The Bruin- April/ May 2016

Wadsworth High School

Newspaper II/III

April/May 2016

The

BRUIN

1870 - 2016 Wadsworth City Schools: “Celebrating 145 years of Excellence in Education”

Volume XLI No. 7

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL May 26

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

School officials look to drug test students

$1.00

Legendary pop icon dies at 57 Prince (1958-2016)

BY TORI BAKER AND MITCHELL PUDELSKI

Wadsworth City Schools has formed a committee to study a new drug testing policy that could take place in the conceivable future.

In order to keep Wadsworth Schools a safe environment, Superintendent Dr. Andrew Hill has encouraged the idea of randomized drug testing. Students who are involved with extracurricular activities or have permits to drive to school will be eligible for testing.

High schools in Medina County such as Brunswick and Highland have already implemented drug testing programs for students who are involved in extracurricular activities.

Steve Moore, principal of Wadsworth High School, expressed that the purpose of the testing is not to punish the students who are doing drugs, but it is to prevent further drug use in the schools and community. The school board can test only those students who participate in extracurricular activities or who drive to school.

It is a student’s right to drive to school; however, it is a privilege to participate in these activities.

Dr. Hill commented the goal of drug testing is to do “everything we can do to put students in a situation where they are safe.” He continued to say he feels the district has to

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Pictured above are examples of drugs that have been plaguing Medina County and the entire country. Wadsworth Schools are looking to combat this epidemic that has inflicted 87 of the 88 counties throughout Ohio with a new drug testing policy.

explore consequence options. The committee will look at successful testing programs in surrounding districts.

Moore encourages students, teachers and administrators to express their opinions toward the new policy. He hopes to expand the drug testing committee to include students from each grade as well as teachers and members of the community.

“It is too early to tell if the testing will be put in place at all,” Moore stated, “but having discussion will help form the policies that could possibly take place.”

There is no specific plan on how this program will be funded, but the average cost is estimated to be approximately $5,000. Various funding options will be studied The committee has also briefly discussed the topic of conducting

Breathalyzer tests during school dances.

The committee still has much work to do, so it is not possible to even consider drug testing for next year. A time line is still in the works.

The next committee meeting is in June, and Moore encourages students and parents to voice their opinions, concerns and suggestions.

On April 21, 2016, pop icon Prince Rogers Nelson passed away.

The seven-time Grammy -winning artist known as “Prince” has died at the age of 57. Prince had been rushed to an Illinois hospital a week before his death but was released several hours later.

His representative told the media he had been battling the flu for several weeks.

Prince’s death has affected many, including celebrities who flocked to social media to express their sorrows.

“Prince was a global creative icon who did it all when it came to music,” said President Obama.

Prince joined WWE wrestler Joan Laurer, also known as, Chyna, novelist Harper Lee, musician David Bowie, actor Alan Rickman and many more notable people who have also died this year.

Rohrer receives Teacher of the Year Award

BY TORI BAKER AND MITCHELL PUDELSKI

PHOTO BY JOE CHAMIER

Michelle Rohrer, a biology and astronomy teacher, gives her Teacher of the Year acceptance speech at the Fine Arts Assembly.

Inside

the

Michelle Rohrer, a biology and astronomy teacher, was selected as the winner of this year’s Teacher of the Year award at the Fine Arts Assembly Tuesday, May 4.

Teacher of the Year is one of the most distinguished awards presented at WHS. Every year, the National Honor Society elects a teacher who goes above and beyond to help his or her students.

“Mrs. Rohrer is passionate about the things she teaches, and it is clear that helping her students succeed is her

Bruin:

main goal,” said Molly Adams, 12.

When called upon to make a speech at the podium, Rohrer said she was speechless and that her 12 years of teaching here and four years as a student are very special to her.

Rohrer knew she wanted to become a teacher when she found her passion as student in Mr. Burton’s biology class.

“My students motivate me as a teacher, and I hope that them seeing me having fun teaching will make them want to learn more,” said Rohrer.

Rohrer also hopes that her being there for her students and her sense of humor helps alleviate their stress.

PHOTO BY JOE CHAMIER

Michelle Rohrer was surprised by her family and friends after winning the 2016 National Honor Society Teacher of the Year award.

INDEX PAGE

ZIKA VIRUS SWEEPS THROUGH the AMERICAs –page 3

PAYING FOR PARKING UNFAIR TO STUDENTS

–page 5 cLASS OF 2016 ATHLETES HEAD TO THE NEXT LEVEL –page 8

Editorial.........................................................2 News.............................................................3 Opinion......................................................4,5 Ads ...............................................6, 7, 12, 13 Sports........................................................8, 9 Picture Pages ........................................10, 11 Features................................................14, 15 Community.............................................16,17 Enterainment...............................................18 Of the Month...............................................19

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLEN RUTHERFORD

Ross, Ben and Rachel performed as part of the Spring Comedy, Alibis. See page 18 for more info.

Visit the Bruin Online at http://www.bruinonline.org

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A pril /M ay 2016

Brewin’ Debate

Wrapping up another year

Staff Editorial

The 2015-2016 school year is drawing to a close with the seniors’ last day on May 6 and the last issue of The Bruin.

With our achievements in sports, academics and clubs this year, the Grizzlies are looking forward to another great year in 2016-2017.

But most importantly, the Grizzlies are looking forward to an even better Bruin (if that is possible).

With the retirement of our beloved advisor, G Money (Coach G), the Bruin staff has the melancholy feeling that comes with the end of a school year. We will miss you G, and we went “ALL OUT” for you.

So who is going to fill the shoes left by THE John Gramuglia? None other than Eric Heffinger, G’s two-time team teacher (try saying that ten times fast).

The bitter-sweet feeling of a year drawing to a close comes

forward as we wave goodbye to our 2016 seniors. Though they are the happiest they have ever been knowing that their senioritis will soon be cured, the underclassmen will still miss their graduating friends.

We are all looking forward to next year and all of the amazing achievements that our school will rake in: be it basketball, Speech and Debate, Winter Guard or the fine arts.

Now for some shameless self promotion: Hey freshman!

Do you even know we have a newspaper? The only way we can be the best paper EVER is if you support us. So I want you to buy a Bruin!

Also, follow us on Twitter and Instagram (we post some fire tweets).

So let’s get ready, Grizzlies, for the best school year ever in 2016-2017!

Contact The Bruin: Twitter (@wadsworthbruin) Instagram (@WHS_Bruin) wadsworthbruin@gmail.com

E ditorial

The Bruin

Should the random drug tests be issued?

Yes

No

By ALEx jones

by CODY SURRATT

There is nothing wrong with issuing a drug test on students in extracurricular activities. Nowadays, the push for the legalization of drugs is becoming stronger and stronger. As of now, it is illegal, meaning there is nothing wrong with making sure students are remaining drug free. Students are not forced to participate in school activities. With that being said, if students want to participate in an extracurricular, they should have to abide by school rules and state laws.

It is important that we test students for drugs because there has been many teen deaths across the country due to drugs.

The more students we check to make sure are clean, the more we could potentially save. There should be no problem with standardized drug tests.

Drug testing in a high school setting for extracurricular activities should not be allowed. If random drug testing was allowed, the participation for those extracurricular activities would drop. If students want to be in a sport, activity or drive to school, they should be allowed to even if they do not want to participate in a standardized drug test.

We also should not have drug tests because it is a violation of a student’s privacy. Students should not have to take a drug test because it is not the school’s business of what students do in their free time. If students would like to do drugs, it is their decision to make, but they should not have to take a standardized drug test.

Students are responsable for their actions and they can make their own decisions.

Students React to block scheduling

How do you feel about the new block scheduling that replaced OGT week?

Personally, I like block scheduling. I like that I have two nights to do my homework instead of one night. Even though we are in class for almost two hours, it goes by pretty fast. We also are only going to each class three times each week.

-Ally Blom, 11 I think that block scheduling is bad; it makes classes too long.

In a class period you learn many things, and by the time you have that class again, you have forgotten most of the things you have learned. It is especially awful when you have a class like study hall. It is very boring when you have no homework to do.

Block scheduling makes testing harder because most teachers will put them on Friday, the day where they have all of their classes. This makes it so that there could be two

or three tests in one day. I would rather have no block scheduling if it were possible.

-Zack Pifer, 11 Block scheduling was put in place to prevent students from missing class time during testing week. This seems like a good idea, but classes drag on and some days have harder classes than others. We have improved upon this system since last year, though; there is only one twoweek period of block scheduling.

-Clay Egleston, 10 I enjoy block scheduling because I only have to worry about four classes a day, and I have two days to do homework. This makes school more like college, and I often have less homework because I’m able to get it done in class. The downside to block scheduling is having to sit through class for two hours having a lot of homework on Thursday night.

-Michaela Macko, 11

With testing underway, block scheduling has become an issue for some. The normal classes we have become accustom to are gone, and most do not like them. Some people find it hard to concentrate in one class period, and now that they have to focus for two. It has become a real burden. I personally dislike block scheduling because I have found it harder to turn in homework on time. I can’t wait to go back to our normal schedules.

-Quentin Griffin, 10

Block scheduling is less stressful than having to have all of my classes in one day. During block scheduling, there is more time to learn and cover certain things in classes. There is actually time to do homework, and there is time to ask teachers questions with the extended amount of time.

-Taylor Lostaglia, 11 I actually like block scheduling; I like how you do not have to

Bruin Staff Editor-in-Chief: Maria Regueiro Assistant Editor: Emily Andrews Managing Editor: Nick Landolph Marketing Manager: Lauren Knipl Website Design: Dylan Bowers Front Page: Page Editor: Emily Andrews Reporters: Tori Baker, Mitchell Pudelski Editorial: Page Editor: Lauren Whitley Reporters: Alex Jones, Cody Surratt Speakout: Page Editor: Lauren Whitley Reporter: Macie Carmel Opinion 1: Page Editor: Maria Regueiro Reporters: Lindsay Carr, Alyssa Laikos Opinion 2: Page Editor: Maria Regueiro Reporters: Colin Wright, Mitchell Blackburn News: Page Editor: Lauren Knipl Reporters: Nathaniel Barnett, Abby Magyar, Alex Scarrow Picture Pages: Editor: Olivia Addis Reporters: Maddie Shaeffer, Joey Baughman Features 1: Editor: Eme Eggleton Reporters: Connor Mendel, Chrisitan Szalay Features 2: Editor: Eme Eggleton Reporters: Dean Beddow, Lauren Knipl Community 1: Editor: Olivia Chaney Reporter: Olivia Addis Community 2: Editor: Olivia Chaney Reporter: Olivia Addis Sports 1: Page Editor: Nick Landolph Reporters: Josh Hagans, Quentin Griffin Sports 2: Page Editor: Nick Landolph Reporters: Dylan Bowers, Michael Callow Entertainment: Editor: Michael Callow Reporters: Jackie Toth, Ahmed Darwich Of The Month: Editor: Maria Regueiro Reporter: Matt Studenic Ads/Business Managers: Cody Surratt, Alex Jones Advisers: John Gramuglia, Eric Heffinger

worry about homework because it is not due the next day. You may not have to worry about homework at all because you may get the homework done in the long class period. The only problem with block scheduling is that I have all of my hard classes on the same day.

-Mimi Pittman, 11 I love the block scheduling.

With the longer class periods, I feel as if we get more done, and I stay “on a roll.” It is also helpful for students in extracurricular activities because it gives them an extra night to do their assignments.

-Amanda Toolis, 11 I do not think block scheduling is a great idea at all. I do not like the two hour classes because you do work the first half of the period and no work the second half. This schedule puts strain on both the students and the teachers. I think we should have a

week like we had for OGT week; people that have to test come in at normal time and everybody else should show up after testing for shortened class periods.

-Aric Hammer, 11 I think block scheduling is great; it has been a nice break in the year.

Even though sitting in classes can be very boring sometimes, the teachers have done a great job of creating lessons that are interactive, and in comparison to other years, they have done a much better job keeping class interesting.

-Kenzie Grice, 10 The block testing schedule is awesome. I think we should switch to block scheduling full time so that the day does not feel as rushed. Also, block scheduling allows me to go home for long periods of time on Mondays and Wednesdays, which lets me get all of my homework done.

-Matt McMillen, 11

Editorial Policy The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the April/May issue. The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body.

This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the adviser.

The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene or excessively disruptive to the school process.

The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed. Because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper, we must reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

The Bruin N ews A pril /M ay 2016 3 Zika virus sweeps through the Americas A word from our BY abby magyar and Alex Scarrow

When the first case of the Zika Virus appeared in Brazil, there was not a massive reaction. It was just one more disease that had reared its ugly head.

While patient zero has not been identified, experts believe that they have found how the virus made its way to South America, and eventually North America.

As a result, one American citizen has died at the hands of this virus.

The Zika Virus calls home a series of islands in the South Pacific called French Polynesia.

The mode of transmission was most likely infected tourists who traveled to Brazil on vacation.

Unaware that they were carrying a major virus, the tourists made their way home to French Polynesia.

From there it was only a matter of time until the virus spread through all of South America.

The virus was not just in the South, it was in the North as well.

While there has yet to be a major outbreak in the United States;

there have been a large number of cases reported in Mexico and surrounding countries.

The essential thing to know about Zika is that if you are infected, you may not show any symptoms. The most common symptom that has appeared is a mild sickness that is similar to the flu. Authorities are advising that couples visit a doctor before sexual activity to ensure that they will not infect a fetus with the Zika virus.

Scientists have linked the Zika virus to a condition called Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis or ADEM. It can cause coating around nerve fibers. Some people have also reported itching, muscle and joint pain. The Zika virus is spread through a mosquito called the Aedes Aegytpi.

Since the weather is becoming warmer, mosquitoes are coming around more often. Scientists are worried that the virus could have a massive boom over the summer due to the amount of mosquitoes that are going to hatch.

The Aedes Aegypti mosquito

Principal

Photo courtesy of MCT campus

Countries are preparing for the mass extermination of Aedes mosquitoes worldwide.

is considered a domesticated species. It could be in your backyard its entire life. A mature mosquito will only live about two weeks, and the female mosquitoes are the only ones that bite in this species.

Aedes mosquitoes do not fly far from their hatching place. In fact, they normally do not fly farther away than the length of a football field .

“Mosquitoes crave warm, wet weather, and meteorologists predict temperatures well above normal across much of the nation

from last spring into early summer,” said Jon Gottschalck, a meteorologist at the Climate Prediction Center.

Be careful this summer while on your vacations, because they may become more than what you were bargaining for.

To prevent from getting bitten by mosquitoes, you should wear long sleeves and jeans.

Protection is never a bad idea.

While the symptoms and effects may seem minor, the Zika virus can have a significant impact on your every day life.

NEWS BRIEFS LOCAL LOCAL new vaccine for juniors State championship basketball team honored by national organization

Photo courtesy of Mtc campus

Legendary Civil Rights activist Harriet Tubman will be put on the 20 dollar bill.

NATIONAL NATIONAL

Anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman to replace Jackson on $20 bill Anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman to Afterreplace being largely ignored since WW2, ‘Mein Kampf’ is being Andrew Jackson on $20 bill

republished as a scholarly edition by Munich’s Institute for Contemporary All new of theface false the Tubman book is Harriet TubmanHistory. will be the oninformation the 20 dollarinbill. exposed and the consequences of Hitler’s are nowRailroad. shown. was an abolitionist and a conductor on theactions Underground She helped many slaves escape to freedom. Andrew Jackson has been on the bill since 1928 and his replacement is causing controversy. “I elections love what she did, but we can find another way to honor her, maybe the two dollar bill,” stated former presidential candidate, Ben Carson.

Torrential downpour causes Houston flooding Major flooding has caused many people to be stranded and without power on April 18. Over a span of three days, 8.8 trillion gallons of water fell on the Houston area causing 7 deaths and more than 100,000 people to be without power. More than 1,000 homes suffered from water damage, and more than 2,500 cars were abandoned. This was recorded as the second highest rainfall in Houston history.

MaxPreps honored our state championship girls basketball team for their outstanding season and impressive national ranking of 20th in the nation. After the team received their flag and trophy, two lucky students got to take a half-court shot for a chance at $5,000. Both students missed, but it was entertaining and suspenseful for the student body to watch.

Students receive Wayne College Writing Awards Congratulations to Jenna Hopkins, 10, and Maddie Movsesian, 10, who participated in the sixteenth annual Wayne College Student Writing Awards. This year there were submissions from 21 high schools in the area. Hopkins received honorable mention for her poem, How To Have Valor, and Movsesian was awarded third place for her poem, My Soul. She also received $50 for her hard work.

Rotary / Interact Book Drive Interact Club is a part of Rotary, a national volunteer organization, and the club is asking the students of Wadsworth High School to search their homes for books. Any books that are new or gently used are acceptable to be donated and those books will be given to children.

Believe in Ohio state competition Congratulations to Rachel Cossick,12, Noah Delarca,12, and Cameron Deemer,12, who have had their business plans selected to present at the “Believe in Ohio” state competition on Saturday, May 7. Rachel Cossick qualified with her individual business plan, while Noah Delarca and Cameron Deemer qualified to state with their group business plan. The qualifiers will present their plans for a chance to win up to $20,000 in scholarship money.

Footloose is award winning The Wadsworth High School Drama Department’s production of Footloose has received two nominations for the 2016 Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square. Daniel Hahn, Vice President of Community Engagement and Education at Playhouse Square, states that the aim of these high school musical theater awards is to bring regional and national recognition to the incredible talent in Northeast Ohio. Congratulatons to the cast of Footloose!

Photo courtesy of mtc campus

The school’s most recent musical, Footloose, has been nominated for the 2016 Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square.

Students, it is finally here, the end of the school year. It has been a fantastic year, and I want to thank all of you for making my job as the Wadsworth High School Principal a great one.

We have had Athletic, Fine Arts and Academic successes all year. It has been amazing to watch all of you mature over the course of this year, and I can’t wait to do it all over again next year. Each year brings wonderful moments of excellence from our student body. Keep up the good work!

I do want to take this time to thank our wonderful staff for an outstanding year as well.

Students, you are fortunate to have a passionate group of teachers that care for you every day and strive to make you better. Our teachers and support staff continually find ways to motivate and inspire each of you. It is not an easy task, as you know, but they do an excellent job.

Special thanks and congratulations to Mr. Gramuglia and Mr. Hadgis who will be retiring this year.

You both will be surely missed and we hope that both of you have a great retirement.

I would also like to give special mention to Mr. Berlin, Mr. Sieber and Mr. Musgrave for an amazing year as well. I have appreciated all the work each of you have done administratively to make it a great place to be at for our students and staff. Each of you treat ALL students and staff very well and are truly great people.

Students, I have said it multiple times and I will say it again; we have the greatest High School in the State of Ohio because of all the people here.

Have a great summer and see you in August.

GO GRIZZLIES! Mr. Moore

4

APRIL/MAY 2016

O pinion 1

THE BRUIN

All grades should qualify for final exam exemptions envelops the entire school.

Mental Health Co. reports that 96% of students feel stress and anxiety, and 56% feel pressured by their parents. John Hopkins reports that stress “Other students work just as can lead to sleep and the hard as seniors to get A’s, and disturbances inability to relax. stress can we should be rewarded too.” Excessive cause bodies to go Riley Finegan, 10 into overdrive, and result in negative long term effects. do not. They do deserve those advantages, but other grades These harmful factors can be deserve some privileges, avoided with the exemption of too. Underclassmen may not be finals week.

Teachers who are against this suffering from “senioritis,” but we do have an equal work ethic. idea know how important finals Since we all work equally, it are in college and fear students isn’t fair for only seniors to be inability to take them. Students rewarded. Everyone should be will not be used to tests that take allowed to be exempt from the such a huge percentage of their final grade. High school finals stress of finals.

The stress of finals week cannot prepare us for those tests

summer, there would be no debate. We students take our extra weeks of summer seriously.

Seniors have plenty of privileges that the underclassmen

OPINION BY LINDSAY

Seniors are the only students exempt from taking a final if they have an A in the class. But should every grade also be exempt?

If students knew their hard work would result in one more week of summer, they would be more motivated the entire year.

Motivation obviously dwindles down as the year progresses, and this would add an incentive to push for that A. I know sometimes I sit there and debate studying.

If I knew studying meant more

Should all grade levels be exempt from taking a final if they have an A in the class?

Students test in preparation for final exams.

because high school finals are only a small percentage of final grades.

In regards to their concern over the lack of experience, current underclassmen have gained plenty of testing experience through the surplus of state testing. Students have already taken hundred question tests before, so college testing will not be very different.

A decline in amount of students not taking a final will not only

“No, I do not think they should be able to skip the final because I think it is an important step to evaluate students’ progress.”

-Mr. Klafczynski “No, because high school finals are a good way to prepare for college. It gives students experience without the stress of college finals.”

-Mr. Johnson

PHOTO BY LINDSAY CARR

benefit the students, but the teachers too. They will be saved the torture of grading essays and tests with many questions.

Teachers could take the saved time to clean out their classrooms for the summer. Underclassmen exemption from finals benefits everyone at the high school.

After all, nice days in Ohio are scarce. Elimination of finals week will gives us more time in the sun.

“Yes, if students earn an A it proves they know the material.

But, students who consistently earn A’s would enter college without ever taking a final.”

-Mrs. Beavers

“Underclassmen should not be exempt from taking a final because it would be hard to keep finals week consistent.”

-Mr. Berlin PHOTOS BY LINDSAY CARR

Bring back the joy of OGT week much happier and make the last few weeks of school much more bearable. The level of joy at this school is dropping with so much testing. Late arrival would be highly beneficial to the students, teachers, and administrators at our school.

Allowing late arrival during testing weeks would give students the extra sleep they desperately need, especially towards the end of the year. Having to get up at six

best. Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping eight and a half hours on school nights. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems.

You may even forget important information like names, numbers OPINION BY ALYSSA or even your homework. With limited amounts of sleep, students Only half of the students in find themselves falling asleep the high school were taking state during school. Teens tests. So then why was everyone “It’s unfair that current are seriously sleep here?

Two hour delays should be upperclassmen had to test as 9th deprived.

A recent poll brought back, just like OGT and 10th graders and now we conducted by the week in the past.

Sleep With the delay, testing should don’t get the privilege of coming National Foundation found be done in the morning before in late during testing.” that 60% of children the rest of the students arrive.

Emily Kurnot, 11 under the age of 18 Upperclassmen especially should have late arrival and/or early tears us apart, but with a two hour complained of being tired during dismissal. This should be the delay we could sleep until eight. the day, according to their parents, same for underclassmen who are The more sleep students get will and 15% said they fell asleep at not testing. The entire student benefit their mood, attitude and school during the year.

The unfair level of testing done body should not have to suffer overall outlook on the day.

The National Sleep Foundation by underclassmen should result through state testing.

Having to be at school two argues that sleep is important to in rewards later in high school. hours for tests you are not taking your well being. They also say The reward should be late arrival is simply awful. Giving us late teens need about 8 to 10 hours during their upperclassmen years, arrival would make everyone of sleep each night to function so students could sleep in during these crucial last few weeks. It is unjust that current upperclassmen are not being rewarded for their testing as a freshman and sophomore.

The end of the year is exhausting enough with finals and limited amounts of sleep.

State testing makes it worse, and no student would oppose more PHOTO BY ALYSSA LAIKOS sleep in the morning.

AJ, 11, struggles to stay awake during the long school day.

Should OGT week schedule replace block scheduling during state testing?

“Yes, block scheduling is awful and exhausting. A delayed start would improve test scores throughout the school.”

- Julia 10

“No, block scheduling gives you more time in class to get things done. We had to suffer through it, so the underclassmen should have to suffer too.”

- Josh, 12

“Yes, we can all sleep in, and block scheduling wastes time.

There’s no point in being at school if you’re not taking the test.”

- Ali, 9

“Yes, everyone not taking the tests can sleep in and more students would look forward to testing week again. Upperclassmen should be rewarded with a late start.”

- Craig, 11 PHOTOS BY ALYSSA LAIKOS

O pinion 2

THE BRUIN

A pril /M ay 2016

5

Raising the driving age to eighteen unreasonable, unfair to young drivers

OPINION BY Colin

A growing number of adults and legislators feel that the driving age should be raised to 18. Proponents of raising the driving age cite concerns about accident statistics, maturity, brain development and distracted driving. Their argument has some merit, but they are ultimately wrong.

Young drivers can be less mature than the other drivers on the road. They can make more mistakes, take risky chances and some are more likely to willingly break the rules of the road, like speed limits.

A 2013 study by Edgar-Snyder determined that at least 32% of high school students have texted or used their phones while driving.

Another study by AAA reports that the leading cause of death for teenagers aged 16-19 is car accidents. They have the highest rates of average traffic violations and crashes.

Moore

It seems like raising the driving age makes perfect sense, when you look at these facts. However, it does not. One of the most important factors of safe driving is experience.

Someone who starts driving at age 30 will be just as inexperienced on the road as someone who starts at age 16.

Getting an early start actually keeps the roads safer.

Responsible 16 year old drivers are much safer on the road than irresponsible 18 year olds. Age does not determine maturity.

Learning the rules and laws on driving will make new drivers more responsible.

Determining the capability to drive safely is a case by case basis. Emotional maturity varies across all ages.

Safe driving requires knowledge and understanding of driving laws.

Drivers of all ages are guilty of texting and driving. It is no longer just teenagers who admit to using

their phones behind the wheel.

The Huffington Post reports that the age group most likely to send a text while driving is 21-24 years old.

Texting and driving is banned for all ages in 46 states. That alone proves that teenagers are not the only ones to blame for crashes caused by texting and driving.

Every driver has a responsibility to avoid using their phone while behind the wheel.

A longer probationary (temps) period would give young drivers more experience on the road. The adult they are with will be able to give valuable advice and helpful tips. Making driver’s education more comprehensive could also keep the roads safer.

There are many ways we can make our roads safer while still allowing teenagers to obtain licenses. Being licensed gives freedom, teaches responsibility, and prepares responsible teenagers for the real world.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WADSWORTH POLICE

Wadsworth Police responded to 573 motor vehicle crashes in 2014.

Officer Innocenti’s take...

How many accidents that you respond to are caused by teen drivers?

“At least 50% of accidents in Wadsworth are caused by teenagers. Many of them are in parking lots, where the driver incorrectly parks, or fails to yield.”

Would raising the driving age to 18 make a difference in the number of accidents?

“Experience is a major part of safe driving. Most 18 year olds are more responsible and mature than 16 year olds, but I can see both sides to the argument.”

Are 16 year olds mature enough to drive?

“It’s really a case-by-case basis. Some 16 year olds may be more mature than 20 year olds. A longer probationary (permit) period could reduce the number of crashes.”

If teens stopped texting and driving, would the number of crashes they are involved in decrease?

“The number of crashes would decrease for both teens and adults. The law should be more strict on texting and driving. It is a primary offense for teenagers, but only a secondary offense for adults.”

“Put the cell phone in the glovebox!”

talks about paying for parking

PHOTO BY COLIN WRIGHT

Should students have to pay for parking?

“Yes, it’s a privilege to drive to school each day.”

Should teachers have to pay for parking?

“No, they are considered an employee and should not have to pay.”

Where is our money going for parking?

“To upkeep the maintenance and go towards programs, clubs, and field trips.”

Should the parking lot pay for damages?

“No, you drive at your own risk, it is your complete responsibility for all accidents.”

Paying for parking, unfair to students OPINION BY Mitchell

When students pay to park at the high school, they rarely stop to question why they have to pay and how their money is being used.

Most students cannot wait until they are 16 and drive to school. Then they remember that they have to pay 25 dollars to park in the student lots on the front side of our high school. However, teachers park in the back side of the school for free.

Principal Moore says that this is because teachers are

employees that are required to be at the school. Students are required to be here too, though.

Moore also said that student money from parking passes goes to the upkeep of parking lots, as well as various clubs and activities.

Other schools in our area, such as Medina, do not have to pay for parking, but they still have the necessary funds to pay for lot maintenance and school activities.

The main controversy surrounding the pay-topark philosophy, however, is the fact that the price of parking stays at a stagnant price all year. A student who buys their pass in the fourth grading period has to pay the same 25 dollars as someone who bought theirs on the first

day of school.

“I think that our school should reduce the amount students have to pay each grading period. If you still have to pay 25 dollars to park by the end of the year, it is unfair,” said Maddie Movsesian, 10.

Moore has brought up minimizing pass prices throughout the year with the Board of Education.

“There is no good time in the year to do it,” Moore said.

For this reason, Moore does not see paying for parking going away in the near future. He is, however, open to the possibility of a change.

Another possible change that could be addressed if the fee will not go away is the placement of the money used

from the parking passes.

If we must pay, we should be able to choose where our money goes in the school.

The student body could vote on things the school needs or the organizations that need the money the most.

Paying for parking addresses a majority of the

student body. Ultimately, the method that we currently follow to park at the school is too simple to account for the multitude of factors that affect driving to school.

Administration should revise the currently unfair rules to create a better system for parking at the school.

PHOTO BY MITCHELL BLACKBURN

Students pay $25 to park at Wadsworth High School.

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2016

Baughman, Johnson headline historic year in Grizzly sports

BY QUENTIN GRIFFIN

In their final year of high school athletics, seniors Jodi Johnson and Noah Baughman established greatness and brought home state titles.

In sports, athletes dream of going out on top. This year the Grizzlies had two All-Ohio athletes who did exactly that.

Baughman took home a state championship and Johnson and her teammates won a state championship for basketball.

They were both named top athletes in their respective sports and will continue athletics in college.

Baughman will be going to one of the most prestigious wrestling and academic colleges in the nation, Cornell University. Baughman won his state championship and final high school match by a score of 16-5. He also led the Grizzlies to another solid finish, as the team finished 7th at the State Tournament this past season.

PHOTO by Lauren knipl

Noah, 12, wrestles Fremont Ross’ Lamonte Chapman en route to his second individual State Championship.

Over the course of Baughman’s high school athletic career, he was a four time Suburban League champion, accumulated 156-20 record with two State Championships and set a new wrestling program record with 639 takedowns.

Baughman will be attending the WAKR Student-Athlete banquet on May 18, 2016, to be honored for his athletic and scholastic achievements.

With Johnson leading the basketball team, they had their most successful season in team history. In the Final Four, Johnson stepped up big time. She dropped 24 points in the semi-final against Reynoldsburg, leading the team in scoring.

In the State Final, the Grizzlies came out of the gates on fire, shooting 55 percent from the floor and holding Mason to 27.8 percent. In the second half, Mason attempted a comeback but was halted with a Johnson three.

She scored 12 of the Grizzlies final 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Johnson propelled the Grizzlies to a 60-51 victory. She hit five of six from the free throw

Photo courtesy of Glen rutHERFORD

Jodi, 12, brings the ball up the court in Classic in the Country. Johnson led the team to a second place finish, and would later lead them to a state title.

line and came up big when the team needed her the most. The Grizzlies won their second state title in team history.

“When it’s winning time, number 15 in the white jersey is a pretty good one to have on your side,” said Coach Booth when asked about Johnson’s outstanding play in the final minutes.

The Grizzlies wrestling team finished the season 13-1 in dual meets, won their 24th straight Suburban League title,

and finished 7th at the State tournament at the end of the year.

The girls basketball team started and finished the year ranked number one in the MaxPreps Ohio High School Girls Basketball Rankings. The Grizzlies had an outstanding record of 28-1 along with setting a school record in wins. They also won a Suburban League title.

After leading the Grizzlies in athletics this year, both Johnson and Baughman look to continue their success in college.

“To finally get to where we’ve wanted to reach since we’ve been little kids, it’s been unreal,” said Palitto after the win over Toledo Whitmer in the Regional Final.

Palitto will be attending the University of Rio Grande next year.

Clarice Taylor Even though her time here was short and she was set back from an injury junior year, Taylor still managed to make a difference in the soccer program in her senior year as a solid mid-fielder.

Clarice will be attending West Virginia Tech to continue her soccer and academic career.

“Clarice is the type of player to keep the mood light in the pressure situations,” said former teammate Michaela Macko, 11.

Haley Witschey Playing at the next level takes an immense amount of dedication.

Witschey demonstrated leadership and character throughout her high school career. She was a two sport athlete all throughout high school and excelled greatly in both sports. During her career she viewed her teammates as family, and that close bond she created helped her teams to be successful.

“I learned how to form

relationships with two totally separate teams and learn how to work hard and become successful together,” Witschey said. Witschey now looks to carry over her leadership playing volleyball at Kenyon College.

Cameron Mendel Having fun is at the core of all sports. Mendel had lots of great moments having fun in his high school career.

“It was a warm muggy night in Northeast Ohio. As the clock winds down, I take a touch to the left and let it rip, hoping for the best,” said Mendel after being asked about his most memorable soccer experience.

To his luck the ball miraculously floated over the goalies hands and tickled the twine of the net. This was easily one of the best moments in Mendel’s career. This shot was a game winner against Cuyahoga Falls and was the only goal in the game. He looks forward to the memories to come at Ashland University.

These athletes are examples of great leaders and excellent students. All of them will pick up where they left off in high school.

Spring League Class of 2016 athletes head to next level Champions

BY JOSH HAGANS

Baseball Three League Titles in a row 11-3 in Suburban League

Boys Track and Field Can win second straight League Title Wednesday, May 11 7-0 in Suburban League

Boys Tennis First championship in 40 years 7-0 in Suburban League PhotoS courtesy of Glen rutHERFORD

With the school year winding down and summer fast approaching, these senior athletes have chosen the college where they will compete at the next level.

Cam Deemer Cam Deemer has excelled all throughout his high school career.

He will be a three time letterman and has been a contributing factor to the baseball team’s success in recent years. He has helped the Grizzlies win two Suburban League Championships and hopes to win one more in his final year.

Deemer has recorded 13 wins and two no-hitters. Deemer looks to continue his success at Heidelberg University.

“I owe my success to my dad and all the coaches I have had throughout the years,” Deemer said.

Ross Thompson Participating in college sports takes a tremendous amount of hard work. Thompson has proven over the years what hard work is about.

At Capital University, Thompson will continue his baseball and academic career and will no doubt continue to impress. In his senior year, he had the opportunity to become one of the starting pitchers of the baseball team.

“I had a goal in mind and I was determined to achieve it,” said Thompson.

Laurel Palitto Success is something Palitto has experienced throughout her basketball career. However, her success this year came on a much grander scale. The spotlight on her and her teammates could rival that of a college team. This will prepare her for her future experiences.

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Social media costs millions

BY DYLAN BOWERS

As many students have seen, social media can cause trouble.

On the first night of the 2016 NFL Draft, social media cost Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil millions of dollars.

Tunsil, who was rated as the top overall player in this year’s draft by Bleacher Report and other sports outlets, was the victim of a series of hacks to his social media accounts.

Less than 15 minutes before the first round began, a video of a

man smoking through a gas mask was posted to Tunsil’s verified Twitter account.

The video and Twitter account were both quickly deleted, but all 32 NFL teams were aware of the controversial video.

As the draft began, the San Diego Chargers’ number three pick came and went and Tunsil was still on the board.

Tunsil slid all the way to pick number 13, where the Miami Dolphins swooped up the man who was a consensus top three pick days before the draft.

As if things could not get any worse, Tunsil’s Instagram account was also hacked and screenshots of messages were released. The messages were between himself and a college coach in which he asked the coach for money.

According to Forbes.com, Tunsil’s slide in the draft cost him upwards of seven million dollars in his rookie contract.

Social media has proven that it is capable of causing a plethora of trouble, and in the case of Laremy Tunsil, it has cost him millions of dollars.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil fell to the Miami Dolphins at pick #13 in the NFL Draft after a video surfaced of Tunsil smoking through a gas mask.

2016 NFL Draft First Round Recap Pick #1 Rams Jared Goff QB - Cal

Pick #11

Buccaneers Vernon Hargreaves III DB - Florida

Pick #21 Texans Will Fuller WR - Notre Dame

Pick #2 Eagles Carson Wentz QB - NDSU

Pick #12 Saints Sheldon Rankins DT - Louisville

Pick #22 Redskins Josh Doctson WR - TCU

Pick #3 Chargers Joey Bosa DE/OLB - Ohio State

Pick #13 Dolphins Laremy Tunsil OT - Ole Miss

Pick #23 Vikings Laquon Treadwell WR - Ole Miss

Pick #4 Cowboys Ezekiel Elliot RB - Ohio State

Pick #14 Raiders Karl Joseph S - West Virginia

Pick #24 Bengals William Jackson III CB - Houston

Pick #5 Jaguars Jalen Ramsey CB - Florida State

Pick #15 Browns Corey Coleman WR - Baylor

Pick #25 Steelers Artie Burns CB - Miami (Fla.)

Pick #6 Ravens Ronnie Stanley OT - Notre Dame

Pick #16 Lions Taylor Decker OT - Ohio State

Pick #26 Broncos Paxton Lynch QB - Memphis

Pick #7 49ers DeForest Buckner DE - Oregon

Pick #17 Falcons Keanu Neal S - Florida

Pick #27 Packers Kenny Clark DL - UCLA

Pick #8 Titans Jack Conklin OT - Michigan State

Pick #18 Colts Ryan Kelly C - Alabama

Pick #28 49ers Joshua Garnett G - Stanford

Pick #9 Bears Leonard Floyd DE/OLB - Georgia

Pick #19 Bills Shaq Lawson DE - Clemson

Pick #29 Cardinals Robert Nkemdiche DL - Ole Miss

Pick #10 Giants Eli Apple DB - Ohio State

Pick #20 Jets Darron Lee LB - Ohio State

Pick #30 Panthers Vernon Butler DT - Louisana Tech PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Pick #31 Seahawks Germain Ifedi OL - Texas A&M *Pick #32 forfeited by Patriots

Welcome to Cleveland: Corey Coleman

BY MICHAEL CALLOW

The Cleveland Browns had a busy draft, moving from the number-two pick down to eight when they negotiated a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

They then traded the eighth pick to the Tennessee Titans for more draft picks, including the 15th pick overall. With

that pick they selected Baylor standout receiver, Corey Coleman.

Coleman is a 5’11’, 190 pound deep threat who hauled in 33 career touchdowns. In his three years at Baylor, Coleman racked up more than 3,000 receiving yards and was the 2015 Biletnikoff Award winner.

Coleman showed he was a high-flying speedster at the combine, posting a 40.5 inch vertical jump and running a 4.37 40-yard dash.

The Browns had previous success on the field with former Baylor wideout Josh Gordon.

Browns head coach, Hue Jackson, hopes that Coleman will help his offense that finished 25th last season become a more “dynamic” threat.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Baylor standout and Biletnikoff Award winner, Corey Coleman, celebrates after hauling in a touchdown pass against in-state rival TCU.

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Robotics Competition A.

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A. Gold Award/ Honda Innovation Division Winners for Manufacturing Robotic Workcell: Brian 11, WHS PD&T, Thomas, 11, NHS ED&T, Eric, 11, NHS PD&R, Garret, 11, WHS ED&T B. Silver Award for Heavyweight Sumo (125lbs. Remote Controlled): Mariah, 11, WHS ED&T, Drew, 11, WHS ED&T, Kole, 11, WHS ED&T, Brandon, 11, WHS PD&R C. Bronze Award for Combat Robot (4lbs. Remote Controlled): Nathan, 11, WHS PD&R, Emma, 11, WHS PD&R, Ryan, 11, NHS PD&R, David 11, WHS PD&R

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F. D. Mariah, 11, Drew, 11, Kole , 11, and Brandon, 11, work on their Heavyweight Sumo

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E. Students work on their creations leading up to the competition F. Mr. Jason VanKirk , Business Tech/Math teacher and Mr. Kip Shipley, Engineering Design & Tech teacher, coach and director of the Robotics teams ALL PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. SHIPLEY

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April/May 2016

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Fine Arts Assembly

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A. Zack, 11, sings a solo during the Elite Choir’s song.

B. The State Champion Winter Guard performs their winning number, Secrets, for everyone at the assembly.

C. David, 12, performs with the Jazz band during the assembly.

D. Macy 10, opens the Footloose performance with a solo.

E. Mr. Charles Berg presents Megan, 12, with the Yearbook Staffer of the Year award.

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F. Mr. Steve Hadgis leads the Jazz band at his last Fine Arts Assembly performance.

G. The Elite Choir performs the song, Car Wash, in front of the student body.

H. Larissa, 12, grins after receiving the Drama Student of the Year award.

I. Mrs. Michelle Rohrer is in shock after winning the Teacher of the Year award and being surprised by her family, who came to congratulate her.

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Patrons 2015-2016

111 Bistro Allison Parsons Angie Snowball Ann and Kilian Mendel Ben Klafczynski Betty Nalepa Bill and Isabella Robertson Bill Goebel Brad and Karla Wilson Brad Musgrave Bret and Lisa Bressler Brian and Claudia Coote Callow Family Charlene Blevins Charles and Patty Szalay Chris and Julie Adams Christine N. Andrews Chuck and Carrie Szalay Clarke and Shawn VanDyke Dammarell Family Dana North Dave and Trish Swanson Dave Regueiro Dean and Kris Beddow Debbie Lake Don and Tanya Miksch Don Lenc Sr. Doug and Beth Synder Doug Beeman Dr. and Mrs. Dale Fortner Dr. Andrew Hill and Family Edward and Amy Cipar Gary and Barb Klaus Gary and Kimberly Noe Geoff and Jan Westphal Goldsmith and Eggleton Hamilton Family Hendricks Family Dentistry Jack and Jone Cionni Jason Jurey Jeff and Trisha Loguidice Jerrilyn Breyton Jessica Gibson Jill and Terry Young Jill Brown Jim and Cas Isaac

Jim Ladrach and Family Joan and George Solti Joan Arrowsmith Joan Reed Joanne Isaac Joanne K. Schar Jody McDougal Joe and Terry Carter John and Karen Baker John and Patty Thompson Joyce and Jim Pannunzio Ken and Ellen Tollett Kevin and Dana Quinn Larry and JoLynn Kaufman Leanne Virgin Lee Weinerman Lenc Family Libby Egleston Lisa Pletcher Mark and Debbie Carr Family Mark and Megan Postak Mark Schoonover and Family Matt and Mary Porter Melissa Eaton Mick and Sue Movsesian Mike Schmeltzer Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Greg Pegrim Mr. and Mrs. North Mr. and Mrs. Robert Eggleton Mr. and Mrs. Tim O Dell Mrs. Wandamilich Pat and Dawn Landolph Philip Horrisberger Rachel Jones Randy and Robin Kilbride Rebecca Dills Rich and Dana Berlin Richard and Patricia Studenic Rick and Carol Johnson Risher Family Rob Hahn Rob Karovic Robert and Carolyn Hahn Ron and Angie Mendel Ron and Kim Hart Ronald & Steffany Kupiec

Sra Mateos Steve and Sarah McIlvaine Steve Moore Steve Webb Studenic Family Suzanne and Chris Raber The Alic Family The Case Family The Cerino Family The Cliffel Family The Cossick Family The Dennison Family The Gabel Family The Knipl Family The LaMonica Family The Merhar Family The Moore Family The Morek Family The Recupero Family The Sieber Family The Singleton Family The Thompson Family The Turocy Family The Whitaker Family The Wright Family Thomas and Cynthia Hill Tim and Mary Jones + Family Timothy Knipl Jr Todd and Jodi Bowers Tom and Lynn Bardar Tom and Maryann Postak Tom Saddler and Pat Lawson Witschey Family

The Bruin

thanks you for your continued support!

RK BEEF Phone: 330-618-4068

If it was any more local, you’d be raising cattle.

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Winter Color Guard brings home State Title

BY CHRISTIAN SZALAY

Wadsworth’s Winter Color Guard has recently made their journey to win the State Championship. They were in the Regional A bracket that had very tough competition.

Their amazing win will be the third State Championship title of the 2015-2016 winter sports season.

The outstanding performance put the team on top of more than 20 teams. The team consisted of a variety of different roles such as flags, rifles and dancers. The purpose of the performance was deep and focused on bullying.

The team had started practicing

as far back as October. Since then, they haven’t stepped off the pedal and excelled throughout the tournament. Their performance

finished off the winter sports season with a bang.

After winning the title, Katelyn Zeitz, 10, said, “I felt so proud

for the hard work that finally paid off.” Congratulations to everyone who contributed to the Winter Color Guard!

How cool would it be to visit another country, go to school there and make life long friends? This year, Wadsworth is welcoming Costa Ricans into the school from the first of September through the 17th.

During their time here, they will be partaking in many different activities. Some of the activities involve a welcome party when they arrive, and a Niagara Falls trip.

On other days, the Costa Ricans plan on spending time with their host families, going to Cedar Point, and performing for WHS Spanish and music classes during the day and an evening performance.

The families that are hosting will be expected to house the guests, feed them and provide transportation to the planned

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATELYN ZEITZ

The Winter Guard members show off their flowers and trophy after winning the state championship.

activities. There are twelve different hosting families that are ready for the experience.

They are really excited to have someone else from another country come live with them, and they can’t wait to be surrounded by more Spanish.

On one of their last couple of days in the United States, the Costa Ricans will be performing at Ohio Wesleyan University, where they will tour the campus and the dorms, spend the night in a hotel and then spend the whole next day in Columbus. Then, they will have a farewell party before they take their seven hour flight back home.

“The trip was a really amazing experience, I had an awesome time. I really enjoyed the fresh food and the culture was a shock,” said Bianca Erme after being asked about her trip to

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCTCAMPUS

The flag of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica last summer.

Mrs. Beavers expressed that the Costa Rican students seem really excited to come over here and dance in front of everyone.

The ages of people coming range from as young as 15 all the way through 40, and

includes a few teachers from their local schools.

They won’t be here for long so let’s make it a great experience for them and thank the hosting families for their homes for this international experience.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS. BEAVERS

The dancers dressed up and ready to perform.

PHOTO BY CONNOR MENDEL

Those participating in the teen summer reading program can log hours and get prizes from the library.

PHOTO BY CONNOR MENDEL

Just a few of the books that participants can choose from.

Library hosts Teen Summer Reading Program

BY CONNOR MENDEL

This year, the Wadsworth Public Library is holding a teen summer reading program that celebrates teamwork, competition and personal achievements.

The theme for the event is “Read for the Win.” Registration begins on Monday, May 30 and the program runs from June 5 to July 30.

In previous years, participants have received little to no prizes, but the library has made it a priority to revamp the program, making it more appealing to teens.

Prizes are offered to all who read at least 5 hours over the summer.

Prizes include passes to the Rinky Dink Family Fun Center, Laser Quest Akron, Great Oaks Cinema

Students participate in government day

BY CHRISTIAN SZALAY

Costa Ricans joining students’ homes next fall

BY CONNOR MENDEL

Features

movie tickets, Amazon gift cards, free coupons to local restaurants and more!

using given clues to find the keys to escape the room in one hour or less.

The Teen Summer Reading Program can be beneficial “Prizes seem for teens because it awesome to win.” enables them to get Colton McDougal, 9 exposure to new genres of books while earning Reading is beneficial for prizes. Reading just 5 hours over students because it keeps the the summer can allow students to brain working over the summer. earn amazing prizes.

“I feel like it would be a very Reading is very important to an individual, and it is something fun activity to do. I’m not a that everyone should be doing for big reader, but the prizes seem awesome to win,” said Colton at least 15 minutes a day.

There will also be theme- McDougal, 9, when asked if he related programming throughout would participate in the Summer the months of June and July, Reading Program.

This program offers a great including a “Locked in the Library” event. This requires opportunity for students to team members to solve puzzles get more involved with the

community. Not only does it get them exposure to different opportunities within the Wadsworth community, but allows them to read a wide range of books. On top of the great opportunities this program provides, participants will earn great prizes.

The library staff hopes to have a larger number of participants this summer than in previous summers since the local businesses have come together to donate great prizes.

The library is really excited to be hosting this great event and cannot wait to see all of the children getting involved. Contact Jen Coventry at the library for more information: 330-334-5761 extension 257.

City Hall representatives invited junior and senior students to Government Day, on April 22, to give them a feel of what jobs the government requires. At this event, the students ran for a type of position they felt drawn to. The best student for each position was then picked by their peers.

The Students in Government program has been a long tradition that is a different and effective way to educate the students about jobs in the government. It has been a huge success for many years.

To start off the great event, students were given a certain job in the city and had to visit a handful of companies and jobs. The students that were elected to a job in the city that corresponds with the following committee’s: The Public Service Committee, The Economic Development Committee, and lastly, the Public Safety Committee.

The Public Service Committee was made up of the Electric and Communications Divisions, Water Treatment Plant, Sanitation Division, Utilities, and the City Hall Engineering.

The Public Ways and Economic Development Committee consisted of the WCTV, Streets Division, Parks Division, and Vehicle Maintenance.

The Public Safety Committee is responsible for the Fire Stations #1 and #2, the Police Division, and the Municipal Court.

“I learned so many new things about the jobs that are done around the city,” said Brandon Randolph, 11.

There is so much one can learn from actually going to these companies and learning in detail about what they do each day.

For the students that attended the event, they were given the best experience they could ask for. Students in Government has been such a great experience for all of the students involved in this event, and the teachers hope it will continue to be a great annual day for students to learn the importance of the different jobs around the city

PHOTO BY GOOGLE

Wadsworth City Hall

PHOTO BY CONNOR MENDEL

The building where government day started for the eager students.

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High school says goodbye to amazing band director

BY Emily andrews

After over 32 years of teaching students to play exquisite music, Wadsworth High School has to part ways with the band director, Steven Hadgis.

As a high school student, Hadgis was heavily influenced by music; he played in his school band and arranged music. When college came, Hadgis continued to play and his passion for music took over; he became a band teacher.

For 15 years, Hadgis has been directing the school band and trying his best to influence his students in the best way possible.

“The most important thing is to make sure that the kids know you have a passion for what you do.”

The students have shown Hadgis some of the best years of his life. When he first came

This kind of camaraderie is built in the many hours the band students have spent working on their concert shows and marching band.

One of things Hadgis loved most about coming to work everyday was seeing “Mr. Hadgis has given so his students passion for many kids so many amazing band, as well as every opportunities to grow and learn.” other extracurricular they Abby, 11 were involved in.

“I love their passion. ensemble, then the people will They are absolutely amazing follow,” said Hadgis.

After years of hard work, leaders and mentors in the there are now 238 students in the school,” Hadgis said.

Many students are cherishing school band. These students play their own concerts as well as play these last few days with him, and admit he will be greatly missed. at events for the city.

After this year, Hadgis is “The band is a snapshot of the school. All those people looking forward to changing his [the athletes, cheerleaders, life and trying a new path. The scholastics] normally would not new band director has not been hang out, but they come together chosen yet. for band, “ he added.

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to Wadsworth, there were only 57 students in the band. Hadgis wanted to make sure these students, as few as there may be, would get the best experience possible.

“If you make a quality

PHOTO COURTESY OF WADSWORTH YEARBOOK

Hadgis’s transformation from his first year teaching in Wadsworth to his last.

PHOTO BY JOE CHAMIER

Mr. Hadgis leads the Jazz Band at the 2015- 2016 fine arts assembly.

Band speaks out about Mr. Hadgis “I think that he is very important to the band department and it will be very different without him.”

-Sam, 9

“ He was very inspiring to all of us and taught us a lot about life and responsibility.”

-Kyle, 12

“Mr. Hadgis has taught our band how to work as one.”

-Abby, 10

“His passion and dedication is something I will always aspire to.”

- Erik, 11

PHOTOS BY MARIA REGUERIO

Top 5 things to do over summer break

BY Dean beddow

Students often find themselves bored during their summer break. They know they do not want to go back to school, but they need something to entertain themselves. These top five ideas can make summer break an exciting and fun time for everyone.

1. Play an intramural sport Many students like to go outside and play basketball, soccer, and many other sports with their friends over summer.

Instead of just playing with their friends, they can take it a step further and join a local intramural sports league.

There are a variety of different

intramural sports offered around Wadsworth, including basketball, soccer and football.

2. Travel with friends Traveling does not always have to mean going out of the country or even the state.

Traveling can just be going to a place that you have never been before.

It is a fun for a student to just grab a few friends and travel to any nearby attraction. They can go to local lakes and forests, or they can go to big cities and walk around. One of the most popular ideas is a camping trip.

A camping trip with your family or with your friends can be very new and exciting.

The possibilities are endless

and can be low cost. This will come as a relief to high school students because most of them do not have a lot of money.

3. Get a part-time job Getting a part time job can bring dread boredom in most students minds. Part-time jobs can be a great source of money for students if their parents can not afford to always give them money.

Depending on the job, students can learn life skills and get to experience how it feels to have a job. It is important to learn how to work now, to prepare for life later on.

It is also a great way for students to make more money.

Most students have to ask their

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Going to a public pool around your neighborhood can be a great way to relax with family and friends.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Intramural sports are competitive and exciting for all people.

parents for money, even though their parents can not afford it.

This would be unnecessary if they got a part-time job on the side and started to earn their own money.

4. Go swimming Local pools are opening soon and are very popular among teenagers. Going to a local lake or a swimming pool can be very fun and refreshing on a hot summer day.

Boating is also a popular option and can be a lot of fun.

You can rent jet skis, speed boats, pontoon boats, and more.

Tubing and waterskiing are also fun when you have the proper equipment and a boat.

5. Try something new Over summer it is very easy to get stuck into the same routine every day. Something

new can be as simple as taking a walk or riding a bike.

The same schedule can get both boring and annoying at times. Students struggle with trying something new. It can seem like an inconvenience at first, but can turn out to be a very good idea.

There are tons of different new things to try over summer break. Ohio has many great hiking trails, amusement parks and county fairs. Cedar Point is a popular destination for many teenagers. Do something that is out of the way of your regular schedule and it will be new and exciting to you.

Summer break is boring at times but doing any activity on this list is sure to excite and exhilarate your summer break.

Make those three months last.

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April/May 2016

Tiffany Schleigh makes change one song at a time

BY PAIGE LEPLEY

NEW YORK CITY: Hitting the big city to work on the big stage has always been a dream of Tiffany Schleigh, a small town girl from Wadsworth. She has always enjoyed the scene of the stage whether it was performing, directing, or being in the atmosphere.

Tiffany started hitting the stage in middle school, when she starred in the school play Wonderland as Alice, then eventually as the princess in The Princess and the Pea in high school. As she grew older though, she realized that she would rather be backstage than onstage.

Eventually, Tiffany headed to New York City to work on Broadway. In 2010, she created a program called Cabaret for a Cause, which brings together the young stars of Broadway, film and TV to help children in need.

“By creating Cabaret for Cause, all of the kids can get together and perform songs that they love, and it teaches them to use their talents to help others,” said Schleigh.

The young Broadway actors want to help these kids, and they were not able to do it on their own. That is why Cabaret for a Cause was created. There are events happening every night on Broadway to help those in need,

and kids want to be a part of that.

“The kids are so fortunate to be able to live the lives they are living right now; not everyone can be as fortunate as they are,” Schleigh said.

“All of the kids work really hard; they work a professional job with late hours, and they still have to attend school, do their chores and go through strenuous rehearsals,” Schleigh said, showing the passion for what they do.

Schleigh told me that it can be a little scary directing and producing the shows. She has to be completely aware of everything that is going on and be ready for anything that could happen.

Living in New York, she is bound to run into celebrities

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every now and then. She lives in a building that is for people who work in the arts. Sometimes, she will be in the elevator with a Broadway star or an actor from Nickelodeon! Celebrities often come to shows as well. Rupert Grint, who played as Ron in the Harry Potter series, came to see Cabaret for a Cause in 2014, and then came backstage to say hello to all of the kids. Schleigh has worked with all of the girls from Dance Moms, Aubrey Anderson, Emmons from Modern Family and more.

Schleigh`s biggest career goal is to one day make Cabaret for a Cause big enough to raise $2 million dollars in one night.

That is how much it costs to run St. Jude Children`s Research Hospital for one day.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

From Left: Kimberly Strafford, Lori Prince and Tiffany Schleigh, founders of Cabaret for a Cause.

Baggs pick up where Grace’s left off by michaela macko

In July 2015, Mark and Beth Baggs were officially positioned as officers of the Wadsworth Salvation Army with motivation and a legacy to maintain.

Replacing Tom and Debbie Grace after their 15 years of hard work is no easy feat, but the Baggs have the skills and a vision for the future of Wadsworth.

Originally from Mt. Vernon, Mark and Beth attended the Mt. Vernon Nazarene University before deciding to get involved with the Salvation Army. Their one son volunteered at their local Army and his work got them interested in becoming officers themselves. They have now been involved with the Salvation Army for 8 years.

Both recently graduated from the New York College for Officer Training before being stationed here. They are excited to be working with this community.

“Wadsworth reminds us so much of Mt. Vernon,” Mark said.

Since this is their first assignment, there is plenty of pressure to maintain the Grace’s legacy. Even so, the Grace’s work built a great organization founded upon the support of great people.

“They made it easy for us to keep it going,” Mark stated.

The Baggs have most enjoyed the downtown events, local

Photo Courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

Mark and Beth Baggs graduated from the College for Officer Training in New York.

shops, and easy to talk to people in Wadsworth. Their plans for the future include becoming more involved with the community by working with Safety Director Matt Hiscock and addressing the recent drug epidemic in the county. “We plan on building an outdoor basketball court,” said Mark, so that the community and kids have a fun place to enjoy with friends and family.

This year, Mark and Beth are most looking forward to the annual celebration to “thank those who helped” them get to know the community and continue the mission of improving the Salvation Army’s work in Wadsworth.

So far, the Baggs’ have done a great job of leading the Salvation Army; they love Wadsworth and are excited to continue their work here for as long as possible.

Chardon father steps up during school crisis by sophia fortner

CHARDON, OHIO: On July 25, 1964 in Euclid, Ohio, Tim Corcoran, a very brave man, was born. Fast forward approximately 48 years later, a tragic event occurred in Chardon, Ohio, where a loving father and serviceman worried about his daughters in the local high school.

Corcoran and his wife, Gunny, have known each other their whole lives, and they reconnected when she was working as nurse, taking care of his brother. He proposed to her at the Grand Canyon.

Corcoran’s greatest accomplishment in life is raising quality children. He and his wife found a home in Chardon, Ohio; where they are currently raising Owen(16) and Annika(15). Their two oldest daughters, Peyton(20) and Riley(19) are attending college at Case Western University.

In his free time, Corcoran enjoys biking, working out, and backpacking. He also loves to play golf and watch girls basketball.

“My Dad is at every game and it means the world to me,” said Annika, Cororan’s youngest daughter. “Whenever I get nervous I can just look over and see him and he gives me this look like no matter what I do, I

Photo COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

People place candles, flowers, and posters next to the Chardon sign in honor for those who were affected.

am only going to better the team and the play. That is something I am always going to be grateful for.”

Corcoran has been a fireman for 20 years and his likes and dislikes about his job are the people in the community and his co-workers.

He says that the most rewarding part is helping the other people around him.

“Truth be told, the most appealing aspect, initially (of becoming a fireman), was the schedule, 24 hours on and 48 hours off. Since that time however, my love for the job has evolved and this profession has provided me with countless meaningful opportunities that I have been fortunate enough to take advantage of,” explained Corcoran.

In his act of duty he has received several Meritorious Service Awards and recently was promoted to the President of the

Cleveland Fireman Union.

Corcoran’s views on life have not changed over the years, he has always stuck to trying to leave the world a better place and being of service.

On February 27, 2012, the unspeakable happened.

At Chardon High School, a student by the name of T.J. Lane, was in the school cafeteria with a gun, planning to kill three students.

He killed two of those three but missed the third, and killed another student. Unintentionally, he hit another student. Luckily, she lived. As he was leaving the cafeteria he shot a boy who was in his way, the boy was left paralysed but still living. Then, as he was running out the building, a brave teacher chased after him out the school and was shot at but not hit.

“That day was numbing and surreal (even though that word is overused),” said Corcoran.

Corcoran originally found out

that the school was in danger by a phone call from a friend, before the police found out. His initial thought and response was that he needed to fight for his kids’ behalf and he immediately went to the school.

Not knowing much information, he drove to the school. As he was driving, he had a myriad of thoughts crossing his mind.

Some of the thoughts were of his two oldest daughters, Peyton and Riley, who were both in the high school. They were in the same Spanish class, which was at the other end of the building, in lockdown, and unaware of what happened.

His wife was at work, so he called her several times as things unfolded. He was able to ensure her that their kids were safe, but it became impossible to use cell phones shortly thereafter due to all the calls and texts.

Owen was in the middle

school, and Annika was at home.

He was worried about them as well, but not as much as his kids in the high school.

“I was one of the first parents to arrive,” said Corcoran. “We were all trying to contact our kids but we couldn’t get close to the school because it was on lockdown. We just waited outside for everything to settle down for what seemed to be forever, to be able to see our kids.”

Once the kids were released, all of the Corcoran’s met back at home. Tim and Gunny were very relieved that all of their kids were okay.

After this tragic event, three Chardon High School students had died and T.J. Lane arrested on the street where the Corcoran’s live.

There was a candle vigil where students and community members gathered together and put memorabilia by the Chardon High School sign. Every year for the anniversary of the shooting, the people get together and remember this terrible time. They remember the people and events, and most importantly remember how they rallied together!

“Although we were relatively unaffected personally, our entire family was able to see the affects that others has experienced,” said Corcoran. “Our thoughts and prayers are still with the families that suffered severe losses.”

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Brian Armelli shows off big weight loss

By Austen Manix

Over a nine month period, Brian Armelli, the swimming and track coach at Wadsworth, lost a life changing 126 pounds.

“I don’t usually tell people this, but I was in fear for my health,” Armelli said. “I’ve heard stories where overweight people die too young and I didn’t want that to be me. Throughout college, I was in fear of dying due to being overweight. Then once I graduated, I saw a couple of other people lose weight, and I thought

to myself, ‘If they can do it, I sure can’.’’

This powerful thought inspired him to lose all the weight that he did. Then came the chance to embark on another new journey.

“In a weight loss competition with my friends, I was able to lose 45 pounds in 3 months and it really kick started the mind set that I could really do something with this,” he said.

“At first it was tough,” he said when asked about going through a major weight change, “but once you stick to a routine, it becomes

part of who you are. I consider the diet I was on a lifestyle change.”

He said he would never put the weight back on. Once he got under 200 pounds, Armelli told himself he’d never get above that point again.

When asked about what kept him motivated through the weight loss, he responded with, “My results. I actually became addicted to losing weight to the point where I weighed myself every morning and was losing 3-5 pounds a day.”

His family is very proud of him

and found themselves wondering who he was when they first saw him after the transformation.

In high school Armelli was more focused on athletics than academics. He loved playing soccer, basketball and softball growing up. After spending two years at Kent State University, he put a lot more effort into the studies, but he was not getting the results he was looking for. Things took a turn when he transferred to BGSU and maintained a 3.0 GPA. Now, he teaches Sports Studies at The University of Akron.

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Photo courtesy of bRIAN A Rmelli

Brian Armelli (above) before and after pictures of weight loss.

Berg reveals the inspiration behind his famous spirit chant

BY HANNAH TOOLIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS YEARBOOK

Mr. Berg gets ready to yell ‘The Spirit Chant’ and hype the crowd for a big win.

Berg’s classroom chant has turned into a school phenomenon.

At the State Final Four Pep Rally for the girl’s basketball on the Wednesday before the big semifinal game, Mr. Berg was asked to do a school spirit chant to hype everyone for the game on Friday night.

Ever since, his chant had left students in awe and amazement.

The chant instantly struck popularity throughout the school.

It was repeated throughout both Friday and Saturday nights for the girls’ basketball state tournament.

When asked about his spirit chant, he confesses that it was not all on his own. He explained

that he got the “Any dogs in the house” part from the famous Baltimore Ravens football team.

The rest he created from his evermoving mind.

Berg stated that he loves to teach and that moving to Wadsworth was a great decision, both for himself and his family.

Even after teaching at Revere High School for some time, he reemphasized how much he loves Wadsworth.

The “Berg Spirit Chant” sparked so much spirit at the pep rally that it was palpable in the atmosphere. Every student was so excited to chant this at the girl’s state tournament on Friday

night at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

“The spirit chant gets you so fired up and just so ready to get pumped. It defines Wadsworth’s pride and spirit,” Stacey Witchey, 10, said when asked about how she felt about the chant.

“I love the ‘Berg Spirit Chant’, it really is fun to cheer for the teams,” Lindsay Carr, 10, said about the chant.

Berg also revealed that although his Spirit Chant is just now gaining rapid popularity, he has been doing it for years. It is a Friday ritual for his classes, and he says he will continue to keep the tradition alive.

Eat, sleep, cut hair, repeat

BY MATT MCMILLEN

Nowadays, it seems to be the norm that one must earn a four year college degree to be successful. Traci Friedt is proving everyone wrong Traci Friedt, owner of Wayne’s Barber Shop, has seen it all.

From kids puking to drunken customers; her time at Wayne’s has been a wild ride.

“I’ve always had a passion for hair, and not necessarily academics,” said Friedt when asked about her reasons for choosing to go into cosmetology.

She, like many WHS students,

participated in the career tech program to get a jump start on her career.

After graduating barber college, she came back to Wadsworth to pursue a job.

“My mom had gotten word that there was a local barber looking to retire,” said Friedt when asked how she ended up at her first job.

T h e b a r b e r w a s Wa y n e .

According to Friedt, Wayne had owned the barber shop for 13 years before she worked there.

Traci took over Wayne’s, and the rest is history.

After working at a barber

shop for years, Friedt had some pretty good stories to share.

One, she said, occurred while cutting a fairly unruly two year old’s hair. The two year old was complaining that he was going to throw up, but the dad claimed he was just faking. Next thing she knew, the two year old threw up all over her.

“Always be nice to everyone because you never know who is an angel in disguise,” Friedt said. According to Friedt, the service is just as important as the job.

Wayne’s Barber shop is located in downtown Wadsworth.

Photo COURTESY OF mct campus

Not many barber shops still have this iconic symbol of Americana.

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Entertainment

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25 th MTV Movie Awards Speech and Debate sponsors Grizzly Grandeur

BY AHMED DARWICH

The 25th MTV Movie Awards aired outside for the first time in history!

Stars Wars wins Movie of the Year!

Straight Outta Compton wins True Story Award!

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds wins Best Comedic Performance!

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

The Speech and Debate team held the annual talent show on Friday, Apr. 15 the Grizzly Grandeur, where students showcased their talents and skills.

There were many acts performed at the Grizzly Grandeur. Specific acts such as Tony Batey’s guitar act and Gray Giacona and Jared Bardar’s light saber battle, won the attention and praise of the crowd.

The Grizzly Grandeur would not be the amazing event it is without the help from the Speech and Debate team. Mrs. Matthews also helped run the great event.

“It was a great event that was run by great people. I would like to give a big thank you to the sound techs. Hannah Park and Brandon Bauer did a great job,” Mrs. Matthews said.

While the Grizzly Grandeur was a highlight event this year, attendance in the crowd was down from recent years.

This was most likely due to time conflicts with other events. “If the talent show was not during a track meet, I totally would have gone!” said Hailey Montgomery, 10. Other members of the track team shared the same feelings.

This year sadly did not have any faculty participate in the talent show. Many teachers state that the reason of this is because the conflict with other events.

Hopefully next year, teachers

PHOTO COURTESY MIRANDA WATTS

Jared, 11, and Sam, 12, hosted and participated in the Grizzly Grandeur.

will participate and students will be able to laugh at their mentors.

This year was the third year the Speech and Debate team has hosted the Grizzly Grandeur.

Some outstanding students have participated in this event all three years. These students include Sam Punchak, Elizabeth Heckler, Chase Ray, Bri Humes, Mimi Pittman and Jared Bardar. All of these students showed great talent and performed with grace.

While many participants were involved with Speech and Debate, few were not. Chase Ray being the most notable, is now a three year participant of the Grizzly Grandeur. He was very worried about his performance.

During spring break, Ray had injured himself and hoped that it would not affect his performance.

Luckily, it did not and Ray was able to showcase his talent. He was able to dance his way into the heart of the audience.

Pittman sang her way to glory.

She brought joy to the ears of the audience and also adored the event. “I love being surprised by all of the people who I never knew would be so talented. I love being in the Grizzly Grandeur with these amazing people,” said Pittman The Grizzly Grandeur was a great event which will help fund students Sophie Boulter, 10, and Jake Wilkenson ,11,as they travel to Salt Lake City for the National Speech and Debate Tournament in June. These two Grizzlies are hoping to bring home tsome hardware as they compete with pride for Wadsworth.

Grandeur’s Top Performers

Chase, 11, played the piano and danced.

Mimi , 11, and Ryan Presson, 11, performed a duet of the song “Beneath Your Beautiful.”

Tia 10, Clarrisse 12, and Hannah, 12, sang “Wanna Be.”

Gray, 12, and Jared 11, battled it out with light sabers.

PHOTOS COURTEST OF MIRANDA WATTS

Comedy Alibis, another hit from Drama Department

BY JACKIE TOTH

The drama department brought the Wadsworth community a magnificent and captivating murder mystery comedy, Alibis, to its very own James R. McIlvaine Performing Arts Center.

The cast’s performance on Thursday, April 28 through Saturday, April 30 was truly outstanding. From the start of preparation the play seemed jumbled, but everything fell into place in the week leading up to its showing. The cast and crew were proud of the outcome, as they took pride in their improvement in the comedy over the course of several months.

The lead role was played by Ben Swanson, 11. He had nothing but love for his fellow cast.

“It was rough at the first, but we put a lot of effort in and with the help of our directors it was a success,” Swanson said.

The mission of his character, Detective Solvedd, was to solve the murder of a high-ranking member of society, Prima.

However, Prima was not the real person murdered. Prima killed her twin, Sister Bella Donna (Maria Reguerio, 11), and pretended to be Donna for the remainder of the play in order to save herself from the people she was blackmailing.

When the fear of being murdered by those she was blackmailing became too overwhelming, Prima (after admitting who she truly was) pointed a gun at Detective Solvedd. Prima figured if she killed Solvedd nobody would find out who the real murderer was, and she would be able to avoid being murdered.

Comedy was included throughout the entire show with simple humor that fed off the energy of characters. This made for a unique balance of mystery,

Ben played the lead role of Detective Solvedd.

suspense and comedic relief.

Overall, the play was yet another success performed by the school’s drama department and directed by WHS teachers Mr. Heffinger and Mrs. Baxley.

Students and staff should be prepared for more hits to come, from the always impressive and award winning drama department.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF GLEN RUTHERFORD

The cast of Alibis included (left to right) Elise, 10, Kelsey, 12, Ross , 12, Racheal, 11, Ben , 11, Alex , 11, Maria, 11, Sarah 11, and Adam , 11.

O F THE MONTH

Emily

THE BRUIN

April Career Tech Students of the Month

April/May 2016

Junk of the Month Joseph PHOTOS BY HAYLEE KUPIEC

Connor

April Students of the Month

photo Courtesy of Sam Punchak

Sarah

Song of the Month

Ride

The April-May Junk of the Month goes to Sam, 12, and his red 2002 Chevy Cavalier named “Rusty”. She was missing half her bumper, was covered in rust and had crank windows. Her name was even carved into the side. “She was an alarm clock to all my neighbors,” Punchak said. Rusty has since been sent to the dump, where she was crushed.

She will be missed.

‘Rusty’ No More

PHOTOS BY HAYLEE KUPIEC

Photo Courtesy OF Twenty One Pilots

Trend of the Month

Twenty One Pilots

Birkenstocks PHOTO BY MATT STUDENIC

May Career Tech Students of the Month

Rose

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Tanner PHOTOS BY EME EGGLETON

Quote of the Month

Birkenstocks have always been a style that is comfortable, and this spring their popularity took off running.

May Students of the Month

Zach

Haley PHOTOS BY HAYLEE KUPIEC

Movie of the Month

The Jungle Book

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Mr. Callaghan PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

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April/May 2016

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G oodbye G

G goes All Out

Bruin Advisor, John Gramuglia, retires after 32 years of teaching

After 32 years of teaching at Wadsworth City Schools, Mr. John Gramuglia, lovingly known as Coach G, is retiring.

In 1980, G started teaching at Trinity High School and then came to Wadsworth in 1984 to continue his teaching and coaching career.

Since G took over for former adviser June Linson, the newspaper, The Bruin has continued its impressive achievements. In 1999, The Bruin won the OSMA Golden Flash. The Golden Flash is the highest award given in recognition of excellence in a high school newspaper publication.

Every year, 1990 to present, The Bruin has won either first, second, third, or honorable mentions throughout the OSMA award.

“Writing has always been a hobby of mine,” said G when asked why he wanted to start teaching English and Journalism.

He also worked on the school newspaper while he was in high school and college. He also taught English for over 20 years.

“I always wanted to work with kids and had good teachers along with coaches in my life that inspired me,” he said.

Along with teaching, he also started his coaching career with wrestling and then

decided to coach football as well. He has coached wrestling for 36 years, and he coached football for 24 years.

G has had a successful journey with coaching wrestling by winning 24 consecutive (25 total) Suburban League titles. He has coached 121 state qualifiers, 78 state placers, 34 state finalists and 14 state champions, as well as won the Team State Championship in 2010. He hopes to add even more to his achievements by coaching after his retirement.

G will be able to dedicate his time to his family and coaching after his retirement. G offered us his all time favorite memory, “The days my two kids were born.” He is excited to be able to spend more time with his kids, granddaughter and wife.

G has had a tremendous impact on WHS, especially The Bruin, throughout the years. His positive attitude and Grizzly pride will be something that will be carried on even after he is retired. He truly is a remarkable and dedicated teacher, advisor and coach. No other teacher

photos courtesy of the YEARBOOK

Coach G poses for his picture his first year teaching in Wadsworth, 1984.

has had such an impact on students like G has had. For example, many of his previous students and athletes have carried the same work ethic and dedication to their own lives.

G and his legacy will forever be remembered at WHS, and all fellow staffers, students and teachers will miss him dearly. We wish him the best with his future endeavors.

Thank you for going “All Out” with us! - The Bruin Staff