The Torch
Volume 1, Issue 1 Faces and Places April 15, 2007
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Oly Sees Double
By Jesse Hodge
posted 9:08 AM CST, May 14, 2007

 
Colton and Hayden Greider                    Betsy and Kelsy Heiser


     Twins are double the pleasure and double the fun. A set of twins are two individuals who have shared the uterus during a single pregnancy. There are two different types of twins, fraternal and identical. There are said to be over 125 million sets of twins in the world. Olympia is lucky to have a few of the millions.
     Nine sets of twins were counted throughout the high school. Surprisingly though, they all did not have the same thing to say as their twin. One common misconception is that twins always think alike. Sophomore Colton Grieder said, “One good thing is that you always have someone there.” Freshman Jordan Thompson agreed by saying, “You always have someone your own age around.”
     Many times twins can use this to their advantage. Freshman Kami Carpenter said, “He can invite over his friends that I like.” Junior Jeff Freitag said, “No one ever messes with a twin.” There are also Olympia teachers who are twins, like Mrs. Mullen! She said that she and her twin both decided that if everyone was a twin, the world would be a better place.
     There are also some disadvantages to being a twin. Freshman Kameron Carpenter said, “I never have my own birthday.” Sophomore Shane Decker said, “We both get the same things.” Between having to share everything and never feeling independent, I could imagine the hardships that come along with being a twin.
     Overall, almost every twin had good things to say about their brother or sister. Most of them agreed that they don’t know anything different, so it’s hard to say whether they would like it better as a single child.

      
Chase and Shane Decker                    Suzanne and Sarah Davis

      
Zach and Sam Williams                    Jordan and Josh Thompson

       
Jeff and Jay Freitag                    Cameron and Kami Carpenter

          
Jamie and Nicole Davis                     



Ride of the Month
         
By Nick White
posted 9:31 AM CST, May 14, 2007

     After he bought the Ford from his brother’s friend, Ben Wise and his father Scott began to build the Mustang to their specifications. The car took over a year to build. Everything from the engine to the body kit, they installed themselves. This 5.0 is one that nobody could overlook when searching for the Ride of the Month.
     Ben Wise, aka the “Ranch King” (due to the amount horse power under the hood,) drives his 1990 Ford Mustang 5.0 with a lot of pride. Who wouldn’t be proud driving a self-built V-8 engine that cranks out over 325 hp?
     The car is midnight metallic blue with a silver body kit and two silver racing stripes running from the front of the hood to the tip of the spoiler. Looking at the car from the back, you will most likely notice the Flowmaster 3” dual exhaust pointing at you. If your eyes miss it, then you will definitely hear it and feel it when Ben starts it up.
     Under the hood of the powerful stallion you will notice the performance engine. With 24 lb. injectors, hyperkinetic forged flattop pistons with 10:1 compression, and ported and polished stockheads, Flowtech headers, performance is the least to say about the Ford. Not to mention the chrome 70 mm BBK cold-air intake, the BBK 65 mm throttle body, EGR valve, and Comp Cams working together as they push the engine to it’s full potential. More efficient intake and exhaust plumbing plus an aggressive engine calibration add more horse power.
     The car has only been finished for a year, but Ben and his dad want more power. They are currently in the process of building a new engine. The future motor increased to 30 lb. injectors, a 347 Eagle Strokerkit, a 90 mm cold-air intake, a King Cobra clutch, and a Mac Racing Chip. A set of SLP Loudmouth dual 3” exhaust and 4” tips will be attached to Hooker headers that will be added when the new motor is installed.
     Ben plans on changing the look of his car as well. He wants to repaint it the same color to get the scratches out and add that extra shine he’s been looking for. He is also getting a new body kit, a lowering kit, and a 2-½ inch cowl hood for the ‘Stang.
     After a year of building and modifying, Ben’s Mustang looks good, sounds good, and performs great. But if there is a chance of making it better, you’d better believe Ben will be the first to do so. Custom built to how he wanted it, Ben Wise’s Mustang is no pony. It has the power of 325 horses and sounds like they’re in a stampede.


Heap of the Month
By Austin Myers

     This month’s very attractive heap of the month is David Walker’s, 1992 Honda Civic Hatchback Turbo. This car is still most of its original color, which is jet black, and oh, it moves as gracefully as a jet. David got this fine piece of machinery from his dear friend Jonathon Funk, “He sold it to me dirt cheap.”
     Davy said, “If I ever get stuck, I can just pick it up and lift it out,” That’s what caught David’s eye about this beauty. David’s pushing this beast with a 4 cylinder engine, which equals up to be about 100 or so horsepower. Does it help pick up the ladies? David replied, “Oh yeah, any lady looves a man who can drive a manual transmission.” David’s favorite feature on the car is his killer sunroof that he’s not even sure works yet, not a big surprise if it doesn’t work.
     The next question was about car improvement and David didn’t have too much to say about it. The only things that David would change about his ride would be taking 200 thousand miles off of it and make it run a little better. I also asked David the very important question, if you had the money, would you throw some D’s (some dubs(rims)) on that ride? David surprisingly said, “No, because every D would be worth more than my car.”
     What is wrong with David’s car? You might need a few hours to read this list and you might get a little bored. But just think it will make you feel better about your car. David’s cars doors don’t lock; half of his dashboard is sitting in his back seat, which has a mysterious green goop in it. Only 1 ½ of his bumping speakers are still working from all the bass he’s been pushing out of there. David has no gas-cap, no dome light and has rust over the top of all the axles, and probably not last but not least, his cruise control only works half the time.
     So if you’re looking to go out on the town and pick up the ladies, jump in David’s whip and have at it.



Seniors Share Future Plans
By Jesse Hodge

     As the school year is coming to an end, it is time for seniors to start finalizing their plans for next year. Whether they choose to attend college or start a full-time job, their decisions need to be made.
     Mrs. Eppley, a guidance counselor at Olympia High School gave some advice on how to go about making after high school plans. She said that if students still don’t know what it is they want to do then the best thing to do is to use your talents or hobbies as a tool to make your plans. Mrs. Eppley said, “They are small but crucial factors that can really help plan out your future.”
     If you plan on working full-time, then a community college would be your best choice. Otherwise, going to school full-time would still leave enough time for a part-time job.
     Senior Ed Wittrig started making his post high school plans his junior year. His final decision depended on which college would be best for his degree in history. Junior Christen Roberts on the other hand, started making her plans freshman year. She has been researching many colleges and has almost settled on Edwardsville. Christen said, “I have to start planning things way in advance, otherwise I get stressed.”
     Junior’s need to start checking out careers they could possibly be interested in. These factors will help determine what college or tech school would be best for them. This summer is an important time to start narrowing down options.
     As soon as junior year is over, start applying!


In Your Face:
Senior Edition
By Grace Thomas and Kelsy Armstrong

     For this issue of the Torch, Kelsy and I decided to focus solely on the Seniors, as this is our Senior issue. Turns out most seniors are planning on staying close to home after graduating, working their summer away, and not missing high school one bit.

Senior - Beth Halsey
Hometown – Atlanta
Plans After High School – Heartland
Favorite Class – Drawing and Design or Photography
Are you going to miss high school? – “Yeah, the people, not the drama.”
Favorite Teacher – Mrs. Meissner
Favorite High School Memory – “Probably singing at Friday/Saturday Night Live.”
Summer Plans – “Nothing really, I have a boring life.”



Senior – Matt Westerfield
Hometown – McLean
Plans After High School – Southern Illinois University in Carbondale
Favorite Class – East
Are you going to miss high school? – “No, not at all.”
Favorite Teacher – Mr. Chase
Favorite High School Memory – “When Ben Trout wore a cheerleading outfit and danced at that basketball game and showed everyone his stuff.”
Summer Plans – Working



Senior – Carmen Ditchen
Hometown – Stanford
Plans After High School – Parkland
Favorite Class – Biology
Are you going to miss high school? – No
Favorite Teacher – Mrs. Hapgood
Favorite High School Memory – “Hiding under the bleachers with Megann Albright so we didn’t have to run so much in P.E.”
Summer Plans – Work



Senior – Kyle Hurley
Hometown – Danvers
Plans After High School – Just work
Favorite Class – Creative Writing
Are you going to miss high school? – “Yeah.”
Favorite Teacher – Mr. Brigham
Favorite High School Memory – “Backing up into a ditch.”
Summer Plans – “Just hanging out with friends.”




How To Have a Extraordinary Summer
By Darci Williams & Betsy Heiser

     Are you worrying about how you are going to have a splendid summer?
     There are many things people can get involved in over the summer to make it fun and full-filled.
     It all starts with the right kind of attitude. You can’t go into the summer thinking it’s going to be lame and there is going to be nothing to do.
     Think positive and know that there are many options offered out there. Here are the top 5 things on “how to” full-fill your summer:

1. Get a Job: For starters, in the summer, there will be a lot of down time, and during the day it would be a good idea to get a job. If you’re concerned about not being able to get the “dream tan” by having to work inside during the day, take your job to the next level and apply at a local swimming pool. This way there will be spending money for the extra things you would like to do over your summer break, and yet still have a nice tan. Senior Stefan Frazier said, “I have to work all the time.”

2. Create a New Hobby: Try something new. Doing the same activities over and over can tend to make you look forward to them less; if you were to pick up a new hobby, such as swimming or rollerblading, you could learn to like new things and get involved with new people.

3. Play on a Sports Team: For some sports, it’s an off-season, but there are still some offered. Baseball and softball play over the summer and you can get onto a recreational team easily. If that’s not the sport you were looking to play, then do a little research and pick up some information on camps offered for other sports such as, volleyball, basketball, tennis, football, etc. Junior Kelsy Heiser said, “I have volleyball all summer, then I have to go to volleyball and basketball camps too.”

4. Hang Out With Friends: If you use your time wisely during the day, there will be definitely plenty of time during the evenings to chill with them. Summer sleepovers are a fun time for you and your friends to catch up. Hitting up the night out on the town by seeing a movie with your friends and or grabbing a bite to eat! It all works and it is a guaranteed fun time.

5. Going on a Vacation: Planning a trip with the family or tagging along with a friend on vacation could be the perfect way to have a splendid summer. Getting out of the house for a week or so could be a nice closer to the 2007 summer break. Being in different surroundings with family members or friends relieves stress from the work week or boredom back at home. Stefan also said, “I am going to New York and the Ozarks, then college, WHOO HOO!”

These top 5 “how to” full-fill your summer break tips are a great way to start planning your break with about a month left of school. So have an idea on what you would like to accomplish over your summer and be safe and most of all have fun!


Andrew Lindgren:
The Man, The Myth, The Legend
By Mitchell Birky

     We all walk down these hallowed hallways of Olympia each day and wonder at all the unique people we see. Some students make it very clear on what they are to be when they grow up, such as Matt Frahm, standing at 6 feet 5 inches, makes it very clear that he will be a professional athlete, or David Hanck making it known that he will become the future president of the United States. But there are also those people who don’t flare their talents around like these two young gentlemen. One of these people is Mr. Andrew Lindgren of Armington, Illinois.
     Some know of Andrew’s success as a well respected FFA officer and an all-star varsity basketball player, but only a select few know of Andrew the concert pianist. Andy has been playing the piano since he was in 3rd grade, going on 9 years now. He goes to piano practice every Saturday morning and plays his heart out for, in his words, “The best piano instructor since Mozart, and she’s more attractive.”
     Andrew has also won pianist of the year for 6 years in a row. “I compare my accomplishments to Lance Armstrong,” Andy said, “I’m going for 7 years in a row just like him.” Andy is also the eldest of his piano class members, which, as he says, “Makes me feel like I’m really good when the 8 year olds mess up and I conquer whatever piece they’re playing.”
     So if you’re looking to host a cocktail party or an upscale white suit bash, contact Andy and he’ll be happy to grace your fancy guests with some great piano harmony. We all wish you well on your way to the most famous concert pianist of all time, Good Andrew, may the strength of Beethoven be with you.


Question of the Month
By Betsy Heiser

     “Do you think we should take naps during school?” Taking naps during school can help get your brain work because, with me, it is really hard to concentrate when I am tired or my face is in my textbook.
     Some people that I asked agreed with the idea and others just said it was stupid.
     Junior Jacob Fry said, “Yes, because they are amazing!” Then Mr. Smith disagreed and said, “No, high school students should be way past that stage.” Junior Heidi Fontaine said, “Yes, we should have an open nap time where you can sleep for 30 minutes whenever during the day.” Junior Carly Dillenburg said, “No, because school will be longer. That’s why you sleep in class.” I don’t know what I would choose because taking a nap during the day would be really nice, but then it would also mean that school will get out at a later time than it already does.
     After asking many people what they thought, most agreed with Mr. Smith and decided that naps were a waste of time and we don’t need them, especially since you can take a nap when you get home.



The Torch Premiers New Website
By Jacob Hadsall

     When the Torch staff sell most of these Torches, we hear a lot of the time, “Sorry I don’t have any money” or “left my wallet in my car.” These wonderful stories and articles shouldn’t be left unread.
     Now thanks to the web design team for The Torch, Nick White, Brooks Williams, Jacob Hadsall and Mrs. Mullen, The Torch is on the web, bringing all the pictures and great stories with it.
     There are a few draw backs with the new addition to The Torch. Not all stories that are in The Torch printed edition will be placed on the web. This doesn’t mean there will only be a few stories, it just doesn’t guarantee that every story will be published on the web. “Even if just some articles are put on the internet, it’s a step in the right direction for The Torch,” said Sophomore Courtney Martin.
     The Torch web site also offers e-mail to the editor and a comment opportunity to allow for suggestions to be made. Also, need to know the weather? Visit The Torch web site and see if the big game against U-High will get rained out.
     The team is just about ready to release the URL to the school and let The Torch expand into a whole new direction. “Oh-man, I just can’t wait to see The Torch website,” said Junior Eric Biehl.
     “Check out The Torch online. There is lots to see and read. You can look at current information or look in the archive for past news” said the head of web department Mrs. Mullen.



Shattering All Doubt:
Still Rockin’
By Brooks Williams

     Shatter All Doubt was on the track to success: They made a CD with a few sample songs, had a feverous amount of wins in radio contests, played in concerts, and even had a cult following of fans that really enjoyed their music. But where are they now? It’s been a while since I’ve heard any news about this band of passion.
     So I sat down with Jason Watt, one of the members of the band, to figure out what was going on. Jason explained it fairly simply: “At first, all we did was write a few songs and then tried to get our name out on the market, but now that we have done that, we’re focusing on writing good songs and trying to put together a CD. It used to take us maybe a few days to write a song, but now it’s taking much longer to complete due to all of the notes we have to write down along with the music.”
     Remembering that when Shatter All Doubt started hitting the big times that all I would hear was their band’s name day after day, I asked Jason why that wasn’t really happening anymore. “I think one of the major things that pumped us up there was the radio competitions, but we all decided that it’s kind of selling out to be featured in things like that. We do still play on another radio station on Fridays, but we felt that if we had to go through radio contests to earn airplay, it just wasn’t worth it.”
     So, to put it in a nutshell: Shatter All Doubt is working on new songs for a new album, and they still do have airtime on the radio.
     They’re just working on the sidelines at the moment, but don’t fret, Shatter All Doubt will be back and bigger then ever.

Oly By The Numbers
By Jason Killian


     Boy and girls I have a treat for you in this edition of Oly by the Numbers! I found all new items that have never been counted or even been thought of.

- ) In the O.H.S there are approximately 208,000 bricks making up the classroom walls!

- ) A newly added score board holds an upwards of 11,086 light bulbs, WOW.

- ) If you need to know the time, then you can check out any of the 83 clocks in our school that holds 249 hands and 4980 minute marks.

- ) Hall passes need not apply, at any given time there are roughly 6-8 people wandering the hallways during class time.

- ) The commons houses a beautiful painting of our beloved Spartan crest, painted over 160 ceramic tiles.

Unfortunately my time is up for now. I’m off to count more interesting items for the next edition. So long!

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