The Bruin - April 2018 by Wadsworth Bruin

WADSWORTH HIGH SCHOOL 625 BROAD STREET, WADSWORTH, OHIO 44281

NEWSPAPER II/III VOLUME XLIII NO.7

PHOTO BY QUENTIN GRIFFIN

APRIL 2018 $1.00

The

BRUIN S tat e C h a m p i o n Jordan earnest

Earnest finishes high school wrestling career on top BY JACOB MCDERMITT

The final state wrestling match of the 2017-18 season was also senior Jordan Earnest’s last time wearing the red of Wadsworth. Earnest finished the season as the state champion at 285 pounds with a 2-1 victory, but that morning even he was unsure of how the day would go. “It was a little bit crazy. Going to bed, I was nervous about the next day and how the match was going to be really important,” said Earnest. “Waking up, I felt a lot better, more calmed down and thinking about how I would get to run out on that stage and the spotlight would be on me. That was something I’ve been working for all season.” Earnest had been in that position before, making it to the semifinals

before finishing fourth in the state his junior year. However, this year was different for him because he got a chance to take advantage of the experience he had gained. “Nerves were the biggest difference. I’d been there before. I knew this time what I had to do to get back up onto the stage and win that semifinals match,” Earnest said. Earnest faced the second ranked wrestler in the nation in the semifinal match that, a year ago, had been where he saw his chances at a title dissipate. However, he took it in stride and, for the third straight match, pinned his opponent to propel himself to the state championship. “I knew I had to wrestle him eventually and I’d have to beat him, but I knew I just had to hit my moves. I have a move I could

work for and set up at anytime, and I knew just as long as I wrestled my style he wouldn’t be able to hit his big move, the throw,” said Earnest. When the finals, delayed by other matches and technical difficulties, finally began, Earnest landed a first period take down to grab an early lead. “As soon as I got that take down, I looked at the scoreboard and at that point I knew I could be a state champ,” he said. However, Earnest was challenged until the very end by his opponent, Jack Heyob of Cincinnati St. Xavier, in a match that went the whole distance unlike Earnest’s previous three pinfalls. “I knew that I just had to keep wrestling and pushing back because I couldn’t get called

G rizzly E xcellence Bowling

for stalling too much and just as long as I kept wrestling I would be okay. I knew I could just back away if I needed to,” he said. Earnest’s state title capped off a senior season that saw him go 48-1 and earn the Medina Gazette MVP for leading the county with a .980 win percentage, 172 take downs and 35 pins. Earnest is the 21st individual state champion wrestler from Wadsworth. Earnest himself will leave to continue his career at Ohio University, but his picture and the bracket he won will go on display outside the wrestling room, along with the other Grizzly champions. However, when people look back on him in 10-15 years, Earnest wants to be remembered for his journey, not just the final destination. “I just want people to remember

how far I came. I started out on the Varsity B team and then, junior year especially, not knowing how to even start seeing where I ended up senior year,” he said. Earnest was also quick to praise his support system when asked about the reasons for his success. “All the support my parents have given me, all the support from my teammates, and then just the coaches pushing me in the room,” he said. John Gramuglia, head wrestling coach at Wadsworth and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, pointed to Earnest’s ability to take it each day at a time. “He believed in the process and not the product. He worked on all the little things to make himself better and never got rattled under the pressure,” said Gramuglia.

S tates

Inside the Bruin:

Boys Track & Field

In-Depth p. 6-7

4th in the State

Gazette MVP - Cooper Wrobel All-Gazette Team - Cooper Wrobel and Eric Auffenberg

Wrestling

4th in the State

Nick Miller - 2nd in 800m Gabe Szalay - 3rd in 800m Josiah Sovine, Nick Miller, Kai Wagner and Gabe Szalay - 2nd in 4x800, 7th in 4x400

Girls Basketball

@WadsworthBruin

Final Four Appearance Norwalk Regional Champs Medina District Champs Suburban League Champs

WadsworthBruin.com

School Survey ALICE Training

Spring sports off to fast start p. 10

3rd in the State Jordan Earnest - 1st (285) Luke Baughman - 2nd (138) Joey Baughman - 3rd (182) Michael North - 4th (145) Logan Messer - 5th (132) Clay McComas - 7th (220) Landen Hacker - 7th (120)

Guns

Meet the new Student Council leaders p. 14

Wadsworth Bruin

2 L E T T E R T O t h e e d i t o r

Mental health care is necessary and needed in schools BY RYAN FRATO

One of the biggest issues in the debate over gun control is mental health care. Many shooters’ motivations have been linked to their untreated mental illnesses. Jordan Peterson, college professor and psychologist from Canada, says that these shootings are caused by people who are “nihilistic and desperate.” In response to this statement, we need to address stigmas around mental health. These shooters did not have access or resources to see mental health professionals to cope with problems, rather they let it fester inside of them to the point of violence. People with mental illnesses who feel desperate can be helped through counseling

E ditorial

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A pril 2018 and open communication with someone who cares about them. But a lot of these people, especially young men, cannot access a safe, judgement free environment. A trip to the psychologist’s might not seem like a medical necessity due to societal standards and stigmas. Families don’t always provide the assurance that a counselor could. Parents might work all day and not have the time to connect to their children; teenagers don’t always want to confide in their parents about their dark thoughts. When families have to make a decision over saving money or sending their child to a counselor, many will choose to save - even more so when the family has a lower income. Although it might not always be economically sound, the right choice is to provide mental health care to children when they have warning signs, like public threats

or self-isolating behaviors. Sadly, many states and cities don’t have enough psychologists or people may not have insurance plans that cover mental health care. Either way, people are left with insufficient care. There is no effective system in the high school that can substitute for a professor or a parent’s attention. The guidance counselors may try their hardest but the Atlantic reports that the national average ratio of counselor to student is 491:1 while the recommended number is 250:1. This means that high schools truly don’t have the resources to tackle the issue of mental health. “Nihilistic and desperate” students aren’t going to stop existing as they retreat further away from society. The support system that could improve their lives continues to become less of a reality.

The Bruin Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Quentin Griffin Front Page, Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich Reporters: Quentin Griffin, Jacob McDermitt Editorial, Page Editor: Jackie Toth Reporters: Richie Dietrich News, Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich Reporters: Jackie Toth, Anna Bowling In-Depth, Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich, Jackie Toth Reporters: Olivia Porpora, Marraya Youngblood, Nate Barnett, Ahmed Darwich, Adam Darwich, Colin Wright, TJ Lockwood Opinion, Page Editor: Jackie Toth Reporters: Jonathon Ball, Kai Wagner Picture Page, Page Editor: Alyssa Laikos Reporters: Tori Baker, Jacob Brown Sports, Page Editor: Josh Hagans Reporters: Josh Hagans, Christian Szalay Entertainment, Page Editor: Tori Baker Reporters: Jake LoGuidice, Kaitlyn Setera Features, Page Editor: Tori Baker Reporters: Kylee Baranek, Jessica Hermann Of The Month, Page Editor: Alyssa Laikos Reporters: Joey Baughman Speakout, Page Editor: Alyssa Laikos Reporters: Alyssa Laikos Online Editor: Nate Barnett Ads/Business Manager: Josh Hagans Advisor: Eric Heffinger

The Bruin: Staff Editorial

Columbine. Sandy Hook. Virginia Tech. Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Jackson Middle School. These names echo through news, communities, and our own heads as the school safety debate rages on throughout the U.S.. As the names continue to hit close to home for high school students, including Jackson Middle School here in our own state, the concerns only get larger with time. In this issue of The Bruin, we opened up an in-depth investigation to see what the debate really is about. We found that guns are an issue in today’s society, but that is not the only problem at hand. School safety boils down to a point of whether or not kids

feel safe in schools, how equipped the schools are to protect kids, and whether or not we can fix the issue. Our hope with this issue is to start a conversation. We want to inform an audience of both sides on this debate in order to make an informed decision on personal stances and how to use one’s own voice in order to continue to educate and inform others. Talking with our leaders is important, which is why we have reached out to people like Senator Sherrod Brown, Superintendent Andrew Hill, and Police Chief Randy Reinke for this issue.

In a world where everything has become more and more technological and less physical, many different careers are coming into the world of business. One of these careers is competitive gaming (also known as eSports). The title eSports has controversy behind it: can gaming truly be considered a sport? Not to be confused with games like Madden or the NBA 2k titles, eSports form the incredibly competitive style of gaming for games such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite and many others. While eSports are, at face value, just video games, why would they be considered sports? Well, just as any game of football or soccer, gaming requires extreme attention. Things such as hand-eye

coordination, a clear sense of your surroundings, and teamwork are key parts on the competitive gaming scene. While the argument is that games are only played for one’s own enjoyment, BY RICHIE DIETRICH eSports are a career that many people live on. Like many athletes, competitive gamers travel the world and compete in tournaments to make their living. RICHIE DIETRICH Like sports, they Esports should be considered a sport. require a sense of both physical and mental stimulation in order to succeed. Competitive gaming is just as important as traditional sports.

G u n s a re n ’t t h e o n l y i s s u e , t h e re a re o t h e r p ro b l e m s t o b e s o l v e d . Whether today’s policy makers simply open debate on this topic or decide to pass laws and regulations, it will make progress towards a better future for students. Mental health is another area that needs to be more heavily explored.

Students are not always educated on mental health and how to deal with or solve the problem. We, as a nation, need to dive further into how to solve the problem, educate students, and get them the help one might need. Mental health is a serious issue and it is time the U.S. looks into an issue that plagues many of its citizens. School safety also brings into question if school buildings themselves are safe enough to protect students. Some feel as though arming teachers is the right idea. Others hope to see

W ADSWORTH G R I Z Z L I E S Bruin

Games are inarguably a massive force in the entertainment world. They have emerged from the niche little technological marvel they once were into an entire artform unto themselves. Games influence creators as much as they are created, and they are one JONATHAN BALL of my personal favorite pastimes. That said, they are not sports. Sports are, at their core, a competition of physical preparedness and form. eSports and traditional sports are equal as tests of JONATHAN BALL Esports shouldn’t be considered a sport. skill, but checkers and chess aren’t considered sports. What makes them different is what part of the players they are testing. Football, soccer and basketball are incredibly

Hea d to He a d Should eSports be considered a sport?

metal detectors and more security personnel. Either way, people are asking for change. Schools should have just as much conversation as lawmakers on the best way to maintain a safe and healthy environment for students. Conversation is important. It begins debate, which eventually makes change. School safety and gun control are nationwide issues that grow bigger everyday. Hopefully, the in-depth opened by our reporters will help to educate students and the community on how to best formulate your opinion. Continue to create debate and speak out for what you believe in. Change is never achieved unless debate begins. demanding of their players’ bodies. World class athletes are well maintained machines, practicing age-old traditions of competition. The primary difference between eSports and Sports is physical prowess. While eSports make for wonderful entertainment - they can even get players scholarships at the right colleges - they are not sports in the traditional sense. Players of both games are skilled in their fields after extensive practice, but eSports players cannot claim they have the same professional training that athletes pay extensively for. While eSports should be respected, they cannot be put on the same playing field - pun intended - as traditional sports.

The Bruin: 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 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. We reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

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THE BRUIN

Senator Brown talks to Bruin about reelecBY ANNA BOWLING

As a follow up to last month’s article on the upcoming Ohio Senate race, The Bruin sat down with the Democratic candidate for the Senate, and the current incumbent, Sherrod Brown. “[I chose to run because] people in Ohio and throughout the country are working harder and longer than ever, but with less and less to show for it,” Brown said. “I’m running for re-election to keep fighting for Ohio’s hardworking families.” Brown is familiar with the problems that face us here in Ohio and he has been working to better the system. He wants to be on a level that the communities in Ohio can relate to. “The problems I work on are the issues that matter most to Ohioans: economic opportunity, affordable health care, and making hard work pay off like it used to,” said Brown. People continue to look towards policy makers for the issues at hand. Concerns about education are still being brought forward. “All students deserve a community that supports their education. I’m troubled by the lack of oversight and transparency of many charter schools -- and will continue pushing for accountability [of them],” Brown said. “I will also keep up my efforts to bring critical resources to K-12 schools across Ohio, along with making higher education more accessible to every American.” Along with the discussions of education are talks of school

safety. After the March for Our Lives, kids are speaking out more than ever. Some students do not feel safe in their schools. “Students and teachers should never have to worry about the threat of violence. I recently introduced a bipartisan bill to invest in early prevention programs and school safety,” Brown said. “The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP) is only one part of a larger set of common-sense reforms to make our school communities safer.” With the seniors at Wadsworth High about to leave for college, many are wondering how they will pay for it all with the price of tuition continuously going up. “From skyrocketing college costs to predatory for-profit institutions, higher education is rapidly becoming unattainable for many Americans,” Brown said. “I’m a strong supporter of a number of proposals to expand access to higher education by making it more affordable. I support expanding student loan programs and introducing tax credits for middle-class families, among many other worthy efforts.” In terms of the election, Brown will be running for his third term. He hopes to continue his policies and continue making change for Ohioans. “This election isn’t about whose name is on the ballot, it’s about the ideas and policies that will shape our children’s lives,”

he said. “Quality education is an important issue, but higher wages, affordable healthcare, and a clean environment are also policy objectives that will affect the futures of all Ohio students. I urge you to stay informed, get involved and fight for issues you care about. Your voice matters and it will make a difference in your own community, Ohio, and across this country.” Senator Brown began his senatorial career in 2006 and was reelected in 2012. He has been the head of many committees over the last few years, including The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Brown’s Republican challenger will be Congressman Jim Renacci, Mike Gibbons or Melissa Ackison in the upcoming Senate election. The election will be held on Nov. 6, 2018.

Shooter opens fire at Youtube headquarters BY ANNA BOWLING

Finding fault in policies at Youtube, thirty nine year old Nasim Najafi Aghdam opened fire at the headquarters in San Bruno, California. Emergency personnel responded to a 9-1-1 call, urging workers to evacuate the site and transport victims to local hospitals. Three people were injured in the shooting before Aghdam took her own life. They had no connection to the shooter and were shot at random when she entered the building. Victims are being treated at local San Francisco General Hospital. Aghdam felt as though the company was discriminating

against her. She made multiple posts on different social media sites vocalizing her feelings on the discrimination. “I think it’s ridiculous that it’s that easy for someone to get their hands on a weapon to cause damage in so little time,” said Melina Melik, 11, after hearing about the shooting. In the hours before the shooting, Aghdam visited a gun range. Her brother was worried about her mental state and felt as though she would do something rash. Two of the three victims have been released and one is still in critical condition at the hospital. Police are still working to determine Aghdam’s official cause and her full motive behind the shooting. The San Bruno police chief addressing public and press outside of the police building. He issued a statement on the details that the force are sure of, such as victim count. PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

New CIS and new position created at administration office BY ANNA BOWLING PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BROWN CAMPAIGN

Sherrod Brown discusses his campaign policy with an audience.

March For Our Lives Storms the streets BY JACKIE TOTH

More than 200,000 people joined together on March 24 for the March For Our Lives in Washington D.C., as did millions of others in over 800 sibling marches across the nation, to demand awareness toward gun violence in schools and the prioritization of safety. The event was organized by a group of students who survived the Parkland school shooting on Feb. 14. The movement quickly spread across social media, reaching students around the United States. Julia Holik, 11, attended the march in D.C. to contribute her voice to the issue. “I am frustrated that our government will not do anything about gun violence, although school shootings keep happening again and again. It is too easy to buy a gun,” said Holik. Many people share Holik’s opinion, including celebrities, who utilized their influence to benefit the cause. Kim Kardashian,Kanye West, George and Amal Clooney, Jimmy Fallon, and performers Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande all attended

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PHOTO BY MR. HEFFINGER

Signs decorated with impactful messages were waived throughout the crowd.

Two big changes were just approved by the Wadsworth City School Board. On Monday, April 9th, the district board voiced their support for making a new CIS building in a different location than where it is currently located. They also voiced support for keeping O.J. Work Auditorium. “The next step in the process involves a meeting with a representative from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Once this meeting occurs, the time line for how to move forward will be clearer,” Dr. Andrew Hill said in a email to the district. Little is known about the new construction. After the next board meeting, the community will know more about the upcoming project.

Also coming from the administration offices was a job posting titled the Assistant Superintendent. The job is similar to the old position of Director of Facilities, which was left vacant in 2017 due to retirement. “While we budgeted for a replacement in future years in our financial forecast, we did not replace the position right away,” Hill continued. “We wanted to take time to study our organizational structure to ensure that we meet our current and anticipated future needs as we move forward.” The Administration hopes that the new position will create better organization within the department, with responsibility focusing on human resources and development. The new staff member will be added in August.

PHOTO BY MR. HEFFINGER

Participants march through downtown Washington DC with many signs.

the D.C. rally. Numerous other celebrities also attended rallies, including Paul McCartney in New York City and Amy Schumer in Los Angeles. Although the rally has passed,

its message is still a trending topic and many involved in the march have arranged to have town hall meetings with their local elected representatives about the subject.

PHOTO BY KYLEE BARANEK Central Intermediate School has been located in the center of downtown since 1907. It is deeply rooted within the history of Wadsworth.

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Technology has Dehumanized our generation media as vague digital people, who exist to make entertainment for us or for us to bully and antagonize. It becomes increasingly easy to treat them terribly or to unhealthily idolize them. Wadsworth follows the same trend. It is nearly impossible to look in one of our classrooms and not see at least one kid on their phone. I do the same thing myself; it is easy to lose track of time, getting absorbed in drama and others’ stories. In a way, it serves as escapism from my own problems, but in another it surrounds me in the worst and most inflammatory parts of my peers’ lives. After an hour of scrolling through Twitter, I am in a significantly worse mood than before. I feel guilty over wasting my time, I feel angry and bitter at the state of the world and the people I care about; I feel bad. After all that time spent in online drama, I am still caught off guard by the thought that I never once saw these people as people. I saw them as Twitter users- some nameless and faceless mass that is so easy to hate and lash out against. Despite seeing my friends’ faces plastered everywhere on the site, I felt nothing for their twitter feeds compared to what I do for them as people. That terrifies me. I know other

people feel the same way I do. They get caught up in the cultish fervor that the internet breeds and they attack and undermine people they do not personally know. I understand I am guilty of that, and I know the rest of my generation is as well. What we all need to do is spend more time away from all that noise. The empty tweets, the thousands and thousands of faceless likes and comments that fuel us, all of it. We need to breathe in some fresh air and spend time with people we know that live just down the road. We need to be able to pry ourselves away from our phones. It may seem like I am antitechnology, but I actually appreciate the incredible things that it grants us. We have all of human knowledge at our fingertips, but that kind of power can ruin people. The entire world’s problems should not be our focus. That desensitizes us to the atrocities and tragedies that happen daily. In that way, we care less and less for the people we see next to us who are not publicly exclaiming their problems like Twitter teaches us to expect. We need to live in the real world, where people are more nuanced than online. We need to break away from digital media’s ubiquity.

the sight of a school. It starts upon entering senior year and increases in effect as the year wears on. Looking around the school, the faces of seniors are long, bored and tired of walking through these halls. Arnold has felt this OPINION BY KAI WAGNER Senioritis since the beginning of the year. “The first day of school, I walked in and everything instantly turned gray. I have no more mental drive to be here, especially since we are so close to the end. I just need to get out of here before my grades get even worse because I have not done any Seniors have agreed that Senioritis has taken over homework these past our school. 92.3% of seniors say they are affected by couple weeks,” said this disease. Arnold. A plague among high school Being a student and a first students across the United States hand observer of the condition, has begun to eat away at the I know for a fact that there is brains of our Wadsworth High only one cure for this specific School seniors. Senioritis, a disease. It has grown immune to disease that rots away the brain almost everything. It feeds off of creating any kind of sympathizer school systems and the learning into an apathetic zombie, has capabilities of even the most taken many minds of our seniors. prestigious of students. It turns Glazed eyes, drooling, the growing men and women of sleeping, or the constant schools into the walking dead. addiction to a cell phone can Seniors of our high school all be early symptoms of this have, no doubt, began the process, disease. A senior at Wadsworth or have already, developed all High School, Ben Arnold, the symptoms of Senioritis. 12, said to steer clear of these According to multiple seniors, diseased humans. This disease grades of this last quarter have is contagious and, once infected, dropped exponentially. Without terminates it’s victims. the will or dedication to finish This condition is sparked by out the rest of the year, seniors a glimpse of homework or even are forced to struggle with below

average grades until the end of the year. “I have been struggling to keep my grades up. Ever since I have committed to my college of choice, my work ethic and will to do homework is gone,” Lindsey Leatherman, 12, explains. Senioritis is a plague, much like the deadly virus that turned the living into zombies in “The Walking Dead.” Seniors across the world are losing the mental capacity to continue their school work. Lindsey Leatherman, 12, has been struggling just as much as everyone else. “My classes seem to be getting harder and harder but it really is just the Senioritis kicking in,” said Leatherman The only cure to this point, is a single day that ends the struggles of all seniors, Graduation Day. Many seniors are relieved of this disease upon entering the summer days that are school-free and problem-free. But students always say, despite having Senioritis their last year of high school, they miss it. “Even though I feel like I cannot take this place anymore, there is a good chance that I will miss the high school experience,” Ben Arnold concludes. The cure for Senioritis is known by everyone, but one thing that isn’t known is the fact that it doesn’t stop in high school. College creates the second and most significant wave of this disease. Do not get too comfortable seniors because you still have four more years ahead you.

OPINION BY JONATHAN BALL

We are not able to connect with each other anymore. We have stopped empathizing. Sure, we can look at a newspaper article and feel for the victims of whatever the latest tragedy is, but somehow we struggle to relate to the people on the other side of the classroom. I think a lot of that comes from the presence of the internet in our lives. We spend the greater part of our lives on the internet, and it puts a wall between us and people in our everyday lives. We can be more understanding people if we spend less time online and more time face-to-face. A 2017 study by Common Sense Media found that kids aged 8 years old and younger spent nearly three hours of their day consuming digital media. For someone of that age, that makes a huge impact on their development and daily life. A 2010 Kaiser Family Foundation study found that high schoolers spend eight hours a day consuming digital media. That is nearly one third of our days, every day. We see the creators and the audiences of our

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

At a special movie showing, fans record the event and watch it through the lenses of their phones instead of enjoying the moment for what it is.

GRAPH BY JONATHAN BALL

Television dominates the average high schooler’s day, according to a Kaiser Family study.

Senioritis infection rates increase exponentially

Derek Kraft, 12, under the effect of Senioritis, shares many similarities with the zombies in the Walking Dead series.

Student Opinions BY DEREK KRAFT

“As of right now, I am a senior with exactly 27 days and 2 periods before I complete my last day of class. Most of my classmates have been keeping track of the remaining days since winter break. I, however, have been counting down the days since early junior year. I have come to the realization that this tedious tracking of school days does not help push me into finishing out my high school career, no matter how small that number gets, they go slower and slower with every counted day. Two hour delays saved me from tardies. The record number of snow days carried my attendance through the winter. “Senior Skip Day” turned into “Senior Skip Days.” College acceptances and (sometimes) warm weather have torn through

my skin and released my Senioritis into a whole new beast, Hyperseniorplegia. “Hyper,” meaning extreme or excessive, and “Plegia,” meaning paralysis. This more intensively describes the widely medically accepted disease that plagues the elders of the public school system. I firmly believe this airborne pathogen has evolved and adapted to its’ more lazy prey of this generation. Any seniors who believe they are Senioritis-free have already become hysterical.”

Student Opinion

BY HAILEY MONTGOMERY

“After getting accepted into Columbia University, they will drop your acceptance if you don’t stick to the grades you applied with, which means I’m still working my butt off and doing all of my work. So no Senioritis for me.”

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Training Institute advocates preparedness and strategy over fear

BY COLIN WRIGHT MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD

Americans are no strangers to headlines reporting on mass shooting events. It seems that anywhere could be a target for a madman with a gun --- churches, schools, malls, movie theaters --- the list goes on. While mass shootings are not necessarily occurring more frequently, the lethality of these incidents continues to rise. To better prepare staff and students for an emergency like this, Wadsworth City Schools first contracted the ALICE Training Institute in 2013. ALICE seeks to arm people of all ages with knowledge that may save their lives in the event of an active shooter. Lisa and Greg Crane cofounded the ALICE Training Institute after the tragic events of the 1999 Columbine shooting. At the time of the shooting, Greg was a SWAT officer in the Dallas area, while Lisa worked as a school principal. “Greg built the program based on what he knew as a SWAT officer, using techniques that worked for the SWAT team. They often utilize bright lights and loud sounds. He asked me how this could be replicated in a school, and I asked him if he had ever seen an out of control kindergarten class --- chaotic,

loud, and full of movement,” said Lisa Crane. “Ultimately, kids are doing all they can to evacuate or even defend themselves if they must. We see this as a much better approach than having them sit quietly in a corner.” ALICE training abandons the traditional “shelter-in-place” lockdown strategy used by schools. ALICE is an acronym, standing for ‘Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate.’ During the hands-on training process, groups are placed into simulated active shooting events. They try each lockdown strategy: traditional shelter-

“I don’t care if your job is answering the phone --- you’re contributing to that mission of saving more lives.” -Lisa Crane in-place, barricade, counter and evacuation. By the end of training, individuals have a strong understanding of each situation and will be able to appropriately respond to any situation they may be faced with. ALICE training has reached all 50 states. Over one million individuals have been trained, including more than 4,200 K-12 school districts --- Wadsworth included. “Our main mission statement used to be ‘to save lives.’ Because we’ve had successes, it’s now ‘to save more lives.’ That’s something we make clear

to everyone who works here,” chaotic classroom setting with “I’m Not Scared... I’m Prepared!” said Crane. “I don’t care if an inexperienced teacher pulling was published following the your job is answering the phone the trigger, where are the missed Sandy Hook massacre. The book is designed to help --- you’re contributing to that shots going? “That’s not what [teachers] younger children understand the mission of saving more lives.” One of the main principles of went into teaching for. It’s concepts of ALICE and apply ALICE training is putting the denying a lot of facts that we them if they are ever faced with individual’s safety in their own know about law enforcement,” a life-threatening situation. They use a wolf in the role of the hands. Rather than expecting a says Crane. Students at Wadsworth High intruder to parallel how scary an teacher to lead students to safety, students should take charge and School echo the sentiment held intruder can be. by the ALICE Training Institute. ALICE continues to grow do what they see is right. “Don’t rely on a teacher to be The survey conducted by the and develop their strategy to the leader. They might lock up Bruin found that only 25% of ultimately work on their mission and fail to handle the situation. students felt that teachers should of “saving more lives.” With a vision of growth and development We’ve seen that teachers are be armed. The ALICE Training Institute of educational programs, the usually the first one targeted, and if they’re the keeper of all works with all ages. A book ALICE Training Institute is knowledge and they’re down, written by Julia Cook in dedicated to arming people with what do you guys do? That’s coordination with ALICE titled crucial knowledge. why you need to know what to do. That’s why we advocate for middle schoolers and high schoolers knowing what they need to know with or without an adult,” said Crane. The ALICE Training Institute is opposed to the idea of arming teachers. A recent blog post titled “Why Police Officers should be the Only Armed Personnel on Campus” argues that the average citizen simply does not have the level of experience or training to appropriately confront an aggressor. According to the US Department of Justice, the annual percentage of accuracy in deadly PHOTO COURTESY OF ALICE force encounters is ALICE had a picture book created to help educate young children in understanding the basic 30% --- and that is with self protection techniques that the program advocates for. In the book, a character in a big trained officers. In a bad wolf costume takes on the role of a school intruder.

‘See something, say something,’ not enough

OPINION BY TJ LOCKWOOD

After the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11th, 2001, the country as a whole quickly adopted the saying of ‘if you see something, say something.’ This saying has been carried all the way to apply to the current acts of violence in schools all across the nation. Wadsworth City Schools, like many other schools, take many different and creative safety precautions when dealing with dangers in school. These precautions include resource policemen stationed at each school, limited entrances to the schools and full time counselors in schools among other measures. The school district also employs the protocol established by ALICE, which

trains administrations and to make Wadsworth City of the same precautions that staff to provide information Schools, and schools around the Wadsworth City Schools takes. to students and teachers and nation, safer, an issue such as The statistics tell a story, one have them make decisions this demands a better solution. that paints the current safety that immediately affects their As seen through the popular measures as inadequate and safety in the event of a school media outlets, gun violence almost nonexistent. However, shooting or some other violent in schools has increased the issue is multifaceted, so action on school grounds. dramatically every year must its solution be. The answer in solving gun “I feel like we have a very throughout America for the safe environment for our past decade. According to violence in schools lies not students… we work really hard CNN World News, through in one simple solution, but to put in procedures and safety the first 12 weeks of 2018, rather a multitude of things measures in place to make there have been 17 school that work together, hand-ineveryone feel safe and secure,” shootings in the United States hand, to produce safe and calm said Wadsworth City Schools where someone was either environments for children to Superintendent, Andrew Hill. hurt or killed. At that rate, the play, learn and ultimately grow The basis of all of these previous years’ record high in. “There are so many guns precautions lies within the number of 65 would be blown “see something, say in the country something” mantra that they are “There are so many guns in the that has been a easily available country that they are easily mainstay in safety to anyone who available to anyone who is conversations for is motivated to motivated to get one whether it be almost the entirety get one whether legally or illegally.” of the 21st century. it be legally or “Our best illegally,” said -Police Chief, Randy Reinke mechanism for Wa d s w o r t h school safety is if Chief of Police, you, as students, see Randy Reinke. something or hear One of the something, to say something to out of the water. facets of the issue of gun an adult,” said Hill. The schools that are the sad violence is that a person who While collectively, these and unfortunate victim to these is serious about making an act measures have worked together actions of violence take many of terror will always be able to

find a way to reach the weapons or items he or she requires to complete this brutal action. As individuals, who wish to stop this, our best chance lies in making it difficult for that individual to reach his/her goal target. The simplest solution to this also happens to render the best result. Implementing and using metal detectors at entrances in Wadsworth Schools would ensure students, staff and administrators of their safety. Weapons or anything else that could be used as a weapon, in this day and age are almost always made of metal, would be scanned and that individual would then be detained and questioned. In the use of the detectors, the school would have to check all students, teachers, people and bags that enter the school building. This would prevent the easy access of weapons into schools that currently exists. While this does present some downfalls, the sacrifices of traffic entering the buildings is quite worth our safety and the safety of our schools.

I n D epth

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A pril 2018

Our in-depth look at guns and safety at Wadsworth than the ability to purchase a gun and take it home the same day. According to the survey results, 54% of students live in a household with firearms. This is startling thought to comprehend when further survey results implicate that only 33% of students have been properly trained to operate it. This builds upon the consensus among Wadsworth High School students who call for stricter regulations in the purchasing of firearms. School massacres are not caused by a single issue. They are an accumulation of issues consisting of mental health illness, gun regulations and insufficient safety measures within schools. Students around the nation have united to shed light on this problem. This survey and in-depth reporting, with interviews of growing civilian response training companies, illuminates Wadsworth High School’s student-body’s thoughts on the growing debates that create tension within our nation.

32%Of students DO NOT

feel

S A F E 68% Of students feel S

Do you live with a gun in your house?

AFE

Gun regulations that students want to see

A B

No 19%

is the gun stored safely?

No 27%

Yes 73%

Survey taken by approximately 400 Wadsworth High School students in a nonscientific voluntary manner.

10.1%

10% 20%

30%

40%

50% 60% 70%

a. No further regulations needed B. FBI background checks for all public and private sales c. Mandatory course on how to operate and handle weapons d. No magazine capacity over 10 rounds e. Ban on semi-automatic weapons in USA f. No Guns allowed to the public

ors i n u J Se f o r es % o 5 om h reshma F n of So p

o f

57 ver % f

fore? e b n u g

d s e r r o i i n

44% of

Yes

Have yo ue

81%

28.8%

24% 76%

Not Sure

If so, do you know where the gun is located?

23%

46.5%

Should teachers carry No Yes guns?

54% 41%

66.5%

Yes

20.3%

The apprehension that exists surrounding the issues that plague the students in America needs to stop. In this issue, the Bruin tackles not only the issue of gun rights but also, school safety and uses these results from a student survey to catch an impulse of what students in our school sense, feel, and believe about their school safety. The ignition of the powder keg that is the gun rights debate can be directly associated with the recent rise of school shootings. Though the problem seems to be expanding every year, this issue is not new. Wadsworth City Schools has been taking steps for the past decade and a half to ensure students’ safety from themselves and potentially violent outsiders. Unfortunately, this does not seem to inspire confidence to the student-body as approximately 32% of Wadsworth High School students reported that they did not feel safe at school. While this may not all be entirely based around gun violence, it is no doubt that the majority is due

to the recent sensationalizing of school massacres. School shootings and school safety have been tied to the gun debate since the birth of the new century. However, the debate needs to be refocused. The issue is not with guns or our ability to wield them. It is the ability to gain them and use them in public areas even with a history of either violence or mental illness. It is interesting to notice that 90% of students stated that weapons should be allowed to the public, as stated in the Second Amendment, yet almost all students agreed that some form of regulation is needed. In fact, over 60% of students reported that they would like to see extensive background checks to be done by the FBI for all gun purchases and that any new gun owner would be required to take a class centered around how to handle, operate and store a weapon. It is clear that the studentbody at Wadsworth High School, while placing an emphasis on the Second Amendment, see their safety as more important

BY OLIVIA PORPORA ADAM DARWICH

52%

of all students surveyed have fired a gun Only

33%

of students said they were properly trained to use a gun

A pril 2018

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P icture 1

The cast performs the song “Lullaby of Broadway” with exuberance.

Michael Juscak, 12, Carter Fraser, 11, and Brendan Phillips, 10, perform “Dames.”

Maggie Jones, played by Claire Doyle, 12.

Julian Marsh, the director of the titular play, as played by Henry MacLaren, 11. PHOTOS BY KAITLYN SETERA PAGE BY JACOB BROWN

Above, Peggy, played by Ellie Nicholas, 11, shows off her superior tap dance skills in “Go into your Dance”. Below, Cast performs “We’re In the money” approaching the end of the first act of the performance.

Not shown on stage, the pit band plays a vital role in the life of the performance.

P icture 2

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Spring Sports PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS. HURLEE

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA LAIKOS

2 PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB BROWN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA LAIKOS

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB BROWN

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTA HALICKI

1. Carl Pennington, 11, inches ahead to steal second base. 2. Laura Crookston, 12, squats down to catch an incoming ground ball. 3. Mitchell Blackburn, 12, jumps over a hurdle in his 300 meter race. 4. Sarah Keating, 12, pitches against Cuyahoga Falls High School. 5. Josh Hagans, 12, goes up to bat against Cuyahoga Falls 6. Boys tennis team poses after they tied their first tournament at the Highland invitational. 7. Taylor Nagy, 11, carries the ball down the field.

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Men’s basketball coach Mike Who will the Browns Schmeltzer Jr. resigns after 10 years take at number 1? BY CHRISTAIN SZALAY

Long time coach Mike Schmeltzer Jr. has stepped down as Head coach for the Men’s Basketball program after 10 successful seasons. Being an alumnus of Wadsworth High School, Schmeltzer has always been very enthusiast coaching his former school. He started out as an eighth grade coach his first two years out of college. He then moved to coaching freshman for two years. After that he went to coach JV boys for one year and JV girls for two years. After moving around to different coaching positions, Schmeltzer was given the head coaching role

for the men’s basketball team. A total of 15 years of coaching have made Schmeltzer very familiar with the sport of basketball, and he is now ranked 13th all time in Medina County history and fourth in high school history with 128 total varsity basketball wins. “Coaching has always been my dream job. The memories that I have made during my time as a basketball coach are ones I’ll never forget,” said Schmeltzer. “The main reason why I chose to step down was because my son will be entering the seventh grade next year and I want to watch him grow. I feel like I have missed a lot of my childrens’ events” Although you see a lot of

At NO. 1: Sam Darnold With Josh Rosen (UCLA) not being interested in Cleveland, this gives the USC QB a great chance to be drafted by the Browns. Darnold took huge leaps this year showing that he is a NFL ready QB who knows how to win. Finishing his season, Darnold lead the Trojans to an 11-3 record. Darnold will be a great fit for the Browns and hopefully bring a winning culture to the struggling organization. At NO.4: Saquon Barkley The Browns had just picked up Carlos Hyde this past offseason and look to have a back to complement the veteran Hyde. The dynamic runningback from Penn State dominated the NFL Combine. Having back-to-back 18 touchdown seasons, Barkley showed he could run between the tackles and hurt defenses through the air as a receiving threat. Sleeper: Denzel Ward Ward, a Nordonia alumnus, was consistent in every game of the year. Ohio State’s number one corner, winning All Big 10 First Team honors, could have a very sweet homecoming if Barkley gets taken early. The Browns are in need of a secondary player and Ward could be just that.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKE JUSTICE

The last group of players that Schmeltzer (Back row, sixth from left) coached pose for their picture on picture day before the basketball season.

Spring sports off to a fast start during break

BY JOSH HAGANS

With the always unreliable weather striking Ohio, and the countless cancellations throughout all spring sports, many teams look to battle through the harsh conditions throughout spring break. Boys lacrosse went into spring break on a high note defeating Lake Catholic 20-10, improving their record to 1-1 overall. Girls lacrosse also went into spring break 1-1 on the season, and both teams look to get back on the win column as spring break has come to an end. “Now that spring break is over our season is in full swing and we are hoping to do great things this season,” said Maddie Wilson, 11. Track and field did not let the frigid temps slow them down and represented well in their meets. The boys placed fifth overall at the Hilliard Davidson Wildcat Premier and placed fifth in the Lexington Invitational. Girls track and field placed second overall at the Lexington Invitational and third overall at the Hilliard Davidson Wildcat Premier. “We are off to a good start and we look to get even hotter as temperatures begin to rise,” said Gabe Szalay, 12. Varsity Baseball is off to a hot start behind senior Anthony Gannon leading the way on the mound helping the Grizzlies to

BY CHRISTAIN SZALAY

coaches teaching their kids, that is not something Schmeltzer wants to be a part of. For the past 10 seasons as varsity head coach, Schmeltzer has had a very big say in picking the middle school teams and wouldn’t want to deal with controversy as his son enters the seventh grade. Schmeltzer plans on spending more time with his family and watching his children compete in their respective sports as a spectator. He plans to continue coaching the Women’s Golf team and keep close relationships with all of his former players after his resignment. “Once a Grizzly, always a Grizzly,” Schmeltzer said.

Carl Pennington, 11 diving back to first base.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA LAIKOS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Seniors shine one last time BY JOSH HAGANS

Even with the basketball season at its end, seniors continue to shine at the Hoopla Medina County Senior All-Star Game. The Lady Grizzlies were represented by Sophia Fortner, Lexi Lance, Maddie Movsesian, Molly Palecek, and Peyton Banks. Banks led the way for the Grizzlies racking up a doubledouble and ended the game as the MVP. Banks not only left as the MVP but also the winner of the three point contest. “It was a great night to end on, as my final time suiting up in my Grizzlies uniform, said Banks. “I am forever grateful for being able to play with my other seniors.” Banks was joined by Lance with 14 points, shooting 3-of5 from the three point line and Movsesian ended with a

game high-tying five assists. Their chemistry was evident throughout the game by their ball movement and crafty passing to one another. The Lady Grizzlies led the way to their final victory together scoring a combined 57 points in the 61-43 win in the All-Star game. Boys basketball was also very well represented in the Medina County All-Star game and at the GABCA by Christian Szalay, Tony Hewit, Jake Justice, and Reid Black. Jake Justice matched Banks coming away as the three point champion at the GABCA. “It was a great way to end the season playing with my teammates one last time after all the years we have played together,” said Black. The Grizzlies ended their high school careers on a high note and went out with the awards they deserved, with their teammates by their side one last time.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA LAIKOS

Andrew Jariga, 12 and Andrew Clark, 10 finishing the 100 meter hurdles.

a 3-0 start on the young season. Gannon’s last start included 11 strikeouts in 6 ⅓ innings with only 1 earned run against Stow-Munroe Falls. “With all the bad weather we try to not let it get to us, make the most of everyday and try to be ready for whenever we get a chance to compete between the lines,” said Gannon. Varsity softball and Tennis have been on the short end of the stick, unable to get any games

in throughout spring break as they wait for more favorable conditions to play. “It sucks not being able to play but we have to continue to be ready for whenever we get a chance to play,” said Tori Kessler, 12. With spring break at an end and temperatures on the rise, many spring sports have came out to a hot start and look to continue their success throughout the season.

PHOTO BY JAKE JUSTICE

Seniors receiving their awards after the All-Star game.

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Quentin Griffin: Editor In Chief

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Miguel

Cardi B

Ryan Reynolds

d 8

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h 10 j

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Avengers: Infinity War breaks records before it is released BY JAKE LOGUIDICE

The upcoming blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War is impacting fans before showtime. It features a cast with numerous star actors and is a highly anticipated movie for 2018. Avengers: Infinity War is a fantasy/science fiction film about Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and the rest of the Avengers uniting to battle their most powerful enemy yet: the evil alien Thanos. The Avengers are on a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones. The fate of their planets and reality itself are on the line, and everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to

this moment. The universe is in jeopardy. The Avengers series has been around since its debut in 2012. In years following, the beloved series has gained a considerable amount of popularity due to its cast full of film stars and entertaining plots. A devoted Avengers fan, Vinnie Lobello, 11, is very excited about the new movie. “This movie is bound to go down in history as a blockbuster hit and will only be rivaled by future Marvel/Disney movies,” said Lobello. One of the greatest features of the Avengers movies are the visual effects. Being able to

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARVEL STUDIOS

Most of the Avengers: Infinity War characters are all captured in a cinematic scene that is similar to those of the actual movie.

create massive explosions and characters like Hulk is what draws fans into the series and keeps their eyes glued to the screen. Recent trailers and commercials have made this new movie highly publicized and has turned many heads to this record-breaking film. Avengers: Infinity War has already shattered numerous records including biggest budget, most views on a trailer in 24 hours, largest cast, longest superhero movie and other large feats that are typically not reached by a movie that has not been released. The collaboration of viewers’ favorite superheroes draws fans into the series. After years of seemingly unrelated movies, every character has been united for one epic tale. The Avengers series has been a staple in the entertainment business for the past several years. The combination of many great cast members has created a large media following for the series, making it highly anticipated. William Virgin, 11, is a big fan of the Avengers series. “So many of my favorite characters and actors are all in this movie. I am more than excited to see it in theaters and I have very

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

The Avengers team includes Spider Man, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Black Panther. The crew is shown in all their intimidating glory, touting their ability to defeat any enemy.

high expectations for the movie,” says Virgin. The movie makes its debut in theaters on Friday, April 27th. The theaters will most likely be filled to the brim with lifelong Avengers fans. It is not yet decided if there will be future Avengers movies. For now, fans are just looking forward to finding out the team’s next move and if they will collect all six infinity stones. The Avengers include such titans as Iron Man, Spider Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Thor, Hulk, and many other well-known super heroes. Never

before have so many superheroes combined forces to accomplish one goal. Lobello said, “Nerds like me are literally shaking in their $35 Party City costumes thinking about what could happen in the movie. I have already ordered my tickets and I am super excited.” Fans are encouraged to wear their favorite superhero costume to the movies when they see it for the first time. Nearly every theater will be sold out by this record-shattering movie. It has the possibility to go down as one of the best superhero movies in history.

Winter guard goes to States BY KAITLYN SETERA

Grizzly nation prides itself on the success of its students and has had a year full of accomplishments. This time there is a another activity with the chance of holding the title of statewide championship: The Wadsworth High School Winter Guard team. On April 7, members of the fine arts activity competed in Wapakoneta, Ohio, with a goal of winning the Ohio Indoor Performance Association’s state competition. The girls were up against thirteen other guards in the Scholastic Regional A division and managed to place 4th overall. “States was all so fun and exciting,” said Elizabeth Chapman, 9. “I’m so incredibly proud of everyone and how far we’ve come as a group this season alone. We put in a lot of work and I think it definitely showed in our final performance.”

Chapman is one of the seventeen guard members who dedicated their time into making the season as successful as it was for everyone included in the experience. She explained that there is a lot more to the art than what meets the eye, stating that there was a lot of preparation done for the weekly competitions that come before States. Little changes to perfect the show were made practically every rehearsal and they started to add up quickly. The one thing that was stressed the most was how time consuming the training was. Members who participated in the activity could be found dancing, spinning a rifle or flag and working on their performance techniques after school as early as November. The scheduled practices during this time consisted of three hours of instruction three days a week. Most competitions, held on Sundays, took at least two hours to get to.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SETERA

The Wadsworth Winter Guard team posed for a picture with their goofy gifts from the coaches shortly before retreat where they accepted their awards.

“It’s exhausting and there is definitely a lot that has to be sacrificed when you choose to join the Guard. Downtime or time in general is gone,” said Amanda Lutz, 10. “It was well worth it though. Despite the time you have to give up, the time that we spent at practice was spent building an unbreakable bond. I am so grateful for the friendships I have made here and feel as though the coaches helped a lot in encouraging these sort of relationships to be built.” The team is led by directors Jessica Courson and Vanessa Lloyd, and assistant directors Amber Dudley, Lindsey LaFond, Sarah Stahl and Emily Zeitz. In years’ past these staff members have worked together in choreographing and writing the work for many different elements associated with the shows. But this year, they focused more on establishing a team bond and shared that it was what would make the team stronger. The connection that these instructors have stressed on creating between the old and new members could easily be seen on the floor in this year’s performance entitled, “Put Those Colors On.” However, audience members who have seen the girls perform in the past may have recognized the change of direction and tone in this year’s number.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SETERA

Shortly before performing at a competition, the girls can be seen listening to their music hand-in-hand and imagining a run through with their eyes closed.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SETERA

The guard prepares to do a flag toss all together in their flag feature in this year’s show entitled “Put Those Colors On.”

“I went to States my freshman year, and it was amazing,” said Alli Lahmann,11. “A lot of time has passed since and there are a lot of new faces out there on the floor. But I think, and being that we had so many new people this season, we’ve come a long way. We’ve grown in unison and can only grow more from here. First or last, we did everything we could and it felt amazing.”

The team’s progress will soon be showcased in the school’s Fine Arts Assembly held at the end of the school year, and the desire to win first place will only drive the members futher in the next season. “I can’t wait to see what next year holds,” said Leigh Hillegass, 10. “But I especially can’t wait to see what others will think of our performance this year.”

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A pril 2018

New year, new leaders; Meet the new student executive board

BY KYLEE BARANEK JESSICA HERMANN

It is time for a changing of the guard in Wadsworth High School. Student Council has elected a new group of students to fill their leadership positions. Following in her brother Andrew’s footsteps, Leah McNutt was selected as student council president. From the time she was in 8th grade, McNutt knew she wanted to make a positive impact within her school. She started by running for a place in student council, wanting to put her foot in the door. She knew that by being in student council, it would allow her to make changes. After falling in love with the opportunities that being a member gave her, she ran for class vice president her sophomore and junior years. This lead her to eventually running for president. “Going into my senior year, I knew I wanted to be president. I thought I was up for the challenge and willing to put in the work. That’s really where

my inspiration for running came from, and also my brother was president. I thought I could follow in his footsteps. I saw him do it, and I thought I could do it,” McNutt commented. McNutt mentioned she would like the atmosphere to change in school when it comes to student council. Instead of having the student council try to take care of everything, she wants more student involvement. “One of the main topics in my application was that I wanted it to be a more interactive program with the school. I wanted a meeting every nine weeks that was open to everyone in school where they could come in and tell us their ideas and what they think needs to be changed,” McNutt mentioned. As president, her job description varies. She is in charge of organizing meetings and committees, meeting with the administration, leading pep rallies, organizing activities, setting an agenda, heading executive board meetings, and planning spirit week. McNutt is willing to step up and make the changes that she needs to in order to be a great

PRESIDENT

Leah McNutt will be the student council president for the 20182019 school year. She was inspired to run after seeing her brother in the position.

leader and president. Other positions voted on were the two vice president positions and the secretary of the Student Council. The student that will be holding vice president representation for the juniors and seniors is Alexandra Zuder. After attending a joint student council seminar, Zuder felt inspired to modify her school. This happened to only fuel her drive to run for an executive board position. Zuder wanted to be a voice for her fellow students, and improve the school environment. “I ran for student council because I felt that it brings together both my leadership skills and my drive for helping others,” Zuder mentioned. Being one of the vice presidents, Zuder’s main job will be to assist the president as well as heading committees. “I hopefully will bring changes that benefit the student body and the community,” Zuder said. Logan Egleston is the other new vice president that was chosen this previous election. He will be holding representation for the sophomores as well as

Alexandra Zuder will be the vice president for the junior and senior classes. She can’t wait to better her community through student leadership.

VICE PRESIDENT

the juniors. He decided to run for vice president because of the belief that he was not yet ready to become president. “I saw some unpleasant things within the structure of the council that I believe need to be changed. I will immediately get to work once the new executive administration is in place and running,” Egleston explained. As another vice president, he has a rather broad job description. In general, his duties include to oversee any and all executive decisions made by the council as well as ensuring the freshman and sophomore classes have their voices heard. Mainly, Egelston’s job is to make final decisions for the council. “I strive to work to get the voices of the student body actually listened to. I have always believed that a republic is successful when the system stays a republic, and the leaders use and preach democracy,” Egleston concluded. Secilia Ho, the current and future secretary for WHS, chose to run for student council

SECRETARY

Secilia Ho will serve as secretary on the executive board. Her task is to make sure every member is involved and active. PHOTO BY KYLEE BARANEK & JESSICA HERMANN

due to her feelings regarding her ability to make an impact within the program. “I wanted to run for secretary mainly to be more involved with the program. I felt that making an impact would be greater with an executive position,” she explains. As secretary, Ho is responsible for writing out notes during each student council meeting and making sure that all the members, including the executive board, are actively involved. “I believe that my involvement with the Wadsworth community and my positive attitude qualifies me [for this job]. I also have had a lot of experience with the student council body since middle school,” Ho added. The executive board for Wadsworth’s student council each brings their own strength to the board to make it run smoothly. Each has expressed their excitement to work with the student body and administration next year to make the atmosphere and environment of the school even better than before.

Logan Egleston will serve as the vice president for the sophomore and junior class. It is his job to make sure that the sophomores have a voice.

VICE PRESIDENT

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15 Puppy of the Month A pril 2018

PHOTO BY JOEY BAUGHMAN

This horrific 2002 Ford Ranger belongs to senior Kyle Arrowsmith. The beater has racked up 180,000 miles, has multiple scratches and dents, and a 2 year old banana peel stuck on the hood.

Meet Charlie! This adorable 6 month old puppy is the nephew of current middle school math teacher Mrs. Lawrence.

Students of the Month

Staff Feature of the Month

PHOTO BY JOEY BAUGHMAN

Mr. Sieber always shows immense school spirit and is always doing a great job looking after the students of Wadsworth High School.

Allen Whipple

Becca Rogers

(Career Tech)

Sophie Grace Boulter Waldow PHOTOS BY JOEY BAUGHMAN

Singer of the Month

Fortnite location of the Month

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Drake earns singer of the month because of his hit singles “God’s Plan,” and “Nice for What,” as well as being featured in 3 other Top Ten songs on iTunes.

Tilted Towers earns this month’s top Fortnite location due to its fantastic loot as well as being located in the center of the map. If you make it out of Tilted Towers alive, you are about to get a win. PHOTOS BY MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD

16 If you could be any Disney character who would you be?

S peakout

THE BRUIN

A pril 2018

“Aladdin, since I’m “Nemo because “Jiminy Cricket, “Princess Belle, Middle Eastern.”- I’m always lost.”because I’m the Laney Corell, 9 he was so full of Demetri Laikos, 11 wisdom, much like I favorite child.”am.”- Mr. Recupero Ava Snowball, 9

“Simba, because “Donald Duck, “Mulan. I am a strong, lions are the “Cinderella, and because I’m loud independent woman best.”- Brendan and annoying.”- Reid is my Prince that needs no man.”Merhar, 11 Hunter Griffin, 10 Charming.”- Holly Lindsay Carr, 12

“Snow White, because I have seven kids.”Mrs. Kurt

“Heihei, because I love chicken.”Kylie Kimes, 10

Rodgers, 11

“Gaston, because I love myself.”Nick Miller, 12

“Jake Paul from Bizaardvark, he is just so cute.”Jack Simmons, 11

“Dory, obviously she is my twin.”- Aly Brugh, 10

“Buzz Lightyear, because I wanna fly.”- Mikey Lewarchick, 9

“Carl Fredricksen, because I feel “Goofy, because disconnected from I’m a goofy dude.”today’s youth.”Mr. Schoonover Mitch Blackburn, 12

ALL PHOTOS BY ALYSSA LAIKOS