The Wooster Blade, Volume XVIII, Issue 10

THE WOOSTER BLADE

WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER 515 OLDMAN ROAD, WOOSTER, OH MARCH 1, 2018 VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 10

Examining the impact of education on students’ lives

Graphics by Matthew Lorentz Photo by Maddy McCully

Index:

On Campus 2-3 Focus 9-13 Cover 16-20 Feature 26-29 A&E 4-8 Sports 21-25 Trends 14-15 Views 30-32

ON CAMPUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 2

New electives: ALEXA MITCHELL The robotics elective at WHS allows students with engineering abilities to further their programing, teamwork and hands-on skills.

This is the first year the robotics class has been offered at WHS. This year will help decide what they will do for the following years.

Students have one project to work on during the year, which involves building a robot with a team. Students’ grades are based on their robot performance during scrimmages that are held throughout the year. Adam Frank (11), Luke Frantz (11), Tyson Taras (11) and Owen Holman (12) are one of the two teams in the robotics class.

This year, the teams plan on going to two or three tournaments.

Next year, the teams would like the

opportunity to go to more tournaments. The robot’s goal during competition is to pick up, move and stack cones, along with playing defense and blocking the other robots from scoring.

“After each scrimmage or tournament, my team and I work on adapting our robot to the competition,” Taras said.

Frank explains that the goal of the robot stays the same throughout the year.

“It’s the same goal at the competition, but you take time to develop the robot better,” Frank said.

Frantz explains that being on a team with friends has made it more enjoyable and fun because of the travel and amount of time they are together.

“It’s more of a sport aspect than anything,” Frantz said.

Next year, the program is hoping to expand from two teams to four teams to get more students involved.

Exploring additions to Wooster High School’s course offerings

ERIN O’DONNELL Beginning in the 201819 school year, the English Dept. will add a new elective: mythology.

Mythology will be a onesemester elective course, open to all grades 9-12 and will count as one half English credit toward graduation.

WHS offered a mythology course before, taught by former English Dept. member Sue Herman and others, and it was a popular elective years back, English Dept. member Diane

What’s Inside?

a closer look at the On Campus section

ERIN O’DONNELL

2

EXPLORING NEW AND RETURNING ELECTIVES AT WHS FOR 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR

3

WHS SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM MEMBERS QUALIFY TO STATE AND NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

The WHS Math Dept. is adding a new statistics course in the 2018-19 school year.

Statistics and Transitions to College Math is a two-semester, one credit course offered to any student who has taken Algebra II. Until this year, WHS has offered statistics as an AP course, and the thought of this level course can intimidate many students, according to Math Dept. member and AP Statistics teacher, Tim Gallagher.

Mealey said.

With its reinstatement, Mealey said the course will focus primarily on Egyptian, Norse, Indian and Native American mythology, because students in tenth grade English learn basic Greek mythology.

Mealey explained the importance of understanding mythology to understand many facets of life around us.

“Studying mythology gives students a good understanding of pop culture, history, art, English,” Mealey said, noting the popularity of mythological allusions in each of those areas.

The course description booklet expands upon that point,

adding mythology’s roles in contemporary art, advertising, geography and science.

English Dept. member Rebekah Bell adds that mythology could be a way to bring interest to unenthused students.

“A lot of reluctant readers are interested in stories with myth backgrounds. Whether it be Marvel comics, or even Thor, students seem to connect well with myth-based literature,” Bell said.

The course will include projects and compositions, including an original myth written by the student, per the course description booklet.

The new course will cover the same material as the AP course, but will cover less material than its AP counterpart, while adding other college-readiness math practice lessons.

AP Statistics is slated to cover 12 chapters next year, according to Gallagher, whereas Statistics and Transitions to College Math will cover six, as well as include ACT preparation and a review of Algebra II topics.

Math Dept. member Chris Mascotti-Rasor recommends the class to students coming out of Algebra II or College Algebra, who want to continue with math, but are wary of an

AP course.

She continued to say that having a background in statistics is very important for those going on to college or the workforce.

The course selection guide echoes this sentiment, stating: “Statistics is relevant and applicable to almost every undergraduate degree. It is to the student’s advantage to have an understanding of the basic concepts of statistics and have had practice making informed statistical decisions about real data.”

Students must take Algebra II as a prerequisite to the course.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 3

Wooster Speech and Debate : 32 members prepare for state competition

SKYY KHOUNBORIN

pion.

matic interpretation at the state The national tournament will

state tournament.

audience about philosophies in

On Feb. 3, the WHS speech and debate team competed in the Little District Tournament. At this tournament, all participants

tournament is surreal. It means

This tournament determined state tournament.

Lauderdale.

can share it with the country. I only.

at the tournament, three people state tournament. pete at the national tournament.

These people include: Bryn

tional tournament and will be ism in society.

The state tournament will take Akron, Ohio to compete at Our

Balas said.

Wooster School District Safety Meeting

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To what extent do you think the discussion at this meeting will affect the district’s next course of action?

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THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 4

The Hate U Give explores social issues

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Kyoto experiments with new genres unique contemporary twist.

He experimented with a new music. Typically, his music is more aggressive lyrics, but in Kyoto, he introduced more of an R&B feel with singing as opposed to just rap.

The new sound is not Tyga’s

CORINNE WILES CATE STRONG

a closer look at the A&E section

What’s Inside?

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas provides insight into the Black Lives Matter Movement and appeals to a large demographic of readers.

The Hate U Give follows a black American girl named Starr, who has witnessed her unarmed friend being shot to death by a police officer.

Starr balances two worlds: the poor black community in which she lives and the predominately white private school she attends. The ensuing plot follows Starr’s life after the killing. The novel reads like a young adult book, but deals with much heavier themes than most.

Being Caucasian, I cannot review the story from the point

4 5 6 7 8

of view of a black American.

But, part of the genius of the book is that it can allow anyone to relate to the novel, even if they are not a black American.

The Hate U Give also presents an excellent narrative for people outside of those affected by police brutality. The first person perspective of a character directly affected by a killing provides a narrative that is often lost in the news, where focus is on whether the victim was armed or engaged in criminal activity.

The Hate U Give does not tell a new story, one of a black American being shot by a police officer, but it tells a story from a perspective to which all readers can relate.

BLADE STUDENTS REVIEW RECENT ENTERTAINMENT THE DIVIDE BETWEEN FANS AND CRITCS EXPLORED LOOKING AT EXAMPLES OF FAILURES IN THE ARTS EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF #METOO IN HOLLYWOOD ROUNDTABLE ABOUT INTEGRATION OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

February 16, American rapper, Tyga released his most recent album titled Kyoto.

Kyoto was not a mainstream rap/hip-hop album as it has an

he also collaborated with a time, including Gucci Mane and Tory Lanez.

Tyga did a great job pairing the vibes from the song with the featured artists. For example, Gucci Mane’s voice in “Sip A Lil,” complemented

the instrumentals throughout the song.

Kyoto has an impressive collection of songs. The second track titled, “Leather in the Rain,” features talented vocalist Kyndall, who has the perfect voice to match the tropical beat and the bassline.

In addition to “Sip A Lil” and “Leather in the Rain,” my other favorites are also “Hot Soup,” “Holdin’ On” and “Boss Up,” the earlier released single.

I enjoyed Tyga’s raw emotions and how he beats and vocals in Kyoto.

Black Panther pushes boundaries

CHRISTOPHER ROCHE focus editor

Ryan Coogler’s latest entry into the Marvel cinematic universe, with Black Panther, is an excellent addition to the superhero genre.

Through exceptional storytelling, slick costume design, outstanding acting and an energetic soundtrack, Coogler has crafted a superbly told and high-octane superhero movie.

The movie’s story follows the prince of Wakanda, played

by Chadwick Boseman, as he deals with becoming king of the technologically advanced nation that is shrouded from the rest of the world. Chadwick Boseman does an incredible

job playing the super-powered prince of Wakanda.

The movie features excellent performances from the notable cast. Most impressive is the performance of Michael B. Jordan as the movie’s main villain Erik Killmonger.

Jordan’s character, Killmonger, is a villain that breaks the routine and bland mold for most superhero villains.

Jordan’s character can even be seen as a sympathetic super villain.

One thing that stood out to me most while watching the movie was its vibrant costume design.

The costumes, throughout the film, use both striking colors and stylish design to appeal to the eye of the audience. While the film’s setting, Wakanda, is clearly futuristic, its eyecatching costumes are rooted in Africa’s past. According to an article in NPR titled “‘Black Panther’ Costume Designer Draws On ‘The Sacred Geometry Of Africa,’’

by Mallory Yu, Ruth Carter, the costume designer for Black Panther, drew her inspiration for the costumes from the colors

and shapes traditionally found within African tribes.

The soundtrack of the movie is exceptionally notable as it features mostly a selection of rap, was curated by distinguished rapper Kendrick Lamar and has already debuted at number one on the album charts.

The music spotlights many different artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Khalid, Vince Staples, The Weekend, SZA and many more. The songs played during specific scenes always seem to match what is happening on screen. Whether it is a heart pounding car chase or an intense action sequence, the music artfully blends with the action and character development.

Black Panther is my favorite Marvel movie by far because of the way it steps out of the traditional superhero movie mold by attempting to tackle some real world issues like race.

I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for an action packed and thought provoking superhero movie.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 5

Top 10 Reviewed Movies Rating 99% 100% 99% 99% 97% 100% 100% 98% 99% 98%

Title The Wizard of Oz Citizen Kane The Third Man Get Out Mad Max: Fury Road The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari All About Eve Inside Out Metropolis E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Year (1939) (1941) (1949) (2017) (2015) (1920) (1950) (2015) (1927) (1982)

Metacritic

Metacritic is another website that commonly features movie reviews.

Metacritic not only features reviews of movies, but also features reviews of TV shows, music and video games.

The Metacritic score is generated by averaging the scores from multiple different reviews to come up with one numbered Metacritic score.

According to the Metacritic website, the idea of Metacritic was born in 1999. The website explains, “It [Metacritic] began as a simple idea back in the summer of 1999: a single score could summarize the many entertainment reviews available for a movie or a video game. Metacritic’s three founding members… launched the site in January 2001 and Metacritic has evolved over the last decade...”

Metacritic has been a site for reviews since it launched in 2001.

EVAN DOAN a&e editor

Fans and critics have been increasingly at odds regarding whether or not certain movies are worth seeing.

Rotten Tomatoes, a popular movie-rating site, has a ‘critic score’ and ‘audience score’ for

each movie. Recent titles such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Netflix original Bright have seen stark contrasts in these different scores.

According to an article from Polygon, published Dec. 28, 2017, Star Wars: The Last Jedi received a “Certified Fresh” score of 91 percent from critics, while over 100,000 fan reviews

Rotten Tomatoes is one of the more popular movie critic sites on the internet.

Rotten Tomatoes features a unique “tomatometer,” which, according to the Rotten Tomatoes website, “is a trusted measurement of movie and TV programming quality for millions of moviegoers.”

The tomatometer represents a percentage of positive reviews from a professional critic for a certain movie or T.V. show. Rotten Tomatoes also features an audience rating that comes from the Rotten Tomatoes users. The audience score is based on Rotten Tomatoes users’ thoughts on movies or T.V. shows.

According to the Rotten Tomatoes website, it is the, “leading online aggregator” of professional critic reviews for T.V. shows and movies.

Rotten Tomatoes is an extremely popular destination to discover fresh new movies and television.

WHS students who do not consult movie reviews WHS students who consult movie reviews

60%

Blurbs by Christopher Roche

gave it an average audience score of 56 percent. In contrast, Netflix’s Bright was lambasted by critics with a 27 percent rating, but earned an 89 percent audience score.

There are a variety of theories as to why these scores are so different. Chief culture writer for Five Thirty Eight, Walt Hickey, writes that audience

scores may be significantly weighed down if certain aspects of the film are culturally controversial.

Additionally, Hickey explains that Internet rating systems for movies are inherently flawed, pointing out that some movies may have tens of thousands of reviews before even reaching theaters.

40%

Graphics by David Cheng and Matt Lorentz

Rank 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Rotten Tomatoes

The critic “tomatometer” can have a significant impact on a movie’s box office performance, according to a Sept. 20, 2017 article from Vox titled, “Rotten Tomatoes, explained,” by Alissa Wilkinson. The article states that the box-office performance of low budget films is largely dependent on its Rotten Tomatoes critic score.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 6

Failures in the Arts : The Room DAVID CHENG actor Tommy Wiseau released The Room, for a short run and the response was not what Wiseau expected. week run, it grossed a mere $1,800 to its $6,000,000 budget and was declared the worst movie ever made by many critics.

The reason it was so poorly received by critics hinges on the

The Room Became the Biggest Cult Film of the Past Decade,” almost immediately disappear and characters go through immediate mood swings. These are just a few of the many issues that critics cited within their poor reviews.

However, over a decade later, meme and cult classic huge following.

After hundreds of showings attended by celebrities, the rumor

to Vulture in the article “How

The Rocky Horror Picture Show CATHERINE STRONG Cult-classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show initially received criticism as it was marked as an unmemorable film, according to an article by Chicago-Sun Times critic Roger Ebert.

Starting as a British stage show in 1973, Rocky Horror first opened on June 19, 1973, at the Royal Court Theatre in London, England. The original script and music was written by

the Rocky Horror IMDb page at imdb.com.

The 1975 film, of the same title, follows the plot of the original musical. A newly down outside a castle where they ask to use the telephone.

The young couple stumbles upon a party full of oddly dressed people dancing to the “Time Warp.” The party is hosted by an androgynous alien who offers to let the couple stay the night.

The film was first released

to an empty theater in 1975, according to The New York Times Doing the Time Warp, Forever,”

by Marc Spitz.

The film gained a large following when it was booked at the Waverly Theater in New York in 1976. According to line up wearing costumes and carrying props.

Rocky Horror plays weekly in about 75 theaters across the country for midnight showing Doing the Time Warp, Forever.”

Show

showings of the movie just to see what it was about.

In 2010, a video game about internet are endless.

Furthermore, James Franco and Seth Rogen wrote and directed a biographical comedy, The Disaster Artist. Franco portrays

with a

addresses the behind the scenes

private famous of the

of The Room receiving an Oscar Nomination, Franco also won a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 7

EVAN DOAN a&e editor

On Oct. 5, 2017, two investigative reporters from The New York Times broke a story uncovering decades of sexual abuse from one of Hollywood’s most prominent moguls, Harvey Weinstein, sparking a movement that has shaken the movie industry to its core and unseated numerous prominent people in positions of power.

According to a USA Today

article titled “Weinstein fallout: more than 100 men accused of sexual assault,” published Jan. 30, since the Weinstein article broke in October, over 100 high powered men have been accused of sexual misconduct in Hollywood.

Household names, including Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K. and James Franco have all come under fire in recent months with numerous allegations surfacing against each one.

Each of these men, and many

James Franco

others, have been subsequently dropped from their respective projects following the allegations.

An Entertainment News article titled, “Why Hollywood Won’t Ever Be the Same After the #MeToo Movement— Because It Can’t,” published Jan. 7, cites numerous factors contributing to the sudden and long overdue #MeToo movement. According to the article, the worldwide women’s march held Jan. 21, 2017, was

George Takei White Roses

Oprah Winfrey

Kevin Spacey Tamara Burke Witch-hunt

has impacted every aspect of Hollywood and has dominated the conversation at every awards ceremony since its conception. Many in attendance at the Golden Globes chose to wore black as a sign of respect for the ever-growing movement against sexual harassment.

The long-term effects of the #MeToo movement have yet to be seen, but with new allegations surfacing each week, it continues to dominate discussions in Hollywood.

Harvey Weinstein Time’s Up

SEXUAL ASSAULT Women’s Rights

a defining moment in the fight for women’s rights, and showed a demand for respect as well as a willingness to work together to enact change.

Additionally, a surge in women nominated for awards in film, such as top Emmy awards for women-led shows, including The Handmaid’s Tale and Big Little Lies, have all contributed to a shift away from the male-dominated culture of Hollywood.

The #MeToo movement

#MeToo

Matt Lauer

Alyssa Milano Silence Breakers

Bill O’Reilly

NICK COSMO a&e editor

While the movement has received copious amounts of support, some have begun to criticize the increasing sexual misconduct allegations that have recently been surfacing in Hollywood.

An article published by The

Guardian on Jan. 13 titled “Liam Neeson says harassment allegations are now ‘a witchhunt’,” outlines how Neeson criticized movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up, saying that some of the accused have gotten worse treatment than they deserve, and that the response certain individuals received from the community was unwarranted or excessive.

Neeson is not the only one to raise such concerns, as international celebrities have voiced similar views and concerns.

As BBC reported on Jan. 14, in an article entitled “France’s celebrity pushback against ‘MeToo’,” 100 French women, including actress Catherine Deneuve, went so far as to accuse the movement of inspiring

hate of men, not just targeting individual perpetrators.

Some have criticized people that have not shown enough support for the movement, especially those who have a platform that could be used to draw more attention to the campaign.

USA Today pointed out on Jan. 8, in the article “Not one male Golden Globes winner

mentioned #MeToo or Time’s Up in their speeches,” that the accomplished men failed to use their acceptances speeches to vocalize support for the movement, while many women seized the opportunity, most notably Oprah Winfrey.

However, in spite of this, the movement continues to industry.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 8

WHS educators convene to discuss STEM, humanities and the arts AMBER SWIGART co-editor-in-chief

On Feb. 27, staff members of The Wooster Blade gathered teachers from multiple departments to foster a discussion about the relationship between STEM classes and the humanities.

Teachers voice opinions on education “History is a lot like science. You gather data.

We call it primary and secondary documents...

History is analysis. History is taking data and painting a picture,” Bryan Ehrlinspiel, History Dept. member, said.

“As elementary school students . . . kids get used to doing cross-curricular projects. But then in junior high [and] high school, things get so compartmentalized,” Erin Petruzzi, Science Dept. member, said.

“A lot of people wouldn’t buy things if they weren’t asthetically pleasing, and that is where the artistic nature of art is, in that we surround ourself with beauty,” Tricia Taggart, Art Dept. member, said.

“In education, we all understand the pros to having that well-rounded student. You have to be well-rounded and have experience in multiple disciplines to be successsful at the next level,” Nathan Greene, Computer Science teacher, said.

“We are asking students to have tolerance for one another. Not just in school, but out in the world... We just had a discussion about how we share so much in common, but all we can really do right now is advocate for ourselves when, in turn, I think we should be advocating for each other,” Emily Patterson, Music Dept. member, said.

“We teach them prospective sketching [in IED], difference between oblique and isymmetric... and sketching in their engineer’s notebooks,” Dylan Ruff, Science Dept. member, said.

FOCUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 9

College of Wooster offers community audit program

JOHN GORMAN In addition to serving roughly 2,000 undergraduates, the College of Wooster provides local residents an opportunity to take one class each semester at no cost, according to their website.

“The purpose of this program is to provide for the continued growth and development of community members, strengthen the relationship between the community and the College, and enrich the learning environment at the College,” according to the audit Photo courtesy of Melany Le

application.

To participate in the audit program, an individual must be accepted as an auditor by the Registrar at the COW and pay for any course materials or texts associated with the class.

Additionally, the class must have room after all students are registered and continued approval of the class professor is needed. The program does not accept high school students.

Classes without prerequisites such as history, political science and introductory language classes are much more popular among community members, according to Karen Parthemore, Assistant to the Dean for Curriculum and Academic

Post secondary offers alternative option for accelerated high school students

What’s Inside?

a closer look at the Focus section

SKYY KHOUNBORIN

9 10 11 12 13

POST-SECONDARY AND COMMUNITY ALEESHA VAUGHN AUDIT PROGRAMS EXAMINED MAYOR BRENEMAN OUTLINES CITY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS FEDERAL POLICY AND STATISTICS ON IMMIGRANTS LISTED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS NAMED HONORARY JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS WCSD AND COMMUNITY ADDRESS SCHOOL SAFETY

Engagement.

Some departments, including studio art and music, are not a part of the audit program, however.

Parthemore also states that about 10 individuals take advantage of the program each semester, with about half of those being returning program users. A large percentage of these program users are retirees looking to continue to their pursuit of knowledge, according to Parthemore.

While auditing any classes at the College of Wooster may provide a fruitful learning experience, no college credit is awarded for courses taken through the audit program.

Post-secondary classes present a pathway for students where they can take college classes while still enrolled in high school.

Students at WHS can take post secondary classes at Akron Wayne or OSU/ATI. In post secondary, the grades students receive in each class will automatically be added to their college transcript.

Post secondary credits are accepted at all Ohio state colleges and select private colleges; however, it is up to any out of state college if the credits are acceptable.

Julianna Hamad, guidance counselor at WHS, states that post secondary options are beneficial for students.

“Post secondary is advantageous for students who would like to earn transcripted college credit on a college campus and to get the feel for what it’s like to be a college student,” Hamad said.

Grace Buchholz (10) said that taking post secondary classes will benefit her in the long run.

“A family friend, a few years ago from a different school, loved doing post secondary enrollment at Wayne and is doing great in college. I hope to gain an understanding of what college will be like and mature as a student. Hopefully, it will

give me a solid foundation for the future,” Buchholz said.

Next school year, Buchholz is scheduled to take Composition 1, Calculus and US Politics at Wayne in the first semester.

Taylor Kurtz (12) began taking post secondary classes at Wayne in the beginning of her senior year.

“I highly recommend taking classes at Wayne because one, it’s free college, and two, it’s an easy way to get your gen-ed classes done before finishing high school,” Kurtz said.

This year, Kurtz took: Intro to Psychology, English Composition 1, Anatomy Lab 1 & 2, Anatomy Lecture 1 & 2, Intro to Public Speaking and Basic Statistics.

Photo by Maddy McCully

State of the city:

Mayor Robert Breneman addressed citizens of Wooster City Council on Feb. 20 to give the annual State of the City address. The speech is required by the laws of the city. In his speech, Breneman focused on the city’s growth in 2017 and new goals for 2018.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 10

Mayor gives annual speech on local accomplishments and goals ALEXIS FLORENCE cover editor

Wooster Mayor Robert Breneman delivered his annual state of the city address to City Council and a small crowd Feb. 20 at City Hall.

Overall, Breneman established a positive view of Wooster, as his speech focused on commitment to past and future goals of the city, while commenting on Wooster’s accomplishments over the past year.

Breneman opened his speech by discussing the city’s work

work to create a multi-purpose trail throughout town. “... remember we got teased a bit that we were building trails to nowhere, but we aren’t; we are now connecting all the trails we’ve been putting in place,” Breneman said.

The city is also in the process of improving the Northeast quadrant of the city’s downtown square, working to create a new community center and continuing to partner with businesses to develop land for industrial purposes according to Breneman’s speech.

Breneman unveiled seven goals for Wooster in 2018.

These goals included creating a

from past years. with Tyler Technologies.

Next, Breneman explained the need to promote more residential development.

“This is something we’ve heard from a lot manufacturers in Wooster and businesses that are employing people is that we are running out of housing stock, especially in the $125,000 to $200,000 range,” Breneman said.

The city, according to Breneman, is also trying to create an accessible transportation plan to help those in need, working with Wooster Transit and Community Action.

In 2018, Wooster plans to allocate $200,000 to rehabilitate the Freedlander Chalet, so that the space can be rented out for events.

Breneman also explained an

opportunity for the creation of a new park this year due to a donation of land from Dick Seaman and his family.

The current administration is also hoping to grow participation in the local emergency dispatch that currently serves Wooster, Ashland and Orrville in order to lower operational costs. administration and City Council is to stay informed on state legislation.

Breneman brought up the concern over bills currently being reviewed at the state level to allow companies to put up cell phone towers; he expressed these towers would be an unsightly addition to locations such as Beall Avenue.

On this matter Breneman said, keep it the way we envision it.”

In terms of accomplishments, Breneman highlighted Wooster’s growing population, a 3.31 percent increase last year, and the city’s growth in capital investments.

Breneman also applauded Wooster Community Hospital’s new Outpatient Pavilion, the Boys and Girls Club add-on to Edgewood Middle School, the addition of three assisted living facilities and the opening of Wooster’s Safety Center.

Finally Breneman was happy awarded Money magazine’s 37 best place to live and Ohio Magazine’s best hometown.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 11

Immigration policy shifts directions within government JACOB GOOCH webmaster

With Congress attempting to address immigration reform, according to a January 2018 Los Angeles Times article written

by Lisa Mascaro entitled, “Congress will try again on immigration reform — but will this time be different?,” there is a present need for information on the topic.

As was reported in the aforementioned article, there have been large shifts in immigration policy within the government, whether it is in the House, Senate or presidency.

Specifically the article brought up Republicans who rejected

proposed legislation for immigration reform in 2013 are now more willing to revisit the topic in order to avoid another government shutdown.

In the words of Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, as stated in the same Los Angeles Times article, President Trump, and ultimately the Republican party, “want to make a deal.”

Further, according to a Feb. 2018, Washington Post article written by Marc A. Thiessen, an immigration deal is possible between Democrats and Republicans as the politics of the situation become less important than those affected by inaction.

Thisessan mentions that the

main point of contention in the immigration reform debate is DACA. DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is, according to a January 2018, New York Times article authored by Caitlin Dickerson entitled, “What Is DACA? Who Are the Dreamers? Here Are Some Answers,” a program created in 2012 by President Barack Obama to prevent the deportation of those undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and who have not lived any really measurable amount of their lives in their country of origin.

In addition to preventing deportation, the measure put

into action by Obama has also allowed people to enroll in college, get a driver’s license, apply for work permits and obtain healthcare.

Further, according to a Jan. 2018, Politifact timeline, compiled by Miriam Valverde entitled, “Timeline: DACA, the Trump administration and a government shutdown,” President Trump eliminated the DACA program Sept. 5, 2017, and called on Congress to find a legislative fix for him to sign into law.

Currently, according to a CNN article entitled, “Congress eyes sweeteners to avoid shutdown, but no DACA deal,” written by Phil Mattingly and published Feb. 2018, DACA is not up for

consideration as of now. Both the Democratic and Republican parties say no action will be taken immediately, but reform is reportedly on the way.

According to an Immigration Reform press release from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wooster, the church has affiliated itself with several immigration reform groups.

These groups include the Hartville Migrant ministry, which focuses on child immigrant programs and Borderlinks, which focuses on helping those in need abroad.

Additionally, Westminster publicly supports the sanctuary network and financially supports several immigration efforts internationally.

By the numbers: immigration statistics in the United States = 50,000 individuals

23,533

Total Asylum Based Immigrants

50,000

Total Diversity Based Immigrants

140,000

Total Permanent Employment Immigrants

480,000

675,000

Total Family Based Visas

Total Permanent Immigrants Graphics by Matthew Lorentz Data from the American Immigration Council collected by Jacob Gooch

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 12

CLARA LEE The Honorary Junior Police Officer Award is a monthly award done in cooperation with the Wooster Police Department to recognize fourth grade students for displaying outstanding qualities within their classrooms and schools.

The program was started last year by Community Relations Officer Matt Cruise as a way to commend students for doing good things. “I came up with the idea as a way to connect with the kids and build a rapport with them and the staff at the schools,� Cruise said.

Cruise explained that sometimes the police are only seen as pointing out when people do wrong or bad things, and the HJPO award, “... humanizes the badge.�

Cruise also said the fourth graders were chosen as students to recognize because, being the oldest in the elementary schools, they can act as mentors to the younger children within their respective schools.

According to Jason Legg, fourth grade teacher at Kean Elementary, the nominated student must exemplify characteristics such as: leadership, responsibility, good attitude, kindness, discipline, respect and a good work ethic.

Scott Rotolo, assistant police chief, says these characteristics are important to the department because they are the same ones they expect from their officers.

After a student is selected, the school notifies the parents of the student, and a time and date is set up for the award. According to Cruise, each school presents the award differently, and it is kept as

a surprise for the student. “It’s fun watching the student’s reaction when we walk in with their parents,� Cruise said.

Blayne Gaddis (4), a Cornerstone student and one of the award recipients, said it was an honor to receive this recognition. “It’s great that I got the award.

My whole family was there and it was nice they got to see me,�

Gaddis said.

According to Cruise, the award includes: a formal letter of recognition from the chief of police; a custom HJPO yard sign and a free pizza from Papa John’s Pizza, a partner of the program.

In addition, the officer will ask permission to post photos on their department Facebook page. “I like to see the sign in my yard.

People in Wooster will know I’m a Junior Police officer. Other kids in Wooster might see it and that’s good,� Gaddis said.

Cruise says the program has also shown parents and the community the other side of the police force, as a positive influence on their children. Rotolo says the program shows the strong relationship the police department has with the WCS and the community. There have been many other benefits to the program as well, according to Cruise. “We are always getting invitations to read to students, join them in a school challenge, or just hang out with them at a school activity,� Cruise said.

Kean, Cornerstone, Parkview and Melrose each have a police officer assigned to them for this award, but if they are not available, other officers can fill in, Cruise said.

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THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 13

Community involvement rises in response to security for the district ALEXIS FLORENCE cover editor

“It is the one variable that keeps me up at night,” WCSD superintendent Michael Tefs said concerning school safety.

This comment is in response to the overarching trend of school shootings throughout the nation.

WCSD, like districts across the country, is now grappling with how to keep its schools safe. has been working to update its security with technology and more training.

Tefs explained that district buildings have implemented buzzer systems to monitor entrances.

The district, with the help of the Wooster Police Dept. also implemented the ALICE program, which is an active shooter response training, to a

aid in professional development and training students to respond to an intruder.

Anthony Lemon, the WPD ALICE instructor, explained the police department runs regular training and simulations along with discussions including When it comes to what students can do to help ensure the school’s safety, Lemon says to be aware of your surroundings. “...take ownership of your school… Don’t let people in the doors who aren’t suppose to come in just as if you were at home. You wouldn’t let a stranger into your home. You should consider that school your home,” Lemon said.

The rising concern around the nation over school safety, along with two threats of violence being made against WHS this year, prompted the Wooster School Board to host a special

meeting with the community Feb. 26 in WHS PAC. The board members, Superintendent Dr. Michael Tefs, Wooster’s Chief of Police Matt Fisher, WPD Assistant Chief Scott Rotolo and Ken Trump President of National School Safety and Security Services, were present to answer questions from the community. community member concerned how to curb bullying in WCSD. This trend continued as parents brought up concernes of bullying on buses and through social media. will continue to work with problem.

Another community member, a student at WHS, addressed the concern that students operate the high school’s visitor buzzer system.

Lenient gun restrictions cause national problems

HOLLY MILLER feature editor

In the United States, there have already been 22 mass shootings in the month of January, according to gunviolencearchive.org.

The lenient restrictions on gun ownership has made these shootings possible.

A possible solution to this problem would be the United States implementing stricter restrictions on guns.

Forty-four states in the United States have a clause in their state amendment that is similar to the Second Amendment according to nraila.org.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” stated in the Second Amendment written in 1791.

The United States has progressed since 1791, not having a standing Militia, and should not have laws similar to hundreds of years ago.

Ohio’s law has few restrictions on the buying and ownership of guns. Ohio has Permitless Carry Laws meaning “Anyone who can legally possess a firearm may carry it concealed in those states without a Permit/ License,” according to

handlawguns.us.

These lenient gun restrictions allow almost anyone who is 18-years-old to buy a handgun and 21-year-olds to buy a firearm. These gun restrictions make it possible for shootings to continue to happen.

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that states would have less violent crime had they restricted gun-carrying.

Dying from an unintentional gunshot injury is 3.7 times higher living in homes with guns and handguns, according to lawcenter.giffords.org.

There are 31 days in January and there has already been a total of 4,653 gun incidents according to gunviolencearchive.org. Lenient gun policy is an ongoing problem and the only way to start to fix it is by implementing stricter gun restrictions.

In response to this concern Tefs said, “... I can assure you, not be students running the visitor cameras anymore.” This comment was met with a round of applause from members of the audience.

Tefs also assured community members that the school will be reevaluating the system.

The audience also addressed concerns about the mental health of students. People expressed concerns about the availability of counselors and psychologists.

Tefs suggested evaluating the district counselor capacity with a district-wide study.

One senior student at WHS classroom.

This idea was then contested by two community members and a Wooster teacher who did

not want to put added pressure on teachers and keep guns out of schools. Security adviser Ken Trump also addressed concerns of charging teachers with the task of student safety.

Toward the end of the meeting, Tefs reviewed what the district will be doing immediately to ensure the safety of students and asked Fisher how long it would take to hire a second “We would probably be lucky to have one geared up for fall.

The hiring process is long… but we want to make sure it’s the said.

Tefs then asked the board if they would motion to add a district to aid in monitoring schools and their entrances.

All board members voted in

Ohio Restrictions and Gun Laws: April 2004, Ohio became the 46 state to legalize concealed carry.

An individual must be at least 18 to buy a gun in Ohio (firearm) with some restrictions.

To purchase a handgun a person must be at least 21.

No background checks performed at gun shows, no permit or licenses necessary and no limits on purchasing.

No background checks needed for private sales of either hand guns or long guns.

If a person has a criminal background, he or she cannot purchase a gun Individuals can open carry in Ohio (long gun and handgun).

Data according to FindLaw.com, the Buckeye Firearm Association and the Ohio Revised Code

TRENDS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 14

EDUCATION INEQUALITY

The BLADE index researches inequality in multiple education systems INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

-

education of 75 million children.

A child whose mother can read is 50 percent more likely to survive past the age of 5.

a closer look at the Trends section

-

15 million girls of primary school age will never have the opportunity to learn to read and write in primary school, compared to about 10 million boys.

Acess to quality education can help a country raise its gross domestic product per capita by 23 percent.

In 2012, there were 168 million child laborers aged 5 to 17. This labor is one reason many children cannot attend school.

What’s Inside?

-

14

BLADE INDEX TAKES A LOOK AT THE PROBLEM OF INEQUALITY IN EDUCATION SYSTEMS

15

FEATURES ON MALE STYLE ICONS AT WHS

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

-John Dewey “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.

Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

- Martin Luther King Jr. “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”

-Albert Einstein “Education must not simply teach work - it must teach Life.” -W. E. B. Du Bois “Education is the foundation upon which we build our future.”

-Christine Gregoire

EDUCATION IN AMERICA

-

As a whole, America’s K-12 students are more racially diverse than ever.

Most white students still attend largely white schools.

Students today are more likely to stay in school.

America’s students have improved in math and science over the past 20 years, but remain behind students in many other industrialized nations.

Millennials are on track to be the most educated generation history.

-

-

EDUCATION IN OHIO -

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Ohio is the home to 3,505 public schools.

Ohio’s districts are 38 percent rural, 33 percent small town, 20 percent suburban, 9 percent urban There are 1,682,031 students enrolled in Ohio schools.

The university system of Ohio: 14 universities, 24 regional branches campuses, 23 community colleges, 120+ adult workforce education and training centers The State of Ohio gave $10.2 billion in support of elementary and secondary education.

Data collected by Emily Jewell from globalcitizen.org, the Pew Research Center, and the Ohio Department of Education. Quotes from brainyquote.com.

TRENDS

Men’s style:

poll showcases students’ unique sense of fashion

Treyvon O’Hearn SPENCER DILYARD Treyvon O’Hearn (12) was voted one of the top three WHS male students with a unique style. fashion inspiration from Will style in the Fresh Prince of BelAir. “I would describe my look as casual and throwback from Treyvon said.

As for inside WHS, O’Hearn in his style, rather he opts for going for his own unique look.

The most important part of an your own style, “try to separate said O’Hearn. His favorite part

Zac Ntia RHEANNA VELASQUEZ Zac Ntia (12) finds fashion inspiration in, “the way athletes look when they’re not on the Ntia emphasized comfort in his own look.

“My look’s pretty chill, I like to Ntia also looked to shoes as important in style.

“They can change the feel of an According to Ntia, he enjoys colors as a part of his style.

“Colors are the favorite part of my style. It’s fun to see whether or not I match on any given day Asked who influences his style, Ntia pointed to Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook.

Within WHS, Ntia cited Science Dept. member Charles Cerniglia.

should notice about him.

Giaminh Nguyen THOMAS MATTHEW Giaminh Nguyen (12) was nominated by his fellow WHS peers as one of the most fashionable male students in the school.

Nguyen describes his fashion as more of a casual looking style.

For Nguyen, nice shoes are

critical.

“I believe shoes are important, but most importantly His favorite brands include Vans for shoes, and Hollister, American Eagle and Abercrombie and Fitch for clothing.

“I like joggers because you can wear them with many kinds of Outside of the school his youtuber Mark Dohner.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 18

“To grow society and help us learn from our mistakes and better our future,” Anna Munro (10).

“To prepare people for life on their own and to make a new impact on the world,” Connor Niro (12).

AP, IB and CCP teachers evaluate learning pathways available On the morning of Feb. 22 members of The Wooster Blade staff hosted a concerning the different academic pathways from which students can choose to prepare themselves for college: the Advanced Placement program, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Ohio’s College Credit Plus.

For this conversation, The Wooster Blade invited educators who not only teach in these programs, some teaching more than one, but also interviewed teachers with freshman classes, as these teachers often give recommendations to their ninth grade students.

The following teachers were present for the discussion: Paige Arnold (History Dept.); Misty Bisesi (History Dept.); Jill Coppola (English Dept.); Bill Franck (English Dept.); Phillip Klein (History Dept.); Christine Mascotti-Rasor (Math Dept.); Erin Petruzzi (Science Dept.) and Deanna Worth (IB math instructor).

roundtable discussion

How do you decide which pathway is best for a student?

Franck: As far as what it’ll get you...Each school is so different at the university level it depends on the university you’re applying to as to what they’re going to accept or not accept or how much credit they’re going to give or where the scholarship money will come from.

Coppola: I try very hard to not push students in one direction

or another. I try to just present what’s involved in each and allow the students to make up their own minds. And lots of students will come to me … I want them to choose. I want them to make the decisions that are best for them.

Klein: I don’t think AP or IB predetermine what field you’re going to go into or the success you’re going to have in those fields.

I think it really is more about kind of preparing people for an advanced level of study and if that’s the path that they want to take, so I don’t even necessarily think that it’s wrong - maybe you know you’re not on a college path maybe you already kind of know the field you’re going to go into and it doesn’t require you to have an advanced degree..

What advice do you have for students?

Mascotti: Definitely talk to everybody and anybody you can think of, don’t rely on one opinion.

And, try to look ahead, too, and realize you have a lot of options. And, it isn’t necessarily terrible to take your senior year and be rigorous, whether it’s IB or AP. You’re a tenth grader sitting in an AP Calc class and math is your strong suit. Where can you be? We’ve got Akron, we’ve got

the College of Wooster, and you’ve got a lot of things that can help you, a lot of opportunities around here, so weigh all your options, ask all your teachers what they think, talk to your peers, tell them to be honest about the programs that they’re taking.

Worth:

For IB, you need to determine whether or not you want well-rounded - you can’t pick and choose, you have to take everything at that level - and if you’re okay with - it’s more of a family atmosphere... you won’t always get along with everybody in there, so I think there’s more of a social dynamic in IB.

Bisesi: The best decision right for you, the

individual, maybe even family-wise, requires things like that - going to college. Talk to as many kids that you can that are doing the program or have done it because you’re all - those are your peers. We have our opinion on which route will help you, whether or not you have the ability. Talk to your

friends, talk to kids that are doing the program: what’s about it, what’s bad Klein: Be honest about what your academic good about it: they should give goals are with yourself. Don’t take a class just because your friends you an honest answer. are taking the class - the worst decision you can make - they might get it and Arnold: Self-assess your timeyou don’t, and you struggle the whole year management skills. I think that’s a because you wanted to be in a certain group when maybe there was a better fit for you out there, you were just kind of afraid to expand your social circle.

Petruzzi:

I would just recommend talking with other people, other students who take the classes, the teachers. Don’t rely

on anybody’s one opinion to make your choice. It’s something you have to do yourself, and the more information you have, the better decision you’ll make.

huge piece of being successful in these tougher programs. How responsible are you to make sure if you are lost? These classes move so quickly - are you able to come in, initiate that conversation, “I need to ask for extra help,” or do the outside reading, reteach yourself, are you able to do that sort of thing? Something Mrs. Bisesi brought up; if you do not have the ACT score for College Credit Plus, it does not necessarily mean you should jump into AP. AP doesn’t require an ACT score, but it is a very tough class.

“To make young people into well-rounded individuals and expose them to things that they might not necessarily otherwise be exposed to. And, prepare them for their adult lives,”Jill Coppola (English Dept.).

THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 19

“To inspire students to think critically and understand the world to become more well-rounded human beings; to inspire curiosity,” Marlene Boyer (Family & Consumer Science Dept.).

“To get smart,” Jacob Butdorf (10).

Head to Head: should there be valedictorians?

At WHS this month, students began scheduling to determine their classes for next year. Within the past school year, the addition of weighted classes has prompted a discussion the effect of weighted grades on determining the valedictorian title. Currently at WHS, valedictorians are chosen by which students have the highest cumulative unweighted GPA, however, with the introduction of weighted grades, this delineation could change in upcoming years. In anticipation of a future discussion at WHS, and in reaction to the discussion across the nation about the relevancy of valedictorians, writers discuss this high school tradition.

Blurb by Maddy McCully

Valedictorians encourage students to work harder JACOB GOOCH webmaster

Valedictorians, the best of the best, our future leaders and innovators.

These titles are earned, as most titles are within academia, through tireless study, adept will to learn and a strong desire to succeed.

In looking at the purpose of what the title means, the status and title of valedictorian must be maintained. These students put in extra effort and sacrifice more to go further, not only in academics, but in life as a whole.

Because the title of valedictorian does not seem to extend much beyond high school, people may not see the value or merit of its worth.

However, for those who earn that title and have worked hard for their entire educational career to attain it, it is a representation of their current and subsequent success.

One source of information that discounts the merit of valedictorians also brings up some interesting information.

According to a May 2017 article authored by Eric

Barker, published in TIME Money entitled, “Wondering What Happened to Your Class Valedictorian? Not Much, Research Shows,” valedictorians do not always change the world at every turn, but they do live comfortable lives.

According to the aforementioned article by Barker, with 95 percent of valedictorians going to college while maintaining a 3.6 GPA, 60 percent of those individuals then earn a graduate degree with 40 percent occupying jobs in the, “highest tier,” of business, it is more than safe to say that allowing students to earn the valedictorian title only helps them to achieve success.

If simply allowing a title to exist, giving up mere moments for a commencement address and presenting one more award is the price to pay for a single student to succeed in life, then the investment is well worth the interest and time it takes to do so.

Valedictorians creates division among students MATTHEW LORENTZ graphics manager

In eighth grade Honors Geometry, I lost my 4.0 grade point average and, thus, my chance at a valedictorian spot.

Admittedly, this event plays a role in my resentment to valedictorians, however, it is not the entire reason I believe the system should be discarded.

WCSD BOE policy 5430 states that a valedictorian is chosen, “by the highest cumulative GPA through eight semesters of high school at the end of the senior year.”

At a school such as WHS, with a recently implemented weighted grade system, the valedictorian race becomes even more of a bloodbath than an unweighted system because of the higher value placed on advanced classes.

While academic competition is necessary to foster success in later life, through a weighted gradevaledictorian pairing,

students with their sights set on valedictorian are more likely to take a schedule primarily filled with accelerated classes, such as AP. Having taken a number of AP classes myself, I value their merit and challenge.

However, students can be cornered into an undesirable situation by courses offered at the school. WHS offers eight AP science classes, as well as several CCP ones, but provides only two advanced art classes, both of which are visual art.

For some students then, pursuing the valedictorian title puts them into the predicament of following their passions or taking courses with which their interests do not align, in order to receive prestige.

Nationwide, up to 50 percent of school districts have ditched class rank and valedictorian honors, according to the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Class rank, GPA, and Grading position statements adopted March 11, 2010.

WCSD should follow in the nation’s footsteps to disband the valedictorian honors system, and instead honor students in a different way for their four years of accomplishments.

“To have knowledge, so you can be successful in life,” Grant Webster (10).

“To help you with your career choice and further develop the country,” Rebekah Barnett (10).

85%

THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 20

Yes Do you enjoy using Google Docs/Classroom for collaboration?

No

youusing rather type DoWould you like essays on technology in computers school? or write them out on paper?

7%

15%

ALEC PAULEY In most classrooms in WHS, technology can be found in forms of smart boards, computer labs, projectors, calculators, etc.

In nearly 74 percent of classes across America, there is some sort of technology in use, according to the 2013 article by Corey Murray titled “Educators Support the Use of Technology” in classrooms on edtechmagazine.com.

The article ran a survey that concluded that 73 percent of educators said technology in the classroom helps teachers styles of students, and 69 percent also said that technology has been able to help in the classroom now more than ever.

A Nov. 6, 2012, article by Karehka

Ramey, “Types of Technology used in the Classroom,” on www.useoftechnology.com, lists many ways technology can be used in classrooms to help students and teachers excel.

Some examples of this applied technology in the classroom are blended classrooms, which allow students who learn online and students that sit in class to learn the same way.

Many class projects are based online. Whether it is an online presentation or information for a project found online, the Internet is often used in projects.

Collaborative online tools such as Google Docs also help students by letting them connect outside the classroom and still work on assignments together.

In an interview with Alex Garey, a District Technology Resource Teacher, many new

16%

technologies have been helping students in the WCSD already.

93% 84% Garey mentioned that because 85% nearly all of technology in the classroom is,“cross platform,” Yes meaning they are able to connect Computers Yes with each other and perform the No Do you enjoy using Would you rather type same tasks, it is very helpful to Written No Google Docs/Classroom essays on computers or students because everyone can Do you like using use whatever device they are for collaboration? write them out on paper? technology in school? most comfortable with to do the same work as their classmates.

15% 16% Technology is much more than 7% just devices, says Garey. The applications that are accessible from devices are just as intuitive and helpful to the teacher and 84% student alike, Garey said.

85% 93% Garey gave the example of a very useful application called “Flip Grid,” an application Computers Yes where students are able to Yes record their answers via video Written No No or voice recordings and submit Do you like using them to their teachers.

Examining student opinions on technology use in classrooms

technology in school?

7%

ANNA NACCI Across the nation, the amount of schoolteachers is shrinking.

A 2017 CNN article written by Caitlin Ostroff entitled “Schools throughout the country are grappling with teacher shortage, data show,” attributes this shortage to two main causes.

First, teachers in STEM fields

lack adequate compensation, causing them to leave teaching in order to pursue a higherpaying career in their field. In addition, being a schoolteacher in the United States is too mentally demanding, especially compared to other countries.

According to a 2017 Washington Post article written

by Valerie Strauss entitled “Where have all the teachers gone?,” the shortage began in

2009, and between 2009 and 2014, college students enrolling in education saw a 35 percent drop. In addition, almost eight percent of the teaching workforce leaves each year, many before retirement age.

The Washington Post explains that this shortage has led to schools being forced to hire under-qualified teachers, which harms students’ education. According to The

Washington Post, the national field is decreasing on a national total of under-qualified teachers scale, that is not the case locally. has grown to 110,000 teachers 93% “...We have not noticed a this year. shortage. In fact our numbers The shortage of teachers is not are growing at a steady pace…” seen in all subjects equally.

Megan Wereley, Education CNN finds that for the 2017-Yes Professor at the College of 18 school year, math, science, Wooster, said.

No special education and foreign The Education Department at language have had the most COW added an extra section noticeable deficits. of Introduction to Education While the amount of college in order to accommodate the students entering the education growth in student interest.

“To give people a well rounded introduction to knowledge, then at college, the purpose is to allow students to use their

SPORTS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 21

ATHLETIC MISSION STATEMENT RACHAEL SCHMIDT & MADDY NACCI

What’s Inside?

a closer look at the Sports section

The Wooster City Schools’ athletic mission statement states, “The Wooster City Schools Athletic Department shall provide a program that encourages participation and promotes successful development of coaches and student athletes,” according to the WCS Athletic handbook.

This athletic mission statement was approved by the Board of Education in 2003.

The most recent athletic department handbook is from 2013-2014 and can be found at woostercityschools.org.

The handbook also states the expectations and purpose of the WCS Athletic Department.

WHS Athletic Director Andy Kellar confirmed this mission statement in the handbook and voiced other expectations for coaches, students, and parents.

“It is the expectation that athletes understand and accept the responsibility that they represent themselves, their team, their coaches, their school

Wooster administrators and coaches discuss the athletic mission statement for the district

and the Wooster community in a positive manner,” said Kellar.

Kellar also said a goal of the

“...THEY REPRESENT THEMSELVES, THEIR TEAM, THEIR COACHES, THEIR SCHOOL AND THE WOOSTER COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE MANNER,” KELLAR SAID. WCS Athletic Department is to provide an athletic program that is a key part of the overall

21 ATHLETES COMPETE 22 INTERNATIONALLY 23 WINTER SPORTS WRAP UP ATHLETES COMMIT TO COLLEGE 24 ATHLETICS EDITORS DISCUSS: SHOULD 25 COLLEGE ATHLETES BE PAID? PURPOSE OF WHS ATHLETICS DISCUSSED

mission of the Wooster City Schools.

“The athletic program is based on the philosophy that interscholastic competition and individual athletic growth is an important part of a student’s educational development.

Many studies indicate that athletes perform better in the classroom and graduate at higher rates than non-athletes,” Kellar said.

Along with the WCS athletic mission statement, many high school coaches have their own goals for their athletic teams.

Boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving coach Chris Matthew said sports train students for other aspects in their life, and help students gain leadership skills.

“I hope in my program kids learn to win gracefully and lose gracefully,” Matthew said.

Girls’ track and field coach Christine Mascotti-Rasor would like to build strong people through track and field.

“My purpose for girls’ track and field is to promote health, fitness and sportsmanship and to build life-long team and individual skills,” MascottiRasor said.

WHS girls’ soccer coach Charles Cerniglia echoes the philosophies of both Matthew and Mascotti-Rasor and said he is hoping to help individuals learn skills they can use later in life and continue to develop.

“The focus and purpose of an athletic team must be singularly to win. But, the dynamics of a

season, both individually and as a team, and the relationships that form will present opportunities for individuals to grow and develop,” Cerniglia said.

Stan Burris, WHS girls’ and boys’ tennis coach, promotes a

“ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS THAT WE HAVE COACHES REPRESENTING US WHO ARE HIGHLY COMPETENT, HAVE GREAT CHARACTER, AND HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY WITH OUR ATHLETES AND OUR PARENTS,” RUBINO SAID. fun and inclusive experience.

“Kids are more important than the sport. My goal is to get as many kids involved as I can and make sure they have a positive experience,” Burris said.

The four coaches are aware that there is a WHS athletic mission statement, but do not talk about it frequently.

Kellar said the expectations are listed in the handbook, so

they are only discussed when they are not met or must be modified.

Joe Rubino, Edgewood Athletic Director, says that he and Andy Keller collaborate to make sure expectations and standards are met and they have coaches who will do their best for WCS athletics.

“One of the biggest things is that we have coaches representing us who are highly competent, have great character and have great chemistry with our athletes and our parents,” Rubino said.

Rubino said that at Edgewood, every coach has their individual rules and expectations.

He said Edgewood is working on making more uniform behavior guidelines for athletes in accordance with coaches’ input and the current athletic handbook. “...The community, teachers and administration have worked hard to provide events and sports to give students the chance to engage and reach their full potential. An example of that would be at Edgewood we have a boys ‘B’ basketball team. We know we can’t keep everybody, but we also know that at this age there is still a lot of development in kids,” said Rubino.

Kellar says that in terms of athletic culture, he would love to see more school spirit from students, teachers, coaches and the community in order to create a more unified athletic department and environment.

SPORTS

Traveling Athletes at WHS: At WHS, several students travel out of state for different sports, including, but not limited to: basketball, football, track and beach volleyball.

According to the Athletics Director, Andy Kellar, student athletes may travel out of state for many different reasons, including, “playing in a warmer climate or to play a special game or to play with a special team with a higher rank.”

In addition, several students who do not participate in a school sport, but compete individually, travel out of state for sports.

Michael Cicolani & Zac Ntia SPENCER DILYARD

Elena Wagoner MOLLY SCHNEIDER Elena Wagoner (9), WHS varsity volleyball player, also competes in tournaments around the country.

Wagoner travels to places such as Kentucky, Atlanta, Indiana, Florida and Michigan. She competes in Junior Olympic (JO) national tournaments with her volleyball club, Elite Volleyball Training Center.

Wagoner said she enjoys competing in these tournaments with her team as a chance to grow together.

“It is fun and makes you grow as a player and a person with your team,” Wagoner said.

According to Wagoner, athletes should travel nationally and internationally if they want to experience college level playing.

Wagoner competes in the Bluegrass, MEQ, Big South nationals and beach nationals volleyball tournaments.

Zac Ntia (12) and Michael Cicolani (12) will be traveling to Dublin, Ireland, to play for the American Football Worldwide USA team over spring break.

According to the AFW website, along with a week of practice and training, the players will explore the historic area around Dublin.

Ntia said practicing against Cicolani helped him become a better player as, “he’s probably the best defensive player I’ve gone up against.”

Cicolani also said Ntia made him a better player, “I had to learn different moves every time I went up against him, he is one of the best tackles in the OCC.” This program will begin place March 25, with a friendly game of football March 31.

Treyvon O’Hearn GRIFFIN MURPHY Treyvon O’Hearn (12) is competing in “Down Under Sports,” a competition which invites 300 U.S. students to compete in Australia.

According to O’Hearn, the athletes arrive July 9 and will spend 10 days traveling, sightseeing and competing.

Mike Labine, National track and field coach, stated to Down Under Sports, “The USA coaches are excited for 2018 and USA to be victorious.”

O’Hearn said this chance will help further him in track, with help of the team USA coaches.

“This opportunity was offered to many students and if they’re serious about competing, their coaches can help them fundraise for the ‘Down Under Sports’ competition,” O’Hearn said.

The competition is held in Gold Coast, Australia, at Griffith University.

Winter sports wrap up

Coaches and players recap the 2017-2018 athletic season

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 23

Girls Swimming- With a final record of 8-4, the girls swimmers advanced nine members to districts, according to coach Matthew.

No girl divers qualified out of sectionals.

Wrestling- The wrestling team, coached by History Dept. member Don Rammel, went 7-9 this season.

Gymnastics- The WHS gymnastics team finished their season 4-1 in their conference, losing only to Wadsworth by .15, according to coach Debbie Knapic. Rachel Furlong (9) qualified to districts on bars, floor and all-around.

Furlong (9) did not qualify for the state meet.

Boys Basketball- Led by coach Mike Snowbarger and captains Calvin Blair (12), Colton Sparks (12), Kedric Corbin (12) and Dylan Dagley (11), the boys basketball team went 8-4 in the OCC and 13-7 on the season, according to senior Jack Neill.

The boys beat Boardman in their first tournament game Tuesday evening and will play again March 2nd.

Girls Basketball- The WHS girls basketball had an outstanding winter season, going 12-0 in the OCC to win the conference and 19-5 for their overall season, according to coach Mike Baus. Macyn Siegenthaler (10) led the team with an average of 21 points a game, followed

by Ny’Eemah Brown (12) with 19. Brown also scored her 1,500 career point this season, setting records at WHS.

Boys Swimming- Boys swimming finished 7-5 for the season, according to coach and Spanish Dept. member, Chris Matthew. Six boys qualified to districts along with one boy diver.

Thomas Matthew (9) broke the 15 year school record in the 200 freestyle.

Blurbs and illustrations by Hannah Knapic

Girls Bowling- Led by captains Alexis Cichello (12) and Allie Leindecker (11), the girls bowling team finished 15-5, according to coach Tracie Leindecker.

Leindecker (11), the OCC Bowler of the Year, qualified to districts with a second place finish in the sectional tournament.

Boys BowlingWHS boys bowling team finished the season 10-10, according to head bowling coach, Tracie Leindecker.

Justin Hoffman (11) placed second in sectionals to advance to districts on Sunday at Wedgewood Lanes.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 24

Seniors sign to continue athletic careers at the college level MADDY NACCI feature editor

Seniors Keagan Brown, Michael Cicolani, Joseph Monastra, Zac Ntia and Grace Rickett officially signed to participate in athletics at the collegiate level Feb. 7.

Brown committed to play Division 1 soccer at Cleveland State University and said he is following in the footsteps of his father, who also attended and played soccer at Cleveland State.

“The opportunities that the coach presented to me really fit well with what I wanted. I wanted to be able to contribute to the team and make an impact early in my career at CSU,” Brown said.

Brown has played soccer since he was four-years-old and has played at both the club and academy level. However, Brown played soccer at WHS

Brown signs to play collegiately

for his senior year only.

Cicolani signed to play football at Ashland University.

“I want to play in college to see how far I can get as an athlete and try to push myself as far as I can,” Cicolani said.

Cicolani has played football for WHS for four years as a defensive end and tight end.

Cicolani said he chose AU because they gave him the best offer and he really liked their campus. He plans to major in physical therapy or sports management.

Monastra will play soccer at the collegiate level, as well as being part of the pharmacy program at Ohio Northern University.

“I chose Ohio Northern because its pharmacy program is one of the top programs in the country and the soccer team competes on a national scale every year, so as a competitor, I see myself fitting in perfectly,”

Monastra said.

Monastra said he loves the game of soccer way too much to give it up at this point in his life.

Ntia will attend and play football at Oberlin College.

Ntia said it has been his dream to play football in college since he was very young.

“Wooster has some really great coaches, a lot of whom played in college and some who also coached in college, so they know what it is like and helped me prepare.

Academically, Wooster offers so many classes and they really put people on the right path. We have so many Project Lead the Way classes now to get people ready for engineering,” Ntia said.

Ntia wishes to study biomedical engineering or psychiatry and says he is excited to meet new people and learn about different cultures during his time at Oberlin.

Grace Rickett verbally committed to play soccer at Dayton University, as featured in the Dec. 8 issue of The Wooster Blade.

These athletes joined Brent

Dillon, who officially signed to play golf at Ashland University in the fall, and additional WHS athletes who will plan to sign April 22, the next national signing day.

HOLLY MILLER

this year, but that all changed after playing at Classic in the Country a couple months ago.

A recruiter from FSW watched Brown play and offered her a full ride immediately.

A few days after receiving the offer, Brown flew down to FSW and said she could not pass up the, “good atmosphere of FSW and full ride to continue

playing basketball.”

Playing for the WHS girls basketball team, Brown recently broke the record of most points scored in a career, scoring over 1,500 points.

Before this season, Brown did not expect to break the record.

“It surprised me, they didn’t even tell me I broke 1,000 points,” Brown said

Even though she broke the record, Brown’s scoring percentage has been down while her assists have been up.

“I focused more on getting my teammates involved because I won’t be there next year,” Brown said.

Brown is looking forward to continuing her basketball career at FSW next winter.

feature editor

After playing basketball for eight years, Ny’emah Brown (12) will take it to the next level playing Division One for Florida Southwestern College.

Brown was planning to enlist in the Army after graduating

MATTHEW LORENTZ

These students signed to play sports in college (left to right): Michael Cicolani, Zac Ntia, Grace Rickett, Joseph Monastra and Keagan Brown.

Should college athletes be paid to participate in sports?

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 25

Amateur athletes deserve more incentives

REECE MITCHELL College athletes all over the world bring attention to their school by playing sports for their school.

And yes, they may get recognized by professional teams, but do they actually get what they deserve?

Schools bring in billions of dollars from sports and media, but the athletes who participate in these events do not get to see a dime of it.

In 2012 through 2013 alone, the NCAA made $705 million for the television deal made with CBS sports, according to ncaa.org .

So, why do college athletes not get a share in this money when they are the ones providing the entertainment and they are the ones competing and putting in the blood and sweat for the competition?

For the ones who are good enough, they could just go the professional route straight out of high school, or they could have done so (think of NBA

legends Lebron James and Kobe Bryant), but not soon after Lebron made the leap to the pros did David Stern commissioner of the NBA ban this opportunity.

Now, the rule is that high school basketball players have to attend at least one year of college in order to go pro.

Nick Saban, arguably the most successful college football coach of all time, got paid $7,087,481 after this past season. As for his players, they got zero.

Colleges are giving these athletes an opportunity to be seen by big professional teams, but they should get a little share out of the large pay their college is getting from their hard work because they are the

ones playing the sport.

Scholarships are a nice way to give athletes an opportunity to play, but they are forced to play college football if they want a shot at the pros.

Some athletes need the money for their families or even themselves and restricting players to at least play one year of their college sport is making to some kids a big difference.

So, for the athletes who do not get scholarships, they have to now pay to play while they earn the school the big bucks.

College athletes around the world compete to make it to the pros.

It is time for them to get paid for the work they give to their school.

Collegiate competitors cannot handle the pressure

GRIFFIN MURPHY In college, many athletes and fans alike believe that the athletes playing football deserve to be paid, but in many ways they already are.

In a study done by scholarshipstats.com in 2015, the average college D1 athletes receive $14,270 a year in scholarships and can go up to as much as $36,000 a year on average for a D1 football

athlete. That price includes the athletes who receive only partial scholarships, as well as full rides.

While scholarships are not directly paying certain athletes, the individuals are still being given tens of thousands of dollars toward their education.

These college athletes may feel they deserve to make additional money that athletes make in the NFL, however, these young players are like freshmen on the high school football team; they do not have the experience or training that veteran players have.

In the MLB, athletes can either be drafted right out of high school and start an MLB career or they have to spend three years in college.

In the NBA, players need to have one year of college under their belts before they may declare for the draft. These

players are not experienced enough, or mature enough, to handle the wealth of income, as well as pressures that accompany playing a professional sport like football.

Looking at recent years in both football and basketball, it can be seen, through people such as Liangelo Ball and Johnny Manziel, that young athletes can easily fall to the pressures that come with being a professional athlete.

In professional basketball, Ball, who has been given much wealth and opportunity in his college sport from his father and other outlets, stole from a store in China, not for the stuff he was stealing, but because he could have just as easily bought such items.

This leads people to believe that he cracked under the pressure of playing a sport at such a high level; to steal a

simple pair of sunglasses when he has no reason too other than for the attention of doing so.

Ball is showing professional coaches that he cannot handle even college sports, and leading him to make poor decisions off the field. Coaches see this and wonder if this kind of player can be trusted on the field or court when they cannot trust them off the field.

In professional football, we saw the rise and fall of Johnny Manziel who was a high draft prospect who received lots of money until he started making poor decisions and landed in rehab.

College athletes should not be paid, because in scholarships they make more money than they should already, and many young athletes cannot handle the pressures of being paid full time to play a professional sport.

FEATURE

COW Student Organization provides assistance and support for sexual assault survivors ANNA NACCI

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN GILFETHER

K(no)w is student-led organization that has been present at the College of Wooster since 2013.

K(no)w is, “A sexual advocacy group that aims at providing support for survivors through also addressing the rape culture we live in,” said Colleen Gilfether, Co-President of the organization.

To achieve these objectives, “K(no)w organizes educational programming around topics of sexual respect,” Katie Holt, K(no)w adviser and Associate Professor and Department Chair of History at COW, said.

K(no)w helps members of the college community in a myriad of ways.

According to Gilfether, many

of the executive members of the organization are trained in areas pertaining to COW’s policy on sexual assault.

This training allows members to work with individual survivors to help them with their cases through the school.

K(no)w also helps survivors find the resources they may need, whether it is through the Wooster community or through the school resources.

K(no)w’s executive board consists of three co-presidents, as well as three co-treasurers.

All members of the board hold equal power in the organization, according to Gilfether.

In addition to providing resources for survivors, K(no)w also serves as an active social justice group, as the organization is able to serve as a voice to advocate

for all students on campus, including survivors who have experienced sexual misconduct, said Co-President Isabel Bonhomme.

While K(now) is the only program of its kind at COW, there are many other programs with similar objectives across the country.

“I think K(no)w plays an important role in creating a space for students to have difficult conversations… As a student-run organization, they have a lot of credibility in talking with their peers about sexual relationships and contemporary campus culture. I think these honest conversations are important in any school,” Holt said.

K(no)w meets everyone Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Babcock Formal Lounge at the COW.

Did You K(no)w…

K(no)w was founded by COW students in the spring of 2013.

What’s Inside?

a closer look at the Feature section

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN GILFETHER

26 27 28 29

GETTING TO KNOW K(NO)W, STUDENT ORGANIZATION AT COW PARENT GROUPS PLAY ROLE AT WHS EXAMING THE INFLUENCE OF FAILURE IN EDUCATION FAILURES IN SCIENCE EXEMPLIFY IMPORTANCE

Members are trained in areas pertaining to the school’s policy or Title IX. K(no)w helps students navigate the school’s judicial system or seek resources through the campus or town.

K(no)w hosts Sex Ed Week in the beginning of each fall semester and every spring semester.

Each semester, K(no)w asks Vox, their Planned Parenthood affiliate group on campus, to host a Get Yourself Tested, which offers free STI testing.

Facts collected by Anna Nacci in interviews with co-presidents Isabel Bonhomme and Colleen Gilfether.

FEATURE

Wooster PTO groups support the WCSD community All Sports Booster Club helps fund athletic programs DAVID CHENG

WHS Speech and Debate parents organize team events AMBER SWIGART

Music Parents raise money to support program and students AMBER SWIGART

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 28

ailure provides critical lessons for students ALEC PAULEY Whether it is turning in an assignment late, maybe getting a low score on a test or failing a class entirely, failure is a large part of a student’s life.

Students may struggle to recover when they fail because failing impacts them through a variety of ways, including stress and social and emotional difficulties, according to a Howtolearn.com article on

why students fail to succeed in school from Feb. 14, 2002.

However, failure does not have to only have a negative effect on students, as failure happens so learning can take place and then be improved upon.

Failing is so negatively portrayed that often, the lessons to be learned are overlooked, according to Yun Siang Long’s article, “How to Learn from Failure,” on workitdaily.com from April 9, 2013.

If people take no risks, there will be no reward, and if they are taking risks, almost by definition, they are going to fail at some point, according to Paul Brown’s article from The New York Times on Jan. 22, 2008, who addresses this point within his discussion on small business failure.

There is plenty to be gained from failure such as, building character, creating opportunities and teaching perseverance, as stated by

Robert Kanaat in his “Why Failure is so Important” article on wanderlustworker.com.

Though much can be gained from failure, coping with it is not always as easy. British prime minister Winston Churchill once said that “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Henrik Edberg’s article about how to overcome failure on positivityblog.com, from Feb. 25, 2016, states that some

methods of coping with failure used by students include: moving forward and not slowing down; keeping in mind that everyone is going to fail at some point, so fear of that failure should not keep someone from trying; and being constructive and learning from the situation.

Maintaining motivation and always learning from mistakes are important things to remember when trying to achieve any kind of goal.

THE WOOSTER BLADE ASKED:

What is your biggest failure, and what did you learn from it?

“One of my biggest failures is not balancing my courses with hard and easy classes; that way it won’t be too much stress.”

Shakad Khan (11) “Trusting fake people. I learned to not trust people I’m not close to.”

Caleb Houk (12)

“My biggest failure was failing my driver’s test twice. I learned to not let nerves get in the way during situations.”

Anna Munro (10) “My first time I made it to sectionals for ice skating, I was overly confident and undertrained. I skated really poorly and ended in dead last. This was a reality check for me, and made me recognize I need to put in the work to be successful.”

Matthew Nielsen (9) “Not preparing for college earlier than my senior year, and not doing the proper research. I learned how to better time manage, and what I need to do to better my success in the future.”

Joe Macchetta (12)

Graphic by Matt Lorentz

“One of my biggest failures is the fact that I cry when I think I failed a test, even if I didn’t. I have learned to think positive thoughts, no matter what.”

Adria Lemon (9) Quotes compiled by Henry Gamble

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 29 JOHN GORMAN

The

views editor

of

ailure

in science

Despite its negative colloquial connotation, failure in science can often be a good thing.

Stuart Firestein, a neuroscience professor at Columbia University, explained in an interview with Science Friday’s Ira Flatow that failing in science is critical to the advancement of both education and science as a whole.

“The crucial thing that we all learn, as we become scientists, is that these failures lead us down important paths.

We have to be ready to take risks, many of which will fail,” explains Firestein.

As one fails in science, it is not an indication that the idea being tested is not worthwhile; rather, it means that another approach to the problem is needed.

In fact, as illustrated by Alyson Krueger in a Business Insider article titled “15 Life-Changing Inventions That Were Created By Mistake,” oftentimes scientific breakthroughs are the unintended results of alternative quests.

Sir Alexander Fleming, for example, after repeatedly failing in his search for a “wonder drug” to cure disease, noticed mold growing on a discarded petri dish dissolving nearby bacteria. He would later culture this mold into penicillin.

A Slate article titled “The Stunning Success of ‘Fail Better,’” written by Mark O’Connell, explains that the idea of failing better is something that has been fully embraced by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Rather than looking at success as the only good outcome and failure as everything short of success, it is imperative that individuals learn from their failures, in order to fail better.

This concept of failing better is embraced in the entrepreneurial and scientific communities alike, with failures being scrutinized and studied to learn what went wrong and how to best learn from mistakes.

While it is easy to view failure as something inherently negative, Fleming and countless other scientists have shown that studying and growing from failure is the best way to success.

F=

Historical

m 1m 2 G r2

E=m

c2

ailures

in

Q = mc t

science

GRIFFIN MURPHY In NASA’s missions of space travel, many probes that have gone on unmanned missions to several planets, such as one unmanned mission that was going to the moon in September of 2004.

One of these unmanned missions was seen with the Genesis Probe, which was there to take samples of the moon’s atmosphere and then take off three years later, returning with the samples to Earth for study.

However, upon reentry into the earth’s atmosphere, the probe did not know to release its parachute but began its descent to Earth, so the probe crashed in Utah, contaminating many of the samples and leaving few usable for research.

It was later discovered in 2009, when a report was released by NASA, that a worker on the probe installed one of the parts backward, leading to the malfunction in the systems. This caused the parachute to not release and ended up costing an estimated $260 million in damages to the problem, according to worldsciencefestival.com .

Einstein, in his theory of relativity, established the building blocks for science in relation to everything gravitational, which is what he called the cosmological constant.

This term means that the universe is static, or not expanding, because it is being

counteracted by the pull of gravity. Astronomers found that the universe is, and has been, expanding.

Einstein then took the cosmological constant out of his equations and, legend has it, he was later quoted calling the cosmological constant his “greatest blunder.”

Mario Livio, an astrophysicist who works on the Hubble Space Telescope, stated Einstein’s true blunder was, “taking out the constant” not leaving it in, because it was later discovered the Earth is not only expanding, but accelerating as it does, according to an interview with Clara Moskowitz, a former writer and editor for space.com.

In the same interview with Moskowitz, Livio said, “The theory allowed him to put it in…,” thus the theory was good.

What Einstein believed to be a great blunder was actually just a part of the equation he had yet to fully understand.

The people of Earth have been attempting to find a fix to the earth’s energy crisis with its depleting resources for years, and in March 1989, two physicists, Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann, claimed to have solved cold fusion.

Cold fusion is a process that was said to be able to produce limitless energy from anything, even as common as a household sink, from the

splitting of an atom.

According to Discover magazine, this claim was met with excitement by some scientists at the idea of a solution to the world’s energy issues; however, it was later seen as a hoax, and many scientists, over the years, have attempted to recreate their experiments.

Other than small trace amounts of tritium found, which is a compound often found after cold fusion takes place, there have been no results that lead people to believe cold fusion exists.

The theory of cold fusion was then debunked as a viable source of energy for many years to come.

VIEWS

Planned

Apple faces marketing controversy

As a result of the recent Apple battery throttling controversy, the planned obsolescence

What’s Inside?

a closer look at the Views section

AVERY ROSS

30

for the wrong reason.

Planned obsolescence is an economic style where products are built to eventually become obsolete; either when the product has a superior successor available or when the product simply ceases to work.

Planned obsolescence is nothing new. It is a commonly employed economic practice, frequently built into electronics and hand tools, as discussed in the Renaissance Woodworker article “On the Merits of Planned Obsolescence.”

Planned obsolescence is a necessary evil, as it keeps open a constant source of revenue for businesses from customers who would have previously been single time purchasers, whilst also being rather anti-consumer by design.

However, it is per-

fectly legal in the United States and many other countries, for the time being.

Apple has recently been investigated by French Authorities for overstepping their claims of building their products with the next iteration in mind, as covered by the Dec. 28 Engadget article, “Apple may face criminal charges in France over iPhone slowdowns.”

As a result of the French investigation, Apple confessed to the slowing of their phones processors over time (often called throttling), claiming the batteries of their phones degrade too rapidly to sustain the same processor speeds throughout their entire life cycles, according to the BBC article “Apple’s iPhones slowed to tackle ageing batteries.”

System throttling is when legal matters drift into a grey area.

No longer is Apple just planning ahead to deliver consumers a better product in a couple of years, they have begun to purposefully reduce the effectiveness of their previous products,

which is no longer just planned obsolescence, but something more aggressive.

Frankly, this development seems like a plot to more actively force Apple customers to upgrade to the next generation of product, which raises the question: at what point does planned obsolescence become illegal? If it is not illegal when products are being designed to be replaced, do things change once companies begin to discreetly modify their products after they are purchased?

Although planned obsolescence is a necessary component in the perpetuation of the consumerist model, Apple has gone too far.

To contribute to the destruction of a product they no longer own is to violate our rights as consumers.

Apple needs to better inform consumers about what they are getting into when they purchase their products.

31 32

Graphic by Corinne Wiles.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 31

Electronic cigarettes’ popular market creates debate DAVID CHENG The new trend of vaping as a substitute for regular cigarette smoking has made its way to WHS and with it comes new health concerns.

Electronic cigarettes are a relatively new market. They are appealing because of claims from companies that an e-cigarette, “simulates the smoking experience without the tobacco smoke, ash and smell associated with traditional tobacco cigarettes,” according to the e-cigarette company blu.

However, there are also those such as Mayo Clinic, that doubt these claims. In a 2016 Mayo “Electronic cigarettes: Not a safe way to light up” on their website, the clinic stated, “researchers have found that some e-cigarettes have nicotine from what’s on the label. In

also says on their page that although vape pens have not been approved by the FDA as a way for people to quit smoking, there was a study from the Cochrane Review from September of 2016 that found vaping could help adults quit smoking regular tobacco products.

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics recently came out with a new report titled, “Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes,” after analyzing about 800 peer reviewed studies about vaping. The report found that “There is conclusive evidence that completely substituting e-cigarettes for combustible tobacco cigarettes reduces users’ exposure to numerous toxicants and carcinogens present in combustible tobacco cigarettes.”

There are still many health risks.

According to Dr. Roshini S. Abraham, a medical practitioner for 21 years and specialist in diagnostic

tobacco products by the student handbook and are treated as such and the disciplinary action is the same as other tobacco usage.”

In the Student Handbook for the 2017-2018 school year, under the BOE policy 5610, “...E-cigarettes and Alternative Nicotine Products (Vape pen included), or possession of, will be treated as a tobacco infraction.”

Despite school punishments and possible health risks, it is up to students to choose for themselves how they will address this issue.

vaporized rather than in their solid form going through the gastrointestinal tract.”

With every inhalation, a sensor triggers a vaporizer to heat a small amount of liquid

the liquid and other chemicals when they are burned can cause gum disease and blistering inside, and also releases chemicals like formaldehyde...

vapor and is drawn into the user’s mouth.”

Vaping does have some According to the CDC on its “Smoking and Tobacco Use” informational page, vaping is technically safer than cigarettes in that it has fewer harmful chemicals than normal cigarettes. The CDC

e-cigarette nicotine, Abraham stated, “If the nicotine is still being used in the vape pens, nicotine addiction and its

from the metal coils when it is heated and how it interacts with the lungs.”

School policy regarding vaping is the same as normal tobacco products and their usage.

According to Principal Tyler Keener, vape pens and juuls,

of students polled said they have not vaped at school Have you ever witnessed people vaping or juuling within the school ?

YES 57%

NO 43%

Do you believe that vaping on school grounds is a problem at WHS?

YES 38%

NO 62%

Vaping trend causes health concerns

and other additives have been shown to be toxic.”

In order to understand of vaping, one needs to understand the mechanism of the device itself. According to LiveScience, in the article “Vaping: How E-cigs Work (Infographic),” “E-cigarettes feature a replaceable inhaler cartridge containing vegetable glycerin and/or polyethylene

81%

AVERY ROSS This trend needs to stop.

Vaping and juuling pose and adults alike.

Although the CDC has noted an over 20 percent decline in teenage smoking since 2011 in the the report “The Relationship Between Student Smoking in the School Environment and Smoking Onset in Elementary School Students,” there has been a e-cigs, with about 38 percent of high school students admitting to using an e-cig at

least once, as recorded in the 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey also held by the CDC. This demonstrates that vaping is gradually overtaking smoking amongst teenage audiences.

The common misconception with vaping is that there are no health risks, or at least the idea that the health risks are quite minimal when compared to smoking.

When compared to smoking, vape liquid is nowhere near as toxic for the body as the chemical concoction found in the average cigarette.

However, research shows that vaping is only the lesser of two evils. The April 25, 2017 ScienceNews article “Concerns explode over new health risks of vaping” by Lindsey Konkel explains that vaping has been proven to cause both smoker’s cough natural cell regeneration, both of which are mostly irreversible, potentially resulting in long term health

and often stemming from the nicotine found in many varieties of vape liquid, as explained by Cari Nierenberg April 2017 LiveScience article “E-Cigarettes: What Vaping Does to Your Body.”

Around WHS, vaping has become a much greater concern recently than ever before, with groups of teens being caught vaping together in the bathrooms, exposing others to potentially dangerous, although minimal, fumes from secondhand smoke. And, although e-cigs as a tobacco products in Ohio state law (and they are not blanket banned on school grounds as a result) all tobacco and vapor products are banned on school grounds within Wooster school district.

Vaping is a danger to the health of teens, including those who are exposed to heavy fumes. So, for those of you who are vaping, please be considerate of others.

THE

WOOSTER

BLADE

Editors-in-Chief Estelle Shaya, Amber Swigart Webmaster Jacob Gooch Graphics Manager Matthew Lorentz Business Managers Matthew Lorentz, Jacob Gooch On Campus Editor Spencer Dilyard Focus Editor Chris Roche Sports Editor Hannah Knapic A & E Editors Nick Cosmo, Evan Doan Trends Editor Chelsea Patterson Cover Editors Alexis Florence, Erin O’Donnell Views Editor John Gorman Feature Editors Holly Miller, Maddy Nacci Staff Writers David Cheng, Ambrea Dellafave, Henry Gamble, Emily Jewell, Skyy Khounborin, Clara Lee, Emma LoGiudice, Thomas Matthew, Maddy McCully, Melina Mera, Alexa Mitchell, Pauley, Avery Ross, Rachael Schmidt, Molly Schneider, Cate Strong, Gina Van Lieu, Aleesha Vaughn, Rheanna Velasquez, Devika Walia, Kyle Ward, Corinne Wiles Head Photographer Hannah Knapic Photographers Ambrea Dellafave, Spencer Dilyard, Jacob Gooch, Emma LoGuidice, Maddy McCully, Reece Mitchell, Chelsea Patterson, Molly Schneider, Aleesha Vaughn Artist Cate 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 the woosterblade.com

THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 1, 2018 | PAGE 32

OUR VIEW

Student action critical to creating change Over the past decade, social media has become a powerful tool for change in our society. While some have utilized this medium to push for reform and meaningful change, others have exploited it to bully, harass or threaten others. To make matters worse, many of the users who witness these online incidents often fail to report it or even encourage the instigator.

Malicious use of social media platforms recently came to the forefront of the WHS student body’s attention with the proliferation of an Instagram account that depicted many students in an inappropriate and insulting light.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board is not only deeply saddened by the actions that some of our peers have decided to take, but also find ourselves disillusioned by the lack of action taken by students who not only knew of these transgressions, but actively followed and liked the posts of the account.

While the account has

now been reported to the administration, it was able to post a plethora of petulant pictures to over 100 followers before being reported. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board is appalled that such an account remained unreported as long as it did, despite having a large base of WHS student followers.

Incidents such as these occur far too commonly on social media. According to a Digital Trends article

by Hillary Grigonis on July 20th of 2017 titled, “Cyberbullying happens more often on Instagram, a new survey suggests”, of over 10,000 teenagers, 70 percent of those surveyed have bullied someone on social media at some point.

Is this the kind of environment we want to foster as a student body?

By failing to recognize and respond to the deeply hurtful effects of social media, such as the recent Instagram account, students are enabling malicious users to continue to hurl insults at other students without fear of repercussion.

These incidents illuminate a troubling phenomenon known as the bystander effect, in which individuals are less likely to stop or report wrongdoing if others are aware of the situation, according to psychologytoday.com.

The bystander effect prolongs and encourages misconduct, as the individual responsible is often not held accountable for their actions.

This effect is further perpetuated by social media, where anonymity allows the perpetrator to make harmful statements with less fear of repercussions. This type of culture must end, and we, as a student body, are the ones who need to facilitate change.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board calls upon our peers to create and preserve a positive, supportive and caring environment by taking a stand against those that would seek to harm others.

Should a student come across a concerning scene, Principal Tyler Keener

implores them to speak up.

“Tell an adult, teacher, guidance counselor or administrator. We have protocols and procedures in place. We have resources to help people… Let our people know so we can get that help out there that we need as quickly as possible,” Keener said.

Student advocacy for change has already begun to materialize.

The #marchforourlives movement, which recently began as a response to the recent school shooting in Florida, is an excellent example of students using their voice to make a difference.

In a generation that has fully embraced the use of social media as a medium for communication, it is the responsibility of bystanders to avoid standing by as passive witnesses during an online incident.

The Wooster Blade Editorial Board hopes the next time a situation warrants intervention, those who witness the event will have the courage to alert the proper authorities.

Letter to the Editor Hey there, Wooster Blade! I just wanted to slip in a quick word about an article from the 8th issue of The Wooster Blade for this year. The article is entitled “Shutdown signals government failure,” and is intended to be a piece that is taking a specific stance on a topic, and I wish to insert an opinion on the clause in the conclusion “opt instead to do what is best for the American people.” I get that you people at The Wooster Blade are

trying to be champions of social change by soft spokenly asking the government to be better to its people, but that statement takes no stance and is terribly ambiguous.

What is best for the American people is different for every American. For me personally, some ice cream would be what I think is best for me right now. To cope with all these different points of view, we have political parties. These political

parties have grown in polarity recently, which is a topic the article touches on and is a very good point. I think this divisiveness is reflective of American people, and more people are adamant about their beliefs, and less willing to listen to others, now more than ever, that’s how we’ve produced the epicenter of strife, twitter.com. People are becoming more polar in their opinions, and political parties are reflecting that, resulting in

the “partisan gamesmanship” as you call it. So, when you implore the government and representatives to do what is best for the American people, those representatives are going to use political parties as their explanation for what the American people want, and with that we are back at square one of another government shutdown.

Cordially, Corbin Lanker (12)