Another successful prom was held at the River Center in Davenport this past Saturday night. (Photos by Stephanie Salazar and Adriana Aguilera)

by Mario Peterson

This past Saturday, UTHS held its prom once again at the River Center in downtown Davenport.  During the night at the dance, everyone revealed their exuberance and excitement and had a spectacular time.

The theme décor embellished the entire room exquisitely.  This year’s theme was an “underwater” theme which the prom committee decided on.  Personally, I didn’t expect the theme to be as great as it turned out to be.

Upon entering the building, I was astonished to see what a great job the prom committee did decorating the hall.  Mrs. Monson and the prom committee did a spectacular job and I can’t wait to find out what next year’s prom holds in store regarding the theme and decorations (considering the fact that I’m graduating).

When asked what aspect of the décor was the most intriguing, Prom Queen Breanna Descourouez responded, “The bubbles as you walked through the arch to get into the dance were really amazing”.

I did notice as time passed the number of people at the dance was continuously declining, however the music was great and a lot of late hits were played as well, which added a lot of excitement and energized a lot of students.  As a senior, it was great observing juniors who haven’t experienced the excitement of prom enjoy it for the first time.  It was also great seeing other students having a phenomenal time with the people who they were with, whether it was their dates or just a group of friends.

Most individuals appeared to have had an unforgettable night. I also had a wonderful time during prom myself.  I had a wonderful date, an exciting group of friends and a compassionate high school staff and committee that helped make this year’s prom one I will always remember.

(Check out the UTHS News page on Facebook for a full photo gallery!)

Sophomore NHS volunteer Molly Rogers (left) helps direct students, such as freshman Adriana Mendoza (right), where to put the various items that have been filling their lockers during the end-of-year locker cleanout sponsored by the National Honor Society.

Boxes full of gently-used  and brand new school supplies were saved from the trash today and more will be saved tomorrow through the National Honor Society’s locker clean-out.

National Honor Society volunteers organized by Mrs. Heather Monson lined the first-floor hallways today as lockers were cleaned out before the end of the school year.  Trash cans, recycling containers, and boxes for new and used supplies dotted the hallways, and students eager to clean out their lockers and end the school year filled them to over-flowing.

Unopened packages of paper and still-wrapped pens and pencils, which students inexplicably threw away in the past, are saved for use by students next year.  Currently in its third year, the locker clean-out program seems to be an effective method of preserving many perfectly good school supplies that have often been wasted in the past.

It’s not just school supplies that get cleaned out of lockers, however.  Sophomore NHS volunteer Molly Rogers said, “That guy down the hall pulled out 56 ice-cream sandwich wrappers that had been in his locker…That’s gross.”

Several students were seen discarding multiple lunch bags, and one freshman boy cleaned out his locker as he munched on a cookie, though the age of the cookie was not clear.

All of this is repeated tomorrow during DEAR time on the second floor of the school.

Files will be deleted from the graduating seniors’ school accounts on Thursday, June 13, 2013. All information seniors wish to keep must be copied to removable media before that date.

Seniors need to add one job to their end-of-the-year list, and that is to back-up whatever data they want to keep before it is deleted from the school network.

Data both on the school network and in Google Apps will be deleted on Thursday, June 13, 2013.  After this day no access will be available to the graduating seniors’ school Google Docs or Gmail accounts.

Mr. Peterson, school technology director, asks that all seniors please copy all necessary documents as soon as possible.  This applies only to seniors; all junior, sophomore, and freshman data will be retained for the coming school year.

If any seniors need assistance with this process, they can see Mr. Petersen in room 232N.

Athletic Director Mr. Mike Tracey will be retiring at the end of this year, though he will return to his post in a part-time capacity.

Athletic Director Mr. Mike Tracy retires this year after 37 years in education only to return part-time in the fall.  Before the full-time portion of his career was over, he took the time to answer our Teacher Feature questions.

1.Where did you grow up and go to high school and college?

Savanna, IL, Graduated in 1970

Augustana College Rock Island, Illinois,  Graduated in 1974

WIU masters 1998

2. Why did you decide to become an Athletic Director?

I enjoyed working with all sports/activities. I looked forward to each day being different. The challenge of trying to lead many different coaches/directors and teams would be  exciting. 

3. Where and when was your first teaching job?

 Sherrard High School 1976

4. What is the best thing about teaching/working in a high school?

Seeing kids who people don’t think can succeed becoming successful off the field and out of the classroom. I enjoy the success of the underdogs. 

5. What is the worst thing about teaching/working in a high school?

The failure and disappointment you feel when you see young people not take full advantage of their abilities.

6. What is your favorite movie/book?

Favorite movie: “The Man who Shot Liberty Valance”, followed closely by “Shawshank Redemption.”

Favorite Book (two of them): “Death Be not Proud” by John Gunther; “When Pride Still Mattered” by David Maraniss

7. What is your idea of fun? 

A day off spent with my wife with nothing that has to be done. Most recent major fun: attending the Bruce Springsteen concert at Wrigley Field last year. It was tremendous.

8. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Time travel

9. List three words that describe you.

Reliable, consistent, fair

10.  What is your favorite memory of UTHS athletics over the years?

Seeing kids improve daily on the practice field.

Alexis Velez, Tazia Murray, Rachel Mushimata, and Rachel Nelson of the ACC’s ECHO (Extended Campus Health Occupations) class listen to Mrs. Denise Eilers during their graduation ceremony today in the auditorium. (Photo by Mr. J. Glasen)

Mrs. Denise Eilers addressed her junior and senior students in the UTHS auditorium today as graduates of the ECHO (Extended Campus Health Occupations) program.

In a ceremony and following reception, the juniors and seniors were recognized for completing the ECHO program, which leads to the students earning a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate.

28 students were honored for this accomplishment by Mrs. Eilers, ECHO instructor, and Mr. Larry Shimmin, director of the Area Career Center, and were cheered on by attending parents and teachers.

by Ashley Martin

The Great Gatsby has been a popular read in United Township, whether it is because English teachers have required it or that it just hit theaters this past weekend on Friday, May 10^th. It pulled off something of a coup, earning a shocking $51.1 million this weekend. There has been a lot of talk of it the last few days, and the movie has attracted audiences of all ages.

The novel The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and now made into a movie directed by Baz Luhrmann. Leonardo DeCaprio (Titanic, Shutter Island, Inception) plays as the infamous Jay Gatsby. Nick, the person who is telling the whole story, is played by Tobey Maguire (Spiderman trilogy).

The setting of the movie is Long Island, New York. There are two parts that are spilt by a bay that are called West Egg and East Egg. Then there is the industrial dumping ground that rests between West Egg and New York City, known as “the valley of ashes,” where lower class people live. That is where the strange billboard with the picture of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg is. It is also known as God because it watches over everything that happens in the story. The year is 1922, and it is the time of parties and booze. The movie portrays New York as it was during the roaring twenties.

Nick is the main character that is telling the entire story. I like the detail added, which was not in the book, that Nick was telling the tale to his psychologist, and later started writing it all down. He moves to West Egg to get some peace while he is studying bonds, but is soon unwillingly involved in a deep dilemma. Next door to him lives the mysterious Gatsby, who is known for his huge parties held at his estate. Directly across the bay from them lives Daisy, Nick’s lovely cousin, and her husband, Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker is a woman that is friends with Daisy and has a tendency to lie. Myrtle and George Wilson live at a gas station in “the valley of ashes.” Myrtle is an obnoxious woman, while George is a love sick puppy.

These characters are prtrayed the same way in this movie as they are in Fitzgerald’s book.  I was very pleased that the movie is very similar, if not better, than the book. Even though it had changes here and there, it has to be the closest I have ever seen a movie compared to the book.

The detail in the scenery of the movie was breathtaking and eye-catching. There was also the cool mix of 20’s music and present day music, creating a cool beat and sound. If you want to see an awesome romance and mystery go and watch The Great Gatsby, and if you have read the book then you really have to go see it. The similarity between the two is just amazing.

Seniors Sean O’Reilly, Mario Peterson, and Raymond Miller unveil the accident re-enactment at Monday’s Operation Prom.

by Bryce Verlinden

Senior students were openly moved to tears during this year’s presentation of Operation Prom, which includes a drunk driving re-eneactment as well as a mock funeral and guest speakers who have felt the effects of drunk driving first-hand.

On Monday, the Class of 2013 were let out of 6^th period and told to walk to the Rock Island County Fairgrounds.  When the seniors arrived, they were greeted by a giant tarp guarded by seniors and pall bearers, Matt Osborne, Abraham Salvador, Sean O’Reilly, Garrett Morgensen, Mario Peterson, and me.

While some knew what was about to happen, others did not. Once the tarp was lifted, a scene of a brutal car accident was revealed. With seniors Emily Thomas, Mack Fulton, Katie James, and Zach Jeckell in one car and counselors Mrs. Drish and Mr. Green in the other with their children.  Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances came to the scene to act like an actual accident had happened.

The event is held every year to teach students not to drink and drive and stay safe before and after prom. After the car accident scene, students walked back to the auditorium to listen to numerous guest speakers. Many of the speakers moved the entire audience and really opened students’ eyes.

Senior Irene Mekus was especially moved by the speakers: “It was really emotional. Their pain is reality and the best thing we can do is make good choices in our lives no matter the time or place.”

Speakers included the Rock Island County Coroner, Brian Gustafson, as well as parents whose children’s lives were lost because of distractions in the car.  Also speaking was senior Miranda Cunningham’s father, who has been in a wheelchair as long as Miranda can remember after being hit by a drunk driver.

Once the guest speakers were done speaking to the seniors, the mock funerals of Ms. Thomas and Ms. James were held. This affected many seniors, including Paul Tomkins, who said that he “was surprised about how realistic it was and moved by it. I was reminded about how this can happen to anyone.”

After Brianna Gray recited a poem and Breanna Descourouez sang Amazing Grace, the pall bearers walked up to the stage very slowly to wheel the casket out. After the event was over, many seniors were seen drying their eyes as they were walking out of the auditorium.

Nicole Rutsaert said, “It was a huge success. I think seeing one of your classmates and friends being ‘killed’ really brought the message home.”

(See a full gallery of photos of Operation Prom on our Facebook page.)

The 2013 Prom Court members are (from left to right): Natalie Brown, Juan Lopez, Brianna Gray, Bryce Verlinden, Breanna Descourouez, Zach Jeckyll, Amy Heiland, Mario Peterson, Katie Johnson, Sean O’Reilly, Katie James, Abraham Salvador, Irene Mekus, Mitchell Schneider, Kaitlyn White, Demond Thomson, Andrea Abarca, Tiereni Ajibola, Kasey Lockett, and Raymond Miller.

The 2013 Prom Court was announced at UTHS this past week.

Studenst are selected to Prom Court based ont he votes of their fellow seniors and the staff.  Ten male and ten female students are selected before the juniors and seniors choose the Prom King and Queen, who will be crowned at the dance.

For photos of each of the nominees, visit our Facebook page.

2013 Prom Court nominees are (listed in order from the accompanying photo):

Natalie Brown, Juan Lopez, Brianna Gray, Bryce Verlinden, Breanna Descourouez, Zach Jeckyll, Amy Heiland, Mario Peterson, Katie Johnson, Sean O’Reilly, Katie James, Abraham Salvador, Irene Mekus, Mitchell Schneider, Kaitlyn White, Demond Thomson, Andrea Abarca, Tiereni Ajibola, Kasey Lockett, and Raymond Miller.

The fourth quarter John Deere Award winners were honored at a reception in the library last night immediately after school. From left to right are: Blaze Restoration Vice President Dawn Simons; math teacher Michelle Pustelnik; students Dustin Bartz, Emily Thomas, Mac Fulton, Madeline Caldwell, Brianna Gray, Katie James, Abraham Salvador, Zachary Jeckell, Katie Daggett, Alyssa Carroll, and Mitchell Schneider. (Photo by Mr. J. Glasen)

The fourth quarter John Deere Special Recognition Award winners were honored on Tuesday with a reception in the UTHS library.  These students are recognized for (as the folder containing the certificate reads) going “above and beyond” what is expected of UT students.

Staff and community members are eligible for the award also, and this quarter’s winner from the staff was math teacher Mrs. Michelle Pustelnik, and the community winner was Blaze Restoration, which donated $4400 during the Ugly Christmas Sweater contest, with the proceeds helping needy families in UT’s district during the holidays.  Vice President Dawn Simons was on hand to accept the award.

A full list of the winners follows:

Students

Dustin Bartz

Madeline Caldwell

Alyssa Carroll

Katie Daggett

Mac Fulton

Brianna Gray

Katie James

Zachary Jeckell

Abraham Salvador

Mitchell Schneider

Emily Thomas

Staff

Michelle Pustelnik

Community

Blaze Restoration