Volume CXIII, Issue 5 Thurs., Nov. 15, 2018 The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School WHHSCBOX.COM
pg. 2 OPINIONS - Jamal Khashoggi and the importance of a free press in the modern era
pg. 4 PEANUTS - Junior high students have a blast at the Boogie Bash Halloween dance
pg. 7 FINE ARTS - WHHS theater prepares for the winter season with The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge
Tackling more than sports
RYLEIGH SANBORN / CHATTERBOX
SENIOR Jowon Briggs is well known for his athletic prowess and achievements on the field. He received offers from schools such as University of Alabama and Ohio State before committing to the University of Virginia. Aside from football, Briggs also holds many creative interests, including acting, and his performance in Ragtime led Anthony Nims to recruit him to join the choir program.
Alonna Johnson, ‘20 “I’d like to be a role model, the standard for young high schoolers in every way.” SENIOR Jowon Briggs said that was the “something” he wanted the students of WHHS to know about him. Briggs is more than the student we see in the halls. He stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 295 pounds. Including the fact that he is a senior, he looks unapproachable. But Briggs wants to be seen past his exterior. Since seventh grade, Briggs has been playing football for WHHS. But unlike many players of the game, he did not dream of playing professional or even collegiate football. “I did not see it as a future I wanted to have,” he said. The University of Virginia had other plans. “The coaching staff is
exemplary, and the schooling...” convinced him to change his mind. On June 22, 2018, Briggs committed to the Cavaliers, with a full-tuition football scholarship. Schools like University of Alabama, University of Michigan, Ohio State University and 13 others also wanted to have the defensive tackle on their team. Many offers were given to him during his junior year. The scouting process for him was “not overwhelming, but was a lot.” Briggs’s last high school game was Oct. 26. He felt mixed emotions on the day, comparing it to “the feeling of finishing a book that you put down before satisfaction, with droplets of sadness.”
But beginning next fall, Briggs becomes number 72 on Virginia’s football team: a new step in his life.
100 recruits in the nation, which led to his achievement of playing in the 2019 Under Armour All American Football game, an honor only given to the elite. “I love competition, so it’ll be great to go against other players in the country,” he said. While being a topnotch athlete, Briggs also participates in the WHHS Music Department’s Senior Ensemble and in musical theatre. For years, he hadn’t been a part of the music program at WHHS. But when the opportunity of Ragtime, the 2017 Senior High Musical, came upon him, he took the chance. “All of the people in my family are artistic,” he said. “My sis-
“All of the people in my family are artistic. My sisters are all great singers so I just followed suit.” - SENIOR Jowon Briggs Briggs has accomplished a lot in football. He ranked in the top
ters are all great singers, so I just followed suit.” Ragtime led to Anthony Nims, Senior Ensemble director, recognizing Briggs’s perfect pitch, the ability to memorize musical notes. Briggs was recruited to the WHHS choir program, and is now a part of Senior Ensemble. His surprising ability led to a discovery of another side to Briggs. Everyone sees the big tough football player, but in reality, Briggs’s talents and passions go beyond the football field. He is a man with great musical talent, and he wants to be a programmer, hoping to study computer science at the University of Virginia. That future programmer, musician and football player wants to be the epitome of a student for WHHS.
OPINIONS
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: ISABEL NISSLEY
PAGE 2
CINCINNATI, OHIO
In defense of the First Amendment AS THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN THE UNITED STATES COMES UNDER FIRE, IT IS THE JOB OF CITIZENS TO PROTECT OUR MOST IMPORTANT VALUES
Isabel Nissley, ‘20 When I was younger, I always wanted my name to go down in history books for saving the world. So I read. I read books on the Titanic. “If I could give a lifeboat to everyone who is sinking, would I be remembered?” I wondered. I read books on fairies and mystical kingdoms. “If I defeated a power-hungry king, would I be remembered?” I wondered. As I have grown older, I still wondered. With all that’s happening in the world, we really need some saving to be happening here. But with age has come skepticism; I now wonder if the world can be saved. And if so, how? With the ability to read the books I wanted as a kid, I was able to learn about all the things that interested elementary school me. So, with the ability for Americans to freely access the books, newspapers and social media they please, they are able to learn information that will impact their life and the world. This capability is largely due to the freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment, including the freedom of the press. This principle of a free press for Americans was established 231 years ago in the United States Constitution. The First Amendment reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Although these words were written into the highest law of the land, in recent years, the United States has seen the freedom of the press come under attack. “Journalism and the press are under assault like never before,” Ken Rudin said during his visit
a journalist for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi Arabian crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, according to BBC. He wrote his final column about the lack of a free press in the Arab world. He saw the effects of this first hand, as a Saudi Arabian citizen. “[Arabs] are unable to adequately address, much less publicly discuss, matters that affect the region and their day-to-day lives,” Khashoggi wrote. America must not let our press become like that of Saudi Arabia. We must continue to talk about the things that “affect” our “day-to-day lives.” “It’s very important because there should be a way to express yourself. The press is a way to get your opinions out, or even just facts about the government,” Chaya Jones, ‘21, said. So we must continue to read, to question and to think, reinforcing the free press’s role as a cornerstone of our democracy. We must continue to do this for the past, for the present and for the future--not just for the United States, but for the world. And although I may not ever be able to save the world by myself, we can work to change society, one article at a time.
“If you don’t know what’s going on in society, you can’t be a part of it” -Jess Stout, ‘22 to WHHS on Oct. 30 to talk to AP Government classes. Rudin is a journalist and producer of the “Political Junkie” podcast. Missiles filled with rhetoric of “fake news” and actual explosives loaded with hate have begun to strike publications’ headquarters, trying to weaken the cornerstone of our democracy. But why does this matter? “If you don’t know what’s going on in society, you can’t be a part of it,” Jess Stout, ‘22, said. And if you don’t know what’s going on in the world, how can it be saved? In Saudi Arabia and Turkey, this phenomenon was recently exemplified with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was
NAVIA PALMER/ REM
Howard Wilkinson (left) and Ken Rudin (right) visited WHHS to talk to AP U.S. Government and Politics students on Oct. 30. Wilkinson and Rudin cohost a political podcast published by WVXU.
PHOTO COURTESY OF: REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
All views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
This 2005 map published by Reporters Without Borders indicates the restrictions placed on the press around the world. In 2005, the United States was ranked as forty-fourth in terms of freedom. By 2018, it had moved down one place to fortyfifth in terms of press freedom.
Dream” speech, the United States is as divided as ever--not just on the grounds of race but of ideology. And unlike racism or sexism, partyism is a problem no one seems eager to solve; instead, the left and
tack those who disagree with him. While President Donald Trump has repeatedly hurled invective at the Democrats, West has refrained from doing so. In fact, in his recent meeting with Trump, he said “...you know, I love Hillary. I love everyone, right?” His upcoming album is titled “Love Everyone,” and previously planned to feature a picture of the plastic surgeon whom he blames for his mother’s death. In talking about it, he suggested it would be in the territory of his song ‘Real Friends,’ which concerns a cousin who allegedly stole his laptop in order to blackmail
‘Love Everyone’ A plea for unity Will Fitton, ‘20
Update: On Oct. 30, Kanye West tweeted that he was “distancing himself from politics” as he felt he was being used to spread messages he didn’t believe in. The past few years have been a tumultuous time in U.S. politics. Between the start of the 2016 election cycle and now, we have seen tension in the political scene like never before. Unfortunately, this has resulted in bitterness toward the other side from both parties, and the development of what could aptly be described as a “political Cold War” of sorts, with Democrats and Republicans treating each other with tremendous amounts of scorn and disrespect. It has also led to a phenomenon which I refer to as ‘partyism,’ that is, the discrimination toward a per-
son or group of people based on their expressed political affiliation. This development is more than frightening; in my opinion, it may be our prevailing national crisis. Hurricanes can destroy homes and school shootings can take lives, but the violent political divisions in our nation threaten to tear our country apart from the inside. I’ve heard stories of family members who refuse to talk to each other because of their political beliefs. I know Democrats who want nothing to do with Republicans, and vice versa. Instead of judging people on the content of their character, we judge them on their party. More than 50 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a
“All these walls that keep us from loving each other as one family or one race” - Kanye West right drift further apart, two ships destined to never cross paths again. Someone whose story I feel coincides with this partisan division is none other than Kanye West. A lot has been made of West’s comments in the last year, but one thing I’ve yet to see West do is at-
him using the material on it. In a later song, he forgives the cousin. I’m not asking people to excuse West for the things he has said, because we shouldn’t. We should hold people accountable for their words and actions. I’m not defending West, but I think he’s headed in the right direction, in some strange, convoluted way. We need more love and forgiveness in America. For West, and anyone we don’t agree with. I hope there are people who feel the same way as I do. And I hope Americans can learn to respect and listen to each other again, sooner rather than later.
All views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
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 Matthew Youkilis, Editor-in-Chief
Amanda Anderson, Managing Editor of News and Features
Grace Berding, Managing Editor of Student Life
Ibrahim Munir, Managing Editor of Viewpoints
Caroline Horvath, Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Nick Robertson, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Allyson Garth, Business Manager
Emma Heines, Video Content Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Brian Sweeney, English Department Chair
WHHSCBOX.COM
NEWS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
SECTION EDITOR: DREW BROWN
2018 Local Election Recap
PAGE 3
Ohio Governor - General The Issues Mike DeWine Issue 10 - Passed In a down-to-the-wire gubernatorial race, Republican Mike DeWine has defeated Democratic candidate Richard Cordray following a strong grassroots campaign by both sides, winning the position after is was vacated by Ohio’s current governor, John Kasich, who is term-limited. 2,187,619 2,005,627
The Governor’s Cabinet
With its passage, councilpeople of the Cincinnati City Council will have two year terms instead of four year terms. Issue 11, which would enact offsetting four year terms also passed, though only issue 10 will go into effect as it eceived more votes overall.
Issue 12 - Passed
Issue 12 allows private meetings of Cincinnati City Council. Members are now allowed to meet outside of official meetings, though these meetings still must be kept track of, and records kept. This meeting information must be in compliance with the Ohio Open Meeting Law, per the wording of the issue.
Issue 13 - Passed
This issue limits the financial contributions to all Cincinnati elections. All Limited Liability Companies will also be subject to the $1,100 total contribution limit, in addition to individuals. This was proposed in direct response to the election of Mayor John Cranley, who received over $260,000 in contributions from LLCs.
U.S. House - District 1 - General
Secretary of State: Frank LaRose (R)
State Treasurer: Robert Sprague (R)
State Attourney General: Dave Yost (R)
Steve Chabot Despite a strong campaign put up by his opponent, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval, Republican incumbent Steve Chabot held on to his seat representing District 1. District 1 covers western Hamilton County and Warren County. 151,107
State Auditor Kevin Faber (R)
135,467
Hey SENIORS! Buy your Baby Ad by January 4, 2019!
Go to Jostens.com/yearbook and search Walnut Hills HIgh School. Baby Ads are listed as RECOGNITION ADS.
Tell your parents!
PEANUTS
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: HEAVEN ONLEY
PAGE 4
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Boogie-ing down at the Boogie Bash
ARIANNA BODDIE/CHATTERBOX
MCKENZIE SCUDDER/ REM
The Boogie Bash dance took place in the junior high gym, which was filled with students in their spooky costumes. A costume contest, snacks and live DJ were some of the many festivities at this year’s dance.
This group of girls wore jerseys of football teams, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers. Many students wore sports-themed costumes.
Heaven Onley ‘19
most creative costumes. Administrators and chaperones also On Oct. 19, seventh and eighth had a blast at the dance watching graders gathered in the juthe kids have fun and nior high gym to celenjoy a break from ebrate Halloween at “The dance the school life. the Boogie Bash. There was such Students was really fun and a great variety were very ex- all of the costumes of costumes cited to enjoy from seemingeach other’s looked awesome.” ly every movie company at their or TV show. first dance at their - Ayanna Simp- The DJ played new school. Ayanna son, ‘23 music throughout Simpson, ‘23, said, “The the night that made dance was really fun and all of the students almost never leave the costumes looked awesome.” the dance floor. The Boogie The night was filled with fun, Bash was a great way to end including dancing on the dance first quarter for the junior high. floor, eating great spooky snacks and a contest for who had the
ARIANNA BODDIE/CHATTERBOX
The volunteers put up and displayed great dark and spooky decorations to really set the tone for the dance. It almost felt as if the dance took place in a real haunted house.
Junior high fall sports recap Bobby Keegan, ‘21
Fall is dwindling, and with it, fall sports are reaching the conclusions of their seasons. As tryouts for winter sports begin, let’s recap what went down across the junior high fall sports seasons. Starting it off on the soccer field, both the boys and girls junior high teams won their end of season city tournament. The boys went undefeated throughout the course of the season with some jaw dropping statistics. They surrendered only four goals all season and scored a total of 55. The girls finished 13-1, winning the end of season tournament with their first goal scored within the first 30 sec-
onds of the championship game. Taking the ball indoors, the Women’s Eighth Grade Volleyball Team went 7-10. “We were an okay team and all our games were close. We just [rarely] found ourselves winning them,” Charley Hamon, ‘23, said. “We would have won the league spirit award.” For the Women’s Seventh Grade Volleyball Team, it was a 7-9 season in their first year at the school. Men’s Cross Country put together a solid season. The boys managed to place eleventh at the state tournament and third place at the ECC championship meet. The Women’s Cross Country team had a nice season with
a first place finish at the Harrison meet, along with a second place finish at Princeton. At the city meet, the seventh grade girls finished in third place. At State, the girls finished tenth. “It was a really good season and everyone has made so much improvement,” Kate Steins, ‘23, said. The Eighth Grade Football Team did not perform as well relative to their undefeated season in seventh grade. The team was only able to put together a 2-6 season. For the Seventh Grade Football Team, they were able to come up with as many wins as they did losses, finishing a 4-4 season for the future varsity stars of WHHS.
WHHSCBOX.COM The online home of The Chatterbox
Check out our new podcast The Chattercast, along with new content from every section Two-time winner of the Best of Student News Online award
Fall team final records Team
Women’s Soccer
Record 13 - 1
Men’s Soccer
14 - 0
Women’s 8th Grade Volleyball
7 - 10
Women’s 7th Grade Volleyball
7-9
Men’s 8th Grade Football
2-6
Men’s 7th Grade Football
4-4
WHHSCBOX.COM
FEATURES
CINCINNATI, OHIO
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
PAGE 5
SECTION EDITOR: DREW BROWN
WHHS students studying for standardized testing
PHOTO COURTESY OF LECROITG /PIXABAY
The above photo shows the usual standardized testing form that is used to record answers. Recently, the fairness and extent of use of standardized testing have come into question by those who feel that testing is being used to sell various different study tools. Drew Brown ‘20 College, to many students, appears as a symbol of high school success. To many, it is a golden achievement earned only through hard work and determination. Test scores are one of the toughest components to surpass when trying to gain entry into your favorite college or university. This is why many students spend hours, days, weeks or even months studying and preparing for the American College Testing (ACT), based on a scale from one to 36, and/or for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), based on a scale of 400-1600. Calvin Bigham, ‘20, recently took the ACT. When asked how he prepared for the
test, he said “I spent probably three hours taking a practice test this week, and I took a practice test last week. I hope I’m ready.” The official ACT website posted an article discussing the effects of test prep, using a study completed by Jim Jump, an Academic Dean and Director of College Counseling at St. Richmond’s School in Virginia. Jump said, “Some test-prep firms [are] using an in-house pre-test to set the baseline.” Harmless, right? Jump followsup by speculating if the pre-tests were a tougher version of the actual test or even “artificially lower[s] the scores.” This way, test prep firms scare students into taking their preparation program, possibly the biggest Halloween spook for ju-
niors and SENIORS alike. To prove his argument, Jump had an interview with a representative from a test prep firm. He said, “A representative from the test prep firm confirmed that practice.” Jump shifts to discussing the SAT, an alternative test to the ACT. Jump references a press release from the College Board on May 8, 2017. The College Board boasts about their (at the time) recent collaboration with Khan Academy to give students who are users of the popular education website a personalized test prep program. Specifically, they boast that “20 hours on free Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is associated with an average score gain of 115 points.”
The Official ACT website notes the merits of short-term studying, and Jump notes this as well, again referencing the College Board press release: “six to eight hours of practice on Official SAT Practice is associated with an average 90-point increase.” Jump says that this begs the question: “Why would I spend 20 hours practicing when I can get almost as much improvement in six hours?” However, many websites will inform students that long-term study is necessary for point increases. PrepScholar published an article on Dec. 18, 2017, containing a chart telling students roughly how many hours of study correlate with a point increase on the ACT. The chart says that for every one-point increase, a study time of 10 hours is required. However, PrepScholar recommends that students who want to go beyond a fourpoint increase need 80 hours of study for a four-to-six point increase, and 150 hours or more for a six-to-nine point increase. In true Halloween spirit, the College Board remains hidden in the shadows by not answering questions, especially the moral dilemma that Jump presents: “How significant are SAT scores as a factor predicting readiness for college, and are scores more or less meaningful because they come through coaching/Official SAT Practice? Is a 70-point increase without practice better than a 115-point increase with practice?” The College Board cannot tell you the best way to study, or even if Official SAT Practice improves the student and their achievement rather than only a test score. Going about taking college entry tests are no easy task. Make sure to check your resources and the policies of test prep firms before putting your hard-earned money at risk.
Waves of women declare #WhyIdidntreport I was 17. I was embarrassed that I froze, that I let it happen. He was my boss #WhyIDidntReport — jawniferojawny (@jenniferaphael) September 21, 2018
#WhyIDidntReport because I was 11 yrs old, in my second foster home, and she was a model foster parent and he was her son, so it would have been my word against his. And I was afraid I’d end up in an even worse foster home if I was removed. — TraCee (@TraCee_tr) September 21, 2018
Similar to the tidal wave of tweets accompanying the #MeToo movement last fall, the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh brought about a new movement: #WhyIDidntReport. Instead of stating how they were sexually assaulted, many people have banded together to share the different reasons why they never reported their assault in support of Christine Blasey Ford. Chyna Smith, ‘22 During Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, Christine Blasey Ford testified that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in the 1980s, while they were both in high school near Washington D.C. The investigation into sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh has sparked #WhyIdidntreport confessions about people’s own experiences with sexual misconduct. #WhyIdidntreport became a trending topic on Twitter during Kavanaugh’s hearings. Allegations from the general public have ranged in severity, encompassing both sexual harassment and sexual assault. According to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.” Sexual assault is defined slightly differently. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, sexual assault is “any type of sexual ac-
tivity or contact that you do not consent to.” boys smack girls butts, grope their breasts, all These distinctions are important to note that.” When asked how the girls respond to as individuals come forward with their sto- these sexual advancements, she said, “I think ries. This even includes students at WHHS the girls are more confused about what do. who are sharing their own experiences. Obviously they don’t want that to happen to them, because it’s unwarranted.” One such person that has been motivated to take action on this In the Dec. 11, 2017 issue of topic is Seth Ross, ’20. Ross The Chatterbox, there was a authored a survey about survey conducted of stu“A lot of guys don’t sexual misconduct and dents at WHHS about realize that girls inter- harassment. It showed shared it among his friends. He received pret certain actions dif- that while 82.7 perover 70 responses, and cent of students have the stories that they ferently, and that’s where seen some sort of share are wide-ranging. the big problem lies.” physical, verbal or sexual harassment at “I just sent it out to school, only 10.6 percent my friends who might - SENIOR Antwane Pope of students have reported be interested and a lot of that harassment to an adult. friends who are passionate about the subject too,” Ross said. “I haven’t been sexually haRoss has been a strong advocate for rassed, but I know it’s a big problem. I think those who have been sexually harassed and it comes down to a difference in how men assaulted, including students at WHHS. and women think and play...a lot of guys SENIOR Mueni Nzioki said, “I’ve seen don’t realize that girls interpret certain ac-
ESSAYE TEKIA/CHATTERBOX
tions differently, and that’s where the big problem lies,” SENIOR Antwane Pope said. According to the student handbook, the first offense of any type of harassment, sexual or otherwise, results in “Parent Notification/Removal & SRO Notified.” A second offense will lead to a “Court Referral/ISS/A2S & SRO Notified.” Since student discipline records are protected under FERPA, it is difficult to verify just how many cases of sexual harassment and assault get reported to the school each year. Regarding how WHHS students should spread awareness about sexual misconduct, Yocheved Ocho, ’20, said, “We should have an assembly to spread awareness on the fact that sexual assault does happen.”
If you have been a victim of sexual assault, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline. At 800.656.HOPE and online.rainn. org. The hotline has served over 2 million people affected by sexual violence since 1994.
STYLE & CULTURE
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: DELANEY OWENS
PAGE 6
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Instagram beyond the selfies Instagram is a platform for many forms of business and expression. From modeling to photography, WHHS students take advantage of all the app has to offer. Elizabeth Ramos, ‘20 Since the creation of Instagram on Oct. 6, 2010, the site has grown incredibly and has become one of the most popular social media platforms yet. Originally started by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the site was purchased for $1 billion in 2012 by Facebook. According to Statista, about 31 percent of Instagram users were between 18 and 24, with 30 percent between 25 and 34 as of January. Another study found that there were nearly 200 million daily Instagram users as of June. “There is something really intriguing about seeing other people’s posts,” Kristen Cathey, ‘20, said. “I’d like to think I don’t care about what people are doing that much, but it’s addicting to continuously check Instagram.” Although she is only 16 years old, Cathey says that she uses the app frequently, hoping to become famous from her photos. “People definitely will look at my page and think that I am self obsessed, but like many other pages that primarily focus on posting images of themselves, it follows a certain aesthetic,” Cathey said. “It’s not that I am in love with myself, but I take pride in my style.” The Instagram modeling trend is primar-
ily followed by teens and people in their 20s. Anyone can partake in the trend, but younger people tend to stray more toward it. As Cathey said, many people view it as somewhat conceited, but its real purpose is to broadcast a certain style and post photos that are pleasing for other people to look at. “I personally follow a lot of Instagram models, and I enjoy looking at what they’re doing in their lives, and seeing photos of their outfits along with their makeup,” Cathey said, “It gives me inspiration for myself, and so that’s what I have to do by posting my pictures. For example, for Halloween I got together a pretty extravagant costume to be a vampire, and I thought it looked so [realistic] and a lot of people commented and thought it looked really cool.” Other users, however use the app differently and don’t even post pictures of themselves. Creating a separate account just for his photography, Drew Hart, ‘20, uses the platform to showcase his professional photos. “A lot of people were coming up to me and it saying how much they enjoyed looking at my photos,” Hart said. “Photography is something I’m very passionate about, and so having people really appreciate how much effort I put into it, and recognize it as art feels nice.”
“It’s not that I am in love with myself, but I take pride in my style.” - Kristen Cathey, ‘20
PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTEN CATHEY
Kristen Cathey, ‘20, is one of many Instagram users who view the platform as a way to express herself. “I personally follow a lot of Instagram models, and I enjoy looking at what they’re doing in their lives, and seeing photos of their outfits along with their makeup,” Cathey said. Her username is @kristencathey.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW HART
Drew Hart, ‘20, uses Instagram to build up his photography portfolio. Hart has been active on Instagram since he was in fifth grade, but created his photography account two years ago. His username is @drewhartphotography.
Mental health support at WHHS
NAVIA PALMER/REM
Susan Flowers was hired this year as a full-time psychologist for WHHS. Flowers is available to help any student in room 3302 during any part of the day.
Arianna Boddie, ‘19 At a school with such high expectations and pressure, mental illness seems to run rampant through the halls of WHHS. After months of debate, WHHS and Cincinnati
Public Schools officially decided to hire a full-time psychologist for the 2018-2019 school year. Many students appear to struggle with stress and schoolrelated anxiety. A full-time resource appeared to be a necessity. Susan Flowers is an old friend
to the WHHS community, serving as an appointment-only resource at first, but now has a new role. She is officially titled as a full-time school psychologist this school year, with an open office that can be visited at any time. All students need to take ad-
vantage of the resources around them. Flowers makes this very easy by taking the time to talk and work out plans with teachers and administrators so they can better support you. “Our teachers are very supportive and our administrators are above and beyond what I’ve ever worked with a n y w he re e l s e , ” F l o w ers said. “We talk at night, you know, they have their families to go home to and I can still call and talk to them about a student and tell them this was going on and ask if we can meet tomorrow.” Flowers’s office is a safe place for everyone. She advocates strongly for students to pay attention to their friends and their mental health. If you notice your friends
are acting differently than normal, alert Flowers as soon as possible. “Come back [to your friends] and kind of move forward. They don’t want to rehash what just happened. And then, you can always tell a friend in private. Hey, I don’t want to pry but if you ever want to talk, I’m here for you, and you leave it at that,” Flowers said. If you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed or any other difficult emotions, go talk to Flowers in room 3302, or even talk to your favorite teacher. They are here to help and aid in your recovery. And after you feel like you are healing and feeling a bit better, Flowers stresses the importance of moving on, focusing on the future and talking to your friends.
“Our teachers are very supportive and our administrators are above and beyond what I’ve ever worked with anywhere else.” -Susan Flowers
FINE ARTS
WHHSCBOX.COM
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
PAGE 7
SECTION EDITOR: AMIAH HEARD
CINCINNATI, OHIO
The rehearsal of Ebenezer Scrooge Owen Cummings ‘22 For those familiar with Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Marley is still dead. There is no question whatsoever. He was before, but now the public will get to see the famous ghost again in the upcoming Junior High Play, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. The audience will join the cast one year after the events of Charles Dickens’s book, and the previously jolly Ebenezer Scrooge is back to his old, cranky ways, and is suing the ghosts of Christmas for kidnapping, among other charges. Under the same storybook theme as the Senior High Musical Into the Woods, this play takes a story that many people are familiar with and puts a twist on it. Similar to Into the Woods, this show will also feature an immersive Black Box set. “This show has a unique set that makes the audience a part of it, and it has a format to the script that you simply can’t find
in other plays,” Sophia Rooksberry, ‘22, said. Rooksberry is the Assistant Director of Ebenezer Scrooge. The junior high theater students have had the tasks of putting on WHHS’s holiday productions for the past few years, with shows like Holiday Schmoliday in the 2016-2017 season. While some of the crew may see this as added pressure, it can also be seen as a time to shine for the junior high students who might not get as many ticket sales as the senior high usually would. “I definitely think the kids like the holiday aspect of it,” Rooksberry said. “It gives the play an extra sort of energy that really motivates them.” The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge is a big moment for the junior high theater crew, as “this show is good for a laugh and a reminder of the Christmas spirit, complete with an interesting set and a talented cast, and is a lot of fun for the whole family,” Rooksberry said.
OWEN CUMMINGS/CHATTERBOX
From left to right: Sophie Christian ‘23, Gabe Conley ‘23, Nate Caudill ‘24, Isabella Lachey ‘24 and Avery Frank ‘23. While the crew has set up a makeshift set in the auditiorium, the courtroom setup is evident here, and will be translated into the final production.
What to expect from Chamber Orchestra’s new season GRACE SUBLETT/CHATTERBOX
SENIOR Shelby Ewing is a Chamber Orchestra cellist with six years of experience under her belt. She initially started playing in the seventh grade to fulfill her fine arts credit but ended up sticking with the instrument. Grace Sublett, ‘19 As trolls, angels and princesses filled the auditorium, a new orchestra season began at WHHS. Six-year cellist SENIOR Shelby Ewing shares a peek into what can be expected this year from the Chamber Orchestra. To kick off the new season, the orchestra got into the holiday spirit
and performed renditions of classic Halloween songs. While they are currently performing songs such as “Ghostbusters” and “The Addams Family,” Ewing still finds the beauty in the more famous pieces that will be performed later this season. “We have been playing some Halloween classics that are on our concert tonight, which is fun. I also really enjoy Beethoven’s Sym-
phony No. 5, which will be in a later concert. Most people recognize the initial theme of the piece but hearing it in person in its entirety is a completely different effect that’s really nice,” Ewing said. Although the orchestra is still adapting from the loss of last year’s seniors, Ewing believes that the talent that floods from this year’s players is unmatched. “Some
amazing musicians graduated in the past years, but there’s also a lot of amazing musicians coming into Walnut each year and adding to Chamber so I think it balances out quite well in the end. There are a lot of talented kids,” Ewing said. Just like the Halloween performance, this year comes with many new thrills that can only be seen at performances. “Our
teachers and the orchestra love to put surprises in concerts, and I think people should definitely come to a concert at some point in the year,” Ewing said. The Chamber Orchestra will pull out more surprises March 5 in the auditorium. All performances are free, so come out and enjoy the show.
ARCADE
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
PAGE 8
Perspectives
SECTION EDITOR: RYAN HILL
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Find a friend and play!
What is a good study tip you would give to some students?
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RYAN HILL/CHATTERBOX
“Make sure you study in a quiet environment and you are locked “Keep everything organized and always study ahead instead of the night before the test.” - SENIOR Halee’ Jackson in and focused.” -Owen Murray , ‘22
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“Make sure you learn for understanding and not for memorization.” - Julian Coley, ‘20
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“I know it’s a cliche, but don’t cram your studies and never be afraid to ask questions.” - Yeremyyah Yisrael, ‘22
Escape the maze!