But Friday, May 14, 2010, some will give up their Friday night to help to find a cure for cancer. Thirty three members of the Chapin High School Junior Civitans Club are participating in the 2010 Relay for life.

 They’ve sold Marble Slab ice cream, Monkey Ice snow cones, t shirts, luminaries, purple ribbons and “one step closer” feet to raise money to help find a cure for cancer. This year they have raised over $3100 to help find a cure for cancer.

Sophomores Virginia Baker and Hailey Green have raised the most money from the Junior Civitan’s team. Together they’ve raised over $1000.

 “I’ve known a lot of people who have suffered from cancer and I know this is a great cause” says Baker.

 Hailey Green’s mom had breast cancer. Hailey’s raised over $700 for Relay this year. “It’s a good opportunity for people to get involved and help find a cure.” She says.

 This cause is very close to Junior Civitan’s sponsor, April Worley. “I lost my father to lung cancer,” she says.

  One out of every four deaths in the United States is cancer related and it kills more than 1,500 people everyday. In 1946, The American Cancer Society began funding cancer research. In 44 years they have donated over $3.4 billion to cancer research. This research has led to numerous discoveries that have helped scientists comprehend cancer and help to find more effective forms of treatment.

Relay for Life does more than just collect donations for cancer research. It’s also a way to commemorate those that have lost their lives because of cancer and to celebrate the survivors.

Relay for life was started in 1985. Dr Gordy Klatt, a doctor from Washington, walked for 24 hours to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Now, over 3.5 million people participate in Relay for Life each year.

This year, the theme is “Jammin’ in our Jammies”. All the participants from the Junior Civitans Club will be wearing the PJ’s and helping to fight cancer and find a cure. According to the

American Cancer Society’s website, “The American Cancer Society Relay for Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.” The Civitan’s that are participating in Relay for life are holding true to this cause. 

Relay for life helps to raise awareness of cancer, fund cancer research, and give support to those who have battled cancer, lost a loved one to cancer, or are currently struggling to over come cancer now, but most importantly, Relay for Life saves lives.

Chapin’s varsity baseball team laid claim to a district championship and a 21-7 record.  Their regular season region championship was a high point of the season, marking the first region championship since the move to 3A.  The team ended their season after a loss in Upper State finals to JL Mann.  The seniors of the team were DJ Roberts, Alex Kirby, Alex Nicolai, Matt Jameson, and Jesse Morris.  Several of these players will play on the college next year.  Though this postseason didn’t turn out with a State Championship, it marks consistency in the program run by Scott McLeod.

The Girl’s Varsity Soccer team maintained its dominance with a region championship and an undefeated region record.  Their postseason began with an overwhelming 7-0 victory over Chapman.  Their second round foe was powerhouse JL Mann who beat the Chapin 2-0 in a hard fought match.  The team captains were Alainah Farrell and Chelsea McClain.  The Girl’s undefeated run in region awarded them a top seed, but it wasn’t enough for a deep run in the playoffs.

Chapin’s Tennis team is one of the favorites to claim the State Title this year.  After and undefeated 19-0 season, they advanced past Traveler’s Rest to keep their championship dreams alive.  The number one singles player is Kyle Koch, who boasts an undefeated regular season record in his matches.  The number two singles player for the second year in a row is junior Alex Wallace.  The seniors of the team are Robert Hinson and Sean McCawley and coached by John Rogers.  Tennis’s postseason run will likely yield a State Final appearance in the coming days.

Chapin’s Varsity boy’s Soccer team had a tremendous run this season with a 18-6-1 final record.  Their undefeated region play granted them yet another top seed in the playoffs.  The team easily dismantled Clinton in the first round.  One of the most entertaining games of the year ended with Chapin on the wrong side of the scoreboard.  Eastside scored 3 second half goals to topple the Eagles in a “heartbreak hotel” fashion.  The soccer team’s run ended early than expected, but their season was extremely successful.  They almost topped the number 4 ranked team in the nation, Irmo, in a game that came down to the very end.  The team was led by seniors Evan DeYoung, Joey De Mare, Colden King, David Kesling, Lucho Mariaca, Jason Vaeth, Scotty Halliback, Dylan Matthiessen, Chris Ricketson, and Bradham Wilder and coached by Dick Hiller.

The Girl’s Softball team has had a great season, winning the Snowball Classic tournament, beating the number one team in 4A, claiming a district championship, and winning seven straight to claim a region championship. Coached by Jason Jolley, the girls team was led by seniors Jenna Taylor, Britanny Barr, Lauren Barton.  Their postseason hopes are still alive as they continue to survive in the playoffs.

I honestly couldn’t be happier that my time here is almost at an end. Did I learn as much as could? I hope so. Am I grateful to the teachers who get paid far less than they deserve to teach me? Yes. But that does not mean that I will retain one pinch of fond affection for this institution after I am gone.

I began my time here sophomore year, so I can respect those who have had to endure this place for a whole year longer than I have.

You know all of those students who come back years after graduation to visit? Chill – I won’t be one of them. I think I might have a seizure if I was forced to walk down the pale white hallways of CHS again after my release.

I understand that high school is supposed to be tough for everybody; that it strengthens you and prepares you for the real world. But I really don’t care. The past three years here have been mind numbing and packed with one boring day after another.

Anyway, that’s my goodbye. The only thing that I will miss about this place is the friends that I made here. And I can say goodbye to them in person.

At least I was lucky enough to attend a Blue Ribbon school.

So bye.

Someone who is getting changed should be able to tie there shoe without placing their knee in a wet puddle.

There have been times when students have to get dressed in a different bathroom due to the horrible smell of a disrespected stall.

Students should be able to use the restrooms in peace and not have to be stared at by various fecal matters rubbed on the walls.

Hurried students should not have to worry about accidently stepping in human waste or slipping in a wet puddle outside of a stall. 

 Besides having seen the original fecal matter in the urinal, students have also seen wetted toilet paper, and the notorious fecal matter handprint.

The custodian staff cleans the bathrooms all the time, but sometimes even that isn’t enough for a school as big as Chapin.

A lot of rude students disrespect the bathrooms on a daily basis, but why?

 If a student hates the school and wants to rebel, then why are they punishing the janitors and their fellow students?

It is not like the teachers have to clean the brown mess off of the floors and walls.

Janitors who help the school twenty four hours a day have to clean it, not the people who give out the tests and projects.

 Fecal matter on the side of a toilet has no effect on teachers at all. All that does is make fellow students, friends, and janitors mad.

If someone hates school or hates a teacher, they should not take out there anger on the toilet. It is just a toilet, it is only there to help you and make your life easier.

 If you really want to disrespect a toilet then do it at home.

 Why punish the people who make the school clear and nice? The Janitors should not have to clean up someone’s gross mess.

Why would someone want to get the Custodian’s mad, all the bathrooms would have to be shut down if the Custodians quit for one day.

Students should not let their fellow students get away with disrespecting the bathrooms.

If more people got in trouble for disrespecting the bathrooms then it would stop. The punishment for “vandalizing” (or disrespecting) the restrooms is strict.

Students at Chapin have been caught and got in trouble for disrespecting the bathrooms on many occasions.

 The punishment depends on the crime; sometimes it can be a write up and janitorial work around the school and in the restrooms. 

Other times people can be kicked out of school.  So, is disrespecting the bathrooms really worth it?

Taking the next step and going for the driver’s test is a huge moment in not only the student’s life, but also for the parents. Putting oneself behind the wheel, who knows what, could happen. One mistake from not paying attention and having to slam on breaks, or wreckless driving could put the life of the driver in danger.

A lot of things that students learn about driving are not actually in the classes they take. It’s that day when the individual is put in that situation when they learn the lessons. Some rules of driving are learned from experience. The more distractions the driver has, the better the chance of a wreck. Being aware of the surroundings is key when driving. “The left turn light always used to confuse me when I first learned to drive. The first time I drove by myself I almost got in a wreck at a left turn light,” said junior Kyle Cherubini.

But for others, the problem is not them driving but letting others drive their car. “Never let your friends drive your car. When you hear your friend say “watch this” you know they are about to drive your car into a ditch,” said junior Michael Ragsdale. For Michael, his car actually did get damage due to him letting his friend drive his car.

Getting pulled over for the first time can be very nerve-racking but then again, there must be a reason the cop decided to pull the driver over. “The main reason my friend got pulled over is because he was speeding. What would have been a $160 ticket turned into over a $500 ticket because of he was driving without his license on him and he was driving with an expired tag,” said Junior Frank Dart.

Whenever teenagers are out on the roads they need to always be cautious of other drivers. The more distractions, the better of a chance a wreck will occur. Driving is a huge responsibility that should be taken seriously no matter the situation.

The original 1981 Clash of the Titans by Desmond Davis grossed $41.1 million in the US- quite a sum for its day. On April 2, 2010, a remake by producer Louis Leterrier hit theatres, garnering poor reviews. This remake was filmed with a whopping $125 million mainly spent on special effects, only to receive poor reception and poorer reviews. Apparently special effects and Greek battle scenes don’t captivate audiences like the original storyline.

Set to be released June 11 is Harald Zwart’s Karate Kid, based on John G. Avildsen’s 1984 version. Zwart’s version features a younger character, of a different race, in a different country, in different situations, somehow following the same story line. The classic was made on a tiny budget and brought in an astonishing $90.8 million in US sales. Winning many awards, it instantly became a classic and has received an “89% fresh” rating at RottenTomatoes.com. The new version was filmed on an ample $35 million, but Mr. Milton doubts Zwart’s cast selection. Twelve year old Jaden Smith plays the new Karate Kid, and Milton believes, “They need to make him a mixed character, not so pure and wholesome. I think 12 is pretty young.”

1984 was also hit with the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Filmed on only $1.8 million, the movie received mixed reviews, but later became a defining film for the horror series. The film captivated audiences, combining traditional elements with surrealism. With 7 sequels, Freddy Krueger slashed through the 80s, landing himself back in theatres April 30th. While fanatics are excited regardless, the movie has received reviews critical of excess special effects and forgettable characters. Junior David Finley thinks that, “It’s just an attempt to make some more revenue off the name.”

These classic movies follow common trends. Each was filmed on a small budget, had unfamiliar actors, and were captivating for their original storylines. The problem with remakes- the story has already been told. Milton believes, “Special effects are like spices when you’re cooking. Use them sparingly.” What makes a movie truly special is its storyline, and originality.