Author: Mount Pleasant Area School District

Fall / October 2004

In this issue:

The Cymbal Staff 2004-2005

The Viking Cymbal

The Mount Pleasant
Secondary School
News Magazine
Cost:
25¢

The Cymbal Online

Coming Soon to www.thecymbal.com
Keep your eye on this
space for more information.

About The Cover:

Susie Orozco marches to the beat of crash cymbals at Viking Stadium.
Photograph by:
Daniel Clara

Editors

Travis Cope Editor-In-Chief
Jessica Bibel Assistant Editor-In-Chief
Jessica Bibel Features Editor
Travis Cope Entertainment Editor
Justine Firmstone Sports Editor
Tiffany Kuhn Local Editor
Daniel Clara Advisor

Staff Writers

Elizabeth Auckerman Kathleen McLaughlin
Justin Baker Kyle Olinger
William Bradley Leah Proud
Erik Brehun Tabitha Reeger
Amanda Brown Jenna Schroyer
Jeanne Fencil Ian Shirey
Alexis Fenell William Shields
Tamra Fluker Jack Snyder
Jessica Fordyce Madalyn Snyder
Nicole Hudec Michael Stanek
Jessica Klein James Tylka
Zach Matlas Michael Wagner

Features

Bush v. Kerry: The Big Picture

Here we are in 2004 and it’s election time again. However, this election is more important than any other election of the past. Many students are now able to vote this coming November. As you become adults you now play an important roll of choosing the next President. Now that we are hitting adulthood, the next President’s viewpoints and beliefs will be affecting us at a new level.
So now it’s time to think. What do you really know about our Republican President George Bush and his opponent Democrat John Kerry? What are these two men promising our country? YOUR homeland.
Let’s take a look at their weaknesses, strengths, what they do and don not support. A lot of you have jobs right? Jobs where you get paid minimum wage and when you receive that small paycheck you notice the sum is less than it should have been because of taxes. Did you know Kerry voted against tax cuts? In 2001 Bush won $1.35 trillion in tax cuts, but since he has been in office 900,000 jobs have been lost.
Bush promised to lower the cost of health care, correct? Over the last four years Bush has done little to back up his promise. Kerry now promises to lower the costs. However, in the last nineteen years Kerry has been in the Senate, he has only sponsored fourteen health care bills. (This may not affect you now, but what about your grandparents?)
Education is a serious issue that affects all of us. President Bush has increased K-12 education by 40% since he took office and supported The No Child Left Behind Act. Kerry has plans to establish $3.2 billion for high school students.
Abortion. Whether you look at it as killing a child or not is your choice. Bush is pro-life where as Kerry is pro-choice.
How many of you guys/girls enjoy hunting? The NRA mailed letters informing its members that if Kerry wins the election gun owners loose. Kerry voted to eliminate the Department of Civilian Marksmanship. Kerry also voted to hold gun owners responsible if their firearms were stolen. Bush is in favor of giving gun owners immunity in civil lawsuits.
Anyone ever hear of Stem Cells? Stem Cells are cells that divide to replenish existing cells. By studying these cells it will allow us to correct the cells of individuals that have diseases and conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. Bush does not support giving money to help in the research of Stem Cells. Kerry supports the idea of researching towards a cure.
Lastly, the war in Iraq. Bush had ordered an invasion of Iraq. Many say if it had not been for Bush we would not have lost so many soldiers. However, did you know Kerry also supported the decision to go to war? He then changed his mind saying he made this decision based on faulty U.S. intelligence. Would that have meant that terrorists would have rained down on America even harder? That’s something we’ll never know.
What it all comes down to is this. Being involved is more important than you know. One of these men are about to run your world, choosing and deciding all of your decisions for the next four years. Who do you side with more? What do you believe in? Are you a Democrat or Republican? You do matter, and your vote should be heard. Be involved and take advantage of your privilege to vote. Realize it’s one of the few things you do have control over.

George W. Bush

John Kerry

Is Voting Important? By: James Tylka
As the election draws near, people have the opportunity to vote for the next leader of our country, but don’t. Why? The focus is mostly on teenagers who are 18. Some just don’t care who becomes president and some don’t think it will affect them in any way. Teenagers who believe their vote won’t mean anything are mistaken. If enough teenagers voted they could have a major impact on the election. So take the advantages given to you, go out and vote.

By: Jessica Klein

Features

College: Are you Prepared?

It is that time of year when every high school senior has to decide what they are going to do with the rest of their lives. For most the choice will be college. Once you have decided it is now time to decide where to go, what to major in, and how to pay for it all. Those are all important factors, but the question you really should be asking is: How prepared am I?
Before you even begin filling out the applications there are steps that you need to take. First you need to take either the SAT or the ACT, most colleges will accept either one. Then you should visit the school that you are considering, and while you are there talk to teachers, students, financial aid counselors, admission counselors, and coaches. Talk to anyone who will be able to give you the information you are seeking. While talking to those people some of the questions you might need answered could be: how much will a year cost, how much financial aid is available for you, ask about scholarships, see if housing is available on campus, or will you have to commute every day, are there any opportunities for internships, and what division the team you are interested in joining plays in.
Once you have visited the school and are home it is time to apply for financial aid. You can do that in a number of ways, which include: filling out the FASFA, which is money from the government, or filling out the PHEEA form, which is money from the state. Those forms can be filled out online, by mail, or obtained from you high school guidance counselor. To fill out the FASFA online go to www.fasfa.ed.gov, and to fill out the PHEEA go to www.pheeamentor.org once you are there click on apply for a loan, then PHEEA mentor to FASFA transfer module. After filling those out you should talk to your guidance counselor about any other financial aid opportunities and scholarships, there are many available, and many people do not realize they are there.
Now that you have finished many of the steps for preparation, it is finally time to apply. When applying to colleges you should apply to at least two schools, in case you do not get accepted by your first choice. Along with your applications you should also send your SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation from your teachers who know you well and can tell the college how you performed in their class, and what kind of person you are. You also need to send you high school transcripts, which your guidance counselor can give to you, or send directly to the college. The last piece of information that you should send is your response to an essay question that they have supplied, or a personal essay that you have written. Once you have all of the information gathered you have to mail it out and wait for your acceptance letter to come in the mail.
So, are you prepared for college? If the answer is yes, you can now relax and enjoy your senior year, but if the answer is no, now would be a great time to start, so that you can finish applying to colleges early and enjoy the year.

Graduates prepare for the future.

A view from Notre Dame’s Golden Dome.

By: Jessica Bibel

Horrorscopes (Continued on Page
Aquarius
Towards the middle of October you will feel very uplifted and all of a sudden you will have a heavy burden lifted off of your shoulders.

Features

Modern Students Keep Busy

Have you ever wandered how busy high school students’ lives really are? In addition to attending school, many students participate in extracurricular activities, and more students have part-time jobs now than ever before. How do students find time to complete all of their daily activities without becoming buried in their schedules?
Senior Courtney Clausner claims that she has been able to balance her numerous activities with her schoolwork by learning to “manage [her] time wisely.” A look into her schedule confirms the technique; without it, she would not have time for everything. Beginning her day at 6:30 a.m., Courtney gets ready and leaves for school. Once school is over, she heads to golf or band practice. At 5:00 p.n. Courtney goes to work at Leo’s Pub and Grille. Finally, after work, she goes home and does her homework. Courtney’s packed schedule demands a lot of time and effort, but with careful planning and time management she can accomplish everything she wants to do.
Another senior Haley Kemp works hard to manage her busy life. Being the band secretary and the clarinet section leader, a lot of her time is dedicated to the Viking Tower of Power. In addition to this, Haley works two jobs - a weekly job at V. Rosso Florist and a weekend job at the Magic Touch Family Styling Salon. She also delivers the mums for the YEA every Friday and participates in mock trial. Even with all of that going on, Haley still finds time to complete her homework and be a good student.
Junior Josh McMillen has a more unconventional after-school job as a graphic designer. He enjoys his job because he “makes [his] own hours and wages.” He sets up his own work schedule and usually works for two hours everyday. This enables him to successfully balance his academic work with his job.
Matt Orbin has also found a way to balance his extracurricular activities with school and his job. As a senior member of the golf team, he works hard at performing his best on the green. On the weekends Matt works at 119 Sing and Hit. His job requires him to take care of the facility and make sure that every thing is in working condition. He also serves as a student representative to the school board. Matt is able to do all this while taking the most advanced classes that Mount Pleasant has to offer.
Thus all four of these students have something in common - they all have discovered the value of using their time to its full potential, allowing them to uphold their busy lifestyles.

Josh McMillen’s Graphic Design Organization.

Embarassing Moments

By: Alexis Fenell

Features

Leaving loved ones behind

All over the world, especially in the United States soldiers are being deployed to fight the war on terrorism. I recently sat down with SFC Stewart and SFC Sears at the local armory in Mt. Pleasant and although they could not give a lot of details out to the media, they decided to take me for a ride down the path of their army careers and gave me a little bit of information concerning the deployment of their men at the armory.
Both men revealed to me a few of the places they have been deployed to and how it felt to leave their families, friends, jobs and children behind. Both men have been deployed to other countries such as: Grenada, the Philippians, and Kosovo. SFC Sears stated; I joined the military because of family tradition” little did he know he would be shipped out all over the world. About 100 of the men from HHC 1/110th INF (M) have been deployed to fight for our rights as citizens of a free country. Although no specific numbers, names, or locations could be released, I did however, find out that many of the men who are deployed are in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Germany.
The men were deployed to help conduct force protection along side their Active army brothers. In spite of the little details that I was able to receive, we did find out that the men are receiving letters and packages from civilians so if you are interested in writing to the soldiers they would appreciate it. Contact Mr. Clara in room 115 or someone from the Cymbal Staff.

Scott Ward salutes for the camera.

By: Elizabeth Auckerman

Entertainment

The Cymbal
2004 - 2005
Entertainment
Rating System
10 The best of the best
9 Slightly lacking, but still great.
8 Worth your attention.
7 Getting Boring.
6 A three hour lecture from Mr. Clara is more entertaining.
5 - 0 From here on out it’s just a matter of how bad things are.

Random Reviews

The first album I reviewed is Franz Ferdinand’s debut self-titled album. Franz Ferdinand is a band out of Scotland, with a sound that I would describe as Modest Mouse meets The Strokes. Overall, the album is strong and is worth listening the whole way thru. The first song to really stick out on the album was “Take Me Out”, which has already met success on the radio. Overall, this album is defiantly worth your hard earned money. AMG gave this 4/5, and I am giving it a 7 out of 10.
Another album that I have had the pleasure of listening to is the latest output from the Maryland group Clutch. Their newest album “Blast Tyrant” is a slight change in style from their past albums, but the unique Clutch sound and lyrics are still present. All their lyrics still have the references to subjects such as the government and space, but not like in their earlier albums. This album is defiantly a stronger effort then their previous album “Pro Rock Fury”. The song on this album that sticks out to me the most is “Regulator”. If you would like to try a few songs out from this album, it is available on iTunes, or you can buy a copy from the band’s website at www.pro-rock.com. For this great album, I gave it a much deserved 8 out of 10.

Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand: 7 / 10
Clutch - Blast Tyrant: 8 / 10

By: Ian Shirey

The smell of food, the sound of music, the busy streets signal the start of the Mount Pleasant Glass and Ethnic Festival for another year. On September 24th thru the 26th people from all over Westmoreland and neighboring counties have joined together to attend the 2004 Glass Festival.
This year there was a new event called Battle of the Singers. We did not get a chance to attend all of the competitions, but we did get the chance to hear Alyssa Labuda sing in the contest. As you all know every year there is the Glass and Ethnic Festival Queen, Little Princess, and Young Miss Princess contest. This years winners include: Queen - Brittany Piper, Little Princess - Chelsie Rimel, and the Young Miss Princess - Adaline Kubasky. The centerpiece of the Glass Festival was the “Big Parade” as it was called. It featured various Fire Departments and our very own Tower of Power Marching Band. I also believe I saw some old men driving around what looked like Rascal Scooters with a body kit. I know this sounds weird but I know what I saw.
As per usual Festival tradition bands local and non-local were there to perform. One of the bands to perform was a local band called Triple Threat, you can read more about them in the Triple Threat article in this issue of The Cymbal. Returning for their third year was the country band Povertyneck Hillbillies, the crowds response was good, as usual. Other than that it was business as usual. Although one night I do believe I heard 96.1 Kiss FM personality Bonics broadcasting from the Glass Festival.
Most people we spoke to had a good time, another tradition. There was lots of excellent food, entertainment, and generally a good atmosphere. The weather was also excellent for a change, we hope everyone had a good time at this year’s Glass Festival.

By: Travis Cope
and Tabitha Reeger

Local band plays Festival

An up and coming band called Triple Threat received an offer that could possible change their lives. The band is an amateur band made up of 4 Mount Pleasant Area Secondary School Students and they had the opportunity to play at the Glass and Ethnic Festival on September 24, 2004.
The band includes Bass - Dan Pfifer, Electric Guitar and Vocals - Luke Bainbridge, Drums - John Hostofer, Guitar - Ryan Kuhns. Triple threat plays their own songs titled Zit Face, and Access Denied. They also play cover songs which include artists like Blink 182, Green Day and The Darkness. Luke expressed to me, “We are incredibly nervous because this is the first big event we have played at, but I am excited to play in front of all those people.”

By: Elizabeth Auckerman

Entertainment

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

In the date SD 772 Fayt Leingod along with his childhood friend Sophia Esteed and parents Robert and Ryoko are vacationing on Hyda, a resort in the Panagalactic Federation. While there however Hyda is attacked by an unknown military force. Fayt ends up escaping with Sophia, however leaving behind his parents.
After this Fayt is thrown into an epic adventure, secrets of his own life he never knew are discovered, and Fayt must make a decision that can save the human race from destruction.
Star Ocean Till the End of Time is the first Star Ocean game on the PlayStation 2 made by Square-Enix. Before it came out it had been anticipated as one of the best new RPG’s (Role Playing Game) of 2004. It was released near the end of August, for people in the states it was released in the beginning of September. The graphics for the game are similar to that of Konami RPG games such as Suikoden III, but with better detailing. One of the best parts of this game is the battling system in which you can have up to three characters. The player can switch which character they want to be, and let the computer take over the others they’re not playing that fight along side. The setting for Star Ocean Till the End of Time is set in space and has a sci-fi feel to it. The characters in the game are done in an anime (Japanese Cartoon) style.
This game also has a Battle Collection mini-game that allows you to unlock a multitude of other extra options. In the Battle Collection mini-game two player versus and four different outfits for each of the ten playable characters is what you can unlock as you gain more battle trophies. The game also has ten different endings as well as other features once the game has been beaten.
With its unique battling system as well as the Battle Collection mini-game this game gains good points. The graphics of the game are good especially the special event scenes, although the characters graphics on things such as facial expressions could be improved. The voice acting really takes away from the game though. The supposed dramatic points of the game don’t seem that dramatic thanks to the voice acting. The plot line is fair, some parts are intriguing with having different secrets exposed. The downside really is only the voice acting, and a few things in the graphics that on second thought are really not that bad.
With the battle system and Battle Collection mini-game, as well as background graphics this title has some imperfections but the good points outrank the bad.

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time: 9 / 10

By: Jeanne Fencil

Ozzfest 2004

The ninth annual Ozzfest was touted as the greatest line-up of all time. Carefully assembled to appeal to all genres of metal music, the 2004 roster drew in crowds from the hardcore, metalcore, technical metal, classic metal, and heavy metal masses. With fresh talent and new faces, the show was powerful and energetic, underscored by the reuniting of two innovative metal super-powers, the forefathers, Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath.
Bleeding Through. (10/10) Possibly the best band to play at this year’s show southern California’s Bleeding Through tore the second stage to shreds with their brilliant combination of solos, breakdowns, and melody. Their energy was raw and their stage presence was felt in the far reaches of Burgettstown. TO captivate an audience at 9:30 in the morning takes something special.
Atreyu (9.5/10). Also hailing from southern California, Atreyu brought their refreshing blend of hardcore breakdowns, emotional melody, caustic screams, and old school solos to the stage. They held the crowd’s attention well and their set list was excellent. It was 20 minutes of pure energy.
(Continued on Page 11)
Darkest Hour (9/10). The perfect mix of punk, black metal, and thrash. Their stage control was amazing, rivaling most bands throughout the day. The set ended with their vocalist banging out the drum beats on the final song, as he paced the stage. Needless to say it was pure adrenaline.
OTEP (.5/10). The only reason they received even a .5 was because female vocalist, Otep Shamaya, lashed out at a heckler. Sorry OTEP fans, their set was disgraceful.
Lamb of God (10/10). Considered by many to be the best act at the entire 2004 Ozzfest. Lamb of God’s fusion of heavy metal, hardcore, and technical metal made for a hard-hitting and crowd-responsive set. Led by front man Randy Blythe, Lamb of God’s concise, yet masterful lyrics are delivered by a hammerblow of insane riffs and complex solos. These guys are a must see for any metal enthusiast.
Slipknot (10+/10). Slipknot garnered the highest rating of any band this year based solely upon crowd response. It was impossible to overlook the impact they had upon the second stage; with 4 out of 5 people present wearing Slipknot merchandise, the chaos was evident from the moment the masked metal kings appeared from the backstage. Their set was powerful and effective, performing all their hits and crowd favorites.
Others:
Throwdown (9/10) Magna Fi (3.5/10)
Devildriver (9.5/10) God Forbid (10/10)
Unearth (8/10) Every Time I Die (8.5/10)
Lacuna Coil (7/10) Hatebreed (9/10)
Superjoint Ritual (4.5/10) Black Label Society (6/10)
Dimmu Borgir (7/10) Slayer (9.5/10)
Judas Priest (9/10) Black Sabbath (10/10)

Entertainment

Hip-Hop with Bakes

By: Jack Snyder

Jayson Phillips, better known as Jadakiss in the hip-hop industry, has grasped the attention of hip-hop listeners all over the country. Born in Yonkers, New York, Jada wiggled his way into the rap game and worked his way to the top. Known well for his affiliation with the Ruff Ryders, Jadakiss has been producing songs for 10 years, and recently gained quite a lot of attention with the release of his new album “Kiss of Death.” Jadakiss also recently has a single on the radio from his new record, titled “Why.” Jada’s talent is well exposed as he has worked with many artists in his carrer. Jadakiss has been rapping since he was 12 years old when he would battle other young rappers in the streets of New York. It doesn’t look as if he is going to give up his carrer in rap anytime soon. Jadakiss has been through all the eras of rap and looks to continue his success. Look for Jada’s new album “Kiss of Death” in stores, and listen close for the release of a new single from the album.

By: Justin Baker

Entertainment / Sports

The Notebook

One of this year’s biggest movies to date is a romance titled The Notebook. After seeing this movie over the summer I decided to read the novel it is based on. The novel written by Nicholas Sparks is a heart-felt story about a man and his attempt to win over is first true love. Sparks did an amazing job when using details and imagination in his story. This is a book that was written, to purposely inspire and move you. Although this novel is somewhat similar to the movie, there was a noticeable difference in the endings and a few of the events that happened. All and all both stories were extremely moving and touching.
Most people feel that before you see a movie based upon the novel you should read the story first. I choose to view the movie before reading the book. To my surprise I enjoyed the movie more then the novel. I feel that the movie targets viewers that are looking for a predictable romance ending. The novel on the other hand is veered more towards and audience who are drawn more towards and ending with a twist. When reading the novel I felt that it was very well written and contained feeling, but was hard to follow at times. The movie is very straight-forward and emotional, but lacked in detail and imagination.
Either way I felt both the book and the movie are organized in a similar manner. They each contain positive and negative aspects and interesting in their own ways. I feel that both, the novel and the movie, are worth taking a look at.

To play golf it takes a tremendous amount of dedication, honesty, and a passion for the game. This year’s Varsity Golf Team displays all of these characteristics. The boys plan to defend their section title again this year. The Viking Golf Team has many more matches left in this season. This year’s returning lettermen are Senior Mark Novak and Sophomore Josh Coccagna. Seniors Louis Hout, Mark Novak, and Matt Orban have shown great leadership skills throughout the season. “Hard-working, determined, and fun,” are a few words Hout used when describing his fellow teammates. Hout, Novak, and Orban are all starters for the team this year. Coach Matt Gross had a few well-chosen words to say about this year’s team,” I have seen this team improve greatly since the beginning of this season. I feel each player contains determination and talent and I am anxious to see what the future holds.”
In addition to the boys of the Golf Team this year there are also seven girl members. Senior golfers include Amanda Brown, Courtney Clausner, Morgan Funk, Tiffany Kuhn, and Stephanie Painter. The girls plan to have matches against Southmoreland and Hempfeild.
This Golf Team has progressed and improves greatly since the beginning of this season. I predict great achievements and success for this year.

Golf Team

Both By: Amanda Brown

Entertainment

Reality Television

Reality Television, is it just a fad or is this trend here to stay? Many people think Reality Television is a craze that will pass, but who knows what will happen. The first memorable reality Television series was The Real World on MTV, which debuted in 1992. Eight years later Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Yes, this is classified as Reality Television!) got top ratings and soon major networks started forming ideas for new reality Television shows once they realized the huge popularity for this kind of programming.
Now in 2004, Reality Television is still going strong. New shows keep popping up regularly, as well as old ones coming back with new “contestants” or whatever you would like to call the people who cause the drama in the shows. Another reason why Reality Television is bound to continue to be a success is the cost of making one compared to a sitcom, it is much cheaper.
So if you are one of the many thousands of people that like Reality Television shows you are in luck this fall season. This fall brings countless new reality programs. Just to name a few there are The Next Great Champ, The Real World (Philadelphia), The Surreal Life, and a new season of Road Rules.
The Real World (Season 15) is about people living in one house trying to accomplish goals. The people in the house this year are Willie Karmo, Melanie, Shavonda, MJ, Sarah, and Landon. Karmo is currently living in Los Angeles; he is an African American from Houston whose parents are from Jamaica. He is the youngest of four and has three older sisters whom he considers the most important people in his life. Of course what is the a Reality Television show without the over achiever. On the show a character named Landon was a state champion in doubles tennis and ranked fifth in his state for wrestling. At the University of Wisconsin, he was on the water-skiing and wakeboarding team(s).
To find out what all of the new characters on The Real World (Season 15) are all about tune into the new season. It appears on MTV Tuesday nights at 10:00 P.M.

By: Leah Proud

Sports

Vikings Victorious

The Viking football team came away with a win last Friday in a hard fought game against the Albert Gallatin Colonials. The Vikes won by a score of 20 to 16 in a game that proved to be won by special teams and defense with low averages of yardage from both offenses.
Coach Scott Giacobbi stated, “We found a way to win, now we need to do that week in and week out.’’
The Viking touchdowns were scored by Jeff Marker on a 17-yard run in the first quarter, Jack Snyder’s three-yard run in the third quarter, and finally a two-yard run by Donnie Ament in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
“We played well this week, with more heart and fire than we have all year,” said captain, Jack Snyder.
Leading in tackles for the Vikings was senior, and captain, Ty Gorinski with thirteen tackles. Zach Auen notched two crucial interceptions in the fourth quarter, halting any attempt by the Colonials to pull away a victory.
Mount Pleasant will face a much tougher section rival this Friday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. against the Yough Cougars. The defense will be expected to hold the Cougars and set the tone for a better offensive game.
“In order to win, we need to fill our injured spots and insure no turnovers,” concluded Snyder.
According to head coach Mark Lyons, Yough thrives on these turnovers, as seen in previous games.
The Vikings will have to turn it on with out turning it over!

By: Erik Brehun

Fantasy Football

Fantasy football makes the ever-changing NFL season as interactive, and as real, as being the General Manager of your own personal organization. Whether it’s a league at work, with your friends, or anonymously online, there is nothing more rewarding than drafting a dominant team. And with this year’s season you need to be at the top of your game by knowing what players are at the top of theirs’. Hopefully you chose some of them during your draft.
These are the top five players, by position, that will make the greatest impact on your fantasy roster.
Quarterbacks: Daunte Culpepper, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, and Matt Hasselback.
Runningbacks: LaDainian Tomlinson, Preist Holmes, Jamal Lewis, Ahman Green, Clinton Portis.
Wide Receivers: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Chad Johnson, Hines Ward.
Tight Ends: Alge Crumpler, Todd Heap, Jeremy Shockey, Randy McMichael, Jerramy Stevens.
Now you’re up-to-date with the most valuable big name draft picks, hopefully you snatched some of them up. Watch out for sleepers: Runningbacks Quentin Griffin, Domanick Davis, and Chris Brown. Quarterbacks, David Carr, Joey Harrington, and Byron Leftwich. Wide Receivers, Roy Williams, Justin Gage, and Justin McCareins. Tight Ends, Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, and Billy Miller.

By: Jack Snyder

Local

Homecoming

These are the seven lucky girls that have been nominated for the 2004 homecoming court. The class of 2005 voted on these girls and will vote again to see who is the Homecoming Queen. The homecoming queen will be announced at the October 1st football game.
Amanda Lynn Brown, is the daughter of Scott and Debbie Brown. Amanda has a sister Jennifer who is 23 years old. Amanda is in YEA, Interact and is a Public Relations Officer. She is a member of the varsity cheerleading squad and golf team. She is also a writer for the Cymbal. Some of Amanda’s hobbies include: shopping, golfing, and eating out. After high school Amanda plans to attend Slippery Rock majoring in Secondary Education.
Shanna Lee Corbett, is the daughter of Kenny and Laurie Corbett. Shanna is the older sister of Dane who is 16 years old. She is a member of NAHS, the marching and concert band, SADD, and the Interact club. Shanna’s hobbies are: hanging out with friends, coloring and shopping. Her plans after she graduates are to attend Pitt majoring in either or both Design and Business.
Morgan Leigh Funk, is the daughter of Brenda and Dan Funk. Her sister Taylor is 14 years old. Morgan is a member of SADD, Student Council, NAHS, Tri-M, concert band, varsity track and field, cheerleading, and golf. She is secretary of the Interact Club and editor of the Yearbook. Her hobbies are: skiing and softball. After graduation she plans on attending Penn State, where she will be majoring in Business Marketing.
Amy Lesko, is the daughter of Michael and Lou Ann Lesko. Amy has two brothers Mike who is 15 years old and Matt who is 13 years old. Amy is involved in track, girls tennis, YEA, SADD, NHS, and Interact. Her hobby is running. After high school Amy is attending college to study Math and Science and possibly Pharmacy.
Alees Marie Splendore, is the daughter of Anthony and Ranae Splendore. Alees is the younger sister of Anthony who is 25 and Andre who is 20. Alees is YEA Treasurer, Student Council Officer, and the captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. She is also involved in the Interact Club, concert choir, NAHS, and a member of the Yearbook staff, toys for tots, Prom committee, SADD, Powder Puff football and track. Alees’s hobbies are: gymnastics, dance, baton, cheerleading, fishing, swimming, and watching movies. After high school she plans to attend Shippensburg University where she will major in Elementary Education and a minor in Dance.
Erica Nicole Sukay, is the daughter of Mark and Joyce Sukay. Erica has one brother Nicholas who is 15 years old. She is the Treasurer of NHS, Vice President of YEA a staff member of the Yearbook and NAHS also a member of the Interact Club. Erica is a member of the varsity basketball team, the track team, captain of the girls tennis team and Powder Puff football team. Erica’s hobbies include: playing tennis, basketball, and running track. After she is done with high school Erica wants to double major in Political Science and Communications and after college she would like to go to Law School.
Jessica Cheek, is the daughter of Edward and Diana Cheek. Jessica has a brother, Kevin, who is 20 years old. She plans to attend The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg for Biology. Jessica enjoys Reading, Writing, Music, Ballet, Saved by the Bell Reruns and playing with Power Ranger action figures on the weekends.
Once again congratulations to these ladies on becoming the 2004 Homecoming Court.

By: Justine Firmstone

The Back Side

New Principles

You may have seen two new faces in our hallways and wondered who they were. They are our new principles: Mr. Benteler, and Mrs. Gatti. They have come to the Mount Pleasant Area School District in order to assist our new Principle Mr. Struble. Both principles agree that a lot of students don’t know how well they have it here at Mount Pleasant and they hope to bring a lot of good aspects to the school.
Mr. Benteler graduated from Gannon with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction in principal papers for grades K-12. Mrs. Gatti graduated from California University with a master’s degree in Education with principal papers as well for grades K-12.
Both principles hope to improve test scores and the technology that our school district has provided us with. When asked both principals agreed that the students from Mt. Pleasant have great pride in their school and appreciation for the educational values that are provided with them, which was one reason that both decided to accept the principal jobs at MP. We asked Mr. Struble how he felt about two of the newest additions to the staff at the school and he stated: “They’ve both been a great addition and both bring unique qualities and skills that will continue to help benefit our student body.” So there you have it, those are the new principals at Mt. Pleasant Area High School. We welcome both Mr. Benteler and Mrs. Gatti with open arms and great Red, White, and Blue pride.

By: Jessica Bibel
and Elizabeth Auckerman

The Cymbal

Ye Olde Tyme Waster

LOCAL

Ye Olde Tyme Waster

By Amanda Cochran

Volume 1, Issue 1

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The effect of cabin fever.

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Comic Relief—Cymbal-style

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