Carlisle High School
623 W. Penn Street Carlisle, PA 17013
www.chsperiscope.com
Vol. 73, Winter issue
Influencing the impressionable: How temptation lures teenagers
Social media: Amusement or addiction? 2 Is it cool to Juul? 8-9 Sweet seduction 14-15
P
eriscope Staff
Periscope is a student-created magazine whose mission is to showcase student achievement, inform the Carlisle High School community of upcoming issues and events, and provide entertainment for students at CHS. The Periscope staff produces the magazine while learning the roles of staff writers, photographers, editors, and business managers. We will uphold all press standards in the creation of this publication and abide by ethical and legal practices set in place by press laws.
Kate Muir Adviser
Cameron Fritz Publications Manager
Meg Tate Sports Editor
Samantha Martin News Editor
Becca Winton Website Editor-in-Chief
Abigail Lindsay A&E Editor
Carol Etzel Magazine Editor-in-Chief
Heidi Heinlein Kathleen O'Neill Perspectives Co-Editor Perspectives Co-Editor
Lillianne Hogsten Photography Editor
Skylar Bowers Student Life Editor
Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial� represent solely the views and opinions of the author, not the 2018-2019 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.
Top row: Meg Tate, Carol Etzel, Kate Muir, Karolena Santiago, Hunter Nace, Kaitlyn Peck, Zack Mattaboni, Ayb Graham, Cameron Fritz, Michael Raphael. Middle row: Lillianne Hogsten, Becca Winton, Dyamond Jones, Heidi Heinlein, Kathleen O'Neill, Abigail Lindsay, Shayna Rhoads. Bottom row: Parker Shabala, Summer Hollingsworth, Skylar Bowers, Ellie Knapp, Mia Byus, Samantha Martin, Carter Smith, Carlin Diehl, Kaycee Johnson
Equity Statement The Carlisle Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or handicap in its activities, programs or employment practices as required be Title IX and Section 504. No person shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or handicap be excluded from participation in or be subjects to discrimination in any program or activity funded, in whole or in part, by federal funds. Discrimination on the basis or sex or religion is also prohibited in some federal programs. For information regarding civil rights and grievance procedures or for information regarding services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by handicapped persons, contact Ms. Christina M. Spielbauer, Title IX Coordinator, Section 504 Coordinator, at 623 W. Penn Street, Carlisle PA 17013-2298. 240-6800
CONTENTS 2 Social media: Amusement or addiction? /
10 Truth ads: A driving force / Kathleen
3 We shouldn't love likes: What Instagram
11 Mental illness: Why do we want it? /
4 A bit of both worlds: Student athletes
12 Pushed beyond the limit / Shayna
5 How music affects today's teens / Summer
13 A game of grades: The importance of
6 Conflicting psychology: The truth behind
14-15 Sweet seduction / Becca Winton
Carter Smith
likes really mean / Parker Shabala
participate in Shakespeare / Kaitlyn Peck
Hollingsworth
video game addiction / Zack Mattaboni
7 Steroids in sports: Not just national news
O'Neill
Heidi Heinlein
Rhoads
eligibility / Karolena Santiago
16 Advertising merch: The influence of
/ Meg Tate
YouTubers on student viewers / Skylar Bowers
8-9 Is it cool to Juul? / Samantha Martin
17 Chasing the prize: The desire to earn an athletic scholarship / Michael Raphael
PERISCOPE 1
Social media: Amusement or addiction? Story by Carter Smith Photography by Lillianne Hogsten The stress of being a high school student is truly immense. Hours of nightly homework, constant exams, strenuous sports… the list goes on. When some students feel stressed, they tend to be pulled in by temptations. Students are pulled into these temptations because they are searching for an escape from the chaos of high school. While these temptations are often negative things such as smoking, drugs, and alcohol, there is an equally dangerous trap that students can easily fall into, social media. Many people wouldn’t classify social media as an addiction, but it is undoubtedly the most common obsession among high school students today. It all starts when a student is doing their homework, and begins to become bored or gets distracted by continuous notifications. They then decide to pick up their phone and open up an app such as Instagram or Snapchat. They begin to scroll through countless posts about their friends’ lives or events happening around the world. Before they know it, hours have past, and they find themselves refreshing the app time and time again. Many students at Carlisle High School have opened up about their social media obsessions, including freshman Chloe Yarnell. Yarnell said, “There’s no doubt that social media can be very addicting. Scrolling through your feed can be such an easy way to for-
Blocking the temptation: Apps to limit phone usage
Story by Abigail Lindsay Photography by Lillianne Hogsten In a society filled with technology, we are constantly surrounded by the temptation of electronics. Approximately 154 billion smartphones are bought each year, worldwide. Thus, the addiction to constantly be on your phone can hard to avoid.
get about your problems. The thing people don’t realize is your problems don’t go away when you avoid them, they just get worse.” The statistics regarding social media usage reflect just how attached high school students are to their phones. Social media is an addiction driven by temptation. It can be very detrimental to a According to the PEW research student’s life, both mentally and academically. center, a whopdangerous one. The repercussions of this ping 94% of American teens have one or addiction can be detrimental to a students life. more social media accounts. On top of that When a high school student gets caught up 58% of those users are active on social media in an addiction to social media, all they are several times a day. doing is avoiding their problems. As time goes To put this in perspective, this means that on, missed homework starts to pile up. When about 1,500 out of the 1,600 Carlisle High students miss their homework, they’re not School students have a social media account. prepared for their tests, and therefore grades The data in regards to social media usage begin to drop. When students are attached to becomes even more eye opening. their social media, it can really hamper their According to The Daily Infographic, the lifestyle, especially academically. most active high school social media users While spending excessive time on social check their feed up to 150 times per day. media can be very tempting, using it in moderThat’s over 1,000 times a week, and over 4,000 ation isn’t a bad thing. Checking social media a times a month. few times a day isn’t bad, but once it becomes These numbers further prove that social an addiction, it’s hard to come back. media can in fact be an addiction, and a very However, applications have been created to specifically curve phone usage. Here are a few apps that help limit how much time we spend on our phones: Flora is a “focused habit tracker” that adds a fun twist to a helping users limit phone time. You begin by planting a seed that eventually grows into a tree. To get your tree to grow you must only have this app open; when you leave the app, the tree dies. Flora is unique in that you can sync it with friends to have a group tree. You can collect trees from all over the world, in order to expand your garden. Free to download, Flora is available only for IOS users. The Offtime app promotes the motto of “finding balance in your online and offline life.” The app breaks down how much time is spent on each app daily. Users can set hurdles, reminders, or restrictions to apps. At Offtime, they believe that “unplugging isn’t isolation; it’s an opportunity to reconnect.” Offtime is
available for free to both IOS and Android users. While originally designed as an app for parents to monitor their children’s screen time, UnGlue has now become used by all generations. UnGlue monitors your phone usage in order to determine what apps you spend the most time in. You can set limits of how much time you want on each app. The ‘time bank’ allows for users to see how much time is remaining in each app. The app is free to download, and is available to both IOS and Android users. In today’s fast paced world, using our phones is crucial in order to get information quickly. However, we can often become wrapped up in constantly using our phones. With the help of these apps, people are able to avoid the temptation of using their phone in order to reconnect with the world around them.
Instagram is a way to share photos with friends and family. However, many teens have become obsessed with getting likes on photos and go as far as buying their likes.
We shouldn’t love likes: What Instagram likes really mean
Story by Parker Shabala Photography by Lillianne Hogsten With Instagram being one of the most popular social media platforms today, it is no wonder that many young people feel pressured to compete for likes. In high school especially, teenagers feel the need to fit in. Whether it’s body image, clothes, or social status, they are searching for acceptance. One way students often feel validated is by acquiring Instagram likes. The question now arises: what do Instagram likes really mean for teens? Likes have become so important that many Instagram users resort to acquiring ‘fake’ likes. People will go so far as to buy likes and followers from applications such as “Stormlikes” or “Instaboostgram.” However, if Instagram discovers this happening they have the right to delete the account immediately. That is why there are other ‘sneaky’ ways to gain likes that are used more commonly. Using the hashtags “likefor-like” or “follow-for-follow” implies that when someone either likes or follows you, you will do the same back. Another subtle tactic is to post your Instagram account on other social media
platforms. This can be viewed as a way of notifying others of your recent post. In many cases, individuals will not even know their followers or who they are following. “Sometimes people will even follow a bunch of random accounts just in hopes of getting their likes up,” sophomore Thea Gayman said. Popularity through social media is something brought up often in our culture. We see ‘Instastars’, such as Kylie Jenner or Lele Pons, getting millions of views and likes on a daily basis. Young people comparing themselves to stars leaves them feeling inadequate because of unrealistic expectations. “Of course any younger girl is going to be like ‘oh yeah I want to be like all of these Instagram stars that get so many likes’, but now I don’t care as much… because I know my priorities,” said freshman Olivia Grippin. Kacee Bree Jensen of Family Circle Magazine said, “Comparison is a confidence killer, and we have an entire world to compare ourselves to on social media.” The competition is not only mentally draining, but time-consuming. Getting the perfect picture can be a strategic game for some. The
process of narrowing down your options of pictures to just a few, then editing them to get them how you would like is monotonous. This is just the reason why freshman Chloe Yarnell deleted her Instagram account. “I didn’t feel like having all of the work to take pictures, edit them, and make sure I like them,” Yarnell said. “I think if I still had it I would be concerned about the likes I get on them too, and I don’t want to care about it.” However, likes can be beneficial in some instances. From a business standpoint for example, likes can get smaller brands or products recognized. Unfortunately, the majority of young people using the app have no reason to strive for this goal, due to it having no direct benefit to them. What likes boil down to is a false sense of popularity and validation. It is solely a number that can be easily manipulated on a screen. Pushing to get more and more likes on every post is becoming extremely common, and adds unnecessary stress to people’s lives. Instagram distorts how you view both yourself and others causing a lack of identity. It is important to always be the real you because life is not all about likes. PERISCOPE 3
Sophomore Olivia Renault and junior Max Haseman perform in a scene from William Shakespeare’s play, “Coriolanus.” Renault plays field hockey for CHS while Haseman runs cross country.
A bit of both worlds:
Student athletes participate in Shakespeare
Story by Kaitlyn Peck both of them about your time commitment.” Students also have the chance to be exposed Photography by Carol Etzel Maintaining contact with coaches or teachto new people and situations, resulting in William Shakespeare never ran cross couners could relieve unwanted stress when trying acquiring many friend groups who may bring try, but CHS students can do both sports and to do both. When information is being shared out different sides of students. act. CHS has a wide variety of students who with them, they are typically more considerate “Well I won’t lie and say [managing both] not only take part in athletic events but also of a student’s schedule. isn’t stressful sometimes or a lot of the time, performs in the arts. While both activities may Being involved in both types of activities but they’ve done a lot for me,” said Soloappear strenuous to an athlete’s schedule, they can also boost a college resume mon. “They’ve given me two are still able to prosper. because it shows a student’s different and wonderful friend Auditions for the “I joined this year as the elective and I involvement in the school as groups and more than a few spring Shakespeare great experiences, not to mendecided to join since I really enjoy acting,” well. Colleges like students said Olivia Renault, a sophomore field hockey who participate in many diftion two different skills that I production of an player at CHS. “With sports, ferent activities a whole lot.” adaptation of Love’s enjoy though, it can be impossible to that help their While student-athletes are “It’s important to be high school. Labours Lost were find the time [to do both].” used to their normal training well rounded and If a college is CHS athletes who are also routines, choosing to take held on Sunday, performers usually lead a timely comparing two I think if I had not Feb 2 in the Swartz a chance with a new hobby schedule. Although it may seem students, the could be advantageous for a gotten into acting student with the Auditorium. overwhelming, students are student. By embracing a new I would’ve lost that most extracurable to take away good characactivity, it could help them teristics from their experiences. side of high school.” ricular activities, realize they are more than just Time management could be -Bennett Solomon school involvement, and better the sport they play. quite troubling for some, but grades would get the favorable “I wanted to take a risk and try something I the chance to challenge thempick or a larger scholarship. had never done before,” said Nick Bowman, selves allows growth to occur. “I think it would’ve made me feel a bit a senior at CHS who plays soccer and is an “I would absolutely recommend trying it,” incomplete,” said Bennett Solomon, a sophoactive member of the Shakespeare troupe. Renault said. “As far as scheduling goes, the more cross country runner at CHS. “Athletics Performing on stage might not be ideal, but teachers and coaches are both generally under- are extraordinarily important. It’s important by being able to be open to a new avocation standing if you have to miss a practice or two to be well rounded and I think if I had not could help student-athletes learn who they from either side. Just be sure to be clear with gotten into acting I would’ve lost that side of are. Therefore a new hobby can promote new high school.” opportunities for many students. 4 PERISCOPE
Story by Summer Hollingsworth stating, “.44 leave a little hole in everybody it out,” from Cuban Doll song ‘Let it Blow.’ It Photography by Lillianne Hogsten here.” These lyrics, referring to a using a gun, leaves an imprint on the mind of their young In the music industry, lyrics are a powerful are sung by Danielle Bregoli, stage name Bhad fans. That imprint is saying that these cruel way to convey artist’s messages. Artists put Bhabie, who is just 15 years old. Young artists and mean acts are good, and that these harmtheir personal opinions and sentiments into can have the biggest impact on young impresful drugs are positive. That these temptations their songs to communicate sionable teens. to do bad things should be embraced instead with their fans. However, it’s The song goes on to glorify theft of ignored. “Artists put their not always clear whether the However, all songs aren’t all negative of personal opinions as well stating, “New car, stolen communication is having a plates, fast like golden plates.” course. There are many positive lyrics as well. positive or negative influence and sentiments into The words are a major misrepre- For example, Sara Bareilles’ song ‘Brave’ with their songs to com- sentation of theft, one that makes the lyrics, “Say what you want to say, and let on the listeners. Music has a huge influence the words fall out. Honestly, I wanna see you municate with their it sound glamorous rather than on teens and the way they criminal. These lyrics are hidden in be brave.” The song talks about speaking your fans.” think. It’s an undeniable part the pages of mainthoughts regardless of if people “The power that judge you for it. It’s an uplifting of culture and development, stream songs and can and it has a particularly significant impact on infiltrate into the teenage mind artists have is often tune with a nice message. younger generations. While parents attempt with ease. They slam in the meshas become a key part underestimated.” ofMusic to make sure the tunes their kids listen to are sage that things like weed and teens lives, by streaming and appropriate, parents can’t watch their kids guns are symbols of popularity listening to music everyday. The 24/7. Therefore, most teens are often being and should be put on a pedestal. power of influence that music carries to teens exposed to music that’s not having a positive The power that artists have is often underes- is immense. However the impression they influence on them. timated. When important people surrounded leave on listeners can often either both negGun violence is often a common topic in by power and prestige constantly mention ative or positive. Temptations fill teens lives many popular teen songs. One song, ‘Babyviolence and drugs, stating things like “I’ma and music has a huge influence in shaping face Savage,’ sung by Bhad Bhabie, has a line pull that chopper out, bullets make em walk their decisions.
PERISCOPE 5
Video games can be addicting, and thus can be a distraction to many teens who have other responsibilites. For many, video games can be an escape from stress.
Conflicting psychology: The truth behind video game addiction
Story by Zack Mattaboni Photography by Lillianne Hogsten The prevalence of video games and the immersion they create has sparked a debate about whether video games can truly be addicting. Addiction is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a complex condition manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences. Between the benefits and downsides that video games have shown, it is nearly impossible to fit it to the definition, but there is definitely evidence for both sides of the argument. A study from Pew Research Center in 2015 showed that 72% of teens play video games. Another study by Common Sense Media shows that teens spend approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes per day playing video games in some form. Some of the time put into these games could be going toward real monetary transactions. Loot boxes and in-app purchases have constantly been called out as gambling and a major problem with addictiveness in video games. “I think that the act of adding randomized purchased loot boxes is destructive toward games as a medium, destructive towards players trying to have fun,” said Carlisle High
6 PERISCOPE
School sophomore Ryan Friscia. “It does exploit those gambling tendencies… and if [players are] feeling lucky, they can dump a lot of money into uncrating these loot boxes. It’s gambling, it really is.” Another survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2018 shows that 26% of teens believe they spend too much time playing video games. This shows that over a quarter of teens think that they indulge in video games too much, which could point toward addiction, but this does not state whether they viewed it to be harmful and obsessive or not. This research also provides a different statistic, though. The same study shows that around 22% of teens feel they do not play enough video games. People who are addicted to something usually know that it is harmful to them, but this statistic provides that many teens feel that video games have a positive impact on them. Yet another statistic from the Pew Research Center proves this idea of video games providing a positive impact. In 2015, it was shown that playing online with friends made many teens feel more connected to their peers and that it even made them more relaxed. This same study shows that around 57% of teens have become friends with people they have met online. 20% of those teens even said they have met up with an internet friend before. The connections built create a more
positive view on gaming that contradicts the negative statistics. Even then, statistics from organizations may not accurately represent Carlisle High School. Positivity has affected people at the school as well, though. The personal experiences of our students should be taken into account. “Addict is a harsh word because there’s very much negative connotation with it. I don’t play video games in a self-destructive way… I do it for entertainment and set limits for myself,” Friscia said. Gamers like Friscia are not the only students playing video games, though. Brayden Paul, a sophomore CHS athlete, also spends time playing video games. “I mostly play NBA 2k16, and I play for about two hours a day,” Paul said in a brief interview. He does not consider himself a video game addict either. “I honestly think that it’s a positive influence on my life,” Friscia said. “It’s allowed me to connect with people in real life but also online so I see a broad range of views on the way the world works. It’s just a connective thing.” There is no definitive evidence as to whether or not the positive and negative evidence could classify the playing of video games as addiction or not. The statistics do not strongly point in either direction, which leaves it up to interpretation whether video game addiction truly exists.
Steroids in sports: Not just national news Editorial by Meg Tate Photography by Pixabay / qimono With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics approaching quickly, there are some aspects of sports that become more prominent, including the upsurge of steroid presence. Athletes feel an unrelenting amount of pressure to earn a chance to represent their respective countries. Each time the Olympics roll around there is an increase in the amount of the press coverage of the athletes using steroids. For the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic games, the Olympic committee made a big step in the right direction: they banned Russia from the games for past drug violations. According to an article published in the Washington Post by Will Hobson, “In the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia led the medal count, with 33 overall and 13 golds. But Russia’s success at those Olympics, according to former Moscow antidoping lab director Grigory Rodchenkov, came with some assistance behind the scenes.” The athletes in these huge professional sporting events are under supreme amounts of pressure that normal people would not understand. However, I feel these pressures should not lead to cheating. Many have this same opinion. Steroids give the athletes a greater chance of winning because they could increase one’s muscle mass, strength, or even the ability to intake oxygen, making the athlete significantly better than themselves when not on steroids. The athletes are given an unfair advantage when using a form of drugs. In order to make the competition fair, there must be no use of steroids by any athlete to ensure that they are all on the same playing field. This is what makes the top sporting events like the Olympics so intriguing. With large worldwide events approaching, the suspicions of foul play increase. Every athlete
is more prepared to be drug tested or caught The athletes are under tremendous stress during these times. during their individual high school seasons. However, what many people don’t realize They might feel pressure to perform if their is that some high school and college athletes team is struggling, succeeding, or in the state are going through similar pressures every day championship or something equivalent. of their seasons. They feel the pressure to According to an article published by The perform and turn to perforRecovery Village an institu“3-12% of adolescent tion in Florida, “A student’s mance-enhancing drugs. According to the National athletic performance in high males and 1-2% of Federation of State High adolescent females school can have an enormous School Association’s infoimpact on getting into the admit to using graphic by Jane Otterson of schools they want — which [anabolic steroids]” can impact the rest of their Confirm Biosciences, “3-12% of adolescent males and 1-2% lives, as well.” adolescent females admit to This article also published using [anabolic steroids] at some time during many other potential factors that could have their life.” impacted their decision. The article listed Even though there is not a significant performs such as college athletic scholarships, centage of children that admitted to it, there high school popularity, teen body image, and are still children using the drugs. Student-aththe influence of professional athletes. letes should not feel the amount of pressure There are some high school athletes that that they determine that they must turn to are also competing in the professional fields drugs that make them better. as well. These athletes are incredibly gifted The presence of steroids in the news make in their field. They would need to prepare to it more well-known and accessible to young compete at the highest level even when they adults like high school students to get them. are competing against high schoolers. Students are easily impacted by those they The youngest Olympic athlete was a tenlook up to. year-old gymnast Dimitrios Loundras in the “4/10 teens say their decision to take 1896 Olympics in Athens where he won a steroids was inspired by professional athletes bronze medal. The youngest athlete at the who took them,” Otterson said. 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio was Gaurika To solve this issue we must bring down the Singh a 13-year-old swimmer from Nepal. use of steroids in professional sports. As The younger the athlete, the more sustained long as there are clean sports in the more amount of pressure they will be under over a well-known events then the 3-12% mentioned multiyear period. We must hope that the use earlier would hopefully go down to less than of steroids in sports continues to decrease in one percent. order to ensure the safety of all athletes and High school athletes have many factors the level of fairness in the competitions. No other than just the influence of professional one wants to hear about a cheater winning. athletes aspect that make the athletes want to take steroids. Steroids are taken through pills, syringes and other ways. The steroid presence in sports are ever changing but just as dangerous for athletes of all ages.
PERISCOPE 9
Is it cool to Juul? The epidemic of teenage e-cigarette use Story by Samantha Martin Photography by Pixabay / goranmx Inforgaphic created on Piktochart In recent years, e-cigarettes have become extremely popular among young people. Celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have been photographed holding e-cigarettes, and videos of young people doing “vape tricks,” where they blow vapor from their e-cigarettes in patterns such as rings or trails. This commonality in pop culture has made use of e-cigarettes explode. Carlisle High School principal Michael Black said he has noticed a major increase in students who use e-cigarettes. “What’s weird is that it seems that the Juuling/vaping thing has really spiked in the past six months,” said Black. “I think it was out there in years past, and it’s been on the market, but it seems like it’s become much more common with the general population, versus only being associated with a specific population of student.” Cameron Miller, a CHS junior, said that the use of Juuls, a more compact version of an e-cigarette, are the most common tools used to sneak vape into school. “It’s definitely more common than [other types of] vaping, in school at least,” said Miller. “Probably because it’s more convenient to hide and doesn’t make that much smoke.” The use of e-cigarettes has become more widespread among teenagers all across the country, not just at Carlisle. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2011 only 1.5% of all high school students reported using electronic
cigarettes within thirty days of taking the Although the health issues associated survey. In 2018, the number rose to 20.8%. with electronic cigarettes are not entirely Even middle school students have begun known yet, due to the fact that they have smoking e-cigarettes; around 4.5% of all not been on the market for very long, middle schools students use e-cigarettes, already scientists have warned people on the rise from 0.6% in 2011. of the health issues they can cause. The The high rate of student e-cigarette Surgeon General’s website reports that smokers is concerning to teachers, who heavy metals, including nickel, tin, and fear that students do not understand the lead, can be inhaled into the lungs when high risks that come with vaping. Mie-cigarettes are used, and chemicals such chelle Disbrow, who teaches Option 1 and as diacetyl, which is used as a flavorant by Option 2 English to CHS seniors, said that some e-cigarettes, can cause lung disease while she has not caught anyone using a and other problems. Juul in her classroom yet Some scientists even Some scientists even believe that Juuls are this year, she expects to do so by the end of the believe that Juuls are more dangerous than year, due to reports of how more dangerous than other e-cigarettes on the common it is. market. According to the other e-cigarettes on National Center for Health “I heard from the the market. probation officer that it is Research, Juul pods have a rampant, and it’s not just 5% nicotine content, comat the high school but also pared to a 2.4% nicotine at the middle school,” said Disbrow. content in many other brands of e-cigaDisbrow has heard from students that rette. This is a major health risk for young they Juul, despite not seeing them actually people, as the Surgeon General reports do it. She is concerned for their health, that nicotine impacts brain development and hopes they know what it is they are negatively, especially before the age of 25. doing. “Brain development begins during the “It worries me, because I do not think growth of the fetus in the womb and that they fully understand the effects of continues through childhood and to about Juuling on their bodies, but also the fact age 25,” the United States Surgeon Genthat they are doing it in school and in eral’s website reports. “Nicotine exposure classrooms, is alarming,” said Disbrow. during adolescence and young adulthood “In my option 1 classes, on Fridays we do can cause addiction and harm the develcurrent events, and that was an article in oping brain.” the current events magazines, so we have Not only are administration members discussed it in class. I don’t feel like [stuconcerned with the health risks of vaping, dents who discuss vaping] understand the but the commonality of e-cigarette use in side effects, they don’t see anything wrong class is also a major issue. It is against the with it.” rules at Carlisle High School; according to
Black, using an e-cigarette in school carries similar punishments to other tobacco products. “Right now, Juuling has been classified as a tobacco law classification,” said Black. “The difference between a tobacco law at the high school versus a drug violation at the high school, one; there’s a difference in the number of days a student is suspended, two; there is a little bit of a difference in the potential first offense penalty...the difference right now between a drug violation and a Juuling/vaping violation is that a Juuling/vaping violation is considered a tobacco law violation, which will carry a punishment, but will also potentially carry a fine.” Some students are frustrated with the blatant disregard for the rules that inschool juulers have, including Miller. “I don’t really care about vaping or juuling outside of school, but in school I think it’s a little inappropriate,” Miller said. “Blatantly disrespecting the rules is disrespectful. It’s like smoking in school; no one wants to see that.” Carlisle High School staff and administration are currently looking into ways
to discourage the use of e-cigarettes in school. “We are looking at ways we could potentially bring more severe punishment, especially since it’s becoming so rampant among students,” said Black. “We talk about it, we’ve discussed it. We have talked about it at a faculty meeting, and that it is running rampant to a certain degree, but we have not put any actions into place at this point in time.” Attempts to limit the use of e-cigarettes have occurred beyond the walls of school as well. A click on the official Instagram page of Juul, the company that created the popular devices, reveals that the page is blocked for any person under the age of twenty one, as are popular pages such as @VapeTricks. Facebook also has blocked all ads promoting the use of e-cigarettes on its website. Vaping is a trend among students, but only time will tell whether or not it is a trend that will last. Until it fades out, however, students and teachers must work to separate fact from fiction about the use of e-cigarettes.
Legislation nation: Juul edition Story by Ellie Knapp Juuls, along with other e-cigarette and vaping devices, have been very popular among adults and teens. Juul’s website advertises the product’s ability to get someone less reliant on the crutch of cigarettes and more traditional nicotine consumption. This, however, is not the reason that many teens choose to use e-cigarettes and vape, since most of them weren’t addicted smokers before hand. Also, selling these e-cigarette and vaping devices to minors is illegal, and this concerns the United States government. On the CDC website, the government agency dedicated to health said, “Over the past several months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken a series of actions as part of its Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan to more immediately target the illegal sales of e-cigarettes to youth, as well as youth-oriented marketing and appeal of these products.” The state government has dealt with the problem as well. In response to the rising numbers of e-cigarette and tobacco users, the Pennsylvania government has imposed a 40% tax on tobacco products, charged to the retailer. For example, if a store purchased $200 worth of Juul to sell, they
would have to pay $80 in taxes. “I believe it is important for people to make their own individualized health choices,” said Senator Mike Regan, a PA state representative for the 31st District (Dillsburg). “There have been many studies that have showcased the negative health effects of tobacco use including heart disease and cancer. I think it is important that there be an age requirement for use – this is an adult product and should be used by adults.” Many other politicians seem to feel the same way, since there are many bills that have been introduced on regulating the e-cigarette industry, although none have been passed thus far. There has also been private reform; as the company Juul announced that it would temporarily stop selling its flavored e-cigarettes to retailers. Despite these changes, e-cigarettes are far from dead in terms of underage users. According to ScienceNews.org, a scientific magazine, 22% of American teens in 2018 used e-cigarettes. With new data on usage coming in quickly, there is nothing stopping the local or federal government from imposing more regulations on tobacco products.
Truth ads: A driving force Editorial by Kathleen O’Neill on top of their goals. As an organization, Jeffrey J Hicks, President of Crispin, Porter Photography by thetruth.com and Bogusky writes, “From the very begin“truth” is trying to eliminate smoking and Addiction is a problem that has always nicotine addictions one step at a time. ning, youth have driven “truth.” Two months existed, but often has been ignored or pushed after being hired, we convened a 500 person Nicotine addiction is not talked about outaside due to taboo nature. In order for a side of the health classroom in high school. youth summit to gain insight into where youth problem to be solved it has to be addressed. The organization has been working to make felt the effort should head. Through annual The “truth” Campaign is an organization summits and the creation of a youth review it acceptable to talk about in public settings. that is fighting tobacco addictions, and has Vaping emerging into the conversation will board, youth became our client. They told us been for the past 15 years. what they did and did not like and provided revolutionize how it is dealt with. Recently, “truth” ads have started to address There is an effect coming from “truth” ads, feedback to help guide the creative process.” vaping. In the past, “truth” many teens and young adults While the stigma around smoking being “Nicotine addiction are seeing the consequences ads have addressed everything “cool” has declined, vaping has risen in its involving tobacco product adplace. is not talked about and listening to the ads. They dictions. The campaign targets have stopped giving in to the Sophomore Bennett Solomon said, “As a outside of the health their audience by advertising on peer pressure and the temptageneration, we need to be the ones to end classroom in high tion to be cool. YouTube and Spotify. smoking. Cigarette smoking and vaping does school.” “The emergence and popularOn thetruth.com they share, not make you cool. The (“truth” campaign) ity of tobacco products such as “Now only 6% of teens has done a good job making ads to end e-cigarettes, hookah and little cigars, show that smoke. That’s down from 23% “The young people smoking.” the tobacco industry is constantly adapting in 2000 and from 7% last year! The young people have been have been motivated motivated to change the future, too,” truthinitiatives.org wrote. “Competing We can get it to 0%.” to change the future, starting with one addiction with tobacco companies means going toe-toTheir goal of finishing toe with an industry that spends more than $8 nicotine addiction in teens is problem and eventually changstarting with one billion each year to market tobacco products making progress. Motivation the world. There are so addiction problem ing in the U.S., and billions more around the to kick addiction has become many issues to be tackled. If and eventually globe.” The “truth” Campaign is facing an prominent because “truth” it they can solve one addiction uphill battle to achieve their goal. is a movement that is driven by changing the world.” we can solve all addictions. Times are changing and products are youth. An article on Tobacco Eliminating temptation to evolving. As technology and trends progress, Control outlines the youth involvement in this smoke for teenagers is slowly becoming a “truth” ads have to keep up in order to stay movement. reality thanks to “truth.”
The truth campaign combats smoking using propaganda that show the dark sides of addiction. The ads are posted online and on billboards.
Mental illnesses are no excuse to everyday problems. Blame is a temptation many students struggle with but must fight so real illnesses, like depression, can be recognized and diagnosed.
Mental illness: Why do we WANT it?
Editorial by Heidi Heinlein Photography by Lillianne Hogsten Teenagers are complicated individuals, stuck between being an adult and being a child. Personalities are forming more than ever and are easily influenced. Some teenagers feel the need to have an excuse for everything they feel, and they may not think about how they are affecting other issues. Many teens are terrified of what others think of them so they try to explain it with a crutch and mental illness seems to be a constant go-to for teenagers going through a variety of issues. Mental illness is very prevalent in adolescents due to added stress, bullying, and temptations. According to Live Science, 1 in 5 teens have depression in the US. Since it is so common, it is easy to blame all things that could be symptoms on illness because it seems like a valid excuse. Students tend to self diagnose mental issues based off of their emotions and understanding of the diseases. If someone gets nervous about a test, they say they have “anxiety”. If someone gets sad after a breakup, they say they are “depressed”. If they undergo mood swings, they say they are “bipolar.” Those who use self-diagnosed illnesses are taking away the severity from the subject, which is the opposite of what should be happening. According to the Center for Discovery, “suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24.”
These mental illnesses can, and often do have serious consequences. Fake diagnosis take all of the danger out of the illness and can make it harder to spot the teenagers that are struggling enough to go to great lengths for an end. Not only are these students making it seem less like a problem, but these individuals are also not accepting themselves for who they are. People who really have severe problems, such as depression, may be going to extremes with how they handle it, such as self-harm or suicide. They need real help and might not be getting it due to other people’s false diagnosis claims. These accusations might have some truth to them, seeing as they may stem from symptoms. Being narcissistic teenagers, we tend to think we are always right and don’t need help determining things. What they may not realize is that symptoms may be shared with physical illnesses. “One of the greatest dangers of self-diagnosis in psychological syndromes, is that you may miss a medical disease that masquerades as a psychiatric syndrome,” Srini Pillay, writer for Psychology Today, said. “Thus, if you have a panic disorder, you may miss the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism or an irregular heartbeat” The individuals that decide they have mental illness may have physical issues could affect their health as well. Some diseases and conditions left untreated could be harmful or deadly. The evidence-lacking claims may possibly be true in some cases as well, they just haven’t
been found by professionals. Most people can spot signs of people who are in bad mood, but it isn’t always easy to determine how bad it actually is. American Addiction Centers Resource, Mentalhelp.com writers said, “While depression may be confused with sadness or antisocial behavior, major depressive disorder is defined as a form of depression that does not correct itself naturally and can present serious symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, and lack of interest in hobbies or activities, and even thoughts of death or suicide.” False claims change views of symptoms and make it harder for a real diagnosis. All aspects of mental illness are questionable unless proven by a doctor or psychologist. Before making claims, students should think hard about their feelings to decide if it really is serious enough to get help. Symptoms may be signs of physical conditions, real mental conditions, and many more things. Accusations without proof may lead to more problems such as people taking illnesses as less severe, people not searching out help, mistreatment, etc. Mental illnesses are serious and can’t be made into excuses or humor. The temptation of blame must be avoided; accepting yourself is the first step to a happy life. Using a crutch is not healthy for self love as well as detrimental to the people who need their issues recognized.
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Pushed beyond the limit Editorial by Shayna Rhoads Photography by Lillianne Hogsten Playing sports can be very stressful. Often students push themselves extremely hard to play at their best at all times, even if they’re injured. The reason why they push themselves so hard could be interpreted in many ways. This is not only to play at their best for themselves but to help their team perform at the highest level possible. With certain positions athletes are in, they would want to keep playing through their injury, to keep their spot in the starting lineup, because sometimes if you get hurt then you may lose your spot on the team. According to the article “Be Part of the Change” from the National Athletic Trainers Association, “54 percent of student athletes reported that they’ve played injured.” Knowing that over half of the students surveyed said they played through injury shows the level of pressure upon these athletes is high. They feel the need to put their pain aside for the team. Although being a member of the team is important, this puts a risk on their health. Sometimes parents also get involved. Because their student-athlete is sitting out, then they will pressure the coach to put the student back in the game even while injured. This puts a lot of stress on the coaches to make the right choice,and respect the parents opinion. If an athlete is in high school they often have scouts watching them. If this is the case, they are not going to want to give up that opportunity because of an injury. “If you want something bad enough you won’t feel the pain,” said CHS football kicker Caleb Richwine. Many people want to have success and will do whatever it takes to win. I feel that it should be their choice to either leave the game or stay in it, because it’s their future, and by leaving the game it could ruin their future. If a college scout is watching a certain player, but then they get injured and put out of the game then if the next player comes in and makes an extraordinary play the scouts would be watching that new player. Also if the injury is just a minor injury then it should be fine for an athlete to finish the game. Many times ankle sprains can be something that a player would play through if they wear a brace. In the article “Ankle Sprains,” Larissa Hirsch, M.D. wrote, “Some sprained ankles are minor injuries that heal with little treat-
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A student with multiple injuries prepares to play soccer in the gym. Athletes tend to play through their injuries even if it is not advised.
ment.” If an injury is minor and an athlete is really committed to the sport, then it should be fine for them to finish the game and then go to the doctor. It is important for an athlete to know their strengths and weaknesses. If they know what they are good at and what they are not so strong in then they would be able to train through their weaknesses. By working through it and improving their weak areas, it won’t be so bad and they could play throw the pain. According to Gregory Dale in the article “Do Athletes Know Their Strengths and Weaknesses,” “Your strengths are what offer you the opportunity for game winning performance.”
This means that if athletes are aware of their strengths, then it will be an easier opportunity to win games. And knowing your strengths can help you focus on then, and if the opposite side of your body gets injured then you could just mainly use the stronger side. Even though hurting yourself seems like a bad thing, it can help you improve as an athlete and better your strengths and weaknesses. I feel like a player needs to push through their injuries as long as they are up for it in order to help the team. The point of youth athletics is to have the athletes grow into good people, having the experience of putting other people ahead of their own needs makes for a stronger mentality.
Sara Plant works on her projects and homework before swim practice. Managing sports and academics is a huge aspect embedded in student athletics.
A game of grades: The importance of eligibility Story and photography by Karolena Santiago Carlisle High School student athletes have to work diligently to keep their grades up, along with performing and practicing for hours in the hopes of securing a win. During sport seasons, athletes strive to be academically eligible to play. If they end up focusing more on their sport and let their grades fall, they face sitting out for a period of time. This expectation pushes the players to be responsible and take academics as seriously as they do with said sport. According to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) website, “[The student athlete] must be passing at least four full-credit subjects, or the equivalent, as of each Friday during a grading period. If you fail to meet this requirement, you will lose your eligibility from the immediately following Sunday through the Saturday immediately following the next Friday as of which you meet this requirement.” In the past 15 years at CHS, athletes’ grades have gotten better; less students have been pulled from their sports. The players understand it is their responsibility and that it is on them to keep up with academics outside the court, or field. However, if an athlete is pulled for having
bad grades, there is a 15 day period of PIAA ineligibility. It is left to the coaches choice whether the team members are allowed to practice during the period of ineligibility or not. Teams realize how important academics are. “Teams bond over helping each other reach their goal of good grades, it becomes a team effort and team bonding,” said George Null, the CHS athletic director. CHS calculates team grade point averages (GPA) where they take the GPA of every member of the team, then average these numbers to make the team GPA. This can create a friendly competition between the teams to try to have the highest GPA of every CHS sports team. Making grades something that the team cares about is a priority, which in the end helps the players. “There are grade checks and teammates help each other if someone is struggling,” said senior basketball player Kurtis Ravenel. “Coaches are even willing to help and will get you with teachers to help. We make sure we are on top of our work.” Being in a sport and managing school work can be difficult, on the other hand, this forces the athlete to have good time management,
which is key. Student athletes also must learn to be masters at this skill early in their career in order to be an effective member of the team and the school. The players have a built schedule of going to school, going to practice and after that, they go home and do homework. “I think the only thing that’s difficult is that I don’t get much sleep due to practice going late and still having homework to do when I get home,” said sophomore basketball and softball player Rachel Bell. Overall there are many people that believe that being in a sport enhances school work performance. Being in a sport and juggling everything in a teen-student-athlete can only be done by using your time wisely. It’s all about their desire to perform in the sport and their perseverance in their school work. CHS has been pushing a lot in the recent years to help make our student athletes improve their eligibility. This has worked out well, after the second marking period this year there was not a single winter sport participant that was ineligible. Hopefully, this improvement can continue.
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Sweet seduction Review by Becca Winton Photography by Becca Winton, Carol Etzel Carlisle is full of delicious sweet treats and perfect confections. Periscope staff members decided to take to the streets in order to explore some of the favorite dessert places in town. With only $10 to spend in each of the 5 shops, Periscope staffers were excited to try the pastries.
Mummert Chocolates This was my first time at Mummert’s Chocolate, but as soon as I walked in, I felt welcomed. The family-owned store is filled with chocolates from wall to wall. The chocolate maker took the time to walk me around the small store and give me suggestions on what I might enjoy. It was very pleasant and I would go again in a heartbeat.
Georgie Lou’s Retro Candy Georgie Lou’s has always been a personal favorite. This retro-style candy store is a blast to the past and so much fun. The Harry Potter display in the front window is an eye-catcher and the unique candies bring out the inner kid in all of us.
The Pie Haus My experience at the newly opened Pie Haus was unexpected, but nice. The space felt like a coffee shop, or a cafe. There is a blend of couches and chairs, free WiFi for customers, and a relaxed atmosphere. The service was amazing and the pie was even better.
Helena’s Chocolate Cafe and Crêperie I’ve been to Helena’s many times before and have always enjoyed it. This chocolate shop is easily a Carlisle classic and a favorite for many locals. With so many different choices of desserts, crepes, salads, and more, Helena’s is always a good choice.
Beeman’s Baked Goods This local bakery is often overlooked by many locals, but once you’ve tasted their whoopie pies you’re hooked. It seems there are endless options for yummy treats inside.
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It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It was a beautiful composition of a cookie. - Lillianne Hogsten
” Periscope staff takes a bite
I’ve had the chocolate [macaron] before, but I am a fan of the Oreo one now too. - Kathleen O’Neill
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The filling was really creamy and smooth. The flavor was pretty sweet. A little sweeter than some pumpkin pies I’ve had but it was still good. - Sam Martin
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I would consider buying it again. I don’t even like whoopie pies that much, but this was really good. - Dyamond Jones
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The bark was really rich in flavor and the caramel went all the way through which made every bite really creamy. - Ellie Knapp
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Putting food on a stick automatically makes it taste better. Jokes aside, the marshmallow was filling and the Oreo crumbles added an extra layer of texture. - Carol Etzel
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YouTubers like James Charles inspire their viewers to purchase their products. The James Charles x Morphe palette is very popular and is often sold out.
Advertising merch: The influence of YouTubers on student viewers Story and Photography by Skylar Bowers At the number two spot for the category Photo and Videos in the Apple App Store, YouTube is one of the most popular sources of online visual entertainment for younger viewers. With over thousands of channels constantly creating new content, many YouTubers and businesses decide to make a variety of products for their watchers as a way to be able to support their videos. Some CHS students have previously purchased merchandise from YouTubers. “I have a Scotty Sire hoodie because he is one of my favorite YouTubers and I like the design of the hoodie anyways,” sophomore Hailey Webb said. Scotty Sire is a vlogger who has over two million subscribers and used his channel to develop a clothing line and a music album. While there are students who deem that buying products from these online celebrities and companies is a way to support the videos they watch, many others believe that YouTube is becoming more of business strategy for creators to advertise viewers to buy their products. “As I watch YouTube videos, many YouTu-
bers who have products promote the product has him advertising and mentioning his own in mostly every video they put up,” junior products and services. Andrew Buckley said. “It always seems like there is some sort of However, there is an argument stating advertising in the videos,” Buckley said. that buying these items is resourceful since In order to promote services even farther, they can hold practical use, like clothing or a few YouTubers make their brand names cosmetics, that people commonly use for their into light-humored jokes or catch-phrases entertainment. to be able to connect with younger viewers. “I got the James Charles palette from MorJames Charles, a beauty guru who has over phe and it’s useful to me since 14 million subscribers, has a I use it most days,” sophodiscount code for Morphe Jake Paul’s video more Tyler Sandoval said. “I and throughout most of his [...] has a length of heard that it was good so I videos, he developed a motto 13 minutes and 51 decided to buy it.” saying, “Use code JAMES for Many popular YouTubers use 10% off.” Charles eventually seconds and nearly their platform to promote turned this sentence into his seven minutes of it their products throughout own merch. has him advertising the video while creating “The more a YouTuwatchable content that their his own products and ber that I like talks about subscribers would click on. something, the more I want services. Several video creators, like it,” said Sandoval. “When I Jake Paul who makes vlogs watch someone that is enterand has a platform of over 17 million subtaining, I want to use their products more.” scribers, use their videos to promote events or Products from these YouTubers are a songs along with their merchandise. Jake Paul’s current arising temptation for watchers in video titled “THE BEST SONG WE’VE the new generation of media. The growth of MADE YET…” has a length of 13 minutes these platforms allows business strategies to and 51 seconds and nearly seven minutes of it form in a relevant way.
Chasing the prize: The desire to earn an athletic scholarship
Paying for college is one of the most difficult things a highschooler would have to do. Athletes strive to earn scholarships in order to make their education more affordable.
Story by Michael Raphael Photography by Pixabay / geralt Many Carlisle High School athletes look for ways to earn an easier way to get into a college or university. Having the possibility of earning a scholarship is a major source of motivation for high school athletes to strive towards. Carlisle Athletic Director George Null said, “Student-athletes have the opportunities to earn academic scholarships along with athletic scholarships.” Having the ability to not only get one scholarship for being academically fit but to also add getting a scholarship from the athletic department of a desired school would create a
source of dedication that is incomparable. Junior Sophia Toti is a cross-country and track athlete who is hopeful to earn a scholarship in the future. “My grades are also always the most important thing to strive for,” said Toti Sophomore soccer player Zach Doupe is very motivated and inspired to receive a scholarship of some sort. “Being a student-athlete is also a huge priority for me and I need to maintain a solid GPA in order to be able to play soccer now and in the future,” said Doupe. Having grades that are good make their futures easier. Athletes still need to have good grades in order to go to a good sports school.
“NCAA Division I offers full scholarships and half scholarships for almost all sports except football where it is either a full or none,” Null said while explaining some rules and regulations of scholarships. “Division II can also offer half and full scholarships for their sports, while Division III programs can’t offer athletic scholarships but can find a means to allow for that student to be admitted.” Many CHS athletes are chasing these great opportunities by practicing very hard and having a good work ethic in school and on the field. In the past Carlisle has had many student-athletes try to reach these goals and there are many athletes today ready to be the next in line both this year and in the coming years. As of Jan 17 CHS has six senior athletes committed to Division I programs with more to likely come and many other athletes committed to Division II and Division III schools. “I hope I’ll be able to earn [a scholarship], it would be a major perk and motivation for me,” Toti said. “I’m also very motivated to work hard to get better times and help my team run well.” Dreams can be shaped into reality by having proper drive and work ethic to achieve the next level of sport and or education. “Yes I would love to play soccer in college, Doupe said. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid to receive an academic or athletic scholarship to help pursue my passion.” The future looks bright for CHS athletes who are being lured to pursue their dream but there is certainly work left to be done. These student athletes are prime examples of being tempted by your dreams to work hard and dedicate yourself.
Wishes come true: 11 student-athletes sign with future schools Cole Boback: Dickinson College/Track and Field Sam Candland: Southern Virginia University/ Volleyball Matt Carrion: Mount St. Mary’s University/Rugby Grady Chapman: West Point/Football Collin Diehl: Messiah College/Volleyball Trevor Hamilton: Lebanon Valley College/Basketball Kurtis Ravenel: Kutztown University/Football Anna Renninger: Maryville College/Softball Caleb Richwine: Eastern Michigan University/Football Meg Tate: Dickinson College/Soccer and Track and Field Becca Winton: Alleghany College/Field Hockey and Lacrosse Check out CHSPeriscope.com for our interviews with the students listed above.
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