Volume CXI, Issue 6
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Thursday December 8, 2016
Sharing the Spirit of Charity
In the spirit of giving this holiday season, The Chatterbox interviewed students at Walnut Hills High School who dedicated their time and resources to charity year-round. One volunteers at three different non profit organizations on a regular basis. The other two are young entrepeneurs, and have their own functioning nonprofit business.
HANNAH REINHARDT/CHATTERBOX Janaya Render, ‘22, volunteeers at three different nonprofits. She donates toys like the ones surrounding her to children at First Step Home, a rehabilitation home for women.
Janaya Render Camille Williams, ‘18 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has shelters that are home to thousands of homeless animals who require the care of volunteers like Janaya Render, ‘21. Camille Williams, ‘18: What motivated you to volunteer at a dog shelter? Janaya Render, ‘21: When my dog died I was really depressed, so I just went to a dog shelter and started helping around there, seeing if they needed anything, and raising money for it. CW: How do you raise money for dog shelters? JR: I would either go get candy and sell it or probably have a car wash. Usually if they need help I’ll bathe the dogs. The First Step Home is a rehabilitation center that provides a variety of services pregnant women and mothers recovering from addiction. Childcare, where volunteers like Render care for the children of the mothers, is akey part of the services. CW: What made you want to get involved with that? JR: I don’t really know. I just felt bad for the kids and I saw on the news about mothers with drug addictions and how they couldn’t support their children. And then there was a show called “Drugs Inc” that I saw and I was really sad about it. CW: How often do you volunteer there?
HANNAH REINHARDT/CHATTERBOX Gabrielle Vernon and Grayson Mentzel, ‘21, own a charity bussiness named Cups for a Cause. The girls sell baked goods and lemonade for charity.
Grayson Mentzel and Gabrielle Vernon
Caroline Horvath, ‘20 JR: Every two months I go check on them. On Christmas I have a big load coming in of coupons. I sell coupons and the money from that goes to the facility. CW: Is that the main thing you do there or do you actually work with the people? JR: I don’t work with the people, I just drop some things off. And if they need something for the kids, I’ll bring them toys and other stuff like that. They can be my toys, my neighbors’ toys, anybody’s toys I can find that they don’t need anymore. City Gospel Mission is a nonprofit organization centered in Over the Rhine which provides shelter, meals, job training, addiction recovery and youth outreach for the homeless and impoverished. CW: How long have you been volunteering at City Gospel Mission? JR: A few months. I pass out food for them every two weeks on Fridays. CW: What’s your favorite part about that? JR: I just like to hear them say “thank you” for what they have, even though they don’t have a lot. But still they have something to be thankful for at least. I think I am going there for Thanksgiving, in the morning at least. CW: What would you say to other kids your age about volunteering? JR: Some of us have what we need. There are some resources that we have that they don’t have. They don’t have what they need but we probably do. We need to help them out with what we have and do what we can do.
Caroline Horvath, ‘20: How did Cups for a Cause get started? Gabrielle Vernon, ‘21: It first started when we were little and wanted to open a bakery together called G and G’s Bakery. We had a notebook with all of our ideas and then we had a few lemonade stands. And from the lemonade stands we just decided to give it to charity as well as make baked goods. CH: Does all of the money go to charity? GM: We take the money it took for the ingredients and then a little more for the next shop and the rest goes to charity. The majority of the money we make goes to the charities. CH: What are your plans for the future? GV: We are just kind of playing it by ear. We are trying to do more, like have a stand once per season. But it is hard to find a place to have the stand where a lot of people will be coming and going. CH: Where have your shops been located? GM: The first was on the end of my street and the second one was in Mason on a main road. The third one was at a pop-up shop. The money from our smaller stands typically go to our local police and fire department. CH: What charities have you given to? GM: A family friend with brain cancer, The International Elephant Foundation, and then the last was for coats for kids in Bond Hill elementary schools. We got to take the coats to the school so it was fun.
CH: What are some main goals of the company? GV: We want to help out everyone, not just charities. We really want to do random acts of kindness to make people feel good. I think so far we have made as big of an impact as we can. People who we have helped definitely appreciate it and I think the more we do, the better we can get the word out about our business. CH: How can people help? GM: We have an instagram account people can follow @cups_for_a_cause to raise awareness. We need people to tell their friends about when we are having a stand so that we have more and more people supporting our cause. People can also contact us donating baked goods, or drinks or even cups because they add up. The more money we put in to the sale is on cups so having people donating cups would be a great way to help out. CH: What do you want people to know about your business? GV: Even if it’s our “business”, at the end of the day it is the good feeling you get from giving that keeps you going. Just by helping out a little bit can make your day so much better and someone else’s. Even the small things matter a lot. When we brought the coats to Bond Hill elementary school sthe principal gave us a hug and it felt really great to know that we were helping these kids out so much. Even if we aren’t directly making a difference we are helping out.
NEWS
DECEMBER 8, 2016
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SECTION EDITOR: MATTHEW YOUKILIS
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CINCINNATI, OHIO
While the election was happening Standing up brings change at Standing Rock Amanda Anderson, ‘19
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIBONACCI BLUE
Protestors of all ages gather together to stand against the building of the pipeline. The former planned pipeline would have transported 470,000 barrels of oil per day through 1,172 miles from North Dakota to Illinois.. The Sioux tribe and otheres were protestiong for their land rights as well as worry over the possivle damage to their water supply and burial sites and sacred places.
The controversy surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline, the 1,172 mile oil line that has stolen the attention of the entire country, finally seems to be coming to a close. On Sunday, Dec. 4, the USACE turned down a permit to continue building the pipeline. Protestors erupted in celebration, many taking to social media to express their appreciation. This protest was seen as a cultural victory for Native Americans and unifying event for the american people. This conflict first arose when the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the federal government body in charge of the nation’s waterways, sent a letter to the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. This letter laid out plans for an oil pipeline stretching from North Dakota to Illinois that would carry crude oil. The line was slated to pass through the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, the sixthlargest reservation in land area in the United States with a native population of about 8,250.
The Sioux people became outraged when learning that this line would pass through their sacred sites and burial places. However, the protest was mostly drawn out of the fear that if the oil line were to rupture, it would pollute their local drinking water. Many local tribes, such as the Osage Nation and Iowa Tribe, joined the Sioux in writing a letter in response relaying their concerns and disagreement with this construction. Since Native American reservations are not United States soil, the Sioux expressed how legally this structure should not be able to be built upon their land without their consent. The arguments presented by the Sioux were repeatedly ignored and invalidated. They often led to the construction line being delayed but not abolished or modified. The Sioux then went public with their outrage, gaining widespread attention. This led to the accumulation of protesters joining the Sioux at the planned construction site. These protesters were an extremely diverse group of people
from all over the country, ranging from the Sioux themselves to celebrities such as Leonardo Dicaprio, Shailene Woodley and the cast of The Avengers. As more like-minded people flocked to the reservation, tension between protesters and the police began to mount. After issuing two evacuation orders to the protestors, police began arresting those who resisted. This sparked outrage among protesters, prompting the police forces to spray them with water cannons and rubber bullets. This brutality resulted in dozens taken to the local hospitals and more than 300 injured. In addition, over 400 protestors were arrested at various spots along the planned route of the pipeline. These protests exhibit how serious this conflict has become. People were willing to risk their lives, wellbeing and freedom for this cause. Legally, this problem has been stopped, but America will just have to wait and see how much justice will really be given to Native Americans.
Is it the beginning of the end for ISIS? Pavan Yaddanapudi, ‘17 The Islamic State, a terrorist movement that rose to prominence in the Middle East during the Syrian Civil War, gained international attention in 2014 when videos emerged of executed foreigners and slaughtered ethnic groups emerged. Since then, the international community has taken steps to curb the organization’s reach through sanctions, travel bans, military aid and military intervention. The United States has been leading an international coalition of over 60 countries including Australia, France, Great Britain and Canada. The fight against ISIS has relied heavily on the involvement of moderate rebel groups and the Kurdish peshmerga; Kurdish forces allied with the U.S.backed Syrian Democratic Forces. ISIS has steadily been losing ground to a coalition of the Iraqi military, Shiite militias and the Kurdish peshmerga since
the fall of Fallujah, Iraq in June. The coalition has continued to push forward, aided by U.S.-led airstrikes in the battle for Mosul, Iraq. The goal is to encircle the city of Mosul and cut off any supply lines to the ISIS forces. Peter Kenyon, an international correspondent for NPR, says that the Iraqi Army has made progress in retaking Mosul, even if it is at a slow pace. The progress has been considerably hampered by obstructions and defenses set up by ISIS militants. According to Newsweek, “ISIS has slowed the offensive with mortar and sniper fire, booby traps and suicide car bombs.” Coalition forces have also been slowed by the logistics of retaking a city with over a million people living within it. At the moment, the Iraqi government and the international community fear civilian casualties and displacement elicited by the offensive could drastically increase. Thousands of Mosul residents
have already fled their homes to find shelter in displacement camps due to continued fighting. The Washington Post estimates that up to 550 civilian deaths could have resulted directly from airstrikes and militant activity. The liberating forces are also concerned by the thousands of families who have been kidnapped in Mosul for use as human shields. “ISIL’s depraved, cowardly strategy is to try to use the presence of civilian hostages to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military action,” Ravina Shamdasani, the representative of the UN refugee agency, said. Over the course of 5 years, ISIS has spread across the Middle East and North Africa. ISIS has connections with extremist groups in Libya, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. The organization has used its influence and slick propaganda to radicalize youth in foreign countries to conduct suicide bombings and acts of terror.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAY DONALDSON
ISIS militants are driving through a desert brandishing their flag. The United States’ intervention in Iraq and Syria has slowed down ISIS forces, but the fight against them and other terrorist groups is far from over. However, the territory of ISIS has steadily declined with the continued efforts of a concerted, international response. ISIS has lost control of strongholds in Syria, Iraq and Libya. The fight against terrorism has united countries toward a common effort. New organizations seeking to destabilize countries and threat-
en peace continue to pose a problem, but the international community has shown solidarity time and time again. However, with events such as the recent election, the future of counter-terrorism operations remains uncertain.
Cincinnati Bell Connector Update Krishyra Mitchell, ‘17 Since its opening on Friday, Sept. 9, the Cincinnati Bell has received both positive and negative attention. Recently, the streetcar has been in several accidents with metro buses, cars and trucks. One accident occurred Oct. 12 just before noon at the intersection of East Central Parkway and Main street. “Two cars going westbound on Central Parkway tried to beat the streetcar that was going northbound through the Main street intersection”, according to Cincin-
nati Metro spokeswoman Sallie Hilvers. Only one car was hit but there were no major injuries reported. There have also been several bomb threats to the streetcar. The first bomb threat occurred Sept. 10, its second day of operation, but nothing was found. Another occurred Oct. 29 but, after a precautionary evacuation, nothing was found and the Cincinnati Bell Connector continued its service. Adequate funding to keep the streetcar running is another problem that could impact its future. The Southwest Ohio Regional
Transit Authority has passed a budget that will spend $109 million in 2017. This money will go toward capital expenses like replacing buses and other operations of the streetcar. But this is only a temporary solution until the Cincinnati Bell Connector changes the way it’s funded. Otherwise, cuts may be made in 2018 in order to keep it running. Even though the streetcar has experienced these problems, it has continued running. Since its opening, it has far exceeded projections, having already provided over 240,000 rides.
Brenden Pulte, ‘19, was recently It is giving Cincinnati the added to that list of riders. push it needs as a growing city “I had heard very good re- to appeal to both its everyday views. I didn’t expect the amount citizens and big city travelers. of stops. I expected it to be more smooth but it didn’t detract from the experience,” Pulte said. When asked about his overall experience, Pulte commented how he was “definitely going to ride again” and that it met his expectations. As the months have flown by and the holiday festivities have ramped up, the Cincinnati Bell Connector has proven to be a connecting factor between the people and the city. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE MORGAN/WIKIMEDIA
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FEATURES
CINCINNATI, OHIO
DECEMBER 8, 2016
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SECTION EDITOR: MATTHEW YOUKILIS
Slavery and abolition in the modern day Modern slavery, a mounting epidemic
INFOGRAPHIC COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
This infographic shows the cycle of recruitment, transport and exploitation that is used to abuse and exploit women and children. The average age of those who enter the sex trade is between 14 and 16 and over 325,00 children are at risk of becoming victims of sexual explitation in North America. Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 In school, students learn that slavery was abolished in the United States with the 13th Amendment, over 150 years ago. However, there are nearly 30 million people across the world living in slavery today, according to the Borgen Project, an organization that works to address the global poverty and slavery.
Modern slavery is a worldwide phenomenon, seen in both wealthy and downtrodden areas. The Walk Free Global Slavery Index ranks 162 countries based on several factors including a country’s estimated slavery prevalence by population. The United Kingdom, Iceland and Ireland tie with 160 on the scale, the best ranking. However, slavery still exists in these nations; the United Kingdom is estimat-
ed to have over 4,000 enslaved victims. Even in the United States, “the land of the free,” there are an estimated 60,000 people enslaved. There are over 14 million people enslaved in India, the largest number of any country. Mauritania has the largest number per capita, with approximately 4 percent of their population enslaved. Modern slavery comes in many different forms and slaves are used to serve many different purposes. The organization End Slavery Now breaks modern slavery into six categories: domestic servitude, sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor, child labor and forced marriage. Domestic servitude is a form of forced labor used to cover up the exploitation of an individual, commonly from another country. Sex trafficking is another form of slavery, in which men, women and children are forced to perform sexual acts. There are an estimated 4.5 million victims worldwide. Forced labor encompasses several forms of slavery. Victims of it are forced to work without pay to provide labor or sex, often for the profit of a large business or government. Bonded labor occurs when people must work to pay off a personal or inherited debt. It can begin to just pay off the loan, but may lead to permanent slavery if the paying off the loan becomes impossible.
Child labor accounts for over 25 percent of the world’s slaves today. Children are forced to perform sexual acts or work for the profit of someone else under horrible conditions, including starvation and physical abuse. Forced marriage is the most unknown type of slavery because it is usually undocumented and unofficial. Statistics on it vary, but it is known to be common in Africa, eastern Europe and South Asia. The term human trafficking is also commonly used in connection with modern slavery. Though the two phrases are virtually synonymous, human trafficking emphasizes the recruiting, harboring and transporting of those enslaved. The modern world has changed the way people can be “recruited” for slavery, especially with the rise of social media. Modern slavery is a delicate issue that may seem uncommon and hard to solve in today’s world. However, to truly live up to being “the land of the free,” it is an issue that needs to be addressed in the United States and abroad.
Modern Abolitionist Club, advocates in our community Ibrahim Munir, ‘19 Just as our ancestral abolitionists in past centuries worked to create equality and earn freedom for all peoples, modern abolitionists are continuing to do the same. Slavery is still a global issue today, and affects more than 30 million people worldwide. However, like-minded people have banded together to tackle this crisis: the Modern Abolitionist Movement, or MAM. The modern abolitionist’s cause is to completely end the ancient crime of slavery once and for all, and to free the millions of people captured by its torment. Modern slavery is a global issue, and as such, the global community is working together to end it. Groups such as AntiSlavery International, the American Anti-Slavery Group, International Justice Mission and Free the Slaves all work to spread awareness around the globe and get funding to help enslaved peoples. There are also local organizations all over the United States that deal with the issue on a provincial level. Cincinnati
has multiple modern abolitionist group such as End Slavery Cincinnati, but there is a group even closer to home: Walnut Hills High School’s very own MAM club. “Our main [purpose] is advocacy, we make sure that people know about [modern slavery] because that’s one of the biggest issues, is that not many people know it exists,” SENIOR Jessica Kavinsky, head of the MAM club, said. The MAM club hosts screenings, discussion panels and speakers from different organizations around Cincinnati to increase awareness of the subject and helps raise funds that they donate to End Slavery Cincinnati. End Slavery Cincinnati also helps the MAM club in organizing events. MAM spreads awareness on every type of modern slavery, but heavy focus is put onto sex slavery and forced labor, as those are the most common types. On Jan. 18th, MAM is hosting a discussion panel on sex slavery at WHHS to help inform more people around the issue. Ohio is also one of the largest trafficking areas in the country. “It happens in your own backyard. Cincinnati is one of the biggest traffick-
“It happens in your own backyard.” SENIOR Jessica Kavinsky
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF BETHANY HICKMAN
Pictured above is Walnut Modern Abolitionist Movement club’s poster logo. It represents the realization of freedom from slavery with the birds flying away. ers and [I-71] is really bad with picking up students and young girls,” Kavinsky said. High school students can help the abolitionist cause as well. By educating themselves about the issue, being aware of it and spreading that awareness and recognizing it is a real problem that exists, they can “bring information to their leaders and petition and get legislation passed and fundraiser and work
with other organizations.” Kavinsky said. Although slavery was legally abolished around the world many years ago, it is still a global issue that many are unaware of. MAM works to teach people about this issue and how they can help finally rid this crime from the rest of history.
The Chatterbox Policy Statement 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 administrators 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 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.
SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13
The Chatterbox Editorial Staff 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
STYLE & CULTURE
DECEMBER8, 2016
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SECTION EDITOR: KEEGAN SULLIVAN
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
December dillusions, hot m Holiday Haziness
Allison Meier, ‘19 Emily Glazer, ‘17 We all know the classic traditions of the holiday seasons: Christians put up a tree, go caroling and exchange presents on Dec. 25; Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, light a menorah, play dreidel, eat jelly doughnuts and fry latkes; those of African heritage celebrate community during Kwanzaa. There's holiday spirit all around, no matter the religion, or lack thereof. This year, all three of these major winter holidays fall in close proximity. The first day of Hanukkah and Christmas both fall on the same day, with the first day of Kwanzaa falling on the following day. Christmas is the annual tradition held by Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. The tradition of giving and receiving gifts comes from the story of Saint Nicholas, in which he secretly gave three poor daughters enough money to pay their wedding dowries. This story later evolved into Father Christmas, and eventually into the modern Santa Claus. Some of the most recognizable elements of the
holiday came from original legend. The jolly round man we all know today got his traditional red suit from the red bishop’s robes of Saint Nicholas, and some believe candy canes are modeled after the shape of a shepherd’s crook. Hanukkah is known as the “Festival of Lights.” According to the secular calendar it is celebrated at a different time every year, but it is actually celebrated the same time according to the lunar calendar. Hanukkah comes every year on Kaf Hey Kisslev, or the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kisslev. This year, Hanukkah begins on the night of Dec. 24 and ends on the night of Jan. 1. The story began when the Jewish people were oppressed and forced to hide their religion. Being hidden meant that the Jewish people had to disguise their study sessions; as a result, they would hide their Torah and prayer books and bring out a dreidel. At this time, the second Holy Temple was also destroyed, but a candelabra called the menorah still stood, and stayed lit for eight days. This and the Maccabees’ victory in the war
were both considered miracles. Today, the menorah has eight branches, with a ninth spot for the “Shamash”- helper candle, and we light one candle each night. Kwanzaa, though far less wellknown in comparison to Hanukkah or Christmas, is not tied to a religion, but is commonly celebrated in conjunction to Christmas. Not technically a religious holiday, its original meaning was for African-Americans to have a chance to reconnect with their heritage and reflect on “the wellbeing of family and community, the integrity of the environment and our kinship with it, and the rich resource and meaning of a people's culture,” according to the official Kwanzaa website. No matter someone's faith, or lack of faith, the holidays are a time to gather with friends and family and celebrate. Mackenzie Herrlinger, ‘19 said, “A holiday is like when you get to see your whole family and spend time with them... During the holidays everything seems to stand still and everyone gets to relax and just be happy.”
Starbucks has a notorious history for making some people unhappy with their holiday cups. This year’s cups seem, unfortunately, not any less biased in which holiday they represent.
December isn’t only for Christmas Winter: a season of snow, merry feelings, jingle bells and family time. In December a number of holidays are celebrated, but one holiday always shines through: Christmas. Once Halloween ends, supermarket shelves are lined with ornaments and tree toppers, amongst hams and cartons of eggnog. As a nearing winter break taunts students focused on semester exams, some Walnut teachers invite the holiday spirit by singing songs between bells. Some of us, however, are a little less in the mode of the season. Since Hanukkah is celebrat-
ed on different dates each year, those practicing Judaism may not celebrate any holiday over winter break- or even in the winter. Historically, Hanukkah is commercially underrepresented. The classic holiday cups at Starbucks usually portray iconic Christmas items- jingle bells, reindeer and decorated evergreen trees; no dreidels or chocolate coins. Commonly, people don’t even really know that much about the Jewish religion. We do not read and speak “Jewish”-- it’s Hebrew. So what do followers of every other religion do during Hanukkah? There is an absence of holidays per religion during other times too.
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JOSHUA TRUJILLO/STARBUCKS
Jack Samuels, ‘20
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Festive holiday commercials portray winter as a time to get excited about Christmas as if there are no other things celebrated at this time of year, which is just not the case at all. I do understand that Judaism is a very tiny minority; According to the New York Times, Jews make up about 2.2 percent of Americans. However it makes me feel like we don’t matter enough to even be represented equally. Such a large part of the winter is all about one thing, and it is just wrong not to have more coverage in even the most basic places like the supermarkets.
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VIEWPOINTS
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DECEMBER 8, 2016 PAGE 5
SECTION EDITOR: ALLISON MEIER
mess holidays this season CINCINNATI, OHIO
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Winter break-cation: stay or travel? Reggie Callander, ‘18 Vacations are one of the best ways to relax and get away from the stresses of everyday life. Where and when are the best times to go away to beautiful places, and how long and how far away? Some would argue that keeping it cheap and going somewhere local is the nicest; therefore, they can take many short trips. On the contrary, some would prefer to take expensive trips far away from home and even out of the country, arguing that physical location to home adds to the pressures of everyday life. Others can just simply relax and stay home taking a “staycation,” mentally distancing themselves
from stress and worry of everyday life. Regardless of what vacation style you prefer, everyone needs sometimes to get away from it all. Local vacations: A nice, simple, easy trip to a neighboring state or city. Quick, easy and simple. Go away for a weekend or so. Local vacations aren't necessarily about the sights, but more about leaving the house behind and eating at a favourite restaurant, a nice easy-on-the-wallet activity to do alone or with friends and family. Long vacations: Typically to an iconic location in a distant place, these vacations are all about the differences in culture from those of your own and the sights. Long vacations are normally during
breaks and are not so merciful on the piggy bank, so they are taken much less, but the sights and sounds are worth it. Staycation: A staycation is a trip not physically away from home, but mentally. Normally one would get their favorite foods, drinks and activities and live like in a hotel on a real vacation. Since staycations are home this is the easiest on the wallet, but you have to sacrifice the sights of a vacation away from home. All vacations are nice and are all about relaxing and enjoyment, so whichever one is to be enjoyed this winter, it should be done so to the fullest.
Maccabees and Maccabeats
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Augusta Battoclette, ‘17 Think you know everything about winter holidays? Take this quiz to find out! The answers, along with brief descriptions of each holiday, are posted on The Chatterbox’s website <whhscbox.com>. 1. What is Christmas? A. A holiday to celebrate Santa Claus B. A holiday to remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection C. A holiday to celebrate the creation of Earth D. A holiday to remember the birth of Jesus 2. What is Kwanzaa? A. A holiday to celebrate African heritage and what it means to be African B. A holiday to mourn the colonization of Africa C. A holiday to gather with friends and eat food D. Something else
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Quiz: How well do you know the holidays?
EMILY GLAZER/CHATTERBOX
The Maccabeats perform at their Dec. 4 concert at the Mayerson JCC. Maccabeats member Michael Greenberg explained that his favorite part of putting on a concert is meeting people afterwards. Emily Glazer, ‘17 Have you heard the song “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz or what about “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon? I am sure most people have. But, have you heard about Hanukkah? If not, it is an eight day Jewish holiday that remembers and celebrates the Maccabees’ victory in a war in which the Holy Temple was destroyed. An accapella group called the Maccabeats ties these together. The group, formed when they were students at Yeshiva University. They rose to popularity back in November 2010, when they released a parody of “Dynamite,” called “Candlelight.” This video went viral and currently has 11 million views and counting on their Youtube channel. Not expected to go viral, Maccabeats member Julian Horowitz explains, “It was intended to be a simple ‘holiday card’ to send to friends and family.” After the release of this video, Horowitz described it as “amazing chaos” when it came to traveling between various television spots and concerts. It has become tradition for the Maccabeats to release a new Hanukkah song every year to get people excited for the holiday season. These include parodies of pop songs, covers of pop songs, traditional Jewish prayers, and an original music video to complement the song of their choice.
They have not only released songs for the purpose of entertainment, but also for the purpose of giving back to the community. In November 2012 they did a cover of Jewish reggae singer, Matisyahu’s, “Miracle,” but this cover involved a charity mission. After pairing up with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, their music video helped to raise $80,000. This met their goal of $10,000 for each night of Hanukkah. The fundraiser continues to grow and currently they have raised over $200,000. Not only do the Maccabeats produce music for Hanukkah but they also produce music appealing to a wide diversity of people. They create covers of songs, various parodies, medleys and their own songs. Through their music, the Maccabeats, “try to send the message of being positive and being proud of who you are,” explains Horowitz. “After attending their concert on December 4th at the Mayerson JCC, I got to experience their music and energy live with the privilege of meeting them afterwards,” This year, bring out new music for the winter season and add something different to the classic mix of “Jingle Bells.” The sound of the Maccabeats is enjoyable, for not only the holiday season, but with their unique, acapella twist on the songs you hear on the radio they can be enjoyed all year round.
3. What is Boxing Day? A. A holiday to celebrate professional boxers B. A holiday to mourn the death of loved ones C. A holiday where kings pardoned criminals D. A holiday where servants would receive presents from their employers 4. How long does Hanukkah last? A. Eight days B. Seven days C. Eight nights D. Two weeks 5. What is eggnog? A. A hardboiled egg dipped in liqueur B. Mixing up eggs and drinking it C. A dairy based drink usually with alcohol in it D. A noggin full of eggs 6. Who are the Maccabees? A. The brothers who led the uprising against Antiochus III B. The couples who gave birth to quintuplets C. The innkeepers who let Mary and Joseph have Jesus in their barn D. An American Jewish allmale a cappella group
DECEMBER 8, 2016
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SECTION EDITOR: BRIANNA JONES
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Ragtime: sparking the dialogue for social change Leah Young, ‘17
Ragtime, also commonly spelled rag-time or rag time, was a type of music that gained popularity during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Its syncopated beats and rhythms gave birth to what would later become the jazz sound of the roaring twenties. This musical genre was birthed through the jigs and march music cultivated by African American bands during the time. And although the use of the songs became distorted for racist propaganda with songs such as “All coons look alike to me”, the original purpose of the ‘ragged’ rhythms was to expand on its musical predecessor, the march. In Ragtime music, there was a specific type of syncopation that occurred between metrical beats. Scott Joplin, often referred to as the ‘King of Ragtime’, used the term ‘swing’ to describe the way in which ragtime music should be played. He was quoted saying, “Play slowly until you catch the swing”. Ragtime, the musical, on the other hand, is the story of three groups living in America during the early 1900s. These groups included African Americans, upper-class white suburbanites and Eastern European Immigrants. This story, based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel, uses the idea of syncopation, demonstrated in ragtime music, as a way to ‘displace’ commonly held social constructions in American Society. The constructions included issues such as racism, immi-
gration, police brutality and even whether or not the American dream is attainable for everyone. These socially constructed confines remain relevant in today’s society and serve as one of the reasons Theatre Department
chair Michael Sherman chose this particular piece as a part of the line up for this year’s production schedule. Sherman also stated, “The diversity of both our school and our program has been
IMAGE COURTESY OF CHICAGO STAGE REVIEW
growing over the past couple of years and it’s important to me to start finding shows that reflect that diversity”, as one of his reasons for him choosing this particular work. “Not that there is anything wrong with the classics or that actors of color can’t play Hamlet or Romeo or Juliet, but I think it’s also good to find shows that all actors can identify with and see themselves in,” he said. This kind of representation is what authors like E.L. Doctorow strove for in their writing of the novella that inspired this musical. One of the important quotes in the novel stems from the challenging notion of what it means to be black in America: “It occurred to Father one day that Coalhouse Walker Jr. didn’t know he was a Negro. The more he thought about this the more true it seemed. Walker didn’t act or talk like a colored man. He seemed to be able to transform the customary differences practiced by his race so that they reflected to his own dignity rather than the recipient’s.” This quote details how the characters in Ragtime do not fit society’s idea of how one person of any particular race should act, defying stereotypes and breaking society’s unwritten rules. This theatrical performance is a must see and is sure to incite important dialogue about race, as well as other issues we still face today. Opening our minds to new ideas about how we view the world and changing our perception of the society in which we live.
Student Artist Spotlight Brianna Jones, ‘17
Allyson Garth, ‘19, is in her first year of the AP art program. She is currently working toward submitting 26 pieces to the College Board in her portfolio. In the past, she has submitted her work to Scholastic and was selected by the Pendelton Art Center for her art. Currently, she is focusing on depicting strong, powerful women in her pieces. She is representing the woman in her works through the use of chalk, paint and ink, but also does work with photography and digital images formally.
Daniel Perrea, ‘19, composed music for Walnut Hills High School’s production of Julius Caesar this year and The Cherry Orchard last year, of which he received a Cappie nomination for. Perrea has been playing piano since the age of four, but started taking lessons two years ago to enhance his ability. For the last 11 months, Perrea has been working on composing orchestral music. “Daniel has been a welcomed addition to the program and he had added a lot to both of those productions,” Theatre Department chair Michael Sherman said. Perrea plans to continue his work on composing orchestral music for future productions, and is looking forward to the rest of the production’s this year. Anna Becher, ‘18, has been in choir at Walnut Hills High School for two years. As a returning soprano two, she sings in Women’s Ensemble. “It’s really fun because everybody’s so talented and we get to share our talent all together in one class,” Becher said. She is looking forward to going to competition with Women’s Ensemble later this school year. “It’s interesting to see the other choirs singing at our level,” she said.
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SPORTS
DECEMBER 8, 2016
PAGE 7
SECTION EDITORS: AARON ESPELAGE AND EMMA FARRELL
The Bengals big picture Aaron Espelage, ‘18 This year’s Cincinnati Bengals team is a perfect example of history repeating itself. Flashback to the start of the 2010 season, the Bengals were coming off of a 10-6 year in which they won the division, but lost in the first round of the playoffs. The 2010 team was a near carbon-copy of the year before. The only additions were first round pick, tight end Jermaine Gresham and past-his-prime, legendary wide receiver Terrell Owens. The Bengals went 4-12 and came up well short of expectations, but why? Bengals owner Mike Brown’s blueprint and foundation for his franchise is broken. This year is no different than the last 13 years under head coach Marvin Lewis. From 1991 to 2003 the Bengals were the worst team in the NFL based on their total record of 55137 over the 12 seasons. They peaked at 8-8 in 1996 and were well under .500 every other year. In Lewis’ first season, 2003, the Bengals went 8-8 and buried the decade of Bengals football defined by their infamous nickname, the Bungals. When Lewis took charge the Bengals, they put together a new blueprint for potential success. The Bengals do not have a General Manager in charge of drafting, signing and trading players. Instead, Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis share the responsibilities of running the team. Their blueprint is continuity. In 2005, the dreams of many Bengals fans were close to becoming a reality. Following an 8-8 season with veteran Quarterback Jon Kitna, Carson Palmer took the reins and led the team to a division-winning 11-5 record. The Bengals beat the Steelers at Heinz Field 38 to 31 in week 13 of the season, and were poised to upend their rivals at home in the playoffs. In the first pass play of the game, Palmer’s
knee buckled under the perceived low and dirty sack by Kimo von Oelhoffen. Palmer’s ACL and MCL were torn and hearts of Bengals fans shattered. The Steelers went on to win 31 to 17 and this began the chain of first round playoff exits for Cincinnati. That year, the Bengals looked like the 2009 and 2015 teams, full of promise and the potential to win the Super Bowl. Fast forward to today and the same story is still being repeated. Division champions with super bowl aspirations one year, and a dreadful non-playoff team with hopes for an 8-8 record the next. Now coach Lewis can be defined by being the only coach in NFL history to have a 0-7 playoff record, rather than the savior of Bengals football. Sitting at 4-7-1 and 13th place out of 16 AFC teams, this could be his last straw. The Bengals are only ahead of the (38) Jets, (2-10) Jaguars and hapless (0-12) Browns in the standings. The Bengals can reach the postseason either by winning their division, the AFC North, or becoming one of the two Wild Card teams. Both scenarios require the Bengals to win all four of their remaining games and are dependent upon other teams. To make the wild card, 7 of the 12 teams currently ahead of the Bengals will have to end the season with 8-8 records. One of those teams are the (8-4) Defending Super Bowl Champion Broncos, who would have to lose the last four games of the season. The scenario for the Bengals to win the AFC North is equally as perilous. The (7-5) Steelers and (7-5) Ravens must both lose three of their four remaining games in order for the Bengals to take 1st place. However this scenario is unlikely because the Steelers and Ravens play each other in these four games. Therefore, if the Steelers win that game, they would have to lose to the Browns, and if the Ravens
win the rivalry game, they would have to lose at home to the Eagles. The Bengals put themselves in the position that not only must they win-out but they have to hope for good teams to lose a lot of games. Coach Lewis and Owner Brown have had 14 years together, similarly to Brady and Belichick’s 15 seasons in New England. Instead of winning 4 super bowls and becoming an NFL powerhouse, the Bengals have delivered 7 straight playoff losses. There have been personality questions for many key Bengals players during the Lewis tenure, unlike the Patriots. Bengals players have been arrested 33 times since 2004, when Lewis took charge. Ranging from current star Defensive Back Adam Jones pleading guilty of disorderly conduct while intoxicated and resisting arrest at a bar in Cincinnati in 2011; to former Bengal Reggie McNeal, in 2006, pleading guilty of unruly behavior and resisting arrest after being denied entrance to a Houston nightclub. Police also found sedative in his cigarette. Bengals Linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been suspended and fined numerous times for his dirty hits and suspected purposeful injuring of opposing players. He is arguably their best player on Defense this year and like Adam Jones, is a team captain. The Bengals had the right idea: to be conservative in free agency, draft intelligently and retain the same roster, with the same coach year after year. Sadly, all the risks the Bengals took on players with bad records has come back to bite them, and the team no longer listens to Marvin Lewis. Continuity led to success for two of the NFL’s most popular franchises. In Cincinnati, continuity bred complacency and it is time for change.
How the Bengals can make the Playoffs
Scenario to clinch a wild card spot: 1) Bengals beat the Browns, Texans, Ravens & Steelers 2) Ravens lose to the Patriots, Steelers & Bengals 3) Broncos lose to the Patriots, Raiders, Chiefs & Titans 4) Dolphins lose to the Patriots, Bills & Cardinals 5) Bills lose to the Steelers & Jets 6) Texans lose to the Bengals & Colts 7) Titans lose to the Chiefs & Texans 8) Colts lose to the Raiders & Vikings 9) Chargers lose to the Raiders & Chiefs
Projected AFC Standings: 1) Raiders (13-3) 2) Patriots (13-3) 3) Steelers (10-6) 4) Colts (8-8) 5) Chiefs (11-5) 6) Bengals (8-7-1) 7) Broncos (8-8) 8) Ravens (8-8) 9) Dolphins (8-8) 10) Bills (8-8) 11) Titans (8-8) 12) Texans (8-8) 13) Chargers (7-9)
Scenario to win the Division:
Projected AFC North Standings:
1) Bengals beat the Browns, Texans, Ravens & Steelers 2) Ravens lose to the Bengals, Patriots & Steelers or Eagles 3) Steelers lose to the Bengals, Bills & Ravens or Browns
1. Bengals (8-7-1) 2. Ravens (8-8) 3. Steelers (8-8) 4. Browns (1-15)
Wait, there’s more! The extended article is available online at: <whhscbox.com>
WHHS Eagles’ basketball begin to take flight Michael Sweeney, ‘17 As December hits, so does Walnut Hills High School basketball. Every year, the program becomes a perennial contender in the city of Cincinnati and the state of Ohio consistently brings a talented group of players together to compete in the competitive Eastern Cincinnati Conference. The team will have many new faces this year as they have three transfers that are new to Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) coming to play and an incoming freshman. According to Coach Hill, four will be in the starting lineup, with point guard Kameron Gibson, ‘18, being the only returning starter. One of these new transfer students is Sophomore Ryan Hill, son of Coach Hill. This is not the first time Coach Hill has coached one of his kids, as he coached son and alumni Ricardo Hill JR, who currently attends the University of Virginia-Wise. When asked what his thoughts were on coaching another son, he said, “It’s
pretty fantastic to coach my son, he has been prepared to play at this level his whole life.” The younger Hill previously attended Clark Montessori High School and will be playing backup point guard. With all these new players,
“It’s pretty fantastic to coach my son. He has been prepared to play at this level his whole life.” Coach Ricardo Hill
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WHHS opened their season playing against Withrow. The game ended with a score of 57-61 Withrow.
Coach Hill acknowledged there will be challenges facing the team as they must adjust to play with one another and figure out how to identify the roles each player must serve on the team. He believes that the leadership of the six seniors on the team will help guide the team through these transitions. He will look for returning SENIORS Malcolm Moffett and Jordan Henderson to provide scoring
as well as transfers Rob Brown, Chase Loring and Kenny Thompson. When the team ultimately comes together, they will be a dangerous opponent to play against. The team’s season begins on Dec. 3 against in conference rival Withrow High School who, like WHHS, is ranked in the top ten in the city (WHHS is number 5 and Withrow is number 10). This will be the first of many combative matchups for the Eagles as they also face Elder, Lasalle, St. X, Kings and Milford -- all teams who are either in the top ten or on the outside looking in. They will also play a tournament in Detroit on De. 27 and 28. Coach Hill believes this tough schedule will benefit the team by preparing them for the competition they will see during the High School Basketball tournament. As the team looks to progress over the course of their season their is no doubt in the coach and players mind that they will be making a deep run this year’s postseason.
DECEMBER 8, 2016
PAGE 8
ARCADE
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SECTION EDITOR:SARAH HANSEN
Meet the new main office receptionist
Sarah Hansen, ‘17
The Chatterbox staff extends a warm welcome to the newest member of Walnut Hills High School’s clerical staff, Jenna Fischesser. Mrs. Fischesser joins the hard-working office staff as the newest receptionist. Fischesser’s journey to WHHS started with acquiring a finance degree. For years, Fischesser worked as a retail buyer—a path she eventually turned from to work in an educational environment. Fischesser worked as a paraprofessional at the Margaret B. Rost School for seven years, where she worked directly with children with developmental disabilities—a career choice partially inspired by Fischesser’s own family. As the adoptive mother of three children with developmental disorders, Fischesser was able to put such experience to use at Margaret Rost. Fischesser now brings her talents to WHHS, where she works at the front desk of the main office; answering calls and directing visitors comprise a large part of her daily job. Some days, Fischesser is
able to put her finance degree to use by helping Janet Fine, treasurer of WHHS. Prior to taking her job at WHHS, Fischesser had a few reservations. She hadn’t been in an office environment for years, and was concerned that the technology would be unmanageably advanced. Fortunately for Fischesser, her new situation has been very manageable. She ended up being “ok with technology” after all, with resident office staff Fine and Principal Jeff Brokamp’s secretary Joan Kuethe readily available to assist. Fischesser was very complimentary of the students of WHHS. “The students that come [into the office] are polite and friendly,” she noted. The staff has received a similar regard—Fischesser recalled that at least one staff member had approached her to personally introduce themselves. When Fischesser is not at WHHS, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.
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When she isn’t hard at work in WHHS’ main office, Fischesser enjoys hiking, camping and watching movies with her family.
Sudoku
This issue’s puzzles sourced from <krazydad.com>.