The Fourth Wall
page 5
By Tony Arnold
Staff Writer
If you are like me, you are not
sure what to think about our
weather patterns. Should I wear
sandals or snow boots? Shorts or
long johns? These are the
questions you might be asking
yourself after a winter that has
been more balmy than blustery.
January was easily the most
recognizable month in terms of
extraordinary weather. The
warmest day, January 6, registered
an astonishing high of 65 degrees,
a temperature more suited to a
January in Miami. Perhaps more
important than the January temps
themselves was their
likely saw students walking around
in shorts and flip-flops, with a mild
high of 63 degrees. One week later
on the 21%, however, parkas and
thermals were par for the course as
the high dipped to an icy 25—a
difference of 38 degrees in just
seven days!
February was equally wacky in
its meteorological diversity. The
sub-zero wind chills with spots of
snow, beckoning students to don
their warmest winter garb. The
middle of the month was doubly
relentless, unleashing the first
formidable storm of the year.
Dropping over a half foot of snow
and a layer of ice, the storm made
its presence felt throughout our
area—not to mention the whole
state—Dby putting a hamper on
traffic and keeping some local
schools closed for up to a week.
Despite the early turbulent weather,
February was unusually lax in its
latter days, with temperatures
primarily staying in the 40-degree
range after the storm. The sunny
days during this period were more
reminiscent of spring than the dog
days of winter.
So why am I telling you all this?
Well, we can all certainly agree that
65 degrees in January is cause for
some thought—whether it be
elation or concern. I, being the
fundamentally analytical character
that I am, tend to lean on the side
of concern. I say,this because
global warming has become a
spotlight issue in recent months,
with climate reports buzzing
around speculating on its causes
and consequences. Many
scientists agree that our current
state of environmental affairs is
man-made, primarily the product
of excessive burning of fossil fuels,
specifically by industrial giants
such as China and the United
States. This has caused myriad
problems such glacial melting and,
something more familiar, sharp
temperature increases. :
I say this not to curb the
enjoyment of a balmy January day
and in no way propose that I am
an expert on this topic. I only say
this to highlight an issue that can
not be hidden any longer. If we
are to make an impact we must
learn more about the environment
By Ashley Moore
Staff Writer
“It started out with a bang” said
Joe Maiello, one of the THON
dancers, “The lights went off and
the speaker came out on the stage.
The speaker, who was the coach
of the Penn State Hockey team,
begins with a story about how a
six year old boy changed the future
of a hockey team full of men. This
boy, who was six at the time and is
now sixteen, came out and talked
to a crowd of thousands. I realized
at that very moment that this boy,
who is cancer free, was my hero.”
THON 2007, which was held in
the Bryce Jordan Center, drew
thousands of Penn State students,
alumni, and families together over
the weekend of February 16, 2007.
THON raised 5.2 million dollars, all
to end pediatric cancer. During this
weekend students along with
others gave up sleep and comfort
for this worthy cause. They
danced for 46 hours straight with
sleep. They relied on “Morales” to
rub their feet and keep them going.
Motivation to keep going was the
children. These children, who
deserve a second chance at life,
held smiles on their faces and
danced alongside the dancers. It
was these children that kept Joe
Maiello, Mandy Whitsel, Ravi
Verma, and Sara Beletti dancing.
When asked, “What was her
favorite moment from this
experience?” Second time dancer
Mandy Whitsel commented,
“Playing with the kids and seeing
the kids smile, just forgetting about
the pain and problems they have.”
“...sceing the
kids smile, just
forgetting about
the pam...”
-Mandy Whitsel
Two-Time THON Dancer
These four students
represented Mont Alto during
THON weekend. They laughed,
they cried, and they grew from this
experience. After such a weekend
they returned to Mont Alto sleep
deprived but with memories that
will last a lifetime. After much
needed sleep, Joe Maiello said that
the experience, “...was amazing,
the look on everyone’s faces
changed from the beginning to the
and try to take small steps.
To gain more information, try
reading the book, An Inconvenient
Truth, by Al Gore. More recently, it
was made into a documentary. I’ve
watched the movie and can
wholeheartedly say that is not
some political ploy. Gore has his
facts straight and gets no benefit
from displaying this information
other than the fact that he is
informing and educating those
who have not chosen to avoid this
pivotal issue.
So, whatever you do, try to at
least embrace and acknowledge
that we have a problem and it will
not be fixed if we just sit and watch
our seas rise and our crops fail.
Take the first step and learn
something about global warming.
end. In the beginning it was a look
of fear into the unknown. In the
middle there was a look of sorrow
and pain. And in the end the look
was on of joy and happiness. The
kids were amazing.”
THON 2007 was the experience
of a lifetime for the students that
went up there. Next year will be a
whole new year which would bring
more money and more eager
students to dance.
These eager students dance for
the kids who deserve a chance to
live. Joe Maiello, Mandy Whitsel,
Ravi Verma, and Sara Beletti, Thank
You for dancing, and representing
Penn Stat Mont Alto with Pride.