the appleton north

NOCTILUCAAppleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Vol. XX Issue I

It is a time for many changes at Appleton North. From renovated schedules, including I/E time, to the new 1-to-1 technology benefits of Chromebooks, Appleton North is continually looking to improve.

The referendum that passed for the Appleton Area School District last school year provided the financial means for these improve-ments and many more; one of the most prominent changes being the construction work done inside the North build-ing. After the referendum passed, district and facility personnel discussed on what the needs were at North when it came to security and traffic flow.

Once these plans were set, construction could begin. To-wards the end of the school year and throughout the sum-mer, construction went on at North and Appleton East and West High Schools. East and West received more signifi-cant improvements to their older buildings.

Main changes students at North may notice are the re-configured Main and Student Services offices, as well as new doorways and a relocated set of doors.

“We wanted to enable a direct and improved traffic flow for students and visitors, as well as creating safer en-

trances to the building,” said North’s principal, Mr. James Huggins.

The changes that have been made will not affect the morning routine of getting off the bus in the front of the building or entering through the back. If students are in the building by 7:30 a.m., they need not worry about any of the new changes to the en-trances in the morning. These improvements to North’s en-trances will come into effect for students returning from appointments or visitors.

Once the bell rings at

7:30, the second, or interior, set of doors at each entrance will be locked. This is to en-hance school security due to

concerns about student safety during the day.

If a visitor, such as a par-ent, enters the building during the school day, they will not be able to enter the school di-rectly and then proceed to the office like in years past. They instead must enter one of the two renovated offices, either the Main Office or Student Services.

“Once the visitor enters the office, they will be greeted by a secretary and a more ef-ficient office design,” said Mr. Huggins.

Construction will improve security at North

Senior Kadieann Vandergrinten uses the new procedure for entering into Student Services. Students and visitors will need to enter through the offices after 7:30 in the morning, when the entrances will lock. Photo Illustration by Paige Beckum

Offices have been recon-figured to allow secretaries to greet both visitors entering from the outside of the school and to greet students and staff entering the offices from the hallways of North. This is the procedure for when visi-tors enter, but if students are locked out of the building by security measures they can swipe their school ID card to unlock the door and enter the building to return to class.

While many changes are happening at North this year, improved entrances will be another new asset to North that will improve traffic flow of students, staff and visitors.

Changes at Appleton North come in many forms this year and the daily Intervention and Enrichment time, commonly known as I/E time, is one of the most noticeable to stu-dents. I/E time is much like the homeroom period, in which students can meet with teach-ers, go to clubs, pursue extra-curricular activities, or finish school work.

The I/E time has also led to a single daily schedule that will run throughout the school year. Every day, for 30 min-utes between second and third hour, students will have sev-eral options to choose from.

After the more outlined first few weeks of this I/E time, this time will become unique to each student, as options such as clubs and activities arise.

As students at North go through the week, they will begin in I/E time on Monday. Monday’s I/E time at North will be similar for every stu-dent, as this is when students can schedule the coming week. Students can schedule to go to clubs, activities, and avail-able supervised spaces in the school such as the LMC and computer labs. Monday will be a reading day for those who are not scheduling. Tuesday and Thursday are primarily

designated for clubs and activ-ities, whereas Wednesday and Friday will be designated for academic assistance for those who may need the help.

“I think that academic sup-port is the heart of Interven-tion and Enrichment time,” said North principal Mr. James Huggins, who also ex-pressed his excitement for the opportunities of enrichment that the time will offer.

“We’ve also shrunk the ra-tio of staff to student [in I/E time], to allow for students to connect to staff members that they may not get to meet on their own,” he added.

The new Chromebooks that

Appleton North has received this year will also factor into I/E time, which is when most of the device training will oc-cur.

As students are getting ac-customed to this new time at North, there are mixed re-views.

“I really like how [I/E time] gives me time to get my home-

work done, since I didn’t have room in my schedule for a study hall,” says Ally Price, a sophomore, “But I don’t like how it changed the schedule from last year; now I don’t know what times any of my classes end.”

The changes to North this school year are often very evident, and the Intervention and Enrichment time that will occur every day is another of those changes administration intended to make Appleton North a school of more en-riched and successful students.

For the 2014-15 sched-ule, see page 2.

Changes at North• Construction

to improve en-trance safety

• 1-to-1 devices in place with Chromebooks

• Infinite Campus replaces Parent Portal

• New ID system integrated for students to en-ter North during the day and use school printers

“We wanted to enable a direct and

improved traffic flow for students and visitors, as well as creating

safer entrances to the building.” - Mr. Huggins

By Erik Bakken

I/E time brings new opportunities to North By Erik Bakken

“... Academic support is the heart of Intervention and Enrichment time. ”

-Mr. Huggins

NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Volume XX Issue I Page 2

By Katharine Hackney

Each new school year comes a plethora of new changes. This year, the regu-lar school identification cards have been updated with a new feature making them more functional and valuable than ever: the proximity card read-er.

Instead of having two dif-ferent cards to keep track of: a proximity card reader and a school ID, administration decided to make the proxim-ity card a part of the regular school issued student identifi-cation cards, said Mr. James Huggins, principal.

Quoting school policy in regards to the identification cards, “These cards must be carried at all times while the student is in school or at school-sponsored activities,” so students shouldn’t have a problem using these new fea-tures on the ID cards, as long as they follow this particular policy.

Mr. Huggins said that when the news came that all the printers in the school would be replaced with swipe access printers, a decision was made to take it a step further and add authorized card access to

the commons doors. Accord-ing to Mr. Huggins, this isn’t available yet, but it will be in order soon enough. When it is set up, the doors will lock during the school day and the locking mechanism will need to read the proximity card in order for the student to gain access.

The purpose for this extra security isn’t to monitor the

students coming in and out, just to prevent access to un-authorized personnel. Anyone without an ID will have to go around to student services to check in, which is why stu-dent services has been remod-eled for controlled outdoor access to the building.

In regards to the new print-ers Mr. Huggins said, “We are going to save a tremendous

amount of cost.” The new printers will prevent students from accidentally over print-ing, consequently wasting a copious quantity of paper and ink. Senior Alex Reis is extremely excited for this as-pect because he is on board with anything and everything that’s good for the environ-ment.

“I think this new printer

School IDs become more functional in 2014-15

Appleton North’s

2014-15 BellSchedule

system will be super conve-nient and beneficial for all the students. I especially like the fact that I don’t have to print right away,” said Junior Alys-sa Benyo. According to Mr. Huggins, when students press print, the printable items will be saved and available to be printed anytime for a limited period of time.

Junior Michael Haag said, “It’ll just be an adjustment.” Other than getting used to it, Mr. Huggins predicts there could be future problems, as with any technology that’s all linked up to one system. Also, if a student lost their ID, that student would have to re-sync their new ID back into the system with their school user-name and password.

In the meantime without an ID, they would still be able to print by typing in their school issued username and pass-word each time at the printers, Mr. Huggins said. However, there are only a handful of computers that have the typ-ing function, such as the LMC or Student Services printer.

According to Mr. Huggins, I/E time will be used to let the student body know about any further developments on the building access.

Calum Faser, a sophomore, uses a school ID to print paper in the North LMC. School IDs will be necessary to printing in the 2014-15 school year. Photo Illustration by Paige Beckum

1st Hour: 7:30-8:18

2nd Hour: 8:23-9:11

*I/E Time: 9:16-9:46

3rd Hour: 9:51-10:39

4th Hour: 10:44-11:32

5th Hour: 11:37-12:25

6th Hour: 12:30-1:18

7th Hour: 1:23-2:11

8th Hour: 2:16-3:05

Brief: Youth in Government

Do you want to learn how to lead? Do you want to build your port-folio? Do you like de-bating ideas important to you? Do you like building cohesive argu-ments? Are you inter-ested in journalism?

All these and many more activities can be found in Youth In Gov-ernment. Meetings ev-ery other week on Tues-day nights. The first meeting is on October 7th at the downtown YMCA, 7:00 pm. Food will be provided. Come check out YIG!

If you have questions, contact Alex Reis, Nora Ptacek, Saul Roselaar, or Jenny Detjen.

OPINIONSAppleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Volume XX Issue I Page 3

Noctiluca Mission Statement

Published nine times per year, the student newspa-per of Appleton North High School is a public forum in which its student editorial board makes decisions re-garding its contents.

Its mission is to publish news, information, entertain-ment and opinion articles about our community.

Our goal is to maintain high ethical standards and provide a public forum for free and responsible expression of views. The newspaper strives for a high level of competen-cy and welcomes diversity of scope, depth and breadth of coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness through our entire school community.

Contact Information

Appleton North High School5000 N. Ballard RoadAppleton, WI 54913

Phone: (920) 832-4300Mr. Ramponi, staff advisor,

at: ramponiaaron@aasd.k12.wi.us.

Editorial StaffSenior Editor-In-Chief

Maya MurzelloJunior Editor-In-Chief

Megha UberoiNews EditorErik Bakken

Opinions EditorNora Ptacek

Features EditorElise Painton

Culture EditorCaroline Augustine

Centerspread EditorJulia LammersSports EditorBecca Finger

Photography EditorPaige Beckom

Photography EditorSofia Voet

Copy EditorAbby Davies

Advertising/Social MediaRachel Brosman

Social MediaAJ Floodstrand

AdvisorMr. Ramponi

ContributorsCaroline Augustine

Erik BakkenPaige Beckom

Rachel BrosmanKatharine Hackney

Abby DaviesBecca FingerDavid Fisher

AJ FloodstrandJulia LammersMaya Murzello

Elise PaintonNora PtacekJack Russell

Megha Uberoi

Chromebooks enter

Appleton North

One of the most recent and significant changes to the Appleton North curriculum is the introduction of the Chromebook. It is designed to give students an advantage to use Google drive and stor-age cloud, increase internet access to those who do not own a personal computer for school use, and to boost technological advancement in education.

The Chromebook, from the point of view of many students and staff, acts as a double-edged sword – having definite pros and cons. Many pros can be said of the new Chromebooks.

Google drive, mail, and searching is easier to ac-cess than ever before. The Chromebook is cleverly built with Google technol-ogy, meaning that Gmail, the Google search engine, and Google drive are just show-cased staples of what the new computer has to offer to students.

A Google Chromebook is a no-brainer. Google drive is proven to be a useful tool in file storage and presenta-tions, with the popular option to share and store files in the cloud.

Google docs allows your documents to always be safely at your fingertips, much like the search engine we often fall back on when we just can’t quite remember why the Kardashians are so important! Maybe that’s not the right word for them.

“YOU get a Chromebook, and YOU get a Chromebook, and YOU get a chromebook!” That’s right, folks, every student, freshman to senior, is entitled to a Chromebook of their own to use for school. This is an advantage for everyone, enabling them to use the Google technology in

their daily school life while also providing a computer to students who do not possess such high-tech gadgets at home.

Also, the internet, run by the cleverly installed Google Chrome, is accessible to ev-eryone for all of your school-ing endeavors. Winning!

The Chromebook is like an electronic safe for your docu-ments, projects, and whatever else you want to store in there.

The Chromebook is ac-cessed by logging in with your school username and pass-word, just like any computer you’d find in the building. This also means that you can store schoolwork, projects, presentations, applications, tonight’s reading, “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, and just about anything else on it.

It’s familiar, because it’s like saving everything to your Google drive on a computer in the LMC, career center, or wherever. The kicker is that you get to take it home with you, making it completely portable – and completely safe.

Learning how to use the Chromebooks will be easy and completely painless. The conveniently planned homeroom/I.E. time will have workshops for classes and teachers purely on how to operate and use the Chrome-books safely, appropriately, and to your best advantage. You’re not getting these things thrown at you like a forty-yard interception. There will be detailed instruction for them, and that is arguably one of the most helpful things about the Chromebook.

Technology is practically useless unless you know just how to use it. Once the Chromebooks are distributed, it’ll be easy to recognize the perks of using a Chromebook.

The implementation of 21st century devices in the school district has the potential to be extremely beneficial. But is the Chromebook book the answer? No. There are many flaws to be noted with the implementation and use of the Chromebook.

According to my Dad, John Ptacek, an employee at Skyline technologies, “It is really a web browser (Google Chrome) with some limited offline capabilities.”

The Chromebook is a less than ideal device for students. To run most apps, students must be connected to the internet (there are a few ex-ceptions).

Microsoft programs such as Word and Excel cannot be used on the Chromebook, forcing students to utilize the much slower and limited Google Docs.

Another major flaw in the Chromebook is the fact that they cannot get movie mak-ing apps, which can be ex-tremely important in teaching students 21st century skills.

The Chromebooks and all its flaws can’t possibly benefit students in any way unless teaching styles are changed.

Currently, students learn by reading out of textbooks, doing worksheets, and writing papers. All of these things can be done without the Chromebook. In order to harness the potential uses of the Chromebook we have to change our thinking and learning styles.

One example of this would

be using the Chromebook to do a class project. Not only would this be utilizing the device to its full extent but also teaching those 21st cen-tury skills students so often lack, such as: research and information fluency, creativ-ity and innovation, personal responsibility/accountability, digital citizenship/technol-ogy operations and concepts, communication, and collabo-ration.

All these skills are what employers are now look-ing for. It would be great if teachers began to transi-tion to a more modern, 21st century style of teaching, utilizing the Chromebooks in unique ways. We can’t really see if this is happening yet.

Lastly, the Chromebooks will most likely be more expensive than anticipated, for they can easily be lost, stolen, or damaged. We are putting a lot of trust in students by allowing them to take home the devices. Whether this is a good or bad thing is yet to be seen.

It can be concluded that although the Chromebook is a step into the 21st century it is a very small one that will have little benefit to the enhancement of student learning.

The district could have done so much more by choosing a different device to distribute, not one that is so flawed.

Teachers should be chang-ing their teaching styles to better utilize the devices and help students succeed in the 21st century where new skills are required.

The Chromebook will not have significant benefit to students and therefore is not a positive change to the district.

Point VS. Counterpoint

By Jack Russell By Nora Ptacek

Chromebooks We got ‘em, now what?

“Mostly everything you do on a Chromebook is Web-based,” said Mr. Chad Behn-ke, a technology integration specialist.

This means Wi-Fi is needed to run most applications, in-cluding Google Drive. In the handbook given to students during I/E time, there is a list

Got questions? See the LMC help desk or a technology

integration specialist in the LGI.

Wi-Fi

Weight with case:

3 pounds

6,400 Chromebooks in the AASD

1,600 Chromebooks at

North

Battery life:

8.5 hours

cost per book:

$343

Restrictions on websites have been reevaluated and new security measures were added to the Chromebooks.

Administrators will be able to see which sites were visited and even if a different Wi-Fi access point is used, the same content will be blocked.

Students will now be able to access YouTube but are

of places in Appleton with free Wi-Fi.

When logging on to their Chromebook, each student will have to log on to the Wi-Fi at school on their account. When shutting down the Chromebook, students must log out of the Wi-Fi and their account separately.

Securitynot allowed to post their own videos.

The developments in web security were discussed in multiple meetings where the district received feedback from teachers about blocked sites. One of the factors in determining which sites are blocked was examining the educational purpose of the site.

An Acer employee unloads the Chromebooks.They were disrtibuted to senior homerooms on September 15. Photo by Paige Beckum.

Newly arrived Chromebooks wait to be unloaded. They were distributed to the district as a result of the referendum. Photo by Paige Beckum.

We got ‘em, now what? Keyword: Technology Integration Specialist

/tekˈnäləjē/ ˌintiˈgrāSHən/ ˈspeSHəlist/noun

1 . A technology Integration Specialist is there to “as-sist teachers in integrating technology in the classroom and enhance classroom learning”

See Mrs. Paula Meyer, Mr. Chad Behnke for help

Mr. Chad Behnke was hired this year to aid in the incorpo-ration of technology at North. Mr. Behnke has a background in teaching computer science and experience in technology support in several surrounding districts. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Informa-tion Systems and Computer Science Education from UW- Steven’s Point.

Chad BehnkeTechnology Integration Specialist

Mr. Behnke’s goals for the Chromebooks are “to use the device as a learning tool in the classroom but also as an organizational tool for stu-dents and staff to use such as keeping assignment calendars. This is a communications medium outside of the desig-nated 48 minutes class.”

Mrs. Paula Meyer, a Span-ish teacher at North, is one of two technology integration specialists hired to help staff and students with the new technology.

She has experience in the classroom of using technol-ogy and she has attended and offered seminars about technology and education. Mrs. Meyer credits her on- the-job training as a resource for teaching others about the technology. She is familiar with the Chromebook; she owns one herself.

“This is a tremendous resource for all students. I’m extremely thankful that the referendum passed and am excited to get them into the students’ hands and start using them,” Mrs. Meyer said.

She wants students to be prepared for college and the workplace and believes a Chromebook will aid in that.

“Students will have an

Paula MeyerTechnology Integration Specialist

opportunity to become more familiar with Google Drive, which has become a very commonly used tool all over the globe. The collabora-tive nature of Google Drive will allow all students to work together more easily as multiple students can work on the same Google document or presentation at the same time. Changes are tracked; comments can be made for feedback from classmates and/or the teacher.”

Mrs. Meyer hopes all stu-dents will utilize the Chrome-books at their full potential.

“Chromebooks will pro-vide students with access to a plethora of online informa-tion. The need to have com-puter lab time, which can be at a premium at certain times of the year, will be much less,” Mrs. Meyer said.

You Tubecapable!

No cyber-bullying allowed: read your handbook!

MEET THE EDITORS Appleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Volume XX Issue I Page 6

Name: Maya MurzelloGrade: 12Position: Senior Editor-in-Chief Years on the paper: Four

Hi! I’m a senior and the Editor-in-Chief of the Nocti-luca. I enjoy playing tennis and reading in my spare time. I was previously the Culture Editor and Junior Editor-in-Chief for the Noctiluca. I look forward to helping the paper grow and working with return-ing and new writers. I am ex-cited to work with the new ed-itorial staff as they will bring a new perspective to the paper. I hope students will contribute to the paper by writing articles or submitting photographs. I encourage readers to write a letter to the editor with com-ments or concerns. You can contact me via my Facebook page.

Name: Megha UberoiGrade: 11Position: Junior Editor-in-ChiefYears on the paper: Three

Hi my name is Megha Uberoi, and I am so excited to be a part of Noctiluca again this year. Last year I was the News section editor, and this year I am ready to take on more responsibility as the ju-nior editor-in-chief. If you enjoy writing consider joining Noctiluca as we are always looking for new talented writ-ers!

Name: Abby DaviesGrade: 11Position: Copy EditorYears on the paper: Two

Hello, my name is Abby Davies and I am excited to be this year’s Noctiluca copy editor. I enjoy grading papers for grammatical accuracy so I know I’ll be perfect for the job.

In addition to copy editing, I am also the HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Club Secretary. In my free time I love to read, watch Netflix, and hang out with friends.

In addition, I recently went on vacation to New Zealand and I truly love it in that country. My future goals are to become a pediatrician who specializes in children with disabilities and to move to New Zealand. I am excited to be the copy editor for the 2014-2015 school year!

Name: Erik BakkenGrade: 10Position: News EditorYears on the paper: Two

Hi! My name is Erik Bak-ken, and I’m the News Editor for the Noctiluca this year. I try to do a little of everything at North, and that’s why I like the News section of the newspa-per. You can write about any-thing worldly from the Olym-pics to Global Week, or write about things close to home, such as Homecoming or the North School Store. Chanc-es are, you’ll see me around this year, as I’m currently, or plan to be, involved in Band, Choir, Student Council, Math League, Forensics, Tennis, and of course the Noctiluca. I hope to see you around and if you’re interested in the goings-on of the world around you, come and write for the News Section of the Noctiluca!

Name: Elise PaintonGrade: 11Position: Features EditorYears on the paper: Three

Hello, I’m Elise. I love live music and literature. I work at The Fire Art Studio down-town. Come make art and visit me. I might bother you with questions for the school news-paper, though.

Name: Nora PtacekGrade: 10Position: Opinions EditorYears on the paper: Two

Hi, my name is Nora Ptacek and I am the Opinions editor of the Noctiluca. I am a sopho-more and this is my first year on the editorial board. Outside of writing for the Noctiluca I love running. I participate in track and cross country. I also play the trumpet and piano. Additionally, I am a member of a program called Youth in Government or YIG. Every-one has opinions, voice yours by writing for the opinions section! If you are interested in writing for the opinions section please contact me at the following email address: nora@theptaceks.net.

Name: Julia LammersGrade: 12Position: Centerspread EditorYears on the paper: Four

Hi! Other than writing for the paper, I enjoy various ac-tivities that will hopefully get me into college and going to work. If you want to write for the paper, talk to me!

Name: Caroline AugustineGrade: 12Position: Culture EditorYears on the paper: Four

This was harder to write than I thought:

¡Hola! I love music, violin, theatre, longboarding, Netflix, and anyone who writes for the paper. (Heck, I like anyone who even glances at the pa-per!) The dream of the 90’s is alive in Noctiluca.

Name: Becca FingerGrade: 12Position: Sports EditorYears on the paper: Two

Hi! I’m very excited to be the sports editor for Noctiluca this year. If you’ve ever played sports, or if you enjoy gym class, or if you’re just bored, come write for me!

Name: Sofia VoetGrade: 11Position: Photography EditorYears on the paper: Two

Hey there, my name is So-fia. I enjoy reading, writing, traveling, listening to music, and obviously taking pictures, which is probably I am one of the Photography editors this year. I am extremely excited to be one of the editors this year and contribute my photos to the Noctiluca as well as work with other creative people in the process. I encourage you all to join and if you have any questions you can contact me via Facebook or in person.

Name: Rachel BrosmanGrade: 11Position: Advertising and Social Media ManagerYears on Paper: Three

Hey, I’m Rachel, but you can call me Brozzy. Around North, I play soccer and love to get involved in clubs. As well as a Noctiluca editor, I am a DECA officer, Link Crew leader, Lit-erary Magazine editor, and an organizer for poetry slams at Harmony Cafe. Outside of school, I am a part of the Wil-lems Student Marketing Team where I get to plan projects for the community. In my free time, I like to go to concerts, thrift shop, and eat sushi with my friends. One day I want to live in a big city and have a ca-reer in fashion marketing.

Name: Paige BeckumGrade: 11thPosition: Photography EditorYears on the paper: Three

Hi, my name is Paige. Tak-ing pictures for Noctiluca has always been super fun for me. I look forward to taking new photos for the newspa-per and receiving photos from awesome contributors. If you would like to take photos for the Noctiluca feel free to con-tact me on Facebook or in per-son. Outside of school I love to ride horses and paint.

Name: AJ Floodstrand Grade: 11Position: Social Media Years on paper: Three

Hello, I’m AJ and I’m be-yond excited to serve on the editorial board this year. Dur-ing the school year, I enjoy be-ing a part of basketball, Link Crew, DECA and of course, Noctiluca. In my free time I enjoy volunteering especially for the Miracle League, re-laxing, watching sports and hanging out with my friends. Make sure to “Like” The Noctiluca on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @North-Noct!

Interested in writing for the

Noctiluca? Contact any of the editors via

Facebook!

CULTUREAppleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Vol. XX Issue I Page 7

ing more for bright bold color pieces for the jewelry.” Going over the colors for this fall he said, “Black is always a good one. Plum is also really big this year. For a brighter color, coral is always popular, too.” Basi-cally, this year’s look should be pretty simple. All you need is an understated dark dress with your favorite heels, accompa-nied by bright glittering jew-elry to accessorize.Gentlemen: Bright & Fun

The dudes may act like their fashion is no big deal, but we all know better.

Shawn Schuessler, assistant manager at Men’s Wearhouse, has a few pointers for guys on this formal occasion. “This season it’s been a little more fashion forward with more peak lapels, bow ties, and stuff like that. There’s definitely a lot more bow ties than any other season,” said Schuessler about this season’s formal trends. Delving deeper into the homecoming specific styles, “For homecoming just go with things like loud bright col-ors and Chuck Taylor shoes.” When asked whether you need formal leather shoes, he re-sponded, “Not necessarily. We have patent leather Chuck Tay-lors that a lot of people have done, and that makes it a lot of fun with all different colors.” On the radar for this year’s homecoming, the guys should have it easy because it’s more about being fun, and not neces-

sarily so formal.Theme: Masquerade

As the theme of the dance this year is masquerade, your outfit must be topped off with an essential accessory, of course. There are many types of masks: different styles for guys and girls, many ranges of prices, and designs from simple to extravagant. Pier 1 Imports may be solely thought of as a furniture store; however, they have a great selection of unique masks. At this location, the masks range from $15-$30, which is a reasonable price for the elegant variety they sell. While most of the masks are clearly for women, there are a few guys’ styles, such as the long-nosed gold mask. The styles for girls can be zany, yet perfectly dainty, with all dif-

By Rachel Brosman

ferent types of style and col-ors. There’s a lot of sparkle: from delicate glitter, to shiny sequins, to big jeweled areas. As many figure to be the most unique part of a mask, they are usually full of feathers. These bird inspired details can be small and understated, or very large additions protruding from the side or top. Another great spot to find these mystical masks is Earthbound Trading Co. in the Fox River Mall.

Don’t Forget: Corsages & Boutonnieres

Got a date? Want to treat your best friend? Floral acces-sories are always a cute way to start off the night right. Just don’t leave it until the last min-ute! Always make sure to order your corsage or boutonniere ahead of time. Paul Parizek, a

floral consultant at Memorial Florist & Greenhouse gave us the scoop on your floral décor for homecoming night. Con-cerning the prices of the cor-sages, Parizek states, “They start at $18.99 to $41.99 and anywhere in between. We can make some even more expen-sive than that.” Basically, you can get any style you want if you’re willing to pay the price for it. When asked how people buy a corsage, “Sometimes the girls will come in and say my boyfriend came here. Then they can give us their name, and we’ll look him up in the computer and see what he or-dered.” There are a few specific flowers that are always perfect for homecoming. “They like the roses. Also the calla lilies are getting popular, and the orchids always are also,” said Parizek. Order your favorite style of corsage or boutonniere a few days ahead of the dance and your date night is sure to go splendid.

Your guide to looking great for homecomingAs we have been becoming

ever accustomed to the usual school year routine, there is one week that is always unlike any other. That’s right. Homecom-ing week is upon us, and there is no need to fret if you are not fully prepared. While the dress- up days challenge the limits of creativity and daring of each student, the dance is a little dif-ferent. Year to year, you may or may not have a date, there is a different theme, and the fashion trends change. Here is your last minute guide to looking perfect for this year’s homecoming dance.Ladies: Vintage Retro

In order to get an inside look at what trends are most in style for the homecoming formal, I talked to Nicole Freund, the service supervisor at David’s Bridal. “Short styles are really good for homecoming. This year lace and the illusion top are really in. A lot of darker col-ors are really popular as well,” she said about the hottest girls’ formal wear trends. “This year is more about the vintage retro look, while last year was more about the brighter colors.” When it comes to accessoriz-ing, Freund said, “High heels are always popular. Many girls will get heels, and then wear flip flops for the dance that match their dress. A lot of the jewelry is a big, bold statement. Because a lot of the dresses are more subtle, they are go-

This year marked many firsts for the Summer Shake-speare theatre program. Yet it is not the first time this pro-gram had taken on William Shakespeare’s most lamenta-bly infamous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.

Some sort of glancing over, meticulous analysis or pathetic performance of this show lin-gers in a part of everyone’s mind. The cast and crew of high school students from all over the Fox Valley assembled under the direction of Mr. Ron Parker.

He challenged the cast to view the moral of this show differently. Romeo and Juliet is not a story about how love can conquer all. Everyone knows the ending, right? Romeo and Juliet should be looked at as a story of the destruction of hate,

Shakespeare takes a step into the futureBy David Fisher even over the powerful force

of love. This new mindset was just the beginning of the firsts that would happen for this pro-gram this past summer.

For the first time in the 27 year history of Summer Shake-speare, the play would not be set during the Renaissance, the time of Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet would be taking a step forward, through time, into the Victorian era – a time jump of about 300 years.

“I think placing it in the Victorian era is allowing us to experience the timelessness of Shakespeare,” comments the production’s Juliet, Catherine Backer. “The human emotion is still the same. We’re opening up the door for the audience to remember what it’s like to fall in love, and also what it’s like to watch your world crumble around you.”

The Assistance Directors of the show, Ian Parker and Bec-ca Fox were striving to create those moments as powerfully as we could on stage. They decided that for the first time, they would have additional morning rehearsals dedicated

Homecoming Dress- Up Days:• Monday: Class

Colors• Tuesday: Western

Day• Wednesday: Baby

Day• Thursday: Super-

hero Day• Friday: School

Spirit Day

to the dance of the ball scene, and the fights of main charac-ters in the show.

This year was a first for dancing and sword fighting techniques among the cast. The style of dance during this time period was very new and different for the students. The Victorian era also required a very different skill set for sword fighting, as weaponry had developed during that age of industrialization. Actors were pushed to new levels of precise group steps as well as a much faster fighting with much lighter swords.

Fox and Parker together thought this work should not go to waste. They planned ways to bring more people to a show that was typically “light-er” on audience members. Stu-dents of the program took to the streets – literally walking

College Avenue asking for do-nations. They drove around the Fox Valley distributing post-ers to any business that would accept them. Three weekends worth of Car Washes were conducted to raise money for a program that is expected to pay for itself. For the first time in many years, the Summer Shakes team brought costumed actors to the Appleton Farm-er’s Market, performing a few scenes, singing period songs, and conducting sword fights.

A new show was created from the efforts of high school students who had only met six weeks prior. The cast per-formed to a sold out audience on opening night, and the rest of the shows were relatively well attended. This fall a new cast will dare to revive Romeo and Juliet for the One Act com-petition.

Catherine Backer and David Fisher perform-ing as Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Appleton North High School Theatre

Above is an example of a typical mask one could use for the masquerade homecoming theme. Photo by Paige Beckum

SPORTS Appleton, Wisconsin September 2014 Vol. XX Issue I Page 8

While students spent their days in the sun lounging around, the football team spent most of their summer running plays and practicing to get ready for the heat of Friday night lights.

The team is excited to come out strong this year. Team captains Ethan Danz, Jeff Steers, Weston Floerke, and Adam Larson along with the rest of the team have set goals to win conference and the state title as well. Coach Rob Salm says, “I’m very excited for our potential this year. The kids have put in a great deal of time this sum-mer preparing for the season ahead. I feel we will get bet-ter every week and challenge for a conference champion-ship once again. The kids have prepared, now they need to go out and earn it.”

The coaches and players have been talking strategies throughout summer prac-tices and are very much on the same page regarding the goals they wish to achieve this year. “We want to con-stantly be improving through-out the season,” said captain Jeff Steers, senior.

Every week Monday through Thursday after school, the players are ready to work hard. The weekly practice schedule usually consists of watching film and practicing “in shells” on Monday—in shells meaning that the players wear pads with no covering and avoid full contact for the entirety of the practice running through game plays on Tuesday, yoga and more “in shell” work on Wednesday, and preparing for the game with another walk through of plays on Thursday. On Fridays, the players spend the day in school getting ex-cited for the game and that night they play with about 30 coaches, almost double what they practice with, helping them from the side-lines. Steers says “It’s cool to have such a big squad.” Each coach has a slightly differ-ent responsibility to keep the team running smoothly.

There was a large amount of graduating seniors who started last year, so the team has had to make adjustments to better suit new players. Se-nior captain Ethan Danz says “Our offense is geared differ-ently this year based on per-sonnel.”

And Coach Curt Salm said, “We have a very young of-fense with only a few players returning from last year. We have the ability to replace all, but need to gain experience quickly. We are teaching the

Football team takes a look at season ahead

kids like crazy and trying to speed up the learning curve.”

The team has been running different offensive plays and practicing new blocks this year. Another large change in the lineup this year is due

By Becca Finger

to the loss of last year’s se-nior quarterback Dan Roth-bauer, who has been replaced by a new student and junior, Bruce Schroeder. Schroeder says that his welcome onto the team by other players was

“very easy and very smooth.” When asked about his posi-

tion Schroeder said, “Being the quarterback I am a leader on this team, so I want to be able to do whatever is pos-sible to help the team win.”

Players talk strategy with coach Shadick during game time. (From left to right) Num-ber 52 Matt Woycheck, number 50 Brian Mickle, number 60 Ty-ler Hill, number 25 Jack Fisch-er, and num-ber 20 Hunter Rolain. Photo by Paige Beck

The offensive line blocks to defend quarterback Bruce Shroeder against Oshkosh West. From left to right Number 27 Kes-hawn Henning, number 71 Jon Propson, num-ber 12 Bruce Shroeder, number 74 Jeff Steers, and number 87 tight end player Chase Kruel. Photo by Paige Beck

Game ScheduleFriday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.

home vs. Kaukauna

Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. away vs. Wausau West

Friday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. home vs. Kimberly

Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. home vs Appleton West

Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.away vs. Appleton East

Friday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. away vs. Wausau East

Check the Appleton North Student Section 2014-2015 facebook page for updates on game themes and tail-

gates.