May 2013 Issue by Sycamore High School

The

Sycamore

LEAF

Friday May 24, 2013 Volume LIX, Issue 10 7400 Cornell Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45242 513.686.1770 ext. 3089

LEARNING CURVE: S Alexis Corcoran Web Editor-in-Chief

ocial media has revolutionized the way the millennial generation communicates. For SHS, the most significant change since the beginning of the technological revolution in the 1990s is the integration of social media into the classroom. With smartphones becoming increasingly prevalent, students today have access to unlimited knowledge every second. “With my new iPhone, I am in contact with my friends almost constantly,” said Gil Kaplan, 11. This trend of getting information instantaneously is now used in the classroom. Social media has made student communication seamless in school as well as after school and has changed the structure of group projects. “In chemistry class, for a group project, we used Google Docs and so we were able to do all of the work at home, and edit each other’s parts of the project while simultaneously doing our own,” said Julia Temple, 10. Facebook has also become a learning community. Students use Facebook groups to create an afterschool community for certain classes, and every night students message their classmates for homework help. Mrs. Lesley Chapman, French teacher, has a Facebook group which all of her students are encouraged to join as a means of continuing learning outside of the classroom. “I started the group so that my students would be using French in a social and natural way. I have definitely noticed more class unity. We are like one big group, and we have our own jokes,” said Chapman. “The French Facebook group

has helped me connect with students in French from other classes. Also, I can more easily get in touch with my teacher outside of school,” said Nathan LeRoy, 10. Social media has also made the world smaller, allowing people from across the world to connect and communicate. We already witnessed this globalization with the recent revolutions in the Middle East. All of those protests began with a small group of young Tunisian rebels on Twitter. However, these rebellions represent the rapid globalization that social media encourages in the world today. Youtube accounts like Bozeman, Crash Course, and Kahn Academy have brought valuable teaching to the public for no cost. There are undoubtedly drawbacks to the information revolution: cyber-bullying and increased opportunities for cheating are two examples. With the growing popularity of technology in SHS, it is more likely that consolations will be made to reduce the drawbacks of social media rather than ban it. Privacy settings and adjusted curriculums are already being put into place. Teachers now change quiz questions in between bells to reduce cheating. SHS is already embracing this technological revolution through its new Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) system. Steps like these are necessary in merging social media and the classroom. With today’s increasing globalization, educational reform is inevitable, but beneficial.

Students endure wind, rain at Relay for Life

Bere commits to Duke, ready for next phase

>> find this story on pg. 3

>> find this story on pg. 17

goaves.com | @SHSLeaf | facebook.com/SHSLeaf

NEWS BRIEFS How social media has become the building block The Leaf redesigns of modern education

The staff of The Leaf has been collaborating for weeks to create a new design. Students have strived to work out the kinks, and the newspaper is having its first display of the new layout. The previous design assisted the paper in becoming first in the state out of 753 schools. The journalism staff looks forward to an equally strong year on the horizon.

Final Exams

The schedule for exams has been slightly altered. Monday: Memorial Day Tuesday: First bell exam Wednesday: Second and third bell exams Thursday: Fourth and sixth bell exams Friday: Fifth and seventh bell exams *Report cards will then be distributed on Jun. 11.

Graduation

For the Class of 2013, graduation will take place at the Cintas Center on May 30 at 7 p.m.

Summer School

All 9-12 classes will be held at SHS. Classes for original credit will begin on Jun. 5 and meets from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. All credit recovery classes begin on Jun. 13 and meet from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. School is closed Jul. 4 and 5. Classes will resume Jul. 8. First day of school for freshmen is Aug. 27, and grades 10-12 will return on Aug. 28. Scan here for current and past issues of The Leaf Image by Lauren Glynn

2 5.24.2013

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UN LO CK

Movement’s spirit impacts Cincinnati

Looking back Isaac Harmon

Michael Saxon

Staff Writer

Executive Editor-in-Chief

o the rest of the world, Americans are known for many things. Eating greasy foods, calling ‘futbol’ soccer, and shopping excessively are all traits that others associate us with. “Some of the things I always think of when I visit America are the hamburgers. You guys really like eating those…a lot,” said Armando Quiñones, a student from Puerto Rico. That aside however, there is one main aspect of American culture that distinguishes us from other nations – our unity after tragedies. There may be no better example of this unification than the Boston Strong movement.

The movement

Americans responded immediately to the bombings during the Boston Marathon on Apr. 15. One of the most recognizable responses was shared via Twitter with the hashtag #PrayForBoston. While the #PrayForBoston tweets were memorable, there were other ways Americans showed their patriotism after the horrific act. Within hours after the explosions, the phrase ‘Boston Strong’ not only became a rallying cry for the entire nation, but it is also being used as a marketing technique. Shirts, hats, sweaters and other pieces of clothing utilize the motto in

Boston unity sweeps nation

news

Nakul Narendran Staff Writer

Image by Michael Saxon LIKE THE REST of the nation, SHS has taken part in the Boston Strong movement. To honor those affected by the Boston bombings, Jacob Collier, 11, displays his Boston Red Sox cap in the back of his car. Collier has family in Boston, and has always felt a “deep connection to the city.”

hopes of generating funds for the city and those affected. “The city of Boston is a very tough city,” said Jacob Collier, 11, who has family in the Boston area. “I think what they are doing with the merchandise is fantastic.” On www.47brand.com, customers can order Boston Red Sox caps with the word “Strong” printed underneath the iconic ‘B,’ the logo for the actual team. 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the victims and their families. Adidas has also used its own techniques to support the city. The company has designed a T-shirt commending the Boston first responders, the Boston Athletic Association, and all volunteers for their reaction to the events surrounding the bombings.

Close to home

SHS students have also taken part in the Boston Strong movement. On May 5, many participated in the Flying Pig Marathon in memory of those who lost their lives running in the Boston Marathon. Jackson Hughes, 11, was one of these runners. “It was definitely a little bit nerve-racking running so soon after what happened in Boston,” said Hughes. “I remember specifically running over the Purple People Bridge in the beginning and getting nervous about something going wrong.” At the end of the race though, Hughes felt that he and the other runners honored the victims of Boston. “I signed up for the half marathon a couple months before because it was my New Year’s resolution. But, after the

whole Boston tragedy, myself and the other runners were running for more than just personal accomplishment.” In addition to supporting the movement through running, many SHS students strive to honor the victims of Boston by remembering them each day. However, Collier honors those affected in a more unique way. “Since the bombings, I’ve been driving around with my Boston Red Sox hat on display in the window in the back of my car,” said Collier. “I’ve always felt a deep connection to the city through my family.” The previous anecdotes not only show the benevolent nature of students at SHS, but are also prime examples of the entire nation’s unification. It seems, America is always strongest after the hearts of its people have been tested.

Winchell’s watershed solution wins state award Alexis Corcoran Web Editor-in-Chief

The science fair is not the only time for SHS students to exhibit their knowledge. Emily Winchell, 11, won the Caring For Our Watersheds Ohio contest. The contest asked the following question to students around the state: What can you do to improve our local watersheds? Winchell heard about the contest last year from Mr. Ron Hochstrasser in AP

Environmental. She submitted a 1000 word proposal and later heard she was a finalist. A watershed is a basin of land that separates two bodies of water. When contaminants are poured in, they run off into nearby rivers and lakes. Watersheds are highly susceptible to environmental threats, but simply solutions can reduce those treats. “I learned that there are a lot more things that can pollute watersheds than one might

think,” said Winchell. Her winning proposal suggested a natural water filter under Deerfield Road where the stream from Pioneer Park crosses. The filter is made of natural materials like soil, pebbles, and native grasses. Eight of the 10 finalists were groups but, Winchell won the contest as an individual. “It's a really interesting, relevant topic that allows you to approach an academic field from a real-world perspective,” said Winchell.

Nakul: Well, it’s taken me 15 minutes to think of how to start this column. And I still don’t know where to start. After all, it is going to be my last one. I feel like I could go on for hours, talking about how much I’ve learned on the different Adobe software. I could talk about how many articles I’ve written, and how far my writing skills have come. I could tell you how much fun I’ve had in these two years. About how many new friends I’ve made, and about how many people I’ve met, inside and outside the class. But instead of sitting here and telling you about how I’m going to miss this class, which I will, and about how much I learned and accomplished, I’m going to finish up my last column with my favorite memory from my two years on staff. Spending every minute of every class bell with my friends, learning and exploring new ideas. There is no favorite memory; they’ve all been equally miraculous. I wish The Leaf and its staff good luck in creating one of the best newspapers I’ve read. Isaac: Like most of my columns, this was written on the final day of deadline week. The classic excuse is that I was too indifferent and lackadaisical to put my fingers on a key board, but the reasoning for my delay of this final column is far more pathetic. I know it’s time, but I’m not ready. I guess that’s why I’ve been putting off writing this, even though words have been piling up in my head. I know I don’t have to be ready; saying farewell is never something you’re ready for, it’s something you do. Like an old cop, I can pine for the good ol’ days, waxing nostalgic of the way it used to be or should be. Or could still be. Room 115 is a place where opposing views are heard and ingenuity blurs into complacency but one synonymous with communication, accountability and vision. From the top down and the bottom up. A place bursting with integrity and, yes, innovation. Lots of innovation. But what I’ve learned most over the past two years is acceptance. As much as I tried, I can’t do it all or change everything. I tried my best, but sometimes there’s nothing that can be done. I’ve had to live with that, stomach it, swallow it. Writing has been my art. It’s had the power to heal and comfort, to empower and inspire. An art I will truly miss to express. For comments on this column, please write to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com.

news >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

5.24.2013

Cincinnati promises plenty of activities for summer Jacqueline Lazar

Spotlight Chief

incinnati is often criticized for being a boring city and not having a lot of attractions for everyone. However, there is a lot more to do in this mid-west state than meets the eye. On July 27, the Muckfest comes to Cincinnati and promises a day full of laughs and lots of mud. The Muckfest is a five-mile obstacle course that features mud pits, craters, and 20 other giant steel courses. All the proceeds from the Muckfest go towards the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NMSS. The NMSS is a nationwide foundation to help people affected by Multiple Sclerosis. Funding cuttingedge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services, NMSS helps those with Multiple Sclerosis and their families move their lives forward. The obstacle courses are steel built and are meant to spin, throw, and fling participants all through the mud. When experiencing the course, most people say getting dirty is well worth it.

“I see all these great pictures on the Internet of people doing these super crazy things and it just makes me wonder, ‘I wish there was something like that here’,” said Nitya Sunil, 9. Music geeks that are always on the lookout for new artists would love Cincinnati’s classic Summer Indie Series. The Series has a line-up of artists like the Dynamites, Psychodots, Seabird, Lightning Love, Budos Band, Class Actress, and tons of locals. The Summer Indie Series will take place every Friday from May 31 to Jun. 28 at Fountain Square. Those going can buy dinner, spread out a picnic blanket, relax, and listen to some amazing bands. And of course the all-time summer classic, King’s Island. There are 80 rides and 14 thrilling roller coasters to choose from. Also, King’s Island has recently opened up their new

Imag

es by

water park, which is the largest one in the region, Soak City. “I have been coming to Kings Island for a long time and love it every time,” said CoasterMedia, from TripAdvior. In addition to all of this, the Cincinnati Museum is bringing back their “Flight of

2013 137 teams 1,250 participants TOP PARTICIPANTS Pricilla Wu..........$1,890 Carolyn Fisher.....$1,608 Stephanie Kley....$1,400

TOP TEAMS Horizontal Runners..........$3,927.00 Red Hot Oompa Loompas..$3,268.50 Living It All 1....................$3,581.05

total money raised:

$182,013.25*

*as of press time

Evan

The Muckfest is meant for its participants to get dirty, but this should not deter anyone from doing this exciting course. The concerts at Foutain Square are the perfect places to find out about bands before all your friends, so turn off the radio and experience their music first hand.

migration that goes through the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Summer is almost here and that means two whole months of free time that is waiting to be filled up with memories and adventures.

ain ruins walk for life ough weather does not deter students from doing fundrasier

Lauren Shassere Staff Writer

the Butterflies” omnimax movie this May and June. The show promises an amazing view of the life of a butterfly on their adventure through nature. It took Dr. Fred Urquhart almost 40 years to discover the monarch butterflies’ secret

Taylo r

everyone listens to a story of someone who battled cancer. This year it was Stoneberger’s, a story that resonates strongly in the hearts of the Sycamore community. Beyond remembering those who fought against the horrible disease, the night was filled with activities to keep everyone’s mind off the weather and entertained. “For the most part it was a celebration to be happy and remember the good times with our friends and family that have been affected by cancer. We have all been affected by cancer in some way, and it is great that we can come together to help cure the disease that never sleeps,” said Megan Crone, 10. Remember those who lost their lives to cancer and those who are currently battling it and never stop fighting back against it. The walker were all inspired by the idea of coming together and supporting those battling cancer. The goal was, is, and always will be to beat it. The fight has been an arduous battle, but with our support and strength, we can overcome this obstacle together. Nothing can stop us, and definitely not a little rain.

Rain cannot stop cancer, so it did not stop the Relay for life participants. This year’s relay for life did not go as smoothly as previous years due to an unfortunate downpour of rain. The whole idea behind relay for life is that cancer is the disease that does not sleep, so the participants do not sleep either as they walk on the track all through the night while taking turns with team mates. But this year, they did not just power through a sleepless night, but also, a rain filled one. “My feet were wet and freezing all night,” said Samantha Siler, 12. The weather made it so miserable for some of the participants that some people even tried to flee the track. However, since the idea is to stay there all night, the gates were locked so that everybody had to stay. This even led to some people going as far as jumping the fence that surrounds the track in order to leave. “Due to the weather, people were trying to sneak out any way possible,” said Carly Lefton, 11. Although people tried to escape RELAY FOR LIFE participants walked around the track, stepping through puddles the event, the vast along the way. However, most participants agree that the field was the worst part. majority remained Between the rain and people walking everywhere, huge mud pits filled the grass. dedicated to their commitment and toughed it out through the cold and rain, and still managed to have fun. “Even though it was muddy we still ended up having a great time, and probably the most memorable part of the night was hearing Robert Stoneberger’s story,” said Lefton. Photo courtesy of McDaniel’s Photography Each year,

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OPINION

>> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com Danger of tattoos President Ono vistits SHS

Scribblings of my pen

>> find this story on pg. 6

>> find this story on pg. 5

>> goaves.com newest blog

OUR SCHOOL BELIEVES THAT SOCIAL SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

Uneducated voices surround sex education Alexis Corcoran Web Editor-in-Chief

is for RETWEET

Cartoon by Joseph Ahn

Staff Editorial:

leafing through the masses

Mission Statement: The Leaf, the official newspaper of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national, and world issues, to provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to the diverse school population. Editorial Policy: Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the content is ultimately determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent and controversy. Students cannot publish material that is obscene, libelous, or will cause “a substantial disruption of the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate or discussion is not included in this definition.

The Leaf operates as an open forum for the healthy, robust exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in the editorials are those of The Leaf staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed. The letters, not to exceed 300 words, may be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Letters may be placed in Mrs. Cheralyn Jardine’s mailbox, dropped off in room 115, or e-mailed toSHSstudentvoice@ gmail.com. The Leaf reserves the right to decide not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness, and circumstances decided on by the editorial board. In cases that the editorial board decides not to cover a death, letters to the editor in regard to that death will be printed. The Leaf’s complete editorial policies can be found at www. goaves.com. For comments about content, please write to SHSstudentvoice@ gmail.com

News Atiya Dosani Ana Barros Brenda Shen Taylor Evans Forum Alexis Corcoran Elizabeth Rickert Feature Joseph Ahn Caroline Gao Isaac Goldstein Sports Lauren Saxon A&E Krittika Chatterjee Ethan May Spotlight Emma Burge Camila Cardenas Brooke Landrum Jacqueline Lazar Kathryn Tenbarge Cartoonist Joseph Ahn Web Master Ruochen Tang

“

For school, my classmates and I use Facebook a lot for Accelerated World History and other more difficult classes. We collaborate and keep each other on top of our assignments.

Jessica Wei, 9

“

If I have a paper to write for class, and I don’t know specific requirements, I usually check on a Facebook group or message someone in the class.

Bryan Waterhouse, 11

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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, Lila Englander, Taylor Evans, Ellen Martinson, Kathryn Tenbarge, Anna Zhou

What part does social media play in your life?

“

The Sycamore LeafSycamore High School

We would approach these situations by sending out quick texts, Skyping, and chatting over Facebook. To teens today, waiting seems like the equivalent of being lazy and out of the loop. However, though your parents and teachers may see technology as a distraction, which it can be, teens can agree that it is becoming more and more of a necessity to be in constant contact with family, friends, and anyone else. Many students use Facebook as a way to ask other classmates questions, send each other work that might have been missed due to abscense, or study without having to meet up. Other than Facebook, popular ways of using technology to assist learning are texting and downloading apps dedicated to helping with different subjects. In the classroom, at home, or out and about, technology is and always will be an essential to interacting with others.

“

A generation of hashtags, pokes, newsfeeds, and texting. The use of technology in a teen’s everyday life is not the exception anymore, but the expectation. This can be difficult for parents to understand, and even more difficult for teens to explain. Communicating by text has become more frequent than talking face-to-face. You really knows it’s bad when you send a text to your family member on another floor of the house instead of going to see them. I bet most of us are guilty of doing this, at least once. Explaining to our parents that staying connected indirectly and directly effects our school’s success, involvement in extra curricular, and social life, is practically impossiblesince they grew up in a time of walking to and from friends houses, conversations on a phone connected to the wall, and writing letters to friends who lived far away.

I use social media for group projects and sharing study material. Teachers definitely use more technology now than before. They don’t even need to give us assignments in class now because they can just put them on Blackboard.

Adam Darwiche, 12

Managing Editors: Krittika Chatterjee, Lauren Glynn, Brenda Shen Business Manager: Atiya Dosani Web Editors-in-Chief: Alexis Corcoran, Rachael Sun Broadcast Editors-in-Chief: Tori Swart, Ben Young Staff Writers Romina Belez Sarah Birckhead Hope Bundy Emma Burge Astrid Cabello Andres Cardenas Gian Carlo Valli Max Fritzhand Zachary Fritzhand Andrea Goldstein Melissa Goodman Jenny Ham Isaac Harmon Madeline Marsh Julia Mattis Anna Moreno Nakul Narendran Ali Richter Orion Schlosser Zoe Schlosser Eli Seidman-Deutsch

Retraction: April 2013, page 19, “Mind games,” photo of Nay Paine

Lauren Shassere Brenda Shen Megan Shindler Joseph Slovin Scott Stefani Peter Tosh Alex Wittenbaum 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

Only 62 percent of boys ages 15-19 have received formal instruction on contraceptive use, however 70 percent of American teens today have sex before they turn 19. When I read about parents advocating for abstinencebased sex education in high schools, I can only conclude that they are ignoring the facts. Abstinence-based sex education is not sex education. Even if it were, the current curriculum in American high schools is misleading. A recent review of 13 commonly used abstinence-only sex education courses concluded that 11 of them had incorrect or distorted information. Even worse, over half of middle school and high school students have surfed the internet for information about an issue affecting them. Rather than let teenagers hear facts from qualified professionals, we have decided to leave teens to their own devices to learn about sex. Talk to any professional, and they agree that comprehensive sex education should be required in high schools. “Comprehensive sex education is grounded in science; its goal is to provide young people with information that will help them make healthy decisions about sexuality and relationships,” said Phyllida Burlingame, Reproductive Justice Policy Director to the American Civil Liberties Union. One of the arguments against contraceptives that I read said that “Teenagers won’t use [condoms] right every time.” And yet, do they expect that teenagers will ever use them correctly without formal education? Cases like these exemplify the growing generation gap between the millennial generation and its predecessors. Fortunately, a change may be in sight. Obamacare includes several programs to help women get HPV vaccinations and pap smears. In addition, in 2009, a program was launched to increase evidence-supported sexual education. For comments on this column, please write to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com.

feature >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

Tattooed youth: Sarah Birckhead

Staff Writer

t is a common trait among teenagers to dwell on the present moment and forget to think long term, which causes them to make choices considered by many to be irrational. Some of these decisions are big, some small, some will affect them for a short time, and some will linger with them forever. A landmark time in a teen’s life is turning eighteen. Mommy no longer “babies” her son, Daddy no longer waits in his office chair for his daughter to make curfew. They finally have a say in the presidential election, and can even walk right into a tattoo parlor and ink whatever pleases them on their bodies without their parent’s consent. “I waited because my parents were not supportive of me getting a tattoo so I needed to be of legal age. Instead of trying to talk them into it, I actually wanted to be of age, so I could do the whole process right. I spent the time saving up my money and making sure this is what I really wanted,” said Gabby Gerbus, 12. Finally legal adults, 18 year olds are absorbed with a new sense of freedom and responsibility. To celebrate adulthood, many choose to make an impulsively bold statement permanently on their body. They walk in, sign the papers, and let the professionals mark them up for eternity.

Now, there is nothing wrong with this scenario. Although it many end with a cheesy Chinese proverb on the arm that becomes a regret later in life, the moral of the story is they waited until legally independent, and able to go to a legitimate facility. “I wanted my tattoo professionally done with sterile needles. I got it about a month after I was eighteen to make sure of the decision,” said Christopher Garza, 12.

Young and reckless

Although it might not seem so, some teens are bursting with angst, rebellion, and irrational thoughts, and simply cannot fathom the thought of waiting to be eighteen to get a tattoo. “There is a lot of thrill involved. It’s like they need instant gratification,” said Gerbus. The result: a trip to the sketchy parlor downtown that inks teens who are underage. Or even worse, they resort to an unlicensed tattoo “artist” who has no training, knowledge, or skills that involve tattooing. It is one thing to face rejection from a tattoo parlor for being under eighteen, but it is another to face hepatitis C for the rest of your life. Because these young people often cannot legally go to a professional and safe facility, the quality of the procedure in an illegal parlor lacks significantly. These untrained individuals

expose their clients to potentially deadly infectious diseases. The difference, aside from the quality of art, depth, clarity, and color is the “homemade” tattoo potentially comes with a lifelong infection, the most common of which is hepatitis C.

‘All in the blood’

HCV is the virus that causes hepatitis C. It is found within the blood or other body fluids. When someone gets a tattoo done unprofessionally, they can acquire HCV far too easily. Getting a tattoo involves the skin being punctured by a needle and injected with tiny amounts of ink. The bigger the tattoo, the more injections you will need, and each injection brings the needle in contact with your blood (and only once is needed to spread disease). Not only can improper tattooing cause hepatitis C, but also hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, tetanus, syphilis, tuberculosis and other blood-borne diseases.

Idolizing in ink

All scare tactics aside, why are teens in such a hurry to get tattoos? The answer is complex. First of all, tattoos are all over, under and within 21st century pop culture. A vast number of popular artists have tattoos, and it is especially common with rap artists to not only sing about tattoos, but cover their entire bodies with them. Famous rap artist Wiz Khalifa

5.24.2013

‘The good, the bad, the ugly’

promotes his ink obsession with lyrics like, “ink my whole body,” and “I’m young and I’m tatted,” all of which heavily influence the minds of today’s teens who idolize these artists, and hang onto their every word.

Right here, right now

The other factor is the 21st century generation’s “YOLO” mindset. It demands that everything they want in life to be given in that moment. When they like the idea of something, it has to happen instantly. With that, comes the expectation that if they want tattoos, they should be allowed to have them right now, and no one can say anything about it. “When teens think of tattoos they want and feel a certain internal pressure to do it as quickly as possible,” said Gerbus. At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own body. It is just a matter of getting tattooed for the right reasons, and doing so the right way. All images by Sarah Birckhead

EVOLUTION OF TATTOOS: 20th+21st centuries 1940s-1950s

Tattoos mainly regulated for military service men. Sailor and soldiers mutually commemorated their experiences during war.

1960s

Tattoos emerged more in 1960’s with prisoners, gang members, and bikers as a way to reject mainstream society.

1970s-1980s

First adopted and flaunted by influential rock stars like the Rolling Stones in 1970. By 1980 tattoos became accepted in mainstream society.

Christian Tanis,12, on his tattoo in memory of cousin, Shelby Cowan What made you decide to remember Shelby this way? We all wanted something that we’d never forget and have forever. My sister Ashley was training to be a tattoo artist so that’s where we got the idea. With a tattoo, we could each get something a little different that we liked for ourselves.

Do you look at your tattoo everyday and smile? I am one hundred percent satisfied with it. I still look at it everyday and think about her. I have no regrets about getting it. Would you ever get another tattoo? I do have one other tattoo that I got in memory of one of my good friends. But I would only get tattoos that mean a lot to me. That way they won’t take away from how meaningful those two are.

2000s The youth of the new millennium have an abundance of idols like never before. Musicians and television are covered with tattoos, inspiring teens of the 21st century to get tatted as well.

TAT STATS: Tattoos by the numbers

Q&A

What does your tattoo symbolize? Well, she and I lived across the street and grew up together, so I will never forget her. I got a cross because even though I’m not all that religious, I believe she’s up there somewhere.

1990s

Society begins to view tattoos as “art”. Now not only men, but women were getting inked. Tattoos also went handin-hand with angst-filled teenage youth of the nineties.

million

number of Americans who have at least one tattoo

percentage of people with tattoos who claim they are addicted to ink

SHOWN ABOVE IS A cross with Cowan’s initials, enwrapped with ‘Never Forgotten’. Christian’s family members have tattoos in Shelby’s memory.

percentage of Americans who regret getting a tattoo (however, only 1% of Americans try henna)

14-16%

percentage of people with tattoos who think the reputation of tattoo artist or tattoo studio is the most important factor

percentage of people who say their tattoo makes them feel more rebellious

23% 19%

percentage of women with tattoos percentage of men with tattoos

Source: Pew Research Center, Tattoo Finder, Vanishing Tattoo

6 5.24.2013

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opinion

Reflections from a veteran Lila Englander

Associate Editor

All images by Elizabeth Rickert

UC attraction to SHS students

Attendance is on the rise in upcoming years Elizabeth Rickert

D Opinion Chief

owntown Cincinnati has two different universities: Xavier University and University of Cincinnati (UC). However, only UC seems to receive the classic answer of “It’s too close to home.” “Even though it’s close to home, I believe I can make it as far from home as I want by making my own family on campus,” said Samantha Wolkoff, 12. Wolkoff plans to attend UC this fall. UC’s new president, Dr. Santa Ono, has made an effort to receive feedback from his current students as well as high school students. Ono visited SHS on May 7 to talk to students in order to promote the school and see what he can do better in his upcoming years as president. Ono has brought many reforms to the college, making it a possibility that the numbers

of SHS students applying may and will most likely increase in upcoming years. Never before has a university president come to SHS to talk to our students about their school. This shows great initiative by UC and its president. It makes the university more impressive to prospective students. Ono set up a luncheon so that students could ask him any questions they had. He began talking about some of the great aspects of UC such as the College Conservatory of Music (CCM) and College for Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) which are both ranked nationally. CCM puts on over 1,000 shows annually which anyone in the community can attend, and is ranked number six in the nation for a music school. BusinessWeek ranks DAAP number three in the nation for a design school. Since UC is a public school, it is much more cost efficient

Astrid Cabello

Longer summer now results in students paying next May

Staff Writer

The end of summer seems to roll around much quicker than the end of the school year, and most agree it is a bittersweet time. Though the season of late mornings and even later nights concludes, many look forward to seeing peers in August and getting back into that comforting and familiar school year routine. The school year of 2013-2014 will begin with a later first day of school, scheduled for Aug. 27 for grades K-9 and all new students and Aug. 28 for grades 10-12. “I like starting school later in August because it gives us more days to sleep in during the volleyball season,” said Joanna Brown,

10. The beginning of the school year being pushed back will mean that sophomores, juniors, and seniors will return for only three days before there is a three-day weekend for Labor Day. The benefit of the new date is the longer duration of summer, which provides more time for jobs, internships, traveling, and finishing up all those time-consuming summer projects. “I’m happy that we will be starting later, but it also means that we will be in school one week later next year, so I’m not looking forward to that,” said Sabrina Eddine, 11. The main reason for the late start is due to the reconstruction of Maple Dale Elementary. In order

than many other universities. Instate tuition has only a few requirements that many people at SHS would qualify for. “I think they have great degrees and also have great athletics. The only downside would be that it isn’t the safest place in the world,” said Adam Lucken, 10. Many students do not consider safety as much as their parents do. The area around UC is constantly on the news for different cases of sexual assault and robberies. Naturally, parents are nervous. However, people may just associate UC with an unsafe downtown but, the college campus is actually quite safe. The safety issue at UC is more perception than fact. Another downfall for many students at SHS is the location. “UC looks like a really great school, but I would like to go some place farther from home,” said Madeleine Driscoll, 9.

to allow time for staff to get settled in before the school year starts, the time has been pushed back a week later than what students experienced last year. Some students are excited about the delayed start and others really had\ve no opinion. Either way, the decision is final, and many students, will enjoy those extra days tremendously. Hopefully, whether you like or do not like the later start, you can use the extra time to be productive, relax, or do something you will not be able to do when school is in session. And remember; do not take any day of summer for granted.

Students want the freedom of being off the leash completely and having zero chance that their parents can stop by for the weekend. The desire for independence after 18 years of living with parents is overwhelming for many. I would love to live far from home not because I want to get away from my parents but to understand the cultures of other areas. I think UC can work to improve their international rate so that the campus feels farther away from home then it actually is. However, if proximity is what is holding one back from a dream school of UC, Xavier, or some other college or university close to home, make a contract with your parents not allowing them to come up for the weekend or any other time unless you invite them. This gives you that independence and makes it seem like you are as far away as if you were in California.

tudents chill easons change

Obviously this is a case of indecisive Environmentalists ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.’ and weatherman have “It’s for sure a lot definitely taken notice harder to plan outfits of the strange range for school. I’m never of temperatures our sure if its going to be ‘spring’ has undergone. one of those bearable March was plagued with days or a day where weeks of balmy summer I’ll need a sweatshirt,” followed by paralyzing, said Bryn Cole, 11. hyperthermic cold. If we used the logic Finally, our season of of enivronmentalist, summer seems to have the cause of the pulled through with fluctuating inner a month of constant school climate 60s to 70s. The greatly could be related to anticipated season of state-wide warming. shorts and light weight Considering the shirts is upon us. fact that once the “The school thermometer reaches temperature is really a certain height, SHS frustrating. At least it vamps up their use represents Cincinnati’s of the AC, which in weather pretty well,” said turn could cause an Elizabeth Rosenberg, 11. abnormal hiccup in Adorned in summer- the system. wear yet lugging a winter “I see this more as a jacket to school SHS temporary situation appears to be conflicted which will end when between classrooms with they fix the AC overactive arctic AC system. For now I winds and classrooms guess we’ll just have with admirable pseudo- to suck it up,” said saunas in action. Nikhil Grandhi, 12.

Jenny Ham Staff Writer

Two months ago, my grandparents moved in. They met during World War II. My grandma was my grandpa’s flight instructor. With Memorial Day around the corner, I figured I would ask them what changes they’ve noticed in the military since their service. We talked about changes in warfare, the role of the media, and the social perception of military service. But mostly, what we ended up talking about had very little to do with war. My grandpa said he joined the war partially out of patriotism, but that a lot of it was about the lure of excitement. He was 21 and it was an opportunity to see the world. I stubbornly continued my quest for insightful reflections on the evolving face of militarism. But, my grandpa wasn’t taking the bait. When I asked what he thought my generation should remember or take away from WWII, his answered made me realize I was trying to write the wrong story. “Do something you enjoy and die happy.” The power of his words did not stem from the fact that long ago he had landed in Nagasaki after the atomic bomb had been dropped. They were powerful simply because he’s a 92 year old man speaking genuinely to his 16 year old granddaughter. If only he knew how much I struggle with those simple words. In December, I wrote an article about “perfection’s price,” the toll of hyper competitiveness on today’s students. That article wasn’t just for the students hospitalized for stressinduced migraines, or the ones getting four hours of sleep every night. I also wrote it for the people like me, the people who are prolonging immediate happiness in a lot of small ways in order to maximize our chances of obtaining some kind of romanticized long-term reward, something we call success. I’m not telling the high achievers of SHS to stop trying in school, but for those who can’t fall asleep at night because they are worried about their future, tell me this: how much is that AP exam score really going to matter when you’re 92? When I asked my grandpa what he thinks about he said, “a lot of what I think about makes me happy, some things worry me, and also that, that blue window decoration is blocking my view of the trees.” So try to enjoy yourself this summer, because life is short and, fortunately or unfortunately, you don’t get to remember much. For comments on this column, please write to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com

FEATURE >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com Talking tech positives and negatives

5.24.2013

SHS patriots enlist at young age

>> find this story on pg. 8

U.S. schools face off against Chinese

Magic, mayhem at After Prom

>> find this story on pg. 11

>> find this story on

>> find this story on pg. 12

ast Money Eddie turned Coach Clark

ormer DJ now leads lacrosse family

Atiya Dosani

Business Manager

t a young age, Mr. Ed Clark was lucky enough to find his interests. Years later, he is fortunate enough to pursue these passions through his work. Clark has been coaching girls lacrosse at SHS for over a decade, but his lacrosse career began when his older sister taught him how to play in fifth grade. “I remember being teased the first day of practice because I had a girls stick,” said Clark. He continued to play through high school and went on to play at Salisbury State University in Maryland. “Because of injuries and not being the best player, I coached the men’s club lacrosse team at Salisbury my first and second senior years of college. Both years we made it to the National Final Four. My last year, we lost by a goal in the National Championship Game. I was the only student head coach of any team that made the 16 team playoffs,” said Clark.

Musical memories

Besides being a defender on the lacrosse team in high school and college, Clark discovered another

Eddie Image by Sanika Vaidya

passion while he was a young student working a summer job. At age 17, he worked as a busboy each summer night at a restaurant, and recalls watching the DJ, thinking it was something he would want to do. “Each week, I went out and bought five to ten CDs so I would have a collection of music. In the summer of 1993, one of the DJs called in and couldn’t make it, so the general manager said I could try,” said Clark. After a successful trial run, he was allowed to DJ three times a week for the rest of the summer. In college, he began working parties, and soon after, all the bars in the area.

“‘DJ-ing’ is how I paid for myself to get through college. In the summer I was working in night clubs with as many as 3000 people a night. I was offered a few jobs that paid great money to DJ full time,” said Clark. However, Clark did not think this was what he wanted to do as a profession and instead remains a DJ on occasion throughout the summers.

Launching into teaching

His longtime love for sports is what led him to where he is today. He spent three years of college as an Athletic Training and Physical Education

Four apps to help study for finals

major. His first job was as the Intramural and Club Sports Director at Xavier University. “I loved the job but I missed coaching. That was 14 years ago, and then I started coaching at SHS,” said Clark. His career at SHS began when Clark’s name was given to Mr. Jim Stoll, Athletic Director, as a recommendation to fill the job of the girls’ lacrosse coach. “He called me a few times and I said I was not interested. Finally, I accepted the job a week before the season because Stoll said there would not be a team if I didn’t coach,” said Clark. He was initially overwhelmed

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when 150 girls had signed up to play, but soon became attached to his role as the head coach. “I have gotten so much [out of coaching.] Sycamore lacrosse is a family,” said Clark. Between the classroom, the lacrosse field, and the nightclub, life can get chaotic for Clark. However it is his passion and genuine interest in what he does that keeps him going to teach, help, and influence the people he encounters each and every day. Although only one person was added to the staff 14 years ago, SHS really gained three people: Mr. Clark, Coach Clark, and DJ Fast Money Eddie.

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8 5.24.2013

>> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

Technology in Zach Fritzhand Staff Writer

Eli Zawatsky

W Staff Writer

hen walking down the halls of SHS, it becomes apparent that iPods, cell phones, and computers are an integral part in students’ lives. But are personal devices advantageous in a school environment?

The positives

Supporters of the use of technology during the school day, such as Mr. Chris Gutermuth, an Instructional Technology Facilitator throughout the Sycamore district, think that technology will be a vital tool in the education of students. “When we, in the business world, go into meetings, we use the devices that will help us the most. This

is what we are trying to prepare students to do,” said Gutermuth. Advocates of technology integration also say that it will help students with different learning styles; the students will be able to learn at their own pace in ways that best suit their needs. Those in favor believe that the student’s organizational skills will benefit greatly, as they can use the many tools built into their devices to plan out their day.

The negatives

For the naysayers, there are many issues that arise with the use of technology in school. Technology requires training, as is shown by the one half technology credit required for graduation. Technology is also expensive,

feature

Helps teaching, schools: causes distractions

and since some students cannot afford the needed equipment, the district would have to buy the needed devices for them. “The decisions on the appropriate use of technology are largely made by students, and the results have been very disappointing,” said Mr. Mark Torlone, Latin teacher. “I’m hopeful that more students will become productive, responsible users of these types of devices in the future,” he continued. “But typically what I’m observing are students using these devices to waste their own time [games, texts, etc.] and their parents’ money.”

BYOD

To try and move forward with the use of personal devices in SHS, the school’s wireless infrastructure was recently updated with the addition of the Aviator Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) RSS feed.

This new Wi-Fi system is for students to use with their personal devices. It requires students to download security programs onto their devices to help maintain the safety of the network. The Wi-Fi system and new laptop carts that many students see circulating around the school are all part of the BYOD national movement, which many schools around the country have recently become a part of. This Wi-Fi system limits students to using devices for educational purposes, and blocks Tweeting, texting, gaming, and other distracting online uses of the Wi-Fi. “We still need the wireless infrastructure to support it. We also need to provide for students who can’t afford it themselves, in order to not give anyone an unfair disadvantage,” said Gutermuth.

Inevitable

Even though many people are against the use of personal devices in school, it seems to be unavoidable. Many schools around the Cincinnati area are starting to embed technology into the daily lives of students. Dr. John Marschhausen, the superintendent of Loveland schools, was recently presented with the Ohio 2013 Outstanding Technology-Using Administrator of the Year award at the eTech State Technology Conference. SHS may have some catching up to do in the field of technology use in school.

“Bringing personal devices into the classroom is the direction we’re moving. It’s not something new or unusual; schools are doing it all over the place. We’re in the process of doing it right now,” said Gutermuth.

Devices around SHS Cell Phones 20.8%

Tablets 9.7%

THIS GRAPH SHOWS the results of a survey taken by 50 SHS students. The survey asked them what devices they brought to school on a weekly basis, and those 50 people brought a total of 72 devices. Each section represents the percent of the 72 devices.

Laptops 13.9% Smart Phones 41.7%

Jay Simha, 9 (right) , uses a laptop for a school assignment. These laptops come on charging carts, provided by the district, that teachers may check out.

All images by Eli Zawatsky

MP3 Players 13.9%

Students say

“The policy at my old school, St. Columban, was way different. If you had your phone even in your backpack, it was an automatic detention. I like the freedom of being able to use my phone in class. I admit that it can be distracting sometimes, but let’s be honest, if we are bored enough to play on our phones, we probably wouldn’t be listening to the teacher anyway,” said Olivia Wiedmann, 9. “I see people using their phones in class all the time. I don’t like it,” said Jacob Wang, 10.

“I like the Bring Your Own Device idea, because I often use my personal devices in school anyway,” said Samantha Weiss, 11.

Back

Tech by the numbers

Percent of high school students who own a cell phone

Percent of high school students who bring their phones to school on a regular basis

Percent of students who have received threatening text messeges from peers

Percent of high school students who bring their phones to school that have texted during class

Percent of teachers under 35 who consider themselves very confident with new technologies

Percent of teachers who say their students know more than they do about technology

Percent of teachers who look to Wikipedia for information online

Percent of school teachers who say their district does a good job with technology training

“The small laptops make you type like a dinosaur with your arms close together, but being able to use phones is nice to communicate with friends and coaches to set up plans for sports and after school activities,” said Sam Cogen, 12

Save

Sources: news.cnet.com, www.eduinreview.com, www.articlesbase.com, www.mashable.com

feature >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

5.24.2013

‘You name it and we pretty much do it’

Custodians work 24/7 to accomplish never ending tasks to appreciate what you have and to not forget how lucky you are to have it. That is the same mindset that should be applied when appreciating our custodians. eing in a school that has well-kept facilities, a They do immense amounts of work for SHS, which keep wonderful staff that works hard, and a safe and the school running and in fantastic condition. clean environment is something that is often “It’s your school and how it looks is a reflection of the unappreciated. students. SHS students are very privileged and shouldn’t Forming a relationship with a staff who students do not take what they have for granted,” said Dudley. see often is not an easy feat to accomplish. Just last year, students were allowed to leave the lunch Building that bridge, though, is what can bring a person room during lunch hours. However, many students to the realization that the people behind the scenes can abused this privilege, leaving food and trash in the sometimes be the most important, and then elevate one’s hallways, locker bays, and stairwells. respect for them. Though custodians took care of the cleaning, “Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of connection between administration decided something had to be done to stop the students and the custodians,” said Mrs. Diana Harold, the mass amounts of garbage from dirtying up the school. custodian. This year, current students have to follow the new rules Anything that needs to that were made as a result be fixed, cleaned, built, of the last year’s student’s or improved ends up on What if students took care of their behavior. the long to-do list of the students may school like they took care of their haveSome custodians. been surprised by this, Whenever the seniors considering custodians did cell phones? have some of their such a great job of making laughable, and sometimes sure the school environment obscene, pranks, the was put back together as soon as the next day rolled custodians are usually the ones who end up dealing with around. the difficult task of cleaning them up. It is easy to be completely oblivious to what is actually During all hours of the day, there are countless happening in our school when someone else is dedicating custodians on the job working all around the school, their time to make sure we do not worry about it. paying attention to every apparent and tiny detail. Due to the many years custodians have been working as The custodians care about the upkeep of the school, but custodians, or in our very own SHS, they know what they care more for the people inside. are doing and they have been doing spectacular jobs. “Education really comes first. If the students need it they “You don’t realize how old you are until you start always get it. Sycamore really takes care of their students,” walking around and think, ‘Man, I’ve been here a long said Mr. Tony Bishop, custodian. time,’” said Bishop. When it comes down to it, the custodians are happy to For all their hard work custodians deserve to be be here and do not mind their endless to-do list. In return acknowledged, respected, appreciated, and thanked. for their hard work for the school, they deserve more It can be a simple wave to them in the hallway or respect from the students. saying a quick thank you as you walk out the doors after “We don’t mind cleaning up, but when people go out of a late practice at soccer or swimming. Either way, the their way to be disrespectful, that is what upsets me,” said custodians are always here, keeping the school in the best Mr. James Dudley, head of custodial department. shape possible. It is important, like anything else in life, to take time

Jacqueline Lazar Spotlight Chief

“

James Dudley

“

Astrid Cabello staff writer

Featured Custodians

Mr. Rod L opez, cus

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“Thank yo

s stodian for 14 year cu , ld ro ar H a n Ms. Dia ing to keep it

What is on their minds ?

s, thank you for he clean.”

ur “The building is yo

Students and faculty thank custodians Janitors are the unsung heros of SHS. They do all the dirty work and deserve all the credit. -Gavin Handkins, 12 They are really important to the school and we all could not get by without them. They do a good job cleaning up -Stephanie Gunter, 11 the school and everyone should respect them for their work. -Morgan Young, 10 I see them a lot after school and they are always very friendly. I’d like to thank them for all their hard work that they pour into our school. All the custodians are amazing. They -Nora Dukart, 9 take care of us and go above and beyond what they need to do. -Mrs. Valerie Nimeskern, history They do a great job in a big school, teacher especially since there are so few custodians. -Mr. Jeremy Pletz, math teacher

Mr. Bob O

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stodian fo u to the st r 6 years udents wh o say than environme k you to us nt club, w and hich does a lot of work.”

“Thank yo

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for 7 yea

Mr. Rob

All images by Astrid Cabello and Jacqueline Lazar

Ana Barros

Print Editor-in-Chief

or some, attending a parade on the Fourth of July and wearing red, white, and blue is the way that they show their patriotism. For others, hanging American flags on their porch serves as a tribute to their country. Still, others choose to preserve history in

museums and parks as a way of spreading knowledge and respect for America’s past. Patriotism comes in many forms, it is true. For Austin Post, 12, however, it comes in the form of an application. An application that is like any other college application, except for one thing: a physical fitness requirement. Post will be joining the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), a college program that teaches leadership and military tactics. Other than superior grades, test scores, and recommendations from teachers, ROTC applicants must fulfill a fitness requirement. “I plan on going into the army,” said Post. “I want to be an FBI agent and [joining the military] is a great way to get experience and serve my country.” Matthew Sweeney, ’12, can relate to Post, having joined the Navy last fall. “The process for applying was long but well worth it,” said Sweeney. “I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork telling my life story, like driving tickets, tattoos, and where I lived and worked.” On top of that, he went through boot camp during the summer, where he trained all day for weeks. But boot camp was not necessarily the hardest part of the process.

Impact on family

Joining the military is not an easy decision that one makes overnight; it takes courage and maturity to choose to dedicate oneself to his country.

Tri-State Honor Flight

2013 flights

US Military by the numbers

feature

onor, devotion, courage igh schoolers enlist in military, fight for country >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

average age of new Army recruits

16.3%

of 2002 enlisted military recruits were recruited out of high school

April 16 May 23 August 20 September 17 October 22

31 out of 99 minimum score required for high schoolers on the entrance exam to get into the Army

So Post and Sweeney’s decisions not only impact them, but their families as well. The effect of having a child or sibling in the military can be seen every day, with hundreds of families in the city going through similar experiences. Family plays a big part in making decisions, especially when joining a program such as this one means long distances and few opportunities to visit. Luckily for them, their parents have been there for them the whole way. “My dad always wanted to be in the FBI but never did, and both my parents respect my decision and are proud of it,” said Post. “They are helping me prep for what I need to do to get me where I want to go.”

Why enlist so young?

Each year, 15,000 high school students graduate and go on to serve in the military. Last year, SHS sent eight students to various branches. For many, going to college after high school is a natural process. So why do so many 17 and 18 year olds around the nation choose to go into programs within the military? “I chose the military because that’s all I ever wanted to do,” said Sweeney. “I was never really good at school, and I felt like this was my purpose.” Some, like Sweeney, see it as an alternative to secondary education, while others see it as an opportunity to do so with no cost. Students in programs like the ROTC are able to get

“

college degrees from accredited postsecondary institutions while serving. In addition, many are able to enroll in colleges and universities using military tuition assistance programs. In Post’s case, he is enrolling in the ROTC and using his enlistment to be able to pay for college in the future.

The meaning of patriotism

Patriotism can come in many forms, and from many sources. As we approach Memorial Day, manifestations of this are seen from American flags hanging in windows to individuals participating in the Honor Flight. Sweeney sees his patriotism reflected in his mother. “She always was a hard worker and would do anything to make sure her kids had it right. Even though she wasn’t in the military, I think that patriotism is for the hard workers of America, who are willing to do anything for anyone,” he said. For Post, it is something he has always known; “[My patriotism] comes from my natural-born feelings for serving my country and the citizens in it,” he said. But no matter where their nationalism originates, these two individuals, and 15,000 others across the nation, have shown that you are never too young to fight for your country. While everyone demonstrates their patriotism in different ways, Post and Sweeney are heroes, fulfilling their dreams of protecting their people. “You really don’t understand freedom until you are fighting for it,” said Post.

THEIR MISSION IS SIMPLE: to fly as many World War II, Vietnam War, and Korean War veterans to see their memorials in Washington D.C. as they can. Every year, Honor Flight Dayton takes hundreds of war veterans on five free charter flights funded through corporate and private donations. To date, there are 104 regional hubs throughout the U.S. that have flown over 81,000 veterans to their memorials.

“

10 5.24.2013

The way I see it, the heroes are the ones who died in whatever conflict and didn’t come home. The rest of us just did what we were trained to do and we got through and made it home.

1 in 4

high school graduates cannot pass the military entrance exam

Larry Blackmore, Vietnam War veteran

Date of the Morrill Act, which established land-grant schools. The ROTC was formed since military tactics July 2, were a big part of the curriculum.

1862

All images by Ana Barros

feature >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

Battle of the schools: Kathryn Tenbarge

Associate Editor

t is a well-known fact that U.S. students are lagging behind in test scores compared to other developed countries. U.S. high school students come in 26th out of 65 places worldwide in combined scores for math, science, and reading tests. The top schools are primarily found in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in China. What about China’s education system puts it ahead of the U.S’? The answer to that question has been dissected by countless professionals and involves many different factors. One conclusion researchers have reached is that while students in China may be succeeding, they suffer from the stress associated from longer school days and intense examinations. An average school day at SHS lasts seven hours. Students arrive early in the morning and leave early in the afternoon. In China, students spend fifteen hours a day in the classroom. A morning period begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 12 p.m. There is a break until 2 p.m, during which many pupils go home to eat lunch and rest. When they come back to school, they stay until 5 p.m, are given another break until 7 p.m, and then start evening classes. The evening period functions as a guided study hall, during which students can

complete homework with the aid of a teacher. This lasts until 11 p.m. “A 15 hour school day helps Chinese students to get better test scores, but they don’t have as much time to think about anything but school. With our system, we have time to develop other skills, like communication, when we’re not in school,” said Cheniece Wilson, 10. High school seniors in the U.S. face SATs, ACTs, and other standardized tests that play a role in their future and higher education. But in China, the stakes are much higher. Every student is required to take a final high school exam, with material covering everything they have learned since kindergarten. Every test is the same and lasts two days. The results decide their higher education options and their future. The ordeal is so stressful that June is termed the “black month” by China’s youth, and every year brings reports of exam-time suicides. There are approximately 6.6 million university places and nearly 10 million Chinese students taking the exam each year. “Students in the United States are already stressed out from our current system, and we’re used to it, so copying Chinese schools would just make things worse,” said Leah Brod, 10. Many politicians argue that the U.S. should implement the standards Chinese students face. But in reality, teenagers can only handle so much.

5.24.2013

China’s scores soar above U.S.’

SEVERAL STUDENTS IN China applied their English skills by creating handwritten signs. Many of these signs were reflections of surrounding culture. The girl above has a sign that depicts the Chinese students resentment for the long school days that keep her and her classmates away from their families. Image by Kathryn Tenbarge

ways to follow the dress code this spring

1.The three finger rule

and stay fashionable

Yes, it is possible to wear tank tops to school when the warm weather comes! Just make sure that your straps are three fingers wide. If you have a more risqué tank that you really love, throw a light sweater over it.

2. The fingertip rule When getting dressed in these muggy days, shorts and skirts are perfect. But, make sure that before you walk out the door, you put your hands to your sides. If your shorts are above your fingertips - they are simply too short. Save them for the beach!

3. Make sure you can bend down When the spring and summer months are drifting through the hallways, wearing a skirt or dress to school can be very comfortable. Make sure it goes past your fingertips, but most importantly, you can bend down and move comfortably in it without pulling a Marilyn Monroe when the wind picks up, or if you drop your pencil.

4. Expose your toes without tripping The boots and legwarmers get stored away and out come the flip-flops and strappy sandals. A great wardrobe change-up that we look forward to every year, but sometimes, there is more foot than there is shoe. Literally. At school, you walk around constantly, so make sure your sandals are practical and comfortable.

5. No belly, no problem For some reason, the warmer the weather the shorter the tops. First of all, wearing a ‘belly’ shirt doesn’t even keep you cool and aired out during the school day, it is just tacky and a guaranteed trip to the nurse’s office. Instead, try a flowy shirt, that has a material that doesn’t constrict your torso, yet covers it too. The best of both worlds!

Image by Sarah Birckhead and Sanika Vaidya

hours

admission

mon. - friday. 9:30am to 3:00pm

$8 first child

saturday. 10:00am to 2:00pm

$5 additional child

sunday. closed

*monthly memberships also available

*available for private parties

*unlimited visits, unlimited play

10004 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45242

513.834.9459

12 5.24.2013

>> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

feature

Elegant evening

Students boogie, party in Paris Astrid Cabello

Staff Writer

1. The Savannah Center held Prom for the first time this year. Due to studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preference for a swankier venue, the Savannah Center proved to be a good choice, with the added benefit that it is closer to SHS. 2. Andrew Schmidlin, 11 and Melanie Klyop, 11 are featured having a great time while keeping it classy, just like the theme of Prom. 3. After Prom was set up for about 12 hours, starting right after school until about nine or ten at night. The take down of after Prom was much shorter than the set up with the help of many volunteers and assisting rental movers. There was an array of games, ranging from inflatables to a casino. The most popular game was the money machine. 4. Katherine Caldwell, 12 and Xavier Jimenez, 12 posed for a Prom King and Queen picture. Prom cost about 15,000 dollars, most of which came from ticket sales and Student Council fundraisers. Roughly 650 students attended the dance.

Photo Courtesy of McDanielâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Photography

A&E >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

5.24.2013

App on the rise

TED talks

“The Shawshank Redemption”

>> find this story on pg. 15

>> find this story on pg. 14

One Direction

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HOLLA @

hollywood

enior begins career on high note

amantha Furtwengler takes music to college

it big. She tried out for both Belmont’s and Trevecca Nazarene’s music programs. Both Staff Writer are colleges in Nashville, Tennessee. amantha Furtwengler, 12, has been “I am absolutely in love with the city of a passionate singer and songwriter Nashville. The first time I went, I knew it since she was a little girl. She was where I was going to end up,” said recently started recording her own Furtwengler. album. Though she got in academically, “I remember being about six or seven and unfortunately, Belmont did not accept writing songs about God or nature. Now I Samantha into their music program. love to write about my pathetic love life, but “Belmont is a beautiful school. I still write songs about my faith as well,” said There’s no denying that. Furtwengler. When I found out Furtwengler’s friend, Sam Taylor, has a I didn’t recording studio get into in Norwood. This I still haven’t decided their music project started program, what kind of artist I want in November I was and is still in to be. heartbroken, the process. She was originally Samantha Furtwengler, 12 but also relieved. It’s planning to a super competitive record three songs, but she has changed it to school and I don’t deal five. Of the five songs, three are covers and well with stress,” said Furtwengler. two are originals. Samantha made her decision to “I still haven’t decided what kind of artist commit to Trevecca Nazarene. At first I want to be/am. I love acoustic sounding her parents were not very supportive of music as well as country and contemporary her going out of state and taking risks. Christian,” said Furtwengler. In the end, both of her parents loved Since she can remember, Furtwengler has her heart and passion for music and they dreamed of becoming a singer and making

Hope Bundy

“

are excited for her to venture out, meet new people, and see new places. Furtwengler is very excited to leave her whole high school life and start over in Nashville doing what she loves most, never leaving her passion for music behind. FURTWENGLER WORKS IN the recording studio. “Everyone has the one thing that makes you, ‘you.’ For me, singing is that thing. I love being able to express myself through words on a page,” said Furtwengler.

Photo courtesy of Hope Bundy

De [Fe] nding superhero brand End of Iron Man trilogy impresses fans Ben Young

Broadcast Editor-in-Chief

After Marvel’s “The Avengers” became the biggest movie of 2012 and one of the biggest of all time, many wondered just how the iconic superheroes would be able to continue in solo adventures after such a monumental cinematic event. And in May, all eyes darted back to Tony Stark, the millionaire scientist hero whose first film started off this “Avengers initiative,” and introduced the general public to a hero who, since his introduction in 1963, remained mostly obscure. And, it is good news that “Iron Man 3” isn’t just a good sequel, but a great movie. Possibly the best in its trilogy and one of the best Marvel movies overall. It is also one of the strongest works of its director, Shane Black, and a strong indicator that the second push of Marvel films won’t be abandoning the original individualistic works that made the franchise such a success. It is quite fitting how Tony, the character who set the whole thing off, is coming back to work his magic again. But the Tony we meet in this film is not exactly the same one as in previous films, as we see how the

events from those films have affected him psychologically. At this point, he is dealing with lingering PTSD and anxiety borne from the New York attack in “The Avengers,” and obsessively upgrades his Iron Man technology. This means that the appearance of “The Mandarin” could not come at a worse time. The head of terrorist organization “The Ten Rings” makes it his mission to spread, death, destruction and fear. “The Mandarin” is one of Marvel’s most famous villains, and one of their most complicated.

As such, the angle the writers chose to take with him is commendable, though possibly not to everyone’s taste. The Mandarin tries his best to strip away all Tony holds dear, forcing him to go on the run, leaving him homeless, and often armorless, but still focused on vengeance. The plot in this film is extremely well done, taking the franchise back to basics and transitioning logically from the events of “The Avengers” back into Iron Man’s own story. The acting is superb all around. Standouts include Guy

Pearce as Aldrich Killian, a shrewd business mogul with more secrets than willing to admit, and Don Cheadle, who finally comes into his own as Rhodey and the new Iron Patriot. Ben Kingsley gives a commendable performance as “The Mandarin.” A character who is an odd mix of Al Qaeda, Kim Jong Un, and a cyber-hacker, he owns every scene he is in. However, he really cannot stand against other great villain actors like Heath Ledger. But it is Robert Downey Jr. who steals the show, giving a performance that is funny, intense, and full of emotion. The film, however, is all big, emotional moments, as it is full of great comedy and stunning action, including an amazing air rescue sequence, which is all the more impressive when you realize it was done with a parachute stunt team and no green screen. In short, “Iron Man 3” is an outstanding film, one of the best of its kind, and a great start to the summer movie season. Other upcoming superhero films like “The Wolverine” will really need to up their game to top this marvel.

Image by Krittika Chatterjee

>> find this story on pg. 15

Bringing Bunbury home Krittika Chatterjee Managing Editor

This summer, Cincinnati will host the second annual Bunbury Music Festival. Last year, the lineup was impressive for a rookie, with headliners like Death Cab for Cutie and Weezer. This year the festival genre is definitely more unified, but it looks like the coordinators were scraping for strong performers. The three day festival is held this year on July 12, 13, and 14. The headliners, respectively, will be Fun., MGMT, and The National. Fun., while a commercial success, isn’t likely to appeal to the indie-pretentious demographic that summer music festivals are famous for. But, Bunbury will certainly be selling a lot of one day passes for them. Walk the Moon is absolutely one of my favorite bands, but their appearance was predictable - bands love doing hometown shows (all of the original members went to Kenyon College). They may be a perfect fit for Bunbury but they certainly don’t match the prestige of last year’s artists. Although they scored big names for main bands, other acts in attendance that have had success are locals: Twenty One Pilots is among them. It looks like Bunbury either decided to play it safe this year with local acts, or simply couldn’t find anyone else. Major music festivals this year are booked up by huge entertainers like Mumford & Sons, but no one expected performers of that caliber at a festival in its second year anyway. Unlike other music festivals who stack every inch of their lineup, Bunbury will be showcasing acts like Jake Kolesar, currently as student at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. Is it a desperate move on Bunbury’s part or their signature? Either way, it’s not a bad thing. The music scene in Cincinnati is surprisingly impressive, and Bunbury will certainly offer that. I just hope that as a student that can’t make it to the likes of Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, I’m not being duped. For comments on this column, please email to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com Scan here with a smartphone for more A&E articles and multimedia www.goaves.com/multimedia

14 5.24.2013

>> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

a&e

TED:

a global set of conferences based on the theme ‘ideas worth spreading’

TED talks that change lives Technology, Entertainment, Design experts revolutionize lectures T

Web Editor-in-Chief

ED talks are a series of global conferences coordinated in honor of the theme “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Standing for the disciplines of Technology, Entertainment, and Design, TED talks are given by a renowned group of both world leaders and obscure nobodies, physically blind seers and physically deaf speakers, artists and engineers, 65-year-olds and children. A video recording of each talk can be found on www.ted.com, as well as on YouTube under the user TEDtalksdirector. What makes TED lectures so engaging for their (literally) millions of followers are, perhaps, the nuances of each speaker. One might deliver his or her material through spoken word poetry, while yet another may target a completely different set of viewers by using exquisitely beautiful photographs. And just as TED speakers create more and more ways to engage their audiences, so too do they develop the topics they want to address. To have access to such a wonderful resource is “to exchange something of incalculable value...ideas.”

TED at SHS

Mrs. Melissa Wolfe’s AP English classes often spend time analyzing literature in

preparation for their end-of-theyear exam, but at times the class structure can also deviate from lectures and discussions. Earlier this year, Wolfe’s students spent a class period tackling a challenge inspired by design guru Tom Wujac’s TED talk. Given 18 minutes, 20 dry sticks of spaghetti, one marshmallow, yard of tape, and yard of string, students were instructed to create a freestanding structure. More information on the ‘Marshmallow Challenge’ can be reached through the QR code below. Among students, TED talks are becoming common ground within conversation. Partly because of their educational value, teachers such as Wolf have begun occasionally showing them in class.

Scan here with a smartphone for a link to five must see TED talks

www.goaves.com/

Quotes

in nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary in the West

TALKS IN ORDER from top to bottom: Build a school in a cloud (Sugata Mitra); My escape from North Korea (Hyeonseo Lee); How great leaders inspire action (Simon Sinek); The art of asking (Amanda Palmer); If I should have a daughter (Sarah Kay)

Rachael Sun

When I was seven years old I experienced my first public execution. But I thought my life was normal.

people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it We would get this beautiful moment of prolonged eye contact, being allowed in a city street. My eyes would say: “Thank you. I see you.” And their eyes would say: “Nobody ever sees me. Thank you.”

And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life. And yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting... I am pretty damn naive.

a&e

New app proves divine >> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com

Lauren Shassere

V Staff Writer

ine is one of the most recent social media networking sites to hit the U.S. In just a short amount of time, “Vine” has become very popular amongst the student body of SHS, as well as the entire world, and just about everyone is talking about it. What exactly is a Vine though? A Vine is a social networking app where people can make short six second videos that run in a loop. “I love the fact that making and watching six second videos can be so entertaining. It is my favorite app right now, for sure.” said Danielle Abramovitz, 9. Vine is rapidly passing Cinemagram in popularity. In just one weekend, Vine-based tweets had met Cinemagram’s tweets-per-week score. People seem to be transferring over to Vines rather than staying with their Cinemagrams, especially because Vines can be shared. Vine is used by many SHS students to show their creative side, being able to create a minivideo, and to be funny with their friends by watching each other’s Vines or making them together. “It is cool when people get creative and make videos that are fun to watch and share,” said Christopher Seger,9. The question, “What is a Vine?”

TEEN

is being asked less and less as it becomes more popular like Twitter and Instagram, and just about everyone knows what it is. This is as opposed to when it first came out, when only a handful of students had it, and introduced them to their friends and classmates. “Vine is a great, fun way to see what your friends are doing and is a great way to express yourself.” said Emma Schutty, 9. It brings people together to see each other’s personalities and maybe learn something about someone that they do not already know. Maybe that quiet girl in the corner of the room is actually really funny and makes the most comedic Vines that you have seen, get a Vine and who knows what you will learn about your classmates. “Vine is the best app ever and I love making them. Follow me at ingabaublyte,” said Inga Baublyte, 10.

how to use it: 2

Marvel has used the app to post six-second teaser trailers for their new TV series. Every weekend, over 100 thousand Vines are posted to Twitter. All images by Krittika Chatterjee

British invasion DREAM:brings boyband Ellen Martinson

Some students have been waiting over a year to see their favorite band in concert, One Direction. They bought tickets over a year ago in April, and now the concert is less than a month away. The British-Irish pop boyband was formed on the UK version of the X Factor in 2010. The band consists of five members: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne. All of the members are between the ages of 19 and 21. The five boys originally auditioned as solo artists in 2010 for the talent show. Simon Cowell, proceeded to put them together as a band after they were eliminated as individuals. Overall as a MOBILE D.J. - KARAOKE group, they placed third. MOBILE D.J. - KARAOKE However, that has not stopped them. MOBILE D.J. - KARAOKE MOBILE - KARAOKE “GOOD TIMESD.J. ~ GOOD TUNES” Since the show, the band has been “GOOD TIMES ~ GOOD TUNES” performing and TUNES” touring around the TIMES ~ GOOD WEDDINGS EVENTS “GOOD TIMESCORPORATE ~ GOOD“GOOD TUNES” world and visiting countries in nearly all continents. They are currently ANYDotson OCCASION PARTIES Doug Doug Dotson performing their second sold-out (513) 615-1500 www.wbaddj.com (513) 615-1500 www.wbaddj.com Doug Dotson headline tour. Doug Dotson (513) 615-1500 With theirwww.wbaddj.com worldwide blowup, tickets (513) 615-1500 www.wbaddj.com

MOBILE D.J. - KARAOKE

“GOOD TIMES ~ GOOD TUNES”

3) 615-1500

Add a caption, then share your Vine on the app homepage, Twitter, and Facebook.

Within six months of release, Vine became the #1 free app for the iPhone.

Associate Editor

ug Dotson

Make a Vine by continuously holding your finger on the screen. (Hint: use the tutorial!)

www.wbaddj.com

HOLLA @

hollywood

Download the Vine app for the iPhone. It’s free!

5.24.2013

are a rare prize. Several students have managed to snatch them for some of their upcoming shows on the “Take Me Home Tour,” their second world tour. For some students, it is the second time that they will see the group in concert. “I saw them last June in Chicago with three of my other friends and it was awesome. We got to walk around Chicago then see them that night. This June we’re seeing them in Columbus,” said Hannah Brown, 10. For other students, it will be their first time seeing the band. Maggie Thompson, 11, is travelling to Louisville on June 16 with two friends to finally see the band in person. “I can’t wait because the only time I’ve ever seen them is on my computer,” said Thompson. For all lovers of the band, it has been a long school year to reach the summer concert. “It’s kind of like my reward for making it through the school year alive,” said Molly Gearin, 10.

The Shawshank Redemption Astrid Cabello Staff Writer

A specific one-liner that sticks with you for at least the rest of the week. A character who you find so enticing and inspirational, that you make it your new goal to become them. A scene that gives you a new outlook on life. Or maybe just a couple of hours that you can spend with others, or alone, but not at all lonely. Movies can serve as a lesson, a source of entertainment, or an escape for a reality which seems like something concocted up by Hollywood. These are the reasons why I choose to spend a day, not just rainy ones, but any day, watching a movie. Because I believe a really good movie can change someone’s life. Due to the busy school year ending, everyone will probably have a bit more time to sit down, curl up on a couch, and pop in a DVD, or in other cases flip to Netflix or Hulu. Though your initial reaction may be to choose that chick flick you’ve always heard about but have never seen, or that action thriller you were dying to go to a couple months ago in theaters but didn’t, I encourage you to see if you can find another movie. I am in no way attempting to tell you not to watch those movies listed above, they are probably very entertaining, but I want to make you aware of another movie, “The Shawshank Redemption.” Made in 1994, the story it teaches is in no way dated and every single actor is insanely talented. Not only does Morgan Freeman do a spectacular job as always, but the whole cast is impeccable. The story about a young man thrown in jail for a crime he did not commit and his inspiring journey along the way made me question my morals, my goals in life, and most of all what I was doing to make a difference in the world. Rated a 9.3 out of 10 by IMDb, higher than “Avatar” and “Skyfall,” the movie deserves every point and more. The film will make you laugh, cry, become frustrated, and most importantly in my opinion, think. Truly, in 142 minutes, the movie changed how I thought, and, not to be dramatic, but my life. So, hopefully in one of the three months we have school off, you too will watch “The Shawshank Redemption” and be impressed, moved, and inspired.

For comments on this column, please email to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com

Scan here with a smartphone for more by Astrid Cabello www.goaves.com/staff

16 5.24.2013

>> the sycamore leaf >> goaves.com Sydney Kelly breaks record

New girls basketball head coach

Boys tennis

SPORTS

Varsity lacrosse

Witty’s

Corner

>> find this story on pg. 18

>> find this story on pg. 17

>> find this story on pg. 18

>> find this story on pg. 19

New members inducted into Athletes on point: prestigious athletic club Siler’s Story

Staff Writer

or the 12 new inductees to the 3000 Point Club the honor represents his/her own devotion, dedication, and ability to overcome adversity, an injury, or a conflict within oneself. This year the prestigious organization recognizes 12 seniors who work extraordinarily hard in athletics. The 3000 Point Club encompasses one’s entire athletic career at the high school, and represents every aspect of athletics. “School sports have always been a big commitment for me so it is great to receive this award to recognize my hard work,” said Anna Bailes, 12. Athletes recieve points for a competing at freshman, junior varsity, and varsity levels, with varsity recieving the most points. Post season achievements earn more points as well as league, district, and regional and state championships. All-league, all-city, all-district and all-state honors add additional points that help SHS athletes meet the 3000 point requirement.

“The day before the State Track Meet my freshmen year stress Siler has earned 4,350 points became almost unbearable as and has accomplished major I felt completely overwhelmed feats in her high school career. by my nerves. During the race Besides qualifying individually I attempted to picture myself and competing at the State Cross passing opponents, but I was Country unable to and Track One’s performance is a direct convince meet every myself that result of one’s confidence. year, one of Siler’s greatest And one’s confidence cannot my success was realistic. achievements be bestowed upon them by So, of course, has been others. the race experiencing ended just her own as I had epiphanous imagined it, ” said Siler. moment. Staying dedicated and “It had taken four years of high determined to running, Siler school to figure out, but the rush battled her sophomore year, but of emotion I experienced after did not taste success until the that race finally made me realize end of her season. Just as she was the key to racing, specifically, looking forward to a great junior and to success, in general: one’s year Siler was plagued with a performance is a direct result bout of mononucleosis. of one’s confidence. And one’s

“

Julia Mattis

Like Siler, all members of the 3000 point club have their own story of how they were able to reach their athletic success.

Summer conditioning proves to be necessary

Awarding Points

To most athletes, there is probably no word more despised than “conditioning,” unless of course it is preceded by the word “summer.” As the school year winds down and teams begin gearing up for the fall season, I’m sure athletes are receiving a barrage of emails from coaches scheduling summer conditioning in the coming months. These can be grueling, especially when combined with the stifling heat. But, the question is why do we do it? What pushes us to give up precious hours of our break? Why do we stumble out of bed in the morning to go run around a track for a couple hours? Some may say it’s for the “love of the game” but in reality, it’s not. We do it because it’s necessary. We do it because we want to win. We do it because we are that competitive. For the soccer team, our conditioning (in the past, at least) has consisted of hours and hours of running around the track at 8:00 a.m. It seems never-ending: 400 after 400, 2-mile after 2-mile. But, what pushes us is not necessarily our love for soccer. What pushes us is the fact that we know Mason and Lakota West are probably doing the same thing. Last year, at the time, Lakota West was our toughest game of the year. They were good, having only given up two goals all season. Going into the game, we were confident. Why? Because we had been preparing for something like this all summer. We emerged from the game not with the expected loss, but a tie. A result like that would not have been possible if we hadn’t been ready (mentally and physically) three months prior. So, when you’re moaning and groaning about how your coach is killing you this summer, remember this: While you might not see the benefits of what you do in June or July, they will definitely show themselves in September or October.

Varsity Starters : 215-325 points Varsity Alternate : 0- 250 points

Samantha Siler, 12

confidence cannot be bestowed upon them by others,” said Samantha Siler, 12 Freshmen year Siler entered the high school having never lost a cross country meet in her life. Quickly, she realized the intensity and change of pace that she was going to have to get used to in high school athletics.

JV Starter: 126-175 JV Alternate: 0-125 Freshman Starter: 101-125

Bouncing Back

“I entered my senior cross country season feeling like I had something to prove,” said Siler. Siler then went on to earn GMC runner of the year, firstplace finish at Districts, sixth place finish at Regionals, and fifth place finish in the State Cross Country meet.

Points for All League (Individual)

Points for Sectional, District, or State Championships (Team or Individual)

3000 point club members Samantha Siler 4,350 pts. Bianca Rhodenbaugh 3,950 pts. Sara Evans 3,620 pts. Tallin Forshey 3,575 pts. Paul Salach 3,565 pts. Charlie Fry 3,390 pts. Images by Julia Mattis and Lauren Saxon

Anna Bailes 3,355 pts. Carrie Berghoff 3,340 pts. Katie Caldwell 3,302 pts. Halley Bell 3,230 pts. Stephen Ioas 3,030 pts.

Bradely Huber 3,025 pts.

Michael Saxon Executive Editor-in-Chief

For comments on this column, please email to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com

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sports

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5.24.2013

‘I’m hoping to build my own legacy’

After committing to Duke, Bere ready for next chapter of his life

practice not only allowed Bere to find his niche, but also helped him n 2003, an eight-year-old boy fall in love with the game. Over the next seven years, Bere from Zimbabwe boarded a found a lot of joy in football. He plane to the United States. played for the Comets in elementary He climbed up the steps, his school, winning four “Super Bowls” home country at his back, eager, but with his team. perhaps unprepared, for what lay The one thing he enjoyed most ahead of him. about the game was “the hitting.” He landed in New York City first, As the heaviest kid on the field, a place bustling with people and a Bere was a nightmare for opposing strange white substance blanketing players. the ground. This “white stuff ” “We realized that Tinashe was would delay his arrival to his final special when he failed to make destination, Cincinnati, OH. weight (he was too heavy) in his Once there, the boy would excel nine-year-old Comets football as a student and as a football player, team, ” said Musatya Bere, Tinashe’s eventually getting the attention of father. multiple universities. Joe Edgington, Bere’s football He is now ready for the next coach at the time, remembers those phase of his life, headed to a place days well. where he probably will never see “We used to call him ‘The Bone another snowstorm. Crusher’ because he would just On Apr. 21, after 10 years hit with his whole body,” said of dedication, tenacity, and Edgington. “He always had perfect perseverance, Tinashe Bere, 11, technique. There was this one play verbally committed to play football when we were playing Colerain, and at Duke University. they were our big rival. He laid out The beginning this running back with probably During his first years in America, one of the hardest hits I’d ever seen Bere struggled to make friends. - perfect tackle, perfect technique. “It was tough. I was little, so all I And he just got up and went back did was watch Dragon Ball Z and to the huddle like it was no big deal, play with my toys,” said Bere. “I like he’s done it a thousand times.” used to be obsessed with Scooby Work ethic Doo, too.” Although it was obvious from Then, he started playing football. the first day that Bere was a special “I didn’t have many friends at first football player, he did not know he because I didn’t know American wanted to play in college until his culture,” said Bere. “This all first year at SHS. changed when I played football “When I was a freshman, I heard because it gave me something about Bud Golden, Steve Hull, to relate to with other people. I Darius Hillary, and Justin Murray actually met my first friends Jamar getting offers, and that made me Hunter and Ben Gunn through want to try, ” said Bere. football.” For the next two years, he worked On his first day of football tirelessly. practice, Thenjiwe Bere, Tinashe’s “I work out six times a week and mother, was afraid he would get go to a trainer after lifting to work hurt. on agility.” “She brought me shin guards Bere has also worked hard in the and padded shorts to make sure I classroom - something that has not was safe. But the shin guards made gone unnoticed by those around everyone think I got the wrong him. sport and thought it was soccer “Tinashe has a tireless work ethic,” practice. They still keep that story said Scott Dattilo, Varsity football today,” said Bere. coach. “You have to in order to be a Hunter, a teammate who was with three sport athlete and a straight ‘A’ Bere for that first day of practice, student. ” stands firm on his viewpoint of Bere is also a two-time GMC what really happened. wrestling champion and participates “Maybe the reason he showed up in track. like that was because he was new to the country. In Africa don’t they say “[Tinashe] is well respected by the wrestling team, very humble, and football as in soccer or something like that?” said Hunter with a laugh. is a true competitor,” said Jeremy “Anyway, he definitely confused the Pletz, Varsity wrestling coach. “It’s great that he’s a two-time GMC two. He came in soccer cleats and champion, something we haven’t everything.” No matter what sport he thought had since 2005.” When it comes to academics, Bere he was playing, that first day of

Michael Saxon

Executive Editor-in-Chief

Reality Q: Check

Concussion Law - Should referees be able to send players with concussion symptoms off the field?

states that study hall is his “best friend.” School means much more to Bere than people realize. It goes beyond just having a high enough GPA to be eligible for college football. “I figured you open a lot of doors if you take school seriously and get good grades,” said Bere. “Without school, I probably still would have been in Africa. My dad came here for his education, and that’s the reason I followed behind him. I take it seriously.” Tinashe’s father shares that sentiment. “Coming to the U.S. was great for Tinashe in terms of education, mostly because there are so many resources to help him succeed. We hope that he will maintain good grades throughout high school and in college. Last but not least, we hope he will maintain a good character.”

The offer

Since the end of his junior football season, Duke had been “talking to” Bere. He was never sure the university would offer him a scholarship, but he definitely liked the possibility. “My first thoughts were Duke is a good school academically and their football team is on the rise,” said Bere. Duke fully committed to Bere on Mar. 21, offering a full scholarship. He took some time to think through the offer, having already received offers from eight other schools. . “When I got the offer, I thought, ‘Finally a school from the south’. I really wanted to go somewhere with warm weather,” said Bere. One month later, Bere verbally committed to play at Duke, a choice that others around him believe to be a good fit.

Lauren Saxon Sports Chief

Giving referees the power to send off players who show signs of concussions is a great step toward protecting athletes here at SHS. As an athlete myself, I’ve seen some of my teammates risk their health by playing through injuries and concussions. In the end, their health was only worsened and they needed a longer recovery time. If an athlete is showing concussion symptoms, the referee should be able to make the call and send them to the sidelines. After all, it’s better safe than sorry.

Witty’s

Corner

Boys tennis evolves as face of SHS athletics Alex Wittenbaum Staff Writer

Support system

Though Bere deserves much of the credit for his commitment to Duke, others around him have also played a part in his success. “My parents - my mother especially - have motivated me through tough times. She and my dad have also put in a lot of money so I can do extra stuff like camps and trainers.” While family undoubtedly comes first, Bere’s friends are a close second. They helped him a lot over the years, especially in adjusting to American culture. “I pretty much mirrored what they did to get used to the new environment. They’ve helped me blend in and succeed because if I didn’t have them, it would have been a lot harder to fit in.”

Image by Michael Saxon

“Tinashe has always worked hard on and off the field, so I think Duke is perfect for him,” said Gunn, long-time friend and teammate. “He is playing football for a good university and a school that is known for academic excellence.” Although Bere has had a long journey to receiving the right college offer, he will have an even longer journey to his ultimate goal: an NFL career. “I’m hoping to go pro, but if that doesn’t work out, I have my Duke degree to fall back on.”

What’s next?

When you think of tennis, you think of balls flying back and forth over a net. You think of a player, calmly walking down the hallways with a green and gold t- shirt on. You think of the team, who supposedly is “pretty good.” SHS tennis is not about the stereotypes that they are given, but about the class and respect that they strive to earn on and off the court. As a program, 2013 SHS tennis has a total of four losses. Can you name a program that has won so much in a single year? Head Coach, Mike Teets, is the driving force behind this major success. Coach Teets is a Spanish teacher at the SJHS. He played tennis growing up, and was extremely successful. Hard work and classiness are his two favorite traits in a player, and his teams must model this, or they will suffer the consequences. It all begins in the fall at 6 a.m. Every other day during the week, players work out and condition in the Gregory Center, before school begins. Getting up out of bed to train, while most of the world is asleep describes SHS tennis. Ferocious, hungry, and focused. Also during the offseason, the players email Coach every Sunday to keep him updated with their tennis playing activities from that week. This is called “Gold Club.” Each time you email with results, points are added to your name, and during the season, Gold Club Participants are recognized. All of the work put in by the student athletes during the off-season has paid off. Four losses are exceptional. As of May 15, the Varsity Gold team is still in the running for team and individual state titles. The Varsity Green team finished the season with a record of 16 - 1, and the Junior Varsity team has only lost once. So, next time you think of SHS tennis, admire the classiness that each and every player shows on and off the court, because they are the face of athletics for SHS.

10 years later, that same “boy” who landed in America is much bigger – 150 pounds bigger to be exact. He knows what snow is, and enjoys taking his nine-year-old sister out sledding during days off. He has evolved a lot since that first day; although, he still has the same eagerness he felt boarding the plane to New York. Today, his eagerness has evolved into a desire to “build his own legacy.” Before building anything, however, there must be a good foundation – something to build upon, something to fall back on. These past 10 years, Bere has created his own foundation not just by developing a “tireless work ethic,” but also through family and friends who have supported him from day one. The only question now is not whether he will build, but rather For comments on this column, please how high his building will be. email to SHSstudentvoice@gmail.com

Nakul Narendran Staff Writer

Referees should definitely not be allowed to send players off the field with concussion symptoms. One, they do not know the player on and off the field and cannot accurately judge the player, especially without medical training. In addition, the referees need to be paying attention to preventing concussions, not watching out for them. They are responsible for ensuring that play is fair and safe, not helping out after the damage has been done.

Isaac Goldstein Feature Chief

In my opinion, the referees should be able to send a player off of the field if they feel the athlete may have suffered a concussion. I believe that if symptoms continue to occur, students who are suspected of having received a concussion should be sent off the field to be evaluated by a trained specialist. Concussions can become a matter of life and death. Chances should not be taken.

Lauren Glynn Managing Editor

I think that referees should be able to make the decision if a player is well enough to stay on the field after having symptoms of a concussion. The new Ohio concussion law requires that they get training on determining the symptoms. Since referees have had training specifically for concussions, they know what to be looking for. Some might say that refs can be biased, but I think a person’s heath is more important than who wins game.

18 5.24.2013

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Cancer support becomes staple of boys vollyball Lauren Saxon

M Sports Chief

ay 10 of his sophmore year Ryan Gaffney, 12, learned that his mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Although judgmental looks are often drawn from opponents, Gaffney steps onto the court every game in hot pink knee pads. For Gaffney, the knee pads serve as much more than just a fashion statement. They are a symbol of respect, support, and perseverance. He wears them to support those affected by cancer. “I wear pink knee pads for the same reason the pros wear pink

ranked seventh in the GMC. Throughout the year, the players battled adversity that came in the form of injuries. “One injury on our team was one of our big players, Pete Lopez, 12, who blew out his knee in our very first game of the season,” said Ben Jervis, 11. Five of the teams members are ranked in the top ten in attack. Joey Gruden, Jake Fischer, Ryan Banning, Colin Knowles and Adam Darwiche, all seniors, are representing Sycamore as statistic leaders.

gloves socks or arm bands. I do it to spread cancer awareness,” says Gaffney. “I also wore pink headgear for wrestling and I have pink basketball shoes. I do a lot of other things outside of volleyball to raise cancer awareness such as Relay for Life.” Wearing a touch of pink in his uniform may seem small, but it embodies a more significant role for Gaffney and his family. “This is important to me because I don’t want anyone to experience what my mom and millions of other people have to go through every day because they have cancer,” said Gaffney. Gaffney’s teammates also respect the pink knee pads and Alex Wright, 10, has described them as “a trademark of the Sycamore mens volleyball team.”

said Nathan Larson, 9. The varsity team lost in the second round of the tournament to the number one team in the state, Moeller, but battled hard forcing three games aganist thier toughest opponent.

SERVING THE BALL across the court, Ben Jervis, 11, competed in his first season of Varisty volleyball this year. “My favorite part about volleyball is when I get a hit, or when I pass to a teammate and they get a kill,” said Jervis. The Varisty team defeated Milford in thier first playoff game of the tournament.

JV recap

With an overall record of 6-6, the JV team showed incredible improvement over the season. “One of the challenges we faced was that we had trouble communicating on the court,”

Varsity season

At the end of the regular season, the Varsity team finished

Q&A Ryan Gaffney,12, on boys varsity volleyball

My two favorite parts about volleyball are my teammates and winning. All of the people on the team are my friends and a lot of them are my close friends so just being able to hang out with them everyday after school is a tremendous privilege. I also love when we win because I’m so competitive not only in volleyball but in everything in life.

Why did you decide to play volleyball this year?

I decided to play volleyball because I was friends with the almost everyone on the team, and also because I love sand volleyball.

How do you think the season went?

The team has done okay. It’s hard to compare since I wasn’t on the team last year I have nothing to compare it against, but after our win against Milford I would say we did well.

Image by Lauren Saxon

Cancellations cause craving for competition This spring in Cincinnati, there seems to have been a fair amount of rain and wind. Although annoying, this is not abnormal for spring time and does not usually pose much of an actual threat. But what the constant bad weather has done is cause a large amount of sports cancellations. “Spring time is the most difficult time of the year for coaches, athletes, and the athletic department because of the unpredictability of the weather. It is difficult for the athletes to prepare mentally and physically for an event only to have it cancelled. Cancelling an event is a nightmare from an administrative standpoint and there is a chain of communication that must take place. Opposing teams must

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Highlights:

Staff Writer

Nimit Desai, 11, a doubles player those games the next day,” said on the JV tennis team. Christian Shrimpton, Varsity The only teams that have to baseball team coach. make up missed games are the Overall though, despite Varsity teams, and so Freshman the frequent rain delays and and JV teams will not be able to cancellations, spring sports teams make up many of the games they are still competing hard to try miss. and have a great season. “The worst part was that we are “Even though it’s hard to stay right now third in the city, but if focused when it’s raining twice we had beaten St. X, we would a week and causing so many have been second. Since we aren’t cancellations throughout a making up the game, we won’t baseball season, we try to focus play them again until the end on getting better each practice of the season tournament,” said so that when we finally do get a Desai. chance to get outside and play, Some sports have been luckier we can continue to stay focused than others this season and and work to get wins,” said Grant have not run into as much of a Price, 11, a left fielder on the problem with the rain and harsh Varsity baseball team. weather. “The rain hasn’t really affected Scan here with a the momentum of the team. We smartphone for have been able to get most of our more stories about games in. I only had to postpone your SHS sports www.goaves.com/athletics a couple of them and we played

be notified, buses cancelled, timers, announcers, ticket takers, concession workers, officials, trainers, parents, and others must be notified every time an event is cancelled. This is often why we wait as long as we can before cancelling an event,” said James Stoll, Athletic Director. Some sports are affected by the rain more than others. The Varsity tennis team had to stop a state team match against Springboro before its finish, but luckily had already won a majority of the matches, and therefore the match could be counted as a win. The JV tennis team was not so lucky in its recent match against St. Xavier. “When we played St. X the match had to be cancelled in the middle, which was really frustrating since we were winning and they were undefeated at that point,” said

The end to a long season has finally arrived for baseball. After a dismal 5-16 record, it is now time to make improvements for next season. A bump in the road occurred when former player and a beloved Ave lost his life. Larry Cook, ‘12 was the heart and soul of the team for his time here at SHS. Nonetheless, the team kept a positive outlook, and as the preparation for next season begins, it is apparent that much work will need to be completed for it to be a successful one.

Varsity softball After a long two months of softball, the Varsity team finished out their season on May 16. They were eliminated from the tournament after losing to McAuley 6-2 in the first round, finishing with a record of 9-17 with five GMC wins. Seniors Sydney Kelly, Becca Melvin, Kennedy Abrams, and Quamari Clay finished their final home game with the Aves. They beat Norwood 18-0 on senior night.

Varsity girls lacrosse

What is your favorite part about volleyball?

Eli Zawatsky

Varsity baseball

Although winning is what any team wants, improving is the true goal. As the season comes to a close, the team feels they have accomplished this goal. The team relies heavily on their strengths: great players who can score and a strong defense. Highlights throughout their season include tying Medina and beating Albany. As tournament time approaches, they are excited and look forward to a great end to an already amazing season.

Track

GMCs, Districts, Regionals, and State bring the track team to meet their most daunting obstacles. At the beginning of the year, Mr. Hank Ray, head coach, could repeatedly be heard saying that State was the final goal. “My mind set is one step at a time. We are going to get there, but it’s going to take work,” said Ray. The State Finals will be at Ohio State University Jun. 8 and 9, after the team goes to Mason for the District Finals and to Dayton Welcome Stadium for the Regional Finals.

College-bound athletes

Brannan Foster - NKU (Track) Sara Barret - Tampa (Lacrosse) Kathleen Gasset - Limestone (Lacrosse) Allison Klonne - Miami (Track) Sydney Kelly - Willmington College (Softball) Joshua Hunter - Thomas Moore (football) Bianca Rodenbaugh - OSU (Track) Angela Harris - NKU (Track)

Varsity green boys tennis captures Sycamore Cup

Derek Christerson appointed new Varsity girls basketball head coach

Sydney Kelly, 12, breaks SHS softball home run record All photos courtesy of McDaniel’s Photography

Kathleen Gasset, 12, scores 100th goal of career

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5.24.2013

Moving forward: Andrew Cardenas

T Staff Writer

he boys Varsity lacrosse team looks to finish its regular season with the last game against the number three team in the state, Mason, Sat. May 18. The Varsity team is currently ranked 22 in the state, with a 9-5 record. The closest of the losses was against Indian Hill, which SHS lost 13-14 in overtime. One of the biggest games this season was against Elder which SHS won 15-14. For the seniors, this was not a regular game; it was a chance to show SHS’ previous coach and Elder’s current head coach Tom Nugent what he had missed out on the last three years. “The Elder game is a game I am never going to forget. It meant so much to come back and beat Coach Nugent, especially for the seniors,” said Jonathan Susseman, 12. This game will set the standard of games between SHS and Elder. “Our win gave us a chance to show Nugent who is and will be dominating this rivalry for the years to come,” said Brandon Mueller, 12. SHS will find out who its opponent for the first round

Q&A:

of the playoffs will be this Sunday when all the coaches will meet up and vote on what seeds the teams should get for the playoffs. During this meeting, the awards for the players such as All-Region, All-State and others will be revealed.

Varsity lacrosse by the numbers

Goals put up by SHS Varsity team in the first nine games

Senior Night

On May 15, SHS seniors took the field against Lakota West. The boys were able to come up with an overtime 11-10 win, with the game winning goal scored by Bradley Huber, 12. “Having won my Senior Night the way we did was awesome. Scoring the game winning goal was a great moment that I am never going to forget,” said Huber. The SHS Varsity team will soon begin competing in their tournament Image by Andrew playoff Cardenas games.

Mark Reinhart,11, Varsity Lacrosse Goalie

How did the team bond this year? One way the team bonded this year was during our summer shoot arounds, when the team would meet in the summer to shoot around and practice. These laid back practices were really fun and a great way to get better and practice without being nervous about messing up.

Do you feel like you have a close relationship with past players? Yes, when they come back from college to visit, I always look forward to texting them and seeing if they can meet up somewhere. I also think that it is good to keep a close relationship with them for the future, just in case I am going to go the colleges where they are at now.

How do your practices normaly go? We like to have fun, but our practices are always serious as we look to set up plays and prepare for our upcoming games. Our coaches do a good job of running practice, we always get a lot done.

Why did you start playing goalie? I started to play middie and then I realized I wasn’t going to be 6’ 2” 200 pounds, and I was never really that good. When I moved to goalie I found out that that position fitted me better.

What are some of the different emotions that you feel during a game? In the warm-up I feel anxious and excited for the game to start. When they start to call out the starters and I hear my name I feel pumped and ready to go. As the game is going I feel very relaxed. I usually try not to worry about not making a save or messing up, and once the game starts all my nerves go away.

Why do you think you have won a lot more games this year as opposed to last year? There are a lot of reasons that happened. One of them is our work in the off-season. We worked hard and were able to fix the little things that win games. Another reason is because our offense is scoring a lot this season. And, last but not least, our defense is making the big plays at the right time and shutting down the key players in the other schools.

Varsity lacrosse honors seniors, looks to postseason tournament

141

Goals scored by the opponents against SHS in the first nine games

Games won this season by SHS Varsity lacrosse team

“

VLADIMIR JOVIC, 12, SPRINTS to go to the goal against Lakota East. The boys Varsity lacrosse team won 23-0. Jovic is currently leading the team in assists and points. He has 36 assists and 71 points. The game against Lakota East set a program record for the biggest margin between goals scored by SHS vs. goals scored against.

“

sports

I am a little upset that the season is almost over, but I am also really eager to begin the summer practices and scrimmages. I am also excited to see what the team is going to look like next year. Overall, I think this has been a great year and hopefully we can advance deep into the playoffs.

Jacob Mather, 9

SHS Points record broken

Games lost this season by SHS Varsity lacrosse team

Goals scored this season by SHS Varsity team

21.5

193

Average points per game by the SHS Varsity team

499

Number of ground balls SHS Varsity team has won

Scan here with a smartphone for more information on SHS lacrosse. www.hs.sycamorelax.com

Alexander Miller, 12, set SHS’ record of points in a single game on Apr. 3 against Lakota East. Miller had 12 points that game, with 8 goals and 4 assists. Miller currently has 62 points and is leading the team in goals with 44. *As of date*

Breaking the schools single point record was a group effort. I could never have done it without those guys.

Alexander Miller, 12

Photo courtesy of McDaniel’s Photography

Did you know?

Origin of the game

Lacrosse is a sport that has been around for hundreds of years. It originated from the Native Americans and was known as “The Creators Game.” Games were played as ceremonial ritual to give thanks to the creator. Those who played the game looked like warriors who brought honor to themselves and their tribes. Today in Native American reserves, lacrosse still has a big impact on their culture. The Thompson Trio has had the biggest impact in the college level. Brothers Miles and Lyle Thompson and their cousin Ty Thompson are the starting attackmen for the University of Albany. Miles and Lyle are from the Onondaga Nation in New York, while Ty represents the Mohawk Nation in New York.

Image by Andrew Cardenas

20 5.24.2013

Showing her

Q&A

True Skalde,9

colors

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SPOTLIGHT

Jacqueline Lazar Spotlight Chief

How has your freshman year gone?

My freshman year has been fantastic. I’ve been exposed to so many new people and experiences. I didn’t think the high school would be drastically different from the junior high but it is, in such a good way.

What do you like most about Sycamore?

What I like best about Sycamore is how even though the school is huge it feels like a small school. I like knowing everyone in my grade but at the same time I meet new people every day!

What classes are interesting to you?

History is one of my favorite classes because I love learning about it. There is so much to learn, but you can never stop learning about history because it is an ongoing subject. I think it is a lot different than any other class which is why I like it so much!

What career field do you want to go into?

Anything to do with fashion is an extremely interesting job field whether it is actually designing or working in the retail aspect of it. Of course dance will always be a passion for me so I could also see myself traveling down that road as well.

SKALDE DANCING IN the picture above that was entered in the Summit Country Day newspaper. Skalde enjoys traveling and wants to continue to travel throughout her life. “In 10 years I see myself finishing college and traveling, a ton! I love to travel and I hope to keep doing it for the rest of my life,” said Skalde. One of her best memories is when her family and her lived in Hokkaido, Japan for a year. She is also planning to go to Abu Dhabi to visit her Aunt, Uncle, and cousin this summer. Skalde wants to spend her summer finding a job and focusing on working

What has your experience with dance been?

I’ve been dancing since I was 3 and it is my absolute favorite thing to do. From my first dance class and on I’ve been completely in love with it!

Any life advice or a quote you live by?

“Work hard, Stay positive.” It’s my family’s motto.

All images by Jacqueline Lazar

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