ROCKET
ROWDIES
INVADE
LIMESTONE
EVENTS
PAGE 10
What’s Inside
Limelight
Blago
(Re)
Trial: Is
It Worth
The
Cost?
Page 3
Limestone Community High School
www.limestone.12.il.us
email us at [email protected]
Volume 57, Issue 1
Students and Faculty Kick off Another Year
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
By Autum Greeson
Editor in Chief
Another year begins at Limestone Community
High School, and suddenly the building is full of
1,126 young minds, all ready to learn and begin
a new year. Each student at Limestone has the
opportunity to succeed on all levels: academically,
athletically, and socially.
Success is defined
as a person’s willingness to learn. “If a person
does three simple things at school, they will have
success. They must come to class, listen and apply
themselves,” said Mr. Gresham, Limestone’s
Superintendent. There is a widespread belief
that every student in our building can succeed,
and the faculty and staff will work with our
entire community to make sure every student
has the opportunity to be all they can be.
In order for the freshman to be all they
can be during their time here at Limestone,
they were invited to the school for Freshman
Orientation before school started. This year, it
was held on August 5. Senior mentors also went
to Freshman Orientation to help the freshman
with any problems they were having. During this
time, the freshman were able to locate classes
and find their locker while walking through their
schedule with bells set on five minute intervals.
Fee and Photo Day also presented another
opportunity for the freshman and the rest of the
student body to practice their schedules. Fee/
Photo Day, held on August 17, started out with
class meetings that informed all the students
on the new policies and changes that were in
effect at the beginning of the school year. To
make the process of the day more efficient,
the administration decided to make everything
electronic. This also provided families with the
opportunity to pay online before Fee and Photo
Day. The goal of the day was to motivate the
students and let them ease into the start
of the school year with a shorter schedule.
Another way to let the students ease
into the school year was by the heat schedule
that was in effect from August 18 through
August 31. Of course, the other reason
Limestone has heat schedule is to beat the
heat. Because of the lack of air conditioning
in the building, the administration decided
to extend the heat schedule for two days,
but the heat actually was still a problem as
recently as last week, with temperatures
soaring into the 90’s again. Because the
state requires every school to be in session
for 300 instructional minutes every day, the
days were only shortened by one hour. This
meant the students were still given lunch
and then dismissed at 1:45 p.m. With the
day being shortened, the class times were
also shortened by five minutes making the
classes forty minutes long instead of fortyfive minutes. This also presented extra time
for the teachers get ready for the rest of the
school year. There were training workshops
the teachers could attend after school to
learn new things to help them in class.
The teachers and faculty are
collaborating to make sure the students
receive at least an adequate education.
The new schedule includes two School
Improvement Days per month, with students
being dismissed at 11:15 so the teachers
can work to improve the curriculum in the
afternoons. If the student body becomes
involved, this year should be a success.
PLAY THE
FAME GAME
LCHS Hall of Fame Gets A Little
More Crowded
Limestone announced another round
of inductees into the LCHS Athletic Hall of
Fame. Past coaches, administrators, and
community members who are closely related to
Limestone athletics picked one team and three
individuals who showed outstanding athleticism
during high school and their performance in
the years after to be inducted at Homecoming
2010. This year’s inductees were the 2005
Varsity Baseball Team, DeAaron Williams,
Jessica Reardon, and Dr. William Beach.
The
Varsity
Baseball
team
was
nominated and inducted for their success in the
2005 season, ending with a 28-10 record. In that
year, the team led the Mid-Illini conference and
finished 4th in the State tournament, coached
by current Athletic Director Jim Corpus in his
last year at the helm. DeAaron Williams, a 2004
graduate, was a standout basketball player who
is the all-time point leader at Limestone, with
1868 total points in his career at Limestone. He
also was an All-Conference track star. Jessica
Reardon, a 2001 graduate, was inducted for her
contribution to volleyball, girls basketball and
track and field.
She was an All-Conference
athlete in both basketball and track.
Mr.
William Beach, former football coach, principal,
and superintendent, was inducted for his years
of service in the LCHS football program, which
included twelve years as head coach. In his time,
LCHS football made five playoff appearances.
To be nominated for the induction
into the Hall of Fame, the athletes must be
graduated or retired for at least five years.
The Hall of Fame is a huge honor, the highest
honor of athletics at Limestone. Immediately
following the parade, many community members
involved in Limestone athletics gathered in
the school’s cafeteria to recognize inductees
who were announced by Superintendent Allan
Gresham. After they were announced, each
inductee took a moment to speak about their
time here at Limestone and to give thanks to all
the people who have helped them along the way.
The actual induction ceremony was held before
the Varsity Football Homecoming Game. During
this time, returning members of the LCHS Hall
of Fame were invited on to the football field
and were recognized as well. Following their
recognition, the inductees were initiated into
the Hall of Fame. They received a plaque to take
home with them. Their picture will also be placed
into the Hall of Fame trophy case located outside
of Mr. Corpus’ office in the front foyer forever.
Being in the Limestone Hall of
Fame is a tremendous honor, considering
the number of athletes, coaches, and other
people involved in sports at Limestone. This
lifetime achievement is a testament not
only to the athleticism of the inductees,
but to their dedication to Limestone sports.
2 NEWS
News
Shorts
Hurricane Season Takes Off
Officially, the Atlantic hurricane
season is from 1 June to 30
November, but as the Atlantic
Oceanographic and Meteorological
Laboratory (AOML) notes: “There
is nothing
magical in
these dates;
but that’s
where we
see
over
97%
of
tropical
activity.”
States
at risk for
hurricanes
include the gulf states, the eastern
seaboard, Florida, and Texas.
Miners Trapped in Chili
SANTIAGO, Chile — 33 miners have
been trapped for over one month
2,300 feet (700 meters) under the
Atacama desert in northern Chile .
The miners are all in good health,
but have been trapped since the
mine shaft collapsed on August 5.
Contact was only re-established
with the miners 17 days later. Two
new mine shafts are being drilled
in order to rescue the miners, but
drilling is very slow work.
“This
year is going to be a learning process for students,
teachers, and administrators alike.”
Trying Something New At Limestone
With New Administrators at the Helm, Limestone Adopts New Policies
By Jami Gray
Section Editor
As the new year takes off here at
good ole’ Limestone, many changes can
be seen throughout. The most talked
about changes are the new policies
that have been set in place. These
new policies were set in place by some
new administration members as well.
In the Dean’s Office, we only have two
deans instead of three. Mrs. Ginger
Adams, former Spanish teacher, is the
new dean joining Mr. Sparrow this year.
Across the hall from the Dean’s
Office, we now have a Principal’s
Office. Even though principal and
assistant principal are positions that
are new at Limestone this year, we
have had them in prior years. In fact,
eight years ago, Dr. Kelly Funke was
our school principal. When she moved
up to assistant superintendent, no one
was ever hired to fill her position. In
the years since then, the closest we
have come to having a principal was
our curriculum director, Dr. Betty
Gibson. The principal and assistant
principal have the same duties as
the curriculum director; they only
have a more formal title now. Our
principal is Mrs. Jill Warren and the
assistant principal is Mr. Tim Farquer.
They are each responsible for the
coordination of certain departments
and the evaluation of departmental
personnel. “Seventy-five percent of
our work is done jointly,” Mr. Farquer
estimated. Mrs. Warren described
the Principal’s Office as a “teacher
support office. We meet the needs of
the teachers. Without a principal,
teachers do not have anyone to go to.”
One policy that is new to Limestone
this year is the Academic Assessment.
In previous years, we had AIP. With
that, students could opt out of
taking semester exams if they met
certain requirements for attendance
and discipline.
Now, however,
Academic Assessment tests will
be administered at the end of each
quarter and everyone is required to
take them. The goal with these tests
is to get back to academics and better
prepare students for college, or what
is planned next after high school. The
administration plans to collect data
from these tests, so they can make
informed, data driven decisions.
Another new policy at Limestone is
Lunch Room Detentions. If a student
accumulates five tardies, they receive
a lunch room detention. “Giving a
student a lunch room detention takes
away something they want,” says Mrs.
Warren. They get a sack lunch of milk,
fruit, and a sandwich, which they have
to eat in solitude. “The idea of lunch
room tardies was the brain child of Mr.
Sparrow,” Mrs. Warren joked. “We call
the room ‘Sparrow’s Nest’.” All of these new policies are new to
everyone. It is going to be a learning
process for the students, teachers,
and administration alike. They will
continue to evolve and get better with
each passing year. For now, the new
administration is looking forward to
the new year and the new policies.
he pulled 12,000 troops from the Iraqi
border. He wasted no time keeping his
promise of change from his 2008 election.
The original date for departure from
Iraq was set for August 31, but on
August 19, 2010, the troops finally
crossed the Kuwait/Iraq border. Though
all of the combat troops have left, there
are still 50,000 soldiers in Iraq assisting
the Iraqis in repairing their government.
P.J. Crowley, assistant secretary of the
Bureau of Public Affairs said, “We are
ending the war… but we are not ending
our work in Iraq. We have a long-term
commitment to Iraq.” It is planned that
we will be completely out of Iraq by 2011.
President Obama has never supported
Bush’s surge of troops in Iraq, and
says that he still does not. Instead of
crediting Bush for the surge, he credits
him for his deep love of our country
and devotion to our troops. President
Obama saying Bush never wronged
our troops. President Obama also says
that our country is in such financial
turmoil because of the war, and he
hopes to remove all our troops from
Iraq and Afghanistan as soon and safely
as possible. He does not want to pull
us out too soon, however. He wants to
make sure that Iraq is our ally before
we completely evacuate the country.
Republicans are outraged with Obama
for taking credit of our success in Iraq.
They say all credit is due to our troops,
the Iraqi people, and former president
Bush. They remind us that pulling our
troops out of Iraq was originally Bush’s
idea, while Obama only carried it out.
Obama wishes that we will help him
in supporting all of our troops for their
service because he believes serving in
our nation’s army is one of the greatest
honors there is. This is by no means
the end of the war; this is, however, the
beginning of the end. This is progress.
Once one of the passages has been
widened to about 271/2 inches (70
centimeters), the miners will be
lifted to the surface one by one in a
well-lit module containing oxygen,
water, food and an intercom system.
The module will need between half
an hour and an hour to reach the
surface.
The earliest this is expected to
happen is early December.
Key Club Stands Above
Others
Limestone’s very own Key Club
was recognized this summer
at the International Key Club
convention. Last summer, Key
Club members remodeled the
therapy room here at Limestone
for our Lifeskills students, and
the Key Club was rewarded
with a 2nd place award for
completing a Single Service
project. This is the second year
in a row that Limestone’s Key
Club has received an award in
this category.
Key Club was
also given a plaque for being
named a Diamond Level club.
Limestone’s Key Club, sponsored
by Mrs. Assman and Mr. Bell,
is a service organization with
over 9,000 members nationwide.
The Key Club is sponsored by
the Kiwanis organization, and
is one of the extra-curricular
offerings at Limestone.
Any
student interested in joining
this amazing group should
contact Mr. Bell or Mrs. Assman.
Obama Pulls
Troops Out of
Combat
After 7 1/2 years in Iraq, combat
troops are finally done
Katie Metcalf, reporter
It seems as if the war that started seven
and half years ago on March 20, 2003, is
finally coming to a close. After a war that
has left 4,417 American soldiers dead,
31,929 American soldiers wounded, and
over 650,000 Iraqis dead, our combat
troops have finally been pulled from Iraq.
President Obama has slowly been
pulling troops out of Iraq since the
beginning of his administration. Between
March and September of 2009 alone,
NEWS 3
9/11 STILL
A DAY OF
REMEMBERANCE
Mosque on
Ground Zero
Stirs Controversy
Jami Gray, Section Editor
Despite all the controversy that
took place prior to September
11, 2010, Americans still came
together to commemorate the
nearly three thousand that died
on that September day.
The
President, Vice President, and First
Lady each held services at each
of the places that were attacked.
Jami Gray, Section Editor
Tears, songs, speeches, bells ringing,
silence, waving American flags, and
protests: All of these scenes and
many more took place on Saturday,
September 11, 2010. This year marked
the ninth anniversary of the 9/11
attacks on America. The anniversary
this year was different from the previous
years in two main ways. One, a new
World Trade Center is finally ready
to rise. The other difference is the
controversial issues that have separated
Americans, politically and culturally,
during the weeks leading up to 9/11.
Two blocks up from Ground Zero,
Islam officials have proposed plans
for putting in a Mosque, an Islamic
Cultural Center. They say it will
promote interfaith learning. Opponents
of the Mosque understand that Islamic
people have a First Amendment right
to build the center, but feel they are
showing disrespect by building there.
Alice Lemos, 58, participant in the
protest against the Mosque, said, “Stop
bending down to them. Stop placating
them. No special treatment. This is not
about religion. This is about rubbing our
faces in their victory over us.” Elizabeth
Meehan, 51, a supporter of the mosque,
said, “Muslims are fellow Americans;
Blagojevich
Circus Ends In a
Mistrial
Former Governor waits to see if
a retrial will take place
Tanner Haller, Investigative Reporter
One conviction out of twenty
four. That is how the trial of former
governor Rod Blagojevich ended
on August 20, 2010 in Chicago.
That one conviction is for lying
to the FBI investigators about
his participation in a campaign
fundraiser. In a circus affair that
cost Illinois’ taxpayers close to $30
million, only one of the charges
stuck, which leads to the inevitable
question: Is it worth the cost to try
him again on the other 23 charges?
The FBI feels that it is. They feel
that a second trial will likely end
with more convictions, and they feel
like they have the proof to do just
that—including voice recordings of
the governor himself. The FBI put
a wire tap in the interrogation room
and heard him talking to his lawyer.
His lawyer told him not to testify
because he might end up sealing up
the fact that he is guilty of selling
Barrack Obama’s Senate seat.
After the evidence was presented
the jury—which cost taxpayers
just over $67,000—deliberated and
they should have the right to worship
in America just like everyone else.”
Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville,
Florida was probably the most outraged
about the Mosque. Weeks before 9/11
of this year, the pastor publicized his
plans on burning Korans, Muslim holy
books, on September 11. He even made
signs declaring September 11 “National
Burn a Koran Day.” The President
and other U.S. officials pleaded with
him to not carry out his plans, but he
refused to listen. For whatever reason,
however, Jones decided not to follow
through with his plans saying, “We
feel that God is telling us to stop. Not
today. Not ever. We are not going to go
back and do it. It is totally cancelled.”
The question of “to Mosque” or “not
to Mosque” is unanswered today. The
questions do not seem to focus on
whether there is a Constitutional right
to build the mosque—it seems to be
more a question of appropriateness. Is
it disrespectful for a mosque, which is a
place of worship for Muslims, to be located
near the site of an attack orchestrated
by Muslims from the Middle East?
On 9/11, Americans showed up to
pay their respects for those killed in the
attacks, but that was not the only reason
the streets of lower Manhatten were
crowded. People against the Mosque
rallied with signs blocks away from
people who rallied with signs in support
of the Mosque. However, as September
11 came to an end, two bright blue
beams of light rose from lower Manhattan
signifying that September 11 was still
a day of remembrance above all else.
deadlocked. The judge in the case
then made the decision to declare
a mistrial. Blagojevich could be
tried on the twenty-three different
accounts, as early as January 2011.
Blagojevich, however, is indicating
that the mistrial is an indication
of the weak case prosecutors have
against him. “This jury just shows
you that despite the fact that the
government threw everything but the
kitchen sink at me, on every count
except for one, they could not prove
that I did anything wrong, that I
did not break any laws except for
one nebulous charge from five years
ago.” He faces up to five years in
prison for the one conviction. This
confidence is ever-present, despite
the fact that Blagojevich’s own
lawyer quit the job before the trial
even began, saying, “I never require
a client to do what I say but I do
require them to at least listen to
what I say. ... I wish the governor
good luck and Godspeed,” said Ed
Genson, Blagojevich’s first attorney.
The only reason why Blagojevich
was not convicted on all accounts
is because of the lone holdout juror,
JoAnn Chiakulas, a retired state
employee. “It was something that I
took seriously and did not ask for,”
she said. “And then to be treated the
way I have been treated, it makes
me wonder about being a juror and
the system itself,” she told the press
after the trial. “Some people in the
jury room only saw black and white,”
Chiakulas said. “I think I saw, in
the transcripts and in the testimony,
shades of gray. To me, that means
reasonable doubt. I cannot explain
how badly I felt; I did not sleep at
night. I thought about it on the
train. I wanted to make sure my
reasonable doubt was reasonable.”
However it is believed, by some, that
Blagojevich bribed her, although
there is no evidence of any misdeed.
Some people think the whole trial
was a sham. The jury had physical
proof, and they still would not send
him to jail, according to some. If
it had not been for that juror, he
would be rotting in jail by now.
Others believe that Blagojevich was
vindicated in his belief that he did
not commit any crime more serious
than political strategy. There is no
doubt, however, that a retrial will
be costly in a state where funding
is short, anyway.
Let’s hope
someone gets it right this next time.
Michele Obama led the service
in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. She
was joined by former first lady,
Laura Bush. The service was held
on the Western Overlook of the
pasture where Flight 93 went down.
Before the service began, Obama
and Bush met with the families of
the victims and gave them their
personal condolences. First, they
held a moment of silence, and then
relatives read the names of each
victim, followed by a bell ring for each
name. First Lady Michelle Obama
said, “May the memory of those who
gave their lives here continue to be
an inspiration to all of America.”
President Obama stayed in
Washington D.C. and conducted
the service at the Pentagon site of
attack. During his speech, Obama
spoke about how time will never
lessen the pain and loss our nation
still feels, but he urged, “The U.S.
could not sacrifice the liberties we
cherish or hunker down behind walls
of suspicion and mistrust.” He was
also clear to point out that America
was not and will not be at war with
Islam, and it was not a religion that
attacked us. “Those who attacked us
sought to demoralize, to divide us, to
deprive us of the very unity, the very
ideals that make America, America.
Today we declare once more we
will never hand them that victory.
For our cause is just, our spirit is
strong, our resolve is unwavering.”
4 RAISE YOUR VOICE
28 Phones Later
Time-Outs... for Adults??
Limestone’s new detention policy raises
accountability questions
The Phone Apocalypse Begins
Chayse Cairns, Reporter
Do you see dead people? Every day
I walk into school and I see a bunch
of zombies hunched over their cell
phones texting. It is the end of the
world! In a more perspective way,
in our school, the rule is that cell
phones are not allowed to be used
during school hours; I am guessing
many people who are reading this
in school, ignore this rule. However,
I am sure some of you have found
yourself in that awkward position of
being caught texting or playing on
your phone.
Have you noticed teachers seem to
ignore this rule just as much as the
students they scorn? The only difference is that we can not take teachers
phones away and send them to the
dean (although that would be nice,
right?). It seems highly hypocritical
of them to push this rule so hard
and, yet, they break it without a
second thought.
I have heard people ask teachers
who use their phone in class, “Why
do you have the right to text in class
and we do not?” They say the rule
only applies to us because it would
affect our ability to learn. However,
as a rebuttal, if the teacher is texting
in class, does that not affect his or
her ability to teach? In return, that
consequently affects our ability to
learn.
To say the least, teachers really
should do a better job of hiding the
fact that they are texting. There are
really only two solutions to this predicament we find ourselves in. The
first option is to ban cell phones from
school entirely, even for teachers.
A better solution to this issue is to
enforce the already existing rule that
cell phones are not allowed in class;
not just for students but also teachers. Whether you like these solutions or not is regardless to the fact
that there the only ones we have, so
except it, or do something about it.
Letter to the Editor
While all my friends are
moving on to college I’m going to
Fee and Photo day for my fifth
time. I’ve gone to Limestone for
four years and because of some
miscommunication as a freshman
I came up two and a half credits
short of graduating, so now I have
to give up another semester of my
life to Limestone High School. I
have passed every required class
that I need to move on, so why
am I still here? The school feels
that I needed to come back so I
can take three gym classes. Is
that an education or a waste of
time? Every day for this entire
semester I come to foods class
where I make cookies, then I sit
though three hours of walking
around the gym when I could
be doing something with my life
that actually matters. I know
that some of the responsibility
is mine. I didn’t pass all of the
classes I was in. But for many
of the others, I was allowed to
drop them, because as a young
kid I was too dumb to know
how it would affect me later on.
I came into Limestone as a
freshman without a clue. All I
knew is there was classes you
had to take and after that you
could pick your own. Freshman
year was also the first time I
was told that if you didn’t like
your class you could go to your
counselor and drop the class. I
just wish someone would have
told me and made me understand
that I should have picked up
another class to make up that
credit I just dropped. But no
one did. So after I dropped
Autum Greeson, Editor in Chief
LIMESTONE HAS now implemented a new policy for
detentions, an alternative to serving a detention after school
or in the morning. If a student is issued a lunch detention,
he or she must give up their lunch hour and report to the
Lunch Detention Room. Detainees are given a sack lunch
and must sit without talking, sleeping, or chewing out
loud…which is really just
a big, 30 minute time-out.
SO THE question, of course,
is this: Does a time out really
work? Do those students
in detention actually spend
their time thinking about
their crime? When I was
put in time-out as a child,
I was given three minutes
to think about what I had
done—but as an adult, do
I really need to be forced to sit in a desk, eat a turkey
sandwich, and contemplate my wickedness? Is this an
effective punishment for those who are nearly adults? Is
the appropriate punishment for young adults a time-out?
TIME WILL tell if the lunch detention idea
works…but I would put my money on FAIL…
by Dan McGarr
three classes my guidance
counselor guided me right into
two different study halls all year
long and an extra gym class.
Sophomore year came and
when I was given my schedule
I had my required classes but I
also had a study hall, two gym
classes, and another gym after
I was finished with behind the
wheel. So in my first two years at
Limestone I had already taken five
gym classes. Half way through
my sophomore year I got taken
out of study hall and put to work
in the cafeteria dish room and I
thought, “Hey at least I’m getting
a credit instead of just wasting
time in study hall.” Well the end
of the year came and it looks like
someone again failed to fill me in
on everything I was doing because
it turns out you don’t get a credit
for working in the dish room. But
I will say that the lunch ladies
at this school are the nicest and
coolest people that work here.
Junior year I got a new guidance
counselor and that year was
a big make
up year for me;
almost all my classes were retake
classes from my freshman and
sophomore years. I had to make
up three English classes and
speech class and I’m actually very
glad that I had to retake those
classes because I was placed with
a teacher who really impacted my
time spent here at Limestone.
At the beginning of my first
senior year I was told that I
was still a junior until next
semester and that I wasn’t going
to graduate on time. Because of
all the gym classes and study
halls I took, I was two and a
half credits short. So I had to
take my required classes and
once again I was put in three
gym classes both semesters. At
the end of the year when all my
friends were getting graduation
money and having parties I was
watching from the sidelines.
By the end of my senior year
I had taken twenty four gym
classes at Limestone. That’s
like five and a half credits worth
of P.E. and taking all those
gyms and study halls left me
two credits short. So when it
was time for graduation I was
getting my schedule for my fifth
year at Limestone. But I had
passed every required class. I
just needed five blow off classes
that would be an easy credit. So
they put me in foods class and
three gym classes. That now
puts my gym record at twenty
seven gym classes. How do our
counselors let that happen?
How can a school really make
me go through twenty four gym
classes just to make me come
back as a super senior and take
three more? I think it’s a little
ridiculous that I have to waste
my time doing nothing for the
first half of my day but make
cookies and walk around the
track with kids that are three and
four years younger than I am.
To any freshman that has read
this article long enough to get to
this part: pay attention. Look
at your classes closely before
you pick them and if you do
drop a class, have another
one lined up. Don’t count on
your guidance counselor and
teachers to hold your hand all
the way though high school
like they did in grade school.
Your counselor has way too
many students to deal with to
spend more than ten minutes
at a time with you. Also pay
attention to how many credits
you have and how many you
will have at the end of the year.
I am here for a fifth year baking
cookies and walking laps
because , not only did I drop
the ball in dropping classes,
but I wasn’t told the long-term
effects of taking 27 P.E. classes.
SCHOLARS EARN HIGH
MARKS
2011 Students Receive
Recognition, Awards
Autum Greeson, Editor in Chief
On April 28 and 29, the Class of 2011
had the opportunity to succeed on the
PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Test). This
year, Limestone decided to recognize and
reward those who strived to do their best
on the exam. The administration is proud to
announce that there are ninety-two Rocket
Scholars. In order to become a scholar, a
student must have met or exceeded the
state standards on all three sub score sections on the PSAE. The sections included
Math, Science, and Reading.
The administration would like to especially honor Tim Rogers and Charlie Carey.
These two seniors exceeded state standards on all three sections. “Every one of
the scholars represents the brightest chunk
of students in our class. I am glad of what
I achieved, but I don’t feel like I need any
more attention than the rest of the scholars,” Tim stated after being announced.
The ninety-two scholars will receive deserved recognition by
Rocket 1, the Rocket Review, the Limestone
Independent News, the Limelight, and in
the graduation program. The scholars will
also have a group photo displayed in the
auditorium foyer so that everyone can see
the students who stand out academically
amongst the others. The biggest reward is
the free Rocket Scholar hooded sweatshirt.
In order to make this possible, five
companies sponsored this group of students. The sponsors include Better Banks,
Got Answers?
Ask the Experts
Compiled by Autum Greeson
WHAT CAN I DO SO
I DON’T LOOK LIKE
SUCH A FRESHMAN?
RHONDA ROCKET SAYS: There
are many ways to not look like
a freshman. My advice is you
wait another year. If you do this,
then you won’t be a freshman.
Therefore, there would be nothing
to worry about. However, if you are
really impatient, here is another
option. When the junior class sells
their class t-shirts, you should buy
one. When you receive it, wear it
around. This way you look like a
junior, not a freshman.
RAISE YOUR VOICE 5
Bishop Brothers, CMI Leasing, Inc., The
Wyman Group, and Photography by Jill.
The Rocket Scholars include the
following students:
Jeremy Adams
Jordan Adams
Matthew Adele
Mason Arnold
Alexander Barden
Zeke Beckman
Heather Bowers
Andrew Boyd
Corey Brabson
DJ Bradshaw
Kayla Bredernitz
Jesse Brockwell
Brittany Bryant
Kayla Buskirk
Chris Butler
Sarah Cady
Derek Camp
Charlie Carey
Cody Cheatham
Cameron Christiansen
Payton Clarahan
Tyler Coleman
Kara Cordes
Tod Daniels II
Ryan Darko
Brock Delaney
Kayleigh Ewing
Nate Fales
Sarah Feagin
Shane Fryer
Megan Funke
a date. If you are a boy, shower
and shave and then douse yourself
in cologne. Smell is important.
In fact, if you can simply fill the
bathtub with your cologne, and
dunk your entire body in it, you
will be even better off.
MR. KNAGGS: For the guy,
make sure you treat the lady well.
Open doors for her, pay for her
meal, and get to know her. Also,
have fun! Stay far away from selfdestructive things, but have fun!
If you have questions for Rhonda
Rocket or the experts, email them to
[email protected]
Mr. Knaggs: Nothing! Unless
you have good genes, it is
inevitable that you will look like a
freshman. You can at least act cool
and get older friends!
I AM GOING ON MY
FIRST DATE REALLY
SOON. DO YOU HAVE
ANY ADVICE FOR ME?
RHONDA ROCKET: First dates
are really important so it is vital
to make a good first impression. If
you are a girl, here are a few tips.
To start, take really long to get
yourself ready. In fact, if you end
up being an hour or so late getting
ready, it’s okay. This means you
care about your appearance. Also,
when you go to dinner, you should
only order water and a small salad.
This is what most girls order on
D i s c l a i m e r :
All opinions expressed on the
Raise Your Voice page are those
of the individual reporters, and
do not reflect the opinions of the
Limelight staff, Limestone faculty,
administration, or School Board.
Any member of the student body
or community can write a letter to
the editor and submit it via email
at [email protected]
All letters must be signed to
be considered for publication.
Dane Georges
Jami Gray
Jessica Greenlee
Autum Greeson
Zak Griffin
Andrew Gruber
Shelby Gruber
Emily Hand
Spencer Harris
Brandi Hidden
Katie Hines
Luke Hirst
Erin Hocker
Dylan Hurst
Jennifer Jones
Lindsey King
Connor Lenz
Max Look
Brent Lowder
Brendan Malone
Tyler Marchand
Josh McDowell
Erin Meyers
Breeannah Miller
Brandon Morris
Anthony Mullens
Cody Mullens
Makenzie Newton
Natalie Nimmo
Sammie Nordvall
David Oden
Caleb Parson
Michelle Peters
Sam Pille
Jackie Ray
Will Riley
Deborah Roberts
Tim Rogers
Cahayne Ross
Briana Rudd
Jessica Sacco
Hannah Schaeffer
Grant Schroeder
Hannah Schultz
Brittany Shaw
Sami Siebenthal
Colten Smith
Josh Smith
Donivine Stewart
Jacob Stewart
Christine Thompson
Jolene Toebbe
Bethany Velde
Alan Weisser
Emily Welch
Breon Williams
Eli Williams
Kellen Williams
Chris Wood
Jake Yost
MR. GRANT KEEPS
ON SCOUTING
Camping, doing service activities, and teaching school would
be a hard job, but Mr. Grant pulls
it off. Mr. James Grant has been a
Boy Scout leader for four years, ever
since his oldest son crossed over
from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.
Weirdly enough, he was never
a scout as a child. However, he
does plan on being a leader for at
least another ten years. The Scout
Leader’s job is to help the older
boys that lead the group. They also
take care of the financial part, like
organizing and budgeting trips. If it
were not for the Boy Scout leaders,
there would be a group of teenagers
with a stack of bills.
In addition to the tasks Mr. Grant
had to learn, he had to understand
the uniform of the boy scouts.
There are two types of dress, Class
A and Class B. Class B clothing is
casual. The Class A uniforms, however, consists of boots, green pants
or shorts, a khaki shirt, and a tie
of some sort. Some hats are also
allowed. These uniforms especially
come in handy when they take
camping trips to Southern Illinois or
Indiana. Camping trips are once a
month and are one of the activities
Boy Scouts spend their time doing.
The Venturing Scouts (scouts 13
years or older and have completed
the eighth grade) do more serviceoriented things, like collecting and
recycling cans, picking up litter and
serving food at shelters. In 2009,
over thirty-six million service hours
were served by scouts. Over $700
million of service was provided by
Boy Scouts and their leaders to
communities across America.
Mr. Grant is currently going through Woodbadge training,
which is the last part of training for
adult leaders. Woodbadge training
is done during two weekends and
includes everything that scouts
go through from the Tiger Cubs to
Eagle Scouts. Boy Scout Leaders
are volunteers and are not paid
unless they work in the council
office in Peoria. Mr. Grant took a
straw poll of Limestone teachers on
September 15th, to see what other
Limestone faculty members were
scouts. Fifty-two said that they
had some experience in scouting as
either a youth or an adult, and two
LCHS teachers are a Eagle Scouts.
Being a Boy Scout makes
people learn more than they
thought they would. Mr. Grant
spoke openly, “We have got one
boy in our troop that has Aspergers Syndrome [a form of autism]
and just watching him develop−it’s
really neat. It has been very positive. It lets me work with kids and
instill good values in them. I did get
to repel off of a twelve story building
this past summer for a fundraiser,
too!”
The Boy Scouts of America
originated in England at the turn of
the 20th century. The Scouts follow
a system called S.M.A.R.T Goals.
It stands for Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
It helps kids create and achieve
reachable goals. There are 7 Scout
rankings: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second
Class, First Class, Star, Life, and
Eagle. If a scout achieves Eagle
Scout status, it is great to put on a
job resume or collage application.
“Boy Scouts can help keep kids out
of trouble if they take the twelve
points of the Scout Law seriously,”
he concludes. The Scout Law points
include always being trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous,
kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent.
6 SPORTS
SPORTS
SHORTS Bump, Set,
Spike
Boys Golf
FORE!
LIMESTONE’S boy’s golf
team is hard at work again this year,
playing nine holes nearly every day.
The home course for the boys team
is Newman Golf course in Peoria,
and the team is putting together
good scores for the end of season
tournaments.
THIS YEAR’S team is led by senior
Derek Camp and junior Robbie
Hurst and freshman Dan Breternitz.
Derek’s average is an impressive 38
on a nine-hole course. The team is
coached by Mr. Buddy Wood, who
instills a love for the game in the
team.
MANY OF the boys on the team are
hoping to make a showing in the
post-season, but they also plan on
playing the sport for years to come.
“Unlike football or baseball, this is a
sport I will still be able to play when
I am 90 years old,” says Derek Camp.
Boys Soccer
Boys soccer is off to a
great start this year with the three
captains, José Diaz, Mason Arnold,
and Jordan Adams, leading the
team to victory. Coach Robinson
stated, “We would like to win more
games than we lose, and also
win a Regional championship.”
So far, the leading players
for the Varsity team are Mason
Arnold and José Diaz as the leading
scorers. In addition, Zeke Beckman,
the goalie, is doing very well. “Zeke
has blocked most of the opponent’s
kicks.” Senior Jordan Adams also
stated, “We have a good solid
team this year and hope to go far.”
Coming up soon in the fall
are the Regionals, Sectionals, Super
Sectionals, and State. October 20-22
starts Regionals; sectionals begin
October 26-30, Super-Sectionals
start November 2, and State is
on November 5. The boys are
dedicated to their game and spend
every day on the field, rain or shine.
By:
Austin
Dearing
Cross Country
This year’s Cross Country team
is made up of eighteen Limestone
students. The Girl’s team runs
about thirty-five miles per week, and
the guys run about fifty miles per
week. “The boys team was ranked
in top twenty-five early season and
hope to finish there,” head coach
Durham recently commented. Mr.
Hurst, the assistant coach, is a new
addition to the team. The home
course is located at Alpha Park.
Girls Volleyball Slams Into
Another Season
Shelby Greeson, reporter
It starts off with a serve and
ends with a kill. This year’s volleyball
team is working hard and wanting
the wins for a great season. The
Varsity team is made up of sixteen
outstanding players led by Katie
Hines, Megan Funke, and Payton
Clarahan as this year’s captains.
Senior
Payton
Clarahan
jumps up for the kill against
two
Dunlap
defenders.
The players are Emily Bontz,
Payton Clarahan, Carson Delgadillo,
Sydney Delgadillo, Reilly Dunne,
Morgan Eckstein, Megan Funke,
Sarah Funke, Shelby Gruber, Katie
Hines, Jennifer Jones, Emily Karl,
Brittany Morris, Makenzie Newton,
Sheyanne Redmon, and Sami
Siebenthal. There are eight seniors,
four juniors, and four sophomores
to round out this year’s roster.
According to head coach,
Mrs. Stoner, the team’s goal is to
be in the top three teams of the
Mid-Illini Conference. They also
want to win this year’s Regional’s.
They would also like to have a
winning record. The Journal Star
ranked Limestone Volleyball to
finish fifth in the conference,
but later admitted that they may
have underestimated these girls.
The early season stats have
Sami Siebenthal as a kill leader,
with Megan Funke as the assist
leader. Sami Siebenthal is also an
ace leader. Aces are serves that
the other team cannot return. The
block leaders are Carson Delgadillo
and Payton Clarahan. Blocks are
important to our team because it
earns our team more points. To
round out the stats Katie Hines and
Reilly Dunne are the dig leaders.
Digs are when our team makes a
pass off of the other team’s spike.
Coach Stoner recently
commented, “It’s a solid group
of seniors with hard working
sophomores and juniors to
round out the roster.” This year’s
season should be one heck of a
season for these dedicated girls.
Big Ten Football
The Big Ten Conference Looks To Make A Comeback
Chris Butler, Editor in Chief
College football is in full swing and one conference hungry for a championship is
the Big Ten. They have not won a BCS National Championship since 2002, which
was won by Ohio State. The Ohio State Buckeyes are looking very promising to
win the championship. They are ranked number two in the nation behind Alabama
Crimson Tide of the SEC. The Buckeyes are led by junior quarterback, Terrelle
Pryor, who has led the Buckeyes to a 4-0 start and are in championship form.
Pryor leads the team with 715 passing yards on 51 completions. He also looks to
win the Heisman Trophy, which goes to the best college football player of the year.
The
Wisconsin
Badgers are looking to take
over the top spot in the Big
Ten rankings, as they are
ranked number eleven in the
nation. They are led by junior
running back John Clay, who
has 383 yards on 62 carries.
The Badgers are 4-0 and are
looking strong to knock off
the Buckeyes when they play
them on October 16 at home.
There are two teams that are on a down fall in the Big Ten. Number 18
Iowa is one of the two teams that is on the down fall in the Big Ten. They lost
their third game of the season to number 24 ranked University of Arizona
Wildcats 34-27. The Hawkeyes are lead by returning senior Ricky Stanzi. He
leads the team with 999 passing yards on 66 completions with a passer rating
of 179.41. The Hawkeyes have one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten,
having to face five top-25 opponents and four ranked opponents in a row.
One of those ranked teams is Penn State University. Penn State has
only lost one game, but it was to number one ranked Alabama. The Nittany
Lions are led by freshman quarterback Robert Bolden. He has 823 passing
yards on 68 completions, but their running game is what is bringing them
down. Their returning senior halfback, Evan Royster, only has 297 yards
on 57 carries. Their next opponent will be number 17 ranked Iowa.
A team that is on the rise is the Wolverines of Michigan. They are
led by sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson. He leads the Wolverines in
passing yards with 731 and rushing yards with 688 yards with a combined
ten touchdowns. Robinson has been making a strong case to be the Heisman
front-runner. He has led the Wolverines to a 4-0 start with major wins over
Connecticut and Notre Dame. Michigan start their conference play at Indiana.
Illinois has been off to a decent start, at 2-1, with a loss to Missouri.
The Illini have been led by rusher Mikel Leshoure and QB Nathan Scheelhaase
who have 398 yards on 58 carries and 204 yards on 40 carries respectively.
They have had many problems in the passing game as they are ranked 112
in passing yards. The Illini have a tough conference schedule, but once the
passing game comes together, they will be in contention for a conference title.
The Big Ten has been declining in previous years, but this could be the
year they return to glory as one of the elite conferences in college football. They
have many possible Heisman candidates and BCS Championship contenders,
but the season will play out and we will see the Big Ten rise or fall again.
Mid-Illini
Conference
Standings
Football
Metamora
Washington
Morton
Limestone
Dunlap
East Peoria
Pekin
Canton
Boys Golf
Pekin
Washington
Dunlap
Morton
East Peoria
Limestone
Canton
Metamora
Boys Soccer
Morton
Metamora
Washington
Dunlap
Limestone
Pekin
East Peoria
Canton
Volleyball
Washington
Metamora
Dunlap
Limestone
Morton
Pekin
East Peoria
Canton
Girls Golf
Morton
Pekin
Dunlap
Washington
Metamora
East Peoria
Limestone
Canton
Girls Tennis
Metamora
Washington
Morton
Dunlap
Pekin
East Peoria
Limestone
LCHS Football Undergoes a Make-Over
SPORTS 7
With a New Coach, Young Team, and a Number of Wins, Rocket Football Ignites the Community
Chris Butler, Editor-in-Chief
Football has always been big in the Peoria
area, but this year the football spirit has
returned to Bartonville. The Limestone
Rockets have made a major turnaround
from last year’s record of 1-8 and improved
to 4-2 this year, with wins over Peoria Notre
Dame, Pekin, Canton, and East Peoria.
The Rockets are led by new
football coach and History teacher, Mr.
Rich Turner. He is originally from Ohio,
but he has coached in Florida
too. He grew up on football and
it has led him to be the coach he
is today. The Rockets are geared
up this season and have shown
it on the field. They have shown
more intensity this season than
they have in the past few years.
The Rockets started
their season off at home against
Peoria Notre Dame, their first test
to see if they will be a legitimate
team in the area. Limestone got
off to an early start by scoring
twice, but allowed Notre Dame
to score. The score ended up to
be 21-12. Senior Tyler Ashby led
the team with three touchdowns
in the first game. He leads the
league in rushing yards and
touchdowns, and has proven
to be the standout of the team
and one of the senior leaders.
Limestone stayed at
home against IVC the following
week and played a tough
game. They came into the game 1-0,
but they left it 1-1. The Rockets looked
like they would not have a chance, but
we scored two late touchdowns to make
the score 21-14. It just was not enough
as the Grey Ghosts stopped our boys
and went on to win by the same score.
The Rockets’ next game was away
at Pekin. The Rockets came in strong led by
junior quarterback Joben Barnes. We played
a tough game and came out on top 28-17,
but all of the scoring was done by Ashby,
as he had four touchdowns. Limestone
came back home the following week
to face Canton for their conference
home opener. The only player that has
scored a touchdown to this point was
Ashby, but this game changed that,
as Barnes and senior running back
Jake Yost scored touchdowns in the
Rockets 33-2 rout of the Little Giants.
Limestone went back on
the road to Morton to play them in
their Homecoming game. Limestone
came in as the underdog and it
showed.
The Potters stopped our
running game as theirs exploded on
the field with their senior running
back D.J. Zahn. The Potters went on
to win the game 20-6; Limestone did
Major League Baseball Playoffs
not even score until the fourth quarter.
The following week, the Rockets
came home to play East Peoria for
their Homecoming game. The Rockets
came into the game without a win on
Homecoming for the past seven years.
Limestone had high hopes of winning this
game, because the Raiders have not won a
game yet all season, even though they have
beaten LCHS the last two years. Coach
Turner started freshman quarterback Adam
Schmitt in place of Barnes
due to a minor injury, but
Barnes still received a few
snaps. Schmitt showed
the Raiders he could play
by throwing an early 35
yard touchdown pass
to senior wide receiver
Lakin Foiles. East Peoria
came down the field
the following drive and
scored a 35 yard field goal
to make the score 8-3, but
the Rockets, led by Ashby
and senior Dylan Hurst,
ran up the score as the
defense held them back,
and the Rockets went on
to win the game 35-0.
Limestone football has
jumped out to a good
start, but there are still
three games left. The
Rockets will go on the
road this Friday and
face Washington, who is coming off of a
tough loss last week. We stay at home the
following week to face Dunlap, and go
back on the road to face Metamora for our
season finale. The Rockets have a chance
to make the playoffs this year if we can
win one of our final games. Hopefully
all of the Rocket Rowdies come out to
the final games of the year and cheer on
our Limestone Rockets and hope for
our boys to make a final playoff push.
MLB Playoffs
Austin Dearing, Reporter/Photographer
The entire MLB season offers
excitement for baseball fans, but
everything ramps up in the postseason. I
am talking about the MLB playoffs. Only
a few lucky teams make it to the ALDS
(American League Divisional Series),
and NLDS (National League Divisional
Series), let alone the ALCS (American
League Championship Series) and
NLCS (National League Championship
Series). Of those, only two reach the
World Series, with one team winning
it all in the best of seven game series.
The MLB
Playoffs
are not too
far away
coming in
October
2010 at any
of the Major
L e a g u e
stadiums.
The American League includes Red
Sox, Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles,
Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Royals,
Indians, Angels, Rangers, and Mariners.
The National League includes Cardinals,
Phillies, Mets, Braves, Nationals,
Marlins, Brewers, Reds, Astros,
Pirates, Dodgers, Rockies, SF Giants,
Padres, Diamondbacks, and the Cubs.
The World Series takes place in
October 2010, at each one of the
winning teams’ home stadiums for
two games at each, or more if they
are tied. Sometimes, the Series
does not go to the full seven games,
sometimes it only goes to four or five.
So far the teams that in the
postseason are as followed: Minnesota
Twins(AL Central), Texas Rangers(AL
West), Philadelphia Phillies(NL East),
Cincinnati Reds(NL Central), New York
Yankees(AL Wild Card), Tampa Bay
Rays(AL East/Best Leauge Record),
. These teams have clinched, which
means that they are in the playoffs
and cannot be
knocked out.
Whoever wins
out of the teams
on the NCDL
and the ACDL
will be in the
World Series
competing
for
the
title
in
a
seven
game
series.
The Philadelphia Phillies have
clinched as the best league record also.
The Atlanta Braves have clinched as a
wild card, along with the San Fransisco
Giants have clinched as NL West
champion. Whoever wins the games
between October 6, and October 15
is going to decide who will go further
in their baseball season in 2010. The
World Series starts October 27th. The
start of Game 3 of the World Series
will be moved up one hour from a year
ago, giving Major League Baseball its
earliest beginning to a championship
contest since 1987 as the sport tries
to reach younger fans. The October
30, game on News Corp’s Fox will
start at 6:57 p.m. New York time.
GIRLS GOLF
TEES OFF
Limestone Girls
Hit the Links
Abbie Tinnon, reporter
BARTONVILLE--
SINCE
1953, sports have been a big
part of Limestone High School.
Limestone offers athletes a
wide range of sports to try,
and the selection is equally
divided between girls and boys
sports.
Boys’ Golf has been
part of Limestone since 1963,
with a long-standing tradition of
success; but in 2010, Limestone’s
girls finally formed a golf team
to call their own, with hope
of creating the same legacy.
Coached by Mr. Knaggs, the
girls learned the game and how
to succeed at it. This is the first
time that
most of
the girls
h a v e
golfed,
so there
was a lot
to learn.
Scoring,
g o l f
etiquette,
t h e
mechanics of the game—all
of these elements were new
to the girls. Mr. Knaggs and
the boy’s coach, Coach Wood,
worked to get the girls ready
for the initial girls golf season.
The home golf course for
Limestone’s lady golfers is at
Madison Golf Course in Peoria.
This is also the course on which
the girls practice through the
week. Madison is an 18-hole,
5,300 yard public course, is the
oldest golf course in Peoria, and
appeals to beginners because
of the flat, short holes. The
entire course is a par 69, but
the girls only golf the front nine.
Generally on Fridays, the girls
accompany the boys team to
Coyote Creek to work on the
long game, at the driving range.
There are currently 15 members
of the girls golf team, led by
junior Cassidy Jennings, senior
Bethany Velde, and sophomore
Ellie Mollenhauer. The season
is relatively short, but it was a
great start for the girls to get their
feet wet and get exposed to the
possibilities that golf will open
up for them. “Girls golf has the
highest percentage of unclaimed
college scholarships, so this can
really open some doors for our
girls,” according to Coach Knaggs.
8 JUST FOR FUN
Just For the Fun of It
Sometimes, the truth is stranger than
fiction
Bom Chicka Cow Cow...
A Dutch veterinarian was fined 600
guilders (about $240) for causing a fire
that destroyed a farm in Lichten Vourde,
the Netherlands. The vet had been trying
to convince a farmer that his cow was
passing flatulent gas; to demonstrate, the
vet ignited the gas, but the cow became
a “four-legged flame-thrower” and ran
wild, setting fire to bales of hay.
Damage to the farm was assessed at
$80,000. The cow was unharmed. AP World’s Best Want Ads
And everyone says Americans are smart
shoppers...
Huh? Braille dictionary for sale.
Must see to appreciate.
FOR SALE BY OWNER: Complete set
of Encyclopedia Britannica. 45 volumes.
Excellent condition. $1,000.00 or best offer.
No longer needed. Got married last weekend.
Wife knows everything.
Help wanted: singer for rock band. Must
be female or male.
For sale: Wedding dress, size 6, brand new,
half off, long story.
Say what? Full sized mattress. 20 year
warranty. Like New. Slight urine smell.
No kidding…Nordic Track $300 hardly
used, call Chubby.
OMG! Joining nudist colony! Must sell
washer and dryer $300.
NAME
THIS
MOVIE
Self Help: Open house BODY SHAPERS
TONING GYM. Free coffee and donuts
Found: dirty white dog. Looks like a rat...
been out while. Better be a reward.
To A Good Home Only: Free Yorkshire
Terrier: 8 years old. Hateful little dog.
Free puppies: ½ cocker spaniel, ½ neighbor’s sneaky little dog.
Captain Obvious: Snow Blower for sale…
only used on snowy days.
“We have a 2319! We
have a 2319!”
If you know the movie in which this quote appears, email the Limelight staff at
[email protected]
Prizes will vary
JUST FOR FUN 9
« Horoscopes
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF
YOU HAD AN OUT-OF-BODY
EXPERIENCE?
ARIES: “Who’s in charge here? I’d like to see God right now, please. Am I dead? Gee, I never thought
that could happen to me! Where can I get a crystal palace backlit with white light like that one?”
What is it?
What are these pictures of?
GEMINI: The key thing to the zodiacal twins isn’t the experience itself, but how they can embellish it
when telling the story (or writing about it). Since Geminis are comfortable in all worlds, except those
without telephones, they usually ...bounce back to the body fairly rapidly-- and the mouth tends to
work before the rest of the body comes back to life.
CANCER: Cancerians can live to be 125 years old, and they don’t usually have near death experiences, but they can come awfully close to having a near life experience when they get brave and venture
out of their house for “supplies
VIRGO: Working a marathon 60 hours straight, Virgo collapses and leaves the body. She moves
through that delightfully clean and sparkling tunnel of light, occasionally reflecting upon possible
improvements . . . but soon becomes so worried by the thought of her loved ones “managing” without
her that she snaps back into the body like white lightning, sits up, and calmly pronounces herself
alive, glancing at her watch
LIBRA: Floating out of the body, then in, then out, then in, and finally out again . . . Libra sees a
tunnel and a vibrant being of light at the other end. “Wow, is that Jesus? Never deciding whether to
go through the tunnel (after all, what’s death without someone to share it with?) Libra ends up back
in the body by default, hounded by a mysterious compulsion to start a dating service for discarnate
souls.
SCORPIO: Since most Scorpio’s have nine lives, they tend to brainstorm different ways to trigger the
near death experience. Once nearly dead, most can barely get to the end of the tunnel without meet-
Answers: 1. fly face 2. forks 3. snake eye 4. golf ball
ing some being with whom they have astral relationship. When asked whom they prefer to greet them
on the other side, 75% name a favorite vampire, and Medusa is a strong contender
SAGITTARIUS: Sag floats out of her body and has to laugh at the stupid way she bought the farm.
After somehow BREAKING the tunnel of light, she absolutely refuses to return to the body, since she’s
been trying to get out of it for all these... years (via clumsy accidents). Because Sag is immensely curious about whether the so-called organized religious have any validity at all, this stroke of luck leads
to some amaaaaaazing lessons, until, alas, the astral folks tire of her and trick her into returning to
Earth for the duration.
CAPRICORN: It might take Capricorn a little while to realize he is dead because there are special
rooms set up to look like executive offices for newly-dead Goats. A sharp-looking, older gentlemanghost comes in and gives Cap an instruction... manual titled HOW TO PROFIT IN THE ASTRAL
WHAT IS THE BEST PART
OF
SEPTEMBER
FOR
YOU?
MARKETPLACE, plus a “job evaluation” type assessment of Cap’s achievements and mistakes over
the lifetime, followed by a pink slip (meaning the body revived). Caps tend to return to their bodies
quickly, unable to tolerate non-physical existence for long.
AQUARIUS: Aquarius gets to the pearly gates, sees that heaven isn’t run by consensus, and opts for
hell, where at least there is an appealing anarchy and rules are made to be broken. Ironically, Aquarian near-death experiences tend to be extremely traditional, i.e., God the Father, St. Peter, the celestial choir and so on (another reason to rebel and opt for hell). Once in the underworld, they bedevil
the hell out of Satan and his cronies with their loud and vigorous campaigns for progressive reforms,
and are quickly expelled back to the body
PISCES: For some reason, our Piscean friends barely notice their near death experiences. Instead,
during a typical day at the office, many Pisceans report seeing beings with long-suffering expressions
on their faces and who patiently tell the Piscean to go back to his or her body.
LEO: “Nooooooo, I am NOT dead. I am not, I am not, I am not . . . Who are those guys in the white
robes? What’s that they’re singing . . . ? They’re off key. I can sing better than that! Where’s the choir
director? I need a microphone immediately. Unless it’s Rolling Stone or Spin, hold my calls.
TAURUS: Leaving the body, Taurus realizes that he or she no longer has a stomach and immediately
returns to the body (thud!), without seeing tunnels, light, God, etc., making Taurus skeptical for the
rest of his or her life.
Limelight Colophon
Our
Mission: Limelight is a student newspaper of Limestone Community High School. It is published throughout the school year by media methods students. Limelight is a member of the Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association, and Illinois High School Scholastic Press Association. Students are responsible for the
content of Limelight. Views represented do not necessarily represent, in part or in whole, those of the Limestone Community High School administration, faculty, or school board.
Editorial policy is determined by the Editorial Board of Limelight, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of the editorial board. Columns that carry bylines are
the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent that of Limelight. The paper is distributed free to students and staff. Subscriptions are available by mail anywhere in the
US for $8 per school year. Contact us at: Limestone Community High School, ATTN Limelight, 4201 S. Airport Road, Bartonville, IL, 61607. We can also be reached via email
at [email protected] and our paper can be read at http://limestone.k12.il.us/limelight. Printed by School Publications Company, Neptune, NJ.
Our Staff:
Editors in Chief: Chris Butler and Autum Greeson
Business Manager: Jami Gray
Editors: Chris Butler, Jami Gray, Autum Greeson, Brittany Magner, Blake McWilliams
Chief Photographer: Abbie Tinnon
Staff: Chayse Cairns, Nichole Capranica, Austin Dearing, Sierra Gartman, Shelby Greeson, Tanner Haller, Dan McGarr, Katie
Metcalf, Samantha Ruzicka, Chad Toland, Jessican Williams
10 ENTERTAINMENT
Homecoming is a chance for everyone to get together and reconnect with high
Rocket
school friends and come back to the school. It is the time for Limestone and the
Rowdies Rock
community to reconnect in a fun and entertaining way.
our Rivals
Homecoming Week Brings ‘em Home
Limestone’s Fanaticals
Organize to Support Teams
Brittany Magner, section editor
In addition to watching
Limestone’s athletes hard at
work on the field or the court,
people attending athletic events
now have something else to
feast their eyes on: Limestone’s
Rocket Rowdies.
The Rocket Rowdies is
really just a group of uberfans—students who show up
with faces painted, wigs, odd
combinations of blue and white
clothing, and a ton of school
spirit. They are loud, raucous,
and appear to be having the time
of their lives. They encourage
our athletes, pump up our
crowd, and
intimidate
the opposing
team. The
R o c k e t
Rowdies, in
other words,
are doing
exactly what
they want to
do.
Limestone students, alumni, faculty, and families come home to reconnect
Brittany Magner, Section Editor
Homecoming is a very exciting
experience and there are many
entertaining events that take place
before the dance. Every year Limestone
dedicates a whole week to Homecoming to
generate more excitement to the occasion.
Along with all of the great school spirit,
there is a Variety Show that takes place,
a bonfire, the Homecoming Parade, the
football game, and the dance. Every
year Student Council puts a lot of effort
into making this week the best one yet.
The first event that took place for
Homecoming was the Variety Show on
Thursday, September 30. The auditions
for the Variety Show are always held at
Limestone in the auditorium. Every year
each class puts on a “skit” and competes
with each other to win first place. The
winner for the second year in a row was
the Class of 2011, who did “Grease in
Greece”. The Sophomore Class took 2nd
place. In addition to the class skits,
every year students get together and put
on their best performance in front of the
judges as filler acts. This year’s filler acts
included Dylan Ray doing an incredible
Beat Box performance and Darius Causey
rapping “This or That”. The Homecoming
attendants were also chosen at the show.
The bonfire was another activity that
happened in Homecoming week. This
event took place after the Variety Show
outside the school. The cheerleaders,
football players, and the fire department
participated in this activity. The Rocket
Rowdies led the crowd in the “rollercoaster”
and announced the winners.
The next event that took place here
at Limestone before Homecoming was
the parade. The parade started at
Limestone in the student parking lot.
Any teams, community members, or
school organizations that would like to
participate are in this parade. It took
the parade an hour and a half to go the
whole route, led by the Marching Band.
The community is very excited to have
the parade back in the Homecoming
activities. The parade was cancelled
a few years back due to not enough
participation, because students had jobs
to go to and couldn’t be there to build
the floats. A year later Key Club brought
back the parade and since then they
have had great outcomes for this activity.
The last event for Homecoming week
was the dance. The ticket for the dance
this year was actually a key chain with
the dance information on it. Every year
Student Council gets together and picks
a theme for the dance. This year they
have come up with “Greek Week”. It was
every class’s job to pick the name of a
Greek god or goddess for their class. The
freshmen chose Hades, the sophomores
decided on Poseidon, the juniors elected
Aeries, and the seniors of course earned
the great god himself, Zeus. The dance
was located here at Limestone in the
auxiliary gym and the D.J. was DJ4U.
It was a great night filled with fun.
Homecoming is a great event that
welcomes everyone back in our
school. It’s a great time to get friends
together and get dressed up, take
pictures, go out for dinner, and go to
the dance and just have a great time.
THE PARADE this
year found a new
route; instead of going
clockwise from the
school onto Pfieffer, to
Lafayette, to Garfield,
and back to Airport,
the entire route was
reversed. Floats lined
up in the school parking
lot, went down Airport
Road to Garfield,
turned at Lafayette,
and then took Pfieffer
Road back to the school
to kick off the tailgate
party in the parking lot.
While Limestone has had
Rocket Rowdies for quite some
time, it is only this year that
this motley crew has grown into
a full-fledged, organized group.
In the past, each sport had its
own group of supporters, and
those fans showed up to show
their support for the team they
followed. The Rocket Rowdies,
however, don’t discriminate.
They can be seen at football
games, dominating the student
section of the bleachers, or at
volleyball games, whooping as a
serve is sent over the net. The
Rocket Rowdies have T-shirts,
meet for food and fun before the
events, and take their jobs as
designated fans very seriously.
Seniors Andrew Gruber,
Cameron Christiansen and
junior Chuck Schempf, are,
for lack of a better term, the
Presidents of the Rocket Rowdies
Club for the 2010-2011 school
year. They have organized
tailgate parties, purchased food
and face paint, and designed
and ordered the official Rocket
Rowdies T-shirts. All of these
young men are athletes in
sports at Limestone, and they
recognize the advantage a big
fan base gives our players.
“There is something about
being cheered on by a group
of blue and white crazies that
makes athletes work harder,”
says Gruber. “And that’s our
goal: to encourage our teams
to put Limestone on the map…
in a good way.”
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PHONE: (309)686-3366
ENTERTAINMENT 11
Bob and Tom-Radio Bomb
The National Radio Team Brings
Their Show to Peoria
Samantha Ruzicka, reporter
At 6:00 every morning, Bob
and Tom along with Kristi
Lee and Chick Mcghee begin
their carefree rants on current
happenings and everyday
stupidity. Their stories vary
from crazed girlfriends sliding
down chimneys to Chilean
miners being trapped in
underground mines. This
comedy-variety show is heard
from coast to coast on 150
different stations. Here in
the Peoria, Illinois area the
show can be heard on the
radio station 95.5 GLO from
5:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.
The Bob & Tom Show is a
syndicated US radio program
established by Bob Kevoian
and Tom Griswold at radio
station WFBQ in Indianapolis,
Indiana, in 1983, and
syndicated nationally since
1995. The show is hosted
by Bob Kevoian and Tom
Griswold; they are joined by
Chick McGee who acts as sports
commentator as well as comic
No Brain, No
Gain
Scholars Night Awards
Nichole Capranica, reporter
Scholars Night is a function
that Limestone has held for 28
years. It recognizes scholastic achievement of a 3.6 GPA
on a 4.0 scale. During the
banquet, student names are
announced and they receive
a medal. Sophomores receive
bronze medals, Juniors accept
silver medals and Seniors, of
course, earn gold. The first
Limestone Scholars Night was
held on Wednesday November
10, 1982 and consisted of a
potluck dinner. This year’s
Scholars Night was also held
on a Wednesday on September 1 at 7:00 p.m. Instead of
a potluck, cookies and punch
were served before the actual
awards as a way to reward and
honor the scholars. The guest
speaker was Mr. Chad Jones
from the Limestone class of
1994, who encouraged the
scholars to set goals for themselves and then chase them.
The medals were presented to
the following students:
SOPHOMORES:
Kelly Arnett
Kayla Berres
foil, and Kristi Lee the show’s
news anchor and occasional
target of the show’s humor.
During the show, live or prerecorded comic songs and skits
are often played, including
many from a huge library of
archived pieces. And there
are frequent impromptu calls
from numerous “characters”
voiced by various members
of the show’s staff, doing
parodies of famous people
such as George W. Bush, Larry
King, and Morgan Freeman.
Their
impersonations
Megan Brinkman
Jessica Caudill
Ryan Christiansen
Kendra Cranford
Nathan Darko
Carson Delgadillo
Kody Downes
Alexa Ellis
Zachary Engstrom
Amber Featherston
Kraig Fleener
Taylor Floyd
Sarah Funke
Nicole Furniss
Richard Gossmeyer
Tory Grafelman
Kimberly Hedgespeth
Jessica Hill
Megan Hobson
Molly Hoyle
Kymberly Huddleston
Zachary Jewell
Branden Johnson
Nicholle King
Chloe Knight
Jack Koeppel
Kyle Look
Zachary May
Brittany Morris
Tara Owen
Michael Rendleman
Megan Riggen
Cassidy Rodecker
Ciara Roehm
Frances Russick
Morgan Schwindenhammer
Klayton Smith
Samantha Spear
Shamaree Stewart
Erica Stobaugh
Rylee Stufflebeam
Gretchen Teske
Alexander Thompson
Kendra Ulrich
are occasionally crudely
funny and obnoxious.
If you’re interested in seeing
the hilarity of Bob and Tom
live here in Peoria, then you
should do as Bob and Tom
say and start looking up how
to buy tickets for their show
October 1st at 7:30 pm at
the Peoria Civic Center. Each
ticket costs $32.50. Their
show will have multiple guests
including Bob Zany, Etta
May, Greg Hahn, and Donnie
Baker, all nationally-known
comedians, performing their
Dakota Walker
Dylan Weaver
Katelyn Weisser
Adam Welch
Emily Winkle
JUNIORS:
Jessica Armour
Benjamin Austin
Cameron Baker
Catherine Barnes
Joben Barnes
Brittany Barto
Hannah Becker
Devin Berchtold
William Bessler
Emily Bontz
Kelsey Briggs
Melissa Bucklin
April Burd
Jessica Calicotte
Brandon Casey
Aaron Catterall
Sonya Closen
Sydney Delgadillo
Loan Dinh
Austin Fiddes
Dylan Fiddes
Andrea Fortner
Amber Fulton
Jessica Gaul
Abbie George
Taylor Goodin
Kayla Hanlon
Kayla Hardy
Brianne Henderson
Steven Heskett
Mary Heuermann
Michael Heuermann
Rachel Hibser
Austin Houle
Kelsey Kauffman
William Kemper
Kody Krupps
Jared Leischeidt
best material. The emcee
for the night will be none
other than the Bob and
Tom Show’s Chick McGee.
If you need to start your
morning with a laugh, turn
on those radios and tune
into Bob and Tom’s show,
their comedic guests, and
their overall crazy show.
A regular Bob and Tom
listener, Sierra Gartmann
says, “They have real
news, but with a funny
twist.” With most morning
news shows giving heavy,
straight reporting, it’s
nice to find one channel
that delivers the news,
but starts the day with a
smile. The Bob and Tom
show certainly fills that bill.
Shane McMullen
Karin Murali
Brooke Naylor
Morgen Owen
Thomas Ricks
George Sanders
Kaitlyn Satterwhite
Charles Shempf
Mathew Sholl
Abbie Tinnon
SENIORS:
Jordan Adams
Jesse Brockwell
Brittany Bryant
Derek Camp
Charles Carey
Cameron Christiansen
Kara Cordes
Ryan Darko
Kayleigh Ewing
Nathaniel Fales
Megan Funke
Meagan Genovese
Dane Georges
Jamilea Gray
Autum Greeson
Andrew Gruber
Emily Hand
Katelyn Hines
Erin Hocker
Jennifer Jones
Maxwell Look
Brandon Morris
Makenzie Newton
Natalie Nimmo
Samuel Pille
Timothy Rogers
Grant Shroeder
Hannah Shultz
Colten Smith
Joshua Smith
Emily Welch
Christopher Wood
UN-”AWFUL” ASSEMBLY
School Assemblies
Need Revamped,
According to Students
Chris Butler
Editor in Chief
The notice comes over the
intercom and announces the
school assembly. Everyone is
excited; the school is pumped
and ready to cheer on our fellow
classmates. So we think. What
really goes through our heads
as we walk into those
gymnasium doors and
see the marching band
playing one of their songs
from their series of songs
called “Kaleidoscope?”
Unfortunately, the overall
tone is not the exhilaration
it
should
be.
The level of school spirit is
so low that the assemblies
are painful to sit through.
Student Council, which puts
on our school assemblies,
always begins each assembly
with a “game” of some sort
on the gym floor, but the
games usually only include
the same group of students
we see at every assembly,
and some of the games
drag on and aren’t really
that fun to watch.
The
assemblies consist of the
game, then a succession
of coaches standing behind a
podium, announcing names one
after another, and kids cross
the gym, stand in a line, and
step forward when their names
are called—some kids get loud
applause and catcalls; for others,
there is only awkward silence
when their names are called.
Our assemblies are no longer
exciting or inspiring; they are
tedious, drawn-out affairs, called
“Recognition assemblies”. In
speaking with members of Student
Council, they acknowledged that
the assemblies “happen”, that
is to say there is a beginning, a
middle, and an end; but that they
are certainly not exciting. The
student body is led by the seniors,
Fall Play
November 5,6, 2010
7:30 p.m.
who should show maturity and
discipline. Unfortunately, they
choose to display their leadership
in negative ways, chanting, being
rude to speakers, and taunting
each other. The underclassmen,
up in the balconies, are almost
invisible at the assemblies.
Our school spirit is flagging;
it is the job of Student Council
to liven up the assemblies in
such a way that students leave
the assemblies excited about
upcoming events. Assemblies
used to be called “Pep
Assemblies”—but there is no
more pep in our assemblies. Now
anyone who has been to a football
game or a volleyball game has
witnessed the “Rocket Rowdies”.
This is a group of students with
undiminished school spirit, who
cheer for every member of the
teams out of the court or field.
Why can’t that enthusiasm be
emulated in the assemblies?
Why aren’t those students
being asked to assist in adding
some life to the assemblies?
Of course, the logical thing
to do is to start with some of
the Student Council members
who plan and conduct the
UPCOMING
EVENTS
assemblies. An idea generated
by sophomore Student Council
member Josh Wormer was for
each grade level to have its
own Student Council Rocket
Rowdy standing in front of their
section, leading cheers and
pumping up the crowd; senior
Grant Schroeder discussed
the possibility of going to a
1:45 dismissal schedule on
assembly days and devoting
the last hour to assemblies,
so that students could
get riled up and not
have to wind back down
to go to class. Senior
Student Council member
Cameron Christiansen
discussed the possibility
of having some of the
athletes speak about
the season, rather
than just the coaches;
and sophomore Chase
Schooley mentioned the
possibility of allowing
students to face paint,
wear Rocket Rowdy
clothes, and show more
school spirit. All of those
interviewed mentioned
that they would like
to see the band play
more competition-based
songs, such as We
Will Rock You/We Are
the Champions, or to
have the drum line compete
in the middle of the gym.
These ideas were generated
in less than twenty minutes;
all are easily implemented.
So why do we continue to let
our assemblies be the snoozefests they are? Only we can
make our assemblies rock,
and that can’t happen if our
students choose to sit and talk
throughout the assemblies,
or not pay attention at all.
LIMESTONE
STUDENT BODY:
STEP UP! PEP
UP! AND GET UP
ON YOUR FEET!
Can’t “Wait” For
the Fall Play
LCHS Presents a Thriller In the
Fall
THIS FALL the drama department is
presenting the full length play Wait
Until Dark, directed by Mr. Zack
Binder, on November 5 and 6th, 2010
at 7:30 in Limestone’s auditorium.
This play is quite different from
recent fall plays, some of which were
seasonal in nature; this play, however,
is a complete thriller, guaranteed
to give the audience a good scare.
THIS BROADWAY play, later made into a
movie starring Audrey Hepburn, is about
a blind woman who becomes entangled
in a smuggling ring unwittingly, at
the hands of her husband. Lauryn
Ott plays the lead female role of Susy
Hendrix,
a blind
housewife
who must
defend
herself
against
t h r e e
con men,
played
by Dane
Georges,
Cameron
Baker,
and Will Riley, all looking for a
doll containing illicit “treasure”.
Unfortunately, Susy no longer has the
doll, having given it to a neighbor girl,
played by Jona Hall. The men enter
Susy’s apartment and pretend to be
police, but Susy figures out that these
are the “bad guys”, and is left to dispatch
of them herself. So she stalls the men,
waits until dark, and then puts out all
of the lights in the apartment, forcing
the men to blunder about in the dark,
a world in which she functions daily.
“IT’S SCARY,” states director Zack
Binder. “But in a classic style.
There are no monsters jumping out
at you. The villains in this play are
real people, and in that sense, Wait
Until Dark seems so much scarier
than the average horror film.”
October
October 11: No School (Columbus Day)
October 13-14: Term Assessment Days
October 16: Easter Seals Concert at Peoria Expo Gardens
October 30: Haunted Hallways
November
November 4: Blood Drive
November 5-6: Fall Play
November 7: Madrigal Ticket Public Sale
November 10: Veteran’s Day Assembly
November 11: No School (Veteran’s Day)
November 17: Rocket Man/Woman Pageant
TIP: Change to Fluorescent Bulbs - If every house in the
United States changed all of the light bulbs in their house, that
would be equivalent to taking one million cars off the streets.