Livewire Vol 4 Issue 3 March 2014

Prom

perspectives

Preview of

Winter

East sports

December 2013 Volume 4, Issue 2 March 2013 volume 4, issue 3 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 1

2/20/2014 8:09:32 PM

CONTENTS VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3

Student Life 3 | Lights. Camera.

Drama.

Look inside to see upcoming plays and more information about the drama department.

9

10

19

Academics 9 | Students with jobs

Students explain how to manage school and a job.

Perceptions

10 | Teachers with jobs

4 | Boy Scouts

A glance at what some

14 l Two Sides to every person teachers do outside of Take a quiz and figure out the other side to some students. school.

5 | Everything about 11 | ACT movement 15 l North Asks East Should scores define how Prom smart you are?

Find out the stereotypes among Bullitt East, Bullitt As prom gets closer there’s a sneak peak of prom Central, and North Bullitt. from all different aspects: Sports dresses, money, groups, 21 | Basketball 17 l Perceptions of East Eagle Scouts are soaring over Bullitt East

and cute ideas.

On the Cover:

Bailee Marzian poses with objects that symbolize perception and news around East. Can you match each object with its respective article?

Photo by Cassidy Grom and Hayley LaGrone.

February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 2

Should the composite scores define how smart you are?

19 l Boys Dont Sing The idea that only girls do choir is eliminated.

20 l Changes How Faith changed Talayna Jesse

The boys and girls teams are shooting for state.

Opinion 23 | Head To Head

The pros and cons of prom are discussed.

25 | Self Perception

What you see is not always what you get.

26 | Editorial Board

A look at why girl sports deserve just as much attention as guy sports.

ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:09:49 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

from the outside looking in

By Haley Simpson

haley.simpson7@gmail.com | @haleysimp7

From my personal experience, high school hasn’t necessarily been like what Troy Bolton and his friends experienced in High School Musical and what Disney made it out to be. As I look back on my past three and a half years at Bullitt East, I realize while it hasn’t been all pompoms and dance numbers after winning a state championship, it’s been pretty great.

I have extremely awkward tendencies. I make situations odd because of something I said or I randomly fall up the stairs. In middle school, it was worse. At that point, I was one of those people who thought high school was going to be the best four years of my life. Just like it was in most movies, because everything you see in the movies is 100% realistic, right?

Boy, was I wrong! I basically made it through my entire freshman year believing that I would be living High School Musical 4. My sophomore year, when things really changed, shook my world. The more I started to get close to a newer group of friends, the further I got from my best friends, and eventually, we just didn’t hang out anymore. It was a slow change that I never really caught onto while it was happening. My new group of friends became the only group I hung out with. At that time, I thought it was what was best for me. My newer friends are a good group of kids, but now, three years down the road, I regret that decision. I don’t regret making new friends, I regret letting the old ones go. If I could change it now, I would.

If I hadn’t been proved wrong enough before, when I was in elementary and middle school, Bullitt East sports seemed like they were the best and the whole entire school was driven Layout: Lauryn Waldridge and Haley Simpson newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 3

by them. I assumed that everyone had this crazy-intense school spirit and went to every single game, but nope. It’s sometimes a struggle to get spectators. When I started playing soccer my sophomore year, I thought that kids would come watch the games. False. They only came to the games where we played North Bullitt after they had been talking trash all week or if it was senior night.

Pep rallies can be a fight too. My first one freshman year, was disappointing. I remember the leadership class doing the Thriller dance and it seemed extremely irrelevant. Everyone just sat there and watched. After that, what little spirit there was had disappeared.

Another surprise was how many different types of people there are. When you’re coming from the oppressive, uniform-wearing halls of a middle school, you start to believe that everyone is the same. I didn’t realize people got tattoos in high school, or that people had so many piercings. I remember hearing about a senior with 27 tattoos and I couldn’t believe it. It was so strange and exotic, it was like I had been transported to Africa.

As you can see, my perspective of high school before I actually entered the halls of Bullitt East was slightly off. I never got to dance in the middle of the gym singing with the entire student body. But oh well, I like to think I made the most out of the past few years. I made new friends, had some amazing experiences, changed in positive ways, made some memories, and tried new things.

With the few months I have left, I look forward to making more memories and growing as a person.

Tiffany Prell Rachel Grant Lauryn Waldridge Haley Steinmetz Eliza Love Isaac Shelton Jessica Hanna Haley Simpson

Michael Murphy Samantha Gentry Janna Klinglesmith Peyton Maki Sarah Link Austin Jewell TJ Rayhill

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 comitted 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 witheld 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.

2 2/20/2014 8:09:50 PM

STUDENT LIFE

Curtain Call B Y ELI Z A LO V E

eliza.love29@gmail.com l @liiza24

And then there was one fool that lived happily never after.

Drama has many upcoming plays in store for Bullitt East.

East drama has a lot going on in the spring, and through th experience, members believe that they are becoming a family.

Students who participate in drama greatly benefit from the experiences that it offers.

Students can participate in drama

in three different ways.

There is Drama I, Advanced Drama, and the Drama Club.

Anyone can take Drama I, but it must be taken before Advanced Drama. The Drama Club is for people who may not necessarily have room to put Drama in their schedule, but they still have a desire to be involved in it. Most of the time, Drama Club ends up being a mixture of Drama I and Advanced Drama students.

At the end of February, the Advanced Drama class will put on a play called “Fools”, a comedy about a Russian village cursed with stupidity. The Drama Club has February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 4

two plays that are coming up. The first one is called “And There Was One, Too”, another comedy about a group of people who get trapped in a house on a mountain during a blizzard with a killer. Also, they are performing “Happily Never After” which is a comedy about fairy tale characters seeking marriage counseling.

The students are not only performers on the stage, but are also workers behind the scenes. “Fools” has two student directors: Kalie Hahn and Juliana Gomez. “And There Was One, Too” is directed by Trase Milburn, and “Happily Never After” by Melanie Metcalf.

“Fools” is taking the spot of the musical this year.

Students involved in Drama are very excited to show their hard work and talent to their peers. “I certainly hope the students take interest. I’m really proud of these shows, and I believe the student body will love them,” said Drama senior Daniel Watts.

For the drama students, it is much more than just putting on a play; it’s about connecting with people. The students bond by working and coming together to create something. “At the core of it we all we grow together as a family,” stated Watts.

Many students have learned more than just how to memorize lines; they’ve learned how to perform. They realize that they are making the audience really feel and have emotions.

“Knowing that you were the one that made them laugh, who made them cry, who made them feel...it’s just a wonderful feeling,” admitted Watts.

Being involved with drama has also taught students a lot about the real world. Students feel like drama has prepared them for what they will have to do later on in life. “I think I’m more confident and I’m able to be in front of people,” said junior Abby Pickett.

Drama isn’t just during school, there’s a lot of hard work that goes into the making of the plays after the bell rings. Students are very dedicated, and they stay after many times during the week in preparation for the performances. “We’ve got a lot of great people in the group, a lot of people who will put their whole self into their work,” stated Trase Milburn. ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:09:53 PM

Soaring to the Highest Rank

By rachel Grant

rachelgrantt@gmail.com | @rachel_grantt

B.E. Scouts, my Lord, Kumbaya Brand new Eagle Scouts attending Bullitt East bring honor to our school.

Becoming an Eagle Scout takes a lot of hard work, effort, and motivation. Three of BE’s students have taken the challenge to reach this honor. Many future career advantages come with the Eagle Scout title as well as the satisfaction of completing a great accomplishment.

According to the Boy Scouts of America Foundation, for every 100 Boy Scouts, only 2 achieve the highest honor of Eagle Scout, and Bullitt East is the home of three of them.

Alex Hiemer and Phillip Burress, seniors, and Travis Cole, sophomore, have all taken on the responsibility of becoming an Eagle Scout.

Many people believe scouts just tie knots and go camping, but the process of obtaining the Eagle Scout merit is long and strenuous.

Boy Scouts have multiple ranks, but Eagle Scout is the highest and most honorable. The top title is earned by accomplishing various ranks to attain merit badges. In the first grade, Hiemer decided to join Cub Scouts. “At that point it was just a fun thing to do with my friends,” says Hiemer. Leaving the club in fifth grade and rejoining in eighth, he says, “Many people told me I wouldn’t be able to achieve Eagle,” but Hiemer always told himself, “You just have to put your mind to it.”

Hiemer went through all seven ranks to reach the top. Before he could earn the high-

Layout: Rachel Grant and Kendall Mayfield newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 5

est rank, he was required to design a large project that helps or benefits the community.

He built public gardens at Bernheim Forest for people to plant and grow food the community can use. “Anyone can use it and there are even some we have built especially for handicapped people so that they may access the gardens in wheelchairs,” Hiemer said.

Along with the rare title comes future advantages. Many colleges, such as the University of Louisville, offer scholarships ranging from $8,000 to full tuition. Other companies, such as Louisville Gas and Electric, give automatic interviews just for listing Eagle Scouts on a resumé. “Companies see and look for it [Eagle Scouts] as a sign of leadership,” says Heimer.

most Scouts, but he has now accomplished almost everything needed to earn the Eagle Scout merit. Burress explains, “I thought I was finished with everything except the final interviews, but as it turns out, they added a new merit badge at the beginning of the year so I have to finish that before I can become an Eagle Scout.” Burress’ large community project was cleaning out an old slave cemetery in southern Bullitt County that was damaged by the ice storm in 2009.

Eagle Scouts is not just about singing Kumbaya around the campfire, but also has a huge impact in every Scout’s life. Best friends are made, future careers are favorably affected, and life skills are learned.

The military is another career path that recognizes this accomplishment. Cole says, “Being an Eagle Scout will help my future greatly. I plan on joining the military and with the skills I’ve gained from scouts I can receive automatic promotions.”

From six years old in Cub Scouts to eighteen years old in Eagle Scouts, friends may come and go, but some stick around forever.

Hiemer says, “Phillip Burress and I were already friends, but now we are best friends because of Eagle Scouts.”

Cole has also made some life-long friends from the club. “Craig English and I joined Cub Scouts at the same time and have been with each other ever since,” Cole says.

As a freshman, Burress started later than

4 2/20/2014 8:09:57 PM

They said yes to the prom dress

By Isaac Shelton

JIShelton362@gmail.com | @Isaacshelton1

2

Alexis Dixon

3

Recently, the Livewire staff started a competition on Instagram to find out which dress students thought was the best. We asked girls to submit pictures of their dresses and then we posted those pictures on our Instagram account. We used the number of likes from the orginal post to determine who won.

Kimi Burns

Amanda Edelen

Lauren Turner

Megan Marksbury

Megan Vance

Maria Long

Shelby Carver

February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 6

1

Haley Burton

Taylor Carter ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:10:00 PM

The Perfect Promposal

By Jessica Hanna

jessicahanna@gmail.com | @JessNicole8

With prom season reaching it’s peak, the Livewire surveyed students and provided some of our own ideas on relieving the “promposal” stress.

Livewire’s Ideas 1. Treasure Hunt Take her on a quest with clues that lead to her favorite spot and then there you are; standing with a rose and sign that simply pops the big question. After seeing the thought you’ve put into it, there’s no way she could say no.

2. School Intercom There is nothing better than letting everyone know who you want to go to prom with, and after she sees that you gave no effort to hide it and told the whole school, she will be begging to say yes.

3. Candles Leading the Way Can it get any more romantic? Everyone knows those sentimental girls that would die for something like this to happen. Make her dreams come true and line a lighted pathway leading to the end asking her to prom or even spell out prom with some lighted candles.

4. Cover the Car in Post-Its What better way to ask than a big surprise when she’s about to get in her car to go somewhere and finds her car covered in postit’s that read cute things like, “Will you go to prom with me?” and “You’re my dream date.”

5. Music to the Question If you’re a musician and you have a decent singing voice, this is the solution to a definite date to prom. Every girl dreams of a guy singing a song just for her. Now make up a couple lines that will melt her heart and end the song with the question, using your talent to win her over.

Layout: Haley Steinmetz and Kendall Mayfield newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 7

6. Cupie Cake This is SWEET! Literally. Spell out the word “P R O M ?” on 5 cupcakes and maybe even a extra one with a heart or smiley face. No girl can deny a little sugar. This is even a good method using donuts.

7. Play Dead This idea is super funny but also very clever.

During locker break, make sure you know what hallway she’ll be heading down to go to class and lay on the ground playing dead with a note taped on you saying, “I’m dying to go to prom with _____.” Make sure you write it big and clear or other people won’t understand why you’re lying in the middle of the hallway.

8. Desert the Question This is usually a cute idea for couple who are already dating. Take her to dinner and order a dessert without her knowing and ask the server if they could write “Prom?” with some chocolate syrup on the plate. She will be totally surprised and love every bit of it.

9. Balloons Write each letter on each balloon and get a couple of friends to hold up the balloons and hold them outside her house or somewhere you know she’d be. Holding a box of chocolates or something extra will definitely add a nice touch to the surprise.

10. Write on Yourself Also, getting a couple friends for this idea would make it that much better. Get some paint and write each letter on your bodies or a t-shirt and when she sees it, she will fall head over heels.

TIPS 1. Figure out her favorite flower or favorite kind of candy. Adding that to any surprise will make it so much better.

2. You don’t have to spend too much money!

Something simple is always just as thoughtful as spending tons of money on something.

Remember: Prom is expensive, so don’t blow a lot of money on just asking the question.

3. Keep her personality in mind for the best ways to ask.

Promposal successes 1. Shelby Harris was asked by her boyfriend, Evan Kerr with the cupcakes idea spelling out PROM? It obviously won her over. So sweet!

2. Loren Roby said yes after her boyfriend had a poster board with seven fill-in-the-blank questions and eventually led to the question, ‘will you go to prom with me?’ Totally cute!

3. Austin Coulter asked his girlfriend, Morgan Terry, by leading her on a scavenger hunt around her house with different notes that led her to her room where he was standing in a heart shaped out of rose petals and a bear with a sign taped to it that read, “Prom with me?”

4. Danielle Poole decided to be unique and asked her boyfriend to prom instead of him asking her. She gathered all the pictures they had taken over the last couple years and glued them in the letters that spell out PROM. After that, she recruited her little sister and her friends to hold up the sign as he was walking into her house. “It was super fun!” says Poole.

5. Karley Cahoe thought it was a normal snow day and her and her boyfriend were going to go sledding and four wheeling, but it didn’t turn out like she planned. As they were riding four wheelers he pulled over and parked the four wheeler, there were 12 roses leading down a trail that led her to a rock that had PROM spelled out on it right in front of a beautiful waterfall. Absolutely adorable!

6 2/20/2014 8:10:01 PM

We all know that prom can be extremely expensive, but how much money is actually spent by parents or teenagers themselves?

Whether this is your first year going or you have been several times, this will help you see how much money goes into this special time!

Enchanted Dress and flowers and limos. Oh My!

Who pays for prom?

Parents

Average money spent on Prom by region

$744 WEST

Teens

59%

$696 MIDWEST

$1,944

NORTHEAST

41%

$1,047 SOUTH

Photographs

S

$4 BILLION estimated

of the American Prom industry

“[Prom’s] pretty expensive, especially for the girls for only one night. Not always worth it but it can be.” Zac Ching (12)

$30-$150

Save money on photos by having your parents take pictures instead of professional photographers.

Limo

$200-$500 Save money on a limo by getting a group of friends together. You can split the cost between the group. The more the merrier!

Dress & Tux

Make-up & Hair

(DRESS)$100-$400 (TUX) $100-$200

$30-$275 Ladies, save money on hair and make-up by doing it yourself or having a friend do it.

Ladies, save money on a dress by checking out consignment stores or buying one from a friend.

Gentlemen, save money on your tux by renting.

SOURCES: PROMGIRL.COM l MONEY.USNEWS.COM February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 8

ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:10:04 PM

How will you go to Prom?

By Haley Simpson

haley.simpson7@gmail.com | @haleysimp7

Will you go to prom with me or… us?

Over the years, people have gone to prom in many different ways. Whether it’s just with their date, or with a bunch of friends, they have found a way to have fun.

One way to go to prom is just alone with your date. While it’s not exactly popular, there are some who chose to go that route. Many also go with a group of dates. Also, some may find themselves going with a group of friends without a date.

“It’s our senior prom and we want it to be special.”

While just going alone with a date isn’t a popular choice, there are some who do it. Seniors Samantha Pollard and boyfriend Nick Kimbler are doing that. Doing what pretty much everyone else does before, they are going out to eat and then to prom. “It’s our senior prom and we want it to be special,” said Pollard.

However, senior Myranda Haarman feels differently. “I don’t think that me and a date would be fun. I would rather go with a group of dates as long as everyone had a date and no one was left out,” said Haarman. Instead, Haarman is going with her friends to Aspen Creek prior to prom and then going to the dance.

Another viable option for a couple, or two friends going together, is going with other dates. “I have a boyfriend (Steven Sweeney) and I like being around other couples, it’s fun,” said senior Alyssa Waddell.

Last but not least, another option is going with a group of friends. That way the unnecessary Photo: Janna Klinglesmith Layout: Mackenzie Perdue and Haley Simpson newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 9

stress of finding a date is taken away and all that’s left is to have fun. Senior Cody Higdon believes that going with friends is the best way to go. “You’re hanging out with all your friends and you’re going to have a great time no matter what,” said Higdon.

One senior, Amber Sewell, is planning a huge group for her and her friends to go to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. There are 41 going and 34 going to prom after that. They are all taking a party bus. While the group is split in half between people going by themselves and dates, it’s a very large group. “Most of us have grown up together and been friends for practically our entire lives, so to go to our senior/ last prom together sounded fun,” said Sewell.

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Sewell has been planning this for months, and while it’s been fun, there has also been many stressful moments while planning. “Finding a bus company that had the most appropriate price for all of us was challenging, they [party busses] are very expensive,” said Sewell.

HUGHES

FAMILY DENTAL 138 Eastbrooke Court Suite 115 Mount Washington, KY 538.0505

To enter to win fill out the following and return your entry to room 324.

NAME_________________________ PHONE________________________ 4th Block teacher ______________________________ 8 2/20/2014 8:10:10 PM

ACADEMICS

Show me

By cassidy grom

cassidy.grom@gmail..com | @CassidyGrom

Teachers tackling two jobs Don’t forget to tip your teachers!

In addition to their teaching careers, some Bullitt East educators have taken on second jobs in the service industry.

hard because you are on your feet, but the opportunity to make more money in less time is definitely there.” McCroskey, who works intermittently in the catering division at Valu Market, uses the money she earns to pay off her student loans.

Balancing plates seems to help the bivocational teachers learn to balance life as well.

On days when they work both jobs there is little down time. “I get to school at 7 and I try to leave by 3. I get to the Boar’s Nest at 3:30 and then I get off anywhere from 8 to 10 at night,” said Tinelli. Brashear has a similar schedule with the exception of supervising either the Cryptozoology or guitar club after school and possibly taking a 30 minute nap at home before clocking in at Outback. Tinelli says she is not overwhelmed because she is “used to doing a lot of stuff”, not scared to get dirty. I am and thought her schedule was still better than teachnot scared to work.” ers who coach a sport on the side.

Teachers such as Brian Brashear, Kristy Tinelli, and April McCroskey work part time in nearby businesses to supplement their income and to socialize with the community.

They have adapted to their busy schedules and show skill in balancing both jobs, families, and other commitments. While working with one another outside of school may have seemed odd at first, student-teacher relationships have remained professional.

Brashear has a history of “I am doing odd jobs during the summer months and in his free time during the school year. “I am not scared to get dirty. I am not scared to work,” he said. Besides his current position of waiter at Outback Steakhouse, Brashear has worked in various places such as the Ford distribution center and a firework stand in Leitchfield. He views his 15 to 30 hours a week at Outback as therapeutic, “I see it kinda relieve some of the mental stress or you could say ‘anguish,’ weighing on my mind about getting things done. It distracts me from a lot of the things I know I have to get done and instead I worry about. So it helps me out mentally.”

According to the “Pay Scales for 2013-2014” on the Bullitt County Public Schools’ website, the lowest amount of money a teacher can earn annually is $36,440. Compare this to the National Center for Education Statistics 2011 report that the average person with a bachelor’s degree earns $44,970 yearly and it becomes evident that teachers may have to stretch their dollar a little further than their peers. Although Tinelli does enjoy working at the Boar’s Nest because “it’s just kinda nice to interact with people in the community outside of school”, she stated that the extra money she could earn from tips was an incentive to take on a second job. “I’ve made up to $30 an hour. For me, when I am trying to bring home an extra 150 or 200 dollars a week and I can do it in 12 hours let’s say, that was just a good option for me. Being a waitress or server is February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 10

McCroskey stated, “Having a second job is good, but I am also not married and have no kids yet so I have that extra time. I don’t know that I would do it if I had kids, but it is do-able if it is a necessity.” Tinelli manages to spend time with her three children by only working at the Boar’s Nest on the days they are at their father’s house.

I work with some current students but we don’t talk about school or anything like that.

They are respectful. Then occasionally we have students that come in to actually eat. I don’t really treat them any differently.”

Brashear’s advice to teachers in financial crisis is: “Don’t rob a bank.

Someone told me this one time: ‘that you have to dig down and get your heels in the mud in order to get up in life.’”

Although a common reason for working an additional job was to socialize and escape the stresses of the Charger Nation, when you work with your students it is nearly impossible to do so. When senior Josh Armstrong initially discovered he would be working alongside his math teacher, Tinelli, he was excited. “I thought it was kinda cool because maybe I could get homework questions at work,” he said.

Although he has not yet been able to get tutoring from Tinelli at the Boar’s Nest, he does state that working alongside his teacher is “not really weird, it was at first but now it’s normal. Everyone calls her Ms. Tinelli too, even the older workers.”

Tinelli said, “It’s not really weird. ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:10:14 PM

the money

By Janna Klinglesmith

jannamichelle097@gmail.com | @jannamichelle97

Students Work beyond school They just don’t understand me.

Students speak up about the struggle of having to balance school work and after school jobs.

Taking on a job is no easy task, so expect a lot of challenges.

Teachers cannot cater to your work schedule.

However, it is possible to get

Layout: Cassidy Grom newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 11

everything done when you set your priorities right.

worked late then I think a little more time, a day, to get the homework done should be acceptable,” she shared. Fambrough also believes that this is only fair depending on the class. “If it’s AP, you signed up for a challenge, so no,” she added.

Before applying for a job as a high school student, it is important to understand what you are getting yourself into. Employers want those who are hard-workers, and based Here is some insight for those struggling with on the difficulty of your classes and other expectations from school and work: though it extracurricular activities, be sure you know your limits. Senior Elynn Mullaney, started this may be hard to grasp at first, there is actually more free time in the day than what we give it school year participating in the Co-op procredit for. It is all about how we use our time gram at UPS, but after the first few months, wisely. Comstock stated, “How much time is she realized that it wasn’t what she was really spent on your phones either texting or using hoping for. “I feel bad saying so because they social media? How much time is wasted to be tell you how it is beforehand and it is a great doing other frivolous activities? Keep in mind opportunity, but it was difficult just because that every person on the planet from the time I was exhausted when I came home,” she the world began has received the same 24 shared. Mullaney decided to drop Co-op and hours in a day. What you accept another job she was offered as an intern “Keep in mind that every per- do with it is what makes the difference. Take invenat Sunrise Child’s serson on the planet from the time tory of your time. Where is vices. “I am working basically the same amount the world began has received it being spent? Can it be better used elsewhere? I of hours, five days a the same 24 hours in a day.” think that most students week, but it is not difficult can easily handle both at all anymore because school and work, they just my boss at Sunrise is extremely understanding.” Although finding may need to sacrifice other parts of their lives to make that happen.” Students and teachers good ways to make money is important, both can come to a consensus on that. “There she realizes school work should still be is always time to get your work done. You just first for now. have to take away all your distractions and just focus,” Mullaney agreed. Even if time Many students would agree still slips out of your hand, listen to some of that teachers assign too much Taylar’s advice. “Stay up God awfully late and homework for what they have work… That’s all I can do,” she said. time for. “Students need to realize that school is their top Working during the week is definitely chalpriority. A job is secondary. lenging for the average American high Our jobs as teachers are to schooler. According to the 2013 US Census, prepare you for the future.

1 in 4 high school students have jobs. This Believe it or not, we are means over 3.1 million teens 16 and older are not trying to make your employed. It is not impossible, but it requires life unbearable. We are some self-discipline. preparing you for either work or college. Neither of these places will ‘hold your hand’ after high school,” said Financial Literacy teacher and Co-op director, Amanda Comstock.

Although this may be true, some would still say that teachers should allow at least a little leniency. Taylar Fambrough, a junior who works at GameStop, said that work has cut into her time for school work at times. “If the student can prove they had a rough night and 10 2/20/2014 8:10:17 PM

by: Allison Drake

Allison.Drake14@gmail.com | @AllisonDrakee

It’s just a number.

Bullitt East students fret over ACT composite scores falling short of expectations.

Let’s face it. The ACT is a big deal. From the moment students take their first steps down Freshman Hallway, they are being trained and tested to meet the College Ready scores their junior year. Is all this preparation necessary, or has the education system focused too much effort on stressing teens out over a wasted cause? There has been a movement bubbling up over the past years in rebellion against not only the ACT, but standardized testing as a whole.

The ACT is a nation-wide college admissions test that is used to evaluate how successful high school students will be their freshman year of college. Every student across Kentucky takes the ACT at least once during junior year. The test is composed of four scoring areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each of these sub-scores are averaged out to find an overall composite score. In order for a Bullitt East student to be considered “college ready”, they must have an 18 in English, 19 in Math, and 20 in Science. If students fail to score high enough in any of these categories before the end of junior year, they have to take remedial classes, such as Transition Math, to help make sure they can meet the benchmark before graduation.

Composite scores range from a 1(low) to a 36(high). The higher a student scores on the ACT, the better the rewards get. For example, in Kentucky, students who score a 15 or above are rewarded anywhere from $36 to $500 in Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) money. Not only do higher-scoring students receive more financial aid, but their chances of college acceptance increases as well.

Not everyone agrees with the scrutiny of ACT scores. While teachers have been drilling students with high expectations of the intangible 36, there are others who feel that no matter the score, students should not let the numbers define who they are. Some

February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 12

organizations, like FairTest.org, devote time and energy into proving the feebleness of any and all standardized testing, and have even gone as far as explaining why the entire education system is in need of a desperate renovation. They believe that standardized testing “encourages a narrowed curriculum [and] outdated methods of instruction” and students’ abilities to quickly recall information rather than “measure the ability to think deeply or creatively in any field.” FairTest has also found standardized testing unreliable due to “measurement error”; a student’s score can vary significantly from day to day due to testing conditions or the mental/emotional state of the individual.

Students shouldn’t get all strung out over scores. It’s a small fraction of what colleges will actually look at. Sure, it’s cool saying you scored above the national average, but what does that even mean if you have no history to back it up? There are students who strive to be valedictorian at any and all cost; students who slave for hours day in and day out to make sure they are gaining the most out of their educational experience; students who should be paying rent considering the amount of time they spend in classes after the 2:05 bell, but still score low because of uncontrollable factors. No, I don’t believe in bad test takers; however, I do believe that even the brightest kids have bad days. Futures should not be jeopardized because of one faulty morning that kick-started a chain of poorlytimed coincidences the day of a test.

So what should the overall consensus on the matter be? Don’t let numbers define you; it’s not worth the anxiety, trust me on this one. In the ever-so-famous words of Dory the Fish, just keep swimming. If a college chooses to decline you because your score wasn’t as up to par as the rest of your transcript, application, and essays, it’s their loss; what you lack in book-smarts can be dwarfed by your willpower, personality, and hard-work outside of school. You have the potential to achieve great and monumental things despite what the numbers say. ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLivewire/ 2/20/2014 8:10:25 PM

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12 2/20/2014 8:10:27 PM

February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 14

perceptions at east

PERCEPTIONS

Seeing is believing, right? We are human; therefore we are also judges of our surroundings. We know very little of our classmates, yet we label them with titles. Jock. Nerd.

Gamer. Basic white girl.

The Livewire set out to discover and dispel perceptions of those around us, because everything is not as it seems.

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By Tiffany Prell

Uniting alter egos

tiffany.prell23@gmail.com

People may not always be what they seem. Students around East are involved in a variety of activities you’d normally never think. Try and see if you can match them!

1

Alex Schupbach

2

Brandon Stinson

3

Brooke Barr

7

Blaine Miller

8

Kyle Deason

9

Mrs. Brock

This teacher has been raising chickens.

He/she did it for the first time last year.

They raised them for food because he/ she didn’t want to get meat from the store. “I don’t know who raised the chickens or processed them,” they explained.

This sophomore has been modeling since his/her 8th grade year when his/ her mom got them started. One company this person works for is Beautiful Advertising. He/she models with anything from cars to vet offices.

This junior has been doing BMX for 4 years. He/she got started from friends and they ride in the summer 2-3 times a month. He/she mainly goes to Louisville Skate Park.

This teacher not only teaches, but is in plays, too. He/she is a part of a production called “Gypsy” right now for the Bardstown Community Theatre.

A

B This freshman just started playing an instrument called the didgeridoo. It is described as a long, wooden, horned instrument. He/she saw it on tv and thought it looked cool so they started teaching themselves to play.

C

G

H This sophomore is newly interested in joining the Navy. He/she has always been into battleships and loves looking up pictures of them. He/she hasn’t fully decided on joining yet.

I

This freshman has been doing plays with his/her brother since they were in 1st grade. He/she claims their parents made them get into it, but they really enjoy it. The only play they’ve been in is “Steven Foster” for 5 years now.

This teacher clog dances for fun. He/ she dances for Dance With Steven Donna and goes to the class once a week on Mondays.

This sophomore has been modeling since they were seven years old when their mom got them into it. The company Alix Adams got them started and now he/she models a wide range of items for Beautiful Advertising as well as others.

This sophomore not only plays for BE’s boys basketball team, but is also a part of drama. He/she got started in 5th grade when he/she was required to be in a performance at his/her private school and turned out to like it.

This freshman just started competing in rodeo this year on the Kentucky High School team through the state. "Everybody works hard all year long and we're like one big family," he/she stated.

This foreign exchange senior is doing ROTC this year. He/she thought it was interesting because it was the only program Europe doesn’t have and it was something new.

D

4

Daniel Chitwood

Ian Kerr

10

E

11 Jared Farris

6

12

Keyla Brown

Mr. Hughes

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F

K

L

L.) 1 K.)11 G.) 3 B.) 4 H.) 5 E.) 6 F.) 7 C.) 8 J.) 9 D.) 10 I.) 2 A.) 12

Mrs. Gary

5

J

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East asks Central

By kendall mayfield

kendallmayfield@gmail.com l @kendallbugg

Do you have very many friends that attend Bullitt East?

How does your school as a whole perceive Bullitt East?

NB: Preppy, Stuck-up, Prideful/ Cocky, Snobby, Rich, Braggy, a challenge BC: Cocky, Stuck-up, School Spirited

What stereotypes surround the Charger Nation?

When does your school interact with East the most?

NB: Athletic events (football games, cheerleading competitions, band events, etc.)

BC: Athletic events

NB: Answers ranged from no to very few. The one’s who did have attending friends claimed to have met through athletic festivities.

Others had family members.

BC: All of the students interviewed had just a few friends from East. Two of them actually have attended school with Bullitt East students.

BE: Athletic events

BE: Redneck, Basic, Athletic, Indiverse

North Bullitt (NB): “East is located in the richer part of town; therefore, they have more opportunities and give off the vibe that they are better-than. The students drive nice cars and wear nice clothes,” said one North Bullitt student. Others claimed that the school produces winning sport’s teams and many attend the school for sports purposes.

Bullitt Central (BC): “The Charger Nation sends off a cocky vibe via athletic events and social media. The students treat others as if they are so much better and smarter. Many come off as stuckup and rude,” two Bullitt Central seniors agreed.

Bullitt East (BE): In a classroom survey students agree that the stereotype is that students are wealthy and are consistently pushed to be better. Athletics are a huge factor to the school and are constantly being glorified.

February 2014 November 2013 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 16

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and North Do you believe that the students you know from East fit the mentioned stereotypes?

NB: Friends of these students didn’t usually fit the stereotypes; however, the friends do get cocky when it comes to discussing the rivalry.

BC: These students believed that many of their friends did fit the stereotype, but were more discreet and down to earth about things.

When you hear of a neighboring high school, what is the first word that comes to mind? Many times we perceive county rivals to fit a particular stereotype and athleticism and social media have sparked the competition. The Livewire questioned 17 students from opposing schools. It is with this evidence that we can bring to our readers that common perception of the Charger Nation as well as rival schools.

Rank the Bullitt County High Schools from best How would you deto worst. scribe your own school?

NB: NB, BE, BC BC: BC, BE, NB BE: BE, NB, BC

NB: Older, Snobby, Athletic, Poor BC: Underdogs, Friendly, Poor

Why do you think that Bullitt East receives the mentioned stereotypes?

NB: Of the 11 students interviewed from North Bullitt, all of them agreed that it boils down to the way that the attending students present themselves at sporting events and on Twitter.

BC: A student from Bullitt Central explained that their reasoning behind the stereotype is that it is how East students carry and present themselves to other schools.

This mostly happens at athletic events. Students talk a lot of trash and are very loud.

BE: East students agreed that students, parents, and teachers spark competition both in the classroom and through athletics.

Many students take sports to an extreme.

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16 8 2/20/2014 8:11:18 PM

bullitt proof

By Jennifer Cischke

jennifer.cischke@gmail.com | @JenniferCischke

February 2014 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 18

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Simplifying things into a more complex situation.

While stereotyping schools might make things look simpler, students find themselves having a tough time because of it.

When games heat up, some student sections dig deep to taunt their opposition. Mostly, students highlight the negative stereotypes attached to the school their team is up against.

While these generalizations start out as just another aspect of being school spirited, claims made about other schools are often times taken seriously and affect the perception of all the students at each school.

The closer schools are located, the better the students should know each other, right? Well, not in Bullitt County. The stereotypes North Bullitt, Bullitt Central, and Bullitt East place on each other could not divide the county any further. East is described by both North and Central as “preppy, stuck-up, rich, cocky, and snobby.”

Most students at East would be quick to deny these accusations or on the other hand, validate them solely for the sake of looking superior to the other two high schools. Just a small sample of words Bullitt East students used to describe the Cougars and Eagles included “ghetto, redneck, trashy, country, illiterate, and dumb.”

and drive tractors,” and the justification for this stereotype was “the fact that they have a ‘drive your tractor to school’ day and are far from Louisville.”

In fact, nearly every student surveyed from Jefferson County either described Bullitt County as being far away or defended a stereotype with the fact that Bullitt County is far from Louisville.

One student even claimed Bullitt County was so country and full of hicks because it’s in Southern Kentucky, when Google Maps estimates that Shepherdsville is only a 26 minute drive from Downtown Louisville.

Here’s where generalizations and accusations start to fall apart. Nearly every single student surveyed had friends or relatives who go to different schools or live in different counties who do not fit their respective stereotypes.

People have a tendency to group. It makes life seem easier and more organized if things are placed into certain categories, but grouping people has it’s inconsistencies.

There’s always an exception. Maybe there are a handful of students who fit their school’s stereotype - but that’s only a small percentage of over a thousand.

We all know stereotypes don’t just randomly fall into place, so how did each of the Bullitt County high schools earn their generalizations? Something obviously had to happen in order for each of these schools to see each other in such a negative light. East, North, and Central all claimed they interact with each other most often during rivalry games.

In these high-intensity environments, student sections do as much as they can to distract the opposing team and outdo the rival student section. But, a sports rivalry gives no support to the stereotypes of schools being “illiterate” or “dumb” or “rich”.

One student from Central validated East’s stereotypes because “some kids are loud and talk a lot of trash” and another said it was because of the “athletic teams and how they act.” The consensus from North Bullitt was that Bullitt East was the rich school because “It’s the rich part of Bullitt County” or because of “how [Bullitt East students] talk about everybody else on Twitter.”

While there are mixed opinions between each of the schools in the county, Jefferson County students have an entirely different viewpoint.

The entire county is described as “country, redneck, tacky, fake-ghetto, unintelligent, and trashy” by students from Jefferson County schools.

A Manual student stated, “they are all country Layout:Kim Flaherty newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 19

18 2/20/2014 8:11:27 PM

Boys Don’t sing by hannah perdew

BEcheerleader96@gmail.com | @hannnah23_

D

on’t judge a singer by the size of his cleats.

Several football players are going against the status quo and breaking the stereotypes of being a jock and… a choir boy?

high school. Either way, though, choir has become a huge part of their lives in many different ways. Senior, Evan Kerr, plans on turning music into his profession. “I’m good at what I do and I love doing it,” stated Evan.

Choir has become a large part of many of the boys’ lives. Most people would think the guys in choir are girly and just dance around, but they’re actually the exact opposite. They love singing, playing football, and defying the stereotypes around East.

Everybody sees the musical, but hardly anyone has seen the behind the scenes in Ms. Gary’s choir room. No, the boys aren’t girly and, yes, there is more than just dancing to it. “Choir is just fun. We joke around with Ms. Gary and during class it’s not like it’s this uptight feeling. We’re all just chill,” said Evan.

When you look out on the football field, you see a lot of things: the big lights, a couple refs, an end zone full of rowdy teenagers, and more “meatheads” that like to hit each other than you can imagine. However, did you also know you can find four choir singers right out there in the mix of varsity football players?

Many of these boys have been singing all their lives, while others just picked it up during

“It’s a real laid back environment, because Ms. Gary always keeps her cool,” said Ian, the youngest of the Kerr brothers.

Not only are the boys talented in the choir room, but also on the field and in school.

“Football players actually must be intelligent and exhibit control under pressure to properly execute plays. This year’s senior football class had a GPA of 3.47 and the players

December 2013 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 20

involved in the music program all had GPAs of 3.7 or higher,” said head football coach Darrell Vincent.

Next time you take a look out on the football field, maybe you’ll see those “meatheads” a little differently.

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What a difference her faith makes

By Haley Steinmetz

haley.steinmetz72@gmail.com | @haley_steinmetz

W

hether you know her from sign shaking at Little Caesars or from her skirts, it’s obvious that something about senior Talayna Jesse makes her different from the rest of her peers.

Jesse stands out from others based on the fact that she is so passionate and involved with her faith.

Jesse drastically changed during her junior year, going from a rock fan to a very involved Christian. Although it has made her drift apart from her family a little bit, it has helped her social and school life. According to Jesse, no one really influenced her to change, it was her own decision.

Before Jesse got involved with her church, First Apostolic Church of J-Town, she was a big rock fan and was known for wearing crazy pants. “I used to go to rock concerts and I used to be that girl that would start mosh pits, and I would never do that anymore. I used to have a lot of crazy pants that I wore and I was really known for my pants, but now I have a lot of crazy skirts,” Jesse stated. Another change she has made is that she doesn’t cut her hair anymore. These are not the only differences Jesse has made in her life. “I used to be a completely different person.

Now I go to church every Wednesday and Sunday, I wear skirts, I don’t listen to any music except Christian music, and I mainly hang out with church family,” she added.

In addition to changing those things, she also altered her views on having a relationship. “At first, I was that person who never wanted a boyfriend. I was independent, I did not rely on anybody, I would not get a boyfriend,” she explained.

However, soon after she got into church, she met someone there and they started dating. “We started dating in April, and I had been praying

Layout: Haley Steinmetz newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 21

about it because I had known that God was pressing on my heart that he was supposed to be in my life, but I really did not want a boyfriend at all. So I prayed about it, and God revealed to me that I was supposed to marry him,” she said. Now, she is engaged to that person and plans to get married on June 7th.

Getting involved in her church also altered Jesse’s character. Jesse’s ability to inspire others to always do their best and her capability to express what she believes in are two things that her friends and teachers believe set her apart from others. “Her personality has changed a lot. She really sticks true to what she believes and I admire her for that,” shared Jesse’s best friend, Chase Harrod.

He also said, “Her attitude is to stick to what she believes and she’ll share the gospel with you, but it doesn’t affect her if she hears what somebody says. It may upset her, but she perseveres and goes on with her life.”

ready. She has this proclivity that is unparallel in high school. She also holds the teacher accountable, not just her peers,” she stated.

Jesse declared that the transformation she went through benefited her social and school life. Harrod agreed that their friendship was strengthened after Jesse got involved with her church. As for her school life, she said that now it was easier for her. “I still made A’s and the occasional B or so, but I really had to crack down and study a whole lot. This year if I forget, I literally just pray before a test or a quiz and I get a higher score on it than I would have before when I was in the world, which is what we call it when we weren’t in this church,” she shared. She also added that she doesn’t get stressed about school anymore.

While the changes have affected her school life and relationships in a positive way, it didn’t do the same for her family life.

“My family isn’t in this religion, so we’re not as close as we used to be because they don’t really understand why I do the things I do. We’re still close, but sometimes it’s hard,” stated Jesse. Despite this, most of Jesse’s family has visited the church before. She said, “We get into small arguments about it, but I try to stop them as soon as I can because I don’t want to dishonor my mom and dad. It’s hard sometimes when we fight, but it’s not like a huge separation.”

“She really sticks true to what she believes and I admire her for that.”

- Chase Harrod

Jesse’s creative writing teacher, Jennie Nelson, didn’t know her before she changed.

However, Nelson commented that within the first week of school she could tell that Jesse was a strong Christian just by her demeanor. Nelson said, “She is incredibly hardworking.

She not only gets her work done, but she is the type of person that naturally motivates people to want to do better.” Nelson also said that people constantly want to be better and try harder simply because they are around Jesse.

“She tends to encourage people to do better with this natural grace.

It’s never sarcastic, it’s never demeaning to them in any way, and yet it’s still very challenging,” she added.

According to Nelson, Jesse doesn’t only impact her peers, she also impacts her teachers.

“I’ve talked to her teachers about her. She’s almost the type of student that you see in college al-

Jesse stated that no one really made her change or influenced her to change, although her former coworkers at Little Caesars, where she still works, introduced her to the church. “I started going to church because of the people at my work. I liked how they were all really close; the people that went to church together were really close together. But they didn’t really make me change or really influence me to change, they just kind of intrigued me to where I wanted to go to church and I wanted to know more about it,” she shared.

“At service one day I just changed. I received the Holy Ghost and it just really changes your outlook on life and who you are,” Jesse said.

20 2/20/2014 8:11:32 PM

SPORTS

BY TJ Rayhill

TJrayhill56@gmail.com l @TJRayhill

road

Six players graduate. Three coaches in three weeks.

Things like this usually spell out a losing season, but the 2014 boys basketball team has not let these setbacks define its season.

As the 2012-2013 season ended and the team prepared for this year they encountered several setbacks. For the most part, the Chargers have seen and fought through every type of adversity thrown at them. The largest upcoming obstacle will be the road to Lexington.

When the last seconds ticked off the clock last year, everybody knew that was the last game Derek Willis, Rusty Troutman, and Trey Rakes would play as Bullitt East Chargers. Charger Nation had to watch them graduate and move on to play in college. With their departure, the obvious question was, "Who would step up?"

Offering an answer, Misti Allen, the mother of senior player Blake Allen, said that the team was ready to prove that the graduating class wasn't the only talent. Junior Austin Wheeler said, “The team is different. We are a lot younger. We lost over 95% of our scoring from last year.”

The team went through three coaches in a short span and in the end Bob Blackburn was called in from relaxing on the beaches to lead the young team. “These boys are very loyal and respectful. They were willing to stand by whoever their coach was,” Allen said.

The basketball team said that it was all these setbacks and public criticism that forced them to work harder this offseason to be the best.

No one believed they would be any good.

Experience wise, this year’s squad is young.

Many players rode the bench as backups last year and there are several sophomores that

December 2013 newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 22

are getting playing time. Kyle McKinley, one of those sophomores, stated, “It’s different.

I had to get used to the way the game is played at varsity level and what the coaches expected.” In some games this year there are mistakes and failures that a veteran team wouldn't make. However, the Chargers fight on, and say it's all about determination, hard work, and spirit. Wheeler claims that since the offseason the team has come closer and has them wanting more than anything to prove everyone wrong. “Not only have the seniors, but all of the boys made it their mission to prove everybody wrong. I constantly heard the boys say people are really going to be surprised when they see us play,” Allen said.

The goal of every team is to be great. As this year’s team is checking off their list of things to do, such as defeating district rivals, proving critics wrong, and improving their record, they

are getting close to their biggest goal: winning state. The road started February 24th with district play. Although they look forward to making a deep run in the playoffs, there will be some tough matchups, as they will play both Jeffersontown and Fern Creek for a third time. “I feel like we will go far, even maybe all the way, but we focus on each game on a game to game basis- each are important,” said McKinley. The young team will face many challenges, but their confidence and heart will push them past others’ low expectations.

“At tournament time, anything can happen. I can tell you this: if any team can go on heart and desire, this team would win it all,” Allen said.

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to state Over winter break, many teams decide to take time off and rest at home with their families.

The Lady Chargers, however, took on a different approach. They visited South Carolina and played in the Island Invitational tournament. The competition in this tournament was second to none. Despite this, the Lady Chargers came home with a first place trophy after winning four games and losing none.

The Lady Chargers also spend time outside of practice and games working on what they can do to better prepare themselves for the upcoming competition. Senior leader Kaleigh Sharpe says, “We watch lots of film, spend lots of time bonding together as a team, and we have lots of prep time talking about the [upcoming] team and breaking down each player.” What is their secret though? Depth.

BY Michael Murphy

are all in now. They believe that there is not a team out there that should beat them.

Dreaming of Diddle.

The goal for all high school girls basketball programs is to make it to the state tournament. Junior Kelli Lutes said this team has dreams even bigger than that. “Yes, our goal is to go to state, but that is not all. Our goal is to win state,” she stated. This confidence is key.

mmichael.murphyy@gmail.com | @murphymichael25

The goal is one, the distractions are few, the work is hard, and the dream of reaching the state tournament in Western Kentucky University’s Diddle Arena is becoming a reality.

The Lady Chargers have an extremely deep team. The starting five is very talented, but after that, where most teams struggle with who to pull off the bench, assistant coach Crystal Scott says, “We can put in fresh players that we are confident will maintain the same level of play.”

No one knows how the rest of this season will play out for the Lady Chargers, but the dream of reaching Diddle is all that they are focusing on.

“Yes, our goal is to go to state, but that is not all. Our goal is to win state.” -Kelli Lutes

The 2013-14 season for the Bullitt East Lady Chargers is off to a solid start. The ladies have one big goal in mind, and that is to be playing in Diddle Arena come March. All of the girls have worked extremely hard during the offseason and the beginning of this season to be at the physical and emotional state that they

Layout: Kim Flaherty newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 23

Too low of expectations can lead to underachieving, while expectations that are too high can lead to arrogance or expecting too much of themselves. Winning state is not too low of a goal, nor is it too high. These Lady Chargers have the mindsets of champions.

22 2/20/2014 8:11:42 PM

OPINION

By Sammy Ewing

sewing600@gmail.com | @sammy_ewing_

We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.

As prom approaches, many upperclassmen debate whether or not to attend.

Prom is a significant event that adds to the high school experience for both male and female students. This opportunity gives students a time to have good, clean fun while making memories to reflect upon later in life.

It’s almost time for prom, the one strange and magical night where no one is quite sure what is going to happen next, but goes along with it anyway. Parents flashing pictures trying to hold back the tears, going out to eat, avoiding any and all falling food crumbs, and dancing all night to the best songs ever, where tests and exams have become absent to the mind and the only thought is to have fun.

All of this adding on to the high school

experience that will forever be cherished.

Other dances have taken place, but none like this. “Prom just creates a really fulfilling experience.You get to dance, hang out with friends, talk to people you usually don’t, and it’s just a night you honestly will never forget,” stated senior Caitlin Ryan. Having to wait three years, unless asked by an upperclassmen, this night becomes extra special for both male and female students.

The common misconception that only girls enjoy the dance has

“

newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 24

Not only does it add to the high school experience, but it gives students the option to have innocent fun but party at the same time.

However, while many books, T.V shows, and movies have portrayed the exact opposite, most of that is just for show. “Prom is a night where you can be crazy, but everything is still really nice and controlled. You can still have a fun time without things getting out of hand,” stated junior Ashley Wise.

It’s almost time for prom: the one strange and magical night where no one is quite sure what is going to happen next, but goes along with it anyway.”

been argued by many students. “I think the whole dressing up and looking pretty thing about prom is more for the girls for sure, but I know the guys like it more than they care to admit it,” stated senior and prom committee member, Jordan Weldon, “I’m sure [guys] love seeing their girlfriends or dates all dressed up and then going to hang out and dance with their friends for the rest of the night.”

Although most don’t feel obligated to admit it, many guys agree with this, too. “I have been to two proms and had a great time at both of them, it is something that I will always remember,” stated junior Dustin Roeder. With being able to slow dance with their beautiful dates, chill with

February 2014

friends, and eat the entire night, what more can be asked for?

The memories that are made here last a lifetime. With constant pictures being taken by friends and parents alike and the crazy times being held with the ones who mean the most, prom is just something that can’t be forgotten. “It’s one of those memories with your friends that’s going to be with you for the rest of your life. Nobody remembers what they did every Saturday in high school, but they always remember what they did for prom,” stated Weldon.

As you read on to the next page, it becomes apparent that Nick, my boyfriend, and I don’t see eye to eye on this. The struggle is so realit’s a sick joke. For me, I am excited for prom.

Not even for the fact that I have an excuse to get all dressed up, because I do that all of the time. I want to go because of the memories and great experience I will gain from it. Prom is a night when you don’t have to care about anything else. I look forward to the fact that I can go out with all of my friends and my boyfriend, and just act as crazy as I want.

People complain about how it’s expensive and you could do better things with your time.

True, prom can be pricey, but it doesn’t have to be; I bought my prom dress, shoes, jewelry, and a purse for all under $120. As for doing better things, you can do that any time you want. Prom is just one night.

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pro-prom VS. Anti-prom

BY Nick Kinser

nicholas.kinser@gmail.com | @nicholaskinser

Falling flat, not hearing a footstep.

With prom season approaching, students at Bullitt East have begun to throw themselves into the hustle and bustle of preparing for prom. Although many consider the event a time for lighthearted fun and maybe a chance to woo that special someone, prom just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

As pictures dresses flood our social media time lines, you

“

of prom

of unwanted miscommings and misplaced judgment. If one’s “making memories” comes at the expense of another’s, who really wins?

Bullitt East alumnus Penny Schmitz states, “I’ve never heard of any miscommings except the usual, but I do remember someone making fun of Nathan Smith at last year’s prom for having the time of his life on the dance floor.” Schmitz continued to say, “He didn’t really care though. He didn’t think about if he were popular or if all the basketball players hated him... He was just concerned with how his body moved with the beat.”

Such examples of events that happen at prom solidifies the reasoning for a loss of desire to attend the dance.

to do, and then get a group of equally stupid people and go do it. Memories are in every spontaneous connection; it’s not a planned event. So, if one of your memories happens to be prom, I’m happy for you, but it means nothing until it means everything.

With each passing years it seems as though the value of prom diminshes.”

canppractically hear the sound of burning wallets. For many high school students, prom has become the epitome of social events, just not for all the right reasons. It seems year after year students mindlessly shell out hundreds of dollars in an effort to have the night of their lives and make unforgettable memories. While making memories may be a great influence for people to throw themselves into a fancy dress or expensive suit, memories shouldn’t have to be dependent upon a price tag. Senior Shelby Harris states, “With dress, bus, dinner, ticket, nails and makeup, this year’s prom will probably cost me around $650.” With the expenses prom dishes out to the students at Bullitt East, we should be asking ourselves, how much does the high school experience really cost? Harris continues to say, “I think it’s a good memory, but it’s way too expensive for one night. It’s a bit overrated.”

Not only does prom have the potential to burn a hefty hole in one’s pocket, but it can leave some moral expenses as well. It’s no secret that throughout the years, prom has had its fair share Layout: Sammy Ewing newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 25

Despite the costs of going to prom, many still argue that it’s a night of unforgettable, unreplicable memories.

Still yet, with each passing year it seems as though the value of prom diminishes. Students dive into the prom bandwagon giving little to no thought on whether they really want to attend or not.

Senior Alex Hiemer states, “It’s an over-priced excuse to dress up nice and go out with friends, which you can do whenever you want.” Hiemer went on to say, “Going out on one night when everyone else at your school does the same thing isn’t special.”

Personally though, I feel like the essence is lost in the circumstances.

Memories aren’t found in expensive dresses or fancy limo rides. If anything, those things just get in the way. Memories are naked. Memories are the endless nights, roaming through random back roads with close friends. Memories are when you find the stupidest thing possible 24 2/20/2014 8:12:08 PM

E

quiet in the corner

by Sal lanci

salvatore.lanci@gmail.com

Silence is a voice unheard.

Students who are thought of as quiet/introverts are often stereotyped as “the weird kid”.

However, just because they’re not a part of the social spotlight doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to be on the stage of life.

Many times, we look at the quiet girl in the corner and assume she doesn’t do anything; she’s just kind of there. We hear of the Cryptozoology club or the Sci-Fi club and think of a melting pot of social awkwardness and absolute abnormality. And it’s just a fact that the computer geek’s only friend is his computer.

It’s made for other people who have the same interests and likes to get to meet each other and know each other a little bit better and become better friends.”

Similarly, the Sci-Fi Club doesn’t garner much positive reviews from those on the outside looking in because of its own members nonconformity to social norms. Club member Lucas Armstrong explains that he’s a nerd “because I enjoy Magic: The Gathering and not many people in our school enjoy Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! and card games and Pokemon.” He explained that the Sci-Fi Club was

Band leader Madison Swan described herself as quiet when “around people that I’m not really, like, familiar with.” Another reason why Swan doesn’t always talk is that she likes to listen to people. She declared that what she hears other people say is “more interesting than anything I think I could say.” However, while Swan prefers not to talk much in class, the position she was given in band forced her to talk more. Swan said, “I was field commander, so I was basically in charge of everybody, so I had to be a little more vocal with that. I was really uncomfortable at first, but now that I’m kind of further into it, it’s better.

It’s just kind of something I have to get used to, especially when you don’t talk a lot.”

a place to “just do activities where we get to know each other and watch movies and hang out.” While the activities aren’t the most commonly participated in, Armstrong continued, “We enjoy what we do and we’re not really afraid to tell people, ‘Hey, we’re nerds!’ and we enjoy being a nerd and meeting up and having fun.”

Rather ironically, not much is known about the Cryptozoology Club. This might be because those in the club aren’t going to be a prom queen or a basketball star. But their exclusion from high school’s circle of theoretical normality doesn’t bother Cryptozoology Club leader Gage Foster, who stated, “To me, every student here is different than others and I think that’s what clubs are mostly made for.

Sci-Fi Club leader and self-proclaimed “computer nerd” Justin Maples is “in a computer programming class where I learn how to make video games on a computer and I know just a lot of hardware stuff about computers.” Nevertheless, his affinity for computers doesn’t command all of his attention. “Every Thursday I run the Sci-Fi Club and I spend a lot of my time playing different types of games.” Maples

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described his friends as “the nerdy kids who will sit at home and play Halo for 12 hours and do nothing except drink Mountain Dew and laugh at each other, but it’s all fun. And I guess at the end of the day, I guess that’s what my group of friends is about. Just having fun.”

They may just be the quiet/weird kids in class, but their perceived eccentricity might be a result of people not giving them a chance to express the side of them that is actually pretty cool.

“We enjoy what we do and we’re not really afraid to tell people, ‘Hey, we’re nerds!”

-Lucas Armstrong

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

More than just a pretty face

BY Layne Cutler laynec17@gmail.com

They’re in a league of their own.

Girl sports are in a completely different place than the famous world of male athletics.

Male sports receive more attention than female sports for many reasons, but mainly from the perception that guys are more athletic than girls. Girl sports deserve more respect and attention than what they’re getting now due to the fact that they work just as hard, if not harder, than guys. Of course, it will take a lot of time and effort for girls to achieve equality, but it is certainly possible.

It’s no secret that, at BE, boys basketball games have larger crowds than the girls basketball games. In fact, in the JV boys basketball game against Thomas Nelson, 79 tickets were sold. But, in the JV girls basketball game against Sacred Heart only 67 tickets were sold. The games were within a week of each other. The numbers don’t seem to differ that greatly, but given the context of the two games, the sales say a lot. Guys say that they prefer watching male sports because they’re “more fun to watch” and “guys are more athletic”. Does it even need to be said that the previous statement is false? In some cases, like soccer and basketball, girls play the exact same sport as guys. Plus, girls take games much more personally, which most of the time leads to more intense, physical games. It’s understandable for people to want to watch their own gender play sports, but girls support guy sports all the time. It’s time for girls to get more attention.

Girls don’t play sports to look pretty; they play to win and be competitive- no different than why guys play. Working and sweating all week long at practices only to be greeted with half-empty stands is a huge smack in the Layout: Sal Lanci and Layne Cutler newsmagazinebEHSspring2014issue3.indd 27

face. Many sports at BE practice and condition almost all year long. Girl sports are no exception. The girls golf team, soccer team, basketball team, tennis team, volleyball team, softball team, and cheerleading team all condition in the off-season. Teams like track, cross country, bowling, archery, swimming, and wrestling have boys and girls practice together, which ensures girls to put in as much effort as boys. Each sport requires different skills and abilities, but they all require hard work, which the girls from each sport contribute. Indiana University did a study to prove that guys naturally have the capacity for more muscle mass and more endurance, easing their time

“Always work hard, never give up, and fight until the end because it’s never really over until the whistle blows.”

and gained respect. They knew it would take time to prove that they deserved recognition, but they stuck with it, and showed people across the world that despite their gender, they earned the respect they are given. Women sports need to keep producing elite athletes in order to be taken seriously. Not only at a professional level, but even at collegiate and high school levels. The past few years at BE, girl athletes have proven themselves. The cheerleaders won a national championship.

Meghan Roby was runner up in the state for track. The girls soccer team had the best season they’ve ever had by defeating teams they had never beaten before. The list goes on and on as girl sports and athletes at BE continue to improve. No matter how good the boys basketball or football team is, they will always have a full crowd. Girl sports must earn their crowd. Girl athletes must compete.

-Alex Morgan, USA women’s soccer player

training for a sport. Girls’ physique is not built for the endurance and muscle required for many sports, making it much harder for them to properly prepare their bodies for their sport.

In many cases, girls work extra hard to make sure they’re equally able to compete in a sport made specifically for men.

Complaining about the lack of respect girl sports receive does nothing, though. If girls want more attention, they’ll have to work hard and be patient. Well-respected female athletes like Serena Williams, Abby Wambach, and Brittney Griner worked hard in their sports

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.

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Member

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