The Wooster Blade, Volume XVIII, Issue 8

THE WOOSTER BLADE

WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER • 515 OLDMAN ROAD, WOOSTER, OH • FEB. 3, 2017 • VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 9

THE GROWTH OF FEMALE INFLUENCE:

Index front: 1 on campus: 2-4 focus: 5-9 trends: 10-13 cover: 14- 17 a&e: 18-21 feature: 22-25 sports: 26-29

The Wooster Blade discusses empowering women today and throughout history.

views: 30-32

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 2

Fundraising at WHS provides opportunities for many clubs JACOB GOOCH Whether it is in kindergarten or in their senior year most, if not all, students are fundraising.

Soon the class of 2018 will be selling carnations to help pay for post-Prom and help make the Prom experience that much better for the seniors and juniors.

According to a PTO Today article entitled, “Sales Fundraisers: The Basics,” every year school groups in the United States raise over $1.5 billion, which equates to around $13,000

per school.

Looking at a Speech and Debate “Dine to Donate” event at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Coach William Frank commented that the team made $403 through this event, helping the team do more in the way of competition,

around every day to see posters in the hallway or even go to a restaurant that maintains a community board. Look forward one year, there will be a citrus sale for the band, a poinsettia sale for National Honor Society and many, “Dine to Donate”

lower income families.

The purpose of donating may already be clear, but where to donate may not be, the best

clubs, teams and events.

Looking forward, on Feb. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., there will be a “Dine to Donate” at Five Guys burgers and Fries for the

donate is just as easy as looking

Raising test price affects students’ ablity to afford test ESTELLE SHAYA For students planning to take a 2017 AP test, this year’s cost will amount to $93.

Already significant, this price has risen in small increments over the past years. From 2016 to 2017, the price showed a small increase of only $1.

However, according to guidance counselor Tyler Egli, the cost has consistently risen between $1 and $2 every year for the seven years he has provided AP tests.

For every AP test, $9 of the overall cost goes to the providing school.

“We use that money to pay for students who need help,” Egli said.

Unlike the general test cost, money going to the providing

schools has not increased.

Federal and state assistance for AP tests has also seen a change since 2016.

According to the College Board’s official website, states that participated in the AP Test Fee program in 2016 were able to secure federal funding to help pay for tests taken by lowincome students. The program has since been eliminated and replaced with the Every Student Succeeds Act, meaning states and districts must act to ensure funding for students.

Egli expressed that the new lack of funding can be frustrating when trying to help students pay for tests, especially those taking multiple. Schools no longer

have the same availability of funds that they had to help students pay in prior years.

WHS offers opportunities for low-income students who cannot afford to pay for the test. According to Egli, “We try to help as many kids as we can if they can’t afford it.”

WHS helps through both providing funds and setting up payment plans for students and their families, allowing for payment to be spaced out over the course of several months.

Although costs continue to rise, WHS is dedicated to ensuring all students the opportunity to take AP tests.

For more information or help paying for AP tests, contact Egli in the guidance office.

ON CAMPUS THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY:

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 3

WHS updates: What is happening now, at graduation and Summer programs Jostens serves as this summer provide educational opportunities

History Club organizes Wall of Honor CHRISTOPHER ROCHE The WHS History Club has recently announced the start of its latest project, the Veterans Wall of Honor.

History Club adviser Misty Bisesi said they plan on collecting names of WHS alumni, as well as staff, who have served in the U.S. military.

With these names, they plan on building a memorial to the WHS alumni and staff who have served.

As to what inspired History Club to pursue this project, Bisesi said, “The idea first originated when I visited the memorials in Washington D.C.” According to the WHS website, the memorial will be covering the years of service from WWI to the present.

Emily Ramseyer (11), a student involved with History Club, said that “I’m looking forward to have the opportunity to honor the graduates from WHS who went to fight for our country.”

History Club members hope to have the Wall of Honor up by the end of the school year with a place to continually submit names to add to the wall. For now, a Wall of Honor nomination form can be found on the WHS website.

MADDY NACCI sports editor

WHS encourages students to take part in summer programs and internships as many companies around the school offer opportunities for high school students.

The guidance counselors at WHS suggest internships at The Cleveland Clinic and the OARDC. The Cleveland Clinic offers a variety of clinic-based internships in applied medicine, health and science fields for grades eight through 12.

“Each program is formulated to inspire students to embrace a variety of disciplines as keys to success, and to foster skills that will help them become life-long learners,” stated at civiceducation.clevelandclinic.org.

Applications for these internships are due Feb. 24 and more information can be found at civiceducation. clevelandclinic.org.

The OARDC provides a Research Internship Program for high school and college students of 18 years of age or older. The program is paid and directed by faculty and is designed to provide research opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math through lab projects, seminars, and group discussion, according to oardc.osu.edu.

Interested students must submit their application to oardc.ohio-state.edu by March 15.

Tyler Egli, WHS guidance counselor, said that students should not have to pay for these educational opportunities.

For more information on summer programs for students, talk to a guidance counselor.

graduation apparel provider DROSOS KARDULIAS on campus editor

Jostens, the company which provides WHS seniors with the customary graduation caps and gowns, charges students $27.50 for the garments.

WHS is not alone in its dealings with Jostens, as surrounding schools including Smithville, Orrville, Norwayne, Dalton, Chippewa and Triway all make use of the same memorabilia manufacturer.

WHS principal Tyler Keener stated that Wooster has been working with Josten’s for a long time “We’ve been working with them a long time, and they give us the best deal,” Keener said.

At WHS, seniors attend an assembly, during which they are given information about Josten’s services and receive the order form.

Packages range from the standard $27.50 to more deluxe packages such as the Senior package for $228.20 or the Platinum package for $264.10, according to jostens.com.

Some students at WHS voice displeasure with these prices, including senior Alazar Coetzee (12).

“They are way overpriced for the amount of time we use them. I’ll wear them for two hours of my life and never put them again,” Coetzee said.

Jostens also offers packages more specific to WHS featuring Wooster’s blue and gold and general.

Students are not presented with the option to purchase graduation apparel from any other source but Jostens.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | ON CAMPUS | PAGE 4

LIBERTY

IN GOD WE TRUST P

I E S

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O P P O R T U N

HANNAH KNAPIC

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cover editor

W i t h c l a s s scheduling for the 20172018 school year coming up in February, a few new courses are being added for WHS students to take.

New STEM classes, courses focusing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, will be added for next school year, according to principal Tyler Keener.

These new courses include advanced robotics, medical interventions and women in engineering.

Advanced Robotics, according to Keener, will be offered to all grade levels, and may even include a competition between students at the end of the year.

If students are looking to a medical profession, the medical intervention course will allow for students to develop an

ava ilab le f or s t

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sse s

Graphic made by Matt Lorentz.

WHS students have access to multiple scholarships at the local and national level during their senior year and do not have to stray too far to find out how to apply for them.

WHS guidance counselor Julianna Hamad said that filling out and researching scholarships should be treated like a separate class and that they should be taken seriously with a lot of time devoted to them Every year, the Wayne County Community Foundation releases a booklet that

Fastweb.com is also a way to check for scholarships at all times.

If any help is needed, contact your guidance counselor.

cla

feature editor

informs students about local scholarships that are available.

WHS guidance counselor Tyler Egli said that every senior should have received that booklet in the mail, and if they have not gotten a book, they should let the guidance office know.

Along with the booklet, the WCCF also has a website that lists all of the scholarships and keeps them up to date.

Another way to see what scholarships are available is to log into Naviance. Every student has access to this as well.

“We encourage all seniors to apply for any scholarship opportunities,” Egli said.

New

HANNA MORGAN

ude

Local and national scholarships available for WHS students

E D U C A T

in-depth look into medical research using real world cases, Keener said.

Guidance counselor Julianna Hamad said the Women in Engineering course would be an opportunity for girls in all grade levels to explore the field of engineering in high school.

In the English Dept., AP Seminar and Appreciation of Literature have been added as new courses.

AP Seminar is a course in which students use a full year to explore ideas in depth, individually and with a group, and present their ideas in paper and oral presentation form, with a three part AP exam at the end, according to English Dept. member Kristi Hiner.

Appreciation of Literature will use leadership and athletic literature to teach students important lessons such as teamwork and overcoming obstacles.

Cultural themes of sports will be explored in order to allow students to reflect on and appreciate the role of sports in today’s culture, according to English Dept. member Chad Bever.

The Wayne County School Career Center will also be adding senior only courses to their program at a new building called RAMTECH. These classes are CNC/ Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics/PLCs and STNA.

FOCUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 5

Local Roots celebrates Chinese New Year with food & activities AUSTIN MCCULLY focus editor

On Jan. 28, Local Roots Market and Café in Wooster held their third annual Chinese New Year celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event featured a variety of activities to help children learn about Chinese culture.

Anne-Marie Savoie a volunteer at the event, spoke as to why the event was held. “[We are] trying to bring other culture’s traditions to our community, celebrating other parts of the world,” said Savoie.

Fong Wong started the event at Local Roots, served as counsel on the traditions and served as head of the kitchen in preparing the Chinese specials.

The café featured Chinese cuisine for the holiday, including Year of the Rooster noodle soup, Fong’s noodle soup, marbled

Hot green tea was also There was a station in the store for children to color in roosters, in honor of 2017 being the Year of the Rooster.

Children could also write out best wishes for friends and family members on gold sheets of paper to be placed in elaboratelydecorated, red envelopes.

There were also stations to to practice using chopsticks on varying sizes of cotton balls and a station to make be used in the Dragon dance.

Midway through the event, a traditional Dragon dance was held, with two children at the front, holding up a dragon costume, and the other children trailing behind playing the Chinese

HANNAH KNAPIC

Anne-Marie Savoie, volunteer at the Chinese New Year celebration, awards two children with their choice of chopsticks as they completed the 12 Chinese Zodiac animal scavenger hunt, where the 12 animals signs were hidden throughout the store. Savoie was one of several volunteer team members contributing to the event.

12 Chinese zodiac animals were hidden throughout the store, and with

CORPORATE SPONSORS

a

pair

of

chopsticks.

Lanterns made by students at Cornerstone Elementary School hung overhead at the event.

signs colored in by children were hung up throughout the walls.

Local Roots is located on S. Walnut St. in downtown Wooster.

BLUE SPONSORS

$500

We would like to thank all of our supporters for the 2016-17 school year.

Baaron, Inc. BCI Buckeye Division Everything Engraved Swigart- Braunscheidel Insurance The Pines Golf Club The Studio on Liberty The Urban Cottage Wooster Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Metals USA Dyer Roche & Company, Inc.

FOCUS

KAYLA BARNET This past election sparked something in me that felt like it had to have its voice heard and do anything it could to make a difference.

I became very involved in reading and watching the news, attempting to keep myself updated in what was happening in our country.

Unfortunately, being a 17-yearold, I could not vote and it made me feel like that voice

could not truly be heard.

So, when I heard there was a group of people from Wooster taking a bus to Washington D.C. to march for women’s rights, I immediately wanted to know how I could get involved.

Social issues and justice have always been something I feel very passionately about, and it only felt right to be a part of this movement.

Being a part of history was something I cannot even begin to describe; however, moving forward, I know I want to continue to vocalize my opinions in a way that I know will make an impact. I had never felt more connected with the people around me and empowered because I knew I was making a difference.

I have even considered finding a career path in the activism field,.

I knew that voice was being heard.

Writers share ALEXIS FLORENCE

of D.C. March

Accompanying me on Jan. 21, about 50 other women from Wooster were on our way to the Women’s March on Washington.

From the moment, I entered into the city, I could feel the inspirational and undeniably democratic atmosphere.

People were inspired to make their voices heard. Signs, chants, and pink cat hats

The signs were often humorous and displayed a variety of social and political issues.

The chants were catchy, and one example was one person shouting, “Tell me what democracy looks like!” and the crowd responding, “This is what democracy looks like!”

The cat hats created a sea of bright pink; women across the country crafted these hats in preparation for the march.

The hats displayed a form of unity among the marchers that I was a part of with a hat of my own.

Overall, this march experience was life changing. Going to the nation’s capital for a protest makes me want to be more involved in how our government works.

I wish to be more aware of the make and understand the views of all people.

Educator and citizen explains how to induce change

L. SUE HERMAN Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world,” a quote that hung in my

classroom for 20 years.

Saturday, Jan. 21 marked, for me and for many others, a chance to do just that.

The Women’s March, Wooster version, took place on the square in downtown Wooster involving around 500 women, men and children from our area.

While I would have loved to have been in DC, maybe it was even more important to be here, where I could join with the voices of my friends and neighbors to bring about local change.

Indeed, one of the primary

lessons I have learned, in my first year as an elected official, is that all politics are local.

I cannot be sure my voice is directly heard in Washington, or even Columbus (though that does not stop me from trying), but I do know that I will be heard at home.

I regret not having addressed the crowd that Saturday, but here is what I would have said: Commit!

Commit to the mission that is important to you and give it your whole heart.

Commit to making Wooster the best, safest, most welcoming

community to live in.

Commit to making your voice heard. Attend council meetings, commissioners’ meetings, and, for Heaven’s sake, school board meetings. And speak up! Ask questions!

Hold your representatives accountable for actions that harm or delay or ignore the furtherance of your mission.

These elected officials are beholden to you, the voters.

It is not their right to base their decisions on only what they know—they must hear from you.

Commit to a group that is

energized to see radical change.

And commit to one another.

What is one person’s mission is not always going to be that of another: that’s OK. Support the efforts that are made to make us all better, without judgement or prejudice.

Know that we all have a job to do, so cheer one another on and offer your support.

Commit to creating a community unmarred by prejudice, racism, misogyny, or hatred.

Commit to living your beliefs.

We will all be better off for it.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 7

Cabinet in a cabinet: A closer look at Donald Trump’s crew Nominee for HUD Secretary Ben Carson Retired neurosurgeon and former Presidential candidate Ben Carson has been selected by President Trump to be the Housing and Urban Development Secretary.

Though he did not initially want a cabinet position, after conversing with the Trump transition team, he changed his mind, stating, “I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone,” in a facebook post.

Carson’s adviser Armstrong Williams, asserts that while Carson has no governmental experience, he has experience in zoning, urban planning and anti-discrimination laws according to an article from The Guardian titled “Ben Carson nominated for housing secretary in Trump administration”.

According a New York Times article titled “Trump chooses Ben Carson to lead HUD,” Trump chose Carson because he, “shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.”

Carson has completed his Senate confirmation hearing and is awaiting the final confirmation vote from the Senate.

Nominee for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Betsy DeVos, Republican billionaire and philanthropist, is President Trump’s selection for education secretary.

DeVos has been an ardent supporter of school choice and school vouchers, having unsuccessfully attempted to amend the Michigan state Constitution to institute a voucher system in 2000. These vouchers, which are essentially state funded scholarships for private schools, could also be used for religious schools.

DeVos had a rocky Senate confirmation hearing, according to an Atlantic article titled “5 Things to Know About Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Pick for Education Secretary.” She avoided questions about education of disabled students and the presence of guns in schools. The issues of racial inequality in school and standardized testing went unaddressed.

An NPR.com article titled “Trump chooses Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary,” President Trump believes her passionate education advocacy can, “break the bureaucracy holding our children back.”

DeVos is opposed to Common Core, stating it has become a “federalized boondoggle,” according to her website.

According to a Reuters article entitled “Trump’s embattled education department pick may face Senate fight,” DeVos has been confirmed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and faces a full vote soon.

GRAPICS BY MATTHEW LORENTZ AND SPECNER DILYARD BLURBS BY RYAN MILLER, JACOB GOOCH AND JOHN GORMAN

Nominee for AG Jeff Sessions 1.

3.

2.

4.

Fair use photos courtesy of Flickr.com: 1. Photo of Ben Carson courtesy of Gage Skidmore 2. Photo of Rex Tillerson courtesy of William Munoz 3. Photo of Betsy DeVos courtesy of GreatAgain.gov 4. Photo of Jeff Sessions courtesy of Gage Skidmore

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Former Exxonmobil Chief Executive Officer, Rex Tillerson is Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State.

Tillerson’s nomination was announced on Dec. 13, 2016, according to an article from The Washington Post dated Dec. 13, 2016, entitled “Trump picks ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state.”

Tillerson has received mixed reviews, including support from two former Secretaries of State, James Baker and Condoleezza Rice, according to a CNN article entitled “GOP heavyweights with ties to Exxon pushed Tillerson.”

In addition to the support of two former occupants of the title, Tillerson has faced criticism on his ties to Russia and by environmentalists who worry about the United State’s standing in the Paris Climate Agreement under a former oil executive.

On Jan. 23, 2016 The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to approve Tillerson by a margin of 11-10, according to a Politico article, entitled “Senate panel approves Tillerson nomination.”

According to an article from The Wall Street Journal, entitled “Rex Tillerson Wins Senate Confirmation to Be Secretary of State,” Tillerson was confirmed as Secretary of State on Feb. 1, 2017, by a margin of 56 to 43.

of Alabama is President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General.

According to Sessions.

Senate.gov, Sen. Sessions is very experienced having Ala. then later in Mobile, Ala. With Sessions’ extensive legal career it is easy to see why he was chosen.

In 1981, Sessions served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama for 12 years.

Afterward, Sessions served as the Attorney General for Alabama until 1997 when he entered the US senate.

In a January 2017 article

by The Hill Session’s appointment raises specter of prosecuting voting rights activists,” critics attack Sessions for in the past prosecuting to allegedly intimidate voters.

It is clear President Trump picked Sessions based on his legal experience and his past experience as an attorney general making According to an article from The New York Times Sessions Approved as Attorney General by Senate Committee,” Sessions passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a margin of 11 to 9, with all 11 Republicans voting to approve and all 9 Democrats voting to not approve. senate is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Graphic by John Gorman

Activism from Wooster to D.C.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | FEB. 3, 2016 | PAGE 8

The Women’s March on Washington: Communities gather to protest for women’s rights EVAN RICE On Jan. 21, 2017, communities gathered in solidarity to advocate for the protection of women’s health, safety and rights.

According to Jackie Taggart, a participant in the Wooster Women’s March, the event was an extraordinary success; marches worldwide left participants and observers empowered and inspired.

Taggart also believes the 2017 Women’s March brought hope to participants in the march and allowed those involved to voice their opinions on a series of central political issues.

Issues presented at 2017 Women’s Marches included ending violence, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, workers rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant

rights and environmental justice, according to womensmarch.com.

The origins of the 2017 Women’s March can be traced to the night after the 2016 United States presidential election when Theresa Shook of Hawaii took to Facebook to propose marching in protest, according to the Reuters article “Hawaii Grandma’s Plea Launches Women’s March in Washington.” The Women’s March quickly garnered a large following as information about the events was spread through social media, by the organizers of the event and the NAACP. Cheryl Goff, WHS guidance counselor, an attendant of the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., said she heard about the march through her close friend, the former president of the Wooster/Orrville chapter of the NAACP, Juanita Greene.

Goff spoke of her decision to

participate in the march. “Me, being a black Christian woman, I felt I had a voice, but at the Women’s March, I felt I had a louder voice.”

The Women’s March was organized to give intersectional groups a raised platform to voice their support for social, economic and political equality of the sexes. The march’s sense of universality drew the attention and support of students at WHS, including Julien Lubell (11).

“Going to the march was important to me because everyone in the world needs to recognize the importance of women in today’s society,” Lubell said.

For many, participation in the Women’s March offered a platform to make their voices heard on not only women’s rights, but a series of fundamental rights and political goals.

Activists in Wooster who marched for women’s rights: Lupe Williams A respectable member of the Wooster community, Lupe Wiliams is a member of the NAACP and part of the Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus.

Williams marched in the Women’s March on Washington on Jan. 21. She said she marched because, “I believe that human rights are women’s rights.”

She is not only an advocate

for women’s issues, but she has also marched for Latino causes in D.C. Overall, Williams would like to mention that she hopes future generations continue fighting for rights and go out and vote.

“Younger adults should vote because if we do this [protest] it doesn’t amount to anything if we don’t vote,” Williams said.

Emily Oshinskie Emily Oshinskie is a young adult peaceworker at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wooster.

She attended the Women’s March on Washington because, “It is important to speak out against a system that holds people down.”

Oshinskie has worked with the NAACP and the larger Presbyterian Church. She has been a part of social groups such as No More Deaths, Frontera de Cristo and the Young Adult Volunteer

program. She has also marched in Cleveland for comprehensive immigration reform.

Oshinskie thinks everyone, regardless of age, skill or background, should be involved in protest. She explained that all different types of skills and perspectives are need for a march or protest.

Finally, Oshinskie comments, “Protests are important and can be a starting point, but you also need to get involved in politics by signing petitions or calling your senators.”

Juanita Greene Juanita Greene is the former president of the Wooster/ Orrville NAACP and a firm believer in protest.

She attended the Women’s March on Washington and marched because she appreciates the value of individual voices.

“I believe to make a change people have get involved,” Greene said.

Greene has been involved with the civil rights movement for over 20 years.

She attended Obama’s first

inauguration, marched with the NAACP in Washington D.C. for jobs and has attended multiple rallies in Wooster.

Greene believes the greatest drive of change is through peaceful and nonviolent protest.

However, she stated people must be involved with their local politicians as well.

Greene would like younger people to register to vote and to get together to make changes and hold politicians accountable.

Blurbs written by Alexis Florence

FOCUS

Chamber of Commerce awards ALEXANDER THOMPSON The Greenbriar Event Center hosted a veritable “who’s who” of the Wooster business community, as over 800 of the city’s leading citizens gathered for the annual dinner of the Chamber of Commerce of Wooster.

The goal was to give awards to businesses and business owners in a variety of categories.

Chamber President Justin Starlin explained, “It’s very important for the community to recognize the positive contributions, both individually and from a business perspective. As we continue to grow, how we differentiate ourselves from other communities is

[through] true, proactive community participation.”

Ohio Christian Children’s Home took home the Worthy Works Award, Scott Rotolo of the Wooster Police Dept. picked up the Leadership Wooster Distinguished Alumni Award, while Rodd Welker, of Eagle Advisor Group, collected the Mike Lezak Award for Volunteer Service.

Wayne Savings Bank won the Board of Directors Award, the Wooster Inn took the award for Small Business of the Year with over 15 employees and the Lerch’s Donuts received Small Business of the Year with under 15 employees.

As the night matured, the Jack O’Donnell Award for Community Service was won by Bob Gorman of

Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston for his dedication to worthy causes, including his involvement in Rotary Club and the WCSD. The two final awards were the most anticipated, with State Representative Scott Wiggam and a representative of Congressman Renacci giving out the honors.

Business of the Year went to Tekfor USA. The company came upon hard times during the 2008 Recession, accruing huge losses and was near closure.

Under new management, the

company has been growing since 2010 and has recently expanded.

After receiving the award, Tekfor USA’s President Kevin Weldi said, “It’s a recognition of a lot of people doing a lot of good things, to be honest, and we are absolutely honored and blessed that the community has recognized it. We’re just proud to accept it.”

The final award went to Audrey Beaverson, the former president of Wooster Motor Ways and a considerable patron of volunteer fire departments around Wayne County.

GRANT PEABODY

Wooster City Council continues to address Meijer developement DROSOS KARDULIAS Wooster City Council members continue to discuss the Meijer development in preparation for their upcoming vote on the topic.

Barbara Knapic of Wooster’s City Council has expressed several concerns about the possibility of the Meijer development moving forward.

“I have...heard concerns over whether the improvements recommended are going to be adequate in the future and whether the dollar amounts attributed to those improvements are accurate or if they will actually be higher,” Knapic said.

Further, the potential impact of Meijer’s development on the local economy is an issue which Knapic feels has not yet been fully evaluated, and one about which she would prefer more information.

City Council member Mike Cavin states that he will not be weighing in on the issue of the Meijer development.

“I’m going to abstain from that vote. I’m not going to comment on that because I work for Buehler’s...there’s a conflict of interest there,” Cavin said.

Knapic continued, noting that beyond monetary issues, she is skeptical that Wooster’s North End is in need of another large chain supermarket.

However, Knapic states she will ultimately make her decision based upon the will of her constituents.

While she notes that a majority of comments she has received have been against the development, significant support still exists on both sides of the issue.

Mike Buytendyk, City Council President, is unsure how the vote will go.

The vote will be held on Feb. 6.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 10

TRENDS Pattern fair use Google Images via ublic Domain Pics.

The Wooster Blade randomly surveyed 150

WHS students about who is the most fashionable. The top four responses were featured.

Isabelle Cannon Isabelle Cannon (12) is no stranger to fashion.

Nominated by fellow WHS students as one of the most fashionable people at the school, Cannon describes her style as timeless, classic and elegant. Her favorite color to wear is blue, “because it can look good no matter the season,” Cannon said.

Cannon prefers to shop at GAP and Banana Republic.

One thing that Cannon cannot leave the house without is her rain boots. “ Rain boots are very versatile, it doesn’t need to be raining to wear them,” Cannon said.

Cannon admires her mother, as she was the first person who taught her the importance of dressing well.

Photos by Grant Peabody Graphics by Matt Lorentz

THE WOOSTER BLADE | TRENDS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 11

Corinne Wiles (9) wows those around her with her unique fashion sense.

Her sister Mimi Wiles (11), finds herself impressed by Corinne from a fashion standpoint, mainly because of the confidence that her younger sibling has in her own style.

Corinne encourages others to find their own style, as the one fashion tip she would give to everyone would be to, “dress to express yourself and don’t be afraid to wear what you want,” Wiles said. She is inspired by the unique styles of Cipriana Quann and Asap Rocky.

Corrine Wiles

Blurbs by Isabelle Cannon, Nick Cosmo Matt Lorentz. and John Gorman

Thomas Matthew (9) was nominated by his fellow peers for being one of the most fashionable people at WHS. Matthew said his style is preppy.

Matthew believes that the essential fashion item one must always have is a good pair of shoes that can match any outfit.

In fact, he says he tries to match his shoes to his outfit everyday.

Matthew takes pride in what he wears.

“It makes you feel good when you leave the house in the morning dressed nicely,” Matthew said.

Matthew’s favorite brands to wear are Nike and Adidas.

Sarah Hopkins

Thomas Matthew Sarah Hopkins (12) and her fashion choices have captured the attention of WHS students.

Hopkins pulls style ideas from a multiple of inspirations including Vogue, Zara and random people she encounters day-to-day.

Considering her own style as classic, Hopkins said, “Most of the time I ask myself will I still like this outfit/piece in 15 years?,” For Hopkins, denim and floral patterned clothing have stood the test of time and are vital to any clothing collection.

While her collection is considered classic, Hopkins is not scared of a good trend too, to change it up.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | TRENDS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 12

Students explain both good and bad of the face mask trend

Face masks cause damage

Face masks help skin

OLIVIA SLEEK

EMMA STRONG

trends editor Face masks have become the latest beauty trend in recent months.

Ulta Beauty worker, Brooke Sigler says if you want to be able to achieve results, you have to be willing to open your wallet.

“People need to know that if you want a product to really help you, then you have to be able to spend a little money,” Sigler said.

There are cheap face masks that can do wonders as well.

I tried this $5 one from Ulta Beauty, called SNP Animal Otter Aqua Mask, that was supposed to help hydrate my skin and I could immediately feel results.

After using the mask, I found that my skin was much softer

feature editor and dry.

The best face mask, according to an article by totalbeauty. com is the Bioxidea Paris Miracle 24 Face, which costs $59 and can be used by both men and women, and was a clear favorite among both genders.

Regardless of price range there is a face mask for everyone.

Overall, face masks are a great beauty essential that everyone should try.

OLIVIA SLEEK

branch in Wooster, says their

trends editor

“They’re a wonderful resource to help moisturize your face and minimize your pores,” Evelyn said.

Their face scrub is $26 and is sulfur based, so it helps calm skin and helps with skin sensitivity.

Ulta Beauty Consultant, Brooke Sigler, says there is a face mask for every type of skin needs.

“Clinical grade is the highest grade face mask you can get

masks has been controversial due to the rise in demand of dermatologists and beauticians would recommend face masks as long as people know what kind they need for their skin.

H&H Science sales associate Evelyn, who works for at the Trillium Creek Dermatology

Graphic by Spencer Dilyard

without a prescription,” Sigler said. She also recommended using face masks from the line Dermalogica, which is a dermatologist recommended beauty line. kind you need to get the results you want,” Sigler said.

Sigler also mentioned that facial masks are like stepping stones; people have to work their way to the right one.

According to thedermreview. com, a website that gives

While there is not necessarily such a thing as a bad face mask for your skin, there are certain factors to consider when using face masks to have a beneficial experience.

Taking skin type into consideration is the first way to pick the mask the will have the most positive and noticeable effects.

According to an article

by Jodi Layne, entitled “How To Use a Face Mask Correctly By Avoiding These Five Common Mistakes,” looking for a face mask suited for your skin type will work best.

“If you have sensitive skin, use a sensitive formula; if you have dry skin, use a hydrating formula; and so on,”

Layne said.

Beside the possible negative effects on your own skin, many masks also leave a negative environmental footprint.

According to an Refinery29 article, entitled “The Not-SoGreat Side Effect Of Your SheetMask Addiction” by Fawnia Soo Hoo, the type of plastic that contains many sheet masks is not recyclable.

To reduce waste, the article offers alternatives including buying masks from companies whose packaging is made of recycled materials or making homemade face masks to reduce waste.

In addition to making sure a face mask is right for your skin, it is also important to consider the effects a mask may have on the environment.

advice on cosmetic ingredients and beauty products, the key

thedermreview.com stated.

The site also stated that it is best to try a face mask on a small patch of skin. That way if

skin types.

“When it comes to facial masks, you have many options and things to consider. However, keep in mind that a big determining factor should be the type of skin that you have. Clay facial masks work great on oily skin, for example, while people with dry skin would use a mask to add moisture into the skin,”

a small area of skin. If it does work, then customers know the product is safe for them.

As long as customers consider what mask will best work for their skin types, then dermatologists would recommend using them, according to thedermreview. com.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | TRENDS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 13

CHINESE NEW YEAR History of the Chinese New Year

Jan. 28, 2017

The 2017 Chinese New Year took place on Jan. 28.

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is a celebration in which people of Chinese descent honor the deities, their household and their ancestors, according to an article called “Chinese New Year” on history.com.

Traditions in the celebration of the Chinese New Year include cleaning of the house, the giving of money in red packets, fireworks and a New Year’s Eve dinner, according to chinesenewyear.info.

The Chinese calendar is a large part of the New Year celebration as well.

With animals representing different zodiac signs, the calendar is the basis of the Gregorian system that is used now, according to “Chinese Zodiac” on chinatravelguide.com.

Each zodiac appears every 12 years, with 2017 being the Year of the Rooster, according to “The Year of the Rooster- What it Means” on chinahighlights.com.

Fact Box by Hannah Knapic

Guest columnist speaks about Lunar New Year experiences

ANNA QU guest writer

I think a lot of people heavily exoticise Chinese New Year, and that is the mindset I want to discourage when reading this article.

Sure, it is a big deal in China, but I would like to concentrate

on the Chinese American experience of Lunar New Year.

Many Chinese families who have settled here in the United States bond together into little Chinese communities as a support system. They often set up Chinese language schools to teach their children about Chinese heritage and throw holiday parties to have a piece of home to hold on to.

Chinese New Year celebrations home-like comfort here in the United States.

When I lived in Lincoln, NE, the parties were held in huge community halls with stages of traditional food in the lobby.

My mom would even sign me up to do traditional dances to

perform in those halls.

After all the celebratory eating and performances, the kids would go around and wish all of their elders a happy New Year, and they would get little red envelopes in exchange. These “hong bao” contained money that valued in accordance to how sincere they thought your well wishes were.

I know that this account may seem cool in a 1950s Oriental way, but it is really just a part of life when you grow up as a Chinese American.

It is like Christmas to us, but because we do not get to spend it with our extended family, we celebrate it as a cultural community. I could write so much more, but if you are interested, just ask.

Graphics by Spencer Dilyard and Evan Rice

COVER

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 14

“I would say [Diane] Mealey, because she teaches her students how to respect one another. She models this by treating all students the same, so that all her students understand that everyone deserves respect, by turning a small incident into a lesson for the whole class.”

- Anna Nacci (9)

“My German teacher, Frau Rein, is very influential to me. She sticks to her own beliefs and is an extremely hard-working individual.”

-Keith Kilner (11)

“[Tricia] Taggart, she’s not afraid to be herself and inspires others to be the same way.”

-Aleesha Vaughn (11)

“I find Rachel Wood to be influential because she continuously leads others through her powerful, silent examples of hard work and humility, and her integrity is unmatched.”

-Alvin Makori (11)

WHAT WOMAN AT WHS INFLUENCES YOU THE MOST? “[Shelly] Silvaggi. She has a great personality and her sarcasm is infectious. She wants the best for her students and will stop at nothing to ensure they succeed.

She is passionate about the subjects she teaches and she makes sure her students are aware of more than what she is required to teach, like what is happening in the world. Mrs. Silvaggi has inspired me to be a teacher simply by showing how much she cares for her students and what they are learning. She is an amazing teacher.”

-Hannah Sanchez (12)

“Molly Kilbourne. She’s a great team leader for the girls’ swim team and makes sure everyone is included and enjoying the sport. Seeing and hearing how supportive and inclusive Molly is with the swimmers motivates me to be a better leader in my activities. The team and school are lucky to have her.”

-Wil Gastier (12)

“I think that Sarah Hopkins is one of the most influential women in my life and Wooster High School. She cares so much about the world and people around her, and inspires me to be courageous. I admire how “I think of Dominique Nguyen. She’s respectful of people’s passionate she is about opinions but she’s not afraid to speak her mind and she’s what she believes in.” very intelligent, caring and independent. I really like her.”

- Molly Kilbourne (12) - Adrianna Silva (10)

THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 15

LITERARY ROLE MODELS:

RACHEL WOOD & AMBER SWIGART From writing to sleuthing to exploring, the ability of female characters in literature to defy expectation and take their worlds by storm has inspired generations of young women.

Books that feature strong female characters show readers that women of all ages can do great things, defy unjust societal norms and live with high ideals, regardless of limitations they face.

In an article on rtbookreviews.com, entitled “Mary E. Pearson on the importance of writing strong women,” Pearson notes that bold heroines remind us, “that the women around us change lives and history every day.”

Some of the most inspiring females in literature share characteristics that set them apart and provide audiences a timeless example of female strength.

Many heroines exhibit self-confidence and self-reliance. Elizabeth Bennett, of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel, Pride and Prejudice, frequently uses her sharp wit to call out the foolish and cruel behavior of others, even though this practice wins her few friends. Although radical in her time, Bennett insists upon forging her own future, refusing to believe her life depends upon finding a husband.

A more modern example of an independent heroine can be found in the Nancy Drew series, penned by various authors under the pen name Carolyn Keene.

Constantly facing danger, Nancy’s detective work causes her to be gagged, kidnapped and doubted by authorities. However, her self-reliance, combined with whipsmart detective skills, lead her to continue solving cases for the wellbeing of her community, despite the constant danger she herself faces.

Inspiring females in fiction are also renowned for refusing to conforms to the standards and limitations accepted by those around them. Jo March, from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, refuses to follow the footsteps of her romance-seeking sisters. Instead, she dreams of becoming a writer and works doggedly to make her aspirations a reality. A younger heroine, Lucy Pevensie from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series, has an imagination which transcends that of her siblings, and passionately defends her discoveries despite the taunting and disapproval of her siblings.

Finally, strong female characters typically defend high ideals. This trait is especially apparent in the protagonist from Charlotte Bronte’s 1847 novel, Jane Eyre.

Without wealth, talent, family connections or beauty to help her make her way in the world, Jane relies on her work ethic and strong principles as she seeks an education and employment. Even when she is faced with losing everything for which she has dreamed and worked, Jane holds fast to her principles, exemplifying true integrity.

Many more admirable heroines exist in literature through the centuries; all of them have served as models and inspiration for young women of every generation.

Graphics by Evan Rice. Watercolor background by Jess Lyons.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 18

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

tlarrow

Erik Drost

Ohio Theatre in Columbus The Ohio Theatre, located in Columbus, serves as a National Historic Landmark after being built in 1928.

According to columbustheater.com, the Ohio Theatre, or Official Theatre of the State of Ohio, is a Spanish-Baroque style building, initially built in 1928 as a movie theatre, and was rescued from destruction in 1969.

The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization, now owns the theater and hosts more than 100 CAPA shows per year, according to capa.com.

The Ohio Theatre has

something for everyone, with events ranging from classical and modern dance, to family plays and large concerts, according to columbus-theatre. com.

Home to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, BalletMet, and Broadway Across America, the theatre hosts performances and events six days a week, according to the events section at capa.com.

Shows for this year include The Little Mermaid, The Bodyguard, Cabaret, and BeautifulThe Carole King Musical, according to columbus.broadway.com.

Playhouse Square in Cleveland

Theaters:

Notable theaters in Ohio prove worthy of recognition

Located along Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Playhouse Square is comprised of nine theaters where guests can view musical productions, plays and movies.

The second largest theater complex in the nation, second only to Lincoln Center in New York City, the theaters in Playhouse Square host over 1,000 productions each year, according to “Cleveland Playhouse Square Theatre District” on ohiotraveler.com Home to the world’s largest outdoor chandelier, the first five theaters were

Bob Hall

Corey Balazowich

Palace Theatre in Columbus

Akron Civic Theater in Akron Featuring medieval carvings, authentic European antiques and Italian alabaster sculptures, the Akron Civic Theatre, restored for use in 2002, has a lot According to downtownakron. com, the Civic was constructed in 1929 as Loew’s (Akron) Theatre, and is one of only 16 remaining atmospheric theaters

built from February 1921 to November 1922, according to playhousesquare.org.

After years of neglect, the theaters were saved by a grassroots campaign in the 1970s, according to playhousesquare. org.

Performers and workers at the theaters stay busy, with the only Monday as the day with no productions, according to the event calendar on playhousesquare.org.

Ticket prices vary from theater to theater, but normally have a $10 to $100 range.

designed by John Eberson in the United States and is a great example of the great movie palaces of the 1920s.

The Civic is located on South Main Street in Akron and seats 5,000 people.

The theater has been exhibiting shows and special events for 88 years, and is known as “The Jewel on Main Street.”

Blurbs compiled by Evan Doan and Hannah Knapic.

Graphics by Matthew Lorentz. Photos courtesy of

Located on Broad St. in Columbus, The Palace Theatre is a great destination for an evening of the arts.

According to capa.com, the theater was designed in the spirit of France’s Palais de Versailles, the 2,827-seat Palace Theatre is located at the base of the LeVeque Tower on Broad Street.

It is decorated with a chande-

lier, grand staircase, a mural, a hall of autographed pictures, and a fountain. The theatre hosts performances of Broadway Across America, Columbus, special events and several local community events.

Upcoming performances at the Palace Theatre include Dancing with the Stars, Lauryn Hill, and The Head and the Heart.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 19

Editors predict Oscars category winners

NICK COSMO

ADAM KIRK

TATUMN McGREW

Best Animated Film: Moana

Best Actor: Ryan Gosling, La La Land

a&e editor

Best Cinematography: La La Land The shots in La La Land are

and impressive, and many

on campus editor

great reviews La La Land is unsurpassable as the best

Best Original Song: ”The Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences

Best Actress: Emma Stone, La La Land

While multiple of the songs nominated for best

Emma Stone will for sure

large amounts of emotion, the vulnerability in Sting’s

La Land

La Her role in Fences has so far been awarded with a Golden

honored as a standout

Costume Design: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Best Supporting Actor: Dev Patel, Lion

Best Picture: La La Land

Another dynamite in Lion

also go to La La Land showing at the Palm Springs

Graphic by Matthew Lorentz.

A&E

CHRISTOPHER ROCHE

TATUMN MCGREW Split, directed by M. Night Shaymalan, is a story about a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder.

In this movie, Kevin (James McAvoy), has developed 24 different personalities due to the abuse he faced at the hand of his mother as a child.

All of the personalities in Kevin’s body have the same goal: protect Kevin. Most of the personalities that have inhabited Kevin’s body are benevolent; however, some of them believe the only way to protect Kevin is to make a sacrifice to the Beast.

I would rate this movie a 5/10 because it did not turn out the way I expected it to. However, the acting throughout the film was very well done as James

McAvoy did justice to the role of Kevin and was very convincing in showing the shift in personalities. Anya TaylorJoy was a good choice for Casey as she really gave emotion to the role. Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula as Claire and Marcia were very good at portraying the typical “popular girl” roles.

One problem I have with the movie is that the personalities were not as developed as they could have been. There were a total of 24 personalities that Kevin’s body held, but only nine were portrayed.

Netflix’s new original, A Series of Unfortunate Events tells of the dark and twisted fairytale world, illustrated by the author Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snicket played by Patrick Warburton.

The show follows the misadventures of three recently named orphans, the Baudelaires, played by, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Tara Strong.

Their story starts after their home

burned down in a mysterious fire.

The story follows the Baudelaire orphans as they constantly search for more answers about their parents’ cryptic past, all the while being pursued by the sinister Count Olaf, played by Neil Patrick Harris, who would like to collect the Baudelaire’s enormous fortune.

The show uses fantastic cinematography with amazing camera shots and stunning costume design.

I would recommend Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events for anyone looking for a wonderfully engaging and mysterious new show.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 21

ART

New exhibit celebrates life of renowned artist ALEXIS FLORENCE

on the walls of New York City became a part of the persona SAMO© along with other

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a famous Neo-Expressionist painter in the 1980s who, according to the Cleveland Art Museum, has inspired students in Kent State University’s Leading for Social Justice course.

He was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1960 to a Haitian-American father and Puerto Rican mother.

His cultural heritage and city life were some of his main forms of inspiration, as stated by The Encyclopedia Britannica.

Basquiat started to explore art

Basquiat’s career began in a group exhibition in New York in 1981 in which his work stood out among the work of more exhibition took place at New York’s Annina Nosei Gallery as reported from the BBC. He then experienced a works worth millions of dollars.

Basquiat also created series of collaborative paintings with Andy Warhol in the early 1980s, as reported from the Andy

Warhol Museum.

Jean-Michel Basquiat died in August 1988 from a heroin overdose. Despite his death, his life accomplishments have been presented through many Basquiat that came in 1996, a documentary titled Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child that came out in 2010 and the Caldecott medal-winning book “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.”

Basquiat now has an exhibition at the Cleveland Art Museum titled “Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks”, open in Cleveland until April 23.

Local artist contributes talent and creativity within community AMBER SWIGART cover editor

Local artist and College of Wooster alum Susan Shie channels the artistry of everyday life and provides social commentary through her creations.

“I am inspired by life around me (daily events), current events in the world, memories of things from my life and history, etc. I am very interested in women, peace, the Earth, healing and justice for all. My work has become very focused on social justice

in the last 10 years or so….My art is all entwined, between my personal life and life out in the wide world. Each piece is about the world and my tiny speck of a life within it, and everything in between. A is political,’” Shie said.

Shie keeps busy by exhibiting her artwork throughout the country and internationally, but makes time to teach other artists by offering classes and camps locally, at many of the destinations to which she has travelled and online.

Shie provides images of her

art and detailed explanations of the process behind it on her website, turtlemoon.com.

Similarly, her latest project, “Hillary,” details the life of Hillary Clinton on a quilt. It can be found on her Facebook page, entitled, “Susan Shie Turtle Moon Studio.”

Sketch of mural provided by Tricia Taggart.

WHS to showcase art club creation ERIN O’DONNELL cover editor

WHS will be adding a bit of color to students’ daily hallway commute, as the Art Club prepares for their newest project: a mural on the staircase near the N2 door.

The mural is set to depict WHS, with light bulbs hanging from the bottom of it.

“We wanted it to represent the fact that school is where ideas and knowledge spur from… we liked the idea of creativity, thoughts, ideas,

can all be represented by light bulbs,” Taggart said.

Members of the club are excited for this mural to showcase student talent, and add interest to the hallway monotony.

“The mural will add a bit of school spirit and brighten the mood of the staff and students because now they will have something that is creative and attractive to look at during their walk to different classes,” Art Club vice president Brianna Raynor (12) said.

Wooster High School Art Club, or WHAC, president

Emily Kemmerer (11) said the order of events for making the mural are to first, project onto the wall a picture of the mural, then trace the picture onto the wall.

Finally, students can begin to paint by adding a base coat to achieve a pure white surface and then painting the mural itself.

The mural is currently in the base coat stage and is to be painted on weekends and after school, to avoid hallway traffic, Kemmerer said.

Sherwin Williams donated the paint to be used for the mural, according to Taggart.

FEATURE

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 22

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Where Galentine’s Day started On Feb. 11, 2010, NBC’s Parks and Recreation coined the term and holiday “Galentine’s Day,” a holiday created to celebrate female friends on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. According to Internet Movie Database, the “Galentine’s Day” episode aired on Feb. 11, 2010, and the holiday was created by the show’s lead character, Leslie Knope, who is played by Amy Poehler.

“Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every Feb. 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies,” Poehler’s character said of Galentine’s day, according to IMDb. Although the concept of a “Galentine’s Day” was created on a fictional show, it has gained traction in the real world as well.

The Instagram hashtag “#galentinesday” has over 12,000 posts, including pictures

of Galentine’s Day gifts, and people celebrating female friends all around the world.

The holiday has even made its way into the halls of WHS, with celebrants including Molly Kilbourne (12).

“I celebrate Galentine’s Day because I love the girls in my life, and they inspire me to be strong and powerful,” Kilbourne said.

Parks and Recreation aired its last episode in 2015, according to IMDb, but all seasons are available for streaming through Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.

Knope’s genius idea appeals to everyone, mainly celebrating friendships and family.

If you want to begin celebrating this holiday, here is a guide on how to do so.

Step one: gather your favorite ladies in your life; your best friends, your mom, your sister(s) and maybe some cool co-workers.

Step two: start the day with getting brunch, because brunch is basically the best way to start your day.

Fill up on waffles, French toast, a huge omelette or

whatever your Galentine’s Day heart desires.

Step three: spend said brunch reminiscing and bonding over fond memories.

The time should be filled with laughter and love.

Step four: go back to someone’s house and bake the most delicious recipe you have ever found on Pinterest.

Step five: laugh about the end product when it does not remotely look like or taste like what Pinterest said it should.

Do not forget to lick the bowl of all remaining dough or

batter, seeing as Salmonella doesn’t exist on Galentine’s Day. Step six: end the day watching the best romantic-comedy you can think of.

As a side note, you can’t go wrong with Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, 50 First Dates, or Sixteen Candles.

All in all, this is Galentine’s Day and you can do whatever you want with this glorious holiday.

Have fun and spend it with the women you love most in your life.

ERIN O’DONNELL cover editor

Student suggests step by step approach to celebrate holiday

KAYLA BARNET a&e editor

“Galentine’s Day” is a fictional day created by Leslie Knope (portrayed by Amy

Poehler) on the show Parks and Recreation.

It is traditionally celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day, where women get together with their best friends and family to have fun.

Though this holiday is not technically real, there are multiple reasons as to why people should start celebrating every year.

First, Galentine’s Day is not anti-Valentine’s day; it is pro-love.

Valentine’s Day tends to appeal more to couples, while

How do you celebrate Galentine’s Day? “Get a group of girls together, go to Walmart to buy ice cream and other snacks, and then go back home to watch Netflix and eat.”

-Brianna Raynor (12)

“Have a celebration with my three best friends.” -Anna Nacci (9)

“Go out to a nice dinner date.” -Aleesha Vaughn (11)

“At my old school I made valentines for everyone in my class.”

-Cate Strong (10)

“Last year, me and my closest gals had a sleepover and we had a ‘secret cupid,’ so basically secret santa, but Valentine’s Day edition, and we made cookies.”

-Madison Helms (9)

Quotes collected by Sarah Hopkins

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 23

Gemini

An easy and rewarding celestial find is the constellation Gemini, which bears more resemblance to its namesake than do most constellations.

Gemini, the Latin word for “twins,” is a set of stars resembling two figures standing side by side. The brightest stars in this constellation, named Castor and Pollux, mark the heads of the twins, according to “Gemini Constellation: Facts about the Twins” on space.com.

For stargazers locating Gemini, an article entitled “Gemini? Here’s Your Constellation,” on earthsky.org notes, that Gemini can be found using the Big Dipper. Three of the “handle” stars of the Big Dipper form a straight line; follow this line through the bowl of the Big Dipper, and it will point to Castor and Pollux, the heads of the Gemini, which appear as two bright stars close together.

The previous article from space.com notes that Castor and Pollux derive their names from ancient Greek warriors. Both sons of the Queen of Sparta, Castor’s father was mortal and Pollux’s father was the god Zeus, resulting in Castor being mortal and Pollux immortal. When Castor was killed in battle, Pollux mourned his brother’s demise and yearned to join him again. So, Zeus allowed Pollux and Castor to be reunited in the sky, where they stand to this day.

The constellation Orion, for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere, is a beautiful and easy constellation to spot during winter.

According “The Constellation Orion the Hunter,” on amazingspace.org, in Greek myth, Orion was a great hunter who often boasted of his skill.

His pride, however, angered the Earth goddess Gaia. To avenge the Earth goddess, the god Apollo tricked his sister Artemis into killing Orion.

After realizing her mistake, Artemis, who had been Orion’s friend, immortalized him by placing him among the stars.

According to “Hunting Orion: Tips to Spot a Famous Constellation” on space.com, the Orion constellation is easiest spot by first identifying his belt, which appears in the winter sky as three stars in a line. Above the belt are two stars representing Orion’s shoulders, centered between these two, slightly farther up, is a star representing his head. Below the belt are two stars marking the hunter’s knees. Keen observers may note the red hue of one of the shoulders stars, Betelguese, marking it as a red giant.

Careful observers can also see that hanging from Orion’s belt are several more stars, called Orion’s dagger, the middle of which is actually a cloud of stars called the Orion Nebula.

Orion

Easy to spot constellations: How and when to

Canis Major An easily found, although lesser-known constellation, is the Great Dog, Canis Major.

According to “Canis Major” on windows2universe.org, this constellation is home to the brightest visible star, the blue giant Sirius, whose brightness in the night sky is only surpassed by Mars, Venus, Jupiter and the Moon.

Canis Major has its origins in Greek mythology, in which this dog was a present Zeus gave to Europa. Later, the mighty dog began to hunt a legendary fox destined to never be caught. Realizing the chase would last forever, Zeus turned both animals to stone and placed the Great Dog in the night sky, according to “Canis Major Constellation” on constellation-guide. com.

Stargazers should follow the line going through Orion’s Belt southeast; directly below this imaginary line appears the Canis Major constellation.

Finding Sirius, the brilliant star marking the nose of Canis Major, also assists identification.

The Big Dipper, renowned for its brightness and ladle-like shape, is a hallmark of the night sky.

According to “Come to know the Big and Little Dippers” on earthsky.org, this group of stars is actually part of a larger constellation, comprising the hindquarters and tail of Ursa Major, the celestial bear.

In the Northern United States, the Big Dipper is a circumpolar star—one that can be seen above the horizon year round. This constellation is easy to spot in the winter; look above the horizon in the evening, and the Big Dipper should appear vertically with the bowl of the ladle on top.

According to the folklore of the Micmac indigenous people of Canada, the three stars viewed as the handle of the Big Dipper are three hunters chasing Ursa Major. Every fall, when the constellation appears upright, the hunters catch up with the bear and his blood creates the colored autumn landscape.

Big Dipper Blurbs by Rachel Wood Graphics by Spencer Dilyard

?

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 24

WHERE

ARE T

H E Y

WHS faculty nominated WHS alumni who now have interesting jobs.

NOW

Ashley Baxstrom

ISABELLE CANNON design manager

Claire Miller, 2012 WHS alumni and past member on The Wooster Blade is continuing her journalistic passion as a sports editor at the Daily Reccord.

As a sports editor, Miller covers different events, collecting interviews and writing stories on a deadline.

Miller’s love for journalism started when she was a member on The Wooster Blade.

By the end of her high school career, she worked as co- editor in chief of The Wooster Blade.

Miller attributes her love for journalism to her adviser, Kristi Hiner. “ Mrs. Hiner was an incredible mentor and motivator for me.

We are very lucky to have the support and resources at Wooster to have a student publication like the BLADE,” Miller said.

It is not unknown that

RYAN MILLER focus editor

Since graduating Wooster High School in 2003, Ashley Baxstrom has worn many different hats.

Whilst in high school, Baxstrom kept busy with a litany of activities, including theater, The Wooster Blade staff, speech and debate and tennis, amongst other activities.

Baxstrom went on to college completing her undergraduate studies in religious studies at DePauw University.

During her senior year at DePauw Baxstrom performed in a play alongside actress Rae Dawn Chong, who discovered Chris Pratt and helped launch his acting career.

After college, on the advice of her former co star, Baxstrom moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

Baxstrom’s acting career

Claire Miller

journalism can be a risky and an unstable job profession; however, Miller strongly advises people who are passionate about journalism to pursue it. “ Yes, the media business is constantly evolving, but there will always, always, be a

market and need for reporting and disseminating the news.

Prepare yourself in the very best way and become proficient in as many different platforms as possible,” Miller said.

As regard to the future, Miller hopes to still be in the news industry.

yielded a few roles, but after roughly two years, she decided to pack up and head home, where she decided to apply to graduate school.

She ended up going to New York University where she earned her MA in religious studies.

After college, Baxstrom had a brief internship at the United Nations, which transformed into two full time positions working for the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Food Security & Nutrition, as a communications adviser and then policy adviser.

During her time at the United Nations, Baxstrom focused on creating sustainable food sources for countries with food insecurity, and founded the Zero Hunger Challenge and hashtag.

The challenge became a part of a U.N. Resolution, entitled

“Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which was unanimously approved by the general assembly on Sept. 25, 2015 according to a U.N. press release, released on Sept. 25, 2015, entitled “Unanimously Adopting Historic Sustainable Development Goals, General Assembly Shapes Global Outlook for Prosperity, Peace.”

Baxstrom noted it is necessary to consider the problems outlined in the resolution jointly.

“It’s all about making sure people think about these issues in an interconnected way,” Baxstrom said.

December 2016 marked the beginning of a new path for Baxstrom, when she took on the role of External Relations Consultant at the World Food Programme, a voluntarily funded organization that is part of the United Nations.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 25

Look for an update in the Feb. 17 issue, in which several more notable WHS alumni will be featured.

MAUREEN McKEOWN views editor

Kayla Villegas graduated from WHS in 2012 and has since become an Associate Account Strategist at Google, managing Google Adwords accounts for small and medium sized businesses with the online Advertising product.

In her time at WHS, she held many titles within the school system, furthering her leadership passions. She also was involved in politics in college.

“Along the way, I just said ‘yes’ a lot. Joining new clubs, taking on new projects - it gave me the opportunity to network quite a bit in college with both current students and alumni while building my skill set along the way,” Villegas said.

While studying at Wittenberg University, Villegas joined

a Student Senate, which is Wittenberg’s version of Student Council. While in this club she met her soon-to-be mentor who helped her craft her resume.

Villegas’s junior year was the year she applied to countless places for internships, from Disney to L’Oreal to Google and other small startups.

Villegas landed the BOLD internship and has been at Google ever since.

“I have no idea what’s in my future, but that’s okay. If you would’ve told me that I’d be working for a top tech company senior year of high school I would have laughed,” Villegas said.

Villegas speaks to all those who are searching for the right answer when she says that you are capable of doing great things, even in high school and you have amazing resources around you. You just have to look for them.

Where are they now?

Charlie Kesslering

Photo Courtesy of Charlie Kesslering

SARAH HOPKINS co-editor-in-chief

“...moving out to California in the summer of 2011 with the foolish dream of being paid to scribble stupid words onto a blank page.”

This is how it all began for WHS alum (‘07) Charlie Kesslering.

During his tenure at WHS, Kesslering found his place as a member of the speech and debate and tennis teams and, most notably, The Wooster Blade, which helped nurture his passion for writing.

“Mrs. Hiner had a massive hand in what I’m doing now, considering just how much freedom and encouragement

Kayla Villegas

Photo Courtesy of Kayla Villegas

WHS Alumni she gave me to churn out ridiculous, satirical articles for the BLADE,” Kesslering said.

After graduating in 2011 from Vanderbilt University, a mixture of hopefulness, sadness and months of unemployment eventually turned into various jobs assisting agents at a Creative Artists Agency, where James Corden was being represented.

Kesslering left the agency two years ago to be Corden’s assistant when work on The Late Late Show began.

“I’ve been working for James for the last two years, which, as one can imagine, has been the highlight of my short life...He is exactly as wonderful, funny and generous as he seems,”

Kesslering said.

And now, a new chapter begins, as Kesslering finishes up his time at The Late Late Show to pursue screenwriting full-time.

While working for Corden, Kesslering has continued writing and even, recently, had a screenplay picked up by 20th Century Fox. “I’ve been rewriting it for the studio and, God willing, they’ll like what I’ve done and maybe even try to make the thing, but, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” Kesslering said.

Maybe, with a little luck and a bit of hard work, Kesslering’s romantic comedy will make its way to Wooster’s Cinemark Movies 10.

SPORTS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 26

Recovering from injuries throughout sports DREW FRIEDHOFF sports editor

Every year, millions of teenagers participate in high school sports. An injury to a high school athlete can be a significant setback for the teen and for their future in sports.

Dr. Michael Knapic, an orthopaedic surgeon, explained that he sees high school athletes on almost a daily basis. Most injuries do not require surgery stated Knapic, predicting that less than 2 percent of injuries end up needing surgery. The most common injuries that do end up requiring surgery for Knapic are ACL tears and labral repairs in the shoulder after shoulder dislocation.

Antonio Crossty (12) tore both his ACL and meniscus early in the 2016 football season and will not be fully recovered for another two months. The injury prevented Crossty from playing for the majority of the season, however, it has not held him back or curtailed his hopes to play football in college. After surgery, the rehabilitation process is long and tedious.

“I had to listen to my doctors, listen to my physical therapist and put my trust in them to get me back,” Crossty said.

Injuries can be detrimental to teams and athletes of all sports, preventing them can often be a key aspect of a successful season.

“The main thing that student athletes can do to prevent injuries is to work diligently in their off-season conditioning programs,”Knapic said.

Knapic is also a strong proponent of multi-sport athletes, explaining that they often develop different muscle groups and tend to avoid overuse injury.

Other tips to avoid injury Knapic offered are eating well and getting the proper amount of rest.

While being a multi-sport athlete, Nick Johnston (12) has still been unable to avoid injuries throughout his high school career.

Playing baseball and football, Johnston has a long list of injuries in his four years, including bursitis in his right knee freshman year, subluxation (a type of dislocation) in his left shoulder sophomore year, a torn ACL and meniscus junior year and this year, he underwent heart surgery.

Johnston was diagnosed with Aortic Bicuspid Stenosis when he was born and has always known it would affect his athletics.

In August of 2016, he was informed that he would not be able to play football or baseball in his final year of high school. Four months later, Johnston went through a successful open-heart surgery and now, once his checkups are passed, is cleared to play in his senior season of baseball.

“Injuries haven’t changed how I approach sports. It’s always been a belief of mine that if you play not to get hurt or play not to mess up then you are going to get hurt and mess up,” Johnston said.

Unable to play in his last two years of football, Johnston’s health has prohibited him from younger aspirations to play football in college. Currently, Johnston continues his rehabilitation from surgery and continues to keep a positive outlook on his future in athletics and academics.

Most Common Sports Injuries 1. Patellofemoral syndrome (runner’s knee) 2. Shoulder injury 3. Tennis or golf elbow 4. Hamstring strain 5. Sciatica(lowerback/legpain)

Information courtesy of unitypoint.org

Sport Injury facts

High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 300,000 doctor visits and hospitalizations each year.

More than 3.5 million kids under age 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year Overuse injuries are responsible for nearly half of all sports injuries to middle and high school students.

According to the CDC, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.

Information courtesy of Stopsportsinjuries.org Information compiled by Drew Friedhoff

SPORTS

Companies compete for consumer response Samuel Schonfeld Each year, the Super Bowl is one of the most televised events in the United States with around 111.9 million viewers in 2016.

The game attracts many sponsors and companies looking to get their name out there to the public. Since the Super Bowl is a huge televised event, it is a key time for advertisements for businesses.

Alongside the game, commercial advertisements are just as important to a variety of companies. A 30 second commerical during the Super Bowl cost a company $5 million

in 2016, according to an article on Fortune.com by Claire Groden.

From Coke to Doritos, many companies are trying to boast about their products for consumers. It also allows companies to experiment with new advertisement ideas.

The trend of these commercials nowadays centers on the discussion about what company has the best advertisements.

Critics spend the next day ranking the commercials based advertisement.

Whether it is heart-warming or hilarious, Super Bowl ads have become a huge of the event each year.

Top Super Bowl Ad Companies

Doritos M & M’s Budweiser Pepsi Mountain Dew A poll of 150 students was conducted on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27 during academic assists and lunches.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 28

Athlete inspiration: ADAM KIRK Mike Snowbarger, coach of the varsity boys’ basketball team, was chosen by WHS athletes as one of Wooster’s most inspirational coaches.

Ben Weist, a senior on the

This encouragement has also been noticed by the younger members of the team.

Kole Emplit (10) has said that “Snow is a great coach who has taught all of us how to

be a family. He has taught us leadership that goes beyond the game of basketball.”

Snowbarger says that when it comes to coaching, he believes “If a coach is able to get their athletes to practice at the same level of intensity, it puts them in a much better position to This strategy seems to be working for the team, as shown by the Generals’ perfect record.

MADDY NACCI Doug Haas, WHS football coach, was nominated by multiple multi-sport athletes as the coach who has been the most influential to them through high school.

Haas said he knew he wanted to become a coach when he was a college football player at Ohio Wesleyan University. Haas said he had a coach who influence of on him and he knew that he wanted to have the same influence on

GRANT PEABODY

Doug Haas

Chris Matthew, boys and girls swimming coach, strives to make swimming benefit her

Michael Snowbarger

future players.

“Haas has been more than just a coach, he has been like a father in certain situations. He helped me with my football skills when I was young and he showed me the game on a whole different level,” said high school player of three years, Trey-quan Mathis (11).

Haas recognizes the individuality as well as the team aspect of football.

both OCC titles.

Matthew said she works, “Pushing them [her athletes] beyond what they think they’re capable of.”

She said she incorporates the benefits of the sport, not just in swimming, but in life and work, also using her personal experiences teaching the swimmers that it is hard now, but will pay off when they see the results.

Haas’ favorite part about coaching is seeing the great development and growth of players from freshman to graduation as seniors.

Boys’ and Girls’ Swim Coach: Chris Matthew

HANNAH KNAPIC

HOLLY MILLER

athletes not just in the sport, but in other aspects of life.

Matthew is currently in her 23 year of coaching at WHS and has seven prior years coaching in Pittsburgh.

She has won countless NEAC and OCC Championships, and this year the boys and girl won

Boys’ Basketball Coach: GRANT PEABODY

Football Coach:

team, says that Snowbarger, “Pushes us to be the best we

The Wooster Blade

Swim teams win OCC The boys’ and girls’ swim teams are approaching the tail end of their season; they have completed all dual meets, as well as earned an OCC victory in the process.

Currently, the boys are 9-6, and the girls are 8-7.

Matt Chidsey (12), senior swimmer, expressed that it took the team some time to prepare for the season.

“We started off a little shaky, but we really started to work as a well oiled machine during the torturous weeks of winter break,” Chidsey said.

After this period of adjustment, the team experienced the first year of both boys and girls’ teams practicing together.

Senior captain of the girls’ team, Sophia Davis, was happy with the results of this change.

“Well, we won OCC and it was a great season because we combined with the boys and we were able to push each other,” Davis said.

The team was pleased with the season overall; Chris Matthew, head coach for both teams, was particularly proud with their OCC win.

“It’s been a great season, winning the OCC was the best feeling, virtually every kid beat their best time, the divers were great and it was a great team effort,” Matthew said.

The season has almost come to a close, with sectionals taking place Feb. 11 at McKinley High School’s CT Branin Natatorium.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 29 The girls’ basketball team is currently ranked second in the OCC. with a 12-4 record.

Skylar Clapp (12) is the senior captain on the team and explained they have come a long way throughout the course of the season.

“We started out rough, but every game we learn to play more together and use all our strengths. I think we are becoming unstoppable, we just need to work on the defensive end,” Clapp said.

Additionally, Clapp mentioned that she and the team are highly anticipating their upcoming tournament games.

Izzy Rico (11) is a varsity member on the team and indicated there is still room for improvement amongst the members of the team.

“The season is going well, but we’re young and our effort on the floor is inconsistent. If we play as a team, we have the potential to compete with more experienced teams,” Rico said.

The girls’ next chance for a victory is against Orrville at home before the boys game on Feb. 4.

Basketball works as a team

The WHS gymnastics team has a record of 4-1 so far within their season, with two more meets to go in their regular season.

Isabelle Pisani (11), who is in the middle of her first year back after taking a five year break, says the season has been great and each day the team is pushed to be better than they were the day before.

Pisani is eager to see how the team does at their next meet and to support her team.

According to Taylor Kurtz (11), the team’s strength is in their floor routines. “I did gymnastics up until eighth grade and took a break, then decided to go back into it my junior year. I hope to finish the season with the best scores we’ve had all season and to end in a win,” Kurtz said.

Hopes for the remainder of the season include perfecting scores and placing high at sectionals.

The gymnastics team’s next meet is Feb. 9 at home.

Wooster High School Winter Sports Team stays undefeated The boys’ basketball team has dominated since week one and are showing no signs of slowing down.

The team has an impressive stat line with 15 wins and zero losses, 10-0 in the OCC, along with being ranked 10 in the state.

Senior captain Peyton Bennington says that following coach Snowbarger’s game plan is key to the team’s success on the court.

“As long as we follow coach’s game plan, and give energy on both ends of the court, we can be a very dominant team, we Bennington said.

The team looks to improve on their record tonight at home against the Lexington Minutemen at 7:30 p.m.

The wrestling team has a record of 4-3 in dual meets and are looking to expand on that record in their upcoming meets.

One of their goals, as a team, is breaking the single season win record, set in 2015, by achieving more than eight wins, according to wrestling coach Donald Rammel. They have four wins as of now and seven more dual meets to achieve this record.

Rammel said the team’s biggest accomplishment this year was winning the Hammer from Orrville, after a loss to them last year He says the team is very committed to the sport this year.

“The guys are buying into the hard work, early practices, and getting to weight...Our leaders like Brad Stoll and Avory Winans are holding everyone accountable,” Rammel said.

The team looks to improve on their record in duals, as well as give good performances at OCC, sectionals, districts, and state.

The wrestling team’s next meet is a tournament at Madison Feb. 4.

Bowling nears end of season The boys and girls bowling teams have started off strong, with a boys team record of 7-9 and a girls team record of 12-4.

Joseph Linz (11), a second year bowler, says bowling is a mix between fun and serious competition. “[Bowling] gives you an opportunity to improve your own skills while still competing at a fast pace,” Linz said.

Tracie Leindecker, girls coach, believes both teams are showing great teamwork and are working hard on and off the lanes.

“They continue to work hard at practices and matches and we have noticed that the bowlers are more confident in their game. Being young, they will continue to see personal success and that will make them stronger as a team,” Leindecker said.

The teams are led by Aaron Martin and Allie Leindecker, as they have the highest averages, according to Tracie Leindecker.

The bowling teams’ next match is Feb. 7 at Triway.

Upcoming Home Events: Boys’ basketball on Feb. 3 Girls’ basketball on Feb. 4 Wrestling on Feb. 7 Gymnastics on Feb. 9 Photos by Tracy Morgan and Grant Peabody Blurbs by Kayla Cooper, Nate King-Smith, Grant Peabody, amd Maddy Nacci

VIEWS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEB 3, 2017 | PAGE 30

Student discusses the rationale behind his vote

NICK BALLARD guest columnist

The recent presidential election left many Americans pondering over the choice of voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

However, as a first time voter, I knew I would be selecting Donald Trump as President ever since he won the Republican nomination.

This decision was not based on a man running against a woman, for if their roles were switched, I would have voted for Hillary.

As I watched the election season unfold throughout 2016, I saw D o n a l d Tru m p

consistently do what he said he would do: he kept winning.

The issues Trump stood for that resonated with me the most were those of immigration, the Second Amendment and health care.

One of the biggest problems in the United States today is illegal immigration.

Trump’s recent executive order of building a border wall will cut down the amount of illegal immigration, while raising the legal immigration from Mexico, which will make our c o u n t r y

better as a whole.

As an avid outdoorsman, the Second Amendment is something I hold near and dear.

Trump’s promise, to protect our Second Amendment rights by nominating pro-gun Supreme Court justices, gives me hope for a gun-friendly America.

The biggest accomplishment of Obama’s presidency, the Affordable Care Act, has turned into a disastrous plan that has raised the insurance deductibles for millions of Americans. Trump’s promise to repeal and replace Obamacare will create a more competitive market that will drive costs down.

Recent presidential tweets...

Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.

The “Unafordable” Care Act will soon be history!

Photo curtasy of the Whitehouse Instagram page.

I will end illegal immigration and protect our borders! We need to MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT AGAIN!

Trump’s basic political agenda:

1.

2.

3.

4.

All facts according to an NPR.com article titled “Here Is What Donald Trump Wants To Do In His First 100 Days”

by Amita Kelly

Clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC Protect American workers Restore security and the constitutional rule of law Work with Congress to introduce legislative measures, such as the:

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth - and we will bring back our dreams!

Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act. End The Offshoring Act. American Energy & Infrastructure Act School Choice And Education Opportunity Act Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act. Affordable Childcare and

Editing by Spencer Dilyard Tw eets by Trump from The Atlantic, CNN and Trump’s Twitter

Eldercare Act End Illegal Immigration Act Restoring Community Safety Act Restoring National Security Act Clean up Corruption in Washington Act.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 31

What are you looking forward to the most at winter formal?

“Being in a big group with all of my friends and getting all dolled up before the dance.”

Natali Edgerton (12)

“I think it will be a really fun night to spend time with my friends and just have a good time.” Phil Domer (12)

“It is about to be a fun night, hanging out with my friends during winter formal. I love to dance with all my women, but it would be especially fun hanging out with everyone afterwards. I cannot wait to let loose and have a great time.” Max Waligura (11) “I am looking forward to having a fun time dancing and getting dressed up with all of my friends.” Lily Williams (10)

Letter to students about upcoming dance

TRICIA TAGGART guest columnist

What are my thoughts about school dances? Such an interesting question...

As this is my 10 year at WHS, and 20 year of teaching, I have experienced quite a few of these social events.

Each dance that I chaperone, I have extremely high expectations.

Why, you ask? Well, because this is a school activity, not a dance club or unsupervised basement party. This is a school sponsored social event on school grounds.

So, for that, you should be dressed appropriately, dance appropriately, behave appropriately.

If you ask many teachers why they choose to no longer chaperone dances, most will tell you they want to continue to respect you, as their students.

For indeed, the choices you make, can affect your future in many ways. I treat my students as if they are my own children.... in my classroom and out.

I want all children to make good choices in life, for their future success.

While at a school dance: You CAN dance to multiple genres of music; You CAN resist from bending over and touching the floor; You CAN face each other and look into the eyes of your date; You CAN disagree with someone and remain respectful; You CAN speak without profanity; You CAN still have a great time.

From your ‘mom’ Mrs. Taggart

“Dancing with Izzy Rico, and getting an Instagram worthy picture.”

Alvin Makori (11) “Having a time to hang out with friends. Events like winter formal give my friends and I a time to hang out and have fun.” Bekah Barnett (9) Quotes complied by Hanna Morgan.

Graphics made by Matthew Lorentz.

Picture taken by Grant Peabody.

Editor expects more at high school dances

MAUREEN McKEOWN views editor

Growing up with an older brother and seeing him go to high school dances, I dreamed about when my day would come that I could go to one.

I dreamed about when I could wear a beautiful dress and have my picture taken 1,000 times.

I dreamed about when I would be the center of attention.

I can now say that they are not worth all the hype they get.

Buying new dresses, getting hair done, having a sweet boy ask you to a dance is great but that is not everything that

happens. There is so much more that goes on that people do not tell you about. You have to do so much to make sure that the night is perfect. Figuring out a group where everyone can get along, not wearing the same or similar dress as another and not being embarrassing at the dance or dinner are all challenging.

High school dances have developed into a bunch of sweaty kids dancing to trashy music.

Being put on a pedestal and having-to have a perfect date and dress, is incredibly stressful and causes unnecessary drama.

This is not what my childhood self dreamed that high school dances would be like. This is not how it should be.

These types of dances should not be how high school dances are, they should instead be fun and enjoyable for all.

We, as a school should come together to lessen the many stresses of a so called perfect dance by just having fun and to actually dance at dances.

BLADE

Editors-in-Chief Sarah Hopkins, Nate KingSmith Webmaster Alexander Thompson Graphics Managers Spencer Dilyard, Matthew Lorentz Design Managers Estelle Shaya, Isabelle Cannon Business Managers Grant Peabody, Estelle Shaya On Campus Editors Drosos Kardulias, Tatumn McGrew, Focus Editors Austin McCully ,Ryan Miller, Sports Editors A & E Editors Kayla Barnet, Nick Cosmo Trends Editors Olivia Sleek Cover Editors Erin O’Donnell, Amber Swigart, Valerie Anderson, Hannah Knapic Views Editors Evan Doan, Maureen McKeown Feature Editors Hanna Morgan, Emma Strong Staff Writers Madison Culver-Lee, Alexis Florence, Jacob Gooch, John Gorman, Adam Kirk, Holly Miller, Christopher Roche, Samuel Schonfeld, Leah Sim, Rachel Dugan Wood Head Photographer Grant Peabody Photographers Madison Culver-Lee, Hannah Knapic, Tracy Morgan, Chelsea Patterson, Artists Jess Lyons, Evan Rice, Leah Sim Adviser Kristi Hiner The Wooster Blade is a biweekly student publication printed every other Friday by the Newspaper Production classes at Wooster High School. The paper is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established in a district-wide publications policy protecting students’ freedom of expression. All copy, art and photography are property of The Wooster Blade and cannot be reproduced without permission. Letters to the editor are limited to 300 words and The Wooster Blade reserves the right to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The Wooster Blade is printed in cooperation with Wooster’s The Daily Record.

Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-345-4000 ext. 3210.

The newspaper can also be found at the woosterblade.com

Alternative facts pose threat to society The term “alternative facts” has garnered media attention following Kellyanne Conway‘s use of the phrase when explaining why White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, made inaccurate statements about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration.

While the statement was made by a member of Donald Trump’s administration, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes that labeling lies as, “alternative facts” is unacceptable and harmful to both politics and society, no matter the source.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes the condemnation of the use of “alternative facts” is in no way a partisan critique and the labeling of these “facts” is a political tactic designed to justify the most reprehensible of actions.

The truth has no alternative; blurring the line between fact and fiction is not to the benefit of America.

Facts transcend political parties and they exist whether or not a person chooses to take heed of them.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board views it as the duty of the press to ensure that a president and his associates are accountable for their actions and their statements.

An administration, especially in its initial stages, should be straightforward with the American public at every step of the way.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board hopes that people from all political backgrounds can be reasonable in coming together in agreement that the truth should be the only thing spoken by an administration official.

Cartoon by Leah Sim

WOOSTER

OUR VIEW

Rising cost of AP testing causes concern For students taking multiple AP courses each year, the rising price of $93 per test has had an alarming effect.

John Tierney, author and former professor of American government at Boston College, says the College Board was originally created as a nonprofit organization in the 50s.

However, from 2010-2011, the most recent financial reports released, the College Board made a profit of 9.6 percent, which Tierney says is an amount that is substantial even for regular businesses.

According to an Education Weekly article written on Jan 17, 2017, titled “Schools Grappling With Fee Hikes for AP Exams,” the rise in AP testing fees has forced school districts to pull

Graphic by Matthew Lorentz

THE

THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | FEB. 3, 2017 | PAGE 32

funds from other areas of education such as college and career counseling, dropout prevention, student mental-health programs, and expansion of digital coursework in order to help students from low socioeconomic statuses pay for the

test fees.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes that the rising fees of AP tests are an unjustified burden on students who cannot afford the costs of multiple tests.

While local districts may be able to afford to help these students, it is unfair to the school districts, whose stateallocated funding could go towards other aspects of education in need of money such as career counseling, mental health, etc.

Additionally, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board condemns the idea of educational values being overshadowed by big business, and urges the College Board to reconsider test fees in order to better support students’ educations.