May 1983

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Penn Post
Mt. Penn Jr./Sr. High School
25th and Filbert Sts. - Mt. Penn, Pa. 19606

VOLUME 26
EDITION 7
MAY 1983

Junior High
Honor Society
Comes to Mt. Penn

     On March 17, 1983, Mt. Penn High School received its charter to create a Junior High National Honor Society. This honor society will be for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders and is separate from the Sr. Honor Society. In other words, induction into the Jr. NHS does not automatically place the student into the Sr. NHS.
     To receive the charter, MPHS had to send an application into the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Only accredited high schools can apply - MPHS is accredited as a part of the middle Atlantic states -and all schools must pledge to follow the national rules and regulations.
     To be chosen into the Sr. National Honor Society, the students must first show four different qualities: service, leadership, character, and scholarship. Also, the individual�s grade point average must be 3.0 or better. Finally, the teachers vote. The process will be exactly the same for the Jr. NHS, with one exception: an additional quality of citizenship must be displayed.
     Induction for both the Jr. and Sr. National Honor Societies will be on May 23.
          - Beth Long

Penn Post Receives Second Place Award
     Recently the first and second issues of this year�s Penn Post were sent to the American Scholastic Press Association in Wheatley Heights, New York, to be judged among hundreds of other school newspapers. The Penn Post received a second place in the Junior/ Senior High School category. The point score system was 850 - 1000, 1st place, 700 - 849, 2nd place; 500 - 699, 3rd place. The Penn Post scored a 760 grand total.
     Each paper was judged in 6 different areas. The first area was CONTENT COVERAGE, in which we received 85% of the points. This criteria includes student interest, original material, community awareness, investigative reporting, coverage of various areas of the school life, individual effort, factual research, content of general interest, and continuous, special features.
     The second category was GENERAL PLAN, our score, 80%. This scored design, layout, masthead, name plate, table of contents, and adequate printing method.
     The third category was PAGE DESIGN, our score 57%. This involves proper continuations of long articles, balance and design, avoidance of wasted spaces and uncluttered pages, visual appeal and varied type styles, photographs and cartoons.
     Next was EDITING for which we scored 80%. This area criticized style, visual patterns, journalistic grammar, proofreading, use of by-lines, and accuracy of facts.
     The fifth area was ARTWORK, our score, 47%. This covered artwork, advertisements, illustrations, and captions.
     The final category was CREATIVITY, for which we scored 71% of the points. This judged the creative quality of the paper that made it unique for the population it serves.
     The staff is proud that the 1982-83 Penn Post scored highest in editing, using journalistic grammar and accurate reporting. We need most improvement in the use of photography and artwork and in varying our layouts.
     We are pleased with this second place award, especially since this is the first time our paper was judged. In the future, however, we are aiming for first place.

          - Lynn Slutsky
 

 

inside...
 
Editorials
Real Teachers/Real Students
News
From Our Critics
Students of the Issue
Sports

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What�s After M*A*S*H?
     Practically the entire country witnessed the final episode of M*A*S*H on February 28. After 11 years and 250 episodes, the final cry of "Choppers!" was heard at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Although the show will be in syndication for many years to come, there will always be something missing.
     Obviously that is what the producers of the show thought because coming later this summer will be a sequel called �After M*A*S*H.� The new series involves Colonel Potter, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy working in a veterans hospital. My personal feelings on this are that �After M*A*S*H" will not be as
 successful as M*A*S*H. A rule of thumb is sequels are flops, no matter how good they may be. Throughout the entire life of M*A*S*H, many people left the show, but equal or better actors always took their places. This new series plans to involve only three of the main actors. ror good or bad, Hawkeye Pierce made the show. Any series after the fact that doesn�t star him is starting out with two strikes. If �After M*A*S*H� survives the first six months, then it may possibly be as popular as M*A*S*H was.
     Whatever happens, M*A*S*H will be remembered and loved for a long time to come.
          - Dave Ravel
 
A Time To
Try New Things

     It is now the 4th quarter and the end of the school year will soon be upon us. By this time, many people are ready for a change from the same old routine. I, too, am just a little tired of doing the same things day in and day out, 5 days a week. That is why I feel the teachers should take advantage of this time to try new and interesting ideas and methods of teaching. Students may be ready for this and will probably welcome a creative transition.
     Field trips would be very well received and can help students as well as the teachers learn.
These trips can be short excursions to places in the area which could help a teacher enhance his or her subject.
     Everyone knows that the senior class goes on a rather large trip every year. Perhaps the other classes could go on shorter trips at the end of the year. The 8th grade, for instance, goes to Hershey Park. Trips of this type would be great for the other classes as well.
     Many things can be done to make these last two months more interesting and enjoyable. Hopefully, they will be taken into consideration.
          - Stephanie Rosenthal
 
Invasion of the Smurfs
     You know something: I hate smurfs. I really do. They�re pudgy little blue creeps that have invaded every aspect of our society. Seriously! Don�t believe me, do you. OK - I�ll prove it. The three things considered vital to the survival of man are shelter, food, and clothing. We�ll start with shelter.
     Did you know that smurf wallpaper can be bought? Genuine smurf wallpaper. Yessiree. To match the walls, one can buy smurf sheets, pillowcases, towels, washclothes, lamp-shades, and even trashcans. Imagine. A house of smurf wallpaper. They�ve definitely invaded �shelter.�
     Next - food. Ever try to eat a meal with your family, trying to hold a serious conversation while eating off smurf plates and drinking from smurf glasses?
It can�t be done. How about smurf napkins, paper plates, and table-cloths?
     I think I�m going to be sick.
     For awhile I thought we were still safe, because I hadn�t heard of any smurf clothes. That�s because no one told me, not because we didn�t have any. Now the shelves boast smuri nighties, t-shirts, underwear, swimsuits - the whole bit.
     Now I know I�m going to be sick.
     Of course, there�s more. Ooodles of smurf toys. And the final obscenity - smurf television specials.
     Yep. Smurfs have definitely invaded our society. I don�t think there�s enough room for me and them.
     Does anyone know of a cheap cabin for sale - somewhere in the Alps, perhaps?
          - Beth Long
Do You Know What
You�ve Been Missing?

     While representing Mt. Penn in the Junior Miss Pageant last year, I was a little disturbed by our school�s lack of interest in such a great program. Over the past four years I have witnessed a steady decline in the support of Junior Miss at Mt. Penn, especially on the part of the student body and the girls who are eligible to receive this honor. Last year only two girls tried out and the year before Mt. Penn didn�t even have a contestant in the pageant. Why is this so and what can be done about it?
     Perhaps if more students understood what Junior Miss really stands for, there would be more local support and interest. Through my experience with Junior Miss, I have gained 19 close friends, a little more self-confidence, more knowledge about personal hygiene and fashion, and I had fun doing it. Many people aren�t aware of what Junior Miss accomplishes in a short time period. Of course many rehearsals are required for the pageant itself, but much time is devoted to getting acquainted with the other contestants through recreational and social activities.
     The Junior Miss Pageant is not a beauty or popularity contest. The purpose of the program is to seek Berks County�s outstanding high school senior girl who best exemplifies her peers throughout the county and to have her represent our county in the state pageant. Junior Miss also stresses academic achievement and grants several scholarships to deserving contestants.
     Junior Miss does so much to develop a young woman�s potential, that I hope more girls at Mt. Penn will take advantage of this program in order that this tradition can continue.
 

Penn Post Staff

Editor Lynn Slutsky
Editorials Jodi Kisling
Features Stephanie Rosenthal
News Dave Ravel
Sports Mindy DiGiacomo
Art Beth Long
Reporters Tim Conlon
Pam Horning
Trish Hill
Jeff Jacobson
Marshalle Palm
Advisor Mrs. Strickler
 
Real Seniors
Recently with the onslaught of �real people� books, two enterprising teenagers, Lauren Taylor and Elizabeth Brophy, were inspired to write a tongue-in-cheek guide for high school seniors. What follows are some excerpts from their work plus a few of our staff�s ideas

Real Seniors �
   sleep through the 4th quarter.
   forget about finals.
   get out of bed 1 0 minutes before school starts.
   don�t remember what homework is.
   don�t mind when they get A�s.

Real Seniors �
   don�t eat the school lunch. are always late for class.
   spend half the day in the guidance office.
   don�t know when any tests are scheduled.
   know how to bribe teachers.

Real Seniors �
   don�t run out of excuses until the last day of school.
   don�t brown nose
   think they are already in college.
   don�t bother arguing about grades
   worry more about graduation parties than graduation.

Real Seniors �
   don�t start term papers til the night before they are due.
   had senioritis in September.
   don�t think before they act.
   don�t wear miniskirts.
   take the longest way to the lavatory.

Real Seniors �
   find a way to get suspended when they need a vacation.
   forget there are 5 days in a school week.
   only get caught smoking when they want to.
   are too cool for their boring town.

REAL SENIORS JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE
Real Teachers
The enterprising staff of the Penn Post has also come up with its �Real Teachers� masterpiece which follows:

Real Teachers �
   don�t know where any of their tests are.
   can�t recite the pledge to the flag.
   never hand back tests.
   say �I�ll get back to you� and never do.
   round grades up.

Real Teachers �
   aren�t afraid to wear blue sneakers.
   can keep a straight face while dissecting a pig.
   can kill frogs, don�t throw notebooks.
   don�t coach winning teams (at Mt. Penn).

Real Teachers �
   have hot chocolate and sticky buns for breakfast.
   have learned to put ketchup on french fries correctly.
   are not afraid to wear zebra suits.
   don�t wear checked pants.
   don�t wear wigs.

Real Teachers �
   are easily sidetracked.
   don�t assign seniors research papers last quarter.
   don�t give essay tests.
   don�t give failure notices.
   still teach, even when they can�t talk.

Real Teachers �
   show a lot of movies.
   sleep through assemblies.
   can always find the chalk.
   don�t scrape their fingernails on the chalkboard.
   never have a clean desk.

Real Teachers �
   don�t wear ties.
   don�t announce grades aloud.
   don�t try to make students look stupid.
   can�t work movie projectors.
   don�t complain about their bad days.

Ummm...Real Schools wouldn't print something as lame as this.
This is truly an embarrassing work of "creative" writing. -- YPCM

 
Finger Prints
    
The second week in May will begin a five day finger printing schedule for students at the Mt. Penn Elementary School. No child will be printed without parental consent and parents are welcome to be present when their child is finger printed.
     Parents are being guaranteed that the sole copy of their child�s prints will be given to them. �We are not going to keep any cards on file here even at the request of a parent,� said Police. The prints can be used to recover lost or abducted children at elementary age.
     The tentative printing schedule is as follows: kindergarten age children on Monday, first and second grades on Tuesday, third and fourth grades on Wednesday, and fifth and sixth grades on Thursday. Any children whose parents wish prints to be taken but were absent on the day their grade was printed, will be taken care of on Friday.
          - Tim Conlon

Youth Day
      Thursday, April 28, 1983 will see the 61st annual observance of Youth Day here in Berks County. Youth Day, organized by The Business and Professional Women�s Club of Reading, Pennsylvania, is a chance for area high school seniors to take the places of city officials and other posts. Students must report to their �jobs� at 9:00 A.M. At noon, their sponsors take them to a luncheon at Abraham Lincoln Motor Inn. Afterwords, they return to finish out the day at their borrowed positions. This year, six Mount Penn students will be a part of the festivities:
Greg Clark
Trish Hill

Pam Horning

Beth Long

Alison Seidel

Rick Denby
 
Principal, MPHS
Production Manager,
   WRFY
Dr. Hertz, I.U.
   Department Head
Judge Thomas
   Eshelman
Recorder of Deeds
   Courthouse
Systems Engineer
   Met-Ed

           - Beth Long

Hershey Trip
     Miss Luckenbach will be taking this year�s and last year�s physics classes to Hershey Park May 31. Rather than being just a fun day, this experience will be used to demonstrate the principles of physics in a way that the students will identify with them. These principles will include free fall on the roller-coaster, action and reaction on the bumper cars, and centrifugal force on the Rotor.
          - Mindy DiGiacomo

Computer Courses
Offered Next Year

     Next year approximately 140 students will be using the computers. The computers will be in use 7 periods a day. By using the following schedule every student wanting to use the computer and even some who do not will get hands on experience with the computers.
     Miss Luckenbach will be teaching computer physics for a double period to the top students of the junior class. A computer literacy course open to all senior high students will be held to introduce students to the computers. Exceptional computer students and those who plan to major in computers in college will be eligible to take an advanced programming course. Juniors and seniors will be able to take a computer literacy/statistics class. The students will have 18 weeks of each class. Sophomore vo-tech students will take a computer literacy/business math course. They will have 18 weeks of each course. Another advanced programming course will be offered but this time to the accelerated 10th grade students. ITB, Introduction to Business, will be offered to the top freshmen. This course involves one quarter of using the computers and one quarter of typing. The other two quarters will involve 2 of the following introductory courses: accounting, shorthand, and secretarial work. The class will have a rotation schedule.
     Mrs. Spatz will be teaching 4 of these courses. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Strickler will each be teaching one course. Mr. Fegely will teach the statistics course. The business math course will be taught by Mr. Messner and Mrs. Starr will teach the ITB course.
          - Pam Horning

Optimist Winners
     On April 12, Greg Tucci, Bethany Lightner, and Christine Jurasinski participated in a speaking contest sponsored by the Optimist Club. The contest was held at the Exeter Diner. The topic for this year was �Serve with Pride.� The panel of judges awarded a first, second, and third place for male participants and the same for the females.
Greg Tucci was honored with first place and Bethany (Buffy) Lightner was honored with a second place. Greg won a $50 Savings Bond and will go on to the Zone Contest at the Village Diner in Douglasville on May 5. The winner of the Zone Contest goes to the finals and vies for $1000. All contestants on April 12 received a calculator and a digital clock pen.
          - Marshalle Palm
Y-Teen Fashion Show
     The Y-Teens have done it again, this time they put on the annual spring fashion show. This year�s theme was �Swing into Spring.� Tryouts were held for the girls and 12 were chosen, 8 willing boys were also part of the show. The girl�s fashions were obtained from the Deb Shop in the Fairgrounds Square Mall. The boys� clothes were from Chess King.
     Local businesses were contacted for door prizes. The show was held on April 21st at 7:30 in the high school auditorium.

MODELS

Kristin Szurgot
Cheryl Ryan
Sandra Seiz
Stephanie Kingree
Carol Krause
Stephanie Rosenthal
Missy Becker
Missy Ryan

Denise Malecki
Jenny Miller
Kelly Clark
Diane Churan

Ben Overley
Lance Moliatu
Jeff Eckel
Carlos Scheirer
Rick Denby
Bryan Shaffer
Kevin Epler
Tom Sload

          - Mindy DiGiacomo

Deutsche Studentin
Visit Reading

     On Sunday, April 3, 29 high school students from Berlin were in Reading to attend a bilingual church service as guests of families around Reading for the day. Two families from Mt. Penn played host to two of the German students. The students involved were Jodi Kisling and Marshalle Palm. The visitors were picked up at St. John�s Lutheran Church in town and then received a quick tour of Reading. Sights included the water tower, the Pagoda, 3K�s Farm Market, Antietam Lake, Ontelaunee Lake, Carsonia Lake and the Oley Valley.
     The German students, all from 10th grade, will be staying in the United States for 5 weeks. The first 2 weeks were spent in the Philadelphia area with host families to get a taste of American family life. Now the students are going to visit the Amish Country, New York, Washington, D.C., and points in between.
     One of the German students, Jennifer Layton, was very surprised at the patriotism. She commented that there is nothing in Germany to compare to that. What really amazed her was the flag in the church.
     These German students had an amazing command of the English language. All of the students spoke fluent English.
The students seemed to be really enjoying the United States and the hosts seemed to enjoy the day together as much as, if not more than, the German students.
          - Jodi Kisling

 
News
Here Come The Grandparents
     During the week of April 11 there were some different faces at the elementary school. From April 11 to April 15 the elementary school held its second annual Grandparents� Visitation Week. The Penn Post sent 2 reporters to the Elementary school to cover this event.
     The young ladies assigned to cover this story and gather some comments were excited, but not nearly as excited as the grandparents. The consensus among the grandparents seemed to be:
     �Holy Moley, it sure has changed a lot since I went to school.� Believe it or not, it has also changed a lot since our 2 reporters went to elementary school. Most grandparents and our reporters were surprised at the extensive use of audio-visual aids as a part of the curriculum. The teachers were also excited. The ones we talked to thought it was a good idea to have the grandparents in and thought Grandparents Visitation Week should be continued. Now, for some comments:

Mrs. Elsie Seidel - �It�s good to come.�

Mrs. Kathryn Becker, Mrs. Sarah Shunk, and Mrs. Sophie Holahon all agreed - �It�s so much different
from when we went to school.�

Mrs. Gladys Reese - �I�m very impressed. I wasn�t planning to come until my grandson asked.�

It goes to say that if the grandparents had a good time the grandchildren must have also. In order to be fair, here are some of the children�s comments:

Stephanie Seidel - �I liked it.�

Andrea Bartlett - �It�s lots of fun.�

Erica Becker - �I really like it. They should come more often.�

     All around the school positive comments were abundant. Mr. Brushak was pleased; Dr. Darlington thought it was a good idea; the grandparents were having fun, and the PTL was pleased with the turnout. In total 182 grandparents participated.
The only somewhat negative aspect of Grandparents Visitation Week is the number of grandparents decreases as the children get older. The teachers try to encourage the older children, but there is still a light turnout.
     To sum it all up, this should be done all over the country because seeing the smiles of the grandchildren and the grandparents is worth at feast one week of the school year with a few disruptions.
          - Jodi Kisling
          and Marshalle Palm

Girls Await
Preliminary Judging

     As of April 15, there are 3 junior girls planning to attend the preliminary judging of the 1983 Junior Miss Contestants. Carol Krause, Vicki Denunzio, and Stephanie Rosenthal will travel to Schuylkill Valley High School in the beginning of June. Judges will meet with each preliminary contestant in a five minute interview where the girls are asked questions about world affairs, school activities, community involvements, and personal values. After reviewing school transcripts, the judges make their choice and the Junior Misses are notified of the decision. The 1983 Berks County Junior Miss Pageant will be held later this fall.
          - Trish Hill

Mt. P.U.N.C. II
     On May 14, 1983, the Mount Penn United Nations will be holding its second annual model United Nations Conference. The conference will be held at the high school from 8 in the morning until 5 that evening. Students in the club, along with graduated members from prior years, will be chairing committees throughout the day. Marshalle Palm will be acting Secretary General and Jodi Kisling will be acting Under Secretary General. Awards will be given to individual delegates as well as to delegations.  Approximately 6 schools will be in attendance.
          - Marshalle Palm

Rifle Team
     Mt. Penn did still have a rifle team in 1979, however, it became inactive due to the lack of a certified range.
     The Mt. Penn Rifle Team does not exist any longer as a school club; however, Mr. Hamilton is still an N.R.A. (National Rifle Association) member and certified coach-instructor. This, coupled with the existence of rifles and targets which Mr. Hamilton and Mt. Penn High School jointly purchased, leaves hope for the revival of this club.
     �It's not just plinking around tin cans,� says Mr. Hamilton, �It�s like any other sport, if you want to excel you have to work for it.� This work would involve time investments and practices comparable to those of any other Mt. Penn team.
     Any interested parties can see Mr. Hamilton and express their willingness to participate.
          - Tim Conlon
Math Test for the
Junior High

     The seventh and eighth graders took part in a math contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Mathematics League. Mt. Penn did not do as well this year as last year, but we did have a student place in the top five. Alan Rosenthal, an eighth grader, tied for fourth place in Berks County. With a score of 31 out of 40, Alan missed placing third by one point. The top score in Berks County was 37.
     The students at Mt. Penn do not prepare for this test; therefore their scores are indicative of their understanding of mathematical concepts and their application.
          - Stephanie Rosenthal

Student Council
     Student Council advisor Miss Korba called the students to an April 12 meeting. The most important item on the agenda was the upcoming Fun Day. President Angela Anastasiadis is looking for new events and ideas and would like to get more students involved.
     Another upcoming event is a possible Student Council trip to New York. Council members are looking for a way to lower the cost of the trip to make it a plausible idea. Should they succeed, the trip would only be for 9th through 12th grade students.
     Donald Mackowiak is now in charge of the soda machine.
     Finally, Mr. Orlando brought a new idea to Student Council to get their opinions and some feedback. The new idea is the concept of folders for the Student handbook. Council members were very enthusiastic.
          - Beth Long
 
 
From Our Critics Dear Habib
Fourth of July War
by Allen Topel
     The Fourth of July War is a fictional story about the present-day oil situation. As the story begins, the Arab countries have raised prices so much that the U.S. is really starting to suffer. There have been so many restrictions put on the importing of oil that nobody can afford it anymore. This provokes the President and other leaders of the nation to plan an attack on the Arab oil fields in order to take them by force.
     This book is a tough one to read. This is not because of difficult words or tough subject matter, but because it starts so slowly. At least half of the book is background information, telling us each detail about the characters and the situations in which they are involved. The action or �good parts� don�t start until the end of the book. When this happens, it spills out like sewage. Once the action starts, it�s hard to put the book down.
     The plot centers on the Director of Energy, George T. Morris, and Anne Walton, a television star and sex symbol. The oil being imported into the United States is slowed down to a dribble, and the President must decide whether to use force or to try to get the oil back by peaceful terms. The story is so like the present day situation that the reader begins to realize that something like this could really happen.
     I give this book a good rating, but I don�t recommend it for those of you who enjoy action from cover to cover. Give it a try, but don�t give up after the first couple of chapters.
          - Dave Ravel

Horrorscopes
TAURUS - (April 20 - May 21)
     Taureans are easily recognized because they have a passive, calm, controlled nature that changes to stubbornness and even violent anger under severe stress. They are practical, generous people whose senses are keen. Taurus natives love nature, beauty, and the arts. They show shrewdness where money is concerned and have romantic, generous, independent, and home-loving qualities.
     �Famous Taureans� - Mr. Choyka, Miss Murray, Mr. Ruch, Mindy DiGiacomo, Kevin Shearer, Kristin Szurgot, Bryan Shaffer, and Joe Boyle.
          - Trish Hill
Jailbird
by Kurt Vonnegut

     Jailbird is a satirical look at the 1970�s through the eyes of Walter Starbuck. This character has just gotten out of prison for his part in Watergate. Although nobody remembers him anymore or cares what he did, the story of his life is very interesting.
     Walter Starbuck was a communist at Harvard, a member of F.D.R.�s administration, a food and drink distributor during the War Crimes Trials, and the President�s special advisor on youth affairs. He was sent to prison in 1975 for embezzlement, perjury, and obstruction of justice, but of course he was innocent. His entire life had been one failure after another.
     As the story begins he is being released from prison after four years and faces a life of hopelessness, despair, and unwant. Surprisingly, he meets some people that change his life a-round. These people eventually become vice presidents in RAMJAC, a corporation everything in in charge of self as a bag noticing her.
     After reading this review, you may realize that Jailbird is a confusing book. Well, you�re right. Jailbird is not for everybody; as a matter of fact, Kurt Vonnegut is not for everybody. His works are a challenge for the reader, but if you can keep with him until the end of the book, things usually fall into place. I give the book a 4-star rating.
          - Dave Ravel

Total Abandon
     Total Abandon is anything but that. It is a calculated four man play. It is a play of sympathy, mystery, and sheer disgust. Having just seen Zorba, a play about life that orbited Anthony Quinn�s stage presence, Total Abandon seems to be a large step to the left. While it stars Richard Dreyfus, he is backed by a solid, well known, well acted cast. If you have seen the movie Who�s Life Is It Anyway?, expect the opposite. In that movie, Dreyfus asked that he be put off machines so that he might die in peace. In this play he is fighting to keep his son alive on machines - a son who is dead, a son he abused. It comes down to the fact that if the son dies, Dreyfus will be charged with the murder of his son. The question that prevails is, �Is Dreyfus sincere?� The play ends in an explosion. I promise you a ring around your emotions by the time you leave.
     This play has left Philadelphia and is now on Broadway. Don�t miss it.
          - Jeff Jacobson
Dear Habib,
     My family owns an ATARI set. For my brother�s recent birthday, my parents bought him a Ms. Pac-Man cartridge. Unthinkingly my younger brother asked me one night if I would like to try a game. Figuring that my low score would amuse both my brother and myself, I agreed to give it a go. No sooner had I eaten my first power pill and subsequent ghost when my family noticed a marked change in me - I stared intently at the screen, totally absorbed in my game and oblivious to the world outside the alternating screens. I played game after game, not relinquishing the joystick until my mother turned off the set and threatened me with a broom and insisted that I do my homework. But when I turned to my math, all I could see were ghosts, cherries, oranges, pretzels, bananas, dots, and Ms. Pac-Man! After my mom and dad were asleep, I snuck down for another game, promising myself that it would only be for a few minutes - I played for three hours!!!
     In recent days my addiction to the world of Ms. Pac-Man has grown worse with each game I play. My grades are falling; I can�t concentrate, my friends are all leaving me; my boyfriend has threatened to do the same; my parents have repeatedly tried to punish me and rid me of this affliction - even threatening to get rid of the cartridge! (Since then, I keep the cartridge with me at all times.) I dream of eating dots I walk around in a daze, I can�t even eat! Please Habib - HELP ME!!!!

Dear Addicted to Ms.,
     I personally spent our national debt on Zaxxon before I realized my affliction. It is a hard, slow withdrawal period to go through. I suggest switching to the E.T. cartridge. When you realize you are living for Reeses Pieces, the shock should set you straight. Beware, there are certain physical side effects. Of course, you�ll find that out later.
 

Students of the Issue

Marshalle Palm
     The new Student of the Issue, is active in our school. She is probably best known for her United Nations club work. She has been president of the UN Club for the past two years and has won numerous awards for her effort. In addition to the UN Club Marshalle was President of the Modern Language Club her junior year, and is now vice president. Marshalle has also been involved in FTA, Student Council, band, and Chorus. Athletically Marshalle was part of the bowling team in her sophomore year.
     Among her awards in UN, Marshalle has won a 1st place speaker�s award at Reading High, a 3rd place speaker�s award at Haverford College, and a 2nd place speaker�s award at Governor Muffin.
     Marshalle�s interests include psychology, political issues, animals (especially Mousse), and, of course, people of the masculine form.
     After Mt. Penn Marshalle is going to further her education at Juniata College majoring in Politics and International affairs. Then she would like to go for a Masters Degree at Georgetown University. She hopes to get into government, possibly overseas. Who knows, someday she may be the first woman in the White House.
          - Jodi Kisling

All-Star Plays in
Schuylkill County Game

     A week after our All-Star, Jeff Eckel, played in the Duke DeLuca Memorial Game, he was scheduled to play in the Schuylkill County Basketball Game on April 15. This time, however, Jeff was a member of the Berks County All-Stars, and the proceeds from their game against the Schuylkill County All-Star team benefited a worthwhile charity. Jeff says he had fun and enjoyed playing against all-stars from a different county.
          - Trish Hill

Governor�s School Semifinalist
     Congratulations go to Jackie Savitz for becoming a semifinalist for a scholarship to the Governor�s School for the Sciences. To qualify Jackie maintained recommendations from Mr. Strickler and Miss Luckenbach. She also wrote a paragraph stating why she would like to go to the school, which is held for six weeks over the summer. The program consists of research, science projects, and seminars with famous scientists.
Jeff Eckel
     What�s tall, blonde, and athletic? This issue�s male student, Jeff Eckel. �Doo� is known throughout Mt. Penn as an excellent athlete and integral part of all the sports teams he is involved with. Jeff plays basketball, tennis, and volleyball for the Mounts and has received several awards and honors for his talent on the basketball court. This year Jeff represented Mt. Penn in the Duke Deluca Memorial All-Star Game, and played with the Berks All-Stars in the Schuylkill County Game. He also received an honorable mention on the All-County basketball team. Other than sports, Jeff is a member of Boys Leader Corps.
     Next year Jeff will be attending Bloomsburg State College.
          - Trish Hill

Scholarship for
Lynn Slutsky
     On Tuesday April 21, 1983 Lynn Slutsky received a scholarship from Community General Hospital. She was one of four people picked for the scholarship out of a total of fifteen people interviewed. The scholarship is worth one thousand dollars a year for four years at the college of her choice, Cedar Crest. In order to get the scholarship for the remaining years, Lynn must maintain good grades.
     Since Community General Hospital is only hiring four people for the summer, the scholarship winners are guaranteed summer jobs at the hospital. They must also work at Community General after their senior year at college is completed. This means the college graduates don�t have to worry about finding jobs.
          - Lynn Slutsky

Carolyn Horst
     This female student of the issue is �une bonne at tiste.� She wins many awards for her artwork and has recently been awarded a four-year scholarship to the School of Visual Arts in New York. If you haven�t already guessed, this student is Carolyn Horst. Carolyn is an active student in our school. She belongs to the Modern Language Club and the United Nations Club. In addition to awards in art, Carolyn has also received a second-place speaker�s award for U.N. Club. Some of the more significant art awards she has received include: first place in a mural contest at the Berkshire Mall, second place and an honorable mention in oil at the District Art Show, and a third place in drawing at last year�s District Art Show. She was also a finalist for the Governor�s School for the Arts and then chosen alternate.
     In her free time, Carolyn likes to draw, paint, listen to music, talk to Matt, work, and pick on her little sister. Carolyn has also enjoyed playing field hockey for Mt. Penn.
     After Mt. Penn, Carolyn is going to New York to study fine arts at the School of Visual Arts.
          - Jodi Kisling

Third Quarter Honors
     Rae-Lyn Fletcher, and 8th grader, and Michelle Urban, a junior, were both named as student of the quarter. Rae-Lyn was chosen because she has made honor roll for the first time this year. Michelle improved in four subjects by two grade levels.
     Eighteen students made Merit Honor Roll by having an average of 3.75 or more this marking period. The following students made the Merit Honor Roll:

7th - Kathleen Petruska and Jocelyn Quaintance

8th - Carol Ann Bigos, Norinne
Miller, Jennifer Schickler, and Stephanie Sosh

9th - Leann Deisher, Karen Denby, Kathy Ford, Christine Jurasinski, Darren Max, and Elizabeth Rosser

10th - Lori Fizz and Kari Nordhoy

11th - Sharon Romich, Mark Knabb and Joell Reimert

12th - Carolyn Horst, Beth Long, and Alison Seidel

Eighty-six students from Jr.-Sr. High School have Honor Roll by averaging 3.00 grades or better.
 
Sports
Volleyball
     Mt. Penn�s volleyball season is drawing to a close, with the girls having one more tournament and the boys having two. By the time this paper comes out all three will be over.
     Since the last writing, the girls have played in Mt. Penn�s invitational. This tournament proved to be somewhat of a success, for the girls won 5 out of 10 games.
     The boys participated in the Brandywine Bullet Invitational but played to a disappointing second-place finish. Mt. Penn�s team, last year�s championship team, was beaten by Schuylkill Valley in point totals. Two players, however, were chosen for the all-star team, John Ford and Greg Volutza.
          - Mindy DiGiacomo

Boy�s Season Off To A Slow Start
     The first game of baseball was a close one against Schuylkill Valley at home. The Mounts lost it 1-2. The next game was at Conrad Weiser which the Mounts lost 2-3. The Mounts then lost 8-2 to Kutztown. The score was 2-1 going into the 6th inning and then the Mounts just fell apart. The next game was against Mt. Penn�s rival, Exeter, which we lost 5-7. The Mounts were beginning to come back during the 7th inning. The Mounts had the bases loaded when the next 3 batters struck out. Junior, Tom Sload was 2 for 3 at bat including a stand-up triple. The first league game was at Wyomissing which the Mounts lost 6-1. Daniel Boone then played us and beat the Mounts 7-4. John Ford, a senior, hit a triple and a single. Junior, Warren Davis, had 2 RBI�s on a double and Kevin Shearer, a senior, was 3 for 3 at bat.
     Coach Dengler sees the Mounts� biggest problem as not using their potential all 7 innings. He also points out that the pitcher Dave Ravel, a senior, has not given up any earned runs yet he is 0-3 which means the boys are not getting timely hits or fielding properly. Another problem is junior Jeff Motze, the shortstop, has been unable to play because of illness. Beside shaking up the infield he was also the team�s lead-off hitter. Coach Dengler hopes to correct these problems so their season can end up with a winning note.
          - Pam Horning
 
 

True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends but in their worth and choice. -- Ben Johnson

DeLuca Players
     Trish Hill and Jeff Eckel had a chance to show-off their basketball skills on Friday, April 8 during the All-Star DeLuca game at Albright�s Bollman Center. They each received a trophy for playing in the game.
     Trish Hill, a member of the East team, started and played frequently throughout the whole game. The East team routed the West team, 56-37. Although Trish did not score, she played a very good game. Trish commented, �It was great playing with such talented girls and getting to know them better. I had a lot of fun!�
     Jeff Eckel played very little due to a sprained ankle, which had happened while playing dunkball earlier in the week. Jeff�s East team pulled out a close one against the West team and the final score was 81-75. Jeff said, �It was a learning experience to play under Coach Rick Binder.�
          - Pam Horning

Cheerleaders Chosen
      On Saturday, April 9, from 9 a.m. to noon, 47 girls tried out for the cheerleading team. There were 3 judges, a cheerleading coach from Exeter and 2 coaches from Reading High, and 5 alternate judges in case of a tie. The girls were judged on a point system with a perfect score being 195 points. For each of the following the girls received a possible of 5 points:  a floor cheer, a chant, a split, a dance, and two jumps. Her smile, her pep, her voice, and her enthusiasm were each worth 10 points. The varsity squad is made up of 10 members, the JV squad is made up of 8 members, and there were no alternates chosen this year.
 
VARSITY
Lisa Ruemmler
Stephanie Kingree
Missy Becker
Vicki DeNunzio
Denise Malecki
Pattianne Boyer
Missy Ryan
Sandy Steigerwalt
Lisa A. Martin
Kathy Kunkel
JV
Jenny Miller
Kelly Clark
Karen Denby
Cherisse Conlon
Becky Shaeff
Tracy Wenger
Wendy Crow
Kelly Gray

     These girls will be going to cheer-leading camp during the summer and to finance this event they are selling the Stylex Professional comb and brush set. The set includes 4 different types of combs and one large vent brush. The price of the set is $6.00 and comes in various color combinations.
          - Pam Horning
 

Jumping for Heart
     On Friday, April 22, 1983, from 8 to 11 a.m. 30 teams were jumping for the American Heart Association. Each team was made up of 4 to 6 team members. All team members will receive a certificate for participation in the Jump-A.Thon. The students brought in approximately $2,700 in pledges. The actual total may be more for not all students had brought in their pledge sheets when this paper went to the printer.
     Prizes will be given out according to the amount of pledges brought in. Each participant had to have a minimum sponsors equal to $10.00. For this the participant will receive a tan t-shirt with navy blue sleeves with an emblem in the upper-left corner. For pledges equaling $36.00 to $99.00 the student will receive a barrel (gym) bag and a t-shirt. Dawn Hill, a junior with $65.80 in pledges; Rae-Lyn Fletcher, an 8th grader with $66.60; and freshman Brendan Kane with $69.60 will all receive a barrel bag and a t-shirt. A windbreaker and a t.shirt will be given out to participants with pledges amounting to $100.00 to $249.00. Karen Koch, a senior, had the highest amount of pledges by bringing in $143.60. Mike Martin, a senior, brought in $113.20 in pledges. They will each be receiving a windbreaker and a t-shirt. If anyone had brought in more than $249.00 in pledges, they would have received a warm-up suit and a t-shirt.
     There was also a school incentive to have the students raise money for physical and health education equipment. Mount Penn will receive $250 worth of equipment because our total pledges were between $2000-$5000. Hopefully the money will go towards a Resusci Annie for our CPR courses.
          - Pam Horning

Tennis Team Wins
In New Division

     So far it has been an exciting season for the tennis team. They are in a different and more difficult division this year. As of April 15, the boys were part of a winning team.
     The game against Twin Valley ended in a Mountaineer victory of 6-1. Governor Mifflin was a bit of a disappointment. Here we lost with a score of 0-7. On April 13, Mt. Penn went against Conrad Weiser and was victorious by 4 matches to 3.
     There is still more of the season to go, and Coach Elaine Schwarr feels the matches will be tough, but there are a lot of possibilities.
         - Stephanie Rosenthal