NEWSPAPER II/III VOLUME XLIII NO. 3
DECEMBER 2017 $1.00
WADSWORTH HIGH SCHOOL
The
BRUIN 625 BROAD STREET, WADSWORTH, OHIO 44281
Ohio’s Mr. Football
Baughman secures legacy, future undetermined BY JOSH HAGANS QUENTIN GRIFFIN
Joey Baughman joins Ohio Football legends in a season that will never be forgotten, culminating with him winning Ohio’s Mr. Football as the state’s best player. Mr. Football is awarded by Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association and is decided by a statewide vote from a nomination of the state’s eight districts for all divisions. Mr. Football is the highest award any player can receive in the state of Ohio. Previous winners include the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft: Mitchell Trubisky, in 2012, Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, in 1995, Maurice Clarett, in 2001, and Joe Burrow, in 2014. “It is a huge honor to see your own name grouped in with such an elite group of athletes,” said Baughman. The football season may have just come to an end but Baughman’s new chapter has already begun. Not even an hour after winning Mr. Football, Baughman’s phone would not stop going off with texts and phone calls from friends, family, and college coaches. He has now
been in numerous interviews with radio and television stations. “A lot of people come up to me and congratulate me, people that I do not even know, it is kind of cool but after awhile it gets kind of old because I am still the same person that I was,” said Baughman. The fame does not end there. It extends to getting personal invites to the Ohio Statehouse from Ohio Senator, Larry Obhof. Baughman also received a personal tour of the Statehouse and was given a resolution from the Senate that recognized his accomplishments. The resolution was presented to Baughman on the Senate floor with a full session in attendance. Winning the award has caused Baughman to rethink his future. Recently, he turned away from a life-long wrestling career through de-committing from the University of Virginia. The three-time state placer, two-time state runner-up, and nationally ranked wrestler said, “that was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, if I would not have won Mr. Football, I would be wrestling at Virginia next year.” Playing football in college, however, has always been Baughman’s dream. During the past summer,
Baughman attended 15 college football camps all across the country. “It’s funny because I was never contacted from any coaches after those camps. I assumed that they always thought I was too small for college football,” said Baughman when asked about his experience. Winning this award has now opened the door for Baughman to continue his dream of playing college football. “It’s amazing to win this award and have my dream come true and possibly being able to play college football,” said Baughman.
Wadsworth is no stranger to the drug epidemic that is strangling our nation. This epidemic has taken root within our community and is a reality we must face together. The school district has decided to combat this epidemic by targeting learning to students. They have done this by bringing in numerous speakers and holding many assemblies to push a drug-
Inside the Bruin:
free image upon its students. The county has also taken a strong stance against the drug epidemic. Through the creation of rehabilitation center called Robby’s Voice in Medina, the county has united itself in its fight. In recent history, Ohio has also been referred to as the heroin capital of the United States. In particular, Medina County has had a startling amount of heroin overdoses in the past years. Wadsworth High School
Fortner making comeback p. 8
@WadsworthBruin
before he makes his choice. “I’m going to go where I can pursue my dream, playing college football.” Baughman is now recognized as Wadsworth football royalty. Baughman is not only the first student from Wadsworth to win the award, but also the first from Medina County to win Mr. Football. As his future becomes clear, Baughman continues to be humble and have a “chip on his shoulder” as he looks to continue his decorated football career at the next level and beyond.
Baughman’s Senior Stats Passing • 3,060 Yards • 36 TD’s • 3 Int Rushing • 1,533 Yards • 20 TD’s 56 Total TD’s PHOTO BY GLEN RUTHERFORD
Baughman plays with a “chip on his shoulder” leaving nothing to chance. His athleticism was on display as he leapt over multiple defenders for the touchdown in the Grizzlies’ matchup against the Brecksville Bees. Use the Aurasma app to watch this play come to life!
Our ‘In Depth’ Look at Drugs BY QUENTIN GRIFFIN AHMED DARWICH
Since Baughman’s decommitment, his phone has been ringing non-stop from college coaches, all wanting him to join their program. “I probably average ten phone calls a day from college coaches now,” said Baughman. The schools showing the most interest include; West Virginia, Toledo, Kent State, Air Force, Navy, Cincinnati, and Rhode Island. With Early Signing Day for the National Letter of Intent for football on December 20th, Baughman is waiting to see happens with other commits
students are just as affected by addiction and drug use as adults. The damage it can cause to a young body and mind is astounding. This damage is not short-term. Rather than believing in this rare occasion, our writers carried out a survey within our school to find the true amount of drugs that are abused by our students. The results are staggering. Our writers also propose solutions to this plague that inflicts our community. These solutions, while not perfect, provide a student’s perspective on how to solve this difficult situation. These
Jariga prepares for Air Force Academy p. 9
solutions further the mission of unifying the community to find a solution to this growing issue. In this issue of The Bruin, we tackle the drug epidemic that plagues our community. To do this, we looked deep within our community. We were able to find people who were willing to talk about this issue in order to illuminate the epidemic to the community and provide solutions from a student’s perspective. We hope that this will be the beginning of the discussion that solves this issue within our community.
Veterans Day Assembly p. 10
WadsworthBruin.com
In-Depth Page 6-7
Drugs in Wadsworth
School Survey Robby’s Place It’s a Wonderful Life p. 11
Wadsworth Bruin
2
A ds & P atrons
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
need pHYSICAL tHERAPY?
Wadsworth Sports Medicine 621 School Dr. (at the YMCA) 330–334–0035
Proud supporter of the Wadsworth Bruin and Wadsworth Athletics!
Robert S Crawford, M.D., CAQSM
Wadsworth Sports Medicine since 1991
Go Grizzlies!
THANK YOU 2017-2018 PATRONS
Diana & Bill Aey, The Anderson Family, Dawn Bailey, John & Karen Baker, Katie Baker, John Sr. & Michele Baker, The Ball Family, Tom & Lynn Bardar, Michael and Jennifer Barnes, Dave Bartiromo, Mary Beth Baxley, Doug & Cindy Beeman, Rich & Dana Berlin, Allen and Corina Bingham, Mark & Melinda Black, Charlene Blevins, Eric Bowling, Beth Bowling, Chuck & Maureen Brigham, Denise Brown, Heidi Burkey, Nana Callow, The Carpenter Family, Debbie and Mark Carr, Lisa Chapman, Danielle Cheff, Vickie Conley, Judy Conner, The Cornacchione Family, Paul Coward, Dawn & Robert Crawford, Carol Crawford, Bill & Lisa Dallas, The Debon Family, Erwin & Sally Diener, Rebecca Dills, Debbie and Steve Dishauzi, The Dishong Family, Don & Vicki Dreher, Ed Dryer, The Earnest Family, Melisssa Eaton, Betsy Emery, Heather Errante, Falkenstein Family, Michelle Farr, The Felix Family, Susannah Forreman, Dr. and Mrs. Fortner, Cindy Gabler, Steve and Kelly Gibson, Ray and Betty Gill, Evelyn Griffin, Jenny & John Griffin, Cheryl & Steve Griffin, The Hagans Family, Joe & Lisa Hanna, The Haprian Family, Harig Family, Ron Hart, The Hillegass Family, Dana Hire, Tim and Jodie Hughes, Analiseth Huskins, John, Sandy, and Kassie Hutchinson, Brian & Kristie Ihrig, Bill & Amy Jariga, Lauvence & Nancy Jennings, John Johnson, Jason Jurey, Andrea Kline, The Kurt Family, Angel Kusmits, George and Hannan Laikos, Laikos Family, Ms. Laikos, Janet Lindhe, Mary Linn, Joe & Laura Lockwood, The LoGuidice Family, Rich and Cheri Long, Shawn and Laura McDermitt, Jake and Debbie McDermitt, Steve and Sarah McIlvaine, Donald and Melinda McMillan, Liz Mendel, Scott Merhar, Don & Tanya Miksch, Heidi Miller, Wendie Montgomery, Steve Moore, Mike Moser, Amy & Frank Muhl, Mike Nemeth, Dave Nicholas, Greg & Dana North, Roger & Leslie North, Miss Allison Pallija, Angel Pappas, Kathie Parke, Allison Parsons, Connor Pletcher, The Recupero Family, John and Norma Renner, Tom and Renee Riggenbach, The Schoonover Family, Semancik Family, The Setera Family, The Shaeffer Family, Scott and Shannon Shope, Jim & Laurie Sickels, Simpson Family, The Singleton Family, Jamie Soucie, Angel Snowball, Kris Storad, Dave & Trish Swanson, The Szalay Family, Margaret Tate, Sarah Trausch, Amy & Bill Tuck, Clarke and Shawn Van Dyke, Melisa & Adam Virgei, Kirt & Leanne Virgin, Allyson Wagner, John and Nancy Wagner, Mike Wagner, Stephanie Warner, Webb Family, The Wichterman’s, Jim & Pam Williams, Ted & Felicity Wilson, Stephanie Wise, Bridget Witschey, Kaye Wolfinger, Rita Youngblood, Kathy Zagar.
Bruin Staff Editor-in-Chief: Quentin Griffin Front Page: Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich, Jackie Toth Reporter: Josh Hagans Editorial: Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich, Jackie Toth Reporter: Tori Baker Features: Page Editor: Tori Baker Reporters: T.J. Lockwood, Jacob McDermitt Opinion 1: Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich, Jackie Toth Reporters: Jacob Brown, Kaitlyn Setera Opinion 2: Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich, Jackie Toth Reporters: Olivia Porpora, Jonathon Ball In-Depth: Page Editor: Ahmed Darwich Reporters: Colin Wright, Marraya Youngblood, Kylee Baranek, Adam Darwich Sports 1: Page Editor: Josh Hagans Reporters: Joey Baughman, Jake LoGuidice Sports 2: Page Editor: Josh Hagans Reporters: Kai Wagner, Christian Szalay Picture Page: Editors: Alyssa Laikos Reporter: Alyssa Laikos Entertainment: Editor: Tori Baker Reporters: Anna Bowling, Jessica Hermann Speakout: Page Editor: Alyssa Laikos Reporter: Richie Dietrich Online Editor: Nate Barnett Ads/Business Manager: Josh Hagans Adviser: Eric Heffinger
Editorial Policy The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the April/May issue. The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body. This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the adviser. The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene or excessively disruptive to the school process. The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed. 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.
F eatures
D ecember 2017
THE BRUIN
3
Yearbooks of the future BY T.J. LOCKWOOD
The Wadsworth High School yearbook staff is preparing to make a new and innovative change for the upcoming 20172018 yearbook. This change includes augmented reality, which is the ability to turn regular pictures into a life-like video, image, or gif, called Aurasma. This is a new addition to the yearbook that will bring you both a new dimension and a plethora of new memories. The technology in this augmented
reality is not going anywhere and is made to last a long time. This means you will still be able to use this feature when you look through your yearbook as an adult. “20 years from now, you will not only see a still picture, but you will be able to see a video too, which will just add to the memories and enjoyment in the Whisperer,” said Mr. Berg, who has been running the yearbook class for the last five years. The yearbook staff is trying out Aurasma this year and seeing how it works out, but
1. In order to use this feature, you need to download the free Aurasma app in the app store. 2. Create a free account
they are very confident that it will be a success. Other schools have also tried this augmented reality before, and it has been very successful; both literally, and through student feedback. Members of the yearbook staff at WHS also look forward to this new addition to the yearbook. “I am really excited to see how the yearbook will turn out this year. I believe this is a great addition to the Whisperer that will make it more original and fun,” said yearbook staff member Regan Mason, 11. This augmented reality is used
not only in the yearbook but is also in this Bruin issue. You can try out the Aurasma app within this issue. The photos you can see as a video are marked with a bear paw and a purple letter “A” inside a white circle. This will be in one of the corners of the interactive photos, as seen in the photo of the grizzly bear below. On Page 1, you can see Joey Baughman jump into the end zone for a touchdown, while on Page 10, you can observe a touching moment from Veterans’ Day. On Page 11, you can see
3. Type in the “Discover Aura’s” box @WadsworthYearbook. This will give you access to everything that the Whisperer and the Bruin use with Aurasma.
4. Open the app and click on the purple button on the bottom.
Michael Juscak comment on the recent high school play. The yearbook is available to buy and the cost is $65. With this low price and multitude of memories, many staff members encourage students to buy their yearbook and preview the new augmented reality in this issue of the Bruin. “The yearbook staff is working very hard to make the best book possible. I think this will be one of the most well put together yearbooks that Wadsworth has had. Everyone should definitely buy it,” said Mason, 11.
5. Hover your phone over this photo and watch the video appear.
Meet our foreign exchange students
OB
MC DE RMI
TT
Bonjour from France! Alice Soler is WHS’s foreign exchange student from her hometown near Paris, located in Northern France. High school in the United States is far different than what
OB PHOT
Y
JA
C
Patricia Garcia Hola from Spain! Patricia de Minon Garcia, a foreign exchange student here at Wadsworth High, hails from the city of Cádiz in southern Spain. Back in Spain, Garcia would be in her fourth out of six total
years of high school. She finds school here in America to be extremely different than what she had been accustomed to back home. “Pretty much everything here is different. We do not have lockers and the teachers, instead of the students, switch classrooms during the day,” said Garcia. Their school day also begins later, not starting until 9:00 in the morning and lasting until 4:30 in the afternoon. Garcia, however, prefers the timing of the school day here in America. She likes starting school earlier in the day because then it also ends earlier. This time frame leaves a larger portion of the afternoon free than her old
RMI TT
CD E
M
O AC
Luiza Parenti Olá from Brazil! Luiza Parenti is a Brazilian foreign exchange student here at Wadsworth High School. Specifically, she hails from the southern city of Sâo Paulo. Parenti said that high school school. In that extended free time, Garcia decided to become a member of the Varsity Girls Tennis team this past fall. She played first doubles, and her partner was Hannah Jarolim, 12. Despite not playing together or even knowing each other prior to the season, the pairing managed to reach districts in the postseason tournament. “It was a lot of fun playing with Patricia this year. It was a great and unexpected experience for me. She was really relaxed when she played and was always smiling and motivating me and we actually became really great friends from the experience,” said Jarolim.
ER MITT
Alice Soler
YJ OB PHOT
M CD
AC
has the most drastic difference between America and the experiences she had growing up in Brazil. “The schools are a lot bigger here in America. This school has, I do not even know how many people, and my school in Brazil only had like 300 students total,” said Parenti. Not only do the schools differ in size, but they also run at different times. In Brazil, high schools begin their year in February and are in session all the way through November. Even though the school is much larger and different than what she is used to, Parenti opted to become a member of WHS’s winter guard team. From both winter guard and
O B
O
B
YJ OB PHOT
she experienced back home. “I like the school a lot more here. You can pick what classes you take and you are done a lot earlier in the day. Back home in France, we go from 8:30 in the morning until 5:30,” says Soler. As bad as that is, back in France they only have three years of high school. Soler also says the excitement and school spirit surrounding the sports teams was surprising. “Sports are my favorite thing about it here. Football games were really fun,” said Soler. Between school and going to football games with her friends, she could not think of a single thing that she did not like about Wadsworth High School.
B
M
CD ER
MITT
BY JACOB MCDERMITT
OB PHOT
AC YJ
Letizia Lanzi Ciao from Italy! Letizia Lanzi is one of Wadsworth’s foreign exchange students, and she is from Parma, a city in northwestern Italy. Lanzi would be in her fourth of five high school years back in
school, Parenti has been amazed by the way everyone treats not just her, but also each other with so much kindness. “My favorite thing is the people. Everyone here is so nice and so polite,” says Parenti. That courtesy, and the atmosphere it creates, is her favorite thing about being here in America. Despite the overall pleasant nature of the people here, there is one thing she does not like about America. Apparently, here at Wadsworth High, we do not know how to party like the Brazilians. “I do not like how early the parties end,” says Parenti. “They end too early!” Italy. The differences in length are part of the reason she finds school to be the thing that differs the most between America and Italy. “School here is very different, Back in Italy, school is six days a week. It starts much later in the morning. We do not pick our classes or switch between classes every period like in America,” said Lanzi. Other than the cold weather here in Wadsworth, of which she is not a fan, she has really enjoyed everything during her time here, so much so that she could not decide on the best part. “I love it all here and I cannot think of a favorite part,” said Lanzi.
4
D ecember 2017
A
S
L
: Learning a new language O pinion 1
THE BRUIN
What other courses do you think the school should add? OPINION BY KAITLYN SETERA
“A class that inspires kids and teaches the morals of life would be pretty nice.”Et - Jessica Keith, 9
“I think learning the Greek language and all of its mythology in school would be cool.”Et
- Michael Edwards, 11
“A creativity class would be fun to be a part of.”Et - Amy Davies, 10 PHOTOS BY KAITLYN SETERA
Throughout our high school careers, it is stressed that broadening our educational horizons is important, and as students, we should try things that have the potential to benefit us in the future. If our school were to expand the availability of lessons in foreign languages and introduce a course that teaches sign language, students would be exposed to something that would allow advancements in communication. Studies have shown that American Sign Language, or ASL, is one of the most common “spoken” languages used in America, besides English. Roughly 70 million people use the visual-gestural language as their native tongue, and with the gradual increase in hearing loss victims, the numbers are only rising. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing benefit from learning this form of conversation and we too could benefit from the presentation of new knowledge in a classroom environment. “ASL and visual languages allow us to communicate with a
portion of people that are often forgotten about. It’s a beautiful thing, but as a society, we leave a gap in our language,” says Maggie Humes, 12. Humes is self-taught in sign language and started learning at a young age as a way to communicate with a deaf friend of hers. She has since been practicing and plans on carrying her passion into college. She will be majoring in the study and finds that students continue to savor the new language’s taste. The addition of an ASL course to the curriculum could influence students immensely. They could consider a career in the field like Humes, or follow the other alternatives.
“ASL and visual languages allow us to communicate with a portion of people that’s often forgotten about.” -Maggie Humes, 12 Through the class, students would become more familiar with the deaf community and how they can interact with one another through recognition of signs and gestures. The translations observed would help individuals in the workforce as well. After an individual has completed so many years of sign language, the
fluency of both English and ASL could help students immensely as they write their resume. Above all else though, students would be able to break the barriers that hold them back from communicating with those who are hard of hearing or deaf. The conversations made could build great relationships and would end isolationism of the deaf. As a school that is about to welcome an underclassman who cannot hear, I believe such introduction of a new language would only be fitting. Not only would this student benefit from having peers around him familiar with his language, but our student body would become more advanced in speech diversity. Jessica Wilbraham, teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the middle school says, “American Sign Language is a beautiful language that takes time to understand along with patience and willingness to put forth the effort to learn. If you take the initiative to learn something and try to communicate with a deaf and hard of hearing person, even with mistakes, they will appreciate the fact that you are using their language. An effort makes an impact.” An introduction of this language could be beneficial for all students at this school, and I strongly support this new beginning.
Class rank is gone for good OPINION BY JACOB BROWN
Class rank was an unnecessary evil here that compared nothing but the students’ grade point averages (GPA). It was unfair and biased toward those who took weighted classes. Wadsworth High School has always had class rank in place and a valedictorian for the graduating class. Before weighted classes, that system worked, and it did for many years. An “A” was an “A” and the level of class did not matter, just the ending grade. When the
high school introduced weighted classes, such as advanced placement (AP) and college credit plus (CCP), a wrench was thrown into the machine of ranking. It caused for a flawed system that wrongly ranked students. And the fact that they continued with the system for two whole years before they noticed the skewed viewpoint is unacceptable. “It’s hard to compare apples to apples with students taking weighted classes,” said Principal, Mr. Moore. To rank kids based solely on their GPA at this point became too unfair to get a reasonable standing on where kids were placed. With AP and CCP classes both being ranked on a 5.0 scale, honors classes being a 4.5 scale and academic level classes on the
SHOULD CLASS RANK COME BACK? 30%
-YES 70%
INFOGRAPH MADE BY JACOB BROWN
-NO
Pie chart representing the survey poll from Twitter with over 300 students polled.
traditional 4.0 limit, classes like art, basic electricity, woodshop, blueprint reading, 2D and 3D design, and many others are classes that resemble reallife jobs became unappealing to the students who would possibly want to have a future in these fields because they were academic classes and therefore on the 4.0 GPA scale. “Students were taking classes strictly to improve their ranking rather than enhancing their future career paths,” Moore continued. Kids began to take classes strictly because of the weighted GPA to bump up their class standing rather than taking classes that they are truly interested in. “A committee began researching class rank well over five years ago to determine our current policy and procedures related to rank. Prior to our current seniors’ freshman year (2014/15), the decision was made to no longer provide individual rank for students, along with eliminating valedictorian/ salutatorian recognition,” said guidance counselor Mrs. Ross. Following the new national trend, the decision to get rid of the ranking system all-together occurred. Of all the schools in the Suburban League, only a select number still choose to individually rank their students. “I think class rank should come
PHOTO BY MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD
Class rank was unnecessary and unfair to those who earned good grades, but did not load up their schedule with AP and CCP classes.
back because it gives students motivation to push themselves academically,” said Lindsey Leatherman, 12. Through research and collaboration, it was discovered that it was more beneficial for college admissions and financial aid to release the weighted GPA because it was more valuable than individual rank. This is not the first time that the discussion of keeping/bringing back class rank has popped up in conversation over the past two years. Seventy percent of current students say that we should bring it back and thirty percent say it should not return to the school. Many students feel as if the class rank is healthy competition that should not have been eliminated, but when asked to provide more support to their claims, they were unable to. Many of these such students were unaware of the actual reasons that the class rank
was removed and did not realize the severity of the inflation of GPAs due to weighted classes and CCP. It is my hope that when they see this, they will notice that the removal of class rank was supported and researched thoroughly before the decision to remove it was put in place. The fact that it worked in the past has nothing to do with how it would function today, with the weighted GPA and inflated class schedules, the results became too skewed to morally keep it in action. With only thirty percent of the school in support of my opinion, I am part of the minority on this topic. While the majority of the school is in opposition to me, it is still important to understand why class rank is no longer in effect and why it will not be coming back anytime soon.
O pinion 2
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
PDA: People Do not Approve OPINION BY OLIVIA PORPORA
School is a place designated for learning; a place dedicated to the ascension of those who want to learn and it is meant to be free of distractions. But sadly, our ability to be respected and to learn in an environment free of distractions has been compromised. Public displays of affection, or PDA, have hindered our school and it needs to stop. The kids that take part in PDA are a distraction to the students around them. The couples that roam our halls make it hard to get to class on time because they are too busy locking lips in the mix-up of traffic. When these kids do whatever they feel, they get in the way of other students who are trying to be productive. “I see the same couple every day, all over each other, and they are always in my way. It just makes me sad,” said Will Virgin, 11. You should, and you must, save your intimate time with your significant other for outside of school. School is a place to learn and when you take part in PDA, learning takes a back seat. These kids are misusing the time that school provides to do inappropriate things, and by doing this they are hurting their academic and future careers.
We come to school to learn and better ourselves, but if you spend that time obsessing over your significant other you defeat the purpose of this institution. Instead of participating in PDA, you can text each other or just wait until after school; that way you are more focused on your duties as a student. Couples of all kinds should take into consideration that the students around them do not want to see them get intimate. Some students might take offense to the PDA. Sharing affection with a significant other is personal and should be between you and that person, not displayed for other students around the school. “There is this one couple at lunch and it looks so inappropriate. I am just trying to eat my lunch, I don’t want to see that. One day it was so bad, we had to get a lunch lady to get them to stop,” said Alexandra Zuder, 11. I understand that when you are in a relationship you want to spend as much time with that person as you can, and sometimes you cannot hang out with that person unless you are in school. Unfortunately, school is not the right place to publicly share your affection for one another. Once school is dismissed, I have no problem with couples kissing, just not during school hours. Some people find it gross and it makes them uncomfortable, but there is nothing, we students, can do about it. These couples do not listen
to their fellow students and sometimes do not even listen to administration. I am proposing that the school administration enforce new rules to help this issue. If our school starts disciplining these kids with a disciplinary report it would really help with the amount of PDA that is present in the school. By this, I am not saying that every person participating in PDA should get a detention, but rather, the administration could give them more than a verbal warning, especially if they are repeat offenders. “There is a huge difference between holding hands or hugging in the halls or something else. Sometimes I feel like there needs to be a line drawn,” said Vincent Lobello, 11. The people who support PDA might argue that we can walk around them or go a different way. Personally, I am not going to change my schedule to avoid PDA because I do not have time to change for ignorant students. If the school were to address the problem of PDA, I believe that it would be a more pleasant place. It would be amazing if teachers or other staff members started calling out kids that are taking part in PDA. I am not trying to bring kids down, I just want them to realize that no one wants to see PDA. The first step in getting rid of this problem is to make the offenders realize, that people do not approve of their actions.
touches sensitive topics. Kids should be able to discuss a book or essay that uses profane language or topics of inappropriate nature. Instead, teachers turn away from that type of material, knowing the stigma surrounding them. Despite being a journalistic outlet, The Bruin is regularly censored. I feel like nothing within reason should be out of bounds to approach in a professional and tactful way. The idea that some topics are “too much” for an audience or that the articles would reflect badly on the school or staff of not only the school, but the Bruin, is flawed. The New York Times does not get bashed for printing “off limits” stories. They may get bashed for an opinion displayed or the way a story is handled, but that is part of operating a journalistic forum. Point being, we should not have certain things completely disallowed, without an open discussion first. Being condescended to and told something along the lines of “You cannot handle this topic” is not a very pleasant feeling. That may be an extreme exaggeration of our situation, but the essential problem is the same. Keeping students informed and capable of forming their own
unique opinions is not something schools handle very well, if at all. Mr. Singleton, an English teacher here, said, “Willful ignorance is one of the worst things. If school turns a blind eye to the ambiguity of certain life situations, the school has lost its purpose.” If the school policy were loosened, for many different forums, and not just the Bruin, students would be more willing to voice their opinions and illuminate each other. To be one hundred percent honest, I do not hear a lot about well-informed students. I do hear quite a bit about ignorant and entitled students, though. In my mind, if students were more able to talk about controversial issues, we would actually have a greater understanding of the world around us. That said, teenagers are not known for their tact. Mr. Singleton expressed his reservations with loosening the restraints on students. “There is a difference between discussing hot-button issues in a civilized manner and making brash statements in an arena not tactfully equipped for the subject. Too often, students take the latter approach.” The stances administrators
5
Do students have the right to take part in PDA?
“I think that it depends on how far they go. Sometimes it is gross.”
“I think that they have the right, but I just don’t want to see it.”
Rachel Osterhouse, 12 Ellie Nicholas, 11
“It depends on how far they take it.” Ethan Hitch, 10
“No, I think it is very inappropriate.” Mason Yurchiak, 9
Making school an open forum OPINION BY JONATHAN BALL
The stringent rules on what students can and cannot say affects every student here, whether they notice it or not. To have open and honest discussions as a student body, we have to walk a fine line. The importance of conversation over controversial topics cannot be overstated, and frankly, it frustrates me to no end that we have to fight through red tape just to speak our minds. It may sound like the administrators are overprotective or defensive, but they just want to keep the school from public criticism. I can understand what perspective they come from, even if I have problems with their approach as a strongly opinionated person. I want our generation to be the most open one yet. I want us to be able to talk about anything, even the most sensitive of topics, and be able to learn from them. I want to be able to have discussions about material that
take on all open expression are not “Willful ignorance is unfounded after one of the worst things. all. A small, but loud, minority of If school turns a blind student bodies are eye to the ambiguity of vitriolic in their speech. If they certain life situations, get the chance to the school has lost its speak their minds, people will regret purpose.” allowing it. It -Mr. Singleton saddens me that such an ignorant crowd of people who only want to to have an understanding of every shout over each other ruin it for the angle on an issue. Those do not just many more students who genuinely appear when you become an adult, want to understand others. you have to learn. Sadly, even The dream is for that loud, angry some adults do not have a firm crowd to be inoculated to foreign grasp of those skills. We need to opinions. If everyone got a chance allow people to say what they think to speak their peace, eventually so that we can all come together in we would have an atmosphere of understanding and respect. understanding. That is why I want nothing more Of course, that would come than for the schools across the after some time. Teenagers are nation to let us speak. I know in the emotional, excitable, and there is early stages it would be difficult. no way to hide the fact that some There can be no denying that. But people would rather be narrow- after a time, the young people in this minded. The end goal, however, country would learn and formulate is much more important than the a better understanding of the world tribulations before. Young people around them. I am not asking for need to be able to communicate in administration to give us free reign. a healthy and clear way. They need I simply ask for them to open their to be able to appreciate and respect ears, and give us a chance to speak the people around them. They need out, and speak loud.
6
An In Depth look at drugs in wadsworth the drug epidemic in Wadsworth, specifically regarding high school teenagers, the Bruin staff released a voluntary, non-scientific survey that was answered by nearly 700 students. This survey, with the results below, shows several important items pertaining to this issue and Wadsworth High School students. “To date, the U.S. has not found an effective strategy to end illegal drugs and until we do the problem of illegal drugs will be of an individual, familial and societal nature and lives will be continued to be negatively affected,” describes Hiscock on the issue of today’s society’s inability to solve this problem. Wadsworth does not escape this. HUDDLE and STAMP, although valiant in their effort, simply do not do enough. This is not the members fault. As students continue to find out about illegal drugs at early ages and find ways to ignore antidrug messages, as Dylan Miller
OPINION BY ADAM DARWICH
“In terms of the opioid epidemic, since 2012 there have been 23 deaths in Wadsworth attributed to drug overdoses,” stated Matt Hiscock, Director of Public Safety for Wadsworth, in response to a questioning about the drug issue in Wadsworth. With the release of several recent neuroscience and developmental studies, it has become common knowledge that teenagers are suspect to making rash decisions based off of emotion, rather than reason. This might help explain why so many Wadsworth teenagers are struggling with drugs. To gain a better understanding of
I n D epth
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
stated, “I feel like the kids in our HUDDLE and STAMP classes just don’t understand the gravity of the situation. It seems like it all goes in one ear and out the other.” The Wadsworth Drug Free Community Coalition, a group of community members committed to stopping illegal drug usage in our town, recognizes the need for help against this problem. We need more education in more grade levels, not just fourth through sixth graders. Specifically, the survey results from the senior class of 2018 severely skews the data for the whole school. The school needs to recognize the weakness of the current punishments and methods. We need prevention methods that focuses on the risks of our eldest students. Examples need to be made. The problem is front and center of us. We need to make the consequences be as such, as well. Let us endeavor to teach kids that the potential consequences of drug usage is not just a headache and a phobia of light the next day, but rather their lives.
Survey taken by approximately 700 Wadsworth High School students in a non-scientific voluntary manner.
67% of WHS Students said they have never used a non-perscription drug 33% of WHS Students said they have used a non-perscription drug
What drugs have students been offered?
marijuana
38%
alcohol
47%
adderall
12%
meth
3%
heroin
3%
other None
46%
When did students first learn about their peers using illicit drugs? Elementary School
What drugs have students tried?
Central Intermediate School
12%
Grades 9-12
12% of students claim to
33%
have tried marijuana
24% of students claim to have tried alcohol
4% of students claim to
12% of students learned of peers’ drug use during grades 1-4
33% of students learned of peers’ drug use during grades 5-6
Middle School
High School
0.04% of students claim to
47%
8%
0.03% of students claim to
have tried adderall
have tried meth
have tried heroin
Other 47% of people learned of peers’ drug use during grades 7-8
8% of people learned of peers’ drug use during grades 9-12
4.5% of students claim to
have tried a drug we did not list
5%
10% 15%
20%
25%
Specifically the class of 2018 of seniors claim to
Heroin Usage
27% have tried marijuana of seniors claim to
35
% 27
36% have tried alcohol
0.5% of seniors claim to have tried meth
% 72
.5% 64
.5%
of seniors claim to
11.5% have tried adderall
1%
35.5% of WHS Students said they personally know someone who has used heroin the past 5 years
27%
of WHS Students said they personally know someone who has overdosed on heroin
Other
9% 5%
of seniors claim to have tried heroin of seniors claim to have tried a drug we did not list
10% 15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
I n D epth 7 Robby’s Place: the first step in recovery
D ecember 2017
BY MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD COLIN WRIGHT
THE BRUIN
Place stands as a physical example of the message Brandt and his team are focused on spreading. One way the employees of Robby’s Place believe the drug usage among teenagers can decrease is by discussion. An open conversation on topics deemed taboo by older generations can promote knowledge on the drastic effects of drug usage. “This is a place for people that are struggling with drugs or alcohol. Lots of recovering heroin addicts, lots of alcoholics, people who are using other drugs that are popping up around here as well,” says Stephanie Robinson, the director of Robby’s Place. “It’s a place for people who are
With a total of 67 overdose cases within our town and 258 cases in all of Medina County just in 2016, it is clear there is a need for intervention and support. Robby’s Place in Medina is doing just that, catering to the needs of our county in a new and innovative way. Robby’s Place is not a treatment center, rather it is a recovery center focused on sober support, healthy socialization, and reintegration into society for individuals struggling with addiction. Robby’s Place plays a major role in assisting individuals to get back into society after they have been isolated due to substance abuse. The center opened its’ “There was a lot of ‘not in our doors on July backyard,’ ‘not here,’ but forget 17th and is about your backyard or front the first and yard. It’s happening in your only of its kind basement.” in Medina -Stephanie Robinson County. Two years ago, Wadsworth High School struggling with all addictions and hosted an assembly by Robby’s their family members to come. Voice, an organization that seeks They can come, socialize, get sober to “break the silence” on the issue support, get vocational training. of drug addiction. Founder Rob The idea is a safe place for them Brandt shared the story of his son to re-engage in a new way of life, who died of a drug overdose in which is recovery.” The center offers a welcoming 2011, urging students to engage in conversation. Today, Robby’s atmosphere to those who need
b r e
a
k
an escape from the temptations of their addiction. The “social parlor” is family friendly, and all are welcome to spend time there. Since its opening, over 3,000 people have walked through the doors according to Robinson. The center is focused on helping people recover and tries to paint a picture of what it is like to go through the aftermath of addiction. “[The center] gives people a good idea of what recovery looks like. I think people see what’s on T.V., but that’s not really what recovery looks like in Medina County,” says Robinson. The renovated steak house still features its rustic diner setting with shelves of books and games for their visitors. They do their best to make everyone comfortable as well as featuring fun, festive decorations for the holidays. Events such as open mic night and trivia night are held at the old diner and they even offer a free meal on Saturday nights. When the center first appeared, “There was a lot of ‘not in our backyard,’ ‘not here,’ but forget about your backyard or front yard. It’s happening in your basement,” says Robinson. However, the community has come to love and appreciate Robby’s Place for all it has done.
d
PHOTO BY COLIN WRIGHT
Robby’s Place is in a building that was formerly a steak house, so there is still a bar. However, you won’t find alcohol there. Instead, visitors can purchase snacks, drinks, and coffee to enjoy. Pictured above are coordinator Stephanie Robinson (R), with assistant coordinator Kelly Malley (L).
The center is currently funded by a grant that is projected to run out late next year. However, Robinson hopes that the people of Medina County are ready to step up and make sure that doors can remain open at the center. “Somebody asked me the other day, ‘Where would all these people go if you close your doors?’ But it’s a question you have to ask yourself. We’ve got the answer and it’s here, but it’s not cheap,” says Robinson. For the future, the center has many long-term goals. Robby’s Place is seeking to incorporate a culinary curriculum in early 2018. Their plan is based upon Edwin’s, a re-entry program for felons trying
o
w
to integrate back into society. They plan to offer programs like financial planning, Narcan classes, general life skills and wellness programs. “It is one thing to stop doing drugs and alcohol, but if you don’t take care of the rest of that stuff, it makes it hard to stay clean,” said Robinson, who is nine years clean. The center retains a positive outlook on life after the detrimental effects of drugs and they will continue to work towards helping their visitors progress and adapt to the ways of society. Their doors are open to the public and they are ready, with welcoming arms, for all who visit.
n
A mother’s heartbreaking story on her son’s drug abuse BY KYLEE BARANEK
“People tell us it’s not our fault, but you still feel like it is your fault,” said Jane. Normally drug usage, addiction, and overdose are only seen in statistics. However, when talking to someone about their loved one who has an addiction, it becomes clear that the statistics are more than just paper.
ART CREATED BY COLLEEN HALLAS, 11
A mother, we will call her “Jane” in order to protect her privacy, shared her story about her son. We will call him “Joe”, someone who grappled with drug abuse and addiction throughout his early adult years. “We thought something was up when he was in high school,” Jane confessed when asked when the possible addiction had first started. These suspicions had nothing to do with Joe’s grades. Throughout his high school career, he had straight A’s, maintained above a 4.0 GPA, and was active in baseball and football. Joe had never gotten into any trouble at school, and Jane had never heard any rumors about her son. “He was really starting to get distant. He would not want to do things with us. He was gone a lot, which at first didn’t bother us too much. We just assumed that it because It was his last year of high school,
and he wanted to go and do things,” Jane said. Toward the end of Joe’s senior year, his mom started to notice the changes in her son. “I was trying not to invade his privacy, but I started looking for things, not really even knowing what I was looking for,” Jane mentioned briefly. She had never found anything drug related in her son’s possession when she would go through his things. By the end of his senior year, Joe continued to be distant but he was accepted into a local college on a baseball scholarship. Once he was settled, Jane noticed an alarming change in not only in her son’s demeanor but his actions as well. “The first month in college, he would call, and I could tell he was very stressed. He wasn’t liking baseball anymore and he wanted to quit,” Jane commented, “Throughout October and November, Joe called a lot. He told us how much he hated school, and begged to come home. He would call ten or fifteen times a day which was very unusual,” Jane said. After speaking with counselors, Jane tried to convince her son into staying, but commented, “I just had a weird feeling that this was more than him not liking school.” Finally, towards the end of November, his parents let him quit after they realized how bad his grades were suffering. Everything was going well until Jane’s perception of her son was altered when she found a large amount of marijuana in his car in December. That night, they sat down to discuss what was going on. At the time, Joe admitted to using
marijuana for stress relief. Believing that their son had just made a mistake they decided to moved on. Soon after, Joe expressed a desire to return to school, and he was accepted to another college. However, a few weeks later an officer found marijuana in Joe’s possession when he was pulled over for speeding. “I was so angry and disappointed when I went to pick him up,” said his mother. The family once again sat
“ It sounded like he was saying goodbye.” -Jane down to discuss Joe’s actions. They feared that if Joe returned to school, he would revert back into his habits. Still, Joe went away to college. Joe seemed to be doing well for a while until his roommate informed campus police that Joe was in possession of drugs. Joe was kicked out. Before he left campus, Jane received a truly heartbreaking call from her son. During this call, Joe sobbed uncontrollably, barely making any sense as he told Jane repeatedly that he loved her. “It was really a strange feeling because I thought something was wrong. He sounded like he was saying goodbye,” Jane recalled. Her son had taken a fatal amount of pills because he did not want to get caught with the other pills. Campus Police took him to the hospital, and his parents drove up to see him. That was when their world was shattered.
“It was at that point that we found out he was using everything and anything. Cocaine, Heroin, painkillers - just everything you can imagine,” Jane said when she spoke of the incident. After Joe returned home from being discharged from the hospital and expelled from his second college he still continued to abuse drugs. Joe was then kicked out of his own home. For around six months, Joe attempted rehab but was unfortunately kicked out for bringing drugs into the home he was staying at. As of now, Joe is back in his hometown. “I’d like to believe that he has learned his lesson, but in the back of my mind I remember that we have been through this hell for two years,” Jane mentioned. The family has suffered greatly now and then. The parents are now seeking therapy and are both on antidepressants. “For me to describe how I felt... It was like when you get that awful sinking feeling in your stomach when something bad happens, and you get to the point where you cry so much, you just can’t cry about it anymore. There aren’t any tears left. You just don’t know what to do as a parent, you try everything that you know to do, or that people suggest, but you still feel like a complete failure, to be honest,” Jane commented. This story is a reality for far too many people. If you or someone you love is going through a similar situation, the school has resources. All you need to do is ask.
THE BRUIN S ports 1 8 Fortner making a comeback for senior year D ecember 2017
BY JOEY BAUGHMAN
Just a few months after being crowned a state champion, star point guard for the Lady Grizzlies basketball team, Sophia Fortner, injured herself with a non-contact freak accident ACL tear which took away her entire junior season. Fortner, a ESPN three-star recruit and a Top-25 player in the state of Ohio, has decided to continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Toledo alongside her teammate Lexi Lance. After a long year filled with the recovery process, Fortner is ready to make a comeback. Two years ago, Fortner was the point gaurd on the 2015-2016 State championship team and was a major contributor. She was not the only one feeling the effects of her knee injury. Last year, with Fortner off the court, the Grizzlies struggled and finished
with a 13-12 record and were down in all statistical categories. The road to recovery was long and miserable. She endured nine full months of extensive physical therapy, hours of stretching, massages, and modified workouts specifically targeting her ACL to make it strong enough to be able to compete
count as she knows it can be taken away in the blink of an eye. “I’m sure being out last season was one of the toughest things that Sophia has ever had to deal with, especially knowing the type of competitor that she is. No one ever wants to see major injuries happen, but I think that Sophia was able to learn a lot about herself in terms of perseverance and seeing the game through a different lens, which will help her in the long run,” says head girls’ basketball coach Andy Booth. Having played Sophia Fortner,12 just a few games, It is obvious Fortner this winter for the Grizzlies. It is making every one count. seemed to have paid off. Fortner scored eight points with “Tearing my ACL was one of five assists and two steals in her the hardest things I have ever first game back. Her presence had to go through, but as weird is being felt both on and off as it sounds, there were many the court for the team. “Having blessings along the way,” says Sophia back on the court Fortner. She is making every changes the whole dynamic single day of her senior season of our team. Her energy and
“Tearing my ACL was one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through, but as weird as it sounds, there were many blessings along the way”
-
PHOTO BY JOSH HAGANS
Fortner’s recovery has made a more confident and appreciative player, a change felt on and off the court.
leadership start in the locker room, onto the practice court and then during the games. She has the ability to not only make plays for herself but to lift her teammates to a higher level as well,” says Coach Booth. Fortner and the Grizzlies,
under Coach Booth’s leadership, look to add more banners to the rafters and have huge aspirations of making it back to the Schottenstein Center in Columbus this winter to compete for another shot at a Division one State Title.
Senior Athletes receive 2017 All-Ohio Award BY JAKE LOGUIDICE
Hard work and determination can lead to many great things in sports. One thing that can come from this, is a goal that many great players have: to be named All-State. There were a few Grizzly athletes that received this award for the 2017 fall sports season. These players were recently named 2017 OHSAA All-Ohio athletes. Grizzlies first string quarter back Joey Baughman, 12, was named First-Team All-Ohio, won the Offensive Player of the Year, and was named Mr. Ohio for the 2017 season. “It is an honor to be named the Offensive Player of the Year and Mr. Football. I cannot thank my parents, coaches, and teammates enough for all they have done for me,” says Baughman. Another Grizzly football player named All-Ohio is offensive lineman Clay McComas, 12. He was named Offensive Second Team for the 2017 season. He helped push the offense down the field by giving Baughman protection. Wide receiver Mitchell Blackburn, 12 was named Offensive Third Team, AllOhio for the 2017 season. He tied the Medina County record for touchdown receptions in a game with 5 against Northview. He was one of Baughman’s main targets during the season. Honorable mentions for football were defensive lineman Joey Fernholz, 12, and wide receiver Christian Szalay, 12 who was another
one of Baughman’s main receivers. All of these players made a very large impact on the 2017 football season that ended with a 10-0 record in the regular season. Coming soon to the high school will be an All-Ohio Wall that will recognize and remember all of the Grizzly football players that win these outstanding awards. It will commemorate all of the past football players that achieve this award and will serve as an example of what it means to be a Grizzly athlete. Although cross-country does not name All-State athletes, these two runners represented Wadsworth at the State Meet, which shows that they are in the top tier of Ohio runners. Grizzly runners Nick Miller, 12, and Payton Grigsby, 12, both qualified for the State Meet. They were two of only a few hundred in the state of Ohio that were able to showcase their talents these meet. In this meet, Miller placed 45th out of 183 runners and Grigsby placed 128th out of 173. Both had exceptional seasons and represented the Grizzlies well at the State Meet. Miller and Grigsby both placed in the top 20 in the Regional meet to qualify for the state meet. Their senior seasons ended with a trip to National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. Another Grizzly athlete that was named All-Ohio was Connor Mendel, 12. He is a varsity soccer player who made
a large impact on the soccer around the country. To be named All-Ohio is a status that only the team this season. Mendel was “It has always been a awarded First Team All-Ohio for goal of mine since freshhis outstanding man year to get this accomplishments award and I’m so happy in his senior soccer season to be able to get it my including leading senior year.” his team to the -Connor Mendel, 12 Suburban League National Title. This accomplishment is a big best athletes in the state of Ohio deal for high school athletes receive.
All of these athletes will be remembered forever because of their achievements. Their leadership and determination stand as a model for all future Grizzly athletes. Many of these All-Ohio athletes will be taking their talents outside of high school and will be playing on a national level in college. During the winter and spring sports seasons, there will likely be more Grizzly athletes who make this list.
2017 ALL-OHIO
1st Team Joey Baughman
2nd Team Clay McComas 1st Team Connor Mendel
Honorable Mentions: Joey Fernholz and Christian Szalay
3rd Team Mitch Blackburn
State Runner Nick Miller
State Runner Payton Grigsby
9 Andrew Jariga shapes himself for the Academy
S ports 2
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
BY KAI WAGNER
Andrew Jariga, a scholar athlete, has been working hard outside of the pool to secure his position in the Air Force Academy. His motivation to become a pilot has driven him to high success. Starting the day off before the city wakes, Jariga jumps into a frigid pool for a hard swim workout. The swim team, notorious for its workouts, has shaped Jariga into the man he wants to be. “The most agonizing thing I go through everyday is waking up at 5:00 AM to go jump into a freezing cold pool,” Jariga says. “The most stressful thing in my life is the amount of school work that has to be done, and be done well. The swim team forces you to manage your time well. It gives you lots of discipline and helps with time management skills due to the rigorous schedule.” Going throughout the school year, Jariga has one of the highest GPA’s in the school. His numerous AP classes make up most of his schedule, the most difficult proving to be AP Calculus. Mrs. North, who teaches AP Calculus, has as much faith in Jariga as anybody else. “I believe that Andrew is a great candidate for the Air Force Academy. Besides being extremely bright, Andrew is very disciplined and driven.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL PORPORA
Andrew Jariga, 12, has competed in swimming since his Junior year. Starting late, he still was able to compete with some of the best swimmers in the District.
He knows what he has to do and always gets it done. He has such a calm, encouraging demeanor and is definitely the guy you can count on when tough decisions must be made,” said Mrs. North. Upon finishing the school day Jariga starts his second 3-hour swimming practice of the day. Heading straight to the locker room after school, Jariga gets ready to hop in the chlorine once again. His hardworking and dedicated attitude is greatly show in the water as it is in the class room, and Coach Pallija sees it. “Swim forces you to manage your time to the max. The free time you have you make it worth while, but the schedule eliminates nearly all of your free time. Swimming
“Swim forces you to manage your time to the max. The free time you have you make it worth while, but the schedule eliminates nearly all of your free time. Swimming isn’t all bad though, it has really helped me with the Air Force recruitment process.” ~Andrew Jariga isn’t all bad though, it has really helped me with the Air Force recruitment process,” said Jariga. The Air Force Academy is the root of Jariga’s day-to-day anxiety. Going into his eleventh week of the process, he has gone through many interviews, and multiple physical tests to show his qualifications. The Academy, which is notorious for its very difficult admissions program, has accepted Jariga as a very qualified candidate as he has
made it through, so far, all of the possible steps to entering the prestigious Air Force Academy. The latest commitment that has been made, was a letter of admission from Jim Renacci, a candidate in the run for Ohio’s governor. It stated that Andrew Jariga has been admitted to the next stage of interviews. He will join 17 other young men in Medina County in the fight to be franchised into the Air Force
Academy. Jariga believes his grades will get him very far into the admissions of the Air Force Academy. He is in the top three of his class, and that shows with his superscore of 34 on the ACT. Jariga also has a plethora of other accomplishments; such as, being the president of the National Honors Society, competing in the Sectional swim meet and qualifying for the District swim meet in his first year swimming and being named AP Scholar with Distinction-- a prestigious award only awarded to those with a combined average of 3.5 on all AP exams taken and a score of 3 or higher on at least 5 AP exams. Andrew Jariga has a strong feeling about his chances of getting into the Academy. His educational profile, fitness base, and his overall character is one that everyone idolizes and wishes they could have. Jariga’s commitment to the swim team has proved to further him as a swimmer, but most of all as a person. The mental drive needed to keep up with Jariga’s schedule, can only be found in a man whose work ethic drives his motivation to be the best. His qualifications are beyond the requirements and he is perfect candidate for the Academy. Jariga’s hopes are high and his teammates are rallying behind him.
Grizzly athletes officially sign letters of intent
BY CHRISTIAN SZALAY
The lives of some notable athletes around the school are officially in the hands of their future college following Wadsworth’s fall signing. Girls cross country standout, Payton Grigsby made a name
Kentucky Commit, Gabe Szalay, has raised some eyebrows on his commitment. Szalay never ran competitively up until 7th grade, where he competed in track and field. Szalay has been a standout on the High School’s track team along with the cross country
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS ATHLETICS
Payton Grigsby, 12, signs letter of intent to Ohio University accompanied by her family.
for herself these past two years. Prior to this year’s cross country season, Grigsby had her schools narrowed down to Bowling Green and Toledo. However, Ohio University then contacted her during the season. Since OU reached out, Grigsby grew excited to continue her track and cross country career as a Bobcat.
team. Being a state qualifier in both sports, it was no secret that Szalay on his way to earning a well deserved scholarship from a very respectable Division one school. His partner in crime, Nick Miller, also committed to a big time school: Ohio State University. Miller has been running for most of his life,
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS ATHLETICS
Gabe Szalay, 12, signs letter of intent to Kentucky accompanied by his family.
and it is evident in his range of achievements. Like Szalay, Miller was very familiar with Columbus and has placed in both cross country and track as well. Being a big time Ohio State fan, committing as a Buckeye was not a surprise. Nicknamed “Batman and Robin,” Sophia Fortner and Lexi Lance both signed their letters of intent to the University of Toledo. The soon to be Rockets have had a very eventful career here at Wadsworth. Fortner was given the opportunity to start as a freshman, while Lance dressed her freshman year. Both ladies have been fortunate enough to play in some very big games such as the Regional Finals twice and being awarded the Division 1 state championship in 2016. The two All Ohioans will have one more shot at earning another state championship banner. With their senior season just kicking off, the lady grizzlies will look to make their way back to Columbus before heading off to the University of Toledo. Josh Hagans, a soon to be Knight recently signed his letter of intent to Urbana University. Hagans has made a name for himself since sophomore year. Being a key player in the outfield for the Grizzlies’ baseball team, Hagans has tallied only three errors in two years on varsity.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS ATHLETICS
Sophia Fortner, 12, signs letter of intent to Toledo accompanied by her family.
Hagans has been a consistent batter as well, hitting over .300 earning his spot as a key player on the team. Going into his senior season, Hagans looks to lead the experienced Grizzlies to a league and District title. Jordan Earnest will also be joining Grigsby at Ohio University as he continues his successful wrestling career. The
help lead his team to another league title and even a state championship. Last but not least, Camdyn Brady is taking her academic and athletic talents to Slippery Rock University. As three year letter winner and three year starter on the Girls Lacrosse team, Brady is the definition of a veteran. Scoring over 40 goals
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS ATHLETICS
Jordan Earnest, 12, signs letter of intent to Ohio University accompanied by his family.
heavy-weight was not always this big, wrestling 170 lbs his sophomore year, jumping up to heavy-weight the following season. During his junior year, he placed 4th in the state. He then went on to win the Cadet National tournament. High expectations have been made for Earnest, and he will try and
in one season was a very big milestone Brady was able to surpass. She is a reliant scorer and a leader on the field. Being named captain last year, the soon to be Rocky looks to lead the young and inexperienced Lady Grizzlies to a very eventful and successful season this spring.
P icture
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
10
Veterans Day Assembly A waving flag at full staff on Veterans Day.
Make this photo come alive, with Aurasma!
Check out page 3 for more details.
Ava Miller, 12, plays her drum while speeches are presented.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS YEARBOOK
Veterans stand for the student led Pledge of Allegiance.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS YEARBOOK
Veterans salute during the Retiring of the Colors ceremony.
Macy Shaeffer, 12, sings her solo during the choir performance at the assembly.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WHS YEARBOOK
Mrs. Hire directs the band as they play the songs of the multiple military branches.
The Missing Man Table ceremony is done in memory of fallen, missing, or imprisoned military service-members. PHOTOS BY ALYSSA LAIKOS
E ntertainment THE BRUIN D ecember 2017 11 It’s a Wonderful Life left audience excited for Christmas
With Christmas coming up right around the corner, the drama department chose to put on It’s a Wonderful Life for this year’s fall drama production. It is different from the other shows, as it is a live radio play. “Instead of acting things out, we don’t really move that much, the biggest changes we have are with our voices,” said Alex Miller, 9. The show centered around George Bailey, played by Michael Juscak, 12, the main character, and how his life affects others. With the majority of the conflict taking place on Christmas Eve, Bailey was shown by his guardian angel what it means to have a good life. Many of the characters in this high school adaptation are asked to play multiple parts. “I play two characters- Uncle Billy, which is my favorite because he’s kind of crazy and it’s fun to try different things
with his character. I also play or amazing singing, like in a a cop named Bert. I have to musical. The only thing you have do different voices and body up there is you. With this being a language for them. It’s been radio play, you don’t even really hard to learn how to make those get acting with a stage. You get differences, but now that I know your voice. Reading the script is how to do them, it’s fun,” Miller very different with a radio play. continued. The author doesn’t give you any The show also features a directions on how to take it. It’s retro form of sound technique. difficult and at first we had no Normally, the productions have idea how to pull it off. But we sound technicians- kids who sit worked and worked and I think at the sound board to program it’s going to be good,” said and play any sounds necessary. Instead, the radio drama boasts foley artists, who create the sound effects while also acting on stage. Instead of having the normal acting with stage directions, a radio play entails for most of the acting to be done with one’s PHOTO BY ANNA BOWLING voice only. Michael Juscak, 12, Alyssa Baxley, 12, and Claire “It’s so much Doyle, 12, close the show with Juscak realizing what it different. With a means to have a wonderful life. Use the Aurasma app drama, you don’t get to see a live quote with Michael. See page 3 for details a spectacular song on how to access this interview.
3.
PHOTO BY ANNA BOWLING
The cast of It’s a Wonderful Life use their scripts on set to enrich the show. REVIEW BY ANNA BOWLING
PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS. CSAKY
PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH SIEBER
any other play that Wadsworth Drama puts on, they have the best actors and directors. Juscak’s acting makes the character lovable and realistic. All of the actors were strong performers and they made the show engaging and entertaining. Seeing friends do what they love makes an audience member more open to enjoying the craft they have made. Another great feature was the applause sign that would light up when the show required audience participation. It made for a fun, interactive situation that put the audience members closer to the actors. “When the audience reacts and sees that we’re having fun, then they have fun and it makes the whole show ten times better,” says Alyssa Baxley, 12. The highlight of the show had to be the ending. With the closing of the show, there was this sense of magic and finality. It was full of emotion and all the characters portrayed their emotions well. As George Bailey learns his place in
the world, everything falls into place. The audience sees that one’s choices really do matter. My absolute favorite part of the show was when they made it snow within the last fifteen minutes of the play. Creating the snow made the Christmas story feel that much more realistic and welcoming. It shows how much time and effort the department puts into their shows, as the snow is a major commitment to produce and clean up. The actors and actresses have a lot of dedication and love for the program. With the majority of the cast being upperclassmen who only have a few more shows or none at all left in their high school career, the choice of It’s a Wonderful Life made for a memorable performance for the audience and those involved. It was a fun show and included so many traditional aspects of Christmas that left me, and hopefully the rest of the audience, wowed once again. “It’s just a happy Christmas story that will put you in a great mood and in the Christmas spirit,” Miller finished. PHOTO BY ANNA BOWLING
Alyssa Baxley, 12. 1. The show was excellent; like
Part-time Service, Full-time Benefits - 100% tuition paid to any state collage in Ohio - Monthly Paycheck for part-time service - Paid training in more thatn 150 career fields Staff sgt. Brian Bruening Address: 140 W. Old Lincoln Way. Wooster, OH 44691 Cell: (330) 357-6184 Email: brian.j.bruening.mil@mail.mil
Justice League crashes into theaters
REVIEW BY JESSICA HERMANN
Recently, several new movies have been being released at the end of 2017. One of these movies is Justice League, a film that chronicles many heroes. The film is the first to tie so many DC Comics characters together, but has many downfalls. The first and most clear issue with the beginning of the movie is the fact that the main villain, Steppenwolf, is not immediately introduced. The movie opened with an action packed scene in which Batman fights a strange, alien creature that is not explained until much later in the movie. It jumps back and forth as Bruce Wayne gathers a team for an unknown reason to the audience, which is never clearly stated until all of the characters have already agreed to join forces to fight a force still not revealed to the audience. “The movie was not bad. Was it good? No. It was hit or miss with the plot. Those characters who had good backgrounds could have been better. The attempts at humor were either not funny or were super cheesy and bad. If you have not seen it yet, I would not go to theaters. I would just wait until release on DVD or Redbox,” J.R Grey, 11, commented. At last, a lengthy flashback explains what exactly a Parademon is and introduces
Steppenwolf the “destroyer of worlds.” Evidently, Steppenwolf desires to ruin the world and had been waiting for the demise of Superman. This introduction occurs approximately 20 minutes into the film, leaving viewers confused until that moment. For those unfamiliar with the DC Comics Universe, the movie could be seen as difficult to follow. The opening scenes are choppy and disconnected as they jump from one hero to the next, sometimes not even mentioning names until later on. Aquaman was one of the heroes not mentioned by name at all. The only time that it became clear was when one of the heroes made a fish related joke. “I am usually a fan of DC, but during Justice League I found it hard to focus on what exactly was happening. Even knowing all of the heroes, I did not identify them right away,” Kristen Cook, 11, admits. Despite many minor details that were seemingly overlooked by the directors of Justice League, the film was still quite successful. It generated $93,842,239 during its opening weekend, signifying that loyal DC fans were at least willing to see it in theaters. Unfortunately, the box office money will not be enough to balance out the high cost of production. It appears to have set the stage for many more movies,
including individual films for Aquaman and The Flash. The individual movie that is supposed to branch off of Justice League the most is Aquaman. His history is allegedly explored more in depth, and is supposed to explain the mannerisms he exhibited throughout the movie. Only time will tell what DC will do with the hollow platform they have created. All in all, Justice League deserves a resounding 3.5/5 stars in my opinion. The film had many flaws, and few parts that were genuinely good.
Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman prepare for battle with Steppenwolf.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
UPCOMING SUPERHERO MOVIES
Justice League 2 Release Date: June 14, 2019
Little is known about the plot for Justice League 2. It is suffering setbacks due to the sheer amount of revenue lost by its predecessor. It will be a matter of waiting to see what becomes of the companion film.
The Flash
Release Date: 2020
The Flash will bring the riveting story of Barry Allen from the pages of the comic series into life. However, the film has suffered many director changes that have delayed the release until an unknown date in 2020.
Aquaman
Release Date: December 21, 2018
Fans can look forward to a moving story as Jason Momoa returns to help explain the history of the stone-faced Arthur Curry. The film is expected to bring a unique backstory to Aquaman.
O f T he M onth
12
THE BRUIN
D ecember 2017
Junk of the Month
December Students of the Month Board Students of the month
Sam Hanna’s 2004 Saturn Ion is Wadsworth’s proud ‘Junk of the Month.’ Hanna’s car is a total mess, and he loves it. “The price of the car was only around three hundred dollars, so it was a steal,” says Sam Hanna. The front fender is missing and takes three minutes to start.
Career Tech Ahmed Darwich
Regan Burridge
Robotics & Programming Design
Media Communications
Christmas movie
Nolan Mizen
Mariah Van Eck
PHOTO BY RICHIE DIETRICH
PHOTOS BY OLIVIA PORPORA
ong of the month Released in 2017, “Let you Down” will be featured on NF’s third full album Perception. This album was released on August 25, 2017. Check out this cool new song that students chose to be the December Song of the Month.
of the month
ELF
Based on a public survey of 172 Wadsworth High students, the Christmas movie, Elf, won the Most Popular Christmas Movie Award with a massive lead of fifty two percent of students. In the rare case that you haven’t seen Elf, the movie is about a full-grown elf (Will Ferrel) who embarks on a journey from the North Pole to New York in order to impress his father and gain his love. Elf, overall, has been given a rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is quite a good rating. Elf remains a classic Christmas film in the hearts of America to this very day.
What’s your Christmas wish? “Another one of the babies behind me.” -Mr. Booth
“My Christmas wish is to someday have a head as shiny as Mr. Knapp’s.” -Micah Damon, 11.
“It would be nice to have all the family together at Christmas dinner.” -Aniya Harris, 10.
“Money for a tattoo.” -Noah Dearborn, 11.
“I’d love a brand new baseball glove.” -Brock Snowball, 11.
“For my brother, who is in the Air Force, to come home safe.” -Alli Lahmann, 11.
“I just don’t want to continue my year-long grounding of not being able to spend the night at friends’ houses.” -Grace back, 11.
“One word: sleep.” -Jordan Craft, 11.