Senior Spotlights:Michaela ConkleZach Wehrle Page 4

FACI ET SENDREVol. 1 , Issue 111/1/2012

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ASK VEEBEE!Submit questions for

VeeBee to answer the knightwriter@vbschools.net

See page 2!

CONTENTS

» See Candidates pg. 2

Every four years, the presidential election comes around. Even if you cannot vote, it’s still good to educate yourself. While things are never black and white, here is a brief look at where the candidates stand on social issues.

Abortion:• Romney is pro-life. He believes that life begins at conception and feels that the nation’s laws should reflect this view. He also opposes Roe v. Wade (which gave states the right to make their own abortion laws). He has, however, recently changed his views to pro-choice, but only in cases of rape or incest.

• Obama is pro-choice. He believes that women should have the right to make their own decisions, along with their doctors, and not have politicians interfere. Vice President Joe Biden, however, is also pro-life, although he has stated that he will not force his view on the rest of America.

Birth Control:• Romney thinks that while contraception (birth control) is necessary, it should not be paid for by health-care. Health-care does, however, cover Viagra.

• Obama believes that health-care should cover birth control because he feels that health-care should be fair for both men and women. Obamacare made it so that lots of insurance plans have started to fully cover birth control as part of women’s preventative care.

Planned Parenthood:• Romney does not support Planned Parenthood, because he considers it an “abortion advocate.” Planned Parenthood does provide information on abortion for those that may be considering it.

• Obama supports Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood provides a variety of health services including mammograms and cancer screenings, as well as education on STDs, sex health to men, women, and teenagers.

2.................................................................................................................Entertainment3.................................................................................................................................Sports4... ...............................................................................................................................News

By Laura Endicott

We live in a world where the unthinkable happens, despite where you live or who you are. It’s hard to imagine why, or how such horrific acts are done, but it’s a fact of life and no one is invincible. Last October in Akron, Ohio, a man by the name of Richard Beasley and a seventeen year old boy named Brogan Rafferty were convicted of murdering three persons and attempted murder to a fourth. Using a false Craigslist ad to lure the men in, they plotted each murder in hopes to rob the victims of their identity, land, any other valuable items.

The Craigslist ad offered a job working on a cattle farm in Ohio. Victims Timothy Kern, David Pauley, and Ralph Geiger saw it as a perfect opportunity to make some easy money. Little did they know the job offer was nothing but a malevolent set up. After meeting with the men individually, Beasley shot and killed all three with the help of Rafferty, who dug their graves and buried them. It’s hard to imagine what could have possibly came over the seventeen year old boy as he covered each of their lifeless bodies with the earth’s soil. Such horrific actions by a person that is only in high school is hard to stomach.

» See Craigslist pg. 2

Who Are the Candidates?By Michelle Flannigan & Alisa Warren

Presidential candidates photo courtesy: money.cnn.com (fair use); Vote logo: huffingtonpost.com (fair use).

Gruesome Craigslist Murders Strike Northeast Ohio

Craigslist illustration courtesy: wcky.com (fair use)

The Master’ed Career of Coaching: Don Masters

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ENTERTAINMENT

Dear Veebee,Can a student design logos and etc. for the clothing line for our school?

Sincerely, Fashionably Curious

Dear Fashionably Curious, For standard team wear, students aren’t allowed to

design the clothing. But, there’s hope! Head to the school page and click the link called, “Buy VB Spirit Wear.” In the design shop, you can pick and choose to personalize different articles of clothing, from a large selection of designs. It gives you the creative outlet you’re seeking in your spirit wear, for the fact that the cost is a little higher. Don’t fret, they’re still great clothes!

-Veebee

Dear Veebee,Why is every good website blocked?

Sincerely, Blocker Stopper

Dear Blocker Stopper, According to Boz, “sites are blocked by category by the iBoss web filter appliance and also according to school policy.” The whole point of school is to learn, and for the most part the administration feels what students define as “good” sites, like Facebook and Twitter, aren’t cohesive to the learning process, and function as a distraction. Therefore, they block them. As terrible as that may be, rules are rules. But, you could possibly write a persuasive essay to someone on the board or Boz explaining why a site or sites should be unblocked. Emailing Boz can get a site unblocked as well. If you’re passionate about getting something unblocked, find solid reasons why adults would find a site beneficial to the classroom. Good luck!

-Veebee

AskVeeBee

Breaking Dawn Pt. 2 PremierBy Rachel Silver

On November 16, the next installment in a series that has become a national phenomenon will be released. Tickets for the premiere of Breaking Dawn: Part 2 are now available. Instead of a midnight premiere, as with previous installments, the showing will be at 10 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased until the premiere begins and will guarantee a seat, though the sooner you buy, the quicker you get in and the better the seat you can claim. Just like the last premiere, there is a marathon of previous films. For the first time there is a VIP bundle. The bundle gets you not only the premiere and the marathon, but also access to a separate concession line, a tee-shirt, a lanyard, and a movie poster.

The prices are $15 for the premiere, $25 for the marathon, and $50 for the VIP. For any further questions, go to carmike.com. Tickets are expected to sell out, so hurry and pre-purchase your ticket!

Chasing MavericksChasing Mavericks, a

movie based on the book by Frosty Hesson, is a movie worth watching. The inspirational true story of real life surfing phenomenon was recently released on October 26, 2012. Drama and action come together to form a wonderful film about a boy chasing his dream – and a massive, “myth” of a wave.

Jay Moriarity, played by Johnny Weston, is determined to ride the world’s most dangerous wave that most people consider nothing more than a legend. Hesson, veteran surfer played by Gerard Butler, takes him under his wing to train him so that he can survive this treacherous wave. In the process, the two form a unique father-son relationship with the base being that rocky wave.

Over the course of his training, Jay transforms from an everyday surfer to revolving his life around the sport and letting it consume him.

Like most movies that are based on a book, Chasing Mavericks doesn’t follow every detail written by Frosty Hesson, but stays with the story line for the majority of the film.

In the end, it comes down to this; will Jay’s passion and training be enough to keep him alive under the pressure of the harsh waters?

See the PG rated movie in theaters today to find out.

Mavericks photo courtesy: imdb.com (fair use)

Cunningham’s CollectionLooking for a good book, a new song to download, or a solid movie recommendation? Junior Jessica Cunningham will give you insight to the latest trends in entertainment!

With Taylor Swift’s previous album, Speak Now, selling more than 1 million copies in the first week, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Red is selling at a fast pace. When it was released on Monday, October 22, the album sold more than 262,000 copies on iTunes. Out of the five sin-gles Swift has released from the album, three have shot to the top of the Billboard Digital Songs chart. Swift collaborates with new producers and guests artists such as Max Martin and Ed Sheeran, and experiments with new musical genres. In an interview discussing her album, Swift said, “These are real moments in life when we need music and I just hope that fans choose my song to be the soundtrack.” Fortunately for Swift, it appears that fans are choosing in her favor.

The 16 song album is available on iTunes and in stores now for $14.99.

Ready for RedBy Heather Clark

Red photo courtesy: billboard.com (fair use)

Twilight photo courtesy: fanpop.com (fair use)

Thirteen Reasons Why By: Jay Asher

After Hannah Baker’s suicide, Clay Jensen is left won-dering why the girl he harbored a major crush for made the choice she did, just as everyone else is. Then a box of cassette tapes shows up at his doorstep. As he starts to listen, he hears Hannah’s voice. She instructs him that on the following tapes she will outline thirteen rea-sons—or as she puts it, thirteen people—who are responsible for her suicide. As the first tape plays, Clay discovers he some-how is one of these illusive reasons. The story details how one seemingly meaning-less action can have an overwhelming impact on someone’s life, with references to bullying, rumors, and the secrets we all keep. A haunting read, making one sol-emnly rethink the way they treat one another (304 Pages).

Thirteen Reasons Why photo courtesy: amazon.com (fair use)

Heard in the Halls» So how’d you like those biscuits?

» Student: (Looking at book) “This girl is ugly.” Teacher: “I was about to say she ooked like my mom…”

» What’s Obama’s last name?

» Student 1: “I’d rather stay at home and play video games than go trick- or-treating.”

Student 2: That kid gets weirder and weirder every day

» Cheer up, buttercup!

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SPORTS

Michaela ConkleShe wears the crown as this year’s

homecoming queen, but Michaela Conkle can also be seen sporting her soccer cleats. Michaela is a two-year captain as well as a four-year varsity player of the girls’ soccer team who won the NCOSA championship for a second year in a row. She is also a 4.0 student and plans to study pharmacy at Ohio Northern University, University of Findlay, or Belmont University. Some other things you may not know about her, she shared with us in a Q and A session.

• Favorite memory from senior soccer season: Beating LB and Laura’s armpits

• How did you feel when Lasley scored the game-winning goal in Riverdale? Screamed and cried

• Favorite Avenger? Why? Thor, he can pull off that long hair• Best ice cream in town: Iggy’s• Most embarrassing moment on the field: When I threw the water bottle like fifty

feet in the air in the middle of a game• How does it feel to win the NCOSA title two years in a row? Makes me very

proud of my team• If you had a time machine, what year would you travel to? Back when my

parents were young to watch their love story• What super power would you like to have? Super strength• What is your funniest childhood memory? Church camp best friend fell down a

50 ft hill• What did you want to do when you grew up when you were much younger?

Police officer on horse • What career do you want now? Pharmacist• What cartoon do you still like to watch? Spongebob• Favorite cereal: special K chocolatey delight• Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Walerius• Spring or Autumn? autumn• OSU or Michigan? OSU• Live in a big city or the rural country? Country

Zach WehrleAs Zach Wehrle crossed the finish line in his last regional cross country meet his

jersey was stained with mud. It’s been a long, challenging, and rewarding journey for senior Zach Wehrle. From balancing his athletics, academics, and social life,

while excelling in all three, his list of accomplishments is far from undersized. He has competed in the regional cross country meet for three years in a row, he attains

a 4.0 grade point average, and was an attendant on this year’s homecoming court. By refusing to fail, Wehrle is constantly pushing himself to be the very best he can

possibly be with everything he does. Learn more about this seventeen-year-old boy’s life and details that has made him who he is today.

• Future Plans: Study physical therapy at the University of Findlay

• What sports are you in/how long have you been in them? Cross Country- 11 years. Track- 8 years

• Any superstitions/Pre-race/game rituals? I wear the same clothes over my uniform for each race and I listen to the same songs. Joel and I also have a pre-race handshake (We chest bump too).

• What goes through your mind when you’re finishing your last mile of a cross country race? Give it everything that I have left and do it for my teammates. Anything less than my best is unacceptable.

• Some people do not understand how a person could like running. Explain to those people why you run and what enjoyment you get out of it? Running requires hard work, mental toughness, and my teammates are family to me. I’d do anything for my teammates and I love them to death. They inspire me to give it everything that I have. My coaches are the best ones out there; they’re older brothers to me and I’d do anything for them as well. Everyone has taught me a lot of life lessons. I’ll never forget the memories that I’ve made from running.

• What was the best advice you were ever given? It’s not how many times you get knocked down that count, it’s how many times you get back up.

• Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by? Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

• What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge? My biggest challenge is believing in myself. I manage this by putting my heart and soul into everything and always giving it my all.

• What was your favorite TV show to watch as a kid? Scooby Doo

On Friday, October 26, the final football game was played and the season came to and end along with the other fall sports winding down. The Black Knight football team battled the Liberty Benton Eagles and finished the season with a fifty percent success rate.

The Eagles have defeated Van Buren for the past twelve years, but the Black Knights held their heads high and fought until the very end. With several players injured, it was sure to be a challenge for the senior-led team, but it remained a close game throughout the night. When asked how he felt about the game, head coach Mr. Shoup said, “I was very proud of the team. They played hard, they played well, and I was impressed with their performance against a great team.”

The stands were still packed with fans cheering on their teams, even though it was cold, windy, and raining, not ideal football weather to most. But, no matter what side of the field you were on, it was hard to deny that it was a good game; the Eagles were never in the lead

Black Knight Football EndsBy Rachel Silver

by more than two touchdowns.Even with this loss, it was a solid

season for the Black Knights. Of the ten games played, five of them were wins. Until September 28, no other team scored on Van Buren’s field.

Friday nights under the lights weren’t the only games that the Black Knights played. JV games were held the following Saturday mornings. The JV Knights stayed strong, losing only two of their seven games.

“A lot of the younger players stepped up when the older guys had to sit out due to injury. They were the most successful and improved players of the season and I am very proud of them.” said Shoup.

Next year will be a rebuilding year with

the loss of 13 seniors, many of which were starters. But Shoup is optimistic saying, “It will be a challenge, but with all of the talent that will be taking their place, I am confident that next season will have a great outcome.”

“I was very proud of the team. They played hard,

they played well, and I was impressed with their

performance against a great team,” head coach

Kevin Shoup.

MVP of the WeekBri Lasley won the District semi-finals for the Black Knights on Oct. 23 scoring the only goal in double overtime with five minutes left to earn themselves a victory over Riverdale. The goal earned the Knights a spot in the District finals to play on Saturday against Ontario at Mansfield Christian, but eventually falling 4-0 in a hard fought match.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTSBy Sarah Benson and Madi Endicott

The Master’ed Career of CoachingBy Ryan Brauneller

Mr. Don Masters has been coaching high school football since 1973 from the state of New Jersey to the state of Ohio. Along with being a coach, he has been the physical education teacher at Van Buren High School for 33 years.

Coach Masters has coached football for more than 30 years in New Jersey and Ohio starting at age 23 earning him the award of being the youngest head coach in New Jersey history. In his 30 years, he has accumulated an overall record of 150-80-3. He has produced 19 winning seasons with 4 perfect seasons and 7 conference titles. Masters says, ‘’The reason I keep coming back

is for the players. The atmosphere of the Friday night lights and also the growing support. I love to see former players come back to see their alumni school achieve greatness.”

Originally from New Jersey, Masters played quarterback, linebacker, and kicker for his father, name, at Moores Town High School,. He landed his first head coaching job at Burlington Township High School. As head coach, he scheduled scrimmages against his dad’s team. Although his dad coached at a much bigger school, Masters’ team would still compete in every aspect.

There have been many more memories made over the 30 plus years that will never fade. A memory he’ll never forget is when he coached his son, Darin Masters, all four years of high school. “There was a special bond we had not only as father and son, but also as coach and player. It allowed us to become closer and I would always push him to be the best.”

» See MASTERS pg. 2

Photo courtesy: Jess Gilts

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Gay Rights• Romney is not a gay rights supporter. He believes it is important to support a “traditional marriage,” referring to only a heterosexual marriage. He plans to support a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution to describe marriage as only between a man and a woman.

• Obama is a proud supporter of gay rights, as he is the first president to announce this support while in office. He repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a military policy where one cannot ask if someone is homosexual, and one can’t tell if one is a homosexual. If it is discovered that one is a homosexual, removal from service would be necessary.

Education• Romney acknowledges the lack of accessibility to quality education and the decreased affordability of higher education. Romney believes in developing quality educational choices for low income children. He also feels that a good education system requires recruiting and rewarding great teachers. This would be done by eliminating the unnecessary certification requirements for new teachers.

• Obama capped student loan repayment at 10% of whatever that person is earning in their job. This is in hopes to prevent them from going into debt. He supports many kinds of funding for schools and teachers. He also got rid of No Child Left Behind and wants states to figure out what would work best for them to improve their schools.

CANDIDATES Cont.Immigration

• Romney’s plans on immigration revolve around a few points: he plans to secure the borders, discourage illegal immigration, and enforce the law. He will follow through with this plan by completing a “high-tech” fence to enhance border security as Border Control lacks control of over half of America’s southwest border. He will develop an immigration system that “works,” providing an alternative to those who would otherwise enter illegally. In addition to this, he opposes benefits and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants that will attract them into the country.

• Obama wants to allow people who were illegal immigrants as children to stay in the U.S. because they did not have the choice to come here. If they stay, they can get an education or a job. He also wants to make cases about immigrants who threaten our security more important, and push low-priority cases (like students, military families, seniors) to the bottom of the list. He wants to keep families together; he plans to do this by allowing illegal family members to stay in the country while they apply for citizenship.

Be an Educated VoterThose are the basic facts. Simplified, yes; 100% complete, no, but facts nonetheless. With campaign ads in full swing, it’s hard to know what to believe. This is not the full picture of the candidates, but it is a good piece. So even if you can’t vote yet, what do you think? Who do you want in charge of this country for the next four years?

Knowing that it happened around our area is downright disturbing.

Beasley and Rafferty collected a new identity using the victims’ driver’s licenses and birth certificates as well as a car stolen from the last man that was going to be scrapped for profit. Then Beasley and Rafferty came across Scott Davis.

Scott Davis had land valuing around $30,000, enough money to get Beasley through the winter. Davis responded to the same Craigslist ad and willingly met with the two men that offered him a chance for a job. After meeting with the pair and having small talk out in a wooded area, Davis heard the slight sound of a gun click behind his head. Quickly, he turned around and shoved the weapon free from Beasley’s hand causing the bullet fired to strike through only his arm. Davis immediately evacuated the space and took cover. After hiding for seven hours, Davis was able to escape and inform the police of his terrifying experience.

Beasley and Rafferty were both found by the local police and are being held on trial for their crimes. Rafferty is being held at the Muskingum County Juvenile Detention Center and faces multiple counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and theft. Though he pleads not guilty, stating he was pressured into doing the acts, if convicted, he could face life in prison with no parole. Beasley, who has also pleaded not guilty, could possibly face the death penalty if found guilty for the same crimes as Rafferty.

Rafferty claims Beasley was a mentor to him as he grew up. Lacking proper guardians in his own life, Beasley was, “the father [Rafferty] never had.” Rafferty states Beasley claimed he needed help in order to survive. When the first victim arrived, Rafferty says he was unaware that Beasley’s motive was to murder the man. After being ordered to dig the grave once the first man was shot and stripped of his identity, Rafferty felt pressured and did exactly what Beasley said. This continued for the next three men, one of which was ordered to stand in his grave while he was shot.

Craigslist has developed into one of the most successful trafficked websites in the world today. With more than 60 million U.S. users each month in the U.S. , and more than 1 million new job listings each month, Craigslist has had a major impact on business using the internet. Although this may be a very useful and beneficial website to consumers throughout the world, it has become a site which has attracted some of the most dangerous criminals. There are some of the site’s minor crimes, such as fraud and scams, but there are also more severe cases, like the one of Beasley and Rafferty, that result in serious injury or death.

Certain tips and precautions to help insure the safety of one’s self when using Craigslist include:

1.) Go public. When selling a small item (or buying) try and go to a public place you are familiar with, such as a coffee shop, to do your business. A person trying to cause harm to you is very unlikely to attack in a place with witnesses. Try to park far enough away (but still in a public area) so the person is unable to see the car you drive. Bring a friend along with you if possible, or inform someone on where you are going so they are aware in case you do not return.

2.) Daytime hours. For larger items that cannot be taken out of the house, avoid appointments at night. Make arrangements for business to be done sometime during daylight hours. If possible, ask a friend who could provide protection if needed.

3.) Outside only. Avoid buyers coming directly into your house. Set all items outside on your driveway or in the garage, so there is no need for anyone to come into your home.

4.) Verify job listings. Request company information or any other information you may need before sending in a resume with your personal information on it.

5.) Don’t get too personal. Avoid giving out personal information such as your full name, address, phone number, social security number, credit card information or anything else the person does not need to have as much as possible.

6.) Report any threats. If you feel you were scammed or endangered at any time report it. It is better to be safe than sorry, right?

Always remember to trust your gut. Craigslist is not liable for any problems you encounter, so it is your duty to make sure you are safe.

CRAIGSLIST Cont.

Coach Masters not only pushed his son to be better, but he made sure to push the other teammates just as hard. His favorite part about coaching isn’t just winning, but to also see every one of his players succeed and to improve as a team and as a player. When the player graduates and he sees that they have succeeded, he knows he has done his job as a coach. As a head coach, Masters tried to emphasize class by showing responsibility and being respectful. He tried to do as much community service as possible to give back to the community and to show the community the team isn’t here just to play football.

One particular memory he thinks about almost every day is the Friday in 1988 when Van Buren beat Arlington in Week 10 on a last second play to beat the Red Devils 14-7 to earn Van Buren’s first of two perfect 10-0 seasons. The quarterback, Terry Stacy, lined up on the 2 yard line waiting for the lineman to talk everything out. He finally got the defense evaluated and was ready for the snap. He received the ball, turned around, and handed the ball off to the running back, Chad Johnson, to go up the middle on a dive play. Chad Johnson met Arlington’s linebacker, Jeff Beach, in a head-to-head battle. Johnson won the battle scoring the touchdown and also winning the game for the Black Knights.

Masters has started many traditions at Van Buren. including one that began in 1983 requiring coaches and players to touch the field goal post before stepping onto the football field. Later in his career, he and the team were traveling to Pandora-Gilboa to play an away game. He got a random phone call from Pandora-Gilboa’s principal asking if they would be able to jog down to the opposite field goal because the closest one was falling down.

Master’s thought, ‘’Man, that’s awesome to know we are known around the league for touching the field goal post.’’ To this day, the team takes it seriously to touch the goal post whenever entering and exiting the field.

Coach Masters hasn’t always been a head coach; he has also been an assistant coach for Findlay High School and is now an assistant for Van Buren. Masters came back to coach with Van Buren’s head coach, Kevin Shoup, who was also a coach at Findlay.

‘’I brought him with me for his knowledge of the game, his history of coaching,” said Shoup of Masters. “I coached with him before, and he also brings excitement to the team.’’

They are on the same coaching staff again along with Masters’ son, Darin, coach Phil Gunder, coach Ryan Hite, coach Chris Henry, and coach Mike Leddy. Masters went from being a head coach in New Jersey and Ohio, to being the Special Teams coach and also the Defensive Line coach.

“Coach Masters doesn’t only just teach us the skills of football or the scouting report for that week, but also many morals. He has taught me to never give up and also to never doubt myself. I can do anything I set my mind to,” says senior linebacker Matt DeVore. ‘’I’ll never forget what he has taught me in the three seasons he has coached me. Whenever I doubt myself, I will think about him and how he always believed in me.’’ Something DeVore will never forget is all of Masters’ funny sayings such as, ‘’Hoopdy-do.”

Coach Masters is widely known for his knowledge, expertise, and generosity. He is an idol in Van Buren and whether it’s as a coach or a teacher, Masters continues to have an impact on the lives of many. His record and personality make him the role model he is today.

‘’The reason I keep coming back is for the players. The atmosphere of the Friday night lights and also the growing support. I love to see

former players come back to see their alumni school achieve greatness.”

MASTERS Cont.

Photo courtesy: wcky.com (fair use)