The Bruin- October 2015 by Wadsworth Bruin

Wadsworth High School

Newspaper II/III

1870 - 2015 Wadsworth City Schools: “Celebrating 144 years of Excellence in Education”

Volume XLI No. 1

OCTOBER 2015

The

BRUIN

Halloween: Oct. 31

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

$1.00

Heroin outbreak threatens Medina County BY OLIVIA CHANEY AND CODY SURRATT

The explosion of prescription drug abuse, including the ever popular Oxycontin and Percocet, has given way to a new epidemic: heroin. It is ravaging the least likely corners of America - such as Wadsworth, Ohio, which has just been woken up to a fullblown crisis. Although the drug has been a nemesis for the U.S. and the world, it is making an alarming appearance in Medina County. As of Oct. 2015, 32 people have

succumb to heroin overdoses in the county alone. “This crisis is taking lives, destroying families, and shattering communities,” said President Barack Obama. This is exactly what is happening in the Wadsworth community. Recently, several arrests have been made in an attempt put an end to the dangerous drug. Heroin usage is nothing new. It has been abused since the 1920’s, and heroin has been a bigger problem over the years than just

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

As shown in the photo above, the cultivation of the poppy crop, which is the foundation of heroin, has exploded throughout Afghanistan, especially in the south.

in Medina County. The history of heroin dates all the way back to the early 1800’s. Heroin was developed by a German chemical company in 1898. Heroin was first thought to be a commercial medicine. The scientist who developed this drug was Heinrich Dreser. Dreser presented his new drug as a cough, chest and lung medicine, and the people who used this drug all believed that it helped their symptoms. What the scientists and Dreser did not know was how addictive heroin could become. As its popularity grew, so did the government’s regulations, but heroin, morphine and other opiate derivatives were unregulated and sold legally in the United States until 1920. The government began cracking down on these new drugs with certain laws and acts. One act brought into circulation was the Dangerous Drug Act, which regulated heroin, morphine and opiates. The opium plant comes from many regions in the Middle East. It is most prominent in Afghanistan and is currently the primary producer of the drug by manufacturing 70% of the world’s opium. The opium poppy

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Workers in Afghanistan harvest the opium poppy, which is used for many of the opiates in circulation. Afghanistan currently produces 70% of the world’s opium.

grows naturally on the Afghan hillsides and is harvested by farmers throughout the country. On the other side of the world, big cities began to find more problems with the heroin epidemic. In 1924, the deputy commissioner of the New York Police reported that 94% of all crimes were being committed by heroin addicts. By 1925, there were an estimated 200,000 heroin addicts in the United States, and the epidemic was just getting

started, keeping steam all the way to the 1950’s. Later into the 1960’s, the Vietnam War brought a resurgence of heroin use in soldiers. Statistics show that 15% of servicemen were addicted to heroin during this ten year war. Although heroin problems are nothing new, Medina County is now fighting on a new battlefield. This old drug needs to be put out of circulation. Please see Heroin, 14

How can students help eradicate the heroin epidemic?

“More people need to help them and explain to them how doing it effects not only them but their family and friends as well.” -Sydney, 9

Inside

the

Heroin epidemic hits close to home

“We need to bring the issue more “I think that we need to have more public and brought to attention. Also, rehabilitation options and places maybe we should have more meetings where people can get help.” and drug prevention assemblies.” - Zach 12 - Abbie, 11 PHOTOS BY CODY SURRATT

PHOTOS BY CODY SURRATT

Bruin:

Supreme Court limits abortion rights

Homecoming photos

“We as students need to not give in to peer pressure and help our friends and peers not to do it.” - Clay, 10

– page 3 – page 14 – page 9

INDEX PAGE

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

*Issue 4 withdrawn on Sept. 4, 2008

The Wadsworth High School Drama Dept. is performing Drac’s Back! at The James R. McIlvaine Performing Arts Center on Oct. 28 & 29 at 7:30 and Sat. Oct. 31, at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $8.

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

Brewin’ Debate

We are all in to go ‘ALL OUT’

Staff Editorial

New year, new Bruin. School is back and rocking in full force. We hope you all have had a very fun-filled and successful 1st quarter. At the Bruin, we have been working hard to bring some good news; however, there is a pressing issue affecting our town. Heroin is a serious problem in Wadsworth, and it has turned into an epidemic. Some may be shocked that we put such a disturbing topic on the front page, but it is an unavoidable issue that needs to be addressed. We as a staff are worried about the rising death tolls and the health of the citizens in our community. If you suspect anyone is involved with this dangerous drug, please let them know that help is available. On a lighter note, Spirit Week was fantastic. In our honest opinions, we thought the Spirit

E ditorial

The Bruin

October 2015

Week participation was the best Wadsworth has seen in quite a while. Student Council did an outstanding job of coming up with interesting themes, and the student body did an even better job of putting them on full display. The week was capped with a great assembly and a Homecoming game and dance many will never forget. Let us get down to business. We hope you are all ready to feast your eyes on the best eight issues this paper has ever written. Anything less than a ‘Golden Flash’ award this year is a failure. With this staff we have the capability to accomplish this feat for the first time since 1999. We are priding ourselves on giving you, the reader, the best possible work we can create. We hope you enjoy every issue of our paper. Let us all have a great school year and show everyone why Wadsworth High School is the best school in Ohio. Contact The Bruin: Twitter (@wadsworthbruin) Instagram (@WHS_Bruin)

Should hats be allowed in school? Yes

By Noah baughman

by ALex lenc

Have you ever had a bad hair day? Students can have a rough time at school when everything is not going right for them. One little thing, such as a hair or two sticking up, can throw a whole day off. Why not fix this bad hair day with a hat? The allowance of hats in schools will lessen the amount of rough days and end bad hair days. Not only will they end bad hair days, hats can be used to express yourself with fashion. Just as shirts or pants add to your style, a hat can make an outfit. Fashion is a new way to express yourself and is becoming more and more important to young adults. By allowing hats in schools, we allow our students to be themselves. Many opponents of allowance argue that hats can lead to harm. Of course, hats can lead to bad actions like carrying drugs or weapons. Pockets, purses and bags can be just as, if not more, effective mechanisms for transporting these dangers. For example, many students here at WHS wore hats during spirit week. For every theme and every day, there were many students representing their character and spirit with hats. These actions did not lead to problems or harm. Therefore, hats should be allowed in our school to fix bad hair days and add uniqueness to our students.

Students at Wadsworth High School should not be allowed to wear hats in the building. They would immediately take advantage of this, and I believe that hats could become a great distraction for everybody. Nobody will choose to wear a normal hat because top hats and other extravagant head wear would be much more appealing to the students. Hats with fish hooks placed in them can also pose as a threat to other student and faculty. These hooks are very sharp and could be used as a weapon. To keep our school safe, we cannot allow hats to be worn. This rule would also give way for students to take advantage of the dress code, and begin to break the rules more often. Once we allow students to wear hats, before we know it they will be going to school with holes in their jeans and wearing masks. Wearing hats in school would also translate to students wearing hoods. Wearing hoods could give students a chance to commit theft and other crimes throughout the school without people knowing who the culprit actually was. Wearing this attire would give the student body a much shadier look than what everybody is used to. Hats being allowed in school does not have any positive outcome to it. The rules would be stretched and it would give our school problems.

Students React to school spirit I think our student section at the football games on Friday nights is one of the best things about our student body and a great thing to be proud of for the students. Every football game, everyone dresses in the theme for that game, and everyone shows excitement and cheers our team on until the end. Despite the weather, how we’re playing, or anything else, our student body still shows support and keeps an awesome student section. -Ally Blom, 11 The WHS student section never loses hope in their athletic teams. No matter what the score is, the student section is always cheering on their team. Another great thing about our student section is the attendance. The stands are always filled with fans, whether the game is home or away. This shows how committed everyone

is to supporting our teams. Even though our football team is on a losing streak, the student section will always remain high-spirited. No matter what the outcome of the game is, the student section hype is real. -Tyler Maxwell, 11 The Grizzly spirit contained in the hearts of the students of our school is completely amazing. No matter what the conditions of our sports teams, whether their record or injuries, the support from the student body has remained strong. The attendance at our football games has remained high despite the team’s losing streak at the beginning of the season. The students fully believe the football team will turn this season around, but whatever happens, we will continue to support our fellow Grizzlies. Having recently suffered a torn

ACL and had undergone surgery, I understand the heartbreak that comes with being forced to miss a whole sports season. It takes great teammates to be able to continue on while down in numbers and to still embrace those that want to be on the field with them. The strength, spirit, and support contained in our sports teams and student body will continue to reign throughout the rest of our fall sports season. -Michaela Macko, 11 Our student section gets bigger every year, with more freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors joining in on the fun. The themes help everyone get creative with their outfits and help our school have the most spirit, even when our team isn’t in the lead. No matter what, our students continue to cheer and just try to have a good experience overall.

A good example is the Medina game where the Grizzlies lost 62-6. Throughout the rain and cold, our student section cheered on our team no matter what the conditions. I think that overall we have one of the best student sections with a huge amount of participation and spirit! -Sophie Peebles, 10 The student section at the football games has been remarkable. The students have kept up their hype throughout the games even when we are not winning. I know this through personal experience at football games. The student section continues to support the Grizzlies. I personally want to say how dedicated the students of Wadsworth High School are, and that they are great at getting all the students hyped up during the games.

Not only have they been good at staying hyped, but they have stayed through the rough weather. At the game against Medina, it was raining, and students still stayed to cheer on the team. That is dedication. -Kelsey Palmer, 10 Wadsworth High School holds the most dedicated students who stand with their sports teams day and night. I see this every night of the week. We support our golf team the same as our football team. We do this no matter the score of the game nor the skill level of our players. We cheer for all of Wadsworth. We let our opponents hear our roar. Our football team had a rough start, but we have always supported them. We will make our opponents fear us. Wadsworth High School student section for life! -Ahmed Darwich, 10

Bruin Staff

Editorial Policy

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Hahn Assistant Editor: Elizabeth Heckler Head Copy Editor: Haylee Kupiec Managing Editor: John Merhar Marketing Manager: Regan Szalay Front Page: Page Editor: Regan Szalay Reporters: Olivia Chaney, Cody Surratt Editorial: Page Editor: Hannah Studenic Reporter: Noah Baughman, Alex Lenc Speakout: Page Editor: Hannah Studenic Reporters: Erin Kilbride Opinion 1: Page Editor: Regan Szalay Reporters: Alex Jones, Dean Beddow Opinion 2: Page Editor: Regan Szalay Reporters: Jenna Johnson, Lauren Knipl Community 1&2: Page Editor: Hannah Studenic Reporters: Olivia Chaney, Cody Surratt Features: Page Editor: Madison Quinn Reporters: Emily Andrews, Eme Eggleton News: Page Editor: Gary Noe Reporters: Lauren Whitley, Jodi Johnson Picture Pages: Editor: Madison Quinn Reporters: Maria Regueiro, Abigail Cipar Sports 1: Page Editor: Cameron Mendel Reporters: Nick Landolph, Michael Callow Sports 2: Page Editor: Cameron Mendel Reporters: Chase Pegrim, Dylan Bowers Entertainment: Editor: Madison Quinn Reporters: Alyssa Hopkins, Olivia Addis Of The Month: Editor: Hannah Studenic Reporters: Macie Carmel Ads/Business Manager: Noah Baughman Assistant: Alex Lenc Adviser: John Gramuglia

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

N ews A word from our

principal

Students, what a great start to the school year. Hard to believe that we are done with the first nine weeks, and you have received your report cards. It’s always good to focus on your academics. It is vitally important that you keep up with your assignments and remember your goals for the year. Seniors, you are entering your final year and need to maintain your success and focus on graduating at the end of the year. Juniors and Sophomores need to continue to focus on keeping your grades up as to not limit your choices after graduation. Freshmen, you need to start off with maturity and respect the high school experience. If you are having difficulty in any of your classes, make sure you communicate with your teachers and/or counselors to get the assistance you need. With the start of the school year, we have done a good job with keeping up a positive atmosphere. Our Seniors have started out excellent leaders and have helped set a good example for all to follow. We had an outstanding Homecoming dance and pep rally. Along with it, our spirit week was probably the best one we have had in my 14 years at Wadsworth. Students, you need to remember that you are always representing WHS, yourself and your family at all times during events. Continue to display incredible school spirit while remaining positive. Good things tend to happen to those who are positive. Please keep up to date on all of the activities going on at WHS. With athletics, band concerts, choir concerts and drama productions starting to be in full swing, you will have plenty of time to support your classmates. The positive experience that comes with high school also comes with attending different events to show support. Finally, we have a couple of important academic dates coming up. Mon, Nov. 2, is Academic Recognition Night at 7 PM in the PAC. If you had a 3.5 GPA last school year, you will be invited to attend. Please come and be recognized. Conferences are Thu, Nov. 5, and Sr. Leaf raking day is Fri, Nov. 13. Our National Honor Society Induction ceremony is on Tue, Nov. 24, at 7 PM in the PAC as well. As Always – Go Grizzlies

The Bruin

3 rights

October 2015

Supreme Court limits abortion BY JODI JOHNSON AND LAUREN WHITLEY

The Supreme Court is restricting the U.S. citizens’ rights more than ever. Abortion opponents have passed more than 280 restrictions in the past five years, with more are on the way. Ever since the Supreme Court sided with Texas abortion providers, most of the recent cases are aimed at shutting down abortion clinics in Texas. Texas started with 41 clinics, and if the Supreme Court passes these new laws, only 10 will remain. The current law that is in question was passed in 2013, but is no longer in effect. This law requires abortions to take place in surgical centers or small hospitals. “Women may suffer complications after abortions, including blood clots, hemorrhage, incomplete abortions, infection and organ injuries,” admitted one of the nation’s biggest abortion providers, Planned Parenthood. These

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

A group of protesters hold signs up to protest the abortion attacks on Texas in order to prevent the laws that may pass.

facts led to the idea of admission privileges at a nearby hospital. Although abortion may not always result in a perfect outcome, Planned Parenthood serves for many good

purposes, yet it is still under attack. Last month, its federal funds were nearly cut altogether. Even though these funds were used for real purposes such as birth control, testing for

sexually transmitted diseases, cancer screening and preventive exams. Although Planned Parenthood does not pay for abortions, it does in limited situations involving rape and incest. Not all of the questioned abortion laws are in effect, but they could be in the future. The abortion opponent laws in Texas are in the process of being passed. If these laws pass in Texas, they could easily spread to other states and countries. “What happens in Texas won’t stay in Texas,” said Amy Hagstrom-Miller, CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, the main leader of the case. “I think we have to ask the question, do we want the rest of the country to look like Texas?” Cecile Richards, the president for Planned Parenthood, declared in an interview that “There has not been a moment in our history, when we were pushing forward on reproductive health care rights and access for women, that someone wasn’t after us.”

NEWS BRIEFS WORLD Sixteen die in French Riviera flood

Sixteen victims were found dead in the southeastern part of the French Riviera after severe flooding. When helicopters were searching for victims, 27,000 homes were without electricity. Many died from being trapped in cars, tunnels, and homes.

Umpqua Community College suffers shooting

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Oregon citizens pay their respects to the community college victims.

A community college in Oregon suffered from the fifth shooting of a U.S. college campus in August of this year. Ten people were killed and seven were injured. The shooter was killed in a shootout with the police.

LOCAL/WHS First annual Manufacturing Day was a success

Wadsworth High School hosted Manufacturing Day, sponsored by the SME Education Foundation, Alcoa Foundation and PRIME, on October 8th. Around 1.5-3 million jobs in manufacturing are needed, and this program is designed to develop the next generation skilled workforce. Students have to showcase their skills in robotics, engineering and machining.

Linda Kramer serves at OSBA conference

Linda Kramer, Wadsworth City Schools Board Member, will serve as a moderator on the topic of GOLD Program Promotes Female Empowerment at the 60th annual Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference. Mrs. Kramer is one of more than 500 Ohio education leaders and experts.

PHOTO BY JODI JOHNSON

Students in Manufacturing Education pose for a picture for Manufacturing Day.

LOCAL/WHS Girl Scout builds picnic table

In order to get the Gold Award, equivalent to the Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts, Lauren Knight, 12, has to help the community by making a picnic table for the red house at Memorial Park. She has also made a grill and flowerbed to help out.

Franklin Elementary Anniversary

Franklin, recently a Hall of Fame school, just celebrated its 100th anniversary from 1915-2015. Congratuations to Mr. Havens and the Franklin staff.

Lauren, 12, builds a picnic table for her girl scout troop.

PHOTO BY BRUIN STAFF

LOCAL/WHS WHS Graduate receives USO Soldier Award

Christian Sheers, a 2012 graduate of Wadsworth High School, was recently named the USO Soldier of the Year for 2015. Sheers is in the U.S. Army 21st Airborne on the medical staff.

Blood Drive fills with donations

Over 120 students donated for the Red Cross blood drive on October 7. NHS would like to thank the generous food donations received from Chipotle, Romeo’s and McDonalds for our volunteers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSIE SHEERS

Christian Sheers takes a picture with his wife, Jessie Gray Sheers.

O PINION 1 Sleep schedule may alter for students in future THE BRUIN

October 2015

OPINION BY DEAN

We have all heard rumors about delayed start times, but finally the Delayed High School Start Time Committee has been formed. The plan to move the Wadsworth High School and Middle School start time is in full swing, with Dr. Hill as one of the main contributors in the committee. The Board is in charge of getting the school start time move passed by

the Board of education and into the schools. The committee is made up of officials, administrators and parents of high school and middle school students. There are plans of discussing a start time change with the teachers union to see if they are willing to move the start time forward. Wadsworth Board Member Julie Batey states that there is a large amount of scientific research supporting a later start time. According to the Wadsworth Post, there is talk of a half-hour move, but it may change in the future. Moving the school time forward seems like a good idea for students’ test scores but maybe not their

social lives. The average schedule of a student is hectic, and they do not have much time for friends as it is. Many students go to practice for a sport, band, or other extracurricular activities after the school day ends. These can run from one hour to even a three hour practice, so students may not be done until six o’clock. Students will barely have enough time for homework and projects, let alone friends and family. “The early bird gets the worm,” said Kyle Hibinger, 11. Even though this is a very simple message, I believe that many students would agree. A schedule change would take a lot of replanning. We will need

a lot of new things and brand new schedules. One of the bigger problems is making the schedule changes line up with other schools and these places will most likely not want to change with us. Sports, band, career tech, and many other things will be impacted. Students know they need sleep, but they just do not want to. Instead, they want to stay up watching Netflix or looking at their phones. Most students go to bed at 10:30 or 11:00 on school nights. If the start time is moved forward, students will go to bed later because they know they have an extra half an hour to sleep. This means they would not end up going to sleep until 11:30 or 12:00.

A start time change might seem like a good idea to administration but not to the students. The school start time should stay the same for the benefit of the students and their lives.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

The committee believes that an early school start time causes more sleeping and drowsiness in classrooms.

What are your thoughts on a later start time?

“I feel like if we had more sleep, we would perform better in school, and the students would be more awake.” -Matt, 11

“I would not like it at all. It would cause more problems than it would be worth and interfere with sports.” -Matthew , 12

“I feel like it will cause more trouble than it is worth, whatever benefit it can be derived from it, it would not be worth trying to rearrange everything.” -Andrew , 11

“I would like it to start later, because I want to sleep longer and not have to get up as early. I also like starting later in the day.” -Olivia, 9

“I think we should have the same start and end time. I think it is not much of a difference, so why change it?” -Tori , 10 PHOTOS BY DEAN BEDDOW

Top 5 most wanted restaurants in the city OPINION BY ALEX

Many students think there could be better restaurants in Wadsworth. People are sick of the same old food choices they have to pick from. I surveyed 100 students and asked their top five restaurants that they would like to see come to Wadsworth, and I collected the percentages of the top five favored restaurants.

The number one most preferred restaurant in Wadsworth is Swensons. Many people like Swenson’s because it has good food for a cheap price. The closest Swensons is located in Montrose, which is twenty minutes away from Wadsworth. “It would be nice not to have to drive twenty minutes to just get some good burgers and shakes,” stated Spencer Smole, 11. Maybe Wadsworth should make a Swensons of its own.

The second most favored restaurant that students would like to see is Steak ‘n Shake. This is a very similar restaurant to Swensons, yet it still falls second on the list. Steak ‘n Shake is also located in Montrose about twenty minutes away. Steak ‘n Shake is a great top five restaurant.

The third most wanted restaurant in Wadsworth is Buffalo Wild Wings. Wadsworth is not really known for its wings, so I think it would be a successful restaurant in town. “I do not think we have a lot of high quality wing places to eat, said Conner Clark, 11. It would be nice to have one close by.” I believe people would agree with that statement.

The fourth most wanted restaurant in Wadsworth is Olive Garden. I can not think of another popular Italian

restaurant in town. With its wide variety of Italian meals, it is no wonder why this falls at number four on the list. “There are not enough nice restaurants in Wadsworth, it is all fast food. It would be nice to have some fancier restaurants,” said Bailey Brandenburg, 11. I think most people would agree that most of the restaurants we have in town are fast food, which makes Olive Garden a great top five pick.

The final restaurant on the list is Five Guys Burgers and Fries. There are not many burger places in town other than Jake’s Wayback Burgers. I think it would be nice to have another option to go to. The closest one, once again, is located in Montrose. Wadsworth has many good restaurants to choose from, but as one can see, students definitely want a wider variety in town. Students need more places to go out to after sporting events or other extra curricular activities. Adding these restauraunts would bring a major social shift in the students’ activities outside of school.

Top Area Restaurants

O PINION 2

THE BRUIN

October 2015

Pep assemblies not what they used to be How could pep assemblies be improved? OPINION BY JENNA

The dictionary definition of a pep rally is a gathering of people, typically before a sports event. The purpose of such a gathering is to encourage school spirit and to support teams for which the rally is being thrown. If that is the case, why does Wadsworth not even acknowledge the sports teams or show support for them? Most students do get excited at our assemblies, and student council prepared a great assembly. There were just a few things that were lacking. Wadsworth High School has many scheduled pep assemblies throughout the year. Why do these assemblies not have an effect on our students and teams? In my opinion, the assemblies need to be longer, so that we can have more time to do the fun activities we do not usually get to do. These activities will bring more school spirit and will allow the students to have fun after a long day of school. “I would prefer more funny and interactive games and competitions. We should start forming traditions,” said

“I think there should be more fun and comical activities with the sports teams, especially veeb.” -Lindsay, 10

“More funny and interactive games and competitions. We should start forming traditions.” -Emily, 10

Same story, different year. Wadsworth’s student section has failed to regain the hype that it once had in previous years. Our numbers have been fairly high, but the hype is lower than ever. The student section is a decent size and hopefully will continue to grow throughout the season. We have a core group of students who show up and are there to support the football team. Others only come to socialize. If we could expand that group of individuals who come to support, we would have the best student section in Northeast Ohio. “We need to get more people to chant and get hyped. People need to stop caring if they look dumb for cheering, because they need more spirit,” said Sarah Elfers, 12. The weather plays a huge role in attendance. We should be there to support our football team, rain or shine. At our first away game versus Medina, we had

“We should get the student body hyped for assemblies, making them something to look forward to.” -Haley, 12 PHOTOS BY JENNA JOHNSON

Emily Dennison, 10. To make our assemblies more enjoyable, Wadsworth should plan activities such as dance offs, karaoke and competitions between classes. WHS should allow students to be competitive with each other and fight to see who has the most school spirit. It is only friendly competition. We should make students want to be the best and possibly win the spirit stick that we have given to students in the past. I have noticed that through the years, pep assemblies have lost their spirit and excitement. We need to get our students

involved in school functions and get them excited for upcoming events. By adding more entertaining activities and more time to our pep assemblies, we could really make a difference in the way assemblies are perceived by our school. If Wadsworth High School improves our pep assemblies, we will have a lot more school spirit. Having more school spirit would definitely help our sports teams to succeed. As a volleyball player, I know that when we show more school spirit, my team and I tend to play better. If our pep assemblies improve this year, there will be an endless

Hype level drops low in student section at games

OPINION BY LAUREN

“More competitions and more music played by the band.” -Dylan, 11

a total of about 20 students left cheering at the end of the game. Those students are dedicated and support the football team. “Everyone needs to be louder, and we should dress in different themes, not just the same boring ones we always do,” said Devon Knapp,10. I agree. The same themes can get old very fast. The purple out was a nice change and a great way to support awareness of Alzheimer’s. At the fourth game versus Stow-Munroe Falls, the student body shocked me. It was not as big as the previous games, but the students were the most hyped they have been this whole season. Although we were defeated, it was one of the best games so far. During Spirit Week, we had the most participation we have ever had. We had many people

who went all out. If the student body carried that energy to the games, our football student section would be so hyped. If we had the hype we did during spirit week at every game, I believe we would have the best student section. We would be untouchable. All of us should want to be involved in the student section. We need to all work together to improve the student section. It is much more fun when the students are into the game and go all out for the themes. With that being said, as a student section, we should strive to gain more hype and attend all of the football games. We have a decent student section, but I know we can make it much better. We need to get involved and get supportive.

amount of positive outcomes. Our most recent assembly illustrated my point exactly. This assembly had some positives and some negatives. Usually, the assemblies start at two o’clock. However, at this year’s fall assembly, we started ten minutes late. This late start made the assembly felt rushed. I think that this assembly was not planned out well, and we could improve on that. Another aspect that we failed to do at the last assembly was acknowledge our sports teams. One of the major points of this assembly was to recognize our fall sports teams. We did not

even say anything about the big football game against Twinsburg. The hype was not brought to this pep assembly mainly because we did not have much for which to get excited. Many people could not even see the fun activities the sports teams were doing on the main floor. The pep assemblies have much room for improvement. Our students are lacking spirit because of weak pep assemblies. If we make our assemblies longer and more entertaining, there will be many positive outcomes for our sports teams and our school. It will encourage our sports teams and help us to win.

On a scale of 1-10 how hype are you at football games?

“I’m so hype, I am off the scale.” - Sophia, 10

“7.5” - A.J. , 11

“1738” - Jarelle, 9

PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. MOORE

Our student section lacked participation and hype during the entire game.

“Solid 6” -Brittain, 9

PHOTOS BY LAUREN KNIPL

October 2015

THE BRUIN

A DS

THE BRUIN

October 2015

Patrons 2015-2016 Allison Parsons Angie Snowball Ann and Kilian Mendel Ben Klafczynski Betty Nalepa Bill and Isabella Robertson Bill Goebel Brad and Karla Wilson Brad Musgrave Bret and Lisa Bressler Brian and Claudia Coote Callow Family Charlene Blevins Charles and Patty Szalay Chris and Julie Adams Christine N. Andrews Chuck and Carrie Szalay Clarke and Shawn VanDyke Dammarell Family Dana North Dave and Trish Swanson Dave Regueiro Dean and Kris Beddow Debbie Lake Don and Tanya Miksch Don Lenc Sr. Doug Beeman Doug and Beth Synder Dr. and Mrs. Dale Fortner Dr. Andrew Hill and Family Edward and Amy Cipar Gary and Barb Klaus Gary and Kimberly Noe Geoff and Jan Westphal Goldsmith and Eggleton Hamilton Family Hendricks Family Dentistry Jack and Jone Cionni Jason Jurey Jeff and Trisha Loguidice Jerrilyn Breyton Jessica Gibson Jill and Terry Young

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

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

The Bruin thanks you for your continued support!

RK BEEF Phone: 330-618-4068

If it was any more local, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be raising cattle.

P icture P age

THE BRUIN

October 2015

FALL SPORT S O OT H

RUT Y OF TE S UR O C

HERFORD

b. PHOTO CO

URTESY OF

YEARBOOK

P H O TO C O U R T E S Y

a. EL

CK LER

ON ET

L GG

OT O

a. Connor 12, Brian, 12, and Daniel, 12, stand together at the coin flip. b. Abby, 10, throws the ball in during her soccer game. c. The varsity volleyball team celebrates after a win. d. Bailey, 11, runs at Super Duals at Memorial Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s course. e. Jon, 12, runs in the boys cross meet with a variety of schools. f. Jack 12, receives the Spirit Stick from Mr. Berg at the pep assembly. g. Emma, 11, directs the band as drum major. h. Connor, 12, holds off a defender to receive the ball from the air. i. Maddie 12, cheers for the varsity football team.

PHOTO CO

URTESY OF

YEARBOOK

O BY PHOT

ETON

GGL ME E

g. PHOTO COURTE

SY OF YEARBOOK

h. SY OF YEARBOOK PHOTO COURTE

PHOT O COU

RTES

Y OF

YEAR

BOOK

P icture P age

THE BRUIN

October 2015

HOMECOMING OF C

HAS

EELIN

AITH R SY OF F

E COURT PHOTO

PHOTO

COURTE

SY OF SA

FF RAH HO

PHOTO COURTESY

PHOTO CO URTESY OF

ELLIE NICH OLAS

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA HORNER

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLEN RUTHERFORD

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAILEY MONTGOMERY

a. Sarah 12, Gabe 12, Nichole, 12 b. Mitchell, 10, Austin, 11, and Chase Centea, 11 c. Matt, 9, Amanda, 10, Faith, 10, and Tyler, 10

C TO HO

OUT

HAM BLIND

ESY O FISA BEL LA PE

R RY

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRA

d. William, 9, Ellie, 9; Ryan,11, Maddie,11; Jack Merhar, 12, Kathryn, 12; Nate, 12, Liann, 12; , 12, Shawna, 12, and Andrew,10, Lindsey,10. e. Julia, 10, Jenna, 12, Emily, 10, and Mariah, 11 f. Ellie, 9, Sammie, 9, Maddie, 9, and Abby, 9 g. Siblings Connor, 12, and Hailey, 10 h. Aley, 12, Jenn, Isabella, 12, and Julia, 12 i. Graham, 12, and Kenzi, 12

F eatures

THE BRUIN

October 2015

Twelve tasty years of tradition Foreign Exchange Students BY EMILY ANDREWS and Eme Eggleton

For the past 12 years, Wadsworth has been celebrating the Taste of Wadsworth. People from all over the city gather to taste or experience many of the things sold in the small businesses around town. Downtown Wadsworth was closed for this event, so family and friends could meet to enjoy the different foods and support the local businesses. There were booths set up from the Rotary Club, an organization that strives to help those in need, all the way to Romeo’s Pizza. Celebrating with the town were many notable figures such as the Mayor of Wadsworth, the Medina County Commissioner, the Medina County Clerk of Courts and Congressman Jim Renacci. Mayor Robin Laubaugh was walking around enjoying the festivities. “This is one of my favorite events. I love trying to eat everything,” she said. There were booths set up for many different types of food; pizza, Italian sausage, popcorn, Anne’s Pastry and much more. The Medina County Commissioner, Tim Smith, was very excited to be in Wadsworth. “This is the best event to get the whole

Ben, 11, and Eric, 11, buy tickets to purchase food.

community together and share all these wonderful tastes and sounds,” Smith said. Around the Square, there were various food trucks and a bouncy house for all of the children to enjoy. David Wadsworth, the Medina County Clerk of Courts, loved the fact that the restaurants fed the people of Wadsworth. “This is what brings hometowns together,” Wadsworth said. Throughout the evening, people were asked what their favorite part of the event was, and the majority answered that the food was their

PHOTO BY EME EGGLETON

favorite. One of the hardest questions asked was, “What was your favorite food?” Many people, including Congressman Jim Renacci, said that they liked everything available. For those who were not there, this is a yearly function and some of the money people spent will be given to charities and organizations that will improve the lives of those in and out of Wadsworth. The leaders of Wadsworth were proud of the unity among the people at this very memorable gathering.

Mirko, 12, is a senior attending Wadsworth High School this year all the way from Italy. Ever since Caravello was a kid of five or six years old, he has wanted to have the chance to embrace the American ways. Being here is his “dream come true.” While Caravello is here, he really wants to learn the English language and become better at football, baseball and other sports.

Javier, 12, has made the journey from Spain to embrace the all American way. During his time here in the United States so far, Contreras has noticed how nice the people are. The rest of the time he is here he would like to improve his English and make life long friends and memories. Contreras wants to continue to spend his time wisely in America.

Questions at the bell Red Zones: sending the message Between classes, we asked these questions....

What do you want to see in the Bruin this year? “Coach G’s fashion advice; khakis and a Polo.” Nate, 12

What’s the best part of coming back to school? “The best part about being back in school is seeing all my friends and spending three hours doing homework.” Sam, 9

What are you looking forward to most this year? “Concert band after marching band.” Jenna, 10

What class do you think will be the hardest this year? “The hardest class will be Mrs. Baxley’s Geometry.” Noah , 9

BY EMILY ANDREWS AND EME EGGLETON

Many high schools have tried to make phone usage possible during the school day, but are the students following the rules that come with cell phones? While 78% of teens across the US have a cellphone, schools are trying to make that number zero. Half of that 78% have a smart phone. Some people spark debate that smart phones, not cellphones, are the real problem. Smart phones control practically every aspect of life outside of school and sometimes inside school. 65% of students bring their phones to school, regardless of any rules or regulation the school has put in place. When students are asked why they have their phones out, many say that their parents like to have a way to keep in touch with their children during the day. Some people would argue that they need to at least bring their phone in case something goes wrong. If an emergency occurs, some say that phones would not work because everyone would be trying to use their phone at the same time. Communication could be easily misinterpreted over texts, and texting while walking will make those mistakes far more likely. When walking through the

hallways, one student agrees phones should not be used. “But it should not be a big deal if someone pulls their phone out quickly,” said Evan Goebel, 11. Students believe that phones can cause distractions and are a danger if used in the hallway. 10% of reported “texting and walking” cases have resulted in serious injury. Studies have shown that texting and walking impacts how one stands. A person will take up a robot-like stance, which unbalances a person, making them more likely to fall over. Females are more likely to text in hallways because they send around 80 texts per day, while guys send around 30. Of the female texts, 76% of their texts are about school work while only 64% of guys text about school. Schools with Red Zones are teaching students to not walk and text; this is now a much needed life skill. Cities are cracking down on people who are texting and walking. Police are now issuing up to 85 dollars in fines if caught texting and walking. This was done in hopes of limiting accidents that occur while texting and walking. Some states, such as Delaware, have gone as far as putting large stickers on the ground near cross walks that say “look up.” Another major issue with having a phone in school is

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

A woman is not paying attention while she is walking down the side walk and could be ticketed.

cyber-bullying. Rumors can be easily spread through text messages and social media throughout the school day. A recent study has been done to prove that 95% of students across America have witnessed cyber-bullying, but do not report it. 25% of students across the United States have said they have been a victim of cyber bullying. Only one-third of students have actually reported the offenses to a teacher, principal, or other school official. 70% of the schools who have tried to issue cell phone bans have repealed them within five years of placing these bans because 65% of students still brought their phones to school anyway. Will school advances in technology turn out to be a waste of time? Red Zones continue to create a difference between what is real and what is fake.

A DS

THE BRUIN

October 2015

QUALITY TOOLS COMPANY 667 SEVILLE ROAD WADSWORTH, OHIO 44281

Get behind the wheel of your own business! Franchises available! Learn more at franchise.cornwelltools.com or call 1-800-321-8356.

October 2015

THE BRUIN

Football team overcomes rough start BY NICK LANDOLPH

Following four disappointing losses to start the season, the football team has bounced back with three straight wins and is looking to finish the year off strong. After a nail biting 28-20 loss to Ashland in their home opener, the football team suffered back to back losses at the hands of Wooster and Medina. After losing in game number one, the Grizzlies were outscored 97-20 in the next two games. One problem that occurred was an early injury. Following the first game of the season, All-Ohio running back Daniel Weinerman suffered an injury that held him out for the second and third games. “Losing Dan threw a big obstacle in our path. It’s great to have him back healthy,” said Craig Palidar, 11. Obviously a serious blow to the team, Weinerman’s injury came at a very inopportune time so early in the season. The team had to operate quickly and develop a new game plan. However, this injury was not the only problem for the offense. Since the Grizzlies’ first game, quarterback Connor Montgomery has had trouble staying upright in

the pocket, as he was sacked nine times in the opener. The offensive line became even more of a problem when senior Chris Byers went down with a knee injury. However, when given time to throw, Montgomery has delivered some solid strikes down field.

One problem that has resulted in opponents getting great field position has been turnovers. The Grizzlies lost six fumbles and only recovered two through the first three contests. That resulted in the Grizzlies’ opponents starting in great position to score.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLEN RUTHORFORD

Daniel 12, breaks away from a Brecksville tackler and heads upfield.

Defense was also a problem early on in the year, as they allowed an eye-opening 125 points throughout the first three games. However, not all of the blame can be placed on the defense. A reoccurring theme so far this season has been bad field position for the Grizzly defense.

Also, Wadsworth’s opponents dominated the field position battle because of punt returns. The Grizzlies allowed 131 yards on eight returns, and surrendered 516 yards in their first 19 punts. This means that the average punt sets the Grizzlies’ opponents up with great starting field position.

The team has been working extremely hard since the first game of the season at trying to fix these problems and have rebounded incredibly. Their hard work has paid off and resulted in the team going 3-1 in their past four games. Even though the team has a below average record, they have played great football as of late. The team was leading against the mighty Stow team, 21-17, with just minutes left in the game and won their next three games. The team is on fire and is looking to continue this run of dominance. “We feel like we could be 7-1 right now, but are looking to the future rather than dwelling on what we could have done better,” said Joey Baughman, 10. The Grizzlies are feeling confident that they can bounce back from this rough start, and currently sit at 3-5. The team is confident that they can continue to compete, despite a disappointing loss to Brecksville in their last outing. If all goes well, the Grizzlies will be on their way to making a successful season out of a rough start. “We put a lot of young, inexperienced guys on the field,” Coach Dennison said, “They are really starting to put it together out there.”

S ports 1

Athletes

of the month

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY First team all-suburban league; placed sixth overall in league meet “I would like to thank Spencer Louis Smole for giving me my motivation.” -Nick, 10

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

GIRLS TENNIS First doubles team to advance to districts since 1976 “It is an honor to be a part of the second team to make it to districts since 1976.” -Sarah, 12 -Hannah, 10

STATS Volleyball team tested in realigned Suburban League

THE

NUMBERS GIRLS TENNIS District participants Sarah and Hannah

GOLF BOYS: 14th at sectionals GIRLS: 6th at sectionals CROSS COUNTRY BOYS: 2nd in

Suburban League 6 district participants

GIRLS: 8th in Suburban League SOCCER BOYS: 10-4-2, 2nd in Suburban League GIRLS: 4-10-3, 6th in Suburban League; advanced to districts

BY MICHAEL CALLOW

After traveling to the home of the North Royalton Bears and coming up empty handed, the Grizzlies bounced back strong, beating the number one ranked team in the state, the Dublin Coffman Shamrocks. Following the disappointing loss to North Royalton, the team had a great week of practice. Their confidence was never in question, but after an upset victory over Coffman, it is through the roof. Before the upset win over the Shamrocks, the Grizzlies were ranked fifteenth in the state. After the victory, the team moved up ten spots to number five overall, which was their highest ranking this year. With all the momentum in the world, the Grizzlies hoped to roll through the rest of the league schedule, but ran into a few bumps in the road, suffering losses against North Royalton and Brecksville-Broadview Heights. The hyped rematch against the Bears was at home on September 24. Even with all the noise and energy the huge student section provided, the girls fell short, losing in four games. The season has been full of nail-biters and record breakers, including a new career kill record by senior, Jodi Johnson. Johnson broke the record during a league match against Cuyohoga Falls, recording her 899th kill. She now has over 1000 kills, and is still

adding to her storied career here at Wadsworth. “It was awesome to have helped her achieve such a huge milestone and help her get recognized for all of her hard work over the past four years. She deserves this more than anyone I know,” said Sophia Chirumbole,11, when asked about Johnson’s kill record.

November in Dayton. Although the team was extremely devastated after losing in the regional finals to the Jackson Polar Bears last year, they are now locked and loaded to make another push at the state title. However, because they suffered the two losses to North Royalton

League in recent memory, and hope to continue their reign of dominance in the new and improved league. Although there is more talent in the league, the girls have been playing with a new fire lately which has resulted in many dominant victories. Wadsworth has not seen a team state title since 2010 when

PHOTO BY EME EGGELTON

Haley, 12 (right) and Kenzie, 10 (left), go up for a block against the Stow Bulldogs. The Grizzlies went on to beat the Bulldogs in a Suburban League showdown 25-10, 25-18, 25-21.

The team is full of experience with four out of six returning starters from last year’s regional finalist team. The team also has some new talent in the form of freshman Kacie Evans. They hope that this wealth of experience will help them make a deep run in the playoffs, and hopefully earn them a shot at the state title this

and now Brecksville, the rankings were not kind to the Grizzlies, as they dropped twelve spots to number seventeenth overall in the state. It took an upset win over the top seeded team in the state, powerhouse, Dublin Coffman, to realize that the loss did not mean that the girls were overrated. The Grizzlies have been a dominant force in the Suburban

the wrestling team edged out Lakewood St. Edward to win the Division 1 state title, and a state title by the volleyball team would sure be a nice addition to the trophy case. The team wants to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with, and are striving to claim their first ever division one state title. The road to state starts now.

S ports 2

THE BRUIN

October 2015

NFL divisional battles in full swing

BY CHASE PEGRIM

With the season in full swing, many teams are still at war to win their divisions. AFC North The AFC North has been dominated by the Bengals. With a perfect record, nothing short of a total meltdown could stop them from winning this lackluster division. AFC East Tom Brady is already having the best season he has ever had. The Patriots are playing so well it is starting to look as if they could end up with a repeat of their 16-0 season in 2007. However, this time they will be hoping for a better end result. AFC South The Colts, despite not having played to expectations, sit on top of their division. Their offense lacks an identity and quarterback Andrew Luck has been on and off the field with injuries. Luckily for them, the other teams in their division cannot seem to win games either. AFC West Despite an aging Peyton Manning, the Broncos have yet to lose a game. They should be able to pull away from the other teams in their division, especially

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT campus

Tom Brady and his teammates celebrate their 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 49.

Eagles running back DeMarco Murray celebrates a third quarter touchdown in a win against their division rivals, the New York Giants.

with the Chiefs star running back Jamaal Charles sidelined for the season with a torn ACL. NFC North Despite losing Jordy Nelson to an offseason injury, the leadership and poise of Aaron Rodgers has been enough for the Packers to dominate every team they have played. The only opponent that may stun the Packers in their division seems to be the Vikings, who have yet to play to their full potential. NFC East The NFC East seemed to be a run away for the Cowboys until

their starting quarterback and star wide receiver had major injuries. The Cowboys should be back to normal when Tony Romo returns in Week 11. However, the damage done by backup quarterback Brandon Weeden could already be too great to overcome. While the Redskins and Eagles struggle, the Giants seem the most likely candidate to steal the division title. NFC South The NFC South has been a surprise this season, holding the undefeated Panthers and one loss Falcons. Both teams appear

to be evenly matched. It will be interesting to see who shows up and who does not when the two teams finally meet. NFC West The Cardinals have by far been the best team in the NFC west, with quarterback Carson Palmer playing at levels he has not played at in years. The Rams are a young team and have struggled to find an identity but with rookie running back Todd Gurley coming in hot off of his injury, the Rams could make a push for the division. The Seahawks cannot be ruled out, but if their

BY DYLAN BOWERS

Vegas SuperBook, the Cavaliers are the current favorites to win the NBA championship at 2-1. Fittingly, Head Coach David Blatt confidently ended a speech in Israel in July with, “and we’re gonna win the championship next season.” After last season’s injury stricken playoff run that ended in a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Cavs General Manager David Griffin has made a few changes. Griffin kept the majority of the team intact, losing a few veteran players to retirement and trade, but they were replaced with younger players who could contribute at a higher level.

poor play continues, they may not even make the post-season. Super Bowl Super Bowl 50 is sure to be an exciting game with many teams that could potentially play in it. Tom Brady is a man on a mission, trying to secure a fifth Super Bowl ring, an achievement only held by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. “Tom Brady is the best quarterback of all time and should have no problem winning two in a row again,” said Ben Maurer, 12. The dynamic Patriots offense very well could take the title.

Cavs on mission to avenge Finals loss S tudent S p e akout o n C av s Q: “W h o

d o y o u expe c t

to pl ay a b i g r ole for the

C ava l i e r s ?”

A: “M o W i l l i ams

g o i n g to p l ay a h uge r o l e c o mi n g o f f the b e nch .”

-B r e n d a n M e r h a r , 9

Q: “W h i c h

t e a m ha s the

b e st c h a nc e to b eat the

C avs

in a

g a me series ?”

A: “T h e M i am i H eat f r om

E as tern

the

C o n f e r e n ce

h ave

the

b e st c h a nc e to b eat the

C avs i n a s e r i e s .” -A n t h o n y G a n n o n , 10

“W h a t

a re

e x p ec t i n g f r om t he

2016 C ava l i e r s ?”

A: “I l e ss h o i st i n g

e x p ec t than

you

2015-

Student Record Predictions 81-1

63-19

Carl Pennington, 9

Austen Manix, 10

0-82

70-12

Conner Clark, 11

Ross Thompson, 12

Expert Record Predictions nothing

L e B ron

t h at

trophy

F inal s C l e v e l a n d a g a inst the G o l d e n S tat e W a rrior s .” -M a x H i r sch , 12 after winning the in

The season of fall is in full swing with both college football and the NFL in season, the MLB postseason nearing the end and the NHL getting underway. The NBA is nearing its commencement, which means the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to start their quest for an NBA championship. The Cavs are attempting to bring a major championship to Northeast Ohio and the city of Cleveland for the first time since 1964, when the Browns won the NFL championship. Could 2016 be the year Cleveland finally gets that elusive championship? According to the Westgate Las

59-23

60-22

ESPN

Bleacher Report

51-31

59-23

Sports Illustrated

Vegas Insider

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

Cavaliers Forward LeBron James (23) drives past Memphis Grizzlies defender Jeff Green in a preseason game. James is looking to lead the Cavaliers to a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance this season.

Griffin re-signed star forwards LeBron James and Kevin Love, guards Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, and veteran sharpshooter James Jones. The Cavs lost guard/forward Mike Miller in a trade and forward Shawn Marion to retirement, but they replaced them with former Cavalier Mo Williams and veteran forward Richard Jefferson. The team also signed Russian center Sasha Kaun for depth behind Timofey Mozgov and Anderson Varejão, who is returning from injury after suffering a torn Achilles tendon last December. The Cavs and Tristan Thompson finally came to a resolution on the forward/ center’s contract. Less than a week before the season began, Thompson and the Cavs agreed to a five year, 82 million dollar deal. The team is going to be

without guard Iman Shumpert for the first two to three months of the season because of a right wrist injury that required surgery. When asked about how the team would respond to the injury, LeBron James said the next man up will step up. Star point guard Kyrie Irving is likely to miss some time while rehabbing from a fractured knee cap that he suffered in the Finals, and forward Kevin Love appears ready to play after dislocating his shoulder in the first round of the playoffs. “The Cavs should win the NBA Finals this year with no problem” said Carson Risher, 9. The championship quest began with two road games. The Cavs opened the season against the Bulls on Tuesday night, and traveled to Memphis on Wednesday night to face the Grizzlies. The Cavs will play their first home game against the Miami Heat on Friday night.

C ommunity 1

The Bruin

October 2015

Heroin epidemic hits close to home BY OLIVIA CHANEY AND CODY SURRATT

Record numbers of heroin addicts are showing up throughout Medina County, and they are flooding rehab centers, jails and detox centers. Recent statistics have shown that heroin addicts are mostly young and under the age of 20. “The outbreak of heroin in Medina County is sad because people do not realize how much it messes with their lives. It is also ruining the reputation we have in Wadsworth,” Chase Centea, 11, said. Police Chief Randall Reinke said that he and other law enforcement agents responded to 28 overdoses in 2014 and 34 already this year in Medina County alone. Heroin has affected many of the lives in and out of Wadsworth High School. In the past years, there have been incidents within the high school involving heroin overdoses by students. Council President Tom Palecek called for two meetings to take place at City Hall to discuss prayer meetings. The first meeting was held on Sept. 4, and the second meeting took place on Sept. 17, both at 7:30 P.M. The meetings were moved to Hilliard-Rospert Event Center

due to a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union prohibiting these meetings to take place. “We are deeply concerned by the city’s apparent sponsorship of prayer meetings,” said ACLU of Ohio Staff Attorney Drew Dennis. “The First Amendment prohibits the government from becoming excessively entangled with religion. Promoting prayer meetings through a city council press release and holding the meetings in City Council chambers does just that.” Palecek explained that he had not organized these meetings as a council officer and still proceeded to hold the meetings. However, the heroin problem in the area is far more extensive than a religious issue. Just recently, the rate of use within Wadsworth has drastically increased. Members of our school were fortunate enough to be able to sit down with a former student of Wadsworth and recovered heroin addict, Nick Bianco (see interview). Although the life of a heroin addict is unfathomable to most, Bianco was able to give us a more accurate understanding of what the life of a recovering addict is like. Heroin is a widespread issue in Wadsworth that can be formally dealt with by taking the right

measures. Compared to other counties, Medina is lacking helping centers and facilities that could potentially help recovering addicts. Money is being spent on police equipment instead of on places that could be put to use within the community. The heroin epidemic has had major

consequences inside and outside of Wadsworth. Officials and administrators are coming together as a community to find new ways to put an end to this deadly drug. Continuing to take these actions will make the area safer for the law abiding citizens living here.

Drug related deaths

Year

Medina County

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

0 2 3 8 7 8 9 13 7 14 17 14 18

Ohio

702 658 904 1,020 1,261 1,351 1,475 1,423 1,544 1,765 1,914 2,110 N/A

DATA FROM MEDINA GAZETTE

Deaths due to drugs, including heroin, are continuing to become more prevalent in Medina County and specifically in Wadsworth.

Heroin Survey from WHS Do you have friends that use heroin?

Have you ever been around or seen heroin in person?

Do you have family that uses heroin?

Have you ever been to a party where heroin was present?

Have you ever been offered heroin?

SUMMARY A survey was taken by Wadsworth High School to obtain a more accurate representation of how heroin is affecting our community as a whole. The survey totaled 493 anonymous students. The results are alarming.

Interview with

Nick Bianco Nick Bianco is a former Wadsworth alumnus and recovered heroin addict. When Bianco was in his early teen years, he had developed a feeling of emptiness inside of him that he felt was unable to be filled. “I came from a good background,” Bianco said. “My dad was a doctor, and my mom is a retired teacher. That emptiness inside of me did not come from them. It was all internal.” That emptiness continued to grow. It all started one night in his mom’s basement. He sat there with a couple of friends and a bottle of Tussionex, and he began falling in and out of consciousness. A few moments went by and he, for the first time in his life, was truly scared. “I could not keep my eyes open,” he told the class. “It was something I had never felt before, but there was no going back now.” This thought was immediately followed by a feeling of carelessness. “This is as good as it is gonna get,” he told himself, continuing to drink the bottle of Tussionex. By the time Bianco was around 16 or 17, he started to get involved with opiates. As he reached 19 and 20, the drug use became daily. Bianco was first introduced to the needle around the age of 22. He had tried quitting multiple times. “No one will ever really understand the life of a heroin user,” Bianco said, “I cannot really explain it either.” He told the class about the times when he would find himself lying on the bathroom floor crying and pouring the bottles and drugs down the drain. It was then when he realized he needed to change his lifestyle. “I realized my problem was completely internal,” Bianco explained, “To truly break the addiction, I had to want to quit.” When Bianco was 27 he was shot in the leg during an intense drug deal. After nine months of physical therapy and 10 years of heroin use, he was on his way to recovery not only with his wounded leg, but also within himself. It was around that time when Bianco was referred to a sober house in Texas where he spent his time recovering from his addiction. Since 12-12-12, Bianco has been completely drug and alcohol free. “I love my life. I finally feel whole,” Bianco said, “The stuff I have been through gives me the ability to help others.” If you or someone you know is in need of help relating to drugs, visit www.drugfree.org for information, or contact a guidance counselor immediately.

Community 2

THE BRUIN

October 2015

Newest staff members shine under the spotlight What led you to teach marketing at WHS?

What led you to be an attendance worker at WHS?

“This is a very good school district. Many teachers have long careers here. I also grew up in this area, so this is home to me.”

“My kids went here, so I decided to come here too.”

What is your favorite thing about being an attendance worker?

What is your favorite thing about teaching marketing and business classes?

“I have been working at various schools as an office worker for 21 years now, so I just fell into the job.”

“Teaching business-related classes helps teach kids leadership qualities.”

What is the best part about working at WHS?

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mr. Klafczynski

“We have a strong community here, and the school district has a lot of support from the community.”

What is the best part about working at WHS?

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mrs. Wallet

What led you to be a guidance counselor at WHS?

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mrs. McInnes

“The students are definitely more polite than any other school I have worked at.”

What led you to be an associate principal at WHS?

“I was a teacher for 15 years. I wanted to become a guidance counselor to work closer with the kids.”

“I came here nine years ago as the athletic director. Ultimately, the students brought me back here.”

What is your favorite thing about being a guidance counselor?

What is your favorite thing about being a principal?

“I love working closely with all students and getting to know the students personally.”

“All the opportunities to have interactions in a variety of settings, like athletics, arts, classes and the hallways.”

What is the best part about working at WHS?

“The kids are more respectful here. I have had multiple kids hold the door open for me; I have never had that happen.”

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mr. Berlin

“I came from a small district, and it is amazing the amount of opportunities students have here compared to small schools.”

What led you to be a choir teacher at WHS?

“I graduated from WHS in 2005, so I wanted to come back to my old stomping grounds.”

What is your favorite thing about teaching music/choir?

“I like watching how excited the kids get to sing.”

What is the best part about working at WHS?

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mrs. Davis

“All of the students give 100% every day, no matter what. The students are always fun to work with.”

What led you to teach physical education at WHS?

“I live in town. I have two daughters that go to school in the district, and my wife graduated from WHS.”

What is your favorite thing about being a physical education teacher? “Our facility is definitely the best.”

What is the best part about working at WHS?

PHOTO BY HANNAH STUDENIC

Mr. Nolin

“The kids are always very engaged in class. The students may not always like the activity that they are doing, but they are always working hard and staying engaged.”

* Look for a continuation of the new staff members: Mr. Sieber, Mr. Jakab, Mr. Romich, Mrs. Good and Mrs. Ryan in the November issue of the Bruin.*

THE BRUIN

October 2015

Fabulous fall festivities D o n o t l e t y o u r s e l f FA L L s h o r t o f f u n , exciting activities to do this autumn BY ALYSSA HOPKINS AND OLIVIA ADDIS

As the weather begins to cool down, students often find themselves at a loss for fun activities to do during the fall season. With the leaves changing into their crisp yellow, red and orange colors, fall is a great opportunity to go on a hike with some friends. Taking time to get off of a cell phone and admire nature’s beauty can allow for a greater appreciation for the world around us, and it makes for great Instagram pictures. Since the temperature is beginning to drop, students may struggle to find warmth. Why not have a bonfire with friends or family? Everyone can bring s’more supplies and break out the hot chocolate maker. Knocking something off of your bucket list could be a great fall activity. “I have always wanted to spend the night in Mansfield prison with my friends,” said Lauren Rogers, 11, and Holly Bebout, 11. As Halloween makes its way around the corner, throwing a Halloween party could make for a great night with friends. Encourage people to dress up, let loose and enjoy the holiday.

The party can be completed with old-fashioned apple bobbing, pumpkin carving and a Halloween movie marathon. Fall is a time for pumpkin flavored everything. Try going to Starbucks on a cold night to taste pumpkin spice lattes with some friends! “I love them, I love them! If I could go everyday, I would!” said Jessica Pressley, 11.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

A great way to spend an autumn day would be to go to a pumpkin patch and pick some pumpkins with friends or family.

Pumpkin spice lattes are not just a student favorite. “They are fantastic! My wife and I get them from Starbucks even though we know they are overpriced,” said new teacher Mr. Klafczynski. Fall is not only a time for pumpkin drinks but also for pumpkin picking. Find a nice fall day to go to the pumpkin patch

with your family and friends to grab the best pumpkins to carve. Fall is home to one of the most beloved sports in America: football. With games ranging from leagues as small as pee-wee football to the NFL, students are never at a loss for watching or even attending a game. Many football games often come with tailgating, and you could easily gather a few friends, have a barbeque, get pumped up for the game and cheer your team on to victory. We have all heard of spring cleaning, but not many have heard of fall redecorating. Try changing up your bedroom by rearranging furniture, adding new decorations or repainting. The possibilities are endless. October offers countless festivals for the public to enjoy. Festivals such as Medina Falloween and Fallfest are just a few of the festivals that Ohio has; you may have attended the Scare on the Square. Activities at these festivals may include corn mazes, hayrides, haunted houses and pumpkin picking. Overall, autumn is a time to be with friends and family. Students should take advantage of the nice fall days before the inevitable bone chilling winter arrives.

Entertainment Band rocks senior night

BY CAMERON MENDEL AND NICK LANDOLPH

A big shout out to the best band in the land, led by Mr. Steve Hadgis, for their incredible performance on senior night. In their most recent halftime show, Night at the Grammys, superstar Bruno Mars played by Sam Punchak, 12, rocked the house. The Band has always done

a great job, but that was one of the most memorable moments in recent history. Although this show was spectacular, the band hopes to top the performance in their future events. Our band is without a doubt, the best in the land. Stay tuned to The Bruin for a in depth feature article in the Nov. issue.

PHOTO BY GLEN RUTHERFORD

Sam, 12, aka Bruno Mars, stole the spotlight at the band’s recent show, Night at the Grammys.

Top 10 Binge-worthy Netflix Shows

1. How I Met Your Mother 2. Orange is the New Black 3. Friends 4. Grey’s Anatomy 5. Gossip Girl 6. Desperate Housewives 7. Breaking Bad 8. House of Cards 9. Friday Night Lights 10. Lost

Costume ideas that are sure to catch your eye BY ALYSSA HOPKINS

Halloween is just around the corner, which has people of all ages trying to decide what they should dress up as for this hairraising holiday. “My friends and I are going to go as the Mystery Gang. I’m either Fred or Scooby Doo,” said Michael Juscak, 10. For those who are still unsure on a costume, here are some ideas that are sure to have everybody talking. With the 2016 Presidential campaign moving in full swing, potential Republican candidate Donald Trump could make for a

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

truly memorable costume. A fake tan, blonde wig and a suit is all you will need to achieve this look. Apple has been wowing technology fanatics with all of their recent inventions. One of these new products is the Apple Watch. If you are looking for a costume that is going to drive pun-lovers crazy, try carrying around an apple and some binoculars. You can then be the APPLE WATCH! With the widely successful movie, The Breakfast Club, reaching its 30th anniversary this year, a group of friends could easily form the famously diverse group. It would not hurt to recite

Coming Soon

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMINGSOON.NET

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 premieres on Nov. 20.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMINGSOON.NET

The Last Witch Hunter comes to theaters on Oct. 23.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FANPOP.COM

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension premieres on Oct. 23.

some of the most quotable lines from the movie, as well. A baggy beige ensemble and a simple drop of the microphone could easily create a perfect Kanye West look from the Video Music Awards this past August. Do not forget to add in some of his statements he made at the show as well in order to complete the desired look. Halloween is a time to be something that you are not. Whether it be Kanye West or Donald Trump, you can still achieve a great look. Always remember to stay safe, have fun and make this Halloween one to remember.

O F THE MONTH

THE BRUIN

September Career Tech Students of the Month

Kyle

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Sarah

Junk of the Month

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Did you know? The first Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Lantern was made from a turnip.

App of the Month

October 2015

Song of the Month

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s junk of the month goes to Jaret, 12, who has a 1988 f-150. Jaret bought the truck himself a few years ago. As you can see, the truck is completely discolored with random white spots all around the vehicle. Jaret did not have a bed on his truck for a couple of months; his old bed was so rusted that he had to take it off completely. He recently got around to installing a new one.

September Students of the Month Erin PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS

PHOTO COURTESY OF mct campus

October Students of the Month Bret

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Darrin

photo courtesy of macie carmel

More U.S. presidents have been born in October than any other month. photo courtesy of macie carmel

Heather photo courtesy of macie carmel

Movies of the Month

October Career Tech Students of the Month PHOTO COURTESY OF mct campus

T h e V i PHOTO COURTESY OF mct campus s i The Transporter Refueled t

Restaurant of the Month:

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Swensons in Montrose

photo courtesy of macie carmel

Hailey

Collin

Medical Assisting

Automotive Technologies PHOTO COURTESY OF mct campus

October 2015

THE BRUIN

What message would you put in a fortune cookie?

S peakout

“Res

pect yo -Wil ur elders. liam, ” 9

th o t lifest.” e v “Li fulleia, 10 -Jul

“The fortune you seek is in another cookie.” -Victoria, 10

“Think positive all day.” -Caleb, 12

S T U D E N T S

“Sometimes you are the fly, and sometimes you are the windshield.” -Steven, 11

If a movie was being made of your life, what T actor/actress would you choose to play yourself? Why? E A C H E R S “First off, I do not like Hollywood. But if they were to come to me, I would choose Matt Damon because I very much identify with his character in the Bourne trilogy. I was once an operative in the CIA.” -Mr. Callaghan

“Jennifer Aniston because that is what my kids said when I asked them.” -Mrs. LaMonica

“Channing Tatum. Have you seen me lately?” -Mr. Singleton

“Sandra Bullock because I like her sense of humor, and she seems to have a lot of personal integrity.” -Mrs. Csaky

“John Wayne because he is an outdoorsy person like I am, though I would probably have a faster draw than him.” -Mr. Schmeltzer Sr.