Sleep Much? Some People Don’t Need It At All

By Cassey Graeff-

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

There’s nothing better then ending your day crawling into bed and drifting off to sleep. On average eight hours of sleep is the recommended number of hours each night, but a new kind of people called “short sleepers” are beating the odds.

“I’m cranky, I need my sleep,” said senior Brian Ramsey.  Ramsey is not one of the short sleepers.

According to Sleep Education, “A short sleeper is a person who regularly sleeps less than the average member of his age group. His nightly length of sleep tends to be five hours or less. This sleep is unbroken and of a very good quality. The short sleeper feels alert and refreshed after waking up. He is able to function normally during the day on a very small amount of sleep.”

“I get six to seven hours of sleep. It depends if I’m up late studying or something,” said senior Emily Hutchinson.

Short sleepers have a mutation on a gene called hDEC2. This gene regulates the sleep-wake cycle. This mutation allows people to function with less sleep then the average amount of people, according to the latest research.

Jarod Staub a teacher at Penn Manor said, “I think five-and-a-half (hours of sleep) makes me tired.”

Staub must not be a short sleeper, either.

Some students noticed that their parents get about the same amount of sleep as themselves. There may be a pattern in the amount of sleep parents get and their offspring.

“My dad gets six and my mom gets seven hours,”said Emily Nickel a senior at Penn Manor. Nickel sleeps less then eight hours  a night, which is similar to her parents.

“Short sleepers” awaken around four in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to start their day.

According to Better Sleep, Better Life, “Sleep plays a vital role in promoting physical health, longevity, and emotional well-being.”

From the looks of it, students at Penn Manor are not short sleepers and need about eight hours of sleep to feel refreshed when they awaken in the morning. That doesn’t mean they always get it.  With homework, jobs, sports and a social life, sleep can sometimes be a low priority even though a lack of sleep can make all the other activities more difficult.

Sleep well Penn Manor.

Clouse Family Funeral Left in Peace

By Lyta Ringo –

The Westboro Baptist Church has made its mark all around the world. They’re known for protesting at funerals holding signs using anti-semantic sayings on them. The church members picketed the funeral of a fallen soldier, because they say they believe America tolerates homosexuals. The church was taken to the Supreme Court by the family of a York man whose funeral they disrupted. The court ruled the first amendment more important than privacy laws.

Westboro members had planned on showing up to the funeral held by a local family who had lost seven of their eight children to a fire that broke out in their home. However many local residents and members of other counties weren’t going to let that happen.

Bill Raber was among one of the many motorcyclists there to protect the family from the church’s protests.

“We’re here to make sure that these babies rest in piece [and] have a peaceful ending today,” said Raber in a local news report.

The only child to survive the fire was Leah Clouse, three years old.

The Westboro church decided to stay away from the Clouse funeral, making the bikers wonder… why did they make the threat of showing up in the first place?

One of seven coffins being led to the burial ground. Photo Courtesy of Patriot News.

“They go by the first amendment, we could always go by the second amendment,” said one of the motorcyclists known as Utz.

The amendment comment was in no way meant as a threat. In a video shot by WHTM, the bikers stated that they were only present at the funeral for a human shield. They did not want violence, but they want these people to stop and give the seven children a peaceful resting.

“They shouldn’t be protesting a funeral where seven kids died,” said Dakota Jordan, “they have nothing to do with what these church members support.”

Due to the no-show by Westboro Baptist Church, no violence or protest took place at the funeral, and all seven children were laid to rest peacefully.

The seven children, Christina 11, Isabelle 9, Brady 7, Hannah 6, Heidi 4, Miranda 1, and Samantha 9months old were all buried side-by-side.

Ben Clark Places in the Intel Competition

By Jake Shiner –

The prestigious Intel Science Talent Search ended in Washington D.C. last week with one of Penn Manor’s own named in the Top 40, none other than Ben Clark.

The talented senior added yet another award to his constantly growing achievement list. He placed seventh in the science competition geared toward seniors, using the same project that he entered in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology last December.

Clark’s project sounds simple enough.

“I determined how close binary stars are,” said Clark. “The underlying fact is that this can be used to determine how stars are formed.”

Ben Clark winning Siemens competition.

The competition was tough with 1700 seniors going for the awards, narrowed down to the top 40, whom were flown in to D.C. on an all expenses-paid trip.

“We were staying in a hotel two blocks from the White House,” said Clark with a smile. He said the back of the nation’s capitol building was visible from his room.

The young senior has already been to similar competitions, but one thing always stands out as his favorite part.

“The best part is always the interactions with other students who also enjoy science as much as you do,” said Clark.

Clark had the privilege of meeting the leader of the United States while in Washington, saying, “meeting the president was definitely cool.”

While in the capital he got to go to Capitol Hill and met new Pennsylvania senator, Pat Toomey.

Clark also sat with the president of California Tech at the award dinner, where he is thinking of attending college, which he said was a very exciting experience.

The young genius has many potential futures. He says he has narrowed it down to physics or astrophysics, but doesn’t know which one. As of right now, that may be the only thing Clark doesn’t know.

Seniors have one more game

By Sam Valentin –

Five Penn Manor seniors will be playing  one more game before moving on to college. Five talented seniors were voted to the Tri-county All-star game playing for the south squad.

Photo of the Penn Manor 2010 Comets football team. Photo courtesy of Penn Manor Comets Football.

Linebacker Ande Olson, Wide receiver Demetrius Dixon, Wide receiver Teon Lee, linebacker Garret Young, and defensive back Darius Howard were all selected for the south team of the all star team.

Coach Scott Lackey expressed his feelings about the seniors being selected, saying,” I think it’s super. There hard work is being rewarded.”

Last year nine Penn Manor players represented the south team. In 2009 four comet seniors were involved in a south victory. In 2008 which was also a south victory, the Comets were represented by two seniors.

“In years past we didn’t have  as many. To have five players selected is quite an honor,” said Lackey. There were only ten seniors on the football team this year and five players will represent Penn Manor as a school and and as a football program.

“We have some very good kids coming up,” said Lackey about future players representing Penn Manor at the all star game. But next years senior class is smaller so don’t expect as many players being selected for the game.

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 28 at Manheim Central High school. The south will be coached by the Garden Spot football staff. While the north squad will be coached by the Ephrata football staff.

Big Name Companies are Lovin’ this time of Year

By Simon Zimmerman-

March Madness is no longer about basketball, to large businesses that is.

Large companies like Coca-Cola, Unilever and AT&T are using a new marketing strategy, this strategy is social media.

Since the majority of games during the three week stretch are watched on live streaming websites online, using social media is a great way to advertise big-name products.

“I think its a really smart idea, during the tourney everyone is online so the companies are bound to get some views,” said senior Mark Curtin.

Last year during the tournament, over 11 million hours of live streaming games occurred which gave viewers plenty of time to see the vast amounts of advertising being displayed on those websites.

Coca-Cola looks to market during the NCAA tournament. Photo courtesy of Coke Products

Coca-Cola in fact, is spending 18 percent more, this year compared to last year, on their tournament budget for social media. This year they will have a social media site called the Coke Zero Social Arena. On this site, viewers can go and get professional commentary and chat with other fans.

Other well known brands, like Reese’s, are using the social networking behemoth, Facebook, to advertise its product. Reese’s is sponsoring a half-court basket for $1 million at next years march madness tournament.

AT&T and Unilever’s Dove is doing the same thing with using Facebook to advertise during the tournament.

Some students at Penn Manor think it is sort of strange to advertise products that have nothing to do with the tournament or basketball at all.

“I understand why companies like Coke or Reese’s would advertise on social networking sites but Dove? That just doesn’t make sense,” said Senior Dan Elliot.

As long as these colossal companies are getting their names across, it doesn’t matter what revenue they are targeting.

Billion-dollar Giveaway to help the World

By Jake Shiner –

Ever get that feeling that you have too much money? Well Bill Gates does.

Gates has led the wealthy as the world’s richest man for 13 years straight (1995-2008), but has just recently given the title to Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim.

Given, not lost however because in the past three years Gates has donated $30 billion and plans to donate more to his wife Melinda’s charity organization that helps to fight leading causes of death such as AIDS, malaria and the causes of mother/children deaths.

Melinda and Bill Gates strolling

It’s not everyday that a billionaire decides to give away most of his or her wealth, but for Gates, it was an easy decision. According to a CBS news report, he and his wife agree that all lives are equally valuable, no matter where you live on the globe, and that these problems they’re combating aren’t as prominent at home. They have so much money that they can’t even fathom an idea of how to spend it on themselves, so they decided to help the less fortunate.

While Gates said it was a relatively easy choice, how would Penn Manor students handle the donation of 60 billion dollars?

Seniors Josh Carle and Tyler Wilson both agreed that they would donate their money to research.

“I’d give all my money to cancer research,” said Wilson, “I care.”

Jesse Graham had similar ideas and  said “I would give my money to some kind of world hunger organization and green initiatives.”

Cody Welch on the other hand was having more selfish thoughts. “Is there an option of just not giving it away,” he asked.

Since the Gates family is giving away most of their fortune, that means there is less for their kids to inherit. How would you feel as one of the Gates kids?

“I might be disappointed, but it’s no big deal,” said Carle.

Graham noted the fact that he would still be inheriting at a good amount of money anyways. “I’d be cool having just a billion dollars, I’d be set forever.

Welch on the other hand had different feelings. “I’d be extremely angry and upset with my father, I would have nothing but bad things to say about him… if my father is Bill Gates, I should be inheriting $20 billion,” said Welch.

As it turns out Bill and his wife don’t plan on giving too much money to their kids (for their standards). He and his wife agreed that they didn’t want money to shape their three kids’ lives.

The Gates have challenged other wealthy persons to give away at least half of their fortune in their lifetime, and investor Warren Buffet, the third richest man in the world, has already followed suit. Maybe if other billion and millionaires join in they can help to save and better lives all over the globe.

In Indoor Soccer, It’s a Goooaaalll!

By Corbin Gillichbauer –

Trapped within walls with a ball and a bunch of prime athletes trying to win glory for their team.

Indoor soccer is played when everyone is getting ready for bed at the Red Rose Indoor Soccer Arena. It is six on six with a goalie in each net played just like soccer, but indoors.

The Red Rose

Cliff Overdorf and Tom Buckius coached “Attack soccer” since fifth grade but Buckius left after grade seven, since then Overdorf took control.

“It is more physical than outdoor soccer. We take it seriously out on the field and leave  it on the field,” said Zane Sensenig the coach’s son.

The younger Sensenig is the captain of the field and possesses the team spirit during each game and makes sure his team doesn’t get into a fight because the games are played fiercely.

Ryan Connelly is a member of Attack for three years now and loves the sport. Connelly said he will play indoor soccer until he can’t play any more.

“It is the most intense sport anyone can play, it is a way of life,” said Connelly.

The top four teams go to playoffs and battle it out for the championship and Attack has secured fourth place and will play in the playoffs.

“We just have to play hard and hope for the best,” said Zane Sensenig.

Penn Manor Visited by Little Furry Friends

By Evan Shertzer –

“It’s not pleasant.”

According to Amanda Stoltzfus, Ag teacher at Penn Manor,  the mice running around Penn Manor High School are not welcome.

Over the past few weeks, the mouse problem has started to increase. During classes, students hear them scratching and gnawing around in the ceiling, smell their nests from a few yards away and sometimes find them running around during class.

Scott Appel, a sophomore, has heard the mice during class.

“I didn’t know of any before hearing them in the classroom,” said Appel, “I have not seen any right now, but heard probably about seven.”

Matt Ferrick, a junior, also has had encounters with the mice and knew they were in Penn Manor for a while.

“I caught about six or seven mice last year,” said Ferrick, “I’ve seen about 12. I’m not scared of them.”

Over the past week, there have been preventative measures to take care of the mice.

“Since we’ve cleaned and received traps, we have seen a decrease in the mice population,” Stoltzfus said, “we haven’t seen them in our office anymore.”

A mouse trap in one of the Ag rooms at Penn Manor from a mouse perspective. Photo by Evan Shertzer

Stoltzfus doesn’t think the strategies are solving the problem, but thinks it’s definitely helping.

The mice infestation isn’t just happening one area of the school though, it’s widespread.

“Teachers have food in their refrigerators and desks, which attracts the mice,” Leighton Dickenson, head of the Janitors at Penn Manor, said, “once they have a food source, they go back to their nest and tell the other mice and then they go to that food source.”

Since mice are attracted to food, one of the most likely places for them to be would be the cafeteria’s kitchen, but according to Dickenson, that isn’t the case.

“The kitchen has basically no mice because they lock everything down in there and close all the doors,” Dickenson said.

So with the recent measures to get rid of mice such as traps, cleaning, and locking things up, Penn Manor’s furry little friends might soon be extinct.

Girls Look to Go All the Way to States

By Marc Summy –

The Penn Manor girl’s soccer team looks to make an improvement from last season’s 13-5-1 record.

Hopes are high within the team to win districts and make a deep run into states.

The team has come up with a slogan: “Diez Anos de GANAS” (ten years of GANAS). Loosely translated it means, “ten years with the desire to win.”

Penn Manor Girl's soccer standout, Logan Kramer, looks to give the team an edge. Photo credit Marc Summy.

The girls have taken this to heart, supporting it on the back of their t-shirts.

Team captain Veronica Willig said of the team’s near-miss accomplishments in the past.  “We’re sick of losing in districts.”

As for the competition for the Comets, they will be up against section rivals Hempfield and Manheim Township, “who are always tough,” according to coach William Zapata.

The lady Comets will look to their robust defense and tightly netted team as their strong suite.

“Communication is a key to having a successful season this year,” said Arkansas State-bound Logan Kramer.

Although the team lacks varsity experience, they had an impressive off-season, winning all five of the tournaments in which they entered.

The Comets only visible achilles’ heel is varsity experience. “Other weaknesses will only come if the girls get too comfortable or complacent with what they’re doing.” added Coach Zapata.

The Penn Manor’s girl’s soccer team has high expectations from one another and will kick things off with their season opener March 25, home against Wilson at 5:30 p.m.

March Madness is Back at Penn Manor

By Cody Straub,  Simon Zimmerman and David Mohimani

Penn Manor High School has a buzz surrounding it. Why? Because it’s that time of year again.  No, not Saint Patrick’s Day weekend. It’s the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and, as Dick Vitale would say, ” It awesome baby! With a capital A!” March Madness is back, and the students of Penn Manor are ready for the most drama-filled weekend in sports.

With the toss of the basketball at 12:15 on Thursday, March Madness began  with West Virginia vs. Clemson.

Why is everyone so excited for the tournament?  It’s the passion of the players who want to make it to the Final Four in Houston makes this tournament great. It’s for the non-stop basketball, the suspense of not only the games, but if your bracket will be correct.

“When March Madness comes around it feels like a second Christmas,” said junior Alex Kirk.

The Final Four will be in Houston this year.

The game everyone was waiting for was the Penn State vs. Temple game at 2:10 on Thursday. For Penn State fans, it’s a welcome change to see the basketball team making some noise in March instead of just the football team in the fall.

Before the game there was buzz around the high school about being able to witness Penn State basketball in the national spotlight, a very rare occasion compared to its football team.

“I’m excited for it(the Penn State game) because I’m looking forward to watching Penn State basketball for once,” said senior Josh Carle.

Unfortunately  for the Lions and their fans, it was an early exit when they lost to Temple 66-64, on a last-second shot.

Talor Battle led Penn State to March Madness. Photo by rivals.com

Just making the tournament  is a huge accomplishment for  Penn State who is in the tournament for the first time since the 2000-2001 season. The main reason for their return is Talor Battle. Battle averaged 20.1 points per game this season, and made countless big shots to help the team get the wins it needed to get a bid for the Big Dance.

Kirk made a bold and incorrect prediction for the game.

“Penn State is gong to win because of Talor Battle,” said Kirk.

Other students  weren’t as optimistic of Penn State pulling off the upset as a 10 seed over 7 seeded Temple.

“They used up all their magic in the Big Ten Tournament,” said senior Peter Horning.

It looks like all the last second magic was left at home for the Lions.

Even though Penn State had the majority of Penn Manor on their side, because  it’s a battle of two local teams, some were rooting for Temple, and others were indifferent and just excited to watch the local teams square off.

“I was excited to watch the two local teams go at it, I just wanted to see a good game,” said junior James Servansky.

The Penn State-Temple game won’t be  the only game students tune into as the tournament is just getting started, continues all weekend, and the next two weekends as well.

No matter who you root for, March Madness is the greatest time of year for all college basketball fans. So sit back relax and enjoy the madness.