The Bruin - December 2019

December 2019

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Wadsworth High School

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Volume XLV No. 3

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The Decade That Made Us 2010-2019

The creation of the Grizzly Leader Academy, organized

by Associate Principal Rich Berlin, is just one small step being taken towards creating a safer and more welcoming environment for students in the high school.

The club’s goal is to develop and challenge student leaders to take notice of and to take action against the bullying that takes place in the high school.

Berlin’s push to fix this issue is important within our school district in order to make an all-inclusive environment for those students who feel left out of the majority.

It is unacceptable that 2020 is quickly approaching and we still are dealing with discrimination based upon race or sexual orientation. With so many revolutions taking place in the past decade, such as the

Chief Editorial

legalization of gay marriage, it would be expected that these old prejudices be left in the past.

Sadly, that is not always the case.

As our staff writer Axel Mueller points out in his opinion article, many of the discriminatory acts taken are usually found in groups of friends with them trying to be funny, but it is not always funny for those that end up as the butt of the joke.

Within our school, other actions have been taken in attempt to become more inclusive. Many different clubs have been started to include those that are minorities,

such as SPECTRUM. This is an organization focused on supporting members of the LGBTQ community. While these students have an outlet that allows them to relate to their peers, those of ranging ethnicities do not.

Berlin has chosen students from within the club that he feels as though have a strong sense of leadership and will be willing to stand up for others in a time of need to head this project.

These students were challenged to listen and watch for examples of the discrimination they have only been told about.

They plan to work together to stop the ongoing issue of

discrimination in our school.

By compiling lists of these things heard and seen throughout the day, those involved in the Grizzly Leader Academy are hoping to be able to find the source of the discriminatory actions and phrases. They intend to take these findings and address the issues presented.

Hopefully with the start of a new decade, we will be able to make these issues a thing of the past and work towards a better environment for those feeling excluded due to race and ethnicity.

Grizzly Leadership Academy has been around for a few years, but hopefully they can now bring attention to this ongoing problem. Racism, discrimination and bullying have no place in our school or community and the issue should never be taken lightly.

@Wadswor thBruin

Katy Andrews, 12

Connor Margo, 12

Career Tech

Sami Shaffer, 12

Editorial Policy The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the May issue. The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body. This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the adviser. The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene or excessively disruptive to the school process. The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed. We reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

Cover art created by Kate Messam

Students of the Month

Connor Pautz, 12

Comic and Christmas lights by Julie Wellart

Brian Coote Emily Kurtz Natalie Maher Kate Messam

Plus

Alex Miller Axel Mueller Lauren Satink Seth Smalley

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Brianna Becerra Micah Beck Emily Brandyberry Andrew Clark

This d popu ecade lar a ’s mo rtist st s

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Girls wins basketb open home all er

Bruin Staff

Staff Writers

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Business Manager Logan Egleston Social Media Manager Sarah Scobee Adviser Eric Heffinger

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Features Editor Morgan Porpora Sports Editor Jillian Cornacchione Online Editor Abby Wichterman

December 2019

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Editor-in-Chief Halle Shaeffer News Editor Anna Wolfinger Art Editor Emily Thompson

Contents 8 Pe

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Speech and De bate start to prepare for state’s

BY AND

REW CLARK The season fo r speech and debate has al tournament win ready begun in Revere. Wit with a h team is lookin the state tourna g to win more ment in March on , the the way.

“Every weeke nd at our tour naments our improve from goal is not on last time, but to earn individu ly to prequalification al placements points called bi an d state ds,” said Maddi few people ea e Kritzel, 12. “O rn “bids” ever y weekend and nly a before districts if you earn four you automatic of al th ly em ha The team has be ve qualified to states.” en very succes sful in the past for nationals and done wel . They have qu l at states, bu alified t winning is no t the only reason people join speech an d debate.

“My favorite part about spee ch and debate is stepping into a whole new wor ld of an activity ,” said President of Speech an d Debate, Isaac Machar, 11.

Isaac Machar, PHOTO Maddie Kritz URTESY OF AL ell, and AleCO EX MILLER trophies after x Miller hold a recent victor their y.

BY ANDREW

CLARK This is the first year WHS has made midterms Engineering an mandatory for d some AP cour every class. Cla ses are being fo welcome the ch sses such as rced to have a m ange due to not id te rm for the first having to study “I prefer midterm time. Some ev er yt hi s over straight fin ng from the year whole year,” sa als, because then . id Kyle Townsen yo u have to remem d, 12.

Midterms will ber material ov be structured lik er the e final exam wee leave if they ha k in a block sche ve no exams fo r the rest of the dule. This will have an exam la day, but studen let students ter in the day. ts must stay at This applies to the school if th Career tech stud ey ents as well.

Impeachment Proceedings Begin as Trump fights for his 2020 re-election

BY MICAH BECK

Impeachment proceedings have begun against President Donald Trump, which started from an explosive whistleblower’s complaint in early September over a July phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump reportedly used “the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election,” said the whistleblower.

Days before the phone call, Trump withheld a $400 million military-aid package. The whistleblower claims this was withheld as a bribery to have Ukraine investigate former Vice President, Joe Biden.

Top-tier government officials have testified such as Bill Taylor, former United States Ambassador of Ukraine, Gordan Sondland, Ambassador to the European Union and 4 legal scholars. Out of these legal scholars only Jonathan Turley of Washington University opposed the Trump impeachment making three out four scholars for impeachment of Trump.

House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi called for articles of impeachment against Trump, which could carry charges including extortion, bribery and misappropriation of taxpayer funds.

Throughout the proceedings, Trump has repeatedly denied the existence of a “quid pro quo,” claiming Democrats have no evidence, and pushed his opposers to read the transcripts of the July phone call. The White House Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, is also claiming that Democrats “know Trump did nothing wrong,” and instead just want to remove him.

The White House announced that neither Trump nor his attorneys have any plans to appear in any proceedings. However, they could be subpoenaed, which would force them to appear or face further charges. If convicted in the Senate, Trump would be out of the running for the 2020 Presidential Election in November, meaning other Republican candidates would have to step up and campaign quickly.

Graduation requirements are wasting seniors’ time For years, seniors at Wadsworth High School have had to take a minimum of five classes each semester. Many seniors believe having to take this amount of classes is wasting their time. graduation, the filler classes are pointless to the student and should be optional.

“I could’ve spent the time I would have from not taking extra classes to work on many other things for college,” Said Ryan Nagel, 12. “I would’ve been able to research the colleges I’m applying to and write more scholarship essays.”

Many seniors, like Mikayla Looper, 12, have spent many hours taking classes that are not necessary for graduation or preparing her for college.

“Besides college classes, economics and an English class, the rest of the classes are not doing anything to further prepare me,” said Looper. “I only took these classes to fill up my schedule and they are not going to help me again.”

It is not a state law to meet at least five classes per semester, but it is a school policy to have each student take five plus classes a semester unless they are taking a CCP or AP class.

“We want the seniors in the building as much as possible,” states Jodie McInnes, a guidance

counselor at WHS. “We like having the seniors as role models for the underclassmen to look up to as leaders and have an impact on them.”

Another reason the guidance department wants seniors to take at least five classes is because the Ohio High School Athletic Association deems it mandatory to pass five classes each nine weeks in order to be eligible for high school sports. This rule does not mean anything to the people who do not participate in high school sports, as there is nothing that they need to be “eligible” for besides graduation.

It should not be mandatory for seniors to enroll in five classes each semester because it takes time away from the student. It is not a requirement, and it will not necessarily help students become more prepared for the next part of their life.

Although the guidance office and administration at Wadsworth High School believe that it may hinder our education, a large percentage of students believe that the guideline is unessential and a waste for most.

“I think taking five classes is too many because I could be using more of my time to study for the more important classes.”

“I work after school to save up money for college. If I didn’t have to do work in classes that won’t help me, I would have more time to work.”

“I don’t believe taking five classes a semester helps me because I won’t use things from each class in the future.”

Kenneth McArtor, 12.

Allie Nixon, 12.

Brayden Humphery, 12.

OPINION BY CHRIS STEELE

Senior year comes with stress during a time meant for celebration and excitement.

A major cause of this stress for many seniors is that each semester, they must meet the requirement set by Wadsworth High School of taking at least five classes. Taking five classes per semester, on top of all the other work that comes along with senior year, is too much for some students.

Once senior year begins, many people start preparing for the college that is approaching for the following year. This can consist of visiting campuses, researching their future career path and applying to the colleges of their choosing.

A number of seniors only need around two or three classes to meet the graduation requirements set by the state of Ohio. The majority do not need to take all five classes unless they are taking classes pertaining to their college degree. If they have already taken the required classes for

Discrimination still happens OPINION BY AXEL MUELLER

Wadsworth High School is a predominantly white school with very little ethnic diversity.

This being said, those who are of different ethnic and sexual backgrounds find Wadsworth High School to be intimidating.

Unfortunately,some students are not able to find the environment of WHS accepting.

With a primarily white population in Wadsworth, the issues involving racial tension often go unnoticed. Those who are not affected seem to put it on the back burner, leaving these students feeling unaccepted.

During their high school years, students face many different challenges from tough classes to making a transition into adulthood. With all of these major events taking place in the span of four short years, students should not have to worry about being of a different race. Students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds are often faced with more stress than others, dealing with bullying, discrimination and struggling with acceptance.

With these issues occurring in Wadsworth High School, The Grizzly Leader Academy, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A and lead by Wadsworth High School’s associate principal Mr. Rich Berlin, hopes to lessen or even eliminate the barrier created by racial and sexual discrimination during high school.

Berlin has high hopes for what this group of students are looking to accomplish.

“We started about three years ago to try and get students together and see what we could do to change some of the small pockets of issues we have in our building with bullying, picking on, racial type comments, and homophobic comments,” said Berlin.

From personal experience, I believe that the problem presented could be much worse, but presents itself a problem nonetheless. Although more dominant in other school districts, it still exists here in WHS. As a Hispanic student, I am a victim of this underlying racism.

Other students use offensive stereotypes that make fun of a heritage that I am proud of.

Though it can bring out a good laugh at times, but if it happens too often, innocent joking can be taken too far.

It is a stereotype that I must like spicy foods, especially tacos, and that I must have came here illegally by jumping the Mexican border. Since I am Hispanic, I must love to have “fiestas”. I am a pole vaulter on the track team, so this helps me to refine my border jumping skills.

Hope Hageman, 11, has had similar experiences with racial jokes because of her Asian background.

“I make those jokes myself now just as a way of coping with it,” states Hageman.

My friends and I joke about these things, but it can be taken

“I make those jokes myself now just as a way of coping with it.”

-Hope Hageman, 11 to a degree where it is no longer funny but offensive. Racial jokes allow students to hide behind comedy in order to push their stereotypical views onto others.

Berlin hopes to prevent these occurrences and protect ethnic students from these offensive remarks.

Racism is not something that our school should still be guilty of. As many other minority groups are becoming more accepted in the world, Grizzly Leader Academy is working towards eliminating the racial barriers that still stand today by making WHS an accepting environment for all.

The club is working towards making a positive change that soon will be put into action.

By working with students to create a well rounded environment for all, they hope that it will help many students of different ethnic backgrounds to feel more comfortable in a location they spend most of their time, leaving discrimination a thing of the past. Racism is a disease that must be cleansed from this school.

Preparing to be the strongest

Girls’ basketball starts season off strong

BY LAUREN SATINK

BY MORGAN PORPORA

With a record of 19-4 in the 2018-2019 season, the Wadsworth girls’ basketball team looks to succeed within the suburban league and advance throughout the tournament in the 2019-2020 season. Beginning this year with a record of 2-1, the Lady Grizzlies are paving the way to accomplish these goals.

“Our goals don’t change much from year to year,” said Coach Booth. “Number one, we want to win the Suburban League title, followed by a long tournament run. We believe in setting our goals high and working hard to achieve them, and this year is no exception in spite of our youthful roster. Nothing is ever guaranteed, especially with the loss of the senior class of the ‘19 season, but this group is determined to carry on the

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN KLEMENCIC

Maggie Long, 11, takes a shot in a game against Hudson. This basket helped the team secure the win.

PHOTO BY LAUREN SATINK PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN KLEMENCIC

Ciena Mattany, 10, drives to the hoop during the game against Hudson.

tradition of excellence that is Wadsworth Lady Grizzlies basketball.”

Although it is still early in the season, having three upperclassmen out due to torn ACL’s has given underclassmen athletes the opportunity to step up.

“With E’anna being out, it has given me an opportunity to fill some pretty big shoes,” said Emily Rhoades, 10. “It has made me have to step up and help fill that missing role. She has been great at helping me out and giving me advice, but until she is back, I am just focusing on getting better for the team.”

Although Rhoades is prepared to meet these expectations, senior E’anna Won is hoping to return to the court in January.

“When I get back on the court, I plan to play with no regrets because I don’t know when it could be my last time playing,” said Won. “Although right now I am not on the court, I am on the sidelines helping and cheering the team on.”

With the optimism amongst the lady grizzles this early in the season, they are sure to be successful this year.

Football tackles playoffs For the third consecutive year, the Grizzlies football team won the Suburban League National Title and secured a spot in the playoff with their 6-1 record this season.

However, the Grizzlies fell short at the playoffs, losing 31-21 to Avon Lake at Strongsville High School. The game was close at half-time, 14-14, but in the second half, Avon Lake scored 17 points to the Grizzlies seven and snatched the victory.

Still, the Wadsworth seniors are grateful to end their careers with a third Suburban league title and an appearance in the playoffs. ¨I think we played well this season,” said Cam Semanick, 12. “We went through more adversity than past seasons and we handled it really well. I think the underclassmen have good potential and can do a lot of good things to carry on the team next year.”

Going forward, the Grizzlies are losing the largest group of football seniors in Wadsworth history. With a majority of the varsity team gone, it’s going to disrupt the team and will force the next generation of players to step up.

PHOTO BY AXEL MULLER

BY BRIAN COOTE

“We played well for the time we had and winning the suburban league for the third time in a row was nice,” said Mitchell Evans, 11. “As for next year, I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of offense we are going to have because we need a lot of guys to step up and fill the positions that we lost from our seniors. I think we will be better than ever before.”

With a third suburban league title and a short playoff appearance, the 2019 season ends saying goodbye to many seniors, and with underclassmen anticipating their return next season.

Two wrestlers practice escapes and scrambles, as one attempts to flip the other on his back.

For the past 25 years, the Wadsworth High School wrestling team has held the tradition of placing in the top 10 teams at the state level. The rich tradition that they hold helps motivate the team members, and the wrestlers learn to take pride in this accomplishment. This year, everyone is holding their standards high and aiming for another successful season.

Each year, the wrestling coach Clay Wenger adjusts his coaching approach based on what the team needs as a whole, but also individually for the needs of each wrestler.

“All the wrestlers practice together everyday,” said Wenger. “We do everything together. We lift together.

We run together. Everyone is learning the same stuff.

Our coaches are all coaching the same kids. I think that is where we get success because every kid feels wanted.

They feel part of a team.”

It is important to have that community within the team because it allows for the upperclassmen to work with the underclassmen so that they can improve as a whole team.

“With the younger wrestlers, you just want to kind of ease them into it because the shift from middle school to high school wrestling is like night and day,” said team captain Logan Messer, 11. “So you just have to take it slow and explain things differently than you would with a junior or senior.”

The varsity wrestling schedule is full of challenge.

They wrestle some of the best teams in the state as well as in the country. They attend multiple tournaments during the season, including some of the toughest tournaments in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Every year, their goal is to hang a banner in the gym by placing in the state’s top four. The wrestlers are also working for another league title to keep their streak alive from last year, and they hope to make it back to Columbus once again to compete in the state dual championship.

“This year I hope to make the team better and hopefully help them win a state championship, but also win an individual championship,” said Messer.

Overall, the wrestling team is working towards having an excellent season on and off the mat. They are focusing on building not only good wrestlers, but also strong leaders.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX PREP

Ben Carrol, 11, intercepts a pass in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ home playoff game against Olmsted Falls. The Grizzlies won 35-7.

PHOTO BY LAUREN SATINK

Team captains, Jon List, 11 (left) and Logan Messer, 11 (right) drilling in order to prepare for their upcoming matches.

WE LISTEN. WE CARE. WE CAN HELP. Depression, Anxiety, Substance use issues?

Cornerstone Psychological and Counseling Services

Founder’s Hall 195 Wadsworth Rd. Ste. 201 B Wadsworth, Oh 44281

330.722.4166

Disney Plus domination

REVIEW BY BRIANNA BECERRA

A new entertainment platform was released on November 12, creating a new rival for Netflix. Disney Plus provides family-friendly content and makes it easy for teens to access all of their favorite childhood movies and shows, proving itself to be a superior streaming service.

This platform features all Disney movies rated up to PG-13, guaranteeing that the content is appropriate for all ages. It also includes movies and shows from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and National Geographic. This wide variety allows the viewer to have a sizable range of options.

Disney Plus costs $6.99/month, which rings up at a lower cost than Netflix, its main rival. The cheapest monthly Netflix plan costs $8.99/ month, and the most expensive is a whopping $15.99/month. This is an unreasonable price to pay for one singular streaming service.

Disney Plus is not only limited to Disney movies though, as there is an option to bundle Disney Plus with Hulu and ESPN Plus for only $12.99/ month. This allows the buyer to access three separate streaming services for a relatively low price, making it much more worthwhile than the typical Netflix subscription.

It may be a good idea to consider subscribing to Disney Plus rather than Netflix, as the bundle provides endless options for any family member at a reasonable price. I know that I’ll be spending my free time binging my favorite Disney movies such as Beauty and the Beast, the Star Wars saga and all four installments of the Avengers.

A live action version of the 1955 hit, Lady and the Tramp, is one of four movies released exclusively on Disney Plus. The classic love story remains the same, but there are some differences between the original and the modernized version.

While it was still an enjoyable movie, the directors made an unforgivable change. Jock, the Scottish terrier that lives next to Lady, is now a female rather than a male. This detail may seem trivial, but it caused a whole side conflict to be eliminated. In the original, neighbor dogs Trusty and Jock vied for the romantic attention of Lady. Due to the gender switch of Jock’s character, this bit of drama does not occur anymore, making the plot considerably drier than it should be.

Lady and the Tramp Overall, the original Lady and the Tramp is much more worthwhile than the modern live action version. Though the real dogs were far more precious than animated dogs, some of the changes damaged the main plot.

Disney Plus also debuted a new original show, The Mandalorian, which branches off of the Star Wars saga. It is one of eight shows set to have weekly episodes released exclusively on the platform, giving it more of a TV feel.

The show follows the main character of the Mandalorian, a high class bounty hunter, as he searches for a high risk target. This target is quickly revealed to be a child that is the same species as Yoda, a favorite of many Star Wars viewers. He has similar abilities to Yoda, as he is able to use the Force to his advantage.

Only a few episodes have been released so far, and they have not lived up to the big hype surrounding the entirety of the show. While it brings a feel of nostalgia by bringing a Yoda-like character back into focus, it does not feature as much action as expected.

The plot seems to drag along, as the Mandalorian achieves his goal in the very first episode. While it is fast moving, it is not a very entertaining show. Maybe it will get better as the season goes on, but the first few episodes have not been stellar.

The Mandalorian

Mo v i e R e v i e w s

REVIEWED BY SARAH SCOBEE

REVIEWED BY SARAH SCOBEE

REVIEWED BY SARAH SCOBEE

REVIEWED BY BRIAN COOTE

As the snow starts to fall, the Queen of the Cold returns as Frozen 2 hit the theaters November 22. The movie follows the aftermath of Elsa becoming Queen of Arendale as the beloved characters return to protect their home once again. Disney took the sequel in a more serious approach while still balancing humor and a kid friendly essence. The soundtrack of the movie was impressive and differed from the original for a more sophisticated sound. The animations were realistic and coherent. Overall, the movie provides an exciting, well executed story about Elsa discovering her family history and the origin of her powers.

Last Christmas, rated PG-13, is a romantic comedy that explores the connection between a struggling seasonal worker and a mysterious stranger that meet in London. The movie had a familiar feel and progressed like most stereotypical Christmas rom-coms.

The two main characters, played by Emillia Clarke and Henry Golding, lacked on screen chemistry and the foreshadowed plot twists fell short of spectacular. The movie does a good job of telling a basic holiday love story but lacks in uniqueness and creativity.

Matt Damon and Christian Bale take on the world of race car driving in the 1966 French 24 hours of Le Mahn. The movie tells the true story of the birth of Ford’s race team and their attempt to take down the racing icons Ferrari. The movie is PG-13 because of its strong language and use of violence. The acting and the suspense had me sitting on the edge of my seat numerous times. The movie was quite lengthy, though, and the action did not pick up until a while into the movie, leaving the first half a bit slow and hard to get in to. The twists and turns of the movie left me engaged, and the character’s chemistry added to the emotional edge.

In an industry filled with sequels and remakes, 21 Bridges brings an original story of New York Police Department detective, Andre Davis, who hunts down two cop killers by shutting down Manhattan. Directed by Brian Kirk, the film’s design is to pull viewers deeper in Manhattan by making them wonder what is next. The movie starts slow, starting with a robbery. It then rapidly picks up to more violent and intense crimes that unravel a conspiracy. As watchers follow the city-wide search, the movie keeps them in a rush for answers. The one hour and 39 minute movie is nothing but a thrilling hunt that focuses on action to deliver an exciting cop thriller.

“I love watching my favorite childhood shows.”

- Gabbie Earnest, 11.

“Disney doesn’t need its own streaming platform.”

- Kayla Ross, 11.

“The new Disney exclusives are so good.”

- Jessica Keith, 11.

“Netflix has way better shows and movies.”

- Michael Streger, 12.

Gifts of Christmas

Page By Emily Thompson

Below is a list of the best gifts for friends, family, or that special someone. The holiday season is a time to give, hopefully this list can help you give your loved ones something they will love. Enjoy!

Must-Haves of this Christmas season.

Women’s “Vintage” Tommy Hilfiger Tee Pacsun.com $35.00

Boyfriends will love these gifts.

Vans Slip On Checkerboard Shoes Vans.com $49.99

Nike AirForce 1’s Foot Locker $70.00

Find the perfect gift for your “edgy” friend.

Looking for Something for your girlfriend?

She will love these.

Unisex Acrylic Watch Hat Dunhams Sports $14.99 Nike Dri-Fit Crew Socks Dicks Sporting Goods $22.00

Men’s Champion Hoodie Pacsun.com $60.00

Nike Mac Air Backpack Nike.com $50.00

Women’s Dr. Martens Journeys. com $139.99

Women’s Zip Up “Teddy” Jacket Amazon.com $37.99

Men’s Plaid Hooded Jacket Amazon.com $34.99

Stocking stuffers for a younger sister.

Women’s Ribbed Knit Socks Amazon.com $12.50

B.

A.

Perfect gifts for any age.

D.

A. Neon Cactus Lamp Five Below $5.00 B. Twisted Gold Hoop Earrings Set Forever 21 $4.99

C.

Women’s Pink Knit Hat Forever 21 $8.99

D. Plaid Reversible Blankets Amazon. com $12.99

Go-to gifts all friends will enjoy.

Multi-pack iPhone Chargers Amazon.com $11.99

Led Strip Lights Amazon.com $26.99 Bath and Body Works Collection Bath and Body Works (vary in price)

C. iPhone XR Light Up Phone Case Five Below $4.00

Call of Duty Modern Warfare for Xbox One Game Stop $59.99

Tech friendly gifts for gamers.

The Decade That Made Us THE EVENTS THAT SHAPED US

This past decade has seen many trials and triumphs as the years passed by. Local and national news events have affected students in countless ways. Technology has evolved, enhancing our lives in new, impactful ways. Movies, along with music, have entered streaming services and have greatly influenced our modern culture. This issue of The Bruin encompasses the 2010s: the decade that made us.

s w

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a N The worst oil spill in American history takes place in the gulf of Mexico.

4.9 million gallons of oil were spilled into the ocean from the oil company, BP, who then had to pay 18.7 billion dollars in reparations.

Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda and involved in the planning of 9/11, was killed by U.S. Navy Seals.

2011

Terrorists attacked the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring 283 runners and spectators.

Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev then led Boston police on a high-speed chase, killing one officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A deadly outbreak of Ebola started in West Africa and reached the United States with two people diagnosed.

Same sex marriage became legal in all fifty states.

2015

2014

2013

On December 14, a single gunman killed 26 people in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, 20 of whom were students.

2012

2010

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 The city of Wadsworth celebrated its bicentennial.

Wadsworth wrestling won first Division 1 state title in 67 years, breaking the streak of a 33 year break from a public school win at the state level.

Wadsworth votes on a levy to support the school district and combat lack of state funding.

This was the first school year in all new buildings throughout the district.

Bring your own device, BYOD, sparked the interest of students, soon to be implemented through the district.

presidential The resulted election in Donald Trump as President and as Pence Mike President.

Vice Trump was the fifth President to lose the popular vote but win the electoral college.

2016

On August 21, the first total solar eclipse visible from coast to coast across the United States in 99 years took place, lasting two minutes and forty seconds.

A shooting took place at Stoneman Over 50 people had been arrested in Douglas High School, killing 17 connection with a college admissions people, and leading the creation scandal for cheating on standardized tests. of the March for Our Lives protest march in Washington DC.

2017

2018

2019

BY HALLE SHAEFFER AND ALEX MILLER

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015

In March, the girls basketball team won the state championship.

The heroin epidemic reached Medina County, affecting many citizens of Wadsworth.

o L

l a c

e N

s w

Joey Baughman was named Ohio's Mr. Football.

Every Wadsworth student was issued a personal Chromebook for educational use inside and out of the Drug testing begins classroom. in Wadsworth High School for students who want to be involved in sports, clubs, or have a parking pass.

These random tests were intended to limit drug, alcohol, and nicotine usage within the school.

WHS students voiced their opinions on the most important national and local news events from the last decade through a poll. In total, 123 students were surveyed. This timeline reflects the events that have left an impact on the lives of students who have grown up in this decade.

A constant fear of gun violence in schools has left many students feeling weary. “School shooting always make me nervous to return the next day,” said Emma Landals, 12. “You never know what could happen to us.”

As technology as evolved, so has our school. Giving a Chromebook to each student has improved study habits.

“They make it a lot easier to get work done outside of school,” said Kenzie Gaume, 12. Growing up in a decade of changing technology we have learned to adapt with each improvement.

REVIEWED BY EMILY BRANDYBERRY

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Flipping the script on gender

A DECADE OF MOVIES

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Over the past 10 years, the amount of female leads in movies has increased dramatically. The movie industry has taken giant leaps in the age of feminism.

“Women in movies now play a more substantial role rather than playing an over-sexualized, ‘damsel in distress’ type character,” said Jessica Reber, 11.

Prior to this decade, viewers A m e r i c a were accustomed to seeing and Captain females in films that centered Marvel, both being around a powerful leading featured on the big male. screen in the past The Hunger Games five years. Captain Marvel series was a major step for was even the first Marvel women in cinema. Jennifer Comic Universe film with Lawrence starred as Katniss a solo female lead.

Everdeen in the four movie Not only have major film franchise that highlighted enterprises stepped away from the struggles of an underprivileged the typical male dominated girl who becomes a tenacious, roles, but so have individual independent character and the leader films. Both Hidden Figures of a revolution. Unlike most action and The Post finally put the movies, Lawrence is the leading accomplishments of women that character whereas actors Josh have not been seen before in the Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth spotlight. have supporting roles.

Hidden Figures highlights the While a select few Disney efforts of three African American movies have been female oriented, women who helped calculate the mission that sent John such as Beauty and the Beast and Mulan, they have taken a huge step Glenn into space. It shows the struggles that the in the 2010s to empower women women went through and young girls. Top films such to try and gain as Frozen and Moana teach acceptance in women that they do not need a a white, male dominated field. In the 2017 stable male to save them. film, The Post, Katharine Graham becomes Powerful “Elsa and Anna were game female the first female publisher of The Washington changers. To have two women characters Post. Like the women in Hidden Figures, express their sisterly such as she faces much adversity and clashes with love proved a wonderful Katniss her male counterparts.

Everdeen moment for Disney and the from The Prior to the 2010s, seeing women playing film industry,” said English Hunger Games teacher Nathan Singleton. courageous lead characters was virtually have become “No longer must love be unheard of. Rather than seeing these women more popular only amorous.” on the big screen, they had to be read about in over the last Marvel has also made decade as leading books, as that was the only safe place for them. characters in giant leaps when it comes However, the film industry took the world major films rather to establishing powerful by storm in this decade by shredding gender than the typical women in society. stereotypes in cinema, finally showing women male figures.

Women took the that they too can be powerful and have a leading role in voice in this male dominated world.

Marvel’s Captain CUTOUTS BY EMILY BRANDYBERRY AND KATE MESSAM

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Science Fiction: defining a decade in film

Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, will fittingly be While released December 20, 2019, only the 2000s 11 days before the decade comes w e r e to a close. dominated Along with Star Wars, the 2010s by fantasy from hosted a plethora of superhero Lord of the Rings movies from the ever so popular kicking off the decade Avengers series to stand alone to Harry Potter ending it, films such as Captain America and the 2010s ushered in a new Iron Man. Since the release of Iron era of film: Sci-Fi. This decade boosted the genre Man 2 in 2010, Marvel Studios which first gained popularity in has released 21 additional films the 1960s with Fahrenheit 451 and centering around the company’s Planet of the Apes. This time, the most popular characters.

Although Marvel will continue film industry combined the classic to release movies well beyond this style with a new one. decade, it did bring an end to the “Marvel tweaks their characters Avengers series in 2019 with the to appeal to a larger audience while release of Avengers: Endgame. It Star Wars stays with the weird and became the highest grossing film outlandish,” said JD Webb, 12 of all time, generating about $2.8 After taking a 10 year break, billion while in theaters. the Star Wars saga made a roaring These types of films have comeback with Star Wars: The defined a decade and in doing so Force Awakens which quickly have defined a generation. Today’s became the fourth highest grossing teenagers have grown up in a film of all time making $1 billion in world of science fiction which has only 12 days. The franchise would given them a safe haven from the continue its success by releasing dark world they face everyday. five more films throughout the “It has given a lot of people role decade. models,” said Cole Points, 11.

Despite its major prosperity over “They are taught that even if things the past five years, the end get tough there is always hope and of the decade brings with it a way to stand up against those the end of an era. The final who try and push you down.” installment of the 9-part

Superhero films such as The Avengers have dominated the theaters in the 2010s, paving the way for science fiction to make an astonishing comeback.

A DECADE OF MUSIC

They are more than just songs

The death of Trayvon Martin in 2013 inspired the Black Lives Matter movement. Consequently, the movement spurred “black protest music” into a realm of normalcy in the music industry.

During the end of his term, President Obama supported the movement. Obama faced backlash, though, as the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ bothered many throughout the country because of the association that this lessened the importance of other races’ lives. The former president clarified his stance in 2016 Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” during an interview with music video shocked viewers with its ABC anchor David Muir graphic, eye-opening depictions of violence that, “it’s to suggest that other against African Americans. folks aren’t experiencing this particular vulnerability.”

“A big misconception about the Black Lives Matter movement is that it is a hate group against law enforcement and the white community,” said Aniya Harris, 12. “The movement is precisely what it says: our lives matter too.”

Other than Obama, musicians began writing songs about the violence that they have encountered and the inequality their race faces as a whole.

“This Is America” by Childish Gambino takes the audience on a visual journey to show them that, in the eyes of Gambino, their entertainment is more important than protecting the lives of black America. Amongst all of the chaos and death in the music video, Gambino keeps the focus on his singing and his dancing with young black students.

Harris addresses the problem of entertainment over what the audience needs to take out of the music.

“The society we live in today only responds to what we want to see and what we want to hear,” said Harris.

However, artists are not stopping their activism because of others missing the meaning of their songs.

Performing “Freedom” with Kendrick Lamar at the Black Entertainment Television Awards in 2016, Beyonce embraced her position as a political artist. Starting the show with a voiceover of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the performance flowed into an incredible show of talent and activism. The duo sang their powerful lyrics celebrating colored women and touched on slavery and the Black Lives Matter movement.

As rap has become the dominate form of pop music, these issues of politics, wrongful violence, and social justice have come with it to the forefront.

Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar performing at the BET Awards in 2015 with their song “Freedom,” a song that celebrates black women.

Lamar’s rap focuses on racism that continues to rage on within the country.

REVIEWED BY KATE MESSAM

TOP SONGS Based on information provided

by Billboard charts

Wrecking Ball

by Miley Cyrus

Cruise

by Florida Georgia Line

Bad Guy

by Billie Eilish

Uptown Funk

by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Thrift Shop

by Macklemore

Firework

by Katy Perry

Starships

by Nicki Minaj

Havana

by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug

Boy bands will never die

Jonas Brothers: The reunion we all needed The Jonas Brothers were a staple in Gen Z’s childhoods. With their roles in the Camp Rock franchise, the creation of their show Jonas and a multitude of albums and tours, the Jonas Brothers were everywhere.

Their rock and pop-punk music amassed millions of fans across the world, but they broke hearts in 2013 after they split over “creative differences.” Joe Jonas and Nick Jonas started their own successful solo artist careers, while brother Kevin Jonas focused on his family.

After years apart, the Jonas Brothers thrilled fans with their shock reunion in 2019 by releasing their first single together in six years, “Sucker”. The song spent 38 weeks on the Billboard charts. The brothers new album focuses on their families and the new bond that they created over the recent years.

One Direction: Nobody can drag them down Since forming in 2010 on the X Factor, One Direction has become one of the biggest groups in music history. Their first album, Up All Night, inspired a faithful following of young, pop-loving tweens. Their music, however, was not considered serious in the eyes of others.

As their style quickly outgrew the stereotypical boy band with choreographed stage directions to artists who write their own songs and play instruments on stage, the U.K. based group boosted into an entire new level of fame.

One Direction released one last album, Made in the A.M., in 2015 before calling it quits and starting their own solo careers.

Through their career, the boys were able to grow from a sole pop act into one that was heavily inspired by rock artists like Bruce Springsteen and The Who.

Stressed Out

by Twenty One Pilots

We Are Young

by fun. ft. Janelle Monae

Better Now

by Post Malone

Rolling in the Deep

by Adele

The Edge of Glory

by Lady Gaga

Closer

by The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey

Royals

by Lorde

Old Town Road

by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

BTS: The K-pop group that dominated America “Gangnam Style” by PSY elevated the relatively unknown genre of Korean pop music into American culture, but once the song became overplayed, K-pop did not stay relevant in the U.S. charts. Not until 2017 did K-pop make a comeback with the help of BTS. The South Korean group elevated into fame in the U.S. with their hit song “DNA”. That year, they won a Billboard Music Award and were in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 charts. Later, they made their debut on U.S. television by performing at the American Music Awards.

The seven members create songs that are almost entirely in Korean, with the exception of a few other languages they sing, but their fan base reaches all corners of the world. Their enormous success in such a wide variety of countries, including America, breaks the mold of award winning artists singing in English.

As of right now, BTS is considered as the world’s biggest boy band, so it is no wonder why their lyrics, concepts, dancing, and shining personalities have earned the adoration of fans across the globe.

Top albums of the decade

among Wadsworth students based on a poll created by Bruin staff

CUTOUTS BY KATE MESSAM

Divide (2017) by

Ed Sheeran

American Teen (2017) Thank U, Next (2019) by by

Khalid

Ariana Grande

1989 (2014) by

Taylor Swift

2010-2019:

A DECADE OF TECHNOLOGY PAGE BY MICAH BECK & ANNA WOLFINGER

This decade’s most played video games are Minecraft and Fortnite.

730

MILLION

MILLION

users at its peak

Pokemon Go, released on in 2016, was an instant success, taking virtual reality to all new levels.

Since 2010, over

350 MILLION

iPads have been sold

40 30 20

PlayStation Vita (2011) Nintendo 3DS (2011) Wii U (2012) Xbox One (2013) PlayStation 4 (2013) Nintendo Switch (2017)

people own a smartwatch

AirPods have been purchased

56

GADGETS By 2020, there are projected to be

180x

more drones in the sky than planes

ASK THE STUDENTS Wha

What do students have to say about social media and technology this past decade? We conducted a survey with over 120 responses, and here are the results.

t’s y soci our fav orite al m edia ?

10 0

gaming consoles were released this decade.

1 in6

MILLION TIMES

50

6

49.6%

50.4% TikTok

44.7% 23.6% 16.3%

6.5%

4%

Vine or TikTok?

Sources: Statista & CNET

GAMING

Video games Fortnite (2017) and Minecraft (2009) have a combined playerbase of

380

SURVEY: Do influencers deserve the money they earn?

1200 hly t on The average 1000 m e s on ia v i Instagram 800 Act ser med u al influencer 600 ci o s Users in millions

$

makes $1,000 per 100,000 followers.

SOCIAL MEDIA

400 200

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Years

Facebook (2004) has 2.7 billion users, however, among Generation X, the user count dropped due to other social media platforms.

INFLUENCERS The Ace Family is a family-friendly YouTube channel with a following of 17.7 million subscribers. They are known for being the “perfect family.” They are able to make $2 to $5 per 1000 views on ads alone, which equates out to almost $10,000 a day, and $3.6 million annually.

Jeffree Star is an instagram influencer with 15 million followers and over 1.7 billion views. Along with his makeup brand, “Jeffree Star Cosmetics”, Star brings in $150 million every year.

Kylie Jenner is the second highest paid celebrity. She earns $150 million every year through Instagram, YouTube and her “Kylie Cosmetics” makeup brand.

Over the past decade we have seen many changes, with the most noticeable being the evolution of technology and social media. With the addition of social media influencers into everyday life, they have been given the power to play a major role in shaping

today’s society as a whole.

Along with the change in social media, music and media productions have also evolved. We have seen an influx in prominent roles played by females. Music has become more like a form of activism and less for general entertainment.

LINE GRAPH SOURCES: statista.com

Social media ties us together

Social media has become more than just a pastime or a hobby. Throughout the past decade, social media has become a staple for personality and defines who we are as people.

With the easy access to technology, people can know who you are without needing to talk to you face to face. With new generations being born into this technology ridden age, it becomes their new reality and their new normal. Talking to people face to face has increasingly become atypical.

As technology has become normalized, children start to get smart phones at younger ages.

“I got my first smartphone when I was eight years old,” Sammi Voitko, 9.

While at the beginning of the decade, smartphones were still gaining popularity and were not as widely common.

“My first smartphone was the iPhone 3G when I was 12 years old,” said Ethan Madden, 12.

Dating, friendships, doctor’s appointments, fast food, have all become substantially more accessible with the click of a button on an app. Is this considered lazy or is it just socially acceptable?

“When I was working I would use Door Dash around twice a week,” said Annie Black, 11. “It was very convenient for when I didn’t have the time to go get food.”

Technology has given people a way to communicate with each other in a way that has shaped how we interact on a regular basis. Everyone who owns a smart device or is a part of social media are binded together virtually. We are all tied together in a way that a decade ago, we did not think was possible.

As this decade comes to an end and we look towards the start of a new one, one thing is certain: social media will not be leaving anytime soon. Even government officials, such as the president, use Twitter and Facebook to announce and inform his audience.

Social media has converted itself into a news outlet of its own. It is a powerful source used by many and growing everyday.

This decade has shown the importance and power of social media in both news, influencers, and music.

20

20

PAGE BY MICAH BECK & ANNA WOLFINGER

Foreign Exchange Students get Festive for Holiday Season T

Federico Orlandini (left) poses with Barret Labus, 11, after a Friday night football game. Orlandini is also playing basketball this season for the Grizzlies.

BY JILLIAN CORNACCHIONE

he holiday season is one of the most anticipated times of the year among people living in America. This year, Wadsworth High School had the opportunity to welcome much diversity as four young students from various places throughout the world have begun to experience what Americans refer to as “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Leenah Lathram, a student who traveled to the United States from Benghazi, Libya, has never experienced Christmas before. The holiday so many Americans love is not celebrated in her country.

During religious holidays in Libya, Lathram and her family take part in customs that contrast greatly from those taking place in American households. For this reason, she is especially looking forward to having the opportunity to learn about traditions in a culture that is very different than her own.

“I want to experience a typical American Christmas and do everything kids do here,” said Lathram. “I want to build a snowman, watch Christmas movies, have big meals with family, and have sleepovers with friends.”

An exchange student from Bangkok, Thailand, shares this in common with Lathram. Peerada Techawongerasert (Beam) has also never experienced the holiday season.

“We don’t have Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Halloween in Thailand, so I am happy I can celebrate them in America,” said Beam.

Not only have Lathram and Beam never encountered these holidays, but the climates in which Beam and Lathram come from are very different compared to that in Ohio. Temperatures in their countries are much hotter year round, which means these two exchange students are accustomed to significantly warmer weather.

Given these circumstances, neither Lathram nor Beam have witnessed snow in person prior to America, making this years’ first snowfall that occurred in midNovember a remarkable and memorable moment for both of them.

“I saw snow for the first time here,” said Lathram. “I love it because it is so pretty.”

Lathram looks forward to doing numerous winter activities that she has never had the chance to do before.

“I really want to make snow angels and build a snowman,” said Lathram. “And I definitely want to have snowball fights. I have to do all of those before I leave.”

To get into the Christmas spirit, Beam has already watched some popular Christmas movies, including The Grinch and Elf. She is also planning on helping her host family put up a Christmas tree and decorate their home.

One winter activity Beam recently had the opportunity to try was ice skating.

From the moment she stepped on the ice, she was a natural at the task, noting that she did not fall once and could do a wide range of challenging tricks.

“I loved it,” said Beam. “My friend is a professional ice skater so she taught me how to spin and do a lot of cool tricks.”

Although Beam enjoys the holiday season, she is still adapting to Ohio’s winter weather. When she goes outside, she makes sure to wear several layers, a necessity to staying warm throughout the season.

Another way Beam copes with the cold is by drinking plenty of hot chocolate.

During her time in America, she tasted hot chocolate for the first time and has since fallen in love with the popular holiday drink.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FEDERICO ORLANDINI

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEERADA TECHAWONGPRASERT

Beam (second from left) had the opportunity to go ice skating with new friends that she met in America at an indoor arena in Wooster, Ohio.

Franzi Wenzi (right) and Leah Bardar, 12, drove to Cleveland to see the house from the popular American movie, A Christmas Story. The house is open yearround to the public for tours and overnight stays.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNN BARDAR

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEENAH LATHRAM

Leenah Lathram snapped a selfie during her first encounter with snow so that she could reminisce this exhilarating moment in her life.

“When I went to the football games, I always got hot chocolate,” said Beam. “It is so good, and I love how it makes you warm when it is cold outside.”

As the holiday season progresses, both exchange students grow more and more eager for Christmas and look forward to experiencing the typical lifestyle of a kid living in Ohio during the winter season.

Along with Lathram and Beam, WHS also had the privilege of welcoming two additional foreign exchange students. Franzi Wenzi, who traveled to the United States from Stuttgart, Germany, and Federico Orlandini, an exchange student from Ancona, Italy. They both share many of the same traditions as families in America during the holidays.

Both students celebrate Christmas in their home country.

“In Germany, we have similar traditions,” said Wenzi. “I decorate the Christmas tree every year with my family, and we bake a lot of Christmas cookies. Then, the whole family comes over on Christmas day.”

Like those in America, Wenzi and her family exchange gifts during the holiday season. Wenzi and her friends also like to play outside when it snows in their hometown; they build snowmen and make snow angels. The climate in Stuttgart is fairly similar to that in Ohio, which has given Franzi the opportunity to do many of the things that kids living in Ohio do during winter. She also enjoys other outside activities, such as sledding and skiing.

Orlandini takes part in the tradition of exchanging gifts with family as well.

“Every year on December 24th, I have dinner with all of my family,” said Orlandini. “Then we wait for midnight on December 25th, and we start to exchange gifts.”

However, the temperature is warmer in Ancona, Italy, than it is in Stuttgart or Ohio, and it almost never snows. Therefore, it is not unlikely that Orlandini has a Christmas without the appearance of snow. Because it is generally warm for most of the season, his family and friends are always out and about and don’t stay in their homes for too long at a time.

“We never stay at home during winter in Italy because outside is not as cold as it is here,” said Orlandini.

Although he will miss his loved ones, and their annual traditions around Christmas time, he is grateful he has the chance to experience the holiday season in a different environment surrounded by new faces.

Like Orlandini, Franzi is excited that she gets to see what Christmas is like in a new country, and she is more than ready for the holiday season.

“I love the holidays,” said Wenzi. “It is such a happy time, and I can’t wait for Christmas day.”

Wenzi started getting into the holiday spirit as early as the beginning of November, whether it be by binge watching classic Christmas movies, such as The Polar Express and Christmas with the Kranks, or making her new room festive by decorating it and putting up a Christmas tree. She even traveled to Cleveland with her host family to see the spot where A Christmas Story was filmed. After seeing this location in person, she is excited to join in on her host family’s annual tradition of watching the movie on Christmas Eve. Regardless of where each of these students comes from, or what traditions they take part in at home, one thing is certain: all four foreign exchange students are anticipating the unforgettable memories that they plan to make alongside new friends and family this holiday season.

ctober

2018

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WHS CHOIR GROOVES IN DISNEY

WHS Choir students traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Florida to perform over Thanksgiving break after auditioning for a slot last December.

The group performed in Walt Disney World’s Candlelight Processional with a celebrity narrator at the American Gardens Theater in Epcot.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLEIGH TAYLOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABE HAPRIAN

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ADA WAGNER

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Kyleigh Taylor (right), 11, and Jayden Taylor (left), 11, met Mr. Incredible Abe Haprian, 12, meets Frozone while when they went to Disney. visiting one of the parks in Disney.

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Leia Gonzales (right), 9, and Sydney Friedt (left), 9, explore Main Street in front of the castle in Magic Kingdom.

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(From left to right) Mikayla Looper, 12, Courtney Keating, 11, and Evi Goebel, 12, smile as they meet Merida in Epcot (left).

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(From left to right) Alex Miller, 11, Cecilia West, 11, Ada Wagner, 9, Lucy Allen 11, and Madison Miller, 11, met Alice from Alice in Wonderland in Epcot.

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Mrs. Davis (left) and Mrs. Lake (right) snap a picture before their students’ performance in Disney.

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PAGE BY EMILY KURTZ

Savannah Tucker, 9, and Addie Beck, 9, meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in Magic Kingdom

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If you see this logo in a story, you can scan the code or go to our website to listen to the actual interviews!

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The Evolution of Toys

Over the past 100 years, children’s toys have transformed dramatically. Toys change in response to occasions such as current events, children’s needs and the advancement of technology. Check out the toys children have asked for over the past century.

There are many reasons why the wants of a child can change. Through the century, fads and popular toys have changed from a simple teddy bear, to the newest iPhone. Because of the advancement of technology, children desire phones, laptops and iPads, while during the early 1900’s, children enjoyed the simplicity of bears and dolls.

Grandma Maher, Bruin Staffer Natalie Maher’s grandmother, can recall what she wanted as a child in the 50’s.

“I wanted a baby doll when I was a child,” said Grandma Maher.

The grandfather of Bruin’s Editor-in-Chief Halle Shaeffer also remembers being a young boy in the 50’s, wanting a David Crockett pioneer costume.

The early 2000s were the start of technological advances in toys. High schoolers can recollect their childhood and wanting a Wii, the iDog and the first iPod. These were the “big hit” in high schoolers’ childhoods, just as baby dolls, teddy bears and toy guns were in the early 1900’s.

Toys nowadays have changed dramatically from the 50’s. Kids no longer want costumes or baby dolls. They want Star Wars toys or iPhone 11’s, much more technological gifts. For example, Shaeffer’s elementary school cousins asked Santa for Hoverboards, as this product hit the market in 2015 and has been universally popular among youth and children. Kids also request the remote controlled BB8 action figure, which replicates the droid in the new Star Wars films.

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