“I understand why content providers want to protect their digital products from being illegally distributed but the legislation proposed is flawed.” Tom Sextro, Technology Director, said.

The bill has raised a lot of controversy due to it’s ‘infringing on our 1^st amendment rights.’ Even though the bill has good intentions, it can cause major problems to popular websites everyday.

“It would force normal companies to act like policeman which is problematic.” Sextro said, “One of the reasons that the internet works as well as it does is that it is open.”

Sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter would be taken down. Even though the sites would be required to filter out all of the posts with copyrighted material associated with them, they would not be able to keep up and be shut down.

Many websites and companies are against this bill such as Amazon, Twitter, Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, and the Obama Administration. Not to mention that many people in the U.S. Government are against it as well.

Some of the organizations that support it would include Sony, Viacom, the NFL, the MLB, Pfizer, and Disney.

If the bill were to pass, anyone who infringes any part of the law could spend a maximum of five years in prison.  Some could even face a fine for some infringements.

“If a bill along the lines of what is being proposed manages to become law, it will be the beginning of censorship of the internet.” Sextro said.

But there is good news about the bill for those opposed. The bill was put down by congress on the 16^th of January. The government introduced another bill in its place called PIPA.

The other bill PIPA (Protect IP Act), does not affect websites that contain copyrighted content when posted in certain manners, such as posting short snippets of song lyrics. The bill instead affects sites such as Pirate Bay and other illegal downloading websites.

Even though this bill was more user friendly towards everybody, people are still opposed. With the amount of opposition to the newer bill, they put the bill on hiatus along with SOPA.

But it still does not end there, a new bill is being drafted called the OPEN Act (Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act). The OPEN Act is even more lenient then SOPA or PIPA. OPEN will only affect websites that openly promote copyright infringement.

Even though the bill will take down some websites, it will leave the internet more open than it would with either SOPA or PIPA.

“It makes me feel like I’ve done something good to help the people who need it.” Desiree Waterman, said.

While she is there she has to stock all of the shelves and freezers. For her, she accomplishes more than one thing though. Not only just it make her feel good for helping the needy but also increases family bonding time with her sister and dad.

“My dad was the one who started me out there, I have to continue the family tradition and make him proud.” Waterman, said.

As Desiree and her family gather at the shelter they break off and start working. People come together and realize that their all there for the same cause, to make sure the less fortunate have food to eat.

“When I work, I meet so many new people. I love it!” Waterman, said.

Even with no pay, dedicating all of that time, and being away from friends for a while, Desiree is happy as could be to spend her time at the shelter.

“To try to help the ones that really need the extra help is all that matters to me. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Waterman, said.

The band performed the following songs: Christmas Music For Winds, A Christmas Couplet, In the Christmas Mood, and A Christmas Auld Lang Syne. The flute quartet also performed Antiphonal Christmas.

The vocal spent time in their classes to get ready for the concert. Randall Bond, Vocal, says the song “O Holy Night” has been a tradition at Holton High ever since he has started teaching. “This song showcases three seniors with solos on the verses with the choirs joining on the chorus’,” said Bond, “The other songs are selected depending on the make up of each group, taking into consideration if we have done the songs in years past.”

Vocal performed the following songs: Adoramus Te by Emily Crocker, Combined Singers/Concert and Notables Choirs sang Cantate Domino by Kirby Shaw, Singers sang Little St. Nick by Wilson/arr. Althouse, Christmas in about Three Minutes by Traditional/arr. Weston, Chamber and Notables sang Jingle Bells by Traditional/arr. Sterling, Silent Night by Traditional/arr. Wagner, Notables sang Sing a Song of Merry Christmas by Mozart/arr. Ehret, O Holy Night by Adolph Adam.

Joseph Keehn, 11, likes band because he doesn’t get homework, and it’s fun. “Even though you don’t get homework, you still need to practice the songs. Practicing means getting better each day.”

“Considering we had to do this concert after the Christmas break and only had one rehearsal, I was very pleased with this concert,” Bond said. “This was also the first year that we invited former Holton High School choir members to come back and participate in the concert by singing two selections with us. Before Christmas Break, over 40 former students were planning to attend, but with the date change 13 ended up participating. It was a very nice tradition to begin, and those who participated were terrific and told me they had a great time performing!” said Bond.

Lee is staying with Michelle McClintock; he came to the US to study English. At age 15, Lee said that leaving his family was hard for him but he manages to stay in touch.

“I have talked to them so far eight to ten times and we use Facebook to communicate,” he said.

Lee also has enjoyed noticing differences between the people here and in Korea.

“People here in Holton are kind and funny. Hair color and eye color are different here than back home,” he said.

Lee said he is learning more each day and is finding it easier, but he’s still having a hard time understanding people.

Dennis Tegethoff, math teacher, said, “Seong works on same stuff everyone else works on in his math class but he is probably stronger than most and he also helps other students. He’s very nice, quiet, polite, and great in class.”

Joni White, English teacher, said, “It’s a challenge for him in English class but he gives good effort.”

White said he uses a translator that helps him in understanding people and the material covered in his classes.

Joe Purcell has Lee in gym class. Purcell characterizes Lee as “a pretty decent runner.” He said that being a foreign exchange student may actually benefit Lee.

“Lee works as hard as he can. Because of the different language here he tries to understand more and pays more attention,” Purcell said.

Halloween is almost here and what is not more important than being scared and having fun with it? You could go all of the way to Atchison or even Kansas City to the haunted houses. But why not stay local? Why don’t you attempt to take an adventure North of Holton and see what you can accomplish?

Some students at Holton High have tried and failed but others who are luckier have made it all of the way to the mansion and have a story to tell people for the rest of their lives.

“One time I was driving up to the mansion with a couple other people and in the field next to the mansion there was a grain truck with its lights on but nobody was in it or around it. When we turned around to leave the truck took off across the field- it was the scariest thing in the world!” Alexa Kitrell, 12, said.

Other students have said that an older man chased them away and that he was carrying a gun or an axe. Who knows if their stories are real or if they were just imagining things but either way it’s still scary to think about.

“It was Halloween night a year or two ago and we were trying to get out of the driveway and the old man pinned our car so we could drive anywhere, it was really scary.” Hannah Coverdale, 11, said.

Some student’s stories aren’t as scary and they really don’t make you worry at all.

“Me and a couple friends ding dong ditched the old man’s house. We left the car at the road so we could make a quick get-a-way. Nothing really scary happened but my friends went back later that night and there were a lot of cops.” Garrett Lambrecht, 11, said.

As student’s stories keep getting creepier and creepier you definitely wont want to try to make it up that lane. Behind that lane is something many people haven’t seen or that many wouldn’t dare attempt to see.

“We were getting ready to leave and out of no where this truck turned its bright lights on and an old guy told me to throw my keys and to get out of the car. The cops showed up and it was a fun night.” Jacob Ewing, 11, said.

There isn’t a better time to bring this scary place up. There might be scarier things to write about but what’s more scary than having a haunted house that somebody didn’t create in your own town? Now, I’m challenging you- Can you do what very few people have done? Set your mind to it and you shall succeed! My advice to you is to play it safe and if old guy comes after you then turn around and get the heck out of there as quick as you can!

Fresh out of college, this is Brock’s first time being a teacher, and according to the students at Holton high, she’s a hit.

“She makes class a lot of fun and I look forward to having her class. She has a way with really connecting with the students because she’s so much closer in age to us,” Jessup White, 11, said.

Brock’s plan is to bring literature from the past, classic novels, the kind of things that teenagers now a day cringe at the thought of, and make it modern, make it relate to their lives.

“The way I envision my classroom is a place where kids can come and be creative, be able to use technology, and definitely have a sense of humor,” Brock said.

Brock will be spending the first part of the semester in Mrs. Harshaw’s room, teaching Senior and College English, along with Creative writing, and then second half of the first semester she will be moving into Mrs. White’s room and teaching Freshmen English.

“I’m lucky to have Mrs. Harshaw and Mrs. White as my mentors. They are both really great teachers,” Brock said.

Teaching, she says, is a lot harder than she anticipated.

“It is SO much work. I teach all day, and then I go home and work on my lesson plans for the next day.”

Even through all of the teacher work she has to work on, she also maintains another job that she works on during the evenings when she has time, and on the weekends.

Brock is a freelance greeting card writer. She’s been writing greeting cards for four years, and her cards are sold nation wide. She writes humor cards for birthdays and all major holidays.

Brock, even in her busy schedule, made sure to come to the football game on Friday. She was really impressed by how many people came and the amount of school spirit that Holton High School has. One of her favorite things about the school is its spirit.

“We started studying cultures and I knew we wouldn’t be cooking for awhile,” Oldehoeft said. After the students researched their country, they were to create a backdrop that made the class think they were in that country.

“It is a good way to allow the students to learn about cooking and incorporate different cultures,” Oldehoeft said. Groups had to work together to bring food that was related to the culture of their country.

Groups were allowed to get their decorations or they could make them. “My group got our decorations from Mrs. Eubanks, because she has been to Mexico,” Dustin Keen, 12, said.

The projects ranged from podcasts to music to decorations all related to that country. Once students had their food and decorations, they presented the project to the class. They had to tell how the decorations and the food related to its culture. “My group was Mexico, and we cooked food that was dominant in the culture,” Kallie Stallbaumer, 11, said.

“The project was fun because you got to cook stuff that you don’t cook everyday,” Stallbaumer said. Food that some might consider American, really isn’t. “It surprised me how much Italian food is cooked in the United States,” Stallbaumer, said.

After presenting to the class everyone got to travel around the world and taste the different cultures. The class period went from just learning to experiencing new cultures AND learning!

HHS Ag. Teacher, Mr. Larison is a member of B.A.C.A. (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and he is one person who feels very strongly about abuse.

“Child Abuse is a tragedy and a major epidemic,” says Larison, “The kids are harmless and an alarming amount of the abuse is sexual,” 88 percent of sexual abuse cases against children are never reported but B.A.C.A is working on bring a stop to that.

B.A.C.A. exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children and stand ready in any situation they are needed in. Mr. Larison joined for many reasons.

“I joined because my dad had gotten information about one in south east Kansas but I did some research and found one located in Topeka,” he said. “I just wanted to ride for a good cause.” Here are some ways that you can recognize child abuse: If the child shows symptoms like, changing their school behavior, doesn’t want to go home, or has problems concentrating.

Parental or guardian signs include: showing little concern for the child, demanding things of a child that him or her cannot achieve or, denies the existence of the child. These are just a few ways to determine if a child is being abused or not.

If you think a classmate or friend or anyone is being abused at home, tell someone immediately such as the counselors, teachers, or even your own parents. Child abuse is not something to take lightly.

According to FFA Advisor Jason Larison, “ They all did an amazing job.”

Holton swept the top 9 gold medals in the information test and had another student tie for the tenth-place medal, out of 350 students tested.

The following competed and medaled in the event:  First – Derek Haverkamp 50 (PERFECT SCORE); second-place tie Dean Klahr and Emaleigh Clark 49 (even on tie breakers); fourth place Karl Wilhelm 49;  fifth place Braden Sides 49; sixth place Nicole Kathrens; seventh place Tori Bontrager 48; eighth place Nathan Shields 48; ninth place Taryn Weilert 48; tenth place tie Shannon Sides 47.

Holton had six or seven more students in the 40′s.  Last year the top score at district was a 46.

“This is the best we have EVER had a group of freshmen do at Greenhand Conference,” Larison said.  “I challenged them in class that they have the brain power and ability to sweep the top 10!  They rose to the challenge. I am not sure if this has ever been done before. I am very proud of these kids!”

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