The Chronicle, 11.2 by The William Mason High School Chronicle

chroniCle

October 25, 2013

thecspn.com

Volume 11, Issue 2

the

Magic Melon

Runner swears melon juice is key to success, see page 29

Stars and stripes become latest fashion trend

Rough Terrain

Riders risk injury to tame the trail, see page 22

Opening Night Fall show “Inspecting Carol” debuts tonight, see page 6

I pledge allegiance to the...

Wearing Old Glory not necessarily and indication of patriotism Emily Taylor | Staff Writer

America is taking over. Taking over the fashion industry that is. Across the country, stores like Pacific Sun, Altar’d State, and Urban Outfitters have begun promoting their latest fashion trend: the American Flag. According to senior Alexa Janus, an employee at Pacsun, the students of Mason have already picked up on the trend, sporting star-spangled jeans and red, white, and blue t-shirts throughout the halls of school. story continued on page

Sasha Fierce

photo by Emily Taylor

Students bring out their daily dose of diva, channel inner Beyonce, see story page 23

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october 25, 2013

news

Trending Now Purple View these and other stories and galleries at

thecspn.com

C Friday night football

Come out to the stands for tonight’s game against GMC rival Fairfield, and check out the @mhschronicle twitter account for live game coverage and visit thecspn.com the next day for a full wrap up of the game.

C Boys and girls state water polo

coverage The Mason water polo teams are competitng at the state tournament this weekend see thecspn.com for the story!

C Mason cross country regionals

Visit thecspn.com early next week for a wrap-up of tomorrows boys and girls regional championship.

C MHS drama club’s fall play

Check out the wrap up-on thecspn. com of this weekends opening performances of the drama departments fall play “Inspecting Carol”.

C Hispanic Heritage Festival

Check out coverage of the Spanish National Honor Society’s Hispanic Heritage Festival up on thecspn.com today. compiled by Sheila Raghavendran

pride

MHS students dress in support of GLAAD Katie Hibner | Staff Writer

Eliminating Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender bullying can be as simple as going purple. On October 17th, millions across the country wore the pride color to join Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in a protest against gay abuse. Although GLAAD only encouraged Americans to wear purple on Spirit Day, sophomore Savannah Riggsby said she used other methods to spread the anti-bullying message. “My friends I made cupcakes and T-shirts,” Riggsby said. “My shirt said ‘LGBT pride’ and ‘Love is love’. We had teachers take pictures of all of us wearing purple. They also let us write messages on their boards telling [students] to celebrate Spirit Day.” Sophomore Danielle Somershoe said she celebrated Spirit Day to honor her confrontation of LGBT bullying every day. “I wore [purple] for pride [on Spirit Day] because I always fight bullying,” Somershoe said. “Once, some guys in my math class were saying ‘gay’ for every third word, so I gave them little placards that list [alternative] words for ‘gay.’ They ripped them up and threw them away right in front of me.” According to 2011 Mason graduate Tyler Walton, such verbal abuse is the most common and painful form of LGBT bullying. “A lot of LGBT bullying is about a societal stigma of homosexuality, using the words ‘gay’ or ‘fag’ with a negative connotation,” Walton said. “When kids say those words they don’t even mean homosexual, they mean dumb or stupid. But hearing those things damages someone’s self-esteem whether they’re in or out of the closet.” Somershoe said her self-esteem was also damaged when she lost friends after coming out at school. “One girl would no longer change next to me [before] gym class,” Somershoe said. “Two people stopped talking to me. Another girl gave me a pamphlet from her church and told me her pastor could ‘fix’ me.” Walton said he fears such mistreatment causes LGBT teens to turn to negative sources

Story

continued on page

"GLAAD Spirit Day is about celebrating who you are and never letting anyone take that from you." Danielle Somershoe, sophomore

"GLAAD Spirit Day is about being who you want to be and not letting others get you down." Savannah Riggsby, sophomore

october 25, 2013

Story

continued from page

for consolation. “I fear that kids in the closet will [resort to] drugs, alcohol, or suicide to deal with their problems,” Walton said. “LGBT kids are much more likely to commit suicide [than heterosexual kids], and suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” LGBT teens may have a greater risk of bullying than their heterosexual peers, but assistant principal Daniel Distel said schools must treat all types of misconduct equally. “Administration knows LGBT students can have lower perceptions of self-worth but schools need to be even when handing out punishment,” Distel said. “Harassing someone because they’re LGBT may be considered a hate crime [by the government], but the legal system has a special obligation to [protect] groups historically discriminated against. Still, administration has zero tolerance for any bullying.” Despite the fact that LGBT bullying doesn’t receive special treatment by administration, Distel said staff has engaged in special development programs with the Greater Cincinnati Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). “In the [GLSEN] training teachers reflected their views of sexual identity and gender and we learned the signs that [indicate] a student is struggling with sexual identity,” Distel said. “We focused on the ‘Safe Spaces’ campaign, in which teachers could identify their [classrooms] as nonjudgmental spaces where students [could discuss] problems related to their sexual identity.” Walton said he offered teachers additional training on LGBT issues during the spring of his senior year. “I held an optional staff meeting for teachers and administration on LGBT bullying,” Walton said. “I presented a PowerPoint about kids who are either in or out of the closet and how it can hurt their learning. About fifteen teachers watched it, and they were nervous but very serious about the subject and asked many questions.” Walton said his most successful form of activism, however, was offering to become an LGBT advocate for his peers. “After I came out I felt a need to help people with [similar] problems,” Walton said. “I helped two people come out because they felt comfortable asking me for help. I also recently spent a week with someone who considered himself a ‘homophobe.’ But after we hung out he told me he had a wrong interpretation of [homosexuality]. Having honest, open discussion is really important.” According to Walton, such discussion needs to be more directed towards the victims of LGBT bullying rather than the bullies themselves. “Bullying programs need to take a look at bullying from the side of the [victim],” Walton said. “You can never stop people from using slang so we

2 need to focus on teaching LGBT kids how to deal with those words for the rest of their lives.” Distel said derogatory remarks about sexuality are tolerated less and less in today’s society. “The [slang] people use is no different than when I graduated high school in 1998,” Distel said. “But students are less likely to accept those words, whether they’re directed toward people or objects. They’re not a part of the vernacular anymore.” While the use of slang has decreased, Riggsby said support for GLAAD Spirit Day has increased due to advances in politics. “More people supported Spirit Day this year than last because so much progress has been made in the gay community,” Riggsby said. “Six more states recognized gay marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act was [nullified]. Other countries around the world such as England and France also became more accepting.” However, Somershoe said LGBT issues are still met with resistance in American education and family life. “[LGBT] issues are still the elephant in the room,” Somershoe said. “I wish my kids could read about gay history like we read about black history, and that there would be a gay history month. Plus I haven’t been able to join LGBT rallies because my mom is a strong Christian. She supports me but she still wrestles with my [homosexuality].” Walton said he feared similar opposition to his activism in Mason, but was surprised by the community’s acceptance. “Mason is a mostly wealthy, Republican, and Christian area, so I was afraid of stepping on toes [with LGBT activism] but I never experienced it,” Walton said. “My friends were very supportive and open to helping me, and Mason High School put its foot down on bullying.” Somershoe said she also approves of Mason High School’s stance on LGBT bullying. “Mason’s bullying policy is wonderful,” Somershoe said. “Not everyone here accepts [homosexuality] but people are tolerant enough so that I haven’t been [physically] bullied.” However, LGBT teens still endure all kinds of bullying, and Walton said that in order to overcome it they must first accept themselves. “Before I came out I kept to myself, but after I accepted who I was I became confident,” Walton said. “You have to consciously decide that what other people think of you doesn’t matter. You’re in control, and the world is just waiting for you.” Riggsby said that Spirit Day motivated her and others to create that better world for LGBT teens. “Because of this year’s Spirit Day, teachers and I [bonded] over discussing LGBT rights,” Riggsby said. “I’m hoping to start a gay-straight alliance and join more rallies in the future.”

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80% of LGBT teens in Ohio are verbally bullied

40% of LGBT teens in Ohio are physically bullied

37% of LGBTQ bullying reports result in effective staff intervention

Only 3% of Ohio high schools have specific policies on LGBT bullying

LGBT teens are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual teens

LGBT teens are 5 times more likely to skip school for fear of bullying

Statistics from Bullyingstatistics.org, GLSEN, San Francisco State University.

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october 25, 2013

Driving Solo Teenagers will drive alone if pending Ohio house bill 204 passes Abbey Marshall | Staff Writer

Carpooling is teenage ritual. However, a newly proposed bill in the state of Ohio could be problematic for teenage drivers and their carpools. Republican Rick Perales’ House Bill 204 is aimed to protect 16 and 17-year-old drivers living in Ohio by setting tougher restrictions on them. If approved, the bill will only allow one non-family member in a car of a teenager under 21. While House Bill 204 may be created to look after teenage drivers, the effect seems to be opposite due to inconvenience, according to senior Kailey Schneider, who said she drives friends to school, play rehearsals, and even on spontaneous ice cream trips. If the bill is passed, this carpooling would be breaking the law.

“[Kids under 16] count on other people to drive them,” Schneider said. “If they don’t have that, then there would be a hassle for their parents to [drive them].” Teenage carpooling would be prohibited if this bill became law, but carpooling is essential for high schoolers, according to Schneider. “I would be miffed at the fact that I can’t simply drive a friend to rehearsal,” Schneider said. “[I’d also be upset if] I couldn’t bring [my friends] to school…simply because the state of Ohio doesn’t deem me responsible enough to do that.” According to senior Lauren Magness, carpooling not only is convenient for teenagers, but saves money. “[Carpooling] saves gas money and it saves fuel overall,” Magness said. “[No one] wants to waste that

much gas when one person could be driving.” The bill also states that the current curfews of midnight for 16-yearolds and 1 a.m. for 17-year-olds would be pushed up to 10 P.M. -- the only excuse being work or a school-related activity. “Curfew is something that should be enforced by the parents,” Schneider said. “I don’t think it’s something that has to be mandated, because there are exceptions.” According Schneider, if the bill is approved and put into effect, not many teenagers would follow it. “I’m going to assume it won’t be heavily enforced because [it’s too difficult to manage],” Schneider said. “So many teens do it. It’s just not going to stop...Carpooling is just so much easier and [the government

shouldn’t be] making a whole rule against it -- it’s a rule waiting to be broken.” According to history teacher Vance Reid, although teenagers may find the bill frustrating and inconvenient, father really does know best. “I’m getting ready to have 16-yearolds,” Reid said. “If I was 16 or 17-years-old, I’d think it’s ridiculous, but at the same time, I believe that when they get older and they have their own [children], they’ll feel the same way.” What it comes down to, according to Reid, is convenience versus your life. “I have buried many—too many— students from driving accidents in my career,” Reid said. “I just don’t want to bury anymore.”

photo by Abbey Marshall

october 25, 2013

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The

october 25, 2013

show goes on

Drama season kicks off tonight with performance “Inspecting Carol” Fernanda Hurtado | Staff Writer

Art imitates life. While Mason High School drama director Allen Young insists there are no political connections with tonight’s opening of the fall performance of "Inspecting Carol," it’s hard not to draw some political connections to the play. After public outcry last year that centered around the staffing reductions in the MHS Drama Department, Young admits that it would be easy to make some assumptions. “That’s not our primary reason for selecting the play but one of the themes of the play is that art organizations always struggle financially and they are always responsible to a patron who pays the bills,” Young said. “There is always someone we have to please whether it is the government in the case of the play or the school board.” Inspecting Carol centers a fledgling theatre company that has to deal with drastic cutbacks in their budget. According to Assistant Stage Manager Emily Falcone, the show is very relatable to the financial reality facing the drama department. “This show is about a failing theater company going under and they don’t have any money to spend anything on and that is kind of what is going on with our drama club,” Falcone said. “We keep getting a lower budget each year and we are losing people and it is a struggle.” Budget cuts are always a struggle for art organizations so it is not a coincidence that it is one of

photo by Fernanda Hurtado

Senior Jackson Smith rehearses for the part of Walter Parsons, in the black box theater in preparation for the upcoming production of “Inspecting Carol”.

the themes for a play, although it wasn’t, theatre teacher, Allen Young’s primary reason for choosing it. Young said that budget cuts affect every choice the theater has to make. “We are all trying to cut back as much as we can,” Young said. “We are struggling to get the play done let alone try to save money while we are doing it so it’s changed how we do business and we are still figuring out how were are going to do this. According to Miller, the changes to the drama department have brought along a comedic theme to keep the spirits up this year. “They are all comedies because the first one is a horrible rendition of the Christmas Carol, the second one is (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), which is fairies and noble men, and the third one is Urinetown, which is photo by Fernanda Hurtado Senior set designer Rachel Snow uses a circle saw to build a wooden set piece for the about people who can’t drama club’s falls show. pee and have to pay to

pee,” Miller said. “It is kind of to keep the spirits up.” The lightheartedness of the play was an important factor for choosing the play, according to Young. “It is very lighthearted and funny and it helps. I think we needed that after the budget cuts that we have suffered like the end of last year’s when we lost one of our theater teachers,” Young said that one of the things we needed was something lighthearted and even though it means something great to us and it has that layer of meaning, it is also very funny. With the comedies comes the idea of standing up for their rights, which is exactly what the drama department has been doing. “Urinetown’s message is all about fight for your rights even if it is the right to pee. So it is about standing up for yourself, standing up for what you love, for what you believe in,” Miller said. “Last year when we first heard the news we stood up for what we believe in, what we love.” This play signifies a miracle for the theatre department, according to Young. “I am not in doubt that it is going to be a good show, that we are going to get it finished, that it will be strong and that the audience is going to like it,” Young said. “But the fact that we have had to redo all the ways that we work and we are still going to get it done that is the miracle for us.”

october 25, 2013

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September 27, 2013

opinion Chronicle Policy The Chronicle is the official student newspaper of William Mason High School. The Chronicle promises to report the truth and adhere to the journalistic code of ethics through online and print mediums. The Chronicle is produced by students enrolled in Journalism I, II and III. Editorials reflect the staff ’s opinion but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the school administration or the Mason City School District. The Chronicle is published monthly. Call 398-5025 ext. 33106 for information regarding advertising in The Chronicle. The Chronicle reserves the right to refuse advertising we deem inappropriate for a high school publication. As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcome, but are subject to be edited for length, libel, obscenity, clarity and poor taste. Letters to the editor may be dropped off in room C106 and must be signed. The Chronicle is a member of The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, The National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association.

Tweets to the editor

Answer questions posed from the editors at @mhschronicle or let us know how you feel about The Chronicle’s latest stories. Apparently the government’s pretty trendy right now.

Contact Information The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 (513) 398-5025 The Chronicle Staff Editor-in-Chief Chloe Knue Associate Editor Katherine Hansen Taylor Telford Layout and Design Editor Gabrielle Stichweh Online Editor Sheila Raghavendran Sports Editor Erin Brush Business Manager Emily Culberson Staff Writers Emily Taylor Katie Rojas Meghan Harris Jimmy Halpin Katie Herman Madison Krell Abbey Marshall Gina Deaton Matthew Marvar Will Leathers Monica Brucher Kelly Noriega Fernanda Hurtado Sonia Rayka Katie Hibner Lindsay McCalmont Rashika Jaipuriar Adviser Dale Conner

Staff Editorial Trends drive temporary teen awareness, peak interest but fail to hold attention Apparently the government’s pretty trendy right now. At least that’s what the rising Americana fashion and the social media haven that was the government shutdown are telling us. Some might like to think that makes us aware. But are we? Although current and pervasive – be it through our clothing or tweets – politics and government are not of too great concern for much of the American people, especially teens. Aside from some snarky commentary about not taking trips to National Parks or the woe that was no up-to-date government websites, were any of us really concerned about the government? To us, it was getting just as much done as when it’s running. We’d post some statuses, tweets or witty comments about it and move on. Then come

to school the next day where several are sporting the flag under questionable patriotism. Our knowledge of our nation lies somewhere between the buzz words – liberty! democracy! the people! – and feigned awareness for the sake of a good Twitter post. Trendy flag clothes and easy to latch onto topics, like Presidential Elections or the government shutdown, become a front hiding the actual uncertainty we harbor. The easy answer is ‘become aware!’. But since when was that really a plausible call to action? Few care enough to address their own ignorance, and we’d all rather continue on oblivious to the actual workings on the government anyway. So while trendy and vaguely patriotic clothing, or fleeting govern-

ment talking points, are great for sparking some interest, initiating some slither of awareness, they don’t leave anything lasting. These short-lived facades of awareness are deceiving ourselves – convincing us that we do care – when really it’s just another fad teens will temporarily latch onto. What we need is for the things that peak our interest, that get us interested, to hold our concern longer. At least longer than the trend’s expiration date. We know what grabs our interest. The question is how to make it last enough to make ourselves politically affluent. Teens want to be aware, but we have to be interested to get there. If we don’t have the privilege to vote, what else can be done but a neverending trend to keep us informed?

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october 25, 2013

opinion Little girls dream of Ivy League

Taking control of fear

Lindsay McCalmont | Staff Writer

Meghan Harris | Staff Writer

I am seventeen years old, and I do not have my license. I’ve always been anxiety-prone. I tend to blow things out of proportion or dream up unrealistic worst-case scenarios for every situation. But when I found myself at 16 sitting behind the steering wheel, that anxiety that had been festering in my brain had finally come to its head. So, as I tend to do with most of my problems, I’ve avoided driving at all costs. Yes, it is a real inconvenience to both me and my family, but after a few miserable in-cars and a car crash in late December that claimed the life of my best friend, I think I’d rather deal with being a burden. I’ll admit, I’m afraid. More than that, I’m terrified. I’m a control freak, and while I am in control of the vehicle I’m driving, I cannot control the world around me. I’m afraid of drunk drivers. I’m afraid of driving in the rain. I’m afraid of people who text in drive. I’m afraid of the unknown. Although I hate admitting it, I’ve allowed that fear to take hold of me. I’ve allowed that fear to paralyze me. And that is not a way to live. Bad things are going to happen. People will get into crashes. Innocent lives will be taken. People are going to mess up. But you cannot live waiting for the other shoe to drop. You cannot live constantly worrying about what may happen. You cannot live in constant fear of the future. If you do, you will miss out on your life. I cannot live in fear of death. At some point, I’m going to have to be at peace with the fact that I am not in control. I will never be able to control my future. I’m going to have to let go, trust God, and drive.

What are you neglecting in your life because of other stressful activites?

compiled by Sonia Rayka

Cwhat you think

I can’t be the only one that noticed Disney is a little unrealistic when it comes to college. I grew up watching almost every teenage girl in a Disney TV show or movie want desperately to attend an Ivy League school and ultimately, in an extremely heartfelt and suspenseful moment, get accepted and live happily ever after. Miley and Lilly from Hannah Montana got accepted into Stanford (it isn’t technically in the Ivy League but it’s just as selective and elite). Acceptance rate: 7.31%. Teddy from Good Luck Charlie strives for Yale. Acceptance rate: 7.73%. Sam, played by Disney star Hilary Duff, in the movie A Cinderella Story goes to Princeton. Acceptance rate: 7.85%. All Disney’s sweethearts are social, involved, and get good grades but so is everyone that applies to an Ivy League school. So why are Miley, Lilly, Teddy, and Sam all accepted? I know Disney always has to have happy endings but couldn’t the girls have been just as happy going to Ohio State, Indiana University, or Auburn? Ivy Leagues aren’t for everyone and it doesn’t mean you aren’t smart if you don’t get in. I’m not even bothering with them because there are other prestigious schools that better suit me. There’s plenty of incredible state and city schools out there but for some reason, Disney makes it seem like it’s Ivy League or nothing. Disney is getting little girls’ hopes up. When I was little I had no idea what Princeton was but I wanted to go there because according to A Cinderella Story, it was where all of the princesses went. I was in for a rude awakening. It’s great if girls that watch Disney aspire to go to an Ivy League school. But the truth is that most of them won’t make it and it’s not the end of the world like they make it seem on TV. Although Disney characters are high-aiming role models, they should be more realistic and diverse. In the real world, you don’t have to go to an Ivy League school or even college to be a princess.

“I’m neglecting more of the social aspect of my life because I don’t really have time to hang out...” -junior, Nayonika Banerjee

“I’d say you have to neglect things you actually want to do in favor of things you have to do...to better your chances of succeeding in high school...” -senior, Matt Hauer

“I’ve been neglecting spending time with my family. I am just too busy with friends, homework, APUSH...” -junior, Elaine Louden

“I need more time for school than my sport so I had to quit swimming for school.” -freshman, Matthew Nesbit

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october 25, 2013

Reporting

Newswriting Sports Journalism Marketing Business C Investigative Journalism News Sports Sports Entertainment Art C Arts Reporting Writing Graphic Design Photoshop InDesign Web Design Blogging The Chronicle is now accepting Twitter Social Networking Photographyapplications Edit C Sports Features Stop by room c106Writing Editor Sports Fun News

Reporter

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Modern

october 25, 2013

transportation

Scooter gang unites to traverse distance between pool lot and high school Madison Krell | Staff Writer

You’ll have to forgive junior Ellie Tomassoni because she’s got Madison Krell | Staff Writer to scoot. Tomassoni and a group of her friends have a found a good use for those old scooters they used to ride around their neighborhoods when they were kids. This gang of bandits use their scooters to quickly travel the great dis-

tance from their pool lot parking space to the high school. Tomassoni said she uses her scooter as a tool to get from the parking lot to the school quickly and efficiently. "People have been doing this for a while," Tomassoni said. "It’s just now a ton of people are doing it is because of the soccer

team. [The soccer team] heard about it, and thought it was a good idea, and we just kind of tried it." Not everything about the scooters is fun and game; according to Courtney Thierauf, these toys prove to be difficult when maneuvering around cars. “A car didn’t stop like we

thought they were going to,” Thierauf said. "They slowed down but kept going. We almost got hit, it was scary." According to Thierauf, in order to scooter in high school you need to have a lot of confidence. "People judge us completely," Thierauf said. "We get a lot of weird looks and comments.”

photo by Madison Krell

From left to right: Jackson Brown, Ellie Tomassoni, Jill Vitere, Courtney Thierauf, Dani Meyer

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october 25, 2013

NOW OPEN MASON

Stop by the Comet Zone and check out our new merchandise!

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What can we do for you?

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october 25, 2013

feature

Clueless Action on the football field confusing to some band members Monica Brucher | Staff Writer

Photo by Abbey Marshall

MHS Marching Band students perform during a Comets football game, unaware of on-field occurences.

Photo by Abbey Marshall

Mason fans and Black Hole members cheer on the Comets, capitalizing on the social elements of football season.

Photo by Abbey Marshall

Colorguard members focus on their half time performance

Junior Persephone Mitchell has spent three years on the football field but has no idea what’s going on. When it comes to band formations, she is astute at identifying them but once the football players take the field, she is clueless. “I watch it, but I actually have no idea what’s going on.” Mitchell said. Mitchell has been in band, and attending football games, since the sixth grade. She said her reason for not understanding more about the sport is due to having to focus on the task ahead. “If they get a touchdown, then I have to focus on playing.” Mitchell said. Senior Ken Bredemeier said he also feels he cannot watch the game because he has to play his instrument. “We have our own conversations that take place [during the game], but the teacher pays attention [to the game] and he’s like ‘stand up and we’re going to play our music’ and we don’t know what happened we’re just playing our music because they told us to” Bredemeier said. Bredemeir said he does not understand the hype surrounding football. “I don’t get it” Bredemeier said. “It’s a ball on the field and you’re throwing it around-it’s not interesting.” There may be outlying sources to this football enthusiasm, according to Bredemeier. “When you think of high school, you think of Taylor Swift and her one song, You Belong with Me, and you think of high school and football, cheerleaders” Bredemeier said. Bredemeier said his reasons for attending football games also were not for the game. “With band they give you free food at a lot of the schools you go to, so I go there for the food” Bredemeier said. Even though there are perks of being a part of the band, including food, Bredemeier said there is a downfall in not being part of the student section during games. “I don’t feel like a part of the school, I feel like a part of the band” Bredemeier said. Band members are not the only weekly attendees feeling out of the loop during football games. Colorguard participant, junior Megan

McNary, said it is difficult to watch when being expected to do other things. “Sometimes we get to watch, but other times we’re playing or doing routines” McNary said. According to McNary, when it comes to cheering for the team, colourguard is often the last to know. “Sometimes the colour guard doesn’t get the cheering memo as fast as the band does, so they’ll start playing and we’re like ‘wait, what’s going on?’” McNary said. McNary said students clueless about football could figure out the game, but most attendees have motives other than wanting to watch the game. “If you sit down and intently watch it, you might catch on to something, but I know a lot of people go because their friends go, so I definitely think that plays in to it.” McNary said. Senior Megan Mumma agrees that games are a forum for social interaction. “I like the atmosphere, but I don’t need to know everything about football” Mumma said. Mumma said that the crowd is split between those who care about the game and those who enjoy socializing--she’s on the latter side. “There are some people who get really mad at the game and I’m just sitting there like, it doesn’t affect me that much” Mumma said. Mumma said being a part of the crowd is enjoyable, but it’s difficult to want to understand the game. “I like going to the games, but I don’t care enough to figure out every single part” said Mumma. One of the downfalls of not following the game is being confused during certain parts. “Pretty much any time the boys get mad at the referee for a call and I’m just sitting there like, I don’t even know where the ball is” Mumma said. In the case of senior Jacob Burris, some members don’t want to understand football, they simply focus on band. “I don’t want to know,” Burris said. “I have no interest in learning anything [about how the game of football is played]”.

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october 25, 2013

No girls allowed Female students fight to break into male dominated professions Lindsay McCalmont | Staff Writer

It’s a man’s world. At least in many fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. There are about three men for every one woman in a math, science, or engineering related field according to the Association for Psychological Science. According to AP Physics teacher Dee Dee Messer, the gender imbalance in the field and the stereotype of women staying at home are creating more job opportunities for women because many companies are realizing that a lot of the products they design target women and most engineers are men. “Procter and Gamble has a huge component of opportunities for female engineers,” Messer said. “They know the wives are the ones going to the grocery store and so [their products are] what is appealing for the female customer.” Boys and girls don’t think and solve problems the same way and according to aspiring engineer, senior Monica Vermillion, it’s good that companies are trying to get a blend of both. “It’s nice to have different perspectives because girls and guys look at things differently,” Vermillion said. “It’s interesting to see how everyone interprets something.” According to Messer, the real challenge for women in math and science isn’t in getting a job but getting the respect that they want in a male-dominated field. “If I’m going to hire a female engineer, you always have people go are you hiring a female engineer because she fills a quota or was she really the best candidate?” said Messer. “That’s really unfortunate because [the woman in question] could be the best candidate but there could be employees that look at her like the only reason that she got the job was because she was a girl. Now she already has that to overcome on day one coming into the field.” Although society is trying to change the gender stereotypes, sexism still does exist in many math and science related fields, according to Messer. Having studied physics in college, Messer knows first-hand the struggle that women have to face. “I was the only female in my physics class. My professor made all kinds of comments about how I better make sure that I am a friend with one of the guys in the class so that he can teach me what was going on because it was above my level,” Messer said. “It wasn’t that long ago that I was the student sitting in a college class and my own professor asked me the very first day, ‘Who are you? What class are you supposed to be in?’ because from day one the first impression was that he did not want me in there.” According to Vermillion, who is one of the 27 female students in AP Physics BC, it is a challenge being in a male-dominated area but she welcomes it as a chance to prove that she can be just as, if not more successful than the men. “I know sometimes guys have a reputation for being smarter,” Vermillion said. “To be a girl engineer you have to keep up the same grades [as the guys]. I feel like as a girl, I do have to keep up with the guys and in some ways try to outdo them.” According to AP Physics student, senior Mohamed Elzarka, it shouldn’t matter what gender you are in math or science because everyone in the field is there because they are interested and want to learn. “It doesn’t feel awkward at all to have a girl in my classroom like in AP Physics but I don’t know if that’s skewed or biased because I am a guy and there are a bunch of other guys there too,” Elzarka said. “If you are in a classroom you are not there to say ‘I am a guy or I am a girl’, you are there to learn and do your job.”

Statistics from US Congress Joint Economic Committee (2013) ABC News (2008) US Department of Commerce (2011)

photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh

october 25, 2013

The Sounds

page 15

Silence

Deaf ASL teacher provides real world learning for her students Sonia Rayka | Staff Writer

photo by Sonia Rayka

The language barrier is broken by silence. Sarah Haven is an American Sign Language teacher whose expertise goes beyond the books and degree---Haven was born deaf and grew up with sign language as her primary form of communication. This year, Haven began teaching American Sign Language III, a selective dual credit course with advanced opportunities for learning signers. Haven attended a large public hearing school and lived a normal life with the stawndard limitations that came along with deafness. Haven said that her interactions with hearing people growing up such as friends and family influenced her ultimate decision to become an ASL teacher. “I was always signing with my deaf friends,” Haven said. “With hearing people, it was really hard to communicate with them and I thought ‘How could I do that?’ and I was building a bridge between those two communities. I just really wanted to teach sign—I really enjoy it and they really liked learning it.” Though most would assume the inability to hear would disable one from every day conversation, Haven said that she was taught various ways to communicate. “My family taught me how to communicate with people,” Haven said. “I knew how to sign so I could communicate with deaf people easily as well as hearing

Deaf MHS ASL teacher Sarah Haven gives demonstrates some of the sign language she uses on a daily basis.

people [and] other ways like writing, gestures, and some basic signs to build up on top. It was nothing really hard, just different.” The effect Haven has had on the ASL students is clearly evident but Haven hopes to further expand the bridge between the two communities.

“I want to help my community be a strong deaf community and have strong connections and interactions with the hearing community,” Haven said. “I don’t want to have a barrier with them.” Junior Brooke Rawson said that despite changes to the way the students learn, the experience itself is one similar to those others taking on for foreign languages. “I think it’s really good practice because we’re always immersed in the language,” Rawson said. “It’s like going to a different country that speaks the language you’re trying to learn. It’s helpful because you’re always using it and always have to use it--we don’t really have a choice.” ASL III students like junior Kaija Perkins said that there was a mutual feeling of anxiety upon hearing their teacher would be deaf which soon subsided. “It was a little nerve-wracking because she couldn’t understand anything that we were saying so while we were talking, she was kind of looking at us like ‘What?’” Perkins said. “But when she started signing we realized it wasn’t going to be as hard as we thought it would, but it’s just a different environment.” Senior Sarah Moore said she was put at ease once reminded that they had been preparing for such real life interactions for two years. “Normally you sign a little faster if you’re born deaf or you’ve been doing it all your life so I was nervous that I wouldn’t understand the things she would sign,” Moore said. “Then we were reminded that we’ve been trained for this and know the signs and we’re just afraid of the fact that she’s deaf. It wasn’t that big of a deal once she actually started communicating with us.” JMoore said that she has already experienced the benefits of knowing the language outside of the classroom. “I had a situation at my previous job where [a deaf person] came through the line ordering food and couldn’t be understood so I got to help them out,” Moore said. “I think it’s pretty neat to communicate with people when that language is kind of rare.” The only thing that has proven difficult for Haven is addressing the similar capabilities of both hearing and deaf people. “Other things I face sometimes with a few hearing students are that their attitudes are hard to change,” Haven said. “Sometimes they have bad attitudes and working to change their minds to become more positive can be hard. Deaf can do everything except for hear.”

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october 25, 2013 | Page 17

UNDER PRESSURE

From August to June, students fill their schedules with challenging classes, extracurricular activities, and time with their friends and family. When commitments start to pile up, many students feel like they are torn in different directions. With expectations and deadlines, it is no surprise that students feel varying amounts of stress – the only difference is how they deal with it. Whether stress is “an elephant on your shoulders” or something “you bottle up,” it can dominate a high schooler’s day to day life. Katie Rojas | Staff Writer

Theatre, Drawing and Painting, Vocal Training

Alyssa Cocca, junior

“Another problem I have faced is just balancing having a social life,” Thomas said. “Hanging out with friends can be prioritized low and you can just say no if you have to do something for an organization, but doing that over and over can create a distance between your friends and you.” Hastings said she feels that once she starts an activity, she needs to fully commit. “I’m worried that I’ll let people down a lot,” Hastings said. “I feel like once you get involved with something, I feel obligated to do so much with it that if I don’t [do so much] than they’ll be disappointed. And If I bail out on something than I’ll feel bad and that’s always stressful.” According to Hastings, being involved has been worth the consequences. “Well you definitely meet a lot of new people and make a lot of friends,” Hastings said. “But you learn a lot of time management especially and I mean it sounds cheesy but you kind of become a better person because you stay out of trouble and you’re doing good things.” To be successful in high school, Thomas said you don’t have to be everything. According to Thomas, the perfect high school student is one who struggles but always tries their hardest. “The perfect high school student isn’t the Valedictorian, Class President, Homecoming King, Captain of the Football Team and Academic Team all at once like everyone thinks,” Thomas said. “The perfect high school student is the one who challenges themselves and picks themselves up when they fall because it is necessary when aiming for your personal best.” While he has not reached perfection, Thomas said he is striving to reach his personal best. “I definitely don’t think I’m perfect,” Thomas said. “But it’s a work in progress and I’m on my way to being the best high school student I can be.”

“I handle stress really, really badly, but I’m working on it. Usually I tend to bottle things up [and tell myself,] ‘It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s all going to work out,’ but then something small happens, and I then I just blow up. I usually take it out on myself and it’s been a cause for me to have a lot of issues and struggles. When I’m really stressed out, I worry, I start to panic, and all these thoughts flood through my brain, and I just cannot think straight. When it first hits me, I get really overwhelmed and I don’t know how to handle it. My mom has helped me so much. When I come home from school, she asks me what I need to get done, and I’m usually not that nice about it because the thought of all of it stresses me out. I’ll write it down, and she’ll go over it with me, and tell me, ‘Oh, it’s not as bad as you think it is. Now that it’s on paper, you have four things to do. It’s not the four thousand things you thought you needed to do in your brain. If my mom sees me working way too hard on something that probably doesn’t need to be worked on that much, then she’ll say, ‘Hey, it’s probably time to go to sleep since you need that more than you need this.’” I hate [stress] because it’s caused me to struggle a lot, but at the same point I know what it feels like to be super stressed out, and I feel like because of that, I’m forced to learn how to handle high stress situations than I would naturally go to.”

Symphony Orchestra, H.O.P.E Club, Science Olympiad, National Honor Society, TUSK, Partners In Health, Young Women’s Club, Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra

Allison Yan, junior

You can’t do it all, but some MHS students still try. According to senior Johnson Thomas, high school requires sacrifice. With NHS, volunteer work, and sports just being the tip of the iceberg of his activities, Thomas said he battles with his priorities. “Being too involved is a juggling act and when you juggle you’re bound to drop things,” Thomas said. “The problems that arise are when you place importance in each thing that you are involved in and you have to sacrifice one and place a priority over another.” When it comes to getting involved, Thomas said what started out as a resumebooster has turned into his passion. “I used to be involved to have a great resume, but now I do it because being involved is what really makes me happy,” Thomas said. “I work well under pressure and I love putting my all into everything I do.” Senior Jessica Hastings said that the driving force behind her desire to get involved is herself. “I push myself to do everything that I do because I get bored really easily,” Hastings said. “After I hurt my back, I was bored all the time, so I started getting really involved with SIBS and NHS and everything.” When activities pile up, Hastings said she is forced to make choices that lead to missed events and little sleep. “I tend to get over-involved and overcommit to things and then I’ll have activities overlapping,” Hastings said. “I’ve had to cancel on one [activity] to do another. And there have been times when I’ve only gotten three hours of sleep.” According to Thomas, being overly involved has caused his social life to take a hit.

“[When I get stressed] I get really talkative and become really sensitive. Sometimes I’m really mean or extra nice depending on what kind of stress it is. I do sleep a lot when I am stressed…I sleep more and mess up my sleep schedule. If it’s school related stress, like my grades are dropping or I’m not feeling 100% about school in general, I’ll usually be extra nice to people, but if its something about my personal life, then I’ll just be kind of grumpy. I just feel so much pressure. I feel like everyone’s aware of how badly I’m doing or how badly I’m feeling. There’s also a lot of pressure from my parents. I feel like I need to work it off and try to fix it. When I get stressed I usually find a book I like and read for 30 minutes because reading helps me or I’ll talk to my friends about it. If it’s something related to school like my grades, I’ll make an effort to talk to my teachers because that always makes me feel better. This year has definitely had more stress in making sure your grades are high, [and] thinking about college and the future. Sophomore and freshman year I felt like it was more social stress, getting used to the high school and getting adjusted to your first AP class you’re talking. I think junior year is a whole new level.”

Marching Band Drum Major, Concert Band,Jazz Band, Academic Team, German Club, Cycling

Austin Woodruff, sophomore

photo/photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh, Meghan Harris, Taylor Telford, Katie Rojas.

Meghan Harris | Staff Writer

“A lot of times I feel like there’s an elephant on my shoulders, and it’s really tough trying to figure out what to do with the elephant because we’re always thrown so many different things from so many different directions. I try to set aside what I don’t need to worry about at that time because I’ve learned that it’s impossible to do ten things at once, and you have to prioritize everything. Even though a lot of kids want to be proactive and get things done, for me, it’s important every once in a while to give yourself a break and allow yourself to alleviate some of that stress. It’s really tough trying to find time to step back with extracurriculars, sports, marching band, and homework. I make sure I have a clear outline for what the day’s going to look like, and give myself realistic ideas and expectations of what’s going to happen with the day. It’s good to have expectations on top of the insanity because that helps sets aside what can happen, what can’t happen, and what then can be done about it. On top of marching band now, and taking another position in marching band, which is another two hours each day with each rehearsal, it’s a totally different experience. Before marching band was just a side thing that filled up extra time, but now it seems like extra time is being filled up in late night studying. Even though I’m just a sophomore, I’m definitely looking at colleges, trying to figure out what classes I want to take next year, how I want to organize and specialize myself.”

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october 25, 2013

Stores and Boutiques marketing toward the fashionably patriotic

Americana clothing becomes popular teen fashion trend as stores, like Altar’d State above, sell clothing featuring the flag.

“Walking around school I see a lot of students, mostly girls, wearing American flag apparel like shirts, leggings and jeans,” Janus said. “I recognize a lot of the clothing because most of those outfits come from Pacsun.”

promoting trends like tribal patterns, crosses, and now the American flag. Senior Frankie Colón, who recites the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, agrees with Janus in that while some people participate in the

Janus said that while wearing the flag can be a great way to show one’s pride for the United States, she feels that most students’ intentions have more to do with fashion than they do with patriotism. “I definitely think that most people are trying to make a fashion statement,” Janus said. “And I don’t think that people would be wearing it if it didn’t come from a certain store like Pacsun, Forever 21, or Urban Outfitters.” According to Janus, stores like these know that people will buy their clothes regardless of what it is and they take advantage of that by

trend to show their patriotism, he feels that most wear the flag in order to make a fashion statement. “I think it’s a mix of both patriotism and fashion,” Colón said. “But it is definitely more towards the side of fashion and wanting to make a statement.” According to Colón, while wearing red, white and blue colors is patriotic, he feels some students are disrespecting the flag by utilizing the colors in the wrong way. “I don’t think people have much respect for the flag when they are wearing it,” Colón said. “They are

photo by Emily Taylor

just wearing it because they like the colors and the way it looks.” John Looker, the Post Commander of the American Legion, said that it is not the fact that people are wearing the flag but rather how they are wearing the flag that makes it disrespectful. “So much of (the clothes) have the flag tattered and torn and that’s not, in my mind, right,” Looker said. According to Looker, who is also a veteran of the Vietnam War, when people wear the symbol in such ways, they are taking away from the significance behind the flag and forgetting what it means to not only the United States as a whole but also to the people who fought for the freedoms we have today. “The flag means so much to veterans because that’s the symbol that we remember when we come out of a bad conflict,” Looker said. “When you come out and you see the American flag it’s just a breath of fresh air and I don’t think it’s something people should take advantage of.” Looker said that most of today’s youth are unaware of not only what is going on in the United States but also the significance behind the flag that represents them and their country. “Students don’t realize what people had to sacrifice throughout the years in order to get to where we are today,” Looker said. “(They) don’t realize the importance of our flag and what it means to so many people.” Looker said that if stores were using the flag in order to educate today’s youth about America instead of in order to make profit then promoting the fashion trend would be ok. While most stores may be promoting the American flag design primarily for fashion, Colón believes that the trend holds the potential to be beneficial in that it brings America back to the minds of people. “The trend could become a good thing,” Colón said. “If people wear the colors with respect and they value the fact that this is the flag that represents them and the millions of people that live in the United States, then it absolutely could become a good thing.”

october 25, 2013

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Mistake Prone Teachers are human too, make mistakes, students pounce Sheila Raghavedran | Staff Writer

make mistakes. So I often time call myself out if I were to do something wrong.” According to senior Katie Carr, students are let down when teachers make an error. “Kids are usually disappointed because you expect your teachers to have all of the right answers and do everything correctly,” Carr said. “So it’s kind of a weird thing if they mess up or write something wrong on the board.” Even when found in a dilemma, it is important to remain respectful when correcting teachers, Krueger said. “You don’t want to try to put them down for it because it’s a simple mistake,” Krueger said. Carr said she generally is in a fix about what

to do in this type of situation. “Usually I look around to see if anyone else has noticed and I don’t usually tell [the teacher] at first,” Carr said. According to Nally, about half of the student population corrects teachers in the wrong way. “There are people who would just shout it out in class, or be somewhat combative,” Nally said. “And then some people who would do it appropriately.” Phrasing teacher call-outs as a question is essential, Nally said. “Be inquisitive, as opposed to argumentative,” Nally said. “And I think that’s the key.” photo/photo art by Emily Taylor, Gabrielle Stichweh.

Some students have mastered the art of teacher-correcting. According to senior Christopher Krueger, teachers can make mistakes in two different ways. “You can have some [teachers] that are simply mistaken, like they misspeak or something, and will have a mistake made in that fashion,” Krueger said. “Sometimes it’s…the way something has always been taught.” English teacher Stephanie Nally said mistakemaking is a consequence of being human. “I’m a big proponent of [the idea that] you have to forgive people for being human,” Nally said. “Seeing as we are all humans, we will all

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october 25, 2013

High Risk, High Reward Riders fly high, tempt fate in race to conquer motocross course Matthew Marvar | Staff Writer

Motocross is a rough sport—but the people who do it unquestionably love it. This is a sport that involves high-powered motorbikes, sharp turns, muddy terrain, hills, and lots of endurance. Junior Rayce Davis got into motocross just a few years ago. “I got a bike when I was in seventh grade— I started real late and just learned on a little trail bike and moved up to an actual bike, started racing in it and got a little bit better,” Rayce said. It takes a lot of strength, grit, and perseverance in order to be good at motocross, according to Rayce. “It’s a lot harder than just twisting the throttle and riding,” Rayce said. “You get real tired on the bike and you have to be in pretty good physical shape to be able to do it.” Each race is about 30 minutes long—nonstop. According to junior Alex Money, the endurance needed to race can both add to and take away from the fun of riding. “Riding puts a lot of stress on your body and it just makes you really tired, really fast,” Money said. “You have to move [the motorbike] around in corners, and when you’re in the air, if you’re not centered, you have to move the bike and get it straight; and that’s 220 pounds that you just have to throw around. In the moment, it makes [racing] less fun but you feel a lot better afterwards because you know you worked really hard.” Money explains that terrain has a big impact on everything in motocross, whereas on a bicycle, it doesn’t. “The terrain conditions don’t really affect you on a bike because most of the time you’re riding in the street anyway, but different track surfaces [in motocross] make [riding] harder or easier,” Money said. In a sport with such variation like motocross, injuries are inevitable, according to Rayce. “There’s so many different ways you can get hurt,” Rayce said. “It’s high risk. You’re always going high speeds, there are jumps, and you can get hurt real easily.” Rayce and Money have been lucky so far,

only receiving a few concussions and some broken bones, but others haven’t been as fortunate. According to sophomore Donald Davis, the injuries are limitless. “Every injury is possible,” Donald said. “I’ve known people who’ve gotten heart attacks and been lit on fire from motocross. There was another guy who broke his back and is paralyzed for the rest of his life because a dirtbike landed on the back of him when he was in a jump.” Despite the major injuries associated with the sport, it doesn’t keep junior Chase Bargo from doing what he loves. “I don’t like the fact [of having a crash], but I like racing so much that I just don’t really think about it,” Bargo said. According to Money, practice is essential in order to get better and safer at motocross. “Just putting laps in so you get more comfortable on the bike; it’s really all you can do,” Money said. “Just working out and getting stronger, so it’s easier to ride.” According to Rayce, one of the biggest attributes a person must have in order to be good at motocross is commitment. “Once you start getting around the racing atmosphere, [you notice] people really dedicate their lives to this,” Rayce said. “If you’re going to be real serious about it, honestly, [there isn’t] time to go to college … [there isn’t] time to have a side job; you’d have to be constantly on the bike and you’ve gotta be racing every day of the week if you want to be up there racing top competition.” Rayce aspires to have motocross similarly encompass his life. “At the pro level…they wake up in the morning, they train, they go out and ride, they do their thing, they eat healthy, they train more,” Rayce said. “Everything they do is revolved around motocross. I’d really, one day, like to have that type of lifestyle because that’s what I love to do and it’s just one of my favorite things to do in the world.”

photo by Matthew Marvar

Junior Rayce Davis practices on the motorcross course.

october 25, 2013

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Daily Divas

Students ‘put a ring on it’, find confidence in Beyonce attitude Rashika Jaipuriar | Staff Writer

Look in a mirror. While most people see their ordinary reflections, some view themselves in a more glamorous light: as real-life divas. Juniors Keefer Kaneshiro and Brianna Kelly don’t just admire popular divas like Beyoncé, they claim to be Beyoncé. According to Kaneshiro, his Beyoncé obsession goes beyond norms because he follows in the footsteps of his favorite diva by creating an alter-ego – “Keefoncé.” “I feel like it should be a goal for every day, to do something that Beyoncé would do,” Kaneshiro said. According to Kaneshiro, his diva antics started after he watched Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” performance at the Video Music Awards in 2009. For Kelly, her life-changing diva transformation occurred more recently, during sophomore year. “People have always told me I [kind of] looked like Beyoncé, but [it] never really meant anything to me until she just started performing one day and I [thought] ‘Oh my gosh, she’s perfect,’” Kelly said. “I always made the joke about it, how I was Beyoncé and…it just [kind of] escalated from there [and] turned [into] to me actually thinking I’m Beyoncé.” Although divas are becoming alter-egos and role-models for people like Kaneshiro and Kelly, the trend is also catching on in a looser sense. Sophomore Baylee Scott is a Beyoncé fan and even calls herself “Bayoncé,” but she doesn’t take the role as seriously. “I pretty much just did it because it fits with my name…” Scott said. “I just thought it was funny. I don’t really consider myself a diva, but I just like how it sounds.” Though for Kaneshiro and Kelly, being Beyoncé has made a deeper impact on their lives. “More people address me as Beyoncé than they actually do my own name,” Kelly said. “It’s the kind of person I am -- because I act like your typical diva.” However, the reality of the situation is apparent for Kelly because she said she views “being Beyoncé”

lightheartedly. “I know I’m never going to be [Beyoncé],” Kelly said. “But it [has] definitely helped me become a nicer person all-around. I think I’m much more of a respectable person now…I feel like I’ve become a lot more vocal with people.” Although negative diva characteristics include speaking with ‘nofilter’ and being too headstrong, Kaneshiro said the feeling of confidence overpowers those traits. “I’ve always been sort of self-conscious...so it’s good to put up this wall of diva,” Kaneshiro said. “Convince yourself that you are a strong person, and then you will be.” According to Kaneshiro, divas are not as mean and exclusive as they seem. “We’re all Beyoncé. We all have an inner Beyoncé.” Kaneshiro said. “It’s more of a way of thinking. Anyone can be fabulous if they choose to be so.” According to English teacher Lori Roth, she wears her diva proudly because of the larger responsibility that comes with it. “[Being called a diva means]: you have self-confidence, you’re totally okay with who you are, and that ‘who you are’ is for the good of others,” Roth said. “You can be a diva and still serve others.” Roth said she uses her inner-diva to influence progressive change at MHS; for example, by pushing for students to have more choice in the books they read. “[It’s] just being confident in that I know this is the right choice for the kids,” Roth said. Although Kaneshiro said the actual term “Keefoncé” is a joke, like Roth, he also hopes to have a larger impact on MHS by being a diva. “[I hope it will] have people just be themselves -- Be Beyoncé” Kaneshiro said. “It’s good to speak your mind [and] be open -- in a positive way...A fabulous diva is somebody who shares their opinions [and is] very very nice – a role model.”

Juniors Keefer Kaneshiro and Brianna Kelly display their love of Beyoncé. photos by Emily Taylor photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh

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photo by Emily Taylor

Show And Tell Students grapple with expectation to share grades with peers Katie Hermann | Staff Writer

Peer pressure is inevitable, and grades can easily become publicized. It’s hard to overlook the fact that people are curious. According to Paul Reedy, a Social Studies teacher, students ask about each other’s due to natural curiosity. “I don’t think [students] mean to [pressure] others in a nasty way,” Reedy said. “But [comparing grades] puts a person on-the-spot.” Grades should not be something that is forced to be shared, according to sophomore Adam Helton. But the constant comparison between students is always looming. “People want to compare themselves to you to see how they did,” Helton said. “If your friend is smart, you want to see his grade.” With this natural instinct to ask, junior Michael Chen believes students want to share their thoughts about the assignment. “Most people are compliant to say

‘Oh I failed it,’ sarcastically,” Chen said. However, for some students failing or near failure is the reality. Junior Seth Dowers admits to being embaressed with his grades. “In Chemistry there are students next to me who usually get ‘A’s or ‘B’s and I try to hide my tests because I barely passed it,” Dowers said. It is not in everyone’s nature to feel comfortable with publicizing their grades, which is why Reedy always reflects back to when he was a student. “If I did not do as well on a test as I would’ve hoped, I don’t want the rest of the class knowing my score,” Reedy said. “I want to deal with my own disappointment.” Dowers said he laughs off the frustration of his grades. Although he is comfortable with sharing, when disappointment strikes he is generally his own motivation. “I say to myself ‘You’ll do better next

time,’” Dowers said, “And usually I do because I try harder.” Although not all students are motivated by lower grades, Social Studies teacher Joe Hammond said he is an advocate for showing grade distribution and statistics within his class. “I feel there is a big value in graphing the grade distribution,” Hammond said. “If students don’t see [the distribution among the class], then they might feel there’s a whole bunch of people in that [low] area.” A problem arises, however, when students are able to identify peers with their ID numbers, according to Hammond. “Most of the time students don’t figure it out, but sometimes it’s painfully obvious,” Hammond said. Avoiding embarrassment is why Reedy does not share any information of an individual student’s grade. “[For] the scantron collection, I will pick them up from [each] desk,” Reedy

said. “Some students want to pass them forward. But it’s not Person’s B business to know what Person A got on a test.” Occasionally, however, Reedy does provide the class average. But Chen said that the class average has a neutral effect when shared. “Knowing the average will not impact anything,” Chen said, “It’s just another statistic.” Honors Pre-Calculus teacher Johnothon Sauer sees eye to eye with these students. “Ultimately, it’s about you as the student, how well you’ve learned the material,” Sauer said. “It’s not about how well you learned the material compared to everybody else.” Sauer said the student earned the grade; therefore, the grade belongs to them, not the teacher. “It’s their property,” Sauer said. “It’s up to them to share it. Or keep it secret. Or tell the truth. Or lie about it.”

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october 25, 2013

Hands Off Math courses require students to test without calculators Gina Deaton | Staff Writer

You + Calculator = Content. You – Calculator = Confused and possibly crazed. For many people, calculators mean consistency. It’s easy to plug a quick division or multiplication problem into a calculator. There will be a quick, correct answer in a matter of milliseconds with no time and no room for errors. Calculators may have equaled consistency, but because AP Calculus students have to take more than half of their exam without one, AP Calculus teachers like Kristina Broaddrick must prepare their students by restricting calculator use in class. “We have to spend a significant amount of time without the calculator to make sure we’re ready for that portion of the exam,” Broaddrick said. “…I think what happens is [students] start to use [calculators] as their brain instead of as a tool. We have gotten to where people can’t function without [calculators], and that’s not helpful.” AP Calculus student, senior Aditya More said he is forced to do more time-consuming work without his calculator.

“You just have to do a little more work to get answers,” More said. “It’s teaching us how to relearn our math skills and learn how to do everything by hand, just so we really get the skills instead of relying on a calculator all the time.” AP Calculus student, senior Rachel Besse said that getting answers correct without her calculator makes her feel more successful. “It stresses me out that I’m not allowed to use a calculator, but if I get an answer right it’s sort of empowering that I actually understand what I’m doing,” Besse said. “…It’s a lot harder because I have to rely on only my knowledge and I can’t do any calculations on my calculator.” The confiscation of calculators can be frustrating for students, but More said he thinks that it will be helpful in the long run. “I think it’s a fairly good thing,” More said. “It can be kind of hard on us sometimes, having to do more work, but in the end it’s really improving our math skills.”

photo by

C sports

october 25, 2013

MAN VS.

WILD

Hunters ready their bows in the hunt for elusive buck

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Will Leathers | Staff Writer

For juniors Seth Warwick and Brandon Barnes, October means more than the beginning of fall.It means the start of bow hunting season and a chance to get back into the woods once again. For these students, hunting is an activity free of the regulations that burden mainstream sports, and provides a natural, primal challenge that dates back to the beginning of time. “It’s just you versus another animal, it’s a battle,” Warwick said. “You never know what’s going to happen. You don’t have rules or regulations, there’s nothing there to protect you. It’s you by yourself against the animal.” The day begins long before daybreak to ensure that they get into position before the deer do. “We get up around four or five in the morning,” Warwick said. “We wait until the light just starts coming up before we go to our stand. [The deer] start standing up and walking around and that’s when you can get them.” But according to Warwick, hunting is painstakingly slow. Hunters must remain quiet and sit still for hours on end, regardless of the weather. “The worst thing is the cold,” Warwick said. “You’re sitting there in the tree stand, you can’t move, and it’s not like you can run around and warm yourself up, you’re just freezing”… you have to be quiet and be patient and wait for them to come in, and be attentive.” But the adrenaline rush kicks in as soon as an animal crosses in front of the stand. “As soon as it walks out your heart starts going crazy,” Warwick said. “It’s a really huge adrenaline rush, you’re shaking and everything is shaking but you have to make sure you’re steady enough to shoot it.”

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Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife

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Highlight

Photo by Madison Krell

Junior Katie Pusis prepares to set up a teammate.

Seven of the fall sports teams have won GMC championships this year. This includes both soccer teams, both cross country teams, girls’ tennis, girls’ volleyball and girls’ golf.

The boys’ soccer team has a current total of 13 shutouts this season, with only a single goal scored on senior keeper, Spencer Parrish.

370

Junior running back Lucas Edwards has racked up a season total of 361 rushing yards.

The amount of regular season wins for the girls’ tennis team who finished their regular season with an unbeaten record of 19-0. results as of September 23.

Continued

from

october 25, 2013

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Bow hunters ready for deer season But shooting the deer is only half the battle, especially with a bow. Once the arrow hits, the deer takes off in a race for its life, sometimes running for up to two miles. “You have to be aware and know where you are in the woods and know the certain signs that its gone this way or gone that way,” Warwick said. Depending on the time of year, the signs can be overtly obvious or painstakingly subtle. “You have to follow the blood spatter and see if you see scrapings or trampled bushes because they’re not trying to be agile anymore, they’re just running,” Warwick said. “So you’ll see leaves thrown up or if it’s wet or snowy you’ll follow their hoof prints. In the winter it’s actually a lot easier, because everything is snow-covered so you see the red blood [and] footprints. So it’s not, ‘run and try to find it’, it’s slow and tedious and sometimes you’ll have to come back and backtrack to find your way around.” Even the blood contains clues as to how far the deer may be able to run. “If you look on your arrow where the blood is, if there are air bubbles in it you know you hit it in the lungs, so that means it’s probably going to run farther,” Warwick said. “If you hit

it in the heart, it’s going to be really dark, thick blood, and so that’s how you’re going to know that you hit it in the heart. If it’s green it means you hit it in the guts and it can run for up to a mile or two.” And although killing is a harsh reality for hunters, it’s done with the utmost respect for the animal, Warwick said. “It’s not really all about the killing,” Warwick said. “I don’t go out there to just kill something and leave it there. It’s respect for the animal, and it’s been passed down through my family, I was raised in it.” Once the animal is killed, it then has to be gutted in preparation to eat. “You have to gut it, take out all its guts,” Barnes said. “Then you hang it up somewhere, take off the hide then butcher it up.” For these hunters, the biggest reward is being able to put food on the table for their families the more traditional way, hunting and gathering instead of buying it from the store. “You’re kind of proud that you’re putting food on the table for your family,” Warwick said. “It’s a lot better than going to Kroger and buying steaks because you feel more proud of what you’ve done.”

MVP: Spencer Parrish, soccer

Class: 2014 Position: Goal Keeper Best part about soccer: Getting to hang out with my teammates Worst part about soccer: The time commitment Role Model: Pedro Diaz, last year’s starting keeper Pregame Meal: Pasta and pizza Pump Up Song: I listen to Kanye West or Kid Cudi Most embarassing moment: Getting hit in the wrong spot two games in a row Common misconception about soccer: We’re all grass fairies Weird talent: I can touch my tongue to my nose Toughest opponents: Lakota West and Centerville Photo by Erin Brush

october 25, 2013

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Magic Melon? Grismer sucks down watermelon juice on way to GMC title

Chloe Knue | Editor-in-Chief Will Leathers | Staff Writer

There is magic in ‘them there watermelons.’ Greater Miami Conference champion and runner of the year Nick Grismer is a believer in the power of water melon juice. According to Grismer, he had been experiencing hamstring pain and intense muscle soreness after his 3.1 mile races on weekends. Grismer was so sore after racing that he was unable resume practices with the team until the following Wednesday, missing out on two days of training. Men’s head coach Tom Rapp said that Grismer having to sit out those two days was taking away valuable practice time, and that’s when the two of them knew it was imperative to find a solution for one of Mason’s star runners. Rapp said he was forwarded an article from a respected runner’s magazine about the healing properties of watermelon juice. According to the article, consuming watermelon juice after workout drastically reduces muscle soreness. Rapp passed the article on to Grismer, and soon after Grismer headed out to test this for himself. “I bought a melon, put it in a blender and then tried it,” Grismer said. “It was remarkable. Watermelon juice has an amino acid in it that helps break down lactic acid which is what makes [athletes] sore.” Grismer’s soreness seemed to disappear as a result of the juice. According to Rapp, he’d never heard anything like this. “As soon as he started [drinking watermelon juice] he started training first thing on Monday,” Rapp said. “I don’t know if it was psychological or physical. But it worked.”

Grismer said that he was no longer sore when running at the beginning of the week. He said he felt much better and that he and his teammates both noticed a large difference between his post-race performance before and after drinking the juice. While he said he admits some of the effects may be slightly psychological, this is to be expected because of the psychological nature of sports. “Scientifically they have proven the effects of this amino acid [that comes more concentrated in watermelon juice],” Grismer said. “It might be psychological but that’s a lot of what running is, it’s psychological. If you think you can do something, you probably can.” According to Rapp, there may have been other factors contributing to Grismer’s faster turnover, but he won’t let Grismer stop drinking the juice anytime soon. “He [may have] gotten in better shape,” Rapp said. “But I am going to make sure he keeps drinking watermelon juice for the rest of the season.”

“I bought a melon, put it in a blender and then tried it. It was remarkable.”

Grismer uses his secret watermelon juice to recover more quickly after races.

Photo Art by Erin Brush

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Mr. Everything

october 25, 2013

Gunnels does it all to impact both offensive and defensive play Jimmy Halpin | Staff Writer

Gunnels catches a water break at the homnecoming game.

Soccer

Photo by Erin Brush

If Cameron Gunnels was a repairman, he could fix your faucets, stop roof leaks, restore windows and probably change the oil in your car. Sound farfetched? That’s essentially what the senior is called on to do for the Comet football team on Friday nights. Gunnels is one of the few athletes to play on both sides of the ball. He stops leaks as defensive back and hammers in touchdowns as wide receiver. According to Gunnels, he originally only played defense until he was approached by the offensive coaches. “They asked me if I would be interested in playing offense,” Gunnels said. “Now I come off for special

teams but other than that, I’m pretty much on the field at all times. I return punts; I used to return kickoffs they took me off that because I started to get tired.” Gunnels said he also puts a strong focus on his recovery after each week’s matchup. “That next Saturday I’m pretty tired; it takes a lot of ice and a lot of fluids,” Gunnels said. “It takes a lot of water in your body to recover.” According to Gunnels, he doesn’t have a position preference as long as he’s on the field. “I just like being on the field at all times. I love playing both ways,” Gunnels said. “I feel like I can make a difference in every aspect of the game.” Fall sports update as of press time Oct. 21. Photos by The Chronicle staff.

Fall Sports Update Golf

Tennis

Girls: GMC cham-

Boys: Con-

Girls: GMC champions, competed in sectional game against Milford Monday Oct. 21.

Boys: GMC champions, played in district

semifinal on Tuesday, senior Jack Clark leads in scoring.

Cross Country

Girls: GMC Champions, senior Quinn At-

kinson placing 20th at state and senior Miranda Dubler placing 25th.

Water Polo Girls: Placed

second at regionals, will compete in state finals tomorrow.

Girls: GMC champi- Boys: GMC champions, district champions, competing in regional championship tomorrow in Troy, led by Leah Ford and Ellie Brush.

ons, district champions, competing in regional championship tomorrow in Troy, led by Tom Clark and Nick Grismer.

pions, third place at state team tournament, record number of state qualifiers including Elizabeth Kong (singles) and both doubles teams.

cluded season with a strong showing at district tournament, missing state by just nine strokes.

Boys: Placed third

at regionals, will continue on to state this weekend at Mason.

Football Tonight the 3-5 Comets will face another conference rival when the Fairfield Indians come to Comet Country.

Volleyball Girls: GMC champions, finished season with a loss to Lakota East in the sectional championship.

october 25, 2013

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