chroniCle January 17, 2014
thecspn.com
Volume 11, Issue 4
the
Face-off
Getting Fit
Piada challenges Chipotle’s empire, see page 11.
Hockey team endures Crossfit training to prepare for season, see page 27.
Winter Formal
NHS’ Gatsby-themed winter dance anticipated to be roaring hit, see page 7.
Snow Day Sacrifices
Calamity-day cap dooms underclassmen end-of-the-year fate
Emily Taylor | Staff Writer
Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. While everyone loves waking up to a snow day, the consequences that come as a result are leading to the realization that snow days may do more harm than good. According to junior Amir Karaman, the biggest consequence is the possibility of having to tack on days to the end of the
year. “The fact that days of summer could be taken away is definitely one of the downfalls,” Karaman said. According to Principal Mindy McCartyStewart, however, adding days to the end of the year is not a perfect solution. “If we were to add days we could potentially lose time preparing students for the OGTs and all of our [end-of-the-year] award banquets would get pushed around,” McCarty-Stewart said. Karaman said another prob-
lem with adding days to the end of the year is that it is essentially punishing students for something they can’t control. “We have no control over the weather so it isn’t fair to penalize us for that,” Karaman said. According to McCarty-Stewart, while adding days to the end of the year may not solve every problem, it is what has to be done in order to compensate for lost time. McCarty-Stewart said she is hopeful that snow days won’t extend the school year’s length, but that decision is up to Mother Nature. “We can’t control the weather,” McCartyStewart said. “We just have to take it day by day.”
photo by Emily Taylor
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news
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C Boys basketball vs. Hamilton
The boys basketball team is playing at home tonight against Hamilton. Check thecspn.com for coverage.
Photo by Matt Marvar
The boys basketball team exchanges high fives to get rallied for the game.
C James Horning Invitational
The wrestling team is hosting a tournament tomorrow. View thecspn.com for coverage including pictures and results.
C Southwest Classic
The swimming and diving team is hosting a meet this weekend. Check thecspn.com for coverage including pictures and results.
Photo by Matt Marvar
Swimmers took to the water at the Mason Invitational. compiled by Gina Deaton
End
of an
Era
Culbertson steps down from school board Erin Brush | Sports Editor
The retirement of school board Vice President Marianne Culbertson marks the end of an era. Culbertson, a mother of two Mason alumni herself, said she has seen Mason go through an incredible evolution in her 20 years with the board. “[The major changes have been] building, rising to [a] student population of close to 11,000, and being the biggest school in the state,” Culbertson said. “[We’ve been] changing from what was viewed as more of a rural district to a vibrant city district with very high achieving levels in every aspect of what a school district is about.” Culbertson has been a part of many of the district’s major changes, including the construction of the high school, and the hiring of multiple superintendents. “The most exciting experience is being part of designing a school building, like taking into consideration the opportunities like the school store and the school bank,” Culbertson said. “I was part of a large group that put [those ideas] on paper, and to see that come to fruition and the opportunities that exist was probably the most exciting. [I’m proud of] continually improving so that the opportunities are there for students to succeed.” English teacher Kurt Bly has personally known Culbertson for 17 years, and said her best quality is that she truly cares for students. “[Culbertson] has done a great job of being centered on what a board member should be,” Bly said. “First and foremost, she always kept the needs of the student at the forefront of her thinking. I think that’s what you hope for as a taxpayer and as a person who votes for school board members. Marianne is someone who has time and time again demonstrated her love for our community. And I can support that even when I don’t agree with her.” According to Culbertson, retired Mason Middle School teacher and Mason alumnus Randy Andrews will take her seat on the board this month. “[Andrews] will be sworn in in January,” Culbertson said. “I think he will do a great job. He’s
Photo contributed by Tracey Carson
Marianne Culbertson (back right) attended the Mason Early Childhood Center opening in 2007
very passionate about Mason Schools, and that’s what you need for this role.” Culbertson said she is confident that the district’s future prospects remain positive. “[Mason] will remain strong,” Culbertson said. “It’s got the foundation to consistently be one of the best school districts in the country. That’s just a combination of great families, tremendous teachers and staff, and incredible students that work hard.”
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Smoking Blows Electronic cigarettes not a smoking alternative at MHS Madison Krell | Staff Writer
Photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh
Mason is all in for electronics, except when it involves cigarettes. Like traditional cigarettes, there is an age requirement of 18 to buy and smoke electronic cigarettes in Ohio. Unlike typical cigarettes, what is actually being smoked is water vapor instead of tobacco. According to resource Officer Karli Dyer, anyone that is caught with electronic cigarettes at school will have to face consequences from the administration and the law. “Right now if electronic cigarettes are found in school, you’re going to be dealing with consequences from the school level,” Dyer said. “Then I would follow up with my prosecutor about what we should do next, because it’s not technically a cigarette.” Even though regular cigarettes and electronic cigarettes are not the same thing, they fall under the same category in the rule book. They are both drugs, and Mason has a no-drug policy. “The school policy is that they are not allowed in the school; period,” Dyer said. “It’s in the rule book, anything that looks, smells, acts, or substitutes as a smoking product, inhalant, or anything like that, can get you in trouble.” Whether e-cigs are in school or in the parking lot, they are completely banned at MHS. If visible, the principals may find out about them with the help of teachers and other students. According to assistant principal Dan Distel, students often ‘tattle tale’ on
their peers when they notice something is wrong. “We’ve had instances
in which students that are concerned about the environment that they’re in, and they will bring the usage of e-cigs to our attention,” Distel said. “Teachers have also seen things, and we investigate to find out what they are.” Electronic cigarettes can be used for smoking harmful substances other than water vapor. According to Distel, the high school has limited ways to find out what is actually being smoked. “We don’t have the luxury of being able to determine what someone is and isn’t doing,” Distel said. “So for us, it all falls under the umbrella of an illegal substance, because of what could be done with an electronic cigarette. And if the oils that are supposed to be used are nicotine-based, then I think we have just the same concern health wise when it comes to students being engag[ed] in an unhealthy practice.” According to Distel, most students disregard the intended purpose of electronic cigarettes, which is to help stop smoking. Instead of
trying to quit smoking, they use them to try to hide the fact that they are using drugs in the school. “One way they advertise e-cigs is that they are a substitute for regular cigarettes,” Distel said. “I think they’re looking for an alternative that is less easy to identify in school; you don’t have the odor of the cigarette, and so it’s easier for them to go unnoticed. They aren’t inconspicuous; they’re larger, they have the glowing end, they still have vapor, they’re hard to hide in terms of you take it out and put it to your mouth. You’re not going to be easily able to conceal that.” According to sophomore Haley Buckley, electronic cigarettes do have their perks. “My mom has an electronic cigarette,” Buckley
said. “Before she had one, she used to smoke regular cigarettes. My sister used to smoke, and she is going to get an e-cig; I think it’s better than her smoking.” Buckley recognizes the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes. According to Buckley, the only reason someone should smoke them is if they are already addicted to nicotine. “If you didn’t smoke before, you probably shouldn’t use them,” Buckley said. “You’re still getting into a habit, you’ll still get addicted to the nicotine that’s in them.” According to Distel, the health effects are a big mystery to high school administration. Because of the mystery, they have a large concern for the health effects on students. “Our first and foremost concern is with health,” Distel said. “There is just not a lot of knowledge about electronic cigarettes and what impact it has on your health. It’s hard to believe that anything you breathe into your lungs that has harmful chemicals is going to be good for you health-wise. But the reality is that we don’t know.” According to Distel, the staff is always there to look out for students when they need help. “We encourage kids to be thoughtful about what they are putting in their bodies,” Distel said. “We want to make sure that people are making good decisions. We would like to offer anything that we can to anyone who is making those unhealthy decisions.” According to Dyer, the popularity of e-cigs inside and outside of the high school is rising. “The use of e-cigs has only begun,” Dyer said. “We’ve seen the use of e-cigs being used as a narcotic and things of that nature. This is only the tip of the ice berg. This is only the beginning.”
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Carrying On
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Sandy Hook family reflects on tragedy with hope for future Fernanda Hurtado | Staff Writer
Matthijs survived the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in December 2012. Photo by Fernanda Hurtado
He wasn’t hit, but carries the wounds from one of the most notorious school shootings in recent American history. On December 14, 2012 a man took deadly aim at Sandy Hook Elementary, killing 27 people in the process. Matthijs was in second grade at Sandy Hook Elementary when he and his classmates heard a commotion coming from outside. That following summer, as they were already scheduled to, Matthijs and his family, who asked to keep their last name unpublished for privacy, moved to Mason. According to Matthijs, his teacher, thinking the sound was the janitor with a rolling cart, checked outside and then locked the doors, explaining that she thought she had seen something. After waiting for what, according to Matthjis, felt like three hours inside the classroom, he and his classmates were escorted out of the building by State Police. “It felt like an [official exit] because there were police in a row covering the hallways and leading us out until the back exit as we all held hands,” Matthijs said. The firehouse in front of the school was the safety point where parents could find their children. “We went out the school and ran to the firehouse [where] the parents would come [to meet us],” Matthijs said. “Then the parents had to sign out who they were picking up [so that the police] knew who was not in the school anymore.” Leonie, Matthijs’ mother, was Christmas shopping
when a lady approached her and asked her if she had heard that the schools were on lockdown because there had been a shooting. “I thought maybe it was an issue with an angry parent or maybe a lost hunter because there was a hunting area nearby,” Leonie said. While Leonie waited in the firehouse for Matthijs to be released, she said they were informed on the seriousness of the event. “At the time nobody really knew how bad it was except the people maybe in the school that were near it,” Leonie said. “Only in the firehouse [did] we realize that there might have been deaths. The principal and Ms. Soto, Matthijs’ first grade teacher, were mentioned.” Nathalie, Matthijs’ sister, was going to lunch in transition from the lockdown when she and a victim’s sibling heard about the shooting in the elementary. “We weren’t supposed to know about it until one teacher told her students and [word got around],” Nathalie said. “I was with one of the victim’s siblings and we both went into tears during lunch.” Matthjis’ brother Jeroen--now a Mason freshman--also experienced the terror of the Sandy Hook lockdown, but had access to more information during it. “One girl in my class had her phone out and got the information from her mom that there was shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary,” Jeroen said. “It was unrest but my teacher did keep a good control of everyone.” According to Leonie, even before the shooting happened their family was scheduled to relocate. Nathalie was introduced to Mason’s new security drill, A.L.I.C.E., a few weeks after moving here and said she is glad it exists. “[I feel safe in Mason] because of A.L.I.C.E.,” Nathalie said. “I am glad that exists now because I think it helps avoid what happened [and] so we know what to do instead of panicking, sitting in a room, and hoping for the best.” According to Leonie, the family tries to focus on the future to help the whole family move on, especially Matthijs. “There must be something good coming out of this, which is what everybody is hoping for,” Leonie said. “That is why we as a family focus not on anger but on kindness and change for the future.”
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String Kings Honors Symphony Orchestra performs in prestigious competition Katie Hibner | Staff Writer
A one in 12 shot at being crowned the top orchestra in the country. A once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from the best of the best. The Honors Symphony Orchestra was one of 12 high school ensembles selected to compete for the championship title at the National Orchestra Festival in Louisville this March. According to director Stephanie Jones, the group was selected by a blind audition and will perform live for top conductors at the event. “I sent in a recording [of the orchestra] to judges across the country,” Jones said.“They ranked the recordings and picked the top 12 to perform in the competition and festival. We’ll be ranked there by orchestra directors from across the United States; there will be all kinds of big names in the audience.” According to Jones, it’s nearly impossible to receive lessons from those big names, but she said they will instruct the students for an hour after their performance. “A clinician will work with the students one-on-one and talk to them about their performance,” Jones said. “They’ll be able to [learn] about [what’s] beyond the notes on the page, being a musician, all that encompasses music from a professional conductor that we would never have had the opportunity to work with without this festival.” Senior and co-concertmaster Stephanie Liu said she is excited for the conductor to add his or her own flair to the orchestra’s repertoire. “Every conductor brings their own style to the music you’ve been working on,” Liu said. “They know so much about music it blows your mind.” Liu said she will also appreciate learning from the competing high school orchestras. “It’s really cool to see other high school students and how they interact and work together,” Liu said. “You don’t just learn from professionals; you can also learn from your peers.” Liu said she and her peers at MHS practice for about 11 hours per week, take mandatory private lessons, and participate in other ensembles. However, Liu said the opportunity to experience new music is worth the workload. “In the school orchestra, you just play with string instruments, but in symphonies outside of school, you have winds and brass sections that make the sound a lot fuller,” Liu said. “The repertoire [of songs] is different, and you can explore more. It’s hard to keep up with the music sometimes, but it’s not bad because you have many rehearsals.” According to Jones, such practice pays off. She said the orchestra has consistently received superior rankings at their state competitions, performed in New York City in the National Orchestra Cup, and worked with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. Liu said teamwork is their key to success. “To play well in an orchestra, you have to be able to play well with other people,” Liu said. “We’re balanced; every section is really strong this year. We’ve gotten to know each other so well, playing together fourth bell every day.” But the ensemble members will be separated as they graduate, with some continuing to hone their musical craft in college. While Jones said she is
Photo by Emily Taylor
Senior Derek Shu plays the cello in preparation for the National Orchestra Festival.
thrilled for her ensemble members who plan to major in music performance, production, and business, she said she simply wants to instill a long-term appreciation for music in all of her students. “I teach students to love music for life,” Jones said. “Students who don’t major in music will carry their understanding of it with them and join groups because they have talent.” Liu said she won’t major in music next year, but said her passion for the violin will extend beyond the classroom. “I don’t think I’ll major in music, but music is one of those things that never really leaves you,” Liu said. “There are so many things you can do with it, such as play it in a church. You always have an appreciation for it. I’ll never stop playing violin.”
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Goin’ Gatsby NHS gets green light to host Roaring ‘20s winter dance Abbey Marshall | Staff Writer
National Honor Society is partying with Jay Gatsby on January 25, and they don’t intend to make it the small affair it was last year. There were many lessons to be learned from last year’s neon dance, according to senior co-chair Jess Hart. Hart said there are improvements being made to lure in more students, starting with the glitzy Great Gatsby theme. “Last year the leaders did a really good job but it was sort of last minute and I think this year it’s a little more thought-out and it will feel more like a dance, whereas last year it just felt like an NHS event,” Hart said. In addition to more planning time, another goal of the winter dance is to increase underclassmen attendance using greater publicity than last year, according to Mathur. “Last year, we didn’t do as good of a job of advertising as we could have,” Mathur said. “A lot of juniors and seniors were there, but not a lot of freshmen or sophomores attended the dance. Our goal this year is to market it to everybody. Last year, our turnout was around 200 to 300 but I expect at least 700 people to go this year. We’re going to put up a lot of posters and have a lot of announcements to tell everyone about it.” According to Mathur, better organization will help get the tasks at hand accomplished and create a more exciting experience. “Another thing we’re doing this year [to improve] is to organize,” Mathur said. “We’re trying to find a better DJ to play better music. We’re trying to make the dance just run more smoothly than it did last year.” In contrast to the neon theme last year, this winter dance is taking on a classier approach, according to Hart. “Last year we did neon and we got a lot of complaints that [students] wanted to be dressy,” Hart said. “I think Gatsby has that informal, dressy touch.” Mathur said the decorations are going to be top-of-the-line, displaying the glamour of the Roaring
‘20s, including a cardboard cutout of the famous Gatsby car for guests to take photos with. “We’re going to dress up the large commons really elaborately with decorations and a lot of ornaments to try to make it as Gatsby as possible,” Mathur said. The most important achievement the dance is hoping to accomplish is to have fun while raising money for a noble cause, according to NHS Advisor Barb Shuba. “It’s not meant to be another homecoming or prom; it’s meant to be a fun event that people can come low key, dance,” Shuba said. “It was another way to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma [Foundation] without donating what’s in your pocket,” Shuba said. “That’s kind of where it stemmed the challenge of, ‘Let’s find different ways to raise money aside from just giving money’… sadly, so many students at Mason are impacted by this disease.”
Senior Peter Bruns sports his attire for the Gatsby-themed dance. Photo by Abbey Marshall
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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. #TweetToTheEditor
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 Managing Editor Sheila Raghavendran Associate Editors Katherine Hansen Taylor Telford Layout and Design Editor Gabrielle Stichweh Sports Editor Erin Brush Online Editor Gina Deaton Business Manager Emily Culberson Assistant Business Manager Kelly Noriega Staff Writers Emily Taylor Katie Rojas Meghan Harris Jimmy Halpin Katie Herman Madison Krell Abbey Marshall Matthew Marvar Will Leathers Monica Brucher Kelly Noriega Fernanda Hurtado Sonia Rayka Katie Hibner Lindsay McCalmont Rashika Jaipuriar Adviser Dale Conner
Staff Editorial Delays a viable alternative to help avoid loss of instructional time While we may still anxiously await the telephone to ring, inclement weather isn’t quite the glorious blessing we grew accustomed to in childhood. After the initial glee and extra sleep, we return to find added homework, stressed teachers, and curriculums pressed for time. But don’t worry--if we get too many, some extra days will be tacked onto the trimester and the classes you’re not battling right now. While we have been and remain the most ardent fans of unscheduled days off used to gorge ourselves on Netflix, we have to admit some frustration with the post snow day chaos. It’s trite and teen-
age of us high-schoolers, but the days back after a snow day feel like a punishment. (Cue the “but the weather isn’t our fault!”). There’s no good way to handle the effects of a snow day. We know that. You add days to the butt end of the year just to meet some state mandates but still have a hurried course load in second trimester. You add a few extra minutes, hours maybe, to the regular school day but inevitably have an angry barrage from both students and parents with schedules revolving around the “2:15” mark. Nothing works. Except maybe the oft underused delay.
While there are schedule adjustments to address for students, parents, and teachers the day of, this short term struggle is worth the trouble. Worries of not meeting the required amount of school days lessen, current curriculums are not dangerously put on hold, and despite the shrunk class time, there at least is class time. Simply being here is enough for teacher to student communication to continue, assignments to be more proportionately handled, and homework to keep moving. It’s hard to admit, and even harder to embrace, but maybe the delay is what overloaded students should really hope for.
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opinion Carry on regardless
The power of parents
Katherine Hansen | Associate Editor
Meghan Harris | Staff Writer
compiled by Sonia Rayka and Meghan Harris
Cwhat you think
Rumor has it we should ‘keep calm’. But I don’t think I’ll be able to keep calm any longer if I see one more rendition of the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ poster. Let’s have a little timeline of how we got here, shall we? 1939. Months before WWII. The poster is created and widely distributed by the British government in the hopes of keeping an air-attack-fearing people ‘calm’. Little over 60 years later, at the dawn of a new millennium, the poster is rediscovered by an English bookshop owner and promptly hung in his shop. Attention quickly follows suit, popularity rises, and with the help of an ‘informational’ short from the same bookshop in 2012, the poster is now an inescapable catchphrase and international meme. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health...until death we all part. We are in fact married to it at this point. I’d like to look at it as an arranged marriage on my part, but, you know, write your own nuptials. Nevertheless, you and I and the rest of the world are bound to this nauseously iconic sensation. Every business, every subculture, and heaven knows every fandom that ever saw the light of day, has parodied the thing. I have been commanded to keep calm and ‘insert subsequent call to action meant to be considered the source of this almighty calm’ far too many times. The original intent I admire. The original meaning I long for. The original wording I think we overlook. ‘Keep calm and carry on’. There’s some movement there. Yes, that dang ‘calm’ still makes an appearance, but there’s a fluidity to its partner: carry on. ‘On’ is a preposition--in other words, it kind of shouldn’t be there if we’re following English’s Latin roots and being that annoying grammar nazi. ‘On’ leaves you hanging. But that’s exactly what these words should do. They should start us off, leave unfinished, and allow us our due say in the matter of finding ‘calm’. Much of the parodies lose this wandering, lingering suggestion for us, individually, to act. They instead tell us what we shall do and what we shall singularly and wholly consider ‘calm’. They are stationary, they end; one stop, go get ‘em. Our ‘calm’, however, should not rest in a single act. A single product. A single group. A single anything. Keeping ‘calm’ is ongoing, is individual, is active. Now please, carry on.
I vastly underestimate and underappreciate my parents. While we have our quirks and our fair share of arguments, I have grown up in a relatively stable household. It may not have always come easily, but I have always had food on my table, a roof over my head, and a bed to sleep on. My parents have worked far more than they should have to in order to provide my siblings and me with all that we need to be successful. But I, being the ungrateful, annoying teenager that I am, have found every excuse to be ungrateful for and embarrassed by my parents. I put my feet up on the dashboard and desperately try to disappear every time my mother sings and dances to the radio. I stomp my foot and storm up to my room when my father tells me that I cannot go to my friend’s house when it’s 11:58 at night because it is just SO unfair. My lips have the phrase “but everyone else’s parents let them!” memorized, while “I understand” or “I’m sorry” leave a sour taste in my mouth. In these moments, I fail to remember my mother’s grace or my father’s unending love for me. I don’t remember my mother bringing me coffee every day before work, or my father waking up at 5 a.m. to make me breakfast and pack my lunch. I fail to remember that while I may be growing up, they’re trying to help me find my way. The decisions that they make ultimately affect my judgment. The way they love me will affect the way I love myself and those around me. I have been fortunate enough to have parents who have stuck around and together for 17 years of my life. I’m fortunate enough to have a mother who sings and dances to the radio while carting me around. I’m fortunate enough to have a father who cares enough to prohibit me from making stupid decisions. I am a stupid, annoying, weird high school kid, and I have parents who love me. That in itself is enough to be grateful for.
Is Piada a threat to Chipotle?
“Piada isn’t taking over because Chipotle is already much more popular and everyone likes it a lot.” -freshman Quinn Hecker
“Maybe. I think Piada is good Italian food and convenient like Chipotle. There’s one in Centerville we used to go to after soccer games and now it’s here so it’s definitely growing.” -sophomore Emma Hodge
“No. I know that Chipotle takes their food really seriously and it’s all organic and I don’t like Italian food as much as I like Mexican food.” -junior Josh Reddington
“I don’t think Piada is taking over because when you make your own pasta it could turn out bad or good but when you make a burrito it’s just always good.” -senior Grace Rupp
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t o n s ’ , It e t a l o Y A D to O T Y L P AP
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Competitive Cuisines Rivalry struck between neighboring Piada and Chipotle Matt Marvar | Staff Writer
There’s a new kid in town--and he’s not here to play. The Chipotle on Mason Montgomery has been around for 14 successful years with minor competition; that is, until November 8, when Piada opened its doors right across the street. Their claim to fame is Italian street food, and according to sophomore Kheya Lapid, the idea of the restaurant is to line up at the counter and build your meal. “You either pick a pasta bowl or a piada, which is basically an Italian tortilla,” Lapid said. “Then you pick your sauce, your meats, your vegetables.” According to Head Chef Michelle Huff, since opening, the restaurant is getting good business and has been very popular among the Mason community. “Mason has been extremely welcoming to our concept,” Huff said. “They’ve been very inviting and we’ve had a lot of repeat customers. We’re averaging about $45,000-$50,000 a week, which when your average price point is $7.25 plus a drink, that’s a lot.” With 16 Piadas popping up across Ohio, the franchise is gaining power and it doesn’t plan on stopping, according to Huff. “Some [stores] are doing better than others,” Huff said. “The ones in the Columbus area that are close to [Ohio State University] are doing really well. [Piada is] currently looking at expanding to Florida, Texas, and a little more in Michigan.” According to Chipotle manager Lauren Sells, the restaurant is used to competition with other Mexican grilles, but has never encountered a franchise like Piada. “Our biggest competitors right now would be the other typical burrito places,” Sells said. “Piada is brand new to this area, so we’re not really sure about the competition yet…but the fact that they are styled so similarly to us is [interesting].” According to Sells, despite the new competition, Chipotle will keep doing what it did from the start because it has worked well so far. “The guy that started [Chipotle] created
something that was completely opposite to every other fast food restaurant,” Sells said. “[The food we sell] is all high price, good quality stuff. And that’s obviously the message we’re big on telling people--and I think that’s a big part of what’s made Chipotle so successful because they tried something completely different from everywhere else.” Customers are so fond of Piada because of the restaurant’s wide variety of menu items as well as the inviting atmosphere, according to Huff. “We have seven different meats to choose from--[the menu] is very diverse and that’s what I like about it,” Huff said. “I feel that it’s our menu that stands out the most. We really work on our guest service and make sure that everyone feels welcome here.” In order to not only stay ahead of the competition but to also give back, Chipotle keeps in touch with the community through charities and fundraisers, according to Sells, and that’s what makes Chipotle such a good company. “We are very big on community. We do a lot of fundraisers to help charities out, different organizations…we do promo days with Mason High School,” Sells said. “We do something that’s very unique to Chipotle called ‘Harvest’. Typically at a restaurant, at the end of the night, we’ve got leftovers. Most places either throw it all away, or they reuse it for the next day. Chipotle doesn’t do that; we save what is still [of good quality] and we actually donate it the next morning to local churches and homeless shelters. It’s a really good company.” According to Sells, not only does Chipotle uphold the spotlight through charity, but also via social media. “The newest thing they’ve taken over is Instagram--they’ve got competitions monthly,” Sells said. “You tag pictures to [Chipotle’s] Instagram page of you with your friends either at Chipotle or eating [one of our] burritos.” Although the competition between the two similar restaurants is growing, Sells believes Chipotle will always be number one. “I think the competition is going to be kind of similar to a supermarket chain, where Wal-
Mart is obviously the big dog--then you’ve got the smaller ones like Target and Kroger,” Sells said. “They’re all big competition and they’re styled very similarly, but Wal-Mart is still number one. I think that’s going to be very similar when it comes to Chipotle--now that we’ve got Piada.” Sells speculated that the competition won’t stop here--in fact, it’s just getting good. But because of Chipotle’s high priorities on food quality, customer service, and the treatment of animals, according to Sells, Chipotle will always be the
gold medalist. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more coming up that aren’t even Mexican grilles,” Sells said. “Not only did Chipotle start that, but because of everything our company stands for, it makes us so much bigger and meaningful.” photo by Matt Marvar
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NOW OPEN MASON
Stop by the Comet Zone and check out our new merchandise!
MASON comets
mason COMETS
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january 17, 2014
feature
Disfluently Speaking Word repetition verbal symptom of self-consciousness Sonia Rayka | Staff Writer
Forty-three. That’s how many times sophomore Sachika Singh used the word “like” in just under five minutes. The repetition of words has a long history of misconceptions and poking fun at those who use them on a daily basis. History teacher Steven Prescott, guilty of using the word “um” frequently in his lessons, justified it by saying it helps his train of thought. “It’s a transition word,” Prescott said. “It helps me to think. It also allows for the students to know that in some ways I’m doing metacognition and I don’t exactly know where I’m going next but I’m thinking of it rather than just being blank.” Singh said that her use of the word often makes her feel like people go straight to stereotypes when they heard the infamous “L” word constantly used in conversation. “If you’re talking and you don’t use the word, you sound more presentable and your thoughts are more coherent,” Singh said. “I feel like people see it as a valley girl thing and they’re stereotypically ditzy and that kind of goes along with using ‘like’ a lot which isn’t true.” According to ECA teacher Arlene Borock, the fad of “like” has stuck over the past decade and it can mess
Sophomore Sachika Singh is guilty of overusing the word “like”.
with students’ better judgment in their speech. “Sometimes I feel like people who repeat the word ‘like’ a lot are people who are constantly hearing it used a lot in society,” Borock said. “People have been using the word ‘like’ for at least a decade now. Because they’re hearing it so much, it just naturally falls into their speech and if they don’t use it all of a sudden it doesn’t sound right.” Junior Jacob Reeder, a frequent user of “uh”, said that he only recognizes it once brought to his attention due to its constant place in his everyday speech. “I think it’s just a natural thing I do,” Reeder said. “When I say ‘uh’, I don’t even notice half the time. Once it’s brought up, I do notice that I use it a lot.” School psychologist Jeff Schlaeger said that even the most prepared orators often have a few repeated words here and there but for different reasons. While watching Barack Obama speak, Schlaeger said he noticed some “um”s in his speech. “I think there was a lot of nervousness in his case,” Schlaeger said. “He has to carefully construct every word that he says because when I speak to you, the world isn’t dissecting what I’m saying. I think people who repeat words have some sort of inward analysis of what they’re doing while they’re
Junior Jacob Reeder abuses the word “uh”.
doing it and they can’t keep up with that so the ‘like’s and the ‘um’s are bridging that gap.” Borock said the reasoning behind the use of “like” is, in fact, due to the lack of preparation rather than an early warning sign of a valley girl. “Usually, people repeat words such as ‘like’ or ‘um’ as fillers because they’re not prepared,” Borock said. “You’re trying to think on the spot and you’ve got the nerves at the same time so the two things together don’t make your brain move quickly enough unless you’ve got a ton of experience with impromptu speaking.” On the other hand, Reeder said that his use of “uh” as a filler word tends to help him connect his thoughts while speaking rather than dealing with silence. “It’s a way to bridge thoughts together,” Reeder said. “You pause in between thoughts so you just throw something in there instead of staying silent.” According to Borock, there is hope for filler word addicts: to simply take it slow and listen before repeating yet another “like” in conversation. “It just takes practice so you can listen to yourself,” Borock said. “Once you hear yourself repeating certain words, they can focus on training themselves not to. Being aware of it helps.”
History teacher Steven Prescott overuses the word “um”.
Photos by Sonia Rayka
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Mealtime Customs Lunch packing style reflects personalities Katherine Hansen | Associate Editor
It’s in the bag. According to senior Brian Ciepichal, a brown-paper-bag-lunch packer of five years, the social expectations of high school lead many lunch-packing students to favor paper bags over lunchboxes for their daily meals. “If you’re in high school and you bring in a lunchbox, you kind of get looked at,” Ciepichal said. There’s an unwanted stigma to the lunchbox that turns many packers away, according to senior Casey Lawson who’s used a lunchbox since elementary school. The brown paper bag is often looked to as a way to avoid those potential stereotypes. “A lot of people think lunchboxes are kind of lame,” Lawson said. “And I mean sometimes I guess they are. Most people who pack their lunch want it to be in a paper bag because it’s safe--it’s [cooler].” According to Lawson, the lunchbox is in even more stark contrast when compared to a school-bought lunch. “I think people get an impression from me carrying my lunch in a lunchbox rather than maybe the people who just buy their lunch,” Lawson said. But using a paper bag serves a desirable middle ground between the unwanted implications of a lunchbox and buying lunch. According to senior Angela Vettikkal, there’s a nonchalant air to it. “There is a cool factor to the brown paper bag,” Vettikkal said. “It’s part of the whole culture we have at Mason, where it’s ‘I don’t care. I mean I do care--but I can’t let anyone know that I care’. And so the paper bag is very slouchy, casual, and whatever. But then a lunchbox is very attached, it’s very fixed.” This permanency of the lunchbox often creates stereotypes of their users, according to Lawson. “There is a social assumption between lunchbox-ers and brown paper baggers,” Lawson said. “It’s not necessarily true, but it’s just the idea of all these anti-social kids eating out of their lunchboxes versus the cool kids buying or bringing in a brown paper bag.” While the brown paper bag may be the packer’s key to social ease, the unwanted generalizations continue into naivety for lunchbox users, according Ciepichal. Photo by Katherine Hansen
“There is a difference between walking in with a paper bag versus a lunchbox,” Ciepichal said. “The person with the lunchbox is often the stereotypical freshman. Someone who doesn’t know what [is] going on.” According to Vettikkal, the all-around reserved personality linked to the lunchbox is a constant assumption with unknown origins. “There’s a stereotype that the lunchbox-er is quiet, introverted,” Vettikkal said. “I don’t know where it comes from. It’s just there.” Even with the unspoken rift between brown paper baggers and lunchbox proponents, lunch packers are united by their motives, according to Vettikkal. “Within the packers there’s a lot of different identities,” Vettikkal said. “There [are] branches. But they all relate. There’s taste, there’s health, there’s habit. Those three things are how the lunch-packing culture breaks down.” For Lawson, a vegetarian, packing her lunch is all about health. “I pack my own lunch because I know I’ll like it,” Lawson said. “I know I’ll be able to eat everything, I know I’ll be full and I know I’ll have enough but also be healthy.” Mental health is also a concern of many packers weary of school lunches, according to Vettikkal. “When you eat school lunch you’re really lethargic and you don’t feel all that together and you have to wait in line,” Vettikkal said. “But when you pack you feel like you have more control over the situation. You can eat what you want to eat.” It’s these issues of control and choice that often distinguish a consistent lunch buyer from a regular lunch packer, according to Ciepichal. “Buyers like to be in the group more,” Ciepichal said. “They like to go in the line and all have the same food. The packers tend to like to be a little different--not have the same food every day, have more freedom.” Amongst the many MHS students opting for a school lunch, there are packers driven by flavor, vigor, and nature. And according to Ciepichal, the brown paper bag is the trusted ally in this endeavor. “Most people buy, some people pack,” Ciepichal said. “And of those people that pack, most have brown paper bags.”
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Conflict Resolution
Issues in Iran and Israel spark initiative for online petition Katie Rojas | Staff Writer
The desired peace between Iran and Israel has taken the form of a dance. Comedians Max Jobrani, who is Muslim, and Elon Gold, who is Jewish, came together to make a YouTube video and start a campaign called “Give Peace a Dance,” which advocates for peaceful relations between Iran and Israel. Jobrani and Gold make their own dance and even call others to dance for peace with them. Junior Kusha Ansari, who is Iranian, said he saw this video and felt compelled to share it with his peers at Student Government. According to Ansari, the video has a true purpose that is refreshing in the midst of negative media. “It’s saying that our leaders need to ‘Give Peace a Dance,’ they need to embrace this idea of peace, and not go to war with each other and have this negative tension between each other,” Ansari said. Ansari said that he and a group of Student Government members submitted a dance onto the website, givepeaceadance.org, the website for the campaign that encourages everyone to submit videos of dances and to sign the petition for peace. Senior Yossi Cohen, who was born in Israel and is Jewish, said he agrees with the message of the “Give Peace a Dance” video, which is of peace, tolerance, and acceptance. “Something that really upsets me about our society today is how people don’t fight for peace,” Cohen said. “People think that peace in the Middle East can never happen. I think that kind of mentality is toxic to the cause [of] world peace. Although it’s not the most plausible thing,
it’s something that people should fight for.” Ansari said the media portrays Iran in a certain way that does not reflect the true nature of the people. “I’ve been to Iran three times now,” Ansari said. “It is very different than what you see on the media. The people there are the nicest people you will ever meet. There was a survey that ranked Iranians as the friendliest locals, but you don’t get that from media.” Cohen said that the misconceptions regarding the Middle East do not reflect the true nature of the citizens of each country. “I feel like there is somewhat of a whole stigma against the Middle East,” Cohen said. “[Some people] think that the Middle East is filled with terrorists. The truth of the matter is that terrorist factions are a very small splinter and minority and a lot of Americans have a problem finding a distinction between governments of countries, radical groups that reside within multiple countries, and the actual people.” According to Ansari, a common misconception is that the government and the people of a country are the same thing. “Government and people are two entirely separate things, and what [some] Americans think of as Iran is what they think of the government,” Ansari said. “I don’t necessarily agree with the government either and Iranians don’t agree with the government, but I think things are getting better with the recent election of President Rohani.”
Cohen said he wants peace for the safety of his family who live in Israel. “I just want peace because when there’s all this uncertainty [such as] ‘Will Israel be a country 50 years from now?’…that concerns me because I have family living there,” Cohen said. “When you have certain people saying, ‘It should be wiped off the map,’ that concerns me. There has to be a lot of fair representation on both sides. You can’t brush off one side, and say ‘They all think this.’” According to Cohen, the key to peace between Iran and Israel involves moving away from extremism. “I feel like, generally speaking, the more extremist you are, the more not willing you are to compromise, and not willing to make decisions that can benefit everyone,” Cohen said. “You have the radical Islamists that want to not cooperate, and then you have the radical Jewish extremists that aren’t willing to have that conversation as well. What needs to change is the general radicalism.” The “Give Peace a Dance” campaign embodies something meaningful to not only Ansari, but also Cohen. According to Ansari, the campaign gives a meaningful message that is one step closer towards peace. “You have to be worldly,” Ansari said. “You have to understand our culture isn’t necessarily the best. You have to understand that there are other cultures out there, and they have their own problems they are dealing with, and it’s not our place to pass judgment and to impose our beliefs onto them.”
Junior and Iranian Kusha Ansari sits on a couch with senior and Israeli Yossi Cohen as two friends longing for peace between the countries.
Photo by Madison Krell
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Suburban Infiltration Heroin threatens Ohio’s suburban tranquility Taylor Telford | Associate Editor
It’s coming. Heroin usage has reached epidemic levels across Ohio, according to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, and is moving quickly toward Mason. Heroin, an opiate which was extremely popular in the mid- to late ‘90s, has experienced an enormous resurgence in the last four years, with heroin-related deaths skyrocketing all across Ohio. According to John McKay, Co-owner and Intake Manager of The Ridge residential treatment center and Northland outpatient treatment center in Cincinnati, most heroin addicts start small. “A common trend with heroin usage is that users first start out on prescription pain meds, so either they get them prescribed by their doctor or from their parents’ medicine cabinets,” McKay said. “But the withdrawal from opiates is very uncomfortable and when they are no longer able to get prescription pain meds we see a growing trend where they progress to heroin.” Mason Police Chief Ron Ferrell said that heroin is the prevailing drug that the police force has encountered over the past two years, and that the spike in popularity can be attributed to the tightening of legislation on prescription drugs. “We have seen a shift over the last year and a half to two years in the types of drugs that we see for overdoses and it seems like the one that we get the most often, especially in the last year to 18 months, is heroin,” Ferrell said. Although heroin may seem like a harder Photo by Taylor Telford
drug which would traditionally be popular in an urban setting, neighboring areas such as Butler and Clermont County have had a rash of fatal overdoses, and it would be unwise to assume that it could not establish a presence in a community like Mason, according to Ferrell. “If that is the perception to start with, that drugs are not in any community such as Mason, it would certainly be a little bit naïve to believe that, because it’s in every community in this country,” Ferrell said. “From my understanding, most [heroin traffickers] are in the cities, but it finds its way to the suburbs without any problems.” From what he has seen at The Ridge recovery center, McKay said heroin is most popular in the young adult range, and is an extremely difficult addiction to overcome in comparison to others like alcoholism. “Approximately 80 percent of all our outpatient clients suffer from opiate addiction, and young adults, ages 18-26, definitely have a higher incident rate,” McKay said. “We have seen an intake increase greater than alcohol and other mood altering substances.” McKay said that at The Ridge, more clients being treated from opiate addiction come from suburban backgrounds than urban ones. “We get a lot from suburban, perhaps even more from suburban backgrounds than urban backgrounds in our programs,” McKay said. “We’ve seen it from all over the place and we tend to have a lot of suburban clients that are suffering
from [heroin/opiate] addiction.” Suburban environments such as Mason might house individuals more susceptible to addiction, having come from a more insulated environment, according to junior Michael Crawshaw. “Mason is such a cushioned place that kids don’t really know their limits, and teenagers feel invulnerable,” Crawshaw said. “Just because they’re well-to-do, they don’t really have that much to worry about and so I think that’s why a lot of kids feel invulnerable and why they’re willing to do really heavy drugs.” Operations such as the Greater Warren County Drug Task Force, headed by Commander John Burke, are dedicated to controlling the flow of drugs such as heroin into Warren County, through tracing distribution chains and studying patterns of overdoses and dealership in the area. According to Ferrell, the Mason Police Force is in an alliance with the GWCDTF and uses incidents in Mason to contribute to the overall knowledge of drug chains in order to prevent the problem from growing. But the possibility of heroin establishing a legitimate presence in Mason bodes ill for potential users as well as the people around them, according to Crawshaw. “There’s nothing sadder to me than seeing someone who changes because of drugs, and I think that a lot of people haven’t really experienced that yet,” Crawshaw said. “It’s almost indescribable for someone who hasn’t felt it yet, but there’s going to be a lot of pain.”
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n o i t i d
F
E n o i ash Bill
of
Rights
Limits on clothing and expression validate appropriateness Sheila Raghavendran | Managing Editor
The scale between freedom of expression and school dress code strikes a balance. As a public school, Mason High School permits students to illustrate individuality by wearing whatever they want-within limits.
1. Freedom of dress
Junior Maeve Morris occasionally makes her own clothes and said wearing them to school lets her accurately reflect her personality. “It’s exactly what I want,” Morris said. “…It’s exactly my idea, and…it’s expressing myself because I pick out the material, I decide exactly how I want it to look, and then I have to figure out how to do that…and just how to express that.” a. Amendment: Clothing must be free of suggestiveness, violence or offense
But while Morris said she can freely showcase individuality, not all students follow suit. There have been recent cases of clothing choices disrupting the learning environment. According to assistant principal Joycelyn Senter, the classroom can be disrupted by a variety of inappropriate fashion choices. “Clothing that has profanity, or sexual innuendos, or overtones…or anything that promotes drug use, or alcohol use, or tobacco use, anything that’s gang related or sataniccult related, anything that might promote violence or hate-that’s not appropriate so we request students not to wear those types of things,” Senter said.
2. Freedom through opportunities
These style limits are acceptable, Morris said, because MHS provides a multitude of outlets for students to be themselves. “The fact that we have a lot of choice in our schedules-we’re allowed to take art classes, and music classes, and advanced sciences, and stuff like that [allow us to express ourselves],” Morris said. “The kid in A1 who plays his guitar, the school lets him do that. And when you want to get involved, the school allows you to do that and encourages you to do that and I think that’s awesome because they
give us so many opportunities.”
3. Freedom of expression
According to jewelry and sculpture teacher Liesa Eichner, students are able to express originality through art projects. “Through all the art projects that we do, there is a certain level of creativity that they can put into their work where they can utilize their voice,” Eichner said. Nonetheless, Eichner said the school is still required to exert limitations on this creativity. a. Amendment: Artwork must stray away from nudity and violence
“We want to keep it school-appropriate,” Eichner said. “They can be expressive but for the most part we don’t let them do nudity or things about guns. We don’t do too many sociopolitical things, which probably lend themselves more to topics like violence.” Morris said that not having uniforms at MHS is a characteristic of free expression. But according to Senter, who has worked at a school that required uniforms, even with a uniform code, students find a way to bend it and exhibit their own flair. “Students always find a way to show their personality within the school uniform,” Senter said. “…Uniforms sometimes defeat the purpose--even though you’re trying to stop something, it causes bigger problems.” Morris said the rules regarding respectful clothing are appropriate and banning hateful symbols eliminates disagreements. “I think [MHS] give[s] us so much freedom of expression [through other outlets that] there would be too much controversy with certain symbols and certain opinions because some people might get offended,” Morris said. “I think that if you really believe in something you can show that through your actions and you don’t have to wear a tshirt with that symbol or those words.” According to Morris, expression is ultimately boiled down to behavior. “What you wear isn’t who you are, but how you act and the things you do makes you who you are,” Morris said.
Photo by Sheila Raghavendran
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Breaking It Off Ending relationships requires critically thought-out plan Meghan Harris | Staff Writer
It ends tonight. Whether it’s disguised as just a “break” or ends with a blunt text message, the days before the deed is done are vital to a breakup, according to junior Jonathan Conzet. “The decision to break up with someone does not and should not come quickly under any circumstances,” Conzet said. “Time tells. It has to be thought through as something more than just an ‘I’m bored’ or ‘I think I like someone else’ situation.” While constant fighting may be balanced out by love, senior Addy Miklos said the happiness of both parties is a major factor while contemplating the breakup. “I consider a lot of factors when I break up with someone, but I always ask myself a question before breaking up with someone: am I happy with this person?” Miklos said. “Regardless of how much I care about the significant other and their feelings, no relationship can work out unless both people are completely happy.” According to Conzet, the decision to break up is considered weeks to months before the big day. “I think that break ups are contemplated over a pretty good chunk of time, maybe somewhere in a time period of weeks to months,” Conzet said. “Whether people recognize it or not, they are typically thinking about a breakup for a good amount of time before the day or week that they ‘suddenly’ decide it needs to happen.” Although there is no such thing as a painless breakup, senior Jack Howard said that there are a few ways to cushion the blow. “There’s no perfect way to break up with someone,” Howard said. “No matter what happens, someone will almost always be hurt in some way, and that is unavoidable. But I believe there are ways to minimize the damage, such as always being respectful and never leading the person on.” According to Miklos, simulating the potential breakup to minimize mistakes is a vital step in the breakup process.
“The first step is to be absolutely sure that breaking up is the best option,” Miklos said. “Then I practice the breakup by role playing with a friend. If I don’t, I might not be prepared and end up staying in the toxic relationship.” While the days leading up to a breakup may not be perfectly planned out, Conzet said that relationships typically die out in the same fashion. “Often times, the steps that are taken towards breakups aren’t necessarily intentional but they are typically uniform,” Conzet said. “Starting usually with a lowered amount of communication and a feeling of less enjoyment when time is spent. As time goes on, you and/or the other person will feel less obligated to be around each other or even not want to be around one another. And then it just comes down to one person deciding that things need to be changed and that the time has come.” According to Howard, severing ties is less painful than drawing out a relationship headed for turmoil. “Leading someone on is about the worst thing you can do,” Howard said. “It’s lazy, it’s a copout, and it’s just plain disrespectful. Get some guts and tell the person as soon as you can. It will avoid a lot of hurt feelings and wasted time.” According to Miklos the breakup technique should correlate to the way the relationship started. “I have a pretty specific method of how I go through the process of breaking up with someone,” Miklos said. “If a boy asked me out over text, I would break up with him over text. If he asked me out in person, I would break up with him in person. I feel like that’s courteous.” While it may seem easier to end it over text, Howard said if the person was worthy of a relationship, they’re worthy of an official breakup. “Our generation seems to have this misguided belief that texting is the same as
face-to-face contact, and it’s not, at all,” Howard said. “[If] this person was special enough and meant enough for you to consider being in a relationship with him or her, then they absolutely deserve an in-person breakup.” When planning where to put the plan into action, Miklos said it is important to have an escape route. “I pick a place to meet that I can escape quickly after ‘the talk’,” Miklos said. “For instance, if I invite him over to my house, then he might guilt me into taking him back. That’s not a feasible option, especially when I’m at the end of my wire with this guy.” According to Howard, the key to a civil break up is respect. “Be the bigger person,” Howard said. “Put yourself in the other person’s shoes, and imagine how they would want things to end. Above all, respect is the way to go.”
Photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh
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‘Senior’ Leadership Experienced fans enthusiastically support undefeated girls hoop squad
Photo by Rashika Jaipuriar
Members of the Senior Pep Club attend all MHS varsity girls basketball home games and cheer on from the bleachers as the team’s number one fan group. From left to right: Senior Jenna Gunn, Connie Gunn, senior Ashley Brown, Helen Voorhis, senior Hayley Vorherr, and Al Voorhis. Rashika Jaipuriar | Staff Writer
At every varsity girls basketball home game, the stands are stuffed with spirited seniors--senior citizens, that is. The ‘Senior Pep Club’ is one of the team’s strongest followers, according to former Mason player and girls JV basketball coach Jere Clark. “The club started back in the day when I played here,” Clark said. “It’s a bunch of senior citizens from the community…[who] decided to start a club to support the girls basketball program.” The members of the club receive free admission to home games and participate in pizza parties with the team. This link between generations began in 1997 under the leadership of Clark’s former coach, Gerald Lackey. “I just saw [the seniors] at a lot of the games and thought that we could try to make it a more formal
arrangement and work something out to increase a little more excitement in the program,” Lackey said. According to Lackey, Senior Pep Club President Fred Stemmler was an integral part of encouraging membership. “[Some seniors] just sit in the house all winter waiting for spring,” Stemmler said. “Now they come out here and have fun.” At 91 years old, WWII veteran Bob Sealles became the oldest member of the club when he joined this season. “It establishes a great relationship between seniors and the students,” Sealles said. Because of her own high school experience, Clark said she knows the benefits of that relationship firsthand. “It was kind of a family sense,” Clark said. “I didn’t have grandparents towards the end of my high
school career so they kind of filled that role for me. But it was definitely a feeling of belonging--that you wanna perform well [and] win well not only for your parents, but now for these senior citizens who became part of your everyday basketball career.” According to Stemmler, the girls hold a special place in the seniors’ hearts as well, even traveling with team to tournaments in Columbus and Chicago. “[At the 2000 state final in Columbus], the girls had reserved the first [four] rows behind their bench...for [us] to sit right behind them,” Stemmler said. “To me that was a big deal, we sat right there with the girls when they won the state title.” According to senior guard Hayley Vorherr, the outreach includes recruiting members during the summer at local nursing homes.
And now, she said the Senior Pep Club section regularly outnumbers the Black Hole. “You see familiar faces in the crowd [with] the seniors there,” Vorherr said. “They know you by name and they cheer for you and even if you mess up, they still love you, so it’s just really great to have them...It’s just nice that you can see a full set of stands.” According to Lackey, the Senior Pep Club allows the girls to gain valuable insights to life by creating lasting relationships--on and off the court. “It makes them realize there’s more to life than just the game of basketball,” Lackey said. “They [see and] interact with some of the people from that generation, that have been through so much, and [that makes] them realize that they had a lot to be thankful for.”
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Flash Dance Dance team ‘lights up’ the stage with fluorescent costumes Katie Hibner | Staff Writer
Get ready, Black Hole: the dance team is preparing a hip-hop whiteout. According to Coach Kathy McCormick, the girls will wear flashing white lights on their shoes. “This year they are lighting up bright white, almost blindingly on the shoes,” McCormick said. McCormick attributed the lights to dance team parent Carson Williams, who said he previously engineered musical lights for zoos, colleges, and malls across America; as well as his own home for Christmas season. According to Carson, the lights work via remote control. “Each year, the coach pushes a button which sends a wireless signal to computers to each costume,” Carson said. “This year, we’re going to iron on strips to the pants so the wires can [send signals to the shoes] from the computer in the hip.” McCormick said the lights impressed the judges at each dance competition, including states. “The judges were always blown away [at the competitions],” McCormick said.
“The lights weren’t our only edge at states, though; the girls distinguished themselves with their dancing.” Carson’s wife Sherry agreed that the girls won states due to their skills, but said that the lights earn the team--and her husband-special notoriety. “The audience remembers the girls because of the lights, and they call [Carson] ‘the Mason Dad’,” Sherry said. “They also ask about the team’s plans for the next year.” The team’s future is uncertain because Carson’s daughter, Amanda, is graduating in 2014. Carson said he will still engineer lights for the dance team after her departure, but for the moment, Amanda said she is thankful that the task of maintaining the lights brings the entire Williams family together. “My dad taught me how to connect the wires and change the batteries, so [the whole family] can all pitch in,” Amanda said. “It’s so nice to have parents that go to all of my competitions and are always there for me.”
Photo by Madison Krell
Carson Williams’ costumes illuminate the team’s performances.
Pom Pom Perception
MHS cheerleaders defy media portrayal, break stereotypes Monica Brucher | Staff Writer
Glee’s Brittany Pierce is known for her pettiness, her promiscuity--and her pom poms. Senior Valerie Smith said that cheerleading movies and TV shows like Fired Up, Bring it On, and Cheer Perfection add to the skewed view of cheerleaders being selfabsorbed and immodest. “[Cheerleading] movies make it seem like we’re all best friends and we all sit at a lunch table together, [that] we basically run the school, and [that] we treat other people like less than us,” Smith said. Smith said she agrees movies and TV shows like Glee do not accurately reflect cheerleaders. “Cheerleading is not what you see in movies,” Smith said. “Cheer Perfection and all those shows, they just give us such a bad rep for who we really are.” Junior Aubrey Gregor said that even though these stereotypes give the cheerleading team a bad reputation, it motivates the team to strive
for the opposite of the perception. “[The stereotype] is there, and it is so prominent in high school, we just want to prove people wrong,” Gregor said. Senior Ashley Vanover said the coaches stress academics as a priority. “[Our coaches] put an emphasis on [academics] because yes, cheerleading is our sport, but our job is to get good grades in school and be good students,” Vanover said. Gregor said that coaches are aware of the views toward cheerleaders, in and out of school, but ultimately the team has to take responsibility for disproving TV and movie perceptions. “We put it upon ourselves to break that stereotype,” Gregor said. “Not a lot of cheerleaders that I know are the stereotype of typical cheerleaders.” Photo by Monica Brucher
Cheerleaders balance priorities outside those depicted in media.
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Girl Power
Fencing team females prove skill at sword-battle Gina Deaton | Online Editor
With swords in their hands, sophomore Danielle Morey and junior Julianne Su take “girl power” to the next level. Both in their second year, Morey and Su represent the only two girls on the fencing team. Although according to Morey, sword-battling boys doesn’t faze them. “I notice [being one of the only girls] a little bit,” Morey said. “[Julianne and I] tend to be really close since we’re the only two girls; we’re pretty good friends now. But I don’t notice it too much. I hang out with everybody. It is a little bit weird to be one of the only girls…We are the minority, but it’s still fun.” According to Su, the learning environment takes pressure away from the competitiveness between everyone, boys and girls. “[Fencing boys] isn’t really weird, we’re more [at a disadvantage because] we’re beginners,” Su said. “[There’s less] pressure because everyone is learning at the same time…The more experienced [guys] go harder and faster, and it’s hard to keep up with them sometimes. When you’re competing with someone, they’re not necessarily the same level as you. So it does help you learn some tricks.”
what they do and However, Morey said that she gets a sense of confidence beating boys, as they can be surprised by her skill. “Every once in a while, if I beat them, they can [seem to] get really mad because I’m a girl,” Morey said. “Sometimes I think they’re a little taken aback that I can actually fence.” According to senior fencer James Probel, some girls have serious fencing skills despite their gender and therefore he doesn’t hold himself back when sword-battling the girls. “I would say [I don’t fence differently against girls],” Probel said. “…When you’re fencing, you don’t think of who your opponent is, just
how you can win. So that’s what you base your actions off of.” Despite Probel’s no-mercy mentality, Su said she noticed the more experienced boys fencing quicker and more skillfully with each other than she thinks they do with her. “[The boys] kind of act the same, then I notice when they’re fencing each other they [seem to] go a lot quicker with different moves,” Su said. “…Last year, there was a girl who was as experienced as the guys. So I don’t see why they should be angry or anything [losing to us].” Assistant coach Ryan Howell said that despite fencing being mostly a guy’s sport, there are many girls who
have mastered it as well. “[Fencing] is definitely predominantly more of a guy sport,” Howell said. “… Of course [the girls] are at a disadvantage. Athletically, if you compare the two, obviously the guys are going to be a little bit stronger and a little more fit and athletic. But there are girls that beat guys all the time; there [are] girls that beat me. So yeah, they might be at a disadvantage, but there [are] still girls who are downright better than me. I have a girl at the fencing tournament who can beat every single person [on this fencing team]. So starting off they are at a bit of a disadvantage, but [at least] not against each other.” According to Morey, she may stand out among the boys, but stays true to herself and will continue fencing simply for enjoyment. “I think [the boys at tournaments] can kind of tell [I’m a girl despite my equipment],” Morey said. “A lot of times I have to put my hair in a ponytail, but [surprisingly] a lot of the guys have ponytails too. But I mean, not many boys have sparkly Converse with purple laces. So I guess I do kind of stand out.” Pictured top to bottom: Junior Julianne Su Photos by Madison Krell
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Ridiculous Rules Rule breakers running rampant at MHS Lindsay McCalmont | Staff Writer
Snowball throwing is against the rules at Mason High School. So is bringing in an icepick, taking embarrassing pictures, and bringing in an electronic device not fully charged without a power cord. According to sophomore Leah Hefelfinger, those rules are broken all of the time because their existence isn’t well known. “I’ve broken like at least ten of those [rules],” Hefelfinger said. “If I didn’t know they existed, no one else would.”
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While many don’t read the planner, the students and teachers that have find some of the rules to be both shocking and entertaining, according to Spanish teacher Debbie Perry. “I don’t know how many people actually read [the planner],” Perry said. “I [read it] because I also had a daughter that went [to MHS] and I was looking at these going ‘Do they really have to write all of this stuff?’” The reason people find these rules so shocking is because the rules are assumed, according to Hefelfinger. “[The rules] are basic,” Hefelfinger said. “They are just like common sense that we should know about.” According to assistant principal William Rice, the student handbook is so detailed because legally they need to cover everything. “If you look, we’ve got rules in here about murder,” Rice said. “Now you wouldn’t think that you need a rule in there for murder, but think of it this way, if something like that were to happen outside of school, would that student be allowed to come to school? You need to cover absolutely everything because you don’t want to get caught with, ‘Well this happened but we don’t have anything that says we can do something about it’.” People break some of the lesser known rules all of the time, whether intentionally or not, and are never punished for it, according to senior Blake Ellis. “I have broken rules,” Ellis said. “My device is bad at charging; sometimes I forget to charge it. [Teachers] don’t even punish people for doing some of these things so [the rules] are not enforced. Some teachers have taken phones before but not because they didn’t have a case or weren’t fully charged.” According to Rice, some of the guidelines written for
technology are more of expectations than solid rules. “You look at these as rules but a lot of them are just guides and expectations,” Rice said. “The student code of conduct is the rules and the rest are sort of guidelines.” While some teachers are aware of the rules in the planner, they find it difficult to enforce the guidelines that they don’t see a purpose behind, according to Perry. “I don’t know how to enforce ‘Can I see your phone? Is it fully charged?’” Perry said. “That’s just crazy. I guess I would say, ‘Okay everybody, we are going to do a technology dress code check. Hold it up. I need to take that iPod; you don’t have a properly fitting case’. It is a waste of the educational time that I am given.” According to Ellis, the planner could be updated because some of the rules are irrelevant or contradictory because teachers actually encourage them. “I think that [the rules] should be edited because some of them don’t even apply to the situation,” Ellis said. “Like with the icepick. I’ve never even seen someone use that. Do those even exist anymore? And with the catapult thing, people use that in class, in physics. Or if someone needs to bring in a light saber for a school project, it’s technically breaking the rules. Sometimes teachers even encourage you to bring in such props.” The administrators are aware that the planner should evolve to the current school atmosphere so the rules are always up for change, according to Rice.
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“Unfortunately [all of the rules] are necessary,” Rice said. “And they change. These evolve, every year they evolve. Some things in here you see are kind of outdated, they aren’t issues anymore. There are gaps in the rules, like there is no Rule 16 to Rule 19 because we have left that in there so that we can add rules later on if need be.” Despite the confusion behind the hidden rules in the planner, Ellis said he believes that they have gone unnoticed by a majority of the school because they aren’t imposed. “These rules are never enforced,” Ellis said. “So I guess because they aren’t enforced, they are kind of non-existent.”
Photo art by Gabrielle Stichweh
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In a high intensity sport without roaring crowds, wrestlers must dig deep to find mental motivation
Junior Andrew Reinhart and sophomore Nathan Williams perfect their skills in practice.
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HEAD Erin Brush | Sports Editor
Wrestling isn’t a sport for the fainthearted. Going head-to-head with another athlete requires serious intensity, and according to senior Matt Allgor, wrestlers have to find their motivation within themselves instead of from a huge crowd. “I get my motivation from getting my hand raised,” Allgor said. “Wrestling is hard. When you’re in the room at practice, there’s a lot of complaining about how tough it is. But the feeling of winning is great.” According to junior Rylan France, crowd support at the matches is often very sparse. “We’ve had, at most, about 15 student fans at a match,” France said. “It has small benefits. If you lose a big wrestling match, no one will know, but if you lose a big football game, everyone knows because they were there.” While France said he thinks crowd support is a positive thing, junior Caleb Walden takes a different stance. “I don’t like crowd support because there’s more pressure,” Walden said. “I hate when my family comes to my matches. I’ve had, at most, one person at a match specifically for me.” Allgor also said that the smaller wrestling atmosphere does have a few pros. “Wrestling [fans are] a lot more into the match,” Allgor said. “With football, people don’t necessarily come to watch the game. They’ll see the big plays, but it’s not personal. With wrestling you watch every move the guys make and you call out what you want them to do next. You’re so much more involved.” France said that giving up does cross his mind on occasions when he can’t find motivation. “You always have that little bit of you that says ‘What if I just stopped right now?’,” France said, “I usually [don’t listen to it]. I just push through.” Photo by Madison Krell
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Bullseye On Their Backs Basketball learns to thrive under pressure Chloe Knue | Editor-in-Chief
Last Saturday the girls basketball team defeated the Lakota West Firebirds in an intense matchup, where the Comets came out victorious by a single point. The win last week kept the undefeated streak alive and improved the team’s record to 13-0 overall and 9-0 in the conference. The undefeated Comets were also ranked first in both the city and the state, which is a huge honor according to head coach Rob Matula. “It’s an honor to be rated the number one team in the state and the number one team in the city,” Matula said. “But every night that bullseye on your back gets even bigger and you’re going to have to take everybody’s best shot. That’s the way it is.” Senior and McDonald’s All-American Jenna Gunn said that the growing target keeps the girls even more focused. “We all know that on any given day a team can come in and beat you if you don’t play your best,” Gunn said. “We have to be ready.”
According to Matula, it is essential to the team’s success that not one, but every team member shows up to play in both games and practice. “We are only as good as we are because everyone plays well,” Matula said. “I think the biggest attribute to our success so far has been our continued dedication to getting better.” The girls team has especially dedicated themselves in the fall and in practices to improving their defensive game, according to Gunn. “[We have been successful because] of all the work we did in the off-season,” Gunn said. “We worked really hard in the off-season on our defense. I think our defense is what wins games. And [we are continuing] to work hard at every practice.” With tough GMC competition coming up in the Comets schedule, such as Princeton and Colerain, Gunn said that the girls will show up ready to play confidently and without cockiness. “[We have to] play really good defense and execute on offense,” Gunn said. “And play with a lot of energy.”
MVP: Audrey Harpen, gymnastics Class: 2014 Claim to fame: Only senior on gymnastics team, city champion two years straight Best part about gymnastics: It’s challenging and a lot of people can’t do it so it’s fun to be able to Worst part about gymnastics: Your body is really broken, it hurts all the time Role Model: Nastia Luikin Premeet Meal: Chicken and salad Pump Up Song: “Cockiness” by Rihanna Most embarassing moment: Falling off the beam and face planting Common Misconception: Gymnastics is just like cheerleading; it’s completely different Toughest opponent: Centerville Motto: “PrACTice like a champion” Favorite Smell: Chocolate chip cookies Photo contributed by Audrey Harpen
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Highlight
Photo by Matt Marvar
Senior Chris Rice sinks a three in the Comets’ 57-51 overtime win over the Fairfield Indians.
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The wrestling team currently leads the conference in four different weight classes including the 106, 113, 132, and 285 classes.
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The chess team has continued their undefeated season with 16 straight wins. They are currently number one in the GMC.
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Freshman Ashley Volpenhein is first in the conference with a 50 yard freestyle time of 24.6 seconds.
400 The boys 400 yard freestyle swim relay is dominating the conference with a time of 3:19.71. results as of January 13.
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GETTINGFIT
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Senior hockey player Gabe Dubois works on his lifting at one of the many Crossfit gyms in the area.
Photo by Will Leathers
Mason hockey reaps benefits of preseason Crossfit training Will Leathers | Staff Writer
If it’s the gun show you’re looking for, the Mason hockey team can point you in the right direction. The team took to a new form of preseason conditioning this year, a workout known as Crossfit, a fullbody fitness regimen that utilizes various exercises at high intensities to improve athletic performance. It is well known for its Olympicstyle weightlifting exercises using barbells, such as the clean and jerk and the snatch. According to senior Gabe Dubois, it’s a workout unlike any other. “Every workout is designed to hit every muscle in your body,” Dubois said. “After the workout the entire team is on the ground laying on their backs. They are some of the most intense workouts you are ever going to do--flat out.”
Crossfit workouts are done in gyms, coined “boxes”, because of their simplistic design. Each workout, or “WOD” (workout of the day) is an hour of nonstop action. Not only is it a tough workout, but the high intensity exercises mirror movements in hockey, said senior Mason Busch. “Crossfit incorporates lots of different workouts at high intensities,” Busch said. “Which is similar to how hockey is played.” It’s this high-energy, high-intensity level of performance that made Crossfit stand out among other workouts. “Crossfit was the only real workout that I’ve done where I’ve been completely exhausted at the end,” Busch said. “And it’s the only workout that I’ve done where I’ve been pushed to go further when I thought that I couldn’t. It definitely
gives us a competitive edge, because we’re all a lot more in shape physically.” Busch credits Crossfit with him losing 20 lbs. before the season started, and with having a similar effect on his teammates. “Personally I saw a huge change, within four months I lost 20 lbs.,” Busch said. “And I know that everyone else definitely got more toned, and athletically everyone was a lot faster, stronger, and just better in every way.” Not only did these workouts improve the team athletically, but mentally as well. “[I]t had a huge impact on us emotionally, as far as team chemistry goes,” Busch said. “You get to see each other at your weakest points and then you get to see them progress to their strongest.” Dubois and his father, the head
coach, got the team into Crossfit after they both had been doing it for some time, a decision that, according to Dubois, improved the team’s preparation for the season. “I just felt so much more prepared for the season,” Dubois said. “I remember in years passed there’s always been that breaking period where you got to get back in hockey shape, but we didn’t have that period this time. Every one of us came out skating a hundred percent and that really just makes a big impact.” That impact that has contributed to the team’s undefeated record thus far in league play, according to Dubois. “You can really see the effects that it has on the team,” Dubois said. “We have started out so strong. We are undefeated right now in the league. I really credit some of that to Crossfit.”
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Basketball team manager sophomore Shaun Mitchell carries out his responsibilities at the game against Sycamore.
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Team managers embrace responsibilities that come with the job Jimmy Halpin | Staff Writer
Team managers are often not seen, and not heard. But according to Shaun Mitchell, team manager for boys basketball and football, he still feels like a part of the team. “It creates a team atmosphere, I get to meet a lot of new friends, “Mitchell said. “I get to be around all the guys, and see all the guys around the school.” According to Mitchell, he gets frequent questions about why he would want his position. “I get asked frequently why I do it, they ask me if I am getting paid. I always say I’m getting paid in a roundabout way,” Mitchell said. “You
can actually get college scholarships for being a team manager. I love doing it, and that’s all the pay that I need.” Mitchell said that his responsibilities for the team also offer a productive way to spend his time after school. “It gives me something to for a big part of my day, and really a lot of the school year, which is good because I hate downtime,” Mitchell said. “[As manager] I get to meet new people, and I have people I can count on.” According to Mitchell, the team manager position is almost like a job for him. “The players I’m friends with, but the coaches are like my bosses,”
Mitchell said. “The coaches are like the CEOs or higher-ups.” Mitchell said managers have a multitude of responsibilities, especially before the game starts. “[At] practices I get to help set up the drills, and before the game I get all jerseys ready,” Mitchell said. “I organize the equipment, and make sure everything is nice. I get to print stats on the upcoming opponent.” According to Maria Fuentes, girls track team manager, she ended up in the position after an injury stopped her from running freshman year. “I was injured freshman year from my hip. So I helped at practices, just being a team player,” Fuentes said. “Then sophomore year I went in as a
team manager.” According to Fuentes, relationships with the other track athletes have made her job worthwhile. “Having the girls look up to me and ask for help is one of the best parts,” Fuentes said. “I get to help guide them through and make them better.” Fuentes said she has also learned important life lessons from her experiences with the team. “Being a team manager taught me how to make good out of a situation,” Fuentes said. “It helped me still remain a part of the team. I can still help make the team better even though I’m not running.”
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