THE WOOSTER BLADE
WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER • 515 OLDMAN ROAD, WOOSTER, OH • NOV. 30, 2018 • VOLUME XIX, ISSUE 6
Photos by Maddy McCully and Grace Brownson Graphics by Haley Balas and Alexis Florence
are Wooster
Index: On Campus 2-4 Focus 5 Sports 6-7 Cover 8-9 Feature 10-11 Arts 12-13 Trends 14 Views 15-16
ON CAMPUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 2
We Are Wooster:
Longtime staff members reflect on time spent at WHS ALEC PAULEY views editor
Between both the old high school and the current one, lots of change has happened, teachers who have been here the longest have seen the schools and students both change around them. Math Dept. member Christine Mascotti-Rasor has been teaching at the WHS, between both buildings, for 27 years. Mascotti has kept herself motivated to be a teacher because she says she is “encouraged to know I am making a difference.” Mascotti has watched the high school change over the years
and points out some changes she has seen. Mascotti mentions improvements to facilities have been evident recently, including the new pool renovation and the Athletic Performance Center being introduced. Mascotti also points out that the introduction of technology in the curriculum has made things more efficient, but also notes that it can complicate things at times. Foreign Language Dept. member Miriam Stokes has taught between both of the high schools for 23 years. Stokes says she also has seen the introduction of technology affect the school in various
MADDY MCCULLY
Miriam Stokes, member of the Foreign Language department, is teaching her 8th period Spanish 3 class. She has taught for 23 years in Wooster.
ways and says it has changed the teaching process since she was a student in high school. Stokes says her inspiration to continue to work as a teacher is that “you never grow old working with kids.” Stokes mentions the building itself has changed. Specifically, Stokes says that “I never would have thought we would have a coffee shop.” Foreign Language Dept. member Melissa Rooney has worked in the district for 23 years and talks about how fortunate the WHS is in its current state. Rooney says she wanted to be a teacher because she loves spreading the Spanish culture to students and likes sharing experiences with them they may not have otherwise. Over the years, Rooney mentioned she has noticed students become more informal toward the teachers, but also said this could be a good thing because it could mean that students are more comfortable with the teachers as well. Rooney says students are very fortunate for everything WHS offers at the high school. “[We have a] very good facility, good technology, computer labs, etc. We’re going in the right direction by constantly improving,” Rooney said. These three teachers all agree that better technology and other facility improvements have all helped WHS throughout the years.
Custodians provide vital services to WHS operation EMILY JEWELL focus editor At WHS, there is much work, completed by the custodial staff that occurs behind the scenes of which students do not take note. April Fleming, a third year employee of the district, is the WHS head custodian who oversees the custodians and building upkeep. Fleming is also the coordinator for outside events that occur within WHS, including those at the Gault Recreation Center. Fleming described herself as a, “logistics person” who likes figuring out how to get things from one point to another. Because of that quality, she said, her coordinating position allows her to meet new people within the community. And, as Fleming explained, the people of Wooster are what makes her job so great. Another aspect that occurs behind the curtains of WHS is all the maintenance that takes place so students and staff can have working facilities and a nice looking building. The overseer of these things is John Phipps, an employee of the WCSD for 31 years, and the maintenance man at WHS for two and one half years. Phipps said his job entails repairing anything that is in need of repair, from drinking fountains to toilets or lighting and painting,. Phipps said he is interested in seeing how students perceive the building and what concerns they have or what they would like to see done. “It would be interesting to know how the students perceive basically how I have been doing. Like how you guys get grades in class, it would be cool to get a grade of my own,”
Phipps said. Overall, Phipps is very proud of where he works and what he does. “The custodial staff does a wonderful job and some wonderful employees here really care and take a lot of pride in what they do to try to make a safe, clean environment for you students, and that is what we are all about,” Phipps said. Vanessa Pidgeon, a 2002 WHS graduate who has worked in the WCSD since she graduated, spent five or six years between Parkview Elementary, as well as Kean Elementary prior to coming to the high school, where she has worked for four years. Coming from a student to an employee perspective, Pidgeon said she has seen some changes within WHS. “I think the age of time has changed. We took more pride in the building back in our generation. We had pride in our staff and we respected the staff more than I see nowadays,” Pidgeon said. However, she did discuss her role as a resource for students. “It is just second nature, it’s the mother in me, to be motherly to the kids. If they need help with homework to the pointers in life or whether they need even down to a hug I will help. It is just second nature. Granted my job is to clean and provide a safe learning environment, but sometimes they [students] need more than that. It is just who I am,” Pidgeon said. The custodians and maintenance employees of WHS, as shown, are not simply just faces in the halls that keep this building in the shape that it is, rather they are another resource for students of WHS.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 3
Pass
Set SPIKE:
Class at WHS allows WHS Hosts a Co-ed Students to Volleyball Tournament Teach their Peers HALEY BALAS artist Chad Bever, English Dept. member, challenges his students to teach their class for two days in Contemporary Composition. Assigning this project for the past five years, Bever asks his students to form groups and teach their classes on relevant subjects of their choosing, including topics such as human trafficking and drug abuse. Griffin Murphy (12) says, “It’s a nice change that students are teaching lessons, instead of the teachers we have every day.” With Contemporary Composition being a seniordominated class, Bever says topics such as the previously mentioned ones are very important for students to
learn going into college. “This project gives students the opportunity to learn them in a classroom, and discuss them with each other,” Bever said. Along with these presentations, students are able to bring in examples, props and speakers. Kristian Scalf, (12), showed his presentation on college preparation. When doing research for his project, Scalf said, “I learned more about the whole concept of teaching and it made me question more about my job major, which ultimately, made me do more research.” Bever says he plans to continue to assign this project
ALEXA MITCHELL co-editor-in-chief Student Council hosted a volleyball tournament as a fundraiser for Prom once again, but this time it was not only for males, as it was for anyone who wanted to participate. On Nov. 9, 34 students c a m e in hopes t h a t students learn how to teach and learn the lessons they are teaching as well.
GRACE BROWNSON
The picture above displays a co-ed volleyball team, Casablockya. They are in a huddle after a timeout was called by the opposing team.
together to help coach, ref and participate in this year’s co-ed volleyball tournament. When talking to some of the participants, they showed a lot of interest in playing volleyball. “I really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to play volleyball on a men’s team for awhile,” Stone Nicholson (12) said. Ben Otto (12) said he looked forward to playing in the tournament again from last year. “I looked forward to playing again this year because it is always well organized and it is a lot of fun to play with my friends,” Otto said. Bryce Nelson (12) said if he was given the opportunity to play again, he would definitely play. “Given the opportunity,
I would definitely play again because while it can be competitive, that’s also what makes it enjoyable and I just really enjoy having a good time with a funloving team,” Nelson said. Student Council allowed all students the chance to play in a fun competitive game of volleyball, a game that is not always available to everyone. Jennifer Wright, adviser of Student Council and an English Dept. member, said providing opportunity to participate in multiple school-sponsored events is a goal of Student Council and they hope to continue this volleyball tournament. This fundraiser raised $185 with all proceeds going toward Prom 2019.
CORPORATE SPONSORS Corporate $250
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THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 4
D N A T S
Stand Together Against Narcotics and Drugs, a voluntary drug testing program for students in grades 8-12, rewards members for participating.
club encourages good choices
RHEANNA VELASQUEZ & MASON GARCIA focus editor & staff writer As the new drug-free club STAND continues to promote a drug-free environment at WHS, the club finds substantive support in membership from the high school’s younger classes. Membership currently stands at 190 students, with eighth graders constituting 22 percent and ninth graders constituting 25 percent of membership, according to Math Dept. member and administrative intern John Karamas. Recognizing eighth and ninth graders as the current highest represented classes, STAND coordinator and assistant principal Heidi Haas identified this as a positive trend in membership. “Now that we have this two year pattern and we have something to look at, we can compare apples to apples. We can say, ‘We had a big eighth grade class. Now we have a big eighth grade and a big ninth grade class.’ If you look at that trajectory moving forward, the hope is that you start to build on what was 187 students, then it’s 300, then it’s 400, then it’s 500. Your hope is that as it has that ripple effect and as it grows, you are reaching more kids who maybe before would have said, ‘I need this, but I’m not joining this club,’” Haas said. Participation by students in the club remains voluntary. Anna Monroe (11), a student who did not join STAND, said she did not believe in the way STAND was
trying to prevent drug usage. “The administration should be focusing money and efforts toward students who are in a predisposition for drug usage because many of the students who suffer or are statistically likely to suffer from drug usage will not join STAND,” Monroe said. Monroe noted that of the students she knew who joined STAND, most did so, “for college apps or because their parents made them.” A BLADE poll, conducted Nov. 16 surveying 150 WHS students, found that 49 percent of respondents joined or were joining the club. Of the students joining the club, 36 percent stated they joined for the free incentives, 30 percent joined for college admissions and parents, 29 percent joined to discourage drug use and 5 percent joined for their sports or clubs. However, according to poll findings, although 49 percent of students joined or were joining the club, 77 percent of all students surveyed believed participation in the club deters drug use. Haas indicated that the inherent value in STAND, regardless of whether or not students join the club, is that STAND initiates dialogue revolving around drug issues and awareness. Referencing a Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 school assembly where Wooster Police Officer Joshua Timko shared his experience policing drugs in the Wooster community, Haas said that afterward, “Teachers came in and said, ‘Wow kids really want to continue talking about this’
or ‘this kid was really affected, it hit home with them, and they want to start asking more questions.’” Evan McGhee (11), STAND member, echoed the sentiment, saying that even if students did not join STAND as a direct result of the presentation, Timko’s presentation provided the student body as a whole with enhanced drug awareness. “It’s all about giving resources to students and families for awareness, for prevention and for rehabilitation,” Haas said. Emphasizing that no punitive measures are taken within STAND, Haas described the club’s community partner, behavioral health agency Anazao, as uniquely positioned in their ability to support WHS students. “Anazao is already embedded in our school system…they have that partnership built in where they could pull that student, where they could work with that student. They have the access… and our visions align in what students will receive: educational awareness, prevention and treatment,” Haas said. Mark Woods, Executive Director of Anazao, said that whether through individual, group or other treatment options, “We will work with students to find effective solutions for their situation. The overall goal is to support the vast number of students who aren’t using substances, and help for those that are.” STAND applications are available in the main officse and due Dec. 21.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DYLAN RUFF
Celebrating their victory, the Academic Challenge team poses with their newly won OCC plaque with their new head coach Dylan Ruff.
Academic Challenge Wins First Place at OCC GRIFFIN MURPHY sports editor This year, the WHS Academic Challenge team won it all, bringing home a first place win in the OCC tournament in Mt. Vernon on Nov. 10. Science Dept. member Dylan Ruff took over coaching the Academic Challenge team this year after fellow Science Dept. member Matthew Balsinger stepped down as the head coach. The 2018-2019 Academic Challenge team consists of 12 students: returning members John Gorman (12), Evan Opatz (12), Olivia VanSickle (11), Sophia VanSickle (11); and new members Tyler Keating (11), Alexis Greene (9), Zachary Keating (9), Molly Snyder (9), Michael Nguyen (9), Hayden Michel (9), Christopher Van (9) and Seth Opatz (9). Tyler Keating said the season has been a success thus far, explaining, “The team did
pretty fantastic, we blew the other teams out of the water.” Keating expressed confidence in how the team did this year and said they will do well in the future competitions, both this year and next. “We have a bunch of strong underclassmen,” Keating said. Additionally, according to Gorman, “Wooster has had a very successful middle school academic challenge program in previous years that really seems to help prepare underclassmen for the high school competitions.” Gorman continued to say that the team looks to be set up well for the future. The competition consisted of seven rounds, with the scores accumulating throughout the entirety of the competition. The next step for the Academic Challenge team is the Tri-County ESC Tournament in January, and they will continue competing heading into the regional tournament.
FOCUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 5
WPD aids families during the holidays RHEANNA VELASQUEZ focus editor
The Wooster Police Department gave an early salute to the Christmas spirit of giving by hosting their annual event, Stuff the Cruiser. Stuff the Cruiser is a 10 year tradition of collecting toys for children in the Wooster community, according to Sergeant Mike Jewell. “The City of Wooster used to have ‘Adopt a Family,’ in which employees would bring in canned goods. I decided that I wanted to collect a lot of canned goods, so I went up to Wal-Mart and parked my cruiser in front of the store. When people asked what I was doing, I told them I was collecting food donations for families in Wooster. Next thing you know, my cruiser is
filling up with food,” Jewell said. Jewell explained that over the course of several years, Stuff the Cruiser morphed into an event for collecting and distributing children’s toys and other donations. Last year, Stuff the Cruiser provided families in the program with carbon monoxide detectors in memory of Wooster Police Dept. member Megan Keller, who passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning in November of 2017. Generous support from WCS staff has extended Stuff the Cruiser’s reach to students throughout the district, including within WHS. WHS secretary Kelly Williams, explained that to nominate students to receive assistance, she and fellow WHS secretary Carissa Timko reach out to guidance counselors, teachers
and custodial staff. Williams said she and Timko then meet with students to fill out a wish list. Williams noted that high school students can fill out the wish list for younger siblings as well. “It is a nice way to remember the holidays for all ages, and a good service for us to do with the community,” Williams said. In recent years, support for Stuff the Cruiser hasn’t dwindled. Instead, the event and its many volunteers continue to spread warm wishes for the holidays to a growing number of some of the community’s youngest members and their families. Stuff the Cruiser sponsored 228 children in 2017, an increase from 160 just two years earlier, according to Jewell. “Every year, I am always surprised by people’s generosity and spirit of giving,” Jewell said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WOOSTER POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK
WPD Sergeant Mike Jewell poses in the back of his cruiser with two young girls during the Christmas event Stuff the Cruiser on Sunday Nov. 25. Patrolman Joshua Timko, who has participated in this event for five years, summarized community support for the event as simply overwhelming. “Each year this gets bigger and bigger...It’s an honor to be part
of such a great cause,” Timko said. WPD officers rolled out their cruisers to collect Stuff the Cruiser donations outside of Wooster’s Wal-Mart from Nov. 23 to Nov. 25.
History Club was started in 1998. Misty Bisesi, the current faculty adviser of History Club, took leadership of the club about six years ago. Bisesi said History Club has many traditions. “Every year we do a Buddy Poppy collection drive for our local VFW. The VFW uses our donations to help local veterans in nursing homes during the holidays,” Bisesi said. According to Bisesi, another tradition for the club is hosting the Veterans Program in May. Veterans from all the wars the U.S. has been in since WWII come in and share their stories with WHS. Both of these traditions started before Bisesi took over, however, she has made some changes to these traditions. One change, according to Bisesi, is the veterans program used to be open only to WWII veterans, but she found further success when she opened it up to veterans from all eras.
The Wooster High School band has many traditions and according to music director, Daniel Adams, “the strongest tradition we have is Script ‘Woo!’.” Script “Woo!” is when the band members spell out Woo! creating an aerial view of the word. According to whsmusic.nvi.net/scriptwoo.htm, Script Woo started in 1988 when Gregory Bank and the other seniors were developing an idea for their senior show, and with the help of Cindy Glass, the assistant director at the time, Script ‘Woo!’ started. As stated on the website, the tradition has adapted to fit the times. When it was created, it was charted for about 130 band members, but because of the increase in members of the band, the charting has shifted. The band also use to perform the same music until the band formed the Woo! Now, however, they use the same music that Ohio State uses for their script, and it has worked out wonderfully, according to the website.
The Lura B. Kean chapter of WHS’ National Honor Society was founded in 1934 and it was named after WHS’ retiring principal at the time. The longest standing tradition of NHS, according to Bell, is the candlelight induction ceremony where the new students officially join NHS. For the ceremony, the inductees sign a membership register that has every year’s inductees’ signature and they state the NHS pledge while holding a candle that was lit from a candelabra with a candle for each pillar. Bell says this tradition has not changed over the last 84 years. Some other traditions include the NHS’ blood drive and poinsettia sale, both of which reflect NHS’ pillars of service.
According to Science Dept. Member Eric Heller, one of the three advisers of Science Club along with Elizabeth Vaerewyck and Dara Wood, Science Club has been around since the ‘90s. Heller explains that Science Club serves as a voluntary extension of the science classes offered at WHS, explaining, “Science Club was established to do things outside of class that we can’t do inside of class...we would never blow up pumpkins in a classroom setting...it’s there for people who love science and it’s a great way to get involved.” Some of the traditions of Science Club are exploding pumpkins, volunteering at Kean Science Night, helping with the plant sale in the spring, and rewiring toys for children with disabilities.
We are Wooster: WHS Club traditions evolve
Blurbs by Maeve Florence-Smith
SPORTS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 6
We are Wooster:
Team traditions continue
KORBIN REED staff writer
Sports teams at WHS have traditions that they follow every year. Teams use traditions to spread more school spirit such as the cheer team, according to cheer coach Duper Pallotta. Other teams, such as the swim team and baseball team, have traditions to bond their teams together and help members get to know each other more. Ambrea Dellafave (12) said the cheerleaders have a tradition they use to spread school spirit for the Homecoming game and last football game. “Every year, for the Homecoming game and our last game of our football season, all of the cheerleaders pair up and decorate the
football players’ houses,” Dellafave said. Pallotta said the cheer team has played a major role in developing that tradition over time. “Years ago, it was just signs in the senior football players’ yards. Then, we decided to go to the next level with decorating their yard and or porches. It was done to boost spirit for both school and community,” Pallotta said. Another way WHS sports teams use traditions is to help create relationships and a team mentality. The swim team holds a tradition called the Wings of Death, which involves first year swim members eating hot wings at CW Burgerstein’s, according to swimmer Thomas Matthew (11). “The Wings of Death create
a bond with the team like no other. It initiates the freshman and first years and helps the team to get to know each other,” Thomas said. The baseball team also has a tradition for superstitious reasons, using a small Buddha statue from the movie Major League, called Jobu. Jobu will “bless” the bats before a game. Baseball player Trevar Meese (12) has taken part in this for four years. “Before games, we take our bats up to Jobu, who’s in the dirt outlined by the circle, and Drew Mills (11), blesses all of our bats so we have a good game,” Meese said. For years, many of the traditions of sports teams within WHS are used for bonding, superstition and growth in school spirit.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW MILLS
Jobu is a fictional deity in the movie Major League. The statue stands next to Pedro Cerrano’s jersey, a main character from the movie who worships the statue throughout it for help with batting.
Annual tourney encourages service HENRY GAMBLE focus editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT DILYARD
Danyon Hempy, a junior guard, dunks the basketball at the AL Van Wie basketball tournament at the College of Wooster on Nov. 18 in the game against Muskingum University. Wooster won 108 to 100.
Named after a former Rotary president, the Al Van Wie Tournament turns 25 this year. The tournament is held in collaboration with The Rotary Club and The College of Wooster and is hosted at the COW. Instead of paying an admission fee to the basketball tournament, spectators are able to, instead, bring canned food that will be donated to a food bank through a partnership with People to People Ministries, according to current Rotary member, Chad Boreman.
The tournament was created by Former Rotary President and COW athletic director, Al Van Wie, and the current men’s COW basketball coach, Steve Moore. Al Van Wie created the tournament because he wanted to create a county wide service project that coordinated with the college after, “looking at the needs of the community and discovering that a food drive was much needed,” according to Boreman. The WHS youth branch of the Rotary Club, Interact Club, “volunteered to box up the donated food and aid in collections,” according to WHS student and Interact Club
member Anna Monroe (11). In addition to the tournament, the Wooster Rotary Club also sponsors a youth basketball clinic where the admission cost to the clinic is a food donation or a fee, both of which are donated to People to People Ministries, according to Wooster Rotary’s website. Through raffle tickets and entrance fees, thousands of dollars and food items are donated to People to People Ministries each year, according to Wooster Rotary’s website. Boreman said that the tournament has been a huge success over the years and makes it a tradition worth continuing.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 7
WCS Board of Education
District reviews GPA standard for student-athletes JOHN GORMAN co-editor-in-chief
W
hile reviewing the proposed WHS athletic handbook for the upcoming year at the Sept. 25 Board of Education meeting, board member Sue Herman voiced concern over the minimum GPA for studentathletes, spurring a discussion about the standards to which WHS holds student-athletes. Currently at WHS, in order for student-athletes to be eligible to participate in their sports, they must have maintained at least a 1.0 GPA in the previous academic quarter and have received passing grades at least five credits worth of classes, not including physical education. Dr. Deborah Moore, senior director of compliance and sports medicine and longest tenured staff member at the OHSAA, explains that required minimum GPAs for studentathletes was made mandatory in 1997 through the passage of Ohio Revised Code 3313.535. This law states that a minimum GPA is required in each school district; however, the actual GPA requirement is left up to each individual board of education.
IMPACT OF GPA FLOOR At the aforementioned board of education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michael Tefs volunteered to collect data regarding how many students are currently ineligible as a result of the GPA minimum and how many would become ineligible if the minimum was
raised to a 1.5 or 2.0. Currently, according to the data collected by Tefs, no WHS student-athletes have below a 1.0 GPA. Four student-athletes are between a 1.0 and 1.5 and three student-athletes are between a 1.5 and 2.0.
ORIGINS OF GPA FLOOR A driving factor for setting the GPA minimum at a 1.0 was the need for WHS to be inclusive, not exclusive, according to Chuck Cooper, WHS athletic director at the time of the adoption of the GPA minimum, which he said originated in the early 2000s. He explains that “maybe college should be the goal, but there are some kids that achieving the high school diploma is going to be the max. We need to serve those kids. We need to do what we can to keep those kids in school. We need to give them reasons to come to school, not reasons to stay home. We need to be inclusive, not exclusive, and I think that if we are going to truly try and serve every kid, then we need to make sure that we are serving every kid, not just the high achievers.” Herman, on the other hand, said holding student-athletes to a 1.0 GPA is doing them a disservice in their academic careers. “I know all the arguments about why we keep it low for these kids who don’t have all the chances and whose parents aren’t supportive and I understand that, and I am not dismissing that at all. However, if their parents aren’t supporting them, if their
parents aren’t encouraging them to study, then somebody needs to. And that is our job. We say that we are a district where academic excellence is key and then we turn out students who can barely study. They are going to be studying and learning the rest of their lives. They are not going to be playing football the rest of their lives or whatever sport it is… If a kid doesn’t know how to study, we should teach him how to study,” Herman said.
STUDY TABLES One suggestion posed by Herman at the Sept. 25 work session was the adoption of mandatory study tables to help student-athletes maintain their GPAs. In the OCC, both Lexington and Mansfield Senior require study tables if a student-athlete’s GPA drops too low, according to their respective athlete handbooks. Cooper explains WHS used to have mandatory study tables when the minimum was first adopted, however, he said the idea was disregarded due to unforeseen issues. “There were a lot of issues that go along with mandatory study tables. If you have a kid who has to miss practice two or three times a week and it’s a real physical sport like football or lacrosse or something and they’re missing conditioning time and that student-athlete then goes out and gets hurt because they missed that time, there’s a liability factor involved… If you’re requiring somebody to attend a study hall and it’s out of season, for example, maybe there’s a
transportation issue Minimum Student that you have to try to respond to in some way. There’s a whole lot ASHLAND 2.0 of, I don’t want to call them landmines, but LEXINGTON 1.5 issues, unseen issues that go along with any MADISON 1.5 kind of mandatory study tables,” Cooper MANSFIELD SENIOR 1.5-2.0 said. Current WHS athletic MOUNT VERNON director Kellar adds, WEST HOLMES “And of course, some of those issues like WOOSTER 1.0 transportation issues, etc. are even more severe for the at-risk GRAPHIC BY CORINNE WILES. DATA FROM EACH kids, it just compiles SCHOOL’S ATHLETIC OR STUDENT HANDBOOKS the problems sometimes.” Cooper clarifies that he does Leone said. not think study tables are a bad In contrast to the statements idea, they just are not as easy to made by Leone, according to implement as it may sound. a Nov. 19 Daily Record article Wooster City Schools Director by Jack Rooney, titled “Wooster of Secondary Education, City Schools to buy property at Richard Leone, said study Oak Hill and Oldman,” Dr. Tefs tables pose a possible solution states that some teams already to the issue, especially since have study tables in place on an they can help each student individual basis. achieve their personal FUTURE PLANS potentials. “I think study tables are something that interests Mr. Both Leone and Herman Keener and myself and I’m sure explain that infrastructure to like Mr. Cooper and Mr. Kellar help students with academics said, working out the logistics already exists, citing the of it. Is it possible? Yeah, it’s Boys and Girls Club as one possible. Is it something that opportunity to engage WHS interests us? Absolutely… Our students in a structured teachers expect our kids to environment in which they are achieve at the highest level that studying and doing homework. they possibly can and most of Board of education president our teachers would say if a kid Bill Gantz mentions that this is getting straight Ds, they’re discussion regarding the GPA probably not achieving to their floor will continue among board potential. If we can get them members and will eventually to their potential, which might lead to a vote to either revise be a C, might be a B-, might be or maintain the board policy an A. Any systems we can put that mandates the 1.0 GPA in place to do that are great,” minimum.
Athlete GPA’s
COVER
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 8
We are Wooster:
For this issue, The Wooster Blade staff looked to encapsulate the uniqueness of Wooster. Despite being a small city, Wooster is composed of a community with distinct traditions and residents. The “We are Wooster” focus aims to feature people of Wooster who deserve recognition. Custodians, teachers and students are covered, as well as school carnivals, the WHS Lip Dub and other measures WCSD schools have taken over the years to garner school spirit, in order to showcase some traditions within our school district and community that represent Wooster.
Blurb by Clara Lee
Window Wonderland brings holiday spirit Mainstreet Wooster hosts numerous events throughout the year, ranging from the Arts Jazz Fest to Window Wonderland in the streets of Wooster. Window Wonderland, a 30 year tradition, brings the Wooster community together to celebrate the holiday season. KEIFER DILYARD staff writer
Wooster’s Window Wonderland is an annual kickoff of the holiday season and one of downtown Wooster’s staple events. The event brings holiday cheer and Christmas spirit into town. According to mainstreetwooster.org, the event includes, “horse drawn carriage rides, beautifully decorated storefront windows, Santa descending from the rooftop, free hot chocolate, live reindeer,” and more. According to Nell Reardon of the Wayne County Historical Society, the event has become one of Wooster’s many traditions, and, she says, “tradition makes a community,
and [this] tradition makes Wooster special.” She also recognizes that the event brings people downtown, and shows them all the community and by extension, the community’s many businesses, have to offer. Lynn Davis, general manager of Wayne Center for the Arts, says the center takes about a month, and dedicates a week to preparation for Window Wonderland. The art center featured live music, a decorated Christmas tree, demonstrations and the chance for children to make their own ornaments. She says that all of the time dedicated to the event is worth it because it, “promotes fellowship, [allows people to] spend time together, and see each other.”
There’s also an added bonus. “The look on a kid’s face when they walk in the door,” as Davis says, is what she really loves about the event. The event can take on even more significance for some, like Janet Plymire, a staff member at Friendtique, a downtown nonprofit that donates all proceeds to LifeCare Hospice. Plymire stated that the establishment, “prepares all year, really.” Through this, she values the, “festive crowds, goodwill, [and] good times.” According, to Reardon, Window Wonderland is a tradition that defines Wooster. The decorated windows, the lighting of the tree, the Christmas spirit, and maybe even some hot chocolate make the event, and the city’s holiday spirit what they are.
Winter Wonderland raises Christmas spirit with Santa coming to Wooster, stores decorating their storefronts and other activities like the Grinch posing for pictures. Photos and blurb by Maddy McCully
THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 9
Wooster Schools host annual
Car n i va ls
LENA WIEBE staff writer Every year, Wooster elementary and middle schools hold carnivals with activities for students and their families. The carnivals function as both a fundraiser for the school and for the PTO. The carnivals are a longstanding tradition among Edgewood Middle School and the elementary schools. Deanna Walenciak, co-chair of Kean’s carnival, says the carnivals are, “a great local
night out for our families in a safe and fun environment. The kiddos make great memories and look forward to coming to their school for such an exciting activity. I’ve visited with parents or teachers who used to be students at Kean and they talk about the great memories they have from coming to the carnival.” Walenciak says the money the carnival raises often goes to funding field trips, buying new books for the school libraries and other similar causes.
Christi Shindollar, a member of Parkview’s PTO, says the carnivals typically offer, “carnival-type games in the classrooms,” as well as, “inflatables outside (weather permitting), face painting, balloon animals, food vendors and a basket raffle.” To Walenciak, the highlight of the Kean carnival is the games in the classrooms. These include anything from, “plinko, football toss, giant Jenga, to Mario Kart, a cakewalk and a dance room,”
Walenciak said. ”There are also balloon animals and face painting, both of which are, a huge hit with the kiddos,” Walenciak continued. To both organizers, the memories children make at their school carnivals are valuable. Shindollar says, “for the students and parents, I think it is one of those childhood events that you always remember. My elementary school had a similar spring Mardi Gras,
and I still have great memories from those events. It takes a lot of work - a lot of planning and a lot of volunteers to pull it off, but it’s always so great to see everyone come together to support our school. I think the kids really look forward to it and I hope they end up with similar memories, too.” Parkview’s carnival was Oct. 27, while Kean’s takes place March 8. Melrose’s carnival will be March 16, Edgewood’s on April 6 and Cornerstone’s on April 13.
As seen in the photos, Edgewood holds their annual carnival in the Edgewood gym.
Photos by Cornerstone staff
FEATURE
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 10 Actors rehearse their lines in costumes, with prop and set pieces at dress rehearsals of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These daily dress rehearsals are used to refine emotional scenes and perfect character exchanges.
Drama Club performs Shakespeare PAULINA SALAZAR staff writer WHS Drama Club’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare will be performed Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. Brett Hiner, director of the play, said he chose this play because he wanted to give students a chance to perform a Shakespearean production and also because of the complexity of his stories. Alexis Florence (12), who plays Titania, the Fairy Queen, said she put in considerable time and effort into understanding her character. “It was just a lot of getting to know the fairy queen. I think actors get better with their performances in having discussions with others.” Elizabeth Perkins (12), plays Puck and has embraced her role. “I like that it’s a challenge and Puck is a lot more different than I am,” Perkins said, explaining her favorite part of the play is her role as Puck. Grace Buchholz (11), plays Hermia and said there are some difficulties in playing her character. “My character, Hermia, has every emotion possible. There are times when she is overjoyed, confused, angry beyond words, and in love. And, I would say that it is hard to keep up emotionally sometimes, but that is also why her character is so unique,” Buchholz said. A Midsummer Night’s Dream tickets are sold online or purchased at the entrance, $10 for an adult, $8 for senior citizens and students.
Graphic by John Gorman Photos by Kristi Hiner and courtesy of Kristin Keating
THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 11
ocks in WHS: WHS
Trend creates fashion phenomena BRYN SAVIDGE staff writer For some, socks may be seen as a practical, dull piece of clothing. However, many acknowledge that this article of clothing has been elevated through design. The commodity is now worn as a fashion piece. Danny Fash (12) comments on this phenomenon. For Fash, “They [novelty socks] are a way to express your style, but be subtle about it.” Fash does not only consider the pattern while buying socks, but quality. He is willing to spend upward of $20 to $30 on a pair of stylish, comfortable socks. But perhaps, that is what makes the obsession for socks so intriguing. While walking or sitting down, pants slightly rise, revealing a glimpse of the
statement clothing that lies underneath, Fash explains. Fash wears his fun printed socks almost anywhere, and even wore them to an interview. “They look pretty spiffy with dress shoes and dress pants,” Fash says. Cooper Murphy (8) adds to Fash’s ideas, saying the socks he chooses to wear are actually more important than the rest of his outfit. “Socks are more important... they’re kind of the same thing as wearing a fun shirt except they are more subtle,” Murphy explains. And, maybe they do indeed carry more weight than other articles of clothing. A 2017 research report by Reportlinker Insight, titled “Socks Industry: Forecasts to 2025,” finds that “the growth of the socks market outpaces the overall growth of the apparel industry.”
Designer clothes, shoes and accessories at amazing prices!
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IB and Key Club work together for a cause ANNA NACCI feature editor
This holiday season, the WHS IB Program and Key Club provide the opportunity to give multiple gifts for the price of one. Three pairs of socks can be bought for $12 from any Key Club or IB student or adviser, according to Key Club adviser and Social Studies Dept. member Paige Arnold. When people buy a pack of socks, the IB program donates half of the proceeds to the National Epilepsy Foundation. Additionally, for every two packs of However, the attention to sock wear is not limited to men’s fashion. Kate Boyer (12) often flaunts socks with graphic designs, and patterns, such as stripes or plaid. She said she prefers to show them off, by rolling up her pants or wearing revealing shoes. Boyer matches her socks to her outfit, and even to her mood, saying, “If I’m feeling fun, I wear socks with patterns...if I’m feeling sad, I wear socks with dark colors.” In addition, Boyer is interested in different styles and materials,
socks sold, the “We Help Two” Foundation donates an extra-warm pair of socks back to the Key Club, who will then donate the socks to a charity of their choice, Victoria Birk, IB director said. The sale began in the last week of October and has been such a success that the IB Department has even run out of socks. From now on, there will be order forms for sock sales, which will be due before WHS’s winter break, which begins on Dec. 22. Aside from the donations of money and socks to various charities, the sock sale also acts as a way to give back such as lace and socks with frills. While contrasting in style with novelty patterns, socks with dainty fabric and embellishments are also making strides in women’s sock fashion. Hannah Almassi from Who What Wear backs up this consumer interest in her 2017 article, reporting search terms such as “lace socks,” “fishnet ankle socks,” and “socks and heels” on Pinterest UK have doubled. Regardless of the style of sock, Fash, Murphy, and Boyer all
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packages sold as of Nov. 28 to the community, as well as those who are less fortunate, explained IB Student Emilie Oswald (11). “It is important for students to get involved in giving back to society because we are given so much,” Oswald said. Due to the success of the sale, Birk said she believes a similar sale will take place again in the future. receive compliments on their unique socks. “Everyone always compliments socks... I think it’s a trend everyone should get on,” Boyer adds. Whether one wears socks for themselves, to display their moods, or their individual styles, or for comfort, the humble sock now holds a powerful role. With a growing number of people using socks as a form of expression, the influence of the sock may only continue to expand beyond the foot.
Correction: In the Nov. 9 issue of The Wooster Blade on page 13, a photo of Matthew Nielsen was falsely attributed to the Nielsen family. The photo was taken by BLADE photographer Theresa Wendell.
A&E
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 12
We Are Wooster:
Music programs enhance student experiences at school
SKYY KHOUNBORIN Wooster provides students of all ages chances to explore the arts through the music programs offered. At WHS, the arts program is a strong academic program, according to Dan Adam. Dan Adams, Music Dept. member for 29 years, says the reason he came to Wooster was due to the strong arts program. “Having a quality music program in a school is a real strength for a community. It draws people to the community. People want to live in a place with a strong arts program,” Adams said. The music program provides students with other opportunities to explore the arts. Douglas Bennett, Music Dept. member, explains, “It makes a tremendous impact in student education. Performing in an ensemble offers you benefits you can’t get anywhere else. It is an outlet to gain confidence and a chance to consume art.” Emily Lay (12), member of orchestra, symphonic band and jazz band, has been part of
MELINA MERA a&e editor
WHS provides students with multiple musical opportunities through music programs, such as choir. According to the WHS Vocal Music Department Handbook, “Our choirs are all about creating music and growing as a musician. If you, the student, love to sing and want to become a better musician, you have scheduled yourself for the right class.” Programs throughout WHS help students express their passion for music. Emily Patterson, Music Dept. member, says choir means so much to her because, “As a product of the WHS Music Department, I, personally, know how participating in a music ensemble has strengthening my learning in other subjects, taught me perseverance, self reliance and responsibility, and how to thrive while working in a community. Additionally, I know the Music Program impacts our student body.” Not only has Patterson been affected by the program, but
her choir students have also been impacted as a result of the class. Students, including Rebecca Discipio (10), Seth Schonfeld (12) and Neena Shell (10) have all been affected by the choir program. Discipio is an alto in choir. Discipio described the importance of choir to her. “[Choir] has made me less closed off and sad I think. It has given me an outlet and a place to make friends,” Discipio said. Schonfeld has an appreciation toward the music program at WHS because it provides students with classes that are unique to others. “The music program allows students to express themselves in ways they can’t in other classes,” Schonfeld said. Shell is also a member of the WHS band, and dance outside of school, explaining that “Music has been a very big part of my life for as long as I can remember.” Shell’s interest in music is rooted in its ability to bring people together and help them connect. Patterson instructs eight choir groups in the WCSD.
Choir
Band & Orchestra
a&e editor
Wooster’s music program for eight years. “I believe that the WHS music program is comparable to a family and everyone works to help each other build each other up,” Lay said. Olivia Frantz (9) plays the flute for the freshman band at WHS. According to Frantz, “I think I impact the music program because everyone has a part not only in marching band, but in concert band as well. One person can make a big difference in band.” Rheanna Velasquez (11), member of orchestra, hopes to spread her love for the music program to other students in the community. “I would hope I not only serve as a positive influence as an example of selfdiscipline and leadership, but more importantly, that I help motivate and inspire other students in cultivating their love for music,” stated Velasquez. Upcoming concerts are on Dec. 10 for the WHS orchestra Holiday Concert and Dec. 11 for the eighth grade band at 7:30 p.m.
JULIA HOOTMAN
Student Council hopes to create a new tradition
staff writer The Lip Dub is not a long-standing tradition at WHS, but some students hope to see it become one. The Lip Dub is, essentially, a music video starring students who lip sync to a song and perform throughout the halls around the high school. “Rehearsing the Lip Dub is somewhat like solving a puzzle. The senior performers must determine their entrances and exits, as well as find the best route to their next locations,” Lip Dub director and drama teacher Kristin Broda. The first Lip Dub occurred in 2013 when the current WHS seniors were in eighth grade, and the only other one, the following year. “I would not consider the Lip Dub to be a tradition, but I would love to see it become one. “We’re so excited to bring this event back and to introduce the rest of the school to this activity,” Student Council President Lexi Nolletti (12) said. The WHS Lip Dub is set to be filmed Nov. 30.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 13
Album and movie releases entertain and disappoint Robin Hood remake compels, but falls short
SOPHIE GAMBLE staff writer
Rating:
Ballads 1 debuts, solidifies new talent
JACOB NURSE staff writer
Rating:
Trippie Redd reflects on love and hardship
HOLLY MILLER cover editor
Rating:
Robin Hood, released Nov. 21, starring Jamie Foxx as John, and Taron Egerton as Robin Hood, did not completely live up to its name. Set during the Crusades in Nottingham, England, a city corrupted by wealth and power, the movie retells the tale of English folklore outlaw named Robin Hood. The storyline is action-packed and kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the film because of its dramatic battle scenes, plot and powerful love story. The story tells of an
unpredictable alliance and friendship. The background on Robin Hood is detailed and is helpful for anyone who does not know the story before watching the movie. On the other hand, the story is so packed full of action that it becomes difficult to follow and does not allow for viewers to sympathize completely with any of the characters. Robin Hood does not focus enough on the moral behind this storybook tale and instead focuses too much on unnecessary details.
Although the story of Robin Hood has an very important meaning, this film does not reflect the true meaning behind the tale, which is that the ends justify the means. In an unjust society, it is often necessary to break the law to restore a balance of wealth and power. There is not a part of the film that is particularly poor quality, however, I was very disappointed by the film as a whole. This movie is yet another failed attempt to remake a classic tale in a modern style.
George Miller, working under his stage name Joji, has solidified his professional music career with the release of his second full length studio album. Prior to now, he was a YouTube personality who went under the name Filthy Frank or Pink Guy, releasing comedy songs until his talent got recognized by 88rising, a major recording label. Joji released his album Ballads 1 on Oct. 26. It reveals his full potential and style. Most of the songs on this album deal with heartbreak, loneliness and
the reality of love. While his songs come off as depressing, his nonchalant singing style compliments his vocal range to create an emotional and beautiful project. The album also contains very upbeat songs, such as “Why am I still in LA.” These songs show that it’s good to be happy sometimes and that happiness is part of reality-- a prominent theme throughout the album. The most popular song, “Slow Dancing in the Dark” has gotten much recognition from the public and has driven the album to debut at number three
on the Billboard Top 200. The album features popular up-and-coming rapper, Trippie Redd, who complements Joji on the song “R.I.P.” Joji and Trippie Redd are a good pairing because they have a lot of similarities in their musical styles and both have unique voices. Altogether, the project displays a wonderful and realistic representation of Joji’s musical talent and should be listened to by everyone regardless of your own personal music taste. I would give it four stars out of five.
Canton born rapper, Trippie Redd, released his third installment to his studio mixtape, A Love Letter to You. A Love Letter to You 3 presents his usual acoustic and electric guitar instrumentals behind meaningful lyrics that express his emotions following his recent break up with his longtime girlfriend. The studio mixtape opens with the best song on the album “Topanga.” This song is more upbeat than Trippie Redd’s usual music and is not focusing on the hardship of his previous relationship. The beat instantly
puts me in a good very mood and the use of high pitched vocals behind him rapping is the perfect combination of sounds. The third track “Toxic Waste” is references previous relationship with Alek$. Trippie Redd raps about his true emotions regarding the toxic relationship in which he was involved, singing, “Even though it isn’t healthy won’t you help me?” His lyrics develop him into a person that listeners feel like they can personally relate to. Another standout song is
the fifth track, “Can’t Love,” which has a phenomenal beat accompanied by his well known, unique high pitched vocals. This studio mixtape features well known rappers, including Tory Lanez, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Juice Wrld. Trippie Redd also expands from the popular artists that listeners usually hear, by featuring Emani22, Baby Goth and Kodie Shane. Trippie Redd’s use of his high pitch vocals over his beats makes A Love Letter to You 3 a unique album.
TRENDS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 14
Shop Small Saturday in downtown Wooster
MADISON HELMS staff writer
Shop Small Saturday is a national business holiday that promotes shopping at local businesses and is held every Saturday after Thanksgiving. Shop Small Saturday has taken place in Wooster for the past five years, promoting local businesses and providing citizens with unique gifts for the holiday season, according to Katie Foster, communication and events coordinator at the Chamber of Commerce Foster said Shop Small Saturday was implemented in Wooster because the Chamber of Commerce sees the importance of including local community. Foster also said Shop Small Saturday is an impactful event for local businesses. “What Shop Small Saturday is about is including our community to shop local instead of at big corporations,” Foster said.
When it comes to Shop Small Saturday 2018 in Wooster, it was a success for local businesses and holiday shoppers alike. Foster says that this Saturday was, “very successful for businesses and people enjoyed going places they wouldn’t otherwise.” When it comes to the business aspect, Ben Stock, owner of Books in Stock, said the day had great benefits for locally owned businesses. Books in Stock has participated in Shop Small Saturday since it began in Wooster and has done so, “not just because I’m a business owner, but I believe it is important for people to support their local businesses,” Stock said. Business owners see the positive effect of Shop Small Saturday. “It is a good day of sales that bring a lot of people downtown that normally would not,” Stock says of business on Shop Small Saturday.
While Shop Small Saturday focuses on supporting businesses, community members can benefit from it as well. Community member Kaylee Pritchett attends Shop Small Saturday every year in order to support local businesses, as well as to get good deals on interesting items that can not be found in your everyday store. Pritchett enjoys Shop Small Saturday because it, “is a fun experience that allows me to both shop and give back to my community” Shop Small Saturday helps local businesses get exposure to more community members. According to the Farm Bureau Financial Services, Shop Small Saturday was started in 2010 by the credit card company, American Express, in order to help small businesses gain additional exposure and to change the way consumers shop within their own community during the holiday season.
DAVID CHENG
Black Friday shifts to the internet Graphic by Corinne Wiles
views editor Black Friday: the day following Thanksgiving, iconic for its crowds, savings and chaos. However, this American tradition seems to be making a shift, instead of physically going to the store, the store comes to the customer. According to the article “Why Do We Call It ‘Black Friday’?” written by Hilary Stout in The New York Times, the term “Black Friday” was first used in an article by The New York Times in 1870, referring to the day the gold market collapsed, and, in more recent times, it was used by police officers who dealt with, “bad traffic and other miseries connected to the
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Small businesses in Wooster, Blue Spruce (1), Wooster Natural Foods (2), and The Urban Cottage (3), bring shoppers in with festive storefronts. PHOTOS BY JACOB GOOCH throngs of shoppers heading for the stores.” However, the tradition of waiting in line until midnight seems to be making a shift toward the internet with the slow decline of retail. In 2017, in the article “The Great Retail Apocalypse of 2017” by Derek Thompson from The Atlantic states, “But several trends—including the rise of e-commerce, the over-supply of malls, and the surprising effects of a restaurant renaissance— have conspired to change the face of American shopping.” In that same article from The Atlantic, with the rise of e-commerce, online shopping has taken off and Americans are just buying a lot more online than they used to. Thompson mentions that the revenue
for Amazon between 2010 and 2016 quintupled from 16 billion, to 80 billion. To take into perspective, Sears revenue for 2016 was 22 billion dollars. Amazon had grown by about three times the revenue of Sears in just six years. Not only that, but according to a Consumer Intelligence Research Partners report about Amazon from October of last year, Amazon Prime members, Amazon’s subscription based service, represent about 63 percent of Amazon’s U.S. customers. Taking a look at major companies and online stores, such as Amazon, Best Buy and Wal-Mart, the stores have already released huge deals one week before Black Friday, including deals for Cyber Monday.
VIEWS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 15
Should holiday spirit be allowed before Thanksgiving? Holiday spirit provides happiness to participants
Limiting amount of time spent celebrating holidays reduces stress
MOLLY SCHNEIDER
JACOB GOOCH
trends editor
You walk into the store. Christmas music is playing, holiday decorations are set out and you see the fake pine trees all set up, what season feeling do you get? Many people get into the holiday spirit, and with this, brings joy. During the year, people start to experience different emotional changes as seasons pass. The transition from the warm summer weather to the cold winter is one that can be hard for some people. This hard transition, however, can be cured with the thought that the holiday season is coming up, so starting to celebrate early can help. One of the biggest complaints about the holidays is that department stores set out their decorations too early. This, however, can be a big help to some because if they would like to set up their decorations, they have an option to, even in October. Another reason that the holidays should be celebrated early is because of the amazing holiday music. The music should not be rejected because music can often cure the soul and many people enjoy listening to it. It is also just another genre of music, so listening to this genre should be allowed in every season. Overall, because the holidays often makes people experience positive emotions, people should have the ability to celebrate this holiday earlier if it makes them happier.
Should lights be hung and Christmas songs sung before the Thanksgiving feast touches a tongue?
webmaster
Graphics by Griffin Murphy, and photo by Maddy McCully
As I stated in the Dec. 16, 2016 issue of The Wooster Blade Blade, the holidays have a multitude of issues associated with them and beginning the festive season sooner only extends the impact of the already prevalent issues. Now I will admit, I truly enjoy the giving season and its many positive benefits, including the fact that this is a time that brings families together and of course offers wonderful food options, but as I wrote in the Dec. 16 issue, the side-effects of the food and family can lead to dire consequences. Rachel Brown, RN, LDN wrote for the Obesity Action Coalition, in an article entitled, “Emotional and Healthy Eating During the Holidays,” the holidays are a clear cause of weight gain through emotional eating and the abundance of food at a person’s disposal. Brown, zeroes in on the holidays causing stress which leads to, “emotional eating.” A simple method to prevent this form of, “stress eating,” as it is usually called, is to mitigate it in the first place. One effective way to mitigate is to decrease time, therefore exposure to the holidays and this stress eating. According to a 2017 article published by Market Watch Watch, entitled, “The U.S. is the most obese nation in the world, just ahead of Mexico,” as reported in an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study. This figure obviously will not be solved simply by decreasing the length of holidays, but less time to stress eat cannot hurt.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | NOV. 30, 2018 | PAGE 16
WOOSTER
BLADE
Editors-in-Chief John Gorman, Alexa Mitchell Webmaster Jacob Gooch Graphics Manager Jacob Gooch, Catherine Strong Business Manager Anna Nacci On Campus Editor Clara Lee Investigative Feature Editor Alexis Florence Focus Editor Henry Gamble, Rheanna Velasquez, Emily Jewell Sports Editor Reece Mitchell, Griffin Murphy A & E Editors Skyy Khounborin, Melina Mera, Catherine Strong Trends Editor Molly Schneider, Corinne Wiles Cover Editors Maddy McCully, Holly Miller, Rachael Schmidt Views Editors David Cheng, Alec Pauley Feature Editors Anna Nacci, Gina Van Lieu Staff Writers Keifer Dilyard, Maeve FlorenceSmith, Sophie Gamble, Mason Garcia, Madison Helms, Julia Hootman, Jacob Nurse, Korbin Reed, Leo Riley, Paulina Salazar, Bryn Savidge, Mya Vandegrift, Theresa Wendell, Lena Wiebe Head Photographer Maddy McCully Photographers Grace Brownson, Alexis Florence, Jacob Gooch, Maddy McCully, Reece Mitchell, Rachael Schmidt, Theresa Wendell Artists Haley Balas, Catherine Strong 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 thewoosterblade.com
OUR VIEW
THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL
THE
Public displays of affection are a distraction to the school environment The Wooster Blade Editorial Board has noticed throughout the 2018-19 school year that PDA has become an issue within our hallways. To begin, PDA, in a public school system, is both inappropriate and disruptive. The WHS student handbook, on pages 22-23, lists PDA as, “disobedient/disruptive behavior, unwelcome sexual contact, and public displays of affection, sexual activity, or indecent exposure.” These actions have escalating consequences that can lead to detention, suspension, and/or expulsion. As students at WHS, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes it is important to remind our fellow students that these actions make other students very uncomfortable in an environment in which we should clearly have respect for one another and are in violation of school policy. Assistant principal Heidi Haas explains that not all physical contact is considered inappropriate PDA and some actions should not be punished. If an act of, “PDA disturbs the peace or interferes with the learning process
of either the ones involved or anyone who can see,” then it is inappropriate and should be brought to the attention of a teacher to be warned or punished, according to Haas. Kissing in the hallways or stairwells is an example of disruptive PDA and The Wooster Blade Editorial Board acknowledges that PDA often happens in places where teachers are not patrolling to stop them. All students at WHS need to realize who they are affecting and how with their excessive PDA. Haas says if a teacher sees an act of PDA in the hallway, she hopes they are capable of dealing with it appropriately. Though escalating the situation and possibly embarrassing the students involved is not the goal, enforcement will still be delivered if a student fails to heed a warning, Haas says. If a student sees excessive PDA in the high school, then Haas says there are two ways that a student should respond. First, if a student sees a friend engaging in inappropriate PDA, then this student should handle the situation in a mature way.
If this does not work for any reason, then secondly, the student should inform a teacher and then have the teacher deal with the situation appropriately. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board recognizes relationships between students exist, but also feels the need to bring attention to some excessive amount of canoodling that has been witnessed by the editorial board throughout the high school. Haas says she has not had many reports of excessive PDA or other disturbances, but also notes she does not see much outside of the eighth grade hallway, and when teachers are around, there often is not a concerning amount of PDA. Haas says teachers are doing the best they can to watch out for disturbances due to unwanted and excessive PDA. As students who share this building, we should be considerate of one another. This is a place of learning where we mature into adults, and along with that maturity, we need to understand that PDA is not acceptable in an academic environment.
CORRIDOR You have the opportunity to play any sport you want. - Kayla Lang (9) The diversity of people, the opportunities that are provided and all the different clubs for all different people. - Hallie Wilks (9)
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT WOOSTER? The staff is supportive and cares about the students of the school. - Anna Cichello (11)
The close personal relationships between teachers and students. - Anna Birk (12)
It offers many clubs and sports for everyone that other schools may not have. - Hannah Johnson (10)