Volume CXVI, Issue 1
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Tues., Sept. 21, 2021
We’re Back In Business
MARGARET WEALER / REMEMBRANCER
HAJRA MUNIR / CHATTERBOX
MARGARET WEALER / REMEMBRANCER
The WHHS football team takes on the Aiken Falcons on Aug. 20 for the first game of the season. On the last drive of the game SENIOR Cevie Smoot rushed the ball into the end zone to seal the game in a 22-14 victory for the Eagles. Throughout the game SENIOR Quinn Donovan , Nuthouse leader, led the student section in cheers. Kylie Bridgeman , ‘22 Following a season with virtually no fans due to COVID-19, the Athletic Department welcomed fans back to Marx Stadium on Aug. 20 for the Varsity football game versus Aiken High School. The student section, known as the Nuthouse, was flooded with students dressed for the beach day theme and were led in cheers and chants by the seven Nuthouse leaders. “It felt so amazing to be back in the Nuthouse again,” SENIOR Sophia Bahri said. “It was jam packed and we could barely move, but I viewed it as a good thing more than anything else.” Bahri is a Nuthouse leader along with fellow SENIORS My’Dia Cruz, Paige Keener, Quinn Donovan, Max Poynter, Bron Dietz and Kylie Bridgeman. These students are in charge of not only keeping the crowd hype, but also respectful. “I love how the SENIOR section is always hype and eager to say the chants,” Cruz said. “I also love how everyone participates in the theme, it finally makes me feel a part of the school.” The football program has given the eagles something to rally around early in the school year. Students in all grades have been joining the nut-
house to cheer on the team and be surrounded by their peers. “Being back in the Nuthouse felt amazing, we were back like we never left,” Keener said. The Eagles were led to victory in their first game by many key players throughout the game. One of those players being Isaiah Birl ‘23, who
scored a touchdown and ran the ball for 73 yards in 16 carries. The Nuthouse was stirred with excitement as the fate of the game came down to the final seconds. The Nuthouse leaders anticipate the energy in the stands during the first game to mirror the energy during the rest of the season.
“The first game was really fun, you could definitely feel the energy from the nuthouse. They were really interactive,” Amyll Dawson, ‘24, said. “It was really refreshing, especially returning back from COVID-19, just having the crowd there finally was amazing, it was a great experience [to cheer during the
HAJRA MUNIR/ CHATTERBOX
The Nuthouse is passed on each year to a new class of SENIORS. This year seven students stepped up to lead the student section through a meaningful year. “I decided to become a Nuthouse leader because I love seeing the school come together to support a team that has put so much work into themselves,” SENIOR Sophia Bahri said.
game].” Since the week one win, the Eagles have picked up another win on the road in a league contest against Little Miami. In the Sept. 10 win, TJ Nelson, ‘24, threw the ball for a total of 201 yards and three touchdowns plus rushed for 61 yards, Nelson has since then been nominated for player of the week by Tristate Football. The Nuthouse and football were not the only thing students returned to in August. The Eagles also found themselves back to in-person learning, clubs and activities, theater, school events, and music classrooms, but all were coupled with COVID-19 rules and procedures. “It’s been great, I didn’t really like online so this is a lot better,” Winslow Orlet ,‘27, said. Orlet is a new student here and becoming an Eagle hasn’t been the easiest of transitions for him, but by attending social events and making friends he’s been able to find his groove. The class of 2027 is not alone in being new to WHHS, head coach James Crook is a new addition to the WHHS community as well and has high hopes for the season, his team and the school as a whole. “All we [have] to do is keep going up,” head coach James Crook said. “We’re going to keep building this love and keep building this family at Walnut Hills.”
OPINIONS
SEPT. 21, 2021
PAGE 2
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: ISABEL RODRIGUEZ
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Students offer input Isabel Rodriguez, ‘22
After a mostly virtual 2020-2021 school year, WHHS returned to a fully in-person setup for the 2021-22 school year, but with some changes to adjust for social distancing and COVID-19 protocols. The regular seven-bell schedule was changed to add a full 45 minute lunch period and create four lunches instead of three. In addition, student lunch periods would no longer be broken down by grade level, as in years past, but based off of individual schedules during bells 3-6. Students shared their opinions on the new schedule.
THOMAS MAGGART/CHATTERBOX
“I really liked the length of lunch but it’s certainly a lot harder to talk to my friends, and I feel like if I wasn’t a Senior and I didn’t have study halls to spend time with my friends, it would be pretty isolating.” -SENIOR Lilli Johnson
THOMAS MAGGART/CHATTERBOX
“I prefer it because the classes are shorter. I don’t like the lunches because a lot of my friends are in other lunches.” -Killian Riley, ‘23
THOMAS MAGGART/CHATTERBOX
“I don’t really mind it that much, but I think it’s because I have fifth lunch. But I can see how it would be inconvenient for other people.” -SENIOR Lucy Lander
THOMAS MAGGART/CHATTERBOX
“It’s mostly the same, except I eat lunch at 10 o’clock now.” -Gianni Allwein, ‘23
Letter from the Editor
HAJRA MUNIR /CHATTERBOX
Yo Yo Walnut, Welcome back! For the first time in 565 days, the Chatterbox is back on the newsstands in the halls of WHHS. As you flip through the pages of today’s issue you are becoming part of the history of a student news
publication that has been around through just about everything. In the 98 year history of this paper we have covered World Wars, the swearing in of roughly 16 different presidents, we have covered football since before the first Super Bowl and we have been covering the events of WHHS since before the Supreme Court affirmed student press rights granted through the First Amendment. After a difficult 2020-21 school year, you can now add “global pandemic” to the list of events that our small but mighty publication has fought through and worked diligently to cover. As a publication we had issues removed from newsstands by past administrators and been criticized by community members. Nevertheless, we have overcome the obstacles that history has laid out for us, and I
have no doubt that as a publication we will come out of the pandemic stronger than ever before. What I love most about the history of the Chatterbox is that every issue has a new story to tell. I am approximately the 113th editor-inchief in the history of this student newspaper and my goal is to tell as many of your stories as we can. As a student of WHHS, I see it as a great opportunity to attend a school with such diversity and opportunity. We have 42 different sports offered, 74 different clubs and students stemming from different backgrounds and cultures. We have 2,761 students walking these halls on a daily basis, even more with the faculty, and every one has a story--and that story deserves to be told. My name is Bobby Keegan and I have been granted the great op-
portunity to serve as your editor-inchief this year. I feel a great responsibility to uphold the high standards set by the great student journalists in this role before me. We have a small but dedicated staff working on the Chatterbox this year and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are all so excited to see you reading the physical paper this year. However, our content stretches much further than just the pages of the paper. After a year of being remote, we have made major strides in advancing our website, <www. whhscbox.com>. With our website, I hope to regularly post breaking news as well as series of podcasts and videos. Here at the Chatterbox we have established a tight-knit, family-type atmosphere, and I would love to welcome whoever is interested into
that family. If you are one of those people, then you can join the Chatterbox as a club member. We meet every Tuesday after school in room 2306. Finally, I’d like to recognize the SENIOR Chatterboxers of last school year. These are the people who truly inspired me to be where I am today. None of what this staff has put together would have been possible without their great inspiration and influence. I know that each of them wishes they could have been able to publish a physical paper last year to celebrate their final year on staff, but they were not able to as a result of the pandemic. All that we do this year is thanks to them. Thank you all for sharing this first issue with us! Bobby Keegan, Editor in Chief
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.
The Chatterbox Editorial Staff
SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13
Bobby Keegan,
Isabella Zinchini,
Editor-in-Chief
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Kaylee Robbins, Managing Editor of Current Events
Hajra Munir,
Managing Editor of Student Life
Owen Cummings,
Managing Editor of Viewpoints
Sydnie Barrett,
Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Ryan Helton,
Operations Manager
Alonzo Montgomery, Public Relations Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Brian Sweeney, English Department Chair
WHHSCBOX.COM
FEATURES
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SEPT 21, 2021
PAGE 3
SECTION EDITOR KIMAYA MUNDHE
Latin department adjusts focus Kimaya Mundhe ‘25 For many years, Latin has been known as a notoriously challenging subject at WHHS. A minimum of three years of Latin is required for incoming 7th and 8th grade students and is described as a “rigorous classical program” on the schools’ website. In the last few years, teachers have been experimenting with new styles of Latin curriculum. Some changes being piloted this year include experimenting with new textbooks, as well as some teachers continuing to give smaller, more frequent quizzes rather than a few heavily weighted tests. “This year our focus has shifted towards what a student can do instead of let’s list all the things they can’t,” Latin 1 and AP Latin teacher Michelle Martinez said. “The way that I’m teaching personally is to emphasize context and then show you the [grammer] behind it.” Previously, Martinez believes the focus had been more on the grammar and technical aspects of the language rather than having a comprehensive understanding of a story. “For me, it’s all about critical thinking and learning to… [use] deductive reasoning,” Latin 1 and Latin 3 teacher Jennifer Schmitz said. “You’re using those reasoning skills to draw conclusions, and we just happen to be doing that through Latin. [These skills] can help you be a better overall learner. Latin challenges you to think.” Schmitz finds that the curriculum is moving towards teaching Latin
HAJRA MUNIR /CHATTERBOX
Students in Laura Brogden’s 8th bell, AP IV Latin practice translations on the board. This year she plans on incorporating stories about people in the ancient world that aren’t typically found in textbooks. like a modern world language. Transitioning from verbatim, word by word translation to a conversational model where students will be able to grasp key ideas from texts. These new adjustments to the thought process behind how students are learning the language will help them become better Latin readers and speakers. In the past students have been able to memorize endings but weren’t able to put the words together, they weren’t truly learning. “The interesting thing about our brains is that in order to read well, you have to also be able to listen and speak and write so we tap into all of the things that help the brain
really learn a new language,” Laura Brogden said. Brogden teaches Latin 3, Latin 4 AA Poetry and Latin 4 Poetry. Recently several teachers have shown their support in phasing out the use of “Jenney’s First Year Latin” textbook. Students who’ve taken Latin at WHHS in the past may be familiar with this book from Latin 1 and 2. “Sometimes I felt the stories were convoluted, I felt like they made them more complicated than they needed to. I also didn’t like how almost always the new grammar you learned in that chapter was not in the story [corresponding to that les-
son],” Schmitz said. Brogden agreed, “If we take the Jenney Teachers edition, and the English translations that are supposed to come from that textbook, the Lexile level comes out at a postgraduate level English text… so we’re trying to get away from Jenney.” There are teachers piloting new Latin 1, 2 and 3 textbooks this year with the idea that the department will choose a new book to move forward with by the end of the school year. Schmitz believes that they will not continue with the Jenney book however these decisions are not final yet. “A textbook is a resource, it’s not a
A new face helps bring change to WHHS Sarah Wilson, ‘25 In her first year at WHHS, new librarian Melody Riggs is excited to pursue her new career. Riggs previously worked as an English teacher at Mason Middle School for 14 years, also serving as a Media Center Specialist at Rothenberg Elementary for the past three years. Regarding her choice to teach at WHHS, Riggs said, “just knowing that it was going to be a high school setting, working with older students… I would get to use all of the things, all of the skills that I have.” Riggs further expanded on her desire to teach older students, as she only taught Kindergarten through grade 6 during her time at Rothenberg. “I just realized my strengths lie with helping students do research [and] do more advanced things with technology,” Riggs said. Riggs has already helped to begin making changes within the library, remodeling well-
known activities like the grade 7 scavenger hunt. Designed to help new students learn more about using the library, the librarians have made various changes to make it a more interactive and collaborative activity. “What we did was we gamified it,” Riggs said. “We took Jenga games and we put numbers on 15 of the bricks, and each number corresponds to a question… and those questions ask [students] to locate information in the databases or to locate information out in the library so that they get familiar with the resources, but then it’s not overwhelming.” Riggs also hopes to help transform the library on a larger scale and to broaden the services and opportunities it offers. “We’re hoping to just bring [the library] a little bit more into the 21st century,” Riggs said. “When you look at a lot of college and university libraries, they are moving towards more of a learning commons… they have things such as 3D printing and large format printers and software for recording podcasts… so we would really like to see some
whole curriculum, it’s just a resource you can use, in order to teach reading,” Brogden said. Despite the efforts of adapting Latin classes at WHHS, many students still find themselves overwhelmed and intimidated by the language. “A little tiny bit of studying every day equals a whole lot more in the end than trying to cram so even if all you do is review 10 vocabulary words,” Brogden said. “The better you know the vocabulary, the better it’s going to be for you.” Martinez highlighted the importance of reaching out to a teacher. She thinks attending help nights is one of the best ways to do this and receive one-on-one or small group help. “I feel like some people get really nervous, and then they don’t want to admit that they’re struggling... so I think the number one thing would be to talk to us,” Martinez said. The programing is changing, Schmitz stressed the importance of having an open mind. Get rid of any negative preconceived notions about Latin and try to make this year one where you learn skills to take with you to other classes down the road. “No one in my class is allowed to say “I’m bad at Latin.” No one is allowed to say “I hate Latin.” You can be frustrated with Latin, but that means you seek help.” Schmitz said. Looking forward, the Latin department hopes to see more students excited about the language and willing to take a fourth year Latin class or AP Latin. They hope students will exit the program feeling accomplished.
ISABELLA ZINCHINI/CHATTERBOX
WHHS’ librarians Acacia Moraes-Diniz, Melody Riggs and Margo Fisher-Bellman have been hard at work since the start of the school year and are excited to interact with more students. more of that come to the library here.” Riggs has faced challenges in her transition to WHHS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to various impacts of the pandemic, Riggs found herself with little time to acclimate to WHHS before the start of the school year. “Not being able to really meet other staff until the school year started… not really being able to be in the building a lot beforehand to see where everything was, and then figuring out the [library policies],” were each challenges Riggs mentioned. Despite these struggles, Riggs has still been able to appreciate the interactions she has had with students thus far. “I love when a student finally finds the right book for them, and they’re really excited about it,” Riggs said. To relax from the pressures of WHHS, Riggs enjoys a large variety of different hob-
bies and activities. “I run, I read a lot, [I enjoy] basically anything outside, I like to hike, I paddleboard, and I learned how to play golf last summer,” Riggs said. “I’m terrible at [golf], but it’s really fun.” Riggs provided several pieces of advice to students hoping to utilize the library, regardless of their knowledge and experience. “Come to the library, and just use it. We have a lot of resources that I think people don’t understand...not everyone understands how to use the databases or what we have just in the reference collection,” Riggs said. Riggs highlighted the importance of the library’s resources outside of academics, “It’s also important to have pleasure reading too, something that brings you joy.” Riggs can’t wait to see all of you in the library this year, and she is more than happy to help with anything you need.
NE
SEPT. 21, 2021
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SECTION EDIT
Getting back in the building. As the 2021-22 school year began, many Cincinnati school districts declared the mask mandate as optional, a decision made possible by Senate Bill 22 (SB 22). Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), however, continues to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested guidelines, as they resume five-days-a-week, in-person learning. When the “new coronavirus,” also known as the Delta variant, materialized in Ohio, state law granted the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the governor “ultimate authority in matters of quarantine and isolation.” This approach was most recently changed via SB 22, which prevents the health department from issuing mandatory stay-at-home orders. It also allows the General Assembly to vote down health orders without the governor’s approval. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the bill, issuing a message stating, “Senate Bill 22 jeopardizes the safety of every Ohioan. It goes well beyond the issues that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Ohio Legislature voted to override the governor, and the bill passed, notwithstanding DeWine’s objections. “SB 22 strikes at the heart of local health departments’ ability to move quickly to protect the public from the most serious emergencies Ohio could face,” DeWine said. In light of SB 22, COVID-19 protocols within schools are to be determined by school district. DeWine, however, urges Ohio schools to continue to implement mask requirements, and keep in line with quarantine guidelines.
to the game. “It’s been really nice to have a consistent season and practices again compared to our constant delays last year. It’s also nice to have more turnout at our games, the atmosphere feels a lot more normal compared to how sport were before covid.” -Bron Dietz, SENIOR The athletic department has welcomed spectators back to sporting events this season in full swing. Last season each athlete was only allowed two guests, but this season that limit has been lifted and student athletes are being cheered on by their friends and family once again. In addition to the return of fans the athletes have returned to the field in a successful fashion. The men’s and women’s soccer programs are among the most accomplished so far. The women’s team has a 7-2 overall record and the men have a 3-2-2 overall record. In addition to the success on the soccer field so far the men’s water polo team has been bringing home wins in the pool as well. They have won five games so far, which projects them to have their most prosperous season so far. “Our goal is to keep improving in the way we have been, especially with our teamwork, and to not place last this year,” boys water polo team captain Matthew Dillion said. Yet another successful program this season is cross country. WHHS holds 10 spots in the top 50 female runners and the men’s team holds 8 out of 50 spots in their top 50.
In the 2020-21 school year, WHHS students experienced a block schedule with 90 minute bells, half hour lunch periods and 10 minute passing periods. For the 2021-2022 school year, an eight bell schedule with 46 minute class periods, four being lunch periods which are no longer separated by grade level, was created in order to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Out with the old
to mus
“It’s been weird being back after that pretty long hiatu a while it still feels the same changed a lot but the band same spirit.” -Nile Thomps
The WHHS fine arts program is on th after a year of virtual performances and students are excited to finally return to a To get back into the swing of things, t band camp in late July. Rookie marchers with leadership on marching technique season. The band worked for more than 12 h seven days a week prior to the start of th year. The structure of the WHHS orchestr tremendously shifted during remote lear ing. Typically, the orchestra students rehearse pieces in preparation for concerts, but during online learning, all concerts were canceled. Instead of playing their instruments in class, students listened to pieces, created music of their own and learned music theory. Currently, Chamber Orchestra is preparing for their Halloween concert on October 28, which will be the first orchestra concert in over a year. Due to the gap of foundational inform tion that the pandemic caused for stude the theater department has made it a pri teach students the basic principles of sta theater. They have a multitude of shows Fall and are more than ready to showcas This year, the theater program is perfo ten by Eugène Ionesco. “Most high scho an absurdist piece of drama and very we Although the theater program has ret that have to be enforced due to COVID audience and performers. However, due to the content of the p these protocols with costumes, such as p The entirety of the fine arts departme experience a new form of creativity that are looking forward to events to come, a the WHHS student body.
The new school year brought many changes to the rules and regulations put in place when students were able to return to the building after three quarters of remote learning last year. While students still possess their CPS issued devices, and masking and quarantining are still enforced, they now enjoy the ability to move freely through the hallways as well as freedom from the polarizing OWL cameras which were used to capture the whole classroom for students who opted to continue learning through Google Meet while their classmates returned in person.
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SEPT. 21, 2021
EWS
PAGE 5
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k in Marching Band us. Although it’s been e, COVID-19 has seems to still the son, SENIOR
he brink of a creative comeback shows. Teachers, directors and a sense of normalcy. the marching band started with s from this year and last worked in preparation for the 2021-22
to clubs. “It’s been so much fun being able to see everyone after not seeing them for over a year. I especially loved seeing all the new faces this year and hope that we have a fun and hopefully fully in-person year.” -Emma Gaver, SENIOR The Club Fair on Sept. 3 was a huge success in the WHHS community and the perfect thing to get the Eagles back in full swing, after spending nearly a full year in virtual school. The annual fair allows many clubs to gain exposure among returning WHHS students and students who have not experienced a full year of in-person learning. The fair was held on Blair Circle and all clubs set up with signs and poster boards showcasing their unique missions and activities. Students stood at their make-shift booths getting people interested and sharing all of the information they could about their clubs. Student congress organized this event and they were very proud of the outcome. “The turnout was amazing and so many students were excited,” SENIOR Student Body Pres ident Melanie Mitchell said, “With COVID restrictions putting clubs in difficult situations, I knew how important it was that the Club Fair was prominent this year.” SENIOR Gwen Schumann and Sophia Dodds, ‘24, members of Sci-Fi and Fantasy club, are very excited to be back in-person for their club meetings. “We’ve handled the transition back really well,” Schumann said. “Now we get to expand back to the things we used to do.” The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is a primarily information-based club whose mission is to create “a safe and informational space for young gay people, trans people and maybe even allies,” and to give students a space in which they can be themselves, without disrespect or judgment. Books for Kids is another club getting out and doing something good for the community. SENIOR Aubrey Lauer talked about making personalized books for kids who are residents at Children’s Hospital. The club pairs writers and illustrators up with a child and they make all of their wildest dreams come true on the pages of their very own book. While these are only a few of the clubs that attended this year, the club fair was such a great way to come out of the pandemic and expose students to the endless possibilities for extracurriculars here at WHHS.
hours a day he school
to making memories.
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“The pandemic hasn’t made planning events easy by any means, but student congress is dedicated to making sure that the students have a great school year.” -Kylie Bridgeman, SENIOR Student congress has been working throughout the school year to overcome the challenges of and create meaningful experiences for their peers while complying with social distancing, masking and health guidelines. Members of the SENIOR class and the executive board of student congress have hit the ground running after having several successful events during remote learning. The SENIOR class held a first time event on the second day of school, the SENIOR sunrise. Students gathered on Marx field at 6 a.m., had breakfast, listened to music and played games. “The turnout [was] really great so I’m glad we decided to do it,” Bridgeman said. In addition to the SENIOR sunrise they have also been planning homecoming and its related events all school year along with the executive board. After not having prom and other profitable events last year they have faced challenges with funding for the dance, but they’ve been able to come together and pull it off. “It’s pretty stressful there’s a lot of restrictions and limits on stuff that we can do, that’s a little stressful, but we’ve worked around it so far,” SENIOR Simone Sears said. “All of the events we’ve planned like the club fair have been super exciting.” Student congress has many events in store for the student body in the near future. Homecoming is taking place on Sept. 25 with several events taking place during homecoming week including a junior high dodgeball tournament, pep rallies, homecoming games, spirit week and homecoming court voting.
maents, iority to agecraft and s coming up in the se their work. forming a Rhinoceros, a play writools wouldn’t tackle this work. It’s eird,” RG said. turned, there are still restrictions D-19, such as a mask mandate for
play, the students are able to align prop masks. ent is excited to be in-person and was not possible last year. They and to share their creativity with
o a shortage of Metro is no le to provide bus routes CPS high chools as it did for years prior. Because of this, students must take regular public bus routes to and from school.
There are 10 new teachers and staff this year, including Melody Riggs who is replacing retiree Ellen Wathen in the WHHS library, and Elizabeth Knodle who is replacing retiree Donald Stocker as the photography and AP art teacher.
In with the new
PHOTOS BY: SYDNIE BARRETT/CHATTERBOX CATHERINE FROST/REMEMBRANCER SOLIE THRESS/CHATTERBOX OWEN CUMMINGS/CHATTERBOX ISABELLA ZINCHINI/CHATTERBOX KYLIE BRIDGEMAN/CHATTERBOX HAJRA MUNIR/CHATTERBOX BROOKLYN SHAFER/REMEMBRANCER
STYLE & CULTURE
SEPT. 21, 2021
PAGE 6
WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: KATE STIENS
Back to school fashion
KATE STIENS /CHATTERBOX
From left to right: Ella Vaughn ‘23, Brooklyn Shaffer, Adeleigh Karoutchi ‘23, Sophie Christian ‘23, Jackson Prus ‘23, Annalise Smith ‘23, Maggie Dull ‘23, Parker Beidelman ‘23. Kate Stiens ‘23 Back to school fashion is better than ever this year. Sitting at home all day for classes on a screen last year, most students didn’t bother to change out of their pajamas. Some may have enjoyed the ability to do that, but the fashionistas of WHHS were craving opportunities to wear their favorite outfits and express themselves through fashion. WHHS is full of stylish students. When walking the halls you see a wide variety of outfits: extravagant
and bold patterns and color pallets, to more leisure-centric outfits like the classic sweats and a T-shirt. As much as I love burying myself in a cozy pair of sweatpants and oversized hoodie, the trendy and unique styles are the ones that stand out at WHHS. Adeleigh Karoutchi ‘23, never fails to impress. As an artist, her creativity shines through not only her artwork but also in her style. Karoutchi plays with all types of layering and color schemes but always manages to execute.
Perspectives
Ella Vaughn ‘23, also shows outstanding creativity with her outfits. She enjoys playing with a more earthy color tone, but she always coordinates colors from head to toe. Although Vaughn and Karoutchi demonstrate elevated style in many of their outfits, many people do not know how to improve their style. How should I elevate my style for back to school? Tip 1: Layering is one of the best ways to elevate an outfit, and can be seen all over WHHS. The most common way to layer is with button
ups, which are very in right now. Oversized button ups paired with something cropped underneath and some high waisted bottoms creates layers beautifully, and when fall comes around, toss on a jacket to balance everything out. Tip 2: Bagginess is very popular right now, whether baggy pants or oversized tops, but being able to style it right is what will make your outfit stand out. Typically, baggy on baggy is not the most flattering, however people can make it work if they are going for the grunge look
(for example oversized graphic tee with baggy denim). If you want an elevated look, try a more fitted or cropped top with baggy pants, or the opposite, so your waist doesn’t get lost, and the outfit looks more cohesive. Where should I shop? As funny as it sounds, many of the people I found with great style shop at thrift stores. You can find so many unique pieces there, you just have to know how to style them correctly.
Q: What is your favorite way to accessorize? A: “Probably earrings because I have a lot that I like, or rings, but they are uncomfortable to wear.” Pilar Steward ‘23
KATE STIENS/CHATTERBOX
KATE STIENS/CHATTERBOX
Q: What is your all time favorite outfit?
Q: Where is your favorite place to shop?
A: “I’d have to say maybe a pair of loose fitting, like medium wash jeans, my favorite type of jeans right now, not super light not super dark, and then like a colorful sweater and possibly a leather jacket over.”
A: “I like shopping at thrift stores because they are cute and sustainable.” Parker Beidelman ‘23
Jackson Prus ‘23 KATE STIENS/CHATTERBOX
WHHS students rock the halls with all colors of converses, and lots of Nike air force 1’s, typically in the color white, but worn with wear and tear. These shoes are comfortable but add a sense of style to every outfit.
CLIP ART/FREE SVG
Air Force 1
Trends
Converse
Hot
FINE ARTS
WHHSCBOX.COM
SEPT. 21, 2021
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SECTION EDITOR: NAZRET DEGAULLE
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Reinventing Creativity
HAJRA MUNIR /CHATTERBOX
Photography teacher Elizabeth Knodle teaches Serenity Billups,’24, the basics of photography to start the year off. Knodle is excited to watch her students develop their very first roll of film in the weeks to come. Hajra Munir ,‘23 The WHHS fine arts program is on the brink of a creative comeback after a year of virtual performances and shows. Teachers, directors and students are excited to finally return to a sense of normalcy. Helen Raymond-Goers, or as her students know her, RG, is a long time theater and costume design teacher here at WHHS. She is beyond thrilled to return to her natural rhythm and is “excited to be back doing theater the way theater’s meant to be done.” Due to the gap of foundational information that the pandemic caused for students, RG has made it a priority to teach her kids the basic
principles of stagecraft and theater. “It makes me a little nervous that we have to make up for lost time. But it is making a huge difference that the students are excited to catch up and they are all passionate about learning,” RG said. Even though some students are new to the theater program, the staff and students of the program are excited to have their first in-person performance of the year with a live audience . This year, the theater program is performing a Rhinoceros, a play written by Eugène Ionesco. “Most high schools wouldn’t tackle this work. It’s an absurdist piece of drama and very weird,” RG said. Although the theater program has returned, there are still restric-
tions that have to be enforced due to COVID-19, such as a mask mandate for audience and performers. However, due to the content of the play, the students are able to align these protocols with costumes, such as prop masks. “Because we are still in a world where we have to be masked and socially distanced, we have the advantage of doing an absurdist piece,” RG said. “We are doing this piece with these hyper characterized masks because we all have to do the mask anyway. So we decided to build that into the production.” The theater program has a multitude of invigorating shows coming up in the Fall and the entire fine arts department is more than ready to showcase their potential. Liz Lloyd, an art teacher at WHHS and a valuable member of the fine arts department, is also extremely thankful to teach her kids a subject that requires verbal communication and feedback. Teaching subjects that are representations of creative freedom, can be difficult to teach through a screen. However, Lloyd is grateful that she can once again teach students to express themselves in visionary ways. “I am excited to be able to return to a creative environment where students can have free choice but also have me help them,” Lloyd said. Due to students having already made a lot of progress towards their artistic journey, they are prepared for a plethora of upcoming events to display their hard work, including a Fall art show. “I am excited to be able to showcase the students’ work in person so they can take ownership for their
work,” Lloyd said. Alongside these teachers returning to the program, we also have teachers being welcomed for the first time. Elizabeth Knodle, WHHS’s newest photography teacher and WHHS alumna, is taking on the legacy of retired teacher Donald Stocker. She is excited to start her teaching career at WHHS. “I went to Walnut and took AP photography as a student and it’s exciting to be back teaching it now,” Knodle said. As Knodle is making her debut as a teacher at WHHS, she has already set goals to achieve a successful year. “I want to push students creatively and I also want photography to specifically give them that tactile experience, especially after everything being online and digital for so long,” Knodle said. “I want them to take photos and have the experience of bringing those to life.” To express her enthusiasm of being the newest staff member in the creative arts department, Knodle shared some upcoming projects that she’s delighted to see unfold. “We are currently working on pinhole photography and students will be using their cameras to shoot their first roll of film and that will be exciting to see what their results are,” Knodle said. Knodle is thankful to be welcomed to WHHS during a year where face-to-face interaction is allowed so that she can watch her students experience the complete photography process. “Being a photography teacher is truly a hands-on job. Being in person is beneficial because it allows kids to have that tangible experience of working in the darkroom and us-
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SENIOR Rowan Heckerman begins his sculpting project using clay. Liz Lloyd gave each of her students about two pounds of fresh clay to manipulate into creations of their own. ing the cameras,” Knodle said. The entirety of the fine arts program, both teachers and students, are excited to be in-person to experience and express a new form of creativity that was not possible last year. Photography, art, theatre and other branches of the fine arts program are all excited for their own upcoming events and hope that the rest of the student body and staff will be just as enthusiastic for their return to innovation that the fine arts programs brings to the school.
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Visit whhscbox.com for more
COURTESY OF ISAIAH BIRL
He Plays For Her: Isaiah Birl Reflects On His Football Career and His Relationship With His Mother
Isaiah Birl, ‘23, is a running back and safety for WHHS football. Birl is motivated by the strength his mother has shown him throughout his life and has his father to thank for introducing him to the game.
OWEN CUMMINGS/CHATTERBOX
COURTESY OF DVIDSHUB/FLICKR
After a year of waiting, it’s still rock and roll. Billy Joel makes his return to Cincinnati following Covid-19 with a sold out show at Great American Ball Park on Sept. 10, 2021.
After 20 years of war in Afghanistan the US military forces have officially left the country. Starting from the creation of the Taliban and the terrorist attack of 9/11, find out the rundown of how it all happened.
“I am the Entertainer; Afghanistan War comes to a close: Recap of MaI’ve come to do my jor Events show”
EFFIE ALERT Dominic Hamon ‘25
FAITH WALLACE/CHATTERBOX
After his first few weeks at Walnut Hills, this new Effie has some things to share about his vivid first impressions. Joey Kurtz is a member of the 2027 graduating class, and he’s already been involved with the soccer team, keeping a good record of four wins to only one loss. Kurtz is adjusting to the big new school well, coming from his elementary school of Fairview. Kurtz appreciates the experience and meeting all of the students that he shares this wonderful place with. “It’s a very big building,” Kurtz said. “Just about everybody that I’ve met here is nice.” Previously having a lunch time of 10
minutes, Kurtz’s favorite part of the day is lunch, where you can find him playing soccer with his friends.Kurtz also seems to enjoy his schedule and all of his classes. “My favorite classes are probably Math and Health,” Kurtz said. “Everything’s been going pretty straightforward.” Still during the beginning of the year Kurtz’s goals are to keep good grades and stay a good student. School is going well for him and he’s really taken a liking to the WHHS environment. “Walnut is just about everything I’d thought it’d be and more,” Kurtz said. “I didn’t think everybody would be so chill and so nice.”
Welcome to Walnut! Hello friends, it’s Piper Peanut here! I’m a mascot for seventh and eighth graders. It can be nerve-racking coming up into a new school, but there is no need for the jitterbugs! I am here to help guide you through life here at WHHS, starting with some Junior High events to welcome you to the WHHS community. Let’s start off with the Boogie Bash. This is a Halloween dance made especially for seventh and eighth graders. It’s a lively, costume event with group and individual prizes for the best costume, as well as great food options at WHHS. The Boogie Bash will be held Oct. 22 in the Junior High gym. Also in October, there will be auditions for the first of the Junior High theatre productions. The 3rd annual One Act Festival will contain two performances featuring an all seventh and eighth grade cast and crew. Auditions for Oz, a re-telling of the classic “Wizard of Oz” story, and The Internet is Distract- OH LOOK A KITTEN!, a fast
paced comedy about the internet will be held on Oct. 4 and 5, and show dates are Dec. 2 and 4. The second Junior High dance will be held in the spring, and have a bit more formal, classic school dance feel. The “Twilight Ball” is the Junior High equivalent of prom, and, while still being held in the Junior High gym, will be a good opportunity for new students to get a feel for the environment of a High School event without being surrounded by people almost twice their size. One group of attendees at the dance will be the “Effies,’’ which is a name that is given to the seventh graders. Effies are recognized by the school to be those with small figures, a backpack bigger than them, or, in some cases, a big rolling backpack. They are also known to not use their lockers and store everything from classes in their enormous bag. Another common sign of an Effie is a tendency to get lost in the hallways. Now eighth graders, don’t feel left out!
The eighth grade class is given their own affectionate nickname, the ‘E-flats’.” Now whether you are an Effie or an E-Flat you belong at this school! Entering a new environment can be tough, but there are teachers and resources out there to help you, and this won’t be the last time we get connected. I hope teaching you all about the seventh and eighth grade customs will make you feel more attached to WHHS. All the best, Piper Peanut
Now that you’ve read the Chatterbox, it’s time to chatter back! Scan the QR code to tell us how we did
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The Chattercast is the official podcast series of the Chatterbox. Here, you will find many fun, creative and diverse episodes produced entirely by our student staff.
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Already in his element, Joey Kurtz ‘27 came to WHHS from Fairview, and has already met many new people and began building on his interests.
The Chatterbox wants to send out an extra big thank you to Jennifer Meininger for going above and beyond to help make this issue possible.