Wadsworth High School
Newspaper II/III
February 2013
The
1870 - 2013 Wadsworth City Schools: “Celebrating 141 years of Excellence in Education”
BRUIN
Fortner steps down Volume XXXIVIII No. 5
OGT Week: March 11-15
625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281
Photo COURTESY OF wadsworth.com
(Left to Right) Treasurer Beeman, Principal Watts, Superintendent Fortner, Principal Trenta, Principal Simpson and Magnacca, Director of Facilities prepare to cut the ribbon at one of the new elementary schools. Four new schools and a community center were built during Fortner’s tenure.
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How do you feel about fortner’s resignation?
“He has done a lot for our school system, and I think it is good he is leaving on a positive note.” -Kim, 11
Official date is not until June 30; it will be no small task to fill his shoes By Sarah Berger And leah runkle
After 12 years of service at Wadsworth City Schools, Dr. Dale Fortner has decided to step down from his position as superintendent. The Board of Education approved his resignation on Jan. 13, 2013. Although his resignation will not be official until June 30, 2013, it will be no small task to replace Fortner. The Board has appointed a local consultant firm, Finding Leaders, to head the search. Fortner received his undergraduate degree in English from The College of Wooster, where he played football and has been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. He then went on to earn his masters at The University of Akron in Secondary Administration. His crowning educational achievement came through earning his doctorate. Fortner’s dissertation focused on human resources; he researched the skills and qualities of teachers that resulted in high performance from students. In his 12 years as superintendent, Fortner was able to accomplish many things. Over the past ten
Inside
the
years, Wadsworth has received the top rating, “excellent”, on the local report card. He also successfully contracted ten labor agreements, including avoiding the impending teacher strike of 2009-2010. Fortner feels his biggest accomplishment as superintendent is the quality of employees in the school system. He said, “I am very proud of bringing high quality employees to work with students to Wa d s w o r t h . Our biggest investment comes in our employees. I Dr. Dale Fortner feel bringing great leaders, great teachers and great support staff employees to Wadsworth was a responsibility I took seriously.” Fortner has also kept very strict spending limits, ensuring the district spends its money on the most effective and necessary things. Fortner said, “I am extremely proud of what our district has been able to accomplish over the last 12 years and feel that with
our financial stability, settling the teacher union contract and being close to finishing up the classified employee contract, and closing out our recent construction project that it is a good time to transition to new leadership.” Fortner has had an impressive career within Wadsworth City Schools and other districts, including teaching and being an
of the education of my children and watch them grow up and participate in school events.” After he retires, Fortner plans to continue working full-time. He hopes to stay in the immediate area. Fortner’s word of advice to the next superintendent is: “The superintendent position is a challenging one that demands
“The position is a challenging one that demands so much from an individual in performance, leadership and time commitment to the job.” -Dr. Dale Fortner athletic director and principal. He served in Nordonia, Firestone and Revere. Even though he has worked in many places, Wadsworth has a special place in his heart. Fortner said, “My favorite place is here in Wadsworth. I believe the school district and the community match my personal and family values. It is also my favorite place because I have had the opportunity to be a part
so much from an individual in performance, leadership and time commitment to the job.” He hopes that the district will continue to support the next superintendent as it has supported him. He also hopes that it will understand the complexities, challenges and expectations that a superintendent faces daily. Fortner’s legacy will live on within Wadsworth for years to come.
Bruin:
A poll of 69 students showed 72% believe the economy was the deciding issueBLACKJACK for Wrestling and girls basketball clinch 21 league the presidential race. Other was second with 14% and the war in Iraq followed with 10% of the votes. Foreign policy received 3% and health care was last with 1%.titles – Page 12
nO RESPECT The student body loses appreciation for the new building
– Page 4-5
THROWBACK THURSDAY Pictures from students’ childhood
– Page 8
“My initial thought is ‘why?’ But then I think to myself that he put in a good term, just like the Pope.” -Bob, 10
“I wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his life. I also thank him for his leadership.” -Mr. Singleton
*Issue 4 withdrawn index Page Sept. 4, 2008
Editorial.........................................................2 News.............................................................3 Opinion......................................................4,5 Ads ..................................................6,7,13,14 Features .......................................................9 Picture Pages ................................................8 Sports..........................................................12 Entertainment............................................. 10 Of the Month...............................................15 Speakout.....................................................16
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E ditorial
The Bruin
F ebruary 2013
Brewin’ Debate L e t t e r s t o
Is it better to be single or dating on Valentine’s Day?
Single
Dating
By Jordan Schleigh
On Valentine’s Day, it is much better to be single for several obvious reasons such as having a stress free day. While couples are trying to figure out what to wear on their dates and withdrawing money from the ATM to spend on gifts for their companion, the singles can relax with friends and kick back. Valentine’s Day is filled with awkward dates and pretending to like the gift you received from your partner. Twitter and Facebook will be blown up with sobbing girls crying about how their boyfriend did not spend enough time and money on them. Although Valentine’s Day is like any other day of the year, girls have used this “holiday” as an excuse to get more attention, and if they do not you will never hear the end of it. All of these problems can be avoided with one simple solution: be single!
by Devon Gilkerson
It is much better to be dating on Valentine’s Day versus being single. You get to feel the love of the holiday and actually have someone to spend it with. Valentine’s Day is meant to be spent with your loved one. Love is in the air, and it is great to be a part of it. You are surrounded by wonderfully cute stuffed animals and your favorite candy that your loved one gave to you. If you were single, you would have to provide these necessities for yourself, which would ruin the surprise. This event would remind you that you are alone, upset, and ultimately make you cry yourself to sleep on Valentine’s Day. Dating someone is great. It is joyful to buy things that you know will make your loved one happy. The best part is being able to watch movies together. It is a heart warming experience that cannot be replaced with any other feeling.
Who stole our spirit?
Editorial
In high school, we only have four years to achieve whatever goals and expectations we ever thought of while we were little. Being the top athlete, president of a club, or member of the band, have all been dreams of ours at one point. Finally, as we are at this age, reality hit, and we either took advantage of the opportunities that were given, or let them slip out of our grasp. Whether we did or not, one aspect of high school is still available to all, and is easy to accomplish-school spirit. Not only has school spirit diminished for supporting our athletes at their games, but just plain spirit for being a Grizzly has been greatly reduced. Recently, we had a ‘pep assembly’, but there was little pep shown. Why is it that no matter what our school tries to do, many criticize and do not want any part in it?
Looking through old yearbooks, it is obvious that at one point, people were proud to be a Grizzly. They had bonfires and made signs before every home game and were always excited to represent Grizzly Nation. What has changed? We are all the same age, we are all still from the same city. Why has that love and passion for our school gone away? Why are we so concerned with what the people around us are thinking? We are all too comfortable with staying in our small bubble that does not involve interacting with each other. We all just like to tweet and complain about how we do not have school spirit, that it is our ‘boring school’s’ fault we cannot get excited for such events. Why is it up to other people to make the school thrive and have spirit? Take responsibility, and own up to the fact that we all have fallen short of the spirit stick, and that we need to step it up and give this school its spirit back! Even though the year is quickly coming to a close, there is still time to get the BIG RED back to how it use to be.
the Editor
Dear Editor, I would like to thank Dr. Dale Fortner for his time serving at Wadsworth City Schools. I think he was a good superintendent, but there were a few times when he could have used better judgement on whether or not a snow day was necessary. Ashley Robertson, 12
Dear Editor, I think it is unfair for the school to force science students to participate in Science Fair. It is very time consuming and stressful. Plus, if it was optional, the projects would be better because the people there would actually care about their projects. Kenzi Hines, 10 Dear Editor, We would like to thank Dr. Dale Fortner for everything he has done for Wadsworth City Schools. He helped build our schools up and make Wadsworth the great school system it is today. Thank you Dr. Fortner. Rory Finnegan, 10 Shane Mast, 10 Dear Editor, I think the underclassmen should have more freedom in study hall. We have to have a teacher’s pass to study with another student, and I think that is outrageous. Students should be able to study with other students for as long as they want throughout the period, so we can get the best grade possible. It is hard to just sit by yourself and try to study without talking about it with another student. Study hall rules should be tweaked to benefit students. Connor Gray, 10 Dear Editor, I think early release or late arrival for seniors next year is a great decision and idea. By the time kids get to senior year, they have had three years of sitting in a boring study hall staring at the clock. Now we have the option to use that study hall and come late, or leave early.
Seniors deserve to be able to do this, and all of us future seniors are thrilled at the fact that we can now get rid of that study hall and have more time at home. Jeremy Schroeder, 11 Dear Editor, I would like to personally compliment the guidance counselors on their tremendous efforts during the recent scheduling sessions. Each of them was extremely helpful to students with any questions, and when it came time to formulate the students’ schedules, they utilized their resources and knowledge to make good recommendations to ensure that the right students take the right courses. From my personal experience, I got the impression that my counselor genuinely cares about my future and creating the best environment for me to be successful. It is great that the counselors care about their efforts, and it makes the entire process of scheduling efficient, successful and as free from errors as it can be. Ryan Moore, 10 Dear Editor, I think we should have more dances throughout the year. They are fun and it gives the students something to look forward to. The school would be getting money and everyone would love going to them. It would be a winwin situation for everyone. They should also start turning all the lights off so we can really bust our moves and get funky! Nate Bergan, 10 Dear Editor, I think every student should have been able to vote for spirit week themes. More students would probably participate if they could vote for the themes they wanted. Some people really did not even know what the themes were until late in the week. We could also advertise the themes more throughout the school. Sydney Bowers, 10
Bruin Staff
Editorial Policy
Editor-in-chief: Maggie Williams Associate Editor: Ally Malkowski Assistant Editor: Kayla Lockwood Managing Editors: Jenny Wise, Brooke Tittle, Kenny Tollett, and Clay Smalley Marketing Manager: Clay Smalley Front Page: Page Editor: Sarah Berger Reporter: Leah Runkle Editorial: Page Editor: Mathias Zollinger Reporters: Devon Gilkerson and Jordan Schleigh Opinion 1: Page Editor: Baylee Conrad Reporter: Rebecca Adams Speakout: Page Editor: Katelyn Storad Reporter: Hannah Neff Opinion 2: Page Editor: Erica Hantzsche Reporters: Dean Brennan and Matt Grey News: Page Editor: Chad Pegrim Reporter: Veronica Llewellyn Picture Pages: Editors: Patrick Long, Jamie Witschey, Ari Jones Sports 1: Page Editor: Connor Sherrill Reporter: Brooke Fick Entertainment: Page Editor: Grace Rhodes Reporters: Ryan Landolph and Scott Campbell Features: Page Editor: Carly Cundiff Reporter: Stephanie Herron Of The Month: Page Editor: Nate Pound Reporter: Sabrina Parsons Ads/Business Manager: Mathias Zollinger Assistant: Devon Gilkerson Adviser: John Gramuglia
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.
N ews A word from our
Principal
As you have probably heard, next year our seniors will have the option of Late Entry or Early Release as a choice in their daily schedule. What does this mean? By BOE policy all students must take six classes and have one study hall in their daily schedule. Some students choose to not have a study hall, instead taking a seventh class. This option will continue. Seniors will have the option next year to eliminate study hall from their schedule. One choice is to select the option of arriving to school beginning with the second period, or what will be called Late Entry. Another choice is to select the option of leaving school at the end of sixth period, or what will be called Early Release. This is not a requirement, and some seniors will continue to have a study hall in the senior commons during the remaining periods, or take a seventh class. There is a belief held in the readiness aspect that we should begin the process of transitioning our seniors out of the normal daily schedule as they begin to prepare for their post high school life. Less rigid structure, making decisions, finding time to complete the expected work, and being organized are some examples of concepts that support this transition. With this option to arrive late or leave early will come some basic rules that will need to be followed in order to maintain this privilege. It is not a requirement for our school to offer this option, so attendance, behavior, and academic performance will be evaluated each nine weeks. As long as a senior continues to earn this option through the good evaluations, the option will continue to be allowed for the individual. March Madness! At WHS and all high schools across Ohio, March means that our sophomores will take the Ohio Graduation Test. During the week of March 11 – 15, our school will operate on a different schedule that affects each grade. The schedule and information has been posted on the WHS web page. Please take a moment to review with your parents. Any upperclassman who has passed all five parts of the OGT will not report until 9:45 each day, no earlier, no exceptions. All ninth and tenth grade students will report to WHS during the normal times. The test begins promptly at 7:35. This year, for our sophomores, we are offering an incentive program so that we can achieve to even greater heights overall as a school with our OGT results. This will be shared at a meeting with the sophomores. We are . . . Wadsworth! Mr. Parsons
The Bruin
F ebruary 2013
3
Hillary Clinton weighs options BY VERONICA LLEWELLYN AND CHAD PEGRIM
Hillary Clinton may want to run for the office of President in 2016. She ran once before in 2008. She has experience in politics, and she is also known both nationally and worldwide. Clinton is currently serving at the State Department located in the Harry S. Truman building in Washington, D.C. This Department deals with the diplomatic missions of the United States abroad and is responsible for implementing the foreign policy of the United States and
LOCAL
U.S. diplomacy efforts. Clinton has been having a rough time with recent illnesses. She developed a concussion due to dehydration, caught a virus,
Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
A poll taken by ABC News and the Washington Post showed that 57% of Americans would stand behind Hillary Clinton in 2016.
NATIONAL
Sophomores to gain individual, group incentive for OGT performance Sophomores who perform well on this year’s OGTs will be entered into a raffle a certain amount of times based on their level of placement. Prizes will be gift cards to local fast food restaurants and gas cards. If 90% of the class passes there will be a dance/activity afternoon planned for the class. Both incentives are “very achievable” says Mr. Moore.
Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
The agreement was signed by both the father and the daughter.
Teen paid by parents to quit Facebook A 14-year-old girl in Boston plans to receive $200 from her father after agreeing to quit Facebook until summer. He will be given access to her password which he will change to keep her from using her account.
Crippled cruise ship slowly towed to port Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
Sgt. Sanford, pictured above, is one of two officers being trained to use this
Medina County Sheriff cleared for flight The sheriff department has a new member: an unmanned drone that could save lives. The two new drones will be used to cover more area in local search and rescue efforts and to retrieve views of wide scale emergency situations, such as large fires.
The carnival cruise ship Triumph lost power leaving 4,200 stranded on a one week 5 mph trip to shore. The Coast Guard released a statement which said that a leak in a fuel line may have caused the fire which crippled the ship.
Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
Women from the Triumph celebrate dry land and fresh air.
N. Korea threatens U.S. BY CHAD PEGRIM
The North Koreans conducted a successful underground nuclear test on Feb. 12. This is due to recent sanctions against North Korea after their December missile test. The new test is part of “higher level tests” that are being conducted. North Korea is strengthening military capabilities in preparation for its eventual confrontation with the United States which it describes as “the sworn enemy of the Korean people.” These threats were made by North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, who inherited the rule from his father after his death in Dec. 2011. Soon after threats were made, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta released a statement saying that there
and landed in the hospital with a blood clot located between her brain and skull. She canceled her appearances at congressional hearings related
were no “outward indications” of a North Korean nuclear test based on satellite images. He also said it would be hard to determine if they are testing in an underground facility, which was later confirmed when the test registered a 4.9 magnitude at geological sites near North Korea. “Highly provocative” were the words used by President Obama later that morning to describe North Korea’s actions which were planned within the same day as State of the Union address given by the President later that evening. “We are very concerned with North Korea’s continuing provocative behavior,” said Panetta, but he added that the United States is “fully prepared” to deal with any provocations.
to the Benghazi attacks; these meetings were important for her to attend. This made many critics believe that she was faking the illnesses that she was dealing with. “She is an extraordinarily able person. I have never met anybody I thought was a better public servant,” said Bill Clinton. During Clinton’s first week back at work, she had to attend high-level meetings involving Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, President Obama, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Washington.
WORLD
SPACE
Pope steps down, declares not strong enough
Houston, we have a problem
Pope Benedict XVI said he will resign at the end of February. He is stepping down because he is simply too old, which shocked the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. The pope appears tired, but is not visibly ill. Benedict will continue working until Feb. 28, 2013.
Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
It is possible that people in Europe could have been eating horse meat for over a year without knowledge of it.
Nestle suspends delivery of tainted beef product Delivery of certain beef products was suspended in Europe because 80 to 100 percent horse meat products were found inside packages of meat. These packages were labeled “100 percent beef.” This case has caused six of ten Europeans surveyed to turn to their local butchers instead of store-bought meats.
Communication with the International Space Station was disrupted during a software update. NASA claims the astronauts were never in danger and communication has since been restored.
Asteroid makes close pass to earth Asteroid 2012 DA14 was 30 meters in diameter, which is half the size of a football field, and it came within 15,000 miles of earth. If it had been on a direct course to hit Earth it could not have been stopped because it was only discovered one year ago. Scientists say the resulting blast could have leveled a city.
Meteor shakes things up for Russians This meteor was said to have been the largest object to hit the Earth in over a century. It weighed 10,000 tons and was about 55 feet in diameter. Scientists said the meteor was made from a stony material, which injured almost 1,100 people.
Superbowl blackout BY VERONICA LLEWELLYN
The Baltimore Ravens played the San Francisco 49ers, only until the third quarter that is. On Feb. 3, 2013, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome power outage temporarily stopped one of the world’s most watched football games for exactly 34 minutes. The Superdome’s utility company, Entergy, determined that the cause
of the blackout was not Beyoncè’s halftime show. It was in fact a problem with an electrical relay device that triggered when it was not supposed to. “Rest assured, the Superdome is fully functional,” said Entergy CEO, Charles Rice. This device was installed on Dec. 21, 2012, and was meant to protect the Superdome equipment.
Photo COURTESY OF mct campus
Lights go out in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome during Ravens vs. 49ers.
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February 2013
O PINION 1
THE BRUIN
Choosing classes with future in mind OPINION BY BAYLEE
School provides many opportunities to prepare for college. You can take Postsecondary classes, Advanced Placement classes or even opt for Dual Enrollment. In each of these classes you can receive college credit, but what is the best fit for you? Sophomore year I went to all of the meetings and enrolled into The University of Akron. I decided to take postsecondary classes my junior year. I chose to do postsecondary over Advanced Placement classes because it was a better fit for me. I felt that the classes that were offered through postsecondary were almost the same as the ones offered for Advanced Placement. I knew for a fact that I was going to earn college credit if I took postsecondary classes. “It shows you what college is about, so you know what to expect when you get there,” said Danielle Harrison, 11.
Now that I have completed my first semester of Akron classes and I am starting to take my second semester classes, I really recommend to anyone who is thinking about college credit to take postsecondary classes. In two years, I will be starting off college as a sophomore instead of a freshman. I love postsecondary classes. The classes and the professors are laid back. The professors treat
“It shows you what college is about so you know what to expect when you get there.” - Danielle Harrison, 11 you like you are a young adult. They also want you to argue with them. I also love the fact that you never have much homework, and if you do it is an easy assignment that does not require much time. My favorite part of postsecondary is that I do not have classes every day of the week. On the days that I do not have class I can go home! I really enjoy the fact that this program is offered; it relieves the stress that is on my future. I enjoy not having so much to think about my first year of college. Postsecondary is one of the best things to take as a high school student.
Postsecondary PROS: • • • • • •
College credit for taking classes you have to take in high school anyway Easier than high school classes The classes are not every day of the week. On other days you can leave school. You can mark in the books. Highlight and take notes. You save a lot of money. You can start off as a sophomore in college with all the credit hours that you earn.
CONS: • • • •
Dual Enrollment
Advanced Placement PROS: • • • • •
college credit for taking classes You have the possibility to graduate early They will increase you GPA if you do well in them. Look good on college applications If you do not pass the exam, some colleges let you take the next course level and just not award you the credit. That means you do not have to take the whole class again.
CONS:
• There is not a lot of homework so your grade • relies on your tests. Some colleges do not accept • credits. Different break times than the high school You get a pass/fail grade. Which means that it doesn’t factor into your GPA.
You have to pay to take the test at the end of the year. The test is around 90 dollars. If you do not pass the test you have wasted 90 dollars and wasted a year where you could have taken something else.
PROS: • • • •
• •
You fulfill core university requirements while you are still in high school. Taught by high school teachers that you know You do not have to take a hard test at the end of the year. You stay at the high school so you do not miss out on meetings and high school activities. You save almost $1,000 Spanish four gives you credit hours
CONS: • • •
•
The class is a college level class Majority of the class is in Spanish. The class does not help your GPA. So if you are trying to bring it up do not take this class. Your class rank will go down.
Disrespect by few sickens many
Graffiti, trash, complaints only scratch surface of recent issues in new building
opinion by REbecca
Barely over one hundred school days in the new building, many difficulties have occurred involving lighting, heating, plumbing, and even parking. In a new facility, these kinds of technicalities are expected and even planned for. However, I find the excess issues that have required recent attention in our brand new building to simply be disappointing. I am not referring to student’s sporadic, agitated behavior in the midst of the winter months, nor is my focus on the controversial dress code that has surfaced once again. Instead, I am concerned by the student body’s disrespect for the multi-million dollar architecture of which we are the lucky recipients. Contrary to what many believe, we are not entitled to this home that the tax payers are providing for us. We should be thankful that we have the privilege to learn in a facility that helps equip us with our school’s well-known degree of excellence. As Abbey Wyrick, 12, says, “We are blessed to have such
a beautiful new school, and a lot of kids do not realize what they have. We can receive quality educations that other kids cannot, and our students treat it like it is nothing.” It is disheartening to walk from class to class and constantly hear students complain about dull colors or the excruciatingly long hallways. Grumbles of a prisonlike environment and shortened social time among friends are just as common. While thirty extra seconds might be required to walk to class in our new building, we need to consider the consequences of our words before we say them. Think about how you have spent the last few months in the building. Have you slammed your locker after forgetting to bring a dollar to school to buy your favorite newspaper on Bruin Day? Have you been careful to leave the cafeteria or senior commons as well-kept as it was when you entered it? Questions like these might seem unimportant on a day to day basis, but for all the future classes that will be using the same facility, these questions are critical. It is our duty as current students to do everything possible to keep the building in pristine condition. And as far as forgetting your dollar to buy a Bruin, I totally understand your disappointment, but I cannot condone your actions, unfortunately. Although I am no expert on sociology, the way I see the
problem is the majority of the student body has a mob mentality. With the general opinion that our school is too “bland,” for lack of a better word, combined with disapproval of rules intended to keep the building in good shape, students have experienced difficulty in accepting the deeply contrasting condition of the new high school compared to the old high school. Yes, the transition between schools has been large, and perhaps some slack was given on rules in the previous three years since the old building was to be torn down anyways, but the student body’s mob mentality cannot be overlooked. Seen through graffiti on bathroom stalls, far too frequent reminders from authority figures in order to keep the commons clean, and students’ reckless verbal and physical abuse of the building, the increasing disrespect from students must be stopped. Of course, as with all issues in a high school environment, not all students are responsible for the direct damage negatively done to the building. There are always exceptions, and it is encouraging to occasionally see considerate students making a proactive effort to be respectful. Each of us has the opportunity to directly impact the condition of the building positively, even I, and no one is exempt from doing his or her part to ensure the
PHOTO BY REBECCA ADAMS
Although positive, graffiti covers the inside of this girl’s bathroom stall. Regardless of its intent, damage such as this should not be done anywhere in the building.
high school will provide a great learning environment for decades of subsequent students. Take the initiative to pick up and throw out a random piece of trash you see in the hallway, put classroom materials away neatly, treat desks and chairs with care, or even confront your friends who have been swayed into the pull of the disrespectful mob mentality. Elissa Fusco, 11, reasons, “I do complain about the school at times, but then I immediately feel
guilty because I take what I have for granted, and that is not going to help me at all.” Wear and tear on any building or material item is natural, but we need to be good stewards of what we are given. With regard for the condition of the high school and thankfulness to have the chance to learn in such a providing environment, we all can turn disrespect into respect, and leave a positive impact for those to come.
Opinion 2
Block scheduling could maximize educational process implementation. Pros of Block scheduling include: More time with a teacher in a specific subject. Because of the additional time for each class period, teachers can go into more detail for each lesson. With block scheduling, OPINION BY MATT teachers see less students in a Is it time for Wadsworth High day so teachers have the chance School to reconsider the format to spend the extra time with of our school day to ensure the students who are finding a course success of its students at the challenging. Students would then college level? have better comprehension of As our world changes through the subject by having the ability technology and competition, to ask more questions on topics requirements in preparing that they do not understand. This students for the next step in would allow for more time to the educational process have truly learn the lesson. become more demanding. Some Lessons presented in different educators are suggesting that ways. block scheduling may be the Block scheduling allows for answer to the future success of classes to be more flexible. students at college. Teachers would have the options In most instances, high school is of developing different teaching intended to prepare us for college methods for their labs or group level coursework. Whether it is activities such as allowing through the courses offered in our more hands-on experience with high school criteria or through activities or projects because of post -secondary options, the high the extra time. This would in turn benefit the students. “It would give us more of a There is less on chance to figure out right homework students because of answers for things.” fewer classes within -Liz Valentin, 12 a day’s time which is absolutely a winschool administration has done win situation for any high school its best to establish the most student. beneficial learning system for its This is definitely a bonus for students. those who find it stressful to Upon first glance at our balance sports and extracurricular curriculum, it would appear as activities with the seven subject though every area is covered, but system we currently have. there could be one major factor to However, there are some be considered to improve overall drawbacks such as:. comprehension and mastery in a As one could assume, missing subject and that would be through classes is the double whammy in block scheduling. Some students this system because of the amount are in favor of the change. of material covered during a “It would give us more of a chance class period. Missing one day to figure out right answers for is equivalent to missing two on things, “ said Liz Valentin, 12. our current system and there are Block scheduling refers to gaps between when the next class a redesign of the school day would meet causing problems maximizing the amount of time with makeup work. devoted to instruction in one Major procrastination can arise subject. There are a number This schedule can lead to of different forms of block procrastination in even the most scheduling such as a 4 X 4 where disciplined student because of students take four rather than six its inconsistency and lack of courses each quarter. Classes that continuity. If you are only in are a year- long would meet for class four days a week, your just a semester and semester class study habits are definitely going would only meet for a quarter. to suffer. Another type of block schedule It’s a killer on certain required is a modular where fewer classes and AP classes Even though the classes are are held each day but they are longer and days alternate longer, block scheduling does between traditional and non- not allow enough time to cover traditional days. The goal is to AP subjects and classes such have fewer subjects each day as government and economics. Many times less material is while expanding the amount of covered in required senior classes time for each class which could so you actually are learning less vary between one and half hours in this format. to two hours. The alternative of block Block scheduling is one of scheduling may be on the horizon the most controversial subjects but, like anything thing new, it in school systems, with many is up to everyone involved as to opinions both for and against its how well it will actually work.
THE BRUIN
F ebruary 2013
feb
5
2012
Last year’s student section
feb
2013
This year’s student section PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH HOFFMAN
Students’ section attendance has died down considerably within only one year.
Lost traditions spread poor spirit epidemic
OPINION BY ERICA AND DEAN
“Home” is the first thing that should pop into mind when a student is asked to describe their school. Even though students may complain about attending every day, school has a strong impact on their lives. Spending more than six hours on weekdays, the school becomes a second home to students. Sadly, throughout the years, Wadsworth High School has slowly lost its feeling of home. This year it has become unbearable. Every home needs a head of the house, some one who takes charge, calls the shots, and deserves respect. In our case, the seniors are entitled to the position. Respect has not been given enough from the naive underclassmen. They do not know their place in the food chain. Standing up front in the student section, hanging around the senior commons, and flat out not respecting seniority are just a few examples of the disrespectful actions made by the underclassmen. What happened to the senior banner hanging in the senior commons? Did you even know there was a senior banner? The senior banner used to hang high in the commons, showing all that walked through who was in charge. Each student in the senior class would sign the banner, leaving their mark. The banner was more than just a physical representation of seniors, but a legacy and an enriched tradition. But who cares about the senior banner, because most of the
students in the school are not even seniors yet? Right? Wrong! Everyone in the school is going to have the chance to be a senior, which makes that banner also yours. All of these problems that the seniors have, are also one day going to be your problems. So ask yourself this question: Once you become a senior would you like it if the underclassmen act like they rule the school? A family is not close if they do not spend time together. Without sharing good times with one another, we are bound to become strangers. But how can a school become close if most of its activities and traditions that have brought it together, have been ripped away? The night before the homecoming game students and teachers used to come together and get the football team pumped by having a bonfire. The cheerleaders would get the crowd rowdy and the coach would give a motivational speech that led the team to a victory. This was a tradition that everyone looked forward to and participated in. The best way to show our boys support is to have them with us as we get ready to end the weekend on a good note. Yes, we tailgate, but our boys are unable to see our support while they are getting focused on the game. Becoming a family seems nearly impossible because everyone in the new school is separated. Unlike the old school, the new school has given students easy access to enter and exit to the parking lot with the use of the wing doors. This is very convenient, but it gives students the opportunity to sprint out without talking to anyone in sight. In the old school, there was only one main entrance and exit to the student parking lot. This caused students to all come together and socialize before heading home. Another factor that affects students coming together as
one, is that the freshmen and sophomores are on the second floor and the juniors and seniors are on the first. The classes do not get a chance interact with one another, causing students to not be interested in school events that involves the other classes. “Being separated has a big affect between the classes. There is no way that we can all come together!” said Kim Stafford, 11. Sadly, when the new building was constructed, there was no courtyard added. The courtyard was the heart of the old school. It was the place to be, it was a symbol of freedom for students. Yes, we understand that we live in Ohio and that winter can be brutal, but we need every chance we can have to be outside. Being stuck in a building with no personality is very painful. With windows in every room, the sunlight teases the students causing them to be distracted. The biggest issue this year that we face, is our student section or lack of it. Our student section used to be the loudest, rowdiest, and most spirited in the Suburban league. Now, even at home games, there is barely a turn out. Where did all the spirit go? The themes are unoriginal and students are notified of the theme the day of the game. There are no signs hanging in the halls to inform students about the games or themes to bring out more fans. Rules and regulations have limited students spirit. “There is no school spirit! There is barely anyone cheering and no one gets interested in the games!” exclaimed Zach Looser, 9. This year has been a big disappointment, and we need to make a change. Seniors need to finally step up and take the wheel. Juniors need to start planning on next year to make it the best possible. Sophomores and freshmen need to attend school activities and participate in themes. If you think this year has not been the best, it is time to finally do something about it.
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February 2013
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F ebruary 2013
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P icture P age
Throwbacks
F eatures
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F ebruary 2013
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Looking back to when current seniors were freshmen the first day of school in Mr. Wickard’s class,” said Christina Exciting, bright, passionate, Sovine, 12. innovative, talented, enjoyable, Around them the world has trustworthy, kind, goal-oriented: been changing as well. Late these are words that the staff 2009 and early 2010 was filled and teachers use to describe the with major events that many senior class. The class of 2013 seniors still remember. One was has grown and matured. the 7.0 earthquake that struck It has been over three years Port-au-Prince Haiti on Jan. 12, since the current seniors first devastating the city and killing stepped through the doors of over 230,000 people. On Apr. 20, WHS as freshmen. At that time, an off-shore oil well owned by BP high school seemed daunting, caught on fire, resulting in a huge and graduation seemed far away. oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, just before they become the The Winter Olympics were first class to graduate from the held in Vancouver, Canada, from new school building, it is time to Feb. 12 to Feb. 28, 2010. Stars look back to their beginnings in such as Apolo Ohno and Shani the 2009-2010 Davis rose to the school year. top. In Feb. 2010, “I never realized how The seniors much work it would be, the New Orleans have come far or how fast it would all Saints beat the in their journey Indianapolis Colts go by.” through high in the Super Bowl. Brayden Sumney, 12 school, but That school year they still have was also the year great memories from their time as of the H1N1 epidemic. a freshmen. The 2009-2010 year was a “My best memory from big year for the high school. On freshmen year was when someone Aug. 13, ground was broken for pushed the eye wash station on the new high school building. BY STEPHANIE HERRON
PHOTO COURTESY OF JESS GRAY
A group of seniors, then freshmen, gather before their first Spring Fling to take a picture together.
remember Silly Bandz. These colorful, fun-shaped rubber bands could be seen on nearly everybody’s wrist. This fad was prevalent throughout that year, but it has since faded away. The school was also affected by a brand new sensation that appeared that year: Justin Bieber. The seniors have also developed their personality as a class. They are more independent and have become the leaders of the school. “I think that I have become less afraid to be an individual. Other people’s opinions do not affect
Cutest Couples
me,” said Molly Josifov, 12. For many, high school has been harder, but better, than they thought it would be. True, people do not break out randomly into song, but for most, these years have been exciting and fulfilling, “I thought I would have been trash-canned by now,” commented Brayden Sumney, 12. The seniors can now look back on their high school years with pride. They will be greatly missed by all staff and students, and they will leave an enduring legacy for future classes to follow.
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BY CARLY CUNDIFF
Construction began that fall. The Grizzlies experienced an exciting year in sports. Varsity football had a 9-1 record going into the playoffs. They lost to GlenOak in the first postseason game. The basketball and volleyball teams were also very successful, demonstrated by their outstanding records. The varsity volleyball team did especially well, making it to regionals and ending with a 21-4 record. The many sports successes of the year climaxed with the wrestling team winning the state championship. Four state champions were named at the state tournament: Louden Gordon, Brad Squire, Ben Buzzelli and Nick Tavanello. Seniors may also remember watching or performing in “South Pacific,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Alter Egos,” put on by the drama department. Another thrilling performance to remember was the superhero themed halftime show put on by the marching band. When thinking about that school year, many people
MIXED Brennan and Kyle
Kaili and Jake
They met when they were little. Now Brennan Williams, 9, and Kyle Ellis, 9, are the cutest couple in the freshman class. After dating for two years, they still love everything about each other. Their advice for other couples is “Do not flirt.”
The magic started when they had lockers next to each other freshman year. Two and a half years later, Kaili Mitchell, 11, and Jake Morello, 11, are still going strong and are the cutest couple in the junior class. For fun, they go out to eat and watch movies.
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Jenna and Joel First they were friends, now they are so much more. After dating for two years, Jenna Oplinger and Joel Kipfer are the cutest couple in the sophomore class. They love to hang out with each other, and their advice for other couples is “Do not sweat the small stuff.”
Cara and Nathan
They met in middle school show choir, and the rest is history. After three and a half years of dating, Cara Powell, 11, and Nathan Aberle, 12, are the cutest couple in mixed grades. They love how they can be weird around one another. Their advice for other couples is “Enjoy the little things.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARA POWELL, KAILI MITCHELL, JENNA OPLINGER, JENNI GREEN AND BRENNAN WILLIAMS.
Jenni and Asa Middle school study hall was the perfect setting for these two love birds. After almost four years of dating, Jenni Green, 12, and Asa Berlin, 12, are the cutest couple in the senior class. The 2012 Homecoming King and Queen love each other’s sense of humor and enjoy watching movies.
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F ebruary 2013
E ntertainment
THE BRUIN
Super Bowl commercials create mixed emotions
OPINION BY RYAN LANDOLPH AND SCOTT CAMPBELL
The 2013 Super Bowl was full of excitement on and off the field. Even though the blackout took a lot away from the game, the commercials were as memorable as ever. The best commercials were hilarious and also brought tears to the eyes of many viewers. 5. Tide - Miracle Stain The Tide “Miracle Stain” won big. The stain of Joe Montana carried this commercial to the number five slot in our count down. Although it could not quite carry Montana’s old team, the 49ers, to a victory, the coveted stain brought a smile to Americans on Super Bowl Sunday. 4. Budweiser - Brotherhood The Budweiser “Brotherhood” commercial struck the hearts of millions. The companionship for one another showcased by the Clydesdale horse and farmer was etched into the minds of the entire country. “This brought a tear to my eye. It was the most touching and my favorite commercial,” said Taylor Kellis, 11. 3. Doritos - Goat 4 Sale To the surprise of nobody, Doritos came out with yet another comical ad for the Super Bowl. When a man decides to welcome a goat into his house, it decides to make itself at home and eat all of his Doritos. He then attempts to give the goat away for free. 2. Skechers - Man vs. Cheetah The wild Skechers commercial, “Man vs. Cheetah,” raced its way to number two on our list. The primitive ad created hysteria as the man chased
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down and tackled the cheetah, saving the gazelle’s life. 1. VW - Get In, Get Happy The peculiar accent of the pacific islands caught the ear of millions while watching the Super Bowl. A man steps into a Volkswagen and then decides to spread happiness while speaking with an unfamiliar accent. “Get In, Get Happy” is at the top of this countdown because of the unique idea of the use of the foreign accent with happiness. While there were great commercials on Feb. 3, there were also unamusing, disturbing ones. 5. Coke - The Chase Coca-Cola has been disappointing with many of their commercials, and the disappointment continued on Super Bowl Sunday. Their newest commercial features a group of people all chasing through the desert for what they think is a giant coke bottle. Why anyone is racing is confusing because there is more than enough coke to go around. However, once the group reaches the sign, they see that the coke bottle is actually 50 miles ahead. What a bummer. 4. GoDaddy - Get Off Your Duff! That annoying, nagging wife was brought onto the big stage on Super Bowl Sunday. That was GoDaddy’s first mistake of the evening. The idea behind the commercial is not that bad, but the people in it just do not do it justice. “The commercial did not even make sense. It was such as waste of money!” exclaimed Nick Wolf, 11. 3. Century 21 - The Wedding Wedding ads should not be
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featured on Super Bowl Sunday. Ever. They are just too cheesy for die-hard football fans that want to watch two teams demolish each other on the field. The groom faints, realizing he will have to live with his mother-in-law after the wedding. The bride calls out for a real estate agent, who of course, happens to be at this wedding. 2. Subway - Congratulations Jared Subway, the home of the five dollar foot long, usually produces good ads throughout the year. However, on Super Bowl Sunday, they featured a commercial congratulating Jared, the major spokesperson for the company, for losing all of his weight on the “Subway Diet.” This commercial was clearly a waste of a large amount of money, as it could have been aired at any point of the year. 1. GoDaddy - Perfect Match “Perfect Match” is by far one of GoDaddy’s worst commercials and second on the list from 2013. It features Bar Refaeli, who is a very attractive woman. The commercial becomes disturbing when Albert, the nerdy computer geek, begins to awkwardly make out with the model. It made many sick to their stomach as it was very disgusting. Zach Looser, 9, thought it was the worst commercial he had ever seen and did not understand why GoDaddy aired it. It was reported that the commercial took many takes before it was ready to air. It did not help the quality of the commercial, but Albert is certainly one lucky guy.
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4 3 2 1 Best
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Taylor Swift earns reputation as serial dater BY GRACE RHODES
Musician Taylor Swift has earned the reputation of a superstar, and even more notably, a serial dater. With catchy melodies and relatable lyrics, Swift’s songs describing her countless failed relationships have sent her to the top of the charts. Perhaps the only record more impressive than her collection of hit singles is her accumulation of ex-boyfriends. In 2010, Taylor Swift boldly told Seventeen Magazine, “I’m not the girl who always has a boyfriend. I’m the girl who rarely has a boyfriend.” However, over the past five years, coverage of her extremely public
love life has told a different story. “Guys need to learn to never, ever get with Taylor because she only causes trouble when she walks in,” said Hope Leonhard, 11. 2008: Joe Jonas Taylor Swift’s romantic life first came into the spotlight in 2008 when she began seeing fellow musician Joe Jonas. The couple dated for four months before Jonas broke up with Swift in an infamous 27 second phone call. One month later, Swift released her second album, Speak Now, featuring two bitter tracks about the relationship. Ironically, the songs’ titles reflected precisely what Jonas failed to be, Swift’s “Forever
Photos courtesy of mct campus
Taylor Swift never shies away from public displays of affection, pictured above with ex-boyfriends Conor Kennedy (left), John Mayer (center), and Taylor Lautner (right).
and Always” and “Last Kiss.” 2009: Taylor Lautner Swift hoped to find romance with her Valentine’s Day costar, Taylor Lautner, in 2009. For the first and only time, Swift blamed herself for the relationship’s failure, “swallowing her pride” and publicly apologizing to her hot exwerewolf. While her single “Back to December” was met with a cold shoulder by Lautner, it succeeded in warming the hearts of her fans. 2009: John Mayer On her third album, Speak Now, Swift pointedly criticized her then ex-boyfriend John Mayer in her single “Dear John.” Disregarding the long line of boys she had already burned through, Swift claimed the role as the innocent damsel in distress, singing, “Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with?” It seems that this “girl in the dress” finds herself “crying the whole way home” quite often. 2010: Cory Monteith In 2010, Swift hoped she could
find her happy ending with Glee star Cory Monteith. By never officially confirming the fling, she finally attempted to pull her love life out of the spotlight. Nonetheless, it is widely speculated that Swift wrote “Mine” and “Speak Now” about the baby-faced performer. Perhaps Monteith’s onscreen engagement to Leah Michelle was enough to spark Swift’s jealousy and make her confidently claim, “You wish it were me, don’t you?” 2010: Jake Gyllenhaal Swift began to search for a more mature relationship in 2010 when she traded in her young boy toys for Jake Gyllenhaal, an actor nine years her senior. In Swift’s single “The Last Time,” she asked Gyllenhaal to put her on the “top of your list.” It appears, however, that he rejected this request, and she did not take it well, retaliating with the scathing song “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” 2012: Conor Kennedy In 2012, Swift finally got the
chance to live out her princess fairy tale when she began dating American royalty, Conor Kennedy. However, after the café visits and weddingcrashing ended, the relationship proved to be nothing more than a summer fling. Nonetheless, Swift reflects on the romance in a “State of Grace” and remains grateful that it served as a reminder of love’s ability to “Begin Again.” 2013: Harry Styles Following a brief fling with Harry Styles, Swift officially began dating the One Direction member in December 2012 against her better judgment; it is heavily speculated that she had already written “I Knew You Were Trouble” by this time. In 2013, when Styles “took a step back without” Swift, she fought back by using a British accent during her performance at the Grammy’s. The split proved devastating to pre-teen girls across the globe who were forced to choose sides between the American sweetheart and the British bad-boy.
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February 2013
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Sports 21 years of league championships-girls basketball, wrestling F ebruary 2013
By BROOKE FICK
The Suburban League Championship is not as easy to win as the girls basketball team and the boys wrestling team make it look. This winter season marked the 21st year in a row the wrestling team has won it, while the girls have won it 21 out of 23 years. Two huge accomplishments for any sports programs.
Wrestling
The wrestling team dominated every team at Green with 230 points, winning by a huge margin over the runner up, Nordonia. with 173.5 points. The determination to win the title was high that day. It was special because it was the 21st year in a row, or as they coined it-Blackjack.
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“I am so proud of these young men who dedicated themselves and stood for something special by continuing the excellence and tradition of Wadsworth wrestling. Scoring Blackjack made for a fun year.!” said Coach Gramuglia. The team claimed eight individual champs with Noah Baughman and Connor Gray kick starting the team at 106 and 120 respectively. Darrin Gilkerson won 4-3 at 126. Mathias Zollinger beat Nordonia 12-6 at 138. Abdulhabib beat Nordonia 7-5 at 145 and Robbie Bosley beat Copley 3-2 at 152. Tim Knipl beat Revere 10-7 at 170 and Daryk Maki beat Green 1-0 at 285. The wrestling team’s final record was 15-2, only beaten by #1 St. Edward and #4 Brecksville.
Swimming
Ellie Surratt won Suburban League Title and also earned 1st place in the 50 yd. freestyle and runner-up in the 100 free. Kim Stafford placed 2nd in the 200 free and 3rd in the 500 free in the Suburban League. Matt Pavlak was runner-up in the 100 breast stroke. The team of Pavlak, Jake Braumbaugh, Matthew Grey, and Logan Lanson was runner-up in the Medley relay.
Girls Basketball
PHOTO COURTESY MCT CAMPUS
Peyton ,11 pushes the ball ahead of her opponent earlier this season.
PHOTO COURTESY MCT CAMPUS
Robbie 11 rules the wrestling mat.
The girls basketball team won its fourth straight Suburban League Title and finishing with a 20-2 overall record 14-0 in the league for the third straight year. “Winning the League Championship never gets old. It is our #1 goal every season. It is a tribute to the players that started this run of championships that our kids work hard to keep the tradition going. This senior class never lost a SL game in their three years on varsity, which is something that no other class in our program’s history can say they have done. I am tremendously proud of them and their contribution to our team,” said Coach Booth. This year their biggest rival
Sports Briefs Gymnastics
After a long year of preparation, the gymnastics team excelled throughout their long season. They recently competed in the sectional meet at Medina High school.There is great potential for Kallie Almes and Charlotte Bates move on to the district meet on February 23.
was Revere because of all the talk on Yappi.(A website filled with talk about the upcoming games.) The first game, Revere hung with them, but Wadsworth came back and won it. Wadsworth was said to have three main c o m p e t i t o r s : Ta l l m a d g e , Green, and Revere. They beat Green 56-41, Tallmadge 64-19, and Revere 61-28. “We have really come together as a team in order to reach our goal toward getting to states. I have a feeling this year we will make it to the top,” said Hannah Centea,11. Wadsworth basketball has been known for its success from a high level of motivation. The team’s mindset cannot be broken.
Boys Basketball The boys end the regular season at 12-10. The team will play the Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers at Copley High School on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The boys look to finish their season strong against Revere on senior night. They look to seniors Dylan Galford, Nathan Pound, Tony Hogan and Ryan Sheppard to lead the way.
Public vs.Private
Should the OHSAA separate them into athletic tournaments? SPORTS OPINION BY CONNOR SHERRILL
Should public and private high schools be separated into two different sport divisions? This has been a large debate in the great state of Ohio for a long time. This May, during their annual referendum voting period, the whole idea could become a real possibility. The last time this subject was voted on in 1978 and 1993, were both turned down by the vote. If it were to pass this time then the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) would create separate tournaments for public and nonpublic schools. If the vote were to pass it would not go into effect until 2014-2015 or 2015-2016. The OHSAA is an unincorporated, non-profit organization founded in 1907 and has been doing the same thing for over 100 years. They have had nine commissioners since then. Current commissioner, Daniel B. Ross, Ph.D., has been in charge of the OHSAA since 2004. Shown on the left side of page, Trey Burke, former point guard of Northland High School in Columbus. Below him is former quarterback for the Mentor Cardinals, Mitch Trubisky. He plans on playing college football at North Carolina University. Shown on the right side of the page, at the top, is Dean Heil, a three time state champ looking for number four. Below his is former St. Vincent St. Mary standout LeBron James, who now plays in the NBA. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
YES
I am in favor of the vote saying that they will create two different tournaments for the separate schools. I think that private schools have superior athletes and coaches more than public schools do. This assumption made does show and has real facts. Schools with the most team state titles include several private schools. 10 out of the top 15 schools are private. Private schools in the top 15 have 295 titles together while the five public schools only have 143. Private schools nearly double that number, proving that they have better athletic competition. Private schools always seem to pull the best athletes away from the nearest public schools. St. Vincent St. Mary has taken a few athletes from Wadsworth that could have had potential in helping our programs. Most recently they had a freshman from North Carolina come and play basketball for them. Martice Jackson, 11, had the option of going to St. V before his freshman year. “I am so glad that I stayed here in Wadsworth. The friends and lessons I have made here will last a lifetime. I do not think that if I went to St. V, I would have had the same opportunities that I had here.” Public schools being separated from private schools would be best for the great state of Ohio and I hope the vote passes.
NO
I am opposed to the idea because then private schools will write their own recruiting rules, and it will be open season on the best public school athletes in the area. Private school will openly offer scholarships to them. I think this will kill public school leagues. Rivalries will die out and the competition will be nonexistent at the public school level. However, the private schools will be overflowing with talent that many public schools would love to have. “I do not think that they should separate the state tournaments. I love going up against private schools. They have good talent and it is always an entertaining battle,” said Connor Gray, 10. If they separated the two they would be ruining a tradition of David vs. Goliath. What would you call a state final between St. Eds and St. Xavier? Goliath vs. Goliath? There is no underdog in the match up. It is just two powerhouses going up against each other. With the thrill of the picking the underdog being taken away, the high school sporting world in Ohio has no competition left. Public schools would not even get a chance to beat the best teams in the state, though the private schools usually get the best of them. Even though the competition would be nonexistent the public schools would win more titles.
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Quote “I wouldn’t say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as OF THE long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it” MONTH – Michael Phelps
Junk of Fantasy Teacher Winner of the the Month Month BY NATHAN POUND
VS Photo by Sarah berger
Photo by Sarah Berger
Mr. Jurey smiles for the camera.
Mrs. North puts on a big smile for the win!
The monthly Fantasy Teacher League continues into February. This month’s teacher battle features Mr. Jason Jurey and Mrs. Leslie North. Jurey teaches Science, and North teaches Math. However, only one can come out on top. Although Mr. Jurey wins the hearts of most girls in the school, this month’s winner is Mrs. North. Her dedication to her students and years of experience give her the extra edge. Next month’s match up is between Mr. John Yaggi and Mr. Scott Callaghan for the other semi-final.
The car of Andrew “Smitty” Smith, 12, is a prime example of Junk of the Month. Smith is the proud owner of his 2007 Dodge Stratus. His beloved car is dented and scraped along the whole right side, as seen in the bottom picture. Smitty is also seen holding the mirror, which broke off in the same accident that caused the damage to the side of the car. The taillight of Smitty’s car was broken soon after the other damages. He was backing up in
the dark, and a tree jumped out behind him. Although the windshield looks fine now, it was also broken for a period of time. All of these damages have made contributions to make Smith’s 2007 Dodge Stratus the Junk of the Month.
PHOTOS BY NATHAN POUND
COUPLE OF THE MONTH BY SABRINA PARSONS
PHOTO courtesy of mct campus
PHOTO courtesy of mtc campus
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The couples’ feature was seen earlier in this paper on page 9. After reviewing the five couples, Nathan Aberle, 12, and Cara Powell, 11, have been chosen as the Bruin Couple of the Month. Nathan and Cara have been dating for three and a half
CAREER TECH STUDENT OF THE MONTH
years. It really is a true love story. Nothing is more romantic
PHOTO BY BAYLEE CONRAD
CAREER TECH STUDENT OF THE MONTH
PHOTO BY NATHAN POUND
Cassandra
than meeting in middle school show choir and lasting all the way through high school. These two are truly a happy couple, and there is nothing better than that. Therefore, the happy couple is being rewarded with couple of the month. On behalf of the Bruin staff, we wish Nathan and Cara a Happy Valentine’s Day.
TV SHOW
PHOTO BY NATHAN POUND
Alex
PHOTO courtesy of mtc campus
Students of the Month Meagan
PHOTO BY NATHAN POUND
Who is your favorite teacher? Mr. Kibler
Who is your favorite teacher? Mr. Schoonover
What are your plans after high school? Throwing at Shawnee State while studying accounting.
What are your plans after high school? I plan on going to Akron U to continue my education in computer science.
What is your favorite high school memory? Something to do with Carly Sandridge, 12, and the throwing team.
What is your favorite quote? “A smart man learns from his own mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”
What is one piece of advice you would give to underclassmen? If you stop suddenly in the hallway, be prepared to get run over.
What is one piece of advice you would give to underclassmen? Pick and choose your battles.
Josh
PHOTO BY NATHAN POUND
16
S peakout
THE BRUIN
F ebruary 2013
Who was your first Valentine? f
LOV E
BE YOU MINE
TEACHERS
“My first Valentine was given to me at birth. Although I was not born on Valentine’s Day, Valentine is my middle name. It was my great grandmother’s maiden name.” -Mrs. Amy LaMonica
“Bryon Barth. He gave me a note on the bus asking, “Will you go with me? Check yes or no.” Ahhh, puppy love in the ‘80s.” -Mrs. Michelle Farr “Cindy Shepard in the fourth grade. She kicked me in the leg and I pushed her down on the playground. It was playground love! PS. I did have hair in the fourth grade.” -Mr. Dwain Kibler
“My mom! It didn’t matter who I was dating at the time, I always got my mom a card. Girlfriends come and go, but you only get one mom.” -Mr. Jason Jurey
“Karen B. but when I won the 3rd grade coloring contest, she tore up the Valentine I gave her.” -Mr. William Schmeltzer Sr.
What was your worst Valentine’s Day experience? UR CUTE
HU G ME
STUDENTS
“I went to my girlfriend’s house and we were hanging out in her room when her parents came home. They had no idea I was there, so I hid for 4-5 hours until her parents went to bed. Then I snuck out of there. We broke up the next week. I will never risk my life for a girl again.” -J.J. , 11 Kenny, We are the only Redhawk and Bobcat that can make a great team. Will you go to Spring Fling with me? -Rachel
“I went on a double date with this guy and during the middle of our date, he threw up all over my brand new dress. Names withheld.” -Sarah and Becca, 12
“When I’m at home watching movies about love, then all of a sudden I realize my ice cream is gone...” -Kelsey, 11
“This year because I got very sick the day before and had to stay home from school... No love for me.” -Connor, 9 “One time, I got this girl a box of chocolates. Turns out she was allergic to chocolate. It was bad because I had known her for so long and never knew that. #MyBad” -DJ, 10