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Student Life 3| Parents vs. Teens
Sports 19| Team Bonds
Real talk with the ‘rents.
Academics 5| Distracted Learning?
Time is ticking. How much are students learning?
6| Networking
Get a friend, get a job, get a scholarship, be successful.
Close companions equals successful seasons.
Re lationships
Opinion 21| East has it Good
7l Arms Around East Maybe we’re not the best, Every student at BE has made meaningful relationships. but we’re not the worst either. Whether they’re good or bad, relationships change lives. Bullitt East is a pretty good school.
9l Love Language Quiz A quiz to learn how you give and receive affection.
22| #KeepItPersonal
11l Preparing to Date for Dummies Four questions to ponder before making that first step in a relationship.
On the Cover: Bullying harms the wellbeing of an individual. Victim Shanna Thompson is brave enough to share her story (pg.15).
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12l Former Friends, Current Enemies “We used to be like brothers and sisters but now its awkward.” 13l Broken Hearted Angst of teenage romance.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media sites have their benefits- students just have to be smart.
23| Head to Head
A blow to the head or a blow to the heart: which is worse?
25| Don’t Wrap Kids in Bubble Wrap.
Suck it up, don’t be a wuss. Bullying is over dramatized.
15| Bullying It’s happened before. It’s happening again. Its not just a statistic. Bullying at East is a problem. ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 12/4/2013 3:38:05 Pm
advisor editor-in-chief executive editor creative editor graphics editor business editor advertising editor photo editor designated grader copy editor copy editor copy editor copy editor
Larry Steinmetz Kendall Mayfield Cassidy Grom Kim Flaherty Mackenzie Perdue Jennifer Cischke Allsion Drake Nick Kinser Sal Lanci Layne Cutler Hannah Deaton Hannah Perdew Sammy Ewing
staff writers
Confessions of the Silent Soul BY NICK KINSER
professional.nicholas.kinser@gmail.com | @Muffins_R_Us
For the last week and a half or so I’ve sat at several different desks with several different editors hashing out a letter on relationships. It has, in many ways, been a very frustrating process for me, being the quiet person I am, relationships have never exactly been my strong suit. As a writer this letter has challenged my ability to create and develop content that I’m not only proud of, but willing to put out for other people to see and read. As a person it has challenged me to look at myself and really think on how I fit into the topic matter of this magazine. Many times it has passed my thoughts that maybe I don’t fit the topic due to my quiet nature, but, the more I’ve thought on it I think the more I’ve come to find that, in fact, my personality is exactly why I should be writing this letter. Throughout my life I’ve always been in a sort of odd, uneasy relationship with myself. I suppose everyone, in some way at least, has the same issue. In many ways though my own relationship has been my fail-safe, my comfort zone. So, for me, coming to terms with the idea that there is a society beyond my own thoughts and feelings and, maybe even more shocking, a reason to touch that society, has been, to say the least, interesting. I think, as I’ve come to find it, many people look at quiet people like they have a handicap. As if because of our lack of sociability or our predisposition to irregularity we are invaluable and unable to function properly, almost especially when it comes to relationships. If anything though, when it comes to relations I feel like quiet people hold a sort of divine value for their friendships. To the introvert, a friendship is more than “hellos” and Layout: Sammy Ewing newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 3
“good-byes”, it is a bond. For me personally, in my tight-knit group of friends, the line that separates friends and family is quite heavily skewed and blurred. We are, by every nonbiological definition of the word, a family. Now, it would be a bit far-fetched and somewhat harsh of me to go the extra mile and say that introverts value their friendships more than extroverts do, but, we do, in most cases at least. Still yet, although I do admit to always having a close-knit group of friends, it has never truly altered my pessimistic nature nor my deliberative desire to be accepted and, in many regards, appreciated by everyone I meet. In some ways my own nature has become my own plague, almost like stepping on nails that you throw in front of yourself. Truly, that part of my personality has always been my downfall. It’s always held me back from really connecting with people, building other relationships, and maybe, just maybe, that is where the quiet soul falters. Going forward in life, I am afraid. Although I would like to believe my friends will be around till, well, the end, I think that where I’m going in life and where they are going will eventually come to a split in the road. Which, is scary. But, it is exciting, even for someone that is quiet. I only hope, as this year comes to a close and friendships part ways that I will be blessed enough to find friends that once again become my family and that, by and by, I begin to let go of whatever silent tendencies that inhibit me. It will, as always, be an adventure worth the struggle.
Tiffany Prell Savannah Warner Rachel Grant Lauryn Waldridge Haley Steinmetz Eliza Love Isaac Shelton Jessica Hanna Haley Simpson
Peyton Maki Sarah Link Emily Potts Austin Jewell TJ Rayhill Michael Murphy Sam Wertz Samantha Gentry Janna Klinglesmith
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 ww2. bullittschools.org/behslivewire. 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.
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Parents ASK Teens
Our parents know everything about us. They know how to get under our skin and get us to smile. Since both parties have questions for each other, the Livewire staff sat down with their parents and had a discussion. Some questions were directed to parents, others to teens. The questions we’ve all asked are answered here.
Why do you care if we cuss?
Why is it so hard for children to clean their rooms? What’s the best way for parents to deal with when they know their child is in drama? Hannah Perdew, copy editor: They just need to stay out of it. Haley Simpson, senior staff writer: They need to stop asking so many questions. Allison Drake, advertising editor: They need to learn that if we want help, we’ll ask for it. Cassidy Grom, managing editor: Do not talk to authoritative figures. Kevin Drake: By us intervening, it lets you know that we care and that your feelings matter to us. KD: We want to be involved in your lives and be there to help. AD: It’s good to listen, but not to try and solve. Ken Mayfield: We don’t want to see you get depressed. Jackie Ewing: We don’t want you to be like the kid on the news and us to be the parents who didn’t step in. Amanda LaRock: We just want to know how you’ll solve it so we could possibly offer suggestions. KD:If we don’t act like we care, you think we don’t care. December 2013 newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 4
AL: It’s how we raised them. We don’t talk like that, so we don’t want to hear them talk like that. Ken Mayfield: We’re training them for the work world, they can’t go around cussing there. AD: If that’s the only way to get your feelings out, cuss away.
Do you think it’s more beneficial to be strict or lenient?
Ken Mayfield: You need to be situational and tailor it to the kid and the situation. JE: You can’t be too strict on everything and can’t be too lax on everything. You need a good balance. KD: You have to take the teen’s level of maturity into account.
Sal Lanci, senior staff writer: It’s our room, where WE live, so we mark it as our territory. Haley Steinmetz, sophomore staff writer: It’s easier to take off our clothes and throw them on the floor. Jennifer Cishke, business editor: Parents say “It’s your responsibility”, so if I see it getting out of hand, I’ll do something about it. Evonne Mayfield: It’s much easier to pick clothes up at the time that you take them off/ put them on rather than picking up piles of clothes for an hour later. KM: Keeping your room clean teaches responsibility for adulthood (how to keep a clean environment). KM: Your room is part of my house.
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Teens ASK Parents
C o m p i l ed B y l ayne c u t l er laynec17@gmail.com
How involved should parents be in their kid’s grades? HP: They shouldn’t be involved at all. JC: Once kids get older, parents have to let them learn on their own. HS: We like to be notified of a low grade so we can fix it. KD: It’s your grade that you’ll have to live with.
If you could change one thing about your parents, what would it be? Kendall Mayfield, executive editor: They need better hearing. AD: They need to stop jumping to conclusions, our problems are always different than your all’s were. HP: They need to stop being crazy about school. HS: They need to stop asking the persistent questions. JC: They need to stop trying to fix all of our problems.
When do you think the age of not being embarrassed of being with your family is? Rachel Grant, sophomore staff writer: It depends on the situation. RG: Middle school is too awkward. HS: It gets better in high school. Nick Kinser, photo editor: We start to drift away from our parents, but then we begin to find a new respect for them. We have to know that we won’t always have them, so we need to spend a lot of time with them. NK: Parents should know the boundaries.
Why do teenagers have to text and stay updated on each other so much? Why must we stay in constant contact with the world? JC: We network. We know so many different people and can access them through technology. JC: There’s so much information out there, it’s only natural that we want to know everything we possibly can. JC: It’s easier to communicate. KD: You all are relying on words instead of emotion and human contact. CG: Using technology makes it easier to remember, you can do right then and there. CG: There’s not much one-on-one time at school, so it’s a great way to maintain positive relationships. JC: You can talk to multiple people at one time.
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ACADEMICS
less teaching, More learning BY HANNAH DEATON
hannahgirl45@gmail.com l @HannahAshlyn14
More teaching means more education. How much work do teachers put into teaching? Do they get off track so often that it hurts the students’ education? On average, teachers at Bullitt East teach for 30 minutes per class period and spend a significant amount of time preparing for each class outside of school. The amount of instruction a teacher gives depends on various factors, such as the subject, the students in the class, and the material being covered. However, some teachers are more susceptible to getting off track in class, regardless of the situation. This year, each class period is 55 minutes long. If a teacher spends 30 minutes instructing/ lecturing their class during a period, that means they have taught over half of the class period. Is that beneficial, or not? Nate Fulghum, teacher, believes that the amount of lecturing a teacher does, does not necessarily impact the students for better or worse, but that it varies subject to subject. He stated, “I do think you have to have a healthy balance of lecturing with new information and simultaneously applying that information, and when you’re just lecturing all day every day, I think that’s bad.” Outside of school teachers must prepare for each class. First year teachers have to spend more time preparing because it is all new for them. Ms. Paige Robinson stated that preparing for a brand new class would take her around 30 minutes per class and a few hours to create a good test. She tries to be intentional in everything she assigns so that her notes match the homework problems, and the homework problems match the test. We all know that some teachers tend to get off track in their lectures and talk about things completely unrelated to the lesson. Senior, December 2013 newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 6
Courtney Pfister stated that she has more respect for teachers who care about their students’ grades and know what they are talking about. The amount that a teacher teaches in class does affect her level of respect for them. The amount of teaching that is done in a given class period varies from subject to subject, teacher to teacher, and class to class. Ms. Paige Robinson stated that “More rigorous classes with more motivated students will have more independent work time, whereas other classes may have more instructional time based on their level of motivation.” In a survey, students said that they believe female teachers get off track more easily than male teachers. The majority in the same survey believe that the largest cause of a teacher getting off track is the students distracting him or her. Amanda Edelen, junior, is a student who purposely tries to get teachers off track. She says that teachers get off track easiest when you talk to them about things that are “relevant to them.” Edelen also stated that the less strict teachers are the ones that easily get off track. If the particular teacher you are trying to distract likes you, that’s even better. “I think if you’re a student that isn’t liked by a teacher, they won’t really care what you have to say,” Edelen concluded. This leads us to the core of this issue. Does getting off track in class negatively affect students and their education? In an anonymous survey, over half of the students said that they believe getting off track in class does not affect their education in a negative way. In fact, a few even said that it allows them a nice break in class, enhancing the learning experience. It gives them an opportunity to relax and occasionally they feel they learn even more valuable lessons from the off-topic discussions that arise in class.
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RELATIONSHIPS
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What’s Your Love Language? B Y H AL E Y S I MP S O N
haley.simpson7@gmail.com | @haleysimp7
The Five Love Languages were created by Dr. Gary Chapman and based off of his marriage of 45 years. You can take the quiz below to determine your love language based more on boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. Once you figure out your love language, it will help you in further relationships with your girlfriends, boyfriends, and friends by being able to understand how you work in relationships.
1. After I help someone with a hard project, I
enjoy when the person… A. Thanks me. B. Rewards me with a gift. C. Offers to help me do something in exchange for me helping them. D. Hugs me or shakes my hand to thank me for my work. E. Does something with me to thank me after the job is complete.
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. When I’m down after a really bad day at school, I want people to… A. Lift me up with kind words. B. Bring me things they know will cheer me up. C. Offer to help me do things to make it easier on me. D. Hug me to make me feel better. E. Hang out with me to make me feel better.
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. When I’m sick with the latest stomach bug going around school, I want someone to… A. Tell me that they hope I feel better. B. Bring me food and things that make me feel better. December 2013 newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 10
C. Do things for me so I don’t have to. D. Comfort me by rubbing my back or hugging me. E. Come stay with me to keep me company while I’m sick.
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. When I make the sports team I worked all summer to make, I want my parents to... A. Say they’re proud of me and tell me what a good job I did. B. Buy me new equipment since I worked hard. C. Be more lenient on your chores and maybe do some of them themselves since you’ll be busy with practices and games. D. Give me a congratulatory high five. E. Spend time with me to help me get better in my sport.
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. When I’m stressed out over a large school assignment, I enjoy when people... A. Motivate me with words so that I can finish my work. B. Bring me food or other items to help me out. C. Offer to take over some of my tasks for me. D. Hug me and let me know it will be alright. E. Someone to keep me company while I do my tasks.
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. When I’m going on a date for the first time with someone, I enjoy when he/she… A. Tells me I look good. B. Brings me flowers or something else. C. Wants to do what I want to do. D. Holds my hand or hug me. E. Knows what he/she wants to do and doesn’t leave all the plan making up to me.
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. When I’m angry because I just got in a huge fight with my best friend, I want someone to… A. Talk to me about it and reassure me it will all work out. B. Bring something to calm me down. C. Offer to take over one of my responsibilities so I can have time to calm down. D. Hug me to comfort me. E. Come over and hang out with me so I can
calm down and take my mind off of the situation.
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. When I just got broken up with by a person I dated for a long time, I want my friends to… A. Reassure me that there’s someone better out there for me. B. Bring me candy and comfort food. C. Do things with me to keep my mind off of it. D. Hug me. E. Come spend time with me to make me feel better.
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. When I need motivation to finish a hard project, I want people to… A. Give me words of encouragement. B. Give me things that will motivate me. C. Ask if there’s anything they can do to help me. D. High-five me in encouragement. E. Hang out with me while I’m struggling.
10. When you get an A on a huge test you
studied real hard you want your parents to... A. Say how proud they are of you and how hard you tried. B. Buy you a surprise gift. C. Offer to do your chores for you D. Give you a hug. E. Take you to your favorite restaurant for dinner. SCORES: Mostly A’s: Words of Affirmation - You like when people tell you did a good job, you look nice, or tell you how much they appreciate you. Mostly B’s: Receiving Gifts - You like when people give you gifts. It shows that they really care about you. Mostly C’s: Acts of Service - You feel valued when people do things for you. It shows they care for you when they go out of their way to do something for you that they might not enjoy. Mostly D’s: Physical Touch - You like when people hug you and hold your hand. Someone touching you shows they care for you and want you in their life. Mostly E’s: Quality Time - You want people to spend time with you. You appreciate when people want to spend time with you and make time for you in their life. ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 12/4/2013 3:38:35 Pm
It’s who ya know
BY HALEY STEINMETZ
haley.steinmetz72@gmail.com | @haley_steinmetz
I know a guy who knows a guy. For many East students, networking has the ability to help make their college and career dreams come true. Networking affects students during school because they can get strong letters of recommendation and important roles in clubs and groups. Not only can students network with teachers, but they can also network with other members of the school system and community. Although there are benefits to networking, some people argue that it is unfair. Networking is the idea of “knowing a guy.” In other words, it means forming relationships for the purpose of opportunity. “To me, networking means making connections to people who can help you in your career,” said Dana Steinmetz, counselor. In high school, students who become close to their teachers are building relationships that may help them in the future, which means they are networking. Eventually, this teacher will have a lot of things to say about the student in a letter of recommendation for college. By developing this relationship, the student has a better, more personal letter of recommendation. A solid letter of recommendation can influence whether or not a student gets into college or the Governor’s Scholar Program. It can also help determine the amount of scholarship money they get. Just by form-
Layout: Haley Simpson newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 11
ing a relationship with a teacher, a student can open up new opportunities. Not only can teachers help students with their future, they can also help them while they are in high school. Masi Sanders, senior, and April McCroskey, teacher, are one of many close teacher-student relationships at East. Sanders said, “She [McCroskey] has helped me get involved in several clubs. She’s always there for me to talk to. She’s like a counselor to me.” Many people believe that it is beneficial for students to get close to their teachers. However, teachers are not the only people that students can network with. They can also network with other staff members or people who are involved in their community. School counselors have a lot of power that is often underestimated. Counselors choose schedules, are close to college admission counselors, and even choose who is selected for some scholarships offered. People also believe that it would be smart for students to get close to them, so that they’ll stand out against others who are more quiet and shy. Students can also develop solid relationships with people who have active roles in the community, because they are well known and therefore have connections with other powerful people. Mrs. Steinmetz said, “When I think back to high school, I think of the teachers
I had relationships with. I do not remember a single fact that somebody taught me out of the textbook. I remember the life lessons I learned, I remember the memories, and I remember the content from the classes that I enjoyed the teacher.” Although there are a lot of things students can gain from networking, some people say that it is unfair. These people claim that teachers who have friendships with students are playing favorites. However, teachers come to like the students who apply themselves and are willing to offer them respect and conversation better than those who sit in the back and don’t ever talk in class. April McCroskey, teacher, stated, “I think that it’s a mutual respect. If you are a student you shouldn’t expect any extra advantages.” If two people are both trying to get the same scholarship and they both have 4.0 GPAs and are in the same clubs and groups, the tie-breaker would fall to the letter of recommendations. The student who is outgoing and friendly with teachers has the stronger letter, so they are the one that will be picked for the scholarship. Some people say that this is not unfair because the student who now has the scholarship has chosen to work hard not only academically, but also socially, while the student without the scholarship chose to only talk to their own group of friends. “To put it simply, you snooze you lose,” stated Steinmetz.
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Before you date for Dummies B y C a ssidy g r o m
cassidy.grom@gmail.com l @CassidyGrom
L
et’s think this through. You are fourteen. You are a freshman. You just met the most amazing guy or girl. They are a little older, let’s say sixteen, and they seem to like you a lot. What’s your move? Before you fall head over heels and take that first ceremonial selfie with your new significant other, there are some things you need to consider.
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The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “What is my motive?” Every day I see teenagers invest themselves in relationships for all the wrong reasons. Guys date girls because they are hot. Girls date guys because the girls are lonely. Even I have once fallen prey to the monster that whispers, “You need a man to be happy.” These relationships don’t last. They seem great for a few weeks or months, and then they come to a screeching halt when one or both parties realize that there is no future for the relationship. The only acceptable reason to date is ultimately marriage. Don’t freak out, I’m not saying you have to marry the first guy or girl you get into a relationship with. I’m saying that dating should be the act of looking for a future spouse. If getting married within five or six years scares you, you probably shouldn’t be dating in the first place. “Just having fun” is not an acceptable reason to have an ongoing relationship. In fact, it is a very stupid reason to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. You are messing with a real person with real emotions. When you break up, those December 2013 newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 12
emotions turn sour and there is absolutely nothing fun about that.
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The next thing you need to ask yourself is “Do our future plans line up?” I am sorry to break it to you, but the fact is that most high school relationships don’t last when one or both parties go away to college. If the person you are considering dating is a few years older than you and doesn’t plan to stay home for college, you probably shouldn’t date them. If you are the same age and you both plan on going to different colleges, why would you start a relationship now that you know won’t last later? I would encourage you to have those difficult conversations with your potential significant other and ask them what their goals and plans are. Put your head before your heart. Don’t let your emotions go unchecked and dive into a relationship that won’t last because you are each going down separate paths. The third thing that you need to ask yourself is, “Will this relationship cause drama?” That’s a tough one. Teenagers often date within their friend group, and more often than not, drama occurs. Boys, is that girl you are chasing your best friend’s ex? Are you willing to give up your longtime friendship with your bro for some temporary relationship with a girl? Girls, has your friend been crushing forever on the guy that just asked you out? How would that make her feel if you went behind her back and dated him? These are real questions you need to answer before you start dating that new guy or girl. If you are not
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mature enough to have honest conversations with your friends about your potential new relationship, you are definitely not mature enough to be dating. The best relationships are those where both sets of friends are happy for you and you don’t have to navigate the messy seas of drama.
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The final thing you need to ask yourself is, “Will this new relationship be okay with my parents?” How can you find this out? Ask them. There is a pretty popular story about this dude named Romeo and this chick named Juliet who dated even though their parents had forbidden it. That didn’t turn out so well. Check with both sets of parents and get their permission if you wish to have a happy relationship. If at this point I have basically crushed your dreams about having that high school sweetheart, hold on; there is hope! I am currently sitting in the car with my brother and his high school sweetheart. They have been married four months now. How did they do it? They started the relationship with the right mentality, both knowing that the point of dating is marriage. They both went to the same college and their life goals lined up. There was minimal drama with their friends because they went to different high schools and both sets of parents gave their wholehearted blessing on their relationship. So before you start a relationship and snap that selfie, really consider if it is right for you. Think through these things and you won’t regret your decision later.
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Strangers with memories B y J enni f er C ischke
jennifer.cischke@gmail.com l @jennifercischke
W
hung out till late that night,” explained Stone, “[she] would come over or I would and we would just hang out and talk. Those were some of the best times I had with her.”
Many upperclassman are up to offering advice on or about being a high school student. Often times the first thing they give heed to is the making and breaking of friendships.
Vincent also recollected her favorite memory of spending the weekend out of town with Stone at his family’s home in Richmond, Kentucky. She “thought [they] were very close, like as close as a ‘brother and sister’ relationship. His family even [told her she was] part of the family.”
e aren’t friends, but we aren’t enemies. We’re just a couple of strangers with some memories.”
Many students at East can relate to this quote due to the making and breaking of friendships over the course of high school.
You can ask nearly any student at Bullitt East and he or she could quite easily name at least one person, who at one time,they believed they were inseparable from but seemed to have drifted far, far apart. Juniors Logan Stone and Brandy Vincent were willing to share a story of their childhood friendship dissolving throughout high school. Stone and Vincent began their friendship at Old Mill Elementary School. “We basically grew up with each other,” said Vincent. They remained friends throughout most of middle school, but Stone moved schools and lost touch with Vincent for a short time. “The end of 8th grade year she had messaged me on Facebook and we began texting again. Our friendship quickly grew and by the start of freshman year we were great friends,” explained Stone. “One of my favorite memories was the summer after freshman year. She had a small birthday party and I was invited. We played with water balloons, had a bonfire, and just Layout: Cassidy Grom and Kendall Mayfield newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 13
“For a long time, Brandy was my only best friend and I was hers, and now I haven’t talked to her in almost a year. I think the magic we had as kids has vanished and with it our friendship... time decayed bonds we never thought would be broken.”
me when she needed help, but over time it began to fall apart.” The two juniors have not spoken to one another in about a year. Although, Stone said he “miss[es] her some days [since] she left so much of an impression on [his] life.” Vincent also said she missed Logan very much and that “[they] could be close again, if [they] gave it some effort.” Maybe as you were reading this, a certain someone came to mind. You remember them perfectly, right? You were the ultimate definition of “best friends” what seemed like only a short time ago. Maybe you know what happened, maybe school or athletics interfered or you had a falling out, maybe someone moved and you both lost touch, but one thing stays constant in your story and the one from Stone and Vincent - you never thought you would lose the person you never speak to anymore.
“I mean our parents at one point thought we would be married,” added Stone, “For a long time Brandy was my only best friend and I was hers, and now I haven’t talked to her in almost a year. I think the magic we had as kids has vanished and with it our friendship… [ultimately] time decayed bonds we never thought would be broken.” Stone said that for a while, “I still called her when if needed to talk to and she still called 12 12/4/2013 3:38:45 Pm
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broken-hearted Broken
Scarred Split in Two Shattered Torn
Alone Beaten Bruised Struck by Love Shot Pierced Left
By Cupid’s Arrow
Shrunken Shriveled Black from
Hate
Two Sizes Two Small Engulfed in Pain
Stabbed Cut By Angry Words Stomped Trampled
Into
Nothing Lost Sad
Aching, Crying Wanting Needing Drowned by
Sorrow
Ar t w o rk by K y l Ar W a re Kyler is a fourth year art senior currently in AP Studio Art. She is ranked third in her class of 354. She plans to attend the University of Louisville
P o e m by s a l l a nci salvatore.lanci@gmail.com
Sal is a first year journalism senior. He is ranked fourth in his class of 354. He is currently deciding on a college.
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Hoping Trusting
Blinding Love Forgotten
Invisible Betrayed by Sight Lovely Lonely Dying
Dead Still Beating
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Bullying Is Real “I am not going to put you in the hospital, I am going to put you in the morgue,� read the final email that Rachael Neblett, then a seventeen year old senior, would receive from her stalker before taking her own life. B y K end a l l M ay f ie l d
kendallmayfield@gmail.coml @kendallbugg
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The History of Bullying at East “I am not going to put you in the hospital, I am going to put you in the morgue,” read the final email that Rachael Neblett, then seventeen years old, would receive from her stalker before taking her own life. In the 2006-2007 school year, the social media website Myspace was at its peak and teenagers experienced a whole new platform to share the details of their lives. Neblett began receiving anonymous, “stalker-like” emails through her account. Many think that it could’ve been a peer due to the fact that the anonymous sender knew her every move throughout the school day. They even knew where she lived and the exact time that she caught the bus. It wasn’t until October that things finally hit the fan resulting in Neblett taking her own life. Mark Neblett, Rachel’s dad, said, “In my day, we were eye to eye and this stuff didn’t last. She (Rachael) said, ‘You don’t understand, it’s different.’ She was right. She must have been tore up inside.” Not only did the phenomenon affect the family, it affected everyone at East; most importantly, Neblett’s closest friends. “It was the first time that people were actually talking about bullying. I teach it every year in my health class, but students finally realized what can happen,” stated health teacher, Dona Hare.
Settles suicide that Smith’s mother decided to leave her home for a few minutes, but she would return to her daughter’s lifeless body. “I don’t believe she wanted to do it,” Terry stated. “I believe she felt like she should do it in memory of her friends.” On top of the hardships that these two teens faced outside of school, the death of a friend, due to bullying, didn’t add to the situation. It took a lot of time for the students and staff to recuperate after three tragic losses, but it also changed the way the administration and teachers did things. “In health class, I am much more direct with students now. I let them know the effects and the consequences. We spend a lot of time covering the responsibility to care for each other,” Hare stated. Even though this happened six years ago, we still are haunted by the effects of bullying every time we drive down Highway 44 and pass their graves lined up next to each other.
Bullying at East Today
“It was the first time people were actually talking about bullying.. students finally realized what can happen.”
Within a matter of six months, Neblett’s best friend, Kristen Settles, would attempt to cope with the pain of losing a best friend. “I knew some of the struggles she had,” Hare said, “I saw that she could be an easy target.” On March 30, 2007, East gathered in the gym for a cyberbullying assembly. Danny Clemons, assistant principal at the time, sat next to Settles to assure that she could cope. After assuring Clemons that she was perfectly fine, the teenager went home and on about her day; however, Settles took her life the next day. “It shocked us all. We didn’t see it coming. We thought that she was beginning to recover from the death,” stated Tammi Terry, counselor. Another friend of the two, Karissa Smith, was also heavily impacted by the death of her friends and their history with bullying. Her relationship with Neblett was strong and her friendship with Settles was even stronger. Smith and Settles were neighbors and had grown up together. It was six months after Layout: Cassidy Grom newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 17
Some of the students that you sit next to in history, walk down the hall with, or you’re followers on Twitter are students who go home feeling empty each day, some who even take the initiative to attempt suicide.
Senior, Juliana Gomez, amazes many with her story of bullying and the trials she went through. Attending Old Mill Elementary as a child, Gomez moved to Indiana where her life would forever be altered. All throughout middle school, Gomez was tormented by her peers. “In one instance, a girl at my old school beat me up in a locker room and someone videotaped it and showed it around,” she said. Putting trust in her friends back home, she decided to tell her best friend who still attending Bullitt County Schools. Gomez decided to move back to Bullitt County for a new beginning; however, her fresh start instead turned into fresh torture when the trusted friend released some very personal information to her peers.
After being open with her mom about it, Gomez was sent to a hospital to help her cope with her depression. Although the senior is out and feeling better than ever now, she has been scarred in unnamed ways. Gomez cut off all ties with her “so-called friends” after she recuperated. “It’s really hard for me to trust people now. Honestly, I don’t try to get too close to anybody anymore. I just try to be friends with a variety of people,” she stated. The survivor joined clubs such as the Friends of Rachel club (FOR) where she became part of a “family”. “I’m so glad none of my suicide attempts worked. I think God put me here for a reason- to tell my story,” Gomez said. Junior, Shanna Thompson, who recently came to East from Valiant Christian Academy, also has an interesting past when it comes to bullying. During her freshman year, Thompson fell for a senior boy and a relationship developed; however, it went downhill. Her boyfriend attempted to take advantage of her, and when Thompson refused; her boyfriend began to victimize her- both verbally and physically. Since she cared deeply about her boyfriend, Thompson tried to work things out and make the relationship work for eight months overall. “When we broke up, it all went downhill from there,” the junior stated.
“Every day I would walk into school and be told ‘No one wants you here’, and it all started feeling real. I was constantly being called out for my weight and race,” Gomez stated. Being that her peers domineered her each day, Gomez took the struggle into her own hands. Outside of the halls of East, she got into drugs, she cut herself, and she even attempted suicide six times during her high school career. 16 12/4/2013 3:38:48 Pm
The pressure of being bullied lead Thompson to begin cutting herself. The junior cut her arms and later her hips in an attempt to hide the scars. “It hurt, but it took my mind off of everything that was happening. It makes me mad when people say only “emo” kids’ result to this, I’m your average kid and I used to cut,” she said. With the pain and suffering still prevalent, Thompson attempted suicide four times and even made a suicide pact with some classmates at the time. “When people see me at school or walking down the hall, they would never think that I have a past like this, but I do,” the junior said. Recently, Thompson wrote a poem in her own time sharing an emotional state. When her English 3 teacher, Mrs. Harris, asked her class to conduct a poem, the junior submitted her poem wholeheartedly. Harris was blown away when she read it. “Teachers always ask for a meaning behind the content, and she (Thompson) grasped what most students can’t,” Harris stated. The English teacher was so inspired that, with permission, she shared it with all of her classes. It shocked the whole class and made at least four students cry. “The poem helped me look back on everything that I’ve gone through,” Thompson said. The junior has a strong opinion about bullying due to her experience. “People don’t realize what really goes on in people’s lives. Students need to take it more seriously because it’s a horrible feeling.” Since then, Thompson has received counseling and has put herself on the right path. “I’ve raised my grades and I’ve stopped cutting. Although my story is not nearly as bad as some, I share it to other girls like me now, and I think they find it very inspirational,” Thompson said.
Scars
poem by: Shanna Thompson Although you may look at me, and see nothing but smile, I’m sure it’s hard to believe I’ve been hurting for a while Some things just never go away All that pain, guilt, and hurt is here to stay There has been some times where I’ve just laid in bed at night Saying, “I wish I was strong enough to take my own life.” The open wounds that have been caused by myself and so many others Seem to be unnoticeable; I guess I do a good job of hiding it under the covers I really wish I knew how to bring this topic about, Wish I could scream to the world, “Watch the words that come out of your mouth” The silent notions I portray Still go unnoticed, I go through hell everyday The scars, you will never see on my arms, they’re hidden by bracelets, I guess you could say I just go through the motions, like I have a mask on, like I’m faceless The things people say, I bury them down, deep inside Everything would be so much easier if I just ended it; just died You may not know where I’m coming from, only a handful do There’s nothing, no nothing, that makes me want to pull through I’ve dug myself to deep, and you just pile the dirt higher I trust no one, no one, everyone’s a liar I may seem alive, but inside I’m dead Walking around like a zombie, without a head
For more Information Make a Difference fot Kids is a non-profit organization promoting the awareness and prevention of cyber bullying and suicide through education. The organization was created in honor of two Mt. Washington teens who committed suicide. To read more about their stories and learn about the effects of bullying, scan the link below.
I never understood how someone could be so cruel, Maybe you’ll notice one day when I don’t show up at school Pointing out others flaws to make yourself seem perfect Could be the trigger that sets them off, is all that really worth it? Dehumanizing others, just to make yourself seem more desirable Could make someone go insane, make that gun seem more reliable Depression, anxiety, self-harm, and more The few that recognize these choose to ignore I will never seem weak in front of you You’ll find out how strong I am, to this statement I’ll be true I will make it through this even though I don’t want to I promise you, I’ll make it through, I’ll make it through, I’ll make it through
PO E M by S H A N N A T H OMP S O N Shanna is new to Bullitt East this year. She is a transfer student from Valiant Christian Academy. She enjoys basketball in her free time.
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From the Bully’s Perspective
as strongly about it as I do today without the incident, it changed me forever,” Cooke stated.
Many students behind the emotional distress never fess up about their experiences; however, senior, Ashley Cooke came out about her story at the recent United for East (UFE) bonfire. As group members were talking about their part in promoting an antibullying atmosphere, Cooke came forward about her history linked to bullying.
WRITER’S Note
As a middle schooler, Cooke never realized how one night could impact her life so much. For one of her good friend’s birthdays, a slumber party was held and all of Cooke’s close peers attended. While there, things got out of hand when the girls started prank-calling random people and telling them false rumors. Just a few days later, all of the girls were called up to the assistant principal’s office to discuss what happened that night. The false rumors offended the family and girl that Cooke was targeting, and they brought it to the administrator’s attention. When they found out that Cooke was the source for this incident, the bully’s parents were notified and she was threatened to be placed in In-School Adjustment Program (ISAP) or possibly worse. “My parents were so disappointed, the most I have ever saw, and it affected me just seeing their reaction,” Cooke explained.
Some of the most inspirational leaders of our time have been domineered by a peer at some point. Michael Phelps, who won 22 Olympic medals, was picked on for his lisp and the size of his ears. Justin Timberlake, who has won six Grammies, was called a sissy throughout high school for being involved in music and art. Tyra Banks, who is
constantly humiliated in front of peers on the bus. They were abused not only verbally but also physically. I couldn’t believe the strength he had to tell his counselor soon after. I couldn’t even fathom how much emotional distress he was facing. Instead of focusing on playing with transformers and dressing up like superheroes, he would find violent video games to relay his anger. Us as a family never would’ve expected this from him, and that’s when it was brought to my attention how apparent bullying is in the real world. Every year, school officials give the same worn-out lecture on bullying; however, it doesn’t catch most students’ attention. As high schoolers, we believe that domineering others is over taught and doesn’t appear prevalent. What most don’t know is that there is a reason behind everything. Students that walk the same halls as you and sit in the same classrooms as you are taking serious measures every day to flee away from the humiliation by their peers. So if a video and pamphlet can’t catch your attention, I hope that this article did. Students around our school are going home with emotional distress each day, and us as a family and school need to decipher these signs and stand up for them. Sometimes all students need is someone to pull them through the day. This is a common concept in each of the victim’s stories- they just needed a hand reaching out to them.
“I think almost everyone has bullied at some point...I came from a good home and was raised well, but I still chose to make this mistake.”
After a month or so, things calmed down and the family of the victim decided not to press charges. Cooke wrote her a letter to apologize for all of the harm she had caused, and with some time and some forgiveness, the victim and Cooke became really close friends. “I think almost everyone has bullied at some point whether they realize it or not. It doesn’t matter your background. I came from a good home and was raised well, but I still chose to make this mistake,” Cooke said. Currently, the senior feels strongly against bullying and wants to make all of the impact that she can. She is now a part of UFE where she stands up against the act of people getting harassed. “I don’t think I would feel Layout: Cassidy Grom newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 19
a former model and a television personality, was picked on for her looks. Dick Vitale, who is a host for ESPN, recently came out about his story of being bullied throughout life. Everyone witnesses or handles the stress of bullying at some point. As an advocate of anti-bullying and suicide awareness, I take a strong passion in the art of helping others. It was just recently that my nine-year old brother, otherwise known as my best friend, has been a sufferer of bullying for the past couple of months. My brother is much like myself when I was younger, bashful and cooperative, two good qualities that can be justified in a bad manner. It was for that reason that he started getting picked on by someone that he called his friend. Each day, he would play “hooky” or come home from school sick. It wasn’t until I considered the pattern that being the overprotective sister I am, I sat him down and hoped for some answers. He finally confessed to being bullied on the bus each day. An even younger student and he were
Altogether, sometimes all it takes is to simply think about something before you say it. Whether it is via social media or not, one simple incident could affect someone’s life in an assortment of ways. Although you may think it’s not prevalent, some of your peers go home every day wishing for a more bearable place. “It’s your responsibility as classmates to take care of each other and to protect each other,” Hare expressed, “and that’s what us as a family and school should be doing.”
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SPORTS
more than just A team by m ich a e l m u r p hy
mmichael.murphyy@gmail.com | @murphymichael25
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is a progress. Working together is a success.” This quote from Henry Ford more than sums up the athletic success that the sports of Bullitt East High School have exhibited thus far this year. The combination of hardwork and teamwork and the relationships between members of a team have made all the teams in the school succeed so far. These relationships are undeniably the glue that holds our teams together. The majority of these relationships that the players have built will last far beyond their high school sports years. These are the relationships of a lifetime. There are many great relationships between teammates around Bullitt East. Some relationDecember 2013 newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 20
ships would not have resulted if not for the sport the individuals played, and some relationships have been there from the beginning. Regardless, relationships between players, between siblings, between coaches, and between players and coaches are the keys that have opened the doors to success for the Chargers this year. Siblings fight and siblings bicker, but in reality, who knows you better than your siblings? They have been there from the beginning and will be there until the end. There are many cases around Bullitt East of siblings or close relatives that play on the same varsity sports teams; from the Lowes on the cheerleading team to the Troutmans on the basketball court, the close relationships that have been developed between kin have a direct correla-
tion between the success that is shown on the court. Paul Miles (12) and Allen Miles (10) played on the same football team for the first time in their lives. Paul said,”It is special because he feels like I can always mentor [Allen] to become a better football player.” He went on to say that Allen is bigger and more athletic than he ever was, so all he tries to teach him is how to be more mean and more aggressive. He said, “[Allen] is a softy and I’ve been trying to tough him up his whole life.” Despite their laid back attitudes, the brothers have had their arguments with each other this year. Allen had a couple instances where he struggled to keep his grades up and became academically ineligible to play. Paul said that when that happened, he cracked down pretty hard on his younger brother. “I was pretty ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 12/4/2013 3:39:12 Pm
rough on him, but it worked and he got his grades up,” Paul said. The Miles’ are both thrilled with the success that they have helped bring to their team this season. Not all relationships between teammates have been there since birth. Boy’s cross country runner Tate Hatfield (11) said that he has made many new friendships because of his sport. “There are many people that I wouldn’t otherwise have relationships with if I wouldn’t have started running cross country. I was the first runner on this team and a big reason why many of these kids joined the cross country team,” Hatfield said. He believes that many sports are like his sport where not only are you only teammates, but you are genuine friends. “We always go over to someone’s house after our meets and just relax and have Layout: Kendall Mayfield
Photo: Yearbook
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a good time,” stated Hatfield. The close relationships that exist between the Bullitt East cross country team propelled the entire girl’s team and three boys to the state tournament this season. Chandler O’Bryan (12), member of the boy’s golf team, says that the relationship between the teammates and the level of respect that the boys had with head coach Kyle Downs were the main reason the team was so successful this season. “As far as cliques go, I’d say our whole team is a clique. We all have a passion for golf and we all grew as players and as friends this season,” O’Bryan said. He constantly stated how enjoyable the season was because of the close relationships between the entire team. O’Bryan said, “The player-coach relationship is the most impor-
tant relationship on the whole team. If you do not respect your coach, then you have no respect for your team. We all respected [Coach Downs] a lot and our record proves that.” He believes that the best coaches are not too strict but are able to be strict if they need to get a point across to their team. Because of these strong relationships, the boy’s golf team experienced an enormous amount of success this year. They went undefeated in all of their matches. Relationships are present in every sport at Bullitt East, whether it be between siblings, players, or coaches. Looking back at Henry Ford’s quote, it is easy to see that the fall sports teams came together in the beginning, they stayed together and made progress, and they worked together and experienced success. 20 12/4/2013 3:39:25 Pm
OPINION
#KeepItPersonal by h a nn a h p erdew
BEcheerleader96@gmail.com | @hannnah23_
“Omg his twitter ratio is soooo bad.” “Who’s your oomf?” “Who wants to be my MCM?!” In this fast paced technological era, it’s easy to get caught up in the social media craze. Almost all teenagers revolve their lives around social media. A lot of negative effects come along with the social media world. However, sites such as Twitter and Instagram can be very beneficial if used appropriately.
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I’m sure as all of you know social media brings a mile long list of negative consequences ranging from the simple things, like
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I will admit that sometimes we bring these negatives upon ourselves. Too often teenagers turn to Twitter as their (for lack of a better word) therapist to vent to. I can promise very few of your followers actually care that your boyfriend hasn’t texted you back all night. That right there is a large part of the problem. Nowadays, every detail of our lives are found on the Internet and instead of noticing our friends are upset, we just go read their tweets and reply with a sappy little comment. That’s not how it’s supposed to work at all.
...we are obsessed with this crazy little thing called social media.”
Think about this: I can almost guarantee you that 90% of our school is on Twitter or Instagram and that includes our faculty. So, I think it’s no secret that social media has huge effects on our lives. Not a day passes by that I don’t walk through the halls at East and hear the latest Twitter drama or someone’s crush of the week liked their selfie on IG last night. Let’s face it guys- we are obsessed with this crazy little thing called social media.
December 2013
your boyfriend favoriting his ex-girlfriend’s tweet, to the more serious issues, like bullying. Quite frankly, it’s not okay. We all know someone who has been negatively impacted in some way, shape, or form by the social media accounts they own.
However, I will say a couple positive things can come from social media accounts- if you use them correctly. In my personal experience, I have met a lot of people and made a lot of friends through Twitter and Instagram that I’m sure I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Almost all of them have turned out to be really influential people on my life. Moral of the story: don’t be dumb. Know when enough is enough on social media. Do you believe that it is important to monitor what you post on social media sites? 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.
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east has it good by e l iz a l o ve
eliza.love29@gmail.com | @liiza24
Some people think that Bullitt East is the worst school ever, has a bad staff, and is unfair. Bottom line is many students feel like they go to the most dreadful school. A lot of the student body complains about East, whether it’s through a conversation or on social media. However, if you really think about it, Bullitt East has it good compared to other schools in our area. East has a student body that is always there for one another through hard times, has a strong academic reputation, and has a supportive staff.
This may sound cliché, but BE really is a family. When the going gets tough, students come together and are there for each other. Last school year, East went through some hard times, as multiple people from our East family passed away. However, when the school faced challenges, we were there for each other. Not only were teachers there if students needed to talk, students were there for their peers. There were tweets sent out from students that read, “If anyone needs someone to talk to, I’m here.” With these tweets, the people that were struggling and having a hard time with the tragedies felt more comfortable opening up and talking about it. Compare Bullitt East to the other two schools in Bullitt County. First of all, we have over 1,400 students enrolled at BE, while our capacity is 1,300. East is the only high school in the county that is over-capacitated. That’s not just because of the population of teenagers in Mt. Washington. Well, it is a little, but the reason is mainly because parents want their children to go to East. Some parents might be employed in Shepherdsville, but they want their son/daughter to get the best education possible, so they move to Mt. Washington to ensure that their child goes to East. Not only do students move to Mt. Washington to go to BE, some students live in areas like ShepLayout: Kendall Mayfield newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 23
herdsville. Even though they’re supposed to go to either Bullitt Central or North Bullitt, many parents try to talk to the board to let their student attend East.
Last year, Bullitt East’s ACT Composite score was a 19.9. North Bullitt’s composite score was an 18.0, and Bullitt Central’s was an 18.5. Once again, East is ahead of the other surrounding schools. Bullitt East also continue to get better every year. In 2012 our NGL (National Generation Learners; scores based on a school’s achievement test scores and other academic factors) score was 56.9. In 2013 it went up to a 63.7. On top of all that, 61% of students who graduate from East go to college, which means we are pushing our students to achieve greatness. If you take a look at Bullitt East’s faculty and staff you’ll find that they’re pretty amazing. Teachers don’t have to stay after, offer extra help and support, or have a lot of school spirit, but they do anyway. It’s very possible for them to do the bare minimum of what is required of them. However, that’s not the case with teachers at East; they always go above and beyond. East’s staff and faculty love what they do and care about the students they are around every day. It’s a privilege to go to a school that has such an amazing staff. Some teachers at other schools don’t care about what their students do or learn. At East, teachers strive to help students reach their full potential so they can be successful in the future. So many former students come back to teach because they love the school. Even our own principal, Willie Foster, is a Bullitt East graduate. I challenge you to try to think of a year you weren’t taught by a BE grad. Sure, East might not be as “good” as the
private schools in Louisville academically. I don’t personally know anything about the environment of those schools, but I do know the environment at Bullitt East. Our school is full of amazing students and dedicated staff. Just because we don’t pay thousands of dollars to go to high school doesn’t mean we’re not great. BE’s test scores have been proven to go up every year. This is because we have hard-working students and staff. I don’t see how people think that our school doesn’t compare to those private schools, because in reality, it does. I’m not saying that Bullitt East is perfect by any means. What school is? I don’t know of any. What I am saying is that students shouldn’t take our school for granted, because it could be much worse.
Do you agree that East is a good school? 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.
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B y J essic a H a nn a
jessicahanna@gmail.com | @JessNicole8
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words…they’ll destroy me. Verbal abuse around the school is continuing to get worse as the years pass. Those people that say words “won’t get in my head” are actually feeling the exact opposite. Being abused mentally gets under one’s skin a lot more than getting hit in the face a couple times. This type of abuse can happen many different ways in many different types of relationships. Verbal abuse is forever; it doesn’t heal like a broken nose or a bruised eye. Many students around schools who get demeaning things said to them just try to shake it off and move on with life. That’s not how it works. No matter what excuse
teenagers say to try and avoid harsh words and mean looks, is not going to work. Unlike a little fist to the face, words stay inside the mind. As the thoughts replay over and over again, it never goes away. Physical abuse, or let’s say a fight, lasts about 15 seconds, if that long. Mental abuse can affect anywhere from weeks to months to years. “Mental (abuse) is the hardest to fix. It takes longer for the body to heal,” said social studies teacher Nate Fulghum.
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High school students usually only see most of their friends at school. What they don’t know, is what’s going on at home. Usually physical abuse is the obvious choice when students have bruises on their arms and always having their guard up. What friends can’t see is the bruises on the inside of bodies. There are students that go home to a difficult family life. They could be going home to a parent telling them they have to sleep on the floor because they got a B. “Your family knows your flaws better than anyone else does, which makes it easier for them to find your weak spots, and hit them hard, ” said guidance counselor, Tammi Terry. When it comes to love relationships,
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Mental abuse is long term. Along with long term abuse, comes the long term effects. Terra Riggs, a junior, who has been in situations of cruel verbal abuse admitted, “It made me more guarded about who I trust or who I get into a relationship with.”
Verbal abuse can stay with you to weeks to months to years
Mental abuse isn’t put under only one category. It branches out into many different types. There is verbal abuse over social media, in love relationships, parents and children, and the most obvious, student to student. A simple nasty tweet on twitter regarding a certain person counts as mental abuse.
December 2013
this happens a lot more often than one would think. Most of the time, it’s because the guy or the girl wants to show who runs the relationship, tending to say things to the other that results in verbal abuse and that eventually leads to physical abuse. Don’t believe the excuse, “I’m sorry, it won’t ever happen again.” Wrong, because it will. Abuse will never get better, it will ALWAYS get worse.
If you believe yourself or your friends are being mentally abused, there are a few things you might want to check off. Child Protective Services gives an Emotional Injury sheet to the counselors with a list of things that need to be checked off before reporting any type of emotional injury. For example, there needs to be spurning, terrorizing, exploitation/ corruption, isolating, and denying emotional responsiveness. “You can empower yourself or be a victim, value your own internal values,” stated Fulghum.
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ABUSE: VERBAL VS PHYSICAL
B Y I S AA C S H E LTO N
JIShelton@gmail.com | @Isaacshelton1
Don’t get physical. Physical. From day to day, from hall to hall, some students constantly see their classmates being pushed or shoved; sometimes, you see them get into a fight that results in a black eye or a broken nose. Physical abuse is not always between classmates to classmate; it is sometimes between a student and guardian. There are a lot of longterm effects of physical abuse, including low self confidence and a negative chain reaction of violence. Both mental and physical abuse are wrong, but when it comes down to it, some students would rather be called an unpleasant word than to get punched in the face.
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abuse you spend your life without value. You’re trying to find what makes you happy.” Another long-term effect of physical abuse is the cycle it begins on the student. “When your parents physically abuse you, you tend to physically abuse others. This usually causes unsuccessful relationships in life,” stated Hare.
...with physical abuse you spend your life without value. You’re trying to find what makes you happy.
Physical abuse doesn’t always stay on school property. Now more than ever, physical abuse causes torment and unrest in homes. According to cwla.org in 2010, 18,332 children were victims of abuse or neglect in Kentucky. In Mt. Washington, two anonymous brothers shared their story about their own abuse. Their father abused them at young ages. The older brother suffered most of the physical abuse. He was abused from ages five to eighteen. “In first grade my father pushed me down the stairs and I got a severe migraine when I hit my head,” stated the older brother. Some say that mental abuse is worse than physical abuse because it only lasts a couple seconds and may even leave a bruise. That’s not a bad argument. But according to freshmen health teacher Dona Hare,“With physical Layout: Sammy Ewing newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 25
abuse both brothers are still troubled by the past. After approximately thirteen years of abuse the older brother confessed his trust issues . After nine years of abuse the younger brother is still reminded of his past.“ There are still days I think about it,” stated the younger brother.
When a child is physically abused they’re also mentally abused. Physical abuse is violence and when someone is attacked then they get angry, mad, upset, sad, all these feelings stay with them. After many years of
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Child Protection Hot Line: 1-877-KYSAFE1 OR 1-877-597-2331 (Toll Free)
National Domestic Abuse Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE- Hotline
Abuse is hard on everyone, and if there is abuse in a students life then they need to contact a counselor immediately. “If I feel like a child is in danger, I would call CPS (Child Protective Service) and then I would call the police,” stated counselor Dana Steinmetz. CPS provides a learning environment that enhances health, safety, permanency, well-being and self-sufficiency for Kentucky’s children and families. According to bullyingstatistics.com, 282,000 students are reportedly attacked in high school every month. Don’t let your friends be in this statistic. 24 12/4/2013 3:39:49 Pm
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Don’t Wrap Kids In Bubble Wrap by tj rayhill
tjrayhill56@gmail.com | @TJRayhill
Bullying is okay. Go bully someone. Enjoy being bullied. Those are three phrases you will never hear in the United States. My thoughts and definitions on hot button items tend to be the polar opposite of the general public. The issue of bullying is no different. Bullying is beneficial, and helps kids mature. On the occasion that “bullying” becomes extreme enough, trained officials should react.
are actually very minor, acute falling outs. According to research done by the University of California, students who stand up to bullying instead of letting it continue tend to be more mature. In fact, a child development expert at the Open University, Helene Guldberg, suggests that teachers should not protect kids because those encounters with the playground bully can help them handle tough phases later in life. Minor “bullying” such as shove matches, and name calling can lead to a kid being more mature and teach them how to deal with adversity.
Students, don’t get your panties in a wad, grow up, learn from it and move on. The world isn't nice, people aren't nice and kids will not be nice to each other. Stop trying to wrap kids in bubble wrap.
“Most things parents and students label as bullying are actually very minor, acute falling outs.”
While the general public labels any undesirable action, from name calling to stealing, as bullying I tend to view only the extreme range as bullying.
Teachers, name calling and other minor day to day things shouldn’t be labeled as bullying. Kids are being sissified by allowing things such as name calling to be labeled bullying. Tim Gill, a former government advisor who wrote the book “No Fear”, reviewed child’s play. He states by mislabeling "unpleasant behavior as bullying that it is stopping [students] from building skills needed to protect themselves." He comes to the conclusion that most things parents and students label as bullying
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Our state has made leaps and bounds in recent years on training officials, teachers, parents and law enforcement on how to deal with bullies and the bullied. The current system exists to allow school systems to punish the bully in-house (ISAP or suspension) or by actually pressing charges against them. This is a great system if the "bully" is actually being a bully. Kids often get called fat, students mom’s get called ugly, and girls will talk behind other’s back. Those things happen to everybody, and it's not something to mope or cry about.
Do you think that bullying is an inescapable reality? 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.
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EDITORIAL BOARD
How Far Is Too Far? Why can’t we be friends? After events taken place last year, there has been more of a hesitance towards student and teacher friendships. A bond with a staff member can be beneficial in terms of networking and help with issues that show up in high school. Connection between the two should be friendly but still obtain a professional attitude. However, a certain line has to be drawn. Having friendships within school can bring benefits for both. For the students, having a teacher they can talk to easily opens them up to explain their problems and express feelings that they might not be too comfortable talking about with a counselor. For teachers, many feel that being respectful and friendly to their kids helps the production in class. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s being friends with the student, but a mutual respect for your kids. When you respect your kids, they work harder and are more productive,” expressed social studies teacher, April McCroskey. The opportunity also arrives with networking, which is becoming close to a teacher that could help with future connections in recommendations and careers. “ Networking is important because I feel when I am closer to a student it is easier for me to write a recommendation for them, however,
I believe networking can be done inside of school,” explained counselor Tammi Terry. Although students come to school to get an education, they form bonds with more than just their peers over the four years in high school. Yes, it is okay to have a bond with a teacher, but their job is to educate others, not become best friends with everyone. There is a balance that needs to be kept between friendly and professional attitude. “There is a common respectful relationship, have the students know you care and invest
“...but there is a line of respect and a line of being professional that should not be crossed.” more effort and time. Students have a lot going on and having an adult there is reassuring to them,” stated choir director and fine arts teacher Carrie Gary, “but there is a line of respect and a line of being professional that should not be crossed.” The question is, where should that line be drawn? The friendships have obviously crossed the line when it turns sexual, but there are other instances that are way beyond appropriate.
Sophomore, Seth Chastain stated, “Once it becomes into personal life, like once you start hanging out with teachers by yourself outside of school.” However, other students feel differently. Junior Sam Lowe expressed, “I honestly don’t see a problem with hanging out with teachers and being close to them. I feel like teachers and students are afraid of the accusations they will get if they are seen out in public alone, even if nothing wrong is going on or going to happen. I think that’s why people try to distant themselves from getting to that point, and even if they don’t believe that to be wrong they are afraid other people will look at them differently.” This is true in many cases; however there is a respectful line that should not be crossed. “I think you need to know the line between personal and too personal. You have to be strong enough not to cross it but it is better to be close to your students,” stated McCroskey.
Do you think that there is a fine line on student and teacher friendships? Let us know. Send all letters to: larry.steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us Editor’s Note: The editorial board is comprised of 12 selected journalism students.
Layout: TJ Rayhill and Jennifer Cischke newsmagazineBehsfall2013issue2.indd 27
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