December 2013

The

Leaf

Sycamore High School Student News Magazine Volume 1 | Issue 5 | December Issue 2013

Peers grow out facial hair in November p. 8 Freshmen get acclimated to Varsity level p. 16

taking down

depression Image by Lauren Glynn AND KRITTIKA CHATTERJEE

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Last month, we wrote about physical stereotypes; about making assumptions based on a person’s appearance, heritage, or sexuality.

But there are other kinds of stereotypes – unspoken attitudes that we hold based on a person’s mental state or perceived mental state.

As a society, we tend to push away signs of instability, in others and in ourselves, but depression is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s part of human nature to feel hopeless at times – whether because of school or family or other reasons we can’t necessarily control.

What we can control is what we do about it. Those battling depression often feel alone, deserted, because that’s what history has taught us to do; to shove mental battles under the rug.

As peers, the best thing we can do is to be listeners. To receive those around us with open arms.

Not just because you never know who in your class might be fighting depression, but because by embracing other’s imperfections we get one step closer to accepting our own.

Vol. I | Issue V | 12.18.13

Inside this issue:

-Sanika Vaidya, Shea Lothrop, Ana Barros

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOPE WANG

Editors’ Note

THE LEAF

“Missing you won’t change” by Hope Wang, 12. “I painted this during a stage of a long period of grief. I’ve been to funerals, heard sad stories of people around my circle, but this was the first time I lost someone of great importance.

It was the first time such a loss was so personal. Each layer represents the stages of grief I experienced up until then - shock, anger, sadness. I believe in the making of this piece I began the last stage, acceptance,” said Wang.

NEWS

3 | College Alternatives Pricey future halts plans and leads to different options

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

4 | Gaming & New Consoles Evolution of video games

FEATURE

6 | DIY Gifts Unique ideas for cheap and personable holiday presents 8 | No Shave November Masculinity brought out by new trend

The Leaf Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242

Executive Editor-in-Chief: Michael Saxon Print Editors-in-Chief: Ana Barros, Shea Lothrop, Sanika Vaidya Associate Editors: Alexis Corcoran, Taylor Evans, Ellen Martinson, Kathryn Tenbarge, Anna Zhou Managing Editors: Krittika Chatterjee, Lauren Glynn, Brenda Shen Business Manager: Atiya Dosani Web Masters: Ruochen Tang, Eli Seidman- Deutsch Web Editors-in-Chief: Alexis Corcoran, Rachael Sun Broadcast Editors-in-Chief: Victoria Swart, Benjamin Young

Feature Joseph Ahn Caroline Gao Isaac Goldstein Sports Lauren Saxon A&E Krittika Chatterjee Ethan May Forum Alexis Corcoran Elizabeth Rickert Cartoonist Joseph Ahn

8 | Teacher’s journey to adopt child 9 | Depression Reaching out to those suffering from common disease

SPORTS 14| Varsity Basketball Young team coming together for season 15| Time Management Swim team’s strict schedule 16 |Freshmen on Varsity New talent featured

Spotlight Camila Cardenas Brooke Landrum Kathryn Tenbarge Web Master Ruochen Tang Staff Writers Abbey Baker Jordan Baker Sarah Birckhead Anais Cabello Benjamin Cohen William Coleman Amy Deng

Cameron Foy Hannah Frey Max Fritzhand Zachary Fritzhand Jenny Ham Benjamin Hammer Sarah Horne Rujula Kapoor Lauren Kurtzer Beverly Liu Jack Loon Madeline Marsh Hannah May Joshua Patterson

FORUM 19 |Forgotten Ignored players detach from teammates 20| R-rated movies Questioning judgment of movie ratings

20 | Winter Formal Canceled

SPOTLIGHT 21| Mather clan Seven members from one family share high school

Benjamin Ruskin Orion Schlosser Zoe Schlosser Matthew Schneider Lauren Shassere Joseph Slovin Emily Tyler Jennifer Weber David Wertherim Alex Wittenbaum Jessica Wocks Eli Zawatsky

Photographer McDaniel’s Photography Adviser Cheralyn Jardine About us Professional memberships: • Columbia Scholastic Press Association • Journalism Education Association • National Scholastic High School Press Association • Ohio Scholastic Media Association • Ohio Professional Writers (National Federation of Women Writers) • Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honorary

THE LEAF | TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

DEC. 18, 2013

News briefs

ATIYA DOSANI

BUSINESS MANAGER

CAROLINE GAO

FEATURE CHIEF

GUEST COLUMN

LOCAL

ELISA BERRY

GUEST COLUMNIST

Cincinnati has received a total of 9.6 inches of snow in 2013.* The Farmers’ Almanac predicts that this winter will be the worst we have had in 35 years. They forecast that a “Super Storm” will hit on Super Bowl XLVIII.

This fall, “The Christmas Spirit” was filmed in downtown Lebanon and aired on “The Hallmark Channel” on Dec. 1. The movie features Nicollette Sheridan alongside Bart Johnson.

*as of press time

The 2014 Improv Show will be held on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Universalist Church Building and on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at SHS. “[Improv is] a group where everyone can express their creativity while entertaining each other and growing as performers and people,” said Alex Montchai, 10.

NATIONAL&INTERNATIONAL On Dec. 5, anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, passed away after a long battle with lung infection. Mandela died in his home in Johannesburg.

When Katy Perry’s album was released, most people were not worried that it would be labeled as a biohazard. However, the album sleeve contains garden seeds, causing Australia’s Department of Agriculture to deem it a potential danger to the country’s natural biodiversity.

95 years Mandela lived 91number of delegates attending the funeral

In March, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina [Pope Francis] broke the long line of European popes when he became the pope of the Catholic Church. He was recently named “TIME” magazine’s Person of the Year.

2

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

for standing up for the rights of black people in South Africa

IMAGE BY ELI ZAWATSKY

Mandela 27 years spent in prison

SARA CONSTAND

GUEST COLUMNIST

Over the years, the attendance at the Winter Dance has been decreasing. Last year, 217 tickets were sold, but fewer attended the dance. The diminishing attendance has created a negative connotation of Winter Formal amongst the student body. The Student Council Class of 2014 was concerned that this year’s dance would have an even smaller attendance because of last year’s low numbers.

We decided to calculate if a profit could be obtained from holding Winter Formal.

Senior classes in Student Council have many expenses, including staff appreciation gifts and luncheon, and senior gifts. Recently, we discovered that the senior class is also responsible for a portion of the graduation expenses. Therefore, due to a low projected profit and potential loss from Winter Formal, we decided to investigate anticipated revenue the dance would yield in order to prevent a deficit.

We decided to survey the student body on plans to attend a winter dance during the ACE bells. Before the surveys were distributed, we calculated that in order to break even we would need 200 attendees. After collecting 848 responses, only 168 voted for having a winter dance. The positive responses only accounted for 19 percent of the total responses and did not reach the previously set amount.

This year, hosting a Winter Formal would not be a financially sound decision. We understand that the 168 students who wished to attend the dance will be upset with this decision, and we are sincerely sorry.

However, as student leaders we recognize the harsh reality that it is impossible to please everyone. We would like to stress that this decision was made solely from a financial viewpoint. It is our hope that in a few years, a senior class of Student Council will be able to bring back a winter dance and make it a unique event for a new wave of SHS students.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCDANIELS PHOTOGRAPHY

NEWS

Going a different direction

Students look for other options after high school

T

he average debt of a college student after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree is $17,233.

Yet 284,000 people in the United Sates are being paid only minimum wage even after attaining a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

However, many people wonder what the options are other than going to college and if the other options are even worth considering.

Trade schools, also known as vocational schools, are a different way of furthering your education. Instead of taking traditional classes, you gain skills needed specifically for the work force.

“I think trade school is a cool idea, just not right for me,” said Oliver Proudfoot, 9.

Trade school is an especially good option if you already know what field you want to go into and want more

specialization.

“I think trade school is a great resource for several people,” said Beth Quinones, science teacher.

Also, if you want to save money, trade school is much more affordable, costing an average of $4,700 for an entire year.

Several people, after receiving a high school degree, are on a time restraint and trade school only requires that full time students complete two years to gain a degree.

Several degrees are available from trade schools, such as acupuncture, animal care, graphic design, film, fiber optics, scuba diving, criminal justice, and many more.

Many people also consider the military another alternative to going to college traditionally. There are several options when it comes to joining the military.

Joining the armed forces can

be very honorable. It is very noble to serve your country, so it is naturally an option that is very appealing to several people.

Several programs are available that will allow you to get a college degree, while also joining the armed forces.

One example is ROTC, also known as the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. This is when the U.S. government pays for most of a student’s college education and in return, the student makes a commitment to the U.S. armed forces Every branch of the United States Military has a ROTC except the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard, however, does have a similar program called The College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative.

Another opportunity that many people take advantage of is taking a gap year because they do not know what they want to do with their life.

“I would travel during my gap year if I choose to take one,”said Priya Malla, 9.

One option that is very often thought of is volunteering. There are thousands of locations people choose. Traveling abroad to volunteer gives people adventure and time to think about what they want to do while doing a good thing.

There are several organizations to go on these trips with, such as United Planet and International Volunteer.

Another volunteer opportunity is to go on a safari trip in Africa. One can gain volunteer hours while helping conserve wild life in the Kruger National Park.

One may feel that college is not going to be able to take him or her in the right direction. There are many ways to go if one is willing to explore.

Cost of private college skyrockets over years $75

$250

1870

1920-30

$9876 $12,000 1973

1987

Top jobs without a college degree SURVEYOR ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN WHOLE SALE REP. WEB DEVELOPER ONLINE ADVERTISING MANAGER DENTAL HYGIENIST $20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

AMOUNT OF TOTAL COLLEGE DEBT HELD BY AGE GROUP

6% 12% 38%

15% 29%

KEY: under 30 30-39

40-49 50-59 over 60

ALL IMAGES BY RUJULA KAPOOR

RUJULA KAPOOR

STAFF WRITER

$36,143 $43,289 2009 2011-12 Source: USA Debt, College Cask

THE LEAF | NEWS

3

Image

by E t h

a n Ma y

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Evolution of gaming consoles V

ideo games and game consoles have come a long way since the days of Pacman. We are now able to play high definition games in 3D. Since the very first console in 1967, gaming has been everchanging.

With the current release of the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, the changes in gaming have become more apparent than ever.

In current times, video games are recognized as an intricate part of our society, but older generations can remember a time before games as well as the time during the evolution of gaming.

Gaming itself dates far back in history. It was discovered through artifacts that early societies such as the ancient Egyptians entertained themselves with board games. But for modern electronic games to be made, first had to come the invention of the computer.

Early computer programmers would often become fascinated with programming things like tic-tac-toe onto the early computers. The first idea of a home video game console hooked up to a television came from Ralph Bauer in the early 1950s.

In 1967, Bauer would create a prototype gaming console called the Brown Box. He would later take his idea to Magnavox, which 4

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

refined it and released the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.

Although rather undeveloped, the Odyssey would be a model for many consoles to come.

The first popular home console would not come until 1977 when Atari would release the Atari 2600. It used plug and play cartridges to start games.

The evolving of gaming consoles is generally categorized into eight generations of consoles.

After the second generations of consoles, North America experienced the video game crash of 1983.

The problem with the second generation of games was that the games were extremely easy to produce and the systems were not overly expensive or hard to manufacture thus allowing for many companies to produce games.

This caused a huge overload in video games releases. This confused many American shop owners and customers as they were not sure which video games to sell and buy.

Ultimately, shop owners saw video games as a fad and soon moved onto the next big thing. Video games would not get big again until 1985 with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Entering the sixth generation of gaming is when we really started to see more modern video game systems. This is when we saw the release of the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox.

After the sixth generation it was apparent that Sony and Microsoft would be in competition for years to come including the battle of the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 in the seventh generation of gaming.

The eighth generation is focusing more on the integration of modern media. This includes the 3DS, the Xbox One, and the PlayStation 4.

Xbox One

PlayStation 4

Price

$500

$400

Removable hard drive

No

Yes, must be at least 160GB.

RAM

8GB DDR3

8GB GDDR5

Backwards compatibiliy

No

No

Cross game chat

Yes

Yes

Online game play

Yes, must have Xbox live Gold subscription

Yes, must have PS+ subscription

Web

Web browser

Web browser

Source: http://www.ign.com

ETHAN MAY

A&E CHIEF

How this generation’s gaming came to be

We Proudly Support the Teachers, Administrators and Students at Sycamore Schools Rte 42 Rte 42 9690 Cincinnati-Columbus 9690 Cincinnati-Columbus Rd.Rd.

Rte 42 9690 Cincinnati-Columbus Rd.Rte 42

9690 Cincinnati-Columbus Rd.

513-779-7373 513-779-7373 513-779-7373 513-779-7373

Privateinstruction instruction Private in:in:

Private instructionin:in: Private instruction

Piano Piano Piano Piano Voice

Voice Voice Voice Guitar Guitar Guitar Strings Sheila Vail, Guitar Strings Sheila Vail, sheilavail@aol.com Strings Music Theory Sheila Vail, sheilavail@aol.com Strings Music Theory Sheila Vail, director sheilavail@aol.com Music Theory www.indianspringsacademy.org sheilavail@aol.com director

John Rickert Joe Gilligan Principal Managing Director www.svn-ricore.com

Go Aves!!!

director

director

Larry May President www.gcpartnersltd.com

Music Theory www.indianspringsacademy.org www.indianspringsacademy.org

www.indianspringsacademy.org

To: SHS students From: Sycamore Education Association The Sycamore Education Association wishes you Happy Holidays and encourages you to give yourself the gift of time. In between family celebrations, prepare now to be successful on your semester exams.

a study schedule and establish 1. Set an objective for each study period.

2.

Choose a productive study environment, free from distractions.

3.

Study with someone.

Teaching someone else will test your knowledge.

the framework of the course 4. Use to organize the material.

questions that will be asked 5. Anticipate on the exam by reviewing lecture notes. the questions and make 6. Answer outlines for essay exams.

IMAGE BY BRENDA SHEN

steps to success for studying

THE LEAF | Advertisements 5

FEATURE

‘Do It Yourself’ provides cheap, accessible gifts The Inspiration

AMY DENG STAFF WRITER

ANAIS CABELLO

STAFF WRITER

T

he winter season is a great time for giftgiving. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, gifts are something special to each individual.

The term DIY, or do-ityourself,’ is a fun way to get your creative mind working. It is also an exciting way to do fun hands-on activities.

DIY gifts are also much more sentimental and heartwarming than store bought gifts. More thought and love is put into them

SHS’ thoughts on DIY gifts

6

I think that it is a great way to spread acts of kindness Elsa Benson, 9

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

and it shows the care the person invested into making the present.

“DIY gifts are really personal and show the valuable time spent on the gift. But some people might think that store bought gifts are easier and better to find.

Making gifts might seem too hard,” said Jordan Elder, 12.

DIY: Worth it?

For some people, DIY gifts are a waste of time. They think store bought gifts are more efficient and reliable.

“I think that it is a dying trend; people are just buying gift cards now,” said Mr. Andrew Ovington, social studies teacher.

On the other hand, some

I think that Bethany Mota’s videos are very creative and extremely helpful Jacqueline Lazar, 10

people think that DIY gifts are really heartwarming. To them, it shows that thought and effort was put into the gift.

“I think that DIY gifts are really meaningful. It saves a lot of money and makes the person feel special. It shows that you spent time for them,” said Lauren Hughes, 9.

Many people have their opinions, but whether or not DIY is liked, it is more cost efficient.

Cheap Money

From just a pile of Popsicle sticks, glue, and paint, people can turn anything into a masterpiece.

You can buy almost any simple crafting supplies from your local craft store, such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Jo-Ann Fabrics.

it is very nice, not only did the person think of you, but HE OR SHE also took time to make the gift Margaret Jordan, 11

In a world surrounded by social media, people are always on the computer.

Popular websites show stepby-step projects of DIY gifts, from Tumblr to Pinterest to even YouTube.

“I think that DIYs are really cool and I like to watch YouTube videos on them.

I also would really like to try them out,” said Marina Kobayashi, 9.

There are a lot of ‘YouTubers’ who make videos demonstrating how to do DIY decorations and gifts.

For example, Bethany Mota, YouTube name Macbarbie07, is a popular YouTuber with over three million subscribers.

In many of her videos, she shows how to make simple, affordable, dainty gifts and decorations for different holiday occasions.

Some of her holiday-themed DIY videos, with over three

I think that it is good, because it is better than coming from the store shelves Justin Ortiz, 12

million views, consist of DIY Holiday room Decorations + Easy ways to decorate/ organize!, DIY Holiday Gift: Snow Globes!, and HoliDIY: Renovate your sweaters for the Holidays!

It allows you to formulate your own ideas for gifts and decorations to make for someone or even yourself.

Wrapping it Up

Instead of buying a holiday card at a store, you can make your own personal DIY card.

For this, use some construction paper, scissors, glue, and markers or crayons to make a colorful and meaningful card.

After you have completed your DIY card, gifts, and decorations, wrap it up or put it in a bag to give to one of your teachers, friends, family members, or coach.

Many people love to receive wonderful DIY gifts for the holidays. It is even more meaningful to the person receiving it.

I prefer to buy THINGS online, because it is easier. I do not like the traffic and the stores Mrs. Karen Post, High School Administrator

FEATURE

ALL IMAGES BY Anais Cabello and Amy Deng

Gift ideas Music note candle Sharpie cup

Materials: Candle 3x6 pack of two: Michaels, $7.99 Wood music stamp: Michaels, $7.79 Black ink pad: Michaels, $2.99 Procedure: Take a flat stamp and cover it with ink. Then, roll the candle along the stamp. Repeat this until it covers the entire candle.

Materials: White cup: Target, $3.99 Pack of five sharpies: Office Depot, $4.99 Procedure: Take a plain white cup and start drawing creative designs on it. Bake it in the oven at 360 degrees for 30 minutes.

Canvas word art Hot cocoa in a jar

Materials: Brushes: Michaels, $2.99 Canvas 12x16: Michaels, $9.99 (Flat) Canvas, pack of six: Michaels, $7.99 Acrylic paint (any color): Michaels, $3.99 Letter Stencils: Michaels, $10.99 Procedure: First, you need to paint a plain white canvas with a color of your choice. That is the base. Once it is completely dry, use stencils to paint on a message/ quote of your choice. Then wait for it to dry.

OPTIONAL: Put strips of tape along your canvas to make a “stripe� pattern.

Materials: Kraft Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows - 10.5 oz: Target, $1.27 Starbucks Hot Cocoa: $8.99 Mason Jars: Michaels, $1.49 Red and green candy cane and mints ribbon: Michaels, $1.99 Procedure: First, fill your jar with as much hot chocolate powder you prefer. Then fill the jar up with marshmallows the rest of the way. Tie the jar with a cute ribbon.

OPTIONAL: You can also add in mints and chocolate chips in the jar.

THE LEAF |FEATURE 7

FEATURE

‘When you parent a child from another race you immediately are taken to a different level as a family’

Adoption changes teacher’s life ELIZABETH RICKERT

OPINION CHIEF

Adopting Ana was the seminal event in my journey which has now taken me around the world and will continue to take me around the world,” said Miz Marilyn Ray, AP European History teacher. Ray is referring to the adoption of her daughter, Ana Ray. Ana was born on a dirt floor in an orphanage in Mexico. Ten days later, she met Ray. This life changing event occurred 26 years ago.

“It wasn’t anything real noble and it wasn’t like I was going to save the world. I wanted a baby and I wasn’t going to find that in Indiana.”

It was very difficult to adopt Ana since Ray already had a biological child. Due to this complication, Ray handled the adoption privately and internationally.

To do this, she had to identify a child that met certain criteria for U.S. immigration. She asked a mother planning to leave her child at an orphanage if she would give the baby up for adoption.

Since Ana was adopted so young, Ray was not aware that she had special needs. These characteristics often become evident much later.

Ana is developmentally delayed.

Due to this, Ana is much slower in her actions. For example, it took her twice as long to walk as would be expected. These characteristics appeared very early and helped Ray identify Ana’s special needs.

Ana is now an adult. During the day, she works at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. This is part of Project Search which allows kids with disabilities of all kinds to do something with their lives. This project was started at Children’s 8

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with about 30 kids, but now it is international.

Ana works in the child life area.

Here, a hospitalized child is given toys and games. Ana has been there since she started at Children’s six years ago.

Adopting a child from a different country adds a unique perspective to both the adoption process and how to include their culture. It raises the question of whether or not the family implements their culture in their lives.

“I went to Mexico, but I saw the real Mexico, not the tourist part.

I saw injustice and poverty and hunger and lack of medical care.

That really set me on my journey for human rights, justice, equality, and my desire to travel, because when you parent a child from another race you immediately are taken to a different level as a family.”

For Ray, their family decided that Ana was as much American as the rest of the family is.

“To be quite honest... she has a deep abiding love for Mexico. She knows she’s Mexican, she identifies with people of color and when the Mexican Olympians come out we hoop and holler. She was, however, very integrated into American culture, so even though she looks Mexican, she is all American,” said Ray. Adopting a child not only improves the life of the child but the life of parent. This is not commonly believed to be true.

However, anyone who sits in Ray’s classroom and listens to her discuss how Ana has affected her life will agree with this statement.

“I went to Mexico, but I saw the real Mexico, not the tourist part. I saw injustice and poverty and hunger and lack of medical care. That really set me on my journey for human rights, justice, equality, and my desire to travel,“ said Miz Marilyn Ray, AP European History teacher

No shave November:

Students put down the razor for a month BENJAMIN HAMMER

L

STAFF WRITER

ast month, you may have noticed a number of SHS students looked rather scruffy as many of them chose to put down the razor for a month.

The event has been dubbed ‘Movember,’ an idea created in 1999 when a group of 80 Australians came up with the idea of growing moustaches for charity throughout the month of November.

By 2007 it had become a worldwide phenomenon and in recent years it has become a new tradition here at SHS. Some even consider it a ritualistic rite of manliness.

“Moustaches demand respect and show manliness,” said Alex Weisser, 12.

“However I can’t participate in Movember because I would look really creepy. I can still show my support by growing out my beard.”

Weisser’s case is typical. The tradition at SHS is not Movember, but NoShave-November.

To participate, you start off with a clean shave on October 31, and do not shave your facial hair for the entire month of November. The Leaf spoke with multiple participants to get a feel for the event.

“I haven’t shaved because I think it’s cool and I like how it supports cancer

awareness, and I really want to grow out a beard just to see how it looks,” said Hadis Palic, 12.

Other participants had different motives for participating.

“I just wanted an excuse to be lazy.

I’m a lazy person and I don’t like to shave, it takes work,” said Brandon DeMaio, 11.

By December, most participants were content with their results.

“A lot of people say I look a lot older and mature. I get treated with more respect. It’s weird,” said Aditya RoyChaudhury, 12.

However not everyone was satisfied with the scruffy look.

“I’m really disappointed. I thought I could do better, but I couldn’t,” said Nimit Desai, 12. Desai also did not get positive reactions from friends.

“People call me ugly, especially my mom.”

No-Shave-November is an opportunity for many SHS students to assess their facial hair and express their masculinity.

“I think beards need to come back into style,” said Weisser. “Also handlebar moustaches. Back to the Teddy Roosevelt days when presidents had moustaches. It’s upsetting how few congressmen have moustaches.”

DEC. 18, 2013 DEC. 18, 2013

Coverstory story Cover

helping hands

defeat depression Image by Lauren Glynn AND KRITTIKA CHATTERJEE

photo courtesy of HOPE WANG

COVER STORY

LAUREN GLYNN

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

EMILY TYLER

STAFF WRITER

I Depression is not refusing to look at the bright side; it is a chemical imbalance in the brain.

10

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

want to die.” It is a phrase commonly used by the average high school student, released as a casual expression of exaggerated frustration. However, it becomes difficult to distinguish between those who mean it as a joke and those individuals who have not received the help they need.

Even though Depression may be brought up within the school environment, serious thoughts of suicide have plagued 3.7 percent of people in the United States this year.

Dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are the three chemicals are responsible for Depression. Triggered by a chemical imbalance in the brain, people cannot help falling victims to these three contributors. The disease affects 5 percent of people globally.

Chemical imbalance

Winter Depression remains a mystery to scientists who study it.

“In Seasonal Affective Disorder, certain people are more prone to depressive symptoms from fall to spring (the word ‘affective’ in mental health means ‘mood’),” said Dr. Oliver Birckhead, local clinical psychologist.

“One thought is that the decrease in natural

daylight is a factor. In addition to the usual treatments for Depression, special lamps which duplicate the properties of sunlight have been found by some people to be helpful.”

However, the transient “blues,” or depressed or sad feelings around the holidays, are a different matter.

“The holiday season is an annual tradition in most US homes. Things which are celebrated or remembered annually link us to the past and all the feelings, hopes, disappointments, etc. are recalled via the annual observation or remembrance,” said Birckhead.

Many individuals who suffer from winter Depression also feel that the holidays come with expectations of merriment, happiness, celebration, and thankfulness, but for many, the reality does not match the anticipation.

During the brief study of psychological disorders in AP Psychology in her junior year, Hope Wang, 12, felt inspired to make a series of paintings linked to various psychological conditions.

After watching the movie “A Beautiful Mind,” Wang titled her piece of artwork, shown above, as a reference to the message in the film about mental disorders.

She started with schizophrenia, but in fleshing out her ideas and through her work process, her piece, “A Beautiful Mind,” came to

represent more than just schizophrenia.

“It became an overarching sentiment about psychological disorders in general,” said Wang. “From gaining more knowledge about disorders, a lot of conversations reveal that society struggles to understand and how to perceive such individuals.”

According to www.Psychcentral.com, some general symptoms of Depression include neglected mood, sudden loss of interest in activities, and significant and unintentional weight loss or weight gain.

For these individuals, it may seem that they are under an eternal sky of bleak grey, but treatment is an opportunity for recovery.

Therapy is not the stereotypical one - hour session with a ‘shrink.’Although this typical practice, known as cognitive behavioral therapy, is an option, modern science has come up with new ways to treat people.

Path to recovery

Whether an individual is dealing with the lowest level of Depression or the most intense version of a major depressive disorder, no one can anticipate the outcome of the situation.

The amount of support the person receives, their access to medical care, and if they are getting therapeutic support are some components on which their recovery depends.

“I think it is very important to discuss

COVER STORY Depression in school because we know that statistically speaking, 5 percent of adolescents deal with some type of major depression disorder,” said Mrs. Brenda Fisher, student assistant counselor.

Between 80 to 100 students are currently battling some level of clinical Depression.

“Students who are dealing with Depression themselves, watching a friend or family member handle it, are being impacted in some way. It impacts things like learning, how they view the world, and their well being,” said Fisher.

How to help

The biggest way to have an impact and be able to assist someone in recovery is to ask what he or she needs. This can be different for each individual depending on the situation.

“It is helpful to get out and do things. Just having someone to initiate activities can be extremely powerful,” said Fisher.

If a friend is going through Depression, then they are sharing something personal and allowing themselves to become vulnerable, so it is important to be a good listener and get a sense of why they shared the information.

When having that one-on-one conversation, body language can help determine if they are being genuine.

If it is a family member, then it could pertain to you and your medical history. Individuals who have a family history that includes depressive disorders are more susceptible to having disorders themselves.

“If someone is truly feeling like they are in a good place, then when asked questions pertaining to their well being they will most likely be open to talking about it in person instead of over social media such as Twitter and Instagram,” said Fisher.

Even with having a friend to help get through

the hard times, any person going through Depression needs to find their own coping strategies and see what works for them.

“One big thing is to stay away from drugs and alcohol. I think the biggest thing we see is that drugs and alcohol are used by individuals to escape their sadness but they only worsen the situation,” said Fisher.

Thus, if a student does reach out to their peers about a suspected depression disorder, the conversation cannot stop there because those peers are not a trained professionals.

Depression is not something to tip-toe around as if the person is a sensitive grenade. It does not handicap people.

Jeopardizing a friend’s trust is something that will not always end in the opposing party’s favor, but if it saves a life, most would agree that it is worth it.

speak up

If you think you or someone you know is at risk of depression or suicide, then do not just stand by and do nothing.

REACH OUT TO AN ADULT THAT YOU TRUST. Your parents, teachers, and doctors are all able to help. If you feel uncomfortable talking to a trusted adult, reach out to a friend who can approach someone for you.

USE YOUR ONLINE RESOURCES. Many organizations such as To Write Love on Her Arms have websites that can lead you to assistance. You can also obtain email assistance from the Samaritans website.

CALL ANY OF THESE NUMBERS. cRISIS HOTLINE (513)-281-2273 psychiatric Intake response center (513)-636-4124 PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE (513)-241-5437 RUNAWAY/SAFE PLACE (513)-961-4080 RAPE CRISIS (513)-381-5610

911

IN ANY EMERGENCY, CALL

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (ywca) (513)-872-9259 NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 1-800-273-8255

Image by Lauren Glynn

THE LEAF | SPORTS

11

COVER STORY

DEPRESSION STATISTICS Over 80 percent of the people who have symptoms of clinical depression are not receiving any specific treatment

The number of patients diagnosed with depression increases by approximately

20 percent per year

demographics

Ethnicity

African-American males are the least likely to obtain help for symptoms of depression, with over 90 percent not seeking any care

Only 17 percent of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders experiencing mental health problems seek care

source: American Public Health Association

Women are twice as likely to have Depression and symptoms of Depression than men

Gender

source: Healthline.com

1.

source: Mrs. Brenda Fisher

10

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

2.

When a person is going through the stages of recovery from depression, peers expect them to get better (as shown in figure one) but the individual typically will go along the path of figure two. Professionals expect people to feel better, experience a setback, learn from their experiences, and then become uplifted.

ALL ImageS by Lauren Glynn

trajectory of healing process

Riddle of the month:

DEC. 18, 2013

Fun&Games

What is the longest word in the dictionary?

Smiles, because there is a mile between each ‘s’

Where in the school is this?

Sudoku

6 3 4 1

8 5 4 6 7 1 5 9 7 6 4 3

9

FESTIVE FACTS An average of 5,800 people end up in the ER after suffering injuries from holiday decorating.

Household waste increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In the United States, trash from wrapping paper and shopping bags totals 4 million tons.

The largest gingerbread man is 466 pounds and six ounces. The Gingerbread House, in Rochester, Minnesota, baked the giant cookie on Feb. 21, 2006.

Given the different time zones, Santa has 31 hours to deliver gifts, but his reindeer really have to fly quickly, since that means visiting 823 homes per second.

7 2 2 3 4 1 6 5 8 9 2 6 3 GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE

ANXI

GET GET GET GET

ETY

ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTVWXYZ KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW

KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW

ABLE? ABLE? ABLE?

KNEE LIGHTS

HELLO

Answers from left to right: forgive before forget, highly questionable, separation anxiety, neon lights, missing U, season’s greetings, last one to know

The first person to submit the right answer to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com will receive an out-to-lunch pass.

9 1 3 7

THE LEAF | FUN&GAMES

13

DEC. 18 2013

ELI ZAWATSKY

STAFF WRITER

S

itting at the buzzer, poised for the question that will decide the fate of the entire team, the competitor remains stoic. Once it is asked, the participant, thinking quickly, presses the buzzer. All eyes are on them as they answer the question.

This high-pressure situation is one often faced by members of the SHS academic Quiz Team. It describes a lightning round, one of the three rounds athletes face during a Quiz Team competition.

“It’s probably the most intense round, the questions could be about everything and you only have three seconds to answer, plus the outcome of the match often depends on

it,” said Brandon Peck, 12.

The lightning round is the last in a series of three rounds that take place at each competition. The first is called the team round, and involves competitors answering questions about American and World Literature, Fine Arts, Physical Science, and American and World History.

The second round, called the alphabet round, has the participants answer a series of questions where all of the answers start with the same letter.

The teams, both Varsity and JV, start the season having practiced a great deal.

“We practice two times each week until our matches begin, and then we will have just one practice each week,” said Mrs. Laura Newton, coach of the JV team. Newton coaches

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCDANIEL’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Sports Quiz team makes quest for outstanding season

Yuan Zhang, 11, ponders the answer to a challenging question during a quiz team competition. Members of the AQT are forced to think quickly while competing, and are placed under high pressure situations when answering questions.

alongside Mr. Ken Clark, coach of the Varsity team.

Both teams’ opening match took place on Dec. 2 against Mason High School, their biggest rival. Both of the teams played well, and in the end, SHS was able to win one game and lost the other.

“Our team was at a

disadvantage against Mason due to the fact that only four of our players were able to attend the match...however, we were still able to win one of the two games against them. I feel that if more of our players had shown up we could have definitely won both games,” said Nick Hershey, 12.

Members of the 2013-2014 Varsity team Jalen SHROPSHIRE

Senior Guard

Mitchell HILL

Senior Forward

Kenneth WEAD

Sophomore Guard

Dan GINSBURG Senior Forward

RISE UP

Junior Guard

Zachary FARQUHAR

IMAGE BY LAUREN SAXON

5 pts. per game 3 assists per game (6th in GMC assists)

7.5 pts. per game (10th in GMC assists) 30 total pts.

14.3 pts. per game (8th in GMC scoring) 57 total pts.

6.3 pts. per game 8 total assists 25 total pts.

12.8 pts. per game 3.5 steals per game (2nd in GMC steals)

*information as of Dec. 12, 2013

14

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

Source: gmcsports.com

Column:

Sports satire MICHAEL SAXON

EXECUTIVE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The following is an imaginary conversation between two students at SHS. The conversation reflects my personal views, not the views of the entire staff.

S1: Hey man, what’s up?

S2: Not much, just getting ready for the holidays. I wanna catch some of the winter sports teams over break. Which ones do you think I should see?

S1: How about watching the chess team?

S2: Woah – been there, done that. I was at their senior night. Talk about rowdy!

S1: Ha, probably because they get all the ladies. Okay, how about basketball?

S2: Girls or guys?

S1: Does it matter?

S2: For sure. Well you’re right…I haven’t heard much about either except that both seem to be struggling. Coach Moss must draw up plays like he fixes computers…he doesn’t. And as for the girls, the only thing I hear is from girls fawning over him. Safe to say I’m not too interested.

S1: Diddo. Okay – AQT? S2: *Bzzzzzzzz* That was me buzzing in a “no.” Next please?

S1: Tough crowd. Wrestling?

S2: Eh, I’m not too into the whole “let’s wear something tight and pin each other to the ground” kind of thing.

S1: Speaking of tight outfits – how about swimming? C’mon, GMC champs last year right? They’ve been pretty successful.

S2: To be honest, I’m sort of skeptical about this year. Last year’s senior class left some MAJOR holes to fill.

S1: Okay, Mr. Picky. Bowling?

S2: Just hold on, I’m staying home.

S1: I bet you forgot this one: gymnastics?

S2: Props to that one girl, but nah.

S1: Well, you have successfully ruled out every winter sports team at SHS. S2: No, now you forgot one.

S1: What’s that?

S2: Fencing.

S1: Oh, I didn’t even know we had a team. So you wanna see that?

S2: Idk. I’m kinda on the fence about it.

S1: You’re unbelievable.

S2: I’m here all week.

SPORTS

Diving into time management busy one day,” said Wu. Stress and sleep deprivation go hand in hand.

Hannah May STAFF WRITER With so much to do, it is common for students hen school ends at 2:20 p.m., students to pull an ‘all-nighter’ to get their homework done or study for an exam. are released from class to go home.

Though it is time consuming, swimming has But student athletes know their day is its benefits. It allows people to get involved and far from over as they head to practice. is a great way to make friends.

“Every day I have swim practice after school “Even though swim team takes up a lot from 2:30 to 4:30,” said Jory Gould, 10. of my time, it helps me stay on track and be Being a part of a sport means taking on a big more involved.

Plus the team is really nice. It responsibility. Athletes must attend not only is a great atmosphere since you make so many practice, but also games on a regular basis. This friends,” said Marina Kobayashi, 9. is not only physically challenging but it also With the season coming fast it is going to be challenges them with time management. harder than ever for the swimmers to manage “It’s really hard at first to fit in all the practice their time. with the homework, but once you get a routine, However, they must remember that they do it it works out,” said Gould. because of their love for the sport.

As well as working out a routine, the swimmers must learn to avoid distractions.

There is no time for Facebook or to watch favorite shows.

“During the school week, I don’t really watch T.V. because I don’t have the time,” said Priscilla Wu, 10.

With all the homework and practicing, many athletes find themselves under a lot of stress.

Other While it is very common among high school Homework Practice athletes, it can be detrimental to anyone’s 16% 16% health.

According to helphealthguide.org, stress can lead to depression, obesity, and skin problems.

In order to avoid this, student athletes need to plan ahead as much as possible.

2% “Usually, I will see if I can get my homework done ahead of time if I know I’m going to be Sarah Horne

all Photos courtesy of McDaniel’s Photography

STAFF WRITER

W

Cara Norris, 11, swims the 100 yard butterfly, which is her main event. She is part of the Varsity team and made it to the State Championship the past two years.

School 30%

Sleep 33%

How a swimmer’s time is distributed

A day in the life of a swimmer 5:30 a.m.

Wake up to go to go to morning practice

6:00- 7:00 a.m.

Morning practice

7:20 a.m.- 2:20 p.m.

School

2:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Afternoon practice

Junior Varsity swimmers swim six to nine hours a week.

Varsity swimmers swim 15 hours a week.

4:30 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

Homework/ dinner/other

10:00 p.m.

Go to bed

THE LEAF | SPORTS

15

SPORTS

Freshman athletes take field Rookie ninth graders make it to Varsity level

T

LAUREN SHASSERE

STAFF WRITER

he first year of high school is the time when athletes normally get accustomed to playing at the more intense and competitive levels of high school sports. Most students start at the bottom on the JV or Freshmen teams and work their way up the ladder to Varsity teams as the years go by. However, for a select few athletes, this simply is not the case.

Some freshmen athletes come out and earn their way straight onto a Varsity team, impressing both their coaches and their peers.

This is pretty uncommon, considering most of the Varsity spots go to the upperclassmen. In most cases, upperclassman

athletes are simply more acclimated to the intensity of high school sports, as opposed to the freshmen who come from the less intense Sycamore Junior High School competition level.

For the few freshmen who compete in Varsity sports, making the team is a huge deal. Although their hard work paid off, making the team is not the end of their struggle. These athletes are expected to be at the top of their game at all times and feel the pressure to prove that their coaches’ decisions to place them on Varsity was the right one. “It has made me mentally stronger to know that I am at a high place on the team, but it is also a lot of pressure to perform my very best every meet,� said Kamaria Walton, 9, Varsity cross country runner.

Whether the pressure comes from parents who want their child to succeed, teammates who question a freshman on their Varsity team, or coaches with high expectations, freshmen athletes need to use that pressure as motivation.

More common than not the pressure comes from themselves. Some athletes just put so much pressure on themselves merely because they want to be the best that they can be. They have the drive to win, and will not be satisfied until they do.

Kamaria Walton, 9, runs in a Varsity cross country meet. In these meets she must run a 3.1 mile race as fast as she can, competing against older, more experienced Varsity runners. It is important for her to know her pace, stick with it and pass as many people as she can in order to get the fastest time possible .

IMAGES BY LAUREN Shassere

Passing it down:

Former Varsity freshmen give advice to next generation Even if you are not the most important one on the team, or getting any play time, learn as much as you can from the older players and try to get better every day.

Kenneth Wead, 10

16

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

Make friends with all the upperclassmen and try to learn from them. Learning how they act and perform under pressure will help you when it comes to your time to shine.

Mackenzie Mcmullen, 10

SPORTS “I feel that the pressure comes more from myself because I already set high standards for myself being the top freshman,” said Walton.

Apart from the stress that comes with being a part of this top level of athleticism in school sports, playing Varsity as a freshman has many benefits in the way it develops younger athletes.

“It has been really helpful to play with the older girls. They taught me so much and I grew a lot as a player this year,” said Stephanie Mather, 9, Varsity volleyball player.

Their time on Varsity as a younger member helps them grow as an athlete of that sport.

This head start into Varsity competition might just give them the edge they need to succeed on high school or even college teams.

“It has been very challenging as an athlete, but I have absolutely loved it and would not trade that experience away for anything,” said Renee Foster, 9, Varsity soccer player.

Stephanie Mather, 9, stares down her opposing team and prepares herself for the ball to be put in play and the game to be put in motion.

Scan here to read about Jake Borman, Varsity freshman quaterback

Make sure that you work hard during conditioning because it does make a difference. Also, make sure the seniors have a good season because it is their last one.

Clarence Dawson,10

Peers cheer on freshmen athletes: “You have to root for and support the freshmen because they are the future of your program.”

Charlie Supp, 10 “I like to cheer on the soccer team, especially the freshmen on it, because it is so cool that they can play along with the older kids.”

Inga Baublyte, 11 “You have to be a good role model, because when it comes their time to lead, they are going to take after what you did as a senior.”

Ben Jervis, 12

Always try your hardest and don’t be afraid of the seniors. Just work hard and you’ll be fine.

Farrah Brown, 10

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCDANIEL’S PHOTOGRAPHY

THE LEAF | SPORTS

17

photo courtesy of Lauren Glynn

DEC. 18, 2013

Opinion

Staff Editorial

Students we can support The holiday season marks a time when depression sees a spike in its presence. The irony of this idea, however, melts to shock in the face of astounding statistics showing the record of suicides at its highest during the winter months.

Yet here we are, trying our best to ignore the world’s brokenness while others are finding no hope on which to rely.

We have heard so many messages about depression, from commercials to fundraisers to counseling sessions. In all the action, we have lost our vision of what truly needs to be done.

Helping someone who is depressed is not about being happy all the time; that is not real.

Life is not only celebration; there are good

“

Leafing through the masses: How can we, as peers and as friends, help depressed students?

18

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

times and there are bad times through which we all must journey.

Rather, the true aid comes from compassion.

Compassion, by dictionary definition, means to ‘suffer with.’ This is more than taking pity on someone- this is sharing in those same feelings, those same experiences.

Let us not, this season, look to only the happy-go-lucky ‘good cheer’ and ‘good times.’

Instead, may we be willing to journey into the valleys and face the dark with those who are too beaten down to continue.

It is possible, just by reaching out, to save a person’s life. And that, when it is all said and done, is worth every bit of the effort.

WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM AND TALK THEM THROUGH IT. JUST BEING THERE MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION: DON’T LOSE HOPE. IT WILL GET BETTER. Valerie Gray, 9

WE CAN HELP BY SIMPLY LISTENING. THAT PERSON NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN CONFIDE IN A TRUSTED PERSON AND WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SAFE PLACE. TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION: IT WILL GET BETTER. Abby Bonhaus, 10

IT’S SORT OF HARD TO SAY WHAT TO DO, SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS THAT CHANGE FROM SITUATION TO SITUATION. TAKING NOTICE OF OTHER PEOPLE’S WELLBEING WOULD BE A GOOD PREVENTATIVE MEASURE, IF NOTHING ELSE. Jacob Gibson, 11

WE SHOULD CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING HELP RATHER THAN TOUGHING IT OUT. TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION: KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, KEEP WORKING HARD AND KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. Gabe Schenker, 12

Remember the ones who are

VICTORIA SWART

BROADCAST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

C

ertain dynamics exist on sports teams, as well as in any group. There are the leaders, the crazy ones, the intense ones, the kiss-ups, the complainers, the ‘I-don’twant-to-do-anything’s, and the ‘I’m-justparticipating’s.

Finally, there are the Forgotten. These players are generally the ones sitting on the bench, the quiet ones who are never on the court. Or maybe they do play, but they never reach a leadership status in their teammates’ eyes.

They may be considered the ‘nice’ ones, the trustworthy players who would never hurt their teammates. But when asked who to look to, they normally do not come to mind.

In fact, they may not come to mind for anything. They may just be considered the ‘backup’ for the superstars on the floor, those who ‘fill the empty space.’

It hurts, emotionally and mentally, when one has that mindset. Players are ignored, left in the dust, excluded from the joy and unity of a team.

It causes doubt, eating away at a player’s confidence and feelings of worth until that player asks: Why was I on the team in the first place?

Maybe, the Forgotten mask their situation well enough that people don’t notice. Maybe, the other players believe the Forgotten to be strong enough to handle that sort of situation.

Maybe, they just don’t care.

Whatever the cause, people look away, and the Forgotten are left to fend for themselves.

So, to the star players out there, I urge you to

January exams cause stress JACK LOON

STAFF WRITER

consider those forgotten on your team.

By this, I do not mean approaching someone during practice and asking loudly, “Do you feel forgotten?”

That is just another form of insensitivity.

There is a time and a place for everything; practice is a time for work, improvement, and focus.

Instead, remember the little things. A touch on the shoulder, a greeting, a “How are you?” or asking someone to be a warm-up partner- those are the things that often mean the most.

The little things make it all bearable. Just being a friend, nothing more or less, can make all the difference.

To those who feel forgotten right now, I encourage you. Hope is not lost, and you are not alone in your suffering.

That being said, whether someone reaches out to you or not, the way you react is what will decide your ending point.

Will you stand tall, take the pain, forgive your teammates, and cherish those who do reach out to you? Or will you snuff off and disregard those who do make an attempt, because you feel that “they had their chance?”

It seems paradoxical to forgive your teammates, yet remain strong in your identity.

You will find, however, that you will have made yourself stronger at the end of the season, both emotionally and mentally.

The idea of a team is to unify many individuals with different skills in order to achieve a larger goal. If everyone is considered on a team, maybe then its true definition will become clear once again.

Semester exams fall at the end of the second quarter in January.

Exams are the week of Jan. 13-16, which is only the second week back at school after winter break.

During the much-needed time off of school, most students would like to take a significant ‘break’, hence the name, ‘winter break.’

While the students need a relief from the four long months of school they have undergone, they are forced to study for the upcoming semester exams.

This is often extremely stressful, mainly due to the difficulty of studying and working during the break.

This is especially difficult when students are out of town with family. It is very hard to buckle down and focus during a much needed break.

An alternative to this is to have exams before winter break, during December.

Students would be able to study during the regular school period, allowing them to focus easier, and then after exams, enjoy a stress-free winter break.

Multiple schools in the Cincinnati area have already changed their exams to before their holiday break.

They begin the school year four days early to allow time at the end of December to do exams.

IMAGE BY ANA BARROS

“

OPINION

The teachers have much more time to grade the exams if they are held then because of the two weeks off of school directly after exams, so it is less stressful for teachers and students.

In a survey of 50 students, 34 students said that they would not like exams to be held in January, because people want to have a relaxing winter break. 16 students said they would like them to be held after winter break, mainly because they appreciate the amount of time winter break offers for studying.

In conclusion, semester exams should occur before winter break, so students and teachers can relax and enjoy their time off, knowing that exams are officially over.

THE LEAF | opinion

19

OPINION

Dwindling dance Formal loses appeal BROOKE LANDRUM

STAFF WRITER

NIK YA AID AV

SHSLEAF.COM | THE LEAF

SA BY

20

GE IMA

The crowds drawn to Winter Formal have been shrinking for a few years. This is not simply because people do not care about the dance or have no interest in attending; it is actually quite the opposite.

The majority of attendees have been freshmen who are overly excited for another dance to attend. However, after their freshman year, very few return.

With the amount of effort and time that Student Council puts into planning this event, the real question is about the low attendance.

There are a number of reasons for this.

For starters, the timing of the dance attracts a slim number of students. The dance is held precariously close to Valentine’s Day leading most people to believe that it is a Valentine’s dance and that only preexisting couples should attend.

In addition, those who attend find the dance to be more awkward and lackluster than Homecoming. There is no theme, at least not one that can be easily detected.

The lights are left on almost the entire time and half of the commons is roped off.

With this type of atmosphere and the high price associated with it, students tend to find more creative things to do.

Common alternatives are concerts, laser tagging, paint balling, or just throwing a party.

While it is a shame that all of Student Council’s hard work seems to go to waste with this dance, there are simple improvements that could definitely be made to increase attendance.

e-evaluation:

Should the minimum age for restricted movie viewership be lowered?

BEN COHEN

STAFF WRITER

T

urning 16 is the most anticipated event in most teenagers lives. But for movie lovers, that age would be 17.

Becoming 17 opens up a new door into the world of cinema. No longer does one have to sneak past ‘unsuspecting’ ushers or bribe his or her parents into letting them see the new buzzed about, yet tragically R-rated, movie.

But is this law, that those under the age of 17 shall be restricted from seeing an R-rated movie, fair? Well, it is, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

“Sometimes I think they slap the R rating on things that do not really require it just to keep

themselves out of trouble,” said Anya Miller, 11.

This is especially true when looking at the fact that an Oscar winning movie like “The King’s Speech” is rated R for one scene of foul language, while a movie like “Easy A,” which is entirely about sex, is rated PG-13.

So basically a teenager can drive a motorized death trap, but can’t see a movie featuring ‘bad words’ without being accompanied by his or her parents. Logically, that just doesn’t seem right.

It doesn’t make sense for the box office either when some of the highest grossing movies of this year have been rated R. Those numbers could easily be higher by letting teenagers into the theater.

That being said, there are some who feel

otherwise.

“I think it is fair because there is some stuff that children shouldn’t see that may traumatize them,” said Mitch Radakovich, 9.

Obviously a 5 year old shouldn’t be seeing “The Hangover,” but 13 year olds are at the point where it is okay for them to be exposed to the less attractive side of the world, which is what a majority of R-rated movies do.

PG-13 movies are actually even more violent than the average R rated movie according to recent studies done by the Annenberg Public Policy Center and Ohio State University.

Ultimately, it should be up to the parent to decide if a movie is suitable for his or her child, without permission from the big movie moguls known as the MPAA.

1 is okay, 2 is fine, 7 is enough Mather family: living together, working together CAMILA CARDENAS

SPOTLIGHT CHIEF

Spotlight Image by Camila Cardenas

B

eing in a big family can be a challenge, but Stephanie Mather, 9, sees it as an opportunity to be responsible. Mather enjoys living with her six other siblings because she always has someone to talk to but it also makes her home life chaotic.

Mather has a brother at SHS and one at Sycamore Junior High School, two sisters at Greene, and a pair of twins at Symmes. Having such a big family makes it very difficult for her parents to try to get every child to every practice, leaving the oldest child, Jacob Mather, 10, to help car pool.

“I tend to help my parents drive some of our siblings around because it’s a lot easier for them now that they don’t have to worry about picking me up and I can help them too,” said Jacob.

Being the two oldest siblings, Stephanie and

Jacob have to take on other responsibilities.

“I have to watch all of my little siblings all the time so it can get annoying and it is always really loud and crazy in my house,” said Stephanie.

The Mathers are also known for having a big extended family. Their 3 cousins Logan Mather, 12, Ross Mather, 11 and Grace Mather, 9, all attend SHS. Going to school with cousins is not so rare and can be comforting since there is always someone you know.

“I think it is cool how the Mathers have such a big family. I go to school with my cousins too and I love it. It’s really nice being able to see them and as freshman, it was nice knowing someone,” said Danielle Lefton, 9.

Although it can be crazy at home, Stephanie enjoys having a big family. She feels like she can be a great role model to her younger siblings and at the same time she is able to learn a lot from her older brother.

DEC. 18, 2013

In addition to having a big family, most of the Mathers play a sport. Stephanie played on the JV and Varsity Volleyball team as a freshman. She is currently training with her club team in the offseason.

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THE LEAF | SPOTLIGHT

21

2014 MIDTERM EXAM SCHEDULE Wednesday Jan. 15

7:20-9:10

Bell 4 exam 9:15-11:05

Bell 5 exam 12:30-2:00

Exam makeup

*

Monday Jan. 13

Tuesday Jan. 14

7:20-9:10 Bell 1 exam 9:15-9:58 Bell 2 10:03-10:41 Bell 3 10:46-12:11 Bell 5 10:46-11:11 Lunch A 11:11-11:41 Lunch B 11:41-12:11 Lunch C 12:16-12:54 Bell 4 12:59-1:40 Bell 6 1:45-2:20 Bell 7

7:20-9:10

Bell 2 exam 9:15-11:05

Bell 3 exam 12:30-2:00

Exam makeup

Thursday Jan. 16

Friday Jan. 17

7:20-9:10

Bell 6 exam 9:15-11:05 NO SCHOOL:

Bell 7 exam Teacher Records Day 12:30-2:00

Exam makeup

SCAN HERE!

Seniors: Dave&Buster’s Night 9:15 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

for an opinion piece on midterm exams, go to p. 19

Image by Ana Barros

http://shsleaf.com/leaflet/

1/31/14

e onlin n i ck Che or ne iPho r u o on y

11375 Montgomery Rd. 513-489-4448

Monday-Friday 9-9 | Saturday 9-6 | Sunday 11-4

Not validwith withany any other offers.

Not valid other offers.

One perper customer.

Limit coupon one coupon customer.

Only at Harper’s Station.

Only at Harper’s Station .