Category: Student Life

Uh oh.  Some people think this generation is getting dumber than the ones before.

Best selling author Mark Bauerlein thinks the generation of teenagers and young adults under 30 are being turned into know-nothings because of technology and a lack of motivation. He explained his theory in his latest book The Dumbest Generation.

According to Bauerlein, the intellectual level and capability to complete and understand daily tasks are dropping – significantly. He says kids today can’t think for themselves and can’t even perform simple mechanical tasks such as sewing and mowing the lawn.

Penn Manor Junior Brian Geer responded simply to this idea: “I’m not stupid.”

Although some students admitted they find a way around using even the simplest household appliances.

Regarding our generation’s pull tab cans, Geer said,  “You don’t even need a can opener, just upper body strength and powerful thumbs from flipping channels on the TV.”

Other students struggle with an array of household chores.

Taylor Breidenbaugh said that she doesn’t know how to sew.

Senior Bethany Dickert doesn’t know how to mow her lawn but claims, “I’m not allowed to go near my lawn mower.”

She also said she doesn’t know how to defrost a refrigerator or freezer.

But besides duties outside of school, what about academics? Despite the accusations of being a bunch of dumb teenagers, Penn Manor excels in ways that are very apparent.

According to school records, 45 students graduated with honors in 2006. This figure rose to 85 in 2009. As far as AP classes are concerned, 136 students were enrolled in 2003. This number rose to 145 in 2006 and sky-rocketed to 390 in 2009.  Students in the class of 2009 took a total of 97 college classes.

In contrast, Lancaster Newspapers reported that Penn Manor’s SAT Scores have declined in all three categories this past year.

Critical reading? Minus 32 points.

Mathematics?  Down 24 points.

Writing?  Subtract 36 more points.

Altogether our district scored 92 points lower, pushing us down from the third spot in the county to the twelfth.

Along with Penn Manor’s SAT scores comes the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reviews. Pennsylvania Department of

Reports from the Pa. Dept. of Education show that only 71.5 percent of students scored proficient or above proficient in reading and even less, 58.9 percent were proficient in mathematics.

PSSA test results recently came back as well. These revealed that Penn Manor’s math scores increased, reading scores stayed the same, writing scores dropped and the worst decline was in science.

The state is expecting 100 percent of students to be proficient in reading and math by 2014.

Many students here at Penn Manor have strong opinions on the criticism being hurled at their age group. Senior Kaitlyn Imel decided that, “It’s simply adjusting to social norms and technology.”

Other students like Caitlyn Whirt took offense to the article written by someone in her parent’s generation.

“They raised us. They shouldn’t be criticizing us, she said.”

Maybe this year will be the time to expunge our nickname of “The Dumbest Generation.”

By Christa Charles

They’ve been told its bad, but these students just don’t care.

Nearly 20 percent of teens were smoking in 2009, according to national statistics.

Student smoking at Penn Manor has increased over the years; so have the violations.  In the  2006-2007 school year, 15 students were tagged with a first offense for smoking. As the years went on the number increased to 22 in 2009-2010 school year.

According to the tobacco policy of Penn Manor School District, the first offense is a letter home and a $10 fine for the use of tobacco products.  For possession, principals will confiscate cigarettes, lighters, etc; a letter is sent home and a $10 fine is handed out, just as in the first offense.

If a student gets caught red-handed for smoking,  they get snagged for possession as well.

There are many reasons why students smoke despite the penalties.

Many students said it “relaxes” them and keeps them “calm.” Others say “it’s fun” and “consumes their time.”

Penn Points agreed to keep the identities of students private for this article.

One student said it’s something to do when he’s depressed. He also got caught with cigarettes once. He said he got caught with two other students.  He recalled school resource officer Jason Hottenstein, let him back into the school and gave him a warning.

With over 4000 chemical compounds present in cigarette smoke, these students still think its the “cool” thing to do.

Officer Hottenstien said, “The addiction to nicotine is real but they need to learn how to control the urge.”

He also said that students normally get caught after smoking in the school’s bathrooms because they go from where they’re supposed to be to the other side of the school building and are seen from the cameras in front of the bathrooms.

“Most certainly,” is what Officer Hottenstein said about the cameras helping to catch students in the act.

The most severe punishment for “lighting up” on school property is when police need to be called.  Students can be hit with a fine as high as $500 and several Saturday school detentions.

Hottenstein added that his main concern is having a “clean and safe (school) environment.”

By Kim Blake

Penn Manor students and faculty have an easily accessible, fitness room with weights, fitness equipment and other cardio machines – and it’s all free.

However the word “free” does not seem to matter to many.

A new trend has emerged, despite the tight economy, that even though students and faculty have this luxury, they do not always take full advantage of it.

Penn Manor students are joining local gyms and purchasing these memberships has arisen from just a fad, but its become a priority for reasons other than “just to workout.”

Some use both the school’s weight room and their own gym membership, and some just totally avoid the school weight room altogether.

Abby Barley, a junior at the high school, explained that she goes to Hempfield Rec because her parents also go there and they have a family membership.

“There’s no classes offered like zumba and yoga (at Penn Manor)…” Barley continues, “But I go especially because there’s no pool here.”

Senior Lizzie Pflumm joined the Lancaster YMCA also because of a family membership , and she does not use the weight room at the high school.

“The treadmills here aren’t very good, and I don’t like working out with people I know,” Pflumm said.

“There’s no pool to use for swimming either,” Pflumm said referring to the high school facilities.

There are a plethora of reasons why athletes pay for gym memberships, but senior Jere Vital, voiced a different reason.

“I have a gym membership so I feel more obligated to work out since I’m paying for it,” said Vital. “It also gets way too crowded here with everyone working out and only so much equipment to use.”

The Penn Manor students are not the only ones who have access to the weight room but sometimes don’t use it.  The faculty does too.

Scott Lackey, phys ed  teacher at the high school, states that he does use the weight room, but because he lives out of town, he has a membership at the West Shore YMCA. He only uses the fitness room when he’s at school.

“I don’t live around here,” said Lackey. “I have that membership (at West Shore) so that my family can also use it.”

Biology teacher, Erick Dutchess, is a member at the Lampeter YMCA.

“There’s a larger free-weight selection, open-gym time,(at the YMCA) and Marjean Long (a counselor here at the high school) teaches a kick-butt, slammin’ aerobics class, which is totally worth the money because she makes you feel like a weakling…” Dutchess continued, “And there’s a pool.”

By Jenna Reel

Chewed up pencils, pulled out hair and crumpled up pieces of paper, it must be time for the high school’s seniors to apply to college.

As the recommended deadline for college applications comes near, many Penn Manor seniors are feeling the pressure to get their applications in, as well as finish the graduation requirements for high school.

One senior in particular, Rebecca Irwin, is feeling the heat.

“The application requirements aren’t very clear and I don’t have a lot of time to call and ask because I’m too busy working on my senior project for here [school] and for CTC,” said Irwin.

Irwin plans to apply to Messiah College, Liberty or Bloomsburg universities for nursing. She’s preparing for her future profession by attending the County Career and Technology Center (CTC).

“I’m not even close to finishing my applications, and it really concerns me,” said Irwin.

The guidance office recommends that students have their applications handed in no later than the end of October and that each student should apply to at least four colleges in which they are interested.

Four colleges means four application fees.

“I hate them (application fees) because you’re supposed to apply to more than one college, and that’s a lot of money for nothing, because three out of the four fees are for nothing,” said senior, Cheyenne Brubaker.

Brubaker plans on getting a major in business management with a minor in accounting and, in preparation for college, she attended a week-long business camp.

As if it’s not bad enough that seniors have to deal with application dates and choosing their colleges of choice, they are getting bombarded with college mail.

“I usually just throw it [the mail] away,” said Irwin.

Some words of comfort may come from teachers who are more than willing to write a letter or recommendation, something which the counseling office recommends that seniors hand in along with their applications.

Although senior, Emily Hess was worried about her recomendations.

“I’m applying to all the military branches, and I asked teacher from my old Mennonite school to write my letters, but they don’t believe in war so I thought they wouldn’t do it, but they did,” said Hess.

Another recommendation from counselors to seniors is to retake the SATs if they aren’t happy with their scores or if they feel as though they could have done better on them.

Hopefully, by November, bald spots the seniors have created from pulling out their hair will be filled in.
By Whitney Reno

It’s a new year at Penn Manor High School and that means new freshman.

Long confusing hallways, intimidating upperclassmen and new teachers can make freshman nervous for their first year at the high school.

Upperclassmen are already used to the schedule and the longer class periods but this is the first experience ninth graders have with block scheduling. The freshman must go through the new adjustments of the first week of school.

The high school is about two or three times the size of the middle schools, with more choices of classes, dozens of new teachers and hundreds of new classmates.

The first day of school can often be the hardest.

“Getting beat up the first day,” is what ninth grader Austin Medora said his biggest fear was before coming to the high school.

Medora said, “I thought that the teachers would be more strict and that the classes would be harder, but I think that my most challenging class will be my English class.”

Ninth grader, Carly Patterson, said, “I think that the teachers here at the high school give us more independence. They expect us to be more independent with our work.”

Most teachers also offer tutoring to any struggling students every Tuesday and sometimes Thursdays.

Ninth grader Amanda Maser said, “My goal in high school is to get good grades and not get anything below a C. I want to do better than my brother did when he was in high school.”

In comparison to the middle school, students at the high school have a lot more freedom. The dress code is less strict. For example, in the high school students can wear ripped jeans (as long as there is something underneath the pants), and flip flops.

“We have so much more freedom here at the high school than we did in the middle school.” said ninth grader, Alexis Cunningham.

Students in middle school are not permitted to chew gum, and if they were caught, students were written up or given a detention. At Penn Manor High School, students have the freedom to chew gum.

Instead of having three minutes to get to class, students have eight. Also, in the middle schools there was no public displays of affection (PDAs) allowed but in the high school, students have the freedom for a little PDA as long as it doesn’t get out of hand.

The middle schools held dances for the students but they were different when compared to the high school’s homecoming. There are a lot more people that attend the homecoming dance. This will be a new experience for most freshman unless they have already attended a homecoming.

“I will be attending homecoming and I am taking my girlfriend as my date,” said Tom Sowers.

Maser said, “I’d like to go to homecoming, but I am waiting for my boyfriend to ask me, but he hasn’t asked me yet.”

High school teachers encourage their students to set goals in early on and many freshman are taking their advice.

Courtney Hurlburt said “my goal is to pass all of my classes so that I can get into college.”

Hopefully this year the freshman students will enjoy homecoming and other fun events as they make many new adjustments in high school.

By Allana Herr

Video games, slightly used cell phones, a dvd player, iPods – what to do when you want to sell them or need to buy them?

Teens, at least at Penn Manor, are changing the way they buy and sell products. When it comes to getting or getting rid of used cars, TVs, iPods, or video game systems instead of using yard sales, ads in the newspaper or Ebay much anymore, Most Penn Manor students say that teens now prefer to use Craigslist as an easier and more efficient way to sell things.

They are not alone.

Craigslist, a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements, is now the most used classified ads service in the country, according to online reports.

It was founded in 1995 by Craig Newmark for the San Francisco Bay area.  Advertising jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, résumés and discussion forums. Craigslist is now the top classified ads service, and is in the top ten of Internet companies.

Craiglist has now established itself in approximately 450 cities in 50 countries. This past year, Craigslist claims 568,125,500 people have visited its site.

“I’ve bought so many things off of Craigslist, a message chair, an aquarium, CDs, and so many other things.” said senior Justice Hower.

“You can find the best deals,” said Paul Slaugh, referring to Craigslist.

Senior Ryan Connelly bought used truck and dirt-bike parts off of Craigslist and was very satisfied with them.

Nick Weidinger, also a senior at Penn Manor, bought CDs and video games off of Craigslist.

Many students at Penn Manor said they don’t use eBay any more.

“Ebay takes too much time, too complicated, and you have to have an account. Craigslist you don’t.” Slaugh said.

The newspaper used to be about the only way to buy and sell things, but most students here don’t use that either.

Tyler Keith said, “I don’t know how to even put an ad in the newspaper and if it costs money I don’t want to use it when I could just use Craigslist.”

Another way that some students buy and sell things is by Amazon.com.

Aaron Sellers bought a book off of the Amazon site and was satisfied.

Some students also sell things at yard sales.

Craigslist does have a few problems of its own though. Recent events have put a spotlight on the dangers of Craigslist.   On April 28 a group of teens were accused of the murder of Jim Sanders after spotting an ad for a ring he was selling on the site they came to his house and killed him. Another woman was killed when responding to an ad for an apartment on Craigslist.

According to some students this doesn’t deter them from using the site at all.

“I know a lot of people who have sold things and I trust that nothing would happen,” said Jeremy Vital. “I could just get the things shipped to me, or I could ship things I sell if I actually got worried about it.”

Also when using a site like this or any site similar students should always be careful for scams or fake ads to get money.

By Dillon Walker

Rumors about money, or the lack of it, have been a dark cloud over the class of 2011 for about two years.

There have been rumors about its fund raising efforts, its finances, it’s prom and overall how it’s financial situation will affect the fun things planned for the year.

Josh Carle, a senior at Penn Manor High, is extremely worried about his prom. “Ever since I entered high school,  I’ve looked forward to prom and now it might not be as enjoyable because we’re financially unstable.”

Class of 2011 President, Jesse Graham, acknowledged there have been disappointments along the way but it doesn’t equal disaster.

“The class itself has not done a great job with our fundraisers,” Graham said.  “The class representatives have put together enough fund raising opportunities that we could have had a lot more money than we do.  I should remind the rest of the class that it’s not just the class officers that are responsible for the fund raising.”

Compared to previous graduating classes, 2011 is lagging in the funds they have raised going into their senior year.

Melissa Frerichs, an English teacher and class adviser from 2010 and 2009 released some frightening statistics.

“The class of 2009 had a little over $21,000 (at this point in time),” said Frerichs.   “The class of 2010 had around $19,000.”

Meanwhile the class of 2011 has about $10,000 a this time, according to recent estimates.

“Shocking to say the least,” said Jere Vital, who called himself a concerned senior. “I would’ve expected more with all the effort it seemed like we put into fund raising.”

Student representatives for the class said people shouldn’t panic.

“We’re completely fine,” said Graham, the class president for the seniors.  “We’d like to get more money but we can manage with what we have.”

Class of 2011 adviser and biology teacher Eric Dutchess said, “Realistically we’re fine. We’re lower in funds than some classes in the past.”

“Prom’s looking good. So far we’re looking at The Host, but that may be subject to change,” Graham said.

Class officer Corey Morales said, “There will be a fundraiser coming up selling entertainment books, which will allow the students to lower the price of their prom tickets.”

“The rumors about our class are mostly completely false and ignorant. We have everything under control,” Morales said.

Class officer Garrett Young said, “We’re seniors too, we obviously want to have a good prom. We have put in the work to at least have a fun prom.”

Class representatives agree that fund raising can’t be done by just a few people, it has to be a group effort.

The senior class will be leaving in June of 2011, and questions remain whether or not their last year will be one to remember.