The Wooster Blade, Volume XVIII, Issue 14 by The Wooster Blade

THE WOOSTER BLADE

WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER 515 OLDMAN ROAD, WOOSTER, OH MAY 18, 2014 VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 14

Class of

Saying Goodbye to WHS Photos courtesy of The Wooster Blade

Index: On Campus 2-3 A&E 4-5 Focus 6-7 Sports 8-9 Feature 10-11 Trends 12-13 Views 14 Senior Section 15-32

ON CAMPUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 2

BOE reviews class rank and valedictorian policy ALEXIS FLORENCE cover editor

After 30 years of an unchanged class rank policy, the Wooster Board of Education was presented with a revision to Policy 5430 at their April 24 meeting. WHS Principal, Tyler Keener, and WHS guidance counselor, Julianna Hamad, presented a policy that would use weighted grades to organize students into a decile rank and then, at graduation, students would be recognized with a Latin honor based on their rank. According to the presentation, students in the 30 percentile of their class would receive the honor of Cum Laude, the 20 percentile would be awarded

Magna Cum Laude and the top 10 percentile would receive the Summa Cum Laude honor. Keener later explained that decile rank, “gives kids the opportunity to be more wellro u n d e d , ” by allowing exploration of creative classes that may not be weighted courses without threat to their grade point average and class rank. The valedictorian for a class individual with the highest ACT score within the Summa Cum

Laude group of students. Hamad said her research precipitated this proposal.

PHOTO BY REECE MITCHELL

Hamad cited a survey conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling that

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found nine percent of colleges consider a student’s class rank of, “considerable importance,” in admissions decisions, while 54 percent of the institutions surveyed consider test scores, ACT and SAT, important to admissions decisions. Hamad explained that factoring ACT score in class rank is valid since all juniors are required by the state to take the test without charge. “All students are now required to take the ACT during their junior year for free, making this an accessible test for all,” the presentation said. The proposed policy, if approved by the Wooster BOE,

Correction: In the April 27 issue of The Wooster Blade, David O’ Donnell’s job title was listed as “Field Performance Coach at the Observatory of Economics Complexity.” O’Donnell is a Field Performance Coach for OEConnection.

with the graduating class of 2020.

Polls conducted by Alexis Florence and Alexa Mitchell from May 2 to May 4. At WHS, 156 students were polled in academic assists and study halls. 100

Should Wooster continue to name a valedictorian and salutatorian at graduation?

Yes

10%

Should ACT score be a factor in determining class valedictorian?

35%

Yes

Should WHS use an exact class rank system? (ex. A student is ranked 45 out of 250 students)

59%

53%

47%

41%

65%

0 100

Should WHS use a decile ranking system? (ex. A student is ranked in the top 10% of their class)

100

Yes

No GRAPHICS BY CORINNE WILES

THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 3

United Way brings Bridges Out of Poverty training to WCSD teachers RHEANNA VELASQUEZ With nearly 30 workshops

Way will also partner with

Bratcher resigns from WHS ALEXA MITCHELL ALEXIS FLORENCE

“ANYTIME YOU WORK WITH SOMEONE FOR SEVEN YEARS LIKE WE HAVE, IT CREATES A BITTERSWEET FEELING,” ALEESHA VAUGHN

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

POP CULTURE REVIEWS Final Avengers movie unites Marvel superhero franchise

HENRY GAMBLE Avengers Infinity War is the assembling of most superheroes in the Marvel cinematic Universe who have been introduced through various

films since 2008 with the release of The Incredible Hulk in 2008. Most Marvel superheroes assemble to fight the titan Thanos in this movie with a 156 minute run time. Thanos is trying to assemble all five infinity stones; when he has acquired all of them, he will have unstoppable power and will be able to complete his mission of killing half of everyone in the universe with a snap of his fingers. Fans who have seen other Marvel Movies will enjoy seeing a final battle that has been building up for 10 years and will also get to see their

favorite superheroes fighting side by side. In this third installment of the Avengers series, many characters must sacrifice everything to stop the inevitable victory of Thanos, and it is expected for some characters to die. One of the reasons I enjoyed this movie was because the villain rarely wins in a superhero movie. If you have ever watched any Marvel Movie I would recommend seeing Infinity War, however it could be confusing to people not familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Post Malone exposes his sensitive side in b&b

K.O.D. discusses important societal issues

CORINNE WILES Hip Hop recording artist, J Cole recently released his newest album, K.O.D. April 20. The letters which make up the title, “k,” “o,” and “d” stand for three things, Kids On Drugs, King Overdosed and Kill Our Demons.

Throughout the entire album, Cole focuses on confronting addiction of all kinds. In the song, “Photograph,” he recognizes the addiction of social media and how society relies on internet. In “ATM” he expresses money as an addiction and how people lose sight of what is really important and only value money. In “Once An Addict,” he discusses the addiction of drugs and alcohol that has overcome society, referencing his mother’s issues with alcohol. Cole made this album to raise awareness for addiction, not condoning it, as he prints on the cover of his album, “This album is in no way intended to glorify

addiction.” Personally, my top three favorite tracks are, “KOD,” “Kevin’s Heart,” “FRIENDS.” In “KOD,” he defends himself against common criticism from people urging him to feature other artists within his music. He claps back and tells how he is talented enough to go platinum without features as proven with his previous albums 4 Your Eyez Only and 2014 Forest Hills Drive. K.O.D utilizes a new sound, especially compared to his last album, 4 Your Eyez Only. As his own writer and producer, Cole can experiment with new sounds often. This is part of what sets him above other artists.

ALEXA MITCHELL Post Malone, America’s most surprising rapper, continues to show his talents in his new album beerbongs & bentleys. Post Malone, 22-year-old Austin Post, started his career as a songwriter at the age of 16. Post became famous after 4 million streams on “White Iverson.” According to an article “Everything You Need to Know about Post Malone” published by The Fader, Post started playing the guitar because of his success on the game guitar hero. Post did not grow up in a musical house, so he taught himself how to play

the guitar by watching youtube videos. Post Malone’s newest album b & b was released April 27. This is Post’s second recorded album, and it attempts to outline his philosophy in life. In the first song, “Paranoid,” Post conveys how scared or paranoid he is in life. “Wonderin’ when they’ll come for me” and “Strugglin’ just to find my peace,” are only two parts of the song showing how frightened he is of the world. The 11th song in b & b called “Otherside” shows Post’s soft, heartbroken side. “I guess we’re getting used to losing hope” and “I been waiting wide awake, for the wave to come and take, take me right to you” convey his hopeless side in life without a girl by him. Throughout Post’s whole album, he switches up tones and moods, along with his beats. I love that he produces a wide variety of beats to accommodate to everyone’s taste in music.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | A&E | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 5

Dance WHS takes a glimpse back to the Big Band Era features swing music CLARA LEE The Big Band Dance is an annual community dance at WHS and is the result of the effort of many people working behind the scenes. According to Dan Adams, Music Dept. member and director of the Jazz Band, the Jazz Band members and their parents are involved in making the dance happen. Adams says the Jazz Band meets daily during fourth period in the second semester. They begin rehearsing the Big Band music in the second half of the semester. “Most of the Big Band music is prepared after our Jazz Night Concert in March,” Adams said. Adams says music is selected from the Big Band Era. “Swing music is the primary choice, but we also play more contemporary jazz and pop music, all stuff that is fun to dance to,” Adams said. Emily Lay (11), a trumpet player, says there are a variety of pieces from which to choose and some of the new pieces from the Jazz Night Concert are included in the list. According to Adams, the Commons is set up by Jazz Band members, and food is prepared and donated by parents. Adams said the profits from the dance are used to purchase instruments and equipment for the Jazz Band.

All photos courtesy of Dan Adams

FOCUS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 6

T H E B A L L O T

Issue 1:

Governor:

Issue 1 was a -Connie Pillich ballot issue -Dennis Kucinich focused on changing the -Joseph Schiavoni -Larry Ealy method -Paul Ray through which Congressional -Richard Cordray -William O’Neill districts are -Jonathan Heavey created. This -Mary Taylor is supposed to help solve the -Michael DeWine -Collin Hill gerrymander-Constance ing issue in Gadell-Newton Ohio.

Graphic made by Jacob Gooch

Senate:

U.S. House:

-TJ Mulloy -Sherrod Brown -Aaron Godfrey -Don Eckhart -Mark Dent -Jim Renacci -Grant Goodrich -Josh Mandel -Susan -Mike Gibbons Moran Palmer -Melissa Ackison -John Wilson -Dan Kiley -Kit Seryak -Philena Farley -Anthony Gonzalez -Michael OH-1: Grusenmeyer -Scott Wiggam -Darrell Hartman -Kevin Barnet -Chrisina Hagan -Thomas Patton

Supreme Court:

-Melody Stewart -Michael Donnelly -Craig Baldwin -Mary DeGenaro

Secretary of State:

Ohio Treasurer:

-Neil Patel -Rob Richardson -Robert Sprague -Sandra O’Brien -Paul Curry

Attorney General:

-Frank LaRose -Kathleen Clyde -Steven Dettelbach -Dave Yost -Dorothy Pelanda GREEN TEXT DENOTES WINNER OF PRIMARY. Information from Ballotpedia and vote.ohio.gov.

WHS hosts town hall meeting ESTELLE SHAYA co-editor-in-chief On May 4, 2018, WHS student Jacob Gooch (11) hosted a town hall in the PAC, allowing students to ask questions of their elected representatives and others running for election. Attending the town hall were Wooster Mayor Bob Breneman, Representative Scott Wiggam, Dennis Kucinich and Kevin Barnet. Gooch said he originally reached out to around 14 representatives, four of whom chose to attend. Fewer people than signed up attended the town hall. Moderator Matthew Lorentz (12) said around 70 people attended, while close to 200 registered. Lorentz moderated the event with Nick Cosmo (12) and Anna Nacci (10). According to Gooch, this town hall is only the beginning of a campaign for political awareness he is beginning. “The goal of this event actually wasn’t for this event itself to shape Wooster High School, but it was more of a launchpad for other

public forums within Wooster,” Gooch said. Gooch hopes to continue this project with Wooster Political Connection, an organization he is starting to offer more public forums and a summer series leading up to fall elections for both students and the community. Lena Wiebe (9), a town hall attendee, said she believes strongly in the importance of opportunities for students to question representatives. “Regardless of our age, we’re their constituents and it is their job to answer us and to represent us as best they can. There’s no way that’s possible, or any substantial change is possible, if they don’t show up to understand our concerns and actively work to find a common ground,” Wiebe said. For information on future town hall events, students and community members can look for more information on woosterpoliticalconnection.org.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 7

Relay For Life supports people whose lives have been affected by cancer RACHAEL SCHMIDT The Relay For Life of Wayne

Relay For Life events in support

past years.

each year, is a community event in which anyone can become

by cancer.

cancer. Taggart went to her first Relay For Life event when her sister

or watch someone they love suffer from “Relay For a slogan, ‘celebrating another

the Relay For Life event with

“Seeing the luminaries in

helping r a i s e money so you can celebrate more

while he is in high school. “It was really fun to walk the track, raise money for cancer something

Tricia Taggart, Art Dept.

until

they

are

Wayne

County

event

The Thin Blue Line Walk: MOLLY SCHNEIDER On May 19, starting at the Safety Center, the Wooster Police Dept. will host the Thin Blue Line Community The Thin Blue Line walk is a three mile walk in honor of all the 134 po-

Thank you to Wild Ginger for donating a work night meal for our May 18 work night.

-THE WOOSTER BLADE Staff

Patrolwoman for the Wooster Police Dept., April Teichmer, states the sigLine walk because the blue line is a ment. “The thin blue line is a phrase that

who works for community relations at the Wooster Police Dept.. Wooster Police Dept. is hosting this event.

anarchy. Blue for our uniforms... this stripe is to honor the recently fallen

ticipate in the walk to make them mile walk. great way to get to know each other. We like to meet new people in our

this free community event, it begins

SPORTS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 8

Spring Sports Wrap-ups: Blair Young, Boys’ Lacrosse 1. 6-8

Questions: 1. What is the team’s record this year? 2. What has been the team’s biggest accomplishment? 3. How does this season make you feel moving forward into future seasons? 4. What place did the team get in their conference?

Holly Pope, Girls’ Lacrosse 1. 6-10

4. 8/16

Scott Dunlap, Softball 1. 8-9

Steve Young, Baseball

Stan Burris, Boys Tennis 1. 4-2

Christine Mascotti-Rasor, Girls’ Track and Field 1. 4-2

Doug Bennett, Boy’s Track 1. 3-1

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SPORTS | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 9

Cavs face new challenge NFL draft gives fans of Ohio football JOHN GORMAN teams new hope for victory

The Cavaliers are currently taking on the Boston Celtics, however, the team is entering into uncharted territory, according to Fox Sports Ohio Play-by-Play announcer for the Cavaliers, Fred McLeod. McLeod explains this postseason is, “all about learning on the fly. With the four new guys [George Hill, Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.]... getting acclimated to the playoffs for the first time, but still getting used to some teammates too.” All four were acquired before the Feb. 8 trade deadline this year, according to an ESPN’s “NBA trade deadline: News and updates after the buzzer sounds,” meaning they had little time to adjust. The Celtics have also battled

a new roster, with new acquisitions Gordon Hayward injured in the first game of the year and Kyrie Irving ending his season with knee surgery. Austin Ainge, director of player personnel for the Celtics, says he has been very impressed by the young team’s growth. “It’s a collective effort, our guys are really growing into their roles… [Head coach] Brad [Stevens] is outstanding, he sees the game in real time,” Ainge explains. After defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Ainge says the focus is still the same when facing the Cavaliers. “Different personnel, same focus. We want to limit transition baskets, limit threes and layups,” Ainge said. The Cavs play May 19.

WHS athletic program proposes girls golf team RACHAEL SCHMIDT WHS is presenting the opportunity to create a high school girls golf team for the 2018-19 school year. The new team is currently being organized by Athletic Director Andy Kellar. Only a few girls have expressed interest in playing golf on a high school team, according to Kellar. Madison Schroer (9) emailed the athletic department about possibly having a girls golf team next year and was surprised, soon after, to see flyers about the team at school. Adrianne Silva (11) participated in golf with the WHS boys team her sophomore year. Silva said a girls team would

be beneficial, “because the boys team is really fantastic, and I think there is enough talent that there can be girls who play as well.” Silva said the Athletic Department was welcoming to her to play with the boys, but she would like to see a new girls team develop and become as competitive as the boys team. “We started a middle school team for boys and girls and as that program develops, we want to be in a position to support the middle school players as they become high school players,” Kellar said. According to Kellar, fall practices are planned to begin August 1 and will be held at the Wooster Country Club and the COW and the coaching position will be posted soon.

GRIFFIN MURPHY

other Ohio State athletes were taken in the first three rounds of the draft including; Billy Price, Tyquan Lewis, Jerome Baker and Sam Hubbard. However, the Browns only got Ward out of Ohio State in their draft this year. According to NFL Draft 2018 as found on ESPN.com, in the first round, Ohio State also had Billy Price, center, drafted to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 21 overall pick, allowing Price to stay within Ohio to continue his football career. According to NFL.com, in round two of the draft, the Browns took Austin Corbett, offensive guard, out of Nevada with the first pick of the second round, and Nick Chubb, running back, out of Georgia with the third pick of

The 2018 NFL draft was filled with much excitement for the people of northern Ohio. There was much suspense directed toward the Browns and who they may draft, along with curiosity as to what college players, out of nearby schools, would go and when they would go, as well. In round one of the draft, the Browns took Baker Mayfield, the quarterback out of Oklahoma, and number one pick overall. The Browns then also took Denzel Ward, defensive end, out of The Ohio State University, with the number four overall pick. In addition to Ward, four

the second round. Ohio State alum Tyquan Lewis, defensive end, was also drafted in the second round to the Indianapolis Colts with the 32 pick of the second round. According to the NFL Draft 2018, as found on ESPN.com, in round three of the draft, the Browns only had one pick and used it to take Chad Thomas, defensive end, out of Miami with the third pick of the third round. In round three, there were two Ohio State alumni drafted, as well; Jerome Baker, offensive linebacker, to the Miami Dolphins with the ninth pick of the third round, and Sam Hubbard, defensive end, to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 13 pick of the third round allowing him to stay in Ohio.

The Wooster Blade staff was polled on the afternoon of Monday May 15.

53% Yes

47%

60%

Zero

DRAFT No

53% Yes

33%

47%

47% No

Yes

1-4

7% 5-16

53% No

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 10

FEATURE

The Book With No Pictures

Reading Under the Lights encourages student literacy ANNA NACCI The Reading Under the Lights event helps students continue their education during the summer months, according to WCSD literacy coach Amanda Largent. The second annual event was held May 11. The event was first started in 2016 by WCSD literacy coaches and members of Wooster’s United Way, in order to stop what is called the “summer slide,” which is where students lose knowledge they gained during the school year, Largent said. During the event, students in grades K-6 received five free books and a free dinner, according to Carrolyn Salazar, Marketing & Campaign Coordinator for United Way. Each student in attendance also received a copy of

Duck on a Bike by David Shannon, according to www. woostercityschools.org. United Way, WCSD, Wayne Public Library and the Wooster Police Department all partner to plan the event, Salazar said. This event is part of the United Way’s initiative of moving people out of poverty. “Education is one very important tool for moving out of poverty,” Salazar said. This initiative includes two objectives: “Increasing the number of children who demonstrate proficiency in reading/math ...[and] increasing academic achievement for at-risk students in grades 4-7 focus on Youth Development,” Salazar said. Reading Under the Lights took place at Maurer Field.

Beyoncé, Post Malone headline Ohio’s summer concerts Big Sean: Unfriendly Reminder Tour, Jacob’s Pavilion, May 25 at 7 p.m. Journey and Def Leppard, Quicken Loans Arena, May 28 at 7 p.m. Post Malone and 21 Savage, Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, June 2 at 8 p.m. Vance Joy, Jacob’s Pavilion, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. Walk the Moon, Express Live- Columbus, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. Imagine Dragons: EVOLVE TOUR, Blossom Music Center, June 17 at 7 p.m. 5 Seconds of Summer, Express Live- Columbus, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. Sam Smith, Nationwide Arena- Columbus, June 23 at 8 p.m. Plain White T’s, Skully’s Music Diner, June 26 at 7 p.m. Paramore with Foster the People, Express Live- Columbus, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. Logic Presents: Bobby Tarantino vs. Everybody Tour with NF and Kyle, Blossom Music Center, July 6 at 7 p.m. Taylor Swift with Camila Cabello and Charli XCX, Ohio StadiumColumbus, July 7 at 7 p.m. Panic! At the Disco, Nationwide Arena- Columbus, July 15 at 7 p.m. Vans Warped Tour, Blossom Music Center, July 18 at 12:30 p.m. Jay-Z and Beyonce, FirstEnergy Stadium, July 25 at 7 p.m. Foo Fighters: Concrete and Gold Tour, Blossom Music Center, July 25 at 8 p.m.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | FEATURE | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 11

Sue Case has worked for the Wooster City School District for 22 years and she said she has worked in multiple jobs throughout multiple schools in Wooster. Case is the Food Service Secretary for WHS, which

means that she deals with the reduced lunch program and managing lunch fees. Case has also been a Special Ed teacher aide at Wayne and Cornerstone elementary schools. Case says it will be hard to retire because she has absolutely loved every job she at which she has worked in the school district.

Staff members retire from district

Sue Case

ALEC PAULEY

Anne Bowles: Susanne Bradley:

Beth Gerber

Patricia Dakhli: ALEC PAULEY After working in the district for 17 years, school nurse Beth Gerber will be retiring. In looking at her career, Gerber worked at Lincoln Way and WHS and says she has loved working with the students and has many memories she will

take with her. Once retired, Gerber plans to enjoy the time she has by playing more with her grandchildren. “[I have] really enjoyed working for Wooster schools. I’ll miss the people and students, but I am also looking forward to doing what I want to do and not what I have to do,” Gerber said.

Lana Gesler; John Jestel: Shelly Mountjoy: Mari-Ann Vazzo:

TRENDS

THE WOOSTER BLADE | MAY 14, 2018 | PAGE 12

WHS SoundCloud Artists 1. What artists inspire you to make your own music? 2. Why did you start making music? 3. What is your music about? 4. On what platforms do you post your music? 5. Which of your songs is your favorite? 6. What do you like about making music? 7. What advice can you give to aspiring artists?

Q&A

SOUNDCLOUD

Alvin Makori (12) 1. Frank Ocean and Post Malone 2. During freshman year, I realized I had bars. 3. My music is a reflection of the experiences in my life. 4. SoundCloud

1. Lil Wayne; he is one of my favorite artists of all time. 2. It’s a fun way to express yourself and it is just fun to make music overall. 3. It’s about trying to be positive and not bringing everyone down like all this music does nowadays. 4. Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Google Music, SoundCloud, YouTube

5. “Memo” It’s my most recent one and most personal. 6. I enjoy telling my stories in a way that people can relate. 7. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your sound.

Luke Hart (12) 5. “Lavish” 6. It’s fun to connect with a bunch of different people, you meet a bunch of cool people. 7. Be able to take criticism and just know people are just trying to make you better, not really hating on you.

1. Lil Skies and Post Malone 2. One of my friends came up to me and said he wanted to make a music video and it went from there. 3. It’s mostly about my own life and personal feelings. 4. SoundCloud, Instagram and Youtube.

Carter Bourne (11) 5. “Burn” 6. It’s relaxing and gives me something to expose myself to. 7. Simply do what you want to do, don’t egg people’s houses and take criticism as advice.

Q&A collected by Melina Mera & Corinne Wiles, graphic by Corinne Wiles, pictures by Holly Miller and Jacob Gooch

THE WOOSTER BLADE | TRENDS | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 13

IMPACTFUL ARTISTS

CATHERINE STRONG Most people’s first encounter with Hayley Kiyoko, including mine, was with her role in the Disney Channel original movie, Lemonade Mouth. Kiyoko played an angsty vegetarian activist and drummer in a high school rock band. While Kiyoko played a supporting character in the Disney Channel original movie, she is now in the spotlight for her music and cinematography that champions queer women. Kiyoko’s rise to gay stardom was catalyzed with the release of her song “Girls Like Girls” on her second EP This Side of Paradise and the subsequent music video co-directed by her. Kiyoko’s following self-directed music videos and album Expectations won the hearts of lesbian and bisexual women around the globe with lyrics and cinematography that illustrates the struggles and joys of gay identity and relationships. An essential part of Kiyoko’s success is the relatability of her work. Before “Sleepover,” queer girls did not have music that clearly illustrated the struggles of being in love with a straight friend. We did not have a piece of work that so accurately depicted the cryptic messaging of establishing gay relationships before “What I Need” and “HNLY.” On the other hand, Kiyoko is also an idol for queer women, so much so that she has been dubbed “Lesbian Jesus” by hers fans. Kiyoko serves as a figure that gay women can fawn over like straight girls drool over Harry Styles or Ryan Gosling. Kiyoko serves as a relatable character and emerging pillar of gay, female culture. Her work resonates with a number of people for a reason: she is telling stories we have not heard before in music.

DAVID CHENG Last month, the music industry lost one of electronic dance music’s pioneers that brought electronic dance music into the spotlight when Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, took his own life in Muscat, Oman, on April 20. No matter what music you listen to, you most likely have heard his popular songs. He has written chart topping hits like “Levels,” “Wake Me Up” and “Lonely Together,” as well as being nominated twice for Grammys. He also worked with mainstream artists like Madonna, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay and Beyoncé. Avicii was a legend for what he did not only because he pioneered a new sound, but did something unthinkable in the electronic dance music industry. His songs featured a heavy folk and country sound, but seamlessly connected that with the sounds of Big Room, which is the type of electronic dance music heard commonly at raves and festivals. His music inspired millions, including I listened to Avicii was back in 2012, and because of him I fell in love with dance music and started to produce my own music some time afterward. Avicii was a musical genius for what he did, and his music will live on in the hearts of fans around the globe.

THOMAS MATTHEW Meek Mill, and platinum artist who was sentenced to two to four years for violating his probation on Nov. 6, 2017, was released from prison on April 24. His case caused unrest in his Philadelphia community, with celebrities such as Colin Kaepernick tweeting about the situation. The hashtag #FreeMeek quickly became popular, with protests even breaking out in Philadelphia. Mill hopes to become an advocate of criminal justice in the future. “It was a traumatic experience, and I am happy to be back and be a part of what I call history because I know there are a lot of voiceless men and people I know personally in prison, who are depending on me, and I feel like God has given me a great platform,” Mill said. On April 24, Mill was released on bail and upon being released, boarded a helicopter and went to

At this game, Mill was able to partake in the tradition of ringing the Liberty Bell before the trials in the judicial system.

THE

WOOSTER

BLADE

Editors-in-Chief Estelle Shaya, Amber Swigart Webmaster Jacob Gooch Graphics Manager Matthew Lorentz Business Managers Matthew Lorentz, Jacob Gooch On Campus Editor Spencer Dilyard Focus Editor Chris Roche Sports Editor Hannah Knapic A & E Editors Nick Cosmo, Evan Doan Trends Editor Chelsea Patterson Cover Editors Alexis Florence, Erin O’Donnell Views Editor John Gorman Feature Editors Holly Miller, Maddy Nacci Staff Writers David Cheng, Ambrea Dellafave, Henry Gamble, Emily Jewell, Skyy Khounborin, Clara Lee, Emma LoGiudice, Thomas Matthew, Maddy McCully, Melina Mera, Alexa Mitchell, Pauley, Avery Ross, Rachael Schmidt, Molly Schneider, Catherine Strong, Gina Van Lieu, Aleesha Vaughn, Rheanna Velasquez, Devika Walia, Kyle Ward, Corinne Wiles Head Photographer Hannah Knapic Photographers Ambrea Dellafave, Spencer Dilyard, Jacob Gooch, Emma LoGuidice, Maddy McCully, Reece Mitchell, Chelsea Patterson, Molly Schneider, Aleesha Vaughn Artist Catherine Strong Adviser Kristi Hiner The Wooster Blade is a biweekly student publication printed every other Friday by the Newspaper Production classes at Wooster High School. The paper is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established in a district-wide publications policy protecting students’ freedom of expression. All copy, art and photography are property of The Wooster Blade and cannot be reproduced without permission. Letters to the editor are limited to 300 words and The Wooster Blade reserves the right to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The Wooster Blade is printed in cooperation with Wooster’s The Daily Record. Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-345-4000 ext. 3210. The newspaper can also be found at thewoosterblade.com

THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL

THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 14

OUR VIEW

Valedictorian system raises concerns At the April 24 WCSD Board of Education meeting, Wooster took the first step to editing the BOE class rank policy 5430 that has remained unchanged for 30 years. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board supports the district’s decision to revisit this policy, especially with the implementation of weighted grades in 2016, however, the new policy must be one that is done in the best interest of all students. The proposed changes to the class rank policy presented to the Wooster Board of Education by WHS guidance counselor Julianna Hamad and WHS principal Tyler Keener, at their April 24 meeting, have both benefits and disadvantages for students. Under the new system, according to Hamad and Keener’s presentation, WHS would use a decile ranking system in which students would be placed into percentiles based on their grade point average. The proposed plan would then honor the title of class valedictorian to the student with the highest ACT score in the top 10 percentile of their class. If approved, this system would be implemented for the class of 2020. Hamad later explained the reasoning behind the proposed switch to a decile system was to alleviate stress among students. “A lot of students stress about an ‘A-”or ‘B+’ that they receive back in seventh grade whenever they took geometry and that dramatically decreases their class rank, even though they are a strong student,” Hamad said. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board supports the proposed decile ranking system because it would take off the pressure for students to be perfect in all their academic pursuits and allow them to take unweighted classes without fear of ruining their chances in the race to become valedictorian of their class

at graduation. However, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board, concerning the second part of the proposal, thinks that if the school truly wants to lessen student anxiety, they should not switch pressure for a perfect GPA with the need for a perfect ACT score. Hamad explained the school is considering using a student’s ACT score as a metric for deciding valedictorian because colleges look for good scores when deciding to admit students. “We looked at what colleges were looking at, and top things that colleges are looking at are level of rigor, how much that student has challenged themselves and the ACT score,” Hamad said. However, using a student’s ACT score will only exacerbate a student’s stress concerning a standardized test that does not represent how hard students work academically throughout their high school careers. Jon Michel is a senior in the International Baccalaureate program. He is a student who pushes himself academically, and as he puts it, by chance, has a perfect 36 composite score on the ACT. Michel, like The Wooster Blade Editorial Board, believes this test does not accurately reflect a student’s academic performance throughout high school. “AP and IB, those are years of hard work. The ACT is 20 minutes of studying and a couple hours taking the test,” Michel said. Furthermore, using the ACT as a metric for valedictorianship would give students of a higher socioeconomic status an advantage over other students, as they could afford to take the test multiple times. According to Hamad and Keener, all students on free and reduced lunch can take the district ACT for free, all juniors take the test for free

in the spring, and students who qualify for ACT guidelines for aid are allowed two fee-waivers. Keener went on to explain that 25 percent to 30 percent of student who take the ACT at the high school do not pay. The editorial board acknowledges that there are avenues to help lowincome students; however, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board is concerned for the students whose families do not qualify for aid, but cannot afford to pay $60 multiple times per year for a test, and cannot participate in ACT tutoring or buy test preparation books so that their son or daughter can be honored with the title of valedictorian. Lastly, in a poll of 156 WHS students conducted by The Wooster Blade on May 2 to May 4, 59 percent of students polled said ACT scores should not be used in determining a class valedictorian. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board hopes that administrators and Board of Education members will listen to the students, the ones who know the feeling of sitting in a desk for hours taking the ACT, and abandon the proposal to use a test score in determining the best student of a graduating class. Although the editorial board recognizes the presentation is just the first reading of a proposed policy, the board hopes that going forward, more students, parents and teachers will be consulted in coming up with more proposals. Both Keener and Hamad expressed that the district is hoping to craft a plan that is best for the community, so the aforementioned parties must take an active stance in making their opinions on this matter heard. The Wooster Blade Editorial Board urges students and parents to reach out to their administrators and school board members, so that all opinions are considered in making this important decision.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 15

Celebrating the

class of Wooster High School

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18 2018 | PAGE 18

Data compiled by Avery Ross

“Bad Day” Daniel Powter

“We Belong Together” Mariah Carey

2006

“Irreplaceable” Beyonce 2007 2008

2005

“This Is America” Childish Gambino (as of 5/18/18)

“Shape of You” Ed Sheeran “Love Yourself” Justin Bieber

2018

2017

“Low” Flo-rida and T-Pain

The best songs of 2005-2018

2009

2010

In 2005, the 2018 senior class entered school for

“Uptown Funk!” Mark Rhonson and Bruno Mars

2011

year, as recorded by Billboard Magazine.

2016

2012

2015 2014

“Happy” Pharrell

2013

“Thrift Shop” Macklemore

“Boom Boom Pow” Black Eyed Peas

“TiK ToK” Ke$ha “Rolling in the Deep” Adele

“Somebody That I Used to Know” Goyte featuring Kimbra

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 19

College Financial how to stretch out your savings and make Tips: your money last when you go off to school AVERY ROSS Financial literacy becomes of key importance for young adults going into college, as a 2015 OSU study states that 70 percent of college students are and with the average student debt being, according to a 2015 Ticas.org study, almost $29,000. There are a variety of common mistakes students make. As stated by the Harvard often: overspend on textbooks, fail to make and/or follow a budget, fail to pay bills on time and fail to understand how destructive credit cards and bad credit can be, which the stresses as the most important of the aforementioned issues. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy explains the pros and cons of credit cards in their article “Credit Cards: Pros and Cons” by addressing that a convenient way to make purchases, instant availability of low cost loans and create a paper trail for you to keep record

of, there are still a variety of potential issues that may arise. These issues include: interest on debt, fees for using the card, teaser rates (interest rates that go up after a set amount of time) and the constant temptation of overspending being several of the issues that were brought up. Rich Lee, WHS Financial Literacy teacher, suggested students going to college make good decisions regarding resources needed for school. “Always buy your books preowned and get them early. A book that costs $150 new might cost $50 used, so long as you get one before they sell out.” Lee also stressed how emotions academic decisions. “Never make any quick decisions based on your emotional state. If you feel like dropping a class, opening a loan, getting a credit card, think about your emotional state make any rash decisions,” Lee said. Lee further explained that in a moment of distress, people are likely to make very poor

Eight quick tips from an AOL article titled “The New Freshman 15: Financial Tips for College Students” and a Forbes article titled “The 10 Best Money Tips For College Freshmen”

BE CAREFUL WITH CREDIT STICK TO A BUDGET

FIND A BANK THAT WORKS WITH YOUR COLLEGE SITUATION SAVE EARLY AND OFTEN

KEEP YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES MOBILE

DITCH THE CAR AND USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR RIDE SHARING

GET A JOB, BUT A FLEXIBLE ONE DON’T TAKE OUT MORE STUDENT LOANS THAN YOU NEED

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 20

Aleesha Vaughn

Hannah Knapic

3. This picture is one of my favorites of myself because of the mixture of the colorful background and my rather plain outfit. Also, shooting in Akron with my senior photographer was one of my favorite memories of this summer and I love how all of the photos turned out.

1. This picture shows a bond shared between two friends who are enjoying their last year in high school together before Homecoming. I enjoy this picture because it shows happiness and holds unforgettable memories.

2. This picture captures each character’s face and emotions as they are acting during a funeral scene in Our Town. I enjoy this picture because it shows the great talent held by many students in our Drama Club at Wooster.

4. The “Eracism” photo is one of my favorites that I’ve taken because it occurred during an event in which our community came together to celebrate diversity and show unity amongst all races.

Senior staff photographer favorites

This is the last issue for BLADE senior photographers Hannah Knapic, Chelsea Patterson, Aleesha Vaughn and Spencer Dilyard. Their work has been in BLADE issues many times; this time they get to pick their favorite picture of themselves in addition to the best picture they have taken.

6. The sport of mountain biking taught me to truly give all the effort I can give and what true physical suffering feels like. It also taught me dedication and determination, which reaches much further than the sport itself.

Chelsea Patterson

7. This is my favorite photo I have taken because it encapsulates high school in one picture.

Spencer Dilyard

5. This is the best picture I have taken in my relatively short photography career. The background, along with the main focus together tell a story, I got lucky with the timing of the coach and the cheerleaders.

8. Find friends with whom you can go on adventures. Those are the friends you will keep forever.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 21

A timeline of senior accomplishments through their time at WHS

October 2014: Girls soccer wins the OCC.

February 2015: Both the girls and boys swimming teams win the OCC title and the NEAC title.

2014

October 2014: Football ties for the OCC title.

March 2015: Speech and Debate wins the state tournament.

This timeline includes events that graduating seniors were a part of during their time in Wooster High School. From sports to Speech and Debate to music, the 2018 graduating class has made great contributions to WHS. Sports information was retrieved from occsports.org and woostercityschools.org. Speech and Debate information from Bill Franck. Music information from Emily Patterson and Dan Adams.

October 2015: February 2016: May 2015: Boys cross country Boys swimming Boys track wins the OCC captures the regional meet. title again. Girls OCC title. win the NEAC Connor Niro title. makes it to the state meet November 2015: as part of the The cheerleading 4x800m relay. team wins the OCC competition.

October 2015: Football ties for the OCC for the second year. The team makes

November 2015: The cheerleading team wins the OCC competition.

October 2015: Boys Golf districts as a team.

February 2016: The gymmnastics team wins the NEGC title. They also complete an undefeated season.

March 2016: Concert and Symphonic band receive a Superior rating at the district event and go to state, where Symphonic band got a Superior rating.

March 2016: Duo Interpretation team Matthew Lorentz and Evan Doan qualify to the national tournament in Speech and Debate.

May 2016: Boys lacrosse is the Regional Runner-up.

October 2016: Boys golf to the state tournament as a team.

2016

May 2016: Baseball wins the OCC and is also District Runner-up.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 22

Photo courtesy of Emily Patterson October 2016: Girls and boys cross

March 2017:

to the regional meet. Maddy Nacci breaks the school

to States, but did not decide to perform. The same happened in 2018.

to state.

2016

February 2017: Boys and girls swimming win the OCC crowns.

October 2016: Boys soccer captures the OCC title.

November 2016: Cheerleading wins the OCC team competition for the second year in a row.

Photo courtesy of Anna Zerrer

Photo courtesy of Sidny Chamberlin March 2017: Symphonic and Concert bands qualify to state again. Symphonic band receives a Superior rating.

May 2017: Girls lacrosse 4 makes it to the Sweet Sixteen and is the winningnest team in school history.

October 2017: Boys golf ties for the OCC title.

February 2018: Girls basketball team wins the

time in 12 years.

2018 February 2017: Boys basketball wins the OCC title.

March 2017: Alvin Makori and the team of Matthew Lorentz and Evan Doan qualify to Speech and Debate 3 nationals.

November 2017: Cheerleading October 2017: secures a three- February 2018: Boys soccer wins peat and wins Nick Cosmo the OCC title for another OCC the second year speech and title. in a row. debate nationals in International October 2017: 5 Extemporaneous Football ties for Speaking. the OCC crown.

Photo courtesy of Matt Lorentz

Photo courtesy of Evan Doan

Spencer Dilyard

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 23

Kindergartners were recently asked to give life advice to high school seniors, as well as provide a drawing to go with their quote.

“Move out of your mom and dad’s house.” -Eleanor

Kean Kindergarten students give advice to exiting seniors

“If somebody is mean to another person, then you can stand up for them.” -Namu “Eat salad every day.” -Colton

“Do a good job at work.” -Nate

“Pack your backpacks.” -Claire

“You can go to college.” -Riley

computers.” -Troy “Go to college and once your out of college and you have money, you should go buy a store.” -Lukas “Play soccer.” - Savannah

“Eat a lot of chicken to get strong.” -Mahlar

-Brady

“Play outside for a little bit.” -Quentin

All drawings and quotes are accredited to the student who completed them.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 24

“Monsters Inc. because it’s the greatest.”

“Sleeping Beauty because she’s my favorite princess.” Sidny Chamberlin

Zac Ntia

“Karate Kid with Jaden Smith because it shows you to never give up.” Giaminh Nguyen

“The Spongebob Squarepants Movie because it’s full of laughs.” Evan O’Brien

“The Sandlot because I loved baseball and it was funny.” Brent Dillon

“Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” Jeremy Lun

“What is your favorite childhood movie?”

Seniors reminisce on the favorite movies of their youth

“The Spongebob [Squarepants] Movie because it’s very funny.” Sydney Hilts

“Jurassic Park because I was amazed by all the dinosaurs.” Katie Tenney

“The Care Bears Movie. I just really liked the Care Bears. ”

“Finding Nemo.” Sarah Monahan

Payton Dawson

“Wall-E because it’s a good movie.” Nathan Lee

“Toy Story because I enjoy watching the action/adventures... very amusing.” Christina Spedden

“Iron Giant.” Eamonn Hashem

Seniors participating in

Rotary Exchange

after graduation

HANNAH KNAPIC Patrick Parker (12) will be taking the next year to participate in the Rotary Exchange program. Parker moved to Ohio from Australia during his sophomore year and will be travelling to Europe to live in Belgium in August for a year. The exchange program appealed to Parker because it will allow him to learn a new language and culture. Parker and other students participating in the exchange program applied through the Wooster Rotary Club and had to complete a follow up interview where they discussed why they wanted to participate and to which country they would prefer going. When Parker returns, he plans on going to college and using his experience with a new culture and language in Belgium in his future career.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 25

AMBER SWIGART Before Estelle Shaya entered into her senior year, she heard whispers about the Rotary Exchange program. Her sister, Margot, considered participating in it, and Shaya already knew of her interest in worldliness, having lived in both France and Spain. She applied to the program without any tangible plans or expectations. Now, after Estelle graduates from the halls of WHS, she will travel to São Paulo, in the city of Presidente Prudente in Brazil, spending a year there and immersing herself in a culture with which she is unfamiliar, never having visited South America. Shaya said her ability to speak Portugese still needs practice, but she is working with a textbook so that the linguistic transition will not be as overwhelming. She also dedicates herself to easing the transition by meeting with students who participated in a similar exchange. From these conversations, Shaya values the upfront advice she has received, including honest admissions about how exhausting it is, at Furthermore, she communicates with her host family and prepares to bid adieu, or rather the Portugese “Tchau,” to her dog, Frodo, her family and her friends. Shaya says, but she looks forward to putting herself in unpredictable and entirely new situations. “I think it will be good for me to experience something that is experienced,” Shaya said. She admits that she will need to rely on other people more while in Once she completes her full year in exchange, she will attend Vanderbilt University and work toward her goal to join the State Department.

CHRIS ROCHE MOLLY SCHNEIDER Dasie Nordick (12) is a senior at WHS who will be travelling this summer, as a Rotary student, to Santa Catarina, Brazil. According to Nordick, she decided to participate in Rotary beand to learn more about those cultures. “I’ve always been really interested in other cultures and languages and when I heard about Rotary and the opportunity to spend 10 months completely immersed in another culture and learn how they do things, I applied as fast as I could,” Nordick said. Nordick said, from this experience, she hopes to learn more about herself and she wants to learn to become more aware of the world.

Elisabeth Kille is a WHS senior who will be going on a Rotary Exchange next year to Chile. Kille’s interest in travelling abroad was sparked from her childhood. In looking at what spoiled this interest what sparked this interest, Kille points to her family. “My mom is from London, England, and works with international students at the University of Akron. My dad teaches international relations at the College of Wooster. Because of both of these things, I have always been surrounded either by international students or have been abroad travelling either to visit family in London or for my dad’s conferences,” Kille said Kille said that one of the things that she is most excited about for next year is, “to have experiences that I can’t get any other time in my life... being absorbed in a different culture.” The things that Kille said she will miss most are her friends, family and some traditional American foods. Kille leaves to begin this new adventure in mid August.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 26

Co-editors-in-chief share lessons learned during WHS tenure

on introversion

Acceleration warrants student caution

AMBER SWIGART co-editor-in-chief

Many aspects of my career at WHS are worthy of 700 words. I could reflect on the transformative relationships I have had with teachers and peers, recommend that students get part-time jobs or discuss how deeply extracurriculars have affected me and the strength of the bonds in these close-knit communities. I could write about my cats. Mrs. Hiner places few limits on these things, apparently. What I want to do with this final column, however, is endow readers with advice that I did not follow in high school: schedule happy. The classes students take shape their experience of high school, and, as the classes at the high school become increasingly accelerated, I make a pretty good poster child for students who are capable of taking higher level classes at a younger age. In seventh grade, my experience began when I took Honors Algebra and Spanish I. I vividly remember sitting at my desktop computer circa 2013, staring at Progressbook and refreshing the page every ten seconds, waiting to see a score on the latest algebra test

that would not hurt my GPA before I attended WHS. While most of my high school memories are positive, those moments of anxiety, of needing grades for gratification, will stay with me when I look back on my teenage years. Now, my stresses are different. I worry that because I accelerated beyond Spanish offerings at WHS before my senior year, I will underperform on the OSU placement exam. I worry I will look back at my time in high school and regret not prioritizing art classes when I had the chance or reading more books. Instead, I poured over AP Statistics and AP Calculus homework, classes that I took because I had no other math options my junior and senior year, though I hate upper level math to the highest degree, pun intended. Frankly, it seems silly, in retrospect, to spend hours on something each night that is irrelevant to my future career, especially over other demanding classes, clubs and a management job about which I am actually passionate. Some would call that opinion lazy or a bad case of senioritis. To me, it is simply a logical realignment of priorities. I certainly do not regret taking each accelerated class when I did. AP European History remains a favorite class, and being one of the first sophomores at WHS to take AP Lang allowed me to later schedule AP Seminar, AP Literature, British Literature and Creative Writing, a list for which most students do not have the room.

Rather, I regret the insatiable desire to do it all at once. I warn students not to overschedule every core subject, defending their choice in the name of â&#x20AC;&#x153;well-roundednessâ&#x20AC;? and surrendering the chance of any personal time. My good friend Mimi Wiles has had similar experiences, but with a contrasting love for math. She has the ability to take postsecondary classes after taking Algebra in sixth grade. To me, where a student should challenge themselves is wholly dependent on their interests. I have decided that scheduling so competitively instilled me with an unshakable perfectionism that prevents me from feeling satisfied, regardless of my accomplishments. In the past few months, I have tried to be a little more introspective. I have allotted a little bit of time each week to do things I enjoy doing and tried to get six hours of sleep a night, even if that means less homework or study time. Maybe that lifestyle will not earn you a perfect GPA, but it has certainly helped me to feel happier and more self-assured. My message to students, WHS parents, guidance counselors and whoever is willing to listen, is this: just because a student is capable of academically succeeding in a class does not mean they should take it. Instead, they should accelerate selectively and with a limited focus. As a student, push yourself harder into your passions, and what drives you, and immerse yourself in those. You will be happier as a result.

ESTELLE SHAYA co-editor-in-chief

How can I not care what others think? This is a question I often ask myself. It has been four long years of high school; years where I have wanted to fit in, be liked, but also to be an individual. I have tried to change parts of myself that I think are bad, just because I perceive others to not like them. However, as I leave high school, I want to know that I will grow and change to better myself and not to better the image others have of me. This is an easy thing to say, but it is less than easy to accomplish. I have always cared about the opinions of others. I overanalyze my every statement and try to understand how it may have been interpreted. I believe that everyone can see my mistakes and the flaws I see in myself. And in doing so, for years, I have stayed a self-conscious child trying to hide under the guise of a confident woman. I have always wished there were a simple way to understand people. I wish I could know where everyone comes from and what influences their opinions. Sadly, the reality of the world and its differences leaves me struggling to understand others. I realize there is no way

for me to accurately predict what every person thinks of me, but that has never stopped my brain from trying. I have felt pressured to be a more outgoing person. As an introvert, I find it difficult, even draining, to approach others I do not know or barely know. I feel awkward being the center of attention. More than once, I have had mental breakdowns simply from being in situations where I feel I need act as an extrovert. Looking back, I believe it was never these situations that were at fault, but rather my approach to them and attempt to change myself to better fit in. At the same time, I have also tried to speak less or be less opinionated. Again, I perceived others to dislike that on some issues, I have strong opinions that I like to voice. This perception has been an issue with me, especially among friends, with whom I am more open, but am always afraid of alienating in some manner. By now, I deeply value speaking out for what I believe, but even amongst friends, this remains an issue for me. I have no idea how to silence this voice in my head. I still want to consider the opinions of others, but only want to do so with those they actually believe, not false opinions created in my mind. However, I never want to change myself only for the sake of other people. I need to learn to trust my own opinions of myself more, rather than how I see myself reflected in others. I decided to write this column not to offer any advice to others, but rather to give a bit of insight, to my friends and even to myself, to the conflicts that go on in my head. More than anything, I want to publish this column without regrets or thoughts as to the reactions of others who read it, but as a testament to how I have grown and learned to better understand myself.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 27

Graduate notes the dwindling school spirit throughout WHS

EVAN DOAN a&e editor

When I first came to Wooster my freshman year, I distinctly remember how much school spirit I noticed. Four years later, the atmosphere seems to me a little

more than slightly diminished. Perhaps this is due somewhat to nostalgia, but from an objective standpoint, or at least as objective as is possible when measuring something as vague as “school spirit,”we have had fewer pep rallies and have seen a drop in student attendance at sporting events and other school functions. Many people probably see pep rallies as cheesy and useless, and to an extent, I would sadly have to agree. But to me, the effort to get an entire student body in one place for a small period of time can be good for perspective. It helps us look outside our

NICK COSMO a&e editor

give several pieces of advice to those in the grades below me, based on the personal experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. activities. My freshman year, I was an extremely shy kid who did not have much of a social life, if any, to boast. But then, I joined Speech and Debate, then Blade, and later choir and Drama Club. With each activity I joined, I came out of my shell more and more. Freshman me would not recognize the person that I am today. I would not say that those activities changed me, but more so that they allowed me to be the person that I was always too scared to be for fear of judgement.

isolated social bubbles and realize that there are others with whom we go to school with every day, even if we tend not to notice them. That being said, plenty of flaws can be pointed out with pep rallies; they can seem excessively long and they amass a lot of booing directed toward the poor eighth graders. In addition to this, they suffer from a severe lack of attendance. This is not to point fingers at any group in particular, as I have certainly missed my fair share of pep rallies and sporting events. All I will definitively say is

Even if you are not sure that you will like something or you might not be good enough, try it anyways. If it turns out that something is not your cup of tea, you do not have to keep doing it. Secondly, never underestimate the power that a cathartic cry can have. Many people say, don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. I say, if you cry while it is happening, you will smile when it is over. Get your emotions out whenever you can, you will feel a whole lot better after the tears are dry. Finally, take time to appreciate everything happening around you. High school is a time to try new things and discover who you really are. I let that opportunity pass me by for two years, and it was not until I realized that I truly was happy. Thanks to Evan Doan, Lexi Snoddy, Amber Swigart, Maddy Nacci, Haley Balas, Madison Helms, Taylor Williams, Hannah Knapic, Eli Bachman, Corbin Lanker, Kasey Pukys and the countless other people who have made my high school career so fantastic and worth remembering. No column is long enough to express my unending gratitude to all of you. Well WHS, it has been a great time. Peace out, girl scouts.

this: as a senior nearing the end of this year, I wish I had done a bit more to bring our high school together and taken the time to get to know people who I didn’t really have the care to bother. I hope that what students reading this will remember is that regardless of what activities in which we are involved, or what classes we take or how rich or poor our families are, we are all still people who need each other. So maybe “school spirit” is a bit of an ambiguous term. And at this point, I would not suggest that increasing the frequency of pep rallies

MADDY NACCI As I near the end of high school and look back over the past five years, the best advice I can give you is to go after what you love and let your passion drive you where you want to go. As we grow up I think sometimes we lose sight of how much we can love doing something just for the pure joy of doing it. Find something you enjoy doing and be grateful for the people who supported you and helped you realize your full potential. Here are just a few of the people who did that for me: Thank you mom and dad, for

is a good idea. Maybe just go watch a sport you have never watched before, or talk to a person you’ve noticed every day but never thought to talk to. Although it may seem cliché, it can have a significant positive impact on other people’s lives. I don’t think we need any huge program or activity to change the culture of our school. In fact, these often can have a reverse effect, as sadly illustrated by our pep rallies. Just try your best to be happy and spread that happiness to others. You would be surprised how strong of an effect you can have on the people around you.

supporting me no matter what and helping me be the best I can be. Thank you Emily, for never leaving my side and for your love and compassion to everyone around you. Thank you Matthew, for making me happy when I am sad and making me happier when I am already happy. Thank you Maureen, Tracy, Rachael and the rest of the running girls, for sharing my love of running and showing me why I love it so much in the first place. Thank you John and Evan, for being the sweetest BLADE family a girl could ask for. Thank you Mrs. Hiner, for being the best teacher and mentor and for being someone I can turn to on the best and worst days. Thank you Coach Doup, Bennett, and Scotti, for always believing in me and helping me improve towards my goals. Thank you Anna, for being both my best friend and my sister and for always having a joke to cheer me up.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 28

school career, ranging from gymnastics to Speech and Debate, choir to Drama Club, and

ALEESHA VAUGHN

Being a part of a team means friendships and bonds, learning how to hold leadership skills, working hard individually to make successes as a team, and knowing the feeling of being proud of teammates.

HANNAH KNAPIC sports editor

Nobody is exaggerating when they say these four years go by so fast. Almost anyone out of high school will tell you so, but everything seems to fast forward a little more once you get to senior year. Four years at Wooster has shaped me in more ways than I could ever have imagined, and the lessons I have learned here will stick with me. As I come to the end of my time here, I want

being a part of a team at an age Being a part of a team during high school is one of the best decisions I have made. And, being a part of various teams during my high school career has been an even better decision. A team does not have to mean sports, but can also be anything academic or arts related, as well. I have been a part of various teams throughout my high

out your interests. It has taught me more than just working together, but the feeling of support, commitment, overcoming and togetherness. It has also helped me grow as an individual. I have learned that a team is people who care about my well-being and support me through my growth, no matter what challenges are faced.

survived high school. 1. Get involved in as much as you possibly can. Even if you

Editor life ERIN O’DONNELL cover editor

I never decided quite how I feel about change. I am always ready for adventure and to enjoy new experiences, but I recharge myself in the familiar. And, while I could not be more excited about going to college next year, I am hyper

will be one year from now, so for now, I take comfort in the concept of “home.” I know that when I come back to Wooster, on college breaks or 15 years down the road, it will never be a foreign place. I take comfort in knowing the winding country roads past Flickinger Hill, and every single trail at Spangler Park. I take comfort in the too-many ice cream places the town has to El Campesino. I take comfort in little traditions I have with myself, like honking every time I pass Sid Chamberlin’s house and those I have with others: eating out in stage makeup after opening night with the Drama Club. Mostly, I guess I take comfort

do not play a huge role or are not incredibly talented at it, the memories and friends you will make will be some of your best in high school. 2. BE KIND. To everyone. You really never know what a person is going through. 3. Smile at people in the hallways when you make eye contact; it will more than likely brighten someone’s day. 4. Do not get caught up in drama. Remember, if it will not matter it. 5. A big group of friends is not a bad thing, but make sure you only tell a really close few the important and secret things. Four years of high school are probably not going to be the best years of your life, but they will still give you close friends, great memories, and a broader understanding of yourself and the world in which you live. Do not wish it away, and cherish your time at WHS.

in familiarity. So many of us can not wait to get out of here. I hear that sentiment throughout the halls daily. But, really, Wooster is not half bad. As poet Miller Williams says in “The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina,” (and I recommend this poem to anybody with an ounce of nostalgia): “Hold on fast to thoughts of home. They’re going to less with time.” Years down the road, I am sure I’ll feel at home somewhere else. I will have new traditions and comforts and favorite places. But, while I may live someness and little pockets of myself within it, Wooster is my home.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 29

Worldly senior looks to future travel plans, uncertainty for excitement What does my future hold? To be honest, I have no idea what my future might hold. I know that I will do some traveling, and then go to college, but after that, I have no idea, and I am fine with that. The fact that I have no idea what happens next is exciting to me.

CHRISTOPHER ROCHE focus editor

I thought for a long time about what I should write for my senior column. I could write about all the amazing memories I have made with friends, and all the teachers I will miss once I am gone, but, I will be honest: that would be pretty cliché. Instead, I would like to focus on the future.

THE PARTS OF MY LIFE THAT ARE UNEXPECTED TEND TO BE THE MOST MEMORABLE . The parts of my life that are unexpected tend to be the most memorable. I know that some people might have their entire

lives planned out step by step. And, if you are one of those kinds of people, I offer a little advice: stop planning your life and try something unexpected and new. It might surprise you what you learn about the world and more importantly, what you could learn about yourself. Lastly, I would like to leave whoever is reading this with one last piece of advice from one of my all time favorite movies Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I have definitely made some amazing memories and some amazing friends here in high school, but I am ready to see what new adventures the future might hold.

Student expresses thanks for impactful teachers

SPENCER DILYARD on campus editor

My WHS experience was an enjoyable one, and there are some teachers I would like to First, Kristi Hiner was the teacher that helped me further my writing abilities both

in journalistic ways and in English class work. My papers eventually improved so that they did not come back to me covered in green or purple pen with hundreds of corrections. She is also is always a great person to talk to about anything, whether it is school related or far from it. Ryan Conrad is the second teacher I would like to thank. He taught me anatomy and physiology my junior year. have taken that I really enjoyed going to every day, and enjoyed the content every day. With his knowledge and experience, he helped me love anatomy and recommended to my parents that I eventually do something

Lorentz searches for

MATTHEW LORENTZ graphics manager

These two teachers were also when it came time for college applications and for their general advice. Both of them taught me very valuable skills that I will be using a great deal in the future. teachers, I would like to advise students not to take AP classes about things that you do not care for. Take classes that you may enjoy or that you may use in the future. Work hard, but do not overextend yourself. Above all, have fun with high school. It is going to be the last time you do not have to work a job until you retire.

“Where are you from?” This is a fairly common question asked when first meeting someone. In my case, however, this question takes more than just a one-word response and usually elicits a “wow” afterwards. Living in Michigan, Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama and Ohio, I am lucky to have called the majority of the Midwest my home. While each place was hard to move from, in their own respects, leaving Ohio for college after this year is going to be the most difficult thus far. There have been many a times when I despised Ohio for its erratic weather patterns or lack of attractions, but looking back,

Wooster has given me so much that makes up my person. I am lucky to have been a part of so many programs and have met a multitude of amazing people. Unfortunately, even after three years on the school newspaper, I do not know how to fully convey my gratitude in writing. Thank you to the teachers who have pushed me as a student, and have become like friends, especially Mrs. Hiner, Mr. Adams, Mr. Franck and Mrs. Mascotti-Rasor. Thank you to Coach Hansen for guiding me on the soccer field. Thank you to Mrs. Custer, Ms. Patterson, and Mr. Patterson for igniting a love of theater in me. Thank you to my friends for making even the most grueling situations enjoyable. Thank you to my parents for supporting all of my endeavors. And thank you to Wooster for providing me with all of these experiences. So now when I’m asked, “Where are you from?” I think I’ll respond, “I’m from a lot of places, but Wooster is my home.”

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 30

Senior dispels myths about high school, offers guidance

CHELSEA PATTERSON

trends editor High school was, as Charles Dickens put it, the best of times and the worst of times.

High school is not like High School Musical, where you burst into song and dance randomly. It is not like the Suite Life On Deck when you get to go to class on a ship. High school is what you make of it. You can join clubs or do sports, you can express yourself in any way. WHS brings us together and celebrates You will have days where you do not want to come to school,

TV and Movie quotes Blade seniors share their favorite quotes from popular media

Chelsea “There’s a lot of beauty in Patterson ordinary things. Isn’t that kinda the point?” -Pam Halpert

and rare days when you do. You will have projects and papers you do not want to do not have time to get things done. Remember, you can do it. Do not give up. High school is rough. It is nowhere near easy but it is fun. There are fun times in high school: spirit weeks, football games, school dances and extracurriculars. WHS gives us such amazing

Hannah Knapic “The best I can give you is a fake smile and dead eyes.” -Robin Scherbatsky

Nick Cosmo “I am Beyoncé always.” -Michael Scott

Devika Walia oxygen.”-Lorelai Gilmore

Matt Lorentz

Evan Doan driving moccasins Schmidt

opportunities to be the best, academically and physically. It lets us express who we are, as students, and prepares us for the real world. No matter how scary it may be, we should leave feeling we got something from it. As scary as it is, high school is what you make of it. You either give it your all or do not give anything at all. So, go to dances and play sports and join clubs, have fun and make so many memories.

“I’m not a psychopath, Anderson. I’m a highfunctioning sociopath. Do your research.”-Sherlock

Those memories will last a lifetime, so make a lot of them and hold on to them because before you know it, you will be graduating. Do not take high school for granted. You are lucky to get an education and live in such a beautiful city. This school has taught me a lot and I hope it taught you something and you know you left this school high school. Once A General, Always a General.

Spencer Dilyard “I don’t like the sand; it’s all coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.”-Anakin Skywalker

Estelle Shaya This is the war room”-Dr. Strangelove

Chris Roche

“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.”-Ferris Bueller

“I’m not convinced I know how to read, I’ve just memorized a lot of words.” -Nick Miller

Maddy Nacci

Seniors choose to pursue careers in the military Joe Linz JOHN GORMAN views editor

Joe Linz will be attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy this summer and plans to major in either Marine Transportation or Maritime Logistics & Security, according to Linz. Linz says his decision to go into the service was shaped by his desire to both serve his country and help others. “Military service affords me the ability to do both in the

greatest capacity possible,” Linz explained. After his time at the academy, Linz plans to either take a permanent position in the Marine Corps or continue to sail as part of his profession. “After graduation, I plan on taking an active duty commission and making the military my career or sailing as a professional mariner on a U. S. flagged vessel,” Linz said. Linz hopes to continue to be able to sail regardless of where his career path takes him.

Alexis Brown NICK COSMO

a&e editor Senior Alexis Brown plans to enlist in the army as a member of the military police after graduation. Brown is already preparing for her post-graduation career by attending future soldier training on Thursdays to help prepare for basic training. Beyond basic soldier training, Brown also volunteers at Grace Brethren, corps and is a statistician for the wrestling team. Brown’s family is no stranger her uncles, four of her cousins and her dad have already been involved. She says this prior involvement has given her large amounts of respect for those who have fought for our country, and said

she knows her family will be supportive of her decision. An article published by Pew Research Center on April 13. 2017 entitled “6 facts about the U.S. military and its changing demographics” reports that while women involvement in the military is growing, they only comprise 14 percent of the Army. Brown voices her support for more women enlisting in the armed forces, saying, “it allows an equal opportunity for men and women to be together and rights of the citizens. It allows for bigger diversity in the armed forces.” Brown decided to join the military for multiple reasons, including her family’s previous involvement, the travel experience and the chance to be involved in something bigger.

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2017 | PAGE 31

Veterans visit to share memories On May 15, the WHS History Club and History Dept. member Misty Bisesi invited seven veterans of American wars for the club’s annual veteran’s day program. The veterans went around to social studies classes throughout the day to share their experiences in the military. Photos by Jacob Gooch

THE WOOSTER BLADE | SENIOR SECTION | MAY 18, 2018 | PAGE 32

Senior staff members

Hannah Knapic

I want to say thank you to the coaches who have helped me grow as an athlete and a person and all of the teammates I have gotten close with in my four years of high school. The friendships I have made will last a lifetime and I will always be grateful for the memories.

Nick Cosmo

I’d like to thank some of the teachers that have been truly fantastic in the classes I’ve had. Ms. Coppola, Mrs. Mealey, Ms. Porter, Mr. Franck, Ms. Patterson, Mrs. Silvaggi, Mrs. Doup and Mrs. Hiner. You all are the models of what teachers should be, and I think I speak for all of your students by saying that.

Aleesha Vaughn

Thank you to my parents who have always been very involved in my life. They give me great opportunities and long lasting memories, never fail to support me in anything I am interested in and always push me to reach for my highest goals; no matter how hard they may be.

Evan Doan

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank my siblings. Regardless of how spread out and busy we are, you are always there to laugh with me and listen to my problems. In addition to this, I’d like to thank my friends; Nick Cosmo, Matt Lorentz, Maddy Nacci, Emily Ramseyer, Lindsay Kastner, Corbin Lanker, Izzy Rico, Mimi Wiles, John Gorman and Amber Swigart to name a few. You have all had a such a positive impact on me and I wouldn’t be the person I am without you.

MADDY MCCULLY From Top Left: Amber Swigart, Chris Roach, Spencer Dilyard, Matt Lorentz, Evan Doan, Avery Ross, Maddy Nacci, Devika Walia, Hannah Knapic, Aleesha Vaughn, Erin O’Donnell, Chelsea Patterson. Not pictured: Estelle Shaya and Nick Cosmo.

Erin O’Donnell

The two most important people in my development have been my brothers. To Mike and Dave: thanks for toughening me up by any means possible. It kills me to not see you both every day, but I am grateful that our relationships are strong enough that time apart does not matter. I love you both.

Chelsea Patterson

I’d like to thank every person who has gotten me through high school. Anyone who has done something, whether it is teachers who inspire me every day, clubs I’ve been involved in, marching band practices or helping me make fun memories. Thank you to every person who made high school great.

Estelle Shaya

Thank you to both of my sisters, Sylvie and Margot. Margot, I have really missed having you here with me for the past two years, but it has made me appreciate how much you do for me. Sylvie, we haven’t gotten along that much in past years, but this year I’ve felt like I’ve grown a lot closer to you. As I leave high school and you begin, I know you are going to have a great experience.

Avery Ross Maddy Nacci Thank you to my employer for giving me the opportunity to work with them for Thank you, Sydney Sleek, Kevin White, Maureen McKeown, Tracy Morgan and Isabelle Cannon for leading me in the right direction and being my inspiration throughout the years. You led your teams in all the right ways and taught me both to do what I love and to lead by example. You all embody the person and leader I hope to be, and I am so grateful to have been part of your teams.

Amber Swigart I thank each of the lovely English Dept. ladies, who have individually inspired me to pursue the subject further, in hopes of obtaining just a fraction of their passion and intelligence. I would also like to thank my family for always welcoming my antics with open arms. Finally, I am endlessly grateful for Spencer Dilyard, who never fails to put a smile on my face, and Estelle Shaya, a slightly new, perhaps unexpected, and always wonderful friend.

Matt Lorentz Thank you to all of the people who have inspired me to be the best I can be. From Speech and Debate to Band to BLADE to Drama to everywhere else, you have given me the necessary things to grow and become a leader of my own. Thank you also to all of the remarkable seniors who have made these activities memorable, especially Evan Doan, Nick Cosmo, Joe Macchetta and Maddy Nacci.

the past year. I have learned a lot about efficiency and pre-planning during my time working there, and I have been able to utilize these skills in school, as well as my work. I would also like to thank their understanding of the tight schedule we high school students have, especially during finals.

Chris Roche I would like to thank my parents. My parents always push me to be the best person I can possibly be.

Spencer Dilyard Thank you Sam Schonfeld, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Keener, Mr. Greene, Mrs. Hiner, Ms. Coppola, Ms. Porter, Ms. Kulka, Mr. Knight, Mrs. Silvaggi, Mr. Burdine, the Oxford Comma and my parents for being awesome. Thank you, Amber Swigart, for making horrible classes enjoyable and being there for me throughout senior year. Lastly, my grandparents on both sides will always be an inspiration, whether I can be with them or not.

Devika Walia

I’d like to thank my family for believing in me, and my friends for listening to me complain, and the teachers who helped me push through.