Quiz Bowl Team Contines Its Success in 2018 Page 1
Grace Jewell Publishes Letter to the Governor Page 2
#MeToo Movement: Silenced No Longer
The Echo
Page 2
BGA’s Student Newspaper
May 15, 2018
Jack Lewis Takes Home National Championship for Quiz Bowl By Ridley Randolph This has been a fantastic year for the BGA Quiz Bowl team as the season wraps up with several victories under its belt. After a season of victory after victory, the A team dominated this year at the state competition at Cumberland, taking in first place for the school. Jack Lewis alone also won the first annual national individual Quiz Bowl competition in Chicago this past month, a truly impressive feat.
Jack Lewis celebrates his Individual National Championship in Quiz Bowl
like they are going to come up a lot.” Q: Coaches, do you think participating in Quiz Bowl helps kids in school and testing?
A History of the Tug By Christine Jewell Battle Ground Academy is a school that is based upon rich traditions. These traditions vary from the building of character through pursuing scholarship and excellence to an annual Tug of War between the school community. The Tug dates back all the way to 1935 when it was held across the Harpeth River where the now BGA Lower School sits; created by George Briggs, the Battle Ground Academy headmaster in the 1930’s. As the school has evolved over the years, these traditions are what help us remember our roots and core values. However,
some traditions have evolved as well. The tug was originally decided by a simple coin toss, but as the societies became more competitive they put that passion into use and began the Plato vs. Greer competitions throughout the school year in order to decide which side of the river each society would tug. Some of the first competitions were the annual basketball tournament between the Platos and Greer societies. This tournament involved a varsity team, a “B” team, and a “midget” team who would start to compete on March 14. From 1961 to 1964, the tug was cancelled due to the lack of location for it, but after a long search from Downtown Franklin to Kinnard’s Pond; New Highway 96 opened and the new location was estab-
The Echo Staff Editors: Skyler Fox & Emma Wylie Staff:
Bailey Anderson Alex Pareigis Ridley Randolph Sarah May Drew Martin
A: (Ms. Handelsman): “Someone could be playing Quiz Bowl, and become interested in things. If you happen to be a ninth grader, and like answering science questions, then that might be something that you start to focus on.” Q: What have been some of your favorite moments or memories this year?
I interviewed the Quiz Bowl team (Coaches Gray and Handelsman, Team Members Henry Dambach, Max Dambach, Cameron Clark, and Jack Lewis) to hear what they had to say about their incredible season: Q: How do you train and practice for the Quiz Bowl tournaments? A: (Jack Lewis) “What I’ve been doing recently is I go through old packets, and I look up the stuff from those packets. If I’m interested in them, I card them, or if I feel
Issue 4
A: (Mr. Gray) “I see some drawbacks to it, because a lot of the time it’s very factbased and can lead to some learning of things before we really are ready to learn those things.”
(continued on page 2)
The Greers celebrte their second consecutive Tug victory, in a memorable Tug that lasted over two minutes. lished and has The Annual Tug has been held there ever since. This particular tradition is one that is an important part of the BGA way as it builds character and good sportsmanship through competition that reigns for generations to come.
This year, in one of the longest tugs in recent memory, lasting over 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the Greers prevailed over the Platos for the 2nd consecutive year, and beginning their first winning streak since the early 2000s.
Interview with Senior Editors Skyler Fox and Emma Wylie By Bailey Anderson
Mary Kathryn Walt Phoebe Proctor Christine Jewell Allyson Newkirk
A: (Max Dambach) “It happened at the state tournament up at Cumberland. We were in our last round and we really wanted Mr. Griffin to show up because he said he was coming, but I guess he got lost or stopped by a fast food restaurant and the guy asked if we needed to take a break and use the restroom, and obviously none of us needed to use the restroom, but I said ‘you know what, I do’, so I got up and left the room and I sat in the bathroom and set my watch, stalling, and fortunately Mr. Griffin did make it to the final round.”
Q: How long have you been a part of the newspaper? A: We have been a part of the newspaper since freshman year. Q: How long have you been an editor for the newspaper? A: We became editors our junior year.
Q: Do you have a favorite article you wrote or issue you produced?
I think my favorite article that I have written is the Stranger Things review that was published in our second issue this year. I always really enjoy writing movie/ T.V. show reviews, but writing this one was especially fun because Stranger Things is probably my favorite T.V. show ever. I don’t know if I have a favorite issue that we have produced, but I will say that I’m really excited about the new publishing program we recently bought called In Design that makes our issues look more like an actual newspaper. We (continued on page 3)
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The Echo
#MeToo: Silenced No Longer By Bailey Anderson Almost everybody has heard of the #MeToo movement, filled with women, and some men, sharing a moment or moments of sexual harassment. Celebrities, like Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, and Kevin Spacey, have been outed to the world as predators. The once silent are now speaking up, pressing the world for change. There are many directions I could take when writing about the #MeToo movement: I could spark up conversations about the small things that support this culture of sexual harassment and power struggle in everyday society (such as the social obligations of being a girl, dress codes, stereotypes, equal pay, slut-shaming, the judicial system, and many more). Instead, I will talk about what it is and why it is important, allowing you to look up the many different articles on the many different contributing factors and problems that allow this culture of sexual harassment to thrive. This movement is a part of the bigger picture of feminist movements where women and men are trying to join together
Statistics for #MeToo: Silenced No longer Statistics from RAINN.org: Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33— have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
to balance the scales. Recently, women have found a new power in expressing themselves, no longer allowing society and powerful people to silence them. Generally, women, especially women of color, are targeted for everyday sexual harassment. People in positions of power, or people who think they are in positions of power, push the boundaries. The power of press, media, and social networking has
Senior Grace Jewell recently organized a school-wide walk out on Wednesday, March 14th (exactly one month after the Parkland, Florida school shooting) in order to grieve the lives lost on this tragic day. She is one of the many students in this country who have take action against our current gun control regulations in order to prevent the loss of more innocent lives. To take a stand, Grace decided to write a letter to the governor in order to express her ideas about current gun control regulations as well as the shootings happening in the country. I interviewed Grace to discuss her ideas with her: Q: What encouraged you to write this letter to the governor? A: I believe it is important for young adults to voice their opinions and be involved. While the Walk-Out was a vital part of adolescents being heard, there is still more work to be done. I think all students who truly want to affect change in their community should reach out to officials in their area and see what they can do to help. Q: Why did you think the walk out
May 15, 2018
environment, with 94% in the entertainment industry reporting harrassment, according to USA Today. This shows that wealth and fame do not prevent harassment. Celebrities are speaking about their own experiences, filing lawsuits, and raising awareness at red carpet events to support the #TimesUp movement. This could mean wearing black at the Golden Globes, or carrying a white rose at the Grammys. There is a legal defense fund in order to help advocate for the weak and abused in the workplace. They also help pay for legal costs to help out those in need of assistance when taking cases to the courtroom. A stronger awareness and bond between women is a piece of these movements, with the overall goal of safe environments for women and men everywhere. A society where there is no fear of being sexually or verbally abused in the workplace, in the street, or at a party. A society where young girls don’t have to be taught to hold their keys between their fingers when walking to their car or keep their head on a swivel whenever they are out in public. A society where the weak are not exploited and used for a sense of power, accomplishment, or gain. Our culture has a long way to go, but identifying the problem is always a nice place to start.
Out of 1000 rapes… 310 rapes are reported to police 57 reports are lead to arrest 6 rapists will be incarcerated Statistics from NSVRC.org Almost half (49.5%) of multiracial women and over 45% of American Indian/Alaska Native women were subjected to some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime Eight percent of rapes occur while the victim is at work In the U.S., one in three women and one in six men experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime More than 90% of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police
Grace Jewell’s Letter to Governor By Skyler Fox
helped these victim to tell their stories and expose those who abuse their power. The #MeToo movement isn’t a solution or a way to report crimes. It’s to raise awareness of this culture that has been created. Phone numbers and websites are beginning to become more avail able in order to help people through these times. Celebrities are becoming more vocal in the struggles it is to be a woman in a working
was important to participate in as a school, and how did you go about organizing the walk out? A: To me, the Walk-Out did a few different things: it was a moment to pay our respects to innocent lives lost because of gun violence, it united us with the youth in our nation who were also participating, and it was a symbol of the growing empowerment of young voices. I had heard several people in our school’s community express interest in participating but also express qualms about getting in trouble for missing class, so I, along with Caroline Smith and Katie Murphy, scheduled a meeting with Mr. Griffin to discuss the school’s stance on it. Mr. Griffin was more than willing to help us and offer support, and we really appreciated having the school’s backing because it helped us get the maximum amount of participation since students were not worried about being in trouble. Q: How do you think the students at BGA can take further initiative in this movement? A: Students at BGA should just continue to make their voices heard. (continued on page 3)
New Teacher Interview: Roydell Williams By Colby Davis Q: What do you do here at BGA? A: I am the US Boys Wellness Coach Q: What did you do before you came to BGA? A: I was a strength coach at 615 sports training in Mt. Juliet and I worked as an in-school suspension monitor at a public school. Q: What is your favorite part of BGA so far? A: My favorite part of BGA is working with the amazing staff at BGA. I’ve never been apart of a school that supports each other as much as we do at BGA . Q: What were you most surprised by this year? A: I was most surprised with how well-mannered and motivated the kids are at BGA. Q: What do you like to do outside of school? A: Outside of school, I like to listen to live music and go fishing.
Q: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, where is your favorite place to travel? A: I do enjoy traveling. My favorite place to travel is Vancouver, Canada. Q: What was your high school experience like? A: My high school experience was awesome! I was one of the most popular kids on campus and a was a blue-chip athlete. Q: What was you college experience like? A: My college experience was a lot different than high school. It was very challenging in the classroom and on the football field in the beginning. After my sophomore year, everything began to settle down. Q: What do you like to binge watch on Netflix? A: I like to binge watch Parenthood, Daredevil, and Elementary. Q: What inspired you to pursue teaching as a career? A: I was inspired to teach strength and conditioning because I knew it would give me an opportunity to be around sports, mentoring kids, and the knowledge to train my own kids.
The Echo
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May 15, 2018
Interview Grace Jewell’s Letter to the Governor with Quiz Bowl Team (continued from page 2)
(continued from page 1) Q: Why should kids sign up to participate in Quiz Bowl next year? A: (Cameron Clark) “It fosters a love of learning. It starts it and rewards it. It’s kind of a nice cycle, that’s why people get into it so much. You’re being exposed to more about the world, to subjects you never thought you would have been interested in.” A: (Max Dambach) “The future is bright...without Jack.”
Interview with Senior Editors Skyler Fox and Emma Wylie By Bailey Anderson (continued from page 1) program, and it looked awesome, so I was really proud of it. A: (Emma) One of my favorite issues was the 2nd issue that we produced this year in December. We had more variety when it came to our articles for that issue, with pieces on DACA and growth in the Nashville area as well as a review on Stranger Things. One of my favorite things has been doing the student and faculty interviews with Drew the last two years. Those are so much fun, and I’ll definitely miss those the most. Q: Is there a certain person in the BGA community that has made a strong impact on you or gave you important advice? A: (Skyler) Pretty much all of my teachers here at BGA have really had a strong impact on me, so it’s really hard to pick just one. However, Ms. Wallace has always encouraged me to never hide who I am and to never hide my emotions but to rather be proud of them. She has really been a great mentor during my time doing theatre at BGA. A: (Emma) Mrs. Kropp has definitely been a really influential person in my life since when I first had her as my teacher in 7th and 8th grade. She has such a zest for life and such a positive attitude, and her outspokenness and independence inspires me. Q: When did you start going to BGA? A: (Skyler) I started going to BGA in Kindergarten, so I’m a lifer! A: (Emma) I started going to BGA in first grade. Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: (Skyler) There are so many things I will
miss about BGA, but, if I had to pick one,it would definitely be theatre. I have been acting here since my freshman year. Participating in the plays and musicals has not only taught me so much about myself and who I am as a person but also has allowed me to form so many precious relationships. A: (Emma) I’ll miss the sense of community the most. All of the friendships I’ve made here are so important to me, and I couldn’t feel more happy or grateful to have met all of these people over the last 12 years. Q: Do you have a favorite memory? A: (Skyler) My favorite memories of high school are being a part of The Diary of Anne Frank and Les Misérables, both my sophomore year. These shows are both amazing, and it was such an honor to be a part of them. I miss being in both of those shows so much. A: (Emma) My favorite memories definitely include all the Jamboree days,
My name is Grace Jewell. I am a senior at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, and I would love to share my views with you about the safety of our community. After several school shootings this year, the massacre in Parkland, Florida being the most publicized, I am confident that all of the people who represent our community are working diligently to to ensure the safety of the children of Tennessee. I’m sure you felt some version of the feelings that I felt after hearing about the day that seventeen students were massacred at school. When the news reached me, I was shocked. In utter disbelief. Beyond infuriated. Suffering from an aching heart, and overwhelmed with a desire for change. I’ve found myself searching for a word, a phrase, a sentence, a thought, a feeling manifested in to some form of words to describe the aching in my chest and discovered that I am lost. The words sadness, pain, tragedy, calamity, catastrophe all come to mind, but all of these, despite the weight each one carries, does not accurately depict the horrors in Parkland and too many other communities that have suffered the terror of a shooting or the crippling pain of losing a loved one so suddenly. My heart aches because of these tragedies, yet I don’t even know a single person involved in any of them. And, knowing that--feeling that--I cannot imagine the agony that must paralyze someone who is directly affected by any one of these tragedies. We have incessantly sent our prayers to these communities, but I truly believe that now is the time to send our actions as well. We have entered the eighteenth year of the twenty first century, yet we cannot safely educate our children. Schools should be safe. They must be. No child should ever have to not come home from school, no friend should ever see a classmate get shot, and no parent should ever be told that their child risked their life for an education and will not make it home. Now is not the time for thoughts. Now is not the time for prayers. Now is not the time for empty words. Now is the time for action. There should not be another child who doesn’t step off that school bus at the end of the day. It is not an issue to be addressed as right or left, conservatives against liberals, or Republican versus Democrat. It is a discussion to be had between people. People whose ultimate goal is to return every child home after school. So the question isn’t “What?” Because the answer is safety. The questions isn’t “When?” Because the answer is now. The question, thus, becomes “How?” And I think that is really the most critical, yet difficult, question to be answered. I think it’s time for everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put aside our pride that too often divides us and to let our compassion unite us so that we can have a discussion, not a debate, about what to do from here. We need the solution, and we can’t find it without working together. Tennessee is one of the most gun friendly states in our country. And I get why: a lot of
Homecoming weeks, and football games. Q: What college are you going to, and what do you plan on studying? A: (Skyler) I’m headed to Furman University next year, and I will be majoring in biology and maybe Spanish! A: (Emma) I’m going to University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and I plan on studying Marketing with a double major or minor in French. Q: Are you planning on being involved in your college newspaper or be involved in writing in some way? A: (Skyler) I’m not exactly sure what my plan is next year for being in my college newspaper, but I know I definitely want to be involved in clubs similar to newspaper that involve writing. A: (Emma) Maybe! I would like to do something along those lines whether it’s journalistic or something where the skills that I’ve learned these past few years will prove helpful. Q: What is some advice that you want to leave behind to the newspaper team? A: (Skyler) Never be afraid to share your ideas! A: (Emma) Just continue to be creative and have fun with the process. There’s so many things that you can do with this, and there really are no limits.
residents of Tennessee enjoy hunting and like guns--fair enough. But I also know that a lot of people in Tennessee care about the people in their community. We, as human beings, are wired in a way that naturally makes us care about our neighbor. And, unfortunately, we do not live in the same world as the generations before us. There are more attacks committed by people abusing firearms than ever before, and those firearms are significantly more advanced that they were in the 18th century. It is our moral duty as a community, and your duty as our elected advocate, to protect each other. It’s time for us to stop being gun friendly and start being people friendly. This does not mean in anyway trying to eradicate the Second Amendment; rather, we should improve our state laws in order to carry out the Second Amendment safely, responsibly, and in a way that fits modern weapons. Like I said, our state of Tennessee has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation. There is no permit required to purchase a gun, no waiting period implemented to possess after purchasing it, no law regulating magazine capacity, and a person can even buy a gun at a gun show without any sort of background check. We need to fix this. After collaborating with my peers, we came to the conclusion that there are three main stages to be addressed. First, stricter laws need to be enforced. It is far too easy for a person to acquire firearms in the state of Tennessee. We should be a people friendly state, not a gun friendly one. Second, upon acquiring a firearm, each person should be required to take a course educating them in the working of that firearm along with safe and responsible gun-ownership. Lastly, parents, teacher, and students should all be educated in mental health and how to look for the signals that someone might be at risk for hurting themself or others. Additionally, I would like to urge you to hold a discussion with students in the Nashville area in order to hear more about their ideas and so that they can better understand your plans to ensure the safety of our community. The youth
of America are speaking, and they’re saying that they want to be heard. They want to be involved. I truly believe that it is to my benefit, to your benefit, to our benefit as a community to work together. This upcoming generation will be the catalyst for change, but we cannot affect the immediate change that is needed now without your help. Safety should not be a divisive issue. We need to work together. And we need your help. I want to be as informed as possible before sending this letter, so I am still doing research on the advantages and disadvantages of possible solutions and, thus, have not completed writing the letter. But here is a list of some of the things I’ve been looking into: 1. Raising the age to buy a firearm 2. Enforcing more in depth background checks (including more thorough mental health evaluations) 3. Requiring a permit in order to purchase any firearm or ammunition 4. Regulating magazine capacity 5. Implementing a waiting period 6. Requiring the completion of a safety course upon purchasing a firearm 7. Enforcing a penalty on anyone who possesses a gun without having passed a background check, attaining a permit, and completing a safety course as well as on the owner of the gun for irresponsible gun ownership 8. Raise Mental Health awareness, especially in adolescents (educate about this in schools) 9. Teach parents, teachers, and students how to look for the signs 10. Requiring more mandatory school shooting drills in school to prepare the student body and faculty Here is a list of some of the people with whom I intend to share this letter: Glen Casada, Sam Whitson, Charles Sargent, and Beth Harwell along with candidates running for office such as Justin Kanew.
Poll Results
The Echo
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Mrs. Kropp Shares Memories about the Class of 2018
Robbie Kirkpatrick did a play in 8th grade and knocked our socks off…we had no idea he was such a great performer! Robbie Kirkpatrick did a play in 8th grade and knocked our socks off…we had no idea he was such a great performer!
Mrs. K class! ropp: “Thi s trying They were was a grea t s c were o hard to gr urious and de ow up . wisdo ep thinker s and Some m wel sh l Other s wer beyond the owed en ir y but yo u kne ot quite the ears. w the re yet a y r , t o w a h u t o n u d out l ! d ” d n c u ome fo Emily Little
I S w e e t n little child ea en a m fer to her as e b d a w, re nell h O’Con , then and no nnell. ill Co but I st ttle Emily O’ i L Sweet
e eart…h h y m stole as n ’ t l Caron st and just w ew e a h c i M n s o fa ith his o w in g r w g s d a e w nat coordi quite height.
Robbie Kirkpatrick did a play in 8th grade and knocked our socks off…we had no idea he was such a great performer!
May 15, 2018
“What’s your favorite memory of your time at BGA? What advice would you give to underclassman about your senior year?”
Featuring Drew Martin The Greers winning the past two tugs. Do your work on time and have fun while you can. Life’s about to get real.
Jack Jewell
Grace Jewell
Today is the last memory for the seniors, so we are frocketing people. That’s a good memory. Don’t stress too much, be proactive with college stuff, and just enjoy the moment.
Cameron Gracey
Our peer leader retreat at the beginning of the year. That was a lot of fun. Enjoy every moment while you can because this is your last year of high school, so just try to enjoy it. State championship for soccer. You get to come in late so sleep in.
Barnes Lucy our ng for n g i k r e w t iti ts vis s t u d e n ce. ran from F
Lindsey Sauder Winning the tug our senior year. Get your college applications done early. Do it during the summer while you have time.
Andy Chen g and he had th was just learning Eng lish e biggest sm ile and frien disposition d of any kid in liest school.
Grace Jewe ll w liver home-m ould personally deade chocola te sauce to me at Chris tmas, and it was always a highlight!
I don’t wa was the nt to say who bi maker b ggest troubleut I can gu you it w as a boy arantee .
he was in t t h g i n nK Madiso hool plays and Sc rmer Middle us perfo o l u b a f was a en. even th
Lindsey Burtchaell Probably winning my senior tug. Take all your hard classes before senior year so that you can just slide.
iendships I watched as fr art but I love grew or fell ap has become how this grade so cohesive.
Jack Carnes