The blog has gone dark; no new posts are anticipated at this time, although a return to posting is not out of the question during the next school year.

Thank you.

Every year at St. John High, we have our annual Sadie Hawkins Dance. It is a small dance, put together by the Key Club that brings the school together to have fun and dance. This year’s Sadie Hawkins will be different than the past years. For 2008, the theme of Sadie Hawkins will be “A Black and White Affair”. The dance will be held on January 26, 2008. It will take place from 7:00-10:00 p.m., with a lock-in at 7:30.There is a very specific dress code for the dance. Students will be allowed to wear their favorite black and white attire, but they will not be allowed to wear jeans. The dance will take place in the St. John School Cafeteria. There will be a D.J., a photographer, tons of decorations, and fun for all.

Many students at St. John are very excited about the dance. I asked Senior Dallas Landry how she felt and she replied, “I am very excited for this year’s Sadie Hawkins. I had tons of fun last year and I hope to have tons of fun this year. I can’t wait till Saturday. I also love the theme. It is something different and it sounds like it will be very fun.” While some students are enthusiastic, others are dissatisfied. Senior Blaine Delaune says, “I am disappointed in this year’s theme. I feel that it affects the way we must dress. Now we have to obey to certain colors. I have always been able to express myself at Sadie Hawkins, but now I feel that we don’t even have an option. It feel like many restrictions keep occurring during my senior year, I wish this year’s theme could have been different.” Although there are many different opinions on this year’s dance. I firmly believe that the dance will be full of fun and excitement for all who attend.

By Allie Hebert

This game is when Mario and Sonic first coming together in a video game. This time takes Mario and Sonic’s team in the Beijing Olympics to compete in 20 different sports, plus 4 dream events only existing in the video game world. This game is for the Wii and DS. There are 16 different characters to choose from, including Mario and Sonic. Using the Wii Remote (and Nunchuk), complete events variously.

Play Single-Match mode to play each event individually, and go for the gold. You can also play for fun. Circuit mode makes you compete in muliple events in one. Get points depending on what your rank is. Mission Mode lets you plays missions on certain events with a character. There are a total of 6 missions per character. The last mission for each character can only be unlock after beating the first 5. Be warned, the last mission is the hardest of the 6, period. But that doesn’t mean that the first 5 can’t be too easy.

There are 24 different events to play in the game. 11 in Athletics (5 for Track and 6 for Field), 1 for Shooting, Rowing, Archery, Fencing, and Table Tennis each, 4 Dream events, 2 Gymnastics, and 2 Aquatics. For Athletics (Track): 100m (this is for Dash), 400m, 4X100m (4x means 4 by, which is using 4 players in 1 race), 110 Hurdles, and 400m Hurdles. For Athletics (Field): Long Jump, Triple Jump, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, High Jump, and Pole Vault. For Gymnastics: Trampoline and Vault. For Aquatics: 100m Freestyle and 4X100m Freestyle. The other events: Skeet Shooting, Rowing (Single Sculls), Archery, Fencing (Individual epée), and Table Tennis (Singles). Finally, the 4 dream events: Dream Race, Dream Platform, Dream Fencing, and Dream Table Tennis.

To Review, 24 different events, 16 Characters (8 from Mario World, and 8 from Sonic World), 2 different systems, and 1 totally awesome game. Playing these games can work up a sweat, so try it out!

By Warren Carlin

This Tuesday, 28-year-old actor Heath Ledger was found dead in Mary-Kate Olson’s SoHo apartment. He was found at 3:26 pm, according to police, and pills were strewn on the bed around his naked body, though it hasn’t been confirmed whether they are prescription or over-the-counter. It’s not clear why Ledger was at Olsen’s apartment, since she is reportedly in California.

It’s unclear whether the cause of Ledger’s death was deliberate, or a drug overdose. Considering Ledger has been a fairly successful actor in popular movies such as “10 Things I Hate About You,” “The Patriot,” “A Knight’s Tale,” and “Brokeback Mountain,” and was cast as the joker in the upcoming sequel to “Batman Begins,” suicide seems unlikely.

Many celebrities have fallen prey to Hollywood’s partying and drug scene. Some, like Amy Winehouse, Pete Winz, and Lindsay Lohan, have made multiple trips to rehabilitation to try to correct this. Others, such as Ledger and Elvis Presley, haven’t been so lucky.

Drug abuse a serious issue that affects people of all ages across America, not just celebrities. According to a survey taken by the U.S. Bureau of Justice, drug use in teens was much more prevalent in the ‘80s than now. However, despite the efforts of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and other organizations devoted to stamping out drugs, many Americans still struggle with drug addiction.

By Susie LeJeune

Baseball season is not far away and the St. John High School baseball team has been practicing very hard. Practice for the Eagles began January 3. After three weeks of hard work we have seen much improvement. We are beginning to gel with one another and become a big family on the field. Coach Whittington, Harrell, and Landry have been working us extremely hard 3-4 hours a day, getting us better and where we need to be. The work ethic is unbelievable and is progresses each day.

            The Eagles fundraising has begun with advertisement signs and the spaghetti dinner. The advertisement signs are new to the fundraising program at St. John. The signs cost $100 and will be up for this baseball season. The spaghetti dinner is a tradition in Eagle baseball fundraising. The tickets for the spaghetti dinner cost $5 per plate. Please help out the Eagles and get a spaghetti dinner.

            This year Coach Whittington has set up a website for the Eagle baseball team. The website is www.stjohneaglebaseball.com. It is a great informational site and has lots of great things to offer. On the website you can find practice and game schedules, scores, stats, player information, awards, staff, and camps. The website allows the Eagles to be known worldwide. It is great for the players to get noticed by college and pro scouts. Many players don’t get the opportunity to play college ball because they aren’t known about. With the website it gives those players that aren’t known about an opportunity be heard of. The website is also a great advertisement for the team and the school. We are looking forward to this season and thanks for all of your support.

BY CLINT OURSO

During the New Years, most people popped fire work, celebrated with their family, or got drunk with friends. The most important part was what everyone was doing at 12:00, the start of the New Year.

My friends and I were popping fireworks with each, throwing them into the bonfire. Other people were getting drunk in the cane fields or simply watching each other get drunk. A lot of people went over to Mike’s with their friends. Hardly anyone did stuff with their family this New Year. The most important thing though, is that now 2008 has began, the past has now left us, and the future is open, and we now walk down it’s long path. The time for change is now! In other words we all have a New Years resolution, obviously. Hopefully we’ll have our minds set on achieving large goals, and not petty achievements that won’t effect on a large scale of time. Hopefully, this year will not only be good for the people of American, but everyone in the world. Maybe our corrupt government won’t start another pointless war for pollution. Overall what ever happens this year happens, I highly doubt that it’ll be anything significantly good, but we’ll most likely learn from the mistakes we are bound to make this year.

By Robbie Gomez

Plagiarism is defined by www.dictionary.reference.com as “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.” Especially in recent years, since the Internet has made others’ work so easily accessible, plagiarism is very common among middle school, high school, and college campuses.

In fact, plagiarism is so serious, it is even punishable by U.S. federal law. Violating copyright laws, which outlaw the copying of another’s work without their expressed permission, can result in appearing in court.

According to www.plagiarism.com, the following are considered plagiarism: “turning in someone else’s work as your own; copying words or ideas from someone else without giving them credit; failing to put a quotation in quotation marks; giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation; changing words but copying sentence structure of a source without giving it credit; copying so many ideas or words from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not.”

Not all students plagiarize because they are lazy; many students are shocked to discover they are being punished for plagiarism. Not understanding how to correctly cite works can result in unintentional plagiarism. Becoming informed on how to properly paraphrase can help avoid this issue.

At St. John, plagiarism is punishable by a suspension and a 0 on the plagiarized assignment. The most frequently plagiarized assignments are summer reading assignments and class essays.

By Susie LeJeune

There has been a lot of hype about the different styles and techniques of hunting in the local area lately. Many hunters like to run dogs in order to flush deer out of the woods. But there also many hunters out there who don’t like to hunt with dogs. Some people like the peace and quiet that the woods offer.

Dog hunters are rugged fast paced hunters. You have to be fast or you will never kill anything. It takes skill to know when the dogs are running away from you and when they are running toward you. You have to guess how far the deer is in front of the dogs. Being ready early is the key to success in dog hunting. You need to have your gun ready before the deer even crosses so that you can hurry to get the shot off if it stops. If it doesn’t stop, it takes a very skilled marksman to shoot an animal that is running through the woods. This hunting is fast paced and some hunters don’t enjoy it.

Still hunting is another style of hunting. Still hunting is when you sit on a stand and wait for the deer to show up. Some people like this style of hunting because they like the peace and quiet of the woods. It takes skill and a little bit of luck to know where the deer are going on any particular day. Still hunting is slow and it can be very relaxing. It is also nice to watch a deer for a long time, instead of just watching it run by as fast as it can because it is scared to death. No matter your preference in hunting, there are places to hunt out there for all types of people. It doesn’t matter what kind of hunting you are doing, as long as you are enjoying it with a close friend or family member. So get out there and go hunting.

By Garrett LeBlanc

As May draws near, many seniors are anxiously awaiting graduation, the day we, as a senior class, can walk down the aisle in our caps and gowns. The arrival of acceptance letters from the college of our choice is also a perk after tedious semesters of studying and testing. Although a difficult and time consuming task, the results, for the most part, will not be disappointing.

Senior Lindsey Breaux, shared, “I am excited for college life and ready to move away from home so I can feel more independent. Although I will miss my mom’s home cooking, I will be with new people and doing exciting things; therefore, not being homesick. Being a college student makes you a busy person giving you opportunities to meet new people and venture to new places. Even though I’ll only be an hour away, going to college gives me a new sense of freedom, something I’ve been long awaiting.”

As we all so gladly rejoice throughout the halls during school hours, the “big day” is almost here. So, as we count down the days until graduation, let us remember the good times, the bad times, the tears, and the sweat we shared together, and may we let no one at St. John ever forget the legendary senior class of 2008. Although we may be gone, our memory will not be forgotten. Congratulations to you all!

Life after high school may be tough, but it is up to us to succeed. Always look forward, never back for your future is in your own hands. No one can choose your destiny except you. Good luck!

By Megan Himel

Each year on the third Monday of January schools, federal offices, post office and banks across America close to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the newest national holiday and was approved by Ronald Raegan. The first national celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday took place January 20, 1986. The holiday takes place to remember the late Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 at his family home in Atlanta, Georgia. King was originally given the name Michael Luther King, but later changed his name to Martin Luther King, Jr. He was the second child of Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. In his mid-20s, He married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953. Together they had four children, Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine. Martin Luther King Jr. became a Baptist minister in his late 20s. In his early 30s, He began to lead the civil-rights movement in America. King fought to make it clear to all Americans that all people are equal. King was one of the most important people to have made a significant change in the rights of blacks. He had great courage and passion to defeat segregation and racism that existed in the United States. His dream was for people of all different races to come together in one country. He was a strong believer in equal rights. King spent most of his life devoting himself to these actions.King went by all means to maintain peace during this movement. For his non-violence to achieve civil-rights reforms, He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Martin Luther King Jr. changed the American society. He set the bar for many African Americans to follow. He is a hero to all of us. Without him, African Americans would probably not have as many rights as they do today.

By Allie Hebert