The Oshkosh West Index

Volume 105, Issue 8

Online Features

Harvey provides strong theme with whimsical humor

By Logan Fassbinder
May 13, 2009
Most students would agree that introducing their best friend, who happens to be a six and a half foot tall imaginary rabbit, may not seem to be the best conversation starter. However, this conundrum never holds Elwood P. Dowd back. Elwood is the main character in this year's spring play Harvey, which was performed three times through April 24, 25, and 26 in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium.Harvey, a play which led to the 1950 James Stewart film, follows the story of Elwood, a care-free, lovable man, and his friend Harvey, the imaginary rabbit. Veta, Elwood's society-obsessed sister, finally decides that she can take no more of Elwood's behavior after he introduces Harvey at a social gathering. Veta takes him to a sanitarium so that he may be committed. However, the sanitarium tables become turned and Veta finds herself committed instead of Elwood. Panic and comedy ensue. The Pulitzer prize-winning play, written by Mary Chase, is one of comedic ambiance and emotional intrigue. "I think overall the play was a resounding success. Things got better every day, including each day of the performance." said English teacher and director Brian Phelps. "People were genuinely impressed by how we were able to capture the show so well, since so many people have seen the movie. They really loved the way we did the show."One of the better approaches to the play was its ability to put the audience right in the thick of things. Near the end of the play the audience is forced to question their own sanity as Harvey plays a major role. "One of my favorite parts about the show is the fact that since Harvey is imaginary and never on stage; the audience has to imagine him as well," said Phelps. "Therefore, they are crazy just like Elwood Dowd for two hours. The show kind of forces you in that way to forget and just smile and laugh."Despite the humorous dialogue and comic approach, the play still carries serious themes."I think that the underlying meaning to this play is that you can't take life too seriously," said senior Rachael Huszar, who played Veta. "You have to let loose every once in a while and just try to live and enjoy yourself because then you will be happy. The message somewhat alters the way you look at your own life. I realize that I should have a bit more fun and not take life so seriously."Along with this message, the performance proved efficient. Mistakes on and off the stage were few and far between, according to Huszar. "The play went really well. We had great audiences every night and overall everything ran really smoothly," she said. "Well you know every show has its own little slip-ups or we have some small costuming issues, but overall the play went very well."Audience members enjoyed a fresh perspective as actors portrayed the role of diverse characters."It was great seeing people I know take on completely different roles than from what I've ever seen them in," said freshman audience member Ben Binner. "They're acting and you don't normally see them as the people they are portraying."
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Index undergoes exodus as seniors depart

By Morgan Counts
May 9, 2009
As graduation rapidly approaches, ten out of 13 editors are saying their sorrowful goodbyes and venturing out to find bigger and better endeavors, Index is experiencing the largest mass extinction since the Mesozoic Period. From backwards refrigerator doors to bonding over white chicken chili to getting to know the A-Wing computer lab better than any student could possibly imagine, there are many aspects of putting a school newspaper together that will be greatly missed. As a sort-of bitter-sweet farewell, however, each senior has found something valuable to take with them. "The biggest thing I gained through Index was professional experience," said community editor Brady Plunger. "I learned how to go out and do a proper interview and present myself in a professional way and in a way that adults would take me seriously."Professionalism is key to doing an interview, but sometimes intimidation threatens to stand in the way from the get-go. "I gained a lot of people skills," said unofficial senior Elina Hu. "I used to be a lot more shy and afraid to talk to people, but with being an editor and having to go out and interview to people, you really have to force yourself to overcome the people fears."
:: MORE OPINION HEADLINES ::

Tracksters push past mental hurdles as conference approaches

By Sarah Witman
May 9, 2009
Climbing to heights unfamiliar to current squad members, the track team's final spring to state is in plain sight."The season is wrapping up really well; everyone is starting to run their best times," said senior John Dewitt. "It appears that when regionals or sectionals come, hopefully, we will be able to perform well and be able to get down to state."However, the path of such self-assuredness must be tread lightly by each runner, as a team can easily plummet into a chasm of athletic hubris."Getting too confident in our abilities could keep us from placing. We have talent and we have had to find that you can't get by on just talent," said Dewitt. "You don't want to get to the point of thinking you're unstoppable. We can't get too cocky."Junior Berklee Markofski is also aware of how her state of mind has altered her athletic performance in a variety of races, exhibiting the extent to which track truly is dominated by its psychological aspects."If I don't do well in a meet it's because I'm scared or something. I think that I won't do well at big meets so then at small meets I do better," she said. "My performance is just based on getting my brain in the right mind set."
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Exhibit energizes engineers of the future

By M. Redemann
May 9, 2009
Secluded in the north western corner of the school, students currently facing a problem they must solve within the current decade. They must design a product of innovation that will not only spark interest in math and science, but must simultaneously even out the men to women ratio in the field of engineering. This solution must also be capable of re-generating innovation for the future of Smart Cars, cell phones, and iPods alike. Using Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as a prototype, West has been successful with their solution, being chosen with 20 other PLTW programs out of 165 schools nationwide to solve the technological crisis of the 21st century by promoting engineering."We went to 'Project Lead the Way: Meet and Greet the Legislators' on April 28," said Industrial Technology teacher Andy Brown. "We were selected to go to Madison so it was me, Mr. Boushele, and three students: junior Ellyn Bell, sophmore Steven Cramer, and freshman Will Michaels." The staff and students presented their work to Wisconsin legislators to demonstrate and show off the engineering knowledge they had acquired over the course of the year."We got to set up posters of our work in the Rotunda, along with the 20 other PLTW schools in Wisconsin," said junior Bell, one of the student
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Time to shine: class of 2009
By Kim Spaudling
May 9, 2009
As the days of core teams, Wildcat Wednesdays, and pacer tests come to an end, it will soon be time to make a fresh start. In a matter of mere weeks, seniors will be donning their caps and gowns and moving away from the K-12 arena. It is a time to reminisce on the past and hope for the future; of saying goodbye and meeting new people; and leaving familiarity behind to embark upon a foreign journey. As they take the final footsteps through the locker-lined hallways, seniors reflect on what is to come."I'm going to miss everyone because we're not all going to the same place," said Carissa Robertson. "It's the people that make high school fun."Hilary Rowe agrees, recognizing that high school has made up a significant portion of her life thus far, as she has created lasting bonds between herself and her peers.
:: MORE IN DEPTH HEADLINES ::

O’Neil students share cross-generational groove

By Matt Yost
May 14, 2009
Upon hearing words like "foxtrot” and "jitterbug,” most students' minds create images of strange vulpine disease or cell phones for the elderly. However, to the students of O'Neil National Honor Society these words will soon make up an expanding dance card at the annual senior citizen prom, held at the Senior Center Annex on Friday, May 22. This event marks a transitional period for O'Neil, as it sees the passing of power from this year's senior officers to next year's. "The junior officers work directly with the senior officers to plan this event,” said O'Neil advisor Sarah Dobish. "The only role I really take is to help them coordinate, but the juniors are responsible for purchasing the decorations, getting door prizes, and ordering food. It helps prepare them for next year when they have to do all of the legwork for our club activities.”Senior Abby Gustafson, the current treasurer of O'Neil, sees the perks of receiving help from the juniors, even though the power shift felt initially uncomfortable.
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Classic remake leads Abrams on trek to success

By Sarah Witman
May 14, 2009
Three decades after the first Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released, filmmakers have finally cobbled together enough shameless creativity to create its long awaited prequel. The adventure chronicles the life spans of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, and impressively treks through uncharted territories in graphics, effects, portrayal of characters, and traditional plot timelines. The film, put out by director J. J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, while not entirely avoiding kitschy nostalgia of the Star Trek series, is an impressive construction of classic science fiction. The film commences with the distinctive chords of Star Trek's theme, doubtlessly inspiring countless audience members to struggle to separate their middle and index fingers in Vulcan greeting. Trekkie traditionality departs here, however, as the plot purposefully shifts and morphs with each scene. Action begins deep in the final frontier, where the space vessel the U.S.S. Kelvin is barraged by Romulan terrorists, claiming that their planet has been unjustly destroyed. The film shifts to a young Spock (Jacob Kogan, Delocated), who is forced to endure daily torture by classmates because of his human mother.
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