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REVIEW ottawa high school | ottawa, kan. | march 2016
Ryan Cobbs [principal] addresses the freshman class at the First Day Assembly. Cobbs will become the new assistant superintendent in the 2016-2017 school year. Read about it on page 6.
REVIEW | Opinion
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The newspaper’s primary obligation is to
inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Operating as a public forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper. While the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff. Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process, copyright infringement, or unwarranted invasion of privacy.
Editors Gavin Wade Emma Carriger Reporters Anissa Ferioli Chloe Jones Audrey Moore Deedra Zolman Adviser Kara Lynch
Ottawa High School 1120 S. Ash St. Ottawa, Kan. 66067
March 2016
Music beats out stress Emma Carriger | editor Walking down the hallway, one of the most popular sights seen is the multitude of students walking, earbuds in their ears, their music loudly playing. Listening to it, they probably focus more on the immediate benefits of entertainment, not how it might be affecting them internally. Music is an integral part of many of our lives, but not much thought is given as to how it affects us. We just continue on, playing our own personal blend of songs we’ve acquired without thinking of the good it might be doing us. Listening to music is actually very beneficial for us in more ways than one. According to USA Today, listening to music relieves stress. For those of us with a great amount of tests and homework piling up, listening to music more often could be beneficial to relieve some of the stress we have acquired. It also could be useful for the times we are feeling distressed, when we have so much work piled up and not enough time to complete it all.
And when homework is piling up and the pressure is on to get everything completed, music can help with the stress of that as well. In high pressure situations, it has been proven that listening to music can help people perform better in high pressure situations, according to Journal of Applied Sports Psychology. This particular discovery is also transferable over into sports. According to the same study, music has been shown to help basketball players that usually perform poorly in the stressful environment of the basketball court to improve significantly after listening to upbeat music. Whether stressing over making the winning basket, or over whether or not you’re able to cram three weeks of information into your head in ten minutes, music can help to relieve the anxiety this brings. That is, if you listen to more calming genre like classical music, for example. According to the Journal of Advanced Nursing, classical music has also proven to be helpful for those with sleeping problems. It was proven that listening to calm-
ing music for approximately 45 minutes right before falling asleep significantly improved the subjects’ quality of sleepingm proving how beneficial this genre specifically can be. But whatever genre you listen to, whether it’s some obscure band of which you claim to have liked “before it was cool,” or the more popular music that fills every radio station, listening to music can help through those stressful situations we face every day.
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10 On Top
top ten ideas for spring break
1 Netflix Lettuce eat healthier 2 Waste money 3 Live better 4 5 Snacks 6 Road trip 7 Visit Family 8 Go outside 9 Be active Deedra Zolman | reporter
There has been a major trend in recent years to eat healthier, and many people are jumping on the bandwagon. People want to eat healthy for different reasons ranging from losing weight to addressing potential health problems. We all know it is important to stay healthy your whole life, not just to temporarily feel and look better. It can keep your health miles ahead. Making better food choices can increase productivity, enhance mood, regulate weight and will allow you to be healthier and live longer, according to the website Nerdwallet. Eating healthy is not so easy. Believe me, I have been there. I’ve had stomach issues and I’m not able to eat much fried food. Sometimes, I slip up and eat things I shouldn’t. Can you relate? When you have one of those days (or weeks), do your best to stay hydrated, avoid skipping meals, be active, pre-plan around cravings and forgive yourself when you slip up. Also, fruits and veggies should not be the only
parts of your diet; meat and others foods should be included as well. This is because there are important vitamins that can’t always be found on a strict fruit and veggie diet. Additionally, you can eat a little sugar here and there, just watch the amount you consume. Set a goal for yourself--one that you can realistically achieve. If you make a stop at Sonic for a limeade and mozzarella sticks every other day, how about making it a once a week treat? As for school lunch, maybe three times a week, consider committing to eating your fruits and veggies first. Another great way you can stay on a heath routine is to make a food calendar. There are lots of free apps that make a food diary handy and workable. All of this will help you stay healthy and make you feel better. Keeping yourself healthy will help you in the long run. Even if you don’t want to be on a diet, eating healthier is an option. Staying healthy is very important.
Try something new
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Catch up on homework
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Opinion | REVIEW
Pocket Envy
Pocket Guide
Chloe Jones | reporter
To demonstrate how big the pocket size difference is between men and women, here is an illustration to show just how much more can fit in men’s pockets.
I have nothing against men except for envy of their pocket sizes. Countless times, I have attempted to quickly stick something in my pants’ pockets, only to be greeted with failure due to insufficient space. Many times I have witnessed men pull multiple pencils, pens, cell phones, etc., out of their pockets. It seems those pockets are endless, while most women can fit about two pieces of lint and a stick of chewing gum in ours. Sometimes, our pockets are even sewn shut. Some just assume that women don’t need pockets; that’s what purses are for. However, not every female wants to carry a purse. They may get in the way, or feel pointless if you only carry a couple items.
The history of undersized pockets for women dates back for centuries. According to Elizabeth Morano, a professor at Parsons School of Design, the women of the early 1800s would study the Greek goddesses and copy their fashion. Since they couldn’t find any pockets, they didn’t make any on their dresses. Many women would have carried a small purse, barely large enough for a coin and a handkerchief. However, towards the end of the 1800s, men’s pockets were more numerous than ever. When women started wearing pants in the 1900s, they were tailored like a man’s, pockets and all. People felt the need to make these popular pieces of clothing more feminine, and one way to do that was to remove the pockets.
Women’s
Men’s
Impatiently Waiting Gavin Wade | editor With the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a lot is up in the air, and the current state of the presidential election - blindingly polarized - is only making things more tense. If you haven’t heard, one of the nine supreme court justices passed away on Feb. 13. This leaves the president with a tough challenge: trying to get congress to approve a new justice. Because of his political affiliation, President Obama is aiming for a democratically aligned justice to take the open seat. To do this, the Senate must give the president “ad-
vice and consent” to the candidate that he chooses. This is where things become complicated. The Senate, currently with a Republican majority, doesn’t necessarily want a justice with more democratic views, and is trying to hold out on approving any candidate until the election. With a new president, there would be a possibility that he or she might nominate a conservative justice (though justices are meant to be bipartisan, many still have opinions that sway one way or the other). Essentially, GOP senators are digging their heels in the mud, going so far as to say they will ignore any candidates nominees sent their way.
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There is no way to force the senate to vote on a nominee, according to CNN. Under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, it is the President’s responsibility to appoint new supreme court justices. The Senate ignoring requests to approve justices is preventing the President from doing his job as described in the Constitution. The Senate should respect this re-
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sponsibility and acknowledge President Obama’s candidate, regardless of their political values, instead of holding out for the posibility of a Republican president in November. Just for once, let the man do his job.
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March 2016
Playing it up Audrey Moore and Deedee Zolman | reporters Spring play practices are in full swing. Props are being made, lines are being (somewhat) memorized and things are on a roll. “The students work so hard and getting to see all that hard work come to fruition is really wonderful,” Robin Dennis [science teacher] said. This year is different because unlike past years, two one-act plays will be performed instead of a single twoact play. This was decided so more authors in the creative writing class could be featured and more roles would be available to actors, according to Dennis. One of the chosen plays is “Beauty Queens,” co-written by Tyler Magee [9] and Olivia Marez [9]. “Olivia and I co-wrote the play to-
What it’ like to b two sep shows to one stag
gether, and when we fou was chosen, we were rea considering we are only and already got this coo Magee said. “We both h writing together, so we s talked about ideas while also wrote a bit separate it was written while we Madelyn Starrett [9] role in “Beauty Queens.” girl named Candy who beauty pageant. Howeve a bit chaotic. “At first, when I foun character responsibilitie was like, no way, but no ingly taking it on, I love
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und out ours ally excited, y freshmen ol opportunity,” had creative sat down and e we wrote. We ely, but most of were in class.” has the lead .” She plays a is entering a ver, things grow
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Feature | REVIEW said. “My character is so much like me. I think I have really grown to like my role in this production.” Magee credits Clayton Broyles [English teacher] for her and Olivia’s idea for their play. “Broyles, the creative writing teacher, actually gave us the idea to write a spoof of a beauty pageant. We thought it was a great idea, so we did it, and we have him to thank,” Magee said. “I think it’s going to go really well. I’m super excited to go see it on opening night, and see how it goes. I think it’s going to be really funny.” The second play that was chosen is “Say No More Chase-a-Million Is At Your Door (10 Ways to Break Up With Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend),” co-written by April Stewart-Neil [10] and Justine French [10]. The lead role is Chase, a guy holding a seminar teaching the audience different ways to break up with their significant other. “We have two actors who will be preforming Chase: Edward Stoops and Matthew Nixon,” Dennis said. Stoops will play Chase one night and Nixon the other. “You basically have to develop the things about your
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character that the script doesn’t tell you, like how to react to the different situations or how your character might feel,” Starrett said. “It is like you must build the foundation of the character before you can portray them to the audience. Susanna Messinger [9] also has a part in “Say No More Chase-a-Million Is At Your Door (10 Ways to Break Up With Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend).” “I have to be in the mind set of a girl that is being broken up with through text, which isn’t that hard for me,” Messinger said. “There is a place for everyone in the theater industry. If you don’t quite like acting, you could try set design or costume selection. Every talent is valued and used,” Starrett said. Dennis is directing the play. The play’s performance nights are March 31 and April 2. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in Ottawa Middle School’s commons.
Destiny Page [10] and Edward Stoops [11] practice a scene from “Say No More, Chase-a-Million is at Your Door (10 Ways to Break Up With Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend).” “I feel like it will be interesting because the two shows we are doing this year are student written,” Stoops said.” But I am excited because I always enjoy being able to perform.”
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6 REVIEW | News
March 2016
For Cobbs, his job as the principal is coming to a close. Meanwhile, the hunt for his replacement is just beginning. Working very closely with the Steering Committee and staff, administration developed a rubric for what they want to see in their candidates, ranging from experience to leadership to approachability. This rubric pulls from a multitude of feedback from the school’s staff and teachers. The candidate also needs to know a few things about the school as well. “The principal needs to know that there is a great deal of pride throughout our school and the community, that we put students first, that we’re a school of visionaries and we have become very innovative,” Cobbs said. The new principal also needs tawa’s school district. This brings new to understand and respect the progress opportunities for Cobbs, as well as Ottawa High School moments of reminiscence. has already made in “What I’ll miss the most are the kids. I’ll miss being the leader of this certain programs, staff. I’ll miss standing in front of our such as the upcoming school renovastudent section on Friday nights at basketball games. I’ll just miss walk- tions and the One to One program. ing down the hallways and hanging “This will be a pretty good job for any out with kids,” Cobbs said. “That’s principal in the state of Kansas to have what I will miss the most.”
Making a
Super intendent Gavin Wade | editor The next school year will bring a wave of changes to the students of Ottawa High School; renovations to the school, different teachers, and even a new principal. On Feb. 8, the Ottawa school board unanimously approved the decision to promote Ryan Cobbs [principal] to the assistant superintendent of Ot-
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and we expect to see a number of qualified applicants,” Cobbs said. Most of all, Cobbs is excited to have more time with his family. Currently, his work can stretch far beyond the 40-hour work week. With his new position, he will have more freedom in his schedule. “The time that you spend away from your family is pretty rough. I look forward to get home and be with my kids,” Cobbs said. “That’s something that I haven’t been able to do for ten years.” Cobbs is also looking forward to the new challenges he will face as the assistant superintendent. “I think what intrigues me the most about being the assistant superintendent is that we get to start thinking more globally about our community, and not just ‘what can I accomplish here at Ottawa High School?,’ but ‘what can we accomplish as an entire district?’” Cobbs said. “When we push our district forward, we push our community forward. With all of the great things happening in our community… the opportunities to draw people into this community and make it something greater than it already is is right there.”
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News | REVIEW
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Teacher Truths
Keeper of the
Books Gavin Wade | editor Each day, a student wonders where to find solid evidence for their research paper. A teacher is looking for a good source of new material to teach. Meanwhile, an administrator is looking for some light chitchat about current events. Who do they go to? The librarian. Being a librarian isn’t just about books, it’s about information. Not only does a librarian need to know about a book, but he or she needs to know how it ties into history, current affairs, and where to find more about the topic. It’s a tough job, and a necessary one, and it is no easy task to become one. “You have to take graduate hours in managing a library and organizing a library; how to keep information straight,” Sheryl Servatius-Brown [librarian] said. Servatius-Brown has been the librarian at Ottawa High School for 11 years. In addition to her job as a librarian, ServatiusBrown also teaches English at the school. Juggling both jobs comes with its own challenges. “It’s very hard. It’s two totally different jobs, so I do the best I can.”
In the age of the omnipresent internet, technology has revolutionized how students find and discover information. This dramatic change in how people attain media means that a library must not only cater to students in person, but also online. “There’s so much information now, and everyone has access to so much of it,” Servatius-Brown said. “It’s really important to help students find it and organize it, repackage it.” A way that the library is doing this is by offering online books. Students just need a Destiny account to be able to access over 60 books on their Chromebooks. Anything with a green “E” is ready to read online. Hundreds more are available on Nooks and Kindles, ranging from classics to biographies to contemporary fictions. This has changed the materials catalogued in the library vastly, but Servatius-Brown’s job still remains the same: sorting the information. “Now students can get it from home and they can read digital books that are going to pop right up,” Servatius-Brown said. “So there are some things that are easier, but keeping it all organized and making sure students can find it and have access to it is just really important.”
“When I taught art in western Kansas, I taught art over a long distance network and I was basically in one spot and my students were 30-40 miles away,” Melissa Mitchell [art teacher] said. “I did that for six years.”
“I climbed in willingly to the bottom of an inactive volcano and I sang in that inactive volcano for about five minutes with this group of 20-some odd people,” Jennifer Kane [English teacher]said.
“I decided to be a DJ ... and what I ended up doing was I decided that [working as a DJ] was something I enjoyed, so when I finished with high school, I just kept it going,” Drew Kershner [math teacher] said.
“Some people find it surprising I have two little boys and one actually is a freshman this year at Lawernce High School,” Brian Stoddard [World History] said.
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8 REVIEW | News Trooping through the classroom March 2016
Chloe Jones | reporter On Monday, December 7th, Shanta’ Kemp [substitute teacher] began filling in for Don Brown [business teacher] who has been deployed. He’s been deployed multiple times mid-school year and has had to leave his family and his teaching job. “In December, Mr. Brown had all the lesson plans prepared and had given students all their assignments, so really I was just kind of ‘the sub,’ maintaining the classroom,” Kemp said. “Starting in January, I was in charge of all the lesson plans, the grading, all of those things. The big old teacher responsibilities.” Kemp is contracted to teach in Brown’s place for the remainder of this school year. It is yet undecided who will take her place when the 2016-17 school year begins. “Part of the decision process for next year will be Mrs. Kemp determining whether or not she wants to continue to do this type of work and if she wants to look for a full-time job,” Ryan Cobbs
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[principal] said. Thirteen years ago, Kemp was teaching at Wellsville High School. Since then, she has acquired the role of a stay at home mom with a successful Pampered Chef business. Kemp plans to search for a full-time teaching job. If she cannot find one, she will substitute for Brown for the 201617 school year. “We’re ready to have Mr. Brown back, as much as we love Mrs. Kemp. Mrs. Kemp has done a great, great job in that classroom,” Cobbs said. “But we’re always ready to have Mr. Brown back.” Brown is set to return to OHS after a full year of military leave. The approximate date for him to return is December 7th, 2016. “We have a great deal of respect for the people that make those choices. He helps keep every one of us safe,” Cobbs said. “I have the utmost respect for him.” Brown may be deployed out of town, but he is not out of the country. He is acting as transportation coordinator here in Kansas.
Mrs. Kemp has done a great, great job in that classroom,” Cobbs said. “But we’re always ready to have Mr. Brown back.”
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Facts about
Mr. Brown Who he is, what he does, and why he’s gone.
• His official title is Transportation Coordinator in the E6. • Most of his time deployed is spent planning moving cells, troops, and equipment. • He is the father of a boy and a girl. • He was born in the Bahamas before receiving US citizenship.