What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? What are you hiding? NewsmagazineBEHSdecember2015issue3.indd 1
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Contents
December 2015 Volume 6, Issue 3
Student Life
4 6 8 9 10
An Impact One Can Make | A new story about two familiar faces.
Are We Eatin’ Tho? | Meet a girl who has her very own t-shirt that has become popular throughout the school.
Winter Blues | Take a look at the mood changes people face in the winter time.
What To Do This Winter | A look at some of the things to do around the community this winter.
Lifting Trees | A feature on Cameron Trees’ health and fitness based lifestyle.
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Sports
11 12 13 14 15 16
Bullseye | The Bullitt East archery team has high hopes for the season.
Bo’s, Does, and Bullets | A feature on students who enjoy hunting as a sport. Raley Takes Over | Coach Lenny Raley is now coaching the boys freshman basketball team.
15
Striking TIme of the Year | A look at the 2015-16 bowling team. Taking the Next Step | East students who have commited to play sports for colleges.
26 18
adviser editor-in-chief executive editor website editor business & advertising cocopy editor cocopy editor copy editor copy editor copy editor sports editor creative editor creative editor
Student Managers | A look into the sidelines of our boys and girls basketball teams.
Porn Addiction | Staffer Eric Sanchez discusses the topic of pornography addiction.
oPINION
NewsmagazineBEHSdecember2015issue3.indd 3
Academics
17 18
Operation Real World | A feature on students who leave school early for work. School of Distinction | Bullitt East High School ranks number 10 in the state of 238.
aDDICTION
22 25 26 27
Political | Opinions and information on the 2016 election. United For Yourself | Staffer Isaac Shelton shares his opinion on the validity of United For East.
staff writers Sarah Allen Matthew Childress Brennah Denkhoff Lexie Fisher Kim Houchin Haylie Jenkins Sean Johnson
Larry Steinmetz Haley Steinmetz Jessica Mattingly Sydney Riley Lindsay Renneisen Rachel Grant Abbie Alstatt Zach Combest Isaac Shelton Taylor Hollifield Grant Skaggs Eric Sanchez Haley Snyder Derek Rogers Kelsi Sego Bethany White Maggie Wisdom Luke Young Haley Young
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, and increased to six in the 2015-16 school year. The staff remains committed to bringing the Bullitt East community the most up to date news in a quality format and timely manner. To get breaking news, sports updates, and more go online to belivewire.com. The staff appreciates your patronage and, as a public forum, encourages any feedback you care to offer. Letters to the editor must be typed and submitted via e-mail, to Mr. Steinmetz’s mailbox, or directly to room 324 within one week of the publication to which you are responding. Letters will not be censored, but must be deemed appropriate by the editor and advisor in order to be published. In order to be eligible to appear in the paper, all letters must be signed and verifiable. Names can be withheld upon request, but must be submitted with the original letter. Livewire is published by the students and for the students of Bullitt East High School, E-mailing Mr. Steinmetz directly is the best way to reach the staff. His address is larry. steinmetz@bullitt.kyschools.us. The Livewire is printed by Publishers Printing Company. Bullitt East High School 11450 Highway 44 East, Mount Washington, Kentucky, 40047. (502) 869-6400.
Political | Opinions and information on the 2016 election. Editorial Board | The Editorial Board’s view on how pornorgraphy and romance movies affect relationships.
12/7/2015 3:07:37 PM
An Impact One Can Make BY LEXIE FISHER Staff Writer
W
hether it is obvious or not, everybody has their own certain impact that they leave behind on others.
Every day, students at Bullitt East encounter a set of twins that leave positive energy among their peers: Marley and Marlene Michel. Everyone knows that it’s possible for someone to make an impact on others. An impact is to have a strong effect on someone or something. The impact can be either big or small, or good or bad. With this generation, people have changed from what they were 10-15 years ago. It’s like it’s normal to encounter with someone who is mean or just brings negativity with wherever they may be. But what if the situation was changed? How would one feel if they encountered someone that is the complete opposite of that, every single day? Sophomores Marlene and Marley Michel are well known students at Bullitt East. They were originally born and raised in Homestead, Florida. During their childhood in Florida, they were hit with a tragic event. In 2005 the Michels and the rest of Florida were hit by hurricane Katrina. Not only was it devastating to many in Florida, but to those also along the east and gulf coast as well. At age seven, Marlene and Marley’s family decided to move upward to Kentucky, where the rest of their family lived. “I mean I love Florida, but I wouldn’t change any experience or our move to Kentucky,” Marlene said. “Louisville just left an impression on my mother. She felt is was best for Marley and myself to have a fresh start.” Anyone who knows the Michels can see the importance of their church in their lives. They attend Christian Assembly Church, right off Dixie Highway. Their family has been attending that church since 2007. “My church Marlene Michel, a sophomore and my at Bullitt East High School.
religion mean a lot to me and my family,” said Marlene. As a family, they attend church as often as they can, even on weekdays as well as just Sundays. In addition, Marlene attends Sunday school at her church. Attending church as much as possible is what they aim for. Their faith has influenced who they are today. “I bring my peers something to give them strength and hope, which I was granted from God and his son Jesus,” Marlene said. “I’m grateful for that.” Their faith is not the only thing that sets them apart from their peers; the way that they dress also makes them stand out. They are usually sort of dressed up. Marlene is especially known for this. It’s one of the things that makes her unique. Marlene is known for her unique skirts that she wears every day (as you can see pictured on the right). Each day, one is a different design and color that goes with her attire. Everybody has their own fashion statement and that’s what hers would be. Not only are they dedicated to their faith and church, but they are dedicated with their involvements in school as well. Marley has involved himself a lot with school clubs and activities. His involvements include Friends of Rachel, Bible study, band, rocketball, and high school of business. Marley even took time out if his days during the volleyball season to attend every home game. There he took on the role of announcing every varsity match. He has even said that he will soon take on another role of announcing for the freshman and junior varsity boys basketball team this season.
Marley Michel, a sophomore at Bullitt East High School.
Marlene has involved herself a tremendous amount in school activities. As well, her involvements include Friends of Rachel, Teen Court, Future Edu-
4 page by Lexie Fisher December 2015 NewsmagazineBEHSdecember2015issue3.indd 4
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>> student life
cators Association, house representative for Pisti, Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader, United For East, and Beta Club. Like her brother, she makes as many volleyball games and cheers on the team with the rest of the student section. While the Michel twins don’t just stand out for their nice looking attire and their involvements in school, they stand out in another major way that most would agree with.
Behind the Scenes Hannah Covington by haley Young Staff Writer
Every day Marlene and Marley bring about a bright energy wherever they may be. “You’ll never hear a negative statement out of their mouths. A simple conversation with them can always put you in a better mood,” said Claire Feldhaus, junior at Bullitt East. Marlene and Marley carry a sort of contagious enthusiasm and positivity about them. Seeing them smile all the time makes their peers want to do the same. It is clear that they always have the mindset that they want to make someone’s day. Even if it is Marley telling another student a corny joke, their intentions are still there. “They are positive, fun, and energetic,” said Jo Perkins, secretary. The effect both have on people is what’s most appreciated. “They just love life and love people,” Perkins said. They involve themselves to creating better people around them. They lighten the mood among their peers and make others genuinely feel better. Marlene and Marley have left a lasting impression on a many students at Bullitt East, and will continue to do so through their constant kindess and positivity.
“You can bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sound.” Senior, Hannah Covington, has worked the sound system for many school events during her high school career. For years the school has relied on Covington to work the sound system for many important school events. She plans to continue working with sound systems and directing theatre after she graduates. Not only has Covington worked with Bullitt East, but she also works the sound system for Eastside Middle School’s drama club. Improving the equipment at both Eastside and Bullitt East has been the biggest impact she has made. After high school, Covington plans to attend Hunter College in New York City. She hopes to major in directing and stage managing where she will still be working closely with sound systems but not mainly with them. She is currently directing Eastside’s production of Annie Jr., and has found that directing is her passion. Covington said,“I love working with the sound system, but I like this [directing] more. So, I am not totally giving up the sound system field I am just going in a slightly different direction.” The school appreciates Covington’s talent and can rest assured that “The sun’ll come out tomorrow,” and the sound will be on for all school events. page by Lexie Fisher
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6 page by Lindsay Renneisen December 2015 NewsmagazineBEHSdecember2015issue3.indd 6
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>> student life
ARE WE EATIN THO? b y t a y l o r h o ll i f i e ld
Acevedo visiting her family in Vancouver, Canada.
Copy Editor Photos submitted by Laura Acevedo
“B
reakfast, lunch, and dinner is for beginners, yeah we eatin tho.”
Laura Acevedo, senior, came up with her own slogan. Acevedo decided to put her phrase on clothing and sell it. Considering her family doesn’t live in Kentucky, she often travels. Her friends view her as a motherly figure to them and everyone else. Acevedo was going through a rough time in her life when she realized that she ate all the time, but didn't understand why she was complaining when some people don’t get the blessing of having food on the table. This is when she came up with the idea of the slogan #WeEatinTho. “So I was literally joking one day and told Austin Dattilo about putting the saying on a shirt and he took me serious saying his mom could help, since that is her job,” said Acevedo. She decided to put the Last Supper on the back of the shirt because she feels as if that represents her team and friends and how they eat. Acevedo plans to continue selling shirts for as long as they are in demand, but is not
interested in pursuing fashion as a career. She plans to take the profit from the shirts and take her friends out to eat. Shirts are $12, long sleeves are $17, crewnecks/sweatshirts are $22, and hoodies are $30. Acevedo and Dattilo are also coming up with a new design. Not only did she come up with her own slogan, but she also travels. “I travel often because I have no family in Kentucky besides my mom, brother, and step,mdad. I go to Vancouver, Canada which is where my dad, sister, and stepmom are currently living,” said Acevedo. She also travels to Florida to visit her grandmother and other relatives that live there. The rest of her family lives in Columbia, so she flies down every three years to visit. She definitely plans to continue traveling as she gets older. Acevedo said, “Traveling is definitely a passion of mine, and if I could incorporate it into a career that would be beyond content.” Acevedo cares about her friends so much that they see her as a motherly figure. She is always looking out for them and even thinks that sometimes she is being too much of a mom to them. People refer to her as mom because she is always there for anyone and she always puts others before herself. If anybody needs anything she will do what she can to help. Garrett Wilson, senior, said, “Laura is a motherly figure because she doesn't care about what people think. She only cares about the good in people. She is inspiring. She leads people.”
4810 North Preston Hwy, Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Chargers sporting their new clothing wear.
Senior Emily Salyer said, “Laura has impacted my life in a way that nobody else has. She has brought nothing but positivity into my life and that’s what’s awesome about her. She is the most positive person I have ever met and no matter what happens you can always count on her to help you out however she can. She isn’t like anybody else and she is always thankful for everything and that’s how #WeEatinTho came about.”
page by Taylor Hollifield
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WHAT TO DO THIS WINTER
b y k e ls i s e g o Staff Writer
8 page by Kelsi Sego December 2015 NewsmagazineBEHSdecember2015issue3.indd 8
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THE WINTER BLUES b y a b b i e a lst a tt Copy Editor
E
lvis Presley isn’t the only one having a blue Christmas.
Depression is an illness that occurs yearround, but during the winter months it tends to be a little more powerful. Wintertime Depression is one type of specific depression that mainly comes about during the winter months of December, January, and February. It is mostly caused by the lack of light found in the other months of the year, therefore anyone is prone to the illness. Fortunately, there is more than one way to battle it until seasons change.
Wintertime Depression can also be referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Junior, Maria Fitts, would define it as, “the time our happiness hibernates.” Usually, seasonal depression happens during the winter versus the summer, spring, or fall, but it can happen during any time of year. Doug Osborne, psychology teacher, has his own opinion on this. “It doesn’t necessarily have to happen in the winter... sometimes it’s just the changes, and I think some people have some issues adapting to the changes,” said Osborne. Even considering this, winter is still the season people experience seasonal depression the most. Winter is the time when most people are affected by SAD, mostly due to the lack of sunlight. In fact, when Alaska goes weeks on end without sunlight, the rate of their mental illness increases. Another factor is that less serotonin is being produced in the brain during the winter. This is a compound which is said to contribute to a person’s happiness. “So, there’s actual chemical changes that also go along with these other changes that we see,” said Sarah Akridge, AP psychology teahcer. Some of the other possible causes of wintertime depression are different sleep cycles, decreased socialization, decreased physical activity, and decreased fresh air. Sleep cycles change when daylight savings time switches back into normal time, which can mess with some people. Also, when it’s cold outside, people find themselves staying inside to stay warm and sheltered, but being shut off from the rest of the world for too long can start to have negative effects. “...they tend to be more sedentary... just kinda sit around, stay in their house,” said Osborne. This means
less fresh air is available, and physical activity is rare. This is unfortunate because exercise releases endorphins in the body that make you feel good. Any of these things can cause wintertime depression. “...some people are just more predisposed,” said Osborne. The overall look of nature during winter can also be a contributing factor. It’s generally dark, bleak, dreary, rainy; an atmosphere that usually doesn’t tend to be very happy. Everything looks dead; there isn’t much color to be found. “People find it distressing to not see a lot of green sometimes,” said Osborne. Without a doubt, students are affected by Wintertime Depression. According to a poll conducted among BE students via the Livewire’s website, 55% of high schoolers say they haven’t experienced wintertime depression, while 45% say they have. Junior, Maria Fitts, definitely feels more sad and emotional during the winter. “It’s worse for me personally in the winter because I hate the cold, and being depressed is already a horrible feeling,” said Fitts.
Light therapy is the most popular method of coping and helping with this specific type of depression since the lack of sunlight is the biggest factor. “They (psychologists) recommend you sitting in front of this little lamp, kind of like a plant, and soaking in the light to help with increasing your serotonin levels and getting the light that you’re missing from outside,” said Akridge. This works especially well for people who aren’t normally depressed outside of the winter months; most of the time medication is not needed to help them, just light therapy alone can do the job. Osborne feels that a lot of people are ashamed to get help with SAD, depression, and mental illness in general. “You can’t just get over depression, you can’t just get over seasonal affective, you can’t just get over postpartum depression, all that stuff is real and it’s just an illness that can’t be seen with an X-Ray. It has to be looked at in different ways,” said Osborne. Akridge believes that “it’s 100% real”. So, if you find yourself feeling down these next few months, just know that it’s normal, you aren’t alone, and there’s always ways to deal with it.
Akridge and Osborne have both had personal experiences with SAD in their own lives, although neither teach very much about it in their psychology classes. Akridge used to be a tanning addict. “I noticed after I stopped tanning, I did see a mood decrease,” said Akridge. Osborne has experienced winter and spring SAD. “I noticed that I was getting sad around March, and that’s when the seasons change going back into spring, cause I always really like the fall and going back to school,” said Osborne. This depression can clearly affect anyone during the winter months; it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are. “You could have someone who doesn’t have a tendency towards depression experience this, but you can also have someone who does experience depression have this worsen in the winter months,” said Akridge. This does seem scary, especially because it could happen when least expected. However, there are proven ways to battle this depression until the warmer and more colorful months. page by Abbie Alstatt
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Lifting trees
Archery J A M G K M
by haylie jenkins Staff Writer
E
at. Sleep. Fitness. Repeat.
Cameron Trees is a sophomore who regularly works out and plays football. Trees believes fitness is just living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your body. During the football season, he only works out two or three days a week. He hopes to inspire and unite his team by working out. As a kid, Trees was and still is, influenced by his father. “He used to write me work out programs when I was like 10 or 11,” said Trees. His father doesn’t work out with him much anymore due to nerve damage caused by a motorcycle accident, but his father still motivates him in the gym. Trees even has his own “personal gym” in his basement. “My dad has a lot of stuff from his childhood and all the way up through college, so I just use that to work out,” said Trees. Next year, he plans on taking athletic conditioning as another form of working out. Working out is something Trees believes will help his team come together. A short term goal for Trees is to influence his football team to work out together. “He’s a good leader I think he really tries to lead by example he definitely busts his butt in practice, he’s not very vocal but he shows leadership in other ways,” said Kenny Thornsberry one of the assistant coaches for East.
Football season takes up a lot of Trees’s time.During his football season Trees doesn’t eat very healthy. “The other day I ate McDonalds like three times. I didn’t feel that great the rest of the day, but I don’t want my weight to get down too low,” said Trees. After the season ends, he plans on getting back to his healthier eating habits.
M Au Ch
#1 on iTunes Hello
*as of 12/3/15
Trees also has a YouTube channel where he posts motivational videos and highlights of football games he has played so that colleges will notice what he does on and off of the field.
M S Da R
Eliza Ka
b y s a r a h a ll e n Staff Writer
On his YouTube channel, Trees has received several comments from people wondering how he works out and what exactly he does. “One guy was overseas and I had to use Google translate to tell him what I did and to understand him,” said Trees.
Mi K
A Th Ha J Sy
“I could really see myself doing something with fitness when i get older ,”said Trees. He has thought about a career as a physical therapist.
J
You can find Cameron Trees on Youtube by searching his name.
A
Eliz C
“Hello” was written by Adele with the assistance of Greg Kurstin who also assisted in writing hits like Sia’s “Chandelier.”
B Za D R
long with breaking charts with her albums “19” and “21” and winning 10 Grammy’s before the age of 30, Adele can now add singing a comeback song to her list of accomplishments.
Contrary to popular belief, this song is not directed to any one person. The idea behind the lyrics is Adele is trying to reach out to someone she was once acquainted with. “It’s kind of a hello to all my old friends, all the relationships I’ve had, all my old teachers, my little me when I was 7 or 8, and also a bit of a hello to all my fans because I’ve been gone for so long,” said Adele in a recent interview with Ryan Seacrest. The music video for this song came out soon after. In just 24 hours, this video had over 27 million views. The 24-hour Vevo Record, which was previously held by Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”, is now turned over to Adele.
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A L Za Mo S N G
E Cameron Trees stands on the sidelines with his teamates waiting for his chance to play.
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page by Haylie Jenkins December 2015
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Archery roster Jacob Abnee Abbie Alstatt Morgan Bailey Grace Barnes Karley Cahoe Morgan Caudill Chase Clark Meghan Cooke Austin Coolidge Charisma Cornell KC Corum Megan Culver Steven Downs David Edmonds Ryan Gaddie Jade Harris Elizabeth Hendricks Katelyn Heppler Tristan Higgs Jared Holt Michael Hundley Kathrine Jump Brady Key Ashley Kingsley Thomas Lanham Hannah Leffew Jabez Mahan Sydney Marcum Bryce Miles Jaque Morsey J.T. Morsey Lexi Nation Elizabeth Norton Chandler Paul Dylan Prell Gabby Price Ben Reese Brandon Riggs Zachary Shelton Dalton Smith Robbie Smith Halie Smith Daniel Smith Will Spencer Alden Stidom Logan Stoner Zachary Taylor Morgan Vaughn Sierra Waddle Nolan White Grace Wibbels Sam Wilson Emily Yoakum
BULLS EYE
>> sports
b y z a c h c o m b e st Copy Editor
A
rrows are flying for the perfect shot.
The Bullitt East archery team starts this season with high hopes for a sucessful season. The archery team consists of two teams, junior varsity and varsity. Both teams will have between 24 and 27 archers this year. The archers were chosen based on their performance in tryouts, that were held on October 27th. During tryouts, the archers must shoot 15 arrows from 15 meters away for a score. The archery team is currently ranked in the top six in the state and the Charger archers are in the top 10 in the country.
Taylor.
Both archery teams compete in many tournaments. “We will attend a tournament at BC [Bullitt Central], North Bullitt, Eastside, and a few more outside of the county. We will then attend regionals at Central Hardin, state at the International Convention Center in downtown [Louisville], nationals at the state fairgrounds, and world at Myrtle Beach in June,” said Waddle. Like the basketball and football team, the archery team has rivalries too. Their main rivals are Meade County and Trigg County.
help the team become the top team in the nation. Morgan Vaughn, senior archer, is currently ranked fifth in the world. “My goal is to win world as a team, and to make the national team as an individual,” said Vaughn. He has been shooting archery for seven years. He also likes seeing everyone reach their personal goals when they achieve their highest score. Vaughn also enjoys the team bonding that goes on throughout the year. Taylor also has some favorite things he likes about archery. “First off, it’s cool to meet people that you probably would’ve never met if it wasn’t for archery. Also, archery has been great individually to me, with a runner up finish and top five in regionals, but not as much as being a part of the team. Archery is an overlooked sport because in almost every tournament we shoot in, we usually win and then most of the time, the
Having a good archery team is based on the archers scores. “The best possible score is 300, which has only been done twice in the history of National Archery in the schools,” said head coach, Jason Waddle.
Coach Waddle has high expectations for the team this year. “I think we will be the top team in the county and region, we have a lot of returning talent and several freshmen that should shoot on the varsity team,” said Waddle. Taylor has set a goal to consistently shoot in the upper 270s and 280s by staying more focused and working harder in order to
The requirements to be a member of the archery team are to attend all practices and maintain a C or better in all classes. Zach Taylor, junior archer and golfer, has been shooting archery since sixth grade. “As being one of the most diverse teams/ programs in the school and being one of the largest, around 50 archers, we get along pretty well. As most of us have different interests and hobbies than one another, besides archery. This sport is not just for the bo’s or rednecks, anyone can shoot,” said
Ashley Kingsley gets ready to shoot at Eastside Middle School.
individualist spots are our players. I have been lucky to be part of this dynasty. For all the years I’ve shot we have won regionals, then have placed top 10 in both state and nationals. In the two of all my years I have shot, I have been able to go to world, which is an awesome experience. The first time we went we placed runner up and last season we placed fifth,” said Taylor. Morgan Caudill, senior, shoots archery for East. “It’s mostly an individual sport and I like to set goals for myself to improve my score and the team score as well,” said Caudill. Caudill’s goal is to have an average score of 280 to 285. As the 2015-16 season arises upon Bullitt East, the archers are working toward reaching their goals and trying to improve their rankings in the state and in the nation.
page by Zach Combest
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TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM b y m a tt c h i ldr e ss
senior to watch
Staff Writer
“S
tarting at the manager position...”
Before games the announcer calls out the players onto the floor but not the managers. The managers for the boys and girls basketball team play a larger role than many might think. They may not play the sport, but they help with the problems behind the scenes and off the court. The 2015-16 boys basketball season is very anticipated. However, not all of the players are currently in the best condition. Ian Whitehair, a basketball manager, said, “I sometimes tend to some injuries at first to help out before the head trainer takes over.” The boys basketball team has been riddled with injuries in the past years and with some injuries players will continue to suffer with them even after they have been cleared to play. Will Elder is a small forward for the boys junior varsity basketball team. “Anytime I need something or have a question they are there to answer it,” said Elder.
by sean johnson “water boys,” but that’s not always the case. The managers play a larger part than anyone. The managers are like the last line of defense; they come in during injuries and also help out with practices. The managers come in when nobody else can.
Staff Writer
The managers are an important asset to the team. “They help us with a lot of situations in practice and to help us prepare for games,” said Elder. The respect the players have for the managers brings the team closer together and helps build chemistry during practice and games. Troy Barr, the athletic director, selected the student managers. The managers are at every practice and every game which brings reliability and trust to the program. Like any other job there are down times, such as just bringing a player their water or holding towels or making room on the bench. The managers are like actors in a play. Some have large parts, some have small parts, but without all of them there is no show.
The managers are there to help care for the injured players and get them back in shape as quick as possible. The managers are often unfortunately looked over when it comes to the sports world. They are usually seen as
Morgan Vaughn, senior, is a key role shooter on the archery team. “Being a senior to me means being a leader and giving all the younger people a person to look up to,” said Vaughn. Vaughn finished 5th in the world tournament, 8th at the state tournament, and was also selected as one of the top 100 shooters to participate in the “Best of the Bluegrass” tournament.
Trainer Chris Krunkel helps freshman Michael Paige with his injured wrist.
The archery team means a lot to Vaughn and has been playing for all of his high school career. “My role on the archery team is the same as everyone else on the team: to shoot to the best of my potential and hopefully shoot a really high score,” said Vaughn. The archery team has had great success in the past years. Now the coaches have high expectations of them for the season ahead.
Manager Ian Whitehair tosses a water bottle to freshman basketball player Will Elder.
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“I believe we will have great success this year. We have lost a lot of seniors, but I think a lot of underclassman on the team will step up a lot this year,” said Vaughn.
page by Matt Childress December 2015
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BO’S, DOE’S AND BULLETS by luke young Staff Writer
T
ag ‘em and bag ‘em.
Living in a rural area, many people associate themselves with the redneck crowd, and one thing valued by such a group is hunting. Hunting has been a common practice since the beginning of time, but over the years has become a common pastime for many high school students. Students who don’t conform to the normal stereotype of a hunter can also enjoy the sport. It’s not just students either, many teachers enjoy hunting too. Hunting has always been important to the survival of the human race, up until the appearance of supermarket where many go to purchase their food instead of killing, preparing, and cooking the meat themselves. Still, there are a few people who stick to the traditions of their ancestors and hunt for their food. Mitchell Langley, junior, loves to hunt. Langley and his family clean and prepare the meat they kill. He started going with his dad when he was nine years old. “It’s impossible to count,” Langley said, referring to the amount of times he has been hunting. The sport has topped many people’s list of priorities. “Hunting or fishing tends to be number one priority, and I skip school at least three times a year to go sit in the stand,” stated Langley. Langley’s favorite memory came from last year, after sitting in a blind for 11 hours. He killed a 14 pointer, which is his biggest one so far. The point system is used to rank deer. One point is given for every antler point on the deer. Justin Defler, junior, first went hunting with his father in 2010. But in just five years, he has been more than most will ever go. “Oh jeez. I’ve been around 50 or so times. Too many to count,” he said. Defler goes hunting on his family farm. “There is a trophy on our farm that I can’t manage to a good shot at.” A “trophy” doesn’t have a standard definition, but most consider a 12 point, and at least 3 year old buck a “trophy.” Throughout his career as a hunter, Defler has gotten many kills, but he has also seen a lot of deer that he let go. “I’ve passed up on a lot of bucks because you can take one a year.” In Kentucky, each hunter is only allowed to kill
one buck due wildlife protection, anti-poaching laws.
Justin Defler with his first ever doe that he killed earlier this season.
Defler took down his first doe earlier this season. Defler considers this the kill he is most proud of. “When I shot, it jumped up and ran off. I went to check for blood and there was none, so I figured I missed. I stayed in the stand for another hour and a half, and as we left we found it lying on the other side of a treeline. That means that it ran about 45 yards and jumped a fence after I shot it.” Besides the typical view of white, redneck men, there are other people who like to hunt, one being junior Grace Wibbels. Wibbels doesn’t listen to country music, doesn’t drive a truck, and doesn’t identify herself as a redneck, or country at all. She first started hunting with her dad when she was in fifth grade. The first time Wibbels went hunting, she hunted turkey. She said, “I hated turkey hunting, but I went deer hunting and loved it, so that is what I’ll continue to hunt in the future.”
Mitchell Langley with a deer he took down last year.
When hunting, many emotions fill the hunter. “It’s exhilarating and nerve racking. You have to wait until you can get the perfect shot and after you get it for the first time it’s so exciting,” stated Wibbles Wibbels’ favorite hunting memory is from her first hunting trip. “I came across this gorgeous creek. The nature is so astounding when you’re in the woods and it was gorgeous to see God’s work first hand,” said Wibbels. In her three times going out, Wibbels has only killed one deer. “It was only a three pointer but I plan to get a huge buck this year,” said Wibbles. Hunting isn’t just a big part of student life, it’s big in teacher lives too. Special education teacher Justin Hall is an avid hunter. The first time he went hunting was when he was in elementary school, on a rabbit hunt, and later hunted deer. Hall’s favorite memory is his first bow kill, and he also enjoys a tradition every year with his family. “The day after Thanksgiving every year is a big shopping holiday, so my mom and a couple of her girlfriends go shopping, and my dad, myself, and my brother and the guys go rabbit hunting, and we would have a big dinner that night,” he said. Whether it’s for fun or for food, hunting remains the favorite sport of many people. page by Luke Young
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RALEY TAKES OVER b y d e r e k r o g e rs Staff Writer
L
enny Raley leads a new era of freshmen boys basketball.
Raley takes the position of head coach for the freshman boys basketball team. Raley has led multiple different teams over the past nine years. Including cross country, track & field, and girls basketball. He recently took the head coaching position for freshman boys basketball. “I am learning the system but prior experience always helps. But I expect every player to give great effort daily, be a great teammate, and always put the team first. And show a lot of grit and toughness,” said Raley.
Raley has been the cross country and track & field coach since he first came to East nine years ago. Now he will have assistants fill important roles when the seasons intertwine.
“I’ll need the kids to trust me as a coach.” - Raley
Some players have doubts about Raley’s ability to balance coaching multiple sports. “He won’t be at as many track practices because he will be more focused on the basketball team. I heard from people on the cross country team that he started to do that towards the end of the year. Also, since he is primarily the distance track coach,
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the distance teams won’t really have a coach,” said sophomore and track team member Julia Poole.
“I will change a little in how I approach each season. But I have great assistants who will do a great job helping,” said Raley. With a new coach, expectations often vary. No one really knows what to expect at the beginning of the season but you eventually learn the coaches strategies and his preferences.
“He is a good coach, but everyone has had some difficulty making adjustments from Coach Troutman to Coach Raley. It is a good experience though to have a different coach and coaching style that Raley brings,” said freshman basketball player Will Elder. It is clear that players trust Raley and believe he will continue to make the team better.
page by Derek Rogers December 2015
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>> sports
STRIKING TIME OF THE YEAR b y m a g g i e w i sd o m Staff Writer
T
he Bullitt East bowling team has enough to spare.
The Bullitt East bowling team had a great start to the season. The team had their first practice for this season in October. Since then, they have been practicing twice a week (unless no matches are scheduled, then usually just once a week.) The bowling team’s location of practice was originally Bullitt East bowling alley, but because of removal the practices have now been placed at King Pin Lanes located on Taylorsville Rd. At these practices, each member of the team has a league, which is where each member has a partner and they bowl two games. At the end of those two games, they are added up and put against other teammates team. After that is done, the team does some drills to help keep them steady, such as their approach and releases. Bullitt East’s teams are separated into two teams based on gender. The minimum number in order to have a team is six.They also allow students in middle school to qualify for the team, as long you’re in Bullitt County district in the next few years. Last year, the girls bowling team went to the final three, against PRP and Mercy. East beat Mercy, which sent them through to state, but lost the tournament to PRP. They were the first team from Bullitt East to ever make it to state.
Shelby Etherton, junior at East, was one of the members who had aslo heleped make that accomplish of getting to state. She also was one of the members to make it to the state as an individual as well. “This year I plan for our team to make it to state again because it was the best way for us to bond, and of course it made all of us as a whole team happy.” stated Etherton.
ter team.” said Thomas. The girls team had their first matc, October 29th against Mercy. They won three, and lost four, but are hoping to improve for this years season, and make it to state.
Jessica Heicken, junior at Bullitt East had made it to state last year, for the individual competition as well, and was another member from last year who also went to state. Heicken has some big plans to make improvements, this year. “I hope to continue to grow, and push myself in bowling to improve my average, and be able to make state as well.” said Heicken. Jordan Thomas is also a junior at Bullitt East, he has been on the team since his freshman year. He plans to remain on the team until he graduates. He has some high expectations for this year. “This year, I want us to go farther than last year, and overall become a betpage by Maggie Wisdom
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TAKING THE NEXT STEP b y g r a n t sk a g g s Sports Editor
B
ack down the totem pole.
As Bullitt East athletes have risen in the ranks from freshman to senior year, those looking to take their talents to the college level look to start from the bottom again. Many have received multiple offers from colleges around the country. Many have chosen to stay near home for their collegiate careers. There are many different reasons on choosing where to play. Many athletes have received multiple offers like sophomore softball player Taylor Roby, as she has received offers from Northwestern, Florida State, Jacksonville, and Louisville. Junior girls basketball player Lindsey Duvall has received offers from Louisville, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio State, South Carolina, and Colorado. Senior baseball player Garrett Wilson also received offers from the University of Southern Indiana, Murray State, and Western Kentucky. On the contrary, some have received an offer, but have had multiple interests from some schools. Senior golfer Ethan Breeden said, “I had been in contact with WKU, EKU, UK, Indiana, and Spalding. I had no offers from them, but I had talked to them about the possibility of playing college golf at their school.” Several Bullitt East athletes have made commitments and have or are planning to sign photo credit to Kaleb Perdew
their national letter of intent to those schools. These athletes include: Breeden to Morehead State, senior softball player Shelby Maros and Wilson to Southern Indiana, and senior cross country athlete Sierra Poppell to Morehead State as well. Many others have made verbal commitments to colleges across the country. Those including: Roby to Louisville, Duvall to Kentucky, and junior softball player Lindsay Renneisen to Evansville. There are always different reasons that go into the decision of choosing a college. Such as location, coaching staffs, and other outside influences.
Shelby Maros and Garrett Wilson
Lindsay Duvall
Breeden said, “I chose Morehead because from the start I felt like I had an extremely good connection with Coach Martin [MSU head coach], he is brand new to the school this year being his first year as head coach. Also Morehead remodeled their home course making it a lot more difficult which will only make me better in the long run.” Roby said, “They [Louisville] are so close, I’ve been around the program since I was about 10 years old.”
Taylor Roby
Wilson said, “They’re [Southern Indiana] an elite program and Jacob Bowles [senior on last year’s team] also plays there.”
Lindsay Renneisen
Ethan Breeden and Sierra Poppell Seniors Shelby Maros (right), Sierra Poppell (top left), and Garrett Wilson (top right) on their signing days.
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page by Grant Skaggs December 2015
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>> academics
OPERATION REAL WORLD b y j e ss i c a m a tt i n g l y
Steven Jeffries, senior at East, co-ops with Kroger. He said, “I had to get the approval of
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Again, with every advantage comes a disadvantage. Getting involved in this program can, at times, be very stressful. Students have to learn how to juggle the hard classes that come with being a senior, with their new work schedules. Crum and Jeffries both agree that with the co-op program, you also miss out on a lot of school events.
*UPS kids not included.
Schyler Bennett Ryan Ciolek Brianna Elmore Kameryn Hoffman Kasey Hornback Steven Jeffries Tiffany Prell Jared Russman Savannah Smith Matthew Snawder Gabby Wasson Samuel Wilson Kelsey Mart Allie Edwards Rylie Carney
Any student that is interested in co-oping should make an appointment to meet with their counselor.
deR eht taht leef loohcs eht ssorca lla stnedutS sraey owT .sraey tsap eht ni detelped sah enoZ llabteksab rof staes eht dekcap stneduts oga ttilluB gniruD .nosaes eht tuohguorht lla tneduts eht nur tnemanruot elbidercni s’tsaE hgih erew erehT .worg ot deunitnoc noitces deR eht tub emoc ot snosaes eht rof sepoh si dna dnuora nrut etelpmoc a nekat sah enoZ ti teg dna yrt ot ssecorp gnidliuber eht ni won .saw ecno ti tahw ot kcab
era ew raey sihT .gnimoc deppots elpoep nehT sevitnecni erom gnivig yb nuf erom ti gnikam ”.nwod sserd eerf sa hcus ,semag ot gnimoc ot
Any student that is interested in co-oping has to go through a little bit of a process. Ms. Comstock, business teacher at BEHS, has to approve the student before they can receive the paperwork to do so. Also, at Bullitt East, each student has to meet with their designated counselor to discuss if co-oping is the right choice for them.
There are many advantages that come with this program, which is why it is so popular with the seniors at Bullitt East. Crum said, “You really feel like an adult leaving school to work, and it gives you a feel of the real world and what to expect when you get out in it.” Some other benefits include the flexibility of the schedules, making more money, leaving school early, and having more free time once you’re done with work for the day. ttilluB rof draug gnitoohs gnitrats eht ,eprahS dnik saw raey tsap ehT“ ,syas llabteksab tsaE .gnireehc t’nerew elpoep esuaceb nwod tel a fo
Bullitt East adopted this program and made it their own in the early 90’s. Mr. Bob Blackburn started the co-op program at East, along with the UPS co-op program.
Connor Crum, another senior at East, co-ops at UPS. He said, “You have to speak with your boss about changing your hours and working during the school day, and then get it approved with the school.”
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nwonk osla era enoZ deR eht fo srebmem ehT -woR enoZ deR eht ;seidwoR enoZ deR eht sa ttilluB ssorca lla stneduts fo delipmoc era seid nioj ot emoclew si enoynA .loohcS hgiH tsaE -teb eht dnetta stneduts erom ehT .emit yna ta .emoceb lliw noitces tneduts eht ret
In simple terms, co-oping means you leave school earlier than everyone else, but instead of heading home, you head to work. The idea of this program was brought about in the 19th century, but was never executed until the 20th century. The whole purpose of co-oping is to increase the education of high school students, while also allowing them to explore career options at the same time.
Many student go out and get jobs when they are juniors in high school. Even though you have a job, you must be a senior before you can apply for the co-op program. The boss of the business also has to approve the decision.
CO-OP KIDS
yeht nehw maet ruoy no reehc ot ysae s’tI“ uoy deen yeht tub ,kaerts gninniw a no era nehw s’tahT .nwod elttil a er’yeht nehw tsom duol pu wohs ot sdeen yllaer enoZ deR eht si enoZ deR ehT .oJ ammoM dias ”,duorp dna kcabemoc a ekam ot gnithgif si tub gnilggurts .nosaes 6102-5102 eht ni
Co-op is a cooperative education program that students can get involved in during their last year of high school. To join, students should first meet with their counselor to discuss if co-oping is the right choice for them. Like anything, this program has various benefits and drawbacks.
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.enoz daed ot enoZ deR mor
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The co-op program at Bullitt East has allowed seniors to get a taste of the real world.
dna llabteksab sa hcus smargorp strops ehT deR eht rof sdworc regral eht ni ward llabtoof sekaR yeliaB dna eprahS sa hcus sreyalP .enoZ eht gnirud noitaripsni sa enoZ deR eht ees ,smaet hguot htiw sretnuocne esolc nI .semag gnireehc dworc eht raeh ot evol sreyalp eht .no meht
F
SEIDWOR-OS-TON ENOZ DER
Ms. Comstock and Ms. Steinmetz and Kroger to co-op, and I had to change my work schedule along with my school schedule.”
eht ni ecalp laiceps a sah noitces tneduts ehT hgiH tsaE ttilluB ta stneduts eht fo straeh nwonk esiwrehto ,noitces tneduts ehT .loohcS ot yaw a stneduts sevig ,enoZ deR eht sa swolla dna loohcs fo sesserts yliad eht epacse rieht rof gnitoor elihw sevlesmeht eb ot meht .loohcs hgih
S
chool, work, sleep, repeat.
-itamard evorpmi ot skool enoZ deR ehT .raey siht yllac
Executive Editor
page by Jessica Mattingly
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What’s Trending Guys in Headbandss b y l i n ds a y r e n n e i s e n Business Editor
New styles and trends are coming and going everyday. One that has stuck with a few people is boys that wear headbands. This is new and something different for teens. Senior football player Allen Miles is one person to make this stylistic choice. “I started wearing headbands to train my hair to go back because I was growing it out. But I also wanted to be different and draw attention,” said Miles.
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He wears headbands at school and during football to keep the hair out of his face. Another boy who wears headbands is sophomore Hunter Wood. “I started wearing them because of football and when your hair is really long and sweaty, it gets all in your eyes so you would normally wear a headband,” said Wood. Their teammates and classmates have gotten used to seeing them in headbands. “At first they joked about it and made fun, but a couple actually started wearing them and most of them ended up
liking the look,” said Miles. This trend has a different affect on other guys than it does girls. “My friends don’t say much. They give me a goofy comment every now and then,” said Wood. On the other hand, senior Samantha Lewis said, “I don’t think it looks very good. I like the long hair but I think the headbands are too much, too feminine.” So it comes down to the question, function or fashion?
page by Haley Snyder December 2015
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>> academics
EAST’S PUSH FINALLY PROVES WORTH IT by haley snyder Creative Editor
Results in highest testy scores in school history. The state has recently released test scores that announced that BE has moved to the 98th percentile of Kentucky high schools.
P
rincipal Willie Foster surprises students on the daily morning announcements. All three Bullitt County high schools have been designated as distinguished for the first time ever. Bullitt East High School has been named a School of Distinction and is ranked one of the top ten best-performing high schools in Kentucky. Therefore, Bullitt East High School ranks higher than 227 of Kentucky public high schools, including many schools with selective admissions. The other schools ranking higher than Bullitt East are all magnet or independent schools, with the exception of South Oldham High School. These magnet and independent schools, such as Du Pont Manual and Male, have selective admission from Jefferson County. There was a time where BE was considered a failing school, because the scores were below target levels. Bullitt East was assigned a distinguished educator by the state to help change the school. Over the past 20 years, there has been a different teaching style and classes that have pushed students to be their best. “AP [Advance Placement] classes helped a little on the accountability score, but the college and career readiness center impact it the most,” said Bullitt East guidance counselor, Dana Steinmetz. “There are five scores that determine state accountability; the college and career readiness is one of five. I haven’t stopped smiling
since there was an indicator that we would get these scores a while back,” career coach Wendy McCutcheon continued, “there are so many things that played into getting the recognition that we got, literally from Keith Davis who said this is what I need you all to do for college readiness. Then to our principal who said we’re going to make this happen, to our guidance counselors who said we have to put these kids all in transition classes. To Mrs. Barr giving Compass testing to the students, to the mentor counseling Mr. Foster incorporated, so y’all can sit down with us one on one. We look at your transcript, we look at what pathway you’ve kind of been in, whether you need to change that [pathway] or stay in that [pathway] to make sure you get in the right classes. Our teachers have incorporated ACT in daily classes and all of our career pathway teachers that have incorporated KOSSA. We have just become a culture where it is a lot of college and career readiness.”
meet these criteria. So, they have to study harder. Mr. Davis just asked us to buy into it [the goal becoming a better school] and we did,” said McCutcheon. There is no denying that the culture of Bullitt East has changed over the years because of change in students and faculty within Bullitt East. Dana Steinmetz has worked at BE for the past 19 years and noticed a change in students. “Our old slogan used to be “it’s a matter of pride,” but over the past four to five years the pride goes beyond the football or basketball teams. Now students have pride from the Red Zone Rowdies to the classroom. Students just hold themselves accountable and push themselves to be the best they can be,” said Steinmetz. According to Steinmetz, there are several ways when the state determines the percentile for a school, but each set of students, such as the seniors or juniors, have to compare their scores from
previous tests like the Plan or Explore to the ACT. Also, a large majority of students in recent years have been improving their scores on the ACT because of the importance of a high score. In order for students to get into a good college, apply for scholarships, and even apply for the Governor’s Scholar Program, also referred to as GSP, they need a high ACT score. Having a good student body and competition between the teachers is what increased the scores, but maintaining them is a different story. To maintain the scores, students and teachers must continue pushing each other everyday. “The systems [like the college and career readiness center] we have in place will continue to improve our scores,” said Steinmetz. Bullitt East only hopes to continue to grow and improve their rankings within the Kentucky schools.
McCutcheon also explained how everything “spills over” or connects to improve scores. “As a senior you know you have to be college and career ready. You know that you have to have your EOCs [End of Course Exams] which means you are coming to school. Then our attendance is getting better, and when more students come to school everyone learns more. In my mind, students with free and reduced lunch or special ed. [education] students realize that they have to page by Haley Snyder
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ADDICTION by eric sanchez Creative Editor
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oung teenagers across the United States in today’s technology filled age watch pornography to the point of addiction.
Pornography addiction, and pornography viewing in general, is a common problem in today’s society. The subject of pornography addiction is so swept under the rug that people are unaware of the extent of what it even is. Even more so, the legality of pornography with minors and how they can access it is taboo within society. Pornography plays a huge mental role on viewer’s lives. “The definition of addiction is where you want to compulsively want to do something over and over. So if you felt the need to watch porn over and over again, you could be addicted to it,” said health teacher Donna Hare. Pornography use becomes pornography addiction when these guidelines are met.
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30%
70%
One major sign of an addiction is the loss of control. According to Harvard Medical School, a sign of addiction includes “Persistently wanting to — or unsuccessfully trying to — cut down or control drug use.” Pornography addicts may attempt to cut down or stop the use of pornography altogether. A discontinuation may occur, but the addict will quickly go back the media within a few days of the ceasing. The last major affect of pornography addiction is when it has active negative consequences on an individual’s life. Even though it is not a deadly substance, pornography addicts can feel the same infelicitous effects that drug and alcohol abusers experience. Spending hundreds of dollars on online pornography or failing to meet standards for a job or school are some ill effects that a pornography addict may go through. With the addiction controlling them, an addict may not care or could be unable to stop their actions. Within the new technological age, access to pornography is rampant and almost unnerving. Internet pornography is infamous and prevalent. “I was in the seventh grade when I first saw porn. A couple of buddies of mine were looking at it and they told me to check it out. They found it online and got it on their phones,” said
30% OF WOMEN
WATCH PORNOGRAPHY
70% OF MEN WATCH PORNOGRAPHY
a Bullitt East High School senior. According to a study done by Covenant Eyes, pornography on mobile phones is so widespread that one in five mobile searches are for pornography. “Back in middle school we usually got it on iPods, phones, whatever we could get online with. Even now it’s the same thing. I just use my phone,” said the East senior. Pornography has found its way onto social media networks also. There are several pornography dedicated Twitter accounts and Tumblr, a blog website, is 11.4% pornography in the top 200,00 domains according to a study by Similar Web. Some students may frequent Tumblr pornography blogs, however, there are even some students who run them. An anonymous Fern Creek Traditional High School senior runs a pornography blog with over 30,000 followers. “I got bored and saw it on my normal Tumblr, so I decided to make one. It was just a hobby at first, but then the followers started to grow exponentially and it took off from there,” said a Fern Creek Traditional High School senior. However, with all this pornography viewing, it is still illegal for minors to view it. If child pornography is involved, it is possible for the minor to be convicted as a sex offender, depending on whether they are tried as an adult. If a person ran a gratuitous social media account, legal trouble could be afoot if children
1 IN 5 MOBILE SEARCHES ARE FOR
PORNOGRAPHY
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
If a person has major preoccupation to the point of obsession with pornography then they have taken a step towards the addiction. Rather than viewing occasionally on a manageable time scale, a person with a pornography addiction may feel the need to watch it constantly like how some people may view Netflix or television. “If a person were to not have monitoring from a parent, they could access porn as much
as they wanted to, I’d say some even look at it hours a day,” said Hare.
page by Eric Sanchez December 2015
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Part 2 in a Series: PORNOGRAPHY watch or the owner of the account themselves are on it as minors. This, however, does not seem to stop anyone though as nine out of ten male minors are exposed to pornography in some shape before turning 18. This is according to the same study done by Covenant Eyes. “I didn’t know it was illegal until freshmen or sophomore year. It came up in school and that was when it came to light. When I found out what the charges could do to you, it kind of spooked me with what could happen to you for just watching porn,” said the East senior. Pornography as an addiction is the same as all others in that it provides pleasure to the addict. “If you look at the psychology of it I think a lot of humans are on this planet and they need love, affection, and attention. When they don’t get it at home they look for outside sources whether it be drugs, alcohol, other relationships, or porn,” said Hare. A person addicted to porn may feel a sense of belonging or sexual fulfillment as most pornography addiction is coupled with masturbation. However, this feeling can be fleeting if they can’t stop consuming pornographic media, making it a vicious cycle that could lead to a serious addiction. “I think on some level people would feel ashamed viewing pornography. Especially if they can’t control and have that compulsive tendency to watch it,” said Hare.
Most average users of pornography can tell if their use is too prevalent for their own needs. “Around end of eighth grade or beginning of freshmen year I stopped watching it a lot. It’s all eighth grade middle school boys talked about. I kind of looked at how much we talked about it and watched it and thought it was getting weird,” said the East senior. With addiction having negative consequences on an individual’s life, pornography addiction specifically can play a huge role in a pubescent teens thoughts. “I just thought I need to quit with this, it was making my mind wander onto sexual thoughts all the time and I needed to focus on other things,” said the East senior. However, some users may still feel the need to watch and consume pornographic media. “I just feel the need to look at my blog and keep it updated. I wouldn’t say it’s addiction but there is a definite want to keep doing it beyond other things in my life,” said the Fern Creek senior.
bad for a woman’s image and that they aren’t objects,” said the Fern Creek senior Huge amounts of pornography consumed on a regular basis could affect all relationships an individual has. “I think if you look at a basic teenage boy in high school, it could change the way he looks at his mother or sister, or women in general. It could devalue them. If he were to be in a relationship, there could be unfair expectations, perspective and a selfishness that you can transfer onto sexuality. If it’s just about you and your pleasure and what you want, then you will have trouble transitioning to a real human and meeting their needs,” said Hare. Pornography is a taboo thing within society. Addiction is also a taboo that people do not wish to touch. When combined it creates a juggernaut of a beast tip-toeing around trying not to be noticed. Pornography addiction is real and plagues this generation. No longer can we push aside this taboo into shadows and continue on as if it does not exist. Pornography addiction is here and needs to be talked about. That is the only way to help those in need.
A huge grievance in people against pornography is the image it displays on gender roles. 88% of pornography contains physical aggression and 49% contains verbal aggression according to the study done by Covenant Eyes. Most of this is towards woman, and some viewers may see this as degrading towards them. “When I was 12 my mom found porn on my computer and gave me a talk on how it was
35 PERCENT OF DOWNLOADS ARE PORNOGRAPHY
page by Eric Sanchez
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SOURCES
OnlineSchool.org CovenantEyes.com, 2015 SimilarWeb.com TechAddiction.ca Harvard Health Publications, 2009
PORNOGRAPHY SITES GET MORE VISITORS MONTHLY THAN NETLFIX, AMAZON, OR TWITTER COMBINED
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page by Isaac Shelton December 2015
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>> opinion
“ENOUGH WITH YOUR DAMN -Bernie Sanders EMAILS, HILLARY” by kim houchin Staff Writer
W
hen you’re running for the highest office in the United States, emails are only a small problem.
It seems the United States is more concerned with a politician’s emails rather than the real problems.
official-or anyone-solely used a private emails account for the transaction of government business,” said Jason R. Baron, a lawyer at Dinker Biddle & Reath and former director of litigation at the National Archives and Records Administration. Baron said Clinton did not ‘violate’ federal law because rules around “the
These past months have been lit up with the buzz of politics and debates. Not only have the politicians chosen to ignore key topics, but have also turned the spotlight to each other’s personal issues or theatrics. Hillary Clinton’s emails are just one of many little problems that are attracting the attention of Americans and averting their gazes and minds away from the real issues in America. According to Fox News, almost 61% of American voters find Clinton untrustworthy and dishonest. “This, once again, raises serious questions as to Hillary Clinton’s definition of leadership,” said Republican opponent, Carly Fiorina. Ever since the Lewinsky scandal in 1998, in which Bill Clinton was accused of having sex with his accountant, Monica Lewinsky, the Clintons have been seen by the American public as a ‘shady’ and ‘sneaky’ couple. The reason for the outrage about this emails issue is due to the idea of Clinton ‘breaking the law.’ “I was in the government for 34 years and in my experience as director of litigation, I cannot recall an instance where a high level
not deserve to rank above other, more recent, important stories. Actions speak louder than words and this emails controversy has spoken to Americans from every corner of the nation. The scandal may have brought some supporters down from her campaign, but Clinton remains strong in the race. Another factor America seems to be missing is that this is not the worst thing to happen in politics. Chris Christie was accused of the Bridgegate scandal. The Bridgegate scandal occurred in August of 2013, the first day of school for millions of students. Two of three lanes were closed on the highway by construction workers causing large traffic problems. According to the construction workers, it was payback for Governor Chris Christie “stealing” money for campaign advertisement.
Federal Records Act is amorphous enough.” Some still view Clinton’s scandal as a big issue. However, in reality, it’s only emails. The scandal first appeared in the media in March and is still discussed today. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told MSNBC’s Jose Diaz Balart that the controversy was “blown out of proportion” and urged people to judge Clinton based on her record, not this controversy. Though the amount of time spent on the issue may vary upon what Clinton has leaked and what she has deleted, this topic still does
As the years go by, Americans’ knowledge of what is going on in the world seems to dwindle little by little. America seems to have forgotten or not mentioned our troops that have been in Afghanistan since 2001 or Russia bombing the United States allies in Syria, refusing to bomb ISIS. Americans seem to value Donald Trump’s angry, passionate, racist rhetoric over another African American male shot, supposedly by a police officer, in Ferguson, Missouri. These are things that America, as a nation, needs to address instead of turning a blind eye and paying attention to the personal life of Clinton and her emails. page by Isaac Shelton
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THE FACTS BEHIND THE CASE b y b r e n n a h d e n k h o ff Staff Writer
O
ver the past several months the United States has been talking about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s emails. It all started on March 4th, 2015 when Hillary agreed to turn over her private email server and a thumb drive that actually contained classified information. Her email server consisted of work related emails to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, also referred to as the FBI, in which 5 of the emails were classified. Clinton repeatedly said she sent them out without knowing that they had classified information in them. What started the whole controversy was the fact that Clinton was using a private email account for her government business instead of her government email account, according to the New York Times. The general public grew concerned with her using a private email account because they thought this meant she
As a result of this, in May 2015, the state department released 300 of her 30,000 emails from her private email server. Clinton showed her approval of this in a tweet that read “I want the public to see my email. I asked state to release them.” These emails revealed a look at her handling attacks over in Benghazi.
T
October 23rd, 2015 March 4th, 2015 Clinton tweets: “I want the public to see my email. I have asked the state to release them.”
December 2014
As requested from the state department, Clinton provides 50,000 pages of printed emails.
November 14th, 2014 President Obama signs update of the 1950 presidential and Federal Records Act.
March 15th, 2013
Clinton’s email is exposed by hacker.
February 1st, 2013 Hillary steps down as Secretary of State.
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by bethany white Staff Writer
The emails continue to cause a lot of talk all across the United States. The Federal Records Act requires government officials’ emails that are sent from their personal account to be forwarded to an official account within 20 days. This act was not passed until November of 2014 after Clinton left the state department, so although it may be questionable as to why she used her private email account, it was technically not illegal.
CLINTON’S EMAIL PLOT
his graphic below illustrates and highlights important events throughout Hillary Clinton’s email scandal. The timeline starts with Clinton stepping down as Secretary of State, but the drama, slander, and lies are still talked about today as she runs for President of the United States.
THE ANIMALS IN THE BLUEGRASS
was trying to hide something.
Clinton comments on emails at the Benghazi hearing.
? Will it ever end?
B
Barry Armstrong
arry Armstrong, 73, is currently the mayor of Mount Washington. He was on the city council for 38 years before running for mayor earlier this year against Dennis Griffin when Joetta Calhoun, previous mayor, opted not to go for re-election. “My main goal is to fix the traffic on Highway 44E. It’s a big problem in our town, people are stuck a long time in it,” said Armstrong. Armstrong grew up in Mount Washington, going to Mount Washington High School. At that time, Bullitt East was not yet created. For college, he chose to go to University of Kentucky before returning back to his hometown. Armstrong started his career as a banker. Also, he is known for spending time working at Bachman Auto Group. Armstrong contributes time to the town, not only as mayor, but also as a citizen. He’s a former firefighter for the city, spends time volunteering for the Lions Club of Mount Washington, past president and board member of Kentucky Bankers Association, and served on many more small groups. “I just want the town to be the best it can be, for the people in it and the people who visit,” stated Armstrong.
page by Isaac Shelton December 2015
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>> opinion
love vs lust staff editorial
Whether your unrealistic expectations come from pornography or “The Notebook,” they’re a sure fire way to ruin your relationship. When it comes to relationships, a lot of men and women see them in two completely different ways. A lot of men see relationships more on the physical side, and women see them more on the emotional side. Either way, both genders have set unrealistic expectations for their relationships. One of the main reasons why men have unrealistic expectations toward women is because of pornography. When men watch porn, they see images of girls with “perfect” bodies. In reality, it is unlikely to find a woman that looks like that. Pornography also typically portrays women as aggressive and confident sexually, while in real life that isn’t always the case. Women tend to think of sex as more of an emotional thing in a relationship; something that strengthens the bond between the two people. In pornography, sex isn’t viewed as emotional at all. In fact, most emotion is left out of it; it is simply about pleasure. Another problem that pornography causes is that men see women that are willing to do whatever the man says and is always there to pleasure him. These things can cause relation-
ship problems because a lot of times, the man has trouble holding the relationship. He can get disappointed if the woman doesn’t live up to the standards he has when it comes to sex, looks, and pleasure. Similarly, women get their expectations of a perfect relationship in romance movies. Because of these movies and misconceptions women sometimes expect a guy who will shower her in gifts, buy her flowers, and kiss her in the rain. Let’s face it though, high school boys do not have that kind of money and don’t exactly enjoy getting soaked outside in the rain while kissing their girlfriends. High school boys don’t have the mindset that Ryan Gosling had in “The Notebook.” They aren’t yet ready to put a girl first in their lives; they simply have too much going on with trying to balance school, their families and friends, and extracurricular activities. Marriage is usually the last thing they’re thinking about. That kind of commitment often scares high school boys, they don’t want to think about it until later on in their lives.
exchanging eye contact. It takes a lot of trust and forgiveness that the movies don’t show. Although both genders could argue that the opposite gender has higher expectations than the other, they both cause bigger problems when it comes to relationships. Both porn and romance movies are so unlikely in real life that people get disappointed when they find out that relationships aren’t actually like that. According to an article from Psychology Today, “Men and women are all human beings, with unique needs, wants, and desires. Relationships are about both individuals working to meet the needs of the other, trading and exchanging equally, for mutual balance and satisfaction.” Even though men look more at the sexual side and women look more at the emotional side, unrealistic expectations set relationships up for failure and disappointment on both ends.
In chick flicks, you always see the couple fight, break up, and make up. In reality, it’s a lot harder to get back in a relationship than the movies make it seem. It’s not as easy as running into them in a small town café and page by Haley Steinmetz
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United for yourself b y i s a a c s h e lt o n Copy Editor
B
E the change.
Bullitt East High School students, just like millions of other high schools students, are constantly exposed to drugs. Some of that exposure is coming from unexpected places. United for East, also known as the UFEs, has made it their responsibility to be active drug and alcohol free role models for their peers. Ironically, some of the members that have pledged and persuaded others to be drug free participate in underage drinking themselves. In order to truly make Bullitt East a drug free school, a new procedure must be admitted for inducting members. UFE is not an ordinary club at Bullitt East, where any student can join. The teachers at Bullitt East have to nominate students they believe are worthy leaders to the UFE sponsor. After the members are nominated, they have to fill out an application. The sponsor picks a certain number of boys and a certain numbers of girls for each grade level. Once they have been selected to be a member for the rest of their high school career, unless the sponsor finds ground for removal. This October, the students participated in Red Ribbon week, a week designed and celebrated all across the nation to spread the importance of drug and alcohol prevention, but Bullitt East celebrated substantially fan fair. If the UFE members are allowed to be absent from school to go on a two day camping trip, then the members of UFE should do more than read a slip of paper on the morning announcements and create a display of paper pledges. April Walker, the temporary replacement sponsor for Savannah Richardson, even stated that this year’s Red Ribbon Week was not as big as it was in the past. “At the high school level, kids are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at an early age and they think they are invincible and I think it is important that peers see other peers thinking it’s okay not to do drugs and alcohol when so many people see their peers thinking it’s okay,” stated Walker. The UFEs at our school cannot practice what they preach as multiple UFEs have been kicked out of the club because they were caught with drugs. According to an anonymous source, a student who was removed from UFE, “there are a lot of people in UFE who are hypocritical for what they are talking about.” Junior year the student was invited back to join the club but declined. “I decided I wasn’t going to come back my junior year because I am not a hypocrite,” stated the anonymous source. With social media constantly in the hands of students, it can be influential, especially when well-known students post or tweet things under the influence. Furthermore some students see UFE members outside of school participating in underage drinking. “I’ve experienced it [a UFE drinking alcohol] first hand for sure, but that’s not everyone,” stated the anonymous source. United For East does have members that do not drink or smoke. They strongly lead the school, yet there are still members who partake in the very act they are warning against. There are students at Bullitt East
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that do not see the consequences of breaking the law, smoking an e-cig, or even drinking and driving. These leaders have a large responsibility and are failing the ones they have made a promise to. Picking freshmen to join the program is a major flaw in the membership process, because the majority of them haven’t yet experienced the peer pressure that makes it so difficult to stay away from drinking or drug use in high school. They don’t yet understand just how big the problem is. This organization should be more than a club on a GSP or college application. The members of UFE that parade around school acting like they have a halo over their head can only be described as selfish. This organization needs to be fixed. Teachers do not see their students at parties or outside of school in general. They should not decide if their students should be in a club that fights alcohol in teen’s lives, because it takes more than having good grades and turning in the best projects. Only experienced students know if they can handle peer pressure, that’s why sophomores, juniors, and seniors should be the only ones allowed to apply for United For East. Another solution to UFE is for the student body to demand that the current and future sponsors set their members to a higher standard. The sponsor of UFE should not offer members a second chance if they are caught with drugs or alcohol, and if there is ever hard evidence of a UFE member intoxicated or under the influence just one time, they should be removed from the group for blatantly disregarding the pledge they have taken. Bullitt East desperately needs positive role models. There shouldn’t be constant Snapchat stories of students, much less UFE members, getting drunk at the latest party or bonfire. There shouldn’t be kids bragging about how wasted they got last weekend. This is not a healthy way to live. This is not what middle schoolers should expect high school to be about. If this club is used as the tool it should be for high schoolers, it should be life changing for some students. Seeing another friend or student staying drug and/or alcohol free can prevent some teens from making a dangerous mistake that could impact their lives and futures. As the year continues, United For East has already started to plan for the rest of the year. According to Brooke Stivers, a current UFE member, the club will continue awareness by doing small projects around the school. “We also will be going on another trip in the spring and hopefully planning a larger scaled presentation that will bring awareness to our school,” stated Stivers. Savannah Richardson, the UFE sponsor at Bullitt East, hopes to get with Walker and discuss future plans regarding the club. According to www.sadd.org/communications/faqs-and-stats/ 72% of American students have consumed alcohol by the end of high school. Nearly half (44%) of American young people have tried cigarettes by twelfth grade. We deserve leaders that are not a part of these statistics. Bullitt East High School has to start holding some of the UFE members accountable for their actions.
page by Eric Sanchez December 2015
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>> opinion
page by Eric Sanchez
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Member
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