2015 GHS Voice Issue 2 by GHS Media

VOICE BATTLE

OCTOBER 2014

of the

The Differences of Males & Females See Pages 7-12

SEXES

Contents 3 5 7 10 14 15 18 18 2

Opinion

See Page 14

Point V. Counter Point: Change By Brenna Zollman and Jon Dormady

Sexual Harrassment and Society By Becca Human

InDepth

Wallets and Purses

By Roy Thompson and Angel Perina

Stereotyping By Kayla Calvert

Gender Equality By Olivia Kahler

Features Katlyn Danielle True By Maddy Perkins

Thomas Salverson By Kayla Calvert

A&E Ava’s Demon Book Review By Jade Naber

To Do’s

By Layne Staley, Brenna Zollman, Jade Naber, Haley Booze, and Roy Thompson OCTOBER 2014

“I don’t like change, it takes too long. I like to get things going.” Trey Brown, ‘10

“Change doesn’t bother me, I don’t have a set system.” Brenden O’Dell, ‘11

Students take topics and argue their views from both sides of the spectrum.

Point: Change By Brenna Zollman

It seems like in this day and age, everyone is afraid of this big, looming monster. Nobody knows when it will next attack and what it will leave in its wake. This monster is change. People cannot handle change for some reason. Yes, it is scary to not know what is in store, but that is also apart of what makes life great. Change makes us grow and helps our society. Change is viewed negatively, but it has advanced our society and our world so much in just the past hundred years. As a country, we have advanced so much in how we treat each other. Ladies, a hundred years ago, we would have been fighting for the right to vote, let alone equality. Senior girls would be preparing for a career as a secretary, a teacher, or a nurse a hundred years ago because that was the only careers

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they could have. Now, girls and boys can pursue any career they want with barely anything stopping them. Convenience has advanced an unbelievable amount in the past

“...no change equals no Chipotle.” century as well. A hundred years ago, airplane flights were just experiments. Now, we use them to make trips that would otherwise take months, everyday. A computer would have still been somebody’s wildest dreams fifty years ago, and now everyone has a miniature computer combined with a telephone just sitting in their pocket. If we have accomplished this much in just a century, just imagine how much more in the year 2114.

Change means different ways of our lives developing. If everyone in the world hid from change, we would not have different styles of music, clothes, or speech patterns. Without change, we would all still be listening to Bach, wearing hoop skirts and pantaloons, and using words like “thou” and “unbeknownst”. We cannot, as a people, avoid change because our world would crumble. If nobody was open to change, there would not be individuality. We would all be the same. There would not be any sports, arts programs, or clubs. We would not have any different cultures, therefore not giving us any new music or foods because we could not accept that big of a change. We would not have things like Bollywood movies or Mexican food. Yes, that is right, no change equals no Chipotle.

Continued on Page 4

Just as change helps us advance as a society, it also helps us grow as people. Anything life throws at a person can be changed into something positive and help them adapt. Change tests how we can withstand things. Being afraid of change is not living life. It is best for our health to make the best out of situations that might bring us down.

Counter Point:

No Change By Jon Dormady

The list of changes that occurred in the past decade is never-ending. From the Apple products glued to our hands for 90 percent of the day to various fashion trends that come and go, the tally proves insurmountable. Numerous advances have turned out beneficially, but some change malignantly affects our lives in ways that we fail to realize. Clearly, technology appears to be the most prominent item of change in recent history. From flip phones to smartphones or hulking computers to tablet laptops, technology has improved, becoming faster, more powerful, and all in a smaller devices. Newfound technology greatly enhances our daily lives, but it also draws away from truly important parts of life. This gadgetry intrudes on our time with others, whether we are with family, friends, or even acquaintances whose company is disregarded for more screen time. Plugging headphones in or gluing our eyes to our devices are prime examples of “tuning out” of the world around us. Technology cuts a niche into our lives, forces its way in, and

Without change, the world would be dull. Change brings excitement into our life and makes us all unique. It advances us, makes us individual, and tests our perseverance. We cannot have beautiful things in life without the challenges that the constantly turning world brings us. Change is crucial to how we live as a people, and we cannot be afraid of what it brings. pushes crucial events out of place. Change does not always occur on such a large scale similar to technology: it affects people on an individual scale as well. Most people have experienced the ordeal of moving, whether it’s around the world, across the country, across the state, or across the street. The larger the magnitude of the relocation, the process proves to be more difficult to cope with, especially with the thought of leaving fantastic friends

“...change shows its ugly side more often than not.” behind. Sure, the classic argument of “making new friends” can certainly be made, but the difficulty of making new friends increases drastically from elementary school to high school. This situation can cause someone to change who they are to try to fit in with those around them, but since when has changing for the sake of others been an acceptable option?

“I love change because it creates uniqueness.” Rachel Nissen, ‘15

“Change is terrible. It gets you out of routine.” Tom Kienow, ‘17

Personality changes are only good when the individual chooses to modify their personality because they want to, not because they feel obligated to do because of their current situation. Some would make the claim that change brings about great results to the world, and human stubbornness is the only idea standing in the way of it. While stubbornness does prevent change, change shows its ugly side more often than not. This happens not because the ideas that bring about the innovation are bad, but because we, as humans, cannot know the outcome of our actions and the results they will form. We can attempt to predict what will happen as a result of our actions; however, just because we try to envision what will happen does not mean this is the assured outcome. Change is unpredictable because the variable of human error is spontaneous and erratic. Change leads to the unknown, which can turn out for the best possible result, or it can cause a worse case scenario. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Certainly, change is a necessary part of life, and proves to be quite beneficial on numerous occasions. However, why waste time, energy, and resources to work to fix or improve something that does not need it? Like everything else, change is tolerable in moderated amounts in the right situations. Too much of change proves to be destructive and more annoying than helpful.

OCTOBER 2014

‘

VOICE D

Sexual Harassment and Society

By Becca Human

“Sexual harrassment is when saying no is not an option...” Emily Hauck, ‘17

“Sexual harrassment is when people get pressured into doing stuff.” Hunter Reeves, ‘18

iral videos are a staple of the modern-day internet. From adorable kittens to amazing singers, videos can explode over anything seen as interesting by thousands - sometimes millions - of people. This past month, the internet blew up over another YouTube video. However, this one was not exactly a positive reaction. The “prank” video, uploaded by popular YouTuber Sam Pepper, showed Pepper approaching women in the street and asking for directions. As the women turned

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away, pointing out something for him, he snuck his hand behind them and grabbed their behind, then pulled his hand back and watched their reactions. Thousands of people were enraged about how the video made a joke out of blatant sexual harrassment of women, an issue that has been called to attention in past years. Pepper later attempted to play off the prank as a “social experiment”, but very few people believed his late excuse. Regardless, the damage was already done; thousands of impressionable young girls had already been given the message that

the invasion of women’s privacy was considered little more than a joke.

Sexual harassment has always been a widespread issue, and it has skyrocketed in the social spotlight in past years. From victimblaming to domestic violence to the objectification of women, people from all areas of life are starting to protest how our culture views and treats sexual harassment. The fact is

How Do You Define Sexual Harassment? 6

that sexual harassment is very real and very dangerous; however, society often turns the shame back on the victim for reporting or being offended by any unwanted advances. There are countless examples of sexual harassment cases being dismissed or treated with contempt by authorities, no matter how much evidence might be provided. This unacceptable behavior leads to the promotion of “rape culture”, which validates sexual offenders and blames victims for their involvement in the situation.

“The solution is not to promote a culture of silence, manning up, and ‘dealing with it’.” Unwanted sexual advances are not limited to women, although those cases are often the most in the spotlight. Men are not above the risk of sexual harassment. Yet in today’s culture, the idea of a man being offended or concerned by the unwanted sexual advances of a woman is considered “unmanly” and “weak”. This damaging and false preconception leads to the silence of many male victims, and it is unacceptable.

“Men are not above the risk of sexual harassment.” More attention needs to be given to the problem of sexual harassment and violence and how to prevent it. The solution is not to restrict what girls can wear, say, or how they can act. The solution is not to promote a culture of silence, manning up, and “dealing with it”. The solution is to deal with these problems directly and seriously. The solution is to abolish the rape culture of treating a victim with shame, humiliation, and guilt. The solution is to teach all of our young people that any kind of unwanted advances are not okay, no matter the circumstance. Sam Pepper’s video was taken off of YouTube after the massive outcry from the community, but his is not the only video out there. Neither is it the only example of sexual advances being treated like a joke, like no big deal. Sexual harassment is a big deal, and if we want to do something about it, we need to talk about it. We need to understand it. And we cannot stay silent about it.

“Whenever someone feels uncomfortable, it could be sexual harassment. It’s all subjective though.” Brisco Schaefer ‘15

“Saying rude and disrespectful things to the opposite or same sex.” Steven Ortlieb ‘17

OCTOBER 2014

A Woman’s Purse: Larger Than Life By Angel Perina Candy/Food: To help deal with Phone Charger: OH NO!

WHAT IF THE BFF CALLS?

the stress and headache that

Compact Mirror/Makeup: comes with the drama. Let’s face it, us girls always have to look fabulous.

Money: “I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger”.

Clorox Bleach Pen: A pen a day keeps a stain away.

Headache Relief/Advil:

Car/House Keys: Always on

Helps the headache after all the drama.

the go!

Deodorant/ Perfume: Keep the

Pepper Spray: It’s

B.O. away with the D.O.

a dangerous world out there.

Phone: OMG THE

BFF IS CALLING!

Lotion: To obtain baby soft skin.

Sunglasses: Used to

look cool while driving.

Hair Brush: Got to keep that

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Hand Sanitizer: Spending all that money on scented hand sanitizer at Bath and Body Works.

STEREOTYPING

THE BATTLE BEGINS: Pain:

“You’re such a girl” is often used to describe a person who is sensitive to pain, making being called a girl an insult. This stereotype put on females is nothing more than the accuracy of the science behind it. Alice Park, TIME Magazine’s health and medicine writer states that women have 34 nerve receptors per square centimeters, while men only have 17. Women’s hormones, specifically estrogen, make these receptors more sensitive than those of men. So before you throw this cliche remark downgrading women, keep in mind it’s nothing personal; it’s science.

Driving: Top 5 Causes of Teen Crashes 2005-2007

CH3

Estrogen

The age old question: Who is the better driver; men or women? Men are typically known as the more skilled drivers, the claim being women are not intelligent enough to handle being behind the wheel. However, the playing field for driving ultimately evens out between men and women. At GHS, 87 percent of males asked in a survey were pulled over on the road, while only 71 percent of females had been. Statistics from ww.iihs.org prove that more men die in car accidents per year and are more risky in the driver’s seat. A survey at GHS shows that 16 percent of males asked were responsible for causing an accident, and females were to blame 19 percent of the time. In 2008, The Atlantic states that crash involvement went up by 50 percent in men for every 100 million miles. Also in 2008, the rate of accidents involving teens for men was 5.8, while women were ranked at 3.2. However, since 1975, women have become responsible for 15 percent more of fatal crashes, while men’s responsibility has dropped by 14 percent. Many insurance companies charge more to cover a male from ages 14-19 than females. Ultimately, driving comes down to the individual in the driver’s seat, not their chromosomes.

In the Workplace: Since the 1960’s, American society has been nipping away at the gender gap in the workplace. While valiant efforts have been made, there is still a disadvantage being a female, despite having become more successful than men with respect to college education. Today’s male population on the average campus is only 42 percent, according to www. harvardindependent.com. Fifty-five percent of women graduate college with honors, while only 51 percent of men do. Catalyst.org states that in middle-management jobs, women have worked to equal themselves in comparison to men. However, upperclass, higher-paying jobs are more difficult for women to get a hold of. At GHS, our school is run by 3 male administrators alone, no females. However, the main high school staff is made up of 33 males

and 37 females, showing the equality in lower authority jobs. In 2010, the average woman in the US made 77 cents for the average man’s dollar. The same year Forbes magazine wrote that of the Fortune 500’s CEO’s, only 2.4 percent were female. This title is difficult for women to obtain based on the age-old stereotypical family dynamic: women stay home with the kids while men work in the office. Many companies are afraid to give women the title with the fear they won’t be able to balance the hours in the office with the hours they are needed at home with their children. According to pewresearch. org, One in ten women with Master’s degrees stay home with their children instead of working. Still, a majority of the women today have proven their ability to handle jobs in any field as well as being a full time parent.

H H O

OCTOBER 2014

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Testosterone

Bridging the Gap:

ender equality has been a pressing issue in the United States for quite a while. For some, it is still an issue in today’s society. However, equality issues have definitely declined since their start in the early nineteenth century. Since the beginning of time, the world was dominated by men. Although, women have definitely played huge parts in shaping the world, especially the United States, it wasn’t until the early 1900s that many common rights were earned by women. It was in 1848 when women first began to fight for their rights, and not until 1920 was the 19th Amendment ratified, giving women the right to vote. Countless protests and demonstrations have been held since then in order to earn more privileges. “I feel like we’ve come a long way,” said Dawson Langholt, sophomore. “It only took from the 1900s for women to take a huge step.” Men tend to make a larger salary than women on average; however, it is now possible for men and women to compete for the same job. According to Forbes Magazine, women earned more in certain occupations than men, including jobs as interviewers, teacher’s assistants, health technicians, mobile equipment mechanics and many more. “I don’t think men and women are equal,” said Jenna Glassburner, senior. “There’s a stat that says by the time

The Race for Gender Equality By Olivia Kahler

OCTOBER 2014

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a woman is sixty years old, she’ll have earned four hundred and fifty thousand dollars less than a man in the same job. That’s insane to me!” Legally, women are entitled to equal employment opportunities and an equal paycheck. Under law of the Equal Pay Act, it is required that people be payed the same amount for the same job no matter what their gender may be. Women on average do not make as much as men, but the pay gap has lowered in recent years. “No one is equal and I honestly can’t see a future where we are,” said Langholt. “However, I can see a future with people being satisfied with what they have.” Although the average woman makes less money than the average man, it is still quite possible for women to overcome their stereotype. Many women are currently strong political leaders, authors, speakers and have made an impact on society in some way. “Gender equality is a more prevalent issue with every passing day,” said Glassburner. “It’s certainly one we as a society really need to work on improving.” Gender equality has come a long way since its beginning. Everyday, more rights are in the process of being recognized and allowed in American society.

All a Man Needs By Roy Thompson Debit/Credit Cash isn’t always king, right?

Business Card:

Have to represent the workforce.

Drivers License: Wouldn’t want to be caught without it.

...turns out, cash IS king.

OCTOBER 2014

A Tribute to Katy True By Maddy Perkins

Illuminating. Such a pure and simple word meaning the action of supplying or brightening with light or the resulting state, or also possibly the perfect word to describe someone who brightened the lives of everyone whom she touched. Katlyn Danielle True touched the people around her emotionally. She did not need to use her hands or her words, but rather her eyes to communicate with others. Although True passed away on Friday, May 9, 2014, she still continues to stay in the minds and hearts of those she left behind.

“The moment I wish I could go back to would be the time when she could still walk. The time when she still had words. I wish I could hear her say the words she did know one last time.” “You could tell what she was saying by her eyes,” said Danielle Osborn, senior. “My favorite memory was watching Barney with her because that was her favorite show. She was a very loving friend.” True was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome when she was two, it is a rare and severe neurological disease where it is characterized by normal, early development, but then the development of the child slowly starts to regress around 6 to 18 months of age. Affecting about one in every 10,000 to 15,000 girls, most people would describe it to be an “all girls”

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version of autism. Rett Syndrome is caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene, or X-Chromosome, and it is not usually inherited genetically. Since then, True had been through an immense amount of surgeries and a button had been implanted into her stomach. Many people with Rett Syndrome require a button and feeding tube, where a machine is hooked up to the stomach, and the formula is pumped in. In fact, it is proven that people with Rett Syndrome are 80% more likely to have gastrointestinal problems in which they require a feeding tube. Since the children are almost completely handicapped, they depend on their parents for everything they do. “The biggest thing is that I was almost identified by Katy, my life revolved around caring for her,” said mother Denise True. “Making sure she had all her needs met, that she got every single thing that she needed and deserved. Now I’m just wondering in the darkness trying to figure out where I belong.” True’s disability had left her confined to a wheelchair, learning disabled, and seizure prone. A seizure is the physical findings, or change in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormally high activity in the brain. “The moment I wish I could go back to would be the time when she could still walk,” said Mrs. True. “The time when she still had words. I wish I could hear her say the words she did know one last time.” Seizures be caused by a multitude of things including abnormally high

sodium or glucose levels, brain infection, and brain injury. They may cause a blank stare, loss of consciousness, jerking body, holding of breath, and many more symptoms.

“Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe. Somedays I’m not sure I can keep going, but I use her as my lighthouse. I constantly try to do what she would want me to do, be what she taught me to be: courageous, compassionate, patient, and understanding.” “You always had to be close by, you always had to be watching,” said father Dennis True. “You had to be able to think ahead, and you could never just leave.” In the events prior to her passing, Katy was enduring uncontrolled seizures and central sleep apnea, which is a condition in which she would stop breathing while asleep, caused by her uncontrolled seizures. There are many girls who suffer from this disease. There are conventions the affected families can attend in which they can get to know other people who are like them, including the Run for Rett, the Michigan Stroll, and the Reach for the Stars event. “During the Strollathon,” said Mrs. True. “There were many donors, and we are so thankful for those people.

Katy would want us to remember her Rett sisters left behind, and to not give up the fight.” Katy enjoyed doing many things like going to the mall, going for rides in her van, watching her favorite videos, swinging, going on RV trips, and having her favorite people around her. “We were best friends,” said Emily Jaekel, senior. “One year on her birthday, we had our picture taken at the mall. She was a loving friend, and my favorite memory was holding her hand.” Besides True’s parents, there were other people who cared for True, helped her learn, grow, and prosper. Mrs. Amanda Siemers BASE room

teacher had been helping with True for almost 13 years. “The amount of growth you see in these kids is just awesome,” said Siemers. “My students have become my family. I love them, and I’m so proud of them.” True taught those around her so much about what being human is actually about. She taught them that sometimes talking does not require a mouth, and being able to touch someone does not necessarily mean their skin, but more importantly, their heart. “Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe,” said Mrs. True. “Somedays I’m not sure I can keep going, but I use her as my lighthouse.

I constantly try to do what she would want me to do, be what she taught me to be. Courageous, compassionate, patient, and understanding.” True taught people that a learning disability is only skin deep. She supported the search for a cure for this life threatening disease in any way she could. She fought until the day she passed away; now, it is our turn to give back to her after everything she has taught the people she encountered. “I was honored to be Katy’s mom,” said Mrs. True. “I feel bad for those who never took the time or interest to be in her light. If they had, then they would have truly understood the word, illumination.”

In loving memory of Katlyn Danielle True 12/03/98 to 05/09/14

OCTOBER 2014

From Home School to High School Thomas Salverson Adapts to Life at GHS By Kayla Calvert

homas Salverson, junior, does not have the typical education career of most students at GHS. Thomas has had the opportunity to experience both homeschooling and public schooling, but in a unique way. Salverson was solely homeschooled until sixth grade. That year, he began taking elective classes at Gretna Middle School such as band, music, shop, and art. This is the first year Salverson attends a full day at GHS on top of the homeschooling.

“I like public school, because [here] I can learn things that I cannot teach myself or my mom cannot teach me.” “Home school students enroll with the district, just like a full time student would do,” said Mr. Curt Mace, school counselor. “ They are primarily a homeschool student, the difference at that point is they are free to choose whatever schedule they want.” Salverson has done just that. His schedule this year is packed with unique classes that appeal to his interests and would be unavailable to him otherwise. Most students here trudge through classes required by the state in order to graduate. Salverson spends his entire day simply taking the classes he enjoys.

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“I like public school, because [here] I can learn things that I cannot teach myself or my mom cannot teach me,” said Salverson. “Like band, a band of three at home is not a lot of fun. Being able to take band is great.” Salverson enjoyed the flexible schedule that came with full-time homeschooling. Each week he completed lessons and assignments that were due at the end of the week. This allowed him to go at his own pace; spending extra time on concepts he struggled with. He breezed through his easier lessons and focused on how they apply to his life; whereas students at GHS must wait to move on with lessons as a class. Because his mom was his teacher, Salverson could begin class whenever he desired. Homeschool families have the freedom to control how, where, and when the students are taught. His family could take vacations as they wished, as long as the work was completed for the week. Homeschooled students can incorporate education into whatever area of their lives they choose. A trip to Mount Rushmore can be used as a history lesson, while public school kids have to spend the next week playing catch-up when they go out of town for a week. Mrs.Tamara Salverson taught her three children using curriculums she purchased online. The curriculum consists of DVDs and workbooks. Having a teacher who could give him individual attention, especially being his mom, was convenient for the difficult classes.

Kenneth Bernstein, a high school government teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland finds that some homeschool students struggle adjusting to learning in a group environment. Homeschool students are not used to being around large groups with various viewpoints and opinions on certain topics. This can cause students to feel uncomfortable as they adjust to new social standards. “For some subjects, I enjoy the group environment,” said Salverson. “[But] like math, I sometimes really do not understand what I am doing, so my mom is able to sit down with me everyday until I understand it. So, because I am able to do both homeschool and public school, I get the best of both worlds.” This year, Salverson continues to take classes, such as Social Studies, at home. Homeschooling has given him time to get ahead in his education. Most students take Chemistry as a junior, but Salverson is already in Physics this year. Since he is already ahead his classes, Salverson is taking extra Metro dual credit classes. He will have more credits than the average student when he graduates from the homeschooling community in 2016. “In terms of credits, I would be close to graduating right now,” said Salverson. “[However] there is no reason for me to graduate yet, since I am still learning at a high school level, and I don’t have to pay for high school.”

Since this is the first year Thomas has attended GHS for an entire school day, he has to make extra time to fit in his homeschooling classes and extracurricular activities. He is dedicated to his studies. He manages to find time to complete assignments and fulfill his obligations outside of school, all of which help to further enhance his education.

“For me, a normal day starts around 5:00 AM. At 5, I start my homeschooling. I work on whatever subject I feel like doing,” said Salverson. “[After my school,] I am currently involved in piano lessons, band, a VEX Robotics team, the school’s Rocket Club, and trying out Skills USA.” Salverson has been involved in extracurricular activities since he first began attending Gretna Public Schools. Gretna has had a number of homeschooled students participate in school sponsored activties over the years. “[The] combination of the classes they take with their homeschooling and here, [allows] them to be able to participate,” said Mr. Mace. “As long as they show they are a full time student [we allow] it.” Also, having a set schedule all day, every day is a huge change for someone who is used to a laid backschool day in their own house. Another huge change is not having many breaks between classes and being occupied all day. “Having a full day of school is alright,” said Salverson. “Although some days for me it gets a bit long, I am getting used to it.” Salverson is excited to continue to find his place here as a full time student at GHS. Thomas is a student who highly values education and is taking advantage of what GHS has to offer to benefit all he can from his high school years. Picture by Kayla Calvert

OCTOBER 2014

World War GHS Which Teacher Would Be Most Useful in an Impending Zombie Apocalypse?

By Angel Perina and Samantha Hannigan