Mater Dei High School - Hi Lights Yearbook (Evansville, IN)

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D The stage was set before a crowd of 700 roar- ing people. My heart jumped into my throat as the music started playing. Decked out in a black shirt and jeans, I bounded toward center stage for my part in the air guitar contest. But wait!! The music that was playing was not mine. The contest directors had played the wrong side of my tape. I went back to explain that the song that was playing was not the one I was to perform to. After several min- utes — which seemed like hours — I set off once again for center stage. After tuning up my air guitar, I play- ed to Rock and Roll by Led Zep- plin. Although I did not win, I had a really good time just being in the competition. The Greater Evansville Air Guitar Contest was held at the Rock Pit, a new center featuring live bands for area teens. The contest started Feb- ruary 20 and ran for five weeks with the winner of the contest receiving a $1,300 stereo. Junior Angie Beckham attended the finals for the air guitar contest. I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun and the whole idea of the contest was a good one, she commented. Playing an air guitar involved get- ting up and acting like you were playing a real guitar. In fact, many people have probably played an air guitar without even knowing it. The air guitar craze became pop- ular through the cartoon Funky. The cartoon, which appeared daily in the Evansville Courier, ran a series featuring teenagers Funky Winker- bean and his friend Crazy in an air guitar contest. Four MD seniors brought the idea of air guitars home and started their own air band. Dion Seiler, Jeff Mar- tin, Scott Schenk, and John Kohl jammed down on their air instru- ments whenever they were together. I can ' t really remember how we started the air band. We would be driving around and hear a song and just start playing to it, Dion remembered. Although Dion ' s band will proba- bly not become millionaires, they probably won ' t worry about it. After all, why would anyone want to fret over an air guitar? — Tina Boarman 96 JAMMIN ' DOWN: Senior Tina Boarman en- tered the air guitar contest at the Rock Pit in early March. She entered it because it looked like a lot of fun. (Photos by Geoff Coates) DONT FRET ABOUT IT: Playing an air guitar is not unfamiliar to senior Dion Seiler. Dion plays lead air guitar in an air band with four other MD seniors. (Photos by Rob Zigenfus)

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GRIN AND BEAR IT: Junior Gretchen Hillen- brand learns the meaning of the words grin and bear it while warming up with the track team. Gretchen has been on the track team for three years. (Photo by Alan Burdette) DON ' T BLAME DESENEX: Sophomore Pete Emmert would agree that while track prac- tice can be a load there is always time for a little relaxation and fun. Aside from keeping fit, Pete is also a music buff. (Photo by Alan Burdette) LEDMAN LIFTS LOAD: Club sponsor Ms. Lisa Ledman gives an extra pull as she demon- strates the fundamentals of using the weight machine to the members of the girls ' weight- lifting club. Ledman, in her first year at MD, introduced, the club which is only open to senior girls. (Photo by Alan Burdette) o 95 When it came to bending, pull- ing, and stretching it out, many Mater Dei students had it all together. At 2:45 the final bell rang, and the campus parking lot and tennis courts filled with students dressed in sweats, shorts, favorite T- shirts, and tennis shoes. The trend was fitness and getting into shape through running, weightlifting, and aerobic dancing. It ' s important to keep the body physically fit and healthy, said ju- nior Darlene Rooney. The weight room was a popular place for girls as well as guys, especially since sociology teach- er Ms. Lisa Ledman began the first girls ' weightlifting club at Mater Dei. I decided to start the club be- cause I found that the idea was new and interesting to many of the girls here at Mater Dei. Ledman, who began lifting at Ball State Uni- versity, felt that weightlifting bene- fited a person both physically and mentally. The club, comprised of 20 senior girls, was very successful accord- ing to Ledman. Club member Pat- ricia Weinzapfel said, It ' s a lot of fun, as well as good for the body. While some students pumped iron, others headed for the tracks. Freshman Kathy Wannemuehler said, I like to run because it gives me a chance to forget about things and also keep in shape. The physical fitness trend was beneficial as well as fun. According to senior Sherri Ricketts aerobic dancing was just this. You work out so hard, but it makes your body feel so good, she explained. Juniors Karen Spahn, Donna Wan- nemuhler, and Diana Weinzapfel said they enjoyed getting together with friends for a vigorous workout of aerobics. Religion teacher Mrs. Leslie Strat- man summed herfeelings on phys- ical fitness by saying, I really get into trimnastics and jogging be- cause it is a mental release as well as a physical release. — Sharon Wildeman Q O c a

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