The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Volume CXI, Issue 4
Thursday October 27, 2016
The path to the presidency
Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the front runners of the 2016 Presidential Election. Both Trump and Clinton claim they will be the best possible president for the United States. Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 The second presidential debate, a tense conclusion to a week of conflict and controversy, ended on an ironic note: the two divisive candidates were asked to say something they liked about each other. Compliments have been a rarity in this election cycle, which has been noted for its harsh tone and fragmented politics - especially in recent weeks. Two days prior to the debate - Friday Oct. 7 - was an eventful day in the election cycle. In the late afternoon, a video was released of Republican candidate and business man Donald J. Trump making lewd comments about women in 2005. This sparked many top Republicans to revoke their endorsement of Trump, including Ohio senator Rob Portman. Portman had previously endorsed Trump, but had not campaigned with him. Trump issued an apology for the video later that night, but his comments were still not well-received and continued to plague him in the days and weeks to come. On the same day as Trump’s comments, Wikileaks, an international non-profit organization that publishes sensitive information, began releasing emails among other items from Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Wikileaks even released transcripts from speeches Clinton gave to major banks in which she contradicted many of her policies
that she had previously expressed to voters. These occurrences are not the first controversies to arise in this unusual election cycle. Trump has become well known for many of the comments he has made against specific groups of people including women, African Americans, Mexicans and Muslims. He has even been called “a lunatic” by many including Former Democratic National Committee chair and ex-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean. Clinton has been characterized as extremely calculating and even “a criminal” in some situations for her email scandal. Trump has emphasized these claims, even saying that “[Hilllary would] be in jail” if he becomes president. So, when Clinton and Trump were asked to say something positive about one another at the debate on Sunday, Oct. 9, the debate hall erupted in laughter. Clinton was the first to answer the question. She said, “Look, I respect his children. His children are incredibly able and devoted, and I think that says a lot about Donald.” Trump answered next by saying, “She doesn’t quit. She doesn’t give up. I respect that. I tell it how it is. She’s a fighter.” These kind words were surprising to many after the contentious debate, and the weeks and months leading up to it. Since Oct. 9, the race has become even more combative. While Clinton has gained in the polls, with some even hav-
PUBLIC DOMAIN/PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
On Friday, Jan. 20, the 45th President of the United States will be inaugurated into the White House. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are both vying for the spot.
ing her more than ten points up over Trump nationally, controversy still rages. Some women have accused Trump of sexually harassing them in the past. Trump has responded by bringing women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexually harassing them to his rallies and even the debate itself. Trump and his supporters have also claimed that the election could be “rigged” if Clinton wins. Trump tweeted, “The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places.” Many Walnut students consider these ideas dangerous. “I’m hoping that people will be sane enough to not riot,” SENIOR Rebecca Zavon said, when asked if Trump supporters would riot if Hillary wins. If Trump wins, Zavon said there could also be protests: “I feel like it would be more of a peaceful protest against Trump...I bet there’d be a lot of protests in the streets, and I would assume a lot of people would move away.” “I think it will [become dangerous] in some states because people are going to extreme extents to support their person.” Macrae Flynn, ’22, said. “I think it could get worse; it just depends how the president [deals with it].” One defining characteristic in American politics since the nation’s inception is the belief in a peaceful transition of power, first established in the presidential election of 1800. Many believe that this cycle could challenge this established tradition with these claims of a “rigged” election. At the third debate on Wednesday, Oct. 19, Trump said, “I will keep you in suspense,” when asked about whether he would concede the election if he loses. However, to avoid this possibility, Trump, Clinton and their supporters can embrace the compliments they gave to each other at the second debate. While they disagree on most policies, both candidates believe they will be the best possible president for the country. If the election appears to have an obvious winner, which most polls indicate it will, the loser must agreeably concede to the winner to continue this peaceful precedent. He or she must embrace that the winner was chosen democratically by the majority vote and that whoever wins will address the needs of the people best, which has always been the main responsibility of the President of the United States.
What to know for the local elections Amanda Anderson, ‘19 As Election Day quickly approaches, many voters have turned their attention to the presidential election, and away from their local candidates and elections. This is due to the common misconception that the presidential election is far more impactful upon voters lives than their local elections. While the choice of who the next president will be is important to anyone living in the United States, local elections have a powerful impact on the citizens of their county, city and state as well. This misconception is often harmful to voters during the election season because they are unable to properly choose a candidate. Voters often completely skip over local candidates on their ballot because they have no political opinion due to a lack of knowledge about the candidates and the positions that they are running for. Their local candidates have said they have devoted their careers to bettering the quality of life for the citizens of their city and telling citizens how they will do so, but voters are seemingly uninformed when it comes time to pick a candidate that will fulfill these promises. The Ohio candidates for Senate are examples of this. Voters often see and remember the names of candidates from signs in yards or commercials on television, but they are unaware of their policies or past political experience and accomplishments.
Story continued on page 2.... NICHOLAI LEKSON/CHATTERBOX CLINTON PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY’S LIST TRUMP PHOTO COURTESY OF FOX NEWS AMERICAN FLAG SVG COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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The ins and outs of Mock Trial
JACK SAMUELS/CHATTERBOX
Students from grades nine through 12 are able to join the Mock Trial club. The Mock Trial team has been partcicpating in competitions for the past 3 years. Pavan Yaddanapudi, ‘17 Mock Trial serves to help “students develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as a knowledge of legal practices and procedures,” according to the American Mock Trial Association. Walnut Hills High School has had a Mock Trial team participating in competitions for the past three years. Each year, Mock Trial students are presented with a hypothetical court case that is relevant to current events or issues of the time. According to the Constitutional Rights Foundation, a normal Mock Trial case is made up of a description of case law, witness state-
ments, applicable evidence and exhibits. Case law is a set of laws established from cases that have been tried before, and exhibits are any documentation used in the court under scrutiny. Students participate by adopting the roles of attorney or witness. “There are four teams. The coach determines who would be best for the positions of attorney and witness. Witnesses can choose their position later on, but attorneys are pre-determined,” Rithu Rajagopala, ‘19, said when describing team selections during try-outs. Rajagopala discussed the preparation needed for the witness and the attorney roles.
“We have to have a direct and a cross examination prepared before. We ask questions to the witnesses and practice getting good responses from the witnesses. The attorney works on the flow of the questions to the witnesses,” Rajagopala said. From her experience, Rajagopala says that students learn “what an attorney’s job entails, forming coherent responses without verbal fillers, and just generally learning how a court works” in the process. The club advisors are teachers Kyle Fender, Peter Stefanou and Jerome Brady. When asked about how the club is run, Brady said that “seven coaches who are all fulltime lawyers who come in on a volunteer basis conduct practices after
school, which are typically two hour sessions, but they do more as the competitions get closer.” At the moment, the club is looking to prepare for upcoming competitions.”We have the University of Cincinnati Invitational [where] some of the best teams in Southern Ohio [meet] and after that we have the district competitions that will take place in Clermont County courthouse. We have the regional competitions in Clermont County and, if you get through regionals, the state competitions [are held] in the state courthouse in Columbus.” In the last three years, the club has accumulated a number of awards in almost every tournament
the Mock Trial team has participated in. “We have had students who have won awards every time they have competed. We have won dozens of Best Attorney and Best Witness awards. The first year we had one team [make it] to regionals and one team [make it] to state. This year we have four teams, and we are hoping that we will have at the least two teams go to state.” Mock Trial has performed well over the last three years, and the students are driven to continue participating in competitions in the future. Rajagopala said, “I love Mock Trial, and it’s taught me a lot and it is something I want to do for the rest of high school.”
run after Portman’s announcement. Strickland is a Democrat from Lucasville, Ohio, who previously held the position of Governor and State Representative. A major point of Strickland’s campaign is his claim that he has “achieved the American Dream.” He says this is because he grew up as a very poor man but has completely turned his life around and found fulfillment in his place in office. This bold statement has drawn voters from the beginning of Strickland’s campaign because they feel that Strickland will give them the opportunities to achieve this dream themselves. When it comes to choosing a candidate, voters often overlook other, less prominent candidates, such as Joseph R. DeMare of the Green Party and Independents Tom Connors and Scott Rupert. This is usually because they have shorter lived careers and have not yet built a following. This is not only happening with candidates for United States Senate but those for United States Representative as well. Steve Chabot is one of Ohio’s candidates for United States House of Representatives. Chabot
is a Republican from Cincinnati who had held the position of Representative from 1995 to 2009 and has again since 2011. Chabot is campaigning against Democrat Michelle Young. Young is a first time candidate for office but is often referred to as “a promising political leader”. Young has received multiple endorsements from impactful corporations from all over Ohio which has helped to attract voters to her campaign. All of these politicians are running for offices that affect our lives every day. They are able to control how taxpayers money is used, health care is dispensed and our nation is protected. When it comes time to vote, all of this can be avoided if voters simply inform themselves.
What to know for the local elections
AMANDA ANDERSON/ CHATTERBOX
The photo above is of the Hamilton County Democratic Party Head Quarters. This election has seen the wide-spread distribution of political signs, commercials and opportunities to hear local and national political figures speak to the public.
(Continued from page 1...) Rob Portman is a name voters often see. He is a 60 year old Republican Senator from Cincinnati. Portman was elected senator in 2010 after a lengthy campaign
against Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher.. According to the American Conservative Union, Portman is on the liberal end of the spectrum when it comes to conservatism, which is what attracts many voters to him. However, some of his policies are still quite conserva-
tive. He had publicly supported Donald Trump, but renounced his support after thenow infamous Access Hollywood video was released. Last year, Portman announced that he would be running to maintain his seat in the Senate. Other candidates, such as Ted Strickland, also decided to
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SECTION EDITOR: ALLISON MEIER
Third party candidates plague election Nick Roberston, ‘19
This election season, two candidates represent the minor parties of the country alongside Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The Libertarian Party selected New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson as candidate, while physician Jill Stein will run as part of the Green Party. This election, these alternatives are getting extra attention due to the record disapproval ratings for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The problem with this year’s third party candidates is that both would make terrible presidents. Even by putting their names on the ballot, they are drawing votes away from the main candidates, eliminating an effective lead for anyone. This means that in most states, a vote for Gary Johnson or Jill Stein is a vote for Donald Trump. Since the creation of the modern two-party political system, a third party candidate has never won the election. The closest a third party has come to the presidency is Ross Perot in 1992, who at one point held 30 percent national support in polls, but did not receive any votes in the Electoral College. Voting for Johnson or Stein is just as effective as writing in your cat for president. When voting this November, choose either Trump or Clinton; choosing anyone else is effectively throwing your constitutional right to vote out the window. However, the reason that these two candidates are so bad is not that simple. On the surface, Johnson and Stein seem like perfect candidates: Johnson, the perfect mix between conservative economics and liberal social policies, Stein, the bastion of the far left. The truth is a little more convo-
PHOTO COURTESY OF INSIDEGOV
The four political candidates speak at political rallies across the country. From left to right: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson, Jill Stein. luted. Let’s start with former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Gary Johnson was first elected to Governor of New Mexico in 1995, and served at that post until 2003, as a Republican. He was also the Libertarian nominee in the 2012 election. Johnson is a firm believer in small government and limited international intervention. This isolationist foreign policy has caused many problems for Johnson. In an MSNBC interview with Mike Barnicle, Johnson, after being asked about the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, responded with, “What is Aleppo?” Aleppo is Syria’s largest city (according to pre-civil war statistics), and is the epicenter of violence and the main home to Syrian refugees. This represents Johnson’s ineptitude on foreign policy. Weeks after this memory lapse, Johnson made another gaffe at a town hall debate. When asked
PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA SNYDER/USA TODAY
Jill Stein is the Green Party’s presidential candidate. She currently has an average of 2.2 percent support in national polls, according to <RealClearPolitics.com>. The Chatterbox has been guaranteed the right of freedom of the press through the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The administration of Walnut Hills High School is thus bound to support and protect the Chatterbox’s inalienable rights as a free press. As an integral part of the Walnut Hills High School community, the Chatterbox has the responsibility to report in the most comprehensive and objective manner possible. Students, parents, faculty, and administra-
tors are encouraged to use this publication as a forum to express any ideas or concerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope. Journalists are required to work under established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be discriminatory, libelous, or unnecessarily obscene (as determined by the editors or the advisor) will not be published. Finally, journalists are granted the right to keep private the name of a source from whom they received
which foreign leaders he looked up to, Johnson could not name a single one. He then mentioned “the former president of Mexico,” who he also could not name. After these two mistakes within only a few weeks, Johnson addressed the issue at a University of Chicago rally: “Because you can dot i’s and cross the t’s on names of foreign leaders and geographic locations, then that qualifies you to put the military in a situation where the military is dying? We’ve got military personnel that are dying.” Johnson’s ineptitude in foreign relations, one of the most important responsibilities of presidency, proves that he is not ready for the office and, if elected, he would be a very unsuccessful president. Green Party nominee Jill Stein as president, would be immensely worse. She has no grasp on reality and her policies would only work
[Wifi is] a danger to our children.” -Jill Stein ••• “What is Aleppo?” Gary Johnson information with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertaining to the newspaper’s content and production. Although both the advisor and the administration hold certain powers regarding the Chatterbox, both must respect the paper’s autonomy. No student shall be prevented from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed or national origin.
in a perfectionist, idealist society. Over time, the Green Party has gained a reputation as a group of “leftist hippies,” and in some ways the moniker seems justified. Fittingly, Stein’s most extensive policy is on the environment and global warming. If elected, she promises to turn the country in the direction of renewable energy, and believes that the United States can go 100 percent renewable by 2030. She also wants to stop all nuclear energy production, which is currently the largest non-fossil fuel source of energy in the country, accounting for ten percent of national energy production. The problem with this policy, beyond the fact that it is just not feasible with the current economy, is that nuclear energy is the best clean energy source currently available. The current economic situation, with entire regions of the
country completely reliant on the coal industry, would make 100% renewable energy very bad for certain parts of the country. Another problem is the transition; moving to renewable energy would require massive subsidies from the government because the math is plain and simple: coal is cheaper. These subsidies, which already exist and are one of the largest expenditures in energy spending, would just put the country into more debt. Her idealistic theories extend far beyond energy methods. Stein also supports “alternative therapies” and other pseudo-sciences such as homeopathy and naturopathy, both of which have no scientific basis and are viewed as the conspiracy theories of medicine. She even believes that wi-fi is a “danger to our children.” Stein, as a Harvard-educated physician, should know better than to support these ‘sciences’. It’s simple: Jill Stein is a cranky old lady who does not understand technology, economics or politics. She should not be allowed within 100 meters of the Oval Office. Both of these candidates would be terrible presidents, and I hope that I have encouraged you to believe that as well. So, the question now is; who should you vote for if not Johnson or Stein? Hillary Clinton. You may not like her, but she is the most experienced presidential candidate in American history and her policies would make America a better country. Most of Johnson’s and Stein’s voters consider themselves more liberal than conservative, so the choice is clear. A vote for Johnson or Stein is a vote taken away from Hillary Clinton, and therefore a vote for Donald Trump, the very man that most want to keep away from the White House in the first place.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL REVIEW
Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party’s nominee. According to <RealClearPolitics.com>, he currently has an average of 6 percent support in the most recent national polls.
Augusta Battoclette Editor-in-Chief
Ibrahim Munir Managing Editor of News and Features
Maham Usmani Managing Editor of Student Life
Ashwini Kamath Managing Editor of Opinions
Hannah Bundschuh Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Pavan Yaddanapudi Business Manager
Nick Robertson Online Content Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins Adviser
Dawn Wolfe Adviser
OCTOBER 27, 2016
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PEANUTS
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To trick- or-treat or not-to-trick- or-treat
PUMPKIN/CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX
What age is too old to trick-or-treat? 18 16
18 14 Number of students
How old is too old to go trick-or-treating? Is there a time one must outgrow the Halloween tradition? Perhaps there comes a point when going door to door in a costume with your friends becomes socially unacceptable. In the ripe years of junior high and early high school, many students face the decision- whether to stop now, or “milk the cow” for one more year. Out of approximately 213 seventh through ninth graders surveyed, 43 percent said that a person should stop trick-or-treating at some age (ages varied). The most common reasons were that it becomes “childish,” “weird,” “indicates a reluctance to buying your own candy” or “prevents social activities like parties and passing out candy.” Advocates of a trick-or-treat age limit cited maturity as a main reason. They argue that trick-or-treating is for children, and once that phase is over, so is the Halloween tradition. “People should focus more on school instead of ghosts and diabetes,” said one student. Answers to when this transition should occur, however, varied; students believed the tradition ended at the beginning of high school, others during junior high, and still others at the end of high school. Their most common opinions on age limits were 16, 14 and 18. “[18] [because that] is when people say you’re an adult and that your childhood is over. ” Across the board, people who responded to the survey re-
ported stopping or had planned to stop trick-or-treating before these ages, most commonly sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. The second most popular reason to stop trick-or-treating stemmed from concerns about how the trick-or-treater is perceived by society. Nearly a quarter of the students described carrying on the tradition as “creepy”, “weird”, or“awkward.” “It would be awkward to be trick-ortreating and to see a 30 year old run past you to get the candy first,” a student said. According to some students, the idea of adults in costumes around very young children for the sake of free candy is “inappropriate” and “wrong.” Nine students said that “adults or teenagers with a job should just buy their own candy.” Other students argue that there are better alternatives for Halloween night: “kids lose interest in candy and start liking to go to parties and haunted houses,” one student said. On the opposing side of the spectrum, 53 percent of students say that one is “never too old” for trick-ortreating. More seventh graders agreed with this compared to students in older years. They said that Halloween is supposed to fun for people of all ages. If someone wants to keep trick-or-treating, “it should not be looked down upon as an act of immaturity”. Instead, it presents an “opportunity to reminisce on your childhood”, and more importantly, “a chance for free candy”.
Number of students
Camille Williams, ‘18 Caroline Horvath, ‘20
16 12 14 10 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
8 6 4 2 0
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30 OLD
Recommended age
CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 OLD
Most common reasons to stop trickor-treating: Other (party or Recommended age pass out candy) 9% Creepy/weird
Buy own candy 11%
24%
Other (party or pass out candy) 9%
Creepy/weird 24%
Buy own candy 11%
Childish/immature 56%
Childish/immature 56% CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX
FINE ARTS
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SECTION EDITOR: BRIANNA JONES
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Cincinnati Choral Collision Leah Young, ‘17
LEAH YOUNG/CHATTERBOX
Over the weekend, Walnut Hills High School hosted the first ever Cincinnati Choral Collision; an event like nothing else of its kind in the city. Choirs selected two songs from their repertoire to sing for the concert. These songs ranged from classical choral arrangements to popular radio music. Students were able to showcase their knowledge of vocal techniques as well as their individual talents through solos and “choir-ography”. Towards the close of the concert, the vocal ensemble Philomel had the opportunity to sing for students. They later spoke about their love for music and joy of singing with others, all in the hopes that their own personal experiences would serve as an inspiration for students to keep singing and cultivating their talents.
Eleven different high school choirs from across the city came together to sing for one another. The Walnut Hills group is pictured on stage, singing for the audience of fellow choirs.
LEAH YOUNG/CHATTERBOX
LEAH YOUNG/CHATTERBOX
Bret Albright, pictured here next to Anthony Nims, is the Chior Director at Taylor High School. The event was organized by Nims, Albright, and Tracey Carpenter.
The purpose of the event was to build a relationship between choral programs and to appreciate the fine art of singing and choral music. The Walnut Hills group sang Lullaby by Daniel Elder and In sempiterna, Amen by Gioacchino Rossini.
jazzin it up with the walnut hills jazz band Krilaunda Perkins,‘17 Created in New Orleans in the late 19 century, jazz appealed to many different cultures at its prime. Jazz still has an influence to modern society and is played at art museums and many other different events. Jazz is also incorporated into student and faculty lives at Walnut Hills High School where there are two jazz bands: The Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble. The Jazz Lab Band is centered around improvisations, creating one’s own music on the spot, and combo; playing in smaller jazz groups with short jazz standards. This course introduces members to jazz theory. Jazz Ensemble is for students who are more experienced and already know about jazz theory. These students focus more on going out and playing at private or public events. Both bands introduce students to jazz in order for them to develop improvisation and ensemble participation skills. Students use their knowledge of jazz and their learned instrumental skills to play for gigs. Courtney Helgeson, entrepreneur and owner of Cookoos Coffee Shoppe, saw a performance from one of the jazz bands on a river boat and thinks that they are amazing. “We were at the 150 anniversary for the Cincinnati Masonic
Hall on a river boat and they were entertaining for the evening. They were a wonderful and extremely talented, bubbly group of gentlemen...I told them that and asked them to play at my coffee shop once I found out they were from Walnut Hills,” Helgeson said. Helgeson feels that the jazz band’s professionalism and energy added to the performance, and has invited them to Cookoos to play in November. The instructor of both bands, Charles Ferrara, believes that students today can keep jazz alive. “Believe it or not, less than 1% of record sales is of the jazz idiom. Trying to perpetuate this art form and teach it to young students is really the key to keep it alive” Ferrara said. SENIOR Mary Reid, a new member of Jazz Ensemble, finds the course interesting and feels that jazz is very alive. “It’s really bringing the music to life. I feel like with classical music you just sit down and play but jazz is really alive. It’s all just your interpretation of the piece of music,” Reid said. Ferrara wants students to go out and play in order to understand what it’s like to be a musician that plays gigs. He also mentions how this allows them to become more involved in the community. “We did the Barrington retire-
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA MORRISON
From the left, Myles Twitty, ‘18, Joey Barnett,’18, Charlie Becher, ‘19, Ziaire Sherman, ‘18, Mark Henderson, ‘20, Sam Breadon, ‘18 are a part of the Jazz Combo Group and are playing at the Barrington Retirement home. These students play music from a jazz combo containing traditional jazz scores. ment home community celebration. It allows the kids to reach out in the community,” Ferrara said. Reid says that being in Ensemble allows the members to get to know each other on a much more personal level as friends, so performances feel more like jam sessions. As musicians, jazz members face constant pressure and get used to it. This is very different than subjects in school, where a stu-
dent might have a longer amount of time to complete a deadline. “Musicians in general always work under pressure. We get used to the pressure. We understand that the preparation eases the pressure,” Ferrara said. Reid feels that being in Ensemble can be hectic at times, but playing jazz with her friends is a beautiful process. “Coming together with
your friends and intertwining music is just a beautiful experience,” Reid said. Jazz continues to remain special to students like Reid, entrepreneurs like Helgeson, and instructors like Ferrara. Although jazz is less popular today, it still has influence in modern society. WHHS jazz band students are incorporating jazz into the community and hope to keep jazz alive.
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STYLE & CULTURE
SECTION EDITOR: KEEGAN SULLIVAN
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The top eight horror movies of 2016 Reggie Callender, ‘18
As Halloween approaches, some people might spend the next few days adding the final touches to their Halloween costumes, while horror addicts might test their fears with the latest spooky films. Which scary movies give even the most committed horrorlovers the chills? According to multiple website ratings and a compilation of online lists, these are the top 8 horror movies of the year. 8. Lights Out: Three stars on IMDB. Directed by David Sandberg. Sophie struggles with mental illness and has an an imaginary friend who she meets every night. Her son, Martin, overhears the discussions and is no longer safe at home. Learning of her little brother’s troubles, his older sister returns home to take Martin away. This unravels a mysterious connection with her mother’s imaginary friend. 7. 10 Cloverfield Lane: Three and a half stars
on IMDB. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg. A woman wakes up after a freak accident to find herself locked in a cellar with a doomsday prepper who insists that he has saved her life and the outdoors are uninhabitable after the apocalypse. Confused and afraid, the woman decides she must escape. 6. The Witch: Three and a half stars on IMDB. Directed by Robert Eggers. A family is forced to move from their colonial plantation to a remote forest rumored to be controlled by witches. As animals become violent, crops fail and a child appears possessed by spirits, the family’s bond is threatened, and their safety compromised. 5. The Purge: Election Year: Three stars from IMDB. Directed by James DeMonaco. Presidential candidate Charlie Roan is targeted on Purge night for her vow to remove the Purge, a night where all crime is legal. 4. Green Room: Three and a half stars on
IMDB. Directed by Jeremy Saulnier. A punk rock band gets an impromptu booking at a run-down club in the woods of Oregon. After accidentally witnessing a violent act backstage, the gig takes a turn for the worst as they must now come deal with the club’s owner. A man who will do anything to keep his secret, he plans to dispose the band... but this group will not give in so easily. 3. Train to Busan: Three and a half stars on IMDB. Directed by Yeon Sang-Ho. This story follows a group of passengers on a bullet train ride to Busan, a resort that has managed to hold off the zombie apocalypse. Or so they say.
And #1... 1. The Conjuring 2: Four stars on IMDB. Directed by James Wan. This film follows Lorraine and Ed Warren in one of their most terrifying investigations into the paranormal. The couple travels to north London to help a mother with four young children in a home with violent spirits. A seemingly simple task quickly escalates into a horrid face-off against paranormal activity.
2. Don’t Breathe: Three and a half stars on IMDB. Directed by Fede Alvarez. This film features three friends who decide to break into the home of a wealthy elderly blind man. Unaware of the man’s abilities, the three must find a way to escape the home before they become victims themselves.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMDB.COM
The creepy side of the Queen City Keegan Sullivan, ‘18 Cincinnati is home to a variety of activities this time of year. The Bengals are playing, King’s Island is hosting the annual Halloween Haunt, pumpkins and apples are ripe for picking and corn mazes are ready to be navigated. But if you are up for a creepy and historical adventure, there’s a whole other side of the Queen city to explore. That’s where the Cincinnati Ghost Tours comes in. “It was really fun and it wasn’t really scary but it had an eerie, creepy vibe. Also, it was very interesting to find out about the less ideal past of Cincinnati,” Hannah Connley, ‘18, said. Those with stronger stomachs are able to handle it
more easily, but some were not so lucky. “The tour guides created a really spooky atmosphere,” Dana Godsey, ‘18, said. “I loved the haunted Cincinnati tour, because of the history. I learned so much about places in my own city that I visit frequently, including Music Hall. The walking part of the tour was amazing because night in Washington Park was very spooky. Absolutely loved the whole experience.” People pay to explore paranormal life late at night. These curious souls are led by foot to each site of murder, paranormal activity and other mayhems, giving ghost enthusiasts and crime fanatics a look into Cincinnati’s dark side. Expert storytellers lead a group of about 20 people through
downtown Cincinnati, stopping to tell the rumored ghost tale at every location. A tale of multiple murders at The Ohio Medical college, referred to as the “Ohio Murder College” (now the University of Cincinnati) referenced the lack of bodies donated to science in the 1800s. For religious reasons, people of that time preferred burial so medical students and professors resorted to robbing graves. Stories of specific ghosts that roam Washington Park and other historic places are easier to be skeptical of. The guides, however, present the stories in such a way that it would even make those who are the most skeptical of paranormal life a little nervous to sleep with the lights out. JULIA DUELL/CHATTERBOX
SPORTS
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OCTOBER 27, 2016
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SECTION EDITOR: AARON ESPELAGE AND EMMA FARRELL
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Men’s basketball prepares for a new season
PHOTO COURTESY OF RICARDO HILL
Coach Ricardo Hill snaps a picture of Varisty Boys running some drills in pre season training. Hunter Davidson, ‘18 passes and dribbles while working on improving his skill for the upcoming season. Emma Farrell, ‘18 Basketball will soon begin. There are high expectations for this year to win the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) Championships and to return to the Final Four in Columbus Ohio. Coach Ricardo Hill has been coaching for the Walnuts Hills High School team for five years and has brought the team to the Final Four, Districts and two sectional championships. The team has welcomed old and new members. In order to do so, they are incorpo-
rated with the rest of the team and bond. All the players are held to a high expectation of behavior on and off the court. The coaches expect the best; and, if they don’t do so, they suffer consequences. Hill, the head coach, has coached for several years at different high schools; but the main characteristics that makes Walnut students different from others, is that they are “focused on achieving team goals.” It’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport. For the team to succeed, they must think like a unit. If one person makes a mistake, then the whole team is affected.
Some of the players have been playing basketball since elementary school. Some players are moved around the court. Kameron Gibson, ’18 plays point guard and shooting guard. He’s been on the varsity team since his freshman year. Gibson talks about the opportunity that basketball can give going into college. There are many scholarships given to gifted athletic students but the students must work hard to accomplish this goal of receiving a scholarship. In order for success, the boys must be dedicated to put in the time and effort in training and weightlifting during offseason. For three days a week, they meet as early as August to begin conditioning and getting in shape. They should also be training during the summer weather that be actual workouts or just play a game on the court with friends. The newcomers are immersed into the team. Most of them have played basketball with the older players, and just have to get acquainted with the system and the team. Like all sports, they must learn to bond with the new and old players. This year, the team bonded earlier than last year; making it an even stronger team. When practice begins, they work on “developing their skills into team concepts.” They want to maximize the team’s potential on the offensive and the defensive sides of the ball by working hard each day. Practice doesn’t end when the season ends, the players should be improving their per-
sonal skills and to work on their weakness. When each player comes conditioned to play, the rest of the season can be focused on teaching players concepts, refining plays and doing drills to sharpen their skills. The players are not only expected to play and behave accordingly, but their grades are also expected to be adequate to the requirements. Hill believes that players have better grades during season “because [they] are constantly being held accountable [of their grades].” The coaches emphasize the importance of maintaining the grades due to the high expectations as a student of Walnut. This year, there are many newcomers with a lot of talent. The expectations are higher and it is very competitive. In order to make the team, there are tryouts held in early November. The coaches look for “good student athletes” who want to show their basketball skills. This year the hope is to make it to the ECC Championships. Hill says, “Our team is hungry to succeed in a highly competitive region.” Hunter Davidson, 18’ says that his goal for the team is “to win” This winter, Walnut’s basketball team will be watched and observed to see if all their training and practices paid off. It all depends on the game day.
Walnut travels back in time to the Final Four Michael Sweeny, ‘17
As another season of Walnut Hills High School’s basketball is upon us, some fans may wonder where this recent success has started. Walnut has now become a perennial contender in not only the Eastern Cincinnati Conference, but in the city and state of Ohio. This new era of competitiveness can be credited to the 2012- 2013 team. That team went 27-2, advanced as far as the Ohio final four in the state tournament and became one of the greatest teams Walnut has ever assembled. The team was an impressive 27 and 2 that year, with wins over state ranked teams like Centerville and Springboro, and nationally competitive teams like Roselle Catholic. There was one regular season loss in a close game against national powerhouse, Huntington Prep in West Virginia.That game featured current NBA prodigy Andrew Wiggins. They beat teams regularly by double digits and dominated opponents, home and away. The team was led by FirstTeam All-Ohio and current Akron Zip Isaiah Johnson, who averaged 17.6 points, 9.2
rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game. This was also the first year Walnut was coached under Ricardo Hill. Hill brought a new style and flair to the team. In previous seasons, Walnut had been ousted early in the tournament because of a slow-paced style of play. This led them to be unable to keep up with quicker teams; like Middletown and Woodward who knocked them out of previous tournaments. Hill said, “They played a deliberate game, but transitioned to a faster paced game to get better.” He credits the team’s willingness to buy into a defensive game plan and the leadership that seniors had shown throughout the season. The team ended up sending eight players on scholarships to play college ball, most notably: Isaiah Johnson to Akron, DJ Wingfield to Ohio University and Jordan Tyson to St. Bonaventure (later transferred to Georgia KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX State). They ended the season ranked third in The nut house congratulates the boys basketball team after defeating Lasalle as they continue their the state. Coach Hill believes this team estab- journey to the State Championships. The regional championship brought them one step closer to the lished a foundation for winning in the Bas- Final Four. The team ended the season with a 27-2 record. ketball program, and is the main reason for the program’s continued tradition of success.
Conference standings Football Turpin Kings Anderson Loveland Walnut Hills Withrow Milford Glen Este
Overall 9-0 7-2 6-3 4-5 4-5 3-6 2-7 1-8
as of October 25
Conference 6-0 5-1 4-2 4-2 1-5 2-4 1-5 1-5
Men’s Golf
Score 35.86 1. Cooper Hausfeld/Wyoming 35.98 2. Garrett Wood/Mason 36 3. Tyler Goecke/Carroll 36.9 4. Alex Major/Indian Hill 36.92 5. Ty DeBonis/McNicholas 37 6. Nolan Schrand/Holy Cross 37.11 7. Kyle Schmidt/Lakota East 56. Max Broxterman/Walnut Hills 40.86
Women’s Golf
Score 35.75 1. Katie Hallinan/Walnut Hills 38.1 2. Hallie Heidemann/McAuley 3. Natalia Sompolvorachai/Lakota W. 38.41 38.54 4. Isabel York/ St. Ursula 38.8 5. Vivienne Su/Mason 39.5 6. Brittney Blackschak/Carroll 40 7. Delany Day/Taylor 40.1 8. Orchid Wang/Sycamore
Men’s Cross Country Women’s Cross Country Women’s Volleyball
Time 15:01 1. Dustin Horter/Lakota East 15:14 2. Conant Smith/Middletown 15:58 3. Joe Ingram/Anderson 16:02 4. Kevin Lawson/Sycamore 16:04 5. Zach Birdsall/Fairfield 16:13 6. Jackson Siddall/Lebanon 94. Weston Floro-Hageman/Walnut 17:24 17:24 94. Brendan Li/Walnut Hills
1. Samantha Bush/Turpin 2. Hannah Rasmussen/Kings 3. Maddie Walker/Amelia 4. Rachel Ploeger/Monroe 5. Leah Maschino/Kings 6. Jessie Hartman/Lebanon 7. Alayna Garver/Monroe 87. Lina Drechsler/Walnut Hills
Standings compiled from http://preps.cincinnati.com/ by Aaron Espelage, ‘18
Time 17:50 18:02 18:06 18:29 18:35 18:38 18:44 20:29
Turpin Loveland Anderson Kings Walnut Hills Glen Este Milford Withrow
Overall 21-3 19-6 18-6 13-11 11-13 9-15 7-16 1-19
Conference 13-1 12-2 11-3 7-7 4-10 4-10 5-9 0-14
Men’s Soccer Anderson Turpin Milford Walnut Hills Kings Loveland Withrow Glen Este
Overall 15-2-2 13-4-0 9-7-2 7-7-4 7-8-3 4-10-4 2-13-0 1-16-0
Conference 6-0-1 6-1-0 2-3-2 3-3-1 3-2-2 3-2-2 1-6-0 0-7-0
Women’s Soccer
Loveland Walnut Hills Turpin Milford Anderson Kings Glen Este
Overall 13-0-1 8-6-3 7-5-4 7-7-2 6-7-3 3-9-4 2-10-3
Conference 6-0-0 3-3-0 2-2-2 3-1-2 2-3-1 1-4-1 0-4-2
ARCADE
OCTOBER 27, 2016
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: SARAH HANSEN
PAGE 8
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Perspectives
What are your thoughts on the election and the presidential candidates?
“I believe that people who have done bad things should not be able to become president.”
“I feel like it seems that the people who you didn’t really want are the people who we have to choose from.”
Heidi Wimberg, ‘21
Keaysia Jackson,‘17
“It is the inevitable result of a fundamentally flawed democratic system.”
“Canada.”
Aurora Bonfield, ‘17
Hunter Goering, ‘17 JACK SAMUELS/CHATTERBOX
Sudoku Sarah Hansen, ‘17
Falls into one of two categories—completely stressed out or completely nonchalant. Carries a beverage, typically either water or some caffeinated drink. Usually spotted in a shirt or hoodie from their favorite university.
Wears comfortable, loose clothes—all the easier to sleep in.
Answers to all puzzles and games can be found online at <whhscbox.com>.
Twitchy fingers from writing one too many essays.