In what way do we define our individuality?
Grace Brownson
Inside the Oct. 2021 Issue
p. 2 - How Is This School Year Going?
p. 5 - Hispanic Heritage Month
p. 8 - Dangerous Social Media Trends
p. 10 - Coach Holter Feature
ON CAMPUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 8 2021 | PAGE 2
Changes to Homecoming court nominations still in place THEO OLLIER staff writer
Due to complications with COVID last school year, nominations for Prom court were selected by a vote from WHS teachers. In years past, WHS students voted to nominate other students for Homecoming and Prom court and voted on king and queen. This fall, Homecoming nominations were chosen by a teacher’s vote and WHS students were able to vote for Homecoming king and queen. Connor Rotolo (12) was selected for the senior Homecoming court and stated he is honored by the nomination and is happy
for everyone else who was nominated. However, Rotolo noted that he did not know what the nomination process for Homecoming was before this year. “I’m really excited, it’s a huge honor to do this . . . I’m really happy for the other two guys and three girls that got nominated . . . I’m gonna be honest, I don’t remember how it [the nomination process] was before COVID,” Rotolo said. According to Brooke Coblentz, adviser of Student Council, Student Council members chose to have teachers nominate students for Homecoming and Prom. Coblentz stated there was no specific criteria for nominating students.
“I asked them [the Student Council] if they liked that [teachers voting to nominate students] and wanted to do that again for Homecoming, and they said yes . . . There was no specific criteria [for nominations] because criteria for one teacher is different for another,” Coblentz said. Jared Pennell (12) does not think that teachers should vote for Homecoming nominations, noting that teachers do not know WHS students very well and people who want to get nominated will not get the chance. “I don’t think that’s the best [teachers nominating students for Homecoming court] because I don’t think that teachers know us that well, to
DELANEY WILSON
The homecoming court poses for pictures with king Nate Monastra (12) and queen Olivia Fox (12) before the varsity football game against Mt. Vernon be honest. And, I feel like the people who actually want to be Homecoming king or queen
aren’t going to necessarily have the opportunity to [get nominated],” Pennell said.
WHS students and staff still adapting to in person classes OLIVIA HINER trends editor
With the start of a new school year, many new changes have been introduced. There were a lot of unknown factors last school, which led to educational challenges this
year. School board president Sue Herman said she believes the biggest challenge for this year has been, “getting everything up and running again.” Jill Coppola, English Dept. member, worked as an all online teacher last year. She
DELANEY WILSON
WHS students work together in Jen Wright’s Honors English II class on a character analysis assignment.
said the biggest challenge for this school year has been making the transition from last year. She brought up the fact that “...some freshmen this year haven’t been in school since seventh grade.” Along with the difficult transition, Coppola said students are lacking in focus, social skills and studying skills, so pacing this year has differed from years past. Eric Heller, Science Dept. member, was an in-person teacher at the high school last year. Heller said the biggest challenge for him this year, “... reacclimating to the rigor, stress and anxiety that usually comes with a normal school year, which nobody has experienced in over two years.” He noted that this reacclimation process is the case for both teachers and students. Freshman this year have a unique perspective as they have gone through considerable transitions. Grace Jones (9) notes she decided to go to in person
school last year. She said she made this decision because she thought it would be the most beneficial for her. Jones said the biggest challenge for this year has been, “...trying to get in the habit of studying” and returning to old habits. From a senior’s perspective, Nathan Bonvallet said this year has been more difficult. He said that it’s the, “...same work, but you have to put in more effort for it.” Each of these people have very different perspectives, but their answers are somewhat similar in the fact that they all include the difficult transition and getting used to school again. Students have been adapting to this somewhat normal school year in different ways. Herman stated she thinks students are adapting “pretty well.” She said students are, “... to be back in school and learning like they’re used to learning.” Herman acknowledged that getting used to being fluid
has been a challenge and said there is still confusion and uncertainty, but said we, “... have to be open to change and understanding of each other.” Coppola said older students have been adapting to the transitions and changes of this year better than most of her younger students, but overall, said students have been adapting how she expected. Heller said students are adapting pretty well. He stated that WHS students are, “...some of the most resilient students and they have adjusted as well as I could have expected. It has come with challenges, but students are always ready to take on a new challenge.” Jones said adapting to this school year has been a lot easier than she thought it would be. Bonvallet said that personally, he has control over everything and notes he has talked to some people that are still adapting to the transition to the new school year.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | ON CAMPUS | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 3
Kean Elementary launches Lighthouse Program BRITTANY WACHTEL views writer Marking the start of the 2021 school year, Kean Elementary School unveiled its newest student leadership program, Lighthouse. Guidance counselor Kaley Egli, who leads the Lighthouse program, says the program is based off the Leader In Me initiative, which is posted throughout the school building “Leader in Me is our whole school transformation process based off of Steven Covey’s 7 habits of highly effective people. It teaches children how to be leaders of their lives through the 7 habits,” Egli said. Egli says the Lighthouse program is set to mimic that of a high school student council. “Two students per grade level represent and oversee a multi-
tude of different roles throughout the school,” Egli explains. The pathway to leadership at Kean is no easy task. The children interested in the Lighthouse program went through an application and interview process to prove they are fit to lead their fellow classmates. “After looking through the applications, our adult Lighthouse team narrowed it down to four kids per grade to interview, and from there two were chosen. Everything was taken into consideration, but a rubric was followed to determine which kids would be the best fit,” says Egli. These selected students hold monthly meetings to determine which events they think will lead to the betterment of their school. Students help with leadership rallies that promote the seven habits to the rest of the student body.
Fourth grader Malia Chenevey and third grader Alexis Barker are both student representatives for their grades and were eager to discuss their roles within the school. Malia was focused on her natural born leadership throughout the interview, which she highlighted when asked why she was inspired to join the Lighthouse program. “I love helping people at home and at school, and I wanted to do something to make my last year here (Kean) fun,” said Malia. When asked what she was most looking forward to doing with the other Lighthouse students, Alexis was enthusiastic in responding. “I’m excited to do fundraisers like for the American Heart Association and the Christmas bell ringing,” said Alexis.
Cornerstone celebrates PlayLab anniversary THEO OLLIER staff writer The Cornerstone PlayLab, Cornerstone Elementary School’s playground, celebrated its fifth anniversary Sept. 19. The PlayLab has been enjoyed by Cornerstone students and Wooster’s community, as a whole for the last five years. Marcy Campbell, a member of the Playlab’s executive committee, stated that the need for a new playground was initially addressed by teachers in a Cornerstone PTO meeting. According to Campbell, the original playground had some broken parts and was not suitable for the age group of the students. “ . . . Several teachers came to a PTO meeting and we [Campbell and other PlayLab executive Committee members] were part of the PTO and asked if we could help replace the equipment be-
cause at that time, there was not enough equipment, some of it was broken, and it was not suitable to the age of the kids who went there,” Campbell said. Eric Vizzo, the principal at Cornerstone for the last 10 years, also notes that within his first year of being at Cornerstone, there was a need for a new playground. Vizzo added that the lack of adequate playground equipment was causing some behavioral problems at Cornerstone. ‘“Within the first year or so, we were like ‘there’s just not a lot of stuff’ . . . it was not a real planned out space . . . so kids just got in trouble and didn’t have things to play on, so we started talking to the PTO,’” Vizzo said. According to another member of the Playlab executive committee, Amy Jo Stavnezer, the PlayLab has a few features that are used for learning purposes.
These learning spaces mirror the common core curriculum that students are taught at Cornerstone. “ . . .We very intentionally tried to match some of the learning spaces to what the kids were learning in the common core curriculum . . . the rock garden [is one example] because rocks and soil are a big part of the fourth grade common core for science . . . the last one is the pollinator garden because many kids would do the monarch life cycle…,” Stavnezer said. Cornerstone Elementary was clearly in need of a new playground five years ago, and with extensive fundraising by the PlayLab’s executive committee comprised of Dave Broehl, Dani Schantz, Marcy Campbell, and Amy Jo Stavnezer, a new play space was built. The PlayLab provides various learning opportunities for students.
Students and teachers transition back to a traditional school year MOLLY BYRNE staff writer
This year, like last year, has a very unique set of circumstances for educational learning platforms. Wooster students have the option of staying all online or learning, in person, five days a week. Being able to learn completely at home was also an option last year for students, as well as the hybrid learning which is not offered this year. Students may feel more comfortable working from home and being in their own environment, which is an advantage that was mentioned by Kristina Kostorhyz, English Dept. member, who also teaches online students. Mike Sullivan, History Dept. member, who taught online students last year, said that students are able to get more sleep when working from home, which for teens helps them to be more attentive when doing school. Kostorhyz stated she is glad that students online are still able to be Wooster students, rather than taking courses from online platforms elsewhere, if they are not comfortable with being in person. This way, Kostorhyz said she and other online facilitators are able to write to students about things they may be doing in class at school that could help them. Jen Snowbarger, WHS Online Coordinator for Generals Academy, Wooster Online
Academy and Credit Recovery, notes that finding balance for working online is a difficult skill to develop. “I think students that were online last year struggled with the consistency of classes and having to build their own routines for school work at home,” Snowbarger said. However, there is a common issue that many teachers experienced last year, where students would copy and paste work that was found online or plagiarize work. Kostorhyz also stated that the platform, Edgenuity, that online students use has added new features to help detect plagiarism in essays and extended response questions. The platform is also more precise to each student this year. This system is more personalized from student to student. “I don’t get the ‘face-to-face’ time that we are used to, it can be hard to email back and forth about questions instead of teaching in person,” Kostorhyz said. While students that learn virtually are not physically at school with teachers, they are still able to email and chat with their instructors about any questions. According to Snowbarger, the number of students that are all online have increased in the last two years. While the topic of all online learning has been an option for WHS students since before the pandemic, the pandemic has increased its success with students.
FOCUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 4
Gabby Petito case garners attention from millions across the world MOLLY SNYDER feature editor
On Sept 11, social media influencer Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family after her fiance, Brian Laundrie, returned home in their shared camper van without Petito. Authorities found a body on Sept 19 in Wyoming which they later identified to be Petito, according to fox13news.com on Sept 21. Officer April Teichmer, WHS resource officer, says there are
potential factors that cause a case to be investigated further by police, such as age, mental or physical disability, or dependency on medication. Teichmer also noted that the police department needs to determine if a person left of their own accord or was abducted or held against their will. Investigators will also look for places the missing person may be, such as the last known area they were seen, work, and relative or friends house, or somewhere familiar to them.
Signs garner attention ASHTON DUNLAP
co-editor-in-chief As election season nears once again, it is very common to see an assortment of political and other opinionated yard signs sprinkled throughout Wooster. Wooster City Schools School Board candidate Danielle Schantz says yard signs are a way for community members to impress their opinions on others, as well as get impressions from other community members. “I think, obviously, political yard signs are advertising. And if you happen to know the person who lives at the house that has that sign, and you respect their opinion… that just kind of gives you extra encouragement to consider that candidate,” Schantz said. Schantz also says people tend to be impacted by political yard signs if they have not done their own research. “I think there are people who don’t do a lot of research on who to vote for based on the actual content of the election, or the issues that are being raised, or who the candidate is and what they have to offer,”
Schantz said. Wayne County Republican Party chairman Brian Deeken says that yard signs do not serve an active purpose. “Yard signs don’t make a persuasive argument for or against a candidate like you see in a live debate. Instead, they are a static reminder about the candidate. Other kinds of political advertising, like brief videos on social media or literature pieces like direct mail, can make persuasive arguments for a candidate for those voters interested enough to read them,” Deeken said. Deeken said he believes that a better method of political advertisement is door-todoor campaigning, where the candidate knocks on a person’s door and directly asks for that person’s vote. Regardless of method, both Deeken and Schantz agree that physical advertisements should not replace a voter’s research. “I think it [yard signs] shouldn’t take the place of people doing the homework to figure out what candidates stand for,” Schantz said. The Wayne County General Election will occur Nov. 11.
“[The police department] will physically look to see if a person is at a certain place… we will work back to see the last time they were accounted for,” Teichmer said. According to Teichmer, Petito was well known for travelling in her van across the country, which can make investigating her case difficult as it crosses department jurisdictions. Communication between police departments can be challenging as details get lost along the way that can change how the case is
handled, says Teichmer. The nationwide attention for Petito’s case has attracted many on social media to follow the story, which has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to tracking down whoever is responsible for the crime. According to ”Why the Gabby Petito case, but not others, has drawn so much attention” by politifact.com on Sept. 22, by Noah Kim, much of the attention is due to Petito’s race and gender. “The vast majority of people
who go missing and are murdered are not young white females but people of color,” Kim said in the article. The article explains that over 700 Indigenous women have gone missing in the same area as Petito, yet none of them gained nearly as much media coverage. Social media coverage of missing persons reports shows a racial disparity, says Kim, noting he hopes to spark a conversation about this disparity and why some cases are covered more than others.
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 evokes emotional stories and reminders
NORA LEVY staff writer
When writing about the 20th Anniversary of Sept. 11 in our first issue, I was saddened about all of the stories I wish I could have shared. One thing I have grown to better understand is that it is important to fully recognize the events of that catastrophic and tragic day. One portion of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, about which people sometimes forget, is the hijacking and crash of Flight 93. United Airlines Flight 93 took
off from Newark Airport at 8:46 a.m. This takeoff time was 45 minutes later than the original flight time. The flight contained 33 passengers and seven crew members. Despite the tragic events of Sept. 11, Flight 93 is an example of the unity and bravery displayed by Americans in the hours after the attacks. With a 45 minute delay, news of the terrorist attacks reached the passengers of Flight 93 much quicker than the hijackers had planned for. The passengers knew what was happening when their flight was hijacked. Audio recordings of calls made from the plane help share the passenger’s stories. As Flight 93 turned around over Cleveland airspace, the passengers began to form a plan. A group of passengers decided to rush the cockpit. As a flight attendant boiled water to throw on the hijackers, a group of passengers readied
themselves for the moments to come. Over a field in Pennsylvania the passengers’ plan succeeded. With the threat of the passengers looming, the hijackers crashed the plane into a rural field near Shanksville, PA. The passengers aboard the plane spent their final moments thinking of others and saving lives. Their final act was to protect their fellow citizens, and to protect their country. The presumed target of Flight 93 was the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House. The heroism of the passengers of Flight 93 saved the lives of many prominent figures in American politics. The heroism and bravery shown by the passengers aboard the hijacked aircraft, is an act that should never be forgotten, and once again, they proved and reinforced that we are far stronger united, than we are divided.
COVER
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 5
Celebrating and the importance of
Hispanic Heritage Month
MAYA GALINDO-BENSON staff writer National Hispanic Heritage Month falls between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 of every year. The tradition of celebrating Hispanic Heritage in the United States started in the late 1960s, and, according to a hispanicheritagemonth.gov article, the month was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988. Hispanic Heritage Month honors the histories and cultures of people descended from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, as well as the contributions that they have made to American society.
There are many reasons that it is important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and understand its history. Denise Broda, Foreign Language Dept. member said, “I think it is really important for us to learn about the culture and the history, and it is also important for the Latinos to be able to celebrate and to be recognized.” Although Hispanic Heritage Month is a way to celebrate a culture that is very prevalent in the United States and the history of people in this group, it is also a way to appreciate identity. Alessandro Herrada (12) said, “I think it’s important because it is a good way to express oneself, something to show how proud someone may be to be Hispanic because it really is something to be proud of.” One’s culture really is something to be celebrated and honored, so Hispanic Heritage Month appreciates the Hispanic culture and the Hispanic people. The culture, like any, has its own set of values that make it special and have helped influence American society.
“The importance of family, the importance of the group over the individual is often something that I think is special about personal identity in the Hispanic culture,” Broda said. The value of family is very important in Hispanic culture and also helps to allow for a sense of identity. Soledad Benítez, a woman in the Wooster community from Ecuador, working at the OARDC described that the Hispanic/ Latinx group and traditions are not only a culture, but also make up people’s identities and allow for a sense of individuality. “It becomes part of who we are. Those small traditions, recipes, sweets, stories, music and language stay with us as we grow up, as we move to other places, and as we experience other cultures as well,” Benítez said. All the small traditions that help make up the hispanic culture help make up people’s individual identities and are the reason that Hispanic Heritage should be recognized and celebrated.
Doha Heat, an acclaimed podcast on iTunes, provides listeners with authentic stories about life in Qatar, told by the people living there. According to TheGoodTrade.com, Doha Heat, “offers a behind-thescenes look at the culture and social norms in this Middle Eastern country” for anyone who wants to widen their views on other cultures.
Resources to learn about other cultures MATTIE DUNLAP AND GRACE KOSTOHRYZ staff writers
Horizontal Vertigo, by Juan Villoro, is a nonfiction book that takes its readers on a journey through the largest Spanish-speaking city: Mexico City. As stated in penguinrandomhouse.com, “... (Villoro) reveals, in all its multitudinous glory the vicissitudes and triumphs of the city ’s cultural, political and social history.”
A website called globtrottinkids.com aimed towards a younger demographic provides its users with global learning activities and resources to learn about the world around them. Users of globetrottinkids.com are able to choose what category they want to learn about, then view a list of websites to further their knowledge of that particular topic.
Breaking gender norms in pop culture sets standards LUKE POMFRET co-editor-in-chief In society, there are plenty of gender norms that children are taught. Parents lecture their children that men should not wear a dress, and they should not cry. Women are traditionally taught to aspire to marriage, but the same can not be said for men. Fortunately, some celebrities change the narrative and challenge society’s expectations of men and women. The most recognized trendsetter, who has reinvented herself over multiple decades, is Madonna.
Madonna first caused controversy with her depictions of biblical allusions and provocative references. Her hit single, “Vogue,” sparked a movement in pop culture in the 1990s. Thousands of fans tried to mimic her dances used initially in only the underground ballroom scene worldwide. Madonna is highly prized because of her authenticity and courage to challenge social norms. In recent years, Lil Nas X has skyrocketed his career from songwriter to poster child for individuality. Lil Nas X was initially known for his hit single, “Old Town
Road,” released in December of 2018. Everyone was obsessed with the song, and Lil Nas grew a fanbase. On June 30, 2019, Lil Nas X came out as a gay man and broke the record of the longest time an LGBTQ+ artist had a no.1 song on the Billboard Top 100 Hits. “Old Town Road” held the number one spot for 16 consecutive weeks. Lil Nas X made a striking appearance as he walked the red carpet for the 2021 Video Music Awards. Christian Allaire, fashion and style writer at Vogue, describes Nas’s outfit, by stating: ”The musician’s crystal-covered look, designed by Versace, featured
the structured shape of a mensy tuxedo blazer and trousers, yet had a swath of trailing fabric on the left which acted like the elegant train of a dress. The soft, lavender hue all over was an unexpected color choice, but proved to be surprisingly fresh when set against the dazzling studs of jewels overtop. The star also gets bonus points for matching his square-toe boots perfectly to the look. If the VMAs were to ever have a Prom King? It would definitely be him.” Another current artist who has caused controversy over breaking gender norms is Harry Styles.
Styles posed in a dress for the cover of Vogue for their Dec. 2020 issue. Styles captioned, in an Instagram photo of the Vogue cover , “Bring back manly men.” Styles later told Vogue: ”Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with… What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away... once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play.” There will always be representation in pop culture focusing on individuality and fostering a love for all.
ARTS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 9, 2021 | PAGE 6
Fast fashion impacts the beauty industry LAURA RAPPORT a&e editor
Over the past few years, there has been a push for sustainability in the fashion industry and the end of fast fashion. Although there has been plenty of media coverage surrounding the unethical production of clothes, there has been little talk about sustainability in the makeup and skincare industry. According to an article from the anti-waste blog, Zero Waste Week by Rachelle Strauss, published in 2018, the makeup industry makes over 120 billion units of packaging, which contributes to the loss of over 18 million acres of forest annually. In 2019, the cosmetics brand e.l.f. Beauty launched the Project Unicorn initiative in order to streamline the amount of waste the brand created, according to a statement on e.l.f’s website. In February of 2020, the brand said on their website that they eliminated an estimated 650,000 pounds of packaging by removing excess packaging from their products. E.l.f claims on their website that having a smaller packaging footprint allows them to fit more products on shelves; therefore, making their products more accessible to consumers. Although some brands have cut down on packaging in order to decrease their carbon footprint, some brands have been criticized for releasing an excess of products during the year and creating an extreme amount of packaging. The beauty brand Colourpop Cosmetics released a total of 47 makeup collections in the year 2020. The brand’s co-founder Laura Nelson said in a 2018
interview with Fashionista.com by Cheryl Wischover that it is the company’s goal to release frequent collections, saying, “It’s all about applying the fast fashion model to beauty.” While the model of fast fashion may be unpopular, it has seemed to work for Colourpop, who made an estimated $150 million in 2020 according to E-Commerce Revenue Analytics. Although some brands may celebrate their use of the fast fashion model, other brands have rejected it entirely. The skincare brand Lush prides itself on its use of fresh and vegan ingredients, handmade products,and sustainable packaging. Lush products are not packaged until they have been purchased, and they are wrapped in all recyclable materials, according to Lush’s mission statement, available on their website. It was estimated by the Humane Society of the United States in 2013 that only 68% of beauty brands are cruelty free. While all the brands previously mentioned claim to be cruelty free. Popular brands such as Clinique, Maybelline, and Revlon still test on animals, according to the animal right’s blog Cruelty-Free Kitty. Despite the recent popularity of sustainable and ethical fashion brands, some brands in the beauty industry have not yet live up to the high expectations that some consumers may have about products. There still appears to be an issue with how much waste the makeup industry creates every year. However there are plenty of sustainable brands consumers can purchase from and enjoy.
GRACE BROWNSON
Wooster High School senior Ashton Dunlap and the cast of Mamma Mia rehearse choreography for ABBA’s hit song, “Dancing Queen” on the stage of the WHS Performing Arts Center
Mamma Mia comes to Wooster SOPHIA MERA staff writer Mamma Mia is the WHS Drama Club’s newest production. With auditions already completed and a cast list set, Drama Club director Brett Hiner says the performance dates are set for Nov. 13, Nov. 14, and Nov. 19 through Nov. 21. In thinking about how he went about choosing the musical, Hiner said it was a very easy process. When asked why he chose the musical Mamma Mia, Hiner says, “The kids had been begging for that show for five years, they finally wore me down and we were finally ready for it.” Hiner also explains that when he is looking for a show he tries
to think about the popularity of a show, so more people would want to participate as well as people who want to watch. Hiner notes there were about 74 students who auditioned for the show, which he said was a great turnout and noted the auditions consisted of singing, reading script and some choreography. Four-year member of Drama Club, Sydney Ebin (12), is playing the lead role of Donna Sheridan. Ebin says she is excited to do Mamma Mia because it should be fun and it is a popular musical, noting she is looking forward to, “…all the amazing songs in the musical. Mamma Mia features songs from the band ABBA and it will be so exciting to perform them all.” Ebin says as far as rehearsals go the commitment and time
rehearsing depends on the role. In looking at how the rehearsals are run, Hiner says COVID precautions include students and directors wearing their masks at all times, except for when they are actively performing. Caleb Singer-Holden (11) is playing Harry Bright and said that along with the love of the music aspect Mamma Mia brings, he is most excited for the costumes and music of the show. “The songs are amazing and so fun to listen to, the plot is not the best and at point does not make sense, but the songs are what sell it,” Singer-Holden said. Singer-Holden also says that he believes the vocals for this show will be some of the best the WHS Drama Club has produced.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | ARTS | OCT. 9, 2021 | PAGE 7
Montero is a heartfelt & strong debut Dancing With The Stars
ALEXANDRA PARSONS a&e editor After a long wait, rapper Montero Lamar Hill, better known as Lil Nas X, released his first studio album, MONTERO, an album that has been two years in the making. Before this album, in 2019, Lil Nas X released his country rap song, “Old Town Road,” which started his rise to fame, and he then released the 7 EP.. MONTERO was released
Sept. 17 after many odd social media campaigns, including a fake court case that included the shoe brand Nike and Hill’s “Satan Shoes,” and a fake pregnancy photo shoot and birthing video, with an entire baby registry linked to LGBTQ+ charities to which people could donate. The album, which has 15 songs on it and clocks in at around 41 minutes, allows Lil Nas X to show off a lot of what makes him such a great artist. His song diversity and ability to make songs tell a story and speak to an audience are highlighted by songs like “Sun Goes Down,” which is a song that deals with his suicidal thoughts as he dealt with his sexuality as a young teenager. MONTERO is truly impressive, with the first half of the album being truly upbeat, with songs including, “Montero (Call
Me By Your Name),” which is a song that created controversy at the time of its release as well as, “DOLLA SIGN SLIME (featuring Megan Thee Stallion),” which is a song devoted to their haters. The second half of MONTERO holds some of the more emotional songs, including the previously mentioned, “Sun Goes Down” and “LOST IN THE CITADEL.” In general, this album only has one large flaw and that flaw is its length. It is an incredibly short album that with its quality, makes fans truly crave more music from Lil Nas X. MONTERO is a great album with a short length that takes listeners into Lil Nas X’s mind a little more and has many of his passionate fans anxiously awaiting more music from the artist in the future.
What is the purpose of The Met Gala? OLIVIA HINER trends editor The Met Gala has occurred on the first Monday of May every year since 1948, minus 2020, of course, and 2021’s postponement. Throughout the past 73 years, the purpose of the Met Gala has often been buried underneath the glamour and popularity the event has attracted. After posting a poll on Instagram asking, “Do you know what the purpose of the Met Gala is,’’ 67% of those that responded to the poll voted no. Clearly, the original purpose of the Met Gala has stopped reaching its audience. According to a thecut.com article by Sarah Spellings and Andrew Nguyen titled “Met Gala 2021: What is the Met Gala Annyway,” the Met
Gala is: “a nickname for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala. It’s essentially an opening-night party and fundraiser for an annual fashion exhibit curated by the Costume Institute, the museum’s fashion department, and the only curatorial department at the Met that has to fund itself.” The theme of the Met Gala is dependent on the clothes featured in the museum exhibit. However, this is not how the event started. Jenna Adrian Diaz wrote an article for Vogue titled “Everything You Need to Know About the History of the Met Gala” on May 4, 2020. She explains that Eleanor Lambert, fashion publicist, “spearheaded the Costume Institute Benefit, a midnight supper that swiftly became the party of the year.” In 1995, Anna Wintour became
co-chair of the event and shaped the Met Gala to what it is today. According to the Vogue.com article listed above, the event’s guest list, “evolved to reflect the boundary-pushing stars of fashion, entertainment, and politics.”
GRAPHIC BY GRACE BROWNSON
first same-sex couple
LUCIA PERFETTI cover editor Sixteen years, 30 seasons and millions of viewers after its premiere, and Dancing with the Stars , the reality TV show where a celebrity is paired with a pro dancer and competes different styles of dance, has finally featured a same sex couple. Dance Moms child star JoJo Siwa and DWTS pro Jenna Johnson made their debut Sept. 20 as the first same sex partnership on the show. Not only is this a historic occasion, reflecting a hopeful trend toward more representation for LGBTQ+ identifying persons in television, but also an accomplishment for dance as a whole. DWTS previously featured only male-female partnerships because the style of dance performed- usually variations of ballroom dance- traditionally required a male lead and a female follower. This restrictive barrier has been completely disregarded by Siwa and Johnson. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Siwa remarked on the traditional roles, saying, “half the time I didn’t know which one I was doing.”
For too long, couples dances have been about a strong, confident man showing off his delicate, yet flexible female partner. Siwa and Johnson were able to go beyond this formulaic and outdated attitude, with their two highscoring performances so far this season showcasing Johnson and Siwa’s strength and flexibility, making the event not only groundbreaking for the LGBTQ+ community, but also for strong women everywhere who have repeatedly been told that no matter what they do, they will always need a man to lift them up. Because Siwa and Johnson each ‘led’ at one point or another, they were both put in the position of supporting the other woman while she performed various intricate forms of dance, something that was a new challenge to both of them since they were wearing high heeled shoes. “This week we were in a three inch Latin heel,” Johnson remarked to Entertainment Tonight. “Two girls trying to balance on each other...my body hurts.” This remarkable feat also meant that when Johnson almost slipped during a part of the number, it was Siwa’s responsibility to keep her partner steady and carry on with the performance, which ultimately gave them the highest score of the night. An instance like this, although small, stands out to me, because not only did Siwa do the traditional “man’s job” of supporting Johnson in a moment of weakness, but she also did this feat in three inch heels.
FEATURE
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 8
Social media influences dangerous trends within school systems STELLA POWERS staff writer
The TikTok devious licks trend has recently infiltrated numerous schools around the globe, causing considerable damage to school property. Many harmful trends like this begin to spread once they gain popularity through social media. In looking at why these trends spread so quickly, Bailey Messner (12) shared she believes it is because people can view things more easily through social media. “I think it’s because one person gets a dumb idea and decides to post it,” Messner said. “Everyone watches it to try to figure out the premise, then people see that it’s blown up, and then it becomes a trend. I think it’s harmful because it’s encouraging people to follow a bandwagon mind set which
can lead to bad and dangerous things.” Lindley Smith (9) said she thinks these trends spread because anything can be posted through social media and become visible to anyone. “I think that kids are very influenced by what they see on social media and want to join in and post about it,” shared Smith. “People think it’s cool to start a negative trend by showing them what to do through social media.” Smith also shared she thinks the social media app TikTok”plays a big part in this. Mike Sullivan, Social Studies Dept. member who teaches psychology at WHS, said he believes that social media has such an influence over students due to the desire for connection and validation online. “It’s a connectivity thing. For young people, the connection is vastly important,” Sullivan shared. “Getting likes is
important. Getting hearts is important. And, as you find that you don’t get as many likes as your friends, you might get 20 and somebody else is getting 150, it creates anxiety amongst people.” He also said these trends are being influenced by social media, which links with the “group think” mentality. “One kid gets an idea and the others just go along with it,” said Sullivan. “People actually lose their identity in this. They get caught up in the fervor of it which is why you see groups that do things inappropriately.” Many popular and harmful trends have spread through social media due to its immense amount of influence. According to NBC news, on Sept. 15, Tik Tok removed the devious licks hashtag, as they noted that they will not allow content that “promotes or enable criminal activities...”
Photos Courtesy of Vanessa Pidgeon
The photos above are just some examples of devious licks results within WHS. These incidents occurred on Sept. 17 within 15 minutes of each other according to a log provided by the custodial staff.
WHS students examine investment opportunities and options investing must involve thought and planning. “Diversification reduces risk. If one of those companies does poorly, hopefully the rest will do much better and make up for it,” Lee said. Diversification GRACE BROWNSON means to spread In the photo above, a student is looking at stock trends in order to keep track of investment out where and how much opportunities and the overall performance of various stock markets. people are invested in things. Sam Wilds (12), who invests in market functions. How can JHON FAJARDO investing be done right, to turn the stock market, helps explain sports editor a profit, especially for younger diversification with a common Students have recently gotten students? aphorism, “I don’t want to put involved in investing, and as Richard Lee, financial literacy/ all my eggs in one basket.” well as learning how the stock economics teacher, explains that Wilds points out that if
the basket falls, all the eggs will have cracked. So when talking about the stock market, investing in multiple types of stocks prevents a large loss if one investment goes awry. It creates a cushion to fall back on whenever stocks drop in price. Lee mentions the type of stocks in which to invest. “You want to pick the main players in certain categories, or certain sectors,” Lee says. Sectors are the groups of stocks. They describe what economy the stocks fall into. Some sectors are energy, cardboard/paper, pipeline, pharmaceuticals, retail, etc. Most seniors are turning 18 during the school year, meaning they can have stock to their own name, so Lee recommends that they begin investing.
“Time is your greatest ally, and the earlier you start, the easier it will be for you,” Lee said. John Sibilia (12) is a great example of getting ahead of the curve in terms of investing. His experience in the stock market has taught him several things: “Time is your ally and, don’t let your emotions get the best of you.” Sibilia and Wilds are only a few examples of young investors. With the rest of their lives ahead of them, investing should become easier as they gain experience and gain a profit. Learning about investing earlier on will be helpful in the long-term, so when people turn 18, they already have the knowledge they need to invest, setting them up to be successful in the world of investing.
SPORTS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 9
Holter brings energy to Wooster football TRENT KUZMA sports editor
GRACE BROWNSON
Holter offers advice to starting quarterback Drew Becker (12) after a play during WHS’s game against West Holmes on Sept. 25.
Lately in SPORTS: Boys Varsity Soccer
Boys soccer beat Firestone 6-0
Girls Varsity Soccer
Girls soccer beat West Holmes 2-1
Varsity Football
Football defeated Mount Vernon 39-7
Cross Country
Boys cross country won the Malone Invitational Girls cross country places 5th at the Malone Invitational
Girls Varsity Tennis
Girls tennis wins OCC’s and ends with a record of 16-2
Varsity Volleyball
Volleyball beat Mansfield Sr. 3-0
Girls Varsity Golf
Girls golf beats Brunswick 174-189
Boys Varsity Golf
Boys golf placed 9th at the Northeast Sectional Tournament Last updated: 10/8/21
Coach Austin Holter consistently proves that positive energy is influential on the athletes of the football team. Kaleb Lamb (12) was one of many to comment on Holter’s energy. “Coach Holter is super energetic and always brings energy into everything we do whether it’s watching film or a Friday night before the game.” Holter said he noticed that he was drawn to football growing up. “[I]always had a passion and love for the game. Having an opportunity to represent my small town community on Friday nights was an absolute blessing and blast,” Holter said. After high school, Holter attended the College of Wooster and helped lead the Fighting Scots to an 8-2 record by his second year. In his second year,
he led the team in passing and rushing yards. After college, Holter became a quarterback coach for three years. Eventually, Holter took the job of offensive coordinator at Denison and helped the team boast one of the most powerful offenses in Division III football history. From 20162020, Denison football averaged 36.5 points a game and posted a record of 31-10. Earlier this year, Holter took the WHS head coaching position for the football team. Holter said part of his decision to return to the community of Wooster was the experience he had while he was in college. “[I] truly enjoyed the city of Wooster in our time here as college students, and believed it would be a great place to return to, to raise a family.” Holter said one of his favorite aspects of coaching at Wooster is the relationships he has made with his team.
“The connection between the community and the team... The support of our school, administration, band, and students is incredible,” Holter said. Holter acknowledges the energy presented by the student section as very beneficial for the team, as well as the support and enthusiasm of the band, and he says that he is extremely impressed with how students take pride in their peers. Holter’s hopes that throughout the rest of the year, the football program continues to grow. WHS Athletic Director Joe Rubino says that Holter is a perfect fit for Wooster. “Holter is everything we were looking for in a football coach. He has high energy, great passion, and he is committed to being a student of the game,” Rubino said. The football team will play Mansfield Sr. Oct. 8, which is the last home game of the season.
WHS sports raise funds differently SHERIDAN SCHAUER focus editor WHS student athletes raise money to support their program through fundraising. Each team has a different approach to fundraising, hosting events and collecting a portion of the profit. Fundraising is used to support each sports program monetarily. In looking at how sports use the funds they raise, WHS Athletic Director Joe Rubino points out that individual teams use that money for their team’s needs. He notes that the baseball team, who sells coupon booklets, utilizes their funds for opportunities they would not be able to pursue without fundraising. “The baseball team raises
money, and they use their money to take their trip to Myrtle Beach for a competition,” Rubino said. Cross country has a different way of fundraising than other WHS programs. According to girls cross country coach Holly Pope, the cross country team made money from selling spirit gear and charging for parking at the Wooster Invite. “This year we did a spirit wear sale where a portion of the proceeds were donated back to the team and we also had the Wooster Invite where we charged for parking,” Pope said. Girls soccer coach Charles Cerniglia said the girls soccer team’s biggest fundraiser is the Wooster Classic. “There is an entrance fee of $175 that covers the cost of everything that needs to be
done,” Cerniglia said. Cerniglia notes that this fundraiser covers the fields, the referees and the equipment needed for the girls soccer team. Joe Rubino discussed what each sports team is capable of raising, and how they achieve funding. “Every sport has the opportunity to raise funds if they want to do something outside of what is provided for them. We never wanna see a sport go without something they need so if there is a need we become aware of it.” Rubino said. Each sport has a different way of fundraising so that they can get what they need, and they have the support of the athletic office if they need something they can’t afford.
VIEWS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | OCT. 8, 2021 | PAGE 10
THE
THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL
WOOSTER
BLADE
Editors-in-Chief Ashton Dunlap, Luke Pomfret Webmasters Ashton Dunlap Graphics Manager Grace Brownson Business Manager Delaney Wilson Head Photographer Rumen Zdravchev A & E Editor Lexxe Parsons, Laura Rapport Cover Editors Chloe Frichtel, Lucia Perfetti Feature Editor Molly Snyder, Grace Brownson Focus Editor Sheridan Schauer, Lanie Meyer On Campus Editor Hannah LoGiudice, Delaney Wilson Sports Editor Trent Kuzma, Jhon Fajardo Trends Editor Olivia Hiner, Sophia Mera Views Editor Brittany Wachtel Staff Writers Mattie Dunlap, Molly Byrne, Ben Stavnezer, Nora Levy, Stella Powers, Theo Ollier, Grace Kostohryz, Anika Ellis, Maya Galindo-Benson Artists Grace Brownson Photographers Grace Brownson, Hannah LoGiudice, Rumen Zdravchev, Ashton Dunlap, Ben Stavnezer, Brittany Wachtel, Nora Levy, Delaney Wilson, Sheridan Schauer, Molly Synder, Maya Galindo-Benson, Molly Byrne 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 Wooster Blade is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established by 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 rights to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-345-4000 ext. 3210. The newspaper can also be found at thewoosterblade.com
OUR VIEW
Students advocate for equity in sports programs There are currently 27 school sports at WHS, and many of the athletes who participate in these sports have recently expressed that they believe their sports are not equitably represented. During football season, many athletes and teams say they feel overshadowed by the attention given to football, especially as this is the sport that garners bigger attendance, more money, incorporates another sport (cheerleading) and involves the performance of an extracurricular activity (with the marching band and majorette/flag corps). Many athletes feel misrepresented based on either their gender or the team on which they play (JV, varsity, both/other). During the week of Oct. 4, 90 WHS athletes were polled as to their perspectives on sports equity within our high school sports programs. Athletes who took the poll expressed varying viewpoints on how certain sports are treated in terms of funding, gender, recognition and the team on which
they play (JV, varsity, both/other). When looking at equal representation for the different teams at WHS, it is evident that most student athletes feel their sports are not equally represented. In total, 49 out of the 90 students polled believe their sport does not receive equal representation. In terms of being equitably treated by the WHS athletic department, 61.7% of males find that their sport is given equal representation, while only 39% of females feel that they are equitably treated. Relating to the gender barrier present, those polled were asked if they think certain athletes are treated differently due to their gender, with 78.7% of the polled male athletes stating they do not feel they are treated differently. Of the female athletes polled, 53.7% said they are treated differently because of their gender. There are clearly gender inequities within the representation of sports at WHS, as reflected in the female athletes who participated in the poll. These gender inequities need
Do you think that your sport(s) is (are) given equal representation at WHS?
to be addressed, and equitable recognition needs to be given to female teams. This discrepancy between the attitudes of male and female athletes is also concerning, with male athletes being largely unaware of the concerns of their female counterparts. A majority of athletes polled also expressed that they are treated differently due to the team on which they participate (JV, varsity, both/ other). In total, 61.8% of athletes said that certain athletes are treated differently due to the team on which they participate. Of JV athletes, 64% of those polled stated that certain athletes are treated differently when compared to 55.6% of varsity athletes. Similar to the existing gender inequities present in WHS sports, there is also a barrier present between JV and varsity athletes and teams, as noted by the poll responses. These inequities in attention and representation also need to be addressed, and equitable recognition needs to be given to JV teams. In order to address the inequities that student athletes note they are experiencing, the WHS Athletic Dept.; WHS students, administration and coaches; and the greater Wooster community need to better evaluate these discrepancies and change how they support and promote WHS athletics.
During the week of Oct. 4, 90 polls were randomly distributed to WHS student athletes. Graphic by Ashton Dunlap
