The Wooster Blade - Issue 10 by The Wooster Blade

THE WOOSTER BLADE

WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER • 515 OLDMAN ROAD, WOOSTER, OH • MARCH 6, 2015 • VOLUME XV, ISSUE 10

In retrospect

The Wooster Blade turns back the clock to explore the progression of the publication over time.

INDEX

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 2

THE WOOSTER BLADE

Co-Editors-in-Chief Taylor Bennington and Jack Reynolds Co-Webmasters Han Mahle and Shreya Gurumurthy Business Managers Alex Hasapis and Paige Clayton Graphics Editor Alex Hasapis Managing Editor Paige Clayton Front Editor Alli Wigham Design Managers Samantha Brunn and Alli Wigham On Campus Editor Jack Hartmann and Gaelan Gatz Focus Editors Shiyuan Wang and Becca Foley Trends Editors Bri Bocook and Claire Lanham Sports Editors Eric Belcik and Luke Wiest Arts & Entertainment Editors Mike O’Donnell and Ben Snoddy Feature Editors Olivia Bernadine, Stefi Hernandez and Chloe Landers Cover Editors Samantha Brunn and Mary Grace Gorman Views Editors Alex Barnard and Stephen Kridel Staff Writers Kayla Barnet, David Burnett, Isabelle Cannon, Kayla Cooper, Matt Friedhoff, Sarah Hopkins, Emma Jeffries, Nate King-Smith, Claire Lanham, Tatumn McGrew, Maureen McKeown, Ryan Miller, Hanna Morgan and Olivia Sleek Photographers Casey Baik, Beth Clayton, Maggie Flechler, Becca Foley, Fred Holmes, Marcus Jeffries, Claire Lanham, Cain Lanker, Maureen McKeown, Madison Culver, Austin Miko and Grant Peabody Cartoonists Grace Cheng, and Fred Holmes 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 330-3454000 ext. 3210 or at thewoosterblade@gmail.com. We can also be found online at thewoosterblade.com.

Dating back to the 1920s, The Wooster Blade has

published under numerous nameplates, including:

front section on campus focus

1-2

3-6

7-10

sports 11-14 cover section

15-18

feature

19-22

trends 23-25 a&e

26-28

views

29-32

The building depicted on the front cover was used as Wooster High School until 1994. It was then converted to Cornerstone Elementary. Wooster High School then moved to its current location at 515 Oldman Road.

Front photos by Cain Lanker and courtesy of Wayne County Historical Society with photo illustration by Han Mahle

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 3

Vaccination policies conﬂict with personal beliefes in the district Paige Clayton managing editor

In light of recent events in the national circuit surrounding the controversy of vaccinations, the iconic debate of vaccination for children has once again risen to the surface of public media. That being said, while the national community has been closely examined under the world’s microscope, the vaccination policies and guidelines set here at home by the Wooster City Schools Board of Education have also been revisited by the public. According to BOE policy #5352: “In order to safeguard the school community from the spread of certain communicable diseases and in recognition

that prevention is a means of combating the spread of disease, the Board of Education requires all students to be immunized against poliomyelitis, rubeola, diphtheria, rubella (German measles), pertussis, tetanus, mumps, and others legally designated in accordance with State statutes, unless specifically exempt for medical or other reasons.” While the BOE has the rights to enforce such a policy on their own free terms and can pass exemption from such vaccines, by doing so, they only place the student body, staff and families of the Wooster City Schools District even more at risk of intercepting any of the above communicable diseases. Lana Gesler, a nurse at WHS, said many diseases could be

greatly controlled and possibly even eradicated with the use of immunizations. “Everyone should be vaccinated. The power of vaccines can help to improve the overall health of a community through the ‘herd immunity’,” Gesler said. The herd mentality, as described by the CDC, is the large group protection (those who are vaccinated) of the smallunprotected group (those who are not yet vaccinated). In addition to the policies and regulations set by the BOE, the WCSD is also required to follow the instructions on immunization set forth by the state of Ohio. According to the Ohio Department of Health, “The goal of the Ohio Department of Health Immunization Program is to reduce and eliminate vaccinepreventable diseases among

Ohio’s children, adolescents and adults.” Vaccinations have often been brushed under the rug in society, as many still feel their side effects canlead to defects in other aspects of health, but the important of vaccinations in the United States has never been greater. With the growing controversy in the national sector, it is expected that several states will review their own immunization policies. especially when pertaining to immunization requirements in schools. All changes will benefit both students and faculty and create a safer environment.

The ﬁrst vaccine dates back to 1000 CE. It was used by the Chinese to prevent smallpox

Holiday costs district excess funds TAYLOR BENNINGTON co editor-in_chief

As the result of the Wooster City School District’s calamity make up day policy, the school district had to pay classified staff members overtime to come to work on Presidents Day. Wooster Education Association President Scott Miller explains that classified staff members contractually have a list of holidays that can be found in section 901 of their contract; President’s Day being one of them. “We first contacted administration with our concern about classified staff on about January 13 or 15 … about a month out from the actual date,” Miller said. Discussion of the contractual issue took place earlier, however, before WEA got involved in January. WCSD Board of Education

member Susan Marlar states the added expense discussion took place during the planning of the 2014 calendar. Treasurer of the WCSD Bonnie West stated at the Feb. 24 board of education meeting, in response to a public inquiry made on behalf of The Wooster Blade, that the added cost to the district to operate on Presidents day was around $20,000. But according to Marlar, no discussion took place as to whether or not to close the district on President’s Day to avoid the additional $20,000 in costs. “The Board’s mission is defined by two goals: 1) Continue to improve student achievement 2) extend the community’s financial investment. Student achievement is accomplished by having students in school and/or providing days for teacher development and

team planning when students are not in school. Calamity days that are not made up by either of those means are a financial loss to the district and no improvement in student achievement,” Marlar said. Yet, Marlar states that Presidents Day will not be on the table as a calamity make up day in the future. Presently, the 2015-2016 academic calendar, approved by the board of education at their Jan.27, 2015, meeting still includes Presidents Day as a calamity make up day for next school year, and as of now, allots two days the district can utilize to close school for inclement weather without having to make them up. The district will continue to examine their policy on calamity days, how many the district should employ and when the number of days is exceeded, how they should be made up.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 4

The Wooster Blade explores membership in two WHS clubs Team members and coach reﬂect on season MARY GRACE GORMAN

cover editor The Academic Challenge team is coached by Mark Kister, Social Studies Dept. member. Members of the team interviewed include Alexander Thompson (10) and Chad Wang (12). Q: What is the Academic Challenge’s team record? Kister: It’s hard to name a specific record, but we have finished in the top three in numerous tournaments. Q: What was the highlight of the season? Kister: Winning our division tournament to qualify to the district tournament.

Q: What does the team need to work on for the next year? Kister: Having more members would be very helpful, but in terms of categories, we struggle the most with math. Why did you join Academic Challenge? Wang: Because it’s fun, and I get to meet a lot of new and exciting people. Thompson: In sixth grade, I joined the St. Mary’s middle school team and have been participating ever since. What topic do you specialize in? Wang: Cats. Cats and U.S. history, but that’s not as important. Thompson: My speciality

would probably be history, government, politics, geography and to a lesser extent, art and music. Do you have a favorite question you’ve ever been asked? Wang: Yeah, they’re all about cats. The question was involving the musical Cats. Thompson: We don’t really get a particular question repeated over and over again, but I like getting obscure answers. How do you practice for academic challenge? Wang: I read a lot of Wikipedia. Thompson: We just have practice questions that we try to answer at practice with Mr. Kister.

Chess club looks towards future success

Chad Courtemanche (10) started playing chess in seventh grade, and has been a member of the WHS Chess Club for two years. He was happy with how he and his team played this season. “I have had a successful year in the Chess Club. I have won about three-fourths of my games in both tournaments I competed in. The team has done well as well, winning ﬁrst place in our second tournament,”Courtemanche said. Courtemanche said that his team has done a great job. Photos by Claire Lanham and Blurbs by Ryan Miller

Willis Snyder (10) has been playing chess since around the time he was eight years old and has been a member of the WHS Chess Club for two years. “The seasons going well; we took home a ﬁrst place trophy this year, which hasn’t happened in a long time. I hope we do well in States this year and that we can make it to Nationals for the ﬁrst time,” Snyder said. Synder will continue to play chess, and hopes to be successful in his future years as a member of the team.

Connor Stermer (12) has been on the chess team for four years. This year, he was disappointed that he did not get to compete in more tournaments in his senior year. “I only got to play in one tournament this year, which was disappointing,“ Stermer said. Adding that he wishes the best for the team, and knows they will succeed. Stermer has been playing chess since second grade and has been a member of the WHS Chess Club for the past four years.

Maureen McKeown

The Wooster High School Academic Challenge Team is pictured above, in order from left to right. Miranda Miller (12), Liz Keller (12), Jared Cassarly (11), David Wood (11), Alexander Thompson (10) and Chad Wang (12). Teammate Robert Dittman (12) is not pictured.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 5

Austin Miko

Gault Recreation Center

Ellen Shapiro Natatorium

The Ellen Shapiro Natatorium at WHS offers advantages and recreational activities to students, sports teams and members of the community. Users of the pool include the Masters swimmer group, members of the community, aqua exercise groups, the Marines and scuba classes. The pool also hosts birthday parties on the weekend. School athletic programs, including the WHS boys and girls swim teams, use the pool for practices and competitions. Hanna Sanchez is a lifeguard at the pool and is also a coach for the YMCA swim team. “Well, I know that for anyone who participates in baseball uses the facility for training on Saturday mornings, and we welcome any sport that is interested in using the facility,” Sanchez said. The natatorium is a beautiful facility that can be enjoyed by everyone in the community and will be utilized for years to come. Austin Miko

The Gault Recreation and Fitness Center is a multipurpose arena located in Wooster High School, which was constructed along with the new Wooster High School building in 1994. According to the WCS website, the Gault, which was primarily funded by the Stan Gault family, is 55,000 square feet and has four multipurpose courts, a 200-meter track and a fitness center. The Gault is home to the Wooster Generals indoor athletic programs and is open to the public with hours that vary throughout the year.

Cain Lanker

State-of-the-art facilities at WHS

Blurbs by: Jack Reynolds (The Gault Recreation Center) Nate King-smith (The Ellen Shapiro Natatorium) Alex Hasapis (The Performing Arts Center)

Performing Arts Center

The Performing Arts Center, or better known as the PAC, is one of the facilities Wooster High School has to offer. The PAC was built when the present high school was constructed in 1994. According to Emily Patterson (Music Dept. member), the PAC has seating for 1,000 people with floor and balcony seating, a state-of-theart lighting and sound system utilizing two catwalks; it also features a large storage and building facility, which houses dressing rooms and a space in which to prepare make-up. The WHS Drama Club, Wayne Center for the Arts, the WHS music program and many other programs from around the area can often be found utilizing the PAC.

WCSD plans to improve buildings and facilities OLIVIA BERNADINE

feature editor The upcoming years in the Wooster City School District are inviting exciting, new improvements. In terms of building upgrades, Michael Foore, Manager of Buildings and Grounds for the WCSD, has a list of potential projects that the WCSD is working on for this upcoming summer. “It is important to note that as of right now, these projects are still in the conceptual stage and this is not a finalized list. These projects still need to go out to bid, which should happen in the near future. There are many factors and variables that will go into the final decision making process that will help us dictate what our final project selections are,” Foore said.

Expected proposals for WHS include replacement of three air conditioning systems, Gault Recreation Center lighting upgrades, perimeter sidewalk replacements, repaving of the East teachers’ parking lot, commons area restroom renovation and West and South entry plaza replacements. Other buildings in the district will be receiving roofing upgrades, among other things. In addition to this extensive list, Foore says there are numerous smaller construction projects, improvements and maintenance repairs that will be completed by district maintenance and repair workers, as well as a vast number of painting projects and the thorough carpet, gym floor refinishing and extensive cleaning that is performed over the summer months.

“The summers are where the districts support staff really come through and both brighten and refresh our buildings,” Foore said. From an academic standpoint, Richard Leone, Director of Secondary Education, is knowledgeable about improvement plans. Leone details improvements as being attacked in different levels of strategy. Strategy 1A is meant to develop, implement and support the WCSD Five-Year Curriculum and Assessment Cycle. Strategy 1B is intended to develop, implement and support the District Leadership team, BLTs and TBTs. Strategy 1C is meant to develop, implement and support a climate for 100 percent of Wooster City School

students to be college and/or career ready by graduation. According to the district website, the Ohio Improvement Process involves four stages across which processes, structures, tools and people are connected, all with the intent of helping districts use data to identify areas of greatest need; develop a focused plan with a limited number of goals and strategies targeted at instructional practice and student performance; implement and monitor; and evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement process in changing instructional practice and student performance. The summer of 2015 is shaping up to be a busy summer for the Wooster City School District in terms of building improvements.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 6

Much Ado About Nothing: WHS returns to the classics OLIVIA SLEEK staﬀ writer

For the 2015 spring production, Drama Club will perform William Shakespeare’s Much What’s Ado About Nothing. Drama Club is excited for the challenge of taking this famous production and making the it their own. strangest thing “I’m a big fan of Shakespeare’s work, and Mr. Patterson and I wanted to do something that was challenging. Plus, the Drama Club hasn’t done a you’ve seen in WHS Shakespearean play in a while,” Emily Patterson, Music Dept. member and Drama Club? director of the show, said. The club has chosen to perform from the original text, but set the era in A: “Nick Williams in that modern day time. ﬂ owery dress. It was part of Mister “The challenge is to bring the language to the audience,” Patterson said. Stage Manager Hannah Otto believes the play will be a success with Robert’s last spring.”-Tom Myers (12) the continued work of every cast and crew member. “It’s going to be a lot of work, but if everyone does it, it should turn out well.” The play will be performed during the week of the Fine Arts Festival March 20 through 22 in the PAC. Tickets vary from $7 to $10 and are sold at the WHS Athletic office.

Q: How long does it take to memorize lines? A: “Two to three days. To prepare, I read the entire script. Then I read my lines seven times, take a break, and repeat the process.”Aiche N’Diaye (12)

Q: What are your thoughts on this show? A: “This is a challenging show to be in and adapt with iambic pentameter of Shakespeare. This is a great show and I’m pleased with how we’ve adapted.”-Nick Williams (12)

Q: How long have you been in the club? A: “This is my second show. Drama Club has a positive inﬂuence. This is my ﬁrst year at WHS and I love it here. The club has really helped me blend in.” -Katie Ward (11)

Q: What do you think the audience will get out of your character? A: “That he’s the evil guy. He tries to break up multiple characters and is just an all around bad person. I come in hoping to be the good guy, but I know it will never happen”- Connor Stermer PHOTOS BY HAN MAHLE AND CAIN LANKER

FOCUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 7

Students gain valuable experience helping local businesses Buehler’s Fresh Foods

Broken Rocks Cafe & Bakery

City Square Steakhouse

Maddy Moses

Rhiannon Dawson

Mike Wahba

Northeast Ohio local business Buehler’s has become a popular place for high school students to work. One WHS student, Maddy Moses (11), applied for her first job at Buehler’s Milltown after buying her first car. “I needed money for gas and upkeep on my car,” Moses said. Moses began working at Buehler’s in September, and since then, has been placed in the newly renovated “Chef’s Kitchen” making pizzas and sandwiches. Moses says she likes working at Beuhler’s because she enjoys making the food and has met many nice people. Local businesses provide employees with enjoyable experiences and flexible hours making them pleasant places to work.

Rhiannon Dawson (11), works at Broken Rocks, the local eatery in downtown Wooster. Broken Rocks specializes in a variety of fine dining cuisine. This is Dawson’s first job, but she enjoys the family owned atmosphere and the pleasant attitudes of her fellow employers. “One of my favorite benefits are the free meals when working, because they are very unique and appetizing,” Dawson said. She looks forward to going to work because even though she is one of the youngest workers there, her fellow employees are very welcoming and friendly.

For four months, Mike Wahba (12) has dedicated his time to working at the local business, City Square Steakhouse. Wahba enjoys the sense of personal connection that comes with the City Square Steakhouse. Wahba prefers working at a local business rather than a franchise because he believes it is more personal and accomplishments are recognized more by superiors. He also aspires to become a restaurateur, so his experience at City Square has allowed him to see the inner-workings of a locally-owned restaurant.

Blurbs written by Steﬁ Hernandez, Shreya Gurumurthy and Isabelle Cannon. Photos and mugs taken by Marc Jeﬀries.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 8 Performance Based Assessments

Standardized Testing in WCSD What is the PARCC?

The state of Ohio is one of 22 states working as a group, called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), according to the Ohio Department of Education PARCC testing information web site. PARCC determines what tests students should take to comply with the new Common Core academic standards for math and language arts and are meant to improve the college and career readiness of students, according to the PARCC web site.

ENGLISH

MATH

SOCIAL STUDIES

SCIENCE

Wooster students will be taking Performance Based Assessments (PBA) to measure progress in core subjects from Feb. 23-March 13. PBAs are administered after 75 percent of the school year has been completed, according to the ODE website. Students can take computer-based assessments in Pearson’s TestNav8 computer program or the Paper-Based Assessment, according to the Pearson Education web site. The WCSD met all the technology requirements this year as required by PARCC and ODE, allowing the district to administer computer-based assessments, according to Rich Leone, Director of Secondary Education for the WCSD. WHS students will be taking PBA’s in English, math, science and social studies, according to the Wooster High School testing schedule.

End of Year Assessments

What the tests mean for the WCSD

Performance Based Assessment and End of Year Assessment scores will be used to measure student and teacher performance, including graduation requirements. Rich Leone, Director of Secondary Education for the WCSD, says PARCC and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) assessments will, “have a significant high stakes impact at WHS due to the graduation requirements for the class of 2018 and beyond.” Leone adds that online testing will become the norm for students and staff in the district. The Ohio Department of Education has not yet released information on possible impacts for student course placement.

ENGLISH

MATH

SOCIAL STUDIES

SCIENCE

The End of Year (EOY) assessments are used to measure students’, “further conceptual understanding” of core subjects and are administered after 90 percent of the school year has been completed, according to the ODE website. WCSD will administer the EOY assessments in math, English, social studies and science from April 13-15, according to Rich Leone, Director of Secondary Education for the WCSD.

Graphic and blurbs by Han Mahle

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 9

First female letter winner Local female breaks barriers with award STEFI HERNANDEZ inducted in Hall of Fame feature editor

front editor

It can be difficult for some to imagine a world where female athletes are not afforded the same choices as males in high school athletics. However, this world was a reality in much of the United States until Title IX was passed in 1972. Title IX paved the way for female athletes. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Title IX, “ protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.” Title IX does not only pertain to sports, however. The site titleix.info states it also strives to help women in other areas such as, “access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant and parenting students, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology.” WHS did not award a female varsity letter winner until 1975. Deb Silver Gambon, of the class of 1975 earned

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS ATHLETIC DEPT.

Graduated from the class of 1975, Deb Silver Gambon became the ﬁrst female letter winner at WHS. a varsity letter in diving. In the early 1970s, WHS did not have a girls’ diving team, so Gambon decided to join the boys’. This caused much tension and created backlash. During her time on WHS’s diving team, Gambon set records that remained unbroken for almost 40 years. She held six school records at WHS by the time she graduated. After graduation, she continued diving on the men’s team at Kent State University.

According to OARDC.com, Linda Saif, a scientist in The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental sciences has been awarded the 2015 Wolf Prize in Agriculture, making her the first woman to ever receive this prestigious award. The Wolf Prize is an award that can be received in fields including agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine and physics. Only five or six recognitions have been awarded in the sciences since 1978, as stated by wolffund.org. Saif was awarded the Wolf Prize because of her work on diseases of crucial importance to animals, food safety and human life. Saif says she is highly honored to receive the award and feels humbled to be in company of other esteemed scientists who have also received the Wolf Prize. Past recipients include Stephen

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDA SAIF

Linda Saif, scientist at the OARDC, was awarded the 2015 Wolf Prize. paving the way for additional future outstanding women scientists to be nominated and recognized for these prestigious awards,” Saif said. Saif also contributes the success of her research program to her team of current and former lab members.

March honors Women’s History Month ALLI WIGHAM front editor

Every year, the world sets aside one month to honor the history and achievements of womankind. Women’s History Month originated in 1982 as Women’s History Week in Sonoma County, Cal., according to womenshistorymonth.gov. In 1987, after much petitioning from the National Women’s History Project, Congress declared March the official Women’s History Month. Along with Women’s History Month is International Women’s Day, which is on March 8. Each year’s Women’s History Month usually adopts a theme

•Women today hold 17 percent of congressional and Senate seats in the United States. •The two highest I.Q.’s ever recorded belong to women. •Before 1978, a woman could legally be ﬁred from her job for being pregnant.

How far have women come?

ALLI WIGHAM

Hawking and Peter Higgs. “Dr. Linda Saif’s work exemplifies our college’s commitment to conducting meaningful research that benefits agriculture as well as human health and wellbeing,” the vice president of agriculture administration, Bruce McPheron, said. While Saif has achieved becoming a successful scientist, she recognizes the struggles she faced in the beginning of her career because of her gender. Saif was forced to resign her job at the OARDC after she married her husband because husbands and their spouses were not allowed to work together per orders of the OARDC. Fortunately, resigning allowed her to continue in graduate school for her PhD. In 1979, a faculty position in her field became available at the OARDC after the rule had changed. “It is even more of an honor to me to be the first woman recipient of the Wolf Prize in Agriculture. I hope that I am

facts collected by Kayla Cooper from genderacrossborders.com and

makers.com

that promotes women’s history. This year’s theme is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” To celebrate this year’s Women’s History Month, the

National Women’s History Project has chosen nine honorees who they believe have, “woven women’s stories into the fabric of our history.” Some of these honorees include Delilah L. Beasley, who was a newspaper columnist in both the 20th and 21st Centuries; Polly Welts Kaufman, who is a published writer, teacher and activist; Darlene Clark Hene, who is a historian and educator and Holly Near, who is a singer, songwriter and social activist. The National Women’s History Project believes these women best exemplify the qualities necessary to be recognized as an influential woman in history.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 10

First drama club at Edgewood provides new opportunities CHLOE LANDERS feature editor

WCS students will now be able to begin their drama club journey much earlier now that EWMS has their very own, new Drama Club program. EWMS Principal, Dean Frank, is excited to welcome the program to students and parents. Frank said the students worked hard for their first production, which was held the weekend of Feb. 6. The production held, Dorothy in Wonderland, allowed students to find their niche, added Frank. Frank believes Drama Club helps students prepare themselves for the high school Drama Club and gives the students a, “good first time

experience.” Jamie Morris, a Parkview second grade teacher, had the idea to bring the club to the middle school and leads students as the club adviser. In order to get students informed, Morris said that about 45 students were able to partake in several activities that had to do with introduction of the arts. Activities included stage makeup with members of the COW drama students and going to see two productions. Auditions for the February play Dorothy in Wonderland, were held in Dec. 28, and students were cast in the play, said Morris. “I had the idea to bring the Drama Club to EWMS this past summer. I felt grades five through seven would benefit from the opportunity. I believe

ALEX HASAPIS

From left to right: Sierra Dewald (Rook), Steven Byrne (Tin Man), Jerimiah Moore (Two of Clubs) and Haylie Mettler (Pawn) in Dorothy in Wonderland. in all the great benefits that come from getting involved in the arts as early as possible,”

Morris said. Alyssa Short, a sixth grader at EWMS, participated in

Dorothy in Wonderland and said she highly enjoyed playing the roles of a flower and the five of hearts in the production. Short shared that one of her favorite parts of the club is that she was taught how to remain calm before going on stage. As she plans on being a part of the WHS Drama Club, Short said she is glad they have created the drama club because it gives her extra experience in the arts. “I think it’s a great experience to learn and be more active in the drama club. I really do think more people should try out drama club because it really helps you to open up more,” Short said. EWMS students who are interested in joining the drama club next fall can get more information from the school office or from Morris.

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SPORTS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 11

The path to perfection: how to pick the winning bracket

ERIC BELCIK sports editor

This past year, The Wooster Blade held a March Madness bracket contest to determine who could fill out the best bracket. The winner of the contest was promised a column, so he could discuss how he crafted a masterpiece and give advice to those who were considering filling out a bracket this march. I, however, did not win this contest. This contest was actually won by Taylor Bennington (12), who said, “I am too busy preparing my bracket for this year to write this story.” Therefore, I will be giving out my

best advice for those who will try to perfect their bracket this year. The clear front runner for this year’s tournament is the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats have only improved throughout the season and are the only team in the NCAAM who is still undefeated. However, being the overall number one seed does not guarantee success. According to ESPN, in the past eight years, the overall number one seed has only reached the Final Four four times. The other teams who will likely take the three other number one seeds include Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke. Two of these teams frighten me based on their pasts. Gonzaga has never won the tournament, and Duke is very much prone to being knocked out of the tournament earlier than expected. Virginia recently lost its best player and has played in many close games as the season has progressed. Without the actual bracket in front of me, it is pretty hard to make accurate predictions, but looking

at the history most definitely helps. ESPN explains, since 1985, seed numbers seven, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 have never made it to the Final Four. Also, a number one seed has never lost its first matchup against the 16 seed. Remember to pick the upset. The reason no one gets a perfect bracket every year is because the number of upsets is very much unpredictable. Do not be afraid to pick at least one five seed versus 12 seed upset. In the past, the success of the individual has been able to propel the underdog past the big name school. Specifically, in 2008, when current NBA all star Stephen Curry led Davidson past Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin. I would watch out for The Ohio State Buckeyes and freshman sensation D’angelo Russell, who was recently compared to Stephen Curry by Bleacher Report on Feb. 26. However, knowing too much can often do more harm than good. There is a reason they call it March Madness; it is often quite unpredictable. Schools that most people did not

know existed before the tournament began are constantly upsetting big named schools. Looking back over the past couple of years, multiple two and three seeds have lost on the first day of the tournament. Including two years ago when Missouri and Duke, both number two seeds, lost to 15 seeds on the first day. To conclude, I would make sure to do three things when filling out a bracket. First, pick the upset. Second, look to history. Third, do not get attached to your favorite team. The Wooster Blade is holding the same contest this year for March Madness and all people are welcome to join. The group name is the Wooster Blade Bracket Pool, the ID number is 15034 and the password is newspaper. The contest is being held on the Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick Em’ and is free to join. The winner of the pool will be promised a column in The Wooster Blade, so he or she can discuss strategies for a success.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 12

Deutschball fever rapidly spreading through the halls of WHS MICHAEL O’DONNELL a&e editor

Like an airborne infection, deutschball fever is spreading through the halls of WHS. Organized by the German Club, the deutschball tournament is a much anticipated dodgeball tournament, which will take place March 15. German Club President Luke Wiest has high hopes for this year’s deutschball tournament. “The deutschball tournament is probably the best event Wooster High School has to oﬀer, in my opinion,” Wiest said. Any number of teams will be welcome at the tournament, though each team needs to have a minimum of six players and a maximum of 10 players. According to Wiest, the usual number of teams competing is about 10 to 15, though Aaron

CAIN LANKER

On March 15, the German Club will host the Deutschball tournament. The tournament took a one year hiatus but is back again for all students. Thompson, the teacher in charge of German Club, hopes for more at this year’s highly publicized event. “The biggest year, we had 30 teams and we had a team from

LuK USA. It is a long-standing tradition, and we are hoping to have at least 20 to 30 teams compete,” Thompson said. The deutschball tournament started after the 2004 movie

Students vs. Staﬀ Basketball Both student versus staff games drew sizable crowds and lots of action. The student girls versus staff girls ended in a teacher victory with a score of 45-23, with Amber Eames of the Math Dept., leading the charge on the offensive and defensive ends. The student boys versus the staff boys ended in a nail-biter with a go-ahead basket to give the boys a threepoint lead with five seconds left. The student boys won 31-28.

PHOTOS BY CASEY BAIK, GRANT PEABODY AND FRED HOLMES. CAPTION BY GRANT PEABODY

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story was released, though the tournament was originally a Triway High School event. According to Thompson, a group of Wooster students participated in the Triway tournament and, as a “huge dodgeball fan,” as described by Luke Wiest, Thompson decided to piggyback oﬀ the success of the movie to start a dodgeball tournament, aptly named Deutschball because of the German Club’s role in its organization. Though the actual amount of prize money depends on the number of teams competing, there will be a cash prize for the winning team, as well as a trophy and, of equal importance: “Deutschball bragging rights,” according to Thompson. The tournament is great for the winners, as they get the

right to boast their deutschball accomplishments, though Thompson believes everyone beneﬁts from the tournament. “The students all get into it, they make their own t-shirts and their own teams and everything. So, I think it’s really good for school spirit, and that is why we wanted to keep it going,” Thompson said. The tournament will be in the double elimination style, with each game lasting, “no longer than ﬁve minutes, and then two minutes of overtime. If it goes any longer, we will have a sudden death,” German Club Vice President, Austin Miko said. As in past years, the deutschball tournament comes with the promise of entertainment for all, competition for those involved and the taste of glory for a lucky few.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 13

Most Improved: Coaches pick the most improved athletes of the winter Colt Morgan Boys’ Basketball Gymnastics

Varsity coach Craig Martin selected Colt Morgan (10) for most improved athlete from the boys’ basketball team. Colt is playing his first year on varsity this year. Martin said he chose Colt because, as a sophomore, he has had a lot of room to grow. Martin noted that he has gained more confidence as he gets more varsity experience and he has improved throughout the year with his play.

Boys’ Swimming

Ben Lorentz

Elizabeth Weeks Elizabeth Weeks (11) is a three year member of the gymnastics team. Debbie Knapic, head gymnastics coach, applauds Weeks for her determination. “She has encountered many mountains that most high school athletes never have to climb and she has conquered each one,” Knapic said. In addition, Knapic says Weeks works hard at practice and has gained new skills on all four pieces of equipment. Weeks has shown improvement on the beam and had her season high score (8.625) at the sectional tournament on Feb. 14 which put her as an alternate for Districts, according to Knapic.

Wrestling Blurbs by Han Mahle, Olivia Bernadine, Bri Bocook and Nate King-Smith. Photos by Maggie Flechler and Casey Baik.

One member of the WHS swim team had a strong season this year and improved the most throughout the winter swim season. The head coach of the boys’ swim team, Jeff DeHaan, named Ben Lorentz (12) to be the most improved swimmer on the team. Lorentz swam the 200 IM in about 2:40 at the beginning of the season and by the end of the season, he swam a 2:26. His 100 free was 1:02 and, by the end of the season, he went 54.45. DeHaan said Ben was given an edge over his previous seasons by weight training in the off season. “Ben both contributed and helped the team grow through outstanding leadership skills as a senior captain and through his hard work during practices and motivation of his peers during competition,” DeHaan said. Lorentz analyzed his season and decided that to improve, he simply worked hard in practice and tapered correctly to get the best results. “Swimming really has helped to develop my discipline by going to practice every day and working hard. Now, I am swimming faster and, as a result, the sport is always more rewarding when you feel you are achieving something,” Lorentz said. Lorentz was able to improve more than any other swimmer on the team this season, exhibiting leadership and talent.

Alex Perez

Alex Perez (9) is a first year wrestler who, according to head wrestling coach Don Rammel, “has grown tremendously this year.” Rammel applauds Perez for his achievement and improvement this season on the mat and in the classroom. A highlight of his season was a pin against Northwestern. Rammel points out Perez’s performance, “it sounds very cliche but his hard work and dedication have really paid off for him.”

Girls’ Swimming

Emily Miles

Emily Miles (9) was chosen by swim coach Chris Matthew as the most improved athlete from the girls’ swimming team. Emily has been working and swimming in the YMCA program for years. Matthew says, this year, Miles has really learned to get competitive and has gained a new attitude to become a real swimmer. With a new attitude and improving her 100 free record by two seconds, Miles was chosen as the most improved athlete for this year.

Girls’ Basketball ALEXIS SIGLER

IZZY RICO

“Izzy is hard working and very smart on court. She is our best defender, and I have seen tons of improvement throughout the year.” Coach Baus “My teammates and coaches have really pushed me to improve and the confidence I’ve gained throughout the season has also helped my game. In the future, I hope to enhance my offensive skills and just keep playing because it’s what I love to do.” Izzy Rico (9) “Alexis was on the JV team last year. Now, she is a starter, and I can hardly take her off the court. She is a big contributor, with six to eight points per game. She works hard and has made huge improvements from last year.” Coach Baus “I dedicate my improvement to a mix of simply loving basketball and realizing that I only have one more year after this and then having an amazing group of girls to play with. I don’t know what I would do without them. As for the future, I’ll definitely be back next year for my last year at WHS.” Alexis Sigler (11).

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 14

Touchdowns, threes and triples: America’s great sports

VS.

LUKE WIEST

ERIC BELCIK

DAVID BURNETT

sports editor

staﬀ writer

The National Football League was born in Canton in 1920 and has grown into the most popular American sport and the best league to watch. From its modest beginnings of an 11 team league founded in an auto dealership, the NFL has grown into a 32 team league that generates billions of dollars every year, as stated in “The Birth of the National Football League,” by Christopher Klein on Sept. 14, 2014, on history.com. Football’s closest sibling sport is rugby, a reason it is one of the most violent team sports in the world. But, what sets it apart is its complexity. Twenty-two players are on the field at one time and there are hundreds of different outcomes and potential plays on every snap. This complexity is also the reason it generates so many high viewer ratings each year. The most popular sporting events among TV viewers were almost all NFL playoff games, according to an article titled “The Most Watched Sporting Events so far in 2014,” by Emmett Knowlton for Business Insider on July 17, 2014. Furthermore, football is the preferred sport of 35 percent of Americans, according to an article titled “NFL Most Popular for 30th Year in a Row,” by Darren Rovell published for ESPN.com on Jan. 26, 2014. The NFL draft even had more viewers than the most prestigious tournament in golf, The Masters. Football also has a schedule unique to other popular sports in the United States. With only one game a week for each team, anticipation builds for fans every week as every game is vital to a team’s success. Sports like baseball and basketball, which schedule multiple games a week, reduce the relative importance of each game. It is safe to say that football and the NFL will remain the most popular sport and league in the United States for the time being, despite the questionable decision making from the top of the league.

The National Basketball Association is, without a doubt, the best professional sports league in the United States. Season length, all star festivities, the playoff system, and overall style and pace of play are why the NBA reigns supreme. First, let us discuss the season length. The NBA’s 82 game season has the perfect fit. If you compare the big three (NFL, NBA, MLB) to goldilock’s three bears, the MLB would be too long, the NFL would be too short and the NBA would be just right. Next, the all star festivities. The NFL cannot even compete in this category because no one really cares about the pro bowl. While the MLB does give the NBA a run for its money with the Home Run Derby and All Star Game, I would say the MLB and the NBA tie on the all star festivities. The playoff system in the NBA allows for a greater chance of upsets, while offering more games of basketball. The NFL and MLB are much shorter and are often not as competitive. Despite having more than half of the entire league make the playoffs, 16 of the 30, I still thoroughly enjoy watching every round of the playoffs. Additionally, adding more teams does not take away from the competitive nature of the league, five of the eight quarterfinal series went to game seven last year. Finally, pace and style of the game. This is the category where the MLB falls behind. In terms of being an action-packed sport, baseball really does not fit this category. The NFL and NBA tie for different reasons, the hard hitting plays in the NFL and the pace of the NBA make it very difficult to pick a clear winner. The NBA reigns supreme over the MLB and the NFL for all of the reasons listed above.

Baseball has always been, and will always be, the greatest sport on Earth. Baseball, as we know it today, is America’s game. While the British game rounders had great influence on the development of the sport, America firmly developed and established the rules followed across the globe today. The first professional baseball league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, operated from 1871 to 1875. The last major change to baseball rules took place in 1901, which counted foul balls as strikes. One-hundred-and-fourteen years later, the rules of the game remain unchanged. Think about the rule changes for a second. Football routinely changes its rules to appease concussion concerns, and basketball changes penalties for flopping and added the three point line less than 40 years ago. Baseball is by far the most consistent sport America owns. Baseball has also had a tremendous influence on everyday vocabulary. Elementary school students often operate on a disciplinary strike system. By the time the third strike rolls around, a punishment should be expected. When did a child last receive a fourth down or technical foul from their principal? When failure occurs, it is not uncommon to claim that one swung and missed. I have never heard someone say he missed a field goal, got blocked on a threepoint attempt, or missed his block. In short, baseball even influences general American vocabulary. Like soccer, baseball is seen by Americans as a beautiful game. It is largely free from the bonecrunching violence of football and forces spectators to do something they often avoid at other sporting event: think. The combination of the seventh inning stretch, beer, hot dogs, and strategy makes baseball a religion for its true fans, and it is, undoubtedly, America’s finest sport.

COVER

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 15

Beloved staff member showcases heroic past JACK HARTMANN on campus editor

Vic Cole, a faculty member of WHS, is informally known for selling Relay for Life candy bars during the four lunch periods. However, Cole may be a little more famous than we know. In 1998, Cole was driving a school bus when he noticed a house fire over by Lincoln Way elementary school. After Cole dropped his students off, he rushed to the house and helped the mother, daughter and all of their pets escape the fire safely. Cole’s heroic act landed him a spot in the Citizen Fire Wall of Fame in Columbus. Cole came to Wooster in 1976 and was educated here. Cole liked the town so much that he decided to stay and pursue a career

in Wooster. When asked what he loves most about WHS, Cole replied, “I care about every student in this school and I always will, no matter what.” Cole emphasizes how much he cares about students, even though it may be unrecognized by many. “I will always care and never stop caring. That’s why I love this school so much, because it is like one big family,” Cole said. Students are lucky to have such a kind, compassionate person walking the halls of MAGGIE FLECHLER Wooster High School.

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MARY GRACE GORMAN cover editor

In its long and storied history, The Wooster Blade has produced plenty of newspapers, but it has also made headlines of its own. On Jan. 19, 2003, four student editors sued the school district, claiming the district violated its own free press policy when they confiscated all copies of the paper due to a potentially defamatory story regarding the school’s implementation of its alcohol policy. National media outlets picked up the story, and the Student Press Law Center rallied with the students, providing a pro bono lawyer. Darcie Draudt, editor-in-chief at the time, was the lead plaintiff in the case, Draudt v. Wooster BOE. “For the senior editors, as student journalists writing for an open forum publication, we were most interested in upholding our right to publish without prior review from the administration,” Draudt said. In the short term, the plaintiffs and defendants reached a compromise, allowing The Wooster Blade to release the issue the next month with two sentences redacted. A year later, the lawsuit reached full resolution. Neither side was a clear winner on the surface, but the SPLC hailed the verdict as a subtle victory for the students. First, the court ruled that The Wooster Blade was a limited public forum, and in doing so, laid out clear guidelines for the definition of public and nonpublic fora for the future. “What I am most proud of from the settlement was the February 2003 decision by Judge James Gwin, which reexamines, post-Hazelwood, what constitutes a public forum for a public school paper... For student journalism as a whole, it was extremely helpful for other cases to help define publications as public or limited public forum,” Draudt said. Mike Hiestand, of the SPLC, examined the impact of the case in an article for the National Scholastic Press Association on Feb. 26, 2003. “The judge in this case, for example, found that school officials reasonably believed that the Blade article was defamatory... But most high school censorship cases don’t involve defamatory material- they involve content that school officials simply don’t like. That sort of weak excuse won’t fly under the analysis adopted by this court,” he wrote. The district agreed to other terms out of court, including an agreement to consult with student editors in future disputes over impounding the paper, according to a Journalism Education Association brief. In pursuing the case, the students gained experience in the legal world and on the national stage. “The lawsuit was the first time I’ve spoken to a national audience on the record. The process reaffirmed the importance of understanding multiple sides to an issue before making comment or taking action,” Draudt said. Draudt now works at a nonpartisan foreign policy research institute in Washington DC.

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Vaccine search progresses SAMANTHA BRUNN

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In the Oct. 9, 2009, issue of The Wooster Blade, former Blade staff writer David O’Donnell wrote about a newly developed HIV vaccine called ALVAC and AIDSVAX, two separate vaccines that became more potent once used together. O’Donnell cited a Bloomberg.com article that explained the vaccine was 31.2 percent effective in preventing the development of AIDS in tested participants. However, according to newvision.co.ug, the ALVAC and AIDSVAX vaccine was not effective nor was it beneficial enough to be pursued further than 2009. Contrarily, according to an article from New York’s PIX 11 on Dec. 1, 2014, the aforementioned study conducted in Thailand was a pivotal moment for the hunt to find a cure for HIV and AIDS. While the strain that was developed and tested specifically for Thailand was only 31.2 percent effective, a new strain is in the works to be tested in the highly HIV-infected areas of Africa. The PIX 11 article went on to say that if this newly developed strain proves to be successful, “in 10 years there could be a firstgeneration vaccine [for HIV].”

Editors defend free press

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Timeline data compiled by Becca Foley.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | COVER I PAGES 16 & 17

Euchre has become an infamous WHS “tradition” MARY GRACE GORMAN cover editor

The WHS administration, led by administrative intern Brandon Cobb, decided to revive the card game euchre during lunches this year by organizing a tournament. “I remember playing euchre in high school, so I thought maybe it would be a good ﬁt for our students,” Cobb said. While this year’s tournament was encouraged by administrators as a form of positive discipline, it was not always this way. Back in December of 1992, three students co-wrote a letter to the editor complaining that the administration prohibited their lunchtime euchre-playing on grounds of gambling. The controversy grew, and in January of 1993, News in General (now The Wooster Blade) addressed the issue in an article by Shannon Roach entitled, “Principals hold all the aces when it comes to euchre.” Bernie Pachmayer, the

assistant principal at the time, asserted in the article that she stood behind the school’s policy. “We have a problem with cards, and we nearly always take them in school,” she stated. Roach closed her article by reiterating the students’ dissatisfaction to the situation. “For the time being, at least, it looks as though euchre has a bad name in this school. But that won’t stop people from playing it in darkened corners or back alley ways. Besides, rules were made to be broken,” concluded Roach. But, times have changed, and today’s administrators do not share the concerns of their predecessors regarding card playing. “The euchre tournament was monitored closely, so I was not concerned about gambling,” Cobb said. Though it may have taken over 20 years, the school’s stance on euchre has ﬁnally changed to be a little friendlier to the card sharks of WHS.

THE WOOSTER BLADE Through The Years

The Wooster Blade has been produced in some form or fashion since 1929. As times have changed, so too have the social and political atmospheres of WHS. In this issue of The Wooster Blade, we hope to demonstrate which aspects of daily life have changed, and those that have transcended time.

Technology platforms have transformed MATT FRIEDHOFF staﬀ writer

In an issue from the ‘90s version of The Wooster Blade, a student provided his opinion on the comparison between Apple and IBM. In his article, staﬀ member David Schrier asserted, “I’m sure that if a Mac can’t run as fast as my clunker [car], it won’t compete with a state-of-the-art-PC.” Schrier then challenged readers to ﬁnd out which computer

was right for them. Now, about two decades later, the debate over which technology giant rules the market lives on. Apple and IBM were the ﬁrst big competitors in the world of technology as society knows it today, but over recent years, the competition has shifted to new faces of the industry. Today, Apple, Inc., Google, Inc. and Microsoft, Inc. are considered the most powerful and inﬂuential technology corporations that produce the devices and machines

that are used everyday. Apple, Inc. is a powerhouse in the mobile phone and computer market, known for recent products like the iPhone and the iMac, as featured on apple.com. Google and Microsoft, however, ﬁght alongside Apple every step of the way. Google’s relatively recent purchase of the Android operating system has made it a strong competitor on the mobile phone market, and Microsoft’s computers and Windows operating system challenges Apple brand computer products.

School dance policies have evolved over time

GAELAN GATZ on campus editor

As generations have passed and diﬀerent lifestyles and subcultures have evolved, so too has the conception of social interaction and the

execution of school dances. Based on past editions of The Wooster Blade, dances today are hardly reminiscent of how they used to be in the past. The ﬁrst major point to note is that in today’s school calendar, students have three or four dances total to attend all year, while students a few decades ago organized dances after almost every home sporting event. Additionally, according to The New York Times,

the idea of chaperoning in many high schools used to be much more lax than what is seen today. Dances today consist of numerous teachers weaving around to keep an eye on everyone, but a few decades ago, students were basically left to their own devices. Furthermore, today’s dances have transitioned away from live performing musicians to all kinds of diﬀerent genres played in a

concert-like format. Dances and similar events are not regarded as formal in the same sense that they used to be. Of course, the procedural photos and dinner have stayed the same, but the atmosphere today seems to be more upbeat and carefree. Dances are no longer as frequent a source of entertainment as they used to be, but certain traditions and special events will always remain constant.

“Who is your favorite actor or actress? Why?”

NOW

Polled March 3 randomly in the hallway

“If you were all alone on an island for two months with enough food and water to last the entire time, what two things would you want to have with you? Polled Feb. 6 and Feb. 17 during periods one and two. A total of 159 students were polled.

Katelyn Roper (10)

Julia Stiles. She portrays emotions in such a subtle, natural way. Dusstyn Reynolds (10)

Hugh Jackman because he can very accurately display diﬀerent roles with distinct gestures and movements. Lakeisha McKnight (11)

Richard Green, and I don’t think any explanation is necessary. The reasons are very apparent. Virginia Miller (WHS Alumna, The General)

Luis Rainer is ‘tops’ with me. She’s a wonderful character actress. As for an actor, it is the soothing voice of Donald Duck that gets me. Betty Morgan (WHS Alumna, The General)

Randolph Scott for his ruggedness. He’s not one of those pretty boys. Mary Blake (WHS Alumna, The General)

NOW

THEN

“A private plane and a hot tub.”

“Television and a girl.” “A clock and a dictionary.”

Jennifer Lawrence, because she is a really good actress and she seems to be really down to earth and grounded when she is just being herself; no to mention how funny she is.

THEN

THE WOOSTER BLADE ASKED...

“A stereo set and an aﬀectionate dog.” “A radio station and a swimming pool.” “A library of books and a symphonic orchestra.”

“Wilson from Castaway.” “A motor boat and my dog.” “A blanket and a knife.” “Sunscreen and ibuprofen.”

“A bottle with a note in it and a telephone.”

“A good book and a jet ski.” “A plane and a pilot.”

“WHS Seniors used to hold a fashion show every year as a fundraiser. Would you want it to come back? Polled Feb. 17 during periods two and ﬁve. A total of 157 students were polled.

“Yes, because it would be a fun event for everyone.” “Yes, because it would be a nice way to show individuality through clothing and I think a lot of people would like it.” “Yes, because it would be a fun entertaining activity to break the monotony at school.” Actor/Actress Corridor: Tatum McGrew Fashion Show Poll: Maureen McKeown Deserted Island Poll/Corridor: Hanna Morgan Graphics: Shreya Gurumurthy and Han Mahle Photographs: Alex Hasapis

No (30%) Yes (70%)

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | COVER I PAGES 16 & 17

Euchre has become an infamous WHS “tradition” MARY GRACE GORMAN cover editor

THE WOOSTER BLADE Through The Years

Technology platforms have transformed MATT FRIEDHOFF staﬀ writer

School dance policies have evolved over time

GAELAN GATZ on campus editor

As generations have passed and diﬀerent lifestyles and subcultures have evolved, so too has the conception of social interaction and the

“Who is your favorite actor or actress? Why?”

NOW

Polled March 3 randomly in the hallway

Katelyn Roper (10)

Julia Stiles. She portrays emotions in such a subtle, natural way. Dusstyn Reynolds (10)

Hugh Jackman because he can very accurately display diﬀerent roles with distinct gestures and movements. Lakeisha McKnight (11)

Richard Green, and I don’t think any explanation is necessary. The reasons are very apparent. Virginia Miller (WHS Alumna, The General)

Luis Rainer is ‘tops’ with me. She’s a wonderful character actress. As for an actor, it is the soothing voice of Donald Duck that gets me. Betty Morgan (WHS Alumna, The General)

Randolph Scott for his ruggedness. He’s not one of those pretty boys. Mary Blake (WHS Alumna, The General)

NOW

THEN

“A private plane and a hot tub.”

“Television and a girl.” “A clock and a dictionary.”

Jennifer Lawrence, because she is a really good actress and she seems to be really down to earth and grounded when she is just being herself; no to mention how funny she is.

THEN

THE WOOSTER BLADE ASKED...

“A stereo set and an aﬀectionate dog.” “A radio station and a swimming pool.” “A library of books and a symphonic orchestra.”

“Wilson from Castaway.” “A motor boat and my dog.” “A blanket and a knife.” “Sunscreen and ibuprofen.”

“A bottle with a note in it and a telephone.”

“A good book and a jet ski.” “A plane and a pilot.”

“WHS Seniors used to hold a fashion show every year as a fundraiser. Would you want it to come back? Polled Feb. 17 during periods two and ﬁve. A total of 157 students were polled.

No (30%) Yes (70%)

THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 18

New generation, new gender roles?

Is a woman totally fulﬁlled when her sole career is keeping house and raising children?

In Feb. 1977, The Wooster Blade reported on a national survey which found that teenagers wanted to revert to traditional gender roles. We revisited the questions by polling 132 WHS students on Feb. 17 and 18.

Then:

1938 editorial decries segregation in Wooster

Editorials have always been a staple of The Wooster Blade. Over time, our views have evolved. Oftentimes, the voices of students have catalyzed community change. The following editorial from 1938 exemplifies such efforts. Please note that we have modified the use of a term that has since become considered offensive to use in our modern society.

“

...It was found that there is only one eating establishment in town which will serve [AfricanAmericans] and that none of the hotels would keep [African-Americans] over night. It was also discovered that [an African-American] may not get a haircut during business hours but must wait until the shop is closed to other trade. These revelations were startling to many. Rev. Thompson [of the Second Baptist Church] pointed out that most of

the trouble lies in the fact that some [AfricanAmericans] are undesirable (as are some from any other race) but that all the [African-Americans] of Wooster were of such high caliber that they should be given equal rights. It was found that most of the trouble lies with the opinions of the adults for most of the younger generation think nothing of association with [African-Americans]. Our schools have become very liberal and there is no distinction made at all

“I haven’t experienced anything major among adults, but I definitely think that there is heavy stereotyping in the high school. I think the stereotyping occurs probably because kids don’t take racism seriously and don’t know any better.” -Anna Qu (10)

Now: 24% yes

“Racism today is just a shadow of what people experienced in the generations before ours, but people today are still judged by the color of their skin or their ethnicity, and it is no less than sickening.” -Jared Cassarly (11)

The Wooster Blade covered: Rodney King protests in 1993

Now:

66% yes

Would you be in favor of switching the “traditional” gender roles in a marriage?

5% yes

“Racism definitely isn’t the same as it used to be, but it still exists in many places as a painful reminder that prejudice itself can’t be outlawed. State and federal laws can only do so much in the way of ensuring equality because the problem is within individual people, not the current system of government.” -Kenny Kalikasingh (12) “In a small town like Wooster with a pretty clear socioeconomic gap, it’s easy for some to look at differences as an inferiority to make them better. Racism is an issue deeply rooted in communities across America and ours is no exception.” -Adam Kirk (10)

Do you believe that men and women are equal in terms of intelligence?

The Wooster Blade covered: Ferguson protests in 2014

Quotes compiled by Gaelan Gatz and Sarah Hopkins.

Then:

80% yes

Now: 81% yes

policy of equal acceptance of other races is all right. Wooster is one of the nicest communities that your editor knows of. We have an intelligent group of citizens who should not allow ancient conventions to rule modern life. Our city is often host to visiting delegations and how nice it would be to prove to them that we are an advanced group and that we have dropped our old ideas. It is up to youth to abolish this problem.

” How far has Wooster come?

58% yes

Then:

due to color. Our [black] students may use the gym, pool, locker rooms, or belong to any of the school clubs... Naturally it will take considerable time to change the public opinion, but it is hoped that the service clubs will back it and that future Hi-Y clubs will continue working on it. The student body, as a whole, can contribute greatly to the success of this project by simply presenting the facts to their parents and convincing them that our

Now: 26% yes

Graphics created by Shreya Gurumurthy. Poll conducted by Sarah Hopkins. Ferguson photo courtesy of Sid Hastings. Rodney King photo fair use courtesy of secorlew via Flickr.

Do you believe in “traditional” marriage roles (men who work and women who tend to the home roles)?

FEATURE Life hack #1708 If you want to sound sick when calling into work, lie on your back while hanging your head over the edge of the bed. You’ll sound congested. - This actually does work. I called three of my friends while hanging upside down and they all asked me if I had a cold.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 19

Life hack #1744 “Need to flip a coin but don’t have one? Ask Siri to flip it for you.” - Works. And it is very accurate.

Life hack #1887 If you go to sleep after a big meal, be sure to lie on your left side. Sleeping on your right side places your stomach higher, which enables food and stomach acid to go to your throat. - After eating 25 wings, I lied down on my right side just to see if any stomach acid or food would cause pain. And, to my surprise it actually began to hurt my lower esophagus. After a short time suﬀering in pain, I rolled over on my left side to see if the pain would suddenly disappear. After 15 minutes the pain was still present. Looks like lying on your left side does not prevent stomach pains after a big meal.

Life hack #1373 Blow some air into a water balloon with the water before tying, which will make it pop when it makes contact with a surface, rather than bouncing off the surface. - This only works if a certain amount of air is blown into the balloon. If only a little air is there, the balloon works the same as if there was only water.

Life hacks demystiﬁed

Life hack #1691 “Do a Google IMAGE search for ‘Atari breakout’. You’re welcome.” - Yes, it works and it’s very cool. When you are super bored in study hall or at home, playing this game will surely waste up to two hours of your time.

Life hack #1828

The popular website 1000lifehacks.com has gained a great deal of attention on social media for its quick tips and fixes. The site offers advice on a variety of topics, ranging from saving money to preserving one’s health. The Wooster Blade takes a stab at exposing the truth behind these tips to discover if they truly are hacks or not.

Life hack #1683 Chocolate milk is more eﬃcient at giving you energy than most energy drinks. - Of course, this may vary from person to person, but I did not, personally, feel any real advantage from this health life hack.

Life hack #923 When you go to vogue.co.uk and type up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and continuously press A, something happens. When the sequence is pressed, three dinosaurs appear with hats at the bottom of the screen and move across it.

Life hack #1749 1000lifehacks.com claims that PizzaCodes.com will have coupons to the nearest pizza place. - I typed my zip code and found coupons and codes for Domino’s, Donatos and Papa John’s that worked.

Sick of all the static cling while you brush your hair? Put a dryer sheet over your hairbrush. BOOM! No more static. - I tried this and it definitely worked. My hair always has an abundance of static, but brushing it through with a dryer sheet actually really smoothed it out.

Life Hack #1897 There are a ton of hiccup remedies out there, but recent studies have shown that the level of CO2 in your bloodstream is the key. Therefore, breathing into a bag for about 30 seconds should guarantee you relief. - Immediately after I started hiccupping, I began breathing into a paper bag for 30 seconds. As soon as I was done breathing into the bag, I began to breath fresh air. For a solid minute, I was hiccup free, but a short time later the hiccups came back. If you are looking for short-term relief from hiccups, this life hack works, but only to a certain extent.

Life hack #1765 Next time you’re at Chipotle, ask for a Quesarito! They wrap your burrito in a cheese quesadilla instead of a normal flour tortilla. - This life hack does work, and is quite tasty. However, the workers do not like to make them when the restaurant is busy, and it can cost around $12.

Life hack #1812 According to 1000lifehacks.com, Cornel1801.com/disney/movies.html is a website that allows you to watch any old Disney movie for free. This website actually works and also allows you to watch other animated films, documentaries and other movies and videos.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 20 Certain colors can be connoted as emotionally charged. This phenomenon is largely influenced by cultural, social and even economic background and has led to the scientific field known as color psychology. According to an essay, published on Sept. 11, 2009, by Zena O’Connor, a psychologist with the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, color psychology is the study of, “a range of affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses and associations linked to speciﬁc colors [sic].” Color psychology is the study of how different colors affects the thinking and behavior of people when exposed to the colors.

What is color psychology?

Orange is often used to draw attention, like its use in traffic signs and for advertising. Orange strives to stand out as much as it can. Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese practiced chromo therapy, or the use of colors to heal. Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels. While wearing orange can make you feel more creative and warmth throughout the whole day. Orange can help people recover from stressful situations, and can also help them bounce back.

Blue

Red is an attention grabbing color and, therefore, is usually associated with very strong feelings. Being the longest wavelength, red can emanate many powerful emotions. Some of these powerful emotions include aggression, confidence or defiance, according to “Psychological Properties of Colors” on colour-affects.co.uk. Red, oftentimes, evokes the will to take action in people. However, red is also a very plain and fundamental color, which can give off the feelings of friendliness, love or affection toward other people.

Green

Excitement Enthusiasm warmth joy sunshine creativity determination attraction success encouragement wisdom wealth

Yellow

Orange

Red Courage Strength Warmth Energy Basic survival Stimulation Excitement Masculinity Defiance Aggression Visual impact Strain

Cheerfulness Intellect Freshness Joy Prestigious Spontaneity Stability Honor Safety Loyalty Leisure Lighthearted

Relaxing Calming Peaceful Nurturing Loving Harmonious Practical Compassionate Generous Sympathetic Loyal Reliable

Calm Serenity Responsible Tranquility Trust Sadness Aloofness Honesty Reliable Relaxation Conser vative Concentration

Most commonly, yellow is associated with joy and happiness, due to its relation to sunshine. Yellow produces a warming effect. It arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity and generates muscle energy as well. Yellow can also help lift one’s mood. Yellow is seen as a lighthearted color. Darker yellows, bordering on gold, are viewed as being of high prestige as seen in material objects such as jewelry. Pure yellow is an attention getter. This reaction is exemplified by the color of taxicabs.

The color green embodies harmony, balance and growth. Green is considered one of the most peaceful and on of the most relaxing color. Green emits positivity as well as the need to nurture other people and or things. Green happens to represent success in business. It is considered a practical, down-to-earth color. According to Empower-yourselfwith-color-psychology.com, the color green also shows levels of generosity and compassion for others, making green a peaceful, generous color.

Blue is a masculine color and is associated with depth, expertise and stability. Darker blue represents knowledge, power and integrity and lighter blue represents calm and understanding. According to finearttips.com, blue has the feelings of openness. According to the site, blue is soft and soothing creating a tranquil environment. The site states that blue is a formal color, used for many things representing wisdom and steady character and it can be closely related with melancholy and resignation.

Blurbs complied by: Tatumn McGrew, Sarah Hopkins, Jack Reynolds, Mike O’Donnell, Maureen McKeown, Hanna Morgan

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 21 |

WHS hosts annual Fine Arts Festival STEPHEN KRIDEL views editor

The City of Wooster has many festivals throughout the year including Jazz Fest, Woosterfest and the Wayne County Fair, but only one festival focuses on the students in the school district. The Wooster City Schools Fine Arts Festival is an annual event, which is funded by PNC Bank and the Wooster Education Association. Held at WHS, the festival honors the artistic work of students K-12 in the Wooster City School District. Some of the work includes performances by the Speech and Debate team and choral groups, original fashion design, art technique demonstration,

face painting and musical theater. Aiche N’Diaye (12), participant in the musical theater portion, said, “The Fine Arts Festival is really important because it showcases talent from all over Wooster and gives students a chance to show what they have to offer.” The festival will also coincide with the opening of the Wooster High School Drama Club production of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which will be performed during that weekend. “It’s amazing to see what students in the area are capable of doing throughout the district. Whether it be artwork or performance-based skills,

elementary through high school students have more talent than you might think,” Tricia Taggart (Art Dept. member) said. The festival is a great place to celebrate the arts in the community, in the schools and in the individual. The festival can also boost students’ confidence in their artistic work. Jenna Zhu (11), pianist in the festival, said, “Whether it’s their musical abilities or visual art that the students are showing off, it’s a neat event put together every year that never fails to impress.” This year’s festival will be held on March 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the WHS Commons.

Tom Myers

Violette Bonvallet

Jackson Reidinger

Wooster High School

Edgewood Middle School

Melrose Elementary School

12th Grade

7th Grade

3rd Grade

The annual Fine Arts Festival will be held March 21, many students will be displaying their creativity. One of the students who will be featured in the Fine Arts Festival is Tom Myers (12), who gets his ideas and motivation from artists and artwork that interest him. “I get inspired by the things I see around me; I get inspired by other artwork and artists like Picasso and Monet ,” Myers said Myers is a student of Art Dept. Member Patricia Taggart, who is excited for Myers to be featured in the ﬁne arts festival, as well as amazed with his ability to create art. “Tom is one of the most out of the box thinking art students I’ve ever had. He can create more work in the least amount of time, yet have beautiful presentation when he is ﬁnished,” Taggart said. Myers will have several pieces featured at the festival.

One Edgewood Middle School student who is participating in the Fine Arts Festival is seventh grader, Violette Bonvallet Violette has always been an artist, and is honored to have her artwork featured. “It’s nice to get recognized and just to know that what I put into the project is actually worth something.” Bonvallet’s art teacher, Dawn Blattel, praises both Bonvallet and her artwork. “She always goes above and beyond when making art. She is naturally talented, but also challenges herself with each project,” Blattel said. Blattel says Bonvallet is not only an excellent artist, but she is very involved with extracurricular activities. Bonvallet’s artwork will be showcased at the 2015 Fine Arts Festivals, as well as in the Wayne County Junior High Art Show in early March.

Jackson Reidinger, in Amber Cupples, third grade class will have artwork featured in this year’s Wooster Fine Arts Festival. He began work on his artwork, a silhouette painting of a tree during the winter, in December and it took two weeks to complete. In February, he received the news that his artwork would be recognized in this years Fine Arts Festival. “Art is my favorite class. I like drawing a lot and also learning how to draw better,” Reidinger said. Reidinger also said he did not expect to be in the festival this year, so when his art was selected for the festival, it came as a pleasant surprise. Reidinger is excited to attend the Wooster Fine Arts Festival and have a chance to see other students’ artwork on display as well as his own. Reidinger’s art teacher, Laurie Schultz, is very proud of Jackson and is excited to get to see his artwork on display.

Blurb written by Ryan Miller

Blurb written by Olivia Sleek

Blurb written by Steﬁ Hernandez

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | FEATURE | PAGE 22

The Wooster Blade explores the idea of a social media detox

+ Positives +

- Negatives -

Just two days ago, I was notified that my Twitter account was officially deactivated and would not allow me to re-log into it. Several thoughts went through my head. My first thought being “what if I wanted the account back? Now if I do remake the account, I’ll have to rebuild my followers back up.” Then it quickly dawned on my shallow, closeminded self that those thoughts are the exact reason I deleted the account in the first place. Twitter started out as a minor part of my day, as I only contributed about 10 minutes a day to it. The amount of time I was on the site then began to grow exponentially. I felt as though I was consumed by what others were thinking and what they were doing. In order for me to get my work done, and done well, I found I had to delete my social media so I could focus on my studies. I find myself happier and healthier with my everyday life. It seems as though I worry less about the drama around me and focus more on the importance of living in the moment.

79% of

students believe social media causes problems at WHS

Photo by Maggie Flechler

Although I am quite satisfied with my deactivation of my Twitter account, I sometimes find myself wishing I still had the account for small purposes. One reason being that I am often out of the loop on “exciting” Twitter drama. When students decide to voice their opinions via Twitter, it is interesting to see the heated debates and agree/ disagree with what they are saying. Without my account, I often come to school and, upon arrival; I am informed that I missed a heated Twitter disagreement. Secondly, I always enjoyed following my favorite celebrities and news accounts. Without my account, I am no longer able to read what they post, including things such as tour dates, new albums and breaking news. Twitter always allowed me to receive information before my parents did, which was kind-of great, considering it made me seem more down-to-earth and always left them impressed with my quick random knowledge.

Blurbs and poll by Chloe Landers

Student reﬂects on the psychological impacts of social media use

PAIGE CLAYTON

graphics editor With the ever-growing usage of social media networks, society has often failed to realize just how much such a new technology can affect our psychological standpoint. According to a new eMarketer

report from July of 2013, Worldwide Social Network Users: 2013 Forecast and Comparative Estimates, “nearly one in four people worldwide will use social networks in 2013. The number of social network users around the world will rise from 1.47 billion in 2012 to 1.73 billion this year, an 18% increase.” With such a staggering amount of presence in our lives, as well as the lives of those around us, social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, have often become more than just a hobby to pursue. But rather, they have become a part of our daily routine, a part in which we are beginning

to fail to control. WHS Social Studies Dept. member and psychology teacher Mike Sullivan said the impact of social media on our world has the opportunity to do one of two things. “Social media either enhances our lives and our relationships with other people, or, it becomes detrimental to them,” Sullivan said Sullivan also mentioned that while behind the comfort of social media, people often have more of likelihood to post what he called “gutsy” commentary. In addition, Sullivan also stated that he only interacts with the likes of students via Facebook after they have graduated from high school

and feels other teachers and students should abide by the same rules, in order to keep the relationship more appropriate. WHS psychologist Todd McKee claims that social media is something we, as a society, need to learn to deal with, simply because it is here to stay. “We all don’t fully understand the powers and uses of social media and will not be able to use the networks to the best of our abilities until we do,” McKee said. McKee also agrees with Sullivan that social media can have several benefits and said the tool could be useful for those individuals with poor face-to-face social skills. “The main aspects of negative

social media stem from the quantitative and qualitative nature of the usage of social media,” McKee said. Although social media has been proven to be a positive outlook of today’s generation, society must ultimately surrender themselves to how social media is intended for use. In addition, countless universities and corporate professionals have made claim that the content of one’s social media can greatly impact their opportunities. That being said, taking a literal filter into the postings of teenagers has never been more important. By doing so, the negative psychological effects of social media could be diminished.

TRENDS PARCC & AP Testing

A student’s guide on how to survive second semester

College Search for Juniors

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 23 Izzy Rico (9) is taking three standardized tests, two of which are for PARCC testing. “We’re taking practice tests online to help us become familiar with the format. Ideally, I would like to study each subject on my own as well as in class.”

Katie Mount (11) is taking two AP tests: American Government and English Language and Composition. “I compile the work I’ve done in those classes, the tests, the essays and the notes, then I go over them for about a month before the test. I also practice prompts over that I wasn’t so sure on before.”

Anna Qu (10) is taking the OGT and the AP U.S. government tests. “I study and stuff I guess. Like for the AP, I try to read the textbook to cram all the information into my mind before the test. You have to take a lot of practice tests to be ready for the PARCC though. It’s the only really effective method.”

Tyler Billings (12) is taking three AP tests: English Literature and Composition, Physics 1 and Environmental Science. The best ways for him to prepare for all of his tests are, “make sure I have all the required materials before taking the test, get a good night’s sleep and go in with a clear head. It doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the structure of the test.” Additionally, Billings states that the teachers in his AP classes are responsible for preparing their students with the skills necessary to do well on the exams.

Scholarships Guidance counselor Julie Ertl said, “The Wooster Rotary Club of Wooster scholarship is very popular because it is one application for three scholarships you can be considered for.” Ertl encourages all students to apply for as many scholarships as possible and she stresses the importance of applying for local scholarships because of the higher probability of receiving that scholarship. Ertl encourages students to see the scholarships posted online with the criteria and details needed to complete each scholarship.

Searching for the right college can be a stressful experience for high school juniors and seniors. College of Wooster junior Katy Reindel believes a university’s ranking is not the most important thing to pay attention to when choosing a school. “Picking a college is all about finding the best school for you. Just because a school is a ‘good’ school doesn’t mean it’s the best school for you,” Reindel said. It is necessary to take into account personal interests when searching for colleges. “Find the school with the academics, extracurricular and student body dynamic that best suits you,” Reindel said.

Local businesses and citizens offer various scholarships for upcoming graduating seniors. All seniors are eligible for these scholarships, allowing each student the opportunity to apply for over 30 scholarships from around the community. Nationally, students can apply for 15 scholarships and, regionally, students can compete for 18 scholarships.

The criterion for each scholarship varies depending on the donor. Each scholarship has prerequisites to apply for the grant, which can be given to students maintaining a certain GPA or ACT score. Others are open to any student that is willing to fill out the required material listed by the donor. Scholarships vary on the amount of money provided, ranging from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

In an article titled “The College Entry Essay” by David Kirby in Huffington Post online, Garrett Brinker, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at The University of Chicago advised students to, “Start early, gather as much information as you can, sign up for the mailing list of every college that you’re interested in, and visit a few colleges, if possible.” As juniors start to think about college, there are many factors to consider and understand about the search ahead of them.

Blurbs compiled by: Shiyuan Wang, Alex Barnard and Becca Foley

TRENDS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 24

What’s in your bag?

Make-up Sheets/ Wet Wipes

The Wooster Blade looks at what students have in their bags, what Chapstick they should have, and things they cannot leave without.

Healthy Snack Hand Sanitizer

Headphones Nail Clippers

Sewing Kit

What can’t YOU leave without? Chapstick Lip Balm

“It is good to have chapstick during the winter because dry lips can be painful, especially during swim season,” - Bree Flinn-Johnson (11)

“It’s this fantastic coconut cream balm.” - Hannah Sanchez (10)

Portable Charger

Advil

Do you carry a bag?

Book “Well, I never leave the house without a book, there’s always one in my purse,” - Raffaela Mueller (12)

“I use my phone for everything all the time, so I need to be able to charge it,” - -Jaryn Lindenmuth (11)

Lotion “With an enticing scent, it is easy to stay moisturized,” -Jill Forrest (French teacher)

29%

71%

If yes, what do you carry? Pencil?

Phone Charger

Yes

Makeup? Wallet? Gum? Other

Yes

56%

44%

56%

58% 56%

42% 44%

84%

16%

Quotes and bag contents compiled by Samantha Brunn and Claire Lanham. Poll conducted by Emma Jeffries Feb. 25 during lunches, 150 students were polled. Photo by Alex Hasapis.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | TRENDS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 25

Student offers insight on transgenderism

KAYLA BARNET

staﬀ writer The concept of transgender individuals in today’s society is slowly, but surely, becoming clearer and more understandable to many. According to isna.org, being transgender or transsexual is defined as, “people who are born with typical male or female anatomies but feel as though they’ve been born into the ‘wrong body.’” Many people believe those who just dress up as the opposite gender are choosing to do so, but in reality, it is not a choice. Research about gender dysphoria, “suggests

the condition may actually be the result of the abnormal development of a baby while it is in the womb, possibly as a result of genetic or hormonal factors, which causes the brain to develop a gender identity that is different to the baby’s sexual organs,” according to www.nhs.uk. On Dec. 28, a 16-year-old transgender girl committed suicide, leaving a heartwrenching letter, one of the last sentences saying, “The only way I will rest in peace is if one day, transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. “ The note went viral on the internet, and the hashtag #JusticeForLeelahAlcorn was tweeted hundreds of thousands of times around the world. In fact, a petition for “Leelah’s Law” to ban conversion therapy, which Leelah’s parents forced her to attend, is making

its way to the White House. The petition has over 100,000 signatures, meaning Barack Obama must respond to the request. Hopefully, the president responds to this petition by banning the therapy, as this will pave the way to better acceptance of transgender individuals. The discussion of transgender life has made its way into the entertainment world, as well. Many celebrities have spoken about supporting LGBT rights. Actor Josh Hutcherson’s gay uncles died because of AIDS, so he is active in the LGBT community. “My mom has always been a big advocate, especially in the gay, lesbian, transsexual, and bisexual community, so for me, it’s always been apart of my soul,” Hutcherson said. Though there are still many who do not approve of the transgender lifestyle, the outlook on it has changed drastically, due to society finally shifting its views into a more accepting light.

A. Norris, director of the institute for Transgender Economic Advancement said, according to The New York Times. Jenner coming out with his decision has garnered positive feedback and support, but has unleashed negative backlash as well. Jenner’s family, including his mother Esther and daughters, are in support of his decision. “He said, ‘I want to be honest with my identity, and I know this is coming out in the press’, Esther Jenner said. “I am at peace with what he is, and what he is doing,” according to David Crary, associated press for The Times Colonist. Star poker player Doyle Bunsen speaks negatively about Jenner’s transition, saying that he is not his hero anymore through twitter,

according to bluff.com. “Bruce’s transition to a woman has been confirmed today. He may still be some people’s hero, but not me,” Bunson said. Jenners’ transition has also drawn attention to transgender activists, and some are hoping that it will help the movement for transgender equality. “There are hopeful signs of progress, say some of those who pay attention to these matters, such as GLADD, the leading advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans,“ according to Maria Puente, writer for USA Today. Jenner’s transition only adds to the transgender community and celebrities coming out, and the TV shows and movies such as Orange is the New Black, and Transparent having an impact on the public.

Transgender Progress Dictionary.com deﬁnes “transgender” as, “noting or relating to a person whose gender identity does not correspond to that person’s biological sex assigned at birth.” Nov. 20 marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance to honor those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred and to raise public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, according to tdor.info. Founded in 2003, the National Center For Transgender Equality is a, “national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people,” according to transequality.org.

Sweden became the ﬁrst nation to allow citizens to legally change their gender in 1972, according to an article written by Megan Townsend titled “A Look Back at the History of Transgender Visibility” on glaad.org.

In 2012, Miss Universe opened competition to all women, including transgenders, according to an article written by Megan Townsend titled “A Look Back at the History of Transgender Visibility” on glaad. org. Blurbs compiled by Becca Foley

Bruce Jenner decides to transition EMMA JEFFRIES staﬀ writer

Former 1976 Olympic Champion and reality TV show star Bruce Jenner has revealed to the world his gender transition and has taken many by surprise. Rumors have pervaded tabloids that Jenner wanted to transition to a woman for the past few years and these rumors were put to rest when he finally spoke out. Although his transition is being watched closely by the public eye, Jenner is trying to keep his decisions more private. “The current situation is not something for the public consumption. This is not something for the media to feed off of to generate advertising revenue,” Denise

Everyone No No No

150 students were p o l l e d i n va r i o u s classrooms and study halls the week of March 23 by Kayla Cooper. Graphic made by Shreya Gurumurthy

Girls Boys

Yes

No Yes

Yes

No Yes

Yes

Do you think it is socially acceptable to be openly transgender?

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 26

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The 87 Academy Awards: Recap of winners and honorable mentions

Best Picture - Birdman or (The The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who also won Best Director, Birdman took this year’s most esteemed Oscar, winning Best Picture. Grossing only $37 million, Birdman is one of the lowest grossing Best Picture winners in the history of the Oscars. Considering the ground-breaking creativity and exceptional acting from more than a few Oscar nominated actors, it comes as no surprise that the film won the highest honor.

Intense, monumental, fierce and memorable: these adjectives can be used to describe J.K. Simmons performance in the Best Picture nominated film, Whiplash. Simmons portrays Terrance Fletcher an intense music teacher at the most esteemed music college in the nation, whose teaching style can be exemplified by his quote, “There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job’.”

Honorable Mention: Boyhood, The Imitation Game and Whiplash.

Honorable Mention: Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher) and Edward Norton (Birdman)

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

Eddie Redmayne’s Academy Award for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything is well deserved. Redmayne’s depiction of a genius’ declining health, as his ALS worsens, is a performance that will be remembered for years to come, even gaining the approval and praise of Hawking himself, saying, “At times, I thought he was me.”

After 12 years of filming Boyhood, Patricia Arquette is finally reaping the rewards. Arquette’s portrayal of Mason’s mother is iconic, as she navigates motherhood, marriage and divorce. This is Arquette’s first Oscar nomination and win, and is the only Oscar win from the film Boyhood. Arquette also gave a memorable acceptance speech regarding gender equality.

Honorable Mention: Michael Keaton (Birdman), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) and Steve Carell (Foxcatcher)

Honorable Mention: Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods) and Emma Stone (Birdman)

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

Julianne Moore’s fifth nomination for her powerful portrayal of Alice Howland, a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s, won this year’s award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Moore’s depiction of the sadness, frustration and confusion that surrounds Alzheimer’s is chillingly accurate, and incredibly believable. Moore’s nomination was the only Oscar nomination for the film Still Alice, which is directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

Did you know? 2015 is the 87th Academy Awards, and Meryl Streep broke her own record for Oscar nominations, gaining her 19 this year for her role in Into the Woods.

Honorable Mention: Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) and Reese Witherspoon (Wild)

Blurbs compiled by Ben Snoddy

Photos fair use courtesy of ﬂickr.com: Disney and BagoGames

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 27 |

Visual arts presence in WHS remains underestimated BEN SNODDY a&e editor

Despite being undoubtedly significant and beautiful, the value of the traditional visual arts (painting, drawings, pottery, etc.) are often overshadowed by other aspects of the fine arts. In the eyes of the American public, the visual arts have taken a back seat to film, music and theater as mediums to entertain and convey valuable social commentary. According to National Opinion Research Center researchers Nick Rabkin and Eric Hedberg, interest in visual arts has declined nationally over the past five years, and public interest has slowly been dwindling. However, interest must be renewed. We live in a visual age. On average, children spend 10 hours a day in front of screens containing pictures and words. Because of this large amount of

daily screen time, jobs for artists and designers are predicted to increase by 43 percent by 2016; a staggering amount for an industry that tends to be underappreciated. “While students in art classes learn techniques specific to art, such as how to draw, how to mix paint, or how to center a pot, they’re also taught a remarkable array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in schools,” Lois Hetland, Educational Researcher at Harvard’s Project Zero, said in an interview with The Boston Globe. Attending art festivals, art classes, supporting the fine arts in schools and donating to local art foundations are all ways to support the visual arts in the community. The visual arts remain an important aspect of education, as well as culture, and should be treated accordingly in schools and communities.

Photostory by Grant Peabody Art by Brianna Raynor, Sarah Monahan, Trevor Shearer, Tom Myers (Clockwise starting at top)

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 28

Late night entertainment has endured thanks to big name shows, personalities 1962-1992

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

Perhaps one of the most influential late night American TV hosts is none other than the one known as the “King of Late Night,” Johnny Carson. Carson gained his fame in late night television by becoming the host of The Tonight Show for 30 years. As the long-time host, Carson established the modern format for late night television, starting with a monologue filled with one-liners and then moving on to sketches similar to Saturday Night Live and finally ending with interviews and musical performances. This format has been adopted by many of his successors, including the current host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon. According to a PBS article written on April 9, 2012 entitled “Johnny Carson: King of Late Night,” over the course of Carson’s career, he had 4,531 episodes and 23,000 guests, including President Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. The article continues to state that many famous TV hosts today are influenced by Carson, including Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien and David Letterman.

Saturday Night Live

1975-present

Saturday Night Live has been a staple of late night television for nearly four decades. According to NBC’s website, SNL aired its first episode Oct. 11, 1975. Since then, the show has skyrocketed countless cast members into superstardom. Cast members-turned-comedy icons include Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Molly Shannon, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg. NBC’s website mentions that “The program has won 45 Emmy Awards and now holds the title for the most nominated television show in Emmy history with 187 nominations.” Saturday Night Live’s influence on the worlds of both television and comedy is undeniable. With nearly 40 seasons under its belt, the show continues to provide political satire, slapstick humor and sagacious wit to the 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. time slot on NBC. Featuring both guest hosts and musical guests, SNL is truly a unique show that has been a highlight of Saturday night for audiences of all ages for many years and will be for many years to come.

1982-present

Late Night with David Letterman

David Letterman has hosted a talk show on late night television since 1982. Starting on NBC’s Late Night with David Letterman, his show was moved to CBS in 1993 where it was dubbed Late Show with David Letterman. According to an article written by Todd Leopold of CNN, Letterman has influenced several well-known comedians, including Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon. Letterman’s show is designed to appeal to a wide audience, and does so effectively, using observational comedy and clever bits to elicit laughs. However, in the late night competition for viewership, Letterman appeals mostly to the upper age range. Letterman is known for his use of recurring features, including “Stupid Pet Tricks” and “Top 10 Lists.” Letterman has been a late night host for roughly 32 years now and, in that time, has maintained an audience and held his own against new and younger competition.

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

2014-present

Jimmy Fallon is the newest host of the longtime late night TV show, The Tonight Show. In a field of entertainment that used to be dominated by an older generation of hosts, Jimmy Fallon brings a new youthfulness to late night television that attracts millions of viewers to his charismatic personality. He was also named as one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world because of his comedic skills. According to a Media Life Magazine article entitled “The new king of late night indeed,” ever since Fallon took over for Leno, ratings for The Tonight Show have increased largely due to a younger audience for the show. Fallon’s ability to skillfully use social media, especially Twitter, to entertain his audience is what makes him able to connect so well with a younger viewership. His famous lip-sync battles are also a fan favorite. With an ability to charm a younger audience and ability to take advantage of social media, Jimmy Fallon could indeed be, “The new king of late night television.” Blurbs compiled by Matt Friedhoff, Shiyuan Wang. Photos fair use courtesy of Wikimedia, Corbis, nbc.com

VIEWS

Gap between price and wage increases ALEX BARNARD views editor

As the conversation surrounding whether or not to raise the minimum wage grows louder, the last few years have severely harmed the purchasing power of the dollar. The Federal Reserve reports that inflation for fiscal year 2014 at 0.8 percent. However, that number does include

rises in costs of food that are consumed by each and every American. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of fruit, poultry, seafood, pork, eggs and beef have all significantly risen since 2009. Fresh fruits are up 13.8 percent, poultry up 14.9 percent, pork up 27 percent, eggs up 33.1 percent and beef is up a whopping 35.2 percent in a little over five years. On the

contrary, average hourly wages have only risen 10 percent. These higher costs for food have reduced the ability of the American consumer to squeeze more out of the dollar. Raising the minimum wage to the proposed rate of $10.10 would, give those bottom income earners more money in their pockets, but the Congressional Budget Office has stated it will cost the economy roughly 500,000 jobs.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MARCH. 6, 2015 | PAGE 29 No

Do you feel the wage is Yes representative of the work? No (53%) Yes (47%)

No (23%) Yes (77%)

Do you have a job currently? The WHS student body was polled on the minimum wage controversy. Students were polled in Lunches 5 a, b and c lunch. There were a total of 161 participants in this poll.

Students tackle the current minimum wage increase dilemma Head SHIYUAN WANG focus editor

Head

DAVID BURNETT staﬀ writer

There is nothing more useless and counterproductive to the enormous U.S. economy In President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union address, one of the many goals he highlighted is increasing the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.10 than the minimum wage. Proponents of the minimum wage, and the even more ridiculous notion of an per hour. increase in the wage, fill their minds with liberal rhetoric; mere pipe dreams that Critics say increasing minimum wage would have a negative impact on job growth. eventually get crushed in this bottom-line world. However, reports have shown that this criticism is not necessarily true. The minimum wage in its current form is a kiss of death for American An NPR article entitled “States That Raised Minimum Wage See businesses, and there are innumerable statistics to prove the fact. The Faster Job Growth…” written on July 2014, states that data released statistics are dry, but prove the incredible level of shallowness on by the Department of Labor showed that raising minimum wage the part of those in favor of a wage increase. would not negatively impact job growth in the United States. There is an awful and shortsighted movement sweeping our The article further states that “ the 13 states that raised their No (20%) minimum wages on Jan. 1 have added jobs at a faster pace nation that hides under noble causes like equality, diversity and than those that did not.” wage increases. Are you currently Raising the minimum wage would also provide some They bait the media into promoting their cause, lambaste much-needed relief for the millions of Americans living in politicians who challenge their stance and label anyone who making Ohio’s poverty currently. The low-wage workers and low-income stands against them as a racist, sexist or is an opponent of minimum wage? families would see the most benefits from this policy since it change. We cannot ask to slow down and examine the best could lift them out of the poverty line. way to implement reform; we simply have to go ahead and do Yes (80%) According to a CNN article called “Why raise minimum it in the name of progress. wage,” raising the minimum wage to the proposed $10.10 Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously told Congress would, “lift more than 5 million Americans out of poverty and to, “pass the bill to know what’s in it,” when it came to the help 14 million children see a boost in their family income. ” Affordable Care Act. And, since raising the minimum wage means more Americans Five years later, most Americans acknowledge the serious will be living on higher wages, this means more consumer spending to shortcomings of the legislation. circulate the economy. Let me make one thing clear: I hope to see an increase in wages, not because the The highest priorities for the government right now should be to find policies government mandates it, but because the thriving economy warrants it. to benefit the millions of Americans living below the poverty line and to improve I want people join me in supporting marriage and race equality because it is the economic growth. right, good, and moral thing to support, not because they got swept up by a politician So, Congress should listen to Obama’s State of the Union address as Obama stated or media figure. his goal of raising minimum wage: “And to everyone in this Congress who still We owe it to ourselves and this nation to show this type of steadfast resolve. refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work The minimum wage in the United States does not need to be increased. It needs to be full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, try it.” abolished.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 30

Companies propagate child slavery Would you eat ALLI WIGHAM

front editor A common misconception prevalent in today’s society is that slavery does not exist. As much as people would like to believe, slavery is not a thing of the past. Borgenproject.org estimates there is a total of 29.8 million people in the world still ensnared by slavery, 8.4 million of whom are children. An equally concerning problem is the 168 million children forced into labor worldwide, according to the International Labor Organization. Not all work can be classified as child labor. Child labor is referring to work that disrupts and interferes with the child’s education, is physically or mentally exhausting to the

child and poses a threat to the child’s well-being for little or no salary. Most of the forced labor occurring today takes place in Africa, with Asia and Latin America close behind. The International Labor Organization reports 59 percent of the children forced into labor are working in the agricultural industry. The worst kinds of child labor can be classified as slavery and include the use of children in warfare, the sale of children into serfdom, which can be due to their family’s debts and the use of a child for prostitution or in the production of pornography. UNICEF estimates that 11 percent of the world’s women ages 20 through 24 were married before the age of 15.

Although this practice can be culturally acceptable, the marriage can be treated as a form of slavery. An article from antislavery.org entitled “Child Slavery” reports these children often experience, “levels of suffering, coercion and control that meet international legal definitions of slavery and slavery-like practices.” As heartbreaking as this problem may be, child labor and slavery is steadily declining. According to the International Labor Organization, the amount of children forced into labor has decreased by 78 million since 2000. For the 168 million children still affected by the effects of child labor and slavery, this continues to be an enormous problem.

Process appalls chocolate lover

ISABELLE CANNON staﬀ writer

Hershey, Mars bars, Dove, Snickers: the possibilities are endless. However, most Americans do not realize how these decadent and delicious candy bars are produced. As an avid chocolate lover, I was appalled to find out the truth on how most of our world’s chocolate is manufactured. According to “Act Now to End Child Slavery in the Chocolate Industry”, an article written on AntiSlavery. org, young children are being

illegally forced into slavery in the Ivory Coast. The Ivory Coast produces nearly 40 percent of the world’s cocoa. Instead of going to school to receive a valuable education, young boys are forced to spend long days whacking cocoa pods with machetes, inhaling dangerous pesticides and carrying hefty loads; work which can lead to severe injury or even death. According to “Chocolate and Child Slavery: Say No to Human Trafficking this Holiday Season,” an article written by Amanda Gregory on October 31, 2013 for The Huffington Post, “Hundreds of thousands of children are being purchased from their parents or outright stolen and then shipped to Ivory Coast, where they are enslaved on cocoa farms.” The children receive no pay, are malnourished, and are often brutally beaten if they try to escape. On top of all this, the children may never see

their families again. According to “Nestle to act Over Child Labor In the Coccoa Industry”, an article written on Nov. 28, 2011 for BBC.com, 10 years ago, under worldwide pressure, chocolate corporations signed an international agreement to stop the practice of dangerous child labor. “They promised to commit significant resources and act as a matter of urgency,” according to a report commissioned by the U.S. government. However, a report conducted by Tulane University found that the chocolate industries funding, since 2001, has not met the requirements, and notes the industry needs to do more. The study found that between 2001 and 2009, the industry’s programmers have helped less than 4 percent of cocoa workers in the Ivory Coast. Now, before you grab another chocolate bar from the supermarket shelf, think, is it really worth a child’s life?

chocolate if you knew it was made with Child Labor? “I probably would because I can’t stop the child labor use for making chocolate.” (8)

“No, it would perpetuate the industry. If I don’t buy, they won’t be in labor.” Faculty Member “I would try to avoid eating it; however, if someone bought it for me, I would probably still eat it.” (11) “I don’t think I would; it’s the general idea that the chocolate was a product of child labor that would inherently make me not want to eat the chocolate.” (11)

“No, because I wouldn’t want to support pro-child labor companies.” (12)

Quotes gathered by Olivia Bernadine. Graphic by Nate King-Smith

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | MARCH 6, 2014 | PAGE 31

Vital skill lost in today’s education

The Wooster Blade reﬂects on inﬂuential past in journalism Dating back to the 1920s, Wooster High School students have consistently worked on improving and producing a publication, though it has not always been known as The Wooster Blade. In past years, it has been published under a series of names, including: The Observer, The General, News in General and The Blade. Although the name of the paper has changed over the years, the goal of its staff has remained constant: to report newsworthy events in an objective manner, along with reflecting the opinions of the student body at large. In honor of this retrospective issue, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board would like to take a step back to reflect on the job it has done to fulfill these two goals, whether done successfully or not. The tenure of the publication has spanned a time of global and local turmoil and change, documenting the evolution of social and political thought in Wooster and in the United States. In the past issues, The Wooster Blade has covered a wide range of issues: from the global to the local scale, and from more abstract ideas to concrete events. For example, in the Nov. 21 issue of 1950, The General ran an editorial about the concept of being thankful, questioning

whether or not America is a thankful culture. Though this particular concept may be quite broad, The General also ran an editorial about booing at sporting events in their Jan. 31 issue of 1950, fulfilling the publication’s repsonsibility to report on local doings. While these topics may have seemed pertinent at the time, the current The Wooster Blade Editorial Board tries to select broader topics while keeping its finger on the pulse of the school. However, the editorials of the past may not have taken such a strong stance on the integral issues, as the editorial board strives to do today. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes there is still room for improvement on better representing the opinions of the student body unapologetically. In the past, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board may have shied away from certain issues in order to prevent controversy. Now, as in the past, editorials have been used as a way to address the concerns of the staff and, by extension, the student body. The editorial board aims to do this on the global, national and local levels. As a student publication, the responsibility of examining and discussing relevant issues and reflecting the views of the student body falls on us.

MATT FRIEDHOFF

staﬀ writer Public speaking is a skill that all students should have in their educational repertoire. In the ever-changing job market, both nationally and internationally, public speaking is one skill set that remains constant in its necessity. Public speaking is applicable in all realms of employment. Additionally, businesses often look to hire individuals who have experience in the realm of public speaking and communication. According to a poll from the Pew Research Center published February 19, 2015, 90 percent of U.S. adults polled said communication skills are among the most important skills for children to have in order to get ahead in the world today. “Communication” is listed as a possible response under a list

of 10 skills, including reading, math, teamwork, writing, logic, science, athletic, music and art. Beyond public opinion, the value of public speaking can be seen first-hand. Students involved in activities that involve that skill set - student government, speech and debate, academic challenge - are outspoken in their appreciation for the opportunity to acquire communication skills. However, despite evidence from national research institutes and from local communities, many high schools put little emphasis on public speaking. Last year, the public speaking course at Wooster High School was cut due to a lack of students signing up for the class. But, the real problem does not lie with a lack of student interest, but rather with a lack of school district and state emphasis. A course in public speaking should not just be offered at WHS, it should be mandated. Currently, there are many requirements for graduation at WHS, including the completion of classes in health and financial literacy. Public speaking should be

added to that list of required courses. The benefits of public speaking skills are both numerous and undeniable. WCSD administrators should seriously consider reinstating a public speaking course at WHS and should work toward making such a course a requirement for graduation. The necessity for this action to take place even goes beyond the apparent benefits. According to a Jan. 16, 2014 USA Today article written by Jeremiah Massengale, “Public speaking is the number one fear in America. Death is, somehow, a distant second.” Public speaking is, statistically, our nation’s greatest fear. Ironically, the ability to speak and communicate is also one of the most valuable and pertinent skills that students can acquire. The importance of prioritizing public speaking in our education system is clear, due to the need to overcome the nation’s greatest fear that will inevitably provide young learners with a more promising future, and needs to be addressed at both the state and local levels.

Letter to the editor: reader weighs in Social media and school activities

As you all know, I am one of those parents who uses social media to express my feelings about school activities. I know that some things I have said have been taken as bashing of kids. I would like to say this for the record. I am not bashing kids but the attitudes they display in front of our fan base. I know that it gets taken to heart, but these things need to be said. I understand that the

contention with the publication is people hiding behind homemade tags to get the point across. I completely agree with this assessment. I never hide from my points of view. Yes, I have apologized to parents for hurting feelings. That being said, I stand behind my statements. Many people know I graduated from Wooster in the mid ‘80s and have had two of my children graduate from Wooster. I would not change it for the world. Once a general, always a general. Kids, you need to know one thing: you guys are doing something right

here. At least there is interest in what is going on. I remember not too long ago there was only a couple voices screaming about community involvement. Unfortunately, we have to take the good with the bad. It is all just a matter of opinion what you think is good and what you think is bad. Keep up the good work. GO WOO!!! Remember, people, it is about the KIDS. Never lose sight of that.

Paul Dawson ‘86 graduate of Wooster High School

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | MARCH 6, 2015 | PAGE 32

Athlete supports humanitarianism

COUTESY OF DISTELFLIEGE VIA FLICKR

Stuﬀed animals and yarn sit atop a bridge covered in what is called a yarn bombing supporting LGBT rights during the Sochi Olympics.

States hurt LGBT cause Recently, two separate but equal poor decisions were made by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore that have the two state leaders under scrutiny. Moore told judges in probate courts to follow state law prohibiting samesex marriage, despite the Supreme Court decision to not interfere with a federal judge who ordered Alabama to allow same-sex marriage, causing the denial of legal marriage licenses. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board believes that it is not within Moore’s powers to deny an action by a federal judge. Probate courts have still yet to show a unified decision as to whether they will allow same-sex marriages. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board feels that probate courts should follow the ruling of a federal court, as opposed to following Moore’s pursued attempts to end marriage reform in Alabama. Moore’s disrespect for higher courts has enhanced the discriminatory reputation that Alabama has received.

At the same time, battles for LGBT community rights are being fought on another front. Kansas Governor Brownback took away equal employment rights from LGBT community workers, setting a precedent of discrimination. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board is appalled that a protection once given to a minority group by state law, and common sense, now has to be battled out both in the media and in the courtroom. The decision to take away LGBT protections would be the same as taking away protections given to minority students by the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. The Board of Education; an equally poor decision. Brownback’s announcement sets back progress made by LGBT rights groups, and paralleled by Moore’s controversial opinions, shows the rise in disregard for equal rights by state leaders who both violate the federal system and instigate discrimination. State leaders need to know that the public will not tolerate this behavior or discrimination of any kind.

STEPHEN KRIDEL views editor

Swedish soccer powerhouse, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has won over the hearts of many soccer fans and homeless people worldwide. Soccer fans and the homeless do not seem to correlate. Well, not until Ibrahimovic tattooed the names of 50

starving people onto his body and showed it off during a match. Ibrahimovic’s stunt cost him a yellow card, and maybe the win, but brought attention to a much bigger issue: famine. World Food Programme director Marina Carina, in an ESPN article entitled “Zlatan Ibrahimovic tattoos names of people suffering from starvation,” said, “We thought of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is often asked for autographs. Why should it not be Zlatan, this time, who wore the autographs on his skin?” Ibrahimovic displayed the type of heartwarming actions we would hope to see from many sporting icons. Using his status to bring attention to important issues, rather than

to just focus on himself, is commendable. In an article by The Guardian titled “Zlatan Ibrahimovic: new tattoos were to draw attention to world famine,” Ibrahimovic said, “If I could, I would write every single name on my body. But there are 805 million people suffering from hunger in the world today ... So whenever you hear my name, you will think of their names. Whenever you see me, you will see them.” After many negative headlines regarding professional athletes using steroids and displaying questionable behavior, it is a sigh of relief to hear a selfless act of kindness by a professional athlete and now hero.

to a movement that people in higher places can be sure to help. Astonishing statistics knocked me off my feet and shamed my ignorance. For instance, the slavery industry rakes in an estimated $32 billion each year and, in 1850, the cost of a slave, in today’s dollars, was $40K; the average price of a slave today is $90. So, tell me why, today, a person can be purchased, an actual human being, for less than what we deem so despicable over a century ago? So, what can we do? Draw a red X everywhere you go. That red X means you are telling the world that slavery still exists and you will not stand for it. By using your influence and your hand, thousands are carrying the message of freedom. Here is a list of other possible ways you can make a difference. Save the hotline number in your cell phone and call/text if you suspect something in terms of a slave exchange is

happening: 1-888-373-7888. Head to Slavery Footprint to learn how many slaves work for you, producing things that you buy. Then analyze your shopping habits, getting rid of slave made materials. If no one buys the product, the business will die and the slaves will be free. Check the labels of your coffee and chocolate to make sure it says Fair Trade Certified, and commit to only buying products made without slaves. Fundraise for organizations that are on the front-lines, battling slavery. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper that shows readers slavery did not end in 1865. Use the facts on the End It Movement website, an organization set on raising awareness against the slave trade, if you need some evidence to back it up – they share where each of their statistics come from. Visit enditmovement.com for more information on how you can help minimize the staggering statistics.

Red X’s spread awareness and hope

OLIVIA BERNADINE feature editor

I am going to make an assumption and say that I am not the only one who has seen the red Xs drawn on hands and posted all over social media. These red symbols are used to spread awareness of slavery, something very evident but often overlooked in today’s society. Looking into the movement, I could not help but question what good a little red X on your hand does. To my surprise, it does more than I could ever imagine. By “being the billboard” people are drawing attention