the coach will be
special needs children in the area. I would returning during the wrestling season to
load them up onto my horse and give them uphold the junior-high team’s continually
rides. It was one of my greatest experiences! successful reputation. “I
e n j o y
coaching the wrestlers and
What were some of the obstacles you/ seeing them develop into
the band faced during it’s early years? accomplished athletes. I’ve
The first year was a bit rough because the organization made a commitment to the
was new. Marching Band has always been an extra curricular activity, wrestlers, parents, and my
which means that its level of excellence depends on how much the students and fellow coaches, and I want
directors are willing to put in. Despite some early adversity to the program, I have to uphold it for a little while
always given the band 110%, and I believe the kids have too. The “original 42” [the longer”, said Mr. Buckley
first members of the Mighty Indian Marching Band] kept it together. They showed a on his decision to keep
dedication that surprised so many, and every year, the new students continue that legacy. coaching. Mr. Buckley
intends to give up his
Have you ever experienced deja-vu?
coaching position at

When I came back to the band and to the Music Department after being a the end of next year’s
principal. But I knew what I was getting back into, as well as what to expect. wrestling
season.
Although
How do you feel about this year’s upcoming leadership team and the graduating plans of cycling to
class of 2009?
Washington DC after

Terrific!
Of course, my heartstrings are being pulled retirement bring a
constantly.
I
am
so
confident
with
the
upcoming
seniors smile to Mr. Buckley’s
and the leadership that they are bringing to the next season. I’m not face, there are still
surprised really, but I can’t help but be amazed at this group. They never miss a beat! many fond memories
that he holds from
If you could give one piece of advice for an individual who WASNT directly
his time at the high
involved in music, what would it be?
school “There were a lot of

Don’t be afraid to just get into it. You are never too old, never too far in life sports championships that I was a part of.
to start appreciating the beauty around you that really is music. Even listening
can provide an understanding that no other field can cover. How can you loose?

If you were to get a tattoo, what would it say?

“Band
is
my
life,
let
us
march!”

Those hold some memories that won’t soon
be forgotten,” he recalled. Buckley says
that the number things he will miss most
about teaching is great – The students
and staff have become a significant part of
his life. But, he says, the time to bring his
career to an end is appropriate; there are
still many things he wants to do that will be
enabled by his retirement, including future
jobs and seeing one of his son’s concerts in
San Diego, California. Overall, Mr. Buckley
is one of those teachers that is, in a way,
immortal – the idea of his absence in future
years is practically unthinkable. Although
the time has come for him to leave the high
school and enjoy some time to himself, he
will miss his students and colleagues…
and chances are, the feeling will be mutual.

Voices

in the

Hall

What Is Your Favorite Summer Memory?
Tim Fitzgerald ‘08

“Watching Galloway walk
down the street in a
bathing suit.”

Brahim Shettima ‘09

“The time I fell asleep in a
tree.”

Jeff Lioon ‘10

“Fly fishing in Utah.”

Jason Lewis ‘11

“When I broke my ankle.”

What Marks The Offical Start Of Summer?
Jon Stewart ‘08

Drew Williams ‘09

“2nd semester.”

“Whenever Gary Roberts
says it starts.”

Max Maszle‘10

“After baseball season.”

Zach Darlington‘11
“July.”

What The Teachers Have To Say...
Mrs. Kazalas

“The Last Day of School.”

P
T

Mr. Perote

“When I get to wear my
Hawaiian shirts in the
sunshine!”

Mrs. Kuhn

“Going to the Outer Banks.”

Elle Goozdich ‘08

John Krak ‘08

What summer movie are you most looking forward to
seeing?
“Sex in the City, of course.”
What are your summer plans?
“I’m going to St. Simons island with Megan Carone.”
What’s your favorite summer food?
“Strawberries.”
If you could go anywhere this summer, where would you go?
”Spain.”
Whats the craziest thing you’ve done during summer?
“Jumping off a cliff into water!”

What summer movie are you most looking forward to
seeing?
“Batman: The Dark Knight.”
What are your summer plans?
“Going to the beach in North Carolina and relaxing.”
What’s your favorite summer food?
“Cherry popcicles.”
If you could go anywhere this summer, where would you go?
”Italy.”
Whats the craziest thing you are doing this summer?
“Fun with Mr. Galloway.”

Minute

the

Ms. Hamilton

“Being evacuated from
North Carolina!”

May 2008 Smoke Signals Issue 7

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May 2008 Smoke Signals Issue 7