The Wooster Blade, Issue 12, Volume MMXXIII

thewoosterblade

WCS May 2 levy fails to pass, as district looks forward

RHYS FLORENCE-SMITH staff writer

On May 2, the 6.7 million WCS bond levy failed to pass, having failed by over 1,000 votes, according to the unofficial tallies released by the Wayne County Election Board.

The proposed levy planned to raise money for the Wooster City Schools’ Facility Master Plan, to build a new middle school and a new elementary school within the school district in accordance with the first phase of the Master Plan according to the Wooster City Schools website.

In looking at the failure of the levy, WCS Superintendent Gabe Tudor, said that the district will be evaluating their next steps.

“In the immediate future, there will be no significant impacts for the student population of Wooster City Schools. However, as our

Summer job opportunities:

In the beginning of the summer, many teens are looking for ways to earn money in order to pay for college and things that they want.

According to the YMCA website, a summer camp counselor is an excellent job for a teen looking to make some money, provided that they have a passion for working with children. The Y is looking for employees provided they have first aid and CPR certifications, and applicants can apply through Indeed which is a website that helps users find available jobs.

Another summer job opportunity is working as an ice cream server or cashier. According to SimplyHired, serving ice cream requires little to no experience or qualifications and is a relatively easy job to obtain. Some ice cream places that are hiring include: Guerne Heights Drive-In, Dari Land, Dairy Queen and Hartzlers.

According to Wooster Parks and Recreation, lifeguarding is also a summer job that students will enjoy. Lifeguards must be certified and know CPR, basic first aid skills, and be a good swimmer. The YMCA states that lifeguards are responsible for the safety of everyone in the water and supervising children.

Working in a restaurant is also an easy way for teens to make money during the summer. Some restaurants hiring include: Bob Evans, Applebees, Gioninos Pizza, Chipotle and Panera. Typically, the work in these jobs involves meeting customers, working the drive thru, using the cash register, and preparing food. Workers usually need to be at least 16 years of age.

According to Indeed, a website which helps users find available jobs, working in a movie theater or a clothing store can beneficial. Cinemark, Rue 21, or ALDI are jobs that can help teens earn money and learn valuable life skills that could help them later in life.

community grows, and our facility needs increase, it will be important for us to develop a master plan that addresses the needs of the school district and that our community will support,” Tudor said. Tudor also stressed the importance of increasing the community support of the school decisions, as well as the need to improve the school’s current facilities.

Tudor said the plans to reintroduce a bond levy in the future to raise money for the Master Plan are being evaluated, stating, “We will work to gather feedback from our stakeholders and revise our facilities plan to develop a proposal that is good for students and that the community will support.”

Specifically, the WCS administration hopes to re-engage with the community and find ways to support the community and gain community support, according to Tudor.

When asked what the future bond levy may look like, Tudor stated, “I can’t speak to what the specifics of another bond attempt will be, but I would anticipate we will be making some revisions to our plan and that we would not be on the ballot in the November election cycle.”

WCS Board of Education President Sue Herman states, when asked how the failed levy may affect the student body, “I do not anticipate any immediate change for our students. But, it is our responsibility not only to meet current needs, but to plan for the future. It would be irresponsible of us to ignore the changing needs in the world of education and to plan accordingly.”

Before a new levy would be proposed, the school board members hope to align their goals with the community, before they would propose a levy to be in everyone’s best interests according to Herman.

The recent bond levy hoped to put forward money toward the $102 million needed for the Facilities Master Plan.

Although a new levy will not come until after the November elections, the changes can hopefully benefit the community and school system.

WHS girls lacrosse take a shot at mental health

ETHAN KEATING staff writer

The WHS girls lacrosse team took the opportunity at their April 25 home game against CVCA to acknowledge a cause that many members of the team are passionate about: Morgan’s Message.

According to its website, Morgan’s Message is a non-profit organization with a mission, “to amplify stories, resources and expertise to strengthen student-athlete mental health, builds a community by and for athletes through peer-topeer conversations and provides a platform for advocacy.”

Morgan Rogers was a Division One lacrosse player at Duke University who openly battled with mental health concerns and eventually died by suicide. In her memory, the Rogers family created the Morgan’s Message initiative.

Holly Pope, 13 year WHS Girls Lacrosse coach, said that last year the team got the idea to dedicate games to certain themes that the team felt were important. The most recent of these themes was Morgan’s Message.

“I wanted my team to know that

being a student athlete is not only a privilege, but also allows them to use their sport as a platform. We encouraged the team to choose things that are important to create themes for their home games. Mental health and suicide awareness was a cause the team felt strongly about,” Pope said. This initiative was especially important to the team, as four players on the team are ambassadors for Morgan’s Message. These ambassadors are Madi Sommer (12), Emily Williams (11), Carolyn Greene (11) and Amelia Correll (9). Sommer remarked that being an ambassador allows the athletes to spread the message around the

school and community.

“I think one way others can support this message is by starting the conversation about mental health. When you start the conversation, people who are struggling may be listening and that could really improve someone’s mental health by knowing they aren’t alone. I also hope that other sports teams choose to hold a Morgan’s Message dedication game and really get Wooster High School involved,” Sommer said.

Pope said the team is hoping to either start a WHS chapter or incorporate Morgan’s Message into already existing WHS clubs and organizations.

WHS sets new regulations for graduation

students are not in attendance, they will not walk at the ceremony.

With the school year coming to an end and graduation for the class of 2023 quickly approaching, many new regulations have been put into place for the ceremony and other end of year activities.

On May 4, WHS Principal Scott Musser held a mandatory meeting with the senior class to discuss and reinforce these changes.

Some of the new regulations addressed include changes having to do with ceremony and scholarship awards, dress codes, rehearsal attendance, and the opportunity for students to decorate their graduation caps.

During the meeting, Musser clarified that attendance at the commencement practice was mandatory, and noted that if

“Make sure that you’re here, make sure you’re ready to go, don’t be late, and we’ll get you guys out of here as soon as we can,” shared Musser at the senior meeting.

In addition to the rehearsal, Musser also emphasized the importance of dressing appropriately for the ceremony.

“This is a formal event and you need to look the part. If you don’t want to wear formal clothes, you don’t have to participate in the ceremony,” Musser said.

Musser also emphasized the importance of following these regulations in order to walk at the ceremony.

“Walking at graduation is a privilege, not a right,” Musser said. However, students are permitted to bring sunglasses, especially if the commencement takes place

outside. Items such as beach balls and silly string, on the other hand, are not allowed under any circumstances.

As shared in a recent email from Musser, students are now permitted to decorate their graduation caps, but the designs must be approved ahead of time by associate principal, Nathanael Steiner.

According to the senior cap design form, “The administration reserves the right to refuse any design for any reason.”

There are still some standing graduation regulations, as well. According to woostercityschools. org, “All students must earn 21 units for graduation. All high school credit-bearing are counted toward graduation and included in student GPA.”

All school fees must be paid by May 18 in order to walk at graduation.

STELLA POWERS trends editor

“I DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY IMMEDIATE CHANGE FOR OUR STUDENTS” SUE HERMAN

Photo courtesy of Paul Dawson

The WHS girls lacrosse team poses with their Morgan’s Message shirts after a game on April 25.

Speech and Debate team competes at June nationals

LAURA RAPPORT a&e editor

Members of the Speech and Debate will be competing at the National Speech and Debate Association’s national tournament this summer in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona, which begins on June 11 and will end on June 16.

Wooster’s team has seven students competing at the national tournament this year. Tristan Miller (10) will be competing in International Extemporaneous Speaking; Ishaan Gireesh (12) will be competing in Program Oral Interpretation; Xander Amier (11) will be competing in Original Oratory; Jiawei Ge (10) and Rhys Florence-Smith (10) will be

competing in Policy Debate; and Layne Nelson (12) and Allison Snyder (11) were selected to compete in supplemental events.

This will be the 73 year that WHS students will compete at the national tournament.

Head coach Holly Custer spoke about her hopes for the national tournament, saying, “I hope that the team is able to have a good time while competing and to represent our community. I hope that the students perform to their potential and I would love to see a few of them advance to elimination rounds. I am incredibly proud of these students and I am excited to see what they will accomplish this summer.”

Tryouts for the speech and debate team will be held at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.

WHS Student Council holds elections

TRISTAN MILLER staff writer class has many major positions left vacant. No juniors ran for president or vice president, along with many other key positions, and this lack of elected positions means that next year’s senior government will have a variety of openings.

At the end of April, the WHS Student Council held its annual student government elections, deciding who would hold positions in next year’s government and who would lead the student body. Positions range from president and vice president for the class of the person running, to treasurer and secretary and class representatives.

Jiawei Ge recently joined Student Council and was elected as treasurer for the incoming junior class stating, “Running for Student Council is really fun, others should definitely do it.” Although these elections happen every year, there was one difference for elections this year in the fact that the incoming senior

Current executive president of WHS Student Council Jacob Hannan (12) stated, “I find it quite unfortunate that so few juniors ran for Student Council, because it is supposed to be a representative body of the students.”

Although this seems like a setback for the student government, many within remain confident that next year will run well, with Hannan stating, “I am still optimistic about the future of the Student Council , as there are still many committed officials within the organization.”

Student Council will be hosting

Recognizing and celebrating 2023 WCSD retirees

JACKSON STANSIFER staff writer

As the 2022-23 school year comes to an end, so does the teaching and staff careers of seven individuals within the Wooster City School District. This story highlights their working and/or teaching careers and experiences in WCS, including their total tenure in the district, position(s), what they enjoyed most about their jobs, what they will miss the most, what they plan to do in retirement and more:

Carol Banach:

Carol Banach has worked in the WCS district since 1988, where she began as a teacher’s aide at Wayne Elementary. She also worked as a secretary at the Layton and Wayne Elementary schools before they closed, prior to filling her current position as secretary at Cornerstone.

Throughout her career, Banach said she enjoyed meeting students and parents, and she will miss

these relationships that come with the day to day school life.

Dennis Bartelheim:

Dennis Bartelheim began his teaching career in the Wooster City Schools Music Department 38 years ago. Since then, he has worked primarily at Edgewood, although also explained that he has spent time at nearly every elementary school, old and current, in the district. Bartelheim said he will miss the daily interactions with his music students, and said he plans to work at a music store, play music, and spend time with his family and friends in his retirement.

Doug Bennett:

Doug Bennett has worked in the Wooster City School District Music Dept. for 33 years, after teaching previously at other schools, including Waynedale High School, Fredericksburg and Holmesville Elementary schools, Teays Valley Local School and more.

As an instrumental teacher at Edgewood and an assistant band director at WHS, Bennett said he has had the opportunity to watch his students grow and mature, the aspect of teaching he said he will miss the most. Bennett said he plans to continue coaching cross country/track and field in retirements, as well as work for a music service.

Diane Hartman:

Diane Hartman began working in WCS in 1997 as the attendance secretary at Edgewood, where she also helped with scheduling. After holding several positions around the district, she began her current position, the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, in 2010. Hartman said she will cherish the lifelong friends she has made throughout her career in WCS, and is excited to spend time with her grandchildren, attending their various activities, during her retirement.

Chris Mascotti-Rasor:

Chris Mascotti-Rasor began her teaching career in 1991, working in the WHS Math Dept.. Before coming to Wooster, she had also worked as a math teacher at Springfield South High School. Mascotti-Rasor said she will miss most of the people and sense of community that she found at WHS and plans to rest, catch up on home projects, and travel more during her retirement.

Sherri Machamer:

Sherri Machamer began her career in Wooster City Schools 25 years ago as a Title I reading teacher, after working for four years in Columbus City Schools. She has since worked at every elementary school in the district and currently holds her position at Melrose. Machamer said she has enjoyed teaching young students how to read, and will miss these students dearly, along with her colleagues.

the drive-in movie on May 20 at WHS and will include a concession stand. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and has a $5 per person cost.

Wooster High School bids farewell to exchange students

DUNLAP cover editor

During the 2022-2023 school year, WHS hosted three exchange students from all over the globe.

Giovanna Salvagnini, who is enrolled at WHS as a sophomore, comes to Wooster from Campinas, Brazil. Salvagnini chose to come to the United States because she traveled there many times and already knew some English.

Salvagnini says some of her best

memories at WHS have been through the sports she joined.

“I played volleyball and now I’m playing lacrosse. I’ve never played lacrosse in my entire life so it was really fun to learn,” Salvagini said.

Salvagini says she is going to miss the friends she has made and the family she is staying with the most when she leaves.

Izumi Nishimatsu is staying with the Neilson family and is from Tokyo, Japan.

Nishimatsu says the best part of his exchange year was creating

friendships throughout the year from another country.

Nishimatsu continues by saying that he is going to miss his friends the most when he leaves the United States and that is why he does not want to go back to Japan just yet.

Nishimatsu shares the teachers that have had the biggest impact on him during his time at WHS.

“I love Ms. Nussbaum [Art Dept. member] and Ms. Arnold [Family and Consumer Science Dept. member] because about a week after I started going to Wooster,

my English was not good, so it was uncomfortable to talk and listen. But, they were so happy and kind so I remember I was happy to go to their classroom,” Nishimatsu.

Sujit Bhongale is from India and is enrolled as a senior at WHS. Bhongale is currently living with the Newberry-Yokleys.

Bhongale admits that while making friends was the biggest challenge of being an exchange student, the friends he has made and the teams he has played on have been the best part of his time

in the United States. Bhongale advocates for other students to get out of Wooster and to participate in new experiences. “When I came over here, I learned that not a lot of students go out, they’re afraid of getting out of the house…I have a lot of ups and downs with the whole exchange thing but at the end of the day it’s always so fun,” Bhongale said. Bhongale advocates for other students to get out of the house and try new experiences where one can be independent.

MATTIE

“I AM STILL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF STUDENT COUNCIL, AS THERE ARE STILL MANY COMMITTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION” HANNAN SAID.

Spring Sports Wrap - Up 2023

Girls and boys track, softball and girls lacrosse photos by Nora Levy. Boys lacrosse photo by Nancy Swartzentruber. Boys tennis, boys baseball photos by Reed Foster. Statistics collected by Grace Kostohryz.

Faith Timko (12) hands the baton off to Abi Strand-Fox (9) in the 800 meter relay.

Kaylee Buzzard (12) prepares to throw out a runner.

Kenyonn Jolly (12) completes a jump at the Nikki Reynolds Invite.

Courson Kauffman (12) battles a defender.

Garrett Ranney (11) looks to return the ball. Girls lacrosse takes a selfie during their media day.

Blake Bowen (12) watches a ball he hit on senior night at Wooster High School.

2023 MET Gala theme leads to controversy

a gay man, unwilling to dress curvy woman, promoting anorexia suggesting it was not a bad thing to stop eating, and making numerous horrible comments about the Holocaust and the history of the event. According to an article from CNN “Style,” written by Bianca Britton, when asked about hit singer Adele, Karl told Metro in Paris in 2012, “She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice.”

MOLLY BYRNE cover editor

Every year on the first Monday of May, the Met Gala takes place in New York City, with Anna Wintour, a British journalist and co-editor in chief of Vogue, as the host and co-chair of the event.

The MET Gala is known for having a star studded red carpet where designers dress the most famous celebrities as well as elaborate themes for the designers to follow.

The theme for the 2023 MET

Gala was selected as honoring the former creative director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away in 2019.

The controversy around this theme not only is driven by the press, but seeps into the event as many key celebrities choose not to attend this year’s gala.

So, why was Karl Lagerfeld so problematic to so many people?

During his time as the creative director for Chanel, he is quoted making comments about openly not supporting gay marriage, as

Now why, after all of these horrible comments, was this man still selected as the theme for the MET Gala, which is a fundraiser for the MET Museum?

Prior to the gala, Wintour was asked about the theme and the fact that Karl was not only known for his time at Chanel, but also for his terrible comments and bigotry. In an article from The Daily News written by Karu. Daniels, Wintour said, “And I think sometimes he would say things … to shock, and not necessarily things that he believed in.” The fact that at a fundraising event for such a prestigious group of people, the theme that was selected was a man who had such strong, discriminatory views that openly showed his disdain for anyone in a minority group, is incredibly insensitive and abysmal.

Many celebrities were missed from this year’s gala, most notably Blake Lively and Selena Gomez, who have openly voiced their beliefs on the internet that do not align or support those of Lagerfeld.

The Thespian Society recognizes drama students

REBEKAH LAY staff writer

The Thespian Society is an honors society for those dedicated to Drama.

On May 16, eight students will be inducted into this society, and the officers for next year’s Drama Club will be announced.

In 1929, the International Thespians Society was founded in Fairmont, West Virginia. Now, almost a decade later the International Thespians Society, originally named National Thespians, is a continually growing society of people dedicated and interested in the art of Theatre, according honorsociety.org.

According to Brett Hiner, Drama Club adviser, the Thespians Society troupe (#339) at Wooster is one of the 40 oldest in the world. It is an honors society that requires a lot of commitment on and off the stage.

Hiner said, “Students must accumulate 10 points [in order to be eligible for the society induction], which is the equivalent of 100 hours of work…”

Hiner is proud of the work that has been accomplished in regards to the Drama Club.

“I am exceedingly proud of the work the students did, in both Elf and Puffs. And I am exceedingly proud of the support we received from the community. Over 4,000 people attended our shows this year...a record for us and that is a credit to the talent we see on stage and a hopeful passion for the

Movies provide entertainment for the rainy days over the summer break

STELLA POWERS trends editor

With summer approaching, many people are looking for a way to spend their upcoming free-time. While there are many fun, outdoor activities one can do over the summer, it can be difficult to find something to do on a day where the weather does not hold up. However, there are many exciting films coming out this summer for those rainy, gloomy days.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Released on May 5, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the third and possibly final installment of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy once again follows fan-favorite characters, Chris Pratt’s StarLord and the rest of his team on yet another adventure. Directed by James Gunn, this film is more focused on a storyline surrounding the character of Rocket Raccoon.

Book Club: The Last Chapter

Starring Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, and Candice Bergen, Book Club: The Next Chapter, from director Bill Holderman, follows the same characters from the 2018 film, Book Club, as they adventure together on a trip to Italy. This romantic comedy will be released May 12.

The Little Mermaid

A live action remake of Disney’s 1989 hit animated film, The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, and Melissa McCarthy, will be released May 26. From director Rob Marshall, the film follows Ariel and her underwater friends on their journey to the human world.

Elemental

On June 19, Pixar’s newest film, Elemental, will be released. Directed by Peter Sohn, this movie takes place in a world of elements: fire, water, land, and air. Following lead characters Ember and Wade, an unlikely elemental duo, the film explores how the different elements might actually have something in common.

Oppenheimer

Released July 21, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer follows the first atomic bomb and J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist, who played a role in making it. Featuring an all-star cast, the film stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh and more.

Haunted Mansion

A fun, spooky way to end the summer, Disney’s Haunted Mansion will be released July 8. From director Justin Simien, the film is inspired by the popular Disney ride of the same name. Starring Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Owen Wilson, Danny Devito, and Jamie Lee Curtis, this film follows a character dealing with haunted encounters and spirits upon moving into her new home.

Asteroid City Barbie

For people looking for a fun, feelgood comedy this summer, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, based on the popular doll line of the same name, will be released July 21. Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film follows the character Barbie on her adventure to the human world, following her removal from Barbieland.

From director Wes Anderson, Asteroid City, a film about a Junior Stargazer convention and the events that occur during, will be released June 23. This unique release features known actors Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Tilda Swinton and more.

theatrical arts,” Hiner said.

Drama Club and the Thespian Society creates an opportunity for making connections and friends.

This has led to success in this year’s production, which over 4,000 people attended.

Caleb Singer-Holden (12) member of both Drama Club and the Thespians Society states, “ I enjoy the connection of it all. Knowing that there’s so many other people out there that also enjoy theater so much that they are also in it.”

Singer-Holden is proud of the community that was made and the amount of friends that were made as a result.

There are many things to try when in Drama Club, whether it is being an actor, helping with the stage, crew, makeup, etc. Drama Club offers many learning opportunities and Stella Powers (12) advice “… would be to try all aspects of theater - there’s something for everyone. Work hard and get involved as much as possible.”

Photo fair use courtesy of schooltheatre.org

How to build a summer wardrobe

When the sun finally comes out after a long winter and the temperature finally cracks 60 degrees, it can be tempting to pull out the credit card and buy a whole new summer wardrobe. However, people can have the tendency to over shop, buy out the store and end up with too much stuff that they might never actually wear. This is how-to build a summer wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Start with a few basics that can be worn in many different ways. Examples may include jean shorts, khakis and athletic shorts. These can be bought from conventional stores such as American Eagle, Old Navy or Nike or can be thrifted from places like Goodwill or Jodi's closet.. Thrifting can be a fun and cost effective way to find new wardrobe pieces

Pair the bases with different tops, including different styles for different temperatures and occasions.

Make sure to have a few jackets available in case it gets cold.

All in all, it is easy to collect a few key pieces in order to create a wardrobe to make it through summer without breaking the bank.

Graphic by Brittany Wachtel

Graphic by Jamie Ogle

Blurbs by Hannah LoGiudice

Photo Courtesy of Americanegle.com

Photo Courtesy of Forever21.com

Photo Courtesy of Forever21.com

Relax at the Salt and Serentiy Grotto

Twenty-three things to do before leaving Wooster

Bowling at Wayne Laynes

Attend or join a game of Y-Ball at the YMCA

Take a walk or bike ride around Oak Hill Park

Escape rooms at Unlocked

Go on a picnic in the gardens of the OARDC

Go to Acres of Fun laser tag, roller skating, arcade games, mini golf and more

Visit the public library

Go out to eat at the local resturants: Green Leaf, Broken Rocks, Basil, Spoon, The Olde Jaoland more

Look through records at Blackbird Records

Spa day at Revamp

Coffee run at local cafes: Undergrounds, Tulipan, Surehouse, and Boo Bears

Buy ice cream at Hartzler’s, Dairy Land, or Oh Yo

Pottery classes at Wayne Center for the Arts

Attend a session at Flex Yoga: cardio, steam yoga, aerial yoga and more Axe throw with your friends at Bullseye Axe Throwing

Attend the Saturday farmers markets downtown

Thrift at Goodwill, Mission Thrift or Friendtique

Ice skate at Alice Noble Ice Arena

Buy pastries at Miss Amy’s Bakery Attend graduation parties

Watch the WacPac production of Willy Wonka Jr. on June 16-17 and June 23-25 at the Fisher Auditorium

Most popular songs: Kindergarten through senior year

In March of 2020, WHS was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All classes were moved online and students were taught through virtual lessons. The class of 2023 is the last class to have gone through high school during the pandemic. The pandemic disrupted the normal way of learning. No one knew what to expect from the new hybrid learning set up, it was a learning curve for everyone.

Caleb Singer-Holden (12) reflects on his freshman year by noting, “COVID affected my schooling by making it turn into something no one expected. Everyone was trying to navigate how to handle the situation and there weren’t many answers. It made school for those last couple months confusing and stressful and I didn’t get as much out of it as I would want.” This situation was a struggle for many. WHS adopted Edgenuity, which is an online learning platform that was already being used in Generals Academy.

Stella Powers (12) talked about her experience when school stopped by noting, “Because of the pandemic, our school experience was almost exclusively online. Everything was modified for the health and safety of everyone, including the way our classes worked, AP exams, extracurricular, and pretty much every aspect. School just stopped abruptly and everything changed.” Everybody was required to wear a mask at sporting events and social distance to keep everyone safe.

For most, it was a sigh of relief when the pandemic slowed

down and we could resume some form of normalcy. The pandemic causesd a lack of motivation not only because of being out of the classroom, but also because everyone’s social lives came to an abrupt halt

Brittany Wachtel (12) notes the frustration with that lack of social gathering, by stating, “It was very odd to come back to real life after being secluded for so long. I lost a lot of academic motivation and resorted to online sources to help me complete a majority of my work. The best part about being back in school was 100 percent being back around my friends and having a social life again.”

The pandemic was also a time where people did a lot of self reflection since we were quarantined at home for such a long time. Wachtel shares what she would do differently if she could get that year back. “ I wish I would have worried less about what people thought of freshman year me. I think that if I would have known about COVID , I would have put myself out there a lot more without fear of judgment.”

Blurbs written by Laynee Eslich

Swim at Freedlander Pool

CALEB KOSTOHRYZ staff writer

Seniors reflect on being the last high school COVID class

“I think that if I had known about COVID, I would have put myself out there a lot more without fear of judgement,”

- Brittany Wachtel

Graphic by Brittany Wachtel

Graduation party recipes Graduation gift guide

There is no question that graduating from high school is a special occasion, and what is a good celebration without good food? With graduation coming, grad party planning is a priority for seniors. While decorations and invitations are important, the food is the great uniter for your guests. These recipes are proven crowd pleasers with plenty of variability and personalization to be made to fit any theme. Recipes written by Ben Stavnezer.

Ina Garten’s sheet pan cake

Ina Garten’s sheet pan cake is perfect for a large gathering, with plenty of space to decorate.

It is important to follow the room temperature instructions to keep the cake moist and ingredients mixable.

For the Cake:

18 tablespoons (2-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Icing:

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 18 x 12 x 1 1/2 sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for three minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. On medium-low speed, add the eggs, two at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir

Fruit Pizza

For a treat that is visually striking, try this fruit pizza. You can use the crust recipe or a premade dough, like Pillsbury . The combination of a soft sugar cookie crust with sweet cream cheese frosting and colorful fresh fruit makes this dessert stand out both visually and taste. Choose your favorite fruits to customize this classic summertime dessert.

Sugar Cookie Crust

1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

8 oz (224g) full-fat block-style

7 Layer Dip is one of the best party appetizers. It is a quick and easy dip that is always the first thing gone at a party. I recommend putting it in a clear container so the different layers show like a tasty rainbow.

Ingredients

1 16 oz can refried beans or black beans

1 10 oz can diced tomatoes

1 to 2 tbsp taco seasoning

3 medium avocados

cream cheese, softened to room temperature

3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 and 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups (about 400g) assorted sliced fresh fruit

Make the crust: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Once completely combined, cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and up to one day.

Seven Layer Dip

1 lime, juiced (about 1 1/2 tbsp)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1/3 cup black olives, sliced

3/4 cup Roma tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup green onions, sliced

Combine the refried beans, diced tomatoes and taco seasoning in a bowl and whisk until combined. Spread into an even layer in a 7"x11" casserole dish.

until smooth. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir the batter with a rubber spatula and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until very smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed. Stir with a rubber spatula to be sure the icing is well mixed.

The year is almost over, which means graduation parties are coming up. Although everyone needs money and coupons after graduation, what if you want to give the senior more than just money? If so, this guide is just for you.

A travel bag is essential for adult life. Whether they plan on traveling, going to college, or straight into the workforce after graduation a travel bag is a perfect gift. There are many options: a duffle bag, a backpack, a purse and more that can all be helpful during daily life. Travel bags can range from about ten dollars to over a hundred dollars depending on the brand.

ing seniors that plan on attending college or if they are living alone. HelloFresh has many options on what your preferences are, how many meals you want and how many people are eating the food. Plans can cost a minimum of $60 and a maximum of $230 depending on what is chosen.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick spray (even if it’s a nonstick pan). Remove chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator and press onto the pizza pan in a 9–10inch circle, about 1/3-inch thick. Bake for 17–19 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Avoid over-baking. Cool crust completely before decorating.

Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute or until creamy and combined. Spread a thick layer over the cooled sugar cookie crust and decorate it with fruit. Cut into slices and serve. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days

In a separate bowl combine the avocado, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt. Mash until your \ desired consistency is reached and then spread into an even layer over the beans.

Stir the sour cream until nice and smooth, then spread into an even layer over the guacamole.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the sour cream, then top with the diced tomatoes, black olives and green onions. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Both college students and non-college students can enjoy a coffee maker after graduation. Classes and work can be exhausting and a great way to regain that energy is by drinking some coffee. Plus having a coffee maker at home means you do not have to run out and spend money on coffee from a store. An affordable coffee maker is the Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker Model 49465R which costs thirty nine dollars at Walmart. Good quality makers can cost anywhere from $20 to $100.

College can be very stressful and students should not have to worry about what they are going to eat that day. That is why a HelloFresh plan is a great gift for any graduat-

Depending on the college you attend, the dorm beds they have could be uncomfortable to some people. A mattress topper can provide extra comfort and is easier to clean crumbs and stains off. The standard college bed size is Twin XL. A mattress topper helps with sleep and gives the student more energy for their lessons. Many stores sell mattress toppers like Target, Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon and more. The price range for mattress toppers is around $20 to $500.

Living in a dorm room with roommates can be very noisy when trying to study for classes. Noise canceling headphones help get rid of this noise and improves the students focus. It can also be used in the library or just to listen to some music on the way to their classes. Best buy has many noise canceling headphones options the cheapest being around $7 and the most expensive option is over $1,000.

Photo Courtesy of Delish.com

Photo Courtesy of favfamilyrecipes.com

Graphic by Jamie Ogle

JAELYN FREDRICK staff writer

It took me four years to realize....

“Seniors don’t hate underclassmen.”

-Alan Van Lieu

“Think before you react.”

-Megan Piper

“Procrastinating is genuinely not worth it.”

-Layne Nelson

“Chicago isn’t a state.”

-Micah Hutchinson

“Time management is key.”

-Elisha Baah

“Stop taking everything so seriously and trying to be perfect all the time, it gets exhausting.”

-Kassidy SchuchEste p

“Don’t take high school so seriously. Just do you!”

-Brittany Wachtel

“What happens in high school doesn’t matter.”

Taylor Miller

“You don’t need to care what people think , just be you.”

-Caleb Singer-Holden

“Sleep is important.”

-Ashley Schroer

Seniors share some of their favorite sports memories

Going to the sweet 16, my sophomore year, Coach Pope’s 100th win as a coach and also recently beating CVCA.

-Alexis Miller

Beating revere this past season in five sets to advance in the tournament. The support from the stands was amazing, and our team chemistry was so strong.

-Marin Dixon

Winning district finals, and more specifically, with three minutes left in the districts finals game, we huddled up and talked about finishing the game.”

-Simon Schonfeld

Waking up early and shooting and lifting before school in the offseason.

-Nora Levy

SENIOR SUPERLATIVES

Voting for senior superlatives took place from April 26 through May 2. Senior polls were posted to social media and garnered 60 responses.

Tevin Turner Most likely to win The Hunger Games

Ethan Keating Most likely to run a marathon

Trent Kuzma Most likely to start a business

Audrey Miller & Olivia Hiner Best Duo

Lucia Perfetti Most likely to save the planet

Simon Schonfeld Best school spirit

Hayley Sleek Most likely to win a Grammy

Nora Levy Most likely to travel the world

Olivia Hiner Best dressed

Brendan French Most likely to get out of Ohio

Brittany Wachtel Most likely to become an influencer

Layne Nelson Most likely to break a world record

Blake Bowen Most likely to be a pro athlete

Alan Van Lieu Most likely to be a stunt double

Morgan Schmitt Most likely to teach at WHS

Stella Powers Most likely to be on SNL

Megan Piper Most likely to be a reality Tv star

Photo illustrations and graphics by Brittany Wachtel.

Allegheny College:

Eric Snider

Ben Stavnezer

Ashland University:

Kaylee Buzzard

Devin Carroll

Hannah Chupp

Micah Hutchison

Madi Sommer

Shila Thellman

Britanny Wachtel

Baldwin Wallace:

Eily Badertscher

Ava Eagle

Natalie Fagert

Madison Jackson

Megan Piper

Jacob Russell

Faith Timko

Ilana Tucker

Bard College:

Hannes Wiebe

Boston University:

Gabriela Lopez

Bowling Green State

University:

Nadia Chastain

Christine Fransen

Liam Horst

Brenna Huffman

Alexis Miller

Taylor Miller

Allie Newman

Jamie Ogle

Rylee Polak

Case Western Reserve University:

Elisha Baah

Jacob Hannan

CIS University Madrid:

Brendan French

Clemson University:

Jordan Wright

Cleveland State University:

Gretchen Chelf

Caleb Singer-Holden

Hayley Sleek

College of Wooster:

Erich Adams

Lauren Ciha

Sam Smith

Cuyahoga Community College:

Ella Hendrock

Daemen University:

Ethan Keating

Denison University:

Pierce Duong

Chloe Frichtl

Duquesne University:

Zachary Holiday

Franklin University:

Emily Smith

Grace Christian University:

John Foster

Heidelberg University:

Kathrine Sayre

Hiram College:

Hunter Kuenzli

Alex Navarro

Hiram College cont.:

Simon Schonfeld

Brody Shultz

Indiana Wesleyan

University:

Anna Yoder

John Carroll University:

Sophia Mera

Jaymin Walker

Kent State University:

Riley Flinner

Marcos Leon-Lopez

Nevaeh Scott

Heaven Shaw

Emma Thompson

Tevin Varner

David Weeman

Kent State-Stark College:

Aaron McConahay

Kenyon College:

Olivia Hiner

Louisiana Tech University:

Abbie Leiendecker

Macalester College:

Gabe Thompson

Malone University:

Abbi Jones

Griffin Owen

Massachustts College of Pharmacy and Health

Sciences:

Molly Byrne

Miami University:

Sophia Anderson

Isabelle Eslich

Emily James

Courson Kauffman

Dylan Kendall

Stella Powers

Middlebury College:

Chayton Shell

Mount Vernon Nazarene

University:

Deah Bresson

Madison Giauque

Aidan Mackey

Northwood University:

RJ Graziano

Norwich University:

Rebekah Lay

Ohio Northern University:

Seth Chamberlin

Ohio Wesleyan University:

Isabella Hohman

Ohio University:

Hannah McNeil

Laura Rapport

Isabella Sarzosa

Otterbein University:

Elanna Meyer

Slippery Rock University:

Ashley Schroer

Southeastern University:

Callie Broyles

Stark State College:

Mark Blough

Kaden Buckley

LaRissa Helms

Stony Brook University:

Mark Michael

Syracuse University:

Hannah LoGiudice

Taylor University:

Cooper Murphy

The Ohio State University:

Sophia Baxstrom

Ishaan Gireesh

Duncan Grimes

Seth Jarrett

Rosetta Morgan

Layne Nelson

The Ohio State University

ATI:

Cameron Hendrix

Jared Legg

Ethan Vale

University of Akron:

Tyler Bonner

Jacob Carmon

Brendolyn Cash

Jayden Christopher

Trey Cichello

Sebatian De La Fuente Orozco

William Gaynor

Ryan Hannan

Cayleen Harris

Ethan Lee

Trent Kuzma

Ethan Reusser

Trevecca Nazarene

University:

Cael Brown

University of Akron-

Wayne College:

Maya Eggerton

Elizabeth Hohman

Kayla Hershberger

Isabella Kesner

Mya Novelli

Delmar Reynolds

Aryah Robison

Gia Schrader

Kassidy Schuch-Estep

Kory Topovski

University of Cincinnati:

Asa Troutman

University of Chicago:

Nora Levy

University of Dayton:

Alan Van Lieu

University of Findlay:

Luke Hootman

University of Illinois at

Chicago:

Anna Tefs

University of Indianapolis:

Marin Dixon

University of Kentucky:

Blake Bowen

University of Mount Union:

Vincent Neyhart

University of Northwestern

Ohio:

Paige Becker

University of Southern

California:

Lucia Perfetti

University of South Florida:

Paonia Campbell

University of Wisconsin

Whitewater:

Gavin Bucheger

Vassar College:

Audrey Miller

Walsh University:

Jonah Chavez

Michael Howman-Williams

Morgan Schmitt

West Virginia University:

Grace Grey

Williams College:

Minnie Pozefsky

Wilmington College:

Lillian Green

Youngstown State

University:

Hannah Higgins

Skylar Jerkins

Sophia Misel

Technical or Trade School:

Juan De Paz Cruz

Lavendar Drager

Aidenn Ennis

Madelyn Green

Jadlin Hanna

London Hubbard

Zoey Louis

Aleesiyona Mathis

Madison Taylor

Luke Wright

Employment:

Joslin Barker

Tyler Boreman

Riley Brisbane

Employment cont.:

Jossalin Carey

Jackson Case

Thomas Deem

Zachary Dilyard Salkeld

Kate-lynn Edwards

Grace Edwards

Eric Elias

Madyson Followay

Nate Franks

Celeste Fry

Korbin Grace

Colin Harig

Liberty Hernley

Bryce Howard

Stella Howard

Wolfgang Huffman

Chelsea Johnson

Kenyonn Jolly

Courtney Leighty

Devin Ley

Tristan Malcuit

Parker Manson

Caden Marsh

Erick Martinez

Jordan Mihalic

Landon Miller

Logan Miller

Jakayla Mitchell

Jarrod Paul

Memphis Peloubet

Riley Phillips

Dustin Ring

Arianna Sales

Kamryn Schuch-Estep

Brian Smith

Gaige Smith

Ean Swartzentruber

Olivia Terrell

Brenagen Thomas

Kaileigh Thompson

Donna Walden

Donaven Wells

Dawson Wills

Grace Yerian

Military:

Colton Davis

Reka Halacsy

Clay Smith

Alana Taylor

Dominic Tomasetti

Tevin Turner

Other:

Alyssa Bateman

Hailey Vanfossen-Battles

Brady Duncan

Aden Hess

Paiten Hinkle

Keyonn Jolly

Chloe Suppes

Data was collected in conjunction with the WHS Guidance Dept. and was updated as of our send-to-print date of May 12, 2023.

Senior speaks on the need to be perceived positively

write about.

I think my struggle comes from my need to write something worthy of tears, worthy of an impact on those who do not even know me.

I want everyone who reads this column to feel moved, inspired and even emotional.

Even though I believe that my time in high school has taught me a lot, I also am very aware that I have a lot left to learn.

perceives themself. If you are not happy with the person you are, the opinions of others become unimportant. And, to be truthful, I am just now starting to accept the person who I am.

Realizing who I truly am has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it has also helped me learn how to present myself to others in a way that is not deceiving.

people I met in BLADE, and they are truly some of my best friends. Thank you,all of you, for showing me how to let go and live the time I have to the fullest.

Thank you to Alyssa, Dylan, Olivia, Molly, and all of the Pulp girls, for being people that I know I can go to no matter what. You have all shown me what real love feels like, and for that, I am forever grateful.

As I sit, trying to write my column that I have been thinking about since my first year on the BLADE staff, I am finding myself unable to think of anything to

One of the first things I want to learn is how to deal with the fact that I cannot control how others perceive me. I already know that I cannot control other people’s perceptions, but my brain has not fully processed this information. I want people to perceive me as influential. I want people to remember me for years after they meet me.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how one

To those who have helped me on this journey to self discovery, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you.

First, thank you to Aryah, my lifelong best friend. We have grown together and seen all of the ugly parts of life together. I find comfort in knowing that I will never change too much for you. I know I may not say it enough, but I love and appreciate you.

Next, the Dateline group chat. Every single person in this chat are

Lastly, I would like to thank Mrs. Hiner. I could write an entire column about the impact you have had on me, but this will have to do. Thank you for creating a space in the BLADE room that gave me a home when I needed it most. You are a light in this world and someone that I will never forget.

Thank you to those who allowed me to be who I truly am every single day. This column is for all of you, for all of those who I know will never forget me.

senior year.

I missed being with my friends at school. I missed being a part of a sports team. I began to question things: questioning my purpose on this planet. Questioning if people really cared. Questioning what exactly I was living for.

As the days passed, seemingly every day the same, I was filled with so much dread. While day to day was hard, I had to look at the bigger picture. I had to see the good in the situation and keep going.

OLIVIA HINER co-editor-in-chief

At the beginning of this year, I was out of school for nearly two and a half months, as I was getting treatment for an eating disorder.

During this time, I felt as though I was missing out on so much of my

At times, it may seem like we have no purpose on this planet. We may question our worth and think about whether anything about us matters.

I am here to tell you that you do matter.

What got me through the hardest couple of months of my life were little things: the warm sun on my

Student learns to thrive in a leadership role

take the right course of action to lead the best I can.

I have always looked to those who came before me as shining examples of what to do, but no matter what I tried, I felt that I felt that something was missing or that I was not good enough.

I really was missing something about my leadership, but it was the way people saw me.

BEN STAVNEZER feature editor

Throughout my life, I have struggled with the quest for perfection in what I choose to do, ranging from homework to extracurriculars.

I could spend so much time on a project that I fall behind on even more important tasks.

Yet in life, I still wanted to make a change, maybe take on new responsibilities, but was too afraid to fall short.

Things do not always happen as I want them to, and despite my lack of confidence in myself, I inherited leadership roles in my activities.

In leadership, I struggled with how to present myself to others or

We all want to make an impact on the world, but looking at the big picture and wanting to leave a physical legacy is all too common. The thing that I have learned over my time collaborating with others, from band to speech and debate, is that being myself is better than putting on an identity for someone else’s benefit.

Over time, being yourself will have a much greater impact on the people around you, who are the legacy and the change that you thought only yourself could have on the world. When you follow a leader, you really do not tend to think about how they are making an impact on you.

I have learned that maybe selfconfidence is not about perfection, but is more really more about self acceptance and caring about making a difference to the people around you means more than aiming to affect the world.

skin. The sound of rain. Looking at the stars. Little things are something to live for. Although I have good friends, sometimes it felt like they did not care about what I was going through or did not recognize how difficult it was, but it is important to recognize that everyone is going through their own battles and navigating their way through this journey of life. Sometimes we may not know how to support one another or not know how to help them. However, we have to learn to be there for each other and not be so selfish all of the time. Friends are something to live for and provide the support we may need.

During senior year, so much is happening at once. Time goes by so fast, yet at the same time it feels like the school year will never end. High school is ultimately

preparing us for going out into the real world. It is scary. It is overwhelming. But it is also so, so exciting.

I am going into college with an undecided major. While this fact does cause a great deal of stress for me, I am looking forward to finding out what it is I am passionate about in college, and am looking forward to all of the people I am bound to meet. Your future is something to live for.

Life is hard. A lot of the time it sucks. So, my advice is to find the things that bring you fulfillment in life. It could be something small, something that seems insignificant. And that is okay.

I have learned the things that I live for. I may be unsure of so many things, but I am sure that I, and you who are reading this, have so much to live for.

STELLA POWERS trends editor

A lot of my high school career has been focused on my involvement in Drama Club, Choir and the staff of The Wooster Blade

Recently, I have experienced many last performances and final goodbyes.

I have never been great at saying goodbye. As wonderful as something new can be, I cannot stand the idea of giving up the things and people that I love.

However, with the scary, yet exciting transition into the next chapter, there are some sacrifices.

On May 4, I had my final choir performance at WHS. When sitting backstage with my fellow seniors, I was amazed that I did not shed a single tear.

That did not last long.

The moment I walked that stage

for the first time that night and saw everyone, the emotion hit. I realized that this would be the last time I would get to sing in this space, with this group, under the direction of Mrs. Mason, the greatest choir director and mentor I could ever have asked for. It was a night filled with celebration, reflection and many tears. In March, I took my final bow with the WHS Drama Club. Having been a part of this program since eighth grade, I have grown up from the shy, insecure kid into who I am now with this group. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime, and for that I am forever grateful. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to grow as not only a performer, but also as a person, under the direction of Mr. Hiner.

My time with The Wooster Blade has not yet come to an end; however, this column, in a sense, serves as my goodbye. I am eternally grateful for the relationships I have formed, the skills I have learned, and the guidance and wisdom from Mrs. Hiner.

If I have learned anything from my time at WHS, it is to appreciate every moment and not take the little things for granted. Every moment is special. Take a moment and appreciate those around you, life goes by faster than you think.

BRITTANY WACHTEL co-editor-in-chief

Learning to grow from hardships and find joy in life

Senior finds a home away from home in extracurriculars

“Hard things will happen to us. We will recover, we will learn from it, we will grow

more resilient because of it. And as long as we are fortunate enough to be

breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out.”

Taylor Swift

Senior reflects on trying new things in high school

thought I did. I knew what colleges I would apply to, what major I would choose, I had a complete 10-year plan all neatly written out in a notebook.

Looking back now, as a senior, I do not think a single part of that plan is still true. I did not apply to any of the colleges I was going to, I changed my major from medical examination to theater design and technology and I do not have that notebook anymore.

entire class, I had no idea what was to come and I could not have predicted how much I would change from my freshman to senior years.

As a freshman, I was in the ensemble of the WHS Drama Club’s production of Grease Senior year, I found my place backstage, and I fell completely in love with technical theater.

thought any of this was possible, and senior me is so incredibly thankful that it is.

When I imagined high school as a little kid, I thought that by my freshman year, I would have everything all figured out, and during my freshman year, I

Activities teach many important life lessons

learned how to put my thoughts and ideas into words.

However, I believe the most important thing I have gained from my involvement is the many friendships I have formed along the way. Juggling the obligations and requirements of so many activities can be daunting at times, but the relationships I formed helped to propel me through those difficult moments.

The last four years of high school were filled with global pandemics, countless new principals and a lot of changes, both in the world and in myself. Sitting in Newspaper Production I, as the only freshman in the

As a freshman, I was a JV soccer player. Senior year, I was still a JV soccer player, but I was also a JV basketball player, a sport that I joined on a dare during my junior year, and a varsity lacrosse player, a sport I thought I would never play again after I took a season off in eighth grade.

Freshman me never would have

So, my advice to underclassmen: finding your place in high school is hard, but you do not have to pick just one place to be. You can be in Drama Club and be a varsity athlete; you can randomly join a team as a dare; you can try new things just because they sound fun. You can try and you can succeed and you can try and can fail, but either way you can still have just as much fun.

Being good at things is not everything. Put yourself out there, try new things and do not be afraid to be bad at something, sometimes that can make everything even more fun.

School provides a journey to self acceptance

about me was a hard task.

It took unlearning a lot of negative things about myself.

I had to replace all the negative feelings about myself with happy, good thoughts.

Over time, I began to do things for myself instead of others. I began to dye my hair and dress in the clothes I wanted to dress in, whether it was sweatpants and a t-shirt or really cute clothes I just bought.

second mom to me and has been one of my biggest supporters.

The Hiners have also been there for me through a lot, whether they knew it or not, and I have relied on them for a lot.

Mrs. Broda gave me a safe space of sorts in her class, where I never felt ashamed of who I am and was always able to be my true self.

Looking back on my four years of high school, I acknowledge that I have made many mistakes.

Be that failing to prepare for a test, arriving late to countless events, or not fully cherishing my time here.

However, the one thing that I know was not a mistake was participating in as many activities as possible.

During my time at WHS, I was on the cross country, track, and speech and debate teams, on top of being a member of Drama Club, band, choir and The Wooster Blade staff.

While my involvement and dedication varied from activity to activity, from a four-year varsity member and captain of the cross country team to joining choir for the second semester of my senior year, each experience has taught me countless life lessons and has molded me into who I am today.

From these activities, I have learned valuable lessons in leadership, humility and time management.

I have gained confidence in myself and my voice, and have

Perhaps the most crucial skill I learned was the ability to take a step back and enjoy the moment. Looking back at the path that led to a certain situation makes that moment so much more special. While my life was certainly hectic at times, I cannot imagine my high school experience without those crazy moments. My advice to others is to find what makes you happy. Be that one activity or ten, dive in and make the most out of your time, but do not forget to take a breath every once in a while to just look around and cherish the moment.

Learning to express myself and love who I am took a long time. I have always felt like a weird kid or even a social outcast and I did not feel like I really belonged anywhere.

Learning to be me and not worry about what other people thought

However, the journey I went on to figure it out would have been way harder without some of the adults in my life. I want to give a special thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Hiner, Mrs. Broda, Mrs. Grayshock, and Mrs. Mason. They have all become major parts of my life, and I don’t know where I would be without them all.

Mrs. Grayshock is almost like a

Mrs. Mason, while only being her second year here, has made such an impact on me and my love of music, which has become one of my major outlets for creativity. If I leave this school with just one piece of advice, it is to be yourself. Find friends and teachers who are there for you and let you be unapologetically you.

Never pretend to be someone you are not because as I know very well, it can and will eat you up inside. It is just not worth it.

Reflection provides necessary growth

some sympathy for her.

She knew nothing about what I know now.

She did not know how to dress herself. She did not know a lot of things that I know now.

She did not understand how to take care of herself. She kept herself clean, but she did the bare minimum. For that, I do not forgive her. How stupid can you be?

that all younger people are guilty of, and I am, probably, naive now. However, I can forgive her for not knowing a lot of things that I know now.

I want to apologize to her for that.

My senior self hates my freshman self.

If I saw my freshman self now, I would bully her and tell her to get herself together; however, I have

She did not even know how to study and turn in assignments on time. I hate the feeling of needing to apologize to my past teachers for being irresponsible.

I do not forgive her for that.

However, I have a few things for which I can forgive her: being naive. Being naive is something

I also want to apologize for not being nicer to myself. I was cruel and critical. While everyone is their own worst critic, I feel as though I was the only one who was as harsh as I was to myself. Most of the things that I had a problem with, however, were an easy fix.

I am not sure what happened, but one day, I decided to fix all of those problems I had, and I thank myself for that.

To my freshman self: we ended up alright.

JAMIE OGLE staff writer

HANNAH LOGIUDICE on campus editor

CALEB SINGER-HOLDEN staff writer

ETHAN KEATING staff writer

Graphic by Stella Powers

“I HAVE LEARNED VALUABLE LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP, HUMILITY, AND MANAGEMENT” KEATING SAID

Senior emphasizes the importance of being passionate

about the things that matter to me. There is considerable pressure to fit in while in high school, to wear the same clothes, to talk the same, to have the same interests and to value the same things.

So, choosing to care about your own individual interests can make a difference in both your high school experience and in your future.

NORA LEVY sports editor

I made many choices as I went through my daily life at WHS and I would argue that the most important choice I made throughout my time was to care

Do not let people make you feel small or insignificant for what matters in your life and do not change your priorities to what may be seen as cool.

If you care about politics, be politically active. If you care about the environment, try to make our school a cleaner place. If you care about sports, put time into sports. If you care about learning, make

every effort to soak in as much information as you can during your time in high school.

I know my life has been enriched exponentially by choosing to care about the activities that have mattered to me. Not only did I spend high school doing things I liked to do, but I also met classmates, coaches and teachers who have made a positive impact on my life.

My favorite high school memories come from the extra effort I put into basketball, like waking up at 5 a.m. to shoot and lift before school, while everyone else was still sleeping and staying late after practice to shoot and spend time with my teammates. Without a doubt, if I had not chosen to put effort and care

into both basketball and my academic life, I would not have the opportunities that I have in front of me as I enter college at the University of Chicago.

As I look back on my four years, I have the same cliche thought that many have, high school flies by before you know it.

I am happy with how I lived my high school experience, what I chose to care about and the people that I spent my time with.

So, if I can offer anything to the students behind me, please know that it is cool to care. I am happy and content because of my choice to care and I cannot wait to live my college life in the same way I lived it during high school: unapologetically caring about the things I value.

Oregon Trail teaches lessons Saying goodbye opens a new chapter

trustworthy people. In the game, you go down the trail with your wagon party. Because you will be spending so much time with your wagon party, it is important to choose your travel companions carefully. You should choose people who will help contribute to the well-being of the wagon party.

The same goes for life. Befriend people who will contribute to the well-being of your emotional wagon party and bring out the best in you. Remember: friends do not let friends ford the river, so surround yourself with people who are good for you.

My favorite game is The Oregon Trail

The game is based on the real life Oregon Trail, a 2,170 mile wagon route that around 500,000 people traveled during the mid19th century as a part of manifest destiny, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

The first version of the game was released in the 1970s, and since then, has evolved into a very elaborate game. The version that I play is available through Apple Arcade.

I love the game so much that I have played a total of over 80 hours. Throughout the time that I have spent playing The Oregon Trail, I have learned a lot; not just about the history of the trail, but some life lessons as well. So, without further ado, I present my senior column, entitled “Everything I learned in life I learned from playing The Oregon Trail.”

The first lesson that one can learn from playing this game is to surround yourself with good,

The second lesson I have learned from my time playing The Oregon Trail is about hygiene. On the trail, if you do not keep yourself clean, you might contract a disease, such as cholera or dysentery.

Although you are very unlikely to get either of those diseases in the 21st century, you should still bathe regularly for the good of yourself and the people around you.

The third and most important lesson I have learned from The Oregon Trail is about survival.

The trail will throw many crazy things your way, but you gotta keep moving on, because it will all be worth it when you reach the beautiful state of Oregon. Life will throw a lot of craziness your way, which I know from experience, but you have to keep moving forward, because it will be worth it when you reach your goals.

Thanks for reading– not just this story, but all of the stories I’ve written for BLADE –and if you have Apple Arcade, give The Oregon Trail a go, I promise it is worth it.

Childhood cliche of stepping out of your comfort zone applies to later life

to, “do one thing every day that scares you,” to which I thought, “now why would you do that?!

Who enjoys being scared?”

I have learned, throughout the last four years specifically, that it is important to be scared or uncomfortable at some points in my life because it is often the time in which I find the most grown within myself .

MOLLY BYRNE cover editor

As a young child, I remember being told by adults in my life

I have a vivid memory of junior year, the month of Homecoming, when one of my close friends wanted to ask a boy to the dance. She agonized about the best way to ask him for days, and finally, she went to his locker one day after class and flat out asked him to go with her.

When she was telling me about the interaction later that week, I remember thinking that I wished I was like her, I wish I was that bold and unafraid of others opinions. Since then, I have thought about this memory at many points in the last year: to be bold and stick to it.

I have learned, over the past number of years, that being afraid of others’ opinions and shying away from what I really want, because of the fear of being uncomfortable, only hurts one person in the end… me . Nobody wants to put themselves in an uncomfortable situation, of course, but taking risks that may feel uncomfortable at the time or make you scared, normally have

a larger payoff than playing it safe and obeying the opinions of others.

When selecting from my college choices, I vividly remember how the words of my family or friends affected me when I said I was going to apply exclusively to

out of state schools. It was a risk, moving far away, starting over in a new place.

But to me, it was exciting; yes, of course, it was scary and the thought of something going horribly wrong kept me up some nights. But, what scared me more was never trying, just taking the easy way out and never even trying to move out of state.

My advice to you is that regardless of the opinion of others, it is okay to be scared and it is okay to be bold because playing something safe will never truly be as rewarding as chasing after what you really want.

LAURA RAPPORT a&e editor

“BE BOLD AND STICK TO IT,” MOLLY BYRNE

Senior BLADE staff members offer final words of advice

From top to top left: Hannah LoGiudice, Rebekah Lay, Stella Powers, Caleb Singer-Holden, Laura Rapport, Jamie Ogle, Molly Byrne, Ben Stavnezer, Ethan Keating, Olivia Hiner, Brittany Wachtel and Nora Levy

Olivia Hiner

It’s okay to let go of things that aren’t making you happy.

Brittany Wachtel

Hang on to the friendships you have made throughout high school. You will never know when you’re going to need a shoulder to cry on.

Hannah LoGiudice

Don’t be afraid to try new things, you’re only in high school once.

Molly Byrne

Keep in touch with the people that have your best interest at heart, even if it takes a lot of effort and time, they are the people that will support you through the best of times and the worst.

Nora Levy

Don’t get caught up in trying to be perfect; it is okay to struggle and persevere through the hard moments.

Sincerely, the co-editors

In the Sept. 16, 2022, issue of The BLADE, the two co-editors-in-chief wrote a letter to readers discussing aims for the paper this school year. As this issue closes our academic year, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the 2022-2023 year.

For this year, we were able to physically print six issues of our paper, along with publishing 12 total issues. Although our goal was to publish 13 issues, we are extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish this year.

We remained objective on stories happening in the community, and we held true to our promise of producing unbiased stories that present multiple viewpoints.

As we did not get the chance to publish any issues of The Edge, we took the opportunity of publishing

this issue as a larger paper, with more of a graphics basis. We wanted to make sure that our final publication was something to be proud of, and this truly is. We are beyond proud of the effort put in by each and every one of our BLADE members, and we cannot thank them enough. Our first years did what they could to learn for the years to come and we look forward to seeing the work they will be putting out there in the future.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported BLADE this year. Everyone who has read the paper. Who purchased an ad. Who helped get the word out there. Who participated in interviews for stories. We thank you.

To reiterate, we hope that our readers were able to find a little bit of themselves represented in our issues.

Rebekah Lay

Don’t look down on yourself just because something failed or did not go right, instead look at what happened that made it go wrong and allow yourself to change it for the future.

Ben Stavnezer

Even if you are behind, don’t let things pile up.

Ethan Keating

Make the most of your time in high school and embrace every activity you are in.

Laura Rapport

Do not be too hard on yourself.

Jamie Ogle

Do your homework.

Stella Powers

Live in the moment; time goes by faster than you expect.

Caleb Singer-Holden

Just be you. Don’t worry about what others say.

Editors-in-Chief Brittany Wachtel, Olivia Hiner • Graphics Editor Nora Levy, Ben Stavnezer • Feature Editors Ben Stavnezer • Cover Editors Mattie Dunlap, Molly Byrne• On Campus Editor Hannah LoGiudice • Focus Editor Grace Kostohryz • Sports Editor Nora Levy • Trends Editor Stella Powers • A & E Editor Laura Rapport • Views Editors Brittany Wachtel, Olivia Hiner • Staff Writers Lily Campbell-Lehtinen, Laynee Eslich, Rhys Florence-Smith, Jaelyn Frederick, Ethan Keating, Caleb Kostohryz, Rebekah Lay, Tristan Miller, Jamie Ogle, Caleb Singer-Holden, Jackson Stansifer • Head Photographers Nora Levy, Ben Stavnezer • Photographers Brittany Wachtel, Ben Stavnezer, Nora Levy, Lily Campbell-Lehtinen, Hannah LoGiudice, Ethan Keating, Molly Byrne, Caleb Kostohryz, Rebekah Lay, Laynee Eslich, Caleb Singer-Holden • 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. 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.