The Worthington ALC Insider
Volume 2, Issue 5 October 19, 2004
What’s up with the new computer lab? By: Amanda M. Many students and faculty have been wondering when we are getting our new computer lab up and running. To get to the bottom of this, I recently interviewed Mr. Langseth, some students and teachers to hear about there opinion. Interview with Mr. Langseth Q. When will the students be able to use the new computer lab? A. As soon as it is operational Q. Why has it taken so long to get the computer lab up and running? A. There are two reasons; there are some technical problems with getting the wireless system to work. The current Tech people couldn’t get the new system to work. So they have to hire someone who can do the job. Q. What is going to happen to the current computer lab? A. It will remain a second computer lab Q. What makes the new computers unique? A. They are wireless and high speed Q. Why can’t we just plug them in and get them up and running? (Continued à)	A. Because the new computers operate in a different manor and it’s a network issue. Q. If this were the High School, do you think the computers would have been up and running by now? A. I don’t know. The High School would probably have the same issues we do. Interview with random students Q. Are you frustrated with the computers we currently have in the old computer lab? Student A: Yes, they are VERY slow and they don’t work properly Student B: Yes, because they are very old with tiny memories. Student C: Yes, these computers are pieces of crap. (Continued on page 2)

ALC Insider October 19, 2004 Page 2
(Continued from page 1) Q. Has this year’s lack of computers affected your learning? Student A: Kind of, when I have reports to be done, sometimes the Internet doesn’t work and the other half of the time it takes too long to get the information. Student B: Yes, because the majority of the computers don’t have Internet and the ones that do don’t work well. Student C: No, Computers do all the same things but the others will go faster Q. Do you think the New computers will improve your grades and attendance? Student D: Grades Yes. Faster computers would mean less time waiting and getting more work done Student E: Grades Yes. Attendance maybe, lets get new computers and see Student F: It would get my work done quicker but it wouldn’t affect my work. (Continued à)	Interview with random teachers Q. How are the computer problems affecting teaching? Teacher U: We can’t accomplish the work we should be doing. Teacher V: I can’t do a lot of the activities I plan to do like Skills Tutor. In my bigger classes there are not enough computers that work to go around. Q. Do you find it difficult to find time for your class to use the computer lab? Teacher W: Yes, I had to cut back on writing projects. Teacher X: Yes, because Several other teacher need to use it, too. Q. What problems exist in the current computer lab? Teacher Y: The computers don’t have enough memory space. Teacher Z: There are not enough computers. They freeze up and they’re slow.
Art by Michael Dennison

The Insider October 19, 2004 Page 3
New fashion trend, or waste of government funds? By Adrian Gonzalez Senator John Kerry was caught wearing a new type of suit that is meant to protect people against anthrax attacks. He was testing it out in a lab in some scientific place in the middle of who knows where. Now he plans on wearing the thing anywhere he goes in case of an anthrax threat. He thinks he looks cool in it. He told reporters that he wanted to be on a fashion magazine wearing what he hopes will be the new fashion trend. (Continued à)	Senator Kerry models the new Anthrax Protective suit Many have criticized the Senator suggesting that ordinary people cannot afford such extravagant protection. Some ask why government officials have been provided with the new protective suits while ordinary citizens have not. Kerry responded by saying, “Sorry, folks, but not everyone looks as cool in an Anthrax Protective suit as I do.”
My name is Senator John Kerry and My name is President George Bush and I did not approve this message. I did not approve this message.

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Parallel Universes Haven’t you seen the 2004 presidential candidates before?
The Republican Ticket Don’t tell us this has never occurred to you before. The smirk, the head cocked ever so slightly to one side, the “What me worry” attitude, the reluctance to recognize reality when it’s whacking you in the face.... If they aren’t the same person, then they gotta be identical twin brothers. Any fan of classic cartoon shows will recognize Fearless Leader from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. So what does a cartoon villain do when he loses his day job? You could run for the U.S. Congress from Wyoming, then become Secretary of Defense, and finally end up as Vice-President. What a country!	The Democratic Ticket “You rang?” When the Addams Family TV show was cancelled thirty-five years ago, Lurch was drafted into the Navy SEALs and sent to Vietnam. From there he went on to become a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. Now he would like to serve as your president… When Gilligan’s Island was cancelled from TV way back when, Gilligan needed a new career. He went to law school, passed the Bar Exam in North Carolina, and became a highly paid ambulance-chasing lawsuit attorney. There’s nowhere to go but down from there, so now he wants to be Vice-President.

ALC Insider October 19, 2004 Page 5

EDITORIAL

Ripping into ALC students

Get over it, people…

Students at the Worthington ALC have become accustomed to being viewed as “second class” by many students and staff at Worthington High School. We don’t agree with their view, but we have regrettably gotten used to it.

It seems, however, that Worthington ALC students are not the only victims in the holier-than-thou educational comparison game. A recent article in Windom High School’s on-line newspaper, The Eagle, had some interesting things to say about the Windom ALC program.

“We all somehow have this notion chiseled into our heads the ALC is the punk palace of Windom, where all the teen convicts go to play kickball and jump double dutch during school hours,” said The Eagle.

(Continued à)

“No work to be done or classes to be taken,” The Eagle continued, “just kids going there for the sake of showing up, getting credit, and eventually graduating and continuing their lives elsewhere.”

The Eagle did manage to say a few positive things about the Windom ALC. Nevertheless, the writer of the article stated that “as a student watching someone from the ALC receive the same diploma for hardly complying with the same local and state standards seems all but fair.”

We have our suspicions that Windom ALC student do comply with the same local and state standards, just as Worthington ALC students comply with our local and state standards.

But what the heck – if Windom High School students want to trash Windom ALC students in their on-line newspaper, let them go for it. At least Windom High School High School has an on-line newspaper. That’s more than we can say about Worthington High School.

If we were dolls….

Sally

Nicole B.

Dez

Amanda R.

Angela

Annie K.

By Amber Henderson

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Couples Of the ALC

Kp & Annie

Kp and Annie have been together for a one month almost two. After school they usually just go to one of their houses and watch TV and eat. Their favorite holiday is Halloween. On Halloween they say they are goin’ to egg houses and steal people’s candy – let’s hope they are kidding. They plan to get married and have four kids. They plan on living at least four hours away from Worthington so that way Kp can still visit his family and friends.

Couples Of the ALC

Chris & Blanca

Chris and Blanca have been together for about six months and are still going strong. In their free time, they like to watch movies and stay home. Then they go to Blanca’s mom’s house and see what she had made to eat. Chris works after school until five. Blanca doesn’t work, so she waits for him to get off work. Blanca likes it when Chris buys her things. She says it makes her feel special. They plan to get married and have one kid and hope it’s a boy.

This Week’s Separated At Birth

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