Lance Issue 1: The Social Media Issue by The Lance

THE

LA NC E The Social Media Issue

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Oct. 7, 2019

Westside High School

Volume 64, Issue1

info

table of contents

contributors Editors-In-Chief Maryam Akramova Malia Battafarano Julia Steiner Isabella Tyler

Page 4 - News

Page 8 - Editorial

Page 9 - In-Depth

News Editor Luke Steiner Opinion Editor Faith Rice In-Depth Editor Eleanor Dodge Feature Editor Emma Miller A&E Editor Jane Knudsen

Managing Editors Virginia Jansen Angelina Pattavina Design Editor Abby Schreiber

issue 1 October 7, 2019 Copy Editor Reese Pike Graphics Editor Angela Li Photo Editor Lydia Kasem Business Manager Alex Vandenberg

Graphic Artists Parker LeFebvre Sage Wein Guest Contributors Tristan Alvano Samai Chediak Drew Cota Emma Rieser Joshua Siegel Jonathan Snover

Staff Writers Will Christiansen Izzy Dodge Brooklyn James Ella Kirkpatrick Auguste Kuehne Charlotte Miller Katie Palais

letter from the editors

We are pleased to present you with this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first edition of The Lance. In our newsmagazine, we aim to dig deep into our stories and provide you with detailed coverage, ranging from new district policies to student fashion. The in-depth topic we have chosen to focus on this issue is social media. We hope to provide perspectives on this issue that you have not yet considered and shed light on aspects of it that particularly affect the Westside Community. This year, we are working on our C.U.L.T.U.R.E. as a journalism department: communication, unity, leadership, truth, unbiased coverage, relevance and excellence. In order to help us meet those goals, we would greatly appreciate your feedback and support. If you have any questions, concerns or story ideas for The Lance or any other Westside Journalism publication, feel free to contact us at westsidelancenews@gmail.com or Malia Battafarano at battaf121@ westside66.net. Please keep in mind that all information in this issue is up-to-date as of Oct. 2. We are greatly looking forward to hearing and sharing your stories this year!

Page 14 - Feature

Page 18 - Sports

Sincerely, The Lance Editors-in-Chief Maryam Akramova, Malia Battafarano, Julia Steiner and Isabella Tyler

Page 20 - A&E

Follow @westsidewired on Instagram & Twitter Like Westside Wired on Facebook Subscribe to Warrior Television on Youtube LANCE parker lefebvre design by Abby schreiber

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Not free to fail

news

New program assigns open mods to freshmen with failing grades beginning second quarter

story by

julia Steiner

room would need to be used per mod so it would require only one teacher for supervision. The room used will vary by the mod depending on availability. During those assigned mods, students will be able to stay on track with help from teachers. The teachers supervising will be volunteers, and those mods will not count towards their two required mods of supervision per week. Foods instructor Beth Cosentino is one of the teachers who has volunteered to supervise. Consentino said she has volunteered because she wants to help both teachers and students. “I think Westside has a different demographic than they used to,” Cosentino said. “The modular scheduling is a good thing, but middle schoolers really go from having regular school to a college campus, which is hard, so I feel like the assigned mods will give them a chance to work and have help. I’m hoping that students will have more success, and it will be easier for teachers to have less work, essentially.” According to Brousek, the supervising teacher would not have to be an expert in the classes that students are failing in. “[The teachers] would just be present for those students to help them stay on task and to help them guide decisions as to what to do during that time, maybe even guiding them to go and see a teacher at that time,” Brousek said. As of right now, Brousek said he does not intend to extend the program into other grades. “If we can get that mindset taught at ninth grade that will help out through the culture of the school and throughout the remainder three years of their high school life …I don’t foresee this going onto other grades at this time for pure reasons of space and people,” Brousek said. Social Studies Instructor Nathan Bramley, who is helping Brousek with the program, said he sees the need for its implementation. “The main thing is we have a lot of kids,” Bramley said. “We’ve seen [students struggling] with our eyes and we’ve seen it with the numbers of kids who are not doing well … We’re not willing to give up on them … It would be the easiest thing to just say, ‘It’s their fault. They’ve got to learn their lesson.’ We don’t want that. We want to give them a second chance to get up on their feet, because too many times kids come here and get in a hole they feel they can’t get out of, and we want to get to them before they get to that point. We care about those kids. We want them to make good decisions.”

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Sage wein

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Luke Steiner

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eginning Oct. 22, freshmen with a failing grade will have their open mod privileges revoked for the duration of the second quarter. They will be required to spend their open mods, with the exception of one lunch mod, in a classroom with teacher supervision. According to the program’s proposal document, created by Social Studies instructor Robert Brousek, it’s purpose is to provide structure to students who need additional support. “[The goal of the program is to] help ninth graders adjust to modular scheduling by teaching them the skills/ habits necessary to be successful in an environment where students are responsible for using their independent study mods effectively,” the document stated. Brousek directed and designed the project. “In the last several years, we’ve seen ninth grade failure rates be exceedingly high and alarming to us faculty, which then leads to many ninth graders, as they turn tenth graders and eleventh graders, [being] behind on credits and behind on staying up to date on graduating on time,” Brousek said. Principal Jay Opperman said the purpose of the program isn’t to punish students. “I think from a student’s standpoint they would say, ‘Oh, they just want to hold me in a spot,’ but that really isn’t the goal here,” Opperman said. According to Opperman, as of Sept. 26, approximately 38 percent of freshmen students had at least one failing grade or more. That is 188 out of the 494 enrolled in PowerSchool. This percentage is higher than that of other grades. Only 32 percent of sophomores, 26 percent of juniors and 29 percent of seniors had one or more failing grades. This helps explain why they are specifically trying to help freshmen, Opperman said. The program is subject to change, depending on how many freshmen students will have a failing grade by the end of the first quarter. If the number of freshmen with one failing grade is too high to be accommodated with adequate room space, the criteria for being in the program may be raised from having one F to two Fs or possibly three Fs. When looking for rooms to host the program in, Brousek said his first priority was finding rooms that would be large enough to accommodate the number of students in the program. The rooms currently designated for use are the Little Theater, upper auditorium balcony, room 222 and possibly rooms 237 and 117. Brousek said they are hoping only one

What do freshmen think of the assigned mods? While no students have experienced the program yet, they have mixed opinions about it. Freshman Josh Meyers said he thinks whether or not the system will motivate freshmen depends on the student. “I think there’s a difference between trying your hardest, like, if a class is too hard for you, and slacking off, so then I think it should depend on if you’re just slacking off or just having a hard time with the class,” Meyers said. Freshman Kerrigan Wonder said she thinks the program will be helpful. “I think [the program’s] good because some people aren’t responsible enough to talk to teachers about their grades,” Wonder said. One aspect of the program is that students who raise their failing grades during the quarter must remain in the program. Wonder said she believes this part of the program which requires students to stick with the assigned mods is reasonable. Students can still bring their grades down even after they’ve brought it back up,” Wonder said. “It will keep them on track, so I think that’s fair.” Not all students are a fan of this idea. “I don’t like that, because what if you got your F up?” freshman Joe Beckman said. “I think if you had an F and got it up, you shouldn’t have to stay there.” Sophomore Jorden Debas said he believes the program is valid. “I can understand it from the teachers’ perspective, but at the same time, from the students’ perspective, [open mods are] a time to be free,” Debas said. “I understand that it’s not a right, it’s a privilege, because most of the schools in America don’t have our mod thing. I think [the program] should happen for students that are failing, maybe not just one class but two classes, because one class, so early in the year, is easy to fail.”

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Lending a Helping

Band

Westside marching band cleans stadium after football games

rom tiny popcorn kernels to wrappers and empty bottles, the task of cleaning up all of the trash left behind at Westside’s football stadium was left entirely to the custodians. This year, band director Thomas Krueger is having the marching band clean up after football games as a thank you to the custodians. “The biggest [reason behind the clean up] is to try to provide some help for our custodians and try to help them out for what they do for the school,” Krueger said. “A lot of the time they put in a ton of unseen hours and unseen work for the school, so it’s just trying to provide them a little lift and help them with what they have to do.” Cleaning up the stadium after a football game can be time-consuming work, especially since there’s only a crew of four custodians. The custodians are tasked with picking up the trash left behind and have to prepare the stadium for the next event. Now, with the band’s help, the process is much shorter. “I know they’ve been very grateful so far for the [help with the] amount of work, because they have to come in early Saturday morning to clean up the stadium and get ready for the next event,” Krueger said. According to custodian Rick Murphy, having the band help out has saved them two hours of work. The help they have received means that they don’t have as much to clean. “You do the bleachers, you [have] to go row by row,” Murphy said. “You [have] to walk the whole way. Having [the band] do it really helps out.” The custodians aren’t the only ones who have benefited from the help. Krueger said he believes that by helping to clean up, students will learn how to take ownership over the school. “Overall I’ve seen pretty positive things,” Krueger said. “I think [students are] glad to take ownership and they’re happy about doing more, especially when they see the amount of work they’re saving the custodians, the amount of things there are to clean up. It’s an eye-opening thing for them to see the amount of work that has to be done by just a few people.” The band students themselves have also noticed the impact that they have had on the school. “[The plan] makes the janitors not have to come in late, and it really helps them,” senior Molly Rogers said. “Mr. Krueger’s always been saying how we should always be the most clean section. We should never have trash in our section. Now, we’re just making everything our section.”

Luke Steiner

story by

news

Faith rice

Rogers, who is a member of the flute section, said that she has seen overall positive reactions from fellow band members. “Of course I’ve seen some people standing around and not doing anything … but most [students] are okay with it,” Rogers said. “From what I see, they’re all understanding. The only negative reaction is when there’s such a big mess, like all the little kernels of popcorn.” Rogers said that even though cleaning the stadium took time, it was still a fun experience. “It wasn’t like actual clean up,” Rogers said. “It was fun because we did help make the mess, but we’re also helping clean up. We got to know each other. It’s not like you’re with no one you know. You know all these people.”

Color Guard members junior Lindsey Behrendt and senior Claire Garman bag leftover trash after the football game against Creighton Prep on Friday, Sept. 27.

photo by

Lydia Kasem

news

ince the school calendar is based and around major Christian holidays, students of other cultures often miss school to observe different holidays. According to Westside Community Schools Superintendent Mike Lucas, over the past few years, there have been numerous discussions amongst administration about the district’s policy on assignments being given out during major Jewish and Muslim holidays. Lucas said that he and his senior administrative team wanted to clarify the district policy regarding these days and sent an email to all instructors detailing the policy on Sept. 4. The policy targets major holidays such as Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of Ramadan. “It is a district-wide expectation/focus that we will NOT have tests, exams and major projects on Jewish and Muslim holidays,” Lucas wrote. “Please plan ahead and plan accordingly.” Developing a policy on giving out assignments on Jewish and Muslim holidays was an area of focus during the transition time between former Westside Community Schools Superintendent Blane McCann and Lucas. Lucas said he hopes the policy is transparent for instructors and students in the future. “We just wanted to come out with a clarification and a simple, bulleted document … that lays out exactly what we want for our Jewish and Muslim holidays,” Lucas said. To students such as senior Yasmine Elrefaie, who practices Islam, observing different religions in a Christian-dominated country can be difficult at times. Elrefaie said that choosing between religion and school is a decision she is often forced to make. “I used to think about people that get two weeks off for their Christmas break, and I don’t get anything off,”

Elrefaie said. “I understand that this country is dominated by Christianity, but it’s harder to go to [my] holidays, given school and missing school.” Lucas said that the main goals of this policy are increased clarity for instructors and students, increased inclusivity throughout Westside and to prevent students from having to

impacts her view of Lucas. “I think [the policy is] a big step for Westside, and it shows that [Lucas] is trying to make Westside very inclusive,” Kugler said. “By doing this, it’ll show other people that there are important cultural things that we miss, and now more people are going to know about the Jewish and Muslim holidays.” Elrefaie said she is also appreciative of the new policy and Lucas’s part in developing it. “I think it’s really cool that [Lucas is] respecting other religions as well and their holidays,” Elrefaie said. “Even though [the holidays I observe] fall on school days, being able to go celebrate and go pray is really cool.” The policy targets only major Jewish and Muslim holidays. Due to this, there are other religions that may be left out. Lucas said he views this as a potential drawback to the new policy. “There are a lot of other religions out there besides Christianity, Judaism and Islam,” Lucas said. “How do we accommodate each one? It’s extremely difficult in a school district where you’re trying to meet the needs of 6,000 plus students, so we have a lot of work to do in that.” The new policy was recently tested on the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana on Sept. 30 and will be put to use again on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur on Oct. 9. Regardless of any potential setbacks, Lucas said the most important thing is showing Westside students and families that he and Westside Community Schools care. “We really just want to set the tone and want students and their families to know we love you, we support you, we appreciate you and we support your beliefs, and we’re going to do our best to make the accommodations that we can to empower your beliefs and your religious rights,” Lucas said.

“We will NOT have tests, exams and major projects on Jewish and Muslim holidays.” -District Memo from Sept. 4 choose between school and religion. While he said he thinks Westside is already accepting of all cultures, he also believes that there is always room for improvement. “[We are] trying to be more inclusive and understanding and appreciating that we get to be around people that have beliefs and value systems different than ours,” Lucas said. “Inclusivity is a big goal of what we want to accomplish and improve at Westside. You can always get better, and that’s what we want to try and work on.” Junior Lauren Kugler, who practices Judaism, said that the new policy is something she has always wanted to see but didn’t know if it would come to fruition. She said it also

Implementing Inclusivity

New district policy outlines expectations for assignments on Jewish and Muslim holidays story by

Emma Miller

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Luke Steiner

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Pushing Preparation

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Westside incorporates ACT-related curriculum

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ACT in their classes, including in the English Department. grow going forward.” Molly Spisak, the co-head of the English Department, said The English Department also incorporates more topics the more practice students have, the better they’ll perform t h a t appear on the ACT in freshman and on the test. sophomore classes so that junior year “We give students an opportunity to see what’s on the they can focus on the style of the test and writing and English portion of the test,” Spisak said. “We the more difficult questions. expose students to what the ACT expects. We have a couple “People who take the English test feel of conversations with students about how the test looks. like it’s what sounds best or that it’s their Everyone does a practice test, usually in February. Then best guessing game, but the English test is teachers will go back and talk to students individually just like a math test,” Spisak said. “There’s about what they did well and how they can continue to a question that has a specific subject and problem to solve. You just have to figure out what that problem is so you can solve it correctly. The more practice you have with it, the better you will do.” There are also other forms of test prep available for students, such as prep courses like Three Moms and a Test. Londer said that students who are involved in the free/reduced lunch program receive up to a year of free online test prep from the Official ACT. “The Assistance League comes the week before the test and does one night of test prep,” Londer said. “The teachers come to Junior Guidance the last three weeks to talk about some tips on how to prepare for the math section, the reading/writing section and the science section.” Londer said that she thinks the test prep will be beneficial to students. However, she wanted to remind students that they are more than their ACT score. “We just want kids to remember ... while story by it’s important … you’re more than what you just did for four hours on one Saturday morning,” Londer said. “You are a person, graphic by and you have a lot to contribute, and that number is just a snapshot.”

SSCTRO ESS R

s of the spring of 2016, Nebraska required all juniors to take the ACT as the standardized test for the state. According to the Omaha World-Herald, Westside’s score for 2018 was a 21.5 average, which is lower than the 23.3 and 23.7 averages in 2015 and 2016 respectively. This is due to more students taking the test now that they have access to it and because it’s required. While test scores are technically going down, the individual performance of students is actually going up. According to the World-Herald, the number of students who have scored a perfect score has increased from ten to forty-four in the last ten years. Also, the number of students receiving a 32 or better has increased 48.3 percent since 2013. According to academic guidance counselor Vicki Londer, colleges are looking at increasing the minimum score required for their scholarships. “Whereas five years ago when schools weren’t teaching to the test and you weren’t doing test prep during the day, they felt like their scores were pretty fair,” Londer said. “But, now that schools are enhancing their test prep, they know scores are going to be going up in general. So, they’re going to have to up their minimum requirements for scholarships.” Senior Emma Dorsey first heard about the consideration for change in scholarship requirements during a college night hosted by the school. “It low-key freaked me out,” Dorsey said. “There [are] probably going to be more colleges that have done it or are going to do it. That made me a little nervous, like, what about me? I’m not guaranteed anything, and for kids that aren’t guaranteed FAFSA financial aid or kids who do average on tests, they don’t know this.” Londer said that because the ACT is now a state test, Westside is providing direct preparation for the

Maryam Akramova and Charlotte Miller Parker LeFebvre

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Malia Battafarano

editorial

Social media companies, not users, are at fault for social media addiction

ocial media has had a common presence in our lives, and while it can be fun to occasionally scroll through apps like Instagram or Twitter, it can also be dangerous. According to addictioncenter.com, five to ten percent of Americans fit the criteria for social media addiction. With social media becoming so popular, it’s no surprise that people are becoming addicted to it. However, it’s not our fault that we’ve become addicted. According to hult.edu, social media developers design their apps using habit-forming methods to keep users coming back for more. One of these methods is called the Attitude, Trigger, Action, Reward and Investment (ATARI) model. Developers examine all these categories to integrate their apps into the daily lives of users. “Kids are just so [involved] with their phones, and old people that I’ve talked to will just talk and talk and talk,” junior Hailey Robinson said. “They’re not distracted by anything. They’re focused on you. Kids always seem so jittery when you talk to them. They’re glancing around. Their hands are moving out towards their phone.” Not only is social media designed to keep us hooked, notifications also release dopamine in our brains the same way gambling and drugs do, according to addictioncenter.com. “It triggers that same center of the brain that would trigger if you

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Angela li

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do something you enjoy naturally, or take a drug, or something like that that gives you that pleasure,” social studies instructor Otis Seals said. “A lot of times you find under social media addiction people are doing things or activities solely so they can post it online. That’s where it really becomes an addiction.” Our addiction to social media can’t only be our fault because it was designed to be addicting, and as a young generation, we can’t be held accountable for the actions of corporations. Although it’s not completely our fault that we’re addicted, there are still several steps we can take to prevent ourselves from becoming too hooked. According to addictioncenter.com, one of the best ways we can prevent ourselves from becoming addicted is to take a break from social media and turn off the notifications for a while. While we can play a part in preventing addiction, social media developers must also step up. They are intentionally designing their products to keep us coming back for more. “Everybody’s connected to [social media],” Robinson said. “I think kids don’t know how to talk to other people. I don’t think they know how to interact with other kids their age because they’re so hooked on [social media] and dependent on it, and it sucks. Social media sucks.”

Julia steiner

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The Lance is a schoolsponsored publication of Westside High School, Westside Community Schools, 8701 Pacific St., Omaha, NE 68144. The Lance office is located in room 251. Phone: (402) 343-2650. The Lance is an inhouse publication. The paper is distributed every month to all students, except in vacation periods. Subscription rates to others are $30 prepaid. The Lance is printed by White Wolf Web, in Sheldon, IA. Advertising rates are available upon request. The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit all ads for clarity and grammatical errors. The editorial staff reserves the right not to publish any ads that are libelous or that contain non-factual information. The Lance editorial staff also reserves the right to nullify contracts at any time without prior notification. The Lance also refuses ads that promote activities illegal to a majority of the student readership. Reader response is welcomed in the form of letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words, signed by the author and sent to room 251. Names may be withheld upon special request. Lance editors will decide whether to honor such requests. The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and grammatical errors. The editorial staff also reserves the right to not publish any letters that are libelous or that contain non-factual information. The Lance is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Quill & Scroll Society. The Lance staff recognizes that the administration of Westside Community Schools controls the curriculum and, thus, sets the parameters of the production process of school publications. The Lance staff also recognizes its own responsibilities to inform, enlighten and entertain its readers in a way that reflects high standards of journalism, morals and ethics. Editors-in-Chief Maryam Akramova, Malia Battafarano, Julia Steiner, Isabella Tyler; Managing Editors Virginia, Angelina Pattavina; Design Editor Abby Schreiber; Photo Editor Lydia Kasem; Graphics Editor Angela Li; Copy Editor-in-Chief Reese Pike; News Editor Luke Steiner; Opinion Editor Faith Rice; In-depth Editor Eleanor Dodge; Feature Editor Emma Miller; Arts and Entertainment Editor Jane Knudsen; Business Manager Alex Vandenberg; Staff Writers Will Christiansen, Izzy Dodge, Brooklyn James, Ella Kirkpatrick, Auguste Kuehne, Charlotte Miller, Katie Palais; Graphic Artists Parker LeFebvre, Sage Wein; Advisers Timothy Kaldahl, Jerred Zegelis.

social media

in-depth

BY THE NUMBERS

What Does Social Media Look Like Today? Social media is a prominent force in the lives of high school students. For many, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a daily source of news, communication and entertainment. Social media affects the lives and culture of high schoolers across the country. For this issue, The Lance decided to focus its indepth on the ways social media has both positively and negatively affected our generation. Below are some infographics about social media at Westside High School. These statistics were found through a non-scientific survey conducted by The Lance with 402 responses.

This statistic is according to eMarketer.com. It accounts for total users in the United States.

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Eleanor Dodge

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Angela Li

in-depth

NUDEculture

The dangers of sending intimate photos

ending nudes, pictures of genitals or a naked body, has become increasingly popular with the rise of social media for teens across the country. Although, here at Westside, many students said they feel as though nudes have become common practice among high schoolers. Healthy living instructor Brody Schmaderer said Westside students have been caught sending nudes before. “In the past year, I think we had one or two cases that we caught, but we know research shows there’s much more than that happening,” Schmaderer said. “So, it happens on a regular basis for sure, more than what we catch students doing.” While sending nudes is not an uncommon occurrence at Westside, a part of this is due to the fact that not every juvenile understands the consequences of sending nudes. According to the United States Department of Justice’s website, “images of child pornography are not protected under First Amendment rights and are illegal contraband under federal law.” Child pornography is defined as “any visual depiction of sexually explict contact involving a minor” in Section 2256 of Title 18, in the United States Code.

There are severe consequences for possessing and distributing child pornography. A first-time offender convicted of producing child pornography faces a minimum of fifteen years in prison, whereas someone transporting child pornography faces a minimum of five years in prison. According to the Department of Justice’s website, an offender can be prosecuted under state and federal law. According to an article on The Nebraska Lawyer’s website, it is unlawful to create or distibute sexual content as a minor under the Child Pornography Prevention Act. In the same article, it says that “minors who take and distribute pictures of themselves are not guilty of the creation and distribution of child pornography,” but if one is to distribute someone else’s photos, they can be charged with a Class III felony. Joy Suder, a juvenile attorney, has experience working with convicted minors. Suder said the consequences of a Class III felony are severe. “A Class III felony can be up to four years in prison and then two years of postrelease supervision, which means you’re basically on parole, or have a $25,000 fine or both,” Suder said. Suder said sending nudes is never a smart decision, because it can become dangerous for the person who is either sending or receiving these photos.

“It’s so easy to just click and send things here and there ... Theoretically you won’t see [the photo] again.”

-Senior Ashleigh Madsen

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“It’s a horrible idea,” Suder said. “It’s just as dangerous and stupid as smoking crack. One, it’s illegal. Two, it’s not safe for the person whose picture is being sent … And, normally, none of those things are being done with good intentions.” Westside students said they have varying opinions on whether or not teenagers should send nudes. Sophomore Nyamuon Puol said students should have more consideration for their bodies. “I mean, it’s just not good,” Puol said. ”You should respect your body, and you shouldn’t be sending pictures of yourself to other people.” According to senior Ethan Shea, many people do not think sending nudes is a big deal. “It was a bigger thing in middle school, probably because they thought it was cool,” Shea said. “Now, nobody really cares.” The social media platform Snapchat offers a quick way to send photos back and forth with another person. Additionally, Snapchat photos should disappear after ten seconds. According to senior Ashleigh Madsen, the way that Snapchats disappear after they are opened makes students feel more confident that their pictures won’t be shared. “I think it makes it way easier to [send nudes] because people aren’t thinking as much,” Madsen said. “It’s so easy to just click and send things here and there. With social media, you can just send it [and] it’s gone ... Theoretically, you won’t see it again, but you can take screenshots and people forget that.” Sophomore Courtney Montez said she shares a similar view as Madsen. “I know a couple of friends that have done it and have had their photos all over the Internet,” Montez said. “She acted like she didn’t care, but I know o n the inside she w a s really hurt and felt alone.” Sophomore Tai-Chi Robinson thinks a majority of h i g h schoolers send nudes. “Everybody sends nudes,” Robinson said. “It’s nasty. You’re literally sending free pictures of your body to people who could use them against you.” Schmaderer said he believes people who send nudes should be conscious of the social impact their actions might have. “I think that we forget that your body is yours,” Schmaderer said. “It is special to you. We forget that sending it out kind of takes that away from them. It’s a valuable thing. It’s meant for you. That’s lost when it’s sent out via video or text message or whatever it may be.”

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charlotte miller and story by ella kirkpatrick

in-depth

THESE STATISTICS ARE BASED ON A NON-SCIENTIFIC SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE LANCE WITH 291 RESPONSES.

84.8% OF RESPONDeNTS BELIEVE THAT SNAPCHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR PLATFORM FOR SENDING AND RECEIVING NUDES. ELLA KIRKPATRICK, isabella tyler graphics by AND LUKE STEINER

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ISABELLA TYLER

in-depth

social media savant Superintendent Lucas uses Twitter to help district

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Not only does Lucas do “a little work” outside of social media, he also said he sees social media as an integral part of his job. “This is my seventeenth year as a superintendent, and it’s changed a lot since I became a [superintendent] back in 2003,” Lucas said. “You have a lot of facility planning [and] strategic planning, but communications and public relations has really grown exponentially in the last 20 years, and social media allows superintendents to be more visible.” Not only has social media changed the way superintendents do their jobs, Lucas also said it can make the job better for superintendents. “I think [social media has] been great for superintendents, because a lot of times we get bogged down in just really serious things … but social media allows superintendents to show a little personality,” Lucas said. “Social media allows me to have a little bit more of a connection with students than what it was like to be a superintendent before social media came through.” Lucas said he values social media for not just district usage but also supports teenagers using it. However, he warned teens to be careful with their social media usage. “The one thing I worry about the most [in social media] are the comparisons,” Lucas said. “I worry about our teenagers scrolling through social media at night and their perception is, ‘Oh my gosh, everybody else is doing so well.’ The reality is, all of us, everybody in the world, feels lonely, feels depressed, feels left out [or] is stressed out at different times, but we don’t typically post all that. We only post things that make us look good.” Lucas said he is also guilty of not showing everything on social media, but that is also because not everything is meant to be shown in that way. According to Lucas, the most important thing is to remember value outside of social media. “Don’t let comparisons, likes [or] retweets dictate your happiness,” Lucas said. “Let your own heart [and] your own personal goals dictate your happiness.”

Virginia Jansen

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julia Steiner

Tweets from Superintendent Mike Lucas

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ike Lucas, superintendent of Westside Community Schools, has more than 1,000 followers on Twitter. His page has almost 17,000 tweets, spanning from motivational messages to videos from every sport imaginable. Since Lucas arrived at Westside, he said he has aimed to use social media to help the district. “I like to use social media to help tell the story of students and staff,” Lucas said. “I’ve had people I don’t even know stop and tell me that they feel like they know more about what’s going on in the district. They like feeling the enthusiasm, and they just feel more connected.” A new way Lucas is using social media is his weekly video series, Mondays with Mike. According to Lucas, this series was all the idea of district Director of Communications Brandi Paul. According to Paul, the idea for Mondays with Mike came to her after hearing Lucas speak. “I heard a presentation from Dr. Lucas last year, and it was clear he is an exceptional, likeable and relatable public speaker,” Paul said. “Dr. Lucas has many strengths, but he has a rare gift for public speaking, and I wanted our community to see that passion, humor and ability firsthand.” Mondays with Mike is posted on the Westside Community Schools Twitter and discusses a variety of district news. “Mondays with Mike allows our students, families, teachers and community to hear straight from him about important issues, like our budget and ACT scores, and also see and sense his personality and what has stood out to him week-to-week,” Paul said. According to Lucas, his use of social media has generally been received positively by the community. It has, however, not always been received positively by his fellow administrators. “I’ve received criticism throughout my career for being so active on social media,” Lucas said. “It’s normally from other school administrators. They’re like, ‘Does Lucas ever work, or is he just always facebooking, tweeting and … just sitting around eating jelly beans?’ I like to think I do a little work too.”

These statistics are based on a non-scientific survey conducted by The Lance with 175 responses.

in-depth

sinsta sleuthing What WHS students really think about secret Instagram accounts What is a Sinsta?

According to Urban Dictionary, a sinsta is a secret Instagram account where people post scandalous pictures they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put on their normal Instagram. Sinsta posts can range from personal secrets to lighthearted inside jokes. This type of account is kept private, so follower and like counts tend to be lower than the average profile. These accounts are usually not meant to be taken too seriously and are a way for teens to share their personal lives with friends on a typically small scale. Some people also refer to these accounts as Finstas, or fake Instagrams. The Lance wanted to explore this popular internet phenomenon.

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story by

vinny Nelson

graphics by

angela Li

design by

Julia Steiner

feature

environmental additions

Math instructor works to help the environment through gardening

P Statistics and Geometry instructor Michael Nolette has been working on his backyard garden for a decade. Every day, he works over the red and purple fruits in an effort to help the environment while making great food for family and friends. “I am interested in all environmental issues, but I enjoy gardening and horticulture the most,” Nolette said. “So, I focus my interest in applying environmentally friendly techniques in my yard, such as using only organic gardening methods.” Nolette said he works on his gardens almost every day. “I’m usually doing something,” Nolette said. “I have bird feeders, so I try and keep up with that.” Nolette said he has a big section of raspberries and blackberries, along with black and red currants. Along with fruits, Nolette also has many vegetable patches. “I also have vegetables, like your standard tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, asparagus and garlic, along with an herb garden,” Nolette said. Nolette said he’s looking to add some new fruit patches to his garden, such as strawberry patches and more blackberries. He also said his inspiration for his gardening came from going to his uncle’s house over the summer as a child. “He had a huge garden,” Nolette said. “I used to love working in it. He didn’t use any chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers either. It was very satisfying to see the fruits of our labor at harvest time.” Last summer, Nolette and his son planted a large pollinator garden. This type of garden produces large amounts of nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, such as butterflies and bees. “Almost immediately, we had three to five species of butterflies in the pollinator garden, even some monarch butterflies,” Nolette said. “Also, many bee species visited as well, such as Italian honey bees. As I researched different ideas, I learned more about pollinators and what flowers attract them … It really isn’t as difficult as I thought.” Nolette said that composting helps a lot with his gardening. “I compost all organic waste, such as vegetable peelings, leaves, coffee grounds and eggshells, among other things,” Nolette said. “Composting produces excellent soil for the garden and reduces my waste stream.” Another way Nolette said he helps the environment is by cutting down on his personal

consumption. “Even here at school, there are opportunities to reduce consumption, such as creating less food waste and using less paper,” Nolette said. “All the little changes we make add up to help better conserve the natural world.” Nolette said he isn’t the only teacher at Westside who gardens. Special education instructor Michael Jernigan also gardens. “Mr. Nolette is a huge gardener,” Jernigan said. “[He gardens] both vegetables and flowers. He and I co-taught last year, so we had lots of discussions on that. We trade ideas all the time.” Jernigan said his passion for gardening came about in a similar way to Nolette’s. “My grandma, years ago, lived in a small town, and her whole backyard was a huge garden,” Jernigan said. “So, I don’t know if [my passion] came through her spiritually or whatever it was.” According to Jernigan, he doesn’t plant anything extravagant, just things he and his family will eat. Jernigan said he works on his garden a couple of times a week, but when the torrential rains and floods hit Omaha, he had to work harder to keep his plants alive. If students are looking to start their own garden or help the environment, Jernigan and Nolette both recommended starting at a basic level. Nolette said students can also do their part to reduce at home and school. “I think if we all do our part each day to reduce our personal consumption, recycle and reuse materials, collectively it will make a huge positive environmental difference,” Nolette said. Jernigan said that using simple plants will help first-time gardeners. “Start with the easy plants, like peppers and tomatoes,” Jernigan said. “Learn as much as you can about the soil use and what goes into the soil to make your plants healthy. Do simple plants that you know will thrive, even if you’re not good at keeping plants alive.” Nolette said that the best thing to do is to go to the library. “Pick up a book on gardening in this area of Nebraska,” Nolette said. “Our soil here tends to [have a lot of] clay, so I use a lot of raised bed gardening. You can go to Lowe’s and get some inexpensive lumber, grab some soil and get started.”

“I think if we all do our part each day ... it will make a huge positive environmental difference.” -Math Instructor Michael Nolette

story by

will christiansen

photos by

lydia kasem

design by

abby schreiber

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Painting a future

feature

Freshman Jay Sanchez and his mural, located in a hallway at Westside Middle School.

Student creates mural at WMS as an alternative assignment

ast spring, eighth grade student Jay Sanchez found himself struggling in school. Kelly Schulz, his Spanish instructor at Westside Middle School, devised a plan. “I wasn’t doing so [well] in school,” Sanchez said. “Ms. Schulz said that if I could get all my grades up, she was going to find a way for me to paint a wall.” Immediately, Sanchez said he was interested. He has been practicing art ever since he was little. “At first, I liked drawing a lot, because my grandfather taught me how to draw random stuff, and I was super interested, so I started doing my own art,” Sanchez said. “I eventually got into graffiti because I really liked how it looked.” While Sanchez struggled in the rest of his classes, he is a native Spanish speaker. He would often finish his Spanish work before other students. Schulz said she decided to use the extra time to start working on the mural. “I helped facilitate the mural,” Schulz said. “I worked with Sanchez as one of his teachers the whole year, but because he was an advanced Spanish student, he had extra time to be working on more of a personalized project.” Schulz went straight to principal Kim Eymann with the mural idea. Eymann said she was instantly intrigued. Together, they decided they would have Sanchez work with a professional artist. Following this decision, Sanchez, Eymann and Schulz met often, discussing what artist to contact, the expectations, criteria and how to make the project happen. After six months of meeting with and interviewing different artists in the community, they finally settled on local artist Rob Crawford. He was there to give

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a professional opinion of the project and help with the painting process. He mentored Sanchez and helped finetune the final layout. “We talked with Mrs. Eymann, and she was in touch with the rest of the administration, and we got to kind of the general idea of the visual elements they wanted,” Crawford said.

“Your future is created by what you do today.” - message above Westside Middle School mural

By the end of the school year, Sanchez and Schulz were ready to begin the project. The idea for the mural was centered around growing up and the opportunities you can create for yourself. Sanchez and Crawford said they decided to start with a baby and show the different stages in life. The figures wind around the school walls. The painting comes to an end after depicting people growing up and having various careers, such as being a ballerina or

story and photo by

izzy dodge

design by

astronaut. “The first thing that came to my mind was an evolution line,” Crawford said. “[That’s] a kind of concept where we start out as small children and work our way through the age group that’s at the school, then all the different possibilities as far as where people end up if they make the right choices.” Above the mural, there is a statement which says “Your future is created by what you do today.” According to Schulz, this is meant to show students that the work they are doing now is the work that will affect their future endeavors as human beings. The painting only took about a month to complete but has left Sanchez and Schulz permanently affected. “I think it’s just another sort of indicator or another good reminder that each student has a unique set of abilities or skills, and if you take a step back as a teacher and look at social-emotional learning and growth mindset, each student has something that’s worth value,” Schulz said. “If a teacher can tap into those unique sets of skills or personalization, then a lot of students can find success, not just in school but have a future mindset or future thought process.” Sanchez said he had similar thoughts about the project. “Try new things even if you think it won’t be that good,” Sanchez said. “At first, I really didn’t want to do it, but I was, like, this could be a really good experience for me.” Sanchez still meets with Schulz weekly as a mentor. “Jay Sanchez has reinvigorated my passion as a teacher,” Schulz said.

eleanor dodge

feature

HUMANS OFWESTSIDE

A deeper look at Westside’s population

What is the biggest hardship you’ve had to face? lori girmus

ZOE SLINKARD

“Long ago when I was in college, I went for two years down at UNL, but then the money kind of came to a halt. I had to stop school for a while and go work, so I worked for about half of a year. But I remember bawling on the way home from the dorms when my dad came and got me. I know that sounds trivial, but really it’s something that has stuck with me: having to leave school, fearful of never knowing whether I was going to make it back. But I did, so I guess that’s a good happy ending to the story.”

“One of the toughest things I’ve had to experience so far would have to be coming out as gay to my family and friends. I dealt with people who weren’t supportive about it, and in the process of that, I lost some of my closest friends. I was very depressed and had to go to therapy because of it. That year consisted of me being sad all the time, and I was never really talkative. One thing that helped me the most was having friends that were really supportive of me, and eventually I got through it, taking away the fact that therapy didn’t help me at all. I currently feel like I’ve made a lot of progress, and I just overall feel good and really confident about myself. ”

jordyn knight sophomore

“My biggest hardship would probably be my parents’ divorce because it was really hard to adjust to everything. Switching from house to house is really inconvenient with school. I was in sixth grade, and I was pretty upset. It was really hard to finally feel normal again with my family and stuff, but by now since it has been a couple of years, it’s obviously fine now, so it’s a lot better.”

Junior

JODI CARLSON INSTRUCTOR

“I’d say one of my biggest struggles in life was growing up with a single mom. She was unemployed and wasn’t making a lot of money. She was also depressed and never involved or available. The nice thing was that I had extended family that was very supportive, and so I knew I was loved and I knew I had people who cared about me and supported me, but it affected me and my mother’s relationship, because she wasn’t necessarily available for me as a parent. She was always dealing with her own stuff, but one of the closest people I grew up with was my grandma. She stepped in and was a very strong influence in my life.”

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staff member

feature

What was one of the best experiences in your life? ANThony white

Amanda freitag

“One of my best moments was when I scored a touchdown for the first time at age 14. I was a freshman, and it was super special to me because it was the first time I ever played football and I scored. It was against Central and it was a pick six. The quarterback threw a long pass, and I read it super good and caught it and ran it back 50-some yards, and as I was running, it felt like a dream. It’s still so special to me, because I remember it like it was yesterday.”

“One in particular is that about six years ago, I got to meet my birth family, because I was adopted when I was really little. I never had any contact with them, and six years ago was when we met for the first time. We were already over there in Korea, which is where I’m from, and the adoption agency was able to reconnect us with them so I could meet them. We were sightseeing in Seoul, and about the third to fourth day in we met at the adoption center, and I met my birth parents for the first time and it was very special to me and a memory I will never forget.”

JUNior

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spanish instructor

samai chediak, tristan alvano story and photos by and drew cota

design by

Isabella tyler

sports

Getting into the swing Sophomore golfer of adjusts to major changes things

story by

jonathan snover

Mel Erftmier said. “‘Are you really a boy? You’re actually a girl.’ Those are all really great questions to be asked, but it’s

“I show up to these tournaments and everyone just looks me up and down, like, ‘What’s this boy doing here?’” -Sophomore Mel Erftmier also uncomfortable and awkward.” While both siblings said that the response has been mostly

photo courtesy of

positive, it hasn’t been crystal clear. Mel Erftmier, who competes on Westside’s girls golf team, said there have been some challenges this season. “My coaches, they don’t know,” Mel Erftmier said. “It’s hard because I show up to these tournaments, and everyone just looks me up and down, like, ‘What’s this boy doing here?’” While others look on, Mel Erftmier said he hasn’t been phased on the course. Sophomore Kaitlyn Hanna, who is one of Mel Erftmier’s teammates, said that he’s been successful thus far. “Mel is a great addition to the team,” Hanna said. “[He] placed tenth at the Duchesne Invite with a personal 18 hole record of 87.” His success has come quickly, as he started to competitively play golf this season. “When I was little, I played golf” Mel Erftmier said. “ I never was really intensely into the sport. During summers, I would practice a little, but this year I actually got into it.” Although sophomore Mel Erftmier has gone through major transitions off the course, Hanna said he is still a valuable asset to the team. Watch for him and the rest of the Westside girls golf team as they begin postseason play later this month.

westside girls golf design byAbby schreiber

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or sophomore Mel Erftmier, life hasn’t always been straightforward and by the book. It has been a question of finding true identity. Born Amelia Erftmier, he said he never really acted like a female. “Ever since I was young, I knew I was different,” Erftmier said. “I would shop in the boys section, and I was only friends with guys.” When he was young, Erftmier said he didn’t know who he was and neither did those around him. He would talk to his mom, and she noticed that something was different, which he said was tough for him to hear. “Ever since I was little, my mom would ask me if I was a boy [or] if I wanted to be a boy,” Erftmier said. “I always felt trapped.” Now, almost a decade later, the sophomore golfer has found himself. In the summer of 2019, Erftmier came out as a genderqueer male. Senior Abigail Erftmier, Mel Erftmier’s older sister, said that it was difficult to get used to the new pronouns. “The transition from calling him her to him was a little bit of a struggle, just because I’ve grown up with Mel as my sister,” Abigail Erftmier said. After he came out, Mel Erftmier was asked lots of questions, which he said were overwhelming at times. “I got questions like, ‘What do you want me to call you?’”

Sophomore Mel Erftmier (center) poses with teammates after winning second place at Bellevue West invite

playing for a purpose

very day, you can find high school athletes working on their game in practice for a chance to show their skills in a matchup once or twice a week. But what if their hard work could pay off in a different facet while still doing what they love? That is the question Athletes 4 Children hopes to answer. This special organization has given Nebraska athletes the chance to donate money for every highlight play they make during their sport season of choice. Athletes 4 Children is designed to raise money for the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center under a “pledgeplay-pay” system. This means athletes from all around Nebraska have been pledging a certain amount of money for every tackle, win, goal or hit they achieve, depending on the sport that they play. Last year, the organization received pledges from 34 players across 17 schools. In this school year, Athletes 4 Children already has 19 pledges from various high schools and sports. The founder of Athletes 4 Children is Garrison Dodge, a recent graduate of OaklandCraig High School in Oakland, Nebraska. S u r p r i s i n g l y, Dodge said that the

Unique organization sports helps senior football player give back to community

organization sprouted from a common dilemma that many Westside students have when preparing for graduation. “My dad and I were sitting down watching football, and we were talking about community service hours and what I needed to graduate high school,” Dodge said. “It came up as us wanting to start a charity fundraiser. We were going through names and wanted to tie [the fundraiser] in with sports. [The idea of] Athletes 4 Children came up, and my dad thought it was perfect.” Dodge and his sister were both six weeks premature, so

“Our whole mission in Westside Football is serving others. That’s part of being on the team.” -Senior Grant Tagge he said the decision was natural to have the money raised from Athletes 4 Children given to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital. Dodge said his expectations weren’t very high for the organization when he began working on it. “At the beginning, I thought that we were going to have about ten people doing it,” Dodge said. “I thought $1,000 was going to be our goal. Then we got a couple Omaha kids, and it just blew up after that. We recently just hit $10,000 in donations.” Dodge said that much of the success of Athletes 4 Children can be attributed to the publicity it received in its initial stages. He reflected on the amount of time that was spent trying to get schools and athletes enlightened about the organization. “I don’t think I can put a number [on the] hours that we had to email and tweet at teams and coaches in high school [to try to get them to pledge],” Dodge said. “My dad has a couple of connections i n

Senior Grant Tagge plays against Bellevue East in varsity football game

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story by

josh siegel

photo by

emma rieser

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Omaha with the news. We had a couple of news anchors come out and do some videos on this, and that got us a lot of publicity. A lot of people heard about it around Omaha, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of the news anchors that took time out of the day. It could not be as big as it is now [without them].” Athletes 4 Children got in touch with Westside Football after the end of last season, hoping to expose some of their players to the idea of following the footsteps of their peers across the state. Senior Grant Tagge said he immediately latched on to the idea. “They messaged us about coming by one of the hospitals and hanging out with the kids,” Tagge said. “[The team] planned a time to do that and pledged to what we were going to do with the hospital.” This past summer, Tagge decided to join the cause by personally pledging $1 per tackle, $3 per sack and $5 per interception or touchdown. He said that the process of making the pledge can be very personalized for each player. “They leave it up to you,” Tagge said. “You can match another athlete at your position or just do it by yourself. I just looked at what everyone else did and made it my own.” Although Tagge is the only player from any Westside sport to make this pledge as of now, he is currently talking to a few other players on the football team who may be interested in joining the organization. He said that while what he is doing may seem generous, it is just another facet of the program he has been a part of for the last four years. “It’s really cool to give back to [the children],” Tagge said. “Our whole mission in Westside Football is serving others. That’s part of being on the team. You have to buy in to serving others.” Garrison said that Athletes 4 Children is a successful organization thanks to the pledges made by Tagge and other players across the state. However, with Dodge currently studying and playing football at Peru State University, his time committed to this project has been severely cut. Because of this new lifestyle, Dodge said that his father has taken a much bigger role in the organization. “With college and football practice, I am hitting the books from 7:00 in the morning to three in the afternoon and then practice from three to six,” Dodge said. “My dad is helping a lot. He has been with me 100 percent of the way and has as much credit in it as I do.” As for the future of Athletes 4 Children, Dodge said that he and his father are taking it one step at a time. He said that no matter what may happen in the next couple of years, the main goal of giving back to the NICU will never die. “We are taking it year by year,” Dodge said. “If we ever just don’t have enough kids [pledging], we will still continue to donate every year.”

abby schreiber

A&E

It Chap te r 2 R e view After much anticipation, the clown returns

aunted houses, visiting the pumpkin patch and watching horror movies are all popular things to do during the fall season and month of October. One of the movies that came out this year

on Stephen King’s novel and enjoying it, the sequel looked interesting, but I wasn’t as pleased with the movie as I thought I would be. of the characters are grown up and living their own unique lives. We get a look into the lives of Beverley (Jessica Chastain), Bill (James McAvoy), Richie (Bill Hader), Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), Ben (Jay Ryan), Eddie (James Ransone) and Stanley (Andy Bean). Mike is still living in Derry, while the other six are off in different parts of the country. When he suspects Pennywise is back and killing, he calls his six long-lost friends and asks them to return to help him kill the clown. When they arrive, they gather information, and each has a part in stopping Pennywise. They all work together to try and conquer the monster from their childhood. I went into this movie not really knowing what to expect. I knew that it was going to be the group of friends who call themselves the “losers” reuniting and trying to save Derry, but I didn’t think it would have as many different turns as it did.

clown, there were also bugs and other monstrous creatures to represent him. There is a good mix of Pennywise. What was really scary about the movie was how long it was. Although I didn’t mind the three hourlong “Avengers: Endgame,” this movie was too long. Some parts of the movie were pretty dragged out and could’ve been cut. It was hard to pay attention to all of the details throughout, as well It also seemed as if some scenes were rather cheesy instead of scary. I didn’t really like this aspect, as I enjoy horror and like to leave the theater scared. However, I do think that this was a goal of the movie, also the fact that the character Richie has a career as a comedian. With seven main characters in this movie, it was sometimes hard to follow all of their storylines. It showed small

bits of each of their lives, but I wish we had more information on all of them. The characters that I liked the most were Beverley and Ben. It was interesting movie. recommend giving this one a try, although maybe wait until it comes out on digital. If you weren’t a through this one. story and design by

graphic by

Brooklyn James

Sage Wein

be disappointing, there were some aspects that I appreciated. It was heartwarming to see how all of the characters’ lives had changed after 27 years. They were all very different, but when they got back together, all of the memories from their childhood came back. I also liked how this movie had a large variety of scary scenes. It wasn’t just fully focused on Pennywise but also had other animals and creatures. While this movie is known for the

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not final girls

How horror can foster feminist storylines

t’s easy to find examples of brutality against women in horror. Unnecessary depictions of abuse are all too common in the genre. Plot points like assault or abuse are used as methods to move the story along rather than meaningful events in these characters’ lives. This brutality isn’t seen as excessively shocking, either. For example, “American Psycho,” which was rife with that brutality, is viewed as a must-see for horror fans. However, a movie like “Teeth” (in which a woman discovers teeth in a specific area of her anatomy) is viewed as something that should only be seen by those who can really stomach extreme violence and filth. This is a double standard in a genre that holds so many opportunities for meaningful storytelling through a feminist lens. A classic example of this is “Rosemary’s Baby” by Ira Levin. Despite being a man in the 1960s, Levin was an incredible feminist writer. “Rosemary’s Baby” is about a young woman unknowingly impregnated with the spawn of Satan. The book perfectly exemplifies the complacency and silence expected of women, even when they’re faced with circumstances that so clearly make them uncomfortable. At the beginning of the book, after Rosemary is impregnated by Satan while drugged, her husband leads her to believe that he had sex with her while she was asleep. She’s devastated, of course, but she convinces herself that she’s overreacting, as everyone around her tells her it’s nothing serious. What’s so hard-hitting about all of the burdens that come with Rosemary’s pregnancy is that she isn’t ignorant. She knows what’s happening in her body, and she knows that it’s not right. The true horror is that nobody believes her. She has to stew in her discomfort and convince herself that something’s wrong with her. Because of that, one of the most personal decisions of her life is dictated by other people. The story isn’t horrifying because of some fear of the devil, it’s horrifying because losing control of your body and your choices is a horror that women face daily. The idea that a woman’s life is dominated by those around her is common. The 1997 Satoshi Kon film “Perfect Blue” grapples with identity and societal expectations of a woman under the spotlight. It’s unfortunate, because the film was highly advertised as a thriller about body doubles, which is only part of it. It was actually a very nuanced story of how the public eye and simplistic perspectives of celebrities can ruin their lives and how young women in the industry can be manipulated. It shows a celebrity named Mima, previously involved in a pop group, who decides to move into acting. What follows is a haunting portrayal of this woman losing her mind after being viciously stalked and forced to re-examine her own identity. This story

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jane knudsen

story, graphic, and design by

couldn’t have been told through any genre other than horror. To survive under the scrutiny of the public eye, a woman must fall easily under one category. Trying to exist outside of that one identity causes hate from outsiders and conflict on the inside. Mima was torn apart, both by herself and critics, after being pressured to play promiscuous roles. Audiences hated it because they preferred her demure innocence as a singer, and she hated it because it made her uncomfortable. In the eyes of the public, their comfort in how she acted was much more important than her own. It’s very common for women to put aside their own suffering for the purpose of pleasing others, and “Perfect Blue” shows how that repression can ruin a person. Judgment for simply trying to exist is a common, exhausting ordeal for women, and there’s an influx of self-loathing that comes with that judgment. That kind of paranoia and self-loathing that girls face is covered in the 1976 film “Carrie,” in which a teenage girl, after being mercilessly bullied for being scared of her own period, discovers that she has psychic powers. The bullying reaches its climax when other students rig the votes for prom queen, allowing her to win. When she goes on stage to accept the crown, a bucket of pig’s blood is dumped on her in front of the entire school. There’s such a painfully stressful quality to this scene. Among several women, especially teenagers, there’s a particular dread that comes with the idea that you may be doing something wrong. There is a fear that the way you choose to exist is somehow wrong, and at any point, somebody’s going to catch you slip up. This scene portrays that nightmare. None of her classmates really find what happens to Carrie funny, but the way Carrie sees it, she’s become precisely the laughingstock she always thought she was. She’s viewing the world through a twisted kaleidoscope of mockery. It’s horrifying and uncomfortable because it displays a common fear: being punished and ridiculed for the act of living. Horror is an excellent medium through which to portray women’s experiences. When done sloppily, horror involving women’s stories ends up as an excuse to show unfiltered brutality against women through a male lens. When done well, the audience can empathize with the women onscreen and realize how scary these common experiences can be. “Rosemary’s Baby” is about choice. “Perfect Blue” is about identity. “Carrie” is about maturity. These are difficult themes for women to grapple with, and how imposing they are can only be understood when shown through a genre as threatening as horror.

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GRIFFIN WOLF, 11 “It’s big and it’s warm and it feels very homey, I guess. The brown really works well with the blue jean jacket. I just saw it … at a thrift store and I just thought, I had no idea that brown sleeves could work with a blue jean jacket, so [I thought I], might take a risk and spend that five dollars.”

KHUSHI SINGH, 10 “I think they’re really soft and comfortable, and I like how they look on me. I like the vibe they give off, because when people approach me, I feel like they come to certain assumptions … when they see me dress like this.”

Fashion Favorites We all have a favorite piece of clothing in our closet that we can’t let go of, whether it’s a pair of funky pants or a unique jacket. We asked four Westside students about their favorite clothing piece and why they love it. Here is what they said.

OLIVIA JARECKI, 12 “It’s a yard sale sweater that I bought from a yard sale, so I thought that was pretty ironic. It’s cozy and it’s probably the perfect sweater. I’ve worn it too much … but I still love it.”

MATTHEW SWANSON, 9

story, photos and design by

Angela Li

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“I like the simplicity of it. It’s not very extra and it’s not too over-dramatic … it’s very simple and there’s pops of color in it, which makes it easy to match with.”

Working 9 to 5 Seniors Delaney Wetjen (playing Violet Newstead) and Hannah Kate Kinney (playing Judy Bernly) rehearse for the fall musical, “9 to 5.”

Theatre department prepares for fall musical

exism, class inequality and sexual harassment may not be the most typical themes for a high school musical, but this year, students can see all those issues represented if they come to Westside’s production of “9 to 5.” This musical centers around three women (played by seniors Kelly Kroeger, Hannah-Kate Kinney and Delaney Wetjen) who work in an office in the early 1980s. They experience sexism and misogyny from their boss and plot to get rid of him throughout the show, empowering each other along the way. Director Jeremy Stoll and Musical Director Greg Woodin said they picked this musical during the 20182019 school year for multiple reasons. “I like the themes in the show because it’s about ... workplace harassment, sexism and that kind of thing in the office,” Stoll said. “It also gets into some of the deeper themes of class inequity and people that are not given enough respect or not allowed to take their place in society, because they’re these low-paid workers and they’re just trying to get by, which I think some people might really respond to today.” Wetjen, who plays Violet Newstead, said the themes have made her more excited about working on this musical. “With ‘9 to 5,’ it’s different because it’s really about [female] empowerment, which I love because that’s a topic that we haven’t really touched on before as far as musical theatre goes here,” Wetjen said. “It’s really exciting to be able to be a part of a show, something that I’m passionate about … that also portrays a message that I’m passionate about: empowering women and women rising above these negative stereotypes that men have set for them.” Along with relevant themes, Stoll said the music and setting of the show appealed to both him and Woodin. All

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Reese PiKE

of the music is adapted from Dolly Parton’s songs. This makes it very different from last year’s show (“Sister Act”), which had elements of gospel in it. “There’s lots of country-pop [and] country-rock stuff in there, so that comes out more as a stylistic choice,” Woodin said. Wetjen said she enjoys learning the music for “9 to 5” because of its different style. She also said the differences help with communicating a story and a message. “It’s cool to work on learning [the songs] and everything because ... the music follows a pattern of intensity that tells the story of what you’re

trying to say,” Wetjen said. Not all of the music has a traditional structure, according to Woodin, which can present a challenge for the cast at times. In addition, the music is fairly high for students’ ranges, especially for male singers. Because of the range, Woodin has re-voiced some of the songs in order to put less of a strain on cast members’ voices. Another change has taken place in the rehearsal process. Typically, the cast of the musical learns the music first, then the blocking (where the actors stand on the stage) and then as much choreography as they can. This year, cast members are learning choreography first, and music and blocking come in between. According to Woodin, this change in the rehearsal process has worked well. “I think it’s going to come together a little more, and I think the kids will memorize and remember their parts better the way we’re learning it this year,” Woodin said. Another challenge has been building the set, according to Stoll. The musical takes place in an office, and all the props will be on wheels. “The entire show is really going to be brought on, moved around and struck by the cast,” Stoll said. “The whole show moves all the time. It’s difficult to find the right era office equipment and also change it … so that it can roll across the stage in all these different ways.” Senior and Assistant Director Hailee Munhall said the wheels have been especially difficult to work with. “We have to get so many wheels, but we also have to make sure that, one, they’re not crazy expensive and, two, they can hold the weight of not only the equipment, but a lot of things are stood on,” Munhall said. “Some people stand

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on things or they lean on it ... and you can’t have it roll or fall apart on stage.” In order to get the wheels to stay on the props, senior Carter Mike is welding them on, which the theatre department has never done before, according to Munhall. Despite these challenges, both Stoll and Woodin said that they are excited about the show. “We’ve got a lot of really great kids that are super energized about this show and believe in its message and are just really committed to making it a great show,” Woodin said. “Our ensemble is killer.” Kroeger, who plays Doralee Rhodes, said she loves the experience of singing with the ensemble in this show. “I so love when you get a group of people together and you’re all singing a group number and everybody gets it,” Kroeger said. “I think that’s the coolest feeling in the world when you get a group of people together to sing. It unites us so much, even if it’s a song about working in the office, which none of us have done.” This year’s cast is one of the largest there has been in a musical at Westside, with over 30 ensemble members. The large amount of people can lead to great energy, according to Munhall. “For me to see the first day [the cast] gets their costumes or the first day we do hair and makeup and we experiment with everything to the first show night … it’s just so interesting for me to watch how [energy] changes because [in] the first couple of rehearsals it’s really high, and then halfway through it’s, like, ‘Okay, great. We’re still here, two months later,’” Munhall said. “Then they finally get the satisfaction of an audience. It’s nice to see.” This year, the theatre department is focusing on filling all the seats in the auditorium at every performance, according to Stoll. If students are concerned they won’t like the show because they don’t like country music, Woodin said they should not be. “[Students] shouldn’t expect everything to be super Dolly Parton-ified,” Woodin said. “If they’re expecting ... ‘Oh, it’s going to be a country show. I don’t like country music.’ It’s not like that at all. It is musical theatre. It’s [Dolly Parton’s] music adapted for musical theatre.” If students do choose to come see the show, Stoll stressed the quality of the performance they will see. “I think students should, if they’ve never come to see a Westside musical before, just come and see the caliber of what we do, because I think we put on very high quality shows,” Stoll said. “We just want to share the work that we do with our school and our community and get people in.” Kroeger also encouraged students to come see the musical and said it has a great perspective to offer. “I think it’s an important cultural perspective that students kind of need to see,” Kroeger said. “More than that, it’s a lot of fun. There are some really funny moments. There are some really weird moments. I think, overall, it’s a heartfelt story which you don’t expect out of an office.”

Malia Battafarano

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The Hauntings of Omaha T

Spooky places for the spooky season

he trees of Hummel Park cast shadows all around the isolated forest as they sway in the wind. The feeling that you are not alone creeps up. You think you see something, but as you turn around, nothing’s there. Every city has its own urban folklore and spooky stories, and Omaha is no different. Hummel Park, located in North Omaha, is a hotspot of this kind of paranormal activity, according to sophomore Mariah Rush and tour guide Jamie Nestroyl. The 200-acre property has dense mysterious forests. Popular urban legends often circulate about this park. One of the popular stories is that the park is home to a colony or farm of albinos. The myth goes that the colony only comes out during the dark of night to practice their satanic rituals. There is no conclusive evidence, but some Omahans, like Rush, claim that the park is home to a satanic cult. Rush said she has heard stories of satanic activity at Hummel Park. Rush said she believes that the stories are true. “I heard about a cult [at Hummel Park] that was worshipping Satan,”

really know why they would have done it, other than to be like the Devil.” There is no actual evidence that there is a satanic cult or albinos at Hummel, but there have been murders.The body of 12-year-old Amber Harris was found after being dumped at Hummel Park in 2006. She had disappeared six months previously when walking home from school, after being abducted by Roy Ellis, according to the Omaha Police Department. Ellis was later sentenced to death after he was convicted of the murder. In 1992, 15-year-old Jeremy Drake was stabbed in the park after being accused of stealing property. In 1998, teenager Scott Addison survived an attack after being lured to the park. Addison was beaten and stabbed. He wrote the names of

popular tours. Nestroyl said she has experienced inexplicable activity at Hummel Park. “One of the scariest things that has ever happened in real life happened at Hummel Park,” Nestroyl said. “In May of 2017 ... there was something standing in the middle of the road probably 40 feet ahead of me. It was about eight feet tall, and it was dark, kind of like a shadow. It had yellow glowing eyes.” Nestroyl is not the only one who said she has seen or experienced something supernatural. Paranormal activity has allegedly taken place in other parts of the city. The remains of tunnels located beneath the old location of Immanuel Hospital are claimed to be paranormal by some Omahans, like freshman Mary Ryan. The Immanuel campus is no longer running at this location. Street and Meredith. The old campus consisted of a general hospital and a mental health institution. In the 1900s, tunnels were constructed between the buildings. The mentally ill patients were moved through the tunnels because it would be harder for a patient to escape during transport. In 1976, the hospital moved to a new location. It is alleged that the ghosts of the mentally ill patients haunt the neighborhood where the Immanuel Hospital was. Ryan said that she experienced strange activity when she was visiting the Butler-Gast YMCA, which is located where the old Immanuel campus had been. “When I was at the YMCA, I thought I felt chills, and I thought I saw a shadow of something or someone,” Ryan said. “As soon as I spun around, it was gone.” Sophomore Charlie Blom also said that he experienced unusual activity near where the tunnels once were when he was volunteering at the North Omaha Boys and Girls Club. “When I was [at the Boys and Girls Club], there were papers on this

Blom said. park. Blom said he does not think that the location is “haunted,” but the Jamie Nestroyl, the owner and tour guide of Midwest Paranormal situation was mysterious. History Tours, said she estimates that there are 75 places around These locations are major attractions around Halloween and the fall Nebraska that are deemed paranormal. Hummel Park is one of her most season. The spooky season is here, and it is time to explore.

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Katie Palais

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Malia Battafarano

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