Livewire Vol 10 Issue 1 October 2018

Issue 1 | October 2018 | Volume 10

Livewire.

CONTENTS STUDENT LIFE: HOW TO:

SCHOOL:

SPORTS:

COMMUNITY:

THEME:

4 Peers Influence Who We Are 5 Help Yourself by Helping Others 7 Dealing With Social Issues in High School 9 How to Overcome Your Biggest Fear 11 Deciding on a College 13 Preparation for Postsecondary Education 14 Bringing Home to Work 15 Essential Qualities for Teachers 16 New Ways to Reach Graduation Benchmarks 17 Mixed Views on Student Dress Code 19 Cheerleaders Welcome New Talent for New Season 20 Fulghum Leaves a Lasting Impact 21 Aceing Their Final Season 22 Tackling Criticism 23 Truth Behind Unsuccessful Business in Town 24 Key Players’ High Expectations for Football Season 25 Mayor’s View on Future of Mt.Washington 27 Traffic Solutions for Future 28 Friendships Formed in the Classroom 29 Lady Chargers’ Soccer Family 30 Good and Bad of Houses

Issue Theme: A Home Away From Home While Bullitt East has grown rapidly over recent years, students have integrated several small communities to make this school feel like home.

Our cover idea was chosen to highlight the various student communities made inside of Bullitt East.

Soccer photo submitted by: Zak Perdew Rocketball photo submitted by: Maddie Back Powderpuff photo submitted by: Kayla Nutgrass

Read more at belivewire.com

The Day We Look Back As A Nation

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 Olivia Coke social media editor Alizea Harris copy editor Ella Olds copy editor Hunter Brogan copy editor Madeline Myers copy editor T.C. Etherton multimedia director Lauryn Smith calendar coordinator Lindsey Spencer staff writers Will Blanford Dane Bunel Jaiden Hammack Jaydrien Jarrett Isaiah Jenner Hunter Mahoney Ellie Poole Makayla Stone Elle Swaans Rebecca Watts

Changes in College and Career Readiness

Positivity Through Potty Post-Its 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.

Meet the Faces of the Livewire Ainsley Gordon Editor in Chief

Morgan Harbolt Creative Editor

Katie Huffman Executive Editor

Lilly Whitley On Call Director

Haley Grether Magazine Editor

Morgan Renneisen Website Editor

Olivia Coke Buisness Manager

Ethan Neutz Photography Editor

Madeline Myers Copy Editor

Hunter Brogan Copy Editor

Ella Olds Copy Editor

T.C. Etherton Copy Editor

Lindsey Spencer Calendar Coordinator

Molly Shannon Junior Creative Editor

Tyler Mozingo Sports Editor

Lauryn Smith Multimedia Director

Alizea Harris Social Media Director

Jaiden Hammack Staff Writer

Hunter Mahoney Staff Writer

Ellie Poole Staff Writer

Rebecca Watts Staff Writer

Makayla Stone Staff Writer

Will Blandford Staff Writer

Jaydrien Jarrett Staff Writer

Elle Swaans Staff Writer

Isaiah Jenner Staff Writer

Dane Bunel Staff Writer

3.

Peers Influence Who We Are

by Haley Grether

Photo: Haley Grether

P

ressure to be someone likeable is something that many struggle with.

Teens everywhere have a hard time trying to fit in and be someone worth while; sometimes they do certain things to be someone others want to be around, but that isn’t always a good thing.

The power of peer pressure extends further than many understand. For teens, peer pressure is something that almost everyone is exposed to. If given the opportunity and influence, peer pressure has the ability to control and change one’s life for the worse.

Everyone wants to make friends, and feel wanted by another person. Though sometimes this want for friendship can cloud one’s moral judgement. Peer influence has proven to be a big problem in teens.

Teen years are a very influential time for many, it’s the point in life when people are finding their own voice, formulating their own opinions and becoming an individual. This time is when kids become less sheltered and are exposed to more of the bad in the world, like drugs and sex. Many fall subject to being easily pressured into things at a young age, this is because they are looking for acceptance.

Adults always tell their children to “just say no,” but that isn’t always as easy as it may seem. Whether it be from fear of rejection, disapproval or just not wanting to be a part of an awkward situation, lots of teens tend to find it easier to just give in to avoid a social stiff.

Lots of times, these so called friends that put you into difficult situations, where you must question your own judgement, aren’t always the best kind of friends to be around. These people in your life who do not always have the best intentions in mind will always make you question your darkside.

The influence that friends can have on a person sometimes goes a lot deeper than what is easily seen on the surface. Peo-

ple become friends with each other because they share some of the same interests with one another. You want these people to continue being friends with you; many who are susceptible to peer influence can easily be convinced to like certain things, or want to buy certain items just because that friend likes it or has that certain product. This need to be like another person is something commonly found in teen friendships, as everyone wants to be wanted by another person.

When trying to overcome peer influence it is important to find a balance between being yourself and trying to fit in to a particular group of friends. Peer pressure stretches across many areas of one’s social life; whether it be the type of music one listens to,, the clothes they wear or the activities they decide to partake in, peers influence who we are as a person. It is vital to remember ones morals and to keep in mind of the bigger picture when it comes to peer pressure. It is crucial to remember to ask oneself how what they are doing will affect their life moving forward. From this point then one must assess if this decision is a good or bad one making sure to weigh in all the possible outcomes of the situation.

It is always important to go with your gut feeling with everything you do. If you go into a situation thinking “this is just not right” then the chances are, it’s not. Peer pressure starts when others fall subject to doing things the otherwise wouldn’t; they never went with their gut feeling.

Though not all peer influence is bad, many times friends push each other to try new things and step outside their comfort zone, influencing them to do things that could potentially better their situation or life overall.

When it comes to peer pressure it is important to know what type of friends to keep around and what types to let go. The right kind of friend can help push you forward in life while the wrong kind will only bring you down.

Pressure among teens all depends on ones willpower to choose what is right, always go with your gut and remember to be yourself.

4.

Help Yourself By Helping Others

by Lindsey Spencer

O

pportunities are out there and your community needs you.

Volunteer work is usually something a lot of high schoolers think of as just something else they have to do to graduate or to be in a certain club, but it can actually provide numerous benefits for an individual.

To maintain a position in the Beta Club or National Honors Society, you must complete 20 hours of community service a year or 50 hours in two years, respectively. You can gain many things from volunteering, from new skills to better health to stronger character. There are countless opportunities to get involved inside and outside of school.

It has been proven in multiple studies that volunteer work can not only benefit others, but the volunteer as well. According to Forbes.com, a Corporation and National and Community Service report found that, “Those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.”

A lot of community service requires at least some sort of physical activity so getting out and participating allows you to exercise your body and your mind. By volunteering frequently while young, it is more likely that you will continue to volunteer into your later years and continue to be healthy and happy.

Forbes.com also reports that researchers at the London School of Economics discovered that there was a high correlation between volunteering and happiness. This is not surprising, given that offering up your time to others less fortunate than you builds empathy, gratefulness and open-mindedness.

Volunteering often exposes you to people or places you would have never been exposed to otherwise.

“I think it’s a great way to get to know people and meet new people,” said senior Gracie Smith. This exposure makes an individual well rounded and more experienced in the real world, providing future opportunities for career options.

Smith also explains that volunteering builds character. “I know a lot of people do stuff with sports teams and I think it just builds character and commitment and shows that you really care about something other than yourself.” In a very self-centered society, having a reputation for selflessness and generous can attract others to you, whether it be in job setting, school setting or even in a relationship.

Spanish teacher and seven year National Honor Society leader Alyssa Peak (‘18) dances with a young girl while dressed as a superhero. The Louisville Zoo has hosted the Halloween at the Zoo event every year and allowed high school students to volunteer. “I think [volunteering] just teaches me to not just care about myself and to help others,” said senior Gracie Smith.

Photo submitted by: Brandi Molter.

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Brandi Molter said, “I think it looks fantastic on resumes, first and foremost. ...it would set students apart in the application process for college and jobs.”

Having a record of community service throughout high school can enhance a resume and increase exposure when applying for jobs and colleges.

“It is very humbling to work at things like the Salvation Army or the Angel Tree and seeing that a kid’s Christmas comes in a garbage bag...it just opens your eyes, makes you grateful for what you have, [and] enhances what you can do to give back to the community” said Molter. Students and young adults hear all the time that they are ungrateful or not appreciative of the things they are given. Volunteering provides the opportunity to realize that others are, in fact, more fortunate than a lot of people, even in a small community.

Both Smith and Molter agree that volunteering makes them feel good. Giving up your time to help and provide for others makes you feel productive and probably a little proud of yourself. Being kind to others has been proven to release endorphins in your brain, which makes you feel happier in return.

Even outside of school or clubs, there are numerous opportunities to get involved in the community. With 13 elementary schools and six middle schools just in Bullitt County, it’s easy to become a consistent volunteer and a role model for the younger children of the community. Many students choose to go to a nearby elementary school and help by aiding students in homework or reading to them.

In Mount Washington, the Lions Club is a prevalent group that sponsors a fish fry and sorting food cans for Dare to Care, which are both open to student volunteers. When asked about volunteer opportunities outside of school, Molter mentions that “Boys Scouts do quite a bit, [and] Girls Scouts,”.

Churches are another great way to get involved with your community. If you are a part of a church, there is always Sunday School to help with or weekday church events to participate in.

Even in school, there are countless ways to get involved with your community, especially in the upcoming holiday season.

With opportunities like Halloween in the Halls, Halloween at the Zoo and different food drives, participating in these can help form new friendships, enhance character and build a reputation throughout school.

“If you can’t find something , then you aren’t looking.” said Molter. There are even apps that can alert you when there are new community service opportunities in your area like Volunteer Match or GiveGab on iOS. There is always something you could be doing to better your community, even if it is as simple as reading to kids at the public library.

Everywhere you look, there are always people who will need your help or be less fortunate than you. You have a chance to feel better about your life simply by giving someone else a way to build back up theirs.

Luke Young (‘18) passes out candy to a small child at the annual Halloween at the Zoo event. The Louisville Zoo has hosted this event in the past years and allowed high school students to volunteer. “The biggest impact [of volunteering] is that it helps the community,” said Spanish teacher Brandi Molter.

Photo submitted by: Brandi Molter.

6.

Dealing With Social Issues in High School

by Morgan Renneisen

D

ealing with school and social controversy can be overwhelming for high school students.

High school students are faced with many challenges daily, including academic struggles.

When it comes to school, students have a lot on their plate.

Having to balance out studies, sports and extracurricular activities is just the beginning of teen issues. High school can be a very difficult time for many students and it has the potential to affect everyone differently. When it comes to the social side of high school, these problems only grow larger and become harder to deal with.

There are a variety of hurdles that students have to overcome when it comes to their personal lives; one of the biggest hurdles is dating and relationships. Most of the time, high schoolers focus the majority of their time and attention on trying to maintain a relationship, and they tend to lose focus of the more important things in life like school and family. When these relationships end, it leaves them feeling lost, confused and heartbroken along with many other emotions that are hard to deal with alone.

Putting all of these emotions together with everything life can throw your way makes the whole situation even harder to tackle. In most cases, students find it helpful to focus on the positive relationships in their lives, and if there is one that is draining them, they cut it off. By doing this, it creates a sense of happiness and enjoyment, which in turn will lead to a more successful and stress free life.

Social diversity is another big issue that a lot of students have to face in schools. Many students feel unwelcome, unappre-

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ciated or just feel like they are outcasts in today’s society.

Unfortunately, there are so many high school students who are so wrapped up in being popular or doing things that make them “cool”, that many students feel as if they’re not good enough. Sometimes people are so focused on popularity that they don’t care to branch out and make new friends with people who might not be considered popular or cool or even anyone new. In the long run, popularity in high school does not matter.

One’s level of popularity in high school is not going to affect whether or not they get a job, who they marry or any of the big milestones in adult life. It is important to remember that everyone is their own individual and should not be discredited just because they are not considered cool. Students who are having trouble fitting in to the popular crowd just need to be themselves and not worry about what other people think.

When it all comes down to it, self worth and happiness is much more important than being the popular kid in high school .

In some schools, students are discriminated against because of their religion, race, personal beliefs and more. It is important to understand that school is supposed to be a place of learning, growing and bettering oneself, and sometimes those ideas get swept under the rug because there is so much hate in the world. Students from everywhere, all have issues that they have to deal with every single day and unfortunately for some these issues come down to discrimination.

In schools, it is sometimes looked down upon to be different in any way that is not accepted in today’s society especially when it comes to physical appearance, religion and political views. Discrimination happens everywhere and for some it is a reality that taunts them every single day. People not feeling

Fall Fashion:

Fashion Tips For Upcoming Autumn

by Elle Swaans

T

he time for short skirts, tops and flip flops are almost over.

We’re moving on to a season full of comfy sweaters, long jeans and warm boots.

There are a large variety of clothing type and print avaliable for fall. As the seson changes style changes along with it. If you’re looking for fall trends and favorite items for cold rainy days, then you’re in the right place.

Photo: Morgan Renneisen

normal because they worship differently, or because they have opposing viewpoints about a president, or a popular controversial topic is just not fair, especially in school. Discrimination is a very real thing and when it happens it can leave students feeling powerless. If someone is being discriminated against for any reason it can be hard to deal with, but there are things that can help.

Trends for these cool months are mainly based on prints. Animal prints such as leopard and panther are back in style. There are also a lot of plaid and busy prints this season. Take a floral top for example, it’s something still hanging in our closets from summer, but people can wear them in the fall. When it’s still warm outside people will wear tops with a denim skirt.

Once the temperature goes down combine this with some nice pair of jeans. If you want to get in the BEHS vibe, red is the color at the moment.

My personal favorite item for this fall is a mustard yellow colored sweater or cardigan. I would wear this with either a pair of black pants or a dark colored jeans.

It is important to understand that we live in a world where many people believe it is not okay to be anything but what is considered “normal”. Nothing anyone does is going to stop people from getting mad, offended or upset. A lot of times this is where discrimination starts, more so at the high school age. What other people think should not affect anyone’s personal lives. The best way for students to go about solving the problem is to not lose focus on what they believe, instead of always trying to please others. Doing what is right in their mind is what makes them unique; this is never a bad thing and should not be looked down upon.

Social issues in high schools affect students of all ages, from freshman to seniors. There will always be issues with dating, popular kids, diversity, religion and countless more topics in high schools. At the end of the day, it is most important for students to focus on what and who makes them happy.

Everyone is going to struggle from time to time with social issues, it’s normal. Everyone is going to have moments where they feel hopeless, alone and like things can’t possibly get any worse. Through these tough times it is crucial for them to stay positive and rely on the people who are their support system whether it be family, friends or school counselors. It is important to always remember that no matter what is going on in school or just in life in general, it is always possible to overcome personal issues with the help of loved ones.

Photo: Elle Swaans

8.

How to Overcome Your Biggest Fear

by Olivia Coke

D

o not hide under the covers in hopes to conquer fear, but rather look it in the face and overcome it.

It is easy for someone to have a fear and run from it, but it takes skill for a person to look it in the eye and overcome it.

Fear has the ability to take over us and limit us from reaching endless possibilities. The things that we are afraid of may be different, but the way we react to our fear is similar. It is typical to hide and avoid fears, but the way to overcome them is to take notice of them and get through them.

Fear can be classified as an uneasy feeling when we encounter the unknown, whether it is real or hypothetical. Having fear can lead to underlying problems that tear us away from reaching our destiny. Some fears may be simple, while others build up and become very complex. Whether it is a fear of spiders, death or failure, everyone experiences fear at some point in their life. Instead of clinging onto a fear, learning to let go and overcoming it is the first way to become bold and courageous.

When our bodies recognize or identify fear, we respond in similar ways physically and emotionally. On the physical side, our bodies will produce sweat, blood pressure and heart rate will increase, and the stomach begins to cramp or ache. Some of these physical effects are not too serious, but more fear can cause greater risks to the body that is considered to be unhealthy. Emotionally, people will either choose to combat their fear or run away from it. In most cases, people try to hide their fears by not addressing them and attempt to forget about them. Unfortunately, fear remains to creep inside the body and creates a negative mindset.

No matter the type, all fear is worse when facing it alone. The first step to overcoming a fear is building a connection. Finding a trustworthy individual or group can be a major first step to

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facing fears. Whether it is a family member, friend or counselor, sharing your fear can shed light on the situation you are struggling with. Many people avoid admitting fears to others because they assume the person will belittle or make fun of what they are afraid of. However, it is essential to have a person there for support in order to take those steps to overcome your biggest fear.

Building a connection and sharing fears has helped others become more confident in facing their fear. Whether the fear is real or imaginary, relating to another person can impact our feelings and provide security and comfort.

“My biggest fear used to be clowns, but I accepted the fact that they’re going to be in a lot of places. I realized it was just a normal person in a costume,” said junior Kamryn Lane. Everytime Lane has come across a fear, she always found a way to get over it, especially through developing conversations with other people. “I think when I talk to someone about my fears I get a different perspective and it becomes less scary,” said Lane.

On the other hand, some fears may be more hypothetical than real. Junior Trinity Webb has worked on overcoming her fear of being judged by her peers. ’’As I have gotten older, I have learned to sweat the small stuff and let things roll off my shoulder,’’ said Webb. Webb overcame her fear by talking to others and finding herself. Through her actions to overcome her fear, she has become more confident in herself.

While communicating with others may be a step to conquering your fear, what if the fear itself is speaking and socializing with others? A small first step to conquering that specific fear and other fears in general is journaling. If some people consider communication too big of a step, a smaller first step could be writing down your fears and admitting it to yourself on paper.

Photo: Olivia Coke

Consuming thoughts about the fear in your head can lead to bad health, so writing can absorb those thoughts and release stress. Once progress is shown in writing, the next step can be communication and facing the reality of the fear.

The next step to overcoming your biggest fear is to gain a sense of self-control and stability. Primarily, take note that it is okay to be afraid; fear is a human emotion that everyone goes through. Remember that danger is real, but fear is a thought.

Fear cannot magically disappear by the snap of a finger; we must take action to remove it. Putting fear into a different perspective can shift your fear to your biggest strength. Think of fear in a more positive aspect. While it may be tough to overcome, once you do this, you will grow from the experience and it will become a life lesson.

The final step: facing your fear. Just simply do it. Go out of your comfort zone and take that risk. It may seem like the worst thing in the world to face your fear, but in the end it will be worth it. If you do not even put in effort to face your fear, it will only get worse. Put forth the responsibility and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It won’t be able to happen overnight; you have to progress into building that bold side and conquering your fear. Once you make a habit of stepping out of your comfort zone, you will gain courage and overcome your fear. Soon enough, the walls will come down and you will become a better person, reach endless goals and maximize your full potential.

Once the hard part of facing your fear is over, do not let it stop there. New fears and obstacles will come along; keep pushing through them. After you have learned to face your own fears, help others face their biggest fears. Build a connection with others, give advice, and encourage people to not give up.

Challenge yourself and others daily, while endless possibilities await.

10.

Deciding on a College

Senior Alyssa Shepherd trying to decide what college she wants to attend.

After she narrowed down her choices, Shepherd’s decision was not easy. “I am considering the University of Louisville because it’s close to home, family oriented and I am working at UPS. It was hard because I also really wanted to go to the University of Kentucky, but ultimately I chose the University of Louisville because of UPS,” said Alyssa Shepherd. Photo: Ethan Neutz

by Lauryn Smith

S

tress a little less with this guide to help you successfully decide the right college for yourself.

Choosing a college to go to after graduating high school can be very stressful. With so much to consider and so many colleges to choose from, it can be difficult to pick just one. But don’t worry, here are some things to consider when deciding which college is right for you.

Cost

All colleges and universities differ in their cost. If you are looking for a college with a low tuition, attending an out-of-state college may not be the right choice for you. Usually, students who attend an out-of-state college end up paying thousands more on tuition than those who attend an in-state-college. Private colleges or universities are the same way. Students that attend a public university usually don’t spend as much money as students that attend a private university.

One should also look into how much books, supplies, rooms and board and other expenses cost. These expenses add up, so make sure to look for the total cost for any college you are looking into. It is also important to make sure that you apply for financial aid. Financial aid can help students pay less for the college they are attending.

Scholarships can also be beneficial in the same way. Apply to as many scholarships as you can, even small ones. If you apply to multiple small scholarships and receive them, eventually it will all add up and can take a good amount off of the total tuition. Whether the scholarship offers a large amount of money or a tiny amount, apply for it. It can be useful in the long run.

Most colleges and universities have a net price calculator on their website. This will give you an estimate of how much you will have to pay in order to attend the college. It will include all of the prices, plus a little more information, in order to get an almost exact estimate.

Location

Many colleges require underclassmen to live on campus for their first few years. Living on campus, rather than living at home, helps most students become more independent. Moving away from your family or your home can be hard. Going from seeing them everyday to seeing them every now and then is a huge change.

Students either want to live close to home or far away, there is really no in between. Choosing a college far away from home might not be best for those who get homesick easily. If you are wanting to go home every weekend, then you will want to stay somewhere close to home. However, most students overcome being homesick after the first few weeks of starting college.

If you want to live around nothing but hills and trees, make

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sure you find a school in a rural setting. If you want to attend a college in a big city, then make sure the college you are planning on attending is in an urban setting. Most schools in big cities don’t have much of a college campus feel. For students who attend college in urban areas, they normally feel like they are living in a big city rather than on a college campus..

Weather is also a big thing to considering when thinking about location and where you want to attend college. Do you want somewhere cold? Do you want somewhere hot? Take into consideration what the weather is usually like where that college or university is located.

Size

You do not want to feel overcrowded or alone. The feeling of a campus having too many students or too few students is not a good one. Make sure to look into how many students attend the college or university.

The amount of students in a college affects the student-teacher ratio. There is usually an average class size for each college.

You are more likely to be put in a class of 200 students if you go to a larger school. Many of the general education classes that students take will have a greater number of students. If you want to be able to get to know your professor and have them get to know you, then make sure you pick a school with a smaller student-teacher ratio. Classes usually become smaller as you begin taking classes that focus more on your major.

Does the school offer your major?

One of the first things you should do when looking into a university or college is to make sure they are offering the major that you are considering. If a college does not have the major you are wanting to pursue, then start considering other colleges that do offer this major. Although, you will most likely change your major throughout your college experience. Usually, a list of majors and minors are on the college’s website.

Internships

After knowing which major you are going to pursue, you will be required to intern for your career. There will be a mandatory amount of internship hours you must complete before graduating and receiving your degree. Most careers prefer experience. By interning, you will improve your chances at pursuing a life-long career in the field that you have chosen.

Study Abroad

Have you wanted to learn outside of the United States? If so, then this might be an amazing opportunity for you. The ability to study abroad i available for any major. However, the amount of time you spend abroad and where you go can be determined based on the major you have chosen.

Studying abroad per semester can be pricey. Scholarships are offered for students looking to study outside of the country.

If you are offered to choose where you study, be sure to look into how much it will cost to study in the place of your choice.

Extracurriculars

The percentage of high school athletes that play in college is relatively low. However, if you are planning on playing a sport in college, make sure they have the one that you want. It is a good idea to aim for an athletic scholarship in high school to increase your chances of playing a sport. Only about two percent of high school athletes actually receive these scholarships.

Going into college, going greek is something to consider. If you are positive, or even on the fence, about being apart of a sorority or fraternity, make sure the college you are considering has at least one or more of them. The cost of being apart of a sorority or fraternity can be expensive. Determine how much you are willing to pay to be apart of one before you choose one. Costs may vary depending on the college you are attending. From chapter meetings to parties, time management is a necessity for going greek. You have to be very committed and expect to spend a good amount of time doing things with your sorority or fraternity. Being apart of a sorority or fraternity gives you the chance to get to know people in an otherwise unfamiliar setting. Attendance is expected. Joining a fraternity or sorority gives you many opportunities, especially for

fun. Events, activities, parties and hanging out with your new sisters or brothers become apart of your weekly schedule.

Student Benefits

Many schools have places that are just available for students attending their university. Many colleges will have their own doctors office, usually run by nursing students, for those who are attending the college. Churches are also available at most universities. Usually, there will be multiple churches for different types of religions, with an exception of private schools that typically focus on one religion. Also almost every college offers a gym on their campus for all students.

Student benefits also include events that the college puts on for its students. For example, at Bellarmine University, they will occasionally have midnight bingo. Also, on the week of the student finals, the professors will make them breakfast.

Mistakes to Avoid

Leaving all of your high school friends is difficult. However, there is a good chance that you will make new friends in college. Being a follower and deciding to attend a college just because your friends go there will not always keep you happy.

You can always attend your favorite university’s sports games, even if you are attending another college. Choosing a college because you are a huge fan of their sports doesn’t make it right for your educational needs. You should attend a college because you want to learn and prepare yourself for the future.

Having a one-track mind and not considering anywhere else is a huge mistake many college students make. Whether it’s because your parents had went there or because it’s the only college you have ever wanted to go to, it may not be educationally a good choice for you. It’s always good to have multiple options.

Choosing what college to attend is a very big step toward one’s future. Keep in mind that this will be your new home for the next few years. Take your time with the process and do your research over multiple colleges you may be considering.

Make sure to choose one that you will love and that will make you happy.

Photo: Ethan Neutz

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Preparation For Postsecondary Education: High School Edition

by Alizea Harris

R

eady for the next level.

Students are preparing for the next level of education.

The curriculum that students are being taught in high school prepares students for college, and not the life skills needed afterwards. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on student’s backgrounds. AP (Advanced Placement) and dual-credit JCTC (Jefferson Community and Technical College) classes help students to become more college ready through an elevated curriculum.

There are certain requirements that students must follow if they want to graduate. According to current and past students, the pathway classes prove to be beneficial. Some classes like digital literacy can help students who want to go into the accounting pathway by helping them understand computer programs such as Excel. Other classes like medical terminology help students that are wanting to go into the nursing career. Business teacher Bryan Mullins said, “I don’t want to say one [class] is more important than the other. I find value in my class because I understand that once you get out of high school and college you’re going to have to understand how credit cards work and checking and saving and mortgages and insurance. That’s real life and day to day stuff you need to know.”

While the pathway classes may seem beneficial, improvements can always by made. Former student, class of 2018, Brae Fredericks was able to get a good start on her college major before she left high school because of classes like anatomy. “High school helped me prepare for colleges by letting me get my feet wet in some nursing courses, they have really helped with what I am learning now and I can build on that knowledge,” said Fredericks.

Senior Emily Frye feels that high school has helped her to prepare for college. Though she

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feels prepared, Frye thinks the push to become college and career ready should be reduced. Frye said,“I feel like our school could take a lot of emphasis off being college and career ready. I’m glad that they’re trying to prepare us, but I also wish I had known my freshman year that it’s okay to not have a plan, to go into college undecided, or take a gap year,” said Frye.

AP and JCTC dual credit classes are offered to students and seen as a resource to help prepare students for college. There are classes that help students be prepared for AP classes known as pre-AP classes. Pre-AP classes are not weighted and are more fast paced than regular classes. Junior Andrea Foley believes that the pre-AP classes are beneficial for students to take who are thinking about taking AP classes.

Juniors Julia Kromenaker and Foley are both taking AP and JCTC classes. “Some students also want to boost their GPA either to so GSP, get into a certain college, be in Top 10, or whatever it may be, and these classes are a good way to do that,” said Folley.

Kromenaker thinks that the AP and JCTC classes prepare her in a different way. Kromenaker said, “I think my JCTC class has taught me to be more independent. Only meeting for two classes a week makes it easy to fall behind. I have had to create my own pace and stay motivated.”

Although AP and JCTC classes grant students the opportunity to earn college credit, there are differences between the two. AP classes last the entire school year, while JCTC classes are only one semester. JCTC classes only meet twice a week and AP classes are taught daily.

According to both Kromenaker and Foley, the classes can vary in how challenging they are. “I think it really just depends on the class. Last year I was in AP English 3 and it was definitely more difficult than my JCTC English 102 class this year. But, I’m also in AP classes this year that are not any more difficult than a normal class,” said Kromenaker.

High school prepares students for college in the best way that it can through the AP and JCTC programs along with the career pathway classes.

Bringing Home to Work

by Ella Olds

P

eople say that working with family is difficult but the teachers here prove that it is a piece of cake.

Among the many new staff members this year, two that joined are also joining their family. returning new teacher Kenny Thornsberry joined his wife, Brenda Thornsberry who has worked here for five years and counting. English teacher Abigail Phillips has worked here for three years and just over the summer has been joined by her mother, Christi Abshire. Even though they are in the same building all day they all manage to keep their work and home lives separate.

One of the newest couples working together within the school is husband and wife Kenny Thornsberry and Brenda Thornsberry. Kenny Thornsberry took the job over the summer and joined the staff this year, although, he has worked here before.

He worked with our staff between 2013 and 2016, and has joined again in 2018. Coincidentally, the two work in the math department, Brenda Thornsberry teaching mostly juniors and Kenny Thornsberry teaching seniors.

Another related duo working together is Abshire and Phillips, who are mother and daughter. Abshire works in our math department teaching freshman algebra and Phillips teaches in the English department. Abshire has been teaching 20 years overall and Phillips has been teaching for three years.

Abshire took the fact that she’d be working with her daughter into consideration when she got offered the job, “She loved working at Bullitt East so I thought: ‘Hey, I would love to work with her and Bullitt East.’” Kenny Thornsberry took his position at East solely because it was close to his home and not

Abshire and Phillips in Phillips’ classroom. Abshire is teaching her first year here whereas Phillips has taught here before. “I enjoy working worth her. It’s so fun being in the same building,” Abshire said. Photo: Ella Olds.

necessarily because his wife also works here.

All four teachers said there were little to no disadvantages to working with a loved one. In contrast, there are some benefits to having a relative a classroom away. Brenda Thornsberry has her husband right down the hall and can ask him questions about her students or anything she needs help with. Abshire says she loves having her daughter in the same building during the same school day.

Phillips has always had a dream to work with her mom but when she went to school that dream and reality kicked in. Phillips said, “When I went to school to be a teacher it was always my dream to work with her, but then she moved away so I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do it. She then got a job here and I was like: ‘It’s a dream come true.’”

Working with family doesn’t affect any of the teachers work or home lives. Most people are supportive of them working together and find it cool that they are working together. Working together doesn’t affect their at home life, one might think they wouldn’t have much to talk about anymore because they are in the same place all day, but they don’t see each other except for a quick passing in the hall or for a 25 minute lunch.

The only problem with working together for the Thornsberrys is scheduling conflicts with the kids. “So for example, Open House is next week and we both have to be here at night so we have to find a sitter,” said Brenda Thornsberry.

These teachers are enjoying their new jobs and don’t mind the fact they are working with their family at all. Working with family might be difficult but the teachers here make it look effortless.

Kenny and Brenda Thornsberry in Brenda Thornberry’s classroom. Kenny Thornsberry is teaching his first year here, but his wife has worked here previously. “It’s not as overbearing as a lot of people make it,” said Mr Thornsberry when asked if he enjoyed working with his wife. Photo: Ella Olds.

14.

Essential Qualities For Teachers

by Rebecca Watts

Sophomore Caleb Riggs standing next to his favorite teacher, Jonathan Huether. Last year, Huether had Riggs for Honors Biology and throughout the course of the year, he became Riggs’ favorite teacher. “A good teacher provides a fun and enjoyable environment, tries new ways to teach and doesn’t give an unreasonable amount of homework that causes more stress towards that than learning,” said Riggs. Photo: Rebecca Watts.

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rades are out and the teachers are receiving an A for their effort.

The staff are proving to the students that they have the essential qualities to being a good teacher.

Many times in school we are asked to define terms well how would you define a good teacher? Would you define it as someone who listens or maybe someone who takes time out of their day for others. Either way everyone has their own definition on what a good teacher looks like.“The definition of a good teacher is one that is going to work with students no matter what the situation may be with the student. I think you have to be respectful to every student and be empathetic to every situation students may be going through. I also think that a good teacher is going to respect every student as an individual,” said Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Melissa Speakman.

Everyone has their own opinion on what a good teacher looks like for them. To be a teacher there is a lot that you have to take into consideration. Some things that teachers should think about is what helps all of their students grasp a subject and whether they are able to teach others what they have learned. Everyone should be aware of what each individual student thinks helps them learn the best. “Qualities of a good teacher for me would have to be when they can make the class fun yet very educational, I also like when teachers can help you understand and don’t choose favorites,” said sophomore

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Alyssa Robinson.

One common thing that most students want in a teacher is for them to be considerate of what students are going through outside of school. “Good teachers should be strict, but not too strict and they should be caring because they show that a teacher takes action but doesn’t be too harsh with her students and caring because she can understand some things students go through,” said sophomore Amy Sullivan.

When you walk through the halls after the first few days of school you will hear a lot of students talking with their friends about what they think of their new teachers. , with some of them complaining. Most students don’t really think about what the teachers are thinking and feeling on the first few days of school. “I want my students to see me as a determined individual and as a teacher that wants the best for their students. I also want my students to know I’m an individual person too, that we all go through life together,” said Speakman.

Parents want best for their kids so they will send their students to the school that they think is best for their child. If parents see that a school doesn’t have good teachers then they will most likely send their child somewhere else, unless they really have no choice. “I think a good teacher listens to all students and knows what’s happening in students lives and what’s happening in the building and should be able to relate to the kids. I think a good teacher is dependable and reliable and shows up to work,” said Speakman.

New Ways to Reach Graduation Benchmarks

by Makayla Stone

A

failed benchmark doesn’t mean a failed student.

In year’s past, students had to meet benchmarks on the ACT in order to be considered college-ready, but now there are other ways to achieve academic transition readiness.

There are now multiple ways of meeting the benchmarks and becoming “academic-transition ready.” With new ways of achieving those benchmarks, it’s now easier for students to graduate, and since students have less criteria to meet, it also helps with student stress about graduating.

History teacher April Walker standing in front of a board full of pictures with former students. Through the years Walker has taught, whenever a student took a picture with her, she placed it on the board. “Being in touch with what’s going on helps build a relationship with not only the one student, but all the students,” said Wendy McCutcheon, College and Career Readiness coordinator. Photo: Rebecca Watts.

The teachers here really connect with their students and work with them to make sure they understand what is being taught. Some students overlook the fact of just how hard these teachers work. Some will say that it is the teachers fault that they have to work so hard to be a good teacher, but others say the opposite that if teachers are working hard then it is the students fault.

“If a teacher wants to stay a good teacher I suppose they would just continue doing what they do, all teachers have different teaching styles so everyone has a different perspective on things. I think all teachers are good but for me, I think if a teacher were to have to fight to remain a good teacher then I assume it’s the students causing the teacher to look bad,” said Robinson.

To all the teachers who show the qualities that students describe as qualities of a good teacher, keep doing what you’re doing because you are the reason students are able to understand these subjects and take them into their everyday life. Good teachers will be the reason this generation flourishes into greatness. “Someone who I think embodies the definition of a good teacher would be Ms. Swift because she makes the class entertaining, yet also gives you help when needed and shows you how to pronounce things and so on so forth,” said Robinson.

Students no longer need to meet all the ACT benchmarks to be considered college-ready. Instead, they can pass a dual credit class or get above a two on an AP exam. Now, there are two “buckets” students need to fill in order to be considered academic transition-ready. The first bucket is Quantitative Reasoning and Natural Sciences, which can be filled by getting at least a 19 in the math portion of the ACT, passing a math or science AP or dual credit class. The second bucket is called Written and Oral Communications, Arts and Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences, which requires students to pass in either an AP or dual credit English, social studies, psychology or art class, score at least an 18 on English or a 20 in reading on the ACT. “I was one point off my reading benchmark to be college-ready,” said Matthew McCarter, a senior who would have had to retake the ACT if the requirements hadn’t changed.

If a student meets either the English or reading benchmark for the ACT, they are now considered academic-transition ready.

Not only could this possibly improve graduation rates, but it will also help students who are smart enough to graduate but just couldn’t get their ACT scores high enough. “Usually students are really good at reading and sometimes struggle with English, or vise versa because they test two totally different standards of the English language,” said Phillips.

Now that students don’t have to have as much criteria to graduate, it takes stress off a lot of students, especially those who didn’t meet the old benchmarks and had to worry about graduating.

There are many stories on how the teachers here have been good people to talk to when students need help with something in school.

Photo: Ainsley Gordon

16.

Mixed Views on Student Dress Code

by Ellie Poole

D

ress code: The good, the bad and the ugly.

Dress code is more controversial than some may think.

Dress code took a turn in the 2016-17 school year where you could wear just about anything. Even though it is hard to have bad opinions about a relaxed dress code, it proves to be very debatable among students and teachers.

In the 2016-17 school year, dress code changed from having to strictly wear jeans or khakis everyday to basically being able to wear anything you want with only a few limitations; no off-theshoulder shirts, midriff needs to covered and shorts have to be appropriate length.

“I like that we don’t all match everyday, but the teachers need to be more enforcing of the little dress code we do have,” said sophomore Chloe Billings. The relaxed dress code allows students more freedom when expressing themselves and gives them the opportunity to be comfortable when doing so.

There are many students and personallities in school. “I like how we can express ourselves through it and show what hobbies we participate in and show our true personalities,” said sophomore Brock Hammond. Kids want to be able to express themselves, their clothing is a way of doing just that.

outfit every morning takes too much time and has caused her to potentially be late at times. Students already have to wake up early enough, so choosing an outfit everyday just adds to the morning rush. This could also lead to other problems like forgetting important things students may need for school.

Another downside of having a dress code is some students feeling excluded or left out based on their clothing. Not all students have the privilege of having the nicest clothes and or name brand belongings . Therefore, this could easily cause kids feeling excluded. Unfortunately, it could also lead to some kids getting picked on or bullied. Some students already feel pressured going to school because of all the judgement there is in high school. Not having a dress code could add onto that pressure because they may feel like students will pick on them for their clothing.

Social Studies teacher April Walker says she agrees on having a relaxed dress code, but students need to know what’s appropriate. Walker also claims that teachers need to be more aware of the students that aren’t in dress code as well. If teachers see a student out of dress code, they should address them and have the student change so they are in appropriate attire.

Hammond also claims that he would much rather be in comfortable clothing rather than an uncomfortable uniform.

Since students have to sit in a desk most of the day, it is understandable to see why they would want to be comfortable in their own clothes, not a uniform.

Many students take advantage of our dress code. For example, students have gotten in trouble for wearing off-the-shoulder shirts, too short skirts or shorts, and they’re shirts not being long enough leaving their midriff showing. Since we have such a laid back dress code, kids sometimes forget we even have rules for it. This causes students to start thinking that they can wear whatever they want, but in reality we do have a few limitations.

However, not everyone agrees with our flexible dress code.

Some students feel rushed by having to choose an outfit every morning. Sophomore Kileigh Dadisman thinks picking out an

If too many students start to violate our relaxed dress code, there has been talk that we may have to start enforcing a stronger one.

Photo: Ellie Poole

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Advertise with us.

Contact our business editor for more information: olivia.coke@stu.bullitt.kyschools.us

18.

Cheerleaders Welcome New Talent for New Season

by Molly Shannon

The Bullitt East cheerleaders cheer on the football team as they play against Spencer County on Aug. 31. The cheerleaders have practicing their cheers that were used during this game ever since summer break. “We all come together and we welcome new cheerleaders to the team and make sure everyone is comfortable. And then we start putting work in immediately and we work out to get our bodies in the shape we need them,” said Carlisle. Photo: Molly Shannon.

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ive them an S for the start of their new season.

As cheerleaders and coaches prepare for a new season they put all of their effort into choreographing and perfecting everything they bring to the mat.

family, there was an adjusting period where they were learning to become comfortable with all the members. There’s a lot of changes when going from a middle school team to a high school team. Not only do they have to get used to their new coaches, but they also have to learn new competition routines, cheers and how to work with a larger group of people.

After having much success in the past years, the team has developed several plans and goals for the new season in order to maintain their high success rate. Due to there being overall younger students on the team this year in comparison to previous years, there have been some changes regarding the overall feel of the team and their practices. A lot of factors go into choosing who makes the team and who gets cut, but in the end it makes for an even stronger season.

“It’s different. The coaches at Bullitt East feel like family and they feel like someone I can talk to about everything. Practice makes me love cheer again, and I love what our coaches preach at Bullitt East and how they go about practice. Eastside was really strict, and I felt like I was there just to win and make a family with the team, but the coaches really were there just to push us and not to bond with us,” said Lexi Walker, a freshman on the team.

For the past four years, the cheer team has won first place at the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) cheerleading portion of the state competition, and they plan on winning it again for the fifth year in a row. On top of them planning to win state, they also plan on going to Worlds while they are at Nationals, which would make for a very hectic schedule.

By taking criticism more maturely and coming into practice eagerly and prepared to work, the team has demonstrated the amount of potential they have gained. “We improve by telling each other what we think they could improve on. Everyone takes criticism very well which makes it easy to fix any problems,” said Taylor Ramsey, a senior on the team.

“Our goals are to prepare the team to act and perform as one cohesive unit. While it is hard to create a routine where all 30 [girls] on the mat can be super sharp and clean, we practice hard and critique harder to be sure they are competition ready,” said head coach Jeff Schaber There is a significant amount of freshmen on the team this year, giving everyone on the team a different outlook. According to Schaber, everyone still feels very optimistic that this season will be even more successful than the last. Schaber also believes that the success of their team is heavily influenced by the competitive middle school teams as their cheerleaders have gained a vast amount of skills from their schools prior to coming to Bullitt East.

“They (the freshmen) have a lot of talent and are very strong.

It was different for them at first, and they had to adjust to our ways of practice, but they bring a lot of good things. They bring new relationships, lots of great tumbling and different things that are great for the team,” said Abigail Carlisle, a sophomore on the team.

Although the freshmen do fit in and feel like they’re part of the

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The ultimate goal for the cheer team is to form the highest amount of elite stunts with the largest amount of girls who can tumble. The team has a lot of talent, so the coaches often have to resort to looking at the girls’ jump technique, enthusiasm and overall presence that they bring to the floor. “The most stressful thing about being the coach is picking the team and selecting who will be on the mat. The coaches think long and hard and put a lot of time into what is best for the team,” said Schaber.

As a whole, the team’s work ethic has improved tremendously; the girls and coaches have begun getting work done more efficiently. Some of the teammates even believe the routine being put together is the best one yet. “Our work ethic is better this year. We started working harder earlier this year and are getting work done that will help us in the future at Nationals. This season has a lot coming for us. Our routine is one of the best yet, and we can’t wait to get out there and show the work we’ve put in,” said Carlisle.

Their first competition will be the Cheer Challenge held at Bullitt East on Nov. 3.

T

he influence of a good mentor can never be erased.

Nate Fulghum is a well-respected cheerleading coach and teacher.

Fulghum has several various qualities that set him apart from other mentors. His positive impact radiates on others in and out of school. He has many opportunities to come in the future.

It’s no secret that Fulghum is known for his role in coaching a successful cheer team. “I try to have clear expectations as a coach and I try to set a culture of excellence. Also, I really believe in hard work. As a coach, I want to see the athletes under me develop a good work ethic: having a long term vision and focusing on the competitive aspects. Also, the life skills you learn through being part of an athletic program or any type of program that has expectations,” said Fulghum. He is currently on his eighteenth year of coaching cheerleading, and has been coaching since he graduated high school.

Fulghum’s positive way of thinking is contagious. Math teacher Kristen Stobaugh said, “I have learned to be positive and how to motivate kids. I’ve also learned how to be tough and supportive at the same time.” Stobaugh has been coaching cheerleading alongside Fulghum for nine years.

Fulghum is different from other mentors because he truly cares about each and every one of his kids- regardless of if they’re on the mat or in the classroom. “He really cares about the well being of all of his kids. He cares about how the cheerleaders act socially and covers everything, not just athletics. In school, he cares about his students grades and home life,” said Stobaugh.

It takes a certain type of person to be able to manage teenagers all day every day. Lots of calmness and patience is required, which isn’t always an easy task. “It is something you develop over time. When I first started coaching and teaching I was not the person I am now. You develop patience through trial. I’m naturally not a patient person, that’s not a natural gift of mine.

That’s something I’ve had to craft over time and learn through experience,” said Fulghum.

Fulghum is a deeply devoted coach. “Nate is very invested

as a coach. He is always at the gym longer and even more consistently than some of our other coaches. He is constantly keeping up with how we are doing both in and out of cheer.

He is always doing everything in his power to better us in all aspects of life,” said junior cheerleader, Shelby Knieriem.

Despite coaching for several years and a continuously growing schedule, Fulghum still devotes his lot of his time toward cheerleading.

Fulghum is involved in many activities in school. He is the SBDM (School Based Decision Making) teacher representative, department chair for social studies and cheerleading coach.

As far as outside of school, he is a deacon at church, sunday school teacher, father and husband. With this amount of involvement comes lots of responsibility and a need for balance.

Despite juggling many leadership roles in and out of school, he continues to excel at everything he does by prioritizing what’s most important. “I try to prioritize, it just comes down to priorities. I just try to keep in mind when I started coaching I wasn’t a husband or a father. As I’ve become a husband and a father, I’ve had to prioritize most things over my career and coaching,” said Fulghum.

Many in the community know Fulghum serves as a deacon at his church. “I try to keep my faith a priority as well. I feel like if I keep things in the correct order I have a lot more harmony to my life. I’ve learned not everything revolves around me, it’s not about me,” said Fulghum.

With experience comes great knowledge. “The biggest thing i’ve learned is grace. When you’re dealing with kids, you have to demonstrate grace. It’s easy as a coach to forget that you’re dealing with people, people have bad days and people have good days. You’ve got to be understanding of that and also as I’ve matured as a coach it’s a lot more than just competitiveness and winning stuff. There’s a lot more that goes into it in order to get a deeper satisfaction coaching,” said Fulghum.

As for his future plans, there are lots of opportunities. “I am conflicted because of my passion for teaching. I try to think where can I be the most effective and have the most impact,” said Fulghum. He currently has his certification for administration, which leaves the possibilities endless.

Fulghum Leaves a Lasting Impact

by Lilly Whitley

Fulghum standing in front of artwork by a Bullitt East student. He has been a teacher for nine years and is also a cheerleading coach. “I really have a passion for what I do and I really believe in hard work,” said Fulghum. Photo: Lilly Whitley.

20.

Aceing Their Final Season

by Ethan Neutz

A

fter starting strong, it’s time to end strong.

The volleyball team is currently 15-7 this season, having faced many obstacles. Despite their adversity, the team was able to overcome these hurdles, resulting in a successful year as the season is winding down.

The strength and unity the team has set forth this year can be seen by acknowledging their defeat of top 20 ranked teams Apollo and Central Hardin high schools. After their championship win of the Apollo tournament in Daviess County on Aug. 18, the Bullitt East volleyball team established an honorable early season record of 9-2.

The team credits their early success over their opponents to their strong ability to communicate with one another, which Assistant Coach Wally Adams decided to make the focal point of practices.

Having good communication, the team is able to take on difficult challenges, such as learning new offensive plays and positions, as well as the capability to conqueror rivals that seemed nearly invincible.

Although they started strong, the team started to slow down mid-season and due to a few tough losses, such as one against number two in the nation, Mercy Academy. The team found that they fell short when their defense was pressured into reading and adjusting to other teams’ offensive plays. “[Not being able to read the opposing team’s offenses] creates a problem that does not allow us to create our own offense,” said Adams.

When the team suffers from a deficiency of points, they begin to lose hope and which has, in turn, significantly affected the team in a negative manner; they fail to play one point at a time, but rather begin to worry solely about the outcome of the game. Bullitt East showed this as they played county-rival, North Bullitt High School. The Chargers had a good mindset prior to the start of the game, but once the Lady Eagles seized an early lead, East began to lose their positive outlook and ultimately lost in three straight sets.

After multiple losses, the team recognized their need for a renewed mindset. So, the team revived their attitudes and altered their mindset to one that focuses on playing to their fullest potential, and correcting mistakes that a team that works together should never make.

One thing both the coaches and players found beneficial to the team’s mindset was Adams’ long-standing relationships and history with some of the players. The team increased their ability of working together because of their trust in his judgement.

It was essential that the leadership of the team believed in their newfound abilities to come to together and find the root of their issues and trust in the coaches to be able to make needed changes.

Being lead by a majority of seniors, they are held responsible for being an example to their other teammates. The seniors from this year have instilled in the jumiors that they must have a good attitude and act like a family.

“They have a lot of room to improve and they can make it to the level that we’re on now, they just have to be as dedicated as we are this year,” said Senior, Ava Cherry who has played all through high school and is known by the coaches as well as her teammates as one of the biggest motivators on the team.

The Lady Chargers are currently ranked 24 in the state and are ready to start the district tournament in early October. Results from these games will be followed up on the Livewire’s website.

Photo: Ethan Neutz

21.

Tackling Criticism

by Dane Bunel

Football Head Coach Mark Sander staring on at his players as they take the field against Bullitt Central. Sander has been standing on the sidelines, leading the football team since early 2016. “We may be small, but the energy we bring is electrifying, and you’ll see that on Friday Nights,” said Sander. Photo: Dane Bunel.

K

icking off the year in the best way possible.

Even with a rocky start to the season, the football team has hope for a well-structured season.

The 2018-19 Charger football season started off with an away game versus Butler High School on Aug. 24. Although coming up short in the season opener, the Chargers have since rebounded with a win against Spencer County High School, leaving the team with a long, exciting season ahead of them.

With an encouraging head coach and a fiery new group of players, there’s more to this team than you may think.

Leading the Chargers this year for his 3rd straight season, is Head Coach, Mark Sander, former linebacker at the University of Louisville (87’-90’), who remains as the schools all time leading tackler with 488 tackles. Preparing for another season with the Chargers, Sander discussed the program’s recent announcement that they will be moving to Class 6A. “We’re about to make big changes to our program so it feels right that this season should be our statement season if you wanna put it like that. We may be up against bigger 80+ rosters next fall, but I’ve been ensuring my players that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Being a coach, we’re faced with adversity any time we feel out maned, but this season expects to see a new demeanor in these Chargers and for many seasons to come,” said Sander.

A new addition to the Chargers is fFreshman quarterback Yared Raley, a young standout who vows to bring his previous success in middle school to Charger Nation. In his first three games as a high school athlete, Raley has picked up five touchdowns and over 200 yards. There is potentially a lot of pressure that comes with starting varsity so young into your high school football career. “It’s extremely nerve-wrecking, but I like the challenge. I’m being doubted a lot and I’d like to see everyone give me a chance. Once they see me out on the field, they’ll know,” said Raley. Yared is one of very few Chargers to have ever been giving a varsity position in their first year of high school. “This is our year to make a statement. Time to put these 6A schools on notice,” said Raley.

“He’s a very laid back individual [Raley],” said Assistant Coach Bryan Mullins. “He takes life very nonchalantly and has a very ‘what you see is what you get’ type of attitude, and what you see is tremendous athletic talent, good sportsmanship and a fiery passion to the game of football.”

It’s hard to tell whether technique or attitude makes a team stronger, but Coach Sander and staff remind us that it’s definitely attitude. “All the gameplans and techniques we try to teach and coach to each player is useless if you don’t have the proper attitude. You can be the most physically gifted athlete in the world, but if you don’t bring that right attitude or individual mindset to a team atmosphere, you won’t get anything done correctly,” said Sander.

When coaching any team, carrying a losing status can rub off the wrong way on a lot of people, but with a new mindset and a laid out game plan, you can expect a new and hungry team to run out on the field. Sander ignores this criticism that is aimed towards his football team and spreads positivity among his players. “Criticism doesn’t bother me at all. Many critics don’t understand the ins and outs of our football program.

Fall down 100 times, get up 101. That is the mentality we bring from this program,” said Sander.

Coach Sander wants to instill that “never give up” attitude to all his players, especially his seniors. “This is it for them. When it’s over, it’s over. Make every play count. The score might not always be going your way, but fight until the last play,” said Sander.

“Not only will they leave knowing they got the most they could learn about the X’s and O’s of the game, but in doing that, I think we take pride in teaching a young teenage boy some discipline in life. So that when he becomes a middle aged man, he can look back and say those were some great lessons and traits taught to me. That will be useful later in life,” said Sander.

With a whole new perspective of the team, Coach Sander, along with the rest of Charger Nation, expect to bring a new kind of energy on Friday nights. The RedZone hopes to see you.

22.

Truth Behind Unsuccessful Businesses In Town

by Jaiden Hammack

L

ights out for businesses who couldn’t meet customer expectations.

In Mt. Washington, it is hard to keep small businesses open.

Small restaurants such as Maggie Mae’s, Lights On and Daddy Yo’s have closed in the past year, taking away most of Mt. Washington’s small businesses. Businesses are closing for different reasons. The town can prevent future businesses closing.

“Mt. Washington is a hard place to have food businesses in.

The town isn’t big enough to keep up with what we need for restaurants,” said the city’s mayor, Barry Armstrong. With most people going out of Mt. Washington for their jobs and to do things for fun, it makes it harder to have a constant flow of business. With fewer people coming in, over time it’s not enough for businesses to pay taxes and pay their employees.

There is one spot in Mt. Washington that always loses business, which is by Mt. Washington Elementary, where Lights On used to be. “I think that Highway 44, it’s a difficult spot to get in and out of, and it makes it a bad place to put have a business,” said Lori Puchino, community planning and economic developer of Mt. Washington. Rush hour is around 5:30 p.m., and that’s usually the time people are going out to eat, especially during the week. With the traffic being bad for an hour or two, it makes it a lot more difficult to get out of the location.

The locations all closed for different reasons. “Maggie Mae’s was moving out of state, the owner of Lights On is running for public office and has a business in Shepherdsville, but I’m not 100 percent sure that’s why he closed,” said Puchino. “None of the restaurants deserved to be closed. I’m very sad about it, to say the least,” said Puchino.

Maggie Mae’s had mostly good reviews other than their menu options and how little food they had to offer. Lights On had many reviews about the service and how slow it was; many people said they waited an hour before they even got their food. Daddy Yo’s had multiple poor reviews about the facility not being sanitary and having a little staff.

“When you worked, you were by yourself, and you had to teach yourself how to do everything. It is true that it is very unsanitary; kids would come in and put their hands in the toppings and when I went right before they shut down, the guy working was scooping ice cream and holding it with no gloves on,” said former Daddy Yo’s employee Abbigail Watts.

You could get your own toppings on frozen yogurt and get as much as you wanted, but for things like ice cream and behind-the-counter items, the employees would have to get those for you.

“I knew they were eventually going to shut down and I’m surprised they stayed open so long considering all the health issues they had. People would use spoons to put a peanut butter sauce on their frozen yogurt then they would dip it into other containers,” said Watts. If someone had a peanut allergy, he or she could have definitely had an allergic reaction.

“I agreed with some of the reviews about Light On, but some were a bit harsh. I think we had too much staff, and they could have fixed the problems by lowering staff and getting new management...it was close to closing down and management was hard to deal with, so I quit,” said former Lights On employee, Emily Tinelli.

Although all the restaurants were different in many ways, from how they were ran to the type of food they served, they did have things in common. “They were providing a service to our community that is needed and serving a type of food,” said Puchino. Every restaurant was giving something to our community, especially with being a small business. “To fix the problems these restaurants had, I think people need to realize what a small business means for the community,” said Puchino.

“I think Maggie Mae’s could have been fixed with better advertising and marketing. I believe the town itself isn’t ready for something as modern as Maggie Mae’s,” said former Maggie Mae’s employee Lilly Nash. Maggie Mae’s was in a missable spot and not many talked about it. “The biggest issue they had was the attitude of the town. Several people in our town would say they support small businesses to gain public attention or as a character boost. However, they would not follow

Photo: Jaiden Hammack

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through on their claims and support them,” said Nash.

While the restaurants were still open, they were leaving an effect on the town. “They had a good effect on the community. Daddy Yo’s is something Mt. Washington didn’t really have, a frozen yogurt/ice cream store. I feel like Daddy Yo’s wasn’t in the best spot for its business; it should’ve been in walking distance from the sidewalk or somewhere with easier access.

Maggie Mae’s was a place for gathering. I was in there almost every day. People want a sit-down restaurant, and that’s what Lights On had to offer,” said Puchino. Mt. Washington doesn’t have many sit- down restaurants other than New Chinese Buffet, China Cafe, Double Dragon, El Nopal and Fiesta Mexicana .

Lights On was something different than what we already have.

“I don’t think any business closing in Mt. Washington would make it better. It’s not good for the city to have restaurants closing down,” said Puchino.

“Maggie Mae’s did not deserve to be shut down. We always had perfect health inspections, the atmosphere of the cafe was always welcoming and I had seen the toil my former employers went through to make sure it had a fun, new and exciting menu,” said Nash. Some of the few bad reviews for Maggie Mae’s said the menu was limited. “I had never seen the work ethic of my former employers. They worked non-stop from open to close and never had a day off; they were the very foundation of the restaurant,” said Nash.

Every employee said they would have continued working at the restaurant they previously worked at if the problems were fixed then. “I would have stayed if they fixed the problems because it’s easy money,” said Tinelli.

Mt.Washington is changing in ways that will make it easier for small businesses to stay, from sidewalks to roads. If a business can meet the towns expectations, it could be a success the town needs.

Key Players’ High Expectations For Football Season

by Hunter Brogan

R

unning a play for the new season, players hope for a good outcome.

The Chargers have big plans as they go into the 2018 season with new quarterback Yared Raley and other key players like Ty Hawkins.

The Chargers are coming off a 4-7 record from last season and are looking to improve. They have brought in a freshman quarterback, Raley, and are bringing back loads of returning players from last season. Senior running back Hawkins is coming back for his senior season and holds an important role for this year.

Bringing in Raley, the team hopes to improve from last season.

The new quarterback has hopes for this upcoming season to “win as much games as we can and run the offense close to perfection,” said Raley. Being the starting quarterback for the varsity football team is enough pressure as it is, but as a freshman this pressure is multiplied.“[We] worked hard at practice and studied the other teams defense,” said Raley.

With every good team comes a solid veteran player. This player is running back Hawkins, who is looking to lead the team this season. “As a senior this year, I believe my role, along with the other seniors, is to be a leader,” said Hawkins. As a senior, no matter the sport, it is good to set a good example for the younger ones. “Not just to lead by example, but being more of a vocal leader as well. Showing the underclass what it truly means to be a Bullitt East Charger,” said Hawkins.

“I really hope to be playing for and eventually winning a state championship game with my teammates,” said Hawkins. A state championship would be significant for this program and for the community. “I’d like to instill pride back into our program as well as getting the student body and Bullitt East community to rally behind the team again,” said Hawkins.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Bullitt East football and how the program will shape itself over the years.

Photo: Jaiden Hammack

Photo: Rebecca Watts

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Mayor’s View On Future of Mt. Washington

by Ainsley Gordon

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M

t. Washington is out with the old and in with the new.

As this town continues to grow, Mayor Barry Armstrong has made plans to accommodate for the inevitable changes to be seen in the near future.

Founded in 1833, Mt. Washington has changed a lot since that time. Armstrong, who has been mayor since 2015, has enforced many projects through his time in his current position and when he was on the city council. The future of this once small town holds many plans from Armstrong as he prepares for his next term as mayor.

Since his early adulthood, Armstrong has been involved in all things Mt. Washington. “I was born here, a long time ago. I went to high school here in Mt. Washington and I was manager of a bank here in Mt. Washington for a long time. And from the time I was twenty five years old, up until 2015, I’ve been on the city council of Mt. Washington. So that was about forty years I was on the city council... I always had the idea that at some point in time, I’d like to be mayor... I love Mt. Washington, let me say, my family, I had eight brothers and sisters and we lived here, played basketball here... I just love Mt. Washington and I just want to be a part of it and see what I can do to make it better,” said Armstrong.

Sitting next to one of the largest cities in Kentucky, Mt. Washington seems like a relatively small city. There is only one high school, two grocery stores and one movie theater. However, the growth of this town becomes more apparent when looking at where it began. According to the Mt. Washington home page, “Mount Washington was incorporated in 1833 and at that time, contained 3 churches, 2 schools, 6 stores, and groceries, 5 doctors, 2 taverns, and 12 mechanical trades.

The population at that time was approximately 700 people as pointed out in the printing of the History of Kentucky in 1847

by Lewis Collins.”

Even over 100 years after the town was founded, many things were different than they are today. “When I first started on city council here, as in 1968, we were getting water out of the Salt River... So finally in about 1973, we decided to do something about the water and to do something about the sewer lines too... We got financing, and we were able to bring water from Louisville... We have an unending supply of water and it’s top notch, pure, it’s just good water. And then at the same time, when I started in office, we had lateral fields... and if your lateral field aren’t working properly, all that sewage could come up on top of the ground... At the same time we had the water lines going in and getting that straightened up, we put new municipal sewer lines in... It’s like maybe 10,000 houses that we serve with water and we serve probably 6,000 houses with sewer treatment,” said Armstrong.

The constant growth and changes haven’t stopped over the 184 years since its founding. During these past few years, large structural changes have been implemented into the town’s layout.

The first major recent change is the new recreational sports complex. This idea was first implemented in early 2015 and is opening on Oct. 27 of this year. It will include athletic fields and

courts including football, soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball and more. A splash park and amphitheatre will also be featured at this new park.

“I was kind of a dream I’ve had for a long time... to have Mt. Washington have its own sports park and complex... It’s about ready to open. Grass is green out there... it’s going to beautiful. I can’t wait for people to get out there and start enjoying it,” said Armstrong.

With the addition of the park, the mayor hopes that it will rapidly increase the growth of the town of Mt. Washington in a financial aspect. “We’ve already got some tournaments from little leagues and so on that have already agreed to start wanting to play here... We think that with that challenge coming in, that people are going to want to come here to see their kids play and they’re going to be from out of state and I think it’s going to bring in a hotel or two, bring in more restaurants,” said Armstrong.

For easier access to the park and around town in general, the mayor is planning on adding many walkways and bike paths.

“We’re going to have a multi-bike trail and a path for bicycles and a pedestrian walkway for people to be able to walk down to the park... And we’d like to get a sidewalk and a path out through there (the skate park), over where kids can get over to that park,” said Armstrong.

The second change in Mt. Washington actually took place this year. The current water towers which only currently hold 250,000 gallons of water each are being replaced by a taller concrete tank that holds 2 million gallons of water by itself.

The constant growth of this town has attributed to the rising uniqueness. “I think we’ve kind of grown into being kind of special... and I think we’ve just been lucky to get a good solid citizen base here and I’m finding out that just like last year or two years ago Bullitt East was selected as one of the top ten schools in the state of Kentucky. And it wasn’t just that, it’s all the feeder schools... they are national schools of attention, they get all that attention all throughout the nation And what can you say we’ve got the best sports out at Bullitt East: football, basketball, girls basketball championships. We’ve had two of the state wide best basketball players in women in the state of Kentucky... that’s crazy, but it’s all happened right here. So it’s just got to be people living here... they’re just good, strong people that want to do well,” said Armstrong.

Mt. Washington has been changing from the moment it was founded and the mayor has plans on how it will be evolving in the future. “Right now there’s a plan for an outer belt from I-65 in Shepherdsville to come all the way up on the south side of Mt. Washington, a four lane highway and go all the way up into Spencer County and go all the way up to I-64 and connect with I-71. And the state has put 2 million dollars to check into that and see what it would take to get that done and if it’s feasible, which is a good sign,” said Armstrong.

As mayors serve four year terms, Armstrong was coming to the close of his first term in January. However, when elections came around, he ran unopposed, so he will be starting his second term at the beginning of 2019.

Mayor Barry Armstrong sitting in his office at Mt. Washington City Hall. At City Hall, the Mayor and the other employees manage any complaints that the citizens of Mt. Washington address. “I like to make sure that our employees are answering our citizens, (that) the citizens are being take care of and that they’re being responded to when they need help... (the employees) do a great job,” said Armstrong. Photo: Ainsley Gordon.

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Traffic Solutions For Future

by Morgan Harbolt

Photo: Morgan Harbolt

O

n the road again... for the next hour, so you better not be in a hurry.

Just like Willie Nelson’s song, students can’t wait to get on the road again and go home, but they still have to wait in traffic on U.S. Highway 44.

Traffic on U.S. Highway 44 is always backed up before and after school. Student parking passes are hard to come by. Staff is open to future plans to make traffic better.

School starts at 7:20 a.m. every single morning, Monday through Friday. Buses leave the school after dropping kids off at 6:50 a.m. If a student is caught in traffic around that time, they’re going to have a hard time getting to school. Traffic on U.S. Highway 44 in the mornings is backed up on both sides of the school.

Traffic is just as bad in the afternoon. “In the afternoon the parking lot is hectic. I take a left down 44, so luckily I don’t have to wait forever,” said Senior Savannah Kruse.

There are open lots in between the school and Kroger. Ideas of buying those lots and using them for more parking spots have arose. “I think that would be good, but the amount of money that would cost would be crazy,” said Kruse.

“It would be a district thing to buy those. The school is not the one to buy that property. I know that the school board inquired about buying the house for sale that is next to the school, but I think the person who owned it was trying to gouge the price up if I remember correctly,” said Assistant Principal Tim Ridley.

After school, students can’t get out of the parking lot until 15-20 minutes after school is let out due to the overcrowded parking lot. “I’m not a fan. It takes forever to get home, and the fact that I live so far away doesn’t help. I feel like I sit in the same spot forever,” said junior Bri Tipton.

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This creates a problem for students who have work after school. Once they get out onto the road, they have another 10 minutes just to get to a good speed. This also creates a problem for community members who are just trying to get to work themselves and get caught up in the after-school traffic.

Every year, every student who is driving is desperate for a parking spot. The school’s student parking lot just isn’t big enough for everyone. To get a parking spot, students must apply through a google form. Even then, they can’t get a spot if they don’t have good attendance or if they are failing a class.

There are no set future plans for the school traffic pattern.

“With traffic patterns, I’m open to suggestion. If somebody has a suggestion they can bring it to me and I’ll listen to them,” said Ridley.

A big problem with the traffic is that there are only two entrances into the school from the main road. “I think we should have a second exit put in so not everyone is trying to get out and go in at the same spot at once,” said Kruse.

There are ways around some of the traffic. A lot of students will cut through the Twelve Oaks neighborhood to skip most of the U.S. Highway 44 traffic. Although, they still have to wait a while once they’re back on the other side of U.S. Highway 44.

Friendships Formed in the Classroom

by Lindsey Spencer

T

he bonds featured in school go beyond those learned in chemistry.

Strong relationships formed in the classroom between a student and a teacher are found often in high school.

There are certain qualities of a teacher that can draw a student in and encourage them to form a strong bond with that teacher. Both the student and the teacher can gain valuable life lessons from a relationship like this. Sometimes, it can go beyond high school and create a lasting friendship.

A lot of students go through high school looking for someone to guide them through the trials and tribulations of these hectic four years. If they’re lucky, they find themselves drawn to a specific teacher or administrator that they truly connect with. This teacher can be a mentor and a friend to a student who may not have a reliable adult that they can confide in, or just someone outside their family who can help with school and future decisions.

Senior Josh Wetzel said of social studies teacher Sue Roe, ”She actually cares if [her students] learn.” Wetzel has had Roe as a teacher for five classes throughout high school, and even decided to be an aide for her this year.

Wetzel said, “She always asks about my life...she’s really helpful with going forward in college.”

things when it comes to learning. When there is such a strong relationship, both the student and the teacher can reap benefits from it.

Wetzel said, “I think [teachers] can be huge resources whenever people are going out into the world after high school.”

Teachers have done their time in secondary education so they can be extremely helpful by giving advice to seniors in the process of figuring out their future. Having an adult who is aware of their strengths, weaknesses, interests and potential in a school environment can give the student a different perspective on their plans after high school. Many freshmen are urged to find a teacher they can bond with to become their mentor throughout high school because it is a time in their life where advice, guidance and reassurance from multiple adults is essential.

Even outside of the emotional factor, being able to comfortably speak with adults such as teachers prepares a student for inevitable encounters with people like professors and employers. Hall mentioned this when he said, “It also provides certain social skills to talk with an older person than people your age and it teaches maturity.”

Teachers can also benefit from such relationships. In a society where most educators feel disconnected from their students, bonding with Former College and Career Readiness Coordinator Wendy McCutcheon and senior Jacob Hall a select few can give them pose jokingly to show their friendship. This pair has formed a strong relationship throughout Hall’s high school years. “Jacob is a self motivated young man...who can see ahead of what first hand insight into how needs to be done,” says McCutcheon of why she admires Hall. Photo: Ethan Neutz.

Senior Jacob Hall has aided students want and need to for College and Career Readlearn. It’s important that iness coordinator Wendy McCutcheon since his freshman year. educators be able to adapt to their students’ opinions and new Hall said of McCutcheon, “She’s always honest; she’s always learning styles, and they can do so by creating these bonds been willing to give constructive criticism.” This is significant with their students. for a student as they work through their four years and can use all the help they can get.

Sometimes a student-teacher relationship formed in high school can endure past graduation. 2016 graduate Haley Many students look for teachers that are genuine and caring, Steinmetz has a very close connection to social studies teacher especially pertaining to issues outside of school. As a young April Walker and has since her freshman year of high school. adult, it can sometimes be difficult to discuss some situations Steinmetz said, “As I’ve moved further and further beyond with parents, and it is extremely comforting to know that they high school, we’ve stayed close and she’s still just as real with have someone to turn to outside of their home that they can me as she’s always been.” be open and truthful with. Teachers who express concern and interest in a student’s life appeal easily to those who don’t Roe feels very strongly about the bonds she forms with her necessarily get that kind of attention at home. students. During her interview, she picked up a framed picture of one of her past classes and said, “This is why we do what It’s also critical that the student reciprocates the sincerity. we do.” The job of an educator is to not only teach students, Teachers are drawn to kids who show enthusiasm and curiosity but to ensure the prosperity of these students after high when it comes to learning. Roe said, when trying to bond with school. her students, she looks for those who are open to trying new

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Lady Chargers’ Soccer Family

by Morgan Harbolt Sophomore Ellie Poole and junior Brooke Montague high-fiving before the start of a game. The Lady Chargers always show support as the starting players are called onto the field. Senior Carly O’Neill said, “As a team, I like to think that we are respectful, good sports whether win or lose, and I think that no matter how close each person is to another, we are all sisters.” Picture submitted by: Zak Perdew.

H

ome away from home is a 100 yard long strip of green grass for these girls.

The Lady Chargers soccer team has done an outstanding job this season and coming together as a family is what it took.

Being a successful team in any sport takes more than talent.

It took a full team effort from coaches and players to get to where they are now. Commitment, family and bonding all played into this teams season.

This year the Lady Charges have 3 seniors who are team captains. Carly O’Neill who plays forward, Madison Gregory who plays midfield , and Carly Witt who plays defensive midfield.

Going from a record of 14-11-1 last year to 11-4 so far this year is a big difference. Witt said, “This season we’ve played a lot harder competition and we’ve done pretty well.”

Seven days a week the girls soccer team spends time together, whether it’s on or off the field. Practices or team bonding, it doesn’t matter. This has shown to be very helpful this season.

Head coach Steve Gentry said, “We have one of our best teams this season. 11-4 at this point.” Playing a highschool sport takes up a lot of student’s time and is a major commitment. To these students it’s more than a game, it has to be, for them to be successful.

The girls have come across teams that on paper they were expected to fall significantly , but they gave the opposing teams a run for their money. Junior on the team Tayler Mahoney said, “Steve (head coach) likes to have a hard schedule because we are good for it. Number one team in the state? Yeah, we’re playing them. 5 other top 10 teams in the state? Yep, catch us on the field with them. Last year we played Owensboro Catholic... and I believe they were 10th in the state. Last year we got mercy ruled... 11-1 by them. This year, being seed 61, we came out and held them to only 2 goals. We never gave up and never for a second did we allow Owensboro Catholic to believe it was an easy game.” The mercy rules defines that if a team is leading with ten points after the first half, then the game is called early.

Last season the team lost to E-Town 8-0, and this year they lost 2-0. Showing major improvements in their performance.

O’Neill said, “What’s different this season is not only that we have a very talented group of girls, but that when we play, we play as a team instead of as individuals. That is what makes us so successful.”

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Although, the team sometimes feel like they are easily overlooked. Witt said, “We’re underrated, we work so hard during the off season and spend pretty much every day at Bullitt East or on a soccer field somewhere. We’re going to win districts and regions this year hopefully but no one comes to our games and they’re barely announced. When they are they’re even wrong sometimes or a few days late. Were one of the best teams at Bullitt East right now and we don’t get enough credit.”

Participating as a team and trusting each other to do their part is necessary for a good season. Gregory said, “The chemistry this year is overall better because of our bond, but not only that, also that we all trust each other and nobody really has any problems with each other.”

Bonding activities are important to create a connection off the field in order to have good communication on the field. O’Neill said, “Obviously we spend everyday together, so it’s easy to bond, but we also have multiple team parties each season.

Which just lets us have fun together.”

The coaches have been a big reason why the team is so close.

Gregory said, “The coaches organize pretty much everything we do with the team. Every bonfire and every activity is organized by the coaches.”

The community of the team is built solely off of family, whether that is blood or not. O’Neill said, “Our coaches come up with new things to make us better. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t. This year Steve’s [Gentry] daughter Amy, a former BE player, joined as an assistant coach, and she has brought a new perspective as someone who knows what it’s like to be on the field with this specific team.” Coach Gentry’s daughter is someone who the girls can relate to and are familiar with, because she was a player on the team just like them. It is also beneficial in the fact that she can be the middleman between the team and Coach Gentry in situations that the girls feel like they can’t communicate with Coach Gentry on their own.

Throughout this season the team has become the most bonded they have ever been. Coach Gentry said, “They play harder for their friends.” When a team becomes more than just students who signed up to play a sport ,and they become a community, is when their performance takes off.

Becoming a community and a family has made all the difference for these Chargers.

Good and Bad of Houses Staff Editorial

E

very house has its own issues.

Houses are groups within the school whose intentions are to get students more involved.

The main goal of houses is to unite each grade level within the school by meeting in shortened class periods twice a month.

Although they have great intentions, there is room for improvement. House masters are taking into consideration all of the concerns and suggestions regarding houses.

Right now, there are four houses total. Each house is separated by grade level. The house names for freshmen is Fortis, sophomores are Thorohauntas, juniors are Spero and seniors Pisti.

Houses are intended to unify the school and give students the opportunity to be more involved. “Houses give everyone at school a way to connect and have school spirit. Yes, we have a lot of students who play sports and are involved in clubs but there are always students that struggle to do those things and this provides an easy opportunity,” said Spero headmaster Erica Capito.

One reason houses may not be as successful as they could be is student participation in the houses. “In my opinion, houses are a huge benefit to students. I know it can be difficult for some students to see that benefit right away, but the best way for them to benefit from it is to actually try and participate and be positive about the house system. Now that the houses are per class level, it provides them to spend time with their own grade. It also provides them time to participate in something for school with students they might not see or associate with on a regular basis,” said Capito.

There is still confusion throughout the school on what the main focus of houses really are. Last year, the main focus appeared to be senior projects. Once a month throughout the school year, students met in houses and focused on editing their charger way websites. “I think we need to clarify what the goal of houses is. I don’t think there’s a clear goal we are trying to achieve,” said math teacher, Debbie Pitcock.

Houses have a lot of potential and can serve as a great advantage to students. “I personally think that houses have unified the school more, I’ve seen friendships made in my house room specifically. I think that houses have improved since my freshman year, they’re a lot more organized and better for students,” said junior Carson Armstrong.

One concern is the size of each of the four houses. “I think we need about twenty houses to make them smaller. That way you have fewer people, so you can do more things together as groups where everyone gets to participate. Right now, we have three hundred people in a house so when you try to do an activity, you end up with one hundred people standing off to the side not doing anything. Whereas if you had a house of fifty people, it’s much more manageable,” said Pitcock.

One issue students have is the short amount of time they get during houses. “My biggest complaint when it comes to houses is how short they are. Since they are only 35 minutes, I feel like I go into my house, sit down, listen to my teacher talk for like twenty minutes about something that’s going on right now and then i just set around and wait to leave,” said Armstrong.

One suggestion is to make more school activities based around houses. “I also think, for an example, right now I can’t name the four houses because I don’t think there is an emphasis on them. With us being in houses based on classes we still tend to say ‘the freshman class’ or ‘the sophomore class’ but we don’t say ‘the Fortis house’. If we want to truly ingrain this into our culture, everything we do needs to be based on houses. When we did high attendance day, it shouldn’t have been the teacher with the highest attendance homeroom gets to have the pizza party it should’ve been the house with the highest attendance.

Everything should be built around houses,” said Pitcock.

Although there are some concerns with houses, headmasters listen to student complaints and take them into consideration.

“I am a headmaster and over the summer at the headmasters meeting, we came up with a lot of really great ideas. We had to make sure the students voice is heard when they had suggestions or complaints about last year. We did take those into account and you’ll see some new stuff coming this year,” said Capito.

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