Livewire Vol 5 Issue 2 November 2014 by Livewire

BMX Boys

friends to the Planning vs

End(zone) living

FUTURE

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Contents

November 2014 Volume 5, Issue 2

Student Life

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Friends to the Endzone | Seniors Alex Elkins and Pierce Kelly have been friends forever, and even play the same two sports. Student, Athlete, Mother | Sophomore Alexis Nalley opens up about being a high school student and mother.

Adult Responsibilities in a Teenage World | Terra Riggs is one student at East trying to balance two jobs, school, a sport, and taking care of her family. Dress Code | The reasons behind the recent dress code issues. Bowling Alley Transformation | The reason behind the bowling alley closing and what it means for PE at Bullitt East.

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Sports

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Sports Loyalty | Some athletes at East have played the same sport since middle school. Attitude vs. Skill | What contributes more to a team’s success: attitude or skill? BMX Boys | A look at one group of students whose passion is often overlooked. Marching Band | From four hour practices to concerts and competitions, marching band is one aspect of East that puts in tons of work and doesn’t get enough recognition.

11 Academics

Pathways at East | The reason East doesn’t have more pathways and what it would take to get more.

No Degree Necessary | Some students at East plan to go straight into a career instead of college.

20 22 The Time is 23 Now 24

Community Service | The best local places to volunteer for service hours.

Opinion

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Planning vs. Living | Jessica Mattingly offers her view on whether now is the time to live or to plan. Is The Time Really Now? | The editorial board discusses whether or not what you do today affects your tomorrow. Dating in High School | Do high schoolers get into relationships for the right or wrong reasons?

Layout: Kim Flaherty and Eric Sanchez NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 3

Students With Jobs | Reasons behind why students try to balance jobs in high school.

advisor editor-in-chief executive editor assistant executive editor business & advertising cocopy editor cocopy editor copy editor copy editor copy editor sports editor

Larry Steinmetz Haley Steinmetz Layne Cutler Eliza Love Allison Drake Rachel Grant Isaac Shelton Jessica Mattingly Lindsay Renneisen Sydney Riley Grant Skaggs

staff writers Tiffany Prell Kim Flaherty Gavin Blain Brooke Collins Jasmine Meeks Derek Rogers Brooke Hawkins

Taylor Hollifield Savanah Hagan Luke Young Eric Sanchez Haley Snyder Brennah Denkhoff

Livewire was re-founded in 2001 by journalism teacher, Larry Steinmetz. In the past, the Livewire has been a weekly newspaper, but moved to a newsmagazine published five times a year in 2011. The staff remains committed to bringing the Bullitt East community the most up to date news in a quality format and timely manner. To get breaking news, sports updates, and more go online to belivewire.com. The staff appreciates your patronage and, as a public forum, encourages any feedback 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 324 within one week of the publication to which you are responding. Letters will not be censored, but must be deemed appropriate by the editor and advisor in order to be published. In order to be eligible to appear in the paper, all letters must be signed and verifiable. Names can be withheld upon request, but must be submitted with the original letter. Livewire is published by the students and for the students of Bullitt East High School, E-mailing Mr. Steinmetz directly is the best way to reach the staff. His address is larry. steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us. The Livewire is printed by Publishers Printing Company. Bullitt East High School 11450 Highway 44 East, Mount Washington, Kentucky, 40047. (502) 869-6400.

Don’t Wait | When to start planning your future and how to get ahead. Underclassmen, Too | It’s never too early to get started on the future.

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Student Life

Pierce & Alex

friends to the endzone

BY DEREK ROGERS

derek.rogers108@gmail.com I @derek_rogers_

good friend has heard your best stories, but a best friend has lived them with you.

Alex Elkins and Pierce Kelly have a great bond on and off the field. Many have wondered how Kelly and Elkins met and why they are such good friends, as well as how they became friends.The two are neighbors and teammates, and enjoy playing Xbox together. Both boys agree that football and cheer helps the friendship thrive. “Honestly it’s because of video games,” East senior Kelly said, “ He was like my first friend, too. When I moved here he introduced me to a lot of people and helped me make friends.” Kelly moved to Mount Washington and began attending Eastside Middle School in the 6th grade, after previously attending Freedom Elementary. While most friendships have many ups and downs, or possibly a complete separation, Elkins and Kelly both say that they always November 2014

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get along. Kelly even claims that they have “Netflix dates” . Elkins says, “All throughout middle school and ending sophomore year, all me and Pierce did was play Xbox together. We would bring our Xbox’s and TV’s to each other’s houses almost every weekend and stay up all night playing.”

“It can get troublesome at times, but really our friendship is too strong and it won’t ever break.” - Pierce Kelly Elkins and Kelly aren’t the only ones who acknowledge video games as a reason for their friendship. Robert Hartley, senior at Bullitt East and running back on the football team, said, “I think they’re friends because

they’re neighbors and they play a lot of Xbox together.” But, even this relationship has its problems. “It was during a winter. He was already having a bad day, and I hit him in the face with a snowball; he didn't talk to me for a while,” said Elkins. “I didn’t talk to him for like three weeks, but then he brought me flowers and chocolate,” said Elkins. Similar to many friendships, sports play a huge part in their friendship. Both have been playing football their whole lives. They even played basketball together for multiple years. “Well me and him(Pierce) have been on the same football and basketball team since we were eight,” said Elkins. Kelly had also joined the cheerleading team recently, something that Elkins was already apart of. said “It’s alright because he did it last year, so I’m like his young Pad-a-won. Basically, he’s my mentor,” said Kelly. Elkins said, “Just call me Obi-wan.” Clearly, this is a very unique friendship. www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:57:51 PM

>> student life

It is widely known that Elkins and Kelly play on the same football team, but they also played on the same Parks and Recreation basketball team. Cruise Coulter, a 2014 graduate of Bullitt East who played wide receiver on the football team and was on their Parks and Rec basketball team this past year, said, “I think since they have always been playing with each other in their neighborhood; they’ll always have great chemistry.” Their positions in football appear to show their chemistry as well. Kelly is a quarterback/ running back, though he mainly plays quarterback. Elkins plays wide receiver. Nearly all good quarterback and wide receiver combinations have great chemistry, like Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, a lethal quarterback/ wide receiver combination.

helps or affects it [Our relationship]. We are friends no matter what position we play,” said Elkins. He also said, “We haven't [fought] in any games so far, and I don’t think we will in any games we have yet to play.” However, Kelly said, “It can get troublesome at times, but really our friendship is too strong and it won’t ever break.” Whether the friendship becomes weak or stays strong, they will always be remembered as friends to the endzone.

However, this friendship won’t be affected by football. “Well I don’t really think it [footbal] Layout: Kim Flaherty and Derek Rogers NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 5

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student, athlete, mother by j a s m i n e m eeks

jasminemeeks1@gmail.com | @jasmine_meeks

tudent, athlete, and parent; Alexis Nalley and her friends believe she is doing it all.

Sophomore Alexis Nalley has three main focuses: Getting an education, playing soccer for Bullitt East, and coming home to be a mother to her one year old son, Aiden. On a regular day, Nalley’s schedule is jammed tight. She can’t leave any of tasks out because she would either fail her son, her teacher, or her coach. So, these factors are too important to skip. Nalley’s plans for the future are bright, as she plans doing things most teen moms don’t get the chance to do. In addition to these factors, her point of view has changed drastically since her son was born.

the Lady Chargers soccer team. Nalley sometimes starts varsity as the goalie. Playing time between her and Laura Brown, junior is split. In the stands you’ll see her mom, grandma, and Aiden cheering her on. “Lexie’s grandma is our team’s number one fan”, said sophomore Dawson Mattingly, teammate of Nalley. “There was one time though that she asked the head coach if she could go give her baby a hug before the game. We won the game, and

“There is a short list of people who could trade places with Alexis on and off of the field.” - Daniel Rock

Nalley’s schedule is different than most teenagers will ever be. “First I go to school, come home from school, play with Aiden, go to soccer, come home from soccer, feed Aiden, give Aiden a bath, put Aiden to bed, do my homework, and then I finally get some rest,” said Nalley. Aiden is two fifths of the tasks that Nalley does every day. So, that’s two fifths of her time taken up that most teenagers don’t have to worry about.

Aiden heckled the other team”, said Rock.

In addition to being a mother, Nalley is also an athlete here at BE, she is on the Lady Chargers soccer team. “Alexis is one heck of a goalie”, said Daniel Rock, assistant coach for

For Nalley’s first year of high school she went to TAPP (Teenage Parent Program), which is designed to prevent school dropout due to teen pregnancy and parenting. The program

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is offered to middle and high school pregnant and parenting students residing in the area. “I had a great teacher at TAPP that helped me a lot,” said Nalley. This teacher was Melissa Speakman. She now teaches here at BE, teaching child/human development, parenting, Child Development Services I, and Child Development Services II. For college, Nalley plans to attend the University of Sullivan to become a pharmacist. Right now, Nalley is setting her focus on graduating high school and spending time with Aiden. Zach Riley, senior at BE and Aiden’s father, said “I plan on marrying Alexis after she graduates.” Nalley’s point of view on life has changed when she gave birth to Aiden over a year ago and is still changing today. Riley and her do not get to do things normal teenage couples get to do. “Aiden has changed my point of view. He made me realize what’s important and what isn’t. When I found out I was pregnant I immediately knew I had to put his needs before mine,” said Nalley. Nalley and Riley’s relationship is still strong, as well. “We have our little arguments, but at the end of the day we’re a family, and nothing can change that,” said Nalley. So, Nalley has a set plan for her future and she believes her views on life will help her achieve her goals she has set. www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:57:57 PM

>> student life

ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES IN A TEENAGE WORLD by R a c h e l G r a n t

rachelgrantt@gmail.com | rachel_grantt

e don't all get to live the teenage dream.

One BEHS student balances two jobs and school work all while supporting her family. 17 year old, Terra Riggs has to keep up with two jobs and stay on top of her academics. Along with keeping her grades up, she loves to dance and spend time with her family.. She balances her academic, social, and family life all by staying driven and determined to be the best she can be. Most teenagers think that their high school years are the most stressful of their lives. Homework, extra-curricular activities, work, friends, and family is a lot to have on your plate at 17 years old. Riggs, a senior, has a lot more to handle than the average student. Riggs takes two AP classes- AP psychology and AP english IV. “She’s a genius. She helps me with my homework and stays on top of her own,” says her boyfriend Chase Askins. Academics being her first priority, her two jobs are scheduled around her school life. Riggs works at Hometown Pizza and Spencer County Elite Dance Studio. “On top of her regular classes at school, she is

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also involved in other activities such as NHS and the BE dance team,” states her friend, Ashley Wise. Other than school and work, Riggs has family matters she has to deal with also. Her mother has stage four Lymphoma and is going through chemotherapy, while her grandmother has melanoma. Riggs’ parents got divorced her freshman year. She sees her dad most Fridays when they have time to be together. A lot of the housework is Riggs’ responsibility since her mother feels ill often.

“Riggs has the type of personality that just doesn’t want to give up.” - Ashley Wise When she isn't at home or work she loves to spend her time at the dance studio. Riggs has been dancing since she was four years

old. She’s on the Bullitt East dance team and dances at Spencer County Elite Dance Studio. Riggs said, “Dancing is my escape from reality.” It helps her get away from all the stress, and allows her to focus on something she has a passion for. “Her friends and family are her motivators to be honest,” said Riggs' friend Gabby Childress. They help her out physically whenever possible and are always there to support her when she’s feeling down. "All of Terra's friends and I are always there whenever she needs us to physically do something or just cheer her up," says Askins. Childress states, “Terra is a very driven and determined individual.” "Riggs has the type of personality that just doesn’t want to give up. Most of her motivation comes from the person she has created herself to be." says Webb. She spends an appropriate amount of time in each aspect of her life. Riggs keeps her head up and looks for the opportunity to stay successful and make her teen years the best they can be.

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D ress D o wn D isaster by ky l e i g h p a y n e

kyleigh.payne@stu.bullitt.kyschools.us | @kyleigh_payne

o big, or go home.

Students at Bullitt East have had a big problem with dress code. The dress code has definitely become stricter than previous years. If you disobey dress code you can end up in Isap. The BE students all have different opinions about the dress code. “Good Morning Charger Nation. It has come to my attention that we have had many issues with dress code lately.” said Willie Foster many times these past few months. Students have heard that over the announcements continuously. Students have been sent to isap for wearing flip flops, sweatpants, leggings, shorts, or jeans with a rip. Some students do not even know what is appropriate to wear to school. Bullitt East has been cracking down on students not in dress code. Some think the discipline on dress down this year has become stricter than previous years. Sophomore Jacob Snyder stated “ Dress code should be strict to keep everyone in order.” Teachers are more aware of what students are wearing and have become more cautious to the outfits around them. Lauren Perkins (11) suggests, “ Dress code should be more lenient, I think we should be

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able to wear shorts and sweatpants whenever we want.” There is only one serious consequence for disobeying dress code, Isap. Perkins commented, “No its not too harsh because it’s a rule and if you break it then you will get the consequences.” On dress down days students may notice there are a lot of girls in Isap for wearing leggings or shorts that aren’t appropriate for school. Sophomore, Jenny Robertson said, “Leggings and yoga pants should be allowed on dress down days as long as nothing is hanging out and everything is covered.” Many girls would agree with this statement but some think they are a distraction. Students may or may not think that Isap is difficult.

Robertson says “ There are so many restrictions because some guys eyes wander.” But other students have a different opinion. Snyder said, “It distracts the teacher, so yoga pants should not be allowed.” Whether you think that the dress code is perfect as it is, the student body has many different views. Dress code is a huge issue that Bullitt East faces. Rules and teachers are becoming stricter on dress code. The consequence is still going to Isap even though many students don’t find that to be a punishment. The student body has many different opinions on the dress code. If there are any problems to solve, it’s going to take a while due to the different opinions of everyone.

Bullitt East students have choice things to say about the dress code. Students can hear it during lunch, in the bathrooms, at events, in classes, and all over social media. A main problem is yoga pants being worn by girls. “ I don’t think leggings are a distraction, I think it’s a distraction when they make a big deal about them,” stated Perkins. www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:01 PM

>> student life

BOWLING ALLEY TRANSFORMATION by G a v i n B l a i n

gavin.blain@gmail.com | @brother_blain

he bowling alley may be missed by some, but others may enjoy a new gymnastics facility. One person who will miss the local bowling alley will be Becky Todd, the East bowling team head coach, who said, “We will miss Bullitt East Bowling Center in every way. This is a small community that supports our students. Bill, owner of Bullitt East Bowling Center, and the Bullitt East Bowl staff played a huge part in this for many years both through the school and personally.” On the other hand, there are other people who believe a new gymnastics facility would be beneficial, while others believe the bowling alley was a tragic loss. Joetta Calhoun, mayor of Mt. Washington, said, “I believe it is a great addition to the community and one that will allow many young people an opportunity to participate who are currently unable to do so because of location.” Due to the closing of the Bullitt East Bowling Center, the Bullitt East Bowling team found a new home at Fern Bowl. Senior Kyra Banta, who has been bowling her entire high school career, said, “I think it is better for us skill wise to go somewhere better, such as Fern Bowl.” As for the reason the bowling alley closed, Calhoun suspects it is due to a decline in clientele or health issues, but she is not certain.

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Sports

photo credits to endeavor staff

SPORTS LOYALTY AND EARLY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES by G r a n t S k a ggs

cg.skaggs11@gmail.com | @gucci___guap

“Y

ou can never win if you never begin.”

Athletes have been participating in Bullitt East sports programs for years, but before their high school career, some athletes began their loyalty to sports in middle school and beyond. There are many reasons and influences to choosing a sport. Answers can vary with how far athletes want to take the sport through their high school years and after. Although, with all these sports comes the impact on school life and life on the outside. Everyone has their significances for starting and sticking with a sport. Some can start from self motivation, while others can start from looking up to a coach. Students can sway to a sport for just the fun of the game, or just to try new things. Senior volleyball player Jennifer Cischke, who has made it to her seventh season at Bullitt East said, “ At the very beginning I was just playing for fun. I was really interested in trying new sports, but pretty much every coach I’ve had has had an influence on me in different respects. And I’m super competitive and just really self motivated to be the best one on the court.”

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Sophomore golfer Zach Taylor said, “My dad and both my grandpa’s played, so I wanted to. My grandpa built a little golf course so I could practice when I can’t make it to the course.” A decision that is made by most athletes is how far they want to take their sport. Some athletes don’t plan on taking their sport and interest past high school, but others consider sticking with it after high school and trying to earn a scholarship for college. Senior football player Austin Colvin said, “Well I want to go to college and play, but I still have to get that scholarship or either try to walk-on somewhere, but I still just want to play in college.” Cischke said, “When I started up through freshman year I was hoping to play after high school, but I’m definitely hanging it up after this year. I might coach for a club through college at least, but that’s it.” Although, as success comes, challenges are always up ahead. There are some effects of having dedication to a sport. Those effects can be within or outside of school. It’s the battle between your school life and social life. Sophomore soccer player Christian Foster said, “My biggest challenges are balancing my time, and just trying to be the best athlete

I can be. I challenge myself to play for the team, and that I do everything I can to make the team better.” Sophomore basketball player Lindsey Duvall said, “Basketball has impacted me to try as hard as I can with anything and everything, and to be the best.” There, in most cases, will always be a loss of time for many things. An athlete can lose time in their education, social life, and free time. Time management is a necessity skill for most athletes. Cischke said, “The amount of time put into volleyball does add stress to my education, but it’s just all about time management and effort. I don’t let my grades slip, I take AP classes, and this year I’m taking classes at JCTC and working all at the same time. So it doesn’t have a huge effect on my in-school life. I don’t let it.” Many athletes are devoted to their sport, and have been for years. Some of those athletes are driven by outside influences and others are driven by self motivation. There is a lot that goes into playing a sport other than just practicing and competing.

www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:07 PM

eavor staff

>> sports

getcha head in the game

by l u ke yo u n g

clyoung1234@gmail.com | @camlyoung

ou can run the plays, and go to the practices but if your attitude isn’t right you won’t win.

Attitude and skill are needed for a team to be successful. The student athletes at Bullitt East have a big focus attitude. The coaches at Bullitt East also think that attitude is a big part of our teams. The community is impacted with the output of skill and attitude.

score of 74 at regionals, and Hunter Simmons, senior. Downs said , “Zach leads by example, and Hunter leads by example as well as helping people.” Head football coach Darrell Vincent, said that it is a combination of skill and attitude that makes a team successful. When asked which one he would increase in his current team he responded, “either or. This year we don’t really have an attitude problem.”

Sonny Foreman, a member of the Bullitt East golf team, after being asked if attitude or skill contributed more said, “Attitude, if a really good player gets mad his scores could go way up.”

Vincent also said that there is not a single team leader, but captains. There have been eight captains this season. Vincent said it was hard to pick out players with good skill because there were too many. He said that “the younger players have grown, generally.”

Foreman also said that he needs to work on his attitude so he can help lower the team score. In the regional match the boys golf team had a team score of 318. Foreman and his coach Kyle downs both said that they would increase attitude in the team if they could choose between attitude and skill. Foreman said that “we all try to take responsibility of being leaders.”

Parents of athletes wish to see growth in their child’s skill and attitude. Like Vincent said the players are growing. The goal for most coaches is for the players to get better with every minute of practice. This doesn’t just help our team, it helps our community. People will talk about the upset game on Friday night forever.

Coach Downs said that in his mind the two people who stuck out as leaders were Zach Taylor, sophomore, who led the team with a

In the end, it isn’t just skill or attitude. It has to be a mixture of both for a team to succeed.

photo credits to endeavor staff

Layout: Grant Skaggs, Luke Young, and Kim Flaherty NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 11

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“Riding bikes and doing tricks is what we do. All day, every day.” -Tyler Teague

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www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:14 PM

BMX BOYS

>> sports

by S yd n ey R i l ey

sydney.riley99@gmail.com | @sydgirl99

iking up the Mount.

Kids around Mount Washington have found an interest in BMX. BMX is when you ride bikes and perform stunts. Everyone has different stories of how they got involved. Within the last few years, it has become very popular around Mount Washington. BMX, short for Bicycle Motocross, is when bike riders do tricks on or over obstacles. There are two ways you can ride BMX. You can either compete against other people, or just ride for fun. A great majority of teenage boys in Mount Washington do it just for the fun of riding. Most BMX riders have different-yet very similar- stories of how they got interested in riding. A lot of them were inspired by friends or family members that also ride. “It all started when I got my first bike and I always used to hang out with my cousin who rode. I just started messing around, and it became something I liked to do,” said senior Riley Beck. “Jumping bikes and doing tricks was fun and came natural to me.” Over the last couple of years, the interest in BMX has been growing around Mount Washington. Believe it or not, it is actually a very popular hobby for teenagers.

“More and more people are starting to ride each and every day,” says sophomore Quinton Conner,a student who is heavily involved in riding BMX around town. One reason why it has become more known around Mount Washington in the last couple of years is because of the passing of Prescott Goodman. Goodman was a teenager who was killed by a driver while crossing Bardstown Road on his bicycle. When people heard about him, it informed people about what BMX really is. The Bikes With Wings Foundation, a fundraiser made in honor of Goodman, has raised money to build a skate park in the city of Mount Washington. The skate park will promote BMX around town and give teenagers a safe place to ride. It is currently being built at the Hillview Government Center on Crestwood Lane. “The skate park will most likely bring in people that aren’t from Mount Washington, which will get the word out about BMX and have a bigger influence on it,” says Conner. As BMX thrives around the city, the sport has yet to reach its highest popularity peak around Mount Washington. The teenagers involved right now are hoping to start a BMX club at Bullitt East, making it a known activity throughout town.

People who participate in BMX at Bullitt East often fly under the radar. They have been trying to implement a BMX club here at Bullitt East.

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15 minutes of fame by er i c s a n c h e z a n d s a v a n a h h a g a n NamesSanchez@gmail.com | @NamesChiz Vanah.Hagan@gmail.com | @VanahHagan

hey’re just a small town band living in a lonely world.

Every year in marching band comes a new theme. This years theme is ‘Labyrinth’ or ‘The Journey of Life’. With this new year, the Marching Chargers hope to have their infamously long practices help them reach their potential. With an underclassman-heavy band they have a tough road ahead of them this year. They also hope to succeed in their circuit with their new theme titled “The Labyrinth”. Everybody has seen it, the marching band practices that seem to never end. They start school and seem to never end. Hours later, they still seem to be practicing. In any given week the marching band will practice 12 hours in a five day school week. That’s an average of 2.4 hour practices each day. To kick off the week, they practice three hours on Monday. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, they only practice one and a half hours. On Fridays, they pick it back up and practice for four hours straight. These practice times are not without rhyme or reason, though. Freshman, Mason Marsh said, “We practice like that to get better. It helps you a lot when you practice like we do.” His teammates also agree; sophomore Drew Couch said, “It takes a lot of work to do marching band, and the long practices help us out a lot.” The band director Trevor Ervin said, “The

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long practices have no effect on them except for making them better. I see them improve every day, so the practices are obviously working.”

Their physical performance mirrors this. Within their performance there are tons of twists and loops all intertwining within each other, yet they all find an ending place.

“Part of the reason for these practices is how young we are. We lost our drum major, brass section leader, woodwind section leader, and our drumline section leader,” stated Ervin.

The physical performance is not 100 percent of their score. They are also scored upon their musical prowess.

With hardly any senior leadership, Ervin has to work harder to keep progressing. With a somewhat small band of 46 people, only ten of those people are upperclassmen consisting of seniors and juniors, with the rest being primarily underclassmen consisting of sophomores and freshmen. However, even with this young band that Ervin has to work with, the overall leadership has stepped up. “We may have lost those leaders, but their great leadership has really made our underclassmen ready to be silent leaders,” said Ervin. So far within this season, they have stepped up in leadership. “We are being the best we can be, and are getting better,” said Marsh.

The Marching Chargers are a part of the Kentucky Music Educators Circuit (KMEC). In this circuit there are many judges. Three of these judges score only off of physical performance. Three other judges will score musical performance. There is also one judge for color guard and one judge for percussion. These judges will score on a 100 point scale. As the season goes on, the score will go up. “At the beginning of the season, there is sort of an invisible ceiling, with the highest score you can get at a 65. At the end of the season the highest score you can get is a 100,” said Ervin. The Bullitt East marching band hopes to continue improving and reach a good ending on their ‘labyrinth’ and ‘journey of life’ this season.

This year Ervin did not see the need for leadership roles. “We don’t have a section leader, or a drum major, or anything. I just felt like the natural overall leadership would step up this season, and so far, they’ve done that,” said Ervin. “In a labyrinth, there is no wrong turn. It’s just a bunch of 90 degree turns, and they all end up at the same place- the end. This is like a journey in life, you take turns, they may not be ‘wrong’ depending on your view of ‘wrong’, however, we all get to the end,” said Ervin.

www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:28 PM

YELLOW BRICK ROAD

academics

B Y B R O O K E C O LLIN S

Brooke.Collins@stu.bullitt.kyschools.us | @BrookeCollins16

wo pathways diverged in a yellow and red school. And the students, have not chosen any. The pathway options at Bullitt East have believed to be limited ever since they started. The student body seems to be questioning why there aren’t many options. To reach graduation, students at Bullitt East need to have completed pathway course with the completion of a course test, or have reached the benchmarks on the ACT. It is quality over quantity with the amount and types of pathways East has currently. Students’ voices have been heard and the pathways have been deemed beneficial to the future work force. Pathways; students hear about them every single day of every single year. It’s even posted in the front lobby: “College and Career Ready”. Every single corner you turn there is something that has to deal with the pathways at Bullitt East. Now this year students are considered lucky to have a class in the new College and Career Readiness Center behind the new wing. Day in and day out the question is always asked, “Why do we have to complete a pathway?” Starting with the class of 2015, Bullitt County has implemented a new requirement system in order for every student to graduate. Students have the two options of either meeting the ACT benchmarks, or completing a career pathway and passing a field test. So in order for one to graduate at the end of four long, hardworking years, they need to have

Layout: Eric Sanchez and Brooke Collins NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 15

either options completed. This can be quite overwhelming for a 14 year old to have this weight on their shoulders. So, what happens if by the end of senior year, students can’t seem to reach your benchmarks and cannot acquire all three classes to complete a pathway? Students don’t graduate. These options are very important! And the worst part? The choices are believed to be limited at Bullitt East. When it comes down to it, test taking is not some student’s forte. No matter how hard some try and study for countless hours, they just can’t seem to reach the benchmarks. That’s okay, because one can still complete a pathway. Here’s the issue: most are believed not to be interested in food and nutrition, childcare, agriculture, arts, business, engineering, or technology. And those are choices that have just recently been introduced. When this standard began, there was only technology and business. Students don’t want to take classes that won’t help them in the future, and no one blames them.

“It’s quality, not quantity.” -Willie Foster Why doesn’t Bullitt East have more pathway options for students to take? Principal Willie Foster replies with, “It’s quality, not quantity.” The ultimate goal with pathways at Bullitt East is to have quality programs that ensure success for students who don’t plan on venturing into secondary education. “I really would love to teach a medical or biology pathway. We already have a few classes for it right now like anatomy and genetics. A lot of kids are interested in it too,” hinted the biology and anatomy teacher Mrs. Payne.

When students mentioned what pathways they wish were offered, responses such as criminal justice and law, medical/biology, and psychology were the most popular. “I just wish that they had a psychology pathway,” informed Senior Kaci Ash. “If they would have offered that when I was a freshman, I would have taken it with no questions asked,” Ash said. The issue at hand is that the student body wants more options to succeed and graduate. These pathways are said to be the key to success after high school in the real world. After all, that is the end goal for the implemented pathways. Junior Noah Payne explained how he feels of the pathway class he is currently taking. “I don’t want to complete a pathway, but I’m taking financial literacy. I took it because I thought it would be smart to learn how to deal with my money. It’s been a great class so far,” Payne said. At the end of the day, the pathway classes seem to be beneficial. Foster adds in, “It’s all about the student. They get out what they put into it.” Whether it be for the career choice you would like to pursue, or if you would like to learn how to do something, the classes for each pathway can be very beneficial in their own sense. It’s a process that we all have to go through. As interest grows and the pathways Bullitt East obtains are nearly perfected, the more pathways we will obtain. Being career ready is to ensure the success for the students in our community in any field they choose to pursue after high school. After all, whether you’re college ready or career ready, almost everyone will graduate and will finally be ready to start their own life. This is your path. The time is now Bullitt East, are you career ready?

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THE

TIME

B Y LA Y N E CUTL E R laynec17@gmail.com

hen people say high school is the best four years of our lives, we tend to roll our eyes and scoff at the thought. High school definitely isn’t as peachy as many make it out to be, but no one can say it’s not important. The years you spend in high school could make or break you- not necessarily by your actions alone, but by the habits you form. Granted, you may never need to know the joys of Algebra II in life, but you will need the work ethic it takes to stay up till one in the morning graphing quadratic equations.

The mistake that many teenagers make is thinking that what they do in high school doesn’t matter. They think that once they hit college or get a job, then things will start to count. In reality, though, the time is now. The time is now to plan for your future. If you don’t plan now, you won’t be able to live your life later. Make it easier on your future self to go to college, get a job, etc. by putting the work in now. Maintain a good grade point average, form valuable study skills, and focus on what career you might want to pursue. If you disregard all the opportunities high school gives you to plan for your future, you’ll only be needing those opportunities later when they are much harder to come across. Personally, I understand that my time is now. It’s not just my time to build myself up for my future, though. It’s time for me to work on myself as an individual. I’ve been thinking about my college resume my entire high school career; why else would I slave away at homework every night? I’ve been in Beta and am a new member of National Honors Society. I have played Varsity soccer since my freshman year. Granted, all of these things will play huge roles on my resume, but that isn’t the sole purpose for these activities. I truly believe that each and every thing I do in high school can and will benefit me as a person later on in my life. For example, anyone who knows me understands that I’m a geek. I’m probably a little more obsessed about my grades than I should be, but that’s just who I am. As aforementioned, I don’t stay up till midnight doing homework just to keep up my grades (although that is important to me). I really do trust that the study habits and work ethic I form now will benefit me not only in college classes, but also in whatever career I plan to pursue. I’m not saying I do everything perfectly; I still procrastinate more than I should. However, having a designated, clean work space along with the motivation to complete assignments on time will surely help me out in the future. November 2014 NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 16

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NOW

Another big part of my life is soccer. Believe it or not, soccer will also contribute to my future self. The life lessons I’ve learned in soccer will never be forgotten. I’m a huge fan of team sports, partially because I’ve participated in one since the age of five and know all that they have to offer. Playing soccer is more than just playing a game on a field with ten other girls. Soccer teaches teamwork, respect, responsibility, true friendship, and so much more. Whenever I have a group project in class, it’s hard for me to not take over and do it all myself. But, soccer has taught me that everyone is valuable, and to utilize their abilities in order to perfect the final product. That is teamwork. In soccer, there have been many times where I have disagreed with coaches and other players, but I have learned to have respect. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and you can’t always force your ideas on others. Being a part of a team also teaches responsibility; I have made a commitment to my team and it would pretty much take a broken leg for me to not be there for them. When you’re a part of a team, you win together and you lose together- there’s no inbetween. Finally, soccer has given me by far the best gift I can think of- true friends. The two best friends that I have right now are directly from soccer. I will carry those friendships with me forever. But, it’s not just those two. I definitely don’t agree with and/or get along with everyone on my team, but they are my team and that means that they are my friends no matter what. Soccer is definitely fun, but it also has lasting effects and lessons that I will benefit from for the rest of my life. Lastly, I think one of the best things you can do in life is to stay busy. Being busy teaches multitasking, prioritizing, and a multitude of other skills. I balance academics, athletics, friends, family, and more, not only because I want to, but because I know it will help me be successful in life. Many students put academics before athletics, but I don’t believe that’s right. Academics are obviously very important, but that doesn’t mean sacrifice your athletic abilities. If you are enrolled in school and listed on the roster to a team, you have made a commitment to both areas. They both deserve attention, and the multitasking and prioritizing this demands will only assist me in the future when I’m dealing with important decisions. All in all, I believe that high school is the time. It’s the time to find your present self while looking out for your future self. Don’t let high school fly by with your only accomplishments being that you managed to sneak out to parties every weekend; you’d only be hurting who matters- you. Have fun, but don’t be stupid. There comes a time when you have to find out who you are and who that person wants to be, and that time is now. Layout: Kim Flaherty and Layne Cutler NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 17

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STUDENTS WANT A CAREER WITHOUT COLLEGE B y J a i de n G i v i de n

jaiden.gividen1@gmail.com

et paid today!

Some students at Bullitt East are skipping college and making a living now. Going to college has good effects and downfalls. Some students at Bullitt east say that college isn’t for them. Career options without a college degree are seldom talked about, and need more recognition. The benefits of going into a career directly out of high school may outweigh the risks involved. According to Regents of the University of Michigan, 14.4% of residents born in the United States live in poverty. The question that students need to know is if college increases their chances of making a life for myself. People born in the baby boom generation are still hard at work, and the quantity (and quality of jobs) available for the next generation are scarce. On that note, Oxford researchers say that 45% of America’s occupations will be automated within the next 20 years. This means that the young adults that are looking for a job are not only competing for a job against their peers, but with technology that will only get better with time.

November 2014 NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 18

When students leave high school, many are left wondering if college is worth the time and money. The annual cost for undergraduate tuition, room, and board is estimated to be $12,804 at public institutions, and $32,184 at private institutions for the 2010 academic year, states the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. This means that if a student wants additional education, the cost starts at $50,000 and only gets higher. The worldwide average top income tax rate is 22.6% (according to Kyle Pomerleau from TaxFoundation.org), and only .3% received enough grants and scholarships to cover the full cost of college(from Mark Kantrowitz, the author of FinAid). This leaves a lot of middle class people with few options other than getting in debt from student loans. People that are considering college might onsider other avenues instead.

“I want to make the military my career for life, because I feel like I’ve done my time in school,” says Chase Askins. He feels like thirteen years in school has groomed him to do what he believes to be purposeful and useful to society. “I think if my career in the marines ever doesn’t work out, I’d like to go into culinary,” said Parton. Being a chef or pursuing anything with food preparation varies in the amount of schooling that it takes to be successful. These people may be viewed as ludicrous, or as very realistic. The fact of the matter is reports say 26.7% of high school graduates are not in college and have other plans for their life. Overall, the choice depends on the individual and what they feel is right for them.

“I would rather go to a trade school over college,” said Logan Henry. He wants to do something that won’t require more schooling than necessary. www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:36 PM

On average, detectives made $56,980 per year ($27.40 per hour) and only require a high school degree. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012...

Electricians made an average of $49,840 per year ($23.96 per hour) and requires a high school diploma.

Business Hours Monday-Friday Saturday Sunday Cosmetologists made an average of $22,770 per year ($10.95 per hour) and requires a license in cosmetology.

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9 AM - 5 PM 9 AM - 1 PM CLOSED

327 Eastbrooke Pointe Drive, Suite 1 00 Mount Washington, KY 40047 Phone: (502) 538-4362 Fax: 502-538-3551 myeyedoc@mooneyeyecare.com 19 10/24/2014 2:58:38 PM

Give a helping hand by i s a a c s h e l t o n

J IShelton@gmail.com | @Isaacshelton1

volunteer as tribute within the community.

The Louisville metropolitan area and the Mount Washington community offer different volunteering events which allow both individuals and local groups to volunteer. Volunteering has always been a symbol of helping others all around the world, especially in the small Mount Washington community. Throughout the year, a lot of students from Bullitt East commit their time volunteering at local events. In addition, there are still requirements and procedures that almost all volunteers must follow in order. Volunteering has impacted not only certain organizations and businesses, but the volunteers as well. Junior Emmy Polichetti has volunteered approximately 250 hours in the past two years alone because she, “just likes it.” Her passion began when her younger brother got sick. Since then, she has been really involved in Light the Night, an organization that helps the Lymphoma and Leukemia society. The organization hosted a large fundraiser. Polichetti and her family volunteer their time in the balloon booth. They sell three different colors: white, red, and gold. Each balloon color is symbolical; white means survivor, red stands for support toward the victims, and gold recognizes the memory of the fallen. All of the proceeds go towards therapies for blood cancer patients, educational materials for the program and other events, and provides personalized assistance through the Research Center. Once the sun goes down, they blow up every balloon with helium. “When it gets dark everyone turns on the light inside the balloons and one group at a time (for each color) let them (the balloons) go into the sky. After that we walk for a cure. I love it so much, it’s so beautiful,” said Polichetti. November 2014 NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 20

In addition to Light the Night, the Louisville on their website. After that, the volunteer community offers young volunteers several needs to attend both the orientation in late opportunities to volunteer. The Louisville May and the training in early June. Zoo has the annual Halloween at the Zoo on There are also other volunteer activities more October 23, and the volunteers dress up in local. In the fall, Bullitt East hosts Halloween creative costumes and in the Halls. This event “One of the most important has increased in size over pass out candy to the younger children. “We things I learned during the the years. Over 1,900 peohost this event every year ple came to this event. summer that you don’t vol- Last year the houses and it is also a big hit,” unteer to change people’s each created their own stated Diane Taylor, the Volunteer Coordinator at lives, you volunteer so those themes, which caught the the Louisville Zoo. The eye of several children in people can change your costumes. Zoo also offers several life.” - Maddie Smith volunteer opportunities during the summer with Another local opportuthe Louisville Zoo Summer Camp. During this nity for high school students is to volunteer time the volunteers can work with children at the Mount Washington Festival and Spring and teach them about different animals in the Run. Through the festival multiple businesses zoo. such as ValuMarket display tents which require workers, and both events are in need of The National Honors Society (NHS) volunteers afterwards for cleaning. is known for volunteering at the Zoo and organizations like the Wayside Christian Mission Almost all events and/or organizations require and The Downs Syndrome both applications and waivers before any of Louisville. This month volunteering is done. Typically, soup kitchens alone one of the sponand other organizations, such as The Humane sors, Brandi Molter, Society, require training for volunteers in plans on helping with addition to applications. Also, every place is the Walk ‘N’Roll to different and if any student wishes to volunbenefit Spina Bifida teer, they should go to a teacher that is really research and patients. involved and the organization’s website. There are several other opportunities in the Every hand has the opportunity to help. Louisville community for Molter has experienced how volunteering has teens to volunteer such impacted a child’s life while volunteering at as the Baptist Hospital East the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree warehouse summer program. One of with some NHS members in December. When the volunteers, junior MadMolter was working she noticed an, “unfamildie Smith, spent four hours every iar,” face on a senior girl. “When I inquired, Tuesday for eight weeks this past she told me that she used to be one of the summer, gathering 32 total service hours. The angels. Her life was very different as a child experience taught Smith about new medibut she was very grateful to be on the other cal knowledge and patient care. “One of the side of the operation. It humbled her (and most important things I learned during the me too) to know how much work went into summer is that you don’t volunteer to change ensuring she had a happy Christmas as a girl,” people’s lives, you volunteer so those people stated Molter. can change your life,” stated Smith. According to dictonary.com, a definition of a The Louisville Science Center is another popu- volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers lar volunteering opportunity in the Louisville himself or herself for a service or undertaking. area. Their summer program lasted eight Don’t be afraid to be that person who offers weeks and usually goes from June to August. himself or herself, because it just might lead Over the summer the young volunteers, to impacting someone’s life in a positive way. preferably high school students, work in the summer workshop with grade school children. There are only a couple requirements for this program. The first is to fill out an application www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:39 PM

Emily Miles, Zach Wooten, Ashley Wise, and Ryan Gaddie volunteer at 2014 Old Mill Fall Festival

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Brianna Elmore, TeeKay Brown, and Peyton Maki working at their part time jobs; Kroger, Little Caesars, and Value Market.

STUDENTS WITH JOBS

by T i f f a n y Pre l l AN D B re n n a h D e n k h o f f tiffany.prell23@gmail.com bdenkhoff83@gmail.com

e’re teenagers and we need cash now.

Tons of students around Bullitt East have made the decision to take on a job while still in high school. There are students all around East that have jobs. Whether it is just for the money or to prepare them for their future, there is a reason why these students decided to take on this new responsibility. Some students leave school early to co-op everyday and others work after school certain days of the week. Bullitt East is full of students with the typical high school job of working at a fast food restaurant, but there are some who chose to go other routes. One student, junior Maddie Smith, works at Jennings Orthodontist as a receptionist. She works there for two hours, two to three times a week. Smith, like most other students, claims to have a job just for some extra cash. “It’s always nice to have a little extra money in my pocket,” she stated. Smith has also realized how much this job is preparing her for the future. “Getting a paycheck has really taught me a lot about finances, and that will really help me prepare for my future, pay for college, and stuff like that,” Smith explained. Other students like senior Paige Himes, leaves school early to co-op at UPS everyday. By doing so, UPS will actually pay for her college if she continues working there while attending the University of Louisville like she plans. “I’ll probably work there for about 5 years after

November 2014 NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 22

high school to help pay for college,” she said. Himes has also had to learn how to juggle a job, school, and trying to maintain a social life. Even though she gets out of school early to go to work, she has college classes to attend afterwards so it’s harder to manage everything. She’s also president of the Future Business Leaders of America club and having a job sometimes affects this club. “Since I’m president of FBLA, we had to change our meetings to mornings, which is not very good,” Himes said. With her busy schedule, it’s very hard to fit in any other activities she’d like to do. Some students are preparing themselves for their futures more than others. One student enrolled at BE last year, Lantz Burkhead, would have completed his senior year here, but decided to get a jump start on his career path. He is currently taking classes online in order to complete his senior year while he works as a veterinary technician at Davis Animal Clinic. He works seven hours a day, six days a week. “It’s more responsibility so I can pay for my own stuff rather than being dependent on my parents,” Burkhead said. He hopes to one day attend the Universal Technical Institute in Glendale Heights, Illinois to pursue a career in mechanics. Like many students at BE, junior Ray Schnapp works at a fast food restaurant. He works at Raising Canes Chicken Tenders as a cook three days a week, four hours on weekdays and eight hour shifts on the weekends. As far as the job affecting his life, Schnapp said, “It’s doesn’t really affect my school work at all because I have a study hall, but it does a little bit

with my social life because sometimes people call me wanting to hang out and I’m at work.” Another student, senior Dillon Coffman, coops at Commonwealth Dodge. He works five days a week, about six hours a days pulling parts, is starting to do a marketing toolbox program, and then does administrative support as well. Coffman said making money is the best part about having a job, but that it also has made him more responsible. He explained how it doesn’t affect his school life, but in fact makes it a lot better. “By co-oping you have more time to do your school work outside of school especially when your off from work,” he said. Senior Hannah Perdew also knows what it’s like to have a job while maintaining school and a life outside of it. She stays busy working at the YMCA six days a week total, four days in Kids Club and then Tuesday and Thursday nights she teaches the Youth Fitness classes. Perdew started out wanting to get a job because she was sick of asking her parents for money. “I love having a job because it gives you a lot more independence and you control your money and you can do what you want with it. It’s really rewarding to be making your own money to support yourself and not have to ask for it from anyone else,” she described. The job has also helped Perdew decide on wanting to go to Western Kentucky University to major in elementary education. The decision to get a job in high school or not is crucial, but for many students it has really paid off. www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:50 PM

DON’T WAIT by e l i z a l o v e eliza.love29@gmail.com l @liiza24

his time is your time, this time is my time.

Students of Charger Nation are starting to realize that the time truly is now to get ready for college. There are many advantages to gain by starting applications for college and scholarships early. When students don’t get a head start on applications, they tend to be at a major set back. There are many ways to get prepared for college and all of the scholarship opportunities available. There’s absolutely no harm done by getting an early start on looking at colleges and considering different scholarships. There are so many programs that are feasible for students at East. A big scholarship opportunity is through the Governor’s Scholar Program (GSP) and Governor’s Scholar for the Arts (GSA). GSP is open to juniors and offers an amazing experience. GSA is opened to sophomores and juniors;. Both of these programs are funded by the office of the Governor, the Kentucky State Legislator, and private enterprise. GSP and GSA pay full tuition for any in-state public college. GSP 2014 alumni, Christa Sego (12), commented, “The biggest advantage of it [GSP] is the fact that I already have all the information for a college application from my GSP application. It makes applying for college very easy. It also gives me a big advantage because I have lived on a college campus and got accustomed to classes, independence, and meeting new people.” GSP and GSA are not the only options for

getting scholarships. There are many more opportunities. Another way to plan in advance for college is to go to college fairs and meet with advisors. Many college admission counselors come to East to talk to students, but they aren’t just there to only talk to seniors that are definitely applying and plan to go to that college. These counselors come to schools to talk to anyone with even the tiniest spark of interest in their specific college. Also, there is an annual College and Career Expo at the Kentucky Fair Expo Center. This is the region’s largest college and career expo around, as it brings over 250 exhibitors from across the country. The exhibitors are colleges, universities, vocational schools, and employers. This event allows students to meet one-on-one with recruiters, career counselors, and representatives. There are free seminars available, as well as the chance to learn about over $750,000 available in scholarships.

not only to scholarships, but to colleges, too,” said senior, Shanna Thompson. Many websites, such as scholarships.com, recommend that students start looking at scholarships during their sophomore and/or junior year. These websites make recommendations such as that one to help avoid students from postponing and getting behind on these important applications.

It is very easy to get behind on all of this. When applying for scholarships and looking at colleges, there is a lot of planning and stressing out involved.

One website, fastweb.com, is a way to prepare and plan how to pay for college. There are many scholarship opportunities on there for any and every student. The website has the student complete a profile and that kicks off the “scholarship matching process”. This matching process has targeted scholarships based on students, interests, and skills. Not only does have information on scholarships, it also helps with financial aid and career advice.

“You have to build up your resume. Many scholarships are based on ACT scores, and many of them, when they become really competitive, the very next thing they look at is your amount of service, your leadership, things like your extracurriculars. You can’t just do that your senior year, you have to be really working towards that your entire high school career,” stated Dana Steinmetz, East counselor.

There are many advantages when students get a head start on applying for scholarships and colleges. No one is necessarily saying to literally fill out and go through the whole scholarship application during sophomore year. By starting early with college, that means just researching and possibly even visiting schools that peak your interest. There are a plethora of websites available that have information on almost every college, such as average ACT score, acceptance rate, and other statistics.

“It (scholarships) stresses me out because it’s a lot of effort and time that goes into applying

Layout: Tiffany Prell, Brennah Dekhoff, Kim Flaherty, and Eliza Love NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 23

$ 23 10/24/2014 2:58:52 PM

Start Early, Benefit later B y h a l ey s t e i n m e t z

haley.steinmetz72@gmail.com | @haley_steinmetz

elcome to high school, now start planning for college.

In order to make life easier later on, there are many things students can start doing to prepare for college as early as their freshman or sophomore year. Putting off working on the future is a bad idea for many reasons. Instead, there are things students can do to get ahead and make applying for the Governor’s Scholar Program or college easier on themselves later on. There are multiple ways for students to even start as early as their freshman or sophomore year. It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now. Many high school students get wrapped up in what’s going on around them, such as relationships and parties and having fun that they start to lose sight of the bigger picture. The real problem kicks in when students start to fall behind because they did lose sight of that picture. As far as planning for the future goes, procrastination station is not an ideal place to be. If students don’t start early, they could very easily realize their senior year that they could have done more earlier to make their lives easier on themselves. Waking up senior year to realize that you’re drowning in applications, resumes, and stress just doesn’t seem fun to most people, which is understandable. The good news, though, is that that situation is easily preventable if a little effort and work is put in early. There are lots of ways to start early other than printing out applications and taping them to the ceiling to study for what you’ll have to do later. For example, on any college application you fill out, you can expect to have to describe everything you were involved in over the course of the last four years. A common problem is that by your senior year, you might November 2014

NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 24

have forgotten about that one conference you were asked to attend freshman year, or that one club you were in freshman year but decided to quit after the year ended. Those little things matter on an application, and waiting until the last possible second might mean leaving them out. Starting freshman year, put everything you were involved in on a list, whether you keep it on a sheet of paper or in your phone. It’s also smart to keep track of all your volunteer hours, since that will also be on any application you fill out. By the time you’re 18 years old, there’s no way you’ll remember the time you cut your 70 year old neighbor’s grass for free when you were 14, so the best option is be proactive, and write it down. Dana Steinmetz, guidance counselor at East, said, “Get involved. Get involved early, get involved in a variety of things, because then you have potential to be a leader in those things by the time you’re a junior or a senior. Push yourself, think outside the box.”

preparation. You can’t just go into it thinking that your classes that you’ve been in were enough preparation, because they’re not. A lot of mastering that test score is the strategy of the test, and understanding the time limit and understanding different tricks and test taking skills.” Chase Williams, East alumni, also said, “Get used to taking the ACT. I didn’t utilize the opportunities of going to workshops and getting higher scores on the test. This means that you might not get certain scholarships that are key to pay for college. Also just to get a head start on the application process, I’d say apply to programs like GSP and GSA just because that’s almost the same way most college applications are.” There are many, many ways to get ahead in order to make applying and getting into college a lot easier down the road; all students have to do is put forth a little bit of extra early effort.

Clearly it is a little abnormal for freshmen students to start filling out college applications. That’s not the only way for them to get ahead, though. Freshman Sean Johnson said, “What I can do to get ahead this year is to study and not get in with the wrong crowd and just stay on top of things.” Johnson is on the baseball and basketball team at BE, and hopes to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Obviously, a huge component of a college application is academics. One way to help that section of it would be to work on your ACT score. Steinmetz said, “You have to do some type of www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:54 PM

Opinion

PLANNING VS LIVING B Y J E S S ICA MATTIN G L Y

jrm99253@gmail.com I @jmattingly_

here’s a party in my GPA.

High school is the time where students have to decide whether it’s the time to party, or if it’s the time to settle in and plan for the future. Planning ahead helps students in the long run by preparing them mentally and physically. On the other hand, having fun throughout the high school years and making the best of them is what any graduate will really remember. The fact is, though, colleges aren’t going to want a student because of how popular they were in high school. High school is the time where everything sets in. The tests students take, the clubs they participate in, and over all the decisions they make are going to make or break their future. By taking control early on, students are setting themselves up for success. Junior and senior year is really the time when students have to build up their transcript. They have to put themselves out there by taking AP classes, taking the ACT, joining clubs, and putting in service hours. By doing this, students are drawing in the attention of colleges. After high school, everyone is thrown out on their own. We’re put into the real world. By taking advantage of the time spent in high school, students are preparing themselves for what’s next. What college do they want to attend? What field do they want to major in? What career do they want to pursue? All of this will already be answered if a student spend their time right in high school. The more a student puts themselves out there, the more opportunities they will face. The Governor’s Scholar Program is one of the best ways to plan for college. Layout: Haley Steinmetz and Jessica Mattingly NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 25

“The biggest advantage [from GSP] is the fact that I already have all the information from my GSP application. It makes applying for college very easy. It also gives me a big advantage because I have lived on a college campus and got accustomed to classes, independence, and meeting new people,” said Christa Sego, senior at Bullitt East and former governor scholar.

“I want to remember my years at East as exciting. I don’t want to think about my future yet, I’ll worry about that later. I want to live life and have a good time,” -Anonymous Everyone always says, “High school is the best four years of your life.” You have to live it up and make the most of it. When graduates look back on high school, they’re not going to remember the times when they studied for a test or applied to a college. They’re going to remember staying up late and doing something crazy with their friends. An anonymous sophomore at Bullitt East stated, “I want to remember my years at East as being exciting. I don’t want to think about the future yet, I’ll worry about that later. I want to live life and have a good time.” Thinking about the future is very stressful and overwhelming. Students don’t necessarily have to procrastinate and put off their future plans, but they shouldn’t worry about it all the time. Spending the weekends out late with friends

is what high school is all about. It’s fun to not have a worry in the world. The fact of the matter is, though, that colleges aren’t going to come to a student. The future isn’t going to make itself. Teens have to put themselves out there and work at what they want. Students don’t necessarily have to spend every waking moment deciding what they want to do after high school, but it’s a good idea to start planning early. A transcript isn’t going to include how many parties the student went to, or how many nights they were out past curfew. Colleges and bosses aren’t worried about that. They want to know what potential they have as a student and a worker. Crystal Barr, counselor at Bullitt East, said, “Every year we [the counselors] have seniors that tell us that they wished they had taken high school more seriously because they aren’t eligible for scholarships or admission due to previous choices.” Now is the time to plan, not the time to party. Still make the best out of these four years, but keep in mind what comes after that. Waiting last minute does a soul no good. Yes, high school should be fun, but planning has to be the main idea of the overall story. Don’t be the student that regrets their decisions in high school. Be happy with your choices. You make build the future. You make the decisions. You control what happens. The time is now.

Do you think that now is the time to live or to plan? Let us know. Send all letters to: larry.steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this editorial are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.

25 10/24/2014 2:58:56 PM

IS THE TIME REALLY NOW?

sta f f edito r i a l

o prepare, or to not prepare; this is the biggest decision high schoolers have to make.

It is essential that we spend our high school career preparing for the future, yet making it as enjoyable as possible. When students get in high school, it is very important to take the most challenging classes possible to prepare them for college. Students should be as involved as they can in sports and extracurricular activities to have the maximum high school experience. But, students should also begin to plan their career while they still have plenty of time.

Taking the ACT is one of the most important things that is required. It is even more important that it is taken more than once to get the score needed to get into college. Many students just want to wait until junior year, whenever it is required to take it because they don’t find it important. The decisions made now can change a student’s entire future. If the ACT is just taken once, and that particular student gets an 18, they might not be able to get into the college that they planned on going to. “Anyone can ‘take’ the ACT. I suggest diligently preparing for the ACT,

NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 26

Being involved in Bullitt East is also important for any students future. Counselor Savannah Richardson believes that students should go above and beyond when applying for clubs and sports. “It sets students apart when it comes to applying for future jobs and colleges. It shows that those have those skills that other people don’t ‘take’ the candidates have,” said Richardson.

“Anyone can ACT. I suggest diligently preparing for the ACT, then master it.” -Daniel Rock

We believe that AP and honors classes are a must. They include a higher level of rigor, cover more material, and give the opportunity to earn a college credit in high school. Sophomore Christian Foster is an example of a student that is doing everything possible to become college and career ready, but is still making the best of high school. Foster is taking three honors classes and one AP class. These classes look better to colleges than just regular classes. Students can earn KEES money (money given to students by the state for a certain GPA to use to go to an in-state college) every year that they are in high school.

November 2014

then master it,” said business teacher Daniel Rock.

Opportunities are given that just aren’t provided in a regular classroom setting. Clubs and sports provide students with an opportunity to become a leader or become more prepared for the future. Foster is involved in girls soccer, student body government, United for East, and Beta Club. All of these things make her more prepared for the future. When Foster gets to college, she will have the skills like leadership and communication that some students won’t have. “I want to join a sorority and play soccer in college, so I think the extracurricular activities I am involved in have prepared me to pursue these things,” said Foster. High school is a person’s last four years of required schooling. Every student should want to make it the best, but at the same time it is the last four years to plan for a career. Bullitt East provides opportunities that most schools don’t have. We have the opportunity to find our career path and take classes accordingly. Plan a career now; it can make or break the future. Do you think that the time is really now? Let us know. Send all letters to: larry.steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us Editor’s Note: The editorial board is compiled of 11 selected journalism students.

www.belivewire.com 10/24/2014 2:58:58 PM

>> opinion

Dating in High School B y K im Fl a he rt y kimberlee.flaherty@gmail.com l @kimflaherty_

want you today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of the semester...

Dating in high school can do more harm than good, but others argue that it’s all about having fun. For some teenagers, being in a relationship is non negotiable; it defines who they are and consumes their motives. For others, dating doesn’t hold as much value, discovering themselves is far more important than finding the perfect piece of arm-candy. Despite differentiating opinions, there seems to be a universal solution - finding the balance to best fit each individual. High school is where people get the most experience they will ever get in the dating scene; outside of high school, that community isn’t there anymore. Once the line has been walked at graduation, most go their separate ways and are inevitably weighed down by the pressure of adulthood, unconcerned with finding someone to share their burdens with. “I think it all just depends on the person and their happiness,” said junior Abigail Tucker, “I don’t see why anyone would want to be single in high school.” “Everyone needs love and romance in their life at this age,” stated senior Brooke-Anne Armstrong, “It’s not something you just throw out the door.” Being in a relationship so young can make it hard to balance everything that’s already going on in the world of a teenager. “Between the high school age of 14-18, you change a lot ... you’re not the person you’re gonna be forever,” stated English teacher Leo Craven, “Sometimes it’s healthier to not be with somebody else so that you can figure out who you are first.” There’s a lot going on in the life of a high school student and it can be hard to juggle everything that comes along with the role. Between going to school five days a week, working a part-time job, being introduced to independence, drama and relationships, it can be a lot for a teenager to tackle. “I think it’s important to have priorities,” said senior Alexis Dixon, “Finding that balance between yourself, school and a relationship is what makes everything work. It’s all about the balance that’s best for you.”

words from the by-line What’s the point of pursuing high school relationships? This question has lingered in my thoughts from the moment I walked through the doors of Bullitt East High School my freshman year. Witnessing numerous break-ups, make-ups, and hook-ups during my three and a half years here at East, dating as a teenager quickly lost its romance novel appeal. Now, I’m not totally bashing the idea of dating while you’re young, I think love is a necessity and having fun while you still can is essential. But what really holds a higher level of importance at this point in our lives? Receiving the magic score on the ACT or maintaining the picture perfect relationship? In my opinion, dating while you’re still in high school is a waste of valuable time and energy. The end result can only be one of two things: break up or get married. So, if your intention isn’t to find your spouse, then why waste your breath? However, on the other hand, if you can find the ultimate balance between finding yourself and finding the perfect someone, then kudos to you. Normally, high school sweethearts don’t make it down the aisle, but there’s always that particular duo that surpasses the odds. All I have to say is that love is tricky - especially in high school. Regardless, we all tend to find it some time or another and for some, it may just happen when it’s least expected. Dating in high school may not be convenient but at the end of the day, it’s your responsibility to decide whether or not it’s ideal for you. I see both sides; the “don’t risk it” and the “go for it”. For myself, it’s not worth the risk at this point in my life. Right now, I’m focused on graduating high school and figuring out what I want to do with my life. Sitting in my closet, buried in a mound of eligible date-worthy outfits, is not on my to-do list at the moment. My point is, it’s your choice - your life. Being with someone can define your social status and has the overwhelming ability to make you or break you in high school, but ultimately, you know you better than anyone else - it’s important to prioritize, to figure out what’s best for you. Do you think that students date for the wrong reasons? Let us know. Send all letters to: larry.steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this editorial are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.

Layout: Lindsay Renneisen and Kim Flaherty NewsmagazineBEHSaugust2014issue2.indd 27

27 10/24/2014 2:59:02 PM

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