Livewire Vol 7 Issue 1 February 2016 by Livewire

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Contents

February 2016 Volume 6, Issue 4

Student Life

4 5 6 8 10

High School Sweethearts | A popular couple around Bullitt East talks about how they make their relationship work. Tweetinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Teachers | Teachers use Twitter as a way to communicate with students and an opportunity for students to know them on a more personal level. Tying the Knot | Senior Morgan Blackburn recently got married to BE alumni Sam Dick. IS High School Love Real? | Staffers Sean Johnson and Sarah Allen go head-to-head about high school relationships. More Stress and Less Rest | A look into the harmful effects of energy drinks.

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Sports

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The Proof’s in the Bank B****| Opinions around the community about the warm-up music for the basketball team.

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

Dancing to the Top | The

dance team makes their way to state for the first time in school history.

That’s Low Key Impressive |

Accomplishments of sports who are often overlooked.

Academics

14 15

look at four students with high ACT scores and their advice for others.

We The People | Coverage on

the AP Government competition and results.

POLITICS This issue’s political section, pages 24-26, covers Donald Trump, other republican presidential candidates who get less attention from the media compared to Trump, and city councilman Troy Barr.

oPINION

19 20

ACT Advice from the Pros | A

Unveiling Her Rights | Staffer Rachel Grant talks about women’s rights in Middle Eastern countries . There’s More to a Muslim | Two articles about the controversy regarding Muslims.

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aDDICTION

16 22 23 27

Students Striving For Excellence | Part three in the addiction series discusses how some students will not accept anything less than perfection.

What Makes a Sport? | Derek Rogers discusses his thoughts on what makes a sport. Police Patrol in Control | Precautions Bullitt East should take in order to keep our school safe.

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.

Dear Mom and Dad | The Editorial Board writes about how parents need to let their kids make their own high school experiences.

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HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS

Austin Zurschmeide and Amy Gentry have had a long lasting relationship, unlike most high schools couples. by maggie wisdom Staff Writer

Photos submitted by Amy Gentry

“After I graduate I still plan to see Amy as much as I can and hang out with her just as I do now. Nothing will change,” said Zurshmeide.

Gentry and Zurshmeide talk about how they make the relationship work. The two will continue to further their relationship in the future. They also offer advice to other couples.

As high school relationships are looked as a game, and not taken very serious at times Gentry has a different view. “You can’t just be immature when you have fights. Don’t tell everyone what’s going on in your relationship. You can have love in high school when you’re always honest and truthful,” said Gentry.

“Well he first tried to talk to me about 2 years and a half ago. But I denied him for awhile and actually started to actually know him about a year and 8 months ago,” stated Gentry.

Everyone knows opposites attract, and Gentry definitely agrees that “If we were both alike, we would just argue. I’m always worried and he’s more laid back,” said Gentry.

Every relationship has rough patches and it’s up and downs. Gentry and Zurshmeide can definitely agree on this to be true, “We have ups and downs like every normal relationship. When we get mad at each other breaking up is not an option.”, stated Zurshmeide.

Most couples don’t make it past a year and can admit they have arguments, but this couple believes that getting through it is the only option.

entry and Zurshmeide are in it for the long run, not just the high school fun.

Senior Austin Zurshmeide and junior Amy Gentry have been in a relationship for a year and a half now, but have known each other for three years.

They can see themselves staying together in the future, especially after high school.

Gentry stated, “You have to be able to compromise and let the other one win sometimes. You can’t just be immature when you two fight, and you don’t go around

telling your business. That’s not good in a relationship. Just trust each other, be honest and truthful. Don’t intentionally hurt each other.” Kia Nikolai, current sophomore, has a diffrent outlook on love and relationships in high school. “I believe in love, but I don’t believe in love in high school, you’re changing so much in high school and odds are you aren’t going to feel the same in ten years as you do now. People change and drift apart, love is something that has become cliche and it often at times can be dangerous,” said Nikolai.

4810 North Preston Hwy, Shepherdsville, KY 40165

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>> student life

TWEETIN’ TEACHERS Some BE teachers such as Chris Ryan and Kenny Hughes are starting to use Twitter more and more.

What’s Trending by kim houchin Staff Writer

by kelsi sego

Flannels

Staff Writer

etweet, quote, teach.

Teachers at East use Twitter for a variety of reasons. Among these are to let their students get to know them and get information to their students. Twitter is one way for teachers to communicate with their students. These teachers at BE also use it to review, make reminders, and tweet about other things in their life. Many students enjoy having their teachers on Twitter. Chris Ryan, biology teacher at East, uses Twitter with his students. He is best known for his comical tweets. Ryan tweets about politics, sports, his rivalry with Kenny Hughes, another biology teacher at East, and science. Along with this, Ryan also retweets things about science. He began his twitter four years ago when he started teaching at BE. Ryan believes that allowing students to access his Twitter lets them get to know him, and build a relationship with him. “[Ryan uses Twitter] Mostly, for class purposes but also it provides another way for students to get to know a teacher outside the classroom, [its] just another way to have a relationship, a proper relationship,” said Ryan. Amy Harrod is another teacher who uses twitter with her students. This quickly allows for her students to have a way get in touch with her and Vice Versa. This helps students get the information that they need. Before this Harrod used remind101. She switched because at the time, students could not respond to remind messages. Harrod felt that Twitter was the right way to go. “Twitter just blew up so much, so quickly that it was the next logical step. It was the most popular mode of communications between my

students when I started, so I figured I could use it as a tool to remind them of things that they needed to be ready for in class.” Said Harrod. Other staffulty members that have their Twitter open to students include Brandi Molter, Nate Fulghum, Willie Foster and Momma Jo. These members use Twitter to remind students of things like test dates, dress down days, and more.

joke or cartoon.

Though she does not use it a much as she used to, Harrod keeps her Twitter open for her present and former students. She most often uses it when someone sends her a funny chemistry

East has evolved all sorts of styles, from Nike socks over shoes, guys wearing headbands, and now flannels.

Answered by: Elizabeth Thompson Q: Why do you think that flannels have become so popular? A: “Mainly because they’re so stylish.” Q: What makes them so fashionable? A: “They can just go with any other clothes you have.” Q: Where’s the best place to buy flannels? A: “I buy my best flannels from thrift shops. Places like Goodwill are a great place to get cute and comfortable flannels for a really cheap price.” Q: What is the best thing to wear flannels with? A: “Really you can wear them with anything. Get a plain t-shirt, some skinny jeans, and some sneakers and you have a killer outfit.” Q: How many flannels do you own? A: “I own seven [flannels].”

A student who enjoys her teachers tweets is sophomore, Michelle Embry. Embry learns things from Ryan’s tweets and retweets that she didn’t know before. She clicks on the links of the Ryan’s scientific retweets. She does this when she wants to learn science related information. Many students like having teachers like Ryan on Twitter. Many enjoy his comical tweets in particular. Students can also get information on things that are science related or events like the ecology club’s trip to Mexico. Sophomore, Hannah Barnes, has Mr. Ryan as a teacher and follows him on Twitter. “Yeah, I like them [Ryan’s tweets], he gives us information about our trip to Mexico and talks about a lot of scientific research that he finds and he talks about sports, so it’s pretty cool,” said Barnes. Twitter is a way for teachers and students to interact and share information with each other. page by Kelsi Sego & Kim Houchin

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6 page by Jessica Mattingly February 2016 NewsmagazineBEHSfebruary2016issue4.indd 6

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>> student life

MARRIAGE, GRADUATION, WEDDING Some students decide to take a non-traditional route in marriage. by jessica mattingly Executive Editor

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY MORGAN BLACKBURN

irst comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… high school graduation?

Morgan Blackburn, senior at Bullitt East, has stepped her relationship up to the next level by getting married. There are many factors that play into the decision making process before getting married. In America, there are nearly 2,400 divorces a day. Being so young, Blackburn has to plan for the future earlier than expected. It’s very different to hear of a high school student getting married, which is why Blackburn’s story is so unique. The senior and Bullitt East alumni Sam Dick said “I do” on October 29, 2015. The couple has been together since June, but what’s the rush on marriage? Blackburn said, “I had a lot of family stuff going on. We were going to get married next year, but I just had some family stuff going on with my mom and my dad. We got married, so it got me out of the situation.” On the other hand, Dick said, “Honestly, there wasn’t any rush to it... Me and Morgan have always had a connection towards each other, and one weekend I said we might as well go ahead and get married now, since we were going to get married this coming September anyways. When two people really love and care about each other, it shouldn’t matter when they get married... Whether it be a split second decision, or a decision made years and years down the road.” Even though the newlyweds are happy with their decision, they opened a door

to a new lifestyle. The two made the decision to move in together, which adds a lot of responsibility and stress on Blackburn. She said, “I have to do more stuff around the house. I don’t have any free time, so I’m either doing stuff with school, or I’m doing stuff to help around our house.” Dick also agrees that it is very different since they live together now, and everything is about them as a couple and their future together. Many early marriages end in divorce, which is an unpleasant and avoided thought. According to research done by McKinley Irvin Family Law, couples who wait until they’re 24 or 25 are less likely to get divorced. On the other hand, one in three teen marriages end in divorce by the age of 25. Being a teenager, the income isn’t as nice as someone with a stable nine to five job. With this being said, the lack of income adds stress to relationship.

three reasons; either the couple got married out of loneliness, got married because they had a child before marriage, or because they simply do not know how to communicate towards one another. So, to answer your question, we will beat those odds by doing what we have always done, which is communicating, and proving our love to each other every single day.” Along with applying for scholarships and college, and thinking about careers, Blackburn now has to plan a future with her husband, Sam. “After I graduate, I’m going to school for cosmetology. He’s [Sam] working at Toyota right now, so he’s going to get certified with that. So, that’s basically what we’re going to do.” After everything’s said and done, Dick will be a certified technician. As far as their future goes, the couple agrees that they will play it by ear.

There are many ways to avoid divorce, those of which include communication, honesty, and trust. Blackburn, in reference to her marriage, said, “We talk about everything. We have really good communication. If we have a problem, we talk about it. We don’t bottle it up or anything.” Dick agrees that their communication plays a key role in their relationship, but he has a completely different stance on divorce. “Any marriage can end in divorce; that’s a given.... See, marriages usually don’t work for one of

LEFT: As of now, the couple has been married for three months. Because it was a last minute decision, Blackburn and Dick got married at the courthouse in Shepherdsville. “We do plan to have a bigger wedding within the next two years or so that way family can be a part of it like we originally planned,” said Blackburn.

page by Jessica Mattingly

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PUT LOVE ON THE BACK BURNER

Love should wait until after high school because school should be a students number one priority. by sarah allen Staff Writer

Artwork submitted by Emma Stanley

“A

ll I can say is, love stinks.”

Many would agree that this line from The J Geils Band’s song “Love Stinks,” is true among younger lives because relationships can be an unnecessary distraction from high school and all that comes along with it. Today’s youth base their lives off of technology, which can create many problems in high school relationships. Even if the relationship seems to start out strong, the break ups that can occur down the road can affect the individual’s life drastically. With all of this in mind, the question of if high school relationships are even worth it stands. It is extremely rare to find a teenager today that doesn’t own a smartphone or another form of technology. It has even become a common occurrence to ask someone their social media accounts when meeting for the first time. It is because of things like this that online relationships are becoming more and more regular. It comes as no surprise that not everyone can find someone, especially with the busy life of a high school student. One way students cope with this is finding companionship through technology. According to the Pew Research Center, 35% of teenagers have had experience in a relationship at least once in their life. Of the 35% of teens in relationships, 24% of these have been technology based. It is unusual to find someone who has never had a relationship after going through all four years of high school. Walking down the halls, there are more couples standing next to lockers, holding hands walking to class, or kissing outside a classroom door every day. Common reasons why high schoolers have a physiological need for relationships could be to cure loneliness, to maintain a given social status, or simply because everyone else is doing it. There are even dating sites specifically targeted towards towards teens. While this may be a way to give everyone a “chance” when it comes to relationships, it almost never works. Many students who have taken part in an online relationship make complaints like someone not looking the same way they do in their instagram pictures, the other could

not be who they say they are, and it’s hard to really grasp the overall feel of someone over messaging them. Although statistically speaking most high school relationships don’t work to begin with, there is no denying that some do work out. However, the one’s that do beat the odds come to an end at some point and how they do end isn’t always pretty. High school can bring many burdens and stressful situations without any add-ons. Adding a major break up into this scenario would only make things worse. The ideal situation to be in a relationship in high school is to wait until they get older. However, getting closer to senior year can be very stressful. Juniors and seniors are taking many preparational steps to get into colleges. sophomore year, the main goal is to prepare the students for Junior year. Adding a heartbreak to the long list of stress one high school student already has would intensify the stress they already have. From the first freshman class taken, the idea of getting ready for college is pushed by teachers and counselors. There are many tests given throughout high school to prepare students for college. There are also many AP classes available to get a college credit in high school. Because this is the main focus of high school, many would argue that grades should be the priority of all students. However, the focus of many students is how they look and who they’re with. It’s a matter of whether the student chooses to be accepted academically or socially. Many choose the socially accepted route. High school is to prepare you for what life will throw at you after you graduate. The expectation after graduation is to go to college, after college it is to get a job. However, the job you get is heavily affected by schooling. The more schooling you have, the better off you are at getting a higher ranked job. Relationships now are only hurting the flow of these expectations.

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>> student life

LOVE IS AGELESS

Love can be real at any age, even in high school. by sean johnson Staff Writer

love you.

Bullitt East High School has a lot of dating relationships, but whether or not they’re love couples, is a different story. Many students at Bullitt East believe that love is real in high school, but there isn’t a lot of love couples in high school today.

“Love in high school can happen, it’s just very rare that it happens. You do not see a lot of couples that graduate and stay together. I don’t personally think that love in high school is a good thing because of what the potential of the students at Bullitt East could have with people outside of just school,” said junior, Cambron Burke. Many people believe the same as Burke because most people in high school like to live free without having to worry about a boyfriend or girlfriend, but being in a relationship isn’t all that bad. Some couples believe that they can end up being a couple that is the in love and can end up even being married. “I know the couple that is the most dedicated to their relationship is Sean Johnson and Morgan Gentry. They seem really into each other and I think they will last a very long time,” said junior Konnor Polson. There are also couples that do not know what to expect yet and they just want to wait it out and see how everything goes before they make a life changing decision in high school. Polson and sophomore Jordan Blain are a couple at Bullitt East. “Our relationship is actually really good and I think it could

just keep doing the same thing we are doing, being loyal,” said Blain. “I do not think we are in love at this point in time in high school. Love is a big life choice that changes everything you could ever think of,” said Blain. “I think many people may think they’re in love with their boyfriend or girlfriend when they’re really not but I think it’s possible. Most kids in high school just never really stay with the person they’re supposedly in love with,” said Blain. Less than 2% of all marriages are actually to a high school sweetheart. Bullitt East has some of that less than 2%. Thornsberry ended up marrying his “high school love”. Marrying your high school love isn’t impossible, but it takes time and dedication. Dedication that some people are willing to give. Love in high school typically doesn’t always last a lifetime, but it can for some people. “Our relationship is very strong, but not because we dated in high school,” said teacher, Kenny Thornsberry. Thornsberry also believes that love at this age isn’t very strong because teenagers really don’t know what love is yet. “I think going into a relationship at that age and expecting a marriage result is ignorant,” said Thornsberry.

last a long time as long as we

page by Sean Johnson

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by haylie jenkins Staff Writer

More stress & less rest School is one major factor that contributes to teenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health.

STATISTICS: 70% of students admit to drinking energy drinks

The most popular energy/caffinated drink is coffee

Over half of students polled said they pull all- nighters due to the amount of homework they have 54 students say that their teachers do not put grades in on time Only 16% of students say they are not stressed

MENTAL HEALTH: Sleep deprivation can: -Make you forgetful - Cause accidents - Age your skin

*Polls were conducted with a freshmen regular and Advanced Placement classes, an Advanced Placement junior class, and a regular senior class.

Only about eight percent of high school students get enough sleep on an average school night

INSOMNIA

School cause stress and it is a big factor that causes Depression can cause your grades to depression drop, and it makes it DEPRESSION hard to concentrate or stay focused

ANXIETY

The average high school student has the same level of anxiety as a psychiatric patient in the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Anxiety symptoms at school include: - Excessive worry - Repeatedly seeking of teacher approval - Inability to stop worry - Refusal or reluctance to attend school - Self-criticism/ low self-esteem - Difficulty concentrating - Avoidance of academics and peer activities - Inability to explain worry

*All information was found at www.nimh.nih.gov; www.psychologytoday.com; www.webmd.com; ww2.massgeneral. org; and www.cfah.org

page by Haylie Jenkins February 2016

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>> sports

THE PROOF’S IN THE BANK, B**** These lyrics are from just one song with controversial lyrics played during the boys basketball games. by taylor hollifield Copy Editor

ecently there have been complaints about the music at the boys basketball games being too inappropriate. The headline here is the lyrics to one of the songs played before games. It looks inappropriate to publish in a magazine, but if that’s the case, then is it too inappropriate to play at a school sporting event?

not paying much attention to the music, but expressed that they aren’t a fan. Basketball player Tyler Sharpe’s mom, Rena Sharpe, said, “To be honest I hadn’t really paid much attention to it, but I don’t like it. I don’t feel like it’s very motivating and I do remember hearing one part that didn’t sound very nice. I have

#1 on iTunes Love Yourself *as of 1/12/16

b y b e t h a n y wh i t e Staff Writer

The athletes believe it is their right to pick what kind of music they warm-up to. Some of the parents think otherwise, admitting the music is inappropriate and should be changed. Coaches from other teams won’t allow their players to play the same kind of music the boys do. The music that is being played now at the games is the kind of music that gets the boys hyped. It has been made clear by some of the players that they don’t think the music they are playing now is that big of a deal and it shouldn’t be changed. Senior Brandon Klefot said, “The music we listen to is what pumps us up and gets us ready to play the game. Not only does it get us pumped but it also gets the student section more energetic. I don’t think the music should change because it’s what we like and the majority of the RedZone likes.” They have stated that the songs being played is what gets them hyped before a game, and that they aren’t going to get pumped up from listening to Beethoven. Jason Riggs, also known as @502bigcardsfan, tweeted that the music at Bullitt East basketball games are not good because every other word has to be blurred. “I just heard some lyrics that I wouldn’t repeat in front of my kids. I was embarrassed but others in the crowd seemed to be fine. The music was fine, but the lyrics is where I had a problem. I would just play the radio edit or just the music without the lyrics if possible. I am for anything that gets the kids hyped up, but I think there may be a way to keep everyone happy,” said Riggs.

been meaning to say something to Tyler because I am assuming the varsity players pick the songs.” Many of the other parents have suggested they shouldn’t be allowed to play music that has cuss words; they’d rather listen to the censored version than actually hear the words being said. The guardians of the players recommend they play music that appeals to both teenagers and adults. A few of the girls basketball players have complained that their coach, Chris Stallings, doesn’t allow them to listen to music that hasn’t been approved by him. At one game, the freshmen girl players had to listen to Disney songs for their warm-up. Coach Stallings said, “I do check the music we warm-up to just to make sure there aren’t any inappropriate words, but I think the kids should be hyped for a game with or without music. Getting to play, compete, and represent the school should just get them hyped.” The boys soccer team is also not allowed to listen to music unless their coach, Michael Brangers has accepted their requests. Coach Brangers said, “I don’t think inappropriate music has any place at school not even a sporting event. The music should be changed and appropriate for all ages, no exceptions.”

Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube in 2008 at the age of 15 by Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG) he signed a contract with famous singer, Usher. Since then he has released six albums, and has had three number one songs. After a two year break from music filled with lots of legal trouble, Bieber’s comeback with his most recent album “Purpose” has received four top ten songs since it’s release.date, one of which was his last number one hit. “Love Yourself” is Bieber’s most recent number one hit. The song was written by Bieber himself and close friend, Ed Sheeran. The song has been in the top five since it’s release on November 9th. It finally peaked at the number one spot on January 5th after a long fight with Adele’s “Hello”. Bieber has stated in an interview that the song is about someone in his past, many eyes looked to his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez.

Some of the boy’s parents have admitted to page by Taylor Hollifield

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DANCING TO THE TOP The Bullitt East Dance team advanced to state for the first time in school history.

seniors to watch by grant skaggs Sports Editor

by haley Young

Tyler Sharpe

Staff Writer

Tyler shooting razor Sharpe from 3.

reams don’t work unless one has the determination to make them work.

It is clear that the dance team has been putting many hours of hard work and making changes to improve the team and reach their goals. The dance team was thrilled to be going to the state competition this year for the first time in the school’s history. They prepared and practiced extensively for this competition. The team and coach, Amber Cosman-Chapa, had high hopes of bringing home a win for Bullitt East. The dance team recently competed at regionals and placed second, qualifying for the statewide competition. The team was excited and determined to take the opportunity to prove to the school how much they’ve improved. Many members of the team are thankful for the addition of Cosman-Chapa as their new coach and say she is a “major reason for their improvement.” “She knows what she’s doing, big time,” said junior Brae Fredricks, a member of the team.

Cosman-Chapa had many ideas for preparing for this competition. She scheduled extra practices to further prepare the routine and fix mistakes they made at regionals. Adding on to their regular practices on Thursdays, she guaranteed there would be extra practices on Fridays and they would be performing at the basketball games for even more preparation. “We really need to focus on performing and hitting our moves harder,” said CosmanChapa.

Tyler Sharpe has been playing basketball since he was four years old, and has been playing for Bullitt East since he was an 8th grader. His dream and goal by the end of this year is to win regionals, then proceed and win the state championship. After this year’s season and high school graduation, Sharpe’s future plans include attending a college. Sharpe also has received offers from many colleges across the country. Sharpe said, “I’m interested in all of the schools that have offered me. I am not leaning towards any schools. I’m just letting my senior year play out.”

The team hoped to place very high and strived to win. They believed placing first would have changed the way the school thinks of the dance team and that they would be taken more seriously. The team agrees that their hard work should be noticed and celebrated just as much as the other sports who tend to get more recognition, such as cheerleading. It is clear that the dance team’s hard work is paying off and they will continue to grow and improve from where they are now.

Sharpe encourages his teammations on the sideline during a tough matchup with Butler High school. Sharpe and the team were able to pull away with a 76-60 victory. “Our [the boys’ basketball team] goal for this season is to win regionals, then go to state,” stated Sharpe.

Photo credits to Endeavor Staff

Eliza Love Just playing for the love of the game. Love has been playing for East since her 8th grade year, and has been playing basketball since 3rd grade. “We hope to go to state this year. Last year we lost to Mercy in the regional final, though we beat Butler last year in regionals and they had just been the state champions,” said Love. After this year’s basketball season and high school graduation, Love’s future plans are to attend Birmingham Southern College in Alabama. Love plans to double major in political science and religion.

The dance team is ready for a halftime performance at a football game. Throughout the year they have used basketball and football game performances as practice for competition. “We need as much practice as we can get,” said Cosman Chapa.

Love steps on the court for her last season as a Lady Charger. The Lady Chargers have come close to their goal of reaching the state tournament, but this year they finally look to accomplish it. “It’s bittersweet. While I’m excited for my future, I’ll miss my teammates more than anything. They’re practically my sisters and it’ll be different not being around them all the time.

Photo submitted by Eliza Love

page by Haley Young & Grant Skaggs February 2016

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>> sports

Sports: The ones you didn’t know existed by matt childress Staff Writer

Photo Credit to the Endeavor Staff

“I

promise we’re a good team.”

Bullitt East offers many sports, but some of them do not get the appreciation they deserve. Many sports at Bullitt East are overlooked because they aren’t as popular as others. These sports often have great success that the rest of the student body doesn’t even know about. Many of these sports have done better than more popular sports. Sydney White (senior) said, “So many swimmers over the years have made great strides and had some great personal achievements that are never announced like the other sports are.” Swimming is overlooked because you don’t usually hear it announced in the mornings or at the end of the day. Without recognition, sports such as swimming slip through the cracks and become forgotten. Some students may not care about sports such as swimming, but for the swimmers it is a big deal. Everyone likes to have recognition from their school, family, and friends. These sports feel as if they have been lost in the program. For some student athletes these sports are all they have. “Swim team, like any other team, forms a bond with your teammates that you will never find anywhere else. I know for a fact that years after I leave I will always remember the friends I have made. But not only that I have made achievements that I would have never imagined just from hard work and dedication,” said White. Softball is another sport that is seen as under appreciated. Jordan Goers (junior) said, “I think that we aren’t getting attention because we aren’t one of the sports that brings in a lot of money.” Other sports, like football and boys basketball, have higher attendance and therefore bring in more money from admission prices and concessions. The Bullitt East softball team finished second in their district last season and beat their big-

gest rivals, Mercy Academy, and it was never announced. Showing neglect to sports like softball or swimming has a negative impact on the program and doesn’t show appreciation for the sport. The boys golf team is another under appreciated sport; which is surprising because they are one of the most successful sports in East’s high school athletic program. Zach Taylor (junior) said, “Halfway through this season we were undefeated for three seasons in match play.” Being undefeated for three seasons is an incredible accomplishment that has been overlooked.

The volleyball team gathers together to get ready for the next set. They finished their season with an impressive 26-10 record. “During announcements, they get hype about football or basketball but volleyball is never really talked about,” said Makayla O’Brien, junior.

The boys golf team is the same as any other team. They grow together and evolve together. They are just as good as their weakest link. “As the team has grown in size we have become a close-knit family and have had to overcome many challenges,” said Taylor. After being with the same group of guys or girls for so long you typically build an even deeper relationship with them than with any other friends, and Taylor expresses that. The Bullitt East volleyball team has been quite successful in the past years as well. At one point they had reached an overall ranking of 11th in the state. That is something that shouldn’t be stored away or hidden from the public. Each sport at Bullitt East has its own success but a number 11 overall ranking should never be ignored.

Zach Taylor, junior, putting to close out on a hole. The boys golf team went undefeated for three consecutive seasons. “In recent years we have placed and won tournaments even being able to go to back to back states,” said Taylor.

Makayla O’Brien (junior) feels that volleyball is one of the most overlooked sports at Bullitt East, and feels they deserve much more appreciation than they are given. “Our sport as a whole is overlooked, since we are girls so most people don’t take us as serious and don’t think our sport can be as competitive as others,” said O’Brien. Every athlete believes their sport deserves credit and acknowledgement. It’s upsetting for these students to see the sport they worked so hard to build and succeed in to go unnoticed.

page by Matt Childress

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ACT advice from the pros by haley steinmetz Editor-in-chief

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he ACT is one of the few things that high schoolers across America can all agree on. Just about every single high school student is united in the fact that they hate the ACT more than most things in the world. Many argue that it’s completely unfair in that it cannot logically test every individual student’s ability, therefore it should be done away with. On the flip side, some people see the value in having one official test that everyone must take, and they believe that it’s the most accurate and fair way to measure everyone’s ability. retirW ffatS

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Either way you argue, the ACT is something that we are all required to take and that’s likely not going to change any time soon. For that reason, it’s best to give the ACT an honest, serious effort and work to increase your score as much as you can.

Grace Jackson (11) Score: 33

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Sean Woods (10) Score: 30

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The students pictured below were chosen to complete a Q&A about the ACT because of their high scores. They were asked questions involving how they prepared for the test, their scores, and their advice to others about how to raise their own scores. Although these four students are not the only ones with scores this high, they do have four of the highest.

Jacob Birge (11) Score: 34

Emily Miles (12) Score: 30 1. How many times have you taken the ACT? Three times.

2. How did you prepare for the ACT? I looked over a few old questions and looked at the format to get familiar with the test.

2. How did you prepare for the ACT? Math and science are my worst, so the night before, I printed out practice math and science tests and timed myself.

2. How did you prepare for the ACT? I took a practice test the night before.

2. How did you prepare for the ACT? I’ve taken multiple practice tests that my teachers have given me in class. They help a lot, especially the math ones.

3. What class do you think prepared you the most for the test? I would say precal for the math and AP World has helped a lot with my writing.

4. What is your advice to other students who want to raise their ACT score? Just don’t stresss about it too much and try to keep track of your time.

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1. How many times have you taken the ACT? Twice. The first time I got a 29.

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1. How many times have you taken the ACT? Three times.

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1. How many times have you taken the ACT? One time.

3. What class do you think prepared you the most for the test? Honors English II with Ms. Pierce. We did a lot of practice AP questions and stuff like that in there. 4. What is your advice to other students who want to raise their ACT score? While you’re taking the test, just focus and don’t let your mind stray to other things.

3. What class do you think prepared you the most for the test? Probably Algebra II or some kind of English class a couple years ago. That’s about it. 4. What is your advice to other students who want to raise their ACT score? Just take practice tests over and over again, monitor your habits on the test and try to get your speed down. Just keep reviewing the kind of subjects that are on the test.

3. What class do you think prepared you the most for the test? Precalculus. Ms. Tinelli gave us ACT practice tests before ACT test dates, and reviewed problems that students did not know how to solve. 4. What is your advice to other students who want to raise their ACT score? ’d say the most universal idea is to go in with confidence. Do your best, and if you truly put the effort in, be happy with whatever score you earn. People put too much emphasis on these numbers.

page by Haley Steinmetz February 2016

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>> academics

We The People... by luke young Staff Writer

“... of AP Government, in order to form a more perfect school...” The Advanced Placement (AP) Government students, lead by Ms. Sue Roe, competed for the second time in school history in the “We The People” competition of Kentucky. Each year the competition is held in several states across the country to see what students actually know about the United States Constitution. Roe attended the “We The People” competition of Indiana in December, to get a look at the event details for this year’s Kentucky competition. All AP Government students originally were supposed to be to headed to Louisville on January 22nd to battle other teams from across the state in order to advance to the national competition, but due to snow the competition was moved to the following week. Even though the competition is about 25 years old, Kentucky has started up this program, in the last few years, as a way to help students get a working understanding of the constitution. “For Kentucky, it’s really very new, just a couple years ago there were just two teams, and one of those has left, and one of them is an absolute powerhouse,” stated Roe. Last year, Roe and her students came in second place in the state of Kentucky. ”I think it’s been excellent for our students, because it’s helping them with their constitutional knowledge. I feel confident that they know more about the constitution than many people do,” said Roe The competition is still very new and thus has very few teams. But for the next three years, Roe is part of a grant that looks to add 15 new teams to the competition. “I’m working with other teachers across the state of Kentucky to help introduce this [the competition] to them.” Junior Lexi Nation is one of 17 members of the AP Government class that will be competing. In the competition there are 6 teams with a minimum of 3 students, each team having a chapter, and each chapter has three questions. For her midterm in AP Government, along with the other two members of her group, Nation had to practice giving answers from her chapter. “When we go to state, we’ll sit down and the judges will pick which one they want us to answer, so we don’t know what we are going to answer. Our presentation has to be four minutes long, and then the judges get six minutes long [to ask follow up questions],” said Nation. Senior Amber Coleman was a part of the first group to present in front of Ms. Roe for the class midterm. “She [Roe] gave us a lot of support and tried to get us to improve,” said Coleman. This not only helped Roe’s team prepare for the competition, but also helps them to improve in the public speaking area. On January 27th Bullitt East’s AP Government class traveled to the University of Louisville and competed against Fort Thomas Highlands, who won the competition.

page by Luke Young

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ADDICTION

STUDENTS STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE by lindsay renneisen Business Editor

“G

reatness is defined by how much you want to put into what you do.” -Lebron James.

For many students at BE, failure is not an option; their success can only be achieved by putting in the extra time and effort. At this point, getting an A is the only thing high school students are worried about. In order to reach this goal, many more hours have to be put into schoolwork outside of school which can cut into personal life. This addiction to success is often carried out through siblings or other people that they are close to. The integration of standardized testing into grade schools has reinforced a mentality in students that emphasizes passing tests. These tests are focused on memorizing the material instead of actually learning. Senior Joel Huether said, “It hasn’t happened to me in a very long time, but if i were to get a bad grade on a test, I would retake it so the grade would come up.” “You have to have a good balance between school and the “outside world”. I would say Joel does this well! He maintains an active social life with a great group of friends. He has a very natural ability to retain information so I don’t think he really spends as much time out of school studying as one might think,” said spanish teacher Brandi Molter. Huether has a GPA that is above a 4.0; this includes having all A’s along with taking advanced placement (AP) classes. “The number one reason [to strive for good grades] is to make sure I get into a good college,” said Huether. He is still looking into schools, but the University of Richmond is high on his list. “Joel is an incomparable student. He works on the highest of cognitive levels and his attention to detail is astounding. In 10 years of teaching, only 3 students of this caliber come to mind - and he is one,” said Molter. Sophomore Brooke Hatfield also strives to have all A’s. “Having good grades is going

to have an impact on my future success. It will make a difference in what colleges I can attend and what degree I can achieve,” said Hatfield. According to a 2011 study from the National Center of Education Statistics, high school students reported spending an average of 6.8 hours per week on homework. This doesn’t take into account students that take AP classes. Those classes require at least an hour extra of homework per night which can just add stress on students. But it doesn’t matter to students that are addicted to excellence because they are afraid to fail. Getting a bad grade isn’t an option for them.

my brothers benefit from good grades, which helped motivate me even more,” said Hatfield. Her brothers accolades include Valedictorian, GSP, and scholarships. Even if school work takes away from other things, these type of students won’t let failure be an option.

“I stay organized and prioritize the things I need to get done. I take the time that’s necessary to do things right,” said Hatfield. She uses her time wisely in school and some carries over to home. Some nights she has no homework while others she has up to 3 hours. Molter has had Hatfield in class for the past two years and Huether for three years. Many students feel pressure to succeed by someone or some people in their life that they look up to. In most cases it is a brother or sister. “I’ve always been like this [wanting to succeed], but once I got to middle school, my ambition increased. I got to see

page by Lindsay Renneisen February 2016

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Part 2 in a Series: PERFECTION

page by Lindsay Renneisen

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page by Lindsay Renneisen February 2016

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>> opinion

UNVEILING HER RIGHTS by rachel grant Copy Editor

Artwork submitted by Celia Brumbaugh

believe there will always be a debate over whether women have the same rights as men. Dating back before 1890, when the National Women's Suffrage Association was founded, American women have been putting up a fight and taking a stand to gain equal rights for themselves. What women in the United States need to realize is that, yes we get paid $0.22 less than men do and we are more likely to be subject to sexism than men are, but as of 2015, America is in the 89.8 percentile for the best and worst countries for women to live in.

any lustful gaze or act that may expose them to temptation or harassment of any kind. On the other hand, it protects men from indulgence in vices and unlawful acts.” The Muslim

Instead of looking at the Muslim women’s population and assuming that part of their culture is being forced upon them, look at their population and find the real problems that women are facing such as disease, proper education, poverty, and simply getting treated with respect. In reality, these women don’t want people’s sympathy just because they are wearing a hijab that they in fact, choose to wear. They want to be understood for what they are: strong, smart women who more than accept their way of life and are proud of their culture.

Forbes magazine states, “The World Economic Forum today released its sixth annual Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks 135 countries, comprising 93% of the world’s population, by measures of gender equality.” The United States is 8th out of 165 countries whereas Islam and other Middle Eastern countries are ranked between 100 to 165. Women that “don’t have equal rights” need to focus on the bigger picture. Many Middle Eastern females are held to a standard where they are not even supposed to leave their homes unless for a valid necessity. I believe many Islamic women would be grateful even for the $0.22 that we aren’t earning. American women scrutinize men for seeing them as incompetent to go into a career field that is primarily “male-owned”. How would we feel if we weren’t allowed as much as to not have a job at all? One of the most commonly recognized symbols of the Muslim people are their clothes; for women, a Hijab. A Hijab is not only the head (and in some countries), face veils that women must wear, but also their dress as a whole. Strict rules are enforced on the female dress code in the Muslim society and must be followed. The Hijab must cover all parts of the body and must not be tight fitting or extentuate any [sexually] specific area of the female. According to Islamawareness.net, “ By wearing Hijab, women protect themselves from

Many Middle Eastern women choose and want to wear a hijab, it’s not something that they are forced into doing. Some of them feel that American females get shamed for wearing short, tight clothes and ‘feel that they would be disobeying’ Allah if they were to wear traditional American clothes. The Hijab does not bound Muslim women from anything, it is a choice they make and most girls feel as if is their responsibility to live up to this choice.

religion believes that their God, Allah, has ordered women to wear this dressing in order for women to keep modest, dignity and honor to both males and females. Many people see this Muslim custom as an act of restriction, but many women find it comforting. From the article, Muslim Women Reveal Why They Wear The Veil, in an online newspaper, The Telegraph, a woman says, “I wear the hijab because it is part of being a Muslim. It is a choice at the end of the day, but I prefer to wear it and identify myself as a Muslim. It's also a sign of modesty that I wear it.” page by Rachel Grant

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THERE’S MORE TO A MUSLIM The Muslim religion is often frowned upon in the U.S. for more reasons than one, but there are many positive attributes that are often swept under the rug.

Muslim women wear headscarves as a sign of moral and spiritual centerdness.

by haley snyder Creative Editor

ver since 9/11, the Muslim culture has been widely frowned upon throughout America. Following the September 11th attacks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported a 1,700 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslims between 2000 and 2001, causing Muslim-Americans and Muslim immigrants to be constantly faced with the negative stereotypes. Contrary to popular belief, not all Muslims are terrorists. Research shows that the U.S. identified more than 160 MuslimAmerican terrorist suspects and perpetrators in the decade since 9/11, just a percentage of the thousands of acts of violence that occur in the United States each year. In this small percentage of crime, it is easy to overlook the portion of the MuslimAmerican population that are highly beneficial and respected figures in our country. Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., also known as Muhammad Ali, was a famous Olympic boxer and member of the black Muslim group. He was drafted into the military in April 1967 to serve in the Vietnam War, but refused to serve on the grounds that he was a practicing Muslim minister, with religious beliefs that prevented him from fighting. He was arrested for committing a felony, and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license. Ali was born and raised in Louisville, making this problem extremely close to home. Ali announced during his retirement that he had Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological condition, but this did not stop him from his performing his acts of kindness. In 1998, he was chosen as a United Nations Messenger of

Henna, a common American tradition, originated from the Muslim religion. Peace, and in 2005 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush. That same year, he opened the Muhammad Ali center in Louisville. Ali is only one of many influential Muslim-American figures. It is important to remember that being a Muslim is more than having tanned skin and dark hair, it constitutes a range of people across a range of ethnicities. However, it is 2016, nearly 15 years post 9/11, and hardly a month goes by without a hate crime against Muslims. This year began with the February murders of Yusor AbuSalha, her husband Deah Barakat and her sister Razan Abu-Salha, Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It continued with news from Bothell, Washington, where leaders of a Hindu temple found a swastika and “Get out” spray-painted on a wall and a nearby junior high school was vandalized with the words, “Muslims get out.” Most recently, just days before the 14th anniversary of 9/11, Inderjit Singh Mukker, was assaulted while on his way to the grocery store in a Chicago suburb. The perpetrator apparently shouted, “Terrorist! Bin Laden! Go back to your country.” These are only a few of the recent hate crimes performed against Muslims in the U.S.

Committee (ADC) has warned of a “significant rise in violent hate rhetoric targeting the Arab and MuslimAmerican communities.” The movie is a true story based on the biography of Chris Kyle, played by Bradley Cooper, an American Navy SEAL and reportedly deadliest Sniper in American history, killing 120 Iraqi extremists. “They hated us because we weren’t Muslim. They wanted to kill us, not because we just booted out their dictator, but because we practiced a different religion than they did.” Wrote Kyle. The movie successfully valorizes military aggression while simultaneously depicting Muslims as radical and “savage”. How are Americans expected to have compassion for the Muslim population when Hollywood is the most racist of us all? The bottom line is that Muslims are not the problem. The image that society has created for the Muslim

Muhammad Ali, recipient of the presidental medal of freedom and U.N. messenger of peace. population is where the corruption lies. It is easy to place the blame for catastrophes such as 9/11 on a certain people, but is it fair to those like Muhammad Ali, who have done nothing to tarnish the reputation of their religion. Muslims are no more or less radical than some Christians in the U.S., and they should not be frowned upon for worshipping differently.

Following the release of the film American Sniper across the US, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination

page by Haley Snyder February 2016

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>> opinion

FEAR AND PREJUDICE b y b r e n n a h d e n kh o ff Staff Writer

ue to the recent terrorist attacks, politicians have been proposing plans over how to solve the supposed problem of Muslims in the United States. Both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates have expressed very different views on the topic. These plans have sparked a huge controversy all across America, most widely talked about on social media web sites. Over the past several months the United States has succumb to the fear of the terrorist threats from ISIS. The most memorable case of an ISIS attack was on November 13th, 2014 where over 100 people were killed due to bombings in Paris. The attacks began at 9:20 PM Friday when one terrorist detonated a suicide bomb outside the gates of a soccer stadium on the northern outskirts of Paris. 89 people were then killed at a concert hall at around 12:00 AM Saturday. Authorities stormed the hall at around 12:20 am though before anymore could be killed. According to a poll done by the Washington post, the most popular opinion of this topic among the republicans belongs to presidential candidate Donald trump. Trump wants to

take the angle of completely shutting down any Muslim entry into the United States. According to CNN’s Eugene Scott, on November 21st, 2015, Trump stated that he would also “consider requiring Muslim-Americans to register with a government database, or worse, mandating that they carry special identification cards that note their faith.”

Trump’s plan “dangerous and shameful.”

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders has the opposite opinion of Trump and most of the Republican Party on how to handle the ISIS situation. On December 7th, 2015, Sanders directly condemned Trump’s ideas about banning all Muslims from the United States in a tweet that stated, “The U.S. is a strong nation when we stand together. We are weak when we allow racism and xenophobia to divide us.”

Sanders also commented on Trump’s hate towards Muslims relates to Nazi laws of World War II. According to Maryalice Parks of ABC news, on December 16th, 2015, while visiting a Mosque in downtown Washington D.C. Sanders stated, “ We must never forget what happened under the racist ideology of the Nazis, which led to the deaths of millions of millions of people, including family members of mine, as well as Poles, Russians, gypsies, gay people, people with disabilities, people who were quote-unquote 'different.' People who were quote-unquote 'inferior’.”

People from both parties took to Twitter to express their argument against what Trump said. Also on December 7th, Republican candidate Jeb Bush tweeted, “Donald Trump is unhinged. His ‘policy’ proposals are not serious.” Then in an interview with a New Hampshire television station the next day, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton called

Not only did Trump receive backlash for his plan from other politicians but also much of the general public. Most people reacted to Trump’s comments by accusing him of wanting to mimic laws that Nazi’s opposed on Jews.

VIEWS ON TRUMP’S PROPOSAL ON MUSLIMS This graph evaluates and illustrates the views of Republicans, Independents, Democrats, and all adults on Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslims. SOURCE: ABC News/Washington post poll

All adults

Republicans

Independents

Democrats 0

KEY: Support barring Muslims.

Wrong thing to do.

100

THAN NETLFIX, AMAZON, page by Brennah Denkhoff

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WHAT MAKES A SPORT? by derek rogers Staff Writer

hat’s not even a sport you’re wearing a skirt, and you’re just holding an instrument.

Every year, people debate what is a sport and what isn’t. The sports that most commonly come up in this debate are cheerleading and marching band. Personally, I believe both are sports. The debate on whether cheerleading is a sport has been going on for a long time. According to dictionaries a sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of competitive nature. With this definition, it is nearly impossible to say that anything isn’t a sport. In my opinion, the cheerleading you see at games isn’t a sport. If you consider that part of cheerleading a sport then you should also think the the RedZone a sport. However, the all-day competitions and the hours of practice that go into cheerleading them are certainly a sport. Some would say that the physical prowess in cheerleading isn’t the same as other sports like football or basketball. Although I agree with this statement, it doesn’t make it less of a sport. It still requires hours of practice every week and hard work throughout the year. In fact, they practice four times a week, between two and three hours a day.

“I think that they’re not open to the fact and just don’t know what cheerleading is if they think it’s not a sport. I mean, it’s just as physically demanding as any other sport and they just don’t get how demanding it is,” said junior and cheerleader Lindsey Perdue. Many don’t consider marching band a sport. During the fall, they perform during halftime of football games and have competitions on saturdays. “I think people compare it to other sports and it’s a completely different animal. There’s a lot of people who don’t think we work hard but it’s not true. It would be nice to get some reconigtion.” said freshman and marching band member Emily Frye. However, the case for marching band being a sport gets a little rough when you look at the definition of a sport. It requires physical activity but it’s nothing significant. The factor that makes me consider it a sport is the skill of multitasking. It is very hard to play an instrument well, let alone while moving and going to certain spots. Both Cheerleading and Marching Band fit the dictionary definition of a sport. The argument that other sports such as football or basketball fit this definition better is valid. However, they both deserve to be reconized as sports.

Do you consider these a sport? Cheerleading Football Marching Band

50 students from all four grades at Bullitt East were surveyed.

page by Derek Rogers February 2016

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>> opinion

Police patrol in control by zach combest Copy Editor

e safe, be responsible, be respectful and do it……..the Charger Way, but are we really safe at school?

School safety has been a big concern ever since the terrorist attacks in Paris that killed innocent people, school shootings at Sandy Hook elementary in 2012 and Columbine High school in 1999, that killed a total of 39 people and wounded many more, and school threats at Bullitt Central High school and North Bullitt High school and many more schools in our country. The safety of our school is taken seriously by students, staff, and parents in charger nation. In the aftermath of the North Bullitt and Bullitt Central threats, our school has not taken any new precautions because principal, Willie Foster, has faith in the students at East. “Typically when students see something or hear something that makes them uncomfortable, they would say something pretty quick,” said Foster. Every day Officer Rucker, 17 year veteran of the Bullitt County Sheriff ’s department, walks the halls and patrols the parking lot for the safety of the students and staff. “My job as a school resource officer means that I’m here as a police officer for the school, to handle any type of criminal matter, patrol the school and the parking lot. Schools anymore have become more of a campus but primarily my job is to keep the students safe,” said Officer Rucker. High schools in America

have many buildings and facilities [football fields, soccer fields, parking lots, gyms] that are laid out like a college campus and keeping the students and staff safe with the large area is a job for people like Officer Rucker and other school resource officers around the country. Thousands of school resource officers patrol schools all across the country.

The student parking lot is another important area for Foster and Officer Rucker. “We supervise students when they enter and leave everyday, we use canine services periodically throughout the year, our school resource officer drives through and monitors our parking lot as we come and go and we don’t let students leave during the day,” said Foster.

So far this school year, we have heard about bomb threats at North Bullitt and Bullitt Central (BC). In October, 2015, a threat on social media stated that North Bullitt would blow up on Friday. Another similar note was found by a teacher in the back of a classroom at North Bullitt. At Bullitt Central in October of 2015, a note was found, threatening to turn the school to rubble on Friday. The note at BC was found in the boys bathroom around noon.

BE senior, Tabitha Laslie, parks in the student parking lot. “Some students are safe while others are nowhere near safe,” said Laslie.

The threats at both high schools resulted in low attendance. Police were on heightened alert all week and no bomb was found at either school. “I think what we have been seeing lately is copy cat threats,” said Foster. Students and staff continue to be aware of safety. On December 17th, BE had a bomb threat found in the gym. Foster sent out an email to parents and responded to the threat with a ‘soft lockdown’ for an hour while Mount Washington police searched the school and made sure the school was safe. “Our office has an open-door policy where we encourage students to be advocates for safety and our first priority is, and will be, student safety,” said Foster in the email.

On January 8th, a BE senior was hit by a student driver in the school parking lot. Both students were fine and the police, fire, and ambulance were called to school. “The safety procedures are good enough to keep me alive,” said Laslie. While the world has been attacked and scared by others; our school has taken steps to continue to keep the students and staff safe. With the closely watch of Officer Rucker, walking down the hallways, and the leadership of Foster, East continues to be a safe school that thrives to do it…the Charger Way.

How threats are delivered:

•Electronic, including social media, email, text message: 109 (35%) •Bathroom graffiti: 48 (15%) •Note found in school: 27 (9%) •Phone threats: 36 (11%) •Verbal threats: 31 (10%) •Police refused to say how threat was delivered: 56 (18%)

Mount Washington Police patrol East. A bomb threat was found in the gym on Friday, December 18th, 2015. “We need to act on anything given to us no matter on how small or silly it might seem,” said Foster. page by Zach Combest

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DONALD TRUMP Trump’s strongly belligerent words against minorites is his downfall in these months leading up to the election. by eric sanchez Creative Editor

t’s time to build a great big wall, to keep Donald Trump out.

Trump’s radicalist ideas, such as his wall along Mexico, deserve to keep him out of The Presidential Office. Trump’s presidential platform rides on his experience as a businessman, foreign policy, and lack of political correctness. American voters who like him are fans due to his outgoing non-presidential charisma. However, Trump’s actions and theatrics will cause his downfall.

In a poll done by Monmouth University, Trump currently has 41 percent of the Republican vote. This is an overwhelming majority lead. Trump simply lacks political correctness. His comments on Muslims and Mexicans are infamous they speak to certain demographics within the American voters. Trump’s charisma allows him to say whatever

No matter how Trump got to be the businessman he is, he has an overwhelming shadow of distinguishment over the countries economics. He is the chairman and president of the Trump Organization. The Trump Organization within itself made revenue of 605 million dollars in the 2014 year. On top of this, 275 to 325 million of those dollars were profit.

However, Trump’s largest asset within his campaign is his aggressive approach. Trump finds the people who are untapped and makes them like him. This makes him not liked by others due to his lack of political correctness, but makes up for it in the polls.

“They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” said Trump in a speech on June 16, 2015.

Along with the name-calling of Mexicans, Trump has disserviced Muslims within America.

Trump’s view on foreign policy is head-strong American all the way.

Trump also wishes to make a wall along the southern border of the U.S. in order to keep illegal immigrants out of America. His plan is to make Mexico pay for the wall.

Trump’s loud and blatantly racist comments will pull him down due to the overwhelming amount of selfishness and bigotry he shows.

Some are good people. He only assumes this though. While yes, there are Mexican immigrants that are involved with crime, not all are and making this kind of blatant statement is stereotyping and normalizing Mexicans as a whole as criminals. I am a first generation Mexican-American. My actions are nowhere near this type of generalization. Trump however seems to lump all Mexicans together. This kind of racist comment has no place being The President of the United States.

With this in mind, it is obvious Trump knows his way around money. His economic prowess is a major factor within his campaign.

“Reclaim millions of American jobs and reviving American manufacturing by putting an end to China’s illegal export subsidies and lax labor and environmental standards. No more sweatshops or pollution havens stealing jobs from American workers,” said Trump’s campaign website.

However, this will come to be Trump’s achilles heel.

Normal, non-radical, Muslims are like any other religion. They have stricter customs sure, but not all of muslims want to watch Christians get blown up. Trump does not seem to be aware of this. he sees fit to get his point across. Supporters of Trump are very fond this disposition on politics. “He is not trying to be politically correct and people like that. We don’t need a pushover in office we need a strong leader that’s going to do what is right for the country. What is right for the country is no what is nice and politically correct,” said junior Blaine Miller.

Following the deeper and deeper awareness of ISIS attacks, Trump sees it fit to single out Muslims. This is prevalent in the fact that he called for the to wear badges, distinction the fact that they are Muslims. This is too disgustingly similar to post World War Germany with Jews that there lies no need in an explanation as to why this is outrageous.

Trump speaks on behalf of America’s most radicalized ideologies and uses them for his advantage. He says what Americans feel on a deep level emotionally and it speaks to them.

It gets worse with Trump. His absurd comments have taken form into him saying that no Muslims should be allowed to enter the country. “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total

page by Eric Sanchez & Isaac Shelton February 2016

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>> politics

TRUMPS HIMSELF THE ANIMALS IN THE BLUEGRASS by haylie jenkins

48%

and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on,” said Trump on December 8, 2015. This outlandish rhetoric proves Trump cares only for himself and not the American people as a whole.

Staff Writer

On January 15-18th at Florida Atlantic University, a poll was held that showed Trump with a 48 percent lead in the polls. This is huge progress from his beginning percentage at 3 percent six months ago. With Barack Obama’s second term coming to close, there is undoubtedly a large racist portion of America that has built up over the years. Trump, in true businessman like fashion, takes great relish in addressing these people to gain popularity in votes. There is no loss for Trump here. Worst case scenario, Trumps brand is as big as it will ever get. Best case, he is President of The United States of America. He is just selfish and is look for opportunity to gain more wealth and fame. Whether Trump believes in all he is saying doesn’t matter. He is splitting votes and winning hand over fist. This shows no integrity in his beliefs and shuts down all he says. Trump is an unequal opportunist attempting to appeal to racists, bigots, and all shades of the hatred rainbow. He is succeeding in this. Electing Trump president will not make America great again.

Troy Barr

any people may not know that Troy Barr is not just a beloved part of the Charger staffulty; he is also one of six city council members. He attends meetings twice a month on both the second and fourth Monday. Barr was elected November of 2014 and was sworn in at the end of that December. “I have lived here me entire life and I feel like there’s things we can do in the county and the city that can make it better and I wanted to be apart of the process,” said Barr. Since Barr has been in office he has been apar of the process of building a city park. He initiated making an app for smartphones and developing a website so members of the city can stay connected and know when meetings are. In the future Barr would like to attract more businesses and housing to Mount Washington. “We get along really well, and we all seem to have the same viewpoints in what we want to happen for the city,” said Barr. He is still unsure if he will run for the position next year. page by Eric Sanchez

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The Republican Parade: 5 of 12 Elephants by abbie alstatt Copy Editor

Artwork submitted by Emma Stanley

or the past several months, Donald Trump has been the Republican party frontrunner. But, there are other candidates; five of the most talked about are finally shared for you below.

JEB BUSH: On June 15, 2015, John Ellis “Jeb” Bush announced that he would be running for presidential office in 2016. This 62 year old politician and businessman is closely related to two past presidents. Former President George H.W. Bush is his father and former President George W. Bush is his brother. Jeb was Florida’s Governor from 1999 to 2007, making him their first two-term Republican governor. He would like to negotiate with Democrats in order to get stuff done. In a July 2015 interview with The Des Moines Register, Jeb said, “disrupt the established order, change the culture and make possible the real changes that this Nation needs.”

MARCO RUBIO: On April 13, 2015, Marco Antonio Rubio announced he would be working towards a Republican nomination in the 2016 primaries. This 44 year old Cuban American is a junior U.S. State Senator from Florida; he’s been serving since the beginning of 2011. He wants to move this country forward. During a April 2015 segment of “Hannity”, Rubio said, “It’s time to move forward and embrace the opportunity and challenges of this new century, and I believe I’m ready to do that and that’s why I’m running for president.”

CARLY FIORINA: On May 4, 2015, Cara Carleton “Carly” Fiorina announced that she would be running for presidential office in 2016. This 61 year old former CEO of HP started out as an AT&T management trainee. One of Fiorina’s first political involvements was advising Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. She also had the honor of winning the Republican nomination in 2010 for California’s U.S. Senate. But, what really sets her apart from the other Republican candidates: she is the only woman running. In a May 2015 interview with Katie Couric, she said, “The nation is at a pivotal point… the disconnect between regular people and the political class is wide and growing.”

BEN CARSON: On May 4, 2015, Benjamin Solomon “Ben” Carson, announced that he would be running for presidential office in 2016. Carson is a 64 year old retired neurosurgeon. Politics were certainly not something that Carson thought he would get into. In an October 2015 interview with Time, he said, “Lord you know I don’t want to do this, but if you open the doors I’ll do it.”

TED CRUZ: In March of 2015, Ted Cruz began campaigning for the presidential office of 2016. Cruz is a 44 year old who served as a junior U.S. Senator from Texas. His father is Cuban, making him the first Hispanic American to represent Texas as a Senator. Cruz is ready to get in the White House and make some changes. At the Values Voters Summit of 2015, he said, “The first thing I intend to do is to rescind every illegal and unconstitutional executive action taken by Barack Obama.”

page by Abbie Alstatt February 2016

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Sprint LTE

< Messages staff editorial

11:46 AM

Dear Mom and Dad,

86%

Details

I get it. You want me to get into a good college, be successful, and pursue all of my wildest dreams. It’s understandable, but have you ever thought about how I feel when you put so much pressure on me? I know, I know, you only put this kind of pressure on me so I won’t slack off in school, sports, volunteer work, clubs, and everything else that I do. It’s just that I don’t think you understand. Times have changed since you’ve been in my position. In 1988, when you were 18 years old and a senior in high school, the average composite score on the ACT was a 19. Today, you can barely get accepted into a college without a 21, and scholarships aren’t usually offered until you have a 24 or above. With this in mind, I’m not going to blow off tests and not worry about my grades. I understand that college is expensive, and a higher ACT score means that you won’t have to pay as much money for me to go to college, so why would I just not try? You put all of this extra pressure on me to be perfect and get straight A’s so I can have a high GPA, but I already put enough pressure on myself. Having you fuss at me when I don’t get an A on a test makes me feel like I’m letting you down. However, the truth is, I don’t mind getting a couple of bad grades every now and then. Heck, Steve Jobs, one of the smartest people on Earth, couldn’t handle the pressure of school (I get that it was at Harvard, but still. He should be smart enough to not drop out). My point is, not even some of the smartest people in the world could get perfect grades; so you can’t expect me, an extremely emotional and stressed out high school student, to get them either. Furthermore, this doesn’t just apply to school. It applies to my social life as well. I get that you’re trying to “protect me” and “keep me out of trouble”, but I pinky promise you that I am smart enough to pick the right group of friends. You shouldn’t be concerned every time I go somewhere because I’m a good kid, and I know better than to do anything that could get me into trouble. I haven’t done anything bad in the 16 years I’ve been alive, so haven’t I gained your trust by now? Not to mention, according to The University of Michigan Depression Center, 15% of college students suffer from depression. This is because their parents were too overprotective and they didn’t get a taste of what life is really like until they had to live without their parents helping them through everything. Also, teenagers who were too sheltered tend to act out later in life (such as in college). The first time they aren’t being monitored by their parents, they get out of control. Is that how you want me to be? As each generation reaches college, more and more kids are being diagnosed with anxiety and depression because they can’t handle the pressure that college puts on them. Thankfully, I think you’ve put all of the pressure on me I’ll ever need for that; but, what will happen when you’re not there to help me through it? Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate you trying to help me be successful and keep me out of trouble, but you need to realize that I’m not a little kid anymore. It’s time for you to let me start making my own decisions without you interfering. Let’s be honest, I can’t even make a decision on my own when it comes to choosing what I want to eat at Texas Roadhouse, better yet, choosing where I want to go to college. You always talk about how you want me to be independent and stand up for what I believe in- and don’t get me wrong, I will put up a hell of a fight for something that I’m passionate about- but you can’t expect me to be so independent when I’ve been sheltered for so long. I haven’t even experienced enough things to form strong opinions on certain topics because I’m not allowed to do a lot of things that people my age are. What I’m saying is this: I got this. You can take a deep breath, calm down, have faith in me, and let me live my own life. I am okay with not getting a 4.2 GPA. I am okay with having friends that won’t be lifelong. I am okay with trying new things in new environments. Most of all, I am okay with failure. Failing at something is the only way I am going to learn from my mistakes and become a better person. After all, you can never be old and wise if you were never young and stupid, am I right? Sincerely,

Your Overprotected Child

Delivered page by Sydney Riley

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