Livewire Vol 10 Issue 4 May 2019

Livewire.

Issue 4 | May 2019 | Volume 10

CONTENTS 3 Cheers to the Best Four Years 5 Reminiscing the Past, Looking Towards the Future 6 Melissa Hightower: Livewire Teacher Of The Year 7 Seniors Finalizing Their Next Step STUDENT LIFE: 8 Making Plans for an Eventful Summer 9 Different Viewpoints About Mt. Washington 9 Trending Summer Fashion SPORTS: 11 Maguire is Racing Through Freshman Year 13 Back to the Drawing Board for Football Season 15 Davis is Serving Up a New Mentality COMMUNITY: 17 McCutcheon’s New Community Changing Job 19 Baking Through Their Business Startup: BB Macarons THEME: 23 Drama Pollutes Teenagers’ Lives 25 The Secret Behind Spam Accounts 27 Physical Fighting Among Teens Today 28 Compromise Through Confrontation SCHOOL:

Issue Theme: Teenage Drama and How to Fix it One thing that most high schoolers could agree with would be the mass amounts of drama, primarily on social media, that comes with being a teenager.

Our cover idea was chosen to highlight how teenagers use social media as a means of confrontation, rather than in person.

Read more at belivewire.com

Cinderella Makes Her Way to Bullitt East

adviser Larry Steinmetz editor-in-chief Ainsley Gordon executive editor Katie Huffman magazine editor Haley Grether website editor Morgan Renneisen on call manager Lilly Whitley creative editor Morgan Harbolt junior creative editor Molly Shannon sports editor Tyler Mozingo photo editor Ethan Neutz business editor Ella Olds social media editor Alizea Harris copy editor Ella Olds copy editor Hunter Brogan copy editor Madeline Myers copy editor T.C. Etherton calendar coordinator Lindsey Spencer staff writers Will Blanford, Dane Bunel, Jaiden Hammack, Jaydrien Jarrett, Isaiah Jenner, Hunter Mahoney, Ellie Poole, Makayla Stone, Rebecca Watts.

Juniors Are Putting a Ring on it For the Class of 2020

Senior Soaker Struggles Scan this with Snapchat to check out what else we’re covering.

Livewire is a 32 page newsmagazine and accompanying website that is updated daily. All content is generated by student journalists at Bullitt East High School in Mount Washington, Kentucky.

The Livewire operates as an open forum following the guidelines laid out by the Student Press Law Center which our staff presented to the Bullitt County Board of Education.

The staff appreciates your patronage and, as a public forum, encourages any feedback or submissions you care to offer. Letters to the editor must be typed and submitted via e-mail, to Mr. Steinmetz’s mailbox, or directly to room 606 within one week of the publication to which you are responding. Letters will not be censored, but must be deemed appropriate according to staff policies to be published. In order to be eligible to appear in the paper, all letters must be signed and verifiable.

Names may be withheld upon request, but must be submitted with the original letter.

The Livewire is printed by aPrintis Printing Company. Its website is hosted by Student Newspapers Online.

Bullitt East High School 11450 Highway 44 East, Mount Washington, Kentucky, 40047.

(502) 869-6400.

Ainsley Gordon and Katie Huffman reminiscing over the fun memories and hard work from this school year. After this school year ends, Gordon will graduate and move to college, while Huffman will be taking charge of the Livewire. “Room 324 and 606 have given me some of my best friends and I would not trade them or the memories for anything,” said Gordon. Photo: Natalie Allen

Cheers to the Best Four Years

by Ainsley Gordon

H

ow can one possibly wrap up the slowly closing chapter of their life into one single piece of writing? The answer is, you can’t. But, a girl can try.

Let’s start from the beginning: freshman year. I was a young, shy girl with a few friends and a goal to get involved around school, earn leadership positions and take an excessive amount of AP and dual credit classes. Ultimately, I hoped of making my applications for GSP, scholarships and college the best they could be.

Along the way, I joined many organizations. I became a member of Beta, NHS, Youth COPs and more. Even though I joined all of these clubs primarily for application reasons, they all became very important in my life and taught me different things about myself and the world around me.

Journalism, however, shaped me most into the person I am today. As I said earlier, I used to be a quiet, shy girl who would only talk to her few close friends. During my time in intro to journalism my freshman year, that honestly didn’t change too much. I was still scared to talk to strangers and God forbid I had to do any form of public speaking.

While my communication skills had not quite improved at the time, in this class I was able to expand my love of writing.

However, as I continued in the class, Mr. Larry Steinmetz, or as most know him, Steiner, had taught me so much about self-

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confidence and leadership, even if he didn’t know that’s what he was doing.

Without journalism, I would not have the courage to go and introduce myself to a stranger, I would not have the courage to run a whole publication and I would not have the courage to give a speech at both junior ring ceremony and graduation. But, here I am. And I would not be here without this class.

It’s hard even calling journalism a class. When you join the publication, it becomes more of a community, a family. Sure, we have a time slot allotted for the Livewire during the school day, but I cannot even try to give a number to the hours upon hours I have spent up at the school, driving to random sporting events or having photoshoots around the school. It also doesn’t just apply to the Livewire staff. From spending my first period in their class to eating lunch in room 606 and staying after school with the best girls ever, I’ve also been able to become so close to many people in yearbook.

So, here is the part of the annual letter where I give my dedications to the people throughout my journalism career who have helped me along the way, been a great friend, made some great memories with me or all three.

Most of these people are gone off to college and won’t probably see this for a long time, but the thought is there. I’ll try to keep this short and precise like a true journalist, but no promises. One

because you all mean so much to me and two because I’ve never truly been good at it, sorry Steiner.

stressing over every single thing made me a better editor and more precise in my work.

Let’s dive back into my sophomore year, my first year on staff. I don’t have the best of memory and I was so shy that I didn’t talk to a lot of people in the class so this will be pretty short.

Morgan, Morgan, Lilly and Olivia, thank you all for sticking by my side and always striving to do your best. You all took on hard roles in the classroom and you’ve made me so proud. I can’t wait to see what you do next year on staff.

Thank you to my tribe, especially Zach. I was supposed to be the group leader, but I didn’t really know much about the class.

However, Zach was always there to help me along the way. You got me through a lot of difficult situations because I didn’t truly know how to be a leader at that point but you taught me how to be one. To the rest of my tribe, thanks for always keeping the class interesting and thank you, Ethan, for always giving me a reason to yell at you.

Moving on to junior year, I would like to thank my main girls who always believed in me while also making me laugh. Kelsi, I will always appreciate you being my hype woman and my fellow lover of vines. Sarah, thanks for being a style icon and rocking bangs with me. Haylie, you never failed to make me laugh and I will never forget the moment that you face planted playing kickball at journalympics. Last, but not least, thank you, Kim. You taught me how to be a leader. You taught me to always chase after a story and to never back down from what you believe.

In my senior year, as I said before, I have met or have gotten closer to a lot of yearbookers.

First, I would like to thank my after school gals. Mallory, Abby, Natalie, Jordan and Rachel, thank you all for entertaining me and helping me procrastinate my work even longer. All of the food runs or photoshoots have been some of my favorite memories from this year and I thank you dearly for them. Keep Tea Time and Mom Time with Ainsley alive even if I’m not there. Venting can be very helpful when you are stressed or mad.

Marissa and Emma, you all are some of the kindest souls that I have ever met. I am so grateful that you all transferred to Bullitt East because I would be missing out on two awesome friends. I wish you all the best and I can’t wait to see what you all do after because I know it will be something fantastic.

Kayla, thank you for being you. You are never afraid to just be yourself and I strive to learn that from you. Thank you for helping me through AP Bio because I know I wouldn’t have survived it without you. You have such a bright future ahead of you and I’m so excited to see you kill med school.

Tayler, thank you for always making me laugh. You have the best sense of humor and I don’t think I would have been able to stay awake during the sessions in Chicago without you. I know that you’re going to do great things with the yearbook during your senior year, like you already have, so keep it up.

Lauren, thank you for being such a great friend. I’m so glad we got closer this year. I could not have survived during Chicago, AP Gov or AP Bio without you. You were always there to procrastinate right alongside me and it made some of my most difficult classes, easier. You are so sweet, funny and talented and I can’t wait to see how your GSP experience is.

Now, I would like to thank my staff.

Thank you to Haley for always being willing to draw something completely last minute or keeping the magazine on track. You

Tyler, Hunter and TC thank you all for constantly getting on my nerves while also making me laugh all the time in class. I will never forget Tyler rolling around the class on his scooter and trying to make me fall by hitting me with his boot. From throwing literally anything around the class to always having your airpods in, you all never failed to make me smile.

Molly and Ella. Thank you for always being willing to speak up in class, cover events and selling magazines at lunch. You all have some of the weirdest but best humor. I’m very excited to see what you all do on staff next year.

Lindsey, thanks for joining the Livewire staff with me this year. I never thought that one of my best friends from outside of class would join this other side of my life, but I’m very grateful that you did. I’ve seen you almost every day for the last eight years of my life. You keep me grounded and I’m not sure what I’m going to do without you next year. Thank you for being one of my best friends.

I can’t name everyone because this letter would go on forever, but to everyone who is not listed, know that I am grateful for you as well. You all made this year so very memorable and I could not think of a better staff to finish my journalism career with.

Whether you are continuing with the class or not, just know that you will always be a jerd to me. Thank you.

Katie Huffman, or as I like to call you Kathryn or Tatie. You are my sidekick, my go to, my right-hand man, my home slice. Okay, I’ll stop now. But you are the person I can always count on.

Whenever I have a problem, you’re there to help. If I’m being indecisive, like I always am, you’re there to give me advice.

I have so many great memories with you from driving to so many basketball games, to hearing you complain about the Uno Tournament. I’m going to miss you so much next year because you have become one of my best friends and you have the best humor ever. I can’t think of a better person to pass the torch off to. With your passion and ambition, you are going to do great things with your staff next year.

Finally, I would like to thank Steiner. You have taught me so much in life and you were the best mentor to help me through my teenage years. You were always here to give me advice or just an ear to listen to me rant. Thank you for taking the time to let me into school whenever I needed to and bearing with me when I was transitioning into the role as editor. You have changed my life for the better and I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for believing in me. I hope to come back to school year after year to check up on the good ole’ Larry (who loves Chicago.)

This class and magazine have evolved rapidly in front of my eyes in my three years on staff and I’m so excited to see where it goes. I am so proud of what we have accomplished this year.

Moving from room 324 to room 606 really put a damper on the beginning of the year productivity, but I am so happy with the great magazines we’ve produced. Katie, I wish the best for you. I know you’ll rock it.

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Reminiscing the Past, Looking Towards the Future

by Katie Huffman

O

ne thousand days later, and here I am.

When I walked into high school for the first time, I had no clue what was in store for me. All that I knew was that I felt like it was going to be the longest four years of my life, but so far it hasn’t even lived up to that expectation.

These past three years have gone by in the blink of an eye. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was just sitting in Intro to Journalism learning about the inverted pyramid and Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. It’s crazy to me that I am even writing this, but I have been on the Livewire staff for two years and will now be the next editor-in-chief.

I’m proud of everything I have done, and everything that we have done as a staff, since my sophomore year. Being a student journalist means a lot more to me than just the fact that I write articles. I get to talk about things that matter. My writing doesn’t just stay within our school, it gets published and is then recognized by hundreds of other people. I get to do something that I care about, while being alongside people that I love. I’ve won some national awards and elections along the way, but those are not even close to being as important to me as the people I have worked with and those who have influenced me over the years.

Sitting in Intro to Journalism freshman year, I don’t think I imagined that my best friend Tayler Mahoney and I would one day each lead one of Bullitt East’s publications. But here we are, her being the editor-in-chief of the Endeavor yearbook and I being the editor-in-chief of the Livewire newsmagazine. She’s been by my side through everything, even though I may or may not annoy her with how much I talk about journalism. She’s helped me grow to believe in myself more and to step out of my comfort zone, and I am excited to see what the both of us accomplish before we graduate.

My hope for next year is that we can make improvements in everything that we do, all the way from our magazine design to how often we post on Instagram. I want us to step out of our regular routines and make something that’s different, and better. We have tackled some difficult and challenging topics this year and I hope to carry that into my last year here as well.

Over the course of this year, I would not have wanted to work by anyone else’s side except Ainsley Gordon’s. She’s been an amazing editor and I have no clue what I am going to do next year without her. My favorite memory of Ainsley has to be her tripping over herself in the middle of the room and spilling her entire lunch. I can imagine this happening in my head and it still makes me laugh to this day.

We’ve shared a countless number of days together up at school editing the magazine, traveling to live-tweet sporting events or driving to businesses to try and desperately sell advertisements, and I will always cherish those memories.

I feel guilty not mentioning anyone else on the staff, but there’s too much to say if I mention every single person. For the other staffers, just know that I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all and helping you over the course of this year.

I know that going into next year, we have a good staff full of capable writers with a lot of potential. I can’t wait to see what all we accomplish and what we do to better serve the Bullitt East community.

Ainsley Gordon and Katie Huffman standing together in their last couple of days on staff. Gordon and Huffman have been together on staff for two years, but Gordon will be graduating next month. “Working with Ainsley over the past two years has been a great experience that I will always value,” said Huffman. Photo: Lilly Whitley

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Melissa Hightower: Livewire Teacher Of The Year

by Ella Olds

H

ightower has received high student approval.

Melissa Hightower wins the Livewire Teacher of the Year award for the second time within her 12 years of teaching at Bullitt East.

Chosen by the students, this award is given to an outstanding teacher who made an impact on their students. Teaching has been a big part of Hightower’s life. She is loved in school by her co-workers, students and peers.

Annually, students choose one teacher that they think stood out that school year from a ballot of names that includes every teacher who currently works at the school. This is the second year that Hightower has won the award. She actually won the award the first year that she came to Bullitt East in 2007.

“It was very reassuring because I thought I was having a terrible year. I thought I had a great year this year, but I got it and I was surprised. I haven’t been trying to get the award, but I’ve really been trying to do different things in class. I’ve been trying to be more positive. It’s different from the first time I won it, but it’s nice,” said Hightower.

Before Hightower decided on teaching as her profession, she had another path of life in her mind. “I realized I wanted to be a teacher when I was still in college. At first I started going into physical therapy and I took a lot of science classes, I love science.

I spent some time in hospitals, I used to work in nursing homes and I had nightmares about it. Just too much life and death.

You know, just too much and it wasn’t for me. So then, I started dating a guy who was a teacher. We started dating in college and he was like, ‘hey, I’m going to be a special ed teacher, I’m going to help people.’ And he kept talking up teaching and talking up teaching, so I took a couple of teaching classes and started spending time in schools and I just really liked it and now here I am,” said Hightower.

Following in her footsteps, Hightower’s daughter, Emily Kelly, has also taken up the education career. She teaches at Brooks Elementary school as a first grade teacher. “She’s always wanted to be a teacher, since she was a little kid. So, what I’m trying to teach her is, she still gets so upset about little things and some little things don’t matter that much. Like you don’t know, if a kid comes in one day, and they’re a little bit off the wall, you don’t

really know what they’re going through. You never know what, especially kids, are going through. Like when I was in school, I’d say around 90 percent of the kids came from a decent home, they had dinner, they had food, most of them had a mom and dad, most of them didn’t have parents who were in jail or anything like that. Now, you don’t know, you don’t know what they’re dealing with. So, I try to tell her that,” said Hightower.

When Hightower started teaching, she worked at DeSales High School for two years and then she moved on to Spencer County High School and taught there for seven years. Moving to Bullitt East in 2007, Hightower will be finishing her twelfth year as an underclassman science teacher. “I love the different personalities, they are so entertaining. They are just hilarious. Everyday I get a kick out of the kids. I like seeing how they mature and become more responsible as they get older. It’s kinda fun to see the changes from freshman to later,” said Hightower.

Both past and present students enjoy her positive personality.

Kaitlyn Defler, current student of Hightower, thinks her winning this award is well deserved. “She impacts our school because she brings more than just teaching to the classroom. She is always there for anyone when they are having a rough day and makes it a priority that everyone leaves her class with a smile on their face,” said Defler.

When Hightower’s name was called over the announcements, at first she was shocked and then was proud, in her students and herself. It is no surprise Hightower takes great pride in her classroom. “By winning this award, I know I’m doing the right thing by always putting my students first… My favorite memory from this year is probably the Teacher of the Year. I never expected it. They announced it seventh period and they [her students] said, ‘woo, Mrs. Hightower.’ I was really excited and I did a little cabbage-patch thing. They were cracking up. I mean, just being able to have fun with the students, I used to think that was a big no-no, but now, it’s what you remember,” said Hightower.

By being chosen for teacher of the year for a second time, she knows she has left her mark on our school. “I think that I have made an impact because I think as a freshmen teacher I help them [her students] acclimate to the high school setting and try to make them feel safe and know what’s expected of them so that they can be successful,” said Hightower.

Hightower standing with her seventh period freshman science class. This year is her second year she’s won Livewire Teacher of the Year within the 12 years she has worked at the school. “To have an award that they [her students] just listed me for means a lot,” said Hightower. Photo: Ainsley Gordon

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Seniors Finalizing Their Next Step

by Alizea Harris

A

s the 2018-2019 school year comes to a close, seniors are getting prepared for the next stage in their education: college. Seniors are going to various places around the state, while others are deciding to go to trade school instead. These few seniors are going to different colleges in Kentucky while a couple are going to trade schools for more specific careers.

Cassandra Hahn

Emily Frye

Q: Where are you going to college and why did you choose it? Was it for what you want to do or how close it is?

Q: What college are you going to and why did you choose it? Was it for what you wanted to be or how close it was?

A: I chose the University of Kentucky. I want to be a teacher currently, but I know that’s subject to change, so I feel confident knowing that there’s a lagre variety of programs that I could enter (and they are all good programs). I also like the proximity because I’m really close to my family, especially my mom.

A: I choose Northern Kentucky University. I choose it because it isn’t super far away, and it has a really nice visual arts program, and a beautiful campus. It feels kinda like home when I visit, which is super cool.

Keara Crouse

Chandler Paul

Q: Where are you going to college and why did you choose it?

Q: Where are you going to college and why did you choose it? Was it for what you want to do or how close it is?

A: I choose Jefferson County Community College to save money because I don’t see a reason for going into debt for a higher education.

A: I’m going to Campbellsville University. I choose it because of how close it was to home and for the archery program.

Jay Rucker Q: What trade school are you going into and what for? Why did you decide to go to trade school instead of college? Was it more specifically for your career or was college just not for you?

A: I havent found a trade school yet, but I’m going to learn to become an HVAC technician. Going into a trade school allows me to apprentice with someone who is already in that trade. Instead of paying to go to college and recieving debt when I graduate, I get to learn how to work in this field and start earning money while learning.

Aliyah Asher Q: Where are you going to college and why did you choose it? Did you have any other schoools in mind? If so why didn’t you go to them?

A: I’m going to the University of Louisville. I decided to go to UofL because of what I want to major in (music education) and they also have a horticulture program. I was thinking about going to Northern Kentucky University for a long while and would still love to go, but they didn’t have horticulture or agriculture programs. I have a lot of grants for UofL and would be able to go there without taking out loans for my first year.

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Photo: Ainsley Gordon

Making Plans for an Eventful Summer

by Hunter Mahoney

T

he anticipation of summer is looming through the halls.

Nearing the end of the school year, students are starting to think about what they will fill up their summer with to make this year’s break one to remember.

Summer can be a lot of fun and there are some main events people can look forward to, like going on vacation, celebrating the Fourth of July or simply just getting a break from school. June and July are a short two months of time away, but you can look forward to it by starting a bucket list. Bucket lists can consist of basic things you want to do, or new adventures you want to partake in.

People look for all these big plans to happen over summer. There are lots of things you could do: festivals, vacation, concerts, or even pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to do something you have always wanted to.

If you want to do it, then do it because only you are going to determine how well your summer goes. Only you are going to determine who you hangout with or what you do, so make the best of it.

Bryce Clements is just looking forward to hanging out with his friends this summer and trying to make it the best one yet.

“I plan to cross off vacation on my summer bucket list. I really just want to play sports and spend time with my girlfriend,” said Clements. He thinks it will be just like any other summer but plans to try and make it the best one yet.

Nevaeh Robinson has plans to go to Florida this summer with her family. She really wants this to be the best summer because she thinks junior year will be the hardest and most stressful of her high school career.

“I’m looking forward to the warm weather. I want to go kayaking, a road trip, sleep in a tent and watch the sunrise. Those would be great things to cross off my bucket list. I really plan on just being with my friends this summer and having a good time without a worry in the world,” said Robinson When making a bucket list, you need to find things you are interested in and find specific things you want to do. Then make a list like it’s a goal and go out to accomplish it. Bucket list are supposed to be fun.

Try something new, go somewhere that you haven’t been before or make new friendships. Summer is about making the most of the time off we have until school resumes in the fall. Your bucketlist doesn’t need to be extravagant or even tangible, just try to spend as much time with your friends and loved ones as you can.

Photo: Ainsley Gordon

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Different Viewpoints About Our Town

by Ellie Poole

L

iving in a small town comes with many pros and cons.

Some people love the small town feel, but others long for more city-like vibes.

There have been many opinions over the years about Mt. Washington. Some say the town’s too small, that there is not much to do and not enough places to eat. However, others think that Mt. Washington is just the right size and love living in a close community.

There are many locals that have been living here their whole life. However, that is not the case for all. Sophomore Daniel Gilbert moved to Mt. Washington in 2015 from San Diego, Ca. Gilbert said it was a big change and there are many differences. “There is a lot more land here and not as many people...I really miss the beaches in San Diego. It was a big change being able to go to the beach in just a cou ple of minutes, but now I have to drive nine hours to get to a beach,” said Gilbert.

Gilbert said he has made several unforgettable memories while he has lived here. “I love being able to play football with some of my best friends while pretty much all of Mt. Washington is watching,” said Gilbert. He said he loves the caring community and the friends he has made.

Although Gilbert has grown to like Mt. Washington, he said there are things that the town could work on. “The traffic is awful, mostly from McDonald’s until Circle K. And in the mornings before school and after school. It affects me because I’ve almost been late to school and practices just because of the traffic. I also wish we had more restaurants...I feel like I am always eating at the same places, there should be more options available,” he said.

Unlike Gilbert, Junior Valerie Lanci has been living in Mt. Washington her entire life. Lanci has mixed opinions about Mt. Washington. “My favorite thing is since it’s so small, it is super easy to get around from place to place. On the flip side, the worst part is the fact that everyone knows everyone’s business at all times, it can get really irritating,” said Lanci.

Because Lanci has grown up here, she has made many memories along the way. “My favorite memory is going to all of the athletic games and seeing our town come together on Friday night football games or when we play our rivals,” she said.

As far as the lack of restaurants goes, Lanci agrees with Gilbert.

“I feel like I always eat pizza or at fast food restaurants. If I want anything other than that, I have to drive all the out Shepherdsville or Louisville,” said Lanci. Mt. Washington has many places that are all similar. “We have too many banks and too many fast

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Graphic: Ainsley Gordon

food places. If we could take some of those out I think we could put other places there that would work a lot better,” said Lanci.

Despite the lack of activity in Mt. Washington, Lanci said she still enjoys living here.“I love how I can drive to my friend’s house and be there within 5 to 10 minutes,” said Lanci. She said it will never get old texting her friends and then being able to hangout five minutes later.

Sophomore Grace Lopez has been living here for the majority of her life and she seems to like being in a smaller town. “My favorite part is how it kind of feels like a bigger city, but it’s really not... however, I wish we held more community events like the spring festival and had more restaurants. I hate having to choose from just a couple of places to eat. I think if we want fast food places, we should have higher quality places like Chick-fil-A,” said Lopez.

One likable thing about Mt. Washington is the closeness of the community and how everyone can come together to be there for one another. “Although there are some difficulties living in a small town, I love being close to my friends and family,” said Lopez. Although there can be some disadvantages to living in a small town like Mt. Washington, many people still love living here.

Trending Summer Fashion

by Rebecca Watts

I

n summer, we wear new trends.

Summer time has become a time for people to break out into new fashion trends.

Summer is making a fast approach and fashion trends are blooming. Things like neon and animal print clothing are coming back in style this summer for women. In the schools many are wearing jewelry including shell necklaces.

Remember that old animal print skirt and neon gloves you probably wore as a kid? Well bring those back out because they are back on the menu. Don’t forget to throw on a pair of western boots because we are throwing it all the way back to that old western style of clothing.

“Western style is nice but I don’t like animal print its less easy to mesh with other clothing items,” said sophomore Alyssa Robinson.

One thing that is big this year is shell necklaces. Puka shell necklaces became popular around the 1960’s. The necklaces were meant to be something that was inexpensive and eye catching. The easiest thing about them was that they could be sold right on the beach that they were made. Around the 1970’s, these necklaces became something everyone wanted which in turn made the cheap prices skyrocket. With shell necklaces, the person wearing it gets to take a piece of the ocean with them. “I’m a person who loves being at the beach, collecting the shells I find, and listening to the waves, and the necklace you can find me wearing, is exactly that,” said sophomore Katelin Pierce.

There are many different ways that people take trends and make them their own. Walking through the halls you can see many people wearing jeans and western style boots. “People make the fashion trends their own by putting their own unique twist on it and putting accessories on with the fashionable clothing that others may not have chosen with the same outfit,” said Robinson What puzzles some is how exactly they figure out what is or what isn’t going to be a trend for certain times. “I think they decide what is, and isn’t a trend based off of how many people are wearing them,” said sophomore Hanna Skaggs.

You don’t have to follow other people to be trendy. Being yourself is the most important thing. There are a lot of things on the internet that tell you what to wear and how to look. Social media always has a new trend for how to look. The greatest trend of all is being yourself.

You don’t need to change yourself just because the internet tells you so. Everyone is fashionable in their own way. If you feel like going out wearing a bunny costume, then do it be a trendsetter.

Photo: Abby Moss

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Maguire is Racing Through Freshman Year

by Lindsey Spencer

11

M

ia Maguire found her passion in sixth grade, and she’s been running after it ever since.

Freshman Mia Maguire has quickly found her place at place at Bullitt East, and that place is on the cross-country and track teams.

Since she began running in sixth grade, she has had many triumphs, many beginning when she came to Bullitt East. Her success on the cross country team this past fall has carried over into the spring track season. The support she receives from her family and team push her to continue her hard work.

Maguire is the picture of positivity. Having been on a team with her, it is easy to see why she is so successful; not only is she physically talented, but has extreme mental willpower. “Her biggest strength is her positivity and how she never lets anything get to her,” said freshman Tyler Bass who is a teammate of Maguire’s.

As a runner, it’s important to have mental strength because you have to push through the pain to finish the race.

As soon as she came to Bullitt East, it was apparent that she would have an impact on the teams. Head coach of both the cross-country and track and field teams Lenny Raley said that Maguire’s biggest strength is that she is a strong competitor and has a powerful desire to be successful.

As a member of the cross country team, Maguire had many successes. She was the number one runner on the team and helped win second place at the 3AAA regional meet in October 2018. Her personal record for a five kilometer race is 20:39 and finished 53rd out of 286 runners at the Class AAA Kentucky State Meet. Proving she has successful qualities, all of this was accomplished in only her first year of high school.

Following her success in the fall, Maguire joined Derby City, a Louisville AAU cross country team, after the high school season ended to continue her training through the winter before track

began. This shows her love for the sport and commitment to exceed.

Since starting her freshman track season, Maguire has continued to excel in her events. Her personal record in the 1600 meter run is 6:04, and in the 3200 meter run it is 13:09. “This season hasn’t been as great as I wanted it to be,” said Maguire. She is excited to keep working hard at practice and improving.

“Mia is learning daily what it takes to be successful at the high school level. And she is maturing in the way she handles different situations,” said Raley. As it takes a lot of mental strength, a big part of running is learning what your body can do and how to successfully push its limits. The fact that Maguire is already developing this maturity and knowledge as a freshman is impressive.

Maguire said, “The team, my parents...my coaches,” inspire her to push for success. She has a strong sense of family and fellowship that drives her to succeed. Her parents are at every meet, no matter how far away or how early in the morning.

Any of her teammates will tell you that she is always the one that is cheering for her teammates after she finishes, always the one that is speaking encouraging words and always the one that is giving high-fives and hugs.

It does not go unnoticed by the coaches eithers. “Mia brings a positive attitude to our team. She is always upbeat and that carries over to her teammates,” said Raley. Her optimistic outlook in all she does creates a better environment for everyone in a sport where it can be hard to keep up self confidence.

One of her long term goals is to qualify for the high school state meet all four years and maybe go on to the collegiate level. Her coach said that he feels she has a solid chance to compete in college if she continues to stay dedicated with her training.

Maguire is only a freshman, but she is ready to make her track season and next three years here at Bullitt East full of success.

Maguire poses with many of the medals she has earned in these past seasons. Just since August 2018, she has accumulated many medals and trophies. “Being with the team, supporting them, and all of us just getting better is my favorite part of running,” said Maguire. Photo: Lindsey Spencer

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Back to Drawing Board for Upcoming Football Season

by Dane Bunel and Hunter Brogan

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he word “new” is the go-to word for Charger football this year.

As the 2019 season is underway, Coach Ethan Atchley reflects on his preparation for the upcoming season and his transition to a new school.

After five years as the Lexington Christian Academy football coach, Atchley started atBullitt East Football this upcoming season, the beginning of a new era for him. Coming off a 37-14 career record at LCA, Atchley looked promising for this position. Thanks to a little help from the Booster Club, enhancement to the team’s conditioning and training facilities is promising as well.

“Consistency and growth is the main focus this year,” said Atchley.

With the recent loss of former coach Mark Sander, Atchley knew

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he would have to adapt to the personality of his players in order to not only bond with them, but to reach their soft spots.

“Deep down inside, everybody is capable of going beyond their comfort zones. When you go through a tough season like these boys did, it’s hard to dig down deep and remember what brought you to the football field in this first place. The experience these boys are getting from our young hungry new staff is refreshing,” said Atchley.

Although no particular names were mentioned, Atchley promises a strong group of Chargers are conditioning and improving by the day. Upcoming Senior Max Gauthier ensures that the relationship in the locker room is no different since new and old faces began to pop up.

To add onto this conditioning and improving, Atchley has brought new tactics to get the Chargers where they need to be from

a physical standpoint. “This year we have a wider variety of lifts and we work on a lot more lifts for power instead of just strength,” said Gauthier.

This new style brings something different to the table for spring training. Compared to last year it is night and day in terms of their workouts. “Last year we did the same lifts every week and just changed up the weight and the reps,” said Gauthier.

“The new staff is young and easy to get along with. Their very relatable and fun to joke around with but also provide the correct amount of discipline to keep us in check. Despite the long transition, I think Atchley is the perfect fit for Bullitt East, he’s the real deal,” said Gauthier.

With a new place to call home, Atchley believes in his abilities to bring Bullitt East back to its glory days.

The lights shine bright on the new and improved football wieght room. Updates and inhancements have been anticipated by players for several seasons now.

“You never realize how much space there is in there until the lockers were torn out. We no longer feel crowded when training together and nothing is rusty, so there is no fear of any bad equipment. Photo: Dane Bunel

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Davis is Serving Up a New Mentality

by Makayla Stone

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L

ife is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses, especially when they stop to think.

In the four years that Daniel Davis has played tennis, he’s learned to slow down and think about his decisions, both on and off the court.

Davis is considered to be a great addition to the team, on and off the court. Davis started playing tennis because of his stepfather and has been playing ever since. Joining the tennis team has changed Davis for the better, both physically and mentally.

As a teammate, Davis seems to get along with almost everyone on the team. He is considered to be laid back by his teammates and a cool person to be around.

“He’s a chill, laid back guy so he gets along with basically everyone. Every now and then him and one of the middle school players will get at each other, but in the end they’re still friends,” said Dylan Gardina.

Davis picked up tennis soon after his mother did, both influenced by his stepfather to take up the sport. He joined the North Bulkier’s in 7th grade and later joined the team here. He plays singles, meaning it’s only him and his opponent on the court.

His coach Dustin Armstrong believes that there are many things Davis has improved at, but one of the most noticeable, is the pacing of his first serve in a game.

“My favorite part of playing tennis is that it’s all on you if you play single like I do, because there are no excuses and no one else to blame if you lose, so it’s taught me to deal with losing better. I still need to work on it, but I am getting better,” said Davis.

Although he hasn’t received any awards for tennis yet, Davis has the possibility of achieving one of the top five speeds in an upcoming regional tournament. “To be truthfully honest, I think the team would be missing a lot without him. He is an amazing singles player and in my opinion, is the best player on the team by far,” said Gardina.

“Even though he still has room to improve, Daniel has become a more patient player and has improved his groundstrokes and serve. Also, he has gotten a little better at not letting little mistakes bother him and fighting through adversity,” said Armstrong.

Despite having trouble fitting in when he first joined the team, tennis has changed him for the better. The sport has forced Davis to slow down, rather in rushing into games, as if you rush during a game it can cause you to lose.

Although other players haven’t noticed too much of a change in him since he joined, Davis believes that the tennis team has helped him mature faster. “When I first came to the team it was hard fitting in. We had a pretty mature group with three seniors, so I had to learn how to not be that one immature freshman on the team,” said Davis.

Davis hits the ball, sending it across the court. He has been playing tennis competitively since middle school. “My step-dad influenced me to play tennis. He is pretty good at it and got my mom into it, so she started to take me to lessons and I just picked it up,” said Davis. Photos: Ainsley Gordon and Abby Moss

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McCutcheon’s New Community Changing Job

by Morgan Harbolt and Jaiden Hammack

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hanging the community and her job title.

Wendy McCutcheon just recently left her job at Bullitt East as the college and career readiness coordinator to help make the new park a safe place for community members.

McCutcheon is the new sports park director at the new Mt. Washington Sports Complex Park. While being a school McCutcheon was in charge of anything going on in the CCC, now she is responsible for anything happening at the park. It’s been a hard change for McCutcheon, but she is grateful for the opportunity.

The new park had it’s opening on October 27, 2018. McCutcheon officially left her job in the CCC October 1, 2018. Since she has left her job no one has filled her position in the CCC. McCutcheon had a hard decision to make but knew what would benefit her most in the future. “It was a difficult decision to leave Bullitt East and I miss it desperately, but working with Mayor Armstrong and being outdoors was very attractive as was the increase in salary and benefits,” said McCutcheon.

There are a lot of events held at the park. McCutcheon said, “There are baseball tournaments almost every weekend, middle school soccer, YMCA soccer and t-ball,” said McCutcheon. While there are already several activities going on every weekend, there are upcoming events planned in the near future. “There is a 5k on May 11, and May 17 we have Shakespeare in the WesBanco Amphitheater,” said McCutcheon.

Lori Puchino works alongside McCutcheon at the new park, assisting her in any way she may need; events, tournaments, support or advisory. “The city has purchased adjacent land to the park for extra growth. There are ideas already evolving into what could possibly be next…

right now to the best of my knowledge, we are just exchanging ideas, ” said Puchino. With a fast growing community like Mt. Washington, the new park offers a lot of ways for members to stay active in a good environment.

Mt. Washington is the second growing city in the state, more park space is needed in order to let everyone living here have a place to do outdoor activities. “The park has benefited the community in many ways. Statistically having outdoor, healthy opportunities for the community increases health, attitudes, property values, and family bonding,” said McCutcheon.

McCutcheon plans on continuing to be the park director until she is ready to retire. With her time there, she has big ideas. “There are so many things I want to do at the park including and most importantly keeping it safe and clean for everyone. There have been small instances of folks being very immature and let’s say ‘using items other than their intended use’ or damaging items.

That I want to put a stop to totally,” said McCutcheon. If anyone sees something going on in the park that shouldn’t be happening, she expects people to contact her for the problem to be solved as soon as possible and keep the park safe and clean.

Additions are currently being added onto the park for sports and will continue to be added onto in the near future. “All turf is being improved by the new Turf Manager Tyler Farmer who I hired from the Louisville Bats. He is working to ensure the fields are in great shape,” said McCutcheon.

The Mt. Washington Sports Complex Park is having improvements constantly being added and planned, ensuring a positive outdoor future for Mt. Washington and the citizens living here.

Photo: Ainsley Gordon

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McCucheon stands at the spring festival after helping put on a 5k at the park. She is the new Sports Director. “I plan on being at the park until I retire for good,” said McCucheon. Photo: Ainsley Gordon

This is a brand new playground in the park. Many families have already enjoyed it. “The city has purchased adjacent land to the park for extra growth.

There are ideas already evolving into what could possibly be next, right now to the best of my knowledge, we are just exchanging ideas and research into what is the best our our community phase,” said Puchino. Photo: Ainsley Gordon

This is the new fountain at the park. There is a trail to walk alongside it. McCucheon said, “My favorite part of my job is seeing folks enjoy the park.” Photo: Ainsley Gordon

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BB Macarons are Baking Their Way to Successful Business

by Haley Grether

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Prepare all lovers of baked goods for a sweet business startup.

New to the small shop society, 26-year-old Brianna Beck has started her own business baking macarons.

Beck is a mother of three working out of the kitchen of her home in New Albany, Indiana. Her newly found business has been booming since its release in Feb. 2019. BB Macarons has been a hit among those who enjoy sweets in the Kentuckiana area.

Beck has created a variety of flavors for her Macarons with tastes ranging from sweet to fruity. She is taking orders online from her business facebook page “BB Macarons.” There, customers can request macaron combinations and flavors. Currently, Beck has 12 total flavors: Red Velvet, Birthday Cake, Lemon Honey, Lavender Vanilla, Dreamsicle, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cookies n’ Cream, Mocha, S’mores and Grape Koolaid.

Beck does not have a storefront, although, she hopes to one day make it there. “One day I do hope to open a storefront, or maybe just a little case in someone’s shop for now, like a salon or something,” said Beck.

Since there is no storefront, BB Macarons get personally delivered from Beck herself. She is currently in the process of working out shipping methods for deliveries farther away. “For now, deliveries are different for every customer I meet. I like to offer delivery to those who are further away, but a lot of locals don’t seem to have a problem with either picking up from my house directly or meeting me somewhere close by,” said Beck. As far as deliveries go, Beck is currently working on nailing down the perfect way to ship BB Macarons to customers.

“The macaron package itself is being wrapped in bubble wrap then put into a styrofoam cooler, then into the shipping box with more bubble wrap,” said Beck.

Working out of one’s home has proven to present some challenges. “My biggest obstacle right now is balance.

It’s hard finding a good balance of work and home life. Also getting organized, I never imagined I would have the number of orders I’ve already had already. It’s been overwhelming, but amazing.” said Beck. Working out of the kitchen of her three bedroom home has shown to make the baking process more difficult. Beck has faced many challenges since the start of her business while working from home. “Lack of space has proven to be an issue.

I’m limited to only baking one tray at a time. And I’ve had to introduce a large shelf and table in my kitchen for all of my macaron stuff,” said Beck.

Many members of her family and community have been very supportive of Beck and her new Business. “Being her mom, I am extremely proud of her managing her three kids and filling her orders, she is doing a great job. I have not tried all the flavors that she has to offer.

Although, I would recommend that if you’re going to buy some try the variety pack,” said Tami Ridener, mother of Beck.

Beck has had to take many steps in order to get her small shop up and running.

“I’ve had to make lots, and lots, and lots, and lots and lots of macarons; 18 batches to be exact,” Said Beck.

The kitchen is where to look when trying to find her as she has always liked to cook, and finding her in the kitchen trying a new recipe is not an unusual occurrence. One day Photos: Kate Martin

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she decided to make macarons and from there it has only escalated. “I started binge watching youtube videos about macarons after seeing a “Tasty” video about a giant one. I obsessed over it for a week before I eventually tried it myself. After I realized it wasn’t as easy as they made it look online, and made hundreds of fails in attempt to get a perfect one, I went crazy in the kitchen; so much so that there were macs everywhere. So I figured, why not sell them? I started selling them to friends and family and eventually posted pictures online and has lots of people show interest immediately and have actually gone on to become regular customers of mine,” said Beck.

Behind every interest, there is always something that initially inspires one to do something. For Beck, it all started with a game between her and her boyfriend, Matt Spainhour. “My boyfriend and I actually started this thing together where we challenged each other to bake things. We started with sugar cookies. In pursuit of our next baking venture, we watched a bunch of Tasty videos on YouTube, and I stumbled upon the macaron video.

Matt wasn’t a big fan of macarons, so I took the challenge on by myself and became obsessed,” said Beck.

Beck’s best friend and photographer Kate Martin, has stayed alongside Beck on her journey with BB Macarons. Martin not only takes photographs for the business, but she also acts as a taste tester for any new flavors beck comes out with. “I’m pretty lucky to stay that I’m usually one of the first people to try new flavors other than her kiddos of course. I try to let her know if there’s anything she can improve but they’re always so good,” said Martin.

There are many people who have already fallen in love with BB Macarons since their opening earlier this year. “My favorite thing about BB Macarons are the delicious unique flavors exciting and inviting designs put onto each cookie. I also love that you can customize each cookie depending on color or flavor preference for parties or events,” said Martin.

Many of Becks friends think that she is doing really well with her business so far. “I am extremely impressed. She has taken the

Beck has been in the macaron buisness for just a few months. She has been greeted with success for her buisness so far. “I am excited to see the future of BB Macarons,” said Beck. Photos: Kate Martin

reigns on something that makes her happy and that in itself is so inspiring. She’s always looking for new ways to improve her product and her marketing. Can’t wait to see where this takes her,” said Martin.

Starting a business as unique as macaron baking has proven to be rewarding for Beck, she has not only created a healthy following from her business page for BB Macarons on Facebook, but she also has caught the eye of local food pages too. On April 2, Metro Foodist ranked BB Macarons number four in food-related Facebook pages that have experienced the highest net percentage of growth through likes during a given week.

She is regularly met with new requests and good reviews from her followers on the page. “I would recommend BB Macarons.

First, they were delicious and more affordable than macaron stands I’ve seen at shopping malls. Purchasing from her also supports a small business which is important to me,” said Beth Russo, fan of BB Macarons and family to Beck herself. In reference to the content presented on BB Macarons Facebook page, “The content is always professional in nature and the photos accurately represent the product received,” said Russo.

There is hope for a promising future for BB Macarons is in the shop small community.

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Contact our business editor for more information: ella.olds@stu.bullitt.kyschools.us

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Drama Pollutes Teenagers’ Lives

by Molly Shannon

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hen it comes to high school, drama does not stay within the boundaries of the theatre.

The repercussions of drama extend to affect all aspects of students’ lives, including the social and academic spheres as well as their homelife.

Drama tends to be a reoccurring issue among high school students, but the way students perceive and handle drama varies.

Conflict between students can often get in the way of their academic success and social lives. Students often turn to their teachers for advice on situations they don’t know how to handle.

Drama between teenagers stems from a variety of causes such as unresolved conflict within friend groups, rumors that run rampant through school in part because of social media or a lack of communication. Sophomore, Ian Anderson defines drama as the unnecessary conflict between people who would rather gossip than talk the issue out with whoever it involves. Sophomore, Hannah Crable has another perspective, she thinks drama is just whenever rumors are being spread around the school that causes people to be turned against each other. “Whenever I am involved in drama, I usually try to remain the middle man, and I’m impartial so I’m willing to look at both sides of the situation,” said Anderson.

Handling drama can range from ignoring it as a whole to aggressive confrontation. English teacher Laura Pierce has learned over the years of helping students who come to her seeking help for conflict, that each situation should be handled differently depending on the context (who is involved and what is the issue).

Although Pierce maintains a focus on academics in her classroom, she is always willing to help her students in any way possible, whether they need help with the appropriate skills for resolving conflict, or if they just need someone to listen while they talk. In any situation, she is going to try and help the student come to a solution on their own in case a similar issue happens again.

“Just like every student learns differently, there are different ways to solve conflict. Now in general, there are more appropriate ways to handle a situation versus less appropriate ways to

Photo: Molly Shannon

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handle a situation,” said Pierce. “Part of the reason for conflict is due to impulsivity and the fact that teenagers can be very impulsive and also very self-centered, to the extent that there is a lack of understanding that there are consequences for their actions.”

Despite the fact that there are different ways to handle conflict, students have to be taught the appropriate skills for conflict resolution. In recent years, education systems across the nation have put more emphasis on core content rather than the “soft skills” that all people need to reduce or resolve conflict.

Nearly all high school students have been affected by drama at some point and a lack of appropriate conflict resolution skills leads to further negative life-long consequences. The inability to appropriately resolve conflict has caused many students to lose friends and furthermore has impacted the way students perceive others and even themselves.

Crable believes that the friends you drift from due to rumors and conflict were never

truly your friends and that they also don’t have your back as much as a friend should. “I’ve lost ‘friends’ through drama but honestly people will believe what they want and your true friends will stay by your side,” said Crable. However, once a person has been affected by drama, it makes it difficult to establish healthy relationships in the future.

Pierce often has students come to her several times a day because of the drama. Bullitt East now has a Youth Services Co-cordinator, Erin White, with whom Pierce can refer many of these is-

sues so that she can remain focused on her teaching, especially since many of the issues she is presented with aren’t always school related. The drama can range from something as simple as a dispute with a friend to something as serious as homelife issues, drug dependency, suicidal ideations, anxiety, depression and more.

“Sometimes teachers have a tendency to forget, including myself, that students are developing humans. We have to remind ourselves that [students] are humans who need guidance and who need help, they aren’t little robots capable of compartmentalizing, or altogether ignoring their emotions. Often what we [adults] deem as insignificant or unimportant in the grand scheme of things, are actually monumental in the world of a student. Students often have difficulty moving beyond their issues to focus on their academics, and so education has to evolve to teaching the whole child and not just English, math, or science,” said Pierce.

Students who have turned to White for guidance in dealing with drama feel like she’s always there no matter the issue. However students initally go to Pierce because they feel comfortable about opening up to her due to her knack for saying the right things at the right time to always make a student feel better and capable of handling the drama on their own.

“I’ve gone above and beyond to ensure not just that the students are getting the curriculum they need to be successful academically, but also to ensure that their needs are being met beyond the curriculum... The reality is that a student cannot be academically successful until all of their basic needs are met and they feel a sense of security,” said Pierce.

Teenagers often have trouble in dealing with drama appropriately because they aren’t equipped with the necessary tools and skills to handle drama effectively. On top of that, students tend to have extra stress piled on top of them from suppressing and ignoring their emotional needs, which often results in the added hostility and can cause the situation to be blown out of proportion. This ultimately makes the situation become a disciplinary problem in school.

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The Secret Behind Spam Accounts

by Morgan Renneisen

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hile some are private, and some not so much, spam accounts are the latest buzz among high school students.

Spam accounts are profiles on the popular social media platform Instagram in which the owners only allow certain people to follow.

There has been a great deal of controversy lately surrounding the true purpose of spam accounts. While some spam accounts are simply just for fun, others have shady posts that could be offensive to certain individual people or groups. In many cases with spam accounts, people are concerned with cyberbullying.

The things that are posted on spam accounts, also known as private instagrams, can be closely related to the internet phenomenon “subtweeting”. Subtweeting was very popular a few years ago and is when a Twitter user would tweet something indirectly at another user. Often times these tweets would cause drama because they would always get back around to the people that they were about.

Just like ‘subtweeting,’ many people

Drawing: Haley Grether

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use their spam accounts to indirectly talk about others. This will oftentimes spark unnecessary drama and conflict that could be avoided if the post were to never have been made. Most extremely private spam accounts have a very low amount of followers, such as 10-15 people. These are mainly created to be followed by the user’s closest friends or the people that they trust the most so that they can post whatever they want to, which is oftentimes their most personal problems and beliefs about themselves and society.

Although some spam accounts are very private because the owners only want certain people seeing the content, other accounts have hundreds of followers and are used just for fun.

Spam accounts that are used just for fun usually consist of much different content than those that are more private. This can range from the owners talking about their day, complaining about things, or just posting random pictures that don’t get posted on their main accounts, all things that don’t usually create any conflict.

Even though there are some spam accounts that are

causing no harm, many parents are against their teenagers owning one because of the negative way they are portrayed through a wide variety of media platforms. The accounts have been reported on news platforms in order to inform parents about all of the possible dangers that come along with them. Cyberbullying is the main concern that is being voiced to parents across America.

avoidable. Everyone has different opinions on spam accounts and the restrictions that should or shouldn’t be made on them. Keeping people from posting about their peers is nearly impossible because this type of activity happens all the time. It is important to think about what is getting uploaded to an account before it is posted and also who it will affect.

Many teens, on the other hand, have a very different view of spam accounts than adults and parents do. Junior Scott Higdon says that he owns a spam account but never uses it. Higdon says that spam accounts allow for a funny or opinionated side of people to be shown that might not be made obvious in person or revealed through a main account.

This goes back to the lessons that many people are taught when they are very young and just beginning their journey’s when it comes to technology and social networking. The famous saying “treat others how you would like to be treated” can and in some cases is applied when it comes to spam accounts.

Although he thinks that spam accounts are all in good fun, he also thinks that they could be negative. “I do think spam accounts could potentially be a platform for cyberbullying because people tend to talk bad about other people behind their backs,” said Higdon. Although he does see how the accounts could be bad, Higdon thinks that spam accounts are mainly used for ranting and saying things that the owner might not want other people to see, which shouldn’t cause any conflict for those who follow it.

Junior Carly Morris believes that spam accounts are okay as long as they are used in the correct manner. “I don’t mind them. If they are used in the right way, I think it’s a good way to get to know people. Although, if it’s used in the wrong way, it can cause a lot of unnecessary drama,” said Morris.

Morris thinks that cyberbullying could raise a problem when it comes to spam accounts but also believes that this behavior could happen on any social media platform, not just private Instagrams. Morris and her group of friends recently encountered a post on someones account that was made about them. This post caused conflict and Morris think that it was very unnecessary.

“Because a teammate of ours posted about us, it caused a lot of drama on our volleyball team. We had to sit down and discuss what we could do to make sure that it didn’t happen again,” said Morris. She added, “I confronted the person who posted about us. While I wish the person would have never posted, I had to address the issue so we could move on and learn from it.”

In Morris’s case, a fellow teammate had made a post about her, which caused internal conflict on her team. This goes to show just how negative spam account posts can cause issues, even if it is with people who typically wouldn’t cause problems.

When a close friend, teammate or even family member directly targets someone on their spam account, it can be hurtful which is why so many parents and guardians are concerned. In many cases the people that the posts are about are going to find out, whether the account owner thinks so or not. Things get sent around and eventually people who don’t even follow certain spam accounts see posts that are on it.

At the end of the day, conflict, especially among teenagers is un-

Having a fellow peer post about something that is about you or someone that is close to you can be very discouraging. It is important to stay positive and try and let things go if this kind of thing is happening.

Sometimes, taking a break from social media can help when a person is getting cyberbullied. It could also be helpful to just delete social media all together. Being a teenager in high school can be a very scary thing on its own, especially when bullying is thrown into the mix, which has been a problem for many years.

In recent years, the internet and social media have had a major boost in popularity, especially Instagram and twitter. This has made bullying a lot easier for people who want to because it is possible to say things to someone through a screen. Not having to ssay things to someone’s face and being able to talk online could make the person who is saying mean things feel less guilty for the actions that they are partaking in. Many people believe that ever since spam accounts have become popular, bullying online has taken a turn for the worse.

Like before mentioned, the point of spam accounts is to have aprivate account that only certain people are allowed to follow.

These people are typically close friends and family, in theory just people who are trusted.

While this can be harmless in some cases, some spam accounts are made only to post risky things about certain topics or certain people. This also makes the life of a cyberbully a lot easier.

If the people that are being posted about on a spam account don’t even follow it and the owner trusts all of the people who do follow it, rude posts tend to be made.

Even if the owner of the accounf thinks that who they are posting about will never find out, in most cases they do. People send things around and see thigs that might not have been intended for them to see. It can be a very gutwrenching feeling when you find out that you are being talked about on someones spam account.

It is important to understand the importance of what gets posted to the internet, even if you think that no one is going to see the post. Cyberbullying through spam accoutns is spiraling and needs to be put to a stop; think before you post.

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Physical Fighting Among Teens Today

by Lilly Whitley

A

fight to make peace.

Physical fighting still remains to be an issue in schools.

Unfortunately, physical violence remains to be a solution to teens problems. Violence is still happening within schools as a result of social media. There are suggested ways to prevent physical violence among teens.

When physical fights happen, the first thing people want to know is why the fight took place. Common reasons include the following: One person insulted the other, there was a previous feud, rumours were spread, someone was physically hit or shoved.

For one student, bullying lead to a physical fight. “I got bullied for six months. The girl posted on social media about my best friend.

We went to the office twice actually before the fight happened,” said an anonymous student. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, one out of five kids report being bullied today.

For physical fighting, the punishment can depend on the severity of the fight. “The policy for fighting is an automatic suspension. If you have somebody that is the aggressor, they can be suspended for many more days than the other person. Then, there is other issues. If you have commanded students to stop and they refuse to stop fighting or you have one that stops and the other one keeps trying to fight after they have been told to stop. We’ve had issues where fights turn into assault. Then you have the issue of threatening and bullying. Unfortunately, physical aggression can get very complicated. It can become a legal issue,” said Assistant Principal, Nate Fulghum.

If a fight takes place in school, there is expected to be consequences. “I had to do anger management classes and I was supposed to do community service but my social worker ended up not making me do it. I was incarcerated for a little under twenty-four hours.I was suspended for ten days and on probation for three months,” said an anonymous student.

Fights have always been a way for students to try to solve their problems. “I have both witnessed and broken up fights; however, the last fight I broke up was probably around 8 years ago. Two boys were engaged in a physical altercation and several teachers restrained the aggressor. He had to be transported to the office because he kept trying to pursue the other student,” said science teacher, Kenny Hughes.

Obviously, there are reasons why fights take place. “One reason is respect, people not respecting each other. The second leading cause is people in between both parties blowing things out of proportion when there is a disagreement or argument between two people. I call them pot-stirirs. They stir the pot. They aren’t really being friends to anyone they are just looking to instigate something and when that’s discovered those people are equally in trouble as well,” said Fulghum.

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Although fighting has always been a problem, social media effects the issue in a new way. “Presumably, social media plays a role in people getting angry to the point they want to fight. I think some teachers are pretty vigilant about making administrators aware of issues we know about,” said Hughes.

Luckily, physical fighting between students has decreased over the past few years. “I’ve been here for eight years and the fighting has decreased. I will say this when it happens it comes in waves. I think there’s a lot of things that factor into that.When you have 1400 people in a building, we want everyone to just follow our mission be safe be responsible be respectful. It’s better for students if they are having a disagreement to come to adults,” said Fulghum.

The school takes precautions in regards to problems with students.

However, there is only so much they can do. “The first time they were just like stay away from each other, don’t talk to each other, remove each other from social media... stuff like that.

They didn’t remove me from any of her classes. The second time she got ISAP for half of a day and that was it. They said because technically she wasn’t threatening me or being harmful so Drawing: Haley Grether there was no reason to remove her from any classes,” said an anonymous student.

Schools everywhere are hoping to solve students problems before fighting occurs. However, with tensions constantly escalating throughout social media it is a challenge. “There is an effort to be proactive to stop fights in school Once kids leave campus though there is very little we can do,” said Hughes. Having counselors constantly available as well as an attentive faculty and staff continues to help the prevention of physical fighting.

Compromise Through Confrontation

by Madeline Myers

W

e’re materially progressing but socially regressing.

The ever-increasing participation in social media has plummeted society’s ability to solve problems in that it allows a platform for people to perpetuate drama rather than resolve it.

Due to the innateness of humans to want to either initiate or become involved in drama to either entertain themselves or prove that their opinion is more valid than someone else’s, drama has been a prevalent phenomenon since the beginning of time. However, there are ways with which to restrain yourself that would likely be effective, as some are rooted in the same self-serving reasons people engage themselves in drama initially.

One method that can help prevent submitting to the appeals of drama is recognizing that doing so usually creates a multitude of other conflicts that you will have to deal with, as well as undermining your credibility and sometimes ruining your reputation.

If you are truly invested in whatever drama is occurring, you will seek healthy alternatives to resolving the problem instead of just senselessly arguing and insisting you are right.

As social media has proven to be the platform for drama to persist in this generation, you will decide to confront the people involved in person, rather than quarreling through a screen for the purpose of real conflict resolution. Gaining these skills will help you develop the judgement and maturity to decide which limited amount of conflicts should be engaged in.

Oftentimes, the drama that is created in today’s society, most common among teenagers, is the result of projecting feelings and opinions towards events that have happened in real life or people that they’re associated with onto social media, namely Instagram. To add to the lack of conflict resolution skills associated with bringing drama to social media in general, the emergence of spam accounts has provided an outlet for people to directly and indirectly, though rarely directly, address these problems. Any slight amount of dismay towards such posts by their followers often alludes to that person commenting followed by arguments that may come to involve a dozen other people, or the person discontent with the post then voicing their opinion about it on their spam account, to which the process would repeat, and often result in a division of people with opposing opinions all attempting to establish their viewpoint as superior. Even people merely detailing events that have happened specifically in their lives and personal opinions towards things that don’t involve any of their followers has oftentimes provided the availability for followers to initiate drama, as they purposely try to find moral or personally targeted faults within their unproblematic posts to adhere to human nature’s ability to be entertained by pointless conflict.

English teacher Laura Pierce has had the opportunity to witness firsthand, countless accounts of drama originating on social media that her students have confided to her about. Despite her constant urging for them to not impulsively become involved in drama that potentially concerns them and reminding them to

think before they speak, it seems to be a recurring theme that won’t subside until each individual student has experienced the further disadvantages participating in drama creates. “[Regarding] social media, everybody feels the need to go and attack each other for some reason. That’s just how it has evolved because there were never really any established rules for how to be nice to each other on social media because it developed very quickly before we ever knew how to behave,” said Pierce.

The exhibitions of drama onto social media in the twenty-first century contrasts to the minimized nature of drama in the twentieth century, in which the drama would occur primarily in-person, most likely result in that being the topic of gossip in the school for a few days through the spread of rumors, but then be replaced by the news of another in-person conflict. Now, however, drama is prolonged by the accessibility to social media in which whatever drama-derived event that occurs becomes heard by not only many people in the school but is dwelled on by all of the social media users who are connected with the person who posted about it and continue to discuss and even argue about what had happened. This expands what could have been a drama confined to the limits of whatever local place is directly involved with the event to a networking site where billions of people are susceptible to seeing about, and therefore voicing their opinions about that event.

“I don’t know that it’s necessarily more so much as that it is exacerbated by social media...I think there was something that I read one time that talked about how it used to be that little Billy in P.E. would get pantsed and he would be embarrassed and he would go home and be upset about it and that was the end of it but nowadays little Billy goes to P.E. and gets pantsed and somebody’s filming it and then it gets spread all over social media.

And now little Billy is mortified and it’s this constant thing that impacts him for the rest of his life,” said Pierce.

Due to negativity being very prevalent among teenagers of contemporary society, you probably already have or will be presented with circumstances that will tempt you to engage in the drama likely existing on social media as people are either too cowardice or not truly serious enough about the situation to resolve the issue through legitimate confrontation. Whether it be that someone directly insulted you, indirectly targeted you through a caption or discussed a topic with which you have strong opinions towards, you will likely feel the urge to become involved in situations that are breeding grounds for conflict. Whenever that impulse is inflicted upon you, you should try to remind yourself of how your involvement will accentuate the conflict and thus result in more inconveniences for you.

Those who may disagree with your opinion in relation to the issue may spread rumors about you to the extent that others lose respect for you and can obliterate the relationships or potential relationships with those currently involved in the drama. The issues can also become such a highly involved post that the profuse amount of in-person discussion devoted to it causes teachers and/or the administration to address it as it has become a distraction to the educational purposes of school and often severely

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affects those involved, especially those being targeted. In one instance, for example, students having publicized the issue to social media by expressing their resentment towards another student saying the n-word was followed by more students throughout the school discussing their opinions towards the acceptableness of a white person saying the n-word, the person responsible for saying it having felt isolated and humiliated by the damage done to her reputation, and even Pierce imploring some of her classes in a very passionate manner to not become affiliated with the proliferation of drama caused by depending on social media to address problems and instead learn to control impulses and resolve issues appropriately in response to that situation. That ordeal demonstrated that an immense more amount of people can be given the opportunity to become involved in a situation they previously knew nothing about by allowing them the platform with which to do so by a post on social media alluding to the event.

“Everybody started commenting on it and then everybody came out of the woodworks, started throwing out all kinds of comments, and it became a whole big debate and debacle about using the n-word and

Drawing: Haley Grether

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everything else and lots of emotions started flying more than necessary,” said Pierce.

The desire to maintain a positive reputation and avoid facing any repercussions decided by the administration should serve as a motivator for you to refrain from becoming involved in drama. Even if you weren’t being targeted for your seemingly immoral actions and therefore didn’t provide a reason for a large amount of people to develop negative perceptions of you for that reason, lacking the self-control and judgment as to know what causes are absolutely necessary for you to become involved in, leading you to impulsively voice your opinion towards unworthy conflicts without thinking about the potential consequences or the valid arguments of the opposing side are all equally as effective in ruining a person’s reputation.

Arguing your opinion towards a topic presided in a post merely for the purpose of proving that you are

right rather than one that could result in a substantial change to a certain system or facility that would benefit you and many others is very senseless, as your opinion being more supported does not advance society in any way and the process of unhealthy debate in reaching that outcome is not the ideal way to approach a disagreement between people.

Sophomore and YouTuber Kameron Mullins, occasionally receives some negativity regarding his involvement with YouTube. Mullins often ignores the comments due to his refusal to engage in something serving no purpose other than to inflict self-doubt on him and the susceptibility to lead to further conflicts that undermine his status; all of which wouldn’t further his progression as a YouTuber. “I think by ignoring the negativity it shows that I’m being the bigger person which I think is a pretty respectable trait, especially by the viewers who are already on my side...My confidence has gone up a lot because I feel as though I’m more mature and mentally stronger than I used to be by just brushing off the people who don’t want me to succeed,” said Mullins.

The desire to argue to solely to assert your opinion as dominant, as some of Mullin’s acquaintances have done, should be avoided, but if the temptation prevails, at least do it through a healthy debate of in-person communication as that is the only way to outwardly express that you have acknowledged the other side’s arguments before continuing to advocate for your own as well as demonstrates that you are passionate and confident enough in your opinion to be able to verbalize it in person. That in itself isn’t drama because the arguing is being done in a civilized way in which a peaceful recognition of one side’s superiority is effected.

Arguing on social media as opposed to in person also diminishes the credibility of the person arguing as it serves to make them appear weak. Not having the courage to confront the people involved in the conflict demonstrates that you are not confident enough in your argument, which ultimately indicates that it isn’t very sound, thus ruining any amount of credibility founded on the already easily obtained amount of time and access to research associated with being able to argue through a screen.

The lack of courage also stems from people not being interested in finding solutions to the problem so much as entertaining themselves with meaningless claims and comebacks, so when presented with the opportunity to engage in face-to-face conflict-resolution, they are intimidated and often unprepared.

Therefore, by responding to negativity on social media, you are communicating that you prefer doing so on that platform rather than in person, and that undermines your credibility by revealing the immaturity associated with arguing about topics in an unorganized and unprofessional manner along with showing that you do not care enough about the situation enough to contribute to its resolution.

Engaging in drama for most scenarios should be obviated in knowing all the disadvantages, including the poor reflection on you as a person as a result. This means that when put in a position to surrender to the temptation to participate in the drama, the wisdom you have regarding avoiding situations whose arguing doesn’t amount to anything beneficial, which characterizes all ar-

guments revolving around merely the different opinions involved, should be enough to resist the impulse to. However, problems that arise in an attempt to improve conditions for the future should be healthily debated through in-person confrontation.

Before this confrontation occurs, each party needs to ensure that they are fully identified with their previous viewpoint by researching the stipulations of the opposing viewpoint in addition to more information about their own.

While each side is presenting their case, the opposing side should maintain an open-mind towards points they may not have previously realized and look for commonalities between their arguments so that middle ground can be established to show where the goals between the two parties align. After having intently listened to the other side’s case, make an informed decision based on which solution is more ideal and beneficial to both parties rather than derived from your desire to be right.

Don’t be so determined to “win” the argument that a more ideal compromise fails for the sake of your own ego, as happens in most other arguments which leads to no compromise as both sides are equally as stubborn. A compromise guarantees that what originated from drama was appropriately resolved to prevent future drama regarding the issue at hand from ensuing. And by deciding which cases healthy conflict-resolution should be reserved for, you are conditioning your brain to be more equipped to decide how to react when faced with future situations characterized by drama yet infused with different purposes.

Ultimately, you will gain the temperance to not associate yourself with the unnecessary, pointless drama dominating social media but only the drama that can be addressed to reach a solution between the two parties to eliminate any future drama that could be created from an unresolved conflict. “It’s not so much that they’re staying out of drama; it’s that they know how to better navigate; when they should react vs. when they shouldn’t react to situations. They have better impulse control...and really, when it comes down to it, it’s just that they have a little bit more maturity,” said Pierce.

The refusal of many of society’s members to respectably resolve conflict through in-person confrontation proves that a lot of drama stems from pointless motivations with which an actual solution is not desired or even feasible. Even if it is desired, the platform of social media gives them the availability to obviate genuinely dealing with the issue in the way that times prior to the invention of social media did; verbally discussing and making an effort to reach a viable compromise about it.

After carefully assessing the situation and potential consequences of becoming involved and deciding if there is an extremely crucial reason to engage in it should in itself prevent an immense amount of drama from occurring. However, if following this mental process still results in you feeling necessity to become engaged, you should help society restore the problem-solving skills they once proved they’re capable of by taking the initiative to discuss the conflict in-person, free of all narrow-mindedness and trying to effect the most beneficial outcome for everyone involved.

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